Ultimate Surfshark Review: Does It Provide Enough Security?

Considering the demand, more and more businesses are investing in developing VPNs to cater to the public’s needs. As a result, a wide range of VPN brands are flooding the market.

Though, not all of them are worth trying. Yet, some new players have succeeded in alluring a large user base. One such VPN is Surfshark.

Surfshark is a relatively newer name in the realm of VPN. Yet, they have quickly reserved a position among the top industry players. People have started comparing Surfshark with leading VPNs, like ExpressVPN or NordVPN.

So, what makes Surfshark so attractive? Does it truly provide all that it offers? Is it worth the money? In this Surfshark review, we explain every feature of this newbie and how secure it is.

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Surfshark overview

Surfshark is a powerful, secure VPN offering a quality service at an affordable price. It has the following characteristics that make it among the most valuable VPNs:

• It is budget-friendly, with the lowest plan starting at $2.49/month. Remember, the VPN also offers other plans you can choose to meet your needs. Thankfully, it also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 7-day free trial.
• The company operates servers in about 100 countries, ensuring a good internet connection worldwide.
• It simultaneously protects the user from unlimited devices, which means you can connect as many devices as you wish.
• Surfshark only uses RAM-only servers, unlike other VPNs. Hence, it doesn’t store any of your data after you close your session.
• This VPN uses AES-256 encryption, which means that prying eyes cannot access your online traffic data.
• Surfshark increases your privacy by adhering to a strict no-logs policy, ensuring your online activity is completely private.
• Surfshark has an ad blocker that blocks common online threats like malware, trackers, and ads.
• Surfshark has spectacular speeds, reaching 1269 Mbit/s, especially when you enable the WireGuard tunneling protocol.

Coverage and server locations

What makes any VPN great is the number of servers it offers. A higher number of servers means the VPN is less likely to face bans.

Also, such a VPN can provide better services to many users without facing troubles due to similar IP addresses.

Besides, the wider area a VPN covers, the more chances for the users to choose servers in nearby locations.

Surfshark is smart enough to have considered all these benefits before stepping in. Notably, the VPN grew its network from 100 to over a thousand within a year.

Today, Surfshark boasts over 3,200 servers in 95 different countries. These countries include those with robust cyber-surveillance, like Vietnam, or the more repressive ones, like China and Russia.

Although, compared to NordVPN, the number of Surfshark servers isn’t as extensive (NordVPN has over 5,000 servers). However, being a new VPN, having such a wide-area coverage is a landmark in itself.

Virtual locations

Surfshark uses virtual servers that are distributed in approximately 40 locations. With this type of server, you will connect with a server in a location that is different from the one indicated. For example, you may think you are connecting to a UK server, but in a real sense, you are using a server in Spain. 

The virtual location provides you with more connection options. You can get faster speeds if the physical server is near your true location. The only disadvantage is that the virtual servers result in higher pings if it’s further away, as it takes longer to connect.

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Static IP servers

Static IP servers offer you the same IP address when you connect rather than assigning you a random one. This can benefit you if you don’t want to constantly verify your identity or complete a million CAPTCHA when logging into secure sites such as online banking services like PayPal.

The static servers are in 5 locations: The UK, the US, Germany, Japan, and Singapore.

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Dedicated IPs

Surfshark offers a dedicated IP address for a more reliable and private connection. A dedicated IP works like Surfshark’s static IP addresses, giving you the same IP address for all your connections. 

The only difference between a dedicated and static IP address is that you can only use the dedicated IP address. As such, it provides reliable access to services and websites while helping you avoid annoying CAPTCHA requests.

Dedicated IPs are helpful if you want to avoid blocklists. Websites with VPN-blocking technology can easily detect shared IPs. However, a dedicated IP makes you look less suspicious, which can prevent this. 

A dedicated IP is also suitable for services such as crypto trading and online banking websites that are highly sensitive to IP changes. If your IP address changes constantly, such sites can block your access. Surfshark overcomes this problem by providing you with one IP address that you can use to access such accounts.

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RAM-only servers

Surfshark server network is 100% diskless, which means that it wipes all your data when you end your session. As a result, it protects your data from being breached by malicious third parties. Most other VPNs have hard drives that require manual wipes, which means that your data may be breached before the manual wipes are completed.

The RAM-only servers increase your privacy levels as the service provider does not have data to share.

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Speed – Is Surfshark fast enough?

Surfshark has fast speeds on all its servers. These are some of the factors we considered when testing the speed.

• Download speed– It defines how fast you receive data from the server. The download speed is measured in Mbps, affecting streaming and loading web pages.
• Upload speed– Defines how fast one sends data to a server, especially when video calls, social media, and video calls. It is also measured in Mbps.
• Ping– Is measured in milliseconds (ms) and defines the connection speed. Lower ping means a more responsive connection, essential for online gaming.

To review Surfshark’s speed, we tested more than 25 server locations, and the test results showed similar results. Our speed did not decrease by more than 12% on the local servers that were 2000 km or less away. However, we only noticed big drops with servers over 5000 km away. It is normal to lose speed at the distance as the data travels farther.  

However, even on servers 16,000 km away, our download speed decreased by 38% on average. This was a good result as most VPNs with similar speeds to Surfshark on local servers tend to lose more than 80% of their download speeds if the servers are far away.

We began my base speed testing without a VPN connection for comparison purposes.

No VPN connection (London, UK)

Upload (Mbps)	22.56
Download (Mbps)	126.37
Ping (ms)	7

We then used the WireGuard protocol, which is hyped for improved speed and security. 

Local speed

We connected to a London-based server using the “Fastest server” and experienced good speeds without any slowdown.

London, UK:

Uploads (Mbps)	19.91 (a 4% drop)
Download (Mbps)	120.65 (a 6% drop)
Ping (ms)	10

We then tested the speeds on a server in Paris, France, as it was close to our location. We obtained similar results. At this distance, it is normal for a VPN to decrease your speeds by between 10 and 20%, which makes a 4% decrease impressive.

Paris France:

Uploads (Mbps)	19.91 (a 4% drop)
Download (Mbps)	121.79 (a 4 % drop)
Ping (ms)	14

We also continued my testing by manually selecting other European countries, such as Ukraine and Germany, where we recorded almost similar results. For example, the speed levels dropped by only 6% when connected to the Ukraine server.

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Distant servers 

The long-distance servers are slower compared to the local ones. Although we expected to lose some speed when connecting to Surfshark’s long-distance servers, the speed drop was less than expected. A test on servers on the United States’ west and east coasts revealed different speeds.

Los Angeles, United States:

Uploads (Mbps)	18.47 (a 24% drop)
Download (Mbps)	98.18 (a 24% drop)
Ping (ms)	163

New York, United States:

Uploads (Mbps)	21.35 (a 6% drop)
Download (Mbps)	109.18 (a 14% drop)
Ping (ms)	91

Despite these distances, we maintained fast connections that allowed us to stream geo-blocked content without buffering.

The only other VPN that was slightly faster than Surfshark was Express VPN. This makes Surfshark a top option in terms of speed.

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Is Surfshark secure?

Yes, Surfshark is among the most secure VPN providers available. It offers robust security and privacy features such as RAM-only servers, a kill switch, and AES-256 encryption. Several independent non-logs policy audits found that Surfshark does not store users’ data or track their online activities. What’s more, it uses the most secure tunneling protocols (OpenVPN and WireGuard) to protect your internet traffic from potential threats.

Connection protocols

The connection protocol is the next thing that determines a VPN’s efficiency. A strong one should ideally support more than one VPN protocol – the robust one.

Surfshark, like any of its high-end rivals, supports numerous protocols for various devices. Predominantly, these include IKEv2, OpenVPN, and Shadowsocks.

All three protocols are available to Windows and Android users. Hence, they can choose their desired VPN protocol before starting their connection. However, users of other devices may have relatively few to no choice of protocols.

For instance, iOS and FireTV users can choose between OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. Whereas for Mac users, only IKEv2, and for Linux apps, only OpenVPN is available.

Nonetheless, this choice of protocols is merely a point of concern for the more technical users only. An average VPN user would have no problem using the OpenVPN protocol (available to all except Mac users). It is one of the most secure VPN protocols, which, being open-source, is under constant improvisation. Besides, it also works best while connecting to distant servers.

Mac users, however, have to rely on the iKEv2 protocol only while using Surfshark. Still, it isn’t a big deal since IKEv2 is also a fast and generally secure protocol. Moreover, it works best while connecting to nearby servers.

The third connection protocol Surfshark offers is Shadowsocks, available for Windows and Android apps. It’s a robust VPN protocol that can bypass geo-restrictions, allowing users to use Surfshark in regions like China.

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DNS and IP leak protection

A critical issue that troubles users of even the most reputable VPN brands is the leakage of users’ real information. Simply put, we are talking about DNS and IP leaks.

What happens in the case of numerous VPNs is that they somehow hint at your actual location to the websites by leaking your IP address or by DNS and WebRTC leaks. But, of course, this isn’t what you use a VPN for.

This information leakage happens when the VPNs route your traffic via third-party DNS servers. These DNS service providers may or may not offer a secure service. Thus, the websites you visit and your ISP still get to know you through these leaks.

The developers of Surfshark have taken the utmost care to protect your privacy. Hence, the VPN comes with Private DNS. That is, Surfshark routes all your network requests through its own DNS servers instead of any third-party services.

That’s how it prevents any exposure of your online identity to the internet world via IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks.

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Kill switch

Another essential feature that makes a VPN robust is the kill switch. Interestingly, Surfshark is also equipped with it.

A kill switch is a useful feature offered by a VPN that ensures the user’s continuous privacy. In case of any interruptions or disconnection of the device with the VPN, the kill switch suspends the entire internet connectivity on the device so that the user’s real online information doesn’t leak online.

Being equipped with the kill switch, Surfshark exactly does that. It ensures that your actual IP address and other information remain hidden whenever your connection drops.

Upon testing this feature while writing this honest review of Surfshark, we found that the VPN did exactly what it claimed. That is, it suspended my PC’s internet connectivity when I disconnected the VPN in the middle of a file download.

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Superior encryption

The next thing that makes Surfshark level up to its rival VPNs is its superior encryption.

Precisely, Surfshark offers the leading encryption protocol preferred by the US Government – the AES-256 or the AES-256-GCM algorithm.

Wondering what’s so special about this algorithm? It’s its unbreakable encryption.

Simply put, no one (to date) can break this encryption by means other than authorized ones. It means your data remains encrypted at all costs.

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Surfshark privacy 

Surfshark focuses on providing its users with the utmost privacy. For example, it does not store logs, has conducted several independent audits, and is based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction. 

No-logging policy

As an independent citizen, freedom of the internet is your due right. However, it is not possible when something breaches your privacy.

Ironically, many VPN service providers, especially free VPNs, often risk your security by data logging. It means that they secretly or openly record your data and online activities. They then monetize this data for their living.

Some VPNs also maintain logs out of the fear of governments and law enforcement agencies. While this is somewhat acceptable because even cybercriminals use VPNs to perform malicious activities, it’s a privacy breach for an average user.

Surfshark, fortunately, is a VPN that is not obliged by such regulations.

The company was previously based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) — a privacy-friendly country with no mandatory data logging laws. Thus, they didn’t have to comply with other regions’ sneaky data logging regulations.

However, recently, the company announced that it would be changing its headquarters from BVI to the Netherlands. Since it is a 9-Eyes region, this move raised questions about Surfshark’s long-standing no-logs stance. However, the firm has pledged to keep up with that, assuring that this change of jurisdiction would have practically no effect on the company policies. Besides, the RAM-only server network further complies with the VPN’s practice of not storing users’ data.

What information does Surfshark collect/not collect?

The VPN provider collects some basic information about you to maintain your accounts and execute normal service operations. It includes:

• The email address associated with the account
• Account password (in encrypted form)
• Billing details

Though, for the last detail, they give their users the liberty to choose payment methods. So, all those who aren’t willing to share explicit billing details can even pay the subscription fees via cryptocurrency.

Yet, what they never collect includes all essential data about you, such as,

• Browsing history
• Session details
• IP address
• Connection time stamps
• Bandwidth
• Network traffic

Despite having maintained a transparent privacy policy, there is one thing that some of you may not like about the Surfshark. It’s the collection of advertising IDs for marketing purposes. Again, though, users can opt out of this feature for privacy. Users can also reset their device advertising IDs.

But what if Surfshark receives notices from the LEAs to share any user’s data for some inquiry? You may ask.

Well, it seems Surfshark hasn’t faced such a situation to date. Nonetheless, the service providers will inform the users about it even if it does. It is evident from their ‘Warrant Canary‘ through which they disclose such situations.

Until writing this review, their Warrant Canary showed no NSLs (National Security Letters), warrants, or gag orders received.

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Based in the Netherlands

The only concern with Surfshark is that it is based in the Netherlands and belongs to the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. Initially, Surfshark was in the British Virgin Islands until 2021. Remember that the British Virgin Islands does not belong to any data-sharing alliance and does not have data retention laws, making it an excellent VPN destination.

Initially, Surfshark claimed it moved its headquarters to the Netherlands as it had a favorable political, economic, and business environment. This meant that the new subscriptions would be under the Netherlands’ jurisdiction.

Although Surfshark’s operations in the Netherlands, it claimed it would not be forced to retain data. Fortunately, Surfshark’s warrant canary and audited privacy policy mean it can be trusted. The VPN does not store any data, which means that even if it was forced to hand over users’ information, it would not have any to give.

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Surfshark security add-ons

If you think this was all about Surfshark, then hold on.

Until now, this review highlighted all the features that this VPN offers.

However, these VPN service providers have gone the extra mile to meet users’ cybersecurity requirements. Hence, they have even developed some handy tools that, together with their VPN, offer even better services.

Here, we list these handy security add-ons.

BlindSearch

Most internet users prefer browsing via VPNs because of the intrusive data collection by search engines like Google.

The service providers log what we browse or search online and then exploit our data for advertising and monetization purposes.

Surfshark resolves this issue by offering BlindSearch – a dedicated private browsing search service.

BlindSearch isn’t a search engine in itself. However, as elaborated on the Surfshark website, it uses Bing API to present the results.

However, this incognito search service ensures a zero-logging and zero-ads search experience. Hence, whatever you search through this tool remains private to you only.

BlindSearch is offered as an additional feature to all Surfshark users against payment of a small fee.

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CleanWeb

CleanWeb, as the name depicts, keeps your web browsing experience very clean. This feature includes numerous security options that protect users’ privacy from intrusion.

Briefly, CleanWeb blocks all malicious popups and ads as you browse. Moreover, it prevents any phishing attempts against your device.

Also, it blocks any suspicious URLs or malicious links to let you enjoy a malware-free browsing experience. This feature is, fortunately, available to all its users with the regular Surfshark app.

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HackLock

This is a much-hyped tool in today’s cybersecurity situation, overwhelmed by data breaches.

As more and more tools like HaveIBeenPwned are being deployed online for notifying users about data security incidents, Surfshark has also developed one such tool – HackLock.

With HackLock, Surfshark users will stay updated whenever their emails or passwords appear in any leaked databases. Moreover, HackLock will also notify the users of the exact databases containing their credentials.

Currently, HackLock isn’t available as a standalone app. Instead, it is an add-on exclusively offered to Surfshark subscribers for a small fee.

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Surfshark key features

Until the above section, this review remained focused on most VPNs’ features or options.

But, this unbiased Surfshark review will be incomplete without explicitly mentioning the things exclusive to this VPN.

Once again, these incredible features clearly show how Surfshark has prioritized users’ privacy.

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Whitelister

This one is an exciting and much-needed feature for most VPN users.

Usually, VPN users are troubled by having to switch off their VPN while connecting to sensitive websites and apps.

For example, they must do so while signing in to their bank account, as their bank won’t let them sign in easily with a different digital fingerprint. Such situations put the users’ privacy at risk since the users are exposed online with their actual online fingerprints.

Surfshark addresses this matter with ‘Whitelister.’ Basically, it is the split-tunneling technology that creates multiple ‘tunnels’ for your device traffic to flow.

While one of these is the conventional secure VPN tunnel, the other is unencrypted. This second tunnel lets you go online with your actual online fingerprints, bypassing the VPN tunnel.

However, this connection outside the VPN remains secure since it only creates that unencrypted connection to the apps and websites you allow, or ‘whitelist’; for instance, your bank.

In this way, you do not have to turn off your VPN before signing in to any specified account. Nor do you have to worry about yourself being exposed online.

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Multi-Hop Mode

Another exciting feature with Surfshark is the Double VPN or the ‘Multi-Hop Mode.’ As the term implies, Double VPN adds another layer of security to your connection by re-routing your data twice.

Hence, for the more careful users, this feature ensures that they will never be exposed to the internet even if someone detects they are using a VPN. Likewise, tracing back to their original location or IP address would also become almost impossible.

It is just as if you use two different VPNs on your device.

However, managing two different VPN clients on your device and paying for two different services would be a hassle. Surfshark saves you from this hassle by offering a double VPN.

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NoBorders Mode

Surfshark’s NoBorders Mode is literally what it says – ‘No Borders.’

This dedicated feature is so named because of Surfshark’s outstanding capability to bypass content restrictions or geo-restrictions.

It means that users of Surfshark can visit any restricted or blocked website in their region without hassle. Surfshark lets you enjoy an unrestricted browsing experience, from streaming to news media to any other apps.

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Camouflage Mode

The primary trouble for VPN users, especially in repressive locations such as China, is that they can’t easily use a VPN.

As the use of VPNs is entirely banned, ISPs monitor their traffic to catch VPNs. For this, they look for the flow of encrypted traffic, which is only possible with a VPN.

However, Surfshark also handles this issue seamlessly. It offers Camouflage Mode, in which the VPN masks the encrypted traffic so that the data packets look similar to the regular traffic.

Hence, even if the ISPs or authorities perform Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), they cannot detect the use of a VPN.

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Surfshark antivirus 

Surfshark has an integrated antivirus tool, making it a full-fledged antivirus program like Bitdefender and Avast.

The antivirus feature will protect your devices from malware such as trojans, worms, and backdoors. Fortunately, it works similarly to other VPNs, so you’ll only need to scan your devices to identify and eliminate potential threats. 

The Surfshark antivirus feature is available on Android, macOS, and Windows devices. Also, it is included in the Surfshark One Bundle, where you will spend $3.98 annually to get the 12-month plan.

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Smart DNS

Unblocking streaming services like Hulu and Amazon Prime Video is impossible with devices that do not support VPNs, such as smart TVs and gaming consoles.

However, you can set Surfshark Smart DNS on several devices to bypass geo-restriction on any website. Thankfully, the feature is easily accessible from the main account dashboard. It will enable you to unblock US-based libraries and shows that you normally cannot access in other continents.

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Alerts

Surfshark has alerts that protect your safety by warning you if your personal data is leaked. 

The alerts work with IDs, credit cards, and emails after you add them to the list. It protects your data using two-factor authentication and warns you if a data breach occurs and your personal information leaks to the dark web.

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GPS spoofing 

Surfshark allows you to spoof your physical GPS location and IP addresses. If you are using an Android, most apps can access your location info, making it the most harvested data. Spoofing your location increases your privacy as it lets you match your IP with GPS data.

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Pause VPN function

Surfshark has a pause VPN function that allows you to unblock as much global content as you would easily. Sometimes, you may be required to disconnect from a virtual private network. Fortunately, this feature will help you in such instances as it can disable the connection for 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or even 2 hours. However, during the pause, the feature allows you to enable a connection.

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IP Rotator

Surfshark has an IP rotator feature on the Surfshark Nexus. The feature takes your online security and privacy to a completely different level. The IP rotator can constantly change your IP address without disconnecting from a secured connection. This will protect your online activity from your ISP and other third parties.

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Dedicate IP

Another feature is Dedicated IP servers, which allow you to access your job networks. Also these servers are also beneficial when connecting to services that don’t allow frequent IP changes, for instance, crypto, gambling, and banking.

A dedicated IP reduces the possibility of being blocked by services such as streaming platforms and enables you to avoid excessive captcha requests. The feature is available on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS in Amsterdam, London, Los Angeles, Dallas, San Jose, and New York.

Moreover, you can purchase the Dedicated IP address as an additional purchase on the Surfshark One Subscribers.

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Incogni 

Surfshark has a brand-new feature, Incogni, which protects your personal information from other parties access. After purchasing Incogni as a separate feature, it contacts online data brokers and requests them to remove personal information such as email addresses, telephone numbers, and names from their databases. As a result, you will start getting fewer spam emails, spam calls, and targeted ads.

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Surfshark apps and user experience

No matter how good software or an app is, it isn’t worth it if it fails to attract users. And most websites and apps fail because of their poor user experience. But that is not the case with Surfshark.

Alongside offering outstanding features, Surfshark also ensures a superior user experience by providing the best performance.

Windows

Surfshark has an easy-to-use Windows app. It lets you pick several categories from the main screen, including settings, features, and locations.

The menu has a country list with different flags, meaning you can find your desired location even though it does not have a map interface.

Also, it has a search function that allows you to search for a server location, where the countries are sorted alphabetically.

The servers have markers that show the amount of load they sustain, enabling you to choose a server with a lighter load for faster speeds.

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macOS

Surfshark’s macOS version is less extensive than the Windows version, as it lacks some features. There are two versions of macOS: one on Apple’s App Store and the other on Surfshark’s website.

Apple’s App Store version has options for OpenVPN, while the website version only offers WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols, hence an inferior version. Unfortunately, macOS lacks essential features such as Whitelister (also known as split tunneling), which is used to turn off VPN for some applications.

However, Apple’s App Store macOS version has the OpenVPN protocol, which allows you to bypass restrictions.

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Linux

Surfshark’s developers worked hard to bring a user-friendly Linux interface and reliable VPN functionality to the market.

This means you can view the recently used servers, set your favorite ones, and access other vital features like MultiHop or kill switch. Surfshark pampered the OS to provide Linux users with a visual interface, which was made possible by the fact that it developed a beautiful GUI. Also, it provided the WireGuard tunneling protocol, providing you with high-class security and fast speeds.

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Android

Surfshark’s Android app has elements similar to those of the desktop versions. Switching the system-wide dark mode will adjust and display the appropriate theme.

Another advantage is the GPS spoofing feature, improving your online privacy. Also, a split tunneling option will enable you to exclude some apps and websites from the VPN connection.

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iOS

Surfshark’s iOS is similar to its Android and desktop apps. For instance, it can adjust the theme based on the device settings, so you can have dark and light theme interfaces.

However, unlike the Android app, iOS lacks certain features, such as Whitelister and GPS spoofer. Fortunately, it has features that cannot be found on most mobile VPNs, like the WireGuard protocol and kill switch, for improved speed and better security.

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Browser extensions

Surfshark offers browser extensions for Mozilla Firefox, Edge, and Google Chrome. The extensions have basic functionality such as split tunneling, encryption, unblocking restricted websites, and hiding your IP address.

Also, it has an ad blocker known as CleanWeb, which can block cookie pop-ups, ads, and malware and monitor the website’s data breach history.

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Swift installation

The overall Surfshark download and installation process is also relatively easy. You merely have to visit their website and create an account.

Then, choose your desired subscription plan and payment method, and download the relevant app according to your device.

Once the file download is complete, run the executable file to complete the installation process. And this is it! You can now log in to your account to set up your VPN.

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Device compatibility

Regardless of a VPN’s efficiency, it will be useless if you can’t use it across all your devices.

No one likes to subscribe to multiple VPN services just because the one on their PC doesn’t support their smartphone.

Subscribing to Surfshark, however, is a safe bet because of its tremendous support for almost all major platforms. Precisely, Surfshark is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and even Linux apps.

Moreover, you can use Surfshark on your Smart TVs and gaming consoles. The service also comes with dedicated Surfshark Chrome and Firefox browser extensions for a customized experience.

On top of that, Surfshark wins the race for the best VPNs in terms of the number of connections. With a single-user account, Surfshark allows you to use the VPN on unlimited devices.

Indeed, this is something that very few VPNs are offering right now, including high-end services.

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Does Surfshark work with Netflix?

By now, you’ll be anxiously waiting to know whether this VPN will let you stream Netflix. Aren’t you?

Then here is some good news for you.

Surfshark is one of those lucky and competitive VPNs that can escape the Netflix ban. Thanks to its plethora of servers and being a new player in the field.

Also, the VPN provides you with high-speed servers to enjoy HD streaming. Thus, wherever you go or live, Surfshark can connect you to your desired Netflix library by choosing the corresponding location server.

But is it all about Netflix streaming?

Actually, no! You can also enjoy seamless streaming on other platforms like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, etc.

Besides, its CleanWeb feature, which blocks annoying ads that appear during YouTube videos, makes it even more helpful. Even when you aren’t streaming, you can still use Surfshark to watch your favorite videos without interruptions.

Surfshark and the Great Firewall of China

You must have heard about China’s anti-VPN policy. The authorities there are adamant about restricting free content to their users for various reasons.

Moreover, they constantly maintain robust surveillance of their people; thus, they can’t use any VPN to evade geo-restrictions.

That’s where the efficiency of most VPNs becomes useless, as they cannot benefit the people in an entire region.

So, what about Surfshark?

Before writing this Surfshark review for China, we did not expect this VPN to work. However, after testing this one, I’m impressed by how these guys have bypassed China’s Great Firewall!

As explained above, Surfshark’s Shadowsocks VPN protocol and NoBorders feature enable users to use the service even in China. And, according to their reviews, it does work pretty well there.

Customer support

What would you do if your VPN connection disconnected in the middle of your work and you could not get out? With Surfshark, you don’t have to worry about these issues, as Surfshark provides dedicated customer support.

Like any high-end VPN brand, this provider also offers round-the-clock support via live chat. Users can also submit detailed complaints via the contact form appended to their website.

The latter option may make you wait up to 24 hours for a response. Nonetheless, you can visit their help center, where you will likely find a solution to your problem.

Moreover, Surfshark has also equipped its website with detailed tutorials to assist users and a FAQ section for quick help.

Surfshark pricing plans

Now that you know all the fantastic things this VPN provider offers, let’s look at the Surfshark price.

Well, here again, Surfshark has surpassed most of its rivals, if not all. You can subscribe to Surfshark services for as low as $2.45 monthly + 3 extra months.

And yes, you read it right. Surfshark’s two-year (24-month) plan costs you $2.45 per month.

Besides, its monthly plan costs $17.25/month, and the annual one lets you save more by charging only $3.34/month. Perhaps you may be reluctant to subscribe to its 2-year plan right away since you haven’t tested this VPN yourself.

But don’t worry about it, as you can first avail yourself of the Surfshark free trial offer.

You can subscribe to its service and evaluate your experience for 30 days. Then, if you aren’t satisfied (which is not likely), you can have your money back.

With this, too, you can trust these guys. Every Surfshark money-back review by its customers hints at how the service takes care of your money.

Go to Surfshark’s Official Website

Supported payment methods

Have you decided to subscribe to Surfshark? But how would you pay?

Once again, Surfshark has taken care of your comfort as they support several payment methods. Whether your credit card, PayPal, or third-party services like Google Pay or Amazon Pay, you can select whichever method suits you.

And, if you want to maintain your privacy and choose not to share your billing details, you can even pay them via cryptocurrency.

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What’s new with Surfshark?

Surfshark was released in 2018 and has moved to become among the most secure VPNs. Although it started as a VPN service, it has added other crucial features such as identity protection and antivirus. Some of the features added to Surfshark include the following:

• February 2020: Added 2FA security method to the process of logging in.
• July 2020: Surfshark upgraded more than 3200 servers to be RAM-only 
• October 2020: Added WireGuard, an open-source protocol that ensures great speeds without affecting security.
• August 2021: Introduced Surfshark One, a new antivirus service 
• February 2022: Surfshark introduced Surfshark Nexus, a VPN innovation based on Software-defined networking that improves security and stability by routing traffic through several servers.
• May 2022: Released a feature-rich and graphical application for Linux.
• September 2022: The VPN provider dropped legacy macOS and iOS support, which only supports the four latest macOS and iOS releases.
• October 2022: Surfshark increased the number of server locations nationwide, becoming the first premium VPN with servers in more than 100 countries.
• November 2022: The provider won the VPN Solution of the Year.
• January 2023: Surfshark was audited by Deloitte and passed a no-logs assurance report. 
• June 2023: Was awarded the Best Value VPN-2023 by the Independent Advisor

Do we recommend Surfshark? Our verdict

So, we have reached the end of our unbiased Surfshark review. Given today’s back-to-back cybersecurity incidents, a robust VPN is a requisite.

However, you cannot trust any VPN to maintain your privacy.

Despite being new, Surfshark is one such VPN that knows how to win customers’ trust. With its unique features and affordable costs, you can surely use this VPN to protect your online security.

If you intend to try Surfshark or have already done so, we eagerly await your experience. You can even share your unbiased Surfshark review by rating the app and commenting below.

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