# Surfshark review: KYC policy, privacy and safety grades

> Surfshark is a VPN. Its terms put it at KYC level 1 of 4: no ID mentioned. NoKYC Score grades it 5.8/10 for privacy (fair) and 5.2/10 for safety (caution). In its favour: no-logs policy and company named. To watch: it requires an email address and is closed source. No incidents are on record.

Source: NoKYC Score, "Surfshark review", reviewed 23 Oct 2026, https://nokycscore.com/service/surfshark

## Key facts
- **Category:** VPNs
- **KYC level:** 1 of 4: No ID mentioned
- **Grades:** Privacy 5.8/10, Safety 5.2/10
- **Sign-up:** Email required
- **Fees:** Subscription plans; 30-day money-back guarantee on the first purchase
- **Jurisdiction:** Netherlands
- **Incidents on record:** 0
- **Last reviewed:** 23 Oct 2026
- **Official website:** https://surfshark.com

## What it is
Surfshark is a commercial VPN whose terms say the contract is with Surfshark B.V. in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, while the terms themselves are governed by the laws of the British Virgin Islands. Payments are handled by Surfshark Limited (London) and Surfshark Inc. (California). An account tied to an email address is needed; the terms note that a Dedicated IP is linked to the account email unless the anonymous Dedicated IP option is chosen. The support centre lists cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay and cryptocurrency, noting crypto cannot be used on mobile devices. The terms say crypto refunds are paid in the same cryptocurrency at the USD-equivalent amount, and the privacy section states that no logs are collected that would identify a user. The terms also reserve the right to verify account information before a refund.

## What the terms say about ID
No identity documents are required; the terms only reserve the right "to verify the validity of your account information" before issuing a refund.

## Features and warnings
- **Identity:** ID never required: not stated; No account needed: no; No email needed: no; No phone number: not stated
- **Payment:** Accepts Monero: not stated; Accepts Lightning: not stated; Accepts cash: not stated
- **Access:** Tor onion address: not stated; Works without JavaScript: not stated
- **Trust:** Open source: no; No-logs policy: yes; Independent audit: not stated; Company named: yes; 5+ years operating: not stated
- **Warnings:** May ask for ID: not in terms; Email required: yes; Phone number required: not in terms; Closed source: yes; Nobody accountable: not in terms

## Questions
### Does Surfshark require KYC?
Surfshark is rated KYC level 1 of 4 on this site: no ID mentioned. No identity documents are required; the terms only reserve the right "to verify the validity of your account information" before issuing a refund.

### Is Surfshark safe to use?
Surfshark has a Safety grade of 5.2 out of 10 and a Privacy grade of 5.8 out of 10. No incidents are on record. Evidence level: documentation reviewed.

### Is Surfshark legit?
Surfshark is a working VPN. It publishes the company that runs it, in Netherlands. Being real is not the same as being safe: its Safety grade here is 5.2 out of 10, built from custody, liquidity, track record and incidents.

### Is Surfshark a scam?
NoKYC Score does not label services as scams; it records documented incidents with their sources and outcomes. No incidents are on record for Surfshark.

### Do I need an account or email to use Surfshark?
Email required.

### What fees does Surfshark charge?
Subscription plans; 30-day money-back guarantee on the first purchase. Fees were recorded from Surfshark's own pages and can change; check before you send.

### Does Surfshark have a Tor onion address?
No official onion address was found on Surfshark's own pages.

### Can I use Surfshark over Tor?
Surfshark does not publish an official onion address.

## Sources
- https://surfshark.com/terms-of-service
- https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360003069034-What-payment-options-do-you-offer

How grades are calculated: https://nokycscore.com/methodology