Surfshark review: A versatile VPN service with great extras

Best Prices Today: Surfshark

Surfshark briefly:

• P2P allowed: Yes
• Simultaneous gadget connections: Unlimited
• Business location: The Netherlands
• Number of servers: 3,200+
• Number of nation places: 100
• Cost: $12.95 per thirty days, or $59.76 for a two yr subscription

Surfshark has, in the previous couple of years, catapulted from fundamental VPN firm to one-stop store for all issues private online-security. The firm now presents a top-tier VPN product that continues to enhance on itself with every new iteration. And since its merger with NordVPN underneath the mum or dad firm Cyberspace, Surfshark has pushed into creating cutting-edge private safety features through its Nexus expertise. This all sounds nice, however are all of those options actually value it in a VPN service? We took Surfshark for a spin to seek out out.

Further studying: See our roundup of the best VPNs to find out about competing merchandise.

Surfshark VPN options and companies

When you initially open Surfshark you discover that the interface is clear and easy. On the left rail you have got choices for VPN, Alert, Antivirus, and Settings. In the center there’s a record of all server places listed alphabetically by nation and on the fitting there’s a button to connect with the chosen server. It’s nothing fancy, however the minimalist, simple interface was straightforward and intuitive to each navigate and use.

Surfshark prides itself on the variety of servers it gives, which is nicely over 3,200 throughout 100 totally different nation places. There are admittedly loads of international locations that solely have one server to connect with, however extra in style places such because the U.S., Canada, and Australia supply a number of server places unfold all through. In addition to all of those server choices, Surfshark permits limitless simultaneous gadget connections. This is a giant draw since most different VPN suppliers restrict subscribers to 5 or 6 simultaneous connections.

Sam Singleton

On the principle display screen, above the out there servers, you’re ready to decide on between three choices: Locations, StaticIP, and MultiHop. Locations is a listing of the entire out there nation servers you’ll be able to hook up with. StaticIP permits you to hook up with shared servers with IP addresses that by no means change. MultiHop permits you to additional obfuscate your precise location by routing your site visitors via multiple exterior server. While many VPN companies now supply multi-hop connections, Surfshark stands out by permitting the person to not solely select a predetermined route, but in addition create their very own multi-hop route. This is a nifty characteristic that provides energy customers and people involved with privateness extra autonomy in securing and optimizing their connections.

Surfshark

Surfshark additionally gives an advert, tracker, and malware blocker referred to as ClearWeb—although it’s not turned on by default. It additionally presents a split-tunneling characteristic, which it calls Whitelister, that permits you the choice to route apps and web sites via the VPN or maintain one or the opposite linked individually. This is an efficient possibility for individuals who want to maintain their internet searching safe through a VPN whereas conserving on-line video games outdoors the VPN connection in an effort to decrease potential latency points.

Additionally, Surfshark gives a kill-switch perform that may mechanically disable your web connection ought to your VPN connection drop for no matter motive. There can be a characteristic referred to as NoBorders, enabled by default, which is its personal model of obfuscated servers. NoBorders permits customers in international locations that typically prohibit VPN connections to keep up entry to Surfshark.

Overall, it’s a well-designed app that’s straightforward to navigate, with a very good characteristic set and loads of helpful instruments. The solely subject we may discover with the service normally was the truth that when searching connections, there’s no straightforward option to discover ping instances or server-load indicators. We in the end discovered this info within the choices menu underneath Speed Test, however this info could be handy to have listed underneath every server location.

Sam Singleton

Surfshark can be working laborious to carry new and modern concepts to the VPN scene. It’s set to roll out its unique Nexus VPN network all through 2023. Nexus is a single community made up of Surfshark VPN servers. There are enormous potential safety and privateness boosts from this expertise. It will permit for rotating IP addresses with out disconnecting your energetic VPN connection, additional obfuscating your searching exercise. Nexus may also use a Dynamic MultiHop characteristic to attach you to the quickest out there entry server and exit at any desired location, presumably optimizing connection speeds throughout the board. As of this writing, solely the IP rotator characteristic is on the market, with the whole characteristic set due later this yr.

How does Surfshark VPN carry out?

During our testing we rated connection speeds throughout Surfshark’s servers in 5 totally different international locations around the globe after which in contrast them to our baseline web pace. Surfshark server speeds had been strong, if not notably excellent. They averaged simply over 61 p.c of the bottom obtain pace and a barely extra spectacular 72 p.c of the bottom add pace. That isn’t the perfect we’ve seen, however relying by yourself house web, it needs to be sufficient to stream HD video with none points.

For these wanting to make use of the service to bypass location restrictions on streaming web sites, our testing confirmed that Surfshark was overwhelmingly profitable. Across each server we examined and for all main streaming companies the VPN was in a position to unblock every little thing. This included companies corresponding to Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Hulu, and Disney Plus. That outcome places Surfshark amongst our very best VPNs for streaming Netflix proper together with NordVPN and ExpressVPN.

Surfshark VPN safety and privateness

Surfshark states that it doesn’t gather any of your on-line exercise, together with searching historical past, session info, bandwidth used, connection time stamps, community site visitors, or IP addresses. This no-logs coverage declare was verified by the corporate Deloitte throughout an impartial audit of Surfshark on the finish of 2022. These are precisely the steps customers ought to count on from a prime VPN firm and it goes a good distance in direction of backing up Surfshark’s privateness claims.

The service additionally retains privateness in thoughts throughout setup. When signing up for a Surfshark subscription you solely want to produce an electronic mail handle. Furthermore, the corporate accepts funds through bank cards, PayPal, Google Pay, and varied cryptocurrencies. 

One factor of observe is that Surfshark has moved its headquarters from the British Virgin Islands to the Netherlands lately. This shouldn’t be an excessive amount of of a priority because the Netherlands’ information retention legal guidelines are typically privacy-friendly. However, the Netherlands continues to be topic to Nine Eyes jurisdiction, which signifies that the federal government can power Surfshark to share sure details about clients.

Sam Singleton

In regards to safety, Surfshark makes use of customary AES 256-bit encryption. It additionally presents choices for a number of VPN protocols together with OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2—relying in your working system.

Is Surfshark VPN value it?

Surfshark presents limitless gadget connections, good speeds, compatibility with main streaming companies, and a powerful variety of nation connections. The Windows app is nicely designed and straightforward sufficient to know. It additionally has some good extras corresponding to advert, tracker, and malware blocking in addition to split-tunneling and multi-hop.

With all of those nice options, Surfshark is a strong all-around VPN service. If you go for the two-year contract you’re additionally getting all of this for a discount value. And with the longer term addition of its Nexus community, Surfshark stands to probably overtake its essential rivals available in the market. Overall, whether or not it’s getting round area blocks or simply having fun with a extra personal and safe searching expertise, Surfshark stays one in every of our favorites.

Editor’s observe: Because on-line companies are sometimes iterative, gaining new options and efficiency enhancements over time, this assessment is topic to alter in an effort to precisely replicate the present state of the service. Any adjustments to textual content or our remaining assessment verdict can be famous on the prime of this text.