CyberGhost stands out for its vast server network and streaming-optimized servers. Further improvements to its apps and customer support have helped place it among the best VPNs on the market. That’s not to say it’s not without its flaws however, particularly considering its parent company’s history and a slightly limited range of features.
CyberGhost – Server Network and Coverage
If you’re looking for a VPN with a global network of servers, CyberGhost is about as good as it gets. Although it no longer provides a specific server count, its customer support confirmed that the number currently exceeds 11,000. These servers are located in 100 countries which is more than most VPNs on the market.
The advantage of having access to such a generous server network is that, whether at home or traveling abroad, you’ll rarely be limited by geo-related content blocks. It also means that wherever you are, you’ll be able to find a nearby server for a faster connection simply because data won’t have to travel as far to reach the VPN server.
Of course, you can expect plenty of servers in popular locations such as the US (11 cities), UK (3 cities), and Australia (3 cities). However, CyberGhost also has servers in countries not covered by many other VPN providers, such as Armenia, Malta, and Panama.
What separates CyberGhost from many of its rivals is its extensive selection of servers that are specially optimized for streaming and downloading. These servers cover dozens of countries and many have been upgraded to 10 Gbps for even faster connections.
CyberGhost – Speed and Performance
CyberGhost particularly impresses with its server speeds. Keep in mind that the speeds you experience will likely differ according to factors including your base connection, the distance between the VPN server and your location, and the VPN protocol used.
With that being said, when I run speed tests on each VPN, I strive to ensure that conditions are as similar as possible. All tests are run on MacOS on the same Wi-Fi network with a wireless connection. I also use the fastest VPN protocol available with each VPN, typically WireGuard.
To create a more reliable average, I connect to three different server locations: the one closest to me (typically Barcelona or Valencia), as well as two further afield: New York and Japan. This should provide you with a more accurate reflection of the kind of speeds you’re likely to experience when using CyberGhost.
The three server locations are tested at three different times of day: morning, afternoon, and evening. Tests are run over three days with each VPN server location tested a total of nine times. My base connection speed when not connected to CyberGhost averaged 319 Mbps over the course of testing.
Speeds will usually be slower when connected to a VPN due to the encryption processes and additional routing involved. Despite this, I was impressed by how little speeds dipped when connected to CyberGhost’s Barcelona server (the closest VPN server to my location). At 284 Mbps on average, it was just a drop of just 11 percent.
Of course, speeds were slower when connecting to servers further afield. I still had good speeds with CyberGhost’s New York servers (138 Mbps) although the 54 Mbps for Tokyo was a little disappointing, at least compared to ExpressVPN. What I did find was that the speeds I experienced on the New York and Tokyo servers varied dramatically. For example, individual speed test results for CyberGhost’s New York servers ranged from 59 Mbps to 261 Mbps.
With a global average of 159 Mbps, CyberGhost tops our latest speed tests, comfortably putting itself ahead of second place ExpressVPN (118 Mbps). Although speed tests are an important part of considering a VPN, remember that there are many influencing factors and that a VPN that performs particularly well one week may perform less well the next (and vice versa).
The good news is that CyberGhost is more than fast enough for anything you throw at it. This includes streaming in 4K resolution, playing online multiplayer games, downloading large files, and making video calls. Much of this is down to the fact that CyberGhost offers unlimited bandwidth and uses WireGuard, a lightweight and high-speed protocol.
CyberGhost – Unblocking and Streaming Capabilities
When it comes to unblocking geo-restricted websites and services, it certainly helps that CyberGhost has such a vast server network. Chances are, you’ll be able to find a server in your preferred location. Though this is just a starting point because the IP address still needs to work with the website in question.
What we’ve found is that, more often than not, we were able to get around content restrictions.
Streaming platforms often have some of the toughest blocks to bypass due to the copyright and licensing agreements they seek to protect. They typically blacklist known VPN IP addresses, preventing access in the process. CyberGhost has a huge number of IP addresses, making it that much easier to continue to sidestep geo-blocking.
In testing, I was able to access Netflix US (and several other Netflix libraries including the UK and Japan), Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu. Thanks to streaming-optimized servers, this is one of the best unblocking VPNs around.
Unblocking with most VPNs requires connecting to a random server in a specific location and then hopping to another if it fails to unblock the desired content. However, CyberGhost has a list of servers in countries optimized for specific streaming services. For example, US servers for Netflix US, Paramount+, NFL+, and more. It’s quick, easy, and just works really well.
CyberGhost – Security Features
CyberGhost is about as secure as a VPN can be. Depending on the VPN protocol you choose, your internet traffic will be secured with 256-bit AES or ChaCha20 encryption, both of which are effectively uncrackable.
Aside from having very high encryption standards, CyberGhost protects against leaks, something that’s not guaranteed with all VPNs. It claims to prevent DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks and, having run multiple leak tests, I was happy to find that’s the case.
One of the other key security features CyberGhost provides is an automatic kill switch. Always on, it steps in should your VPN connection drop by cutting your internet traffic and preventing any personal data from being exposed.
Windows users will be pleased to know that CyberGhost has a Windows Security Suite. This includes anti-malware and an antivirus, as well as a security software updater. Where CyberGhost is lacking compared to VPNs such as NordVPN and Surfshark is the absence of Double VPN (also known as MultiHop) servers for an extra layer of encryption.
CyberGhost does offer a level of content blocking however, blocking DNS domains used for ads, trackers, and malware. We tried this feature on desktop (MacOS) against an ad blocker test and found it performed relatively well, stopping 82 percent of ads that came its way. This was certainly better than Surfshark and IPVanish although not quite at the level of NordVPN.
CyberGhost – Privacy and Logging Policies
Privacy-wise, CyberGhost gets far more right than wrong. CyberGhost is headquartered in Romania, which is good news in that it’s outside the jurisdiction of the Five, Nine, and 14 Eyes intelligence alliances. Romania has no mandatory data retention laws and, besides, CyberGhost operates a no-logs policy, stating that it “doesn’t keep any records of your online activity while you’re connected” to its servers.
The no-logs policy of CyberGhost has been independently audited by Deloitte as recently as May 2024. The Big Four accounting firm’s findings concluded that CyberGhost’s servers are in compliance with this no-logs policy. It’s also good to see that CyberGhost publishes transparency reports on a quarterly basis, detailing legal requests received from authorities.
CyberGhost can’t see and therefore can’t record, log, or store any data related to the browsing history of its users. It also doesn’t have any connection logs tied to IP addresses, connection timestamps, or session duration. However, it does collect some non-identifying data including connection attempts which, according to CyberGhost, is to better organize its network infrastructure.
I noticed during signup with CyberGhost that a box was automatically checked agreeing to the collection of my contact details for direct marketing. So if that’s something you don’t want then be sure to uncheck the box (you can also unsubscribe later via a link at the bottom of each email).
CyberGhost is one of many VPNs that requires you to provide an email address for signup. It would be nice if this were optional. There’s also no way to pay anonymously because cash and gift cards aren’t accepted. Although CyberGhost does accept cryptocurrency, which can provide anonymity under the right circ*mstances, its use of BitPay to process payments makes this all but impossible.
Another concern with CyberGhost is its 2017 acquisition by the Israeli company Crossrider. Now known as Kape, it’s formerly associated with malware distribution. CyberGhost has gone on record stating that it operates independently from Kape however.
CyberGhost – Signup and Setup
The signup process with CyberGhost is much like most VPNs. First, you’ll need to choose a plan. Note that the one month plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee whereas the other subscription options (six months and two years) both have a 45-day money-back guarantee. Most VPNs only offer 30 days so this is an added bonus of choosing CyberGhost, as you’ll have even more time to test it out.
Upon making payment, you’ll be prompted to create a password for your new CyberGhost account. Once this is set, it takes you straight to CyberGhost’s Download Hub where the app download will pop up. The installation process couldn’t be simpler thanks to the on-screen instructions provided.
CyberGhost – Apps and Compatibility
Another thing to appreciate about CyberGhost is that it’s continually improving its apps which are among the best I’ve used. They’re lightweight, responsive, and just very easy to navigate (ideal if it’s your first time using a VPN).
You’ll find CyberGhost apps for the following:
- Windows
- Mac
- Android
- iOS
- Linux (CLI)
- Amazon Fire TV
If you only need feel the need to secure your browser traffic and not that of apps, there’s also the option of browser extensions:
- Chrome
- Firefox
One of the advantages of setting up CyberGhost on a compatible router is that all devices that connect to the router’s Wi-Fi network are then protected. Connected devices don’t count against CyberGhost’s simultaneous connection limit of seven devices so it’s possible to exceed it.
Where CyberGhost is perhaps lagging behind some rival VPNs is its lack of an Apple TV app (tvOS). A number of VPNs including ExpressVPN, IPVanish, NordVPN, and Surfshark have added this in recent months. I contacted CyberGhost’s live chat support and was told that developers are working on it but that there’s no specific timeframe for its release.
CyberGhost’s desktop app opens as a small window pinned to the menu bar but can be opened to full view with a single click. This small window’s appearance matches that of the mobile app and consists of an on/off button and a small dropdown list of favorite server locations. You’ll also find a Best Location feature for automatically connecting to the best (fastest) available server.
Clicking on the CyberGhost app’s cog symbol takes you directly to settings. This largely consists of toggle buttons, check boxes, and short drop down lists, making it straightforward to adjust according to your preferences. Power users may want more advanced configuration options to play around with but others may well appreciate the simplicity.
Regardless of whether you’re on desktop or mobile, you’ll find a list of server locations and a search bar for easier navigation. It’s also possible to favorite specific server locations so you can connect to them faster in future. The key difference is that only the desktop version displays the current server load. Unfortunately, none of the apps allow you to select specific servers – only the country and, in some cases, the city.
One of the best things about CyberGhost’s apps is its comprehensive list of streaming servers which are optimized for accessing specific streaming services, be it Netflix, Hulu, or DAZN. Understandably, the desktop app has more space for extras and this included servers optimized for downloading as well as a Dedicated IP section (this feature costs an extra $2.50 a month).
Overall, there’s very little to fault with CyberGhost’s apps, although the desktop (MacOS) app did crash once early on. Fortunately, that issue didn’t repeat itself over two weeks of testing.
CyberGhost – Customer Support
Customer support is offered 24/7 via live chat and email. I got in touch with CyberGhost via its live chat on three occasions and never had to wait long before a support agent was with me.
CyberGhost’s support made it relatively easy to cancel for a full refund. Upon asking to cancel my subscription as per its money-back guarantee, I was asked my reason for canceling (which is very common). Like me, it’s likely you’ll need to provide an order ID which is located on the invoice CyberGhost emails following payment. The refund was issued almost immediately, confirming CyberGhost does indeed honor its money-back guarantee.
While live chat is expected to be fast, email response times vary significantly from one VPN to another. To test this and compare with rival VPNs, I sent CyberGhost three emails on three days of the week, all at different times (early morning, mid afternoon, and late evening). The idea was to get an idea not only of response times to emails but the quality of answer provided.
The good news is that CyberGhost’s average reply time was just 1 hour which is far quicker than the vast majority of VPNs. With some providers, this may mean a somewhat robotic and lower quality reply but that certainly wasn’t the case here. I received three genuinely helpful responses, all of which fully answered my questions.
Here’s how CyberGhost’s response time and quality of answer compared to other VPNs tested:
Note that CyberGhost’s website has a help section if that’s your preference. There you’ll find setup guides, troubleshooting articles, and FAQs. What’s great about a lot of this information is that it’s all laid out step by step, and includes annotated screenshots to make things even simpler. Finally, CyberGhost even has a fairly active YouTube channel with setup tutorials as well as explanation videos on topics including doxxing and machine learning.
