NordVPN vs Surfshark 2026 - Premium vs Budget, Which Wins?
NordVPN and Surfshark are both owned by Nord Security, but they target different markets. NordVPN is the premium all-rounder; Surfshark is the budget champion. Which one deserves your money?
We ran both VPNs side-by-side for three weeks to find out.
Quick Verdict
| Category | NordVPN | Surfshark | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | 940 Mbps | 890 Mbps | NordVPN |
| Servers | 6,200+ / 111 countries | 3,200+ / 100 countries | NordVPN |
| Devices | 10 | Unlimited | Surfshark |
| Streaming | 15+ Netflix libraries | 10+ Netflix libraries | NordVPN |
| Security features | Double VPN, Threat Protection | CleanWeb, MultiHop | NordVPN |
| Price (2yr) | $3.39/mo | $2.29/mo | Surfshark |
| Ease of use | Good | Great | Surfshark |
| Overall | 9.4/10 | 9.1/10 | NordVPN |
Speed: NordVPN Wins
| Server | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Local | 940 Mbps | 890 Mbps |
| Same continent | 780 Mbps | 720 Mbps |
| Cross-continent | 650 Mbps | 580 Mbps |
| Opposite hemisphere | 580 Mbps | 510 Mbps |
NordVPN is 5-12% faster across all distances. Both use WireGuard-based protocols and both are fast enough for any use case, but NordVPN has the edge.
Security: NordVPN Has More Features
Both VPNs share the same parent company and similar infrastructure, but NordVPN packs more security features:
NordVPN exclusive features:
- Double VPN (route through 2 servers)
- Onion over VPN (built-in Tor access)
- Threat Protection (malware scanning, ad blocking, tracker blocking)
- Dark Web Monitor (alerts if your credentials appear in breaches)
Surfshark exclusive features:
- Rotating IP (auto-change IP at intervals)
- GPS spoofing on Android
- Unlimited devices (security for every gadget)
Both have verified no-logs policies audited by Deloitte, RAM-only servers, and reliable kill switches.
Winner: NordVPN — more security tools, though Surfshark covers the essentials perfectly.
Streaming: NordVPN Is More Reliable
| Platform | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix US | ✅ Always | ✅ Always |
| Netflix JP | ✅ Always | ✅ Usually |
| Netflix UK | ✅ Always | ✅ Usually |
| Disney+ | ✅ | ✅ |
| BBC iPlayer | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hulu | ✅ | ✅ |
| HBO Max | ✅ | ⚠️ Sometimes |
| DAZN | ✅ | ⚠️ Inconsistent |
NordVPN unblocks more streaming libraries more consistently. Surfshark handles the major platforms but struggles with some niche services.
Price: Surfshark Wins Easily
| Plan | NordVPN | Surfshark | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-year | $3.39/mo ($81) | $2.29/mo ($55) | $26 |
| 1-year | $4.99/mo ($60) | $3.99/mo ($48) | $12 |
| Monthly | $12.99/mo | $15.45/mo | NordVPN cheaper |
Over two years, Surfshark saves you $26. Factor in unlimited devices vs NordVPN’s 10-device cap, and the per-device cost comparison is even more dramatic for families.
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose NordVPN if:
- You want the absolute best speeds
- Streaming variety matters (especially international Netflix)
- You want advanced security tools (Double VPN, Threat Protection)
- You have 10 or fewer devices
- You’re willing to pay slightly more for premium quality
Choose Surfshark if:
- Budget is a priority
- You have more than 10 devices (or a large household)
- You want simplicity over features
- Your primary use is privacy + mainstream streaming
- You want GPS spoofing on Android
Our Recommendation
NordVPN for individuals, Surfshark for families.
If you’re protecting 1-3 devices and want the best performance, NordVPN is worth the extra dollar per month. If you’re covering a household with 10+ devices and want to minimize cost, Surfshark’s unlimited connections and lower price make it the smarter choice.
Get NordVPN — Best Performance →
Comparison updated February 2026.