ExpressVPN Vs CyberGhost VPN Comparison 2020
ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are both prominent names in the marketplace of VPNs. As such, determining the better choice among the two is a difficult task for many.
To ease the decision-making process, I have conducted an in-depth analysis of the two. Check out this Cyberghost Vs ExpressVPN comparison for more information.

Highlights
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost |
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Pricing and Discounts
If we talk about the overall pricing and structure, CyberGhost tends to be a much cheaper option than ExpressVPN. It offers plans of four varied durations.
Special offer | 49% Off on a 1-Year Plan | 79% Off on a 3-Year Plan |
Highest price per month | $12.95 | $12.99 |
Lowest price per month | $6.67 | $2.75 |
One-Year Price | $99.95 | $71.88 |
As far as money backs are concerned, ExpressVPN offers a 30-days refund guarantee. Conversely, CyberGhost goes the extra mile to offer a 45-day refund.
Features
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | |
Simultaneous Connections | 3 | 7 |
Operating System Apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV/Firestick, some routers | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Fire TV |
Manual Install Devices | Some Routers, Set-Top Boxes | Routers, TVs, and more |
Split Tunneling | Yes (Desktop Apps Only) | Yes (All Apps) |
Free Extras | Media Streamer Smart DNS, browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari | Wi-Fi Protection, DNS and IP leak protection |
In terms of operating system apps, both Express and CyberGhost offer good compatibility. You can download apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and even Fire TVs.
At the same time, there are browser extensions available for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Express gains an edge over CyberGhost though, thanks to their router support for Apple TVs.
Upon comparing with other providers, ExpressVPN stands out as the only provider that offers a dedicated app that can be installed on Tomato and DD-WRT routers.
For those who are not that tech-savvy, you even have preconfigured routers available. This allows for instant VPN setup and connections across all devices.
As far as features are concerned, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are equally matched opponents. They use Kill Switch, Split Tunneling, and all other technologies that are now industry-standard.
For simultaneous connections, CyberGhost gains an edge by support 7 multiple device connections, whereas ExpressVPN only allows 3 multi-logins on a single subscription.
Unblocking Capabilities
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | |
Netflix | Yes | Yes |
Hulu | Yes | Yes |
Sky Go | Yes | No |
Amazon Prime | Yes | Yes |
BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes |
ABS | Yes | No |
CBS | Yes | Yes |
NBC | Yes | Yes |
ITV | Yes | Yes |
Channel 4 | Yes | Yes |
In terms of unblocking, both CyberGhost and ExpressVPN manage to do quite well. Albeit, there were a few services that CyberGhost was unable to bypass geo-restrictions.
Nevertheless, both providers successfully unblocked Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Voot, Hotstar, Disney Plus, and other famous streaming platforms.
Where ExpressVPN required connecting to random servers for unblocking, CyberGhost actually offers a “navigation bar” that allows you to search for specific servers.
For instance, if you want to access the US version of Netflix, simply type in “Netflix” in the search bar, and you will receive a list of all the native servers available for the platform.
I was quite impressed with the performance offered with both providers, despite the VPN ban. Not to mention, I received amazing speeds even when streaming in 4K!
China
Chinese residents and expats are constantly looking for VPN services that successfully work in bypassing the “Great Firewall” in China.
Sadly, CyberGhost offered no support to users in the country. They lack the availability of a Chinese mirror website and do not offer Chinese servers either.
As such, it becomes impossible for users in China to download and install their apps. Whereas for ExpressVPN, you do have a native site accessible to Chinese residents.
At the same time, ExpressVPN uses strong obfuscation technology that transforms all VPN traffic into regular HTTPS by routing it through port 443.
Setup and Interface
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | |
Automatic Setup Wizard | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS |
Main Location Selection | List-based | List-based |
Extra Settings Pages | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Friendly | Yes | Yes |
Just like other services, ExpressVPN offers automatic setup wizards for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. Best part of all; their apps are quite intuitive and easy-to-use.
For desktops, the provider has recently introduced a new design. In comparison to before, the app is now more compact and minimalistic overall.
The main menu has a simple connect button and a locations bar that presents all servers in a list-based format for easy selection and connectivity.
Meanwhile, mobile apps adopt the same appearance and consistency in user-interface. You can even enjoy using them on larger screens like Android/Apple TVs and Fire TVs.
As compared to ExpressVPN, CyberGhost’s desktop applications boast a more broad interface. Surprisingly, this does not compromise on the app’s user-friendliness.
In fact, the CG7 client has undergone a significant change in accessibility and aesthetics. It looks beautiful for a VPN client and tends to be incredibly easy to navigate.
The mobile apps are equally impressive and boast the same dark and yellow design. They give users the ability to let the app choose a nearby server, based on distance and load.
You can also select servers that have been optimized for torrenting and streaming or for accessing different platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and more.
Servers and Performance
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | |
Server Countries | 94 | 90 |
Total Number of Servers | 3,000 | 6,100+ |
In terms of server count, CyberGhost comes out as victorious. It offers a huge listing of 6,100+ servers in over 90 countries and 112 locations around the world.
This gives CyberGhost an edge over other providers, as it gains the reputation of hosting the largest number of servers available in the VPN industry.
ExpressVPN, on the other hand, does not even come close to the server count. They offer 3,000+ servers but support more countries/locations.
These 3,000+ servers are distributed across 94 countries and 160 locations around the world. This means, you have more accessibility in cities/towns.
Of course, it is worth noting that ExpressVPN uses “virtual locations” as well. From a total of 160, the BVI-based provider offers virtual servers in 33 locations.
Speed
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | |
Speed Loss | 9% | 9.2% |
To get a better idea about the performance of each provider, I conducted an in-depth speed analysis for both providers by testing 5 different servers.
These servers were based in USA, UK, France, Australia, and Canada and were tested on a 100 Mbps connection to get the best results.
In bare speed tests, ExpressVPN managed to deliver an average of 91 Mbps in uploads and downloads, indicating a speed loss of 9%.
CyberGhost touched the same tangent, with only a .2% difference in speed loss, recording an average speed of 90.80 Mbps in upload and downloads.
Security
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | |
VPN Protocols | PPTP, L2TP, OpenVPN | L2TP/IPSec, PPTP, OpenVPN |
OpenVPN Data Encryption | AES-256-CBC | AES-256 |
OpenVPN Control Channel Encryption | RSA-4096 | RSA-2048 |
Cloaking Technology | Cipher Block Chaining | None |
App Security | Kill Switch | Kill Switch and DNS Leak Protection |
DNS Status | Private DNS | Private DNS |
ExpressVPN offers support for three popular protocols. This includes the PPTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN (TCP and UDP) to give users their freedom of choice.
As default, ExpressVPN implements the OpenVPN protocol on all devices, with the exception of iOS devices that use the IKEv2 protocol for faster speeds and security.
For encryption, the provider utilizes AES-256-CBC ciphers with HMAC SHA-256 data authentication on the data channel, which is quite impressive and highly-secure.
Meanwhile, it deploys the AES-256-GCM ciphers with RSA-4096 handshake and HMAC SHA-256 data authentication for the control channel.
Cyberghost, on the other hand, supports more protocols. These include PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv, and OpenVPN. By default, their macOS and Windows apps use IKEv2.
Android apps use the OpenVPN protocol and iOS apps use the IKEv2 protocol too. However, you can shift to OpenVPN, whenever needed.
For encryption, CyberGhost uses AES-256-CBC cipher with SHA-256 hash authentication on the data channel, and RSA-4096 key encryption and SHA384 hash authentication on the control channel.
Leak Tests
To get a clear picture on the security offered, it is necessary to assess both providers on leak-related issues. For this, I conducted a test by using 6 different tools:
WebRTC and HTTP Request Leaks:
DNS Leaks:
IPv4/IPv6 and Torrent IP Leaks:
Unsurprisingly, both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost aced the tests and did not reveal any crucial personally identifiable information, like your WebRTC/DNS/IP address.
Privacy
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | |
Headquarters | British Virgin Islands | Romania |
Connection Logs | None | None |
Activity Logs | None | None |
Sign Up Information | Email Address | Email Address |
Anonymous Payment Methods | Bitcoin and Mint | Only Bitcoin |
After assessing the privacy, both ExpressVPN and CyberGhost manage to do quite well. Their headquarters are located away from the invasive eyes of the 5/9/14 Alliances.
As a result, users need not worry about mandatory mass surveillance and data retention laws, which mostly get netizens paranoid about sharing their information online.
As far as logging is concerned, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are both logless services. ExpressVPN has even been put to the test after their servers were seized by the Turkish authorities.
You can also verify their no logs policy through the successful audits completed. ExpressVPN has been audited by PWC, whereas CyberGhost was audited by QSCert.
Configuration
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | |
Address Allocation | Shared | Shared/Static |
Static IPs | None | 7+ Locations |
DDoS Protection | No | No |
NAT Firewall | Yes | Yes |
Where ExpressVPN utilizes a shared network infrastructure, CyberGhost offers support for both shared/dedicated IPs. As a result, it gains an upper-hand over ExpressVPN.
As of recent, you can get static IPs in 7+ locations from CyberGhost with 2 of them being located in the United States, 2 in the United Kingdom, 1 in France, 1 in Germany and 1 in Canada.
Customer Service
ExpressVPN | CyberGhost | |
Video Guides | Yes | Yes |
Searchable Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
Phone Support | No | No |
Email Support | Yes | Yes |
Average Email Response Time | 33 Minutes | 1 Hour |
Ticket Support | Yes | Yes |
Live Chat Support | Yes (Outsourced) | Yes (Outsourced) |
Both (ExpressVPN Vs CyberGhost) offer support via live chat, email, and a ticket system. This allows users to receive instant support whenever required.
Email/ticket support did take some time with Cyberghost (averaging at 1 hour per reply), whereas ExpressVPN cut it shorter (averaging at 33 minutes).
I conducted these tests by sending each VPN three questions via email. Among them, two were general queries and two were a little more technical. See the statistics below:
ExpressVPN
Question | Initial Response Time | Number of Emails | Question Answered |
Can ExpressVPN be traced? | 15 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
Does ExpressVPN store Logs? | 18 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
How to Watch Netflix with ExpressVPN? | 55 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
What features does ExpressVPN offer for torrenting? | 47 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
CyberGhost
Question | Initial Response Time | Number of Emails | Question Answered |
How does CyberGhost VPN Work? | 52 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
Is CyberGhost VPN safe to use? | 59 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
Can CyberGhost unblock Netflix? | 1 Hour, 2 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
Does CyberGhost work with Hulu? | 48 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
The Winner: ExpressVPN
After assessing both providers on several VPN-related aspects, it becomes clear that ExpressVPN is the better option, despite its higher subscription pricing.
It offers a larger network of servers, successfully bypasses the GFW in China, provides unmatched Netflix unblocking capabilities, and has zero leak issues.