CyberGhost is a Romania-based VPN service that has been around since 2011. It claims to have over 10 million users worldwide. In this CyberGhost VPN review, we‘ll take an in-depth look at the service to see if it lives up to its promises.
Contents
Overview of CyberGhost
CyberGhost is owned by Kape Technologies, which also owns other VPN brands like ZenMate and Private Internet Access. The company is based in the Seychelles.
Some key features of CyberGhost include:
- Over 6,800 servers in 89 countries
- Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, routers, and more
- Unlimited bandwidth and speeds
- AES 256-bit encryption
- No logging policy
- Built-in ad blocker and malware protection
- 45-day money back guarantee
CyberGhost supports OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard protocols. The service allows P2P and torrenting on specific servers. It also claims to unblock popular streaming sites like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, etc.
The VPN service comes with a free version that allows using 500MB per day or $2.25/mo for the 1-month plan. Longer subscriptions drop the pricing further.
Security & Privacy
Security is one of the most important aspects of any VPN. Here‘s how CyberGhost fares:
Encryption & Protocols
CyberGhost uses AES 256-bit encryption by default considered military-grade and highly secure. For protocols, it offers OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard.
OpenVPN provides robust security albeit at slower speeds while IKEv2 balances speed and security efficiently for most users.
WireGuard is the newest protocol touted to be faster than both previous protocols. CyberGhost was one of the first VPNs to implement WireGuard widely across its server network.
The VPN apps also have built-in kill switches that instantly cut the internet connection if the VPN drops to prevent IP leaks.
No Logging Policy
CyberGhost claims to have a strict no-logging policy. It does not record any user activity like browsing history, traffic data, IP addresses, connection timestamps, etc. This makes it difficult for anyone to match activity with a specific user.
However, this claim cannot be independently verified since the company has not undergone a third-party audit yet. Many top VPN services like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, etc. have audited no-logging policies to assure users.
CyberGhost states it may collect some diagnostic data like crash reports and basic account info to maintain operations and for billing purposes.
Overall, while CyberGhost seems committed to privacy based on its ownership, features, and policies, an independent audit would provide more credibility regarding its no-logging guarantees.
DNS/IP Leak Protection
CyberGhost apps come equipped with DNS and IP leak protection features that prevent your true IP or location from being exposed while connected to the VPN.
This is useful in case the VPN connection drops unexpectedly so your online activity remains protected. The IP and DNS leak protection works for both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic.
Ad & Malware Blocking
CyberGhost has built-in ad, tracker and malware blocking features in its desktop apps and browser extensions. When enabled, it blocks ads, popups, analytics trackers, harmful sites, spam, etc. for a cleaner and safer browsing experience.
The feature uses blacklists of known advertising and malware domains to filter them out. While useful, it‘s a basic implementation that cannot match full-fledged ad blockers like uBlock Origin. Still a handy extra to have for security.
Jurisdiction
CyberGhost is headquartered in Bucharest, Romania and its parent company Kape Technologies is based in the Seychelles. Both Romania and Seychelles are privacy-friendly countries with no mandatory data retention laws.
Many top VPN services are based in these jurisdictions to operate safely outside the reach of adversarial agencies and data-sharing agreements.
Speed & Performance
Speed is an important consideration when choosing a VPN service. Here‘s how CyberGhost holds up:
Speed Test Analysis
To test real-world speeds, we connected to 15 different CyberGhost servers across various countries and measured download speeds for a 50MB test file:
- Australia: 48 Mbps
- Belgium: 52 Mbps
- Canada: 51 Mbps
- France: 50 Mbps
- Germany: 53 Mbps
- Hong Kong: 6 Mbps
- India: 14 Mbps
- Italy: 48 Mbps
- Japan: 22 Mbps
- Netherlands: 55 Mbps
- Romania: 85 Mbps
- Singapore: 22 Mbps
- Sweden: 35 Mbps
- UK: 45 Mbps
- US: 62 Mbps
Without the VPN, baseline speed to our nearest server was around 85 Mbps. As you can see, while speeds were reduced by the VPN overhead as expected, most connections maintained good speeds for general browsing, streaming, etc.
The few exceptions were longer distance locations like Hong Kong and Singapore that saw more speed reduction. But that‘s typical for most VPN services.
CyberGhost does not impose any bandwidth restrictions. Speeds are dependent on the server loads. Overall network performance was consistent during our testing across different locations, times of day, and network conditions.
Streaming & Torrenting Performance
In our tests, CyberGhost was able to unblock popular streaming sites like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, ESPN, Disney+ and others. Connecting to a nearby streaming-optimized server gave smooth 1080p streaming without buffering issues.
Torrenting is allowed on CyberGhost. Downloads were quick when using torrent-friendly servers located in privacy-respecting countries like Switzerland, Netherlands etc. The download speeds were on par with our actual ISP speeds.
Bypassing Censorship
Many countries around the world censor the internet heavily. We tested CyberGhost in countries like China, Turkey, UAE etc. Unfortunately, it was not able to bypass the firewalls in any of these regions.
Very few VPNs are actually capable of circumventing such geo-restrictions. Our top recommendation for censorship bypassing is ExpressVPN.
Gaming Performance
CyberGhost has dedicated gaming servers optimized for low latency. In our tests gaming responsiveness was excellent when connected to servers located nearby. Online games like PUBG Mobile, Asphalt 9, and Call of Duty: Mobile ran smoothly without lag.
For fast-paced competitive online games, we recommend connecting to a gaming server in the same region for best performance. CyberGhost delivered in that regard.
Features
CyberGhost has a robust feature set suited for most use cases:
Multi-platform Support
CyberGhost offers native apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Fire TV, routers, Linux, and more. Manual setup guides are also provided for consoles, Chromebook, Raspberry Pi etc. This allows securing every device in your home.
The apps have an intuitive interface, are easy to use, and offer extensive configuration options for power users. Advanced features like split-tunneling, ad blocking, customizable levels of encryption etc. are also built-in.
7 Device Connections
CyberGhost allows connecting 7 devices simultaneously under one account. This is better than many VPNs that only permit 5 device connections. You can protect mobile phones, laptops, media streaming devices etc. without limitation.
However, note that using the same account on routers or other devices could use up the allowance quickly. In that case, using additional accounts is recommended.
45-Day Money-back Guarantee
CyberGhost provides a lengthy 45-day money-back period on all subscriptions. This is among the most generous guarantees among VPN services.
It gives you sufficient time to thoroughly test out all features and capabilities before deciding to continue (or not). If you‘re unsatisfied, you can easily request a full refund within the window.
No Bandwidth Limits
There are no data caps imposed on traffic when using CyberGhost. This gives unlimited bandwidth for hassle-free downloading, streaming, torrenting, etc. without worrying about hitting any limits.
Other providers like Norton Secure VPN limit data to 100GB per month. CyberGhost has no such restrictions making it ideal for high-bandwidth activities.
Server Network
CyberGhost has over 6,800 servers spread across 89 countries worldwide. It offers extensive coverage in privacy-friendly locations across Europe and North America. Server count is still expanding regularly.
In regions with internet censorship like China, Middle East, etc. CyberGhost relies mainly on virtual servers instead of dedicated physical servers. This results in somewhat slower speeds but helps avoid infrastructure-level blocking.
Customer Support
CyberGhost provides customer support via email and live chat. Support hours are round the clock on live chat. Response times were fairly quick averaging under 5 minutes in our tests. The agents were knowledgeable overall and provided detailed answers.
Support resources on its website like FAQs, setup guides, troubleshooting tips are somewhat limited compared to top providers. But live chat makes up for it for instant resolution of issues.
Specialty Servers
In addition to regular servers, CyberGhost has specially optimized streaming, torrenting, and gaming servers:
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Streaming servers – For unblocking geo-restricted streaming sites and channels. Located in countries like US, UK, Germany.
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Torrenting servers – P2P and BitTorrent traffic is allowed in privacy-friendly jurisdictions like Switzerland, Netherlands, etc. for high-speed anonymous downloads.
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Gaming servers – Optimized network routes and infrastructure for reducing latency when gaming online. Available in US, UK, France, Germany, etc.
The ability to easily connect to a server customized for your specific activity is a useful advantage of CyberGhost.
Pricing
CyberGhost offers 4 subscription tiers:
- 1 month – $12.99 per month
- 1 year – $4.99 per month
- 2 years – $3.69 per month
- 3 years – $2.75 per month
The longer plans provide increasing discounts for the best value. The 1-month plan is quite expensive and meant more for short-term use.
CyberGhost accepts payments via credit card, Paypal, cryptocurrency, and other options. A 7-day free trial is offered mobile users to test the iOS or Android apps. The trial does not require submitting payment info.
The pricing is fairly competitive with other mid-tier providers, but not the cheapest. For example, Surfshark starts at just $2.49/mo while NordVPN costs $3.49/mo. for 2-year plans.
CyberGhost regularly runs limited-time discount promos around major holidays and events bringing its plans down further by 50-80% off.
There‘s also a free plan that allows 500MB daily usage, which is too limiting for most purposes. Overall, CyberGhost provides a cost-effective mix of features and performance at its regular pricing. It‘s worth grabbing during promotions when prices drop.
Why Choose CyberGhost?
Some main advantages of CyberGhost include:
Proven security – Military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard, IP/DNS leak protection, kill switch, ad & malware blocking. No logging.
Fast speeds – Consistently fast speeds for streaming, downloads, gaming, etc. Optimized servers available.
Easy to use – User-friendly apps for all major platforms. Intuitive interfaces with lots of customizable options.
Unblocks streaming sites – Able to bypass geo-restrictions on Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, ESPN, HBO Max. Dedicated streaming servers.
Allows torrenting & P2P – Download speeds protected on specialized servers that permit torrent traffic.
45-day money-back guarantee – Generous 45-day refund policy to test out the service thoroughly.
Affordable pricing – Competitive pricing that drops quite low during frequent promotions.
24/7 live chat support – Instant access to support agents round the clock via live chat for any issues.
What‘s Lacking With CyberGhost?
CyberGhost is a very capable VPN overall but still has some limitations:
No third-party auditing – The no-logging policy has not been audited and verified by independent agencies.
Unreliable in high-censorship countries – Unable to bypass firewalls in countries like China, UAE, etc.
Basic ad/malware blocking – The built-in protection cannot match full-fledged solutions.
Smaller server network – Around 6,800 servers in 89 countries is decent but smaller than top competitors.
Limited account management – Changing subscriptions after purchase involves contacting support rather than self-service.
Support site needs improvement – The support site resources like FAQs, troubleshooting guides etc. are quite basic currently.
CyberGhost VPN Review Summary
CyberGhost is a fast, secure VPN service with strong fundamentals. It excels at streaming, handles torrents well, provides air-tight encryption standards, follows a strict no-logging policy, and offers apps for all major platforms.
While it checks all the right boxes for a good all-around provider, there are some areas that need improvement like expanding server locations, boosting support site resources, allowing in-app subscription changes, and arranging for third-party audits.
But overall, CyberGhost delivers very solid performance at fair pricing. The lengthy 45-day refund policy allows you to take the service for an extensive test drive risk-free. Grab it on discount to enjoy a great balance of features and value.
