Surfshark VPN review 2026: reliable, fast, affordable

Surfshark is a popular VPN used worldwide, which consistently ranks among the top providers in most VPN comparisons. Since its launch in 2018, Surfshark has become a go-to VPN for many users, and it's easy to see why. Its strong privacy features, reliable streaming performance, and high speeds put it on par with market giants like NordVPN and ExpressVPN.

Another big reason for its popularity is its price. Surfshark is one of the most affordable premium VPNs, which is especially appealing to users who want strong features without paying top-tier prices. Moreover, it supports unlimited simultaneous connections and works across a wide range of devices, making it a practical choice for both individuals and households.

Still, low cost and impressive specs don’t always translate into real-world performance. To get a clear picture, I tested Surfshark in everyday scenarios to see how well it actually holds up in practice.

⭐ Rating:	4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
🥇 Overall rank:	#2 out of #41
📖 No logs policy:	No logs
💵 Price:	From $2.49/month
🖥️ Servers:	4,500+ servers in 100 countries
🍿 Streaming services:	Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and more
🔥 Coupons:	Surfshark coupon 85% OFF

Surfshark VPN pros and cons 2026

Surfshark remains one of the best VPNs on the market, with strong privacy features, solid speeds, and support for multiple devices. It works well for streaming, torrenting, and secure browsing, but its high monthly pricing and smaller server network may be significant drawbacks for some users.

Surfshark VPN speed tests

Our in-house tests showed that Surfshark is one of the fastest VPNs on the market. While using the WireGuard protocol, it maintained 90% of our base internet speeds on local servers and 64–95% on servers in other countries. While distant servers did cause higher speed drops, Surfshark remained effective for streaming and torrenting from virtually anywhere.

Country	Ping, ms	Download speed, Mbps	Download retention, %	Upload speed, Mbps	Upload retention, %
Australia	292	198	21.06382979	69	11.5
Canada	117	735	78.19148936	170	28.33333333
Germany	44	866	92.12765957	560	93.33333333
France	36	852	90.63829787	543	90.5
Local	2	848	90.21276596	573	95.5
Japan	268	606	64.46808511	73	12.16666667
The Netherlands	31	859	91.38297872	520	86.66666667
Sweden	13	895	95.21276596	567	94.5
Singapore	186	731	77.76595745	109	18.16666667
UK	40	836	88.93617021	503	83.83333333
US	109	799	85	173	28.83333333

All speed tests were conducted in Vilnius, Lithuania, using a baseline connection with 940Mbps download and upload speeds. I tested Surfshark with the WireGuard protocol via the Ookla speed testing tool. On nearby servers, speed retention was excellent, ranging from 89% to 95% in regions such as the UK, the Netherlands, and Sweden. In practice, the speed loss was barely noticeable, and I was able to browse, stream, and download files without any issues.

Performance dropped more on distant servers, which is expected, given that some tested locations, like Australia, were over 8,000 miles away. In the US and Canada, Surfshark maintained around 82% speed retention, resulting in slightly slower but still smooth streaming and browsing. However, speeds in Australia fell by nearly 80% compared to the baseline, making the connection almost unusable. This may be a temporary issue, as our previous tests showed a stronger 68% retention in that region.

Overall, Surfshark ranks as the second-fastest VPN in our in-house tests, just behind NordVPN, which benefits from its proprietary protocol and larger server network. For a more detailed breakdown, see our NordVPN vs Surfshark comparison.

Surfshark is a great streaming VPN

Surfshark ranks as one of the best VPNs for streaming, thanks to its reliable unblocking capabilities and fast, stable connections. Together with the Cybernews research team, I tested Surfshark on major streaming platforms by attempting to access each service 10 times. For Netflix, we also tested multiple regions, including the US, France, Singapore, and Japan. Check out the results below.

Streaming platform	Results
Netflix US, France, Singapore, Japan	10/10. Unblocked all libraries without fail. I was able to stream in HD, FHD, and UHD without any lag or buffering.
BBC iPlayer	10/10. Unblocked without issues. I streamed Top Gear and live BBC content in HD with no buffering.
Amazon Prime Video	10/10. Worked flawlessly. I watched The Boys in UHD, and playback was smooth with instant loading.
Paramount +	10/10. I encountered no blocks. I streamed the Halo series in HD, and everything ran without lag or quality drops.
Peacock TV	10/10. Unblocked consistently. I watched The Office and an NBA game live with stable, buffer-free playback.
HBO Max	10/10. I got access instantly. I streamed Succession in UHD, and the quality remained sharp throughout.
Disney+	10/10. I had no issues at all. I watched The Mandalorian in 4K with no interruptions.
ESPN+	10/10. Unblocked live content easily. I streamed an NHL game live, and the stream stayed stable with no lag.
DAZN	10/10. Worked reliably as well. I watched a live boxing match in HD, and the stream held steady without buffering.

As you can see from the table, Surfshark worked extremely well with every streaming platform we tested. Its ability to bypass regional blocks was flawless, as every platform was unblocked ten times out of ten.

As discussed in the performance section, using the WireGuard protocol, Surfshark was able to retain 747.7Mbps of our baseline connection speed. This massively contributes to its overall streaming quality, as I experienced no buffering issues on any of the sites I tried with Surfshark.

For reference, in its official guide, Netflix recommends these internet speeds:

• 3Mbps or higher for High Definition (HD) video (720p)
• 5Mbps or higher for Full High Definition (FHD) video (1080p)
• 15Mbps or higher for Ultra High Definition (UHD) video (4K)

Surfshark exceeded these requirements, even while connected to long-distance servers such as Australia or Japan, maintaining download speeds of 198Mbps and 606Mbps, respectively.

The same results carried over to other major streaming services. I didn’t encounter any unblocking or buffering issues on platforms like BBC iPlayer, ESPN+, DAZN, and more.

How safe is Surfshark?

Overall, Surfshark is one of the most secure VPNs you can get in 2026. It combines strong encryption, advanced privacy tools, and a strict no‑logs policy – all backed by independent audits and a transparent track record.

Privacy aspect	Details
Encryption standard	AES‑256 and ChaCha20 encryption for VPN traffic – the industry standard for secure VPN tunnels.
VPN protocols	Supports fast and secure protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN (UDP/TCP), and IKEv2. In April 2026, Surfshark also launched its proprietary Dausos protocol.
Nexus technology	Surfshark’s SDN-based technology that routes traffic across a unified server network to boost privacy, speed, and connection stability.
No-logs policy	Strict no‑logs policy – independently verified that it does not store browsing activity, IPs, or traffic details. The latest no-logs audit was conducted by Deloitte in June 2025.
Independent audits	No‑logs and infrastructure security compliance have been confirmed in 6 third‑party audits by trusted firms like Cure53, Deloitte, and SecuRing in recent years.
Jurisdiction	Although it’s based in the The Netherlands, which is part of the Nine Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, Surfshark enforces a strict no-logs policy to minimize exposure.
Server infrastructure	Operates over 4,500 RAM‑only servers across 100 countries, ensuring data is never stored on disk.
DNS and IP leak protection	Built‑in DNS, WebRTC, and IP leak protection to prevent traffic exposure.
Kill switch	Automatic kill switch is available across desktop and mobile apps to block internet traffic if the VPN connection drops.

Encryption and protocols

Surfshark uses industry-leading encryption to keep your data secure, specifically AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20 – both widely trusted by cybersecurity experts. AES-256-GCM is commonly used in government and enterprise systems, while ChaCha20 is optimized for better performance on devices with lower processing power. There are currently no safer widely adopted alternatives.

To further strengthen this, Surfshark includes a Perfect Forward Secrecy feature, which generates a unique encryption key for each session. This means that even if someone intercepted your data, they wouldn’t be able to access past or future sessions. In real-world use, this allows you to safely browse on public Wi-Fi, access sensitive accounts, and make secure payments without worrying about data exposure – all without noticeable slowdowns.

Surfshark supports multiple VPN protocols, giving you flexibility depending on your needs:

• WireGuard. A fast, lightweight protocol ideal for streaming, gaming, and everyday browsing.
• OpenVPN. A highly secure and reliable open-source option, best for privacy-focused use.
• IKEv2. A stable protocol with quick reconnections, especially useful on mobile devices.
• Dausos. Surfshark’s recently launched proprietary protocol, built in-house and designed to deliver up to 30% faster speeds on average.

Nexus technology

Launched in early 2025, Surfshark Nexus upgrades the VPN’s network operations by using software-defined networking (SDN). Instead of routing your traffic through a single server, Nexus connects you to a broader network infrastructure, dynamically choosing the best path based on speed, server load, and stability. This results in faster speeds, fewer drops, and a more consistent connection, especially during peak usage.

It also improves privacy by routing your traffic across multiple servers rather than a single fixed point, making it harder to trace. Nexus enables features like rotating IP addresses without disconnecting, which adds an extra layer of anonymity while setting the stage for more advanced VPN capabilities.

RAM-only servers

Surfshark runs its entire VPN network on RAM-only servers, meaning no data is ever written to physical hard drives. This setup ensures that all information, including session data, is automatically wiped whenever a server reboots.

Surfshark made the switch to a fully RAM-based infrastructure in 2020, reinforcing its no-logs policy with hardware that physically can’t retain user data. Even if a server were compromised, there would be nothing to recover.

This kind of diskless architecture has become a security benchmark in the VPN industry, and Surfshark was among the first providers to adopt it network-wide. It’s a major reason users can trust that their browsing activity stays private.

No-logs policy and jurisdiction

Surfshark maintains a strict no-logs policy, and its latest independent audit confirms that claim. The provider does store a limited amount of technical data – such as user ID, IP address, and connection timestamps – during active sessions. However, this information is automatically deleted within 15 minutes of disconnecting and isn’t linked to your browsing activity.

Here’s a table summarizing what information Surfshark collects:

Data	Does Surfshark store it?
IP address	Temporarily, for 15 minutes
Customer’s email address	✅ Yes
Customer’s encrypted password	✅ Yes
Payment data	✅ Yes (if provided)
Browsing history	❌ No
Session information	❌ No
User bandwidth	❌ No
Network traffic	❌ No

It’s clear that Surfshark only stores the essential data needed to run your account, things like your email address, encrypted password, and payment details. These are standard for any subscription-based service.

Surfshark is headquartered in the Netherlands, which is part of the Nine and Fourteen Eyes alliances, but doesn’t impose mandatory data retention on VPN providers.

Naturally, I wanted to dig deeper, so I asked Surfshark about this directly. The company’s response was clear: Dutch law doesn’t require it to log user activity, and its RAM-only server setup means any server data is wiped on reboot. In practice, this means Surfshark states it would have little or nothing to hand over in response to a legal request.

You can read Surfshark’s full answer below. For more insights, check out our full interview with Martynas Dainys.

Surfshark recorded no leaks during our tests

I ran multiple leak tests on Surfshark using tools like dnsleaktest.com and ipleak.net. The results were clear – no DNS or WebRTC leaks during testing. That means your online activity stays private, and your real IP never shows, even during real-time communications like video calls.

Surfshark includes built-in safeguards to prevent your real IP address from showing, even if something goes wrong. That includes DNS leak protection, WebRTC blocking, and a kill switch, all of which help keep your identity secure while connected to the VPN.

Kill switch

Surfshark’s kill switch adds another layer of protection. If your VPN connection suddenly drops, it instantly cuts off internet access to prevent any unencrypted data from leaking. You can use it system-wide or apply it to specific apps. I tested this by forcing connection drops while using the WireGuard protocol. Surfshark blocked traffic every time and kept my IP address hidden.

Surfshark includes extra tools for privacy

Surfshark offers more than just a VPN for privacy and security – it also includes a variety of extra tools designed to help protect your online activity:

• Surfshark Antivirus. This adds malware protection and real-time threat detection to help keep your device safe from harmful files and suspicious activity. It’s included with Surfshark’s One and One+ plans.
• CleanWeb. CleanWeb blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites, helping you browse more privately and with fewer interruptions. It’s available with any Surfshark plan.
• Surfshark Search. This private search tool lets you browse the web without ads or tracking, so your searches stay more anonymous. It’s included with Surfshark One and One+.
• Surfshark Alert. Surfshark’s Alert feature monitors for data breaches and notifies you if your email address or personal data appears in a leak. It comes with Surfshark One and One+.
• Alternative ID. This feature generates a new online identity – including an alternate email address – to help protect your real details from spam and tracking. It’s included in all Surfshark subscription plans.

Bypasser (split tunneling)

Surfshark’s Bypasser is essentially its split tunneling, which lets you choose which apps or websites bypass the VPN. I found it especially useful for apps that don’t handle encrypted connections well, and it’s available on all Surfshark plans across Windows and Android as well as macOS and iOS – something still rare among VPN providers.

I gave Bypasser a proper try while I was testing the torrenting side of things, mostly because torrenting already eats up your connection speed enough on its own. I set it up so that only my torrent client was routed through the VPN, which let me keep everything else I had open without taking a noticeable speed hit. At the same time, my P2P downloads stayed protected in the background.

This flexibility makes it a handy feature if you want more control over your connection without sacrificing speed where you don’t need the VPN.

Obfuscated servers (Camouflage mode)

Surfshark includes obfuscated servers in its Camouflage mode, which disguises VPN traffic as regular HTTPS traffic. This is especially useful for bypassing VPN blocks in restrictive regions like China or on networks that typically block encrypted connections. It’s a feature commonly found in top-tier VPNs, and Surfshark is right up there alongside providers like NordVPN, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN.

Connecting to Surfshark’s obfuscated servers is simple, albeit not exactly intuitive. All you have to do is switch to the OpenVPN protocol in the app’s settings menu, and then obfuscation will be enabled automatically. This is great if you’re already familiar with the feature and know what to do.

However, it might be confusing if you’re a first-time Surfshark user and start looking for a feature called obfuscation on the app, only to come up empty handed. I think NordVPN does it better by offering a separate obfuscated server category. Apart from that, the feature is excellent, and it worked well during our tests.

Dedicated IP

Like many other VPNs, Surfshark offers the option to purchase a dedicated IP address tailored to your specific needs. It gives you exclusive access to an unchanging IP address in another country, making it superior to the provider’s Static IP servers. After all, if an IP address is used by multiple people, then you are more likely to encounter CAPTCHA and other issues while connected to a VPN server.

Surfshark’s website lists 15 countries as options for dedicated IP addresses: the US, the UK, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Brazil, Turkey, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Africa. However, there are even more options available since Surfshark offers dedicated IP addresses in several US cities – Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, New York, San Jose, and Las Vegas – bringing the total number to 20 locations worldwide. The point is that location availability will change over time. Pricing for this feature starts at $3.75/month, and you can get only one dedicated IP per account.

MultiHop (Double VPN)

Double VPN is a go-to feature for users who want extra layers of privacy, and Surfshark delivers with its own version called MultiHop. It routes your connection through two different VPN servers instead of one, making it even harder to trace your online activity. While this added protection comes with a dip in speed due to the longer travel path, it’s a solid option when maximum privacy matters.

Surfshark’s MultiHop has a few compelling perks that make it more appealing to me. Namely, it allows you to create custom combinations between any available countries. Moreover, you can save your favorite combos for easy access later. This is something that’s missing from other providers with Double VPN, such as NordVPN and Proton VPN.

Surfshark's server network

Surfshark offers a solid global network with 4,500+ servers in 100 countries, covering major cities and key regions around the world. While the country count is impressive, its total number of servers is smaller than that of VPN giants like NordVPN or Proton VPN.

Server type	What it does	Main benefit
Standard servers	Regular VPN servers in many countries	Protects your connection and hides your IP address
P2P	Optimizes connections for torrenting	Faster and safer file sharing
MultiHop (Double VPN)	Routes traffic through two VPN servers	Extra privacy and harder tracing
Static IP	Gives you the same IP address every time you connect	Stable access and fewer logins blocked
Dedicated IP	Unique IP address that only you can use	Better whitelisting and reduced CAPTCHA
NoBorders mode	Servers designed for restricted networks	Helps bypass censorship in tough regions

Surfshark’s server fleet is broad and well suited to most use cases, whether you want to stream, browse, or secure your connection for everyday use. With servers in 100 countries, you have plenty of options for accessing content and choosing a location that fits your needs.

Beyond its regular servers, Surfshark also offers specialty options like P2P-optimized servers for torrenting, MultiHop for an extra layer of privacy, and Dedicated IP addresses for users who want a consistent location.

That said, while 100-country coverage is strong, the 4,500-server count is fairly average and is one area where Surfshark falls behind some premium competitors. If you want a broader server infrastructure, NordVPN and ProtonVPN are both worth a look, with ProtonVPN offering 20,300+ servers across 148 countries. To get a better idea of how Surfshark compares to Proton VPN in other categories, check our comprehensive Surfshark vs Proton VPN comparison.

Compatibility and ease of use

Surfshark offers simple, easy-to-use apps across a wide range of devices and operating systems, making it a convenient option for most users.

Device	Compatibility
Windows	10 and 11, with x64 and ARM architecture
macOS	12 or later versions
Linux	Debian 11 or higher, Ubuntu 20.04 or higher, Mint 20 or higher, Gnome, KDE, XFCE desktop environments, AMD64 and ARM64 architecture
Android	Android 5.0 or later versions
iOS	iOS 16.1.0 or later versions
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, and Edge
Smart TVs	Native apps for Android TV, Apple TV, and Fire TV
Gaming consoles	Available via router setup or VPN connection sharing methods
Router support	Available for supported routers with OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 compatibility

On desktop, Surfshark offers a clean, customizable interface with quick access to features like kill switch and MultiHop. Mobile apps, on the other hand, are clearly designed with simplicity in mind – they’re fast, intuitive, and great for casual users. I also found the Surfshark app on Apple TV to be smooth and responsive, with no connection hiccups during streaming.

Surfshark supports unlimited simultaneous connections and works on a wide range of platforms, including smart TVs, gaming consoles, browsers, and routers. It’s one of the most versatile VPNs I’ve tested – ideal whether you’re securing a single device or your entire home setup.

Torrenting with Surfshark VPN

Surfshark is a great VPN for torrenting, thanks to its P2P‑friendly servers, strong privacy protection, and consistently high speed retention. These elements work together to make file sharing both fast and secure, which is exactly what you want when using peer‑to‑peer networks.

Protocol/feature	Avg. speed (MB/s)	Download time	Notes
Dausos	25	~4m 12s	Fastest overall, but unstable with swings from 12MB/s to 30MB/s
WireGuard	24	~4m 31s	Slightly slower than Dausos, but consistently stable
OpenVPN UDP	20	~5m 13s	Moderate speed, but regularly dropped to about 12 MB/s
OpenVPN TCP	18	~5m 47s	Stable, but slower than Dausos and WireGuard
IKEv2	18	~6m 02s	Stable, but had the lowest top speed overall
General torrenting	78% average speed retention	–	Good efficiency compared to the 27MB/s baseline

In our latest in-house Surfshark torrenting tests, the provider’s newly launched Dausos protocol lived up to its claim as the fastest option, delivering the best overall torrenting performance. However, in my opinion, WireGuard is the more reliable option thanks to its steadier speeds throughout the download.

Notably, while still slower than Dausos and WireGuard, Surfshark has shown significant improvements in its OpenVPN performance since our previous tests. Even IKEv2, which turned out to be slower this time around, is still stable enough. I couldn’t recommend the OpenVPN options for reliable P2P use before, but all of Surfshark’s protocols are now perfectly suitable for torrenting for casual and frequent users alike.

Gaming with Surfshark

Surfshark is an excellent gaming VPN thanks to its fast speeds, expansive server fleet, and reliable security features. It doesn’t have gaming-specific servers, but in my testing, it still performed well enough for online play.

Like any VPN, Surfshark hides your IP address, which helps protect your device from DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attacks and also masks your location while you game. Its servers across 100 countries also make it easier to access geo-blocked video games or region-exclusive in-game rewards while giving you more options to find a low-ping connection.

I tested Surfshark VPN with games like Fortnite, Warzone, Minecraft, and Roblox using the WireGuard protocol and the fastest available. I didn’t run into any major lagging or connectivity issues, even though speeds weren’t quite as strong as NordVPN’s during similar tests.

Surfshark customer support

Surfshark provides reliable customer support with 24/7 availability and several ways to get help, whether you prefer live assistance or self-service resources.

Support option	Available
24/7 live chat	✅ Yes
Email support	✅ Yes
Troubleshooting guides	✅ Yes
Setup tutorials	✅ Yes
Knowledge base	✅ Yes

Surfshark’s live chat support is available around the clock and connects you with a human agent relatively quickly. In my experience, response times were short, and answers were clear and helpful for both technical and billing-related questions. However, there is no phone line to call for support.

If you prefer solving issues on your own, Surfshark’s help center includes detailed setup guides, FAQs, and troubleshooting articles for all supported platforms. Overall, Surfshark’s customer support is dependable and easy to access, covering both quick fixes and more advanced issues without unnecessary friction.

How much does Surfshark cost?

Surfshark is one of the most affordable premium VPNs, offering competitive pricing while still providing strong features. The lowest price currently available is $2.49/month with the Surfshark Starter plan when billed over two years.

	Surfshark Starter	Surfshark One	Surfshark One+
1-month price	$16.45/month	$18.95/month	$21.85/month
1-year price	$3.39/month	$3.59/month	$7.49/month
2-years price	$2.49/month	$2.79/month	$4.49/month
Unlimited devices	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Ad and pop-up blocker	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Alternative ID	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Antivirus	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Personal data and ID leak alerts	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Incogni	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
	Get Surfshark Starter	Get Surfshark One	Get Surfshark One+

Surfshark offers three plan tiers, Starter, One, and One+, each adding more features as you go. The longer your subscription, the lower the monthly cost. So while monthly plans are on the higher side, long-term plans offer significant savings.

From my analysis, here’s a quick look at the plans and who they’re best for:

• Surfshark Starter: Starting at $2.49/month, it’s a solid choice if you just need a VPN for streaming, browsing, or casual torrenting. It covers all the basics at the lowest cost.
• Surfshark One: For $2.79/month, it adds antivirus protection and personal data alerts to the VPN service, making it a perfect choice if you want extra security for online activities.
• Surfshark One+: At $4.49/month, this plan includes everything from the One plan, plus tools like Incogni for identity protection. This one’s best if you handle sensitive info across multiple devices and want the full privacy suite.

For a more detailed breakdown, check our Surfshark pricing guide.

Video review

Check out our Surfshark review in the video below if you prefer watching over reading. It covers everything from key features to pricing and overall value.

Final verdict on Surfshark VPN

Surfshark continues to earn its place among the top VPNs on the market. It delivers fast speeds, unlimited device support, and a wide global server reach, all for a price that’s hard to beat. Features like Alternative ID, Surfshark Alert, and a built-in antivirus push it beyond the basics, giving users real tools for privacy and device protection.

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