Surfshark is a VPN provider that we wanted to test in order to verify the excellent reviews about it that run on the internet. Faced with the multiplication of threats present online, more and more Internet users are turning to protection solutions to secure their data. VPNs are an important part of this security software that makes sure you can be anonymous on the internet and keep your online activities private.

But how do you choose a provider? Indeed, it is difficult to make a choice when you see the multitude of players on the market. To help you, we have reviewed the solutions of the main providers in order to give you a detailed analysis of their performance at all levels. Without waiting, discover our opinion on Surfshark.

What is Surfshark and how to install it?

Small newcomer among the big ones, the VPN Surfshark has managed to impose itself by offering a quality solution at very affordable prices. By focusing on the simplicity of use, the clarity of explanations and by offering very interesting features, it has convinced the most novice computer users but also the most experienced.

If we had to make a summary, here is what we could note:

How to install the Surfshark VPN client?

The installation of the Surfshark application can be done from a computer, a tablet, a smartphone or an Android Smart TV. To download the software, you can go on the website of the provider using this link or from the application store corresponding to your operating system (App Store or Google Play Store).

Once you have downloaded and opened the file, all you have to do is follow the installation steps and enter your login details. One thing is for sure, everything has been well thought out so that the VPN configuration can be done quickly and easily on all your devices. However, if you need more details, you can consult the Surfshark guides accessible from its help center. In addition to several screenshots, video tutorials are available.

How to use the VPN?

Once Surfshark is installed, you’ve done the hard part. Using the VPN application is very simple. The main commands, namely the connect button and the list of countries, are accessible directly from the interface and very easily identifiable. Even if you’ve never used this type of software before, you won’t have any trouble using it because everything is intuitive.

Note that if you do not know which server to choose and you do not have a particular location in mind, you can follow the recommendations of Surfshark. You will find, for example, the option “fastest server” as well as “nearest country”. If in doubt, do not hesitate to ask for advice to the experts of the brand who will answer you via the chat.

Once the Surfshark VPN is activated, your internet connection and your identity will be secure. This is the primary function of VPNs but finally, whatever your online activities, you will have one (and especially several) reasons to use a VPN. Before going into the details of this Surfshark review, let’s remind you of the different VPN use cases.

• You want to protect your online activities? It will allow you to be totally anonymous on the Internet and thus not be vulnerable to different attacks, such as data theft, phishing or targeted marketing (retargeting) in a too intrusive way.
• Are you using a public Wi-Fi network? It will guarantee you protection and anonymity against ill-intentioned people who might want to retrieve your connection data and use it against you or resell it.
• You are going to a country where a strong censorship is in place? We will come back to this in the continuation of this test of Surfshark, but it will be possible for you to bypass this censorship to continue to access all the contents and platforms you want.
• You are going abroad and want to continue to access all your content? All you have to do is choose a server in the US or your country of origin and you can unblock everything again.
• You don’t have an account with a sports TV channel but you still want to see all the matches and competitions? You will be able to access a large number of foreign TV channels that broadcast them for free, and thus save the price of a subscription to a specialized channel.
• You want to buy your plane tickets at the lowest price? Thanks to a VPN, you will be able to change your location and thus benefit from the best rates.
• You are used to downloading torrents and watching streaming content? No need to be afraid anymore, with a Virtual Private Network, no one will be able to trace you back, not even your ISP (Internet Service Provider).

As you can see, the advantages of such software are many. We would be very surprised if you didn’t find your way around this wide range of uses. In any case, the VPN Surfshark has the solution, and it is the cheapest of the moment.

Performances

The first element that we are going to see in test in this review on Surfshark is its speed. Indeed, we must not forget that it is a fundamental element, since it is what will determine your comfort when you go on the Internet with the VPN.

It is completely normal to have a slight drop in throughput because your traffic goes through another server, which inevitably creates longer response times. What is not normal is to have a poor connection and have to compromise on download times or streaming image quality.

So we’ve done several tests of Surfshark to make sure you can rely on it in this regard.

Speed without VPN

To start with, here is the state of our connection without VPN, and therefore without any protection. From the results, we can see that the speed is fast both in download and upload, and the latency is very short (9 ms). This should allow us to see more easily any disparities once connected to the VPN.

Speed in the US

Here is a new test, this time made with a server located in the US and more precisely in New York. As we can see, the connection is slightly impacted but it is still more than enough for your online activities; even downloading or streaming HD. This is another positive point in our Surfshark test.

Speed in the UK

To finish, we wanted to refine a little more our test here are the results obtained when connecting to an English server.

We can spot a rather large drop in the quality of connection since the download speeds were almost divided by 10. As you can see, this drop compared to the basic connection without VPN is quite normal. However, it is true that the speeds offered by Surfshark are lower than those offered by some of its competitors over long distances connections. We think in particular of NordVPN or ExpressVPN that you can find in our comparison of the fastest VPNs of 2023.

Note that it is possible to perform a speed test yourself directly from the Surfshark application on Windows. This feature is not yet available on macOS.

Finally, although the connection speeds are still decent, this is still a point on which the provider could improve in the future.

Test of Surfshark for streaming

Many Internet users use a VPN for streaming activities. Whether it is to access their content from anywhere in the world, to unblock exclusive foreign content or simply to protect themselves during this activity, all reasons are good to use this tool on a daily basis.

We started our test with Netflix, the most famous platform and one of the most difficult to unblock. According to its claims, Surfshark would be able to access 15 different Netflix catalogs. If some softwares are not efficient with Netflix. Rest assured, the solution offered by this VPN provider is formidably effective for accessing the SVoD site. We tried the experiment by connecting to a server in the UK and the content on Netflix immediately loaded. The video launched without any problem nor any buffering.

This is great news for those who would like to watch new movies and TV series, but also for people who are traveling or expatriates who would like to find their local content and audio settings.

In the same way, you will be able to access all the foreign channels you want, as long as the VPN covers the targeted country. So don’t hesitate to look at the list of servers in advance to get an idea. For your information, Surfshark is present in 65 countries.

On our side, we tried a lot of local UK channels and everything worked very well. Beware, the image sometimes has trouble being in HD, but this is mainly related to the limited speeds of this provider over long distance connections.

The only streaming platforms that the provider was unable to unlock were Amazon Prime Video and DAZN.

Security and privacy policy

Security is paramount for a quality VPN. That’s why in the rest of this Surfshark review, we will analyze in detail the proposals of this provider at this level. Does it guarantee optimal protection? This is what we will see right away.

SurfsharkVPN security

To be able to make an assessment of the security offered by the provider, we have made several tests first without and then with the VPN protection. Without Surfshark, the IP address of our device (a Mac in this case) is visible and our location correctly located.

On the other hand, once connected to a Surfshark server located in New York in the United States, the security system is effective: no reference to our real location and no DNS leak detected.

This shows that you will be protected during your online activities and that your anonymity will be preserved at all times. Indeed, your real IP address will never be visible once you connect to a server of the provider.

You should know that several types of encryption are offered. By default, the IKEv2/IPsec protocol will be used on your devices. But you can easily change it and use OpenVPN for example. If you don’t know which protocol to use, don’t hesitate to contact us or to contact the support department directly, they and we will be able to inform you about it.

In addition to the AES-256 encryption applied to all your data, Surfshark offers some users to go further with MultiHop. This feature redirects your web traffic through two VPN servers located in two different countries. This bridge creates a double protection for your IP address and data. MultiHop may not be necessary on a daily basis, but if you live in a country that restricts access to the Internet or if you perform a risky activity, this option is ideal.

Surfshark’s privacy policy

Let’s move on to an important element in our Surfshark test, and one that will complete our review: data privacy. The provider has a strict policy regarding logs and activity records of its users: nothing is kept within the company.

Being based in the British Virgin Islands, Surfshark has no obligation to keep any logs and therefore manages to ensure your anonymity and security online. This territory is also outside of any intelligence alliance such as the 5 Eyes, for example. So you can be confident that no one will be able to track you down, no matter what you do on the internet.

This no-log policy is a must when we research VPNs. Indeed, how can we talk about real protection when the company you trust to protect you is monitoring your activities or storing your data?

This strict privacy policy is therefore a very good news in this Surfshark review because it guarantees you a total and optimal protection.

Does the censorship bypass work with Surfshark?

The VPN is a very practical tool when you go to a country where censorship is rampant. It is sometimes the only way to continue accessing your TV programs or your favorite platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram or Google.

If you are planning to travel to one of the countries concerned, then you should know that the Surfshark VPN actually works well, even in China. Thanks to its advanced encryption system and its NoBorders mode, you won’t have any difficulty in bypassing the censorship in place. Nothing to fear if you want to protect your data, no one will be able to access it.

Beware though, if you’re looking for the best VPN for China, we have to warn you: you can find better from other providers. The performance is not yet the best on the market, especially in terms of speed. So don’t hesitate to make a detailed comparison between several offers that work in China (or other relevant countries) to determine which one would suit you best.

Server network and country coverage

Finding out about the server network of a provider is a key moment in the quality analysis of a Virtual Private Network. Indeed, this will determine the number of countries you will be able to access, but also to some extent, the saturation of servers that you will have to face.

To write this review on Surfshark, we were interested in the network offered by the provider. The provider has seen its number of servers grow in 2022 and it has more than 3,200 servers in 65 countries. If the country coverage seems low compared to the giants ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, which are present in 90 countries, you should not forget that Surfshark is a newcomer on the market and that the development of a server network takes time.

There is already a great deal of progress compared to the first proposals, but it would still require some work at this level if the company wants to raise its software on the highest steps of the podium.

Testing Surfshark’s customer support

Customer support is often an overlooked element of testing. However, it is essential when you subscribe to a VPN service. Nobody is safe from a question or a technical problem. Being able to find clear and quick answers in case of a problem is the basis of a good customer relationship. We therefore try to address this point in each supplier analysis.

We have contacted the customer support several times to make our own opinion on Surfshark. Good news for the provider: we were very pleasantly surprised.

In addition to the very clear FAQ pages that will allow you to have almost instant answers to the most frequently asked questions, you will benefit from detailed tutorials. They are notably declined according to the devices and the operating systems, in order to adapt to all the requests.

In addition to that, you will be able to access an online chat with an expert advisor of Surfshark. The only drawback is that it is currently only in English. However, it is available every day, 24 hours a day and the answers are very fast. We can only encourage you to seize this opportunity if you encounter difficulties or if you have questions!

Subscription cost

Here we are already more or less at the end of this review on Surfshark. But let’s not forget one very important point of this review: pricing. Let’s see now in our VPN test what Surfshark has to offer to its customers.

The advantage with this provider is that this point may be quickly concluded: difficult to find cheaper elsewhere when you signup for at least a yearly membership. Indeed, since its inception, Surfshark stands out with its very aggressive pricing policy, which allows it to attract many users.

As for its competitors, the monthly subscription does not have a major interest in terms of price (even if it is cheaper than others!). In 2023, it is really interesting to go with the 24-month subscription with quality protection at only 2.05€ per month (in addition to 2 months offered).

That said, its one-year subscription is still more than attractive. You’ll struggle to find a cheaper plan elsewhere for the same length of time.

If you decide to choose this provider, we advise you to choose this longer subscription in order to benefit from the best price. In any case, you should know that you can take advantage of a 30-day money-back guarantee: no need to hesitate. This guarantee is unconditional. Satisfied? That’s fine. If you are disappointed, ask for a full refund from our customer support.

Additional features

To differentiate themselves, more and more providers are offering additional features to create a unique consumer benefit. This can range from expanding the range of devices covered by the protection, to adding protection and encryption systems, or even features developed on the application.

In this part of our test, Surfshark will be scrutinized so that you can make your own opinion on the proposed solution!

Unlimited number of simultaneous connections

This is one of the exclusivities offered by the provider: if you buy a subscription, you will be able to connect and use this protection on all the devices of your family or friends simultaneously. You can protect as many devices as you want at the same time. Yes, you read correctly: the number of simultaneous connections is unlimited!

Knowing everything we said in the part about the offer and the associated pricing, you realize that the price per device is simply unbeatable. And this without compromising on quality.

This is therefore a more than positive point of this review on Surfshark, because the provider proves once again that he knew how to understand his users and consumers in order to propose an offer as close as possible to their expectations and their needs.

Compatibility

We won’t dwell on this point, because it’s pretty much the same with all the good providers on the market: our opinion on Surfshark couldn’t be so positive if you couldn’t install the VPN on your different devices.

This way, you can be sure that you can use the software regardless of your operating system: Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux and Fire TV.

Also note that a browser extension is available to protect your connections on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

Camouflage mode

If you use the OpenVPN protocol with UDP or TCP ports, you can also take advantage of the Camouflage mode. This allows you to pass your traffic as “normal” so that your ISP doesn’t even know you are using a VPN. It is not possible to enable/disable this option. It is mandatory activated when you use OpenVPN and you can therefore “deactivate” it by changing the protocol. Excellent point in this Surfshark review.

MultiHop mode

For even more anonymity, Surfshark has a Dual VPN feature. Here, it is called MultiHop. The operation is very simple. Instead of connecting to one server, as 99% of VPNs do, you connect to 2 different servers.

For example, you have the possibility to connect to UK through Germany. In concrete terms, your data is encrypted once by the first server, and when you arrive on the second server (the one in the UK), it is encrypted again and the latter ignores your original IP.

Be aware that the MultiHop mode from Surfshark will slow down your connection considerably. It should be used only in very specific cases.

Cleanweb

Like other very good VPN providers, Surfshark also offers an ad blocker and an anti-malware filter called Cleanweb. It allows to block most of the ads (no adblocker manages to block them all) in a rather efficient way. You just have to activate it in the application settings.

Whitelister

In other articles, we talked about the “Split-tuneling” function developed by some cybersecurity companies. At Surfshark, this feature is also present, but under another name: Whitelister.

In a few words, you will be able to allow some applications and websites to bypass the VPN and bypass the protection it provides. This can be interesting if you don’t want to indicate a different location than your usual one. For example for your emails: you won’t get an alert message that an unusual connection took place on the other side of the globe.

It is very practical, do not hesitate to use it if you have applications which require it.

Surfshark Review Conclusion

Even if some points of improvement are to be noted at the level of the speed of connection in particular, our opinion on Surfshark is all the same very positive. The value for money is excellent so do not hesitate to test the solution yourself thanks to the 30-day money back guarantee!

Strengths:

• Unbeatable pricing
• Unlimited number of devices to protect
• Camouflage mode
• Easy to install and use
• Works with Netflix and Torrenting
• Works in China, UAE and Turkey
• Whitelister (Split-Tunneling) available
• Multi-hop and kill switch

Weaknesses:

• Speed (especially for downloading and streaming)
• Connection time to servers often slow
• Number of servers but it is a fast growing VPN provider