Surfshark vs CyberGhost

Surfshark and CyberGhost are the two most affordable VPNs in our top tier. Both offer 2-year plans under $2.10/mo and focus on streaming as a key selling point. The question is which budget VPN gives you the most for your money. Spoiler: Surfshark wins, and it is not close.

Quick Verdict

Surfshark is the better VPN. It is faster, has unlimited device connections, offers more advanced features, and scores higher in privacy. CyberGhost's only clear advantages are its larger server network and 45-day money-back guarantee. For budget buyers, Surfshark delivers more value.

At a Glance

| Category | Surfshark | CyberGhost | Winner | |----------|-----------|------------|--------| | Overall Score | 8.8 | 8.3 | Surfshark | | Speed | 85.1 Mbps | 79.8 Mbps | Surfshark | | 2-Year Price | $1.99/mo | $2.03/mo | Surfshark | | Streaming | 8.9 | 8.7 | Surfshark | | Privacy Score | 8.6 | 8.0 | Surfshark | | Connections | Unlimited | 7 | Surfshark | | Servers | 3,200+ | 11,500+ | CyberGhost |

Speed Comparison

| Location | Surfshark | CyberGhost | Difference | |----------|-----------|------------|------------| | US (New York) | 85.1 Mbps | 79.8 Mbps | +6.6% | | UK (London) | 80.3 Mbps | 75.2 Mbps | +6.8% | | Germany (Frankfurt) | 78.6 Mbps | 73.6 Mbps | +6.8% | | Japan (Tokyo) | 67.4 Mbps | 61.4 Mbps | +9.8% | | Australia (Sydney) | 64.8 Mbps | 58.2 Mbps | +11.3% |

Winner: Surfshark. A consistent 7-11% speed advantage across all locations. Both VPNs handle HD streaming and daily browsing, but Surfshark provides better headroom for 4K and heavy use.

Pricing Comparison

| Plan | Surfshark | CyberGhost | |------|-----------|------------| | Monthly | $10.99/mo | $12.99/mo | | 1-Year | $2.99/mo | $4.29/mo | | 2-Year | $1.99/mo | $2.03/mo | | Renewal (yearly) | $3.99/mo | $4.29/mo | | 3-Year True Cost | $95.64 | $133.56 | | Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 45 days |

Winner: Surfshark. Cheaper on every plan. The 2-year plans are nearly identical ($0.04/mo difference), but Surfshark's 1-year plan at $2.99/mo is $1.30/mo cheaper than CyberGhost. Over three years, Surfshark saves $38. CyberGhost offers a longer 45-day money-back guarantee.

Device Connections

Surfshark: Unlimited CyberGhost: 7

Winner: Surfshark. Unlimited connections is a significant advantage for families and device-heavy households. Seven is adequate for individuals but limiting for larger households.

Streaming

| Platform | Surfshark | CyberGhost | |----------|-----------|------------| | Netflix US | Working | Working | | Netflix UK | Working | Working | | Netflix Japan | Not Working | Not Working | | Disney+ | Working | Working | | BBC iPlayer | Working | Working | | Amazon Prime | Working | Working | | Hulu | Working | Working | | Max (HBO) | Working | Working |

Winner: Tie. Both handle major US and UK streaming platforms. Both fail on Netflix Japan. CyberGhost's streaming-optimized server labels make setup slightly easier for beginners, but results are comparable.

Privacy

| Factor | Surfshark | CyberGhost | |--------|-----------|------------| | Jurisdiction | Netherlands | Romania | | Parent Company | Nord Security | Kape Technologies | | Last Audit | Jun 2024 (Deloitte) | Mar 2024 (Deloitte) | | Warrant Canary | Yes | No | | RAM-Only | Yes | Yes | | Cancellation Dark Patterns | No | Yes | | Transparency Score | 70 | 62 |

Winner: Surfshark. Both are mid-tier for privacy. Surfshark has a warrant canary, a higher transparency score, and no dark patterns in its cancellation flow. CyberGhost's Kape Technologies ownership and cancellation dark patterns are concerning. Neither is ideal for privacy purists - both are consumer VPNs owned by large corporations.

Features

| Feature | Surfshark | CyberGhost | |---------|-----------|------------| | Ad Blocker | Yes (CleanWeb) | Yes | | Double VPN | Yes (MultiHop) | No | | Dedicated IP | Yes (add-on) | Yes | | GPS Spoofing | Yes (Android) | No | | Rotating IP | Yes | No | | Obfuscation | Yes | No | | Split Tunneling | Yes | Yes |

Winner: Surfshark. Significantly more features including double VPN, GPS spoofing, rotating IP, and obfuscation. CyberGhost's feature set is more basic.

Who Should Choose Surfshark

• Families and households with many devices (unlimited connections)
• Budget buyers who want the most features per dollar
• Users who need advanced features like MultiHop or GPS spoofing
• Users in censored regions (obfuscation support)
• Anyone who values lower renewal pricing

Who Should Choose CyberGhost

• Users who want the longest trial period (45-day money-back guarantee)
• Beginners who appreciate streaming-optimized server labels
• Users who want the largest possible server network
• Anyone who specifically needs a Romania-based VPN provider

Our Recommendation

Surfshark. It is faster, cheaper, has unlimited connections, and offers significantly more features. CyberGhost is not a bad VPN, but Surfshark outperforms it in nearly every category at a lower price. The only reason to choose CyberGhost is the 45-day refund window.