CyberGhost VPN review
Our Verdict
Well-known and hugely popular, CyberGhost delivers excellent functioning alongside some powerful desktop software. With useful dedicated streaming features information technology's peachy for Television set fans, and the relatively recent upgrade of apps has remedied a few of our previous interface concerns.
For
- Splendid support
- Characteristic-packed Windows customer
- Great for US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and Disney+
- Skillful speeds
Against
- Windows app quibbles
- Mobile apps still aren't aristocracy
Tom's Guide Verdict
Well-known and hugely pop, CyberGhost delivers first-class operation alongside some powerful desktop software. With useful dedicated streaming features information technology's bully for TV fans, and the relatively recent upgrade of apps has remedied a few of our previous interface concerns.
Pros
- +
Excellent support
- +
Feature-packed Windows client
- +
Great for US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime number, and Disney+
- +
Skillful speeds
Cons
- -
Windows app quibbles
- -
Mobile apps still aren't elite
CyberGhost VPN has made it high onto our list as one of the best VPN services out at that place. The Romanian provider is not but a secure option for privacy and bearding browsing but too, in its decade of life, has grown to offer plenty of streaming support too.
We put the latest iteration of the VPN to the examination in this review to see merely how well it performs. From speed and security to app performance and geo restriction unblocking, CyberGhost is a quality VPN. And, spoiler warning, with the new WireGuard protocol, it'south quicker and more reliable than ever.
- Click to head straight through to the CyberGhost website
CyberGhost i-infinitesimal review
CyberGhost is one of the best value VPNs if you're happy to commit to a longer plan, and you'll become an industry-leading 45-24-hour interval money-back guarantee. Monthly plans are, nonetheless, on the pricey side, and only come with a 14-24-hour interval guarantee. For your money you'll get access to over 7,000 VPN servers in 91 countries worldwide – one of the virtually comprehensive server selections available.
Although not independently audited, CyberGhost makes some strong statements about whether information technology logs user activity (information technology doesn't), and its apps announced to exist thoroughly secure. The transparency report is besides a nice touch.
Speed testing using the latest WireGuard protocols take fabricated a huge leap from earlier in the twelvemonth, now hit a staggering top-end of 860Mbps. That makes this a neat option for streaming combined with the fact it unblocks most major streaming services including U.s.a. Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
If you're looking to torrent you're also in luck, because although not every server is P2P-enabled, there'south a huge number that are to cull from. There are besides some actually groovy features like automatic connection when using a particular app that tin can aid provide ultimate torrenting safety.
On desktop, especially Windows, CyberGhost'due south client is seriously powerful and offers tons of extra features not normally found in any VPN, let alone ane this affordable. However, while the mobile apps are certainly usable, they do lag behind some of the competition in functionality.
Finally, if anything does happen to get incorrect, CyberGhost's support is up at that place with the very best, and the alive-conversation operators take e'er been helpful and knowledgeable – but be aware that some of the written guides tin can exist catchy to understand. Overall, CyberGhost is a really capable VPN, and merely few niggles like the mobile interface go along it from being truly elite.
Latest updates
Nosotros've seen a couple of notable changes in recent months, the most heady of which is the introduction of WireGuard on all operating systems.
Nosotros've noticed server fluctuations, with numbers peaking at over 7,400 across the 91 country locations.
For $4 actress a month, you can now purchase yourself a dedicated IP accost. This is keen for business users, and also means there'southward no chance of yous using an IP accost that's been blacklisted thanks to someone else'southward naughtiness.
Finally, y'all now also sign up to the CyberGhost Security Suite for Windows. This includes an Intego-powered antivirus, a Privacy Guard, and a software updater. This service is split from the VPN so we'll exist reviewing it separately, but it'due south an excellent bear witness of willing from the provider that demonstrates it'southward non simply a CyberSec i-trick pony.
CyberGhost specs
Number of servers: 7,400+
Number of countries: 91
Platforms supported: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Amazon Burn down Stick, Android TV, Chrome, Firefox
Simultaneous connections: 7
Split tunneling: Yes
Kill switch: Yes
Supported protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN UDP & TCP, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, PPTP
Country of registration: Romania
Support: Manufactures, live chat, e-mail
CyberGhost toll: how much is information technology and is there a CyberGhost gratis trial?
Price is an important factor for most, so it'due south simply sensible to start here.
CyberGhost is 1 of the best cheap VPN services if you become for longer term plans. Similar on well-nigh services, the longer y'all commit, the less it'll work out costing yous each calendar month.
Go for a month to month deal and you'll be spending $12.99 per month. Commit to two years and y'all tin pay every bit little as $two.17 per month with 2 months thrown in free also. This toll fluctuates quite a bit just this is one of the everyman prices we've seen so is well worth jumping on right now. In betwixt is a six calendar month choice charged at $half-dozen.39 per month.
There is also an additional option of getting dedicated IPs which is charged at an extra $four per month.
Go for the CyberGhost Security Suite and you get a Security Update to bank check missing patch updates too for $v.99 per month, downwardly to $one.39 on a 3 year program.
If you fancy trialling CyberGhost, there is a VPN complimentary trial available, but it's all rather complicated. On desktop you can sign up and utilise the app for a beggarly 24 hours for gratis, during which you'll only have limited features. On iOS, y'all tin get a seven-twenty-four hours trial, but you'll have to sign upward, whereas on Android you can become 7 days without signing upward – probably your best selection if you lot've got an Android device.
However, on all paid plans except the one-calendar month selection, you'll become a form-leading 45-day money-dorsum guarantee. So, if you actually desire to exam the service to make sure it'south best for you, we'd recommend signing upwards to a longer plan and and then claiming back your coin if information technology doesn't impress.
- More: Demand something for your employees - see today's best business organisation VPN
How private is CyberGhost and does it keep logs?
As we've come up to wait from all the big providers, CyberGhost uses 256-bit AES encryption, which is the golden standard. Nevertheless, something we very much appreciate is the fact its apps are transparent when it comes to what data they collect about your usage – y'all tin be a good Samaritan and allow CyberGhost to collect some bearding data to improve its apps, or easily opt out of this. That'due south more than than some providers can say.
In terms of logging, CyberGhost is insistent about its strict no-logs policy, and this is an important part of its online messaging. It claims that browsing history, the sites y'all visit, the data you transmit and what you search for are not monitored or recorded past the company. It also promises not to log your IP address, connection timestamps or how long y'all utilize the service for.
However, dissimilar rivals such as ExpressVPN and NordVPN, CyberGhost has not undergone a comprehensive independent audit of its servers and other infrastructure.
While we don't necessarily distrust the provider'south claims on-site, they are essentially just that – claims. And while CyberGhost'south Transparency Report gives the states a lilliputian more than reassurance, we'd beloved to see a full audit to back up any and all claims on-site.
How fast is CyberGhost?
Seeing equally CyberGhost is plainly designed for those who desire to access tons of streaming media and expand their viewing wherever they are, we'd hope that connexion speeds are up to scratch.
Tested on our UK and US connections (both of which summit out at about 1Gbps), we took boilerplate times from a number of tests to guess the reliability and speed of the service.
Taking the fastest protocol first, we tested WireGuard in the UK where it reached a superb speed range of 760-770Mbps. That puts it up there with the fastest options out there along with NordVPN, Mozilla, IPVanish and Hibernate.me.
In the UK, when using OpenVPN we saw speeds of 170-210Mbps – in other words, pretty speedy for the old archetype protocol.
In the Us we saw decent, if not searing speeds with OpenVPN, delivering 110-160Mbps, while with WireGuard nosotros saw staggering 760-860Mbps speeds.
And, of course, call up that if your base cyberspace connectedness is below these figures, using CyberGhost (or any other fast VPN, for that thing) will have a negligible outcome on your speeds.
When connecting to farther-flung servers, we saw some inevitable irksome-downwards, but fifty-fifty the New Zealand server (over 11,000 miles away from the Uk) delivered usable speeds of 60Mbps.
So, CyberGhost might not be the very fastest we've tested, but information technology's past no means a slouch and should provide speeds which are more than useful for the vast majority of users.
How expert is CyberGhost for streaming?
One of the virtually common reasons for signing upwards to CyberGhost will be to use it as a Netflix VPN – and CyberGhost caters for these users past providing a bully filtering system to discover the best servers to unblock exactly what they desire to lookout.
When looking at the server filters, you'll see recommended locations for Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube Tv set, BBC iPlayer and even more, including other global streaming services.
Nosotros tested US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and HBO Max and was happy to run into that they all ran just fine. To exist clear, this was in multiple tests and so these aren't just flukes. Aside from the odd IP result, where a site would ask us to show we were human, this worked superbly making it one of the best streaming VPN services.
Notwithstanding, some rivals are able to unblock diverse Netflix libraries from effectually the world, so if you desire access to UK, Canadian and Australian catalogs too, services like ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN are your all-time bet.
How good is CyberGhost for torrenting?
Much like CyberGhost'south filters for specific streaming services, information technology can as well assistance you pick a expert torrenting VPN server – and that's good news, because in truth, non every server is optimized for P2P thanks to some regional restrictions.
Once continued, speeds are slap-up, and a feature that we really appreciated was the ability to choose a CyberGhost location to automatically connect to when you launch your customer. This is bully for the forgetful or lazy (read: virtually all of us), and is a cinch way of making certain that whenever you torrent, you're adequately protected.
We'd love to meet full P2P support on every single server, but as information technology stands, CyberGhost does a dandy job despite its limitations.
Just know in that location are blocks on servers in USA, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. Simply thanks to a listing called "For Torrenting" it'southward easy to detect a suitable server nearly your location, with a decent 54 P2P friendly countries cropping upwardly in our testing. And with CyberGhost's malicious URL filter even more than dubious torrent downloads should be kept secure.
How good are CyberGhost's desktop apps?
CyberGhost'southward desktop apps are much the aforementioned on Windows and Mac, with unproblematic, useful interfaces. Yous'll get a list of servers, a squeamish big Connect button, and your options for server filtering on the far left. A location picker, showing the altitude of servers from you lot is a useful addition.
Seeing the current chapters/load of each individual server is actually useful – something omitted from lots of rivals – and tin requite you a quick indication of which server volition provide the best speeds. You'll too get a favorites system, plus a system tray icon that gives you quick access to all the essentials.
Extras include advertizement and tracker blockers, plus protection from unsafe websites. 'Smart Rules', yet, is our favorite element. It allows you to configure which server to automatically connect to on start-up, and whether to connect when yous open a detail app (likely a torrent client). Plus, you can also set upward dissever tunnelling by whitelisting certain sites.
WiFi controls also work well allowing you lot to cull how the VPN works on connectedness, motorcar connecting to secure, never if encrypted, every bit well every bit more custom actions for specific networks.
CyberGhost's system tray icon also allows y'all to admission these in submenus, and it'southward a very neat way of saving you time and screen space – every little usability feature matters at this level. That said, there are no notifications to tell you when the VPN connects or disconnects – non ideal as you have to look at the app each fourth dimension you lot need to check.
Importantly, CyberGhost's kill switch is fantabulous, and never revealed our truthful IP accost no matter how we tried to flim-flam information technology. Notwithstanding, we did detect one consequence with the kill switch – if we failed to connect to a server in the kickoff identify, CyberGhost would say that the kill switch had been enabled when in truth it hadn't. This is quite misleading, only in exercise information technology'southward pretty unlikely to happen.
With the upgrade of CyberGhost viii, nosotros've seen the interface clear up a little, but it's worth noting that a couple of small features have been lost – namely HTTP to HTTPS redirection and data compressions for deadening connections. This is probably the example thanks to the fact very few people actually used them – in our experience data compressions did very footling in exercise, and a dedicated add together-on like HTTPS Everywhere is gratuitous and more than constructive.
Overall, though, there's actually very little to complain nearly. CyberGhost's desktop clients are powerful, and evangelize some genuinely useful unique features not often found anywhere else.
How good are CyberGhost's mobile apps?
Both the iOS and Android apps now offering OpenVPN and WireGuard support, which is a very promising development.
On iOS devices, VPN apps are held dorsum by Apple's security design, and are rarely as fully features as their Android and desktop counterparts. However, you'll get a favorites list, smart server selection, and auto-connect on specific or unsecured networks, plus the choice between WireGuard and IKEv2, and a connection checker.
However, the Android app does all this and plenty more, rivalling the desktop apps in ability. You tin specify if you want information technology to use a random port when connecting, which is useful for getting around VPN-blocking tech – used by Netflix and other streaming services.
You'll also go carve up tunneling, which is unusual and super useful if you just desire to make sure i app is protected while all your others use your regular connectedness, plus advertizing and tracker blockers.
The content blocker is a welcome addition which blocks ads, trackers and malware from domains. It's turned off by default and doesn't work that well, in testing, but y'all may find information technology useful.
A final interesting add-on is domain fronting, which bypasses certain VPN blocking tech through a CDN (content commitment system). While we didn't test this, it's certainly welcome – and if anything, we do wonder why it'south not available in the desktop app.
So, while the iOS app is pretty blank-bones, CyberGhost's mobile VPN apps are pretty useful, and WireGuard support plus the powerful Android pick will be a big selling point.
Both apps comes with a 7-24-hour interval trial, so you tin can give information technology a endeavour if you want before committing.
What customer support does CyberGhost offer?
If you want help setting up or yous've having some issues with CyberGhost, there are a few options. Beginning, you lot could head to the knowledgebase. There, you'll discover plenty of guides for dissimilar operating systems, and lots of common bug people take. These also features a search option which lets yous chase for specific words which could lead you to the help you're seeking.
However, the manner many are written is a little hard (and you'll observe overall that things are worded slightly strangely on the site).
For instance, in a simple article that proclaims the benefits of WireGuard over OpenVPN, it states that OpenVPN 'works at the user level using TLS', while 'WireGuard-based VPN servers under Linux run inside the kernel networking stack'. Practice you lot observe that useful? We thought not. We don't want to be patronized, but besides these articles need to be accessible for the majority of users for them to be worthwhile.
Like all the big hitters, CyberGhost does offer a alive conversation function, though. The operators are knowledgeable and have likewise been able to help us, and the slower electronic mail back up is also bachelor.
So, while the back up articles could certainly be improved, if you're having trouble you lot should be able to get some help swiftly from the live chat.
CyberGhost: Last verdict
As a desktop VPN, CyberGhost really impresses, and there'south not a huge amount we can complain nigh. Nonetheless, if you're a big mobile user – especially on iOS – you might observe CyberGhost a niggling limiting, and other VPNs do offer amend Netflix unblocking. But, at this cost, it's an excellent choice that we take no trouble recommending.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/cyberghost-vpn-review
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