you know those VPNs everyone keeps talking about? Yeah those are pretty important especially if you’re online all the time like me.
I was trying to figure out which one to use and I got completely overwhelmed by all the different options.
It’s like trying to choose between a million flavors of ice cream – super exciting but also confusing!
So I decided to into the two big names in the VPN game: NordVPN and Surfshark.
the ones everyone seems to be raving about.
I wanted to see which one was actually the best so I did some research ran some tests and talked to some people online.
Let me tell you there’s a lot to unpack!
Still not sure which VPN is right for you? Check out our full review of Surfshark and learn about all its amazing features!
The Price Tag: Who’s Got the Best Deal?
Still not sure which VPN is right for you? Check out our full review of Surfshark and learn about all its amazing features!
First things first let’s talk about the money.
Like seriously how much are we talking about here? NordVPN and Surfshark both have monthly yearly and two-year plans and they’re all priced differently.
NordVPN’s monthly plan is slightly cheaper at $12.99 compared to Surfshark’s $15.45. But if you’re in it for the long haul Surfshark’s yearly plan at $3.49 per month and two-year plan at $1.99 per month are way cheaper than NordVPN’s plans at $4.59 and $3.69 respectively.
Both of them take credit cards PayPal and even crypto.
NordVPN is the only one that lets you pay cash at stores in a few countries.
So if you’re not planning on leaving the internet anytime soon the longer plans definitely save you some serious cash.
Surfshark wins the price battle with its cheaper long-term options while NordVPN is a bit cheaper if you just want to try things out for a month.
Plus they both have a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test them out risk-free!
Server Power: Who’s Got More Muscle?
you want to connect to a VPN but where do you even connect to? That’s where server locations come in.
The more servers you have to choose from the better.
That’s because they won’t be overloaded with people trying to connect and if one is too busy you can easily switch to another one nearby.
NordVPN has a bigger server network with over 6000 servers in 111 countries compared to Surfshark’s 3200 servers in 100 countries.
Both have servers across every continent which means you can connect to one pretty much anywhere in the world.
But here’s the thing – more servers doesn’t necessarily mean better.
You need to find a VPN with plenty of servers in the countries you actually want to connect to.
If you’re in Asia and you want to access content from Europe it’s more important to have more servers in Europe than in Asia.
So which one wins? It depends on your needs! NordVPN has more servers overall but Surfshark might be better if you’re connecting to a specific country.
It’s a tie in my book!
Speed Demon: Who’s Got the Fastest Wheels?
Speed is everything right? You don’t want your internet to crawl when you’re trying to stream a movie or play a game.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark are known for being super fast but I wanted to find out which one was actually quicker.
I used Ookla Speed Test to see how they performed.
I tested my connection without a VPN first to get a baseline then I ran tests on a local server and three international servers in Dallas Sydney and Tokyo.
I used the WireGuard protocol which is the fastest option for both services.
The results were pretty close! The differences were so small that it’s basically impossible to tell which one was faster.
It all depends on the day and your internet connection.
The only thing I noticed was that NordVPN had a slightly lower ping on the local server.
This might be because the local NordVPN server is closer to me than Surfshark’s but it’s something to keep in mind.
So the bottom line is that both NordVPN and Surfshark are lightning fast.
You can stream your favorite shows and play games without any lag or buffering.
It’s a tie!
Streaming King: Who’s Got the Best Movie Ticket?
Speaking of streaming who do you think has the best access to all those awesome movies and shows? the ones that are blocked in certain countries.
Well both NordVPN and Surfshark let you bypass those restrictions.
They both work with major streaming services like Netflix Hulu Amazon Prime and Disney+ so you can watch all the content you want no matter where you are.
But it’s not just about being able to access those services.
You also want to make sure that your connection is fast enough to stream without any buffering.
Like I said earlier both services are super fast so you’ll be good to go!
Again it’s a tie! You can’t go wrong with either one when it comes to streaming.
Gaming Guru: Who’s Got the Best Controller?
let’s talk about gaming.
We all know that lag is a gamer’s worst enemy.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer fast server speeds which is a huge plus for online gaming.
But there’s more to it than just speed.
You also want to make sure that your VPN doesn’t cause any problems with your online game account.
Sometimes if your IP address changes too often you can get banned from certain games.
That’s where dedicated IP addresses and static IP servers come in.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark have these options.
A dedicated IP address is one that’s assigned to you only and doesn’t change while a static IP server keeps the same IP address for every user who connects to it.
So it’s another tie in the gaming department! You’re good to go with either NordVPN or Surfshark.
Security Superhero: Who’s Got the Best Armor?
Now let’s talk about security.
This is where things get really serious! You don’t want your internet activity to be tracked or exposed especially if you’re using public Wi-Fi.
That’s why it’s crucial to choose a VPN that offers top-notch security.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark use AES-256 encryption.
That’s the gold standard in encryption so you know your data is safe.
They both also have a Kill Switch feature which automatically cuts off your internet connection if your VPN connection drops.
This helps to prevent your data from being exposed while you’re connected to a public network.
And if you’re trying to access the internet in a country that has restrictions on VPN usage both services offer obfuscated servers.
This makes your traffic look like regular internet traffic so that it doesn’t get blocked.
They also both offer additional security features like ad blocking malware protection and split tunneling.
Split tunneling lets you choose which apps and websites are protected by the VPN and which ones are not.
This is handy if you want to access certain websites or apps without going through the VPN.
It’s a tie again! They’re both packed with security features.
You can’t go wrong with either one.
Additional Features: Who’s Got the Extra Perks?
Both NordVPN and Surfshark have tons of extra features that can be helpful depending on what you need.
Let’s break them down:
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Smart DNS: This feature lets you access streaming services on devices that don’t support VPNs like smart TVs and game consoles. Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer smart DNS.
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Double VPN (MultiHop): This extra layer of security routes your traffic through two VPN servers instead of just one. Surfshark calls this MultiHop but it’s the same thing as NordVPN’s Double VPN. Both services have this feature but keep in mind that it can slow down your connection.
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GPS Override: This feature lets you hide your location from GPS tracking. Surfshark’s Android app has this feature but NordVPN does not.
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Dedicated IP: This gives you an IP address that is always the same no matter where you connect from. NordVPN offers this as a paid feature in 18 countries while Surfshark has free static IP addresses in six countries and a paid Dedicated IP feature in 10 countries.
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Alternative ID: This is a Surfshark-only feature that lets you create a new online identity and email address to stay anonymous.
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eSIM: NordVPN has launched Saily which is a service that helps you find affordable data plans in different countries. Surfshark does not offer this feature.
So which one has more features? It really depends on what you’re looking for.
Surfshark has the edge in this department because it has a few unique features that NordVPN does not including its Alternative ID feature and free static IP addresses.
Protocols: Who’s Got the Best Blueprint?
The protocol a VPN uses is like the engine under the hood.
It determines how secure and fast your connection is.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark offer all the major protocols including OpenVPN IKEv2 and WireGuard.
NordVPN also has NordLynx which is a protocol based on WireGuard.
NordVPN says that NordLynx is even more secure than WireGuard but it’s basically the same thing.
WireGuard is the fastest protocol for both services while IKEv2 is also fast and can switch between networks easily.
OpenVPN is slower but is considered the most secure.
It’s also the only protocol that many routers support.
Overall both services offer the best protocols available today.
NordVPN has the edge because of NordLynx but it’s not a huge difference.
Security Audits: Who’s Got the Cleanest Record?
A security audit is like a professional check-up to make sure a VPN is as secure as they claim to be.
It’s a way to prove that they’re not just talking the talk but walking the walk.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark have undergone independent security audits by some of the most reputable companies in the industry.
Surfshark has had its browser extensions infrastructure and Android app audited while NordVPN has had its no-logs policy and apps audited.
Neither service has found any serious security issues in any of their audits.
They take security very seriously!
Privacy Policy: Who’s Got the Best Secret?
Privacy is a big deal for me! I want to make sure that my online activity isn’t being tracked or sold to anyone.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark have no-logs policies which means that they don’t collect or store your personal information.
They have also both been audited by Deloitte to ensure their no-logs policies are legit.
They both also use RAM-only servers which means that they don’t store data on hard drives.
This makes it even harder for hackers to steal your information.
And they’re both headquartered in countries with no data retention laws which means that they’re not legally required to hand over your data to the government.
They’re both really good at protecting your privacy!
Customer Support: Who’s Got the Best Squad?
Having great customer support is important especially when you need help with a VPN.
Both NordVPN and Surfshark have live chat email support a searchable knowledge base and helpful YouTube videos.
I’ve personally reached out to both support teams and I was impressed by their response time and knowledge.
They were able to quickly answer my questions and resolve any issues I had.
Overall they’re both pretty great when it comes to customer support.
Redditor’s Verdict: What Do the People Say?
I went to Reddit the internet’s home for all things VPN to see what people were saying about NordVPN and Surfshark.
There are tons of reviews but here’s the gist:
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Surfshark gets praised for its user-friendly interface and playful visuals.
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NordVPN gets praised for its sleek design but some people find it a bit less intuitive.
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Both are well-regarded for their performance speed and security.
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A lot of people say that Surfshark offers a better value for your money because of its cheaper pricing and unlimited simultaneous connections.
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Many users say that they’ve been using both services for years and have never had any issues with them.
The general consensus is that both are great but Surfshark seems to have a slight edge in terms of value and user experience.
Who’s the King? The Verdict
So who is the king of VPNs? That’s a tough question! Both NordVPN and Surfshark are great options and there’s no clear winner.
It really depends on your personal needs and preferences.
If you’re looking for a VPN with a larger server network especially in North America and Europe NordVPN might be the better choice.
It’s also a tiny bit faster but the difference is so small that you might not even notice it.
However if you’re connecting from Asia Africa or South America Surfshark might be the better choice.
Plus it offers unlimited simultaneous connections which is great if you use a lot of devices.
And it’s cheaper which is always a plus.
No matter which one you choose you’re getting one of the best VPNs on the market today.
You’re in good hands!
But Wait There’s More!
Still not sure which one to choose? You can check out our full review of Surfshark to learn more about everything it offers.
And if you want to compare it to other VPNs there are lots of other reviews and comparisons out there.
I hope this helps you decide which VPN is right for you! Happy browsing and remember to stay safe online!
Still not sure which VPN is right for you? Check out our full review of Surfshark and learn about all its amazing features!