VPNs can secure your privacy by sending all of your web traffic through an encrypted channel to a remote server, but that security might come at a cost—with Surfshark, in real dollars and cents. Surfshark is one of the most pricey options available right now. Although the market is competitive, Surfshark has done so much to justify its high price tag by providing unique features, releasing well-designed apps, and prioritizing user privacy. Surfshark stands out for its ability to connect to an infinite number of devices at once. Have a large family or several devices in your home? This is an amazing deal for you.
What is Surfshark?
An intriguing VPN, Surfshark, is packed with features, works on nearly any device, and offers a great bargain on its first month of service.
An astounding 160+ sites in 65 countries host the network’s 3,200+ servers.
There are apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux, as well as Chrome, Firefox, and Edge extensions, and a Smart DNS system for gaming consoles, smart TVs, and more.
Surfshark may be installed and used on as many platforms as you wish, and there’s no need to think about bothersome “simultaneous connection” constraints.
Strong AES-256-GCM encryption and support for WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 and a no-logs policy, and a kill switch to keep you safe if the VPN connection stops are all provided by this service.
Surfshark Servers
Many server locations around the world mean that faking your location is easier, as well as ensuring that you can find a server that is close to where you live or where you’re going on vacation. Surfshark has servers in 65 countries, which is more than most. ExpressVPN has servers in 94 countries, which is the most in the industry.
Surfshark’s coverage of South America and Africa is above average compared to other companies that overlook these locations. Besides China, Russia, Turkey, and Vietnam, Surfshark has servers in countries with restrictive internet rules, such as Turkey and China. Following Surfshark is something we would like to see more of our competitors do as well.
Using virtual servers and virtual locations is a common feature of several VPN services. Because virtual servers are app, one physical server can host multiple virtual ones. To meet spikes in demand, many businesses turn to these. It is possible to make a server (virtual or physical) appear to be in a different place than it actually is. However, we prefer that corporations are more transparent about the location and working of their servers are located.
Its entire infrastructure is composed of physical devices. Fortunately, the company’s website describes its virtual locations, in countries like Argentina, South Korea, Chile, the Philippines, and Costa Rica. A few other servers are in Colombia, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands.
More servers mean that you have a better chance of connecting to one that works for you. But this does not ensure better service. Over 3,200 servers are offered by SurfShark, which is more than twice the average number of servers we’ve found in other VPNs we’ve tested. Despite this, CyberGhost keeps the top spot in this category, with over 6,520 servers.
Surfshark’s server infrastructure is provided by “reliable third-party data centers,” according to the company. RAM-only servers are used by the company, which are tamper-resistant. This means that removing the server in order to access the data on it would delete the server’s hard drive. An official blog post from the company also explains the advantages of diskless servers in protecting private encryption keys. Several organizations, such as ExpressVPN, have been implementing this modification for some time now.
Using the Surfshark
Surfshark is compatible with a wide range of devices and operating systems. It is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, Android TV, iOS, and Linux. To be quite honest, we haven’t given Surfshark a shot on any of those platforms. However, when we used it, the results were under our expectations.
You can get around with relative ease if using Surfshark on Windows 10 and Android with this application. For those of us who use Linux as our primary operating system, Surfshark can be a bit of a challenge. There is a workable solution, however.
Although several Linux distributions, such as Mint, have implemented a program manager to simplify the installation of applications, Surfshark refuses to cooperate. It’s not a big deal for us to utilize the command prompt to set up Surfshark, but trying to run it from there is.
If you’re worried about browser extensions, don’t be. It was the annoyance of needing to launch Surfshark from the command line on Linux that led us to work through Surfshark’s browser extension support.
Surfshark is available in desktop and mobile applications and browser plugins for the widely used Chrome and Firefox web browsers. About 67% of all desktop internet browsers were using Google Chrome in March 2021, while only 8% were using Mozilla’s Firefox.
It’s debatable whether that’s good for you. Surfshark as a Chrome plugin is perhaps the most simple way of using your VPN while browsing for our needs. You may have to give up some flexibility for convenience.
The Features
Support multiple devices:
MultiHop and single IP aren’t Surfshark’s only tools. The first notable advantage of registering to this VPN is the ability to use it on as many devices as you want at once. Compared to other top-rated VPNs, Surfshark offers unlimited devices, allowing you to use the service on as many devices as you choose.Surfshark’s Smart DNS works with devices that don’t support VPNs.
Extensions
Surveillance software Surfshark can be installed on a wide range of operating systems and devices. Surfshark offers extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox if you prefer a more lightweight alternative. Brave, Opera, and the vast majority of Gecko-based browsers are all compatible with these.
Installing on routers
Surfshark can be installed on your router as well. However, this may slow down your internet connection and prevent you from using some of the VPN’s functions.
Built-in malware blocker
CleanWeb is a built-in malware blocker for Surfshark, which is available as a free download. With the most ad-heavy websites we could come up with, it ran flawlessly.
Split tunneling
The split tunneling option was a pleasant surprise during our assessment of Surfshark. As soon as you use a trustworthy website or an app that doesn’t operate with a VPN, turning on and off your VPN becomes annoying. This means that Surfshark can simultaneously run a VPN connection and normal browser traffic. Under the moniker Whitelister, you’ll find this function in the Surfshark app.
Additional modes
make Surfshark even more useful. That you’re utilizing a VPN is disguised by the use of camouflage mode. Windows, Android, and iOS users can’t take advantage of this app. The NoBorders option allows internet users in the most censored locations to do anything they want with it
Kill switch
Surfshark offers a kill switch like all the finest premium VPNs on the market to ensure that you’re protected if your VPN connection breaks. It accomplishes this by preventing encrypted data from leaking your identity before it reaches your computer. You’ll be automatically reconnected as soon as your VPN connection is re-established.
Pricing Options
Surfshark, like most VPN service providers, doesn’t restrict access to certain features in favor of paid subscriptions. Duration is the only determining factor. The more time you put into your subscription, the more money you save.
A one-month VPN membership costs $12.95, which is about average for this type of service. In this price range, prices are nearly the same.
The 1-year plan, which costs $47.88 or $3.99/month, offers far higher discounts. You’ll save more than half on your subscription fees this way. The most cost-effective alternative is a two-year contract for $59.76, or $2.30 per month.
A two-year subscription costs only $12 more than a year’s subscription, which is a great price.
You may pay for Surfshark with a credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, or cryptocurrencies, depending on your preferred method of payment. Also, don’t forget to include a working email address.
You can use Surfshark on as many devices as you want since the service allows for an unlimited number of connections at the same time.
On Google Play and the Apple App Store, there’s a 7-day free trial offer if you decide you don’t want to continue using the VPN. It’s possible to sign in to PC clients after activating the mobile version of the trial.
Surfshark’s 30-day money-back guarantee is another option. If you have any problems, you can refer to our instructions on how to get a free trial at Surfshark.
The Pros and Cons
The Pros
- Many connections can be made at the same time.
- Affordability
- Rare multi-hop and split tunneling software
- Unlimited devices can be supported.
- Speed
- A well-thought-out app.
- Support
- included in the subscription’s price are static servers
The Cons
- Adding browser extensions does not give you access to all the features available on the web.
- The monthly fee is high
- CleanWeb and KillSwitch, for example, do not operate with browser extensions at all.
- Overly complicated price for long-term subscriptions
- Unlocking the discounted pricing requires a 24-month subscription.
- Weak performance on the speed test
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