NordVPN vs ExpressVPN vs Surfshark – Which is Best?

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I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to have the right software in your corner. And in today’s world, a Virtual Private Network, or VPN, has become a seriously essential part of that toolkit. It’s not just for the super tech-savvy anymore; it’s about protecting our everyday digital lives.

Three names that consistently pop up when discussing top-tier VPNs are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark. They’re often lauded as industry leaders. But with each service boasting different features, speeds, and price tags, how do you figure out which one is the best fit for you? I’ve dug into the details from the sources to compare them head-to-head, helping you make an informed decision.

Privacy and Logging Policies: What Really Happens to Your Data?

First and foremost, a VPN is a privacy tool. A good VPN should make it much harder for anyone, including your Internet Service Provider (ISP), advertisers, and snoopers, to track your online activity. The absolute cornerstone of this protection is a robust no-logs policy.

A no-logs policy means the VPN provider commits to not collecting or storing data about your online actions. This includes things like your browsing history, the sites you visit, connection time stamps, and your original IP address when using the service. If a VPN truly keeps no logs, they literally have nothing to hand over even if they receive a legal request or warrant.

All three providers – ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark – state they have no-logs policies and are headquartered in countries without mandatory data retention laws. ExpressVPN operates under British Virgin Islands jurisdiction, while NordVPN and Surfshark are based in Panama and the British Virgin Islands, respectively. These jurisdictions are generally considered privacy-friendly.

Crucially, claims are just claims until verified. This is where independent audits come in. An audit by a reputable third-party firm (like Deloitte, Cure53, or PwC) assesses the VPN’s infrastructure and policies to confirm they are upholding their privacy promises.

• ExpressVPN stands out here, having undergone a remarkable 22 independent audits, with multiple audits conducted every year. The company even publishes a bi-annual transparency report detailing legal requests received and confirming no user data was disclosed. While ExpressVPN was acquired by Kape Technologies in 2021 (a company with a questionable past), the sources note there have been no signs of faulty activity by ExpressVPN since the acquisition.

• Surfshark has also commissioned independent audits, including one from Deloitte in 2023 that verified its no-logs claim. Cure53 has also audited its browser extensions and server infrastructure.

• NordVPN has also undergone multiple independent audits. NordVPN plans a privacy policy revamp. Their current policy states they do not log browsing history, traffic information, or IP addresses used to access the internet.

Overall, you can generally trust your privacy with any of these three, as they all avoid tracking online activity and are based in privacy-friendly locations. The consistent independent audits across the board serve as a critical trust signal.

Security Features: Building a Robust Digital Shield

Beyond just privacy, a secure VPN acts as a shield against various online threats. They use encryption to scramble your data, making it unreadable to anyone who might intercept it. The industry standard, and what you should look for, is AES-256 encryption. All three providers utilise this strong encryption standard.

They also offer various VPN protocols, which are essentially different sets of rules for how the encrypted connection is established and maintained. OpenVPN and IKEv2 are commonly used and considered secure. WireGuard is a newer, faster protocol.

Interestingly, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN have developed their own proprietary protocols based on WireGuard: NordLynx for NordVPN and Lightway for ExpressVPN. Surfshark uses WireGuard as its fastest protocol. The sources recommend sticking to OpenVPN and IKEv2 as the only VPN protocols known to be fully secure, though they acknowledge WireGuard’s speed and the efforts providers make to address its potential issues.

Other essential security features include:

• Kill Switch (Network Lock): This feature automatically cuts your internet connection if the VPN tunnel unexpectedly drops. This prevents your real IP address and unencrypted data from being exposed to your ISP or others. ExpressVPN’s Network Lock was found to work flawlessly. PrivateVPN’s kill-switch is noted as being Windows only.

• Leak Protection: Protects against DNS, IP, and WebRTC leaks, ensuring your traffic routes exclusively through the VPN server. Our testing in 2025 detected no leaks with NordVPN, and the other two also report no IP or WebRTC leaks.

• Obfuscation (Stealth Features): Helps hide the fact that you are using a VPN at all, which can be particularly useful in regions with strict internet censorship. NordVPN, Surfshark, and PrivateVPN are mentioned as offering this. CyberGhost currently lacks stealth features.

These providers go beyond the basics, offering features like AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and leak protection.

Performance: Speed Matters

Nobody wants their internet connection to crawl when using a VPN. Speed is a crucial factor, especially for data-heavy tasks like streaming, gaming, or torrenting. While any VPN will inevitably cause some speed loss due to encryption and routing, the best ones minimise this impact.

Speed tests were conducted to compare the performance of these VPNs. A baseline speed was measured (Download: 266.89Mbps, Upload: 214.97Mbps, Ping: 110ms).

• In one test comparing the three directly, ExpressVPN had a slightly slower average download speed (243.52Mbps) on international servers compared to NordVPN (273.75Mbps) and Surfshark (274.47Mbps). However, ExpressVPN showed the highest average upload speed on international servers (125.63Mbps).

• In other tests focusing specifically on each provider in 2025, ExpressVPN lost only 18% of base speeds, while Surfshark lost 21%. Surfshark’s speeds have been consistently fast, even if the 2025 test showed a slightly higher speed loss than previous years.

• Generally, NordVPN and Surfshark should offer nearly identical speeds on local and international servers.

While results can vary based on location and network conditions, the sources suggest that all three providers offer good speeds, suitable for streaming and other demanding activities.

Server Network: More Locations, More Options

The size and distribution of a VPN’s server network impact your ability to find a fast, uncrowded server and access content from specific regions. More servers in more countries generally means more options.

• NordVPN has the most servers overall, with 6365 listed in one comparison.

• Surfshark boasts servers in the most countries, available in 100 locations.

• ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries and over 3000 servers.

Most of the top picks, including these three, feature thousands of servers in 100+ countries. If you need to access content from a particular region, you should check the VPN’s website to ensure they have servers there. Connecting to a server in the country you want to stream from is the key to unblocking regional content.

Streaming Capabilities: Unblocking Global Content

One of the most popular uses for a consumer VPN is accessing geo-restricted streaming content from around the world, like different Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer, or regional TV.

Our sources indicate that ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark all work reliably with popular streaming services across most platforms. This includes Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Hulu, Peacock, Crunchyroll, YouTube TV, and Sling.

Surfshark has a particular edge when it comes to streaming on multiple devices simultaneously, as it offers unlimited simultaneous connections, unlike ExpressVPN (8 connections) or NordVPN (10 connections).

Apps and Ease of Use: Simple Software, Seamless Experience

For many, the practicality of using a VPN day-to-day comes down to its apps. They need to be easy to navigate and available on the devices you use.

• ExpressVPN is highlighted for its simple interface and consistent user experience across various platforms, making it an ideal choice for beginners. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV Stick, and even Linux with a GUI app. They also offer a router app and their own Aircove router with the VPN built-in.

• NordVPN’s app is also considered easy to navigate and intuitive, with a slick, modern layout. It’s available on Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, iPad, Chromebook, and streaming devices like Nvidia Shield TV, Android TV box, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV. The server map is a noted visual aid.

• Surfshark’s apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and streaming devices including Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, and Android TV. They are described as simple compared to NordVPN and ExpressVPN visually, but still packed with features. Surfshark can also be set up on a compatible router.

While NordVPN has more going on visually, none of the three are difficult to use, even for a first-time VPN user.

Extra Features: More Than Just a VPN

The top VPNs often pack in additional features to enhance security, privacy, or usability.

• Surfshark offers some unique features like the Alternative ID tool, which can generate an alter-ego and forwarding email address to protect your real information when signing up for services. It also has Dynamic Multihop (routing through two servers) and IP Rotator (shuffling your IP address). On Android, it has a GPS spoofer. Surfshark One is also mentioned as a suite of services.

• NordVPN includes Onion over VPN, double VPN, and obfuscated servers for added privacy. Their unique Meshnet feature allows connecting to a local area network remotely. They also offer Threat Protection Pro which includes blocking ads, trackers, and malicious sites, and performed excellently in phishing tests.

• ExpressVPN includes a suite of Advanced Protection features for blocking ads, trackers, malicious sites, and adult sites. However, its ad blocker is noted as not blocking all ads. It also offers its Keys password manager on mobile and browser extensions.

ExpressVPN has a slightly shorter list of add-ons compared to NordVPN and Surfshark.

Pricing and Value: What Will it Cost?

Price is often a significant factor. While monthly plans can be relatively similar, the real savings come with longer subscriptions. Comparing the cheapest long-term plans mentioned:

• Surfshark is the most budget-friendly, with its cheapest plan priced at $1.99 /month.

• NordVPN’s cheapest option is $3.59/month. However, beware of high auto-renewal prices; stacking subscriptions is suggested to avoid a hefty hike.

• ExpressVPN is the most premium priced at $8.32/month for its cheapest plan. The ExpressVPN review notes you pay for extra features you may not want or need, diminishing the overall value compared to leaders in identity protection services.

ExpressVPN also offers a seven-day free trial directly accessible on its payment page, which is less common than trials only via app stores. All three typically offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

While Surfshark had a price hike, it’s still considered a top-tier VPN and excellent value.

Customer Support: Help When You Need It

Even the most intuitive apps can sometimes present issues. Reliable customer support is essential. Fortunately, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark all provide extensive support options.

• All three offer 24/7 live chat support. The sources describe reaching an agent as quick and painless, with knowledgeable staff.

• Email support/ticketing systems are also available.

• Each provider has a searchable knowledge base or help centre with answers to common questions.

• NordVPN also offers video guides on YouTube.

If live chat agents can’t solve an issue immediately, it’s typically forwarded to a ticketing system, ensuring your query is addressed.

Which One Should You Choose?

ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark are undoubtedly top contenders in the VPN market, each with significant strengths. The “best” choice really depends on your individual priorities.

• If value and unlimited connections are your top concerns, Surfshark is a compelling option. It’s the most affordable on long-term plans, works great for streaming across many devices simultaneously, and still packs robust security and unique privacy features like Alternative ID.

• If you prioritize a feature-rich app experience, excellent streaming unblocking, and strong speeds, NordVPN is an outstanding choice. It has the largest server count and useful features like Meshnet and Threat Protection Pro. Just be mindful of the auto-renewal price.

• If simplicity, a proven track record of audits, and a very high standard of privacy implementation (like their vast number of independent audits and transparency reports) are most important, ExpressVPN shines. While it’s the most expensive and has fewer simultaneous connections and extra features than the others, its core offering is exceptionally reliable and easy to use.

All three are strong for general privacy and security, using AES-256 encryption and offering kill switches and leak protection. They all have robust no-logs policies supported by third-party audits.

Ultimately, trying them out risk-free using their money-back guarantees is the best way to see which one feels right for you and performs optimally on your specific devices and network.