CyberGhost is a company that stands for online security and anonymity. While this VPN provider is based in Romania, it also has offices in Germany. CyberGhost is known for it’s appealing free VPN, but users who want it’s full versatility will need a paid subscription.
The company has a modern, fresh approach. It’s clear that they’re dedicated to giving you access to the internet, safely and without censorship. Their free VPN is a good attempt to show their commitment to guarantee yourprivacy and freedom to communicate through internet without limits. However, it will not be enough to ensure that you stay safe and anonymous. It also won’t guarantee you access to all the content you want.
The good news is that the company has worked to make its paid services even more affordable. It’s also improved many of its features. So let’s go through the main aspects of CyberGhost to find out if they’re right for you.
Features
Protecting You
One of the reasons why CyberGhost is an appealing option, is their dedication to protecting the privacy of their customers. The company takes their commitment to defend your right to privacy very seriously. In fact, their service is designed to ensure that freedom of expression is a reality for everyone. Activists and journalists from any country in the world can share their views without censorship or fears. When you create an account, you are not required to provide an email address or any personal information. The data that CyberGhost can access cannot help to identify you.
As such, your anonymity is guaranteed. Since there’s no possible connection between the data that CyberGhost stores temporarily and your true identity. The company does not log details of the websites you visit or your online communications. Furthermore, you can pay anonymously with Bitcoin. In some countries, the option to pay with cash in selected stores is also available.
If you subscribe to a premium plan, you will be able to access your CyberGhost account and use their VPN service from any computer or mobile device.
Usability
The CyberGhost client is very easy to use and includes several handy functions. One example is an Anti-spy add-on that offers you the ability of adjusting your personal security settings. This gives you more control over your privacy online, as you can select different options to suit your needs.
One possibility is removing the list of the last programs used. Another is stopping windows messenger from starting when you launch Outlook Express.
As with other providers, CyberGhost offers you some protection in the event of connection loss. If your VPN is disconnected, this kill switch system will also disable your internet connection to ensure that your traffic is not exposed. In Premium plans, the connection will be automatically restored.
Cost
CyberGhost has two subscription plans: Premium and Premium Plus. Both have access to the same number of servers and countries. The only real difference between the two is that the Premium Plus allows you to connect to up to 5 devices simultaneously.
The Premium Plan costs €4.99 per month, €29.99 for 12 months and €49.99 for 24 months.
The Premium Plus starts at €7.99 per month, a 12-month subscription costs €49.99 and for 24 months, you pay €79.99.
This makes the service highly affordable. The total cost per month for a Premium Plan, if you subscribe for 2 years, would be just over €2. For the Premium Plus, the monthly cost will equate €3.33.
You can also opt for a yearly subscription to their Special Edition “Snowden” Plan, which provides security and protection for privacy for just €14.99. This plan gives you access to the most popular servers: Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Romania, Germany and the US. Furthermore, the company offers a free web proxy that allows anyone to surf anonymously and unblock websites without the need to download any software or subscribe to any plan.
Locations and Performance
With CyberGhost’s free service, you can access servers 39 servers in 16 countries, including Romania, Germany, United Stated, United Kingdom, Finland, Ireland and Czech Republic. The Premium and Premium Plus plans offer full access to their network of over 600 servers, located in 30 countries such as Russia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Iceland.
CyberGhost works with Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Android and iOS. This wide range of compatibility also applies for its free software, which can be downloaded in Android, Apple mobile devices or PCs. It should be mentioned that iOS and Android devices’ users will need to connect using manual settings.
The protocols supported are OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec and PPTP, although their free plan only supports OpenVPN via a Windows client. OpenVPN is the most secure option, as always. CyberGhost has improved its encryption level and it now offers AES 256-bit through all its plans. This will ensure that you can count on a high level of protection when you connect to internet.
With their built-in data compression, CyberGhost customers can enjoy faster connection speeds, while ensuring that their traffic is protected. In general, the free service offers decent enough speeds, even though they will vary between random server connections. Still, considering that it is an unpaid service, they are very satisfactory and you’ll be able to enjoy online surfing without any delays.
For those that are mainly using internet for streaming media content, a paid plan would be a better option. It offers a wider selection of servers and faster performance. All their plans offer unlimited bandwidth and traffic but the free plan will automatically disconnect after three hours.
Customer Support
CyberGhost offers detailed information on their website and they also include instructions to set up their VPN client.
However, the information is not easily available and the FAQ is hard to navigate. Their customer support can be contacted by opening a ticket or sending an email, but the response can take up to 48 hours. There is also a live chat option but it is only available from Monday to Friday between 8 AM to 5 PM (MET). Alternatively you can contact them though their social media channels.
While the support team is helpful and knowledgeable, we would like to see a faster response.
Conclusion
It is evident that CyberGhost has worked hard to offer a trustworthy VPN service that can guarantee the anonymity and security of its customers. Their free plan will appeal to many users. That being said, if you want to enjoy all the advantages and versatility of a VPN, you would still need to get a paid service.
Thankfully, their prices are very affordable. The speeds are generally fine but they could be better. Their customer support is another aspect that could be more efficient. Still, the service is good and reliable, meaning that you probably would not need to contact them to often.
If you’re looking for a provider that covers many fronts to ensure that customers enjoy true privacy online, CyberGhost is a solid choice.