CyberGhost is a Romanian and Germany-based giant VPN service provider that offers services to more than 10 million clients. It brags of 6,638 servers distributed in 110 locations across 89 countries. This is a huge number when contrasted to most of its competitors. It allows torrenting on most of its servers, and it is compatible with Windows, iOS, Mac, Android, and more.
CyberGhost features extra features apart from the regular VPN functionality. It is capable of blocking malicious websites, ads, trackers, and trackers. Automatic HTTPS rerouting makes sure that your connection to every website is secure, and optimal data compression can reduce bandwidth thus, saving cash on mobiles.
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Latest Updates
– April 2020- WireGuard support was incorporated into the Linux app.
– May 2020- The service increased its servers to 6440 in 112 locations across 90 countries.
– July 2020- CyberGhost reduced its server coverage to 6200+ in 89 countries.
– August 2020- CyberGhost ended the 2-year and 3-year subscription plans; instead, it brought on board a 1-year plan with 6 extra months at $2.75.
Plans and pricing- CyberGhost VPN Review
CyberGhost’s monthly plan will cost you $12.99; this is a little bit high compared to the VPN-industry standard that is $10-$13. Another subscription is the yearly plan accompanied by extra six months free and translates to $2.75 monthly for the first one and half years. Renewing the annual plan will increase the price to $4.13 a month. For the first 18 months, the deal looks good.
CyberGhost also provides a ‘VPN Bundle’ deal that allows access to the PassCamp cloud-based password manager and ID Guard Protection service, which alerts you in case your address has been compromised in a data breach. This bundle will cost you $3.25 for the first one year and will hike to $4.88 afterward.
Whatever plan you opt for, CyberGhost allows you to pay by Bitcoin, PayPal, and credit card. CyberGhost also offers free trials, although they are confusing and a bit complicated. On Windows, after signing up, you have 24hrs to try the service. This is not only short, but also getting access to the full VPN service is limited. Within 24 hours, using specialist streaming connections is limited, and you can only connect to a single device.
If you need more trial time sign up with the iOS app, you will have seven days. However, you must sign up with the app first. If you sign up via Windows and then log into the iOS app using the same account, the trial time will remain 24 hours. On Android, you also have seven days, and you don’t have to log in or create a CyberGhost account.
Seven days on Android and iOS are enough to try the service before you commit to it. In case you sign up and find out that the service isn’t working to your expectations, there is good news for you. The company has a 45-day money-back guarantee, among the most liberal deals worldwide.
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Logging and privacy
Like other VPN service providers, CyberGhost boasts a ‘strict no logs policy’ on its website. CyberGhost claims that it does not know about your traffic data like traffic destination, browsing history, data content, and search preferences. CyberGhost does not record all these except log in info. This VPN also claims that, when using it, it does not store connection logs, connection, timestamps, or duration. This means that CyberGhost doesn’t have any records associated with your IP.
While this sounds great, the fact is these are just words on a web page, and there is no way a client can verify or know how the VPN actually works. A few VPNs like NordVPN, VyprVPN address this by allowing independent audits on their systems. I hope CyberGhost will do the same in the near future.
In the meantime, we run some simple privacy checks of our own. We used sites like DNS Leak Test and IPLeak.net to look for privacy leaks and DNS.
All the tests were excellent, and none of the tests showed any problem. However, when we tried connecting from United Kingdom to New York, we were allocated a US IP but a United Kingdom DNS address.
When it comes to app design, CyberGhost deserves some credit too. Like many VPN service providers, CyberGhost’s apps can detect anonymous data to know how they are being used. However, contrary to some competitors, this VPN does not keep this turned on by default. You have to turn it on manually with a click.
Performance
Measuring a VPN performance is a daunting task as many factors have to be considered. However, our team tried to get an idea of CyberGhost connection speeds by testing local US and UK performance with benchmarking sites like TestMy.net and SpeedTest.
The connection speeds from a UK data center to our nearest servers showed amazing results of 160-180Mbps. This is pretty good and competitive with top names like ExpressVPN (160-170Mbps) and IPVanish (150-220Mbps) on the same location. However, these speeds are still behind the speeds that we witnessed from the NordLynx protocol (330-350Mbps), the latest protocol from NordVPN.
The US test results were also excellent, 180-240Mbps. This confirmed CyberGhost’s performance abilities though not cutting edge unless you intend to spend the whole day downloading torrents.
We took a look at the worst download speeds too. The test was run on the most distant server and one that CyberGhost identified as the most loaded. CyberGhost client chose New Zealand as the furthest location from the United Kingdom, a distance of almost 11,400 miles. When we connected, the average connection speeds dropped to 10Mbps. These speeds are usable for HD video streaming and browsing, but well behind the 40-50Mbps, we witnessed from Hotspot Shield lately.
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UNBLOCKING
CyberGhost VPN Review
Netflix
Accessing Netflix and similar sites can prove to be a challenge, even with the best VPN service providers. When we selected the streaming filter on Windows client, for example, there was a list of recommended locations for US Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, and more. Along with the list, there were other specialist servers for streaming services in Germany, Canada, France, Finland, Brazil, Poland, and more.
This feature got off to a fantastic start with Netflix. Both the UK Netflix and the US Netflix locations accessed and streamed content successfully. We had issues when we tried the BBC iPlayer location, though it sometimes works. This time around, it didn’t allow us to connect. After several attempts, we decided to reach the support, who responded that this was a known issue with no definite time for a fix.
Amazon Prime location worked successfully. However, the site detected the VPN and disconnected us. A different problem came up when we switched to Disney+. The website took more than a minute to load, using various browsers and across a number of sessions. Though it took longer to connect, we could play and browse anything from the Disney+ website when it eventually connected.
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Torrents
CyberGhost VPN does not support P2P on all servers. CyberGhost blocks P2P protocols on some servers. This is due to strategic reasons like slowing down other client’s traffic or due to jurisdictions in some countries where the VPN is forced to block torrent traffic. Among these countries are Russia, the USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia.
The good news is that you don’t have to memorize which locations allow P2P. CyberGhost’s apps have a torrenting list with your options. For instance, our Windows app showed 76 P2P-friendly countries; this is a good number compared to most VPNs.
Helpful features in the Windows settings box include the automated connection to your preferred CyberGhost contact each time you launch your torrent client.
Sometimes you can be exposed to attack if you try downloading torrents from malicious websites. However, CyberGhost’s malicious URL filter could help you escape these attacks.
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Client setup- CyberGhost VPN Review
CyberGhost puts a lot of effort into making sure that the app setup is as quick and simple as possible, and for the most part, it is successful.
Click the trial link on the website, and the tiny Windows installer will be quickly downloaded. Then accept the terms and conditions enter your email and password. Afterward, click the common ‘please confirm your address’ link in a follow-up email; from there, you are ready to go minus other details or payment. Do the same on mobile apps.
You will, though, have to go through a lengthy process in case you need the OpenVPN configuration files. Compared to other VPNs that give many standard OVPN files to download, CyberGhost requires you to go through a tedious, lengthy process. With CyberGhost, you will have to sign in to your account; add a device profile, select the features you want; select UDP or OpenVPN TCP; choose your target country; write down server name; custom password, and username; then download the OVPN file, key and certificate files in a ZIP file.
This approach comes along with a couple of advantages. It is secure and provides you with a high level of control over how each connection functions.
Windows client
CyberGhost’s Windows client pops up with a clean, lightweight interface. It is a simple console with connect button, connection status, and a rundown of locations. This is not all, and there is a lot of functionality under the right-hand panel, which you can open if the need arises. There is a location picker that lists all servers together with their distance and load. This list can be filtered so that it displays servers optimized for torrents and streaming. There is also a favorite list system, which makes it easier to come up with your custom list.
Right-clicking the VPN’s system tray icon also gives you all the available servers, with menus for streaming, torrenting, and your favorites. You have the option to either switch or close connections minus interfering with the main interface.
Options usually start with the connection features panel that allows you to enable privacy features, including blocks for malicious websites and ads. For extra security, CyberGhost can by default redirect HTTP connections to HTTPS for additional protection. There is also a bonus Data Compression feature that compresses pictures and other junk to lower traffic and improve functionality.
While all these sound impressive on paper, they aren’t always worth very much when trying them out. In our case, we activated the adblocker feature and then accessed an ad-packed United Kingdom newspaper website; our browser made 670 requests, took 42 seconds to load fully, and downloaded 5MB of content. The same page made 156 requests, transferred 469KB of data, and took 3 seconds to full load when we deactivated the ad blocker and switched to uBlock Origin.
There is more versatility in the Wi-Fi protection panel because the VPN allows you to choose what exactly happens when you connect to new networks. The client can automatically connect to the VPN in case the network is insecure or simply ask you what to do.
Also, the settings panel box allows you to select your favorite protocol, IKEv2 or OpenVPN. Using random ports to connect might bypass some VPN blocking and enable or disable IOV6 connections, Kill Switch, and DNS leak protection. The Kill Switch worked successfully when we forcibly closed either of the protocols.
Mobile apps
CyberGhost VPN Review
CyberGhost’s mobile app is much simpler than Windows, with a relatively basic interface and much less functionality.
For instance, the iOS app opens with just a connect/disconnect button. By default, the VPN connects you to servers near you, but it also gives you a list of locations to browse through. By clicking on a specific location, you will see that it displays server load info with connected users. And you have the option of saving particular locations to a favorite list.
The settings are quite simple and minimal. However, there is a significant plus when it comes to beta support for OpenVPN and WireGuard.
The control CyberGhost gives you on mobile apps over what to do when you connect to specific networks is impressive. For instance, after you launch the app, it will display the nearest Wi-Fi network name. When you tap this, CyberGhost will automatically specify whether you want the VPN to protect it in the future automatically or prompt you on what to do each time you connect to the network.
The Android app also includes automatic protection for particular networks and beta WireGuard support. Android has almost as many features as the Windows app. For instance, it has a favorite list for saving your most accessed locations. This is very helpful on a mobile device, considering that mobile has limited space, and browsing through long lists can be a daunting task.
The app also includes split tunneling, enabling you to decide which apps use the VPN and those that don’t. Features like data compression, tracker and ad blocking, and URL filtering are also available to keep you protected from malicious websites.
It also supports domain fronting. This is a fantastic feature that bypasses some VPN blocking by routing key traffic through a CDN (content delivery network). Even though we didn’t test it, we were happy it is available; however, it is not included in the Windows client.
The Android client has more features than iOS; however, there is still a chance for improvement. CyberGhost mobile apps are amazing, and they offer almost similar features to Windows apps.
Dedicated IP System
CyberGhost offers dedicated IPs at an additional cost of $5 monthly. Pay the extra fee, and you will get a personal unique IP address. This reduces the chances of being blocked by websites for other users’ bad behavior and allows you to access IP-restricted networks while using CyberGhost VPN.
Sign up for the dedicated IP feature and select your preferred location from a limited list that only includes Frankfurt, Manchester, Montreal, London, New York, Paris, and Chicago.
We tried out Chicago, and the website gave us a token in the form of a lengthy text string that represented our IP. We copied and pasted it into the Windows app; the dedicated IP became available in a moment from the location selector.
Once your newly dedicated IP is activated, it instantly appears in the dedicated IP panel of the VPN’s location picker. From there, you can use it whenever the need arises.
CyberGhost’s dedicated IP feature is an added advantage even though it looks highly-priced. Some of its competitors, like PureVPN, look cheaper when it comes to dedicated IPs, $3.99 a month is pocket friendly. However, the overall prices are a little bit costly, $8.33 a month on the yearly plan. CyberGhost still looks great when it comes to overall deals.
Support- CyberGhost VPN Review
CyberGhost’s support is well organized and knowledgeable. Go to the guides section and browse your preferred platform, here you will get all the information regarding app installation, using it, and how to explore the VPN’s main features.
The quality of content on CyberGhost’s web has significantly improved over the past years. However, it still can’t beat some high-end competitors like ExpressVPN, and some of the pages on their website do not deliver the expected details.
The knowledgebase is primary, and it relies on how carefully you choose the possible keyword. For instance, if you search for speed and performance, you will get different results, and in case you get it right, the results have not been arranged according to their usefulness. CyberGhost needs to do more here and maybe set the content according to its effectiveness.
However, there are still enough and useful articles to help you master the basics. In case your issue has not been solved from their FAQs and knowledgebase, Cyberghost allows contact their support via email and live chat. You will find this feature at the help button at the bottom right.
When we tried to contact their support, with one click and a few minutes later, an agent was there responding to our question. The agents are friendly, and they respond to your questions.
CyberGhost’s support may not provide all the answers to your questions, but that should not worry you much. The live chat support is there and is ready to quickly direct you. CyberGhost may not have the best support, but it tries its best to make sure that its clients’ issues have been addressed.
Final verdict
CyberGhost is at par with top VPNs and is a capable VPN service provider with a highly user-friendly Windows client interface packed with amazing features. The mobile clients are simple and with almost the same features as the Windows app. CDN on Android client is excellent though not included on Windows client. CyberGhost prices for the first 18 months are pocket-friendly. The 45-day money-back guarantee is one of its own. Though not all its servers allow torrenting, the ones that enable work successfully. Unblocking streaming websites works well, and the dedicated IP system crowns it all.