SurfShark Review 2024

8.9/10 (Expert Score)
Product is rated as #6 in category VPN
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One of the newer VPN providers on the market, SurfShark appears likely to become one of the premier solutions in the market. Through a rigorous audit followed by a consistent release of soundly tested software, this approach by SurfShark is something to take note of. Their solution is excellent enough that there are rumors of the software working for China-based users. As with many other providers SurfShark provides a level of transparency for user trust. This user trust goes beyond most mainstream users as the industry far and wide loves SurfShark and the additional products and features they offer. As I said, they are relatively new, and here is a short timeline.

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Pros&Cons

SurfShark Pros&Cons | Check Positive and Negative Sides

Positive
  • Multiple unique features
  • Multihop connection available
  • Third-party audit
  • Extremely fast connection speeds
  • Great price to feature comparison
Negatives
  • No dedicated VPN router application
  • Lacks strong social media presence

Features Table

SurfShark VPN Features Table Summary

HeadquarterAmsterdam, Netherlands
No-log policyTick icon
Kill switchTick icon
Included # devices with 1 licenseUnlimited
Server locations100 countries
Number of servers3200+
Torrents supportTick icon
Netflix supportTick icon
Split tunnelingTick icon
Multi-hop (VPN chaining)Tick icon
Encryption typeAES-256
Customer support24/7 by email, chat
Trial versionTick icon
Money-back guarantee30 days
Websitehttps://surfshark.com

SurfShark Video Guide

How To Get Started With SurfShark VPN Guide?

Features Overview

SurfShark In-Depth Features Overview

1

Location

The headquarters of SurfShark VPN is, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Their official mailing address is: Surfshark B.V., Kabelweg 57, 1014BA, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, VAT number NL862287339B01

SurfShark does have a somewhat public presence which gives peace of mind but leaves much to be desired in relation to their location. Despite the relocation from the British Virgin Islands (BVI) to the Netherlands, SurfShark maintains their no-logs policy in a five/nine/fourteen eyes territory by stating on their Reddit page,

We are well aware of the Intelligence and Security Act and its possible implications. Having analyzed this act, we are still able to maintain our strict no-logs policy. If we ever felt a threat to that, we would move to another jurisdiction.

SurfShark VPN

If that doesn’t put you at ease, visit their Warrant canary, that should.

2

SurfShark’s no-logs policy

The no-logs policy question is always posted on VPN support pages. Here is that page stating the only information that SurfShark maintains is email for authentication and billing information for refunds.

3

CleanWeb

CleanWeb makes SurfShark an Adblock VPN, blocking ads and malware before they even load. This is not available for YouTube ads but does take care of your digital privacy. You can lower the data consumption on mobile devices with a CleanWeb experience because these ads, pop-ups, and banners soak up much of that data. Without the additional ads, malware, and phishing attempts, there is a boost in browsing speed. I found my browsing speed was rock solid on this solution. It works.

4

Static servers

Use a static IP to look like everyone else connected to that server. Take that a step further by securing yourself through a multihop.

5

Multihop

Multihop servers pass a VPN connection through two VPN servers in two different countries. In the GUI, you see two different flags next to each other. Here is an example based on some speed tests I did with each one. Some are obviously much faster than others. For example, routing through Singapore to India downloaded at a high 515 MBps, a stark different from India to the UK at only 5 MBps.

SurfShark VPN multihop india to uk
SurfShark VPN multihop India to UK
SurfShark multihop Singapore to India
SurfShark multihop Singapore to India
6

Bypasser

Bypasser is SurfShark’s split-tunnel feature. It allows you to choose which data you want to encrypt, further allowing you to maintain two different IP addresses at the same time. Why use it? Is that YouTube video you are watching top secret? If it is, it shouldn’t be on YouTube, and if it’s not, put YouTube on your unencrypted tunnel and get better videos. It’s currently only available on the Windows VPN or Android VPN app but they say they are adding more Bypassers soon.

7

No boder mode

Some people need to operate in more restrictive environments. For those would-be users, there is a No border mode where the flick of a switch let’s you surf in a restricted internet space. Want to use a less serious version, try camouflage mode on those sites that block VPN access so you can still obfuscate your traffic.

Servers’ Speed Summary

SurfShark VPN Server Speed Tests Summary

LocationDistance (km)Download (Mbps)Upload (Mbps)Ping (ms)
USA San Diego (No VPN Connected)0947366
USA Los Angeles1786293511
USA New York38807043676
UK London878956334145
Ukraine Kiev1021549036182
Hong Kong1180855134162
Austrailia Sydney736458636161
Table featuring location, distance, and speeds of speedtests
Field: Distance (km) and Field: Download (Mbps) appear highly correlated
Field: Distance (km) and Field: Download (Mbps) appear highly correlated

Speed & Bandwidth

SurfShark VPN Server Speed Tests & Bandwidth

Speed loss from your local ISP is good if it is around 30% or above. My speed is conducted straight from my modem with link aggregation removed, thereby creating a single connection from my desktop computer to modem to WAN connection. This speed was on a gigablast connection showing an average of 947 MBps download and 36 MBps upload.

From the screenshots below, SurfShark falls into the average loss of 38% based on my small sample and I would consider this extremely impressive. SurfShark demonstrates that across their servers’ speeds are unlimited and your connection is outstanding. They have speed and consistency comparable to NordVPN.

My benchmark before testing – No VPN – 947 Download Mbps / 36 Upload Mbps

SurfShark actual ISP speed with no VPN activated
SurfShark no VPN connection speed
SurfShark speed test Los Angeles California USA
Speedtest Los Angeles, California, USA
Speedtest New York, New York, USA
Speedtest New York, New York, USA
SurfShark Speedtest London, United Kingdom
Speedtest London, United Kingdom
Speedtest Kiev, Ukraine
Speedtest Kiev, Ukraine
Speedtest Sydney, Australia
Speedtest Sydney, Australia
Speedtest Hong Kong
Speedtest Hong Kong

DNS Leak Tests

DNS Leak Tests at dnsleaktest.com, surfshark.com and dnsleak.com

I performed some DNS leak tests to confirm whether my DNS information or the SurfShark VPN information was exposed. Please see the screenshots indicating there was no DNS leak, starting with the SurfShark DNS leak test.

SurfShark DNS leak test 1
DNS Test at https://surfshark.com/dns-leak-test
SurfShark DNS leak test 2
DNS Test at https://dnsleaktest.com/results.html
SurfShark VPN DNS leak test 3
DNS Test at https://dnsleak.com/

SurfShark vs Competitors

< class="mt0 mb10 font200" style="color:#111;"> SurfShark VPN Compared to the Competition

SurfShark is a newcomer on the scene and has exploded with popularity. Notice the Google Trends graph below depicting five reputable VPNs on the market with SurfShark still not created. SurfShark goes from non-existent to being higher than Kape Technologies’ Private Internet Access (PIA) and their CyberGhost VPN anonymization services. That speaks to product differentiation, the cost of the product, their customer support, and more.

However, SurfShark has seemingly struggled to provide a solid social media presence. Most VPN providers have strong followings or heavy marketing campaigns. I found SurfShark to be lagging in this area.
SurfShark vs competitors trends
Five reputable VPNs, date since before December 2014

Conclusion

Should You Buy SurfShark VPN?

With a strong showing since their debut, Surfshark stands out as one of the premier, upcoming VPN providers. Their innovative features like Bypasser, custom allowlists, unlimited devices, exceptional high speeds, and the list continues. SurfShark is providing an excellent service at a reasonable price. Those looking for a little more control on their applications and software may find a home in SurfShark. Those still waiting for some additional features, like a VPN router application or more Linux apps, may not have to wait very long. This business operates legally and ethically within a clearly defined standard under the Netherland’s legal purview. In the words of Cure53 I am, “highly satisfied to see such a strong security posture.” Not solely on their extensions, but across their product line in total.

Black Friday 2024 Deal! 88% Off Surfshark Coupon Code (2 Years + 6 Months FREE)
88% Off Surfshark VPN coupon code for 2 years + 6 months free offer
$1.43 $11.95
SurfShark Coupons
8.9 Total Score
Very Good

Features
9.5
Servers' Speed
9
Tech Support
8
Price
9
PROS
  • Easy to browse user interface
  • Application available across multiple systems
  • Secure, anonymous browsing
CONS
  • Inside 9/14 Alliance
  • Chat feature appears to work during certain hours
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