Menlo Security vs Surf Security (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Surf Security grades higher than Menlo Security: 1.8 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Surf Security grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Menlo Security if
- Fits if your company wants browser protection added to the browsers staff already use
- Makes sense if you have higher-risk users who need cloud-based protection
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a posted price: only a budget estimate and a sales quote exist
- Not for you if you want something free to try, as no plan or trial is listed
- Pricey if you add features: HEAT Shield AI and file sanitization cost extra
- Watch out: Protect, Secure and Manage are priced separately
- Too heavy for one person: it is sold to organizations by user license
Pick Surf Security if
- Fits if your company wants to control staff use of generative AI
- Makes sense if contractors on their own devices need access to a few company apps
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price, since the site points to a demo only
- Not for you if you work alone, as it is sold for organizations
- Watch out: no free plan or trial is listed
- Watch out: the vendor calls the agent runtime new, so check what it covers today
- Tight if you need mobile: the full browser is for desktops and phone support is listed separately
How we grade them
| 1.6GPAMenlo SecurityWeak | 1.8GPASurf SecurityWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published. Menlo quotes by the products deployed and the number of user licenses, and a pricing tool gives only a budget estimate. | CNo price is published. The site directs visitors to book a demo, so a buyer cannot compare it with the category's $10 middle price. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing is free, and no trial is listed. The way in is a self-service estimate or a sales quote. | FNothing is free, and no trial or free plan is listed. The way in is a demo. |
| Features | CAn extension plus cloud isolation and AI agent security, but Protect, Secure and Manage are priced separately and add-ons cost extra. | CShadow AI controls, an agent runtime, scoped access and an extension option, but the vendor describes the agent runtime as new. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. It is rolled out by an organization and set up with admin controls. | CNo rating on record. It is deployed by an organization, with policies to set before staff use it. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb and a browser extension only, with no apps and no integrations listed. | BWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android plus an extension are listed, with no integrations named. |
| Best for | company browser security through an extension | controlling AI use in a company browser |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Menlo Security and Surf Security. How we grade
Where they differ
- Menlo Security also covers malware protection.
In commonBrowser extensionAI featuresWeb browser
At a glance
| Menlo Security | Surf Security | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Menlo Security | SURF Security |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Menlo Security
- No prices are published: Menlo quotes by the products deployed and the number of user licenses.
- A self-service pricing tool gives a budget estimate, and a custom quote comes through sales.
- Products such as Protect, Secure and Manage are priced separately, and add-ons like HEAT Shield AI and file sanitization cost extra.
Surf Security
- No pricing is published; the site directs visitors to book a demo.
- The full browser is for desktops, with mobile support on iOS, iPadOS and Android as listed by SURF.
- SURF describes the agentic AI runtime as new, so check its current scope with the vendor.
Key features
Menlo Security
- Hybrid architecture
- Menlo says it combines local in-browser controls with cloud-based protection, and admins can send high-risk locations or users to cloud-based protection.
- Menlo IRIS extension
- A browser extension adds data and file security, web governance and an inventory of installed extensions with risk scores to browsers already in use.
- Add-on threat protection
- Add-ons cover zero-day phishing protection (HEAT Shield AI) and file sanitization through content disarm and reconstruction.
- AI agent security
- The platform applies policies to AI agents browsing the web alongside human users and helps agents reach web applications that lack APIs.
- Secure enterprise browser
- Menlo lists a secure enterprise browser, remote browser isolation and secure extension among its products.
Surf Security
- Shadow AI controls
- Discovers generative AI tools in use, masks sensitive data in prompts, blocks risky uploads and governs AI browser extensions.
- Agentic AI runtime
- A sandboxed, human-verified loop for autonomous agents, with an air gap between planning and live access and video, logs and transcripts for auditing.
- Scoped remote access
- Contractors, BYOD staff and acquired teams get access to specific apps, which SURF says avoids VPN and VDI.
- Browser or extension
- Companies can deploy the full Chromium-based browser or a lightweight extension for Chrome, Edge and other Chromium browsers.
- Compliance focus
- The site lists compliance officers and data protection officers among its audiences and a use case for ensuring compliance.
Plans
Menlo Security
Pricing could not be confirmed. See menlosecurity.com.
Surf Security
Pricing could not be confirmed. See surf.security.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Menlo Security or Surf Security?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Menlo Security has no price we could confirm, and Surf Security has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Menlo Security or Surf Security?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Menlo Security nor Surf Security has a free plan.
Which platforms do Menlo Security and Surf Security run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Menlo Security lists a web app and only Surf Security lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a browser extension. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.