Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
NordVPN vs Surfshark Alert
NordVPN
Higher score in this comparison
Surfshark Alert
Where NordVPN and Surfshark Alert differ
| Compare | NordVPNReviewVisitVisit | Surfshark AlertReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Android TV, TvOS | Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers, Chromebook, Smart TVs, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation |
| Protocols | OpenVPN, NordLynx, NordWhisper | Doh |
| Logging policy | No logs: VPN servers keep no logs, with independent no-log audits | No-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker | Private dns, Ad blocker, SearchCovers more |
| Price from | €14.99 | Not confirmed |
| Free plan limits | Not confirmed | 7-day free trial, 3 devices |
| Jurisdiction | Not confirmed | NL |
Same on both: Free plan (No).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- NordVPN scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 9.0.
- Platforms: only NordVPN offers TvOS.
- Platforms: only Surfshark Alert offers Apple TV, Fire TV, Routers.
- Protocols: only NordVPN offers OpenVPN, NordLynx, NordWhisper.
- Protocols: only Surfshark Alert offers Doh.
- Founded is lower at NordVPN: 2012 vs 2018.
- Pricing model: only NordVPN offers Free.
- Pricing model: only Surfshark Alert offers Budget.
- Privacy tool type: only Surfshark Alert offers Private dns, Search.
Our verdict on each
NordVPN
NordVPN suits people who want broad server reach and a no-logs policy under independent audit, and who can commit to a long plan. The catch is entry price: €14.99 a month on the monthly plan, with €139.08 due at renewal.
Surfshark Alert
Surfshark Alert ranks 2 of 54 brands on monthly price, with entry costs of €2.49 a month. It suits readers who want identity alerts, private DNS and ad blocking inside a single budget account rather than a large insurance payout after fraud.
Score breakdown
| Area | NordVPN | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.7Monthly plan runs at €14.99 and the longest plan at €3.49 a month, with €139.08 billed on renewal. | 9.2HigherMonthly price of €2.49, ranked 2 of 54 brands, with a 7-day trial standing in for a free plan. |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCovers 150 server countries, 10 devices and features including kill switch, split tunnelling and multi hop. | 9.2Insurance of $1,000,000 sits 10 of 45 brands, held up by private dns, ad blocker and search extras and chat, email and help centre support. |
| Privacy | 9.0Higher | 8.2 |
Pick NordVPN if, pick Surfshark Alert if
Pick NordVPN if offer and privacy matter most.
Pick Surfshark Alert if cost and privacy tool type matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | NordVPN | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft protection | 1 of 117 | 8 of 117 |
| Privacy tools | 1 of 281 | 8 of 281 |
| Ad blockers and private DNS | 1 of 63 | 7 of 63 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | NordVPN | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Budget |
| Legal entity | Nord Security | Surfshark B.V. |
| Headquarters | Lithuania | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2012Lower | 2018 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Password managers
| Fact | NordVPN | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Security audit | Regular independent third-party security audits; ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 | Not confirmed |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling, Multi hop, Obfuscation | Not confirmed |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes | Not confirmed |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | NordVPN | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 3 | Not confirmed |
| Price per TB per year | €77.88 | Not confirmed |
Identity protection
| Fact | NordVPN | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €14.99 | €2.49Lower |
| Credit bureaus monitored | 1 | Not confirmed |
| Insurance amount | $2,000,000Higher | $1,000,000 |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 7 days |
| Money-back period | 30 days | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | NordVPN | Surfshark Alert | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €14.99highest quarter | Not confirmed | €7.50 |
Median across 50 listed providers.
Pros and cons
NordVPN
Pros
- Covers 150 server countries, the highest count in the ranking, with 10 devices per account
- Features include kill switch, split tunnelling and multi hop alongside the stated no logs, streaming and travel use cases
- Protocol choice covers OpenVPN, NordLynx and NordWhisper
Cons
- Entry price is high: €14.99 a month on the monthly plan puts it near the bottom of the monthly price ranking
- There is no free plan, so the free version comparison starts with nothing to test
- Renewal is charged at €139.08, a jump from the €3.49 monthly rate on the introductory long plan
Surfshark Alert
Pros
- Monthly price of €2.49 places Surfshark Alert 2 of 54 brands in our data, near the floor of the monthly prices we compare
- Deloitte has independently audited the no-logs policy, and the server network runs in RAM rather than writing anything to disk, which is the main privacy claim to weigh
- The same Surfshark subscription covers private dns, ad blocker and search alongside identity alerts, and it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux from phones to routers and consoles, so a single vendor covers monitoring and browsing
Cons
- Phone support is not among its support channels (chat, email and help centre), which matters most when a fraud alert needs an answer the same day
- Insurance of $1,000,000 ranks 10 of 45 brands, so a bigger payout means a bigger bill, as at Norton or LifeLock
Who each suits
NordVPN
Who it suits
- People who need coverage across 150 server countries rather than a handful of nearby ones
- Households or small teams that need 10 connected devices on one subscription
- Subscribers comfortable committing to a long plan, since €3.49 is only reached on the longest term
Who should look elsewhere
- People wanting a free tier, since there is no free plan to start on
- Anyone who needs to pay month to month on a small budget, as €14.99 a month is the priciest end of the monthly ranking
- Readers who need phone support, since the listed channels are email, chat and help centre
Surfshark Alert
Who it suits
- Readers who mainly want alerts on their personal details rather than a large insurance payout, and who weigh the entry price before anything else on the plan
- People already paying for Surfshark who want alerts, private DNS, ad blocking and private search in a single account instead of separate tools
- Households that treat an audited no-logs policy and a RAM server network as part of identity protection, and who are comfortable starting on a short trial
Who should look elsewhere
- LifeLock and Norton readers who rank the insurance payout first, since LifeLock runs $10.42 to $34.99 a month and Norton $34.99 a month
- Allstate Identity Protection readers who want identity monitoring sold on its own at $3 a month rather than bundled with DNS and search
- Readers who want a standing free tier, since the free plan is no and the trial is limited to 7-day free trial, 3 devices, so testing is short
Current offers
NordVPN
Current offer
Discount code
75% off + 3 months extra: 75% off
Intro offer on the 2-year plan (first 27 months), VAT may apply, savings versus renewal price
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
+ 3 EXTRA months on 2-year plans: 3 extra months
Offer terms apply, additional terms apply to Ultra plan, VAT may apply
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Free trial for new users on Android: 3 days free
New users, Android app via Google Play; not available in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and South Korea
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Surfshark Alert
Current offer
Bonus
3 extra months on 24-month plans: 27 months for the price of 24 (Starter €67.23, One €75.33, One+ €121.23)
24-month Starter, One or One+ subscription; sale price applies to the first 27 months; VAT may apply
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
7-day free trial: 7 days free, then automatic paid renewal
New users only, 12- and 24-month plans, payment details required (credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay), 3 devices during trial; plus 30-day money-back guarantee
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | NordVPN | Surfshark Alert |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Yes | No |
| Aland Islands | Yes | No |
| Albania | Yes | No |
| Algeria | Yes | No |
| American Samoa | Yes | No |
| Andorra | Yes | No |
| Angola | Yes | No |
| Anguilla | Yes | No |
8 of 250 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
NordVPN
How much does NordVPN cost to start with?+
The monthly plan is priced at €14.99. Committing to the longest term, 27 months, brings the monthly figure down to €3.49. That lower rate is introductory, and the 30 money back window still applies if the subscription is not a fit.
What do I pay when the plan renews?+
Renewal is charged at €139.08 for the long term, against the €3.49 monthly rate that applies at the start. Budget for the renewal figure rather than the headline monthly number, since the per month rate is the part that is promotional. The two prices together tell the full cost of staying.
Surfshark Alert
How much does Surfshark Alert cost each month?+
Surfshark Alert runs at €2.49 a month and ranks 2 of 54 brands on monthly price. A budget entry price draws most readers here, and the renewal figure is worth reading before you commit to a term.
Is there a free plan or a free trial?+
There is no free plan. The free trial lasts 7 days, and 7-day free trial, 3 devices sets the terms of that look. It is a short taste of the alerts rather than a free tier you can keep.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Surfshark Alert vs NordVPN Threat Protection
- NordVPN vs WEBROOT master
- NordVPN vs NordPass
- NordVPN vs Aura
- NordVPN vs Malwarebytes
- NordVPN vs Apple Inc.
- NordVPN vs MEGA
- NordVPN vs Norton
- Surfshark Alert vs Qwant
- Surfshark Alert vs Disroot
- Surfshark Alert vs Ghostery
- Surfshark Alert vs PIA
- Surfshark Alert vs Privacy Badger
- NordVPN vs Kaspersky
- NordVPN vs Kaspersky Latam
- NordVPN vs Kaspersky
- NordVPN vs ESET Brasil
- NordVPN vs ESET
- NordVPN vs FastestVPN
- NordVPN vs Surfshark One (Antivirus)
- NordVPN vs Proton
- NordVPN vs Proton Pass
- NordVPN vs Proton Mail
- NordVPN vs AdGuard