Four VPNs compared side by side: speed, streaming, privacy, and price — one article to help you pick the best one.
Best overall: NordVPN — fastest speeds, most audited, Threat Protection built-in. Best value: Surfshark — unlimited devices, $2.19/mo, and it's the same parent company as NordVPN so you get shared infrastructure. Best for streaming: ExpressVPN — rock-solid unblocking, just costs more. CyberGhost is decent for beginners with its dedicated streaming servers, but trails on audits and advanced features.
We earn a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you.
VPN pricing varies dramatically by commitment length. We compare best-value long-term plans.
10 dimensions — side by side. Scroll horizontally on mobile.
| Feature | NordVPN | Surfshark | ExpressVPN | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest Monthly Price | $3.39 | $2.19 | $6.67 | $2.19 |
| Server Count | 6,400+ | 3,200+ | 3,000+ | 11,500+ |
| Countries | 111 | 100 | 105 | 100 |
| VPN Protocol | NordLynx (WireGuard) | WireGuard / OpenVPN | Lightway (proprietary) | WireGuard / OpenVPN |
| Speed (download drop) | ~10–12% | ~10–15% | ~15–20% | ~20–25% |
| Simultaneous Devices | 10 | Unlimited | 8 | 7 |
| Streaming Unblock | Netflix, Disney+, Prime, BBC | Netflix, Disney+, Prime, BBC | Netflix, Disney+, Prime, BBC, Hulu | Netflix, Disney+, BBC (dedicated servers) |
| Ad/Tracker Blocker | Threat Protection Pro | CleanWeb 2.0 | Threat Manager (basic) | Content Blocker (basic) |
| Independent Audits | 4 (no-logs + apps) | 1 (no-logs) | 12+ (no-logs + apps + Lightway) | 1 (no-logs, 2022) |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 45 days |
NordVPN is the most complete VPN package on the market. Its proprietary NordLynx protocol (built on WireGuard with a double-NAT system for zero-log enforcement) delivers the fastest speeds we've tested — typically 10–12% download drop, barely noticeable in daily use.
The standout feature is Threat Protection Pro: a built-in anti-malware scanner, ad blocker, tracker blocker, and vulnerability detection — all running at the network level before threats reach your device. No separate antivirus subscription needed.
NordVPN has undergone four independent audits (no-logs policy + app security), more than any competitor except ExpressVPN. Its Meshnet feature lets you create encrypted tunnels between your own devices — perfect for remote file access or LAN gaming with friends.
Surfshark is owned by the same parent company as NordVPN (Nord Security), so you get shared infrastructure and technology at nearly half the price. Its killer feature: unlimited simultaneous device connections. One account covers your entire household — phones, laptops, smart TVs, everything.
CleanWeb 2.0 blocks ads, trackers, and malicious domains at the DNS level. The new Alternative ID feature generates a masked email and persona for signing up to services without exposing your real identity — a unique privacy tool none of the other three offer.
While its server network (3,200+) is smaller than NordVPN's, Surfshark consistently unblocks Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Prime Video. Speed drops are in the 10–15% range on WireGuard — competitive with NordVPN.
ExpressVPN justifies its premium price ($6.67/mo) with two things no competitor matches: streaming reliability and trust through transparency. It has undergone 12+ independent audits across its no-logs policy, apps, and proprietary Lightway protocol — far more than any other VPN.
If your primary use case is streaming geo-blocked content, ExpressVPN is the safest bet. It consistently unblocks Netflix (all regions), Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Prime Video — and does so with the least downtime of any VPN we've tested.
ExpressVPN is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands (no data retention laws), uses RAM-only servers (TrustedServer), and includes a router app that protects every device on your Wi-Fi network.
CyberGhost matches Surfshark at $2.19/mo and offers the largest server fleet (11,500+) and the longest 45-day money-back guarantee. Its standout feature is dedicated streaming servers: labeled and optimized for specific platforms (Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, etc.), making it the easiest VPN for beginners who just want to unblock content without trial and error.
CyberGhost is headquartered in Romania, which has no mandatory data retention laws and is outside the 5/9/14 Eyes surveillance alliances. The NoSpy servers (self-operated in Romania) add an extra privacy layer.
It offers dedicated P2P servers with port forwarding, making it the best pick for torrenting among the four. However, it trails on audits (only one, from 2022) and lacks the advanced security features of NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro.
We measured download speed loss and streaming unblocking on a 500 Mbps fiber connection from a US test server, using each VPN's WireGuard protocol where available.
| Metric | NordVPN | Surfshark | ExpressVPN | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Download speed (Mbps) | 412 | 388 | 365 | 301 |
| Speed loss vs baseline | 18% | 22% | 27% | 40% |
| Netflix US unblock | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| BBC iPlayer unblock | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| DNS leak test | clean | clean | clean | clean |
Baseline: 503 Mbps without VPN. Three runs per VPN, median recorded. Streaming tests use the dedicated streaming servers each provider recommends.
On a fast connection all four are usable — the differences show up on slower connections and for heavy streaming. NordVPN's 18% loss is the best we've measured in this category, but CyberGhost's 40% loss is still fine for most browsing. If you're on a 100 Mbps connection, any of them works; if you're on 25 Mbps, NordVPN or Surfshark give you the most headroom.
For most users, yes. Surfshark and NordVPN share the same parent company (Nord Security), so they use similar infrastructure. NordVPN pulls ahead on raw speed, audit count, and Threat Protection Pro. Surfshark wins on price and unlimited devices. If you need top-tier security features, go NordVPN. If you need value, go Surfshark.
ExpressVPN invests heavily in independent audits (12+), operates RAM-only TrustedServer infrastructure, maintains its own proprietary Lightway protocol (open-source), and is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands — all of which drive up operational costs. You're paying for trust and streaming reliability.
ExpressVPN has the best track record for working in China due to its obfuscation technology. NordVPN's obfuscated servers also work in most cases. Surfshark's Camouflage Mode (obfuscation) may work but is less consistent. CyberGhost does not officially support use in restrictive regions.
CyberGhost wins for torrenting thanks to dedicated P2P servers with port forwarding and Romanian jurisdiction (no data retention). NordVPN is a close second with specialized P2P servers and a kill switch. All four support P2P traffic.
None offer a traditional free trial, but all have 30-day (CyberGhost: 45-day) money-back guarantees. Surfshark offers a 7-day free trial on Android and iOS. You can sign up, test, and request a full refund within the window.
All VPNs introduce some latency, but NordVPN (NordLynx) and Surfshark (WireGuard) keep speed drops to 10–15%, barely noticeable in daily browsing. ExpressVPN's Lightway is competitive. CyberGhost's WireGuard is slightly slower, around 20–25% drop on distant servers.
All four VPNs offer 30–45 day risk-free trials. Start with the one that matches your needs:
We earn a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you.