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CyberGhost VPN is one of the most affordable VPNs on the market — you can get a subscription for as low as $2.03/month. I sometimes assume that price indicates quality, but with VPNs, I’ve been proven wrong before. So I wanted to see whether CyberGhostVPN can really deliver at such a low price.
I did a deep dive into CyberGhost’s privacy policy and security measures to determine whether it’s secure enough to recommend. I also looked at its server network, speeds, streaming and torrent support, and additional features to see how user-friendly it is.
TLDR: CyberGhost is a really great VPN in almost all aspects. It’s safe, trustworthy, and one of the best VPNs available for unblocking streaming platforms. It’s also really easy to use, so great if you’re a bit of a VPN newb.
It also offers a longer-than-normal money-back guarantee period, allowing you to try CyberGhost for free for 45 days. I made sure the guarantee is legit — it only took a couple minutes to approve my refund request over 24/7 live chat and a few days to get all my money back.
Pros
- Reliably unblocks more than 35 popular streaming platforms. In my tests, I used CyberGhost’s streaming-optimized servers to unblock Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and many more. Check out all the streaming sites CyberGhost can access here.
- Impressive global network with optimized servers. CyberGhost has 11,666 servers in 100 locations with servers dedicated to streaming, torrenting, and gaming — but none of them work in heavily censored countries like China. You can read more about CyberGhost’s servers here.
- Military-level encryption and extra security features. Not only does CyberGhost offer 256-bit encryption and a kill switch, but you can also customize it with extra features designed to keep you safe. Take a look at my complete security run-down below.
- No-logs policy is audited and proven. Your privacy is protected since CyberGhost doesn’t log any information that could be used to identify you. Read my full analysis of CyberGhost’s privacy practices here.
- P2P-optimized servers for torrenting. These dedicated servers give you a safe, reliable way to download torrents with great speeds. Check out the results of my tests below.
- Designed for ease of use. CyberGhost doesn’t overcomplicate things and has native apps for every major operating system and even some smart TVs, plus it works on routers and gaming consoles. I tested several of CyberGhost’s apps to see just how simple it is.
- Money-back guarantee. You can try CyberGhost out for free for up to 45 days. I asked for a refund and had my money back in 5 days.
Cons
- Slower speeds on long-distance servers, but local servers are really fast. I had speeds fast enough for HD streaming (and even gaming) on nearby servers, but long-distance ones slowed my connection down. You can see my full speed test results here.
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| 💸 Price | 2.03 USD/month |
| 📆 Money Back Guarantee | 45 Days |
| 📝 Does VPN keep logs? | No |
| 🖥 Number of servers | 11666+ |
| 💻 Number of devices per license | 7 |
| 🛡 Kill switch | Yes |
| 🗺 Based in country | Romania |
| 🛠 Support | 24/7 Live Chat Support |
| 📥 Supports torrenting | Yes |
CyberGhost is one of the best VPNs to use for streaming. Watching shows on Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer was a seamless process with no issues.
A few services required troubleshooting, like Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max, but it didn’t take long to get them up and running. The only platform I couldn’t unblock was SkyTV.
I tested 50+ server locations that unblocked the following platforms:
| Netflix | Disney+ | Hulu | Amazon Prime Video | HBO Max/HBO Now | BBC iPlayer |
| Crunchyroll | Paramount+ | DAZN | Peacock | Sling TV | Spotify |
| EuroSport | Fox Sports/Fox | NBC | ESPN/ESPN+ | CBC | Comedy Central |
| NOW TV | Yle | Disney + Hotstar | Vudu | Canal+ | Kodi |
| Discovery+ | 6play | France TV | Sky TV | Europe1 | 7TV |
| ITV | Sling TV | ARD | Rai Play | Stan | YouTube |
| All 4 | CBS | MTV | Fubo TV | Crave | Apple TV |
CyberGhost also has optimized servers specifically set up for streaming. They can be found on the left-hand side of the app in a menu with the other specialized servers. You can also use the search function to find the right streaming server.
The “For streaming” option will show you all of the servers designed for a particular platform. The optimized server was the most reliable way to unblock HBO Max, Hulu, and Netflix. I could unblock most other platforms with a standard server. My speeds were usually a little slower, but it wasn’t a notable difference. However, I appreciate that these specialized servers removed a lot of trial and error.
I wanted to see if CyberGhost unblocks US Netflix, so I connected to its optimized New York server. Given the distance between my location in the UK and New York, I expected speeds to lag a little, but I was surprised that it didn’t slow down much at all. I watched Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays on Netflix US with minimal buffering.
Unblocking the Canadian library was just as easy. After connecting to the server optimized for Netflix Canada, I logged in and started streaming This Is Us. The episode loaded instantly in full HD and played with zero buffering. This was slightly more impressive than the app’s performance with US Netflix, but that could just be because there was less traffic.
I also tested non-optimized servers in London, Tokyo, Paris, Rome, Helsinki, Mumbai, Melbourne, Toronto, São Paulo, Frankfurt, and 6 other countries. They could all unblock their respective Netflix libraries easily and had an average speed of 78.9 Mbps — more than enough for streaming in HD without lag. This makes CyberGhost great if you travel a lot and want to keep up with your local shows.
Here’s a rundown of my test results using CyberGhost with Netflix:
| CyberGhost Unblocked? | Fast Speeds for HD Streaming? | Lag? | |
| US | ✔ | Yes | Minimal |
| UK | ✔ | Yes | None |
| Italy | ✔ | Yes | None |
| France | ✔ | Yes | None |
| Germany | ✔ | Yes | None |
| Japan | ✔ | Average | Minimal |
| Finland | ✔ | Yes | None |
| Australia | ✔ | Yes | Minimal |
| Canada | ✔ | Yes | Minimal |
| India | ✔ | Yes | Minimal |
| Brazil | ✔ | Average | Minimal |
There were a few servers I tried that only gave me access to Netflix Originals, like Chile, Malaysia, Croatia, and Argentina. This is likely because these are virtual servers, although the virtual servers in India let me access that library with no issues. There are many VPNs that can only unblock Netflix Originals, so I was impressed so many servers could unblock full libraries.
I unblocked Disney+ with the Dallas server — but it was a little slow since it’s so far from my location. It let me stream Unprisoned in HD, but I had to sit through 10 seconds of buffering first.
I actually got faster speeds connecting to CyberGhost’s (non-optimized) New York server, which loaded the show much faster. There’s also an optimized server for Disney+ Italy, which worked too.
I had zero issues accessing Hulu and streaming without buffering. It has some of the toughest geo blocks around, so this really impressed me.
I used Firefox and the optimized server first. But, I was also able to unblock the platform with the regular US server. It even worked on Microsoft Edge too.
I had a tougher time trying to access Amazon Prime Video, but I unblocked it eventually. I used the live chat to ask for help, and the agent gave me some simple troubleshooting advice that fixed my problem.
After the fix, I was able to quickly load up Mad Men on Amazon Prime Video US. The optimized Los Angeles server buffered to begin with, but there was no lag once the show loaded up.
I had a similar experience with HBO Max. On my first try, it told me the platform wasn’t available in my region. This time, I switched to a different browser, and it worked perfectly.
I was also impressed with how well CyberGhost worked for me with Kodi — it unblocked all my favorite add-ons without making me wait longer than a minute for them to load. I like to use it to watch Vimeo on my Android TV, so I loaded it up using the native CyberGhost Android app. As my Android TV is pretty old and sluggish, I expected speeds to slow down with the load of the extra app — but I was wrong. The app is so lightweight I barely noticed a difference and could stream in HD without any lag.
CyberGhost also unblocked BBC iPlayer. The optimized server let me access it on the first try, and I was able to watch Luther with zero interruptions.
The only platform that CyberGhost couldn’t unblock was Sky TV. After trying several UK servers, I asked a live chat support agent for the best server to use. Unfortunately, the representative couldn’t help me.
The agent also directed me to a web page that lists all the platforms CyberGhost currently supports. Sky TV wasn’t included in the list.
CyberGhost’s fast speeds make it a great option for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. However, I experienced some inconsistent speeds on long-distance servers. While testing speeds, I looked at these 3 things:
We have a dedicated speed tester who conducts regular tests on CyberGhost servers over several months from the same location in the UK. The chart below displays the average speeds of 10 tests done on each server.
These are great results that are far better than most VPNs. The nearby servers are especially impressive because it’s typical to lose 15-20% of your speed even on the closest locations. Plus, while CyberGhost’s speeds fell quite a bit on very distant servers (10,000 km+), that’s not uncommon. The only VPN I’ve tested that still gives you great speeds at that distance is ExpressVPN.
First, I tested my base speed without a VPN connection as a basis for comparison.
No VPN (London, UK):
| Ping (ms) | 5 |
| Download (Mbps) | 128.21 |
| Upload (Mbps) | 18.7 |
I connected to CyberGhost using the WireGuard protocol because it gave me the fastest speeds (the tests in our chart were also done with WireGuard). I then began recording speeds on my Windows 11 laptop.
First, I used the “Best server location” option, which automatically finds you an optimal server based on latency, speed, and distance. It connected me to a server in London, UK, and I hardly experienced any slowdowns.
London, UK:
| Ping (ms) | 5 |
| Download (Mbps) | 122.9 (4% drop) |
| Upload (Mbps) | 17.8 (5% drop) |
Then, I tried a country close to my location, Paris, France. I got almost identical results.
Paris, France:
| Ping (ms) | 5 |
| Download (Mbps) | 122.04 (5% drop) |
| Upload (Mbps) | 17.96 (4% drop) |
Next, I connected to a couple of other European countries (Germany and Ukraine) and got similar results. My speeds fell by 12% connected to a Ukrainian server, which is excellent since it’s over 2,500 km from my actual location.
I already had fast speeds to begin with, so I didn’t experience any noticeable difference while streaming or browsing connected to the Ukraine server. Base speeds as low as 25 Mbps are still fast enough to stream in HD.
In general, my speeds slowed down the farther away the server was from my location. However, I did experience some inconsistencies — some servers were much slower, and some were just unusually fast or slow, no matter how far they were from me. Long-distance servers also take longer to establish a connection. The San Paulo server took 9 seconds to connect (nearby servers usually only took a few seconds).
I started by testing a few servers in the US on both the east and west coasts:
New York, United States:
| Ping (ms) | 92 |
| Download (Mbps) | 98.85 (23% drop) |
| Upload (Mbps) | 17.97 (4% drop) |
Los Angeles, United States:
| Ping (ms) | 153 |
| Download (Mbps) | 105.61 (18% drop) |
| Upload (Mbps) | 12.14 (35% drop) |
Then, I went the distance and tested CyberGhost’s servers in Australia, India, Brazil, and Japan.
While there was a bigger drop at these distances, my connection was still fast enough for high-bandwidth activities. I was able to stream geo blocked content on all these servers without buffering.
I found it strange that CyberGhost’s Brazil and Japan servers dropped my speeds more (by 55%) since they’re both closer than the Australian servers.
CyberGhost’s macOS app shows you the load percentage next to each server, which tells you the approximate number of users currently connected. With less load, the servers generally give you better speeds. Unfortunately, this isn’t available on other devices, so I’d really like to see it integrated into all of CyberGhost’s apps. Otherwise, you may just have to test a few servers if you’re looking for a fast long-distance connection.
The streaming-optimized servers give you a slight boost in speed, but not much. I compared servers in 7 cities to see if there was any difference.
The regular connections were only around 3% slower on local servers, so not really a noticeable difference. On long-distance servers, I actually got faster speeds with the standard servers.
CyberGhost’s chat support told me that the optimized servers are regularly maintained by the team to ensure fast speeds and access to the specified platform. And I always got access to the streaming platform on my first try with these, so they’re good for reliable access in case the regular servers don’t work. I got similar speed results with the gaming-optimized servers.
CyberGhost isn’t the fastest gaming VPN I’ve tested, but its local servers can support online play. The international servers slowed me down, so I’d like to see more consistency across its network before I feel comfortable recommending it as a top VPN for gamers.
Your inputs are very important when you’re playing online games. The higher the ping rate, the longer it takes for your commands to register. When the ping is high, you’ll be significantly disadvantaged in competitive play. It’s just frustrating when you’re getting into a game but keep losing due to a bad connection.
The optimized gaming servers performed well, but there wasn’t much difference between those and the regular servers. However, this means you don’t need to worry if there isn’t one close to you. There are 4 gaming servers located in the UK, France, Germany, and the US (East coast). Since the European servers are close to my location, I had no problems gaming with these.
When I connected to the gaming-optimized server in Germany, I got a ping of 17 ms, which was great, but only a little lower than the regular server’s ping of 19 ms. So, I didn’t notice a difference in gameplay.
I wanted to see how the gaming servers held up at a farther distance, so I connected to a gaming-optimized server in New York. I recorded a ping of 92 ms. It’s best to have a ping of under 85 ms for gaming. These speeds were still playable, but I noticed a little lag, so it wasn’t ideal for fast-paced play.
I loaded up March of Empires and was impressed with how smooth it was using optimized New York servers. All of the textures loaded up normally, and I could navigate around the map without any slowdowns. However, I experienced a lot of lag during battles. I wasn’t too surprised by this though — it’s very common for VPNs to cause lag while gaming on long-distance servers. The best VPN I’ve used for long-distance gaming is ExpressVPN, and it even gave me some lag on really distant locations.
I also tried gaming on more distant servers on the west coast of the US, but it was impossible to play on these.
| Ping (ms) | Download (Mbps) | Fast Enough for Gaming | |
| London | 5 | 121.92 | Yes |
| London (optimized) | 5 | 121.65 | Yes |
| Paris | 17 | 122.04 | Yes |
| Paris (optimized) | 24 | 122.54 | Yes |
| Germany | 19 | 122.86 | Yes |
| Germany (optimized) | 17 | 122.93 | Yes |
| New York | 92 | 98.85 | Yes |
| New York (optimized) | 91 | 110.56 | Yes |
| Los Angeles | 153 | 105.61 | No |
| Japan | 229 | 57.43 | No |
Since none of CyberGhost’s gaming-optimized servers were far away from me, I didn’t have trouble playing online with them. Unfortunately, gaming was impossible on servers that were more than 5,000 km from me. But you can play online games with CyberGhost if you stick to local servers, and the regular servers were just as fast as the optimized ones in most cases. Luckily, it has a huge server network, so you shouldn’t have issues finding a nearby location.
CyberGhost has an impressive global network of 11,666 servers in 100 countries. That’s a lot more coverage than most other top VPNs I’ve used. It means your chances of finding a fast connection are higher because there’s most likely a server close by.
I was impressed that CyberGhost has 1,100+ server locations in the US alone (with servers in 24 cities in the Americas) — but there’s also a lot of coverage in the Asia/Pacific region (24 cities), Africa and the Middle East (12 cities), and Europe (55 cities).
CyberGhost also uses a small number of virtual servers, meaning its coverage can reach many hard-to-reach locations (like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, China, Iran, and Sri Lanka).
CyberGhost currently has 31 virtual locations (around 6% of its server network). Its 84 physical locations are exactly what they sound like — servers run on machines in the city listed. But for virtual servers like Saudi Arabia, the machine is in another location that assigns you an IP address in that country.
Virtual servers can help VPNs provide faster and more reliable connections in remote places. They also let them operate in countries where VPNs are banned (or are vulnerable to government interference). However, these can result in lower ping rates and download speeds if the physical machine is farther away from you than the location you want to connect to.
CyberGhost’s torrenting and streaming-optimized servers make using it for these activities really easy. They automatically give you the best IP address and server location, depending on what you want to do.
I checked with CyberGhost’s live chat team, and they told me these IP addresses for streaming servers are regularly updated. They replace any IPs that streaming sites might have blacklisted so they always work.
The streaming servers are even optimized for specific platforms so that you can hop onto the best servers for Netflix US, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and more.
Its P2P servers give you the best speeds for downloading torrents based on your location and network. They can also give you a virtual location in a country that can access popular P2P indexes and torrenting sites. While my team and I don’t condone illegal torrenting, the VPN can keep you safe from third-party interference while you download copyright-free files. However, be sure to look up your country’s laws before torrenting because it is illegal in some parts of the world.
Streaming optimized servers are available on all major operating systems including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. P2P servers are available on the desktop apps.
CyberGhost has servers optimized for gaming, which performed well during my tests. These servers are designed to have a lower ping rate and quicker speeds. I had no issues with these servers, and they all gave me a ping of less than 100 ms.
However, it’s important to note that the gaming servers are located in London, Paris, Frankfurt, and New York. Only the New York servers are particularly far away from me (around 5,000 km), and they had a higher ping, around the mid-90s. The others are all close to my location, so a lower ping is to be expected. You might notice higher ping rates if you’re not near any gaming-optimized servers.
Sadly, the gaming-optimized servers are only available on the Windows app.
CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers make the VPN more secure — but you need to be on a 6-month plan or longer to access them. The NoSpy servers are based in CyberGhost’s private data center in Romania and only the CyberGhost team can access them. They significantly reduce the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks since there’s no third party involved — ideal for extra protection while torrenting, for example.
CyberGhost doesn’t have a multi-hop feature, but it’s not a big deal because NoSpy servers are actually better. I prefer CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers to something like Proton VPN’s Secure Core feature. This is a multi-hop feature that increases security by routing your traffic twice, but you lose a lot more speed compared to NoSpy servers, and they’re just as secure.
Even though they’re a little slower, NoSpy servers are worth it for the added security. It’s true you have to commit to a longer-term subscription to access them so you pay more upfront. But, the longer the subscription term, the less you actually pay per month. In the long run, it’s totally worth it because you end up paying less to access more features.
I was pleased to see that NoSpy servers are available on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, so you can enjoy maximum security across all your desktop and mobile devices.
A dedicated IP server is a server that only you use that gives you the same IP every time you connect. This is an essential feature for business owners. For example, if you want to run a website, you’ll need a static IP address, so people know where to find you consistently. It’s also handy for banking and online trading since some of these services ban accounts when they discover multiple IP addresses accessing your account.
Dedicated IPs can also help you avoid VPN blocks on streaming sites. Since you’re the only one using the IP, it’ll be harder to detect that it’s been assigned to you by a VPN. Therefore, it’s more difficult to block. Plus, CyberGhost uses a token-based dedicated IP system. This just means that the company doesn’t know what your new dedicated IP is, which increases your security.
However, I wouldn’t recommend them if you need better speeds. CyberGhost’s optimized servers were often faster during my tests, and it only has dedicated IPs in 5 countries (the UK, the US, Germany, France, and Canada). If you’re located far away from these locations, you’ll probably experience slower speeds.
These servers are available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, and cost from $2.50/month extra. The price is lower the longer your plan is.
CyberGhost has all the security features I’d expect from a premium VPN, with a few great bonus options. The only big features it’s missing are a proprietary protocol and double VPN. However, its NoSpy servers are arguably more secure than sending your data through 2 separate tunnels. Plus, it offers some of the best protocols available.
Overall, CyberGhost is one of the safest VPNs available today. It truly excels in this category, and it’s hard to think of what it could improve.
CyberGhost is incredibly safe because it offers 256-bit encryption (the highest level available). That means you protect your data with a 256-character-long key (like a password) that encrypts your information. The longer the key, the more secure it is, and 256 bits is currently the strongest.
Putting that into perspective helps to understand why it’s important: 50 supercomputers that could check a billion AES keys per second would require thousands of years to crack a single piece of your data. This means that even if a hacker intercepted your information, they would still not be able to read it.
It also offers Perfect Forward Secrecy, which adds additional security. This regularly changes the key CyberGhost uses to encrypt and decrypt information. Although it’s incredibly unlikely, if anyone ever did discover the key, it would be changed soon after.
CyberGhost is secure since it offers DNS and IP leak protection in its apps and browser extensions. Your ISP can use DNS requests and IPv6 traffic to see what you’re doing online, so you want to keep them private. CyberGhost ensures that your DNS requests are routed through its own DNS servers, and any IPv6 requests are blocked to prevent sites from seeing your real IP address. These functions are already switched on, which is great if you’re new to VPNs. You’ll be protected without having to worry about it.
I didn’t experience DNS or IP leaks on any server. I tested 10 different servers, including locations in France, the US, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Hong Kong using ipleak.net. It checked to see whether there were any faults or potential leaks in my connection and found none.
All of CyberGhost’s apps feature an automatic kill switch to protect you if the network malfunctions. This pauses your internet connection, preventing leaks if your VPN temporarily goes down. It’s a necessary function that ensures your IP address and information are always safe.
I knew it was working because my internet connection was temporarily interrupted whenever I switched servers.
You can’t find this option on Mac, iOS, or Android because it’s integrated, meaning it’s always running automatically.
CyberGhost offers 3 security protocols, so you can customize your connection. You can choose between WireGuard, OpenVPN (TCP/UDP), and IKEv2. The apps automatically select the best protocol for you based on your needs — but you can choose another protocol if you prefer.
You can choose between different protocols by clicking the settings icon in the lower-left corner of the server’s window. You’ll find the option under the CyberGhost VPN section.
The security protocol you use makes a big difference in speed. I tested 11 servers with Wire guard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 and averaged their speeds to see how each protocol would affect them.
WireGuard was the overall winner, with an average speed of 100.22 Mbps. So, you’ll want to switch over to it when you’re prioritizing speed.
Split tunneling and app protection are 2 extra features that allow you to customize how CyberGhost works on your devices.
Split tunneling lets you decide which traffic goes through the VPN and which traffic uses your regular internet connection. This is useful for online banking and watching domestic streaming sites because you can lose access to them when you connect to a VPN. This feature is only available on Windows and Android.
On Windows, you can add a URL under the smart rules menu in a section called Exceptions.
You’ll need to exit out and reconnect after you add a new URL. I tested this by typing in an exception for whatismyipaddress.com. Then I connected to a New York server and went to the website to see which location showed up.
It sounds like you had some success with split tunneling on your VPN, where you could choose which apps or websites use the VPN connection and which don’t. On Android, you could select specific apps to bypass the VPN, like Netflix. But on devices like macOS, iOS, or Linux, split tunneling isn’t an option, which is frustrating.
However, there’s a feature called App Protection that automatically connects the VPN when you open certain apps. For example, if you add Netflix to the list, CyberGhost will connect you to a specific server, like a US server, when you open Netflix. This makes things easy and secure, especially if you’re using apps that might pose a risk to your privacy, like torrenting clients.
When it comes to using Tor with CyberGhost, it worked pretty well, but it might slow down your internet a bit since your data has to go through both the VPN server and Tor’s network. But combining Tor with a VPN like CyberGhost can give you extra security, especially if you’re in a place with heavy internet restrictions.
CyberGhost also has an ad blocker that focuses on blocking malicious ads, but it won’t get rid of all ads. So, it helps keep you safer while browsing online.
I turned on the Block Content option under CyberGhost’s privacy settings and used the testing feature on ads-blocker.com. CyberGhost succeeded in blocking the banner ads and pop-ups. However, YouTube ads still got through.
This feature is available for Android, Windows, and macOS. However, if you’re concerned about ads, I recommend using a dedicated service in addition to CyberGhost. It’s not a bad idea to turn this feature on since it protects you from malicious sites, but there are better ad blockers available.
On desktop and mobile apps, you can set up CyberGhost to launch automatically when you connect to public WiFi. You can also set it to ask whether you want to connect to or ignore certain networks. WiFi hotspots are an easy target for hackers, so you’ll always want a VPN connected when using public connections. I found this feature really convenient because I didn’t need to worry about remembering to turn the app on; you’re protected no matter what.
This feature forces your connection to an HTTPS-enabled site, so you only visit the most secure version of a website. This helps protect you from malicious attacks on unsecured web pages, where personal data like credit card details and your mailing address can be exposed. The “S” stands for secure because, unlike HTTP sites, HTTPS sites are encrypted using the Secure Sockets Layer. In simple terms, this means even if hackers capture your information, it will be in encrypted code. This is a nice feature since you can never have too much protection for your sensitive information.
If the site doesn’t have an HTTPS version, you’re still protected by CyberGhost’s encryption and other security measures, though.
CyberGhost offers a few other unique features and add-ons. Most are free, too, except for dedicated IPs and Security Suite.
Cyberghost upholds a stringent no-logs privacy policy. It refrains from retaining your IP address (and any related activities), DNS queries, or browsing records. Additionally, you can maintain the confidentiality of your payment information by opting for anonymous registration using Bitcoin.
In 2022, Deloitte, a big auditing firm, checked out CyberGhost’s no-logs policy. They found that CyberGhost sticks to its promise of not keeping logs, so they can’t track what you do online. But unlike some other VPNs, CyberGhost does store some anonymous data, like connection attempts and which version of the app you’re using. This info isn’t linked to your personal details and is only used to make the VPN better.
CyberGhost also keeps track of some hardware info, like your screen size and device, to manage how many devices you’re using the VPN on. While other VPNs have found different ways to do this without storing info, it’s not a big risk to your privacy or security.
If they think a crime has happened, CyberGhost says they might share your info with law enforcement, but they’ve never actually done this, according to their transparency reports.
For more privacy, you can sign up with a temporary email and a really strong password. And CyberGhost encrypts your password and gives your account a number to keep track of your stuff without tying it to your actual online activity, unless you use your real name as your username (which isn’t a good idea).
CyberGhost SA is located in Romania. This is great for privacy because Romania is not part of the 14 Eyes Alliance (an agreement between Canada, The United States, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and 9 other countries to share data about their citizens).
Since Romania isn’t a part of the alliance, CyberGhost has no obligation to store or share information with any government, so your data is safe.
Kape Technologies owns CyberGhost. It’s a cybersecurity and digital protection investment company based in London. Kape Technologies previously worked in mobile ad and browser extension development under the name Crossrider. The company faced some backlash in 2018 when it was thought to be bundling adware into its downloads as part of a black hat technique known as ad injection. However, research reports have shown that it was other third-parties injecting adware into the downloads, not the company itself.
Kape has striven to separate itself from the history of Crossrider. It has ceased operations in ad development and shifted its attention to VPNs, including ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, which it owns. CyberGhost, functioning as an independent entity, has an open privacy policy that prioritizes your online security and anonymity.
There have been no significant security breaches. In 2019, Typeform (a company CyberGhost uses to create user experience surveys) leaked 120 email addresses and 14 CyberGhost accounts’ usernames. No passwords were revealed, so there was no risk of hacking, and there have been no breaches since. This is proof of CyberGhost’s privacy practices; no critical information was leaked because none was stored.
In addition to being audited by Deloitte in 2022, it has also had independent auditing of its safety processes performed in the past. The 2012 audit was done by QSCERT, a company that investigates various large companies like WhirlPool and Hyundai. CyberGhost passed the security audit of its Information Safety Management System (ISMS) successfully, which is rechecked every year. This is the kind of honesty I like to see from a leading VPN.
CyberGhost releases a Transparency Report every 3 months. This provides information about malware activity flags, key statistics about its infrastructure, and how many requests for user data it receives. I don’t know of any other VPN that releases reports so frequently. A close runner up would be Private Internet Access, which releases 2 per year, and CyberGhost doubles that. This shows me that CyberGhost is serious about being transparent with its customers.
The quarterly reports are accessible on their Privacy Hub blog. I perused the most recent report which, in addition to featuring general tech data, displays the number of data requests CyberGhost has gotten. These requests are segregated into three categories: those from law enforcement, those related to copyright infringement, and those pertaining to malicious activity. The latest report demonstrated a 34% decline in requests. Nonetheless, CyberGhost affirms that this decrease doesn’t alter anything, as it doesn’t store any user information in the first place.
It’s scary to realize how many powerful groups are requesting information about what you do online. But it’s definitely a plus that CyberGhost holds a strong commitment to keeping your personal information safe and is open about these requests.
CyberGhost doesn’t work in China. It has servers that can access Chinese sites, but you can’t use them if you are already in China. I contacted live support, and they confirmed that this is because the Chinese government has blocked the app.
China prohibits VPNs not under government control and its Great Firewall restricts VPN traffic. As indicated in the chat, CyberGhost is also restricted in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Only a handful of VPNs have successfully circumvented the Chinese government’s ban. To overcome these restrictions, a VPN must accomplish three specific tasks:
CyberGhost boasts excellent security attributes, yet it lacks obfuscated servers. Furthermore, it’s not possible to install the app while in China as it has been taken off the Chinese app stores, and access to its homepage is restricted.
CyberGhost is a strong choice for torrenting. It has specialized torrenting servers that are designed for high-speed P2P file sharing while always maintaining your anonymity and security. You can find these servers under the “For Torrenting” tab in the app, so it couldn’t be easier to find a torrenting server. I used the Distance filter to find a nearby server to get the best speeds.
I tried servers in the Netherlands, Germany, the US, Australia, and Mexico using qBitTorrent, uTorrent, and Transmission. I was able to download files easily and quickly on all servers. It only took me 3 minutes to download a 1.39 GB (copyright-free) file, which is basically the same speeds I get with no VPN connected.
While I was testing the VPN, I examined if CyberGhost is compatible with P2P streaming platforms like Popcorn Time. It worked without issue, and I was able to stream The Last Man on Earth with no buffering. We don’t condone using this platform to stream copyrighted material, though.
CyberGhost uses advanced encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and perfect forward secrecy to ensure you’re safe while P2P sharing. It doesn’t retain any information on your activities, so nothing can be traced back to you. But, if you want extra anonymity, it’s a good idea to connect to a NoSpy server. These are all personally overseen by CyberGhost staff in Bucharest, Romania, so there’s no third party involved.
I also recommend using the App Protection feature connected to your preferred BitTorrent client. It’s easy to forget about your VPN when you’re excited to download something, so it’s best to automate the process once and never worry about it again. Once you add it to the list of Designated Apps, CyberGhost will always launch in conjunction with whichever software you use to handle torrents.
The one negative is that CyberGhost doesn’t support port forwarding, which can help you get around blocks on your router to seed or download faster. It’s an option many people use while torrenting, but CyberGhost doesn’t allow it because it believes port forwarding can compromise security. Even without port forwarding, I found CyberGhost’s torrenting capabilities to be quite impressive.
I came across some complaints on online forums that CyberGhost users have been served DMCA notices after torrenting. While these reports are mostly outdated and are likely a rarity, remember that CyberGhost’s Terms and Conditions don’t condone downloading copyrighted material illegally (nor does vpnMentor).
CyberGhost is simple to use and set up. After downloading the app and logging in, all I had to do was hit the power button to connect to the best server for my location.
The marked tabs make it easy to find servers optimized for torrenting and streaming platforms. It’s easy to manually select a server in the app as well — scroll through the list of locations or use the search bar to type in the one you’re after. I like that you can add servers to your favorites list to make connecting even quicker.
It’s also easy to find the best server for your needs, especially on the macOS app. You can see the number of users on each server, the load percentage, and the distance with this app. However, on the Windows app, only the distance is showing. The Android and iOS apps don’t give you any information besides the servers’ location. So, I’d like to see the Mac display integrated into all apps eventually.
Changing your settings is also really simple (but you can also leave them as they are — it’s ready to go as soon as you install it). General settings, connection features, and smart rules can all be found under the cog on your mobile or desktop app and are easily changed by turning toggles on and off.
The only small issue I have is you can’t access your Local Area Network through the VPN tunnel. But, you can use split tunneling to print or share files while you encrypt everything else.
Aside from server lists and settings, the app doesn’t go much further. Its simplicity is a strong point rather than a downfall. Overcomplicated apps can be too intense. For example, Private Internet Access’ customizable features can be a little overwhelming for beginners. If you just want to connect to a server and head over to Netflix, CyberGhost lets you do so with ease.
Getting CyberGhost up and running couldn’t have been more straightforward. I installed it on my Windows laptop, iPhone, and Android tablet, and it only took a couple of minutes on each one.
On each device, downloading and installing was no different from any other app. I just chose the device from the download page of my account, waited for the download to complete, and logged in.
CyberGhost works with the most popular devices and operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Fire TV, Android TV, and routers.
It’s also compatible with the following devices:
| Apple TV | Chromebook | Kodi | Smart TVs |
| Xbox Series X, One, and 360 | Roku | Wii U | PlayStation 4 and 5 |
| Vu+ SOLO2 | Raspberry Pi | Synology NAS | Nintendo Switch |
CyberGhost’s desktop apps are easy to understand and use. They’re also pretty quick to install — I tested it on Windows and Mac and both times the app was ready to go in under 4 minutes.
The Mac and Windows apps are largely the same; the only significant differences are that you can’t use OpenVPN on Mac unless you manually configure it yourself. This means it also doesn’t have the “use random port to connect” feature, which you can turn on in Windows to help make OpenVPN connections more stable. Mac users also miss out on the split tunneling feature.
The optimized servers in the desktop apps are also different. Mac users don’t have the “For Gaming” servers and need to manually search for the NoSpy servers.
One other difference is that the Windows app comes with Privacy Guard, which is available with subscriptions of 1 year or longer. This allows you to tweak up to 81 privacy settings in Windows all in one place, so you can protect yourself from some of Microsoft’s invasive practices. For example, you can turn off Inventory Collector, which may be sending data from your computer without you even knowing about it.
I found the server search bar particularly convenient — you can type in either a country or a streaming service, and it will find you the best server to use. You can also click on the options in the left side menu to see all the optimized servers for streaming and P2P.
CyberGhost has this cool feature called Smart Rules. You can set it up to do things like start CyberGhost when your computer turns on or when you open a specific program. It also has options for protecting your WiFi, making exceptions, and protecting specific apps.
If you’re using Linux, you won’t have a fancy user interface (UI). Instead, you’ll use commands. CyberGhost has guides to help you with this, showing you how to do stuff like change settings or find servers. You can also type “cyberghostvpn –help” into the terminal to see all the commands you can use. On Linux, you can use OpenVPN and Wireguard, but not IKEv2.
CyberGhost works on Macs from Sierra onwards, Windows from version 7 onwards, and various Linux distributions like CentOS, Fedora, PopOS, Kali, Mint 20, and Ubuntu.
CyberGhost’s mobile apps are almost the same as the desktop ones. They don’t come with quite as many features, though. While the Android version retains the ad blocker and split tunneling, iOS (on iPhone and iPad) does not.
One of the main differences in mobile apps is optimized server options. Neither the Android nor iOS app has gaming or torrenting optimized servers — only optimized streaming servers are available.
Both mobile apps have the “small packet size” data compression option, which can increase connection speeds (mine increased 60% on long-distance servers on average with this enabled). This option is ideal for mobile use since it’s perfect for activities like streaming or making VoIP calls. But it’s not suitable for file sharing or transfers, which are better off using larger packets.
It’s also nice to see that both apps have the automatic kill switch (and leak protection) since iOS apps often miss out on that feature.
On your iPhone, you can still block ads, but you have to download the Private Browser add-on. This is not a browser extension but a full-fledged browser that’s compatible with Chrome add-ons and extensions. You can also access the Photo Vault feature on your Apple phone. This lets you keep your photos in a secure location protected by a password. It’s a decent feature, but I’d take split tunneling over it.
The information next to the servers is nearly identical to the desktop apps — you won’t be able to see the ping or distance of a server, though. The optimized servers for torrenting and gaming aren’t available for phones either. But I don’t see that as a big negative since most people torrent and game on desktops anyways.
As for security protocols, Android phones have OpenVPN and WireGuard. iPhones automatically connect to IKEv2 but have the option to switch to Wireguard.
CyberGhost has browser extensions for Firefox and Chrome. These are completely free, and you don’t even need to provide an email address to download them. As expected, though, they come with limitations (like no kill switch, and you can only use 8 server locations).
You can install them from the Chrome or Firefox extension shops like any other browser extension. They are a lightweight option for staying anonymous within the browser itself — however, nothing outside your browser is encrypted, so you can’t use the VPN with external apps (like torrenting clients, for example). This is because these are proxy servers rather than a VPN. A proxy is an intermediary server that redirects your traffic, hiding your IP. Think of it like a browser-based version of a game. It functions similarly to a VPN but is more limited.
The extensions come with powerful security features like completely anonymous browsing, WebRTC leak protection, online tracking blockers, malicious content blockers, and WiFi security. But they’re missing a kill switch, which is a crucial fail-safe for protecting your anonymity in the event you lose connection to the VPN.
They also severely restrict your server access. You only have access to 8 servers in 4 countries — the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania. To put that into context, CyberGhost’s full VPN apps give you access to 11,666 servers in 100 countries. I found the free browser extension too limited when it comes to bypassing international geo-restrictions. However, they’re a good option if you only need access to content in the 4 available countries or want to keep your browsing anonymous.
You can easily download the app and log in on your Android TV; it’s essentially the same process as setting it up on your Android phone. Just install it straight from the Google Play Store. On a Fire Stick or Fire TV, you just need to find the Amazon store on your device and download the app from there.
With all other smart TVs, Apple TV, PlayStation, and Xbox, the easiest method for connecting CyberGhost is by using the Smart DNS feature. This lets you use a CyberGhost DNS code on devices that aren’t natively compatible with VPNs. However, keep in mind that this doesn’t encrypt your online traffic.
I set it up on my PlayStation in 5 minutes and was able to access US Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video with my console without a complicated router setup. All I had to do was copy a special DNS code into my device’s network settings.
You can find these codes in the “My DNS Settings” option under My Account on the CyberGhost website. I was surprised to find that CyberGhost has streaming optimized DNS addresses for both US and UK Netflix and Hulu.
Other VPNs I’ve used only give you a single code (usually based in the US) that isn’t optimized for unblocking specific streaming platforms. CyberGhost even has German, Dutch, and Japanese DNS codes to unblock content from these regions as well.
You can set up CyberGhost on your router, but only if it already supports OpenVPN. This lets you use the VPN on any device connected to your home network through your router. CyberGhost has really helpful tutorials on its website to walk you through the steps. I followed the guide for connecting to OpenVPN on my DD-WRT router, which took me 20 minutes. Plus, its 24/7 live chat is always available if you need more support.
This is one of the areas where CyberGhost can’t compete with ExpressVPN since it has a complete router app that lets you connect all of your devices to different servers at the same time.
CyberGhost doesn’t have a native app for routers, but you can install the Flash Routers Privacy app on many Netgear, Linksys, and Asus routers to control CyberGhost more easily. Pre-configured routers are also available with the VPN already installed.
Pro Tip: CyberGhost lets you connect 7 devices under a single subscription, which is more generous than other top VPNs I’ve tested. However, you can connect an unlimited number of devices if you install CyberGhost on your router because it’s considered a single connection. That way, every device connected to it will also be protected by the VPN.
You can have up to 7 simultaneous connections with your CyberGhost subscription. This is quite generous; most other top VPNs only offer 5 or 6. I decided to test this out by connecting an HP Envy laptop, Lenovo Chromebook, iPhone, iPad, and Android tablet.
I started streaming Amazon Prime Video on the Chromebook and Netflix on the iPad and Android tablet. On each of them, I connected to CyberGhost’s London server. I didn’t notice any inconsistencies until I started watching You on the next device I connected (my iPhone). It was a bit pixelated at first, but it upgraded to an HD picture in a few seconds. So, you can run multiple devices on a single CyberGhost account with little to no performance issues.
CyberGhost has great prices when you buy a long-term subscription. The 2-year subscription is the best value at $2.03/month, and it often offers an extra 3 months for free. The 6-month plan is a little pricier at $6.99/month. The 1-month deal is a little expensive, and you can’t access the NoSpy servers with it, so you definitely get the best value with a longer-term plan.
In addition, monthly plans miss out on several features. Privacy Guard, Boxcryptor (encrypted cloud storage), and NoSpy servers are only available with subscription terms of 1 year or longer. However, CyberGhost ID Guard comes with every subscription (it monitors your email addresses and alerts you of any security threats). There is also a security suite that comes with antivirus and security updater, which lets you know when apps need updates.
The price varies depending on your plan. For a yearly subscription, it’s an extra $5.65/month. For a monthly subscription, it’s an extra $4.50/month. You can only purchase it for Windows.
CyberGhost accepts PayPal, credit cards, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and cryptocurrency payments. I was disappointed that CyberGhost no longer accepts cash payments because it would allow you to make your purchase completely anonymously. However, since you can pay using cryptocurrency, it’s still possible to buy a subscription without providing any payment information.
There’s also a 45-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund within this timeframe if it’s not for you. Other VPNs I’ve tested usually only offer 30 days, so I was impressed with the generous 45-day period. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t apply to the 1-month subscription — you only get 14 days to change your mind with the 1-month plan.
The refund process is very quick and straightforward. All you have to do is contact the CyberGhost support team via the 24/7 live chat and request your money back. The representative I spoke to agreed to process my refund immediately — no questions asked. They told me the refund would take 5-10 working days, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that my money was back in my account 3 days later.
It also offers a 3-day free trial for Android and a 7-day free trial for iOS devices that you can get from the Apple Store or Google Play.
Pro Tip: Cyberghost has 24-hour trial that lets you explore just about everything the VPN has to offer, including streaming, torrenting, and gaming-optimized servers and all its advanced security features.
CyberGhost’s 24/7 live chat support is always helpful and usually really prompt. It’s also available in 4 languages: English, French, Romanian, and German. However, only English is available 24/7, with the other languages using set business hours. There were a couple of instances where I didn’t get through to an agent straight away as it said they were offline, but I just stayed in the chat, and I was always connected within a couple of minutes.
After requesting my refund, I made several other inquiries using the live chat, and I consistently received an answer within minutes.
I was really impressed when I reached out for help regarding the issue I had with Amazon Prime Video. At first, the optimized server wouldn’t even let me watch the platform — I was just getting the dreaded VPN error message.
The agent asked me to try switching browsers, but it didn’t work. Then, they suggested switching protocols, but that didn’t work either. Finally, they suggested that I clear my cache. Once I did this (and refreshed the optimized server), I successfully unblocked Amazon Prime Video.
When the support team needs more time to investigate your issue, you’ll receive an email with further instructions. This happened to me when I asked whether the content blocker was available on the iOS app, as I wasn’t sure it was working (I later learned that this was because it doesn’t block all ads). But, I was impressed with the agent’s commitment to helping me.
Whether I needed technical support or general information about the service, I always received helpful and informed advice. I asked over 15 questions to 5 different agents, and everyone was professional and friendly.
If you’d rather read a guide, the Help Center is full of articles with useful information. You can find detailed instructions about how to set up CyberGhost on your specific device. This is especially useful when you’re setting up your router or devices that don’t support VPNs like Apple TV, PlayStation, or Xbox.
There’s also an extensive FAQ section that answers any question you might have about CyberGhost and its features and policies. Overall, CyberGhost offers a great level of support, and if you aren’t sure about something, all you need to do is reach out.
CyberGhost offers incredibly user-friendly apps that make accessing streaming sites from around the world really easy. Just search for the platform you want to access and CyberGhost will give you a server made to unblock it. Plus, if you ever have trouble accessing your favorite service, its support staff is super helpful and can be reached 24/7.
When it comes to security, it stands out from other VPNs with its NoSpy servers. It also protects your data with military-grade encryption and features like its automatic kill switch. Independent audits, transparency reports, and a strong privacy policy also let you know CyberGhost can be trusted with your data.
The only real downsides are inconsistent long-distance speeds, and the fact it’s blocked in China. I recommend CyberGhost if you’re looking for a VPN that’s trustworthy and easy to use, with excellent security, and great streaming capabilities.
Click this link to view the most recent Cyberghost VPN coupon offers.
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