Look, I’m going to be straight with you. Most VPN comparison articles are written by tech bloggers who’ve never actually paid for a VPN with their own money. They test both for a week, make some charts, and call it a day.
I’m a freelancer. I actually use a VPN daily for accessing clients’ systems, protecting my work on sketchy coffee shop wifi, and yes, sometimes accessing platforms that work better from certain locations. And I’m paying for it myself, not expensing it to some company.
So when I compared Surfshark and NordVPN, I wasn’t looking at benchmark tests. I was asking: which one actually delivers what freelancers and remote workers need without wasting money on features we’ll never use?
Spoiler: It’s Surfshark, and it’s not even close. But let me show you why.
The Price Reality Nobody Talks About
NordVPN costs about $3.39/month on their two-year plan. Surfshark? $2.19/month for the same commitment.
That’s $14.40 extra per year. Not life-changing money, but here’s the thing – you’re paying 55% more for NordVPN. What are you getting for that premium?
For most freelancers and remote workers? Not much that actually matters.
The Device Limit That Actually Matters
Here’s where Surfshark absolutely destroys NordVPN for our use case:
Surfshark: Unlimited devices
NordVPN: 10 devices max
“But who needs more than 10 devices?” you might ask.
Fair question. But think about it: your laptop, your phone, your tablet, maybe a backup phone. That’s 4. Your partner or family member who you’re sharing with? Add another 3-4. Already at 7-8 devices.
Now add that old laptop you sometimes use, or maybe you need to install it on a client’s device temporarily for a project. With NordVPN, you’re constantly juggling which devices are connected. With Surfshark? Never think about it.
Speed: Does NordVPN’s “Premium” Actually Matter?
I tested both for two months doing actual freelance work – video calls with clients, uploading large files, accessing remote desktops, the usual stuff.
The honest truth? I couldn’t tell the difference in daily use.
NordVPN averaged slightly faster in speed tests (maybe 5-10% faster). But here’s what matters: both were fast enough that I never noticed lag on Zoom calls, both uploaded my project files without issues, both streamed Netflix without buffering.
For freelance work, they’re functionally identical. You’re not running a data center. You’re sending emails and hopping on client calls. Both handle that perfectly.
Security: The Features You’ll Actually Use
Both use AES-256 encryption. Both have kill switches. Both have no-logs policies that have been audited.
NordVPN has some extra security features like Double VPN and Onion over VPN. Sounds impressive, right?
Be honest with yourself: are you actually going to use those? I’ve been freelancing for years and never once needed double VPN encryption. If you’re doing standard freelance work like writing, design, VA work, customer support…you probably don’t need it either.
It’s like buying a sports car when you need to drive to the grocery store. Sure, it can go 200mph. But you’re going 35mph in city traffic anyway.
Server Locations: Both Have You Covered
NordVPN: 6,000+ servers in 111 countries
Surfshark: 3,200+ servers in 100 countries
For freelancers in India, Philippines, Pakistan, or Nigeria who need to access platforms that work better from US or European locations, both have plenty of options. I’ve never had trouble connecting to the location I needed with either service.
Unless you specifically need a server in some obscure country, Surfshark’s network is more than enough.
The Real-World Scenarios
Let me give you some actual situations where I’ve used both:
Scenario 1: Client work from a coffee shop in Lusaka
Needed to access a client’s system remotely. Both worked flawlessly. No difference in speed or reliability.
Scenario 2: Accessing geo-restricted job platforms
Some freelance platforms work better when you appear to be in certain countries. Both let me switch locations easily. Surfshark was actually slightly faster at connecting.
Scenario 3: Multiple projects, multiple devices
This is where Surfshark won hard. I was working on my laptop, had my phone connected, and needed to quickly set up VPN on a tablet for a client presentation. With Surfshark, just installed and connected. With NordVPN, I would’ve had to disconnect another device first.
Customer Support: Both Are Fine
I’ve contacted both support teams with issues. Both responded quickly, both solved my problems. NordVPN’s support might be slightly more polished, but Surfshark’s gets the job done just as well.
Not a deciding factor either way.
So Which One Should You Actually Buy?
Get Surfshark if: You’re a normal human who needs a reliable VPN for freelance work, wants to save money, and doesn’t want to think about device limits. (This is 95% of you reading this.)
Get NordVPN if: You specifically need one of their premium features for some reason, or you just really want to pay more for essentially the same experience.
I’m not saying NordVPN is bad. It’s excellent. But it’s like choosing between a $50 chef’s knife and a $30 chef’s knife when both cut vegetables perfectly well. Sure, professional chefs might notice the difference. But for cooking dinner? You won’t.
The Bottom Line
I switched from NordVPN to Surfshark a few months ago. I’ve saved about $10, haven’t noticed any performance difference, and I stopped worrying about device limits.
For freelancers and remote workers who need a VPN that just works without overthinking it, Surfshark is the smarter choice. You get 90% of NordVPN’s capabilities at 65% of the price.
That’s what actually being worth paying for looks like.
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