Not only has Surfshark built a reputation over the last decade or so as one of the overall best VPNs available, the provider has also cemented its place at the very top of our best cheap VPN guide.
It’s a reputation that has been well earned. As we said in our most recent Surfshark review, it’s “super secure, generally fast, and excellent for unblocking streaming sites”, and includes an innovative list of features that help both to increase your privacy and make the user experience more friendly.
For most people, Surfshark’s entry-level Starter plan will be absolutely sufficient, carrying a plethora of security tools and simultaneously covering an unlimited number of devices. But for just a few cents more per month (or less than $5 per year), you also have the option to upgrade to the plan it calls its most popular — Surfshark One.
Of course nobody likes paying for something they don’t need, even if it is just a tiny bit more. So, if you’re looking to subscribe to Surfshark VPN, we’ll help you decide whether the upgrade is worth committing to.
Surfshark Starter: features, price
As we say above, Surfshark Starter will be enough for the needs of most VPN users.
Let’s start with the basics — subscribers get access to more than 4,500 10Gbps servers across locations in 100 countries. Industry-standard AES-256 encryption is in place throughout, with a choice of OpenVPN, IKEv2 and speedy WireGuard protocols.
Unlike most VPNs, all Surfshark subscribers can use the service on unlimited devices, meaning that it can also be shared around a whole family’s worth of laptops, smartphones, tablets and streaming devices.
It’s suitable to use with specialist use cases like P2P downloads, unblocking geo-restricted apps and streaming content from overseas. Our latest testing showed that Surfshark comfortably got us access to Netflix catalogs in several countries, regional Disney Plus content, and localized platforms such as BBC iPlayer, ITVX and 9Now.
Privacy tools such as Bypasser (Surfshark’s name for split tunneling), kill switch, Dynamic Multihop (i.e. double VPN) and Rotating IPs are also included with all plans.
That’s where the entry-level tier of most providers might stop, but Surfshark Starter adds even more bang for your buck. An ad blocker and cookie pop-up blocker come as standard with all of its packages.
Last, but by no means least, there’s Alternative ID. It generates a spoof set of personal information for you — name, date of birth, email address, home address — that you can input any time a website or online service asks you for those details but you’d really sooner not give them.
Surfshark Starter prices do have the tendency of moving around a little, but it generally costs $2 to $2.50/month for the best value two-year plan. The provider will invariably throw in an extra three months free, too, so that’s 27 months of cover for less than $70 (always paid upfront).
You can opt for a 12-month or rolling 1-month plan instead, but the pricing is way less attractive. At the time of writing, they’re set at $3.19/month and $15.45/month respectively.
Surfshark One: features, price
Surfshark One takes all the best bits of Starter and combines them with an extra slew of security tools and features to create an all-in-one cybersecurity package.
There are three particular areas to get acquainted with on Surfshark One, starting with its antivirus tools. This is full real-time protection against and scheduled scans for malware, spyware and other online nasties, together with webcam protection to ensure your privacy isn’t breached.
Surfshark Alert is a service included with One that alerts you if ever your personal details or credit card details show up in any data breach lists, meaning you can take action to make sure no bad comes of it. Regular summaries of any such incidents are also available so that you can keep on top of any vulnerabilities around your most sensitive data.
And then there’s Surfshark Search — a dedicated search engine that eschews all ads and tracking. It means you can use the internet in peace without that feeling like every site you visit and link you click is being loaded into an algorithm. Plus, you can use it to view organic web search results as they appear in various corners of the world.
Surfshark One plans don’t cost a lot more than Starter. Right now, for example, its two-year plan is only $0.30 more a month, which equates to just $8.10 more in total. The one-year plan is $0.20/month or $3 more, while the rolling monthly plan is an extra $2.50.
What about Surfshark One Plus?
It costs quite a lot more ($4.19/month at the time of writing), but Surfshark One Plus might appeal if you’re particularly anxious about your personal information finding its way to big tech companies and other online advertisers.
That’s because it comes with Surfshark’s own Incogni data removal service.
As the description above suggests, it’s an additional facility where you give it permission to contact hundreds of data brokers on your behalf and demand that your data is removed from the databases. It means th#2!at they can’t then sell it on to advertisers who may then contact you out of the blue by email, telephone or post.
U.S.-based subscribers to Surfshark One Plus (except those in New York state) also get the benefit of identity theft protection. Subject to a list of terms and conditions, you’ll be reimbursed up to the value of $1 million for any expenses you incur that are caused by identity theft.
Should you upgrade from Surfshark Starter to Surfshark One?
At the risk of repeating ourselves, Surfshark Starter will be an ideal VPN solution for anybody simply seeking an extra layer of online security and that wants to unblock geo-restricted streaming services and apps.
But, if you don’t already have an antivirus and are eager to obtain fuller protection for the devices of you and your family, then spending the little bit extra for Surfshark One makes good sense.
Go for Surfshark Starter if you:
✅ just want a VPN for streaming, torrenting or an extra layer of encrypted privacy protection
✅ already subscribe to an antivirus software provider
✅ want to spend as little as possible on your new VPN
Go for Surfshark One if you:
➕ like the idea of an all-in-one cybersecurity solution that includes a VPN and antivirus
➕ want to be alerted when you and your data are the subject of data leaks and breaches
➕ hate being tracked by advertisers online
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
