CyberGhost vs NordVPN in 2025: Why NordVPN Is Better

By Arthur Sabayi

Last update: June 5, 2025

CyberGhost vs NordVPN is a clash between two VPN titans that have been at the top of the game for a long time. Both have large server networks, reliable security, audited privacy policies, and they’re compatible with a wide range of devices.

However, when you go beyond surface level, they’re different in many respects. That’s what this CyberGhost vs NordVPN comparison is all about. I will compare these two excellent VPN services across various key categories — such as streaming, server distribution, pricing and feature comparisons — to see which VPN comes out on top.

1. 

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
   Money-Back Guarantee

   30 Days

   Worldwide Server Amount

   Over 5,400+ servers in 59 countries
2. 

   Overall Rating 7.5 / 10

   Visit CyberGhost
   Money-Back Guarantee

   45 Days

   Worldwide Server Amount

   7,300 Servers worldwide

CyberGhost vs NordVPN: Comparison at a Glance

I compared CyberGhost and NordVPN across key categories like security, privacy, speed, streaming, features, pricing, server network and customer support. The two VPN providers tied in some areas, but overall, NordVPN had the upper hand. Check out this quick summary of how they stacked up. 

My Expert Opinion: Is CyberGhost or NordVPN Better?

NordVPN is superior in most of the categories I used to compare the two VPN services. For instance, NordVPN is faster, offers more reliable privacy (it’s been independently audited five times), and is equipped with extra features like obfuscation and a dark web monitor.

Additionally, NordVPN has a slightly larger server network than CyberGhost and is compatible with a wider range of devices. Plus, you can connect up to 10 devices at the same time, compared to just seven with CyberGhost.

However, this doesn’t mean CyberGhost is unusable. It offers the same level of security as NordVPN, including complete protection on unsecured public hotspots. CyberGhost is also cheaper and offers a lengthier 45-day money-back guarantee on long-term plans. 

I Recommend NordVPN For:

• Streaming: NordVPN provides fast speeds through the NordLynx protocol, making it ideal for streaming without buffering. 
• Security: On top of AES encryption, NordVPN offers extra security features such as obfuscation, double VPN and a dark web monitor. 
• Multiple devices: NordVPN is compatible with a wider range of devices and supports up to 10 simultaneous connections. Learn more in our NordVPN review.

1. $3.09 per month (two-year plan + three months)
   

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
   Try NordVPN with its 30-day money-back guarantee, valid even on monthly plans.

I Recommend CyberGhost For:

• People on a budget: CyberGhost is cost-effective, with plans starting at $2.19 per month for a two-year subscription, plus two months free.
• Beginners: CyberGhost’s apps are intuitive and easy enough for new users to navigate with minimal assistance. 
• Unsure users: CyberGhost has an impressive 45-day money-back guarantee on longer plans (14 days for the monthly plan), which allows users extra time to test the service to make sure it’s the right fit. Read our CyberGhost review to learn more.

1. $2.19 per month (two-year plan + two months)
   

   Overall Rating 7.5 / 10

   Visit CyberGhost
   Try CyberGhost with its 45-day refund period on longer plans.

NordVPN vs CyberGhost Speed Test Performance 

I conducted speed tests for both VPN services with my unprotected speeds of 227 Mbps upload and 26 Mbps download from the U.K. NordVPN was slightly faster than CyberGhost. Here’s how the tests panned out:

NordVPN had an average 28% drop in upload speeds and a 19% drop in download speeds. The U.K. server location registered the fastest speeds, at 217 Mbps, while South Africa was the slowest, at 103 Mbps.

CyberGhost had an average 25% speed drop in upload and a 26% drop in download speeds. This was fast enough for streaming in HD without buffering and gaming with minimal latency. The U.K. was the fastest server location, at 190 Mbps, while South Africa was the slowest, at 144 Mbps.

1. Winner
   

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
   NordVPN wins this round very slightly, with faster download speeds, which is typically more important when streaming.

Price & Payment Plans

CyberGhost is cheaper than NordVPN, but the gap isn’t that big when you consider the long-term plans and money-back guarantees.

CyberGhost offers three price plans. The 26-month plan costs $2.19 per month, followed by the six-month plan for $6.99 per month and the monthly plan for $12.99. A 45-day money-back guarantee covers the 26-month and six-month plans, while the monthly plan has a 14-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN has four price tiers: Basic, Plus, Complete and Prime. Basic is the cheapest of the four, providing simple VPN protection. The 27-month option goes for $3.09 per month, followed by the 12-month option for $4.99 per month and a monthly plan that costs $12.99.

The next tier is Plus, which costs $4.39 per month for 24 months and includes Threat Protection (ad and tracker blocker) and a password manager. The Complete package costs $5.39 per month for 24 months with everything in Plus but with 1TB of encrypted cloud storage. Finally, Prime starts from $7.39 per month for 24 months and is the only option that comes with NordProtect, which includes credit and identity monitoring. 

1. Winner
   

   Overall Rating 7.5 / 10

   Visit CyberGhost
   CyberGhost wins this category for being slightly cheaper than NordVPN and offering a long 45-day money-back guarantee.

Feature Comparison

NordVPN has more features than CyberGhost, but both VPNs use a wide range of features to enhance security and overall usability. Some features are offered by both VPNs, while some are exclusive to one VPN or the other. Let’s start with the shared features.

Kill Switch

First on the list is the kill switch. This feature disables your internet connection if the VPN connection is interrupted, preventing your IP address from being exposed. NordVPN has a kill switch on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Linux. CyberGhost offers a kill switch on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.

Split Tunneling

The second shared feature is split tunneling. This lets you choose which apps and websites to route through the VPN and which ones to leave out. Split tunneling is ideal if you have apps that don’t work with VPNs. An added advantage is that you’ll enjoy better performance since the VPN is encrypting less data.

NordVPN has split tunneling on Android, Windows and Android TV, while CyberGhost has it on Android and Windows.

Dedicated IP Addresses

Both VPNs also offer dedicated IP addresses. A dedicated IP is exclusive to you alone and cannot be used by other VPN subscribers. They’re useful for reducing CAPTCHA prompts and preventing account access issues due to random IP changes. Dedicated IPs also make it easier to access services like streaming platforms that flag or block shared IP addresses.

NordVPN offers dedicated IP addresses in 27 locations, at an added cost of $3.85 per month. CyberGhost offers dedicated IP addresses in 12 countries and charges an extra $2.50 per month for them. 

Blocking Tools

You can also use ad blockers on both VPNs, but NordVPN’s ad-blocking tool is more advanced. Called Threat Protection Pro, it has a malware scanner, a malicious website blocker, and a tracker and ad blocker. This feature is available on Windows and macOS. 

CyberGhost offers a “block content” feature, which blocks DNS domains used for ads, malware and trackers. This feature is available on CyberGhost for macOS, Windows and Android.

Public WiFi Protection

The last shared feature is public WiFi protection, which lets you set how the VPN operates when you connect to a new unsecured network. CyberGhost offers this feature for macOS (under “smart rules”) and Android, while NordVPN calls it “unsafe WiFi protection” and offers it for Android and Windows.

NordVPN’s Exclusive Features

NordVPN has the upper hand when it comes to exclusive features. Meshnet allows you to link remote devices and access them over encrypted connections. This is ideal for remote work or remote gaming with friends. You also get a dark web monitor, which scans the dark web and alerts you if it discovers that any of your credentials have leaked.

Additionally, NordVPN is the only option of the two that offers obfuscation and double VPN. Obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic to bypass VPN blocks on networks and in regions that block VPNs. Double VPN routes your connection through two servers, providing two layers of encryption for enhanced privacy.

Note, though, that some of NordVPN’s features are restricted behind more expensive plans. For example, you’ll need to upgrade to the Plus plan if you want the Threat Protection and password manager features.

1. Winner
   

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
   NordVPN wins this round for having extra features like Meshnet, a dark web monitor, double VPN and obfuscation.

Security

Encryption is the foundation of VPN security: It protects your data by scrambling it so third parties can’t read it. VPNs implement this by using secure encryption standards and tunneling protocols, as summarized below. 

CyberGhost uses OpenVPN, an open-source protocol that balances speed and security. There’s also IKEv2, which works well with mobile networks, and WireGuard, which offers the fastest speeds.

NordVPN also uses OpenVPN, as well as NordLynx, which is based on WireGuard and gives NordVPN its famous fast speeds. NordWhisper is a more recent addition that’s designed for securing text and voice messages.

Both VPNs also route all DNS requests from your device through their secure and private servers. This ensures that no one can intercept and see your browsing activity as long as the VPN connection is active.

I conducted encryption tests for both VPNs using Wireshark to see if they worked. As you can see in the screenshots below, only a series of random numbers, texts and symbols was visible. This is what anyone who manages to intercept your connection will see, so they won’t be able to pick out your IP address or any other sensitive information.

This round is a tie, as both VPNs use excellent encryption and reliable protocols.

1. Tie
   

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
2. 

   Overall Rating 7.5 / 10

   Visit CyberGhost

Privacy

Privacy is another key area that involves the handling of user data. While encryption protects you from external threats, privacy ensures that not even the VPN itself can see your online activity.

Both NordVPN and CyberGhost follow strict no-logs policies and run on RAM-only servers. With these servers, data is temporarily stored in volatile memory that is wiped periodically, rather than stored on hard drives. No one can ever retrieve your activity logs — now or in the future.

CyberGhost and NordVPN have also been independently audited and verified. NordVPN has been audited five times, with the most recent one in 2024, while CyberGhost has been audited twice as of 2024.

1. Winner
   

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
   This is very close, but NordVPN has a slight edge because it has been audited five times.

VPN Server Network & Locations

CyberGhost and NordVPN have large networks that come with specialty servers. For specialized servers, NordVPN has obfuscated, double VPN, Onion over VPN and P2P servers. CyberGhost has gaming, torrenting and dedicated streaming servers.  

Both VPNs also have virtual servers, which appear to be located in one country based on their IP address but in truth are physically hosted elsewhere. Virtual servers are necessary for providing IP addresses in countries with poor infrastructure or high censorship, reducing the risk of surveillance or physical seizure. 

The NordVPN server network is large, with 154 server locations in 118 countries, including virtual servers. Most of its servers are in Europe, North America and Asia, with Oceania and the Middle East having the fewest. Here’s a breakdown of the server distribution:

NordVPN Network:

The CyberGhost server network has 125 server locations in 99 countries, including virtual servers. Like NordVPN, most of its servers are concentrated in Europe, Asia and North America. In Oceania, servers are available in New Zealand and Australia only, making it the region with the least CyberGhost coverage. 

CyberGhost Network:

1. Winner
   

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
   Overall, NordVPN wins due to having more servers and a bigger selection of optimized servers.

Streaming Performance & Unblocking Capability

NordVPN is better for streaming than CyberGhost. In all the time I’ve used CyberGhost and NordVPN for streaming, they’ve consistently unblocked all the major services, including Netflix, Prime Video, Max, Peacock, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and Disney+. Here’s a quick summary of the streaming platforms that both VPNs unblocked on my first attempt.

NordVPN quickly unblocked all streaming services on the first attempt. Thanks to the excellent speed from the NordLynx protocol, I was able to stream movies and shows without any buffering on Windows, macOS and Android TV.

CyberGhost could also unblock all major streaming platforms, but the performance was noticeably affected. For example, I used CyberGhost to unblock Peacock TV using a U.S. server and streamed English Premier League matches. However, there was more noticeable lag than with NordVPN, which offers faster connection speeds for streaming. 

1. Winner
   

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
   Though both VPNs are capable of unblocking all major streaming services, NordVPN wins this round due to providing a smoother streaming experience through faster speeds.

Customer Support

CyberGhost and NordVPN tied in this category. Customer support is vital because customers need to get help as quickly as possible. CyberGhost has a live chat with helpful agents that respond quickly to questions. Other avenues you can use include direct email, product guides and FAQs.

NordVPN also provides a fast live chat option that’s available 24/7. There’s also a support center, an FAQ section and a tutorial page with guides on how to use NordVPN on multiple devices.

This is a tie. Both VPNs have fast live chat, direct email and resources like FAQs and guides.

1. Tie
   

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
2. 

   Overall Rating 7.5 / 10

   Visit CyberGhost

Conclusion: Why I Think NordVPN Wins Overall

NordVPN wins this CyberGhost vs NordVPN showdown for several key reasons. It’s faster, giving it an edge for streaming and gaming, and it offers more reliable privacy thanks to its numerous audits. NordVPN also has more advanced security features, like a dark web monitor and obfuscation, and it provides better server coverage. 

That said, CyberGhost is still a solid option. It has decent speeds that can handle streaming, and you can choose from more than 120 server locations for bypassing restrictions. CyberGhost is also cheaper and the only VPN that offers a 45-day money-back guarantee on longer plans.

Do you agree with this verdict, or do you feel like CyberGhost is better? Have you used either of these two services? How was the experience? Drop your feedback in the comments below, and keep reading our blog for more informative content.

1. Winner, NordVPN vs CyberGhost
   

   Overall Rating 9.3 / 10

   Visit NordVPN

Methodology: How I Compared CyberGhost and NordVPN

Below, I break down the methodology I used for this CyberGhost vs NordVPN comparison:

• Speed: I chose seven server locations across several continents for each VPN and ran speed tests with the fastest protocols. I then calculated the average download and upload speeds to determine the faster option of the two VPNs.
• Price & Value: I compared the long-term plans for each VPN to figure out which of the two offers the best value for the money, and also compared the duration of their money-back guarantees.
• Features: I evaluated shared features like the kill switch, split tunneling and WiFi protection, then looked into the advanced features exclusive to each VPN.
• Server Network: I counted server locations and countries for each VPN to see which has the bigger server network. I also checked the availability of specialty servers and virtual options.
• Security: I checked the type of encryption each VPN employs, then conducted tests to confirm whether they work. I also tested the encryption with Wireshark.
• Privacy: I investigated each VPN’s privacy policy, checked for RAM-only server availability and looked into whether they’ve been independently audited.
• Streaming: I connected to different servers on each VPN and tried unblocking geo-restricted streaming sites. I paid close attention to how long it took to unblock the sites and how smooth the streaming experience was.

Other VPN Alternatives I Like

If CyberGhost and NordVPN don’t satisfy your needs, you can try these alternative VPNs.

1. $2.19 per month (two-year plan + three months)
   

   Overall Rating 9.2 / 10

   Visit Surfshark

Surfshark: You get more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries, unlimited simultaneous connections, obfuscation via camouflage mode, and extra security and privacy features like MultiHop and NoBorders mode. Our Surfshark review explains more.

1. $4.99 per month (two-year plan + four months)
   

   Overall Rating 9.1 / 10

   Get 49% Off ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN: Make the most of automatic obfuscation, more than 3,000 servers in 105 countries, fast speeds for streaming, an ad and tracker blocker, and the ability to bypass geo-restrictions in most places around the world. Read our ExpressVPN review for more. 

1. $1.11 per month (two-year plan + three months)
   

   Overall Rating 8.4 / 10

   PrivadoVPN

PrivadoVPN: If you’re looking for the best free VPN, consider PrivadoVPN. It comes with 13 free server locations, offers unlimited data (though it caps fast speeds at 10GB) and protects your online connections from hackers and snoopers. Check out our PrivadoVPN review for more details.

FAQ: CyberGhost vs NordVPN

• Is CyberGhost Good?

  Yes, CyberGhost is a good VPN. It has a large server network for bypassing restrictions, uses AES-256 encryption for security, has been independently audited and is fast enough for streaming and gaming. 

• Is CyberGhost Better Than NordVPN?

  No, CyberGhost is not better than NordVPN. CyberGhost is slower, has had fewer audits and lacks important security features like obfuscation.

• What Are the Disadvantages of CyberGhost VPN?

  The main disadvantage of CyberGhost VPN is the lack of obfuscation, which makes it easier for networks to detect and block it. As a result, it’s not the best choice for getting around VPN restrictions in censorship-heavy countries like China.

• Which Country Made CyberGhost VPN?

  CyberGhost VPN was founded in 2011 in Bucharest, Romania.