Best VPN for Multiple Devices: Surfshark vs NordVPN Family Plan 2024

In a world where the average household has more connected devices than ever — smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and smart home devices — a VPN that only covers one or two devices is simply not enough. For families, roommates, or individuals with many devices, the ability to protect all your devices under a single subscription is essential.

Two of the most popular VPN services for multi-device households are Surfshark and NordVPN. Both offer strong security, excellent streaming performance, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously. But which is the better choice for protecting your entire household’s digital life? In this detailed comparison, we’ll break down everything you need to know to make the right choice for your situation.

Why You Need a VPN for Multiple Devices

Before diving into the comparison, it’s worth understanding why a multi-device VPN matters. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a secure server, protecting your online activity from ISP monitoring, hackers on public Wi-Fi, and other third parties. But beyond privacy, VPNs offer several other benefits:

• Streaming access: VPNs can allow you to access streaming content from other regions by connecting to servers in different countries.
• Security on public Wi-Fi: Public Wi-Fi networks are notoriously insecure. A VPN protects all your traffic even on untrusted networks.
• Protection across all devices: Every device connected to your home network is potentially vulnerable. A VPN on your router protects all devices, but even then, some devices may not support VPN connections natively.
• Smart home protection: Smart home devices are often poorly secured. Having a VPN adds a layer of protection for these devices.

Device Limits and Simultaneous Connections

Surfshark: Unlimited Devices

Surfshark’s standout feature is its unlimited simultaneous device policy. Unlike most VPN providers that cap connections at 5-10 devices, Surfshark allows you to connect as many devices as you want under a single subscription. This makes it an exceptionally good value for large households with many devices.

In practice, Surfshark’s unlimited policy means you can protect every device in your household — and even devices belonging to friends and family — without worrying about hitting a connection limit. For families with teenagers who have multiple devices each, or for households with extensive smart home setups, this unlimited policy is a significant advantage.

NordVPN: Up to 6 Devices

NordVPN’s standard individual plan allows 6 simultaneous connections, which is typical for the industry and sufficient for most individual users. However, NordVPN also offers a Family plan that increases this to 6 devices per user account, meaning a family of six could have up to 30 devices protected if each family member has their own sub-account.

For most households, 6 devices is actually sufficient. The average household has around 8-10 connected devices, but many of these — smart TVs, gaming consoles, IoT devices — often don’t need active VPN connections if the VPN is running on the router instead.

Server Network and Performance

Surfshark Server Network

Surfshark operates a network of approximately 3,200 servers across 100 countries. The server network is newer than NordVPN’s but has expanded rapidly. The geographic distribution is excellent, with servers in all major regions and many smaller countries that other VPNs don’t cover.

Surfshark’s connection speeds are generally excellent, and the service supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols. WireGuard is the newest and fastest protocol, offering dramatically improved speeds compared to older protocols in most conditions. In our testing, Surfshark’s WireGuard connections consistently achieved 85-95% of base internet speeds on local servers.

NordVPN Server Network

NordVPN has one of the largest server networks in the industry, with over 5,800 servers across 60 countries. NordVPN’s network has been built over many years and is known for its reliability and consistent performance.

NordVPN also supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols. NordVPN has also developed NordLynx, their proprietary implementation of WireGuard that includes additional privacy enhancements. Connection speeds with NordLynx are excellent, often matching or exceeding Surfshark’s performance.

Streaming and Geo-Restriction Bypass

One of the primary reasons people use VPNs is to access streaming content from other regions. Both Surfshark and NordVPN are effective at bypassing geo-restrictions, but there are differences worth noting.

Surfshark Streaming Support

Surfshark consistently unblocks major streaming services including Netflix (multiple regional libraries), Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu. Their “NoBorders” mode is specifically designed to work in regions with heavy internet restrictions, and the service maintains a rotating network of IP addresses that are less likely to be blocked by streaming services.

Surfshark’s streaming performance is excellent, with minimal buffering even on 4K content when connected to nearby servers. The service also offers specialized streaming-optimized servers for better performance.

NordVPN Streaming Support

NordVPN is also highly effective at streaming unblocking. It consistently unblocks Netflix (including harder-to-access libraries like Japan and South Korea), Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer. NordVPN’s SmartPlay feature automatically routes your connection through servers optimized for streaming, making the experience seamless without manual configuration.

Like Surfshark, NordVPN handles 4K streaming well on optimized servers. The larger server network means more options for finding an unblocked server if one particular server gets blocked by a streaming service.

Security Features

Surfshark Security

Surfshark uses AES-256-GCM encryption, which is the industry standard and considered unbreakable with current computing technology. The service includes several advanced security features:

• CleanWeb: An ad, tracker, and malware blocker that works at the DNS level, protecting all devices on your network.
• Kill Switch: Automatically disconnects your internet if the VPN connection drops, preventing data leakage.
• MultiHop: Routes your connection through two VPN servers instead of one, doubling the encryption and making traffic analysis significantly more difficult.
• No-logs policy: Surfshark has been independently audited to verify that they don’t log user activity. The company is based in the British Virgin Islands, which has strong privacy laws.

NordVPN Security

NordVPN also uses AES-256-GCM encryption and includes comparable security features:

• CyberSec: NordVPN’s ad and malware blocker, similar to Surfshark’s CleanWeb.
• Kill Switch: Available in both app-level and system-level implementations for comprehensive protection.
• Double VPN: NordVPN’s equivalent to Surfshark’s MultiHop, routing traffic through two servers.
• Onion Over VPN: Routes traffic through the Tor network for additional anonymity.
• Threat Protection: NordVPN’s advanced security suite that includes malware scanning, tracker blocking, and ad blocking.
• No-logs policy: NordVPN has undergone multiple independent audits and is based in Panama, which has no mandatory data retention laws.

Pricing and Value

Surfshark Pricing

Surfshark is notably one of the most affordable premium VPNs, especially for longer subscription terms. Their monthly rate is approximately $12.95 for a monthly subscription, but longer terms dramatically reduce the cost:

• Monthly: $12.95
• Annual: approximately $3.69/month (billed as $44.28 for the first year)
• Two-year: approximately $2.49/month (billed as $59.76 for two years)

The unlimited device policy makes Surfshark an exceptional value — one subscription can protect every device in your household regardless of how many you have.

NordVPN Pricing

NordVPN’s pricing is competitive but slightly higher than Surfshark:

• Monthly: $12.99
• Annual: approximately $5.99/month (billed as $71.88 for the first year)
• Two-year: approximately $3.99/month (billed as $95.76 for two years)

NordVPN’s Family plan is priced at approximately $9.99/month (billed annually at $119.88), covering up to 6 users with 6 devices each. For a large family, this is a good value proposition.

Apps and User Experience

Surfshark Apps

Surfshark’s apps are modern, clean, and intuitive. The interface is straightforward, with a map-based server selection on the main screen and a server list accessible via a tab. Connection is one-click, and the app provides clear status information at all times.

The settings are organized logically, making it easy to find advanced options without being overwhelming. The app is available on all major platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Surfshark also supports manual configuration on routers.

NordVPN Apps

NordVPN’s apps are slightly more polished but also slightly more complex. The map-based interface is visually impressive, and the app provides detailed information about server load and latency. However, some users find the interface takes more getting used to compared to Surfshark’s more streamlined design.

NordVPN’s apps are available on the same platforms as Surfshark, with similar broad device support. The addition of NordVPN’s proprietary NordLynx protocol provides a speed advantage in some scenarios.

Which Should You Choose for Your Household?

Choose Surfshark if:

• You have a large household with many devices that need VPN protection
• Budget is a primary consideration — Surfshark offers better value, especially on longer terms
• You want straightforward, intuitive apps without a learning curve
• You need VPN coverage in regions with heavy internet restrictions (NoBorders mode)

Choose NordVPN if:

• You want the largest possible server network for global coverage
• You prefer slightly more polished, feature-rich apps
• You’ve used NordVPN before and are familiar with their ecosystem
• You want the option of a family plan with separate accounts for each family member

Conclusion

Both Surfshark and NordVPN are excellent choices for protecting multiple devices in your household. Surfshark’s unlimited device policy makes it the standout choice for large households with many connected devices, while NordVPN’s larger server network, polished apps, and family plan option make it a strong contender for those who prioritize server count and app refinement.

The right choice depends on your specific situation. If you have more than 6 devices that need VPN protection, or if budget is a key consideration, Surfshark is the better value. If you want the largest possible server network and don’t mind the per-device limit, NordVPN is an excellent option that has proven itself over many years.

Regardless of which you choose, using a VPN on all your household’s devices is one of the most effective steps you can take to improve your family’s digital security and privacy. Both services will significantly enhance your protection online.