Surfshark vs. CyberGhost

We’ll be honest: We were first drawn to these two virtual private networks (VPNs) because they have such evocative names. Sharks and ghosts — those are the kinds of companies we want on our side. Setting aside the names, though, these are two of the best VPNs out there. They combine top-of-the-line security features with the ability to unblock all the best streaming content at an affordable price.

Nobody needs two VPNs though. Our job is to help you narrow down your choices to just one. With that in mind, we’ve looked carefully at all the most important aspects of both VPNs, from what type of encryption they use to where their corporate headquarters are located. Which one came out on top? Keep reading to find out!

Pricing

Let’s start with the bottom line: How much do these two VPNs cost, and how do those costs compare?

The answers are actually pretty straightforward. Surfshark and CyberGhost are almost identical when it comes to price. Both offer single-month plans and long-term subscriptions for prices that are right at the industry average. If you’re looking to purchase a single month, you’ll pay $.04 more for CyberGhost than for Surfshark. Things mostly even out, though, since two years of Surfshark is $.02 more than two years of CyberGhost.

Direct Comparison: Surfshark vs. CyberGhost

It’s worth noting that CyberGhost offers a six-month plan, which is somewhat unusual when it comes to VPNs. Surfshark, for instance, doesn’t have a plan that length. CyberGhost doesn’t have a one-year plan, though, which is a little odd and may dissuade some people from choosing it.

Similarities

We’ve already talked about how similar these VPNs are in terms of price, and they have a number of other things in common as well.

Strong Safety Features

Surfshark and CyberGhost both offer some of the best safety features in the VPN business.

• AES-256 encryption, the same encryption used by the U.S. military and the CIA.
• A choice of protocols, including industry gold-standard OpenVPN and popular new protocol WireGuard.
• A record of absolutely no DNS leaks or WebRTC leaks.
• Strict privacy policies that guarantee they never record IP addresses, time stamps, or browsing histories.
• Kill switches to ensure that no one can see what you’re up to even if you lose your VPN connection.
• Crypto payment options so you can use either VPN without giving them any of your personal information.

Entertainment

Although not as important as its safety features, a VPN’s ability to provide more streaming entertainment options can be one of its biggest selling points. Surfshark and CyberGhost do not disappoint here.

• Both VPNs unblock Netflix in regions all over the world, as well as lots of other big streamers such as Hulu, HBO Max, and Disney Plus.
• Both also offer important torrenting features, such as P2P-configured servers and kill switches, which ensure you can download torrent content easily and, more importantly, safely.

Want even more examples of VPNs that let you stream to your heart’s content? Check out our list of the best VPNs for streaming.

Convenience

Both Surfshark and CyberGhost offer a handy little feature known as split tunneling. Split tunneling lets you connect to the regular internet at the same time you’re connected to the VPN. You can access sensitive data through the VPN and plain-vanilla sites through whatever public Wi-Fi network happens to be available. You save valuable bandwidth without giving up security.

Bonus Features

One of the most useful aspects of both of these VPNs is that you can buy them as part of a suite of services.

Surfshark’s suite is known as Surfshark One. For a price of just $3.54 for 24 months, you get the VPN, antivirus software, a search engine, and a data leak alert service.

Not to be outdone, CyberGhost now offers its own suite of security products. The company’s offering includes antivirus software, a security updater that alerts you when your apps are out of date, and a privacy guard that lets you disable intrusive Windows functionalities. A 24-month subscription, plus four extra months, costs $2.03 per month. That’s the same price we listed above for the VPN by itself. Turns out, CyberGhost throws in the extras for free, while Surfshark charges a little extra if you sign up for the whole suite of services.

Let’s be clear: You probably shouldn’t sign up for either of these suites if what you’re looking for is great antivirus software. If you want a great VPN that offers additional security features like antivirus software, you can’t really go wrong with either suite.

Differences

These two VPNs may be similar, but they aren’t the same. Let’s dig in to some of the things that distinguish the companies and their products.

What Does Surfshark Have Going for It?

Let’s start with Surfshark. What does it have that CyberGhost can’t match?

• Multihop: Surfshark offers multihop, or double-hop, technology. Basically multihop routes your connection through not one but two or more remote servers. Each hop offers additional encryption, and your security increases with every one.
• Camouflage: Adding to its security profile, Surfshark also offers a feature known as camouflage. Any VPN will encrypt your data and hide your real IP address behind an anonymous one. As technology has become more sophisticated, though, some governments and streaming services have found ways to detect if you’re using a VPN. They may not know who you are, but they can keep you from logging in to their sites as long as you’re using one. Camouflage is a new technology from VPNs like Surfshark that hides the very fact that you’re using a VPN so no one can screen you out.
• Unlimited devices: Have a large family or just a lot of devices? You want a VPN that allows you to install the software on as many devices as possible. Unlimited is as many as there are, and that’s what Surfshark offers. Not only that, but you can use all of them at once — you know, if you have that many eyes and hands.

What Does CyberGhost Have Going for It?

CyberGhost doesn’t outdo Surfshark in quite as many categories as Surfshark outdoes CyberGhost, but it has one or two features its competitor can’t match.

• Servers: At last count, CyberGhost had 9,308 servers around the world. Surfshark has about a third of that number. What difference does that make? The more servers a VPN offers, the more likely it is you can find one nearby that’s not too crowded. That means faster download, upload, and ping speeds.
  

  

• Transparency reports: In 2011, CyberGhost began offering so-called transparency reports to customers. The reports list the number of requests for data the company receives each year from law enforcement so you know how many requests it turned down. In 2019, it began issuing quarterly reports. Surfshark doesn’t offer access to these types of numbers.

The Bottom Line

Surfshark or CyberGhost: What’s the final verdict? We have to give the edge to Surfshark. Both are great VPNs and they have a lot in common, including the same encryption, protocols, access to streaming services, and price.

Here’s the thing though: Surfshark offers a couple security features CyberGhost doesn’t. Multihop and camouflage make Surfshark just a little bit safer. If you’re going to be paying the same price anyway, why not be as safe as possible?

CyberGhost may still be best for some of you. It all depends on what you’re looking for.