Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Norton vs Surfshark
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Norton |  Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €2.08Lower | €2.49 |
| Server countries | from 100 | 100 |
| No-logs audit | VerSprite, July 2025 (Technical Privacy Impact Assessment) | Deloitte 2025 |
| Money-back period | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Protocols | Mimic, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPsec | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Dausos |
| Features | Kill switch, Multi hop, Obfuscation | Kill switch, Split tunnelling, Multi hop |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Google TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chrome extension, Edge extension, Firefox extension | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers |
| Owner | Gen Digital Inc. | Nord Security |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 months | 27 monthsHigher |
| Long-term plan price | Not confirmed | €2.49 |
| Devices | 10 to 20 | Not confirmed |
| Renewal price | $49.99 to $99.99 | Not confirmed |
| Jurisdiction | Not confirmed | NL |
| Streaming services | Streaming | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Monthly price is lower at Norton: €2.08 vs €2.49.
- Protocols: only Norton offers Mimic, IPsec.
- Protocols: only Surfshark offers IKEv2, Dausos.
- Features: only Norton offers Obfuscation.
- Features: only Surfshark offers Split tunnelling.
- Platforms: only Norton offers Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chrome extension.
- Platforms: only Surfshark offers Linux, Android TV, Fire TV.
- Longest plan (months) is higher at Surfshark: 27 months vs 24 months.
- Support channels: only Norton offers Phone, Community.
- Support channels: only Surfshark offers Email, Chat.
Our verdict on each
Norton
Norton packs a VPN, password manager, parental controls and identity monitoring into a single subscription, so it suits households already paying Gen Digital for security. The Deluxe bundle opens at $19.99 for a first year, and the renewal figure is what decides the real cost.
Surfshark
Surfshark suits households and small teams that want a wide network at a modest rate, and it reaches further than most rivals at this price. Its long-term plan price is €2.49, under the site median for long-term plans, €3.97, and every purchase carries a 30 money-back window.
Score breakdown
| Area | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Entry price of €2.08 a month is low, but the bundle renewal of $49.99 to $99.99 pulls the axis down. | 9.6HigherSurfshark's long-term plan price of €2.49 undercuts the site median €3.97, while the monthly plan at €2.49 keeps entry low. |
| Offer | 9.3 | 9.5HigherThe plan bundles private dns, ad blocker and search with a 7 trial and a 30 money-back window. |
| Privacy | 9.9Higher | 8.7 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 19 of 232 | 12 of 232 |
| Identity theft protection | 10 of 117 | 7 of 117 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | Netherlands |
Available in 58 countries for both. Additional countries for Surfshark: 192.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming | No logs, Streaming |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Business |
| Pricing model | Free | Budget |
| Legal entity | NortonLifeLock Ireland Limited | Surfshark B.V. |
| Headquarters | United States | Netherlands |
| Founded | 1982Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Antivirus
| Fact | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| First-year price | $19.99 | Not confirmed |
| Free version | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Extras | VPN, Password manager, Parental controls | Not confirmed |
Identity protection
| Fact | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Credit bureaus monitored | 1 to 3 | Not confirmed |
| Insurance amount | $1,050,000 to $3,000,000Higher | $1,000,000 |
| Family plan price | $18.75 to $52.50 | Not confirmed |
| Free trial length | 7 days | 7 days |
Password managers
| Fact | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $9.99 | Not confirmed |
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Encryption | Encrypted online vault; data stored encrypted in the cloud | Not confirmed |
Parental controls
| Fact | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | $49.99 | €121.23 |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan limits | Not confirmed | 7-day free trial, 3 devices |
| Logging policy | Not confirmed | No-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network |
| Privacy tool type | Not confirmed | Private dns, Ad blocker, Search |
Data removal
| Fact | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | Not confirmed | United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Norton | Surfshark | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €2.08lowest quarter | €2.49lowest quarter | €7.99 |
| Long-term plan price | Not confirmed | €2.49lowest quarter | €3.99 |
| Devices | 10 to 20highest quarter | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | from 100highest quarter | 100highest quarter | 62 |
| Renewal price | $49.99 to $99.99above the median | Not confirmed | $12 |
| Money-back period | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 132 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Norton
Pros
- Bundle plans put the VPN, password manager and parental controls on one subscription, as vpn, password manager and parental controls shows.
- The no-logs policy carries an external review, recorded as VerSprite, July 2025 (Technical Privacy Impact Assessment).
- Device allowance of 10 to 20 runs above the site median of 7.
Cons
- Renewal sets the real cost: $49.99 to $99.99 on renewal against a first year of $19.99 on the Deluxe bundle.
- Support runs on phone, help centre and community, so email and live chat sit outside the listed channels.
- Split tunnelling is absent from kill switch, multi hop and obfuscation, which lists a kill switch, multi hop and obfuscation.
Surfshark
Pros
- Servers in 100 countries, ranking 7 on coverage among 62 brands compared.
- The no-logs policy is independently verified by Deloitte, with the current audit listed as Deloitte 2025.
- A single subscription covers Windows, macOS and Linux.
Cons
- There is no free plan, so the 7-day free trial, 3 devices is the only way to try Surfshark before paying.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone line for urgent problems.
- Price-first readers have cheaper options: MEGA lists $1.67 and Sinew Software Systems lists $1.99 for a long-term plan.
Who each suits
Norton
Who it suits
- Households wanting a VPN, a password manager, parental controls and identity monitoring on one bill
- Families with several phones, laptops and smart TVs sharing an account of 10 to 20 devices
- Existing subscribers to the Deluxe bundle paying $19.99 for a first year who want the VPN added
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Inc., at $0.99 a month, for readers who want a standalone service instead of a bundle
- ESET Brasil, covering 3 to 25 devices, for households shopping mainly on device count
- Sinew Software Systems, at $1.99 a month, for passwords alone
Surfshark
Who it suits
- Households covering several device types, with apps across Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Small teams priced for business, with 100 server countries and privacy extras of private dns, ad blocker and search in one subscription.
- Readers who put audit evidence first, since the no-logs policy is verified by Deloitte and the current audit is Deloitte 2025.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers chasing the lowest long-term rate, where MEGA at $1.67 and Sinew Software Systems at $1.99 sit lower.
- Buyers looking for antivirus rather than a network, where ESET Brasil is the comparison to read, with 40 to 70 server countries in its coverage.
Current offers
Norton
Current offer
Discount code
50% off first year on Norton VPN Standard: 50% OFF: EUR 24.99 first year against EUR 49.99
Ireland storefront; Norton VPN Standard 1 device; 1 Year plan; renews at EUR 49.99/year; price subject to change
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Norton VPN 7 Day free trial: 7 days free
Payment method required; paid subscription starts at EUR 24.99/year and automatically renews at EUR 49.99/year
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Surfshark
Current offer
Bonus
+3 EXTRA months, Save 85% on Surfshark Starter: Starter EUR 2.49/mo., sale price EUR 67.23 for the first 27 months (old price EUR 444.15)
24-month plans, VAT may apply, 30-day money-back guarantee
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
7-day free trial: 7 days free on 3 devices
Available on all 12-month and 24-month plans; payment by credit card, Apple Pay or PayPal
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Norton | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | No | Yes |
| Aland Islands | No | Yes |
| Albania | No | Yes |
| Algeria | No | Yes |
| American Samoa | No | Yes |
| Andorra | No | Yes |
| Angola | No | Yes |
| Anguilla | No | Yes |
8 of 250 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Norton
How much is Norton at entry, and can I try it first?+
The Norton VPN plan starts at €2.08 a month, and the longest term runs 24 months. A free trial of 7 days is offered on downloads, and the money back window of 60 days covers a longer evaluation on a paid plan.
What does Norton cost when the subscription renews?+
Renewal is where the price moves. The first year of the Deluxe bundle is listed at $19.99, while renewal prices run $49.99 to $99.99. A separate yearly Norton Family plan sits at $49.99, so weigh the renewal figure against what follows the introductory period.
Surfshark
What does Surfshark cost month to month and on a long commitment?+
Surfshark's monthly plan is listed at €2.49 and the yearly plan at €121.23. The longest plan runs 27 months, which brings the monthly rate to €2.49, below the site median for long-term plans, €3.97. A 30 money-back window sits behind the longer commitments.
Is there a free plan, or only a trial?+
The free plan is no, so nothing runs indefinitely at no cost. What is offered is a 7 trial, and the stated free plan limits read 7-day free trial, 3 devices. After that trial ends, the 30 money-back window is the route to a full refund if the service does not fit your setup.
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