SurfEasy VPN Review [2020] – Average Service With Some Drawbacks

In this SurfEasy review, we provide a complete rundown of its features, pricing, and show you how well it keeps you secure and private online.

If you travel frequently or browse the internet in public places like your favorite coffee shop, you may be looking for a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that you can trust.

SurfEasy VPN Review
SurfEasy VPN Review

A VPN is one of the easiest ways to protect your online identity, confidential information, and keep your browsing private regardless of when and where you use the internet. With several VPN services available, and all promising to offer the same services, choosing the best VPN can be a challenge.

In our SurfEasy VPN review, we take a closer look at some of the most important features and discuss the pros and cons. With all of this information, we’re confident that you will be able to decide if SurfEasy VPN is the best option for you.

What is SurfEasy?

SurfEasy is based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and its parent company is Symantec, which specializes in cybersecurity. SurfEasy VPN supports a variety of platforms and claims to be a “no-log VPN for every device.” Let’s take a look at some of the features to see how it performs.

What is SurfEasy?
What is SurfEasy?

Features

While every VPN has unique features, we focus our review on some of the most commonly sought-after features such as security, ease of use, and reliability.

Ease of Use

VPNs should be easy to use for all users, not just those with some advanced tech knowledge. If you’re not tech-savvy, there may be a few things that you don’t understand about a VPN, but at the very least you should feel confident using it on any of your devices.

Ease of Use
Ease of Use SurfEasy VPN

Signing up for SurfEasy is relatively simple. Keep in mind that whether you sign up for the free trial or an account, you need to enter a valid email address, so SurfEasy does not offer complete anonymity like other VPNs.

When you install SurfEasy, you will have easy access to certain features like the location of your server, the number of blocked trackers, your data usage, and a “wizard” walks you through every new feature you use to make sure you understand how to use the VPN.

Reliability and Overall Performance

A reliable VPN should do more than just stay connected. A VPN should be secure, trustworthy, and keep your information safe in the event that you briefly lose your connection. SurfEasy has over 1000 servers, which are located in over 25 countries.

Reliability and Overall Performance - Source: Shutterstock.com
Reliability and Overall Performance SurfEasy VPN – Source: Shutterstock.com

Depending on the type of plan you select, the server you choose, and where you’re located, you may experience some lag in your speed. The most issues with speed occur for users with free accounts (which are the free trials); we’ll discuss the different plan options later in our review.

Some speed tests had good results, particularly with EU and US servers while other speed tests found that SurfEasy VPN slowed down connection speeds by over 70 percent. While SurfEasy’s speed has mixed results, it’s more or less reliable and performs well (especially with a paid plan).

Multi-Platform Options

SurfEasy supports some of the most common platforms which include Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android. If you have a device that uses these platforms, SurfEasy should work. The VPN also has browser extensions for Chrome and Opera, as well as one for Amazon.

Multi-Platform Options - Source: Shutterstock.com
Multi-Platform Options SurfEasy VPN – Source: Shutterstock.com

As we mentioned earlier, you can use SurfEasy on up to five devices at one time. Keep in mind that you cannot utilize SurfEasy on more than one device if you are using the free trial.

Privacy

Many people opt for VPNs because they want to browse securely and anonymously. Some VPNs allow users to have privacy more than others. SurfEasy prides itself on being a “no-log VPN” for every device, which translates to privacy for many users, but SurfEasy might not offer as much privacy as you would prefer.

Privacy - Source: Shutterstock.com
Privacy SurfEasy VPN – Source: Shutterstock.com

While SurfEasy doesn’t keep download history, browsing data, or usage logs, it does require you to use a valid email address to try out SurfEasy or sign up, so you aren’t a completely anonymous user.

According to SurfEasy, it may collect and disclose personal information, which may include your usage data, to law enforcement or government agencies who may request it (and required by law).

While this may be unsettling for users who wish to remain anonymous, it’s not uncommon for VPNs to have a clause in some of their policies (especially if they are located in a country which is part of 5 Eyes).

To boost your privacy and security, SurfEasy utilizes AES-256 encryption, so you never need to worry about your IP address popping up or having unwanted eyes tracking your activity and information.

SurfEasy also has Wi-Fi security, which turns on as soon as you connect to a Wi-Fi network that’s untrustworthy (this feature will keep you safe and private when you forget to turn on your VPN).

A Few Pros and Cons

Now that we’ve taken a closer look at some of the basic features here’s what we like and don’t like about SurfEasy VPN.

A Few Pros and Cons
A Few Pros and Cons SurfEasy VPN

What We Like About SurfEasy

  • Relatively easy to use
  • Multi-platforms
  • Strong encryption
  • Free plan (with limited features and service)
  • Large number of servers
  • Decent speeds depending on your plan
  • Allows torrenting and works with Netflix

What We Don’t Like

  • Some logging
  • No anonymity
  • No killswitch
  • No anonymous payments

When many people look for a VPN, they are looking for a service that works with Netflix and other streaming sites. SurfEasy VPN allows you to access Netflix and other popular streaming sites. Another feature that some people look for when browsing VPNs is torrenting, and SurfEasy also allows this feature that’s often “hit and miss” with other VPNs.

We’re a little disappointed that SurfEasy VPN doesn’t add another layer of security by offering a kill switch, but overall, the security and privacy is not bad.

The fact that there are some logs stored is not ideal, and some users may prefer to find a service which keeps no logging whatsoever.

Pricing Information

SurfEasy has three plans to choose from, which include Starter, Total, and Ultra. The Starter plan is free to try, and you have up to 500MB of free data.

Pricing Information
Pricing Information SurfEasy VPN

The Total plan is $3.99 a month, allows up to five devices, unlimited data, and has tracker blocking. The Ultra plan is $6.49 a month for up to five devices, has unlimited data, tracker blocking, torrent protection, and access to servers in 12 additional countries. The pricing for these plans reflects if you pay annually, prices are slightly higher if you pay monthly.

The paid plans have a free 7-day trial with a 100% money-back guarantee. SurfEasy accepts PayPal or credit card for payments (there are no anonymous payment options).

If you opt for the free plan, you have the opportunity to earn more MB by doing things like confirming your email or liking SurfEasy on social media. Contact the company for more details for boosting your free data.

Support

While SurfEasy has a chat feature on its site, it’s unclear if it’s 24/7 customer support. Based on other information on the company site, support is most likely available between 9 am and 5 pm EST every day.

Support
Support SurfEasy VPN – Source: Shutterstock.com

SurfEasy has a FAQ section with some good information and a section where you can submit a request.

Our Verdict

SurfEasy is a decent VPN service, but there are no features that make it stand out from similar VPNs. Since SurfEasy does keep track of some information, it seems a bit contradictory to pride itself in being a no-log VPN.”

Our Verdict - Source: Shutterstock.com
Our Verdict on SurfEasy VPN – Source: Shutterstock.com

While we like that it allows torrenting and Netflix, we’re disappointed that it doesn’t have a killswitch and that the customer support is mediocre. SurfEasy is worth checking out, but there are VPNs out there that are similar and may have more features that are better suited for your needs.

Disclosure: Blokt strives to provide transparent, honest reviews, and opinions. The writer of this article is a user of the product(s) or service(s) mentioned in this article and was not influenced by the respective owners.

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