Cyberghost VPN vs Surfshark VPN – Comparison, Pros and Cons
CyberGhost VPN and Surfshark VPN are popular choices for people looking to enhance their online privacy, bypass geo-restrictions, and ensure a more secure browsing experience. However, each has its own set of features that might make one more suitable for your needs than the other. Below, we’ll compare them based on five criteria: servers, security, price, speed, and support.
CYBERGHOST vs SURFSHARK
Servers
CyberGhost VPN
- Number of Servers: Over 7,000 servers.
- Geographical Presence: CyberGhost boasts a network covering around 90 countries, making it one of the more expansive VPN services.
- Server Types: Specialized servers for different tasks, such as optimized servers for streaming specific services like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. Also includes servers optimized for torrenting.
- Server Reliability: Generally reliable, although performance can vary depending on distance and server load.
Surfshark VPN
- Number of Servers: Over 3,200.
- Geographical Presence: Available in approximately 100 countries.
- Server Types: Surfshark offers unique MultiHop servers that route traffic through two servers for additional privacy. Also provides CleanWeb, a feature that blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites.
- Server Reliability: Known for its reliable performance.
In-depth Comparison: CyberGhost has a larger and more geographically diverse server network. This could be advantageous for users looking to unblock content from many different regions. Surfshark, however, offers the innovative MultiHop feature for users who prioritize an extra layer of security.
Security
CyberGhost VPN
- Encryption: Utilizes AES-256 encryption.
- Protocols: Supports OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2.
- Additional Security Measures: Comes with an automatic kill switch, DNS leak protection, and a strict no-logs policy.
Surfshark VPN
- Encryption: Also employs AES-256 encryption.
- Protocols: Offers OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2.
- Additional Security Measures: Features an automatic kill switch, DNS leak protection, a no-logs policy, and Camouflage Mode for obfuscating your VPN traffic.
In-depth Comparison: Both VPNs offer strong security features including high-grade encryption and support for secure protocols. Surfshark has a slight edge for users who require obfuscation features (Camouflage Mode) to bypass VPN blocks in restrictive countries.
Price
CyberGhost VPN
- Monthly Plan: Priced at approximately $12.99 per month.
- Long-term Plans: Offers a 3-year plan at around $2.25 per month.
- Money-back Guarantee: 45-day money-back guarantee for long-term plans and 14 days for monthly plans.
Surfshark VPN
- Monthly Plan: Priced at approximately $12.95 per month.
- Long-term Plans: A 2-year plan comes down to about $2.49 per month.
- Money-back Guarantee: 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans.
In-depth Comparison: Both VPNs offer competitive pricing, but the overall cost can be slightly lower with CyberGhost if you commit to a long-term plan. Both offer money-back guarantees, although CyberGhost’s 45-day offer for long-term plans is more generous than Surfshark’s 30-day guarantee.
Speed
CyberGhost VPN
- Performance: Offers decent speeds but can be variable based on factors like server location, server load, and network conditions.
Surfshark VPN
- Performance: Known for providing consistently high speeds across various server locations.
In-depth Comparison: Surfshark has a reputation for offering more consistently high speeds. However, real-world speed can vary widely due to numerous external factors, such as your original internet speed, distance to the server, etc.
Support
CyberGhost VPN
- Customer Support Channels: 24/7 live chat, email support, and an extensive knowledge base for self-help.
Surfshark VPN
- Customer Support Channels: 24/7 live chat, email support, and a comprehensive knowledge base.
In-depth Comparison: Both VPNs offer robust customer support options, making it a tie in this category.
Verdict: No Clear Winner
Choosing between CyberGhost and Surfshark ultimately boils down to your personal needs and priorities. CyberGhost has the edge in server count and geographical diversity, which can be essential for global content unblocking. Surfshark, on the other hand, offers innovative features like MultiHop and Camouflage Mode, and it’s often cited for providing higher consistent speeds. Both have competitive pricing and strong customer support, making either a viable option depending on your unique requirements.
