NordVPN vs Surfshark

NordVPN and Surfshark have been owned by the same parent company - Nord Security - since their merger in February 2022. They claim to operate independently with separate infrastructure and teams. We tested both to see how they actually compare.

Quick Verdict

NordVPN is the better VPN. It is faster, more reliable for streaming, and has stronger privacy credentials. Surfshark is the better value. It costs 30% less on the 2-year plan and offers unlimited device connections. If you can afford the extra dollar per month, NordVPN is the upgrade. If budget or device count matters most, Surfshark delivers.

The Elephant in the Room: Same Owner

Yes, Nord Security owns both. What this means in practice:

• Both companies share the same parent company and ultimate ownership
• They claim to maintain separate infrastructure, teams, and codebases
• We have no evidence that user data is shared between the two services
• Both have passed independent no-logs audits by Deloitte

Should this concern you? If you are choosing between these two specifically, the ownership overlap is irrelevant - you are buying from the same company either way. If corporate concentration in the VPN industry concerns you, consider Mullvad, Proton VPN, or IVPN as alternatives.

Speed Comparison

| Location | NordVPN | Surfshark | Difference | |----------|---------|-----------|------------| | US (New York) | 89.2 Mbps | 85.1 Mbps | +4.8% | | UK (London) | 84.7 Mbps | 80.3 Mbps | +5.5% | | Germany (Frankfurt) | 82.1 Mbps | 78.6 Mbps | +4.5% | | Japan (Tokyo) | 71.3 Mbps | 67.4 Mbps | +5.8% | | Australia (Sydney) | 68.9 Mbps | 64.8 Mbps | +6.3% |

Winner: NordVPN. NordLynx consistently outperforms Surfshark's standard WireGuard by 4-6%. This is noticeable in sustained downloads but irrelevant for everyday browsing and streaming.

Pricing Comparison

| Plan | NordVPN | Surfshark | |------|---------|-----------| | Monthly | $12.99/mo | $10.99/mo | | 1-Year | $4.29/mo | $2.99/mo | | 2-Year | $2.69/mo | $1.99/mo | | Renewal (yearly) | $7.99/mo | $3.99/mo | | 3-Year True Cost | $160.44 | $95.64 |

Winner: Surfshark. Over three years, Surfshark saves you $65. The renewal pricing is also much more favorable - $3.99/mo vs NordVPN's $7.99/mo. This is Surfshark's strongest advantage.

Device Connections

NordVPN: 10 simultaneous connections Surfshark: Unlimited simultaneous connections

Winner: Surfshark. This is a significant practical advantage for families and tech-heavy households. If you have more than 10 devices (phones, laptops, tablets, smart TVs, consoles), Surfshark is the only option.

Streaming

| Platform | NordVPN | Surfshark | |----------|---------|-----------| | Netflix US | Working | Working | | Netflix UK | Working | Working | | Netflix Japan | Working | Not Working | | Disney+ | Working | Working | | BBC iPlayer | Working | Working | | Amazon Prime | Working | Working | | Hulu | Working | Working | | Max (HBO) | Working | Working |

Winner: NordVPN. NordVPN unblocks more platforms more consistently, including Netflix Japan where Surfshark fails.

Privacy

| Factor | NordVPN | Surfshark | |--------|---------|-----------| | Jurisdiction | Panama | Netherlands | | Intelligence Alliance | Outside | 14 Eyes | | Last Audit | Dec 2024 | Jun 2024 | | Warrant Canary | Yes | Yes | | Open Source | No | No | | RAM-Only | Yes | Yes |

Winner: NordVPN. Panama is a stronger privacy jurisdiction than the Netherlands. Both have clean audit results, but NordVPN has a longer audit history.

Features

Both VPNs offer a similar feature set: kill switch, split tunneling, ad blocker, double VPN, obfuscation, and dedicated IP. NordVPN adds Tor over VPN and Meshnet. Surfshark adds GPS spoofing on Android and rotating IP addresses.

Winner: Tie. Both are well-featured. NordVPN has slightly more advanced tools, Surfshark has a few unique extras.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose NordVPN if: You want the fastest speeds, the most reliable streaming, and stronger privacy jurisdiction. The premium of $0.70/mo over Surfshark on the 2-year plan is worth it for the performance upgrade.

Choose Surfshark if: You need unlimited devices, want the lowest possible price, or renewal pricing matters to you. Surfshark's $3.99/mo renewal is nearly half of NordVPN's $7.99/mo.

Our recommendation: NordVPN for individuals and small households. Surfshark for larger families and budget-first buyers.