A quick VPN for informal customers

Surfshark is among the youngest main VPNs, nevertheless it’s grown quickly over the past seven years. Since 2018, it is expanded its community to 100 nations, added a collection of apps to its Surfshark One package deal and experimented with superior touches like servers that always rotate your IP deal with.

Previously a finances VPN, Surfshark remains to be fairly reasonably priced however the price of a one-month subscription is method too excessive. Today, it is extra eager about innovation than affordability. Its options might not at all times be cutting-edge — Nexus is principally Tor and Everlink is a barely higher kill swap — nevertheless it’s uncommon to search out both carried out so nicely in a industrial VPN. Plus, obtain and add speeds are improbable.

All of it provides as much as the most effective VPNs for informal customers, even when in comparison with others in its weight class. However these already deeply conversant in VPNs may journey over some elements. For this overview, I studied 11 totally different angles on Surfshark’s service, some via hands-on checks and others with old school journalism. Try the sections most essential to you, then head to the tip for my ultimate verdict.

Editor’s notice (9/25/25): We have overhauled our VPN protection to supply extra detailed, actionable shopping for recommendation. Going ahead, we’ll proceed to replace each our finest VPN record and particular person opinions (like this one) as circumstances change. Most not too long ago, we added official scores to all of our VPN opinions. Try how we take a look at VPNs to study extra in regards to the new requirements we’re utilizing.

Surfshark

A quick, secure VPN with distinctive options and good consideration to safety.

Professionals

• Very quick speeds
• Cut up tunneling on all apps
• Can select your personal multihop paths

Cons

• Single-month pricing is extreme
• A number of popups on desktop
• NoBorders Mode helpful however can activate needlessly

$53.73 for 27 months at Surfshark

Desk of contents

Findings at a look

This desk summarizes every little thing I found about Surfshark. For particulars on any bullet level, see its part within the full overview.

Putting in, configuring and utilizing Surfshark

For this part, I will be going over the way it feels to make use of Surfshark. I am going to have a look at how straightforward or tough it’s to put in, what you need to do to set it up and whether or not the consumer interface (UI) helps out or will get in the best way on every platform.

Home windows

Surfshark is straightforward to obtain and set up on Home windows. You may get it via the Microsoft retailer, however going immediately via the Surfshark web site makes certain you’ve gotten the most recent and most full model. The downloader asks you to click on “Sure,” however largely handles itself, and winds up in a short while.

The primary level which may divide informal customers and VPN veterans comes when you open the app for the primary time. Surfshark insists on taking you thru a guided setup course of for all its options. That is extraordinarily useful in case you’ve by no means used a VPN earlier than. When you have, its repeated insistence on sending you thru the tour can get aggravating.

This sample repeated itself as I went via the app. The entrance web page is sensibly organized and organized so I may see all of the information and settings — nevertheless it stays method too reliant on unskippable pop-ups to supply info. Messages appeared once I tried to cancel a caught connection, once I turned settings on and off and even once I tried to shut the app. It is often essential info, however displaying a message that freezes each different button is a foul transfer.

It is a disgrace, as a result of every little thing else works fantastic. The settings tabs do an admirable job of packing a number of, semi-related apps right into a single UI. Simply take notice that loads of stuff is enabled by default, together with auto-connect and NoBorders, which can make the VPN behave in methods you do not want.

Mac

Surfshark’s app for macOS is usually the identical as its Home windows app, for higher or worse. It is obtained the identical split-second obtain and set up and the identical clear group of tabs with well-explained options. It is also obtained the identical relentless popups, settings on by default and infrequently sticky connections. If it will get hung up at 95 %, simply wait — it is nonetheless working.

Android

The Surfshark Android app, out there via the Google Play Retailer, is prepared after you merely obtain and login. It does not reinvent the wheel, however Surfshark’s design language seems to be very straightforward to compress into cellular — besides that it is dark-mode by default, whereas all the opposite three are mild. I discovered every little thing I wanted inside moments. Android even removes nearly all of the full-screen stop-everything notifications.

One factor to concentrate on: once you begin up the Android app, the VPN is seen, however the touchdown web page contains all of the options of Surfshark One. To get the VPN-only entrance web page, click on the arrow throughout from “VPN” on the high of the display. That mentioned, you are able to do nearly every little thing you could do irrespective of which web page you are on.

iOS

It is uncommon to see an enormous distinction between a VPN’s apps on the 2 cellular platforms, however Surfshark switches up its design from Android to iOS. Every little thing now lives in 4 tabs on the underside of the window. The settings tab is nice, largely as a result of it appears to be like like how preferences do on Mac and Home windows.

The principle VPN window is a bit jankier. It really works fantastic, however as a way to make the server record always seen (pointless IMO), it relegates the precise VPN connection to a floating field that appears like an afterthought. It even features a button to open the server record that is already open. I freely admit that is only a private criticism, nevertheless it nonetheless baffles me.

Browser extensions

Surfshark’s browser extensions for Firefox and Chromium are nearly clones of its desktop apps, with a couple of variations. The Alert tab tells you if the location you are on has suffered a safety breach not too long ago. CleanWeb 2.0 is the principle cause so as to add Surfshark to your browser; it is a a lot stronger blocker that even works on some video insert advertisements.

Surfshark pace take a look at: Tremendous quick with some latency

All VPNs add to your internet browser’s workload, so it is regular to see speeds drop. The perfect VPNs handle to maintain the drops as small as potential. I used speedtest.internet to see how rapidly my obtain speeds declined at six of Surfshark’s server areas — that is a measure of how briskly a browser can load internet pages, buffer movies and obtain giant recordsdata.

I additionally appeared for latency, which impacts real-time communication with one other server (essential for avid gamers) and add pace, which impacts how rapidly your gadget can ship information (essential for torrenting). My outcomes are within the desk.

By way of obtain and add speeds, Surfshark is the quickest VPN I’ve examined up to now, beating out ExpressVPN, Proton VPN and NordVPN — and none of these are precisely sluggish. If you happen to have a look at the Indonesia row, you will see I really obtained the next add pace than I did with out the VPN lively. That in all probability has extra to do with pure fluctuations from my ISP than something Surfshark did, nevertheless it nonetheless signifies how little this VPN weighs down your looking.

Latency is extra of a blended bag. Jumps in ping time are anticipated throughout lengthy distances, however I additionally noticed a pretty big soar on a server in the identical state as me. Surfshark is probably not preferrred for fast-paced on-line video games, however its speeds are nearly excellent for another process.

Surfshark safety take a look at: Easy however efficient protocols

To find out whether or not Surfshark can preserve you secure, I will be three elements: whether or not it makes use of safe and up-to-date VPN protocols, whether or not any of these protocols leak your IP deal with and whether or not encryption is being utilized to all information packets. The primary is a matter of researching the know-how, however I’ve run sensible checks for the opposite two.

VPN protocols

Surfshark makes use of the VPN protocols WireGuard, OpenVPN (over TCP or UDP) and IKEv2. All of those are field-tested protocols that depend on uncracked encryption and confirmed authentication strategies. There isn’t any proprietary protocol with shady supply code, nor any outdated legacy choices which may pose a threat in case you decide them. My solely criticism is that OpenVPN is not out there on Mac.

Every of those protocols does the identical factor: set up communication between your gadget, VPN servers and the web. They deal with the steps otherwise, however the common consumer is barely more likely to see small variations. If one protocol is not working, you’ll be able to swap to a different — or simply decide the automated protocol choice possibility, which labored fantastic throughout my checks. If you wish to decide for your self, use the desk under for reference.

Leak take a look at

Subsequent, I picked 5 of the servers I did not use for the pace take a look at and checked all of them for 3 totally different sorts of leaks utilizing ipleak.internet. Surfshark has its personal DNS servers, so DNS leaks are unlikely — these often come from a VPN utilizing public servers to resolve DNS requests. As anticipated, DNS requests did not reveal my IP deal with in any of the checks.

There’s extra potential for IPv6 leaks, as Surfshark does not help IPv6. It recommends turning it off as an alternative, and has guides on doing that. To completely put Surfshark via its paces, although, I ran my checks with IPv6 nonetheless lively on my laptop. On all 5 servers, the IPv6 take a look at couldn’t run. This means that Surfshark actively blocks IPv6, which (till extra of the web begins working on the brand new protocol) is a fantastic technique to forestall IPv6 leaks.

The leak testing instrument additionally checks for WebRTC leaks, so I ran every take a look at with a Google Meet name lively, however that did not leak both. Briefly, Surfshark did not spring a leak irrespective of what number of occasions I poked it. I am ready to name it watertight.

Encryption take a look at

To be completely certain I used to be recommending a secure VPN, I used WireShark (no relation) and HTTP Without end to see whether or not its encryption works. From analyzing the information stream earlier than and after connecting to a Surfshark server, it is clear that encryption is really being utilized. Have a look for your self — the truth that you’ll be able to’t get any info from the screenshot means the VPN protocol is working.

How a lot does Surfshark price?

Surfshark is a part of a collection of safety merchandise — lots like its sister model NordVPN, however with the choices per tier a little bit extra coherent. It is available in three subscription sorts, every of which is offered at three durations. The desk under exhibits the entire vary of prices.

Observe that the 24-month plans are introductory solely. You’ll be able to solely renew for one month or 12 months. The costs under additionally consider additional months you will get once you join the primary time, which are not out there in renewals.

Surfshark’s worth drops steeply from its shortest to its longest subscriptions. $15.45 is method overpriced (even for a service we fairly like), however $1.99 monthly is in regards to the least you will pay for any VPN price recommending. The soar from Starter (which solely contains the VPN service) to One (which incorporates every little thing else besides Incogni) can also be tiny on the 12-month plan — solely an additional $0.20.

Surfshark is nearly actually doing this to juice lively consumer numbers — however that does not imply you’ll be able to’t benefit from it. To our thoughts, the 12-month subscription to Surfshark One is extraordinarily good worth, offered you already know you need Surfshark VPN.

Each plan comes with a 30-day money-back assure. At any level earlier than 30 days have elapsed, you can begin a dwell chat dialog to get your a refund. That is solely allowed as soon as each six months.

You may also get a free trial for seven days by putting in the Surfshark app from the Apple or Android app retailer, creating an account, then selecting the plan that features the 7-day free trial. Nevertheless, since you need to enter a fee methodology for this — and it is not accessible on Home windows — the 30-day interval is mostly extra handy.

Surfshark aspect apps and bundles

Here is what you may get from Surfshark apart from its VPN service. In an effort to preserve our deal with the VPN, we did not have time to carefully take a look at all these, however we have included the essential info that will help you make your resolution.

Various ID

Various ID is included together with VPN service in a Surfshark Starter plan. It consists of two options: masked e mail generator and private element generator.

Masked e mail generator provides you a random e mail deal with that sends all messages alongside to your actual inbox. Because it auto-forwards every little thing, an e mail masks is not for lowering spam. As a substitute, it helps you to preserve your actual e mail deal with secret when signing up for on-line providers — since offering your precise deal with runs the chance of leaking it. For an additional $2.89 monthly, you may also get another telephone quantity that works equally.

Private element generator creates faux names, addresses and birthdays you need to use to enroll in any web sites you are unsure about. Be sure you use it together with the VPN, or your IP deal with will reveal the precise particulars. It additionally may be useful for randomly producing your subsequent RPG character.

Surfshark Antivirus

Surfshark Antivirus is included in Surfshark One and One+ subscriptions. It may well scan recordsdata as you obtain them and can even scan your entire system for malware, checking towards an inventory of undesirable packages it claims to replace each three hours.

AV-Check gave it an ideal rating in safety. A high rating (6 out of 6) means Surfshark Antivirus caught 100% of malware thrown at it, each identified threats and zero-day assaults. It additionally obtained an ideal usability rating for completely avoiding false positives, and a 5.5 out of 6 on efficiency — it had almost no impression on downloading apps or copying recordsdata, however slowed down common web sites by round 30 % on common.

Surfshark Alert

Surfshark Alert, which can also be a part of Surfshark One and One+, scans the data launched in information breaches to see if any of your essential information has been compromised. It may well test for e mail addresses, usernames, passwords, bank card numbers and authorities IDs. It may well additionally warn you when malware in your laptop is able to stealing your information.

Surfshark Search

You may get entry to Surfshark Search, a search engine akin to Google, with a One or One+ subscription. It presents an a variety of benefits over Google, together with being completely ad-free (a perk of being backed by subscription). You may also change the area from which you get outcomes. Surfshark claims that every one outcomes are completely natural, with no trackers or studying from logged searches.

Incogni

Incogni, an automatic information elimination service, is the one function restricted to Surfshark One+ plans. It searches information brokerages to see if they’ve any of your info, then contacts them so that you can request they purge the information. Brokers do not need to honor all deletion requests, nevertheless it by no means hurts to attempt. Incogni retains looking so long as your subscription is lively, so it might mechanically ship a number of requests to the identical dealer if obligatory.

Saily eSIM

A number of VPNs now present their customers with Saily eSIM reductions, which can be utilized to get common telephone service in overseas nations. Surfshark grants numerous reductions via the coupon code surfshark5, which seems to be usable even with out a Surfshark account.

Shut-reading Surfshark’s privateness coverage

Surfshark’s privateness coverage exhibits us its outward perspective towards consumer privateness. Whereas it is potential for a VPN supplier to lie outright in its posted coverage, they like to not for legal responsibility causes. An unreliable service will as an alternative use loopholes, vagueries and incomplete statements to make privateness guarantees it does not plan on maintaining.

Against this, a VPN service price your cash will probably be as particular as potential about any exceptions to its no-logs coverage. I learn Surfshark’s whole privateness coverage to see which kind of VPN it’s — no small feat, because it’s nicely over 5,000 phrases lengthy. The web page contains summaries, however they’re pared down a little bit too far to be helpful, so it is into the total textual content I’m going.

Surfshark is predicated within the Netherlands, which makes it topic to the European Union’s Basic Knowledge Safety Regulation (GDPR). That is excellent news, since GDPR doesn’t allow any firm to retain information with out justifying it. The Netherlands is probably going a part of the 9 Eyes intelligence-sharing settlement, however businesses cannot spy on a VPN’s customers until that VPN is already saving exercise logs — and whether it is, it is obtained a lot greater issues than the place it is based mostly.

Surfshark’s whole server community runs on RAM-only infrastructure, so any saved exercise is erased at common intervals. Even higher, the coverage is evident that your exercise on any server is deleted inside quarter-hour. If we take Surfshark at its phrase, there’s little or no cause to fret about servers being seized or searched.

Which means the one threat is that Surfshark itself may benefit from its entry to your info. It does, sadly, declare the suitable to view info gathered by third-party trackers, such because the cookies utilized by social media websites to trace advert efficiency. However none of these trackers are watching what you do once you use the VPN, nor digging into your precise looking exercise — which, as we have seen, does not exist after quarter-hour.

Unbiased privateness audits

Though we will not conclusively confirm any VPN’s privateness coverage, since that includes the logically not possible feat of proving a unfavourable, we are able to get very shut by checking impartial audits. Third-party auditors can confirm a VPN’s public statements via a mixture of interviews, doc overview and immediately tinkering with the infrastructure.

Surfshark handed its most up-to-date audit in June 2025, which — at time of writing — leaves little or no room for interference. Deloitte, the audit agency, concluded that “the configuration of IT methods and administration of the supporting IT operations is correctly ready, in all materials respects in accordance with the Surfshark’s description set out within the Appendix I.”

I checked that description and located that it matches as much as Surfshark’s public privateness coverage. So, as a lot as we are able to say that any VPN is personal, Surfshark is personal. It could not cease all personalised advertisements, however it’ll at the least preserve your private info secret.

Can Surfshark change your digital location?

If you happen to primarily want a VPN for streaming, that is the part for you. Right here, I take a look at whether or not Surfshark can change your location convincingly sufficient so that you can see content material from different nations, with out getting caught and blocked by streaming platforms.

The process is straightforward: I decide 5 take a look at areas, join to 3 totally different servers in every and cargo Netflix. If I get in cleanly with out error messages, and really see totally different exhibits than I’d with out a VPN, I am going to know Surfshark convincingly modified my location. (As a reminder, when unblocking with any VPN, at all times be sure you’re logged into your streaming account first.)

Surfshark carried out extraordinarily nicely on this take a look at, not solely unblocking each location at the least twice but in addition sustaining quick sufficient speeds to maintain the movies from stuttering. The one failure was that one server in Japan obtained spied out as a VPN and blocked. Nevertheless, merely disconnecting and reconnecting was sufficient to get me over the hurdle.

Any failure to vary digital location counts towards a VPN, however even one of the best providers cannot preserve their servers off 100% of blocklists. NordVPN, one other top-five VPN, scored the identical 14/15. So far as I am involved, that is a passing grade for streaming — but when it is a dealbreaker for you, keep in mind ExpressVPN and Proton VPN each have excellent scores.

Investigating Surfshark’s server community

Surfshark has a complete of 100 server areas in 141 nations. Of these areas, 47 are digital and 92 are bodily. A digital VPN server provides you an obvious digital location totally different from the place it is actually situated. There’s little safety tradeoff, however speeds might fluctuate relying on how far you might be from the server’s precise place. The one depend towards Surfshark right here is that it does not make clear the place its digital servers are actually situated, so utilizing them is a pace crapshoot.

The desk under exhibits the proportions of server areas in every area, so you’ll be able to resolve whether or not Surfshark is more likely to be helpful for the place you might be. You will discover a full record on Surfshark’s web site, although solely the apps present which servers are literally digital.

These numbers are fascinating in a couple of methods. First, Surfshark’s server community is barely about one-third digital, the bottom proportion of any main VPN I’ve reviewed up to now. There’s additionally no continent with out a single bodily server. This makes Surfshark an excellent alternative to ensure usable web speeds whereas globetrotting.

As typical, servers are largely in Europe and North America, though there is a truthful quantity of Asia represented by the digital areas. Surfshark is newer than most of its opponents, so it is spectacular that it is constructed such an intensive community in half the time. The desk reveals a VPN service that is eager about increasing, however will not accomplish that on the expense of building high quality areas that really work.

Further options of Surfshark

Surfshark units itself aside from the VPN pack with a number of options, some seen to the consumer and a few working behind the scenes. Principally, its options are acquainted ideas carried out nicely, moderately than outright improvements like NordVPN’s Meshnet — however there’s loads of chance for thrilling new instructions.

Underlying know-how: Surfshark Nexus and Everlink

Surfshark has two technological improvements below the hood that make its VPN comparatively distinctive. The primary is Nexus, which has been lively since 2022. Nexus connects all Surfshark’s servers collectively right into a tighter community than most VPNs use. All its servers are nodes in an internet of interconnected paths, lots just like the Tor community, besides proprietary to at least one firm.

Once you select a server location, you are solely choosing the final node in a sequence. Surfshark software program selects the entry level and the trail to your chosen exit. This provides each consumer extra choices for a working connection path, and permits Surfshark to often rotate your obvious IP deal with so exercise on one masked id cannot hint again to you. It is also what makes it potential to select the 2 steps in a double-hop connection (see “Dynamic MultiHop” under).

Everlink is a more moderen know-how that Surfshark calls a “self-healing VPN infrastructure.” Any time you are related to Surfshark via the WireGuard protocol, you are additionally related to Everlink — a parallel infrastructure that watches your VPN connection. If it ever drops, Everlink immediately reconnects you to a different server close by, theoretically so quick you will not discover the outage.

That is principally one step up from a kill swap. As a substitute of slicing off your connection, Everlink switches it to the following server as an alternative. This makes it tough to check — the best way to test a kill swap is to simulate a server drop by slicing off your personal web connection, which makes Everlink’s perform not possible. Nevertheless, I can at the least say I am cautiously enthusiastic about Everlink’s potential energy to negate server drops.

Limitless simultaneous connections

One factor you will often hear about Surfshark is that it places no limits on what number of units can join via your account. In concept, one subscription is sufficient for you, your family and any mates that need to borrow it.

In apply, although, “limitless” is a stretch. A help article acknowledges that some folks might abuse the privilege by reselling entry, or by masking unlawful botnet exercise behind lots of of Surfshark connections.

The article does not explicitly say Surfshark will restrict or ban abusers, however inquiries to the help crew revealed that an account could possibly be locked if an automatic system detects fraud. If you happen to use a excessive variety of simultaneous connections, even legitimately, you may be flagged — although you might be able to unlock your account by telling customer support what occurred.

Bypasser cut up tunneling

Bypasser helps you to cut up your web connection so sure apps or web sites undergo the VPN whereas others stay outdoors. This will get you higher speeds on websites and apps that do not contain any delicate info. Additionally, each time a service requires your actual IP deal with, you’ll be able to preserve utilizing the VPN for every little thing else. Torrenting is a traditional use case — you’ll be able to preserve BitTorrent protected within the background whilst you do one thing innocuous with out VPN safety, bettering speeds for each processes.

Bypasser cut up tunneling is offered on all of Surfshark’s desktop and cellular shoppers, although iOS customers can solely cut up by web site, not by app. Home windows and Android customers can even select between two types of cut up: “Bypass VPN,” which retains all listed websites and apps outdoors the VPN tunnel, and “Route through VPN,” wherein solely the listed websites and apps keep inside the VPN tunnel.

Dynamic MultiHop

Many VPNs have a double-hop possibility, which routes connections via two VPN servers to maintain you protected in case one breaks. Nevertheless, most of them prohibit you to set paths of two servers. Surfshark is the one VPN that allows you to select each steps, because of Nexus pre-establishing paths between all of the servers.

For one of the best efficiency, I like to recommend selecting an entry node close to your actual location, then selecting your exit node based mostly on what you could unblock. If you happen to aren’t unblocking something particularly, your finest guess is to easily select two nodes in your personal nation.

Camouflage Mode obfuscation

VPN obfuscation refers to VPNs hiding the truth that they’re VPNs in any respect — so not solely is your IP deal with not your actual one, nevertheless it does not seem to have been modified. Surfshark’s obfuscation known as Camouflage Mode. So long as you are related through OpenVPN, it is lively mechanically. So, in case you suspect an out of doors firewall is stopping you from getting on-line whereas working Surfshark, switching to OpenVPN may remedy the issue.

NoBorders mode

NoBorders is another choice for getting on-line with Surfshark below exterior restrictions, particularly these imposed by whole governments (just like the Nice Firewall of China). If Surfshark detects restrictions on web utilization, NoBorders prompts and switches you to a server well-placed to get round these restrictions — for instance, an IP deal with from the following nation over.

The issue with NoBorders is that it is lively by default, which can prohibit you to sure servers when you do not want the assistance. I like to recommend switching NoBorders off within the settings for higher efficiency. It could activate once more if it detects potential restrictions, so test the setting once more in case you discover your speeds slower than typical.

CleanWeb

CleanWeb, Surfshark’s advert blocker, is offered in two types. The essential model of CleanWeb, which blocks banner advertisements and trackers, comes with all Surfshark apps.

CleanWeb 2.0 comes as a browser extension, which implies it solely works in-browser. Nevertheless, it is a a lot stronger blocker, able to cancelling video advertisements on streaming and YouTube. It additionally mechanically rejects non-vital cookies on each web site so you do not have to click on the button — which I appreciated, as my ADHD mind is definitely distracted by pop-ups.

Static and devoted IPs

Surfshark provides you an inventory of static IP addresses at no additional cost, one other rarity amongst main VPNs. A static IP means you will have the identical deal with each time you connect with the VPN, so you will not look suspicious for often opening the identical service with a special IP. With out this, you will end up hitting CAPTCHAs extra usually. You may also preserve your own home gadget related to a static IP server and use that to entry your own home community remotely.

For an additional price, Surfshark additionally presents devoted IPs, that are the identical as static IPs besides you are the one particular person utilizing them. Typically, a static IP can get blocked due to one dangerous consumer’s habits; a non-public devoted IP removes that threat.

Different options

A couple of different options are price noting. Surfshark has a kill swap that cuts off your web connection in case your VPN server ever drops — that is largely out of date with Everlink, however stays within the background as an additional precaution. You’ll be able to set the VPN to attach mechanically besides on trusted networks, and might select the placement to which it auto-connects.

If you could briefly work with out the VPN, you’ll be able to pause Surfshark for 5 minutes, half-hour or two hours. Lastly, Android customers can have their VPN server override their GPS location, transferring it to wherever their IP deal with is at present. You clearly do not need to use this whereas your telephone is navigating you someplace, however in any other case it is helpful for privateness.

Surfshark buyer help choices

Surfshark features a few hyperlinks to troubleshooting pages immediately within the app, a tantalizingly unfinished function. If you happen to go to the settings tab and click on Get Assist after which Browse Guides, you will see a number of hyperlinks to FAQ articles in regards to the model of the VPN consumer you are utilizing. Clicking any hyperlink opens the web page in your default browser. Leaping immediately from the app to the related information is admittedly handy, but when your drawback is not one of many 5 most typical, you are out of luck — simply click on Extra Guides to go to the principle help web page.

When you’re right here, you will discover a useful set of articles that make good design decisions to place the common consumer relaxed. “Getting began” contains setup guides for each Surfshark app, with plentiful screenshots. Assist articles are successfully written from the consumer’s perspective. As a substitute of technical descriptions of issues, they begin with subjects like “I am unable to connect with Surfshark” or “I am getting an error,” then present a sequence of DIY options.

The one class with out a clear course is “Surfschool,” which gathers a disparate bunch of function explanations, superior ideas and primary VPN info below one heading. If you cannot discover what you want within the different sections, it could be simpler to make use of the search bar as an alternative of digging round in Surfschool.

The dwell help expertise

To achieve dwell help, scroll to the underside of the principle help web page, then click on “Chat with us.” A chat window will open within the nook of your display. I used the dwell chat help to ask about receiving a hyperlink to the take a look at account I used to write down this overview. As is now commonplace, I needed to work my well past a chatbot first, however that did not take too lengthy. As soon as I reached an actual particular person, they resolved my drawback immediately.

The e-mail ticket system is for tough issues that may’t be resolved in a single trade, so I made a decision to check it with one thing a little bit extra difficult. I requested in regards to the standing of IKEv2, which Surfshark promised to eradicate in 2022 however has solely faraway from Home windows (that is in reality what they promised to do, however I wasn’t conscious of that but).

I heard again about 22 hours later with a speedy and relevant reply: a consultant mentioned that “at present, Surfshark doesn’t have plans to take away IKEv2 from all working methods.” See the following part for particulars about that threat.

Surfshark background test: No actual blemishes

Surfshark was based in 2018, making it a relative newcomer to the safety scene, and the VPN was its first product. Alert and Search debuted in 2019, whereas Antivirus and Incogni joined them in 2021. For the primary two years of its existence, Surfshark was a part of the Tesonet group, a Lithuanian startup incubator that additionally helped launch NordVPN (see “Connection to NordVPN” under).

Its youth could also be why there are few critical blemishes on Surfshark’s report. Like Proton VPN, which is only a 12 months older, it merely hasn’t had time to place a foot incorrect but. Nevertheless, that does not imply it is inevitable that Surfshark will screw up sooner or later. Thus far, it seems to be studying from its predecessors and avoiding their errors.

The trusted root certification authority threat

The one potential error I can level to hasn’t compromised anybody but, however might sooner or later. In 2022, Surfshark was certainly one of a number of VPNs cited for counting on a trusted root certification authority — a verification methodology that, if compromised, may let an attacker sneak malware onto a consumer’s gadget utilizing Surfshark’s ID badge. There isn’t any report of the certificates really being exploited, and Surfshark claimed it was essential to allow the IKEv2 protocol.

In response to the report, Surfshark deprecated IKEv2 from its Home windows app, which was the one one which used trusted root CAs for IKEv2. It is nonetheless out there on all OSes besides Home windows, however a Surfshark rep informed me in an e mail that they do not use trusted root CAs on these platforms, so there isn’t any threat.

Connection to NordVPN

In 2022, Surfshark introduced a merger with NordVPN, although each corporations repeatedly pressured that nothing about both service would change. Based on Surfshark’s announcement on the time, “The thought behind the deal is to align on a tactical degree in reaching mutual objectives whereas maintaining the autonomy of our operations.”

As of 2025, nothing appears particularly merged about NordVPN and Surfshark. Publicly, they’re nonetheless fully totally different manufacturers with few mentions of the opposite on their respective web sites. In an e mail, a Surfshark consultant informed me that “Surfshark and Nord Safety function as autonomous corporations counting on separate infrastructures, totally different product improvement plans and separate buyer bases.”

That mentioned, it is price noting that Surfshark and Nord have a shared lineage in Tesonet, the Lithuania-based tech incubator that, with Nord, shares Tom Okman and Eimantas Sabaliauskas as co-founders, and nurtured Surfshark for the primary two years of its life. Ultimately, a Surfshark consultant informed Engadget that Surfshark at present “operates independently” of Tesonet. Be that as it could, the mix of Surfshark and NordVPN is yet one more instance an more and more consolidated VPN business, the place opponents like Kape Applied sciences and Ziff Davis function a number of digital service manufacturers below one company roof.

Ultimate verdict

In loads of methods, Surfshark works arduous to earn your belief. Its reliance on brick-and-mortar servers testifies to that, as do its speeds, common privateness audits and refusal to relaxation on its laurels. Nexus and Everlink is probably not completely implicated, however they do have tangible outcomes that point out they’re much more than simply advertising gimmicks. Each are constructive indicators of a VPN supplier genuinely attempting to face out in a crowded discipline.

It is also a fantastic signal that Surfshark responded to the trusted root CA threat with a focused intervention. I want they’d discovered a technique to run IKEv2 on Home windows with out as a lot threat (different VPNs handle it), however I am unable to deny they appear critical about addressing potential points earlier than they grow to be crises. It is good that I can enthusiastically suggest Surfshark for its consideration to safety in addition to its speeds and simple options.