CyberGhost vs Private Internet Access
We give CyberGhost a 2.4 GPA and Private Internet Access a 2.2, out of 4.0. CyberGhost grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Private Internet Access grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on 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
Private Internet Access
Open-source VPN with unlimited devices and servers in all 50 US states
How we grade them
| 2.4GPACyberGhostFair | 2.2GPAPrivate Internet AccessFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | C$47.88 a year, the same at renewal, so two years cost $95.76, about $3.99 a month, just above the cheaper quarter of VPNs at $3.33. The 3-year plan is $2.03 a month for the first 39 months, then $79 every 3 years, but that's three years up front. Monthly is $11.95. |
| 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. | FNothing free: no free plan and no trial. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscribers, but that 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. | BUnlimited devices, servers in 104 countries including all 50 US states, RAM-only servers, WireGuard and OpenVPN, ad and malware blocking, split tunneling, multi-hop and port forwarding. It covers the whole 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. | BNo App Store rating on record, but it's an app you install, sign in to and connect, with nothing to configure first. |
| 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, Android and browser extensions, with open-source apps. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | a cheap two years on seven devices | unlimited devices without renewal surprises |
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 Private Internet Access. 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. Private Internet Access starts at $3.99 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
Private Internet Access scores higher and starts $0.75 a month lower. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 3 score higher than CyberGhost for less, and none scores higher than Private Internet Access 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. Private Internet Access starts at $47.88 per year (1 Year plan, the same price at renewal).
- Private Internet Access is open source, according to its own site.
At a glance
| CyberGhost | Private Internet Access | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $56.94 per year at renewal, after a first 26 months for $56.94 | $47.88 per year (1 Year plan, the same price at renewal) |
| 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 | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | CyberGhost S.R.L. | PIA Private Internet Access, Inc. |
| Price read from | cyberghostvpn.com | privateinternetaccess.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
Private Internet Access
- Households with more devices than a capped VPN allows
- People who want a server in a specific US state
- Torrent users who need port forwarding
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.
Private Internet Access
- The 3-year plan's $2.03 a month is a first-term rate; it renews at $79 every 3 years, and the page gives no total for the first 39 months.
- There is no free trial; the 30-day money-back guarantee is for new subscribers, and app store purchases follow Apple's or Google's refund terms.
- Antivirus and a dedicated IP cost extra and are added at checkout; their prices are not shown on the plans page.
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.
Private Internet Access
- Unlimited devices
- One subscription can be used on as many devices at the same time as you like.
- Servers in 104 countries
- The network reaches 104 countries, including servers in all 50 US states, and the servers run from RAM only.
- Open-source apps and protocols
- PIA's apps are open source, and it connects over WireGuard or OpenVPN.
- MACE
- Blocks ads, trackers and malware at the DNS level.
- Split tunneling, multi-hop and port forwarding
- Choose which apps skip the VPN, route traffic through more than one server, and open a forwarded port on selected servers for torrenting.
- Email breach monitor
- A built-in alert tells you if your email address shows up in a data breach.
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.
Private Internet Access
1 Month$11.95
per month
Billed monthly and renews at the same $11.95.
1 Year$47.88
per year
$3.99 a month. The first year and each renewal are both billed at $47.88.
3 Years + 3 Months$79
every 3 years at renewal, after a first term of 39 months
Shown at $2.03 a month for the first 39 months, labelled 83% off; the page does not state the first bill. Renews at $79 every 3 years.
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.
Private Internet Access
- Other savings
3 years plus 3 extra months at $2.03 a month
The 3-year plan comes with 3 extra months at $2.03 a month for the first term, which the page calls 83% off the monthly price. It then renews at $79 every 3 years.
- Annual discount
About 67% off with yearly billing
The 1-year plan costs $47.88, against $143.40 for twelve months at the $11.95 monthly price.
