CyberGhost VPN
9.6
Outstanding
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Content: Our Score:
Speed 8.0 / 10
Servers 10 / 10
User Experience 9.0 / 10
Support 9.0 / 10
Pricing 9.0 / 10
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CyberGhost VPN Review: 100% Safe, Fast, & Cheap (2024)

CyberGhost VPN Overview

Despite being popular among VPN users, online reviews often rank CyberGhost behind competitors like ExpressVPN. Its optimized network is a firm favorite, especially its streaming servers for Netflix, Disney+, and more. CyberGhost’s intuitive apps are also ideal for beginner users, and it has one of the longest money-back guarantee periods — 45 days.

However, there are areas in which CyberGhost could improve — it’s not as fast as some other VPNs, and there have been concerns over customer support quality and the history of its parent company. But as with all VPNs, trade-offs are to be expected. In this review, you’ll find out if CyberGhost is worth considering in 2024 next to pricier options like NordVPN.

To answer this, my team and I tested CyberGhost’s security features, speed, server network, customer service, and many other aspects. I even analyzed its past and found CyberGhost is actually one of the safest VPN apps to download. It may not be for everyone, but the full review below will give you an idea if it fits your needs.

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2024 Update! You can subscribe to CyberGhost for as low as $2.19 per month + get an extra 2 months free with the 2-year plan (save up to 83%)! This is a limited offer so grab it now before it's gone. See more information on this offer here.

CyberGhost Works With Major Streaming Platforms (But Not 10 play or Netflix UK)

CyberGhost has a network optimized for 20+ streaming services and libraries, but the 10 play Australia and Netflix UK servers didn’t work during tests.

The streaming-optimized servers are tested regularly by CyberGhost team to make sure there are always working IP addresses for respective channels. During our tests, all but 2 worked with the platforms they’re meant for. Some of the services CyberGhost works with include:

Netflix Amazon Prime Video Hulu Disney+  Max (HBO)  Peacock TV
BBC iPlayer  ESPN+  Paramount+ US  Europe1  Canal+  Crunchyroll US
 Yle SlingTV  Fox  NBC CBC  Comedy Central
ORF  ruutu 6play France TV RTL  Zattoo
 ZDF  ARD  Rai Play Stan  ITVX  RTVE
9now  NFL+  RTS  Play SRF DRTV MolotovTV

To find the streaming-optimized servers, click the “For streaming” menu option and select a server based on the platform you want. Alternatively, you can just type the platform or country you’re looking for in the search bar.

Screenshot of CyberGhost's list of streaming-optimized servers for popular platforms

You can scroll through the list or type the platform in the search bar

Works With Netflix

CyberGhost worked with Netflix in 15 countries, but not the UK.

Tests conducted by my global teammates with local servers confirmed that CyberGhost’s optimized servers work with Netflix US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, South Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and Japan.

The streaming quality was UHD every time. The app also offers servers optimized for streaming Netflix on Android TV and Amazon Fire Stick.

CyberGhost’s optimized servers worked with Netflix US to watch The Irishman

My teammates in other countries could also use CyberGhost’s regular local servers to watch Netflix. For example, CyberGhost successfully connected to the Netflix library in France. Surprisingly, both its optimized and regular servers failed in some locations, like the UK.

Works With Amazon Prime Video

CyberGhost’s optimized servers in the UK and US worked with Amazon Prime Video. 

My US colleagues noted that it took just a second to connect to the US server and Amazon Prime Video played with less than 5 seconds of load time. They streamed This is Us in UHD quality and didn’t face any lags throughout.

Screenshot of CyberGhost connecting to a US server and unblocking the show This Is Us on Amazon Prime Video
CyberGhost made it easy to stream This is Us on Amazon Prime Video US

The optimized Amazon Prime UK server also connected quickly for my colleague in England, and Clarkson’s Farm streamed smoothly in UHD after just 2 seconds of buffering.

Works With Hulu

CyberGhost’s Hulu servers in the US worked on the first try.

My teammates had no issues connecting to Hulu on CyberGhost’s optimized server in the US.

Screenshot of CyberGhost connecting to a US server and unblocking the show Palm Springs on Hulu
CyberGhost’s optimized server for Hulu ensured zero streaming interruption

Their speeds were also fast enough to stream the movie Palm Springs in UHD quality without any buffering or lag.

Works With Disney+

CyberGhost works with the US and Italy libraries, including Disney+ Hotstar in India.

CyberGhost’s servers in the US are perfect to stream Disney+ in UHD

Connecting to CyberGhost’s optimized Disney+ server was a breeze, and there were no lags or buffers when streaming the show The Mandalorian in UHD quality.

Works With Max (HBO)

CyberGhost has optimized servers for Max in the US, Spain, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. All of them worked reliably during tests.

Screenshot of CyberGhost connecting to a US server and unblocking the show Game of Thrones on HBO Max
CyberGhost had minimal lag throughout hours of streaming on Max US

It took less than 5 seconds to connect, after which it successfully streamed Game of Thrones with only 1–2 seconds of buffering.

Works With BBC iPlayer

Only the optimized servers worked with BBC iPlayer.

I’ve read several CyberGhost reviews that claim the VPN doesn’t work with BBC iPlayer. But when my colleague in London tested the optimized streaming server, CyberGhost had no problems working with BBC iPlayer.

CyberGhost successfully unblocked Killing Eve on bbc iplayer
CyberGhost worked with BBC iPlayer on the first attempt to watch Killing Eve in UHD

Server speeds were great, taking less than 5 seconds to buffer and the quality didn’t deteriorate at any point during the episodes.

Works With Kodi

CyberGhost doesn’t have Kodi-optimized servers, but every server tested worked. 

When my North American teammates tried location-restricted add-ons, they simply connected to a regular server. For instance, Popcornflix is a Kodi add-on that only works in the US and Canada. They tested Popcornflix on 10 servers in the US successfully, but enjoyed the best speeds on the Washington and New York servers.

Doesn’t Work With: 10 play in Australia and Netflix UK

Even the streaming-optimized servers didn’t work with these.

Although my teammates and I couldn’t test CyberGhost with every streaming platform, there were a few notable ones it didn’t work with. These include 10 play and Netflix UK — which CyberGhost has optimized servers for. If you’re a subscriber, I recommend ExpressVPN as it works with all streaming platforms, including Netflix UK and 10 play.

Another notable point is that connecting to CyberGhost’s streaming optimized servers for Netflix, 6play, Zattoo, and more constantly resulted in CAPTCHA verification. It’s easy to get rid of — you just have to check a box to verify you’re not a robot — but it can be annoying.

Stream in UHD with CyberGhost

Speed

- 8.0 / 10

Speed — Is CyberGhost Fast? (Yes, With Local and Optimized Servers)

CyberGhost offers very good speeds, but slows down quite a bit with long-distance connections.

Screenshot of bar graph showing CyberGhost's speed reduction over long distance connections.

CyberGhost offers the fastest speeds on servers close to your physical location
Slower speeds over long distances is to be expected, since your data has to travel farther. Still, I was surprised by the rate when I connected to servers more than 9,000km away — my speed dropped by 45% on servers in Australia. Although quite a dramatic drop, it’s not the worst result I’ve seen when testing VPNs.

Speed Test Results

Local servers almost maintained baseline speeds, with the IKEv2 protocol being the fastest.

I ran speed tests on a Mac running macOS Ventura from Barcelona, Spain, where the ISP provided a standard speed of 600Mbps. Among the 2 protocols CyberGhost offers for macOS, I found IKEv2 to be the fastest — beating WireGuard by a 6% margin — so I performed my tests using this protocol.

Its Windows, Android, Linux, and Fire TV apps also include OpenVPN, but this is generally much slower than WireGuard.

During these tests, I used Ookla’s speed test tool and recorded speeds while connected to servers in the US, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Canada, Japan, and Australia.

The “Best Server” option automatically connected me to the nearby Barcelona location, which is what I would normally choose as well. The difference in speed compared to my baseline was negligible, and I didn’t experience any noticeable slowdown.

When I connected to a server in London, there was a 35% dropoff in speed compared to my base speed. This wasn’t too noticeable while browsing but impacted loading times for media content.

Download Speed % Difference From Base Speed
Brussels — Belgium
(1064 km distance)
 375.02Mbps  -36.03%
London — UK
(1138 km distance) 
 379.49Mbps  -35.27%
New York City — US
(6165 km distance)
 302.58Mbps  -48.39%
Tokyo — Japan
(10416 km distance)
321.77Mbps -45.11%

Again, you can see that speeds slow down more the farther away the server is located, but the drops aren’t enough to affect your online experience should you have a good baseline connection.

Optimized vs. Regular Servers

In all of my tests, my speeds were faster on CyberGhost’s optimized servers.

Screenshot of bar graph showing speed test results and comparisons between CyberGhost's optimized and regular servers.

I compared speed test results between CyberGhost’s regular and optimized servers

I suggest you connect to an optimized server (if available in your location) when streaming and torrenting.

Gaming Speed — CyberGhost is Fast Enough for Gaming

CyberGhost has gaming servers optimized to give you low ping when playing online. These servers are available in Frankfurt, London, New York, and Paris — and only on CyberGhost’s Windows app.

Ping measures the time it takes for a command to reach the server and return a response to you. In other words, how long it takes for your weapon to fire after you’ve pressed the trigger button. You want the lowest ping possible to prevent lag in-game (usually, under 100 ms is good).

Screenshot of CyberGhost's Windows app with its optimized gaming servers.

You can use CyberGhost’s dedicated gaming servers on Windows
Here’s a look at how CyberGhost’s servers performed when I ran tests from Spain, with an average baseline speed of 580Mbps:
Download Speed (Mbps) Ping (ms) Speed Reduction
Paris 337 20 -42%
Frankfurt 391 30 -33%
London 309 31  -47%
New York 306 103  -47%

On nearby servers, CyberGhost kept ping below 50ms, which is ideal for playing fast-paced games like Call of Duty: Warzone or Rocket League. While the overall speed reduction is more significant, it didn’t have a noticeable impact on online gaming. Just note that your results may vary depending on your location — if your regular speeds are slower, you could notice some lag or interruptions when gaming.

Why Most Speed Tests are Pointless & How We Correctly Test VPN Speeds

Speed determines how fast content uploads, so if you're torrenting or streaming, you want the speed to be somewhat identical to your regular internet speed. Since a VPN encrypts your data, it usually takes a bit longer to send your data back and forth, which can slow down your connection. However, if your ISP deliberately slows down your connection (also known as throttling) a VPN might increase your internet speed. Testing a VPN is somewhat pointless because new servers pop up and affect speed. Your speed can also differ according to your location, so your speed test might not match ours. Having said that, we tested the speed in numerous locations to provide you with the average.

Servers

- 10 / 10

Server Network — (11,730+ Servers in 100 Countries)

CyberGhost has a huge network optimized for different activities worldwide, including Dedicated IP and NoSpy servers.

It also offers a larger number of servers in more popular countries. For instance, there are 2,100+ servers in the US alone, helping ease load issues when people watch the hugely popular Netflix US and other local channels.

In terms of server locations, only ExpressVPN surpasses CyberGhost as it offers servers in 105 countries. However, CyberGhost’s network size is still impressive. While the majority of its servers are based in the US, UK, and Europe, I was pleased to see many in Africa and South America.

Virtual Servers — Available for a Selection of Countries

CyberGhost has virtual servers in countries with poor internet privacy laws and infrastructure, like China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. These virtual servers have fewer privacy risks than a physical server and sometimes provide faster speeds.

Most VPNs, including ExpressVPN, don’t provide IP addresses in Russia, China, or Iran, so this sets CyberGhost apart from its competitors.

Specialized Servers — Optimized Servers for Different Online Activities

CyberGhost organizes its network of 11,730+ servers into categories to make it easier to select the best server for your needs. These include:

  • Torrenting servers — optimized for secure P2P file-sharing, these servers are available in 87 countries including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
  • Streaming servers — provide reliable connections to many streaming services like Netflix in multiple countries, Max, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and more.
  • Gaming servers — offer low ping connections on Windows with servers in 4 locations — Frankfurt, London, New York, and Paris. For PlayStation and Xbox, you can connect to the servers through Smart DNS.
  • Dedicated IP servers — give you an exclusive IP address in the US, UK, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Singapore, or Germany as an add-on service. These dedicated IPs cannot be linked to your account in any way, allowing complete privacy.
  • NoSpy servers — owned and managed by the CyberGhost team in Romania to avoid man-in-the-middle attacks and other privacy breaches caused by third-party data center operators. Requires at least a 6-month subscription to be eligible.

Torrenting — One of the Top VPNs for Torrenting

CyberGhost’s torrenting servers are fast and it’s based in torrent-friendly Romania.

You can connect to torrenting servers in over 80 countries, which have been optimized for secure peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing. Unfortunately, the servers aren’t available on its mobile apps, but you can use its regular servers — which also work well, although they’re a tad slower.

Each location on Windows displays the physical distance to the server in kilometers. On my Mac, the servers indicated the load percentage instead.

For the best torrenting speeds, choose the closest server or one with the smallest load. It’s quick and easy, and you don’t have to waste time testing different servers. If you find a server that works particularly well for you, you can add them to the Favorites list in the app by clicking the star icon.

Screenshot of CyberGhost's torrent-optimized server list

The optimized servers are only available in countries where torrenting is legal

When I tested the “Best Location” feature, it only took 4 minutes to finish downloading a 5GB public domain file on qBittorent. While waiting, I ran a leak test to check that my actual IP address was safely hidden — no leaks were detected.

I also tested the kill switch by turning the VPN off, and the app automatically blocked my internet traffic until I reconnected to the server. This, coupled with CyberGhost’s military-grade encryption and no-log policy, helped further anonymize my web traffic. Better still, CyberGhost is based in Romania, which is a torrenting-friendly country with no data retention laws.

I’ve seen some users complain on forums about being served with DMCA notices while using CyberGhost. This might have been an isolated incident, but remember that CyberGhost explicitly states that it doesn’t condone downloading torrents of copyrighted material (and neither do I). If you decide to torrent copyrighted materials, you do so at your own risk.

China — CyberGhost Doesn’t Work in China

I don’t recommend CyberGhost for China. During on-the-ground tests, the app wouldn’t even launch, so it was impossible to log in.

When I spoke to the customer support team for help, it was confirmed that CyberGhost can’t guarantee a working connection in China or any country with restrictive internet laws. This includes Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, CyberGhost’s VPN traffic is often blocked in countries with moderate internet censorship, such as Egypt and Syria.

Screenshot of communication with a CyberGhost live chat agent regarding its usability in China

CyberGhost may not work in some countries like China due to ISP blocks

By comparison, ExpressVPN has obfuscated servers that help it avoid detections almost anywhere. This makes it one of the few VPNs that work reliably in China to easily unblock Facebook, Wikipedia, Gmail, Google, and more.

Security Features

Military-Grade Encryption — Some of the Strongest on the Market

CyberGhost uses 256-bit AES encryption on all its servers. This level of encryption is impossible to crack, and it’s the same standard used by militaries and other government agencies to safeguard sensitive information. While a lower-level 56-bit key could be brute-forced in under 24 hours, a 256-bit key would take billions of years.

CyberGhost also uses Perfect Forward Secrecy, which provides a unique encryption key for every new connection. If an attacker steals one key, they can’t intercept any other sessions. This dissuades attackers from trying and protects all other users from a potentially successful one-off attack.

3 Security Protocols — OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard Available

IKEv2 provided the best speeds, but WireGuard is still speedy and more secure. 

The WireGuard protocol is relatively new and therefore, less time-tested than IKEv2, but it has no known vulnerabilities and offers solid speeds. Its code base is also tiny, which means it’s quick and easy to audit it for security holes.

I found IKEv2 offered the fastest speeds on both local and long-distance servers, but bear in mind this protocol sacrifices some level of security for speed. Unless you need high speeds, I recommend WireGuard as it delivers a strong balance of security and speed. OpenVPN is even more secure, but I found its speed loss too steep to recommend over WireGuard.

Unfortunately, some protocols are only available on certain apps. For instance, IKEv2 is only available on iOS, Mac, and Windows. You can only use OpenVPN on Android, Windows, Linux, and smart TVs (you need a third-party OpenVPN app for Mac and iOS, like Tunnelblick). The WireGuard protocol is supported on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, and Android Fire TV.

Automatic Kill Switch — Successfully Secures Traffic at All Times

CyberGhost has an automatic kill switch on every app, as all top premium VPNs should. The kill switch blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection becomes unsteady or you’re switching between servers.

While some VPNs require you to manually turn the kill switch on, CyberGhost’s kill switch is activated automatically when you connect to a server. You’ll only find the option to toggle the kill switch on or off in the Windows app.

Screenshot of the Automatic Kill-Switch disabling option on CyberGhost's Windows app

CyberGhost’s Kill Switch is turned on by default but you can disable it in the Windows app

Although there’s generally no need to turn it off, it’s always good to have options. I’d like to see CyberGhost extend this capability to its other apps.

Built-in Leak Protection — Passed All Tests

CyberGhost’s encryption worked reliably to prevent leaks.

Even when a VPN connection is established, data leaks can occur, exposing your real IP address. That’s why I tested CyberGhost for leak protection using the independent site, IPLeak.net.

To ensure a comprehensive CyberGhost review, I ran tests on 10 random servers in different countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, and Greece. Quite impressively, CyberGhost passed every test with zero DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks. When you use its nameservers, it prevents ads, trackers, and malware beside DNS leaks.

Screenshot of leak test results on CyberGhost

CyberGhost protects against DNS, IP, and WebRTC leaks

I also wanted to confirm that the initial installation process was safe from potential dangers like malware. To be sure, I scanned the CyberGhost installer file and it passed with no issues. This may provide some relief to those who are wary of CyberGhost due to the prior history of its parent company.

Split Tunneling — Only for Windows and Android

You can choose certain sites and apps to bypass CyberGhost’s encryption. This is useful for browsing local content and accessing overseas banking apps at the same time, for example.

I switched to a Windows PC to test this feature as it’s not available for Mac. Once I added Netflix.com to the “Exceptions” list in CyberGhost’s app and connected to a server in New York, I could shop on Amazon US while streaming The Irishman on Netflix ES.

When I performed the same test on my Android device (I added the Netflix app to the “App Split Tunnel” list under the “Smart Rules” section), it was successful again.

Screenshot of CyberGhost's split tunneling feature on its Windows app

Split tunneling lets you exclude as many sites as you want from encryption

You can also use its “Smart Rules” to protect entire programs. Once you add an application to its list, CyberGhost will immediately launch and connect to a server whenever you open it. This is useful for apps such as torrenting software, which you may start using without remembering to connect to a VPN server.

Blockers for Malware, Trackers, and (Some) Ads

There are free ad blockers that are way better than CyberGhost’s ad blocker.

CyberGhost offers the option to block malicious ads on its Windows, Android, and Mac apps, leading to faster load times. However, I wasn’t too satisfied with it as CyberGhost’s ad blocker only removes ads if they contain malware. So, I could still see ads when streaming YouTube videos and visiting news sites. It also failed to block banner and video ads on Buzzfeed.

EN-CyberGhost-review-CyberGhost-block-content-English

CyberGhost’s ad blocker will only remove ads if it contains viruses or other types of malware

The blocker works at the network level and attempts to modify real-time requests. Since most of the web is now run off HTTPS connections (which are encrypted), they’re extremely hard to modify, so CyberGhost struggles to block the vast majority of ads.

NoSpy Servers — Owned by CyberGhost For Maximum Security

CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers are maintained without the interference of any third-parties and based in its own headquarters in Romania.

NoSpy Servers are available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS apps. CyberGhost markets them as a safer, more reliable alternative to its regular servers. This is because they’re based in the company’s private data center in Romania, which no one else can access.

Screenshot of conversation with CyberGhost support staff confirming the security of NoSpy servers.

CyberGhost’s customer support assured me that NoSpy servers provide top privacy

This is beneficial for several reasons. First, it means they’re subject to Romanian laws since they’re physically located in the country — Romania doesn’t have data retention laws, although CyberGhost states it doesn’t keep any data anyway. Additionally, having control over its own servers means its in-house technicians can immediately address any server downtime.

Compatible With Tor — But Expect Slower Speeds

Every CyberGhost server supports Tor traffic, which I confirmed by speaking to a customer service agent. During tests, it was as simple as connecting to a nearby server and launching the Tor browser — this ensured not even Tor could see my real IP address.

You’ll have to be patient though, as your speeds will decrease when you use a VPN with Tor. I recommend using the “Best location” button to connect to the fastest server available. Keep in mind that there are pros and cons to using Tor with or without a VPN, which you can learn more about in this in-depth guide to using Tor with a VPN.

Extra Features for Maximum Online Security

Besides the standard features expected of all VPNs, CyberGhost also comes with these security bonuses:

  • WiFi Protection — launches CyberGhost automatically on WiFi networks that are unrecognized. Available on all CyberGhost apps, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Fire Stick, and Android TV.
  • Private Browser — uses DuckDuckGo’s search engine with better privacy than Google and doesn’t link searches to you for anonymity. Since it deletes most data, including your search history and web visits when you end a browsing session, it won’t bombard you with personalized ads either. Compatible with Windows, macOS, and iOS.
  • Data Compression — reduce the amount of data used by compressing images and app data. This is extremely useful if you have limited mobile data — although it’s only available on Android devices for now.
  • Secret Photo Vault — lock private photos and videos behind a PIN code or biometric login with a free add-on for iOS devices. If someone tries to access your vault, CyberGhost will save a timestamped selfie of the intruder. An AI setting identifies adult-themed content in your main photo library and moves them to your secure vault.
  • Dedicated IP Address — get exclusive IP addresses in selected countries for a small fee. It remains the same every time you connect and helps avoid CAPTCHAs that require you to authenticate your request on certain apps or websites. These are also less likely to be blocked by streaming services.
  • Security Suite — partnered with Intego to create a security suite, available as a paid add-on for Windows. Intego protects your device from the latest malware, viruses, ransomware, and more, 24/7. It also updates your apps and software automatically to prevent vulnerabilities from being exploited.
  • Identity Guard — alerts you if your email address is compromised. You can add a maximum of 2 email accounts for free with a CyberGhost subscription and select 1 primary address where you’ll get reports immediately.
  • Privacy Guard — control what private information Microsoft collects on your Windows devices.

Privacy Features

Strict No-Log Policy

CyberGhost has an independently audited no-log policy.

None of your search history or other online activities are logged when you’re connected to its servers. CyberGhost doesn’t even keep connection logs, which I can’t say for some other VPNs. However, CyberGhost does store some basic hardware information to keep track of how many simultaneous devices a user has running.

Additionally, your name, address, email address, and payment information are required upon signup. None of your personal details are ever linked to your VPN activity and it’s only used to communicate with users, improve VPN operation, and uphold the Terms of Service.

Screenshot of CyberGhost's privacy policy stating it doesn't log user data

I read CyberGhost’s privacy policy to verify it doesn’t log identifiable data

The most controversial aspect of the privacy policy is that CyberGhost will share any information it has with legal authorities if you’re caught breaking the law (this breaches CyberGhost’s Terms of Service).

This may sound alarming, so I conducted further investigations and was reassured that there’s no reason to be concerned — CyberGhost uses RAM-based servers that are incapable of storing data long-term. None of your online activities and other data can be traced back to you specifically.

In 2019, this was confirmed in a data leak through Typeform (a third-party vendor used for conducting online surveys). In total, 120 email addresses and 14 usernames were exposed. However, no passwords or other private data was leaked as CyberGhost didn’t store this information.

If you prefer to avoid sharing any personal data, you can always sign up anonymously. Just register with a throwaway name and email address, and pay with Bitcoin.

Located in Romania and Outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance

Romania has no data retention laws and it’s not part of any intelligence-sharing networks.

CyberGhost is owned by Kape Technologies, a cybersecurity company based in London. Kape previously operated in the tech industry under the name Crossrider, and came under fire for allegedly injecting adware into its digital products.

Subsequent investigations revealed that this wasn’t done by Crossrider, but other third parties. Kape worked hard to distance itself from the Crossrider incident and eventually moved on to providing VPN services. Besides CyberGhost, it also owns ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access.

Though Kape’s past has left some suspicious of CyberGhost, I’m convinced it’s safe to use after extensive research. CyberGhost operates independently for the most part and hasn’t been involved in negative press since — to me, that deserves a second chance.

Full Independent Security Audit

CyberGhost passed an audit on its Information Safety Management System (ISMS), following ISO27001 and ISO9001 standards by QSCert in 2012. This has continued every year since then.

In 2022, CyberGhost also underwent an independent audit conducted by Deloitte to verify its no-log policy and other security measures. Deloitte found that CyberGhost adheres to its privacy and no-log policies.

Transparency Reports Prove Commitment to Privacy

This was the first VPN company to launch a Transparency Report. Even though many companies have since followed suit (like Windscribe and TunnelBear), only CyberGhost made a commitment to publishing its Transparency Report every 3 months.

However, the latest report I found on its Privacy Hub was from 1 year ago. Though not the most recent, it contained copyright infringement claims, malicious activity flags, and police requests. The report shows that despite frequent requests for data, CyberGhost has zero data to provide due to the strict no-log policy.

Server Locations

Albania
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cyprus
See all supported locations...

User Experience

- 9.0 / 10

CyberGhost has native apps for all major devices like Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, and more. Plus, you can download browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox, and install Smart DNS if you’ve got an Apple TV, Xbox, or PlayStation. The table below shows the full device breakdown:

Computer Mobile TV Routers Consoles Other
 Windows  iOS  Android TV, Apple TV DD-WRT  PS5 + PS4 + PS3  Synology NAS via OpenVPN
Mac  Android  Amazon Fire TV TomatoUSB Xbox Series X/S + Xbox One + 360 Raspberry Pi
 Linux LG SmartTV with webOS TomatoUSB Merlin Build Nintendo Switch + Wii U + Wii VU+ Solo²
 Chromebook Samsung SmartTV with Tizen OS Roku

Connect 7 Devices at the Same Time

Maxing out the connection limit won’t affect your device performance too much.

I noticed great performance even with 2 Windows computers, a MacBook Pro, an iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, and 2 iPads connected. My speed only dropped by 20% compared to only 1 device, which is a negligible slowdown. This makes CyberGhost an ideal VPN if you want to protect multiple devices at the same time.

If you set CyberGhost up at the router level and then connect your devices to the router, you’ll get unlimited device connections. The only downside is that you’ll be stuck with the server location you initially set up on the router until you decide to manually change it.

However, it’s a brilliant way to eliminate individual setup time and conserve available connections if you often use multiple devices.

Native Apps for Windows and Mac — Packed With Features and Easy to Use

Server organization and Smart Rules make it easy to use, but the macOS app doesn’t include the OpenVPN protocol.

The apps allow you to instantly connect to the best available server for streaming, torrenting, or simple browsing. When you launch the app, you’ll see the Best Location button. Simply click on the power button and the app will automatically connect you to the fastest available server.

If you have a specific activity or location in mind, the servers are organized in categories for easy connection. On the Windows app, these lists include: All Servers, NoSpy servers, For torrenting, For gaming, and For streaming.

The Mac app offers the same servers but only in 3 lists: All Servers (you need to manually search for the NoSpy servers here, under Romania), For downloading (the equivalent of For torrenting on Windows), and For streaming. There are no gaming servers.

Screenshot of CyberGhost's Mac app interface.

The CyberGhost Mac app’s main missing feature is the “For gaming” servers

On both Windows and Mac apps, you can connect to a server by typing the country’s name in the search bar. Alternatively, you can go to the All Servers section for a full list of countries. On Mac, you’ll see the load percentage on each server while the Windows app shows the distance from your location.

The setup is similar to the optimized servers for torrenting and streaming. To save time on future connections, you can simply add a specific server to your “Favorites” list. 

Similarly, you can set up Smart Rules to trigger a VPN connection under certain conditions — when a specific program launches, when you start your device, or when you connect to a WiFi network. To adjust the security settings and privacy features, click the cog icon.

You can install CyberGhost on Windows devices running at least Windows 7 (minimum SP2), 8.1, and 10. On Mac, CyberGhost works with macOS Sierra (10.13) or higher. However, the OpenVPN protocol isn’t available for macOS — you’ll have to configure it manually.

Dedicated Apps for Android and iOS — Superior Experience on Android

Mobile apps don’t provide access to some optimized servers.

Although CyberGhost’s mobile apps offer most of the same features as their desktop versions, there are some key differences that set them apart. iOS’ unique feature is its Photo Vault, which you can use to hide sensitive photos behind a PIN or biometric password. However, this requires its own dedicated app.

The iOS app doesn’t have the ad blocker that Android has. Instead, you can download the dedicated Private Browser app on iOS. It includes ad blocking and other features like one-click history deletion and private bookmarks.

One minor downside is that the mobile apps don’t include some of the optimized server options available on the desktop apps — specifically, for torrenting and gaming. You also won’t see certain connection data, such as ping or server distance.

While it’s disappointing when mobile apps are missing features, I don’t think these omissions are a big deal. If you’re like me, you do the majority of your torrenting and gaming on a PC or console, so not having access to these servers on mobile is something I can do without.

Ease of Setup & Installation

CyberGhost’s download and setup took me under 5 minutes to finish.

I signed up for a plan, downloaded the software, signed in to my account, and connected to a server using these steps:

Quick Guide: 3 Easy Steps to Install CyberGhost

  1. Sign up for CyberGhost. Its 2-year + 2 months plan is the most affordable. It also offers a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, so you can try CyberGhost risk-free.
    Screenshot of CyberGhost's sign up page
  2. Download the app. CyberGhost has native apps for all major devices that you can easily download from its website and sign into after installing.
    Screenshot of CyberGhost's app download page
  3. Connect to a server. The nearest servers will give you the best speeds so you can stream movies, browse the internet, play games, and download torrents immediately.
    Screenshot of CyberGhost app interface with best location feature

Browser Extensions for Chrome and Firefox — 100% Free to Download

It’s completely free to download and use CyberGhost’s browser extensions — you don’t even need to create an account. More importantly, both browser extensions are secure. I found zero leaks during my tests, and my real IP address was hidden each time.

However, there are some limitations. You won’t get full VPN protection as the browser extensions are actually a proxy. This means your internet traffic isn’t protected by advanced VPN encryption and security protocols. For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend relying on the extensions to torrent safely or perform other sensitive activities.

In addition, you can only choose from 8 servers in 4 countries — the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania. There’s also no kill switch included like you’d get with the full app, which makes it a riskier choice for sensitive activities like online shopping.

Screenshot of CyberGhost's Browser Extension for Chrome

CyberGhost’s browser extensions are a convenient way to access location-restricted content

Most VPN extensions are just proxies, but if you need full encryption, take a look at ExpressVPN’s Chrome extension, which works as a remote control for the actual VPN app.

Other Platforms Supported — Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick, and Routers

CyberGhost has custom apps for many alternative platforms, including Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Linux Mint, CentOS, PopOS, and Kali), Android TV (Lollipop 5.0 or higher), and Amazon Fire devices (at least Fire OS 4.6).

It’s also compatible with routers supporting OpenVPN. Generally, CyberGhost supports routers based on Raspberry Pi, VU+ Solo 2, Synology NAS, DD-WRT, and TomatoUSB Merlin Build.

You can check the step-by-step installation guides on the website, which offer instructions for specific routers. Another option is to buy a router from FlashRouter with the CyberGhost app pre-installed. I recommend this if you’re new to VPNs, as you won’t have to worry about making any mistakes during setup.

If you use Linux, you’re likely already familiar with the lack of a user interface for program installation and selecting options. Instead, you’ll have to enter specific commands into your Terminal app. Fortunately, CyberGhost’s website has an extensive Linux guide to show you how to connect, change settings, and switch between servers.

Note that the IKEv2 protocol isn’t available on Linux, although WireGuard and OpenVPN both are.

Smart DNS — Available for Apple TV, PlayStation, and Xbox

CyberGhost’s Smart DNS works with devices that don’t support a VPN app. You can install CyberGhost Smart DNS on smart TVs, Apple TV, and gaming consoles. This is similar to a proxy service — Smart DNS hides your real IP address by rerouting your internet connection through a VPN DNS server.

I tested this by setting up CyberGhost’s Smart DNS with a Samsung TV. All I had to do was set up a manual network connection and insert a manual Primary and Secondary DNS. It took just 3 minutes and remained connected until I removed the custom DNS entries.

Unfortunately, CyberGhost’s Smart DNS servers are only in the US, UK, Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands. If you want to connect to more countries, I recommend installing the VPN onto your router instead. It allows you to use CyberGhost on all internet-connected devices in your household.

Support

- 9.0 / 10

After testing its live chat feature and email support several times, I’ve concluded that CyberGhost provides high-quality customer service. I received fast and helpful responses every time — whether my teammates struggled to connect in China or I needed help configuring WireGuard on my iPhone.

Tested: 24/7 Live Chat

Live chat is the fastest way to get a response and you don’t need a subscription. 

I never had to wait more than a minute to connect to a representative, even when I sent chat requests at different times throughout the day. In total, I spoke to 4 reps and received friendly and detailed replies each time. You can contact CyberGhost over 24/7 live chat in English, while French, Romanian, and German support is available from 7am to 5pm (EST).

Also good, is that you can access CyberGhost live chat without having a subscription. Some VPNs expect you to be subscribed to get in touch via live chat, which is disappointing when you just want to verify something quickly before signing up.

Screenshots of CyberGhost's live chat, showing a customer support agent answering a question about OpenVPN on iOS.

I asked CyberGhost for details about the latest WireGuard protocol over 24/7 live chat

If you’re concerned about your privacy, there are two things you can do. Firstly, simply use a throwaway email when you connect to CyberGhost live chat — with the addition of a tracker blocker, you’ll be sure to stay off most radars. If it’s just the website trackers you’re worried about, use CyberGhost’s built-in support ticket system inside the app for direct contact.

Tested: Email Support

I always received a detailed response within 24 hours.

I even sent messages from a throwaway email address, so I could test CyberGhost’s service if I wasn’t an existing customer. I’m happy to say that I didn’t see any differences in response speed or support quality.

While I don’t advise sending emails for urgent technical issues — try the 24/7 live chat instead — it’s a reliable option if you don’t have time-sensitive questions.

Online Troubleshooting Guides and Tutorials

CyberGhost offers extensive support guides on its website in 12 languages, including English, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, and Korean.

There are answers to common technical issues, as well as installation instructions for specific devices and models. Every page is kept up-to-date, with a dedicated “Announcements” section so you’re aware of the latest features.

How We Test Customer Support and Why Should You Care

We personally test the customer support team of every VPN we review. This means asking technical question through the live chat feature (where applicable) and measuring the response time for email questions. Whether you need to connect to a specific server, change your security protocol, or configure a VPN on your router, finding a VPN with quality customer support should be important to you.

Pricing

- 9.0 / 10

CyberGhost’s 2-year + 2 months plan is the best at just $2.19 a month — it also comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

You can choose between a monthly, annual, 2-year, or 3-year plan. I recommend a long-term plan since you’ll get the best value for money. You also won’t find a longer money-back guarantee for any other premium VPN service. This makes CyberGhost ideal if you only need a VPN for a short time — you could use it entirely risk-free for over a month.

The 1-month plan isn’t really worth considering. It’s several times more expensive than the longer plans on a monthly basis, and doesn’t include NoSpy server access, Privacy Guard, or 500GB cloud storage for 1 year. You’ll also only get a 14-day money-back guarantee with the monthly plan.

However, CyberGhost ID Guard comes with every subscription and alerts you if your email address is compromised. You can also add-on the security suite to your monthly plan if you sign up from a Windows device — this includes Privacy Guard, Security Updater, and Antivirus tools.

Payment Methods — Includes Traditional Methods and Bitcoin

You can pay with PayPal, Bitcoin, or a credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express).

You may also see various local payment options depending on the country you’re buying from. Unfortunately, the popular Russain payment method QIWI isn’t available, but you can always use cryptocurrency to purchase anonymously. In the past, it was also possible to buy a physical box in a store and pay with cash for increased anonymity but unfortunately, this option is no longer available.

45-Day Money-Back Guarantee

CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee, the longest return policy of any premium VPN.

In comparison, competitor VPNs offer money-back guarantees within 30 days. Plus, CyberGhost’s refund policy is “no questions asked”, so you don’t have to provide a reason if you don’t like the service or simply change your mind.

I even tested the money-back guarantee myself by signing up for a 6-month plan. After using the service for 35 days, I requested a refund over 24/7 live chat. 

Screenshot of a user successfully requesting a refund from CyberGhost over live chat with the 30-day money-back guarantee
It’s completely risk-free to use CyberGhost and then ask for your money back

It was incredibly easy — I wasn’t asked to troubleshoot any issues or reconsider, which I’ve experienced when trying to cancel other VPN services. It took less than 1 minute for my refund to be approved, and I got my money back in a week.

Free Trials

CyberGhost offers a 24-hour free trial for Windows and macOS devices. If you have an Android device, you can try it for free for 3 days. iOS users have the longest 7-day free trial.

These are not long enough to get an in-depth look at everything the apps have to offer, but you can get a general feel. Otherwise, I recommend paying upfront with the knowledge that CyberGhost has a trustworthy money-back guarantee. If you don’t like it or no longer need it, simply ask for a refund within 14 or 45 days, depending on your plan.

CyberGhost VPN offers the following plans

1-Month Plan
 
$12.99
per month
 
View Plan
2-Years (+2 Months) Plan
$12.99
$2.19
per month
Save 83%
View Plan
View Plan
Save 83%
6-Months Plan
$12.99
$6.99
per month
Save 46%
View Plan
View Plan
Save 46%

Final Verdict

CyberGhost has earned its reputation as one of the best VPNs on the market. Its optimized servers are some of the best I’ve seen for streaming and torrenting, especially at such affordable prices. I’m also more than satisfied with its commitment to privacy and security, especially with the inclusion of privately-owned NoSpy servers.

However, CyberGhost’s macOS app could use some improvement — it doesn’t support the OpenVPN protocol, anti-malware protection, or ad blocking. I also think its ad-block could be much better and filter all annoying ads, not just suspicious ones (especially as there are 100% ad-block apps that do this for free).

If you’re not affected by these downsides, then you’ll be more than happy with CyberGhost’s high-quality performance and low prices. You can try CyberGhost with the 45-day money-back guarantee. It’s a “no questions asked” refund policy, so it’s completely risk-free to sign up and use.

FAQs About CyberGhost VPN

Is CyberGhost a safe VPN?

Yes, it’s safe. I ran a wide range of security tests and didn’t experience any leaks. You’ll be protected by an impressive suite of security features, including military-grade encryption, built-in leak protection, an automatic kill switch, and an ad/malware blocker. Plus, CyberGhost’s audited no-log policy ensures your browsing remains private — none of your data is tracked or shared.

Does CyberGhost own ZenMate?

Yes, ZenMate is owned by CyberGhost. As of 1 May 2023, the ZenMate app was discontinued and all existing ZenMate customers required to use CyberGhost instead (with the same login credentials) and gained access to CyberGhost’s advanced features. This includes more servers, encryption protocols, streaming-optimized servers, and split tunneling for Android users.

However, ZenMate customers still have to use ZenMate’s customer support if they have concerns with their accounts.

What are the pros and cons of CyberGhost?

With CyberGhost, you’ll have access to many specialized servers. Its long-term plans are some of the most affordable considering how fast its local connections are. CyberGhost is audited regularly and publishes a Transparency Report.

However, CyberGhost isn’t the fastest option on the market — its local servers have impressive speeds but those far away can be a bit slow. The monthly plan is quite expensive if you’re only after a short-term commitment. Lastly, some of its features aren’t available on its iOS app.

Despite these downsides, CyberGhost is still a solid choice compared to other VPNs. In fact, it’s only second to ExpressVPN according to our tests, which has the fastest speeds I’ve seen, works in China, and supports more streaming services than other VPNs.

Does CyberGhost allow torrenting?

Yes, CyberGhost allows torrenting and has dedicated P2P servers in over 80 countries. These servers are accessible with CyberGhost’s Windows and macOS apps. During tests, downloads were the fastest with the local servers. The apps also make it easy to select the best server by indicating its distance from your location or current load.

Can I use CyberGhost for free?

Yes, you can get the browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox for free and connect to servers in the US, Germany, Netherlands, and Romania.

Another option is to access a 24-hour free trial on both Windows and Mac without even needing a credit card, while Android has a 3-day trial and iOS offers a whole 7 days.

If you need more time, you can try CyberGhost risk-free for up to 45 days with its money-back guarantee. You’ll get unlimited access to all its premium features during that time — just remember to request a full refund before the end of the period if you change your mind.

Keep in mind that if you choose a 1-month plan, you’ll only get a 14-day money-back guarantee, compared to the 45 days with all longer plans.

Is CyberGhost VPN any good?

Yes, CyberGhost is a premium VPN that’s well worth the money. It has a massive network of high-speed servers, works with multiple global content platforms, and offers a generous 7 simultaneous device connections.

Combined with numerous extra features like a kill switch, split tunneling, smart rules, and several types of optimized servers (for streaming, gaming, and torrenting), CyberGhost is a well-rounded package that’s hard to beat.

Does CyberGhost work with Netflix?

Yes, CyberGhost works with Netflix in several countries. In fact, it has many servers optimized for it, including in the US, UK, Japan, Germany, and Italy. My team and I put many optimized servers to the test, as well as some of CyberGhost’s regular servers. They worked reliably in various regions.

Of course, CyberGhost can also be used to stream content from Amazon Prime, Disney+, Max, BBC iPlayer, and several more (including plenty of local content).

Which devices work with CyberGhost?

CyberGhost supports most popular devices, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Plus, CyberGhost has native apps and configurable software for multiple platforms, like Linux, smart TVs, games consoles, browsers, and more. You can also use CyberGhost with a compatible router to protect devices that don’t natively support a VPN.

How many devices does CyberGhost support?

You can connect up to 7 devices simultaneously with CyberGhost, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Fire TV, Android TV, routers, and more. You can even set up a CyberGhost connection on your router, and all the devices connected will still only count as a single device. This is a fantastic way to make the most of all your available device slots.

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