Best VPN of 2023 Showdown: NordVPN versus Surfshark - Which Fits Your Needs? | ZDNET Insights

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

When choosing a VPN, you’ve got a lot of choices to make. In our best VPNs guide and speed test guide , we’ve narrowed the list from more than 50 branded commercial options available today to our top 10 recommendations. Once you’ve pruned that list even more, how do you choose a finalist? In this article, we compare our top two choices: NordVPN and Surfshark.

Aren’t they the same company?

Before we get into it, let’s discuss the Nord/Surfshark merger. In early February 2022, Nord Security and Surfshark announced they were merging , making Nord Security the owner of both companies. According to SurfShark’s merger blog post , the companies plan to continue operating as separate companies with separate VPN infrastructures.

We have no doubt this is true – for now. Merging large infrastructures takes time, and neither player wants to cede performance or position to their competitors due to a botched operational merger.

Also: The best VPN services: Expert tested and reviewed

That said, we don’t expect this to remain the case in the long term. The merger was not unexpected given the upward trend of VPN mergers . Plus, these VPN powerhouses would be foolish not to consolidate infrastructures, teams, and technologies – and these players are anything but foolish.

In the interim, you’re here choosing between the two separate VPN options, and our overview content below remains relevant.

So, let’s dive in.

Specifications

Both VPNs offer similar support and almost identical services. The key differences, as we’ll discuss, revolve around price and extended feature set.

You should get Surfshark if…

(Image: Surfshark)

1. You want to save a few bucks

Surfshark is less expensive than NordVPN. Prices change regularly, but at the time of writing, Surfshark is about $30 less over two years, or about a buck less per month. There are some performance differences for this price savings, though. Read on for why you might want to buy NordVPN if a performance edge matters to you.

Newsletters

ZDNET Tech Today

ZDNET’s Tech Today newsletter is a daily briefing of the newest, most talked about stories, five days a week.

Subscribe

See all

2. You want to use more than 10 simultaneous devices

NordVPN allows you to connect 10 devices at once to its VPN service. Surfshark sets no limits at all. If you’re traveling with just a few devices, that won’t matter much. If you’re at home or in the office, however, the device count can add up.

Now, I’ll admit I’m a bit of an outlier, but I switch between four main computers, a few spare machines, three iPads, my phone, and a bunch of console games and smart TVs. With unlimited simultaneous connections, I don’t have to worry about how many machines are connected to the internet. Surfshark lets you do whatever you need to do.

3. You want ad-free protected searches plus antivirus and breach alerts

Surfshark has a $1.49/month upsell (because, of course it does) called Surfshark One. This adds what the company calls an “ad-free lightweight search engine” that doesn’t keep any search records. Surfshark One also includes an antivirus engine and breach alerts, but those are available from NordVPN, too.

Surfshark

You should get NordVPN if…

1. You want predictably fast download performance

Image: ZDNet/David Gewirtz

In our fastest VPN guide , we took a look at both our own in-house tests and how the internet overall rated open VPNs. We compared VPN rankings in speed tests from 10 sites besides ZDNET.

To help us determine whether a VPN has a consistent ranking, or if different reviewers were getting distinctly different numbers, we compared the standard deviation of the 10 other sites.

Also: How we test VPNs in 2024

As the above slide shows, NordVPN not only had a better aggregate average ranking but also a considerably lower standard deviation. This means that pretty much wherever you are, your NordVPN performance should be pretty good. By contrast, how Surfshark will perform is likely to be far less predictable.

2. You want a cheaper upsell for antimalware and adware protection

Surfshark starts off less expensive, but if you want malware protection and adware blocking, you have to upgrade to the Surfshark One program. Those features used to be included in the basic NordVPN plan, but now cost a buck extra. So, while you’re saving a buck per month on Surfshark, you’re paying $1.50 per month more for those added features. Net-net, the pricing for these two services is very close.

Also: How to find and remove spyware from your phone

Wait, there’s more… to buy. (Because, of course, NordVPN also has upsells.) You can spend another dollar per month and get Nord’s password manager and breach-alert tracker. If you pay yet another buck per month, you can get a terabyte of encrypted cloud storage.

3. You want business-oriented features or fixed IP

NordVPN offers full business plans with team management, admin consoles, and everything you’d need to deploy a VPN for a full company or department. If you don’t want all the business and team management features of an enterprise VPN, and you just want a fixed IP to run a server or for remote access, that’s available for an additional $3.69/month. Just be aware that it’s not available at all locations, so check the available locations before signing up.

NordVPN

There you go. Surfshark vs. NordVPN . It’s not a super cut-and-dry answer. One isn’t wildly better than the other, but the decision tree above should help you pick the winner based on your own needs.

VPN FAQ

Is it legal to use a VPN?

Yes, in most countries. Some countries (and you should read my guide for more in-depth info) have made VPN use illegal. Even in countries where it’s legal, it’s likely to be illegal to use a VPN to spoof a streaming service into giving you content that otherwise wouldn’t be accessible.

What does logging really mean?

Logging is the recording of data about your usage, and it occurs everywhere. Every website, at minimum, records an IP address, time, and data accessed so they can track traffic.

All VPN providers have to check credentials against recorded personal data to make sure you paid, but a few let you sign up with Bitcoin, allowing you to completely hide your identity.

When we say a VPN doesn’t log data, we mean they don’t track what sites you visit and for how long, but they may track how much of their infrastructure you use.

What do simultaneous connections mean and why should I care?

I’ll give you a personal example. When I travel, I often take my laptop and my tablet. I use the laptop to write, and I use the tablet as a second screen to look stuff up. I have two connections I’m using at once, and I want my VPN to protect both. If my wife is doing the same thing, that’s four connections. Add our phones, and you have six connections. If we’re using all those devices at once, that’s simultaneous connections. The more connections supported, the better.

You can follow my day-to-day project updates on social media. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly update newsletter , and follow me on Twitter/X at @DavidGewirtz , on Facebook at Facebook.com/DavidGewirtz , on Instagram at Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz , and on YouTube at YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV .

VPN

The 5 best VPN services available now

NordVPN vs. Surfshark: Which VPN is better for you?

Must-have mobile VPNs: Ensure your privacy anywhere

What is a VPN, and why do you need one? Here’s everything you need to know

• The 5 best VPN services available now
• NordVPN vs. Surfshark: Which VPN is better for you?
• Must-have mobile VPNs: Ensure your privacy anywhere
• What is a VPN, and why do you need one? Here’s everything you need to know

Also read: