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Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team

Ghostery vs Surfshark Alert

Ghostery scores 9.2 and Surfshark Alert 9.0 out of 10. Compare their differences and shared features below.
Surfshark Alert

Surfshark Alert

9.0/10
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Ghostery

Ghostery

Higher score in this comparison

9.2/10
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Where Ghostery and Surfshark Alert differ

Ghostery vs Surfshark Alert
CompareGhosteryGhosteryReviewSee alternativesSee alternativesSurfshark AlertSurfshark AlertReviewVisitVisit
Free planYesHas itNo
Free plan limitsAll features free with no limitations; optional contributions support development7-day free trial, 3 devices
PlatformsChrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, Brave, iOS, IPadOS, Android, Meta QuestWindows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Routers, Chromebook, Smart TVs, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation
Logging policyNo personal data collected; daily non-personal extension telemetry (opt-in extra telemetry); website access data kept four weeksNo-logs policy, independently verified by Deloitte in 2023 and 2025; RAM-only server network
JurisdictionDENL
Privacy tool typeAd blocker, SearchPrivate dns, Ad blocker, SearchCovers more
ProtocolsNot confirmedDoh
Open sourceYesNot confirmed

We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.

Key differences

  • Ghostery scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.0.
  • Free plan: only Ghostery.
  • Platforms: only Ghostery offers Safari, Opera, Brave.
  • Platforms: only Surfshark Alert offers Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • Support channels: only Surfshark Alert offers Chat.
  • Founded is lower at Ghostery: 2009 vs 2018.
  • Pricing model: only Ghostery offers Free.
  • Pricing model: only Surfshark Alert offers Budget.
  • Privacy tool type: only Surfshark Alert offers Private dns.

Our verdict on each

Ghostery

Ghostery is the pick if you want ad blocking and private search with nothing to pay: free covers every feature, while tools in the same group often sit near €7.89 a month. The extension is open source, runs on Chrome, Firefox and Safari, and the company behind it answers under DE.

Read the full Ghostery review

Surfshark Alert

Surfshark Alert ranks 2 of 54 brands on monthly price, with entry costs of €2.49 a month. It suits readers who want identity alerts, private DNS and ad blocking inside a single budget account rather than a large insurance payout after fraud.

Read the full Surfshark Alert review

Score breakdown

Ghostery vs Surfshark Alert
AreaGhosterySurfshark Alert
Cost9.19.2HigherMonthly price of €2.49, ranked 2 of 54 brands, with a 7-day trial standing in for a free plan.
Offer9.19.2HigherInsurance of $1,000,000 sits 10 of 45 brands, held up by private dns, ad blocker and search extras and chat, email and help centre support.
Privacy9.4Higher8.2

Availability and regulation

Ghostery vs Surfshark Alert
CountryGhosterySurfshark Alert
HeadquartersGermanyNetherlands

Where they rank in our lists

Ghostery vs Surfshark Alert
RankingGhosterySurfshark Alert
Privacy tools69 of 2818 of 281
Ad blockers and private DNS23 of 637 of 63
Private browsers and search engines13 of 554 of 55

What we checked

Ghostery

  • ghostery.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
  • en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026

Surfshark Alert

  • surfshark.com: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026

Every fact side by side

Ghostery vs Surfshark Alert
FactGhosterySurfshark Alert
Pricing modelFreeBudget
Legal entityGhostery GmbHSurfshark B.V.
HeadquartersGermanyNetherlands
Founded2009Lower2018
Support channelsEmail, Help centreChat, Email, Help centreCovers more

Pros and cons

Ghostery

Pros

  • free pricing with every feature free and no limits on the free plan, contributions optional
  • Open source, so the extension can be read and rebuilt by anyone
  • Runs on Chrome, Firefox and Safari

Cons

  • Support runs on email and help centre only, so there is no live chat and no phone line
  • free is the whole pricing model, so there is no paid tier with added features or priority support
  • Logging is light but partial: daily non-personal extension telemetry runs, extra telemetry is opt-in, and website access data is kept for a set period

Surfshark Alert

Pros

  • Monthly price of €2.49 places Surfshark Alert 2 of 54 brands in our data, near the floor of the monthly prices we compare
  • Deloitte has independently audited the no-logs policy, and the server network runs in RAM rather than writing anything to disk, which is the main privacy claim to weigh
  • The same Surfshark subscription covers private dns, ad blocker and search alongside identity alerts, and it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux from phones to routers and consoles, so a single vendor covers monitoring and browsing

Cons

  • Phone support is not among its support channels (chat, email and help centre), which matters most when a fraud alert needs an answer the same day
  • Insurance of $1,000,000 ranks 10 of 45 brands, so a bigger payout means a bigger bill, as at Norton or LifeLock

Who each suits

Ghostery

Who it suits

  • People who want ad blocking and private search without paying
  • Readers who care that the extension is open source and inspectable
  • Multi-device households, since Chrome, Firefox and Safari covers desktop browsers, phones, tablets and headsets

Who should look elsewhere

  • EasyOptOuts, if your goal is data-broker opt-out requests rather than blocking ads, since it has no free plan
  • Apple Hide My Email, if you want email aliases: they are free with an Apple Account, though changing the forward-to address needs iCloud+
  • Apple Inc. for the same reason, as its free aliases come with an Apple Account and forward-to changes need iCloud+

Surfshark Alert

Who it suits

  • Readers who mainly want alerts on their personal details rather than a large insurance payout, and who weigh the entry price before anything else on the plan
  • People already paying for Surfshark who want alerts, private DNS, ad blocking and private search in a single account instead of separate tools
  • Households that treat an audited no-logs policy and a RAM server network as part of identity protection, and who are comfortable starting on a short trial

Who should look elsewhere

  • LifeLock and Norton readers who rank the insurance payout first, since LifeLock runs $10.42 to $34.99 a month and Norton $34.99 a month
  • Allstate Identity Protection readers who want identity monitoring sold on its own at $3 a month rather than bundled with DNS and search
  • Readers who want a standing free tier, since the free plan is no and the trial is limited to 7-day free trial, 3 devices, so testing is short

Current offers

Surfshark Alert

Current offer

  • Bonus

    3 extra months on 24-month plans: 27 months for the price of 24 (Starter €67.23, One €75.33, One+ €121.23)

    24-month Starter, One or One+ subscription; sale price applies to the first 27 months; VAT may apply

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

  • Free trial

    7-day free trial: 7 days free, then automatic paid renewal

    New users only, 12- and 24-month plans, payment details required (credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay), 3 devices during trial; plus 30-day money-back guarantee

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

Questions about each

Ghostery

How much does Ghostery cost?+

Ghostery runs on free pricing, so the extension costs nothing and the free plan has no limitations. Contributions are optional and go toward development, so there is no subscription to renew or cancel. Tools in the privacy group commonly sit at €7.89 a month, which is the cost Ghostery does not charge.

Which devices can I run Ghostery on?+

Chrome, Firefox and Safari are all supported, so the same free plan covers desktop browsers, phones, tablets and Meta Quest. The extension blocks ads and trackers and handles private search on each of those platforms, with no difference between the mobile and desktop builds.

Surfshark Alert

How much does Surfshark Alert cost each month?+

Surfshark Alert runs at €2.49 a month and ranks 2 of 54 brands on monthly price. A budget entry price draws most readers here, and the renewal figure is worth reading before you commit to a term.

Is there a free plan or a free trial?+

There is no free plan. The free trial lasts 7 days, and 7-day free trial, 3 devices sets the terms of that look. It is a short taste of the alerts rather than a free tier you can keep.

Other options to compare

Surfshark Alert

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Ghostery

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