We're coming to the end of Data Privacy Week, but for the Tom's Guide VPN team, every week is Data Privacy Week – and we're constantly sharing our advice and recommendations of how to protect yourself online with the best VPNs.
If Data Privacy Week has been the catalyst for you taking steps to shore up your privacy online, then getting your hands on a VPN is the perfect place to start – and Surfshark could be the one for you.
Surfshark comes in at number two on our guide to the best VPNs, as well as being the fastest VPN we've tested and the best cheap VPN out there thanks to its combination of price and quality.
Plans start at just $2.19 per month, and come with a host of features. So, no matter what kind of protection you're looking for, Surfshark will have you covered. All of Surfshark's two-year deals come with three extra months of protection, as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The deals in detail
Surfshark Starter
Surfshark Starter is the cheapest plan Surfshark offers, but it still packs a punch and is a great VPN.
Hitting speeds of over 950 Mbps in our testing, Surfshark is the fastest VPN we've tested and you should see no drop off in your usual internet speeds when using Surfshark.
This speed means it is one of the best VPNs for streaming and in our testing, Surfshark unblocked all major streaming platforms first time round. Surshark's streaming capabilities match those of its more expensive competitors which is a real plus point if streaming is your main use for a VPN.
Surfshark has over 3,200 servers in more than 100 countries worldwide, so no matter where you want to connect to, there'll be a server for you. Another big advantage Surfshark has is its ability to protect an unlimited number of devices on one plan. Other VPNs have device limits of 8 or 10, so if you want to protect every device you and your family own, then look no further than Surfshark.
Alternative ID is one of the extra features included with Surfshark Starter at no extra cost. Available with all plans, Alternative ID allows you to generate a completely new online identity.
This is perfect for entering details on websites, signing up to newsletters, or just about anything where you don't want to hand over your real information. You can generate a convincing full name, gender, age, home address, and even an email for the persona – and it can be deleted and re-generated as many times as you like.
As with all tiers of Surfshark's VPNs, the Starter 2-year plan works out the cheapest. Prices equate to $2.19 per month, with an up front cost of $59.13. The 1-year plan works out at $3.19 per month ($47.85 up front) and if you only want 1 month of protection, you'll be looking at $15.45.
All but the 1 month plan come with a 30-day money-back guarantee and 3 extra months of protection for free.
Surfshark One
Surfshark One sees a host of extra features included in plans, for only a small increase in price, as well as all the benefits of the Starter plan.
The big addition with Surfshark One is the inclusion of its antivirus, which protects you from downloading malicious files and can scan your device for threats. The best antivirus software is a must have if you're constantly online and Surfshark's antivirus has been certified by AV-TEST as a "top product."
The feature scans your device for threats included in its threat database and any potentially dangerous findings are sent for analysis. Threat updates are sent out multiple times a day and you can choose a full scan or just a quick scan for your device.
Vulnerable areas of your device can be constantly checked with its real-time protection, although turning this on and off is the only real customisable part of Surfshark's antivirus.
Further security features included in Surfshark One are data alerts which monitor the dark web for data leaks and breaches. Personal information, credit card details, and ID details are just some of the data that can be monitored.
Surfshark Search is another handy feature and this allows you to browse the web ad-free with no data tracking or storing.
Surfshark One's 2-year plan works out at $2.69 per month ($72.63 up front), with the 1-year plan coming in at $3.39 per month ($50.85 up front), and 1 month protection costing $17.95.
Surfshark One+
Surfshark One+ is Surfshark's top tier plan, offering everything available in the previous two plans, plus the data removal service Incogni.
Data removal services like Incogni, scan the web for your personal information and submit data removal requests to any data brokers found to have records of your data. Incogni will send repeat removal requests for as long as your data is found to be online.
Incogni offers data removal from 190 brokers, which is less than some of its competitors but also more than others, and data removal can take up to 90 days.
The tool is easy to use and is great value when bundled with Surfshark One+ – it's worth noting that Incogni is owned by Surfshark. However, a major downside is the fact that Incogni doesn't work outside of the US, Canada, EU, and UK, so it may not be for you if you live outside of those areas.
The 2-year Surfshark One+ plan equates to $4.29 per month ($115.83 up front), the 1-year plan is $6.09 per month ($91.35 up front) and 1 month protection costs $20.65.
For an additional $5 a month, on any subscription option, you can gain access to Surfshark's Alternative Number. This can be used with Alternative ID and gives you a "dummy" phone number, useful for when you don't want to give your real number out.
The number actually works and can receive calls and texts via the Surfshark app. Outgoing calls can't be made but texts can be replied to and you can change the number every 30 days for added security.
In short
There is no better time to take control of your personal information than in Data Privacy Week and Surfshark is a great option to help you do this. It's fast, cheap, packed with features, and offers plans for everyone.
It's ideal if you're on a budget and all 2 and 1-year plans come with an extra 3 months of protection for free and a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can see if it's right for you.
Disclaimer
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
