Surfshark has built its reputation on two things: unlimited device connections and a low annual price. In 2026, it has grown into a genuinely competitive full-featured VPN, not just a budget pick. But it still has weaknesses worth knowing before you buy.
Speed: Among the Fastest Available
Surfshark scores 5/5 for speed. Independent testing in 2026 shows average download speeds of 485 Mbps on WireGuard, with peaks above 750 Mbps on local servers. Speed retention sits at 90-95% of base connection, which is exceptional. In April 2026, Surfshark unveiled a proprietary protocol called Dausos, designed for higher throughput and stronger encryption by assigning a dedicated encrypted tunnel per user.
For everyday tasks, streaming, gaming, and torrenting, Surfshark keeps up with the fastest VPNs available.
Security: Strong Across the Board
Surfshark defaults to AES-256 encryption and supports ChaCha20 with RSA-2048 handshake. The encryption score is 5/5. All servers run on RAM-only infrastructure, meaning no persistent data survives a reboot.
Leak protection scores 5/5: IP, DNS, WebRTC, and data leak protection are all present with no documented user data leaks in the service’s history. In early 2026, Surfshark also added post-quantum encryption support for its WireGuard protocol, which puts it ahead of most competitors on forward-looking security.
One note: Surfshark does not have a bug bounty program, scoring 0/5 on that metric. No public disclosure program means vulnerabilities are handled internally, which is less transparent than ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
No-Logs Policy
Surfshark has been audited twice by Cure53, most recently in 2021, and scores 5/5 on the no-logs policy in our database. The policy is clearly stated in the terms of service and the audit results are public.
Jurisdiction: Netherlands (Nine Eyes)
Surfshark is headquartered in the Netherlands, a Nine Eyes surveillance alliance member. The jurisdiction scores 4/5 because while it is not ideal, Dutch law does not currently mandate VPN data retention. Surfshark has not been subject to any documented law enforcement data requests.
For comparison, ExpressVPN is in the British Virgin Islands and NordVPN in Panama, both of which score 5/5 on jurisdiction. If you are in a high-risk situation, the Netherlands location is worth factoring in.
Ownership: Independent
Surfshark is owned by Surfshark Ltd., with multiple co-founders and no corporate conglomerate involvement. This scores 5/5 and contrasts sharply with ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and PIA, which are all owned by Kape Technologies. Independent ownership means no shared infrastructure or conflicting corporate interests across competing VPN brands.
Streaming
Surfshark scores 4.5/5 for streaming and reliably unblocks:
- Netflix (US, UK, Japan, Canada, and more)
- Disney+ (libraries in 12+ countries)
- Amazon Prime Video
- HBO Max
- Hulu
- BBC iPlayer (intermittent)
It is not quite at ExpressVPN’s level for BBC iPlayer and some less common streaming platforms, but for the major services it performs very well.
Features
- WireGuard, OpenVPN (UDP/TCP), IKEv2 supported
- CleanWeb (ad blocker and malware blocker): yes, scores 5/5
- Split tunneling (Bypasser): yes
- MultiHop (Double VPN): yes
- Obfuscated servers (Camouflage Mode): yes
- Unlimited simultaneous devices: yes, scores 5/5
- Alternative ID feature for anonymous account creation
The unlimited device connections is a real practical advantage for families or users with many devices. NordVPN caps at 10, ProtonVPN at 10, ExpressVPN at 10-14 depending on plan.
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Per month (2-year plan) | 2-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15.45 | ~$2.49 | $47.76 |
| One | $15.45 | ~$3.19 | ~$76 |
At $47.76 for two years, Surfshark Starter is the lowest annual cost among premium VPNs. The monthly plan at $15.45 is actually the most expensive in its category, so the value only kicks in on long-term plans.
There is a free trial available, but it requires a credit card. The 30-day money-back guarantee is unconditional.
How Surfshark Compares
| Criteria | Surfshark | NordVPN | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Leak protection | 5/5 | 5/5 | 1/5 |
| No-logs | 5/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Devices | Unlimited | 10 | 10-14 |
| Price (2-year) | $47.76 | $83.43 | $83.76 |
| Jurisdiction | Netherlands | Panama | BVI |
The price gap is significant. Surfshark costs roughly half of NordVPN or ExpressVPN over two years while matching them on most technical criteria.
Who Should Use Surfshark
Surfshark is the strongest choice for budget-conscious users who do not want to compromise on security. It also makes sense for households with many devices, given the unlimited connections policy. The Nine Eyes jurisdiction is the main reason to consider an alternative if you are a journalist, activist, or user with serious privacy requirements.
Try Surfshark with a 30-day money-back guarantee
Want to compare all VPNs side by side? Check our full VPN comparison table with scores across 18 criteria.
Our verdict: Surfshark delivers premium-level speed and security at a budget price. The unlimited devices, strong leak protection, and clean ownership record make it one of the best all-around VPNs in 2026. The Netherlands jurisdiction and absent bug bounty program are minor concerns. For most users, it is a better deal than ExpressVPN at twice the price. Surfshark scores 4.2/5 overall.
FAQ
Is Surfshark a good VPN in 2026? Yes. It combines fast speeds, strong security, unlimited devices, and a low annual price. The main limitation is the Nine Eyes jurisdiction for high-risk users.
How many devices can I use with Surfshark? Unlimited. There is no cap on simultaneous connections on any plan.
Does Surfshark work in China? Surfshark has Camouflage Mode (obfuscation) that helps in restrictive networks. Results in China are mixed and not as reliable as Astrill or ExpressVPN for that specific use case.
Is Surfshark cheap? On the 2-year plan, yes, it is one of the cheapest premium VPNs at around $2.49/month. The monthly plan at $15.45 is actually expensive.
Three years in: how the value story ages
Long-term Surfshark ownership has a consistent texture in user reports and our own usage: the unlimited-devices promise quietly becomes household infrastructure (the TV, the visiting relatives’ phones, the forgotten tablet all just work), CleanWeb keeps earning its toggle, and the renewal jump is the one recurring sour note, manageable with the calendar discipline this site preaches everywhere. Feature velocity has stayed high (the Nexus-era network upgrades, alternative ID tools), and the audit cadence, while not Proton-annual, has kept pace enough to hold the trust score.
The aging summary: the value pick stays the value pick, with the asterisks unchanged (Nine Eyes flag, iPlayer half-step) and the core bet (most VPN value per dollar in the top tier) intact.
(Review current as of this update, scores from the comparison dataset, affiliate relationship disclosed and methodologically quarantined as the how-we-test page describes.)
Closing placement: in a market where every spec sheet claims everything, Surfshark’s claim (top-tier performance at the lowest serious price, devices uncounted) has stayed verifiable for years running, which is why it remains this site’s default answer for households and budgets.
(The full matchups against Nord and CyberGhost linked above carry the head-to-head texture this single review compresses.)
Keep reading: NordVPN vs Surfshark in 2026: Which One Is Actually Worth It? and Does Surfshark Keep Logs? Their No-Log Policy Explained (2026).