CyberGhost VPN vs Norton Secure VPN 2024

Keira Waddell

Former Senior Writer

Norton is a trusted name in the cybersecurity industry, but we wanted to know if it can compete with an established VPN, CyberGhost. At first glance, there isn’t an obvious winner, as both VPNs offer fast speeds, decent-sized server networks, and can access most streaming platforms.

My team and I tested various features for both VPNs, including speed, streaming capabilities, torrenting support, gaming, customer support, privacy policies, and lots more. These VPNs come at a similar price point, so I expected similar performance.

However, CyberGhost came out on top in nearly every area we tested, while we found that Norton Secure VPN has poor torrenting support and difficulty accessing live support. So, overall, I recommend CyberGhost. You can even try it for free with its generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

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Streaming — CyberGhost Works With Far More Platforms

CyberGhost and Norton Secure VPN are both solid options for securely streaming global content from anywhere. Both VPNs offer fast speeds to minimize interruptions and let you stream in Ultra HD.

However, CyberGhost takes the lead because it offers streaming servers in over 20 countries, which makes it easy to find a fast, reliable server. Its expert team regularly tests these servers to ensure they work smoothly with their designated platform.

We found that Norton Secure VPN struggled to access a couple of streaming services. My colleagues in the US could watch Netflix, but they couldn’t access Disney+ or Hulu. My teammates in Canada and Japan also reported that they can only access Netflix Originals in these regions. So, CyberGhost takes the lead in this area.

My colleagues in the US reported a few seconds of buffering while watching Scavengers Reign

During my tests from the UK, I was able to stream Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, and ITVX with CyberGhost. Our team of international testers also confirmed that it could access Netflix US, Hulu, Max, and Disney+. It also worked well with Canadian, Australian, and Japanese Netflix.

CyberGhost has a streaming server for BBC iPlayer, which granted me access right away

CyberGhost also offers a Smart DNS feature, which lets you stream on devices that don’t natively support VPNs, like smart TVs and gaming consoles. This feature works with UK and US Netflix, as well as Hulu. Unfortunately, Norton Secure VPN doesn’t offer this feature.

Winner

CyberGhost provides more reliable connections, Smart DNS, and better performance with specialized servers.

Server Network — CyberGhost Has Better Worldwide Coverage

CyberGhost offers an extensive network with over 11,690 servers in 100 countries. Plus, it offers city-specific servers in many countries, such as Australia, Canada, Germany, the US, the UK, and more. These can help you to find the closest possible server, reducing any speed drops.

Norton Secure VPN, with 3,000 servers in only 60 countries, provides fewer options. Its global coverage isn’t great, either, as most of its servers are in Europe, with only 1 in Africa, 2 in South America, and 3 in Asia. Plus, it only offers country-level servers, which can be a problem for users in countries like the US, as you could be connected to a server thousands of kilometers away.

CyberGhost also offers specialized servers for streaming, gaming, and P2P file sharing in lots of countries around the world. It also offers safe NoSpy servers on its long-term plans that are managed by its staff in Romania, where it’s headquartered.

Most of CyberGhost’s server network consists of physical servers, while all Norton Secure VPN servers are virtual. Physical servers typically offer more reliable and secure connections, so I tend to prefer them over virtual servers.

You can get dedicated IP addresses with CyberGhost for an extra fee. These can be useful as they can reduce the number of CAPTCHA checks you experience and reduce the likelihood of IP blocking.

Winner

Its extensive global server network, specialized servers, and availability of dedicated IPs make it the better choice for a comprehensive and reliable server network.

Speed — CyberGhost Is Faster on Most Long-Distance Servers

Our UK-based speed tester tried a range of servers with each VPN’s fastest protocol, using the WireGuard protocol for both VPNs as it consistently delivered the best speeds. They started with a baseline of around 250 Mbps.

On nearby servers, both VPNs provided fast speeds, but CyberGhost was a little faster. Our speed tester experienced an average of a 7% drop on nearby European servers, compared to a 15% drop with Norton Secure VPN.

I was really impressed with these results since LA is almost 9,000 km away from the UK

Connected to servers in the US, South America, and Australia, CyberGhost dropped my long-distance speeds by 33% on average, compared to 49% with Norton Secure VPN. The biggest drop with Norton Secure VPN was 77% when connected to its Singapore server. Since we had fast speeds to begin with, there wasn’t a super noticeable drop. However, you may notice a bigger dip in performance if your base speeds are slower.

If you've got a slow baseline connection, you'll struggle with Norton VPN's long-distance servers

Here’s a brief summary of our speed test results:

Winner

CyberGhost excels in maintaining higher speeds on long-distance servers and offers more consistent performance.

Gaming — CyberGhost’s Router Setup Lets You Play on Game Consoles Securely

I had very similar experiences when gaming with CyberGhost and Norton Secure VPN on my PC and Mac, and either is a good option if you’re looking for a gaming VPN on these devices. However, CyberGhost wins out here because it’s the only one that lets you protect your gaming consoles.

The server's ping rate (measured in ms) is the most important factor to look for when gaming with a VPN. For lag-free gaming, you need a ping of less than 100 ms, ideally much lower if you’re playing a fast-paced game. Our UK-based speed tester gathered the below data, starting with a ping of 23 ms.

When connected to local servers in the UK, we recorded a ping rate of 25 ms with CyberGhost and 35 ms with Norton Secure VPN. With both VPNs, I was able to play completely lag-free with no interruptions. CyberGhost provided a lower ping rate on its gaming servers, but it wasn’t a huge difference. Even connected sightly further away in Germany, neither VPN gave us a ping of over 40 ms.

I was able to play Team Fortress 2 without any lag or buffering on CyberGhost's London gaming servers

When I tested both VPNs on US servers, the game took significantly longer to load, and I experienced so much lag that it was pretty much unplayable. However, these results are normal for most VPNs that we’ve tested.

What makes CyberGhost stand out is its ability to configure it on routers. This lets you play securely with the VPN on Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. The router setup isn’t difficult, and CyberGhost offers detailed guides for different router models on its website. Norton Secure VPN doesn’t offer router support.

Winner

Even though both VPNs delivered similarly low ping rates on nearby servers, CyberGhost’s router setup gives it the edge here as it’s compatible with more gaming devices.

Torrenting — CyberGhost’s Torrenting Servers Make It Easy to Find a P2P Server

There’s very little competition between these VPNs when it comes to torrenting since Norton Secure VPN only offers 1 P2P-optimized server in the Netherlands.

On the other hand, CyberGhost offers specialized torrenting servers in over 75 countries. I connected to CyberGhost’s optimized server in the Netherlands and downloaded the public domain movie The Chase (800 MB) in less than 90 seconds.

Norton Secure VPN’s torrenting server worked well for me, too. I was able to download a 1.2 GB (copyright-free) file in 3 minutes. However, if you're further away from the Netherlands, you might have slower speeds and longer downloads.

Winner

It offers specialized torrenting servers and fast speeds, making it the superior choice for torrenting.

Security — CyberGhost Wins With More Customizable Options

Both VPNs are safe to use, but CyberGhost offers more features and better customization, making it the winner in this category.

Each VPN offers all the security features I’d expect from a premium VPN, including IP/DNS leak protection, a kill switch, split tunneling, and more. They also both offer the fast and reliable WireGuard protocol, as well as the super secure OpenVPN protocol.

Norton Secure VPN also offers the Mimic protocol, which allows you to use the VPN on restricted networks like at work, school, or on public WiFI networks.

I tested 10 of Norton Secure VPN's servers, and they all passed the leak tests

I also really like CyberGhost’s Smart rules feature, which lets you set up Exceptions (split tunneling), WiFi protection, and App rules. For example, I set the VPN to connect automatically when I connect to public WiFi, as well as when I launch torrenting apps.

I set the VPN to connect automatically when it detects a new WiFi network to secure me when I'm away from home

CyberGhost’s entire server network is RAM-based, so user data is deleted on every reboot. Plus, it offers secure NoSpy servers that are housed in its HQ in Romania, which reduces the risk of third-party interference. In comparison, Norton Secure VPN uses traditional hard disks, which retain data for longer.

Winner

CyberGhost outshines Norton Secure VPN with its Smart rules feature and RAM-only server fleet.

Privacy— CyberGhost’s Privacy-Friendly Jurisdiction Puts It On Top

CyberGhost and Norton Secure VPN both adhere to no-logs policies that state they do not store personal information. However, unlike CyberGhost, Norton Secure VPN’s no-logs policy has not been audited by a third party to back up its claims.

CyberGhost also publishes quarterly transparency reports, which detail every time it has received DMCA complaints, malware activity flags, and police requests. Since the VPN does not store user data, it has nothing to hand over to authorities when it receives a request. It’s also recently launched a bug bounty program that offers a reward to researchers who find a bug in any of its systems.

CyberGhost operates in Romania, a country with strong privacy laws and no mandatory data retention policies. Norton Secure VPN, however, is based in the US, which is part of the data-sharing 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance.

I did find that Norton’s password manager was breached in 2022, but the company claims that none of its systems were compromised. However, it’s quite alarming as hackers could have been able to access sensitive user information.

Winner

CyberGhost is the better choice for privacy with its robust policies, independent audits, favorable jurisdiction, and clean breach record.

Works in China — Neither Works Reliably in China

Obfuscation is key to using a VPN in China, as it is designed to overcome restricted networks. Despite Norton Secure VPN offering the Mimic protocol, it’s not able to work in China, according to its live chat support agent.

CyberGhost doesn’t offer obfuscation or any other specialty protocols, so it doesn’t work there, either. If you’re looking for a reliable VPN to use in the country, check out our list of the best VPNs for China.

Winner - draw

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Neither VPN works reliably in China due to the Great Firewall's VPN blocking technology.

Installation & Ease of Use — CyberGhost Is One of the Most Intuitive VPNs I’ve Tested

Both VPNs are easy to use and suitable for beginner users. However, CyberGhost comes out on top here with its clear menus and options that make it easy to use all of its features.

CyberGhost also lets you "favorite" servers for quicker access when you want to connect next time

CyberGhost offers lots more customization, too, and each setting comes with a short explanation so you can learn what everything does. It’s really handy if you’re not sure how the app will behave if you, for example, choose to disable IPv6 traffic.

Its iOS and Android apps are pretty much identical and really intuitive

Norton Secure VPN’s app is simple, but this is mostly due to the lack of advanced features. When you go to its VPN Preferences tab, it only lets you toggle the kill switch, manage the split tunneling feature, choose the protocol, and auto-connect at startup. There’s also a tab for the Ad Tracker Blocker feature.

Everything else happens behind the scenes, which is okay if you want a super simple app, but not ideal if you want to get to grips with how your VPN works.

Winner

Both VPNs are good options for beginners, but CyberGhost is really intuitive and gives you more features to play with.

Reliability & Support — CyberGhost’s Live Chat Is a Lot More User Friendly

Both VPNs offer 24/7 live chat support, but I consistently had a much better experience with CyberGhost. Its agents were always friendly and helpful, and I always got a response within a couple of minutes.

To get through to Norton Secure VPN’s live chat, you have to answer a lot of questions from the AI chatbot. Once you get connected, the agents' responses are often vague and unhelpful.

However, Norton Secure VPN does offer phone support, which is rare for VPNs.

Winner

CyberGhost’s chat support was much easier to access, and the responses I got were always more helpful than with Norton Secure VPN.

Tips on Choosing Between CyberGhost and Norton Secure VPN

There are several factors to consider when choosing between CyberGhost and Norton Secure VPN. Here are the criteria I used to determine which is the better option overall:

• Smooth streaming. My team and I tested both VPNs to ensure they provide reliable and stable connections for streaming.
• Fast speeds. Your VPN should offer high speeds for streaming, browsing, or torrenting so you don't experience lag or interruptions.
• Server networks. A VPN with a large number of servers increases the likelihood of finding one nearby for optimal speeds and reduces the risk of overcrowding.
• Robust security features. Essential security features include military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and IP/DNS leak protection. Additional features like obfuscation and a RAM-based network are also beneficial.
• Respectable privacy practices. An ideal VPN has a strict no-logs policy verified by an independent audit and is based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
• Easy to use. The VPN should offer easy-to-use apps for all major platforms, ensuring you can protect all your devices.
• Trustworthy money-back guarantee. A money-back guarantee allows you to try out a VPN without financial risk. If you're not satisfied, you can get a full refund.

CyberGhost vs Norton Secure VPN — Reddit Opinions

CyberGhost is a trusted name in the VPN market and is often praised for its commitment to user privacy. While some questions are raised about its past ownership, its robust, audited no-logs policy and privacy-friendly jurisdiction back up its claims.

Norton Secure VPN has received some complaints on Reddit forums, particularly due to its poor torrenting performance. Some users also complain about its annoying promotional popups, which can diminish the VPN’s usability.