Surfshark VPN Review 2024: Pros&Cons, Features, Servers’ Speed Tests
Surfshark is a VPN service provider hailing from the British Virgin Islands and it provides some of the most premium features on a VPN app at attractively affordable prices. At a price as low as $1.97 per month you can enjoy industry level encryption of your online data, high-speed servers spread across 100 countries, and connect any number of devices. Most VPN apps allow you to connect a maximum of 5 devices that too at double the price of Surfshark VPN. The company started its services in 2018 and has already managed to enter the big league and give the big players a run for their money.
| Location | The Netherlands |
| No-log policy |  |
| Hiding IP | |
| Kill-switch | |
| Max connections | Unlimited |
| Total servers | 3200 |
| Total countries | 100 |
| Compatible devices | Windows, Android, MAC, iOS, Linux, Chrome extension, Android TV, and routers |
| TOR support | |
| Torrenting | |
| Netflix | |
| Does it work in China? | |
| Servers’ speed (overall) | Fast |
| Usability | Easy to use |
| Customer support | 24/7 live expert support and email support |
| Website | https://surfshark.com |
Surfshark effectively hides the user’s IP address so that one’s digital identity is not revealed. Strong encryption ensures that you are protected from identity theft. The app even boasts of a camouflage mode which I have not yet found in any other VPN apps that I had reviewed earlier. The camouflage mode is a neat addition to an already feature-rich interface as it makes sure that even the user’s ISP cannot tell if the user is connected to a VPN server. If your ISP is not aware that you are using a VPN then it cannot try to throttle your bandwidth or disrupt your session in any way. The camouflage mode is automatically always on so that your internet traffic looks usual to your ISP and they have no reason to suspect that you are connected to a VPN server. Every time I connected to a server on Surfshark the connection was automatically camouflaged so that I did not have to do it manually which is very useful.
Another feature that I had found very useful and worth every penny spent on this app is the MultiHop feature. MultiHop lets a user connect to secure VPN networks via more than one country at once so that your real IP address is heavily masked beneath layers of security. By beefing up the initial security when a user connects to a secure server, Surfshark makes tracking a user’s online activity nigh impossible. While multi-hopping (connecting to two VPN servers simultaneously) may provide increased privacy, it will also slow down your internet connection considerably. So it is recommended to use this feature only when necessary.
VPNs have been a major attraction among gamers for a long time now. Gamers can now rejoice even more thanks to Surfshark which has taken special notice when it comes to accessing games from authoritative countries. This VPN also lets you access games from other countries as well as geo-restricted games. DDoS and malicious attacks are any gamer’s worst nightmare. DDoS attacks can potentially disrupt internet service between the device and the service provider which is very annoying if you are playing a multiplayer online game. Surfashark not only protects gamers from DDoS attacks but also keeps the game files secure. Lags are really irritating while playing games in real-time which is effectively handled by Surfshark by reducing the ping times, especially while traveling. With reduced ping times you can enjoy a smooth gaming experience even while traveling.
Surfshark Logging Policy
Surfshark has a strict logging policy which means that the app does not keep track or store any data related to a user’s identity or online activities such as searches, websites visited or duration of use. The app does not collect your IP address, used bandwidth, session information, and connection timestamps. The British Virgin Islands is an autonomous nation with its own legislature although it is a British overseas territory. The significant fact is that the BVI is not a member of any international intelligence-sharing alliance, such as the 5, 9, or 14 Eyes Alliances. Being a non-member of the mentioned intelligence alliances, the BVI is not subjected to surveillance laws which permit intelligence agencies to access customer data from VPN providers. This is what Surfshark had to say on logging policies:
We are committed to protecting your privacy online, wherever you go and whatever you do. For us, no-logs is a no-brainer.
Surfshark, however, collects some information which they term ‘non-sensitive’ such as email address, encrypted password, billing address and order history which are fine as far as I am concerned.
We need your email in order to help you fix any issues that you may encounter. Also, we may send you information about exclusive Surfshark discounts.” You can always opt-out of such emails.
We need your billing information to successfully create your account. Your billing information will include your payment amount, currency and the date of the payment, as well as what you chose to purchase.
As you probably already understood we do not have much information to share. Even so, we do not disclose your information to others, unless we are ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction to do so. We do not sell or trade your data with anyone.
All these seem harmless to me but if you are still worried then I advise you thoroughly read their privacy policy that can be found on their website.
Surfshark: Installation and Ease of Use
The installation process is fairly straightforward. All you got to do is visit the Surfshark website and click on ‘Get Started’. It will take you to the signup page where you will have to choose a plan and fill in the details. The $1.99 per month for 2 years is the most rewarding plan Surfshark has to offer and it is one of the best VPN plans that I have come across in a long time considering the features that Surfshark are providing their clients. $11.95 per month for a month and $5.99 per month for a year are the other plans that you may choose. Whichever plan you may choose, rest assured that they have a ’30 day money-back guarantee’.
Then enter your email address to create your account with Surfshark. Once that is done you may select the payment options from Credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, and Cryptocurrency to make the payment. You may also want to activate optional privacy features that are not part of the Surfshark VPN app for a little extra cost. Once all details are filled in you can proceed to download the app on any compatible device. I downloaded it on my Windows 10 computer. Once downloaded you need to install the app and complete the initial setup which is easier than you would imagine. Once installed open the app and connect to a server with just a click or two. Click on ‘Quick Connect’ to connect to an optimally chosen server nearest to you with just a click. You can change the server afterward from the settings options or from a list of nearest or fastest servers.
The user interface is not an intimidating one and it should be easy to understand even for new users. You can manually choose servers from a list of existing servers nearby. The servers are listed according to country and not cities.
Can You Access Social Networking Websites with Surfshark?
Yes, absolutely! Social media sites are regularly accessed by billions across the world. With the gradual increase in the use of social media, there has also been a rise in the demand for online anonymity while browsing social media. Some users demand it so they can bypass annoying ads and other users want it to stay hidden online. Whatever be your reasons, Surfshark protects your online identity robustly and also keep important private data under wraps and away from prying eyes. Sites such as Facebook collect personal data from its users to target them with behavior-specific ads and promotional materials. Connect to one of Surfshark’s many servers and you will no longer be pestered by incessant ads which disrupt your online activity. The ad-blocker I stop notch and it let me enjoy a clean-web as Surfshark bragged on its website. Malware and phishing trackers smoothen the digital experience even more as you need no longer worry about the perils of social media.
Surfshark Torrent and Netflix Support
Surfshark is just the VPN app you need if you download movies and other files from Torrent as the app has features specifically designed keeping in mind the massive demands for safe torrenting. The app works seamlessly with uTorrent and all other P2P clients such as BitTorrent, Deluge and ThePirateBay just to name a few. You can now enjoy unrestricted access to P2P file-sharing that too without your ISP knowing that you are accessing Torrent websites. The state of the art encryption and security protocols ensure that your online identity remains undercover even while seeding or sharing files. Buffering is a thing of the past all thanks to fast servers across 100 countries. A dedicated kill switch is essential for torrenting and Surfshark provides one so that your IP address is not leaked in case of an unforeseen disconnection. Add to that their strict no-logs policy and you have in your hands one of the finest VPN apps for Torrenting. Unlimited Torrent bandwidth on unlimited devices connected simultaneously was previously unheard of until Surfshark swam into town.
Netflix is taking over the film industry and for the past three to five years the demand for Netflix has been soaring and it continues to grow still. With Surfshark VPN I could access US Netflix without even having to connect to any US server. I connected to two different servers, one in the UK and the other in Canada, and I could access US Netflix on both of them without even a minor issue. Furthermore, you can access Netflix in 14 countries including the UK, Canada, Japan, India, France, Italy, and Brazil along with others. The fast servers ensure that there is no buffering while streaming your favorite contents. I experienced minimal buffering on a few occasions but that was mostly due to a temporary connection issue with my own ISP. Once sorted I was back to binge-watching my favorite shows without any restrictions but with full anonymity.
Whether you are Torrenting or streaming on Netflix, your main concern is remaining anonymous in the internet. The previously mentioned camouflage mode comes in very handy as it misleads your ISP to believe that you are not accessing any site that may be restricted by the authorities. Geo-restricted contents are made easily accessible by Surfshark under an opaque veil of anonymity.
The internet speed after connecting to any VPN server will automatically decrease and Surfshark is no different but what separates one VPN from another is how much the speed drops. In my opinion, Surfshark offers credible speed compared to other VPNs. I tested three random servers of Surfshark VPN to find how they fared against other VPNs. It is safe to say that Surfshark is head and shoulders above the rest in the business. The app offers good speed that is ideal for lag-free browsing and zero-buffering when streaming videos or TV shows. They offer unlimited bandwidth and there is no bandwidth throttling.
I found the servers in Europe to be the fastest among the three servers I tested. The Amsterdam server had the fastest download and upload speeds followed by one in the US. Among the many servers in the US, I connected to the New York one as it was the fastest. The server in Canada gave workable speed too albeit a few inconsistencies now and then. Servers in India worked like a breeze but slowed down at certain hours owing to the huge bulk of traffic flowing through. The Hong Kong servers were the slowest among the ones I had tested but it was still fast enough to race ahead of faster servers of more expensive VPN, like IPVanish VPN for example. So if speed is your deal then Surfshark is an easy recommendation as it will not disappoint you anytime soon.
One favorite tool for web marketers is Google Trends as they can harness the power of Big G to assess the overall popularity of any search term. To have a basic understanding of how popular SurfShark is at this moment, I used Google Trends and the search result I got was pretty impressive. Apparently, the VPN service is getting popular by the day and when I searched with keywords like ‘Buy Surfshark VPN’ and ‘Surfshark VPN review’, I got similar results. It’s safe to say that the product is well-acclaimed by users all around and probably will continue to gain weight.
Another good way to check how really popular is SurfShark consists in comparing with other top-rated VPN services like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost and of course IPVanish. I took 5 years duration and set location as worldwide. From the graphic below we can be confident that ExpressVPN is an absolute leader in popularity among its competitors and this VPN service tends to rise. Next goes SurfShark, VPN service that was unknown until 2018 managed to beat two really great VPNs in March 2020. So starting the spring 2020 the search queries for Surfshark exceeded the same for CyberGhost VPN and IPVanish. That’s is really great but to tell the truth I was little upset to see that the search popularity for one of my favorite VPN, namely IPVanish, has the decline tendency from 2019 till 2024.
1 Month
$10.99 /month- Billed $10.99 every month
- 30-day money-back guarantee
2 Years + 3 Months FREE
$1.97 /month- Save 82%
- Billed $47.28 every 24 months
- 30-day money-back guarantee
1 Year
$3.49 /month- Save 77%
- Billed $30.33 every 12 months
- 30-day money-back guarantee
I have been using Surfshark for about 2 years now and I am absolutely hooked to it. The ease of operation coupled with the ingeniously planned features has been a lifesaver on many occasions. Military-grade encryption along with opens source security protocols work hand in hand to deliver one of the strongest securities a VPN can manage. The price is very attractive if you take into account that Surfshark lets you connect to an unlimited number of devices from only one account that too simultaneously. No other VPN provider I have reviewed until now has managed to provide access to unlimited devices at such a mouth-watering price. The app is also compatible with all of the most common platforms starting from Windows to consoles and even SmartTVs to cover a wide range of devices. It also offers very fast speed while browsing or streaming. It is a family pack!
I will recommend Surfshark for both beginners as well as professionals as the app has something in it for everyone. The nifty features may sound gimmicky at such a price but you need to use it yourself to believe it. For $1.97 per month, why not?
