Compare OctoVPN and Surfshark on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.
Both listed as alternatives to: ExpressVPN
Norway· VPN Services
Needs review
Shortlist when you need a Norwegian-operated WireGuard/OpenVPN with claimed DDoS-protected exits and optional private dedicated IPs for gaming or small-group use. Skip when independent no-logs audits, enterprise SSO/fleet controls, or strict EU-only egress are mandatory—consider Mullvad or Proton VPN instead.
Netherlands· VPN Services
Needs review
Shortlist Surfshark when you need unlimited concurrent devices, a large RAM-only commercial VPN network, and optional Surfshark One suite tools under a Dutch legal entity. Skip when you need ownership diversification away from the Nord Security group, open-source clients, cash-only anonymous accounts, or hard EU-only account processing without US-group SaaS — consider Proton VPN or Mullvad instead.
Highlighted rows differ between the two products.
| Feature | OctoVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | Norway | Netherlands |
| Category | VPN Services | VPN Services |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hosted | No | No |
| Headquarters | Norway | Netherlands |
| Legal entity | OctoSEC AS (org. no. 926185918), Bosmyrkollen 9, 4620 Kristiansand S | Surfshark B.V. (Kabelweg 57, 1014BA Amsterdam, the Netherlands) |
| Governing law | Laws of Norway; Kristiansand tingrett (per ToS), subject to mandatory consumer rules | Netherlands / EU GDPR as controller per Privacy Policy |
| US parent / control | No known US parent | No known US parent |
| CLOUD Act exposure (indicative) | Medium | Medium |
| Hosting / residency | Multi-region VPN exits (EU and non-EU, including multiple US cities). Payments via Stripe (US). Private-server DDoS marketed with Cloudflare Partner. Hosting providers not fully listed publicly; third-party maps associate some PoPs with OVHcloud, Linode/Akamai, BuyVM, and others. No complete official subprocessor register found. | Global RAM-only VPN server network (vendor: 4,500+ servers / 100+ countries). Account/support/analytics/payments subprocessors per Privacy Policy include Google (Firebase Analytics, BigQuery), Cloudflare, Zendesk, Stripe and other PSPs, AppsFlyer, Iterable, Purchasely, Telnyx, plus group companies in EEA, UK, and the United States. Transfers use SCCs or adequacy. |
| Summary | Norwegian (OctoSEC AS) WireGuard/OpenVPN service focused on DDoS-protected exits, low-latency gaming use, and optional private dedicated servers—not an audited enterprise fleet VPN. | Dutch-registered VPN and Surfshark One cybersecurity suite: unlimited devices, RAM-only servers, audited no-logs claims, and optional antivirus, leak alerts, and identity tools. |
| Tags |
| At a glance | OctoVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / entity | OctoSEC AS (926185918), Kristiansand, Norway; founded 2020-11-25 | Not listed |
| Protocols | WireGuard; OpenVPN TCP/UDP | Not listed |
| Locations | Over 40 claimed (NA, EU, APAC); multi-region including US | Not listed |
| Shared plan sessions | 1–3 concurrent devices by tier (vendor site) | Not listed |
| Private servers | Dedicated IP, multi-user, optional Cloudflare Partner DDoS | Not listed |
| Independent audit | No public no-logs audit found | Not listed |
| Commercial model | Subscription + optional private servers (see vendor site) | Not listed |
| Payment processor | Stripe (per privacy policy) | Not listed |
| HQ / legal entity | Not listed | Surfshark B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Ownership | Not listed | Merged holding with Nord Security (2022); brands operate separately |
| Deployment | Not listed | Cloud VPN / SaaS suite (not self-hosted) |
| Open source | Not listed | No (closed-source clients) |
| Device model | Not listed | Unlimited simultaneous connections (paid plans) |
| VPN network | Not listed | 4,500+ RAM-only servers, 100+ countries (vendor-stated) |
| Primary audits | Not listed | Deloitte no-logs 2023/2025; Cure53; SecuRing |
| Key capabilities | OctoVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Norway-operated (EEA) | Yes | Not listed |
| WireGuard + OpenVPN | Yes | Not listed |
| DDoS-protected exits (claimed) | Yes | Not listed |
| Private dedicated servers | Yes | Not listed |
| Zero-logs (claimed) | Yes | Not listed |
| Unlimited devices | Not listed | Yes |
| RAM-only servers | Not listed | Yes |
| NL legal entity | Not listed | Yes |
| Deloitte no-logs (claimed) | Not listed | Yes |
| VPN + One suite | Not listed | Yes |
| Closed source | Not listed | Yes |
DDoS-protected shared VPN exits
All published shared locations are marketed with enterprise-grade DDoS protection on the exit path, aimed at absorbing IP-targeted attacks common in multiplayer gaming while keeping WireGuard/OpenVPN tunnels available. Confirm current coverage and mitigation scope with the vendor for high-risk use.
WireGuard and OpenVPN on every location
Every plan includes both WireGuard (speed/latency focus) and OpenVPN over TCP or UDP for restrictive networks. Protocol choice is productized for mixed device fleets rather than WireGuard-only stacks.
Private dedicated VPN servers with exclusive IP
Optional private servers provide an isolated host, dedicated IP, live resource monitoring, region changes, multi-user management with expiry, and higher concurrent connection limits than shared tiers. Private-server marketing includes Cloudflare Partner anti-DDoS capacity (claimed high-capacity protection).
Gaming-oriented routing and CoD DNS helper
Positioning and server placement target low ping near major exchanges. CoD VPN is a separate DNS-based Call of Duty matchmaking product (not a full-tunnel VPN) that can be combined with OctoVPN when users want both lobby routing and encrypted general traffic.
Cross-platform clients with tight device caps
Official materials list Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and router support under a single subscription model. Standard shared tiers allow only one to three concurrent devices depending on plan—plan capacity carefully for households or small teams.
Unlimited simultaneous VPN connections
One subscription covers every concurrent device the account can run — phones, laptops, TVs, routers — without the 5–12 device caps common on rival plans. Best for households and multi-device freelancers; confirm current ToS limits for free trials.
RAM-only global VPN network with modern protocols
Vendor-stated 4,500+ RAM-only servers across 100+ countries; WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and in-house Dausos. Nexus features include MultiHop, IP Rotator, Everlink self-healing, and FastTrack routing. Server counts and locations change — verify live map before region-critical use.
Surfshark One security suite (beyond the tunnel)
Optional bundling of antivirus (AV-TEST scored), Alert leak monitoring, Alternative ID (disposable persona/email/number), private Search, and Incogni data-broker removal on higher tiers. Suite tools process extra personal data by design — read the Privacy Policy scopes before enabling them.
Nexus MultiHop, IP Rotator, and CleanWeb
Dynamic MultiHop for entry/exit pairing, periodic IP rotation without full disconnect, CleanWeb ad/tracker blocking, plus kill switch and bypass controls. Useful for privacy-sensitive browsing and shared networks; not a substitute for endpoint hardening on high-risk devices.
Audited no-logs posture and public security tests
Deloitte no-logs assurance reported for 2023 and 2025 (account-gated full reports); public Cure53 and SecuRing assessment PDFs for infrastructure/apps. Treat as strong consumer-grade transparency, not automatic enterprise ISO/SOC coverage.
| Assurance & compliance | OctoVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Independent no-logs / security audit | Not found Privacy policy claims zero VPN activity logs; no public third-party audit PDF or firm engagement found on official pages. | Vendor claimed Deloitte no-logs assurance reports for 2023 and 2025 (ISAE 3000 framing per vendor; full reports account-gated). Public Cure53 and SecuRing security/infrastructure PDFs also published on Trust Center. |
| ISO 27001 | Not found | Not found Not found as a primary advertised company-wide certification on Trust Center pages reviewed for this draft. |
| SOC 2 / SOC 3 | Not found | Not found Not found as a primary advertised company-wide certification on Trust Center pages reviewed for this draft. |
| GDPR / EU data protection | Vendor claimed Norwegian EEA entity; privacy policy cites GDPR and Personopplysningsloven; Datatilsynet complaint path listed. | Vendor claimed Dutch B.V. controller; Privacy Policy cites GDPR, DSAR rights, SCCs/adequacy for transfers. Not legal advice. |
| US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative) | Partial No known US parent (Norwegian AS). Medium indicative exposure: Stripe payments, Cloudflare Partner DDoS for private servers, multi-region exits including US hosts; hosting subprocessors not fully published. Not legal advice. | Partial EU entity / no known US parent, but Privacy Policy lists US-group subprocessors (Google analytics/storage, Cloudflare, Zendesk, Stripe, AppsFlyer, Telnyx, US group companies) for account/support/marketing/payments paths. VPN no-logs claims do not eliminate account-data exposure. Indicative only — not legal advice. |
| Data processing agreement (B2B) | Not found Consumer ToS/privacy only on public site; no productized B2B DPA flow found. | Not found No clear public self-serve B2B DPA package found on primary pages; Teams is sales/quote-driven. Confirm contract language before enterprise use. |
| EU AI Act | Not applicable Connectivity/VPN product; not an AI system under typical procurement framing. | Not applicable Consumer VPN/security suite; AI-assisted scam-check features exist but product is not AI-centric as primary category. |
| VPN Trust Initiative seal | Not listed | Vendor claimed Vendor displays VTI certification/seal on About and Trust materials; confirm current listing on vpntrust.net if required. |
| Considerations & known limitations | OctoVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| No public independent no-logs audit | High Zero-logs is first-party only. If vendor risk requires audit letters or ISO/SOC, treat as a blocker until evidence is obtained offline. | Not listed |
| Incomplete public subprocessor / hosting list | Medium Stripe and Cloudflare (private servers) are named; full server-host inventory is not published. Third-party PoP maps are incomplete leads. Demand a written subprocessor list for procurement. | Not listed |
| US-linked processors and multi-region exits | Medium No US parent found, but Stripe, Cloudflare commercial DDoS, and US PoPs/US VPS brands create a non-zero indicative CLOUD Act / US process path versus pure EU hosting. Not legal advice. | Not listed |
| User-selected non-EU exits | Medium Traffic can exit in the US and other non-EU countries. Strict residency policies need operational controls (allowed server lists), not HQ location alone. | Not listed |
| Low concurrent device caps on shared plans | Low Shared tiers advertise 1–3 devices. Households and teams may need private servers or multiple subscriptions. | Not listed |
| Norwegian jurisdiction (Nine Eyes) | Low Norway is often grouped in Nine Eyes intelligence cooperation discussions. Policy claims zero activity data to hand over; still a jurisdiction factor for some threat models. | Not listed |
| Shared holding with Nord Security | Not listed | Medium After the 2022 merger, Surfshark and Nord brands sit under one industry group even if infrastructure is separate. Shortlists that need ownership diversification should not treat NordVPN as an independent alternative. |
| US-group SaaS in account data path | Not listed | Medium Privacy Policy names Google, Cloudflare, Zendesk, Stripe, AppsFlyer, Telnyx and US group companies among recipients. Practical impact: account, support, billing, and marketing data may be reachable via US legal process even when VPN activity is claimed unlogged. |
| Limited public enterprise certs / DPA | Not listed | Medium Strong consumer-facing audit marketing (Deloitte, Cure53, SecuRing) but ISO 27001/SOC 2 and a self-serve DPA were not found on primary pages. Regulated buyers need extra contract and evidence work. |
| Suite features expand personal data processing | Not listed | Low Alert, Alternative ID/number, email scam checker, and Incogni process additional identifiers or content by design. Enabling the full One suite widens the privacy surface beyond pure VPN tunneling. |
| Closed-source client applications | Not listed | Low Clients are not open source; buyers who require public code review of VPN apps should prefer peers with OSS clients. |
When: You prioritise audited no-logs and minimal identity over gaming DDoS features
Consider: Mullvad
Mullvad is stronger on the public privacy/audit narrative; weaker on marketed exit DDoS and private gaming servers.
When: You want a broader European privacy suite (VPN plus mail/storage ecosystem) or a free tier
Consider: Proton VPN
Different product scope; confirm DDoS and dedicated-IP needs separately.
When: You need remote port forwarding and open-source clients
Consider: AirVPN
AirVPN is stronger for inbound ports and GPLv3 Eddie; different eligibility constraints apply.
When: You need a large commercial consumer brand with maximum server footprint
Consider: NordVPN or ExpressVPN
Trade small Norwegian operator transparency for scale and packaging; re-check audit and ownership facts for each.
When: You want open-source clients, a free tier option, and a privacy stack outside the Nord/Surfshark group
Consider: Proton VPN
Smaller device cap than Surfshark’s unlimited concurrent connections; stronger open-source posture.
When: You prioritize account-number privacy, minimal identity linkage, and a tunnel-focused product
Consider: Mullvad
Fewer lifestyle suite tools; different commercial and account model.
When: You want peer-reviewed AirVPN-style advanced networking features and a non-Nord ownership path
Consider: AirVPN
Different audience and ops model; check current catalog status and docs.
When: You already standardize on Nord products and only need another brand under the same holding
Consider: NordVPN
Sibling brand after 2022 merger — not ownership diversification.