CyberGhost vs Surfshark: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
Both list only physical US locations — CyberGhost 1,376 servers in 11 cities, Surfshark 24 locations — and neither has port forwarding. CyberGhost gives 45 days to change your mind on longer plans but allows 7 devices; Surfshark allows unlimited devices, refunds within 30 days and bundles identity theft coverage on One+.
Option A
$12.99/moCyberGhost VPN
Official price before tax: $12.99
Price checked
CyberGhost VPN price and plans
Option B
We compare plans with a similar purpose, whose features may differ; prices before sales tax; prices for other plans and periods are in the reviews.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | CyberGhost VPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | 7 | Unlimited |
| Money-back | 45 days (monthly: 14) | 30 days |
| US coverage | 1,376 servers, 11 cities | 24 locations |
| Marked virtual (US) | None | None |
| Jurisdiction | Romania (EU) | Netherlands (EU) |
| Port forwarding | Not listed | No |
CyberGhost and Surfshark are both value-focused VPNs based in the EU. The trade-off is time to test versus number of devices.
If you don’t want to read further
The longest money-back window — CyberGhost. Unlimited devices or identity coverage bundled — Surfshark.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
How many devices?
CyberGhost VPN
7.
Surfshark
Unlimited.
Big households: Surfshark.
Money-back window?
CyberGhost VPN
45 days on 6-month and 2-year plans; 14 on monthly.
Surfshark
30 days.
More time to test with CyberGhost’s longer plans.
US coverage?
CyberGhost VPN
1,376 servers in 11 cities.
Surfshark
24 locations; no server count published.
Surfshark lists more places; CyberGhost publishes the server count.
Extras?
CyberGhost VPN
ID Guard and Privacy Guard on multi-year plans.
Surfshark
One adds antivirus and alerts; One+ adds Incogni and identity theft coverage (not NY).
Surfshark’s upper tiers bundle more.
Where is the company?
CyberGhost VPN
Romania — EU.
Surfshark
Netherlands — EU.
Both under EU law.
Linux?
CyberGhost VPN
Command-line app for 64-bit distributions.
Surfshark
App with Kill Switch (Debian 11, Ubuntu 20.04, Mint 20 and newer).
Both cover Linux – check your distribution.
TV apps?
CyberGhost VPN
Fire TV app; other TVs through Smart DNS.
Surfshark
Apple TV, Android TV and Fire TV apps.
No app for your TV? A VPN router covers it.
Where they don’t differ, even though it seems they should
This part is often more useful than the list of differences — it saves money for anyone who was about to pay for an imaginary advantage.
Only physical US locations listed
Neither marks a US location as virtual.
No port forwarding
Neither lists it.
EU jurisdiction
Romania and the Netherlands.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| More than 7 devices | Surfshark | Unlimited. |
| You want the most time to test | CyberGhost | 45 days on longer plans. |
| You want identity theft coverage | Surfshark One+ | Not for New York State residents. |
| You want split tunneling | Either | Both list it. |
- CyberGhost’s monthly plan has only a 14-day guarantee.
- Surfshark’s price list doesn’t show the renewal price.
- Both note that tax may be added.
- Neither offers port forwarding.
Where the facts come from
Sources: CyberGhost’s and Surfshark’s US price lists and server lists. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: CyberGhost VPN or Surfshark
Other comparisons
The same products against other competitors, and other comparisons in the “VPN services” category.
Where their scores differ
Only criteria we’ve checked for both services and where the scores differ. Equal criteria and criteria without data aren’t shown here, because they add nothing to the decision.
If what matters most is — devices at once: Surfshark Starter
CyberGhost VPN: 7 (2,5/5) · Surfshark Starter: unlimited (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — modern protocol: CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN: on all major platforms (5,0/5) · Surfshark Starter: on some platforms (2,5/5)
If what matters most is — app rating: Surfshark Starter
CyberGhost VPN: 4,2 out of 5 (4,2/5) · Surfshark Starter: 4,7 out of 5 (4,7/5)
If what matters most is — price now: CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN: 2,19 USD/mo before tax (4,8/5) · Surfshark Starter: 2,49 USD/mo before tax (4,6/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: