CyberGhost vs hide.me 2025

Hendrik Human Cybersecurity Researcher

Updated on July 30, 2025

The choice between CyberGhost and hide.me comes down to what you value most: streamlined simplicity or technical control. In the end, we recommend CyberGhost in most situations, thanks to its user-friendly and specialized servers for different activities.

We conducted comprehensive testing of both VPNs across multiple categories. Our evaluation included speed tests from various global locations, streaming platform compatibility checks, security feature analysis, and real-world usage scenarios. In the end, it was no wonder that these VPNs were so even, with CyberGhost having 38 million users¹ and hide.me 30 million².

CyberGhost takes the lead for most users thanks to its specialized servers, intuitive interface, and consistent performance. However, hide.me offers compelling advantages for privacy-conscious users and those seeking advanced technical features. Both VPNs provide solid security and performance, but your choice should depend on whether you prioritize ease of use or customization depth.

Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings

Lowest Price

Speed Score

Average speed determines our score:
5 = Above 150Mbps.
4 = Between 100Mbps and 149Mbps.
3 = Between 50Mbps and 99Mbps.
1-2 = Below 49Mbps

Coupon (highest discount)

Money Back Guarantee

Number of devices per license

Countries with servers

Keep logs

Available on Platforms

Access to streaming services

Best Choice

Visit Website

$2.19/month

83%

45 days

7

11690

No

Netflix, APV, Disney+ and more

Visit Website

$3.84/month

61%

30 days

10

2600

No

Netflix, APV, Disney+ and more

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Our Score: 9.9

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Our Score: 9.9

Read more about ExpressVPN

See ExpressVPN's Best Deals

Compare ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost VPN

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Both VPNs stand out for offering specialized streaming services around the world that work with popular platforms, like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. They both also have speeds that are capable of streaming UHD content from nearly everywhere.

However, they differ slightly in approach, as CyberGhost has 100+ streaming servers across 23 countries for specific platforms, like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. On the other hand, hide.me offers general streaming servers in 20 countries.

CyberGhost's streaming servers are clearly labeled by platform and location, so it's simple to find the exact server you need. The dedicated US Netflix server connected immediately and maintained consistent video quality throughout our session. Its platform-specific servers could usually safely access other services in the same country, too, thanks to their frequently updated IPs.

We binged the entire season 2 of Tires without any delays

hide.me performed well too, but requires more trial and error because servers aren’t tailored to specific platforms. We occasionally needed to switch between servers to find ones that worked reliably. For example, Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer almost always worked without issue, while Netflix US and Hulu were more hit-or-miss.

Streaming locations are easy to find on the main app dashboard

Both VPNs handled 4K streaming well, especially when using their streaming servers. While hide.me had a slight edge speed-wise, both could handle multiple UHD streams (25Mbps) simultaneously, so the difference wasn’t really noticeable.

Winner

Does CyberGhost work with more streaming platforms than hide.me? While both are fast and reliable, CyberGhost takes the guesswork out with dedicated servers for specific streaming platforms around the world. While their coverage is similar, CyberGhost also works with slightly more countries and services from anywhere.

Server Network — CyberGhost Leads With Global Coverage

CyberGhost has a clear advantage when it comes to the number of servers and how many countries it covers. The large gap in the number of servers means that there’s less of a chance of slowdowns due to overcrowding when using CyberGhost. It also means that it has larger IP pools, so it’s less likely that you get assigned a blocked IP.

Because CyberGhost has more locations, it’s easier to find a server near you for the best speeds, too. However, hide.me isn’t far behind, with both offering multiple servers in major countries, like the US, UK, Australia, etc.

CyberGhost has a more impressive lineup of specialty servers optimized for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. They are easy to find in the app and actively maintained to perform better for their respective activities. Plus, you get access to its NoSpy servers, which are privately operated and based in Romania for increased data privacy.

One thing hide.me has that CyberGhost doesn’t have is MultiHop servers. These make it harder to monitor your activity by routing it through two servers instead of one and encrypting it twice. Even better, you can customize these connections by selecting the servers yourself. One thing to keep in mind is that they might be slower due to the extra distance traveled.

Both VPNs run RAM-only servers that automatically wipe data, so they don’t permanently hold on to your data.

Winner

Does CyberGhost have better server coverage than hide.me? CyberGhost offers superior global coverage with more servers in more countries, providing better options for finding nearby, fast connections. Plus, its specialized servers support a range of high-bandwidth activities.

Speed — hide.me Outperforms CyberGhost

Our tester based in the US had a baseline speed of 277.34Mbps while testing CyberGhost and 221.68Mbps while testing hide.me. To keep things fair, we tested both using WireGuard, generally considered to be the fastest mainstream VPN protocol.

Overall, hide.me had the edge across both near and far distances, especially when it came to download speeds. CyberGhost performed admirably, occasionally scoring much faster upload times than hide.me.

You can also use the "Quick connect" option to automatically use the fastest one

Depending on your location, you might get better streaming and downloading times with hide.me, while CyberGhost might be best for video calls, live streaming, and seeding large files over P2P networks.

Winner

How much faster is hide.me than CyberGhost? Both CyberGhost and hide.me deliver competitive speeds, with performance varying by location and server choice. However, hide.me was the better option for consistency over long distances and when streaming or downloading.

Gaming — hide.me Wins by the Narrowest of Margins

For online gaming, server proximity and network stability matter more than raw speed. While the difference in ping was too close to call, hide.me came out on top for offering gamers more control over their connection performance.

Both VPNs were able to deliver under 50 ms of ping when connected to nearby servers, which is good enough for competitive gaming. However, when testing the automatic server selection, CyberGhost came out on top, even though both chose a similar location.

hide.me's extensive protocol options allow for fine-tuning gaming connections. It has a wider selection of protocols, which you can experiment with for different networks and games. It also gives you much more granular control over the MTU packet size than CyberGhost — with an ideal MTU "sweet spot" typically around 1400–1460 bytes for most situations.

I barely noticed any lag compared to my normal connections

CyberGhost offers gaming-optimized servers on Windows that are sorted by ping, making it easy to find low-latency connections. During our testing, these servers consistently delivered responsive gameplay for competitive titles, like Valorant and Counter-Strike. Locations are fairly limited, though, with options only in the US and EU.

Connection stability proved excellent for both services. We didn't experience random disconnections during marathon gaming sessions.

Winner

Does hide.me or CyberGhost work better for gaming? hide.me edges ahead with more technical customization options that serious gamers can use to optimize their connections, though both VPNs deliver solid gaming performance.

Torrenting — Both VPNs Are Strong, but for Different Users

Both CyberGhost and hide.me are excellent choices for torrenting, but they serve slightly different user needs. The choice between them largely depends on whether you prefer ease of use or more control.

CyberGhost offers dedicated P2P servers in 80+ countries, clearly labeled and optimized for performance. During our tests, these servers consistently delivered fast download speeds and required no manual setup — ideal for users who want a plug-and-play experience with uTorrent or BitTorrent.

hide.me supports torrenting across its entire network, giving you more freedom to choose servers manually. It also offers port forwarding via UPnP, which can improve seeding ratios and speeds in private trackers. In our tests, hide.me paired with WireGuard delivered excellent download performance and low latency, even on distant servers.

Both VPNs include strict no-logs policies, reliable kill switches, and split tunneling to keep your torrenting private. However, hide.me adds a SOCKS5 proxy option for clients like qBittorrent, letting you reduce encryption overhead while maintaining IP privacy.

Winner

Is CyberGhost better for torrenting than hide.me? CyberGhost’s security tools are easier to set up and automate, making it the better choice for most users, while hide.me may be a better option for advanced configurations.

Security — Comprehensive Protection From Both

Both VPNs cover the essentials with strong AES 256-bit encryption, IP/DNS leak protection, and kill switches. hide.me offers more granular control, while CyberGhost balances simplicity with smart automation for daily security.

For example, CyberGhost’s Smart Rules settings make it easy to set up a variety of custom behaviors — like automatically launching the VPN when opening a torrent client, auto-connecting on unsecured WiFi, or excluding trusted networks.

In our tests, its WiFi protection consistently triggered when switching to public hotspots, making it perfect for travel or remote work. CyberGhost also includes a Privacy Guard (Windows only), which lets you disable operating system-level data collection features with a single toggle.

You can flip ad-blocking on with just two clicks

hide.me’s security features provide more advanced settings aimed at power VPN users. Its Stealth Guard lets you restrict internet access to only when the VPN is active — either system-wide or for specific apps, which is ideal for torrent clients or crypto wallets.

I was impressed with how good the results were

Its OpenVPN implementation also has built-in obfuscation using TLS-Crypt, making it harder to detect that you’re using a VPN. However, both services passed our leak tests completely, showing no DNS, WebRTC, or IP leaks during extended testing periods.

Winner

Which VPN does a better job of keeping you safe? hide.me provides more security customization options with additional protocols and granular controls, making it ideal for users who want to fine-tune their security settings.

Privacy — CyberGhost Wins, but hide.me Isn’t That Far Off

Both VPNs have had their no-logging practices independently verified. Deloitte has audited CyberGhost policies twice, while hide.me recently completed its first with Securitum. As a bonus, neither is based in major intelligence-sharing jurisdictions, including the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances.

However, CyberGhost is based in Romania, one of the most privacy-friendly countries in the world. Not only does it benefit from the EU’s strict GDPR guidelines, but there are no official data retention laws.

hide.me is based in Malaysia, where the government has broad surveillance powers with a less transparent legal system and fewer consumer privacy protections. The good news is that there are no reported cases of the authorities interfering with hide.me’s operations.

They also differ significantly in their ownership; hide.me is privately run, while CyberGhost is owned by Kape Technologies. Kape also owns various other VPN services, and some users have expressed concerns about Kape’s past as a digital ad tech company (known as Crossrider). Fortunately, Kape has since rebranded and shifted its focus to cybersecurity.

There’s some slight difference in the types of data each party collects, so it depends on what you consider the most sensitive.

Winner

Which VPN better protects your privacy? CyberGhost has slightly better privacy credentials, with more logging audits, a more privacy-friendly jurisdiction, and less data collection.

Works in China — Only hide.me Is Known to Work More Reliably

If you’re traveling to China, hide.me is the clear choice. It supports obfuscated OpenVPN configurations designed to work on restrictive networks, disguising VPN traffic as regular HTTPS activity. hide.me’s support team confirmed that it works reliably in China — though they recommend trying the free version first, as China regularly updates its blocking technology.

By contrast, CyberGhost lacks built-in obfuscation, and its connections in China are unreliable. Support acknowledges that while connections may occasionally succeed, users face frequent blocks and are advised to experiment with protocols — not a practical solution for most. CyberGhost’s apps and website are also inaccessible once inside China, making pre-trip setup essential.

As VPN websites are usually blocked, hide.me also provides mirror sites and alternative download URLs that may work in China. So, while it’s advised to set it up before traveling to China, you may be able to get the VPN if you’re already there.

Winner

Does CyberGhost or hide.me work in China? Only hide.me is known to work more reliably in China thanks to its obfuscation capabilities and multiple protocol options.

Installation & Ease of Use — CyberGhost's Modern Interface Takes the Win

CyberGhost's apps feature a clean, modern design with clearly labeled sections for different server types. Finding streaming, gaming, or torrenting servers requires just a few clicks, and it even provides distance and ping indicators to find the best-performing locations.

Click the star next to a server to add it to your "Favorites" list

hide.me offers a more technical interface that may appeal to advanced users but can overwhelm beginners. We also found it a bit clunky and hard to navigate to more advanced features the first few times we used it, thanks to its slightly dated design. Of course, this is a price more advanced users may be willing to pay for greater control over their connections.

Both services support Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and routers. CyberGhost stands out with dedicated apps for smart TVs and Fire TV Stick, plus smart DNS — options hide.me doesn’t offer. So, it’s easier to use CyberGhost on your PlayStation, Xbox, or some older smart TVs.

Unfortunately, neither option has great browser support, mostly offering proxy extensions that don’t encrypt your traffic and have only basic protections.

Cross-platform consistency is better with CyberGhost. The apps have similar layouts and features across Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, reducing the learning curve when switching devices.

Winner

Which VPN is the easiest for beginners? CyberGhost offers a more user-friendly experience with its intuitive interface, clear server labeling, and helpful automation features that simplify daily VPN usage.

Reliability & Support — CyberGhost Never Let Us Down

Both VPNs offer 24/7 live chat and responsive email support, but CyberGhost edges ahead with smoother reliability and broader multilingual service. In our testing, CyberGhost’s agents connected instantly and confidently handled everything from free trial questions to router setup walkthroughs. While replies occasionally had 2–3 minute gaps, the answers were always accurate and helpful.

hide.me’s support team is fast and friendly, and we appreciated how quickly they responded — often under a minute. However, CyberGhost’s platform feels more polished overall, with a cleaner help center, support in multiple languages, and better in-app access to help resources. For consistent, accessible support at any hour, CyberGhost is the more dependable option.

Winner

Which VPN offers better reliability and support? CyberGhost’s team is slightly more responsive. However, both provide reliable connections and solid support. CyberGhost offers more user-friendly assistance, while hide.me provides deeper technical expertise.

Pricing

	CyberGhost VPN	hide.me VPN
Lowest Price	$2.19/month	$3.84/month
Money Back Guarantee	45 days	30 days
Number of devices per license	7	10

Both VPNs offer solid value, but CyberGhost is slightly more affordable and includes some helpful extras. With longer-term offers, CyberGhost frequently undercuts hide.me on monthly pricing while bundling in tools like Security Updater and Privacy Guard at no extra cost. You can also pay extra for a dedicated IP — something that hide.me doesn’t offer.

Both start at a very low price point compared to other premium VPNs with similar features, especially if you take a long-term offer. What’s more, they often run significant discounts, especially if you can hang on for dates like Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

hide.me has a generous free plan with unlimited data and access to multiple locations — great if you want to test before committing. However, it severely restricts features and server locations, making it impractical to safely stream or game from anywhere.

CyberGhost, on the other hand, offers a 24-hour, 3-day, or 7-day free trial for PC, Android, and iOS, respectively. While hide.me has a stock-standard money-back guarantee period, CyberGhost’s depends on the length of your commitment.

Both VPNs accept credit cards, PayPal, and GPay, but only CyberGhost offers crypto payments in Bitcoin. Many prefer this as a more private way to pay for online services.

Winner

Which VPN offers better value? CyberGhost provides better long-term value with competitive pricing and frequent promotions, though hide.me offers good value for users prioritizing advanced features and independent ownership.

Our Methodology for Testing CyberGhost vs hide.me

We conducted comprehensive testing across multiple categories to provide accurate, real-world comparisons. Our methodology included comparing server networks, privacy policies, security features, device support, and more. As always, we ran thorough speed tests to check whether the VPNs secure your online activity without frustrating slowdowns.

For more details about our testing process, check out our VPN testing methodology page. Feel free to use it to compare alternatives and pick the best one for your unique needs.

CyberGhost vs hide.me — Reddit Opinions

Reddit discussions reveal mixed opinions about both services, with users generally appreciating different aspects of each VPN.

Both VPNs are particularly attractive to new users who haven't used VPNs before

CyberGhost receives praise for its user-friendly interface and streaming performance, with many users noting the convenience of dedicated servers for popular platforms. Some users express concerns about the Kape Technologies ownership, though.

hide.me earns respect for its technical capabilities and privacy stance. Users appreciate the extensive customization options and independent ownership; however, the most common complaint is with its inconsistent performance with different Netflix libraries.