Surfshark is a libertine , trusty practical private net with M of servers worldwide , earn itone of the best VPN subscriptionsavailable . If you pay a bit more for Surfshark One , you also get Surfshark Antivirus .
If you ’re like me , you could be skeptical that a VPN overhaul cancompete with the best antivirus software package . I went hands - on with Surfshark One and check lab result to quiz how well it prevent online threats and protects against malicious downloads .
Specs
Tiers and pricing
Surfshark has three price tier , and you could save more with a long subscription . The least expensive alternative include Surfshark ’s well - shop VPN service but no malware protective cover . Surfshark Starter costs $ 15 monthly , $ 48 for the first year , or $ 56 if you bear for two years in advance . The long - full term plans reincarnate at $ 60 annually .
To append material - time antivirus bar and scan , you need a Surfshark One subscription . The damage climbs to $ 18 monthly for this extra protection , $ 3 more than you ’d pay for just the VPN . If you pledge for a year , it ’s $ 54 , or $ 70 for two long time . Thereafter , refilling is $ 79 annually .
Avira is the only other antivirus service I ’ve test that offers a monthly subscription . For $ 10 per calendar month , Avira Prime protects five equipment and includes a VPN . However , its long - term plans are expensive .
The most expensive option , Surfshark One+ , includes all the features above and add together Incogni , a personal information remotion armed service that provides on-going request to data point brokers to dispatch your data from advertising and profiling list . It costs $ 21 monthly , $ 96 for the first year , or $ 112 for the first two class . Renewal is $ 99 annually .
Surfshark does n’t offer a devoid malware instrument but there isgood gratuitous antivirus software system availableif you do n’t want to pay for a bounty solution .
Design
Inmy 2024 review of Surfshark , I found it to be one of the best and riotous VPNs I ’ve ever tested . I mentioned the malware tribute features but did n’t cut into into contingent on that expression of the military service .
Setup is dewy-eyed and the installer partake in information about the app along the way . Since it ’s a VPN first , there ’s a second dance step to get the malware protection . I selected the antivirus tab from the left over sidebar and install that characteristic .
Surfshark Antivirus inspire me to run my first quick scan to check for viruses . In s , a bug out - up windowpane report my electronic computer was clean , and the app showed me various antivirus circumstance .
By nonremittal , Surfshark Antivirus offer real - time and browser app protective cover . The app scheduled day-by-day fast scans and weekly full scans at the current time . I favor CAT scan to run when I ’m aside from my computer , so I changed the meter to former dawn .
I jump the optional webcam aegis feature since I can tilt down to kibosh the camera of my Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite . It ’s a smaller , more affordable simulation of theObsbot midget 4 K webcam I reviewedin 2022 .
I switched on Quarantine auto - delete to entirely remove septic file after 60 daylight in quarantine .
Features
My late experience left me doubting that a VPN could vie with consecrated antivirus package . When I critique Surfshark in 2024 , it failed all ofWicar ’s malware tests . I checked again and was pleased that Surfshark Antivirus detected and blocked 12 of 13 downloads and exploits . Ideally , it should have bewitch all , but the vulnerability it missed only affects systems running Windows 8.1 or older .
Still , I require more assurance of the antivirus strength . AV - Testis an independent security lab that evaluates the effectiveness of antivirus package . package developers must pay for examination , and Surfshark Antivirus has only two entries : December 2022 and June 2024 .
In AV - Test ’s most late evaluation , Surfshark Antivirus earned a perfect protection score , notice 225 zero - sidereal day attacks and 14,498 malware samples .
However , Surfshark Antivirus detected just 95 % of active zero - Clarence Day threats in the 2022 test . Cybersecurity has a low permissiveness for failure , so the score for that period was 4.5 out of a possible six .
turn up antivirus software package likeNorton can shoot a line gross aegis scoresfor over a decade . It ’s tough for newcomers to compete with plant solutions , even at downcast prices .
Support
Surfshark offers accompaniment via springy schmooze and agents are available 24/7 to provide assistance with chronicle issues . I was pleased with the reactivity in my review of its VPN servicing , but I go over again to find out if agent were prepared to answer antivirus head .
After leave my name and email speech , I was quickly connected to live support . The responses were well-disposed , informative , and quick . I asked about iOS musical accompaniment for Surfshark Antivirus . The agent say it was n’t uncommitted yet , and there was n’t any data about when Surfshark would offer malware protection for my iPhone .
Privacy and security
Surfshark only call for the information necessitate to bring home the bacon the divine service you ’re paying for . As a VPN ship’s company , privacy is essential , and it has regular secrecy and security audits from main researchers for verification .
I could n’t see any chronicle of security severance and Surfshark ’s privacy policy makes it clear that it does n’t sell or portion out your email to third - party adman .
Is Surfshark One right for you?
Surfshark found its antivirus feature in August 2021 , so it ’s relatively newfangled and unproven . The best antivirus softwareundergoes frequent examination to ensure dependableness and to take in bragging rights when the grievance are high .
In June 2024 , Surfshark Antivirus realise a perfect protection grudge from AV - Test , but it has n’t been judge thereafter . The 2022 test uncover other weakness . You ’ll get ripe antivirus results fromleading solvent like Bitdefender . On the other helping hand , Surfshark has a firm VPN and down in the mouth subscription prices .
Surfshark offer complete cross - platform musical accompaniment for its VPN Robert William Service , but the antivirus is n’t uncommitted on iOS . iPhone security is very good , but is n’t immune to viruses . If you sense like you want malware protection for your iPhone , you might need a unlike antivirus solution .
Surfshark offer an excellent VPN service with a low - cost option to add material - time antivirus security and malware scanning Windows , macOS , and Android to fort the built - in security measure of your gadget . I trust Surfshark One as a secondary antivirus for my Windows personal computer when combined witha more established solution like Windows Defender .
