Surfshark VPN Review 2023 – VPNRanks

Editor's Rating

/10

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Surfshark is no longer the new kid on the block. In fact, it has become one of the best VPN service packed with feature-rich apps, powerful unblocking ability, fast speeds, and a massive server network.

Surfshark guarantees that it maintains no logs of privacy-sensitive information of users, claiming that Cure53’s independent audit is legitimate. Moreover, it is also safe to use, thanks to its AES 256-bit encryption and the latest WireGuard protocol.

Despite the rising inflation, the VPN continues to be down-to-earth by offering its service at a super-affordable cost. While this sounds fantastic, you may wonder: Is Surfshark really as great? Can it keep you secure across the globe? Is the service consistent?

In this Surfshark review, we’ll test every feature of this premium VPN provider. We’ll check what it offers at such an affordable price, how consistent its features are, and how they differ from every other VPN provider. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Surfshark Review: Surfshark Pros and Cons

Here is a list of pros and cons we compiled after Surfshark review:

Surfshark VPN Specs – At A Glance

Servers	3200
Countries	100
Price	$2.05/mo (Get 84% + 2 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan)
Free Trial	7 Days on Mobile
Simultaneous Connections	Unlimited
Compatible Devices	iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, FireStick, Smart TVs, Gaming Consoles, routers
Speeds	80+ Mbps (on 100 Mbps)
Keeps Logs	No
DNS Leak Protection	Yes
Kill Switch	Yes
Headquarters	The Netherlands
P2P Support	Yes
Customer Support	24/7 Live Chat Support
Other Features	CleanWeb, NoBorders, WireGuard protocol, MultiHop

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Streaming – Is Surfshark Good for Streaming? ⭐9.0

Yes, Surfshark is one of the best VPNs for streaming due to its feature-packed service. It offers multiple advanced features to enhance your streaming experience. To start, there’s Smart DNS, using which Surfshark can be configured on almost any device, even the ones that don’t support VPNs.

Surfshark can easily unblock 20+ streaming platforms. We tested Surfshark with streaming services such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video and found them working flawlessly.

Does Surfshark work with Netflix?

Yes, Surfshark works well with Netflix. Surfshark lets you stream Netflix on mobile and desktop operating systems, including iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. You can further use its Firefox, Chrome, Brave Browser and UC browser extensions if you prefer streaming Netflix in your browser as it. Surfshark is also a great VPN for streaming on TV.

As per our tests, Surfshark supports 30+ Netflix libraries from all over the world. For Netflix US, we connected to its US – Boston server. Surfshark works great with Netflix, delivering fast streaming speed and HD picture quality.

We could access all exclusive content present in the Netflix US library with Surfshark.

Another strange thing we experienced when accessing international libraries with Surfshark is that most EU servers were redirected to Netflix US. It was quite confusing for me. We contacted customer support about it, and they clarified that it is perfectly safe to use EU servers to watch Netflix US.

Customer support clarified that Surfshark servers are configured to automatically open US Netflix for regions they don’t support.

Basically, you can use servers in Europe that are close to you to access Netflix US instead of using long-distance US servers, which will definitely affect your connection speeds. This was a bit surprising yet convenient for me. We tested Netflix US on Sweden and the Czech servers and didn’t encounter any Netflix proxy errors.

Apart from the US and UK Netflix, Surfshark managed to unblock popular Netflix libraries, as shown in the table below:

Can Surfshark unblock HBO max, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime, etc.?

Surfshark works great with HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and other streaming services. We can say this after testing Surfshark with a variety of streaming platforms.

First, we decided to access Amazon Prime with Surfshark. During our test, everything streamed in HD quality, and we did not encounter any errors whatsoever while connected to the US Chicago server. However, we had to switch 5-6 servers before, trying our luck with the Chicago server that worked with Amazon Prime US.

Surfshark managed to unblock the US Amazon Prime Video library easily.

We then tried accessing Hulu with Surfshark. During our testing, pretty much every US server we connected to easily managed to unblock Hulu. As for picture quality, we managed to stream multiple shows in HD quality. You can see us accessing Hulu with Surfshark’s Dallas server below:

We could enjoy all popular Hulu content without any buffering.

Finally, we tested Surfshark with Disney+ and got the best performance with its New York server. Again, all the content we streamed on Disney+ played in 1080p HD quality.

We did not face any issues while streaming Disney+ with Surfshark.

Apart from Netflix, other popular streaming services, which include BBC iPlayer, Crackle, and HBO Max with Surfshark, were also accessible in 1080p HD quality with Surfshark. It is also the Best VPN for Colorado Sports as you can watch Colorado Sports anywhere using Surfshark Denver server.

In short, we had no issue unblocking sites with Surfshark. However, it did act up when we tried to unblock Hotstar. We had to connect to its Indian locations from time to time, and it finally unblocked on our 7th attempt. The speeds were extremely slow during testing, and there was a lot of buffering. It could be due to the distance, but the video kept buffering and was unwatchable.

Speed – How Fast is Surfshark for Online Activities? ⭐8.5

Surfshark is fast enough for different online activities. While testing, we didn’t face any problems in regular use and could stream in HD, download heavy files, and browse the internet without any hindrances. In fact, Surfshark turned out to be faster than most VPNs we tested. And so, it gets an 8.5/10 in speed.

Surfshark has enhanced its speeds since we last reviewed it. When we tested it by connecting to its OpenVPN protocol, we got a speed 0f 78+ Mbps on the US server and 75+ Mbps on its UK server on our 100 Mbps connection, which didn’t seem quite up to par.

However, we witnessed a gradual surge in speed after connecting to its WireGuard protocol during our Surfshark speed review. On its US server, the VPN delivered 80+ Mbps speeds and 78+ Mbps on its UK server. These speeds were stable and consistent every time we connected to the protocol.

Overall, we didn’t face extreme slowdowns on any server. We further conducted a Surfshark speed review on its long-distance and nearby servers. Let’s check out the results below:

Local Servers Speed

For local speeds, we tested Surfshark’s speeds on nearby servers. We did expect some speed loss because our data naturally had to travel to the server. But since it was near our location, the speed drop was significantly less.

First, we started with the US servers. It took us 18 seconds to connect with the US – New York server. The download speed that we managed to get on the New York server was 84.09 Mbps, and the upload speed was 78.51 Mbps. Keeping all the biases aside, the speeds are indeed great for indulging in smooth online activities.

United States (New York): 

We then connected to the LA server of Surfshark, which took about 20 seconds to connect, and gave off a download speed of 83.21 Mbps and an upload speed of 61.24 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection.

United States (Los Angeles): 

We also decided to test the Canada server speed as it’s near our location. On its Canada – Toronto server, we had similar results with low pings:

Canada (Toronto): 

Long Distance Server Speed

Using Surfshark’s “Fastest Server” option, we connected to a server in Valencia, Spain, and experienced a slight slowdown in speeds. This speed drop was significant as compared to the nearby servers but still pretty decent.

Spain (Valencia):

We then connected to its Portugal – Lisbon server and got a download speed of 69.26 Mbps and an upload speed of 72.72 Mbps on our connection of 100 Mbps connection. Since the upload speeds were faster, these servers proved to be a reliable option for gaming.

Portugal (Lisbon): 

Even with very slow speeds, it didn’t affect the performance we prepared ourselves for. For example, we could stream Netflix without any major buffering or lags, and browsing was also fast. So, with local servers, you won’t have any problems with Surfshark.

Just check out the table below for an overview:

Is Surfshark Fast Enough for Gaming?

Yes, Surfshark is fast enough for gaming. And not only do we think it’s good for gaming, but we believe it’s one of the best gaming VPNs. Thanks to its super-fast speeds and extensive network of servers, you don’t have to worry about delays.

During testing, some servers gave us error messages and took a long time to load. But, when we used the “Fastest Server” feature, the speeds were great as compared to the manual selection of servers closer to our actual location. For example, on long-distance servers like Australia, we experienced noticeable lags.

We tested Surfshark based on different servers’ download speeds, upload speeds, and ping.

• Download speed is how fast you receive data. A fast download speed will give you more time to respond when another player attacks you.
• Upload speed is how fast you send data. Fast upload speed means you will have more time to attack the other player.
• Ping is also called latency. It measures the time it takes for the data to reach its destination. The higher the pings, the more lag you will have during gaming.

For smooth gaming, it’s best to have a download speed of at least 15 Mbps, an upload speed of at least 1 Mbps, and the lowest pings possible. At first, we used its Fastest Server feature, and it connected us to a Canadian server.

After loading Overwatch, it connected us to its Europe server. The game lagged initially, but it ran pretty smoothly after a few minutes. We did face minor hiccups at the beginning, and we could play it without interruptions.

We then tried connecting to Surfshark’s Singapore server to test its performance. It gave a decent speed (36.21 Mbps), considering it was a long-distance server. However, during testing, Surfshark reduced pings when we tried its Singapore server. 

The speeds looked pretty great as well.

However, we experienced connectivity issues on Australian servers as we could not load the game. We tried multiple times and received the following error message, and even after waiting 10 minutes, it wouldn’t load.

This error could be due to an issue with the game at the time, but it worked perfectly fine on other servers like Singapore. We could easily play Overwatch with VPN on the long-distance server (We tested the Singapore server as it gave me the lowest pings at 48 ms).

We chose to play Overwatch with Surfshark, with very low pings.

We then tested the gaming speed on the Singapore server because we wanted to test servers in Asia, as they have always given me high download speeds and lower pings – a perfect combo for gaming.

Honestly, we would personally recommend using ExpressVPN for gaming because it offers better speeds (you can check our ExpressVPN speed test results), and it has more server locations (in 94+ countries).

Surfshark Server Network

Surfshark has over 3200 servers in 100 countries. It is not bad, but if you compare it with other VPNs like Private Internet Access (which has over 35000+ servers in 84 countries, then this isn’t a huge network.

On the plus side, you get P2P support on its entire server network. While this makes it easy to access torrent sites, you can also take help from its MultiHop servers, which add another layer of encryption to your regular server for extra protection.

Most of Surfshark’s servers are located in the United States, spread out across 25 cities. Meaning, Surfshark is a great option for users who want to unblock American streaming sites and bypass geo-blocks. Apart from the US, Surfshark also has a big server network in Europe with multiple servers in all major countries like the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and France.

Surfshark also offers physical and virtual servers in countries with heavy internet censorship, like Turkey and Vietnam. So, if you’re traveling outside these countries, you can connect to Surfshark’s server in those regions and access your local banking site.

Virtual Server Locations

Surfshark has virtual servers in countries with high political instability and rigid internet restrictions, where VPNs can’t operate directly. In countries like Chile, Costa Rica, and Argentina, Surfshark has set up virtual servers that connect users to the physical servers located outside that region.

Each virtual location in Surfshark’s app is marked with a ‘v.’ However, keep in mind that virtual locations might result in higher pings because to establish the connection, your data has to travel to a physical server that is outside your region. It took us some time to connect to the Chile server during testing.

Surfshark’s virtual locations help you bypass censorship but can lead to higher pings.

Surfshark’s Static IP Address

Surfshark also offers static servers that give you the same IP address every time you connect. These servers are located in 6 countries: Singapore, Germany, Japan, the US, the UK, and the Netherlands.

This is very convenient when you instantly want a connection and don’t want to complete the CAPTCHA code every time you log in to your banking apps. We tested the same static IP server and were asked to confirm our identity during the first login attempt on our banking app.

What’s best is that these static IP servers are P2P friendly, so you can use Surfshark for torrent and also choose from MultiHop servers for extra protection.

Security – How Secure is Surfshark? ⭐10.0

Surfshark is a very secure VPN service. It offers two of the most secure protocols: WireGuard and OpenVPN. It doesn’t keep any logs and only needs your email ID to create an account. In addition, it’s headquartered in the Netherlands, which is beneficial for all users’ privacy.

If you go through the features list of Surfshark, you’ll see that this provider offers unbreakable AES 256-bit encryption, leak protection, and Kill Switch, along with additional features to keep you safe and secure.

No, if you’re wondering, ‘Is Surfshark safe,’ then let’s look at all its features in detail below to answer the question:

Military-Grade Encryption

Surfshark relies on AES-256, Advanced Encryption Standard (sometimes also referred to as Rijndael algorithm), to encrypt all the data that goes through the network to and from your device. This is the same encryption standard that the militaries and governments use.

This encryption standard is responsible for providing you DNS and IPv6 leak protection so that neither your Internet Service Provider nor any third-party entity can see your personal activity or data.

RAM-Only Servers

Unlike other premium VPNs, Surfshark has 100% RAM-only servers that are diskless and automatically wipe all data the moment you switch off the VPN. This is the best feature a VPN can offer because it prevents breaches and attacks from third parties. Thus giving you an additional layer of privacy.

Security Protocols

Regarding protocols, currently, it offers three different protocols for the VPN service connection, which is very useful in case Surfshark displays connection issues.

1. IKEv2: This protocol works best when you connect to a nearby server. During testing, it also gave decent speeds on long-distance servers. It comes with an auto-connect feature which makes it a great choice for mobile phone users. IKEv2 is available on Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, and FireTV Surfshark apps.
2. OpenVPN: OpenVPN is a popular choice among security professionals because it is one of the most secure protocols available. It has two versions, UDP and TCP. UDP is faster and ideal for gaming, streaming, and video calls. TCP, on the other hand, is a bit slower.
3. WireGuard: First released in 2016, this protocol is similar to OpenVPN in terms of being Open Source. It uses state-of-the-art cryptographic technology, which makes it faster, more stable, and 4 times faster than OpenVPN. Surfshark offers this protocol for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS device applications only.

Using these protocols, you can be secure while accessing your favorite platforms.

While OpenVPN would be a preferred choice for speed and reliability, and one can say it is the top choice for selecting the connection protocol, WireGuard is slowly advancing toward becoming the next big thing.

It is expected that more and more VPN providers will switch to WireGuard connection protocol in the future. For a more in-depth comparison, do check out our WireGuard vs. OpenVPN comparison.

We tested speeds on these protocols to see which one was faster. During testing, OpenVPN (UDP) gave extremely slow speeds as compared to IKEv2 and WireGuard.

We tested speeds on 10 different servers using 3 different Surfshark protocols to give you a rough idea about each VPN protocol’s speed and performance.

On OpenVPN, our average speed was 46% slower than IKEv2. Meaning if you have heavy internet usage, it’s best to choose IKEv2 as it is the fastest. You can also select the automatic protocol option, and Surfshark will automatically choose the best protocol based on your need.

The dedicated desktop app of Surfshark packs in three VPN service protocols, IKEv2, WireGuard, and OpenVPN, with a TCP and UDP variation.

Leak Test Results

We tested 10 Surfshark servers (including servers in the UK, US, France, and Italy) and found no DNS, IP, or WebRTC leak.

DNS leak protection is mandatory as it ensures that your data is being routed via Surfshark’s DNS servers instead of your Internet Service Provider’s DNS servers. Similarly, IPv6 leak protection ensures that the network’s IPv6 is not leaking your real location.

Surfshark offers private DNS and IP leak protection on all its servers when using the IPv4 stack. It is the most common type of IP, while IPv6 is the newer format.

We also checked through customer support, and they confirmed that Surfshark doesn’t support IPv6, so that you could experience some leaks. But during testing, we experienced no leaks. 

Surfshark doesn’t offer IPV6 support, so users better stick to IPv4 with this VPN.

You can disable IPv6 on your devices, but it might cause some apps to not work properly. This is very crucial as Surfshark is a top VPN because, with premium VPNs like ExpressVPN, you don’t have to worry about IPv6 or IPv4.

Before we could trust our privacy with Surfshark, we decided to take some leak tests using IPleak.net. Here’s how Surfshark performed in our leak test:

Surfshark passed all the leak tests when we connected to its US server location.

We were satisfied with the results as neither our DNS nor IPv6 leaked after connecting to Surfshark. We recommend checking your connection to make sure it is secure.

Automatic Kill Switch

Surfshark comes with a built-in Kill Switch feature that prevents your online activity from leaking if your VPN service suddenly stops working. This feature is so smart; it automatically kills your internet whenever you lose connection with the VPN server.

In case of any VPN connectivity issues, it will deactivate your internet connection and reactivate it automatically. This way, no information will be leaked in case of any sudden connection drops.

This feature will ensure no leak of your online activities.

We tested out this feature by downloading a torrent file and then disconnecting from the VPN server midway. As soon as we disconnected from the VPN server, Surfshark automatically disabled our internet connection.

MultiHop Servers

Using Surfshark’s MultiHop servers, you can establish a VPN chain and take IP masking to the next level. For instance, you can connect to Surfshark’s servers in the US and Netherlands simultaneously and virtually appear in two different locations. It sends your traffic through two server locations instead of one, which is amazing.

However, when tested, its MultiHop servers slowed down our speeds significantly as compared to the regular servers. That’s reasonable, as your traffic passes through 2 servers that are in 2 locations.

As you can see, the pings are also higher on the MultiHop servers.

Camouflage Mode

This mode makes your encrypted traffic look like regular traffic under deep packet inspection (DPI) so that nobody can see you’re using a VPN. It is a convenient feature to use if you connect behind a strict firewall or an Internet Service Provider that restricts VPN usage.

We tested this feature on public Wi-Fi in a library, and it instantly unblocked Netflix and Disney+ without any hiccups. You don’t have to manually enable the Surfshark Camouflage mode, as it is automatically enabled when you connect to the OpenVPN protocol. OpenVPN is available on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux.

NoBorders Mode

NoBorder is an exclusive feature of Surfshark designed for countries with strict regulations against VPN usage and heavy online censorship (think China, for example). As soon as the NoBorder feature detects the situation mentioned above, it will present you with a special list of servers that you can connect to.

Surfshark’s NoBorder mode to bypass heavy internet restrictions and censorship in regions like China or UAE.

2FA

Surfshark also offers a 2FA feature, also known as Two-Factor Authentication. It adds an additional layer of security to your Surfshark account. To enable 2FA on Surfshark, you must open its official site on your browser and log in using your credentials.

Then, go to “Account Settings” and click “Turn on 2FA.” After that, you can either set it up with your email ID or an authentication app like Google Authenticator.

We chose the Google Authenticator method because it is super private and is also recommended by Surfshark. You must download the Google Authenticator app from Google Play Store or App Store if you use an iOS device.

Then, just scan the QR code, and it will register your site. Now, every time you log in, you will need to enter the code from the authenticator app. But remember, the code is only valid for 30 seconds. After that, it generates a newer one.

CleanWeb

CleanWeb is a built-in feature of Surfshark VPN that blocks ads, trackers, and malware. We particularly love this feature because it actively blocks annoying advertisements. Here’s a screenshot that we took for our Surfshark CleanWeb review:

The feature was quite effective for different websites in our Surfshark CleanWeb review.

To enable the CleanWeb feature on Surfshark’s extension, simply click on the feature and enable it. It is handy as you won’t have to see intrusive ads when browsing online anymore.  It also detects malicious websites and phishing scams to protect your device.

GPS Spoofing on Android

Apps and websites use GPS to locate users instead of using IP addresses. This way, advertisers target you with ads. However, it is an issue when it comes to the online privacy of users, and unfortunately, a VPN is not enough. But, Surfshark has solved this problem by offering a GPS Spoofing feature.

This feature hides both your IP address and GPS location making it look like you are physically located in the same place as the server location. Therefore, no apps can track your whereabouts. However, this feature is only available on Android. To enable it, you can select the “Override GPS Location” feature under the advanced settings.

We tested this feature by connecting to its Chicago server. After enabling the feature, we went to Google Maps, and it showed our location near Willis Tower in Chicago when physically our team was present in the UK at that time. However, you cannot use it on games like Pokemon Go because then it won’t be able to load any PokeStops, and the game needs your location.

Other features

Besides the features mentioned above, Surfshark also offers tons of cool in-app features for its users, as per our Surfshark review. Here are some notable ones:

• Whitelister: As the name suggests, Whitelister is a split tunneling feature that allows you to custom-exclude specific apps or websites from connecting via a VPN. This feature is great if you prefer securing certain sensitive apps and websites while excluding other apps that you might use for streaming and general browsing.
• Device Invisibility: With Surfshark, you can also make your VPN-enabled devices invisible to other devices that are on the same network. This feature offers an extra layer of privacy and is best when you are using public Wi-Fi and don’t want to be visible to others. Unfortunately, this feature is only available in Surfshark apps for Windows and Android.
• Privacy Beyond VPN: This is a bundled add-on offered by Surfshark with additional costs on its basic subscription deal. It has two features, including Surfshark Search, which lets you privately search without any ads or trackers, and Surfshark Alert, which notifies users immediately if their information is found in leaked databases.
• Trust DNS: Surfshark also offers a free Trust DNS app that lets you change your DNS address for free. What’s best is that you can choose from 100+ public DNS servers and access websites that are blocked at the DNS level and even hide your online activity from your ISP. It is only available on Android and iOS apps.

Privacy ⭐10.0

Surfshark is packed with privacy features. The VPN keeps no logs and secures users’ data during the entire session. Because of its no-logs policy Surfshark VPN is also one of the logless VPN or we can also say one of the best offshore VPN following ExpressVPN in the list. Above all, it uses RAM-only servers to wipe all your data after every session leaving no traces behind.

It has an open privacy policy documentation available on the webpage that discusses all important practices clearly. We appreciate their commitment to quality service and effort to communicate transparency. Overall, we are satisfied and impressed with the level of privacy Surfshark offers to its users, unlike many premium VPN services.

In this heading, we will be looking directly into the relationship between your privacy and Surshark, how Surshark honors it accordingly, and what is a Warrant Canary.

Strict No-Logs Policy

Surfshark doesn’t keep logs and strictly follows the concept of no data logging. If you go through Surfshark’s privacy policy, the provider mentions that it does not log the following information:

• IP addresses
• Browsing history
• Session information
• Used bandwidth
• Connection timestamps
• Network traffic and other similar data

Surfshark clearly mentions that it doesn’t collect any identifiable user information, answering your ‘Is Surfshark safe’ query.

This is seriously impressive because Surfshark only collects emails, encrypted passwords, billing information, and order history. This is pretty standard and cannot pose a threat to user privacy. Surfshark also won the Security Software Company of the Year Award at the 17th Annual 2021 Cybersecurity Global Excellence awards held on June 1st.

Location — Outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance

Surfshark is headquartered in the Netherlands, which is, unfortunately, a member of the 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, and 14 Eyes Alliance. Now, this can be a bit unsettling for all Surfshark users. That is why the VPN clearly mentions in its privacy policy that despite its headquarters in the Netherlands, the VPN does not store any user logs. You can confirm more through the image below:

This means that the VPN won’t collect any data of its users.

Warrant Canary

If you don’t know, a warrant canary is basically a small document informing customers of National Security Letters, Gag Orders, and Warrants that the provider has received to date. Impressively, Surfshark has not received any subpoena or orders to disclose customer information as of October 2022:

Even in the case of a subpoena, Surfshark will have no data to give due to its zero-log policy.

Independent Audits

To make its service more transparent and secure, Surfshark conducted independent audits of its service twice through a German cybersecurity organization called Cure53 in 2018 and 2021. In the 2021 audit, the organization extensively checked its server infrastructure and highlighted flaws that were immediately fixed by Surfshark.

The initiative taken by Surfshark is highly commendable, as not every VPN service submits its apps for autonomous inspection. Therefore, having third-party audits of logging policy is common among top premium VPN services. There is no issue with Surfshark’s privacy policy, but an audit is needed as proof of their claims.

Torrenting

Torrenting is not the main function of Surfshark, but it can be used for this purpose. All of the Surfshark servers are P2P-optimized and support torrenting. It allows users to pay for this service through cryptocurrency for additional security.

Surfshark connects you to the nearest P2P server available immediately after you set a torrent client, such as BitTorrent or uTorrent, etc., as opposed to other VPNs that require manual selection of torrenting servers.

We wanted to test this feature myself, so we connected to the Italy server (not P2P optimized) and ran leak tests using IPleak.net, and saw that my IP and DNS locations were set to Milan, Italy. After opening uTorrent, we rechecked our IP and DNS locations and found that our IP was still the same, but our DNS was set to the Netherlands, which is optimized for P2P.

Surfshark automatically connects you to a P2P server when you open a Torrent client like uTorrent.

However, we noticed that this automatic server switch gave us slower download speeds than when we manually selected P2P servers. For example, on local P2P optimized servers, our average speed was 62.17 Mbps, and the file was downloaded within 12 minutes. On the Italy server, my speed was 32.5 Mbps, and it took 23 minutes for the file to download.

Does Surfshark Work in China?

Yes, Surfshark is among the best VPN for China that really works. In fact, its servers in Hong Kong managed to unblock almost any Chinese content we tried to access.

Surfshark manages to do this because it uses a mix of both physical and virtual servers. So, for example, even if Surfshark VPN doesn’t offer a physical server in Albania, its virtual server location can still give you access to all regional content available in Albania.

This is exactly how Surfshark’s Hong Kong server compensates for the nonexistent Chinese server. Using its Hong Kong server, you can easily unblock Instagram in China, Google Meet, and Snapchat in China.

If you are having issues downloading Surfshark in China, you can set it up manually, which works all the time. Customer support is also available if you need help setting it up on your device.

If you cannot seem to use Surfshark in China, you can contact customer support and set it up manually.

Surfshark uses NoBorders Mode and Camouflage Mode, which are made to bypass the Great Firewall of China. The Camouflage Mode hides your VPN traffic and makes it look like normal traffic so you can bypass VPN blocks imposed by ISPs.

Similarly, the NoBorders Mode detects VPN-blocking technology and firewalls and helps select obfuscated servers so you can get unrestricted access to the internet.

Installation & Apps ⭐10.0

Surfshark apps are interactive, user-friendly, convenient, and intuitive. The clean layout and well-designed interface make it easy for beginners to use the features. The app supports around 15 different languages to assist customers worldwide, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc.

Moreover, the main functionality for all platforms is the same for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. This way, you don’t need to follow 4 different procedures to configure it on different devices. Similarly it is easy to setup Surfshark on Firestick and install Surfshark on Apple tv, users find really convenient setting up the VPN on these devices.

Other than the above mentioned devices Surfshark can be very easily installed on theses devices as well:

• Surfshark on Android
• Surfshark on Nvidia Shield
• Surfshark on iPhone.

We liked the brief description of the features and settings explaining their purpose and usage. Above all, you can save your favorite servers to use later.

When testing, we could not find server information like ping time, server load, and more. After contacting customer support, we found out that to view individual server information, you need to disconnect from the VPN. This is very helpful as you can choose the fastest server with lower pings.

View server load and pings of the individual server location to choose the best server.

Simultaneous Device Connections — Unlimited

Surfshark is the best VPN for multiple devices as it offers unlimited simultaneous connections to users. Due to this, the VPN allows you to connect as many devices as you want with a single Surfshark subscription. This is a great value for money because most VPNs restrict device connection between 5-10. This feature makes it a great choice for large families.

What’s best about Surfshark is that you can connect different kinds of devices with it simultaneously, and you will not experience any effect on the performance.

We tested the performance by configuring Surfshark on our router and connected it to our laptop, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and desktop computer. We did not see any change in the performance.

Compatibility ⭐9.0

Surfshark is compatible with nearly all major operating systems, offering native apps like Surfshark for Mac, iOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and Fire Devices. While navigating through its apps, we found that the interface had high similarity for all major platform.

Despite slight differences in interface, most of the features are the same for all systems. However, the Windows and Android apps have additional features like device invisibility and Whitelister. On Apple devices, you can view ping and load time against each server, whereas on Android and Windows, you can manually load it.

Surfshark apps are also available for Linux’s Debian and Ubuntu. The best VPN for Ubuntu now comes with the state-of-the-art WireGuard protocol and specialty servers. The Linux app has very basic features without any advanced functionalities or settings. Some of the features can be added manually to the Linux versions.

Desktop Apps

Surfshark’s Windows app is straightforward. We have tested Surfshark on Windows and it has proven itself the best Windows 10 VPN, but if you are interested in installing the best Mac VPN, you can do that too. The app displays a Connect button, current server status details, and a menu with server locations.

The static IP list in Surfshark allows you to connect to servers in Singapore, the UK, Japan, US, and Germany to set a fixed IP address from a country of your choice on every connection.

Both the Windows and Mac apps have the Whitelister, MultiHop feature, and kill switch. With a few improvements, the functionality of the Windows app can be enhanced for users.

Mobile Apps

Surfshark mobile apps have a very user-friendly and impressive interface. They are both feature-rich and super functional.

The apps have a clean and easy-to-use interface. The Dark Mode option makes the graphics fun and pleasing to use. While testing, we found the Android app to be very similar to the Windows app. The interface and list of server locations are identical. Both have the same features, like split-tunneling, MultiHop, blocking, and whitelisting.

Mobile users can utilize several support protocols like OpenVPN/IVEv2 and WireGuard that you get in desktop versions. However, it is disappointing to notice that Shadowsocks has been dropped.

Surfshark’s Android app can optimize your mobile network performance by automatically connecting to the VPN and selecting from numerous encryption methods.

On top of this, you can send bug reports, raise a ticket, or explore support queries in case of any issues without contacting the main support team directly.

Overall, Surfshark is designed with newbies in mind.

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Pricing – How Much Does Surfshark Cost? ⭐10.0

Thinking, ‘Is Surfshark free?’ Well, no. But here is a list of all Surfshark budget-friendly pricing plans:

Surfshark Price	Plan Duration	Discount
$12.95/mo	1-month	No discount
$3.99/mo	12-month	69% discount
$2.05/mo	24-month	81% discount

The basic monthly Surfshark subscription price, which is $12.95 per month, can seem quite expensive than the other VPN provider. If you purchase its annual subscription in one go, then the price comes down to $3.99 per month – still pricey – but if you go for the two-year subscription, then that’s where Surfshark beats many of its competitors with a meager with its super budget friendly VPN deals and price of just $2.05/mo . Apart from these unbelievably low prices, you can also get it for much cheaper on the Black Friday deal.

If we talk about payment methods, you can purchase a subscription for Surfshark through:

• Credit cards
• PayPal
• Google Pay
• Amazon Pay
• Cryptocurrency (i.e., Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple).

Surfshark Refund Policy

Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out for 30 days free of cost and cancel it to get a refund. It does, however, come with exceptions. Users who have signed up for the VPN via App Store, Amazon, or iTunes cannot get a refund. The same goes for gift card payments. In such cases, the user will have to contact the specific store for a refund.

One great policy of Surfshark is that, unlike most paid VPNs, Surfshark also refunds payments made with cryptocurrency. Users who paid for Surfshark with cryptocurrency will be given an equivalent amount in US dollars based on the change rate at the refund time.

During testing, we got a confirmation email regarding cancellation within 2 hours, and the refund was received on the 8th day. Therefore, Surfshark’s refund policy is pretty good.

We hope this answers your ‘Is Surfshark free’ query. It is not completely free but Surfshark offers free trial for 7 days on macOS, Android, and iOS devices. For more information about Surfshark refunds, check out this article on canceling a Surfshark subscription.

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Surfshark Reliability & Customer Support ⭐9.0

Surfshark offers feature-rich apps for most operating systems. The entire time we tested its apps for various operating systems, we didn’t notice any crashes. But if any of Surfshark’s apps fail to work properly, try the tips mentioned in this Surfshark not working article.

Surfshark’s customer support is quick and helpful. You can not only contact their support team through live chat, but you can also get help through email support. Moreover, their customer support representatives are responsive and knowledgeable.

For our Surfshark review, we asked their support agent a simple question and immediately got a response back within seconds:

The answer that we got was quite informative.

Aside from that, Surfshark has a detailed Help section on its website where you can find troubleshooting guides, installation tutorials for popular devices, and helpful FAQs.

Moreover, their email support is as efficient as we got an immediate response from Surfshark’s team within 5 minutes. Nonetheless, it’s not the same thing as live chat support.

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Redditors’ Opinion about Surfshark

If you head over to Reddit for Surfshark reviews, you will also find multiple users praising this service for delivering world-class services in a feature-rich product. Let’s take a look at a Reddit review left by one of their satisfied users:

While using Surfshark with streaming platforms, a Reddit user mentioned:

Naturally, amongst Surfshark reviews on Reddit, some users also left some negative remarks. A user faced issues after updating Surfshark’s app:

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FAQs – Surfshark Review

Is Surfshark any good as a VPN?

Yes, Surfshark is an exceptional VPN service as it allows unlimited device connection and provides rarely seen split tunneling and MultiHop features. Not to mention, it ensures a no-logs service with transparent privacy policies and RAM-only servers.

Can Surfshark be trusted?

Yes, Surfshark can be trusted as it is one of the safest VPN services. It offers an audited no-logs policy and lets users choose encryption standards and security protocols as per their preference. It also secures passwords are secured with an advanced hash function, which makes cracking your credentials impossible.

Does Surfshark offer a free trial?

Yes, Surfshark offers a 7-day free trial for macOS, Android, and iOS devices. Or you can get it on any other platform using its 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re unhappy with the service, you can claim a refund within 30 days of your purchase.

How many devices can I use Surfshark on?

You can use as many devices as you want with Surfshark. One best part about Surfshark is that, unlike most premium VPNs, it allows unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can use Surfshark on as many devices as you want.

Is Surfshark illegal?

No, Surfshark is registered legally in the Netherlands. The country has no data retention laws. Therefore, the VPN is under no obligation to store the data of users. The same goes for connection and usage logs.

Is there any Surfshark app for Apple TV, Smart TV, and FireTV Stick?

Yes, Surfshark offers native apps for FireStick devices, including FireTV. You can directly download it from the Amazon App Store.

Moreover, Surfshark doesn’t offer native apps for Smart TVs and Apple TVs. You can either use its Smart DNS feature to unblock streaming sites, or you can set up Surfshark on your router and use it on your Smart TVs.

Is Surfshark good with Netflix?

Surfshark is a good VPN for streaming Netflix. To review Surfshark to its fullest, we put the VPN through a lengthy testing process. As per our latest streaming tests, Surfshark unblocked 10+ Netflix regions consistently while offering minimal buffering and fast speeds.

Is Surfshark better than NordVPN?

Surfshark is better than NordVPN due to its super-affordable cost, excellent streaming capabilities, and unlimited simultaneous connections. However, both VPNs were similar regarding their speed performance on IKEv2 and OpenVPN (UDP/TCP) protocols.

Is Surfshark better than ExpressVPN?

Well, ExpressVPN is better than Surfshark due to multiple reasons. That’s because ExpressVPN offers faster speeds, better streaming capabilities, and consistent security features.

Can Surfshark be hacked?

Surfshark VPN encryption tools are great to protect its users from hackers. Hence it doesn’t allow hackers to attack you.

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Final Verdict – Do We Recommend Surfshark?

Yes, we highly recommend Surfshark after analyzing the key findings in our Surfshark review. There’s a lot that we like about this VPN.

The fact that it offers fast speeds with barely any speed drops is awe-inspiring. We also like that Surfshark works exceptionally well with Netflix and offers 3200+ servers for only $2.05/mo (Get 84% + 2 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan).

However, we still wish to see more servers added to the list — especially a dedicated server for China. But considering overall features, pricing, customer support, and trustworthiness, Surfshark is one phenomenal VPN service that thoroughly deserves the 9.5/10 rating.

This concludes our Surfshark review. Get Surfshark now!

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