Should You Secure Your Online Activity with CyberGhost? Review of VPN Features & Pricing

CyberGhost is one name you may see across multiple lists of the best VPNs to use. And it must make you wonder, should you give it a try or should you skip it? So, we decided to make a CyberGhost Review, specifically looking at the speed and performance, privacy and security features, and other additional must-have features.

VPNs or Virtual Private Networks keep your activities and personal information safe in the global media infrastructure where privacy is a fleeting notion. And even though there are a lot of VPNs available right now that promise the best protection, not all of them can make good on it.

TL;DR: CyberGhost is a VPN provider packed with features that are ideal for streaming, torrenting, and browsing the web while keeping you safe. Give its free trial a shot and find out if it’s worth the money before you sign up.

VPN Features

CyberGhost VPN is one of the best VPN service providers in the market. It utilizes a no-logs policy, a kill-switch feature, and a virtual private network offering private internet access, ensuring your complete online anonymity. CyberGhost VPN stands out among other VPN companies for its large server list and huge server fleet including optimized servers, gaming consoles, and streaming servers.

Specialty servers play a notable role in serving the specific interests of users. CyberGhost supports a split tunneling feature that enables users’ desired apps or web pages access to their VPN network.

The VPN service provider also includes the use of advanced security protocols, such as the 256 bit AES encryption protocol and split-tunneling protocols, thereby providing its customers with the utmost protection against data theft and breaches. Whether you require access to international content or remote webpages with CyberGhost VPN’s VPN apps, you are assured of a safe and secure browsing experience.

Getting started with CyberGhost is a breeze. Once you’ve signed up for an account you are prompted to download and install the VPN client (desktop and/or mobile clients)

Security and Privacy

Let me just address this one before diving into other details. Because let us be honest, these are what scares are most and are the primary reasons for using VPNs.

Security Protocols

CyberGhost has three VPN protocols, and you can customize the settings the way you want. While the app would automatically selects the best VPN protocol for you, you can change it to your preferred one at any time.

OpenVPN

OpenVPN is all about safety and less about speed. They are constantly updating their VPN software safety features to provide maximum security. And as expected, the speed takes a toll.

While most major browsers come with this protocol, you need to set it up in macOS manually. And unfortunately, iOS app users need to sit out on this.

WireGuard

WireGuard gives you the best of both. While it may not be on par with IKEv2, it is still excellent and performs significantly better than OpenVPN.

WireGuard provides the optimal conditions for your major internet surfing and activities. And luckily for users with major operating systems, you can use this protocol right from the get-go.

If you want to change the protocols, just go to settings on the bottom-left and click on the tab for CyberGhost VPN. Then, you can select any of the options from the drop-down menu.

IKEv2

If you need fast speeds, this protocol may be the best way to go. It is also the most compatible with mobile devices since it can automatically connect you and protect you when switching data modes. However, a Linux or Android VPN user may have to wait for the features to roll out on their devices.

L2TP/IPsec

L2TP paired with IPSec prevents data from being altered between the sender and receiver. As a result, Man-In-the-Middle attacks can’t happen when using this protocol. The downside is that it’s slow. Because of its double encapsulation method, this protocol is not the fastest

Privacy

If you cannot trust your VPN to protect your privacy and mask your online activities, there is no point in getting one. After all, this is the main reason they are used anyways.

With CyberGhost, you can expect your IP address, browsing history, DNS queries, bandwidth, and location to be completely private and hidden when you connect to the CyberGhost server. The company has no record of your identity or activities and only collects the VPN connection attempts in clusters.

Their privacy policy explains all the terms and conditions and what they do with all your information. However, it is ambiguous and difficult to interpret, especially if you are unfamiliar with most terms.

Since most of their users may not understand all this technical jargon, it would be better for them and their users’ relationship to produce a simplified version.

Country of Jurisdiction

It is essential to know the jurisdiction of the country your VPN company is based in to understand how it functions legally. CyberGhost is headquartered in Bucharest, Romania, and must abide by Romanian Law, and in a country outside of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances, and has a strict zero-logs policy in place.

However, it is to be noted that since the VPN service does not house any personal data, they are not legally bound to respond to legal requests for information. You can find further information on this in their quarterly transparency reports on the CyberGhost website.

Its parent company Kape Technologies PLC is also the owner of Express VPN and Private Internet Access VPN. The former is one of the best VPN services there is and is CyberGhost’s strongest competitor.

No Leaks

To stop your Internet Service Providers from making DNS requests and use IPv6 traffic to see what you are doing, you can rely on CyberGhost’s DNS and IP leak protection to shield it for you. It protects not only your browser extensions but also the apps you might have been running.

CyberGhost hides your actual IP address from all the sites while routing all the DNS requests through its number of servers. There is no need to manually turn them on as it gets enabled during the installation.

I tested it on 6 different VPN servers across all the continents and, to my surprise, found no faults or leaks in it.

Here is the test result using the Windows VPN client (no DNS leaks):

Military-Grade Encryption

CyberGhost is like Fort Knox when it comes to keeping your data safe. Well, not exactly, but with its 256-bit encryption, which is the highest, there is, a hacker would think twice before trying to intercept your data.

Even if they did, it would take them a long, long while before they could crack a single piece. And if they somehow manage to do it, your data would be completely illegible to comprehend.

CyberGhost also employs a Perfect Forward Secrecy feature to kick things up a notch, which regularly changes the encryption and decryption key.

Speed and Performance

These two aspects are just as important as the first two since you do not want your internet slowing down in the middle of things. I tested out the three protocols during different times of the day, and the result seemed pretty consistent.

IKEv2

As with any other VPN service provider, the upload rate of CyberGhost plummeted with this protocol. It went up by nearly 80% on average. Users may not be severely affected by this as users do not tend to upload data regularly.

On the other hand, the average download speeds were lower than WireGuard but still somewhat balanced.

OpenVPN

If you plan on downloading a lot of content, it is best to stay away from the UDP setting. The average download speed is lower than the other two options, hovering at more than a 60% drop-off.

With the TCP mode, you get an even slower speed. With over 70% and 85% drop-off for download and upload speed, respectively, some people may be put off by these drastic numbers. However, for a tunneling protocol, these numbers are pretty good.

WireGuard

This protocol should be your go-to option for downloading, which has a decent 32% drop-off rate. The upload rate is also lower than the other two, which is a nice feature to have, even if it is not always required.

I went in with the impression that the farther I was from the servers, the worse my connection speeds would be. And I was somewhat proven right, but there were also some inconsistencies along the way. A few servers surprised me with their moderate speed even though they were not located far.

However, it would be silly not to choose a nearby location to ensure the best speed. You can also opt for the Best Server Location feature, which would automatically calculate and locate the optimal server for you.

Even if the speed gets reduced slightly, these specialized servers will ensure you have enough juice to do all your online activities without a hitch.

Speed Test & Results

For this CyberGhost VPN review, I ran speed tests with servers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore. All tests were conducted on the official Windows VPN client and tested on Google’s Internet speed testing tool.

First, I tested servers in the United States. There was a CyberGhost server in Los Angeles at about 27 Mbps.

Next, I tested a CyberGhost server in London UK, and the speeds were slightly worse at 15.5 Mbps.

The third CyberGhost server I tested was in Sydney Australia and gave me a good download speed of 30 Mbps.

For my final CyberGhost VPN speed test, I connected to a server in Singapore. The results were “okay” and good at around 22 Mbps.

CyberGhost isn’t the fastest VPN I have tested. But it is definitely above the industry average.

Streaming, Torrenting, and Gaming

You may be delighted to hear that with CyberGhost’s specialized servers for specific activities, you can easily go on with your activities without a hitch.

Streaming

Most streaming sites services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer have heavy geo-restrictions to block VPN traffic. But to my utter surprise, I started streaming Netflix USA on the very first try. Even Amazon Prime, which is heavily guarded, started working in one attempt.

To get the optimized and dedicated streaming servers, you need to select the “For Streaming” tab on the left-side menu. They would give you the best speed. However, standard servers do the job well most of the time. Except for a little buffering during the initial loading, it works smoothly during the rest of the time.

I got more than enough speed to stream content in HD across all of Netflix’s local libraries. But it also depends on the traffic, which may be the reason the US site was slightly slower than the others.

With access to over 35+ streaming services, it may seem like CyberGhost can do it all. But that is not the case. If you want to watch Sky TV or catch up on Channel 4, then I am afraid you will have to be disappointed.

Gaming

CyberGhost may not be the perfect VPN for gaming, but it is not terrible. It runs online games from local servers quite well, even if it is not optimized.

But as for the remote ones, most gamers would get immediately frustrated while playing on them. It takes forever for commands to register, and the video and audio quality is terrible.

And the farther the optimized gaming servers were, the more disastrous the quality became. The textures looked like a two-year-old’s scribble, and I could not take more than a couple of steps before the game crashed.

Unlike CyberGhost’s optimized servers for streaming, the dedicated gaming servers were subpar.

Torrenting

Just like the other two, CyberGhost goes up and beyond for their torrenting. You can use any one of the 61 specialized servers right from the “For Torrenting” tab in the settings menu.

These torrenting servers are designed to keep you anonymous and out of sight while maintaining high-speed P2P file sharing. And all the while, it uses its military-grade encryption and a strict audited no logs policy to ensure no information that can be traced back to you is stored.

But it does not support port forwarding, which a lot of people use to boost their download speeds while torrenting. This is because port forwarding can be a risk to your security, so CyberGhost has designed its servers to work without it.

Supported Devices

With a single CyberGhost subscription, you can get seven simultaneous connections for both desktop and mobile apps. This kind of works like a family plan, perfect for a household with many gadgets.

Operating Systems

The list of operating systems compatible with CyberGhost protocols is quite impressive. You can run WireGuard across almost all major operating systems, such as Fire Stick TV, Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, etc.

It is mostly the same for OpenVPN, except for macOS. IKEv2, however, is on the same plane as WireGuard.

iOS and Android Apps

The CyberGhost app for mobiles is the same as desktop apps. But there might be some features missing. You can get the ad-blocker and split tunneling on Android but not on iOS. Fortunately, both mobile apps come with an automatic kill switch and leak protection.

On iOS devices, you may be able to block pop-ups, but you need to download a Private Browser add-on for that.

Here are the 3 main things you can do with CyberGhost VPN for iOS or Android:

• Automate your Wi-Fi protection. Set up CyberGhost to automatically protect your data every time you connect to a network.
• Encrypt your data with a one-click connection. Shop and make online payments safely through our heavily encrypted VPN tunnel.
• Enjoy uninterrupted privacy protection. Stream, surf, and secure your data around the clock, as you move across networks.

VPN Server Locations

I already talked about how impressive CyberGhost’s optimized server size is on a global scale. You get an abundance of choices to pick the perfect server from and spoof your location.

Recently, CyberGhost’s servers spread in a little over 90 countries. Of the existing 7000, most of them lie in the US and UK, while the rest of the virtual servers are spread over other continents. CyberGhost avoids countries with strict internet policies since they are extremely difficult to bypass through.

Unlike other VPN services, CyberGhost is quite transparent about its operations, such as its virtual server locations. This network service has listed all of its server locations to indicate how your data is being handled to avoid suspicions of data mining and privacy breach.

Remote Servers

I already talked a little about using Netflix’s local libraries across multiple continents. And except for a few exceptions, it was smooth sailing for almost all of them.

This might be because I have an above-average base connection speed which is still sufficient to stream HD content at a 75% drop. But this rate will be drastic for you if you have lower internet speed, which would entail some serious video lags and loading time.

Local Servers

CyberGhost also offers a fair share of nearby servers, whose performance completely outshines the remote ones.

Optimized and Standard Servers

Optimized servers are the perfect way to go if you want to enjoy your entertainment time without slow internet pushing you to the brink of insanity. They provide you with a 15% faster speed.

No-Spy Servers

If all these privacy features are not enough to satiate you, CyberGhost goes the extra mile with their NoSpy Servers. They are situated in the company’s private data center in Romania and can only be accessed by their team.

All the hardware has been updated, along with the provision of dedicated uplinks to maintain their premium VPN services. No third parties and intermediaries will step in and steal your data.

It does make your speed slow, even though the CyberGhost VPN app claims to do the opposite. But for this extra bit of privacy, this little trouble seems to be negligible.

The only downside is that you need to commit to at least a one-year or longer plan. But if you compare the annual plans with the monthly, the former is more economical and feasible in the long run.

If you are interested in the NoSpy servers, you can enter them from most web and mobile browsers.

Dedicated IP Addresses and Servers

CyberGhost assigns dedicated IP addresses to better spoof your static IP address without letting anybody know you are using VPN. Having a specific address can prevent creating suspicion during online banking and trading. If you run a business, it can also make it easier for others to find your site.

Since you will be mostly logging in from the same server, it will be harder for streaming platforms to detect your movements and block you. But if you want to use these servers, you might have to sacrifice a little speed.

Extras

Of course, other features may not be significant but can make your user experience much smoother.

Ad-blocker and Other Toggles

This service offers malware and ad-blocking, although it is unable to route the traffic through Tor. There is a Block Content toggle that aims to get rid of trackers and other malicious activities.

But this feature is not sufficient to be used alone. It may block a few pop-ups, but not in-stream ads or other on-page ads.

From the privacy setting, you can also use the toggles to eliminate any possible DNS leaks. Besides, there is also a kill switch that blocks your computer from transmitting data in case the connection is interrupted.

Smart Rules and Split Tunnelling

If you want to customize your CyberGhost VPN settings, you can do so in the Smart Rules panel. This would change how your VPN loads up, what it connects with, and how it should handle things in the future. Once you set it up, you can relax and need not bother with it again.

There is also an Exceptions tab in this panel that allows split tunneling. Here, you can designate specific URLs to decide which traffic passes through your regular internet connection. This is necessary to avoid banks and other streaming apps from flagging you down.

CyberGhost Security Suite

The Security Suite for Windows is an additional plan that you can purchase along with your service subscription. It includes Intego antivirus protection, a Privacy Guard tool, and a Security Updater.

• Antivirus – Stay safe with around-the-clock protection
• Privacy Guard – Take full control of your Windows settings
• Security Updater – Immediately spot outdated apps

The Privacy Guard tool is efficient at keeping your private and financial data safe from Microsoft. And the security updater does a fine job of reminding you when your apps need updating.

Since Intego has always sourced for Mac, there was a little skepticism about them creating one for the CyberGhost Windows app. This is because it was lagging in performance while detecting malware for Windows during external testing.

However, they have updated the software since then, and I have yet to test the efficacy of the suite.

You can use this feature if you have Windows 7 or onwards. But it needs to be purchased with an extra charge of $5.99/month along with the service subscription. The final pricing may change depending on the duration of your subscription.

Wi-Fi Protection

With this feature, your CyberGhost VPN automatically launches whenever you connect with public WiFi. This is a spectacular feature as WiFi hotspots are prone to get hacked, and it would keep you safe even if you forget.

Secret Photo Vault

This app is only enabled on iOS systems and phones, which allows you to hide your visual content with a password. You can either use a PIN or biometric authentication.

If anybody tries to break in, it will send you a report right away. Also, it has a fake password feature as an added layer of protection.

Browser Extensions for Chrome & Firefox

CyberGhost’s browser extensions are completely devoid of charges for Firefox and Chrome. You can install them like you would with any other extension. But remember, these extensions only provide you protection when you are in the browser.

They come with features like anonymous browsing, WebRTC leak protection, tracking blocks, malware blockers, etc. but no kill switch.

• Unlimited password storage
• Cross-platform access to your credentials
• Securely store your notes
• Auto-save & auto-fill function

Customer Support

CyberGhost has 24/7 live chat customer support available in multiple languages. You can make several inquiries, and they would reply with helpful answers within minutes.

If you need a more extensive answer that requires some investigation, you should check your mail inbox for more details. They will continue conversing with you until your problem is solved.

Plans & Pricing

CyberGhost offers 3 different packages with different price tiers. If you are unwilling to commit to a plan yet, you can sign up for their 1-day free trial to test it out.

Here is the pricing tier for their plans:

Plan	Price
1-Month	$12.99 per month
1-year	$4.29 per month
2-years	$2.23 per month

The two-year plan is the most affordable of them all in the long run. You also get NoSpy severs with that plan only.

The company accepts payments of most methods, including cryptocurrency. They do not take cash, though, which is a bummer since it would help in remaining anonymous.

If you go ahead with a package but then decide it is not for you, then do not worry. There is a 45-day money-back guarantee that lets you ask for a refund. You only get this timeframe for the longer packages and get only 15 days with the 1-month plan.

All you need to do is contact the team via their live support, and you can get your money back within 5-10 working days.

Questions & Answers

Our Verdict ⭐

CyberGhost is a reliable VPN that offers one of the largest server networks there are, with incredible security and protection without compromising speed. You get specified secure core servers for different activities that keep you anonymous and also help unblock content from all around the world.

The monthly plan asks for a hefty price, but the 2-year-old plan seems like a steal. You can sign up for the 1-day trial to test out the waters before committing to a plan.

And if you find yourself regretting it afterward, you can always ask for a refund from customer support and get your money back in full.

Overall, a great and super user-friendly VPN company that lets you enjoy your online activities without having to fear for your security.

Recent Improvements & Updates

CyberGhost is constantly updating its VPN with better and more secure features to help users maintain their online privacy and internet security. Here are some of the most recent improvements (as of November 2024):

• 10Gbps VPN Servers: CyberGhost has upgraded its servers from 1Gbps to 10Gbps. This improvement means faster data transfer and better coverage, especially beneficial with the advent of 5G technology. This upgrade is like adding more lanes to a highway, allowing for smoother and faster internet traffic for various online activities, from browsing websites to playing online games.
• Deloitte Audit: CyberGhost invited Deloitte to inspect its VPN server network and management systems. The audit focused on the No Logs policy, change management, configuration management, incident management, and the dedicated IP token-based system. This third-party audit by Deloitte helps ensure that CyberGhost’s practices align with its privacy policies.
• CyberGhost VPN for Windows in Microsoft Store: The latest version of CyberGhost VPN for Windows is now available in the Microsoft Store. This version promises easier updates and compliance with Microsoft’s security and data safety standards. This move is also a step towards preventing malware spread through impersonation and infected executable files.
• MASA Verifications for Android App: the CyberGhost Android app underwent a full security audit based on the Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS) established by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). This audit ensures that the app meets industry standards for mobile app security.
• Expansion of Server Network: Responding to customer demand, CyberGhost expanded its server network from 91 to 100 countries. New server locations include Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, enhancing the global reach and accessibility of the VPN service.
• Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit Encryption: CyberGhost continues to use AES 256-bit encryption, providing robust security for user data. This encryption method is highly secure, with a complex process that makes it virtually impossible for unauthorized individuals to decipher the encrypted data.
• Integration of WireGuard® Protocol: CyberGhost has incorporated WireGuard®, a relatively new VPN protocol that combines the security of OpenVPN with the speed of IPsec. WireGuard® is designed for strict security standards while offering benefits like faster speeds, user-friendliness, and lower power usage.

Reviewing CyberGhost VPN: Our Methodology

In our mission to find and recommend the best VPN services, we follow a detailed and rigorous review process. Here’s what we focus on to ensure we provide the most reliable and relevant insights:

1. Features and Unique Qualities: We explore each VPN’s features, asking: What does the provider offer? What sets it apart from others, such as proprietary encryption protocols or ad and malware blocking?
2. Unblocking and Global Reach: We assess the VPN’s ability to unblock sites and streaming services and explore its global presence by asking: How many countries does the provider operate in? How many servers does it have?
3. Platform Support and User Experience: We examine the supported platforms and the ease of the sign-up and setup process. Questions include: What platforms does the VPN support? How straightforward is the user experience from start to finish?
4. Performance Metrics: Speed is key for streaming and torrenting. We check the connection, upload, and download speeds and encourage users to verify these on our VPN speed test page.
5. Security and Privacy: We delve into the technical security and privacy policy of each VPN. Questions include: What encryption protocols are used, and how secure are they? Can you trust the provider’s privacy policy?
6. Customer Support Evaluation: Understanding the quality of customer service is crucial. We ask: How responsive and knowledgeable is the customer support team? Do they genuinely assist, or just push sales?
7. Pricing, Trials, and Value for Money: We consider the cost, available payment options, free plans/trials, and money-back guarantees. We ask: Is the VPN worth its price compared to what’s available in the market?
8. Additional Considerations: We also look at self-service options for users, such as knowledge bases and setup guides, and the ease of cancellation.

Learn more about our review methodology.

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Updates

02/01/2023 – CyberGhost’s password manager was discontinued in December 2022

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_secrecy
• https://www.wireguard.com/
• https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/advantages/nospy
• https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/no-logs-vpn
• https://www.kape.com/