Best for Low Prices

4.9

Learn More

On Surfshark's website

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Surfshark

• Cheaper than NordVPN
• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• No-logs policy needs an audit

Best for High-Quality Service

4.9

Learn More

On NordVPN's website

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NordVPN

• Loads of servers for more connection options
• Verified no-logs policy
• More expensive than Surfshark

Surfshark is the better option for many people because it’s more affordable ($1.99/mo vs. $2.99/mo), provides unlimited device connections, and still competes with fast speeds and streaming support.

NordVPN is still a viable option and an excellent choice, especially if you want name-brand reliability. This includes more servers than Surfshark, potentially more focus on privacy (including an independent audit of Nord’s no-logs policy), fast speeds, and streaming support.

Let’s dig into our Surfshark vs. NordVPN review to see the details of how both services compare in terms of security features, speeds, customer service, and more.

Surfshark vs. NordVPN at a glance

Comparing two virtual private network (VPN) services typically means looking at their prices, features, and download speeds.

Having tested Surfshark and NordVPN, we found they both provide fast speeds and plenty of features for low costs. They also have high levels of privacy and security with loads of servers to choose from, including if you want to unblock regional streaming content.

There’s no clear winner across the board, but Surfshark is the cheaper option if pricing is your main concern. And Surfshark isn’t a slouch in other areas either, providing great streaming support, unlimited device connections, 24/7 customer service, and fast internet speeds.

But you might prefer NordVPN for its lack of connection to a global surveillance alliance and more server options, while still remaining affordable.

How do Surfshark and NordVPN compare?

	Surfshark	NordVPN
Starting rice	Starts at $2.05/mo	Starts at $3.69/mo
Max # of connected devices	Unlimited	6
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Android TV, Fire TV, Fire TV Stick	Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Android TV, Fire TV, Fire TV Stick
# of servers	3,200+ servers in 100 countries	5,000+ servers in 59 countries
VPN protocol	Wireguard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	NordLynx, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?
	Read Surfshark Review	Read NordVPN Review

The primary differences between Surfshark and NordVPN include:

• Price
• Max number of devices
• Server count and locations
• No-logs policies

Surfshark’s price point ranges from $1.99–$19.99/mo, which beats the $2.99–$14.99/mo range of NordVPN. See more details about prices.

Most VPNs have a max number of devices you can connect at one time. Surfshark doesn’t have a cap, which gives you unlimited simultaneous connections. This makes it easy to share your account with friends and family. NordVPN caps you at six unique devices.

NordVPN has nearly 2,000 more servers than Surfshark. But Surfshark has servers in more than 40 more countries (server locations). So you might go with Surfshark if you want to connect to a VPN in specific locations, but choose NordVPN if you want access to more servers.

Having a high server count can give you more options for avoiding servers with high loads. A high-load server is one that large numbers of people are connecting to, which could reduce the performance of the server and potentially have a negative impact on your connection.

Surfshark and NordVPN have strict no-logs policies, but only NordVPN has had an independent company audit its policy for potential gaps.

Surfshark vs. NordVPN: prices

Surfshark costs between $1.99–$19.99/mo, with its lowest-priced plan coming in at $1.99/mo for 24 months.

NordVPN costs between $2.99–$14.99/mo, with its lowest-priced plan coming in at $2.99/mo for 24 months.

Overall, Surfshark is the cheaper VPN. So if you want to save money on a VPN, choose Surfshark.

But realize that NordVPN isn’t actually that much more expensive, as we’re still in the range of a few bucks a month for either service. So paying less than $2 more might not be a deal breaker, especially if you want access to more servers.

Keep in mind that Surfshark automatically enrolls you in an auto-renew feature after signing up for a subscription. We couldn’t figure out a way to turn off this feature without contacting customer service, which is a bit sketchy. But at least it was an issue that didn’t take long to resolve.

Both Surfshark and NordVPN provide 30-day money-back guarantees.

Surfshark vs NordVPN: features

Both Surfshark and NordVPN provide strict no-logs policies, kill switches, split tunneling, and torrenting support. You can also use either service to unblock regional Netflix streaming content.

NordVPN has more servers than Surfshark, but Surfshark has servers in dozens more countries. So if you want to connect to specific server locations, Surfshark might make more sense.

But NordVPN still has servers in 59 countries, which is likely more than enough for most people. And having nearly 2,000 more servers can help you avoid heavy server loads, which can slow down your internet connection.

NordVPN comes off as the more private and secure service because it’s headquartered in Panama and has had an independent audit done of its no-logs policy. Panama isn’t part of the Five, Nine, or 14 Eyes alliances, but the Netherlands are part of the Nine Eyes alliance. And Surfshark hasn’t had an independent audit done of its no-logs policy, which makes its policy lack a bit of credibility.

But individual testing of both VPNs found that they don’t suffer from WebRTC leaks and can successfully mask your IP address.

One large point in favor of Surfshark over NordVPN is that you can connect unlimited devices with a Surfshark subscription. This means you can use Surfshark on as many desktop computers, laptops, Macs, tablets, phones, and other devices as you want. With NordVPN, you’re limited to six different devices.

Surfshark vs. NordVPN: streaming support

We tested Surfshark and NordVPN to see whether they work with popular streaming services, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+. We tested both VPN providers by opening the different streaming platforms on Windows using a Chrome browser while connected to different VPN servers.

We had two main objectives with each streaming service:

1. See if the VPN actually loads content from the service
2. Observe for any issues, such as lag or low-quality streams

We successfully unblocked content from Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and HBO Max with both Surfshark and NordVPN. We didn’t run into any issues streaming content on any of the platforms with either VPN.

Reviewed by Ben Walker

“One large point in favor of Surfshark over NordVPN is that you can connect unlimited devices. This means you can use Surfshark on as many desktop computers, laptops, Macs, tablets, phones, and other devices as you want. With NordVPN, you’re limited to six different devices.”

This includes being able to unlock Star content on Disney+, which is a portion of the platform that isn’t available in the U.S.

We were also able to successfully unlock a non-U.S. Netflix content library using both VPN services. Here, you can see the Netflix U.K. content library is available using Surfshark.

Surfshark vs. NordVPN: internet speeds

VPNs are known to have a small negative impact on your internet speeds because they tend to eat up some of your bandwidth.

But we test internet speeds before and after connecting to a VPN to see whether the secure connection has a significant impact on internet performance. For example, does a VPN affect your everyday internet activities, including gaming, web browsing, or work?

To measure this, we check the results of speed tests to see if using a VPN causes a massive reduction in your overall internet speeds. We compare the results to a baseline measurement we take before connecting to a VPN.

We ran these speed tests using Windows on a desktop computer from a physical location in the U.S. We used the Surfshark and NordVPN Windows apps while conducting these tests.

Surfshark vs. NordVPN speed test results

To make it a fair comparison between both VPNs, we connected to servers in four identical locations. This included Salt Lake City (U.S.), Vancouver (Canada), London (U.K.), and Sydney (AU).

Surfshark generally had better speed test results than NordVPN, but the results were so similar that it likely wouldn’t make a huge difference for the average VPN user. NordVPN did have better results while connected to a Sydney server, but it was still really close.

We did notice a slight drop in our upload speed while connected to a Surfshark server in Vancouver, but it’s probably nothing to be concerned about. Speeds can fluctuate for a variety of reasons, and it wasn’t a huge drop.

Reviewed by Ben Walker

“NordVPN is an excellent choice, especially if you want more servers than Surfshark offers, potentially more focus on privacy (including an independent audit of Nord’s no-logs policy), fast speeds, and streaming support.”

We also compared the latency (ping) of our VPN connections during our tests. Latency generally measures how fast communication is between networks, with lower latency meaning a faster connection.

It’s natural for latency to increase as the physical distance between networks increases, which is why the latency went up as we connected to servers farther away from our U.S. location.

Overall, the latency numbers were nearly identical between Surfshark and NordVPN as we connected to different VPN servers. The one discrepancy was a slight spike in latency when connected to a Surfshark server in Vancouver. But it wasn’t a huge difference that would drastically affect everyday internet activities.

The same server actually had a slight drop in upload speed as well, so maybe that particular server doesn’t provide the best speeds in general. Or maybe a lot of people were connecting to it at the time, which could decrease overall performance.

Surfshark vs. NordVPN latency comparison

Surfshark vs. NordVPN: compatibility and ease of use

It was easy to set up the Surfshark and NordVPN Windows apps on our desktop computer. The processes were as simple as downloading the apps from the applicable websites and then taking a few minutes to install them.

Both Surfshark and NordVPN have intuitive, easy-to-use apps. We had no issues navigating their server lists or looking for specific settings.

We also found both VPNs offer plenty of compatibility and functionality with different operating systems, mobile apps, routers, browser extensions, and smart devices. We were personally able to download apps for both providers on Windows, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV Stick. But you can also use macOS, Android, Linux, Apple TV, and more.

Surfshark vs. NordVPN: customer service

You can receive customer service from Surfshark and NordVPN in the form of 24/7 live chat, email, and online guides. There’s no option to call either provider and neither service has official online support forums (most VPNs don’t have these options).

Having 24/7 live chat can be extremely helpful if you run into a VPN issue or simply have a question. We tested the live chat options with both Surfshark and NordVPN to see how well they performed.

We had great live chat interactions with both Surfshark and NordVPN. We started each chat with a question about whether the VPN supported torrenting.

In both cases, we were promptly transferred to a live agent within a minute or less. And both agents were understandable, quick to respond, and provided helpful responses.

The end result was confirming that both Surfshark and NordVPN servers can help with torrenting. With Surfshark, you can use any server to torrent. With NordVPN, there are specific P2P-optimized servers, and you should use those for torrenting.

Surfshark vs. NordVPN FAQs

Surfshark vs. NordVPN: which is better?

We recommend Surfshark if you want an affordable VPN that also provides fast speeds and streaming support. Surfshark is cheaper than NordVPN, had better speeds in our testing, and unblocked all the streaming services we tried. You can also use Surfshark with as many devices as you want.

But we recommend NordVPN if you’re willing to pay a bit more for more servers and a focus on user privacy. We encountered at least one Surfshark server that had some dips in performance, so having more servers to choose from could be the way to go with Nord. We also like that NordVPN has had an independent audit done to back up its no-logs policy.

To research more popular VPNs, see how Nord compares to ExpressVPN.

4.9

Limited-time offer: 69% off + 3 extra months

Learn More

On NordVPN's website

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NordVPN

• High-quality VPN offering safety and speed
• Loads of servers for multiple connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
• Too many confusing plans

Author Details

Ben Walker

About the Author

Ben Walker is a writer at All About Cookies with a passion for all things internet and technology, whether it's using VPNs while away from home or organizing his life with password managers.