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CyberGhost VPN Review

CyberGhost's app on desktop

Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more.

Fact-checked by JP JonesAdditional Testing by David Hughes

Our Verdict

9.1/10
How is this calculated?

We calculate the VPN service’s Overall Rating by combining the ratings of several testing categories. Each category is weighted as follows:

  • Privacy & Logging Policy: 20%
  • Speed: 20%
  • Security & Technical Features: 15%
  • Streaming: 15%
  • Ease of Use: 10%
  • Torrenting: 5%
  • Server Locations: 5%
  • Bypassing Web Censorship: 5%
  • Customer Support: 5%

Learn more by reading our VPN testing and review methodology.

CyberGhost is an affordable and secure VPN that’s popular with travelers thanks to its large server network, excellent free trial, and Wi-Fi protection feature. It works to unblock streaming services like US Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. It's not perfect, though: there’s no OpenVPN option on Mac or iOS, it won't work in China, and its torrenting speeds are slow.

Ranked #7 out of 61 VPNs

CyberGhost VPN Category Ratings

  • 9.7/10
  • 8.6/10
  • 8.6/10
  • 8.5/10
  • 9.9/10
  • 8.0/10
  • 9.5/10
  • 9.5/10
  • 9.5/10
  • 9.4/10

CyberGhost VPN Pros & Cons

  • 24-hour, three-day & seven-day free trials
  • Unblocks US Netflix, Disney+, Hulu & Amazon Prime Video
  • Huge server network of 100 countries
  • Supports torrenting & P2P traffic
  • Very few logs retained
  • User-friendly apps for PC, Mac, smartphones & Firestick

  • Inconsistent connection speeds
  • Unreliable BBC iPlayer & HBO Max servers
  • Browser extensions have very few server locations
  • No OpenVPN option on Mac & iOS
  • Often doesn't work with IPv6
  • Unable to get past Chinese censorship

Why Trust Us?

We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our ratings are based on our own testing results and are unaffected by financial incentives. Learn who we are and how we test VPNs.

CyberGhost is a secure, reasonably fast, and user-friendly VPN Service.

It’s also the only top VPN to offer a free trial that doesn’t require any payment details.

Created in 2011 and based in Romania, it has been owned by Kape Technologies since 2017 – the same company behind popular VPNs ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access.

In this CyberGhost review you’ll find the results of our first-hand research into how CyberGhost performs in all the most important categories. Our experts tested its speed, security, how reliably it can unblock streaming services, and more – plus how those results compare to top VPN rivals like NordVPN and Proton VPN.

We’ve summarized the best (and worst) of CyberGhost in our short video review below:

CyberGhost VPN Key Data

Data CapUnlimited
Download Speed94Mbps
Logging PolicyNo Identifying Data
Data LeaksNo
JurisdictionRomania (EU Member)
Servers12,000
IP Addresses12,000+
Countries with Servers100
US NetflixYes
TorrentingPartially
Simultaneous Connections7
Works In ChinaNo
Support24/7 Live Chat
Cheapest Price$2.03/mo over 28 months
Free Trial24 Hours (No Payment Info Required)
Money-Back Guarantee45-day Money-Back Guarantee
Official WebsiteCyberGhost.com

Streaming

Unblocks 10 Netflix Regions & More

9.7/10
How is this calculated?

This rating is calculated by how many different streaming services and regional content libraries the VPN can unblock, and how consistently it can access them.

We test access to Netflix, Disney+, Max, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and many more platforms on a weekly basis.

CyberGhost is able to unblock 10 Netflix libraries, as well as Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. It also works with BBC iPlayer and HBO Max, but access to these services has been inconsistent in the past. With the addition of Smart DNS functionality, CyberGhost is an excellent VPN for bypassing geo-blocked streaming sites.

Ranked #4 out of 61 VPNs for Streaming

Here’s all of the popular streaming services we routinely test, and whether or not CyberGhost works to unblock them:

Streaming PlatformWorks with CyberGhost VPN
Amazon Prime VideoYes
BBC iPlayerYes
Channel 4Yes
Disney+Yes
Hotstar IndiaYes
HuluYes
ITVXYes
MaxYes
Netflix USYes

As you can see, CyberGhost is a very good VPN for streaming. It works to unblock every streaming site we tested it with.

The CyberGhost apps clearly list dedicated servers for specific content platforms. These streaming servers regularly change IP address to bypass the blocks imposed by websites like Netflix.

There are even optimized streaming servers for streaming sites in Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, and Poland.

CyberGhost's Dedicated Streaming Servers

CyberGhost’s dedicated streaming servers.

CyberGhost Streams 10 Netflix regions

In our testing, CyberGhost was able to consistently unblock 10 Netflix libraries. This is well above-average.

However, CyberGhost is less effective than VPNs such as Windscribe and ExpressVPN, which unblock 32 and 18 Netflix regions, respectively.

CyberGhost with US Netflix on macOS

CyberGhost unblocks 10 Netflix libraries.

Excellent for UK Streaming

CyberGhost’s UK servers now work reliably with BBC iPlayer and easily access Channel 4 and ITVX from abroad, too. If you’re outside the UK, that means you can use CyberGhost to watch UK TV and lots of sport events 100% for free.

BBC iPlayer’s VPN ban is notoriously hard to beat, and not many VPNs can bypass BBC iPlayer’s geo-blocks.

Torrenting

Slow Download Bitrate & 3 Regions that Don’t Allow P2P

8.6/10
How is this calculated?

This rating is determined by the VPN’s torrenting speeds, the percentage of servers that allow P2P file sharing, the service’s privacy and trustworthiness, and useful settings like port forwarding.

For speed specifically, we calculate the VPN’s average download bitrate using our bespoke torrenting setup.

CyberGhost has P2P-optimized servers, a kill switch, and a good logging policy. It's definitely a safe choice for torrenting, but it’s certainly not the best. The average download bitrate we recorded was too slow and there's no port-forwarding. You can torrent on the majority of CyberGhost’s network, but there are still three countries where it's still not permitted.

Ranked #11 out of 61 VPNs for Torrenting

Here’s the most important data from our CyberGhost torrenting tests:

Torrenting Attribute Result
Average Download Bitrate 3.9MiB/s
No. of P2P Servers 9,559
Logging Policy No Identifying Data
Kill Switch Yes
Port Forwarding No

In our VPN torrenting tests we measured an average download bitrate of 3.9MiB/s when using CyberGhost, much slower than Astrill VPN’s 10.0MiB/s and IPVanish’s 9.9MiB/s.

CyberGhost qBittorrent Test

We tested CyberGhost’s torrenting capabilities on qBit Torrent.

On the plus side, the VPN’s built-in IP and DNS leak protection worked well in our leak tests.

Finding the right server for torrenting is easy. Click on the “for downloading” tab and you’ll see a list of servers optimized for P2P traffic.

CyberGhost shows you every server’s load percentage. Choose the least congested one to maximize upload and download speeds.

CyberGhost Servers for Torrenting

CyberGhost has P2P-optimized servers.

The kill switch is automatically enabled and cannot be deactivated on all platforms, so your true IP address will always be protected in the event of a sudden connection issue.

No P2P in 3 Countries

CyberGhost allows torrenting, and even encourages it, on the vas majority of its server network – but not all of it.

Torrenting with CyberGhost is not allowed while connected to Pakistan, Macau, and China.

The good news here is that after years of not allowing torrenting in Australia and New Zealand, CyberGhost has recently made these servers available for P2P activity, which is a big win for torrenters in Oceania.

No Port Forwarding

For privacy reasons, there is no port forwarding setting on CyberGhost.

VPN port forwarding isn’t essential for torrenting, but it allows for faster seeding (file uploads), and bypasses blocks from your router’s NAT Firewall.

Here’s how quickly we could download a 20GB torrent file while using CyberGhost compared to other top VPNs:

VPN Service Download Bitrate Time To Download 20GB Torrent File
No VPN 10MiB/s 32 minutes
ExpressVPN 9.4MiB/s 34 minutes
Private Internet Access 9.6MiB/s 33 minutes
CyberGhost 3.9MiB/s 81 minutes

Speed

Fast, But Improvements Can Be Made

8.5/10
How is this calculated?

We calculate the VPN’s speed rating using our download speeds, upload speeds, and ping (latency) measurements.

We regularly test the VPN’s local and international speeds using a dedicated 100Mbps internet connection in New York, USA.

CyberGhost's speeds are fast enough for almost any online activity. If you can connect to a server in the same country as the one you’re in then it's almost as fast as any other top VPN. Unfortunately, that changes if you need to connect to a server farther away — speeds can be inconsistent and it often takes too long to connect to a server.

Ranked #36 out of 61 VPNs for Speed

To test CyberGhost’s speeds, we connected to CyberGhost servers in six different continents and measured our upload and download speeds before and after. We use a 100Mbps internet connection, similar to what might be your baseline speed at home.

Here’s a table showing CyberGhost’s speed test results when connected to a variety of servers around the world:

The local download speed loss of 6% is very good, and similar to other speedy rival VPNs like ExpressVPN and IPVanish.

You can compare CyberGhost’s speed performance to other top-tier VPNs in the bar chart below:

How CyberGhost compares to our top four VPNs both on local connections and in an average of their international connections. Its local speeds are strong, but internationally it lags behind the others.

As you can see, CyberGhost VPN is fast on local and long-distance connections, but it’s still lagging behind competitors, especially on long-distance speeds. Based on its overall speed performance, CyberGhost is currently ranked 31st in our speed rankings.

Good Ping Times Won’t Affect Online Gaming

CyberGhost’s ping times, at least when connected to a nearby server, are fine for lag-free online gaming.

Gaming online while connected to CyberGhost

CyberGhost keeps ping speeds low while connected to nearby servers – low enough to not impact twitchy shooters like CS:GO.

You’ll always have a certain amount of delay when communicating with an online game’s servers, and using a VPN will almost always add to it.

CyberGhost averaged a ping of just 6ms when connected to a server in the same city as us – anything under 50ms or so will be unnoticeable, even if you’re playing fast-paced games like CS:GO or Fortnite.

Price & Value

Excellent Value Plus a 45-Day Money-Back Guarantee

9.4/10
How is this calculated?

While we do assign a ‘Price & Value’ rating, it doesn’t contribute to the Overall Rating. We believe the reader should decide what is or isn’t a reasonable price.

A good rating isn’t just based on how cheap the VPN is, but for the overall value it offers.

CyberGhost offers great value for money, especially on long-term subscriptions. At $2.03 per month, it's one of the best cheap VPNs available. Its free trials and 45-day refund period are some of the most generous on the market, and you can choose to pay with Bitcoin for added privacy.

Ranked #4 out of 61 VPNs for Price & Value

CyberGhost is a very affordable VPN, especially for its quality. It offers monthly, six-month, and two-year subscription plans. As usual, the longer plans come at a heavily-discounted price:

  1. Monthly

    $12.99/mo

    Billed $12.99 each month
  2. 6 Month(s)

    $6.99/mo

    Billed $41.94 every 6 months
    Save 46%
  3. 28 Month(s)

    $2.03/mo

    Billed $56.94 the first 2 years and yearly thereafter
    Save 84%

At its cheapest, CyberGhost costs just $2.03 per month on a two-year subscription plan, including four extra months free. It’s billed $56.94 upfront, which works out 84% cheaper the standard monthly price.

This is excellent value for money. We rate CyberGhost as one of this year’s best cheap VPNs.

Its monthly rolling price is very steep compared to some competitors, though, and even more expensive than higher-rated VPNs like NordVPN and IPVanish. If you’re unsure about signing up to CyberGhost long-term, we’d advise you just use its money-back guarantee as a trial instead.

Payment & Refund Options

CyberGhost accepts payment via these methods:

  1. American Express
  2. Bitcoin
  3. Mastercard
  4. PayPal
  5. Visa

This is a good range of payment options, similar to most leading VPN services.

Being able to pay with Bitcoin is an added bonus if you want an extra layer of anonymity.

CyberGhost technically accepts cash payments, too. However they are limited to Germany, Switzerland, and Austria where retailers like Amazon, MediaMarkt, and Saturn process cash transactions.

CyberGhost’s 45-Day Money-Back Guarantee

CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee on subscription plans longer than six months. The refund guarantee on the one-month plan is only 14 days.

Refund requests are processed within five to 10 working days. It’s a “no questions asked” refund promise, so there are no hidden catches or restrictions.

If you buy CyberGhost from the iOS store, you can only claim your money-back from Apple.

CyberGhost Has the Best Free Trial of Any Top VPN

CyberGhost no longer offers a free version, other than its limited browser extension.

Instead, it offers a 24-hour free trial on desktops and laptops, a seven-day free trial on iPhone or iPad, and a three-day trial on Android devices.

You can even combine these free trial periods with the VPN’s 45-day refund guarantee to use CyberGhost for free for over 50 days.

It’s also the only worthwhile VPN free trial that doesn’t require any payment details. Combined, these facts secure its place as the top VPN free trial of 2024.

For a simple, step-by-step walkthrough on how to sign up, see our guide on how to get a CyberGhost free trial.

Privacy & Logging Policy

CyberGhost Is Private & Safe

8.6/10
How is this calculated?

We analyze and dissect the VPN service’s logging and privacy policy. A VPN should never log and store:

  • Your real IP address
  • Connection timestamps
  • DNS requests

Headquarters outside of 14 Eyes or EU jurisdictions are also preferable.

CyberGhost’s logging policy isn't strictly zero-logs, but doesn’t collect anything that could identify you. All it logs is aggregated information about how many people are successfully connecting to CyberGhost servers - as proven by third-party audit. Quarterly transparency reports increase our trust in the service.

Ranked #18 out of 61 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy

Here’s a table outlining the information that CyberGhost does and does not log:

Data TypeLogged by CyberGhost VPN
Account InformationYes
Browsing ActivityNo
Date of Last ConnectionYes
Device InformationYes
DNS QueriesNo
Individual Bandwidth UsageNo
Individual Connection TimestampsNo
ISPNo
Number of Simultaneous ConnectionsNo
Originating IP AddressNo
VPN Server IPNo
VPN Server LocationNo

You can read CyberGhost’s full privacy policy on its website.

According to CyberGhost’s privacy policy, the VPN only logs anonymous connection data for statistical purposes.

This anonymous connection data is aggregated, anonymized, and cannot be traced back to you.

Many popular VPNs collect aggregated connection logs, and CyberGhost is no different. While the service is very private, if you insist upon a 100% no-logs VPN then read our Private Internet Access review.

Nevertheless, CyberGhost VPN does not keep logs of user web activity. It won’t log your real IP address, the servers you used, or your web browsing history.

CyberGhost’s Transparency Reports

CyberGhost publishes a quarterly transparency report listing the number of legal requests and DMCA complaints it receives. This used to be annual, which is already a rarity in the VPN industry, but in 2019 it increased the frequency.

The company also commissioned an independent audit on its security practices in 2012. The security audit came back clean.

CyberGhost's audit details

Audits can never be 100% exhaustive, but we’re still reassured by the results.

We’ve been wanting to see an independent audit of CyberGhost’s logging practices since we began reviewing and monitoring the service, so we were pleased when, in 2022, CyberGhost commissioned an audit of its logging practices by Deloitte. If you’re a CyberGhost subscriber you can even read the whole thing in full. It confirmed:

Server configurations align with internal privacy policies and are not designed to identify users or pinpoint their activities

We applaud this level of transparency. However, CyberGhost also states:

Excerpts from the report cannot be shared with the audience, in order to ensure none of the audit results are taken out of context and misunderstood.

In the effort for 100% transparency, redactions like these worry us. But we remain convinced that CyberGhost is very private.

CyberGhost Is Based in Romania

Cyberghost is incorporated as CyberGhost S.A. in Bucharest, Romania.

Romania is in the EU, but it’s the only member state to have successfully said “no” to the EU’s aggressive Data Retention Directive that commits to the widespread collection of personal data.

Screenshot of the Constitutional Court of Romania’s (CCR) decision

Screenshot of the Constitutional Court of Romania’s (CCR) decision

While Romanian authorities may still collect citizens’ online data, this is under specific and legitimate circumstances, as opposed to the indiscriminate collection of data we see in other member states.

For added peace of mind, CyberGhost doesn’t collect personal web logs therefore there is no internet data to be handed over anyway.

Crossrider Controversy

CyberGhost was released in 2011 as a free VPN by German tech entrepreneur Robert Knapp. In 2017, Crossrider Group acquired the VPN company.

Crossrider operated mobile ad platforms and a browser extension development platform. The latter allowed developers to create cross-browser add-ons and monetize them through ad injection techniques.

One of these techniques bundles a ‘Crossrider’ adware PUP (potentially unwanted program) with other software. Once installed, the PUP would serve unwanted advertisements via an internet user’s web browser(s).

Ad injection is not only intrusive but, if misused, potentially unsafe. Some developers may have in fact abused Crossriders’ capabilities for malicious purposes.

Below is a screenshot from a Malwarebytes report into Crossrider PUPs:

Screenshot taken from Malwarebytes’ investigation into Crossrider

Screenshot taken from Malwarebytes’ investigation into Crossrider

Kape’s Commitment to Privacy

Crossrider shut its ad platforms in 2016, prior to acquiring CyberGhost. The company then re-branded to Kape Technologies in 2018.

Since 2017, the company has focused on global privacy and security activities. After CyberGhost, Kape also acquired popular VPN services Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN.

We feel that Kape has made a dedicated effort to user privacy and have seen no real reason for you to not trust CyberGhost.

Server Locations

A Secure & Extensive Server Network

9.9/10
How is this calculated?

The key factor for calculating this rating is the global spread and coverage of the VPN’s server network.

We also consider the total number of servers, the number of city-level servers, and the number of IP addresses available.

CyberGhost has servers in 100 countries, almost as many as ExpressVPN. It's one of the largest VPN networks, with a mix of physically-located and virtual servers locations. Its NoSpy servers are handled by CyberGhost directly and provide an extra layer of privacy.

Ranked #1 out of 61 VPNs for Server Locations

Globe with a blue flag
100 Countries
Image of a city landscape
117 Cities
Image of a pink marker
12,000+ IP Addresses

Currently, only Private Internet Access has more servers than CyberGhost. Here’s how CyberGhost’s server locations are distributed:

Continent Number of Countries
Europe 45
Asia 28
South America 9
North America 8
Africa 6
Oceania 2

There are 126 specific locations available across these 100 countries, giving you a great choice of server locations around the world.

CyberGhost’s City-Level Choices

You have a choice of servers in multiple cities in the following countries:

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Romania
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • UK
  • US

The total number of servers in Australia recently increased to 213. The service also added new servers in New Zealand, with 13 in Auckland alone.

CyberGhost’s server list highlights which servers support P2P traffic, as well as which server locations are virtual or physical.

CyberGhost Server List on macOS

The desktop apps display server loads, which is helpful to find less congested servers. It’s rare to see server loads over 50%, so you’re unlikely to experience slow speeds due to congestion.

Currently only 30 countries use virtual server locations, while the remainder are all physical – that’s pretty impressive on a network as large as CyberGhost’s. In our opinion it’s a necessary price to pay to get such an even spread of servers in countries all around the world, particularly in regions often neglected like the Middle East and Africa.

CyberGhost Has Many Server Types

In addition to typical VPN servers, CyberGhost offers several other server types, optimized for certain activities.

These server types include:

  • NoSpy
  • P2P Optimized
  • Static IP Address
  • Streaming Optimized
  • Token-based Dedicated IP

Static IP Addresses

Usually, VPN apps assign dynamic IP addresses. This means you are given a random IP each time you connect.

By contrast, a static IP address server assigns you the same IP address every time you connect. This can improve accessing geo-restricted web content, as traffic patterns will appear more ‘normal.’ But, using the same IP address carries some privacy risks.

Dedicated IP Addresses

To get around the privacy risks of static IP addresses, CyberGhost developed a token-based dedicated IP system.

The system is made for internet users who want to use the same IP address, often to access IP-restricted networks.

Dedicated IPs are also ideal for avoiding possible IP bans, or regular Captchas, due to other users’ behavior.

When you redeem a Dedicated IP token, CyberGhost won’t know its details. Therefore, it can’t link your account to any specific IP address.

These token-based dedicated IPs do cost extra, and are only available in the below locations:

  • Canada (Montreal)
  • France (Paris)
  • Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt)
  • UK (London, Manchester)
  • US (Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York)
CyberGhost Dedicated IP Address Sign Up

CyberGhost’s token-based dedicated IP feature preserves anonymity better than most rival services.

NoSpy Servers

NoSpy servers are also an optional extra. These servers are owned by CyberGhost in a private data center in Romania.

The VPN’s NoSpy servers use top-shelf hardware, dedicated uplinks and come with bigger bandwidth for better speeds.

Virtual Server Locations

CyberGhost marks 60 of its server locations as “physically located.” These servers are physical machines in the country you’re connecting to.

The remaining are virtual server locations. These servers assign the IP address of a specific country, but are physically located elsewhere.

Virtual server locations can provide access to countries in which it’s difficult to obtain a physical server. However, speeds can be slower if the physical machine is much further away from your real location.

CyberGhost server locations and designations

CyberGhost is far more transparent about the nature of its servers than most VPNs.

We want to see CyberGhost to go one step further and disclose where the servers that make the virtual servers locations are physically located, like ExpressVPN does.

CyberGhost Doesn’t Own All Its Servers

While CyberGhost owns some of its servers, it also operates third-party ones, which is common among VPN companies.

A well-maintained self-owned server network can have great privacy benefits, as we cover in our IPVanish review.

Security & Technical Features

Cyberghost Offers Solid Privacy & Security Features

9.5/10
How is this calculated?

A secure VPN must offer OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a working kill switch.

To calculate this rating, we also factor in additional security settings and features.

Cyberghost is a safe VPN service with strong security credentials, including trusted connection protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a range of leak protection tools. Its options aren’t quite as advanced as competitors like NordVPN, but it does a good job encrypting data and hiding your online activity.

Ranked #5 out of 61 VPNs for Security & Technical Features

In the table below, you can see which encryption ciphers, connection protocols, and additional security features CyberGhost uses:

ProtocolsAvailable in CyberGhost VPN
IKEv2/IPSecYes
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)Yes
WireGuardYes
EncryptionAvailable in CyberGhost VPN
AES-128No
AES-192No
AES-256Yes
BlowfishNo
ChaCha20Yes
SecurityAvailable in CyberGhost VPN
Diskless ServersNo
DNS Leak BlockingYes
First-party DNSYes
IPv6 Leak BlockingYes
Supports TCP Port 443No
VPN Kill SwitchYes
WebRTC Leak BlockingNo
Advanced FeaturesAvailable in CyberGhost VPN
Ad BlockerYes
Dedicated IPYes
Double VPNNo
SOCKSNo
Split TunnelingYes
Static IPNo
Tor over VPN ServerYes
Tracker BlockerYes

CyberGhost masks your IP address effectively using popular and reliable VPN protocols, and protects your internet traffic with 256-bit encryption.

Your IP address is never exposed thanks to a working kill switch, as well as IP and DNS leak protection. However, our kill switch testing revealed that CyberGhost’s kill switch does not protect your true IP address when you change servers.

Make sure that you aren’t in the middle of transferring any sensitive data when switching between servers.

CyberGhost Uses Secure VPN Protocols

CyberGhost’s apps use WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. For OpenVPN, you also have a choice between TCP and UDP connections.

CyberGhost Protocol Selection

CyberGhost has its most diverse selection of protocols on Windows.

A Wide Range of Security Tools

In addition to built-in IP leak protection, CyberGhost provides an impressive range of advanced security features: a malicious URL filter to block malware, automated HTTPS redirection, an ad and tracker blocker, and split tunneling.

All these privacy and security features are included in the standard CyberGhost subscription.

CyberGhost Connection Features on iOS

CyberGhost’s connection features.

The “force HTTPS” function redirects insecure URLs to HTTPS versions. CyberGhost is one of the very few VPNs to offer this feature.

Split tunneling is available on the Windows and Android apps. This lets you pick the applications to put through the VPN connection. It’s currently not available on CyberGhost’s macOS client.

CyberGhost’s mobile and Mac apps are secure, but they have less security features than the Windows client. We’ll cover these in detail later on in this review.

Below is a summary of the extra security and privacy tools you get with CyberGhost:

  • Wi-Fi Protection: Specify which WiFi networks are safe to connect to automatically.
  • Ad Block: Built-in ad-blocker that blocks in-browser and in-app ads.
  • Malicious Content Filter: Blocks potentially harmful websites before you access them.
  • Tracker Blocking: Blocks web tracking attempts from websites and services.
  • Automated HTTPS Redirect: Secures HTTP web pages with HTTPS encryption.
  • Exceptions: This is CyberGhost’s name for split tunneling. Choose which apps and programs to exclude from VPN protection.
  • App Protection: CyberGhost automatically connects if you open any apps added to this feature.
  • Kill Switch: Automatically interrupts your internet connection if the VPN drops (enabled by default).

This is a nice mixture of common and vital features alongside some that are less popular and more of a bonus. If you’re intimidated as a new user then you can just ignore the majority of them, but if you really like to go hands-on with your VPN and customize the experience then CyberGhost’s array of tools is impressive.

CyberGhost Private Browser

CyberGhost has also developed its own free Private Browser that runs off DuckDuckGo.

The browser has a built-in proxy extension, an ad and malware blocker, and a one-click deletion of browsing data.

CyberGhost Doesn’t Leak IP or DNS Data

We also tested CyberGhost’s apps for IP and DNS data leaks. We used our VPN leak test tool to confirm CyberGhost does not leak IP, WebRTC, or DNS credentials.

CyberGhost successful leak test on browserleaks.com

CyberGhost did not leak our IP or DNS addresses while connected.

CyberGhost Struggles with IPv6

If the router you plan to use CyberGhost with assigns you an IPv6 address, you may want to consider another VPN.

It’s not uncommon for VPNs to provide unorthodox workarounds for IPv6, such as blocking IPv6 connections altogether, but CyberGhost often simply doesn’t work with it.

We found that the CyberGhost app often won’t even start up properly if you’re on an IPv6 connection. It also doesn’t provide any Smart DNS configurations for IPv6.

This isn’t a deal breaker if you can simply disable your IPv6 connection, but if you can’t it actually makes CyberGhost unusable. CyberGhost has no help addressing this issue, leaving less tech-savvy users with a broken app and no idea why. To find out what type of IP address your device uses, try our IP checker tool.

CyberGhost Android App Permission Analysis

Running CyberGhost’s Android app through the εxodus tool, we verified it mostly contains standard usability trackers. This allows the company to quickly address serious bugs and crashes. It recently reduced the number of trackers present from seven to three, which is a great improvement.

These trackers include:

  • AppsFlyer
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Tag Manager
CyberGhost's results in the exodus app tracker tool

CyberGhost has cut down on its number of trackers and permissions, but it can still do better.

These apps are standard analytics tools used by developers, and we have no issue with them being present – some of the worst VPNs contain upwards of 28.

On the flip side, ExpressVPN and Astrill contain only two and zero trackers, respectively.

Some of the Android permissions we found in CyberGhost’s Android app initially concerned us a little more, though.

It has the ability to access your location via your GPS and network information. This permission is considered ‘dangerous’ or ‘special’ according to Google’s protection levels.

But this isn’t uncommon in VPN apps, and CyberGhost clarified to us that users are asked to grant access to this information only when using the WiFi protection feature. You can refuse and the app will still work.

CyberGhost Browser Extension Securely Encrypts Traffic

We tested both the main CyberGhost app as well as its Chrome browser extension to see if it effectively encrypted our traffic.

The results were all positive: using the Wireshark packet sniffing tool we can see that CyberGhost and its browser extension both work to obfuscate all the sensitive data traveling to and from your device:

The Wireshark packet sniffing tool examining CyberGhost encrypted traffic

The string of nonsense characters you can see here is proof that CyberGhost is correctly encrypting web traffic.

Virus & Malware Checks

Finally, we ran the CyberGhost installer through a malware test to ensure it doesn’t contain viruses.

The software came back completely clean, as you can see from the screenshot below:

CyberGhost contains no malware.

Bypassing Web Censorship

CyberGhost doesn’t work in China

8.0/10
How is this calculated?

We routinely test if the VPN can bypass strict internet restrictions in China using our remote-access server in Shanghai.

Other important factors we consider include obfuscation technologies and the availability of servers in neighboring countries (for faster connections).

CyberGhost has no obfuscation technology, so it's incapable of bypassing strict censorship in countries like China. It's also unreliable in Iran and the UAE. But there are reports of success in Turkey and it has recently invested in Russian servers.

Ranked #9 out of 61 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship

CyberGhost doesn’t work in heavily-censored countries like China. This is partly because it doesn’t come with VPN obfuscation technology.

Obfuscation disguises VPN traffic to make it appear like ‘normal’ browsing to web censors. This helps bypass internet blocks in countries where VPN usage is restricted or illegal.

However, users report that CyberGhost has been working, inconsistently, in Turkey for the past year.

Furthermore, CyberGhost has also added a number of servers in Russia to help beat blocks there, although there are far better VPNs for Russia to choose from.

Device & OS Compatibility

Full Suite of Apps, Plus Smart DNS & Browser Extensions

How is this rated?

A high-quality VPN should maintain functional, fully-featured applications and browser extensions for as many platforms and devices as possible.

Our ‘Device & OS Compatibility’ assessment contributes to the Ease of Use rating.

CyberGhost is available on all the most popular platforms and devices, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. You can also use it on Android TV, Linux, or manually install it on your router for home-wide protection. Useful browser extensions are available for Chrome and Firefox, too.

Apps

CyberGhost is one of the most widely-compatible VPN services available. It has custom apps for the following devices:

  1. Windows
  2. Mac
  3. iOS
  4. Android
  5. Linux
  6. Router

Here’s a quick summary of the key differences between the apps on each platform:

Compatible with Many Router Models

CyberGhost VPN is compatible with Raspberry Pi, Synology NAS, and VU+ Solo 2 routers. There are helpful guides on the CyberGhost website to manually setup the VPN on these routers.

The VPN also works on DD-WRT, TomatoUSB and Merlin-Built routers.

Seven Devices per Subscription

CyberGhost lets you install its VPN apps on up to seven devices at once.

Once you go above the seven device limit, you’ll be asked to remove one device from your account.

Some VPNs will let you sign in to the app on as many devices as you like, but restrict how many can be connected at once. However, CyberGhost’s limit applies to simultaneous installs, not just simultaneous connections.

Games Consoles & Streaming Devices

CyberGhost also caters to users of the following consoles and devices:

  1. Apple TV
  2. Amazon Fire TV
  3. Android TV
  4. Chromecast
  5. Nintendo
  6. PlayStation
  7. Roku
  8. Xbox

While you can’t use CyberGhost (or any VPN) directly on the devices above, you can use its Smart DNS configurations. While these won’t encrypt your device’s traffic, they can unblock streaming services from around the world – CyberGhost has specific Smart DNS configurations for:

  • Hulu US streaming
  • Netflix UK streaming
  • Netflix US streaming
  • General Germany geolocation
  • General Japan geolocation
  • General Netherlands geolocation
  • General UK geolocation
  • General US geolocation

Browser Extensions

CyberGhost’s browser extension is available on:

  1. Chrome
  2. Firefox

These extensions are entirely free, hide your IP address, and sometimes work to unblock geo-restricted content.

However, these VPN browser extensions are very limited compared to CyberGhost’s full VPN service.

The add-ons only access servers in four countries: Germany, Netherlands, Romania, and the United States. This is fine for a free add-on, but substantially inferior to the paid apps.

Unlike ExpressVPN, CyberGhost’s browser extensions are proxies, not VPNs. Extensions only protect browser traffic, and not all your device’s web connections.

Here’s a table detailing the differences between CyberGhost’s browser extensions and full VPN applications:

In short, there are better VPNs for Chrome and Firefox addons for you to use.

Ease of Use

CyberGhost's Apps Are Easy to Use

9.5/10
How is this calculated?

This rating mainly consists of the user-friendliness and intuitiveness of setting up and regularly using the VPN.

We also factor in customization settings, as well as device and OS compatibility (see section above).

One of CyberGhost's biggest strengths is how easy to use and understand it is. Everything is simple and clearly labeled. We've experienced some minor bugs over the many years we've been testing it, but it’s generally a great experience on all platforms.

Ranked #3 out of 61 VPNs for Ease of Use

Becoming a CyberGhost user is a straightforward process. Signup is simple, with only a few options to choose from – it took us no more than a couple of minutes. From there, you just download the app on the device you’re using and log in.

Here’s an overview of our experience testing CyberGhost on different devices and platforms:

Desktop & Laptop: Windows & Mac

At a glance, CyberGhost’s Windows and macOS apps look virtually identical — it’s the advanced settings where they really differ.

CyberGhost's apps for Windows and macOS

Both versions of the desktop app have two different views: a compact view and a windowed view. The compact view shows you fewer options and is designed for when you just want to quickly connect or disconnect from a server – on Mac it drops down from the menu bar, while on Windows it pops up from the taskbar.

This can be helpful, but there’s a chance that first-time users may not be aware that they’re missing out on the full app – make sure you click the arrow button to expand to the full view.

It’s here that the differences start to appear. CyberGhost lists its different specialized servers in the left-hand menu. On Windows you can see servers for torrenting, streaming, gaming, plus dedicated IP and NoSpy options. On Mac, gaming and NoSpy options are missing.

You can still connect to those servers by browsing to their location manually, but there’s no way for Mac users to know which ones they are without stumbling across them by accident or having the Windows app to cross-reference with.

In the Settings menu, CyberGhost for Windows has toggles for DNS leak prevention and a kill switch that aren’t there on macOS. After some testing, though, we can confirm that those options are simply always enabled on Mac.

It’s disappointing there is no OpenVPN option on macOS. While WireGuard is a worthy replacement, we still like to see the option. To use OpenVPN on Mac, instead of IKEv2 or WireGuard, you have to use external software like Tunnelblick.

You can find full instructions on configuring OpenVPN for Mac here.

Mobile Apps: Android & iOS

CyberGhost’s mobile apps are as simple as it gets. The home screen is just a big connect button with a server selection menu beneath it – you can’t really go wrong here.

The only difference on the home screens are your hidden IP address on Android and the name of your WiFi network on iOS.

CyberGhost's apps for Android and iOS

Differences between the two platforms only emerge when you dive into the advanced settings.

On iOS, there are options for a dedicated IP, domain fronting, and a connection checker. On Android, there’s additional options for split tunneling, an ad and tracker blocker, and protection against malicious websites.

Both mobile apps give you the option to adjust settings for specific networks. This way the VPN will know how to behave at home, school or work, or on public WiFi.

CyberGhost really feels at its best on mobile. It’s so straightforward to use and works so smoothly, even compared to its desktop version, that we think it’s a great choice if you primarily use a VPN on your smartphone.

Linux App

If you’re a Linux user we cannot recommend CyberGhost. It works just fine – the issue is that it still uses a command line interface (CLI) instead of a graphical user interface (GUI).

Cyberghost's app for Linux

That means that you control it entirely through the Terminal using command prompts. It’s so disappointing to see a VPN as popular as CyberGhost still doing this in 2024. It’s not the only big-name VPN still doing it, but rivals like Private Internet Access and Proton VPN offer excellent, fully-featured Linux VPN experiences with no compromises.

Fire TV & Android TV Apps

Plenty of VPNs struggle with their streaming device apps, but we actually really like using CyberGhost on both our Amazon Fire TV Stick and our Chromecast.

CyberGhost looks a lot like its desktop app on Firestick, and there’s a surprising array of options hidden behind that settings cog.

CyberGhost Fire TV Stick Aop

CyberGhost’s Fire TV Stick app.

It’s simple and clearly laid out, and it even has a ‘Streaming’ tab where you can see servers sorted by which streaming service they unblock. They don’t always work, but it’s still a helpful feature a lot of the time.

Smart DNS

Smart DNS allows you to unblock specific streaming services on platforms that don’t have the ability to support VPNs, like your games console or Roku.

CyberGhost's Smart DNS setup section

Being able to select a platform and purpose seems nice at a glance, but the DNS addresses actually remain the same regardless of what option you choose. The Netflix UK address, for example, is the same in all five tabs.

Using CyberGhost’s ‘My Smart DNS’ is as simple as logging into your account, noting down the IP address of the DNS server you need, and then entering it into the DNS server field of your streaming device of choice.

Whether or not the service actually works is another matter – we’ve found CyberGhost’s Smart DNS to be very inconsistent in our testing, but it’s at least very easy to set up.

Browser Extensions

CyberGhost’s browser extension is as simple as it gets: a connect button and four servers to choose between in a dropdown menu. There’s nothing else you can do with it, but that’s fine — for an entirely free offering it’s perfectly acceptable.

Cyberghost's browser extension for Google Chrome

Customer Support

Well-Informed 24/7 Customer Support

9.5/10
How is this calculated?

This rating is based on our assessment of the VPN’s:

  • Live chat support
  • Email support
  • Online resources

Not every VPN offers all these support options, and they often vary in quality and response times.

We can hardly fault CyberGhost's customer support – it's excellent. You can email the company with inquiries and requests for assistance or get immediate responses by using the 24/7 live chat feature. We've always received helpful and polite help.

Ranked #4 out of 61 VPNs for Customer Support

Here’s the availability of CyberGhost’s customer support:

Customer SupportAvailable in CyberGhost VPN
24/7 Email SupportYes
24/7 Live Chat SupportYes
ChatbotNo
Email Support via Online FormNo
Online ResourcesYes
Tutorial VideosNo

CyberGhost offers excellent customer service. With 24/7 live chat and email support, and detailed online resources, you’ll find solutions to most issues.

You can access live chat in the bottom-right corner of the CyberGhost website. Type in your problem and related support posts will pop up. If you still can’t resolve your issue, you can always chat with a live agent.

The live agents respond promptly and usually answer question in seconds:

The agents are well-informed and the online resources are available in English, French, German, and Romanian.