CyberGhost is the middle child of the Kape Technologies VPN portfolio, but in quality, it’s much closer to ExpressVPN than Private Internet Access. I mainly put it on my best VPN list because it’s so cheap, but I wouldn’t have done that if it didn’t earn its place in other ways — affordable crap is still crap, after all.
My universal impression of CyberGhost is a VPN that’s not perfect but is always genuinely working to make itself better. It makes decisions based on what will help its users, not to set itself apart in a crowded market. This makes it similar to a lot of other VPNs, but that’s not a bad thing — especially at such a low price.
Other than its price, the best things about CyberGhost are its intuitive app design, its frictionless user experience and the super-low latencies that make it an ideal pick for gamers. Download speeds are great up close but middling far away. While I love how many servers it’s got in Africa and South America, a few too many of them are virtual locations. I’ll get into all this and more in the review; feel free to read straight through or use the contents table to find the area that interests you most.
Editor’s note (1/16/26): We’ve overhauled our VPN coverage to provide more detailed, actionable buying advice. Going forward, we’ll continue to update both our best VPN list and individual reviews (like this one) as circumstances change. Most recently, we added official scores to all of our VPN reviews. Check out how we test VPNs to learn more about the new standards we’re using.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost is an affordable VPN with apps that make sense, plus a plethora of servers targeted at specific use cases.
Pros
- Very low average latencies
- User-friendly apps on all platforms
- Perfect score on streaming tests
Cons
- Best deal only lasts for one billing period
- Download and upload speeds drop with distance
- Poorly organized FAQ pages
Findings at a glance
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Category |
Notes |
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Installation and UI |
Windows app has more options and the most sensible organization macOS app is very easy to use, but a bit lacking compared to Windows Android and iOS both have simple main pages and slightly confusing preferences No browser extensions (free proxy doesn’t count) |
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Speed |
Excellent latency tests, with ping times short enough to lead the VPN field Great download and upload speeds on close-in servers Distant servers lag somewhat on both upload and download, bringing down the worldwide average |
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Security |
Uses WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN protocols, but they aren’t all supported on all platforms Blocks IPv6 and prevents WebRTC and DNS leaks Disconnects when switching servers |
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Pricing |
$12.99 per month $41.94 for 6 months ($6.99 per month) $56.94 for 28 months ($2.03 per month), renewing at the same price for 12 months ($4.79 per month) Seven simultaneous connections |
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Bundles |
Dedicated IP address for $2.50 per month |
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Privacy policy |
Anonymizes all personal data Can share data with other Kape subsidiaries, but only if they’re based in areas with good privacy laws RAM-only servers and full-disk encryption confirmed by audit Has never given information to police |
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Virtual location change |
Unblocked Netflix perfectly in five different regions using streaming-optimized servers and WireGuard |
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Server network |
125 server locations in 100 countries Good global distribution, with nine locations in South America and six in Africa However, most servers in the southern hemisphere are virtual locations that may not give the best speeds |
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Features |
Kill switch cannot be turned off except on Windows Split tunneling by app on Android and by URL on Windows Content blocker can only be turned on or off, no customization Large network of torrent-optimized servers and streaming servers Smart Rules automation is both user-friendly and deep |
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Customer support |
Online help pages are well-written but poorly organized Live chat responds quickly; there is a bot but it’s easy to get past Can also submit email tickets through an online portal |
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Background check |
Founded in 2011 and based in Romania Acquired by Kape Technologies in 2017 |
Installing, configuring and using CyberGhost
CyberGhost gets installation and UI largely right. There are no needless hurdles in the setup process. All its app designs put the important controls front and center and don’t overload you with needless information. I’ve broken up my thoughts by platform, as CyberGhost is pretty different depending on where you use it.
Final verdict
At the end of my journey with CyberGhost, I may not be blown away, but I’m definitely pleased. After my poor experience with PIA, I was afraid the only budget VPN I could wholeheartedly recommend was a two-year subscription to Surfshark. CyberGhost is a meat-and-potatoes VPN — it’s not pushing any envelopes, but it’s cheap and it does the job.
All that said, I recommend it more to casual users than to people who really need secrecy. There are just enough reddish flags that I wouldn’t necessarily trust it with life-and-death information: the (possible) use of third-party managers for all servers outside Romania, the freedom to share information with any Kape subsidiary, the loss of encryption when switching servers. It’ll keep you anonymous and let you stream foreign TV for cheap, but you should still choose Proton VPN if you need serious privacy.
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