At first glance, there is little to choose between these three providers. However, after digging slightly deeper you find that only NordVPN originates in a reasonably VPN-friendly country, being based in Panama. Cyberghost has recently been acquired by an Israeli company, and HMA originates in the UK. NordVPN and Cyberghost offer a similar number of simultaneous connections with NordVPN offering 6, one more than Cyberghost; HMA falls behind in this respect only offering 2 simultaneous connections for its users. While all have good coverage, it is HMA that comes out on top with the greater number of countries with connections and the greater number of servers overall. When it comes to customer service, however, NordVPN is the only one that offers 24/7 live support. Cyberghost does have a live option but only during set hours. In terms of ways to pay, NordVPN again comes out on top, offering payment through gift cards, as well as debit and credit cards, and Bitcoins. The real difference, however, is in terms of speed, reliability, and ease of use, all areas where NordVPN comes out on top.
Features
9.4
Pricing
9.0
Ease of Use
9.6
Reliability & Support
9.2
Features
9.4
Pricing
8.8
Ease of Use
9.4
Reliability & Support
8.0
Features
10.0
Pricing
9.6
Ease of Use
10.0
Reliability & Support
10.0
Rating
Features
9.4
9.4
10.0
Pricing
9.0
8.8
9.6
Ease of Use
9.6
9.4
10.0
Reliability & Support
9.2
8.0
10.0
Reviews
Review by our expert
Kate Veale
Cybersecurity Researcher
9.6
When I read that CyberGhost had been bought out by Kape — a company that used to be infamous for bundling adware into its downloads — alarm bells started ringing. I’ve recommended CyberGhost in the past as a trustworthy and easy-to-use VPN that suits beginners. But is it even safe to use anymore?
I did a deep dive into CyberGhost’s ownership, privacy policy, and security measures to de...
Excellent on line securityExcellent security, plenty of secure sites to choose from, very rarely drops out but if it does there is a kill switch that operates to keep you safe. A very good secure browser is included along with a few other items to keep you on top and stay secure.
Latest negative user review
Norman
2.0
They tell me it is impossible for me to connect to UK Netflix!I've just been trying CyberGhost and had problems connecting to UK Netflix from where I am in South America. It just kept connecting to a different country, probably the US. When I asked their Support about it, I was told (and I have it in writing from a Chat) that to access UK Netflix from outside the UK, you MUST have a UK Netflix account! Can that possibly be true? I have never heard of that from any other VPN and I know NordVPN (so far) connects fine to UK Netflix with my local Netflix account.
HMA is a popular VPN provider with a large network of 1,100+ servers in 190+ countries.
Some of this VPN’s biggest strengths are its user-friendly interface, impressive speeds, and ability to bypass geoblocks (even Netflix's!)
It's newest update, HMA Version 5, includes new design features and an auto-generated diagnostics mode. Arguably the most impressive update is its Lightning-mode feat...
Working perfectI like this excellent service a lot. It is working absolutely perfect. I have been using it for a couple of weeks, in my PC, in my mobile and also in an Asus router.
It is easy to order and setup, no matter which device.
Latest negative user review
Peter Novak
2.0
That's not trueThat's not true. You can see on their web page, that they don't store logs. Their recently announced no-log policy. And they are not USA based company, but from the UK. Can't tell more about the rest. Have a nice day.
Ariel Hochstadt
Ex-Google, International tech speaker
9.8
Is NordVPN really the leading vendor it claims to be? Does its latest coupon make it better value for your money than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost? I ran every test possible to see how well it really performs. From its encryption and security measures to its speeds and ability to get around geoblocking, you'll find everything you need to know about NordVPN in this full review. Before we dive right in...
Very Good Choice + Best Customer SupportFor me, this is the fastest customer support I experienced so far. They answer my ticket very quickly. When it comes to speed and stability compared to ExpressVPN it is just almost the same. The price here is the main reason why I switched to NordVPN.
Latest negative user review
Mark W
2.0
NORDvpn Supper Slow and Horrific SupportI bought NORDvpn 3 year plan and it worked for a while. With the latest update that all changed. I now have 1.13 download and 13.10 upload speeds while using wifi. It is slightly better with a wired ethernet cable. As soon as I disconnect NORDvpn my speed is in the 175-225 ranges. This has been going on for 10 days. I have sent emails with screenshots and done each and every step they have asked. I have been offered no phone support. I get an email per day responding to the previous day's request. It shouldn't take 10 days to sort this out. If I were to get a live person it could be resolved in a short period of time. Beware, if you need support they are extremely lacking in this area.
When I read that CyberGhost had been bought out by Kape — a company that used to be infamous for bundling adware into its downloads — alarm bells started ringing. I’ve recommended CyberGhost in the past as a trustworthy and easy-to-use VPN that suits beginners. But is it even safe to use anymore?
I did a deep dive into CyberGhost’s ownership, privacy policy, and security measures to de...
HMA is a popular VPN provider with a large network of 1,100+ servers in 190+ countries.
Some of this VPN’s biggest strengths are its user-friendly interface, impressive speeds, and ability to bypass geoblocks (even Netflix's!)
It's newest update, HMA Version 5, includes new design features and an auto-generated diagnostics mode. Arguably the most impressive update is its Lightning-mode feat...
Is NordVPN really the leading vendor it claims to be? Does its latest coupon make it better value for your money than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost? I ran every test possible to see how well it really performs. From its encryption and security measures to its speeds and ability to get around geoblocking, you'll find everything you need to know about NordVPN in this full review. Before we dive right in...
Excellent on line securityExcellent security, plenty of secure sites to choose from, very rarely drops out but if it does there is a kill switch that operates to keep you safe. A very good secure browser is included along with a few other items to keep you on top and stay secure.
Hans Bladby
10.0
Working perfectI like this excellent service a lot. It is working absolutely perfect. I have been using it for a couple of weeks, in my PC, in my mobile and also in an Asus router.
It is easy to order and setup, no matter which device.
Itsmejnlm
10.0
Very Good Choice + Best Customer SupportFor me, this is the fastest customer support I experienced so far. They answer my ticket very quickly. When it comes to speed and stability compared to ExpressVPN it is just almost the same. The price here is the main reason why I switched to NordVPN.
Latest negative user review
Norman
2.0
They tell me it is impossible for me to connect to UK Netflix!I've just been trying CyberGhost and had problems connecting to UK Netflix from where I am in South America. It just kept connecting to a different country, probably the US. When I asked their Support about it, I was told (and I have it in writing from a Chat) that to access UK Netflix from outside the UK, you MUST have a UK Netflix account! Can that possibly be true? I have never heard of that from any other VPN and I know NordVPN (so far) connects fine to UK Netflix with my local Netflix account.
Peter Novak
2.0
That's not trueThat's not true. You can see on their web page, that they don't store logs. Their recently announced no-log policy. And they are not USA based company, but from the UK. Can't tell more about the rest. Have a nice day.
Mark W
2.0
NORDvpn Supper Slow and Horrific SupportI bought NORDvpn 3 year plan and it worked for a while. With the latest update that all changed. I now have 1.13 download and 13.10 upload speeds while using wifi. It is slightly better with a wired ethernet cable. As soon as I disconnect NORDvpn my speed is in the 175-225 ranges. This has been going on for 10 days. I have sent emails with screenshots and done each and every step they have asked. I have been offered no phone support. I get an email per day responding to the previous day's request. It shouldn't take 10 days to sort this out. If I were to get a live person it could be resolved in a short period of time. Beware, if you need support they are extremely lacking in this area.
All three VPNs are great choices for various internet activity, and all come with affordable prices. NordVPN takes the lead in balancing between solid performance, superb security, excellent privacy, and fast speeds. CyberGhost may be cheaper, but NordVPN is offering some amazing deals right now.
All three VPNs are great choices for various internet activity, and all come with affordable prices. NordVPN takes the lead in balancing between solid performance, superb security, excellent privacy, and fast speeds. CyberGhost may be cheaper, but NordVPN is offering some amazing deals right now.
All three VPNs allow torrenting on selected servers. Unlike HMA, CyberGhost and NordVPN offer specific torrenting mode within their apps. However, NordVPN is a wiser choice in terms of privacy and security.
All three VPNs allow torrenting on selected servers. Unlike HMA, CyberGhost and NordVPN offer specific torrenting mode within their apps. However, NordVPN is a wiser choice in terms of privacy and security.
HMA offers a simple app for Windows, but it’s limited compared to those provided by CyberGhost and NordVPN. All three Windows apps come with a kill switch. CyberGhost’s Windows app is more user-friendly and visually appealing. On the other hand, NordVPN’s Windows app offers simplicity, ease of use, and more advanced features than CyberGhost and HMA combined.
HMA offers a simple app for Windows, but it’s limited compared to those provided by CyberGhost and NordVPN. All three Windows apps come with a kill switch. CyberGhost’s Windows app is more user-friendly and visually appealing. On the other hand, NordVPN’s Windows app offers simplicity, ease of use, and more advanced features than CyberGhost and HMA combined.
While all three VPNs offer user-friendly apps for Android users, NordVPN’s Android application is more feature-packed than those offered by CyberGhost and HMA. In addition, unlike CyberGhost and HMA, NordVPN has an automatic kill switch and a special Double VPN feature for better security and privacy.
While all three VPNs offer user-friendly apps for Android users, NordVPN’s Android application is more feature-packed than those offered by CyberGhost and HMA. In addition, unlike CyberGhost and HMA, NordVPN has an automatic kill switch and a special Double VPN feature for better security and privacy.
Despite the recent update to their Mac app, HMA is still limited and pricy compared to CyberGhost and NordVPN’s Mac apps. CyberGhost offers an exquisite Mac client with several options, but with a limited number of protocols. On the other hand, NordVPN provides a budget-friendly, full-featured application for Mac users.
Despite the recent update to their Mac app, HMA is still limited and pricy compared to CyberGhost and NordVPN’s Mac apps. CyberGhost offers an exquisite Mac client with several options, but with a limited number of protocols. On the other hand, NordVPN provides a budget-friendly, full-featured application for Mac users.
NordVPN’s iOS software client certainly towers over those offered by CyberGhost and HMA, even though all three iOS clients are appealing and user-friendly. Both NordVPN and CyberGhost offer built-in kill switches, but HMA doesn’t. NordVPN and CyberGhost also offer more organized and specific modes for streaming and anonymous browsing. In addition, NordVPN offers Double VPN, Tor over VPN, and P2P.
NordVPN’s iOS software client certainly towers over those offered by CyberGhost and HMA, even though all three iOS clients are appealing and user-friendly. Both NordVPN and CyberGhost offer built-in kill switches, but HMA doesn’t. NordVPN and CyberGhost also offer more organized and specific modes for streaming and anonymous browsing. In addition, NordVPN offers Double VPN, Tor over VPN, and P2P.
NordVPN has 1,900+ servers in the US, which is way more than HMA (190+ servers) or CyberGhost (500+ servers). All three VPNs can bypass US geo-restrictions and you can use them to stream Netflix US and HBO. In addition, NordVPN can help you unblock anti-VPN services like Amazon Prime.
NordVPN has 1,900+ servers in the US, which is way more than HMA (190+ servers) or CyberGhost (500+ servers). All three VPNs can bypass US geo-restrictions and you can use them to stream Netflix US and HBO. In addition, NordVPN can help you unblock anti-VPN services like Amazon Prime.
While all three companies have many merits, NordVPN definitely comes out ahead. It is the most reliable for working in China, although Cyberghost also works for Netflix users. All 3 work on multiple platforms. NordVPN and HMA both offer 30-day money-back guarantees, while CyberGhost offers 45 days. All provide DNS leak protection and keep no logs (to be specific HMA does keep logs, but only for diagnostic purposes). In addition, NordVPN and Cyberghost also provide kill switches, but again NordVPN is always just one step ahead especially in terms of speed, services, and security. Combined with its user-friendly approach, it is a definite winner.
Interestingly, if you compare NordVPN with WebWatcher, which is our top ranked vpn, you'll see that NordVPN can learn a lot from WebWatcher. Compare NordVPN with WebWatcher
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