Surfshark VPN Review 2026
Product Name: Surfshark VPN
Product Description: Surfshark VPN is a consumer virtual private network service offering encrypted internet connections, unlimited device usage, and tools for privacy, security, and location-based access.
Brand: Surfshark
Offer price: 2.49
Currency: USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Overall
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Price
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Service
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Apps
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Speed
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Policy
Summary
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Pros
- Unlimited device connections
- Strong encryption standards
- Feature-rich apps
- Good download speeds
- Works with Netflix US/UK
Cons
- Uses virtual locations
- EU jurisdiction
- Extras cost more
Surfshark VPN is now firmly established as one of the biggest consumer VPN services on the market (see my best VPN services guide).
In this Surfshark VPN review 2026, I put the service through its paces and highlight where it delivers and where there is still room for improvement, covering streaming performance, speed, privacy credentials, apps, and overall value (including how it compares in my best VPN for streaming round-up).
If you prefer, skip straight to the end to read my conclusion.
I’ve pulled no punches, as I never do, so in this review, you will get the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Quick verdict summary
Surfshark offers a broad feature set, strong value, and an easy experience across devices. It is particularly appealing if you want one subscription that covers everything you own, but like any VPN, results can vary depending on where you connect and what you are trying to access.
- Best for: people who want unlimited device connections, a simple app, and a feature-rich VPN at a competitive price.
- Also good for: streaming in day-to-day use (Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+), with the usual caveat that reliability varies by region and server.
- Not ideal for: users who want a provider with a long history of repeated, wide-scope audits across every product, or those who want a fully independent dedicated IP included as standard.
If you want to check current Surfshark pricing or available plans, they often runs time-limited discounts.
Related guides: Best VPNs | Best VPN for streaming | Best VPN for beginners
Server network and locations
Surfshark offers over 4,500 servers across 100+ countries.
This includes numerous locations in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas, plus a strong spread across the Middle East and Africa as well. You’ll have no problem getting a new IP address.
This is an impressive footprint and I have also confirmed that these servers are all either owned or rented and operated by Surfshark themselves, which is good news.
With RAM-only servers across the network, Surfshark also prioritises security for its users.
Does Surfshark use Virtual Servers?
Yes. Surfshark uses virtual locations on parts of its network, and this is common across the VPN industry.
The key points are:
- Virtual locations can help expand coverage in countries where physical infrastructure is harder to run reliably.
- Surfshark labels virtual locations in the app, so you can make an informed choice.
- The downside is mainly practical: you might not connect to the physically nearest server, which can affect latency and sometimes language or regional site behaviour.
If you have read my extended guide to Virtual Locations, you will know the trade-offs in more depth.
Using a virtual location isn’t a massive problem, but if you want the simplest, most direct route (especially for latency-sensitive tasks), physical locations are still preferable.
One of Surfshark’s advanced features is called NoBorders mode.
Once you enable NoBorders mode, which is done through the advanced settings page, you can access a special list of connection points that will allow you to be connected to Surfshark in all sorts of different restrictive regions, including, China.
They used to support the Shadowsocks VPN proxy. Shadowsocks is an encrypted proxy that is largely used by people inside China to get over the Great Firewall.
Shadowsocks only unblocks browser traffic and doesn’t encrypt, but for many people stuck inside China, this is a lifeline as it allows them to access vast numbers of websites and reams of information that the regime routinely blocks.
However, Surfshark has now dropped support for Shadowsocks, claiming it was not popular. It is still possible to use Surfshark VPN in China, but it does now require manual setup.
Top Tip
Check out my list of VPN services that work in China.
Surfshark now offers Dedicated IP as a paid add-on in select locations. A dedicated IP is assigned to you (rather than being shared), which can help with services that dislike shared VPN IPs and can also be useful for business tools and remote access.
They’re currently $3.75 per month plus tax and added on as part of your subscription period.
Surfshark also offers Static IP locations. A static IP location aims to give you the same IP address when you reconnect, but it is not exclusive to you in the way a dedicated IP is.
So in short:
- Dedicated IP: paid add-on, exclusive to you (in select locations).
- Static IP: available locations designed for consistency, but not exclusive.
Surfshark provides a range of double-hop connections which they call ‘MultiHop’.
These can be accessed from the locations sections of their Surfshark app, where you will see a tab for MultiHop at the top of the page.
MultiHop servers are VPN connections that reroute your network traffic through two different servers for additional security and privacy protection; this is sometimes known as a double VPN.
Double VPN connections usually have slower internet speeds than a regular VPN connection, but if privacy and security are important to you, they are well worth a try.
Surfshark VPN offers MultiHop servers in various countries, and they all performed well in my tests.
Interestingly they’re currently testing a “Create Connection” feature which lets you hop between two countries of your choosing. This is an interesting development and something I haven’t seen elsewhere.
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Speeds
Speed is one of the most important aspects of any VPN service, and in testing, I found Surfshark to perform well against other VPN companies.
All local connections offered strong download and upload speeds and allowed me to carry out daily tasks and more intensive ones like video streaming without issue.
Servers further afield did see some slower speeds, but this was minimal, and I never encountered a situation where Surfshark VPN was not able to perform most everyday online tasks.
I tested Surfshark on a regular UK household internet connection to try and gain an indication of the sort of average VPN speeds you could expect. To do this, I accessed a popular online speed test service as you may do yourself.
My baseline non-VPN connection during testing was 466.91 Mbps. The average speed test results I gathered were as follows on each VPN server:
- UK – 492.99 Mbps
- France – 284.98 Mbps
- Netherlands – 486.25 Mbps
- Switzerland – 483.24 Mbps
- Sweden – 485.45 Mbps
- New York, US – 303.62 Mbps
- Australia – 311.14 Mbps
From my internet speed test results, the speeds are competitive and comparable, although not quite as fast as some of the top VPN providers. It should be noted that these figures are not for upload speed, but in my testing, upload speed was consistently above average.
VPN speed tests are highly variable and depend on location, time of day, and server load.
You should be aware this is merely a glimpse of speeds at a set time under specific conditions. Download and upload speed can vary significantly based on a variety of circumstances, so please be aware of that.
Server location will always determine the download speeds you get and no two VPN servers are the same, so you may get slower download speeds on some servers, especially if they are further away. Server load is also something that will affect speed alongside VPN server locations.
But broadly speaking, when it comes to both download and upload speed, Surfshark performed well.
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Security, logging, audits, and jurisdiction
Protocols & Encryption
Surfshark offers OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard.
WireGuard is now the default on many Surfshark apps, and it is the protocol I would generally recommend if you want the best blend of speed and security. If you prefer, you can switch to OpenVPN UDP or TCP through the settings menu.
To protect your VPN traffic, Surfshark uses 256-bit AES encryption as standard across all apps and platforms with a SHA512 authentication hash and a 2048-bit RSA key for handshaking.
AES 256 is unbreakable and is the minimum level I would expect. It also provides optional ChaCha encryption for Android users.
DNS Leak Testing
DNS leaks can compromise your online privacy and let people see your online activity so VPN services need to take them seriously.
Surfshark is one VPN provider that does. Surfshark offers private DNS. Each server has private DNS leak protection when using IPv4, which adds another level of security to their service.
The results are evident in my tests. I didn’t find any DNS leaks at all.
I also tested Surfshark for IP and WebRTC leaks and discovered no problems with these either. This is good news for your security and privacy as your IP and DNS locations are safe with Surfshark.
Logging
Surfshark’s website claims they have a strict no-logs policy and clearly states that “We don’t monitor or log anything you do when you connect.”
This is broadly true in the sense that they do not log browsing history or activity when connected, but it is not quite the full story, as with most consumer VPNs.
A quick glance at their Q&A document reveals that they do keep logs of all user’s email addresses and billing details, such as payment information.
This practice is not unique, and you can use an anonymous email address and pay with cryptocurrency to reduce the amount of personal information tied to your account.
They also record some anonymous, aggregated stats.
This includes things like performance information, frequency of use of the system, unsuccessful connections, and crash reports. On mobile apps, I still don’t like that “Provide anonymous app usage data” and “Send crash report” are enabled by default.
The problem with anonymising data like this is that it is sometimes possible to de-anonymise it again. The lack of perfect clarity about how this data is collected and used is not ideal, even if it is fairly standard across the industry.
However, Surfshark does not log incoming and outgoing IP addresses, online activity, downloading or purchasing histories, geolocation data, bandwidth used, session information, connection timestamps, or web traffic, which is better than some of their competitors.
Surfshark’s no-logs policy has now been independently audited by Deloitte, which found no evidence of activity logging. That is a meaningful step forward for trust, even if I still prefer maximum transparency and broad, repeatable audits across products over time.
Surfshark followed this up early in 2026 with an infrastructure audit by SecuRing which found no critical vulnerabilities.
Jurisdiction
Surfshark operates as part of the Cyberspace / Nord Security group structure, with corporate ties in the Netherlands.
People often worry about ‘Eyes’ alliances (5-Eyes, 9-Eyes, 14-Eyes). It is worth understanding what actually matters in practice:
- Jurisdiction can influence how companies respond to lawful requests.
- What matters more for most users is whether the VPN keeps logs that can identify what you did.
- RAM-only infrastructure across the network reduces the risk of long-term data being recovered from a seized server.
There are certainly jurisdictions I like more than others, but with an audited no-logs stance and RAM-only servers, the practical privacy posture is stronger than I’ve previously mentioned.
Are there any Surfshark security incidents?
No. So far, there have been no security scandals that have made it into the public domain.
I have also not seen any user complaints about privacy and security breaches yet either.
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Apps and features
Mobiles App
Surfshark’s mobile apps have evolved well beyond the minimalist tools they once were and now function as a full mobile security suite.
Alongside the VPN, the app bundles antivirus protection, breach alerts to notify you if your personal data appears online, Alternative ID for form sign-ups, and a private search tool.
I tested the Android app in particular and found it easy to use despite the depth of features, with everything clearly laid out and simple to toggle on or off.
One standout feature is the ability to override GPS location, which is essential for many mobile apps that rely on location data rather than IP alone.
Importantly, there is very little missing on mobile compared to the desktop versions, making Surfshark’s mobile apps a genuinely complete option rather than a cut-down companion.
You can also download the Android app directly as a .apk file if you don’t have access to the Google Play Store where you are or if VPN apps are restricted from downloading.
Desktop Apps
Surfshark VPN has desktop apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. I mainly tested the Windows app this time around but have tested the Mac OS app in the past too.
The macOS and Windows app both worked in much the same way as Surfshark’s Android app.
There is a simple home screen on both the Mac and Windows app with a quick connect button (to automatically connect you to the best server) and options to access Surfshark’s servers list, which also included the multi-hop servers giving you even greater protection when you access websites. There’s also Static IP and Dedicated IP options.
The settings button allows you to toggle the optional features on or off. I found there to be a huge range of options which allowed me to configure the app to my needs.
Again, however, “Send crash reports” is automatically toggled on and for a privacy app I think this should be off as standard and ask the user if they want to turn it on upon setup.
A nice little feature I found when you right-clicked the Surfshark system icon. This displays a miniature app window that allows you to connect to the fastest server, choose a recent location, or open the full VPN app interface.
The desktop apps have certainly improved in recent years and I found the ability to customise the options useful.
There is no global map image that many apps feature but this is a positive if you prefer a minimal desktop imprint. Are they needed? Well, Windscribe thinks not as they recently said “Google Maps exists, and geography lessons are for schools, not VPN UIs. ”
Overall the app is much more feature rich than in my past tests because there are now in-built options for Alternate ID, Alert, Anti-Virus and search. You don’t, however, need to make use of these options.
Check out my video round-up of the full app features:
Other Apps
Surfshark VPN offers apps for Linux users and a dedicated Amazon app that lets you use it with the Firestick and Fire TV devices. This is good news for streamers and cord-cutters especially.
Top Tip
Check out my round-up of the 7 best VPNs for the Fire TV devices.
There are also apps for Apple TV and other Smart TVs available too as well as a Smart DNS feature for Xbox and Playstation users.
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Yes. They currently offer browser extensions for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. These can be downloaded from the browser’s respective web stores and will protect your browser activity and history but none of the other activity on your device. Usefully, you can download and install their browser extensions with just two clicks. Yes. If you want to install Surfshark onto a VPN-enabled router, you can do so, but you will have to follow a manual setup guide. The good news is that these are well-written and simple to follow. They are also available for an impressive range of VPN-enabled routers too. Most routers that can support OpenVPN are covered, but there are a few models that might require you to set up custom DD-WRT firmware. There is a guide for this too. There are plenty of Surfshark app features for users to sink their teeth into. More than many other VPN services. They have a kill switch and a built-in DNS leak protection system as standard. The kill switch will cut your internet connection if your VPN connection drops out, and you want to be sure that your internet service provider and anyone else who might be watching cannot see what you are doing online. A kill switch is a vital privacy tool for those who want to keep your own IP Addresses hidden and I recommend all users enable the kill switch as part of their routine everyday VPN use. Often it doesn’t come enabled as standard but the function is easy to find from most of the main screens of the various Surfshark apps. The unique No Borders feature is an excellent little tool that actively looks to see if your network has any restrictions, such as state censorship. If it finds any, it automatically changes the VPN server location you are connected to in order to ensure you can bypass internet restrictions and access everything. This could be great for users in counties like China, Russia, and Iran. The No borders mode requires different set-ups for different apps, but all the details are readily available in their help section. There is also a tool called Bypasser, this is a split tunneling feature. Split tunneling is essentially a way of allowing you to specify certain apps and sites not to run through the VPN. It is known as split tunneling because it enables you to send your internet traffic in different directions as you see fit. You can select certain websites or services or even allow complete apps to fall outside the VPN connection. Surfshark also bundles in a tool to help you block ads, malware, and trackers. Theirs is called CleanWeb, and from my testing, it seemed to do a pretty decent job. However, it is not a replacement for a full ad blocker if you want the most aggressive filtering. Last but by no means least, I should mention the Surfshark One package. This is a bundled deal that brings a number of extra online security and privacy tools for an additional cost. For that small amount, you get Surfshark Anti-virus, which helps protect you from viruses, malware, and spyware. I would not call it best-in-class antivirus, but as a bundle, it can be convenient. You also get Surfshark Alert, which monitors the web for any breaches of your personal data, and Surfshark Search, which helps you browse (somewhat) anonymously, hide from search engines and dodge personalised ads. For the money, this is not a bad deal. But, I would note that while the tools Surfshark offers are fine, there are much better stand-alone options that offer all of these features but better. You will struggle to get a package for the same low price, however. When it comes to features, Surfshark really does blow most VPN service providers out of the water. With split tunnelling, a great kill switch, Smart DNS, GPS spoofing, Static IP options, Dedicated IP (paid add-on), and much more besides, there are masses of features to play with and customise your VPN configuration. Surfshark’s apps are clean, user-friendly, and effective. I are generally very impressed with all of them. They’ve come on hugely in terms of features in recently years so you could for all intents and purposes use them as your entire security suite. Surfshark has focused a lot on enabling its VPN to work with as many streaming services as possible. This is not as easy as it may sound because many platforms go out of their way to block VPN traffic. Unlike some VPNs, they have not optimised certain servers for streaming but attempted to make their entire network streaming-friendly. In my latest testing, Surfshark works reliably with Netflix, although results can vary by region and server. It can often work well with Netflix US, but I always recommend trying a couple of servers if you hit an error, as Netflix blocks change frequently. Surfshark generally performs well for Netflix thanks to: The fact that it covers so many countries means that you can even access content from regions like Japan by using a Japanese IP address (see my guide to watching Japanese Netflix in the UK). The kill switch feature also reduces the risk of your connection dropping and exposing your real IP while streaming. In my testing, Surfshark works well with BBC iPlayer when connected to UK servers, I didn’t have any issues when connecting to different servers. If you do encounter any problems, there are tips on their website, and their live chat customer support team were able to tackle issues quickly when I tested it. In testing I found Surfshark generally works well with Disney+ when you connect to a server in the respective country. As always, performance can vary by region and server. Amazon Prime Video is inconsistent across almost all VPNs. In my testing, Surfshark can work with Prime Video in some regions, but it can be hit and miss, and you may need to try multiple servers. If Prime Video is your main reason for buying a VPN, I recommend checking with customer support before you commit. Surfshark can work with services like Hulu, ITVX, Sky Go, Peacock and more. There are also loads of international services from countries around the world that may work. If you have a specific service you want to use it for, it is worth checking with their customer support team first. 30-day money-back guarantee Surfshark is typically one of the cheaper premium VPN providers, with longer plans offering the strongest value. Prices change frequently. The figures below reflect standard pricing at the time of writing: 24-month plans (+ 3 extra months free) Best value if you’re happy to commit long-term. 12-month plans (+ 3 extra months free) Mid-term option with a higher monthly cost. 1-month plans (monthly billing) Highest cost, lowest commitment. Pricing shown in USD. Availability and pricing can vary by location and promotion. Monthly plans are not available in all regions. You can see the latest Surfshark plans and offers directly on their website. There is a short 7-day free trial available but you’ll need to activate this through their mobile apps. It’s also worth noting that you’ll need to enter payment details so don’t forget to cancel if you find it’s not for you. Surfshark offers a solid 30-day money-back promise and accepts all the major credit cards, several crypto-currencies, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay. Surfshark also offers plenty of local payment options, which is useful in regions where traditional payment systems are less common. On a 2-year plan, Surfshark is cheaper than most major VPNs. Pricing starts at $1.99 to $2.49 per month, undercutting CyberGhost at $2.19 per month, NordVPN at $3.39 per month, and sitting well below ExpressVPN, which remains one of the most expensive at this term. For users comparing purely on long-term price, Surfshark is the lowest-cost option of the group. 30-day money-back guarantee Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections, which means it allows you to secure as many devices with this VPN as you like on a single account. This was rare when Surfshark launched, and it is still relatively rare among the biggest household-name VPNs, even if more providers are now offering it. For now, allowing unlimited simultaneous connections is a big USP for Surfshark and one that many competitors at the top end of the market haven’t yet matched. Surfshark offers the usual email customer support but also a 24/7 live chat customer service that is quick and responsive, easy to use, and staffed by people who are helpful and appear to be first-language English speakers. If there was one small criticism of the live chat support, it was the tendency to stick to pre-prepared answers, which can mean they are sometimes not as flexible to unique issues as they might be. The support page on the Surfshark website is also detailed and comprehensive and features advanced setup and installation tutorials, troubleshooting guides, FAQs and much more. Surfshark is available across the world and has received pretty good reviews. Review websites such as Trustpilot show that the service received high marks, currently averaging at 4.4/5. Most reviews show user satisfaction, with 75% of them describing it as ‘Excellent,’ and giving it 5 stars. Around 9% gave it 4 stars, describing it as ‘Great.’ 4% of users thought it was ‘Average,’ while only 3% described it as ‘Poor.’ However, there is also 9% of the VPN users only gave it one star, describing it as ‘Bad.’ These users complained about the lack of the option to unsubscribe without requesting it directly from customer support. Most unsatisfied users also complained that it doesn’t work with all websites that they use. Those who liked it, however, praised its low price and large server network, as well as its ease of use. My review concludes that Surfshark is a serious contender among the market-leading VPN service providers, and for most non-technical users, Surfshark remains one of the strongest value options who still want a feature-rich product. I’ve previously criticised Surfshark heavily on privacy verification and jurisdiction. In 2026, the picture is more balanced: Its use of virtual locations will not suit everyone, but the apps in terms of features are up with the best of them. The apps are also easy to use and available on all the main operating systems. On the positives, Surfshark offers strong speeds for everyday use, a large network of reliable VPN servers, AES 256-bit encryption with a built-in kill switch, split tunnelling, and customer service that is genuinely responsive. Surfshark works well with Netflix, Disney+, and many other leading streaming services in typical use, although results can vary by region and server, and Prime Video remains inconsistent for almost every VPN. For streaming, Surfshark is especially good. It also offers great apps that work on almost any device, including; They also have strong security features, such as RAM-only servers, Static IP options, and Dedicated IP as a paid add-on in select locations. Not to forget, they allow you to connect as many devices as you want, giving all your devices private internet access. Surfshark is not perfect but no VPN is. It offers one of the most complete VPN packages at its price point. My testing and analysis shows that this is a seriously good VPN, and for the prices they charge, it is a high-quality and high-value option for most people. 30-day money-back guarantee Do you agree with my Surfshark review? I would love to know, so pop a comment below with your experiences.Kill Switch
No Borders
Block Ads and more
Surfshark One
Streaming
Does Surfshark work with Netflix?
Is Surfshark good for Netflix?
Pricing
Total $53.73 for the first 27 months
Total $67.23 for the first 27 months
Total $113.13 for the first 27 months
Total $47.85 for the first 15 months
Total $50.85 for the first 15 months
Total $94.35 for the first 15 months
Service
Simultaneous Connections
Customer Service
Verdict
I’ve been a Surfshark customer for quite some time, but my experience with their service over the last few months has been nothing short of frustrating and exhausting. After dealing with endless issues and subpar support, I feel it’s only fair to share my experience so that others can make an informed decision.
The Problems
I initially encountered serious issues with Surfshark’s version 5.13, which simply didn’t work properly. Rather than providing a real solution, the support team suggested I roll back to an older, less secure version, which obviously wasn’t a feasible option. And when version 5.14 was released, there were no guarantees that it would work smoothly either. This lack of reliability left me in the dark and without proper protection for my devices. As a user who’s been comfortable with VPNs for years, I expected better. Instead, the issues with Surfshark went far beyond just software bugs. The app had such a significant impact on my system’s configuration that I had to fully reinstall Windows twice, losing hours of my time in the process. After the system crash caused by the software, I found that I couldn’t even log in to my PC properly, rendering it unusable.
2. Port 443 Miscommunication
Another issue arose around port 443. Initially, Surfshark’s support team claimed that my port was closed, which would have been a security issue. However, after conducting tests and providing photo evidence, I proved that the port was actually open. The support team’s initial miscommunication and failure to acknowledge this only added to my frustration.
3. The Toll on My Health
Beyond the technical problems, this entire ordeal has had a significant impact on my health. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, and the constant stress of trying to get this issue resolved has caused me to lose sleep and even feel physically ill at times. The level of support – or rather, the lack of it – has only made things worse. In the end, I decided to part ways with Surfshark. Despite having paid £70.96 for two years of service, I feel like I’ve received far less than I paid for, especially given the extensive downtime and constant problems. I reached out to Surfshark asking for a partial refund for the 18 months that I couldn’t use the service properly. Unfortunately, they flatly refused to even consider it. This lack of accountability speaks volumes about their disregard for customer satisfaction.
Hi Christopher.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. It is extremely useful for readers to have real-life experience from users like yourself alongside our own tests so they can make a conclusion if a service is for them or not.
I’m sorry you had such a poor experience while using the Surfshark service and hopefully now you’ve shared your views here they’ll take them onboard so others receive a more thoughtful service in future.