PIA vs CyberGhost in 2026: Two Kape VPNs, Two Very Different Buyers

Private Internet Access and CyberGhost have the same owner, Kape Technologies, and they end up almost tied in our database: 3.63/5 for PIA, 3.58/5 for CyberGhost. Yet they’re built for different people. PIA is a privacy toolbox with a huge number of settings. CyberGhost is a streaming-first app that tries to make every decision for you.

The short answer

Choose PIA if you want the lowest price, open-source apps, and tools for getting around restrictive networks. Choose CyberGhost if streaming is your main reason for buying a VPN and you’d rather click one button than learn what a protocol is.

If privacy is your first priority, honestly, neither is our top pick. Both lose points on ownership transparency, and better-scoring options exist in the same price range.

PIA vs CyberGhost: head-to-head table

Same owner, and that matters

Kape Technologies bought CyberGhost in 2017 and Private Internet Access in 2019, then ExpressVPN in 2021. In early 2026 it was taken fully private and delisted from the London Stock Exchange, which means even less public reporting than before. We explain what that changes in Kape Technologies goes private.

Both VPNs score just 1/5 on our ownership transparency criterion and 2/5 on ethics. Comparing them doesn’t change your exposure to Kape; you are buying from the same parent either way. If ownership is a dealbreaker for you, this whole comparison is moot and you should look at independently owned providers instead. Our guide Who owns your VPN? maps out the groups.

Privacy: a split decision

This is where it gets interesting, because each one wins half the argument.

CyberGhost has the better address. It’s based in Romania, outside the intelligence-sharing alliances, which earns a 5/5 for jurisdiction. PIA is a US company, inside the Five Eyes, at 3/5.

PIA has the better track record. Its no-logs claim has been tested in US court cases where it could not hand over user data because there was none, which is why we score it 4/5 even though our database doesn’t list it as formally audited. PIA has since announced a third independent audit, this time by Deloitte Romania, covered in our news piece. CyberGhost’s last no-logs audit in our data dates from 2012, which is ancient history in VPN terms, so it sits at 3/5.

Both run RAM-only servers (5/5 each), so neither keeps data on disk by design.

Encryption is the odd one. PIA’s default cipher is AES-128, with AES-256 available in the settings. That’s not insecure, but our scoring rewards strong defaults, and PIA gets 2/5 against CyberGhost’s 5/5. If you pick PIA, switching to AES-256 takes ten seconds.

Streaming: CyberGhost’s home turf

CyberGhost was designed around streaming, and it shows. It scores 4/5 on our streaming criterion: Very Good on Netflix and Disney+, Good on Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video and HBO Max, Variable on Peacock. Its apps also list servers by platform, so you pick “Netflix US” instead of guessing.

PIA scores 3.5/5: Good on Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and HBO Max, Variable on Hulu, BBC iPlayer and Peacock. It works, but you’ll switch servers more often.

Getting around blocks: PIA pulls ahead

PIA supports Shadowsocks, obfuscated servers and dedicated IPs, which earns 4/5 on our “bypassing restrictive networks” criterion. CyberGhost only offers dedicated IPs (2/5). On a strict school or office network, or when travelling somewhere VPNs get throttled, PIA has more tricks.

PIA’s server count is also enormous: 28,936 servers, though spread over fewer countries (77) than CyberGhost’s 6,200 servers in 90 countries. More servers per country means less crowding at peak times; more countries means more exit options.

Speed and apps

Both score 4/5 for speed, so you won’t feel a difference on a normal connection. Both support WireGuard and OpenVPN.

The apps feel very different. CyberGhost (5/5 on availability) covers every major platform with a clean, labelled interface. PIA (4/5) has open-source apps with deep settings: encryption choice, port forwarding, split tunnelling, custom DNS. People who like control love it. People who don’t will find it noisy.

Both include an ad and tracker blocker (5/5 each). CyberGhost’s support is a little better in our scoring, 5/5 against 4/5 for PIA.

Want to compare all VPNs side by side? Check our full VPN comparison table with scores across 18 criteria.

Price: PIA is cheaper, CyberGhost forgives longer

PIA is the cheaper of the two on every plan in our data. Monthly, it’s $11.95 against $12.99. On a year, $39.95 (about $3.33 a month) against $47.88 (about $3.99). On two years, $79.00 against $83.76.

CyberGhost counters with the longest refund window in our database: 45 days, against 30 for PIA. If you’re unsure, that extra two weeks is a genuine safety net. If you’re already sure, PIA saves you money. Both are Kape brands, so watch the renewal price either way; introductory deals rarely survive the first term. If you do sign up for CyberGhost and change your mind, our CyberGhost review covers what to expect, and the refund process is quick.

Torrenting, families and travel

Torrenting. Both allow P2P traffic. PIA is the more natural fit: its open-source apps include port forwarding and a detailed kill switch, and its no-logs record has been tested in court. CyberGhost has servers dedicated to torrenting, which makes it simple, but its older no-logs audit is the weak point if privacy is why you torrent through a VPN.

Families. CyberGhost’s labelled streaming servers and 5/5 support score make it easier to hand to someone who doesn’t want to learn VPN settings. PIA’s interface can intimidate first-time users.

Travel. PIA has fewer countries (77 against 90) but better tools for blocked networks. If you’re heading somewhere that throttles VPNs, take PIA; if you mainly want your home streaming catalogue in a hotel, CyberGhost does that job well.

You can check current plans on the official PIA website and CyberGhost website; neither link earns us a commission.

Watch the renewal price

Both brands advertise their lowest prices on long first terms. When that term ends, the subscription renews at the standard rate unless you act. This isn’t unique to Kape, but it catches a lot of PIA and CyberGhost customers off guard. Note the renewal date the day you buy, and decide again a couple of weeks before it. Our guide to VPN renewal price hikes explains how much prices typically jump and how to avoid paying more than you need to.

Who should choose which?

Choose PIA if you:

• want the cheapest plan of the two
• like adjusting settings and want open-source apps
• need Shadowsocks or obfuscation for restrictive networks
• value a no-logs claim that has held up in court

Choose CyberGhost if you:

• mostly use a VPN to stream
• want the simplest possible app
• prefer a non-Five-Eyes jurisdiction
• want 45 days to test before committing

And if neither profile fits perfectly, our PIA review goes deeper on the settings that make it worth the learning curve.