CyberGhost

Yes. CyberGhost's no-logs policy has been independently audited by Deloitte, it publishes regular transparency reports detailing the legal requests it receives, and it operates its own NoSpy servers — physically located and staff-managed — in its Romanian home base. It's owned by Kape Technologies, the same group behind ExpressVPN and PIA, which is worth knowing; the counterweights are the external audit, the transparency reporting and Romania's strong privacy stance, including a constitutional court that struck down mandatory data retention. Taken together, that's a reasonable trust footing rather than a promise you simply have to accept.

See in the comparison →

NordVPN is the stronger overall product — faster in our testing, with more independent audits and more advanced features (Meshnet, multi-hop, Threat Protection). CyberGhost fights back on value and ease: cheaper long-term plans starting at US$1.59/mo, plus an unusually long 45-day money-back guarantee and beginner-friendly, streaming-optimised server lists that automatically pick the right server for a given service. So it comes down to priorities — power users and speed-seekers should take NordVPN, while budget-focused beginners who mainly want easy streaming will be very happy with CyberGhost.

See in the comparison →

No — CyberGhost is a paid VPN with no permanent free tier. Instead it gives you an unusually long 45-day money-back guarantee on its long-term plans (plus a short free trial on some platforms like Android), which is effectively a risk-free way to test it and claim a full refund if it's not for you. Paid plans start at US$1.59/mo. If you genuinely need a free VPN, Proton VPN's free tier is the trustworthy option to look at instead.

See in the comparison →

No. CyberGhost was founded in Bucharest, Romania — an EU and NATO member — where its main operations remain, and it belongs to the UK-listed Kape Technologies group. It has no Russian ties. Romania's constitutional court even struck down data-retention laws, which is part of why its NoSpy servers are based there.

See in the comparison →

A few. Speeds trail NordVPN and ExpressVPN somewhat, so it's not the pick if raw performance is your priority. The renewal price sits far above the promotional rate, meaning the cheap entry cost (US$1.59/mo) doesn't last past the first term. Advanced users get fewer configuration options than PIA offers, and some people are wary of the shared Kape Technologies ownership. For easy, affordable streaming with a long 45-day guarantee to fall back on, though, it remains a solid, beginner-friendly choice — just not the performance or power-user champion.

See in the comparison →