A fast VPN for casual users

Surfshark is one of the youngest major VPNs, but it’s grown rapidly over the last seven years. Since 2018, it’s expanded its network to 100 countries, added a suite of apps to its Surfshark One package and experimented with advanced touches like servers that constantly rotate your IP address.

Formerly a budget VPN, Surfshark is still pretty affordable but the cost of a one-month subscription is way too high. These days, it’s more interested in innovation than affordability. Its features may not always be cutting-edge — Nexus is basically Tor and Everlink is a slightly better kill switch — but it’s rare to find either implemented so well in a commercial VPN. Plus, download and upload speeds are fantastic.

It all adds up to one of the best VPNs for casual users, even when compared to others in its weight class. But those already deeply familiar with VPNs might trip over some aspects. For this review, I studied 11 different angles on Surfshark’s service, some through hands-on tests and others with old-fashioned journalism. Check out the sections most important to you, then head to the end for my final verdict.

Editors’ note: We’re in the process of rebooting all of our VPN reviews from scratch. Once we do a fresh pass on the top services, we’ll be updating each review with a rating and additional comparative information.

Table of contents

Findings at a glance

This table summarizes everything I discovered about Surfshark. For details on any bullet point, see its section in the full review.

Installing, configuring and using Surfshark

For this section, I’ll be going over how it feels to use Surfshark. I’ll look at how easy or difficult it is to install, what you have to do to set it up and whether the user interface (UI) helps out or gets in the way on each platform.

Windows

Surfshark is easy to download and install on Windows. You can get it through the Microsoft store, but going directly through the Surfshark website makes sure you have the latest and most complete version. The downloader asks you to click “Yes,” but mostly handles itself, and finishes up in a short time.

The first point that might divide casual users and VPN veterans comes once you open the app for the first time. Surfshark insists on taking you through a guided setup process for all its features. This is extremely helpful if you’ve never used a VPN before. If you have, its repeated insistence on sending you through the tour can get aggravating.

This pattern repeated itself as I went through the app. The front page is sensibly organized and arranged so I could see all the facts and settings — but it remains way too reliant on unskippable pop-ups to provide information. Messages appeared when I tried to cancel a stuck connection, when I turned settings on and off and even when I tried to close the app. It’s usually important information, but displaying a message that freezes every other button is a bad move.

It’s a shame, because everything else works fine. The settings tabs do an admirable job of packing multiple, semi-related apps into a single UI. Just take note that a lot of stuff is enabled by default, including auto-connect and NoBorders, which may make the VPN behave in ways you don’t need.

Mac

Surfshark’s app for macOS is mostly the same as its Windows app, for better or worse. It’s got the same split-second download and installation and the same clear organization of tabs with well-explained features. It’s also got the same relentless popups, settings on by default and occasionally sticky connections. If it gets hung up at 95 percent, just wait — it’s still working.

Android

The Surfshark Android app, available through the Google Play Store, is ready after you simply download and login. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but Surfshark’s design language turns out to be very easy to compress into mobile — except that it’s dark-mode by default, while all the other three are light. I found everything I needed within moments. Android even removes almost all the full-screen stop-everything notifications.

One thing to be aware of: when you start up the Android app, the VPN is visible, but the landing page includes all the features of Surfshark One. To get the VPN-only front page, click the arrow across from “VPN” at the top of the screen. That said, you can do almost everything you need to do no matter which page you’re on.

iOS

It’s unusual to see a big difference between a VPN’s apps on the two mobile platforms, but Surfshark switches up its design from Android to iOS. Everything now lives in four tabs on the bottom of the window. The settings tab is great, largely because it looks like how preferences do on Mac and Windows.

The main VPN window is a bit jankier. It works fine, but in order to make the server list constantly visible (unnecessary IMO), it relegates the actual VPN connection to a floating box that looks like an afterthought. It even includes a button to open the server list that’s already open. I freely admit this is just a personal complaint, but it still baffles me.

Browser extensions

Surfshark’s browser extensions for Firefox and Chromium are almost clones of its desktop apps, with a few differences. The Alert tab tells you if the site you’re on has suffered a security breach recently. CleanWeb 2.0 is the main reason to add Surfshark to your browser; it’s a much stronger blocker that even works on some video insert ads.

Surfshark speed test: Super fast with some latency

All VPNs add to your web browser’s workload, so it’s normal to see speeds drop. The best VPNs manage to keep the drops as small as possible. I used speedtest.net to see how quickly my download speeds declined at six of Surfshark’s server locations — that’s a measure of how fast a browser can load web pages, buffer videos and download large files.

I also looked for latency, which affects real-time communication with another server (important for gamers) and upload speed, which affects how quickly your device can send data (important for torrenting). My results are in the table.

In terms of download and upload speeds, Surfshark is the fastest VPN I’ve tested so far, beating out ExpressVPN, Proton VPN and NordVPN — and none of those are exactly sluggish. If you look at the Indonesia row, you’ll see I actually got a higher upload speed than I did without the VPN active. That probably has more to do with natural fluctuations from my ISP than anything Surfshark did, but it still indicates how little this VPN weighs down your browsing.

Latency is more of a mixed bag. Jumps in ping time are expected across long distances, but I also saw a fairly large jump on a server in the same state as me. Surfshark may not be ideal for fast-paced online games, but its speeds are just about perfect for any other task.

Surfshark security test: Simple but effective protocols

To determine whether Surfshark can keep you safe, I’ll be looking at three factors: whether it uses secure and up-to-date VPN protocols, whether any of those protocols leak your IP address and whether encryption is being applied to all data packets. The first is a matter of researching the technology, but I’ve run practical tests for the other two.

VPN protocols

Surfshark uses the VPN protocols WireGuard, OpenVPN (over TCP or UDP) and IKEv2. All of these are field-tested protocols that rely on uncracked encryption and proven authentication methods. There’s no proprietary protocol with shady source code, nor any outdated legacy options that might pose a risk if you pick them. My only complaint is that OpenVPN isn’t available on Mac.

Each of these protocols does the same thing: establish communication between your device, VPN servers and the internet. They handle the steps differently, but the average user is only likely to see small differences. If one protocol isn’t working, you can switch to another — or just pick the automatic protocol selection option, which worked fine during my tests. If you want to pick for yourself, use the table below for reference.

Leak test

Next, I picked five of the servers I didn’t use for the speed test and checked all of them for three different kinds of leaks using ipleak.net. Surfshark has its own DNS servers, so DNS leaks are unlikely — those usually come from a VPN using public servers to resolve DNS requests. As expected, DNS requests didn’t reveal my IP address in any of the tests.

There’s more potential for IPv6 leaks, as Surfshark doesn’t support IPv6. It recommends turning it off instead, and has guides on doing that. To fully put Surfshark through its paces, though, I ran my tests with IPv6 still active on my computer. On all five servers, the IPv6 test could not run. This indicates that Surfshark actively blocks IPv6, which (until more of the internet starts running on the new protocol) is a fine way to prevent IPv6 leaks.

The leak testing tool also checks for WebRTC leaks, so I ran each test with a Google Meet call active, but that didn’t leak either. In short, Surfshark didn’t spring a leak no matter how many times I poked it. I’m prepared to call it watertight.

Encryption test

To be absolutely sure I was recommending a safe VPN, I used WireShark (no relation) and HTTP Forever to see whether its encryption works. From examining the data stream before and after connecting to a Surfshark server, it’s clear that encryption is truly being applied. Take a look for yourself — the fact that you can’t get any information from the screenshot means the VPN protocol is working.

How much does Surfshark cost?

Surfshark is part of a suite of security products — a lot like its sister brand NordVPN, but with the offerings per tier a little more coherent. It comes in three subscription types, each of which is available at three durations. The table below shows the whole range of costs.

Note that the 24-month plans are introductory only. You can only renew for one month or 12 months. The prices below also factor in extra months you’ll get when you sign up for the first time, which aren’t available in renewals.

Surfshark’s price drops steeply from its shortest to its longest subscriptions. $15.45 is way overpriced (even for a service we quite like), but $1.99 per month is about the least you’ll pay for any VPN worth recommending. The jump from Starter (which only includes the VPN service) to One (which includes everything else except Incogni) is also tiny on the 12-month plan — only an extra $0.20.

Surfshark is almost certainly doing this to juice active user numbers — but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of it. To our mind, the 12-month subscription to Surfshark One is extremely good value, provided you already know you want Surfshark VPN.

Every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. At any point before 30 days have elapsed, you can start a live chat conversation to get your money back. This is only allowed once every six months.

You can also get a free trial for seven days by installing the Surfshark app from the Apple or Android app store, creating an account, then choosing the plan that includes the 7-day free trial. However, since you have to enter a payment method for this — and it’s not accessible on Windows — the 30-day period is generally more convenient.

Surfshark side apps and bundles

Here’s what you can get from Surfshark aside from its VPN service. In order to keep our focus on the VPN, we didn’t have time to rigorously test all these, but we’ve included the basic information to help you make your decision.

Alternative ID

Alternative ID is included along with VPN service in a Surfshark Starter plan. It consists of two features: masked email generator and personal detail generator.

Masked email generator gives you a random email address that sends all messages along to your real inbox. Since it auto-forwards everything, an email mask isn’t for reducing spam. Instead, it lets you keep your real email address secret when signing up for online services — since providing your actual address runs the risk of leaking it. For an extra $2.89 per month, you can also get an alternative phone number that works similarly.

Personal detail generator creates fake names, addresses and birthdays you can use to sign up for any websites you’re uncertain about. Be sure to use it along with the VPN, or your IP address will reveal the actual details. It also might be helpful for randomly generating your next RPG character.

Surfshark Antivirus

Surfshark Antivirus is included in Surfshark One and One+ subscriptions. It can scan files as you download them and can also scan your whole system for malware, checking against a list of unwanted programs it claims to update every three hours.

AV-Test gave it a perfect score in protection. A top score (6 out of 6) means Surfshark Antivirus caught 100 percent of malware thrown at it, both known threats and zero-day attacks. It also got a perfect usability score for totally avoiding false positives, and a 5.5 out of 6 on performance — it had nearly no impact on downloading apps or copying files, but slowed down popular websites by around 30 percent on average.

Surfshark Alert

Surfshark Alert, which is also part of Surfshark One and One+, scans the information released in data breaches to see if any of your important data has been compromised. It can check for email addresses, usernames, passwords, credit card numbers and government IDs. It can also warn you when malware on your computer is capable of stealing your data.

Surfshark Search

You can get access to Surfshark Search, a search engine akin to Google, with a One or One+ subscription. It offers a number of benefits over Google, including being totally ad-free (a perk of being subsidized by subscription). You can also change the region from which you get results. Surfshark claims that all results are totally organic, with no trackers or learning from logged searches.

Incogni

Incogni, an automated data removal service, is the one feature restricted to Surfshark One+ plans. It searches data brokerages to see if they have any of your information, then contacts them for you to request they purge the data. Brokers don’t have to honor all deletion requests, but it never hurts to try. Incogni keeps searching as long as your subscription is active, so it can automatically send multiple requests to the same broker if necessary.

Saily eSIM

Several VPNs now provide their users with Saily eSIM discounts, which can be used to get regular phone service in foreign countries. Surfshark grants various discounts through the coupon code surfshark5, which appears to be usable even without a Surfshark account.

Close-reading Surfshark’s privacy policy

Surfshark’s privacy policy shows us its outward attitude toward user privacy. While it’s possible for a VPN provider to lie outright in its posted policy, they prefer not to for liability reasons. An unreliable service will instead use loopholes, vagueries and incomplete statements to make privacy promises it doesn’t plan on keeping.

By contrast, a VPN service worth your money will be as specific as possible about any exceptions to its no-logs policy. I read Surfshark’s entire privacy policy to see which type of VPN it is — no small feat, as it’s well over 5,000 words long. The page includes summaries, but they’re pared down a little too far to be useful, so it’s into the full text I go.

Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which makes it subject to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). That’s good news, since GDPR does not permit any company to retain data without justifying it. The Netherlands is likely part of the Nine Eyes intelligence-sharing agreement, but agencies can’t spy on a VPN’s users unless that VPN is already saving activity logs — and if it is, it’s got much bigger problems than where it’s based.

Surfshark’s entire server network runs on RAM-only infrastructure, so any saved activity is erased at regular intervals. Even better, the policy is clear that your activity on any server is deleted within 15 minutes. If we take Surfshark at its word, there’s very little reason to worry about servers being seized or searched.

That means the only risk is that Surfshark itself might take advantage of its access to your information. It does, unfortunately, claim the right to view information gathered by third-party trackers, such as the cookies used by social media sites to track ad performance. But none of those trackers are watching what you do when you use the VPN, nor digging into your actual browsing activity — which, as we’ve seen, doesn’t exist after 15 minutes.

Independent privacy audits

Although we can’t conclusively verify any VPN’s privacy policy, since that involves the logically impossible feat of proving a negative, we can get very close by checking independent audits. Third-party auditors can verify a VPN’s public statements through a combination of interviews, document review and directly tinkering with the infrastructure.

Surfshark passed its most recent audit in June 2025, which — at time of writing — leaves very little room for interference. Deloitte, the audit firm, concluded that “the configuration of IT systems and management of the supporting IT operations is properly prepared, in all material respects in accordance with the Surfshark’s description set out in the Appendix I.”

I checked that description and found that it matches up to Surfshark’s public privacy policy. So, as much as we can say that any VPN is private, Surfshark is private. It may not stop all personalized ads, but it will at least keep your personal information secret.

Can Surfshark change your virtual location?

If you mainly need a VPN for streaming, this is the section for you. Here, I test whether Surfshark can change your location convincingly enough for you to see content from other countries, without getting caught and blocked by streaming platforms.

The procedure is simple: I pick five test locations, connect to three different servers in each and load Netflix. If I get in cleanly without error messages, and actually see different shows than I would without a VPN, I’ll know Surfshark convincingly changed my location. (As a reminder, when unblocking with any VPN, always make sure you’re logged into your streaming account first.)

Surfshark performed extremely well in this test, not only unblocking every location at least twice but also maintaining fast enough speeds to keep the videos from stuttering. The only failure was that one server in Japan got spied out as a VPN and blocked. However, simply disconnecting and reconnecting was enough to get me over the hurdle.

Any failure to change virtual location counts against a VPN, but even the best services can’t keep their servers off 100 percent of blocklists. NordVPN, another top-five VPN, scored the same 14/15. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a passing grade for streaming — but if it’s a dealbreaker for you, remember ExpressVPN and Proton VPN both have perfect scores.

Investigating Surfshark’s server network

Surfshark has a total of 100 server locations in 141 countries. Of those locations, 47 are virtual and 92 are physical. A virtual VPN server gives you an apparent digital location different from where it’s really located. There’s little security tradeoff, but speeds may vary depending on how far you are from the server’s actual position. The one count against Surfshark here is that it doesn’t clarify where its virtual servers are really located, so using them is a speed crapshoot.

The table below shows the proportions of server locations in each region, so you can decide whether Surfshark is likely to be useful for where you are. You can find a full list on Surfshark’s website, though only the apps show which servers are actually virtual.

These numbers are interesting in a few ways. First, Surfshark’s server network is only about one-third virtual, the lowest proportion of any major VPN I’ve reviewed so far. There’s also no continent without a single physical server. This makes Surfshark a very good choice to guarantee usable internet speeds while globetrotting.

As usual, servers are mostly in Europe and North America, although there’s a fair amount of Asia represented by the virtual locations. Surfshark is newer than most of its competitors, so it’s impressive that it’s built such an extensive network in half the time. The table reveals a VPN service that’s interested in expanding, but won’t do so at the expense of establishing quality locations that actually work.

Surfshark sets itself apart from the VPN pack with several features, some visible to the user and some working behind the scenes. Mostly, its features are familiar concepts implemented well, rather than outright innovations like NordVPN’s Meshnet — but there’s a lot of possibility for exciting new directions.

Underlying technology: Surfshark Nexus and Everlink

Surfshark has two technological innovations under the hood that make its VPN relatively unique. The first is Nexus, which has been active since 2022. Nexus connects all Surfshark’s servers together into a tighter network than most VPNs use. All its servers are nodes in a web of interconnected paths, a lot like the Tor network, except proprietary to one company.

When you choose a server location, you’re only selecting the last node in a sequence. Surfshark software selects the entry point and the path to your chosen exit. This gives every user more options for a working connection path, and allows Surfshark to regularly rotate your apparent IP address so activity on one masked identity can’t trace back to you. It’s also what makes it possible to pick the two steps in a double-hop connection (see “Dynamic MultiHop” below).

Everlink is a newer technology that Surfshark calls a “self-healing VPN infrastructure.” Any time you’re connected to Surfshark through the WireGuard protocol, you’re also connected to Everlink — a parallel infrastructure that watches your VPN connection. If it ever drops, Everlink instantly reconnects you to another server nearby, theoretically so fast you won’t notice the outage.

This is basically one step up from a kill switch. Instead of cutting off your connection, Everlink switches it to the next server instead. This makes it difficult to test — the way to check a kill switch is to simulate a server drop by cutting off your own internet connection, which makes Everlink’s function impossible. However, I can at least say I’m cautiously excited about Everlink’s potential power to negate server drops.

Unlimited simultaneous connections

One thing you’ll regularly hear about Surfshark is that it puts no limits on how many devices can connect through your account. In theory, one subscription is enough for you, your household and any friends that want to borrow it.

In practice, though, “unlimited” is a stretch. A support article acknowledges that some people may abuse the privilege by reselling access, or by masking illegal botnet activity behind hundreds of Surfshark connections.

The article doesn’t explicitly say Surfshark will limit or ban abusers, but questions to the support team revealed that an account could be locked if an automated system detects fraud. If you use a high number of simultaneous connections, even legitimately, you could be flagged — though you may be able to unlock your account by telling customer service what happened.

Bypasser split tunneling

Bypasser lets you split your internet connection so certain apps or websites go through the VPN while others remain outside. This gets you better speeds on sites and apps that don’t involve any sensitive information. Also, whenever a service requires your real IP address, you can keep using the VPN for everything else. Torrenting is a classic use case — you can keep BitTorrent protected in the background while you do something innocuous without VPN protection, improving speeds for both processes.

Bypasser split tunneling is available on all of Surfshark’s desktop and mobile clients, though iOS users can only split by website, not by app. Windows and Android users can also choose between two forms of split: “Bypass VPN,” which keeps all listed sites and apps outside the VPN tunnel, and “Route via VPN,” in which only the listed sites and apps stay within the VPN tunnel.

Dynamic MultiHop

Many VPNs have a double-hop option, which routes connections through two VPN servers to keep you protected in case one breaks. However, most of them restrict you to set paths of two servers. Surfshark is the only VPN that lets you choose both steps, thanks to Nexus pre-establishing paths between all the servers.

For the best performance, I recommend picking an entry node near your real location, then choosing your exit node based on what you need to unblock. If you aren’t unblocking anything in particular, your best bet is to simply choose two nodes in your own country.

Camouflage Mode obfuscation

VPN obfuscation refers to VPNs hiding the fact that they’re VPNs at all — so not only is your IP address not your real one, but it doesn’t appear to have been changed. Surfshark’s obfuscation is called Camouflage Mode. As long as you’re connected via OpenVPN, it’s active automatically. So, if you suspect an outside firewall is preventing you from getting online while running Surfshark, switching to OpenVPN might solve the problem.

NoBorders mode

NoBorders is another option for getting online with Surfshark under external restrictions, especially those imposed by entire governments (like the Great Firewall of China). If Surfshark detects restrictions on internet usage, NoBorders activates and switches you to a server well-placed to get around those restrictions — for example, an IP address from the next country over.

The problem with NoBorders is that it’s active by default, which may restrict you to certain servers when you don’t need the help. I recommend switching NoBorders off in the settings for better performance. It may turn on again if it detects possible restrictions, so check the setting again if you find your speeds slower than usual.

CleanWeb

CleanWeb, Surfshark’s ad blocker, is available in two forms. The basic version of CleanWeb, which blocks banner ads and trackers, comes with all Surfshark apps.

CleanWeb 2.0 comes as a browser extension, which means it only works in-browser. However, it’s a much stronger blocker, capable of cancelling video ads on streaming and YouTube. It also automatically rejects non-vital cookies on every site so you don’t have to click the button — which I appreciated, as my ADHD brain is easily distracted by pop-ups.

Static and dedicated IPs

Surfshark gives you a list of static IP addresses at no extra charge, another rarity among leading VPNs. A static IP means you’ll have the same address every time you connect to the VPN, so you won’t look suspicious for regularly opening the same service with a different IP. Without this, you’ll find yourself hitting CAPTCHAs more often. You can also keep your home device connected to a static IP server and use that to access your home network remotely.

For an extra cost, Surfshark also offers dedicated IPs, which are the same as static IPs except you’re the only person using them. Sometimes, a static IP can get blocked because of one bad user’s behavior; a private dedicated IP removes that risk.

Other features

A few other features are worth noting. Surfshark has a kill switch that cuts off your internet connection if your VPN server ever drops — this is largely obsolete with Everlink, but remains in the background as an extra precaution. You can set the VPN to connect automatically except on trusted networks, and can choose the location to which it auto-connects.

If you need to briefly work without the VPN, you can pause Surfshark for five minutes, 30 minutes or two hours. Finally, Android users can have their VPN server override their GPS location, moving it to wherever their IP address is currently. You obviously don’t want to use this while your phone is navigating you somewhere, but otherwise it’s useful for privacy.

Surfshark customer support options

Surfshark includes a few links to troubleshooting pages directly in the app, a tantalizingly unfinished feature. If you go to the settings tab and click Get Help and then Browse Guides, you’ll see several links to FAQ articles about the version of the VPN client you’re using. Clicking any link opens the page in your default browser. Jumping directly from the app to the relevant guide is really convenient, but if your problem isn’t one of the five most common, you’re out of luck — just click More Guides to go to the main support page.

Once you’re here, you’ll find a helpful set of articles that make good design choices to put the average user at ease. “Getting started” includes setup guides for every Surfshark app, with abundant screenshots. Help articles are effectively written from the user’s perspective. Instead of technical descriptions of problems, they start with topics like “I can’t connect to Surfshark” or “I’m getting an error,” then provide a sequence of DIY solutions.

The only category without a clear direction is “Surfschool,” which gathers a disparate bunch of feature explanations, advanced tips and basic VPN information under one heading. If you can’t find what you need in the other sections, it may be easier to use the search bar instead of digging around in Surfschool.

The live support experience

To reach live support, scroll to the bottom of the main support page, then click “Chat with us.” A chat window will open in the corner of your screen. I used the live chat support to ask about receiving a link to the test account I used to write this review. As is now standard, I had to work my way past a chatbot first, but that didn’t take too long. Once I reached a real person, they resolved my problem right away.

The email ticket system is for difficult problems that can’t be resolved in a single exchange, so I decided to test it with something a little more complicated. I asked about the status of IKEv2, which Surfshark promised to eliminate in 2022 but has only removed from Windows (this is in fact what they promised to do, but I wasn’t aware of that yet).

I heard back about 22 hours later with a speedy and applicable answer: a representative said that “currently, Surfshark does not have plans to remove IKEv2 from all operating systems.” See the next section for details about that risk.

Surfshark background check: No real blemishes

Surfshark was founded in 2018, making it a relative newcomer to the security scene, and the VPN was its first product. Alert and Search debuted in 2019, while Antivirus and Incogni joined them in 2021. For the first two years of its existence, Surfshark was part of the Tesonet group, a Lithuanian startup incubator that also helped launch NordVPN (see “Connection to NordVPN” below).

Its youth may be why there are few serious blemishes on Surfshark’s record. Like Proton VPN, which is just a year older, it simply hasn’t had time to put a foot wrong yet. However, that doesn’t mean it’s inevitable that Surfshark will screw up at some point. So far, it appears to be learning from its predecessors and avoiding their mistakes.

The trusted root certification authority risk

The only potential error I can point to hasn’t compromised anyone yet, but may in the future. In 2022, Surfshark was one of several VPNs cited for relying on a trusted root certification authority — a verification method that, if compromised, could let an attacker sneak malware onto a user’s device using Surfshark’s ID badge. There’s no record of the certificate actually being exploited, and Surfshark claimed it was necessary to enable the IKEv2 protocol.

In response to the report, Surfshark deprecated IKEv2 from its Windows app, which was the only one that used trusted root CAs for IKEv2. It’s still available on all OSes except Windows, but a Surfshark rep told me in an email that they don’t use trusted root CAs on those platforms, so there’s no risk.

Connection to NordVPN

In 2022, Surfshark announced a merger with NordVPN, though both companies repeatedly stressed that nothing about either service would change. According to Surfshark’s announcement at the time, “The idea behind the deal is to align on a tactical level in reaching mutual goals while keeping the autonomy of our operations.”

As of 2025, nothing seems especially merged about NordVPN and Surfshark. Publicly, they’re still completely different brands with few mentions of the other on their respective websites. In an email, a Surfshark representative told me that “Surfshark and Nord Security operate as autonomous companies relying on separate infrastructures, different product development plans and separate customer bases.”

That said, it’s worth noting that Surfshark and Nord have a shared lineage in Tesonet, the Lithuania-based tech incubator that, with Nord, shares Tom Okman and Eimantas Sabaliauskas as co-founders, and nurtured Surfshark for the first two years of its life. In the end, a Surfshark representative told Engadget that Surfshark currently “operates independently” of Tesonet. Be that as it may, the combination of Surfshark and NordVPN is yet another example an increasingly consolidated VPN industry, where competitors like Kape Technologies and Ziff Davis operate multiple digital service brands under one corporate roof.

Final verdict

In a lot of ways, Surfshark works hard to earn your trust. Its reliance on brick-and-mortar servers testifies to that, as do its speeds, regular privacy audits and refusal to rest on its laurels. Nexus and Everlink may not be perfectly implicated, but they do have tangible results that indicate they’re a lot more than just marketing gimmicks. Both are positive signs of a VPN provider genuinely trying to stand out in a crowded field.

It’s also a great sign that Surfshark responded to the trusted root CA risk with a targeted intervention. I wish they’d found a way to run IKEv2 on Windows without as much risk (other VPNs manage it), but I can’t deny they seem serious about addressing potential issues before they become crises. It’s nice that I can enthusiastically recommend Surfshark for its attention to security as well as its speeds and straightforward features.