Surfshark One Review 2024: Essential or Overkill?

Surfshark offers more than just a VPN, it has plans that provide all-in-one protection. Surfshark One includes proprietary features such as Surfshark CleanWeb, Surfshark Antivirus, Surfshark VPN, Surfshark Alert, Surfshark Search, and Surfshark Alternative ID, in addition to the Incogni data removal tools. 

Surfshark One showed impressive test results showcasing its efficacy in malware detection and ad blocking, alongside competitive pricing that adds significant value. Surfshark One is more than just good — it's an essential tool for anyone looking to protect their digital life comprehensively.

Surfshark One overview

How we test and rate products

For every product type, we complete standardized hands-on tests so we can put their claims to the test for each review. 

For VPNs, we compare our internet speeds while connected to different servers, check for DNS and WebRTC leaks, make sure the kill switch actually works and more. For antivirus programs, we review their third-party test results and conduct EICAR tests. And for ad blockers, we use websites like adblock-tester.com, coveryourtracks.eff.org, and canyoublockit.com to test for effectiveness against ads and trackers. 

Once we've completed the testing, our editorial rating is calculated by taking into account key features you'd expect from a good product. This includes price, test scores, features, and more. 

Save up to 80% + 3 extra months

4.8

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

All-In-One

Surfshark One

• Blocks ads and pop-ups, including cookie consent requests, while browsing
• Can also browse ad-free without a digital footprint with the Surfshark Search engine
• All-in-one app includes VPN, antivirus scans, alternative ID creation, malware protection, and more on unlimited devices
• Month-to-month price is expensive

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Our experience

Our Surfshark One experience began smoothly with an effortless download and installation process. Its comprehensive suite — VPN, Antivirus, and CleanWeb — was navigable and user-friendly. 

Connecting to VPN servers was straightforward, and activating features like ad blocking required no extra steps, highlighting the app's seamless integration and simplicity.

Throughout our testing, no issues arose. The antivirus ran quietly in the background, and the CleanWeb feature effectively blocked ads, enhancing our browsing experience. The VPN maintained stable connections, proving its reliability. 

Overall, Surfshark One offered a harmonious blend of security and usability, embodying a powerful yet intuitive digital protection solution.

Who is Surfshark One best for?

• Recommended for individuals who prioritize a multi-layered approach to digital security and privacy

Surfshark One positions itself as a strong choice in digital security, providing an all-encompassing solution with VPN, antivirus, and ad-blocking capabilities. Its strength lies in its robust security features paired with ease of use, ensuring a smooth and secure online experience. Surfshark One proves its effectiveness with its positive test results for malware detection and ad-blocking efficiency.

Its competitive pricing further enhances its appeal, offering great value for a comprehensive digital protection package. For those seeking thorough online security without complexity, Surfshark One is an indispensable asset, making it an essential choice for safeguarding one's digital presence.

Surfshark One prices and subscriptions

Surfshark One distinguishes itself with flexible subscription plans, catering to varied user needs at competitive price points. 

Starting with the Surfshark Starter plan at $15.45/mo, users get VPN, ad blocking, and privacy tools. Surfshark One, at $15.95/mo, enhances this with antivirus and real-time alerts, while the top-tier Surfshark One+, at $17.95/mo, adds data removal services. 

Compared to market alternatives, Surfshark One offers considerable value, integrating VPN, ad blocking, and antivirus features into one package, making it an attractive option for those seeking an all-in-one solution for comprehensive online protection and privacy.

Plan comparison

Surfshark VPN features and test results

Surfshark VPN is a well-rounded virtual private network that offers a wide range of features. 

One great feature is its unlimited simultaneous connections, which allows users to connect multiple devices to the VPN at the same time. This is uncommon among VPN providers and can be very useful for families or individuals with multiple devices.

Server count and countries

• 3,200+ in 100 countries

Surfshark offers 3,200+ servers across 100 countries, catering to users seeking privacy and unrestricted access to global content. This vast network ensures reliable and speedy connections, essential for streaming, gaming, and secure browsing while traveling. 

Despite other services having more servers, Surfshark's balance of server quantity and quality stands out, making it a competitive choice for those needing to bypass geo-restrictions and maintain fast internet speeds.

No-logs policy and headquarters

• Surfshark One logs policy: No logs
• Surfshark One headquarters: The Netherlands

Surfshark One's no-logs policy, verified by an independent Deloitte audit, ensures it doesn't track or share user data, offering unparalleled privacy. This policy, coupled with Surfshark's strategic headquarters in the Netherlands (a country with robust privacy laws), reinforces its commitment to user confidentiality.

However, the Netherlands is a part of the Nine Eyes alliance, so if another intelligence-sharing government alliance requests user data or internet activity, Surfshark will have to legally abide.

Kill switch

The kill switch is a critical security feature that protects your data from being exposed if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly. It works by automatically cutting off your internet access until the VPN connection is re-established, ensuring your data remains private at all times. 

The kill switch can be easily activated within the Surfshark app's security settings, offering an extra layer of protection.

Split tunneling

With split tunneling, you can select which apps or websites go through the VPN connection and which ones connect directly to the internet. This feature is particularly useful for accessing local services while still protecting your main browsing activities. 

You can find the split tunneling option in the Surfshark app settings.

VPN protocols

Surfshark supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2/IPSec protocols, offering a blend of speed, security, and device compatibility.

WireGuard excels in speed, OpenVPN in security, and IKEv2/IPSec in mobile reliability. Surfshark can auto-select the optimal protocol for users, balancing security and performance efficiently, making it a versatile choice for various network conditions.

VPN speed tests

• Surfshark One speed test results: Surfshark passed its speed tests.

Testing Surfshark One on a Windows laptop, we recorded a baseline internet speed of 345.75 Mbps download, 118.64 Mbps upload, and 15 ms latency.

Connected to a U.S. server, speeds dropped to 333.43 Mbps — a negligible 3.6% decrease but still sufficient for streaming and video calls, with no major lag on Netflix or Zoom.

From there on out, speeds continued to drop but there was still minimal impact on our device's performance. You can expect speeds to drop as you connect to servers further and further away from your physical location.

Netflix tests

• Surfshark One Netflix test results: Surfshark passed all its Netflix tests.

Surfshark One excels as a VPN for streaming Netflix, seamlessly unlocking content across the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia. Its ability to bypass geo-restrictions enables users to access a wide range of Netflix content globally. 

Despite past limitations in certain regions, the service ensured smooth streaming without lag or buffering issues. Surfshark One's reliable performance makes it a top choice for streamers eager to explore international Netflix libraries.

Surfshark One Netflix test results

DNS and WebRTC leak tests

• Surfshark One DNS leak test results: Passed
• Surfshark One WebRTC leak test results: Passed

DNS translates website names to IP addresses. A DNS leak exposes your browsing via ISP servers, not the VPN's tunnel. Surfshark One passed DNS leak tests, effectively securing your internet activities and maintaining online anonymity by routing all traffic securely through the VPN.

WebRTC enables browser-based direct communication but may reveal your IP address. Surfshark One passed WebRTC leak tests, demonstrating its ability to prevent such exposure. This ensures your IP address stays hidden, enhancing your privacy and security during web browsing and real-time online communication.

Kill switch test

• Surfshark One kill switch test results: Passed

Surfshark comes with a kill switch, which can disable your internet connection if the VPN drops. This will protect you from exposure on public Wi-Fi and other unsafe networks. 

With the kill switch enabled, we swapped from a server in Atlanta to a server in Sydney. There was no exposure of our true IP address or physical location.

Surfshark Antivirus features and test results

Surfshark Antivirus is a product that unites various great features and brings you comprehensive digital security: manual and automatic scans, real-time protection, and anti-phishing powered by CleanWeb technology. It can detect and remove of malware to help protect from all sorts of cyberthreats.

On the downside, Surfshark One Antivirus lacks a dedicated firewall. This means that it doesn’t have the ability to block incoming traffic and protect against potential cyberattacks.

Malware and antivirus scan

Surfshark Antivirus impresses with its flexible scanning options, allowing you to conduct both quick scans for immediate threats and full scans for a comprehensive system checkup. The process works in the background and is quick, efficient, and unobtrusive, with minimal disruption of the user's activities. 

Surfshark Antivirus is proactive in its ability to notice and remove malware; it always ensures that any threat detected is dealt with promptly. The detections are relayed to the user in just a matter of minutes, making it easy for your devices to be managed effectively.

Phishing protection

Surfshark Antivirus also has CleanWeb technology, which further consolidates its anti-phishing efforts by automatically preventing users from getting tricked into visiting websites that would otherwise be malevolently deployed to phish. 

The setup is simple; no form of additional configuration is required to turn it on. 

Testing showed Surfshark possessed good skills in both site detection and blocking access, presenting a solid layer of security from suspicious internet activities.

Surfshark One antivirus test results

The EICAR (European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research) test files are common files that are used to access the behavior of malware. They're used to check any given antivirus program for its detection and reaction abilities — all without the need to expose any system to real threats. 

Surfshark One successfully passed all these tests, proving to be effective both in malware and phishing recognition and neutralization. Surfshark’s antivirus performance in the mentioned tests reaffirms that it is a reliable security solution, ensuring users are well protected from a long list of online threats.

Firewall

While Surfshark Antivirus doesn’t include a dedicated firewall, the premium security suite is rounded out with its real-time protection and CleanWeb, ensuring that you are guarded around the clock from malware, phishing, and other cyberthreats, even if there is no conventional firewall.

Real-time protection

This real-time protection from Surfshark Antivirus is very effective, with reliable features that always detect and neutralize threats as they come. Coupled with the ad blocker, this adds dual protection from harmful websites, phishing attempts, and invasive trackers without affecting your system performance or user experience.

Ransomware protection

Another layer of defense that Surfshark offers is its continuous anti-ransomware, which can protect its users against this group of threats. This works out of the box with other antivirus protections, culminating in total protection without needing the user to set up anything.

Anti-fraud protection

While Surfshark Antivirus doesn’t have any specific anti-fraud features, a combination of anti-phishing, ad blocking, and real-time security can likely save the user from any kind of fraud activity. Such a solid approach to security shows how Surfshark is committed to giving its users a well-rounded antivirus solution that is enough to protect against a broad range of cyberthreats.

Bonus features

Surfshark One's antivirus program is complemented by a range of bonus features that enhance user security without compromising on performance or convenience. These features are designed to provide a more secure and private digital experience across various platforms.

Webcam protection

Your life is not a movie. Keep it that way. Surfshark One includes a webcam protection feature that prevents unauthorized access to your camera. This tool allows users to lock their webcam securely and receive immediate alerts if any application or website attempts to use the webcam without permission. This feature is especially valuable for ensuring privacy and security in an era where unauthorized webcam access is a growing concern.

Lightweight security

Is it even on? That’s what you’ll be asking yourself, thanks to Surfshark One's lightweight antivirus design. This feature ensures that the antivirus application is minimally invasive, operating without significant consumption of CPU or RAM. Users can enjoy full protection without experiencing slowdowns or performance issues on their devices, making Surfshark One an ideal choice for those prioritizing efficiency and security.

Surfshark Alert

Surfshark One offers data breach alerts, a feature designed to notify users immediately if their personal information, such as email, ID, credit card numbers, or other sensitive data, is discovered in an online data breach. This proactive approach to personal data security helps users take timely action to secure their accounts and prevent identity theft or fraud.

Surfshark Search

Are you tired of worrying about your web privacy and need more than just incognito mode? If you want to safely and privately browse the web, use the Surfshark Search feature, available on Surfshark One and One+ plans. This private search engine is ad-free, so your online activities aren’t being tracked or monitored.

Surfshark Alternative ID

Surfshark Alternative ID is an identity theft protection feature included with all Surfshark One plans. Basically, it’s a way to keep your identity incognito — and protect against hackers, spam, and data brokers. 

You provide the specs, and Surfshark can generate a new online profile with a valid email address for you to use instead of your real contact information. You can create an unlimited number of online personas and store up to three different alternative email addresses.

Incogni data removal services

With Surfshark One+, you have access to the top-notch data removal service Incogni. Here’s how it works: Surfshark sends requests on your behalf to remove your data from data brokers. 

That’s it. You don’t need to file or manage negotiation requests with data brokers because Surfshark handles it all for you.

Surfshark CleanWeb features and test results

Surfshark CleanWeb enhances web browsing by providing comprehensive ad blocking, tracker blocking, phishing, and malware protection. Its effectiveness extends to preventing online threats, although it lacks direct site whitelisting or blacklisting. Surfshark compensates with the Bypasser feature for customized access control.

CleanWeb's user-friendly interface clearly indicates active protection, ensuring users feel secure. Despite some customization limits, its broad protective capabilities make it a valuable tool for safer internet navigation.

Surfshark CleanWeb ad blocker scores

To evaluate CleanWeb's effectiveness, we used AdBlock Tester, Cover Your Tracks, and Can You Block It tools. 

CleanWeb scored 96/100 on AdBlock Tester, effectively blocking various ads and trackers. The missing points were from tests that were listed as "most likely passed," so we'll take that as a win over failed tests. It also easily passed all the Can You Block it ad blocker tests.

However, on Cover Your Tracks, it scored only 0.5/3, having failed at blocking tracking ads and invisible trackers. Our fingerprint was at least nearly unique, so it provided partial protection against fingerprinting. Overall, these results could be disappointing for privacy-focused users.

Surfshark One compatibility

Surfshark One is designed to ensure that users can get an equivalent level of protection — whether it's protecting their home Wi-Fi, a range of connected devices, or on the move. It’s compatible with the following:

• macOS
• Windows
• Linux
• iOS
• Android
• Fire TV
• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Micrsofot Edge

Surfshark One customer support

Surfshark One excels in both security solutions and customer support. Offering an extensive range of user-friendly online tutorials, guides, and setup instructions through its Help Center and YouTube Channel, Surfshark ensures users can easily find help for various issues.

For more direct support, it provides 24/7 live chat and email assistance, available to all users. We found its customer service to be highly efficient, with a responsive chatbot and a helpful live agent offering quick, courteous assistance. This level of responsive and proactive customer support underscores Surfshark's dedication to user satisfaction and highlights its commitment to providing comprehensive, accessible assistance.

Surfshark One alternatives

While Surfshark One offers a comprehensive suite of online protection tools, including VPN, antivirus, and ad-blocking capabilities, there are several alternatives in the market that provide similar or complementary services. 

Here's a look at some notable options:

Price	$3.09–$15.99/mo	$29.00–$49.00/yr (first year only)	$1.00-$4.50/mo + cost of VPN
Max # of connected devices	10	6	7
VPN
Antivirus
Ad blocker
Learn more	Get NordVPN	Get TotalAV	Get CyberGhost

FAQs

Bottom line: Is Surfshark One good?

What really sets Surfshark One apart from the pack is its all-inclusive approach to security: a VPN, antivirus, and ad blocker all put together in one package. This is to ensure such safety that amounts to very strong software for all kinds of possible threats in the cyberspace world. 

The one disadvantage is that its antivirus module doesn't include a dedicated firewall, which can be a concern if you want to protect all your networks at once. It also seems to struggle with blocking trackers. 

Nevertheless, if you need a reliable security tool to protect your digital life easily, Surfshark One remains an indispensable choice. It’s especially good for users who value convenience, effectiveness, and comprehensive coverage in their cybersecurity toolkit.

Full Suite of Cybersecurity Tools on Unlimited Devices

4.8

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Editorial Rating

Learn More

On Surfshark One's website

All-In-One

Surfshark One

Save up to 80% + 3 extra months

• Blocks ads and pop-ups, including cookie consent requests, while browsing
• Can also browse ad-free without a digital footprint with the Surfshark Search engine
• All-in-one app includes VPN, antivirus scans, alternative ID creation, malware protection, and more on unlimited devices
• Month-to-month price is expensive

Author Details

Ryan L. Clancy

About the Author

Ryan Clancy is a freelance writer and blogger. With 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience, he's passionate about all things engineering and tech. He loves bringing engineering (especially mechanical) down to a level that everyone can understand.