Surfshark VPN Review 2023: Best of all VPN

Looking for an honest and unbiased Surfshark VPN review? In this article, we evaluate the key features of Surfshark, including its fast speeds, strong encryption, and wide server network. We also compare Surfshark to other popular VPNs on the market and provide a recommendation on whether or not it’s worth the cost. Get all the information you need to make an informed decision on Surfshark VPN.

As a relatively new player in the VPN industry, Surfshark has gained a reputation for offering fast speeds, strong encryption, and a vast server network. In addition, the company allows for unlimited device connections and has undergone a third-party audit to verify its claims.

In this Surfshark VPN review, we’ll take a closer look at the key features of the platform and evaluate its pros and cons to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you.

Surfshark VPN Review 2022 – At a Glance

• Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN option with a starting price of $2.05 per month
• It offers strong encryption, fast speeds, and a vast server network
• Unlimited device connections are allowed
• Uses advanced AES-256 encryption to keep data secure
• Performed well in speed tests, reaching 1269 Mbit/s with the WireGuard tunneling protocol
• Uses RAM-only servers to ensure data is wiped out once the server is turned off
• Servers in 100 countries make it a good choice for travelers
• Offers additional services such as antivirus software and ID protection
• Great for streaming, able to unblock popular platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video
• First premium VPN to offer a graphical interface for Linux users with additional features

Surfshark VPN – Background

The location of a VPN company can give insight into its policies and practices. Surfshark, based in the Netherlands, operates in a privacy-friendly country without data retention laws, allowing it to maintain a “zero-log” policy of not storing IP addresses or browsing data of its users. 

However, the Netherlands is also part of the Nine Eyes alliance, which allows for the sharing of surveillance and intelligence information, including customer data in certain circumstances. This is where Surfshark’s “zero-log” policy becomes important, as, without logs of users’ browsing data, there is nothing to share with authorities, even if required.

Surfshark VPN Features

Here are all the features that we explored in our in-depth Surfshark VPN review:

• Hides IP addresses and web activity
• Allows for torrenting and streaming on popular platforms like Netflix and Hulu
• Camouflage Mode and No-Borders Mode help users connect to a VPN in restrictive countries
• The kill switch feature protects against leaked online traffic in case of dropped VPN connections
• The split tunneling feature allows for simultaneous connection to public and private networks
• Surfshark One add-on includes antivirus software, identity monitoring, and a secure search engine
• Affordable pricing with options for bundling with Surfshark One services

Surfshark VPN Pricing

• Surfshark VPN’s subscription costs $12.95 per month, which is higher than the average price of other VPNs
• Long-term commitments come with discounts, including an annual plan starting at $47.88 and renewing at $59.76 and a two-year plan costing $59.76 but renewing at the same price every year after the first two.
• Payment options include major credit cards, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and various cryptocurrencies.
• Surfshark VPN offers excellent value for its price, with unlimited device connections, a feature not offered by many other VPNs
• If Surfshark VPN is too expensive, there are other cheap and free VPN options available, such as Proton VPN, which does not have a data limit on user traffic.
• It is recommended to start with a shorter subscription to ensure satisfaction with the service before committing to a longer term.

Surfshark VPN – Pros And Cons

Benefits of using Surfshark VPN

1. Unlimited device connections allowed
2. Wide range of servers available globally
3. Advanced features like multi-hop and split tunneling
4. Potential for additional benefits with Surfshark Nexus

Drawbacks of Surfshark VPN

1. Higher monthly price compared to other options
2. Some unclear language in the privacy policy
3. Confusing pricing for long-term subscriptions

Surfshark VPN – Speed

Surfshark VPN has impressive speed capabilities, reaching speeds of 950Mbps when tested with the WireGuard protocol. This is an improvement of over 100Mbps from previous tests and demonstrates the company’s efforts to improve and futureproof the service. When using the OpenVPN protocol, speeds were still sufficient at 190Mbps but not as fast as some other VPNs, such as Private Internet Access and Mullvad, which had maximum speeds of 400Mbps+. However, most users are likely to use the WireGuard protocol as Surfshark’s default, so speed should not be a concern. Overall, Surfshark VPN is capable of keeping up with most connections.

Surfshark VPN Security

In our Surfshark VPN review 2022, we found that the service is one of the safest available. It offers an audited no-logs policy, an option to choose the preferred encryption standard, and the safest tunneling protocols – OpenVPN and WireGuard. Surfshark also keeps your data safe and doesn’t require any personal information, except for an email, to create an account. All passwords are kept safe with an advanced hash function, making it virtually impossible to crack your credentials.

Some of the main features that make Surfshark a secure VPN include:

• Encryption: Surfshark offers AES-256-GCM encryption, which is currently the strongest option on the market. It protects your data transfers from possible disruption. 
• Tunneling protocols: With Surfshark, you can choose from multiple tunneling protocol options, including the advanced WireGuard tunnel, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. These protocols are available on most major platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. 
• Kill switch: Surfshark has a kill switch that will block all your internet traffic unless you’re connected to a VPN. This helps prevent information leaks in case a secure encrypted connection is lost. While this feature is great, it could use some improvements. Other VPNs typically trigger the kill switch only when the link to the VPN servers is interrupted, but Surfshark’s kill switch shuts down your entire connection. This can be confusing as you might think your internet connection is down when it’s just Surfshark’s kill switch doing its job.

Surfshark VPN for Torrenting

Surfshark VPN is optimized for peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, which means that you can use it to download and upload files through torrenting. To get the best performance when using P2P, it’s recommended to connect to a P2P-optimized server. In Surfshark VPN, these servers can be found by searching for “P2P” in the server locations search bar. 

Keep in mind that when you use a torrenting app, you’ll automatically be redirected to a P2P-optimized server, regardless of the server you initially connect to. Connecting directly to a P2P server can improve your performance while torrenting with Surfshark VPN. In this Surfshark VPN review, we highlighted the benefits of using Surfshark VPN for P2P file sharing.

Surfshark VPN for Streaming

Surfshark VPN is a great option for streaming movies and TV shows. It has a Smart DNS feature that allows you to access geo-restricted content without using a VPN, and it’s compatible with Kodi and Amazon Fire TV stick. In our testing, Surfshark was able to successfully unblock multiple Netflix libraries and other platforms like Disney+, DAZN, and Hulu. The streaming experience was smooth and high quality, with no drops in resolution or latency. Overall, Surfshark is a reliable choice for streaming entertainment.

Customer Support

Surfshark VPN has a great customer support system in place. They offer a live chat feature that allows you to quickly get in touch with a real person to answer your questions. If you prefer, there is also a helpful help center available with guides and frequently asked questions. While they don’t offer phone support, the live chat feature is a fast and convenient way to get the support you need. Overall, Surfshark VPN provides excellent customer support options for its users.

Surfshark VPN vs NordVPN

Surfshark and NordVPN are both highly rated virtual private network (VPN) services that offer a variety of features for online security and privacy. However, NordVPN has a more extensive server network and better mobile apps compared to Surfshark. Both VPNs offer split tunneling, torrenting, and Netflix access, kill switches, AES-256 encryption, static IP addresses, and 30-day money-back guarantees. However, if you are primarily interested in a VPN for use on your mobile devices, NordVPN may be the better choice due to its superior app performance on both iOS and Android compared to Surfshark. Overall, NordVPN is considered a slightly better option compared to Surfshark.

Final Verdict

In this Surfshark VPN review, it is clear that Surfshark is a solid choice for a VPN service. It offers all the standard features that most people will want in a VPN and performed well in speed tests. It is also relatively affordable, especially if you are willing to make a longer commitment to lock in the lowest price. We recommend taking advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee to test out Surfshark and make sure it meets all your needs. Overall, Surfshark is a good choice for those looking for a reliable and affordable VPN service.

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