Surfshark review: A reliable VPN with extra features and low fees

The Surfshark VPN service includes a host of extra features like antivirus, alternate ID, ad blockers, and more at lower prices than many competitors.

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If you want a reliable VPN to use on every device in your household without breaking the bank, Surfshark could be the ideal solution for you. It has a fleet of 3,200+ servers in 100 countries, sophisticated security features, and a strict no-logs policy.

Even more impressive, Surfshark comes with 24/7 customer support. And you'll get unlimited simultaneous connections, even on the cheapest plans. This means you'll get excellent value for money, particularly if you have plenty of devices you want to protect.

For all this, a Surfshark subscription starts from just $2.39 per month (or, if you're quick, $1.99 due to a Christmas special!). And if you want to try it out, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 7-day free trial. 

However, although Surfshark ticks a lot of boxes, we've tested it in our review by trying out everything it has to offer, from its upload and download speeds to its customer care, security features, and setup process. Let's dive in.

Installation and setup

You shouldn't have too many issues installing Surfshark on your device. But it's worth noting that the process is definitely clunkier if you use Apple. When setting it up on my Mac, I had to move the app to the Applications folder to unlock all the features. I also had to go into the Security and Privacy section of System Preferences to allow the correct permissions.

On my Android smartphone, however, it was much easier to get up and running. I downloaded the app, logged in, and was immediately able to access everything I needed.

When you launch the app on a desktop or mobile, you'll be greeted with a popup, prompting you to set up a dedicated IP. However, if you close this, you'll find an alphabetical list of server locations and an intuitively laid-out menu, where you can access features, settings, and a quick-connect option.

Connecting to a server usually only takes a few seconds (more on that later), and it's easy to switch, disconnect, and create MultiHop connections should you wish to double down on masking your location.

Features

Surfshark is packed full of all the usual features you'd find on a VPN and a few premium additions on the pricier plans. Let's start with the basics. As you'd expect, it uses advanced AES-256 encryption to ensure your data is completely hidden. 

There's also an option to use the ChaCha20 on Android devices, which is ideal if you've got an older device that doesn't work well with AES-256. Password authentication is secured by SHA-512 encryption, which is a step up from the SHA-256 used by most providers. It scrambles your password into 512 binary digits, making it impossible to decipher.

Like a lot of VPNs, Surfshark has an optional kill switch. This one works by blocking all your VPN traffic whenever you're not connected. While this is great from a security standpoint, it's very frustrating when your whole internet connection is shut off without a notification explaining why.

Elsewhere, you'll get access to an ad blocker and a cookie pop-up blocker on all plans. But if you pay for the Surfshark One plan (the middle tier), you'll get many more features to play with. These include 24/7 antivirus protection, webcam protection, and personal data security reports. 

Alternatively, opt for the top-tier Surfshark One+ plan, and you'll have access to Surfshark's new Incogni feature that will contact data brokers on your behalf with requests to delete any of your data, including your name, email address, and date of birth. If you'd like to know more about this service, I've recently completed a full, separate, Incogni review, if you'd like a deeper dive on it.

Server locations

A VPN is only as good as its server fleet. And Surfshark certainly has a strong offering. It boasts more than 3,200 servers across 100 countries, including over 600 in the US. It also has servers across 56 European locations and in 14 countries in Asia.

Not only does Surfshark have plenty of servers to choose from, but they're also strong and secure. This means that you can use this provider to unblock region-restricted content from all over the world. In our tests, we could access all the best streaming services like BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, foreign versions of Netflix, and Disney+.

As with many VPNs, Surfshark doesn't offer extensive server coverage in Africa, but it gives you more than most, including NordVPN and ExpressVPN, which only provide South African servers. Surfshark also has South Africa and virtual servers for Algeria, Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, and Nigeria. 

Most other continents are generously covered by a vast selection of servers, but as usual, you won't find any locations in Russia, Iraq, Iran, China, or North Korea where VPNs are banned. 

However, unlike most VPNs, you can use Surfshark to unblock local content in India. Due to recent data regulations in India, most providers, including Surfshark, shut down their physical servers there. 

But Surfshark has instead implemented virtual Indian servers, which means you can get an Indian IP address and enjoy the same functionality without being impacted by Indian regulations. Therefore, if you want Indian content, such as Disney+ Hotstar, ALT Balaji, or SonyLIV, Surfshark is a safe and easy option.

Performance and speed

Surfshark has a reputation for being one of the fastest VPNs around. It uses the well-known WireGuard protocol to deliver fast and reliable speeds that should avoid lag. However, my speed tests showed a noticeable difference when connected to a Surfshark server.

I performed some speed tests at around 8 p.m. when there's generally the most demand on bandwidth. Before connecting to a Surfshark server, my download speed was 253 Mbps. But when I connected to a server in the US, my download speed dropped to 156 Mbps, which is a significant decrease. Having said that, in practice, I noticed very little difference in performance. I could stream content, surf the internet, and make video calls without buffering or slow load times.

In tests on a slower connection during the day, one of my colleagues, with usual speeds of 37Mbps, reported that it dropped to 34Mbps on a local UK connection, and more distant connections to the US and Australia only saw it drop to 32Mbps - all very reasonable drops. 

In addition to speed testing, I did an extended DNS leak test while connected to a Surfshark server, and it didn't leak any personal information or give away my actual IP address. This made it easy to watch region-restricted content on streaming services designed to recognize and block VPN traffic.

One issue that has come up a few times is that it can sometimes take quite a while for it to establish a new connection when selecting a different location. The progress bar seems to stall a little, or it even needs an extra attempt or two. Most of the top VPN providers don't have a progress bar or anything like an 'Attempt 1/4' marker, as they're so quick to get online. We're not talking huge waits with Surfshark, but the rare 30-45-second ones feel like a lifetime compared to the competition. As mentioned earlier, though, the speeds once you are connected, are very good. 

Pricing and plans

With prices starting from $2.39 a month, (update: there's a Holiday special running at the moment that drops this price to just $1.99 a month) Surfshark is one of the more affordable options on the market and amongst the most affordable providers over on our best VPN deals guide. And, given how much is included, it's definitely good value for money. It offers three plans: Starter, One, and One+. As with most subscriptions, the price will be lower if you sign up for a two-year contract versus a 12-month or one-month plan.

The entry-level option is the Starter plan, which starts at $2.39 a month if you sign up for a two-year subscription. If you only want to subscribe for a year, it'll cost you $3.99 a month. And if you only want to sign up for a month, the price jumps up to $12.95. However, it's worth remembering that Surfshark does offer a free 7-day trial (on mobile only) and a 30-day money-back guarantee. So you can test it out and determine if it's right for you before deciding.

On the Starter plan, you'll get unlimited simultaneous connections, Surfshark's full fleet of 3,200 international servers, and enough security features to keep your data safe while online.

If you want more features, we'd recommend the One plan, which has a host of extras, including 24/7 antivirus protection, a private search engine, and real-time email data breach alerts. There's also a cool feature that lets you create an online alias ID with its own email address, which is handy if you have to hand over an email to use free WiFi. Prices start from $3.35 a month for a 2-year subscription, $4.49 if you sign up for a year, and $17.95 for a one-month rolling contract.

Surfshark's most premium offering is the One+ plan, which can remove your data from databases owned by companies and people search sites. A two-year subscription costs $6.23 a month, a one-year plan costs $8.29, and a one-month contract costs $22.95. It's important to note that the data removal feature only works for customers based in the US, Canada, the UK, and the EU. Also, this data removal service, called Incogni, runs separately from the Surfshark app and is accessed via any browser. You can use a different email than the one you join Surfshark if you want to have a different one put through the data removal system - you only get to choose one email for this feature at this time.

Privacy and security

Surfshark is one of the safest providers available. It uses the nigh-on unbreakable AES-256 encryption to keep your data completely hidden. You'll also get access to its kill switch, DNS leak protection, and WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 tunneling protocols.

Better still, unlike many providers, it uses RAM-only servers that wipe data whenever the server is switched off, meaning it can never be recovered. It also offers obfuscated servers, named Camouflage Mode by Surfshark, which will disguise our VPN traffic as regular traffic. This is ideal if you're trying to access region-restricted content or your school or workplace blocks VPNs.

You'll also get access to a feature called MultiHop, which acts as a double VPN. Essentially, it allows traffic to pass through two VPN servers, giving you dual encryption for added privacy.

As with most VPNs, split tunneling is only included on Android and Windows platforms. Split tunneling (or Bypasser, as Surfshark calls it) allows you to manually select certain apps or websites to only use a regular internet connection when your VPN is on. This is handy for keeping higher download speeds or connecting to local and remote networks for work. Being able to split tunnel to individual websites, too, rather than just specific apps, is a rarity on most VPNs and is usually limited to a Windows version, but Surfshark does one better by also allowing it on the mobile app. 

Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which has relatively privacy-friendly laws. However, it is part of the 9-Eyes surveillance group, meaning the government can insist on Surfshark sharing customer information if necessary. 

To put your mind at rest, though, Surfshark operates a strict zero-logs policy. The provider has been audited three times. The first two audits focused primarily on its browser extensions, while the latest one tested its no-logs policy. On all three audits, Surfshark passed with flying colors.

Customer support

As you'd hope, Surfshark provides several customer support options if you run into any difficulties. First, its website has plenty of helpful text and video guides to help you research and resolve common issues. Its help center is well organized, so you should be able to find what you're looking for without any difficulties. And there's also a search function to help you access the right article instantly.

If you need further help, there's a 24/7 live chat option. And, although you'll have to get through a few preliminary interactions with a chatbot, you should reach a live chat agent in a matter of seconds. In my tests, I found the agents I dealt with to be friendly, quick to respond, and genuinely helpful with their answers. They helped me resolve my issue without too much back and forth.

A phone line option would be nice, particularly for people more comfortable speaking to someone directly. But there's no denying that Surfshark's 24/7 live chat is highly effective, allowing you to get through to a live agent without any long wait times.