Surfshark vs NordVPN: Which is Best?

Our research shows that Surfshark is slightly better than NordVPN, largely thanks to the value it provides at such a low price, meaning you can pay as little as $2.30 per month on a 2-year plan.

But in fact, NordVPN is nothing to scoff at, of course  – and is currently also offering a special deal, which means you can save up to 74% on 2-year plans + 3 months free. The popular VPN boasts better business features than Surfshark and provides faster speeds. Still, at the lower price point with similar ease of use and security features, Surfshark just barely edges out NordVPN for the top spot.

In this guide, we’ll explain how the two VPN providers match up against each other on everything from price and features to security and ease of use, so you can make the right decision for your business.

In this guide:

• Surfshark vs NordVPN: Head-to-Head
• Surfshark Pricing vs NordVPN Pricing
• Best for Business Features
• Best for Ease of use
• Best for Speed
• Best for Smartphone App
• Best for Security
• VPN Alternatives
• Verdict: Why Surfshark is better than NordVPN
• Surfshark vs NordVPN FAQs

Surfshark vs NordVPN: Head-to-Head

From a head-to-head perspective, NordVPN and Surfshark are both decidedly impressive VPN providers. With the two companies committed to similar mission statements, it’s no surprise that they’ve now officially merged and will cooperate more closely on privacy and security matters whilst remaining separate products.

Although both now operate under the banner of mother company CyberSpace – and the fact that NordVPN and Surfshark come with lots of features, are easy to use, and provide pretty reasonable price points for what they offer – there are a few key differences between the two services:

• Surfshark is more affordable than NordVPN
• NordVPN is faster than Surfshark
• Surfshark allows for use on unlimited devices
• NordVPN has better business features

For a clearer breakdown on how these two VPN providers differ, read on to learn the specifics about pricing, features, security, ease of use, and more.

Surfshark Core Features and Benefits

While it may not be nearly as well known as NordVPN, Surfshark provides a whole lot of value in the VPN space. For one, the price is one of the lowest on the market today (as long as you sign up for a two-year plan), which immediately puts it in the discussion for best available.

Additionally, the ability to secure unlimited devices for such a low price makes Surfshark a must-see before making a VPN decision for your business. Yes, it’s not stacked to the rafters with special business features like NordVPN, but it more than gets the job done at a great price. Features include:

• Unlimited devices
• AES-256-GCM encryption
• Kill switch
• Ad, malware, tracker blocker
• White-lister
• Private DNS on each server
• Camouflage mode
• 24/7 support

NordVPN Core Features and Benefits

Simply put, NordVPN is one of the most well-known VPNs on the market today, and for good reason. It offers a whole bunch of features, for businesses and individuals alike, and comes in at a pretty reasonable price, particularly if you don’t want to commit to a full two-year plan.

With extremely fast speeds, added security measures, and a wide range of special features like double encryption and DNS leak protection, NordVPN represents another must-see option when it comes to VPN. Features include:

• Up to six devices
• AES-256-GCM encryption
• Double encryption
• Kill switch
• DNS leak protection
• Lightning speed
• Browser proxy extensions
• 24/7 support

Surfshark Pricing vs NordVPN Pricing

Both Surfshark and NordVPN offer one pricing plan that varies greatly in cost depending on how long you sign up for. They each offer one-month, one-year, and two-year plans, which are discounted substantially the longer you sign up for.

Surfshark, for example, boasts some of the most affordable options on the market, with a two-year plan that goes for only $2.30 per month. The prices go up pretty fast from there though, with the one-year plan going for $3.99 per month, and the one-month plan reaching as high as $12.95 per month.

NordVPN now has three different plans, the Complete, Plus, and Standard packages. The Complete plan ($5.99 per month for two years) includes encrypted cloud storage (NordLocker) and a password manager (NordPass), whereas the Plus plan ($4.49 per month for two years) only includes the password manager. These are both excellent value for money considering you get both a VPN and (at least) another security tool. Even better, for their birthday, you can get up to 74% off on 2-year plans + 3 months free.

NordVPN’s Standard plan costs $3.49 per month, which is a bit more expensive than the Surfshark plan of the same length. However, the one-month plan is only $11.20 per month, which is cheaper than Surfshark’s equivalent.

Do Surfshark or NordVPN have free plans?

If you’re looking to protect your online activity for free, these two providers aren’t going to be of much help, unfortunately. Neither Surfshark nor NordVPN offer a free plan, with each of their respective two-year plans representing the most affordable option (although right now, you’ll get 3 months free with NordVPN plans).

However, both Surfshark and NordVPN do offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can give them both a try beforehand without committing too much of your time and budget to a new platform.

In earnest, the lack of a free plan is probably a good thing anyway. Free VPNs, while attractive, have a tendency to be much less secure than their paid-for counterparts, so we’d recommend paying for the added peace of mind. Plus, with the average cost being only a couple of dollars a month, the best cheap VPN is still going to be a great value.

Best for Ease of Use: Surfshark

As far as which one is easier to use than the other, the reality is that both Surfshark and NordVPN are very easy to use. With both, you simply download the app, set up your account, and connect as soon as its ready. Once you’re in, all you have to do is start browsing and you’ll be securely set up on the internet.

Still, we give Surfshark the edge here based plainly on one factory: the number of devices you can secure. With Surfshark, you’ll be able to use the VPN on unlimited devices, unlike NordVPN, which only allows for six. In fact, most VPNs put a cap on the number of devices, which definitely sets Surfshark apart from the crowd.

Here’s how to set up and use Surfshark in more detail.

Best for Speed: NordVPN

We tested both Surfshark and NordVPN’s speeds while we were connected to servers in New York and London. Overall, NordVPN was faster than Surfshark, with speeds decreasing just 13%, compared to Surfshark’s 21.5%.

Although Surfshark might be slower than NordVPN, it was still quicker than a lot of its rivals.

Best for Smartphone App: Tie

A big part of ease of use is the availability and functionality of smartphone apps, and you’re in luck! Both Surfshark and NordVPN offer easy to use apps that can be downloaded and set up in a few quick steps.

In fact, both of these providers offer some cool features that can seriously improve your VPN experience. They both allow you to sign in through your smart TV, have skill switches that are mobile optimized, and 24/7 support. In our eyes, it’s safe to say that this one is even.

Best for Business Features: NordVPN

While we do consider Surfshark the better VPN overall, NordVPN is easily the better option for businesses. This is because it offers a dedicated business option, dubbed NordLayer, whereas Surfshark simply offers the lone option.

NordLayer offers an array of different business features, like admin control panel, license transferability, centralized billing, and single sign-on with Google, Azure AD, and Okta. Plus, with the cloud VPN set up, you can enable your team to work remotely, an incredibly valuable feature in the new age of hybrid work during the pandemic.

Best for Security: NordVPN

Surfshark has great security. With special features like a kill switch, website white-listing, best-in-class encryption, and obfuscated servers, the platform is more than capable when it comes to securing your online activity. What’s more, Surfshark recently released Surfshark One, a VPN subscription that comes with antivirus, safe search, and data breach alerts that starts from $3.19 per month for a year, plus three months for free, making its total price $47.85 for 15 months.

However, NordVPN is stacked to the rafters with advanced security features which gives it the edge over Surfshark. Double Protection mode will allow users to reroute their connection through two VPN servers instead of one, whilst Onion-Over-VPN lets you combine NordVPN with the Tor network. Plus, NordVPN’s Complete plan now offers the fully-featured VPN service, plus a password manager and encrypted cloud storage for just $5.99 per month, providing stiff competition for Surfshark One.

NordVPN has recently brought some features from its Mac and mobile OS clients across to Windows. One of these features is a Security Score – expressed as a percentage – to show just how many features you’re taking advantage of. Another new feature is a scanner that will crawl the dark web for mentions of the email address you used to sign up to NordVPN – so you know quickly whether you’ve been affected in a data breach.

It’s worth noting, however, that NordVPN did experience a hack in 2019. The company then admitted to the problem, closed the vulnerabilities, and assured users that no user data was compromised in the process. While this may seem like a downfall for security, the reality is that NordVPN is likely infinitely more secure post-hack, particularly with the wide range of advanced security features that go along with it.

VPN Alternatives

While Surfshark and NordVPN represent two of your best options when it comes to VPNs, we understand that they may still not be the best fit for you. Fortunately, we’ve done a whole bunch of research, so you can find the right option for you. Take a look at the below table to understand exactly where Surfshark and NordVPN stand in the VPN conversation:

Surfshark vs NordVPN FAQs