• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

VPN Wired

Your Online Security Advisor

  • Providers
  • Best
  • Guides
  • Reviews
Home / Reviews

January 28, 2022 Shahbaz Hassan

Surfshark VPN Review

Surfshark VPN Review

We live in a world of convenience. But this convenience is in large due to the rapid technological advancement in the last couple of decades. Today, we can’t imagine our world without the internet. However, the internet can be both a blessing and a boon. Moreover, we have long since peeked at the ugly underbelly of this beast. Be it cybercrime or online surveillance, we understand and acknowledge the lurking digital dangers.

Hence, came the attempt at preventing our digital lives from being unnerving. For such a daunting task, we look back to a tech that made its debut with the internet. Yes, VPNs are undoubtedly at the forefront of internet security. Additionally, with the recent appreciations and exploding demand, there isn’t a lack of outstanding services such as Surfshark VPN. Thus, we bring our readers the latest Surfshark VPN review.

Surfshark VPN: Overview

Founded in 2018, Surfshark may be new to the VPN game but knows what it is doing. Surfshark LTD. owns this VPN, hailing from the British Virgin Islands, the privacy haven for VPNs. Surfshark is feature-rich yet at the same time inexpensive, at least relative to the other top contenders. Undoubtedly, Surfshark VPN is a market leader that knows what is best for the user. Furthermore, it is easy to use and is somewhat beginner-friendly. However, its true strength lies in the ability to unblock geo-blocked contents.

Yes, I admit that the speed can get further improved. But almost no other provider comes close to Surfshark when it comes to getting value for money. Especially with its slew of advanced features. The vendor has proven to be a no-log VPN service with attention to the latest security protocols and encryption. Furthermore, users can find the VPN capable enough to handle any heavy-weight task. Surfshark has a much smaller network of servers, than, say, NordVPN, but on par with other market leaders such as ExpressVPN. Even if that was the case, the provider makes it work by offering quality distribution.

Overall, the Surfshark VPN is a catch at relatively lower prices. It’s a high-quality, secure, and reliable VPN service. Is there room for further development? There are absolutely some minor logging issues, and it may need an independent audit like other industry leaders. However, a perfect VPN is much harder to find. But we would be happy to conclude that Surfshark VPN does come close. But for now, let us continue scrolling to learn more about the various features offered in much detail.

Key Specs

But before we get to the detailed section of our Surfshark VPN review, here is the spec sheet for the VPN service.

Key DataSurfshark VPN
BandwidthUnlimited
Speed85 Mbps
Logging PolicyNo logs VPN
Data LeaksNone
JurisdictionThe British Virgin Islands
Servers3,200
Countries65
TorrentingYes
Simultaneous ConnectionsUnlimited
Obfuscated ServerYes
Customer Support24/7 Live Chat
Cheapest Price$2.30 per month over 26 months
Free Trial7 Days (With payment Info)
Money-Back Guarantee30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Official WebsiteSurfshark.com

Surfshark VPN: Features

Now let us dive into the Surfshark VPN review with detailed yet relevant features, like:

Servers and Performance

Surfshark offers 3200+ servers in 65 different countries. These also include city-level servers, with the US getting a maximum of 26. The provider grants static IP and virtual servers too. It also has a Multi-Hop feature, making the VPN more secure.

The VPN is also good at unblocking content and bypasses most measures streaming platforms set. Similarly, it is also beneficial for torrenting. With exclusive servers and a decent speed, you won’t have to worry about your torrent needs. All this while remaining a no-log VPN to ensure your peace of mind. Keep in mind, we don’t condone its unlawful use.

Privacy and Security

Surfshark ensures users that it has a stringent zero logs policy. I believe there is no reason to doubt it. First, the company comes from a privacy-friendly country. Although there is no independent audit, the company doesn’t retain PII (Personal Identifiable Information). We glanced at its login policy and found out that all it ever collects is the following information:

  • Aggregated performance data
  • Unsuccessful connection attempts
  • Frequency of use

The provider doesn’t disappoint on the security front, either. It is jam-packed with market standard tools and extra stuff that can ensure your safety. It employs the latest protocols and encryption policies. But it also has a GPS spoofing tool for extra security. The VPN incorporates these:

  • VPN Protocol — IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN (TCP/UDP), WireGuard
  • Encryption — AES 256-bit
  • Security — DNS Leak Blocking, VPN Kill Switch, WebRTC Leak Blocking
  • Advanced features — Ad Blocker, Double VPN, Smart DNS, SOCKSV5, Split Tunneling

Advanced Features

The service comes loaded with add-on benefits. You get Double VPN (multi-hop), stealth VPN (obfuscated servers), P2P (exclusive torrent servers), and so on. The Camouflage mode can prevent VPN blocking and bypassing censorship, and it activates when you use OpenVPN (UDP, TCP) protocol. Yet another, NoBorders mode, automatically detects if you are in a censored country or on a blocked network. And it directs the traffic away.

The provider has included a SOCKS5 proxy to enhance anonymity, although there is no Tor over VPN. However, there is a standard ad blocker and split tunneling. Although a few users have complained about the kill switch on Surfshark. Another aspect to look forward to is the addition of WireGuard inbuilt on every client, irrespective of platform. Below is a list of every advanced feature included in the service:

  • Surfshark Search 
  • Camouflage Mode
  • CleanWeb
  • Cookie pop-up blocker
  • Multi-Hop
  • Surfshark Alert
  • Surfshark Antivirus
  • Whitelister
  • VPN kill switch

User Experience and Customer Support

Users have witnessed the value of Surfshark for themselves. They deem it to be an easy-to-use service. Furthermore, there is the aspect of advanced features at a low price making the experience worthwhile. Users also find the apps smooth, beginner-friendly, and clean, even though they mostly use them for unblocking geo-restricted content. There is support staff with a 24/7 live chat for any queries. The service is fast, friendly, and helpful.

App Support

Not only does the VPN come with an unlimited device connection, but it also supports most platforms. The VPN offers exclusive apps for different operating systems such as Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. Furthermore, Surfshark has a modded pre-flashed router available. Finally, it also has exclusive apps for most IoT (Internet of Things) devices like Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Pricing

Surfshark is arguably one of the cheapest VPN services among top-tier providers. As I’ve repeatedly iterated, Surfshark offers one of the few value-for-money subscription plans. Given the number of tasks it can essentially handle, we are sure users will feel satisfied. Surfshark offers three plans such as:

  • Monthly at $12.95 per month
  • Half-yearly for $6.49 per month
  • Biyearly at $2.30 per month

The provider also offers a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Furthermore, there is an option to use cryptocurrencies for payment.

Pros

  • Great value for money
  • Good for streaming
  • Supports torrenting
  • Feature-rich
  • Offers 3200+ servers
  • Comes from a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, BVI
  • No logs VPN
  • Unlimited device connections
  • 24/7 Live Chat
  • Free trial available for 7 days
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Obfuscated servers available
  • Supports most platforms and devices
  • WireGuard available on all apps
  • Static IP available

Cons

  • Somewhat lackluster server diversity
  • Average speed
  • Kill switch can have issues
  • No port forwarding
  • Lacks independent audit
  • No IPv6 support (can cause leaks)

Conclusion

Lastly, I’d like to conclude the Surfshark VPN review by saying that while Surfshark may not be an absolute winner of the VPN arena, it comes close. Such that we don’t have qualms recommending this service to our readers. Although the VPN is not old, it still has decent specs to take on several competitors. The VPN itself is a work in progress. Are there things it can improve? Yes! But is it worth it to invest in this service? Definitely, yes!

Surfshark VPN Review
  • Interface
  • Features
  • Speed
  • Security
  • Price
4.7

Summary

Surfshark is a VPN service based in the British Virgin Islands. It stores no logs, has a slew of standard and advanced features, tight security, a diverse network of servers, and great app support, all while staying inexpensive.

Sending
User Review
4.5 (2 votes)

Filed Under: Reviews

Primary Sidebar

Related Articles

Footer

VPNWired publishes VPN related articles to solve any of your virtual private network problems.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2023 · VPNWired

  • About
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise
  • Write for Us: VPN Guides, Tips, Strategies, Deals, etc.
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies to serve you better. By continuing to use this website, you agree to our cookie and Privacy Policy.