Overview
CyberGhost was founded in 2011 in Bucharest, Romania, and has established itself as one of the world’s most reliable privacy and security solutions. With over 38 million users across the globe, CyberGhost’s VPN application serves as a way to anonymise your online presence and protect your data from third parties.
CyberGhost’s team consists of over 70 professionals with decades of experience in the IT industry, all connected by a shared belief that privacy is a human right. As such, they advocate for and support online anonymity, civil rights, and an uncensored internet culture. They position themselves as being one of the first VPNs to publish a transparency report detailing the number of data requests they’ve received from authorities and continue to do so to this day, publishing regular reports every three months since 2019. They also hold a strict No Logs policy, meaning they keep no data on their customer’s browsing habits.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a tool that masks your IP address and encrypts your internet traffic, allowing you to browse without fear of having your data collected or sold. It also stops all of your activities from being tracked by third parties, such as your ISP, Network Admins, and even local governments. It also lets you appear as if you’re anywhere in the world, allowing you to bypass censors and access region-locked content on numerous streaming services.
CyberGhost’s operations cover 90+ regions with more than 7,000 servers worldwide. Despite their regular transparency reports and stated commitment to your security, they understand that trust needs to be earned. As such, they offer an extensive trial with a 45-day money-back guarantee so you can try their services risk-free.
CyberGhost Pricing
CyberGhost uses a subscription model with several pricing plans available. The first is a monthly plan costing $12.99, with a 14-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t 100% satisfied. Whilst this is arguably the best plan for those who only need it for a short time, it is also the most expensive.
The second package offered is a 6-month plan costing $45, or about $7.50/month. This is a significant saving of almost 42% over the monthly plan.
By far their best deal is their 2 Year + 2 Month plan. For a total of $56.94, you get two years of service – coming out to $2.19/month – as well as two extra months free. That’s an 83% discount on what’s already one of the cheapest VPNs on the market.
If you’re worried about such a long commitment then you’ll be glad to know that the 6-month plan and the 2 Year deal also come with CyberGhost’s stellar 45-day money-back guarantee, letting you not only get the best price but also try their service completely risk-free.
Compared to other VPN services, CyberGhost is one of the cheapest on the market. Big names like NordVPN offer similar two-year plans for about $3.63/month, which is significantly more expensive. The closest competitor we could find was SurfShark VPN’s plan costing $2.49/month, which whilst respectable, still falls short of CyberGhost’s deal and lacks not only those extra two months but also only offers a standard 30-day guarantee.
You can check out their pricing on the CyberGhost website.
Features:
Privacy
The core feature of any VPN is the ability to mask your IP address. Anyone with the right tools can not only uncover your IP address but also use it to find your physical location as well. With how integrated the internet is in our daily lives, and how many third parties would be interested in that data, this is a serious privacy concern.
Without CyberGhost’s VPN client, we can easily tie an IP to its physical location. A whole host of other information, including our ISP, is also readily available.
However, if we run our connection through CyberGhost’s VPN, we can instead change our location to Los Angeles, California. With over 7,000 servers across 90 regions, CyberGhost lets you change your location to almost anywhere in the world at the click of a button.
In addition to hiding your location, CyberGhost’s VPN app also encrypts all of your internet traffic. Whilst encryption is standard for purchases and personal information online, your browsing activity can still be collected, monitored, and sold without your knowledge. CyberGhost utilizes AES 256-bit encryption – some of the most advanced on the market – to hide everything you do online from prying eyes. Not only does this prevent your data from being sold, but it also hides your activity from your ISP, Network Admins, or even government agencies.
Lastly, CyberGhost’s client also includes its own Private Browser. Whilst many browsers such as Chrome offer an ‘incognito mode’, this only removes your internet history from your computer; ISPs, Google, and others can still log your activity. CyberGhost’s Private Browser leaves no trace whatsoever – no history, no logs, and no footprint. It even prevents targeted ads from showing up since it offers them no data to use.
CyberGhost Logging
A major concern with many VPNs is that they will continue to record aspects of your browsing session even though they promise total anonymity. This can include things like your ISP, how long you used the VPN, and even your browsing history – a far cry from the privacy they might promise!
CyberGhost VPN has a strict No Logs policy, meaning that they will keep no data on you or your activities. Everything you do online is anonymous and private. Romania, where its headquarters is located, upholds strong privacy laws and has ruled that data retention policies are unconstitutional. CyberGhost has a stated commitment to anonymity and privacy for its users, and that commitment is core to its design.
These aren’t empty promises either; Deloitte Audit Romania, one of the Top 4 independent auditing firms in the world, was invited to test this No Logs Policy. After an extensive investigation of CyberGhost’s server networks and management systems, Deloitte found no evidence that the service tracked, stored, or shared any of its users’ data.
Performance
Another big concern is that running your connection through a VPN might slow down your internet. CyberGhost’s server infrastructure is extremely well-optimised, meaning you’ll get the fastest speeds possible with almost zero lag. On top of this, CyberGhost offers unlimited bandwidth and data so you’ll never be throttled during intense usage.
We can run a quick comparison using two websites. First is speedtest.net:
A more rigorous test can be run by seeing how the VPN affects many of the most popular sites, particularly YouTube or Netflix. There seems to be no difference whatsoever – the pages load fast, the videos stream normally, and there’s no drop in quality. This is true across multiple platforms as well. Neither the Google Chrome extension:
Set-up
CyberGhost’s VPN services are available for a variety of operating systems and devices. It has clients for Windows, MacOS, and Linux computers, as well as Android and iOS apps, so even your phone can be secure. CyberGhost can also be used with various Smart TVs, including Apple TV, Android, and even Amazon Fire, allowing you access to the full range of content on your favourite streaming services with no drop in quality. You can even install applications on your Xbox or Playstation, or utilise Open VPN to utilise CyberGhost directly with your router – this way, you’ll always be secure and anonymous when you browse.
Set up and installation is easy – after purchasing your subscription, simply download the client from CyberGhost’s website and run the installer.
With just one subscription, CyberGhost allows you to connect up to seven devices, allowing you to keep your entire digital life underwraps.
Support
CyberGhost’s website offers an array of resources to help you, including guides for installation and troubleshooting as well as an extensive set of FAQs. For more specific problems, you can also submit a ticket via a form on their support portal, though be aware that this will likely require a lot of very specific information.
If you’re confused or overwhelmed, CyberGhost also offers a Live Chat service where you can talk directly to a representative. Your initial connection will most likely be with a bot, but we found that within a few seconds, we were directed to an actual representative who was more than ready to help. Their website also lists numerous emails for their various departments, in case you need to get in contact with specific individuals.
Conclusion
CyberGhost has a staunch commitment to privacy, security, and a free and uncensored internet, and that can be felt throughout its service and design principles. With more than a decade of experience in the industry and a team of highly qualified professionals, CyberGhost lives up to its reputation as one of the most reliable VPN services out there. With a strict No Logs Policy verified by Deloitte Audit Romania and military-grade encryption, you can be sure that your data is secure.
With an extensive server network and high-quality infrastructure, CyberGhost’s VPN is one of the fastest on the market. Whilst your connection may slow a bit using long-distance servers, with over 7,000 to choose from you’ll almost certainly find a local one that gives you a fast, reliable connection on all of your devices.
Finally, CyberGhost is affordable; with an incredible 83% saving on its 2 Year + 2 Months deal (that already out-prices most of its competitors), there’s little upfront cost for the user. Combine that with the 45-day money-back guarantee, and there’s no risk in trying them for yourself. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better service for a better price.