CyberGhost
Review

CyberGhost VPN masks your computer/mobile phone internet address and redirects all of your web traffic through a secure VPN tunnel. This keeps your internet identity safe from prying eyes such as your ISP, government agencies, and hackers. And it’s amazingly easy to do with just a simple click.

The company provides over 7977 servers in over 91 countries with various security and data privacy features. You can select a server yourself or allow the Best Server Location feature to take care of it for you. There’s also a list of specialized servers for different kinds of activities on the internet, such as gaming and streaming.

CyberGhost VPN is fast, but only while using localized and optimized servers. Performance tests show that this VPN service provides the fastest speeds when connected to nearby servers. But when you connect to servers over 9000 kilometers away, your internet speed drops by roughly 70%. However, despite the significant speed disparity, CyberGhost has one of the largest VPN server infrastructures on the market. Therefore, you will always find a server near you, no matter your location in the world.

They also have servers that are optimized for different kinds of internet activities. These servers are faster than standard servers, and you can pick one for gaming, or streaming Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix France, US, and Germany. Compared to traditional VPNs, which require either phoning or emailing customer care or guessing which servers will work, this new approach is quite convenient.

CyberGhost is an incredibly secure VPN service. Some of the security measures and protocols include:

Military-Grade Encryption

On all of its servers, CyberGhost employs difficult-to-crack 256-bit AES encryption. It’s the same encryption that the military and most government departments use to protect classified information.

3 Security Protocols

CyberGhost also supports the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. You can select one or let the app do it for you. OpenVPN is available for Windows, Linux, and Android but requires a 3rd party program like Tunnelblick for Mac and iOS. IKEv2 is the fastest at establishing connections and is ideal for smartphones that regularly lose connections or transition between mobile and WiFi data. However, it’s only available for iOS, Mac, and Windows users. If you want to use the Exceptions function, which lets you define which sites should not use VPN, you’ll need OpenVPN.

In addition, CyberGhost has incorporated WireGuard encryption, as is the case with most VPNs these days. WireGuard enhances more speed and similar security features as OpenVPN and the IKEv2, although it lacks several app functionalities.

NoSpy servers

Unlike other VPN services that rely entirely on third-party servers, CyberGhost has some servers in-house for maximum security. These are called NoSpy Servers and are located at the company’s headquarters in Romania and maintained by internal employees. Unfortunately, the NoSpy servers are quite slow, so only use them if you prefer privacy to speed.

In-Built Leak Protection

Data leaks might occur even with a VPN connection if your ISP monitors your online activities via IPv6 traffic and DNS requests. CyberGhost prevents that by using its DNS servers to handle your DNS requests and blocking any IPv6 requests to prevent snooping websites from viewing your actual IP address.

Automatic Kill Switch

Every CyberGhost app features a kill switch that stops all internet communications anytime the VPN connection becomes unstable, or you switch servers. It does that automatically.

Split Tunneling

CyberGhost provides a split tunneling feature for Android and Windows users, allowing individuals to choose which sites to visit without a VPN.

Tor Compatibility

The Onion Router and CyberGhost pair perfectly. Connect to a server and then run the Tor browser for optimal security. But expect slightly slower speeds.

Malware, trackers, and adware protection

CyberGhost provides three different forms of protection against ads, dangerous websites, and online tracking. However, unless you purchase a trusted 3rd party ad blocker, you may still see some annoying adverts since CyberGhost only eliminates ads if they include viruses or malware.

WiFi Protection

CyberGhost also has a function that allows you to set the VPN service to launch on specific WiFi networks automatically. This comes in handy when browsing on public WiFi.

Dedicated IP Address

You can receive a customized Internet address from the US, UK, France, Canada, or Germany. This allows you to circumvent CAPTCHAs and easily authenticate your information on websites and apps.

Other security features:

• password manager,


• image and app data compression to reduce internet consumption,


• automated HTTPS Redirect to force every page you access to use HTTPS (a safer HTTP alternative), which keeps away malicious sites,


• iOS users get a secret vault to lock media and photos behind a biometric login or pin code.

CyberGhost has various data privacy features. For example, the company doesn’t track internet IDs or collect data. It also regularly produces transparency reports highlighting requests for information by the police, malware activity flags, and DMCA complaints. Also, it’s headquartered in Romania, which has strict privacy laws and is not part of either the 5, 9, or 14 Eyes alliance.

The company hasn’t been audited since 2012, when QSCERT, a renowned security auditor, gave its security protocols a tick.

Back in 2019, the usernames of 14 CyberGhost accounts were disclosed by Typeform, a business used by CyberGhost to conduct user experience polls. What is essential is that no passwords were divulged in the leak, and no intrusions have occurred since then. This demonstrates CyberGhost’s privacy policies in action – no sensitive data was exposed since none had been collected.

A paid subscription gives you access to 7,900+ servers in more than 90 countries. Behind Private Internet Access, which has 35000 servers, CyberGhost is the second biggest server network. As a result, CyberGhost is an excellent VPN service provider.

The vast majority of the servers are located in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, with a significant number in South America and Africa. The servers are divided into categories such as optimized and NoSpy (located in Romania). In countries with inadequate internet infrastructure, such as China, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, the company uses virtual servers that offer higher-speed connections and lower security threats than physical servers in some places.

CyberGhost is compatible with most OSs and has a large connection capacity. On a single package, you can connect up to 7 devices simultaneously.

There are applications for:

• macOS


• Linux


• Windows


• Android


• iOS


• Amazon Fire TV

Supported browsers include Firefox and Chrome, and the browser plugin is free, but it isn’t suitable for streaming.

Router apps are not available. However, CyberGhost allows manual configuration on open-source router code like TomatoUSB.

US Netflix is one of the streaming services that work with CyberGhost. CyberGhost now successfully unblocks US Netflix after a gap during Netflix’s global launch. It also gives you secure access to Netflix French, Japanese, Italian, Swedish, and German libraries for various shows.

Optimized servers are available depending on whether you wish to stream, torrent, or game online. In addition, unlike most VPN applications, CyberGhost does not merely provide server locations to choose from. Instead, it allows you to select a server depending on your VPN usage.

You can use the streaming option to look for something specific:

• Netflix US, Italy, France, Japan, and Germany


• Hulu


• Crunchyroll


• Amazon Prime Video


• BBC iPlayer


• Kodi

CyberGhost enables limitless torrenting and has a large number of servers that are tuned for safe and quick downloads. You can check the «For torrenting» portion of the app for these servers. In addition, with the split tunneling functionality, you can add your torrent app to the list of applications that should use VPN, and CyberGhost will instantly connect every time you run the torrent app.

A single CyberGhost VPN license will cover up to seven devices. Every internet-enabled machine you own can be secured with specially created apps for Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, Linux, game consoles, and even smart TVs. You can also use remotes with the TV and Firestick applications. In addition, 4k UHD streams are possible thanks to faster internet connections.

While CyberGhost has virtual servers in China, the firm cannot promise a successful connection. There have also been reports that the app will occasionally not even load, making it difficult to log in. In Saudi Arabia and UAE, the situation is similar. Furthermore, the CyberGhost VPN connection is frequently disrupted in countries like Egypt, Turkey, and Syria. These places have various privacy issues due to their governments’ need to control almost everything.

CyberGhost is simple to install and use. Installing it on my Windows laptop, MacBook, or Android phone takes only a few minutes, and after signing in, all you have to do is click the power button to launch the connection. With the Windows program, you can view a server load percentage, distance, and how many people use it. Finding servers is simple; you can choose a server yourself or utilize the Best Server Location function. You can also select from a list of specialized servers for different online activities.

By simply toggling features on and off, you can alter general settings, connection preferences, and smart routines. The software doesn’t provide much beyond that, which helps avoid complications.

Excellent client service is available 24/7. If you have problems using their apps, you can contact them by phone or email for prompt and helpful solutions. French, German, and English are among the supported languages.

CyberGhost provides comprehensive support guides in multiple languages, including English, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish, on its online site. There are also setup instructions for individual devices and brands, plus answers to typical technical questions. The info is updated regularly, with a devoted «Announcements» segment to keep customers informed of new features. Customers expect this degree of transparency and communication from VPN service providers.

When purchasing a long-term membership with CyberGhost, you can save a lot of money. They provide a 2-year plus 2 months free subscription for $2.25/month, a 6-month subscription for $6.69/month, and a one-month deal for $12.99. Unfortunately, the 1-month deal is pretty pricey, and you cannot use the NoSpy Servers.

Acceptable payment methods include credit cards, PayPal, and cryptos. There’s a 45-day risk-free trial period, so you can obtain a complete refund if you don’t like what you get. But the one-month subscription doesn’t have this offer.

If you don’t want to provide credit card info, you can try it for free on Mac or Windows for one day only.

Pros:

• Extremely fast,


• A massive server network,


• Strict privacy and security safeguards,


• Seven simultaneous connections are possible,


• Allows you to view streaming sites from anywhere in the world securely,


• Unblocks Netflix US and other streaming platforms,


• Servers that are optimized for specific online activity,


• Support via live chat,


• Support via live chat,


• 45-day no-risk trial.

Cons:

• It does not work consistently in China or the United Arab Emirates,


• Long-distance servers slow down the internet speed,


• Previously, the company faced privacy and data leakage issues.

If you want a simple VPN with strong security features, this is it. CyberGhost is a large VPN provider with extremely user-friendly applications. There’s something for everyone, from dedicated IPs to optimized and NoSpy servers. It’s based in Romania and provides stringent data and privacy safeguards. Plus, if you ever have difficulties using your preferred service, its customer care team is extremely helpful and available around the clock.