Surfshark vs CyberGhost (2024): Which VPN Is Higher? – Uplaza

Surfshark and CyberGhost VPN are two of the strongest digital non-public community shoppers out at present. Whereas each VPNs provide quick speeds and enormous server networks, there are a couple of variations that may sway you from one to the opposite.

SEE: Cloud Safety Coverage (TechRepublic Premium)

On this article, we evaluate two high quality VPNs to see which one is greatest for you and your group.

• Surfshark: Greatest for small groups or companies with tighter budgets, notably people who want limitless connections to cowl a number of gadgets.
• CyberGhost VPN: Greatest for particular person customers who prioritize streaming, torrenting or gaming for his or her VPN use.

Surfshark vs. CyberGhost VPN: Comparability

	Surfshark VPN	CyberGhost VPN
Our score	4.6 / 5	4.3 / 5
Safety protocols	OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2	OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2
No. of servers	$3,200	8,000-11,000+ (reportedly)
VPN server areas	100 international locations	100 international locations
Knowledge breach monitoring	Sure (Surfshark Starter)	Sure (CyberGhost Id Guard)
Simultaneous gadget areas	Limitless	7
Free trial or free model	Cell free trial	24 hours for desktop; 3–7 days for cell
Beginning value	$2.79 per thirty days (annual)	$2.19 per thirty days (2 years)

Surfshark vs. CyberGhost VPN: Pricing

Surfshark pricing

Surfshark divides its VPN choices into three tiers: Starter, One and One+. All three tiers have subscriptions for a one-month, one-year and two-year plan.

SEE: Surfshark vs. NordVPN: Which VPN Is Higher in 2024? (TechRepublic)

Starter is greatest for customers trying to have primary VPN performance, with an included advert blocker and masked electronic mail generator. For a couple of further options, you may go for One,which provides on an antivirus, webcam safety and Surfshark’s real-time electronic mail breach alerts system.

	Surfshark Starter	Surfshark One	Surfshark One+
1 month	$15.45 per thirty days	$15.95 per thirty days	$17.95 per thirty days
1 yr	$2.79 per thirty days	$3.19 per thirty days	$5.09 per thirty days
2 years	$2.19 per thirty days	$2.69 per thirty days	$4.29 per thirty days

Surfshark One+,its highest-tier plan, comes with all Surfshark One options whereas additionally together with knowledge elimination from each firm databases and other people search websites.

SEE: Tips on how to Use Surfshark VPN (A Step-by-Step Information) (TechRepublic)

Personally, I really feel like Surfshark might have been the proper finances possibility if it additionally supplied a free model together with its paid plans. Nevertheless, it does have a free trial by way of cell and a 30-day money-back assure for all subscriptions, letting customers request for a refund in the event that they discover the VPN isn’t a match.

CyberGhost VPN pricing

Contract size	Value	Cash-back assure
1 month	$12.99 per thirty days	14 days
6 months	$6.99 per thirty days	45 days
2 years	$2.19 per thirty days	45 days

In comparison with Surfshark, CyberGhost VPN has a extra easy pricing scheme categorized by contract size. Specifically, clients can go for both a one-month, six-month or two-year contract with CyberGhost. On paper, CyberGhost and Surfshark each provide very reasonably priced subscription plans, and also you’ll discover good worth in each.

I do want having a one-year contract possibility as an alternative of CyberGhost’s six-month plan, simply to get the month-to-month value decrease with out committing to that longer-term two-year plan. Nevertheless, this can be a matter of private desire and doubtless received’t have an effect on you adversely.

One clear benefit CyberGhost VPN has over Surfshark is its free trial. Whereas Surfshark gives a seven-day free trial of its cell app, CyberGhost VPN takes it a step additional by offering a 24-hour free trial of its desktop purposes. CyberGhost additionally supplies a 14-day or 45-day money-back assure on its subscription, relying on the contract size you select.

For extra on Surfshark and CyberGhost VPN, take a look at our full Surfshark overview and full CyberGhost VPN overview.

Surfshark vs. CyberGhost VPN: Characteristic comparability

Safety protocols and encryption

Winner: Tie

Surfshark and CyberGhost VPN each provide OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2 VPN protocols. These protocols, in my view, present the perfect mixture of safety and reliability (OpenVPN, IKEv2), in addition to pace (WireGuard).

Each VPNs make the most of the trade customary AES-256 encryption algorithm. This can be a nice signal, as AES-256 is widely known as probably the most safe encryption protocol in safety at present.

VPN server community and areas

Winner: CyberGhost VPN

For server networks, CyberGhost VPN wins out with its bigger total server fleet. Specifically, CyberGhost VPN reportedly has 8,000-11,000 servers unfold throughout 100 international locations and 126 areas.

Whereas the server depend isn’t an express quantity from CyberGhost themselves, many reviews corroborate the identical vary. Be mindful, nevertheless, {that a} chunk of CyberGhost VPN servers are digital as an alternative of bodily servers.

However, Surfshark features a very respectable 3,200 servers — an precise quantity from Surfshark — from a variety of 100 international locations. Whereas CyberGhost’s fleet of servers is considerably bigger, most customers will discover Surfshark’s community to be fully serviceable for on a regular basis use.

One spotlight of CyberGhost is that it neatly categorizes servers which can be optimized for gaming, streaming or torrenting. I personally discover this characteristic extremely helpful because it helps reduce the seek for probably the most applicable server for a given state of affairs.

Each VPNs make the most of RAM-only servers as an alternative of laborious drive-based servers, making certain all person knowledge might be simply wiped and isn’t in peril of being stolen by way of unauthorized entry to a bodily knowledge heart.

Third-party audits and impartial testing

Winner: Surfshark

When it comes to impartial testing, I give Surfshark the benefit for its clear publishing of its audit outcomes. Surfshark’s most up-to-date safety audit was in 2023, whereby Deloitte verified that Surfshark’s “IT systems and management” had been all in accordance with its no-logs coverage.

However, CyberGhost VPN lately shared that it underwent an audit report in 2024, additionally performed by Deloitte. Nevertheless, CyberGhost has opted to not share any excerpts or summaries of the Deloitte audit.

In accordance with CyberGhost, this was to make sure that “audit results are not taken out of context or misunderstood” given the “extensive nature of the audit and the scope of Deloitte services.” Nonetheless, the complete report might be accessed from an official CyberGhost VPN account.

Whereas I perceive the place CyberGhost is coming from, I discover extra worth in Surfshark nonetheless publicly publishing at the very least a abstract of its audit findings. This exhibits that, good or unhealthy, they’re dedicated to being 100% clear with each finish customers and the general public.

Regardless of this, I commend each suppliers for having their respective VPN shoppers independently audited within the first place.

Efficiency and pace

Winner: CyberGhost VPN

For VPN speeds, CyberGhost barely edges out Surfshark. In my expertise, each VPNs can present constantly quick and dependable speeds for many common workloads.

I used each VPNs for my every day work, similar to looking the web for analysis, utilizing Google Drive and Google Docs for writing and infrequently streaming 1080p YouTube movies. Each CyberGhost and Surfshark dealt with these duties with no hitch, regardless of the server I used.

When it comes to pace exams, that is the place CyberGhost VPN has a slight benefit. Throughout my testing, CyberGhost VPN recorded solely a 7.5% drop in pace for downloads and a 48.2% drop for uploads.

Comparatively, Surfshark’s obtain pace lower was truly smaller, at solely 3.3%. Nevertheless, its add pace was 72% slower than with out the VPN linked.

After all, many elements can have an effect on a VPN’s pace take a look at efficiency, similar to your ISP, your location and the server used. However on this state of affairs, CyberGhost was in a position to present a much less excessive drop in pace in comparison with Surfshark.

Standout safety features

Winner: Surfshark

Should you’re in search of extra safety features along with your VPN, I like to recommend Surfshark. It comes with its Dynamic MultiHop performance, which helps you to set entry and exit VPN server pairs for added safety; an IP rotator that robotically adjustments your IP deal with after a time period; and different safety features.

Should you go for its mid-tier Surfshark One plan, you additionally get entry to built-in antivirus, webcam safety and real-time electronic mail breach alerts.

CyberGhost isn’t a pushover by any means, nevertheless, because it gives a Good Guidelines panel that lets customers automate totally different actions throughout the VPN. For instance, you may set CyberGhost to robotically connect with a safe VPN server when it’s launched or robotically open an app as soon as CyberGhost is on.

CyberGhost additionally gives its NoSpy servers,which offer extra safety as they’re totally owned and guarded by CyberGhost and are housed throughout the firm’s Romanian headquarters.

In my view, nevertheless, Surfshark supplies extra safety features and capabilities in comparison with CyberGhost VPN.

Ease of use

Winner: Tie

For ease of use and in-app expertise, it’s a tie. Each Surfshark and CyberGhost VPN include intuitive desktop purposes which can be nice to make use of and take a look at.

I respect how Surfshark is ready to set up all of its options in a neat and arranged method, particularly contemplating what number of extra safety providers it carries on its app, like its antivirus and breach scanner.

However, CyberGhost VPN has a distinguished on/off button for its app that’s user-friendly and makes the app much less intimidating.

I additionally actually like its categorization of servers for streaming, gaming and torrenting. This UI alternative is one thing I do know many customers will respect because it saves time and makes for a greater person expertise.

General, I believe most individuals could have zero hassle utilizing each Surfshark and CyberGhost VPN by way of usability, as each providers provide polished and well-designed purposes.

Simultaneous gadget connections

Winner: Surfshark

For gadget connections, Surfshark beats CyberGhost VPN by permitting limitless simultaneous gadget connections to CyberGhost’s most of seven gadgets.

Personally, I discover this to be a giant value-add to Surfshark as this implies you may shield a number of gadgets with only one subscription, and also you received’t want to fret about paying for one more plan if that you must add extra.

Whereas CyberGhost VPN’s seven-maximum simultaneous connections is a good quantity, Surfshark’s limitless gadget restrict might be vital for small companies or groups that wish to take advantage of out of a single VPN subscription.

Surfshark execs and cons

Execs

• Limitless simultaneous gadget connections.
• Packs quite a lot of safety features.
• Publicly out there safety audit outcomes.

Cons

• Free trial is cell solely.
• No free model.

CyberGhost VPN execs and cons

Execs

• Accessible 24-hour desktop free trial.
• Quick VPN pace and dependable connection.
• Large server community.

Cons

• Connects as much as seven gadgets solely.
• Audit requires further steps to entry.

Ought to your group use Surfshark or CyberGhost VPN?

If I had been to select a single winner for this comparability, my alternative can be Surfshark. It gives quick speeds, a large-enough 100-country server community, a set of safety features and limitless simultaneous gadget connections.

For me personally, the limitless gadget connections are a deciding issue. This makes their subscriptions much more of a bang-for-buck deal because you received’t must pay for an extra plan to guard extra gadgets.

With this, I discover Surfshark to be greatest for small groups or companies that desire a high-quality and value-laden VPN at affordable costs.

That’s to not say that CyberGhost VPN isn’t a superb service — it’s. It has an in depth server community, gives the identical quick — if not higher — speeds and conveniently categorizes optimized VPN servers for streaming, torrenting and gaming.

I think about CyberGhost VPN to be greatest for particular person customers who particularly want a VPN for these actions and don’t essentially want a ton of gadgets to be linked to a VPN service.

Methodology

My comparability of Surfshark and CyberGhost VPN concerned hands-on time with each VPNs and an in depth analysis of every service’s options, value and real-world efficiency.

To evaluate every product, each VPNs had been scored on every little thing from their pricing to their server networks. Specifically, we took under consideration 5 major pillars with their corresponding weights:

• Pricing (20%).
• Core VPN options (30%).
• Ease of use (15%).
• Buyer help (30%).
• Knowledgeable evaluation (5%).

I additionally took under consideration real-world person testimonials and respected critiques to complement my evaluation of each merchandise. For pace and efficiency, I examined each VPNs on my private Home windows pc and ran them by means of Ookla’s public Speedtest. Lastly, I additionally accounted for the way every VPN might greatest cater to varied varieties of customers, use circumstances and firms.