A quick VPN for informal customers

Surfshark is likely one of the youngest main VPNs, however it’s grown quickly over the past seven years. Since 2018, it is expanded its community to 100 international locations, added a collection of apps to its Surfshark One bundle and experimented with superior touches like servers that continually rotate your IP tackle.

Previously a finances VPN, Surfshark continues to be fairly inexpensive however the price of a one-month subscription is approach too excessive. Nowadays, it is extra all in favour of innovation than affordability. Its options could not all the time be cutting-edge — Nexus is mainly Tor and Everlink is a barely higher kill swap — however it’s uncommon to search out both carried out so properly in a business 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 aware of VPNs may journey over some points. For this evaluation, I studied 11 totally different angles on Surfshark’s service, some by means of hands-on checks and others with old school journalism. Try the sections most essential to you, then head to the top for my closing verdict.

Editors’ word: We’re within the technique of rebooting all of our VPN evaluations from scratch. As soon as we do a recent cross on the highest providers, we’ll be updating every evaluation with a score and extra comparative data.

Desk of contents

Findings at a look

This desk summarizes the whole lot I found about Surfshark. For particulars on any bullet level, see its part within the full evaluation.

Putting in, configuring and utilizing Surfshark

For this part, I will be going over the way it feels to make use of Surfshark. I will take a look at how simple or tough it’s to put in, what it’s important to do to set it up and whether or not the person interface (UI) helps out or will get in the way in which on every platform.

Home windows

Surfshark is straightforward to obtain and set up on Home windows. You will get it by means of the Microsoft retailer, however going straight by means of the Surfshark web site makes positive you’ve 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 should you’ve by no means used a VPN earlier than. You probably have, its repeated insistence on sending you thru the tour can get aggravating.

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

It is a disgrace, as a result of the whole lot else works superb. The settings tabs do an admirable job of packing a number of, semi-related apps right into a single UI. Simply take word 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 acquired the identical split-second obtain and set up and the identical clear group of tabs with well-explained options. It is also acquired the identical relentless popups, settings on by default and sometimes sticky connections. If it will get hung up at 95 p.c, simply wait — it is nonetheless working.

Android

The Surfshark Android app, accessible by means of the Google Play Retailer, is prepared after you merely obtain and login. It would not reinvent the wheel, however Surfshark’s design language seems to be very simple to compress into cellular — besides that it is dark-mode by default, whereas all the opposite three are gentle. I discovered the whole lot I wanted inside moments. Android even removes nearly all of the full-screen stop-everything notifications.

One factor to concentrate on: if you begin up the Android app, the VPN is seen, however the touchdown web page consists of all of the options of Surfshark One. To get the VPN-only entrance web page, click on the arrow throughout from “VPN” on the prime of the display. That stated, you are able to do nearly the whole lot it is advisable to do regardless 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 like how preferences do on Mac and Home windows.

The primary VPN window is a bit jankier. It really works superb, however with the intention to make the server checklist continually 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 checklist that is already open. I freely admit that is only a private criticism, however 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 positioning you are on has suffered a safety breach lately. CleanWeb 2.0 is the principle motive so as to add Surfshark to your browser; it is a a lot stronger blocker that even works on some video insert adverts.

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

All VPNs add to your net browser’s workload, so it is regular to see speeds drop. The most effective VPNs handle to maintain the drops as small as potential. I used speedtest.net 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 net pages, buffer movies and obtain massive recordsdata.

I additionally regarded for latency, which impacts real-time communication with one other server (essential for players) and add velocity, which impacts how rapidly your machine can ship information (essential for torrenting). My outcomes are within the desk.

When it comes to obtain and add speeds, Surfshark is the quickest VPN I’ve examined to date, beating out ExpressVPN, Proton VPN and NordVPN — and none of these are precisely sluggish. When you take a look at the Indonesia row, you may see I truly acquired a better add velocity than I did with out the VPN lively. That most likely has extra to do with pure fluctuations from my ISP than something Surfshark did, however it nonetheless signifies how little this VPN weighs down your shopping.

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 might not be very best for fast-paced on-line video games, however its speeds are nearly excellent for some other job.

Surfshark safety take a look at: Easy however efficient protocols

To find out whether or not Surfshark can preserve you protected, I will be taking a look at three components: whether or not it makes use of safe and up-to-date VPN protocols, whether or not any of these protocols leak your IP tackle and whether or not encryption is being utilized to all information packets. The primary is a matter of researching the expertise, 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 danger should you choose them. My solely criticism is that OpenVPN is not accessible on Mac.

Every of those protocols does the identical factor: set up communication between your machine, VPN servers and the web. They deal with the steps in another way, however the common person is simply prone to see small variations. If one protocol is not working, you’ll be able to swap to a different — or simply choose the automated protocol choice choice, which labored superb throughout my checks. If you wish to choose for your self, use the desk beneath for reference.

Leak take a look at

Subsequent, I picked 5 of the servers I did not use for the velocity take a look at and checked all of them for 3 totally different sorts of leaks utilizing ipleak.net. 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 tackle in any of the checks.

There’s extra potential for IPv6 leaks, as Surfshark would not help IPv6. It recommends turning it off as a substitute, and has guides on doing that. To completely put Surfshark by means of 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 operating on the brand new protocol) is a superb technique to stop IPv6 leaks.

The leak testing software 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. In brief, Surfshark did not spring a leak regardless of what number of occasions I poked it. I am ready to name it watertight.

Encryption take a look at

To be completely positive I used to be recommending a protected VPN, I used WireShark (no relation) and HTTP Forever to see whether or not its encryption works. From analyzing the info 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 data 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 — so much like its sister model NordVPN, however with the choices per tier slightly extra coherent. It is available in three subscription varieties, every of which is obtainable at three durations. The desk beneath reveals the entire vary of prices.

Be aware that the 24-month plans are introductory solely. You’ll be able to solely renew for one month or 12 months. The costs beneath additionally think about additional months you may get if you join the primary time, which are not accessible in renewals.

Surfshark’s value drops steeply from its shortest to its longest subscriptions. $15.45 is approach overpriced (even for a service we fairly like), however $1.99 per thirty days is in regards to the least you may pay for any VPN value recommending. The soar from Starter (which solely consists of the VPN service) to One (which incorporates the whole lot else besides Incogni) can be tiny on the 12-month plan — solely an additional $0.20.

Surfshark is nearly definitely doing this to juice lively person 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, supplied 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 stay chat dialog to get your a refund. That is solely allowed as soon as each six months.

You too can 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. Nonetheless, since it’s important to enter a cost 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 except for its VPN service. With a view to preserve our concentrate on the VPN, we did not have time to carefully take a look at all these, however we have included the essential data that will help you make your resolution.

Different ID

Different 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 offers you a random e-mail tackle that sends all messages alongside to your actual inbox. Because it auto-forwards the whole lot, an e-mail masks is not for lowering spam. As an alternative, it helps you to preserve your actual e-mail tackle secret when signing up for on-line providers — since offering your precise tackle runs the danger of leaking it. For an additional $2.89 per thirty days, it’s also possible to get another telephone quantity that works equally.

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

Surfshark Antivirus

Surfshark Antivirus is included in Surfshark One and One+ subscriptions. It will possibly scan recordsdata as you obtain them and can even scan your complete system for malware, checking in opposition to a listing of undesirable packages it claims to replace each three hours.

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

Surfshark Alert

Surfshark Alert, which can 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 will possibly test for e-mail addresses, usernames, passwords, bank card numbers and authorities IDs. It will possibly additionally warn you when malware in your laptop is able to stealing your information.

Surfshark Search

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

Incogni

Incogni, an automatic information removing service, is the one characteristic restricted to Surfshark One+ plans. It searches information brokerages to see if they’ve any of your data, then contacts them so that you can request they purge the info. Brokers do not must honor all deletion requests, however it by no means hurts to strive. Incogni retains looking so long as your subscription is lively, so it could possibly routinely ship a number of requests to the identical dealer if crucial.

Saily eSIM

A number of VPNs now present their customers with Saily eSIM reductions, which can be utilized to get common telephone service in international international locations. Surfshark grants numerous reductions by means of 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 reveals us its outward angle towards person 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 a substitute use loopholes, vagueries and incomplete statements to make privateness guarantees it would not plan on retaining.

Against this, a VPN service value your cash shall be as particular as potential about any exceptions to its no-logs coverage. I learn Surfshark’s total privateness coverage to see which sort of VPN it’s — no small feat, because it’s properly over 5,000 phrases lengthy. The web page consists of summaries, however they’re pared down slightly too far to be helpful, so it is into the total textual content I am going.

Surfshark is predicated within the Netherlands, which makes it topic to the European Union’s Common Knowledge Safety Regulation (GDPR). That is excellent news, since GDPR does not permit any company to retain data with out justifying it. The Netherlands is probably going a part of the 9 Eyes intelligence-sharing settlement, however companies cannot spy on a VPN’s customers except that VPN is already saving activity logs — and whether it is, it is acquired a lot larger issues than the place it is primarily based.

Surfshark’s total 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 motive to fret about servers being seized or searched.

Which means the one danger is that Surfshark itself may benefit from its entry to your data. It does, sadly, declare the best to view data 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 if you use the VPN, nor digging into your precise shopping exercise — which, as we have seen, would not exist after quarter-hour.

Impartial 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 by means of a mixture of interviews, doc evaluation and straight 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 programs 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 non-public, Surfshark is non-public. It might not cease all customized adverts, however it’s going to no less than preserve your private data secret.

Can Surfshark change your digital location?

When you 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 international locations, with out getting caught and blocked by streaming platforms.

The process is straightforward: I choose 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 reveals than I might with out a VPN, I will know Surfshark convincingly modified my location. (As a reminder, when unblocking with any VPN, all the time be sure to’re logged into your streaming account first.)

Surfshark carried out extraordinarily properly on this take a look at, not solely unblocking each location no less than twice but in addition sustaining quick sufficient speeds to maintain the movies from stuttering. The one failure was that one server in Japan acquired spied out as a VPN and blocked. Nonetheless, merely disconnecting and reconnecting was sufficient to get me over the hurdle.

Any failure to alter digital location counts in opposition to 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 same 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 international locations. Of these areas, 47 are digital and 92 are bodily. A digital VPN server offers you an obvious digital location totally different from the place it is actually situated. There’s little safety tradeoff, however speeds could fluctuate relying on how far you might be from the server’s precise place. The one depend in opposition to Surfshark right here is that it would not make clear the place its digital servers are actually situated, so utilizing them is a velocity crapshoot.

The desk beneath reveals the proportions of server areas in every area, so you’ll be able to resolve whether or not Surfshark is prone to be helpful for the place you might be. You will discover a full checklist on Surfshark’s website, although solely the apps present which servers are literally digital.

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

As regular, servers are largely in Europe and North America, though there is a honest 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 in depth community in half the time. The desk reveals a VPN service that is all in favour of increasing, however will not accomplish that on the expense of creating high quality areas that truly work.

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

Underlying expertise: Surfshark Nexus and Everlink

Surfshark has two technological improvements beneath 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 online of interconnected paths, a lot like the Tor network, besides proprietary to at least one firm.

Whenever 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 person extra choices for a working connection path, and permits Surfshark to recurrently rotate your obvious IP tackle so exercise on one masked identification cannot hint again to you. It is also what makes it potential to choose the 2 steps in a double-hop connection (see “Dynamic MultiHop” beneath).

Everlink is a more recent expertise that Surfshark calls a “self-healing VPN infrastructure.” Any time you are linked to Surfshark by means of the WireGuard protocol, you are additionally linked 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 mainly one step up from a kill swap. As an alternative of chopping off your connection, Everlink switches it to the subsequent server as a substitute. This makes it tough to check — the way in which to test a kill swap is to simulate a server drop by chopping off your personal web connection, which makes Everlink’s perform not possible. Nonetheless, I can no less than say I am cautiously enthusiastic about Everlink’s potential energy to negate server drops.

Limitless simultaneous connections

One factor you may recurrently hear about Surfshark is that it places no limits on what number of gadgets can join by means of your account. In concept, one subscription is sufficient for you, your family and any buddies that need to borrow it.

In follow, although, “limitless” is a stretch. A support article acknowledges that some individuals could abuse the privilege by reselling entry, or by masking unlawful botnet exercise behind a whole bunch of Surfshark connections.

The article would not explicitly say Surfshark will restrict or ban abusers, however questions to the support team revealed that an account could possibly be locked if an automatic system detects fraud. When you use a excessive variety of simultaneous connections, even legitimately, you would be flagged — although you could possibly unlock your account by telling customer support what occurred.

Bypasser break up tunneling

Bypasser helps you to break 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 data. Additionally, every time a service requires your actual IP tackle, you’ll be able to preserve utilizing the VPN for the whole lot else. Torrenting is a basic use case — you’ll be able to preserve BitTorrent protected within the background whilst you do one thing innocuous with out VPN safety, enhancing speeds for each processes.

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

Dynamic MultiHop

Many VPNs have a double-hop choice, which routes connections by means of two VPN servers to maintain you protected in case one breaks. Nonetheless, most of them limit you to set paths of two servers. Surfshark is the one VPN that permits you to select each steps, due to Nexus pre-establishing paths between all of the servers.

For one of the best efficiency, I like to recommend choosing an entry node close to your actual location, then selecting your exit node primarily based on what it is advisable to unblock. When you aren’t unblocking something particularly, your finest wager 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 tackle not your actual one, however it would not seem to have been modified. Surfshark’s obfuscation is named Camouflage Mode. So long as you are linked through OpenVPN, it is lively routinely. So, should you suspect an outdoor firewall is stopping you from getting on-line whereas operating Surfshark, switching to OpenVPN may remedy the issue.

NoBorders mode

NoBorders is another choice for getting on-line with Surfshark beneath exterior restrictions, particularly these imposed by total 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 tackle from the subsequent nation over.

The issue with NoBorders is that it is lively by default, which can limit 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 might activate once more if it detects potential restrictions, so test the setting once more should you discover your speeds slower than regular.

CleanWeb

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

CleanWeb 2.0 comes as a browser extension, which implies it solely works in-browser. Nonetheless, it is a a lot stronger blocker, able to cancelling video adverts on streaming and YouTube. It additionally routinely 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 offers you a listing of static IP addresses at no additional cost, one other rarity amongst main VPNs. A static IP means you may have the identical tackle each time you connect with the VPN, so you will not look suspicious for recurrently opening the identical service with a distinct IP. With out this, you may end up hitting CAPTCHAs extra typically. You too can preserve your private home machine linked to a static IP server and use that to entry your private home community remotely.

For an additional price, Surfshark additionally provides 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 person’s habits; a non-public devoted IP removes that danger.

Different options

Just a few different options are value 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 routinely besides on trusted networks, and might select the placement to which it auto-connects.

If it is advisable to 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 tackle is at the moment. 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 straight within the app, a tantalizingly unfinished characteristic. When you go to the settings tab and click on Get Assist after which Browse Guides, you may see a number of hyperlinks to FAQ articles in regards to the model of the VPN shopper you are utilizing. Clicking any hyperlink opens the web page in your default browser. Leaping straight from the app to the related information is actually handy, but when your downside is not one of many 5 commonest, you are out of luck — simply click on Extra Guides to go to the principle help web page.

When you’re right here, you may discover a useful set of articles that make good design selections to place the common person comfy. “Getting began” consists of setup guides for each Surfshark app, with considerable screenshots. Assist articles are successfully written from the person’s perspective. As an alternative of technical descriptions of issues, they begin with matters like “I can not connect with Surfshark” or “I am getting an error,” then present a sequence of DIY options.

The one class with out a clear route is “Surfschool,” which gathers a disparate bunch of characteristic explanations, superior suggestions and primary VPN data beneath 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 a substitute of digging round in Surfschool.

The stay help expertise

To achieve stay 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 stay chat help to ask about receiving a hyperlink to the take a look at account I used to write down this evaluation. As is now normal, 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 downside straight away.

The e-mail ticket system is for tough issues that may’t be resolved in a single change, so I made a decision to check it with one thing slightly 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 truth 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 stated that “at the moment, Surfshark doesn’t have plans to take away IKEv2 from all working programs.” See the subsequent part for particulars about that danger.

Surfshark background test: No actual blemishes

Surfshark was founded 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 part of the Tesonet group, a Lithuanian startup incubator that additionally helped launch NordVPN (see “Connection to NordVPN” beneath).

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

The trusted root certification authority danger

The one potential error I can level to hasn’t compromised anybody but, however could sooner or later. In 2022, Surfshark was one among 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 person’s machine utilizing Surfshark’s ID badge. There isn’t any document of the certificates truly being exploited, and Surfshark claimed it was essential to allow the IKEv2 protocol.

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

Connection to NordVPN

In 2022, Surfshark announced a merger with NordVPN, although each firms repeatedly harassed that nothing about both service would change. In accordance with Surfshark’s announcement on the time, “The thought behind the deal is to align on a tactical degree in reaching mutual targets whereas retaining the autonomy of our operations.”

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

That stated, it is value 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 instructed Engadget that Surfshark at the moment “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 trade, the place opponents like Kape Technologies and Ziff Davis function a number of digital service manufacturers beneath one company roof.

Closing 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 might not be completely implicated, however they do have tangible outcomes that point out they’re much more than simply advertising and marketing gimmicks. Each are constructive indicators of a VPN supplier genuinely making an attempt to face out in a crowded discipline.

It is also a terrific signal that Surfshark responded to the trusted root CA danger with a focused intervention. I want they’d discovered a technique to run IKEv2 on Home windows with out as a lot danger (different VPNs handle it), however I can not deny they appear severe about addressing potential points earlier than they change into crises. It is good that I can enthusiastically advocate Surfshark for its consideration to safety in addition to its speeds and simple options.