CyberGhost vs NordVPN (2026): Which Is Better?
NordVPN is the better VPN in every category we score. CyberGhost's appeal is practical: servers labelled by streaming service so you never guess which one to use, a 45-day refund window, and a cheap 2-year plan. If you want the best performance and privacy, NordVPN; if you want a simple, cheap streaming VPN with the longest trial window, CyberGhost.
Who wins each category
- Privacy & securityNordVPNCyberGhost 8.6 · NordVPN 9.6
- SpeedNordVPNCyberGhost 8.1 · NordVPN 9.8
- StreamingNordVPNCyberGhost 8.8 · NordVPN 9.8
- Apps & easeNordVPNCyberGhost 8.0 · NordVPN 9.5
- ValueNordVPNCyberGhost 7.9 · NordVPN 9.4
Sub-scores from this month's tests; weights are privacy & security 30%, speed 25%, streaming 15%, apps & ease 15%, value 15%. Methodology
Choose CyberGhost if…
- You want the longest money-back guarantee (45 days)
- You like servers named for the streaming service they unblock
- You want the cheaper 2-year price
Choose NordVPN if…
- You want much faster speeds
- You want the complete streaming set — 14 of 14 against 12
- You want Meshnet, Threat Protection Pro and a stronger privacy record
CyberGhost vs NordVPN: the numbers
 CyberGhost |  NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.1 | 9.7 |
| Rank · badge | #7 · Streaming servers | #1 · Top rated overall |
| 2-year price / mo | $2.19 | $3.39 |
| 1-year price / mo | $6.99 | $4.99 |
| Monthly price | $12.99 | $12.99 |
| Renewal | renews at the 1-year rate | renews at the 1-year rate |
| Money-back | 45 days | 30 days |
| Simultaneous devices | 7 | 10 |
| Avg download speed | 470 Mbps | 712 Mbps |
| Jurisdiction | Romania | Panama |
| Owner | Kape Technologies | Nord Security |
| No-logs audit | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 |
| Servers | 11,500+ in 100 countries | 7,400+ in 118 countries |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordWhisper |
| Torrenting | P2P allowed on P2P servers | P2P allowed on dedicated P2P servers |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Support | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre |
| Visit CyberGhost | Visit NordVPN |
Full reviews: CyberGhost · NordVPN
What each one actually costs
The advertised rate covers the first term only. These are the totals once the renewal is counted.
| CyberGhost | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan priced | 24-month plan | 24-month plan |
| Intro rate / mo | $2.19 | $3.39 |
| Then renews at / mo | $6.99 (+219%) | $4.99 (+47%) |
| First term, up front | $52.56 | $81.36 |
| Total over 3 years | $136.44 | $141.24 |
| True cost / mo over 3 years | $3.79 | $3.92 |
| Money-back | 45 days — refunded in 5 days | 30 days — we got ours in 4 days |
| Check CyberGhost price | Check NordVPN price |
CyberGhost is cheaper both ways — lower to start and $4.80 less across three years once the renewals are counted. Same arithmetic as our price calculator: the first term at the advertised rate, every month after it at the rate the provider publishes for renewals.
Speed by region
Download on a 940 Mbps line, 3 runs per server, median reported. Highlighted cell = fastest.
| CyberGhost | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| US East | 545 Mbps | 771 Mbps |
| UK | 505 Mbps | 742 Mbps |
| Singapore | 398 Mbps | 668 Mbps |
| Australia | 402 Mbps | 667 Mbps |
| Added latency | +12 ms | +4 ms |
Streaming, service by service
| CyberGhost | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Unblocked | 12 of 14 | 14 of 14 |
| Netflix US | ||
| Netflix UK | ||
| Netflix JP | ||
| Netflix CA | ||
| Netflix AU | ||
| Prime Video | ||
| Disney+ | ||
| Hulu | ||
| Max | ||
| Paramount+ | ||
| Peacock | ||
| BBC iPlayer | ||
| ITVX | ||
| DAZN |
Security features
| CyberGhost | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | ||
| Split tunnelling | ||
| Obfuscation / stealth | ||
| Port forwarding | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Ad & tracker blocking | ||
| Multi-hop (double VPN) | ||
| RAM-only servers | ||
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers |
Has the no-logs promise ever been tested?
Every VPN on this page says it keeps no logs. The claim only means something once someone has demanded the data — a police raid, a court order, a subpoena. Here is what happened to each of these two when that came up, and what it means if it never has.
- CyberGhostHeld
Quarterly transparency report. The claim held — there was nothing useful to hand over. That is the one form of proof no audit can give you, because it happened under real pressure rather than on a scheduled visit.
Audit: Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 · Romania
- NordVPNNever tested
No police raid, court order or subpoena against NordVPN has been made public. That is not a mark against it — most providers have never been asked — but it does mean the policy has never had to hold up under pressure.
Audit: Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 · Panama
What each one is our top pick for
One of these scores higher overall, which does not make it the right buy for every job. These are the use cases where each one comes first on its own list.
- CyberGhostNo category
CyberGhost is not our top pick in any of our use-case lists. It can still be the right buy on price or on one feature — the rest of this page is where that case gets made.
- NordVPN16 categories
Questions
Is CyberGhost as good as NordVPN?
No — 8.1 against 9.7 in our tests, with NordVPN faster and stronger for streaming and privacy. CyberGhost is a decent, cheap streaming VPN with a 45-day refund.
Which is cheaper, CyberGhost or NordVPN?
CyberGhost on the 2-year plan, though it renews at a much higher rate; NordVPN costs more up front.
Who owns CyberGhost?
Kape Technologies, which also owns ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access. NordVPN is owned by Nord Security.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Scores and the winner are decided by the tests before any commercial consideration. Disclosure