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Surfshark is our pick for best value VPN, and you can save up to 87% on plans right now

ZDNET's pick for best value VPN just got cheaper. Through April 30, you can save and score three months free on Surfshark VPN and antivirus plans.
Written by Kayla Solino, Associate Editor
surfshark-windows-1
Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Our VPN expert regularly tests out VPNs so you don't have to, and right now, ZDNET's pick for best value VPN is available for a steal. That's right. For a limited time, you can snag Surfshark VPN for just a few dollars thanks to the brand's birthday sale. Plus, save big on Surfshark's antivirus service, too. Here are the details. 

Also: The best VPN services of 2025

Now until April 30, take advantage of Surfshark's two-year Starter VPN bundle for only $2 per month. Plus, score three months free. Surfshark's Antivirus service will also be included in this promotion, and the two-year Antivirus plan (Surfshark One) is available for a limited time for $2.49 per month, plus three months free. Other plan options are also on sale, including the Surfshark One+ plan for $4 per month. 

ZDNET's VPN expert Charlie Osborne says Surfshark should be on your radar if you are looking for an affordable, secure VPN.

Also: Surfshark VPN review: One of our favorite budget VPNs with unlimited connections

"In our Surfshark VPN review and testing, we found this VPN offers reasonable speeds and a decent server network. It's not the fastest option or the quickest to initially connect, but the cheap price point provides excellent value for money. There were also no data leaks, which is precisely what you want to see from a quality VPN," Osborne says

With 100 countries in its server network, you have plenty of locations to choose from, making this VPN a good choice for streaming content at home or abroad.

Also: NordVPN vs Surfshark: Which is better?

We additionally like its add-on features, such as anti-tracking, a search engine that doesn't log your information, and a scanner that searches data breach lists for your email. Surfshark is under the same ownership as NordVPN. You might find some close similarities, but our expert says the latter is better on most performance benchmarks, becoming one of the best VPN services overall. However, Surfshark also has the upper hand in that you can secure unlimited devices with one account.

Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends.

How I rated this deal

Surfshark's birthday offers give you the chance to save up to 87%, a 5/5 Editor's deal rating based on ZDNET's system. Plus, you can nab three months of service free on our pick for the best value VPN. This is a good offer on a VPN we have tested and recommend. 

When will these deals expire?

These exclusive Surfshark offers are available from April 7 to 30, 2025. In the US, a similar offer will extend through May. 

Per Surfshark: "Birthday Deal, a special offer for Starter, One, and One+, ends on April 30, 2025, at 08:59 AM EDT. A separate offer with the same pricing ONLY for Starter and One will be available exclusively for US residents from May 1, 2025, until May 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT." 

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How do we rate deals at ZDNET?

We aim to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best of tech. 

In 2025, we refined our approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor's deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.

At the core of this approach is a percentage-off-based system to classify savings offered on top-tech products, combined with a sliding-scale system based on our team members' expertise and several factors like frequency, brand or product recognition, and more. The result? Hand-crafted deals chosen specifically for ZDNET readers like you, fully backed by our experts. 

Also: How we rate deals at ZDNET in 2025

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