CyberGhost Review: Is This the Perfect Blend of Usability and Security?

CyberGhost is a VPN provider with millions of users and thousands of servers around the globe.

In this CyberGhost VPN review, we’ll look at several important features, including speed, server locations, streaming services, streaming device compatibility, and more. We will also cover CyberGhost’s pros and cons, key features, performance, and pricing.

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Originally founded in Romania in 2011, CyberGhost has grown to over 7,000 servers across more than 90 countries, with a user base above 38 million global subscribers. As of 2017, it is owned by UK-based company Kape Technologies, which also owns ZenMate VPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access (PIA).

What Are the Pros & Cons of CyberGhost?

Pros	Cons
Supports 7 simultaneous connections	Not all features available on all platforms and devices
Over 7,000 servers in 90+ countries	Limited payment options
Router support
45-day money-back guarantee
Specialized servers for streaming, gaming, and torrenting

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CyberGhost VPN Overview

Countries	91
Servers and Locations	7,000+ servers worldwide
Customer Support	24/7 via live chat or e-mail
Log Policy	No logging
Encryption Protocols	AES-256 with L2TP/IPsec, IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard
Supported Platforms	MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux
Routers Supported	Routers with OpenVPN support. CyberGhost recommends: Netgear R6400V2 AC1750 DD-WRT FlashRouter, Linksys WRT3200ACM AC3200 DD-WRT FlashRouter, and Asus RT-AC5300 AC5300 DD-WRT FlashRouter
Simultaneous Connections	7
Split Tunneling	Yes (Android only)
Kill Switch	Yes
Torrenting (P2P File Sharing)	Yes
Country of Registration	Romania
Dedicated IP	Yes (for an extra fee)
Smart DNS	Yes
Multihop	Yes
Price	From $2.19/mo (+ 2 months free) up to $12.99/mo
Free trial/money-back guarantee	24-hour, 3-day, or 7-day free trial (depending on device) / 14-day, or 45-day money-back guarantee (depending on subscription length)

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Streaming Movies and TV Shows With CyberGhost

CyberGhost supports all major streaming services. We tested it out on US-based servers and found it works with the following services:

• Netflix
• BBC iPlayer
• Amazon Prime Video
• Hulu + Live TV
• Sling TV
• Fubo TV
• HBO Max
• Disney+
• YouTube TV
• Apple TV

Compatible Devices and Services

CyberGhost supports a range of streaming devices and popular hardware platforms, including:

• Windows
• MacOS
• Linux
• Android
• Routers (DD-WRT, TomatoUSB)
• Apple TV
• Roku TV
• Android TV
• Amazon Fire TV
• LG Smart TV (webOS)
• Samsung Smart TV (Tizen OS)
• Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft gaming consoles (via Smart DNS)

Buffering

Due to the extra encryption step, VPNs can have an impact on connection speeds and bandwidth. This can sometimes cause buffering issues while streaming videos.

CyberGhost servers are streaming-optimized, designed to ensure smooth connections and prevent buffering, with popular locations supporting up to 10 Gbps for high-speed data transfers.

And if you still encounter buffering, CyberGhost provides a troubleshooting guide on its website to help resolve the issue.

Desktop and Mobile Apps

CyberGhost has apps for all major desktops and mobile platforms, compatible with the following system requirements:

• Windows (versions 7, 8, 10, and 11)
• MacOS (versions above High Sierra (10.13))
• iOS (13.2 and later)
• Android (Android 5 (Lollipop) and higher)

Browser Extensions

CyberGhost has free browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.

These include ad-blocking capabilities designed to block domains used for ads, trackers, and malware.

Both extensions also offer a cookie cleaner add-on, to free up space, boost speed, and further protect your privacy.

Ease of Use

CyberGhost’s apps are designed to be user-friendly and easy to understand, regardless of the platform. 

Features such as its one-click connection are designed to make it quick and easy to use at all times, and available servers are categorized by use (eg, “For downloading” or “For Streaming”) so you can easily find the best one for your current need.

The interface is designed to be easy to understand even if you’ve never used VPN apps before, while still catering to advanced and experienced users by allowing them to manually configure a range of settings.

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CyberGhost Features

In this section, we will take a look at some of the features offered by CyberGhost.

Split Tunneling

CyberGhost provides a split tunneling feature in both of its desktop apps (Windows and macOS). This allows you to pick which websites (but not apps) you want to exclude from the VPN tunnel.

On Android, the split tunneling feature also allows you to block specific apps from using the VPN.

Simultaneous Connections

A single subscription for CyberGhost protects up to 7 devices at the same time.

Alternatively, you can install CyberGhost on your router, and every device connected will also be protected by the VPN.

Kill Switch

If your VPN connection unexpectedly drops, a VPN kill switch is designed to instantly cut your device’s internet connection so none of your personal data can be leaked until the VPN can be restored.

CyberGhost includes an automatic kill switch in its Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android apps.

Dedicated IP

When connecting to a VPN service, users typically share all the IP addresses available on the VPN’s servers. Dedicated IP is a feature that lets users purchase one that remains unique and exclusive to them every time they connect to the internet with the VPN.

It should be noted that CyberGhost charges an additional monthly fee for a dedicated IP.

Smart Rules

Introduced in 2019, smart rules allow users to automate certain aspects of CyberGhost’s operation, such as setting up a specific location or server after reboot, or automatically opening certain apps when CyberGhost is launched.

These are often known as shortcuts or favorite settings with other providers, designed to save time.

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How Much Does a CyberGhost Subscription Cost?

CyberGhost VPN offers its plans at three different price points, depending on how long you choose to subscribe for:

• 1-month plan – $12.99 per month, with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
• 6-month plan – $6.99 per month (billed $41.94 every six months), with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
• 24-month (+2 months free) plan – $2.19 per month (billed $56.94 every 2 years, and yearly thereafter) with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

For an additional $2.50 per month, you can add a dedicated IP address. The full amount (depending on the length of your chosen subscription plan) is billed at the same time as your CyberGhost plan.

Windows users can also add the CyberGhost Security Suite, which is an all-in-one privacy and security solution in partnership with Intego, to their subscription at any time from their account profile.

Free Trial

On top of its money-back guarantee, CyberGhost offers free trials that can be downloaded instantly, without the need for any credit card information.

Windows and macOS get a 24-hour trial, while Android and iOS devices can try CyberGhost free for 7 days.

Ways To Pay

CyberGhost offers several ways to pay:

• Credit card
• PayPal
• Google Pay
• Amazon Pay
• BitPay (for cryptocurrencies)

How to Cancel CyberGhost

CyberGhost VPN can be canceled by logging into your account through CyberGhost’s official website and navigating to “Subscriptions”. From here, you can select “Cancel Subscription”, and your plan will no longer automatically renew at the end of your current billing cycle.

To cancel on an Android device, you will need to open the menu on your Google Play Store App, select “Subscriptions” and then choose the CyberGhost VPN one. You will then find the option to cancel.

To cancel on iOS, you need to open your Apple ID from your device’s Settings, scroll down to “Subscriptions”, and click “Cancel” on the CyberGhost one.

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CyberGhost’s Privacy and Security

With more than a decade of experience as a VPN provider, CyberGhost has developed a range of high-performing privacy settings and security features.

Encryption

CyberGhost provides 256-bit AES military-grade encryption, which is also the industry standard and should provide a reliable and secure VPN connection.

Protocols

CyberGhost uses top VPN protocols to allow users maximum flexibility in line with their security and usage requirements.

CyberGhost utilizes the following protocols:

• WireGuard
• OpenVPN (TCP and UDP)
• IKEv2
• Layer to Tunneling Protocol (L2TP)
• IPSEC

These are regarded as the best in the industry, with their own specific advantages and disadvantages depending on the user’s needs. It’s best to experiment to find out which one is best for you and your devices, or you can instantly connect with one click and let CyberGhost choose the most optimal settings. 

Server Technology

CyberGhost’s fully encrypted servers are self-owned and operated. They’re also RAM-only, meaning all the data on it is erased any time the server is rebooted or unplugged.

Streaming-Optimized Servers

Most streaming sites are against the use of VPNs and actively block IP addresses they associate with VPN servers.

CyberGhost has specialized servers for streaming and downloading. In the “For Streaming” category within its apps, you can find the servers constantly tested by CyberGhost to work with popular streaming sites.

NoSpy Servers

CyberGhost offers NoSpy servers: premium, in-house servers that only the company’s staff can physically access and control. Housed in Romania – a privacy-friendly jurisdiction that allows the company to stick to its no-logs policy – these servers are designed to offer protection for activists and dissidents, and are also good for streaming, gaming, and torrenting due to their extended bandwidth.

Ad Blocker

CyberGhost provides an ad blocker and protection from viruses. Its app removes ads from web pages and blocks malware, dangerous content, as well as malicious and harmful websites.

It also forces HTTPS protocols for websites when supported, to ensure your connection is encrypted.

Privacy Suite

CyberGhost offers an additional privacy guard option for its Windows app (for an extra fee).

This is an anti-malware and antivirus feature in partnership with Intego, that offers 24/7 protection against online threats and lets users manage their device’s security from a single command center.

CyberGhost ID Guard

All of Cyberghost’s plans include its ID Guard feature, designed to protect your information from getting leaked online by hackers.

It will periodically scan the internet to see if the email address associated with your account has been leaked on the dark web or exposed in a data breach, and will notify you if this has happened so you can check whether your passwords have been compromised.

No DNS Leaks

A DNS leak means your online requests are being sent to your internet service provider (ISP) instead of the encrypted VPN servers. This means your online activity is not private like you’d expect it to be while using a VPN service.

CyberGhost claims its service has no DNS leaks, but we ran our own tests to double-check. No DNS leaks were found, confirming the VPN connection worked as advertised.

Can CyberGhost Be Trusted?

In its privacy policy, CyberGhost clearly states that it doesn’t store connection logs, meaning its servers don’t keep any records regarding your IP address, connection timestamp, or session duration.

Although your data is processed when making a payment for the subscription, CyberGhost says third parties do not have access to your name, IP address, or other information that could potentially reveal your identity and online activity, and you can always pay with Bitcoin if this is a concern.

According to the company’s privacy policy, the data collected by CyberGhost will not be shared or sold, and the logs are not stored once payment has been verified.

Transparency Report

CyberGhost claims to have been the first VPN provider to launch a transparency report, all the way back in 2011. The intention was to reveal the number of data requests the service has received from various authorities.

More than a decade later, CyberGhost still publishes quarterly and yearly transparency reports for public access. These provide information on DMCA complaints, malicious activity flags, and police requests.

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Technical Details

In this section, we will delve into some of the technical details surrounding CyberGhost.

Is CyberGhost Easy to Install?

CyberGhost is designed to be user-friendly and should be straightforward to install and set up even for inexperienced users.

More experienced users will also be able to fully leverage the more advanced settings available in its apps as well.

Installation for each of the major operating systems is designed to be simple, and documentation for each compatible device is available on CyberGhost’s website.

How Fast Is CyberGhost?

Download speed and upload speed are probably the most relevant performance indicators for VPNs.

To find out how fast CyberGhost is, we ran a speed test from different server locations, with the results shown below.

As seen in the image below, our original connection speed was 41.35 Mbps / 28.99 Mbps.

While connected to the United Kingdom server, the download speed decreased to 36.85 Mbps, and the upload to 11.94 Mbps.

Meanwhile, the download speeds when connected to the US server were 27.54 Mbps, with 14.47 Mbps as the upload.

Even though the connection speed is impacted, this is generally considered normal for any VPN service.

The ping speed is affected but not as much on some competing services, and it is superior to many VPNs.

Does CyberGhost Work in Other Countries?

CyberGhost has over 7,000 servers around the globe, in more than 90 countries. This means users have ultimate flexibility wherever they are, whether they want to protect their privacy and security or simply catch up on their favorite shows from home.

Here are just some of the countries where it has servers:

• Australia
• Germany
• Canada
• France
• Romania

Australia

If you come from the land down under and happen to find yourself feeling homesick while living abroad, then fear not: CyberGhost is looking out for you. It has servers around the country, meaning you can check out your favorite local TV shows from SBS and other providers.

Germany

CyberGhost hosts 1,638 servers across three cities in Germany. So, whether you want to catch up on TV from back home, or sample German privacy and security while traveling there, CyberGhost has got you covered.

Canada

If you’re a Canadian living abroad, you’ll be pleased to know that CyberGhost hosts 484 servers in three cities across Maple Leaf country. This means you can check out all of your favorite Canadian TV and streaming action from wherever you may find yourself in the world.

France

CyberGhost can be used to access French TV channels and streaming services securely and anonymously. So if you want to kick back and watch your favorite French shows, movies, and live sports when traveling abroad, CyberGhost is for you.

Romania

It is certainly no secret that CyberGhost is based in Romania. Besides having its base in Bucharest, CyberGhost also hosts a number of servers in the Eastern-Europe country, meaning anyone can catch up on their favorite Romanian TV or streaming services.

China

Generally speaking, when people want to use a VPN in China, it’s to get around the Chinese government’s restrictions on internet usage. CyberGhost is currently usable for this purpose, provided users already have the app downloaded before arriving in the country.

USA

With top streaming providers offering huge catalogs of content (such as Netflix, Hulu, and Sling TV), the US is often one of the most popular locations VPN users want to access. CyberGhost offers a huge array of servers from coast to coast, so everyone can tune in.

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Customer Support

The CyberGhost website features a support section with guides for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire OS, Kodi Media Centers, Game Consoles, and other supported devices. The help page also provides a guide on how to stream services such as YouTube Red, Netflix, Disney, Hulu, and others while using the VPN.

The company’s support team can also be contacted through live chat, or by hitting “Submitting a Request” on the Help Page. This will let you create a ticket and receive an e-mail response if you have more detailed questions.

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How Does CyberGhost Stack Up to Competition?

CyberGhost is a well-established premium VPN provider, with a wide array of features and above-average security specifications that put it in the same league as some of the best services in the industry.

Its huge server network across almost 100 countries is one of the largest available – in comparison, NordVPN covers 60 countries, Private Internet Access spans 84, and ExpressVPN is spread throughout 105. CyberGhost also maintains RAM-only servers for extra protection and privacy, though ExpressVPN takes this one step further by utilizing TrustedServer technology as well.

ExpressVPN also lets its users connect a greater number of devices simultaneously, offers its own fast and secure protocol (Lightway), is available on a pre-installed home router, and has a proven reputation with multiple independent third-party audits on its privacy claims.

This does all come at a cost though, with ExpressVPN plans beginning at a higher price point than CyberGhost’s. If you don’t need the enhanced security or additional features of ExpressVPN and want to save some money, CyberGhost is worth a look.

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Does It Work In China?

Unlike many other providers, CyberGhost has 12 server locations within China. This means you should be able to access geo-restricted content from China worldwide.

When traveling to China, it’s recommended users download the CyberGhost app beforehand, as the Chinese Government often blocks the websites of VPN providers.

Methodology

We personally try out each VPN for our reviews. We evaluate speed, security features, ability to unblock streaming services, support for torrenting, customer support, and many other factors. We also look at the VPN company’s jurisdiction, history, past security incidents, privacy policy, and audit reports to ensure that you get a complete picture of the service. Learn more about how we test VPNs on our methodology page.

Wrapping Up

With a huge network of global and streaming-optimized servers,  CyberGhost is ideal for those looking to unblock geo-restricted content or stream videos privately online.

Along with strong encryption protocols, DNS leak protection, ad blocking, and a range of additional security settings, CyberGhost is also ready for those wanting a cost-effective solution to protect their online data.

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is CyberGhost better than NordVPN?

The best VPN for someone depends on their requirements. Compared to NordVPN, CyberGhost has more servers across a greater number of countries and lets users connect up to seven devices at once, whereas NordVPN limits its users to six.

NordVPN offers faster speeds and includes its own protocol NordLynx, designed to be faster and more secure than other available protocols. It also has independent third-party audits that prove its privacy policy.

CyberGhost prices begin at $2.19 (+ 2 months free), compared to NordVPN’s at $4.19.

Is CyberGhost a Russian company?

No. CyberGhost is owned by Kape Technologies, a company based in the UK. CyberGhost was originally founded in Romania, where it is still registered, which is an EU and NATO member and, as such, falls under the jurisdiction of GDPR.

According to its website, CyberGhost’s team is comprised of IT professionals based in Romania and Germany.

Who is CyberGhost owned by?

CyberGhostVPN was founded in 2011. Originally based in Romania, it has since been acquired by UK-based company Kape Technologies, which owns ZenMate VPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access (PIA).

Kape Technologies was previously known as Crossrider and specialized in distributing browser extensions and ad tech. 

Despite the change of ownership, CyberGhost VPN has maintained its original policies and branding. Currently, the service boasts over 38 million subscribers around the globe.

How does CyberGhost compare with Surfshark?

CyberGhost and Surfshark each offer many of the same benefits for users seeking privacy and security online. Both utilize RAM-only servers, offer ad-blocking, include an automatic kill switch, support the newer WireGuard protocol, and claim to have a no-logs policy.

Surfshark offers users an unlimited number of simultaneous connections, whereas CyberGhost’s is limited to seven. Their two-year plans have similar starting prices: Surfshark’s costs $2.19/mo (Starter plan including 3 months free) and CyberGhost’s costs $2.19/mo (including 2 months free).