NordVPN vs Surfshark:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, NordVPN had more branded searches than Surfshark among VPN services worldwide. NordVPN had about 1.8 million branded searches, while Surfshark had 673,000. NordVPN made up 46.3% of all VPN service searches we track, and Surfshark accounted for 17%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
Follow NordVPN vs Surfshark and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Is NordVPN or Surfshark more popular in search?
Compare the VPN services people subscribe to. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of searches by month for NordVPN, Surfshark. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | NordVPN | Surfshark | ExpressVPN | Windscribe | Mullvad | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 48% | 17.6% | 17.6% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 3.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.6% | 18.2% | 14.9% | 8.2% | 5.4% | 3.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 47.5% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 7.8% | 6.4% | 3.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 47.2% | 17.3% | 17.3% | 9.5% | 5.2% | 3.5% |
| Feb 2026 | 51.7% | 15.5% | 15.5% | 8.5% | 5.7% | 3.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 47.8% | 17.5% | 17.5% | 7.8% | 6.4% | 2.9% |
| Apr 2026 | 46.9% | 17.3% | 17.3% | 9.4% | 6.3% | 2.8% |
| May 2026 | 48.5% | 17.8% | 14.6% | 9.7% | 6.5% | 2.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 46.6% | 17.1% | 17.1% | 9.4% | 6.3% | 3.4% |
| Jul 2026 | 50.1% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 10.1% | 6.7% | 3% |
| Aug 2026 | 50.4% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 10.1% | 6.8% | 2.5% |
| Sep 2026 | 46.3% | 17% | 13.9% | 11.4% | 6.2% | 5.1% |
How has the NordVPN and Surfshark comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- NordVPN was ahead of Surfshark in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, NordVPN’s share of searches among VPN services worldwide moved from 48% to 46.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.2M to 1.8M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Surfshark’s share of searches among VPN services worldwide moved from 17.6% to 17%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 823K to 673K.
How did search popularity change for VPN services worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Surfshark overtook ExpressVPN to rank 2nd among VPN services worldwide, with 17% of the searches.
In September 2026, NordVPN lost share of searches among VPN services worldwide, from 50.4% to 46.3%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using NordVPN’s and Surfshark’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among VPN services
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.