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Surfshark VPN Review: the macOS App, Features and Our Speed Test
Contents
Surfshark is a VPN you can use on an unlimited number of devices, with more ways to fine-tune your connection than most people will ever need. We tested the current macOS app (version 4.30.2): connecting, protocols including Dausos, Bypasser and the settings, and we measured the speed from seven places, including Australia and New Zealand.
Video review
Main Features of Surfshark VPN
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| CleanWeb | Blocks ads, trackers, malware and phishing attempts while the VPN is connected. |
| Bypasser | Lets specific apps and websites skip the VPN tunnel, for example online banking. On macOS it works for both apps and websites. |
| Kill Switch | Cuts internet access if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly (marked as beta in the macOS app). |
| Dynamic MultiHop | Routes your connection through two VPN servers; you can pick ready-made pairs or create your own. |
| Everlink | Reroutes the tunnel to another server if one fails, without disconnecting you (with WireGuard). |
| Pause VPN | Pauses the VPN for 5 minutes, 30 minutes or 2 hours and reconnects automatically. |
| Rotating IP | Changes your IP address every five minutes without disconnecting; you choose city, country, region or worldwide range. |
| NoBorders | Helps you use the VPN on restricted networks, such as those with government censorship. |
| Invisible on LAN | Hides your device on the local network (not compatible with WireGuard or Pause VPN). |
| GPS Override | Makes GPS-based apps see the VPN location; available on Android. |
Bundles and Pricing
| Bundle | Includes |
|---|---|
| Surfshark Starter | VPN and Alternative ID |
| Surfshark One | Starter plus Antivirus, Alert and Search |
| Surfshark One+ | One plus Incogni data removal |
The long plans are by far the cheapest: the 1-year and 2-year plans include three extra months. The monthly plan is much more expensive, and the promotional price only applies to the first term. Prices depend on your region and currency; there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternative Number (a US virtual phone number) is a paid add-on.
The macOS App (Version 4.30)
The current Mac app has a dark, two-part layout. On the left is the location list with search, favorites and tabs for Static IP, Multi Hop and Dedicated IP; on the right you see the connection status, location and IP address. The sidebar leads to the other Surfshark services and the settings.
Connecting takes one click: search for a country, pick a city, and a few seconds later you have a new IP address. In our test the app connected to Frankfurt using post-quantum WireGuard (“quantum-safe” in the app). On the first connection, macOS asks you to allow the VPN configuration, which is a normal step with any VPN.
Protocols: WireGuard, IKEv2 and Dausos
The macOS app offers four options: Automatic, IKEv2, WireGuard and Surfshark’s own Dausos protocol (beta). Surfshark’s help center describes Dausos as a beta for the Mac App Store version, but in our test the version downloaded directly from the website offered it too, and the automatic mode preferred it. Before the first connection you have to allow its system extension in System Settings (General → Login Items & Extensions → Network Extensions); until you do, the app stops and asks for permission when you connect. With WireGuard you also get Everlink.
Bypasser and Settings
Bypasser on the Mac lets you add both websites and apps that should skip the VPN, typically online banking or services that need your real IP address. The VPN settings also include auto-connect, CleanWeb and the Kill Switch (beta); the advanced options hold Rotating IP, NoBorders and Invisible on LAN. Alert, Antivirus and Search appear in the sidebar, but with Starter they point you to an upgrade to Surfshark One.
Network, Privacy and Audits
According to Surfshark, the network has more than 4,500 servers in 100 countries. All servers run in RAM only, so nothing is stored on hard drives, and they have 10 Gbps ports. Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, Deloitte assessed its no-logs policy in 2023 and 2025, and Cure53 audited the infrastructure and the Dausos protocol in 2026. These are good signals, although no audit is a one hundred percent guarantee.
Keep in mind what a VPN can and can’t do: it encrypts the path between your device and the VPN server and changes the IP address websites see. It doesn’t remove cookies, logins or browser fingerprinting, and you’ll never be completely anonymous online. Encryption depends on the protocol: WireGuard uses ChaCha20 (now with a post-quantum key exchange on Mac and iPhone), while IKEv2 and OpenVPN use AES-256.
Availability
Surfshark has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV and other TV platforms, plus extensions for Chrome, Edge and Firefox. You can connect an unlimited number of devices, so one subscription covers the whole household. A browser extension only protects the browser’s traffic, not all apps on your computer.
Surfshark VPN Speed Test
We measured the speed in the Surfshark macOS app 4.30.2 with WireGuard, on a roughly 50 Mbps connection in Prague. Every location used the same test: download and upload over Cloudflare’s servers (4 parallel connections, two runs, averaged) and latency as a ping to 1.1.1.1 through the tunnel.
| Location | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) | Ping (ms) |
|---|---|---|---|
| No VPN (Prague) | 41.1 | 53.5 | 13 |
| Germany (Frankfurt) | 44.0 | 39.4 | 45 |
| USA (New York) | 47.1 | 33.5 | 116 |
| Brazil (São Paulo) | 44.8 | 32.1 | 221 |
| UAE (Dubai)* | 55.9 | 56.1 | 59 |
| Australia (Sydney) | 50.1 | 43.4 | 354 |
| New Zealand (Auckland) | 49.6 | 18.5 | 306 |
Surfshark barely slowed our connection down: download over the VPN stayed between 44 and 56 Mbps, on par with the result without the VPN (41 Mbps; small differences are normal variation). Upload dropped most for New Zealand (18.5 Mbps). Latency grows with distance: 45 ms from Frankfurt, 116 ms from New York, 354 ms from Sydney. *In our test the Dubai location connected through Frankfurt (the IP address is from the UAE), which explains its low latency. The results apply to this specific connection and are not a ceiling for Surfshark’s speed.
Pros and Cons of Surfshark
| Pros (+) | Cons (-) |
|---|---|
| + Good accessibility | - GPS location for some apps |
| + Unlimited number of devices | |
| + Protection against malware | |
| + Kill switch function | |
| + 256-bit AES encryption | |
| + 30 days refund policy |
What’s new: pluses are the clear macOS app, no noticeable slowdown in our speed test even to Australia, post-quantum WireGuard, Bypasser for both apps and websites on Mac, Rotating IP and Alternative ID in the cheapest bundle. To keep in mind: the Kill Switch is still marked beta on Mac, Dausos needs a system extension, and the low price applies only to long plans.
More Surfshark Reviews
- Surfshark Alternative ID: email aliases and a backup identity
- Surfshark Alternative Number: a virtual phone number
- Surfshark Alert: data breach monitoring
- Surfshark CleanWeb: ad and tracker blocker
Summary
Our rating: 4.5 out of 5. The Mac app is clear, connecting is fast, and there are more features than most people will use, from split tunneling to IP rotation. In our testing Surfshark also unlocked streaming platforms such as HBO Max, Disney+ and NBC Sports; that’s our experience, not a promise, since services can block VPN addresses. Unlimited devices make Surfshark a good choice for the whole household.
Read our regularly updated comparison of the best VPNs.
