CyberGhost VPN Review & Test 2019 - Are the Rumors True?

CyberGhost (with its top-secret hidden discount page) calls itself a "truly complete VPN solution". I put the service to the test and examined CyberGhost and the rumors surrounding it.

I'm based in Australia, so my local internet is both slower and subject to more censorship than countries like the US. I've tested lots of services to find a VPN that will give me unrestricted internet access without slowing me down, and CyberGhost impressed me. I especially liked the dedicated "For torrenting" tab and detailed list of specialty servers: Australia has tough anti-piracy laws, so a secure VPN is the only way to torrent safely.

At face value, CyberGhost looks like a solid choice. It has 6000+ servers in 90+ countries, uses best-in-class 256-bit encryption, and offers dedicated streaming and torrenting profiles. It also has a built-in ad, malware, and tracking blockers and an ironclad no-logging policy for guaranteed protection.

Let’s take an in-depth look at CyberGhost's features and policies to find out if this is the best VPN for you.

CyberGhostVPN: Are the Rumors True?

Savvy VPN users will have heard rumors that CyberGhost cross-prices itself. If you go directly to their site, you'll see different prices than the special hidden discounts that are only offered to clients who bargain with them. The rumors are true. On this page, you can see the very best CyberGhost deals available.

Streaming - Does CyberGhost Work with Netflix?

Yes. Although I had trouble initially, I could stream Netflix with CyberGhost. I didn’t notice any speed reduction when I connected to CyberGhost’s US server. This is impressive considering my data had to travel halfway around the world.

CyberGhost operates optimized servers for different streaming services. The “for streaming” tab in the app lets you select the service you want to access, and connects you to the corresponding server.

When I typed the service I wished to use into the search bar, I was able to select the server I wanted to use from a drop-down list.

Although this process is easy, I’d love to see CyberGhost take it one step further by incorporating an auto-select feature similar to NordVPN’s Smart Select.

CyberGhost Can Stream:

• Netflix US: Yes. Although I couldn’t connect using CyberGhost’s Netflix-optimized server, I could stream using a different US-based server.
• Hulu: Yes. I had no issues streaming Hulu with CyberGhost.
• HBO GO: Yes. CyberGhost doesn’t offer an HBO-optimized server. However, its Hulu-optimized server also allowed me to stream HBO GO.
• BBC iPlayer: Yes. CyberGhost’s BBC-optimized server bypassed iPlayer’s geoblocks.

Start Streaming with CyberGhost!

CyberGhost Speeds

High-speed connections are crucial when you’re choosing a VPN. Bad VPNs can slow your connection.

As part of my analysis, I tested CyberGhost’s speeds while connected to a local server and to a US server.

My base speed before I connected to a VPN was 10.93 Mbps download and 0.77 Mbps upload with a ping of 22 ms. For Australia, that’s pretty fast! I was interested in finding out whether CyberGhost could improve my connection speed. I also wanted to find out how much my speed decreased when I connected to a US server.

I connected to the best available server for my location. This was automatically chosen by CyberGhost based on my physical location and its available Australian servers.

CyberGhost actually increased my connection speed to 11.48 Mbps download. My ping also increased, but it was still very low.

I then connected to CyberGhost’s Netflix-optimized server in the US.

Although the ping jumped to 212, I didn’t notice a difference in my load times. My download speed dropped to 3.81 Mbps. Considering the distance my data had to travel to reach the US server, this is an impressive result.

There are many factors that can affect your connection speeds, including your original connection speed without using a VPN, the quality of your infrastructure, your location, and your network’s traffic.

To ensure the best speeds, CyberGhost offers a Data Compression feature that compresses images and other elements to reduce your data usage and increase your load times.

With all of this considered, CyberGhost provided some impressive speeds. However, if finding the fastest VPN is your #1 priority, check out ExpressVPN.

Is CyberGhost Good for Torrenting?

CyberGhost offers a dedicated torrenting profile with servers in multiple countries that are optimized for torrenting. It lets you see how many users are connected to each server at any time. This means you can choose a server with fewer users, ensuring better download speeds. CyberGhost also offers port forwarding so you can safely upload files.

Start Torrenting with CyberGhost!

Security - Is CyberGhost Safe?

CyberGhost offers industry-leading security features. They include 256-bit encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and an automatic kill switch.

CyberGhost’s safety was questioned following their acquisition by Kape Technologies, an Israeli ad tech company that was previously accused of hiding malware software bundles. Users were worried that CyberGhost's new parent company could compromise their safety.

However, CyberGhost has proven that they take their users’ privacy seriously. The company publishes an annual transparency report, reinforcing its reputation as an open, honest, and trustworthy VPN provider.

Does CyberGhost Keep Logs?

CyberGhost is based in Romania, which is not part of the 14-Eyes Alliance. The company offers a strong zero-logging policy, meaning it doesn't record or store any information about your browsing activity.

While most VPNs claim to be log-free, CyberGhost offers almost unprecedented levels of transparency. Its privacy policy is transparent about the details that it does retain about its customers. This is very normal for a VPN, and you won’t find a service that doesn’t keep this kind of information.

Does CyberGhost Have an Adblocker?

Yes. You can turn it on in the “Connection features” tab in your app. It prevents you from being bombarded with ads while you’re browsing or streaming.

Malware Blocker

Many of the websites you visit contain harmful files or viruses. CyberGhost’s malware blocker checks each website you visit against a database of dangerous sites. This enables the app to filter and block malicious websites before they can harm your device.

Does CyberGhost Work in China?

Unfortunately, CyberGhost does not work in China.

NoSpy Servers

CyberGhost offers an optional NoSpy Server package. Based in a private data center at the company's Romanian headquarters, the servers were built and are maintained by a dedicated team of CyberGhost staff.

The NoSpy servers offer premium hardware, dedicated uplinks, and bigger bandwidth for better speeds. They keep users even safer, and are ideal for added protection when torrenting.

Price and Value for Money

Does CyberGhost Have a Free Version?

CyberGhost offers a 24-hour free trial, so you can test out the service before committing to a subscription. The free trial includes all the features included in the paid version, so you can test its unblocking, streaming, and torrenting capabilities for yourself.

CyberGhost’s Refund Policy

CyberGhost backs all of its plans with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee. If for any reason the service doesn’t match your needs, you can request a refund through its live chat service during this period.

Is CyberGhost Compatible with My Device?

CyberGhost is compatible with most platforms.

It offers native apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Android TV, and Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, as well as browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.

It also offers comprehensive installation guides for routers, Linux, Raspberry Pi, Synology NAS, VU+ Solo 2, and Chrome OS.

Best of all, you can connect to up to 7 devices simultaneously on one account.

Encryption and Other Safety Features

CyberGhost’s AES 256-bit encryption guarantees you the highest level of data protection available. To put it in perspective, 50 supercomputers that could check a billion billion AES keys per second would require 3×10^51 years to crack a single piece of data. So, even if a hacker did intercept your information, they wouldn’t be able to read it.

CyberGhost is compatible with Tor browser. The site's support section shows users how to configure CyberGhost with Tor, and warns that it may slow your connection speeds.

Automated HTTPS Redirect

Their automated HTTPS redirect feature forces your connection to connect to the most secure version of every website you visit. This stops you from accidentally stumbling upon unsafe sites and phishing scams.

Online Tracking Blocker

Sites track your online behavior so they can show you content or ads that will make you act in their favor.

CyberGhost’s tracking blocker scans the website you are visiting for tracking codes and blocks them. This allows you to browse the internet anonymously without your activity being monitored.

CyberGhost Customer Service

Customer service isn’t one of CyberGhost’s strong points.

When I had trouble connecting to its Netflix-optimized server, I used its live chat feature to resolve my issue. I received a response from a chat support agent straight away, but we had communication problems.

The first time I asked my question, the agent replied with some general information about CyberGhost’s features that didn’t relate to my issue.

I asked my question again, and, this time, the agent responded with relevant information, but it was poorly explained. If I were a brand-new VPN user, this information would have been far too technical for me to understand.

I was also disappointed that the agent didn’t use full sentences, capitals, or punctuation. This made their response seem very unprofessional. If CyberGhost worked on its customer service and gave adequate training to its support agents, I think it would be an almost perfect service.

However, as it stands, this isn’t the right VPN for you if you value professional customer support.

As well as live chat, CyberGhost also offers detailed installation and user guides for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire OS, Kodi media centers, game consoles, routers, and other devices. They also provide troubleshooting guides and a detailed FAQ page.

User Experience and Features

CyberGhost’s intuitive interface is clean and easy to use making it perfect for beginners.

It also offers a set of advanced features for more experienced VPN users.

Its layout makes it simple to find and configure your connection features.

In the Smart Rules window, you can customize your protection by specifying a set of connection rules.

For example, you can set a rule to auto-connect on startup, or specify if you want the app to: “Ignore,” “Ask me what to do,” or “Always connect to” specific Wi-Fi networks.

When you’re ready to connect, you have two options: you can choose a server manually, or let CyberGhost connect you to the best available server. This will almost always be the server closest to your physical location. So, if you’re using your VPN to bypass geoblocks, you’ll need to choose a server manually.

Overall, this is a really great app to use. It mixes functionality with simplicity, and the final result is, quite possibly, the best VPN app available.

Conclusion

Having thoroughly tested CyberGhost, I'm happy to recommend the service. It packs all the features you need in a quality VPN for everyday use.

Its app is one of the best available, especially if you’re a beginner. It’s reasonably priced, with some great discounts on longer subscriptions. Its security features are world class, and it's proven itself to be a reliable, transparent VPN with a strong no-logs policy.

It also works with Netflix, has dedicated streaming and torrenting profiles, is compatible with Tor, and boasts an easy-to-use, user-friendly interface.

It passed almost all the tests I put it through. Aside from being easy-to-use, it’s lightning fast. When I connected to a local server, it even increased my connection speed.

Unfortunately, its customer support was a huge letdown. I would have liked to see my issue handled with more professionalism, and it was frustrating to have to ask my question twice to get an appropriate response.

If you’re looking to invest in a VPN for streaming, torrenting, or just browsing, CyberGhost is an excellent choice.

Pros:

• Automatic kill switch
• High speeds
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Over 6000+ servers worldwide
• 45-day money-back guarantee
• Customer support: live chat or ticket
• Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux
• Strict no-logs policy, based in Romania
• 256-bit AES encryption
• Simultaneous connections on up to 7 devices
• DNS and IP leak protection
• OpenVPN, L2TP-IPSec, and PPTP protocols

Cons:

• The response from submitting a ticket takes a bit longer than average wait times
• Purchasing a one-month plan costs more than single-month subscriptions from other top providers.

Still not sure? You can always try CyberGhost risk-free using their 24-hour free trial or 45-day money-back guarantee, to see if it’s the right VPN for you.