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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAs of August 16, 2026, Surfshark’s VPN service is provided by Surfshark B.V., a company registered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Surfshark and Nord Security merged under a common holding-company structure in 2022. Surfshark says the brands still operate independently, so Surfshark is part of the broader Nord Security group but is not simply a NordVPN product.
The ownership answer in one table
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who provides the VPN? | Surfshark B.V. |
| Where is that company registered? | Kabelweg 57, 1014BA Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| What changed in 2022? | Surfshark and Nord Security merged under one holding-company structure. |
| Is Surfshark the same product as NordVPN? | No. They remain separate consumer brands, and Surfshark says they operate independently. |
| Who founded Surfshark? | Vytautas Kaziukonis |
Surfshark identifies the Dutch company in its privacy policy and company materials. The corporate history on its About Us page describes the 2022 merger and continuing operational independence.
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What happened when Surfshark merged with Nord Security?
Surfshark’s own description is a merger under a common holding company, not a straightforward purchase by NordVPN. The combined cybersecurity business was valued at $1.6 billion, according to Surfshark’s corporate history. That structure places Surfshark and Nord Security in the same broader group while preserving separate brands and operations.
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- Common holding-company structure: the post-2022 corporate relationship.
- Surfshark brand: the consumer VPN and related products offered through Surfshark B.V.
- Nord Security brands: NordVPN and other products associated with that company.
- Independent operations: Surfshark says the brands retain separate operations, product development and infrastructure arrangements.
Independent reviews from Tom’s Guide and TechRadar also describe the brands as operating separately. “Nord Security owns Surfshark” is therefore a useful shorthand, but “NordVPN bought Surfshark” is inaccurate without the merger qualification.
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- 【Five Gigabit Ports】1 Gigabit WAN Port plus 2 Gigabit WAN/LAN Ports plus 2 Gigabit LAN Port. Up to 3 WAN ports optimize bandwidth usage through one device.
- 【One USB WAN Port】Mobile broadband via 4G/3G modem is supported for WAN backup by connecting to the USB port. For complete list of compatible 4G/3G modems, please visit TP-Link website.
- 【Abundant Security Features】Advanced firewall policies, DoS defense, IP/MAC/URL filtering, speed test and more security functions protect your network and data.
- 【Highly Secure VPN】Supports up to 20× LAN-to-LAN IPsec, 16× OpenVPN, 16× L2TP, and 16× PPTP VPN connections.
- Security - SPI Firewall, VPN Pass through, FTP/H.323/PPTP/SIP/IPsec ALG, DoS Defence, Ping of Death and Local Management. Standards and Protocols IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.1q
Is Surfshark owned by NordVPN?
No—not directly. NordVPN is a product brand associated with Nord Security, while Surfshark is a separate brand in the wider post-merger structure. NordVPN itself should not be described as Surfshark’s parent company.
The available public materials establish the group relationship and Surfshark B.V.’s role as service provider. They do not publish a complete current cap table or definitive list of every ultimate beneficial owner. Founding a company, operating its service and owning interests in a later holding company are different questions.
Who legally operates the service?
Surfshark B.V. is the entity identified as responsible for the website and services in the current privacy policy. Its stated Amsterdam address is Kabelweg 57, 1014BA Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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- 【AC1200 Dual-band Wireless Router】Simultaneous dual-band with wireless speed up to 300 Mbps (2.4GHz) + 867 Mbps (5GHz). 2.4GHz band can handles some simple tasks like emails or web browsing while bandwidth intensive tasks such as gaming or 4K video streaming can be handled by the 5GHz band.*Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【Easy Setup】Please refer to the User Manual and the Unboxing & Setup video guide on Amazon for detailed setup instructions and methods for connecting to the Internet.
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- 【Keep your Internet Safe】IPv6 supported. OpenVPN & WireGuard pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers. Cloudflare encryption supported to protect the privacy.
Surfshark’s terms of service also name Surfshark Limited, registered in London, and Surfshark Inc., registered in Mission Viejo, California, in connection with payment processing. Those entities should not automatically be treated as the owner or the company operating the VPN.
Who founded Surfshark, and where is it based?
Surfshark identifies Vytautas Kaziukonis as its founder and says the business was originally founded in Lithuania in 2018. Its current registered service provider is in the Netherlands, while the company lists offices in Vilnius and Kaunas, Lithuania, Warsaw, Poland, and Berlin, Germany.
These facts are not contradictory: the Netherlands describes the current legal registration of Surfshark B.V.; Lithuania describes the company’s origins and important operating locations. A registered address also does not mean every employee, server or data recipient is located there.
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- Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
Does common ownership mean Surfshark and NordVPN share user data?
Ownership alone does not prove that the two VPN services share browsing histories, traffic records or other activity data. The relevant evidence is the customer contract, the identity of the data controller, the privacy policy and any documented disclosures.
Surfshark’s privacy policy identifies Surfshark B.V. as the data controller for its services and describes processing of account, subscription, payment and security-related information. It also permits sharing with parties involved in a legally justified corporate reorganization, such as a merger or sale. That clause is not evidence of routine sharing of VPN activity with NordVPN.
What “no logs” does—and does not—mean
Surfshark says its no-logs policy has been verified by Deloitte and that it uses RAM-only servers, as described in its Trust Center. Those are company statements about the scope of its policy and verification; they are not a promise that no information of any kind is ever retained. Account identifiers, email details, subscription records and payment information can still be processed.
Rank #4
- 【DUAL BAND WIFI 7 TRAVEL ROUTER】Products with US, UK, EU, AU Plug; Dual band network with wireless speed 688Mbps (2.4G)+2882Mbps (5G); Dual 2.5G Ethernet Ports (1x WAN and 1x LAN Port); USB 3.0 port.
- 【NETWORK CONTROL WITH TOUCHSCREEN SIMPLICITY】Slate 7’s touchscreen interface lets you scan QR codes for quick Wi-Fi, monitor speed in real time, toggle VPN on/off, and switch providers directly on the display. Color-coded indicators provide instant network status updates for Ethernet, Tethering, Repeater, and Cellular modes, offering a seamless, user-friendly experience.
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- 【VPN CLIENT & SERVER】OpenVPN and WireGuard are pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers (active subscription required). Simply log in to your existing VPN account with our portable wifi device, and Slate 7 automatically encrypts all network traffic within the connected network. Max. VPN speed of 100 Mbps (OpenVPN); 540 Mbps (WireGuard). *Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【PERFECT PORTABLE WIFI ROUTER FOR TRAVEL】The Slate 7 is an ideal portable internet device perfect for international travel. With its mini size and travel-friendly features, the pocket Wi-Fi router is the perfect companion for travelers in need of a secure internet connectivity on the go in which includes hotels or cruise ships.
Readers should also check whether an audit report is publicly available, what systems and dates it covered, and whether it addressed activity logs specifically or the entire privacy program.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What does Surfshark’s transparency report show?
Surfshark’s transparency report says that, in an April–June 2026 response to one legally binding warrant, it disclosed only information available to it, including confirmation that an account existed and payment-related information. It says no online-activity data was disclosed.
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That example is evidence about one request and the information Surfshark says it held at that time. It does not, by itself, prove that every category of data is never retained or that future legal requests will be identical.
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- Next-Gen Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Speeds: 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz bands ensure smoother streaming and faster downloads; support VPN server and VPN client¹
- A More Responsive Experience: Enjoy smooth gaming, video streaming, and live feeds simultaneously. OFDMA makes your Wi-Fi stronger by allowing multiple clients to share one band at the same time, cutting latency and jitter.²
- Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage: 4 high-gain external antennas and Beamforming technology combine to extend strong, reliable, Wi-Fi throughout your home.
- Improved Battery Life: Target Wake Time helps your devices to communicate efficiently while consuming less power.
- Improved Cooling Design: No heat ups, no throttles. A larger heat sink and redefined case design cools the WiFi 6 system and enables your network to stay at top speeds in more versatile environments.
How should ownership affect a VPN decision?
A common owner can raise legitimate questions about independence, but it can also provide resources for infrastructure and security. Separate brands and policies do not necessarily mean completely separate governance. Evaluate the provider using several checks:
- Legal entity and jurisdiction: identify the company signing the customer agreement and the laws that apply.
- Privacy policy: distinguish activity-log claims from account, payment and security data processing.
- Audit transparency: look for the report’s scope, date and public availability.
- Transparency reporting: check how often legal requests and disclosures are reported.
- Independent technical evidence: consider assessments beyond the provider’s marketing statements.
- Commercial terms: compare renewal pricing, device limits, refunds and payment options.
Surfshark’s current pricing context
On Surfshark’s official pricing page checked August 16, 2026, introductory rates for the first 27 months (with three extra months included) were $2.49 per month for Starter, $2.79 for One and $4.49 for One+. The page advertised a 30-day money-back guarantee and unlimited simultaneous devices. Prices can vary by currency, taxes, location, coupons, billing channel and renewal terms, so check the renewal price before subscribing: Surfshark pricing.
Alternative ownership and pricing models
| Provider | Published pricing or model | Notable distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Mullvad | €5 per month; up to five devices; 14-day refund policy with a cash-payment exception | Mullvad says its parent and VPN company are 100% owned by its founders. Pricing · About |
| Proton VPN | Free plan available; paid VPN Plus supports up to 10 devices; 30-day money-back guarantee | Swiss-based positioning, open-source apps and no-activity-logging claims. Pricing |
These alternatives illustrate why ownership is only one decision factor. A reader who wants predictable flat pricing, a free tier, fewer devices or a different corporate model may value a different provider than someone seeking unlimited household connections.
Bottom line
As of August 16, 2026, Surfshark is operated by Surfshark B.V. in the Netherlands. Surfshark and Nord Security merged in 2022 under a common holding-company structure, making them sister brands in a broader group rather than turning Surfshark into NordVPN. Surfshark says it continues to operate independently, while its privacy policy, audit disclosures and transparency reports should be evaluated separately from the ownership relationship.
Quick Recap
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