The Best CyberGhost Alternative for 2023: Best Virtual Private Network to Replace the CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost is a fine VPN. It’s capable of securing online activities even on public WiFi, and has one of the best user interfaces of any VPN software. However, it’s slow. If you’re looking for a faster CyberGhost alternative, we’ve got you covered in this guide.
CyberGhost is one of the leading VPN (virtual private network) service providers on the market. With a massive server network and remarkable user interface, CyberGhost checks many of the boxes we look for in a VPN. However, it’s not perfect, so if you’re looking for a CyberGhost alternative, we’ve got you covered in this guide.
Key Takeaways:
- CyberGhost is one of the best services on the market. It’s secure, has a strict no-logs policy and offers essentials like split tunneling.
- One of the key issues with CyberGhost is that it’s slower than many other top VPNs out there.
- ExpressVPN is the best CyberGhost alternative because it offers fast connection speeds, bypasses geoblocks effectively and offers app-based split tunneling.
- We list more of the best CyberGhost alternatives in this guide and tell you why those services are worth considering.
CyberGhost claims a spot as one of our best VPNs, but going by our recent speed tests, slow speeds are one of CyberGhost’s major shortcomings. Imagine watching your favorite NBA game, and the video starts buffering right before the final shot. Since you probably don’t want to experience that frustration, we’ve got five of the best CyberGhost alternatives for you below, starting with ExpressVPN.
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09/05/2022
Updated Windscribe pricing: the paid plan increased to $5.75 per month from $4.08. The Build-a-Plan minimum purchase also increased to $3 from $2. Also updated Windscribe’s free data cap to 15GB due to it offering 5GB extra permanently when you tweet about the service.
NordVPN is better than CyberGhost because it’s faster and offers features like app-based split tunneling.
Surfshark beats CyberGhost because it’s faster and offers unlimited simultaneous connections, which reduces the per-user cost of using the service significantly.
CyberGhost is better than IPVanish because IPVanish doesn’t offer key features like split tunneling (unless you’re using an Android device, Fire TV or Fire TV), and has an outdated user interface. IPVanish also forces you to auto-renew your subscription and, most importantly, the service has major privacy issues.
What Makes the Best CyberGhost Alternative?
CyberGhost VPN is a fine VPN provider. It’s secure and bypasses geo-restrictions on most major streaming websites. However, it’s slow. Below, we’ve listed five alternatives that offer equivalent security and similar capabilities to bypass geo-restrictions, but with the added benefit of faster connection speeds.
- ExpressVPN — Blazing-fast speeds
- NordVPN — VPN with specialty servers
- Surfshark — Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Windscribe — Free VPN alternative
- Private Internet Access — Low-cost VPN with a large server network
CyberGhost is one of the best VPN services with features that are hard to come by. For instance, it has over 8,000 VPN servers — more than most of its top competitors. It also offers seven simultaneous connections. The VPN software also has automation features — something you rarely see on any VPN app.
While CyberGhost offers all the basics like online privacy, security and the ability to access geoblocked content, there are a few undeniable drawbacks to using the CyberGhost VPN.
For starters, CyberGhost is slower than most leading VPN providers and delivered a sluggish performance while accessing Amazon Prime Video during our tests. If you need a VPN for watching Amazon Prime Video or Netflix in 4K, you should choose a VPN that offers fast connection speeds.
You also only get URL-based split tunneling with CyberGhost’s desktop app (though it does offer only app-based split tunneling on the mobile apps). If you want to use an encrypted connection for one app (such as a torrent client) and an unencrypted connection for another app (such as the browser when you’re streaming), you should look for a VPN that offers app-based split tunneling.
The 5 Best CyberGhost Alternatives
The VPNs we’ve listed below are best-in-class VPN providers. However, you should select a service that fits your needs. To help you decide, we discuss why these services are the best CyberGhost alternatives below.
1. ExpressVPN
More details about ExpressVPN:
- Pricing: $6.66 per month
- Provider website: www.expressvpn.com
Pros
- Blazing-fast speeds
- Excellent security
- App-based split tunneling
Cons
- Expensive
ExpressVPN is easily the best VPN service on the market, and by the same token, the best alternative to CyberGhost. It beats CyberGhost on several fronts like speed, security and streaming capabilities.
Just like CyberGhost, ExpressVPN offers split tunneling; however, CyberGhost’s desktop app only offers URL-based split tunneling. App-based split tunneling is only available on CyberGhost’s Android app.
This can be a problem if you want to stream Netflix using an unprotected internet connection, but pass the torrenting internet traffic via the encrypted VPN tunnel. Since ExpressVPN offers app-based split tunneling, you can use the VPN only for specific apps, making it easier to balance speed and security.
Blazing-Fast Speeds
ExpressVPN is one of our fastest VPNs because it consistently offers excellent connection speeds. When compared to CyberGhost, you’ll notice a significant upgrade in speeds regardless of server distance, which means you can stream content without worrying about buffering.
Speaking of streaming, ExpressVPN easily unblocks Amazon Prime Video and offers good streaming performance. Learn more about ExpressVPN in our comprehensive ExpressVPN review.
ExpressVPN doesn’t come cheap. At $6.67 per month, it’s expensive, but if you don’t mind spending extra for premium services it’s well worth the price. If you want to test ExpressVPN before committing to a long-term plan, you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee. If you don’t like the service, you can claim a full refund.
- Unlimited GB
- 5
- Yes
2. NordVPN
More details about NordVPN:
- Pricing: $3.49 per month
- Provider website: www.nordvpn.com
Pros
- Fast connection speeds
- Specialty servers
- Unblocks all major streaming platforms
Cons
- Expensive monthly plan
NordVPN offers excellent speeds — it’s our fastest VPN. When compared to CyberGhost, NordVPN’s speeds are an improvement by a broad margin. NordVPN also works perfectly for unblocking Amazon Prime Video. If ExpressVPN seems a little pricey, NordVPN is a great option that offers performance almost as good as ExpressVPN for half the cost.
Just like ExpressVPN, NordVPN also offers app-based split tunneling. If CyberGhost’s URL-based split tunneling feels limiting, consider NordVPN instead. You should also consider NordVPN if you download content using torrents frequently. Not only is NordVPN better than CyberGhost for torrenting, it’s our best torrenting VPN.
We go into more detail about how NordVPN differs from CyberGhost in our NordVPN vs CyberGhost comparison.
Specialty Servers
With NordVPN, you get four types of specialty servers: double VPN, P2P, obfuscated servers and Onion over VPN servers. All of these servers are great for taking VPN security up a notch, especially the double VPN servers that send your internet traffic through two VPN tunnels. Learn more about these servers and NordVPN in our NordVPN review.
NordVPN costs significantly less than ExpressVPN, with its best value plan costing $3.29 per month. Just like ExpressVPN, you get a 30-day money-back guarantee with NordVPN so you can try it out risk-free.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
3. Surfshark
More details about Surfshark:
- Pricing: $2.49 per month
- Provider website: www.surfshark.com
Pros
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Unblocks all streaming services
- Features like double VPN and NoBorders mode
Cons
- No user forum
Surfshark and CyberGhost are both considered good, low-cost VPN providers. They also offer a similar feature set, though Surfshark offers better connection speeds. The services are neck and neck, but there are a few key differences between them.
Surfshark goes a step further in terms of security. With Surfshark, you get the double VPN feature that adds an extra layer of security to your internet connection. It also has camouflage mode, which hides the fact that you’re using a VPN, and NoBorders mode that allows you to bypass firewalls in countries like China.
Then there’s split tunneling. Surfshark offers both app-based and URL-based split tunneling, while CyberGhost only offers the latter. If you want to take a closer look at how both services stack up, check out our thorough Surfshark vs CyberGhost comparison.
Unlimited Simultaneous Connections
The best part about Surfshark is that it allows unlimited simultaneous connections and unlimited bandwidth.
You might argue that you can also just install a VPN on the router and connect any number of devices. That’s true, but what about when you’re on the move and away from the router? That’s where a VPN like Surfshark helps. Learn more ways in which Surfshark can help you in our Surfshark review.
Surfshark is a low-cost VPN. The best value plan sets you back $2.49 per month, which is only a few cents more than CyberGhost. Like other top VPNs, Surfshark also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try it out yourself before committing long term.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
4. Windscribe
More details about Windscribe:
- Pricing: Free; $3 per month with the flexible build-a-plan option
- Provider website: www.windscribe.com
Pros
- Generous free plan
- Excellent connection speeds
- Flexible pricing with the build-a-plan option
Cons
- Three-day money-back guarantee
Windscribe is an excellent free VPN service. We typically don’t recommend using free VPNs because they’re slow and unreliable.
However, Windscribe is our best free VPN, and offers 15GB of free data per month, with server locations in 10 countries. Even with its free plan, Windscribe offers faster, more consistent connection speeds than CyberGhost. Unlike CyberGhost, Windscribe offers app-based split tunneling but only on its Windows, Mac and Android apps.
Windscribe is a highly secure VPN with security protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard, Stealth and WebSocket Stealth. It ensures complete user privacy, offers a powerful browser extension and additional features like R.O.B.E.R.T. Learn more about what Windscribe offers in our Windscribe review.
Flexible Pricing
Windscribe offers an excellent free plan, but if you need more server locations, you can add them for $1 each per month using the build-a-plan option. You can also add unlimited data and access to R.O.B.E.R.T. for $1. Note that the build-a-plan option requires a minimum checkout value of $3.
If you want to add many server locations, though, you’ll be better off choosing a ready-to-use plan rather than the build-a-plan option. Windscribe’s best value, the one-year plan, isn’t the cheapest, though, at $5.75 per month. Windscribe offers a short, three-day money-back guarantee, but that’s not too big a problem given there’s a free version available.
- Up to 15 GB free with email confirmation and Tweet
- 15GB
- Unlimited
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
5. Private Internet Access
More details about Private Internet Access:
- Pricing: $2.19 per month (three-year plan)
- Provider website: www.privateinternetaccess.com
Pros
- Large server network
- Affordable
- Easy to use and customize
Cons
- Inconsistent speeds
Private Internet Access (PIA) has a large server network. It also has a server spread that nearly matches CyberGhost, with servers in over 80 countries across the world.
PIA offers 10 simultaneous connections — three more than CyberGhost. It also offers several additional security features like the SOCKS5 and Shadowsocks proxies. A proxy adds another layer of security without the performance drag that comes with double VPN. Learn more about what PIA offers in our in-depth Private Internet Access review.
Additional Features
You get plenty of bells and whistles on PIA. For instance, you get an advanced kill switch that blocks any internet traffic unless your VPN connection is active. You also get great features like MACE — a powerful ad blocker that blocks ads without installing a browser extension as long as you’re using the desktop or mobile app.
PIA is the cheapest service on the list. Its best value, the three-year plan, costs $2.19 per month, with three months free. You can also try PIA risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee.
- 10
- Yes
Which Is Better: ExpressVPN or CyberGhost?
ExpressVPN undeniably fares better than CyberGhost in several aspects. If you put pricing aside for a second, ExpressVPN beats CyberGhost on almost all fronts including speed, security, the ability to access streaming services and feature set.
CyberGhost does offer more simultaneous connections, but installing ExpressVPN on the router eliminates that concern altogether. Both CyberGhost and ExpressVPN have their strengths, but when you look at the big picture, ExpressVPN certainly comes out a clear winner. If you need a more in-depth analysis, check out ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost comparison.
Final Thoughts
CyberGhost is a pocket-friendly VPN with an excellent user interface. It finds a place among the best VPNs on the market. However, it’s still a slow service. If a buffering video gets on your nerves, you might want to consider an alternative to CyberGhost.
For similar guides, check out NordVPN alternatives, ExpressVPN alternatives and ZenMate alternatives.
We’ve listed the best alternatives to CyberGhost in this guide. Have you used any other services that are better alternatives? Which one did you use and how was your experience? Let us know in the comments below. As always, thank you for reading.
