Which is better? NordVPN or Surfshark? Perhaps more people have heard of NordVPN, but most VPN shoppers should avoid buying solely on a brand’s popularity. Compare Surfshark with NordVPN.
So, to give you an advantage, we help you sort through the advantages and disadvantages of SurfShark and NordVPN below. Continue reading to gain vital information to guide your buying decision.
- Jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands.
- # Connections: Unlimited.
- Torrents? All servers are P2P-friendly.
- Kill Switch? Yes
- Encryption: AES-256-GCM
- Protocol: IKEv2/IPsec and OpenVPN
- Servers: 800+ servers in 50+ countries.
- Technical Support: Live chat 24/7, Email support, Talk with an expert.
- Warrant Canary: Yes
- IPV6 Support: No. Please disable IPv6 on your devices.
- Surfshark
- Jurisdiction: Republic of Panama.
- # Connections: 6 max.
- Torrents Large selection of P2P-enabled servers.
- Kill Switch? Yes
- Encryption: AES-256-GCM
- Protocol: IKEv2/IPsec and OpenVPN
- Servers: 5497 servers in 60 countries.
- Technical Support: Live chat 24/7 and Email support.
- Warrant Canary: Yes
- IPV6 Support: Coming in 2019.
- NordVPN
Compare Surfshark with NordVPN
Check out our independent NordVPN review to learn more about NordVPN.
Are you ready to buy? Get NordVPN for a fantastic price using our link.
Anonymity
NordVPN is a “no-logs” VPN.
We are 100% committed to our zero-logs policy – we never log the activities of our users to ensure their ultimate privacy and security.
NordVPN
Besides that, NordVPN maintains a warrant canary that will alert users if warrants, national security letters or gag orders has compromised the service.
Surshark also operates as a “no-logs” VPN.
We don’t monitor, track, or store what you do online. That means no connection or activity logs.
Surfshark
As you shop for a VPN, keep realistic expectations about anonymity. For instance, even the most anonymous-friendly VPN can’t maintain your privacy if you log into a user-identifiable account while connected.
Compare SurfShark with NordVPN: Server Control
Who owns the servers through which your data passes?
Imagine that a VPN service keeps no logs. However, that VPN uses third-party servers over which it has no control. At any time, that third-party could collect user data and funnel it to marketers and governments.
Does NordVPN control its VPN servers?
NordVPN doesn’t discuss whether the firm or a third party operates its data centers. Here’s how they answered our question on the matter:
Unfortunately, we are unable to disclose such information since it is considered sensitive. Apologies for the inconvenience.
Geronimo Symilor, NordVPN Customer Success Team
If you have other questions, let us know.
Best Regards,
Does Surfshark control its VPN servers?
We asked Surfshark whether the company or third-party control their servers and infrastructure. Here’s what they said:
We rent the majority of the servers. We rent them only from the most transparent and reputable 3rd party sources that comply to our no-logs policy.
Oscar Rooney, Surfshark Customer Success Shark
Does server control matter?
One can make an excellent case that using third-party servers doesn’t affect the quality, privacy, or security of a VPN service.
First, if the server is dedicated and is leased under a contract as a server, it means the leasing entity has full control over the hardware,
Aside from having access to electrical power, data center staffers have little or no control over VPN configurations. In addition to encrypting disks, VPN servers have “clean” RAM if they use secure protocols such as OpenVPN.
According to our research, most VPN servers use VPS servers provisioned by third-party providers.
Furthermore, we have no sign that a correlation exists between data center ownership and privacy/freedom of speech.
A company that owns its hardware may not have a greater commitment to privacy than a VPN that uses third-party services.
Some experts may argue that VPN services that use third-party infrastructure are decentralized and, therefore, may have less exposure to cyber attacks and court orders.
Data center ownership isn’t a reliable indicator of the quality of a VPN service’s privacy or security.
Obfuscation
Governments around the world have begun censoring their citizen’s access to information. For this reason, many have deployed systems designed to restrict online activity.
Knowing that VPNs can help restore internet freedom, many governments are simultaneously curtailing VPN use within their jurisdictions. Russia is one of the most recent countries to do this.
Both Surfshark and NordVPN provide features to overcome national and regional internet blockades.
Surfshark calls their obfuscation “Camouflage Mode.” With it enabled, neither your VPN nor destination websites can tell that you’re connected to a VPN.
Surfshark also provides a separate “No Borders” mode that gives users located in China and the Middle East the ability to circumvent nationwide firewalls.
NordVPN calls this feature, “Obfuscated Servers.” They work via their Windows, Linux, Android, and MacOS apps with the OpenVPN protocol enabled.
NordVPN Special Features
Nord VPN offers a few special features that could influence your buying decision:
Double VPN
An optional feature that comes with the standard NordVPN service package, Double VPN sends your internet traffic through two servers. As a result, NordVPN encrypts your data two times, providing you with enhanced security.
Onion over VPN
You can choose to send your data through a NordVPN server and then through the Onion (aka, Tor) network.
Dedicated IP servers
For an additional fee, you can choose to have a dedicated IP address.
All the above features can protect you from privacy laws that can destroy your freedom and privacy.
NordVPN Customer Support
Although NordVPN operates as the most reliable VPN on the market, you might occasionally have an issue for which you need support. For example, if you have a NordVPN connection timeout, you can call to get assistance.
Compare SurfShark with NordVPN – Special Features
Continue reading to learn about some unique features that Surfshark VPN provides.
CleanWeb™
A feature that automatically adds protection against ads, trackers, malware and phishing attempts.
Whitelister™
Define certain apps and websites that you want to route via your ISP or local network. This can help you avoid issues with sensitive logins such as banks.
Browser extensions
You can get browser extensions for Chrome and other web browsers that let you use NordVPN on the web without having your entire device connected to the VPN.
MultiHop™
Simultaneously connect to the internet via multiple countries. MultiHop™ gives you an extra layer of security and anonymity.
Shop Smarter with I Want My VPN
In the above product review, we compare SurfShark with NordVPN. Use the below links to learn more.