CyberGhost VPN vs F-Secure FREEDOME VPN

Compare CyberGhost VPN and F-Secure FREEDOME VPN on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.

Both listed as alternatives to: ExpressVPN

Logo: CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN

Romania· VPN Services

Needs review

Shortlist CyberGhost when you want a Romanian-entity consumer VPN with polished multi-device apps, streaming/P2P server profiles, NoSpy HQ servers, and repeated Deloitte no-logs assurance. Skip when you need holding-company independence, a published B2B DPA/subprocessor pack, or minimal US SaaS in the account path—consider Mullvad or Proton VPN instead.

Romanian entityWireGuard + OpenVPNNoSpy HQ serversDeloitte no-logs (claimed)7 simultaneous devicesStreaming/P2P profiles
Logo: F-Secure FREEDOME VPN

F-Secure FREEDOME VPN

Finland· VPN Services

Needs review

Shortlist when you want a simple Finnish consumer VPN from an established security vendor (now branded F-Secure VPN), multi-device apps, and suite packaging. Skip when you need audited no-logs, anonymous accounts, or an infrastructure path free of US-linked VPN partners—consider Mullvad or Proton VPN instead.

Finnish HQ (Nasdaq Helsinki)Consumer multi-device VPNAuto public Wi-Fi protectionKill switch (Win/Mac/Android)WireGuard on new stackISO 27001 (company, claimed)
CyberGhost VPN vs F-Secure FREEDOME VPN: Snapshot
FeatureLogo: CyberGhost VPNCyberGhost VPNLogo: F-Secure FREEDOME VPNF-Secure FREEDOME VPN
Country of originRomaniaFinland
CategoryVPN ServicesVPN Services
Open sourceNoNo
Self-hostedNoNo
HeadquartersRomaniaFinland
Legal entityCyberGhost S.R.L. (J40/1278/2011; 68 Polona St., District 1, Bucharest)F-Secure Corporation (F-Secure Oyj), Tammasaarenkatu 7, 00180 Helsinki, Finland
Governing lawRomania / EU (entity); group policies under Kape Technologies PLC (UK)Not listed
US parent / controlNo known US parentNo known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)MediumMedium
Hosting / residencyVPN egress: vendor-operated NoSpy servers at Romanian HQ plus self-owned colocated servers in third-party data centers worldwide (100 countries marketed). Account/billing/support/analytics path per privacy policy includes Cleverbridge (DE), Stripe, PayPal/Braintree, Zendesk, Google Analytics, AppsFlyer, Mouseflow, Iterable, and related processors—several US-group. Full infra subprocessor register not published as a single procurement table.Finnish consumer controller (F-Secure Corporation). New VPN feature delivered with third-party Pango (US-based Pango Group / Point Wild family; also related non-US entities). Older OpenVPN/IPSec path described separately. Sensitive customer data stated as stored in Finland/EEA under F-Secure control where applicable; global operations, SCCs, and EU–U.S. Data Privacy Framework also described. E-store reseller Cleverbridge GmbH. Full public gateway subprocessor/region matrix not published.
Summary

Romanian consumer VPN from CyberGhost S.R.L. with WireGuard/OpenVPN, NoSpy HQ servers, streaming/P2P profiles, and Deloitte no-logs audits—under Kape Technologies PLC.

Finnish consumer VPN (historically FREEDOME, now F-Secure VPN) for encrypted browsing, IP hiding, and automatic public Wi-Fi protection from F-Secure Corporation in Helsinki.

Tags
At a glance: CyberGhost VPN vs F-Secure FREEDOME VPN
At a glanceLogo: CyberGhost VPNCyberGhost VPNLogo: F-Secure FREEDOME VPNF-Secure FREEDOME VPN
HQ / entityCyberGhost S.R.L., Bucharest, RomaniaNot listed
Parent groupKape Technologies PLC (UK)Not listed
ProtocolsWireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2Not listed
Network (vendor)100 countries, 120+ locationsNot listed
DevicesUp to 7 simultaneousNot listed
Open source / self-hostNo (proprietary apps; not self-hosted)Not listed
Commercial modelSubscription; optional Dedicated IP; money-back window on long-term plansPaid multi-device subscription + trial/money-back
HQNot listedHelsinki, Finland
Legal entityNot listedF-Secure Corporation (F-Secure Oyj)
Product statusNot listedFREEDOME rebranded to F-Secure VPN; still sold
DeploymentNot listedConsumer SaaS apps (not self-hosted)
Account modelNot listedMy F-Secure registration required
Server footprintNot listedVirtual locations in 20+ countries (vendor claim)
New VPN partnerNot listedPango / Point Wild group (US-linked)
Key capabilities: CyberGhost VPN vs F-Secure FREEDOME VPN
Key capabilitiesLogo: CyberGhost VPNCyberGhost VPNLogo: F-Secure FREEDOME VPNF-Secure FREEDOME VPN
Romanian entityYesNot listed
WireGuard + OpenVPNYesNot listed
NoSpy HQ serversYesNot listed
Deloitte no-logs (claimed)YesNot listed
7 simultaneous devicesYesNot listed
Streaming/P2P profilesYesNot listed
Finnish HQ (Nasdaq Helsinki)Not listedYes
Consumer multi-device VPNNot listedYes
Auto public Wi-Fi protectionNot listedYes
Kill switch (Win/Mac/Android)Not listedYes
WireGuard on new stackNot listedYes
ISO 27001 (company, claimed)Not listedYes

CyberGhost VPN

  • NoSpy servers inside Romanian HQ

    Self-owned servers CyberGhost says it operates end-to-end at its Bucharest headquarters with staff-only physical access—for higher physical-control privacy than third-party facilities. Colocated self-owned servers elsewhere cover non-RO egress. NoSpy access may depend on plan length (not monthly-only).

  • Streaming, P2P, and gaming server profiles

    Labeled optimized servers for streaming, torrenting, and gaming across a network marketed at 100 countries and 120+ locations. Reduces trial-and-error for households; unblocking success still varies by platform and changes over time.

  • WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 with kill switch

    Choose WireGuard for speed, OpenVPN for flexibility, or IKEv2 on supported platforms. Automatic kill switch, DNS leak protection, RAM-only server claims, and split tunneling address common tunnel-failure and mixed-app workflows.

  • Multi-platform apps and seven simultaneous devices

    Native apps for major desktops and mobiles, extensions, selected TVs/Fire Stick, and router setup. One subscription covers up to seven concurrent connections—fit for mixed family fleets, not unlimited-device competitors.

  • Token-based Dedicated IP add-on

    Optional static IP sold separately; company describes a token design so operational systems do not map the fixed address to the account the way naive dedicated-IP setups do. Useful against CAPTCHA-heavy sites; still a paid add-on, not core anonymity.

  • Published Deloitte no-logs audits and transparency reports

    Repeated Deloitte Audit Romania ISAE 3000-style reviews of no-logs configuration (including dedicated-IP token handling), with public report links, plus quarterly legal-request transparency reports. Assurance scope is configuration/operations—not a guarantee of absolute anonymity.

F-Secure FREEDOME VPN

  • One-click personal VPN with unlimited data

    Consumer apps connect with a single control and market unlimited bandwidth for browsing, downloads, and general use. Aimed at non-technical households rather than admin-tunable gateway fleets. Requires a My F-Secure account to activate and manage devices.

  • Automatic public Wi-Fi protection and trusted-network bypass

    Detects untrusted/public Wi-Fi and can secure traffic without manual per-hotspot setup. On Android and Windows, trusted networks can bypass the tunnel so home/LAN devices stay reachable. Best for travelers and café users, not for policy-managed corporate SSIDs.

  • Kill switch on Windows, Mac, and Android

    When enabled, the kill switch can block internet access if the VPN drops, reducing clearnet IP/DNS leaks during reconnects. Availability is platform-specific (documented for Windows, Mac, Android—not presented as universal across every OS feature parity).

  • Virtual locations in 20+ countries

    Choose gateways in more than twenty countries, sometimes with multiple cities, to change apparent IP location for privacy and basic geo-access. Server footprint is smaller than mega-VPN networks; treat streaming reliability as verify-yourself, not a guaranteed specialty.

  • Protocol stacks including WireGuard on the new VPN

    Privacy docs describe an older path (OpenVPN, IPSec/IKEv2) and a newer path (Hydra, WireGuard, IPSec). The new path is delivered with third-party provider Pango—confirm which stack your app build uses under Settings before assuming F-Secure-only infrastructure.

Assurance & compliance: CyberGhost VPN vs F-Secure FREEDOME VPN
Assurance & complianceLogo: CyberGhost VPNCyberGhost VPNLogo: F-Secure FREEDOME VPNF-Secure FREEDOME VPN
Independent no-logs audit (Deloitte)
Vendor claimed

Public Deloitte Audit Romania ISAE 3000-style assurance engagements (2022, 2024; third cycle announced Feb 2026 with downloadable report). Scope: configuration/operations vs no-logs description.

Not found

Vendor privacy notice describes no destination-connection logs plus 90-day operational session logs; no public third-party no-logs audit PDF found for this VPN.

ISO 27001
Vendor claimed

Privacy policy states QSCert ISO 27001 (and ISO 9001) ISMS certification since 2012 with yearly renewal. Confirm current certificate validity independently.

Vendor claimed

Company financial/sustainability materials state F-Secure received ISO 27001 covering company operations (reported from late 2024). Re-verify certificate scope for the VPN service.

SOC 2 / SOC 3
Not found

No SOC 2/3 report identified on primary trust/legal pages reviewed.

Not found

No public SOC 2/3 report located for the consumer VPN service during research.

GDPR / EU data protection
Vendor claimed

EU (Romanian) controller CyberGhost S.R.L.; privacy policy describes GDPR rights, DPO contact, and lawful bases. Not a legal compliance certificate.

Vendor claimed

Finnish EU controller; privacy notices reference GDPR, SCCs, and DPF. Consumer product—confirm processing roles for any B2B resale.

US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)
Partial

Romanian entity, no known US parent; UK group (Kape). Account path uses US-group SaaS (Stripe, Zendesk, Google Analytics, AppsFlyer, etc.). Medium/partial—not low. Not legal advice.

Partial

EU entity / no known US parent, but new VPN stack uses US-linked third party Pango; global transfers and DPF described. Not a clean EU-only path. Not legal advice.

Data processing agreement (B2B)
Not found

Consumer-focused public site; no clear self-serve B2B DPA portal found during research. Request under contract if needed.

Not found

Consumer VPN/store terms dominate public materials; no clear self-serve B2B DPA for VPN-only enterprise procurement found.

EU AI Act
Not applicable

Consumer VPN connectivity product; not an AI system offering.

Not applicable

Core product is a consumer VPN; AI features exist elsewhere in the F-Secure suite (e.g. scam tools) but are not the VPN evaluation core.

Considerations & known limitations: CyberGhost VPN vs F-Secure FREEDOME VPN
Considerations & known limitationsLogo: CyberGhost VPNCyberGhost VPNLogo: F-Secure FREEDOME VPNF-Secure FREEDOME VPN
Part of multi-brand Kape VPN group
Medium

Ultimate holding company Kape Technologies PLC also operates ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access. Switching among Kape brands does not diversify group-level ownership risk.

Not listed
US-group SaaS for account and support data
Medium

Privacy policy discloses Stripe, Zendesk, Google Analytics, AppsFlyer, and similar processors for non-tunnel data. Separates VPN no-logs claims from account/support transfer risk.

Not listed
Most locations are colocated, not NoSpy
Low

Only NoSpy servers sit in company HQ. Global city coverage relies on third-party data centers even when hardware is self-owned—relevant for physical-access threat models.

Not listed
Thin public enterprise procurement pack
Medium

No public B2B DPA/subprocessor schedule found for fleet buyers. Consumer money-back and app UX do not replace contractual diligence.

Not listed
Streaming unblocking is not guaranteed
Low

Optimized server labels help users, but platform detection changes frequently. Do not treat marketing unblocking claims as durable SLA.

Not listed
Operational logs include source IP for ~90 daysNot listed
Medium

Despite no destination-traffic logs, session metadata (including source public IP and device ID) is retained for abuse handling. Law-enforcement process can still target what exists; historical Finnish FREEDOME log disputes illustrate the residual risk.

New VPN path shares infrastructure with US-linked PangoNot listed
Medium

Privacy notice discloses a third-party provider for the new VPN feature and links Pango. US CLOUD Act / transfer diligence must include that partner—not only F-Secure’s Finnish HQ.

No public independent no-logs audit foundNot listed
Medium

Trust rests on first-party privacy wording and brand reputation. Privacy-maximizing buyers often require third-party audits that were not published for this VPN at research time.

Consumer product, not enterprise VPN platformNot listed
Low

My F-Secure account, multi-device household packs, and suite bundling fit consumers. Lack of self-host, limited advanced networking, and thin B2B contracting artifacts limit enterprise remote-access use cases.

FREEDOME brand retirement can confuse inventoriesNot listed
Low

Legacy app names and store listings still say FREEDOME while the commercial product is F-Secure VPN. Asset inventories and MDM allowlists may need cleanup after the 2024 migration.

Fit

CyberGhost VPN

Best fit when

  • Households and individuals needing easy apps across phones, PCs, TVs, and up to seven concurrent devices
  • Users who prioritize streaming- or P2P-labeled servers over manual protocol tinkering
  • Buyers who want a Romanian operating company plus published Deloitte no-logs assurance and transparency reports
  • Travelers needing kill switch, split tunneling, and quick public-Wi-Fi protection
  • Teams evaluating consumer VPN shortlists where UX and server coverage outweigh pure minimalism

Poor fit when

  • Organizations that require a published B2B DPA, subprocessor schedule, and enterprise fleet controls out of the box
  • Evaluators who reject multi-brand holding groups (Kape also owns ExpressVPN and PIA)
  • Buyers insisting on zero US-group SaaS for payments, support, or analytics
  • Power users who need port forwarding, deep open-source client control, or anonymous no-email accounts (prefer Mullvad/AirVPN-class tools)
  • Procurement policies that disallow UK-group ownership regardless of EU operating entity

Consider instead when

  • When: You want hard privacy minimalism, anonymous accounts, and open-source focus

    Consider: Mullvad

    Swedish VPN; weaker streaming-marketing packaging, stronger anonymity defaults

  • When: You want a Swiss/EU privacy suite with free tier and open-source clients

    Consider: Proton VPN

    Different product family; less multi-brand VPN conglomerate context

  • When: You need technical port forwarding, DDNS, and enthusiast configuration depth

    Consider: AirVPN

    Italian technical VPN; not a consumer streaming specialist

  • When: You specifically want the premium Kape-family brand with different protocol positioning

    Consider: ExpressVPN

    Same ultimate group (Kape); ownership risk is not diversified by switching brands inside the group

F-Secure FREEDOME VPN

Best fit when

  • Households wanting a one-click VPN from a known Finnish security brand
  • Users already on F-Secure Total who need the VPN module under My F-Secure
  • Travelers who prioritize automatic public Wi-Fi protection over advanced routing
  • Buyers who accept registered accounts and multi-device consumer subscriptions
  • Teams okay with partial operational logging documented in the privacy notice

Poor fit when

  • Evaluations that require a public independent no-logs / infrastructure audit
  • Anonymous or cash/crypto signup with no email account
  • Self-hosted or fully operator-controlled VPN gateways
  • Enterprise remote-access / ZTNA procurement (this is a consumer product)
  • Strict EU-only data-path requirements that forbid US-linked VPN OEM partners

Consider instead when

  • When: You need a privacy-hardened specialist VPN with anonymous accounts and strong transparency

    Consider: Mullvad

    Swedish pure-play VPN; different UX and no antivirus suite bundling.

  • When: You want a European privacy suite with VPN-first positioning and broader privacy product line

    Consider: Proton VPN

    Swiss Proton ecosystem; compare free-tier limits and audit publications separately.

  • When: You need advanced enthusiast networking controls rather than a consumer suite VPN

    Consider: AirVPN

    More power-user oriented; steeper than F-Secure’s one-click consumer apps.

Open questions for due diligence

CyberGhost VPN

  • Will CyberGhost sign a B2B DPA and provide a current subprocessor list with locations for support, billing, and analytics?
  • What is the current ISO 27001 certificate number, scope, and expiry (beyond privacy-policy wording)?
  • Which personal data categories, if any, are accessible to Kape group entities outside CyberGhost S.R.L. in production operations?
  • For NoSpy-only threat models, what fraction of traffic and which use cases still require colocated non-RO egress?

F-Secure FREEDOME VPN

  • Which app builds still use the old OpenVPN/IPSec stack versus the Pango-backed new stack (Hydra/WireGuard/IPSec) on each OS?
  • Will F-Secure publish a full VPN subprocessor and hosting-region list suitable for procurement files?
  • Is a formal B2B DPA available for organizations buying VPN seats outside pure consumer checkout?
  • Is there a current independent audit of the no-destination-log claim and session-log retention controls?
  • What gateway capacity and streaming/P2P acceptable-use limits apply in practice beyond marketing claims?