NordVPN vs Surfshark: bigger network and audit record, or lower price and unlimited devices
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · NordVPN Reviews · Updated October 1, 2026
Disclosure: this site reviews NordVPN and earns a commission if you sign up through our links. NordVPN and Surfshark also share a parent company: they merged under one holding company in 2022 and say they run independently.
NordVPN is the pick if you want the larger network (7,300+ servers in 150 countries), the longest no-logs audit record in this pair (six reviews against Surfshark's two), free Meshnet, and a much bigger base of ratings behind its scores.
Surfshark is the better deal on price: it costs less on every long plan, renews for less, allows unlimited devices, and offers a 7-day trial on all annual plans. If budget or device count decides it, choose Surfshark.
NordVPN vs Surfshark at a glance
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan, 2 years | Basic: $3.49/mo, $94.23 for 27 months | Starter: $2.49/mo, $67.23 for 27 months |
| Entry plan, 1 year | $65.88 for 12 months | $50.85 for 15 months |
| Month to month | $14.99 | $16.45 |
| Entry plan renewal | $139.08/yr | $79/yr (pricing page plan data) |
| Top tier, 2 years | Prime: $202.23 (credit monitoring, $1M insurance) | One+: $121.23 (Incogni, $1M insurance) |
| Free trial | 7 days on Prime, some countries; card or PayPal | 7 days on all 1- and 2-year plans; 3 devices |
| Refund | 30 days | 30 days |
| Devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Servers | 7,300+ in 150 countries | 4,500+ in 100 countries |
| No-logs reviews | Six (PwC 2018, 2020; Deloitte 2022 to 2025) | Two (Deloitte 2023, 2025) |
| Extras | Meshnet (free), Onion Over VPN, dedicated IP | CleanWeb ad blocking on every plan, Rotating IP, dedicated IP |
| Company | Nord Security (Lithuania); sold from Panama | Surfshark B.V. (Netherlands); same parent since 2022 |
| PCMag | Editors' Choice, 4.5 (Apr 2026) | Editors' Choice, 4.5 (May 2026) |
| CNET best VPN list (Sep 2026) | Fastest VPN, 8.8 | Best value VPN, 8.6 |
| App Store (US) | 4.7 from 705,387 ratings | 4.7 from 130,568 ratings |
| Google Play (US) | 4.6 from 1,356,673 ratings | 4.6 from 309,872 ratings |
| Trustpilot overall | 4.2 from 50,763 reviews | 4.3 from 31,401 reviews |
| Trustpilot, invited | 4.54 (181 recent reviews) | 4.85 (40 recent reviews) |
| Trustpilot, unprompted | 2.8 (19 recent reviews) | 2.1 (10 recent reviews) |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-10-01. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
Price and renewals: Surfshark costs less
On the 2-year plans, Surfshark Starter is $67.23 for 27 months and NordVPN Basic is $94.23. The gap grows at renewal: Starter renews at $79 a year, Basic at $139.08. At the top of the range, Surfshark One+ ($121.23 for 27 months) bundles Incogni data removal and up to $1M identity theft coverage, for the same price as NordVPN Complete. NordVPN is cheaper only if you pay month to month.
Network and audits: NordVPN goes further
NordVPN lists 7,300+ servers in 150 countries against Surfshark's 4,500+ in 100, which matters if you need a server in a smaller country. Both run RAM-only servers and both hold the VPN Trust Initiative seal. NordVPN's no-logs policy has been checked six times since 2018; Surfshark's twice, by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025. NordVPN also includes Meshnet, free private networking between your devices, which Surfshark doesn't offer.
Devices and extras
Surfshark has no device limit, so one account can cover a large family. NordVPN covers 10 devices at once. Surfshark puts its CleanWeb ad and tracker blocker in every plan; NordVPN's Basic plan blocks scam and phishing sites, and its ad blocker and malware scanner come with Complete.
What NordVPN and Surfshark reviewers say
Both invite customers to review on Trustpilot and both score well among invited reviewers, Surfshark a little higher (4.85 vs 4.54 in the most recent reviews). Unprompted reviews are rarer and harsher for both; in our pulls NordVPN averaged 2.8 (from 19 reviews) and Surfshark 2.1 (from 10) each, so treat that gap with caution. Reviewers of both raise renewal prices and sites that block VPN traffic.
“Easy to use, super secure, phenomenal value for the cost.”Lucy, Trustpilot, September 2026 (Surfshark)
“Family complain they have to disconnect or temporarily pause to open websites.”Mr Mark Prince, Trustpilot, September 2026 (Surfshark)
“I´ve been using NordVPN for more than 5 years now and I would highly recommend it”Stuart A., Capterra, June 2025 (NordVPN)
More: every NordVPN review we track and the best Surfshark alternatives.
Where Surfshark wins
- Lower prices on every 1- and 2-year plan, and a much smaller renewal price ($79 vs $139.08 a year)
- Unlimited devices on one account
- A 7-day free trial on every annual plan (NordVPN's trial covers Prime only)
- One+ bundles Incogni data removal and $1M identity theft coverage for the price of NordVPN Complete
- Ad and tracker blocking (CleanWeb) included in the cheapest plan
NordVPN vs Surfshark FAQ
Is NordVPN or Surfshark cheaper?+
Surfshark, on every term we checked. Its 2-year Starter plan is $67.23 for 27 months against $94.23 for NordVPN Basic, and it renews at $79 a year against $139.08. NordVPN is cheaper only month to month ($14.99 vs $16.45).
Are NordVPN and Surfshark the same company?+
They share a parent. Surfshark and Nord Security merged under one holding company in 2022, and both say they operate independently with separate infrastructure and product roadmaps.
Which has more servers, NordVPN or Surfshark?+
NordVPN lists 7,300+ servers in 150 countries; Surfshark lists 4,500+ servers in 100 countries.
Is NordVPN or Surfshark better for a big household?+
Surfshark allows unlimited devices on one account. NordVPN allows 10 at once, which covers most households but not all.