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ExpressVPN vs Cyberghost in-USA

ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Head to Head Comparison

ExpressVPN is the winner!

I recommend ExpressVPN as the winner for its:

  • Better Speed: 27.17 Mbps
  • Safe Jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands
  • Consistent Netflix Support
  • Strict no-logs-policy

Before we go into details, here is a brief overview of everything that we’re going to cover in our comparison:

ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: A Quick Comparison of ExpressVPN and CyberGhost

Here is a quick VPN comparison chart in the form of a summary of the entire topic that has come out after comparing both providers.

Factors ExpressVPN CyberGhost
Jurisdiction British Virgins Islands Romania
Logging Policy No logs No logs
Pricing $6.67/mo - Save up to 49% with exclusive 1-year plans + 3 months free $3.75/mo
Speed 27.17 Mbps 17.10 Mbps
Server Network 3000 servers
105 countries
6,800+ servers
90 countries
Customer Support Live chat Live chat
Torrenting Supported Supported
Netflix Unblocking Supported Supported
Security Strong Strong
Website expressvpn.com cyberghostvpn.com

Moreover, you see how the top 60+ providers are compared against each other in terms of key features; see this VPN comparison.

Detailed Comparison of ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost

To determine the best VPN out of these two, we performed a detailed comparison between ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. I examined both providers’ characteristics, compared them for their strengths and weaknesses, and decided a winner in each round.

Following is the detailed comparison of both providers:

1. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Company background and Jurisdiction

When you purchase a VPN provider for yourself, it means you are placing a great amount of faith and trust in it. It is only fair to be fully aware of the provider’s background and jurisdiction. We will examine both providers to help you make the best decision for yourself.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has had an excellent reputation for quite some time now, thanks to a clean track record with no public security issues or data controversies. Unlike Cyberghost and other VPN providers, ExpressVPN has passed independent audits for both security and logging policy.

Based in the British Virgin Islands, this provider is perfect for your online security and anonymity. As The Britsh Virgins Island has a no data retention law and is not a member of any surveillance alliance, your data security and privacy are 100% guaranteed.

It is clearly mentioned in ExpresVPN’s log policy that they neither record activity logs nor connection logs. This makes ExpressVPN a perfect companion for your online exploration without having to worry about your data and identity being exposed to anyone.

expressvpn-log-policy-outside-USA

CyberGhost

CyberGhost was started as a Romanian VPN server by a team of German and Romanian engineers. In 2007, CyberGhost was acquired by Crossrider, which is now known as Kape. Kape has a known history of producing and spreading malware in devices via software bundles. Right now, Private Internet Access and Zenmate VPN are also owned by Kape.

While located in Romania, a safe jurisdiction and offering a foolproof no-log policy, considering the history of malware, I am hesitant to recommend CyberGhost or PIA for your online data security and privacy.

cyberghost-log-policy-outside-USA

Winner: ExpressVPN

2. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Speed Results

The speed after establishing the VPN tunnel will be impacted due to the encryption and security protocols. However, the best VPN provider will let you experience the least drop in speed. Here’s a speed comparison table for both providers to give you an overall view of the performance.

ExpressVPN CyberGhost
US: 26.62 Mbps US: 18.78 Mbps
UK: 26.68 Mbps UK: 17.2 Mbps
Germany: 28.97 Mbps Germany: 17.64 Mbps
Australia: 26.43 Mbps Australia: 14.8 Mbps
Avg. Download: 27.17 Mbps Avg. Download: 17.10 Mbps

To find out the best VPN among the two, we conducted an in-depth test of their speed concerning servers in the United States and the United Kingdom.

We made sure to use the fastest protocol each provider offers for this test. WireGuard was the choice for CyberGhost, and Lightway protocol was selected for ExpressVPN. You can also see our VyprVPN vs ExpressVPNcomparison to see how these two protocols compare.

All the tests are carried out on our 100 Mbps Internet Service Provider connection speed.

Test #1: Seattle

ExpressVPN’s Seattle server result: 92.74 Mbps

expressvpn-seattle-speed

CyberGhost’s Seattle server result: 75.41 Mbps 

cyberghost-seattle-speed

Right from the beginning, we see CyberGhost struggling to keep up with ExpressVPN test results. While I wouldn’t call CyberGhost’s result too bad but in comparison to ExpressVPN, it is just average.

Test #2: Los Angeles

ExpressVPN’s Los Angeles server result: 90.47 Mbps

expressvpn-los-angeles-speed

CyberGhost’s Los Angeles server result: 74.79 Mbps 

cyberghost-los-angeles-server

Another slow speed result from CyberGhost. So far, ExpressVPN is taking the lead in speed comparison.

Test #3: New York

ExpressVPN’s New York server result: 95.78 Mbps

expressvpn-new-york-speed

CyberGhost’s Los Angeles server result: 70.12 Mbps 

cyberghost-new-york-speed

This is the lowest speed we received from CyberGhost till now. I think it is safe to say that CyberGhost can’t surpass ExpressVPN when providing good VPN speed. Let’s see if the results are different with a change of server location.

Test #4: United Kingdom

ExpressVPN’s United Kingdom server result: 89.32 Mbps

expressvpn-united-kingdom-speed

CyberGhost’s United Kingdom server result: 69.87 Mbps 

cyberghost-united-kingdom-speed

It’s clear that ExpressVPN outperformed CyberGhost and was the winner in speed comparison.

Winner: ExpressVPN

3. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Pricing

ExpressVPN CyberGhost
Regular Plans 1-month plan: $12.95/mo

6-month plan: $9.99/mo

1-year plan + 3 month extra: $6.67/mo - Save up to 49% with exclusive 1-year plans + 3 months free

1-month plan: $12.99/mo

1-year: $3.75/mo (71% off)

1-year: $4.59/mo (80% off)

 

Cheapest Plan 1-year + 3 month extra (35% off) 1-year: $3.75/mo (71% off)
Special Offers No Special Offers No Special Offers
Money-back Guarantee 31 days 45 days
Payment methods Credit cards, PayPal, Alipay, cryptocurrencies, Bluesnap, PaymentWall Credit cards, PayPal, and BitPay

While ExpressVPN may be the best VPN provider in the industry, it isn’t cheap. Its monthly plan will cost you about $12.95/mo. That is expensive, consider that many VPN providers offer a monthly subscription for less than $10/mo. If we talk about its longer period subscriptions, then definitely there’s an advantage there. The six-month subscription and 12 months subscription with 3 months free will cost you $9.99/mo and $6.67/mo, respectively. It is quite understandable that purchasing longer-period subscriptions might be the best strategy to go with ExpressVPN.

expressvpn-price-plans-outside-USA

CyberGhost’s monthly subscription

Payment Method

ExpressVPN accepts multiple payment methods. It accepts payments via Credit Card (VISA, Master Card, American Express, etc.), PayPal, Bitcoin, and multiple payment processors, including Alipay, Union Pay, iDeal, Webmoney GiroPay, and Yandex money.

expressvpn-payment-processors-outside-USA

Refund Policy

ExpressVPN does offer a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee program. If you are unsatisfied with the service, you can claim back your credit within a 30-day period, and they will honor it.

expressvpn-refund-policy-outside-USA

While CyberGhost’s monthly subscription is more expensive than ExpressVPN at $12.99/mo, its longer-period subscriptions are much cheaper. With 1 year subscription available for $3.74/mo and $4.75/mo, it is easily the cheapest VPN among the two and the winner of this round.

cyber-ghost-price-outside-USA

Payment Method

CyberGhost accepts three different payment methods. It accepts payments via Credit Card (VISA, Master Card, American Express, etc.), PayPal, and bitcoin.

cyberghost-payment-methods-outside-USA

Refund Policy

CyberGhost also takes the lead in this department with an astonishing 45-day money-back guarantee on longer-term plans, while ExpressVPN offers only a 30-day money-back guarantee.

cyberghost-refund-policy-outside-USA

While selecting a VPN provider for yourself, it is always a good idea to stick to the provider with a clear refund policy. You don’t want to get associated with a provider such as TunnelBear that has a very vague refund policy and offers refunds on a case-to-case basis. Regardless of a vague refund policy, TunnelBear is fully capable of going toe-to-toe against top-tier VPN providers such as CyberGhost. Learn more about their comparison in CyberGhost vs TunnelBear comparison.

Winner: CyberGhost

4. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Features

Both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost offer a distinct lineup of features. Let’s take a look at ExpressVPN features first.

ExpressVPN offers features for all types of users. You can see a screenshot of the ExpressVPN Windows application that we tested. Needless to say, that is it is user-friendly and easy to use. We will discuss below a few of the features that come with this VPN provider.

expressvpn-app-screen-outside-USA

 

Network Lock

Just another name for Internet Kill Switch. This feature will disconnect your whole device from the internet in case of VPN disconnection due to some reason. Network lock will ensure your real identity and IP address are not leaked over the internet while your device is not connected to the VPN.

network-lock

Split-Tunneling

This feature will allow you to split the internet connection into two different tunnels. One of the tunnels will carry your VPN traffic, and the other one will carry your local internet service provider traffic. This is a convenient feature if you wish to not use a VPN tunnel for all of your applications on the device.

split-tunnelling

 

Browser Extension

Think of it as an ExpressVPN application but for browser only. This extension will allow you to connect and disconnect VPN directly from the browser without using your device’s application.

MediaStream

ExpressVPN offers the Smart DNS service. By default, it is integrated into every ExpressVPN premium subscription. It lets you unblock popular streaming services on complicated devices such as Router, Roku, PS4, Xbox, etc.

Router Application

Not many VPN providers offers an application for the router. This is surely a great plus point for ExpressVPN. This application allows you to easily connect VPN on your device and set up Split-Tunneling on the router.

24/7 Customer Support Live Chat

It is one of the major advantages of the provider. ExpressVPN’s 24/7 live chat supports allows you to contact their support representative to resolve your issue immediately.

Now let’s compare these features to CyberGhost features.

Even though CyberGhost is a basic VPN service, it does offer some pretty cool features. By looking at the Windows applications, you can tell it is very organized, and clear compartmentalization of features is present.

cyberGhost-application-interface-outside-USA

Adblocking

This feature allows you to block different advertisements on HTTP websites. While this feature fails on HTTPS websites and considering most of the websites are now HTTPS, this feature can be considered useless.

Leak Protection 

It is the same Internet Kill Switch feature that ExpressVPN also offers. Just here, it is referred to as Leak Protection.

User profiles

This is something unique that CyberGhost offers. It lets you select different profiles such as Gaming, Torrenting, and Streaming that present the most optimized servers for that purpose automatically.

It is clear that who is the obvious winner in this round.

Winner: ExpressVPN

5. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Servers in Countries

ExpressVPN CyberGhost
Countries 94 90+
Servers 3,000+ 6,800+

Both of these providers have an impressively large network of servers that cover almost 100 countries. However, CyberGhost has a much larger pool of servers than ExpressVPN for any given location. Therefore, CyberGhost is the winner in this round based on server count.

Winner: CyberGhost

6. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Encryption and Security

When talking about security, I am glad to inform you that both ExpresVPN and CyberGhost passed the basic leak tests. I could not find any leak with either VPN on my Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS devices.

Encryption

Let’s talk about encryption first. ExpressVPN supports AES-256 cipher encryption with SHA-512 HMAC authentication and a 4096-bit RSA key. In comparison, CyberGhost supports the AES-256 cipher with SHA-256 hash authentication and a 4096-bit RSA key.

Speaking of connection protocols, CyberGhost offers the WireGuard VPN protocol, which now uses the ChaCha20 cipher. On the other hand, 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). It is necessary to point out that WireGuard is an open-source protocol, whereas Ligthway protocol isn’t and developed by ExpressVPN only for its users.

It is safe to say that ExpressVPN has a little edge over CyberGhost because of the hash authentication and proprietary Lightway protocol.

ExpressVPN has recently rolled out a protective layer for the Log4Shell vulnerability – a critical zero-day vulnerability that has been wreaking havoc online. The protection from Log4j vulnerability is automatically implemented on all its servers worldwide.

Security Audits

Between the two providers, only ExpressVPN has gone through a security audit. ExpressVPN’s first audit was done by Cure53, and PricewaterhouseCoopers did the second one.

Server Security

ExpessVPN converted their entire network to run in volatile RAM. The main advantage of running the server in RAM mode is that no data is stored on the server. As soon as the server is rebooted, the data is cleared or wiped out. This is an essential and beneficial feature to increase the user’s internet security and privacy. CyberGhost does not run any of its servers in RAM-disk mode.

Winner: ExpressVPN

7.  CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN: Privacy

Which of these providers is better in terms of Privacy? Let’s examine them one by one starting with CyberGhost.

While conducting my research on CyberGhost for this review, I noticed few issues regarding Privacy. The first thing I found was that CyberGhost’s website uses invasive tracking measures. I also observed session recording scripts for Hotjar on their site, which record everything a visitor does.

Kape technologies that own CyberGhost have a history of distributing malware and infecting users’ devices with different softwares. Don’t forget that their ad-blocker doesn’t work on the majority of the HTTPS websites.

In my honest opinion, CyberGhost is not the best VPN for your online privacy.

ExpressVPN, on the other hand, is a perfect companion to protect your online privacy. It has already undergone two separate audits from independent third parties. While it also uses Google Analytics on its website, it does not use any invasive session recording scripts like CyberGhost.

ExpressVPN’s privacy features to ensure your identity and online activities stay secure.

Winner: ExpressVPN

8. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: User Friendliness

At first glance, you’d notice that both provider applications have a similar overall layout. A large power button in the center lets you immediately connect with the VPN and a status display about your connection. With ExpressVPN, if you wish to select a different VPN server, a different window will pop up next to the application main windows that will let you select either any of the recommended locations or a complete list of servers for your selection.

expressvpn-app-interface-outside-USA

 

Both of the providers have well-sorted server lists, but CyberGhost does beat ExpressVPN in some features. First, it also shows you the distance from each location, and second, it displays the current server load next to the servers. You can also sort the list by distance or load.

One another thing that I like most about CyberGhost is that its explanation for each setting. You can read them and understand at that instant what each setting is meant to do.

cyberGhost-application-interface-outside-USA

I am not saying that ExpressVPN is difficult to use, but CyberGhost does provide a little more in-depth information that lets you chose the best location for yourself.

Winner: CyberGhost

9. CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN: App Usability and Interface

ExpressVPN CyberGhost
One-click installation setup Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS
Configurable settings Yes Yes
Overall usability Easy Easy
Browser Extensions Yes Yes

ExpressVPN app interface for mobile and desktops is straightforward and looks quite similar. You can connect to a server location directly from the home screen. Settings are easily accessible from a separate tab, allowing you to change protocols and enable/disable killswitch (on the desktop only). The mobile version has fewer options as it lacks the kill switch feature.

ExpressVPN-iOS-interfaces-outside-USA

CyberGhost has an appealing design on its desktop as well as mobile phone apps. It allows users to connect to their preferred server locations from the main screen and displays additional information about the servers, such as P2P compatibility and current server load. The mobile app also offers an ad-blocking feature and can be configured to turn on when connected to a Wi-Fi network automatically.

CyberGhost-app-outside-USA

This round is a tie between ExpressVPN and CyberGhost due to their smooth, intuitive, and simple apps.

Winner: It’s a Tie

10. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Device Compatibility

ExpressVPN CyberGhost
Killswitch Yes Yes
Split Tunneling Yes (desktop only) No
Simultaneous Connections 5 7
Extra Features None Ad and malware blocker
Browser Extensions Chrome, Firefox, and Safari Chrome and Firefox
OS Support Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Amazon Fire TV, routers Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

ExpressVPN uses the Best VPN With Split Tunneling In USA and killswitch on its desktop apps. Also, it offers support for a huge diversity of devices other than the common platforms and operating systems. Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari also offer a convenient way for users that need a lightweight VPN add-on to go with their browser. Furthermore, it offers 5 simultaneous connections.

CyberGhost offers a killswitch on its mobile as well as desktop apps. However, the VPN lacks split-tunneling on all versions of its apps. The provider does offer some valuable extra features that ExpressVPN doesn’t, such as ad and malware blockers. This makes CyberGhost more appealing for users looking for a single package capable of delivering online privacy and protection from malware. However, the malware blocker obviously isn’t as advanced as a full-fledged anti-malware.

Also, it offers 7 simultaneous connections, which is larger than what most other providers offer. CyberGhost has apps for the common operating systems but requires manual setup for other devices such as routers.

Thus, each provider is equally matched in terms of features and compatibility.

Winner: It’s a Tie

11. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Unblocking Strength

ExpressVPN CyberGhost
Netflix US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Japan US, Germany
Hulu US, Japan US, Japan
BBC iPlayer Yes Yes
Amazon Prime Video Yes Yes
Sky Go Yes Yes
CBS Yes Yes

For Netflix, ExpressVPN works with highly demanded Netflix libraries , including UK, Canada, and more. Also, it unblocks streaming platforms with stubborn geo-restrictions in place, such as BBC iPlayer. Here, as you can see, I used its server located in the US to stream the first three seasons of “Breaking Bad” on Netflix. There wasn’t any sign of buffering whatsoever, and the streaming quality never dropped from HD.

expressvpn-netflix-outside-USA

CyberGhost itself is pretty good when it comes to bypassing geo-restrictions on popular SVoD services like BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix. However, you may encounter problems from time to time, so its reliability is slightly weaker than ExpressVPN. When I tried to access “Avengers: Infinity War” with CyberGhost, even though I could stream the movie, the picture quality kept changing, which indicated slowness in the VPN connection.

cyberghost-us-netflix

Therefore, ExpressVPN is more powerful for unblocking popular streaming services .

Winner: ExpressVPN

12. CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN: Torrenting

ExpressVPN supports torrenting, while CyberGhost offers many p2p-optimized servers. The good logging policy, safe jurisdiction, and efficient security features make ExpressVPN an excellent choice for users that routinely download torrents.

At the same time, CyberGhost is a capable VPN as far as torrenting is concerned. It helps you unblock almost every torrent website out there with its vast network of servers, and its always-on killswitch ensures your identity remains obscured from the view of any snooping third-party.

Therefore, both providers are competent VPNs for torrenting.

Winner: It’s a Tie

13. ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost: Customer Support

ExpressVPN CyberGhost
Live Chat Yes Yes
Email Support Yes Yes
Tutorials/Setup Guides Yes Yes

ExpressVPN has highly responsive customer support that is available 24/7 via live chat. The knowledgebase/FAQs are handy and contain setup instructions and information relating to other features.

CyberGhost also provides 24/7 live chat support in addition to FAQs and knowledgebases containing a great deal of depth regarding the service.

The response rate of both providers is quite impressive, and it usually takes a minute at most to get a response to your queries.

Therefore, both VPNs offer efficient and responsive customer support.

Winner: It’s a Tie

Final Verdict: ExpressVPN is the Winner

The winner for this comparison is ExpressVPN owing to faster speeds, unblocking capabilities, and uninterrupted performance.

However, the key deciding factor between the two VPNs is the cost. CyberGhost is a competent service with a large server network and decent features at a much lower cost than ExpressVPN. 

Therefore, if you are on a budget, then CyberGhost would actually prove to be the better choice for you. On the other hand, if you’re not worried about the price factor, then ExpressVPN is better than CyberGhost in pretty much every respect.

To learn more about these individual providers in further detail, see ExpressVPN’s extensive review and CyberGhost review.