CyberGhost VPN review

According to the VPN users community, CyberGhost is one of the best VPN services on the market in 2023. It’s favored for its torrenting support and stellar performance with popular streaming platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. CyberGhost also offers the swift WireGuard protocol, various specialty servers, a dedicated IP option, and a 45-day money-back guarantee, which is much longer than the standard 1-month guarantees from other providers. Most importantly, these excellent perks are available at meager prices.

However, not all is perfect. For example, the macOS and iOS CyberGhost apps offer less functionality, and the speeds could be better, especially with such a vast server fleet.

But is that a dealbreaker considering the provider’s affordability? Is CyberGhost VPN worth buying in 2023 – even when more functional and faster options like NordVPN are available? That’s the biggest question we need to answer.

In this CyberGhost VPN review, I'll take a deep dive into the service, checking if it's worth your time. I'll go through its security strength, privacy policy, additional features, pricing, and clients. This should give you a pretty good perspective on whether it helps to become a ghost when surfing online.

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CyberGhost pros and cons

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What is CyberGhost?

CyberGhost is a VPN service operating from Bucharest, Romania. The company was founded in 2011 and, as of 2023, boasts a customer base of over 38 million. In 2017, CyberGhost was acquired by Kape Technologies (formerly Crossrider) and became the first major VPN acquisition by the infamous conglomerate.

Many customers and independent reviewers nominate CyberGhost as one of the best VPN services in 2023 for numerous reasons.

Firstly, it offers an impressive online security and privacy package at incredibly affordable prices. Blazing-fast connection speeds are guaranteed with the modern and open-source WireGuard protocol. Meanwhile, the massive 10,200+ server network across 100+ countries allows you to easily mask your IP address, bypass geo-blocking, and securely transfer files using P2P.

One CyberGhost VPN subscription enables customers to protect up to 7 different devices simultaneously. The service offers easy-to-use apps for the most popular operating systems (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS) and bonus setup options for routers, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and various other gadgets.

Pricing: how much does CyberGhost cost?

CyberGhost prices change based on the subscription duration (they all offer the same features). Shorter plans are more expensive, and vice versa. You also get 7 simultaneous connections with every option. Finally, CyberGhost is one of the cheapest VPNs out there.

In total, there are three pricing tiers that differ in subscription duration and price.

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Their 1-month plan will cost $12.99, which is not unheard of for a plan of such duration. This is the only plan with a shorter money-back guarantee policy – 14 days.

Meanwhile, the lengthiest two-year plan comes with an 84% discount, dropping the subscription price to a mere $2.04/month. Additionally, this option includes two extra months of subscription time at no additional cost. And as mentioned before, you can refund the service without any trouble during the first 45 days.

It's nice that you can choose anonymous payment options to pay for your subscription. Aside from credit cards, Amazon Pay, and PayPal, paying with cryptocurrencies is possible.

Can you get CyberGhost for free?

While there’s no free version, there are a few CyberGhost free trial options that don’t require payment information. Durations vary based on your OS – 1 day on Windows or Mac, 3 days on Android, and 7 days on iOS. This is unexpected because most premium VPNs only offer trials in the form of a money-back guarantee.

Of course, there's the money-back guarantee as well, which, depending on the plan's length, might be for 14 or 45 days. This should be plenty of time to try CyberGhost to make an informed decision about whether you want to commit to the service.

Is CyberGhost VPN safe?

Yes, CyberGhost is one of the most secure VPN services you can acquire. This top-rated VPN has AES-256 encryption, an independently audited no-logs policy, is based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, and offers plenty of additional security tools. More so, this VPN works with the WireGuard protocol, the market standard in speed and security.

With a variety of features aimed at protection and a better browsing experience, CyberGhost is a truly secure premium VPN provider.

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Encryption and tunneling protocols

CyberGhost uses AES 256-bit encryption to ensure your connection remains safe. Currently, such encryption is uncrackable even to the most powerful computers.

The service supports these tunneling protocols:

• WireGuard – a next-gen tunneling protocol known for being extremely fast and secure. Most VPNs are already phasing out older options and adding support for this one. It's nice to see that CyberGhost isn't late to the party, with WireGuard available on all applications.
• IKEv2 – one of the older protocols, provides good compatibility with most devices. Especially good on mobile and available on CyberGhost's iOS app.
• OpenVPN (UDP/TCP) – still the most popular VPN protocol. CyberGhost allows you to force TCP instead of UDP mode, which is the default.

Automatic kill switch

Just like most premium VPN services, CyberGhost has a kill switch. You can turn it on from the Privacy settings screen.

I encountered some server issues during tests. The connections were a bit unstable, so this was an opportunity to test their kill switch in action. I can confirm that it successfully triggered whenever the link to the server was lost.

However, it's a bit annoying that you can't customize the kill switch on a per-app basis. Also, you can't turn it off on mobile devices, so there's definitely room for improvement. On the other hand, having it on keeps you safe at all times.

Privacy and logging

CyberGhost doesn't log traffic data or connection logs. This has been proved by the 2022 September independent audit, made by Deloitte.

The company is based in Romania, which, although a member of the European Union, is a privacy-friendly jurisdiction. Data retention laws pushed by the EU were declared unconstitutional in Romania.

Also, Romania doesn't belong to the Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. Therefore, you can use CyberGhost safely even if you're a double FBI and KGB agent.

Speed performance: is CyberGhost fast?

In theory, CyberGhost is a solid choice if you’re looking for a speedy VPN because it includes WireGuard. However, our test results show that the service isn’t utilizing the protocol to its fullest potential.

• Baseline: 500 Mbps download / 500 Mbps upload – WireGuard

During our manual speed tests CyberGhost returned fairly impressive numbers and didn’t have severe speed impacts (at least on the surface). Despite this, our testing experience was far from ideal because web pages loaded fairly slowly and we encountered frequent connectivity issues and errors. Thus, it leads us to the conclusion that there are some issues with how CyberGhost implements WireGuard.

CyberGhost performance with other protocols

Let’s take a look at how fast CyberGhost is with the other protocols:

• Baseline: 460 Mbps download / 470 Mbps upload

• IKEv2 – 238 Mbps / 160 Mbps
• OpenVPN (UDP) – 46 Mbps / 174 Mbps
• OpenVPN (TCP) – 109 Mbps / 76 Mbps

IKEv2 stands out as the runner-up to WireGuard. Both upload and download speeds were relatively high, although the 50% speed loss is nothing to brag about. Meanwhile, OpenVPN was exceptionally slow compared to the rest.

Overall, here’s how CyberGhost tunneling protocols compare to each other in terms of speed, security, and connection stability:

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All in all, CyberGhost is pretty slow, especially when compared to a performance giant like NordVPN. CyberGhost offers speeds that will be good enough for most tasks and usage cases but not much more. In terms of protocols, you should stick to IKEv2, as the WireGuard performance is not the best, at least for now.

CyberGhost servers and locations

Overall, CyberGhost VPN has approximately 10,200 servers in 100 countries. So, it's one of the providers with the biggest fleets. In that regard, CyberGhost leaves behind the likes of NordVPN or PureVPN.

In terms of different region coverage, CyberGhost isn't that different from most VPN service providers:

The best coverage is in Europe, with the Americas taking the second spot. The takeaway is that CyberGhost's huge fleet allows it to provide coverage even in areas less-favored by VPNs, like Africa. However, remember that some servers are virtual, meaning they aren't physically located in the country. This is the case with Argentina, Portugal, Indonesia, and Egypt, for example.

All things considered, CyberGhost's server fleet is definitely it's strong point. This can be extremely useful if you're located further from Europe, the Americas, or the Far East.

Does CyberGhost work in China?

Yes, CyberGhost VPN works in China and can bypass its frustrating Great Firewall. You don’t need to do anything more than register with a valid email address and a password to use the CyberGhost app there.

For us, it seems a bit too simplistic, as we know that in China, many VPN providers are blocked. Some, like NordVPN, require a multi-step configuration process to work properly.

That said, we can’t really test whether CyberGhost works in China without being there physically. The support says it works, our gut feeling says it’s a little too simple of a registering process for such a country. Make of that what you will.

How does CyberGhost VPN work?

CyberGhost VPN works just like any other worthwhile virtual private network, making it easy to secure your online connection with minimal clicks.

Upon opening the app, you’re greeted with the option to immediately connect to the best server location by clicking the large power button. Usually, this will be a server in your current or neighboring country. Once connected, all your online traffic will become invisible to your ISP and other unwelcome onlookers.

Naturally, you can select a preferred country by clicking the “Best server location” button and picking one from there. Otherwise, you’ll need to extend the app by clicking the arrow on the left. Then, you’ll see all possible connection options, including the wide range of server categories CyberGhost offers.

Whatever your choice, your current IP address and location will be hidden behind the VPN server’s information. Most importantly, your web traffic will be masked with top-of-the-line AES-256 encryption, which makes you immune to surveillance and man-in-the-middle attacks.

How to download CyberGhost?

The best way to download CyberGhost is from the provider’s official website. On the other hand, you will also find appropriate links on various third-party app stores, such as Google Play, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft. Here’s our recommended approach for downloading CyberGhost.

1. Go to the CyberGhost website and click the Download VPN menu button in the top
2. Select the operating system you are using and click Download VPN
3. Open the downloaded file. Follow the instructions to install the CyberGhost VPN app
4. Login to your account with your credentials
5. Connect to one of many CyberGhost's servers and enjoy safe browsing with lightning-fast speeds!

How to use CyberGhost?

It’s vital to use CyberGhost correctly to extract the most benefit from it. That means you’ll have to make some adjustments to the settings to ensure everything is in order. Follow our instructions to ensure CyberGhost is optimized to best suit your needs.

1. Open the CyberGhost app once it’s installed on your device
2. Go to the general settings menu by clicking the cogwheel in the bottom left
3. Choose the WireGuard tunneling protocol to maximize speed
4. Return to the main menu and head to the Privacy settings menu
5. Enable all available security features (block content, prevent DNS leaks, automatic kill switch)

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Is CyberGhost good for streaming?

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Since CyberGhost has specialized servers for streaming, it's straightforward to find one that unblocks any given media platform. During our tests, CyberGhost managed to unblock every single streaming service that we tried. Thus, it easily earns a top spot among the best VPNs for streaming.

Unblocking Netflix with CyberGhost

The specialized server for Netflix unblocked the US library on the first try. However, Netflix was very slow, and I had to wait around for a couple of minutes while the search results were loading. However, once the show started, there were no issues, so it may also be the fault of Netflix.

Unblocking other streaming platforms with CyberGhost

CyberGhost also works quite well with other streaming platforms. For example, we could easily access and stream content on Max, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video.

BBC iPlayer also worked without a hitch and was a lot faster than Netflix. There were no errors, but I had to switch to a streaming server optimized for BBC iPlayer. The same can be said about geo-blocked YouTube videos.

All in all, CyberGhost is a really good VPN for streaming.

Is CyberGhost good for torrenting?

Yes, CyberGhost is easily one of the leading VPNs for torrenting due to its secure connections and P2P-optimized servers. The server variety is impressive, meaning torrenters worldwide will have no trouble finding an optimal server for swift and secure downloads.

However, when it comes to connection speeds, they are quite average. When I tried downloading a Linux installation image, the average download speed was 9.3 Mb/s when connected to a server in the UK and 6.5 Mb/s when connected to the US.

These speeds are similar to the ones we got when torrenting with Surfshark. So all in all, while the performance is nothing spectacular, CyberGhost is still a good torrenting VPN.

Interface and ease of use

CyberGhost has clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV Stick. There are also browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Opera. However, they’re not all similar in terms of how easy to use or functional they are. Some make using the VPN frustrating, and some offer a seamless experience.

So let’s take a closer look at what CyberGhost apps offer and how they compare to each other:

Windows

The Windows client looks and feels great. It's unobtrusive and doesn't have lots to be confused by, making it just the thing for less tech-savvy users.

With that said, it could use some polish. For example, sometimes, a fallback feature that automatically connects you to OpenVPN if your selected protocol fails would kick in. Although it's a useful addition, I'd like to see more customization options regarding it. Especially since they have faster tunneling protocols.

At some points, the app was unable to connect to the selected server. The connection status indicator didn't help much. There were no indicators of whether the connection is initiating, failed, or timed out.

CyberGhost's search bar displays only countries and not cities. However, when you open a server list of a country, only the city names are shown. In turn, the search bar doesn't let you browse through the countries anymore.

All in all though, the app looks nice, intuitive, and rather feature-rich. As a matter of fact, it feels like one of the best apps for new VPN users.

macOS

The Mac client of CyberGhost VPN is similar to Windows, but has some improvements.

For example, there are options to turn on data compression to reduce download size, which is useful if you have data caps as part of your Internet contract. Also, just like in the Windows version, you can block malicious ads and websites.

Automated HTTPS redirect forces websites to load in a more secure version (provided that such a version even exists).

However, the app isn't issue-free. For example, the kill switch on macOS could work better. When you wake the system from a sleep state, the client successfully establishes a VPN connection, but there's still no Internet access.

Linux

CyberGhost's experience on Linux isn’t as good as it could be. Everything from the setup to use is done in such a way that is either inconvenient or even counterproductive.

To install the app on Fedora 33, you have to log in to the website and select your distribution's exact version. However, you're still given the Fedora 32 version, no matter which option you pick.

To run it, you have to run an install script, which doesn't work because it finds that your OS version is invalid. You have to manually enter the commands that the script should have performed automatically to install it.

However, if you still have Fedora 32, you won’t have any problems installing CyberGhost.

I was finally able to set it up for PopOS, and, thankfully, experienced (almost) no bugs while using it. Nevertheless, the app’s functionality could be more intuitive in general, as the command lines are a bit too long for my liking.

CyberGhost mobile apps

CyberGhost VPN on iOS and Android are mirror images of each other. They both have a pretty minimal design and offer similar features.

On Android, in terms of tunneling protocols, you're given a choice between OpenVPN and WireGuard. On iOS, it's a choice between WireGuard and IKEv2. This means that, on average, iOS users will enjoy better speeds, at least until CyberGhost developers fix WireGuard.

On Android, the app asks for location permission, which is somewhat unusual, but it's used for reading the name of the Wi-Fi hotspot that you're connected to. You shouldn't read into it too much. If you don't want to give any permissions, you can still use the app as much as you want – the only feature that won't work is Automatic Wi-Fi Protection.

Overall, CyberGhost mobile clients work a bit better than their desktop counterparts, and the app design works great on mobile in general.

Browser extensions

CyberGhost also has free browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Opera. So if you're a subscriber, there's not much to gain from using one that you wouldn't get from the app.

You can choose from four countries – US, Romania, Netherlands, and Germany. The browser add-on will bypass some simpler blocks, but don't expect this to work with streaming websites. There are no other features, and your traffic is only encrypted with SSL.

CyberGhost features

CyberGhost VPN provides many extra features despite the service’s ridiculously affordable price tag. Plus, these tools are far from one-dimensional, warranting detailed descriptions, which you can find below.

• Specialized servers – servers optimized for achieving specific tasks
• Dedicated IP – a server and IP address exclusive to you
• Ad blocker – a tool for blocking online ads and other nuisances
• NoSpy servers – provider-owned servers for maximum privacy
• Smart rules – a feature for automating various CyberGhost behaviors

Specialized servers

CyberGhost VPN has a selection of different server types useful for particular tasks. This isn't something that every provider implements, so it's a welcome addition. Plus, the feature is intuitive enough even for the less tech-savvy VPN users.

There are special servers for torrenting, streaming, and gaming.

Downloading servers are optimized for torrenting. They work with P2P clients like uTorrent and are located in countries where torrenting isn't met with harsh sanctions. The servers provide the best possible download speeds. When you open the server list, you're given the approximate distance from your location to the server. You can easily filter out the servers with higher loads because their speeds won't be as fast.

Streaming servers are intended for accessing geo-blocked streaming platforms. When you go into the list, you'll quickly see which service the server is intended for. So, you get a particular server to unblock Netflix or Disney+. Although this means switching VPN servers if you decide to stream from a different platform, it does make finding the correct server easier.

Gaming servers are the ones with the lowest latency. Roughly speaking, this is the reaction speed of your internet connection. If response times are long, this will result in lag, which can ruin your online match. When connected to these servers, my latency increased by 10 ms when compared to ping without a VPN, which is decent. Also, the connection was stable.

Dedicated IP

This feature is primarily useful for people who need to whitelist specific IPs to allow connection to your website or server. When you purchase a dedicated IP option from CyberGhost, you get assigned a unique IP address just for you. That way, you can be sure that no one else is using it. It's a perfect solution for those needing a consistent IP address for seeding torrent files or reliable streaming.

Generally, dedicated IP isn't considered a privacy feature, and it won't bolster your anonymity. After all, it's easier to track you down if you're always using the same IP.

However, CyberGhost uses a unique token system that allows complete anonymity. You will receive a token that you need to activate in the special Dedicated IP section of your app.

Your dedicated IP can't lead back to your email or VPN account. In turn, the company has no records of dedicated IP ownership, so by losing the token, you're losing the subscription as well.

CyberGhost's dedicated IPs cost from $2.50 to $5.00 a month on top of your subscription. You can choose from options in the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore, Japan, or Australia.

Ad-blocker

CyberGhost claims their ad-block feature will protect you from annoying ads that are following you through the web. So, in theory, this should make your load times faster, and help you avoid malware distributed through ad networks. Plus, it should save data on mobile devices by stopping the ads from loading.

It blocks some ads, but some free tools work better. With CyberGhost, many ads got through, including banners, gifs, and even ads on YouTube videos. On the other hand, it is constantly improving the feature so it might function better in the future.

NoSpy servers

NoSpy servers are fully managed by CyberGhost, which means that no third party has access to them. This provides the user with more advanced privacy measures. The NoSpy servers are located in Romania and come with an extended bandwidth for faster speeds. They also support P2P connections, so you’ll be able to torrent without any fear of being found out.

Smart rules

Smart rules is a feature that helps to automate CyberGhost. Once configured, the app will do some tasks itself, saving you clicking time.

Some rules can be as simple as starting CyberGhost when the system reboots. It's also possible to specify a particular country or server to which CyberGhost should automatically connect.

You can also take it to the next level by automating which programs automatically start when CyberGhost initiates a connection. That way, you don't even need to wait around for a connection confirmation. The app that you're using will automatically start after your VPN app starts.

You can configure the Smart rule further by indicating to trigger your setup on unsafe Wi-Fi networks. Plus, there are options to allow particular websites, which effectively works as a split tunneling.

This is an awesome quality-of-life feature many other top VPNs lack. For some, this alone will be enough to warrant a CyberGhost subscription.

CyberGhost VPN video review

Visit the Cybernews YouTube channel if you want to gain more comprehensive knowledge about all things cyber security. You can start with our CyberGhost VPN review in video format.

Customer support

CyberGhost has a lot of customer support options. When I contacted their customer support about Linux issues via the 24/7 live chat, I quickly got to an agent. The responses were quick, professional, and related to the issues at hand. If the problem proves to be too difficult to solve right away, CyberGhost customer support will create a ticket and get back to you with a solution.

On their customer support portal, you can find guides and FAQs to solve your issues. They have a pretty large catalog of various tutorials, which covers even devices like game consoles and Kodi devices. It will be very useful for new users that have only recently started using VPNs.

Is CyberGhost good and worth getting?

CyberGhost is a powerful VPN service with sleek and intuitive mobile and desktop apps that will especially benefit newer users. It’s among the best for those looking to unblock Netflix and other popular streaming services like BBC iPlayer or YouTube.

The prices are small, the customer support is great, and you can benefit from a long list of server locations. The one major downside I can think of is an occasional speed drop.

In terms of security and privacy, it’s a great choice that has an audited no-logs policy and strong AES-256 encryption. However, there are no powerful bonus features if you’re using the service for sensitive activities.

All in all, despite a lack of polish here and there, CyberGhost is a competitive choice to consider. It’s a good VPN service for anything you can think of, from torrenting to simply keeping yourself safe online.

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