Surfshark VPN: what payment methods are accepted?

Before subscribing to a service VPN, one of the most important criteria to study concerns the respect of confidentiality by the supplier, starting from the payment of the subscription. A value dear to Surfshark which adapts its payment methods to the different degrees of anonymity required.

While Surfshark is not a free VPN, it remains very popular and is considered one of the best VPNs today. Surfshark owes its title in part to its commitment to protecting the privacy of its subscribers. . In addition to its secure infrastructure, it regularly deploys innovative features intended to reinforce the anonymity and confidentiality of Internet users.

The Dutch provider establishes this climate of trust upon subscribing to its service, offering its users several payment options, from the most traditional to the most secure.

Surfshark: authorized payment methods

Traditional payment methods

As a consumer VPN provider, Surfshark cannot avoid the most common payment methods. To this end, Internet users can pay for their subscription by credit card (MasterCard, VISA, AmEx, Discover). An essential method in that it allows less experienced users to subscribe without difficulty, but which nevertheless poses a double security problem.

On the one hand, banking establishments can trace transactions in detail. On the other hand, the company behind Surfshark accesses extremely personal information that it necessarily stores to issue its invoices and automatically renew the subscription. Clearly, confidentiality and anonymity are not 100% effective.

The same problem arises with support for payments via PayPal, Google Pay and Amazon Pay. Although they offer the double advantage of managing possible disputes and preventing Surfshark from accessing the banking details of its subscribers, these platforms always access the details of transactions linked to the VPN service (purchase > traceability > targeted advertising), even though the VPN provider obtains private information relating to the identity of Internet users.

Pay Surfshark in cryptocurrency

In addition to these comfortable, but not very confidential, payment methods, Surfshark accepts subscription payments in cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ether, Ripple) thanks to the integration of the CoinGates and CoinPayments services.

Encrypted and anonymous, crypto transactions are much more secure in that they do not disclose any personal information about the Internet user, neither to the VPN provider, nor to the payment platforms. Clearly, no intermediary can any longer access the identity of the Internet user, nor can they trace their purchases for marketing purposes. A major asset for those who could be put off paying for a subscription linked to their civil identity, due to a lack of fully guaranteed anonymity.

Surfshark: choosing the best offer

Aware that there are as many Internet user profiles as there are needs and levels of requirements in terms of security and confidentiality, Surfshark offers its offer in several packages, more or less engaging over time and more or less enriched with features. additional.

The offer Surfshark Starter includes unlimited VPN access and enhanced browsing protection with an ad and cookie blocker for the price of:

• €15.45/month for 1 month;
• €3.99/month for 12 months, billed at €47.88 once (then €56.13/year after automatic renewal);
• €2.49/month for 24 months, billed €59.76 in one go (then €56.13/year, or €112.26 excluding VAT for 2 years, after automatic renewal).

Surfshark One enhances the Starter experience with additional antivirus, antimalware, and anti-data leak protection modules, as well as a digital alias generator. The formula is sold at the price of:

• €17.95/month excluding VAT for 1 month;
• €4.09/month excluding tax for 12 months, billed at €49.08 excluding tax in one go (then €74.20/year excluding tax after automatic renewal);
• €3.19/month excluding tax for 24 months, billed at €76.56 excluding tax in one go (then €74.20/year excluding tax, or €148.40 excluding tax for 2 years, after automatic renewal).

Surfshark One+ brings together all the features of Starter and One subscriptions, as well as a tool for automatic deletion of personal information stored in company and people search databases. The offer costs:

• €20.65/month excluding VAT for 1 month;
• €6.49/month excluding tax for 12 months, billed at €77.88 excluding tax in one go (then €92.98/year excluding tax after automatic renewal);
• €4.97/month excluding tax for 24 months, billed at €119.28 excluding tax in one go (then €92.98/year excluding tax, or €185.96 excluding tax for 2 years, after automatic renewal).

Whether you opt for the Starter, One or One+ packs, Surfshark offers decreasing prices for long-term binding offers. So, committing to 12 months or 24 months will allow subscribers to benefit from 69% to 84% reduction compared to the monthly offer.

Reimbursement and guarantees at Surfshark

Committing to 24 months when you don’t know the service and the provider doesn’t offer a free trial period could dissuade a certain number of Internet users. And it’s legitimate.

Surfshark is therefore setting up a 30-day money-back guarantee, applicable to all of its formulas and commitment periods. A sort of circuitous trial period which allows subscribers to test the service and all its features, without limits, for a month, then to withdraw without having to justify themselves in the event of dissatisfaction.

Please note, however: this refund policy implies that payment for the subscription is advanced in full, unlike an ordinary demonstration or free trial period. You will therefore have to go through the payment box whatever happens, and contact customer service ([email protected]) within 30 days of purchase to obtain a refund of the amount paid.

After the 30-day period, the subscription will be considered final. So don’t wait until the last minute to withdraw.