NordVPN vs Surfshark (2026): Which Is Better?
NordVPN wins on the numbers — faster in every region, one more streaming service, a slightly stronger privacy record — and Surfshark wins on the bill: it is cheaper on the 2-year plan and has no device limit. Both are owned by Nord Security and share the same class of audited, RAM-only infrastructure, so this is a choice between the best performance and the best value from the same family, not between a safe VPN and a risky one.
Who wins each category
- Privacy & securityNordVPNNordVPN 9.6 · Surfshark 9.5
- SpeedNordVPNNordVPN 9.8 · Surfshark 9.2
- StreamingNordVPNNordVPN 9.8 · Surfshark 9.6
- Apps & easeNordVPNNordVPN 9.5 · Surfshark 9.0
- ValueSurfsharkNordVPN 9.4 · Surfshark 9.7
Sub-scores from this month's tests; weights are privacy & security 30%, speed 25%, streaming 15%, apps & ease 15%, value 15%. Methodology
Choose NordVPN if…
- You want the fastest VPN we've measured, especially on long-distance servers
- DAZN or the full 14-service streaming set matters to you
- You'd rather have Meshnet, Threat Protection Pro and a dedicated-IP option
Choose Surfshark if…
- You need more than 10 devices — Surfshark has no limit
- Price is the deciding factor: it is the cheapest of our top three
- You want ad blocking and a disposable identity (Alternative ID) bundled in
NordVPN vs Surfshark: the numbers
 NordVPN |  Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 9.7 | 9.4 |
| Rank · badge | #1 · Top rated overall | #2 · Best value |
| 2-year price / mo | $3.39 | $2.19 |
| 1-year price / mo | $4.99 | $3.19 |
| Monthly price | $12.99 | $15.45 |
| Renewal | renews at the 1-year rate | renews at the 1-year rate |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Avg download speed | 712 Mbps | 655 Mbps |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | Netherlands |
| Owner | Nord Security | Nord Security |
| No-logs audit | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2025 |
| Servers | 7,400+ in 118 countries | 3,200+ in 100 countries |
| Protocols | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordWhisper | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec |
| Torrenting | P2P allowed on dedicated P2P servers | P2P allowed on all servers |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Support | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre |
| Visit NordVPN | Visit Surfshark |
What each one actually costs
The advertised rate covers the first term only. These are the totals once the renewal is counted.
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan priced | 24-month plan | 24-month plan |
| Intro rate / mo | $3.39 | $2.19 |
| Then renews at / mo | $4.99 (+47%) | $3.19 (+46%) |
| First term, up front | $81.36 | $52.56 |
| Total over 3 years | $141.24 | $90.84 |
| True cost / mo over 3 years | $3.92 | $2.52 |
| Money-back | 30 days — we got ours in 4 days | 30 days — refunded in 3 days via live chat |
| Check NordVPN price | Check Surfshark price |
Surfshark is cheaper both ways — lower to start and $50.40 less across three years once the renewals are counted. Same arithmetic as our price calculator: the first term at the advertised rate, every month after it at the rate the provider publishes for renewals.
Speed by region
Download on a 940 Mbps line, 3 runs per server, median reported. Highlighted cell = fastest.
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| US East | 771 Mbps | 712 Mbps |
| UK | 742 Mbps | 690 Mbps |
| Singapore | 668 Mbps | 618 Mbps |
| Australia | 667 Mbps | 600 Mbps |
| Added latency | +4 ms | +6 ms |
Streaming, service by service
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Unblocked | 14 of 14 | 13 of 14 |
| Netflix US | ||
| Netflix UK | ||
| Netflix JP | ||
| Netflix CA | ||
| Netflix AU | ||
| Prime Video | ||
| Disney+ | ||
| Hulu | ||
| Max | ||
| Paramount+ | ||
| Peacock | ||
| BBC iPlayer | ||
| ITVX | ||
| DAZN |
Security features
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | ||
| Split tunnelling | ||
| Obfuscation / stealth | ||
| Port forwarding | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Ad & tracker blocking | ||
| Multi-hop (double VPN) | ||
| RAM-only servers | ||
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers |
Has the no-logs promise ever been tested?
Every VPN on this page says it keeps no logs. The claim only means something once someone has demanded the data — a police raid, a court order, a subpoena. Here is what happened to each of these two when that came up, and what it means if it never has.
- NordVPNNever tested
No police raid, court order or subpoena against NordVPN has been made public. That is not a mark against it — most providers have never been asked — but it does mean the policy has never had to hold up under pressure.
Audit: Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 · Panama
- SurfsharkNever tested
No police raid, court order or subpoena against Surfshark has been made public. That is not a mark against it — most providers have never been asked — but it does mean the policy has never had to hold up under pressure.
Audit: Deloitte no-logs audit, 2025 · Netherlands
What each one is our top pick for
One of these scores higher overall, which does not make it the right buy for every job. These are the use cases where each one comes first on its own list.
- NordVPN16 categories
- Surfshark3 categories
Questions
Is Surfshark as good as NordVPN?
Nearly. In our tests Surfshark kept about 94% of NordVPN's speed and unblocked 13 of 14 streaming services against NordVPN's 14. Its privacy design is the same class — audited no-logs, RAM-only servers. The measurable gaps are small; the price gap is not.
Are NordVPN and Surfshark the same company?
Yes — both belong to Nord Security since a 2022 merger. They run as separate products with separate apps, servers and prices.
Which is cheaper, NordVPN or Surfshark?
Surfshark on the 2-year plan, and it covers unlimited devices where NordVPN covers ten. On monthly billing both are expensive; commit to a long plan or don't buy either.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Scores and the winner are decided by the tests before any commercial consideration. Disclosure