Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

CyberGhost VPN vs PublicInput

C

CyberGhost VPN

Cybersecurity

Consumer VPN operated from Romania and owned by Kape Technologies, with a no-logs claim audited by Deloitte.

From
$2.19/month
Free plan
No
PublicInput logo

PublicInput

Government

Inclusive Community Engagement

From
$400/month
Free plan
No

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CyberGhost VPN kape Technologies, the parent, was formerly Crossrider, a browser extension platform whose technology was widely used to distribute adware, and Kape now also owns VPN review sites, so third-party rankings a buyer might use to verify the product can come from the same corporate group.; PublicInput all three plans, Listen, Engage and Engage Plus, are listed as Request Pricing with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • They diverge on capability: CyberGhost VPN covers NoSpy servers, PublicInput covers Virtual Public Meetings.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CyberGhost VPN and PublicInput actually diverge.

Attributes where CyberGhost VPN and PublicInput differ
AttributeCyberGhost VPNPublicInput
Starting price$2.19/month$400/month
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
Founded20112014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CyberGhost VPN

  • NoSpy servers
  • Audited no-logs policy
  • WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2
  • Streaming-labelled servers
  • Dedicated IP via token
  • Kill switch
  • Split tunnelling
  • Smart Rules

Only in PublicInput

  • Virtual Public Meetings
  • Online Surveys
  • Comment Management
  • Multi-language Support
  • Engagement Analytics
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
  • GovDelivery

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CyberGhost VPN

  • A household that wants one subscription covering several devices for streaming and public Wi-Finot PublicInput
  • A buyer who specifically wants a provider outside the Fourteen Eyes with a published third-party no-logs auditnot PublicInput
  • Torrenting on a connection where the internet provider throttles or logs peer-to-peer trafficnot PublicInput
  • Travellers needing to reach home-country services from abroad without configuring anything technicalnot PublicInput

PublicInput

  • Civic engagementnot CyberGhost VPN
  • Government consultationnot CyberGhost VPN
  • Public input collectionnot CyberGhost VPN

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CyberGhost VPN

  • Kape Technologies, the parent, was formerly Crossrider, a browser extension platform whose technology was widely used to distribute adware, and Kape now also owns VPN review sites, so third-party rankings a buyer might use to verify the product can come from the same corporate group.
  • Pricing is structured so that the deep discount applies to the longest initial term and the standard rate applies at renewal, which means the figure used to make the decision is not the figure paid in year three unless the subscriber renegotiates or churns.
  • The Deloitte engagement is point-in-time assurance over stated policy and server configuration, so it confirms things were as described when examined and says nothing about how the infrastructure behaves today or after an ownership change.
  • Client capability differs sharply by platform: the Linux client is command-line only and lacks the kill switch and split tunnelling that the Windows client has, so a mixed-device household does not get the protection that reviews of the Windows app describe.
  • Streaming-optimised server labels go stale because platforms block address ranges continually, and the practical support answer is to try a different server, which makes the labelled-server feature less dependable than the marketing implies.

PublicInput

  • All three plans, Listen, Engage and Engage Plus, are listed as Request Pricing with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • HTML and CSS customization, custom workflows and approvals, and external system integration with Accela and ESRI are listed as Enterprise Capabilities rather than core platform features
  • Public meetings functionality is sold under a separate Meetings plan rather than being included with the Engagement plans
  • Getting a plan requires booking a consultation and a tailored demo rather than self serve signup

Pricing, plan by plan

CyberGhost VPN

$2.19/month
  • 1 Month$12.99/month
    • 7 devices
    • 9000+ servers
    • Unlimited bandwidth
  • 2 Years + 2 Months$2.19/month
    • All features
    • Best value
    • 45-day guarantee
  • 6 Months$6.99/month
    • All features
    • 45-day guarantee

PublicInput

$400/month
  • Enterprise$400/month
    • Virtual Meetings
    • Surveys
    • Comment Management

Which should you pick?

Choose CyberGhost VPN if

  • You need nospy servers.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want audited no-logs policy.

Choose PublicInput if

  • You need virtual public meetings.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want online surveys.

Questions people ask

Is CyberGhost VPN or PublicInput better?
Neither clearly leads. CyberGhost VPN starts at $2.19/month and PublicInput at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CyberGhost VPN or PublicInput?
CyberGhost VPN starts at $2.19/month and PublicInput at $400/month.
Does CyberGhost VPN or PublicInput run on more platforms?
CyberGhost VPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. PublicInput runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is CyberGhost VPN best used for?
CyberGhost VPN is most often used for a household that wants one subscription covering several devices for streaming and public wi-fi, a buyer who specifically wants a provider outside the fourteen eyes with a published third-party no-logs audit, torrenting on a connection where the internet provider throttles or logs peer-to-peer traffic, travellers needing to reach home-country services from abroad without configuring anything technical. Of those, a household that wants one subscription covering several devices for streaming and public wi-fi and a buyer who specifically wants a provider outside the fourteen eyes with a published third-party no-logs audit are not what PublicInput is typically brought in for.
What can CyberGhost VPN do that PublicInput cannot?
CyberGhost VPN covers NoSpy servers, Audited no-logs policy, WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, Streaming-labelled servers. PublicInput covers Virtual Public Meetings, Online Surveys, Comment Management, Multi-language Support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CyberGhost VPN: Who owns CyberGhost?

Kape Technologies, which acquired it in 2017. Kape was formerly called Crossrider and also owns ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access and Zenmate, plus the review sites vpnMentor and Wizcase.

PublicInput: How much does PublicInput cost?

PublicInput does not publish pricing on their website. Customers must request a demo or book a meeting to receive a quote based on their specific needs.

Source
CyberGhost VPN: Has the no-logs claim been independently audited?

Yes. Deloitte has examined the no-logs policy and server configuration and published an assurance report. Note that this is a point-in-time engagement, not continuous monitoring.

PublicInput: What pricing plans does PublicInput offer?

PublicInput offers Engagement Plans and Meetings Plans, but specific pricing for each plan is not publicly available and requires contacting their sales team.

Source
CyberGhost VPN: What jurisdiction is it under?

The service is operated from Romania, which has no mandatory communications data retention law in force and is not a member of the Five, Nine or Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing arrangements. Ownership sits with Kape, headquartered in the UK.

CyberGhost VPN: Does it work with streaming services?

Often, using the servers labelled for each service, but this changes constantly as platforms block address ranges. Treat streaming access as a feature that may stop working on any given day rather than a guarantee.

CyberGhost VPN: Can I use it on Linux or a router?

There is a command-line Linux client with fewer features than the desktop apps, and router use requires manual OpenVPN configuration rather than an official app.

Share

Related pages

Other head to heads