CyberGhost VPN vs Private Internet Access 2024

Keira Waddell

Former Senior Writer

CyberGhost and Private Internet Access (PIA) are owned by the same company, but this doesn’t make them interchangeable. Both VPNs offer a range of unique features — plus, they’re both budget-friendly options, making the choice even trickier.

I rigorously tested each VPN side-by-side, focusing on speeds, torrenting, streaming, gaming, security features, and lots more to find an overall winner. I also analyzed each VPN's privacy policies to gauge their commitment to protecting user data.

Ultimately, if privacy is your biggest concern, CyberGhost is the better choice. It releases regular transparency reports and is based in Romania, which doesn’t have to adhere to data-retention laws. If you want to test CyberGhost risk-free, you can take advantage of its generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

However, PIA isn’t a bad VPN by any means. It has a huge server network that supports P2P on every server. Plus, it has an impressive suite of customizable security features.

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Streaming — CyberGhost Offers Tons of Streaming-Optimized Servers

CyberGhost shines in this category thanks to its streaming-optimized servers. It offers 100+ of these for a range of global streaming platforms. These servers are optimized for various countries and regularly maintained to ensure they work, and some are even specific to devices like Fire Stick and Android TV.

PIA also offers streaming-optimized servers, but they don’t hold a candle to CyberGhost’s. It only offers country-specific servers rather than platform-specific ones, and I didn’t notice a huge difference in their performance compared to the regular servers. Overall, we experienced smoother playback with CyberGhost.

Our international team and I tested both VPNs with a range of global streaming platforms licensed in our respective countries. The following table shows which platforms each VPN performed reliably with.

My colleague in Japan reported reliable streaming quality on its Netflix Japan server. This allowed them to watch My Happy Marriage in smooth HD quality from within the country. They reported they only had to wait a couple of seconds for each video to load, and the videos played back perfectly.

My colleague watched My Happy Marriage for 3 hours with no interruptions

My teammate in the US reported more lagging with PIA, but not an unbearable amount. The video never paused for more than a few seconds.

PIA worked well with Hulu on the optimized servers as well as the regular US servers

While CyberGhost and PIA are both good choices for streaming, there are limitations. For example, PIA didn't work with Sky Go in the UK, and a few of my colleagues had issues using their local Prime Video accounts from within their respective countries with both VPNs.

Winner

CyberGhost is one of the top VPNs for streaming. It has fast speeds and a range of optimized streaming servers that any top VPN would struggle to compete with.

Server Network — PIA Has One of the Largest Server Networks On Offer

PIA offers one of the largest server networks of any other VPN available, with 29,650 total servers (over 4 times more than CyberGhost). A large network means the VPN will disperse its users across more servers, resulting in less congestion and better speeds. Plus, the likelihood of finding a nearby server is higher, giving you better speeds as your traffic won't need to travel as much distance.

That said, CyberGhost covers more countries than PIA, so you won’t struggle to connect to a nearby server no matter where you are in the world. Plus, it offers specialty servers that are optimized for different uses; streaming, torrenting, and gaming (on Windows only). In addition, it offers NoSpy servers based in Romania for a small extra fee for some added privacy.

However, what’s particularly impressive about PIA’s server network is its US coverage. It has 53 servers across the country, in each state, which is rare. So, it’s a great option for people in the US since you’ll always have a local server to use.

Winner

It’s hard for any VPN to beat PIA’s network in terms of overall server number and US coverage. However, CyberGhost’s optimized servers also make it stand in this category.

Speed — CyberGhost’s Speeds Are Fast and More Consistent

CyberGhost delivered fast and consistent speeds during my tests from the UK. I never recorded less than 100 Mbps (about a 9% drop) when connected to a nearby UK server, and I found its long-distance speeds just as impressive.

CyberGhost’s Los Angeles server, which is almost 9,000 km from me, only dropped my speeds by 7%

PIA’s local speeds were similar, but my speeds dropped between 30-60% on long-distance servers. I had fast speeds to begin with, so I didn’t notice this too much, but if you have slow base speeds, you may notice a bigger dip in performance. I’d like it if PIA’s speeds were a little more consistent, as the speed drop didn’t always correlate with distance.

PIA’s Tokyo server (over 9,500 km from me) dropped my speed by 33%

Winner

Although I recorded some impressive speeds with PIA, CyberGhost is a clear winner in this round, offering more consistent speeds.

Gaming — CyberGhost’s Low Ping And Optimized Servers Put It Ahead

CyberGhost and PIA delivered similar results when it came to ping rates across a range of servers. You really need a ping of less than 100 ms for smooth gameplay. Any higher, and your game will be almost unplayable. Both VPNs had high ping rates, but I was especially happy with the results on long-distance US servers.

CyberGhost’s gaming servers also put it ahead in this category. There are servers in the UK, US (east coast), France, and Germany. Unfortunately, the gaming servers are only available on Windows, so Mac users miss out. However, CyberGhost’s regular servers still have a low enough ping, and if you’re not near one of the gaming servers, it may be better to use a regular closeby server anyway.

I played Team Fortress 2 on CyberGhost’s gaming-optimized US server with minimal lagging

Winner

CyberGhost just marginally takes the lead as it has slightly lower ping, and Windows users can use its optimized servers, making finding a reliable gaming connection a breeze.

Torrenting — CyberGhost Wins With Its Fast Speeds and Optimized Servers

CyberGhost also has optimized torrenting servers that are designed for high-speed P2P file sharing. Connected to a server in the Netherlands, I was able to download a 1.35 GB (copyright-free) file in less than 3 minutes, which was as quick as having no VPN connected.

PIA also performed well while torrenting, and its entire server network supports P2P. Plus, it offers several features to enhance your speeds for quicker downloads, like port forwarding and a lower encryption option.

Even with these features enabled, it wasn’t quite as fast as CyberGhost — I downloaded the same file in around 4 minutes while connected to a server in the Netherlands.

Winner

CyberGhost’s fast speeds and specialty torrenting servers make it a great option for downloading large files quickly and safely.

Security — PIA Offers a Huge Range of Customizable Security Options

Both PIA and CyberGhost offer top-tier security features, and I recommend either to anyone concerned about their online safety.

However, PIA’s customizable options really set it apart in this category. It offers a wider range of protocols and lets you choose between 128-bit and 256-bit encryption with OpenVPN — the former offering slightly lower security but faster speeds. Plus, its advanced kill switch works by not letting you connect to the internet until you turn on the VPN, which is great for security-oriented users.

Its advanced security features are easy to configure in the Protocols tab in the VPN settings

CyberGhost also offers robust security features. For example, you get perfect forward secrecy, WiFi protection, and NoSpy servers — which protect your data even further by keeping everything in its private data center. This reduces the risk of any man-in-the-middle attacks.

Both VPNs have ad and malware blockers: PIA’s MACE and CyberGhost’s Block Content. Neither of these works perfectly, but MACE performed better in my tests.

On the other hand, CyberGhost’s Block Content blocked 72% of ads

CyberGhost’s Block Content mostly blocks malicious ads, so I still had to endure annoying ads on sites like Daily Mail and Forbes.

Winner

Another close call — but PIA’s unique, customizable features really make it stand out when it comes to security offerings.

Privacy — CyberGhost Goes The Extra Mile to Ensure Your Privacy

PIA’s jurisdiction is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to privacy. It’s based in the US, which is part of the data-sharing 5 Eyes Alliance. CyberGhost, on the other hand, is based in privacy-friendly Romania (also where its NoSpy servers are located).

That said, PIA has taken steps to address the privacy concerns. Its no-logs policy was even proven in court — it was asked to hand over user data, but it couldn’t comply since it doesn't store any. Plus, both PIA and CyberGhost underwent independent audits of their no-logs policies in 2022 by Deloitte.

CyberGhost is also one of the few VPNs that publishes regular transparency reports. This means that every 3 months, it reports information about malware activity flags, the number of requests for user data it receives, and key statistics about its server infrastructure.

PIA also releases a transparency report, but it’s much less frequent. It claims to release one every six months, but the most recent one I could find was from over a year ago.

Both VPNs also accept cryptocurrency payments if you’d rather not share your credit card details.

Winner

While PIA has proven its commitment to user privacy with a strict no-logs policy and independent audit, CyberGhost’s privacy-friendly jurisdiction and regular transparency reports, in addition to its audited no-logs policy, sets it apart in this round.

Works in China — Neither VPN Is Guaranteed to Work in China, but PIA Might Work

Neither PIA nor CyberGhost is reliable for China. CyberGhost hasn’t been able to work in China for a long time. PIA might work, but not always, taking into account the ever-changing VPN restrictions in the country. You will probably have to tweak some of its settings to get it to work in China, but it's not guaranteed that it will.

China’s nationwide security network (known as the Great Firewall) has strengthened in recent years, and only government-approved VPNs work there. Take a look at our list of the 5 best VPNs for China to find a more reliable option.

Winner

PIA takes the win just because it has proved to be more reliable for China than CyberGhost. But PIA isn't always working there, and you might need to do some troubleshooting or change multiple settings.

Installation & Ease of Use — CyberGhost’s App Is Intuitive And Easy to Use

I recommend either PIA or CyberGhost to newbies, as they’re easy to set up and use. I downloaded, set up, and connected to each of these in under 3 minutes. However, in terms of how easy the apps are to use, CyberGhost takes the win. Its specialty servers are easy to find and clearly labeled on the left-hand side of the desktop app.

CyberGhost lets you add servers to your Favorites for a quicker connection the next time

CyberGhost also has a unique and intuitive Smart rules set of features. This lets you set up automatic connection rules, like making the VPN connect on certain unsecured networks or launching certain apps with a specific server. For example, you can set up your torrenting client to launch when you connect to a torrenting server.

Plus, you can customize your connection with the split tunneling feature, which lets you set certain websites to bypass the VPN connection.

On the other hand, considering how feature-rich PIA’s app is, it is well laid out. It has a separate pop-out panel for its advanced security features and a simple view if you don’t want to be overwhelmed with these. Its server list is also in a separate panel, and you can find the best connection easily as it displays the server’s ping next to its name.

But, while it’s one of the top VPNs for experienced users, PIA’s app may be a little overwhelming for newbies.

Winner

When it comes to ease of use, CyberGhost wins by a small margin. Its app is intuitive and easy to navigate — a great choice for VPN newbies and advanced users.

Reliability & Support — PIA Connects You To a Live Agent Straightaway

Customer service is an area where both PIA and CyberGhost showed similar results. Both VPNs offer a live chat option that works great most of the time. But the chat box isn't always there in the bottom right-hand corner, so I had a couple of instances where I struggled to get through to an agent.

With CyberGhost, you might need to first talk to a chatbot, but that just takes a couple of seconds until you're redirected to a live agent. Also, its email responses were really quick (usually within 3 hours).

Both VPNs have an extensive knowledge base and FAQ sections, including installation guides for different devices. So you can find a lot of the information needed readily available on their websites.

Winner - draw

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CyberGhost and PIA offered pretty much the same when it comes to customer support, so there's no clear winner in this category.

Tips on Choosing Between CyberGhost and Private Internet Access

It is hard to find the winner between 2 top-tier, premium VPNs. When I was testing and comparing CyberGhost and PIA, I carefully analyzed the following aspects:

• Smooth streaming — Not all VPNs offer fast and reliable connections for watching online content licensed in your country. If you’re looking for a good streaming VPN, make sure it works with your streaming accounts, allowing you to enjoy content without too much buffering.
• Fast speeds — Great speeds are crucial for smooth browsing, streaming, gaming, or torrenting with a VPN. CyberGhost only dropped my speeds minimally, even when connected to long-distance servers.
• Server networks — A vast global server network gives you more options of servers to connect to. Plus, a network with more locations increases the chances of finding a server close to you, normally giving you faster speeds.
• Robust security features — Strong security is a must-have when choosing a VPN. These features are vital for keeping your data safe and private. Both PIA and CyberGhost offer solid encryption, secure protocols, a kill switch, and IP/DNS leak protection, all of which are crucial for your data safety.
• Respectable privacy practices — A proven commitment to user privacy is also an important part of any VPN. Both VPNs take steps to ensure their users’ privacy is protected, but CyberGhost’s privacy-friendly jurisdiction sets it apart.
• Easy to use — A simple interface and easy-to-use features ensure quick and easy use. It’s also important to consider whether your chosen VPN is compatible with all the devices you plan to use it on. Both CyberGhost and PIA work with the most popular operating systems and devices.
• Trustworthy money-back guarantee — VPNs that trust in their product offer a money-back guarantee to let you try them out risk-free. PIA offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, while CyberGhost offers a super generous 45-day refund guarantee with the long-term plans.

CyberGhost vs. Private Internet Access — Reddit Opinions

You’ll find conflicting reviews of PIA and CyberGhost on Reddit. Both of these VPNs have been around for a long time, so each has had periods of downtime.

The biggest complaint about PIA on Reddit is its US jurisdiction, with some contributors raising concerns about its data-retention obligations. However, PIA stands by a strict (and court-proven) no-logs policy. Aside from this, PIA has mostly strong reviews, being labeled a great choice for streaming and gaming.

CyberGhost has slightly better reviews, with fewer concerns about user privacy. However, some contributors question the trustworthiness of CyberGhost’s and PIA’s parent company.