JE
James Everard — Senior VPN Analyst
Cybersecurity Researcher · JetCents · 5 years experience
James tests VPNs for speed, security, and streaming performance. He has spent over 200 hours personally evaluating Surfshark across Windows, iOS, Android, and macOS.
With VPNs, you tend to get what you pay for. So when I saw Surfshark's low prices, I was skeptical about its rave reviews. To see if it could actually live up to the claims, the team and I tested every aspect of Surfshark, including its speeds, security features, streaming abilities, network reliability, and device compatibility.
Can Surfshark be trusted? It can, and it is. The Financial Times lists Surfshark as one of the 47th fastest-growing companies in Europe. I took a closer look at Surfshark's privacy policy to verify its validity and put its customer support team to the test. The results were impressive — Surfshark is privacy-focused with some genuinely unique security features.
Overall, I would recommend Surfshark because it offers great value for what you get. For just $1.99/month, you get unlimited device connections, top-tier security, and solid performance across streaming, torrenting, and everyday browsing. Plus, it's backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee — I tested the refund personally and received my money back within 4 days.
Bottom line: Surfshark is our best budget VPN pick for 2026 — outstanding value, unlimited devices, military-grade security.
Try Surfshark Risk-Free →
Surfshark Pros & Cons
Based on 4 weeks of real-world testing across 30+ servers
✓ Pros
✓
HD access to 30+ streaming platforms worldwide
✓
Blazing fast speeds — all 4,500 servers are 10Gbps
✓
Unlimited simultaneous device connections
✓
Military-grade security with unique features
✓
Great global coverage — 100 countries
✓
Very easy to use — beginner-friendly apps
✓
30-day money-back guarantee (easy refund)
✗ Cons
✗
Clunky torrenting — unclear which servers support P2P
✗
Based in Netherlands (9-Eyes country)
✗
May not work reliably in China
✗
Some streaming services need server switching
✗
No dedicated IP on basic plan
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Surfshark Features — 2026 Update
9.4
Complete technical breakdown from our hands-on testing
| 💸 Price | $1.99 USD/month |
| 📆 Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
| 📝 Does VPN keep logs? | No (independently audited) |
| 🖥 Number of servers | 4,500+ |
| 🌍 Countries | 100+ |
| 💻 Simultaneous devices | Unlimited |
| 🛡 Kill switch | ✓ Yes — all platforms |
| 🗺 Headquarters | Netherlands |
| 🛠 Support | 24/7 live chat |
| 📥 Torrenting | ✓ Yes (P2P supported) |
| 🔒 Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| 🌐 Split tunneling | ✓ All platforms |
| 🔀 MultiHop (Double VPN) | ✓ Available |
| 🧅 Camouflage mode | ✓ Obfuscation built-in |
| 🚨 CleanWeb (ad blocker) | ✓ Blocks ads & malware |
Streaming — 4K Access to Many Global Platforms
9.6
Tested on 30+ streaming services from multiple locations
Surfshark can safely access many global platforms, allowing private streaming from anywhere. We tested Surfshark and successfully watched content on over 30 services. Most major platforms worked on our first attempt with no buffering.
Occasionally, we had to try a few different servers, switch to Static IP servers, or try different browsers. Its 24/7 live chat support was easily accessible when we needed tips — agents gave us quick fixes every time.
Surfshark · Connected · Netflix US ✓ · BBC iPlayer ✓
🛡
Protected
United States · Chicago
Popular Streaming Platforms We Tested
| Streaming Service | Status | Notes |
|---|
| Netflix (US, UK, JP + more) | ✅ | Multiple US cities worked perfectly |
| Hulu | ✅ | Full US library, no issues |
| Disney+ | ✅ | 4K streams, zero buffering |
| BBC iPlayer | ✅ | All 4 UK servers worked |
| Amazon Prime Video | ✅ | Multiple regions tested |
| Max (HBO) | ✅ | Loaded instantly |
| Sling TV | ✅ | Live TV tested successfully |
| ESPN+ | ✅ | Live sports, no lag |
| DAZN | ✅ | Works with US servers |
Note: VPN usage must comply with local laws and each platform's terms of service. We don't condone copyright infringement.
Speed — Fast Speeds at Any Distance
9.8
Tested from London, UK on a 500 Mbps base connection
Surfshark has fast speeds on every server. Nearby connections were quick enough that we didn't notice any slowdowns — and surprisingly, so were servers several thousand miles away. Even connections on the other side of the world were fast enough for HD streaming and torrenting. That's hardly surprising: all 4,500 servers run at 10Gbps.
Speed tip: Use the "Fastest location" button at the top of the server list. In our tests, it connected us to the fastest server (not necessarily nearest) — and it delivered excellent results every time.
LocationDownloadSpeedPing
🇺🇸 USA (Dallas)
496 Mbps
9 ms
🇺🇸 USA (New York)
485 Mbps
12 ms
🇬🇧 UK (London)
460 Mbps
5 ms
🇦🇺 Australia
260 Mbps
284 ms
🇸🇬 Singapore
280 Mbps
158 ms
Security — Top-Tier with Unique Features
10.0
Military-grade encryption plus exclusive tools you won't find elsewhere
Surfshark scored a perfect 10/10 for security — the only VPN in our testing to do so. It uses AES-256-GCM encryption and offers every advanced security feature we'd expect from a top provider, plus several unique tools we've never seen elsewhere.
🔒
AES-256-GCM Encryption
Military-grade encryption on all protocols — the same standard used by banks and governments.
🐦
Camouflage Mode
Makes VPN traffic look like regular traffic — ideal for restrictive networks and regions.
🧅
MultiHop (Double VPN)
Routes traffic through two VPN servers for maximum anonymity and security.
🧼
CleanWeb
Blocks ads, trackers, and malware at the VPN level — works on all devices and browsers.
🔮
NoBorders Mode
Automatically activates in restrictive regions to bypass censorship and geo-blocks.
🛡
Kill Switch
Instantly cuts internet if VPN drops — prevents any accidental IP or data exposure.
Surfshark vs Competitors
Head-to-head comparison — March 2026
| Feature | Surfshark | NordVPN | ExpressVPN | CyberGhost |
|---|
| Overall Score | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 8.5 |
| Price (2-yr plan) | $1.99/mo | $3.39/mo | $6.67/mo | $2.19/mo |
| Servers | 4,500+ | 9,055+ | 3,000+ | 9,700+ |
| Simultaneous devices | Unlimited | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Speed rating | Very Fast | Fastest | Fast | Moderate |
| Unblocks Netflix | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Security score | 10/10 ★ | 9.8/10 | 9.5/10 | 9.0/10 |
| Ad blocker included | ✓ CleanWeb | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 45 days |
Surfshark Pricing Plans
8.7
All plans include unlimited devices · 30-day money-back guarantee
Starter
$1.99
per month
Billed every 2 years
- VPN on unlimited devices
- 4,500+ servers · 100 countries
- CleanWeb ad blocker
- Kill switch + MultiHop
Get Starter
Best Value
One
$2.69
per month
Billed every 2 years
- Everything in Starter
- Antivirus protection
- Data breach alerts
- Webcam protection
Get One — Most Popular
One+
$4.29
per month
Billed every 2 years
- Everything in One
- Alternative ID (privacy)
- Incogni data removal
- Priority support
Get One+
Our recommendation: The Starter plan at $1.99/month is exceptional value — you get everything you need including unlimited devices, 100+ countries, and CleanWeb. Upgrade to One for antivirus coverage.
Final Verdict
9.3
Surfshark: Best Budget VPN for 2026
Surfshark is the best value VPN we've tested. At just $1.99/month, you get unlimited device connections, a perfect 10/10 security score, top streaming performance on 30+ platforms, and blazing 10Gbps server speeds. The price-to-performance ratio is unmatched.
Try Surfshark Risk-Free →
30-day money-back guarantee · Unlimited devices · Cancel anytime
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Surfshark safe to use in 2026? +
Yes. Surfshark uses AES-256-GCM encryption, an independently audited no-logs policy, and scored a perfect 10/10 in our security testing — the only VPN to do so. It also includes unique features like Camouflage Mode and MultiHop for additional protection.
Does Surfshark work with Netflix? +
Yes — Surfshark reliably unblocks Netflix US, UK, Japan, and many other libraries. Netflix US worked with multiple city servers including Chicago, LA, Miami, and New York. It also works with Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Max, and Amazon Prime.
How many devices can I connect with Surfshark? +
Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous device connections on all plans — a major advantage over most competitors that limit you to 5–10 devices. This makes it ideal for families or users with many devices.
Can I get a refund if I'm not satisfied? +
Yes. Surfshark offers a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee. Our team tested this personally — we received a full refund within 4 days. The live chat support was easy to reach and processed the refund immediately.
Is Surfshark good for torrenting? +
Yes — Surfshark supports P2P and torrenting. The main downside is that it's not always clear which servers support torrenting, and the app doesn't have a dedicated P2P filter like some competitors. That said, we had no issues with uTorrent or qBittorrent once connected to a working server.
Is Surfshark better than NordVPN? +
It depends on what you prioritize. NordVPN is slightly faster and has more servers (9,055 vs 4,500). But Surfshark wins on price ($1.99 vs $3.39/mo), offers unlimited devices (vs 10), and scored higher in security (10/10 vs 9.8/10). For budget-conscious users, Surfshark is the better choice.
Affiliate Disclosure: JetCents may earn a commission when you purchase via our links. This doesn't affect our editorial independence — all scores are based on genuine testing. Prices subject to change.