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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

Surfshark vs Smart DNS Proxy 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.3/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 8.1/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, Cyberghost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

    Our Score

    Features 9.3/10
    Pricing 8.7/10
    Ease of Use 9.4/10
    Reliability & Support 9.8/10
    Features 8.1/10
    Pricing 9.5/10
    Ease of Use 8.0/10
    Reliability & Support 7.8/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Keira Waddell
    Keira Waddell

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 9.3/10

    With VPNs, you tend to get what you pay for. So when I saw Surfshark’s low prices, I was skeptical about its rave reviews. To see if it could actually live up to these claims, I tested every aspect of Surfshark, including its speeds, security features, streaming abilities, network reliability, and device compatibility. I also took a closer look at Surfshark’s privacy policy to verify its v...

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    Latest positive user review
    L
    Lucas Pinto Ricardo
    10.0/10
    Fast, reliable and unlimited

    This VPN is fast and reliable. It has a lot of servers in different countries and can be used in an un... limited amount of devices (it supports Linux, which is something very important for me). The software and app get updated regularly: note that I experienced some bugs with the auto-connect feature on Android that have been solved since then. With this competitive pricing, I would definitely recommend it. IMPORTANT NOTE: I am not including the customer support in this review, because I never had to use it. If I use it in the future, I will update this review with my experience. I recommend you to see other reviews that include it if it is important for you.More

    Latest negative user review
    T
    Tim S.
    2.0/10
    Don't waste your money on dedicated IP

    While the generic Surfshark servers work well, the dedicated IP is worse than useless. With it, I get ... constant captchas and some websites refuse to connect at all. All is fine once I reconnect to a generic or even free VPN. Support is friendly but hopelessly incompetent at getting the problem fixed. So the dedicated IP works exactly opposite as what is advertised, all while vacuuming money out of your wallet. Stay away.More

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    Review by our expert
    Author Image Ivana Sarandeska
    Ivana Sarandeska

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    Our Score: 8.1/10

    Smart DNS Proxy claims to offer a 3-in-1 service that includes a proxy, a VPN, and a SmartVPN. In reality, I found out it really only offers 2 services — the proxy and the VPN. The proxy claims to give you fast access to 400+ sites and services (by rerouting only your traffic to those specific sites), but doesn’t provide any online privacy or the option to change your IP address. The VPN encr...

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    Latest positive user review
    G
    Guy B
    10.0/10
    I'm happy with Smart DNS Proxy since 2016

    I have used Smart DNS Proxy since 2016 on my Firestick (UK Prime) from Malaysia. It allows me to acces... s all UK content, including BBC iPlayer, NowTV, ITVx, Britbox, 4, 5, and PrimeVideo and Disney+ (US). I had to give up Disney+ access when I got NowTV(UK) due to the Region setting. I had no trouble accessing Netflix USA until I stopped watching Netflix on my tv and just used the tab when I travel. I found their Customer Service to be ok. They certainly helped me set up my router settings when I first signed on with them. After 2 bi-annual subscriptions, I went all in and got the Lifetime subscription in 2020. I didn't know SmartDNS was acquired by another company till recent when I found out that they are now based in Turkey. They were based in Mauritius or was it Seychelles up to then.More

    Latest negative user review
    N
    Nareskar
    2.0/10
    It is horrible experience to work with Smart DNS Proxy VPN

    I have been using this Smart DNS Proxy from Malaysia to unblock Indian streaming content for the last ... two years. I found it was the cheapest VPN and worked reasonably well to unblock content for the first two years of my work. But for the last two months, this has become horrible to work. Most of the DNS servers in Asia don't work at all. If it starts to work after a couple of minutes it stops. The speed of the internet through this DNS is very slow and repeated stoppages make streaming a nightmare. Complaining to customer care yields no results. They give a lot of tasks, after doing all those with no improvement in results. This company is doing nothing to maintain its servers. People should stay away from buying this VPN.More

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    Pricing

    Starting price $2.89/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $2.48/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Torrents
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Windows
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Android
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Mac
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for iOS
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for USA
    Read the full review

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing
    Author Image Keira Waddell
    Keira Waddell

    Senior Writer

    Final Verdict — A User-Friendly and All-Round Safe, Reliable VPN I 100% recommend Surfshark. It offers really good value and provides you with everything a top VPN should: multiple advanced security features, reliable network and speeds, consistent streaming quality, and a strong commitment to user privacy and security. I was really impressed with Surfshark’s speeds over long distances and its customer support. In addition, one of its greatest selling points is that you can connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously, making its comparably lower price point even more worth it. The biggest issues for me were its clunky torrenting functionality and the fact that it’s headquartered within the 9-Eyes Alliance — concerning from a privacy perspective. But overall, Surfshark is a high-quality VPN in almost every way. Lets you watch top streaming platforms safely Great speeds on nearby and distant servers 3,200 servers in 100 locations Incredibly safe to

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    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with Surfshark
    Go with Smart DNS Proxy
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    We rank vendors based on rigorous testing and research, but also take into account your feedback and our commercial agreements with providers. This page contains affiliate links.