Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
CyberGhost vs Surfshark
Surfshark takes it by 5.5 points, 75.5 against 70.0. That margin is worth reading past — CyberGhost wins 1 of the seven criteria outright.
CyberGhost
70.0The longest refund window in the market attached to a mid-tier privacy posture.
- From
- $2.19/mo
- Based in
- Romania
- Devices
- 7
- Audits
- 1
We earn nothing from CyberGhost. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Surfshark
75.5The cheapest credible option per device, weakened by a Nine Eyes jurisdiction and common ownership with NordVPN.
- From
- $2.49/mo
- Based in
- Netherlands
- Devices
- Unlimited
- Audits
- 2
We earn nothing from Surfshark. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Criterion by criterion
CyberGhost wins 1, Surfshark wins 3, 3 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | CyberGhost | Surfshark | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 6/10 (12.0) | 8/10 (16.0) | Surfshark |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 5/10 (7.5) | CyberGhost |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Tied |
| Leak protection | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | Surfshark |
| Transparency | 15 | 5/10 (7.5) | 5/10 (7.5) | Tied |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 9/10 (9.0) | 9/10 (9.0) | Tied |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 7/10 (7.0) | 10/10 (10.0) | Surfshark |
| Total | 100 | 70.0 | 75.5 | Surfshark |
Where each one actually wins
CyberGhost is ahead on
- Jurisdiction and ownership. Romania sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement, but the company is owned by Kape Technologies.
Surfshark is ahead on
- Independent audit. Deloitte assured the no-logs claim in 2023; the Cure53 work covered extensions and infrastructure rather than the full apps.
- Leak protection. Kill switch across desktop and mobile with a rotating IP option; DNS is handled in-tunnel.
- Platform coverage. Native apps on every major platform including TV, and unlimited simultaneous connections.
Choose CyberGhost if
Readers who want a long, genuinely risk-free evaluation period.
Choose Surfshark if
Households or shared accounts covering many devices on one subscription.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip CyberGhost if: You want auditable client software, or you are uncomfortable with three of this dataset’s providers sharing one owner.
Skip Surfshark if: Jurisdiction matters to your threat model, or you want a provider independent of Nord Security.
Questions
- Is CyberGhost or Surfshark better?
- Surfshark scores higher overall, 75.5 against 70.0, a gap of 5.5 points out of 100. The cheapest credible option per device, weakened by a Nine Eyes jurisdiction and common ownership with NordVPN.
- Which is cheaper, CyberGhost or Surfshark?
- CyberGhost, at $2.19/mo against $2.49/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- Surfshark, most recently in 2023 against CyberGhost’s 2022.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. CyberGhost operates from Romania and Surfshark from Netherlands. CyberGhost is outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement; the other is not.
Related comparisons
Comparison generated from the same dataset as the ranking. Emphasis criterion definitions are on the rubric page. Criterion labels: Independent audit, Jurisdiction and ownership, Protocol and crypto stack, Leak protection, Transparency, Price and refund terms, Platform coverage.