With a background in telecommunications and renewable energy, and having studied engineering and web design, Justin’s technical expertise shines through with his content. He has…
Michael is a Tech Content Editor at Techopedia, who is passionate about delivering high-quality tech content online and ensuring the accuracy of our guides. With…
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Our Verdict
CyberGhost VPN offers a reliable service with a range of advanced features
CyberGhost is an easy-to-use VPN service with a widely spread global server network. With a focus on security, it’s a service you can rely on.
With an audited no-logs policy and tons of features, it’s also something of a bargain with low prices plus a 45-day money-back guarantee and a free trial.
CyberGhost VPN8.7
Pros
Affordable Pricing
Large server network
Optimized servers for gaming, streaming, and torrenting
Our CyberGhost VPN review will cover all the key details you need on the VPN platform. Using a high-quality VPN is an excellent first step to protecting your security and privacy online, and CyberGhost is one of the best VPNs on the market.
CyberGhost is a powerful, affordable VPN that’s often praised for its servers, which have been optimized for streaming, torrenting, and gaming. But can it protect you as well as the major players? Read on to learn more.
CyberGhost is a prominent VPN service that operates out of Bucharest, Romania. It was founded in 2011 by founder Robert Knapp and now provides services to over 38 million users worldwide.
It’s known for its torrenting support and the ability to unlock a range of streaming platforms. We rate it as one of the best streaming VPNs on the market today.
CyberGhost VPN has more than 11,000 servers in over 100 countries around the world, offering fast connection speeds no matter where you are. In addition, the CyberGhost Security Suite for Windows is an antivirus add-on provided by Intego, one of the best antivirus providers around.
CyberGhost VPN Plans & Pricing
While CyberGhost isn’t as cheap as some competitors, it still offers affordable pricing, especially with its two-year plan.
While some competitors lock more advanced features behind their more expensive plans, you’ll get access to everything CyberGhost has to offer, no matter what plan you opt for. Here’s a quick rundown of CyberGhost’s pricing scheme.
The only difference in these plans is their duration. Each plan comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee, which is generous as many competitors limit this to 30 days.
There’s a 24-hour free trial for Windows and MacOS users. This is relatively short, but few other VPN providers offer any free trial. You can also use the service for free with the Chrome and Firefox browser plugins, though this far fewer features than the full app.
For those on mobile, the CyberGhost VPN free review period varies from three days for Android users to seven days for iOS, which should be enough time to confirm whether you want to purchase the product.
CyberGhost Security Suite for Windows
The CyberGhost Security Suite is an optional add-on that costs an extra $1/month and covers everything from malware and spyware to ransomware with an antivirus product and security updater. It’s powered by Intego, which is among the best antivirus solutions around.
Is CyberGhost VPN Safe and Secure?
CyberGhost VPN’s torrenting servers
CyberGhost is equipped with everything a VPN needs to ensure your privacy, including a no-logs policy and 256-bit AES encryption. Is CyberGhost safe? In a word, yes.
Encryption
Like many VPN providers, CyberGhost masks your information with military-level encryption. AES 256-bit encryption is a block cipher that breaks your data streams into 256-bit arrays, transforming your plaintext data into ciphertext that’s incredibly difficult to decode – and it’s the gold standard for encryption.
Tunneling Protocols
Tunneling protocols create a tunnel or bridge between two points in a network, enabling the secure transmission of data between the two points. CyberGhost offers three tunneling protocols:
IPSec (IKEv2)OpenVPNWireGuard
IPSec (IKEv2) — The Internet Protocol Security protocol is very stable and has high encryption levels. However, it can have trouble with firewalls and has limited device compatibility.
OpenVPN — One of the most popular protocols around. It’s flexible, highly secure, and beats firewalls, but it’s more resource-intensive, which can impact network connection speeds.
WireGuard — The WireGuard protocol shines when it comes to connection speeds, and it’s open to audits. It can also stay online in cases where other protocols fail. That said, it is vulnerable to port blocks, and it does incur some limited logging.
RAM-Only Servers
CyberGhost VPN provides the benefit of RAM-only servers to ensure privacy. These servers have all of their data wiped with every reboot so that even if someone were able to hack into them or a court order was issued, no data would be found. They also offer increased performance, with enhanced upload and download speeds.
Wi-Fi Protection
CyberGhost offers Wi-Fi protection to defend you from insecure networks and “man in the middle” attacks. Whenever you connect to a Wi-Fi network, CyberGhost launches automatically, meaning you can rest assured knowing your data has been encrypted and use public Wi-Fi without worries.
DNS Leak Protection
DNS leak protection from CyberGhost prevents your ISP from tracking you by routing your data through its DNS servers. If your ISP were to snoop on your habits, all anyone would see would be the IP address of CyberGhost’s DNS server. CyberGhost also has several features to ensure information never leaks and travels outside the encrypted connection.
Logging Policy
CyberGhost has a no-logs policy, which means they don’t keep a record of your browsing habits. This has been independently audited by Deloitte, a Big Four global firm. Their CyberGhost review confirmed that the company’s service matches what is promised in its privacy policy.
The company is headquartered in Romania, where there are legal frameworks in place that support privacy protection. Unlike other countries, Romania doesn’t force VPN providers to keep logs, and it’s not part of any data-sharing alliance.
CyberGhost VPN Features
CyberGhost VPN’s Dashboard
Now we’ve run through CyberGhost’s core security details, let’s take a look at the other features it has to offer. Is CyberGhost legit? We’d say these features confirm it definitely is.
Servers
CyberGhost offers over 11,500 servers in more than 100 different countries. This puts it among the VPN providers with the biggest server fleets, leaving the likes of PureVPN and even NordVPN far behind.
These servers include some that have been marked as being optimized for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. The streaming servers are targeted towards specific streaming providers, and the service makes CyberGhost one of the best streaming VPNs around.
In addition, there are NoSpy servers that are solely managed by CyberGhost, so no third party has access to them. These servers are located in Romania and come with increased bandwidth for faster speeds.
Simultaneous Connections
With CyberGhost, you can connect up to seven devices at once, and there’s no data limit. While that gives you some flexibility, competitors like PureVPN offer up to ten simultaneous connections, and SurfShark allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices.
Kill Switch
CyberGhost VPN’s privacy settings
CyberGhost provides a highly effective kill switch, which will automatically block all internet traffic if your VPN connection drops. All VPNs can experience these drops in connection, and having a kill switch can make all the difference in preventing a leak.
Split Tunneling
Rather than having all your data running through an encrypted tunnel, split tunneling allows you to pick what browsing traffic passes through the VPN and what can be given direct internet access. Unlike with most providers, however, traffic can only be divided by site and not by application.
Dedicated IP
When you use a VPN, you usually share the IP address of whatever server you’re connected to along with other users. This will be suitable for applications like gaming, streaming, and P2P downloading.
A dedicated IP, which is consistent and unique to you, is useful if you need to access networks that have banned certain IP addresses or make online transactions without extra security verifications.
Ad Blocker
CyberGhost’s ad blocker is called Content Blocker. It can be switched on in the settings menu and will block ads, trackers, and some malware. This feature is not available for iOS users, which is a little disappointing. However, there is a free private browser app for iOS, which offers an alternative to incognito browsing.
Smart Rules
With Smart Rules, you can customize CyberGhost to work with your preferences or trigger apps to have CyberGhost automatically connect to a preferred server.
CyberGhost VPN Performance
CyberGhost VPN’s streaming servers
Our team engaged in in-depth testing of CyberGhost VPN’s performance and its connection speeds. To provide a benchmark, we recorded the speed of a direct connection and then logged CyberGhost onto several servers spaced around the world. We repeated this process three times a day to provide a complete picture of the VPN’s performance.
We found that CyberGhost performed well under testing, with downloads at a rate of 62% to 65% of a direct connection, though with uploads being more impacted. We’ve seen Surfshark and NordVPN as leaders for this metric, with speeds at just over 70% of an unencrypted connection.
CyberGhost VPN Compatibility and Ease of Use
CyberGhost is compatible with a wide range of devices. These include:
Desktop: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Mobile: Android, iOS
Routers and other devices: Smart TVs, Android TV, Amazon Firestick, game consoles
Browser extensions: Chrome and Firefox
Search engines (for the Private Browser): Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Private.sh, and Yandex.
WindowsmacOSLinuxiOS and AndroidBrowser ExtensionsRouter App
CyberGhost VPN for Windows
The Windows client looks and feels great and makes it easy to access the features. It comes with a lightweight console that displays the connection status, the list of locations, and the connect button.
The interface and notifications could be slightly smoother – some actions seem to unnecessarily require multiple clicks, for example. Nevertheless, with all of its features, CyberGhost is up there with the best VPN for Windows.
CyberGhost VPN for macOS
The macOS client is similar to the Windows client. There are several optimizations to make the service run more smoothly, but the user likely won’t be aware of them. However, there are some reports that the macOS kill switch could be improved.
CyberGhost VPN for Linux
The Linux client isn’t as strong as the Windows and Mac apps, as the setup process is relatively complicated. Installing CyberGhost VPN can fail for some OS versions, meaning you’ll need to manually enter commands into the system, which is tedious and error-prone.
The functionality of the app could also be more intuitive. That said, once we managed to successfully install CyberGhost on Linux, we had very few issues while using it. CyberGhost supports versions of Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, Kali, CentOS, and PoP!_OS.
CyberGhost VPN for iOS and Android
CyberGhost’s mobile apps for both iOS and Android are essentially the same. They have a minimal design and are easy to use.
On the Android app, you have the choice between the OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols.
Somewhat surprisingly, you’ll need to give the app location permissions, but this is for the automatic Wi-Fi protection to work. iOS users, meanwhile, are able to take advantage of the WireGuard and IPSEC (IKEv2) protocols.
CyberGhost VPN for Browser Extensions
CyberGhost offers free browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. Using this, you can encrypt and secure all your browser traffic and ensure no one can track where you go on the web.
This extension blocks ads and trackers and allows you to pick from four server locations. The plugin was built on Ethereum Blockchain technology, ensuring the app works as designed.
CyberGhost VPN for Routers
CyberGhost doesn’t have a router app, but you can manually configure the VPN on a range of routers, or you can buy one with the VPN pre-installed. CyberGhost recommends routers from Netgear, Asus, and Linksys and is compatible with a number of devices.
Is CyberGhost VPN Good For Streaming on Netflix and Other Streaming Services?
CyberGhost streaming services
CyberGhost streaming servicesCyberGhost VPN has a range of streaming-optimized servers for a host of streaming platforms, including Hulu, HBO Max, and Disney+. When we ran our tests, we found it could unlock the most popular libraries. While some of them had a slower loading time than others, this seems to stem from the streaming platforms themselves.
The VPN provider also has servers optimized for specific streaming channels, such as the iPlayer in the UK and 9now in Australia. This comes with excellent international support for Netflix, making it one of the best VPNs for streaming Netflix.
Is CyberGhost Good For Torrenting?
As well as supporting P2P connections, CyberGhost has a range of torrenting-optimized servers, putting CyberGhost VPN alongside the best torrenting VPNs around. Torrenters will have no problem finding the best server for secure downloads, if not the very fastest connection speeds.
Is CyberGhost Good For Gaming?
Gaming servers need to have very low latency, and the lower the latency, the better the gaming experience. When you connect to a CyberGhost gaming server, you’ll experience a slight bump in latency, but not enough to ruin your experience.
This makes CyberGhost VPN a top choice, and it’s one of the best VPNs for Warzone and similar games. It’s compatible with all major gaming platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, via a router or desktop-based virtual router.
CyberGhost VPN vs. Top VPN Competitors
The comparison table below can help you compare CyberGhost VPN and the leading VPN providers on the market. As you can see, when it comes to the number of servers, CyberGhost is a winner by some margin.
CyberGhost VPN is easy enough to use, but getting started can be a hurdle. Here, we present a detailed, step-by-step user guide for your convenience.
Go to CyberGhost's Website
Head to CyberGhost’s website and pick a plan that suits your budget from the Pricing tab. Remember, you’ll have access to everything CyberGhost has to offer, regardless of the plan you choose. Once you’ve selected a plan, click on “Continue to Checkout”.
Fill in Payment Details
Clicking on checkout will send you to your order summary. You can pay via Visa, PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and even Bitcoin. Complete the payment form and select “Buy Now.”
Create CyberGhost Account
When you’ve completed the purchase, you’ll need to create an account and log into it. On the homepage, click on “My Account.” This will send you to a sign-up page.
Log in to your CyberGhost Account
Populate the fields with your username and password here.
Download Application
Once you log into your account, select the “Download Hub,” and then, depending on your OS, click the applicable download link.
Install Application
Navigating to your downloads folder, you’ll see the install file. Double-click on this file and wait for the automatic installation to finish.
Connect to CyberGhost
That’s the hard part done. If you want to connect to the VPN, you just need to launch the app and click on the power button in the middle of the display.
Change Your Location
In order to change your location, click on the expand button. This will display a list of all the servers available. Find the server you want, select it, and then click on the power button to connect.
CyberGhost Customer Support and Reviews from Users
If you have any problems, CyberGhost’s support is available 24/7, and live chat is available on the website. Those who would prefer to speak to a human on the phone may be disappointed as there’s no phone support – though this is true for most of the major VPN providers.
Furthermore, the website is full of useful resources and guides, and canceling your subscription is relatively simple if needed.
On Trustpilot, CyberGhost has 4.4 out of 5 stars, based on over 20,000 reviews – giving it an excellent rating. While it’s not perfect, CyberGhost is among the best VPNs around.
In their CyberGhost reviews, many users of the VPN rave about its usability and competitive pricing. Where they have criticisms, some say that the customer service could be improved.
How We Tested CyberGhost VPN
Our team of experts have extensive experience and have tested a wide range of VPN and cybersecurity services. We thoroughly test all the products we review based on a broad set of standards. Some of the key factors we looked at for our CyberGhost VPN review were:
Features – Core features like having a kill switch, split tunneling, AES-256 encryption, and an audited no-logs policy are the gold standard of VPN services and are factors we always look for.
Usability – Having an interface that’s easy to use and understand makes all the difference for a service that’ll be seeing heavy use, so this is a crucial detail.
Performance/connection speeds – Our team conducted thorough testing to measure the connection speeds and performance CyberGhost delivered, giving us an objective point of comparison for the fastest VPNs available.
User support and customer feedback – We always check on customer feedback to get a sense of how long-term users experience the product. This often reflects on the quality of customer service, as the best support is able to resolve issues, while failures merely frustrate customers.
CyberGhost is an excellent VPN service that does nearly everything right. It’s fast and secure and offers specialty servers for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. It also has an automatic kill switch and it’s cheaper than many of its competitors.
CyberGhost vs Surfshark – which is better?
While both VPN providers offer excellent services and speeds, Surfshark outshines CyberGhost in several ways. CyberGhost allows for seven simultaneous connections, for example, while Surfshark supports unlimited connections. Both services offer access to a range of streaming services, but Surshark arguably offers better value for money thanks to the fact that it’s equipped with a powerful antivirus solution.
How much does CyberGhost cost?
CyberGhost has three plans, starting at $2.03 per month for a two-year plan, $6.99 per month for a six-month plan, and $12.99 for a single month. All plans have the same features.
Can CyberGhost be trusted?
CyberGhost has a range of excellent security features, including directly operated and managed NoSpy servers. It also has an audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, which are wiped after every reboot, and is based in a jurisdiction that protects privacy – so yes, CyberGhost can be trusted.
CyberGhost vs NordVPN – which is best?
NordVPN is one of the biggest names in the VPN sector. While both firms offer comparable security features, NordVPN has more of them. CyberGhost may have more servers, but many of them are virtual, while 100% of NordVPN’s servers are physical. NordVPN also has faster connections. That said, CyberGhost is the more affordable option.
CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN – which is the best?
Both providers are among the most highly-rated VPNs on the market. ExpressVPN is a premium option with lots of features, and it’s great for beginners, while CyberGhost is cheaper and, some say, more user-friendly.
Is CyberGhost good for Netflix?
CyberGhost is a great Netflix VPN. It unblocks almost every Netflix library and has streaming-optimized services set up for specific streaming channels.
Techopedia’s editorial policy is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.
With a background in telecommunications and renewable energy, and having studied engineering and web design, Justin’s technical expertise shines through with his content. He has written pieces spanning numerous tech verticals for Techopedia and The Tech Report, but he specializes in VPN, antivirus, and hosting content. His pieces are known for their accuracy and insight and for delivering informative content for Techopedia's audience.
We uphold a strict editorial policy that focuses on factual accuracy, relevance, and impartiality. Our content, created by leading industry experts, is reviewed by a team of seasoned editors to ensure compliance with the highest standards in reporting and publishing.
Disclosure
When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn how our funding model works. By using this website you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.
When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn 
