About These Surfshark Speed Tests
These results come from our automated testing infrastructure that connects to Surfshark VPN servers via the WireGuard protocol, runs a full speed test (measuring download speed, upload speed, ping latency, and jitter), and records the results. Tests run continuously across all 142 server locations, giving you a real-time picture of Surfshark's actual performance.
Unlike other review sites that test once and publish static results, our data refreshes in real-time. The numbers you see on this page reflect Surfshark's current performance, not what it was doing weeks or months ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "FAIL" status mean in the results table?+
A "FAIL" status means the speed test did not complete successfully. This can happen for several reasons: the VPN tunnel didn't establish within our 15-second timeout, the connection was active but couldn't reach the internet, or the Ookla speed test CLI returned an error. Failed tests are included in our data for transparency — they count against the server's reliability percentage but don't affect speed averages.
How often are the speed tests updated?+
Our testing system runs continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The data on this page polls for new results every 10 seconds. Each individual server is retested every time our system completes a full rotation through all 142 servers.
What is jitter and why does it matter?+
Jitter measures the variation in ping (latency) over time, in milliseconds. Low jitter means a stable, consistent connection. High jitter causes problems for real-time applications like video calls (stuttering/freezing) and online gaming (lag spikes). Ideally you want jitter under 10ms. Most Surfshark servers show good jitter performance in our tests.
What is a good VPN download speed?+
It depends on your use case. For HD streaming, 10 Mbps is sufficient. For 4K streaming, you need at least 25 Mbps. For fast downloads and general browsing, anything above 50 Mbps feels responsive. Above 100 Mbps is excellent. The colour coding on this page marks speeds above 100 Mbps in green and above 30 Mbps in amber.
What is a good ping for gaming?+
For competitive gaming, ping under 30ms is ideal. Under 50ms is good for most online games. Under 100ms is playable but you may notice some delay. Above 100ms, most fast-paced games will feel sluggish. Choose a VPN server geographically close to you and to the game server for the best results.