


Even the success rate is similar.īoth NordVPN and Surfshark have specialized servers. Surfshark's spin on the same formula is just called SmartDNS. As such, it's a bit more than just SmartDNS. Although, you can also set it up as a regular SmartDNS feature which will replace your device's DNS settings, it will also trigger through the app each time when you're accessing websites with geo-restricted media. It automatically kicks in when you're using a VPN to unblock streaming websites. So, NordVPN and Surfshark came up with ways to have VPN-like functionalities without the need for an app. Most devices that are your go-to media streaming gadgets don't always have native VPN support. It's like a mirror image with matching features every step of the way. In terms of features, both NordVPN and Surfshark add a lot of additional subscription benefits.Īlthough NordVPN has more specialty server options, Surfshark proves to be just as capable. Unsurprisingly, in this case, both services offer an almost identical performance. This is a protocol that focuses on security rather than speeds. Moving on, with the OpenVPN TCP variant, severe reductions are a common sight. It seems that NordVPN peaked in some locations, while Surfshark was overall more consistent. While OpenVPN UDP is a faster variant of this protocol, the speed drop percentages vary. However, NordVPN is a bit more efficient with upload speeds. So, in terms of download speeds, both providers are almost identical. NordVPN's average download speed drop was 28%, while Surfshark’s – 27%. While comparing the mobile users’ fan favorite IKEv2 protocol, the results were pretty close. Baseline: 300 Mbps download/300 Mbps upload.We also compared their performance with other protocols, including OpenVPN (UDP and TCP variants) and IKEv2. So, while from the first sight, it seems that NordVPN and Surfshark’s speeds are pretty similar to each other, NordVPN is slightly faster when it comes to both download and upload speeds.īut that’s not all. Meanwhile, other locations show the same or close speed results for both VPN providers. The largest difference is in the US, where NordVPN notably surges in front of Surfshark. See live VPN provider data on our VPN speed test tool
