VPN | Surfshark |
Based in | The Netherlands |
Logs | No logs |
Price | $2.30/mo. |
Support | 24/7 live chat |
Refund | 30 days |
Website | Surfshark.com |
Surfshark is an up-and-coming VPN service that officially launched in 2018. Despite being a relative newcomer in the VPN space, Surfshark is gaining serious attention. As we discovered in tests for this Surfshark review, this VPN is putting up impressive test results with fast speeds and advanced security features.
But there are also a few drawbacks we discovered. Keep reading the pros and cons to see if Surfshark VPN is a good fit for your needs, or if you should consider other options.
Here is an overview of our Surfshark review findings:
Pros of Surfshark
- Support for all operating systems and devices + Unlimited connections
- Strong privacy protection policies
- Secure encryption and leak protection features
- WireGuard support (with fast speeds)
- Passed an independent security audit
- Large, secure server network operating in RAM-disk
- CleanWeb (ad blocker) and Whitelister (split tunneling) features
- Surfshark works with Netflix and other streaming services
- Multi-hop VPN, plus extra features
- Excellent prices and money-back guarantee
- 24/7 live chat support
Cons of Surfshark
- Average OpenVPN speeds
- Limited VPN router support
Additional research findings
- Does Surfshark work for torrenting?
- Does Surfshark work in China?
Now let’s get into the details…
Pros of Surfshark VPN
Here are the pros (advantages) of Surfshark.
Support for all operating systems and devices + Unlimited connections
Despite being a newer VPN service, Surfshark already has a great lineup of apps that cover all major operating systems and devices. This is indeed important, especially with the growing popularity of streaming content online with various types of devices. In this area, Surfshark delivers with apps for all types of devices.
You can use Surfshark with:
Desktop and Laptops
- Windows
- Mac OS
- Linux
Phones and tablets
- Android
- iOS
Browsers (This is a browser extension)
- Chrome and Chromium-based browsers
- Firefox
Smart TVs (This is smart DNS)
- Amazon Fire TV
- Apple TV
- Other Smart TVs (see website for details)
Gaming consoles (This is smart DNS)
- Playstation
- Xbox
Note: Do not confuse the Browser Extensions or Smart DNS for the dedicated VPN client on your operating system. In short, a browser extension only works within the browser, rather than encrypting all traffic on your operating system like a VPN. And a Smart DNS is simply modifying your DNS settings rather than encrypting all traffic. We discuss this distinction more in our guide on the best VPN for Chrome.
Surfshark background check
Surfshark has a stellar track since it burst onto the scene in 2018. Over the years, this VPN has grown in popularity by offering excellent features, secure apps, great performance, and all for a 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 a fan 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 also an identity theft alert tool. With Surfshark and Nord Security joining forces, the future is looking bright.
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Another big advantage you get with Surfshark is an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. In the VPN industry, most services limit you to about five simultaneous connections, give or take a few. While Perfect Privacy also offers an unlimited number of connections, it is significantly more expensive than Surfshark.
Here is the official policy from their website:
We offer an exclusive service to our customers – our VPN enables you to connect all your devices at once, without a limit on simultaneous connections!
This policy really sets Surfshark apart from other major VPN services, as we noted in the IPVanish vs Surfshark report.
Strong privacy protection policies
Surfshark does a great job at ensuring customer privacy remains protected. Previously, this VPN was based in the British Virgin Islands, just like we saw in the ExpressVPN review. However, in October 2021, Surfshark announced they would be relocating to The Netherlands, primarily for business reasons.
We strongly recommend avoiding the US and UK jurisdictions (and other 5 Eyes countries), while other European countries are less concerning. Having closely examined 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.
With Surfshark now being legally based in The Netherlands, we do not find this concerning, since the country does not have any data retention laws and is overall favorable from a privacy standpoint. If Surfshark moved to the US or UK, we would have serious concerns, but that is not the case. 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.
Now on to the next important question…
Surfshark keeps no logs
I read through the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for this Surfshark review. Both are rather verbose. Here are some important takeaways:
- 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 have an 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, then you can just disable it in the settings.
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.
Surfshark Warrant Canary
Surfshark maintains a warrant canary to alert their customers to any government action that could infringe on customer privacy. Looking at the Surfshark warrant canary at the time of this review, we see:
0 National Security letters;
0 Gag orders;
0 Warrants from a government organization.
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 is generally considered the “gold standard” with VPNs because it offers good performance, is open source, and is considered very secure.
- WireGuard – WireGuard is the newest addition to Surfshark and offers the fastest speeds and latest encryption technology. WireGuard is supported directly in the Surfshark VPN apps (no extra 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, Mac OS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Surfshark kill switch
The Surfshark 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 (for any reason). You can see the kill switch in the settings. 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 apps for Windows, Mac OS, Android, and iOS. I tested the kill switch with the Surfshark Windows VPN app and everything worked well.
Surfshark leak tests (no leaks found)
For this Surfshark review, I also ran the Windows and Mac OS clients through some basic VPN tests and checks. I could 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.
Read about all Surfshark’s security features here >>
WireGuard support (very fast speeds)
One of the biggest updates to this Surfshark review is the implementation of WireGuard.
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
We ran all tests on a 500 Mbps connection using the latest Surfshark VPN apps with the WireGuard protocol. All tests were carried out in our US lab testing Surfshark servers in the US, Canada, and Europe.
First I tested a Surfshark VPN server in Los Angeles (USA) and was able to get 346 Mbps.
At well over 300 Mbps, this is an excellent speed test result.
Next I tested a Surfshark VPN server in Seattle. Once again, the results were excellent at 308 Mbps.
Even though the Surfshark Seattle server is not as fast as the previous Los Angeles server, 308 Mbps is still great.
The last Surfshark server I tested in the United States was in New York. This was the most impressive speed I found, at 397 Mbps.
At nearly 400 Mbps, this puts Surfshark in the league of the fastest VPNs we have tested here at Restore Privacy.
We also ran some speed tests with Surfshark servers in Canada. Here was a server in Toronto at 360 Mbps:
Surfshark is one of the best VPNs for Canada that delivers consistent performance.
Lastly, I tested servers in the UK. Once again, the performance was excellent with this Surfshark server in the UK: 330 Mbps.
If you want the fastest VPN speeds with Surfshark, simply use the WireGuard VPN protocol. We found it to offer very similar speeds to NordVPN in our Surfshark vs NordVPN comparison.
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 a rapidly-growing industry by undergoing external audits. Surfshark is going along with this (positive) trend. It underwent an audit by Cure53, a reputable cybersecurity firm based in Germany. Cure53 had this to say:
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 ready very well. Note, however, that the audit was limited to the Android and iOS browser extensions. You can read the full audit report here.
There are also a few verified no logs VPNs that have undergone external audits to verify their logging policies. (Surfshark has not done this yet.) Some of the larger VPN services have undergone third-party audits to verify the no-logs status. We discuss two examples of this in our NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison.
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 63 countries.
As you can see above, all Surfshark servers run Private DNS, are P2P-friendly, and comply with a no-logs policy.
Does Surfshark use virtual server locations?
First, let’s define what we’re talking about. A virtual server location is when a VPN server announces a location, such as Chile for example, when it is in fact 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 Surfshark review, we can clearly see that Surfshark uses some virtual server locations for remote regions. Surfshark is transparent about this fact and clearly announces the virtual locations in the apps (unlike HideMyAss 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.
CleanWeb (ad blocker) and Whitelister (split tunneling) features
Surfshark comes integrated with some cool features that I tested out for this Surfshark 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 out by visiting some ad-infested websites with CleanWeb enabled. It looks to be working very well as all ads were effectively blocked.
Other VPNs also offer ad-blocking, such as with the CyberSec feature that we tested in the NordVPN review.
Whitelister (split tunneling) feature
Like with CleanWeb, the Whitelister 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.
This may be useful in certain cases. For example, if you have a streaming service that blocks the VPN, then bypassing the VPN with only that app may be helpful. This is another feature that we also see being offered by other VPNs, as we noted with our ProtonVPN review.
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 UK Netflix through Surfshark’s server in London:
Streaming 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, DAZN, 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 was still getting through.
Multi-hop VPN, plus extra features
Surfshark offers a multi-hop VPN feature, which will route your traffic over two different VPN servers. As of the time of this Surfshark review, there are fourteen different double-hop server configurations available. These can be selected directly within the Surfshark client under Locations > MultiHop.
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.
Extra (paid) features
Surfshark also offers a few additional features, beyond what we’ve covered above. These features are:
- Surfshark Alert – Get real-time alerts when your emails & passwords are at risk of being hacked.
- Surfshark Search – The real incognito mode for searches you don’t want anyone to see.
- Antivirus feature – Surfshark is also offering an antivirus feature.
Surfshark One – If you want to get everything together, Surfshark also offers the “Surfshark One” option, which includes everything the VPN as well as the Alert, Search, and Antivirus add-ons. This add-on costs an extra $1.49 per month, on top of the VPN subscription price.
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.
Excellent 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 at only $2.49 per month. If you use this discount coupon, you can get Surfshark for $2.30 per month.
At $2.49 per month, Surfshark is cheaper than nearly all other leading (high-quality) VPN services.
Surfshark supports all major payment options: credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and cryptocurrencies.
Note: Check out our page on VPN coupons for other deals and discounts.
Surfshark 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.
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 any time within the window for a full refund.
Live chat support available 24/7
In working on this Surfshark review, I had many interactions with their support team. I found the support to be fast and helpful. You can access the live chat support 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.
Cons of Surfshark VPN
Now let’s examine the cons (drawbacks) of Surfshark VPN.
Average OpenVPN speeds
I ran lots of speed tests for this Surfshark review. The test results for the WireGuard protocol were excellent and are all posted above.
There is one drawback with speeds however. I found the OpenVPN protocol to not offer the best performance. While anyone can use WireGuard, some may prefer to use OpenVPN for various reasons. OpenVPN is also the only protocol supported with Linux as well as the multi-hop feature.
Below you can see that OpenVPN speeds were not great in a few locations.
Here was a server in Los Angeles with the OpenVPN protocol and I’m getting around 81 Mbps.
Similarly, the OpenVPN protocol with a UK server was also not very impressive at 79 Mbps.
We can expect OpenVPN to not perform at the same level as WireGuard. With that being said, you can typically get speeds of over 150 or 200 Mbps with OpenVPN using a fast VPN service. For example, I can usually get speeds of over 200 Mbps using NordVPN.
If you don’t need to use OpenVPN, then you’ll be better off with WireGuard, which is more than adequate with Surfshark.
Note: This is still faster than many other popular VPNs, as you can see in our recent Private Internet Access review.
Limited VPN router support
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 a 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.
Additional research findings
Here are some additional research findings and test results for this Surfshark VPN review.
Does Surfshark work for torrenting?
While it may not be the best VPN for torrenting, Surfshark is still an excellent choice
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 DMCA laws because they are based in The Netherlands. 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.
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 enabled with 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:
- Fast servers
- A large network that can deliver consistent speeds
- Reliable VPN apps for all gaming devices
As we have seen in this Surfshark review, this service meets all three of these conditions. It is a great VPN for gaming and should work well.
Can you use Surfshark with Linux?
Yes, you can use Surfshark VPN with Linux using the new Linux desktop app.
One exciting new development with Surfshark is the launch of the Linux GUI app. This was launched in mid-2022 and we tested it out for our guide on the best VPNs for Linux. In this realm, Surfshark is a top contender with its new Linux app that fully supports the WireGuard VPN protocol. Here is a screenshot of the Surfshark Linux app from our tests:
There is one noteworthy drawback with the Surfshark Linux app: it does not have a kill switch (yet). However, Surfshark staff told me a kill switch feature should be released with the next update in the coming months. If you want a kill switch with Linux, you may want to check out NordVPN.
Surfshark review conclusion for 2022
Despite being a relatively cheap VPN that is relatively new to the VPN world, Surfshark packs a punch. It delivers serious value when you consider all of the features, preferences, and performance, all for only $2.30 per month.
As a brief recap, here are the highlights of Surfshark VPN:
- Great apps for all major devices and operating systems
- Unlimited number of connections
- Based in a good jurisdiction with a no-logs policy
- Good leak protection features (kill switch) with strong encryption
- Multi-hop VPN servers (13 to choose from)
- CleanWeb feature to block ads, trackers, malware, and phishing domains
- Split tunneling feature (Whitelister)
- Works well with Netflix and other streaming channels
- 24/7 live chat support and a 30 day money-back guarantee
Overall Surfshark is one of the better VPNs I’ve tested and is currently one of our top recommendations.
If you want to give Surfshark a try, get the best prices with the coupon below:
Surfshark VPN Coupon
Get 82% off Surfshark VPN (drops the price down to $2.30 per month) plus two months FREE:
(Coupon is applied automatically.)
Alternatives to Surfshark
Below are a few great alternatives to Surfshark that we have tested and reviewed. Check out the review or grab the discount for the best savings. Additionally, these VPNs have a 30 day money-back guarantee.
You can also check out our guide on the top VPN Services for other recommendations.
In comparison to other VPNs, Surfshark usually does pretty 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 June 21, 2022.
“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
Thanks, I have that fixed now.
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!!
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?
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.
Thank you! This was very helpful!
Surfshark has a gui linux app now. Runs on ubuntu or debian. Includes wireguard.
https://surfshark.com/download/linux
I’ve updated the review with discussion (and screenshots) of the Surfshark Linux app.
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.
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
You can also use Chromium with the Google features removed… The benefits of Chrome without Big Brother Google
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 Themselvesâ„¢.
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.
https://www.techradar.com/news/new-research-reveals-surfshark-turbovpn-vyprvpn-are-installing-risky-root-certificates
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/
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Hello you are missing telling us about what is surfshark nexus
Yep, we will cover this feature in the next review update.
“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 ?
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…
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
Well that’s good to see!
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!
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.
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.
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.
Indeed. I streamed the Australian Open with VPN servers from Australia and it worked perfectly!
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
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.
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…
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?
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.
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!
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
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
A new, bizarre issue with Surfshark. I can use a certain server in iOS, but not in other OS. They say that the server is temporarily off, but as I said I can use it on iOS. 😊
Purchased Surfshark VPN recently fro streaming mainly. I was worried that it’s not going to work with HBO Max while I was traveling, but I thought, for this price, I could definitely try it out and see how it goes. Surprisingly everything has been going smoothly. Now even started to enjoy the no caps on devices feature, great addition!
I didn’t go back to Private Internet Access primarily for that reason, 5 Eyes. (well, that and the convict)
I’ve tried Nord a couple times but they are much slower for some reason.
Surfshark has been ok so far. I really want to use Wireguard protocol, and they claim to support it. It’s even in their app. I can’t connect no matter what if I try to use it. When I switch to IKEv2 I can connect just fine. I’m not sure whether or not to keep SS as I’m still within my 30 days. I’ve contacted support 3 different times, received some email support which ended up them telling me they’ll work on it for their next release. Everyone has been super friendly and spent lots of time with me to no avail. Had it working once for 2 or 3 days but after turning killswitch and cleanweb back on it killed it. Now no matter what, I can’t get wireguard to work again.
I even wiped my windows 10 install but that didn’t help.
Wireguard worked with my last vpn I used.
Ping times are a bit higher w SS than Vypr. 77ms vs 35ms for a server in the same city. I’ve noticed that I get lower ping times w servers in cities that are further away. Speeds are about the same between SS and Vypr, if not exactly. (10.1Mbps) usually.
Surfshark uses diskless servers which seems very very good for privacy and is probably my favorite feature. The double hop connection is another top feature.
I dunno, just misc thoughts so far I guess. lol
How is the interface? I’ve been on CyberGhost since 2015, and now started to consider switching due to who’s the owner.
Sorry for the delay.
Personally I don’t like the interface at all. Of course I could be missing things as I’m new, but things like ping times to the server, the ability to simply shut off the vpn, and the fact that you need to click around quite a bit to find the switches you need. On the server locations, it just gives you the name and a star if you like it or not.
I like to disable my vpn service occasionally to get to a particular website. Here you need to click on settings, bypasser, add a site, then you are letting it through. I don’t at all like that especially if I’m only going to that site once. I had to add amazon to the bypass list so I could watch something. Tonight I was going to check streaming on the NFL network, but it’s just kind of a pain if I just wanted to check something…..
If I close the app from my system tray, it still runs in the background to some extent so the website won’t allow me in.
It’s also a large window when you have the app open.
Again…. could be that I’m just a big dummy, lol!
Cheers
Merry Christmas