As one of the vital common VPNs right now, NordVPN affords a robust stability of quick efficiency, handy safety features and an general polished consumer expertise. However, CyberGhost has additionally constructed a status for being a strong VPN with its giant server fleet, intuitive utility and optimized server choices.
With these two high quality choices, it could be tough to determine which VPN is best for you and what you are promoting. Fortuitously, there are key variations that assist set CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN aside.
On this article, we check out which VPN supplier is best for you and your group.
- CyberGhostVPN: Finest for people and small groups with particular VPN use circumstances like streaming, torrenting or gaming.
- NordVPN: Finest for many companies in search of an all-around VPN that gives dependable speeds, a refined consumer expertise and helpful further options.
CyberGhost VPN vs NordVPN: Comparability
Whereas each VPNs can simply set up encrypted connections for you and what you are promoting, they differ in key areas resembling system connections, server networks and free trial entry. Under is a abstract wanting into these options:
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CyberGhost VPN vs NordVPN: Pricing
CyberGhost VPN pricing
CyberGhost has three subscription choices: a month-to-month, six-month and two-year plan. I personally would have beloved for CyberGhost to supply a one-year subscription plan as nicely, since this affords a comparatively affordable contract size at a decrease month-to-month worth.
- 1 month: $12.99 per thirty days.
- 6 months: $6.99 per thirty days.
- 2 years: $2.19 per thirty days.
One handy providing from CyberGhost is its 24-hour desktop free trial. At first look, one may assume that is too brief for a trial. Nevertheless, it’s distinctive in that it’s one of many few free trials that doesn’t require any fee or bank card info.
SEE: Does a VPN Sluggish Down Your Web Pace? (TechRepublic)
That is in distinction to different VPN free trials, which both require some type of fee info or solely give free trial entry to the VPN’s cellular utility, not desktop.
On this regard, I actually commend CyberGhost for being beneficiant to customers in letting them check drive its software program with no strings hooked up. Hopefully, different VPN suppliers will observe swimsuit in making their free trials extra accessible.
If you wish to study extra, learn our full CyberGhost VPN evaluation.
NordVPN pricing
NordVPN has three subscription tiers, with every tier having a month-to-month, an annual and a two-year plan possibility. The tiers are NordVPN Fundamental, Plus and Full, and have various function inclusions as you go additional up.
Under is a fast abstract of pricing and options included with every subscription tier:
| Fundamental | Plus | Full | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Month-to-month | $12.99 per thirty days | $13.99 per thirty days | $14.99 per thirty days |
| 1 yr | $4.99 per thirty days | $5.99 per thirty days | $6.99 per thirty days |
| 2 years | $3.99 per thirty days | $4.99 per thirty days | $5.99 per thirty days |
| Options | Contains major VPN service | All Fundamental options plus anti-malware and shopping safety, password supervisor and knowledge breach scanner | All Plus options plus 1TB encrypted cloud storage |
Whereas NordVPN has a seven-day free trial, it’s solely accessible by way of its Android cellular app. Even in case you can check out its desktop counterpart after accessing the trial on Android, I nonetheless wished NordVPN had at the very least the identical free trial providing for iOS customers as nicely.
SEE: Can a VPN Be Hacked? (TechRepublic)
This may at the very least make the free trial accessible to most smartphone customers, not simply these within the Android ecosystem.
If you wish to study extra, learn our full NordVPN evaluation.
CyberGhost VPN vs NordVPN: Function comparability
Safety protocols and encryption
Winner: Tie
By way of safety protocols and encryption, it’s a tie. Each CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN include the requisite VPN protocols we would like in a contemporary VPN resolution. Ideally, we would like a mixture of security-focused protocols like OpenVPN and speed-centric protocols like WireGuard.
Fortuitously, each VPNs hit this mark. CyberGhost comes with OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols. In the meantime, NordVPN carries OpenVPN and NordLynx — its WireGuard based mostly proprietary protocol.
SEE: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN: Which VPN Is Finest? (TechRepublic)
The 2 VPNs additionally make the most of top-tier encryption algorithms for his or her respective providers. Each CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN use 256-bit encryption, widely known because the business customary encryption algorithm. For context, authorities businesses, banks and even navy establishments use AES 256 to safe their knowledge in opposition to malicious third events.
VPN server community and places
Winner: NordVPN
NordVPN takes the spherical relating to having the higher VPN server fleet. As of July 2024, NordVPN has 6,400+ servers throughout 111 international locations — hitting a extremely good candy spot over the three,000-4,000 and 65-country common I’ve seen throughout different VPNs.
As compared, CyberGhost reportedly has round 11,000+ servers in 100 international locations. Regardless of CyberGhost having considerably extra servers, I discover extra worth in NordVPN’s bigger nation/location depend as compared. It is because a bigger nation depend offers companies extra flexibility in with the ability to entry a bigger number of geo-restricted content material.
If what you are promoting primarily needs a VPN with a geographically various server suite, NordVPN’s 111-country server community is the higher alternative over CyberGhost’s 100-country fleet. The bigger nation depend will even profit companies that journey, because it offers them extra choices when selecting a brand new VPN IP deal with or location.
Third-party audits and monitor data
Winner: Tie
For third-party safety audits and general safety file, I rating it a tie. Each CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN have fortunately undergone unbiased audits assessing their respective VPN providers.
As of July 2024, NordVPN has accomplished 4 unbiased audits. Particularly, these audits assessed NordVPN’s no-logs coverage — wanting into whether or not its service doesn’t file consumer shopping knowledge because it claims.
In the meantime, CyberGhost has additionally not too long ago accomplished its second unbiased audit performed by Deloitte and printed final Might 2024. This audit examined CyberGhost VPN’s “server community and its administration methods.”
I commend each VPNs for displaying dedication to third-party testing, particularly because it’s really easy to make claims about how VPNs deal with consumer knowledge. Nevertheless, I’d say that each CyberGhost and NordVPN could possibly be extra clear in sharing their audit outcomes.
SEE: Surfshark vs NordVPN: Which VPN Is Higher in 2024? (TechRepublic)
Each VPNs’ opted to not share the total outcomes to the general public, with the total report solely accessible in case you have an current CyberGhost VPN or NordVPN account. In accordance with them, this was executed to keep away from any of the audit findings to be taken out of context.
Whereas that is comprehensible, I personally assume the higher transfer could be to publish the outcomes — good or dangerous — as a way to construct belief and credibility with the general public.
Standout options
Winner: NordVPN
On the subject of extra options, I give it to NordVPN. On prime of its VPN, NordVPN features a ton of additional safety capabilities and VPN-focused options for an enhanced expertise. It features a darkish internet monitor that alerts customers of leaked logins and built-in menace safety in opposition to trackers and malware.
One spotlight addition is NordVPN’s Meshnet function, which lets customers create a safe personal community that allows encrypted file-sharing on a number of units.
I additionally like how NordVPN goes all-in when it comes to safety with their server expertise. For instance, it has obfuscated servers that disguise the truth that you’re utilizing a VPN — a important function in areas that limit VPN use. It additionally has a double VPN function that mechanically adjustments IP addresses twice for added safety.
This isn’t to say that CyberGhost doesn’t have standout performance as nicely. I actually like CyberGhost VPN’s handy categorization of its optimized servers. Specifically, its desktop utility separates servers optimized for streaming, torrenting and gaming.
It additionally has a robust Sensible Guidelines panel that lets customers configure automations after sure occasions or actions are fulfilled. For instance, you may set CyberGhost VPN to mechanically hook up with a server of your alternative after you launch the desktop consumer.
Whereas CyberGhost has methods up its sleeve, I really feel NordVPN simply has a stronger providing of extra options alongside its major VPN service.
Efficiency and velocity
Winner: NordVPN
For VPN velocity and efficiency, NordVPN will get the benefit over CyberGhost VPN. Per my testing, it recorded the general quicker speeds and confirmed extra consistency when it comes to connectivity.
To supply context, I examined for velocity by connecting to a VPN server from every service and doing my common workflow as a author. This concerned having a number of Chrome tabs open for analysis, streaming the occasional 1080p YouTube video, attending on-line video conferences and utilizing Google apps like Docs and Drive, amongst others.
SEE: Free VPN vs Paid VPN: Which One Is Proper for You? (TechRepublic)
In these duties, I really had zero points with both CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN. I didn’t encounter any slowdowns and usually had a superb shopping expertise with each.
The distinction got here in velocity testing, the place NordVPN recorded actually spectacular outcomes in comparison with CyberGhost. In comparison with my web service supplier, NordVPN had a drop of solely 5.80% for obtain speeds and 16.18% for uploads.
However, CyberGhost had an equally respectable 7.52% drop in downloads and a extra vital 48.21% lower for uploads.
Whereas I personally assume each VPNs can present quick and dependable speeds, my testing confirmed that NordVPN will provide higher efficiency in each obtain and upload-intensive duties.
Ease of use and design
Winner: Tie
For ease of use, we get one other tie. In my view, CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN each provide very intuitive and well-designed desktop shoppers that may accommodate all sorts of customers.
NordVPN employs a smooth and trendy design that I discovered to be simple to know and nice to make use of. There’s no litter, and I felt like I used to be utilizing a premium service from the get-go. As well as, I by no means discovered Nord’s desktop consumer overwhelming, even with its in depth suite of options, as all of it was neatly organized throughout the app.
SEE: How A lot Does a VPN Price? + Financial savings Suggestions (TechRepublic)
However, CyberGhost VPN makes use of a darker-themed utility however supplies a equally intuitive expertise. It has an organized set of tabs the place you will discover its servers and different options, in addition to a distinguished On/Off button which handles establishing or ending VPN connections.
A giant plus for me with CyberGhost’s desktop consumer is its nifty categorization of its optimized servers for streaming, torrenting and gaming. I can envision this saving quite a lot of time for customers who need to shortly hook up with a specialised server in a pinch.
No matter which VPN you select, I’m assured that each CyberGhost and NordVPN will go away you fairly happy with their respective consumer expertise.
Simultaneous system connections
Winner: NordVPN
On the subject of simultaneous system connections, NordVPN wins. Proper now, NordVPN permits for a most of 10 units related on the similar time. In the meantime, CyberGhost VPN permits solely a most of seven units related concurrently.
SEE: Begin a Profession in Cybersecurity (TechRepublic Premium)
Whereas I’d have beloved it if each VPNs allowed for limitless simultaneous system connections, NordVPN’s three extra extra units is a major benefit. This lets companies join their smartphones, laptops and different units extra freely with the much less restrictive system restrict.
You probably have a number of units or have a number of workers you need related to a VPN server on the similar time, NordVPN goes to be the higher possibility right here.
CyberGhost VPN professionals and cons
Execs
- Customizable Sensible Guidelines automation panel.
- Server community throughout 100 international locations; 11,000+ servers.
- Optimized servers for streaming, torrenting and gaming.
- 24-hour desktop free trial, with no fee particulars required.
Cons
- No 1-year subscription.
- Solely permits as much as 7 units related at a time.
- Audit is just accessible with an official account.
NordVPN professionals and cons
Execs
- Servers unfold throughout 111 international locations; 6,400+ servers.
- Quick obtain and add speeds.
- As much as 10 simultaneous system connections.
- Contains security-focused extra options.
Cons
- Unbiased audit outcomes require a NordVPN account.
- On the dearer facet.
- Free trial is by way of Android solely.
Ought to your group use CyberGhost VPN or NordVPN?
Between the 2 VPNs, NordVPN will get my vote as the higher general VPN resolution. It consists of an in depth suite of options that complement its VPN service; affords a various 111-country server suite to unblock geo-restricted content material; and supplies persistently quick VPN speeds that may deal with each obtain and upload-heavy duties.
That is on prime of getting a simple to make use of and well-designed VPN utility and a extra beneficiant system restrict relating to simultaneous system connections. It’s no marvel NordVPN has garnered a robust status as an all-around VPN service.
NordVPN is greatest for many companies that desire a no-nonsense VPN that’s dependable, consists of a wide range of safety features and affords an in depth server fleet.
This isn’t to decrease CyberGhost VPN’s high quality in any respect. Quite the opposite, I really feel CyberGhost is a strong choose for small groups or particular person customers that particularly have streaming, torrenting or gaming as their major causes to make use of a VPN.
It’s additionally a sensible choice for potential customers desirous about making an attempt a premium VPN utility, by means of its beneficiant 24-hour desktop free trial.
Methodology
My comparability of CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN concerned an in-depth evaluation of each VPN’s options, real-world efficiency and worth.
To guage every VPN, each providers had been scored on all the things from their server networks to their pricing. Specifically, I took into consideration 5 major pillars, every having corresponding weights:
- Pricing (20%).
- Core VPN options (30%).
- Ease of use (15%).
- Buyer help (30%).
- Professional evaluation (5%).
I additionally appeared into actual consumer testimonials and respected opinions to spherical out my last suggestions for each CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN.
For velocity and efficiency, I examined each VPNs on my private Home windows laptop and ran them by means of Ookla’s public Speedtest. Lastly, I thought of which sorts of companies or particular person customers would greatest profit from both CyberGhost VPN or NordVPN.
