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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs CyberGhost VPN

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

Open-source authentication and two-factor portal for reverse proxies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

CyberGhost VPN

Cybersecurity

Consumer VPN operated from Romania and owned by Kape Technologies, with a no-logs claim audited by Deloitte.

From
$2.19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Authelia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; CyberGhost VPN kape Technologies, the parent, was formerly Crossrider, a browser extension platform whose technology was widely used to distribute adware, and Kape now also owns VPN review sites, so third-party rankings a buyer might use to verify the product can come from the same corporate group.
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, CyberGhost VPN covers NoSpy servers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and CyberGhost VPN actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and CyberGhost VPN differ
AttributeAutheliaCyberGhost VPN
Starting priceFree$2.19/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Desktop, Mobile
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Authelia

  • Reverse proxy integration
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Access control rules
  • Lightweight backends

Only in CyberGhost VPN

  • NoSpy servers
  • Audited no-logs policy
  • WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2
  • Streaming-labelled servers
  • Dedicated IP via token
  • Kill switch
  • Split tunnelling
  • Smart Rules

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Authelia

  • Putting a login and 2FA in front of self-hosted services that have nonenot CyberGhost VPN
  • Adding SSO across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platformnot CyberGhost VPN
  • Home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxynot CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN

  • A household that wants one subscription covering several devices for streaming and public Wi-Finot Authelia
  • A buyer who specifically wants a provider outside the Fourteen Eyes with a published third-party no-logs auditnot Authelia
  • Torrenting on a connection where the internet provider throttles or logs peer-to-peer trafficnot Authelia
  • Travellers needing to reach home-country services from abroad without configuring anything technicalnot Authelia

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Authelia

  • Depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider
  • Configuration is YAML-first with no administrative interface, so changes mean editing files
  • Not a full IAM: user management, provisioning and federation are limited compared with Keycloak
  • Scales poorly as an organisation-wide identity solution, which is not its target

CyberGhost VPN

  • Kape Technologies, the parent, was formerly Crossrider, a browser extension platform whose technology was widely used to distribute adware, and Kape now also owns VPN review sites, so third-party rankings a buyer might use to verify the product can come from the same corporate group.
  • Pricing is structured so that the deep discount applies to the longest initial term and the standard rate applies at renewal, which means the figure used to make the decision is not the figure paid in year three unless the subscriber renegotiates or churns.
  • The Deloitte engagement is point-in-time assurance over stated policy and server configuration, so it confirms things were as described when examined and says nothing about how the infrastructure behaves today or after an ownership change.
  • Client capability differs sharply by platform: the Linux client is command-line only and lacks the kill switch and split tunnelling that the Windows client has, so a mixed-device household does not get the protection that reviews of the Windows app describe.
  • Streaming-optimised server labels go stale because platforms block address ranges continually, and the practical support answer is to try a different server, which makes the labelled-server feature less dependable than the marketing implies.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

Free
  • AutheliaFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

CyberGhost VPN

$2.19/month
  • 1 Month$12.99/month
    • 7 devices
    • 9000+ servers
    • Unlimited bandwidth
  • 2 Years + 2 Months$2.19/month
    • All features
    • Best value
    • 45-day guarantee
  • 6 Months$6.99/month
    • All features
    • 45-day guarantee

Which should you pick?

Choose Authelia if

  • You need reverse proxy integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want two-factor authentication.
Authelia review

Choose CyberGhost VPN if

  • You need nospy servers.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want audited no-logs policy.
CyberGhost VPN review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or CyberGhost VPN better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and CyberGhost VPN at $2.19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or CyberGhost VPN?
Authelia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authelia and $2.19/month for CyberGhost VPN.
Does Authelia or CyberGhost VPN run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. CyberGhost VPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Yes. Authelia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CyberGhost VPN starts at $2.19/month.
What is Authelia best used for?
Authelia is most often used for putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none, adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform, home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxy. Of those, putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none and adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform are not what CyberGhost VPN is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that CyberGhost VPN cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Two-factor authentication, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. CyberGhost VPN covers NoSpy servers, Audited no-logs policy, WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, Streaming-labelled servers.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

CyberGhost VPN: Who owns CyberGhost?

Kape Technologies, which acquired it in 2017. Kape was formerly called Crossrider and also owns ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access and Zenmate, plus the review sites vpnMentor and Wizcase.

Authelia: Does Authelia need a reverse proxy?

Yes. It integrates through forward authentication with Nginx, Traefik, Caddy or HAProxy rather than sitting in front of traffic itself.

CyberGhost VPN: Has the no-logs claim been independently audited?

Yes. Deloitte has examined the no-logs policy and server configuration and published an assurance report. Note that this is a point-in-time engagement, not continuous monitoring.

Authelia: Authelia or Keycloak?

Authelia is far lighter and aimed at protecting self-hosted services behind a proxy. Keycloak is a full identity and access management platform, and much more to run.

CyberGhost VPN: What jurisdiction is it under?

The service is operated from Romania, which has no mandatory communications data retention law in force and is not a member of the Five, Nine or Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing arrangements. Ownership sits with Kape, headquartered in the UK.

CyberGhost VPN: Does it work with streaming services?

Often, using the servers labelled for each service, but this changes constantly as platforms block address ranges. Treat streaming access as a feature that may stop working on any given day rather than a guarantee.

CyberGhost VPN: Can I use it on Linux or a router?

There is a command-line Linux client with fewer features than the desktop apps, and router use requires manual OpenVPN configuration rather than an official app.

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