Surfshark VPN Review: A Fast and Feature-Rich Option for Everyday Users Surfshark has quickly become a major player in the VPN space since its founding in 2018. While it started as a budget-friendly option, it has evolved into a service focused more on innovation than just low cost. It offers impressive speeds, a wide server network, and a suite of unique features that make it a strong contender, especially for casual users. Performance and Speeds One of Surfshark’s biggest strengths is its speed. In tests, it demonstrated minimal impact on download and upload speeds, making it one of the fastest VPNs available. This means you can browse, stream, and download without significant lag. While latency, important for online gaming, saw some increases, it remains an excellent choice for most everyday internet activities. Security and Privacy Surfshark uses robust and secure protocols like WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. It successfully passed all leak tests, showing no signs of exposing your real IP address through DNS, WebRTC, or IPv6. The service is based in the Netherlands, which falls under strong EU privacy laws like the GDPR. Crucially, Surfshark operates a RAM-only server network, meaning user activity data is wiped clean every 15 minutes. A recent independent audit in June 2025 confirmed that its no-logs privacy policy is accurate. While the service does use some third-party trackers on its website for analytics, these do not monitor your VPN activity. Features for Users Surfshark stands out with its innovative features. The Nexus technology connects all its servers, allowing for features like Dynamic MultiHop, where you can choose both the entry and exit points for your connection, and constant IP address rotation for enhanced anonymity. Another key feature is Everlink, an always-on system that instantly reconnects you to a new server if your current connection drops, acting like a supercharged kill switch. The service also includes a capable ad and tracker blocker called CleanWeb, with a more powerful browser extension version that can block video ads. Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections on a single subscription, great for protecting all your devices and those of your family. It also offers split tunneling, called Bypasser, to choose which apps or websites use the VPN. Streaming and Server Network For streaming, Surfshark performs very well. It successfully unblocked Netflix in 14 out of 15 tests across different countries, proving effective at changing your virtual location to access geo-restricted content. Its server network is extensive, with locations in 100 countries. Notably, about two-thirds of these are physical servers, not virtual, which can contribute to better and more reliable connection speeds. Pricing and Plans Surfshark’s pricing is tiered. The one-month plan is quite expensive, but the value improves dramatically with longer commitments. The best deal is the long-term Surfshark Starter plan, which includes the VPN and an email masking tool. For a small extra cost, the Surfshark One bundle adds an antivirus, a data breach monitor, and a private search engine. A top-tier plan also includes an automated data broker removal service called Incogni. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Final Verdict Surfshark is a top-tier VPN that excels in speed, security, and innovative features. Its user-friendly apps, while occasionally verbose with pop-ups, are well-organized. It is an excellent choice for users who want a fast, reliable, and feature-packed VPN without a high level of complexity. Its ability to unblock streaming services and its strong privacy practices make it easy to recommend, particularly for those who take advantage of its attractive long-term pricing.
