NordVPN vs Surfshark
NordVPN is VPN service with 5,000+ servers, double VPN, and threat protection, while Surfshark is Affordable VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections and CleanWeb ad blocker. Surfshark comes in cheaper, but price alone does not tell the full story. NordVPN is built for anyone wanting fast, secure vpn with lots of servers, whereas Surfshark targets users wanting affordable vpn with unlimited devices.
At a glance
|
NordVPN
|
Surfshark
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Anyone wanting fast, secure VPN with lots of servers | Users wanting affordable VPN with unlimited devices |
| Starting price | $3.99/mo | $2.49/mo |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Free tier available | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| 5000+ Servers | ✓ | — |
| CleanWeb | — | ✓ |
| Double VPN | ✓ | — |
| GPS Spoofing | — | ✓ |
| Meshnet | ✓ | — |
| MultiHop | — | ✓ |
| Threat Protection | ✓ | — |
| Unlimited Devices | — | ✓ |
NordVPN
Strengths
- Includes 5000+ Servers as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
- Includes Double VPN as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
- Affordable at $3.99/mo — one of the lower-priced options in the vpn category
- Established product with 14+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem
Weaknesses
- No free plan — you need to pay $3.99/mo from day one to use it
- Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
- Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in vpn
- Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up
Surfshark
Strengths
- Includes Unlimited Devices as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
- Includes CleanWeb as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
- Affordable at $2.49/mo — one of the lower-priced options in the vpn category
- Includes multihop alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed
Weaknesses
- No free plan — you need to pay $2.49/mo from day one to use it
- Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
- Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in vpn
- Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up
The bottom line
Pricing: NordVPN starts at $3.99/mo. Surfshark starts at $2.49/mo. Surfshark is the more affordable option.
Feature gaps: NordVPN offers 5000+ Servers, Double VPN and Meshnet that Surfshark lacks. Surfshark brings CleanWeb, GPS Spoofing and MultiHop that NordVPN does not have.
Team fit: Both tools target individuals teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.
Where each tool shines: NordVPN's biggest strengths are: includes 5000+ servers as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. includes double vpn as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. Surfshark's biggest strengths are: includes unlimited devices as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. includes cleanweb as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows.
Watch out for: With NordVPN, users commonly note that no free plan — you need to pay $3.99/mo from day one to use it. With Surfshark, the main complaint is that no free plan — you need to pay $2.49/mo from day one to use it.
Choose NordVPN if...
- You need a tool built for anyone wanting fast, secure vpn with lots of servers
- You specifically need 5000+ Servers and Double VPN
- You care about includes double vpn as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Choose Surfshark if...
- You need a tool built for users wanting affordable vpn with unlimited devices
- You want to save on per-user costs — Surfshark is $1.50/user/mo cheaper
- You specifically need CleanWeb and GPS Spoofing
- You care about includes cleanweb as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
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