Cyberghost VPN Review (2023): Features, Pricing, and Security
CyberGhost VPN Fast factsOur rating: 4.3 stars out of 5 Pricing: Starts at $2.11 per month Key features:
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CyberGhost VPN has an impressive 6,700+ server suite across 90 countries, an affordable starting price and specialized servers for streaming, torrenting and gaming. It also supports Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android and Apple TV, and even gaming consoles.
While its complicated company history may cause some concern, the overall VPN package you get with CyberGhost makes it a worthy VPN choice of the year.
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CyberGhost VPN Pricing
| Plans | Price |
|---|---|
| One month | $12.99 per month (14-day money-back guarantee) |
| Six months | $6.99 per month (45-day money-back guarantee) |
| Two years | $2.11 per month (45-day money-back guarantee) |
While some VPNs offer different features at varied price points, CyberGhost’s pricing is straightforward. It provides three prices depending on your preferred service length — at either one month, six months or two years. The monthly option is billed every month, while the six month option is billed every six months at $41.94 and the two year option is billed for the first two years at $56.97 then annually thereafter.
In terms of affordability, you will get the most out of your money with their two-year plan. At $2.11 per month, CyberGhost is one of the most affordable VPN options out right now. This is especially true once we take into account the number of servers you get at this price.
If you’re looking to test out the VPN for a month, CyberGhost VPN’s $12.99 is on the pricier end compared to its competitors. You also don’t get CyberGhost VPN’s in-house NoSpy servers for free with the one-month plan.
With that, I do wish that CyberGhost offered at least a one-year option as this would give consumers more leeway with cost and less of the time commitment.
CyberGhost VPN does have a fairly generous free trial program. For Windows and macOS users, you can get a 24-hour free trial without having to provide any payment or credit card information. Android users also have access to a three-day trial, while iOS users get free seven-day access.
While the 24-hour Windows and Mac trial is short, getting access to all the premium features without handing off any financial information is a worthwhile trade-off.
Is CyberGhost VPN safe?
CyberGhost VPN offers all the industry standard security protocols we expect from a decent VPN in 2023. It has the OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard protocols as well as AES-256 encryption. It also has a kill switch, DNS leak protection and split tunneling capability.
On their website, CyberGhost boasts that its headquarters are based in Romania — a country with strong privacy laws. This is a big plus for users who are wary of government interference. However, it is worth noting that CyberGhost is owned by Kape Technologies, formerly Crossrider. Crossrider had formerly been associated with malware and adware controversies, before it purchased CyberGhost back in 2017.
While CyberGhost has maintained that it acts as an independent entity of Kape, the company history is important to mention when it comes to security and privacy.
CyberGhost does have a no-logs policy which states that they don’t log user data such as browsing history, IP addresses, session durations and the like. This no-logs policy has been confirmed by an independent audit conducted by Deloitte.
The VPN service also regularly publishes quarterly Transparency Reports that cover police requests and malicious activity reports they receive. This is an admirable level of transparency that definitely adds to CyberGhost VPN’s overall credibility.
With its complicated history, prospective users may be hesitant to consider CyberGhost VPN at first. However, I do feel that the company is doing enough to alleviate security concerns customers may have.
Key features of CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN provides an alluring package of features for its price that makes it a solid choice for a VPN. Let’s take a look at some key features one by one.
Extensive server network
Figure A
CyberGhost VPN has one of the largest server suites in the market today. At the time of publication, it had 6,705 servers from 112 locations, spread out from 90 countries.
The large server fleet gives users a better chance at getting high quality server experience. Whether it’s having a server near your location to get faster speeds or having more access to geo-restricted content, CyberGhost’s extensive network is definitely a valuable feature.
This is especially true if you purchase CyberGhost with their $2 plan, giving you a bargain package that is hard to refuse.
Specialized servers
Figure B
CyberGhost VPN offers three specialized servers for some of the most common VPN use-cases. It categorizes servers into three groups: For Gaming, For Torrenting and For Streaming.
I personally like the level of detail CyberGhost goes into when providing what exactly each server is best for.
Figure C
For example, it shows what streaming service a particular server is best for — a small detail that I think many users will find extremely helpful. If you want a VPN that makes specialized servers simple, CyberGhost should be on top of your list.
Smart Rules panel
Figure D
CyberGhost has a built-in “Smart Rules” panel that allows you to automate different actions you want the VPN to do based on different prompts.
For example, you can set CyberGhost to automatically connect to a particular server upon boot up or have it open an app of your choice once the VPN is connected. This is a powerful useability feature that will be perfect for those who want a VPN that can be tailored for a specific need or workflow.
RAM-only server technology
CyberGhost VPN uses RAM-only servers that store server data on random access memory instead of hard disks. Because of this, when a server is unplugged, all data is completely erased.
This provides an additional layer of protection that many privacy enthusiasts will appreciate, especially since CyberGhost itself designed a system that makes it difficult for them to store user data. This is also another plus on CyberGhost’s no-logs policy.
CyberGhost VPN speed and performance
In my testing, CyberGhost VPN performed reasonably well. I was able to get good speed and stability with multiple Chrome tabs open, playing 1080p YouTube videos and using Google Suite apps for work.
In terms of download and upload speeds, CyberGhost was also impressive. I experienced very little reduction in speeds as the VPN was able to quickly connect me to the fastest server per my location very easily.
I did notice that switching from one server to another took longer than I expected. Maybe that’s a trade-off with the VPN’s massive server fleet, causing the longer than usual switching. Despite this, I would say this is more of a personal nitpick since I didn’t experience any dropped connection whenever I switched to a new server during my testing.
For DNS leaks, I ran CyberGhost VPN and a number of its servers from different locations through a public DNS leak tool. I experienced zero leaks all throughout.
CyberGhost VPN servers and locations
CyberGhost offers around 6,700+ servers from 112 locations, spread out in 90 countries. This is one of the largest server fleets in the VPN space today.
Aside from that, CyberGhost has specialized servers for streaming, gaming and torrenting respectively — a feature that will benefit users on the lookout for these specific use-cases.
Lastly, CyberGhost also offers NoSpy Servers, which are servers housed within the company’s Romanian headquarters. This means that the servers, and the data they carry, are protected by CyberGhost personnel themselves and cannot be accessed by third parties. CyberGhost also says that NoSpy servers use more premium hardware, provide better speeds and have bigger bandwidth.
Unfortunately, you do need to purchase at least a six-month plan to get access to CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers as this is not available on the one-month plan.
While more security-focused servers would round out CyberGhost’s VPN servers more, there is enough variety here to satisfy a lot of people’s VPN needs.
CyberGhost VPN Pros
- Extensive fleet of 6,700+ servers.
- Specialized servers for gaming, torrenting and streaming.
- RAM-only servers that prevent data logging.
- Affordable two-year subscription.
- Customizable Smart Rules panel for automated actions.
- Free trial.
- Ability to connect up to seven devices with one subscription.
- 45-day money-back guarantee.
- Easy-to-use app.
CyberGhost VPN Cons
- Complicated company history.
- Lack of more security-focused servers.
- Pricey monthly subscription.
- NoSpy servers unavailable in one-month plan.
How good is CyberGhost VPN?
CyberGhost VPN’s massive server fleet will benefit a lot of users who want flexibility in terms of speed, reliability and access to geo-restricted content. It’s very hard to argue against 6,700+ servers for only $2 a month (with their two-year plan). Not to mention the fact that it’s perfect for users who are specifically looking for a VPN to stream, torrent or game.
While CyberGhost VPN is hampered by its controversial company history, its impressive server fleet, specialized servers and generous free trial options make it a VPN that most people should definitely consider.
CyberGhost VPN alternatives
CyberGhost VPN has a unique set of features that make it a solid VPN service. However, these features may not be the right mix for you. We’ve listed a few alternatives below that may fit your needs better.
ProtonVPN
If you want a VPN that prioritizes protection against government interference and unlawful data requests, Proton VPN should be your top choice. Based in Switzerland, Proton operates under strict Swiss privacy laws that add an additional layer of privacy and protection for your personal or confidential data.
NordVPN
For more security-focused features, you can check out NordVPN. It has strong third-party testing, privacy-centered server types and a unique encrypted file-sharing system that can satisfy even the strictest privacy needs. It also has built-in anti-malware Threat Protection that makes it a reliable all-around security platform.
Surfshark
For VPN users who want multiple device support, Surfshark is one of the best. It offers an unlimited number of simultaneous connections that won’t have you worrying about exceeding a particular device limit. It also has strong encryption and privacy features for those who are looking for more security.
How we evaluated CyberGhost VPN
My review of CyberGhost VPN involved a comprehensive assessment of its features, cost, and real-world performance. I had hands-on time using CyberGhost VPN with their 24-hour free trial on my personal Windows machine.
For speed, I used Ookla’s public Speedtest to measure download and upload speeds. I also ran CyberGhost through DNSLeakTest multiple times to check for any drops in its DNS leak protection.
Lastly, I scored CyberGhost VPN on everything from its security protocols to its pricing based on an internal algorithm to get a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. In my scoring, I looked at CyberGhost VPN both on its own and in relation to other VPN services available today.
