CyberGhost VPN vs. NordVPN: Which One Is Better in 2024?

Tim Mocan
Updated on: September 30, 2024 Senior Writer

CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN are two of my favorite VPNs in 2024. They both provide strong security and privacy, work with top streaming sites like Netflix and BBC iPlayer, have great P2P support, maintain really fast speeds, and come with user-friendly apps.

CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN include industry-standard VPN security features like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy. And they also come with other advanced and additional features:

• Split-tunneling.
• An ad and malicious site blocker.
• Tor (The Onion Router) support.
• Dedicated IP addresses.
• A smart DNS.
• Leak protection.
• Perfect forward secrecy.
• RAM-only servers.

But there are some noticeable differences between the two providers. CyberGhost VPN has servers in 100 countries, provides really fast speeds, works with 50+ streaming services, and is really affordable. NordVPN, on the other hand, has servers in 111 countries, maintains fast speeds, but there are also noticeable slowdowns on distant servers, it only works with 10+ streaming platforms, and is more expensive than CyberGhost VPN — but it also comes with more additional features, including a data breach monitoring tool and double VPN connections.

I compared CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN in many areas — security, additional features, privacy, servers, speeds, streaming, torrenting, gaming, bypassing censorship, ease of use, pricing, and customer support. While CyberGhost VPN is my winner, it was a close call as both VPNs provide really great value. So, I recommend reading the whole comparison article to see which provider best addresses all of your needs. Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.

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CyberGhost VPN vs. NordVPN — Quick Overview

Security — Both VPNs Are Excellent Picks

CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN have excellent security features. For starters, they both have the following industry-standard VPN security features:

• 256-bit AES encryption. Makes all your internet traffic completely unreadable, and it’s the same encryption standard used by banks and the military.
• No-logs policy. Prevents the VPN provider from logging your IP address and browsing traffic (which sites you visit and what files you download).
• Kill switch. Disables internet access if the VPN connection drops to protect you from data leaks. NordVPN also has an app-level kill switch, which lets you pick specific apps that close if the VPN disconnects.

It’s great that both providers come with some advanced security features. You get strong leak protection — I ran leak tests while connected to 10+ servers from each VPN, and I never saw any leaks. What’s more, they have RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy. RAM-only servers save data only to the RAM, which means every reset wipes all data. And perfect forward secrecy changes the encryption key for each VPN connection to prevent cybercriminals from compromising past or future encryption keys to spy on your traffic.

Both VPNs come with secure protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec. CyberGhost VPN also has WireGuard, which is secure and very fast, and NordVPN has its own proprietary protocol called NordLynx, which is built around the WireGuard protocol.

NordVPN lets you secure your VPN account with multi-factor authentication. This requires you to authorize each login attempt with a security key or a time-sensitive code that’s generated by an app.

Extra Features — NordVPN Wins This Round

NordVPN gets the edge here thanks to having more features and better functionality. You get split-tunneling with both VPNs, which is a feature that allows you to pick which apps use the VPN connections and which apps or sites use your local network. However, only NordVPN comes with obfuscation, which makes your VPN traffic look like normal internet traffic — this provides better privacy.

While I like CyberGhost VPN’s ad blocker, it’s not as good as NordVPN’s tool. NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro blocks more ads than CyberGhost VPN’s Content Blocker. What’s more, Threat Protection Pro also protects you from malicious downloads without compromising your privacy — and it’s also more convenient, as you don’t need to be connected to a VPN server for it to work. Plus, it also alerts you about outdated apps.

Both VPNs support Tor traffic on all of their servers, meaning you can first secure your traffic with NordVPN or CyberGhost VPN before accessing the dark web. But NordVPN also comes with Onion Over VPN servers, which automatically send your data through the Tor network — this allows you to surf dark web sites in regular browsers like Chrome and Firefox.

I also like how both providers have a smart DNS, which is a feature that lets you use a VPN devices that don’t natively support VPN apps, like gaming consoles and some other smart TVs (including Apple TV). And both CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN come with dedicated IP addresses, which are only assigned to you.

CyberGhost VPN also comes with these features, which NordVPN lacks:

• NoSpy Servers. These servers provide extra privacy, as they’re housed inside the provider’s headquarters in Romania, so only CyberGhost VPN’s staff has access to them.
  Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.
• Smart Rules. Allows you to configure VPN connection preferences — for example, I used the feature to make CyberGhost VPN automatically connect to a gaming server when I open Steam.
  Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.
• Identity Guard. This feature alerts you if your email addresses or passwords have been compromised in a data breach.

And NordVPN also comes with these extras, which CyberGhost VPN doesn’t have:

• Double VPN. Provides better security by sending your traffic through 2 VPN servers instead of just 1 server.
• Dark Web Monitor. Scans the web and sends you alerts if it detects that your NordVPN login credentials have been compromised.
• Tapjacking protection. Prevents malicious apps from adding a screen overlay, which might trick you into accidentally revealing sensitive data — like sharing your bank account login credentials. The provider’s feature will alert you when it detects an app that tries to add a screen overlay.
• Meshnet. Allows you to link up to 60 devices over encrypted VPN connections, which are powered by NordLynx (so you get very fast speeds). Meshnet is useful for hosting secure virtual LAN parties with your friends, or securely sharing data from your phone to your home computer while traveling.
• SOCKS5 proxy servers. These servers change your IP address like a VPN, but they don’t provide encryption — so you get significantly faster speeds.

Privacy — Either VPN Is a Great Pick

CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN provide excellent privacy, as they have transparent and strict no-logs policies that have passed independent audits — CyberGhost VPN’s no-logs policy was audited in 2022, and NordVPN’s no-logs policy passed security audits in 2018, 2020, and 2022. In addition, NordVPN’s logging policy was confirmed in 2018, when one of the data centers that housed the provider’s servers suffered a data breach but no user data was leaked.

NordVPN also underwent other security audits. Its NordLynx protocol passed an audit, and no major security issues were found during audits of its iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS apps.

CyberGhost VPN also publishes regular transparency reports, which display all the requests the provider received for user data. The reports also show how CyberGhost VPN refuses to comply with those requests.

Plus, both providers are located in privacy-friendly countries — CyberGhost VPN is based in Romania and NordVPN is in Panama. Both countries are outside the jurisdiction of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances (a group of countries that share surveillance data) and lack mandatory data retention laws.

What’s more, CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN accept cryptocurrency payments, which provide better privacy than other payment methods like credit cards and PayPal.

Servers — NordVPN Has a Better Server Network

CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN both have large server networks. CyberGhost gives you access to an unspecified number of servers in 100 countries, whereas NordVPN’s network has 6,371 servers in 111 countries. With NordVPN, you’re less likely to connect to an overcrowded server that could slow down your speeds.

Both providers use virtual servers, which assign you an IP address from the country you connect to, but the server is physically located in a different region. They are just as secure as a physical server and always provided me with the correct IP address.

When it comes to streaming and torrenting, I lean toward CyberGhost VPN — you get P2P servers in 85+ countries, whereas NordVPN has 4,500+ P2P servers in only 45+ countries. CyberGhost VPN works with 50+ streaming platforms, while NordVPN only works with 10+ streaming services.

Speeds — CyberGhost VPN Wins This Round

This was very close but CyberGhost VPN is slightly faster than NordVPN. In my speed tests, websites and HD videos loaded instantly on all servers with CyberGhost VPN, and it took me just 10–11 minutes to torrent a 20 GB file on nearby servers (and 15–16 minutes on distant servers). However, on distant servers while connected to NordVPN, sites loaded in 2–3 seconds, HD videos in 1–2 seconds, and 4K videos in 4–5 seconds, and the same 20 GB file took 19–22 minutes to download.

Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.

Streaming — CyberGhost VPN Provides Better Variety

I liked streaming more with CyberGhost VPN than NordVPN. It has 100+ streaming servers in 20+ countries that work with 50+ streaming platforms, while NordVPN only works with 10+ streaming services. Plus, CyberGhost VPN’s customer support team confirmed it works with 15+ Netflix libraries, while NordVPN’s support team confirmed it works with 10+ Netflix libraries, which is still impressive.

In addition to Netflix, each VPN works with other popular streaming platforms, such as Max, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer. And they work with other services like Crunchyroll, Pluto TV, and VRV too.

Finally, both providers have smart DNS tools, which let you use a VPN on devices that don’t support VPN apps. NordVPN also has SmartPlay, which combines VPN and smart DNS technology to further encrypt your data.

Torrenting — Both VPNs Are Great for Torrenting

CyberGhost VPN offers torrenting support on more servers and countries — it has torrenting servers in 85+ countries, while NordVPN comes with 4,500+ torrenting servers in 95+ countries. Also, I never experienced any issues downloading torrents on top clients like Vuze, qBittorrent, and uTorrent.

I had a positive experience using NordVPN’s SOCKS5 proxy servers (located in the US, the Netherlands, and Sweden). These servers change your IP address but don’t encrypt your traffic, so they are much faster than VPN servers — in my tests, my P2P speeds were 20% faster when I used a SOCKS5 proxy server.

But both VPNs provide excellent security and privacy while torrenting. They each come with a kill switch, an audited no-logs policy, and leak protection. While CyberGhost VPN’s Content Blocker and NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro features protect you from visiting malicious P2P sites and block ads on torrenting sites, Threat Protection Pro also protects you from downloading malicious files.

Gaming — CyberGhost VPN Is the Better Option

I had faster connections with CyberGhost VPN while playing Dota 2. It provided me with low ping on local servers and average ping on distant servers. NordVPN had the same ping, but I experienced minor lag (not game-breaking, though) on some distant servers.

What’s more, CyberGhost VPN also has 90+ dedicated gaming servers in 4 countries (the US, the UK, France, and Germany), which are optimized to provide stable ping and connections — when I used these servers, my ping was even lower than on the provider’s non-gaming servers.

CyberGhost VPN has Distributed-Denial-of-Service (DDoS) protection on all servers. This means its servers are able to thwart any DDoS attacks. However, NordVPN’s servers don’t have DDoS protection. While no one can attack your real IP address, your NordVPN IP address may be vulnerable to a DDoS attack, which can disconnect you from the internet.

Both providers support manual setups on routers, which lets you secure your online gaming on devices that don’t natively support VPN apps, such as gaming consoles. However, both VPNs lack cloud gaming support, so there’s no guarantee they might work with platforms that stream games to portable devices like laptops and smartphones.

One of the advantages NordVPN has over CyberGhost VPN is its Meshnet feature, which is good for hosting virtual LAN parties. It allows you to connect up to 60 devices on your network, so your friends’ connections are also secured by VPN encryption.

Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.

Bypassing Censorship — Neither VPN Is a Good Pick

Unfortunately, neither VPN is a good choice in restrictive countries. Instead, I recommend trying ExpressVPN since it works in restrictive countries such as China, Russia, and Iran. ExpressVPN is actually the #1 VPN for bypassing government censorship on the market.

Apps & Ease of Use — Both VPNs Are Very User-Friendly

Both VPNs have apps for tons of platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android TV, Fire TV, and Chromebook. They also allow manual setups on routers.

I like both providers’ mobile apps — they’re very intuitive, come with quick-connect features, and provide helpful explanations for all features and settings. However, NordVPN’s apps are slightly better, as they come with more features.

It’s easier to install and use CyberGhost VPN’s macOS app — it only has 1 macOS app version, while NordVPN has 2 macOS app versions (one for IKEv2/IPSec, and one for OpenVPN), which is confusing. Both CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN allow manual setups on routers, and each provider has helpful tutorials that make the setup process straightforward.

Plans & Pricing — CyberGhost VPN Is More Affordable

CyberGhost VPN is cheaper, allows more connections, and a longer refund window. It has a 1-month, a 6-month, and a 2-year plan (that comes with 2 extra months for free) that offers the best value (it costs $2.19 / month). It backs the long-term plans with a 45-day money-back guarantee, while the 1-month plan carries a 14-day money-back guarantee. All plans allow 7 simultaneous connections.

NordVPN has tier-based monthly and yearly plans: Basic, Plus, and Ultimate. Basic includes almost all VPN features, except Threat Protection Pro — instead, it only has Threat Protection, which blocks malicious and phishing domains, and some ads. The Plus subscription adds Threat Protection Pro and a password manager, and the Ultimate subscription adds encrypted cloud storage and protection against identity theft and cyber extortion.

I personally like the Plus subscription the most (costs $3.89 / month) since it comes with all VPN features.

CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN accept several types of payments. Each VPN accepts credit/debit cards, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and cryptocurrencies. CyberGhost VPN also allows you to pay via PayPal.

Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.

Customer Support — Both VPNs Provide Great Customer Support

Both providers have really good support libraries. They include tons of helpful frequently asked questions (FAQs), easy-to-follow tutorials that include screenshots and even video guides, and great troubleshooting articles.

Each VPN also provides great live chat and email support — it usually took less than 4–5 seconds to be connected to a rep with each provider, and the reps always provided me with accurate answers. My only minor complaint is that, unlike NordVPN, CyberGhost VPN’s live chat support isn’t available 24/7 — there were multiple times I was unable to connect to a rep. And, I usually received an email response in less than 24 hours, which is pretty good.

Overall Winner: CyberGhost VPN

I think both options are good — however, CyberGhost slightly outperforms in several areas.  It offers higher speeds, compatibility with a wider variety of streaming services, superior gaming performance, and more cost-effective plans.

CyberGhost VPN also offers great security and privacy, good torrenting support, intuitive apps, and excellent customer support.

That said, NordVPN excels in servers and extra features. With 6,371 servers in 111 countries, 4,500+ torrenting-friendly servers in 45+ countries, excellent speeds, and compatibility with multiple streaming platforms, it’s another top choice.

Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CyberGhost VPN better than NordVPN?

Yes, as CyberGhost VPN outperforms NordVPN in many areas, including speeds, streaming support, gaming support, and plans and pricing. However, both VPNs are great options. This is why I was unable to pick a winner for security and privacy features, P2P support, ease of use, and customer support.

Which is faster — CyberGhost VPN or NordVPN?

In my tests, I had much faster speeds with CyberGhost VPN. With CyberGhost VPN, I maintained really fast speeds on nearby and distant servers. NordVPN also provided me with really fast speeds on nearby servers, but I experienced slowdowns on distant servers.

Is CyberGhost VPN better than NordVPN for torrenting?

Not really, as both VPNs provide really good P2P support. While CyberGhost VPN has P2P servers in more countries (85+ countries) than NordVPN (4,500+ in 45+ countries), both VPNs work with top P2P apps and have excellent security and privacy features for torrenting. These include a kill switch (prevents data leaks by disabling web access when the VPN disconnects), a no-logs policy that has been independently audited, and leak protection.

Is NordVPN better for streaming than CyberGhost VPN?

No, since CyberGhost VPN provides better streaming support than NordVPN — CyberGhost VPN works with 50+ streaming platforms, while NordVPN only works with 10+ streaming services. Both VPNs are compatible with top sites like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max, but you ultimately still get better variety with CyberGhost VPN.

Which VPN is more secure — CyberGhost VPN or NordVPN?

You get excellent security features with both VPNs. They come with essential security features, including 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch to prevent data leaks if the VPN connection drops, and an independently audited and confirmed no-logs policy to prevent the VPNs from logging your data. You also get secure VPN protocols and advanced security features such as RAM-only servers (every server reset wipes all data), leak protection, and perfect forward secrecy, which changes the encryption key for each VPN connection.

Read more about the best VPNs in 2024