Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
CyberGhost vs NordVPN
NordVPN takes it by 14 points, 84.0 against 70.0. That margin is worth reading past — CyberGhost wins 2 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.
NordVPN
84.0The most complete all-round package here, provided you accept closed-source clients and a renewal price well above the introductory rate.
- From
- $3.39/mo
- Based in
- Panama
- Devices
- 10
- Audits
- 2
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Criterion by criterion
CyberGhost wins 2, NordVPN wins 5. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | CyberGhost | NordVPN | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 6/10 (12.0) | 9/10 (18.0) | NordVPN |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | NordVPN |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | CyberGhost |
| Leak protection | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | NordVPN |
| Transparency | 15 | 5/10 (7.5) | 6/10 (9.0) | NordVPN |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 9/10 (9.0) | 8/10 (8.0) | CyberGhost |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 7/10 (7.0) | 10/10 (10.0) | NordVPN |
| Total | 100 | 70.0 | 84.0 | NordVPN |
Where each one actually wins
CyberGhost is ahead on
- Protocol and crypto stack. WireGuard and OpenVPN shipped on all platforms with modern defaults.
- Price and refund terms. $2.19/month effective on a 26-month term with a 45-day refund window, the longest here.
NordVPN is ahead on
- Independent audit. Deloitte re-audited the no-logs claim in 2023 and Cure53 audited the applications; both reports are public.
- Jurisdiction and ownership. Incorporated in Panama, outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement, with disclosed parent ownership under Nord Security.
- Leak protection. Kill switch on all desktop and mobile apps, with DNS resolved inside the tunnel and RAM-only server infrastructure.
- Transparency. Clients are closed source and signup requires an email, offset by a published transparency report and warrant canary.
- Platform coverage. Native apps across desktop, mobile, Apple TV, Android TV and routers, with 10 simultaneous connections.
Choose CyberGhost if
Readers who want a long, genuinely risk-free evaluation period.
Choose NordVPN if
Readers who want one subscription to cover a household of mixed devices.
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 NordVPN if: You need open-source clients or want to pay month to month. At $12.99 monthly it is one of the most expensive short-term options here.
Questions
- Is CyberGhost or NordVPN better?
- NordVPN scores higher overall, 84.0 against 70.0, a gap of 14 points out of 100. The most complete all-round package here, provided you accept closed-source clients and a renewal price well above the introductory rate.
- Which is cheaper, CyberGhost or NordVPN?
- CyberGhost, at $2.19/mo against $3.39/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- NordVPN, most recently in 2023 against CyberGhost’s 2022.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. CyberGhost operates from Romania and NordVPN from Panama. Both sit in the same position relative to the Fourteen Eyes agreement.
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.