Surfshark VPN

Surfshark delivers what you expect from a premium VPN. It offers unlimited device connections, impressive server performance, reliable Netflix access, and a robust privacy policy. Additionally, Surfshark's speeds and connection stability have improved since our last round of tests. Its monthly plan is priced the highest out of the services we’ve tested, but that figure drops dramatically if you subscribe to a long-term plan. Surfshark is well worth considering, especially for long-term use, though our Editors' Choice winners NordVPN and Proton VPN offer similar features for less money if you only need a short-term plan.

Pricing and Plans

Surfshark’s monthly subscription is the highest of the VPNs I’ve tested. Surfshark Starter includes the VPN, an ad blocker, and a masked email generator for $15.45 per month. The next tier up is Surfshark One for $17.95 per month. That plan includes an antivirus, data leak alerts, and a private search engine that blocks ads. The highest-priced plan is Surfshark One+ at $20.95 per month, which includes everything in the prior tiers as well as data removal courtesy of Incogni. 

I spoke to a company representative regarding the monthly subscription cost, who said, "...We feel that our product is most beneficial when used long-term, and that’s why we offer the cheapest two-year plan in the market. For those users who would like to test out the product and see how it works when committing to a longer subscription period, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee."

(Credit: PCMag/Surfshark)

As the rep stated, the prices drop significantly if you choose a 12-month or 24-month subscription. The long-term plans also include three free months of service with the purchase. For example, Surfshark Starter drops to $3.19 per month ($47.85 for 15 months) if you choose the annual plan. The two-year plan cuts the cost down to $1.99 per month ($53.73 for 27 months). 

(Credit: PCMag/Surfshark)

The other tiers offer similarly competitive discounts. However, keep in mind that promotional rates change frequently. That’s why I tend to focus on the monthly cost. I prefer pricing models that are flat rates, like Mullvad’s. These separate plans with differing tiers can get confusing and can lead to you spending more than you need on features you may never use. 

Surfshark’s pricing makes it a bit easier to understand by having a detailed chart that shows the features you get with each plan. Even so, I would like to see more details there. Some of the features don’t give you worthwhile information when you click on them. The ad blocker feature expands to say, “Enjoy a cleaner surfing experience, with no ads or pop-ups.” Sure, but how is that implemented? I'd like to see more robust descriptions or for there to be links to a relevant page.

Regardless, it is best to try a VPN before you lock in an annual subscription. Server availability, local performance, and content unblocking in your region can vary widely, even if the service may be excellent elsewhere. The only way to know which service is right for you is to try it. All of Surfshark’s plans are backed by the same 30-day money-back guarantee. I was pleased to see the guarantee remain the same across the board since some competitors tend to shorten the return period on one-month plans.

You can also make use of a seven-day free trial on any plan. A valid credit card or PayPal purchase will be required to get access to it, and you will be charged after the trial period ends if you don’t cancel. It’s a rather generous offering with no restrictions on bandwidth or features. When it is time to pay, Surfshark accepts most major credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple. It’s nice to see more than just Bitcoin as an option for cryptocurrency. 

Alternatively, there are several cheap VPNs and even a few worthy free VPNs to consider. Proton is one of the only free VPNs that doesn't impose a data limit on user traffic. Also, keep in mind that other services, such as IVPN and Mullvad, even accept cash payments.

As mentioned earlier, Editors' Choice winners Nord and Proton are worth considering if you need a VPN on a month-to-month basis. Proton lands the top spot with a high-performance server network and a suite of excellent privacy tools for $9.99 per month. Nord also offers a compelling value with a host of bundled security tools and support for advanced configuration options for $12.99 per month. If you plan to subscribe for 12 months or longer, however, Surfshark becomes much more competitive.

Features

The VPN is only one component of Surfshark’s ever-growing security suite. Surfshark’s bundled antivirus doesn’t quite stack up to standalone applications like Bitdefender, but it’s still one of the better add-on services that we’ve tested. The antivirus, called Surfshark One, goes beyond just detecting malicious sites and malware. It offers something closer to a bespoke antivirus experience with real-time protection and on-demand scans. 

Surfshark One subscribers get access to Surfshark Search and Surfshark Alert. Search is a standalone browser with ad-blocking capabilities and a built-in proxy feature that lets you mask your location. Alert functions as a data breach detector. It frequently scans and alerts you if your email, credit cards, or identity has been compromised or found on the dark web. All subscribers get access to Alternative ID, which quickly generates one-time use disposable emails and identities for sites that require your personal information. It can also be used to create virtual phone numbers.

Back on the VPN side of things, you can pay an additional $3.75 per month on any plan to unlock dedicated IP addresses. You can also access static servers for free, while other providers charge for the privilege. Anyone who uses a Surfshark static server shares an IP address with everyone else on the same server, but static servers are still a good option for applications where a dynamic IP address could cause issues, such as when using voice over IP (VoIP) chats. 

I like the direction that many VPNs are going by incorporating additional security tools. That said, I think these features should be optional without arbitrarily inflating the cost of the standalone VPN service. As more features are being offered by VPNs, many have been incrementally increasing the price of their lowest-priced subscription to incentivize bundles. 

While the emerging pack of VPN/security suite hybrids is powerful, they can't solve all your privacy problems. There are a wide range of ways to track you online. I recommend using the privacy tools built into most browsers and a standalone ad or tracker blocker. I highly recommend creating unique and complex passwords with a password manager, enabling multi-factor authentication wherever possible, and using standalone antivirus software.

VPN Protocols

Lacking any proprietary protocols, Surfshark offers the common selection of WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. WireGuard is the current industry standard. It’s lightweight, open-source, and doesn’t compromise on security. OpenVPN is another user-favorite that has been around and trusted since 2001. It is also open-source and is the go-to choice for many VPN’s basic infrastructure. Last up is IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange Version 2), which is known for its fast performance and mobile network support. 

Surfshark offers WireGuard and OpenVPN in its Android, iOS, macOS, linux, and Windows apps. The IKEv2 protocol is also available on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. The service also provides a browser extension that functions as a proxy, meaning it encrypts only your browser traffic with TLS but routes that traffic through its network of servers.

Servers and Server Locations

Surfshark lists more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries. While that coverage is impressive, those numbers pale in comparison with Cyberghost's network of more than 11,000 servers. You’re less likely to experience overcrowding if a service has a robust network, as it's more likely that you’ll have multiple connection options in your area. You’ll also have a better chance at spoofing your location and accessing location-specific content. 

The server list is informative and details which servers support multi-hop, P2P, static IP addresses, and dynamic IP addresses. Countries with multiple servers can be clicked on to show the city-level details of where each server is located. Unfortunately, countries with one server don’t get that same treatment. You also do not get any information regarding whether the server is physical or virtual. While using one type of server over the other isn’t going to make a vast difference in your browsing experience, having that information listed would be helpful. 

Surfshark says it relies on trusted third-party data centers to provide its server infrastructure. The company also uses tamper-resistant RAM-only servers. This means if someone were to physically remove the server to access the data inside, the server would be immediately wiped. When asked about the nature of Surfshark’s data centers, a company representative stated:

“Yes – we work with our trusted and carefully vetted third-party partners, although all server installations are handled exclusively by our in-house teams to maintain control and oversight. Overall, when talking about our infrastructure, it’s important to add that our top priority is the security and privacy of our users. We are running all servers on volatile (RAM) memory (diskless servers). This means that no data or configurations are ever stored locally on the servers, ensuring that information cannot be physically extracted and allowing for rapid, remote wiping as part of our ongoing security protocols. Additionally, we’ve implemented sophisticated intrusion detection systems to further enhance our infrastructure.”

If you’ve used other VPN clients before, you may wonder where the specialized servers for torrenting, streaming, and gaming are. Surfshark takes a slightly different approach from these more traditional categories. All servers are meant to work with streaming services and deliver low latency.

(Credit: PCMag/Surfshark)

However, the app doesn’t clearly indicate which servers support peer-to-peer (P2P) torrenting connections. That information is listed on the VPN’s server page, but I would like to see that detail added in the application. Otherwise, you could unknowingly connect to a server that doesn’t support P2P.

Privacy

I see plenty of approaches to privacy policies, and Surfshark’s privacy page is one of the easiest to understand out of the companies I have reviewed. The same is true for the its terms of service section. In both cases, the information is accompanied by blurbs that summarize the more in-depth details below it in plain terms. Each section is presented in an FAQ style with a question as the header and an answer below it, going over the specifics. There’s no way around the fact that these pages are lengthy, but I recommend taking the time to read through them in their entirety. 

Surfshark does not log IP addresses, data usage, session information, browsing history, or any other identifiable information. Time stamps are logged, but that data is only kept for 15 minutes after the termination of your session. This practice is fairly standard for VPNs that offer unlimited simultaneous connections to prevent abuse of the feature. Surfshark assures that this data is anonymized and cannot be accessed by anyone. 

I'm impressed with how Surfshark breaks down every interaction (social media, email, customer support, etc.) you can have with the company and how the service handles data in each instance. It’s clear that Surfshark respects user privacy and values transparency in its documentation. Additionally, the company confirmed that it only generates money from the sale of subscriptions, not from the sale of customer data.

In 2022, Surfshark merged with Nordsec, of NordVPN fame (you can read a direct comparison between NordVPN and Surfshark here). The company was previously incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, and a company representative explained that it continues to operate under BVI law for the sake of consistency. Both companies are currently owned by a Netherlands-based holding company called Cyberspace. The company was initially founded in Lithuania and now operates offices in Amsterdam, Berlin, Vilnius, and Warsaw. When I asked a company representative if Surfshark shared any of its infrastructure with Nord, they reassured that “Surfshark and Nord Security operate as autonomous companies relying on separate infrastructures, different product development plans, and separate customer bases.”

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Surfshark’s Trust Center functions as a hub for key privacy and security details. You can view the company’s audit history, read through quarterly transparency reports, and review other related documents. There is also a live warrant canary. If law enforcement were to contact it for information, the company says it would be unable to identify an individual user. The transparency reports detail the number of DMCA requests and government inquiries that VPN has been subject to. As of this writing, no inquiries have resulted in the handover of user data. 

Many VPN companies commission third-party audits to verify company statements about customer privacy and security. Surfshark was audited twice by Cure53, a cybersecurity firm based in Germany that has audited several other VPN service providers. The first audit, in 2018, focused on the Surfshark browser extension, while the second audit, from 2021, looked at Surfshark's infrastructure and VPN configuration. Finally, in January 2023, the company completed an audit by Deloitte that confirmed Surfshark was complying with its stated policy to not keep user activity logs. I reached out to a company representative and found that Surfshark is currently undergoing another audit by Deloitte. I will update the review with its findings when the investigation concludes. 

Where you draw the line on trust may differ from how we test and evaluate VPNs. I believe Surfshark takes adequate measures to protect user privacy, but I encourage you to review all of the details and form your own conclusion. 

Does Surfshark Work With Netflix?

Streaming services tend to restrict their content on a per-region basis due to licensing restrictions. Netflix may have the rights to broadcast a show in the United States but not in Japan, and vice versa. 

I was impressed by Surfshark’s performance. It accessed Netflix with Open libraries on every server I tested. You can read more about how we qualify these results in the chart above, as well as in our guide on how to unblock Netflix with a VPN.

Speed and Performance

It’s almost guaranteed that a VPN is going to lower your upload and download speeds while increasing your latency. However, your base speeds are going to vary, too. To understand how a VPN impacts your performance, I calculate a percent change between batches of tests run with a VPN and those without, using the Ookla Speedtest tool.

Surfshark’s performance was top-notch in testing. My download speeds only decreased by 3.25%, far exceeding the average of 29%. Upload speeds were just as good with a marginal decrease of 6.07%. Latency increased by 83.92%, but that figure is still well under the average of 199%. Each of these runs includes 10 back-to-back speed tests, which I ran twice (a total of 20 tests). 

The chart below shows how Surfshark stacks up to the competition. I update these results throughout the year with new results and products, so what you see is the latest testing data:

Keep in mind that my results are from using this VPN at a particular time of day and in a particular location. Your results will likely differ from mine, which is part of the reason I don’t recommend you pick a VPN based on speed testing alone.

Hands On With Surfshark for Windows

I tested Surfshark on an Intel NUC 12 “Serpent Canyon” running the latest version of Windows 11. On Windows, Surfshark offers a stylish app with flat shades of blue and a smart design that expands and contracts to show more or less information. I especially like that it has a clear, obvious way to get online. When you first download the app, you’ll be asked how familiar you are with VPNs. Picking Beginner will give you a quick tutorial and show you around the app. I liked this approach since you can choose to skip it if you’re an experienced user.

(Credit: PCMag/Surfshark)

A red icon in the top right corner makes it clear whenever you’re disconnected from the service. A Quick Connect button will route you to the best local server based on your location. You can fine-tune your selection with a handy server menu that displays a list of alphabetized countries. Each country will show the city-level location as well. You can then sort by static IP options, multi-hop servers, and dedicated IP addresses. There will be tabs on the left-hand side of the app for popping between the different services, such as antivirus and ID alert. 

The gear icon in that same tab list will take you to the advanced settings page. Here, you can configure VPN protocols, change what the quick-connect button does, and decide how you want the kill switch to behave. Surfshark offers split-tunneling, labeled as Bypasser in the app, if you have applications you’d rather not be slowed down by the VPN’s encryption. Also notable is the option to block or allow local network traffic, which is handy for streaming to other devices or accessing network printers.

All in all, the Windows experience with Surfshark is straightforward. New users will find it pretty easy to understand, and experienced users will have plenty of extra features to configure. 

Hands On With Surfshark on iOS

I tested Surfshark on an iPhone 14 running iOS 16.3. Installation was easy with a direct download available in the App Store. Once you login, you’ll be greeted by a somewhat busy interface. It’s not nearly as sleek and spaced out as the desktop client, and it could be confusing to navigate at first. The connection button is tucked away down at the bottom of the app, and it will move with you as you scroll the server list behind it.

(Credit: PCMag/Surfshark)

All of the core functions are present. You can change protocols, enable split tunneling, and configure your auto-connect settings. Aside from the interface itself, very little is different between the iOS and macOS versions of the VPN. Other desktop features present include auto-connect, a kill switch, IP rotator, and NoBorders mode. In terms of performance and Netflix access, the iOS version was consistent with my tests on Windows and macOS. 

Hands On With Surfshark on Android

I tested Surfshark's Android app using a Samsung Galaxy S23 FE running Android 14. Much like the iOS version, the Android interface is a little busy. The app reminds you to enable extra features like antivirus and ID alerts regularly, which can get annoying if you're only interested in using the VPN.

(Credit: PCMag/Surfshark)

All protocols and advanced settings are available on Android, and no features are absent compared with the Windows version of Surfshark. I tested a variety of servers and connected without problems using every protocol. Access to Netflix was just as seamless as it was on desktop versions.

Hands On With Surfshark on macOS

I tested Surfshark on a 2020 M1 MacBook Pro running Sequoia 15.5. You can download the macOS version directly from Surfshark’s site or from the App Store.

(Credit: PCMag/Surfshark)

The macOS client is largely the same as on Windows. All of the same features are present, including split-tunneling, multi-hop, and dedicated IP addresses. I checked to see if Netflix access remained completely open, and it did. I also did not experience any DNS leaks or performance issues.

Customer Support and Money-Back Guarantee

Even the best VPN services can have issues, so I evaluate the support options and the responses I get from support staff. Lastly, I check to see if a VPN stands by its money-back guarantee by going through the refund process myself.

Surfshark’s help center is a good place to start. The search bar sifts through FAQs, guides, and posts on the site to see if the answer to your query is already out there. You can also sort through a few predetermined sections below the search bar based on the nature of the problem you’re facing. I found the content of said guides to be pretty informative and straightforward to use. 

If your problem isn’t noted somewhere or you just want to speak to a person about something related to the VPN, you can chat directly with a live agent or submit a help ticket. You’ll have to complete a form with your email, name, and question for both. The bot will try to answer your questions first. If it fails, you’ll be directed to a live agent. I didn’t wait long. It only took a few seconds to get transferred. 

I presented the agent with a fabricated issue of my VPN not connecting. While I didn’t run into any problems with the service, I wanted to see how an agent would handle it if I did. The representative I spoke to was knowledgeable and walked me through the steps to reinstall the application and troubleshoot my connection issue. 

(Credit: PCMag/Surfshark)

The agent recommended I install the App Store version of the app, as the one I installed directly from Surfshark’s site did not include OpenVPN protocols on macOS. After I had a good idea of the troubleshooting steps, I let the agent know my issue was resolved. 

For the money-back guarantee, you don’t need to speak to an agent at all. The chatbot will link you to a refund page where you can submit your request. You are required to list a reason for your request, and it can take up to 12 hours for it to be processed. My refund was approved approximately eight hours after my request.