CyberGhost VPN Review: Here’s The Skinny On This Great VPN

CyberGhost VPN is one of the most popular VPN options available, but how does it stack up to the competition? Is it worth the price? In our CyberGhost VPN review, we’re taking a long hard look at CyberGhost to help you decide whether or not it’s right for you. Learn how it compares to our top VPN choices, learn why you need a VPN and what to look for in one, and get our tips for getting the most out of your subscription.

Why You Need a VPN–and How to Find the Right One for You

In today’s world of internet hacking, government overreach, and huge data breaches, privacy is more important than ever. Unfortunately, we’ve learned from experience that we can’t rely on big corporations to protect our data. The good news, however, is that there’s a simple, inexpensive way to protect yourself online without having to buy additional equipment, spend a ton of money, or even be particularly tech-savvy.

VPNs (virtual private networks) were originally created as a way for employees to log in securely to their work network when away from home. Today, they’re used for a whole host of reasons, but mainly to prevent your ISP from tracking your IP address.

Reasons to Download a VPN like CyberGhost

VPNs create a tunnel that routes your connection through their servers so that ISPs can’t track your browsing history or downloads and, while they can usually find out one way or another that you’re using a VPN, there’s no way for them to learn your IP address.

Here’s what people use VPNs for today:

• Dodge government censorship. Countries like China restrict website access; visitors or Chinese citizens use VPNs to access sites like Google and Facebook.
• Hide browsing history. If keeping your data is secure a VPN that keeps user logs might be ok, but if government overreach is a concern, make sure you choose a VPN that doesn’t keep any logs at all–there’s some precedent for the federal government requiring VPNs to turn over logs.   
• Torrent anonymously. Normally, torrenting exposes your IP address to others on your network, but when you use a VPN, your true location is obscured.
• Maintain a secure connection while on wifi. Coffee shops and other public places have notoriously vulnerable wifis; turning on your VPN before using a public wifi helps keep you safe online.
• Get around geo restrictions. This is similar to dodging government censorship; many sites are presented or restricted based on your server’s location. For example, if you’re in the UK, you can’t normally get United States Netflix, and if you’re in the US, there are local news channels in other countries that can be hard to get–VPNs allow you to use servers in those countries to get around these restrictions.  

Here’s a caveat: illegal activity is illegal, even when you’re using a VPN. You can be prosecuted.

How Do You Use a VPN?

Most major VPNs, including CyberGhost, have readily available apps and downloads for your computers, phones, tablets, routers, and more. The setup process is simple and straightforward, and again, any good VPN with decent customer service will be able to assist you if you’re having problems.

How Do I Know if CyberGhost is Worth It?

Here are some things you should look for in a VPN:

• How much does it cost each month? Like many things, you tend to get what you pay for with VPNs. Still, there’s a way to overpay and underpay. You can also look for ways to save — can you pay for a year at a time and get a discount?
• Will this VPN service cover all of my devices and accounts?
• How is the customer service? If you’re not tech savvy, you’ll need to prioritize a service that offers premium support.
• Does your VPN track user logs?
• How well does your VPN keep up with government censorship? This is only necessary in places like China, where censorship and restrictions are in place, but it matters a great deal if that’s where you are since governments invest heavily in staying a step ahead of VPNs. You need a VPN that is constantly reiterating to keep up.
• Do you plan on using your VPN for torrenting? If so, make sure your VPN allows it in the service agreement.
• Does your VPN allow for setup on your router? This sends your entire signal through your VPN without having to individually connect every single device on the router. Setup for this can be somewhat complicated, but some VPNs suggest routers that are designed to work with them.
• Will you be doing a lot of streaming? If so, you’ll need to make sure your plan is set up to handle large amounts of data.
• How secure is your VPN? A VPN is only as good as its security features; look for double encryption, at the least.
• Where are your servers? If you’re trying to dodge censorship and geo restrictions, you’ll need to pay careful attention to where your VPN’s servers are located.

How Does CyberGhost Work?

CyberGhost was created by a group of Romanians nearly a decade ago. In 2017 it was bought by an Israeli company but continued to maintain Romanian headquarters.

CyberGhost VPN Servers and Encryption

CyberGhost has more than 3,600 servers all over the world, including Africa. There are companies with more servers, but 3,600 is extremely respectable.

Plus, there are many who appreciate that Romania isn’t a country with a strong history of government spying–it’s different than China, Russia, the UK, the United States, and others those some feel pose security risks.

CyberGhost users also enjoy double encryption as a default security layer, no matter which plan you opt for. Plus, CyberGhost doesn’t keep logs, making it one of the most secure options available.

CyberGhost VPN Pricing

CyberGhost offers a variety of different plans. Each provides equal access to its 3,600 servers in locations around the world as well as up to seven different devices turned on at the same time. Here are your plan options:

Instance 1

Monthly Subscription

$12.99/mo

Annual subscription

$63/yr

36 month subscription

$80.90

24 month subscription

$88.56

Without a doubt, the three-year subscription is the best deal. Since CyberGhost has been around for so long and is so large, it’s likely to still be in business in three years. If you’re uncomfortable with a subscription that’s that long, however, the monthly option is decently priced–there are cheaper options, however, and we’ll talk about that shortly.

One of the benefits of CyberGhost is that you can pay via Bitcoin (as well as PayPal and credit card).

CyberGhost VPN Rebates and Refunds

VPNs are new to most people, so it’s not unusual for somebody to wonder about CyberGhost’s refund policy. If you purchase the monthly plan, you have a fourteen-day window to request a full refund, no questions asked.

For a six month plan or greater, however (this applies to CyberGhost’s year, two-year, and three-year plans), you have 45 days to received a “no questions asked” refund.

Here’s how to request a refund:

• Using either CyberGhost’s customer support email address ([email protected]) or its live chat option on the website, reach out with your order number or reference number and request a refund.

We prefer accounts that let us close our accounts and request refunds ourselves, but the process seems to be fairly straightforward.

CyberGhost Customer Support

One of the things we wanted to take a close look at in this CyberGhost VPN review was customer support–there were some rumors that CyberGhost support used to be poor. The good news is that things have gotten much better!

CyberGhost offers 24/7 live support via its chat option, which is located on any webpage on the bottom right corner. You may also contact the company via email address.

Does CyberGhost VPN Offer Torrenting Support?

If you’re using a VPN for torrenting, CyberGhost is a decent option. It provides servers specifically for the purpose of torrenting, which you’ll be able to access from its app. It’s not your fastest option, but it is a good one.

CyberGhost VPN Pros

CyberGhost is one of the best VPNs in the business, so there are lots of pros to using it. Here are our top reasons to go with CyberGhost (keep reading for the cons!):

1. Easy to Use  

One of the things we want to highlight in this CyberGhost VPN review is how easy to use CyberGhost is. It involves a simple one-click installation, making it an ideal choice for anyone who isn’t tech savvy or who simply doesn’t want to hassle with a complicated system.

Plus, CyberGhost VPN supports over seven major platforms. You can find apps for the following:

• Windows
• Mac
• iOS
• Android
• Amazon Fire Stick
• Android TV
• Chrome Extension
• Firefox Extension
• Linux
• And many more

2. More Than 3,600 Servers

How many VPNs a server has indicates its number of customers, but it also indicates the size and capabilities of a server–and CyberGhost has servers in abundance. There are only a handful of VPNs with more, but frankly, you don’t need more. You’ll find them in just about every major country you’d likely be interested in.

3. Great Customer Service

CyberGhost VPN has a robust FAQs section complete with guides, installation tips and explanations, and much more. Plus, there’s a live chat function that’s open 24/7. You can also reach customer service via email or the contact form on CyberGhost’s website.

4. An Excellent Privacy Policy

At the end of the day, you’re only as secure as your VPN. Fortunately for its subscribers, CyberGhost VPN has a clear, detailed privacy policy users may read through (you can find it here). CyberGhost has been very clear about not logging user data or activity.

It collects metadata on users so it can better allocate memory, server bandwidth, and so forth, but it does not sell customer data at any point. In addition, laws in Romania do not require VPNs and other tech companies to log customer data. CyberGhost also works to educate customers on internet privacy issue including, in part, its Privacy Hub.

5. Maximum Number of Devices Per License

Another great reason to go with CyberGhost VPN is that you can use up to seven devices per license on each account. If you feel like this won’t be enough, you may purchase a second account or connect CyberGhost to your router so that everything on your router counts as a single device.

6. Great for Torrenting

As we’ve already mentioned, CyberGhost has designated servers for torrenting. While there are occasional complaints about the speed, most average users feel that CyberGhost is more than adequate.

CyberGhost VPN Cons

Despite all the great pros for going with CyberGhost for your VPN needs, there are some cons, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t address them. Here are our two main concerns about CyberGhost VPN:

1. You Only Get the American Version of Netflix

If you’re going with a VPN specifically so you can avoid geographical restrictions when it comes to streaming on your Netflix account, CyberGhost won’t be the VPN for you–unless you’re outside the US and only want your US Netflix. Part of this is due to licensing agreements. CBS, for example, licenses certain shows and seasons for certain markets but not for others.

Granted, Netflix has been rather hit or miss in the last five years or so. Using a VPN is a violation of its terms of use, and it’s always trying to stay a step ahead of VPNs (which, in turn, try to stay a step ahead of it). For now, at least, you’ll only be able to access United States Netflix–you’ll have to decide for yourself whether or not this is a problem.  

2. The Price is Higher Than Normal

Frankly, $12.99 per month is a lot to pay for a VPN, even a good one. If you’re planning on going month to month and don’t want to take advantage of CyberGhost’s much, much better annual or multi-year deals, you can find cheaper VPNs that have just as many pros.

However, CyberGhost becomes competitive once you’re willing to pay for two or three years at a time. Whether or not you like being locked into a deal like this is up to you–though keep in mind that you have a full forty-five days to cancel and a free day trial (more on that in a moment).

We’ll note here, however, that some people will feel that the slightly higher monthly price is worth it thanks to all the customer support options and extra details like being able to pay in Bitcoin and being able to torrent. Ultimately, it depends on what you’re looking in a VPN–and what you’re willing to pay to get it.

Pros

• Easy to use
• More than 3,600 servers
• Great customer service
• Excellent privacy policy
• Maximum number of devices per license
• Great for torrenting

Cons

• Only can access US version of Netflix
• Price is higher than normal

How CyberGhost Compares to the Competition

CyberGhost isn’t the only VPN option; here’s how it compares to some of the top options on the market:

1. CyberGhost VPN vs. NordVPN

For us, NordVPN gets nearly five stars thanks to its ability to unblock Netflix, its more than 4,000 servers, and lower monthly subscription price than CyberGhost. However, you get six devices per license with NordVPN instead of seven and NordVPN doesn’t offer live customer support as CyberGhost does. If you want to prioritize price, go with NordVPN, but if you want to make sure you have 24/7 access to live chat, stick with CyberGhost.

2. CyberGhost VPN vs. IPVanish

IPVanish is another great option. It supports up to six platforms, accepts Bitcoin just like NordVPN and CyberGhost, and doesn’t log user history. However, there are a few cons about IPVanish that stand out for us: first, IPVanish offers five devices per license instead of seven. Five won’t be enough for some people, even if IPVanish is cheaper.

Plus, IPVanish only makes Netflix available on certain servers, not on all servers like CyberGhost. And, there’s no live customer support with IPVanish like there is with CyberGhost.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Subscription

The best way to purchase CyberGhost VPN is directly through the main website since you’ll have full rights to your refund policies plus full customer support that way. Naturally, we recommend purchasing the three-year plan as this is without a doubt the best deal (even if you stop using CyberGhost after a year or two).

CyberGhost also offers a one-day free trial that you can begin without a credit card. If you have concerns over how easy CyberGhost is to use or install, this is a fantastic option.

The Bottom Line on CyberGhost VPN

For us, the bottom line in this CyberGhost VPN review is that CyberGhost is an excellent VPN with a superior reputation and tons of great pros. It costs a little more than average–but with top notch customer service, that might not matter.