CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN 2024

If you are looking for the best VPN to ensure online anonymity and privacy, our CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN guide will help. You have likely come across ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, as they are two of the best providers available in 2024. Both providers are well-known, established, and trusted by millions of users.

Below, we have compared ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost to determine which is the best for you. Here’s what you need to know.

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CyberGhost Overview

CyberGhost is one of the most well-known VPN services on the market thanks to its excellent user-experience, an extensive network of over 6,800 servers across 89 countries worldwide, and its impressive streaming performance.

CyberGhost VPN comes with a wide range of advanced online privacy features and one of the largest server networks available. The provider excels when it comes to privacy and security basics. CyberGhost operates on industry-standard military-grade AES-256 bit encryption, combined with support for first-rate VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard, and L2TP/IPsec. This ensures that your private online activities remain secure and anonymous.

The VPN provider also boasts Perfect Forward Secrecy technology, which means that its encryption and decryption keys are changed frequently. It is more difficult for hackers and cybercriminals to access and decipher your data. There is also a range of CyberGhost No-Spy server locations that offer the highest encryption levels and are located in Romania, a country that enjoys excellent data protection laws.

Each CyberGhost VPN app comes with a range of integrated privacy features, including an ad-blocker, IP and DNS leak protection, a reliable kill-switch, and Double VPN technology. The kill-switch ensures that your internet connection is automatically cut if the VPN fails for any reason. This means that no unencrypted data or your real IP location and address will ever become exposed. Your internet connection will automatically resume once the VPN connection is re-established.

Double VPN encryption technology works to encrypt your private internet data twice rather than just once. However, it is necessary to note that this may significantly reduce your connection speeds as your data traffic needs to be re-routed through two different VPN servers rather than just one.

The CyberGhost servers also operate solely on RAM, which is much more secure than hard-drives. This means that no private data is stored on your device after the VPN session ends. This means that even if the CyberGhost server that you are connected to becomes compromised, the provider could wipe the RAM by shutting the servers down.

The extensive CyberGhost server network will ensure endless choice when choosing a server for streaming, torrenting, browsing, or gaming. Thanks to its range of over 6,800 servers, no single server will ever become overwhelmed or congested by too many users at the same time. This means that you will always be able to stream or game in high definition without worrying about lag or buffering.

CyberGhost is an excellent VPN provider when it comes to streaming geo-restricted television shows and movies too. The VPN can easily bypass geo-blocks on streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+. CyberGhost also offers unlimited bandwidth and no data restrictions, which means that you can stream as much as you like without worrying about your data consumption.

The VPN provider offers excellent server connection speeds, allowing you to stream your favorite overseas content in high definition with ease. For torrenters, there are dedicated P2P servers to ensure your file-sharing activities are safe and anonymous too.

A CyberGhost subscription supports 7 simultaneous connections, which is generous and much more than most other VPN providers offer. The CyberGhost client is compatible with a host of devices and operating systems too, including macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, and more.

CyberGhost customers are protected by a 45-day refund guarantee too. This gives you the peace of mind to test the VPN product risk-free before committing to a paid subscription plan. If you are not happy with the service for any reason, request a refund before the guarantee period is up, and you will be offered a full refund, no questions asked.

CyberGhost’s monthly rolling contract is not cheap, at $11.99; however, as with any VPN service, if you commit to a longer subscription plan, you will receive significant discounts. If you sign up for 3 years with CyberGhost, you will receive access to the VPN for just $2 a month, making it one of the cheapest VPN providers on the market.

ExpressVPN Overview

With a network of over 3000 servers across 94 countries, first-rate online privacy and security features, impressive streaming performance, and an audited no-logs policy, ExpressVPN is a powerful VPN solution that offers just about everything.

ExpressVPN is a well-known provider, and it is arguably the best VPN on the market in 2021. The company is based in the British Virgin Islands, a country that enjoys excellent data privacy laws. However, ExpressVPN is not the cheapest option when compared to most other VPN services on the market. ExpressVPN subscription prices start at $6.67 a month, as long as you are happy to commit to an ExpressVPN longer-term plan.

If you opt for the ExpressVPN monthly rolling contract with ExpressVPN, you will be paying an eye-watering $12.95 a month. However, all ExpressVPN plans come with a 30-day refund guarantee and excellent 24/7 live-chat support for peace of mind. This means that you can fully test the ExpressVPN service risk-free before committing to a paid plan. If you are not completely happy with the product, request a refund, no questions asked.

ExpressVPN operates on military-grade AES-256 bit encryption as standard as well as a 4096-bit RSA certificate. There is also Perfect Forward Secrecy with ExpressVPN to ensure that none of your previous VPN sessions can be linked to your current one.

All of the ExpressVPN servers operated on RAM-only or Trusted Server memory, meaning that none of your private internet data will ever be stored. The ExpressVPN no-logs policy has been independently audited by security company PricewaterhouseCooper too, providing evidence to its claims.

ExpressVPN connection speeds are impressive, although it is not the absolute fastest VPN provider on the market. For the typical user, connections will be fast enough for streaming and gaming in high definition, without lag or buffering. Most users’ internet connections won’t even be capable of reaching ExpressVPN’s limit of 150-200MBpbs.

This means that the VPN service is a great choice for fans of streaming and gaming, especially considering its excellent streaming performance. ExpressVPN can unblock almost every streaming service, including Netflix, iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and more. There is support for P2P sharing and torrenting too.

When it comes to user-experience, ExpressVPN offers well-designed apps for a range of devices and operating systems, including macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, and more. There is even a dedicated ExpressVPN router VPN app and a MediaStreamer to enable a secure VPN connection on devices that do not typically support VPN technology, such as Smart TVs and gaming consoles.

All of the ExpressVPN apps are simple to use; however, users are limited to just 5 simultaneous connections, which is somewhat disappointing especially considering the higher subscription price.

However, there is excellent ExpressVPN customer support for ease of use, including comprehensive written support guides and articles, as well as a 24-hour live chat option. This means that any issues you may experience while setting up or using the VPN should be sorted easily.

Pricing

For most users, price is one of the most important factors when choosing a VPN provider. Therefore, it makes sense to compare ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost in terms of their pricing plans, subscription options, and money-back guarantees.

Both CyberGhost and ExpressVPN offer significant discounts if you commit to a longer-term plan. CyberGhost’s monthly option is an expensive $12.99 a month; however, if you commit to 12-months, the monthly price will drop to just $3.75 a month.

If you sign up to CyberGhost, you will be protected by a 45-day refund guarantee on all plans except the monthly rolling option. Therefore, if you want to fully test the CyberGhost VPN service before deciding whether it is the right option for you, it is advisable to sign up for a slightly longer subscription plan to avail of the guarantee. If you are not happy with the service, request a refund before the guarantee period is up, and you will be offered your money back, no questions asked.

CyberGhost’s monthly plan is relatively expensive at $11.99 a month. This is slightly more expensive than most other VPN providers on the market. If you commit to 12 months with CyberGhost, the monthly cost falls to just $3.75, which is much more affordable.

The most cost-effective option comes with the CyberGhost 3-year plan, which comes in at just $2 a month, making it one of the cheapest VPN options on the market. If you want to test the service before signing up for a paid plan, there is a free trial of sorts. However, the terms are confusing. If you sign up to CyberGhost on a desktop, you will receive a free trial of just 24-hours and access to limited features.

On the CyberGhost iOS client, users can avail of a 7-day free trial, but you have to sign up for an account using your email address and password. However, on Android, there is a 7-day free trial without the need to sign up for an account. This means that signing up on an Android device is typically the best option. Each CyberGhost plan comes with 7 simultaneous connections.

Like CyberGhost, if you opt for the ExpressVPN rolling monthly contract, you will be paying the highest price. With ExpressVPN, this option comes in at $12.95, slightly more than CyberGhost. This option is only recommended if you are worried about committing to the service or you want to test it out before committing to a longer ExpressVPN subscription plan.

If you opt for a 6-month subscription plan with ExpressVPN, the monthly price will drop to $9.99, which is slightly more affordable, although still quite expensive. The most cost-effective option comes with the ExpressVPN 1-year plan, which will set you back $8.32 a month or $99.95 when paid upfront. Despite that this is significantly more than CyberGhost’s cheapest plan, there is a range of advanced security features to make it worth the extra investment.

When it comes to payment methods, ExpressVPN offers a decent selection. Users can opt for traditional payment methods with PayPal or credit cards. If you are concerned about your anonymity, you can pay with Bitcoin, AliPay, Yandex Money, WebMoney, and more.

If you want to test the product for free, downloading the ExpressVPN Android or iOS app will give you 7 days free, which is sufficient time to test all of the features on offer. All ExpressVPN subscription plans come with a 30-day refund guarantee too, so you can make sure you are happy with the service before committing. However, it is necessary to note that the guarantee is only available once per user.

Canceling your ExpressVPN subscription is, fortunately, simple. All you need to do is contact the customer support team, request your refund, and you will receive your money back, no questions asked, as long as it is within 30 days.

Privacy

Any good VPN features a range of high-quality security and privacy features to ensure user data and online activity remain completely anonymous. Here we have compared ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost in terms of their privacy features.

Both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost boast excellent security standards thanks to military standard AES-256 bit encryption and support for secure protocols. For an additional layer of online protection, the VPNs employ Perfect Forward Secrecy technology too, which means that a new key is created upon the start of every VPN session and every 60 minutes after that. This means that even if your session becomes compromised, the hacker will only gain access to a maximum of 60 minutes of data.

ExpressVPN also offers a range of obfuscated servers, which helps you mask the fact you are using a VPN service for any reason. The provider also operates its own zero-knowledge encrypted DNS across its entire server network. This removes the need to utilize the more vulnerable OpenDNS or other third-party providers. The VPN service appeared to be completely DNS and WebRTC safe during a leak test.

There is a reliable kill-switch with both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost that will cut your internet connection if your VPN server connection drops for any reason. This is especially useful for activities such as torrenting. Without a kill-switch, VPN users may continue to browse for a long period of time before realizing that they were not connected.

Also, ExpressVPN operates on RAM-only servers, which are much more secure when compared to traditional hard-drives. RAM is unable to physically save data after shut down, which is great for user privacy.

Data logging

Here we compare ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost in terms of their data logging processes. CyberGhost offers a transparent no-logging policy to reassure users that it does not log or store private user data. It is based in Romania, a country that enjoys strict data privacy laws. CyberGhost states that user browsing history, accessed websites, data transmitted, and internet searches are not logged or monitored by the company.

CyberGhost also reassures users that it will not store your IP address, VPN server connection timestamps, or how long you use the VPN. However, unlike ExpressVPN, CyberGhost has not yet completed an independent security audit of its software and privacy policies which is disappointing. While we do not distrust the company’s claims, we would like to see them backed up by solid evidence.

CyberGhost does offer a transparency report, which is somewhat reassuring. However, we would like to see this include a greater level of detail too. ExpressVPN comes out on top with its no-logging policy. The provider states that user privacy and anonymity are fundamental and that it never stores connection or internet activity logs. Nor does ExpressVPN ever share user information with third parties.

Its no-logging policy is transparent and comprehensive and states that ExpressVPN does not log accessed IP addresses, login times, assigned IP addresses, data traffic information, or any information about the websites or apps that VPN users visit.

There is a minimal amount of logging, including the date of a VPN connection, chosen server, data transferred, and the version of the VPN client used. However, without timestamps, IPs, or browsing information, there is no way that ExpressVPN could link a particular activity back to a specific user.

Also, ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, a country that enjoys excellent data privacy laws. It is also not a part of either the Five or Fourteen Eyes Surveillance Alliances, which is great news for VPN users’ privacy and anonymity. ExpressVPN has even had its policies, VPN servers, and software independently audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers to provide solid evidence for its privacy claims.

Streaming

Many users download a VPN for the sole purpose of accessing geo-restricted streaming content on popular sites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube, and more. Both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are excellent streaming VPNs.

CyberGhost is an excellent VPN provider for streaming fans thanks to its impressive unblocking performance and handy filtering system that helps you easily find the best servers for a range of popular streaming providers. The list of server filters includes recommendations for Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, and more.

During testing, CyberGhost accessed Netflix with ease when we used the recommended Netflix server location. BBC iPlayer was slightly more difficult to access, and it did take a few attempts with a few different server locations. It is necessary to note that a VPN provider’s streaming performance may be subject to change as their IPs are often updated regularly. If you experience any issues while trying to access your favorite overseas streaming sites, contact the CyberGhost customer support service for assistance.

However, the streaming experience may not be as smooth as with ExpressVPN, CyberGhost enabled access to Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. It may be necessary to test a few different servers before finding access to your desired service. CyberGhost will allow access to a wide range of streaming sites. However, it is arguably not the best streaming service available.

ExpressVPN is an excellent provider when it comes to streaming performance too, thanks to its extensive number of servers and fast connection speeds. The VPN offers access to a wide range of streaming services, including US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, and Japan Netflix libraries. It is also successful at unblocking Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+, and even iPlayer, which many of the best VPN providers struggle to access.

Also, ExpressVPN offers a dedicated Smart DNS function called MediaStreamer, enabling users to utilize the VPN on a range of entertainment options, including Smart TVs and gaming consoles.

Server Locations

CyberGhost offers VPN server locations across Europe in countries including Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

There is an extensive list of CyberGhost locations across the rest of the world in countries including Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, China, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Phillippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United States, and Vietnam.

ExpressVPN offers a wide range of server locations across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela; Middle East and African locations in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Kenya, and South Africa; Asia Pacific servers in Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan.

Users have a wide choice of European ExpressVPN locations as well, in Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

Server Speeds

CyberGhost is designed for streaming fans to access geo-restricted content on a host of popular sites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, and more. Thus, it makes sense that they should offer excellent connection speeds too to ensure users can watch their favorite shows in high definition without lag or buffering.

On its UK server connections, CyberGhost averages speeds of up to 180Mbps, which is almost as fast as ExpressVPN. In the United States, server speeds were similar and reached up to 240Mbps. Although this does not make CyberGhost the absolute fastest provider on the market, it is still impressive and more than sufficient for the typical user.

Also, it is necessary to note that if your base Wi-Fi connection is lower than these figures, utilizing CyberGhost will not significantly affect your connection speeds. With CyberGhost, you will likely also notice reduced connection speeds if you access long-distance server connections.

The speeds on the ExpressVPN servers were impressive too. On European connections, the VPN provider averaged speeds between 130-140Mbps, and on the US connections reaching up to 220Mbps, which is impressive. This makes both CyberGhost and ExpressVPN excellent choices when it comes to server speeds.

Torrenting

CyberGhost offers a range of torrenting filters that operate similarly to its streaming servers by helping you pick the best torrenting VPN server for your P2P sharing activity. This is helpful as not every CyberGhost server is optimized for torrenting due to some locational restrictions.

Once you are connected to a torrenting-optimized server with CyberGhost, connection speeds are impressive, and you will be able to share and download your files quickly. There is a helpful feature that enables you to choose a CyberGhost server location to connect to when you access your torrenting client automatically. This is useful if you are worried about forgetting to connect to the VPN before engaging in torrenting activities.

We would like to see CyberGhost introduce torrenting support for all of its servers. However, it remains an excellent choice for P2P-sharing fans despite these limitations.

ExpressVPN does not obviously boast about its support for torrenting. However, all of the servers offered by the VPN provider are optimized for P2P sharing and torrenting. This is extremely useful as there is no need to worry about finding a torrenting server, as they are all suitable.

If you notice that other apps or clients are affected by ExpressVPN, utilize the split tunneling feature to separate the traffic from different apps. This means that you can route your torrenting data through the VPN connection while allowing your normal browsing activity to run through your ISP internet connection.

There are no limits on bandwidth or data usage with ExpressVPN either, and the provider will never throttle your connections, unlike many Internet Service Providers. This means that you can torrent as much as you like without worrying about how much data you are consuming. The VPN offers excellent download speed and upload speed for fast file-sharing. There is Bitcoin support, an audited no-logs policy, and excellent security features too.

Desktop Clients

CyberGhost offers excellent desktop clients for Windows and macOS, both of which offer simple, well-designed interfaces. There is a list of server locations, a large Connect button, and options to utilize streaming and torrenting server filters on the screen’s left side.

CyberGhost also offers indicators for server capacity and load times for each server. This is a useful feature as it offers a quick means to identify the best available server in terms of speed and latency. There is a Favorites system too for easy access to your most-used servers at a later date. A system tray icon offers quick access to all the essential features too.

The CyberGhost client includes a range of additional security features, including an ad and tracker blocker, protection from malicious websites, data compression to increase VPN performance by reducing traffic, as well as HTTPS everywhere. A Smart Rules feature enables users to configure the server that the client automatically connects to when you launch your device or a particular app. You can also configure split tunneling by adding certain sites or apps to a whitelist.

CyberGhost also offers a reliable integrated killswitch that will ensure your real IP address and private internet data never become exposed. The kill switch will cut your internet connection and transfer data if your VPN connection fails for any reason.

Every VPN provider should offer a well-designed desktop client for ease of use. The ExpressVPN desktop app reveals a simple interface featuring a Smart Location feature and a large ON/OFF button. If you want a simple, easy-to-use connection, tap that button.

Clicking on your selected server location will reveal a list and search box for finding a different server. There are Favorites and Recents features too, allowing quick access to your most-used servers. There is little information about server download speed or latency but build in speed tests allow you to easily see exact data on particular servers.

In the ExpressVPN settings, you can choose between a range of protocols, including Lightway, OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, L2TP/IPSec, and IKEv2. You can also activate the integrated kill-switch, leak protection, and DNS settings too.

Mobile Clients

CyberGhost offers excellent apps for both iOS and Android. Both clients support OpenVPN and beta WireGuard protocols which is promising. On iOS, additional security features are limited. The simple client features a full list of server locations, a Favorites list, as well as a useful option to configure what the app does when you access certain networks. This means that when you go to work or a cafe, CyberGhost will automatically connect in the way that you want.

The CyberGhost app offers a comprehensive Android app that offers much more features than the iOS version. The Android app offers the option to set up a random connection port, which is useful if you need to bypass VPN-blocking technology on Netflix or other streaming services.

There is split tunneling on the Android app too, which helps ensure one app is secured while all of your others run through your normal ISP internet connection. There is an ad and tracker blocker and data compression, which is helpful when utilizing mobile data.

The ExpressVPN mobile Android and iOS apps are similar to the desktop version in design. Both can be easily downloaded from the relevant app store. Setup is quick and simple, and the clients are straightforward to use. Both apps include an IP address checker, DNS, and WebRTC leak tester, as well as a password generator. The iOS does have some limits due to Apple regulations and does not feature split tunneling or a kill switch, which are both available on the Android version.

Customer Support

There is a range of support options if you require assistance while setting up or using the CyberGhost apps. The CyberGhost website features a helpful knowledgebase with a host of setup and support guides for various devices and operating systems that cover the most common issues.

However, if you do not have time to browse through the articles on the CyberGhost site, there is email support and a 24/7 live chat option. This means that you can rest assured that assistance is always on hand when issues arise while using the VPN service.

ExpressVPN is excellent in terms of customer service too. The provider offers a wide range of setup and support guides on its website, covering various issues and topics. The articles are comprehensive but well written and easy to read. If you do not have time to browse through the support articles, there is a 24/7 live chat option too, for a quick answer to your query.

Author Cliff Durward

Hi, I'm Cliff. I'm based in Cleveland, Ohio, with my wife and two kids. I have a keen interest in cybersecurity and have been writing about it for around a decade now. Due to my background in computer science, I am familiar ...
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PrivacySharks » 10 Best VPN Services of 2024 » VPN Comparison – One Big Overview of ALL VPNs » CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN 2024
Last updated: April 29, 2022