Winner: Surfshark
NordVPN vs Surfshark: Head-to-Head Comparison
There are hundreds of VPN services out there, but only some can be trusted. No doubt, every single VPN service promises to deliver security and privacy but not all of them stay true to their words. At VPNranks, we have tested hundreds of VPNs to find the right VPN provider for your needs.
Based on extensive testing, we can confidently say that both NordVPN and Surfshark are great VPNs for anyone who wants to secure their online privacy and security.
NordVPN is a veteran VPN service with a continuously expanding customer base, whereas Surfshark only surfaced in the VPN industry in 2018. Nonetheless, Surfshark has quickly become a highly valued VPN that is now counted among the best in the industry.
Before we go into details, here is a brief overview of 11 different categories on which both NordVPN and Surfshark has been tested in this article:
- Pricing Plans – We have evaluated different pricing plans for both NordVPN and Surfshark including refund policies.
- Payment Methods – Different payment methods supported by both VPNs for anonymity.
- Speed Test – To see which VPN offers faster connection speeds.
- Servers – The number of servers offered by both the VPNs including server locations and countries.
- Privacy and Logging – Privacy policy of both VPNs including policies regarding user data logs.
- Device compatibility – To see which platforms and devices are supported by both NordVPN and Surfshark.
- Set up – Evaluate which VPN is easier to install and set up on various devices.
- Customer Support – To test which VPN offers better customer support and help?
- Netflix Streaming and Torrenting – Test whether both the VPNs support Netflix streaming of various libraries and torrenting.
- Jurisdiction – To see where both the VPNs are located in terms of national security and privacy laws.
- Security features – Security features and encryption offered by both the VPNs.
Winner: Surfshark
Surfshark is the winner in this contest due to the fact that it offers better value for money:
- Decent speeds: 24.09 Mbps
- Cheaper price
- Proven performance
- Consistent Netflix support across the world
A Quick Comparison of NordVPN and Surfshark
This table is a quick summary of almost 9 important factors to help choose the most appropriate VPN according to your requirement.
| Factors | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $4.13/mo | $2.49/mo |
| Speed | 93.5 Mbps | 24.09 Mbps |
| Server Network | 5,500+ servers 59 countries | 3,200+ servers 65 countries |
| Logging | Zero-logging | Zero-logging |
| Netflix Unblocking | Yes | Yes |
| Torrenting/P2P | Yes | Yes |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | British Virgins Islands |
| Customer Support | Live chat, tutorials, knowledgebase | Live chat, tutorials, knowledgebase |
| Encryption | AES-256 bit | AES-256 bit |
| Website | nordvpn.com | surfshark.com |
NordVPN vs. Surfshark 2021 – Detailed Comparison
To determine the better VPN out of these, I performed a detailed comparison between Surfshark and NordVPN. In this comparison, I analyzed the attributes of both providers and compared their relative strengths and weakness.
Following is the detailed comparison of both providers:
1. Pricing Plans: NordVPN vs Surfshark
Result: Surfshark is cheaper than NordVPN
| Pricing Plans | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Month Plan | $11.95/mo | $12.95/mo |
| 6-Months Plan | No | $6.49/mo |
| 1-Year Plan | $4.49/mo | No |
| 2-Year Plan | $4.13/mo | $2.49/mo |
| 3-Year Plan | No | No |
Surfshark Price: Surfshark has the primary USP of being a considerably cheap service, priced at $2.49/mo. Surfshark’s 2-year plan is the cheapest one.
NordVPN Price: NordVPN is slightly expensive than Surfshar. However, NordVPN is itself a very reasonably priced VPN costing $4.13/mo if you subscribe to the 2-year plan.
Winner: Surfshark
Both NordVPN and Surfshark are quite affordable, but Surfshark is cheaper than NordVPN. Therefore, it is a winner in the Price category.
View our VPN comparison chart for 2021 to check out other budget-friendly VPNs. Other budget-friendly VPN options are PureVPN and IPVanish.
2. Payment Methods
Result: Surfshark offers more payment methods than NordVPN
| Payment Methods | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency | Yes | Yes |
| Amazon Pay | No | Yes |
| Google Pay | No | Yes |
NordVPN Payment: NordVPN currently accepts credit card payments through Master Card and Discover. As for cryptocurrencies, it is accepting Ethereum and Ripple at the time of writing this comparison.
Surfshark Payment: Surfshark offers various credit card payment options including Master Card, Visa, PayPal, and Discover. It also supports 3 cryptocurrencies i.e. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple.
Refund policy
Result: Both providers offer exactly a similar 30 days refund policy
Finally, both providers also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. As such, Surfshark and NordVPN are very similar as far as payment, pricing, and refunds are considered. However, Surfshark has a slight edge courtesy of its cheaper price.
It is very important that the provider you decide to go with has a clear refund policy. There are providers such as TunnelBear, that offer refunds on a case-by-case basis and you wouldn’t want to be stuck with them regarding your funds. It is possible that your refund request may get disapproved by TunnelBear if you decide to not continue with the subscription. Therefore, always make sure to check the refund policy yourself before committing to any VPN provider. Although the TunnelBear refund policy may seem dodgy, it is still one of the best VPN providers in the industry and can go toe-to-toe with top-tier VPN providers. Recently, we compared it with NordVPN, and you can check out this blog to decide which one will be your next provider: TunnelBear or NordVPN.
Winner: Surfshark
NordVPN and Surfshark both offer multiple payment options including crypto currency, which is excellent for making yourself more anonymous. However, Surfshark is the real winner here as it offers more payment options as compared to NordVPN.
3. NordVPN vs Surfshark: Speed Test
Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer good connection speeds. Because both support WireGuard and it tends to be faster than OpenVPN. We tested both VPNs on 100 Mbps connection speeds. Here are the results:
Test #1: NordVPN vs Surfshark US
| US Server | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Speed Results | 93.5 Mbps | 24.09 Mbps |
NordVPN is one of the fastest VPN service and offers consistent speed across its server network. On a US server, it delivered a speed of 93.5 Mbps.
Surfshark is no slouch itself when it comes to speed. However, on a US server, it clocked in the speed of 24.09 Mbps. That is very slow compared to NordVPN.
Test #2: NordVPN vs Surfshark Australia
| Australia Server | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Speed Results | 93.5 Mbps | 25 Mbps |
NordVPN on its Perth, Australia server offered amazing speeds. It did not disappoint.
Surfshark’s server in Australia, Perth again offered very low download speeds and high upload speeds.
Slow Speeds with OpenVPN: Surfshark vs. NordVPN
Surfshark also offered slower speeds on its OpenVPN protocol. It was much slower as compared to connection speeds without the OpenVPN protocol.
In contrast, NordVPNs OpenVPN speeds were a little better than Surfshark. NordVPN DoubleVPN feature also provides fast connection speeds as compared to Surfshark’s OpenVPN speeds. Here is the speed test result:
Therefore, NordVPN was faster than Surfshark in both WireGuard and OpenVPN protocol. The same was the case in the comparison of NordVPN vs TorGuard, where NordVPN offered faster connection speeds on both OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols.
Winner: NordVPN
NordVPN is faster than Surfshark. It also performs well in other comparisons. You can check out our NordVPN vs ExpressVPN, and NordVPN vs PureVPN comparison.
4. Servers in Countries
Result: Based on the above comparison, NordVPN turns out to be the winner.
| NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|
| 5,500+ 59 countries | 3,200+ servers 65 countries |
In terms of server count, Surfshark would take years to beat NordVPN. The Panama-based provider has a network of over 5,500 servers in 59+ countries. In contrast, Surfshark has 3200+ servers in 65 countries.
Chinese Restrictions: NordVPN vs Surfshark
China imposes severe internet restrictions and censorship in the country. However, both NordVPN and Surfshark can easily bypass the Great Firewall of China. Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer features that enable Chinese users to bypass restrictions and use the internet freely.
NordVPN offers Obfuscated servers, and Surfshark offers No Border servers for Chinese users.
How to Turn on NordVPNs Obfuscated Servers
- Go to Settings (click the gear icon)
- Select Advanced
- Turn on Obfuscated servers
How to enable Surfshark’s No Border Servers
- Go to Settings
- Select Advanced
- Turn on No Borders
Winner: It’s a Tie
NordVPN is the winner in terms of the server network, as it has more servers than Surfshark. But, Surfshark has more server coverage as it has servers in 65+ countries. Both VPNs can help you bypass geo-restrictions in China or anywhere in the world.
5. Privacy & Logging Policy: NordVPN vs Surfshark
Result: Both providers do not store logs
| NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|
| Does not log IP address, timestamps, DNS, bandwidth, or traffic | Does not log IP address, timestamps, bandwidth, or traffic |
Surfshark follows a zero-logging policy in true letter and spirit. Similarly, NordVPN guarantees against any form of user information or activity logging.
NordVPNs Privacy Policy:
NordVPN does not keep any user data. It only logs some technical information like usernames, server load information to recommend the most suitable server, and email address when you are creating an account.
Surfshark’s Privacy Policy:
Surfshark does not log any user information. It also doesn’t log personal information that users provide when creating an account.
Winner: Its a Tie
Both NordVPN and Surfshark have underwent an audit in 2018 and it shows that they don’t keep any traffic logs, connection logs, or IP addresses. In fact, both of these providers are two of the most trustworthy VPNs in the industry as far as logging policy is concerned. Both VPNs are secure.
6. Device Compatibility: NordVPN vs Surfshark
Both NordVPN and Surfshark are compatible with different platforms and devices. You can use dedicated apps of these VPNs for multiple devices including Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, Android, iOS, routers, and others. Due to Surfshark’s free trial, it is often listed as the best free VPN for PC offering unlimited bandwidth.
Result: Both providers offer good performance and reliability
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Chrome | Yes | Yes |
| Firefox | Yes | Yes |
| Safari | No | No |
| Opera | No | Yes |
| Samsung Smart TV | No | Yes |
| Fire TV | Yes | Yes |
| Android Smart TV | Yes | Yes |
| LG Smart TV | No | Yes |
| PlayStation | No | Yes |
| Xbox One | Yes | Yes |
| Nintendo Switch | Yes | Yes |
| Roku | No | No |
| Kodi | No | Yes |
| Router | Yes | Yes |
NordVPN might not offer dedicated apps for these platforms, but you can configure it on your router and protect all your devices.
Winner: Surfshark
Both NordVPN and Surfshark performed well on all these devices. However, as you can see above, that Surfshark is the clear winner as it supports more platforms as compared to NordVPN, including Opera, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, PlayStation, and Kodi.
7. VPN Setup: Surfshark vs NordVPN
As you can see from the above table that both NordVPN and Surfshark offer VPN apps for various devices including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, browsers, and more.
Use NordVPN and Surfshark on Desktop
| NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|
1. Go to NordVPNs official website 2. Click on VPN Apps 3. Select the App of your device (macOS, Windows, Android, etc) > Click download. 4. Install the app on your device 5. Open the App > Sign in using your credentials. | 1. Go to Surfshark’s official website 2. Click on Apps from the landing page 3. Under the section Desktops & Laptops > select your device. 4. Click Download > Install the app. 5. Open the App > Sign in using your username and password. |
Use NordVPN or Surfshark on Mobile (Android & iPhone)
You can find most VPN apps on Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS), but we dont recommend downloading VPN apps from app stores. If you don’t buy VPN apps directly from the vendor, you might not be entitled to a refund. Just follow these simple steps to get NordVPN or Surfshark on your mobile phones:
| NordVPN on Mobile Devices | Surfshark on Mobile Devices |
|---|---|
1. Go to NordVPNs official website and sign up. 2. Click on VPN Apps and download the app on your mobile phone. 3. Open the App > Sign in using your credentials. | 1. Go to Surfshark’s official website and Sign up. 2. Click on Apps from the landing page and download it on your mobile phone. 3. Open the App once downloaded > Sign in using your username and password. |
Setup for Other Devices
Apart from desktops and mobile phones, you can also get these VPNs for other devices.
- Download VPN apps from the official website of VPNs for devices like Smart TVs, Fire TV, etc.
- Manually configure VPNs on your routers. You can find installation files on the landing page of VPNs.
Winner: Its a Tie
Both VPNs offer easy setup and installation for various devices. If you are having issues, you can always find installation guides on their official websites.
8. Customer Support
Result: Both providers have excellent customer support in place
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Setup Tutorials | Yes | Yes |
| FAQs | Yes | Yes |
| Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
NordVPN resolves customer queries primarily through live chat, which is available round the clock every day of the week. Tutorials and knowledgebases for setups and other technical problems are also available on the NordVPN official website.
Surfshark also provides 24/7 live chat support. The customer support representatives are capable of answering your complaints or queries without wasting your time.
Winner: Its a Tie
Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer great customer support.
9. NordVPN vs Surfshark: Streaming, Netflix, and Torrenting
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | US, UK, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Spain, and more. | US, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and more. |
| Hulu | US, Japan | US, Japan |
| Amazon Prime Video | Yes | Yes |
| BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes |
| Disney+ | Yes | Yes |
| HBO Go | Yes | Yes |
| HBO Now | Yes | Yes |
| HBO Max | Yes | Yes |
| Vudu | Yes | Yes |
| SHOWTIME | Yes | Yes |
| Sky TV | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN | Yes | Yes |
| DAZN | Yes | Yes |
Both NordVPN and Surfshark had amazing results as they unblocked all of the above-mentioned geo-restricted streaming platforms in one go. Both the VPNs also unblocked various Netflix libraries and we never had to encounter Netflix proxy error.
Netflix – NordVPN vs Surfshark
Result: Both providers can unblock US Netflix with good efficiency
Fortunately, you can avail Surfshark or NordVPN both to accomplish your Netflix media streaming cravings. Both providers are top recommended Netflix VPNs due to their efficient Netflix unblocking.
However, NordVPN allows you to access Netflix US media library in one go. Sadly, users may face buffering issues while accessing Netflix content through Surfshark. However, it all depends on your internet connection and your actual geographical location. Both Surfshark’s and NordVPNs streaming speeds were fast and consistent.
Torrenting/P2P – NordVPN vs Surfshark
Result: Both providers offer strong protection for torrenting activities.
You can choose either NordVPN or Surfshark to download your favorite torrents securely and anonymously. Interestingly, both VPN services operate from user-friendly countries and have plenty of P2P-supported servers.
The AES-256 bit encryption and zero-logging stance of both companies ensure that you can safely download torrents without worrying about getting tracked down by authorities. Surfshark and NordVPN don’t have data limits so you can download as many torrents as you want.
Learn more regarding NordVPN torrenting guide.
Winner: It’s a Tie
Both NordVPN and Surfshark come with excellent unblocking capabilities and work with all the major streaming platforms as shown in the table above. For this reason, the result is a tie.
10. Jurisdiction
Result: Both providers are located in equally safe jurisdictions
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Jurisdictions | Panama | British Virgin Island |
NordVPN Jurisdiction
NordVPN is located in Panama, which is a country with privacy-friendly laws. With no mandatory data retention laws in the country, NordVPN is under no obligation to store logs of your activity, IP address, or other personally identifiable information.
Surfshark Jurisdiction
Surfshark, for its part, is located in the British Virgin Islands, which is another country where ISPs and VPNs aren’t bound by any data retention laws. BVI is also not a part of any surveillance alliances like 5-eyes, and it is legally independent of the UK with its own privacy laws.
Jurisdiction is very important when you are deciding on a VPN for yourself. For example, you wouldn’t want to purchase PIA, because it is operating from the US and your online privacy and data will always remain at risk. Even though PIA is a competitive VPN provider on many levels with a top-tier VPN provider like ExpressVPN, due to its jurisdiction, it is not a favorite. Check out how it performs against top-tier VPN in ExpressVPN vs Private Internet Access comparison.
Winner: It’s a Tie
Surfshark is based in The British Virgin Islands, and NordVPN is based in Panama. Therefore, both providers are in safe jurisdictions.
11. NordVPN vs. Surfshark: Security Features
Result: Both providers possess strong security features
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Kill Switch | Yes | Yes |
| Double VPN | Yes | No |
| CyberSec | Yes | No |
| Onion over VPN | Yes | No |
| Whitelister | No | Yes |
| Multi-Hop | No | Yes |
| CleanWeb | No | Yes |
| Simultaneous Connections | 6 | Unlimited |
For tunneling protocols, Surfshark uses IKEv2 and OpenVPN protocols, which are also the exact two protocols offered by NordVPN. However, both providers are rich in security features as shown in the table above.
Winner: It’s a Tie
Since each VPN consists of quite valuable proprietary features of its own, this round is a tie.
Overall Ratings: NordVPN and Surfshark
Result: NordVPN has outdone Surfshark based on the different factors mentioned above. Hence, I declare NordVPN a winner.
| Overall Ratings | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Anonymity | 9/10 | 9.5/10 |
| Reliability | 8.5/10 | 9/10 |
| Features | 9.5/10 | 9/10 |
| Performance | 8.5/10 | 9/10 |
| Support | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 |
| Value for Money | 9/10 | 9.5/10 |
When I reviewed Surfshark and NordVPN in detail, I was able to rate them based on different factors. I considered factors like performance, anonymity, compatibility, features, and so on.
TrustScore: NordVPN vs Surfshark
Trustpilot is a top-notch customer review site that delivers updated and unbiased reviews about different products and services. You can explore the resource to find relevant feedback about Surfshark and NordVPN hassle-free.
As per the viewpoint of one Surfshark user, you could trust its impressive customer support that solves your problems timely.
Surprisingly, NordVPN users have given mixed reviews about the private network provider. Some users did not like its confusing payment mechanism. But, few subscribers appreciated the brand overall.
NordVPN vs. Surfshark: Redit review
Reddit is one of the most sought platforms to explore unbiased reviews about different VPNs. Here is a guide that discusses the best VPNs for Reddit users. One Reddit follower recommended Surfshark to other users.
Final Verdict: Surfshark is the Winner
Based on better pricing, privacy-focused logging policy, faster download speeds, and overall strong performance Surfshark is the winner of this comparison against NordVPN.
However, NordVPN is not a lesser VPN by any means and is one of the leading brands in the whole industry. So you can’t go wrong with either choice. Just make sure you know what you’re in for before you purchase one.
To know more about these services you can get a detailed and in-depth review of NordVPN and Surfshark.
For more comparisons, you can check our comprehensive VPN comparison chart that we have prepared for better insights.
“Final Decision:
NordVPN has outdone Surfshark based on different factors mentioned above. Hence, I declare NordVPN a winner.”
Seriously bro?! Your score shows totally different with what you conclude. Bias?
Hello Adam,
Thank you for pointing this out. It was a mistake on our end. The score columns were wrongly interchanged during the write-up. It has been corrected now.
Thanks again!
This still doesn’t look like it makes sense. Surfshark is faster, cheaper, and has equivalent security features. The only argument made for Nordvpn is that Netflix use may cause buffering on surfshark, and Nordvpn has more servers (but more users, and this more traffic, so more servers doesn’t mean a better service….and these servers are in fewer countries than surfshark). Somehow your ratings are still skewed towards Nordvpn. Your “unbiased” conclusion still contradicts the majority of the information you provide in your write-up, causing me to doubt the review in its entirety. I now need to search for other comparisons and reviews to feel confident in a decision.
Hi Evan,
I cannot thank you enough for pointing this out. You are absolutely correct. Mistakes were made on our part. We have a lot of comparisons and reviews that require constant updating in light of recent test results and other factors. Surfshark has greatly improved since the past few months and while we have been updating information in all Surfshark-related articles accordingly including this one, the ratings columns were regretfully not properly updated here. Since it is the ratings alone (which needed updating) that decided the winner here, the conclusion was not adding up to the rest of the information provided. We are not biased towards any particular VPN in these comparisons and decide winners based on their comparative strengths alone.
The ratings have now been fixed and Surfshark is indeed the rightful winner in this contest, as you correctly pointed out. Thank you once again.
Hi I have the opportunity to test both Nord and surfshark VPN and I am puzzled as to how you can say that surfshark is winner. First of all surfshark download speed is a mare fraction of Nordvpn. I have 100 meg download speed and when I am using surfshark I am only getting 39 meg compare 93 meg from Nordvpn. Nordvpn might be more expensive than surfshark but you can get a cheaper deal if you go for a longer plan. My only issue with Nordvpn is that they have gotten rid of the PayPal payment option.