NordVPN vs Surfshark comparison (2026)

NordVPN and Surfshark are two of the biggest names among VPN providers – both are fast, secure, and packed with features well beyond a basic encrypted connection. Choosing between them isn't that straightforward, though, especially since they're now owned by the same parent company and compete closely on almost everything that matters.

For this NordVPN vs Surfshark 2026 comparison, I tested both providers hands-on across the categories that actually affect day-to-day use: pricing, security, streaming, speed, ease of use, and customer support. Rather than relying on marketing claims, I ran my own speed tests across multiple distance ranges, checked for leaks, tried unlocking major streaming platforms, evaluated their antivirus solutions, and more.

Below, I break down exactly where each one earned its points, category by category, so you can decide which fits what you actually need from a VPN.

What are the key differences between NordVPN and Surfshark?

NordVPN and Surfshark rank among the best VPNs on the market, but judged purely on performance and depth, NordVPN wins comfortably. It's faster and more reliable on secondary protocols, more secure in terms of jurisdiction and audit history, and packs in extras like Meshnet and dedicated servers that Surfshark doesn't match. That said, Surfshark makes a lot of sense if you want unlimited device coverage (since NordVPN limits you at 10) or want to spend less without giving up a genuinely capable VPN.

Category	NordVPN	Surfshark
Price from	$3.49/month	$2.49/month
Server countries/locations	224 locations	100 countries
Simultaneous connections	10	Unlimited
Jurisdiction	Panama	The Netherlands
Standout tools	Meshnet, Onion Over VPN, dedicated servers, scam call protection, next-gen antivirus	Alternative ID, MultiHop, Surfshark Antivirus, GPS spoofer, rotating IP
Best for	Top performance, security, reliable streaming, and feature depth	Budget-conscious users who want basic VPN needs covered across multiple devices

Choose NordVPN if:

• You want the fastest, most consistent speeds. NordVPN was faster than Surfshark across all tested locations, especially on distant servers, and performed more reliably on backup protocols like OpenVPN, while Surfshark's speeds dropped off sharply the farther I connected.
• Jurisdiction and audit history matter to you. NordVPN is based in Panama, outside any surveillance alliance, and has had six independent no-logs policy audits since 2018 – more than Surfshark to date.
• You want extra built-in security tools. Meshnet lets you securely connect your own devices (or friends' NordVPN accounts) for file sharing or remote access, and its next-gen antivirus blocks malicious sites, ads, and trackers before they reach you.

Choose Surfshark if:

• You're watching your budget. Surfshark is cheaper than NordVPN on both 1-year and 2-year plans, making it the better deal if you're committing long-term.
• You need to cover a lot of devices. Surfshark lets you connect unlimited devices on one account, which is useful for larger households or for sharing your plan with others, while NordVPN caps you at 10.
• You want more flexible privacy tools. Surfshark's Alternative ID creates a fake identity for signups and online forms, and its MultiHop feature lets you choose your own two-server route, offering more customization than NordVPN.

Now, let’s dissect each provider up close.

Pricing and plans: winner Surfshark

Both NordVPN and Surfshark follow the pricing structure I've seen across most of the VPN market: a pricier monthly plan meant to nudge you toward a 1-year or 2-year commitment with real savings. While NordVPN has the cheaper monthly plan, that's the only exception – once you commit long-term, Surfshark is the cheaper VPN, and its unlimited-device policy widens that value gap even further.

Plan length	NordVPN Basic	Surfshark Starter	NordVPN Complete	Surfshark One	NordVPN Prime	Surfshark One+
1 month	$14.99/month	$16.45/month	$19.99/month	$18.95/month	$29.99/month	$21.85/month
1 year	$5.49/month	$3.39/month	$6.49/month	$3.59/month	$9.49/month	$7.49/month
2 years	$3.49/month	$2.49/month	$4.49/month	$2.79/month	$7.49/month	$4.49/month

Prices were checked in August 2026, reflect current promotional rates, and might fluctuate with ongoing deals. Check our NordVPN coupon page and our Surfshark coupon page for the latest discounts before you buy.

The gap in pricing gets more relevant once you factor in devices. All NordVPN subscriptions limit simultaneous connections to 10, which is generous but still a cap. Surfshark doesn't limit the number of devices at any tier, including the cheapest Starter plan. For a household running multiple phones, laptops, and streaming boxes off a single subscription, that alone can make it the better financial choice, even before comparing Surfshark pricing against NordVPN’s.

Free trials work differently as well. NordVPN's free trial is 3 days long and only available if you sign up through the Android app. However, once you activate the trial on Android, you can log in to that same account on other platforms (Windows, iOS, macOS) and use it for the remainder of the trial period. Currently, NordVPN also offers a 7-day free trial for first-time subscribers. Surfshark's free trial is longer at 7 days, but this is where it limits its simultaneous connections: you can only connect up to 3 devices during the trial period. Both NordVPN and Surfshark back every plan with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so even outside the trial windows, there's a real refund runway to test the service properly.

As for the payment options, both accept credit cards, PayPal, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and cryptocurrency. However, NordVPN also sells subscription boxes at local retail stores across the US, the UK, Europe, and Japan, including Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and more.

Streaming: winner NordVPN

Surfshark and NordVPN unlocked every major platform I tested, making them both reliable streaming VPNs. As such, I didn’t decide on the winner of this category based on access alone – it came down to how each service performed once I was actually watching.

Platform	NordVPN	Surfshark
Netflix	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Disney+	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
BBC iPlayer	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Hulu	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
HBO Max	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
ESPN	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

Since both providers cleared the access test cleanly, I only saw a difference in speed retention and actual playback quality. NordVPN maintained 86% of my baseline connection speed streaming Netflix connected to the US servers, while Surfshark maintained 80%.

First, I tested that by streaming I Think You Should Leave on Netflix (US library) with NordVPN, in both HD and 4K. Netflix recommends at least 5Mbps for Full HD and 15Mbps for 4K, and even with encryption overhead from the VPN, NordVPN's connection stayed miles above that threshold throughout. By the time I'd binged through the first two seasons (took me about two hours), I'd genuinely forgotten the VPN was even on. No buffering, no drop in quality, nothing to distract me from watching Tim Robinson derail other people’s lives. I checked a few other platforms after that, including Hulu and HBO Max, and got the same result across the board.

For the third season, I switched over to Surfshark, and Netflix again performed just as well. But when I moved over to HBO Max (US library again) to catch the new episode of House of the Dragon, that 6% difference in speed retention actually showed up in practice: playback wasn't as smooth, with occasional buffering breaking up the stream in a way I hadn't run into on NordVPN at all.

Besides, NordVPN still runs both SmartPlay and SmartDNS, and testing made the difference between the two clearer. SmartPlay works as part of the full NordVPN connection: it automatically switches DNS to unlock a geo-restricted library, but it also hides your IP address, shifts your virtual location, and encrypts your traffic, since it's riding on top of the VPN itself. It requires the NordVPN app, and once connected, it just runs in the background, so there’s no need to manually pick a streaming-optimized server for a specific platform.

On the other hand, SmartDNS only handles DNS switching. It doesn't touch your IP address or encrypt anything, and it doesn't need the NordVPN app at all – which is exactly why it's useful on hardware that can't run a VPN client, like an older smart TV. If your TV is recent enough to install a VPN app directly, though, I'd skip SmartDNS entirely and just run the full app instead, since SmartDNS on its own leaves that device's traffic unencrypted.

To compare, Surfshark discontinued its Smart DNS feature in February 2026. To get the same streaming access on a device that can't run a VPN app directly, you now need to install the VPN on your router, which involves a more complex setup than just plugging in DNS settings. From my perspective, it's this practical gap that gives NordVPN the edge for streaming on older or unsupported hardware.

Speed and performance: winner NordVPN

NordVPN is the fastest VPN in this comparison, though they are nearly tied on their leading protocols – NordVPN’s NordLynx and Surfshark’s WireGuard performed almost identically. NordVPN clearly stood out once I moved off their primary protocols.

I tested both providers from a 930Mbps download/600Mbps upload/1ms ping baseline connection, connecting to servers across four distance ranges:

• Local in Vilnius, Lithuania
• Close-range in London, the UK
• Mid-range in New York, the US
• Long-distance in Tokyo, Japan

This allowed me to assess how each protocol performs as the distance to the server increases. Every protocol available in each app got its own full round of testing, not just the default one. Here’s how it went.

NordVPN speed tests

I started with NordLynx, NordVPN's own protocol built on WireGuard. It’s fast enough that for everyday browsing, streaming, and downloads, distance barely matters.

Location	Download	Retention	Upload	Retention	Ping (ms)
Local	891Mbps	95%	567Mbps	94%	1
UK	846Mbps	90%	558Mbps	93%	36
US	815Mbps	87%	172Mbps	28%	115
Japan	674Mbps	72%	75Mbps	12%	272

NordLynx kept 95% (891Mbps) of my baseline download speed on local servers and still retained 72% (674Mbps) all the way out in Japan – a reasonable decline, considering the distance the connection had to cover. Upload is where you want to pay attention, though: it stayed strong on nearby servers, but if you're doing anything upload-heavy, like a video call or uploading large files, while connected to a mid-range or long-range server, expect a real slowdown, since upload retention dropped to 28% (172 Mbps) on the US and then 12% (75 Mbps) on Japanese servers.

NordWhisper results:

Location	Download	Retention	Upload	Retention	Ping (ms)
Local	867Mbps	93%	232Mbps	38%	23
UK	899Mbps	96%	255Mbps	42%	39
US	636Mbps	68%	199Mbps	33%	209
Japan	275Mbps	29%	67Mbps	11%	443

NordWhisper is NordVPN's newer, privacy-focused protocol, designed to disguise your VPN traffic as regular internet browsing, so it's harder to detect or block on restrictive networks. The numbers reflect that trade-off: I saw solid download speeds up close but a steep fall to 29% (275Mbps) retention by the time I reached Japan.

OpenVPN UDP and TCP results:

OpenVPN UDP	Download	Retention	Upload	Retention	Ping (ms)
Local	437Mbps	46%	500Mbps	83%	1
UK	483Mbps	51%	101Mbps	16%	35
US	585Mbps	62%	73Mbps	12%	97
Japan	656Mbps	70%	70Mbps	11%	292

OpenVPN TCP	Download	Retention	Upload	Retention	Ping (ms)
Local	622Mbps	66%	210Mbps	35%	1
UK	576Mbps	61%	366Mbps	61%	62
US	613Mbps	65%	90Mbps	15%	182
Japan	206Mbps	22%	32Mbps	5%	348

One result was interesting here: on OpenVPN UDP, download speed actually improved the further I connected – from 46% (437Mbps) locally to 70% (656Mbps) in Japan. That's the opposite of what I'd expect from a protocol whose whole cost is added latency over distance, and to my surprise, it held up when I reran the test multiple times. I don't have a clear explanation for it (routing quirks or local network congestion on the local test are my best guesses), so I’d take this one result with a grain of salt rather than as a reliable pattern.

Surfshark speed tests

On Surfshark, I first tested the WireGuard protocol (since it’s what NordLynx is based on), which performed almost the same as NordLynx.

Location	Download	Retention	Upload	Retention	Ping (ms)
Local	892Mbps	95%	563Mbps	93%	1
UK	861Mbps	92%	566Mbps	94%	35
US	804Mbps	86%	204Mbps	34%	98
Japan	617Mbps	66%	8Mbps	1%	268

Just like NordVPN’s NordLynx, Surfshark’s WireGuard stayed fast even on distant servers, with 95% retention locally (892Mbps), dropping only to 66% (617Mbps) on a Japanese server. So you're not giving anything up by choosing Surfshark here either. Upload followed a similar pattern but dropped off more aggressively: it held up fine locally at 93% (563Mbps) and even improved slightly in the UK to 94% (566Mbps), but if you're doing anything upload-heavy on a faraway server, expect it to basically stop working. This is because I saw the upload speed fall to 34% (204Mbps) on the US location and collapse to just 1% (8Mbps) on the Japanese server – well below what NordLynx achieved on the same route.

OpenVPN UDP and TCP results:

OpenVPN UDP	Download	Retention	Upload	Retention	Ping (ms)
Local	893Mbps	96%	571Mbps	95%	1
UK	873Mbps	93%	296Mbps	49%	40
US	402Mbps	42%	72Mbps	12%	97
Japan	251Mbps	26%	21Mbps	2%	260

OpenVPN TCP	Download	Retention	Upload	Retention	Ping (ms)
Local	866Mbps	93%	195Mbps	32%	1
UK	66Mbps	7%	41Mbps	6%	46
US	29Mbps	2%	40Mbps	6%	97
Japan	10Mbps	1%	15Mbps	2%	290

Surfshark's OpenVPN TCP is where things really slowed down. Sure, some slowdown is expected with TCP, since it carries more overhead than UDP by design, but this went further than the usual trade-off I’m used to. It performed fine locally (93% retention, 866Mbps), then fell to just 7% (66Mbps) retention the moment I connected to the UK server, and stayed in single digits from there through the US and Japan. If you need OpenVPN specifically for compatibility or network restrictions, use UDP on Surfshark – I'd only use TCP as a last resort.

Surfshark's proprietary protocol, Dausos, sits between its other options – not as fast as WireGuard but more consistent than either OpenVPN mode at long range. What makes it different under the hood is that instead of routing every connection through a single shared VPN tunnel, Dausos spins up a separate tunnel for each connection. This is meant to reduce congestion and boost speeds, especially useful for anyone running multiple apps or downloads at once.

Dausos results:

Location	Download	Retention	Upload	Retention	Ping (ms)
Local	834Mbps	89%	744Mbps	79%	2
UK	796Mbps	85%	503Mbps	54%	37
US	776Mbps	83%	303Mbps	32%	97
Japan	653Mbps	69%	121Mbps	13%	250

Dausos actually held up better on upload retention at distance than WireGuard did (13% in Japan vs WireGuard's 1%), which makes it worth switching to specifically if you need a stable upload connection on a far-off server, even though it's not the fastest option for download-heavy tasks. The per-connection tunnel design likely plays a role here, since upload-heavy tasks aren't competing for bandwidth within a single shared tunnel, as they would with WireGuard or OpenVPN.

Security and privacy: winner NordVPN

Both NordVPN and Surfshark passed my kill switch and leak tests cleanly, and both back their no-logs claims with real independent audits. However, NordVPN is a more secure VPN, given its jurisdiction, audit history, and obfuscation – especially when my obfuscation testing actually pinpointed a weakness in Surfshark's defenses.

Encryption and infrastructure

Both providers rely on the same modern security standards. On NordVPN, WireGuard-based NordLynx uses ChaCha20, while OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec use AES-256-GCM. Surfshark follows the same split: ChaCha20 for WireGuard, AES-256-GCM for OpenVPN and IKEv2. When it comes to custom protocols, there’s AEGIS-256X2 on Surfshark’s Dausos, while NordVPN hasn’t publicly specified what’s used for its NordWhisper.

NordVPN and Surfshark are already using post-quantum encryption – protection designed to resist future decryption by quantum computers, relevant now because encrypted traffic intercepted today could theoretically be stored and cracked years down the line once quantum computing catches up. NordVPN already does this exclusively through its NordLynx protocol, across every platform, while Surfshark supports it over WireGuard and Dausos (macOS only) protocols.

Both also run on RAM-only servers, meaning nothing is written to a hard disk and everything wipes on reboot, which is the standard that makes a genuine no-logs policy technically enforceable rather than just a promise on a privacy page.

Obfuscation on restrictive networks

Where it gets more interesting is obfuscation – the ability to disguise VPN traffic as regular internet traffic, useful on restrictive networks that actively block VPN connections. And this is where my testing revealed clear shortfalls. I connected to both providers, captured traffic with Wireshark, and ran the resulting file through nDPIreader to see whether the tool could detect VPN traffic through deep packet inspection.

NordVPN only masked its traffic successfully using its NordWhisper protocol, which disguises the connection as standard TLS traffic – enough to slip past detection entirely.

Unlike NordVPN, Surfshark doesn't have a dedicated obfuscated server category in the app, so I couldn’t select it manually for the test. Furthermore, despite customer support telling me that Camouflage mode (Surfshark’s obfuscation) is automatically enabled on OpenVPN, deep packet inspection still flagged the connection when I was testing this protocol. The only way I got past detection on Surfshark was switching to its Dausos protocol, which nDPIreader couldn't classify at all and flagged simply as Unknown.

So, if you’re often on restrictive networks and need to keep your VPN use under the radar, I’d choose NordVPN – in my tests, it simply gave me more dependable ways to stay hidden.

Jurisdiction and no-logs policy

NordVPN is operated by Nord Security and based in Panama, a jurisdiction with no mandatory data retention laws, putting it outside the reach of intelligence-sharing arrangements, such as the Nine Eyes or Fourteen Eyes alliances. Surfshark, operating as Surfshark B.V., relocated its legal base to the Netherlands, which is part of the Nine Eyes alliance. However, Dutch law still doesn't require VPN providers to retain user data, so the practical privacy impact is smaller than the alliance membership alone might suggest.

It's worth noting that these VPNs now share the same parent company, Nord Security, after they merged in 2022, though they continue to operate as separate products with separate infrastructure.

Both NordVPN and Surfshark back their no-logs claims with real, repeated third-party audits rather than vague statements. NordVPN has gone through 6 independent no-logs assurance engagements since 2018: PwC in 2018 and 2020, then Deloitte in 2022, 2023, 2024, and again in the most recent December 2025 assessment. All were conducted under the ISAE 3000 framework and covered its full server fleet, including standard, Double VPN, and Onion Over VPN servers.

Surfshark has undergone two no-logs audits from Deloitte, in January 2023 and June 2025, plus infrastructure and application testing from Cure53, including a February–March 2026 audit of its Dausos protocol specifically. Both records are legitimate, but NordVPN simply has more audit cycles behind it at this point.

Kill switch and leak protection

The kill switch itself is standard on both apps: it cuts your internet connection if the VPN drops unexpectedly, preventing any traffic from slipping through unprotected. Surfshark also includes Everlink, a separate feature designed to recover dropped VPN connections in the background rather than cutting your internet connection completely, so the user experience is smoother during interruptions. Since neither VPN leaked during testing, I can't point to a functional difference here – both did exactly what they're supposed to.

To test leak protection, I connected to NordVPN and Surfshark one at a time with the kill switch and DNS leak protection enabled. I visited ipleak.net to check whether the VPN connection was active. I then killed the VPN process in Task Manager and checked whether my real IP address was leaked (it wasn’t). I followed that with a more focused DNS leak I ran on dnsleaktest.com. If either site had shown my real IP address, browser IP, or ISP DNS servers while the VPN was active, that would have indicated a leak. Both NordVPN and Surfshark came back clean across every test, with no IP, WebRTC, or DNS leaks detected.

Features: winner Surfshark

Both providers pack in an impressive number of extras beyond the core VPN connection, and this is a close one. Surfshark, despite being more cost effective, actually pulls ahead in a few specific areas, such as Alternative ID, IP rotation tools, and a more flexible MultiHop that genuinely add practical value day to day. NordVPN still covers more ground on paper, with features like Meshnet, Onion over VPN, and recently introduced scam call protection that Surfshark doesn't match. However, fewer of these saw regular use in my testing compared to Surfshark's basic yet more everyday-useful extras.

Here’s how they compare at a glance:

Feature	NordVPN	Surfshark
Double VPN/MultiHop	✅ Yes (fixed pairs)	✅ Yes (customizable, Dynamic MultiHop)
Split tunneling	✅ Yes	✅ Yes (Bypasser)
Tor over VPN	✅ Yes (Onion over VPN)	❌ No
Web/malware and phishing protection, antivirus	✅ Yes (next-gen antivirus, formerly Threat Protection Pro)	✅ Yes (CleanWeb and Surfshark Antivirus)
Scam call protection	✅ Yes	❌ No
Dedicated IP	✅ Yes, 46 locations	✅ Yes, 19 locations
Dedicated server	✅ Yes	❌ No
Alternative ID	❌ No	✅ Yes
Rotating IP	❌ No	✅ Yes
Dark web/data breach monitoring	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Identity theft protection	✅ Yes (Prime plan)	✅ Yes (One+ plan)
Meshnet	✅ Yes	❌ No
GPS spoofer	❌ No	✅ Yes

I tested the features that overlap directly between the two and grouped the rest below by what they actually do, rather than walking you through the table line by line.

Traffic routing and anonymity

Features in this category give you more control over how your internet traffic actually moves – which apps stay inside the VPN tunnel, how many servers your connection passes through, and how deep the anonymity goes. For me, Surfshark is a better pick here, as it provides more flexible, customizable controls over how your traffic routes compared to NordVPN's more fixed, preset approach

Split tunneling lets you choose which apps or websites use the VPN tunnel and which bypass it, so only part of your traffic is encrypted. That’s useful for flexibility, and it can also offer a small performance boost, since less traffic needs to be encrypted overall.

Both providers offer this, though Surfshark brands its version Bypasser. In my testing, both did exactly what they promised – I could route specific apps outside the VPN with no issues on either app. For example, with Surfshark, I kept my torrent client in the VPN tunnel while excluding my browser from it, so I could scroll through local news on my regular connection while the download finished. On NordVPN, I configured it the other way around for a gaming session: I excluded Discord from the VPN to keep my voice call stable, while routing the game itself through the VPN tunnel.

What makes Surfshark look better to me is its website-level control: Bypasser lets you exclude individual websites from the VPN tunnel directly in the app, so the bypass applies system-wide. NordVPN offers that same website-level bypass only through its browser extension, not the main app. Surfshark's Bypasser is also available on all its supported platforms, whereas NordVPN's split tunneling is missing on Apple's ecosystem entirely. In day-to-day use, I found Bypasser most useful for system-wide rules in the app (e.g., I always enable bypassing for my banking app to avoid account lockouts), while the browser extension was handy for quick toggles for individual sites on the go.

Double VPN is another useful feature that routes your traffic through two separate VPN servers instead of one, encrypting it twice and separating your entry and exit points. It’s useful for extra privacy during sensitive activities, like journalism, activism, or browsing on heavily monitored networks, though it can slow down speeds.

You can find NordVPN's Double VPN version in its All locations screen, under a separate Double VPN tab. There, you can either connect to the fastest available combination (usually the closest one) or choose from the list of available pairs. NordVPN then shows you both the entry and exit servers, so you know exactly which two countries your traffic is routed through – just remember to set the Show connection details toggle to on so they become visible. Such transparency is a plus, but the lack of customization frustrated me a bit: you're limited to NordVPN's pre-set server pairs, with no way to build your own route.

Surfshark's MultiHop, by contrast, gives you that control. It sits in its own menu within the VPN tab, where you can either pick from a list of pre-set country combinations or build a custom configuration by hand-picking both your entry and exit servers. It takes just 4 clicks, and you can then save it as a favorite for quick access later. I find Surfshark’s implementation here again more flexible, especially for anyone who wants a specific routing setup rather than whatever the app decides is fastest.

Tor over VPN is worth mentioning for users who need extra anonymity and censorship resistance, such as journalists, activists, or people working with sensitive data. It combines a regular VPN connection with the Tor network for Tor-level anonymity without a separate Tor browser. Tor works by bouncing your traffic through several independent relays before it reaches its destination, so no single point in the chain can see both who you are and what you're accessing, thus making it one of the strongest anonymity tools available, though noticeably slower.

Only NordVPN offers this, as Onion Over VPN, with servers in Switzerland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. I tested it a few times, and while it does connect, the internet becomes close to unusable, so I’d say it’s technically available but not really viable.

Web protection and malware blocking

This one's essentially a tie, depending on what you actually need: Surfshark has the more capable standalone antivirus, while NordVPN pulls ahead on web-based threat protection. If you want one bundle to cover both VPN and security, this difference is worth paying close attention to.

In this category, I look at how each provider defends your devices against online threats, such as malicious downloads, phishing links, trackers, and unwanted content, rather than VPN encryption itself. This part needs to be approached carefully, since both NordVPN and Surfshark now market some form of antivirus, but what that actually means differs a lot between the two.

NordVPN recently rebranded its Threat Protection Pro feature as a next-gen antivirus (NGAV), and Surfshark bundles its own Surfshark Antivirus into the One and One+ plans. Despite the shared branding, these aren't really the same type of product. Here's what independent labs found when they evaluated each one.

Surfshark Antivirus is a full antivirus product – it scans files already on your device and monitors what's running, just like a dedicated antivirus, such as Bitdefender or Windows Defender, would do. In AV-TEST's most recent evaluation from June 2026, Surfshark Antivirus scored 6.0/6.0 for protection, 4.5/6.0 for performance, and 6.0/6.0 for usability, earning the AV-TEST Certified badge with zero false positives recorded across more than 1,223,746 files tested. It's worth noting, though, that Surfshark's antivirus hasn't yet been evaluated by AV-Comparatives, so its track record with independent labs is shorter than more established antivirus names.

NordVPN's next-gen antivirus doesn't do the same job – it essentially has the same functionality as the former Threat Protection Pro under a new name, built as a web threat shield and download scanner rather than a full device antivirus. Its biggest strength is phishing protection: it blocked most phishing and malicious URLs before I reached them, and it also filters out ads and trackers and blocks adult sites. However, it doesn't scan files already on your device or monitor active programs, so it isn't built to catch malware or ransomware the way a full antivirus would. I wouldn’t exactly call that a flaw, so much as a different job description, which is why I wouldn’t exactly call NordVPN's next-gen antivirus an antivirus either.

Where NordVPN's tool does compete is in web-based threat filtering. It holds an AV-Comparatives anti-phishing certification from June 2025 with a 96% block rate and zero false positives – a genuinely strong result from an independent lab test involving 228 phishing URLs. NordVPN's tool was also benchmarked by AV-TEST against other VPN providers' built-in protection (not standalone antivirus software, as in Surfshark’s AV-TEST certification, though), where it achieved an 83.42% detection rate, well ahead of the next-closest IPVanish.

On the other hand, Surfshark's CleanWeb blocks ads, trackers, and malicious sites, functioning similarly to NordVPN's NGAV web-filtering, and it's included on every Surfshark plan rather than locked behind a higher tier.

All in all, if you want real antivirus software that scans your device for existing threats, Surfshark's bundled antivirus actually functions as advertised, even if its malware detection rate isn't class-leading on its own. NordVPN's next-gen antivirus is a solid first line of defense against browsing-based threats, phishing, and unwanted content. Still, despite the name, it isn't a replacement for dedicated antivirus software, and I'd still run one alongside it if full device protection matters to you.

However, NordVPN has one more feature here that Surfshark doesn't match at all: scam call protection, which screens and flags known scam numbers before they reach you. It's a narrower use case than the browser-based protections, but given the increase in phone-based scams, it's incredibly handy.

Identity and privacy extras

Both providers monitor the dark web for signs that your personal data has leaked, but they scale it differently by plan.

NordVPN's Dark Web Monitor is included starting on its entry plans and covers up to 5 monitored emails. When you step up to Dark Web Monitor Pro, it expands to 8 emails, plus monitoring for your phone number, credit card, and national ID/Social Security number. Furthermore, NordVPN recently launched transaction monitoring as part of the premium Monitor service tier, which complements Dark Web Monitor Pro.

Surfshark's equivalent, Alert, is available with its One and One+ plans rather than included from the start and covers similar categories – emails, passwords, and other personal data exposed in breaches. I prefer NordVPN's version mainly for accessibility, since even the entry-level plan gets basic monitoring, whereas Surfshark requires an upgrade just to access Alert at all.

Nonetheless, Surfshark has an Alternative ID, one of its standout features, which NordVPN lacks. It’s included already with the Starter plan and generates an entirely separate persona (a new name, birth date, and address, as well as an alternative email), so you can use that instead of your real information when signing up for newsletters, online stores, or anything else that doesn't need your actual identity.

Emails sent to the alternative address still land in your real inbox, so you don't lose access, but your true email and identity stay out of it. On top of that, you can get an alternative virtual phone number, but it's an add-on at an extra cost.

Both providers also offer a paid identity theft protection add-on at their top tiers – NordVPN through its Prime plan and Surfshark through One+. This bundles credit monitoring, dark web scanning for sensitive identifiers like your SSN, and insurance coverage in case your identity is actually compromised.

Unique features

Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer features that are unique only to them.

Here are theNordVPN’s extras worth knowing about:

• Meshnet. This links your own devices (and optionally those of other NordVPN users) into a private network for secure file sharing or routing traffic through another device's IP address. It's free to use even without an active subscription, just a NordVPN account.
• Dedicated server. A standard dedicated IP address gives you a fixed address that's yours alone, which is useful for avoiding CAPTCHA and reducing the chance of being blacklisted by services that flag shared VPN IP addresses. Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer this as an add-on. However, NordVPN goes further and now also offers dedicated servers – isolated hardware reserved entirely for your use, plus port forwarding support. The latter is something NordVPN doesn't offer on shared servers or on its regular dedicated IP feature.
• NordPass password manager. Included from the Complete plan and up, NordPass stores and autofills passwords, generates new ones, and flags weak or reused credentials. It’s an extra feature that eliminates the need to pay for a separate password manager subscription.
• Onion over VPN. These specialty servers route your traffic through the VPN and then the Tor network automatically, adding an extra layer of privacy without requiring the Tor Browser. They're useful if you want the anonymity benefits of Tor while keeping your ISP from seeing that you're using it.
• Scam call protection. Available through the NordVPN app, this feature helps identify and warn you about suspected scam calls. It's an extra security layer designed to reduce the risk of phone-based fraud.

Here’s what Surfshark has to offer:

• Alternative ID. This feature lets you generate a new online identity, complete with a name, email address, and, in supported regions, an alternative phone number. It's useful for protecting your real personal information when signing up for websites, newsletters, or online services.
• Static IP. It’s a fixed IP address shared among other Surfshark users connecting to the same server. It's not exclusive to you the way a dedicated IP address is, but it still gives you a consistent, unchanging address. I find it useful for accessing IP-restricted services, remote work setups that whitelist specific IP addresses, or avoiding repeated identity checks on sites that flag frequent IP changes. It's also available in the app at no additional cost, though it has a very limited pool of countries: the US, the UK, Singapore, Japan, the Netherlands, and Germany.
• Rotating IP. This feature automatically changes your IP address every 5 to 10 minutes without dropping the connection or changing server location. It’s good for general browsing privacy, but I wouldn’t use it while streaming or gaming, since frequent IP address changes can trigger VPN detection.
• GPS spoofing. This feature fakes your device's GPS location independently of your VPN server, which is useful for apps that check GPS directly rather than relying on your IP address, including social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram.
• NoBorders mode. Rather than obfuscating traffic itself, Surfshark’s NoBorders mode detects when your network provider is blocking your VPN and automatically finds and connects you to servers that still work around that restriction. Camouflage mode and NoBorders mode can work together: NoBorders handles connectivity, while Camouflage handles obfuscation itself.
• Surfshark Search. Surfshark’s built-in private search engine doesn’t track your queries or serve targeted ads, and it blocks trackers in results. It’s a straightforward swap for Google or Bing if you want more privacy in your everyday searches. Here, you can also get country-specific search results.

Server network: winner NordVPN

NordVPN has a larger server count and considerably more countries to connect through. It uses a hybrid server infrastructure, meaning NordVPN owns or directly co‑locates the majority of its server hardware, reducing the risks associated with relying solely on third‑party data centers. Surfshark now states that it owns and runs its entire VPN network with no third‑party servers but provides less detailed public documentation about this.

	NordVPN	Surfshark
Number of servers	8,600+	4,500+
Countries/locations	224 locations	100 countries
Virtual locations	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
10Gbps servers	✅ Yes, some	✅ Yes, all
P2P servers	✅ Yes, all	✅ Yes, all
Double VPN/MultiHop	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Onion over VPN	✅ Yes	❌ No
Dedicated IP	✅ Yes, 46 locations	✅ Yes, 19 locations
Dedicated servers	✅ Yes	❌ No
Obfuscated servers	✅ Yes	✅ Yes, Camouflage mode

NordVPN's network is the larger of the two by a wide margin – it has 8,600+ of servers across 224 locations, compared to Surfshark's 4,500+ servers in 100 countries. In everyday use, this difference actually mattered less than I expected, since both providers gave me fast, reliable connections on nearby UK servers. However, it showed up more in remote regions like the US and Japan or less-covered areas, where NordVPN's extra locations simply provided more options to actually choose from.

Surfshark's standout feature here is its 100Gbps servers, which is ten times the throughput of the 10Gbps standard that both providers otherwise run on. It's a real technical leap, aimed at reducing congestion during peak hours and future-proofing for bandwidth-heavy use, such as 4K/8K streaming, smoother gaming, VR, and greater peak-time reliability overall. The catch is that, after introducing them in 2025, it's still a pilot rollout limited to a single location in Amsterdam, so it's not something most users have actually connected to yet. Still, NordVPN doesn't have an equivalent server tier at this point.

Apps and ease of use: draw

Ease of use and the overall user experience is a tough call for these two. NordVPN bundles more into a single install and impressed me on Linux specifically, but Surfshark's interface is simply more intuitive across the board.

	NordVPN	Surfshark
Supported platforms	Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Android, tvOS	Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Android
Dedicated Linux app	✅ Yes (GUI)	✅ Yes (GUI)
Other devices	Kodi, Android TVs, Fire TV devices, Chromecast, routers, and more	Kodi, Android TVs, Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, routers, and more
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge	Chrome, Firefox, Edge
Simultaneous connections	10	Unlimited
Usability level	Easy	Easy

Windows and Linux

Windows revealed to me more differences between NordVPN and Surfshark than any other platform I used them on. For one, NordVPN walks you through enabling extras like Scam, phishing, and malware protection, Dark Web Monitoring, and Auto-Connect right after installation, so you're covered beyond just the VPN connection from the start.

However, in my opinion, the NordVPN interface itself has gotten less intuitive since its recent update. The main window covers recent VPN locations and features like Scam, phishing, and malware protection, Meshnet, and Dark Web Monitoring. However, reaching settings now means going through the profile menu, into a separate settings window, then digging through multiple sections to find what you're after. It doesn’t feel like it’s built with beginners in mind.

More concerning were the connectivity issues I ran into on Windows specifically, especially with more than one VPN installed on the same machine: unstable connections, unexpectedly slow torrenting speeds, and an inability to connect to certain servers at times.

However, NordVPN's Linux app was a genuine surprise – it now ships with a functional graphical interface rather than requiring command-line setup, and it worked right out of the box for me with easy installation. For a platform that VPN providers often treat as an afterthought, this stood out as one of NordVPN's strongest features across any platform I tested.

Surfshark’s app is consistently smooth. Every major feature and server category sits right on the main window, settings are well organized without feeling stripped down, and I didn't run into any real issues during testing.

The one thing worth mentioning, though, is that Surfshark's antivirus isn't bundled into the main install the way NordVPN's NGAV is – it requires a separate installation, accessible afterward from within the main Surfshark app.

macOS and iOS

I'm primarily a macOS user, and NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for Mac and iOS I've ever tried. The overall experience was flawless – none of the connectivity issues I hit on Windows showed up here at all. ​

The interface itself is largely the same as the Windows app, so it’s not like there’s a learning curve switching between the two. The one thing I did miss was split tunneling, which NordVPN doesn't support on macOS or iOS at all, so if that's a feature you rely on, Surfshark will be more convenient here.

Surfshark was equally trouble-free on these platforms, continuing the smooth experience I had with it elsewhere. The macOS app mirrors its Windows layout closely, so anything I'd already gotten used to on one platform carried straight over to the other, which made switching between devices painless. Surfshark also has one of the best VPN apps for iPhone, keeping the same clean, everything-on-one-screen approach as its desktop version.

Android

On Android, the NordVPN app feels clean and straightforward: I open it to a large map and a big connect button, so getting online is just one tap. Tapping on the search bar at the top reveals a well-organized list of countries and specialty servers, while the bottom bar gives me quick access to settings without digging through menus. Everything I needed was easy to find and clearly labeled, so even advanced options didn’t feel overwhelming here.

Surfshark's Android app kept the same intuitive, everything-visible approach I liked on desktop, and connecting to a server or switching locations was quick and straightforward. If anything, Surfshark's Android app felt like the most direct translation of its desktop experience of any platform I tested it on.

So, which one ultimately offers the best user experience? I think device limits are worth factoring in here, too. Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections, while NordVPN subscriptions allow only 10. Most people only need two or three slots for daily use (one for a phone, one for a laptop, and maybe one for a tablet), which neither provider's limit gets in the way of.

Where it becomes a real limitation is in a larger household with many devices or if you want to cover a smart home's worth of gadgets without thinking twice. You can work around NordVPN's limit by setting it up directly on a router, but that's a more technical process that isn't beginner-friendly. Surfshark's unlimited connections sidestep that problem entirely, making it the easier choice if device count matters to you.

Torrenting: winner NordVPN

NordVPN wins the torrenting category, though my experience wasn’t entirely smooth. On my first attempt, I downloaded a torrent file with NordVPN and used different torrent clients to rule out a client-side issue. Every time, the download connected to only one seed, and speeds never climbed past 40KB/s. My first guess was port forwarding, since NordVPN doesn't support it, and I'd seen it repeatedly flagged by Reddit users as a torrenting bottleneck. But that theory didn't hold up: I tried the same file on Surfshark, which also lacks port forwarding, and it downloaded fine, reaching 80MB/s. I kept troubleshooting from there, trying different servers and protocols, but nothing worked, so I took it to NordVPN's customer support. Eventually, I suspected the issue might be on my end rather than with the service itself, so I moved on to a cleaner second test.

For that second attempt, I used the Kali Linux 2026.2 ISO (4.47GB) file and connected to UK servers with both providers. My baseline connection was 930Mbps download and 600Mbps upload. I tested every protocol available on each app to see how consistent results were across the board, not just on a single best-case config.

For NordVPN, here's how each protocol performed, with the results captured directly from the app during testing:

NordVPN protocol	Max speed	Total time	Avg speed
NordLynx	104MB/s	48s	93MB/s
NordWhisper	74MB/s	1min 10s	63MB/s
OpenVPN UDP	62MB/s	1min 18s	57MB/s
OpenVPN TCP	82MB/s	59s	75MB/s

And here's the same breakdown for Surfshark, tested under identical conditions:

Surfshark protocol	Max speed	Total time	Avg speed
WireGuard	101MB/s	51s	87MB/s
OpenVPN UDP	40MB/s	53s	84MB/s
OpenVPN TCP	71MB/s	1min 25s	52MB/s

NordVPN came out as the faster torrenting VPN here. Its proprietary protocol, NordLynx, averaged 93MB/s and finished in 48 seconds, beating Surfshark's best and almost equally impressive result (WireGuard, 87MB/s, 51 seconds). Moreover, NordVPN held this advantage across most of its protocol lineup.

One note: While I wasn't able to test Surfshark's Dausos protocol in this round, I've tested it before on a different setup, where it hit an average of 25MB/s and took 4 minutes and 12 seconds to complete the same-sized download. It was actually the fastest protocol I tested with Surfshark in that earlier run but also the least stable – speeds ranged from 12MB/s to 30MB/s, against a 27MB/s baseline. Since that test wasn't run under the same conditions as this comparison, I'm not counting it toward the head-to-head result, but it's worth knowing about if you're trying to achieve Surfshark's absolute peak torrenting speed and can tolerate some inconsistency.

Customer support: winner NordVPN

While both NordVPN’s and Surfshark’s AI agents work well and their live-agent teams resolved everything I brought to them, NordVPN's support proved more accessible and, in one specific case, went further than I expected to actually fix a problem. Both providers also hold strong, similarly rated reviews on Trustpilot (Surfshark’s 4.3 vs NordVPN’s 4.2), reflecting the broader user base's experience alongside my own.

NordVPN and Surfshark offer the same core support channels: live chat, email, and extensive help centers with setup guides and troubleshooting articles.

NordVPN's main live chat support line is now handled by an AI agent powered by Nexos AI. In my interactions with it, the agent took a somewhat slow but thorough approach, gathering context like my location, operating system, and any troubleshooting steps I'd already tried before offering a solution. That was also true when I went back with a more specific problem: figuring out why my first torrent file wouldn't download properly on NordVPN. The AI bot suggested everything I'd already tried, so it routed me to a live agent in the Connectivity department.

That agent asked which torrent client I was using, sent me a quick download test to run, and once I sent back my results, followed up with step-by-step instructions (including screenshots) for changes to make inside my torrent client. And just like that, it worked. ​​To me, the whole exchange felt genuinely thorough rather than scripted, which is exactly what you want from support when you're dealing with a problem that isn't a simple fix.

Surfshark's live chat is also powered by a Nexos AI agent, but it takes a noticeably different approach. Instead of gathering context first, it jumped straight to offering setup suggestions based on my initial prompt, which speeds up the resolution of simple questions. However, there’s a difference if you want access to a live agent: Surfshark only makes that available after logging into your account. This can be an obstacle in itself if you're troubleshooting something like a login issue or just have a quick pre-sale question.

Once I did get through, the live agents were quick and helpful. What got my attention was that Surfshak’s customer support representative had a noticeably more casual, even playful tone than NordVPN's while resolving everything I asked without issue.

NordVPN or Surfshark: final verdict

After weeks of testing, NordVPN comes out on top in this comparison, simply offering the most value. It was consistently faster, held up better under security testing, unlocked streaming libraries more reliably, and backed it all with a deeper feature set and more responsive customer support. Surfshark isn't far behind, though – it's the cheaper option for basic VPN needs and doesn't limit your device count, and its apps are simply easier to live with day-to-day.

For these reasons, if you want the best overall performance and the strongest security guarantees, I recommend NordVPN. If you're watching your budget, need to cover a household full of devices, or just want the smoothest app experience, Surfshark is a genuinely solid option for basic needs and budget.

FAQ