CyberGhost Review: 9,700+ Servers, 45-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Huge server network and beginner-friendly apps, but Kape ownership raises questions.
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.
Originally founded in Romania in 2011, CyberGhost has grown to 9,700+ servers across 100 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).
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CyberGhost Pros & Cons
CyberGhost by the Numbers
Plans, Products & Prices
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 Payment Methods
Streaming TV & Movies With CyberGhost
| CyberGhost Streaming Compatibility | ||
|---|---|---|
| Service | Last Tested | Source |
| |
28 Mar 2026 (re-test due) | CyberGhost confirmed |
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28 Mar 2026 (re-test due) | CyberGhost confirmed |
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28 Mar 2026 (re-test due) | CyberGhost confirmed |
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28 Mar 2026 (re-test due) | CyberGhost confirmed |
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28 Mar 2026 (re-test due) | CyberGhost confirmed |
Streaming compatibility tested by VPNTesting.com. Results may vary by server and region.
Compatible Devices and Services
Desktop and Mobile Apps
CyberGhost has apps for all major desktops and mobile platforms, compatible with the following system requirements:
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.
Performance & Speed
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.
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.
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.
Privacy & Security
CyberGhost VPN has a strict no-logs policy. We do not track, collect, or share any of your personal data while connected to our servers.
— CyberGhost Privacy Policy
- Independently audited by Deloitte
- Based in Romania (outside Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes alliances)
| Obfuscated Servers | ✗ |
| Tor/Onion Support | ✓ (manual setup) |
| Port Forwarding | ✗ |
| RAM-Only Servers | ✓ |
| Independent Audit | ✓ Deloitte Mar 2023 |
| Config File Export | ✓ |
We monitor CyberGhost's legal documents daily for changes and summarize what changed.
Last checked: 06/04/2026 · 0 changes detected since 29/03/2026
With more than a decade of experience as a VPN provider, CyberGhost has developed a range of high-performing privacy settings and security features.
Leak Protection
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.
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.
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.
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 Reports
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.
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.
What Features Does CyberGhost Offer?
In this section, we will take a look at some of the features offered by CyberGhost.
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.
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.
Which Apps & Devices Are Supported?
In this section, we will delve into some of the technical details surrounding CyberGhost.
How to Install CyberGhost
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.
VPN Server Locations
CyberGhost has servers in 10 US states across 11 cities . Last updated: 29/03/2026
-
New York
(NY)
1 city
New York
-
Illinois
(IL)
1 city
Chicago
-
Florida
(FL)
1 city
Miami
-
Georgia
(GA)
1 city
Atlanta
-
District of Columbia
(DC)
1 city
Washington
-
Texas
(TX)
1 city
Dallas
-
Arizona
(AZ)
1 city
Phoenix
-
Nevada
(NV)
1 city
Las Vegas
-
Washington
(WA)
1 city
Seattle
-
California
(CA)
2 cities
Los Angeles, San Francisco
Customer Support
Live Chat
CyberGhost’s support team can be contacted through live chat for quick answers to common questions.
Email Support
For more detailed questions, you can hit “Submit a Request” on the Help Page to create a ticket and receive an email response.
Knowledge Base
The CyberGhost website features a support section with setup and troubleshooting guides for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire OS, Kodi Media Centers, game consoles, and other supported devices. The help page also provides guides on how to stream services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and others while using the VPN.
Who Isn’t CyberGhost Right For?
Based on our testing and research:
Corporate ownership – CyberGhost is owned by Kape Technologies, formerly Crossrider – a company with a documented adware and software distribution history before its pivot to VPNs. Kape also owns ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, making it the largest single VPN ownership group by subscriber count. Users who prefer independently-owned providers should look at Proton VPN, Mullvad, or IVPN.
Consider instead: Proton VPN, Mullvad, or IVPN
Corporate consolidation – Three of the most marketed VPN brands (ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA) are now owned by the same parent company. While they operate independently, the underlying corporate concentration is worth knowing about when making a privacy-based purchase decision.
Closed-source apps – CyberGhost’s client apps are not open-source. The no-logs policy has been audited by Deloitte, but the apps themselves cannot be independently verified. Open-source alternatives include Proton VPN, Mullvad, and IVPN.
Consider instead: Proton VPN, Mullvad, or IVPN
CyberGhost Competitors
| CyberGhost | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | Surfshark | Private Internet Access | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best rate | $2.19/mo | $3.49/mo | $3.09/mo | $1.99/mo | $2.19/mo |
| Monthly price | $12.99 | $12.99 | $12.99 | $15.45 | $11.99 |
| Servers | 9,700+ | 3,000+ | 8,400+ | 4,500+ | Undisclosed |
| Countries | 100 | 105 | 167 | 100 | 90 |
| Devices | 7 | 8 | 10 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Jurisdiction | 🇷🇴 Romania ⓘ | 🇻🇬 BVI ⓘ | 🇵🇦 Panama ⓘ | 🇳🇱 Netherlands ⓘ | 🇺🇸 USA ⓘ |
| Money-back | 45 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Kill switch | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Split tunneling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| No-logs audited | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dedicated IP | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Open source | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| RAM-only servers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ad/tracker blocker | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Our rating | 7.4/10 | 8.6/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.2/10 | 7.2/10 |
| Review | Read review → | Read review → | Read review → | Read review → | Read review → |
Our Verdict
Based on our hands-on testing and data analysis, here is our overall assessment of CyberGhost.
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 $1.99 (Starter plan including 3 months free) and CyberGhost’s costs $2.19/mo (including 2 months free).
Huge server network and beginner-friendly apps, but Kape ownership raises questions.
Our rating scale
| Rating Rubric | |
|---|---|
| 9 - 10 | Exceptional - best in class, no significant weaknesses |
| 8 - 8.9 | Excellent - highly recommended with minor trade-offs |
| 7 - 7.9 | Good - solid choice for most users |
| 6 - 6.9 | Adequate - works but has notable limitations |
| 5 - 5.9 | Below average - consider alternatives |
| Below 5 | Not recommended |
Update history
This page was revised 47 times between February 2023 and April 2026.
Restructured Customer Support section with clear subsections for live chat, email ticketing, and the platform-specific setup and troubleshooting guides.
Updated device count and money-back period to draw from verified provider data automatically.
Added WireGuard protocol details with Romania jurisdiction and Kape ownership context, 45-day money-back period, labeled streaming server system, and NoSpy server infrastructure.
Added company background section covering CyberGhost's 15-year history since 2011.
Added RAM-only server infrastructure detail explaining how CyberGhost's diskless servers protect user data.
Added ecosystem overview showing Password Manager, ID Guard, Privacy Guard, and 3 more bundled products available alongside the VPN subscription.
Added ISO certification details: ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO 9001 verified credentials.
Updated server network overview covering 9,700 servers across 100 countries, with interactive coverage map and nearest-server highlighting.
Added table of contents with section-by-section navigation for faster access to specific topics.
Redesigned quick-reference spec table showing 7 simultaneous connections, 9,700 servers, 100 countries, AES-256-GCM encryption, and 45-day money-back guarantee.
Added policy change monitoring showing recent updates to CyberGhost's privacy policy with paragraph-level diffs.
Added source citations and verification dates to all factual claims in the CyberGhost review.
Added transparency tracker with transparency report data showing government and DMCA request volumes.
Expanded privacy section with Romania jurisdiction analysis, Deloitte-audited no-logs policy (1 independent audit).
Reordered sections to match how readers evaluate a VPN: streaming first, then speed, privacy, features, and pricing.
Added curated "Not Right For" section with severity-coded concerns addressing speed and compatibility limitations.
Improved pros and cons with more specific language grounded in test data and verified claims.
Removed outdated editorial commentary and unverifiable claims from the CyberGhost review.
Added payment methods section for CyberGhost covering accepted cards, digital wallets, and cryptocurrency options.
Added platform compatibility breakdown for CyberGhost showing kill switch and split tunneling availability per operating system.
Added ownership transparency section identifying Kape Technologies as parent company, with links to ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access as sibling brands.
Rewrote protocol comparison covering WireGuard, OpenVPN (UDP), OpenVPN (TCP), IKEv2/IPsec with per-platform availability and security ratings.
Reorganized review content into clearer sections, moving misplaced blocks and removing layout inconsistencies.
Replaced static overview tables with live data-driven spec cards for CyberGhost, ensuring pricing and server counts stay current.
Added overview section with pros/cons table, server statistics, streaming compatibility details, and device support information.
Expanded content with detailed streaming service compatibility, device support, buffering solutions, app reviews, security features, pricing analysis, and customer support information across multiple new sections.
Expanded content with detailed sections on streaming compatibility, buffering optimization, app features, security protocols, performance testing, and pricing breakdown.
Expanded introduction with company ownership details, added overview table with 16 key specifications, and included detailed sections on streaming compatibility, buffering optimization, and app features.
Expanded opening section with detailed company background, added overview table with 16 key specifications, and structured content with streaming compatibility and troubleshooting details.
Updated server count from 9,000+ to 9,568 across 116 locations and corrected country count from 90+ to 91.
Updated server count from 9,000+ in 90+ countries to 9,568 servers in 91 countries, and refreshed pricing range and subscription trial options.
Removed redundant phrase and fixed incomplete sentence about buffering issues.
Removed duplicate phrase fixed grammar error and eliminated redundant "Sign Up Now" call-to-action buttons throughout.
Added introduction section with company history, pros/cons table, overview specs, streaming compatibility details, and performance analysis across multiple VPN features.
Updated server count from 9,000+ to 9,110 servers and corrected country count from 90+ to 91 countries with 116 locations globally.
Removed redundant phrase from opening paragraph and corrected incomplete sentence in streaming section.
Removed redundant phrase and streamlined introduction for conciseness.
Updated server count to 9,110 servers in 116 locations, corrected country count to 91, and refreshed pricing information.
Updated server count from 9,000+ to 9,110 servers across 116 locations, and refreshed multiple data points including email response time and pricing ranges.
Unable to generate summary as the diff shows only the beginning of a much longer change (56,790 characters total with truncation), making it impossible to assess the full scope of editorial modifications across the entire page.
Restructured opening paragraph for improved flow and added comparative context about server network size versus NordVPN.
Added introduction with company background, ownership history, subscriber statistics, server network details, and pros/cons table to establish CyberGhost's market position upfront.
Added introduction section with company history, ownership details, subscriber numbers, server statistics, and pros/cons table to establish CyberGhost's market position and key differentiators.
Removed redundant opening paragraph and consolidated CyberGhost background information for improved flow and readability.
Removed 3 outdated paragraphs about encryption protocols and logging, condensed feature descriptions, and streamlined the overview table for improved readability.
Removed wordy cons explanation and streamlined pros/cons table for better readability.
Removed heading and streamlined opening paragraphs for better flow.
Who Owns CyberGhost?
Kape Technologies PLC
Also owns ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access (PIA), ZenMate.
Run our independent leak test while connected to your VPN and see the results for yourself. We check for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks in under 30 seconds. Every test adds to our public dataset.
Join Our Test Panel →CyberGhost Alternatives
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Based on independent testing data and specifications from each provider.
How we test VPNs
Our testing process involves purchasing each VPN with our own money and installing it on Windows, macOS, and mobile devices. We run a three-stage leak test (IP, DNS, and WebRTC) multiple times across different servers to check for data exposure.
We also test streaming access, kill switch reliability, and split tunneling functionality. All testing is conducted without notifying the provider. Specifications and pricing are verified directly from the provider's website.
Our full testing methodology is published at vpntesting.com/methodology.