CyberGhost VPN Review 2024: Safe, But Is It Any Good?

They say you get what you pay for, but CyberGhost offers low prices and still claims to be one of the best. Subscriptions come as low as $2.19/month, so that much can’t be debated. But, can it really compete with its top-ranking competitors while charging so little?

Over the course of several weeks, we put CyberGhost through an extensive evaluation. We analyzed its privacy policy, stress-tested its global server network, measured its speeds, and explored its streaming and torrenting capabilities. Plus, I tested out all of its security features, went back and forth with customer support, and found out how well it works on the most popular devices.

After our tests, I believe CyberGhost checks all the essential boxes for a top-tier VPN, despite its low price point. There are actually only a few categories where it’s not the outright best. It also offers a generous 45-day money-back guarantee with its longer plans. After testing it myself, I can say it’s trustworthy. It only took a few minutes to get approved, and all my money was returned in 3 days.

Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.Try CyberGhost Risk-Free >>

CyberGhost is one of the best VPNs for streaming and can safely access content from anywhere. When we put it to the test, my global team and I could securely view over 30 major streaming services.

A key reason for CyberGhost's stellar streaming performance is its network of streaming-optimized servers. CyberGhost's staff regularly tests and updates these specialized servers to ensure they work reliably with the intended platforms.

Our global team had reliable connections on every server tested

But even when using CyberGhost's regular (non-optimized) servers, my international team and I could still stream a wide range of content in good quality, including various Netflix libraries, Pluto TV, Showtime, and more.

CyberGhost can securely access the following platforms from anywhere:

Works With: 15+ Netflix Libraries (Including the US, UK, and Japan)

CyberGhost has servers optimized for over 15 Netflix libraries, making it possible to access the full regional content libraries from anywhere in HD.

In our tests, we used its specialized Netflix UK server and could watch It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia in HD with ease. The same applies to the Netflix US server.

With CyberGhost, each episode loaded within seconds

Beyond the US and UK, our team reported it also worked with Netflix libraries in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Spain, Canada, Germany, and Italy among others. The performance was reliable across the board, with the platform-specific servers delivering the best results.

We found that CyberGhost's regular servers worked well for Netflix in most cases too. The only exceptions were a few obscure regional Netflix libraries, which seemed limited to just the Netflix Originals content.

Works With: Disney+

We were also able to safely stream the Disney+ UK, US, and Italy catalog without any problems. We didn't encounter buffering or long loading times.

Both Disney-optimized and regular servers worked well with the platform

CyberGhost's virtual Hotstar India server worked just as well in our tests.

Works With: Hulu

It was easy to load Hulu and stream without interruptions using CyberGhost. The VPN's dedicated server for the platform let us stream HD content without issues.

There was no buffering as our US tester watched Under the Bridge on Hulu

Similar to our results with other popular services, we could securely watch Hulu on the very first server we connected to, whether testing on mobile apps or desktop browsers.

Works With: Amazon Prime Video

CyberGhost's performance with Amazon Prime Video was good overall, though it's worth noting that only its specialized servers delivered reliable access in high quality from anywhere. The non-optimized connections struggled with the platform or didn’t work at all due to them being detected.

Using specialized servers, we could stream from the UK, the US, Germany, and Japan libraries. Every team member had a smooth streaming experience with no issues in video quality.

The regular US server didn't work with Prime Video in our tests

Also Works With: BBC iPlayer, Max, ITV, Crunchyroll, Peacock, and YouTube TV

CyberGhost also demonstrated impressive performance with a variety of other popular services from anywhere.

For instance, we could safely stream BBC iPlayer during our tests. The streams loaded quickly, and we experienced no interruptions while watching shows like RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs the World.

The consistency carried over to other platforms that we tested as well. Whether it was Max (formerly HBO Max), Peacock TV, ITV, or Crunchyroll, CyberGhost provided seamless HD access to these services' full content libraries.

CyberGhost even handled live TV platforms with ease. When we used it for streaming sports, news, and other programs on YouTube TV, the VPN delivered a smooth and uninterrupted experience.

Doesn’t Work With: Some Netflix and DAZN Libraries

While CyberGhost worked reliably with the most popular Netflix libraries, it didn’t work with some more obscure ones. For instance, members of our global team couldn’t watch the Netflix libraries for Thailand, Argentina, and South Africa. They tried a variety of troubleshooting methods, such as switching VPN protocols and even changing browsers, but nothing worked. ExpressVPN, on the other hand, makes it possible to access Netflix Argentina and South Africa without any added delays.

It also struggled with some DAZN libraries and couldn’t access them in good quality from anywhere. For instance, while it worked with a few that our international team tested (US, Italy, Germany, and more), it didn’t with DAZN UK. We tried multiple regular UK servers since there wasn’t one optimized for DAZN UK, and all of them gave us an error message.

I tried several UK servers and none of them worked with DAZN UK

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CyberGhost’s fast speeds make it a great option for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. While testing speeds, I looked at these 3 things:

• Download speed is how fast you’ll receive data. It’s measured in megabits per second (Mbps). This lets you know how quickly you can load web pages, stream videos, etc.
• Upload speed is how fast you can send data. It’s also measured in megabits per second (Mbps). This tells you how fast you’ll be able to send emails, upload videos, post to social media, etc.
• Ping is how long your data takes to travel from point A to point B. If the ping is lower, you’ll have a more responsive connection; this is really important when you’re gaming online. It’s measured in milliseconds (ms).

We have a dedicated speed tester who conducts regular tests on CyberGhost servers over several months from the same location in the UK. This helps us create more accurate comparisons since the majority of the VPNs we review are tested with the same connection in the same geographic area. The following tests were done with the WireGuard protocol since it was the fastest.

Speeds fell 4% on nearby locations and 21% on distant ones

CyberGhost is one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, and there was only one result I’d consider slow. Most VPNs drop your speeds by 10–20% on nearby locations, and as you can see, CyberGhost blows way past those expectations. It’s also quite fast while connected to most distant locations.

However, you can’t rely on optimized servers to improve your speeds. I wouldn’t discourage you from using them for gaming, torrenting, or streaming, but our tests showed little difference between their speeds and those of the regular servers.

Local Speed

Our tester barely lost any speed at all on European servers.

I was impressed that ping rates barely raised at all

I’d consider the servers in Canada and the US to be midrange (between 4,000 and 6000km away). So, it was impressive that these also only lowered our tester’s rates by 4%.

Long-Distance Speed

Speed drops of 60% are common on distant servers, but CyberGhost never dropped our speeds that much. Compared to its competitors, CyberGhost holds up incredibly well on far-off servers, and speed drops aren’t significant until servers are over 10,000km away.

Ping rose considerably but that happens with every VPN

The only VPN I’ve found that’s consistently faster is ExpressVPN, and it’s not by much. My only minor complaint here is that you can only see the load percentage on the macOS app. This tells you how crowded the location is, and I hope this measurement is added to its other native apps eventually.

When it comes to online gaming, a fast and reliable connection is crucial for a seamless experience. CyberGhost recognizes this and has set up a network of gaming-optimized servers in strategic locations like the UK, the US, and Germany. These servers are designed to deliver low-latency performance, making it easy to find the right connection for gaming.

I put CyberGhost's gaming capabilities to the test, starting with a baseline ping of 27ms. When I connected to CyberGhost's nearby server in Berkshire, my ping only increased slightly to 30ms. The gaming-optimized London server gave me an even better 28ms ping. Connecting to a gaming server in Paris also gave me a low latency connection of 30ms.

This level of performance on nearby servers is on par with ExpressVPN, which is the fastest gaming VPN I’ve tested. The low latency on its nearby UK server allowed me to enjoy seamless sessions of Free Fire on my Android device without any lag.

My gameplay was smooth even during competitive situations

CyberGhost's gaming-optimized servers also proved their worth when I tested cloud gaming platforms. I was able to stream Stadia and GeForce Now titles with ease, as the VPN's low-ping connections ensured a responsive and lag-free experience.

However, the performance on long-distance servers was not as impressive. When I connected to CyberGhost's gaming server in New York, my ping spiked to 102ms, which resulted in some lag while playing Warzone on my PC. While this is still better than most other VPNs, I had slightly better results with providers like ExpressVPN (79ms) and NordVPN (92ms).

CyberGhost has an impressive global network of 11,690 servers in 100 countries. That’s a lot more coverage than most other top VPNs I’ve used. It means your chances of finding a fast connection are higher because there’s most likely a server close by.

I was impressed that CyberGhost has 11 server locations in the US alone, but there’s also a lot of coverage in the Asia/Pacific region, Africa and the Middle East, and Europe.

I’m also a fan of its activity-specific servers, which makes it downright easy to find the ideal connection for your needs. For instance, it has dedicated servers for streaming, torrenting, and gaming.

Virtual Locations

CyberGhost currently offers virtual servers for nearly 50 locations. Its physical locations are exactly what they sound like — servers run on machines in the city listed. But for virtual servers like Saudi Arabia, the machine is in another location that assigns you an IP address in that country.

Any location without a green checkmark under the "located" column is a virtual server

Virtual servers can help VPNs provide faster and more reliable connections in remote places. They also let them operate in countries where VPNs are banned (or are vulnerable to government interference). However, these can result in lower ping rates and download speeds if the physical machine is farther away from you than the location you want to connect to.

NoSpy Servers

CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers make the VPN more secure — but you need to be on a 6-month plan or longer to access them. The NoSpy servers are based in CyberGhost’s private data center in Romania, and only the CyberGhost team can access them. They significantly reduce the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks since there’s no third party involved — ideal for extra protection while torrenting, for example.

CyberGhost doesn’t have a multi-hop feature, but it’s not a big deal because NoSpy servers are actually better. I prefer CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers to something like Proton VPN’s Secure Core feature. This is a multi-hop feature that increases security by routing your traffic twice, but you lose a lot more speed compared to NoSpy servers, and they’re just as secure.

Even though they’re a little slower, NoSpy servers are worth it for the added security.

Dedicated IP Servers

A dedicated IP server provides you with an IP address that is exclusive to you — no one else can use it. This IP remains the same every time you connect to the VPN.

Having a dedicated IP offers several advantages. It prevents overcrowding since the IP is solely assigned to your account. This also makes it more difficult for your dedicated IP to get blocked by websites or online services. CyberGhost uses a token-based dedicated IP system, meaning the company itself doesn't know your dedicated IP. This enhances privacy and anonymity.

Remote workers can also benefit from a dedicated IP, as it allows them to bypass restrictions some companies place on untrusted IP addresses when connecting to internal networks remotely.

CyberGhost's dedicated IP servers are currently available in a limited number of countries, including the US, UK, France, and Canada. Connecting to a dedicated IP server from farther locations could result in reduced speeds compared to nearby servers.

CyberGhost VPN provides all the essential security features you'd expect from a premium VPN service. But it goes beyond the basics by including advanced measures like Wi-Fi protection, the ability to use random ports to bypass restrictions, and malware blocking — features not commonly found in other VPNs.

Overall, CyberGhost is one of the safest VPNs available today. It truly excels in this category, and it’s hard to think of what it could truly improve aside from adding a few features across all its apps rather than select ones. More on this below.

Military-Grade Encryption

CyberGhost is incredibly safe because it offers 256-bit AES encryption, one of the highest levels of encryption available. This means your data is protected with a 256-bit key, which creates a vast number of possible combinations (2^256).

It also uses perfect forward secrecy. This means the encryption key gets renegotiated every time you connect to a server, providing an extra layer of security. Even if one encryption key is compromised, all your past and future data remains secure since the keys constantly change. This helps ensure your privacy is protected at all times.

Leak Test Results — Passed

CyberGhost is secure since it offers DNS and IP leak protection in its apps and browser extensions. Your ISP can use DNS requests and IPv6 traffic to see what you’re doing online, so you want to keep them private. CyberGhost ensures that your DNS requests are routed through its own DNS servers, and any IPv6 requests are blocked to prevent sites from seeing your real IP address. These functions are already switched on, which is great if you’re new to VPNs. You’ll be protected without having to worry about it.

I also found no viruses or malware when I ran CyberGhost's app through VirusTotal

I didn’t experience DNS or IP leaks on any server. I tested 10 different servers, including locations in France, the US, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Hong Kong using ipleak.net. It checked to see whether there were any faults or potential leaks in my connection and found none.

Automatic Kill Switch

CyberGhost offers an automatic kill switch on all its apps. This feature blocks your internet traffic if the VPN connection drops and ensures that your real IP address isn’t exposed. For instance, during my tests, I switched servers multiple times, and each time the kill switch effectively blocked my internet connection until the VPN reconnected.

This option is only available for Windows users

You can’t find this option on Mac, iOS, or Android because it’s integrated, meaning it’s always running automatically.

Security Protocols

CyberGhost offers three tunneling protocols to choose from: OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2. Each protocol provides different benefits, letting you select the one that best meets your needs.

• OpenVPN. An open-source protocol known for its strong security and reliability. It is highly configurable and suitable for both UDP (faster, suitable for streaming) and TCP (more reliable, suitable for browsing) ports.
• WireGuard. Also open-source, WireGuard offers a balance between speed and security with a modern, streamlined codebase.
• IKEv2. Not open-source, but highly secure, IKEv2 provides fast connection times and excellent stability, especially for mobile users.

You can let the app pick the best protocol for you automatically or manually select one

You can select these protocols by accessing the settings in the CyberGhost app. Simply click on the gear icon in the lower-left corner of the app to customize your VPN experience according to your security and performance preferences.

App Protection and Split Tunneling

Split tunneling and app protection are 2 extra features that allow you to customize how CyberGhost works on your devices.

Split tunneling lets you decide which traffic goes through the VPN and which traffic uses your regular internet connection. I find it useful to keep my banking app out of the VPN tunnel because it doesn’t always work well with alternative IPs. This feature is only available on Windows and Android.

On Windows, you can add a URL under the Smart Rules menu in a section called Exceptions.

Split tunneling is not available for macOS, iOS, or Linux, which is frustrating. The limited nature of this feature is not ideal either. It’s tough to use it for streaming platforms on a desktop, and it’s hard to pinpoint websites on a phone.

App Protection lets you add apps to a list, so CyberGhost automatically launches and connects when you open them. The list is in a section called App Rules, and it’s under the Smart Rules menu.

Tor Compatibility

CyberGhost worked well with Tor in my tests. That said, there were some expected slowdowns since my traffic had to route through both the VPN server and Tor's encrypted relay network. The added security is worth the minor performance hit.

I recommend connecting to CyberGhost first before launching the Tor browser — this Tor over VPN setup is the most secure configuration. By connecting to CyberGhost's servers first, you hide your real IP address from Tor's entry node. This prevents your identity from being tied to the Tor circuit you're using.

Block Content

CyberGhost includes a Block Content feature that prevents ads, trackers, and malware domains from loading on your device. It does this by blocking the DNS domains associated with these unwanted elements at the VPN server level.

In my tests, Block Content successfully removed ads from sites I frequently visit, like The Spruce Eats and Investopedia. However, it doesn't seem to work for YouTube ads or ads you see on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

WiFi Protection

On desktop and mobile apps, you can set up CyberGhost to launch automatically when you connect to public WiFi. You can also set it to ask whether you want to connect to or ignore certain networks. WiFi hotspots are an easy target for hackers, so you’ll always want a VPN connected when using public connections. I found this feature really convenient because I didn’t need to worry about remembering to turn the app on; you’re protected no matter what.

You’ll find the automatic WiFi protection under the Smart Rules section

CyberGhost's Extras and Add-Ons

CyberGhost offers a few other unique features and add-ons. Most are free, too, except for dedicated IPs and Security Suite.

• Secret Photo Vault — CyberGhost’s Secret Photo Vault is an iOS-only app that hides pictures and videos behind password protection on your iPhone or iPad. You can choose to secure your files with a PIN or biometric protection. It has additional security features, including break-in reports and a decoy password to prevent anyone from accessing your vault. This app will also take a selfie of anyone attempting to hack your account, and it has an AI function that automatically sends NSFW photos to a separate folder. The app is free, and I found it easy to use — it’s just disappointing that it’s only available for iOS.
• Private Browser — This is a full-fledged browser that’s compatible with Chrome add-ons and extensions. Since it’s powered by DuckDuckGo, you don’t have to worry about Google having access to your data. Plus, it automatically deletes all of your browsing history each time you click out.
• Privacy Guard — This is a feature for Windows users that lets you analyze your OS and turn off many of the privacy invasions Microsoft has automatically activated. You can choose an advanced or basic privacy level, or customize what it disables. It will also help you turn off personalized ads from Windows since you can prevent it from sharing your information.
• Security Suite (for Windows) — CyberGhost's paid add-on security suite for Windows integrates Intego's advanced security features into the VPN. The Intego security suite brings additional layers of protection, including 24/7 malware protection, antivirus, and firewall functionalities, ensuring users can browse the internet with peace of mind. The anti-virus provides real-time protection against a wide range of threats, including malware, trojans, spyware, adware, and ransomware. To use this feature, you’ll need to install the Intego app separately.
• Identity Guard — When Identity Guard is activated (free with any CyberGhost subscription), you’ll receive alerts if your email address is compromised. You can add 2 email accounts and select 1 primary address to receive immediate reports, so you can change your password as soon as possible.

CyberGhost upholds a stringent no-logs privacy policy. It refrains from retaining your IP address (and any related activities), DNS queries, or browsing records. Additionally, you can maintain the confidentiality of your payment information by opting for anonymous registration using Bitcoin.

The only data it stores is anonymized and used to improve the VPN's functionality

Plus, in 2022, one of the Big Four auditing firms, Deloitte, did an independent audit of CyberGhost's service, paying attention to its no-logs policy. It found that CyberGhost's server configurations are in line with its privacy policies and that it truly doesn't keep logs, so users or their activities can't be tracked. This means that CyberGhost doesn’t keep track of what you do online.

In January 2024, Deloitte conducted a second audit and validated CyberGhost's no-logs policy. This audit confirmed that CyberGhost's privacy claims and no-logs infrastructure work as expected. The audit highlighted CyberGhost's use of RAM-only servers and ephemeral containers.

However, it’s not as strict as the no-logs policies of other VPNs I’ve tested because it does store some anonymized data (including connection attempts and successes, the country where the connection attempt was made (but not your IP address), and which version of CyberGhost you use). This isn’t anything to worry about because none of this info can be tied to your personal details and is only used to analyze and improve the VPN.

However, I noticed that CyberGhost stores some of your hardware information to keep track of your simultaneous connections. This includes things like your screen size and the device you’re using. Other VPNs have found ways around this that don’t require storing this info, but it isn’t a risk to your security or privacy.

It also states in its policy that it reserves the right to share the data you give CyberGhost with law enforcement if it believes a crime has been committed. Thankfully, its transparency reports show that it has never done this, even after years of requests.

For added privacy, you can sign up with a burner email and a super strong password. On top of this, CyberGhost encrypts your password and assigns your account a serial number to track your user benefits and subscriptions anonymously. It also states that this info can’t be tracked back to your VPN sessions unless you use your full name as a username (which I don’t recommend).

Location — Privacy-Friendly Romania

CyberGhost is located in Romania. This is great for privacy because Romania is not part of the 14 Eyes Alliance (an agreement between Canada, The United States, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and 9 other countries to share data about their citizens).

Since Romania isn’t a part of the alliance, CyberGhost has no obligation to store or share information with any government, so your data is safe.

Ownership

Kape Technologies owns CyberGhost. It’s a cybersecurity and digital protection investment company based in London. Kape Technologies previously worked in mobile ad and browser extension development under the name Crossrider. The company faced some backlash in 2018 when it was thought to be bundling adware into its downloads as part of a black hat technique known as ad injection. However, research reports have shown that it was other third parties injecting adware into the downloads, not the company itself.

Kape has striven to separate itself from the history of Crossrider. It has ceased operations in ad development and shifted its attention to VPNs, including ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, which it owns. CyberGhost has an open privacy policy that prioritizes your online security and anonymity.

Past Privacy Concerns

In 2016, a joint study by Australia's CSIRO and UC Berkeley examined free VPN apps on Google Play for security risks. The study classified CyberGhost's free VPN app as potentially malicious. It appeared to test positive for malware using VirusTotal and requested more user permissions than average, which raised some privacy concerns.

CyberGhost's CTO, Timo Beyel, called this a "false positive." He explained it was triggered by a framework in their app that let users access help by shaking their phones. However, this framework also allowed voice message attachments, adding permissions not required for the VPN's function.

The app was updated to restrict permissions and disable the voice message feature by default. CyberGhost no longer offers a free VPN app. Today, they only provide paid plans that have undergone significant security improvements, which inspires confidence in the service.

Security Breaches and Independent Audits

There have been no significant security breaches. In 2019, Typeform (a company CyberGhost uses to create user experience surveys) leaked 120 email addresses and 14 CyberGhost accounts’ usernames. No passwords were revealed, so there was no risk of hacking, and there have been no breaches since. This is proof of CyberGhost’s privacy practices; no critical information was leaked because none was stored.

In addition to being audited by Deloitte on two different occasions, it has also had independent auditing of its safety processes performed in the past. The 2012 audit was done by QSCERT, a company that investigates various large companies like Whirlpool and Hyundai. CyberGhost passed the security audit of its Information Safety Management System (ISMS) successfully, which is rechecked every year. This is the kind of honesty I like to see from a leading VPN.

Transparency Reports

CyberGhost releases a Transparency Report every 3 months. This provides information about malware activity flags, key statistics about its infrastructure, and how many requests for user data it receives. I don’t know of any other VPN that releases reports so frequently. A close runner-up would be Private Internet Access, which releases 2 per year, and CyberGhost doubles that. This shows me that CyberGhost is serious about being transparent with its customers.

To add to this, CyberGhost also maintains a bug bounty program. This initiative invites cybersecurity professionals and ethical hackers to probe its systems for vulnerabilities. If they find any security flaws, CyberGhost rewards them. This proactive approach shows CyberGhost's dedication to identifying and fixing potential issues before they can be exploited.

Does CyberGhost Work in China? Not Guaranteed

CyberGhost does not work reliably in China.

This means you can't hide your VPN usage on restrictive networks

I contacted its support team, and they confirmed that the VPN may not work consistently. While the Chinese government has banned many VPNs, there have been no publicly reported cases of them going after individuals for using them.

My teammates and I don’t condone any illegal activities, so we recommend you read up on the laws before using any VPN. If you choose to encrypt your connection in the country, I recommend checking out this roundup of the best VPNs for China.

CyberGhost is an excellent VPN for torrenting — it offers dedicated P2P servers that are optimized for fast and secure file sharing. These specialized servers are designed to handle the high bandwidth demands of torrenting.

These torrenting servers are spread across multiple countries, so you can always find a fast nearby connection. During my tests, I connected to a P2P server in the Netherlands and downloaded a 4GB copyright-free Linux distro. With my average download speed of 170Mbps, the file took about 3.5 minutes to download. This was nearly the same speed as I had with no VPN connected.

I also recommend CyberGhost for torrenting due to its excellent security and privacy features. However, it was a little disappointing to find that CyberGhost doesn't offer port forwarding. This feature can help you connect to more peers in a torrent swarm, which can slightly boost download speeds.

While torrenting is legal in most countries, downloading copyrighted files isn’t. We recommend you only access files within the public domain while torrenting.