CyberGhost vs NordVPN
We give CyberGhost and NordVPN the same GPA: 2.4 out of 4.0. CyberGhost grades higher on value for money. NordVPN grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
CyberGhost
VPN for seven devices with a 45-day money-back window on long plans
NordVPN
Subscription VPN with threat protection and Meshnet device links
How we grade them
| 2.4GPACyberGhostFair | 2.4GPANordVPNFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BThe long plan bills $56.94 for the first 26 months, so two years cost about $2.37 a month, inside the cheaper quarter of VPNs but above the $2 an A needs. It then renews at $56.94 a year, still below the middle. The monthly plan is $12.99. | DOnly Nord's renewal prices could be read: Basic renews at $139.08 a year, so two years on record come to $278.16, about $11.59 a month, the dearest in this category. The first-term price for new customers wasn't readable, so a first purchase may cost less. |
| Free plan and trial | DA 24-hour trial on a computer with no card, or 3 days on Android and 7 on iPhone with a payment method. Short either way, and the money-back guarantee doesn't count. | DA 7-day free trial of the 1- and 2-year top-tier plans, but only for new customers in the US and 14 other countries, and it needs a card or PayPal. The 30-day money-back guarantee isn't a trial. |
| Features | B9,600+ servers in over 100 countries, OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2, a kill switch, split tunneling, ad and malware blocking, and ID Guard on the long plan. It covers the whole job, though 7 devices at once is fewer than some rivals allow. | BNordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN and IKEv2 with a kill switch, malware and ad blocking, Double VPN, Onion Over VPN, obfuscated servers, Meshnet, Dark Web Monitor and dedicated IPs. Nothing in the listing is missing from a VPN's job. |
| Ease of use | C4.23 from about 39,600 App Store ratings, below the 4.3 a crowd that size needs for a B and lower than most VPNs here. | A4.7 from about 709,000 App Store ratings, the biggest crowd in this category. Install, sign in, tap connect. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android, TVs and browser extensions. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | a cheap two years on seven devices | a big-name VPN for up to 10 devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: CyberGhost and NordVPN. How we grade
Price against what you get
CyberGhost starts at $4.74 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. NordVPN starts at $11.59 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.3.
NordVPN scores higher, and starts $6.85 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 3 score higher than CyberGhost for less, and none scores higher than NordVPN for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- CyberGhost starts at $56.94 per year at renewal, after a first 26 months for $56.94. NordVPN starts at $139.08 per year at renewal (Basic 1-year plan).
At a glance
| CyberGhost | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $56.94 per year at renewal, after a first 26 months for $56.94 | $139.08 per year at renewal (Basic 1-year plan) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 24-hour desktop trial with no card; 3 days on Android and 7 days on iOS with a payment method | 7-day free trial of 1- and 2-year top-tier plans for new users in the US and 14 other countries |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | CyberGhost S.R.L. | Nord Security |
| Price read from | cyberghostvpn.com | my.nordaccount.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
CyberGhost
- Trying a VPN on a computer for a day without entering a card
- Households with up to seven devices
- Buyers who want the longest money-back window on a long plan
NordVPN
- Households covering up to 10 devices on one account
- People who want ad and malware blocking in the VPN app
- Linking home devices to each other privately with Meshnet
Worth knowing
CyberGhost
- The $2.19 a month covers only the first 26 months of the long plan; it then renews at $56.94 every year.
- Seven devices at once on every plan; covering more needs a router setup.
- The monthly plan gets a 14-day money-back guarantee instead of 45 days, and mobile trials need a payment method.
- Prices for the dedicated IP and Windows Security Suite add-ons are not shown on the plans page.
NordVPN
- Nord's pricing page turned away automated readers, so the first-term prices it advertises are missing here; only the US 1-year renewal prices could be read.
- Nord's renewal list also names an Ultimate 1-year tier at $256.68 for the US; plan names vary by country.
- The 30-day money-back guarantee covers the first purchase only; renewals are not refundable under it, and App Store purchases go through Apple.
- The free trial is limited to new customers in 15 countries and needs a credit card or PayPal.
Key features
CyberGhost
- Server network
- More than 9,600 servers in over 100 countries on 10-Gbps networks, with unlimited bandwidth.
- Seven devices
- Every plan allows 7 VPN connections at the same time; a router setup can cover devices without their own app.
- Content Blocker
- Blocks DNS requests to domains known for ads, trackers and malware.
- Protocols, kill switch and split tunneling
- Switch between OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2, with an automatic kill switch and split tunneling.
- ID Guard and Privacy Guard
- Included at no extra cost with multi-year plans; every plan also gets email leak monitoring.
- Add-ons
- A dedicated IP and the CyberGhost Security Suite for Windows can be added at checkout for 1 month, 6 months or 2 years.
NordVPN
- Protocols
- Choose between NordLynx (built on WireGuard), Nord's own NordWhisper, OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec, with an automatic kill switch and DNS leak protection.
- Real-time protection
- Scans files for malware and blocks harmful websites; the App Store listing adds tracker and ad blocking, depending on device and plan.
- Specialty servers
- Double VPN sends traffic through two servers, Onion Over VPN adds the Tor network, and obfuscated servers make VPN traffic look like ordinary traffic.
- Meshnet
- Links your own devices into a private network so they can reach each other without exposing your real IP address.
- Dark Web Monitor
- Watches for your email address and other personal details turning up in data leaks and alerts you when they do.
- Dedicated IP
- A fixed personal IP address, bought on its own or in a bundle, for services that only accept allow-listed addresses.
Plans
CyberGhost
1 Month$12.99
per month
Renews at $12.99 a month. Covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee rather than 45 days.
6 Months$41.94
every 6 months
$6.99 a month, renewing at the same $41.94 every 6 months. 45-day money-back guarantee.
2 Years + 2 Months$56.94
per year at renewal, after a first term of 26 months
The first 26 months cost $56.94 ($2.19 a month, sold as 83% off), then it renews at $56.94 every year. Includes ID Guard and Privacy Guard.
NordVPN
Basic 1-year$139.08
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
The VPN-only tier. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read, so only the renewal price is shown.
Standard 1-year$149.88
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
Priced between Basic and Plus at renewal. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read.
Plus 1-year$179.88
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
Priced between Standard and Complete at renewal. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read.
Complete 1-year$219.48
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
Adds NordPass and NordLocker to the VPN. First-term price not readable; this is the 1-year renewal price.
Ultra 1-year$269.88
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
One of the top tiers that the 7-day free trial covers. First-term price not readable; this is the renewal price.
Prime 1-year$296.28
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
The dearest US tier on Nord's renewal list, and one the free trial covers. First-term price not readable.
Ways to pay less
CyberGhost
- Other savings
2 years plus 2 months for $56.94
The long plan bills $56.94 for the first 26 months ($2.19 a month), sold as an 83% Halloween deal with a countdown but no date, then renews at $56.94 a year.
NordVPN
- Education
Student discount for ages 18 to 26
Nord's help center says students and apprentices aged 18 to 26 can get an additional discount. The size of the discount is not stated there.
