CyberGhost is a popular VPN based in Romania, a country with strong privacy laws. The company offers a VPN service with simple features, making it a great option for beginners.

CyberGhost review


Bleeping Computer Rating: 8.9


What impressed us:

  • The company is based in Romania. A country that lacks mandatory data retention directives or well-funded intelligence agencies
  • Apps are available for all popular platforms. Has apps for Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, and Linux
  • It is cheaper than its competitors. Starting at just $2.03 per month it is almost impossible to beat on cost
  • Has an enormous server network. With over 9,000 servers in 91+ countries, CyberGhost has one of the largest server networks
  • Kill switch (Secure Connect) is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
  • Works with most popular streaming services. This includes Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Disney Plus
  • Includes ad blocking and malware filtering. The VPN helps to speed up page load times and to protect you as you surf by blocking malicious sites, ads, and tracking scripts

What it could improve:

  • Live chat could be better. The live chat dropped out unexpectedly causing me to have to start the conversation again. One of the agents provided incorrect information leading to confusion. Claims to be 24/7 but was unavailable on numerous occasions.
  • Fewer features than many of its close competitors. CyberGhost lacks some features and is probably better suited to desktop users. You will not find split tunneling, port forwarding, MultiHop, or obfuscation.
  • The settings menu can be a touch confusing. Some of the settings are located in the “Cog” menu and some are in the CyberGhost icon. Once you know this everything becomes easy to find.
  • The kill switch cannot be disabled on Mac, Android, or iOS.
  • The VPN causes a large amount of Captchas when searching on Google, which is very annoying.

Editor’s opinion:

CyberGhost VPN is a straightforward VPN that I enjoy using for streaming. It has a wide choice of servers and provides decent connection speeds, which makes it a good option for watching Netflix US or playing online games. 

Its intuitive interface makes it easy to use, but even advanced users should be impressed with its choice of features, which includes a kill switch, auto-connect, and split tunneling. The VPN also includes built-in ad and malware blocking, which helps protect your device against harmful websites.

The main caveat is that I probably wouldn’t choose this VPN for highly sensitive use cases. While it does have a no-logs policy, it lacks advanced features like obfuscation; which are necessary for bypassing online censorship or using VoIP in politically sensitive countries.


CyberGhost VPN – Overview

CyberGhost started its life as a free VPN service back in 2011. By 2012, it had amassed around 1.7 million users. In 2017, Kape Technologies (then known as Crossrider) acquired the VPN, and the following year the free version was discontinued indefinitely.

When Crossrider acquired CyberGhost in 2017, the parent company was known as an ad-tech firm with a reputation for concealing spyware in its apps. Many onlookers complained that this caused a serious conflict of interest and worried that CyberGhost's reliability as a privacy service might be in jeopardy.

Since then, the company has largely allayed these concerns; rebranding as Kape Technologies and positioning itself as a "privacy-first digital security software provider."

In the interim, Kape has acquired several other well-known VPN brands, including ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access. Both those VPNs continue to be managed independently and generally have good standing with consumers and reviewers alike. As of 2023, CyberGhost has approximately 38 million users and is one of the most popular VPNs available.

Despite the company's progress, there are still skeptics for whom its past will always be a barrier. However, no evidence has ever emerged of subscriber data being used improperly by Kape, its subsidiaries, or any third parties.

Aside from a minor incident in 2020 when the Typeform breach affected around 120 of its users, CyberGhost has maintained a solid reputation for providing privacy to its global user base. Today, it remains a leading service that represents excellent value for money. 


CyberGhost – Highlights

  • Offers a choice of reliable VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard
  • Unblocks many popular streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more
  • Supports 7 simultaneous connections
  • Dedicated servers for streaming, P2P, and more
  • Provides an ad-blocker, anti-tracking, and anti-malware features
  • NoSpy servers are fully controlled by the VPN for added security

CyberGhost VPN Review

In this review, we thoroughly tested CyberGhost VPN over the course of two weeks using dedicated test servers, home broadband, and a variety of devices with different operating systems. 

We evaluated the service across seven key areas: Features, Pricing, Streaming, Speeds, Privacy, Security, and Customer Service. Below, you can see the results of our tests.

CyberGhost home page

Features

CyberGhost is a well-thought-out VPN with a straightforward feature set. This makes it easy for beginners to use. However, it also means that it lacks certain advanced features that you may decide you need.

Below, we have included a list of CyberGhost’s features so that you can decide whether it suits your personal requirements. Although it lacks some advanced features like port forwarding, MultiHop, Tor over VPN, and obfuscation, it still has a lot to offer. In fact, we think it is impressive, considering the low cost of a subscription.

Apps for all devices 

CyberGhost VPN offers a range of custom apps for various devices, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Android TV, and Amazon Firestick/Fire TVs. It also has guides and instructions for setting up the VPN on various other devices, such as VPN-compatible routers, smart TVs, consoles, and Apple TV.

This means that CyberGhost can secure your internet connection and protect your online privacy on just about any of the devices on your home network. If you happen to have a device that does not include a direct VPN connection option, you can set up a VPN-protected WiFi hotspot on any Windows or Mac computer and connect via that. 

CyberGhost also has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. These provide a proxy connection for your browser to let you bypass regional internet restrictions. However, it is important to note that this type of connection is not as secure as the full VPN client, which provides additional privacy by encrypting your data and concealing your DNS requests from your ISP.

Global server network

One of the most impressive aspects of CyberGhost VPN’s service is its mammoth server network. It has over 9,000 servers in 91+ countries worldwide. This lets you get an IP address almost anywhere in the world. As a result, we could easily access region-locked content or circumvent blocks imposed on WiFi networks. It also makes it suitable for bypassing internet blocks in countries with overreaching censorship laws. All in all, these features make CyberGhost an ideal VPN for international travel

The enormous size of CyberGhost’s network reduces the potential for server congestion – ensuring smooth operation for all users – and the best possible speeds for data-intensive activities such as streaming, torrenting, and gaming.

In addition to a wide selection of international servers, CyberGhost offers a choice of servers in 11+ cities across the US. This lets you pick from servers on the West or East coast, depending on your needs. It also enables American users to access state-level internet services or streams, including blackout NFL and MLB games.

While this is a decent selection of US servers, we will note that it is a little limited compared to some of its chief competitors. For example, ExpressVPN (18), NordVPN (15), IPVanish (17), and Surfshark (25) all offer servers in a greater number of US cities. If a wide choice of US server locations is a priority, you may opt to shop elsewhere.

Another impressive fact regarding CyberGhost’s network is that it uses physical servers in every location, rather than virtualization. This means that the VPN always processes your data in the location you choose. This provides greater transparency (because you always know which jurisdiction your data is being processed in).

Below, you can see how CyberGhost’s network compares to other popular services:

VPN Servers
CyberGhost 9,000+
NordVPN 5,200+
Surfshark 3,200+
ExpressVPN 3,000+
ProtonVPN 1,850+

Kill switch

A VPN kill switch is designed to protect you any time your VPN connection accidentally drops out. It instantly cuts your internet connection to stop you from exposing your internet activities to the local area network or your Internet Service Provider (ISP). 

This also prevents you from accidentally exposing your IP address to the websites you visit or any peers you connect to directly (while torrenting, for example). Simply put, a kill switch helps to safeguard your privacy if your internet connection has a wobble, or you accidentally lose connection to the VPN server. 

The good news is that CyberGhost has a kill switch on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. On Mac, iOS, and Android, the kill switch is built into the client and is always on by default. Unfortunately, this means that you cannot turn it off. It also makes it easier to use and guarantees you are always protected.

On Windows, the kill switch is also enabled by default. However, on this platform, you can turn the feature off if you prefer. To do this, click the CyberGhost icon in the top right of the application and then Privacy settings > Automatic Kill-Switch.

CyberGhost kill switch

Autoconnect

CyberGhost comes with an auto-connect feature that is built into the kill switch. This feature will attempt to reconnect you to the VPN so that it can disable the kill switch and get you reconnected to the internet. 

The auto-connect feature will attempt to re-establish the VPN connection for two minutes from the moment that the kill switch cuts your internet. 

This feature is useful because it minimizes downtime any time that the kill switch kicks in. This auto-connect feature reconnects your computer to the last server used and disables the kill switch. This allows your torrent client, for example, to resume downloading.

In addition to this auto-connect feature, the apps for Windows and Mac also have “Smart Rules” that let you pick when the VPN connects. 

You can ask the VPN to connect when you start up your computer, when you connect to saved WiFi networks, or when you connect to unknown/unsecured WiFi networks.

cyberghost smart rules

We recommend that you set the top two options to “Always launch a VPN connection.” This will protect you when you connect to new WiFi hotspots, including unprotected networks that could expose you to cyber-criminals.

Split tunneling

CyberGhost provides a basic split tunneling feature in both of its desktop apps (Windows and macOS). This allows you to pick which websites (but not apps) you want to exclude from the VPN tunnel. 

cyberghost split tunneling

On Android, the split tunneling feature is a bit more sophisticated. It allows you to pick which apps you want to exclude from the VPN tunnel. This allows you to route data from some apps through the VPN tunnel – while using others without the VPN.

Ad block and malicious content filtering

To provide additional privacy for its users, CyberGhost VPN blocks malicious websites, tracking scripts, and adverts. 

This “Content Blocker” feature helps to improve page load times, blocks annoying adverts, and prevents companies from following you around the internet with trackers. It also improves your online security by protecting you against malware and malicious websites that contain phishing. 

Bear in mind that this feature is not currently available on iOS. However, you can toggle the feature on and off in the settings menu of the apps for Windows, Mac, and Android, which allows you to decide whether or not you want this additional protection.

Smart DNS

CyberGhost VPN throws in a free Smart DNS service with every subscription. This is a useful extra that lets you spoof your location on any device that won’t let you install a VPN directly. This is useful for unblocking streams on smart TVs, consoles, set-top boxes, and any other device you have that does not let you install a VPN application directly. Just bear in mind that the Smart DNS service is only designed to provide access to US services. 

Change MTU size

This feature allows you to avoid connection problems caused by IP fragmentation. It lets you reduce the size of the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) so that your packets are more easily compatible across different networks. If you experience slow speeds, you can try changing this setting to “auto” or “small” to see if it helps.

Use a random port

Have you ever been in a hotel, traveling on a coach, or flying on a plane and found it impossible to connect to your VPN? Using the "random port" setting while connecting to CyberGhost can help you connect to its servers even when the local network has blocked commonly used VPN ports. 

When you enable this feature, the software scans for open ports on the network and uses one of those ports to establish the connection. This increases the chances of the VPN working on stubborn public WiFi hotspots that block ports for security reasons. 

This feature can be especially useful when trying to regain access to blocked websites and services on free public WiFi hotspots (stubborn WiFi hotspots often block popular services like YouTube to save on bandwidth, which is why getting connected to the VPN is important).

Note that this setting is specific to the OpenVPN protocol and will not work with the other protocols available in the CyberGhost VPN app.

cyberghost random port

Bandwidth allowance and connection allowance

CyberGhost VPN does not limit your VPN use in any way. The VPN provides unlimited data and unlimited bandwidth. This means you can use the VPN as much as you like on up to seven devices. 

We think this makes the VPN suitable for families and people who own many devices. It also makes it a reliable service for gaming, torrenting, HD streaming, and other data-intensive tasks.

Subscriptions & Pricing 

One of the most alluring aspects of CyberGhost VPN is its pricing scheme. Users can pick between a one-month, six-month, and two-year subscription. All those plans are identical, other than a discount for committing longer. Thus you don’t need to worry about which plans come with what features.

Admittedly, at a cost of $12.99 for a single month, CyberGhost is pretty expensive. We can think of numerous competing services that offer a cheaper single-month plan. So, if you need a VPN for vacationing, or while traveling for work, you may prefer something else.

Committing for six months reduces the price to just $6.99 per month, payable in a single installment of $41.94. This is much more reasonable. 

Where CyberGhost becomes almost unbeatable, however, is when you splash out on the two-year plan. This subscription costs just $56.94 and currently comes with an extra four months for free.

cyberghost pricing

That means you pay the equivalent of just $2.03 per month. We think this is a superb price point for a VPN that works well for streaming, gaining online privacy, unblocking international services, torrenting safely, and securing your devices on public WiFi.

Dedicated IP

CyberGhost rents dedicated servers. You can pick a dedicated static IP in the US, Germany, France, the UK, or Canada. It will cost you $2.50 extra per month and can be bolted onto any plan. 

The benefit of a dedicated IP is that it is reserved for your use only. This allows you to use services that could become suspicious unless you have a static IP (online poker services, for instance).

A dedicated IP also helps reduce the likelihood of captchas (the regular servers cause a lot of captchas when searching on Google). 

Money-back guarantee

To give anybody the opportunity to try its service, CyberGhost has a lengthy 45-day money-back guarantee. This lets you test it for accessing your favorite streaming services or to see how the software works on your devices. Just bear in mind that the one-month plan only has a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Payment options

If you want to pay for your CyberGhost account anonymously using a burner email address, you can pay with Bitcoin. Alternatively, you can pay using a credit card (including Amex and Discover), debit card (Visa and Mastercard), or via PayPal. 

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Speeds

We performed speed tests on CyberGhost VPN using a dedicated test server in Ohio. Our test server boasts a 5 Gigabit internet connection. This allows us to evaluate the VPN's top speeds. 

To provide the most accurate results possible, we used the desktop version of Ookla's Speedtest application and selected the closest test server for each VPN location. We used CyberGhost’s WireGuard protocol to perform our tests because (in theory, at least) this should be the fastest protocol available. You can opt to leave the VPN set to auto, which should give you the fastest connection available where you are.

To give you a comprehensive understanding of the VPN's performance, we tested servers in New York, London, and Hong Kong at three-hour intervals. Below, you can see those results – as well as averages for each location and a global average.

We acknowledge that the speed of our test server is faster than an average home internet connection. To give you a more realistic expectation of how CyberGhost will perform in a home setting, we also tested it using home broadband. These home results will let you see how the VPN will affect speeds in a ‘real world’ setting.

Location Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Average
UK (London) 203 Mbps 182 Mbps 287 Mbps 224 Mbps
US (New York) 424 Mbps 360 Mbps 392 Mbps 392 Mbps
Hong Kong 287 Mbp 278 Mbps 193 Mbps 252 Mbps
Global       289 Mbps

In the table above, you can see the results of the speed tests carried out on our dedicated 5 GB test server. As you can see, the global average was 289 Mbps. Needless to say, this means it is capable of providing excellent speeds. So how did it perform on normal home broadband?

To find out, we tested CyberGhost using Cogeco home broadband in Canada. We used the desktop version of the Ookla Speedtest app on an Asus Zenbook 14 Pro laptop. Internet speed (without the VPN) was 35 Mbps on the day of testing. Below, you can see the results of our tests:

  • UK London server. Download speed of 27.13 Mbps. This is a 23% drop.
  • US New York server. Download speed of 33.11 Mbps. This is a 5.4% drop.
  • Hong Kong server. Download speed of 23.43 Mbps. This is a 33% drop.

As you can see, our ‘real world’ tests gave mixed results when compared to those performed on the test server. The New York server provided the best speed, barely altering our internet speeds. This makes it a great option for streaming and other data-intensive tasks. 

The UK server was also quick, reducing our home internet by just 23% (and keeping our internet connection above 25 Mbps). This makes it ideal for HD streaming and playing data-intensive multiplayer games like Fortnite, DOTA 2, Overwatch, and Warframe.

Unfortunately, the Hong Kong server did not perform so well. It reduced my connection speed to 23.43 Mbps, which is roughly a third of my usual internet speed. This is a significant decrease in speed, which means you can expect some servers to slow your internet down more than others.

Streaming

If you're looking for a VPN to access streaming services, CyberGhost is a fantastic option. It offers a wide variety of servers located around the world, and in our experience, they often work to access popular international streaming services and TV platforms.

We tested CyberGhost with Netflix and found that it could access regional content on Netflix US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Japan. According to CyberGhost's website, it also works to access the regional Netflix catalog in Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, India, Turkey, and South Korea. This, undoubtedly, makes it one of the best VPNs for Netflix.

CyberGhost is also one of the few VPNs that clearly label its streaming servers in its app. This makes it easy to find the server you need. 

The VPN has servers that will help you to access streaming platforms in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK, and the US. Fair to say, this is the most comprehensive list of streaming servers we have ever seen.

Best of all, each of those servers tells you which streaming service it is optimized for. The Australian streaming servers, for example, are optimized to access 9Now, 10Play, and Netflix Australia.

CyberGhost streaming servers

In the US, CyberGhost has streaming servers for Netflix US, YouTube, YouTube TV, DAZN USA, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Hulu, NBC, Fox, Sling TV, Comedy Central, ESPN+, Crunchyroll, Peacock, Disney+, Paramount+, and NFL+. 

To test CyberGhost's claims, we tried accessing various different streaming services. We are pleased to report that all our tests were successful. We could access Hulu, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video, NBC, ITV Hub, Channel 4, and BBC iPlayer. 

Just remember that when it comes to accessing streams with a VPN, the situation is always fluid. Streaming platforms work hard to block VPNs, and it is possible that one of CyberGhost’s many streaming servers could stop working (even if only temporarily).

Security

The CyberGhost VPN apps provide users with a choice of VPN protocols. The desktop apps for Windows and macOS both allow you to pick between OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard. The Android version provides a choice of OpenVPN or WireGuard. And on iOS, you can pick between IKEv2 and WireGuard. 

These are well-known VPN protocols that can provide high levels of security, and CyberGhost implements those protocols with robust encryption standards. This means that you can trust any of those protocols to keep your data and web browsing habits private. It also means that the VPN will protect you against hackers on public WiFi.

For any tech-heads reading, we have included the OpenVPN encryption standards below:

  • 256-bit AES cipher
  • 2,048-bit RSA keys
  • SHA256 authentication
  • Perfect Forward Secrecy to protect VPN sessions against compromise in the event that an encryption key is intercepted.

It is worth mentioning that IKEv2 also uses AES-256 encryption. WireGuard uses ChaCha20. These are both secure standards that will protect your data against eavesdroppers, hackers, and government snoops. Excellent news so far.

Note that the CyberGhost apps let you pick “Auto” as the VPN protocol. This is how the VPN is set by default, and most of the time it will default to WireGuard, which is the fastest protocol available. 

If you feel more comfortable using OpenVPN for privacy purposes, we recommend that you set this protocol in the app as soon as you install it.

cyberghost protocols

Leak tests

Next, we carried out IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks on CyberGhost using browserleaks.com. These tests ensure that the VPN is properly protecting your data inside the encrypted VPN tunnel. 

Any leaks would mean that the VPN is giving you a false sense of security. As a result, local network administrators, ISPs, and government agencies might be able to see what you are doing online. These leaks can also permit the websites you visit to detect your real IP address. 

cyberghost leak tests

The good news is that CyberGhost VPN is completely free of leaks. When connected to its servers, the VPN completely concealed our IP address with no DNS leaks or WebRTC leaks.

Our tests also revealed that CyberGhost proxies your DNS requests using its own servers. This ensures that neither your ISP (which usually resolves your DNS requests) nor third-party DNS resolvers (such as Google DNS) can monitor the websites you are asking to visit. This is the most secure way for a VPN to handle your DNS requests.

Note that if you want to, you can set an alternative DNS service in the app. This means you can pick OpenDNS, OpenNIC, DNSWatch, or whichever third-party DNS service you prefer to use. 

NoSpy Servers

CyberGhost also provides “NoSpy servers”. Although you may mistakenly think that these are obfuscated servers, these are bare metal servers fully owned, operated, and controlled by CyberGhost. The benefit of these servers is that they completely eliminate the involvement of any third-party server companies or their staff. 

If you have an elevated threat model or want the highest possible privacy and security, you may prefer to stick to these servers.

Privacy

CyberGhost's network is made up of dynamic, shared IP addresses. These provide high levels of privacy for its users. Shared IPs mean that the user's traffic is mixed with that of other users each session, which creates additional privacy by making it difficult to monitor anybody in real time.

It is also possible to purchase a dedicated, static IP from CyberGhost. While this option offers some benefits (such as the ability to use online services that might block you or suspend your account if they suspect VPN use), it also comes with a trade-off.

A dedicated, static IP address means that you are the sole user of that IP. Thus, if the server was raided by authorities, officials could potentially monitor your online activity in real time. This is a privacy repercussion you may need to consider depending on your personal threat model (where and why you are using the VPN).

Jurisdiction 

CyberGhost is based in Romania. We consider this a good place for a VPN to be located because it lacks mandatory data retention directives and well-funded government surveillance agencies. 

Being based in Romania also means that the VPN is well out of reach of invasive jurisdictions like the US and the UK. This reduces the potential for the VPN to be served a warrant that forces it to start logging information about its users secretly (gag orders).

Privacy policy

CyberGhost's privacy policy clearly states that the company does not store any information about its users' online activities, including their source IP, the VPN servers they connect to, their browsing history, the amount of data transferred, their DNS queries, or the files they download. 

In September 2022, the independent auditing company Deloitte Romania verified these claims, meaning that the VPN works to provide effective online privacy.

Despite this, CyberGhost’s policy reveals that the company tracks a significant amount of data through its website (using cookies, beacons, tags, and scripts) and via the user’s device. This includes:

  • Browser type, device type, general properties and metadata, OS version, preferred language, the date and time of the user's visit, battery charge, screen resolution, Google Advertising ID, gyro-sensor data, screen size, connectivity, mobile service provider, referring website, and website preferences (selected during the visit).

Additionally, the company admits to collecting some "non-personal" data when the VPN is in use. This includes connection attempt data such as the time of connection, country of origin, and whether the connection was successful. CyberGhost uses this aggregated statistical information to improve its service for all users.

It is worth noting, with this in mind, that the privacy policy also allows for this data to be shared with CyberGhost's parent company, Kape, and any third parties that Kape works with. This may be enough to raise some privacy concerns for its users (depending on your personal threat model).

Despite this, we will again emphasize that CyberGhost does not collect any information about the user’s VPN activity. This means that CyberGhost still qualifies as a no-logs VPN.

Customer support

CyberGhost advertises 24/7 live chat support on its website. The only caveat is that you may sometimes be unable to start a chat with an agent using the live chat box. 

Most of the time, asking a question will result in a few automated links and a button to launch the live chat. However, on some occasions, you will be unable to start the live chat (presumably because no live chat agents are available).

In addition, we did experience some connectivity issues, which meant that our live chat session suddenly ended, and we had to start again (usually, we would be able to be reconnected to the same agent, so it wasn’t all that bad).

During our time mystery shopping the live chat service, we found the live chat support agents to be well-trained. Most of them were patient and had plenty of information about the VPN. That said, some agents were more knowledgeable than others, and we did sometimes get an agent that seemed confused about some of the features or who provided incorrect information. This was, of course, slightly frustrating.

On the plus side, the VPN has many FAQs, setup guides, and blog articles (look for the Privacy Hub) on its website. These resources are designed to help you use the VPN and all of its features. We liked that the live chat agents forwarded us to these resources, which will help most people get their issues resolved more quickly.

cyberghost blog

Overall, we found CyberGhost’s website and its many resources to be well-presented, effective, and transparent. This makes CyberGhost a solid choice for beginners who might need help with setting up or using the VPN. 

Is CyberGhost VPN easy to use?

Yes. CyberGhost is a VPN that we consider ideally suited for beginners. The apps are well-designed, aesthetically pleasing, and include features that the vast majority of consumers actually need. 

This makes the VPN highly functional and means you get all the privacy and unblocking benefits you are likely to need – without any of the confusion you might get with some of its competitors.

The only caveat is that the settings can be a touch confusing the first time you use it. This is because some settings (general settings) are located in the cog menu, and some advanced settings (privacy settings and smart rules) must be accessed from the CyberGhost icon. 

We have highlighted these options in the screenshot below to help you out!

As long as you remember that the Smart Rules (launch rules, auto-connect, website exceptions) and Privacy Settings (DNS leak protection, kill switch, and content blocking) features are accessed using the CyberGhost icon (rather than the settings cog in the bottom left), you should be good to go.

Our verdict

CyberGhost is cheap for what you get, particularly if you want a VPN that excels for streaming. 

We found it to provide decent speeds for watching Netflix and many other platforms in HD, and we were thoroughly impressed with the level of information you get in its streaming servers tab. You could even use its streaming servers to get some inspiration about what to unblock, which is rather nifty.

Admittedly, the inability to disable the kill switch on Android, Mac, and iOS may cause friction if your home network is prone to connectivity issues.

On the other hand, CyberGhost’s kill switch works in combination with an auto-connect feature that attempts to reconnect you for two minutes. So, as long as your internet doesn’t wobble longer than that, the CyberGhost app should be able to reconnect to the server and get your internet working again.

The lack of an obfuscation feature may be a turn-off if you are in a country where VPN use could draw attention from the authorities. If you are in the UAE, Iran, Pakistan, or any other country where VPN use might be considered suspicious, you may want to opt for an alternative like NordVPN, Surfshark, or ExpressVPN.

Our tests revealed that CyberGhost VPN offers excellent encryption, effective leak protection, and a variety of world-class VPN features to protect you against surveillance and eavesdropping, both at home and on public WiFi.

Just remember that despite performing well on dedicated test servers, we did experience some speed inconsistencies on a home broadband connection. So, if you have a specific server location you plan to use regularly, we would recommend testing that location yourself to see how it performs (using the 45-day money-back guarantee).

Lastly, it would be remiss of us not to mention the biggest drawback of all. CyberGhost VPN triggers captchas while browsing, which can impede your speed, create extra steps, and may prove to be a frustration for some subscribers.

Question mark icon

Did you know

The following information is available to any site you visit:

Your IP Address:

 

Your Location:

 

Your Internet Provider:

 

BLEEPINGCOMPUTER RECOMMENDS:

Using a VPN will hide these details and protect your privacy. We recommend using NordVPN - #1 VPN in our tests. It offers outstanding privacy features and is currently available with three months extra free.