James Patterson | Last Updated:
Online Privacy & Internet Security Expert
When it comes to your security and privacy online, there’s nothing that comes close to a Virtual Private Network or VPN — and with the recent arrival of SurfShark onto the global vpn market, our readers have a whole new service to choose from.
SurfShark began to make a splash in mid-2019 with its outstanding prices, P2P support and one of the most intuitive, easy-to-use user interfaces on the market. Whether you’re a newbie to VPNs, looking for a cheap VPN that’s also secure or just want to switch to another trusted provider, SurfShark might be for you.
Being based in the British Virgin Islands, SurfShark can also genuinely claim a zero-logs policy that isn’t unravelled by local government laws and international pressure — so browsing through this VPN is going to keep you as secure as possible.
If the awesome features above have you excited for what SurfShark brings to the table, continue reading our full review below to learn more.
Below are the latest SurfShark subscription prices, current as at December 2024:
Anyone who has used a VPN will know that speeds can change dramatically from day to day, sometimes being far slower than advertised on a provider’s website. However, we’re glad to say that SurfShark and their continued investment in advanced performance tech have kept their speeds blazing fast.
Users on 100mbps connections should find that their speeds hover around 80mbps to 90mbps in ideal conditions. A fall to below 50mbps shouldn’t occur too often, though this could also be partly due to an ISP’s throttling of their entire network.
For advanced and heavy users of the web for work or school, SurfShark should certainly be on your radar. As we mentioned above, in many locations, SurfShark beat out industry-leading VPNs in testing, to offer even faster speeds.
On the service’s US East Coast servers, SurfShark boasted a 49% faster connection than even ExpressVPN, and in the UK the service was again 39% faster when browsing from New York.
Wherever you are across the globe, SurfShark will have a server nearby with outstanding speeds and great security features to keep you connected at the lowest latency possible.
This VPN boasts an incredible 1700 high-speed servers in more than 60 countries which means connecting to a reliable local server is fast, and when it comes time to browse from a location abroad, there’s plenty of country’s to choose from.
Users will find servers in the below countries and many more:
And when paired with SurfShark’s brilliant Camouflage Mode that masks the use of a VPN, you’re free to browse various websites such as US Netflix, BBC’s iPlayer and more — without the worry of being caught out.
It’s also important to note that SurfShark’s proprietary Camouflage Mode enables access to the world’s 8 exclusive Netflix Content Libraries, which makes it the only VPN currently able to do so. Whether you’re looking to access Indian Netflix, the Japanese variant or even the Dutch content library, you can rely on SurfShark to log you in without issue — from wherever you are in the world.
Although protocol support isn’t too important to know for most users, it doesn’t hurt to shine some light on SurfShark’s use of IKEv2 and OpenVPN. Both of these protocols, working in harmony with AES-256-GCM and SHA-512 will ensure that you’re more than secure enough when browsing.
That said, SurfShark’s choice of protocols and encryption also keep the service blazing fast while remaining secure.
As with a few other major VPNs, SurfShark is based in the BVI or the British Virgin Islands, which means that there’s no legal requirement to store any browsing data.
You’re able to browse the web until your heart’s content knowing that no one is snooping and there really is no record of your actions across the internet whatsoever.
There isn’t too much information revealed by SurfShark on what exactly is logged, if anything, such as VPN connection times. However, data like your VPN connection time and data transfer amounts aren’t typically identifiable information.
A cornerstone feature in the VPN industry is the customer support team available to subscribers. It’s important to know that your VPN provider has your back when something goes wrong, or when it’s time to ask a technical question.
We’re glad to say that SurfShark understands these requirements and offers fantastic customer support 24/7 across email, live chat and through the company’s help centre.
All users will be happy to see that support is almost entirely human-based, which means truly helpful responses that get you on your way quickly. Whether you have a short server speed question, or a more complex issue such as router installation, SurfShark’s customer support is top-notch.
Aside from SurfShark’s commitment to security in their VPN, you’ll also find that the company only asks of one identifiable piece of information when signing up — your email address. You’re free to pay for the service with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple or the major payment platforms including Google Pay, PayPal and Visa and MasterCard.
With that said, if you’re looking to truly remain anonymous, all you’ll need is a fresh email address and a secured hidden payment method. SurfShark will do the rest.
As expected, SurfShark makes it easy to get their VPN on all major devices and platforms by supporting just about all OSs and all devices on the market. SurfSharks current supported devices include:
Various routers can also be SurfShark-configured.
Located in the British Virgin Islands or BVI means that SurfShark is not required by law to hold customer data in any capacity.
The BVI is also separated from the 14 Eyes Nations which requires allied countries to collect and share user data to combat terrorism. That said, SurfShark can factually claim to hold no logs or any customer data in every sense — at least when it comes to regulation requirements.
VPNCompass strongly recommended choosing a VPN based in the BVI simply because of the country’s lapse regulations around data collection.
SurfShark offers support for all major platforms and operating systems to ensure your digital life is secured whether you’re on mobile, desktop, laptop and even the TV. With SmartDNS support, SurfShark’s VPN service even finds its way on to devices such as Xbox and Apple TV.
One extraordinary standout feature of SurfShark is its stellar speeds which routinely matched and even exceed the best VPNs on the market, making this one of the fastest VPN services in the world as of 2020.
Take a look below at a few more of SurfShark’s headlining features and security offerings and discover why this newcomer might just be your next VPN.
From all of the outstanding features above, it would be right of you to assume there’s a lot of advanced, proprietary technology working in the backend of SurfShark.
The VPN does boast a couple of advanced features including adblocking and easy whitelisting solutions to make using local websites a breeze. You’ll be able to say goodbye to malware, tracking, phishing and even be free to bypass your VPN for specific websites — all automatically with the features below.
With SurfShark’s CleanWeb feature, all VPN users on the network will be able to rest assured that their movements online are as secure as ever.
Boasting a virtually impenetrable wall of encryption and security will mean that phishing attempts, malware infections, ads and cross-site tracking become a thing of the past. Through testing, all of these features are shown to work flawlessly, making it a great add-on for those who really are looking for a cleaner web.
We understand that many of our readers are only interested in a VPN for specific activities such as streaming foreign content, accessing private information and other sensitive tasks. SurfShark comes out on top here too — with Whitelister.
All users will simply be able to choose the sites they’d like to remain off of the VPN service and thus keep them from logging in each time. You’ll also be able to browse local websites without being bothered by an international version of the site too — perfect for those who love US or UK Netflix but don’t exactly want that version of their banking or YouTube app, for example.
To keep your IP address and browsing data safe in the event there’s a hiccup with your internet, your device or SurfShark’s servers. Your connection to the web will simply be severed the moment your VPN is disconnected.
Allowing all users to connect through multiple VPN servers in multiple countries at the same time. You could be browsing from the UK to the United States through a server in Germany, preventing snooping almost entirely.
A big feature for those on a VPN. SurfShark is the only major player to offer their service on every device you own. There’s no limit on the VPN connections you can have, and that means securing all of your traffic, even if that means equipping a suite of business devices with SurfShark.
Keeps your ISP and all the sites you browse blissfully unaware that you’re using a VPN. This will keep streaming services from barring your device and prevent ISPs from throttling your connection as they’ll have no idea you’re on a VPN.
Pros
Cons
For a newcomer, there’s little negative to say about SurfShark. The service was unveiled in 2018 and has been committed to being the best of the best from the very start.
Performance on the platform is outstanding, security is top-notch and the feature set will enable our readers to do more on the service than with almost any other VPN. You’ll be free to access any website you like with ease, even those locked behind multiple layers of advanced security like Netflix’s international libraries.
To boot, SurfShark is independently audited, keeping the company honest and its users in the know about what’s really going on. Cure53 recently completed an audit of the service and had the following to say;
“…the tested applications make a very robust impression and are not exposed to any issues, neither in the privacy nor in the more general security realms.”
With all of that said, SurfShark has quickly climbed to be in our top list of recommended VPNs for VPNCompass readers. It’s affordable, boasts innovative features and is as easy to use as you’d expect.
Categories: Reviews