Surfshark: Slow Speeds (Quality)
Reviewers keep coming back to the same problem: Surfshark moves too slow. Out of every 41 mentions, 35 are negative, only six are positive. The mood is clearly sour. People are calling out sluggish connection speeds, constant dropouts, and overall sluggishness no matter what device or location they're using. What’s worse, many say performance gets worse after updates or as soon as they’ve been using it for a while. A handful claim it works fine in certain setups, but those cases feel like exceptions. For most, Surfshark turns their internet into a crawl, sometimes so bad it's not even usable. There’s no sign things have gotten better, since we don’t have monthly trend data, but the same gripes keep showing up, again and again. That kind of repetition points to a long-standing flaw.
What customers praise
A handful of users say Surfshark gets the job done in select scenarios, like when they’re at home or switching to particular servers. One person points out it runs smoothly on their Samsung S24 Ultra, and they like how simple the interface feels. Another mentions the app holds up well under normal conditions, not pushing it too hard. There’s also a comment here and there about appreciating the cleanweb feature, even though others find it more trouble than it’s worth. But these favorable reports are the exception, cropping up only in narrow circumstances.
What customers said:
- „On Mac, it disconnects, repeatedly asks for login credentials, and blocks many features.“
„On Mac, it disconnects, repeatedly asks for login credentials, and blocks many features.“
Original„En Mac se desconecta y pide repetidas ocasiones anotar datos de acceso y bloquea muchas funciones.“
- „I find the connection gets slower when it's turned on“
„I find the connection gets slower when it's turned on“
Original„Achei que a conexão fica mais lenta quando ele tá ativado“
- „My smartphone slows down when I install Surfshark“
„My smartphone slows down when I install Surfshark“
Original„se installo surfshark lo smartphone rallenta“
Common complaints
People keep saying the connection’s way too slow, sites take forever to load, videos keep buffering, and apps just freeze up. A lot of users swear the VPN makes their internet crawl, especially on phones and when they’re streaming. Then there are the dropped connections, failed attempts to reach servers, and the app outright cutting off internet access instead of sending traffic through the tunnel. One user specifically mentioned things got worse after the 4.0 update, and plenty seem to agree that performance tanks after each new release.
What customers said:
- „unstable connection when used with a mobile device“
- „Can u imagine that you have to wait for at least 5 seconds to open a YouTube page?“
- „constant crashes since the last update“
„constant crashes since the last update“
Original„desde la última actualización solo constantes fallas“
How it has changed over time
While there’s no monthly performance history to consult, a few users have shared that Surfshark’s performance seems to have taken a turn for the worse over time. Several reviews point to the service being faster and more reliable at first, especially in the beginning, only to degrade after updates, with version 4.0 marking a clear before-and-after split for some. One user recalls that speeds were fine during the initial days, but once the trial ended, things slowed to a crawl. Others echo this, saying the app has grown less stable and noticeably slower after recent releases. There’s little sign of improvement; if anything, the experience may have gotten worse.
What customers said:
- „After connecting…it’s reconnecting again and again continuously“
- „After the trial period ended, the connection got much worse.“
„After the trial period ended, the connection got much worse.“
Original„depois que passou o período de teste a conexão piorou muito“
- „It became very slow“
„It became very slow“
Original„se volvió muy lenta“
Practical takeaways
Surfshark has drawn criticism from users who value speed and reliability. Many report sluggish connections, particularly when using mobile devices or streaming content. Performance tends to worsen after app updates, so it's wise to proceed with caution when upgrading. If you need steady, responsive internet for tasks like remote work, online gaming, or video conferencing, this service might fall short. Before signing up, try the free trial to test real-world performance. If the speeds don’t meet your needs, don’t hesitate to request a refund. ⟦0000⟧
What customers said:
- „Is detected by websites which block vpns“
- „problems connecting to servers“
„problems connecting to servers“
Original„problemas para conectarse a servidores“
- „YouTube only renders without freezing at 420p“
„YouTube only renders without freezing at 420p“
Original„o YouTube só consegue renderizar sem travar em 420p“
Customer voices
Short excerpts - full reviews are available at the original source.
„Bottlenecks speed“
„The speed can also be very slow depending on the connection status.“
„Very very very slow.“
„Very slow connecting and slow connections“
„the vpn became either very slow or detected as proxy“
„On the computer, the connection becomes extremely slow.“
„Very slow for checking leaks.“
„My Network is very slow in BGMI while using this VPN“
Cite this page
Citatio (2026). Surfshark Quality – Slow Speeds: customer reviews September 2026. Retrieved 8 September 2026 from https://citatio.ai/surfshark-reviews/quality/slow-speeds/
Data verifiable via our public audit log: Methodology · Transparency