NordVPN vs Surfshark: Which VPN Should You Pick?
Sister companies since 2022, but still separate products. Surfshark is cheaper and allows unlimited devices; NordVPN has the bigger security bundle.
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Quick answer
Choose NordVPN (from $3.49/mo) if you want an all-in-one security bundle, you’ll use the password manager or cloud storage or you have 10 or fewer devices. Choose Surfshark (from $2.49/mo) if you have many devices or a big household, you want the lowest price now and at renewal or you want features like Rotating IP.
Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026
Check NordVPN pricing (opens in a new tab)Check Surfshark pricing (opens in a new tab)
Key facts at a glance
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest 2-year rate | Basic: $3.49/mo ($94.23 for 27 months) | Starter: $2.49/mo ($67.23 for 27 months) |
| Renewal (cheapest tier) | $139.08/yr | About $79/yr (third-party reporting) |
| Monthly plan (cheapest tier) | $14.99 | About $16.45 (third-party reporting) |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Server network | Servers in 225+ locations | 4,500+ servers in 100 countries |
Surfshark and Nord Security (NordVPN’s parent) merged in 2022 but run separate products, apps and infrastructure.
Watch the renewal price. Both companies advertise a low monthly rate that’s billed upfront for 27 months, then renews at a higher annual price.
Choose Surfshark if price and device count matter most: the 2-year Starter plan works out to $2.49/month and every plan covers unlimited devices. Choose NordVPN if you want the stronger extras bundle (Threat Protection, and on higher tiers a password manager, cloud storage and identity-theft insurance) and are fine with a 10-device limit. Both have independent no-logs audits and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
NordVPN vs Surfshark: side-by-side
| NordVPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest 2-year rate | Basic: $3.49/mo ($94.23 for 27 months) | Starter: $2.49/mo ($67.23 for 27 months) |
| Renewal (cheapest tier) | $139.08/yr | About $79/yr (third-party reporting) |
| Monthly plan (cheapest tier) | $14.99 | About $16.45 (third-party reporting) |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Server network | Servers in 225+ locations | 4,500+ servers in 100 countries |
| Extras on base tier | Threat Protection (scam/phishing filtering), Dark Web Monitor | Bypasser split tunneling, Rotating IP, Dynamic MultiHop |
| Higher tiers add | Anti-malware, ad/tracker blocking, password manager, 1 TB storage; identity-theft insurance on Prime | Antivirus, Alternative ID, alerts; data-removal tools on One+ |
| No-logs audit | Yes (Deloitte) | Yes (Deloitte) |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
How much do they cost?
NordVPN plans
| Plan | 2-year (27 months) | 1-year (15 months) | Renews at | Monthly plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $3.49/mo ($94.23) | $4.99/mo ($74.85) | $139.08/yr | $14.99 |
| Complete | $3.99/mo ($107.73) | $5.99/mo ($89.85) | $219.48/yr | $19.99 |
| Prime | $6.99/mo ($188.73) | $8.99/mo ($134.85) | $296.28/yr | $29.99 |
Surfshark plans
| Plan | 2-year (27 months) | Renews at | Monthly plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $2.49/mo ($67.23) | About $79/yr | About $16.45 |
| One | $2.49/mo ($67.23) | About $99/yr | About $18.95 |
| One+ | $3.99/mo ($107.73) | About $119/yr | About $21.85 |
What are the pros and cons?
NordVPN: pros
- Strong extras bundle on Complete and Prime
- Threat Protection included on every plan
- Post-quantum encryption
- Independent no-logs audits
NordVPN: cons
- 10-device limit
- High renewal prices
- Dedicated IP costs extra
Surfshark: pros
- Cheapest intro price of the two
- Unlimited devices
- Useful privacy features (Rotating IP, Dynamic MultiHop)
- Lower renewal prices
Surfshark: cons
- Fewer bundled security extras on Starter
- Monthly plan is expensive
- Intro price requires paying 27 months upfront
Which should you choose: NordVPN or Surfshark?
For most households, Surfshark gives more for less: unlimited devices and a lower renewal price. NordVPN makes sense if you’ll actually use its bundled tools (password manager, cloud storage, identity monitoring) instead of paying for them separately. Whichever you choose, set a calendar reminder before renewal and compare the then-current intro deals. For a closer look at Nord, read our NordVPN review.
Choose NordVPN if…
- You want an all-in-one security bundle
- You’ll use the password manager or cloud storage
- You have 10 or fewer devices
Choose Surfshark if…
- You have many devices or a big household
- You want the lowest price now and at renewal
- You want features like Rotating IP
Frequently asked questions
Are NordVPN and Surfshark the same company?
Which is cheaper, NordVPN or Surfshark?
Do they keep logs?
Can I get a refund?
Sources
Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
- NordVPN pricing (nordvpn.com)
- Surfshark pricing (surfshark.com)
- Surfshark servers (surfshark.com)
- NordVPN servers (nordvpn.com)
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