ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost [Test Results 2022]
The VPN industry is an increasingly competitive one, with a lot of different providers attempting to stand out at the top of the pile and set themselves apart in the eyes of users. ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are two of the big dogs in the business and are leading the way in all the areas that matter, from speed and security to value for money and customer service, too.
But which one should you choose? It’s a question that plagues many new VPN users who find themselves hesitating between these two providers. Since CyberGhost and ExpressVPN both offer some amazing features, massive server networks, awesome speeds, no-logs policies, and well-designed apps, it doesn’t really matter which one you choose, as both are brilliant.
However, when put up against each other, there can only be one winner, and we’re going to take a close look at several key features for both brands, including security, privacy, suitability for speeds, prices, and more, in order to settle the CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN debate once and for all.
Read on through our comparison to see how each side fares.
Top Selling Points – Let’s get to know them
To start off our CyberGhost and ExpressVPN comparison, let’s take a quick look at these companies and what sets them apart from the crowd, beginning with ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN stands out as one of the fastest and most secure VPNs on the market. It boasts an absolutely massive server network, with over 3,000 remote servers in 160 locations, as well as state-of-the-art security and encryption features.
Unlike many other VPN providers, it also has a really clean track record, without any big data breaches or controversial scandals in the past. It’s based out of the British Virgin Islands, a great spot for data privacy since the islands aren’t involved in any big surveillance networks or alliances and have no data retention laws.
CyberGhost meanwhile, was originally founded in Romania, which is another good location for VPNs regarding data laws and surveillance status. It features a network of over 7,000 servers in over 89 different countries, standing out for its solid security, affordable plans, and impressive speed test results.
Overall, both of these brands have a lot to offer when it comes to their key selling points. ExpressVPN is seen as a great all-rounder, offering super speeds, great performance, solid security, and awesome customer support. CyberGhost, meanwhile, definitely covers the bases of security, privacy, and speed, but might not be able to compete with ExpressVPN as well in customer care.
Speed Tests
One of the biggest issues of importance when comparing VPNs and looking at the overall quality and usefulness of any VPN is speed. After all, nobody wants to see their speeds suffer when connecting to a VPN server. So how do these two providers fare when it comes to going fast?
Well, interestingly, Cyber Ghost has the larger server network of the two, with several thousand more servers than ExpressVPN, according to the latest counts. However, ExpressVPN is actually able to offer the fastest speeds, according to test results.
Tests show that ExpressVPN servers are able to provide consistent speeds in excess of 100 Mbps, while Cyber Ghost’s speeds average out around 50-60 Mbps, which is still more than enough for most households and users but simply isn’t as fast as ExpressVPN.
Of course, your own experiences and results will vary, depending on your location, internet service provider, and which server you use. In general, it’s clear to see that the fastest of these two industry-leading VPNs is most definitely ExpressVPN.
Prices
Price is another massive factor to think about when comparing VPNs or trying to find the best VPN provider to meet your needs. There are some very expensive VPN plans out there, along with plenty of more affordable and even free VPNs too, but what about CyberGhost and ExpressVPN? Which one offers better prices?
Well, this is one category where Cyber Ghost takes home the top prize. When looking at the average subscription prices for both providers, we can see that Cyber Ghost is generally cheaper overall, so it can be the more recommended choice for budget-conscious users.
Both ExpressVPN and Cyber Ghost offer three tiers of subscriptions. ExpressVPN offers a monthly, six month, and 12-month plan, while CyberGhost offers a monthly, yearly, and two-year plan. For all of these plans, the prices on Cyber Ghost work out to be cheaper, but both providers regularly run discounts and deals that can affect their costs in some big ways.
In terms of refund policies, ExpressVPN gives you 30 days from the time of subscription to request a refund if you’re not totally satisfied. Whereas Cyber Ghost, on the other hand, offers different refund times, depending on which plan you opt for, and up to 45 days for the longer plans.
Features
Another area of comparison for these leading VPNs is features. In general, features aren’t the most important aspect when buying a VPN for most users, as most people just want to connect to a server and go about their usual online activities without worrying about any advanced settings or options. However, for more intermediate or advanced users, features can have a real impact.
CyberGhost offers some interesting features, including an ad-blocker, anti-malware, and tracker blocking tools that can really help to enhance your privacy. It also offers a kill switch feature, which is really important for people who don’t want anyone spying or tracking their connections or online activity, especially on public networks.
Cyber Ghost’s kill switch feature is actually turned on automatically, and the user can’t switch it on or off. The kill switch on ExpressVPN, however, comes with an added layer of control, which may appeal to certain users. ExpressVPN also offers leak protection browser extensions, a router app to protect your home router, and split tunneling options, too.
All in all, ExpressVPN probably offers a larger range of features and will have greater appeal to advanced users who like to play around with different options and tools to really get the most from their VPN’s performance. Most casual users will be more than satisfied with the features offered by Cyber Ghost, however.
Security and Encryption
Another common reason why so many people want to get their own VPN is for security. There are a lot of risks online, especially when connected to public Wi-Fi networks, and it can really pay off if you invest in online security in order to keep your personal data and connections safe and protected from hackers.
Again, as with most other big aspects throughout this comparison, we have to say that both ExpressVPN and Cyber Ghost perform really well in this aspect. They both make use of leading, military-grade, 256-bit encryption to protect your connections, and they both offer great advanced security features like kill switches.
In terms of security protocols, ExpressVPN lets you use OpenVPN, L2TP, and PPTP, which are all highly rated, dependable protocols, while CyberGhost offers OpenVPN, L2TP, and IKEv2, with the latter being a great choice for mobile security. This makes Cyber Ghost a good option for mobile users.
CyberGhost also comes with the built-in, automatically-on kill switch feature mentioned earlier on, which is a really useful feature to keep your connections safe at all times, while ExpressVPN lets you toggle the kill switch on or off as needed. ExpressVPN also makes use of cipher block chaining.
Want to learn more about security? Read our ultimate guide for VPN security
Privacy
Privacy is another issue of utmost importance to many users looking for a VPN they can rely on, and it’s always wise to try and find a VPN that makes privacy a priority, as some companies can be quite lacking in this area. Luckily, both Cyber Ghost and ExpressVPN do great jobs of keeping their users protected.
As mentioned above, both of these providers make use of industry-leading, military-grade encryption to mask IP addresses and hide user connections from hackers and other prying eyes, as well as featuring lots of servers around the world for you to connect to in order to cover up your location and browse the web with freedom.
At first glance, Cyber Ghost and ExpressVPN seem pretty well-matched when it comes to privacy, but when we look a little closer, there are some key differences. While both providers have no-logs policies, only ExpressVPN has been independently audited by a third party, which is a big bonus.
Cyber Ghost also has a couple of privacy issues related to its parent company, as well as the fact that its ad-blocker doesn’t work on certain sites. So even though it still offers some terrific privacy options, it isn’t quite as efficient overall as ExpressVPN.
Simultaneous Connections
Many people like to share their VPN privileges with their friends or family, and a lot of VPN providers let you use their software on multiple devices at the same time. This allows several users to benefit from their security and protection simultaneously. Some companies, however, are much more generous in this regard than others.
ExpressVPN allows up to five simultaneous connections, while Cyber Ghost offers up to seven simultaneous connections in total. Therefore, by the simple fact that Cyber Ghost offers two more connections, it clearly stands out as the winner of this round. This also makes it a great choice for big families, allowing mom, dad, and the kids to all enjoy the protection they need across their devices.
Speaking of devices, it’s also worth pointing out that both ExpressVPN and Cyber Ghost work well across a range of platforms and devices, including Windows computers, Macs, Android phones and tablets, and iOS devices, too. ExpressVPN has the edge in terms of compatibility, however, being able to work on routers, and smart TVs, while Cyber Ghost is a little trickier to set up on certain platforms.
Customer Support
If ever you need a little help with your VPN, whether it’s during the initial set-up phase or later on, while trying to connect to a certain website or figuring out how a certain feature is supposed to work, it’s always good to know that the provider has invested in its customer support department. Both Cyber Ghost and ExpressVPN offer solid customer service, with a few differences.
On the ExpressVPN site, you’ll see a 24/7 live chat system that lets you talk with a customer service agent at any time, and Cyber Ghost also matches this with its own round-the-clock chat system. Both providers also offer emails that can be contacted for less urgent matters, along with their own tutorials, guides, and FAQ sections.
Both the ExpressVPN and Cyber Ghost Help Centers are well put-together and can help you deal with a lot of common issues, but ExpressVPN’s tutorials are slightly more in-depth and comprehensive overall. ExpressVPN has pages and pages of helpful content dedicated to everything from setting up a VPN for Fire Stick TV to activating the kill switch.
ExpressVPN vs Cyber Ghost – Which One’s Better?
Overall, it’s clear to see that both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost have a lot to offer. They both provide some of the fastest speeds and strongest security features of any providers in the VPN industry, along with a plethora of advanced features and tools that help you get the best from your VPN experiences.
They both work well on many major platforms, operating admirably all over the world and offering some solid customer support options, too. However, overall, when we look closely at each of the key areas outlined above, ExpressVPN stands out as the best option of the two.
That’s not to say that Cyber Ghost isn’t a great VPN, and it’s a fine choice for affordability and overall performance, but ExpressVPN just goes a little bit further in the areas that matter, like customer service, privacy, speed.
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