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Surfshark Antivirus is the malware-scanning tool bundled into the Surfshark One and One+ plans, sold alongside the VPN rather than as a separate standalone product. If you already pay for Surfshark and are wondering whether the antivirus add-on is worth using, here’s what it actually does and where it falls short. See Surfshark’s current plans
What the Scanning Engine Actually Does
Surfshark Antivirus runs on a signature-based detection engine that checks files against a large, regularly updated malware database, covering ransomware, trojans, spyware, and rootkits. You can run a quick scan, which checks only the system files malware most commonly targets, or a full scan of the entire drive — a full scan typically finishes in well under 10 minutes on a normal consumer machine, which is fast for this category of tool. Scans can run manually or on a schedule, and you can target specific files or folders instead of scanning everything every time.
Real-Time Protection and Performance
Real-time protection runs continuously in the background, covering safe browsing, email attachments, and app activity, and can be toggled off if you’d rather rely on scheduled scans alone. Independent testing has found the engine lightweight enough that it doesn’t noticeably slow down a normal PC during everyday use, which matters for a bundled tool — an antivirus that drags down system performance tends to get disabled and forgotten, which defeats the point of having it.
The Extras: Webcam Protection, Search, and Alerts
Beyond core scanning, the bundle includes webcam protection (blocking unauthorized access to your camera), Surfshark Search (a privacy-oriented search tool with no ad-based tracking), and Surfshark Alert (which checks whether your email or personal data has shown up in a known data breach). None of these are unique to Surfshark — similar tools exist standalone or bundled elsewhere — but having them included at no extra cost on top of the VPN and antivirus is a real part of the One/One+ value proposition, not just marketing filler.
What It Doesn’t Include
Worth stating plainly: Surfshark Antivirus doesn’t include a firewall or a password manager. If you want a firewall, you’re relying on your operating system’s built-in one (Windows Defender Firewall or macOS’s equivalent), which is a real and reasonable option, just not something Surfshark adds on top. For password management, that’s a separate tool entirely — see our RoboForm review if you don’t already have one, since running an antivirus without also fixing weak or reused passwords leaves a real gap in your overall security, not something antivirus software is designed to cover.
Is It Worth Turning On?
If you’re already on Surfshark One or One+, yes — there’s no separate cost to using the antivirus component, and a lightweight, functional scanner that’s already installed and paid for is a reasonable default layer of protection, not a reason to skip a dedicated tool if you have specific needs a general scanner won’t cover. If you’re only on the Starter plan (VPN only, no antivirus included), it’s not worth upgrading tiers purely for this feature unless you’re also interested in the other One/One+ extras — see our full Surfshark review for how the three tiers actually differ.
Does Surfshark Antivirus cost extra on top of the VPN?
No — it’s included at no additional cost on the One and One+ plans. It’s not available on the base Starter plan, which is VPN-only.
Can I use Surfshark Antivirus alongside Windows Defender?
Running two real-time antivirus engines simultaneously can cause conflicts and performance issues on some systems. Most users should pick one as their primary real-time scanner rather than running both continuously.
Is Surfshark Antivirus enough protection on its own?
It covers malware scanning and real-time threat detection well, but it doesn’t include a firewall or password manager. A complete security setup should pair it with your OS’s built-in firewall and a dedicated password manager.