AppleInsider Staff
Surfshark VPN is a powerful, safe, and cost-effective way to protect your online data and life, with only minor drawbacks.
Every computer that connects to the Internet has an Internet Protocol (IP) address, which is a unique number similar to a phone number. Everything a user does online uses these addresses to identify them and send them the right information.
If you use your cellphone to call your bank, they can use Caller ID to know it's you. However, your cell phone provider also knows you called the bank because they log your phone calls. It also knows when you call the pizza place for takeout and when you finally call your mom back.
Your bank's website is handling hundreds or thousands of simultaneous connections. To send you the information you asked for in all of this web traffic, not the information someone else asked for, it uses the IP addresses of customers to send information to the right place.
Surfshark VPN
Since your internet provider assigns you an IP address, it knows whenever you visit a website, make a video call, check your email, or even that you read this article.
IP addresses also tell websites where users are located. Providers often sell this information about you for targeted ads and more.
In other words, your internet provider not only knows your entire browsing history but also sells this information to advertisers. Without a VPN company like Surfshark, there's no such thing as private internet access.
A VPN provides several crucial online privacy protections. It gives users different addresses that their internet provider doesn't control. VPNs use their servers to connect users to websites and online tools, keeping their data from the prying eyes of their providers.
VPNs also rotate this IP address through multiple customers. Since sites like Amazon track browsing and purchases, a shared IP might be used by you one day and by someone shopping from Albania the next. The shopping history for an IP address becomes useless to Amazon since many shoppers share it.
A VPN can also mask geographic information by routing traffic through servers in different cities or countries. If your government blocks some websites, you can tell your VPN provider to connect you through a state or country where that site is unblocked.
Connecting through a VPN server in another country also allows you to access content only available in that area. For example, a VPN server in France can be used to watch content that only French users can see.
The tradeoff when using a VPN is privacy for speed. Generally, speed decreases significantly when using a VPN. All traffic has to travel farther to route through a VPN, especially when connecting to a VPN server in another country.
Good VPNs protect you in these key areas, and great VPNs go even further in how they protect you. Surfshark claims it offers basic protections but also goes the extra mile by protecting your entire digital life.
We set out to test those claims.
Surfshark VPN review - What is Surfshark?
Surfshark is a popular, powerful VPN that offers more than just protection from prying eyes. Surfshark pairs its VPN tools with a suite of privacy protections to mask your internet traffic and digital life.
Surfshark has more than 3200 servers but the interface makes it simple to pick the best one.Surfshark has more than 3,200 servers in more than 100 countries, guaranteeing connectivity in any region. It boasts about the speed of its servers and that the interface makes it easy to pick the best server for your needs.
In our testing, Surfshark excels in interface, speed, and ease of use and stands out with its unique privacy features, which provide an extra layer of security and peace of mind.
Surfshark offers competitively low prices for its plans, especially when purchased with quarterly or annual subscriptions. This affordability ensures that you get not only a great deal but also a high-quality VPN service.
It is also one of the biggest names in the VPN world, and that visibility means that countless customers rely on it for their data and privacy. Those risks would immediately be revealed if there were any security lapses or breaches.
Surfshark consistently ranks among the fastest VPNs we have tested, whether with iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Surfshark VPN review - Which devices are supported?
Surfshark has clients for Apple devices (including Apple TV) and offers Windows, Android, Linux, Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and FireTV solutions.
Surfshark's iPhone interface puts a lot of features at your fingertips.Surfshark's Mac app looks like Surfshark's Windows app. All of those look like Surfshark's mobile apps, including the iPhone and iPad apps and Surfshark's Android app.
There is even a browser extension that blocks your visited IP addresses without having to run the desktop apps, but more on extensions in a bit.
Surfshark supports a remarkably diverse range of devices to establish an internet connection. The company claims to support dozens of devices, from game consoles to VR headsets and even the Raspberry Pi, a favorite among makers and tinkerers.
It's important to note that some of these connections, such as game consoles, require router support or internet hotspots on VPN-connected desktop devices. Surfshark list of 'supported' devices can be misleading, as it often requires a compatible router, and most routers are not compatible.
In other words, Surfshark could claim that HomePod, a robot vacuum, or even a Samsung internet-connected refrigerator is supported. That's different than offering a dedicated client.
Not all routers can connect through Surfshark, including the high-performance one we use for testing in the United States. That means the only way to get the claimed PS5 support is to buy a new router or connect over a hotspot.
Support gave us some suggestions for compatible routers, but most customers will find buying a new router unfeasible.
Surfshark VPN review - Getting started
While some VPN providers limit the number of simultaneous users, Surfshark supports unlimited device connections. Connect with Surfshark on your Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV, and any number of devices. You can protect your entire household with just one account.
Surfshark's interface for iPad is similar to the other supported devices although it feels more spartan.Like many VPN companies, Surfshark is headquartered in a country without a government's legal access to its servers or corporate records. This means it would be incredibly difficult or impossible for a country to force Surfshark to disclose any of its customers' information.
Most providers run servers in RAM to provide additional protection against malicious attacks or government prying, a security measure that Surfshark also employs. A RAM-based server ensures that the entire operating system and all its data vanish when the power is turned off, rendering any physical access to the server useless as soon as it's disconnected.
Traditional servers also log all the information coming in or out of them. When a user accesses a server, the log records information like their IP address, internet provider, geographic region, and more.
This information naturally makes it easy for someone to determine who a user is and what they are accessing.
Surfshark has a "no logs" policy, making traffic across its network untraceable, especially when combined with a RAM-based server.
To trust a claimed no-logs policy, the server infrastructure needs to be verified by an independent party. In the case of Surfshark, that verification was conducted by the renowned security firm Deloitte.
Not every VPN provider opens its infrastructure to auditors, making Deloitte's audit a significant endorsement of Surfshark's claims.
Surfshark VPN review - IP address and servers
Since an IP address can be a unique identifier that sites and providers use to track your activity, Surfshark VPN masks yours, ensuring your online activities remain private and secure.
By default, Surfshark assigns users shared IP addresses, which are used by multiple users at once. Surfshark manages each user's requests and combines them into this shared IP address, making it difficult to trace activities back to any single individual.
For enhanced privacy, Surfshark includes an IP rotator feature. This tool periodically changes the shared IP address you are assigned while you remain connected, making it harder for trackers.
The IP rotator ensures that your online activities are masked, offering additional protection against surveillance.
Surfshark also provides dedicated IP addresses, which you can use to connect to the internet using the same IP every time. Dedicated addresses are particularly useful for tasks like accessing secure work systems or online banking.
Surfshark also provides static IP addresses for people or companies that need to configure something like a Plex server or other service, that requires unlimited connections.
As another example, many companies require employees to access the company network to maintain privacy. If a company or user's address changes, server connections may not work.
This static IP address splits the difference of the anonymity provided shared IP addresses and the stability required for certain online services. It is an ideal option for companies or users who need a steady connection but still need a level of privacy not found with a non-VPN connection.
Private DNS is another important component of Surfshark's security features. By handling DNS queries on its own private servers, Surfshark ensures that your browsing habits remain confidential and are not exposed to third-party providers. This helps safeguard your data from potential leaks or tracking.
Surfshark offers split tunneling, another advanced feature that allows you to choose which apps use a VPN and which do not.
This split tunneling would allow you to secure sensitive activities through the VPN but still have access to less sensitive data that needs faster speeds. For example, you might stream Apple TV+ without the VPN so the video doesn't stutter, but route your bank connection through Surfshark's secure network.
Surfshark also accommodates the need for a consistent IP address across sessions. A consistent connection is crucial for services that rely on IP-based verification. It guarantees access to these services by maintaining the same IP address but with the fake address provided by Surfshark.
With this feature, your bank site could recognize you and make logging in easier, but that IP address would still come from Surfshark and not your internet provider.
Surfshark VPN review - Surfshark Nexus
Surfshark uses a set of privacy and performance technologies called Surfshark Nexus. The core of Surfshark Nexus is a networking system called Software-Defined Networking (SDN).
Surfshark Nexus uses advanced technology to speed up use and make browsing safer.With many VPNs, users connect to a single server, and if they change servers, traffic is momentarily unprotected as one connection ends and the next begins. Most VPN providers use a "Kill Switch" to disable all network traffic during this brief period. If your VPN connection drops, traffic is halted with the Kill Switch technique until reconnected to a server.
Surfshark stands out with its unique technology that routes users to its global network and then routes your traffic to your selected location-based servers. This means that even when you switch VPN servers, you remain connected to Surfshark's main network with no chance of leaks during location changes.
Kill switch technology is crucial. Even a momentary lapse in the VPN connection could compromise your data, so Surfshark goes beyond the standard kill switch technology.
With Surfshark, your data is not just protected by a kill switch, it's also shielded by an additional layer of security. Your traffic doesn't go directly from the client to a specific server.
Instead, it's routed from the client to the Surfshark network, and then to a server, providing you with an extra layer of protection.
If one of the sever connections drops, there's no need for a kill switch because the same connection to their servers can route traffic to another server without your connection ever dropping.
Surfshark's Nexus component includes an IP address randomizer. This feature is designed to enhance your privacy. By using a random address, Surfshark eliminates the possibility of you being tracked from site to site by that virtual IP address, even when the destination site has multiple servers.
For example, if you visit a website like Eurosport and then visit Amazon, Amazon won't suddenly start offering sporting goods.
Dynamic Multi-hop, another service offered by only the top-tier VPN providers, allows you to route traffic through multiple countries. Thus, if a malicious government or hackers somehow compromise one server, the traffic is still protected on the other end.
Even with SDN technology, Surfshark offers a kill switch so that momentary network disruptions don't compromise privacy. Your data isn't exposed if the coffee shop's Wi-Fi goes down temporarily.
Surfshark VPN review - Encryption
Even if your IP address is hidden, your data isn't protected without encryption. Encryption prevents people from seeing the data going from your device to the internet and back.
Most websites are already encrypted to protect the data you receive, but non-encrypted data can be problematic in plenty of ways.
That's why VPNs encrypt all traffic. Double encryption is better than none, after all. Several encryption technologies are used, and not all encryption technologies are even.
As its name implies, OpenVPN is open source, so any user can inspect the code and help improve the encryption it offers. However, OpenVPN is not optimized for speed but for security.
Surfshark not only supports the OpenVPN protocol but offers several different types of VPN protocols for encryption.
Most of the protocols are proprietary, which simply means that they are not open to the general security community. Instead, they are developed by standards bodies or private companies.
WireGuard is the most recent of these encryption technologies and is available on the macOS client, Windows, and Android. It is not available on iOS or Apple TV clients yet.
Surfshark also offers industry standards IKEv23 and L2TP, which have the best balance of security and speed. You'll likely never need to switch from OpenVPN, but being able to change encryption at the push of a button makes it easier to find connections with the speed you need.
Since Surfshark offers unlimited connections, it's possible to use OpenVPN on a device where speed isn't paramount but one of the faster protocols on another device.
Surfshark VPN review - Speed tests
In addition to online privacy, Surfshark claims that SDN technology improves connection speed, which is difficult to verify.
It is difficult to tell whether the server infrastructure is responsible for the speeds of a VPN connection or if it's due to some technology a company is using, like SDN.
In the end it doesn't matter how fast speeds are achieved, and Surfshark consistently provides some of the fastest connections in our tests. Download speeds are impressive, while upload speeds are slower, as with most VPNs. Download speeds are more important to most users, so it's not unusual to see slower upload speeds with providers.
Download speeds were impressive, while upload speeds were in the lower tier of tested providers, but only by a few percent.On some occasions, a connection through Surfshark exceeded the speed of our test devices when not connected to a VPN.
This might seem impossible. After all, wouldn't a local, non-VPN connection always be faster?
When you use a tool like Speedtest, you connect to the best available server, which is only sometimes also the fastest server. It's just the best one accessible at the time of the test.
VPN servers are all optimized for performance, so a well-optimized server in Canada may be faster than a poorly optimized local server, even considering the time it takes for the data to travel so far.
For example, one of our single-hop tests on the iPhone VPN had speeds of 545 megabits per second down and 158 megabits per second up when connecting to Paris.
Our local server test had speeds of 425 megabits per second up, more than double the server in Paris. The Speetest download speed of our non-VPN server was 495 megabits per second, quite a bit slower than Surfshark's Paris server.
Multi-hop performance is likewise excellent. Setting up a connection with Australia as the first stop and Singapore as the exit point resulted in speeds of 250 megabits per second down but only 15 megabits per second up. Nonetheless, these speeds are impressive for multi-hop connections.
Multi-hop speeds are naturally lower than connections to only one server, but Surfshark's multi-hop speeds were still higher than some other providers' single-server connections.
Surfshark VPN review - Alternative ID
Surfshark offers a unique service among VPN providers: Alternative ID. Alternative ID is less about protecting a user's data and more about protecting their real-life information. With Alternative ID, Surfshark subscribers can create a made-up user name and email address.
Alternative ID is a fake online persona that prevents online stalkers from finding your details. You can generate a new persona to change your identity whenever you want.
Alternative ID might seem like an afterthought but the service is universally valuable. For high-profile people like celebrities and political figures, it allows them to participate in online forums and discourse without exposing personal details. For the average user it protects against harassment and threats.
Surfshark has recently rolled out a companion service, Alternative Number. Like an Alternative ID, Alternative Number provides a fake phone number for use online. It is an additional cost and is still in beta, but it's the next step in protecting users both virtually and in the real world as well.
Surfshark VPN review - Surfshark One
For even more protection than Surfshark VPN offers, Surfshark offers a bundled service called Surfshark One that offers several tools in addition to VPN protection and Alternate ID. Surfshark One includes antivirus software, a search tool that doesn't leave any history behind, doesn't create any trackers, and one that eliminates ads.
Surfshark One also has Surfshark Alert, which notifies users if their email addresses are found in online data theft and lets them know if their personal information has been found to have been leaked online.
The optional (and more expensive) Surfshark One+ also removes data from online company databases and sites that list personal information like phone numbers and addresses.
Surfshark review - Browsers
There is no true extension for VPNs. While Surfshark offers a Chrome extension, like all VPN extensions it doesn't provide full VPN protection. The plug-in relies on a proxy server, which is not the same as a VPN.
VPNs not only provide anonymous IP addresses to hide your actions but also encrypt the data you're accessing and allow you to pick the server location you'd like to connect to. These obfuscated servers help keep your data safe.
However, with a browser extension, your identity is not fully concealed. This is because cookies and other online advertising tools create a unique profile that your provider can use to determine the user behind an IP address.
Since a VPN extension only hides your IP address, it still routes traffic through your internet provider's DNS servers. In other words, browser extensions do not protect your data, only your IP address, which isn't really protection at all.
This limitation isn't a criticism of Surfshark. There are no true browser extensions that completely hide your data, no matter what your VPN configuration.
Surfshark review - Additional features
Setting itself apart from other VPN providers, Surfshark features include things like s like GPS spoofing and an "invisible devices" mode that hides traffic from other people on the same network.
With GPS spoofing, you can make a device like an iPhone or iPad look like it's somewhere other than your actual location. This prevents location-sniffing apps from knowing where you are.
With invisible devices mode, you can share the same connection and IP address, but other users on your WiFi or LAN connection don't even see that you're connected.
Surfshark VPN review - Data leak testing
When analyzing a VPN, two tools are used to determine whether data is being accidentally exposed. The first is a DNS leak test, which checks whether a user's IP address is visible to any servers on the internet.
DNS leak protection is the core of what a VPN connection provides. If a company's VPN services don't protect your VPN traffic and its DNS access, the connection isn't doing anything.
Test for DNS leaks on Surfshark's website.You can test Surfshark's protection right from its website. VPN security is one of its hallmark features, combined with the independent security audits of Surfshark's servers, and these independent auditors verify the Surfshark encrypted servers.
Surfshark did not leak DNS information in our tests.
Next, most video chat applications use a technology called WebRTC to provide faster connections during video calls. These connections are another source of potential data exposure.
Like DNS leak tests, WebRTC tests are also available on the Surfshark site, and no leaks were found when doing WebRTC tests.
Surfshark VPN review - Support
We check a company's tech support pages and then chat with an agent to gauge support. Surfshark's support documents are good, although not very deep.
However, chat support was excellent. As is typical for an online help chat, we were first greeted by a bot, but after just a few seconds, the bot offered to direct us to support documents or connect with a chat agent.
The agent, who joined the chat in under a minute, was efficient and friendly. When we asked about support for game consoles, they explained accurately that consoles must be configured via a router or hotspot.
Surfshark has powerful features, but many are hidden in settings. Surfshark's representative asked us what router we were using. Surfshark doesn't maintain a public list of supported routers, but they looked ours up and found it wouldn't work with Surfshark.
The rep did give us a list of several routers they've tested Surfshark on and recommended. These routers were broken down into high-performance and low-cost categories. They also offered to help us with configuration if we got a supported router.
We also asked about the Nexus features, which were rolled out over the last few years. Their website still says Nexus will be completed — in 2023. The agent told us that all of the features were now active and that they would pass along the message that their site needed updating.
This level of support is rarely needed with a VPN as they generally work right from the get-go, but having accurate and friendly support is still important.
Surfshark VPN review - Pricing
Pricing for VPN services tends to change based on competition and special promotions, so this information isn't guaranteed to be accurate over time.
Surfshark has excellent pricing, especially with the 12-month and 24-month plans.
The plans are especially attractive because Surfshark allows for unlimited simultaneous connections. With these simultaneous connections, one plan can protect all the devices in a household, so there's no need to get multiple subscriptions for multiple devices.
As a result, you can use your iPad, your Apple TV, and your Mac and have them all covered by the same plan with their simultaneous connection features.
Surfshark has competitive pricing, especially with long-term plans.Single-month plans start at around $16 and go up to $18 with Surfshark One+. With a one-year commitment, the basic Surfshark VPN cost drops to under $3, and the Surfshark One+ plan is $5 monthly.
The plans drop by a less significant amount at 24 months, so the one-year Surfshark subscription is the best choice.
As with most VPN companies, Surfshark has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test the features and performance before committing to a plan.
Surfshark VPN review - Pros
- Good pricing for annual Surfshark plans
- Knowledgable tech support
- Shared or static VPN IP address
- A robust network of servers, server locations and virtual servers
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- More protection tools than most VPNs
Surfshark VPN review - Cons
- Expensive pricing on monthly plans, so consider yearly instead
- Misleading supported device claims
Surfshark VPN review - Rating 4 out 5
Surfshark is among the top performers in our VPN tests, with impressive speeds across all the servers we tested.
As a long-time VPN user, I'm not usually impressed with claims of speed and functionality. Most VPN providers are so similar that they are indistinguishable.
Surfshark stood out to me in several areas. Its speed ranks among the fastest I've experienced, and that's the second biggest factor in my choice of VPN, right after privacy.
The customer service experience was pleasant. I wish my bank would take a few notes from Surfshark here.
I was disappointed by the claims of support for multiple devices when most of those devices are protected via router support, not by dedicated clients. My router is performance-driven and expensive, so buying a new router for the claimed PS5 support rubbed me the wrong way. Still, Surfshark's features are rock solid.
Features like dedicated IP, split tunneling, simultaneous connections, virtual servers, IP rotator tools, and lack of need for a kill switch (and it still provides a kill switch) make it a great choice for VPNs. The split tunneling feature is also powerful for users who are heavy online gamers.
VPNs reduce speed in favor of security, and when playing a Helldivers 2 campaign or fighting in Call of Duty, the fastest speeds are important. With Spit tunneling, games can be unencrypted, while email or browsing can still be.
The Surfshark app is easy to use and one of the best VPN apps. From desktop apps to mobile apps, the Android app, and if you're in a multi-platform environment the Windows app, the interface is consistent and easy to use.
Unlimited simultaneous connections through Surfshark are particularly great since many VPN services have a cap on the number of connections.
When we tested Surfshark, it was clear that Surfshark VPN continues to be one of the best providers.
How much is Surfshark VPN per month and how do I get it?
Surfshark is running specials on its 1-year and 2-year plans, with discounts of up to 86% off and a 30-day money-back guarantee. At the time of this Surfshark VPN review, prices start at $2.19 per month.
You can find the latest VPN deals on Surfshark plans, with a breakdown of the offers in our dedicated roundup.
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