Is CyberGhost or PureVPN better?

CyberGhost scores higher overall, 70.0 against 69.0, a gap of 1 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 PureVPN?

PureVPN, at $2.11/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?

PureVPN, most recently in 2023 against CyberGhost’s 2022.

Does jurisdiction differ between them?

Yes. CyberGhost operates from Romania and PureVPN from British Virgin Islands. Both sit in the same position relative to the Fourteen Eyes agreement.

Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026

CyberGhost vs PureVPN

CyberGhost takes it by 1 points, 70.0 against 69.0. That margin is worth reading past — PureVPN wins 1 of the seven criteria outright.

CyberGhost

70.0

The longest refund window in the market attached to a mid-tier privacy posture.

From: $2.19/mo
Based in: Romania
Devices: 7
Audits: 1

Visit CyberGhost

We earn nothing from CyberGhost. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.

PureVPN

69.0

Cheap and broadly capable, carrying a documented 2017 logging incident that the current audit arrangement is designed to answer.

From: $2.11/mo
Based in: British Virgin Islands
Devices: 10
Audits: 1

Visit PureVPN

We earn a commission if you subscribe through this link. It does not change PureVPN’s score.

Criterion by criterion

CyberGhost wins 2, PureVPN wins 1, 4 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.

Criterion	Weight	CyberGhost	PureVPN	Winner
Independent audit	20	6/10 (12.0)	7/10 (14.0)	PureVPN
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)	7/10 (10.5)	Tied
Transparency	15	5/10 (7.5)	4/10 (6.0)	CyberGhost
Price and refund terms	10	9/10 (9.0)	9/10 (9.0)	Tied
Platform coverage	10	7/10 (7.0)	7/10 (7.0)	Tied
Total	100	70.0	69.0	CyberGhost

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.
Transparency. Closed-source clients with a published transparency report; email required at signup.

PureVPN is ahead on

Independent audit. KPMG operates an always-on audit arrangement rather than a single snapshot report.

Choose CyberGhost if

Readers who want a long, genuinely risk-free evaluation period.

Choose PureVPN if

Readers who want a low price and are satisfied by the current audit arrangement.

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 PureVPN if: Past conduct matters to you. The 2017 incident is a matter of public court record, and no later audit erases it.

Questions

Is CyberGhost or PureVPN better?: CyberGhost scores higher overall, 70.0 against 69.0, a gap of 1 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 PureVPN?: PureVPN, at $2.11/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?: PureVPN, most recently in 2023 against CyberGhost’s 2022.
Does jurisdiction differ between them?: Yes. CyberGhost operates from Romania and PureVPN from British Virgin Islands. 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.