CactusVPN

VS

Surfshark

VPNs Comparison

CactusVPN vs Surfshark: Side-by-Side Comparison

CactusVPN
Surfshark
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
3.8/5
★★★★★★★★★★
4.5/5
Free Tier
No
No
Trial Days
30-day trial
30-day trial
Pricing
Annual plan from $3.49/month. Monthly plan $9.99/month. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Starter from $2.49/month (2-year). One from $3.49/month. One+ from $5.99/month.
Company
CactusVPN
Surfshark B.V.
Founded
2011
2018
Best For
Streamers wanting both SmartDNS speed for content unblocking and full VPN privacy in one plan
Families or teams needing VPN on every device simultaneously without per-device restrictions

Pros & Cons

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CactusVPN

SmartDNS service included to unblock streaming services without full VPN overhead
Dedicated IP option available for users needing a consistent IP address
Port forwarding supported across available server locations
Kill switch and DNS leak protection on all desktop platforms
Family plan allows multiple users with competitive pricing
No independent audit of no-logs claims published for user verification
Smaller server network limits geographic choices for content access

Surfshark

Unlimited simultaneous device connections on a single subscription
CleanWeb blocks ads and malware with significantly fewer ads than browsing without VPN
Nexus IP rotation changes your IP address continuously without dropping connection
Camouflage mode hides VPN usage from ISPs in countries monitoring VPN traffic
Budget-friendly pricing especially on 2-year plans compared to Nord or Express
Speeds are slightly inconsistent across different server locations
No-logs audit is less frequent than competitors who audit annually

Use Case Analysis

Which is better for Streaming?

Both CactusVPN and Surfshark support Streaming workflows. Surfshark has a slight edge with a 4.5 rating and Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. If Streaming is your primary use case, Surfshark is the safer pick.

Which is better for Privacy?

Both CactusVPN and Surfshark support Privacy workflows. Surfshark has a slight edge with a 4.5 rating and Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. If Privacy is your primary use case, Surfshark is the safer pick.

Which is better for Encryption?

Both CactusVPN and Surfshark support Encryption workflows. Surfshark has a slight edge with a 4.5 rating and Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. If Encryption is your primary use case, Surfshark is the safer pick.

Which is better for No Logs?

Both CactusVPN and Surfshark support No Logs workflows. Surfshark has a slight edge with a 4.5 rating and Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. If No Logs is your primary use case, Surfshark is the safer pick.

Verdict

Surfshark edges out CactusVPN with a 4.5 vs 3.8 rating. Surfshark's main advantage: Unlimited device connections make it the best family or team VPN at the lowest price per user. That said, CactusVPN may still be the better choice if Streamers wanting both SmartDNS speed for content unblocking and full VPN privacy in one plan.

Try Them Yourself

The best way to choose is to trial both. See full details on each:

Get CactusVPN Start Free Trial

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