CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN in 2021

The name CyberGhost seems to imply that the VPN service is meant for privacy, as ghosts are usually invisible and exceptionally hard to find. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN sounds like it should be faster than any other VPN out there. But are these statements true? Let’s compare CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN to find out!

ExpressVPN has over 3000 servers in 94+ countries. Furthermore, it’s based in the British Virgin Islands and uses the proprietary Lightway tunneling protocol. Additionally, it’s equipped with RAM-only servers, great features against geo-blocking, and Stealth Servers to oppose online censorship.

Meanwhile, CyberGhost has over 7000 servers spanning 90+ countries. It’s based in Romania and utilizes the ultra-fast WireGuard tunneling protocol. On top of that, it has NoSpy servers, which are operated exclusively by CyberGhost employees. Plus, there are dedicated servers for specific streaming services and torrenting.

Whichever VPN you support, the competition will be quite the spectacle. Let’s begin the CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN comparison with a speed test.

Highlights

Speed

First, an overview of the connection speeds of ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost. The fastest tunneling protocol that ExpressVPN has is Lightway, while with CyberGhost, it’s WireGuard. Both are well-known for their speed. However, our up-to-date VPN speed test uses the OpenVPN tunneling protocol of these services.

ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: 14-Day Speed Average

At the time of writing this review, ExpressVPN was in the lead. Naturally, the results might change over time, but for now, the first point for speed in this comparison goes to ExpressVPN.

Servers

Both VPNs have fairly impressive server networks. CyberGhost has 7000+ servers in 90+ countries. On the flip side, ExpressVPN has 3000+ across 94+ countries. While CyberGhost has the more significant initial numbers, ExpressVPN has one crucial advantage – RAM-only servers. These ensure that no data is stored on hard drives and instead disappears once the servers are rebooted.

However, CyberGhost isn’t completely in the dust as its NoSpy servers offer similar privacy benefits, although arguably not as significant. These servers are owned and managed exclusively by CyberGhost, meaning no snoopers or third parties can gain access to them.

Pricing

If you want to keep your wallet happy and filled with cash, CyberGhost is the obvious choice in terms of pricing. It’s significantly cheaper than ExpressVPN, offers a 24-hour free trial, and even has a longer money-back guarantee. It’s a bit lacking in payment options, but privacy-conscious individuals can utilize Bitcoin as an anonymous payment option with either VPN. Plus, ExpressVPN offers more alternatives, even though it lacks AmazonPay.

CyberGhost pricing

Cyberghost gives you a choice between three different subscription options:

• $12.99/month for a monthly subscription
• $6.39/month for six months
• $2.25/month for two years

The most extended plan gives you an incredible 83% discount. However, if that’s not good enough for you, many different CyberGhost coupon codes are available online.

It’s worth noting that CyberGhost also offers some optional extras as well. For starters, a dedicated IP will set you back $3.75/month on a three-year plan, a password manager costs $2.00/month, and a security suite for Windows (which includes antivirus, Privacy Guard, and Security Updater) starts at $1.39/month.

As for payment options, CyberGhost includes the typical credit card and PayPal options, plus Bitcoin and AmazonPay.

ExpressVPN pricing

ExpressVPN has three different pricing plans:

• $12.95/month for a monthly subscription
• $9.99/month for six months
• $8.32/month for an annual plan

By signing up for the annual plan, you end up with a 49% discount. Alternatively, you can try your luck by searching for ExpressVPN coupon codes in other places.

In addition to the regular payment options, such as credit cards and PayPal, ExpressVPN offers a wide range of alternative and anonymous payment options, such as Bitcoin and Paymentwall.

Security

As some of the most well-known VPNs on the market, CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN have big shoes to fill in terms of security. Thankfully, both services are using strong AES-256 encryption and are equipped with a kill switch.

Further details will be covered below, but suffice it to say that ExpressVPN is the better choice for optimal security.

CyberGhost security features

In addition to WireGuard, CyberGhost can also utilize OpenVPN and IKEv2 tunneling protocols. Besides that, it comes equipped with a good number of versatile security features.

• Split tunneling is only available on Android devices, while other devices have the Exceptions feature, which allows you to choose which websites shouldn’t pass through the VPN tunnel.
• CyberGhost has the option to block malicious DNS domains that are used for ads, trackers, and malware.
• A SOCKS5 proxy grants you additional security when utilizing P2P traffic.
• NoSpy servers are a separate server network operated entirely by the CyberGhost team. It offers better performance, plus improved security and privacy.
• Smart Rules includes a few features that allow you to customize how CyberGhost behaves in certain situations. For example, Wi-Fi protection allows you to customize your connection to Wi-Fi networks. Meanwhile, App Rules allows you to enable CyberGhost to start up and connect automatically when certain apps are launched.

All of these features make CyberGhost one of the best VPNs for Roobet and online gaming in general.

ExpressVPN security features

With a significantly higher cost, it’s no surprise that ExpressVPN has more security features under its belt.

• TrustedServer is the name of the RAM-only server technology that ExpressVPN uses. It ensures that absolutely no data is stored on hard drives.
• Stealth Servers are used when getting around various internet censorship methods, such as DPI (Deep Packet Inspection).
• With split tunneling, you can select which applications and websites should go through the VPN tunnel and which should ignore it.
• Port forwarding allows you to access your home network remotely and also gives various benefits for torrenting users.
• MediaStreamer, more commonly known as Smart DNS, allows you to get around geo-restrictions on devices that don’t support VPN apps natively.
• Lightway is the fast and lightweight proprietary tunneling protocol that ExpressVPN uses.

Privacy

The privacy policies of these two providers are on different levels but respectable regardless. However, ExpressVPN has shown that it is dedicated to keeping your personal information secure and confidential. Thus, it wins another point once again.

CyberGhost privacy

CyberGhost is based in Romania, an EU country outside the grasp of the Five Eyes alliance. It has a strict no-logs policy and intends to undergo its first independent audit sometime in the future. Additionally, you can pay for the VPN services anonymously using Bitcoin.

Other than that, it’s worth noting that CyberGhost is owned by Kape Technologies, the same company that owns Private Internet Access and ZenMate. However, CyberGhost claims that it’s working independently from the notorious company and has nothing to do with its past. As a refresher, Kape Technologies used to be known as Crossrider and was responsible for distributing malware and adware.

ExpressVPN privacy

ExpressVPN has proven time and again that it takes privacy seriously.

For starters, it’s based in the British Virgin Islands, a haven for privacy. Secondly, it has undergone two independent audits by PwC and Cure53. Finally, it had a server seized by Turkish authorities in the hopes of getting some helpful information. However, their hopes weren’t met, and ExpressVPN proved that it doesn’t store any logs.

Besides that, customers can pay anonymously for the service using Bitcoin.

Device compatibility

In terms of device compatibility, ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost have some common ground. For starters, both have dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. Furthermore, both CyberGhost and ExpressVPN have browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. Naturally, manual VPN configuration on routers is available as well. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN also has a dedicated app for routers.

Although ExpressVPN only supports five simultaneous connections, as opposed to the seven with CyberGhost, it’s still the winner in this category due to the broader availability of apps. Plus, the number of simultaneous connections becomes irrelevant once you set up your router with a VPN and can secure as many devices as you wish.

ExpressVPN device compatibility

ExpressVPN is compatible with an extensive range of devices.

To start, it has additional dedicated applications for Amazon Fire TV Stick, Android TV, Chromebook, and even routers. Moreover, with a little bit of know-how, many devices are configurable manually with OpenVPN configuration files or with the help of MediaStreamer. Plus, a single ExpressVPN subscription allows you to connect five devices simultaneously.

CyberGhost device compatibility

Like any worthy VPN, CyberGhost supports the most widely used streaming devices, such as Android TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, smart TVs, Apple TV, and more.

Of course, not all devices get a dedicated app. Instead, you’ll have to either configure your router with CyberGhost or use its Smart DNS feature. Furthermore, a single subscription enables you to connect seven different devices simultaneously.

Streaming

While neither VPN service made it into our list of best VPNs for streaming, both are still solid choices as streaming VPNs. They work reliably at unblocking various streaming platforms, such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, YouTube, and more. Naturally, their servers in dozens of countries allow you to alternate between multiple Netflix libraries, not just the US.

From a technical point of view, both WireGuard and Lightway will ensure fast streaming speeds with no buffering at either HD or 4K quality. Plus, CyberGhost even has dedicated servers for specific streaming services, making it easier to get around geographical restrictions.

Torrenting and P2P

While not bad, the two VPN providers haven’t made the cut for our best VPNs for torrenting list.

In the case of CyberGhost, it only allows P2P traffic on specific servers, doesn’t offer port forwarding, and has split tunneling only on Windows and Android. However, it does have a SOCKS5 proxy to secure your torrent client.

On the other hand, ExpressVPN allows P2P traffic on all servers, has split tunneling and port forwarding on most devices. However, it lacks a SOCKS5 proxy, which doesn’t seem like much of an issue when you have split tunneling. Unfortunately, split tunneling is unavailable for iOS users.

Out of the two, ExpressVPN is the better choice for torrenting.

China

When it comes to sieging the Great Firewall of China, ExpressVPN should be your weapon of choice instead of CyberGhost. The former has Stealth Servers, which are highly effective against DPI. Meanwhile, the latter VPN has no such features and isn’t a go-to choice for users in China.

However, if you’re looking for the most reliable tool for your arsenal against internet censorship, we recommend perusing the best VPNs for China.

Customer support

If you’re ever in need of assistance, both CyberGhost and ExpressVPN have an army of well-trained customer support agents at their disposal. Both offer help 24/7, and you can reach them by live chat or email. Alternatively, you can try fixing things yourself using any of the available guides on their official websites.

CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN video review

Best VPN by category

CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN – which is better?

Finally, it’s time to tally the results of this comparison. Even though it’s pricier, ExpressVPN won against CyberGhost. Bigger price tags don’t usually equate to better quality in the VPN industry, but in this case, it’s applicable.

In terms of speed, the two providers are quite comparable. CyberGhost uses WireGuard, while ExpressVPN has Lightway, both of which are extremely fast. On the other hand, ExpressVPN is much stronger server-wise with RAM-only technology.

In addition, ExpressVPN comes packed with more security features and a thoroughly tested privacy policy. Furthermore, it’s even supported on a broader range of devices.

Streaming enthusiasts might have a hard time choosing between CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN since the two services are on par in this regard. However, frequent travelers and P2P users will have a better experience with ExpressVPN.

Which VPN would you choose? Let us know by leaving a comment!

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FAQ

Is CyberGhost better than ExpressVPN?

No, CyberGhost is not better than ExpressVPN. Although cheaper, it has fewer security features, the privacy policy isn’t as solid, and device compatibility isn’t as good.

Is CyberGhost safe?

Yes, CyberGhost is safe to use. It’s based in Romania and has a strict no-logs policy. It’s also equipped with a fair number of security features and doesn’t suffer from IP or DNS leaks.

Is CyberGhost free?

No, CyberGhost is not free. However, it does have a free 24-hour trial available and an exceptionally long 45-day money-back guarantee.

Is ExpressVPN illegal?

Like most VPNs around the world, ExpressVPN isn’t illegal to use. However, some authoritarian countries, such as China, make it harder for VPNs to operate.