![]() Most of that coverage - just over 80% of its server count - is concentrated in the Americas and Europe. NordVPN’s server coverage is extensive, including over 5,200 servers in more than five dozen countries. The security offerings of the two companies are, thus, on fairly even footing, although NordVPN’s slightly better privacy policy gives it a mild edge. Fortunately, this can be circumvented relatively easily. Its privacy policy is transparent and fairly comprehensive, and it doesn’t keep user logs, but it may collect unique third-party advertising identifiers for marketing purposes. Like NordVPN, Surfshark is headquartered in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction - in this case the British Virgin Islands - but it does collect a certain kind of user-related data. Both NordVPN and Surfshark are able to camouflage VPN traffic - in Surfshark’s case using Camouflage Mode, but with Surfshark, this capability is only functional on Windows, iOS and Android. It also features a HackLock tool that scans for possible breaches of emails and passwords and has its own private, ad-free search tool called BlindSearch. Surfshark matches the 256-bit encryption and automatic kill switch features of NordVPN, and it provides a MultiHop mode similar to the Double VPN feature. Added to all this, there are clear advantages in NordVPN’s headquartering in the privacy-friendly jurisdiction of Panama which does not maintain surveillance-sharing agreements with any other countries. ![]() It has been made clear that the company has a genuine no-log policy for users’ activity. Its Double VPN mode allows users to route traffic through two servers instead of one for some added protection.Īlthough NordVPN has experienced a recent hacking event in 2018, the company has mounted a comprehensive response to that breach, which compromised no user-identifying information. Its site filter blocks out broad swathes of malicious sites, and its optional tracker blocking provides added protection against ad tracking, improving performance for its users. It uses the highly secure OpenVPN protocol (or, for macOS and iOS devices, IKEv2/IPSec as the default option, a little less bleeding-edge than OpenVPN but still a very secure protocol) and provides a customizable kill switch feature that can shut down certain apps in the event of a VPN drop-out, ensuring they don’t keep functioning and transmitting data outside of the VPN’s protected environment. NordVPN offers high-quality security, with standard AES-256-CBC encryption and frequently changed encryption keys. We spent over 10 hours researching and comparing NordVPN and Surfshark to see how they stack up on the four key metrics identified above. ![]() Price We look at how various plans are priced for a given VPN and how those prices work out as value-for-money when compared to features and services. That includes download speeds, monthly data limits and the number of devices that can be connected to the VPN simultaneously.Ĥ. Performance We evaluated performance features that will be key to the streaming capabilities of multiple team or household members using the same connection. Having access to servers that are geographically closer to you will matter to the speed and performance of your VPN connection, so it’s important to be aware of the specific countries in which your VPN network has coverage.ģ. The more server coverage it has in more countries, the more your VPN will be able to spread out “server load” from multiple users and ensure reliable performance at all times. Server Coverage A VPN provides access to a network of servers. That includes encryption tools (the current standard is 256-bit AES encryption with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA512 password hashing) and a privacy policy that protects your data from third parties (particularly key is having a no-log policy that ensures the company doesn’t hold on to any data that it might be tempted to pass on to third parties or government agencies).Ģ. Any VPN worth using should have the most up-to-date security protocols available. Security & Privacy The core mission of a VPN’s work is to maintain the user’s security and privacy. Keep in mind that, in addition to the presence or absence of these features, a lot about your eventual choice will depend on the specific uses you have for a VPN.ġ. These are the four most important features we look for in a VPN. With clear information about how competing companies perform in those key metrics, both home and business users can make confident decisions about which VPN will serve their specific needs and objectives. Identifying the truly high-quality offerings is a matter of focusing on the core key indicators of high performance in a VPN. The VPN market is flourishing, with plenty of competitors in the field advertising a multitude of features and services. In this review, we break down the key features of a good VPN to help you make an informed comparison between the offerings of NordVPN and Surfshark. ![]()
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