Surfshark might sound a bit intimidating, but don’t let the name fool you! It’s actually a powerful VPN that safeguards your privacy, shields your online activity from prying eyes, and even protects against malware. Widely recognized as one of the top VPNs for streaming, Surfshark boasts impressive speeds, but I wanted to delve deeper and see how it truly performs. In this comprehensive review, I put Surfshark through its paces, testing its antivirus protection, evaluating its pricing, and experiencing its customer support firsthand.
Surfshark stands out as one of the few VPNs that allow unlimited device connections, making it an exceptional value if you’re sharing the account with family or friends. You can even try Surfshark risk-free for seven days before committing, and the generous 30-day money-back guarantee gives you plenty of time to decide if it’s the right fit for you. If you’re looking for a completely free solution, check out our guide to the best free VPNs, though be aware they come with certain limitations.
Surfshark’s Starter plan comes in at $15.45 per month, but the real savings kick in when you commit to a one or two-year subscription. The annual plan costs $45 and includes three months free, renewing at $60 per year, which is about average for a top-tier VPN. The two-year plan, priced at $59, offers an excellent bargain, with three months free thrown in. After 27 months, the renewal reverts to an annual plan at $60, still a great price compared to some competitors. For instance, NordVPN, another highly respected VPN, sees its subscription cost more than double upon renewal.
Surfshark also offers cybersecurity bundles. Surfshark One, priced at just a dollar more per month, bundles in malware protection for your devices. Surfshark One+, costing $2 to $3 more per month, goes a step further by protecting your privacy through ongoing requests to remove your personal information from data brokers. If you’re looking for the best deals, keep an eye out for sales and promotions, which can help you save even more. Remember to check renewal dates to avoid any surprises when prices adjust.
I tested Surfshark One, which felt like the perfect blend of features. Installation was a breeze, with helpful tips guiding you through setting up the apps and browser extensions. The Windows app boasts a well-designed interface, featuring a convenient panel on the right that clearly shows whether the VPN is active, highlights enabled features, and indicates the server you’re connected to. On the left, you’ll find a comprehensive list of worldwide servers, with quick links to recommended, recently used, and favorite locations at the top. The ability to search for specific locations and filter by static IP addresses or multi-hop servers adds extra flexibility. Surfshark excels at making basic functions easy to use, even for those unfamiliar with advanced features, while allowing for fine-tuning with just a few clicks. A toolbar on the far left offers quick access to settings for your VPN connection, your account details, help resources, and features like antivirus protection and identity alerts. The browser extension provides convenient access to VPN settings when you need it most, but the full app offers a more comprehensive range of options.
Beyond simply safeguarding privacy, I seek a VPN that’s both fast and reliable. To test Surfshark’s performance, I connected to servers across the globe. The results were truly impressive. Using both Surfshark’s Windows app and browser extension, I experienced consistently fast connections that never dropped, delivering strong speeds worldwide. My internet service provider (ISP) provides 900 Mbps download speeds over Ethernet. Most streaming VPNs cut that speed in half, even when connecting to a nearby server. With the closest Surfshark VPN server, I measured a remarkable 728 Mbps on the SpeedTest website, one of the fastest VPN speeds I’ve ever recorded. Upload speed was 38 Mbps, and ping hovered around 44 ms in both directions. I’m based in Nova Scotia, Canada, on the East Coast, and the nearest Surfshark server was in Montreal, over 700 miles away. Maintaining great speeds within the country is fantastic, but I often use a VPN to browse globally as if I were a local, so the real test is how well it performs across borders. Surfshark continued to deliver blazing speed with 667 Mbps down, 17 Mbps up, and a 75 ms ping when connecting to a U.S. server. Upload speeds and ping typically drop when crossing borders, and that held true for Surfshark, but download speeds remained impressive at 579 Mbps for the U.K., 651 Mbps for France, and 630 Mbps for Germany. The first noticeable drop occurred with an Australian server, which managed 306 Mbps downloads. The 5 Mbps uploads and 100+ ms ping of European servers fell to 2Mbps uploads and 244 ms ping in Australia. Overall, Surfshark outperformed speedy VPNs like ExpressVPN and the fast, budget-friendly TorGuard. While Surfshark consistently maintained fast speeds, the other two performed well with nearby servers but fell behind when connecting to more distant locations.
Surfshark One includes a robust virus scanner and real-time protection for up to five devices. Surfshark’s antivirus earned a perfect score in a June 2024 evaluation by the independent cybersecurity lab AV-Test. In my own spot-check of Surfshark One’s CleanWeb feature, it didn’t block any of Wicar’s malware tests. This is because Surfshark’s blocking relies on a reputation-based system. It won’t block or alert you to dangerous websites or downloads unless they’re already in its database. After downloading the EICAR malware test file, I ran Surfshark One’s antivirus scanner, which promptly identified and quarantined the threat. While Wicar.org is a safe site, more sophisticated antivirus software can detect browser exploits and malicious files, preventing potential threats before they’re downloaded to your computer.
Some VPN providers offer good support, but it can be slow as responses come via email. Surfshark, on the other hand, provides 24/7 live chat support, ensuring help is available around the clock. I tested it by asking about CleanWeb, Surfshark One’s blocking feature. An AI chatbot proved helpful, offering buttons to narrow down my questions and pointing me to relevant support documents. When I stumped the bot, I asked for a human and was immediately transferred. I learned that the Surfshark browser extension is primarily for convenience, while the app offers the full range of VPN and antivirus protection.
Surfshark takes a clear and straightforward approach to its privacy policy, highlighting the most important details first: minimal data is collected, only what’s necessary to provide the service you’re paying for. Surfshark requires your user ID or IP address and time stamp while browsing, but deletes this data within 15 minutes of your session ending. I couldn’t find any evidence of Surfshark security breaches, and its privacy policy checks out. While Surfshark is headquartered in a Nine Eyes country, its audited no-log policy ensures the company won’t have any data to share, even if faced with official requests. Furthermore, Surfshark doesn’t sell or share your email address with third-party advertisers.
Surfshark stands out as a well-designed app with excellent customer service. It’s one of the fastest streaming VPNs available, offering a vast network of servers around the globe. The unlimited device support makes it a hard-to-beat option, particularly if you opt for a one or two-year subscription. For less than a dollar extra each month, Surfshark One includes a capable malware scanner and dark web monitoring, making it a tempting offer. However, it’s important to note that its browser protection is limited. It’s still a good idea to keep your dedicated antivirus software active to block viruses. Overall, Surfshark Starter is the best choice for most users. I was impressed by Surfshark’s speed, reliability, and comprehensive features. The quick support makes it easy to get help or learn more about using Surfshark’s apps and extensions. I wholeheartedly recommend Surfshark as one of the top VPNs available, offering exceptional speed, strong privacy protection, a user-friendly interface, and exceptional value.
