CyberGhost VPN - Privacy & Speed
Written by
Nick GalovUpdated · Apr 11, 2022
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- Privacy-centric
- Very easy to use
- 45-days money-back guarantee
- Works on every mainstream device
- Extensive streaming support & interface
- Works on routers
- Zero-log policy
- Short free trial
- Limited immediate user support
What Is CyberGhost?
CyberGhost is a VPN that’s scarily serious about privacy.
Based in Romania, it falls under a jurisdiction that deems online privacy a human right.
CyberGhost ticks all the boxes for what the average person could want from an encrypted connection—from torrenting and streaming to privacy and security. Read on as we dig deeper into this CyberGhost VPN review.
CyberGhost VPN Features
CyberGhost is packed with features.
We’ll start with a few tech-head favorites before moving on to specifics.
Multi-Platform VPN
CyberGhost is supported on most devices—Windows, Mac, Linux.
There’s also CyberGhost for iPhone and Android users.
It even supports Android TV and tablets like Amazon Fire.
The best part is that CyberGhost can be set on your router to encrypt all traffic, of as many devices as you have connected to it.
Split Tunneling
A split tunneling protocol allows you to use your VPN while still accessing trusted sites of your choosing through your regular internet connection.
Split tunneling is only available on CyberGhost for Android and Windows.
Proxy
If you just want a proxy and not the full VPN services, consider using the CyberGhost browser extension.
There’s a CyberGhost Chrome extension and one for Firefox too.
These free options give you access to eight servers in four countries. This is a simple way to get past the geolocation blocker without committing to a VPN subscription.
Autopilot
While CyberGhost allows you to set the VPN to launch on startup, you’ll still need to make sure it’s switched on and connected to your preferred server.
We couldn’t find a full autopilot function, and users don’t mention the feature in their CyberGhost VPN reviews either.
CyberGhost in China
Many people—citizens or visitors—rely on VPNs to bypass the Great Firewall and evade its censorship.
Unfortunately, it seems like China is keeping its peach wood swords sharp because CyberGhost can’t get through.
Dedicated Server Categories
The 6,000+ servers are grouped based on their purpose—with an emphasis on entertainment. The main categories are CyberGhost for torrenting, gaming, and streaming.
The quality of servers does vary, however. Many have ping rates running into the thousands, which means the CyberGhost speed will be significantly slower. Make sure you take that into account when choosing the right server for you.
CyberGhost Security
The internet can be a spooky place. If you don’t cover your online footprint, you risk invasion of your privacy and, in severe cases—identity theft.
VPNs are becoming an increasingly popular way to ensure high cybersecurity when cruising the net.
In the next part of our CyberGhost VPN review, we’ll see if its security features are up to snuff.
CyberGhost Logging Policy
The service has a zero-logging policy, which means it doesn’t store your data or monitor your activity. Once you’re connected to a server, it doesn’t know what you’re doing or even how much bandwidth you’re using.
CyberGhost puts out quarterly transparency reports to show how many requests it receives for user data and how many it ignores. The service is not legally obligated to keep logs, so it doesn’t.
This means it can’t give your data to third parties even if their request is legally binding under international law. True to its name, the service is discreet. This is one of the main points for praise by end-users as evident in the numerous positive CyberGhost reviews (more on that below).
Security Protocols
CyberGhost supports three main protocols—OpenVPN, IKEv2/Internet Protocol Security (IPsec), and WireGuard.
They differ in their speed and the level of security provided.
When we fired it up, CyberGhost had IKEv2 selected by default. But you can choose another protocol and switch to it with one click.
DNS Leak Protection
During our research, we came across an old CyberGhost review mentioning that it failed the anonymity test.
However, our test went smoothly, with no DNS leaks detected in the pool of servers we used.
We tried servers in the city where our Internet Service Providers (ISP) are based, a hemisphere away, and on the other side of the planet, without issues.
Automatic Kill Switch
As long as you’re using a VPN, you’re covered.
But what happens if the VPN experiences a glitch and shuts down? Without extra protection in place, it’ll leave you open to an attack.
Luckily, CyberGhost has an automatic kill switch.
If, for some reason, the VPN glitches, it’ll sever the internet connection to your device, so you won’t be exposed.
Bitcoin Payments
To ensure that CyberGhost is a secure VPN, we had to review its payment options too.
With CyberGhost, you can remain anonymous when signing up. You can subscribe and make regular payments with Bitcoin.
The service will not ask you for any personally identifiable information (PII).
Instead of a name, it suggests using an alias for strictly private correspondence.
CyberGhost Speed
With the speed of connectivity today, using a dial-up would be torture. Do you remember how slow Tor’s default VPN was?
We tested servers at three different locations to gauge how speed was affected for this CyberGhost review.
The servers one city away saw a minimal speed reduction—it didn’t even register in terms of megabits lost.
Servers in the same time zone but far into a different hemisphere reduced the speed by about 10% on average.
Servers in a different hemisphere and an opposing timezone caused speed losses of about 40% at worst.
Overall, very respectable performance.
Torrenting
Torrenting isn’t as easy as it used to be.
In many countries, it could lead to receiving a cease and desist letter or even facing legal repercussions in the form of fines. CyberGhost’s servers support P2P traffic, so you can use them for torrenting.
Testing shows that the torrenting servers are CyberGhost’s slowest feature. We noticed that CyberGhost was not connecting to certain popular servers at all. This happens because CyberGhost doesn’t support port forwarding.
While that slows down the download, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you are assigned a port, you can be identified, so it’s a trade-off on speed for tighter privacy.
Streaming
How many times have you been hyped for a new show only to discover a geolocation blocker barring your path?
Streaming functionality is perhaps the most important feature for the casual internet user.
With CyberGhost VPN, you can ghost through foreign Netflix libraries freely.
You’ll find servers labeled with the service they’re best for—CyberGhost VPN for “Netflix US,” “BBC iPlayer,” “FOX Sports,” etc.
Ease of Use
The VPN is extremely easy to download, install, and use. A couple of clicks is all it takes to get it up and running. Everything is listed in simple menus, allowing you to get your preferred settings in seconds.
If you’re not a techie, don’t be intimidated by abbreviations like “IKEv2.”
You can just stick to CyberGhost’s default settings—they are perfect for the average person, and its menu is no harder to navigate than your cellphone.
Plans & Pricing
CyberGhost used to have a free version, but the most you’ll get now is the CyberGhost VPN free trial. And the free trial is limited.
It’s only 24 hours long, and the best CyberGhost servers are locked behind the paywall. So if you want to give the service a proper trial run, you can purchase a subscription and get your money back if you’re not satisfied. The CyberGhost VPN free version might be limited, but all plans come with a money-back guarantee.
CyberGhost’s starter plan is a little pricier than other options on the market, but in terms of one-year subscriptions, it offers the best value for money. All packages can be used on up to 7 devices and come with 24/7 live support.
You can expand the coverage by setting it up on a router.
CyberGhost pricing is as follows:
The monthly deal is not the most affordable one. It is much better to try one of the longer plans as all of them come with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Secure your online endeavors for $51.48 per year.
A single payment of $78 will protect you online for the next two years.
Pay once $89.31 and get quality VPN protection for 36 months.
Review of CyberGhost Customer Support
CyberGhost support consists of a 24/7 live chat, a ticket system, an email address, and an extensive FAQ. Throughout our review process, the 24/7 live chat function was unavailable. No indication was given as to when or if it’d be back.
For our CyberGhost VPN review, we submitted a ticket during off-peak hours asking about crypto payments.
We received a polite and helpful reply just under three hours later. (At the time of writing, Bitcoin is the only supported cryptocurrency, and you need a Bitpay account to use it.)
Email correspondence seems to be mainly reserved for press inquiries, but CyberGhost’s Twitter account suggests it depends on the user’s needs. The FAQ is extensive—only the most obscure account-specific problems aren’t covered.
User Reviews
CyberGhost reviews by users are generally positive. With over 11,000 reviews on Trustpilot, CyberGhost has an overall rating of 4.8 out of five stars. Customers praise its ease of use, speed, and a large number of servers.
Opinions are a little more mixed on message boards.
Look at any CyberGhost VPN review on Reddit, and it’s a toss-up on whether the user is expressing admiration or anger. Common complaints include occasional problems with the connection and customer support. That said, the comments in these reviews tend to favor CyberGhost overall.
Is CyberGhost VPN Worth It?
CyberGhost is a versatile VPN perfect for casual users looking for a bargain on their first-year subscription.
It has a large, satisfied user base, excellent connectivity speeds, and security/
CyberGhost Alternatives
If you aren’t feeling this VPN, consider these alternatives.
CyberGhost vs Hotspot Shield
If you want a free VPN with decent speed, Hotspot Shield is a great choice.
However, the free plan has several limitations, and upgrading to a paid plan would be cheaper with CyberGhost.
CyberGhost vs NordVPN
In terms of performance weighed against costs, few VPNs beat NordVPN.
The two companies have similar pricing, but CyberGhost long-term deals make it more affordable. On the other hand, NordVPN provides greater control and more advanced features.
Our NordVPN review provides an in-depth look into the service.
CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN
If money is no concern and you want pure performance, ExpressVPN may be for you.
However, CyberGhost is definitely the cheaper option, and it offers good value for money. It is a more apt choice for casual users who need a VPN for streaming or browsing.
Final Verdict
We recommend CyberGhost to the average user who’s looking for a solid, secure VPN for streaming or torrenting.
It is great for anyone who needs security and speed for 12 months or more at a great price. CyberGhost VPN Premium Plus plan is one of the cheapest long-term offers on the market.
The generous 45-day money-back guarantee makes a safe and sound choice for a long-term commitment.
If you are looking for great streaming experience and general online safety, CyberGhost is the obvious choice.
Like all VPNs, CyberGhost keeps your online activity private. This protects you from any threats, be they criminal or governmental.
No. As a rule, CyberGhost does not keep logs. Even if it receives a legally binding request, it won’t be able to provide that information because it doesn’t store your data.
No. A 24-hour limited free trial is available. For full access, you must purchase a subscription.
Yes. CyberGhost lets you access any foreign Netflix library with speeds comparable to those you’re used to. For a more detailed description of its streaming capabilities, check out the Streaming section of our detailed CyberGhost VPN review for 2022.
Unaware that life beyond the internet exists, Nick is poking servers and control panels, playing with WordPress add-ons, and helping people get the hosting that suits them.
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