Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
CyberGhost vs Mullvad
Mullvad takes it by 15.5 points, 85.5 against 70.0. That margin is worth reading past — CyberGhost wins 3 of the seven criteria outright.
CyberGhost
70.0The longest refund window in the market attached to a mid-tier privacy posture.
- From
- $2.19/mo
- Based in
- Romania
- Devices
- 7
- Audits
- 1
We earn nothing from CyberGhost. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Mullvad
85.5The strongest privacy posture of any provider in this dataset, and the only one we cannot earn a commission from.
- From
- $5.50/mo
- Based in
- Sweden
- Devices
- 5
- Audits
- 2
We earn nothing from Mullvad. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Criterion by criterion
CyberGhost wins 3, Mullvad wins 3, 1 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | CyberGhost | Mullvad | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 6/10 (12.0) | 10/10 (20.0) | Mullvad |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 6/10 (9.0) | CyberGhost |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Tied |
| Leak protection | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 10/10 (15.0) | Mullvad |
| Transparency | 15 | 5/10 (7.5) | 10/10 (15.0) | Mullvad |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 9/10 (9.0) | 7/10 (7.0) | CyberGhost |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 7/10 (7.0) | 6/10 (6.0) | CyberGhost |
| Total | 100 | 70.0 | 85.5 | Mullvad |
Where each one actually wins
CyberGhost is ahead on
- Jurisdiction and ownership. Romania sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement, but the company is owned by Kape Technologies.
- Price and refund terms. $2.19/month effective on a 26-month term with a 45-day refund window, the longest here.
- Platform coverage. Desktop, mobile, Android TV and router, with 7 simultaneous connections and no Apple TV app.
Mullvad is ahead on
- Independent audit. Recurring published audits by Assured AB and Cure53 covering infrastructure, apps and extension.
- Leak protection. Kill switch is always on by design across desktop and mobile, with IPv6 and DNS resolved in-tunnel.
- Transparency. All clients are open source, signup issues a random account number with no email, and cash payment is accepted by post.
Choose CyberGhost if
Readers who want a long, genuinely risk-free evaluation period.
Choose Mullvad if
Readers who want the least possible account data held about them.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip CyberGhost if: You want auditable client software, or you are uncomfortable with three of this dataset’s providers sharing one owner.
Skip Mullvad if: Your main reason for buying a VPN is watching a specific streaming catalogue. Mullvad does not chase streaming platforms and does not claim to.
Questions
- Is CyberGhost or Mullvad better?
- Mullvad scores higher overall, 85.5 against 70.0, a gap of 15.5 points out of 100. The strongest privacy posture of any provider in this dataset, and the only one we cannot earn a commission from.
- Which is cheaper, CyberGhost or Mullvad?
- CyberGhost, at $2.19/mo against $5.50/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- Mullvad, most recently in 2024 against CyberGhost’s 2022.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. CyberGhost operates from Romania and Mullvad from Sweden. CyberGhost is outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement; the other is not.
Related comparisons
Comparison generated from the same dataset as the ranking. Emphasis criterion definitions are on the rubric page. Criterion labels: Independent audit, Jurisdiction and ownership, Protocol and crypto stack, Leak protection, Transparency, Price and refund terms, Platform coverage.