CyberGhost vs Surfshark 2026: Which Budget VPN Is the Better Buy?
CyberGhost is cheaper, has a longer money-back guarantee and does better at streaming in independent tests. Surfshark covers unlimited devices, offers fuller apps on more platforms and has a stronger no-logs assessment. The first term costs $56.94 for 26 months with CyberGhost and $67.23 for 27 months with Surfshark, before tax, and the gap widens after renewal. We compared both services’ pricing, terms, help centers, audits and independent tests as of October 1, 2026.
CyberGhost and Surfshark are two of the cheapest VPNs that have had their no-logs policies assessed by Deloitte. Both cost a little over $2 a month on their longest plans. Where they differ is in what you get for that money, and especially in what you pay once the first term ends.
We didn’t test either VPN ourselves. This comparison is based on official pricing pages and terms, both help centers, audit reports and independent testing by TechRadar, Tom’s Guide and Security.org, and every key fact links to its source. We have affiliate links for both services; you pay the same price as on the regular pricing page and we earn a commission.
01The verdict at a glance
| Area | CyberGhost | Surfshark Starter |
|---|---|---|
| First term | $56.94 for 26 months | $67.23 for 27 months |
| Renewal | $56.94 a year | $79 a year |
| Devices at once | 7 | Unlimited |
| Money-back guarantee | 45 days (14 on the monthly plan) | 30 days |
| Speed (TechRadar) | 1,480 Mbps | 1,021 Mbps |
| Streaming (TechRadar) | 10 out of 10 | 7 out of 10 |
| No-logs assessment | Deloitte 2022, 2024, 2025, limited assurance | Deloitte 2023, 2025, reasonable assurance |
| Split tunneling | Windows, Android | Windows, Android, macOS, iOS (websites only) |
| Linux and Apple TV | Command line only, no Apple TV app | Desktop app, Apple TV app |
In short: if you want a cheap VPN for yourself or a handful of devices, mainly for streaming, pick CyberGhost. If you have lots of devices at home, use a Mac, Linux or Apple TV, or travel to countries with heavy censorship, go with Surfshark.
02Price and what you pay after renewal
Both services list prices before tax, and EU buyers pay local VAT on top at checkout. CyberGhost’s longest plan runs 26 months for $56.94 and then renews every year at the same price (CyberGhost). Surfshark Starter runs 27 months for $67.23 and then renews at $79 a year (Surfshark).
| Plan | CyberGhost | Surfshark Starter |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $12.99 | $16.45 |
| Mid-length plan | $41.94 for 6 months | $50.85 for 15 months |
| Longest plan | $56.94 for 26 months | $67.23 for 27 months |
| Renewal of the longest plan | $56.94 a year | $79 a year |
| Money-back guarantee | 45 days (14 on the monthly plan) | 30 days |
- CyberGhostFirst term: $2.19After renewal: $4.75
- Surfshark StarterFirst term: $2.49After renewal: $6.58
Total price divided by the months it covers. Both services renew yearly after the first term.
The gap grows over time. Over roughly four years you pay $170.82 with CyberGhost (26 months plus two yearly renewals) and $225.23 with Surfshark (27 months plus two renewals). That is a saving of more than $54 in CyberGhost’s favor, as long as seven devices are enough for you.
- CyberGhost (50 months)$170.82
- Surfshark Starter (51 months)$225.23
First term plus two yearly renewals at today’s prices. Future renewal prices may change.
Buy on the website, not in the app: CyberGhost’s guarantee doesn’t cover App Store, Google Play or Amazon purchases, and Surfshark leaves App Store refunds to Apple (CyberGhost, Surfshark).
Surfshark also offers a 7-day free trial on the web for its 15-month and 27-month plans, but you need a card, PayPal or Apple Pay, and you can connect up to three devices during the trial (Surfshark). CyberGhost gives you 24 hours on Windows and macOS with no card required, plus 3 days on Android and 7 days on iOS if you add a payment method (CyberGhost). Only Surfshark accepts cryptocurrency (Surfshark help center).
03Server network
Both services cover 100 countries. CyberGhost’s server table lists 9,696 servers in 125 cities, with a count for every country (CyberGhost). Surfshark advertises “4500+” servers but doesn’t publish per-country numbers (Surfshark). Both run all of their servers from RAM only.
- CyberGhost56
- Surfshark46
A virtual location gives you an IP address from that country while the server sits elsewhere. Based on CyberGhost’s server list and Surfshark’s location list, October 1, 2026.
CyberGhost has servers set up for specific streaming services, such as Netflix in the US, UK, Germany and France (CyberGhost). Surfshark doesn’t label streaming servers; TechRadar says all of its servers are optimized for streaming (TechRadar).
For a fixed IP address, Surfshark includes shared static IPs in seven cities, including New York, London and Tokyo, and sells dedicated IPs from $3.75 a month (Surfshark). CyberGhost charges €5 a month before tax, or €60 for two years, which works out to €2.50 a month (CyberGhost, pricing).
04Apps and features
| Feature | CyberGhost | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Devices at once | 7 | Unlimited (antivirus 5) |
| Split tunneling | Windows (websites), Android (apps) | Windows, Android, macOS (apps and websites), iOS (websites only) |
| Linux | Command line only | Desktop app |
| Apple TV | No app, router or Smart DNS only | Native app (tvOS 17 or later) |
| OpenVPN on iPhone and Mac | No | Yes |
| Double VPN | No | Dynamic MultiHop |
| Censorship resistance | No dedicated mode | NoBorders and obfuscated servers |
| Ad blocking | Content Blocker | CleanWeb |
| Antivirus | Paid add-on, Windows only | Only in One and One+ |
Surfshark leads here. Unlimited devices means you can cover the whole household, TVs and kids’ tablets included, although Surfshark reserves the right to limit an obviously excessive number of connections (Surfshark help center, terms). CyberGhost allows seven connected devices at once, though you can install the app on as many as you like (CyberGhost help center).
Surfshark’s split tunneling also goes further: on a Mac it can exclude both apps and websites from the VPN, and on an iPhone, websites only (macOS, iOS). CyberGhost has no split tunneling on Mac or iPhone at all. Linux and Apple TV users get a full app with Surfshark (Linux, Apple TV).
One caveat: Surfshark promotes its own Dausos protocol, but it’s still in beta and only available in the Mac App Store version of the app (Surfshark help center). Everywhere else you use WireGuard, OpenVPN or IKEv2.
For travel to censored countries, Surfshark has NoBorders, which switches on automatically when the app detects network restrictions (Surfshark help center). Comparitech reported in May 2025 that Surfshark works reliably behind the Great Firewall (Comparitech), while in April 2025 it said CyberGhost doesn’t work in China (Comparitech). Surfshark itself makes no promises for China in its help center (Surfshark help center).
05Speed
The fairest comparison is TechRadar’s fastest VPN table, which tests every service the same way: on a Windows machine with a 10 Gbps connection, taking the median of several runs (TechRadar). CyberGhost hit 1,480 Mbps on the nearest server in May 2026, Surfshark 1,021 Mbps in April.
- CyberGhost (5/2026)Nearest server: 1,480US to UK: 1,058
- Surfshark (4/2026)Nearest server: 1,021US to UK: 935
Source: TechRadar, fastest VPN, table updated August 6, 2026. Measured on a 10 Gbps connection.
Take the numbers with a grain of salt. In its February review of CyberGhost, TechRadar measured only 674 Mbps (TechRadar), and for Surfshark it notes latency and jitter roughly twice as bad as the top VPNs (TechRadar). On a typical home connection of up to 1 Gbps, you’re unlikely to notice the throughput gap at all. Latency matters more for gaming and video calls, and that’s where TechRadar found Surfshark weaker.
06Streaming
CyberGhost has the edge for streaming. TechRadar gave it 10 out of 10 for unblocking, and in May 2026 Tom’s Guide unblocked every Netflix region on the first try (TechRadar, Tom’s Guide). Surfshark scored 7 out of 10 with TechRadar: US Netflix took several attempts, and the UK and Australian libraries didn’t work at all (TechRadar). Tom’s Guide found the same in April 2026, and Prime Video only worked in the UK (Tom’s Guide). Surfshark isn’t a write-off for streaming, though: both testers got BBC iPlayer working, and Security.org had no trouble switching Netflix regions (Security.org).
Keep the rules in mind: many streaming services’ terms prohibit getting around regional restrictions. If you live in the EU, paid subscriptions should keep working while you travel within the EU, no VPN needed (Your Europe).
07Privacy, audits and incidents
Both services have had their no-logs policies assessed by Deloitte, but in different ways. CyberGhost has been assessed three times (2022, 2024 and 2025); the latest report is a limited assurance engagement as of October 31, 2025 (CyberGhost, report). Surfshark has been assessed twice (2023 and 2025); the latest is a reasonable assurance engagement, a higher level, as of June 10, 2025 (Surfshark). Both are point-in-time snapshots.
Surfshark also has more recent security testing. SecuRing tested its network infrastructure in December 2025 and found no critical vulnerabilities and one of medium severity (SecuRing). Cure53 reviewed the Dausos protocol in March 2026, not the whole infrastructure (Cure53).
In September 2026 Surfshark disclosed an incident: a misconfigured internal test server was reachable from the internet. It held parts of system binaries and internal configurations, and build credentials had at some point been committed to its code history. The attacker also reached an isolated proxy server. Surfshark says no user data or VPN services were affected (Surfshark, BleepingComputer). For CyberGhost we found no verifiable user data breach, only a Windows app flaw fixed in 2023 (NVD).
For the record: CyberGhost is based in Romania and its contract is governed by English law; Surfshark is based in the Netherlands and its contract is governed by the laws of the British Virgin Islands (CyberGhost terms, Surfshark terms). CyberGhost belongs to Kape, which also owns ExpressVPN, while Surfshark shares a holding company with Nord Security (Surfshark).
08What reviewers say
- TechRadarCyberGhost: 7.8Surfshark: 8.5
- Security.orgCyberGhost: 8.9Surfshark: 9.5
TechRadar 78 and 85 out of 100 (CyberGhost, Surfshark), Security.org 8.9 and 9.5 out of 10 (CyberGhost, Surfshark). As of October 1, 2026.
Reviewers prefer Surfshark overall, mainly for its unlimited devices and richer feature set. In TechRadar’s breakdown, CyberGhost scores 5 out of 10 for features against Surfshark’s 10, but beats it on unblocking (10 vs 7) and speed (10 vs 8). Our renewal math above also favors CyberGhost, so the right pick depends on what matters more to you.
09Which VPN should you choose?
| If you want | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The lowest price, including after renewal | CyberGhost | You save more than $54 over about four years. |
| A VPN for the whole family | Surfshark | Unlimited devices. |
| Netflix and streaming from abroad | CyberGhost | Better results in TechRadar and Tom’s Guide tests. |
| Mac, Linux or Apple TV | Surfshark | Split tunneling on Mac, a Linux desktop app, an Apple TV app. |
| Travel to censored countries | Surfshark | NoBorders mode and obfuscated servers. |
| More time to decide | CyberGhost | A 45-day guarantee instead of 30. |
We’ve covered both services in more detail elsewhere. Read our CyberGhost review and our reviews of Surfshark’s bundles: One Pro, Ultimate and Scam Protection. If you’re weighing Surfshark against the pricier NordVPN, see NordVPN vs Surfshark, and for 14 services side by side, our best VPN 2026 comparison.
10Frequently asked questions
Is CyberGhost or Surfshark cheaper?
CyberGhost. Its longest plan costs $56.94 for 26 months and then $56.94 a year. Surfshark Starter costs $67.23 for 27 months and then $79 a year, all before tax.
Which VPN is faster?
In TechRadar’s table, which tests both the same way, CyberGhost reached 1,480 Mbps and Surfshark 1,021 Mbps on the nearest server (TechRadar). Both are fast enough for a typical home connection.
Which is better for Netflix?
CyberGhost. In 2026 tests by TechRadar and Tom’s Guide it unblocked every Netflix region they tried, while Surfshark failed in the UK and Australia (TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, TechRadar on Surfshark).
How many devices can I connect?
Seven at once with CyberGhost, unlimited with Surfshark (CyberGhost, Surfshark).
Which VPN is more secure?
Both have Deloitte-assessed no-logs policies and RAM-only servers. Surfshark has a higher-assurance assessment and more recent infrastructure testing, but in September 2026 it dealt with a test server incident that, according to the company, didn’t affect users (Surfshark).
How long do I have to get a refund?
45 days with CyberGhost (14 on the monthly plan) and 30 days with Surfshark, first purchase only. CyberGhost’s guarantee doesn’t cover purchases made through the App Store, Google Play or Amazon. With Surfshark, App Store refunds go through Apple. The safest bet is to buy on the website (CyberGhost, Surfshark).
11Conclusion
The first terms are only about $10 apart, but CyberGhost pulls further ahead with every renewal. It also wins on the money-back guarantee, speed in TechRadar’s table and streaming. Surfshark is the pick if you need more devices, better apps for Mac, Linux and Apple TV, a stronger no-logs assessment or a way around censorship.
Still undecided? Use the guarantee: you get 45 days to try CyberGhost and 30 days with Surfshark. Both also offer short free trials, described in the pricing section above.
Security matters for business websites and apps too. If you’re planning a project that handles customer data, see how we build custom websites and how we work.
12Sources
- CyberGhost: offer page (USD)
- CyberGhost: pricing (EUR)
- CyberGhost: server list
- CyberGhost: terms of service
- CyberGhost: free trial
- CyberGhost: dedicated IP
- CyberGhost: third Deloitte assessment
- CyberGhost: Deloitte report
- CyberGhost help center: devices
- CyberGhost help center: protocols
- CyberGhost help center: platforms
- NVD: CVE-2023-30237
- Surfshark: pricing
- Surfshark: servers
- Surfshark: terms of service
- Surfshark: free trial
- Surfshark: dedicated IP
- Surfshark: about us
- Deloitte: Surfshark assessment 2025 (PDF)
- SecuRing: Surfshark infrastructure test 2025 (PDF)
- Cure53: Dausos protocol audit 2026 (PDF)
- Surfshark: September 2026 incident report
- BleepingComputer: Surfshark incident
- Surfshark help center: devices
- Surfshark help center: refunds
- Surfshark help center: payment options
- Surfshark help center: protocols
- Surfshark help center: features
- Surfshark help center: NoBorders
- Surfshark help center: connecting from China
- Surfshark help center: Bypasser on macOS
- Surfshark help center: Bypasser on iOS
- Surfshark help center: Linux
- Surfshark help center: Apple TV
- TechRadar: fastest VPN
- TechRadar: CyberGhost review
- TechRadar: Surfshark review
- Tom’s Guide: CyberGhost streaming test
- Tom’s Guide: Surfshark review
- Security.org: CyberGhost review
- Security.org: Surfshark review
- Comparitech: CyberGhost review
- Comparitech: Surfshark review
- Your Europe: accessing online content abroad
Prices, features and figures are current as of October 1, 2026.