Surfshark has established itself as one of the premium brands in a very competitive VPN market. Despite only launching in 2018, it ranks near the top in almost every category we have tested. As we confirmed in this most recent set of tests, Surfshark VPN continues to deliver impressive speed test results with consistent performance and advanced security features. From streaming your favorite shows on Netflix to protecting your sensitive information while browsing the web, Surfshark VPN has got you covered. That said, nothing is perfect, including Surfshark.
We did discover a few drawbacks during this Surfshark review. While we can still heartily recommend this VPN service, we want you to get the details and understand all of the pros and cons. Keep reading to see if Surfshark VPN is a good fit for your needs, or if you should consider other VPN providers (we will cover some great alternatives below).
Before we dive into the details, let’s review the key stats about this VPN in the table below.
Website | Surfshark.com |
Based in | The Netherlands |
Logs | No logs |
Price | $2.19/mo. |
Support | 24/7 live chat |
Refund | 30 days |
Coupon | 80% off Surfshark + 5 Months Free > |
Here is an overview of our Surfshark review findings:
+ Pros
- Unlimited connections
- User-friendly apps for all devices and operating systems
- CleanWeb feature to block ads, trackers, and malware
- Works great with Netflix and many other streaming services
- 24/7 live chat support
- Strong encryption and security features (audited)
– Cons
- Limited support for VPN routers
- Above average monthly prices
Now let’s get into the details….
Here are the pros (advantages) of Surfshark.
Apps for all operating systems and devices + Unlimited connections
Right off the top, Surfshark has given itself (and its users) a powerful one-two punch:
- User-friendly apps that support all major operating systems, Smart TVs, game consoles, and leading web browsers.
- The ability to have an unlimited number of devices connected to, and using, the Surfshark VPN at the same time.
1. User-Friendly Apps
The Surfshark VPN team has developed a full range of user-friendly apps for all the major platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. They also support Smart TV devices, Xbox and other game consoles, along with providing browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
Note: While Surfshark doesn’t have a custom app for routers like ExpressVPN does, Surfshark has published extensive instructions on how to install Surfshark on popular routers.
All Surfshark apps are designed to provide a seamless and secure VPN experience, with a range of features that cater to different needs and preferences. So, whether you are a student looking to bypass geo-restrictions or a business professional in need of secure remote access, Surfshark VPN has an app that will suit your requirements.
Here is a list of some of the major features you will find in Surfshark VPN apps. We will discuss each of them in more detail later in this review.
- VPN Kill Switch with strict kill and soft kill modes
- CleanWeb and CleanWeb 2 protect your devices against malicious ads, trackers, and other malware
- Bypasser split tunneling
- IP Rotator to further complicate the life of anyone trying to track your online activities
- NoBorders mode helps you navigate successfully in restricted regions of the internet
- MultiHop and dynamic MultiHop options pass your traffic through multiple VPN servers for additional security and privacy
- Static IP servers and Dedicated IP servers for activities and services need a fixed IP address
See all Surfshark features here >>
Surfshark VPN for Windows PC and Laptop
Surfshark’s Windows VPN app offers a clean and user-friendly interface, making it easy for users of all experience levels to navigate and enjoy its features. With security features such as a kill switch and CleanWeb ad blocker, you can be confident that your internet connection remains secure at all times.
In addition, Surfshark’s Windows app provides fast connection speeds, ensuring that your online activities are not hindered by sluggish performance. Whether you’re streaming your favorite TV show or participating in a video conference for work, the Windows app delivers the speed and reliability you need for a seamless online experience.
Surfshark VPN Android App
The Android app of Surfshark VPN goes beyond the basic VPN features by offering additional functionalities, such as GPS spoofing and VPN split tunneling. GPS spoofing allows Android users to mask their IP address and simulate a different physical GPS location, providing an extra layer of privacy and enabling access to location-based apps without disclosing your true location.
With its easy-to-use interface and unique features, the Surfshark app is on our list of the best VPNs for Android. It ensures that Android users can enjoy a secure browsing experience without compromising on functionality. Surfshark’s commitment to user privacy and security extends to its mobile apps, providing you with the confidence that your personal data remains protected, even when using public Wi-Fi networks.
Surfshark VPN Linux App
Surfshark VPN’s Linux app is designed with both novice and advanced users in mind, offering a graphical interface that makes it easier to use than the majority of Linux VPNs, which still use a command-line interface (CLI). While it does not yet have all the features of the Windows or macOS apps, it does provide a range of security features, such as a kill switch, MultiHop VPN (double-VPN), and support for the WireGuard protocol, ensuring that your online activities remain private and protected.
The Linux VPN app also boasts impressive performance, with fast connection speeds that make it great for various online tasks, from browsing and streaming to downloading and gaming. With Surfshark VPN’s Linux app, you can enjoy a secure and high-performance VPN experience on your Linux device.
Web Browser Extension
The Surfshark browser extensions use an encrypted proxy to give you unrestricted internet access while protecting your digital privacy. Like the Linux app, the browser extensions provide a subset of the full Surfshark VPN features. In this case, while you do get features like CleanWeb, Bypasser, even a cookie pop-up blocker, the browser extensions do have limits.
For one thing, the browser extension only works within the browser, rather than encrypting all traffic on your operating system like a VPN. For another, you do not get access to features like MultiHop when you use the extension. We discuss the differences between browser extensions, Smart DNS, and full VPNs in our guide on the best VPN for Chrome. You can also check out our VPN for Firefox guide as well.
Unlimited Simultaneous Connections
When you think about the number and variety of things the typical household has connected to the internet, you can see the power of this combination. Many VPNs do not support things like Smart TVs or game consoles. Do you really want to leave those things unprotected? And most VPNs support only 5 or 6 devices using the internet at one time. Do you want to worry about how many devices are active at once across your entire family?
If you have multiple different types of devices to connect to the internet (who doesn’t?), Surfshark VPN has a great value proposition and is one of the best VPNs for multiple devices. Here’s how they describe it on their website:
Most competing services limit you to about five simultaneous connections, give or take a few. This policy really sets Surfshark apart from other major VPN services, as we noted in the IPVanish vs Surfshark report.
Note: Perfect Privacy also offers an unlimited number of connections. However, Perfect Privacy is significantly more expensive, even though Surfshark performs better in our testing.
Surfshark background check
Surfshark has had a stellar track since it burst onto the scene in 2018. This VPN continues to grow in popularity by offering excellent features, secure apps, great performance, unlimited simultaneous connections, and a low, low price.
One of the biggest changes to Surfshark was the announcement in 2022 that Surfshark was merging with Nord Security. Fortunately, we see that Surfshark will continue to operate independently, but will now have the backing of a major security company, therefore giving the VPN more long-term stability.
On the one hand, we’re not huge fans of consolidation as it leaves fewer independent VPNs for people to choose from. But on a positive note, we’re impressed with Nord Security as a company, which continues to innovate and offer new security products, including NordPass and also NordLocker, a file encryption tool, and secure cloud storage solution.
Similarly, we see Surfshark also continuing to innovate with new products and services, beyond just the VPN. This includes launching a new antivirus product, as well as a private search engine, an ad-blocking feature, and a data removal tool (see our Incogni review). With Surfshark and Nord Security joining forces, the future is looking bright.
Strong privacy protection policies
Surfshark VPN is committed to upholding user privacy by ensuring that your online activities remain secure and confidential. Previously, this VPN was based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), just like we saw in the ExpressVPN review. Anyone who subscribed to the service during that time has a contract with Surfshark Ltd., a company established in the BVI.
However, Surfshark established a new company, Surfshark B.V., which is based in The Netherlands. Anyone who subscribed to the service after October 1, 2021, has a contract with Surfshark B.V.
Surfshark’s move to The Netherlands didn’t bother us since the country does not have any data retention laws and is overall favorable from a privacy standpoint. Surfshark also notes on its website:
We’re based in the Netherlands, so we play by their rules (which are pretty great when it comes to user privacy). As there is no obligatory data retention law, we do not have to store logs, and it makes for a perfect location for a VPN provider.
We assumed that the Surfshark Terms of Service would be governed by the laws of The Netherlands. However, the company says that the Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the British Virgin Islands, regardless of which Surfshark company your contract is with.
We strongly recommend avoiding the US and UK jurisdictions (and other 5 Eyes countries), while other European countries are less worrisome. After closely examining privacy laws, as well as real-world privacy test cases, we still recommend services (particularly secure email services) based in other European countries, such as Belgium, Germany, and The Netherlands, all of which are officially part of the “14 Eyes” group.
Now on to the next important question…
Surfshark Keeps No Logs
In the past, we have had to rely on Surfshark’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service to know that this is a no-logs VPN. Here are some important takeaways from those documents:
- Surfshark does not keep any logs that could identify a user or their activities online. (No IP addresses or usage data is recorded.)
- SurfShark apps have a “crash reports” option to report diagnostic info if the app crashes. This is anonymized and it can be easily disabled in the settings.
Note that many VPN services give you the option to send crash reports in the apps. If you find this concerning, just disable the option in settings. The Surfshark mobile apps may also contain an advertising ID. Again, if you find this problematic, you can just disable it in the settings.
More importantly, Surfshark now has third-party proof of their no-logs status. Surfshark VPN underwent an independent audit of its no-logs policy, conducted by the professional services firm Deloitte. The audit confirmed that Surfshark does not retain any user information, adhering to its strict privacy policies.
This independent verification provides additional assurance that Surfshark VPN is a trustworthy provider that takes user privacy seriously.
And while we’re on the topic of VPN logs, be sure to avoid VPNs with a history of providing logs to authorities. This was an issue we noted in the IPVanish review and also the PureVPN review. (You can see the Surfshark vs PureVPN comparison as well.)
Surfshark Warrant Canary
Surfshark maintains a warrant canary to alert users to any government action that could infringe on customer privacy. Looking at the Surfshark warrant canary at the time of this review, we see:
Looks good! You generally do not see warrant canaries with US VPN services, which are subject to data requests and gag orders that prevent any disclosure.
Secure encryption and leak protection features
For encryption, Surfshark utilizes the industry standard of AES-256-GCM (Galois/Counter Mode) cipher with an RSA-2048 key exchange. Additionally, Surfshark offers the following VPN protocols:
- OpenVPN – OpenVPN has generally been considered the “gold standard” with VPNs because it offers good performance, is open source, and is considered very secure. However, OpenVPN is facing a severe challenge from WireGuard.
- WireGuard – WireGuard is the newest addition to Surfshark and offers the fastest speeds and the latest encryption technology. WireGuard is supported directly in the Surfshark apps (no extra VPN configuration needed.)
- IKEv2 – This is considered to be a very secure protocol with excellent performance. While it usually outperforms OpenVPN, it is not open source, which is a drawback.
Depending on which Surfshark app you are using, you can select from the available VPN protocols right in the settings area. Surfshark currently supports the WireGuard VPN protocol on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Surfshark leak tests (no leaks found)
I also ran the Windows and Mac OS clients through some basic VPN tests and checks. The testing did not find any IP address leaks or DNS leaks. In short, everything with Surfshark worked well in our tests.
The SurfShark Mac OS app also did well in our tests, with no leaks or bugs identified.
See all Surfshark security features here >>
WireGuard support (very fast speeds)
With the latest version of the SurfShark VPN apps, you can easily enable the WireGuard VPN protocol right in the settings, as you see below.
WireGuard is supported directly in the apps for Windows, Mac OS, Android, Linux, and iOS.
There are many advantages to using the WireGuard VPN protocol:
- Very fast download speeds
- Instant connections (handshake)
- Seamless transition between networks, without losing the VPN connection
- The latest upgrades in encryption technology
- Small code base, which is easier to audit and update than other VPNs
In our tests, we found all of these benefits to be on full display with Surfshark. So let’s get to the speed tests.
Surfshark speed test results with Wireguard
When it comes to speed and performance, Surfshark VPN excels. With its fast connection speeds, users can enjoy seamless streaming, gaming, and other online activities without any interruptions or lag. Moreover, Surfshark VPN provides reliable performance, ensuring that your online activities are not hindered by connection issues or slowdowns. Whether you’re streaming your favorite TV show or participating in an online gaming session, Surfshark VPN delivers the speed and reliability you need to enjoy a seamless online experience.
We ran all tests on a 1000 Mbps connection using the latest Surfshark VPN apps with the WireGuard protocol. All tests were carried out in our US lab testing Surfshark VPN servers in the US, Canada, and Europe.
First I tested a Surfshark VPN server in Los Angeles (USA) and was able to get 653 Mbps.
At well over 600 Mbps, this is an excellent speed test result.
Next, I tested a Surfshark VPN server in Seattle. Once again, the results were excellent at 752 Mbps.
This is once again an excellent speed test result from Surfshark VPN. It’s on par with the fastest VPNs we’ve tested.
The last Surfshark server I tested in the United States was in New York. This location was also impressive at around 637 Mbps.
Lastly, I tested Surfshark servers in the UK. Once again, the performance was excellent. Surfshark’s UK VPN server hit speeds around 556 Mbps:
If you want the fastest VPN speeds with Surfshark, you can also use the WireGuard VPN protocol. We found it to offer very similar speeds to NordVPN in our Surfshark vs NordVPN comparison.
We also tested servers in Canada and found all speed test results to be on par with those in the US. Surfshark is one of the best VPNs for Canada that delivers consistent performance.
Aside from fast download speeds, WireGuard also offers these benefits:
- Near-instant connections (no more waiting 10+ seconds for the VPN to connect)
- Improved mobile performance
- Better battery life
- More reliability (fewer dropped connections)
We did notice that OpenVPN speeds were nowhere near the level of WireGuard performance, but we’ll discuss that more below.
Note: Due to Surfshark’s support for WireGuard on the Android operating system, and all the benefits this offers for mobile users, we rate it as one of the best VPNs for Android.
Passed an independent security audit
Many VPNs are working to build trust in this rapidly growing industry by undergoing external audits. Surfshark is going along with this (positive) trend. It underwent two audits by Cure53, a reputable cybersecurity firm based in Germany. Most recently, Surfshark’s no-logs policy was verified by Deloitte, one of the Big Four auditing firms.
Cure53 had this to say after the first audit:
As the extremely low number of findings and their limited implications clearly indicate, the results of this Cure53 assessment of the Surfshark VPN extensions position the product in a very good light. Two members of the Cure53 team, who examined the scope in November 2018, can only conclude that the tested applications make a very robust impression and are not exposed to any issues, neither in the privacy nor in the more general security realms.
For a third-party security audit, this reads very well. Note, however, that the audit was limited to the Android and iOS browser extensions. You can read the full audit report here.
In April 2021, Cure53 published the second audit. It concerned the security posture of the Surfshark server infrastructure, VPN configuration, and related infrastructure. This report found no serious issues. You can download the report by following this link.
The recent no-logs audit by Deloitte is particularly interesting. There are still only a few no-logs VPNs that have verified their logging policies with third-party audits like this. Two more VPNs that have done this are compared in our NordVPN vs ExpressVPN showdown.
Large, secure server network operating in RAM-disk
Over the past year, Surfshark has grown quickly and added hundreds of servers to its network. It now boasts a large network of 3,200 servers spread across 100 countries.
As you can see above, all Surfshark servers run Private DNS, are P2P-friendly, and comply with a no-logs policy. Surfshark is currently upgrading all its servers by adding 10 Gb connections. This is meant to ensure that Surfshark can handle the massive network traffic increases expected as 5G phone systems become more common.
Does Surfshark use virtual server locations?
First, let’s define what we’re talking about. A virtual server location (also often referred to simply as virtual servers) is when a VPN server announces a location, such as Chile for example, when it is actually located somewhere else, such as in the US. We’ve examined the issue of virtual server locations before, and there are pros and cons to doing this.
For the purpose of this review, we can clearly see that Surfshark uses some virtual servers for remote regions. Surfshark is transparent about this fact and clearly announces the virtual locations in the apps (unlike HideMyAss HMA VPN for example). You can identify the virtual locations within the Surfshark client because they are marked with a “V” for virtual.
Note: Using virtual server locations is not a dealbreaker. ExpressVPN and others also use virtual locations in a limited number of cases to support remote regions. Like ExpressVPN, Surfshark also discloses all virtual locations, which we covered in the ExpressVPN vs Surfshark.
More Important Surfshark Features
Surfshark comes integrated with a lot of cool features that I tested for this review. Before we dive in, you should know that Surfshark is constantly developing new features and integrating them into the service as they become available.
Surfshark kill switch
The Surfshark VPN kill switch feature will block traffic if your VPN connection drops. This ensures your location and IP address remain protected, even if the VPN connection fails. You can see the kill switch in the settings.
The Surfshark kill switch has two modes: strict, and soft.
- Soft mode blocks internet traffic if your connection to a VPN server is lost unexpectedly, but not if you disconnect manually.
- Strict mode stops internet traffic if the connection to a VPN server is lost for any reason.
Here is the Surfshark Windows app that we tested for this review, with the kill switch enabled:
The VPN kill switch feature is available with Surfshark applications for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, and iOS. I tested the kill switch with the Surfshark Windows VPN app and everything worked well.
CleanWeb and CleanWeb 2.x
Surfshark comes integrated with some cool features that I tested for this review. First, we’ll examine the CleanWeb feature.
CleanWeb filter to block ads, trackers, malware, and phishing domains
Surfshark has a useful filtering feature called CleanWeb. This feature blocks ads, trackers, malware, and phishing domains, as well as “suspicious links” that are on a blacklist. There are some nice advantages to VPN ad blockers, which can efficiently block domains at the VPN server via DNS requests, rather than relying on browser extensions.
You can enable CleanWeb in the Surfshark settings. This feature is available in the Windows, Mac OS, Android, and iOS apps. Here is the CleanWeb feature I tested out for this review with the Windows client and it worked well.
I tested this by visiting some ad-infested websites with CleanWeb enabled. It looks to be working very well as all ads were effectively blocked.
CleanWeb 2.0 is included in Surfshark’s browser extensions. It comes with an ad blocker that prevents ads and trackers from disrupting your browsing and spying on your online activities. The built-in pop-up blocker handles those annoying pop-up messages demanding that you allow websites to install cookies on your devices. Together these two aspects of CleanWeb 2.0 give you cleaner browsing experience and also prevent unnecessary data consumption.
The data breach alert monitors reports of data breaches, thereby increasing your awareness of potential security risks. Once you know of a breach you can take action by changing your credentials on the breached site and otherwise defending yourself against the misuse of your data.
The malware alert function as you would expect, adding an extra layer of security by detecting and blocking malicious software.
Some competing VPNs also offer ad-blocking, such as with the Threat Protection feature that we tested in the NordVPN review.
Bypasser (split tunneling) feature
Bypasser is Surfshark VPN’s name for their split tunneling feature. Split tunneling lets you selectively route some of your Internet traffic through the encrypted VPN tunnel while sending other traffic directly through the regular Internet connection. It lets you control which application and data traffic will be protected by the VPN, and which traffic will be transferred normally.
Bypasser can be useful if you need access to local resources and remote (internet )resources at the same time. It can also be useful if you need to access resources that are not compatible with a VPN without exposing all your internet traffic.
For example, most banks have strong security systems meant to prevent evildoers from hacking into bank accounts. Unfortunately, those defenses sometimes also block you from connecting to the bank’s servers when you are using a VPN.
With most VPNs, this would mean that you need to turn off the VPN while you are doing your online banking. But that would leave all your internet traffic unprotected while the VPN is off. That’s clearly not an ideal solution.
Surfshark’s Bypasser lets you configure traffic to and from your bank to travel outside the VPN tunnel while letting other traffic continue through the secure, encrypted VPN tunnel. Your regular traffic remains protected by the VPN, while the traffic to and from your bank is protected by the bank’s security system (which caused the whole problem in the first place).
While split tunneling is by no means a standard VPN feature, it is appearing as a feature in more and more of the best VPNs. You can see another implementation of split tunneling in our Proton VPN review. For a comparison of these two services, see the Surfshark vs Proton VPN report.
Note: Do be careful if you decide to use Bypasser. While the feature worked perfectly in our testing, if you don’t configure it properly you could end up exposing sensitive data or applications on the outside of the VPN tunnel.
As with CleanWeb, the Bypasser feature is also activated directly in the Surfshark app settings area. This tool allows you to “Select apps or websites & IPs to bypass VPN.” You can see other VPNs with split tunneling here.
IP Rotator
The IP Rotator is one of the standout features of Surfshark VPN. This feature is designed to provide an additional layer of privacy and security for users. As the name suggests, the IP Rotator automatically changes your IP address at regular intervals. This makes it even harder for third parties to track your online activities.
By constantly changing your IP address, Surfshark’s IP Rotator can effectively prevent targeted ads, reduce the risk of identity theft, and enhance your overall online privacy. This feature is particularly useful when you are connected to public Wi-Fi networks, where your online activities can be more vulnerable to snooping.
In summary, using the IP Rotator can significantly enhance your online privacy and security. Whether you’re a privacy-conscious individual or a professional who frequently works on public Wi-Fi networks, you should take advantage of this feature.
NoBorders mode
NoBorders mode is a feature to activate when you must navigate in restricted regions of the internet. When Surfshark detects restrictions it automatically activates NoBorders mode. This mode gives you access to a set of selected servers that perform well under restricted conditions.
Note: You can also activate NoBorders mode manually.
MultiHop and Dynamic MultiHop
A VPN’s multi-hop feature lets you pass your Internet traffic through two (or sometimes more) VPN servers located in different locations. Each server in the chain decrypts and then re-encrypts the traffic before passing it on. This makes it much more difficult for anyone to track a user’s online activities.
MultiHop is Surfshark’s name for their multi-hop VPN feature. As of the time of this Surfshark review, there were a over a dozen different pre-defined double-hop server configurations available. These can be selected directly within the Surfshark client under Locations > MultiHop.
MultiHop is great. But Surfshark has taken it even further with something they call dynamic MultiHop. What’s the difference between MultiHop and dynamic MultiHop?
- MultiHop server configurations are defined by Surfshark.
- Dynamic MultiHop configurations are defined by you.
To use this feature, look for the Create Connection button at the bottom of the MultiHop server list in the Surfshark app.
Click that button and you will be presented with the option to select your entry location (the VPN server connected to your device) and the exit location (the second VPN server in the chain). The result of this process is a custom multi-hop configuration that you can use right now, and even add to the list of available options if you think you will need it in the future.
This can be a good feature if you are looking for more encryption and privacy above and beyond a single-hop connection. However, speeds will likely be slower than single-hop servers.
We have a multi-hop VPN guide that dives into this topic more if you are interested.
Static IP servers and Dedicated IP servers
Some people need the protection of a VPN while at the same time needing to use the same IP address all the time. In these cases, a Surfshark user can opt to connect to Static IP servers or Dedicated IP servers.
Static IP servers provide the same IP address to everyone who connects to them. These servers are free of charge for Surfshark users, but the fact that many people can use the same IP address makes them unsuitable for some applications. In these cases, a Dedicated IP server is the answer.
You might need a dedicated IP address (and therefore access to Dedicated IP servers) for several reasons. Dedicated IP addresses, being unique and used by only one person, provide heightened security to their users and are less likely to be blacklisted, something that can be crucial for services like email.
Another significant benefit of a dedicated IP address is the ability to access region-restricted content. Selecting a Dedicated IP server in a region where you will frequently need access allows you to bypass geo-restrictions. At the same time, the fact that it is only you using that IP address greatly decreases the odds that the restricted services you are connecting to will one day block your connection.
Another advantage of a dedicated IP address is that it can facilitate remote work or online gaming experiences. Using the same IP allows you to connect to secure networks for work without problems. It can also maintain a consistent gaming experience, as some games might block shared (static) IP addresses to prevent cheating.
It is also possible that using a Dedicated IP server would improve performance. Since the IP isn’t shared with others, you might see faster connection speeds, a great benefit for seamless video conferencing or uninterrupted online gaming. See other VPNs with a dedicated IP here.
Surfshark works with Netflix and other streaming services
If you need a good VPN for Netflix, Surfshark is a solid choice. They offer access to 16+ Netflix regional libraries, including all of the most popular regions, such as Netflix US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Korea, and more. I decided to test out Surfshark’s ability to unblock the US and UK Netflix libraries and everything worked perfectly. Below you can see me streaming US Netflix without any problems.
Streaming video quality was also perfect, without any interruptions. This is to be expected given the fast speeds and reliable connections. Surfshark certainly outperforms other VPNs with streaming, as you can see in the CyberGhost vs Surfshark comparison.
Beyond Netflix, Surfshark is a great all-around VPN for streaming, with many other services supported including BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, Hulu, and more. In the most recent update to the VPN for BBC iPlayer guide, we found Surfshark to be one of only a few services that still got through, as you can see below.
Surfshark also has a great app if you need a VPN for Firestick or Fire TV. And speaking of Amazon Firestick Surfshark is also a great option if you need a VPN for Amazon Prime.
Surfshark One and Surfshark One+
In addition to the Surfshark VPN with all its built-in capabilities, you can enhance your subscription with Surfshark One or Surfshark One+. These options add additional capabilities that work alongside the Surfshark VPN. They increase various aspects of your internet security and privacy, but are not strictly VPN features.
Surfshark One
In addition to the Ad blocker and Pop-up blocker that are part of the regular Surfshark VPN package, Surfshark One gives you:
- 24/7 antivirus protection with a virus database that is updated every 3 hours, along with complete control over which files and folders to scan
- Webcam protection that locks down your camera and notifies you if websites or apps try to gain access to the camera
- Credit card and ID breach alerts so you can take action to secure your data before it is misused
- Personal data security reports that keep you abreast of breaches that could compromise your data
- Alternative ID online aliases along with safe email addresses you can use to log into sites you don’t trust with your real data
Surfshark One+
Surfshark One+ gives you everything in Surfshark One, and adds the ability to have your data removed from various company databases and people search sites. These capabilities are available in the USA, Canada, the UK, and the EU. To learn more about this particular feature, check out our detailed guide to Incogni.
These optional security bundles ensure that your devices remain protected from threats, while you maintain your online privacy. They are great options if you want to take your online security to the next level without having to invest in multiple services or software. You can see these features on the checkout page and they can be incorporated into your VPN subscription.
You may find this package to be useful and worth the monthly (added) price. However, there are many different private search engines available that are free of charge. There are also identity theft protection services, but they can be quite expensive.
Good long-term prices and money-back guarantee
Surfshark is probably the cheapest VPN that I would still consider to be a high-quality service. It is a great value. If you use this discount coupon, you can get Surfshark at the current best available price. Right now, the company is promoting Surfshark One. But if you select the Surfshark Starter option and the 24-month plan shown below, you get this high-performance, high-quality VPN at a crazy low price of only $2.19 per month, along with 2 months free.
Surfshark is cheaper than nearly all other leading (high-quality) VPN services. They support all major payment options: credit cards, PayPal, Sofort, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and cryptocurrencies.
Above average monthly prices
One drawback we see with Surfshark is that the price of a month-by-month subscription is quite high. This applies to all the different subscription tiers of Starter, One, and One+ as you can see below.
Note: Check out our page on VPN coupons for other deals and discounts.
Surfshark’s 30-day refund policy
Surfshark offers a 30-day refund policy on all plans. This is a great refund window as many VPNs restrict refunds to only one week.
After reading through the terms and conditions, there are a few exceptions for mobile apps and gift cards.
We can refund you on the basis of our 30-day money-back guarantee. Except if you signed up via iTunes/App Store or with a prepaid card/gift card. These are out of our hands.
These exceptions are pretty standard. You can see the respective mobile stores for their refund policies.
The 30-day refund window basically acts as a free trial VPN, since you can cancel at any time within the window for a full refund.
Live chat support is available 24/7
In working on this review, I had many interactions with the Surfshark VPN support team. I found the support to be fast and helpful. You can access live chat directly through the website and it is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
I also found the Surfshark website to have lots of good info. There is a dedicated support domain with dozens of tutorials and guides.
Surfshark VPN on routers
Another drawback I found with Surfshark is that there is no VPN router app. Some VPNs, such as ExpressVPN and VyprVPN, offer a dedicated app that can be used with some routers, with the right firmware. This makes it very easy to get the VPN up and running, assuming you have the right router.
With Surfshark, however, there is no dedicated VPN router app. However, you can still use Surfshark with a router, but it may be more complicated. Here are some options for using Surfshark with a router:
- Get a preconfigured VPN router from vendors such as Flashrouters, Sabai Technology, or Vilfo.
- Get a VPN-enabled router that comes with full support for OpenVPN. My top recommendation for this is the latest models from Asus.
- Flash your existing router with firmware that will work with VPNs. This can be tricky and it also comes with some risk. Proceed with caution.
As you can see, there are still many options for using Surfshark with a VPN router, but it’d be great if they developed a dedicated VPN router app to make that even easier. See my VPN router guide for more of a discussion on this topic.
Surfshark FAQ
Here are some of the common questions we encountered when working on this Surfshark VPN review.
Can you use Surfshark with Linux?
Yes, you can use Surfshark VPN with Linux using the new Linux GUI (desktop) app. It works very well and made it onto our list of the best VPNs for Linux. Surfshark is a top contender for that honor thanks to its quality Linux app that fully supports the WireGuard VPN protocol.
Does Surfshark work for torrenting?
Surfshark definitely works for torrenting and other P2P file transfers. It occupies a spot on our list of the best VPN for torrenting.
According to the Surfshark website, all servers are P2P friendly. With great speeds (using WireGuard), good leak protection settings, no logs, and safe, secure apps, Surfshark is a good option to consider.
Torrenters may also find peace of mind knowing that Surfshark is not forced to comply with US DMCA laws. Therefore legal notices and copyright demands should not affect Surfshark users in any way. With copyright violations sometimes resulting in jail time, it’s good to use a safe and secure VPN at all times.
Is Surfshark VPN trustworthy?
Indeed, it is. We are not the only reviewers who have been impressed with Surfshark VPN’s reliability, which is strengthened by its military-grade encryption and strict no-logs policy.
In addition, Surfshark VPN has undergone an independent audit by Deloitte, which confirmed its commitment to user privacy and adherence to its no-logs policy.
Does Surfshark work in China?
Surfshark has a built-in feature called NoBorders, which they developed to help users get around VPN blocks and restrictions. This will be useful in China. VPNs use different names for this feature, such as the Chameleon protocol with VyprVPN.
The Surfshark NoBorders feature can be enabled directly in the app. This should allow you to use the VPN in areas where VPNs may be blocked, such as in China. With this feature built into the Surfshark apps, it is probably a good VPN for China if you need to get through the Great Firewall.
Note: Surfshark also has a “Camouflage mode” feature that obfuscates VPN traffic. This feature is automatically activated when you use the OpenVPN protocol (UDP and TCP). While this is similar to the “NoBorders” feature, they are separate.
Does Surfshark work for gaming?
Many people use VPNs to improve their experience for gaming — but there are many variables to consider. For a VPN to work well with gaming, it needs:
1. Fast servers
2. A large network that can deliver consistent speeds
3. Reliable VPN apps for all gaming devices
As we have seen in this review, Surfshark meets all three of these conditions. It is a great VPN for gaming and should work well for you.
Surfshark review conclusion for 2024
Somehow, Surfshark continues to deliver premium VPN features and services while charging a cheap VPN price. When you consider all of the features and performance you get for such a low price, Surfshark is a tremendous value. To recap, here are the highlights of Surfshark VPN:
- Great apps for all major devices and operating systems
- Unlimited number of simultaneous connections
- Based in a good jurisdiction with a no-logs policy audited by Deloitte
- Good leak protection features (kill switch) with strong encryption
- MultiHop VPN servers (13 preconfigured, plus the ability to create your own)
- CleanWeb feature to block ads, trackers, malware, and phishing domains
- Split tunneling feature (Bypasser)
- Works well with Netflix and other streaming channels
- Fast secure P2P file transfers and torrenting
- A continuing stream of advanced features rolling out as they become available
- 24/7 live chat support and a 30-day money-back guarantee
Overall Surfshark is one of the best VPNs I’ve tested and is currently one of our top recommendations. If you want to give Surfshark a try, you will get the best prices with the coupon below:
Surfshark VPN Coupon:
Get 86% off Surfshark VPN plus an additional 3 months extra with the coupon below:
(Coupon is applied automatically; 30 day money-back guarantee)
Alternatives to Surfshark
While I think Surfshark is a great VPN, you may want to investigate one or more of these leading alternatives. Click the links to read their reviews or grab the NordVPN discount coupon for the best savings. Additionally, each of these VPNs has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
You can also check out our guide to the top VPN Services for other recommendations. In comparison to other VPNs, Surfshark usually does very well. Here are our Surfshark VPN comparisons:
- Surfshark vs CyberGhost
- Surfshark vs PIA
- Surfshark vs NordVPN
- ExpressVPN vs Surfshark
- Surfshark vs IPVanish
If you have used Surfshark VPN, feel free to leave your own review below (good or bad) to help others decide.
This Surfshark VPN review was last updated on January 7, 2024.
Hidden connections
This Surfshark is originally from Lithuania, like NordVPN, Atlas VPN, etc
They moved to the Netherlands because of “tax issues” (among other things).
B.t.w. I did not know that tax is lower in the Netherlands than in Lithuania 😉 ))))
But now, if you want to buy this Lithuanian VPN from the Netherlands, you will get this:
Surfshark Starter: EUR 55.72
+4 FREE months: EUR 0.00
VAT/Sales Tax 21% Netherlands: EUR 11.70
Hm, strange.. ))
I don’t understand why would a company flee away from Lithuania, from one EU country to the other..
Sven Taylor
That is not correct. Surfshark company was originally incorporated in the British Virgin Islands when it started up until a few years ago. The people working for Surfshark are located all over the world, including Vilnius, Lithuania, but the company is now registered and based in the Netherlands like you said.
Jack
I’ve been using Surfshark for 2 years and noticed that some things changed to the worse over the course of time. For example, they have switched servers in some countries from physical to VIRTUAL (e.g. Georgia, Nigeria, Azerbaijan), which means further reducing the number of physical server locations as they haven’t added any NEW physical servers. The second example also concerns server locations: Some servers are marked as *physically* (e.g. Montenegro, Nepal, Mongolia), however, after carefully performing a few traceroutes it shows the servers are actually VIRTUAL – i.e. not located in these very countries.
Tony
I recently switched to SurfShark and in due course noticed a technical problem. With Wireguard protocol and killswitch engaged, internet access is cut off. IKEV2 with the killswitch on, works. I referred this problem via live chat to a SurfShark rep. But was not offered a satisfactory fix. This problem is on my OS 14 system. IOS systems work fine with both protocols and killswitch on.
Has anyone else experienced this discrepancy?
Dave
I found a chat transcript in my email from Dec 23, 2021 where I was experiencing much the same issues as you. Wireguard connection problems. Support was very nice and promised it was going to be fixed in the next update. But that was back in 2021…
Sorry I can’t be of any further help, just letting you know you aren’t alone, lol
I got a refund and switched service.
But they tried like crazy to help me.
Best of luck with yours.
Tony
I too got a refund and reinstated my old VPN. It’s disconcerting to see that this glitch has been around since 2021.
Tony
Dave
So, Surfshark sounds good and all, but has anyone read their privacy summary page? Am I reading it wrong?
https://surfshark.com/privacy
I mean, they collect and keep a Lot of information about users.
Right off the bat is says they don’t collect your information but in the next paragraph is says their servers do store my user ID and/or IP address and connection time stamps. It says they delete this info within 15 minutes after termination of my session, but most folks I know simply stay connected to their vpn 24/7. So I guess Surfshark keeps this info all the time?
When you visit their site they keep info about what browser I’m using, how long I’m there, network, device. Again, this is part of google analytics, and to opt out I guess I would have to install google chrome, which isn’t going to happen..
They retain my IP address and a unique identifier of my device.
They keep my credit card info, IP address, info about my searches if I use their search engine.
My operating system and devices for the anti-virus.
The number of times I receive a request to use my webcam and microphone, how I answered, how many apps I have in my ignore list.
If you use a dedicated IP service, some of your online activities can be traced back to me.
A lot of my info they keep so they can contact me in the future about sales…
All sorts of info so they can give/sell it to their ‘advertising partners’
Besides all that…. They say it’s on special for $1.99 per month 24 months…then
charge me $53.73 plus $4.77 tax
rather than the actual total which should be $47.76 plus tax.
——————————-
I’m not trying to be weird or hateful it’s just that they seem to collect a lot of data
about me… And their math sucks…. lol
Again, maybe I’m just wrong about this? Am I supposed to connect/disconnect all the time so they won’t keep some of my data?
TD070VA1
At the time of writing, their Linux client is terrible for system administrators. Open your task manager and sort descendingly by process ID (PID). It runs new processes to ping to various addresses including Google every ten seconds, polluting the PID space. Maybe that is something worth investigating.
Thankfully, Surfshark works with Network Manager via semi-automatic configuration.
Mike
How common is it in 2023 for system administrators to use Linux and not Windows?
I’m curious because I’ve heard that Linux is more secure and customizable, but I don’t know many companies that use it. Maybe it’s a small niche that only appeals to some tech geeks. Correct me if I’m wrong, though. I’m always open to learning new things.
Alex
I really like that Surshark added an option to create your own MultiHop connection where you get to choose the entry and the exit servers. Glad to have that feature.
Super Sven
Sven Sir please reply,
Surfshark VPN has introduced Dedicated IP addresses for users for an additional fee. What is your opinion? Surfshark says that this will lead to less CAPTCHAs and IP Bans. Do you recommend us users going ahead and buying these Surfshark Dedicated IPs for additional fee or you feel that is not needed?
Sven Taylor
Yes, this is certainly a good option to consider, we discuss the pros and cons in this article on dedicated IP VPNs.
Al
Sven, why the emphasis on OpenVPN?
Wireguard or the other IKEv2 protocol are fairly common instead. From my understanding, OpenVPN is quite restrictive— you have to manually add server locations each time you want to change your location. WIth the other two protocols, you can let the client choose the best location.
Tom Cat
Surfshark aces its first no-logs audit
https://www.techradar.com/news/surfshark-aces-its-first-no-logs-audit
Bronco
While this is a good practice, it’s only a snapshot in time, as many VPN experts claim. Similar to the “5 Eyes” privacy myth… Knowing the United States had made bilateral contracts with the vast majority of countries about cyber cooperation…
But nonetheless, this is a good move.
Bronco
Surfshark just added a custom multi hop server function. Not many VPN services have this important privacy option…
Bronco
Dear Sven, you should update Surfshark review. Custom multihop is now available on all platforms. I still have a few paid months remaining. So I tested, and it’s not very stable in my experience. But this is a great feature, very rare in the industry at the moment. As far as I know, only IVPN and Proton have this option.
Sven Taylor
Thanks Bronco, will do.
A
first VPN to offer this was Perfect Privacy.
magic owl 🦉
Sven Sir Surfshark has been working on its Surfshark Nexus where it claims it connects all its VPN servers into a single network to offer faster speeds, greater reliability and more privacy with features like IP randomiser and IP rotator. What do you think about this? Can now Surfshark oust Nord VPN as the number one VPN?
[Surfshark Nexus technology – elevating VPNs to the next level
https://surfshark.com/surfshark-nexus-technology#:~:text=Nexus%20is%20an%20innovation%20by,private%2C%20and%20performant%20VPN%20network.%5D
Sven Taylor
Yes that is an impressive feature we are going to need to test out and analyze more! Not sure it will be big enough to change the rankings, but it’s great news nonetheless.
Honey Bunney
Hi Sven Sir,
While two VPN’s cannot be used at the same time (like Nord and Surfshark) on windows PC. Can I install both the applications on windows PC? Like on Android I have both Nord as well as Surfshark VPN installed but use only one at a time. Similarly can I install both Nord and Surfshark VPN on the same windows PC though not necessarily use them at the same time. Will this cause problems? I will only connect using one at a time. But having both installed on the device gives flexibility to use whichever one I want to use.
Sven Taylor
Yep, this should work fine on the PC as you describe.
Al
You will likely run into issues if you use a VPN extension in your browser, where only one can be enabled (even if not active) at a given time.
Diya
Surfshark speeds are too slow in my experience for my liking. They’re slower than NordVPN and slower than Windscribe (free). No reason to pay right now. I’ll stick with Windscribe.
Eric
SurfShark is faster than NordVPN (iOS 16) in my case and I’m located in Canada. I guess it depends on where you are.
Peter Ulms
Please bear with me on my questions:
I signed up with Surfshark because it is based in the Netherlands; i’m using Australian server, can the four letters agencies knock on SS and force them to give data since it’s an Australian server not Netherlands.
from Down Under
Sven Taylor
Nope, you are good to go. The government could go to a data center where servers are rented (where Surfshark rents servers) but then they’d have to prove that Surfshark did something wrong on a server, but the worst case scenario is the data center pulls the plug on a server due to police pressure. But again, you are good because Surfshark collects no data or logs and runs all servers with RAM memory and no hard disk drives. This makes it impossible to store any data on a server. When the power is cut, there’s nothing because it’s a RAM server. You are safe.
Peter Ulms
Many thanks Mate!
I like SS, it’s fast and I don’t see much slowdown when connected to it.
Peter Ulms
Many thanks Mate!
I like SS, it’s fast.
Vpn User
So, for apast year eas using nordvpn via router – no issues. I have FTTF connection 300/300Mbs. With Nord Vpn have stable ~200/200Mbs. BUT, decided to use SurfShark and….i’m disapouted. With router vpn (UDP ir TCP and VPN in my country) having only 15-20Mb/s…. So, using not via router but with apps. Yes, I talk to support but we can’t resolve this speed issue
01234567890-09876543210
You should change the article because even though Surfshark moved to the Netherlands, it still uses the law of British Virgin Islands. In the Terms of Service it says
“Our contract with you is governed by the laws of the British Virgin Islands, no matter which of the two existing Surfshark companies you have contracted”
This means that even though subscriptions after October 2021 are contracted with Surfshark BV (Netherlands), it is still governed by the laws of the British Virgin Islands (where the original company is based)
Cya
Warrant canary?? Who came up with that? Windscribe lists on their websites how many law enforcement requests they get.
Ty
Now kill switch is available for ubuntu users as well, surfshark added it recently. Have you already seen it?
Richard Allen
I don’t like Surfshark. I was with VPN & because I couldn’t use a Mastercard gift card to pay, as they:
1) Don’t allow payments online of over £40
2) Seem to block payments to anonymising services (maybe).
Additionally, NordVPN were no help at all. I told them to take payment off the card in two payments of £39.99 but they said they couldn’t do it, yet a cloud service I use could do it.
So, I opted for Surfshark & was forced to use the Google Play gift card of £50, for one year. It’s now quite difficult in the UK to buy crypto anonymously, so I was left with no option & while Nord “eventually” offered the Google Play gift card option…after saying they couldn’t do it (!), Surfshark were able to.
What don’t I like? I can’t manually choose a server. Let’s say I wanted the most recently installed London server…can’t do it, because Surfshark doesn’t allow it & will randomly pick the server. As well as that, connections have been hit & miss & setting up “No borders” on Android was unnecessarily complicated.
Of course, I could choose OpenVPN, but they give DNS leaks & I’m too impatient to set up the kill switch config.
Shadow
I live in Canada and I have used Vanilla Prepaid Cards for several years, Mastercard and Visa. I never had problems with them for buying things on amazon, ebay, etc . . . and for buying vpn memberships ( 1 month or 1 year ). Maybe your browser settings or antivirus settings are set wrong, making you have difficulties purchasing items online.
Richard Allen
I think it’s UK law.
kodok
admin Sven, updated according “Surfshark” in TOS & privacy policy : “To prevent service abuse, our servers store your user ID and connection time stamps, but this information is automatically deleted within 15 minutes after termination of your session”. More information on what information is collected about you and how it is used can be found in our Privacy Policy at https://surfshark.com/privacy-policy.
this issued also discuss in official reddit ss
so i think no log policy is change to semi no log policy
Sven Taylor
I’ve been dealing with the issue of timestamps and whether temporary timestamps are “data logs” since around 2017 when ProtonVPN first launched and they claimed to be “no logs” but also said they log your last timestamp and keep that data. I concluded that timestamps are not a dealbreaker — just my opinion.
Alex
“Based in a safe offshore jurisdiction (BVI) with a good no logs policy” – It’s meanwhile based in the Netherlands
Thank you for your website
Sven Taylor
Thanks, I have that fixed now.
bubba ulgy
You need to retest the “kill switch” feature as they have changed the way it works. I have experienced this several times on several different OS’s. The first time surfshark completely disappeared and left me unprotected. Now after they changed how it works: If you select the “kill switch” option and the VPN connection fails, the program still runs but just disconnects and you are unprotected. When I first used surfshark and if the program did not crash completely the internet was blocked until you reconnected. Not true any more. Very risky to have security software behave like this!!
Richard Allen
I’ve noticed that too. When I was with NordVPN, I didn’t have the problems, I only choose Surfshark because I had a problem with the payment method for NordVPN. Once the year is up with Surfshark, I’m ditching them, less than impressed with them thus far.
Heidi
Do I need to be a computer tech to understand how to use a VPN? Half the lingo in the comments is Greek to me, and I worry it will be too complicated to set up and use. Also, I have a Comcast router and wondered if that will even work after the part about them not having a dedicated app and limited VPN router support.
I have been wanting to set up a VPN for quite a while but keep putting it off for fear I won’t be able to figure it out. I need something simple and user friendly. Would you consider SurfShark that?
Sven Taylor
No, you will be perfectly fine, especially with Surfshark. Simply purchase a subscription, download the app to your computer, log in, then connect to a VPN server. It’s that easy. And if you have issues, you can open a live chat session with Surfshark tech support.
If you are already using the VPN on your computer, there isn’t much need to put it on a router. This is where things get complex, especially if your router does not easily support VPNs. I’d guess that your Comcast router does not support VPNs and you would need to purchase another VPN router, then plug it into your Comcast router, and then connect your devices on the network to your VPN router. But again, you don’t need to put yourself through this hassle. I’d recommend just using the VPN on your primary devices (computer, phone, tablets) and forget about the router. This will keep your protected and encrypted with all traffic between your device and the VPN server being fully encrypted and secure, even if going through your ISP router, it won’t matter.
There are pros and cons to VPN routers, but the added complexity is probably not worth it in your situation.
Heidi
Thank you! This was very helpful!
RJ
Surfshark has a gui linux app now. Runs on ubuntu or debian. Includes wireguard.
https://surfshark.com/download/linux
Sven Taylor
I’ve updated the review with discussion (and screenshots) of the Surfshark Linux app.
tobywho
Bought Surfshark so I could access UK television a while ago and never used it for anything else. Privacy has never been a concern for me until recently. I started learning a lot about data collection and how privacy is almost non-existing online. I use features such as Surfshark Search and Surfshark Alert on my Chrome browser almost daily. I’m sure other VPN providers would do the job, but the features and price relation of Surfshark win for me.
Will Wheaton
Dont use chrome browser, thats a red flag , whether you use vpn or not. Use firefox beta for andriod and firefox modified for windows. In both you can do about:config
Ed
You can also use Chromium with the Google features removed… The benefits of Chrome without Big Brother Google
Fren
In the registration process, there is a stupid password verification, besides the usual number/special character crap, they go even further. Just another application of the method Protecting Your Users From Themselves™.
Upon installation, the application runs a “Surfshark.Antivirus” service. I did not buy it, did not choose to install it. Yet there it was, consuming memory and processor power – with an entry to run it on system startup, even.
Surfshark uses a total of about 250 MB of RAM, with three processes and two services; this is a lot more than some others.
The client application UI on Windows is cancerous (even in VPN applications’ standards). The website is already dumbed-down, the “app” is worse. Garbage “modern” gray flat interface with large menus; wasted space, and stuff that could be shown at all times (like IP address and kill switch status) is under a little menu. “Are you happy with your connection?” shown every time you connect to a server. Stuff about the war in Ukraine was shown there (there’s been a circus around it in March, 2022 – because it’s Russia, not Israel doing it, so…) Menu items with advertisements to their Other Products® I don’t give a damn about, are there too, at all times and can’t be turned off.
Support was good: quickly answered by a real guy, got a refund within a short time.
Bronco
https://www.techradar.com/news/new-research-reveals-surfshark-turbovpn-vyprvpn-are-installing-risky-root-certificates
Sven Taylor
Hi Bronco, I asked Surfshark about this and here was the response:
===============
When using the Surfshark root certificate, customers put their trust only in a VPN provider and not a third-party agency that can be compromised. Over the past years, we’ve seen numerous cases where third-party CAs were discredited. Surfshark is a trusted cybersecurity company, and ensuring the security of our products and the privacy of our customers is our core goal. Building that trust is paramount to us.
As for AppEsteem’s evaluation, we’ve closely cooperated with the company in quickly fixing the highlighted issues. All of them have already been fixed, and all Windows users should soon receive an updated version of the app.
Also, we’ve been working on turning off the no longer popular IKEv2 protocol and focusing all our efforts on supporting Wireguard and OpenVPN protocols. This will eliminate the need to install the certificate.
Here are a few links to some cases of root certificates being compromised:
https://www.theregister.com/2015/12/03/kazakhstan_to_maninthemiddle_all_internet_traffic/
https://therecord.media/mongolian-certificate-authority-hacked-eight-times-compromised-with-malware/
https://www.zdnet.com/article/kazakhstan-government-is-intercepting-https-traffic-in-its-capital/
===============
Hello world
Hello you are missing telling us about what is surfshark nexus
Sven Taylor
Yep, we will cover this feature in the next review update.
JoeDoe
“We apply different retention periods depending on the purpose for which your personal information is processed as detailed in Clause 1 of this Policy:
Personal information which is needed to provide our Services is processed for as long as you use Surfshark and no more than 2 years after you stop.
Personal information which is needed to provide our Smart DNS services (i.e. your IP address) is processed for as long as you use our Services.”
I see IP address as long as we use their services. What do I not understand here ?
Gabe
Surf Shark is terrible!
Dropped connections, high pings and packet loss. The worst VPN I have ever used and they act like they have no knowledge of the issue when the server logs tells them everything they need to know…. It’s been a year and a half of VPN hell for me with SS…
Mike
Thankfully, Surfshark temporarily suspended their fake news warning feature but it can come back at any time.
https://www.techradar.com/news/surfshark-backpedals-on-fake-news-feature-after-barrage-of-criticism
Sven Taylor
Well that’s good to see!
Anonymous
But the suspension is only temporary. That they would do this at all, think it is their role, is concerning. There are more than enough companies censoring news and discussion under the guise of protecting us. Quite a surprise that a VPN would join the party!
GWang
Surfshark has decided to put up “Fake news warning” on search results when you’re using the browser plugin. This is completely antithetical to the whole purpose of VPN in the first place.
Sissy
The whole purpose of a VPN is to provide anonymity and privacy, not to keep you from finding out that something published online that you want to believe may be untrue.
emi
Decided to buy Surfshark VPN a month ago, purely because wanted to stream the newest Australian Survivor series. Priority was a good price (that’s where Surfshark got my attention) and of course speeds. Midway into the season now, I can say, that Surfshark’s speeds are good and AU servers work great for streaming. Only a few times had experienced some latency while loading the episode, but I guess that’s expected and normal with any VPN provider.
Alf
Indeed. I streamed the Australian Open with VPN servers from Australia and it worked perfectly!
Luis
Just had a bad surprise from SS, in the middle of protected work, they cut my coverage…Had joined in on the 14th for 26 months with CC. Theis security crap, tells me after 10 days that my CC can be a fraud and they are refunding me the money, to please reapply. Extremly non serious approach to security. I tried Express, had problems with new ownership, tried Nord, cancelled at day 30, w/o problems as they were taking too long to answer questions, and I didn’t want to hang for 24 months. I have Protonmail but an issue of trust for their VPN remains.
Sven, I highly regard your opinion, any other suggestions or go back?
Thanks
Sven Taylor
I’m not sure what’s going on with the billing issues, but yes, we’ve been impressed with Surfshark over the past year and it’s a great VPN for the price.
Luis
Thanks Sven, Vypr VPN is not giving breaks anymore, now is $ 100/ yr, take it or leave it, may be they believed you when you said they were inexpensive…
Brad
https://www.reddit.com/r/surfshark/comments/s6azlw/vpn_provider_surfshark_also_signed_a_confidential/
Does someone know what this means for the users of Surfshark? What could they have agreed to?
Sven Taylor
Many VPN providers have been blocking torrent traffic on US servers for years now, because they will lose their VPN server hosting and data centers. This is nothing new. Torrenting in the US is always risky due to overzealous lawyers and film/music studios who want to sue everyone, including any service that provides infrastructure to torrent. Perfect Privacy has blocked torrenting on US servers for at least the past 5+ years, and others do it as well.
As people noted in that reddit thread, it literally just means that torrenting traffic will be blocked from US servers. So connect to fast VPN servers outside the US. Problem solved.
Jim
They fixed the “WireGuard doesn’t connect when Kill Switch is active” issue with v3.2.0 on Windows. But they also changed the way the Kill Switch works – and for the worse IMO. Previously, it was a “permanent Kill Switch” i.e. it worked even when the VPN was not running and also at boot time (no internet connectivity until the VPN software was running and connected). But now it only works when the connection drops (see the quote below from their release notes). A definite step back IMO in terms of privacy. I’ve written them about it and hopefully they will either restore the old behavior – or provide both behaviors and let the user choose. I’ll post an update when I know more.
—– (quote) —–
* We updated Kill Switch so now it’ll only activate if your VPN connection actually drops, instead of when the VPN is turned off. Enjoy!
Max
I noticed that change as well, and also told and asked them to change it to how it was before the update. Now you can’t rely on the Kill Switch to have your internet connection blocked even when it’s turned on (with the new update) – wtf? You have to switch from server to server with Kill Switch on in order for the Kill Switch to remain *active*. Huge step backwards for me as well
Jim
They still haven’t fixed the “permanent kill switch” that they broke with release 3.2.0 on Windows. You can see the full changelog at the link below. They told me they’ll fix it in the next release. Here’s hoping. I’ll keep you all posted.
https://downloads.surfshark.com/windows/meta/windows-changelog.txt