CyberGhost vs. NordVPN: Which is the Ideal Choice?

We put these VPNs to the test to find out which is the best!

WINNER 

nordvpn logo brasil

nordvpn landing page indonesia

Nord VPN Pros

  • High speed
  • Great features
  • User-friendly interface

10

Excellent!

VS

cyberghost vs nordvpn

CyberGhost Home Page Indonesia

CyberGhost VPN Pros

  • Affordable
  • Great security/privacy


8

Good!

A while back, we compared NordVPN and ExpressVPN ⁠— the #1 and #5 from our top recommended VPNs. Today, we will compare NordVPN and CyberGhost, the #1 and #4 of the list.

In that article, NordVPN won mostly because of its affordable pricing. In this one, that won’t be the case because CyberGhost is comparatively cheaper. Still, NordVPN comes to be the eventual winner. Why and How? That’s what we’ll find out.

We will be comparing NordVPN and CyberGhost on the basis of features, ease of use, servers & speed, security & privacy, customer support, and overall value for money.

How do these compare?

Vendor

nordvpn logo brasil
cyberghost vs nordvpn

Features

10/10

8/10

Ease of use

10/10

8/10

Security/Privacy

10/10

9/10

Support

9/10

8/10

Pricing

10/10

8/10

Cell

Both providers offer a top-notch product with apps for every device, thousands of servers across the globe, incredible customer support, excellent security protocols, zero-logs privacy policy, etc. In short, both are comparable. 

However, if measured on a virtual scale, one is better than the other in some aspects. Which ones and how? Let’s find out.

CyberGhost vs. NordVPN: Features


The kind of features and the need for features a VPN provider offers can differ. Hence, it can be a deciding factor if only one has the feature you need. In addition to that, having the standard features such as kill switch and quick connect is also vital.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost offers almost all features without giving any fancy names to it. The package includes the following features (as they title it on official site):

  • Unblock streaming services
  • Access restricted content
  • Torrent anonymously
  • Automatic kill switch
  • OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard® protocols
  • 45-day money-back guarantee
  • Online tracking blocking
  • Ads & Malware blocking
  • Tor compatible

Overall, CyberGhost offers all the primary set of essential and non-essential features.

NordVPN 

NordVPN has been the features-king throughout our comparisons, reviews, and listicles. It has all the features any commercial VPN has. We mentioned “fancy names” in the previous section because NordVPN markets the same features with different titles. 

Here are the features:

  • OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard protocols
  • Cybersec to block ads, malicious sites, and unsafe connections.
  • DoubleVPN to hop your traffic through two encrypted servers, essentially making it extra secure & private.
  • Obfuscated Servers to bypass network restrictions and internet firewalls. With this server, it can go around the great firewall of china.
  • P2P servers for torrenting.
  • Smartplay for secure and smooth streaming of restricted content.
  • Kill Switch to stop the internet activities in case the VPN gets disconnected. NordVPN has two versions of this- apps-only kill switch & internet kill switch.
  • Onion over VPN to pass you traffic from a VPN server into an “Onion network” for anonymity.
  • Leak Protection from IP or DNS leaks.
  • Split Tunneling- a feature that lets selected apps to run on the local servers/ISP or public network, while others use the VPN tunnel. It wasn’t a feature on NordVPN a year or so ago, and it still is only accessible via mobile device and browser extensions.
  • SmartDNS “to set up unrestricted access to streaming content on your smart TV and other devices”.
  • 30-day money-back guarantee.

All in all, that’s the list of features NordVPN offers. Alternatively, we can say it’s a list of features all the VPN providers select from & integrate into their product.

Verdict

Though NordVPN and CyberGhost offer fantastic features, NordVPN wins it because of its obfuscated servers that can bypass China’s firewall. Moreover, CyberGhost doesn’t have a multi-hop VPN option, while NordVPN has Doube VPN.

Winner: NordVPN

CyberGhost vs. NordVPN: Ease of Use


Vendor

nordvpn logo brasil
cyberghost vs nordvpn

Payment options - Cryptocurrencies?

Yes

Yes

Interface

Map-based & list-based

List-based

Apps (Android, iOS, etc.)

All devices

All

Cell

Both VPNs have apps for all major devices, including iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, FireTV,  Linux, and smart TVs. Moreover, Chrome and Firefox extensions are also available. These options make both VPN easily accessible, and it’s a significant part of “ease of use”. 

However, how easy all these apps are to use will determine the winner of this user-friendliness factor.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost’s UI is minimalistic and compact. They have chosen to fit as little as possible on its dashboard. Therefore, when you launch the app, there’s only one connect/disconnect button in the middle, which will connect you to a random server.

nordvpn vs cyberghost

To choose a specific server, you will need to expand the UI. There, you can either search for the server of your choice, or filter the servers depending on the activity- torrenting, streaming, or surfing.

Overall, we really like the effort put into categorizing servers for activities. However, the “minimal” design that demands an extra step to choose a server of choice can be a dealbreaker for some.

NordVPN

NordVPN’s design is a bit bulky but more practical compared to CyberGhost. Once you log in, all the connection options are right there.

nordvpn vs. cyberghost
  • You can quickly connect to a random server.

  • You can filter the server depending on the activity & requirements- P2P, DoubleVPN, etc.

  • You can search for a server via the country & servers list on the left.

  • Also, you can select the server from the map UI. It has all the servers/locations marked. 

All in all, we love NordVPN’s practical approach to UI instead of making a fancy interface. This makes for great user experience, in our opinion.

Verdict

Both NordVPN and CyberGhost have their way of looking at UI/UX. A layperson can easily understand either interface. However, two main differences make NordVPN a more user-friendly option for us:

  1. NordVPN has a map-view which CyberGhost doesn’t. Firstly, it makes selecting a server a little easier. But more importantly, if you fail to connect to a server, you can simply pick a nearby server from the map directly.

  2. CyberGhost’s minimal UI sacrifices its UX a bit. Whereas, NordVPN’s dashboard looks full but is practically better.

Winner: NordVPN

CyberGhost vs NordVPN: Servers & Speed


Vendor

nordvpn logo brasil
cyberghost vs nordvpn

Server locations

59 countries

90 countries

Number of servers

~5400

6200

Unblocks streaming platform

Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, etc.

Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, etc

P2P/Torrenting

Yes

Yes

Avg. Download speed reduction

~20%

~35%

Avg. Upload speed reduction

~15%

~30%

Avg. Ping

~100 ms

~130 ms


Perhaps the most crucial element we look at while reviewing and suggesting a VPN is the number of servers offered by the VPN and the average speed throttling when connected to those servers.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost has 6200 servers in 90 countries. As far as we know, that’s the most number of servers a VPN company has. Also, coverage of 90 nations is the most by any VPN provider. 

Such massive coverage means you can unblock any content available in those countries. We tried it and were able to unblock Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, ESPN sports, and all major content platforms.

NordVPN

NordVPN’s server network extends to 59 countries with its 5200 servers. These numbers are also extraordinary if looked from a broader perspective. However, compared to CyberGhost, it seems a bit minuscule. 

In practical life, NordVPN was able to unblock all the content from major streaming platforms. Plus, among the two, NordVPN is the only one that can be used in China.

Overall, NordVPN’s speed throttling is among the least in the VPN market, which is impressive. It proves that the servers aren’t overfilled, and there’s bandwidth for all. 

Verdict

CyberGhost wins for its number of server options. But, practically, the better speed offered by NordVPN is more crucial. You can choose what’s more important to you; we’ll call it a tie.

Winner: Both or NordVPN

CyberGhost vs. NordVPN: Security & Privacy


Vendor

nordvpn logo brasil
cyberghost vs nordvpn

VPN protocols

OpenVPN, IPSec/IKEv2, WireGuard’s NordLynx

OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec, and Wireguard

Encryption

AES-256

AES-256

Key size

4096-bit

Not Known

Logs

No logs

Zero logs

Location

Panama

Romania

Other features

Kill switch, DoubleVPN, Onion over VPN

Kill switch


Security and privacy are the top two reasons why VPNs were invented. And it still remains among the top reasons people purchase a VPN, alongside accessing geo-blocked content, torrenting, and gaming. As a matter of fact, it’s a part of all the activities.

CyberGhost


cyberghost vs nordvpn

As already mentioned, it uses OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec, and Wireguard protocols. These are the most popular protocols in the VPN market.

For security, it uses the 256-bit military-grade AES encryption. In simple terms, even a supercomputer will take millions of years to decrypt it by brute force.

As for privacy, CyberGhost is located in Romania, which is not in the 5-6-14 alliance and has great privacy rules. Plus, CyberGhost’s zero-logs policy and independent audits prove that your information is safe. 

NordVPN

cyberghost vs nordvpn features

NordVPN is almost the same as CyberGhost. It uses OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and NordLynx (by WireGuard) protocols. The encryption algorithm is also the same: the super-strong AES256-bit algorithm.

The headquarter of NordVPN is in Panama, which again is not a part of the 5-6-14 alliance and has concrete privacy rules. Moreover, the zero-logs policy ensures your privacy.

Verdict

We didn’t mention Double VPN, Kill Switch, etc. like features in this section. If those were mentioned, NordVPN would have been better. However, at the fundamental level, both use the same protocols & privacy policy. 

Winner: Both

CyberGhost vs NordVPN: Customer Support


Vendor

nordvpn logo brasil
cyberghost vs nordvpn

Communication option

Live chat & Email

Live Chat, Email, Knowledgebase

Response time

Live chat: < 1 minute

Email: ~3 hours

Live chat: < 1 minutes

Email: ~3 hours

Quality of response

9/10

9/10


Perfection is a myth. Mishaps happen. And in such times, the customer support team must be ready to solve users’ queries. 

CyberGhost

CyberGhost offers email (through a form) and live chat support options. It also has an extensive FAQ section that answers most general queries with guides, information, and troubleshooter.

While reviewing, we chatted with their live chat a few times. Each time, the response time was under a minute, the support agent was knowledgeable, and the queries were solved almost instantly.

NordVPN

NordVPN has an extensive knowledgebase & video tutorials for common queries. If neither works, you can contact their support team via email or live chat.

In our experience with their live chat, we got prompt responses from trained support agents. The queries were solved then and there.

Verdict

Both VPN companies’ support agents are experienced and experts. From the support aspect, you can’t go wrong with either.

Winner: Both

CyberGhost vs NordVPN: Pricing


nordvpn logo brasil

Starting Price Per Month:

$11.95

Best price:

$3.71/month (2 years)

Number of connections per plan:

6

Money-back guarantee

30 days

VS

cyberghost vs nordvpn

Starting Price Per Month:

$12.99

Best price:

$2.75/month (18 months)

Number of connections per plan:

7

Money-back guarantee

45 days

From the average users’ perspective, the cost of the VPN is important. There’s a budget, and anything beyond that ⁠— no matter how good ⁠— is simply unaffordable. 

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is one of the top low-cost VPNs in the market. The 18-month plan costs a mere $2.75/month! With this plan, you can connect up to seven devices. In short, it’s super-affordable.

NordVPN

NordVPN is also economical. You can buy the 2-year plan for $3.71/month. This plan supports up to six devices connections simultaneously! 

Verdict

NordVPN is cheaper compared to Cyberghost in Monthly plan Section. However, both VPNs are bang for the buck. For the extra cost, NordVPN offers the additional value in form of better speed & features. Still, for this section:

Winner: NordVPN

Cyberghost vs NordVPN: Conclusion

The Winner Is - NordVPN

Throughout the comparison, CyberGhost and NordVPN were comparable. NordVPN undoubtedly was a bit better for the most part, but CyberGhost’s low-cost compensates for it. In a nutshell:

  • NordVPN’s features are better than CyberGhost’s.
  • NordVPN’s interface is practically more useful than CyberGhost’s.
  • CyberGhost has more number of servers and better coverage than NordVPN.
  • The speed, when connected to the NordVPN server, is better than the same with CyberGhost.
  • Both are phenomenal from the security & privacy perspective.
  • CyberGhost’s best value plan is cheaper than NordVPN’s.

Overall, both VPNs are recommendable. If you have the budget, we would suggest you go with NordVPN. If not, CyberGhost is an excellent option.

nordvpn logo brasil

Total Score: 10/10

NordVPN Pros

  • High speed
  • Great features
  • User-friendly