CyberGhost VPN Review: 100% Safe, Fast, & Cheap (2024)

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.

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 16,000km away — my speed dropped by 60% 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 were similar to baseline speeds, with the WireGuard protocol being the fastest option.

I ran speed tests using a Windows 11 PC from the UK, where my ISP provides a baseline speed of 138Mbps. I performed all tests using WireGuard, as this was the fastest protocol for my location.

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

The “Best Server” option automatically connected me to the nearby London location. The difference in speed compared to my baseline was negligible, and I didn’t experience any noticeable slowdown. Connections further from my physical location caused a more significant speed loss.

CyberGhost’s speeds are slower 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.

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).

Here’s a look at how CyberGhost’s servers performed when I ran tests from the UK, with an average speed of 138 Mbps and ping of 24 ms:

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. Your results may vary depending on your location — if your regular speeds are slower, you may notice some lag when gaming.

Server Network — (11,676+ 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. The majority of its servers are based in the US, UK, and Europe, but 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 and can provide faster speeds. Most VPNs don’t provide IP addresses in these countries, so this sets CyberGhost apart from its competitors.

Specialized Servers — Optimized Servers for Different Online Activities

CyberGhost organizes its network of 11,676+ 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, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video.
• 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 by CyberGhost For Maximum Security

CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers are maintained without the interference of any third parties and are based in its 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 as they’re based in the company’s private data center in Romania, which no one else can access.

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.

Torrenting — One of the Top VPNs for Torrenting

During tests, CyberGhost proved its torrenting servers are fast and secure.

You can connect to optimized torrenting servers in over 80 countries. The servers aren’t available on its mobile apps, but the regular servers also support torrenting — they’re just a little slower. For the best speeds, choose the closest server or one with the smallest load. If you find a server that works particularly well, you can add it to the Favorites list in the app.

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 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.

I also configured App Rules with my torrent client for safer file-sharing. This meant that when I opened my torrent client, CyberGhost automatically launched and connected to my preferred server — no torrenting unprotected.

I’ve seen a handful of complaints about being served DMCA notices while using CyberGhost. These might have been isolated incidents, but remember — CyberGhost explicitly states that it doesn’t condone downloading copyrighted material (and neither do I).

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, it was confirmed that CyberGhost can’t guarantee a working connection in China or countries with restrictive laws. CyberGhost’s traffic is often blocked in countries with moderate internet censorship, such as Egypt and Syria.

If you want a VPN that works in locations with restrictive networks, ExpressVPN has obfuscated servers that help avoid detection in countries like China, Russia, and the UAE.

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.

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 users from a potentially successful one-off attack.

3 Security Protocols — OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard Available

WireGuard provides the best speeds and top security.

The WireGuard protocol is relatively new, with no known vulnerabilities and solid speeds. Its code base is also tiny, which means it’s quick and easy to audit it for security holes. IKEv2 is a great choice for fast, reliable connections on mobile devices. OpenVPN is the most secure overall, but you’ll experience much slower speeds.

Unfortunately, some protocols are only available on certain apps. IKEv2 is only available on iOS, Mac, and Windows, and 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. The kill switch blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection becomes unsteady or you’re switching between servers. It’s 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, but I recommend you keep it on all the time.

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. That’s why I tested CyberGhost for leak protection using the independent site, IPLeak.net, and ran tests on 10 random servers in different countries. CyberGhost passed every test with zero DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks. When you use its nameservers, it prevents ads, trackers, and malware as well.

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.

To test this feature, I added BBC iPlayer to the “Exceptions” list in CyberGhost’s app and connected to a server in New York. I found I could shop on Nordstrom.com while streaming Killing Eve on BBC iPlayer. I performed the same test on my Android device and was successful again.

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. I could still see ads when streaming YouTube videos and visiting sites like BuzzFeed.

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.

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.
• 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, it won’t bombard you with personalized ads either.
• Data Compression — reduce the amount of data used by compressing images and app data. This is extremely useful if you have limited mobile data, but 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 it 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

No-Logs Policy — Independently Audited and Verified

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. It doesn’t even keep connection logs, but CyberGhost does store some basic hardware information to keep track of how many simultaneous devices are 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.

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.

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

CyberGhost 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. The reports show that despite frequent requests for data, CyberGhost has zero data to provide.

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. 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).

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.

If you’re concerned about your privacy, you can use a throwaway email when you connect to CyberGhost live chat. 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 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.