Compare VPNs, Side by Side
We put popular VPNs head to head on the things that actually decide it — price and renewal, independent audits, jurisdiction, speed, connections, and streaming. Every verdict is split by category and ranked by our score, never by commission. Where we earn a commission, we say so on the page — and we still name the categories the other provider wins. Pick a matchup below.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
NordVPN vs Surfshark
Two brands, one owner (Nord Security). Surfshark edges the score on price and unlimited devices; NordVPN wins audit depth and jurisdiction.
Compare → Privacy vs valueNordVPN vs PureVPN
NordVPN wins on audit record and speed (8.3 vs 8.1); PureVPN is ~40% cheaper with a bigger network. Both audited.
Compare → Closest match-upSurfshark vs PureVPN
Our #1 vs our value pick. Surfshark wins overall and on connections; PureVPN wins price, renewal and a non-Eyes jurisdiction.
Compare → Premium vs budgetExpressVPN vs PureVPN
ExpressVPN wins protocol tech and track record; PureVPN wins price and server count. We earn from PureVPN, not ExpressVPN — and still say where Express is better.
Compare →More comparisons are on the way. In the meantime, see the whole field ranked in one place on our best cheap VPN list, the data behind every score on the open scorecard, or who actually owns each brand on our VPN ownership map.