Surfshark vs NordVPN 2026: Which VPN Is Better for You?

If your shortlist is down to Surfshark and NordVPN, it helps to know that one parent company owns both. So you might expect the same VPN with two different logos. That isn’t what I found. They’re priced differently, built for different needs, and they delivered different results across most of my tests.

I paid for both and tested them on the same PC, two phones, and a Fire TV Stick. I used them for streaming, everyday browsing, downloads, and getting online on networks that try to block VPNs. One came out ahead overall, but the other remains the better buy for some people. My pick is right under this, and the rounds after it explain why.

Surfshark vs NordVPN Compared

	NordVPN	Surfshark
Our current ranking	#1	#5
Starting price	$3.49 a month	$2.49 a month
Entry plan renewal	$139.08 a year	$79 a year
Free trial	3 days on Android	7 days on iOS and Android
Jurisdiction	Panama	Netherlands
Protocols	NordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN, IKEv2	WireGuard, OpenVPN, Dausos on macOS
Servers	9,000+ in 152 countries	4,500+ in 100 countries
Download loss on PC	7.8%	9.6%
Multi-hop	Double VPN, preset pairs	MultiHop, custom pairs
Ad blocking on d3ward	76%, Complete plan and above	79%, every plan
Streaming services unblocked	14 of 14	13 of 14
Smart DNS	Yes	No
Port forwarding	Paid Dedicated Server add-on only	No
Simultaneous devices	10	Unlimited

How I Tested

All results come from my October tests. Desktop figures come from a wired Windows 11 PC in Europe on a 190.36 Mbps connection, with 19.37 Mbps upload and a 10 ms ping. I checked the UK, US, and Japanese servers nine times each over three days, at various times of day. NordVPN used NordLynx and Surfshark used WireGuard, and since NordLynx is built on WireGuard, the comparison is fair.

The phone results come from an iPhone 17 Pro and a Galaxy S26 Ultra on my 54.7 Mbps home Wi-Fi. I also wired a Fire TV Stick 4K Plus to the desktop connection. Ad blocking was scored on d3ward’s 135-domain list and leaks on ipleak.net and browserleaks.com. I deleted the browser cache and cookies before trying each of the 14 streaming services.

Same Owner, Separate Networks

Nord Security and Surfshark merged in 2022 and now share a parent company. Still, the apps, server networks, prices, and audits are separate, and my results differ enough to demonstrate it. They’re also separate accounts with separate bills.

Speed: NordVPN Lost Less on Every Device

Server	NordVPN (NordLynx)	Surfshark (WireGuard)
UK	184.73 Mbps	186.96 Mbps
US	181.50 Mbps	170.38 Mbps
Japan	160.47 Mbps	158.84 Mbps
Average download	175.57 Mbps	172.06 Mbps
Download loss	7.8%	9.6%
Upload loss	5.5%	5.9%

Surfshark was faster on the UK server, the closest one to my PC, while NordVPN was faster on the US and Japanese servers. In everyday use, those differences are too small to notice. Even Surfshark’s slower US result, 170.38 Mbps, is far more than a 4K stream requires.

Ping, the delay on each connection, was lower on NordVPN in all three countries, at 41, 134, and 215 ms, compared to Surfshark’s 51, 144, and 241 ms. The Japanese figures on both VPNs are too high for fast-paced online games.

Every Protocol on the UK Server

Download/upload	NordVPN	Surfshark
Main protocol	NordLynx: 184.73/18.69 Mbps	WireGuard: 186.96/18.93 Mbps
OpenVPN UDP	183.25/18.61 Mbps	185.56/18.47 Mbps
OpenVPN TCP	167.79/18.61 Mbps (Obfuscation)	87.51/18.38 Mbps (Camouflage Mode)
Web-tunnel protocol	NordWhisper: 161.13/16.07 Mbps	Not offered
Multi-hop	Double VPN: 179.43/15.93 Mbps	MultiHop: 181.59/18.60 Mbps

• OpenVPN finished close to the main protocol on both VPNs, so it’s a usable backup on networks that block WireGuard.
• OpenVPN TCP showed the biggest difference. NordVPN’s obfuscated servers, which hide the fact that you’re using a VPN, kept most of their speed. Surfshark’s TCP connection, where it applies Camouflage Mode, was the slowest result in either app, at less than half its usual speed.
• NordWhisper was NordVPN’s slowest option. It’s a protocol for networks that block VPNs, and Surfshark has nothing comparable.
• Surfshark’s Dausos protocol works on macOS only, so it wasn’t part of my Windows tests.

Phones and Fire TV: NordVPN’s Margin Widened

Device test	NordVPN	Surfshark
Galaxy S26 Ultra, download loss	20.3%	25.9%
iPhone 17 Pro, download loss	13.6%	21.4%
Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, download loss	3.0%	5.8%
Battery used, Android	5%	5%
Battery used, iPhone	4%	5%

On both handsets, Surfshark connected over WireGuard and NordVPN over NordLynx. Surfshark’s weakest phone result came from the iPhone’s Japanese server, at 33.81 Mbps compared to NordVPN’s 42.29 Mbps. Either speed is enough for HD video on a phone, though a large app update would finish sooner on NordVPN. Each battery figure is the charge used during 20 minutes of 1440p YouTube at full brightness.

Streaming and TV: NordVPN Unblocked Every Service

Streaming service	NordVPN	Surfshark
Netflix US	Unblocked	Unblocked
Netflix Canada	Unblocked	Unblocked
Netflix Japan	Unblocked	Unblocked
BBC iPlayer	Unblocked	Unblocked
ITVX	Unblocked	Blocked
Channel 4	Unblocked	Unblocked
Now TV	Unblocked	Unblocked
Pluto TV	Unblocked, occasional blocks	Unblocked
Peacock	Unblocked	Unblocked
Hulu	Unblocked	Unblocked
HBO Max	Unblocked	Unblocked
Prime Video	Unblocked, occasional blocks	Unblocked
JioHotstar	Unblocked	Unblocked

NordVPN unblocked every service I tried, though one of them blocked its desktop app and worked only in Chrome, through NordVPN’s extension with location spoofing enabled. That setting matches your browser’s reported location to the VPN server’s country.

Surfshark’s app unblocked that service directly. Surfshark’s one miss was ITVX, which it couldn’t unblock on any British server I tried, while NordVPN unblocked it. Neither VPN has dedicated streaming servers. Instead, a regular server in each country unblocked its local catalog, so there’s no special list to find.

Pluto TV and Prime Video detected NordVPN now and then, so if a stream won’t start, try another server in the same country.

Smart TV and Fire TV

Both VPNs have Fire TV Stick apps, and they work on the newer Vega OS models too. For Samsung and LG TVs without VPN apps, NordVPN offers Smart DNS, which changes the streaming location your TV reports without encrypting traffic. Surfshark dropped its Smart DNS, so those TVs require a VPN on your router or a connection shared from a computer.

Security and Features: NordVPN Goes Further

Both VPNs cover the basics expected of privacy-focused VPNs. Their servers are RAM-only, so a restart wipes them, and they offer post-quantum encryption, built to keep recorded traffic safe from future quantum computers. Neither leaked my IP address, DNS requests, or WebRTC data on any server I checked. Post-quantum protection works on NordLynx for NordVPN, and on WireGuard and Dausos for Surfshark.

Kill Switch: Use Strict Mode on Surfshark

A kill switch blocks all traffic if the VPN disconnects. I put each one through three tests: a pulled network cable, a force-closed VPN app, and a PC restart. Both passed the first two. On the restart, NordVPN’s Internet Kill Switch kept the PC offline until the VPN connected, using the single setting it offers.

Surfshark’s default Soft mode let traffic out while the PC started up, which was a letdown from a VPN that sells itself on security. Strict mode blocked it, and it’s the setting I’d choose on day one. NordVPN adds a second, app-level kill switch that closes specific programs, such as qBittorrent, if the VPN connection fails.

Ad Blocking and Malware Protection

Feature	NordVPN next-gen antivirus	Surfshark CleanWeb
Domains blocked on d3ward	76%	79%
Plans that include it	Complete and Prime	Every plan
Malware protection	Download scanning + works VPN off	Real-time antivirus on One and One+
Content category blocking	Adult sites, Android and iOS only	Adult, gambling, weapons, and drugs

CleanWeb comes with Surfshark’s cheapest plan, while NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus starts on the more expensive Complete plan. For a feature called next-gen antivirus, blocking 76% of d3ward’s ad and tracker domains is a bit behind Surfshark’s cheaper offering, but raw ad blocking is only part of the story. NordVPN’s tool scans files as you download them and, critically, keeps working even when the VPN is disconnected — something Surfshark’s antivirus cannot do without an active session.

Beyond file scanning, NordVPN’s protection suite covers several threats Surfshark’s bundle doesn’t reach: scam and fraud call alerts, email data breach notifications, hijacked session alerts, a crypto wallet checker, a vulnerability scanner for installed software, a search safety indicator, a URL cleaner that strips tracking parameters, and a cookie banner hider. These features work system-wide on Windows and macOS through the desktop app, independent of the VPN connection. NordVPN has also submitted its Threat Protection Pro (former name of the Next-gen antivirus) to independent lab testing with certifications from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives. Surfshark’s antivirus bundle has not received equivalent third-party certification.

Surfshark’s bundle has one notable fault. Its Scam Text Protection sent a genuine bill reminder from a telecom operator to spam during my tests, so check that folder periodically at first.

Multi-Hop, Split Tunneling, and Extras

Multi-hop passes your traffic through two servers in a row for an extra layer of privacy. Both versions cost 2.9% of download speed on my UK tests, which you won’t notice. NordVPN’s Double VPN uses preset server pairs and connected in 3 seconds. Surfshark’s MultiHop lets you build your own pair, and my Manchester and Frankfurt combination took 10 seconds to connect. On Windows, Surfshark’s Bypasser, its split tunneling tool, can exclude websites and apps from the VPN.

NordVPN’s app excludes apps only, and its browser extension covers websites. Surfshark also includes Alternative ID, a generated persona with a forwarding email address, on every plan. With Rotating IP, your IP address changes mid-session without a disconnect, and enabling it cost nothing I could measure in speed.

Surfshark also filters sites by category. Its Web Content Blocker, next to CleanWeb in the settings, can block adult, gambling, weapons, and drug sites. The adult and gambling filters worked on the first try, so it’s a practical parental filter for a shared PC. NordVPN blocks adult sites only on its Android and iOS apps, so desktop users won’t find a category filter there.

NordVPN counters with Meshnet, which builds an encrypted private network out of up to 60 of your own devices. You could copy files between your laptop and home PC while you’re away, or host a LAN party with friends when gaming with a VPN. Its Onion Over VPN servers add access to Tor, the privacy network behind .onion sites, without a separate browser.

Privacy: Panama and a Longer Audit Record

Neither VPN keeps browsing or DNS records, and both back their no-log policies with independent audits. Each keeps one short-lived record. Surfshark deletes your IP address 15 minutes after you disconnect, and it stores no timestamps with it. The record exists to stop account abuse. NordVPN briefly logs when your last session occurred, which it uses to enforce the ten-device cap.

Their home countries differ. NordVPN operates from Panama, outside every Eyes alliance, the groups of countries that share intelligence. Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, a Nine Eyes member whose courts can order stored data handed over. NordVPN’s policy has been audited six times since 2018, by PwC and then Deloitte.

Deloitte audited Surfshark’s in 2023 and 2025, confirming the 15-minute deletion window, and Cure53 and SecuRing have tested its extensions and servers. If even a short IP record worries you, NordVPN is the safer pick.

Torrenting: A Draw on Shared Servers

Every server on NordVPN and Surfshark accepts torrent traffic, and neither includes port forwarding on a standard plan. Port forwarding allows incoming connections from other peers, which speeds up seeding, the uploading side of torrenting. NordVPN sells it through a separate Dedicated Server add-on, which assigns you a private server in Boston, Manchester, Frankfurt, or Paris and works on NordLynx only.

Surfshark has no equivalent. On private trackers, the members-only torrent sites, users are scored on how much they upload, so seeding without port forwarding puts you at a disadvantage. The VPNs for torrenting list compares port forwarding across more VPNs, including two that offer it at no extra cost.

Restricted Networks: NordVPN’s Obfuscation Kept More Speed

Obfuscation makes a VPN connection look like normal browsing, so filters on hotel, office, and school networks, or in some countries, are less likely to block it. I haven’t tested either VPN in China, but I tried each method on the UK server. On NordVPN, you can pick obfuscated servers, which hide OpenVPN TCP connections, or the NordWhisper protocol.

Surfshark applies Camouflage Mode to OpenVPN TCP connections automatically. NordVPN’s methods retained far more speed than Camouflage Mode did. Every obfuscated connection had an upload ping above 800 ms while the connection was busy, so video calls and games lag on all three during heavy use.

Obfuscation method	Idle ping	Ping under load, down/up
NordVPN obfuscated servers	77 ms	227/817 ms
NordVPN NordWhisper	42 ms	180/808 ms
Surfshark OpenVPN TCP with Camouflage Mode	82 ms	149/851 ms

Keep obfuscation for networks where a normal connection fails, then return to the regular protocol. On a hotel network that blocked NordLynx, NordVPN connected after I switched to obfuscation. Surfshark’s NoBorders mode is on by default, and it connected on filtered work and hotel networks without any setup. For the Gulf states, the UAE VPN rankings cover which VPNs connect there.

Servers: 52 More Countries on NordVPN

	NordVPN	Surfshark
Countries in the app	152	100
Servers	9,000+	4,500+
Dedicated IP locations	51 in 32 countries	18 in 15 countries
Dedicated IP price, 2-year term	$4.19 a month	$3.75 a month
Shared static IPs	No	6 countries, no extra charge

A longer country list is useful on trips to smaller countries, or when you want a streaming catalog from a smaller market. NordVPN also covers all 50 US states, which helps with regional sports blackouts. A dedicated IP reserves one IP address for you alone, which reduces CAPTCHAs and security checks.

Surfshark’s static IPs stay the same between sessions but are shared with other subscribers, at no extra charge. Surfshark’s Everlink moves your connection when a server fails, and during testing, it reconnected twice, in under 3 seconds each time.

Apps and Browser Extensions

Both VPNs appear in the Windows VPN rankings, and Windows showed the clearest difference between them. NordVPN connected in 2 seconds, but its Windows app sometimes failed to connect when I had a second VPN app open, and closing that app didn’t solve it. I had to reset NordVPN, wait a minute or two, then sign back in and reconnect.

It’s only a few minutes, but several times in one day, it became frustrating. Surfshark had fewer conflicts. It noticed the other VPNs on my PC, showed a warning, and connected anyway most of the time, though each connection took 4 to 5 seconds. Both apps show features the cheapest plan lacks, Surfshark more so, since several sidebar icons open upgrade prompts.

Surfshark has no device limit, and nine of my devices stayed connected for 72 hours. NordVPN caps you at ten, which is enough for most households, but a family with several TVs, tablets, and game consoles can hit the ceiling. Surfshark also has the stronger Chrome extension. It blocked 79% of d3ward’s domains to NordVPN’s 52%, and it requests fewer permissions.

Price: Surfshark Costs Less in the Long Term

Plan	NordVPN	Surfshark
Entry plan, 2 years	Basic, $3.49 a month, $94.23 for 27 months	Starter, $2.49 a month, $67.23 for 27 months
Entry plan renewal	$139.08 a year	$79 a year
Middle plan, 2 years	Complete, $4.49 a month	One, $2.79 a month
Middle plan renewal	$219.48 a year	$99 a year
Top plan, 2 years	Prime, $7.49 a month	One+, $4.49 a month
Annual entry plan	$5.49 a month for 12 months	$3.39 a month for 15 months
Monthly entry plan	$14.99	$16.45

Surfshark’s One plan adds the antivirus, Alert breach monitoring, and Surfshark Search. On NordVPN, next-gen antivirus starts with the Complete plan, which also covers passwords through NordPass and files through NordLocker. The top tiers go further: Coveron identity protection on NordVPN’s Prime plan, and Incogni data removal plus identity theft coverage on Surfshark’s One+ plan.

NordVPN’s Basic plan includes the VPN alone. Its monthly plan is the one place NordVPN costs less. However, the price climbs to about $22 after the first year, so choose a long plan if you intend to stay. Neither VPN has a free tier like the free VPNs on Gizmodo’s list, and both mobile trials require a payment method. Each VPN offers 30 days to request a refund, and Surfshark’s covers crypto purchases too. For cheaper VPNs, see the budget VPN rankings.

Surfshark vs NordVPN: Round-by-Round Results

Round	Winner
Speed	NordVPN
Streaming and TV	NordVPN
Security and features	NordVPN
Privacy	NordVPN
Torrenting	Tie
Restricted networks	NordVPN
Servers	NordVPN
Apps and browser extensions	Surfshark
Price	Surfshark

Surfshark vs NordVPN: Final Verdict

So with one company behind both, does your choice make a difference? Yes. NordVPN is the better VPN for most people: it lost less speed on all four devices I tested, unblocked ITVX, and both of its obfuscation methods kept more speed on networks that block VPNs. Its protection suite goes beyond download scanning to cover scam alerts, email breach notifications, hijacked session alerts, and more — and it all keeps running when the VPN is off, backed by independent lab certifications. My NordVPN review lists the speed and connection time for each protocol.

Surfshark is the better value. It unblocked every streaming service I tried except ITVX, its ad blocker outscored NordVPN’s on a cheaper plan, and it renews for significantly less. It also has no device limit and adds antivirus for roughly 30 cents a month. Skip it if you watch ITVX or often use your phone on faraway servers, where it lost more speed. My Surfshark review covers its antivirus and Alternative ID. Both appear in our best VPN rankings, with NordVPN first and Surfshark fifth. If you’re still unsure, think about where you’ll connect from. On networks that block VPNs, NordVPN did better, while on nearby servers at home, the two performed almost the same.

Try NordVPN Risk-Free Today

Frequently Asked Questions