NordVPN or Surfshark?

To make things easier, we’ve created a side-by-side comparison of NordVPN and Surfshark, which allows you to see the strengths and weaknesses of each VPN service. We’ll also explain exactly what each feature means and how it will affect day-to-day VPN use.

Let’s start with our review of NordVPN or Surfshark.

Features & options

NordVPN and Surfshark have excellent multi-platform support with apps for all major platforms and a command line-based installer for Linux systems. These services also have some useful general privacy features, including automatic ad blocking and malware scanning, as well as extensions for Firefox and Chrome. It’s worth noting that these browser extensions only protect your browser traffic and don’t allow you to use applications, such as P2P clients or messaging apps, anonymously.

However, NordVPN has features that are not available in Surfshark and vice versa. For example, NordVPN allows you to automatically connect whenever you use an unsecured Wi-Fi network. Meanwhile, Surfshark has a split tunneling feature (known as Whitelister) that lets you specify apps and websites that can bypass the VPN.

One of the differences between Surfshark and NordVPN is the connection limit:

• NordVPN allows up to six simultaneous connections.
• Surfshark allows unlimited connections.

That makes Surfshark a very attractive option if you want to protect multiple devices at once.

Pricing & discounts

NordVPN and Surfshark cost around $12 / month on a monthly subscription basis. However, as both of these VPNs offer dramatic discounts on their multi-year plans, they are best suited for users looking for long-term protection.

Both of these services include a 30-day money-back guarantee. That means you can try them for a month and just get your money back if you’re not impressed.

Streaming & unblocking

NordVPN is popular among users who stream frequently, in part because it unblocks many of the most popular streaming services overseas. Nevertheless, Surfshark has excelled in this area, which is consistent with NordVPN in most of our tests.

While Surfshark managed to unblock several major platforms, it was unable to bypass Eleven Sports’ geo-blocking, while NordVPN could.

NordVPN was also able to unblock more Netflix regional libraries. It’s worth noting that both VPNs will technically unblock Netflix, whichever server you choose; they’ll just redirect you to the U.S. version if they can’t unblock a particular library.

Servers & performance

NordVPN has the largest network among major providers. Surfshark covers more countries, which is especially impressive considering that it is a relatively new service. But the number of NordVPN servers outnumbers Surfshark.

So what does this mean in practice? Essentially, because NordVPN users are spread out over more servers, there’s less load on the network. This makes it more likely that you’ll get a high-speed, low-latency connection that allows you to browse and stream without interruptions. For what it’s worth, Surfshark’s speeds are impressive, but theoretically more likely to struggle during peak hours.

Security

Both of these services allow you to connect using OpenVPN and IKEv2, but Surfshark also supports Shadowsocks, an open source proxy. This feature is currently in beta, so it may not work as expected.

Both use 256-bit AES encryption, which is nearly impossible to crack. This essentially scrambles your traffic using a secret key, which means that anyone who looks into it can only see meaningless data. NordVPN uses a 4096-bit RSA key so that your device can exchange data with the VPN privately. While Surfshark uses 2048-bit RSA keys, which are secure but a little less.

NordVPN and Surfshark offer a kill switch, although NordVPN is not available on Android devices. The kill switch stops all data transmission when you suddenly lose your connection, ensuring that you never browse without protection. In addition, these VPNs use private DNS servers, which means no third party ever has access to your Internet traffic.

Finally, each service has its own masking technology, which is used to bypass VPN blockers and restrictions on Internet access across the country. NordVPN uses Obfsproxy, a tool that alters your traffic, hiding signs that you’re using a VPN at all. Surfshark, however, has its own software called NoBorders, which supposedly works in a similar way.

Privacy

NordVPN and Surfshark are based in Panama and the British Virgin Islands, respectively. There are no mandatory data retention laws in these countries, which makes them an ideal place to operate a VPN.

NordVPN does not keep any logs. Surfshark keeps limited information, such as how often you use the service and whether or not an app failure has occurred, but none of that can be used to identify you. So, whichever of these services you use, you will be almost completely anonymous online. If you want even more privacy, you can sign up with a disposable email address and pay with cryptocurrency.

Conclusion

This is a very close choise between two exceptional VPNs. Surfshark works fast, offers reliable security and privacy features, has no connection restrictions and works in China, which already lifts it above many competitors. When you consider that Surfshark is very affordable and also unlocks some of the most popular streaming platforms, it’s clear that it will be a great VPN for everyday use…

Nevertheless, we believe that NordVPN is the best choice overall. Its extensive server network and unblocking capabilities are unparalleled, allowing you to access what you like, anywhere. This service focuses on your security and privacy. It’s also better suited for power users with the ability to get a dedicated IP address, hide your device from other users on the network, and use custom DNS servers.

	Best offer for NordVPN – save 73% when you choose a three-year NordVPN subscription.	Link – NordVPN.com
	Best offer for Surfshark – reduce your monthly price by over 80% with a two-year Surfshark subscription.	Link – Surfshark.com