Private Internet Access has been releasing new and innovative features on a regular basis, to differentiate themselves from the competition. In this comparison article, I look at how CyberGhost stacks up against Private Internet Access in terms of speed, Netflix availability and VPN servers located outside of China.
The “nord vpn” is a VPN service that offers a great number of features. The service has been around for many years and it’s one of the most popular VPN services on the market. It offers high speeds, great Netflix compatibility, and protection from China.
There are a lot of VPN providers to choose from. Among the most well-known are CyberGhost and Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment (PIA). Each provides great features, great customer service, reasonable costs, and easy-to-use applications. They’ve also conducted large-scale marketing initiatives that have helped them become household brands.
I’ve put both services through their paces to find which is the best. In my opinion, PIA is superior than CyberGhost. To understand why, it’s vital to examine what each have to offer in more detail.
Unlimited Bandwidth
Unblock Netflix
Kill Switch
7900+ Server
Cyberghost Plans
1 Month Plan $12.99/ month
1-year Plan $3.95/ month
2-year Plan $3.15/ month
3-year Plan $2.15/ month
30-day money-back guarantee
Get 82% OFF!
Unlimited Bandwidth
Bypass Geo-Restriction
Kill Switch
Support Bitcoin
PIA VPN Plans
1 Month Plan $9.95/month
1-year Plan $3.33/month
2-year Plan $3.29/month
30-day money-back guarantee
Get 67% OFF!
Comparison
We’ll begin with a comprehensive review of everything CyberGhost and PIA have to offer. Please see the table below for a comparison:
CyberGhost | Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment | |
Policy on Logging | Logging is not permitted. | Logging is not permitted. |
Jurisdiction | Romania | The United States of America (Five-Eyes Member) |
Encryption | 4096-bit RSA Key Exchange with AES-256 SHA-256 Hash Authentication | 4096-bit RSA Key Exchange AES-256 AES-128 SHA-256 Hash Authentication |
Protocols | UDP OpenVPN (Only on Android, Windows, Linux, and Smart TVs) TCP OpenVPN (Only on Android, Windows, Linux, and Smart TVs) IKEv2/IPSec (Only on iOS, macOS, and Windows) WireGuard IPSec/L2TP (Only on Linux) | UDP OpenVPN WireGuard OpenVPN TCP IPSec/L2TP |
Anti-Adware and Anti-Malware Software | Yes, indeed (None on Mobile Apps) | Yes |
Turn Off the Lights | Yes | Yes |
Tests for Leaks | There were no leaks discovered. | There were no leaks discovered. |
Tests of Speed | Fast | Fast |
Torrenting & P2P | Yes, indeed (Optimized P2P Servers on Desktop Apps) | Yes, indeed (On all servers) |
Streaming | Netflix Amazon Prime is a subscription service that allows you to Firestick with BBC iPlayer Apple TV Android TV Roku Kodi | Netflix Hulu Firestick Amazon Prime Kodi |
Gaming | iOS and Android on Windows Xbox One is a video game console that was released (Via DNS or Router) PS4 is a game console that was released in (Via DNS or Router) Nintendo Switch is a game console that was released in (Via DNS or Router) | iOS and Android on Windows Xbox One is a video game console that was released (Via Router) PS4 is a game console that was released in (Via Router) Nintendo Switch is a game console that was released in (Via Router) |
Compatibility | Chrome for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS Firefox Routers Selected by Tor | Android iOS Android iOS Android iOS Android iOS Android iOS Android iOS Android iOS Android iOS Android iOS Android Chrome Firefox Opera Selected by Tor Routers |
Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time. | 7 | 10 |
Servers | 7000+ | 3300+ |
China | No | On occasion (1 Out of 3 Servers Worked) |
Tunneling in Two Parts | Yes | Yes |
Features Not Included | Data Compression on NoSpy Servers (Android Only) Vault of Photographs (iOS Only) Dedicated Internet Protocol (IP) Address (Paid Add-On) Manager of Passwords (Paid Add-On) | PIA MACE |
Prices | $3.99/Month $12.99/Month $12.99/Month $12.99/Month $12.99/Month $12.99 (1 Year) $3.49 per month (2 Years) $2.25 per month (3 Years)
Special Promotion: Get three months free when you purchase a three-year membership. | $9.95/Month $3.33 per month (1 Year) $2.69 per month (2 Years)
Special Promotion: Save 73% on a 2-year membership and get 2 months free. |
Our Opinion | 4.1 | 4.2 |
Website | www.CyberGhostvpn.com | www.privateinternetaccess.com |
It’s clear that the two have a lot in common, but they also have a lot in common. As a result, we’ll have to dig further to find out what’s ideal for you. First, let’s talk about security and privacy.
Privacy & Security
Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment is based in the US, putting it under the Jurisdiction of the Five Eyes Alliance. Due to that, its operations are hindered by restrictive copyright and privacy laws. In Comparison, no such thing sets CyberGhost back as it’s headquartered in Romania, which is a VPN-friendly country.
Comparison of Encryption
AES 256-bit military-grade encryption, SHA-256 hash authentication, and a 4096-bit RSA handshake are used by both services. The use of AES-128 as a backup in case the main encryption is broken distinguishes PIA.
Protocols for Virtual Private Networks
CyberGhost and PIA support standard protocols like OpenVPN (UDP & TCP) and IPSec (L2TP & IKEv2). Note that CyberGhost only supports OpenVPN on Android, Windows, Linux, and Smart TVs. It also has limited IKEv2 support, with it being available exclusively on iOS, Windows, and macOS.
IKEv2 is not supported by PIA on any platform. However, the service compensates for this by supporting WireGuard in all of its locations.
Protection Against Leaks
Protection Against Leaks is something that both VPNs claim to provide. To make sure their claims are true, I decided to run some tests using IPLeak.net. Below is a screenshot of my results without using any service:
No VPN IP Leak Test
The following is how CyberGhost and its Singapore server performed:
CyberGhost Singapore performs an IP Leak Test.
The performance of PIA’s equivalent server was as follows:
PIA Singapore conducts an IP Leak Test.
The two VPNs’ test results were both good. Without any effort, my IP address was hidden. As a result, I am certain that both services will keep me completely anonymous while I use the internet.
Server Safety
Neither VPN runs its servers in RAM-disk mode, which makes storing logs impossible. The good thing is that Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment has announced plans to upgrade its entire network. The same cannot be said for CyberGhost that hasn’t disclosed anything of that sort.
Final Thoughts
PIA and CyberGhost are both excellent at ensuring privacy and security. Even yet, this category can only be won by one service. My vote goes to PIA since it supports WireGuard and has said that it plans to switch to a RAM-disk network in the near future.
Test your speed
Virtual private networks (VPNs) all slow down your internet connection. Fortunately, many people claim that PIA and CyberGhost are fast VPNs that don’t significantly slow down connections.
Testing which service is quicker is the only way to find out. Look at my base connection first before looking at the results:
Test your speed – No VPN
Here’s how CyberGhost’s SG server influenced it:
Test your speed – CyberGhost Singapore
Here’s what happened on PIA’s server at the same location:
Test your speed – PIA Singapore
I was surprised to find out that PIA is faster than CyberGhost. The service had a lesser impact on my ping, download, and upload speeds. Due to that, it’s the winner in this round of our CyberGhost vs Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment battle.
Torrenting & P2P
On their servers, CyberGhost and PIA actively promote torrenting. PIA even has a fully functional P2P network, making it ideal for the purpose. Although not all of CyberGhost’s servers support P2P, the company compensates by including a list of torrent-specific servers in its software.
I put both VPNs to the test to see whether they could keep me secure as I torrented. Here’s what happens if you don’t utilize a VPN:
No VPN Torrenting Leak Test
Here’s what happened when I connected to CyberGhost’s Hong Kong optimized server:
CyberGhost Hong Kong Torrenting Leak Test
Finally, here’s what happened when I uploaded my video to PIA’s SG server:
PIA Singapore conducts a torrenting leak test.
During the testing, neither service was able to hide my IP address. As a result, they’ve demonstrated that I can trust them to keep me safe while downloading torrents. With that stated, PIA is the winner of this round once again. It was my first choice since it is speedier and features a fully functional P2P server network.
Streaming
I’m a movie fanatic who need a VPN with excellent streaming capabilities.
I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with CyberGhost. The service allows you to choose from a list of streaming-specific servers. It even specifies which streaming platforms such servers are capable of accessing.
On the other side of the spectrum is Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment. It’s unreliable as it can only bypass the geoblocks of a few websites. Servers that can access content don’t even do so with consistency. If anything, my use of PIA for entertainment purposes has only led to frustration.
Netflix
There is no other platform that has the same level of popularity as Netflix. As a result, it was only logical for me to utilize it to discover what each service might provide. CyberGhost was the first VPN I used. Here’s what happened when I tried to watch Spotlight on Netflix’s optimized US server:
CyberGhost – CyberGhost – CyberGhost – CyberGhost – Cyber
After accessing the same title on PIA’s New York server, I got the following result:
PIA – Netflix PIA – Netflix PIA – Netflix PIA
The movie was able to be streamed in full resolution on both sites. Unfortunately, only CyberGhost was able to complete the task without buffering. PIA seemed to be working OK at first, then after a few minutes, it began a loop of loading and streaming.
CyberGhost has won this round of our PIA versus CyberGhost match. It enabled me to view in high definition without any problems.
Gaming
A VPN allows gamers to play with people around the world. It also keeps them protected while they do so. To see how good Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment and CyberGhost are for gaming, I used both while I fought matches on Call of Duty Mobile.
CyberGhost performed well since it did not cause the game to crash. Frame dips and lag were nearly non-existent. To be honest, the service gave me the impression that I was playing without a VPN.
It wasn’t the finest option to switch to PIA. The service produced severe frame drops, rendering the game almost unplayable. As a result, I pulled down my squad and caused us to lose. As a result, I would not suggest it for gaming.
Compatibility
CyberGhost and PIA are compatible with a broad variety of devices. Both VPNs’ creators made sure they were accessible to as many individuals as possible. Check out the chart below to get a better idea of what the two are compatible with:
CyberGhost | Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment |
Chrome for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS Firefox Routers Selected by Tor | Chrome for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS Firefox Opera Routers chosen by Tor |
CyberGhost does not have a browser plugin for Opera, although PIA does. Because of this, the service is the winner in this category.
Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time.
All-encompassing Compatibility is useless if your VPN doesn’t permit you to link to all your gadgets simultaneously. Thankfully, CyberGhost and PIA allow for some of the most Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time. in the industry.
You may connect up to 10 devices to a single PIA account. CyberGhost, on the other hand, only enables you to link up to seven devices. As a result, this round’s loser.
Servers
CyberGhost is the VPN with the most servers. It has over 7000 locations throughout the globe, allowing it to protect the anonymity of its users.
While it boasts a smaller network, Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment is by no means a tiny VPN. The service has 3300+ servers around the globe. Nevertheless, it still comes up short when compared to CyberGhost.
China
China’s Great Firewall is a problem that only a few VPNs can penetrate. Both PIA and CyberGhost are unable to continuously avoid it. Even though they have all of the required instruments, none of them can do the task successfully.
It’s worth noting, though, that PIA has been reported to function in China without incident on occasion. As a result, the service takes first place in this area. Still, if you’re traveling to the nation, I wouldn’t suggest it.
Interface & Usability
The biggest noticeable distinction between CyberGhost and PIA is in their applications. Both are user-friendly and straightforward to set up.
When you first launch the CyberGhost Windows software, you’ll see a quick-connect button that connects you to the best server for your location.
An extensible tray on the side displays the remainder of the app. There’s a whole list of servers there, as well as ones that specialize on streaming, torrenting, and security. Your account information and settings are also displayed.
Interface of the CyberGhost
The PIA program for Windows starts on the system tray and minimizes there. When you initially power it up, you’ll see a quick-connect button. The “VPN SERVER” button will take you to a list of all available servers. The settings are accessible by a three-dot symbol in the upper right corner.
PIA Interface is a program that allows you to interact with your
Both VPNs’ applications are appealing to me. However, I like CyberGhost since it is more visually appealing to me. It also has a list of unique servers that I may use anytime I need to do a certain assignment.
Features Not Included
One of the most feature-rich VPNs available is CyberGhost.
First, it has data compression on Android that makes its app lighter and run more smoothly. The service also has a secret photo vault for iOS, where you can hide all your pictures. In addition, it has Tunneling in Two Parts that lets you give certain websites and services access to your real info without having to turn the VPN off.
CyberGhost also provides two premium add-on features on top of everything else. You may obtain a Dedicated IP address, which allows you to establish your own unique IP address. A password manager is also accessible, which makes entering into your social media accounts a breeze.
Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment has PIA MACE, which is the VPN’s own proprietary adblocker. Furthermore, it also has Tunneling in Two Parts to give you an entirely new degree of convenience.
The victor in this round of our CyberGhost vs PIA match is CyberGhost. I picked it because it has more Features Not Included to offer. Most of which are not available on any other VPN service.
Customer Service
To know what CyberGhost and PIA offer in terms of Customer Service, refer to the table below:
CyberGhost | Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment | |
Live Chat | Yes | Yes |
Email Customer Service | Yes | Yes |
Support over the phone | No | No |
Ticket Assistance | Yes | Yes |
Video Instructions | No | No |
Knowledge Base on the Internet | Yes | Yes |
Average Time to Respond | 14 Hours | Time: 39 minutes |
PIA and CyberGhost offer the same things when it comes to Customer Service. Nevertheless, the winner in this category is PIA because it has a faster Average Time to Respond. Send them an email, and you’ll get an answer in less than an hour. This shows just how much the VPN values customer service.
Prices
PIA is known for being a low-cost, high-quality VPN. It’s one of the most affordable services available, making it ideal for individuals on a tight budget. CyberGhost, on the other hand, is claimed to have typical costs. It is neither pricey nor inexpensive.
Check out the chart below to see how much each service costs:
CyberGhost | Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment | |
Lengths of Subscriptions | $12.99/Month | $9.95/Month |
$3.99/month for a year | $3.33/month for a year | |
$2.49/month for 2 years | $2.69/month for 2 years | |
The Most Expensive Month | $12.99 | $9.95 |
Lowest Monthly Rate | 2.25 dollars (3 Years) | $2.69 |
Price for a year | $47.88 | $39.95 |
Guaranteed Money-Back | 14 Days (1-Month Plan) 45 Days (1 & 2- Year Plans) | 30 Days |
Special Promotion | After purchasing a three-year membership for $87.75, you will get three months free. | 73 percent off a two-year plan + two months free |
While CyberGhost is more expensive, it has more flexible plans. Additionally, it also has a longer Guaranteed Money-Back. Hence, you can try it without risks for longer. That said, the winner in this final round of our Access to the Internet in a Secure Environment vs CyberGhost match is PIA.
Verdict
Is CyberGhost a better alternative than PIA?
No. Despite the fact that it is a close choice, I believe PIA is superior than CyberGhost.
First, it’s got better security, which is the most important thing a VPN must be good at. On top of that, it is faster and has a P2P network that makes it optimized for torrenting. Furthermore, the service is compatible with more devices and allows for more Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time.. Lastly, it’s occasionally able to bypass the Great Firewall of China.
“NordVPN vs PIA Reddit 2021” is a comparison between the two VPNs. The article compares the speed, Netflix, Firestick, China, etc. Reference: nordvpn vs pia reddit 2021.
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