Private Internet Access vs CyberGhost (2026)
Head-to-head on price, speed, privacy posture and features - based on our independent reviews of both providers.
Score comparison
| Private Internet Access | CyberGhost | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 8.5 | 8.1 | Private Internet Access |
| Speed & reliability | 8.6 | 8.4 | Private Internet Access |
| Privacy & trust | 8.4 | 7.9 | Private Internet Access |
| Features & coverage | 9.0 | 8.0 | Private Internet Access |
| Value for money | 9.5 | 8.3 | Private Internet Access |
| Ease of use | 8.0 | 9.0 | CyberGhost |
Side by side
| Private Internet Access | CyberGhost | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2.03/mo | $2.19/mo |
| Service types | Consumer VPN | Consumer VPN |
| Jurisdiction | United States in the 5 Eyes | Romania outside 5/9/14 Eyes |
| Logging policy | No-logs, independently audited | No-logs, independently audited |
| Independent audits | Deloitte (2024) | Deloitte (2024) |
| Network | 35K servers | 11K servers |
| Country coverage | 91 | 100 |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 45 days |
| Free tier | - | - |
| Support | chat, tickets, knowledge-base · 24/7 | chat, email, knowledge-base · 24/7 |
| Pay with crypto | ✓ | ✓ |
Which should you pick?
Choose Private Internet Access if this fits: best cheap vpn for tinkerers and torrenting. PIA is the value pick for people who like knobs: open source apps, port forwarding, unlimited devices and a no-logs record repeatedly tested in US courts, at a price nothing else in this tier matches.
Choose CyberGhost if this fits: best for streaming beginners who want servers picked for them. CyberGhost makes streaming painless by labelling servers with the platform they are tuned for, and the 45-day refund window is the most generous around. The renewal price is brutal.
Overall, our scores favor Private Internet Access (8.5 vs 8.1) - but the right choice depends on which trade-offs matter to you. Read the full Private Internet Access review and CyberGhost review.