Surfshark vs. CyberGhost: an extensive comparison guide

Surfshark vs. CyberGhost: at a glance

Disclaimer: The displayed pricing and server details in this article are correct as of March 2024 and are subject to change.

Surfshark overview

Based in the Netherlands, a strong privacy jurisdiction, Surfshark operates on a no-activity-logs policy — it doesn’t record user activity. It also has a RAM-only server infrastructure, which ensures all data is wiped with every server reset.

Surfshark offers a multitude of extra features:

• An ad blocker;
• Alternative ID;
• Split tunneling;
• Smart DNS;
• Double VPN functions;
• Private search engine Surfshark Search (paid add-on feature).

Moreover, Surfshark provides a wide range of VPN servers in 100+ countries worldwide. This means you can effortlessly access almost any country’s server and enjoy an uncrowded server with super-fast speeds.

Plus, with unlimited simultaneous connections, you can connect to Surfshark on all devices for only $1.99 per month (on a 2-year plan).

CyberGhost overview

Founded in 2011, CyberGhost is one of the oldest VPN services. It is praised by many for its wallet-friendly cost, with prices as low as $2.19 (for a 2-year plan).

CyberGhost is located in Romania. Like the Netherlands, Romania is free from 5/9/14 Eyes surveillance.

CyberGhost also utilizes industry-leading AES 256-bit encryption and offers a 11,700+ server selection in over 126 locations worldwide.

However, it’s important to know that CyberGhost’s parent company is Kape Technologies, formerly Crossrider. Yeah, the same Crossrider that had a history of installing malware and adware on users’ devices.

That said, Kape Technologies claims to have turned itself around since then and now owns a few VPNs, including ExpressVPN.

Server locations

More locations means you’ll have more connection options worldwide and locally. More servers means faster connections, as they’re less likely to get overcrowded. And servers closer to your location means less ping than when connecting to servers further away.

CyberGhost: 11,700+ servers in 126 locations across 100 countries

Surfshark: 3,200+ servers in 200 locations* across 100 countries

*Some Surfshark locations are virtual-only and don’t have a physical location.

It’s worth noting that Surfshark features more server locations — you can easily switch to an alternative option if your speed drops.

Moreover, Surfshark offers a plethora of static IP addresses and a dedicated IP for an additional price. Both work similarly — instead of your IP address changing every time you connect to a different server, it will remain the same. Therefore, you’re less likely to see many CAPCTHAs. The trade-off could be a slower connection.

CyberGhost also allows static IP access. But you must purchase a dedicated IP address to use this feature.

Server speeds

We ran a few speed tests to find out which VPN provider offers the best speed and reliability. First, we checked our internet speed without a VPN engaged to establish a baseline:

• Ping (ms): 2
• Download (Mbps): 500.38
• Upload (Mbps): 510.68

Because both providers support WireGuard protocol (a set of rules that determine how a VPN connects), we used it to make a fair comparison:

As you can see, both providers offer a swift VPN connection that should keep up with uploading, downloading, gaming, streaming, and surfing.

Streaming performance

Not all VPNs protect you on your favorite streaming platform, so let’s look at what Surfshark and CyberGhost works with:

Disclaimer: Please note that using Surfshark services for any illegal activities is strictly forbidden and violates our Terms of Service. Make sure that any use of Surfshark services for your particular activities conforms to all relevant laws and regulations, including those of any service providers and websites you access using Surfshark.

CyberGhost vs. Surfshark VPN: protocols

Both companies offer the same VPN protocols. That said, it is worth noting that Surfshark VPN is available on more operating systems than CyberGhost.

While CyberGhost lets you use the FireTV app, thanks to Surfshark’s smart DNS feature, you can use Surfshark to bypass firewalls and censorship on other devices, such as your PlayStation or smart TV.

CyberGhost vs. Surfshark: audits

Independent security audits are essential — they prove a provider is trustworthy. Especially when they’re carried out by reputable and trusted auditing firms, like Cure53, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), and Deloitte. The audits can vary from a service-specific review to a full and detailed analysis of the provider.

Surfshark

In 2018, Cure53 audited Surfshark’s browser extensions. This was followed up in 2021 with a full audit of the entire Surfshark VPN infrastructure. No serious issues were found in either audit, and the few “low severity” vulnerabilities were swiftly addressed.

In 2023, the Deloitte audit verified Surfshark’s no-activity-logs statement.

CyberGhost

Similarly to Surfshark, CyberGhost’s no-activity-logs policy was audited by Deloitte in 2022.

CyberGhost also publishes a Transparency Report every 3 months. This report shares information such as:

• How many data requests it receives from various authorities;
• Key statistics about the CyberGhost VPN infrastructure.

Customer support

CyberGhost and Surfshark both provide friendly and accessible customer support options. This includes a 24/7 chat function (English only) and a high-quality, searchable knowledge base.

Security and encryption

Encryption

At first glance, Surfshark and CyberGhost offer similar levels of encryption. Both support the AES-256-bit encryption protocol across the board.

Both VPNs also provide RSA keys. However, there’s a difference — Surfshark fully encrypts all transactions with symmetric (AES) and asymmetric (RSA) keys. CyberGhost only encrypts using AES, except for the Password Manager, which uses RSA encryption. But it is a paid add-on feature.

What’s more, CyberGhost doesn’t offer any extra protection, like obfuscated servers. These servers (provided by Surfshark) hide the fact that you’re using a VPN even from your internet service provider.

If obfuscation isn’t enough, Surfshark’s NoBorders feature takes privacy to the next level. It is specially designed to bypass oppressive firewalls or censorship measures, allowing you to browse the internet without restrictions.

Kill switch

If your VPN connection drops unexpectedly, a kill switch shuts down your internet connection. While this might sound inconvenient, your privacy and data remain protected.

Both Surfshark and CyberGhost provide the kill switch feature. It’s available on all platforms with Surfshark. CyberGhost supports the feature on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.

Split tunneling

It allows users to decide which apps or websites they want to encrypt. Users can choose only to encrypt one or two apps and exclude the rest, or the other way around — encrypt all but a few apps.

Currently, Surfshark offers this feature (Bypasser) on Windows and Android. CyberGhost only provides split tunneling for Android. Worth noting that Surfshark’s Bypasser works with both apps and websites. 

Logging practices

CyberGhost and Surfshark claim not to log their user data apart from the necessary payment details. As the two VPNs are based in good locations, away from restrictive privacy laws or surveillance agreements, we can expect them both to maintain these practices.

Retaining user data

Both VPNs use RAM-only servers which means that, with every server update, all data from the server is wiped.

Aside from that, Surfshark goes a step further with its Warrant canary.

Email masking

Surfshark has a feature meant to mask users’ real identity and help reduce the potential for spam — Alternative ID. The feature comes with every subscription plan and generates new online personal details for online registration.

CyberGhost does not offer a similar feature.

Additional security features

CyberGhost vs. Surfshark: price

CyberGhost and Surfshark are both hugely popular VPN providers, beloved for being affordable.

Surfshark vs. CyberGhost: Reddit reviews

A Reddit user, paperplans5, has made a VPN comparison table. The VPNs are peer-reviewed and the results are constantly updated. It’s a community effort meant to raise awareness about online privacy and help people choose VPN tools for better online security.

Some of the criteria:

Jurisdiction, audits, speed, protocols, encryption, leak protection, availability, owned servers, RAM servers, transparency, payment options, customer support, ethics, and additional features.

In this table, Surfshark scores second, while CyberGhost scores sixth.

Reddit review: Surfshark

A Redditor, amusedSyrup7877, shares their perspective on Surfshark under the VPN recommendations thread. We’ve condensed the essence of the review into one paragraph:

Reddit review: CyberGhost

Another Redditor, annoyedBaboon64592, shares their review of CyberGhost under the VPN recommendations thread. We’ve narrowed it down to one paragraph:

Surfshark vs. CyberGhost: summary

Surfshark provides its users increased security with features like obfuscation and Double VPN, while CyberGhost has some affordable pricing plans and a wide server network. At the end of the day, it’s for you to decide who your favorite is.

FAQ

Which is best, Surfshark or CyberGhost?

Despite what you might hear on the web, Surfshark is better in many regards. The number of features, pricing, and unlimited simultaneous connections are some of the reasons.

Is Surfshark good in the USA?

Yes, Surfshark is great in the US because it offers AES-256-bit encryption, split tunneling, unlimited connections, and over 700 servers in the US alone. Enjoy a monitoring-free experience since Surfshark’s HQ is outside of the Five Eyes alliance.