Surfshark seemingly does it all with great speeds, unlimited device connections, double VPN hop security and a minimal and easy to use interface. For a relatively new VPN offering this is a very compelling service. Based in the British Virgin Islands, Surfshark offers plenty of anonymity and is very clear about its lack of logging. It's also super easy to use thanks to stripped back menu systems which make this ideal for anyone new to the world of VPNs.
Despite being half the price of many of the best VPN services out there this will unblock Netflix and even offer speedy live-chat support - things that some top-end VPNs struggle with. Extras like URL and ad blocking are superb and payment methods are so varied there will be something for everyone. So, is Surfshark the VPN for you? Read on to find out more.
Surfshark review: Privacy
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Surfshark does it all when it comes to security. At its most basic you have protocols like AES-256 encryption, OpenVPN and IKEv2 support but then you also have split tunnelling and VPN chaining which uses two servers for one hop. All that equates to a whole lot of peace of mind when it comes to anonymity and privacy.
Talking of privacy, the no logging policy of Surfshark is also worth noting. Thanks to using its own zero-knowledge DNS servers you can rest easy knowing there won't be leakage. The company does say that it stores an email address and billing information for clients - but that's all. On the company's website it quite explicitly says: "Incoming and outgoing IP addresses; Browsing, downloading or purchasing history; VPN servers you use; Used bandwidth; Session information; Connection timestamps; Network traffic."
Surfshark also uses a kill switch which means that should a connection ever fail, your private identity will be kept secure. Although with that double VPN hop in effect you are really well protected anyway.
Surfshark review: Features and apps
Surfshark plays nice with lots of clients meaning you can have it running on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Linux as well as Chrome and Firefox extensions. Yup, no Opera extension like many others offer, but there is something positive this does tout. Connections.
Surfshark, very generously, offers unlimited device connections. That means you can use your VPN on your laptop, desktop, tablet, a couple of mobile phones and Amazon Fire TV Stick for watching overseas TV, the one account will cover you on all of them simultaneously.
It certainly isn't the VPN with the most features (that honor belongs to ExpressVPN), but is ideal for beginners.
Surfshark review: Speed
Surfshark is fast, but the results do vary. We tested in the US using a 475Mbps line and found speeds averaged about 110Mbps. This isn't that amazing compared to, say Private Internet Access' 314Mbps average speed, but for the price it's decent.
International testing revealed speeds were high on varying servers. The UK, for example, tested with a 75Mbps line got speeds of up to 66Mbps. This shows that perhaps there is simply a top end limit on speed and once you go over a 150Mbps line that's when lag starts to occur.
Surfshark review: Pricing
Surfshark is not cheap if you want it month to month, charged at $11.95 per month. Most are around the $10 mark. But if you opt in for a more committed use you will make savings. The yearly charge, paid up front, works out at $5.99 per month. It's not the cheapest but it's not the most expensive either.
Jump up to the two year plan and you can make some real savings. This gets your monthly price down to a super low $1.99 per month. That's one of the most affordable full-feature VPNs out there right now - a real bargain.
There's a seven day free trial and you also get a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try before you buy - ideal if you're thinking of committing to the two year plan.
Should I buy Surfshark?
Surshark is a great VPN that's super affordable for anyone looking to buy the two year plan. It offers unlimited device connections suggesting you could split this cost with a friendly and share, technically. For that you will get superb security with layers that make this one of the most secure for your privacy.
Speeds are fast but if you want to go over the 150Mbps speed then you will likely notice throttling. There are lots of clients that are super simple to use which is a plus for some but for those that want more options this may be a bit basic. With a free trial and money-back guarantee this is well worth a try.
