Surfshark VPN DEALS
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Surfshark One
Surfshark One is the fastest VPN I have tested and my pick for most people. It adds antivirus, breach alerts and scam protection to an unlimited-device VPN for $2.49/mo on the 2-year plan.
- Fastest VPN I have tested with 96% speed retention
- Unlimited simultaneous devices
- 4500+ servers in 100+ countries
- Independently audited no-logs policy
- Antivirus and Alert included
- CleanWeb and scam protection
- Alternative ID
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Netherlands jurisdiction (Nine Eyes member)
- Higher renewal price
- Antivirus limited to five supported devices
- Data broker removal needs One+
I’ve used Surfshark on my own devices and tested it on my YouTube channel for over four years. In that time I’ve watched it grow from a scrappy budget alternative into a genuinely competitive premium VPN, get acquired by Nord Security in 2022, and add infrastructure like Nexus and Everlink.
This review covers what I’ve learned across those four years: the strengths, the limitations, and the situations where I’d recommend something else instead.
Surfshark is still the best overall VPN in 2026, and the plan I recommend is Surfshark One. It’s the fastest VPN I have tested, and it bundles unlimited devices, an audited no-logs policy, antivirus, breach alerts and scam protection in one subscription.
Black Friday 2026 update: Surfshark One is currently $2.49/month on the 2-year plan (87% OFF) with 3 extra months free, billed $67.23 for the first 27 months. I’m tracking the offer and will update this page if it drops further before Black Friday on November 27. See the current Surfshark deal.
Surfshark One at a Glance
- Best for: households with lots of devices, budget-focused users who refuse to compromise on features, anyone who streams across multiple regions, and first-time VPN buyers.
- Where it falls short: Netherlands jurisdiction (Nine Eyes member), Nord Security ownership, a smaller server network than NordVPN or Proton VPN, and a higher renewal price.
- Deal right now: 87% OFF + 3 extra months free at $2.49/month on the 2-year plan.
I don’t use star ratings or numbered scores in my reviews, because a bare number never explains the methodology behind it. Instead I tell you what Surfshark does well, what it doesn’t, and who it’s actually for.
What I Liked and Didn’t After 4 Years
What I liked
- Fastest VPN I have tested. 96% speed retention in my tests, ahead of IPVanish, Proton VPN, NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
- Unlimited simultaneous devices. NordVPN caps you at 10 and ExpressVPN at 8. Surfshark has no cap, so one subscription covers the whole household.
- Aggressive pricing. Surfshark One is $2.49/month on the 2-year plan, and that includes antivirus, Alert and scam protection.
- Audited no-logs policy. Two independent Deloitte audits, the most recent in 2025.
- RAM-only servers. Every server runs on volatile memory, so data is wiped on every reboot.
- Reliable streaming. Netflix US, UK and Japan, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Prime Video and HBO Max all worked in my tests.
- CleanWeb and scam protection. Ad, tracker and scam site blocking that works on mobile too.
- Alternative ID. Disposable emails and fake personal info for signups, which I haven’t seen on a direct competitor.
- Clean, beginner-friendly apps on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Apple TV.
What I didn’t like
- Netherlands jurisdiction. It’s a Nine Eyes member. The audited no-logs policy mitigates this, but it isn’t the strongest jurisdiction available.
- Nord Security ownership. Surfshark was acquired in 2022. The two VPNs run separately, but corporate concentration is a fair concern for privacy-focused users.
- Smaller network than some rivals. 4500+ servers vs NordVPN’s 9,300+ or Proton VPN’s 20,000+. It hasn’t limited me in practice.
- 15-minute connection data retention. IP addresses and timestamps are held during active sessions and deleted within 15 minutes of disconnecting.
- SmartDNS discontinued in February 2026. Devices without native VPN apps now need router setup.
- No port forwarding. A dealbreaker for some heavy torrenters.
- Higher renewal price. Like every VPN, Surfshark renews at the standard rate, so turn off auto-renewal if you don’t want the jump.
Streaming Performance: Where Surfshark Genuinely Excels
Streaming is one of the most common reasons people buy a VPN, and it’s where Surfshark consistently performs above its price tier. Across four years of testing, I’ve had reliable access to the major libraries from multiple regions.
Netflix libraries I tested
- US: works on virtually every US server I’ve tested
- UK: consistent across multiple UK servers
- Japan: smooth HD playback from a Tokyo server
- Brazil, France, Germany and India: working in my recent tests
Other platforms tested
- BBC iPlayer: works on UK servers, and it’s notoriously hard for VPNs to unblock
- Disney+: US, UK and Australian libraries all accessible
- Amazon Prime Video: regional libraries unlock as expected
- Hulu and HBO Max: consistent unblocking on US servers
- Hotstar (India) and GLOBO TV (Brazil): both worked through Surfshark’s local servers
Why streaming works as well as it does
WireGuard is fast enough for 4K streaming without buffering on any decent home connection. Surfshark also refreshes its server IPs frequently, so on the rare “proxy detected” error, switching to another server in the same country fixes it within seconds.
Dedicated apps for Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV make setup on streaming devices simple. If you’re on a Firestick, see my best VPN for Firestick guide or my best VPN for Amazon Prime Video guide.
SmartDNS is gone. Surfshark discontinued SmartDNS in February 2026. If you relied on it for smart TVs or older consoles, you’ll now need to install Surfshark on your router or use a supported app directly. For most streaming setups this has no practical impact, but it is a real reduction in functionality.
Is Surfshark Actually Safe? Privacy and Security Tested
This is the section that matters most. Privacy is where VPN providers cut corners or oversell, and it’s where the biggest real differences between services live.
Encryption: industry standard, no compromises
Surfshark uses AES-256-GCM encryption with Perfect Forward Secrecy. On mobile, ChaCha20 is also available, a faster cipher better suited to phones with lower-power processors.
Perfect Forward Secrecy generates a unique encryption key for every session. Even if someone obtained one session key, they couldn’t decrypt your past or future sessions with it.
Using public Wi-Fi without a VPN? Coffee shops, airports and hotels are prime targets for hackers intercepting unencrypted traffic. Surfshark encrypts everything so your passwords, banking and browsing stay private.
Protocols supported
| Protocol | What I’d use it for |
|---|---|
| WireGuard (default) | Almost everything: the fastest, most secure modern protocol |
| OpenVPN (UDP/TCP) | Older networks, some routers, and environments where WireGuard is blocked |
| IKEv2 | Mobile, where it handles network changes (Wi-Fi to cellular) more gracefully |
For 99% of users on 99% of devices, leave it on WireGuard.
Logging policy: strict, but read the details
Here I’m going to be more honest than most Surfshark reviews. The no-logs policy is independently audited by Deloitte, most recently in 2025, but it isn’t quite “we collect nothing”.
What Surfshark does not collect:
- Browsing history
- Session metadata (where you went, what you accessed)
- Bandwidth usage
- Network traffic
- DNS requests
What Surfshark does collect, temporarily:
- Your IP address during active VPN sessions
- User ID
- Connection timestamps
This temporary connection data is automatically deleted within 15 minutes after you disconnect. It isn’t linked to your browsing or app usage, and it can’t be used to identify what you did online.
For most users that 15-minute window is irrelevant. But if you want a VPN that retains no connection metadata at any point, NordVPN’s policy doesn’t include IP retention during sessions. It’s a minor distinction, but a real one.
Independent audits: what’s actually been verified
| Audit type | Auditor | Year | What was verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-logs policy | Deloitte | 2023 | Privacy policy compliance |
| No-logs policy | Deloitte | 2025 | Privacy policy compliance, infrastructure |
Two Deloitte audits is more than most VPNs have, but fewer than NordVPN’s six. Both are recent, both passed, and both are publicly disclosed.
Jurisdiction: Netherlands, with context
Surfshark is headquartered in the Netherlands, a member of the Nine Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. That sounds bad on paper, but in practice it’s more nuanced:
- No mandatory data retention laws for VPN providers. There’s no legal obligation for Surfshark to log anything.
- Nothing meaningful to hand over. The audited no-logs policy means that even a compelled request would yield nothing beyond 15 minutes of temporary connection data.
- RAM-only servers. Physical seizure of a server yields no historical data.
For most users the jurisdictional concern is theoretical. For privacy-critical users such as journalists, activists and whistleblowers, Proton VPN (Switzerland, open source) or Mullvad (Sweden, no account required) offer stronger jurisdictional protection.
Leak testing: no leaks detected
I tested Surfshark for DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC leaks across multiple servers and platforms, and found none.
- DNS (dnsleaktest.com): across 8+ servers in different regions, only Surfshark’s DNS servers showed up and no ISP DNS was exposed.
- IPv6: Surfshark blocks IPv6 traffic by default, and I confirmed no exposure.
- WebRTC (ipleak.net): no IP leaks on any platform I tested.
Kill switch: works as advertised
I tested the kill switch by deliberately forcing connection drops on WireGuard. It blocked all internet traffic every time until I reconnected, with no leaked packets to my real IP.
It’s available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux, and you can run it system-wide or per app.
Everlink: the stability upgrade
Everlink is Surfshark’s auto-recovery infrastructure. If your VPN server drops, it reconnects you to another working server, usually fast enough that you won’t notice.
That’s a step beyond a standard kill switch, which only blocks traffic until you reconnect manually. In my testing it handled mobile data, network switches and occasional server hiccups mostly invisibly, with no setup required.
Nexus: the software-defined network backbone
Nexus uses Software-Defined Networking to route your traffic across the whole server network dynamically instead of through one fixed server. In practice that means:
- Traffic takes the best path based on speed, server load and stability
- Fewer connection drops during busy periods
- IP rotation without disconnecting your session
- More consistent performance across regions
Nexus isn’t a feature you toggle. It’s the infrastructure underneath the network now, and the result is steadier speeds than the older single-server model.
Surfshark Speed Test: Real Numbers, Honestly Reported
Speed is where Surfshark has changed the most over four years. It’s now the fastest VPN I’ve tested, and I want to back that up with real data rather than vague “fast” claims.
My testing setup
- Baseline (home network): 246.5 Mbps download and 291.9 Mbps upload, measured via Ookla with no VPN
- Protocol: WireGuard, Surfshark’s default and fastest
- Method: multiple tests across server locations, averaged, run during normal usage hours
Speed retention vs the competition
Speed retention is how much of your normal speed you keep with the VPN on. Here is how Surfshark compares with the other VPNs I’ve tested on the same connection:
| VPN | Speed retention |
|---|---|
| Surfshark One | 96% |
| IPVanish | 93% |
| Proton VPN | 92% |
| NordVPN | 91% |
| ExpressVPN | 91% |
Speed results: local server
For users connecting to local servers (privacy without location spoofing), retention is what matters most. Here is a Surfshark server in my country:
| Metric | Without VPN | With Surfshark | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Download | 246.5 Mbps | 238.4 Mbps | 97% |
| Upload | 291.9 Mbps | 258.4 Mbps | 88% |
| Ping | 4 ms | 5 ms | +1 ms |
97% download retention on a local server is excellent. I genuinely don’t notice a speed difference during normal use.
Speed results: international servers
My research team ran the international tests on a 1000 Mbps download and 1000 Mbps upload baseline. This shows how Surfshark scales over long distances:
| Server location | Latency | Download retention | Upload retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid, Spain | 1 ms | 96% | 94% |
| Paris, France | 12 ms | 95% | 94% |
| Amsterdam, Netherlands | 29 ms | 92% | 93% |
| Berlin, Germany | 34 ms | 93% | 93% |
| Vilnius, Lithuania | 39 ms | 91% | 86% |
| New York, USA | 98 ms | 83% | 34% |
| Montreal, Canada | 111 ms | 83% | 29% |
| Singapore | 185 ms | 75% | 18% |
| London, UK | 213 ms | 88% | 48% |
| Perth, Australia | 231 ms | 68% | 14% |
| Tokyo, Japan | 290 ms | 57% | 11% |
Average download retention across all locations was 84%, and average upload retention was 56%.
What the speed numbers actually mean
- Nearby servers are nearly indistinguishable from no-VPN speeds. Spain, France, the Netherlands and Germany all retain 92% or more of download speed.
- Trans-Atlantic and Asia-Pacific connections are slower but workable. The US East Coast at 83% is fine for streaming, gaming and general browsing.
- Upload retention is the weak point on long distances. It matters if you use the VPN for video calls, large uploads or seeding torrents, but most browsing is download-heavy.
- Tokyo was my worst case at 57% download retention. It’s still usable for browsing and streaming, but you’d notice it.
- Ping rises with distance. Local servers add about 1 ms and trans-Pacific adds 200 to 300 ms. That’s physics, not VPN overhead.
Speed verdict
Surfshark is the fastest VPN I’ve ever tested. Whether you’re streaming in 4K, gaming on regional servers, jumping on video calls or pushing through large downloads, it handles everything without breaking a sweat.
- 100 to 500 Mbps home internet: you simply won’t feel the VPN.
- 500 Mbps to 1 Gbps: performance holds up where others start to struggle.
- Gigabit and above: still ahead of the VPNs I’ve compared it with.
Surfshark’s Feature Set: What’s Actually Useful
Surfshark has a lot of features, and the Surfshark One bundle adds even more. Here are the ones that matter in real use, with my honest take on each.
CleanWeb: DNS-level ad and tracker blocking
CleanWeb blocks ads, trackers and malicious domains at the DNS level, so it works on mobile and across all apps where browser ad blockers don’t. In my testing it meaningfully reduces ad load on mobile websites. It occasionally blocks something I actually want to load, so toggle it off if needed.
Before enabling CleanWeb
After enabling CleanWeb
Scam protection
Scam protection is included with Surfshark One and warns you about suspicious links and scam websites before you open them. It’s a useful safety net for phishing messages, which are the most common way people actually get compromised.
I treat it as a layer on top of CleanWeb and the antivirus, not a replacement for common sense. It’s one of the main reasons One is a better buy than the VPN-only Starter plan.
Alert: breach monitoring
Alert checks whether your email addresses and other personal details show up in known data breaches, and tells you when they do. That gives you a chance to change passwords before the damage spreads.
It’s included with Surfshark One. Pair it with Alternative ID and you shrink the amount of personal data that can leak in the first place.
Alternative ID: Surfshark’s standout feature
Alternative ID generates substitute personal information, including disposable emails and fake names and addresses, for online signups. The alternative emails forward to your real inbox, so you don’t lose functionality, but the services never see your real address.
Why this matters:
- It shows you which site leaked your email when spam arrives
- It protects your real email from data breaches at services you’ve signed up for
- It reduces tracking by tying your real identity to fewer services
NordVPN, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost don’t include anything like it, and it’s available on every Surfshark plan.
Surfshark Antivirus
Surfshark Antivirus is included with the One and One+ tiers and provides real-time malware scanning, phishing protection and webcam protection on Windows, Mac and Android. AV-TEST’s June 2025 evaluation gave it near-perfect scores with minor deductions for performance and usability, and Surfshark takes part in the Microsoft Virus Initiative.
What it’s missing are parental controls and device cleanup tools that some competitors bundle. I see that as a positive, since those extras often slow devices down. The antivirus covers five supported devices, which is its main limit. For more detail, read my Surfshark Antivirus review.
Bypasser (split tunneling)
Bypasser routes specific apps or websites outside the VPN tunnel. It’s useful for:
- Banking apps that flag VPN traffic
- Streaming services that won’t unblock from your current server
- Local network access while connected
- Apps that work better without VPN routing
It’s available on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. The iOS implementation in particular is rare among VPNs.
MultiHop: custom double VPN
MultiHop routes your connection through two servers for an extra privacy layer. Surfshark lets you choose both the entry and exit servers instead of picking from preset pairs, and you can save favorite combinations.
The speed cost is significant, typically 30 to 50% in my testing, so use it only when you need the extra layer.
Camouflage Mode and NoBorders Mode
- Camouflage Mode disguises VPN traffic as regular HTTPS traffic, which helps when a network actively blocks VPN protocols.
- NoBorders Mode activates automatically when restrictions are detected and switches to obfuscated servers without manual setup.
Camouflage Mode is activated by switching to OpenVPN in settings, which isn’t the most obvious workflow. Once on, both modes worked reliably in my tests on restricted networks.
GPS override on Android
GPS override changes your phone’s GPS location to match your VPN server. That stops apps from seeing a US IP address while your GPS says you’re somewhere else.
It’s an Android feature, and I find it handy for streaming and location-sensitive apps where the IP address alone isn’t enough.
Surfshark Search
Surfshark Search is an ad-free private search engine with no tracking and no personalized results. It’s included in One and One+, and it isn’t as polished as DuckDuckGo or Brave Search, but it’s a fine bonus if you’re already on the bundle.
Dedicated IP: optional add-on
Dedicated IPs are available in 16+ countries, starting at $3.75/month extra, with one IP per account. They’re only worth it for specific needs such as banking sites that flag shared IPs, remote work or avoiding CAPTCHAs.
Incogni: data removal on One+
Surfshark One+ adds Incogni, a data broker removal service. It’s the main reason to pay more than Surfshark One, and many people won’t need it. See my Surfshark One+ review if you’re considering it.
Want to see how Surfshark compares?
Compare Surfshark One side by side with IPVanish, Proton VPN, PrivadoVPN and NordVPN in my full ranking of the best VPNs.
See the best VPNs →Torrenting Performance
Surfshark is a legitimate torrenting VPN with genuine strengths for P2P use.
What works well
- P2P on all servers. No need to hunt for torrenting-optimized servers.
- Strong leak protection. The kill switch and DNS leak protection prevent IP exposure during the connection blips that happen on long downloads.
- Automatic P2P routing. Torrent traffic is steered to appropriate servers without manual setup.
- Solid speeds with WireGuard and IKEv2.
- Audited no-logs policy. Relevant if you’re concerned about your ISP or copyright trolls.
Speed by protocol (from my testing)
| Protocol | Average speed | 1GB download time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | 24.4 Mbps | ~4m 18s | Best overall |
| IKEv2 | 24.0 Mbps | ~4m 21s | Nearly identical to WireGuard |
| OpenVPN UDP | 6.7 Mbps | ~21m 31s | Slow, avoid for torrenting |
| OpenVPN TCP | 11.0 Mbps | ~9m 02s | Slow, avoid for torrenting |
Use WireGuard for torrenting. OpenVPN is significantly slower and only worth it if you specifically need OpenVPN compatibility.
What’s missing for torrenting power users
Surfshark doesn’t offer port forwarding, which some torrenters want for seeding ratios on private trackers. NordVPN removed the feature in 2023, and today PIA (owned by Kape Technologies) and Proton VPN are the main mainstream VPNs still offering it.
Apps and Usability: Platform by Platform
I’ve tested Surfshark across Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Apple TV. Here’s my honest assessment of each.
Windows
The Windows app is clean and minimalistic, with no flashy world map (which I don’t miss). Server selection is a scrollable country list with specialty categories, and features like Alternative ID, Alert, Antivirus and Search sit in the left sidebar.
It suits both beginners and advanced users, with settings that have depth without overwhelming newcomers.
macOS
macOS follows the same design philosophy as Windows. The one limitation is the lack of a world map for people who prefer map navigation. Otherwise it’s feature-complete, including Bypasser, which is unusual for a VPN’s macOS app.
iOS
The iOS app is clean and intuitive, with a home screen dedicated to connecting. Other tools such as Search, Antivirus and Alternative ID live in a Products menu at the bottom. A 7-day free trial is available through the App Store before you commit to a paid plan.
Android
Android is Surfshark’s strongest mobile app, with full feature parity with desktop. Bypasser, Camouflage Mode, MultiHop and GPS override are all available.
Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV
Native apps exist for all three platforms. The Apple TV interface is deliberately simple, with server selection, favorites and a NoBorders toggle.
For streaming setups, the Fire TV app is the strongest of the three, and Surfshark has earned a reputation in the Firestick community for native compatibility and a remote-friendly interface.
Customer Support
I’ve contacted Surfshark support many times during my testing, and here is what I found.
| Support channel | Available | My experience |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 live chat | Yes | Responses within 1 to 3 minutes, from real humans with competent answers |
| Email support | Yes | Slower (hours, not minutes) but more thorough for complex issues |
| Knowledge base | Yes | Reasonable setup and troubleshooting coverage, though not as comprehensive as NordVPN’s |
| Phone support | No | Chat and email only |
I’ve also tested the 30-day money-back guarantee myself. The refund processed within 5 to 7 business days with no friction and no aggressive retention attempts, which isn’t true of every VPN.
Surfshark Pricing and Black Friday 2026 Deals
Surfshark offers three plan tiers, each on monthly, 1-year or 2-year terms, and the 2-year plan is where the real discount lives. Black Friday is November 27, 2026, and Surfshark has historically run its deepest discounts around it.
| Plan | What’s included | 2-year price/month | Total for 27 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Core VPN, unlimited devices, CleanWeb, Alternative ID | $2.49/mo | $67.23 |
| One (my pick) | Everything in Starter + Antivirus, Alert, scam protection, private search | $2.49/mo | $67.23 |
| One+ | Everything in One + Incogni data removal | $3.99/mo | $107.73 |
What the Black Friday deal looks like
- Surfshark One is 87% OFF with 3 extra months free on the 2-year plan.
- $2.49/month works out to $67.23 for the first 27 months, down from $75.33 at the usual $2.79/month.
- One now costs the same as Starter at the time of writing, so there is no reason to pick the VPN-only plan.
- Deals can change quickly. A bigger offer may land closer to November 27, and I’ll update this page if it does.
One honest caveat: Surfshark One has been available at this price earlier in 2026 too, so this isn’t a once-a-year price. Because of the 30-day money-back guarantee, buying now carries little risk.
My pick for most users is Surfshark One. It gives you far more than a standard VPN, with antivirus, breach alerts, scam protection and private search in one subscription that covers unlimited devices.
Surfshark One+ costs more because it adds Incogni, which many users won’t need. For the full breakdown, checkout walk-through and renewal tips, see my Surfshark coupon page.
How to get the deal
1
Use my link
Go through my Surfshark deal link so the discount applies automatically.
2
Pick Surfshark One on the 2-year plan
That gives you the $2.49/month price plus the 3 extra months free.
3
Set a renewal reminder
Plans renew at the standard rate after the first term, so note the date and turn off auto-renewal if you don’t want to continue.
Get Surfshark One for 87% OFF
+ 3 months free included. $2.49/mo on the 2-year plan, billed $67.23 for the first 27 months.
Surfshark vs the Main Competitors
Here is how Surfshark stacks up against its closest competitors. For a deeper head-to-head with NordVPN, see my Surfshark vs NordVPN comparison.
| Surfshark One | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (2-year) | $2.49/mo | $3.59/mo (Plus) |
| Speed retention | 96% | 91% |
| Devices | Unlimited | 10 |
| Servers | 4500+ | 9,300+ |
| Audits | 2 (Deloitte) | 6 |
| Restrictive countries | OK | Better |
Verdict: NordVPN if you specifically need more audits, a bigger network or better reliability in restrictive countries. Surfshark for everyone else, since it’s faster and cheaper. Read my NordVPN coupon page for its current deal.
| Surfshark One | ExpressVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (2-year) | $2.49/mo | $2.79/mo |
| Speed retention | 96% | 91% |
| Devices | Unlimited | 8 |
| Apps | Polished | Easiest to use |
| Ownership | Nord Security | Kape Technologies |
Verdict: ExpressVPN for non-technical users who put app simplicity first, though it’s owned by Kape Technologies. Surfshark for speed, value and device count. See my ExpressVPN review for the full picture.
| Surfshark One | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (2-year) | $2.49/mo | $2.99/mo |
| Speed retention | 96% | 92% |
| Jurisdiction | Netherlands (Nine Eyes) | Switzerland |
| Open-source apps | No | Yes |
| Free tier | No (7-day trial on mobile) | Yes |
Verdict: Proton VPN for privacy-maximizing users. Surfshark for general value and speed. Read my Proton VPN review for more.
Who Should Buy Surfshark
- Households with lots of devices. Unlimited connections is the killer feature.
- Budget-conscious users who won’t compromise on features. $2.49/month gets you a fast VPN plus antivirus, Alert and scam protection.
- Streamers across multiple regions. Reliable Netflix US, UK and Japan, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video and HBO Max.
- Firestick and Fire TV users. There’s a native app with a strong reputation in the streaming community.
- First-time VPN buyers. The 30-day money-back guarantee is honored reliably.
- Anyone who wants speed. It was the fastest VPN in my tests.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
- Privacy maximalists. Proton VPN (Switzerland, open source) or Mullvad (Sweden, no account required) are stronger fits.
- Heavy torrenters who need port forwarding. PIA (owned by Kape Technologies) or Proton VPN offer it, and Surfshark doesn’t.
- Users in heavily restrictive countries. ExpressVPN and NordVPN work more consistently in places like China and the UAE.
- Users who specifically need SmartDNS. Surfshark discontinued it in February 2026.
- Users who want zero connection metadata retention. Surfshark’s 15-minute IP retention is audited and minimal, but it isn’t zero.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Surfshark really no-logs?
Yes, and the policy is independently audited by Deloitte, most recently in 2025. Surfshark doesn’t log browsing history, session metadata or bandwidth, but it does hold your IP, user ID and timestamps for up to 15 minutes during sessions. That data is deleted automatically afterward.
Is Surfshark owned by NordVPN?
Both are owned by Nord Security, which acquired Surfshark in 2022. They run separate infrastructure, apps and privacy policies, so they’re sister companies rather than the same product.
How much does Surfshark cost?
Surfshark One is currently $2.49/month on the 2-year plan with 3 extra months free, billed $67.23 for the first 27 months. Surfshark One+ is $3.99/month. Plans renew at the standard rate, so turn off auto-renewal if you don’t want to continue.
Is there a Surfshark Black Friday deal?
Yes, an early Black Friday deal is already live: Surfshark One is 87% OFF with 3 extra months free. Black Friday itself is November 27, 2026, and I’ll update this page if a bigger offer appears. My Surfshark coupon page always has the latest price.
Which Surfshark plan should I buy?
Surfshark One. It costs the same as Starter right now and adds antivirus, Alert, scam protection and private search. One+ is only worth it if you want Incogni data removal.
Does Surfshark work with Netflix?
Yes, reliably across US, UK, Japan, Canada and most major European libraries in my testing. If you hit a “proxy detected” error on one server, switching to another in the same country usually fixes it.
Can I use Surfshark on all my devices?
Yes, every plan has unlimited simultaneous connections. One subscription covers your phone, laptop, tablet, Fire TV, router and everyone else’s devices in the house. NordVPN allows 10 and ExpressVPN allows 8.
Does Surfshark work in China?
Camouflage Mode and NoBorders Mode work with varying reliability. For consistent access, ExpressVPN (owned by Kape Technologies) and NordVPN are the more reliable picks.
Is Surfshark safe to use?
Yes. It has AES-256 encryption, an audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, a kill switch and leak protection, and I found no leaks in my tests. The 15-minute connection data retention is honest disclosure rather than a privacy flaw.
What happened to SmartDNS?
Surfshark discontinued SmartDNS in February 2026. If you used it on devices without native VPN apps, you now need router-level setup or a supported app.
Is Surfshark good for torrenting?
Yes. P2P works on all servers, the kill switch is reliable and the no-logs policy is audited, so use WireGuard for the best speeds. It lacks port forwarding, so choose PIA or Proton VPN if you need that.
How does the Surfshark refund process work?
There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you request it through live chat or email. In my own test the refund processed within 5 to 7 business days with no pushback.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy Surfshark in 2026?
Yes, for most users, and that recommendation has held through four years of testing. Surfshark One is the fastest VPN I’ve tested, and it’s the one I’d point most people to first.
Surfshark isn’t perfect. Proton VPN has stronger privacy credentials, ExpressVPN (Kape Technologies) has the easiest apps, and CyberGhost (also Kape Technologies) has a longer money-back guarantee. None of those gaps is fatal, but they’re real.
What Surfshark wins on is the combination: top speeds, unlimited devices, reliable streaming, an audited no-logs policy, modern infrastructure like Nexus and Everlink, useful extras like Alternative ID, Alert and scam protection, and a price that undercuts every mainstream competitor.
If you have a specific reason to choose differently, such as privacy-critical use, China access or port forwarding, the alternatives I’ve linked above are better fits. Otherwise, with Surfshark One at $2.49/month this Black Friday, this is the VPN I’d recommend first.
Surfshark One
The fastest VPN I have tested, with unlimited devices, antivirus, breach alerts and scam protection from $2.49/mo.
- Unlimited devices
- No-logs policy
- 4500+ servers
- 100+ countries
- 24/7 support
- Antivirus
- CleanWeb
- Alert
- Alternative ID
- Scam protection
Read next:
- Surfshark Coupon: current deal and pricing
- Surfshark One Review
- Surfshark vs NordVPN: head-to-head
- Best VPN for Firestick in 2026
- All VPN deals
The Review
Surfshark VPN
I’ve used and tested Surfshark for over four years, and Surfshark One is now the fastest VPN I’ve tested, with 96% speed retention. It covers unlimited devices, streams reliably, and bundles antivirus, Alert, CleanWeb and scam protection for $2.49/month on the 2-year plan. It isn’t perfect: the Netherlands jurisdiction, the 15-minute connection data retention and the missing port forwarding are real downsides. For most people it’s still the VPN I’d recommend first.
PROS
- Fastest VPN I’ve tested (96% speed retention)
- Unlimited simultaneous devices
- Audited no-logs policy and RAM-only servers
- Reliable Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and Prime Video
- Antivirus, Alert, CleanWeb and scam protection included
- Unique Alternative ID feature
- Cheap at $2.49/month, with a 30-day money-back guarantee
CONS
- Base plan lacks the security extras you get with Surfshark One
Review Breakdown
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Speed
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Privacy & Logging Policy
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Streaming Performance
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Value for Money
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Ease of Use
Surfshark VPN DEALS
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87% OFF + 3 months free
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