Which is better Surfshark vs Cyberghost? [Test Results 2022]
Statistics and surveys show that a lot of people around the world are starting to make use of VPNs to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and protected online, while also enjoying a whole range of extra advantages like unrestricted access to platforms.
But there are so many different VPNs out there, picking the right one for you can feel like quite a challenge, and you may find yourself hesitating between the following two brands: SurfShark and CyberGhost. Both have some big similarities, offering high quality protection at affordable prices, but there are some serious differences between them, too.
Our Surfshark vs Cyberghost comparison will aim to get to the bottom of this debate once and for all, putting Surfshark and Cyberghost to the test in several key areas like speed, security, privacy, customer support, pricing, and key features in order to discover which one is really the best option for you to choose.
In this Surfshark vs Cyberghost comparison report, we will cover the following areas:
• Top selling points
• Speed tests
• Prices
• Features
• Security and Encryption
• Privacy
• Simultaneous Connections
• Customer Support
Now let’s dive into the details of our comparison report.
Top Selling Points – Let’s get to know them
Before we get into a more detailed look at some of the key categories that separate Surfshark and Cyberghost, let’s first begin with a simple look at each brand, focusing on their main selling points and most popular features.
We’ll begin with SurfShark. This brand is something of a newcomer to the VPN industry, and it hasn’t been around quite as long as other leading players. But it’s done a lot during its short existence to climb to the top of the pile as one of the best VPNs you can buy today.
It’s regarded as one of the fastest and most reliable VPNs of all, with many servers spread out across more than 60 different countries, and it’s also famed for its many features, including ad-blocking, dual server protection, malware scanning, anonymous searching, and unlimited simultaneous connections.
Next, let’s consider CyberGhost. As the name of this brand implies, it’s all about keeping you anonymous and private online, focusing massively on user protection and allowing everyone to feel like a veritable ‘ghost’ while browsing through cyberspace and carrying out online activities.
Like other leading VPNs, CyberGhost is famed for its speeds, security settings, privacy protocols, and its prices. It’s regarded as one of the top budget options and has a huge server network, with more than 6,000 servers spread out across over 90 unique locations, according to the latest available data.
Speed Tests
When it comes to choosing a VPN, many people like to focus on speed as one of the key factors, as nobody wants to deal with a VPN that slows them down and prevents them from enjoying their favorite online activities. So how do these two providers compare in the speed department?
Well, in general, both Surfshark and Cyberghost are regarded as being among the fastest VPNs money can buy right now. They’ve both got big networks of servers, although CyberGhost does have the larger network overall, and they both attract users to their services by promising solid speeds.
We put them to the test to see how they really work in action, and we got some surprising results. In our tests, which involved connecting to different servers around the world on each VPN and then testing speeds, we saw that it was actually SurfShark that reported the stronger speeds overall. Download and upload speeds were great with both providers, but SurfShark consistently had the edge.
So, if you really care about speeds or if you’re someone who simply needs fast speeds to enjoy downloading, and so on, SurfShark might be the right option for you between these two providers.
Prices
Another key factor to take into account when looking at the general quality and overall value of any VPN is its cost and pricing system. Many of the best VPNs give you some flexibility and freedom by offering a few different subscription plans at various prices, and the best providers usually keep their prices fair and low, with SurfShark and CyberGhost renowned for their affordability.
Let’s start with SurfShark, which offers three different subscription plans: a monthly plan, a six-month plan, and a two-year plan. If you opt for the monthly plan, you’ll be paying a pretty high cost of $12.95 per month, but if you choose one of the longer plans, that price can drop right down to under $3 per month, which is simply amazing.
In terms of payment methods, SurfShark lets you use credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, or cryptocurrencies. It offers a 30-day money back guarantee period for new subscribers, and you’ll also have the option of paying a little extra each month to benefit from its email protection and private search engine features.
CyberGhost goes a little further with its payment plans, offering four different subscription options in total: monthly, yearly, two-year, and three-year. As with other providers, the longer plans work out a lot cheaper per month, so if you choose the base monthly package, you’ll pay $12.99/month, but if you opt for the three-year plan, you’ll be paying less than $3 per month.
This brand also offers a 45-day money back guarantee, as well as offering a lot of promos and sales to help you save or get free months throughout the year. New subscribers can pay via card, PayPal, or Bitcoin, and you can pay extra for additional features like the CyberGhost security suite, a dedicated IP address just for you, and a password manager.
Overall, the cheapest plan between the two providers is actually SurfShark’s two-year subscription, and SurfShark is slightly cheaper overall no matter which kind of plan you’re choosing, so it just about gets the age, but the difference in price between the two is very small.
Features
All trusted VPNs carry out the same basic function of encrypting your connection across a range of different devices and keeping you safe online, but some of them can come with a variety of extra features, usually focused on security and privacy for advanced and intermediate users alike.
SurfShark has a great range of extra features, such as double VPN servers to get a secondary layer of encryption, obfuscated servers that allow you to use your VPN all over the globe, and a CleanWeb feature that is focused on blocking ads and keeping you away from suspicious sites or malware sources. You can also opt to pay extra for the SurfShark Alert, which provides real-time alerts if your data is compromised, and email protection.
When it comes to features, CyberGhost also has plenty to offer, such as kill switches, split tunneling, a dedicated IP for those who pay extra, ad blocking, malicious site blocking, and more. However, it doesn’t offer obfuscated servers or double VPN protection, so there are a couple of gaps in its feature list that could be addressed in a future update.
Comparing these two providers in terms of features is quite difficult, as they both have pros and cons. SurfShark probably has slightly more useful features for advanced users, but most people will be more than satisfied with CyberGhost’s feature list.
Security and Encryption
As well as the fun, one of the main reasons to get a VPN is to help you feel safer online. The best VPNs can encrypt your connections across a range of devices and protect you from hacking, tracking, and so on. Many VPN’s also offer other features to keep you safe from ads, malware, and more. So how do these two providers compare in the security stakes?
Well, SurfShark does a very solid job in security. It utilizes state of the art 256-bit cipher technology, along with some of the strongest protocols in the form of OpenVPN and IKEv2 VPN to keep users totally safe. It also incorporates the WireGuard VPN protocol feature for advanced encryption and it runs independent security audits of its services to confirm their reliability.
CyberGhost is also very solid in this area, using 256-bit encryption and also making use of the best protocols: OpenVPN and IKEv2. CyberGhost doesn’t yet make use of WireGuard but is working on it according to recent reports. Cyber Ghost doesn’t have the more advanced security features mentioned earlier like, double VPN protection.
Overall then, SurfShark is the winner in this category. Both brands make use of similar security technology and standards, but SurfShark just goes a little bit further in the key areas to offer a slightly stronger and more impenetrable package than its ghostly counterpart.
Want to learn more about security? Read our ultimate guide for VPN security.
Privacy
As well as considering the security features and advantages of each VPN provider, we also have to take into account what levels of privacy and user protection they can offer, and some are a lot stronger in this particular area than others.
SurfShark is based out of the British Virgin Islands, which is one of the absolute best locations on the planet for privacy. It’s not part of any big surveillance alliance like Five Eyes or Nine Eyes, and even though it has ‘British’ in the name, it’s not under the jurisdiction of the UK and is a fully independent place with a belief in data retention and user privacy. SurfShark also has a no logs policy, so it won’t store any user data.
CyberGhost, meanwhile, is based out of Romania in Europe. It’s not a bad location for privacy, but it’s not quite on the same level as the British Virgin Islands. Still, it’s not part of any big surveillance alliances whatsoever and the CyberGhost team promises not to store or use its users’ data in any way. It has a firm no logs policy, and even though there was some trouble with CyberGhost’s parent company in the past, the brand itself has proven to be reliable overall.
SurfShark and CyberGhost are quite evenly matched when it comes to privacy. Perhaps the location of SurfShark’s headquarters just about gives it a narrow edge, but the difference between the two, once again, is minimal.
Simultaneous Connections
A lot of VPN users like the idea of just having to pay for one subscription and being able to share the benefits with friends and family. In the same way that many people share other accounts or subscriptions, a lot of people like to share VPN access with other members of their household, but many providers will limit how many devices can be connected at once.
Not SurfShark! This company actually allows you to have unlimited simultaneous connections, basically giving you the freedom to protect as many devices as you want and share your subscription with the whole family, if you choose. This is a major selling point and one of the biggest benefits of SurfShark overall.
If you choose CyberGhost, on the other hand, you’ll be limited to a maximum of seven simultaneous connections at once. This is still quite an impressive number and better than most other VPNs on the market, but it simply can’t compete with SurfShark’s unlimited offering, so SurfShark definitely takes the crown in this category.
Customer Support
Whether you’re a total newbie to the world of VPNs or a seasoned pro, you might need a little help getting set up, adjusting your payment method, or finding out more about one of your VPN’s features. Most VPN providers have customer support departments to answer these questions and help out their users.
SurfShark offers a live chat system right on its official site, so you can instantly chat with a friendly customer service representative whenever you like and get immediate answers to your questions. There’s also an email you can contact with less urgent demands and a Help Center section with tutorials and guides.
CyberGhost also has a live chat system with pretty speedy responses to user questions and queries, as well as several other ways to get in touch with the team. It offers lots of articles, FAQs, and tutorials to guide you through all the features and functions of the CyberGhost VPN service.
All in all, both of these providers offer very similar standards of customer help, with easy to access live chat windows and detailed guides.
Surfshark vs Cyberghost – Which One’s Better?
As we look back through this comparison of SurfShark and CybeGhost, one thing is clear: both of these providers can be fully recommended and both of them do a wonderful job in pretty much all of the key areas, from speed to security and performance, too.
They have a lot in common, making use of much of the same technology to protect their users and keep people safe, and they both perform well in all the main areas, like pricing and customer support.
However, if we have to pick an overall winner, SurfShark is the one to take the crown. It’s not vastly superior to CyberGhost, but it does slightly better in several areas like speed, security, and privacy.
