More and more people are choosing to surf anonymously and comparatively safely. Once this decision has been made, however, they are faced with a difficult choice. There are countless VPN providers on the market today whose offerings often differ only marginally at first glance. With this large and confusing selection, it is difficult to decide on a programme.
In this article, we will look at a VPN provider that is recommended again and again. We have CyberGhost undergone a practical test and would like to explain below how we rate this VPN provider.
The Installation: Uncomplicated and Quickly Done
The installation procedure is one of the biggest advantages of CyberGhost. While the vast majority of VPN providers require the entry of various personal data, which partially undermines the intention behind VPN use, CyberGhost can be used almost completely anonymously. You only need to enter the e-mail address for registration. The specification of a payment method is of course also necessary if you want to use CyberGhost for longer than the one-day trial period. However, payment by Bitcoin is possible, which means that the payment cannot be tracked.
In order to be able to use the access, a software is required which is available on the website of CyberGhost. We were particularly impressed by the extensive amount of information that is also available in German. Interested parties are comprehensively informed about the offered service, which represents a clear advantage and underlines the seriousness of CyberGhost.
One application is available for all common operating systems. A CyberGhost account with up to 7 devices can be used simultaneously.
Functional Range: More than Average
Once the surprisingly straightforward installation is complete, CyberGhost can be used to its full extent. It is immediately apparent that CyberGhost has more to offer than the average VPN operator. In addition to the obligatory anonymization through encrypted VPN access, CyberGhost also offers an AdBlocker, virus protection and a data compression mode. We will take a closer look at these various additional functions below.
The integrated AdBlocker strongly reminds of the solutions implemented in various well-known browsers. Unlike these browsers, CyberGhost does not require the AdBlocker to be installed separately. It is already part of the standard equipment. The AdBlocker can be activated or deactivated with a mouse click. So it is always up to the user himself whether he wants to see advertising or not. Other add-ons that block advertisements are no longer necessary if the integrated AdBlocker has been activated. In our test it worked perfectly and could also be switched off without any problems.
Furthermore CyberGhost offers an integrated virus scanner. This can be activated before selecting a server to connect to. After a short test period, we cannot judge to what extent the integrated virus scanner is reliable. However, the integration of such a scanner is praiseworthy in any case.
What might be of great importance in practice is the data compression provided by CyberGhost. Especially on smartphones, many users have to struggle with limited data volumes. If data compression is activated, CyberGhost compresses the received data volume, which ultimately not only protects the available data volume, but also contributes to the transmission speed. This additional function was convincing in our test.
Furthermore, it is possible – and highly recommended – to prevent all tracking services from doing their work. This is also possible with a mouse click.
Overall, the many additional functions that go beyond the core of the VPN connection are extremely positive. In the test, they functioned perfectly and made a significant contribution to safety and ease of use. We strongly advise you to use the additional functions! They can be activated under “Connection Features”.
Server Locations and Server Selection: Very Extensive
CyberGhost has a very extensive network of servers. Users can choose from around 3,000 servers located in more than 60 different countries. The choice of server locations is therefore extremely extensive. Especially for people who avoid so-called geoblocking and want to access pages that are only accessible in certain countries, the huge selection is a big plus.
Selecting a specific server was easy for us in the test. CyberGhost offers a very clear list, in which all available countries and servers are listed. You can then select from this wide range with a simple mouse click.
For the purposes of an average private user, the choice of servers and locations is sufficient in any case. CyberGhost can really convince in this respect.
Menu Navigation and Usability
Just like the website, the program is not only available in English, but also in German.
A positive note is the fact that CyberGhost completely revised the program structure a few months ago. Since then, the program is no longer task-based, which makes it much clearer for the user. More than the activation is in principle not necessary to start the VPN connection. The best server is automatically determined. All additional functions can be activated under “Connection Features”.
All in all, the menu navigation is very clear, which makes the program easy to use. A longer training phase is not necessary.
Payment Options and Costs
CyberGhost offers a surprising number of payment options. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that there are also payment options that do not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the identity of the payer. For example, it is possible to pay the invoice amount by Bitcoin.
Interested parties have the opportunity to test CyberGhost free of charge for one day. In addition, there is a money-back guarantee. Regularly, however, the service is subject to a charge. Here, a subscription is purchased, which is paid directly at purchase for the entire term. Those who are prepared to take out a three-year subscription ultimately pay 2.45 euros per month. The shortest subscription runs for one month and costs 11.99 euros.
For longer terms, the prices are therefore extremely favourable.
Speed
The speeds were surprisingly pleasant overall. So we were able to reach speeds of 200 MBit/s without any problems. Data compression is also very exciting for smartphone users. Ultimately, however, it should be noted that VPN access will always be a little slower than open access. With CyberGhost, however, the minimal loss in speed can be easily overcome.
Fulness
Overall, CyberGhost offers an excellent and very comprehensive service. The program can be used completely anonymously, which is a great advantage. In addition, it is very economical, at least for longer runtimes, and can come up with some additional functions that are of great use in practice. If you are looking for a serious VPN provider, you will definitely find it here!
