Surfshark VPN Review: Affordable, But Is It Reliable & Secure?

The digital world is actually a slippery slope in 2022. One mistaken step on-line, and earlier than you recognize it, your knowledge and your id is likely to be in danger. Nevertheless, many depend on Digital Personal Networks (or VPNs) to masks their id on-line. However in a market filled with enticing VPN service choices, it’s tough to get behind a VPN firm that does what it says with out making false guarantees. One such contender on this market is Surfshark, a VPN service supplier promising whole safety whereas being mild on the pockets. Does it dwell as much as these claims? Nicely, I put that to the check and purchased a membership not too long ago. I’ve been utilizing Surkshark VPN for a number of days now, and right here’s what I take into consideration the service. I will likely be speaking in regards to the VPN’s finest options, pace and efficiency, the flexibility to unlock sure streaming companies, privateness coverage, and pricing intimately.

Surfshark VPN Assessment (2022)

Whereas my evaluation will cowl Surfshark’s choices intimately, you possibly can at all times have a look at all of it from a look utilizing the part beneath. Nevertheless, I strongly counsel studying all the evaluation to seek out out if this VPN service is an effective match on your wants or not.

Surfshark VPN: Reduce to the Chase

Poised to guard an internet consumer’s privateness and safety, Surfshark is a VPN service that creates a safe connection and anonymizes all of the searching exercise of the consumer. Utilizing the quickest and safe WireGuard Protocol, Surfshark provides no substantial drop within the VPN pace whereas sustaining privateness with a prejudice on-line.

With a slew of added options, together with Multi-Hop, Break up Tunneling, Kill-Swap, no system restrict, and a pleasant privateness coverage, Surfshark is a powerful VPN service. Prime that off with costs that begin at as low as $2.5 per month, recommending Surfshark is a straightforward name to make.

Surfshark VPN: Professionals and Cons

Like each different service on the market, Surfshark too comes with its personal set of fantastic options and minor annoyances. Whereas I talk about them intimately in my evaluation beneath, if you happen to’re strapped for time, try the professionals and cons of the VPN service right here:

Surfshark VPN: Plans and Pricing

In the case of VPNs, it’s at all times higher to go in for the lengthy haul in comparison with paying out month-to-month. Since Surfshark isn’t the one child on the block, I made a decision to take a look at the costs of its rivals as effectively. Nevertheless, I used to be happy to seek out out that Surfshark has one of the vital affordably priced VPN companies available on the market. Furthermore, Surfshark unlocks all of the premium options when you get a subscription as a substitute of holding again a few of them (through a unique ultra-premium plan) to extort more cash from you.

In comparison with gamers equivalent to ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost, Surfshark presents essentially the most worth for cash in its 2-year plan. Furthermore, the corporate itself often holds gross sales that provide reductions going as excessive as 81%. And if you happen to’re somebody anxious about dumping a bit of cash on a VPN directly, Surfshark additionally has a 30-day money-back assure. With that stated, right here’s how a lot you’ll have to pay to get a Surfshark VPN subscription:

Surfshark VPN Consumer Expertise

As a typical on-line consumer who’s at all times quick on time, I search for apps which might be straightforward to make use of and nonetheless do the job successfully. Surfshark nails that proper from the very starting. A easy obtain and sign-in received me up and operating inside simply 2 minutes. The VPN comes with a unified scheme of apps accessible on PC, macOS, iOS, Android, and whilst extensions on your favourite browsers.

Mac and Home windows Desktop App

Surfshark incorporates a easy two-column design on its apps and extensions. Connecting to a server itself is so simple as tapping on a rustic’s title. That’s it. Inside a number of seconds, your connection will likely be established, and you’ll be positioned in New York. Whereas I’d have appreciated a map choice to type via international locations, the record itself is to the purpose, and you’ve got flags to symbolize the international locations.

The browser extensions share the identical design philosophy and are a fast option to make your browser undergo a VPN tunnel. Nevertheless, I counsel utilizing the PC app because it masks your IP system-wide and has extra choices.

I cherished the very fact I didn’t need to fiddle round with settings and protocols, even when I did have the choice. Talking of settings, customers eager to dive a little bit additional want solely click on the settings cog within the left sidebar, and they are going to be led to Surfshark’s customization choices that are a ton. I’ll dive into these options intimately beneath, however earlier than you even ask, Surfshark does supply darkish mode.

Android and iOS Cell App

The Surfshark VPN cell apps on Android and iOS share the identical simplicity that’s demonstrated by a clear and smooth design that simply works. A fast faucet on a server received me to the nation, and I might see the finer particulars at a look, together with my new IP handle, encryption standing, and extra.

Just like the PC apps, the Settings tab holds quite a lot of choices, however if you happen to’re somebody not wanting to the touch something, you possibly can merely join and overlook about every thing else. All through my time utilizing these apps, I didn’t encounter any main bugs or points that prompted me grief. Whereas my iOS app did have bother connecting to a Boston server twice, that little annoyance didn’t occur after that.

Should you’re a each day joe who needs to connect with a VPN server with out leaping via hoops, you’ll love Surfshark’s no-nonsense method. It makes a doubtlessly irritating course of actually easy.

Supported International locations and Server Places

With over 3200+ servers in 65 international locations, Surfshark presents a boatload of selection relating to VPN connections. The servers are 100% RAM-only which run on the most recent updates and wipe themselves even after storing no knowledge. In case you are anxious about pace, don’t be, as Surfsark additionally gives at the very least a single 1GBps with extra added day by day.

In the case of location, Surfshark has made positive to unfold out its servers the world over. Whether or not you’re in Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific or the Center East, and Africa, there are a plethora of servers distributed. Whilst you may encounter a loaded server as soon as per week, the wholesome number of servers means you possibly can simply swap to a unique one and nonetheless have a quick and safe expertise.

Pace and Efficiency

Irrespective of how effectively an organization packages a product, it’s no good if it can’t carry out. To see if the Surfshark VPN can really give me a good connection pace, I made a decision to connect with 5 totally different servers across the globe (London, New York, Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong). Utilizing a connection that provides me native obtain and add speeds of 387 Mbps and 304 Mbps, respectively, it was now time to place the shark to the check.

Word: The VPN connection speeds fluctuate in your ISP connection and server standing at a time so anticipate to see a minor enhance or lower in connection pace whenever you join.

The VPN service dealt with all of them on the chin as my connection maintained extraordinarily quick connectivity. The obtain pace by no means went beneath 320 Mbps, and I really gained 10Mbps on add pace in Singapore. The connection itself occurred inside seconds and was steady. I additionally checked the connection for packet loss by operating the VPN via a number of video games like Apex Legends, Fortnite, and even GeForce NOW. I encountered no packet loss, which was one thing I used to be afraid may occur.

The primary I anticipate when connecting to a VPN is the lack of over 50% of my pace. Nevertheless, I’m impressed by Surfshark VPN’s servers and pace retention to even far-off areas. In case you are a consumer connecting to a location to disguise your id on-line, you possibly can primarily depart Surfshark on and overlook about it since you’ll get near native efficiency.

Constant Efficiency Throughout Protocols

One of many causes for the excessive pace and steady connection is Surfshark utilizing the brand new, quick, and safe WireGuard Protocol. This allowed me to connect with any server of my selecting and nonetheless retain the Web efficiency I’ve come to know and love.

Whereas any VPN consumer price their salt would use WireGuard, Surfshark presents quite a lot of different standard protocol choices, together with IKEv2 and OpenVPN (TCP & UDP), which all carry out effectively relying on how far is the server and the server load at the moment. Nevertheless, I’d advise setting the Protocol set to “Automated” and letting the VPN take over as I discovered that Surfshark makes use of the perfect accessible setting all by itself.

With quick speeds across the globe and over 3200 server areas, Surfshark is a VPN made for pace. Whereas utilizing the totally different protocols may have an effect on your expertise, I cherished the final consistency and stability that Surfshark presents relating to connecting and anticipating good bandwidth from a VPN service.

Is Surfshark Good for Normal Searching?

In the case of normal searching, Surfshark is as plug-and-play as you’d anticipate. By merely selecting the nation of your liking, you possibly can open an internet browser and get on the Web. As you’d anticipate, web sites acknowledge you from the digital nation you’re now in and present settings primarily based on that. Moreover, if you happen to’re a consumer residing in a spot that blocks VPN ports, you needn’t fear as Surfshark’s Camouflage aka Obfuscation mode can grant you entry whereas utilizing the OpenVPN protocols.

A giant drawback whereas searching on-line is the persistent ads that don’t go away. Surfshark has a neat “Clear Internet” function that blocks all adverts, trackers, and even malware whenever you’re linked to the VPN. Whereas this labored flawlessly with Chrome, I did encounter an advert or two with Opera, so perhaps it nonetheless wants some work. When utilizing the VPN via your telephone, you possibly can have much more privateness by activating GPS override and spoofing your location.

Nevertheless, Surfshark performs exceedingly effectively relating to utilizing the Web casually and accessing web sites and apps which have been geo-locked.

How Good Is Surfshark for Streaming?

Surfshark has a popularity for unblocking over 30 Netflix libraries around the globe and a plethora of different streaming websites. As a Netflix consumer, I made a decision to place that to the check and linked to some totally different VPN servers, together with Japan, Canada, Australia, France, the US, and the UK. Surfshark carried out exceptionally effectively when it got here to streaming Netflix movies and TV series from around the globe. There was a glitch on the PC version that didn’t allow me to connect initially, but I fixed that by restarting the app.

I experienced no drop in quality or performance, and Netflix did not detect the presence of a VPN during the streaming. With geo-locked shows now at my disposal, I had fun watching Japan-exclusive Netflix shows and anime while sitting in India.

However, I didn’t stop there. I tested Surfshark out on other services including Disney+, AppleTV, BBC iPlayer, HBO Now, and even YouTube TV. My overall experience was amazing, and like before, I had no drop in performance or having to sit for the video to buffer. I managed to do that for all three of my devices simultaneously, considering Surfshark has no device limit.

If you are a serial binger looking to unlock worldwide shows and movie releases without restriction, expect Surfshark to do that and more with its excellent streaming performance.

How Secure Is Surfshark VPN?

Surfshark by itself is designed in a way where you don’t have to worry about security. No matter which server you’re connected to, nobody can see what you’re up to online. It is powered by Surfshark’s audited no-logs policy. This means that VPN itself keeps no records about your activity online, including what you do, download, and even your IP address. Surfshark has been audited twice by Cure53 testers to see if these claims stand true, and they still do.

The company used to operate under the jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands, but has since shifted its HQ to the Netherlands. While the Netherlands is under the Nine-Eyes Alliance, the VPN company maintains it’s under no obligation to log any of our data which means the no-logs policy stands. Users get the added benefit of RAM Only servers, which means no data can be physically taken and is wiped right after use. Besides the excellent no-logs policy, some of the Safety Surfshark features that impressed me were:

Encryption and Tunneling Protocols

Encryption is the process of ciphering data, so it’s unreadable to third parties. Like other VPN services, Surfshark also has data encryption support. However, what’s refreshing is that instead of the standard AES-256 encryption, the Surfshark VPN offers AES-256-GCM, which is an updated and more secure version of encryption. So if you’re worried about what little data you share not being secure, don’t be.

Even though I did mention the various protocols Surfshark offers, it’s easy to recount them because of their sheer performance. The most modern and fastest remains WireGuard which Surfshark uses in most cases. However, the company claims that your mileage may vary, so experiment with other protocols to find the best fit if you do end up getting a VPN subscription.

Multi-Hop Makes Things More Secure

One of my favorite security features in Surfshark is Multi-Hop. It allows you to connect to two different VPN servers at the same time to make your experience even more secure. This rerouting of the connection to a different server means a malicious person cannot know your details, even if they do manage to track the server you are connected to.

The Surfshark app already has a list of Multi-Hop servers that you can connect to with just a click. If your needed sites are being blocked by the VPN, you can use the built-in Bypasser (also known as split-tunneling), which will reroute certain internet traffic without a VPN.

A thing I was concerned about was the VPN leaking DNS queries, so I resorted to checking it out myself. Using a DNS Leak Test, I found that Surfshark VPN was extremely airtight and did not leak any of my information.

Kill-Switch

Like other VPNs, Surfshark too has a kill-switch feature that will completely disable your Internet unless you’re connected to a VPN. This is especially helpful when it comes to protecting your real digital identity from being leaked.

There was a time when this feature used to cut off the Internet even if one deliberately turned the VPN off. Surfshark has since fine-tuned Kill-Switch to only turn it on when the connection drops. The kill-switch is a must-have if you dabble in sensitive work online.

Clear Privacy Policy for Once

A company is no good if you cannot trust it. Most services out there have privacy policies and terms of service that all but put you to sleep. I went through Surfshark’s privacy policy to search for anomalies, so that you wouldn’t need to. And effectively, I used to be pleasantly shocked. The corporate doesn’t bore you with jargon and pointless language. As an alternative, the textual content has been damaged down into easy English, and a mean consumer can really learn and perceive what all of it means.

To sum it up, Surfshark guarantees that it doesn’t acquire necessary knowledge like IP Addresses, your searching historical past, site visitors, or your total community utilization. This implies you’re free to make use of this VPN with out worrying about timestamps or knowledge leaks. Nevertheless, the corporate does acquire some data, together with anonymized analytical knowledge and a few account data.

That is essential to get the service working however by no means greater than that. You even contact Surfshark and have them modify or additional prohibit what little knowledge they’ve. There are additionally no third-party cookies that the corporate makes use of, which is sweet to listen to. So yeah, so far as companies go, Surshark is fairly clear about it, and it reveals on their web site and choices.

Consumer Evaluations and Buyer Help

Should you really feel I’m being too constructive about Surfshark, you’re not alone. Do some digging on-line, and you will notice this VPN often receives reward from customers and reviewers alike. That’s hardly a shock given this VPNs efficiency. However does Surfshark enable you out if you happen to run into an issue?

Surfshark has great buyer assist, which features a full-scale data base, 24/7 dwell chat, and E-Mail assist must you want it. My expertise of searching via the data base was swift as the data dump had solutions to all kinds of questions.

A devoted part referred to as ‘Surfschool‘ exists, and it comprises guides to something associated to the service. If I had a particular query like learn how to use Surfshark’s Sensible DNS on my PS5, I typed it out within the search field and located that it had already been answered.

For the instances I didn’t, the assist group was just a few clicks away, and I managed to talk with Sharbot and even get an agent after some generic troubleshooting questions. On the whole, I discovered my queries have been resolved rapidly and successfully. Whereas I encountered no downtime when utilizing Surfshark, it’s good to know that high quality assist is on the market if I want it.

Need Even Extra? Get Surfshark One

Whereas the Surfshark VPN itself is a reasonably whole lot, there may be much more in retailer if you happen to’re prepared to pay just a bit additional. Launched a short time in the past, Surfshark One is an added record of companies that may enable you higher shield your knowledge and keep secure on-line. Surfshark One comprises three added choices – Surfshark Alert, Surfshark Search, and the brand new Surfshark Antivirus.

Surfshark Alert permits you to shield your most necessary credentials, together with your private id numbers, ID, passwords, and even bank card. Within the occasion of a breach that includes your knowledge, it’s going to inform you of the identical instantly, and you may take the required motion.

Surfshark Search is actually a search engine freed from trackers that solely shows natural outcomes. This search engine is on its option to changing into among the finest Google options. And at last, Surfshark Antivirus protects you from viruses and malware system-wide.

By tacking on simply an additional $1.5 to your Surfshark membership, you get the VPN and all of the above-mentioned companies in a mixed bundle. So if you’re somebody insistent on being as safe as potential, get Surfshark One.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions (FAQ)

Q. What Is a VPN and What Can I Do with It?

A Digital Personal Community (VPN) is a software program that creates a safe connection between your pc and the Web. A VPN does that by encrypting and operating your knowledge via a digital tunnel on servers primarily based in distant areas. This encryption permits you to conceal your identities, together with your IP Handle, searching exercise, and different connection particulars.

You are able to do all kinds of issues with a VPN. Nevertheless, most informal VPN customers get it to unblock geo-locked content material equivalent to Netflix and Apple TV libraries from different international locations. Additionally they use it to go to web sites their ISPs have blocked and have interaction in P2P file-sharing (Torrenting). A VPN retains your knowledge hidden when you go about your corporation.

Q. Why Can’t I Simply Get a Free VPN?

You possibly can, however you shouldn’t. Most free VPNs that provide their service achieve this with low knowledge quotas. When you exceed that, your connection is terminated, and you can’t use it till it’s reset. Nevertheless, what’s regarding is that many free VPN companies have shady phrases of service which may dabble in sharing your knowledge with third events. It exposes you to all kinds of malicious issues. At all times attempt to go for a paid VPN service.

Q. Ought to I Learn the Privateness Coverage Myself?

Completely. Whereas Surfshark has a extremely user-friendly coverage written in plain English, your luck is likely to be totally different with different corporations. However, everytime you resolve to go for a VPN service, take a while to learn their coverage and utilization contracts. This is not going to solely provide you with a greater thought of what to anticipate, however you possibly can see for your self if the corporate does within the high-quality print what it claims on the web site banner.

Q. Are VPNs Even Authorized?

Utilizing a VPN is authorized in most international locations across the globe. Nevertheless, there are certainly a handful of nations like Belarus, China, Iraq, North Korea, Oman, Russia, and the U.A.E which have both strictly regulated or banned VPNs altogether. Relying on the place you reside, test to ensure VPNs are authorized before you purchase a subscription.

Q. Can I Use a VPN on My Telephone?

Sure, you possibly can. Surfshark and plenty of suppliers prefer it have greater than succesful cell purposes that may encrypt your on-line site visitors. Within the case of Surfshark, you possibly can simply click on a rustic, and your telephone’s connection will likely be routed via a Surfshark server. You probably have already purchased a Surfshark membership, go forward and obtain the cell app from here.

Ought to I Get Surfshark VPN?

I had at all times heard of Surfshark VPN however didn’t strive it out till now. Now that I’ve, I can safely say that I’m happy by the expertise Surfshark VPN has to supply. With excessive security options like multi-hop, cut up tunneling, RAM Solely servers, and a privateness coverage I might really perceive, I felt secure utilizing this service.

Pockets-friendly costs made me get the two-year plan, which boils all the way down to a mere $2.5 per month in comparison with ExpressVPN’s $8.32 monthly yearly plan. Prime that off with the no system restrict as a cherry on the cake, and I can wholeheartedly suggest Surfshark to make use of as your each day VPN driver. General, Surfshark is among the most inexpensive and dependable VPN companies accessible out there in 2022. In case you are utilizing the service or select to get a subscription, do you agree with us? Tell us within the feedback part beneath.

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