ExpressVPN Review
ExpressVPN is one of our favorite VPNs thanks to its high speeds and strict logging policy.
What We Like
- Company headquarters: Based in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN is free to uphold its no-logs policy and provide anonymous service to users around the world.
- 105 server locations: ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries, more than any other VPN we tested.
- Apps for different devices: Most VPNs have apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS, but ExpressVPN also has apps for Linux, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, and other less prominent platforms.
What We Don't Like
- Limited simultaneous connections: Under the current ExpressVPN plans, users can connect only up to eight devices at a time. It’s not the most ideal for sharing with family.
- Slow email support: ExpressVPN’s email support took almost two days to answer our query.
- Expensive monthly rates: A subscription costs at least $8.32 per month if you sign up for a year, which is more expensive than most VPN subscriptions.
Bottom Line
ExpressVPN is a solid option for privacy-conscious users, thanks to strict no-logging policy, the technology it uses in its VPNs and advanced features such as its RAM-only servers. Although it's more expensive than most of the VPNs we've tested, ExpressVPN is a good buy considering the overall value it provides to its users.ExpressVPN has become one of the few VPNs supported by Windows on Arm devices without a need for an emulator. Devices like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x and Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge can now download the beta version of the ExpressVPN Windows on Arm app.
A lot of folks are already hesitant to pay for a VPN, much less a VPN that costs at least $100 per year. But for those with the budget who are looking for a top-class option, ExpressVPN exists. ExpressVPN costs $12.95 if paid monthly but $99.95 if you pay for a whole year. It’s one of the pricier options in the industry, but will you get what you pay for?
We wanted to test it ourselves, so we signed up and lived with ExpressVPN on our Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices to see how it performed. And we must say, we were impressed; so much so that it made our top 10 list of the best VPNs of 2024 despite its pricetag. We liked its RAM-based server infrastructure and the availability of VPN routers, namely Aircove and Aircove Go. But is it a lot better than cheaper VPNs? Well, we’ll let you find that out for yourself in this review.
ExpressVPN Quick Stats
Logs Data | No |
---|---|
Kill Switch | Yes |
Tunneling | Split |
Netflix | Yes |
Torrenting | Yes |
IP Addresses | Anonymous, regularly rotated |
Overall Rating
- Based in British Virgin Islands, so not subject to international surveillance alliances’ jurisdiction
- Over 2,000 servers in 160 locations
- Split tunneling available
How Does ExpressVPN Stack Up?
After thorough testing, we gave ExpressVPN a 9.1 out of 10 rating, thanks largely to its strong and innovative security features. However, we saw its price, device limit, and lack of quality customer support as possible causes for concern, which are why it didn’t make the top three. These VPNs did:
A Look At ExpressVPN Servers
ExpressVPN’s network runs deep. It has over 2,000 servers spread in 105 countries. That’s impressive. It’s second only to NordVPN – our top-pick VPN overall – in terms of server locations. And while ExpressVPN has only about a third of NordVPN’s total number of servers, all those 2,000 servers run only on RAM. You’ll see later why that’s impressive.
VPN | Server locations |
---|---|
NordVPN | 111 countries |
ExpressVPN | 105 countries |
Surfshark | 100 countries |
CyberGhost | 100 countries |
First, let’s focus on the server network itself. With over 2,000 servers, ExpressVPN can comfortably accommodate all its over 4 million users. They offer enough bandwidth to avoid bottlenecks, especially since each server port has between one and 10 Gbps of bandwidth.
Additionally, with 105 locations, ExpressVPN allows users to access more location-specific websites; for example, to access a different Netflix region. That also makes ExpressVPN a great VPN for traveling because no matter where you go, there’s likely going to be a VPN server near you.
>> Learn More: The Top VPNs for Streaming in 2024
ExpressVPN Background Check
While ExpressVPN servers are all over the globe, the company itself is located in the British Virgin Islands. It’s a great location for a VPN company. The British Virgin Islands has lax data retention laws, which means VPNs have the freedom to uphold their no-logs policy without breaking any laws. They are not required by law to store usage information.
FYI: An example of a country that requires VPN companies to store user information is India, which means any VPN company based in India can’t be trusted. Even VPN servers physically located in India are required to retain data. That’s why ExpressVPN’s India servers are virtually located – the servers are physically located elsewhere.
Despite these positives, ExpressVPN has endured its fair share of controversy. In early September of 2021, Kape Technologies purchased the company for $936 million in one of the largest tech acquisitions in history. Kape began life as Crossrider, a company with a history of producing malware.1 In that same week, the U.S. government revealed that ExpressVPN’s current CIO was previously involved in helping the UAE hack American targets.2
While those are concerning, ExpressVPN as a service hasn’t shown any signs of wrongdoings. We did a thorough background check and found that it continues to uphold high privacy standards. For example, we learned that ExpressVPN’s RAM-based servers are reset every week or so. Since they run on RAM, every reset wipes all residual data.
Moreover, ExpressVPN has submitted its servers, apps, and privacy policy to several third-party audits – an act of goodwill VPN companies do to prove their trustworthiness. ExpressVPN has passed all its previous audits, so we have every reason to believe it’s a trustworthy VPN.
ExpressVPN Features
For this review, we tested ExpressVPN extensively using different internet connections, even mobile data. We also paid close attention even to smaller details like how much data it logs, its encryption and VPN protocols, and its ability to evade the detection of streaming websites. Here’s the full scoop.
Will ExpressVPN Log My Data?
The whole reason that we want to use VPNs is to hide our browsing data from hackers, advertisers, and even our own internet provider. Well, that and to access Netflix U.K., but more on that later. Privacy is, of course, very important to us, and we’re glad to see that ExpressVPN respects that. The company says quite clearly that it doesn’t and will never log IP addresses and browsing histories. Case in point: When India’s government passed the law requiring VPN companies to log user data, ExpressVPN was one of the first VPNs to pull out its servers from the country.
Of course, no VPN can operate without logging any data. ExpressVPN is no exception, as its apps and websites collect data such as device information. It knows which versions of the ExpressVPN app we’ve downloaded, and it also knows how much VPN bandwidth we’ve used. In our opinion, none of that is enough to compromise our data privacy.
We find ExpressVPN’s logging practices to be better than most. For example, Surfshark logs IP addresses but encrypts them and deletes the information within 15 minutes after disconnecting. ExpressVPN didn’t log IP addresses at all.
Overall, ExpressVPN’s openness on the types of data it collects gave us confidence that our privacy is safe with its VPN.
Does ExpressVPN Have A Kill Switch?
Before using a VPN, check if it has a kill switch. It’s one of the features that make VPNs stealthier, but we find that a lot of VPNs still don’t offer it. Basically, what a kill switch does is block your device’s internet connection if ever your VPN gets disconnected. It sounds simple, but it’s crucial. You wouldn’t want to compromise your privacy that you’ve worked so hard to keep by accidentally connecting to the internet without a VPN cloaking your network.
Fortunately for ExpressVPN, there is a kill switch. Don’t worry though; having a kill switch doesn’t mean that the VPN will suddenly disconnect. It’s just a contingency that most of the top VPNs offer. Our ExpressVPN connections were stable and the kill switch only had to activate twice – once when the server timed out and another when we accidentally switched Wi-Fi networks. That was throughout our month-long test where we stayed connected to ExpressVPN for about 15 hours per day on average.
What Kind of Tunneling does ExpressVPN Offer?
Another good thing about ExpressVPN is that it allows split tunneling (unless you are running on macOS 11 and above). This feature allows traffic from your device to pass through two types of networks: One is the encrypted VPN network and the other is the normal, unencrypted network.
As you probably know, not all apps and websites are VPN-friendly. Some apps, like our mobile banking apps, block VPN traffic. Instead of turning the VPN off whenever we use such apps, which is a hassle and a privacy risk (we might forget to turn it back on), our solution is to use split tunneling.
Here’s how it worked: Within the app, we selected which apps are allowed to connect directly to the internet. Slack calls, for instance, drop frequently when we’re connected to a VPN, so we chose Slack. Whenever we turned on ExpressVPN, it connected our entire device to the VPN tunnel except Slack. As a result, we enjoyed smooth team meetings, while ExpressVPN protected the sensitive files we shared with the team.
Can I Use Netflix with ExpressVPN?
One of the most popular uses of a VPN is to unblock streaming libraries from all around the globe. For us in the United States, that includes watching Netflix U.K., Australia, Japan, and others. We’re huge TV and movie fans, so we were delighted to find out that ExpressVPN can give us access to Netflix libraries abroad.
This was where that wide server reach of ExpressVPN proved handy. While there are a lot of good shows on the U.S. Netflix, we learned that the countries with the largest libraries are Slovakia and Bulgaria. Those countries aren’t big and popular so most VPNs don’t have servers in them. We didn’t see those countries when we reviewed Total VPN – a VPN with servers in only 35 countries. But with ExpressVPN’s 105 server locations, getting an IP address from Slovakia and Bulgaria wasn’t only possible, but easy.
ExpressVPN Encryption
ExpressVPN used several methods to protect our privacy. It had a private DNS server so we wouldn’t have to use our internet provider’s DNS, rotated our IP address regularly to prevent tracking, and offered encryption to hide the content of our traffic from prying eyes.
That last one, encryption, was the most important. ExpressVPN encrypted our traffic using 256-bit AES, the modern encryption standard the U.S. military uses. It’s the highest encryption available in VPNs, and coupled with ExpressVPN’s efficient traffic delivery protocols a.k.a. VPN protocols, it provided us a smooth but secure experience.
ExpressVPN Protocols
Internet protocols determine how to dispatch data packets across a network. We like to think of the data packets as mail, and protocols as the different routes that mailmen could take. Sure, they could go through the woods and get there quicker, but they might run into a wolf on the way. On the other hand, if they take only major highways, the mail will arrive safely, but perhaps later than it would be going through the woods.
The metaphor holds true for internet protocols, as safe protocols mean a safer, if slower, VPN server. ExpressVPN offers the following VPN protocols:
L2TP/ IPsec
The Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol works with IPsec (see above) to create a very secure VPN client. While the L2TP creates the tunnel itself, IPSec handles the encryption and channel security. It also makes sure that the data’s integrity hasn’t been compromised.
IKEv2
Internet Key Exchange version 2 is a widely used VPN protocol that automatically re-establishes your connection with your VPN after you’re disconnected from the internet. It’s particularly helpful for anyone that likes to switch in between Wi-Fi and mobile hotspots, a very common dance while using the Internet in public.
IPsec
IP Security creates secure Internet connections, often used in tandem with other protocols to increase security (e.g. IKEv2 and L2TP). IPsec employs one of two modes: transport mode, which only encrypts the data packet message itself, or tunneling mode, which encrypts the entire data packet.
OpenVPN
OpenVPN is the most popular protocol among VPNs and with good reason. It provides the perfect combination of safety and speed. Plus, OpenVPN offers two separate flavors:
- UDP: UDP, or User Datagram Protocol, sends messages called datagrams that don’t require virtual circuits to transfer data. The advantage of UDP is that it requires lower bandwidth, resulting in less delay. Its disadvantage is that some packets may be lost or out of order.
- TCP: Transmission Control Protocol is made up of seven layers that transport data and make sure it gets to the right place by breaking the data into smaller packets. It’s an excellent combination with UDP, as it can make sure the data is put back together in the right order.
Think of UDP and TCP as your parents packing for a trip. While your Dad might pack your stuff a bit quicker, your Mom will make sure that everything gets to your destination safely and in order.
Lightway Protocol
Finally, ExpressVPN offers its own, proprietary protocol it calls Lightway. Lightway does away with non-essential, outdated features. That means faster speeds. At the same time, it uses WolfSSL, for its cryptography, ensuring data security.
ExpressVPN widely implements Lightway on its mobile and desktop apps, and rightly so, because it’s one of the more stable protocols from the brand. It’s lightweight too, which makes it a good protocol for smartphone and laptop users.
Not sure which protocol is right for your specific situation? By default, ExpressVPN chooses the best protocol when you sign on automatically.
TrustedNetwork Services
One of ExpressVPN’s premium features is its TrustedNetwork Services. It’s a feature only some of the top VPNs offer, and one that ExpressVPN helped pioneer. But what is it? Well, TrustedNetwork is ExpressVPN’s way of saying it has RAM-based servers or servers that run entirely on Random Access Memory.
Servers are basically computers, and traditionally, VPN servers use hard disk drives (HDD) to store and run their VPN operating system. While HDD servers from reputable no-logs VPNs do a good job of keeping sensitive data unrecorded, they store remnant data even when wiped. And unfortunately, remnant data can be recovered.3 That’s risky if, let’s say the government seizes a VPN’s servers or if old HDDs are sold at auctions, which is common practice by server farms.
In contrast, RAM gets completely wiped of data every time it’s rebooted. That’s why RAM is referred to as temporary memory. There’s no data remanence, and the VPN operating system must be installed from scratch. That protects the server network and users’ data from inside attacks (e.g. rogue employees installing backdoors to servers), government and police raids, and other threats to which HDD-based servers are vulnerable.
Currently, all ExpressVPN’s physical servers are RAM-based.
Password Manager
Each ExpressVPN subscription now includes a password manager as well. While it seems unrelated to the VPN, a password manager can help you lock down your accounts using strong passwords. It works by storing your passwords in an encrypted vault that only you can access. It can also generate randomized passwords and store them automatically for your convenience and security.
Using the password manager alongside ExpressVPN can help you stay on top of your digital security and privacy.
VPN Hardware: Aircove Router by ExpressVPN
Surprisingly, one of the latest innovations from ExpressVPN is not a piece of software. It’s a device called Aircove – A Wi-Fi 6 router that comes equipped with ExpressVPN.
Aircove is not the first router VPN. Lots of VPNs can be set up on a Wi-Fi router manually, protecting all Wi-Fi connected devices within the network, even consoles and smart TVs that don’t support VPN apps natively. Aircove’s distinct advantage, however, is that you don’t need to set up the VPN manually. Moreover, if there are any changes you want to make to your VPN network, you can use your ExpressVPN online dashboard to configure Aircove.
One of the best things about Aircove is that you can conveniently customize how each connected device connects to ExpressVPN. You can designate up to five VPN servers to which your devices will connect to. For example, you can have your smart TVs connect to the Australia streaming server, while your gaming console and personal computer connect to the closest server for best speeds. You can even exclude specific devices from the VPN network, but still give them an internet connection like a regular router does. With most router VPNs, all devices connect to the VPN and you can use only one server location at a time. Not to mention, it’s often difficult to switch servers due to the lack of a web or smartphone interface.
The Aircove router currently costs $189.90 for the device, but you’ll need an on-going ExpressVPN subscription to enjoy its VPN benefits. Without a VPN, it functions as a regular Wi-Fi router.
Testing ExpressVPN
Before revealing whether we recommend ExpressVPN or not, we wanted to do some objective tests to see how it functions. With the tests, we looked at internet speed as well as leak protection, specifically. How well did the ExpressVPN software perform?
Speed Test
Obviously, internet and vpn speeds are really important. As we note in our guide to VPNs, all VPNs slow down internet connections because they create additional paths for our internet traffic to take. We wanted to make sure, though, that ExpressVPN didn’t make our internet speed unbearable.
Keep in mind that internet speed is made up of several factors, including the time of day, location, internet service provider, software, hardware, and the VPN server. We tested ExpressVPN on a Macbook Air and a Windows Vivobook from our apartments in Brooklyn, New York. Without a VPN, we’re on an Optimum Wi-Fi network, typically.
Download Speed Tests
Mac | |
---|---|
Without VPN | 37.05 mbps |
With VPN | 22.7 mbps |
Windows | |
---|---|
Without VPN | 62.88 mbps |
With VPN | 39.77 mbps |
First, we measured the difference in download speed in megabits per second. As the above picture demonstrates, ExpressVPN had a very similar decrease in the download speeds on both the Mac and the Windows computers. The Mac’s download speed slowed by about 39 percent and the Windows speed slowed about 37 percent.
Upload Speed Tests
Mac | |
---|---|
Without VPN | 25.9 mbps |
With VPN | 22.19 mbps |
Windows | |
---|---|
Without VPN | 40.61 mbps |
With VPN | 30.95 mbps |
Next, we tested the difference in upload speeds with and without the VPN. Again, ExpressVPN performed well, but it did better on the Mac with a decrease of only about 14 percent compared to 23 percent on the Windows computer.
Ping Speed Tests
Mac | |
---|---|
Without VPN | 14 mbps |
With VPN | 20 mbps |
Windows | |
---|---|
Without VPN | 14 mbps |
With VPN | 19 mbps |
Finally, we tested the ping, or latency, in milliseconds. In this category, the Windows computer actually performed better than the Mac, but not by much, as you can see. Overall, we concluded that ExpressVPN worked really well on both Macs and Windows computers. We were perfectly content with our speeds.
DNS Leak Test
We always perform DNS leak tests because if it has a leak, a device could send DNS traffic outside of the VPN’s tunnel. Alternatively, it might use the VPN tunnel but connect to a third-party server. A leak can happen even if you configure your VPN manually if an attacker gets control of your router.
ExpressVPN has a DNS leak test on its website. All we had to do was turn our VPN on and click the button to look for leaks. In a matter of seconds, we had our answer.
As the above photo shows, our ExpressVPN server had no DNS leaks, definitely a good sign.
WebRTC Leak Test
WebRTC, otherwise known as Web Real-Time Communication, is a collection of standardized technologies that allow web browsers to communicate with each other directly. That means they don’t have to go through intermediate servers. WebRTC creates faster speeds, particularly for video chat, live streaming, and file transfers. Sounds great, right?
The possible security issue arises from the fact that WebRTC needs your private IP address.
ISPs, or internet service providers, issue public IP addresses. These addresses are globally unique, and your ISP can assign only one to each device, typically a router. Public IP addresses allow users to access the internet directly.
On the other hand, routers issue private IP addresses to each device in your network. Mostly, computers, smartphones, and tablets use them. A VPN issues you a unique private IP address so no one can track your online activity.
As WebRTC uses your private IP address, if you’re using a VPN, it’s important to test for WebRTC leaks. A leak could make your address available to prying eyes. Keep in mind that Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Microsoft Edge all default to WebRTC.
Like DNS leaks, ExpressVPN has a WebRTC leak test on its website, and it’s incredibly easy to use. We made sure our VPN was turned on and clicked a button to detect leaks.
Blessedly, our ExpressVPN protected us from WebRTC leaks. We had a fast connection without risking the security of our private IP addresses.
ExpressVPN Video Review
We condensed our testing process and information about ExpressVPN’s features in this video review, so check it out if you want to see ExpressVPN in action.
ExpressVPN Subscriptions
Let’s cut to the chase. What does all this protection cost?
We had a choice, between one month, six months, or one-year billing. Essentially, the monthly price gets lower as the term length increases. ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so we tried the VPN out without any real risk. We knew we could “return it” digitally for a full refund.
One thing to note is that ExpressVPN is not the cheapest VPN. All that protection costs a premium price relative to what other VPNs in the market provide. The lowest rate for ExpressVPN is about $8 per month for the one-year package, whereas there are lots of great options like Private Internet Access that offer protection for as low as $2.19 monthly with the two-year deal.
Here’s ExpressVPN’s options.
Options
Subscription length | 1 month | 6 months | 12 months |
---|---|---|---|
Monthly price | $12.95 | $9.99 | $8.32 |
Billing amount | $12.95 | $59.95 | $99.95 |
In fact, we managed to do even better than $8.32 per month by taking advantage of the three free months included in the 12-month plan. We paid $99.95 for the whole package and got 15 months of VPN use. That brought our Express VPN price to just $6.67 per month. The deal is not always available, though, so time your purchase for the biggest savings.
For comparison’s sake, let’s look at NordVPN, our highest-rated VPN right now. Subscriptions from NordVPN cost a minimum of $3.79 per month, but to get that deal, you’d need to sign up for two years. That’s $102 for 24 months with three free months of service – just $2 more than ExpressVPN’s one-year plan.
Be sure to keep an eye on the simultaneous connections, though. With a subscription, you can install NordVPN and ExpressVPN on unlimited devices, but you can connect up to only six devices at a time with NordVPN regardless of which plan you’re using. With ExpressVPN, you can connect up to five devices simultaneously if you’re on the monthly plan, but up to eight devices if you’re on a six- or twelve-month plan.
With all of ExpressVPN’s subscriptions, we switched between an unlimited number of servers and maintained five connections at once. Had we needed more simultaneous connections, we could have bought an additional license or set up a VPN router to get an unlimited amount.
Manual Configurations
ExpressVPN works with Linux, Chromebook, wireless routers (Sabai, DD-WRT, Asus, or Tomato), and with several different streaming media and gaming consoles (Apple TV, FireTV, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or Xbox).
The setup process for those devices vary, but all in all, it doesn’t take much expertise to run ExpressVPN. Plus, with the Aircove router, you can opt to skip the complicated setup process and just buy a VPN hardware that protects all your home network traffic from the get-go.
Browser Extensions
We had the choice to enter an ExpressVPN server using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
ExpressVPN Customer Support
When we ran into trouble with ExpressVPN, we were pleased to have access to a knowledgeable customer support team.
Features
ExpressVPN has 24/7 customer support through live chat and email. As millennials, these services were enough for us, despite the lack of a phone line. We also had the option to contact customer support through our ExpressVPN app directly, which should have made the whole experience seamless.
The ExpressVPN App
Of course, we always want a good app to connect with our VPN. Let’s talk about the ExpressVPN app: what it offers, where we used it, and just how well it worked.
The ExpressVPN app supports the Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Blackberry, routers, and Kindle operating systems. That’s already a long list, but as more operating systems add native VPN app support, ExpressVPNs apps keep growing as well. Just recently, for example, ExpressVPN launched an app for Apple TV, which is exclusively available to Apple TV users using the tvOS 17 system. That’s one reason ExpressVPN deserved a spot in our roundup of the best Apple TV VPNs.
Even for the devices that don’t have native VPN app support, ExpressVPN offers Aircove as an alternative. Aircove doesn’t need an app to direct a device’s traffic to the VPN server – all you need to do is connect any device to its Wi-Fi or Ethernet network.
As for ourselves, we conducted most of our tests on iOS and Android devices. All in all, we were pretty happy with the ExpressVPN app. Others on the app store seem to be happy with it as well. It has a nearly perfect 4.6 rating from the Apple store and a decent 4.3 rating from the Google Play store.
“Very impressed with the new in-app shortcuts to navigate to favorite apps…I have noticed a significant improvement of the connection reliability,”
wrote Android user Bruno Perovic in a recent four-star review.
ExpressVPN Vs. NordVPN
NordVPN is another leading VPN with a lot of similarities to ExpressVPN. While ExpressVPN has over 2,000 servers in 160 countries, when we reviewed NordVPN we found that it has a whopping 5,246 in 62 countries. Make sure to check out its server locations before making your decision, though.
In addition, neither NordVPN or ExpressVPN is part of an international surveillance alliance or is subject to data retention laws, as they’re based in the British Virgin Islands and Panama, respectively.
Features Comparison
Feature | ExpressVPN | NordVPN |
---|---|---|
Log Data | No | No |
Kill Switch | Yes | Yes |
Tunneling | Split | No |
Netflix | Yes | Yes |
Torrenting | Yes | Yes |
IP Addresses | Anonymous, regularly rotated | Static, Shared with Other NordVPN Users |
Neither VPN logs data, including the time or duration of your session, IP addresses, servers used, files downloaded, and websites visited. Both have kill switches, an essential security feature, and we could stream from Netflix and download torrent files with both VPNs.
Unlike ExpressVPN, NordVPN does not offer split tunneling, so we couldn’t access private and public networks simultaneously. While both VPNs offer anonymous IP addresses, NordVPN gave us the same IP address each time, which wasn’t great for security. Sharing our IP address with other NordVPN users made us harder to trace.
If you want a dedicated IP address, you can buy one for a small fee. We prefer how ExpressVPN rotates its IP addresses regularly, as it makes it harder for hackers to track us.
Now that we’ve gone over how NordVPN and ExpressVPN’s features compare, let’s talk about their performances. While ExpressVPN worked better on our Windows computer speed-wise, NordVPN worked better on our Macs. Neither system had any DNS or WebRTC leaks.
Overall, these are both top choices for VPNs, but we’d recommend ExpressVPN to a Windows user and NordVPN to a Mac user.
Can ExpressVPN stand toe-to-toe with other brands? Find out below.
Wondering if ExpressVPN is right for you? We squared it up with the best systems available to help you make a smart decision.
>> For Further Insight: Best ExpressVPN Alternatives
Our ExpressVPN Research and Data
The following is the data and research conducted for this review by our industry-experts. Learn More.
Encryption
In Transit | Yes |
---|---|
At rest? | Yes |
All network communications and capabilities? | Yes |
Security Updates
Automatic, regular software/ firmware updates? | No |
---|---|
Product available to use during updates? | No |
Passwords
Mandatory password? | Yes |
---|---|
Two-Factor authentication? | No |
Multi-Factor authentication? | No |
Vulnerability Management
Point of contact for reporting vulnerabilities? | Bugcrowd or via email at security@expressvpn.com |
---|---|
Bug bounty program? | Yes |
Privacy Policy
Link | https://www.expressvpn.com/privacy-policy |
---|---|
Specific to device? | No |
Readable? | Yes |
What data they log | Name, email address, and payment information name, email address, and payment information. App diagnostic data, which include crash reports, usability diagnostics, and VPN connection diagnostics, are anonymized and cannot be tied back to individual ExpressVPN users. Information related to which Apps and Apps version(s) you have activated. Whether you have successfully established a VPN connection on a particular day (but not a specific time of the day), to which VPN location (but not your assigned outgoing IP address), and from which country/ISP (but not your source IP address). Information regarding the total sum of data transferred by a given user. With your permission, we collect anonymized app diagnostic data, which include crash reports, usability diagnostics, and VPN connection diagnostics. |
What data they don’t log | No data about the contents or destinations of VPN traffic, no DNS queries, and no IP addresses. |
Can you delete your data? | Yes if european, must contact support |
Third-party sharing policies | Users may opt out of third-party vendor use of cookies |
Surveillance
Log camera device/ app footage | n/a |
---|---|
Log microphone device/ app | n/a |
Location tracking device/ app | No |
Parental Controls
Are there parental controls? | No |
---|
Company History
Any security breaches/ surveillance issues in past? | No |
---|---|
Did they do anything to fix it? | n/a |
Additional Security Features
Anything like privacy shutters, privacy zones, etc.? | n/a |
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Recap of ExpressVPN
Overall, we recommend ExpressVPN to our readers, as it’s very secure, performs well, and allows us to go on Netflix and torrent movies. But since everyone has their personal preferences, we’ll break it down even further.
We’d recommend ExpressVPN to anyone that wants a VPN based in a Five Eyes non-member country, with an extensive network of more than 2,000 servers worldwide. ExpressVPN is also a great choice for anyone that wants to watch Netflix or torrent content, and it performed well in our speed tests.
However, ExpressVPN may not be for you if you’d like multi-hop encryption, dedicated IP addresses, or unlimited simultaneous connections. Otherwise, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for a reason: it’s safe, it’s secure, and it won’t break the bank.
ExpressVPN FAQS
Our readers have a ton of questions about ExpressVPN, and we’ve answered the ones we get the most below.
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Is ExpressVPN legit?
ExpressVPN is a legitimate VPN service. The company is based in the British Virgin Islands and has over 2,000 servers in 160 countries.
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How much does ExpressVPN cost?
Monthly, ExpressVPN costs either $12.95, $9.99 per month if you sign up for six months ($59.95 billed in total), or $8.32 per month if you sign up for a year ($99.95 billed in total).
Right now, the company is running a special promotion. You get an extra three months when you sign up for a year, lowering your monthly total to $6.67.
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Is ExpressVPN illegal?
In the United States, ExpressVPN is legal, as VPNs are legal here. However, not all countries allow for VPNs, so in some countries like Russia and China, ExpressVPN may be illegal.
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Is ExpressVPN free?
ExpressVPN is not free. Rather, its monthly costs start at $8.32 if you sign up for a year. However, while ExpressVPN lacks a free version or trial, the company does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you cancel before the first billing date, you can get your money refunded.
The Register. (2021). ExpressVPN bought for $1bn by Brit biz with an intriguing history in adware.
theregister.com/2021/09/14/expressvpn_bought_kape/Reuters. (2021). ExpressVPN employees complain about ex-spy's top role at company.
reuters.com/technology/expressvpn-employees-complain-about-ex-spys-top-role-company-2021-09-23/