What is the difference between an AFCI and a whole house surge protector?
Yes.  

An Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) is designed to detect arcing faults within a home, and interrupt power to prevent fires. A Combination Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (CAFCI) will detect both parallel and series arcs, while an AFCI will only detect parallel arcs

A whole house surge protector is designed to divert surges coming from outside the home, to prevent damage to electronics within the home. Typical surge sources would be, nearby lightning strikes (it likely will not protect against direct strikes), malfunctioning service equipment, etc.