NordVPN vs Surfshark for IPTV in 2026: Which is Better?
NordVPN and Surfshark are both excellent IPTV VPNs — but they target different users. NordVPN is the performance choice; Surfshark is the value choice. Here's a direct comparison.
1Speed & Performance
NordVPN: 85–92% speed retention on NordLynx (WireGuard-based). Fastest VPN tested for IPTV streaming. Consistent performance across UK and EU servers.
Surfshark: 75–85% speed retention. Slightly slower than NordVPN but more than adequate for 4K streaming (which only needs 25 Mbps). WireGuard protocol available.
2Price & Connections
NordVPN: £2.99/month (2-year plan). 10 simultaneous connections. More expensive but faster.
Surfshark: £1.99/month (2-year plan). Unlimited simultaneous connections. Best value if you have many IPTV devices (MAG box + 2 TVs + phones).
3Verdict for IPTV
Choose NordVPN if streaming speed is the priority — it consistently delivers faster results on all server locations.
Choose Surfshark if you have many IPTV devices and want to protect all of them without connection limits, at the lowest price.
Final Thoughts
For pure speed: NordVPN. For best value with unlimited devices: Surfshark. Both are significantly better than free VPNs, which typically make IPTV worse rather than better. Neither is required for Streamtly to work — they're most useful for bypassing ISP throttling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Surfshark slow down IPTV?
With WireGuard protocol enabled, Surfshark adds only 10–20 ms of latency. On standard broadband, this is imperceptible for streaming.
Can Surfshark bypass ISP throttling for IPTV?
Yes. Like NordVPN, Surfshark encrypts your traffic so your ISP can't identify or throttle IPTV streams.
Which has better server coverage for IPTV?
Both have 3,000+ servers in 60+ countries. NordVPN's server count (6,400+) gives more options for finding the lowest-latency server for your region.
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