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Legal · head to head

Cookiebot vs Surfshark

Cookiebot logo

Cookiebot

Legal

Automated cookie scanning and consent banner for websites, owned by Usercentrics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Surfshark logo

Surfshark

Cybersecurity

Secure your digital life

From
$1.78/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cookiebot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cookiebot pricing is per domain and banded by subpage count, so an organisation with many brand domains or a large content site pays many multiples of the 7 euro headline, and the bands are counted from the scan rather than from what you think you publish.; Surfshark smaller server network (4,500+ servers) compared to larger competitors like NordVPN
  • They diverge on capability: Cookiebot covers Automated cookie scanning, Surfshark covers Unlimited devices.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cookiebot and Surfshark actually diverge.

Attributes where Cookiebot and Surfshark differ
AttributeCookiebotSurfshark
Starting priceFree$1.78/month
Pricing modelPer domain per month by subpage countUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux
CategoryLegalCybersecurity
FoundedUnknown2018

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cookiebot

  • Automated cookie scanning
  • Prior blocking
  • Google Consent Mode v2
  • IAB TCF support
  • Consent logging
  • Cookie declaration
  • Multi-language banners
  • Geotargeting

Only in Surfshark

  • Unlimited devices
  • CleanWeb ad blocker
  • MultiHop
  • Camouflage Mode
  • NoBorders mode
  • Kill Switch
  • Bypasser split tunneling
  • Rotating IP

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cookiebot

  • A marketing team that needs a defensible consent record for European visitors without adding privacy engineering headcountnot Surfshark
  • A site using Google Ads and Analytics that must send Consent Mode v2 signals or lose conversion measurement in the EEAnot Surfshark
  • An agency managing many small client sites that wants per-domain billing it can pass through at costnot Surfshark
  • A content-heavy publisher needing IAB TCF signals passed to advertising partnersnot Surfshark

Surfshark

  • Vpnnot Cookiebot
  • Privacynot Cookiebot
  • Security Suitenot Cookiebot

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cookiebot

  • Pricing is per domain and banded by subpage count, so an organisation with many brand domains or a large content site pays many multiples of the 7 euro headline, and the bands are counted from the scan rather than from what you think you publish.
  • Enterprise features such as single sign-on, banner A and B testing and a dedicated account manager sit on Usercentrics Web CMP rather than on Cookiebot, so growing out of Cookiebot means migrating to a sibling product with its own dashboard and contract.
  • Prior blocking depends on Cookiebot recognising the script, and custom or first-party tags frequently need manual tagging, which means a site can believe it is blocking trackers when it is not until someone audits it.
  • Scans crawl a limited number of subpages per band, so trackers that only appear on deep or gated pages can go undiscovered and unblocked between scans.
  • The free tier carries Cookiebot branding and is limited to one domain and 50 subpages, which makes it a demonstration rather than a workable option for anything but a brochure site.

Surfshark

  • Smaller server network (4,500+ servers) compared to larger competitors like NordVPN
  • Lower brand recognition compared to established VPN providers
  • Limited customer service availability in some time zones

Pricing, plan by plan

Cookiebot

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 domain, up to 50 subpages
    • Automated scanning
    • Google Consent Mode
  • Premium Lite$7/month
    • 1 domain, up to 50 subpages
    • Custom banner design and logo
    • Multi-language banners
  • Premium Small$15/month
    • Per domain
    • Up to 350 subpages per domain
    • Multiple domains supported
  • Premium Medium$30/month
    • Per domain
    • Up to 3,500 subpages per domain

Surfshark

$1.78/month
  • Starter$1.78/month
    • Unlimited simultaneous connections
    • 4,500+ servers
    • Basic VPN
  • One$3.59/month
    • VPN
    • Antivirus
    • Personal data leak alert
  • One+$4/month
    • All One features
    • Incogi included

Which should you pick?

Choose Cookiebot if

  • You need automated cookie scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want prior blocking.
Cookiebot review

Choose Surfshark if

  • You need unlimited devices.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux.
  • You also want cleanweb ad blocker.
Surfshark review

Questions people ask

Is Cookiebot or Surfshark better?
Neither clearly leads. Cookiebot starts at Free and Surfshark at $1.78/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cookiebot or Surfshark?
Cookiebot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cookiebot and $1.78/month for Surfshark.
Does Cookiebot or Surfshark run on more platforms?
Cookiebot runs on Web. Surfshark runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux.
Can I use Cookiebot for free?
Yes. Cookiebot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Surfshark starts at $1.78/month.
What is Cookiebot best used for?
Cookiebot is most often used for a marketing team that needs a defensible consent record for european visitors without adding privacy engineering headcount, a site using google ads and analytics that must send consent mode v2 signals or lose conversion measurement in the eea, an agency managing many small client sites that wants per-domain billing it can pass through at cost, a content-heavy publisher needing iab tcf signals passed to advertising partners. Of those, a marketing team that needs a defensible consent record for european visitors without adding privacy engineering headcount and a site using google ads and analytics that must send consent mode v2 signals or lose conversion measurement in the eea are not what Surfshark is typically brought in for.
What can Cookiebot do that Surfshark cannot?
Cookiebot covers Automated cookie scanning, Prior blocking, Google Consent Mode v2, IAB TCF support. Surfshark covers Unlimited devices, CleanWeb ad blocker, MultiHop, Camouflage Mode.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cookiebot: Who owns Cookiebot?

Usercentrics, which acquired the Danish developer Cybot in September 2021. It is sold as Cookiebot by Usercentrics alongside the separate Usercentrics Web CMP.

Surfshark: Does Surfshark maintain a no-logs policy?

Yes. Surfshark does not log browsing history, visited IP addresses, bandwidth usage, or network traffic. This policy was independently verified by Deloitte in 2025.

Source
Cookiebot: What does a real deployment cost?

Between 7 and 90 euros per domain per month depending on subpage count. Ten domains on the medium band is 300 euros a month, not 7.

Surfshark: How many simultaneous device connections does Surfshark allow?

Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections on all subscription plans, enabling protection of every device in a household with a single subscription.

Source
Cookiebot: Does it support Google Consent Mode v2?

Yes, and Cookiebot is in Google CMP partner programme, which matters if you run Google advertising into the EEA.

Cookiebot: Is the free plan usable in production?

Only for a single very small site. It caps at one domain and 50 subpages and shows Cookiebot branding on the banner.

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