ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost 2024

James Everard

Senior Writer

Kape Technologies owns both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, which you’d think would lead to services having similar features, apps, and plans. But that’s far from the case here; both VPNs are independently managed, so there’s a distinct contrast between them in almost every regard.

That includes the price tag. One offers some of the more affordable long-term options, and the other is on the pricier side. That’s why I wanted to find out for myself which VPN is better and offers the best value for money.

After all my tests, ExpressVPN proved to be the better overall option, even though CyberGhost offers great value for the cost. I recommend you try ExpressVPN risk-free since it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If it doesn’t match your needs, you can claim a full refund and try CyberGhost instead.

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Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings

Streaming — ExpressVPN Works More Reliably With Global Platforms

CyberGhost‘s 100+ specialty servers give you fast and stable connections for popular streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and iPlayer. They’re also optimized for use in specific countries and devices. For example, to watch Netflix US in the States, you can use the Netflix US server (which supports all devices). Or choose the Netflix US Fire Stick or Android TV options.

The CyberGhost engineers test these servers continuously to ensure they run smoothly with their respective platforms and locations. But if you think this round is going the way of CyberGhost, read on.

All of ExpressVPN’s 3,000 servers are optimized for streaming — and also for downloading, gaming, and automatic obfuscation. That means you can switch between activities and local platforms without changing servers.

From the UK, I tested this with my Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+ UK accounts. It provided a reliable connection for each, and I didn’t have to swap servers or change any settings. And while CyberGhost’s streaming network is reliable, switching servers can be a little annoying when you just want to binge-watch your favorite shows.

My global team and I teamed up to test each VPN with the most popular streaming services licensed in our respective countries. Listed below are the results of how reliable each VPN worked with these platforms.

ExpressVPN provides stable connections for all popular streaming platforms, plus some regional ones like RTL+. CyberGhost wasn’t so reliable with regional libraries, specifically those on Amazon Prime Video. It didn’t work with the UK library during my tests from London. In fact, ExpressVPN is one of the only VPNs I’ve tested that worked with Amazon Prime Video, earning it a clear win for this round.

My colleague in New York reported that its New York server worked well with Netflix, Disney+, ESPN, Hulu, and Max

CyberGhost worked well with Disney+ with its optimized servers. Our US team tested the US Disney+ library and had a smooth experience with it. I can report the same after testing Disney+ UK from my location.

CyberGhost has streaming-optimized servers for Disney+ in the US, Italy, and India (Disney+ Hotstar)

Both VPNs offer a Smart DNS feature, but ExpressVPN’s (called MediaStreamer) works with more devices. Smart DNS lets you easily set the VPNs up on devices that don’t normally support VPNs — like older smart TVs and game consoles. This means that you can easily stream on your big screen.

CyberGhost’s Smart DNS only works with Netflix (in the UK and US) and Hulu. ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer works with these, plus a few more platforms in the UK, US, and Australia. This includes Max, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer.

Winner

Fast, stable, and reliable connections across the globe for popular and niche streaming platforms make ExpressVPN the ideal choice for streaming. Plus, its MediaStreamer feature makes it more versatile in terms of which devices you can stream on.

Server Network — ExpressVPN Offers a Slightly Broader Global Reach Despite Fewer Servers

With a similar number of countries to choose from, CyberGhost’s advantage is the fact that it offers 11,690 servers (over 3x more than ExpressVPN). Plus, CyberGhost has a selection of optimized servers for gaming, streaming, and torrenting. It also offers its highly secure NoSpy servers that are privately managed by its staff in its Romanian headquarters.

While I do appreciate how fast and reliable CyberGhost’s specialty servers are for their given activities, these connections are limited in number. On the other hand, despite having a third fewer options, ExpressVPN’s servers are more versatile overall.

Every server is optimized for streaming, torrenting, and gaming. That means that you can use any of the 3,000 servers for most of your online activities. On top of this, they’re all automatically obfuscated, which allows ExpressVPN to overcome tough networks and firewalls.

This makes ExpressVPN more straightforward and convenient to use

During my tests on macOS, the user load on CyberGhost’s For downloading servers was high enough that it would slow down my torrents. Meanwhile, the For streaming servers don’t display user load at all. On Windows, it shows the distance to each specialty server in kilometers, plus there’s latency info for the gaming servers.

Winner

Less is more since ExpressVPN’s entire network is compatible with any online activity. You don’t have to search for an activity-specific server to get a fast, stable connection.

Speed — ExpressVPN is Faster Across the Board

My tests showed that ExpressVPN’s speeds are more consistent, especially over long distances. For example, a CyberGhost server in Japan fluctuated by 29% (lows of 55.89Mbps, highs of 79.06). On the other hand, ExpressVPN’s speeds in Japan stayed steady between 70 to 80Mbps.

ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol uses around half the lines of code that WireGuard uses, making it faster than CyberGhost. In my tests, I connected to New York in around 3 seconds with Lightway, compared to 11 seconds for CyberGhost via WireGuard.

Across all my tests, ExpressVPN was faster, except when I checked the UK upload speeds showing a draw. While near-to-mid range speeds were close, my Japan results show a 23% deficit for CyberGhost. That’s enough to delay pages from loading and cause buffering on TV shows and movies.

Winner

A dexterous server network and exclusive Lightway protocol give ExpressVPN the lead in terms of speeds.

Gaming — Low Latency Makes ExpressVPN Ideal

Latency measures the response time between your actions and the on-screen reactions. It’s measured in milliseconds, and under 100ms is recommended for smooth multiplayer matches. The table below shows my tests confirming that ExpressVPN has lower latency across all distances.

While the difference between the Japan and UK results is negligible, the US readings of 94ms versus 148ms (36.5%) is enough to make a significant difference to gameplay. A full 48ms above the recommended ping means you’ll get lag, and you could even be dropped out of games.

Both services offer router setup options for Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Switch, putting them ahead of most VPNs for gaming. But ExpressVPN is a clear winner with its low-latency servers.

Fast speeds from other continents mean you can use ExpressVPN to play lag-free no matter which server you select

Winner

ExpressVPN’s faster speeds and lower latency means it’s game over for CyberGhost for this segment of the comparison.

Torrenting — Download Quickly on Any Server With ExpressVPN

When it comes to file sharing, CyberGhost has the same issues it has with streaming. Its For downloading servers suffer from crowding and aren’t as fast as ExpressVPN. So again, ExpressVPN’s server versatility and Lightway protocol give it the edge for torrenting.

P2P is also more convenient with ExpressVPN since it doesn’t restrict you to specific servers. You can download a large copyright-free file in the background while browsing or gaming or without stopping the torrent and reconnecting. If you want to speed up torrents or use other apps, I liked that both VPNs have a split tunneling feature to let some of your traffic use the local connection.

I usually go for the Switzerland server for torrenting

We don’t condone using a VPN to download torrents illegally. Always make sure that torrenting is allowed where you are, and check if the file you want to download is from the public domain (copyright-free) to avoid any troubles.

Winner

With multi-purpose servers and the versatile Lightway protocol, ExpressVPN is my top choice for file sharing.

Security — Automatic Obfuscation and Lightway Puts ExpressVPN Ahead

Obfuscation scrambles your VPN data to make it look like a regular connection, which helps it overcome VPN blocks and network restrictions. ExpressVPN includes obfuscation by default on every server. It automatically disguises itself to get through VPN filters and firewalls.

You’d need to switch to the much slower OpenVPN to obfuscate your data with other VPNs. However, even with OpenVPN turned on, CyberGhost doesn’t offer obfuscation on any server.

CyberGhost earns marks for its Dedicated IP, a private IP address that only you can use. Although it costs extra, it’s nice to have as an option. I also like that its kill switch is in-built, so you don’t have to activate it, unlike ExpressVPN.

Both VPNs offer tracker and malware blockers, with ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager blocklist and CyberGhost’s Block Content. Both offer bank-level encryption, so they keep your connection safe. But ExpressVPN’s obfuscation puts it ahead for security.

UDP connections are generally faster, but TCP can be more reliable on unstable networks like public WiFi

Another neat feature offered by ExpressVPN is port forwarding. This can be set up on ExpressVPN’s router app so you can securely access your devices remotely. It’s also useful for hosting websites and setting up gaming servers. CyberGhost doesn’t support this.

Winner

ExpressVPN has highly advanced security features to protect your data without compromising speed while still having more straightforward and intuitive security settings menus.

Privacy — Multiple Independent Audits Give ExpressVPN the Win

Both VPNs use RAM-only servers that automatically wipe all data on reboot. But ExpressVPN’s numerous privacy audits put it on top. It was audited by different independent security firms, including Cure53. F-Secure, KPMG, and PwC. In total, from 2018 to 2022 alone, it has undergone 16 security audits on its privacy policy, no-logs claims, apps, TrustedServer technology, browser extension, and built-in verification process.

In comparison, in the same time period, CyberGhost had just one audit on its no-logs policy performed by Deloitte. That’s the only one visible on its website, and customer support confirmed it. On the other hand, it offers Transparency Reports every quarter detailing the number of data requests it receives.

Furthermore, CyberGhost collects some anonymous data like your browser and device type, OS, screen resolution, preferred language, and mobile service provider. That isn’t ideal, even though there’s no evidence that CyberGhost identifies you personally or can see your online activities.

Winner

Multiple extensive independent audits mean ExpressVPN is the winner in this category.

Works in China — Only ExpressVPN Works Reliably

China operates the Great Firewall, the world’s toughest nationwide internet security grid. It monitors all web activity within the country and blocks thousands of websites. Only non-private government-approved VPNs are permissible in the country, although there are no publicly reported cases of visitors being prosecuted for using a VPN there.

ExpressVPN offers automatic obfuscation with its Ligtway or Automatic protocol. This makes it one of the very few VPNs that work in China. CyberGhost doesn’t have obfuscation or a specialty privacy protocol, so It doesn’t work in the country.

Winner

Once again, automatic obfuscation means that ExpressVPN works reliably in China.

Installation & Ease of Use — CyberGhost’s App Is Simple Even for Beginners

Both VPNs are intuitive, but CyberGhost edges this round with its simple interface despite having more menus and options (specifically on its desktop apps). The specialty servers are all organized in different tabs, making them easy to find.

CyberGhost also gives you more automation settings. Just click the Smart Rules menu to set the VPN to automatically connect when you use certain apps or to auto-connect to a server of your choice on startup. The mobile apps were easy to navigate, but they were far from being feature-rich, especially the iOS one.

ExpressVPN’s apps are also beginner-friendly, with two home screen buttons to connect or view the server list. It offers fewer settings to set up, so if you’re not interested in a lot of features, ExpressVPN might be the better option for you. However, CyberGhost’s in-depth customization settings and organization give it a small edge.

Winner

Even though both VPNs are user-friendly, I recommend CyberGhost for its intuitiveness despite the number of settings it offers. Some of its features are automatic, so you don’t even have to turn them on, like the kill switch on macOS, iOS, and Android.

Reliability & Support — ExpressVPN Wins With App-Based Support

Both VPNs offer 24/7 live chat that responds within seconds with helpful and knowledgeable agents. There’s a chat widget at the bottom right of their websites. However, sometimes, CyberGhost’s live chat feature didn’t appear on my browser, and I had to either wait for some time or click on another page on the website.

They also both offer simple setup guides with video tutorials and extensive knowledge bases. But ExpressVPN wins, since its live chat is more accessible and it has in-app support. CyberGhost has a similar menu item for macOS, but it didn’t work when I tested it. The feature also didn’t appear on the Windows app.

Winner

ExpressVPN makes it easier and faster to talk to live chat agents, and it has better in-app support.

Tips on Choosing Between ExpressVPN and CyberGhost

In my comprehensive comparison of both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, I focused on certain features. If you do your own tests, here's what you should consider:

• Streaming-friendly. Not all VPNs are ideal for streaming due to choppy or unreliable connections or slow speeds. My international team and I tested both VPNs with multiple streaming platforms that are licensed in our respective countries. Both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost proved to be dependable streaming VPNs.
• Fast speeds. I ran speed tests on multiple servers from both providers, which you can do as well using free online tools. ExpressVPN was generally faster, but CyberGhost also had a respectable performance.
• Global server networks. A wide choice of servers reduces user overcrowding. ExpressVPN covers 105 countries, while CyberGhost has servers in 100.
• Robust security features. I ran IP/DNS leak tests on both VPNs. Neither showed any leaks, and both use military-grade 256-bit AES encryption.
• Strong privacy practices. ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, and CyberGhost is in Romania, both privacy-friendly jurisdictions. You can read a VPN’s policy online and make sure it doesn’t log your online activities.
• Easy to use. I tested both VPNs on various devices. You can check their features online and see what kinds of support guides they have.
• Trustworthy money-back guarantee. To test this out, I claimed a refund after two weeks of using ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, and the process was easy. Check the VPN’s website to find out the refund policy before you buy.

ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost — Reddit Opinions

ExpressVPN gets a lot of support due to its reliability. Many Redditors had used other VPNs beforehand and now report notably faster speeds. The live support also gets great praise. It’s often recommended as an alternative for Reddit users who are unhappy with their current VPN. CyberGhost gets praise for gaming and ease of use. Both VPNs have loyal supporters (3+ years of usage).