Surfshark VPN review | Laptop Mag
Our Verdict
Surfshark VPN is the rex of the internet ocean, not only for its many security options and ease-of-apply, but for the unlimited devices it supports at a bargain toll.
For
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Deal at toll
- Like shooting fish in a barrel to use
- Plentiful security options
Confronting
- Some connection dips
Laptop Mag Verdict
Surfshark VPN is the king of the internet ocean, not just for its many security options and ease-of-use, just for the unlimited devices information technology supports at a bargain price.
Pros
- +
Unlimited simultaneous connections
- +
Bargain at cost
- +
Like shooting fish in a barrel to employ
- +
Plentiful security options
Cons
- -
Some connection dips
Surfshark specs
Works on:Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux
24/7 back up:Aye
Trial period:30 days
Number of servers:1,700+
Server locations:100+
Countries:63
Maximum devices supported:Unlimited
Surfshark is the king of the internet ocean, some might say, considering of the maximum number of devices it supports: Unlimited. Whether you're a family of five with three devices — each streaming Netflix or Hulu — or a visitor with rows of PCs, Surfshark supports simultaneous connections at one of the cheapest prices around. And it does it all with a number of useful high-security protocols and features, forth with a simple user interface for casual users to easily change their location with a press of a button.
The only downside to Surfshark is its speeds. While notwithstanding superlative-tier compared to the plethora of VPNs out in that location, it doesn't quite match the speeds of other VPN services, especially when some servers all of a sudden dip out of nowhere. That's OK though, the unlimited devices more than brand up for information technology, peculiarly when prices are as low equally £one.81/$1.99 per month. That's a serious value.
While Surfshark has taken its rightful place as one of the
all-time VPN services, there are others that trounce it in terms of connection speeds and server locations, like ExpressVPN.
Surfshark price and availability
Surfshark has 3 subscription plans, with the longer commitments being cheaper, as per usual. Withal, Surfshark's fees are significantly cheaper than a lot of VPN services for the features it provides. Subscriptions price £nine.forty/$12.95 per month for a one-month programme, £4.71/$6.49 per month for a six-month plan, and a staggeringly cheap £1.81/$2.49 per month for a 24-month plan (although it's £43.36 upfront). If you're ever going to be using a VPN for the long haul (and you should!) then information technology doesn't get much better than that.
Surfshark also offers a vii-solar day free trial before making a buy, and as well has a thirty-day money-dorsum guarantee if it isn't working out. This is a normal practice for VPN services, but yet practiced to know Surfshark supports it.
Surfshark is available on almost every platform, including macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. It fifty-fifty supports smart TVs including FireTV and Apple TV, consoles similar the PS5 and Xbox Serial X, along with browsers including Google Chrome and Firefox.
But here'due south the primary draw of Surfshark: it supports unlimited devices. That ways yous can use the aforementioned account on your laptop, Apple TV, smartphone and, well, literally any number of devices you can think of, simultaneously. That'due south all at the aforementioned price, too. It's a no brainer for a business organisation to utilize, or families with plenty of devices. If you're after a VPN purely for more blindside for your cadet, Surfshark wins every fourth dimension.
Surfshark streaming and unblocking
Nosotros tested Surfshark on a number of streaming platforms, including
Netflix, Amazon Prime number Video, BBC iPlayer and Disney+. The nifty news is the VPN service unblocks whatsoever region-blocked content on the platforms, especially Netflix in countries including Nihon, Netherlands, the UK or the US. Testing was washed on an
Android smartphone.
However, connection speeds and servers can differ wildly. When testing our connection while watching Netflix in Chicago, we saw speeds of 500Kbps, which isn't great when trying to stream shows (more on this later). Yet, thanks to Surfshark's many US server locations, we tried it again in San Francisco and got a comparatively massive leap in speeds at 5.17Mbps. That's more similar it.
We likewise tested Japan and got speeds of upwardly to 3.02Mbps, which is substantial considering its distance from our location in the U.K. All shows on the country-specific Netflix catalog were streamed in HD resolution.
Surfshark also has a NoBorders characteristic, significant it tin can bypass whatever censored or geo-restricted sites or content, whether it exist in the United Arab Emirates or Hong Kong. According to users, Surfshark besides works every bit a solid VPN option in Red china, which is known for its authorities-restricted content and VPN blockers. So, if you're looking to featherbed state-specific content, know that Surfshark has y'all covered.
Surfshark server locations
Surfshark has significantly increased the number of servers it offers, now offer i of the near out of the many VPN services. It is also adding countries to its listing, making it more than enticing for users who stick with it.
Currently, Surfshark offers more than 3,200 servers in more than 100 server locations and in 65 countries. While non as many every bit some providers, at that place is a pregnant number of servers in popular countries including the US, U.M., Australia and even Canada. Yet, servers have varying connection speeds, which sometimes dip in and out. In my experience, connections varied depending on the location. For example, while in the UAE, connections to US servers were all over the place, just while I was in the U.G., they worked just fine (barring Chicago for some reason).
Surfshark besides features "MultiHop, a feature more than experienced VPN users will enjoy. With this, users can connect via multiple countries, including Commonwealth of australia to the U.S., U.K. to France, Singapore to Hong Kong, etc. It's a fantastic trick for those who actually need to mask their identity or wipe away their footprints. This takes a striking on speeds, but non significantly. When connecting to Republic of india via Singapore, we reached one.67Mbps, and when connecting to the U.Due south. via Australia, speeds were at 1.32Mbps. For what information technology does, these are surprisingly expert results.
Surfshark security
Surfshark uses unbreakable 256-chip encryption, along with DNS and IPv6 protection, to prevent anyone from trying to get your real IP accost. As for its security protocols, every land supports OpenVPN UDP/TCP, WireGuard, IKEv2, WireGuard and Shadowsocks protocols. Each has its own advantages, whether it be connection speed or data encryption, so it'due south brilliant to take the choice. Those who aren't sure shouldn't worry equally it will automatically use the all-time protocol.
Surfshark also has a VPN Kill Switch, although this isn't turned on by default. That's annoying, simply it does clearly prove the switch selection on a bill of fare as before long as it connects to a server. Android as well features an Android native Kill Switch, which will disable access for Whitelisted websites and apps if the connectedness drops.
What is "Whitelisted," you ask? Another Surfshark feature is its own version of carve up-tunneling. It allows users to select specific apps or websites to featherbed the VPN connection, which works great for bank apps.
There's also Camouflage Manner, which is pretty meta; it masks the user'south encrypted data to look like normal data using deep packet inspection (DPI) so your internet provider thinks they're not using a VPN.
Finally, similar whatsoever good VPN service, Surfshark has a strict no-logs policy, as information technology's based in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands. This ways none of a user's information, from IP address to browsing history, is logged or kept.
Surfshark user accessibility and support
For those overwhelmed past the number of security features and tricks Surfshark has to offering, non to worry, as it also handily comes with a one-click fast connection found on an easy-to-navigate interface on Android or Windows. It'south perfect for casual users.
Every feature is briefly explained on its interface so users know exactly what they exercise, simply it goes ane step farther past calculation more niche functions, including making your device invisible to other devices. More impressively, it features an "Override GPS location" switch, so users can match the GPS location of the VPN location. With the number of apps that employ GPS, avant-garde users are sure to find this useful.
Surfshark's website also offers plenty of explanations for each of the VPN service'south features, forth with how-tos on setting up VPNs on all the devices it can connect to. Heck, even the elevation bar on its main web page shows your IP accost and Net Provider (Isp), just to show if you lot're protected or non.
Surfshark connection speed
This is where the VPN service slightly disappoints. While it even so offers substantial connection speed to sentry shows on any streaming service in high definition, which is more than than enough for most, it still isn't the fastest VPN out there.
Using fast.com, I tested the connection using the automatic protocol suggested in Federal republic of germany, South Africa, and India, along with the USA and Nihon (as seen in a higher place).
In Berlin, I got speeds of 500Kbs. That was disappointing, and then I tried again in Nuremberg, Deutschland and got 3.0Mbps. Then I tried a connection in Bombay, India and got one.4Mbps. Next, I tried a connection in S Africa, and got a measly 250Kbps. Again, disappointing. I waited 20 minutes to see if it would pick up, but to get 130Kbps. All the same, I tried one more time and amazingly got 3.1Mbps.
Conspicuously, Surfshark's connections can dip in and out. While it can bring fast speeds, certain servers will have unstable connection speeds. These random drops in speed won't disrupt simple web browsing as well much, simply they may exist a problem for those who need a stable connexion.
Bottom Line
Surfshark is without a uncertainty the all-time VPN service when it comes to cost, as the amount of different features it offers makes it a great value. Connecting to unlimited devices means your whole neighbourhood could technically be a part of one simple subscription. That'south more than enough reason to get a VPN.
However, its mistake in speed to random servers isn't platonic, which may turn a few people off if they demand a stable, speedy VPN. That said, hotspot countries including the U.S. accept multiple servers users tin switch betwixt just in instance one doesn't work too.
Overall, if security, ease-of-use and plentiful privacy features are what y'all look for in a VPN, and y'all accept more devices than you can handle, Surfshark will piece of work out swimmingly.
Surfshark Specs
| Toll range | $1.99-$11.95 |
| Number of devices | Unlimited |
| Server count | 800+ |
| Netflix | Yes |
| P2P/torrenting | Yeah |
| Focuses on | Number of continued devices, broad platform support, privacy, security |
| Logging | No-logs policy |
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Source: https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/surfshark
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