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CyberGhost VPN Review
Price & Value
The Longest Risk-free Trial You'll Find
45-day Risk-free Trial
While CyberGhost offers a 24 hour 100% free trial, we recommend you taking advantage of the service’s no-questions-asked 45-day refund guarantee.
While you do have to pay upfront, this very generous money-back guarantee lets you trial CyberGhost’s VPN software on all devices and without restrictions.
To get a refund, simply contact customer support who will process your request within 5-10 working days. Again, it’s a “no questions asked” guarantee so there are no hidden catches.
Be aware that the 45-day money-back guarantee applies to subscription plans longer than 12 months. On the monthly plan, the refund guarantee is only 14 days.
Monthly
$12.99/mo
Billed $12.99 each month6 Month(s)
$6.99/mo
Billed $41.94 every 6 months28 Month(s)
$2.03/mo
Billed $56.94 the first 2 years and yearly thereafter
At its cheapest, CyberGhost costs just $2.03 per month on a two-year subscription plan, including four extra months free. It’s billed $56.94 upfront, which works out 84% cheaper the standard monthly price.
This is excellent value for money. So much so we rate CyberGhost as one this year’s best cheap VPNs.
The monthly plan costs $12.99, marginally higher than other one-month plans from top-rated VPNs like ExpressVPN and PIA VPN. It’s also above the industry average of $10-12 per month.
Payment & Refund Options
CyberGhost accepts payment via these methods:
American Express
Bitcoin
Mastercard
PayPal
Visa
This is a good range of payment options, similar to most leading VPN services.
The ability to pay with cryptocurrency will appeal to the most privacy-conscious users.
Cash payments are limited to Germany, Switzerland, and Austria where retailers like MediaMarkt, and Saturn process cash transactions.
You can’t pay for CyberGhost with Paysafe cards, AliPay, or UnionPay.
Speed
Fast Speeds on Nearby VPN Servers
CyberGhost’s speeds are fast enough for most online activity without issue.
The VPN is fast on local connections, but slower on long-distance connections. It sometimes also lacks speed stability.
We tested CyberGhost’s local speeds by connecting from our test London server to a nearby UK server.
Here are the results from our local speed tests:
Local Speed Test results before using CyberGhost VPN:
- Download Speed: 100Mbps
- Upload Speed: 99Mbps
- Ping: 3ms
Local Speed Test results with CyberGhost VPN:
- Download Speed: 89Mbps
- Upload Speed: 89Mbps
- Ping: 7ms
Download speed loss when CyberGhost VPN is running: 11%
This is a very good result, similar to rival VPNs like ExpressVPN and IPVanish.
Long-Distance Speed Tests
We also connected to international servers in Germany, US, Singapore, and Australia. Sadly, CyberGhost VPN’s long-distance speeds were much more inconsistent.
While CyberGhost still delivered reasonable results, it lags the current fastest VPNs we’ve reviewed.
Below are the full results of our CyberGhost long-distance speed tests:
- US (New York):
- Download: 26Mbps
- Upload: 59Mbps
- Germany:
- Download: 66Mbps
- Upload: 92Mbps
- Singapore:
- Download: 14Mbps
- Upload: 45Mbps
- Australia:
- Download: 8Mbps
- Upload: 35Mbps
As you can see above, we suffered a 74% speed loss connecting to a US server, which is much slower than other top-tier services like NordVPN and Private Internet Access.
Connecting to servers in Australia and Singapore wasn’t much better, either.
Privacy
A Private and Safe VPN Service
According to CyberGhost’s privacy policy, its VPN only logs anonymous connection data for statistical purposes.
This anonymous connection data is aggregated, anonymized, and cannot be traced back to you.
CyberGhost logs the following data:
- Account information
- Logins of anonymous accounts per day
- Connection attempts
- Successful connections
- Country of origin
Many popular VPNs collect aggregated connection logs, and CyberGhost is no different. While the service is very private, read our Private Internet Access review if you’re after a 100% no-logs VPN.
In any case, CyberGhost VPN does not keep logs of user web activity. It won’t log your real IP address and the servers you used.
CyberGhost’s Transparency Reports
CyberGhost publishes an annual transparency report listing the number of legal requests and DMCA complaints it receives.
The company also commissioned an independent audit on its security practices in 2012. The security audit came back clean. We now want to see an updated audit for the VPN’s logging policy.
Details of CyberGhost’s independent audit.
CyberGhost is Based in Romania
Cyberghost is incorporated as CyberGhost S.A. in Bucharest, Romania.
It’s in the EU, which has aggressive data-retention and sharing agreements between nations. But, Romania is the only EU member state to have successfully said “no” to the data-sharing requirements.
Screenshot of the Constitutional Court of Romania’s (CCR) decision not to co-operate with EU data-sharing directives.
In any event, CyberGhost doesn’t collect any personal web logs therefore has no web data to hand over to authorities.
Crossrider Controversy
CyberGhost was released in 2011 as a free VPN by German tech entrepreneur Robert Knapp. In 2017, Crossrider Group acquired the VPN company.
Crossrider operated mobile ad platforms and a browser extension development platform. The latter allowed developers to create cross-browser add-ons and monetize them through ad injection techniques.
One of these techniques bundles a ‘Crossrider’ adware PUP (potentially unwanted program) with other software. Once installed, the PUP would serve unwanted advertisements via an internet user’s web browser(s).
Ad injection is not only intrusive but, if misused, potentially unsafe. Some developers may have in fact abused Crossriders’ capabilities for malicious purposes.
Below is a screenshot from a Malwarebytes report into Crossrider PUPs:
Screenshot taken from Malwarebytes’ investigation into Crossrider.
Kape’s Commitment to Privacy
Crossider shut its ad platforms in 2016, prior to acquiring CyberGhost. The company then re-branded to Kape Technologies in 2018.
Since 2017, the company has focused on global privacy and security activities. Following CyberGhost, Kape also acquired popular VPN services Private Internet Access and ZenMate.
Crossrider may have not always put user privacy first, but Kape has made a dedicated effort to do so. From our perspective, CyberGhost can be trusted.
Server Locations
Secure and Extensive Server Network
Cyberghost has a vast network of 12,000 VPN servers located in 100 countries. Currently, only PIA VPN counts more servers.
There are servers in 114 locations.
As with many other VPN services, serer coverage in Asia and Africa is limited. There are currently 23 CyberGhost servers in Asia, but only six in Africa.
CyberGhost’s City-level Choice
City-level choice is available in the following countries:
- Australia
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- South Africa
- Spain
- Switzerland
- UK
- US
The total number of servers in Australia recently increased to 239. The service also added new servers in New Zealand, with 13 in Auckland alone.
CyberGhost’s server list marks which server locations are virtual or physical.
CyberGhost’s VPN server list.
The desktop apps display server loads, helpful to find less congested servers. It’s rare to see server loads over 50%, so you’re unlikely to experience slow speeds due to congestion.
CyberGhost’s Varied Choice of Servers
In addition to typical VPN servers, CyberGhost offers several other server types, optimized for certain activities.
These server types include:
- Static IP Address
- Token-based Dedicated IP
Static IP Addresses
Usually, VPN apps assign dynamic IP addresses. This means you are given a random IP each time you connect.
By contrast, a static IP address server assigns you the same IP address every time you connect. This can improve accessing geo-restricted web content, as traffic patterns will appear more ‘normal.’ But, using the same IP address carries some privacy risks.
Dedicated IP Addresses
To get around the privacy risks of static IP addresses, CyberGhost developed a token-based dedicated IP system.
The system is made for internet users who want to use the same IP address, but are also privacy conscious. When you redeem a token, CyberGhost won’t know its details. Therefore, it can’t link your account to any specific IP address.
These token-based dedicated IPs do cost extra, and are only available in the below locations:
- Canada (Montreal)
- France (Paris)
- Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt)
- UK (London, Manchester)
- US (Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York)
You can purchase a dedicated CyberGhost IP via the app.
NoSpy Servers
NoSpy servers are also an optional extra. These servers are owned by CyberGhost in a private data center in Romania.
The VPN’s NoSpy servers use top-shelf hardware, dedicated uplinks and come with bigger bandwidth for better speeds.
No Multi-hop Servers
CyberGhost lacks multi-hop (or double VPN) servers, which route your traffic through two VPN servers, adding a further security layer. Read more about multi-hop servers in our NordVPN review, or in our Surfshark evaluation.
Virtual Server Locations
CyberGhost marks 60 out of its 114 server locations as “physically located.” These servers are physical machines in the country you’re connecting to.
The remaining 50 are virtual server locations. These servers assign the IP address of a specific country, but are physically located elsewhere.
CyberGhost labels its physical servers
We want to see CyberGhost disclose the actual physical location of its virtual servers. For example, ExpressVPN lists the real physical locations of its virtual servers.
Server Ownership
While CyberGhost owns some of its servers, it also operates third-party ones, which is fairly common among VPN companies.
A well-maintained self-owned server network can have great privacy benefits. If you’re interested in a VPN that owns all its servers, see our VyprVPN review or our IPVanish review.
Security
Good Privacy and Security Features
| Protocols | Available in CyberGhost VPN |
|---|---|
| IKEv2/IPSec | Yes |
| OpenVPN (TCP/UDP) | Yes |
| WireGuard | Yes |
| Encryption | Available in CyberGhost VPN |
|---|---|
| AES-128 | No |
| AES-192 | No |
| AES-256 | Yes |
| Blowfish | No |
| ChaCha20 | No |
| Security | Available in CyberGhost VPN |
|---|---|
| Diskless Servers | No |
| DNS Leak Blocking | Yes |
| First-party DNS | Yes |
| IPv6 Leak Blocking | Yes |
| Supports TCP Port 443 | No |
| VPN Kill Switch | Yes |
| WebRTC Leak Blocking | No |
| Advanced Features | Available in CyberGhost VPN |
|---|---|
| Ad Blocker | Yes |
| Dedicated IP | Yes |
| Double VPN | No |
| SOCKS | No |
| Split Tunneling | Yes |
| Static IP | No |
| Tor over VPN Server | Yes |
| Tracker Blocker | Yes |
There is no doubt that CyberGhost is a secure VPN. It protects your web traffic with 256-bit encryption.
Your information is never exposed thanks to a kill switch and leak protection.
Fast and Secure VPN Protocols
CyberGhost’s apps use WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. For OpenVPN, you also have a choice between TCP and UDP connections.
Recently, the VPN service removed the insecure PPTP and L2TP protocols. More proof of the company’s ongoing commitment to security.
To protect your data, the VPN hashes web traffic using the SHA256 authentication. And, perfect forward secrecy is achieved via an ECDH-4096 key exchange.
Wide Range of Security Tools
In addition to built-in IP leak protection, there is an impressive range of advanced security features.
There’s a malicious URL filter to block malware, automated HTTPS redirection, an online tracking blocker, and split tunneling. All of these features are included in the standard CyberGhost subscription.
CyberGhost’s connection features.
The “force HTTPS” function redirects insecure URLs to HTTPS versions. Not many VPN services offer this feature.
Split tunneling is available on the Windows and Android apps. This lets you pick the applications to put through the VPN connection. It’s currently not available on CyberGhost’s macOS client.
CyberGhost’s mobile and Mac apps are secure, but they have less security features than the Windows client. We’ll cover these in detail later on in this review.
CyberGhost’s Private Browser
CyberGhost has also developed its own free Private Browser that runs off DuckDuckGo. It has a built-in proxy extension, an ad and malware blocker, and a one-click deletion of internet data.
IP and DNS Leak Tests
VPN security isn’t just about the strength of encryption available. We also tested CyberGhost’s apps for data leaks, tracking scripts, and intrusive permissions.
We used our VPN leak test tool to confirm all CyberGhost’s apps are free from IP, WebRTC and DNS leaks.
You can therefore trust the VPN service to keep you secure.
Android Permission Analysis
We also ran the VPN apps through the εxodus tool, which reports on the trackers and permissions present in Android apps.
The Android app contains mostly standard trackers used to monitor usability. This allows the company to quickly respond to serious bugs and crashes.
These trackers include:
- AppsFlyer
- Google Analytics
- Google CrashLytics
- Google Firebase Analytics
- Google Tag Manager
- Instabug
- MixPanel
Lets put the above results into context. CyberGhost contains seven trackers while some of the worst VPNs have up to 28.
On the flip side, ExpressVPN and Astrill have two and zero, respectively.
Some of the Android permissions we found in CyberGhost’s Android app are a little concerning.
They have the ability to access your location via your GPS and network information. This permission is considered ‘dangerous’ or ‘special’ according to Google’s protection levels.
But this isn’t uncommon, and CyberGhost clarified to us that users are asked to grant access to this information only when using the Wi-Fi protection feature. If you refuse, it will still work.
Virus and Malware Checks
Finally, we ran the CyberGhost installer through a malware test to ensure it doesn’t contain viruses.
The software came back completely clean, as you can see from the screenshot below.
CyberGhost contains no malware
Typeform-Related Security Breach
There is a security “incident” worth highlighting.
In March 2019, CyberGhost suffered a security breach at the hands of cyber criminals.
The impact was minimal, with just 20 email addresses and 14 CyberGhost usernames exposed.
CyberGhost was very transparent about the incident, and reacted quickly to inform the affected users of the breach.
Ease of Use
User-friendly Apps with Easy Setup
How to Install & Set Up CyberGhost VPN
Find the relevant software on CyberGhost's website and click 'Download'.
Follow the simple installation prompts and agree to the Terms and Conditions.
The app will automatically open once installation is complete. Simply type in your login details.
The main screen is compact and simple, with a connect button in the middle and your chosen server location below.
After connecting the main screen will show the time you've been connected, your chosen server location, and new IP address.
Click on the arrows in the bottom left to open up the extended app interface. Here you can see the full server locations list and choose optimized servers.
Click the cog symbol to open up the setting menu where you can change the VPN protocol and switch on leak protection.
Under the Connection Features tab you can activate the ad blocker feature and other privacy extras.
Click the Smart Rules tab to the left and then Exceptions. Here you can decide which apps you'd like to route outside of the VPN tunnel.
How to Connect to a Server with CyberGhost
As you can see from the video above, CyberGhost’s apps are well-designed, with intuitive interfaces.
In the section below, we’ll go through the similarities and differences of CyberGhost’s native applications in detail.
Desktop Clients: Windows & Mac
Design-wise, the Windows and macOS clients are very similar. A simple interface shows your connection status, a list of locations, and a large connect button.
The right-hand panel houses a ton of functionality. There’s a list of servers with their distance and server load, as well as a ‘favorites’ section. Plus, you can easily filter servers.
CyberGhost has developed a helpful search bar tool to filter its large network by country and by city.
CyberGhost’s macOS app.
The Connection Features menu contains additional tools such as ad and tracker blocking, HTTPS redirection, and data compression. The latter reduces the size of images and files to improve speed performance.
There are further options in the Smart Rules menu. Here you can choose to launch the VPN on startup, change network preferences. On Windows and Android you can enable split tunneling, too.
It’s disappointing there is no OpenVPN option on macOS. While WireGuard is a worthy replacement, we still like to see the user given the option.
Because there’s no OpenVPN on Mac, there’s no random port to connection option, either. To use OpenVPN, instead of IKEv2 or WireGuard, you have to use external software like Tunnelblick.
You can find full instructions on configuring OpenVPN for Mac here.
Mobile Apps: Android & iOS
CyberGhost’s iOS app is far simpler than the desktop clients.
It has a relatively basic interface, and barely any customization settings. The Android app is similarly designed but has a longer list of features due to the limitations imposed on iOS devices by Apple.
On iOS, there are options for a dedicated IP, domain fronting, and a connection checker. On Android, there’s additional options for split tunneling, an ad and tracker blocker, and protection against malicious websites.
CyberGhost’s iOS app.
Both mobile apps use WireGuard as the default protocol, but the Android app also has OpenVPN. Read our WireGuard vs OpenVPN comparison to learn more about the differences between them.
The iOS app connects to your nearest server by default, or you can choose a specific server location. Tapping a location will display the server load, and you can save locations to a Favorites list.
Both mobile apps give you the option to adjust settings for specific networks. This way the VPN will know how to behave at home, school or work, or on public WiFi.
Device Compatibility
Compatibility
Apps
CyberGhost has custom apps for the following devices:
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
Linux
Router
You can also use it on home routers. And there are browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.
The setup on almost every platform is straightforward. CyberGhost is in fact one of the most widely compatible VPN services available.
Compatible with Routers
CyberGhost VPN is compatible with Raspberry Pi, Synology NAS, and VU+ Solo 2 routers. There are helpful guides on the CyberGhost website to manually setup the VPN on these routers.
The VPN also works on DD-WRT, TomatoUSB and Merlin-Built routers.
Seven Simultaneous Connections
The service has a simultaneous connection limit of seven devices, above the industry standard of five. For unlimited connections, set CyberGhost VPN at router level.
Browser Extensions
CyberGhost’s browser extensions are available for:
Chrome
Firefox
These extensions are entirely free.
However, these VPN browser extensions are very limited compared to CyberGhost’s full VPN service.
The add-ons only access eight servers in four countries: Germany, The Netherlands, Romania, and the United States. This is fine for a free add-on, but substantially inferior to the paid apps.
CyberGhost’s Google Chrome browser extension
Unlike ExpressVPN, CyberGhost’s browser extensions are proxies, not VPNs. Extensions only protect browser traffic, and not all your device’s web connections.
Customer Support
Well-informed 24/7 Customer Support
| Customer Support | Available in CyberGhost VPN |
|---|---|
| 24/7 Email Support | Yes |
| 24/7 Live Chat Support | Yes |
| Chatbot | No |
| Email Support via Online Form | No |
| Online Resources | Yes |
| Tutorial Videos | No |
CyberGhost offers excellent customer service. With 24/7 live chat and email support, and detailed online resources, you’ll find solutions to most issues.
You can access live chat in the bottom-right corner of the CyberGhost website. Type in your problem and related support posts will pop up. If you still can’t resolve your issue, you can always chat with a live agent.
The live agents respond promptly and usually answer question in seconds:
The agents are well-informed and the online resources are available in English, French, German, and Romanian.