PureVPN vs CyberGhost: device limits, routing and optional features

PureVPN is worth considering when its account allowance or a specific paid add-on, such as port forwarding, fits your setup. CyberGhost is worth considering when its documented app automation, seven-device allowance and plan-specific refund window fit your routine. Compare the exact application and checkout rather than buying on the old article’s server counts or unsupported speed winner.

VPNBlade has not run a comparative speed or streaming test for this article. We assess current provider documentation and explain the buying trade-offs. The archived claims of unlimited PureVPN devices, fixed 550 versus 70 Mbps performance, universal streaming access and complete protection are not reused. We may earn a commission from qualifying links; commercial placement does not establish a measured technical ranking.

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Cover: AI-generated editorial illustration of everyday smartphone use at a park cafe, not an actual customer, testimonial or VPNBlade product test.

PureVPN versus CyberGhost: the useful differences

Requirement	PureVPN	CyberGhost
Ordinary connection allowance	Current help describes up to ten concurrent devices; confirm account type and same-country conditions.	Up to seven simultaneous devices; installation count can be higher.
Windows selective routing	The guide routes selected applications through the VPN; include all relevant processes.	Exceptions exclude specified websites; App Rules automate connection when an app launches.
Android selective routing	Documented options to include only selected apps or exclude selected apps.	App Split Tunnel excludes selected apps.
Incoming port forwarding	A paid add-on, with supported-location and configuration requirements.	The provider says its VPN does not support port forwarding.
Refund headline	31 days for eligible initial purchases; renewals, trial-based renewals and payment exclusions matter.	14 days on a monthly plan; 45 days on offers of six months or longer, subject to channel rules.

The Windows row illustrates why a generic feature list can mislead. Routing only one application through a VPN, excluding a website and connecting automatically when an application opens are three different behaviors. Decide which problem you want to solve before treating them as interchangeable.

Devices: ten versus seven, with account conditions

PureVPN’s simultaneous-device help page describes ten concurrent connections for one account. A separate account-support article adds same-country wording and says a Mobile Account does not offer multi-login. That means the archived claim of unrestricted unlimited devices is unsuitable buying advice. Confirm which account you are purchasing if use across different countries or a mobile-only offer matters.

CyberGhost’s current help page documents seven simultaneous connections across supported platforms. It distinguishes installing applications from connecting them at the same time. When all seven slots are in use, another device requires an active connection to be disconnected first. The article also explains linking an app-store purchase to an email for cross-platform use.

For a single reader with a phone, tablet and computer, both ordinary allowances may be enough. A household should count simultaneous activity rather than every device ever owned. The larger number matters only if it solves an actual shortage and the account terms permit the intended users and locations.

Also check hardware compatibility separately. A television, console or router can need a different installation route from a mobile application. A higher connection allowance cannot compensate for missing support on the device you need most.

PureVPN split tunneling: understand what gets included

PureVPN’s Windows guide describes adding programs that should run through the VPN. It warns that an application may have several processes and that all relevant processes need to be added. This is a meaningful detail if, for example, a launcher starts a separate executable for the activity you want routed.

Its Android instructions offer two directions: allowing only selected apps to use the VPN, or preventing selected apps from using it. The same guide contains Android TV and Fire TV instructions, despite an introductory description that names Windows and Android. Use the section for your actual app instead of treating a short overview as a complete platform matrix.

Do not assume the Windows controls imply identical functionality on Mac or iPhone. If routing is the deciding feature, inspect the current application and confirm its exact behavior before subscribing. Our Android VPN guide provides a broader device-focused comparison.

CyberGhost: website Exceptions are different from App Rules

CyberGhost’s Windows Smart Rules guide separates several controls. Exceptions let specified websites bypass the VPN. App Rules launch CyberGhost and initiate a connection when an app from the configured list opens. Launch Rules can also start another application after the VPN connects.

That does not make App Rules an app-exclusion list. If your requirement is to keep a game outside the VPN while protecting a browser, a rule that merely starts the VPN when the game launches answers a different question. This distinction is more useful than giving both providers an unexplained tick for split tunneling.

On Android, CyberGhost documents App Split Tunnel for selecting apps that should bypass the tunnel. The instructions require disconnecting before changing the list. Check the effect afterward rather than assuming the setting has taken effect in an already-running session.

Automation also needs attention on new networks. CyberGhost’s Windows Wi-Fi rules can connect, ask, take no action or disconnect. A saved preference to disconnect on a network can explain why the application behaves unexpectedly later. Review the action, not just whether a Wi-Fi feature is enabled.

Port forwarding: an optional PureVPN requirement to verify

PureVPN describes port forwarding as a paid add-on rather than something to assume from the cheapest base plan. Its setup documentation restricts policies to supported locations and points Mac users to a PF tag in the location list. A configured rule may not apply if the chosen server does not support the feature.

The same help page contains inconsistent headline and body counts for ports and supported locations. We do not resolve that discrepancy by guessing a current number. Verify the selected server, available settings and entitlement with the provider before buying specifically for a required incoming connection.

CyberGhost states that its VPN does not support port forwarding. That is a concrete reason to consider a different service when your application needs an incoming VPN port. It does not establish that ordinary downloading, browsing or every game needs forwarding, and it does not establish a speed advantage for PureVPN.

A dedicated IP is also a different purchase from port forwarding. PureVPN’s paid-add-on guide describes a dedicated address with its own connection conditions. Do not buy it on the assumption that it automatically provides every incoming-port feature. Confirm the actual combination and total price.

Paid extras and the full cost of the plan

PureVPN’s checkout separates subscription levels and optional features. Identify the VPN entitlement first, then price any add-on necessary for your task. If a port-forwarding requirement is the main reason to choose it, a comparison of base-plan monthly equivalents alone understates the relevant purchase.

CyberGhost’s plans guide says longer introductory offers can renew annually at the standard rate after the initial period. This makes the next invoice as important as the first headline discount. A long introductory term and an annual renewal are different billing commitments even when one card displays them together.

Use our PureVPN offers and CyberGhost offers to inspect current selected plans and conditions. The offer buttons inherit centrally managed destinations. They are commercial links, not evidence that a provider has been independently shown to be faster or safer.

Streaming, gaming and P2P: replace the old winner claims

The archived comparison presented fixed speeds and sweeping conclusions about access to streaming platforms and games. We have no current reproducible record that justifies those results here. Network route, device, server conditions and the destination service can change the experience, so no measured winner is assigned.

The old table also said CyberGhost did not allow torrenting. Its current Linux support documentation explicitly describes P2P-optimized servers in selected countries, so that blanket statement is wrong. Use the appropriate supported server and application guidance for lawful sharing rather than generalizing from an obsolete table.

A server category is a selection aid, not a promise that a particular service will always work. Likewise, a VPN is not a general guarantee against malware or account compromise. Evaluate the actual connection, keep applications current and separate destination access from the security of the device you use.

PureVPN: pros, cons and reasons to choose it

Pros

• The ordinary ten-connection allowance may fit more concurrent devices than seven.
• Paid port forwarding provides an option CyberGhost does not offer.
• Android instructions document both include-only and exclusion routing.
• Subscription levels and separate add-ons let a buyer assess specific requirements.

Cons

• Account-type and same-country wording need checking for the intended use.
• Required add-ons can raise the full cost beyond the base VPN price.
• The forwarding page’s inconsistent numerical limits require confirmation rather than assumptions.
• Renewal, trial and payment-channel exclusions qualify the refund headline.

Choose PureVPN if its documented account conditions fit and a specific add-on or routing control solves your problem. Confirm that feature on the actual platform and server before taking a long term. A larger device number alone is not a reason to ignore those checks.

Check current PureVPN offers and verification dates →

CyberGhost: pros, cons and reasons to choose it

Pros

• Seven simultaneous connections can cover an ordinary set of personal devices.
• Windows Smart Rules document useful connection and app-launch automation.
• Android App Split Tunnel offers explicit app exclusions.
• Eligible longer subscriptions have a 45-day refund window.

Cons

• The standard connection cap is lower than PureVPN’s ordinary ten.
• VPN port forwarding is not supported.
• Windows website Exceptions and App Rules are not arbitrary app exclusions.
• The monthly refund window is 14 days, and store purchases have separate terms.

Choose CyberGhost when its app behavior fits your routine and seven simultaneous connections are sufficient. Its longer-plan evaluation window can be relevant, but it should not encourage a commitment before you inspect renewal and purchase-channel terms.

Check current CyberGhost offers and verification dates →

Refund comparison: the plan and channel matter

Before purchase	PureVPN check	CyberGhost check
Eligible initial purchase	Headline policy is 31 days; support may first troubleshoot the issue.	14 days for monthly; 45 days for six-month-or-longer offers.
Renewal	The initial guarantee does not apply to renewal payments; trial-based renewals are separately excluded.	Review the actual renewal and refund conditions for the purchase.
Payment channel	Its policy excludes Coinpayment, Google Play and Apple App Store from the provider refund option.	The provider guarantee excludes Google Play, Apple App Store and Amazon Appstore purchases.
Required extras	Confirm add-on entitlement, location and full cost.	Confirm any optional service independently of the base VPN.

Keep the receipt and the terms shown at checkout. Special offers can have conditions that a general guarantee page does not explain fully. Cancellation of future billing and a refund request are separate actions; a trial that converts into a paid plan is not the same as an ongoing free subscription.

Frequently asked questions

Does PureVPN allow unlimited devices?

Its current ordinary account documentation describes ten simultaneous connections, with account-specific conditions. The archived unlimited statement is not used. Confirm any separately sold upgrade rather than assuming it is included.

Can CyberGhost be used for P2P?

Yes, its current support documentation describes P2P-optimized servers, including a Linux workflow in selected countries. This corrects the old blanket “no torrenting” table entry without promising anonymity or a download-speed result.

Which is faster?

This article does not establish that. The old 550 versus 70 Mbps comparison lacks a current reproducible test record. Evaluate your normal network and intended app rather than treating those historical numbers as present performance.

Where can I compare another service?

Read the standalone Surfshark versus CyberGhost comparison or ExpressVPN versus CyberGhost comparison. Each provider pair retains its own decision. Check the deals directory once you know which service and plan fit your needs.

Continue your research

PureVPN →

CyberGhost →