CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost is a safe, affordable VPN that’s good for streaming, torrenting, and everyday privacy, especially if you want simple apps and a low long-term price. At $12.99/month, it offers 11.690+ servers in 100 countries, an audited no-logs policy, strong security features, and a 45-day money-back guarantee on long-term purchases.

My team and I spent weeks conducting a complete evaluation of CyberGhost, from gaming sessions to torrenting trials and customer support interactions to real-world browsing. We tested streaming capabilities, ran speed checks on multiple servers, analyzed security tools, and reviewed privacy policies. In addition, we checked its transparency reports, which are posted every quarter, and confirm that CyberGhost doesn’t share user data.¹

Based on our testing and research, CyberGhost’s biggest strengths are smooth nearby-server speeds, safe and consistent streaming performance, and beginner-friendly apps. It’s not known to be reliable in China, as confirmed by its customer support and very distant connections weren’t the best in our tests, but that didn’t affect everyday browsing, torrenting, or local gaming. I also tried its 45-day money-back guarantee and received a full refund within a few days.

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Streaming — Excellent Performance Thanks to Dedicated Streaming Servers

CyberGhost makes streaming incredibly simple with its specialized servers designed for specific platforms. During our tests, we could stream content from every major service without jumping between different servers. Every major streaming platform has its own optimized server, clearly labeled in the app — just double-click to connect and start watching.

Popular Streaming Platforms We Tested

During our tests, CyberGhost worked seamlessly with 15+ different Netflix libraries, including favorites like the US, UK, and Japan, plus some less popular options like Argentina, Brazil, and South Korea. Both optimized and regular servers worked perfectly with Netflix, making it easy to find and watch your favorite shows without the platform harvesting your data.

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The specialized servers worked smoothly with other streaming platforms, too. We could securely access BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Max, and more without any issues. Even services like DAZN worked perfectly with their dedicated servers. These streaming-optimized connections are available in over 20 countries, covering most major platforms you’d want to watch.

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The VPN also offers a smart DNS service to let you stream on devices that don’t support VPNs, such as gaming consoles, older smart TVs, and streaming sticks. Overall, CyberGhost is a great choice if you want to securely stream your favorite content from anywhere.

Speed — Reliable Performance Across Most Regions

We used CyberGhost’s WireGuard protocol to conduct extensive speed tests from Austin, Texas. The VPN delivered consistently fast performance, especially for its price point. While CyberGhost traditionally ran on 1 Gbps servers, it has now begun upgrading its network to 10 Gbps hardware for even better speeds.

On nearby US servers, the speeds were excellent — 4K streaming, large downloads, and day-to-day browsing felt just like our regular connection. European servers kept up nicely, too, though with slightly slower speeds since they’re far away.

The speeds were pretty good on long-distance Asian and Australian servers. We saw more noticeable dips on some of its distant servers, but we had no problems using these to video call our colleagues outside of the occasional quality drop.

CyberGhost’s Best Location feature picked fast, uncrowded servers quickly in our tests. This feature helped maintain solid performance even during busy hours, though you might want to manually select servers for better speeds on distant connections.

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Note: Your actual speeds will depend on several factors, including your location and base internet connection. In some cases, using a VPN might even improve your speeds if your ISP is limiting certain types of traffic or experiencing routing issues.

Gaming — Excellent for Gaming on Local Servers

Low ping makes all the difference in online gaming — it keeps your actions instant and your shots accurate. During our tests, CyberGhost delivered exactly what competitive gamers need, at least on local connections.

On nearby Dallas servers, our ping barely moved from 21 ms to 23 ms. We played several matches of CS2 and Warzone without any lag spikes or delays, and every shot and movement felt crisp and responsive. On its LA server, the ping was around 28 ms as we played PUBG on an iPhone.

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The story changed on distant servers. French connections pushed our ping to 120 ms, making fast-paced games like Apex: Legends more challenging. You could still enjoy casual matches, but intense firefights became harder to win. Japanese servers hit 145 ms — better than most VPNs we tested on similar routes, which often reached 200+ ms, but still too high for competitive play.

Is CyberGhost a good VPN for gaming? Yes, it’s a solid option. But like with any VPN, it’s best to use nearby servers for competitive games to minimize lag. Distant servers are fine for casual gaming or playing with friends, but they can introduce more latency.

Server Network — Extensive Coverage With Specialty Servers

CyberGhost has 11.690 servers across 100 countries, which is one of the largest networks we’ve tested. You’ll find extensive coverage in all key regions, too. There are 11 locations in the US alone, plus a strong presence throughout Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. You’ll have no problem finding a speedy connection with this many servers.

The server selection process is straightforward, with servers grouped by activity and region. It also offers virtual servers to provide coverage in regions where hosting physical servers could be a privacy risk, like Ukraine, Venezuela, and Russia. The macOS app displays server load percentages, too, making it easy to find fast, uncrowded connections. In our tests, we never experienced any slowdowns or connection drops, even on virtual servers.

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The network includes specialized servers for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. These servers are optimized for their specific tasks. For instance, gaming servers offer low latency, P2P servers ensure fast and secure downloads, and the streaming servers we discussed earlier deliver excellent picture quality. We found that these optimized servers outperformed regular ones for their intended activities.

If you need extra security, CyberGhost offers NoSpy servers that are securely located in its private data center in Romania. These premium servers, available on 6-month offers or longer, eliminate third-party risks since only vetted CyberGhost staff can access the hardware.

The VPN also provides dedicated IP addresses in major locations like the US, UK, France, and Canada. This is useful for avoiding CAPTCHAs, accessing work networks securely, and preventing banking services from flagging your logins as suspicious due to frequent IP changes.

Does CyberGhost Work in China? No

CyberGhost doesn’t work reliably in China. The VPN lacks the advanced obfuscation needed to handle the country’s Great Firewall, and our discussions with support confirmed users face frequent connection problems.

Support confirmed that while the service can work, it’s not guaranteed due to the ever-changing VPN landscape in the country. The team recommended switching between different protocols and server locations to improve your chances.

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Getting the VPN set up requires advance planning since its website and apps are blocked in China. You’ll need to download everything before entering the country. Similar connectivity issues affect CyberGhost in other countries with strict internet controls, such as Russia, Iran, and the UAE.

If you need a more reliable VPN, check out our guide to the best VPNs for China.

Security — Advanced Features for Tons of Flexibility

CyberGhost packs robust security features with additional privacy tools that go beyond basic VPN protection. During our tests, every security feature worked flawlessly, from its automatic kill switch to its leak protection. Advanced additions like the Block content feature and Wi-Fi protection are also available, though some tools are limited to specific devices.

Encryption and Protocols

CyberGhost protects your data with AES 256-bit encryption with Perfect Forward Secrecy. This creates unique keys for each session, ensuring your past connections stay secure even if one key gets compromised. The VPN offers 3 protocols: WireGuard for speed, OpenVPN for proven security, and IKEv2 for stable mobile connections.

Kill Switch and Leak Protection

Our tests confirmed that CyberGhost’s security features work exactly as promised. The automatic kill switch kicked in instantly when we forced connection drops, preventing any data exposure. We tested 10 different servers using ipleak.net, including locations in France, the US, and Hong Kong — none showed DNS or IP leaks. The kill switch runs automatically on macOS and mobile apps, giving you always-on protection.

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Smart Rules

Smart rules lets you customize how CyberGhost handles different apps and websites. You can set up automations that mean certain apps automatically trigger a VPN connection or route specific traffic outside the VPN tunnel. This feature proved handy for banking apps that don’t work well with VPNs. However, it’s only available on Windows and Android — a limitation compared to other top VPNs.

Extra Features

Its WiFi Protection feature keeps you safe on public networks by automatically activating your VPN connection. You can customize it to connect instantly or ask permission for specific networks, which is particularly useful if you work from cafés or airports. Windows users get extra protection through the Security Suite with Intego’s antivirus and firewall.

Does CyberGhost block ads? Unfortunately, no. It does include a Block content feature that blocks domains used for malware and trackers, but it won’t remove ads you see on your favorite sites.

Speaking of Windows, the Privacy Guard feature puts you in control of your system’s privacy settings. You can easily disable Microsoft’s data collection and personalized ads with a few clicks, making Windows more privacy-friendly. This works alongside the Private Browser, which combines Chrome compatibility with DuckDuckGo’s privacy features for tracker-free browsing.

If you’re an iOS user, you’ll get access to Secret Photo Vault, a secure space for sensitive photos and videos. It includes clever security features like break-in detection that photographs unauthorized access attempts and a decoy password option to protect your privacy. All photos stored in this vault are encrypted and hidden from your regular photo gallery.

To round out your protection, Identity Guard helps safeguard your online accounts by monitoring for data breaches. You can add two email addresses for monitoring, with one set as primary for immediate alerts. During our testing, it quickly spotted several old breaches we weren’t aware of, giving us time to change compromised passwords and secure those accounts.

Privacy — Strong Privacy Measures With Regular Audits to Keep Your Data Safe

Privacy policies mean little without concrete proof, and CyberGhost understands this well. The VPN has built trust through consistent transparency, regular security improvements, and a proven track record of protecting user data. While its strict no-logs policy provides the foundation, CyberGhost’s ongoing commitment to privacy goes beyond mere promises.

Does CyberGhost Keep Logs? No

CyberGhost follows a strict no-logs policy to keep your online activity private. The VPN doesn’t store your IP address, browsing activity, or DNS queries. It does collect some anonymous connection data for service improvements, such as connection attempts and app version statistics. Is CyberGhost safe considering this? Yes, because this data can’t be traced back to your account.

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The service needs to store basic hardware information like screen size and device type to manage simultaneous connections. This is a common practice among VPNs, but some providers have found ways around it. If you’re looking for extra privacy, you can sign up using cryptocurrency and a burner email.

In late 2024, reports surfaced about leaked VPN passwords affecting 83.6k CyberGhost accounts². Investigation revealed these credentials came from external malware attacks targeting users’ devices, not from any breach of the VPN’s infrastructure.

Was CyberGhost Audited? Yes

CyberGhost’s privacy claims are backed by multiple independent audits. Deloitte’s thorough examinations in 2022 and 2024 confirmed the VPN’s no-logs policy works as advertised. The latest audit went even further and validated CyberGhost’s incident management systems, as well as its innovative token-based dedicated IP system. This feature prevents any connection between your account and your dedicated IP address.

The service has maintained consistent security standards since 2012, with annual QSCERT audits of its Information Safety Management System. These regular checks ensure CyberGhost’s privacy practices stay robust and up-to-date. The company also runs an active bug bounty program, paying security researchers to identify potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

Based in Romania

Operating from Romania gives CyberGhost significant privacy advantages. The country sits outside the 5/9/14 Eyes intelligence alliance and maintains strong data protection laws. This means CyberGhost is not obligated to store or share user data with foreign governments.

CyberGhost publishes detailed reports every three months that document all legal requests and the VPN’s responses, showing consistent protection of user privacy. Even when faced with legal demands, CyberGhost’s no-logs policy means it has no meaningful data to share.

Security History and Ownership

Founded in 2011 as an independent VPN, CyberGhost built its early reputation on privacy and security. In 2017, the company was acquired by Crossrider, which later rebranded to Kape Technologies. This acquisition initially raised eyebrows in the VPN community due to Crossrider’s history in mobile advertising and browser extensions.

The concerns about Crossrider stemmed from past incidents where third parties had injected adware into downloads — not the company’s own actions. After acquiring CyberGhost, the company rebranded to Kape Technologies and focused entirely on digital privacy. Since then, Kape has expanded its privacy-focused portfolio, acquiring respected VPNs like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access.

Is CyberGhost VPN trustworthy? Yes. Under Kape’s leadership, CyberGhost has strengthened its privacy practices considerably by implementing RAM-only servers, increasing audit frequency, launching a bug bounty program, and publishing the industry’s most frequent transparency reports.

The VPN has faced some security incidents in the past. In 2016, a joint study by CSIRO and UC Berkeley flagged potential privacy concerns in CyberGhost’s free Android app. The company addressed this by removing unnecessary permissions and later discontinued its free service entirely. In 2018, a third-party survey provider, Typeform, leaked 120 email addresses and 14 usernames³ — but no passwords or sensitive data were compromised because CyberGhost doesn’t store this data.

Torrenting — Fast and Safe Downloads With Dedicated P2P Servers

P2P file sharing requires more than speed — you need robust privacy protection and servers that can handle heavy data transfers. CyberGhost delivers on both fronts, making it an excellent choice for secure torrenting.

During our tests, the P2P-optimized servers showed impressive performance. We downloaded a public domain film (Night of the Living Dead, 1.1 GB) in just under 2 minutes, which was nearly the same time it took us without a VPN connection. These specialized servers consistently maintained fast download rates without throttling.

Your privacy stays protected while torrenting thanks to CyberGhost’s security features. The automatic kill switch kicks in if your connection drops and our leak tests confirm solid IP and DNS protection.

The VPN doesn’t support port forwarding, which could improve torrent speeds by optimizing peer connections. However, this omission is common among security-focused VPNs since port forwarding can potentially compromise privacy.