Surfshark VPN Review – a Cost-Effective and High-Quality VPN (2022 update)

surfshark-vpn-review

Rarely have we seen a VPN service that offers such a vast library of features at such a low subscription fee than SurfShark. We found the software to tick all the boxes that are necessary for a quality VPN. From offering the user to access VOD platforms across a high number of regions to giving them the mandatory privacy to keep their identity hidden, Surfshark has it all.

In this article, we will discuss in more detail the key aspects and functions of the Surfshark VPN. We will also show you why it is one of those VPN services that you should have to ensure your privacy and data protection on the internet.

We have gathered up the necessary information from all the categories listed throughout our review. It will allow our more advanced readers to find the answers they need to decide whether Surfshark is the right choice for them or not.

We base everything on our digital devices. The significant changes and advancement in the technology of the internet added in recent times have allowed every one of us to share our data and other things much faster, in a more convenient fashion. However, there is a dark side to such conveniences. It is because our over-reliance on the internet and other forms have technology have also made our information and data more exposed to outside threats like never before.

Nevertheless, there is always light at the end of the tunnel as there are several handy programs adept at avoiding such risks. A VPN is one of such tools as it can make the data of its client along with the internet safe and hidden from the grasp of cybercriminals.

Among such VPNs, Surfshark VPN is a ray of shining light that doesn’t put any burden on the user’s budget, all the while giving them the best service imaginable. We will show you the key features of the VPN, along with its app-interface, customer service proficiency, server coverage, and much more. So please keep on reading this review if you want to learn about the complete ins and outs of Surfshark VPN.

Surfshark VPN – Information on its Headquarters and Data Logging policy

There couldn’t be a more ideal place from which a VPN could head its operations from than the British Virgin Islands. Surfshark has based its entire business within the jurisdictions of the small island nation, which enables it to uphold and follow a strict no-log policy.

Though the head of the state of the British Virgin Islands is Queen Elizabeth, the Caribbean country has no other affiliation with the United Kingdom. The nation follows its own rules and protects the privacy of its citizens like none other.

It is also not a member of any intelligence-sharing coalition like the Five-Eyes or the Nine-Eyes Alliance. This lack of association with countries like the UK and the US allows businesses such as Surfshark VPN to follow their no-log policy fully and ensure complete anonymity of its user’s browsing activity.

Upon collecting the necessary information regarding the solemnity of Surfshark on keeping the identity of its clients hidden, we felt pretty satisfied. Our team learned that Surfshark VPN passed a security audit from one of the prominent German cybersecurity firms. Our team of experts also found out that Surfshark has spread out its no-log rule across specific things that are as follows:

• Not keeping a record of user’s IP address and bandwidth usage;
• Not noting the browsing history of the client;

The Pricing Plan of Surfshark VPN – It does not get any cheaper than this

The pricing plans of any software should be in line with the needs and limitations of the average consumers. The majority of the population belong to the lower or middle class, and there are the most who suffer from online hacking attacks. It is challenging for such people to purchase software services to achieve protection on the internet if the service is expensive and puts a strain on their budget.

Surfshark vpn price reviews

Surfshark understands the dilemma and concerns of the everyday consumer, much like some of the top VPN services available on the market. The most prevalent two-year package of Surfshark VPN is available for the lowest possible price of $2.21 per month. Moreover, you will get three extra months for free. Each of the three subscription plans of Surfshark allows the user to test the VPN for 30 days and get their money back if they do not like the service. Not only that, but you will also be able to purchase any plan of the VPN through the convenience of Bitcoin, which will permit you to protect your financial information.

The subscription packages of SurfsharkVPN are as follows:

The Server Count of Surfshark VPN

If you want to judge a VPN’s quality on your own, then there is a straightforward method to find that out. You only need to learn the number of servers that the VPN is offering to its premium customers. If the headcount is more than 3200+, then it directly implies that the VPN is of the highest quality. It also points to the fact that it will not matter how strict is the geo-blocking protocol implemented by any entity. The supreme coverage servers of the VPN will find a way to unblock user access to such platforms in no time.

surfshark vpn available servers and locations

Surfshark checks all the boxes in that regard as you will be able to connect to any of the service’s 3200+ servers across more than 65 countries to bypass geo-restrictions. It is far more than several notable VPN on the market has to offer. You will find servers across all six inhabitable continents, which gives a good look at how far-reaching Surfshark is for the user of every region.

Here is the list of servers in countries that Surfshark has carefully placed for the convenience of its customers all over the world:

Though the server count of 1040 is not in any way close to what more prominent VPNs like Nord and Express have to offer, Surfshark still deserves all the applause. The VPN service covers every continent and allows the user from more populous regions like Africa and Asia to ensure their privacy online. It is the reason why our team decided to give it a handsome rating of 9 out of 10. You can check out the table below to learn quickly about the server coverage of Surfshark:

Internet connection speed of Surfshark VPN

It is an ancient fact about the VPN that they tend to make the connection speed of the internet highly unstable and slow, making it unbearable to browse or stream. This fact is accurate for some VPNs, but it is not right in the case of the Surfshark VPN. Like most premium VPN services, Surfshark thrives on offering the best quality internet connection speed. The data we collected across different servers of Surfshark pointed to the fact that you will be able to stream videos, play online video games with complete stability.

surfshark vpn speed test

We ran tests across different servers across a variety of regions with our 100Mbps internet connection. We have stated the findings in the table below:

The fact that Surfshark was available across every region was enough for our team to give it a rating of 9 out of 10. However, the speed test results gathered through the platform of “Speedtest.net” sweetened the deal to the greatest extent. Though we got into some technical glitch while testing the South American server of Brazil, everything else went smoothly.

The Security Features of Surfshark VPN

The security features of a VPN is its bread and butter. If the functions to give the clients much-needed privacy online are not top-notch, then there is no point in enabling a VPN connection on the device. The features have to be of the highest working quality to tackle the ever-evolving threats of adware, DDoS attacks, hacking attempts, and others.

In this part of the review, we will look into all the security and privacy enabling functions of Surfshark VPN to check whether they are capable of walking the walk. Here are the high-functioning and essential security features of the Surfshark VPN:

From keeping no traces of user log to offering them enhanced protection through the Double VPN features, Surfshark VPN is a complete package. Hacking or phishing attempts on your device will become a thing of the past once you start connecting your internet connection and system with one of Surfshark’s servers.

The Hacklock function of the VPN will instantly alert you if your information(passwords and accounts) ever get into a position of getting hacked. Furthermore, the VPN will not let any malware through a malicious website from entering the premises of your computer or smartphone.

The whole around coverage to keep the user hidden and their data completely secure online allowed us to give the security features of SurfsharkVPN a perfect rating of 10.

The Cross-Platform Support

Ever since the inception of the 4G technology, the competition between tech companies to get a firm hold of the market share has also increased. It is the reason why we now see more operating systems, brands, and devices on the market that offer more convenience than the other. It is also the fact that the majority of the users all over the world own more than one cross-platform device. Such a practice allows the consumer to send and receive information everywhere by connecting their devices through the internet.

SurfSharkVPN available applications

For that purpose, software providers such as VPN offer app coverage across every platform there is. It helps their client to remain protected anywhere they go, no matter if they use their home network or public Wi-Fi. It is also necessary for the VPN to offer coverage across more than one device at the same time.

Surfshark VPN ticks every box of cross-platform support as the service allows the user to connect through an unlimited number of through the convenience of a single account. You can see the app coverage across various platforms in the list below:

Other than offering app support across the conventional top four platforms(Windows/macOS/iOS/Android), you will find apps of Surfshark for your gaming consoles and smart TVs. Such a comprehensive native app coverage with unlimited connections across devices gave us no reason not to provide Surfshark with a rating of 10/10 in the cross-platform support category.

The Encryption and Tunneling Protocols

There is no denying those different entities with power and necessary tools go to a variety of lengths to spy on you and steal your data. The aim to leak information that is more intimate to such as personal details and data related to your banking endeavors. It is why keeping such data encrypted under the protection of a strong password is necessary. If that is not possible, VPNs offer standard military-grade encryption protocols to keep the identity and the data of their client safe and hidden.

SurfShark VPN encryprion

Surfshark provides various encryption and tunneling protocols to all its clients to keep their information protected at all times. You will be able to continue your browsing activity and other kinds of data encrypted and away from the hands of hackers through Surfshark’s AES-256-GCM encryption. Such a level of encryption is impossible to decrypt, which will render the individual trying to hack your device completely clueless.

Other than offering military-level encryption, Surfshark VPN has different tunneling protocols in place for its customers. If you don’t know what VPN tunneling protocols are, then we have the answer. It is a technology that allows the VPNs to send the data of their clients through the internet safely. Here are some of the tunneling protocols that Surfshark VPN has placed across its network. Here is the table of security features that SurfSharkVPN provides:

Safety on the internet is absolutely necessary, and a VPN is the only tool that guarantees that your identity remains anonymous for as long as you like. If the VPN is not capable of doing that, then this whole discussion is all for nothing. Fortunately, Surfshark keeps its promise in maintaining the integrity of its client’s safety through military-grade encryption and various secure tunneling protocols. We found every feature regarding the protection of data and browsing activity to be up to the mark. For that reason, our team gave Surfshark VPN a 9 out of 10.

The App Interface of Surfshark VPN on Windows PC

Once you understand the safety protocols, server count, and the pricing plans of a VPN, the next step is to learn whether the VPN app is intuitive for every user or not. The app is the only platform of the VPN that can enable protection across the device and the internet. The app must be spontaneous so that the user from every background could maneuver it without outside help. Every person should be able to switch on a specific feature of the VPN from the app whenever they like.

The app for the Windows operating system was only 16Mb in storage size, and it took merely a minute for us to download and install it from the official website of Surfshark. Upon launching the app on the platform, the interface asked us to enter the username and password that we created before purchasing the VPN.

Once we signed into the app, we saw a giant whitish display with the following small icons that were hard to look at:

• Favorite – This tab allows you to connect to your preferred server almost instantly;
• Locations – You will be able to see the entire list of virtual sites and servers of Surfshark by clicking on the button;
• Static IP – Once you select this tap, you will be able to connect to any of the 26 dedicated IPs of Surfshark’s servers. However, these static IPs are different
• Multihop – You will be able to browse under the protection of servers from two countries at once by clicking on this option.

The features option is available at the left side of the interface, which allows you to enable the following four options:

We found large spaces within the app interface of Surfshark VPN, which the designers could have filled to increase intuitiveness and accessibility. The app was not evident in directing the user to the server or security feature that they wished to access. The icons that we used were so small that some of our analysts weren’t able to see them with the naked eye. The app interface of Surfshark VPN left a big room for improvement. Besides, it is why our team decides to give the VPN’s app an overall rating of 7 out of 10.

Does Surfshark VPN work with Netflix?

Many users do not concern themselves with privacy and the protection aspect of the VPN. They only purchase the service to unblock torrenting sites in a much more private manner to bypass DPI and internet throttling. It is why the VPN must be able to support P2P platforms, and unblock streaming sites like Netflix without any extra hassle.

While allowing access to such sites, it is also essential for the VPN to provide unlimited bandwidth coverage along with high-speed internet. Things like these are crucial for the user to download and stream content quickly.

Surfshark takes pride in providing its customers the option to open Netflix of more than ten different regions. Not only Netflix, but we were also able to access pretty much every notable streaming platform available on the internet, including Hulu, Amazon, and Hotstar. We give Surfshark VPN full marks for its commitment to offer its users a wide variety to stream content with high-speed in HD quality.

If you wish to access torrenting sites to download content for free, then Surfshark has you covered as every one of its servers is P2P-friendly. It means that no one will be able to know that you are using a P2P site; neither will they be able to track your identity.

The Customer Support Service of Surfshark VPN

When the app interface fails to provide the service you need with the VPN, despite its intuitiveness, then it is where the customer care service of the VPN comes in to help. Though the chances of an average customer interacting with the support staff could be skimpy, the service should be available at all times and laced with the necessary tools to assist the client.

SurfShark VPN support

Services such as VPN that goes over the head of the user with zero technical knowledge should have the best customer support service of all. It should contain informative FAQs, how-to guides, live and email chat facility, and one-click solution to common issues.

Fortunately, Surfshark VPN has got it all. You will be able to access the support section by clicking on the “Help” tab from the official web page of Surfshark. From that, you will have the choice to select your device’s operating system to solve your problem quickly.

If you don’t want to choose the OS, then scroll down the “Help” page, and there you will be able to access the FAQ section. It has all the simple answers to the most common occurring VPN-related issues. You will be able to learn how to set-up your VPN on your computer, smartphone, and even your router.

The Knowledgebase section has quick solutions to non-technical aspects of the VPN service. You will be able to access any of the following tabs to learn everything you need about your VPN account:

• Tutorials: You will find troubleshooters related to every operating system by accessing this option;
• Billing: This tab will contain the information required on how to pay for the service by using different means of payment;
• General Info: This section of the support section includes articles on how to logically use the VPN service to access sites like Netflix and others.

The live chat and email support facility are accessible at the very bottom of the “Help” page. It will allow you to interact with a technical expert of VPN directly and get the required assistance much swiftly. We have arranged a table for you to showcase the various facilities available across the customer support section of Surfshark VPN:

Overall, SurfShark VPN is an inexpensive VPN service with a bunch of useful features that can protect your online privacy. Recommended!

There is no debate about the fact that having a VPN enabled on the computer system is a must. Without the presence and the safety net of the VPN, your data will remain exposed and susceptible to online theft.

We tested Surfshark VPN by dividing the qualities of the VPN service under different categories. Surfshark gave perfect results under categories such as pricing, media support, security features, and encryption protocols.

If that wasn’t enough to convince our team of the utility of Surfshark VPN, the service also gave excellent results in the internet connection, customer service, and server coverage. The only trouble we came across with the VPN was with its app for Windows OS, which left a lot to desire.

We concluded that Surfshark VPN is one of those services available that you need to purchase to get a fast internet connection with high-class security features. The overall rating that the service got from us was 9.2 out of 10, which includes Surfshark VPN among the top-rated VPN services available on the internet.