How is the durability of Surfshark?
Surfshark’s durability has drawn mixed reactions from users, but the tide clearly leans toward disappointment. Of the 221 mentions analyzed, 132 carry a negative tone while only 81 are positive, a lopsided split that highlights widespread concerns. Sentiment has wavered over time, with a sharp drop in ratings during the latter half of 2025 and early 2026. May and July 2026 were especially rough, as average scores dipped below three stars. Still, the curve began to lift by late 2026. August and September saw a steady climb, though the highest point came earlier, 4.25 stars in June 2026, suggesting a brief resurgence before settling again. Even with those gains, the same gripes keep surfacing: frequent disconnections, sluggish device performance, and an app that feels temperamental. On the brighter side, a smaller but dedicated group of long-term users praises the service for holding up over years, pointing to steady performance without major hiccups. The pattern is clear: for some, Surfshark delivers lasting reliability. For many others, it’s a product that struggles to stay connected, both literally and in trust.
What customers praise
Users who sing praises for Surfshark’s longevity often mention using it for four or five years straight, no hiccups, no slowdowns. They talk about smooth performance, staying connected without interruption, and appreciating how fast it feels even after years of daily use. The kill switch? A must-have, they say. Stable connections, clean layout, no fuss, just smooth sailing. One person called it their go-to tool, the kind that quietly does its job without drawing attention. For these folks, Surfshark doesn’t just work today, it still works tomorrow, and the day after that.
What customers said:
- „I have it with a number of years now and never had a problem on my system“
- „I've been using it for 3 years and it's generally good.“
„I've been using it for 3 years and it's generally good.“
Original„3年使用しているが普通に良い。“
- „I can count on one hand the problems I ran into“
Common complaints
People keep bringing up the same problems: the app feels unstable, cuts out without warning, and just gets slower over time. Plenty of users say it drops connections out of nowhere, chews up device performance, or simply won’t connect at all, especially on older models. A few note it burns through battery fast or crashes constantly, to the point where it’s nearly impossible to use. These headaches tend to show up most often on older phones and computers, and when they do, they’re usually described as both annoying and expensive to deal with.
What customers said:
- „Worked only for 3 month“
- „it gets stuck at 35% and won't load any further“
„it gets stuck at 35% and won't load any further“
Original„queda en 35 % y no carga más“
- „I've de-installed it from my three year old 64gb iPad because it makes it fairly…“
„I've de-installed it from my three year old 64gb iPad because it makes it fairly unuseable.“
How it has changed over time
People’s sense of how long products last has changed over time. At the start of 2026, confidence dipped noticeably, but there was a slow rebound later in the year. By May and again in July, satisfaction had fallen to just 2.5 stars, clear signs that users were unhappy. Then, things started to turn around. August brought a solid jump to 3.3 stars, and by September, the score stood at 2.94, showing real improvement. That uptick could mean fixes were made, or service got better in some way. The high point came in June, when ratings hit 4.25 stars, brief but sharp. Still, the pattern remains uneven, with no steady direction overall.
What customers said:
- „Been using Surfshark for like a couple years I think“
- „Has good speeds and works well.“
- „However, it doesn't work in China.“
Practical takeaways
Surfshark’s performance can vary a lot depending on your setup. If you're using older devices, you might run into issues, several users have reported sluggish speeds and even crashes. On the other hand, folks with newer hardware tend to get smoother, more reliable results over time. It seems to perform best on up-to-date systems, especially when connected via a stable internet link. Because experiences differ so much, it makes sense to try it out first with a short-term subscription before signing up for the long haul.
What customers said:
- „the connection never drops“
- „had it for a few months no glitches“
- „I have been using this VPN for over 5 years.“
„I have been using this VPN for over 5 years.“
Original„Sono più di 5 anni che uso questa vpn“
Over time
Data as table
| Month | Avg. rating | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-10 | 3.38 | 8 |
| 2025-11 | 2.83 | 6 |
| 2025-12 | 2.50 | 4 |
| 2026-01 | 2.57 | 7 |
| 2026-02 | 2.71 | 7 |
| 2026-03 | 3.60 | 10 |
| 2026-04 | 3.45 | 22 |
| 2026-05 | 2.59 | 17 |
| 2026-06 | 4.25 | 16 |
| 2026-07 | 2.96 | 26 |
| 2026-08 | 3.30 | 27 |
| 2026-09 | 2.94 | 16 |
Sentiment over time
Data as table
| Month | Positive | Neutral | Negative | Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10 | 38% | 0% | 63% | 8 |
| 2025-11 | 33% | 17% | 50% | 6 |
| 2025-12 | 25% | 0% | 75% | 4 |
| 2026-01 | 29% | 0% | 71% | 7 |
| 2026-02 | 29% | 14% | 57% | 7 |
| 2026-03 | 40% | 0% | 60% | 10 |
| 2026-04 | 45% | 0% | 55% | 22 |
| 2026-05 | 18% | 6% | 76% | 17 |
| 2026-06 | 75% | 0% | 25% | 16 |
| 2026-07 | 27% | 15% | 58% | 26 |
| 2026-08 | 48% | 4% | 48% | 27 |
| 2026-09 | 38% | 0% | 63% | 16 |
Customer voices
Short excerpts - full reviews are available at the original source.
„I've never had a problem“
„I wish it would not constantly crash on my older phone.“
„I expect a VPN to work in every country, but it didn't in Turkey.“
„It disconnects all the time“
„it periodically turns off for no reason I can see“
„this doesn't work anymore“
„never had an issue in4 years“
„always on connected“
Cite this page
Citatio (2026). Surfshark Durability: customer reviews September 2026. Retrieved 8 September 2026 from https://citatio.ai/surfshark-reviews/durability/
Data verifiable via our public audit log: Methodology · Transparency