Surfshark Review (Jan. 2024): Powerful VPN for a Great Price
We tested Surfshark's VPN servers from around the globe.
Surfshark is consistently fast and ultra secure. It also provides features like dedicated IP addresses and GPS spoofing that boost your privacy online. Keep reading for the full review.
Surfshark is a difficult VPN to beat. For only $ 1.99 per month, you can unblock Netflix and other streaming sites from anywhere in the world. Couple that with consistent and fast speeds, advanced security features, and unlimited simultaneous connections? It’s hard to find a better option, and many experts across the web agree.
Our detailed review of Surfshark contains all the information you need to know about the provider before making a decision.
Limited offer: Get Surfshark for 82% off plus up to 4 MONTHS FREE!
Surfshark: Pros and Cons
What We Liked
- Unblocks streaming services like Netflix with ease thanks to servers in 100+ countries
- Fast speeds, making it ideal for streaming and gaming
- Unlimited simultaneous connections, allowing you to use it on as many devices as possible
- Easy to install and use, so it's perfect for beginners
- Cheap long term plans ideal for people on a tight budget
- All servers allow you to download torrents
- 30-day money-back guarantee allow you test it risk-free
What We Didn't Like
- Expensive monthly plan
Surfshark is an excellent choice if you’re looking for an excellent all-around VPN. With Surfshark, you can hide your online identity, unblock streaming platforms, stream live sports, and play online games — all without breaking the bank.
Surfshark is also a great VPN for the whole family. You can use one subscription on an unlimited number of devices. Your $ 1.99 per month will cover everyone’s phones, laptops, tablets, smart TVs, and more.
Love keeping up to date with the latest shows? Our tests showed that Surfshark can unblock any streaming site, from Netflix to Disney Plus. Surfshark speeds also ensure that you won’t experience any lags while binge-watching.
Visit Surfshark to learn more about its unblocking ability and performance.
💵 Price | From $1.99 a month |
📱 Operating systems | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux |
💻 Connections | Unlimited |
💳 Payment methods | PayPal, Other, Credit card, Cryptocurrency |
🔒 Protocols | OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard |
📥 Torrent options | Torrenting allowed |
📅 Money-back guarantee | Money-back guarantee, 30 Days |
📋 Logs | Zero logs |
🎬 Works with |
How Much Does Surfshark VPN Cost?
Surfshark’s cheapest plan is its two-year plan, which costs $ 1.99 per month. This offers the biggest savings, especially since you also get an ad blocker and a cookie pop-up blocker.
Surfshark also offers a monthly and annual plan, as seen below. We recommend opting for a one-year subscription ($3.99/mo) or a two-year subscription ($ 1.99/mo) to enjoy the most savings. For comparison, ExpressVPN’s annual plan costs $ 6.67/mo.
- Surfshark 24 months $1.99mth Deal View offer
- Surfshark 12 months $3.99mth View offer
- Surfshark 1 month $10.99mth View offer
Surfshark also offers extra security tools. Surfshark One, starting at $2.69 per month, includes Surfshark Antivirus, webcam protection, and real-time email and ID breach reports.
Alternatively, you can get Surfshark One+, which includes Surfshark Incogni (a data removal tool) and starts at $3.99 per month.
Surfshark accepts various payment methods, including:
- Credit card (Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover Card)
- PayPal
- Google Pay
- Amazon Pay
- Cryptocurrencies
To further increase your privacy, Surfshark allows users to pay anonymously through cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin through CoinGate and Coin Payments. There are also local payment options, such as Direct Debit, which allows you to pay using your local bank.
Note:
On Surfshark’s website, its prices are available in euros, AUS/CAN dollars, Chinese yuan, and pound sterling. Surfshark VPN uses the US dollar as its main currency, so prices in other currencies may vary. Appropriate VAT/sales taxes may also be added to the final costs depending on your location.
Do you get your money’s worth with Surfshark?
From our experience with 70+ VPNs, we think Surfshark provides excellent value for money. Its annual and two-year plans offer bargain prices considering the features and performance you get in return.
Read on to learn how Surfshark performs and how it fares for different purposes.
Does Surfshark Work With Streaming?
Surfshark can unblock all major streaming services. And this is not a flash in the pan — in all the years we’ve been testing VPNs with streaming providers, Surfshark’s servers have always bypassed streaming geoblocks with ease.
Here’s a summary of how Surfshark fares against streaming services:
Platform | Can Surfshark unblock it? |
---|---|
Netflix (US) | ✔ |
Netflix (UK) | ✔ |
Disney Plus (EU) | ✔ |
Hulu (US) | ✔ |
BBC iPlayer (UK) | ✔ |
Prime Video (EU) | ✔ |
HBO Max (EU) | ✔ |
Surfshark and Netflix
Since Netflix implemented VPN and proxy bans, many VPNs have a hard time unblocking the streaming service. This is usually the case with free VPNs.
In our years of testing VPNs, Surfshark always bypasses Netflix geoblocks. For instance, we tried watching five seasons of the Netflix US-exclusive Supernatural from the Netherlands. We gained access the first time and didn’t experience any buffering.
Although Surfshark doesn’t have specialized streaming servers like CyberGhost, its 600+ US servers still gave us easy access to Netflix US. Its consistent performance and fast speeds make it one of our best VPNs for Netflix.
Torrenting With Surfshark
Unlike other providers, Surfshark doesn’t have specialized P2P servers for torrenting. However, during our tests, we confirmed that Surfshark’s servers are optimized for anonymous torrenting. In fact, it has a spot on our best VPN for torrenting list.
We were able to access and download movies and books from 1337x and other popular torrenting sites. Most importantly, our real IP address wasn’t exposed while torrenting. This is vital to avoid the legal pitfalls of torrenting, such as download fines.
Surfshark Servers and Locations
Surfshark has 3200+ servers across 100 countries. If you’re looking for a specific IP address, you can find Surfshark server locations in the following countries:
- Americas: Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela
- Asia Pacific: Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau SAR China, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam
- Eurasia: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan
- Europe: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom
- Middle East and Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Israel, Morocco, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates
Note that some of Surfshark’s server locations are virtual. This means the server could appear to be in a particular country, although the physical infrastructure is in another country. The main challenge of using a virtual server is that you might face slower response times compared to physical servers.
As of the time of writing, Surfshark has about 40 virtual servers in countries such as India, Ghana, Mexico, Monaco, and Laos.
Dedicated IP addresses
Surfshark offers dedicated IP servers and static IPs. A static IP server will give you the same IP address each time you connect. However, other people can use this server as well.
Dedicated IPs, on the other hand, are unique IPs assigned to only one user. In other words, if you purchase a dedicated IP, nobody else can use it. Currently, Surfshark offers dedicated IP addresses in the U.S., the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Australia, Japan, Italy, Canada, and Hong Kong.
Here are some benefits of using dedicated IPs:
- Improved unblocking: Some websites may block or limit access from shared IP addresses. Having a dedicated IP address can help you bypass those types of restrictions.
- Less likely to be blacklisted: Shared IP addresses can get blacklisted due to the actions of other users who may have used that IP address to commit illicit activities. With a dedicated IP address, your online activities are isolated from others, reducing your risk of being affected by IP blacklisting.
- Reduces the number of CAPTCHA requests: Using a dedicated IP address cuts down the number of CAPTCHA prompts you get on Google and other sites.
Note that dedicated IP addresses are more traceable than shared IP addresses. However, Surfshark has users covered with their anonymous Dedicated IP option, which deletes all information about your Dedicated IP address stored in their database.
How Fast is Surfshark?
We tested Surfshark VPN while surfing, watching videos, downloading torrents, and playing online games, and it provided a fast, stable connection every time.
While browsing, we didn’t notice Surfshark’s effect on our internet speeds at all. Loading websites, emailing, downloading attachments, and browsing social media went very smoothly. We had no issues watching videos on YouTube and streaming the best shows on Netflix, either.
On top of this, we didn’t experience any lag while gaming. We connected to both local and US servers without noticeable delays. We tested graphics-intensive, first-person shooting games like Battlefield 2042 to see how Surfshark VPN would hold up. There was a slight latency drop, but it was marginal. Gameplay wasn’t affected at all.
Speed test results for Surfshark
We ran several speed tests on Surfshark from our base in the Netherlands. The aim was to try different Surfshark servers and evaluate the impact on download and upload speeds.
First, we checked latency, upload, and download speeds without a VPN connection. Next, we tested Surfshark’s speeds in at least one country on each continent. This gave us a bird’s eye view of how Surfshark performed. We’ve summarized the results in the table below.
Note:
Your actual speeds might differ depending on various factors, including your starting speeds, internet connection, and location. These values as an indicator of potential speeds.
Server | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) | Ping (ms) |
---|---|---|---|
No VPN | 203.13 | 247.24 | 3 |
Fastest server (Amsterdam) | 192.59 | 230.07 | 6 |
The Netherlands | 193.15 | 230.46 | 5 |
UK (London) | 192.77 | 223.34 | 61 |
Germany (Frankfurt am Main) | 193.75 | 229.47 | 18 |
Spain (Barcelona) | 194.25 | 227.27 | 46 |
Mexico (Mexico City) | 75.5 | 28.94 | 349 |
United States East (New York) | 167.99 | 219.05 | 182 |
United States West (Los Angeles) | 132.28 | 63.82 | 310 |
Canada (Montreal) | 164.06 | 24.83 | 217 |
Brazil (São Paulo) | 127.95 | 225.71 | 405 |
South Africa (Johannesburg) | 133.01 | 209.12 | 469 |
Japan (Tokyo) | 121.94 | 147.88 | 490 |
Australia (Sydney) | 119.14 | 33.2 | 300 |
Argentina (Buenos Aires) | 63.45 | 31.58 | 347 |
Portugal (Lisbon) | 186.56 | 223.01 | 53 |
When we connected to servers close to our testing location, we did not experience a significant impact on our upload and download speeds. We were able to maintain at least 94% of our initial speeds on the European-based servers we tested. Our latency on those servers increased, but not by much.
For distant servers in countries such as Brazil, Australia, and South Africa, our speeds dropped slightly, and our ping increased. However, compared to other VPNs that we tested, Surfshark’s latency is better than most.
Pound for pound, Surfshark’s upload and download speeds are some of the best and fastest speed test results of any of the VPNs we’ve tested, making it one of the fastest VPNs on the market. Here’s a quick comparison against our most recent download speed test results from other top-drawer VPNs:
- Surfshark’s fastest server maintained 94.81% of our initial speed.
- ExpressVPN’s fastest server gave us 58.94% of the download speed we started with.
- With CyberGhost, we saw download speeds peak at around 93.20% of our starting speed.
- NordVPN, our all-around best VPN, held 93.30% of our starting speed.
Is Surfshark Safe?
After analyzing its security features, we’re confident that Surfshark can offer you a high degree of protection. From hiding your true IP to encrypting your traffic and not logging personal data, Surfshark passes every test with flying colors.
Does Surfshark leak your data?
Much like how a leaky pipe drips with water, a VPN leak can allow data to slip through the encryption protocol, potentially exposing your real identity, location, or browsing activity. As part of our Surfshark VPN review (and all of our VPN reviews), we tested for common data leaks.
Unsurprisingly, Surfshark did not disappoint. It passed our leak tests with flying colors.
First, we checked for IP leaks using our handy IP checker tool. Surfshark passed this test.
Next, we used a different service to test for DNS and WebRTC leaks. It’s good news all around — Surfshark didn’t leak our data.
Regardless of the location we tested, Surfshark kept both our original IP address and VPN use secret. The following image gives an overview of the effectiveness of Surfshark VPN at keeping us hidden in different countries worldwide.
Can you sign up to Surfshark anonymously?
Yes, you can subscribe to Surfshark anonymously. Using a private and secure email address and paying with cryptocurrency can further conceal your identity. You can also use an alias to sign up instead of your real name.
Surfshark only requires the following information to create an account:
- Email address
- Payment details
Logging and privacy
Surfshark is based in the Netherlands. The country is part of the Nine Eyes, which is a global surveillance and data-sharing alliance. However, since Surfshark uses RAM-only servers, which wipe on every reboot, the chances of your data being accessed are low.
Surfshark VPN also has a strict no-logs policy and makes every effort to record as little personal information as possible. Here is the information Surfshark collects about you when you use its services:
- E-mail address
- Payment details
- Account registration date
- Information about subscription
- Encrypted password
Surfshark’s strict no-logs policy was verified by independent security audits in 2018 and 2021. In December 2022, Deloitte once again audited and confirmed the legitimacy of Surfshark’s policy, emphasizing that your data is safe with Surfshark.
Protocols and encryption
Surfshark offers AES-256-GCM encryption (which is faster than regular AES-256 encryption) and uses some of the safest VPN protocols currently available to VPN providers. Here’s a list of the protocols you can use:
- OpenVPN (TCP/UDP): Considered one of the best protocols to use, OpenVPN is open-source and widely used among VPN providers. Use this protocol if you want the best combination of speed and security.
- WireGuard: This protocol is incredibly fast and uses a secure ChaCha20 encryption algorithm. WireGuard has under 4,000 lines of code (while OpenVPN has 400,000+), which reduces loading times and vulnerabilities hackers might exploit.
- IKEv2/IPsec: This protocol is good for mobile users because of its reconnection abilities. We recommend it if you’ll be switching between mobile networks and WiFi networks often.
Our tests showed that these protocols work just as advertised with Surfshark: they were able to encrypt our data. Plus, switching protocols was just as easy.
Surfshark also offers NoBorders mode, which helps users bypass censorship in restrictive regions. In our Surfshark tests, we were impressed by this feature’s performance as it detects restrictions on your network and recommends the most optimized servers.
Access in China is inconsistent, however. Our tests showed that it was possible to go online in China while connected to Surfshark, but you might have to try many different servers. Even then, your location and provider might determine whether or not your VPN works.
Finally, Surfshark offers perfect forward secrecy, no matter what protocol you choose. Forward secrecy constantly changes encryption keys, so if there’s ever a breach, the stolen keys become useless once you turn your VPN off. All these features have landed this VPN service a place on our list of best no-log VPNs.
Kill switch
Surfshark offers a kill switch on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. We tested the feature and confirmed that it works seamlessly. You can enable the option by going into the settings on your Surfshark app.
Surfshark offers a soft and strict kill switch. The soft kill switch will disconnect your internet access whenever the VPN connection is interrupted. On the other hand, the strict kill switch is a system-wide kill switch that doesn’t allow your device to connect to the internet altogether unless you’re connected to a VPN.
A kill switch is an essential security feature for any VPN. As the name suggests, it instantly “kills” your internet connection if your VPN malfunctions unexpectedly for whatever reason. This prevents data leaks and keeps you protected whenever your VPN falters.
Surfshark Nexus
Surfshark Nexus is the VPN’s latest upgrade to improve security and user experience. We think Nexus is an improvement for Surfshark users’ online privacy. You’ll be able to rotate between servers without losing your VPN connection, protecting your real IP address from being intercepted.
Nexus connects users to the VPN’s entire network of servers instead of to an individual location (or subgroup of servers). The infrastructure has already been deployed, though full features are still being gradually rolled out. This process began in 2022 and has continued over the course of 2023.
These features include:
- IP Rotator: Automatically changes your IP address every five to 10 minutes while your VPN location stays the same
- IP Randomizer: Gives you a new IP address each time you visit a new website or open a new app
- Dynamic MultiHop: Allows you to pick your own entry and exit points for MultiHop
At the time of writing, only the “IP Rotator” feature was live. You can activate this feature by following these steps:
- Go to “Settings” in the Surfshark app.
- Click on “VPN Settings.”
- Scroll down and tap “Advanced Settings.”
- Enable “Rotating IP.”
MultiHop, Bypasser, and CleanWeb
Surfshark offers multiple extra features that help keep you safe online. Three of the big ones are MultiHop, Bypasser, and CleanWeb. All of these did exactly what the provider said when we tried them for this Surfshark review.
MultiHop (also known as “double VPN”) allows you to “hop” from one VPN server directly to another, providing additional security. Essentially, all of your traffic now goes through two encrypted connections. Unfortunately, this does have a negative impact on your internet speeds. After all, your traffic has to go through two VPN servers instead of one.
If you’re looking for a split tunneling feature in Surfshark VPN, you’ll be happy with their Bypasser. This tool allows you to connect to specific apps and websites using your own IP address instead of that of the VPN server.
CleanWeb is Surfshark’s ad blocker, which performed surprisingly well during our tests. It was even able to block ads that managed to slip past some of our best ad blockers.
NoBorders and Camouflage Mode
Surfshark also has two VPN modes on top of its regular VPN service. Camouflage Mode is Surfshark’s version of “obfuscation technology.” It’s designed to disguise your VPN traffic so you can bypass any content filtering. This makes it more difficult to monitor your activities. Camouflage Mode runs automatically when you pick OpenVPN (TCP or UDP) as your protocol.
If you’re located in a region with restricted internet, NoBorders Mode will allow you to access the internet freely. When Surfshark detects any kind of restrictions on your network, it automatically enables the NoBorders mode. This gives you a selected list of servers that perform well despite network censorship.
Unlike Camouflage Mode, you’ll have to enable NoBorders yourself via your VPN Settings menu, as seen in the screenshot below.
GPS spoofing
Recently, Surfshark added a GPS spoofing function to its service. GPS spoofing allows your phone’s location to match your VPN server’s. This feature is useful if you want to cloak your real GPS location on apps such as Tinder or BeReal.
Surfshark’s GPS spoofing option is only available on Android as of writing.
Setting up this option takes some time. Here’s a rundown of the process:
- In the Surfshark software, go to “Settings” in the bottom right corner, then click on “VPN Settings.”
- Scroll down and click on “Advanced Settings.”
- Click the slider next to “Override GPS Location” so it turns green.
- Likely, Surfshark VPN will tell you that you need to adjust your phone’s settings to allow you to override your GPS. If so, go to your phone’s “Settings” and scroll down to “About Phone” at the very bottom.
- Scroll to the bottom of the “About Phone” menu until you see “Build number,” and tap this option seven times. Once done, your device will tell you you’re a developer.
- Go back to your phone’s “Settings,” click on “System,” and unfold the “Advanced” menu at the bottom.
- Tap “Developer Options.”
- Scroll down, and tap on “Select Mock Location App.” When prompted, choose “Surfshark.”
- Go back to the Surfshark app and tap “VPN” in the bottom left corner.
- Connect to a server of your choice.
You’ll now be connected to the VPN server of your choice, and your GPS will match the location of that server.
Surfshark Alert and Surfshark Search
Surfshark Alert and Surfshark Search are only available with the Surfshark One package, which is an all-in-one solution that includes more than just the VPN service.
Surfshark Alert will notify you when your email or passwords might be in danger of being compromised. Surfshark Search is Surfshark’s answer to the anonymous search engine DuckDuckGo.
On top of these smaller tools, Surfshark One also includes a separate antivirus program. The Surfshark One package costs $1.49 per month on top of your regular plan. If you’d like to know more about the antivirus software specifically, you can read our full Surfshark One review.
Surfshark Alternative ID
Surfshark’s latest feature is Alternative ID, which allows you to create a new online profile with a new name, age, gender, and email address. Alternative ID is useful if you’re visiting sites that have shady privacy practices. Rather than share your real name and email address with them, you can use your alternative ID details.
Using an alternative ID also keeps your email away from data brokers and reduces the chances of spam or promotional emails. You can set up the Alternative ID to forward emails to your actual email address.
Note that this feature is only available on Surfshark One and Surfshark One+.
Is Surfshark Easy to Use?
Surfshark excels at user-friendliness. Its website and apps are very easy to use, and the installation process is quick and effortless.
All the features are right at your fingertips, whether you’re a newcomer to VPNs or an advanced user. Once you’ve signed in, you won’t be overwhelmed by countless options and settings. Instead, you’re only shown settings that matter to the average VPN user.
All options and settings include a clear description, and the different menus are easy to navigate. Plus, the customer support team is quick to respond and ever-ready to help, making a Surfshark a very user-friendly VPN.
Surfshark’s website and account dashboard
The Surfshark website is very well-organized, and all the important information is right at your fingertips. This made navigation simple and straightforward as we moved around the website.
The “My Account” section of the website is as simple as possible. Here, you can download software for specific operating systems and see details about your account and subscription. As a result, managing your Surfshark account is very easy.
Surfshark on Windows
As expected, the Surfshark user experience is seamless. We tested the app on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. The app dashboard is clean and well-organized, with the features within reach.
Surfshark’s server list is easy to navigate. It also allows you to choose which server location to connect to, a feature that’s rarely seen in free VPNs.
Surfshark’s Windows client is available for download from your account dashboard.
We found the Windows installation process simple and straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step guide for installing Surfshark on Windows:
- Choose a Surfshark subscription and go through the order process.
- Log in to the Surfshark VPN website and click on the Windows icon to download the software.
- Open the .exe file you downloaded.
- Go through the steps of the installation wizard.
- Open the Surfshark app once it’s installed.
- Log in with the Surfshark login information you created for your account.
- Select a server, then enable Surfshark.
Surfshark on Mac
Many service providers tend to falter when it comes to installing their VPN on macOS, but Surfshark rides the wave pretty well. The installation process is nearly identical to the process for Windows above.
Surfshark worked seamlessly on a MacBook Pro with macOS Monterey. Surfshark VPN also works perfectly with the latest Apple M1 Pro chip, so you don’t need to worry about tinkering in the Command Terminal to get it running properly on macOS.
Also, as you’ll see in the pricing section below, you can take advantage of a seven-day free trial on Mac. If you need a robust VPN for Mac, you can’t go wrong with Surfshark.
Surfshark on Linux
Surfshark has an excellent dedicated graphical user interface (GUI) app for Linux. We tested the app and found it exceptionally easy to use. The selection of commands you have to learn is limited, making Surfshark our top VPN for Linux.
Surfshark VPN on Linux also includes a number of neat extra features, such as an automated selection of the best available servers, a kill switch, MultiHop, and the ability to switch between UDP and TCP servers easily.
The app is available on Debian 11 and Mint 20 distros, but you’ll enjoy it most on Ubuntu. That said, the likes of NordVPN support more distros, including CentOS, Elementary OS, OpenSUSE, and RHEL.
Surfshark’s browser extension
Surfshark’s dedicated browser extension works for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge and allows you to use the VPN exclusively within your browser. We only needed a few minutes to install Surfshark’s Chrome extension, and it was a breeze.
Surfshark’s extension comes with some useful extra options:
- Netflix VPN blocks bypassing: In the rare case that Surfshark’s software doesn’t work with Netflix, the browser extension provides a simple solution. Clear your cookies, connect to a server, and enjoy your favorite Netflix show.
- Ad blocker: Instead of downloading a separate ad blocker extension, you can use Surfshark to block advertisements and trackers within your browser.
- Pop-up blocker: Use Surfshark’s blocker to stop annoying cookie consent pop-ups while browsing.
- Data breach alert: While the extension is active, Surfshark will warn you about sites with a history of data breaches by displaying a thin red line at the top of the screen.
- Malware alert: Similar to the data breach alert, Surfshark will monitor malicious activity and warn you if it finds anything suspicious.
The browser extension works well for its purposes. Moreover, it’s an especially good solution for getting around streaming blocks.
Surfshark’s unlimited simultaneous connections
One of Surfshark’s unique features is that you can use it on an unlimited number of devices. This is perfect if you need a VPN for multiple devices or if you want to share your subscription with friends and family.
Surfshark’s unlimited simultaneous connections offer is impressive because most top VPNs cap the number of devices you can connect to at the same time. For example, you can use NordVPN on only six devices simultaneously, while ExpressVPN caps it at five.
Customer service
During this Surfshark review, we discovered that Surfshark VPN provides multiple support options, including:
- Knowledge base
- Live chat
- Email support
You can find the knowledge base tucked away under the “Resources” section of the website. It covers everything from installation guides to connectivity issues, with plenty of FAQs. We were quickly able to locate answers to our questions.
You can reach out to Surfshark’s customer support agents by emailing support@surfshark.com.
If you want real-time support, you can use the live chat function. Note that you’ll have to go through a chatbot first. However, you can switch to a live agent whenever you want.
In our experience, we were assisted by an actual employee within a minute. We reached out because of initial problems with watching American Netflix, and customer service was able to help us fix our issue in no time.
The support agents were patient, kind, and helpful, and we were able to resolve the problem.
Surfshark’s money-back guarantee: How to get a refund
Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee as long as you abide by their terms of service. You can use this refund option to try Surfshark for free for a full month, and after that, you can cancel Surfshark if you want. Moreover, this subscription can be used on unlimited devices.
To ask for a refund, simply send a message to support@surfshark.com or get in touch with any of the live chat agents.
Surfshark also offers a seven-day free trial on macOS, iOS, and Android. All you have to do is download the Surfshark VPN app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, sign up for an account, register your payment method, and start the trial.
Your card will be charged after seven days unless you choose to cancel. In case you accidentally keep a subscription, you’re still eligible for Surfshark’s 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s a win either way.
Get Surfshark for free — for longer!
Did you know that you can use Surfshark for free for up to two years? While the money-back guarantee is great, you’ll have to subscribe to use the service for longer than 30 days. Luckily, Surfshark’s refer-a-friend program lets you extend your free period.
When you subscribe, you’ll receive a custom link, which you can find under the “Settings” menu in your app. If your friend signs up with the link and sticks around for a month, you’ll earn free subscription extensions. Here’s how it works:
- Invite one friend (Iron): 1 month free
- Invite three friends (Bronze): 2 months free
- Invite five friends (Silver): 3 months free
- Invite ten friends (Gold): 6 months free
- Invite 20 friends (Platinum): 12 months free
The only downside is that Surfshark doesn’t specify how many invites you must send to hit “Diamond” status and gain 24 months for free. But few other providers offer such incentives, so this was a great addition to see.
Comparisons With Other VPNs
How does Surfshark measure up against other VPNs? Check out this table below:
VPN | |||
Score | 9.0 | 9.3 | 8.8 |
Price | $ 1.99 | $ 2.99 | $ 6.67 |
Logs | Zero logs | Zero logs | Zero logs |
Connections | Unlimited | 6 | 8 |
Compatibilities | |||
Netflix | Works with Netflix | Works with Netflix | Works with Netflix |
Visit Surfshark | Visit NordVPN | Visit ExpressVPN |
NordVPN remains our highest-rated VPN, thanks to its advanced security features. However, Surfshark is the clear option if you’re prioritizing affordability. The $ 1.99 price tag is hard to beat, especially when you factor in its unlimited simultaneous connections.
We recommend picking Surfshark if you want a premium VPN on a budget. While other premium VPNs can match its ease of use, they can’t match its killer combination of speed, features, and affordability.
What Do Reddit Users Think of Surfshark?
After reviewing over 100 Reddit Surfshark reviews, we can report that many Redditors are impressed with Surfshark’s prices and security features. It’s actually one of the best VPNs according to Reddit users.
Here are screenshots of some of the comments.
This Redditor took time to list the pros and cons of Surfshark in their opinion.
Of course, not all the reviews were singing Surfshark’s praise. Some redditors raised concerns about Surfshark’s speeds.
In our opinion, this shouldn’t raise a red flag; VPN servers can experience slow-downs because of server congestion. In this case, you can opt for a dedicated IP or simply try a different server. Surfshark’s customer service should also be able to offer help in these cases.
Do We Recommend Surfshark?
Is Surfshark a good VPN? It’s clear that Surfshark is a top-drawer VPN for many use cases. It’s reliable, secure, fast, can connect unlimited devices, and works well for browsing, streaming content, downloads, and torrents.
At the same time, it boasts great security features like a kill switch, dedicated IP addresses, ad blocking, GPS spoofing, and access to varied Netflix libraries. On top of that, its affordability makes it a great alternative to using free VPNs that often come with limitations and security issues.
It’s no surprise that Surfshark is currently the second-best VPN in our books. Check out our comparison guides below to see how Surfshark fares against NordVPN and other top VPN providers:
Do you have a question about Surfshark? We’re here to help. Simply click the question you’re interested in, and the answer will appear.
Surfshark is a very secure provider. It uses the two safest and most well-known protocols: OpenVPN and WireGuard. This VPN does not keep logs and only requires your email address in order to create an account. Moreover, it offers countless additional security features to protect your online presence.
Surfshark works with Netflix perfectly. When you use their servers, you’ll be able to access the Netflix library of dozens of different countries, including the U.S., the UK, France, Germany, and Turkey. If you use a Surfshark server that isn’t located in one of these countries, you’ll automatically be sent to the American version of Netflix.
Surfshark is, without a doubt, one of the best Netflix VPNs out there.
Surfshark is one of the cheapest VPN providers out there. You’ll be able to get a two-year subscription for just $ 1.99 a month. A twelve-month subscription comes down to $3.99 a month, while a monthly subscription will cost you $13.99.
Surfshark very fast and barely affects your internet speed during daily use. In fact, it is one of the fastest VPNs on the market. Surfshark does cause a minor decrease in download and upload speeds, but that does not affect browsing, streaming, or downloading activities, which makes Surfshark a good VPN for everyday use.
Surfshark is a great VPN. In fact, it is our number two pick for overall best VPN. Between the kill switch, AES-256 bit encryption, split tunneling, and its ability to unblock Netflix and other streaming platforms, the Surfshark VPN is a great pick for most users.
Yes, Surfshark and other VPN services are perfectly legal in most countries, including the United States, most of Europe, and other Western nations. However, some countries such as China, Russia, and Iran may have bans and restrictions on VPN usage.
Surfshark I'd down in China for more than 1 month now. Get your story right.
Hi Andrew! Thank you for your comment. We've actually looked into this over the past month, with some testing on the ground, and found that Surfshark does work in China, but only in specific regions/places (and even then it can be hard to get the connection up and running). We will be updating our review with that information.
Surfshark blows. I've had it for several years and the stability has constantly degraded. Customer Service quality has degraded, and the app is crap. For no reasons known to man, it would suddenly stop working, and then you'd have to play poke n' hope with changing protocols, which may or may not blow up the app. Many times it would not load on start up, and I'd have to kill it in Task Manager to even have a hope of it working.
Last straw was the additional configurations I had to go through to "fix" SS issues, like it blocking a Reddit client.
I switched to ProtonVPN. First...it just worked with no "special" configuration. Second, and more important, the throughput tended to be about 30% higher than SS. I dumped SS and have never looked back.
We're sorry to hear you've been having so many issues with Surfshark, Griff! We use it at our office daily and haven't encountered similar issues so far (Surfshark is one of my personal favorite VPNs to use), but we'll definitely keep an eye out! Possibly, contacting customer service or a full reinstall might have worked - although it sounds like you're happy with your switch to Proton VPN instead. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Hello there, unfortunately I can not share this positive experiences. Namely around February 2023 it became quite poor. I used it over two years (signed up when their headquarters were still in virgin islands, now they are in Netherlands located). It was okish not brilliant. Especially in February 2023 it became worse. Even closest and fastest servers. So if they get such positive theoretically reviews.... My usage over two years are different. I used it not permanent. In the forum Reddit I've read quite a few complains about surfshark. Be aware surfshark and NordVPN are one enterprise since 2022.
Hi Friedbert,
We're sorry to hear about that! Have you tried contacting Surfshark's customer support? They're generally really good at solving any issues users come across. We haven't ran into these issues ourselves (I personally use it every day) so hopefully it's a simple fix that will allow you to benefit fully from this service.
It's true that Surfshark and Nord have indeed merged, but the two VPN services still operate separately, each with their own merits.
I've been using Surfshark for over a year now and have always had problems. Netflix regularly detects it which means that I have to keep trying different connections. When I connect to the US, Australia, Canada or the UK, Netflix shows up as being in those countries. If I connect to any EU country then Netflix shows up as the Spanish version, but I live in Spain so that's useless. Any other country worldwide shows up as the US Netflix. Contacting their tech support was a waste of time, they actually had the balls to tell me that: "it can take from a few hours to a few days" for Netflix to change region after you use Surfshark to change your location, the sentence in quotes is a literal quote from their tech support! If you like waiting three days to watch Netflix in another country then this is the VPN for you! If you want to watch the BBC iPlayer from another country then expect your connection to repeatedly drop because that's what happens to me. BTW, I have a fibre optic connection and have no problems at all when not using Surfshark so the blame does not lie on my side.
Hi Gareth! We're sorry to hear you're not as content with Surfshark as you could be. One thing that usually works for us is the browser extension. This is a free extension you can download from the Surfshark website. Connecting to the VPN through there gives us instant access to Netflix in various countries, as well as BBC iPlayer and other local streaming services. In our experience, it didn't cause any lag, either.
Another tip: if Netflix has trouble switching regions, clear your cookies or use the incognito mode of your browser. This should solve that issue for you. Hope this helps!
I recently switched to Surfshark from another provider and finallyyy i found a vpn that works with netflix. It connects in no time and its really straight forward to use, so it literally takes a second. I only noticed that the extension is a bit faster than the app, so I recommend installing it on your browser and go binge watch that show
Surfshark’s Netflix library down for 1 year (since Aug, 2021), they can’t fix it until now, and they only want to make me 1 month compensation.
Hi Raymond! Have you tried the Surfshark browser extension to watch Netflix? That has been working perfectly fine for us for months! We hope that'll help you, too. If you're not sure where to download it, simply go to the Surfshark website, scroll all the way down and click "VPN download" in the footer, then choose your browser (likely Google or Firefox).
Awful app and worse service. I am traveling for the summer so staying in hotels. Apparently, the app doesn't often work in hotels, when I would want it most. Additionally, support pages and live chat won't open on my laptop (zero problems with other websites) so I had to use live chat on my phone for a laptop problem. Zach sends me these guides on PDFs through chat but I don't read well on my phone due to poor eyesight so ask him to either email me or walk me through using OpenVPN (yes, they want you to download additional apps). He said he emailed me. He did not but I did receive an email from Manny as a follow-up. When I replied with a complaint, no more contact from either Zach, Manny, or any other member of their so-called "support" team. Don't be swayed by a slightly cheaper price. Spend more for a better VPN and avoid Surfshark.
We're sorry to hear that, Russell! We personally haven't had any issues using Surfshark on holiday and while on hotel Wi-Fi. As for Surfshark's customer support, we're surprsied they haven't gotten back to you when they said they would. It seems like an unfortunate mistake on their part. Usually, their customer support team is helpful and true to their word. Of course, we can imagine your situation is very frustrating. We hope your experience has improved and that the app works normally for you by now! Thank you for sharing your experience.
I had two years of Surfshark and in that time I thought I had a good deal. What I didnt know was that the streaming services were not supposed to have to be restarted, sometimes every twenty minutes. It was only after I got NORD did I see the true streaming experience I should have been seeing.
I was told that the problem was my system was restricted, what ever that means.
Their documentation is terrible but you wouldnt notice any of these things if you had never had a VPN before.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're sorry to hear you had those issues with streaming services. It's true that Surfshark (and almost all other VPNs) has had some serious issues unblocking Netflix over the past year or so. Currently, however, Surfshark seems to be on top of its game. Especially its browser extension allows you to access different libraries of streaming services with just one click -- a massive improvement. Nord is just as effective, though. We hope you'll continue to enjoy your subscription there!
My experience with Surfshark has been great. I tend to often use public wifi and noticed that speeds have been great most of the time. Also the fact that Surfshark connects automatically is a big help, as sometimes it is easy to forget to do it manually. So do not have any complaints so far.
Be careful. Don't fall for the bait and switch. They currently show $56.76 for 24 months then annually.
I was with SurfShark for two years at $23.88 a year ($1.99 a month). I was paying $47.76 for two years.
I received an email today informing me that my new subscription rate would be $89.99 / year ($7.50 a month).
I like SurfShark a lot.
Just one thing bugs me:
UK Manchester and UK Glasgow sends the IP to Romania and the Middle East but
London seems ok
I now check my location each time using the mylocation.org website.
Perhaps it's just a UK thing and might be why we get caught with so many security checks
I signed up for Surfshark's multi-year deal. Up until today I had a good opinion of them. Today that changed. Although Surfshark provides good download speeds, their tech support is very disappointing. They are currently having issues where certain websites cannot be accessed while running their VPN. No.. I'm not complaining about the Netflix block. I have been using Surfshark to access a streaming service. Yesterday I found that the site was inexplicably blocked. After figuring out that shutting down Surfshark resolved the issue, I contacted them to troubleshoot. Instead of them owning up to the problem being on their side, they enthusiastically walked me through 3 hours of adjusting, tweaking, testing, all to no avail. I finally reset to default position and found that the problem had mysteriously vanished. Today, the same issue occurred and tech initially owned up to THEM having issues with certain sites and they are working to resolve. They then attempted to lead me down the very same garden path where they had wasted three hours of my time the day before. I would have been satisfied if they had simply said "Apologies, we're working on that, please don't use Surfshark for that site until we fix our issue". But the enthusiasm with which their tech staff were willing to completely waste my time and effort to absolutely no effect because of a technical problem on THEIR side is more than dissapointing. I previously gave them high marks. I now find that I am compelled to reverse my opinion of Surfshark to precisely the opposite.
We're very sorry to hear you're having problems with Surfshark. Hopefully they'll manage to resolve your issue swiftly!
Hello. I would beg for help. I read your review for Surfshark vpn and I need your expert opinion. I noticed that when using Surfshark vpn, PORT 443 is open and when I use another VPN, port 443 is closed. Some say it is a problem and others that it is not. Can you explain to me what it is and is it a problem ??! Thanks.
Each VPN uses ports required to establish a connection with certain VPN protocols. Surfshark uses port 443 only for its browser extensions and other ports for other clients and protocols. So, it shouldn't worry you that port 443 is open while you're using Surfshark's browser extensions. On the other hand, it shouldn't be open with their other clients. If you want to open port 443 for whatever reason, you can always do it in your firewall settings or use a VPN with port forwarding (like TorGuard, for example), but we strongly advise against opening ports on your own unless you absolutely know what you're doing.
It was really easy to set up and fits my needs which are mostly streaming and sometimes torrenting a movie. Only had an issue once but support fixed it quickly. No issues since then, a happy customer of 4 months
Unreliable.
You get what you pay for.
Drops the connection while Wifi is working fine and this happens every few hours. My other devices are connected to Internet on the same wifi and working fine but my laptop loses its connection very often just because of Surfshark VPN. It stays offline for almost 15- 20 min and then get back online. This is frustrating. Surfshark works fine but has a major problem when it comes to constant and reliable connectivity.
Did not work with Safari. Contacted their chat and troubleshooted, didn’t still work. Required CAPTCHA for almost every website, could not even use Google search. Surshark stated it can pass the geoblock for BBC iPlayer, but it did that only few times. No streaming for any UK-based service. It also slowed my connection 37%, so I could not keep it on. The uninstallation process was complicated. I hope I get my money back. I have had VPNs before, but after this experience I got suspicious about getting a new VPN.
We're very sorry to hear your experience with Surfshark wasn't as pleasant as ours. Hopefully they'll refund you and they can restore some of your trust in VPNs.
Was working well, until the latest update in which you cannot stop the "whitelister" from chewing through your HD looking for EXE files. I can't stop this and it slows my machine to a crawl. I don't even use the whitelister!! I had to uninstall SS to get my machine back. Customer service admits it does this. Totally useless now.
Beware the 'Shark' – Awful Customer Service. I tested this service on the advice of a friend and it wasn't for me. I found it slow to connect and disruptive to my workflow. When I went to cancel (I was five days over the 30 day refund policy window due to the Holidays), I was talked-down to and told by two 'customer service' representatives that I must not understand how their service can help me (I've been a web developer for over twenty years), and that I should take a look at their informationally shallow 'Use Cases' page on their website. I would understand this position if I were months into my subscription, but 5 days over? I wasn't even looking for a full refund – a partial refund would have been just fine. Nope, $132 down the drain. Oh, and—also—like every other multi-level subscription service out there, they will spam you with emails and try and upsell you at every opportunity. Buyer beware.
Of course, I got this VPN for security reasons, but I ended up mainly using it for Netflix after my more tech-savvy little sister showed me I can get more content. I did have some issues once with it because I didn't see new content on Netflix when I changed servers, so I wrote to their live chat and they gave me some easy guides which fixed the issue quickly. I don't have any complaints yet, pretty sufficient provider in my opinion.
Tvthek.orf doesn't work. The day before yesterday, March 3, the orf videothet could be connected. Since yesterday, it has been blocked for VPNs from outside Austria. I bought Surfshark for watching Austrian television abroad. On Saturday, the World Cup will be held in alpine skiing. I would like to watch it.
I tested on 4 devices:
1. Windows 7
2. Windows 10
3. Windows 10
4. Android
Only tvthek.orf is blocked when VPN Surfshark is connected from Austria.
Without VPN tvthek.orf is available. For VPN connections from other servers Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany tvthek.orf is available.
But all sports programs and broadcasts are blocked outside Austria.
Clearly Austrian TV ORF has blocked server Austria from your VPN Surfshark so that we cannot watch TV from abroad.
It indeed sounds like this website is actively blocking VPN IP addresses. We would advise you to try different servers in Austria, for example by disconnecting and reconnecting to Surfshark. This might help you find an IP that hasn't yet been blocked and allows you to watch sports and other broadcasts. If this doesn't help, you can always contact Surfshark support directly. They're usually very fast in their replies and might be able to help you out. Once they've renewed their servers, the problem should be solved for the time being.
Has this been resolved, because I am considering buying Surfshark for exactly the same purpose as PJ ?
We could watch ORF with Surfshark. But, as with most VPN services and streaming services, there are moments where the streaming service puts new blocks in place and it takes a couple of days for a Vpn to get around these blocks again. If you want to make sure whether Surfshark works with your specific streaming service, you could ask their customer service.
Easy to use, unlimited connections, unparalleled ease of installation. I've used it on a variety of devices for several months now, and my service has been absolutely flawless. My experiences with their support staff have been equally good, and I've only had to use them for questions about features, because I have never had a single problem with the service! I would recommend this service to anyone!
We're glad to hear you're enjoying Surfshark! Thank you for sharing your experiences.