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

Surfshark and CyberGhost VPN are two of the strongest digital personal community shoppers out immediately. Whereas each VPNs provide quick speeds and huge server networks, there are a number 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 finest for you and your group.

• Surfshark: Finest for small groups or companies with tighter budgets, notably people who want limitless connections to cowl a number of units.
• CyberGhost VPN: Finest 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 ranking	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
Information breach monitoring	Sure (Surfshark Starter)	Sure (CyberGhost Identification Guard)
Simultaneous system areas	Limitless	7
Free trial or free model	Cellular free trial	24 hours for desktop; 3–7 days for cellular
Beginning value	$2.79 per 30 days (annual)	$2.19 per 30 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 finest for customers seeking to have primary VPN performance, with an included advert blocker and masked electronic mail generator. For a number of further options, you possibly can 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 30 days	$15.95 per 30 days	$17.95 per 30 days
1 yr	$2.79 per 30 days	$3.19 per 30 days	$5.09 per 30 days
2 years	$2.19 per 30 days	$2.69 per 30 days	$4.29 per 30 days

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

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

Personally, I really feel like Surfshark may have been the right finances possibility if it additionally provided a free model together with its paid plans. Nonetheless, it does have a free trial through cellular 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	Worth	Cash-back assure
1 month	$12.99 per 30 days	14 days
6 months	$6.99 per 30 days	45 days
2 years	$2.19 per 30 days	45 days

In comparison with Surfshark, CyberGhost VPN has a extra easy pricing scheme categorized by contract size. Specifically, prospects 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 choose having a one-year contract possibility as a substitute 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. Nonetheless, it is a matter of private desire and doubtless gained’t have an effect on you adversely.

One clear benefit CyberGhost VPN has over Surfshark is its free trial. Whereas Surfshark presents a seven-day free trial of its cellular app, CyberGhost VPN takes it a step additional by offering a 24-hour free trial of its desktop functions. CyberGhost additionally offers 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 evaluate and full CyberGhost VPN evaluate.

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, for my part, present one of the best mixture of safety and reliability (OpenVPN, IKEv2), in addition to velocity (WireGuard).

Each VPNs make the most of the business 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 immediately.

VPN server community and areas

Winner: CyberGhost VPN

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

Whereas the server rely isn’t an specific quantity from CyberGhost themselves, many reviews corroborate the identical vary. Take into accout, nonetheless, {that a} chunk of CyberGhost VPN servers are digital as a substitute of bodily servers.

Then again, Surfshark features a very respectable 3,200 servers — an precise quantity from Surfshark — from a diffusion 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 well categorizes servers which can be optimized for gaming, streaming or torrenting. I personally discover this function 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 a substitute of laborious drive-based servers, guaranteeing all person information might be simply wiped and isn’t in peril of being stolen through unauthorized entry to a bodily information middle.

Third-party audits and impartial testing

Winner: Surfshark

By way of 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.

Then again, CyberGhost VPN just lately shared that it underwent an audit report in 2024, additionally achieved by Deloitte. Nonetheless, CyberGhost has opted to not share any excerpts or summaries of the Deloitte audit.

In line 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 total 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 reveals that, good or dangerous, 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 velocity

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, equivalent to looking the web for analysis, utilizing Google Drive and Google Docs for writing and sometimes streaming 1080p YouTube movies. Each CyberGhost and Surfshark dealt with these duties with no hitch, irrespective of the server I used.

By way of velocity exams, that is the place CyberGhost VPN has a slight benefit. Throughout my testing, CyberGhost VPN recorded solely a 7.5% drop in velocity for downloads and a 48.2% drop for uploads.

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

In fact, many elements can have an effect on a VPN’s velocity take a look at efficiency, equivalent to your ISP, your location and the server used. However on this situation, CyberGhost was capable of present a much less excessive drop in velocity in comparison with Surfshark.

Standout safety features

Winner: Surfshark

When you’re searching for further safety features together 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 routinely adjustments your IP tackle after a time frame; and different safety features.

When 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, nonetheless, because it presents a Good Guidelines panel that lets customers automate completely different actions throughout the VPN. For instance, you possibly can set CyberGhost to routinely connect with a safe VPN server when it’s launched or routinely open an app as soon as CyberGhost is on.

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

In my view, nonetheless, Surfshark offers 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 functions which can be nice to make use of and take a look at.

I recognize how Surfshark is ready to arrange all of its options in a neat and arranged manner, particularly contemplating what number of further safety providers it carries on its app, like its antivirus and breach scanner.

Then again, CyberGhost VPN has a outstanding 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 recognize because it saves time and makes for a greater person expertise.

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

Simultaneous system connections

Winner: Surfshark

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

Personally, I discover this to be an enormous value-add to Surfshark as this implies you possibly can defend a number of units with only one subscription, and also you gained’t want to fret about paying for an additional plan if it’s essential add extra.

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

Surfshark execs and cons

Professionals

• Limitless simultaneous system connections.
• Packs quite a lot of safety features.
• Publicly obtainable safety audit outcomes.

Cons

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

CyberGhost VPN execs and cons

Professionals

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

Cons

• Connects as much as seven units 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 could be Surfshark. It presents quick speeds, a large-enough 100-country server community, a collection of safety features and limitless simultaneous system connections.

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

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

That’s to not say that CyberGhost VPN isn’t service — it’s. It has an in depth server community, presents 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 finest for particular person customers who particularly want a VPN for these actions and don’t essentially want a ton of units 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 the whole lot from their pricing to their server networks. Specifically, we took into consideration 5 predominant pillars with their corresponding weights:

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

I additionally took into consideration real-world person testimonials and respected evaluations to complement my evaluation of each merchandise. For velocity and efficiency, I examined each VPNs on my private Home windows pc and ran them via Ookla’s public Speedtest. Lastly, I additionally accounted for the way every VPN may finest cater to varied kinds of customers, use circumstances and firms.