NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark are the three VPNs most likely to show up at the top of every “best VPN” list in 2026, and for good reason: all three now back up their no-logs claims with repeated independent audits, all three ship apps for essentially every platform, and all three are priced to compete hard for long-term subscribers. The real differences come down to price structure, device limits, and exactly what gets bundled in at each tier. Here’s what each one actually charges and includes, based on their current pricing pages.
At a Glance
| VPN | Lowest advertised price | Month-to-month price | Simultaneous devices | Money-back guarantee | Latest no-logs audit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | $3.49/mo (Basic, 2-year plan) | $14.99/mo | 10 | 30 days | Deloitte, 6th audit (per TechRadar reporting) |
| ExpressVPN | $2.99/mo (Basic, 2-year plan) | No standalone monthly plan listed on its order page | 10 | 30 days | KPMG, 2025 (23rd audit overall) |
| Surfshark | $2.49/mo (Starter, ~27-month term) | Separate monthly billing available (price not shown on the page we reviewed) | Unlimited | 30 days | Deloitte, June 2025 (ISAE 3000) |
All three prices above are introductory rates for new customers on long-term plans; each renews at a higher rate, which we break out in the pricing tables below.
Short Verdict
Surfshark is the easiest recommendation for households, because it’s the only one of the three with no device limit at all — one subscription genuinely covers every phone, laptop, and streaming box a family owns. NordVPN sits in the middle: its Complete and Prime tiers bundle in a desktop ad blocker and other extras on top of the VPN itself, at a modest premium over its Basic plan. ExpressVPN is the most expensive of the three at every tier, but it has the longest continuous public audit history of the group, with its 2025 KPMG audit reported as its 23rd independent review. None of the three publishes a definitive, verifiable list of which streaming services it unblocks at any given moment — that changes constantly as platforms update their blocking — so if a specific service matters to you, use each provider’s money-back window to test it yourself before committing to a multi-year plan.
What Each VPN Actually Is
NordVPN, from Nord Security, is one of the longest-running consumer VPN brands and the anchor product of a company that also sells NordPass and NordLocker. Its pricing page lists three tiers — Basic, Complete, and Prime — all covering 10 simultaneous device connections. According to NordVPN’s pricing page, an ad blocker is not included on Basic but is included on Complete and Prime (desktop only), while scam and phishing protection is included on every tier. NordVPN’s own blog reports repeated independent no-logs audits, with TechRadar’s coverage describing the most recent as the sixth such confirmation.
ExpressVPN is owned by Kape Technologies and has spent years building a reputation around transparency reporting and frequent third-party audits. Its order page lists three tiers — Basic, Advanced, and Express Pro — covering 10, 12, and 14 simultaneous devices respectively, all sold as 2-year plans with four bonus months folded into the advertised term. ExpressVPN’s own blog post on its 2025 KPMG review states this was its 23rd independent audit, which — if accurate — would make it the most heavily and repeatedly audited of the three providers covered here.
Surfshark, also now part of the same corporate family as Nord Security following a 2022 merger but still operated as a distinct brand, differentiates itself primarily on device limits and bundled extras. Surfshark’s pricing page advertises three tiers — Starter, One, and One+ — all permitting unlimited simultaneous device connections, with One and One+ adding features like antivirus and an “Alert” data-breach monitoring tool on top of the core VPN (Starter’s inclusion of these was unclear from the comparison table on Surfshark’s own page at the time of writing). Surfshark published a Deloitte-conducted, ISAE 3000-standard no-logs assurance report in June 2025, covering its standard, static, and multiport VPN servers.
Pricing Breakdown
| Plan | Monthly equivalent | Billed today (promo) | Renews at (per year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN Basic (2-yr) | $3.49/mo | $94.23 for 27 months | $139.08/yr |
| NordVPN Complete (2-yr) | $3.99/mo | $107.73 for 27 months | $219.48/yr |
| NordVPN Prime (2-yr) | $6.99/mo | $188.73 for 27 months | $296.28/yr |
| ExpressVPN Basic (2-yr) | $2.99/mo | $83.72 for 28 months | $99.95/yr on renewal |
| ExpressVPN Advanced (2-yr) | $4.49/mo | $125.72 for 28 months | $119.95/yr on renewal |
| ExpressVPN Express Pro (2-yr) | $7.49/mo | $209.72 for 28 months | $199.95/yr on renewal |
| Surfshark Starter (~27 mo) | $2.49/mo | $67.23 for the promo term | $511.65 (stated regular/renewal total on the page) |
| Surfshark One (~27 mo) | $2.49/mo | $67.23 for the promo term | $538.65 (stated regular/renewal total) |
| Surfshark One+ (~27 mo) | $3.99/mo | $107.73 for the promo term | $616.95 (stated regular/renewal total) |
All three companies also sell shorter 1-month and/or 1-year terms at higher monthly rates than the multi-year plans shown above; NordVPN’s page explicitly lists a $14.99/month no-commitment Basic option, for example. VAT or local sales tax may apply on top of any of these prices depending on your location, and all figures here are in USD as listed on each company’s own site at the time of research.
Pros
- NordVPN: Clear three-tier structure, scam/phishing protection on every plan including the cheapest one, and a well-documented independent audit history behind its no-logs claim.
- ExpressVPN: The deepest and most frequent public audit record of the three (23rd audit as of its 2025 KPMG review, per its own blog), plus higher per-plan device allowances (up to 14 on Express Pro) than NordVPN’s flat 10.
- Surfshark: Unlimited simultaneous devices on every tier — the only one of the three with no device cap — making it the simplest option for a multi-person household or someone with many smart-home and streaming devices.
Cons
- NordVPN: The ad blocker is desktop-only even on the plans that include it, and the cheapest Basic tier leaves it out entirely.
- ExpressVPN: The most expensive of the three at every comparable tier, and its order page doesn’t advertise a plain no-commitment monthly option the way NordVPN does.
- Surfshark: The comparison table on Surfshark’s own pricing page was ambiguous about which extras (antivirus, Alert) are actually included on the entry-level Starter tier versus One and One+ — confirm this directly on their site before assuming Starter includes everything.
Who It’s a Good Fit For
Surfshark is the clearest pick for larger households or anyone trying to cover a long list of devices (phones, laptops, a streaming box, a router) without worrying about hitting a connection limit. NordVPN suits someone who wants a well-known brand with a long audit track record and is happy to pay a bit more for bundled extras like the ad blocker on its Complete and Prime tiers. ExpressVPN fits a buyer for whom audit frequency and transparency reporting are the deciding factor, and who is willing to pay a premium for it.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
Budget-focused shoppers who don’t need more than a handful of devices covered may find NordVPN’s or ExpressVPN’s entry tiers cost more per device than Surfshark’s unlimited-device Starter plan. Anyone who wants certainty about unblocking a specific streaming service before paying should be cautious with all three — none of their pricing pages make verifiable, specific streaming-access guarantees, and unblocking ability shifts over time as platforms update their own blocking.
Bottom Line
There’s no single best VPN among these three — the honest answer depends on how many devices you need covered and how much weight you put on audit history versus price. Surfshark wins on raw device flexibility, ExpressVPN wins on audit frequency and transparency, and NordVPN sits in a well-balanced middle position with a long track record of its own. All three back their no-logs claims with real, named independent auditors (Deloitte for NordVPN and Surfshark, KPMG for ExpressVPN) rather than just marketing language, which is a meaningfully higher bar than many smaller VPN brands clear. Use the 30-day money-back window every one of them offers to actually test your specific use case — streaming, torrenting, travel — before committing to a multi-year plan.
FAQ
- Which of the three is cheapest? On advertised introductory pricing, Surfshark’s Starter and One plans and ExpressVPN’s Basic plan are closely matched around $2.49–$2.99/month on long-term billing. Renewal pricing changes this picture, so compare the full-term renewal cost, not just the splashy headline rate.
- Which one allows the most devices? Surfshark, with no stated device limit on any plan. NordVPN caps every tier at 10 devices; ExpressVPN scales from 10 to 14 depending on tier.
- Have these VPNs actually been audited, or is “no-logs” just marketing? All three have published real third-party audit results: NordVPN and Surfshark through Deloitte, and ExpressVPN through KPMG (and historically other firms), per their own blogs and independent tech press coverage. That’s a genuine, verifiable claim, though an audit covers a point in time and specific scope rather than guaranteeing every future configuration forever.
- Do any of them guarantee access to specific streaming services? No — none of the three pricing or marketing pages we reviewed made a specific, dated guarantee for any named streaming platform. Unblocking ability changes frequently as streaming platforms update their own geo-blocking.
- Is there a free trial? None of the three advertises a free trial on the pages we reviewed; all three instead offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on new subscriptions.