Worth
$48 for the primary 12 months (then $60 yearly) or $13 a month. Two-year plans are $60 for the primary two years mixed (then $60 yearly)
Newest checks
No leaks detected, 40% velocity loss in 2023 checks
Community
3,200-plus servers in 100 nations
Jurisdiction
Netherlands
Execs
- Funds-friendly (for longer-term subscribers)
- Limitless simultaneous connections
- RAM-only server infrastructure
- A number of distinctive options
Cons
- 14-Eyes jurisdiction (Netherlands)
- No transparency reviews
- Costly month-to-month plan
In order for you a well-rounded VPN answer that ranks as among the best VPNs in the marketplace however you do not need to pay a premium, contemplate Surfshark. Surfshark gives super worth if you happen to’re prepared to lock in for a 12 months at a time, with its longer-term plans being significantly cheaper than different high gamers like ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Surfshark is straightforward to make use of, boasts tons of options and is great for streaming. It additionally made spectacular strides when it comes to privateness and velocity since my final evaluate.
I evaluated Surfshark’s VPN providing by means of in depth hands-on testing, analysis and conversations with Surfshark’s staff by way of e mail and video convention. With the assistance of CNET’s lab testing staff in Kentucky, we ran a whole lot of velocity checks on Surfshark’s worldwide servers to benchmark its efficiency. I attempted Surfshark on numerous platforms, together with MacOS, Home windows, iOS, Android and Amazon Fireplace TV Stick. I examined for leaks and assessed Surfshark’s streaming capabilities throughout platforms and numerous streaming companies. I combed by means of Surfshark’s Privateness Coverage and analyzed its current no-logs audit report.
I discovered that Surfshark is not simply among the best suppliers obtainable, however it’s constantly bettering. Certain, there are nonetheless alternatives to develop and get higher — for instance, I would prefer to see a extra concerted and deliberate push towards elevated transparency from Surfshark. Due to Surfshark’s total progress, I like to recommend it as a stable, budget-friendly different to NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Pace: A large enchancment over earlier speeds
- 17% velocity loss in autumn 2023 checks
- Variety of servers: 3,200-plus
- Variety of nations: 100
I am completely impressed with Surfshark’s velocity enhancements over the previous 12 months. Surfshark rebounded tremendously from our earlier velocity checks, the place it underwhelmed as an inconsistent slowpoke, sputtering alongside like a boxy 1989 minivan making an attempt to merge onto the freeway. In our newest velocity checks, Surfshark was paying homage to a System One racer, preserving tempo with different speedsters like NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
In November 2023, we examined Surfshark’s speeds from Ohio and Kentucky to servers in New York, the UK, Australia, Germany, France and Singapore, connecting by means of OpenVPN and WireGuard on Mac and Home windows gadgets. We ran 600 particular person velocity checks on Surfshark’s world VPN servers to calculate a 17% common velocity loss throughout servers, gadgets and protocols.
The 17% common velocity loss we calculated in our newest checks of Surfshark’s speeds is a monumental enchancment over the 40% velocity loss we calculated in February 2023. Looking and streaming had been noticeably smoother on my Home windows laptop computer than they had been beforehand. The general high quality of the streams from sure areas like Australia was sporadic, with titles taking endlessly to load and consistently buffering. Throughout my current checks, I bumped into no such points.
In our earlier checks, Surfshark’s speeds had been frustratingly inconsistent and gradual, particularly when utilizing the OpenVPN protocol on Home windows, the place I misplaced 77% of my common web speeds. I introduced the problem as much as Surfshark then, and an organization consultant promised that engineers would examine and deal with it. I am pleased to report that our newest checks registered a way more acceptable 28% velocity loss on Home windows by means of OpenVPN. On MacOS by means of OpenVPN, we calculated a 19% velocity loss. As anticipated, speeds by means of the lighter-weight WireGuard protocol had been sooner than OpenVPN on Home windows and MacOS, at 13% and 9%, respectively.
I used to be additionally impressed with the general consistency of Surfshark’s velocity efficiency. Speeds did not spike or dip from one check to the following like they had been liable to do beforehand. General, the velocity readings from our testing places had been as anticipated and constant throughout the board. Speeds to New York and the UK had been typically the quickest, impartial of what protocol or system we had been utilizing. Speeds to France and Germany had been additionally quick, however not fairly as fast as New York or the UK. As anticipated, speeds to Australia and Singapore — the farthest distance from our testing places — had been typically the slowest.
Though speeds to Australia and Singapore had been typically quick, the lone outlier was with MacOS by means of OpenVPN to Australia, the place obtain speeds hovered between 50 and 60 Mbps on a 140 Mbps web connection in Kentucky. In any other case, speeds to Australia had been on different platforms, and protocols had been effective — often round 120 to 130 Mbps.
However, Surfshark’s 17% common velocity loss solidifies it as one of many quickest VPNs on the planet, alongside NordVPN (a mean 10% velocity loss) and ExpressVPN (18% velocity loss).
Value: Costly month-to-month charge, however vital financial savings with longer-term subscriptions
- $14 monthly, $48 for the primary 12 months (then $60 yearly) or $54 for the primary two years mixed (then $60 yearly)
- Cash-back assure: 30 days
- Cost choices: Bank card, PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, cryptocurrency
- Apps obtainable for MacOS, Home windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Fireplace TV
Surfshark’s month-to-month subscription plan is the most costly month-to-month charge amongst CNET’s listing of the very best VPNs, at $14 monthly. How can Surfshark keep its standing as among the best low cost VPNs? As a result of it is extra reasonably priced than rivals while you buy a lengthier subscription plan.
The yearly plan prices $48 for the primary 12 months however jumps to $60 yearly for any further years. Should you go for the two-year plan, you will pay $54 for the primary two years mixed, then $60 yearly after the preliminary two-year time period. CNET would not advocate signing on with any VPN for greater than a 12 months at a time due to how rapidly issues can shift within the VPN {industry}. Whereas your VPN supplier could initially be reasonably priced, quick and safe, it might get entangled in a safety incident, get acquired by a shady firm or expertise velocity loss after a 12 months. Even after the introductory pricing lapse on both the one- or two-year plan, Surfshark’s commonplace $60 annual charge is considerably cheaper than the yearly costs from ExpressVPN ($100), NordVPN ($100), IPVanish ($90) or Proton VPN ($72).
Like its rivals, together with Proton and Nord, Surfshark is frequently increasing its providing right into a complete on-line privateness/safety suite. Surfshark’s Starter tier contains the VPN, ad-blocker and cookie pop-up blocker. The costs listed above correspond to the Starter tier, however bundles can be found at a further price that features instruments like antivirus, non-public search, knowledge removing, breach alerts and alternate ID generator.
You may attempt the service commitment-free as a result of a 30-day money-back assure backs all of Surfshark’s subscription plans. There’s even a 7-day free trial if you happen to join by means of Apple’s App Retailer or the Google Play Retailer. You may pay on your Surfshark subscription by way of bank card, PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay or numerous cryptocurrencies.
You can even buy a devoted IP deal with for a further $3.75 monthly. Should you purchase a devoted IP from Surfshark, you will get a private IP deal with, slightly than sharing the identical IP deal with with different customers. That is useful if you wish to entry your checking account on-line from overseas. It will probably additionally enable you keep away from working into IP blacklists and cut back the variety of CAPTCHAs you must navigate. Surfshark’s devoted IPs are presently obtainable in 10 nations, together with the US, UK, Germany, France and Australia.
Bear in mind that utilizing a shared IP deal with is often the higher transfer from a privateness standpoint; with so many individuals utilizing the identical IP deal with, it turns into far more troublesome to pinpoint any exercise to a single particular person. With a devoted IP deal with, that IP deal with is used solely by you, so that you run the chance of somebody tracing the exercise related to that IP deal with again to you. To fight this threat, Surfshark gives an nameless devoted IP possibility, the place the IP deal with is totally separated from the person’s e mail deal with and can’t be traced again to any particular particular person. I requested Surfshark in an interview why anybody would select the non-anonymous devoted IP possibility. Justas Pukys, Surfshark’s VPN Product Lead, advised me that apart from being a a lot simpler setup, the non-anonymous devoted IP possibility is refundable, whereas the nameless possibility is far more durable to refund as a result of the IP deal with is just not tied to a person in Surfshark’s database. My recommendation for anybody contemplating Surfshark’s devoted IP is to decide on the nameless possibility, regardless of the harder setup course of. Simply know that you just’re primarily waiving your alternative for a refund — so make certain you want it earlier than buying the add-on.
Apps can be found for Home windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS and Amazon Fireplace TV. In my expertise, Surfshark’s apps labored properly and delivered a constant expertise throughout the board.
The corporate not too long ago launched a graphical person interface (GUI) for Linux — which is equally simple to make use of as Surfshark’s apps on different platforms however is just not but fairly as feature-rich. Surfshark’s Linux app contains some primary privateness options, together with Dynamic Multihop, however would not embody options like its CleanWeb advert and malware blocker, NoBorders mode, split-tunneling or a kill swap like its different apps do. Pukys advised CNET in an interview that there are plans to doubtlessly make the devoted IP function obtainable to Linux customers, however further options aren’t within the works at the moment. Though Surfshark’s Linux app continues to be slightly barebones, it is a step above many different VPN suppliers who solely supply Linux customers the choice to attach by way of a command line interface (CLI) which is not as user-friendly for newcomers.
If you wish to use a VPN to stream content material on-line, Surfshark is a stable selection — particularly if you wish to get probably the most out of your Netflix subscription. Throughout my checks, I used to be capable of entry content material from numerous Netflix libraries from all over the world, together with the US, UK, Germany, Belgium, Japan, Denmark and Hungary. I effortlessly streamed Disney-plus content material by means of Surfshark as properly, an enchancment contemplating I bumped into points with it beforehand. I used to be delighted to have the ability to stream episode after episode of The Simpsons on Disney Plus in 4K with none points. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video was additionally seamless on all platforms I examined. I encountered a number of points utilizing Surfshark to stream content material on Hulu. It labored properly by means of Surfshark’s Fireplace TV Stick app however not by way of iOS. Once I tried streaming Hulu on my Mac, I used to be capable of entry the location, however the titles refused to load till I disconnected from the VPN.
Buyer help is obtainable across the clock by way of dwell chat when you have questions or run into points. Surfshark’s Assist Heart is crammed with useful articles, troubleshooting guides and tutorials for people preferring to analyze issues on their very own.
All issues thought-about, Surfshark gives tons of worth wrapped up in a bundle that is cheaper than many different top-tier VPN choices — so long as you join the annual subscription plan.
Privateness and safety: Constant privateness enhancements, however transparency might use a lift
- Jurisdiction: Netherlands
- Encryption: AES-256-GCM, ChaCha20
- RAM-only server infrastructure
- Protocols obtainable: OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2
I am inspired by Surfshark’s burgeoning dedication to person privateness. It is nonetheless not fairly on the extent of ExpressVPN, Non-public Web Entry or Proton VPN when it comes to transparency — ExpressVPN has an in depth belief heart and is unmatched when it comes to its third-party audit depend, and PIA and Proton are each absolutely open-source and often publish transparency reviews. I’ve seen constant progress from Surfshark not too long ago in its efforts to boost person privateness.
Maybe probably the most noteworthy privateness initiative Surfshark continued creating over the previous 12 months is its proprietary Nexus community. With its Nexus know-how, Surfshark can join its complete community of servers collectively and deploy a number of revolutionary VPN privateness options within the course of. Basically, Surfshark’s Nexus know-how helps route customers’ VPN connection by means of a number of servers all through the community as an alternative of only one. Surfshark was capable of leverage Nexus to roll out options like its IP Rotator and Dynamic Multihop options, including further layers of privateness. Pukys additionally stated that the know-how boosted the steadiness of the community, leading to fewer dropped connections.
Surfshark’s IP Rotator, Dynamic Multihop and IP Randomizer options soup up your privateness
The IP Rotator function modifications your IP deal with each jiffy whereas staying related to the identical location and with out breaking the connection. This may present further privateness by making it more durable for anybody to trace you or pinpoint you to a single IP deal with. Rotator labored properly throughout my testing, and I maintained a secure connection all through a number of IP modifications. I skilled no noticeable disruption in my connection or web exercise as one IP deal with was swapped out for one more.
Surfshark’s Dynamic Multihop is one other simple option to enhance your privateness whereas utilizing the VPN. Whereas multi-hop VPN connections aren’t new or unique to Surfshark, Dynamic Multihop takes the concept of double-VPN and enhances it. Historically, VPN suppliers — like NordVPN, for instance — who supply multihop connections restrict customers’ selections to a handful of preset double-VPN connections. That is nice and offers an additional layer of privateness, however the obtainable preset choices will not be ideally suited for all customers. Surfshark’s Dynamic Multihop allows you to select any two servers you need to route your connection by means of. Due to this fact, you should have no points selecting two servers shut by to optimize your speeds whereas doubling the safety you get from the VPN. That is advantageous as a result of a multi-hop connection typically slows your speeds much more than a typical VPN connection. If in case you have essential privateness wants, Dynamic Multihop is a straightforward option to enhance your privateness with Surfshark.
Surfshark has been teasing a more recent Nexus function it calls IP Randomizer. Because the title suggests, IP Randomizer randomizes your IP deal with — not each jiffy just like the IP Rotator, however each time you hook up with a special web site — with out disconnecting you from the VPN server. Surfshark’s web site lists the function as “coming quickly,” however Pukys advised us in an interview that the corporate is placing it on maintain in the intervening time to focus extra on “speeds and content material accessibility.” At the moment, there is not a timetable for IP Randomizer’s launch.
Like different high VPNs, Surfshark gives the complete lineup of industry-standard privateness protections like a kill swap, DNS leak safety and a no-logs coverage. Its kill swap labored as anticipated throughout my testing and I detected no leaks.
Surfshark passes first exterior no-logs audit, however transparency can nonetheless use some work
In its Privateness Coverage, Surfshark claims that it would not accumulate “any details about what you do on-line (your visited IP addresses, searching historical past, session info, used bandwidth, connection time stamps, community site visitors or another comparable info).” A no-logs coverage is important for any reliable VPN supplier to declare, however these assertions are unimaginable to confirm with 100% certainty. Surfshark handed its first-ever impartial no-logs audit in late 2022. Though the impartial auditing occasion can solely confirm its findings all through its audit, this serves as a significant belief sign to the general public that the VPN supplier is true to its phrase when it says it would not log person exercise. Surfshark’s no-logs audit is a promising step in the suitable route for transparency, however it’s nonetheless not in the identical ballpark as ExpressVPN, which accomplished a formidable 12 audits in 2022. When requested about audit cadence going ahead, Pukys wasn’t capable of decide to a timeline however talked about that future audits can be forthcoming, not better than each two years.
One other vital belief sign for a VPN is an annual or bi-annual transparency report that discloses what number of courtroom orders, subpoenas and authorities requests the supplier has been served with and what, if any, info the VPN supplied. Surfshark presently doesn’t publish a transparency report. Surfshark representatives advised us that the corporate is “exploring the probabilities” of publishing transparency reviews sooner or later and is shifting in that route however can’t decide to an ETA now. They did be aware that the corporate has “not acquired any subpoenas that will have required [it] to reveal any knowledge.” That stated, the corporate has a Belief Heart on its web site and has revealed an Annual Wrap-Up for 2022 that gives further perception into Surfshark’s stance on privateness and safety. Nonetheless, I’d have preferred to have seen extra of an express dedication from Surfshark to publishing a transparency report, particularly when different VPN suppliers like Non-public Web Entry publish them often.
Surfshark’s Netherlands jurisdiction may be a priority for some customers. If in case you have heightened on-line privateness wants, you could be leery of signing on with a VPN supplier headquartered in a rustic that’s a part of the so-called 14 Eyes data-sharing alliance.
Extra privateness options embody obfuscated servers, a RAM-only server infrastructure and an advert and malware blocker. Additionally, Surfshark not too long ago launched its CleanWeb 2.0 adblocker performance for its browser extensions.
“CleanWeb 2.0 was particularly launched for the app for our browser extension. Now, our browser extension not solely acts as a VPN, however it additionally works as a full-fledged ad-blocking device,” Pukys advised us in an interview. “We additionally applied such options as malware detection the place we give alerts for the customers if some particular web site that the person is visiting has some potential malware on it, or it had some particular knowledge breaches.”
Surfshark makes use of industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption for OpenVPN and IKEv2 connections, with ChaCha20 encryption for the WireGuard protocol.
A design flaw might briefly expose your true IP deal with — however Surfshark is engaged on it
One level of concern that I really feel is vital to notice with Surfshark’s app has to do with the disconnection that happens if the person jumps from one server straight to a different. Whereas working DNS leak checks, I jumped from one server to a different. Through the hop, the DNS leak testing device I used displayed my dwelling IP deal with earlier than displaying the IP deal with of the VPN server I switched to.
Although displaying my unmasked IP deal with doesn’t technically represent a DNS leak, it may be simply as harmful if you happen to’re unaware of the dangers of exposing your true IP deal with and unencrypted site visitors for even a break up second. Neither is it a bug, per se. In reality, it is typical conduct for a lot of VPNs, however it does uncover a doubtlessly harmful design flaw in Surfshark’s VPN app. Once you soar from one server to a different, a dialogue pop-up signifies that the VPN is disconnecting earlier than the shopper establishes the following connection. The issue is that the warning seems after you have already initiated the change, and you’ll’t cease the disconnection. It is already too late, and you could have already leaked your true IP deal with, web exercise, location and identification.
Whereas a seasoned VPN person could anticipate this conduct and shut out of something delicate earlier than making the soar, some customers could not — and will inadvertently put their on-line privateness at critical threat. To fight this problem, some VPNs briefly kill the web connection whereas establishing a brand new VPN connection. NordVPN can reconfigure the prevailing tunnel as an alternative of opening a brand new one, eliminating the disconnect altogether. ExpressVPN does neither, however it points a pop-up warning previous to initiating the soar, altering the person that their site visitors will not be safe throughout the server swap.
After I introduced the matter as much as the Surfshark staff throughout our interview, they acknowledged the problem and pledged to deploy an answer as a precedence. A consultant from Surfshark later confirmed by way of e mail that the corporate is launching a notification within the subsequent launch of its MacOS and iOS apps alerting customers that the VPN will disconnect throughout the location change. The newest MacOS model is now obtainable and contains the brand new alert, however the iOS replace is just not but obtainable. The notification pop-up on Surfshark’s MacOS app confirms with the person in the event that they need to proceed, at which level they will proceed or cancel the server swap. The consultant stated that Surfshark is now engaged on a long-term answer to the problem, which would require further time for improvement and testing.
Whereas there may be presently no timetable for the discharge of the long-term answer, the consultant assured me that the staff is engaged on it as a high precedence. Within the meantime, MacOS customers ought to replace to the most recent model immediately, iOS customers as soon as the most recent replace is obtainable and customers on different platforms ought to be cautious to shut out of something doubtlessly delicate previous to initiating a soar from one server location to a different.
Surfshark is a wallet-friendly, moderately quick and well-rounded VPN
I am pleased with Surfshark’s enhancements relating to transparency and person privateness total. I am additionally impressed with how responsive the staff was to my issues and the way rapidly they acted to start addressing them to make their VPN product safer. There’s nonetheless some work to be accomplished on that entrance, however I feel Surfshark is headed in the suitable route. In any case, Surfshark is a wonderful possibility for budget-conscious VPN customers who take pleasure in streaming content material and wish an reasonably priced VPN that is revolutionary in terms of privateness.