To make your VPN choice easier, we have compared two of the most popular VPN providers: ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. The categories we used to assess the two providers are speed, security, privacy, price, ease of use, and customer service.
Below you can see the winner of each category:
- Security: ExpressVPN
- Speed: ExpressVPN
- Privacy: CyberGhost
- Price: CyberGhost
- Ease of use: A Tie
- Customer service: CyberGhost
We have a bit of a precedent with these two providers. Usually, the one that takes more categories also gets the final win. Here, however, we would argue that ExpressVPN’s wins are more significant than CyberGhost’s. That’s why we give ExpressVPN the victory, albeit by a very thin margin.
ExpressVPN
Read on to find out how we reached our final verdict on these two VPN giants.
ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN are two of the most popular VPN providers in the world. They both offer an excellent array of features and are generally quite reliable. They are quite flexible and can be used for a variety of different purposes. But which one should you choose?
We decided to run a series of tests with these excellent VPNs to find out which one reigns supreme. However, keep in mind that your selection will primarily hinge on your personal needs and preferences. Regardless, we were pleasantly surprised. Here’s what we found out.
ExpressVPN vs. CyberGhost: Functionality, Features, and Other Options
Here are the basic features offered by these VPN providers.
| Feature | ExpressVPN | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|
| Servers | 3,000+ servers in 94 countries | 7,000+ servers in 90+ countries |
| Torrents/P2P-Support | ✔ | ✔ |
| Netflix | ✔ | ✔ |
| Simultaneous connections | 5 | 7 |
| Operating systems | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux |
| Protocols | OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPsec, Lightway | OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard |
| Price | From $6.67 per month | From $2.03 per month |
| Log policy | No logs | No logs |
| Money-back-guarantee | 30 days | 45 days |
| DNS Leak Test | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tor over VPN | ✖ | ✖ |
| Obfuscated servers | ✔ | ✖ |
| Double VPN | ✖ | ✖ |
| Dedicated IP | ✖ | ✔ |
| Kill switch | ✔ | ✔ |
| Split tunneling | ✔ | ✔ |
| Adblocker | ✖ | ✔ |
| Diskless servers | ✔ | ✖ |
| Malicious website blocker | ✖ | ✔ |
| Custom DNS-option | ✔ | ✖ |
| Online tracker blocker | ✖ | ✔ |
| Automated HTTPS redirect | ✖ | ✔ |
| Data compression option | ✖ | ✔ |
| Link to website |
ExpressVPN vs. CyberGhost: Which VPN Is More Secure?
Online safety is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a VPN service. What level of security does the VPN service offer? This includes features that prevent hackers, spy agencies, and even your own ISP from monitoring your network traffic. Here’s what we found when comparing the security levels of ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost.
Connection protocols
Let’s take a look at a list of the VPN protocols supported by these two providers. First up is ExpressVPN. They offer four solid protocols:
- OpenVPN: This is the most popular open-source VPN tunnel, famous for its security, speed, and stability. You can use TCP or UDP ports, which will help you go around restrictive firewalls. The TCP connection is more resilient but slower. UDP is easily blocked but it’s much faster.
- IKEv2/IPsec: This protocol can maintain its VPN connection during network switches. This makes it perfect for people who prefer mobile devices or simply travel a lot.
- L2TP/IPsec: It can rival the top protocols in speed, but not security. Honestly, we’re not sure why ExpressVPN is keeping this option around.
- Lightway: A brand-new protocol made by ExpressVPN. It offers the speed of WireGuard but adds extra privacy, TCP support, and obfuscation.
CyberGhost uses some of the same options, as well as the original WireGuard protocol:
- OpenVPN
- IKEv2/IPSec
- WireGuard: In our opinion, WireGuard is the future of VPN protocols. It’s fast, secure, and less bloated than protocols like OpenVPN. A smaller codebase makes it easier to manage and protect from attacks.
This is an impressive list of VPN tunnels we would expect to see from top-tier providers like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN. Whichever you choose, you’ll have zero problems staying safe online while also streaming Netflix, enjoying online games, or torrenting.
Encryption and extra features
Both CyberGhost and ExpressVPN use AES-256 encryption. This is the highest level of security offered by VPN services according to international standards. Both providers have an automatic kill switch, which “kills” your connection if your VPN fails for whatever reason. CyberGhost’s client also allows you to block malicious websites and online trackers.
ExpressVPN also uses so-called “TrustedServer” technology, which is a fancy term for diskless, RAM-only servers. This means that the information stored on their VPN servers is wiped after each reset. They don’t have any hard drives that could record data permanently.
Lastly, ExpressVPN comes with stealth technology that activates when it detects online restrictions. It disguises your VPN traffic to look like regular browsing, which helps you deal with online censorship. Not even the finest deep packet inspection will be able to tell that you’re using a VPN.
Conclusion
We can say that both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost offer very secure VPN connections. However, ExpressVPN gets the win simply for having more top-tier security features and tools.
Most secure VPN: ExpressVPN
CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN: Which VPN Is Faster?
We did some speed testing to figure out which of the two VPNs is faster. We started out by determining our benchmark speed (without the VPN). The results are provided in the following screenshot:
We then tested international and local servers belonging to both ExpessVPN and CyberGhost VPN. The results are provided in the table below, with the fastest speeds highlighted in bold:
| Speed metric | ExpressVPN | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|
| Download speed local server (Mbps) | 188.61 | 166.85 |
| Upload speed local server (in Mbps) | 8.84 | 8.93 |
| Ping local server | 27 ms | 29 ms |
| Download speed international server (in Mbps) | 155.92 | 99.49 |
| Upload speed international server (in Mbps) | 3.39 | 3.24 |
| Ping international server | 210 ms | 234 ms |
These test results show that, during daily use, both providers function flawlessly. Therefore, the likelihood that you will experience problems with your internet speed with these VPN services is very small. Even if you download or stream intensively, either of the two providers would be a good choice. Having said that, ExpressVPN is clearly faster than CyberGhost.
Fastest VPN: ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Which VPN Handles Your Data Better?
In addition to speed and security, it is important to know how these VPN services handle user data. Without a clear no-logging policy, you’re not anonymous online, no matter how good the security is. What about these two providers?
ExpressVPN’s privacy details
- ExpressVPN doesn’t keep any harmful logs.
- The company is based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), which is considered a VPN-friendly location. Although it technically belongs to the UK, the BVI is governed by its own laws. It isn’t included in any data-sharing alliances and has no mandatory data retention laws.
- ExpressVPN’s OpenVPN and IKEv2 servers support the aforementioned TrustedServer technology. Since they have no hard drives, they are physically incapable of long-term data storage.
- ExpressVPN has undergone a security audit by PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), one of the largest auditing firms in the world. The final results showed the company’s dedication to user privacy.
- ExpressVPN supports Bitcoin payments, which ensures extra privacy.
- Recent events involving ExpressVPN as a company have raised potential privacy concerns. They were recently acquired by Kape Technologies, a company with a less-than-spotless past that owns multiple VPN brands, including Private Internet Access (PIA). Also, their CIO has been fined after his involvement in Project Raven, a surveillance and hacking project for the UAE government, was revealed.
CyberGhost’s privacy details
- CyberGhost VPN doesn’t do any dangerous logging.
- The company is located in Romania, which also has no mandatory data retention laws and is considered VPN-friendly.
- CyberGhost keeps an up-to-date transparency report that informs users how often they receive requests to release private data. To date, the company hasn’t complied with any of these requests.
- Although CyberGhost is also owned by Kape Technologies, this VPN company underwent an independent audit by QSCert. This audit, however, only checked their internal safety processes, not the data logging practices.
- CyberGhost VPN also supports Bitcoin payments.
Both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost were screened by renowned cybersecurity auditors and don’t keep harmful logs. However, recent developments surrounding ExpressVPN could cause one to question the overall privacy levels of this company. So, we’ll give CyberGhost the win in this category.
Most privacy-minded VPN: CyberGhost
CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN: Which Is Cheaper?
The table below provides an overview of ExpressVPN’s and CyberGhost’s subscription costs (per month). As you can see, CyberGhost VPN subscriptions are generally much cheaper than ExpressVPN’s.
| Subscription | ExpressVPN | CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $12.95 | $12.99 |
| 6 months | $9.99 | $6.99 |
| 15 months | $6.67 | ✖ |
| 24 months | ✖ | $2.03 |
Please note: we do our best to keep these prices up-to-date but it’s always a good idea to visit the VPN provider’s website directly to get the most current price.
The cheapest VPN: CyberGhost
ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Which App Is Easier to Work With?
Our previous reviews of CyberGhost and ExpressVPN have found that they strike a good balance between usability and extra options. Furthermore, their websites and clients are very clear and easy to navigate. Below, we’ll discuss certain aspects in more detail.
The home screens of their clients are almost identical, although ExpressVPN’s mainly white color scheme is a bit easier on the eyes than that of CyberGhost’s black and yellow. Both VPN apps have a large button that you can use to quickly connect to the VPN, and both have additional options located under settings. However, CyberGhost is attached to the taskbar and ExpressVPN shows you three servers you’ve recently used immediately.
Screenshots of ExpressVPN’s and CyberGhost’s software are provided below.
Installation process
When testing a VPN application, we also look at the installation process. The installation methods of ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN are almost identical. The setup is fairly straightforward: you start by creating an account, then download the software, install it, and log in with your newly created account.
With regards to the installation process, we can’t find a substantial difference between ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. If you would like more in-depth information on their setup, check out our ExpressVPN and CyberGhost reviews.
Most user-friendly VPN: A Tie
Customer Service: How Well Are Users Supported?
In case of an issue with your VPN, you don’t want to wait several days to get a response from your VPN provider, especially if you’re using it for commercial purposes. A VPN’s customer service team should be able to help in a timely fashion and be equipped to handle any problems users might have. Let’s see how ExpressVPN and CyberGhost performed in this aspect.
ExpressVPN: Fast and direct responses
On the live chat, we received a quick and direct response from an actual ExpressVPN employee — not a bot. We were also not referred to an article or any other link: the information was provided entirely by the employee. However, the support team is rather lacking in technical knowledge. They weren’t able to solve any substantial problems.
On the ExpressVPN website, you’ll find an answer to your question in 90% of cases. Sometimes it takes a bit of clicking back and forth to find the right category, but the information is mostly there. Nonetheless, we found the placement of information a bit strange. When looking for information about protocols, for example, you need to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the “What is a VPN” page.
CyberGhost: High level of technical expertise
CyberGhost’s live chat team was very responsive and willing to help. The support team overshadows their colleagues at ExpressVPN when it comes to technical expertise. However, the site is not updated as frequently, which leads to occasional misalignments between the support team and the official FAQ.
The website feels a bit more streamlined than ExpressVPN’s, but almost all information is presented as frequently asked questions. In principle, the idea behind this is logical: if people have a question, you can find the answer immediately. In practice, this makes searching for answers to certain topics via navigation a bit difficult.
VPN with the best customer service: CyberGhost
Our Final Verdict: Is CyberGhost or ExpressVPN Better?
Both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost provide users with top-level security and speed. However, ExpressVPN still comes out on top, in our opinion, albeit by a very thin margin. CyberGhost took a win in more categories, but we would argue that those won by ExpressVPN are more important.
Let’s see which provider came out on top in each category:
- Security: ExpressVPN
- Speed: ExpressVPN
- Privacy: CyberGhost
- Price: CyberGhost
- Ease of use: A Tie
- Customer Service: CyberGhost
ExpressVPN takes a win against CyberGhost in this direct comparison. CyberGhost remains a solid choice primarily due to its incredible price-to-value ratio. If their respective developments keep up their current pace, we wouldn’t be surprised to see CyberGhost overtaking ExpressVPN in the future.
Interested in one of these two providers? Click the appropriate button below and take back your online privacy and freedom.
- Very easy-to-use VPN
- Perfect for anonymous browsing, downloading, and streaming (i.e., Netflix)
- Thousands of servers in 105 countries
- Very user-friendly
- High quality for a low price
- Torrents and Netflix possible
Check out our other VPN comparisons to find out which one is better for you:
- ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN
- ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark
- NordVPN vs. CyberGhost
- NordVPN vs. Surfshark
- CyberGhost vs. Surfshark
Do you have any questions about our ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost comparison? Take a look at our list of FAQs below.
Not at the moment. They are very close, but we believe that ExpressVPN still has the upper hand. It offers better speeds and has a superior security setup. You can read all about these two providers in our full ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost comparison.
No! There were times when ExpressVPN ruled supreme, but we would argue that providers like NordVPN and Surfshark have since surpassed it. They offer better speeds, higher privacy levels, better customer support, and are a lot cheaper. You can learn all about them in our list of the best VPNs for this year.
Yes! CyberGhost is one of the most trustworthy VPN providers. Apart from implementing a no-logging policy, the company keeps a regularly updated transparency report and has undergone independent security audits. Their VPN offers plenty of effective features that can unlock the internet for you while keeping you safe and anonymous. Read all about this top-tier VPN service in our full CyberGhost review.
