CyberGhost vs Proton VPN

CyberGhost and Proton VPN sit at similar price points but take different approaches. CyberGhost focuses on streaming convenience with labeled servers and a large network. Proton VPN focuses on privacy with open-source apps, Swiss jurisdiction, and ecosystem integration. Proton VPN is the stronger product overall, but CyberGhost has niche advantages.

Quick Verdict

Proton VPN is the better VPN. Stronger privacy, better speeds in Europe, open-source apps, a free tier, and comparable streaming performance. CyberGhost's main advantages are its larger server network, 45-day money-back guarantee, and slightly cheaper 2-year plan. For most users, Proton VPN is the better investment.

At a Glance

| Category | CyberGhost | Proton VPN | Winner | |----------|------------|------------|--------| | Overall Score | 8.3 | 8.7 | Proton VPN | | Privacy Score | 8.0 | 9.5 | Proton VPN | | Speed | 79.8 Mbps | 81.6 Mbps | Proton VPN | | Streaming | 8.7 | 8.2 | CyberGhost | | 2-Year Price | $2.03/mo | $3.59/mo | CyberGhost | | Open Source | No | Yes | Proton VPN | | Free Tier | No | Yes | Proton VPN |

Speed Comparison

| Location | CyberGhost | Proton VPN | Difference | |----------|------------|------------|------------| | US (New York) | 79.8 Mbps | 81.6 Mbps | -2.2% | | UK (London) | 75.2 Mbps | 77.3 Mbps | -2.7% | | Germany (Frankfurt) | 73.6 Mbps | 79.2 Mbps | -7.1% | | Japan (Tokyo) | 61.4 Mbps | 64.8 Mbps | -5.2% | | Australia (Sydney) | 58.2 Mbps | 61.3 Mbps | -5.1% |

Winner: Proton VPN. Faster across all test locations, with a particularly notable advantage in European locations. CyberGhost's 11,500+ server count does not translate to speed superiority.

Pricing Comparison

| Plan | CyberGhost | Proton VPN | |------|------------|------------| | Free Tier | No | Yes | | Monthly | $12.99/mo | $9.99/mo | | 1-Year | $4.29/mo | $4.49/mo | | 2-Year | $2.03/mo | $3.59/mo | | Renewal (yearly) | $4.29/mo | $4.49/mo | | 3-Year True Cost | $133.56 | $164.28 | | Money-Back Guarantee | 45 days | 30 days |

Winner: CyberGhost on 2-year pricing; Proton VPN on free tier and monthly pricing. CyberGhost's 2-year plan is $1.56/mo cheaper. But Proton VPN offers a genuinely useful free tier (no data caps, servers in 5 countries) that CyberGhost cannot match. Over three years, CyberGhost saves about $31.

Streaming

| Platform | CyberGhost | Proton VPN | |----------|------------|------------| | Netflix US | Working | Working | | Netflix UK | Working | Working | | Netflix Japan | Not Working | Not Working | | Disney+ | Working | Working | | BBC iPlayer | Working | Working | | Amazon Prime | Working | Working | | Hulu | Working | Working | | Max (HBO) | Working | Working |

Winner: CyberGhost, slightly. Nearly identical results - both score 9/12 and both fail on Netflix Japan. CyberGhost's streaming-optimized server labels are a convenience advantage for beginners. Proton VPN's free tier does not support streaming.

Privacy

| Factor | CyberGhost | Proton VPN | |--------|------------|------------| | Jurisdiction | Romania | Switzerland | | Parent Company | Kape Technologies | Proton AG | | Last Audit | Mar 2024 (Deloitte) | Mar 2025 (Securitum) | | Open Source | No | Yes (all apps) | | Warrant Canary | No | Yes | | Port Forwarding | No | Yes | | Tor over VPN | No | Yes | | Free Tier | No | Yes | | Cancellation Dark Patterns | Yes | No | | Transparency Score | 62 | 90 |

Winner: Proton VPN, decisively. Swiss jurisdiction, fully open-source apps, higher transparency score, no dark patterns, and an ecosystem that includes Mail, Drive, and Calendar. CyberGhost's Kape ownership and cancellation dark patterns are significant negatives.

Features

| Feature | CyberGhost | Proton VPN | |---------|------------|------------| | Connections | 7 | 10 | | Countries | 100 | 91 | | Servers | 11,500+ | 4,600+ | | Ad Blocker | Yes | Yes (NetShield) | | Double VPN | No | Yes (Secure Core) | | Dedicated IP | Yes | No | | Stealth Protocol | No | Yes | | Streaming-Optimized Labels | Yes | No |

Winner: Proton VPN. More connections, Secure Core (double VPN), Stealth protocol for censorship circumvention, Tor over VPN, and port forwarding. CyberGhost offers more servers and dedicated IP.

Who Should Choose CyberGhost

• Budget buyers who want the absolute cheapest 2-year plan
• Beginners who appreciate streaming-optimized server labels
• Users who want the longest money-back guarantee (45 days)
• Anyone who needs a dedicated IP address

Who Should Choose Proton VPN

• Privacy-conscious users who want open-source, audited apps
• Users who want a free tier before committing
• Anyone interested in the Proton privacy ecosystem
• Users in censored regions (Stealth protocol)
• Torrenters who need port forwarding
• Users who value more simultaneous connections (10 vs 7)

Our Recommendation

Proton VPN. It is faster, more private, more feature-rich, and offers a free tier. CyberGhost's only meaningful advantages are its cheaper 2-year plan and 45-day guarantee. Proton VPN is the better long-term investment for anyone who cares about both privacy and functionality.