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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: Holiday.com, 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.
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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: Holiday.com, 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: Which VPN Should You Pick in 2025?

Table of Contents
    Editor's Note: Transparency and impartiality are important to us when bringing you our best selection of VPNs. Some of the industry-leading products on our list, including Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company. The VPNs we choose are derived from a thorough testing process.

    Our Score

    Features 9.3/10
    Pricing 8.7/10
    Ease of Use 9.4/10
    Reliability & Support 9.8/10
    Features 6.7/10
    Pricing 9.5/10
    Ease of Use 8.0/10
    Reliability & Support 7.8/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image James Everard
    James Everard Former 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, the team and I tested every aspect of Surfshark, including its speeds, security features, streaming abilities, network reliability, and device compatibility. Can Surfshark be trusted? It can, and it is. The Financial T...

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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
    C
    Christopher Smith
    2.0/10
    Frustrating Experience with Surfshark - A Cautionary Tale

    I’ve been a Surfshark customer for quite some time, but my experience with their service over the last...  few months has been nothing short of frustrating and exhausting. After dealing with endless issues and subpar support, I feel it’s only fair to share my experience so that others can make an informed decision. The Problems I initially encountered serious issues with Surfshark’s version 5.13, which simply didn’t work properly. Rather than providing a real solution, the support team suggested I roll back to an older, less secure version, which obviously wasn’t a feasible option. And when version 5.14 was released, there were no guarantees that it would work smoothly either. This lack of reliability left me in the dark and without proper protection for my devices. As a user who’s been comfortable with VPNs for years, I expected better. Instead, the issues with Surfshark went far beyond just software bugs. The app had such a significant impact on my system’s configuration that I had to fully reinstall Windows twice, losing hours of my time in the process. After the system crash caused by the software, I found that I couldn’t even log in to my PC properly, rendering it unusable. 2. Port 443 Miscommunication Another issue arose around port 443. Initially, Surfshark’s support team claimed that my port was closed, which would have been a security issue. However, after conducting tests and providing photo evidence, I proved that the port was actually open. The support team’s initial miscommunication and failure to acknowledge this only added to my frustration. 3. The Toll on My Health Beyond the technical problems, this entire ordeal has had a significant impact on my health. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, and the constant stress of trying to get this issue resolved has caused me to lose sleep and even feel physically ill at times. The level of support - or rather, the lack of it - has only made things worse. In the end, I decided to part ways with Surfshark. Despite having paid £70.96 for two years of service, I feel like I’ve received far less than I paid for, especially given the extensive downtime and constant problems. I reached out to Surfshark asking for a partial refund for the 18 months that I couldn’t use the service properly. Unfortunately, they flatly refused to even consider it. This lack of accountability speaks volumes about their disregard for customer satisfaction.More

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Ivana Sarandeska
    Ivana Sarandeska Former Cybersecurity Researcher
    Our Score: 6.7/10

    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 offer 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 encrypt...

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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
    P
    Phil
    4.0/10
    Doesn't do half of what you say it does!

    I have multiple devices (Fire TV, Apple TV, SmartTV, Computer, PS4 and an ISP-provided set-top box. T... he SmartDNS Proxy App only works on one of them - the SmartTV. I am actually not sure that the app is even supported any more, which is a shame because when I connect to one the their servers using the app, I can stream almost anything. However, it is a completely different story when using the config settings provided by SmartDNS service staff. As has been started, it is overly complicated to setup. Your router must be configured to not use IPV6. If you don't know how to do that, stop right now. You can then decide whether you want to set up the SmartDNS Proxy IP addresses in your router, or configure them on each individual device. The service staff have, over the years recommended BOTH! You are told to use server IPs which are located closest to you. Yet when you have issues (which you will. A lot) the service staff tell you to use apparently random server locations. It is impossible to set up SmartDNS Proxy on an Amazon Fire TV. This device WILL let you change to static APs but it has 8.8.8.8 (Google) and an IPV6 address HARDCODED into it - which the service staff would not acknowledge despite me sending screenshots of each setup page. So no matter which SmartDNS server IP address you use, Fire TV will know that you are using a VPN = no streaming. BBC iPlayer is supported, for sure. But it works about 50% of the time, with the usual error message that basically tells you that BBC knows that you are not in the UK. Amazon Prime is very similar. SO do not plan to watch a TV series - I will guarantee that you will get halfway through before the streaming service drops you! I am really at a loss to understand how some of these reviews contradict my findings. I have, over the last 5 years, spent HOURS with the service staff (which incidentally seems to have halved in number (and there is now NO live chat) and we have not got something to work. For example - I want to stream my favourite sporting fixture the Rugby 6 Nations. I can GUARANTEE that even though I will have been watching a program on iPlayer the day before, the second this sporting fixture starts, BBC iPlayer AND ITVX both stop working with Smart DNS Proxy. The ONLY reason I am still with them is that I bought an extended membership. When that is up for renewal, I will drop this service like a hot potato.More

    Pricing

    Starting price $1.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $2.84/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall
    Best VPN for Torrents
    Best VPN for Windows
    Best VPN for Android
    Best VPN for Mac
    Best VPN for iOS
    Best VPN for USA

    The Bottom Line

    Author Image James Everard
    James Everard Former Senior Writer

    Final Verdict — A User-Friendly and All-Round Safe, Reliable VPN Is Surfshark any good? It is. According to Globe Newswire, Surfshark was awarded Best VPN Service by Consumer365 since it combines robust encryption and privacy features with reliable, high-performance service3. It offers 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. Though, keep an eye on the renewal prices. Can safely access top platforms from anywhere Great speeds on nearby and distant servers 3,200 servers in 100 countries Easy-to-use apps An audited no-logs policy and military-grade encryption Unlimited simultaneous device connections FAQs on Surfshark Which country

    More Info

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    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.