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Same ownerNordVPN and Surfshark are both owned by Nord Security. Their own "versus" pages will not tell you that. Treat this as a comparison of two products from one company.
VerdictFor most people, Surfshark: unlimited devices, a lower intro price, and nearly identical streaming and protocol support. NordVPN wins if you want the larger network, Tor-over-VPN, a dedicated IP with real geographic choice, or the extra audits — and if you use obfuscated servers in China, Nord's are more reliable. Whichever you pick, both renew at roughly three times the intro price, and both are owned by Nord Security, so this is a choice between two product lines from one company.
NordVPN · 72Surfshark · 73
Plotted at zero because untested: NordVPN: Speed, Surfshark: Speed.
Round by round
Ownership and transparency
NordVPN
Same ultimate owner, Nord Security, since the 2022 merger. NordVPN has four Deloitte no-logs audits to Surfshark's one, and publishes more about its infrastructure. Neither publishes the audit reports in full. Narrow win to Nord on audit history.
Price over three years
Surfshark
Surfshark's two-year intro is about $54 to NordVPN's $83, and both renew at their full yearly rates — roughly $79 versus $139 a year. On a like-for-like basis that is about $4.41 a month against $7.53. Surfshark, clearly, unless a Nord promotion changes the maths.
Devices
Surfshark
Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections; NordVPN allows ten. For a family or a small office, that alone can decide it.
Speed and protocols
NordVPN
Both run WireGuard by default (NordLynx is Nord's implementation). In third-party testing NordLynx has been consistently a little quicker; we have not yet measured either ourselves, so this round is provisional and marked as such on the score.
Streaming
NordVPN
Both unblock Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and Hulu according to consistent user reports. Surfshark is less reliable with Amazon Prime Video. Nord's larger server count also means fewer flagged IPs.
Censorship bypass
NordVPN
Nord's obfuscated servers (OpenVPN-based) have a longer track record in China and the UAE than Surfshark's Camouflage and NoBorders modes, though neither is as consistent as ExpressVPN or Astrill there.
iOS app quality
Surfshark
In this month's App Store analysis Surfshark's app scores higher, with a lower critical-complaint rate. Both apps carry a billing-complaint flag; NordVPN's is more pronounced.
Extras
NordVPN
Nord has Tor-over-VPN, Meshnet, a broader dedicated-IP selection and Threat Protection Pro. Surfshark's Alternative ID and Dynamic MultiHop are neat, but Nord's bundle is deeper.
iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, Router, Browser, TV
iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, Router, Browser, TV
Devices
10
Unlimited
Countries
126
100
WireGuard
✓
✓
Kill switch
✓
✓
Obfuscation
✓
✓
RAM-only servers
✓
✓
Open-source apps
✗
✗
Split tunnelling
✓
✓
Multi-hop
✓
✓
Port forwarding
✗
✗
Ad blocker
✓
✓
P2P allowed
✓
✓
Free tier
✗
✗
Netflix
Works
Works
BBC iPlayer
Works
Works
Works in China
Unreliable
Unreliable
Works in UAE
Works
Works
Cash / crypto
crypto
crypto
Live chat
✓
✓
iOS app score
58/100 (4.7★)
66/100 (4.7★)
Our lab test
Pending
Pending
iOS app quality
iOS app quality
App Store review analysis
2,000 most recent reviews across 6 storefronts, 2024-03-09 to 2026-09-04. Listing rating 4.66★ from 699,424 ratings. Version 9.12.0, released 2026-08-27.
58
Billing complaints 16.8%Critical complaints 41.3%
iOS app quality
App Store review analysis
2,145 most recent reviews across 6 storefronts, 2019-02-08 to 2026-09-04. Listing rating 4.70★ from 128,114 ratings. Version 4.7.2, released 2026-09-04.
66
Billing complaints 12%Sentiment improving last 90 daysCritical complaints 32.3%
The thing to know first
Every NordVPN-versus-Surfshark article you have read, including the ones on nordvpn.com and surfshark.com, is comparing two products with one owner. Nord Security merged with Surfshark in 2022. This does not make either product worse. It does mean that “which company do I trust more?” is not a question with a meaningful answer here, and that the audits, jurisdiction and privacy policies are, at the top level, the same corporate decision.
So the comparison is really about product design. Nord is the flagship: bigger network, more extras, more audits, higher price. Surfshark is the value line: fewer servers, unlimited devices, lower price, one audit. Pick by which trade-off suits you.
Where the price difference comes from
Both providers advertise a two-year intro price and both renew at their standard yearly rate. Surfshark’s intro is around $54 for the first two years; NordVPN’s is around $83. At renewal Surfshark charges roughly $79 a year and NordVPN roughly $139. Over a three-year horizon that works out at about $4.41 a month for Surfshark and $7.53 for NordVPN — a gap that the true cost calculator will show you for any term.
Neither company makes the renewal price prominent at checkout. If you buy either, put the renewal date in your calendar with a note of the price. It is the cheapest thing you can do to avoid the single most common complaint iPhone users leave about both apps.
When NordVPN is the right choice
You want a dedicated IP in a specific city for remote work or banking.
You use Tor and want to route it through the VPN without configuration.
You regularly connect from China or the UAE and need the obfuscated servers.
You want the extra assurance of a longer audit history.
When Surfshark is the right choice
More than ten devices in the household.
You care mostly about price and streaming.
You like the Alternative ID feature for signing up to sites without your real email.
You want the better-rated iOS app this month.
What we have not tested
Speed. Both companies’ numbers, and the numbers on most review sites, are either self-reported or measured on connections we know nothing about. Our own throughput tests on a stated line are pending and the speed dimension is excluded from both scores until then.
Frequently asked questions
Are NordVPN and Surfshark the same company?
Yes, since February 2022 both are owned by Nord Security, based in the Netherlands. They still operate as separate brands with separate apps, servers and support teams, and both companies' marketing continues to compare them as if they were rivals. That is legal; it is just not something you would learn from either of their websites.
Which is faster, NordVPN or Surfshark?
Independent tests have generally put NordLynx slightly ahead of Surfshark's WireGuard, with the gap small enough that your ISP and server distance matter more. We have not yet run our own throughput tests on either; when we do, this answer will change to our own numbers with the test date.
Which is cheaper over the long run?
Surfshark. Its intro and renewal prices are both lower, and unlimited devices means one subscription covers more. Both providers roughly triple the price at renewal, so whichever you choose, set a calendar reminder for the end of the intro term.
Which is better for China?
NordVPN, on the strength of its obfuscated servers' track record — though neither is a first choice there. See the China guide for the providers that are.
Can I get a refund from either?
Both offer 30-day money-back guarantees on plans bought from their websites. Plans bought through the Apple App Store or Google Play follow the store's refund policy instead, which is a frequent source of complaints in the reviews we analyse.
