ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost in 2025 (One Clear Winner)

When you explore numerous online review sites, you will likely encounter recommendations for both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. But the question is, which one should you trust? To provide a clear answer, we have put both VPNs through a series of tests. Both are popular choices, but only one emerged victorious in this 2025 comparison of CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN.

At first glance, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost seem to offer similar features, but our testing revealed clear differences in areas like speed, apps, and support. As the results unfolded, it became evident that one service holds a distinct edge — and that’s what this comparison will uncover.

This table highlights the main facts about each VPN:

	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
Website	ExpressVPN.com	CyberGhostVPN.com
Location	British Virgin Islands	Romania
Servers	3,000+	11,500+
Countries	105	100
Logs	No logs (audited)	No logs (audit)
Torrenting	All servers	All servers
Support	Knowledge Base; 24/7 live chat; Email	Knowledge Base; 24/7 live chat; Email
Apps for	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Price	$3.49 (with coupon)	$2.19
Coupon	73% Off + 4 Months Free >	N/A

Below are the nine test categories we examined to determine whether CyberGhost or ExpressVPN is best. Also note that all test results are posted below as screenshots, allowing you to see each VPN's real-world performance. If you have been on the fence about which VPN is best, then this CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN comparison guide will give you a clear answer.

1. Company background and jurisdiction
2. Features
3. Speed tests
4. Prices
5. Streaming
6. Torrenting
7. Security and Encryption
8. Privacy
9. Customer Support
10. Conclusion and Final Recommendation

Now let's dive in.

Background check and jurisdiction: ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost

When you select a VPN, you put a lot of trust in the service to secure your traffic and data. Consequently, it's smart to ensure you are going with a reputable VPN service with a clean track record. With this in mind, we'll look at both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost.

	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
Jurisdiction	British Virgin Islands (BVI)	Romania
Reputation	Excellent	Excellent

ExpressVPN background check and jurisdiction

ExpressVPN is a premium VPN with a good reputation going back many years. It has a pretty clean track record and has never suffered from public security issues or data controversies, such as we've seen with IPVanish or PureVPN (logging scandals). One minor exception was in late 2021 when news broke about an ExpressVPN employee working with the UAE on hacking technology, but this all transpired before he worked for ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN has also passed numerous independent (third-party) audits for both security and its no-logs policy.

ExpressVPN operates out of the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a location that is a significant advantage when it comes to ensuring user privacy. The British Virgin Islands is a self-governing British overseas territory that is not subject to the same data retention laws that many other countries impose. This means that ExpressVPN is not legally required to store user data, providing an extra layer of privacy protection for its users.

Furthermore, the British Virgin Islands is not a member of any international surveillance alliances, such as the Five Eyes or Fourteen Eyes alliances. These alliances between certain countries allow for the sharing of intelligence data, including potentially the personal data of VPN users.

One major change, however, was that Kape bought ExpressVPN in the fall of 2021. This is the same company that owns CyberGhost. Kape has an interesting track record, especially when you look into Crossrider. In 2017, Crossrider closed down its browser development platform and pivoted to the cybersecurity industry under the new name Kape Technologies.

Fortunately, we have learned that ExpressVPN will continue to operate independently with its same leadership and management, despite Kape being the owner. This also applies to CyberGhost.

CyberGhost background check and jurisdiction

CyberGhost started as a Romanian service developed by a team from Germany and Romania. In 2017, CyberGhost was acquired by Crossrider (now Kape Technologies), which also owns ExpressVPN. Additionally, a few years ago, we learned that Kape bought Private Internet Access (PIA).

At the time of this update, CyberGhost had completed two independent third-party audits covering its no-logs policy. However, it has been in the news for faulty ad-blocking VPN features and was even called out in a 2016 study (PDF) for the presence of malware in its VPN apps. (CyberGhost also did not do well in testing for the CyberGhost VPN review.)

CyberGhost still operates under the jurisdiction of Romania, just as it did prior to the acquisition by Kape. Romania is an excellent jurisdiction for a VPN due to its strong commitment to internet freedom and privacy. Like the BVI, Romania does not impose mandatory data retention laws. Also like the BVI, Romania is outside the jurisdiction of the Five Eyes and 14 Eyes alliances. The country's robust stance on internet freedom and privacy, coupled with its strong digital infrastructure, makes Romania a favorable location for VPN services.

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Features comparison: Can CyberGhost compete with ExpressVPN on features?

Feature	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
Split tunneling	✅	❌
RAM-only servers	✅	❌
Kill Switch	✅	✅
Private DNS	✅	❌
Logs	No logs (audited)	No logs (audited)
Multiple VPN protocols	✅	✅
Browser Extensions	✅	✅
Built-in ad blocking	✅	✅ (limited utility)
User Profiles	❌	✅
Simultaneous Connections	10	7
Best Deal:	73% Off + 4 Months Free >	77% off discount

Both CyberGhost and ExpressVPN offer a diverse lineup of features. Let's start with CyberGhost.

CyberGhost features

Below you can see the CyberGhost Windows VPN app I tested for this comparison:

Although CyberGhost is a basic VPN without too many frills, it does offer these features:

• Ad blocking – It's tough to call this a feature since I found it to only work on HTTP sites. Because most sites are now HTTPS, the ad blocker is basically useless. (See our list of the best VPN ad blockers.)
• Leak protection – The CyberGhost VPN apps offer built-in leak protection settings (kill switch).
• User profiles – You can select from different user profiles, such as VPN for torrenting, streaming, gaming VPN, etc.
• Upgraded servers – CyberGhost is in the process of upgrading their VPN servers with 10 GB connections for faster data transfers across their network.

Now let's see how ExpressVPN's features compare.

ExpressVPN features

In comparison to CyberGhost, ExpressVPN has more features for all types of users. Below is the ExpressVPN Windows app we tested. You can see it is user-friendly and easy to use, with a large connection button right in the center. It is also one of the best VPNs for PC operating systems.

Here are some of the features you get with ExpressVPN:

• Upgraded servers – ExpressVPN has upgraded its VPN servers to RAM-only (no disk drive) for better security.
• Advanced Protection – See the next section.
• Network Lock kill switch – This is an advanced leak protection setting to ensure all traffic is blocked if anything disrupts the VPN connection (thereby keeping your data secure). It protects you against IPv4 leaks, IPv6 leaks, and DNS leaks (a VPN kill switch on steroids).
• Split tunneling – This feature allows you to route specified apps or websites to go outside the VPN tunnel. This feature is available for Windows, Mac OS, and routers. You can read more about this feature in our split tunneling VPN guide.

• Browser extensions that incorporate HTTPS Everywhere. (ExpressVPN is one of our top picks if you need the best VPN for Chrome.)
• Media Streamer – This app is ideal for a wide range of streaming devices, including Smart TVs. It also works if you need a VPN for Apple TV.
• Router app – ExpressVPN is one of the few VPNs that offer a dedicated router app. This allows you to easily switch locations, and it also supports split tunneling on your network.
• 24/7 live chat support – This is always helpful if you need assistance with anything at all.
• Obfuscation – ExpressVPN offers obfuscation features to effectively hide your VPN traffic. This allows you to use the VPN in places where VPNs are blocked and makes it one of the best VPNs for China.

>>See all ExpressVPN features here >

Advanced Protection

Feature	Advanced Protection
Blocks Ads	✅
Parental Controls	✅
Blocks Trackers	✅
Blocks Malicious Websites	✅
Requires Active VPN Connection	✅
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Aircove

ExpressVPN’s Advanced Protection bundles three privacy tools — Threat Manager, ad blocker, and parental controls — directly into its apps. Threat Manager blocks trackers and malicious domains, the ad blocker removes intrusive ads, and parental controls filter out adult or unwanted content. These protections are available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, and even built into the Aircove router, which extends coverage to all connected devices. Apple TV users get Threat Manager and ad blocking only. Unlike NordVPN's Threat Protection, Advanced Protection works only when the VPN is active (with Lightway/Automatic protocol), except on Aircove, where it runs continuously. Keep in mind that this feature is exclusive to ExpressVPN’s Advanced and Pro plans.

Features winner: ExpressVPN

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ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost speed test results

Speeds are a huge consideration for VPN users. After all, what good is a VPN that is too slow and interferes with everything you do online?

All of the speed testing for this comparison was conducted on a 1000 Mbps internet connection using the official VPN apps. For each service, I used the fastest VPN protocol available.

• For ExpressVPN: the Lightway protocol, which is faster than OpenVPN and most other protocols.
• For CyberGhost: the WireGuard protocol, which usually outperforms all other VPN protocols.

I ran tests with server locations around the United States and the UK where each VPN had a presence.

United States test results

Test 1: Seattle, USA

ExpressVPN server in Seattle: 718 Mbps

CyberGhost server in Seattle: 422 Mbps

Right out of the gate, we see ExpressVPN has a big speed advantage over CyberGhost.

Test 2: Los Angeles, USA

ExpressVPN server in Los Angeles: 444 Mbps

CyberGhost VPN server in Los Angeles: 407 Mbps

In Los Angeles, the difference is minimal, with ExpressVPN holding a slight edge.

Test 3: New York, USA

ExpressVPN server in New York: 612 Mbps

At over 600 Mbps, this is another good speed test result from ExpressVPN.

CyberGhost server in New York: 117 Mbps

This is a pretty bad result for CyberGhost. ExpressVPN is much faster for this server location.

United Kingdom test results

Test 4: United Kingdom

ExpressVPN server in the UK: 551 Mbps

CyberGhost server in the UK: 284 Mbps

With the respective UK servers, ExpressVPN turned in 551 Mbps, while CyberGhost reached a little more than half of that speed. With this speed, ExpressVPN ranks as one of the best VPNs for the UK.

It's clear that ExpressVPN outperforms CyberGhost and was the winner in every server location with much faster speeds. And while ExpressVPN is faster than CyberGhost, it did not fare quite as well in the Surfshark vs ExpressVPN comparison. (Surfshark's implementation of WireGuard is even faster than ExpressVPN with Lightway.)

Keeping track of all those numbers and locations can wear you right out. Here is a table that summarizes the speed test results:

Location	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
Seattle	718 Mbps	422 Mbps
Los Angeles	444 Mbps	407 Mbps
New York	612 Mbps	117 Mbps
United Kingdom	551 Mbps	284 Mbps

Speed winner: ExpressVPN

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Prices and refunds: Is ExpressVPN or CyberGhost the better deal?

CyberGhost pricing and refund policy

CyberGhost definitely costs less than ExpressVPN, with the cheapest plan coming in at a bit more than $2 per month for a two-year subscription.

Although CyberGhost is very affordable if you choose a long-term subscription, it is not highly recommended given the problems we've identified so far. There are better options for a low-cost VPN, as we noted in the Surfshark vs NordVPN comparison, with both of those VPNs making our list of the best cheap VPNs.

CyberGhost refund policy – CyberGhost currently has a tiered refund policy. If you go with a one-month CyberGhost VPN subscription, you will have a 14-day refund window. If you go with a CyberGhost subscription that is 6 months or more, you will get a 45-day refund window.

ExpressVPN pricing and refund policy

ExpressVPN has three plans: Basic with all core features for up to 10 devices, Advanced with extras like a password manager, advanced protection, limited eSIM data, and 12 device connections, and Pro with the most perks — more eSIM data, a free dedicated IP, identity tools for US users, data removal, and support for 14 devices.

ExpressVPN has reasonable prices, but they are still more expensive than CyberGhost. Fortunately, you can use this discount coupon, which includes four months free and drops the price down to $3.49 per month. Here are the discounted prices with the coupon above:

ExpressVPN plans	Basic	Advanced	Pro
1-month	$12.99/month	$13.99/month	$19.99/month
1-year	$4.99/month	$5.99/month	$8.99/month
2-year	$3.49/month	$4.49/month	$7.49/month

Deal: Get 73% OFF ExpressVPN 2-year plans >

ExpressVPN refund policy – ExpressVPN provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on all subscription plans. There are no exceptions, fine print, or special rules for receiving your money back; simply request a refund within 30 days, and you're good to go.

At this time, neither of these services offers a free trial VPN option. To use the VPN, you will need to select a plan and sign up.

CyberGhost wins this category because it is cheaper and has a longer money-back guarantee.

Price and Refund Winner: CyberGhost.

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Netflix and Streaming: Does CyberGhost or ExpressVPN work better?

	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
Works with Netflix	✅	✅
Plans with Streaming Support	All plans	All plans
App for Android TV?	✅	✅
App for Firestick / Fire TV?	✅	✅

Streaming media is a big reason that many people are using VPNs. Whether it's watching old TV episodes on Netflix or streaming shows from BBC iPlayer with a VPN, with the right VPN, it is easy to get full access to the best streaming media anywhere in the world.

CyberGhost – I found that CyberGhost worked well for streaming during my most recent tests. Aside from some minor connectivity issues, I had no issues watching my favorite shows on Netflix. For the best experience, I suggest connecting to CyberGhost's dedicated Netflix VPN servers.

How does CyberGhost perform with other streaming platforms? In my testing, it struggled with Amazon Prime Video, where access was blocked, and performance on Hulu was hindered by slower speeds. While CyberGhost markets itself as a streaming-friendly VPN, my experience didn’t fully support that claim.

ExpressVPN – ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for streaming, with 24/7 access to Netflix and many other streaming channels around the world.

Below I'm using ExpressVPN to stream US Netflix through an ExpressVPN server in Seattle, Washington.

ExpressVPN is now one of our top recommendations if you need a VPN to unblock Netflix. It gives you access to numerous Netflix regions around the world and also works with many other streaming services. You can use this VPN for Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more.

Streaming winner: ExpressVPN

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Torrenting: Is CyberGhost or ExpressVPN best?

	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
Torrenting Support	All servers	Some servers excluded
Dedicated P2P Servers	❌	✅
Plans that Support Torrenting	All plans	All plans
Download Speeds	Fast	Average

Torrenting is the process of downloading and uploading files through a peer-to-peer (P2P) network. This can be dangerous because doing it exposes your IP addresses to other individuals on the same network. Not only does that put your privacy at risk, but it also exposes you to the threat of aggressive copyright infringement notices from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) or legal entities.

Using a VPN while torrenting can prevent this problem. VPNs hide your real IP address and reroute your internet traffic through a secure, encrypted tunnel. This makes it extremely difficult for anyone to track your online activities or identify you. To torrent safely, you need a secure VPN that won't expose your IP address to the world.

Both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost do a good job of protecting your identity when streaming. CyberGhost even has special profiles for torrenting. So the two services are pretty even here.

The other important characteristic of a VPN for torrenting is raw speed. Torrenting often involves enormous files. A slow VPN might be able to get the job of downloading a torrent done safely, but who wants to wait longer than necessary to complete a download?

As we saw in the speed testing, ExpressVPN is much faster than CyberGhost.

Torrenting winner: ExpressVPN

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Security and Encryption comparison

In terms of security, both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost passed the basic leak tests (an explanation of our testing procedures can be found in the VPN test guide).

I did not find any leaks with either VPN when testing the Windows and Mac OS apps.

VPN Encryption

Item	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
Cipher	AES-256, ChaCha20	AES-256, ChaCha20
Authentication	SHA-512, Poly1305	SHA-256, Poly1305
RSA Key	4,096-bit	4,096-bit

With encryption, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are pretty comparable with OpenVPN:

• CyberGhost: AES-256 cipher, SHA-256 hash authentication, and a 4096-bit RSA key.
• ExpressVPN: AES-256 cipher, SHA-512 HMAC authentication, and a 4096-bit RSA key.

Additionally, both CyberGhost and ExpressVPN support some newer VPN protocols:

• CyberGhost supports the WireGuard VPN protocol, which uses the ChaCha20 cipher.
• ExpressVPN supports the Lightway protocol, which is similar to WireGuard and uses the ChaCha20 cipher or AES-256 cipher (depending on the operating system you are using).

Although these encryption levels are very similar, ExpressVPN has a slight edge with the authentication.

Third-party audits

	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
No Logs	Audited (KPMG)	Audited (Deloitte)

Virtually every VPN provider these days claims that they are super fast, super secure, super private, and do not log user activity. That's great, but several VPN providers have lied about this over the years.

How do you know who to trust? You look for VPNs that have undergone third-party audits. I'm happy to report that both of these VPNs have conducted at least one third-party audit. But that doesn't mean that they are rated the same when it comes to third-party audits.

ExpressVPN invests heavily in third-party audits that cover key areas of its service, including the no-logs policy, server infrastructure, native apps, router and browser extensions, as well as its proprietary Lightway protocol. These audits have been carried out by respectable firms such as Cure53, F-Secure, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and KPMG.

CyberGhost has had its no-logs policy audited twice by Deloitte. We don't know exactly what the results of this audit were since CyberGhost's agreement with Deloitte prevents them from publishing those results. The fact that they have completed a third-party audit puts them ahead of the vast majority of VPNs.

Still, with the wide range of audits conducted by various companies, ExpressVPN takes the prize for this particular test.

VPN server security

Server feature	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
RAM-disk	✅	✅
Virtual Locations	✅	✅

ExpressVPN really excels in the area of server security. In 2019, they converted their entire server network to run on volatile RAM memory. These RAM-disk or RAM-only servers do not use hard disk drives, since these drives can be a security and privacy risk. With RAM-disk servers, nothing can be permanently stored on the server.

This is important since there have been multiple occasions over the years where a hostile entity (usually a government) has seized VPN servers looking for information that the VPN service can not turn over to them. ExpressVPN refers to this feature as TrustedServer. For example, a few years ago, the Turkish government seized one of ExpressVPN's servers looking for data that the company did not have because it does not keep logs. The investigators found nothing. This is discussed in our no logs VPN guide.

CyberGhost has now moved to running all of its servers in RAM-disk mode. This is a big improvement on their part. In addition, a large portion of their infrastructure now relies on colocated servers. This means that CyberGhost owns those servers, rather than renting them from some third party.

Colocated VPN servers have advantages over rented ones, especially in terms of control and security. Because CyberGhost owns and manages these servers, it has complete control over the hardware, software, and network configurations. They can ensure the servers are configured to their exact specifications and maintained to the highest security standards. This level of control and direct access to the servers reduces the risk of security breaches and data leaks.

According to their website, CyberGhost has colocated servers in numerous locations around the world, including London, Paris, and New York.

Note: If you need to use a VPN in a restricted country, then ExpressVPN would be the better choice here as it uses reliable obfuscation techniques to defeat blocks. This is discussed more in our guide on the best VPNs for UAE.

Security winner: Tie

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Privacy comparison with ExpressVPN and CyberGhost

Here at CyberInsider, we really pay attention to how well a VPN does in this category. So is CyberGhost VPN or ExpressVPN the best choice for privacy-focused users?

CyberGhost – CyberGhost has a few issues that I noticed in the privacy category:

1. First, I found that CyberGhost's website uses invasive tracking measures. I observed session recording scripts for Hotjar on its website, which record everything a visitor does.
2. Second, CyberGhost's ad blocker does not stop tracking on HTTPS websites, as we covered before.

If you are looking for a good VPN for privacy, CyberGhost is not the best choice.

ExpressVPN – ExpressVPN is a solid choice for privacy. It is one of the few no-log VPN services that have been audited and verified by an independent third party. (Outside verification of logs is also a trend we've seen with NordVPN and PIA.)

Although ExpressVPN does use Google Analytics on their site (as does CyberGhost), they do not use any invasive session recording scripts as CyberGhost does with Hotjar.

ExpressVPN's privacy features ensure your identity and online activities stay secure and out of the hands of third parties.

Privacy winner: ExpressVPN

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Customer support comparison

	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost
24/7 Live Chat support	✅	✅
Online resources	Knowledge Base, Guides, FAQs	Knowledge Base, Guides, FAQs

Customer support is a crucial aspect for any VPN user. While most VPNs are quite reliable, you could run into various technical issues or simply need an explanation of how to do something. Reliable, accessible customer support lets you deal with these issues quickly and easily. In particular, 24/7 live chat support is incredibly important.

Why? Firstly, your VPN company is probably based in a different time zone than you are. 24/7 live chat support ensures that no matter when you have a question, there is someone who can help you right away.

Secondly, many of the things you do with a VPN are time-sensitive. For example, you could be streaming a live event, making a secure financial transaction, or accessing a geo-blocked website. In such cases, receiving immediate assistance through live chat support can be the difference between a task being completed successfully or not.

When it comes to customer support, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are more evenly matched than before. Both now offer 24/7 live chat support, giving users immediate access to assistance at any time of day. ExpressVPN’s staff are widely praised for their fast response times and knowledgeable answers, while CyberGhost’s team also provides helpful guidance, though the overall experience can vary.

ExpressVPN still stands out with its comprehensive knowledge base, featuring detailed guides and FAQs that cover a wide range of topics. CyberGhost also maintains an online help section, but it isn’t as extensive or user-friendly. While both VPNs provide solid customer support, ExpressVPN maintains a slight edge thanks to its consistently polished resources and responsiveness.

Customer Support winner: ExpressVPN

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Conclusion: ExpressVPN wins in 2025

ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are both popular VPN services that are recommended on many sites. Given that, you might expect that their performance on our tests would be very similar. But that isn't how it turned out. There was a clear winner in this CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN comparison guide.

ExpressVPN came out on top in seven of the nine categories we tested:

Category	Winner
Company Background and Jurisdiction	ExpressVPN
Features	ExpressVPN
Speed Tests	ExpressVPN
Prices	CyberGhost
Streaming	ExpressVPN
Torrenting	ExpressVPN
Security and Encryption	Tie
Privacy	ExpressVPN
Customer Support	ExpressVPN

While CyberGhost is the winner in the price category, because it is cheaper, the key consideration is value. In terms of value, the question to ask is: Which VPN offers a better value for your money?

ExpressVPN outperformed CyberGhost by a wide margin, while also unblocking Netflix and offering more security features. Additionally, ExpressVPN has also passed more independent audits, which gives it a big boost in the trust category — an area where CyberGhost is really lacking.

When you consider overall performance, security, and features, I would say ExpressVPN is the better value, even though it is a bit more expensive.

If you want to give ExpressVPN a try, they are currently offering the following discount coupon:

If you are looking for a VPN that is closer in price to CyberGhost, but a much better value, then NordVPN would probably be a good fit. You can check out our full NordVPN review or hit the NordVPN coupon page for the latest discounts and deals on this industry-leading VPN service.

For additional recommendations, you can see the best VPN services guide.

Have you used either ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN? If so, leave your experience below in the comments to help others.