Side-by-side comparison based on expert reviews and community consensus.
Price
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Summary
The most consistently recommended VPN across Reddit and expert reviewers alike. Nails the trifecta of speed, privacy, and streaming — with NordLynx protocol delivering just 3% average speed loss.
Unlimited simultaneous device connections at a budget-friendly price makes Surfshark the obvious pick for households or anyone with too many devices. PCMag found it had the best upload and download speeds of any VPN tested.
Pros
- Fastest VPN tested by CNET with only 3% average download speed loss via NordLynx protocol
- Strong no-logs policy with audited privacy practices
- Excellent streaming server support across major platforms
- Feature-rich for both beginners and power users
- Unlimited simultaneous device connections — no per-device limits
- Best upload and download speeds in PCMag's testing
- Strong no-logs policy with solid encryption
- Competitive pricing, especially on multi-year plans
Cons
- Owned by Nord Security, a larger corporate entity — less indie than Mullvad
- Best pricing requires committing to a 2-year plan
- Had a server breach in 2018, though no user data was exposed
- Owned by Nord Security (same parent as NordVPN) — raises independence questions
- Smaller privacy pedigree compared to Proton or Mullvad
- Some advanced privacy features require higher-tier plans
Our take
If you want one VPN and never want to think about it again, NordVPN is the answer. It's what the Tom's Guide testing team uses on their personal devices, and Reddit keeps voting it #1 year after year.
Surfshark is the move if you're covering a whole family or just refuse to pay for multiple VPN seats. Unlimited devices, top-tier speeds, and a no-logs policy — it punches well above its price point.
Buy
