Surfshark VPN Review

Surfshark was founded in 2018, and its rapid success saw it merge with the Nord Security group in 2022. However, despite being stablemates with NordVPN, it takes a very different approach to personal privacy and, in my opinion, it offers considerably in some areas.

Since its inception, Surfshark has been designed to be a secure, low-cost VPN that makes privacy accessible for all. As such, it has focused on developing simple, usable apps that have a very low barrier of entry. Of course, the tradeoff here is that Surfshark isn't as configurable as some of its rivals – Private Internet Access and Proton VPN to name a couple. However, unless you know you need deep customization, Surfshark will do everything you want, and then some – there's a reason it sits at #2 on my list of the best VPNs.

Beneath the user-friendly exterior, Surfshark doesn't hold back on features. Alternative ID is a fantastic email-spoofing tool that helps combat spam and data breaches, while for just a few dollars more over the course of two years you can add on Avira-backed antivirus. There's more here than meets the eye.

Surfshark certainly isn't perfect. I found that speeds drop off when connecting to servers thousands of miles away more drastically than some top rivals. I'm also not a fan of how steeply prices rise if you let your plan auto-renew.

However, if you need a cheap, genuinely private VPN that's easy to use, it's difficult to think of a reason why you shouldn't pick Surfshark.

My Surfshark summary

Who is Surfshark for? Surfshark is a great choice if you're new to VPNs, but you still want robust privacy and good value.

What does Surfshark cost? Surfshark's basic plan costs $1.99 per month ($53.73 overall) on the 2-year plan, which offers the best value . A single month costs $15.45, and higher tiers are also a little more expensive.

What do I like? Surfshark's apps are a pleasure to use on all devices, and it's perfect if you've never used a VPN before. Privacy and unblocking streaming sites are also strong suits, and, of course, the price is very appealing.

What don't I like? As an advanced user, I wish Surfshark offered more customization – but for the vast majority of people this simplicity will be a positive, not a negative. Long-distance connections were also significantly slower than short-distance connections.

Surfshark specs

For a quick explanation of any VPN-related terminology, check out our VPN glossary for more information.

Surfshark specs

Surfshark's latest features and updates

• NordVPN announced it would be retiring Meshnet in August 2025
• "Excellent" performance and security evaluation in June 2025
• ID theft recovery launched in the UK in May 2025
• Linux GUI launched in May 2025
• Standalone NordProtect cyber insurance launched in March 2025
• Source code, app, and extension audit undertaken in March 2025
• Fifth no-logs audit undertaken in February 2025
• Censorship-beating NordWhisper protocol launched in January 2025

Surfshark pricing (USD)

• Prices start from $1.99 per month ($53.73 upfront).
• The Surfshark One plan is my top recommendation, starting at $2.19 per month ($59.13 upfront).
• On some plans, prices more than triple if you let it auto-renew.

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Surfshark's introductory pricing is some of the most appealing of any mainstream VPN, with three different tiers of subscription. On the cheapest plan, a single month costs $15.45, the one-year plan costs $47.85, and the two-year plan costs $53.73.

These prices are commonly advertised with per-month figures, with the two-year plan clocking in at $1.99 per month. Every plan also includes a 30-day refund period.

This makes Surfshark one of the cheapest options available, and it tops our list of the best cheap VPNs. It costs less overall than NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access and Proton VPN. The only cheaper VPN that we recommend is PrivadoVPN – but Surfshark provides a much more polished overall package.

However, just like its stablemate NordVPN, once your initial subscription is finished prices increase dramatically – tripling the overall spend in some cases. I look into this in more detail below, but be aware before signing up.

It's standard practice for VPNs to offer hefty discounts on longer plans, and Surfshark is the poster child. The one-month plan is objectively expensive – most other VPNs like NordVPN and ExpressVPN sit between $11-$13 for similar plans – but longer plans rapidly fall to below-average rates. However, do be aware that you pay for the whole subscription upfront.

Surfshark Starter is the cheapest, at $1.99 per month, paid upfront at $53.73. This often includes several months free, but be aware that many VPNs, Surfshark included, massage their figures to accommodate a more appealing monthly rate.

The Starter plan includes the full VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections, and ad and cookie pop-up blocker, and Alternative ID, which can generate unlimited spoof emails and personal details to protect your real identity when signing up to things like newsletters for discounts.

If you just need a VPN and not much else, Surfshark is one of the best VPN deals around.

Surfshark's Starter plan is incredibly good value, but for very little extra spend you can add on Avira-backed antivirus and data leak alerts with the One plan.

Surfshark's middle plan is Surfshark One. Prices typically range between $2.19 and $2.49 per month – roughly $5-$15 more than the Starter plan overall. For that extra outlay you get Surfshark Antivirus – one of the only fully fledged antivirus suits that comes bundled with a VPN – Alert, which sends you data, credit card and ID leak alerts if and when your personal information is compromised, and a private search engine.

I'll look more into Surfshark's antivirus performance later on in this review – spoiler alert: it's very good – but considering established antivirus names can cost up to around $5 per month, the One plan does offer great value.

Finally, Surfshark One+ is the full-fat plan. It offers everything on Surfshark One, and adds on Incogni, a personal data removal tool. Incogni automatically requests for your data to be deleted by data brokers, and usually costs around $7 per month on it own. Considering Surfshark One+ costs less than standalone Incogni, it's a great choice if you're looking for a cheap data removal service.

However, if you're in the EU, you may find less value in this due to stricter controls on personal data compared to the US.

Beware the auto-renewal price hike. If you want to carry on past your renewal date, just purchase time before your plan runs out – it'll be added to your current subscription, but you'll pay a better rate.

Unfortunately, it's not all good news. Along with NordVPN, Surfshark is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to auto-renewal price hikes.

For your first two years you'll get a bargain, but the Starter and One plans more than triple on price afterwards, and the One+ doubles. I explored this in detail in my piece on VPN renewal prices, and while it's a common practice, Nord Security products did not fare well.

Thankfully, there's an easy workaround. If you want to carry on using Surfshark, all you need to do is set up a reminder before your current plan ends, and purchase a plan with the same email address. Instead of falling foul of inflated renewal prices, you'll simply add on extra time to your current plan.

One more thing to be aware of it that Surfshark does add local taxes at checkout, not before – so in reality, depending on where you are, you'll pay a little more than the headline price. Those in the US won't be surprised at this, but it may come as a shock to others from around the world.

During its introductory period, Surfshark is near-unbeatable when it comes to price. Most impressive is the Surfshark One plan, which bundles two fully fledged cybersecurity products – a VPN and antivirus – into one package, for less than most competitors cost individually.

In comparison, rivals that also offer complete privacy and security suites like NordVPN and ExpressVPN, and cheaper VPN-only products like Private Internet Access, look overpriced.

When signing up, you can pay for Surfshark using PayPal, credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and cryptocurrency. Unlike some of the more "alternative" VPNs, Surfshark does not support cash payments in any form – if that's something you prioritize, Mullvad may be a better choice for you.

Finally, all plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you have a month to try it out, and no matter how much you've used the VPN, if it's within this time period you can get all your money back. We've got an explainer on how to claim a VPN refund for a more detailed explanation of the process.

Overall, Surfshark is one of the most keenly priced VPNs available today. If you want a top-tier VPN for as little money as possible, there's really no other option.

Rating: 9.5/10

Does Surfshark have a free trial?

Surfshark is one of the few VPNs to offer a full 7-day free trial, with no limitations on features or usage. You do have to enter your payment details beforehand, but if you cancel before the 7 days are up, you won't be charged.

One issue is that Surfshark's free trial can be tricky to find. I'll help you out: click here for the free trial.

If you need longer to make up your mind, all Surfshark subscriptions include a 30-day money-back guarantee. You'll have to pay upfront, but you get a whole month to test it out before fully committing.

While Surfshark is legally obliged refund you, I recommend speaking directly to a live chat agent to claim it – this is the method I've had the quickest results, compared to emailing.

Surfshark features

• All the basics like a kill switch, multiple protocols, auto-connect, plenty of server locations, and split tunneling – even on Mac and iOS.
• Surfshark One plan includes two great extras in Alternative ID and Surfshark Antivirus.
• Very little opportunity for customization – although only experts will feel restricted.

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Surfshark offers an excellent feature-set, and all the basics are covered on all platforms. Every mobile and desktop app has a kill switch, and WireGuard and OpenVPN are also available on every app.

A standout is Surfshark's split tunneling integration – it's available on Windows and Android, but also on Mac and iOS. Having this feature on Apple devices is unusual, and betters big rivals like NordVPN and ExpressVPN.

Surfshark also has a robust multi-hop feature. This allows you to connect to two VPN servers in tandem, with the intention of improving your privacy. If one of the servers is compromised, it will only have access to either your IP address or what you're accessing – never both.

Many VPNs tend to overlook their Mac and iOS apps in favor of their Windows and Android counterparts, mostly due to Apple's more restrictive development conditions. However, Surfshark is remarkably well-featured on Apple devices. While I found some features slightly less configurable than on Windows – for example, split tunneling and kill switch – every privacy essential is present and correct.

Where Surfshark falls down a little in customization. There's plenty here to keep most people happy, but I found that everything is very "on or off." Unlike providers like Private Internet Access or Proton VPN, you can't dig around under the hood much, so to speak.

The table below compares Surfshark's key app features across the major operating systems:

Surfshark has a basic range of VPN protocols: WireGuard and OpenVPN on every platform, and IKEv2 on mobile and Mac, but not Windows. There's nothing outlandish here – no in-house protocol like ExpressVPN's Lightway or branded modification like NordLynx – but that's no real loss.

99% of the time, I found myself using WireGuard, and it's highly likely that you'll do the same. It's fast, connects quickly, and is the default protocol Surfshark uses.

Notably, in June 2025, Surfshark launched Everlink, which is "self-healing infrastructure." It functions very similarly to a kill switch, but rather than disconnecting you and re-establishing a connection to another server, Everlink reroutes you without ever disconnecting.

While I still recommend enabling the kill switch for maximum security, in theory Everlink makes it redundant. Because you're never disconnected from the VPN tunnel, your data is never transferred unencrypted – even if your connection to a particular server fails for any reason.

OpenVPN is a great backup to WireGuard, and if you're in a country which restricts VPN use, you'll need it. Camouflage Mode is Surfshark's name for VPN obfuscation, which essentially hides the fact you're using a VPN at all. When using OpenVPN, Surfshark enables this feature by default.

It works well, too. The Tom's Guide office has strict network protections, and most VPNs fail to connect when using WireGuard. When I switched Surfshark over to OpenVPN, it connected without a hitch.

The only drawback is the fact that Surfshark doesn't allow you disable Camouflage Mode. This lack of configuration won't be a dealbreaker for most people, but it's a sign of things to come.

Surfshark's OpenVPN connections are obfuscated with Camouflage Mode by default. It works well, and is a huge bonus for people living in restrictive countries – but I'd appreciate a choice to disable it if I want to.

All of Surfshark's protocols claim to use 256-bit encryption, and in my testing this was proved to be the case. Some other rivals – notably Private Internet Access – allow you to adjust the level of encryption, but Surfshark doesn't have any options for this. That's no big loss, though, as I had no issues with the default settings. I also delve deeper into Surfshark's encryption in the Privacy section of this review.

When it comes to the kill switch, it's business as usual. Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android all support it, but it's pertinent to note the differences across platforms. I explore this in more detail in the Privacy section, but in short, all devices have a very reliable kill switch, although Windows and Android are more flexible.

Split tunneling is a common VPN feature that is very useful when you want some, but not all, of you traffic to head through the VPN. For example, you may want to download torrents through the VPN, but play games without using the VPN.

Surfshark's split tunneling setup – known as ByPasser – is pretty simple to use, but it's one of the few VPNs I've used that offers it on Mac and iOS. In fact, Surfshark has one of the most comprehensive split tunneling setups that I've come across, period.

Predictably, Windows and Android have the most settings. First off, you can make lists of both IP address and websites, and also whole apps that are affected by ByPasser. Then, you can choose whether this list is excluded from the VPN – meaning everything except this is is protected by the VPN – or included – meaning nothing but this list is protected by the VPN.

On Mac, the only limitation is that you can only whitelist apps and IPs. iOS has a slightly more restricted setup, in which you can only whitelist, and you can only set up ByPasser for websites, not whole apps.

On Mac, Surfshark's split tunneling setup is far better than NordVPN and ExpressVPN

However, this is far better than big rivals NordVPN and ExpressVPN, neither of which offer split tunneling on iOS at all, and also don't support it on macOS 11 or later.

All of this makes Surfshark a great choice for torrenting – do be aware the omission of port forwarding in all of its apps means experts may not find the functionality they need.

Auto-connect is another useful feature available on all platforms. It automatically connects to the VPN when you're using a network you haven't marked as "trusted." So, when I set the app up for testing, I marked my home network as "trusted" in settings because I know it's safe. However, when I headed to a café to get out of the house, Surfshark automatically fired up when I connected to the public Wi-Fi.

Surfshark includes a malware, ad, and pop-up blocker called CleanWeb in all plans. It's DNS-based, and can be toggled on and off. In my testing, it performed fairly well when blocking malware sites, although its phishing protection leaves a little to be desired. You can see the full results in the table below.

An important caveat is that NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro is a premium feature, and is also URL-based, rather than DNS-based. It's by far the best of the bunch, but you do have to pay for it.

I think it's worth highlighting Surfshark's multi-hop feature. Several big-name VPNs offer something similar – notably NordVPN and Proton VPN – but Surfshark's implementation is by far the most flexible.

Essentially, Surfshark's dynamic multi-hop allows you to route through two VPN servers in tandem. This means that even if one of these servers is compromised, an attacker will never be able to see both your real IP and your destination.

What makes Surfshark's multi-hop so interesting, though, is the fact that you can choose any two servers. This might sound simple, but Surfshark is the only VPN I've found that allows this flexibility. This is all down to Nexus, which uses Software Defined Networking to create one cohesive, global network, rather than many disparate servers.

When I spoke to the Surfshark team about FastTrack, multi-hop also came up. It was fascinating to hear that due to the way multi-hop connections are configured, they can often be even faster than direct connections. Either way, Surfshark has the best multi-hop setup I've used.

Surfshark has the best multi-hop setup I've used.

Finally, it's time to talk about Alternative ID. At its core, Alt ID is an email spoofer, and is included in all levels of Surfshark subscription. If you head to the Alt ID tab in any of the apps, you'll be able to generate an entirely random identity, including not on an email address that forwards emails on to your own inbox, but also a name, address, and even birthday.

You can delete and regenerate as many as you like, and it's great for using when you need to have correspondence, but you don't want to reveal your real email address. Thing newsletters for discounts, or one-time verifications.

Once you've got what you need, you can delete the Alt ID, and you'll never hear from them again – not to mention the protection this offers from breaches.

Below is a table outlining the different features included in each Surfshark plan, to help you decide which one to go for.

Overall, Surfshark has a deceptively rich set of features – and it has developed a ton since I first got my hands on the fledgling apps five or six years ago.

The focus on simplicity is still evident, and while there are plenty of features, these features are typically unconfigurable, and can be set to either "on" or "off." However, unless you're intent on adjusting every possible thing in your VPN, Surfshark offers a very impressive set of tools that goes well beyond a basic VPN.

Score: 9/10

Surfshark server network

• Recent upgrade to 4,500 individual servers in 99 countries.
• Good spread in Europe and the Americas, but Africa misses out
• All servers are RAM-only, and 100 Gbps servers are being rolled out

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On the face of it, Surfshark's server network is very good, but not as wide as some of its competitors. In October 2025, over 1,000 new individual servers were added, boosting the number to over 4,500, and these are spread across 141 locations in 99 countries. It's worth noting, though, that since my last review, Surfshark has removed its Pakistan server, dropping the total countries covered from 100 to 99.

This compares well to other cheap VPNs – Private Internet Access has servers in 91 countries, while PrivadoVPN only covers 68. However, more expensive rivals do outdo Surfshark by some way here – NordVPN covers 127 countries, Proton VPN covers 126, and ExpressVPN covers 108.

Of course, whether this will actually impact you entirely depends on what you plan on using your VPN for. For example, Surfshark doesn't have servers in the Dominican Republic, but NordVPN does. If you live there, this will be a big issue. If you're from the UK, probably not so much. I recommend taking a look at. Surfshark's full server list yourself to make sure it covers all the countries you need.

The number of servers a VPN offers is only half the story, though – the security of these servers is also a priority.

In 2021, Surfshark underwent a full infrastructure audit of its servers, and the results were positive. However, despite other audits having taken place since, none have looked specifically at the server network, and this is something I'd like to see addressed before my next review.

That said, I've found nothing worrying with Surfshark's servers. Since 2020, the whole network has been RAM-only – and I discuss this in more detail in the Privacy section of this review.

I'll dive further into performance in the Connection Speeds section of this review, but in October 2025, Surfshark began to introduce 100 Gbps servers into its network – starting with its Amsterdam location. While I've never had any issues with Surfshark's speed when using the old infrastructure, this is more of a future-proofing measure to ensure no matter how congested a particular location may be, speeds will remain consistently fast.

It's worth noting that Surfshark does use virtual servers. These are servers that deliver an IP address in one country, but are physically located in another. For example, Surfshark's Egypt server is actually located in France.

There's no particular issue with this, except potentially higher ping times when using a virtual server, but it's good to see that Surfshark is very clear in-app about whether a server is physical or virtual.

Overall, while Surfshark doesn't have the biggest server coverage, its servers are very well-placed around world and should give more than enough flexibility for most people. The only real area for improvement I'd like to see is a fresh audit of the server infrastructure to give extra peace of mind.

Rating: 8.5/10

Is Surfshark good for streaming, unblocking and torrenting?

• Unblocked almost every streaming site I tested it with.
• Every server is streaming-optimized, eliminating specific servers.
• Great split-tunneling support is good for torrenting, but no port forwarding is a slight negative.

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Spoiler alert: Surfshark is a regular in my guide to the best VPNs for streaming, and while I had a couple of very small hiccups during testing, it's more reliable than almost any other VPN I've used.

The only issue I did have was accessing Amazon Prime Video, and Surfshark unblocked every other streaming service I tested it with. So, whether you need access to BBC iPlayer from the US, or want to tap into the Japanese Netflix library, Surfshark is a great choice.

The table below shows Surfshark's results in my streaming and unblocking tests.

Green (✅) indicates the streaming service was unblocked, first time, every time.

Yellow (⚠️) indicates the streaming service was unblocked, but we faced some difficulties.

Red (⛔️) indicates we were unable to access the streaming service.

Read how I test streaming VPNs for more detail.

Netflix is still the most popular streaming site in the world, so it's my first port of call. I booted up Surfshark, and connected to a number of different countries. I didn't manually select any servers in each of these countries – I just used the auto-assigned server like any regular user would.

Just like in my last review, Surfshark gave me access to exclusive content in every country I tested – The UK, US, Canada, Japan, Australia – and didn't need any fiddling in the settings to make it work. This is the main reason it's a staple in my list of the best VPN for Netflix.

Disney+ performed similarly reliably, as did regional services like BBC iPlayer, 10 Play, ITV, and 9Now.

I did run into a couple of issues, though. Since my last review, it appears that Surfshark has lost the ability to unblock Amazon Prime Video. Every server I tested it with failed, which is a drop in performance. However, it's important to note that these tests were carried out on a single day, so Surfshark may have remedied the issue.

YouTube US continues to be a big problem for almost all VPNs. I test by trying to watch an official Formula 1 video while both logged in and logged out. In my experience, the F1 channel has some of the toughest VPN restrictions of any channel on YouTube – I'm not sure why very few other channels perform similarly, but this is the case.

While some top-tier VPNs perform perfectly when logged into YouTube, almost all fail when logged out. This was the case with Surfshark. However, in my latest round of testing, only CyberGhost and Private Internet Access had no issues, while Proton VPN worked intermittently.

When it comes to torrenting, Surfshark is very capable, but not the absolute best.

Good points include full P2P support on every server, a robust kill switch on every platform, as well as the aforementioned ByPasser, which is also available on Apple devices.

It's worth noting that although every server supports P2P traffic – unlike NordVPN, for example – there also P2P-optimized servers. However, these can only be found by searching "P2P" in the server search bar – and Surfshark never actually tells you this. Compared to Proton VPN's clearly marked tab of P2P servers, Surfshark doesn't make it easy.

For expert torrenters, the biggest omission will be post forwarding. Most consumer VPNs don't support port forwarding because used incorrectly, it can make the user vulnerable to attacks. However, done right, it can vastly increase download speeds. If you really need port forwarding, I recommend Private Internet Access or Proton VPN.

Overall, Surfshark is a reliable streaming VPN, and outdoes many other consumer VPNs when it comes to torrenting basics. However, if you need access to Amazon Prime Video's global catalogue, or need port forwarding, I recommend going with a different VPN.

Rating: 9/10

Surfshark connection speeds

• Peak speeds are the fastest of any VPN I recorded in my last round of testing.
• OpenVPN speeds are very good.
• Slower performance on longer-distance connections.

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In my last round of testing – which included Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, and NordVPN – Surfshark posted the highest average download speeds of any VPN. This was an 1,615 Mbps when using WireGuard while connected to the fastest recommended server, on our 10 Gbps base testing connection.

However, speeds declined significantly on longer-distance connections, dropping to just 355 Mbps while connected to the recommended US server from our UK testing base.

OpenVPN speeds were very good, and I recorded 978 Mbps when connected to the fastest possible server. Again, though, Surfshark declined when connecting across the Atlantic, down to 430 Mbps.

The table below outlines all these figures, and at the end of this section I've included a table comparing all the VPNs I tested in this round.

The most interesting finding from these tests – apart from that in perfect conditions, Surfshark is very, very fast – is that speeds suffer over longer distances. Most VPN do show some sort of drop in peak speeds when connecting over thousands of miles, but Surfshark is one of the most drastic.

For example, in the same round of testing, Proton VPN peaked at 1,521 Mbps when connecting UK-UK – slightly slower than Surfshark – but posted speeds of 1,242 Mbps when connecting UK-US. In my opinion, reliable speeds no matter where you're connecting is more important than fractionally higher peak speeds – and this is why Proton VPN, not Surfshark, tops my list of the fastest VPNs.

The same is true when I did some tests on my home Wi-Fi. Without the VPN, I recorded speeds of 753 Mbps. When Surfshark was connected to my nearest UK server, I saw speeds of around 735 Mbps, which shows in good conditions, Surfshark makes a negligible impact on domestic connections. However, when connecting to the US, speeds dropped to 250 Mbps.

Of course, none of this is to say that Surfshark will slow you down in real terms. 99% of the time, I'm unlikely to see any difference between 750 Mbps and 250 Mbps – after all, you only need around 25 Mbps to stream 4K video. In fact, what's more noticeable is latency.

Latency is how long it takes for your input to register – like a webpage beginning to load, or pressing the trigger in a game. Low latency is essential for gaming, and can make your internet feel faster.

When connected UK-UK, Surfshark had latency of 21.7 milliseconds (ms). This is good, but a little higher than Proton VPN (14.2 ms), NordVPN (17.2 ms), and ExpressVPN (14.8 ms).

Again, some issues arose when connecting UK-US. Latency rose to 171 ms, which is considerably higher than Proton VPN (90.6 ms), NordVPN (82 ms), and ExpressVPN (75 ms).

However, in my less scientific tests from home, I saw an average latency of 8 ms UK-UK, and 22 ms UK-US. So, your mileage may vary.

For short-distance connections, Surfshark is unrivalled when it comes to download speed. However, longer-distance connections are a little disappointing, if workable. Most people won't notice a difference, but if you pay for gigabit Wi-Fi and know you'll be frequently connecting to far-flung locations, Proton VPN is a better choice.

Rating: 8/10

Surfshark privacy and security

• All basic privacy features are present and correct.
• No-logs policy audited in 2022 with good results.
• Post-quantum encryption is available with WireGuard in-app, although not with manual configurations.

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Although Surfshark is often marketed as a cheap VPN that's great for streaming, it also has excellent privacy credential. In my testing, I found absolutely no issues in terms of privacy and security, and Surfshark is an excellent choice for staying private online.

The essential no-logs policy is present and correct – audited in 2022 – and as mentioned in the Features section of this review, the kill switch is tock solid.

Beyond the basics, Surfshark also has some very positive extras, including post-quantum encryption and rotating IP addresses. I think Surfshark is well ahead of the curve in terms of privacy, and it's one of the best choices for quality privacy on a budget.

First things first, the no-logs policy. Surfshark states that:

"We do not store any incoming and outgoing traffic data, including user and destination IP addresses, browsing history / websites visited, amount of data transferred, the VPN servers used, DNS queries or files downloaded ... All VPN servers run entirely on RAM disk . Once a VPN server loses power or is rebooted, all data associated with it is immediately and irreversibly deleted."

In short, this is pretty standard, but good news. Not storing browsing data is the first and most important step of a VPN actually hiding your activity from any other party, so it's a minimum requirement for me to recommend any VPN.

Surfshark does store some data:

"We process only minimal user information – only as much as it is absolutely necessary to maintain our services (email address, encrypted password, basic billing information and order history) ... Our servers do store information about a user’s connection to a particular VPN server (user ID and connection time stamps), but this information is automatically deleted within 15 minutes after termination of user session. Please note that this information has nothing to do with the user’s browsing activities."

On the face of it, this sounds less positive, and of course, the less information a VPN collect, the better. However, there's nothing to be worried about here, and in truth every VPN I've reviewed does much the same – it's necessary for actually providing the service, and verifying your account. I've never come across a truly "zero-logs" VPN in my time, and I doubt if one really exists at all.

Surfshark's wider privacy policy is well-written and structured sensibly. Rather than an impenetrable wall of text, each section answers a certain question, and there's a short summary for most so you don't have to delve into the legalese.

Overall, Surfshark's no-logs and privacy policies doesn't raise any red flags. Combined with the independent audit that proves Surfshark actually does what it claims, it's a good starting point.

Since 2020, Surfshark has solely used RAM-only servers. Most VPNs have made this change now, and it means that each server can only store information when connected to power. The whole server is entirely wiped every time it's restarted, and they are physically unable to store information between boot-ups. This is a big positive, as it means any information that passes through these servers – your IP address, what you're doing online – can never be stored or viewed by anyone.

A core part of a VPN is encryption, and Surfshark is solid in this regard. When using WireGuard, it uses ChaCha20 encryption, and when using OpenVPN and IKEv2, it uses AES-256-GCM encryption. Surfshark also uses 2048-bit RSA encryption keys for all of these protocols.

This is more than secure enough, but it's worth noting that some VPN – including Proton VPN and NordVPN – use 4096-bit encryption keys. However, to put this into perspective, even a 2048-bit key is estimated to take several hundred trillion years to crack with computers available today.

In the coming decades, though, quantum computers are predicted to shave this down to a matter of hours – and this is bad news for traditional cryptography. To combat this, Surfshark has introduced post-quantum encryption with WireGuard in all of its apps. This means that even if your encrypted data is stolen and stored (known as a store now, decrypt later attack), it will still be uncrackable by tomorrow's quantum computers.

There's debate over how essential this really is, but I'm pleased that Surfshark is on the front foot, and thinking about personal privacy in the future, not just today.

One of my low-level kill switch tests did effectively crash the Surfshark Windows app – although the kill switch still protected my IP address.

Kill switches are an essential privacy tool, so I spend a lot of time trying to trip them up. This includes killing low-level processes, turning off my router, and even messing with network adapters. A quality kill switch will never give away my real IP address, while less robust ones may leak.

Surfshark's kill switch was very reliable, and not once could I get it to reveal my I address. In terms of privacy, it delivered flawless results.

However, after some of my more invasive tests, Surfshark did have issue reconnecting. That's not to say that it impacted its effectiveness, but it did require restarting the application to get it going again. Interestingly, NordVPN had no such issues.

All told, though, the tests I run are incredibly unlikely to happen in real life, and more realistic tests – like making my Wi-Fi drop – had no impact on the VPN's performance at all.

When it comes to each individual app, there are some variations in what the kill switch offers.

On Windows and Android, you have two options: "soft" and "strict." The "soft" kill switch is only active when you're connected to the VPN, and cuts your internet connection if a dropout in the VPN connection is detected. If you've manually disconnected from the VPN, you can still use the internet. The "strict" version effectively doesn't allow you to use the internet without the VPN connected.

On Linux, Mac, and iOS, only the "soft" version is available. However, this is better than NordVPN, which only supports an "application" kill switch on Apple devices – instead of cutting your connection, NordVPN quits certain applications if a dropout is detected.

Of course, the "strict" version is more secure and helps avoid any accidents, but realistically very few people will enable it due to how intrusive it is. For most, the "soft" version is more than enough.

Finally, I'll touch on a couple of interesting privacy extras Surfshark has.

First up, theres Rotating IP. This is an optional feature that automatically changes your IP address every few minutes or so. There are upsides and downsides to this. An upside is that your IP address is constantly changing, and this makes it much harder to track your activity during a single session.

However, this can be an issue for websites that use your IP address in some way – after a minute or two, your IP address will change, and you might find your activity lost, or that you've been logged out.

ExpressVPN offers something similar, but it does it in a different way – instead of randomly rotating, ExpressVPN gives you a new IP address for each website you visit.

I like that Surfshark displays your new IP at all times, and also gives you a countdown until your next rotation. However, in practice, it's not a must-have feature, and I wouldn't recommend you base your purchase on this factor.

After testing out Surfshark's DNS servers for this review, I've decided to keep using them for the foreseeable future.

Surfshark also offers its own custom DNS servers. These are free to use by anyone, and unlike some DNS servers – primarily those from your internet provider – Surfshark's do not log or track any of your activity.

DNS servers can't improve your upload or download speeds, but they can make websites respond more quickly. For this review, I spent a few days using Surfshark's DNS servers, and I saw a noticeable improvement in how long it took pages to load – so much so, that I've decided to carry on using them.

Overall, Surfshark provides ample privacy and security, and I have very few complaints from my testing. The only areas of improvement would be a more recent audit of the no-logs policy, and some refinement of the kill switch to increase its robustness.

For both everyday privacy and more critical uses, Surfshark is a great choice that won't let you down.

Rating: 9/10

Surfshark apps

• Apps have consistent design across platforms and are intuitive.
• Mac and iOS apps are very well-featured, rivaling Windows and Android.
• Very easy to use, and while not as simple as ExpressVPN, Surfshark is great for beginners.

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Surfshark's apps are all very simple to use, which I think is a great thing – making privacy accessible can only be a positive in. my books. On every platform I've tested it on - from Mac and Windows to Apple TV – the interface is easy to navigate, and although in recent years it has gained a significant number of features, they're all well-placed and intuitive to use.

Surfshark's desktop applications are laid out fairly similarly to NordVPN – unsurprising, thanks to the shared Nord Security ownership – but in my opinion, Surfshark is more pleasant to use.

On both Mac and Windows, it's simple to both scroll the alphabetized list of countries and type in the search bar – and for many people, this is all the app will be used to do. This simplicity makes it super easy for anyone of any skill level to get going. Disconnecting is easy too, with a clear button just below your status.

Alert, Search, Alt ID and Settings have their own tabs that run down the right-hand side of the app. This is a neat way of making more advanced features easily accessible, but also reducing clutter.

When I tested out both the Windows and Mac apps, I didn't experience any slow-down of my device, or any noticeable extra battery drain. I also found the apps very stable, and had no unexpected crashes. Good stuff.

It's much the same story on mobile. Both the Android and iOS apps are very similar in appearance and function, and intuitive to get started with.

Installation is simple. I recommend purchasing a subscription from the website rather than signing up through the app – deals may be better, and you can be sure you're not signing up to a dodgy copycat – and you can then head through to your respective app store to download.

Once downloaded, all you need to do is log in, accept a couple of permissions, and get connected. I recommend declining sharing data about crashes as a rule for all apps, but you will need to allow the app to make changes to your VPN configurations for it to function.

As I outlined in the Features section of this review, both mobile platforms are well kitted out, and are some of the most comprehensive mobile VPN apps I've tested. For example, the iOS app has a powerful kill switch – which some VPNs on iPhone miss out entirely – and the even lesser-seen mobile split tunneling.

In fact, I think Surfshark's mobile apps are deceptively simple – there's a ton of stuff included that's easy to find, yet doesn't get in the way.

Surfshark's price and streaming performance has made it very popular on devices like Fire Sticks and Apple TV. It's clear that it has its priorities in check, too, because when I tested these platforms out, Surfshark was clearly one of the best out of the top VPNs.

Setup is easy on both Fire TV and Apple TV, with a simple QR code that can be scanned with a phone that has Surfshark

On Fire Stick, the layout is pleasant – in my opinion, more refined than NordVPN – and makes it very easy to select and connect to a server. However, it's worth noting that ExpressVPN delivers my favorite Fire TV VPN interface, because it's even simpler.

I'm a daily Apple TV user, and Surfshark is one of my two go-to choices – the other being NordVPN. Apple TV as a platform is very restrictive, and as such VPNs generally offer almost no settings to tweak. Surfshark is the same, and the only user-selectable feature is NoBorders mode – Surfshark's name for obfuscation. That means there's no kill switch, no split tunneling, not even protocol selection. However, this is down to Apple TV as a platform and not Surfshark as a developer.

What does matter is how the app is designed, and again, Surfshark's Apple TV app is clean, easy to navigate, and runs very smoothly. I've never had any issues with it, even when disconnecting and reconnecting far more often than the typical user.

Finally, Surfshark's browser extensions are very good. The interface is very similar to the desktop apps, meaning there's no learning curve. However, there's more to them than just a pretty face. Interestingly, they're one of the only extensions from a VPN that provides a "geo-spoofing" tool.

When using Surfshark's extension, when you connect to a location, not only does your IP address change, but so does your GPS location. This counters a common issue when using VPNs, in that websites can still figure out your real location through data other than your IP address.

It's important to note that Surfshark's extension is not a true VPN. Just like almost all other "VPN" extensions, Surfshark's extension is just a proxy. This means that it does change your IP address, but it does not encrypt your traffic – therefore, it doesn't protect you from anyone snooping on your connection. The only VPN extension I'm aware of that does encrypt your traffic is ExpressVPN's, and this is because it controls the desktop app.

Each serves a different purpose, but there's also nothing stopping you from connecting to Surfshark's VPN through the app, and then spoofing your location with the extension.

Overall, Surfshark's apps are powerful, a pleasure to use, and cover all major devices. Despite the company's ethos of keeping everything simple, recent updates have introduced a lot of more expert features that will please more experienced VPN users.

Rating: 9/10

Surfshark ease of use

• Some of the most intuitive apps around, second only to ExpressVPN.
• Comprehensive web-based dashboard makes setup on any device very clear.
• No ping times displayed, so it can be tricky to figure out the best server to use.

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Surfshark claims that one of its core values is making cybersecurity accessible for everyone – and in my experience, it's done a good job at this. With simple apps that don't assume too much prior knowledge of how they work, anyone can get up and running in a matter of minutes.

The first barrier of entry for new VPN users is setting up the apps themselves. Surfshark has done well here, with wizards that guide you through the process on desktop, and mobile apps that also walk you through the process. In truth, there's not much difference here than with most other VPNs, but there's nothing unusual I came up against that would pose an issue to beginners.

Surfshark makes it easy to set up on devices without keyboards.

On streaming devices – Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV – Surfshark does offer a little extra. When the app is installed, you're presented with a QR code as well as a traditional username and password box.

If you already have Surfshark set up on your smartphone, which is pretty likely, you can just scan the code to log in. This forgoes the arduous task of typing with a remote, and is a little usability touch that I really appreciated. Some rivals – notably Proton VPN – do not use this method, and are subsequently trickier to set up on streaming devices.

Another useful addition is the dashboard, which is accessed by heading to the Surfshark website and logging in. Here, you can scan more QR codes to send you to mobile app stores to download the right app, which ensures you're not tricked by a copycat scam in the app store. The dashboard is also well organised, offers easy way to change account settings, and outlines every platform that's supported.

For a "simple" app, Surfshark's desktop versions have a lot going on – but that's not a bad thing. The main dash offers your recently used servers, suggested locations, static IP, dedicated IP, and multi-hop, as well as a scrollable list of servers and a quick-connect button. I counted 23 clickable buttons, which is the same as NordVPN, while Proton VPN has 19 and ExpressVPN has a minuscule 8.

The most important thing is that these are laid out well, and I think they are. Nothing is missable, but everything is neatly tucked away and avoids distraction. Bigger parts of the app – Alternative ID, Private Search, and Antivirus, for example – have their own tabs down the left-hand side. This is a smart way to make these easily accessible for those that want them, and ignorable for those that don't.

One small issue I had, however, was with the display of the kill switch's status. When it's active, the app makes it very clear that it's on. When it's inactive, though, there's no mention of it at all. Seeing as the kill switch is such an important part of ensuring a VPN really protects you online, it would make sense for the app to tell you if it's not active.

The location list is easy to use, and the search bar works well. However, I'd appreciate some more information on each location – ping time, server load, or anything else that would help to choose the best location right now. As it stands, you either choose Surfshark's recommended server, or hope for the best.

Choosing your server is simple, but I'd appreciate a little more information on the status of each one.

That said, if you happen to find a location that works very well, or would just like to pin a particular country to the top, you can do this with the "favorite" option. Click on the star next to the server name, and this location will be pinned to the top. For example, I occasionally watch Japanese exclusives on Netflix, but rarely need to connect to a Japan server otherwise. Pinning the Japan server means that I don't need to scroll all the way down to "J" to connect.

When it comes to the mobile apps, they're well optimized for smaller screens. Visually, it's much the same, but I still found it very simple to find the right server, connect to frequently used locations, and access extra features like Alt ID.

Overall, I think Surfshark lives up to its reputation as a VPN that's easy to use, and while it's not as simple as the likes of ExpressVPN, there's more here to explore. This extra complexity is handled well, and other than my quibbles with the lack of server information and inconsistency with kill switch status, I highly recommend it to both beginners and advanced users alike.

Rating: 9/10

Why is Surfshark based in the Netherlands?

Several years ago, Surfshark moved its headquarters from the British Virgin Islands to the Netherlands – a move that some privacy advocated has an issue with due to the Netherlands' membership on the Nine Eyes surveillance alliance.

However, the Netherlands itself has favorable privacy laws, and national laws always supersede international agreements.

In September 2025, I had the chance to travel to Lithuania to speak to Surfshark's CEO, Vytautas Kaziukonis. During our chat, I had the chance to speak to him about the decision to move to the Netherlands:

"In the early days of VPNs, it was common for companies to be based in places like the British Virgin Islands or Panama. But as Surfshark evolved into a broader security business, we wanted a more stable political and business environment that still offered favourable data retention laws – specifically, no laws that require data logging.

"Dutch law is very clear: companies are not required to retain user data. Therefore, even if we were sent a data-sharing request, we would have nothing to share. Our no-logs policy has been verified by independent audits, and we're always happy for any journalist to come and check everything to make sure for themselves."

Personally, I have no issue with the fact that Surfshark is headquartered in the Netherlands – if you trust Surfshark's own no-logs policy, there's no chance for the company to share your personal data.

Surfshark reputation

• No history of privacy or security incidents, unlike some other high-profile VPNs.
• 2022 Nord Security merger raised some eyebrows.
• Some customers have issues with price hikes on renewal.

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I've exclusively covered VPNs at Tom's Guide since 2020, and in that time I have never come across any stories or evidence that has tarnished Surfshark's reputation. In fact, it has a spotless record since its inception of protecting its users.

Of course, cybersecurity experts are a picky bunch, and it's true that some of us had concerns when Surfshark merged with Nord Security in 2022. However, in the time since then, Surfshark has proven itself not just to be "NordVPN Lite," but a separate company with a remarkably different outlook to its better-known stablemate.

The biggest issue that I've seen people bring up online – other than the links with NordVPN – is that Surfshark's renewal practices are a little dubious. If you let your plan run out and have the "auto-renew" box checked in your settings, you'll be charged a much higher rate than if you had added more time to your plan before it expired. You can read more about this in the Pricing section of this review.

Overall, Surfshark has an unblemished reputation when it comes to privacy and security, and only a couple of minor issues when it comes to the integrity of the company. Considering the competition, that's great going.

Rating: 9/10

Surfshark customer support

• Live chat is useful, with quick, accurate replies.
• Huge number of written support articles, but some are slightly out of date.
• Email suport takes around 24 hours for a response, but the assistance is very good.

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Surfshark offers support through three channels: written articles, live chat, and email support. Throughout this review, I tested them all:

If you run into an issue when using Surfshark, your first port of call should be the knowledgebase of written articles. Unlike some VPNs, this is much more than a simple FAQ section. There are hundreds of detailed articles covering almost everything – from setting up your VPN on a Linux computer to configuring Surfshark's custom DNS, and everything in between.

Admittedly, a few of the articles I read did have outdated application screenshots, but I can forgive this considering the amount of articles that are live, and how long it would take to manually update these images. More importantly, I never encountered any advice that was obsolete, and everything is very well written in simple English (other languages may vary).

If you can't find the fix you need in a written article, the live chat support is available 24/7. This is on the good side of industry-standard – most high-end VPNs like NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer the same, although some, like Proton VPN, don't offer round-the-clock support.

I contacted the live chat multiple times throughout my testing, and every time I received a reply within a couple of minutes. All the agents were friendly and helpful, and each time my issue was resolved without much fuss. A couple of times I was left hanging for several minutes during the conversation, but each time the agent returned with an answer – this was probably down them researching the answer before replying.

Finally, for very detailed or technical issues, email support is available. Surfshark estimates that it takes about 24 hours to receive a reply via this channel. When I contacted the email support about a complex issue I had while testing the kill switch, I received a reply in about 21 hours – suggesting Surfshark's own estimate is pretty much on the money.

While this isn't bad, and is on par with most other VPNs, it's worth noting that Proton VPN replied via email in a matter of minutes. This certainly isn't a deal-breaker, but an improvement on this response time would be a bonus, especially for advanced users who might run into more technical issues.

Overall, Surfshark's support is better than much of the competition, especially when it comes to the well-organized library of detailed explainer articles. However, slightly speedier email support would bump it up to the elite level.

Rating: 9/10

Surfshark final verdict

Subscribe if:

✅ You're looking for a powerful, good-value VPN.
✅ Ease of use is a top priority.
✅ You want to stream content from around the world.

Don't subscribe if:

❌ You're an Amazon Prime Video subscriber.
❌ You need ultra-fast connections when using long-distance servers.

Alternatives to Surfshark

Surfshark FAQ

How to cancel Surfshark

Surfshark makes it pretty easy to cancel if you figure out that it's not right for you. It offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means you can claim a full refund within 30 days of signing up. This is industry standard, but in my experience, Surfshark makes it easier than most.

I recommend talking to a live chat agent and simply requesting to cancel your plan. They'll ask you why, and inevitably try to convince you to stay on once or twice, but you can get the process done in around five minutes.

However, if you've left it more than 30 days, you own't be able to get a refund, even if you stop using the VPN.

Does Surfshark work in China?

All VPNs can be unpredictable in China, and the Great Firewall's effects change day by day. However, when one of my colleagues was in China on a work trip I asked him to test out. few VPNs, and Surfshark came out on top.

Importantly, the Surfshark website wasn't blocked, so the app could be readily downloaded. Then, when downloaded, Surfshark connected fairly quickly and was perfectly usable for accessing blocked content and Western media.

This is down to Surfshark's NoBorders mode effectively obfuscating VPN traffic, which allowed it to evade China's anti-VPN tech.

This all combines to make Surfshark one of the best VPNs for China. However, for peace of mind, I recommend downloading the Surfshark app onto all of your devices before you travel to China. This way, even if the website is blocked when you visit, you'll still be able to use the apps to access the content you need.

Who owns Surfshark?

Surfshark's founder and CEO is Vytautas Kaziukonis, who started the company in 2018. In 2022, Surfshark merged with Nord Security, creating the largest VPN-focused business in the world. Surfshark currently sits alongside NordVPN, NordPass, NordLocker, Nord Stellar, NordLayer, and eSIM provider Saily under the Nord Security banner.

However, Surfshark is generally treated as more of a separate entity compared to the "Nord" suite of products, and acts independently in terms of development and direction.

Nord Security is a Lithuanian tech company founded by Tomas Okmanas and Eimantas Sabaliauskas who, in 2008, also founded "startup venture builder and investor" Tesonet. Tesonet is closely linked with Nord Security, and also has links to web scraper and proxy provider OxyLabs, hosting company Hostinger, agentic AI developer Nexos.ai, and publishing company MediaTech, among many others.

How we test VPNs

I test VPNs using a number of methods – you can find the details in my how we test VPNs article.

The quick version is that after studying any published information about the VPN's privacy – no-logs policies and independent audits, for example – I install each VPN I test on a variety of devices and put it through a series of rigorous tests.

This includes over 100 speed tests per provider, kill switch tests, in which I try my best to force the VPN to expose my real IP address, and a ton of streaming testing.

The whole Tom's Guide VPN team pitches in too, and the unique insights each person brings helps make our VPN reviews well-rounded and as helpful as possible.