Surfshark and CyberGhost are two of the most popular budget-oriented VPNs. Both offer long-term plans at competitive prices, solid streaming performance, and beginner-friendly apps. But they differ on security audit quality, ownership, and features. Here is the full breakdown.
Pricing
| Plan | Surfshark | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $15.45 | $12.99 |
| Annual (per month) | ~$3.19 | ~$2.75 |
| 2-year total | $47.76 | ~$45.50 |
CyberGhost is fractionally cheaper on the 2-year plan. The difference is minimal ($2 over two years). Both are among the cheapest premium VPN options available.
CyberGhost offers a 1-day free trial, while Surfshark’s trial requires a credit card. CyberGhost also has a 45-day money-back guarantee, significantly longer than Surfshark’s 30 days.
Speed
Both VPNs score 4/5 for speed in our database. Real-world performance is solid on nearby servers for both. Surfshark’s newer Dausos protocol and WireGuard implementation give it a slight edge in raw benchmark tests, but in everyday use the difference is not noticeable.
Surfshark: 5/5 | CyberGhost: 4/5
The score difference in our database reflects Surfshark’s more consistent performance at distance.
Security: Surfshark Wins
| Security Metric | Surfshark | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Leak protection | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| RAM-only servers | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| No-logs audit | 5/5 | 3/5 |
CyberGhost’s leak protection scores 4/5 because WebRTC leak protection is absent. This is a real gap. WebRTC leaks can expose your real IP through browsers even when connected to a VPN.
The no-logs audit situation is a bigger concern. CyberGhost’s most recent independent audit was conducted by QSCert in 2012. That is 14 years ago. An audit that old provides almost no meaningful assurance about the current operation. Surfshark’s Cure53 audits were conducted in 2018 and 2021, with ongoing annual audits. This is a significant difference.
Jurisdiction
- Surfshark: Netherlands (Nine Eyes): 4/5
- CyberGhost: Romania: 5/5
CyberGhost has a better jurisdiction. Romania is not part of any surveillance alliance and is subject to EU data protection law (GDPR) but not to intelligence-sharing obligations. For users who care about jurisdiction, CyberGhost has the edge here.
Ownership: Both Owned by Kape Technologies
This is the most important shared characteristic: both Surfshark and CyberGhost are now connected to the same corporate parent. CyberGhost is directly owned by Kape Technologies. Surfshark was acquired by Nord Security in 2022, which is a separate company.
CyberGhost’s Kape ownership scores 1/5 in our database (Kape also owns ExpressVPN and PIA). Surfshark’s Nord Security parent scores 5/5 in our database because Nord Security is independent, transparent, and not associated with Kape’s adware history.
Streaming
| Platform | Surfshark | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Very good | Very good |
| Disney+ | Very good | Very good |
| Hulu | Good | Good |
| BBC iPlayer | Good | Good |
| Prime Video | Very good | Good |
| Streaming score | 4.5/5 | 4/5 |
Both are solid streaming VPNs. CyberGhost has dedicated streaming servers labeled for specific platforms (e.g., “Netflix US,” “BBC iPlayer”), which is helpful for beginners. Surfshark unblocks most services without dedicated server labeling.
Features
| Feature | Surfshark | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|
| Ad blocker | Yes | Yes |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-hop | Yes | No |
| Obfuscation | Yes | No |
| Dedicated IP | No | Yes |
| Devices | Unlimited | 7 |
Surfshark has multi-hop and obfuscation, which CyberGhost lacks. CyberGhost offers dedicated IP addresses, which Surfshark does not. CyberGhost caps connections at 7 devices, while Surfshark is unlimited.
Server Network
- Surfshark: 3,200+ servers in 65 countries
- CyberGhost: 6,200 servers in 90 countries
CyberGhost has a larger server fleet and broader country coverage. This is an advantage for users who need servers in specific regions.
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose Surfshark if: you want the most features (multi-hop, obfuscation, unlimited devices), have a family with many devices, or are concerned about the quality of no-logs auditing.
Choose CyberGhost if: you are a streaming beginner who likes labeled servers, want the longer 45-day refund window, prefer Romania’s jurisdiction, or need dedicated IP.
Try Surfshark | Try CyberGhost
Our verdict: Surfshark wins this comparison for most users. Better no-logs audit quality, stronger leak protection, unlimited devices, and more advanced features (multi-hop, obfuscation) at a similar price. CyberGhost’s strengths are the dedicated streaming servers, Romania jurisdiction, and 45-day refund window. For users who want the absolute cheapest option with good streaming and do not care about audit quality, CyberGhost is adequate. For everyone else, Surfshark is the better pick. For more context on both, see our comparison table.
FAQ
Is Surfshark or CyberGhost cheaper? They are essentially the same price on 2-year plans. CyberGhost comes out marginally cheaper.
Does CyberGhost have good streaming? Yes. Its dedicated streaming servers are a user-friendly feature, and it unblocks Netflix, Disney+, and other major platforms reliably.
Is CyberGhost safe? The encryption and RAM servers are solid, but the most recent no-logs audit is from 2012, which is too outdated to be meaningful. Kape Technologies ownership is also a concern for users focused on VPN independence.
Does Surfshark have unlimited devices? Yes. All Surfshark plans include unlimited simultaneous device connections. CyberGhost limits you to 7.
The decision compressed by buyer type
Run the household types through this pair. The streaming-first family: Surfshark, whose 4.5/5 streaming column and unlimited devices fit the use exactly. The cautious first-timer: CyberGhost’s labeled servers and 45-day guarantee make the gentlest on-ramp, with the renewal calendar caveat attached. The privacy-weighted buyer: Surfshark again, on the audit and RAM-only columns. The pure price hunter: CyberGhost’s 2-year intro wins the sticker comparison and loses the three-year one, which is the trap our budget guides keep flagging.
The honest meta-answer for most readers: this matchup has a default, and it’s Surfshark; CyberGhost’s wins are situational and real, but they require knowing exactly which situation you’re in.
What owners report after the first year
The longitudinal texture separates them further. Surfshark owners’ year-two story is mostly inertia in the good sense: the device sprawl stays covered, CleanWeb stays on, the renewal email is the one administrative moment. CyberGhost’s year-two story features the renewal jump more centrally, plus the slow discovery that the labeled-server convenience mattered most in month one and the streaming Variable matters most in month eight. Neither product degrades; one simply front-loads its delight and the other spreads it.
That shape difference is worth a sentence of buying advice: choose CyberGhost for a defined cheap year, Surfshark for an indefinite tenure, and either way diarize the renewal like this site keeps repeating.
(Both products iterate; scores and prices are the table’s current values, and the comparison gets re-run when either side ships something that moves a column.)
Keep reading: Surfshark Review 2026: The Best Value VPN or Just Hype? and CyberGhost Review 2026: Good Value, But Know What You’re Getting.