Stephen is a UK-based freelance technology writer with a background in cybersecurity and risk management.
About writer
Surfshark is a premium VPN service based in the British Virgin Islands that offers easy-to-use anonymous and safe browsing feat...
Read all
NordVPN is a premium VPN service based in Panama that markets itself as having one of the best performances thanks to its bespo...
Read all | Surfshark VPN Server Locations | Download | Upload |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdon | 418.75 Mbit | 164.6 Mbit |
| Australia | 346.95 Mbit | 22.6 Mbit |
| Taiwan | 325.03 Mbit | 0.98 Mbit |
| South Africa | 176.8 Mbit | 3.07 Mbit |
| California, USA | 284.36 Mbit | 21.46 Mbit |
| New York, USA | 315.07 Mbit | 52.57 Mbit |
| Germany | 540.44 Mbit | 148 Mbit |
| Spain | 445.98 Mbit | 45.04 Mbit |
| Brazil | 228.1 Mbit | 24.61 Mbit |
| Indonesia | 163.92 Mbit | 18.26 Mbit |
| NordVPN VPN Server Locations | Download | Upload |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdon | 732.38 Mbit | 352.96 Mbit |
| Australia | 148.82 Mbit | 19.61 Mbit |
| Taiwan | 81.91 Mbit | 41.36 Mbit |
| South Africa | 241.08 Mbit | 15.89 Mbit |
| Arizona, USA | 449.54 Mbit | 8.99 Mbit |
| New York, USA | 547.48 Mbit | 31.71 Mbit |
| Germany | 545.48 Mbit | 96.32 Mbit |
| Spain | 632.41 Mbit | 128.17 Mbit |
| Brazil | 390.1 Mbit | 26 Mbit |
| Indonesia | 124.18 Mbit | 10.54 Mbit |
| Surfshark VPN Server Locations | Download | Upload |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdon | 418.75 Mbit | 164.6 Mbit |
| Australia | 346.95 Mbit | 22.6 Mbit |
| Taiwan | 325.03 Mbit | 0.98 Mbit |
| South Africa | 176.8 Mbit | 3.07 Mbit |
| California, USA | 284.36 Mbit | 21.46 Mbit |
| New York, USA | 315.07 Mbit | 52.57 Mbit |
| Germany | 540.44 Mbit | 148 Mbit |
| Spain | 445.98 Mbit | 45.04 Mbit |
| Brazil | 228.1 Mbit | 24.61 Mbit |
| Indonesia | 163.92 Mbit | 18.26 Mbit |
| NordVPN VPN Server Locations | Download | Upload |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdon | 732.38 Mbit | 352.96 Mbit |
| Australia | 148.82 Mbit | 19.61 Mbit |
| Taiwan | 81.91 Mbit | 41.36 Mbit |
| South Africa | 241.08 Mbit | 15.89 Mbit |
| Arizona, USA | 449.54 Mbit | 8.99 Mbit |
| New York, USA | 547.48 Mbit | 31.71 Mbit |
| Germany | 545.48 Mbit | 96.32 Mbit |
| Spain | 632.41 Mbit | 128.17 Mbit |
| Brazil | 390.1 Mbit | 26 Mbit |
| Indonesia | 124.18 Mbit | 10.54 Mbit |
Here, you can find a side-by-side comparison of NordVPN and Surfshark. By the end of this review, you will get the answer to which VPN is right for you?
Surfshark and NordVPN follow almost identical patterns when it comes to privacy. Surfshark is based in the British Virgin Islands, while NordVPN places its services in Panama, privacy-friendly locations.
The most important fact, at this point, is that both VPNs are out of reach of surveillance alliances. In turn, you can rest assured, whether you pick Surfshark or NordVPN, intrusive legislation won’t threaten your data.
Better yet, both Surfshark and NordVPN provide strict no-logs policies, giving extra credibility.
Source: https://surfshark.com/features/no-logs
NordVPN has undergone two independent audits by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and a security audit on its applications by VerSprite, concluding the VPN truly sticks to its promises.
Surfshark has also been audited twice by Cure53.
Source: https://nordvpn.com/features/strict-no-logs-policy/
A VPN acts as your intermediary, so it’s essential to choose one that you can trust.
First things first – encryption. Surfshark offers AES-256-GCM and Chacha20Poly1305, while NordVPN provides AES-256-CBC, both of which are uncrackable versions. You can also find the SHA-512 hash function for authentication.
Source: https://nordvpn.com/features/
You can connect to OpenVPN, IKEv2, and NordLynx with NordVPN, while Surfshark supports OpenVPN, IKEv2, Shadowsocks, and WireGuard.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer the option to pay with cryptocurrencies. Also, you will benefit from the Kill Switch across all apps and DNS servers on both VPNs as a user. In other words, you will never browse without protection.
Source: https://surfshark.com/use-cases
Finally, NordVPN and Surfshark come with cloaking technology, hiding that you are even using a VPN. NordVPN uses Obfsproxy, while Surfshark has its proprietary software, NoBorders.
Due to all this, it’s safe to say there’s no winner when it comes to security.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer RAM-only servers across several continents, covering Europe, The Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa.
NordVPN has 5,205 servers in 60 countries around the world. The best part is, you can choose from several options, including P2P, Obfuscated, Double VPN, and Dedicated IP servers.
Source: https://nordvpn.com/servers/
In turn, Surfshark VPN comes with 3,200 servers in 65 countries, so it’s a close race between the two.
Source: https://surfshark.com/servers
In theory, NordVPN and Surfshark offer very similar performances. However, when we tested the connection speeds, we realized Surfshark’s WireGuard is faster than NordVPN, which gives the provider a win.
NordVPN and Surfshark both come with incredible ease of use. Both VPNs support many operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS) and browser extensions (Chrome and Firefox) and work across different devices.
Furthermore, Surfshark works with Android TVs and Fire devices, while NordVPN also adds Kodi to the mix. With NordVPN, you can go for up to six simultaneous connections.
Source: https://nordvpn.com/download/
Surfshark takes things to another level since you can connect from an unlimited number of devices from a single account.
Source: https://surfshark.com/download
Still, six simultaneous connections are ample for most users. So, it’s yet another draw.
You can unblock many websites using either NordVPN or Surfshark, including different Netflix libraries. It’s due to the VPNs’ capabilities to unblock geo-restricted contents.
See, if you go for NordVPN, you can expect a smooth experience with no buffering. You get access to HD movies, crazy cat compilations, fresh TV episodes, and so on. The VPN provides for server-optimized servers with the NordLynx protocol, unlimited bandwidth, and advanced SmartPlay technology.
Source: https://nordvpn.com/features/streaming/
However, Surfshark also supports over a dozen libraries, including Hulu, Sky Go, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, CBS, NBC, ITV, and Channel 4.
When it comes to VPNs, you can commonly stumble upon an issue. Fortunately, NordVPN and Surfshark are both here to assist you in all quests.
First, you can find many topics within their Knowledge bases and FAQ sections. Better yet, you can get in touch with real humans using the live chat options. If you face a more challenging issue, the live agents will transfer the inquiry to the ticketing systems. Either way, you will get the proper assistance.
We had a pleasant customer support experience with both Surfshark and NordVPN. Once again, we declare no winner.
Sure, all of the above-mentioned features will affect your decision. Still, the VPN of choice should also suit your budget.
It’s a bit challenging to compare NordVPN and Surfshark regarding pricing since they offer different plans. With Surfshark, you can go for monthly, six-months, or a two-year plan. In turn, NordVPN offers monthly, annual, and biennial plans.
Source: https://surfshark.com/features
In general, NordVPN is cheaper on a monthly basis. However, if you are in for the longer term, Surfshark offers better discounts. Take, for instance, the price difference in the 24-month plans.
Source: https://nordvpn.com/pricing/