Surfshark has made a reputation for itself as a prime digital personal community choice available in the market right now. It gives inexpensive pricing throughout all its plans, gives quick and dependable speeds and doesn’t skimp out on person safety and performance.
Norton Safe VPN, alternatively, is a VPN from fashionable safety and antivirus supplier Norton. Whereas it gives good VPN speeds, it has a small server community and doesn’t embrace any standout options to set it aside from opponents.
- Surfshark VPN: Finest for many companies on the lookout for a high-quality VPN with quick speeds, sturdy safety and inexpensive pricing.
- Norton Safe VPN: Finest for Norton 360 product customers who want fundamental safety and a simple-to-use VPN utility.
Surfshark vs. Norton Safe VPN: Comparability
| Our score | 4.6 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Safety protocols | OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2 | OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec |
| No. of servers | $3,200 | 1,000–2,000 (reportedly) |
| VPN server areas | 100 nations | 28 nations |
| Information breach monitoring | Sure (Surfshark Starter) | Sure (through Norton 360) |
| Simultaneous machine areas | Limitless | As much as 10 units |
| Free trial or free model | Cellular free trial | None |
| Beginning value | $2.79 per 30 days (annual) | $2.49 per 30 days (annual) |
Surfshark vs. Norton Safe VPN: Pricing
Surfshark’s subscriptions revolve round their predominant VPN service, with add-ons as you go up with every paid plan. All premium Surfshark plans enable limitless simultaneous machine connections, whereas Norton solely permits as much as 10 units related — relying on the plan you buy.
SEE: Use Norton Safe VPN (A Step-by-Step Information) (TechRepublic)
Norton Safe VPN will also be bought with different Norton merchandise as a part of its Norton 360 bundle of providers. In case you’re not eager on its different software program, you can even buy the VPN as a standalone product.
For extra on Surfshark and Norton Safe VPN, try our full Surfshark overview and full Norton Safe VPN overview.
Surfshark pricing
Surfshark gives three subscription tiers: Surfshark Starter, One and One+. Starter gives fundamental VPN performance, an advert blocker and a masked e mail generator. In the meantime, One provides onto that with real-time e mail breach alerts, an antivirus and webcam safety.
| 1 month | $15.45 per 30 days | $15.95 per 30 days | $17.95 per 30 days |
| 1 12 months | $2.79 per 30 days | $3.19 per 30 days | $5.09 per 30 days |
| 2 years | $2.19 per 30 days | $2.69 per 30 days | $4.29 per 30 days |
Lastly, One+ consists of all options plus knowledge elimination from firm databases and from folks search websites. Whereas I want Surfshark provided a free model, it does have a free trial of its cellular app and a 30-day money-back assure for all its purposes.
Norton Safe VPN pricing
Norton is exclusive in that it bases its VPN pricing in your desired variety of machine connections. That is against most VPNs, which categorize their costs relying on contract size.
| 1 machine | $29.99 first 12 months or $2.49 per 30 days |
|---|---|
| 5 units | 39.99 first 12 months or $3.33 per 30 days |
| 10 units | $59.99 first 12 months or $4.99 per 30 days |
One nitpick I’ve with Norton Safe VPN’s subscriptions is that their costs are for the primary 12 months solely, with a doable enhance after the primary 12 months upon renewal. I’d’ve most popular it if Norton provided the identical value previous the primary 12 months of subscription — particularly since this isn’t unusual amongst different suppliers.
Happily, Norton has a 60-day money-back assure, which provides customers ample time to check their software program and request for a refund throughout the allotted time.
Surfshark vs. Norton Safe VPN: Function comparability
Safety protocols and encryption
Winner: Surfshark
Each Surfshark and Norton Safe VPN make the most of AES-256 encryption algorithm for his or her VPN providers — which is sweet to see, particularly since AES-256 is taken into account the trade commonplace and arguably essentially the most safe encryption algorithm right now.
SEE: Use Surfshark VPN (A Step-by-Step Information) (TechRepublic)
The deciding issue is that Surfshark consists of OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2 safety protocols, which, for my cash, are the three greatest protocols we would like in a contemporary VPN. That is compared to Norton, which lacks the trendy and speed-oriented WireGuard safety protocol.
To Norton’s credit score, its Safe VPN additionally gives each OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec. However for customers who need a mixture of each safety and velocity in tunneling protocols, Surfshark is greatest for you.
VPN server community and areas
Winner: Surfshark
Within the server division, Surfshark comes out on prime with its 3,200 servers throughout 100 nations. Alternatively, Norton Safe VPN has a a lot smaller 28-country server community, with a reported server rely amounting to solely 1,000 to 2,000 servers.
Server infrastructure is one among Norton’s predominant downsides, as its 2,000-server rely is way smaller than the typical 3,000–4,000 server networks we see on common with trendy VPNs. Its nation unfold can be miniscule in comparison with Surfshark, proscribing customers’ potential to entry geographically various areas worldwide.
In case your predominant purpose with a VPN is to entry geo-restricted content material, I like to recommend Surfshark given its far bigger server rely and site unfold.
Third-party audits and impartial testing
Winner: Surfshark
Whereas each VPNs supply no-logs insurance policies claiming they don’t report person knowledge, solely Surfshark has undergone a third-party audit, which has confirmed that it’s really no-logs. Surfshark’s impartial audit was carried out by Deloitte in 2023, the place it was discovered that the VPN supplier had correctly configured its inside programs “in accordance with Surfshark’s description of its no-logs policy.”
SEE: Is a VPN Actually Price It in 2024? (TechRepublic)
Alternatively, Norton Safe VPN is but to bear any third celebration audit or impartial testing right now. Regardless of being a preferred safety supplier, I extremely encourage selecting a VPN that may supply verifiable knowledge regarding its no-logs coverage.
Efficiency and velocity
Winner: Tie
Surprisingly, I discovered each Surfshark and Norton Safe VPN carried out effectively when it comes to velocity and stability. The 2 VPNs carried out equally in day-to-day use of standard looking, researching and streaming content material, in addition to after I carried out add and obtain assessments.
One caveat I’ve to say is that Norton Safe VPN’s smaller server community could hinder its potential to supply customers constant speeds throughout totally different areas. As a result of server velocity relies on how shut you might be to a server’s location, you’ll have the next likelihood of getting good speeds with Surfshark, given its extra various location rely.
For instance, for those who use Norton Safe VPN and are in a rustic that’s not provided on its server community, you’ll possible expertise slower speeds or a much less dependable connection.
Regardless of this, my testing confirmed each VPNs can present constantly quick and secure speeds — offered your location is accommodated by the VPN’s server community.
Standout safety features
Winner: Surfshark
Except for its base VPN performance, Surfshark boasts quite a few extra options geared in direction of elevated safety. With its Starter plan, you’ve got entry to an antivirus, real-time breach alerts and a non-public search instrument.
The nifty factor right here is that they’re all accessible throughout the Surfshark VPN app itself, permitting customers to make use of Surfshark as a kind of safety hub in a single desktop utility. Alternatively, Norton gives comparable options like antivirus software program and darkish net monitoring, however these are all separate providers that aren’t built-in throughout the VPN itself.
With Norton Safe VPN, you get an advert and tracker blocker, cut up tunneling and a kill swap, and that’s it. Whereas these are good options, Surfshark gives these similar options in its app as effectively.
Ease of use
Winner: Tie
By way of person expertise, Surfshark and Norton Safe VPN each include desktop purposes which can be simple to make use of and nice to have a look at. Surfshark does an amazing job of organizing its utility and categorizing its safety features intuitively.
Alternatively, Norton Safe VPN can be user-friendly and takes a extra minimalist strategy in comparison with Surfshark. This can be a product of its extra fundamental VPN software program with a scarcity of extra options, but it surely’s plain that the app can present a seamless expertise nonetheless.
Surfshark execs and cons
Execs
- 100-country server community.
- Constantly quick speeds.
- Has WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2.
- Inexpensive pricing throughout plans.
Cons
Norton Safe VPN execs and cons
Execs
- Quick and secure VPN velocity.
- Consumer-friendly utility.
- Could be bundled with different Norton merchandise.
Cons
- Miniscule server community.
- Hasn’t undergone a third-party safety audit.
- Lacks standout safety features.
Ought to your group use Surfshark or Norton Safe VPN?
For my part, it’s clear-cut that most organizations ought to decide to make use of Surfshark over Norton Safe VPN. Whereas Norton Safe VPN performs effectively, it merely lacks many options we count on in a contemporary VPN.
Specifically, Norton Safe VPN’s server community spanning solely 28 nations is simply too small in comparison with Surfshark’s 100-country and three,200-server community and infrastructure. Surfshark additionally consists of extra standout safety features, resembling a built-in antivirus and actual time breach alerts, in comparison with Norton’s extra fundamental VPN providing.
SEE: 10 Myths about Cybersecurity You Shouldn’t Consider (TechRepublic Premium)
I additionally give the win to Surfshark when it comes to third-party testing, as its safety audit gives a far safer wager to customers and companies. I’m hopeful that Norton decides to have their VPN examined by impartial safety specialists sooner or later, however for now, Surfshark is the smarter selection.
To not point out Surfshark’s inexpensive pricing, easy-to-use utility and constantly quick efficiency — making Surfshark our winner for this head-to-head VPN comparability.
I solely suggest Norton Safe VPN to companies which can be already invested in Norton’s safety merchandise and simply need extra VPN performance with their present suite of options. In any other case, Surfshark must be your decide between the 2.
Methodology
My comparability of Surfshark and Norton Safe VPN concerned hands-on time with each VPNs and an in depth evaluation of every service’s options, value and real-world efficiency.
To guage every product, each VPNs had been scored on every thing from their pricing to their safety protocols. Specifically, we took into consideration 5 predominant pillars with their corresponding weights:
- Pricing (20%).
- Core VPN options (30%).
- Ease of use (15%).
- Buyer assist (30%).
- Professional evaluation (5%).
I additionally supplemented my findings with real-world person suggestions and respected opinions to spherical out my evaluation of each merchandise.
For velocity and efficiency, I examined each VPNs on a Home windows pc and ran them by means of Ookla’s public Speedtest. Lastly, I additionally thought-about how every VPN might greatest cater to various kinds of customers, use instances and organizations.
