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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

CyberGhost VPN vs Smart DNS Proxy 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.7/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 8.1/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info

    Our Score

    Features 9.7/10
    Pricing 9.7/10
    Ease of Use 9.9/10
    Reliability & Support 9.8/10
    Features 8.1/10
    Pricing 9.5/10
    Ease of Use 8.0/10
    Reliability & Support 7.8/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Keira Waddell
    Keira Waddell

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 9.7/10

    CyberGhost is one of the most affordable VPNs on the market — you can get a subscription for as low as $2.03/month. I sometimes assume that price indicates quality, but with VPNs, I've been proven wrong before. So I wanted to see whether CyberGhost can really deliver at such a low price. I did a deep dive into CyberGhost’s privacy policy and security measures to determine whether it’s secu...

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    Latest positive user review
    R
    Raemond Thompson
    10.0/10
    Simple To Use

    Great interface and is very intuitive. Many locations with reasonably fast speeds. There are a lot of ... essential features I like as well. Wireguard, Wifi Protect, Etc. I took out the 2-year plan at a fair discount so I can say that, given the price, it's a decent balance of quantity and quality.More

    Latest negative user review
    S
    Sami Paananen
    2.0/10
    Pretty good

    CyberGhost does not connect automatically in pc when I connect online. Why? And on my phone (Android)...  it sometimes gets stuck, it does not open the app when vpn is working. I have to connect the VPN in my phone settings first. That is pretty annoying.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Ivana Sarandeska
    Ivana Sarandeska

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    Our Score: 8.1/10

    Smart DNS Proxy claims to offer a 3-in-1 service that includes a proxy, a VPN, and a SmartVPN. In reality, I found out it really only offers 2 services — the proxy and the VPN. The proxy claims to give you fast access to 400+ sites and services (by rerouting only your traffic to those specific sites), but doesn’t provide any online privacy or the option to change your IP address. The VPN encr...

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    Latest positive user review
    G
    Guy B
    10.0/10
    I'm happy with Smart DNS Proxy since 2016

    I have used Smart DNS Proxy since 2016 on my Firestick (UK Prime) from Malaysia. It allows me to acces... s all UK content, including BBC iPlayer, NowTV, ITVx, Britbox, 4, 5, and PrimeVideo and Disney+ (US). I had to give up Disney+ access when I got NowTV(UK) due to the Region setting. I had no trouble accessing Netflix USA until I stopped watching Netflix on my tv and just used the tab when I travel. I found their Customer Service to be ok. They certainly helped me set up my router settings when I first signed on with them. After 2 bi-annual subscriptions, I went all in and got the Lifetime subscription in 2020. I didn't know SmartDNS was acquired by another company till recent when I found out that they are now based in Turkey. They were based in Mauritius or was it Seychelles up to then.More

    Latest negative user review
    N
    Nareskar
    2.0/10
    It is horrible experience to work with Smart DNS Proxy VPN

    I have been using this Smart DNS Proxy from Malaysia to unblock Indian streaming content for the last ... two years. I found it was the cheapest VPN and worked reasonably well to unblock content for the first two years of my work. But for the last two months, this has become horrible to work. Most of the DNS servers in Asia don't work at all. If it starts to work after a couple of minutes it stops. The speed of the internet through this DNS is very slow and repeated stoppages make streaming a nightmare. Complaining to customer care yields no results. They give a lot of tasks, after doing all those with no improvement in results. This company is doing nothing to maintain its servers. People should stay away from buying this VPN.More

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    Pricing

    Starting price $2.03/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 45 Days
    Number of devices per license 7 devices
    Starting price $2.48/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall
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    Best VPN for Torrents
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Windows
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    Best VPN for Android
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    Best VPN for Mac
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    Best VPN for iOS
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    Best VPN for USA
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    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing
    Author Image Keira Waddell
    Keira Waddell

    Senior Writer

    Final Verdict: A Safe and Extremely User-Friendly VPN Ideal for Streaming CyberGhost offers incredibly user-friendly apps with great streaming-optimized servers. These make it easy to stream in high quality without buffering or long load times. Plus, if you run into any issues, its support staff is super helpful and can be reached 24/7. When it comes to security, it stands out from other VPNs with its NoSpy servers. It also protects your data with military-grade encryption and features like its automatic kill switch. Independent audits, transparency reports, and a strong privacy policy also let you know CyberGhost can be trusted with your data. The only real downsides are inconsistent long-distance speeds, and the fact it’s blocked in China. I recommend CyberGhost if you’re looking for a VPN that’s trustworthy and easy to use, with excellent security, and great streaming capabilities. Intuitive, user-friendly interface Streaming optimized servers for Netflix, Disney+, Amazon

    More Info

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with CyberGhost VPN
    Go with Smart DNS Proxy
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    We rank vendors based on rigorous testing and research, but also take into account your feedback and our commercial agreements with providers. This page contains affiliate links.