No, Surfshark doesn’t offer SOCKS5 proxy as a standalone service or an add-on to its VPN service. In fact, the Virtual Private Network (VPN) provider has no plan to include it in the future.
But don’t blame Surfshark yet.
As you’ll find out, SOCKS5 doesn’t provide an all-rosy ride. It may have speed, but it lacks other essential features.
Let’s get started.
Why Doesn’t Surfshark Offer SOCKS5 Proxy?
SOCKS5 proxy servers route your network packet through another server to overcome network firewalls and shield your local internet protocol (IP) address from your internet service providers (ISPs) and third parties.
However, with its benefits comes a question of how unsafe SOCKS5 proxies are, as anyone with access to your remote proxy server can disrupt your connection.
Here are more reasons why Surfshark doesn’t support SOCKS5:
- Doesn’t encrypt users’ data: Surfshark understands that safety in cyberspace goes beyond hiding your actual IP address. And since SOCKS5 doesn’t encrypt your data to make it impossible for hackers and others to decode, offering the service isn’t worth it.
- Selective protection: Unlike Surfshark VPN, SOCKS5’s protection works on only some websites and apps. Also, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can track your online activity. Thus, it’s untrustworthy for full-scale online security.
- Public Wi-Fi exposure: SOCKS5 doesn’t use sophisticated security setups like Surfshark’s AES 256-bit encryption key. So, your connection type and online activity while using public Wi-Fi are easily accessible to network admins, snoopers, and hackers.
- Unsafe for torrenting: Although SOCKS5 proxies support P2P file sharing and torrent downloads, it’s not entirely safe. After all, copyright trolls and your ISP can see what you’re downloading using this proxy service.
Are There Surfshark VPN Features Better Than SOCKS5 Proxy?
Using Surfshark VPN as your only privacy tool is enough, as it provides many top features for your online privacy.
Here are some Surfshark VPN features that make it better than what you get on SOCKS5 proxy servers:
- No logs policy: Surfshark enforces a no logs policy, which means it doesn’t keep users’ online activities for future reference.
- Supports a wide range of devices and operating systems: Surfshark employs easy-to-use apps for major operating systems and can be installed on smart TVs, PCs (Linux, Mac OS, and Windows), and mobile devices. This wide usability gives the VPN another edge over SOCKS5, which requires technical knowledge to obtain and configure.
- Unlimited simultaneous connections: Arguably its best selling point, Surfshark allows users to connect all devices to a single account without a drop in bandwidth or speed. Unlike a SOCKS5 proxy connection, all your devices enjoy the same privacy and security protection.
- More servers: With its 3200+ servers in 100+ countries, you can unblock geo-restricted content like Netflix and BBC iPlayer (the primary motive for using SOCKS5) fast. A SOCKS5 proxy server can quickly become congested, leading to slow connection speed for users.
- Encryption: SOCKS5 doesn’t guarantee the encryption of users’ data. On the other hand, Surfshark encrypts your data using an AES 256-bit key and industry-accepted protocols like WireGuard, OpenVPN UDP/TCP, and IKEv2/TCP.
- No DNS/IP leakage: Free and cheap SOCKS5 proxies leak your DNS and IP addresses when servers become too congested. In sharp contrast, Surfshark uses private DNS on all its servers to protect your actual IP address without getting overcrowded.
- Working add-ons: For example, Surfshark includes an active Kill switch ( to turn off your internet connection when your VPN drops unexpectedly), CleanWeb (to surf the internet ad and malware-free), and MultiHop (connects you through two Surfshark servers).
Best Surfshark Alternative VPNs That Offer SOCKS5 Proxy
Do you still need a VPN that supports SOCKS5? Explore these alternative VPNs that offer SOCKS5 as a free add-on.
NordVPN
Here are some NordVPN features that make using it with SOCKS5 excellent:
- P2P supported servers and add-ons: NordVPN has peer-to-peer supported servers in 40+ locations, making it a great pick to use with a SOCKS5 proxy for all your P2P file sharing and torrenting.
- Inbuilt NordLynx protocol: Based on WireGuard, NordLynx is faster and more secure than you get on Surfshark.
- More servers to prevent overcrowding: 5200+ servers in 59 countries ensure users have enough to choose from, including the standard servers (for everyday online activities), obfuscated servers, Dedicated IP, Double VPN, and Onion over VPN servers.
Try NordVPN with SOCKS5 risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee!
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Claiming to be the “world’s most trusted VPN,” Private Internet Access (PIA) surely means business with its SOCKS5 proxy service.
Here are more reasons to use PIA with SOCKS5:
- Multi-Hop connection re-routed on a proxy: PIA infuses its Multi-Hop connection with obfuscation and gives users the option of choosing between SOCKS5 proxy or Shadowsocks. There’s also minimal speed loss when using PIA’s Multi-Hop connection.
- A dedicated SOCKS5 server address: It’s the only VPN with an inbuilt SOCKS5 server address (in the Netherlands), meaning users can easily set up and use SOCKS5 alongside a PIA VPN connection.
- Supports P2P on every server: Its regular servers support safe peer-to-peer file sharing. You can even use port forwarding on many of its servers for extra protection during torrenting.
Get PIA today to share more P2P files over standard or SOCKS5 server addresses.
IPVanish
Offering 25 SOCKS5 proxy addresses, IPVanish is another excellent alternative to Surfshark for this feature.
Top IPVanish features that make it great, alongside its free add-on SOCKS5 proxy, include:
- Easy setup on torrenting clients: You can easily set up SOCKS5 proxy services on your IPVanish account with a few clicks.
- More SOCKS5 IP addresses: With 25+ SOCKS5 servers in 14 countries, IPVanish gives users the most extensive offering in the VPN industry.
- Top downloading and uploading speed: Getting a top speed of 15 MiB/s with an average of 11 MiB/s during a transfer of P2P files, IPVanish is spectacularly fast over its SOCKS5 servers. These speeds also translate to fast streaming on Smart TVs and streaming devices that support it.
Get this massive IPVanish discount and quickly set up the VPN for standard server usage or SOCKS5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Surfshark VPN Faster Than SOCKS5 Proxy?
No, Surfshark’s VPN isn’t faster than SOCKS5 proxies. Like other top VPN providers, Surfshark has to encrypt your data to ensure secure browsing, thereby sacrificing a little bit of speed. That’s unlike SOCKS5 proxy connections which redirect your internet traffic without encryption but with fast speeds.
Conclusion
As you’ve learned, Surfshark doesn’t offer a SOCKS5 proxy service now, nor does it plan to do so soon.
However, that’s not a loss on its side as old-timers in the VPN industry, like ExpressVPN and Atlas VPN, also don’t offer SOCKS5 proxy.
Thus, you can use Surfshark as a standalone privacy tool or choose a VPN that offers SOCKS5 proxies, like NordVPN, PIA, or IPVanish.
Don’t mind the secure and fast VPN connection on Surfshark without SOCKS5 support? Try Surfshark risk-free with a 30-day guarantee now.
