NordVPN VS SurfShark VPN (Comparison) Which One Is Best?

Are you confused about deciding which Virtual Private Network (VPN) to use? When you are looking for a good VPN service provider in the market every service promises to deliver on the same things i.e, speed, security, and unblocking content — but they can’t all possibly be “the best”! However, if you are looking for the best VPN for 2024 then you might see NordVPN And SurfShark are among the top VPN services. But How Do They Stack Up Head To Head?

NordVPN VS SurfShark VPN

So, you’re at home, comfortably using your laptop. You search for the best VPNs of 2024, and numerous options pop up. Surfshark and NordVPN seem to be appearing everywhere. But with quite a few similarities, how do you know which one is right for you? They’re often named the best VPN. Is there even a difference Between NordVPN And SurfShark? You’re about to find out. Both NordVPN and Surfshark are exceptional services that I would recommend to anyone. But you only need one VPN, really. So there’s a choice to be made.

SurfShark VPN is relatively new to the market founded in 2018, but its popularity grew massively in the last few years. Plus, if you are considering a long-term sub, SurfShark VPN is definitely cheaper than NordVPN. However, who offers the best value for money in the SurfShark versus NordVPN battle? Which VPN should you invest in? There can only be one winner. And you will learn all of that in this 2024 SurfShark VPN Vs NordVPN review. I’m gonna compare all the crucial features side by side so you can decide which of these is the best VPN for you.

SurfShark VPN

SurfShark VPN Is Less Expensive And Affordable Option As Compared To NordVPN.

(Quick Overview)

• SurfShark VPN Server – 3200+
• Countries – 65
• Simultaneous Connections – Unlimited
• Kill Switch – Yes
• No Log Policy – Yes
• Best Price – $59.76 for 24 months ($2.49 per month)
• Free Trial – 30 Day refund guarantee (7-day VPN free trial)
• Supported platforms – iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, FireTV (All Major)
• Headquarter Country – British Virgin Islands (Not A Part Of Five Eye or Fourteen Eyes alliances)

Highlights

• Stuffed with advanced functionality.
• likeable and easy-to-use apps Support.
• Unblocked every one of our test streaming platforms which include Netflix, iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus.
• WireGuard on all apps
• Speedy and helpful live chat support
• Unlimited simultaneous connections.
• Strong on security with a true no logs policy
• Below average OpenVPN speeds
• Kill switch issues.

NordVPN

NordVPN is value for money with great security features and has Consistently faster performance than SurfShark VPN. (Quick Overview)

• Servers – 5240+
• Countries – 60
• Simultaneous Connections – 6
• Kill Switch – Yes
• No Log Policy – Yes
• Free Trial – 30-day refund guarantee
• Supported platforms: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, game consoles, smart TVs, more
• Headquarters Country – Panama (Not a member of the Five Eyes or Fourteen Eyes alliances)

Highlights

• Stuffed with advanced and almost all functionality.
• Value for money VPN Provider.
• Independent Privacy audit of no logging claims
• Unblocks Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus
• Effective kill switch
• Speedy live chat support
• Fast, reliable speeds for HD streaming.
• Strong security and privacy features.
• A little more expensive than SurfShark

Speed comparison: which is faster, NordVPN or SurfShark?

Winner – NordVPN.

Can a VPN slow my internet connection speed? The short answer is yes, a VPN can slow your connection speed. VPN’s job is to encrypt your connection and send it through a secure VPN server. Because a VPN adds extra steps between you and the internet, it’s bound to slow down your internet connection somewhat. NordVPN was faster in every category I tested apart from server setup speeds — so it’s the clear winner of this category. It’s almost as fast, has more servers to choose from, and provides more control over your security setup than SurfShark VPN does. NordVPN is faster and has a bigger Server fleet. NordVPN wins this round of SurfShark Vs NordVPN.

Here the winner is NordVPN which offers premium quality speed.

NordVPN VS SurfShark VPN: The Security Front.

Winner – NordVPN.

All security features of these two VPNs seem to be the same. However, here’s the case, NordVPN was audited by PWC in 2018, which fully verified their no-log policy. It was shown to keep no IP addresses, traffic logs, or connection logs of any kind. Surfshark underwent an audit in 2018 as well, although it was far more limited in scope — only auditing the Chrome and Firefox extensions. While Surfshark passed that audit, a full audit of the main software is necessary to ensure full compliance with the no-log policy.

However, Both VPN protocols are the same OpenVPN, IKEv2. In addition, NordVPN has NordLynx while SurfShark supports Shadowsocks (an open-source proxy) and WireGuard, the newest major player in the industry. OpenVPN data encryption is also the same AES-256 Encryption. NordVPN uses a 4096-bit RSA key to let your device communicate with the VPN privately. Meanwhile, Surfshark uses 2048-bit RSA keys, which are still secure, but slightly less so.

NordVPN does not keep any logs whatsoever which means it has strictly no-log policy. However, SurfShark keeps limited information which helps to improve their software such as how often you use the service and if the app has crashed, but none of this can be used to identify you. If we talk about customer service, both VPNs are in the front row. These VPNs both provide 24/7 support over live chat; NordVPN is run by an in-house team whereas Surfshark’s is outsourced. According to my experience, NordVPN has an upper hand in terms of security as Both VPN somehow manage to provide the same security, only NordVPN has received a full independent audit. In this segment of NordVPN vs SurfShark, Nord is the winner.

SurfShark vs. NordVPN: Pricing and discounts

Winner – SurfShark VPN

At $11.95 and $12.95 per month respectively, NordVPN and Surfshark are affordable enough on a month-to-month subscription. However, if you believe and commit to these VPNs then they offer dramatic discounts on their multi-year plans, they’re best-suited to users who are looking for long-term protection. One of the main differences between the two VPN services is that with NordVPN, you’re getting a limit of 6 simultaneous connections per account, while Surfshark has simultaneously unlimited connections per account, which gives SurfShark an edge over NordVPN.

In NordVPN you can opt for a 1-year plan at $4.92/month. While In SurfShark there are no such plans, you can only have an option for a month or six months or 2 years. However, the Two Year plan of NordVPN starts at $3.99/month. While the 2 year plan of SurfShark VPN starts at $2.69/month. Meaning NordVPN costs $95.76 for the first two years, while SurfShark charges $72.63. NordVPN Offers 69% discount on two-year plan while SurfShark offers 81% discount on two-year plan. There, Surfshark wins by a huge margin. Overall you save almost ~$20.

Best VPN deal: Get up to 74% off 2-year plans + 3 extra months

NordVPN VS SurfShark VPN: Features

Winner – Tie.

Both VPNs offer almost the same features with different names. Some features are good at one VPN while the other features are good at second. NordVPN allows you to automatically connect whenever you’re using an unsecured wifi network. Meanwhile, Surfshark has a split tunnelling feature (known as Whitelister) which lets you specify apps and websites that can bypass the VPN. Crucially, this feature is available on all platforms, whereas NordVPN only offers it on Windows and Android devices. Both support unlimited bandwidth a kill switch, which we consider one of the important features for a VPN.

What is Kill Switch and why is it important? Kill Switch stops the ISP from tracking you after the connection is lost, your traffic will go through your ISP’s servers without any encryption. This will allow them to track you and sell your data to advertisers or the government. With a Kill switch on, your ISP won’t get any of your unencrypted data.

Both support P2P, allowing you to torrent your favorite Linux distros. NordVPN also provides Onion Over VPN, which allows you to use both the Onion anonymizer and Nord’s VPN together. Unfortunately, SurfShark failed to provide onion over VPN. Both providers offer malware and adware blockers. So in this segment, we consider both VPN Offers somewhat similar features, it’s a TIE!

Features	NordVPn	Surfshark
Simultaneous Connection	6	Unlimited
Operating System Apps	Windows, Linus, IOS, macOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV/Firestick	Windows, Linus, IOS, macOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV/Firestick
Manual Install Devices	Routers, Set-top boxes	Routers, Set-top boxes
Split Tunneling	No	Yes
Number of Servers	5500+	1700+
Server Countries	59	63+
Money-Back guarantee	30 days	30days
Free Trials	No	No
Lowest Monthly cost	$3.49	$1.99
Main Location Selection	Map-based	List-based
Unblocking Streaming platforms	All (major)	All(major)
App Security	Kill switch (all platforms)	Kill switch (all platforms)
OpenVPN data encryption	AES-256	AES-256
VPN protocols	OpenVPN, IKEv2	OpenVPN, IKEv2
Anonymous payment options	Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple	Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple
Activity Logs	None	None
Connection logs	None	Some
Dedicated IP address possible	Yes (Germany, UK, US, and the Netherlands)	No
DDoS protection	No	No
NAT firewall	Yes	No
Live Chat	Yes	Yes
Address allocation	Shared	Shared
HQ base	Panama	The British Virgin Islands
Speed feature	Quick Connect	Quick connect
Ad & Malware blocking	CyberSec Suite	CleanWeb

NordVPN VS SurfShark VPN: Platform Clients.

Winner – Tie.

This is another segment where these two VPN giants have a draw!!!!. Both NordVPN and Surfshark support the major platforms in the market which include Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV/ Firestick. The fact is, both products support a reasonably wide range of devices.

Which one is best Nord VPN vs Surfsharak VPN

If price is your top concern, Surfshark will save you about $30 over two years. But If predictably security or fast download performance is key, then NordVPN is more consistently fast in overall performance. NordVPN is the overall winner, but that doesn’t mean Surfshark isn’t worth your attention. Its expansive server network and unblocking abilities are second to none, allowing you to access whatever you like, wherever you like.