Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
CyberGhost vs Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access takes it by 3 points, 73.0 against 70.0. That margin is worth reading past — CyberGhost wins 1 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.
The only provider here whose no-logs claim has been tested by a court rather than only by an auditor — but it is a US company.
- From
- $2.03/mo
- Based in
- United States
- Devices
- Unlimited
- Audits
- 1
We earn nothing from Private Internet Access. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Criterion by criterion
CyberGhost wins 1, Private Internet Access wins 4, 2 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | CyberGhost | Private Internet Access | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 6/10 (12.0) | 7/10 (14.0) | Private Internet Access |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 3/10 (4.5) | CyberGhost |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Tied |
| Leak protection | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | Private Internet Access |
| Transparency | 15 | 5/10 (7.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | Private Internet Access |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 9/10 (9.0) | 9/10 (9.0) | Tied |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 7/10 (7.0) | 8/10 (8.0) | Private Internet Access |
| Total | 100 | 70.0 | 73.0 | Private Internet Access |
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.
Private Internet Access is ahead on
- Independent audit. Deloitte assured the no-logs claim in 2022, and the claim has separately survived subpoena in US court proceedings.
- Leak protection. Kill switch on desktop and mobile with an advanced always-on mode, and port forwarding available.
- Transparency. All clients are open source and a transparency report is published; signup requires an email address.
- Platform coverage. Broad platform coverage with unlimited connections, but no Apple TV application.
Choose CyberGhost if
Readers who want a long, genuinely risk-free evaluation period.
Choose Private Internet Access if
Readers who want open-source clients and granular control over encryption settings.
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 Private Internet Access if: Your threat model includes US legal process. No amount of open-source client code changes where the company is incorporated.
Questions
- Is CyberGhost or Private Internet Access better?
- Private Internet Access scores higher overall, 73.0 against 70.0, a gap of 3 points out of 100. That is close enough that the deciding factor should be which criteria matter to you rather than the total.
- Which is cheaper, CyberGhost or Private Internet Access?
- Private Internet Access, at $2.03/mo against $2.19/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- Both published audits in 2022.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. CyberGhost operates from Romania and Private Internet Access from United States. 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.