SurfShark Review
Is Surfshark a good VPN for streaming and daily use? An in-depth review backed with recent test results.
Introduction
Overview
Surfshark is a fast, solid VPN service with easy to use clients and great customer support.
This review of SurfShark contains the results of thorough testing between 5 September 2020 and 3 November 2020.
To ensure accuracy, this document is continuously being updated with monthly updated test data.
Is SurfShark a good VPN? Is it worth getting?
Privacy & Anonymity Summary
They have a no-logs policy and they claim that they do not track, monitor, or store any identifiable data.
Speed & Performance Summary
The speeds offered are very good, but depends on the protocol used.
Functionality & Application Summary
The app is intuitive and very easy to use. Beginners and those who are not used to technology will be able to get familiar with the app in no time.
Reputation & Support Summary
Surfshark has maintained a good reputation, and there are no data leaks, privacy concerns, or controversies involving them until now. Their customer support also has a good reputation, they have been very successful in addressing the users’ problems on time.
Price & Value Summary
At a price of $11.95/month, there are plenty of better alternatives. But at $47.76 for two years, it is one of the cheapest yet fast VPN services out there on the market.
How Was SurfShark Rated?
Review Criteria
I've rated SurfShark on multiple elements across five categories, and analysed the results to give you a good understanding of the service.
Privacy & Anonymity
Does SurfShark leak any data while in use? Do they collect or store logs? Do they allow you to anonymously purchase the service? Do they employ a variety of security protocols to keep you anonymous online?
Speed & Performance
Does SurfShark offer fast speeds (on par with browsing without a VPN connection)? Are these speeds consistent? Or do they drop off or fluctuate too much?
Functionality & Application
Does SurfShark work well? Is it easy to install and use? Does it unblock geo-restricted content? Can it unblock Netflix and BBC iPlayer?
Reputation & Support
Is SurfShark a reputable seller with a strong track record of happy customers and good reviews? Does it provide outstanding customer and tech support? Does SurfShark and their parent company have a track record of honesty, transparency, and its customers' best interests at heart?
Price & Value
Does the price of the service match (or exceed) the quality of experience? Does SurfShark represent value for money?
Privacy & Anonymity
Does SurfShark have a logging policy?
Surfshark is a no-logs VPN. Their website claims that they do not track, monitor, or store what users do online.
Does SurfShark have a kill switch?
Windows and Android clients have an internet kill switch but do not have an app kill switch.
What security protocols does SurfShark use?
Surfshark uses IKEv2, OpenVPN, and Shadowsocks protocols. Shadowsocks is available only on Android and Windows clients.
The supported protocols on different platforms .
Speed & Performance
Is SurfShark fast?
The speeds can be great, average, or poor depending on the protocol used. The OpenVPN(UDP) protocol is very fast, the iKEv2 protocol provides average speeds and the OpenVPN(TCP) protocol is very slow.
Does SurfShark provide consistent speeds?
The provided speeds are consistent as long as we don’t change the protocol, although there are occasional connection drops.
Functionality & Application
Is SurfShark easy to use?
The server locations screen has a search button on Windows.
The main settings screen on Windows.
The Windows client is fairly simple and intuitive, although the functionalities are limited. The app interface is ideal for older people and for those who are not used to technology.
I just had to open the installation file to install it on Windows. There were no checkboxes and agreements, and the app was ready to use in less than 35 seconds.
The app lets users search for their favorite server locations - an extremely useful feature that many major VPNs lack. However, it took a relatively long time to connect to the servers, and it was a little frustrating.
There are no great functionalities and complex settings, so power users may not like Surfshark.
A look at the app dashboard on Windows.
Surfshark doesn’t offer many customization options on Windows.
Connectivity settings and internet kill switch on Windows.
Does SurfShark support split tunneling?
Yes, it lets us bypass VPN as well as route apps via the VPN.
Is SurfShark good for torrenting? Do they approve of using P2P technology?
Surfshark supports P2P and torrenting, and the transfer speeds are above average.
Is SurfShark good for Netflix?
SurfShark was able to successfully unblocked geo-restricted Netflix content in 10 out of 15 countries. I could watch Netflix content exclusive to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom and USA.
Is SurfShark good for BBC iPlayer?
Is SurfShark good for streaming?
What are some good features of SurfShark?
- Supports split tunneling
- Does not keep browsing logs
- Great customer support
- Can be used in unlimited devices
Reputation & Support
Is SurfShark trustworthy?
Surfshark is a trustable VPN service. They have very responsive live chat support, and their customer support does hold on to their money-back guarantee. The VPN is very new, and there are no privacy concerns or data leaks involving Surfshark as yet.
Does SurfShark have live chat support? Are they responsive?
Surfshark has fast and very helpful live chat support.
The live chat support was very fast and responsive.
Where are they based? What jurisdiction are they under?
Surfshark VPN is based in the British Virgin Islands.
Who is the parent company?
The VPN service is owned by Surfshark Ltd, and their address is Wickhams Cay I, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
Have SurfShark or their parent company been involved in any controversies or scandals?
There are no controversies, scandals, or data breaches towards Surfshark’s name until now, but they were recently criticized for selling the resources of an open-source platform as Hacklock, a service that informs subscribers in case of a data breach or hack. However, they are using the resources of ‘Have I Been Pwned’, which is totally free, and are selling it for $1 per month.
What do most customers say they like about the service?
Customers like their customer support and reckon that the support is very responsive and helpful.
What do customers most dislike about the service?
Occasional disconnections and interruptions seem to be an issue for many customers. Apart from that, some customers were not able to access their favorite streaming websites with Surfshark.
Price & Value
How much does SurfShark cost per month?
There are three different subscription plans, a monthly plan costing $11.95/month, a yearly plan costing $71.88 at $5.99/month, and a two-year plan costing $47.76 at $1.99/month. It is interesting to see that the two-year plan costs way less than the one-year plan.
The pricing plans in USD.
Is SurfShark worth the money?
Surfshark is definitely not worth the money if you are subscribing to their monthly plan. But the one-year and two-year plans can be considered worth the money for someone who does not care much about the protocols since the OpenVPN(UDP) offers great speeds.
What payment forms do they accept?
Surfshark VPN accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit cards, payment gateways like PayPal, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay, and cryptocurrency payment gateways CoinGate and Coin Payments,
The accepted payment methods include cryptocurrencies as well.
Do they have a trial or a money-back guarantee? What is their refund policy?
They offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, but their website advertises it as a free trial. Surfshark does initiate a refund in the 30-day period, but many customers reported that they had to go through a feedback loop to get it.
Conclusion
Who is SurfShark good for?
Surfshark is a great VPN for those who are looking for a fast VPN with a no-logs policy and great customer support, and it is very cheap for the quality of service provided. Beginners will also find Surfshark highly helpful.
Who is it not suitable for?
Surfshark is not a good choice for power users since the customization options are very limited.
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