ExpressVPN had been at the top since its market back in 2009. However, they have dominated the VPN market alongside one or two other VPN providers for a while.
With ExpressVPN subscriptions, you have full access to ultra-fast servers in 160 locations spanning 94 countries. It allows you 5 simultaneous connections—perfect for big families or if you have multiple gadgets on the go—or you can install it on certain routers to secure your entire network.
VPN connections are top-notch and make it easy for you to browse, stream, and download freely with more than just impressive speeds.
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You have the best security and AES-256 bit encryption that meets the highest international standards. As a result, there is little chance you can fall foul of third-party interference or snoops.
ExpressVPN has a strict privacy policy and keeps no activity logs or connection logs, and it is straightforward to use. In our review, ExpressVPN bares all, and we see if this British Virgin Islands-based premium VPN still leads the way; is it worth the price, and how does it compare with rival VPNs?
In This Article
Features and Benefits
Pros
- Vast VPN server network
- Innovative security features for apps and servers
- new Lightway protocol is secure, fast and helps unblock restricted content like US Netflix
- 24/7 live chat support
Cons
- No dedicated IP address option
- No built-in ad-blocker
There are certain features users want and those they don’t require. However, much of their offer won’t materialise without a decent server network from the VPN. So they are bypassing geographical restrictions and connecting to VPN servers in other countries being critical.
If it weren’t for this, there’d be no way to connect to a US-based server to watch movies and TV shows on US Netflix. Should your government censor what you can access, you can reroute connections via servers in other countries.
ExpressVPN has over 3000 servers in 94 different countries and 160 locations.
ExpressVPN offers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Brave, and Vivaldi browsers. Unfortunately, Microsoft Edge doesn’t have its extension, and you do need to visit the Chrome Web Store as it is a Chromium-based browser.
Using such an extension means you have security and anonymous browsing without opening the app.
Many browsers only cover your browser, yet ExpressVPN lets users control the VPN client right from their browser. Also, you can’t use the browser extension unless you have the client installed on your device.
Speed is among the features and benefits users want, as VPN connections’ speed is important for anything besides browsing.
When internet connections aren’t fast enough, you will experience lag when downloading, streaming, or online gaming.
Speed tests are vital to see how a VPN performs on local servers and those overseas. ExpressVPN has a speed test built-in, as do many other VPNs. However, we use third-party tools to carry our speed tests.
You discover with ExpressVPN that there is a minimal drop-off, and you have access to most of your internet speed using ExpressVPN. Furthermore, there is hardly any noticeable difference between your internet speed with or without the VPN tunnel running in daily use.
Performance around Europe shows a VPN connection speed fall around 5 – 7% (68 Mbps), which you can hardly determine on a 75 Mbps line.
Connections toward the US saw speeds fall to around 63 Mbps, fast enough for any online activity. Asian areas and toward New Zealand and Australia saw speed tests deliver about 54 Mbps.
For new users unsure which would be the best VPN server, the smart location feature selects the best VPN for use.
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ExpressVPN Pricing
- 12 Months plan $6.67 Billed as $99.99 for 1st 15 months then every 12 months after that – Limited Offer: 3 Months FREE
- 6 Months plan $9.99 Billed as $59.99 every 6 months
- 1 Month plan $12.95 Billed as $12.95 every month
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At first glance, it could appear the ExpressVPN price is far higher than the competition. However, the rate is very much the same on a month-by-month basis.
Sign up for the 12-month plan, and things are more in line. Once you do this, you will discover ExpressVPN is worth the price for what it delivers.
As you can see, there are three subscription plans. All plans offer full access to the premium service, and the difference is the signup duration.
With each subscription, you get 5 simultaneous connections, and you can use these on the most significant number of devices supported than from any other VPN. You can find Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux apps.
For devices without apps, there are configuration files and MediaStreamer to help access streaming services.
If you install the VPN on routers, you can protect as many devices as you can run on your network, and to cater for this, there is unlimited bandwidth, speed, and server switching.
Unlike many VPNs who wish to resolve issues before honouring a refund, the ExpressVPN 30-day money-back guarantee is risk-free, and no questions are asked to resolve problems should you decide to cancel.
You need to follow these steps to stop the auto-renewing function from charging you if you wish to cancel.
You can also follow these steps for auto-renewing accounts.
- Sign in to your VPN account.
- Under subscription, you’ll see subscription length and renewal date.
- Click ‘Manage subscription’ settings. You are directed to the ‘Automatic Renewal’ settings page.
- Select ‘Turn off automatic renewal,’ then confirm your selection on the next two pages.
- When you reach ‘Automatic Renewal is now OFF for Subscription…,’ your subscription will be cancelled, and the company won’t bill you again after the end of your subscription.
- Any customers who paid via PayPal need to cancel IPN as well.
ExpressVPN accepts a large number of payment methods:
- Credit Card
- PayPal
- Bitcoin
There are countless options for a regular subscriber, yet you can purchase the VPN using Bitcoin alongside a burner email address if you are concerned with anonymity.
Privacy
ExpressVPN has headquarters in the British Virgin Islands, and luckily, this has nothing to do with being part of Britain or the 5/9/ 14 eyes alliance. As a result, they have no official obligation to retain user logs due to no data retention laws.
ExpressVPN doesn’t keep traffic or IP logs, so there is no information from ExpressVPN VPN of what your online activities comprise.
You will find standard information logged, detailed in the logging policy. You will find they are anonymised connection logs, and these only state what date the service was used, the server connected to, and the amount of data transferred.
The information isn’t linked to any user data or IP but a user’s account. Thus, pay by crypto and user a burner email address, and you can see your customer data is secure.
One thing to remember is that all servers utilised the new TrustedServer-technology the company introduced in 2019. Servers run in RAM mode, and all user data is wiped whenever the server reboots.
Besides this, there is a new introduction to the ‘Digital Security Lab,’ where a team focuses on investigating digital rights and security issues and making sure consumers know and understand them.
With this are tools and resources to empower individuals and conduct community outreach to share their work.
Another feature is the use of obfuscated servers. You find these are offered by ExpressVPN that hide browser traffic and VPN traffic; this is great for subscribers as it means internet traffic going via the VPN no longer appears to be VPN traffic.
To anyone, it would appear you were a regular internet user. And thus, bypassing censorship and blocks.
A top example of this is China. With servers in Hong Kong, ExpressVPN has the best record of bypassing the Great Firewall of China.
Security
In our review, ExpressVPN was found to offer some of the best security, which is perhaps the most important feature of a VPN. So naturally, users want to be safe and anonymous to stop anyone from tracking their movements.
The VPN encrypts all your data traffic to anonymise users’ online activities using the best protocols and encryption. ExpressVPN sticks to the highest standards and delivers some fantastic options in the security settings.
All in all, there is a ton of features that encompass all the protocols they support, logging policy and privacy policies. You also find the kill switch, among other features, to keep user data safe.
ExpressVPN uses 256-bit encryption and lets you select OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2/IPsec and the new Lightway protocol. In addition, there is an automatic kill switch.
ExpressVPN has a kill switch option, and you have the previously mentioned TrustedServer-technology.
Keep in mind, although you can change the VPN protocols to L2TP/IPsec and PPTP, these are old and hardly used, so you will only find them on specific servers worldwide.
Other VPNs are going toward WireGuard; however, the Lightway protocol is the ExpressVPN protocol that offers higher security levels and more speed.
While ExpressVPN speeds don’t drop too much, the company promises faster speeds and increases privacy and security due to using Lightway rather than OpenVPN.
Unlike much of the VPN previously, the company also claim they will soon open-source the core of Lightway’s code. Doing so adds to transparency which contributes to protocol safety, as anyone can inspect the code.
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Advanced Features
A kill switch is an excellent feature for any VPN as it secures an internet connection, and thus you can see with any DNS leak test that you won’t have any DNS leak if you lose a VPN connection for a split second.
Should you lose your secure tunnel, you are exposed, and if you were streaming on Netflix or torrenting, you could find yourself disconnected from your favourite movie, or your IP real address is exposed in a torrent swarm.
Once you’re connected through the secure tunnels by ExpressVPN, the VPN connection may falter for whatever reason. The kill switch kicks in straight away using such a specific security element for Windows and Mac.
One highly effective area is a Wi-Fi network where you could be vulnerable to hackers if you have the slightest DNS leak. So when anyone asks is ExpressVPN safe, keep in mind it is among the safest VPNs, even if it doesn’t have such things as an integrated ad-blocker.
Customer service isn’t so much of a feature, yet it says a lot about a VPN company. Many VPNs rely on a ticket system to reply to customer questions; however, ExpressVPN offers the best customer service and covers many areas.
An excellent FAQ page answers nearly any question you can think of instantly. Should the FAQ page not offer what you need, the full customer service is among the best.
You will find 24/7 customer support, which is available to subscribers and anyone visiting the website. Replies take a matter of minutes which is a welcome touch.
Customer support is quick off the mark should you not access US Netflix. However, if you encounter any problems with their service, they will help you figure out what is wrong and resolve it.
Customer support also never quiz you why you wish to cancel your subscription unless the questions are out of courtesy.
Split tunnelling (Network Lock feature) can be another fantastic feature of any premium VPN. ExpressVPN offers effective split-tunnelling options, so you can pick and choose the services you want to be routed via the VPN and which will connect via your ISP to the internet.
When you use split tunnelling, you can torrent while you are doing something else, and with no worry, you have IP addresses leaking onto the internet.
Besides high-security levels, one of the major reason’s VPNs are in use is streaming and torrenting. While not designed with this in mind, they excel in allowing users to carry out these activities.
You should know that not all VPNs can unblock every streaming service and fail with just US Netflix.
You can find some premium VPNs face this struggle, and as a result of continually being blocked by Netflix, they cease to offer access as a reliable feature. Torrenting can be another area, and while some VPNs let you torrent from certain servers. Unfortunately, ExpressVPN isn’t among these.
It offers the best record of unblocking any streaming service and lets you download torrents on every server.
Here’s a rundown of areas you get excellent coverage using ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN and Streaming
As we have seen, many VPNs find it challenging to stay ahead of Netflix’s efforts to block VPNs.
However, ExpressVPN continually remains strong in this department, and even if some IP addresses find they are blocked, the 24/7 customer service can advise which servers are working.
Many users focus on Netflix, yet many free streaming platforms offer great movies and TV shows.
Luckily, this VPN has the best record for unblocking many popular streaming services.
In the USA, you have several servers that offer access to various platforms.
Hulu and Disney Plus are just two of the top ones. Besides these, you can find access to the following:
- ESPN, YouTube TV, fuboTV, SlingTV
- Peacock, Sky Go, HBO and HBO Max, ABC, Showtime
- BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, ITV, Channel 4
- beIN Sports, Dazn
- Hotstar and more
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FAQ
Is Express VPN legit?
ExpressVPN offers 160 server locations across 94 countries. It is ranked as the world’s number one and offers the best hardware and virtual servers balance. ExpressVPN has servers in use for countries with repressive internet policies. It is legitimate and sets standards others follow.
How much does ExpressVPN cost?
ExpressVPN costs $6.67 per month for the first 15-months (including 3-months free)
Is ExpressVPN legal in New Zealand?
In New Zealand, it is legal to use ExpressVPN. Actions including such as torrenting copyright-protected content are activities that signify whether anything is legal or illegal.
ExpressVPN is one provider that retains its promise of private internet access regardless of operation or region.
Is ExpressVPN free?
There isn’t a free version for desktops as ExpressVPN is a premium VPN service. It does, however, have a 7-day free trial on certain iOS and Android mobile devices.
Can I watch Netflix with ExpressVPN?
It is the best solution for Netflix’s most extensive library, and you can be streaming in less than five minutes.
You can stream US Netflix TV and movies on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, and more.
How can I get free ExpressVPN?
All subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. With this, you can try the VPN for a month risk-free if you change your mind.
Which is better, NordVPN or ExpressVPN?
NordVPN has the edge in certain areas, while ExpressVPN is better than NordVPN in other areas. However, both are close, yet ExpressVPN brings new features others follow to market.
Why does ExpressVPN not work with Netflix?
ExpressVPN does work with Netflix. If you have any problems using Netflix with ExpressVPN, simply contact the 24/7 chat support, and they’ll help resolve your issues.
Why does ExpressVPN not work with Netflix?
You can find several reasons why ExpressVPN won’t work with Netflix. First, all VPNs have several servers blocked now and again. However, ExpressVPN has 24/7 live chat support and can instantly help users connect to a working server or fix issues.
Can ExpressVPN be hacked?
ExpressVPN has never been hacked. Although it is possible for any VPN to be hacked, VPNs such as ExpressVPN use high military-grade encryption and leak protection levels. As a result, it can take years to hack the VPN network. Besides, they use perfect forward secrecy, which changes encryption keys with each new login.
Does China own ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN is not owned by China, it recently joined Kape Technologies.
Is Surfshark better than ExpressVPN?
It is a close call between the two VPN’s, and much of the difference falls on the maturity of the service more than features.
ExpressVPN is one of the oldest VPNs you can select, while Surfshark is relatively new. It does have features that ExpressVPN doesn’t have, yet there are a few things ExpressVPN is better at in return.
ExpressVPN Review Conclusion
When you look at ExpressVPN, you may see it doesn’t have one prominent
standout feature. Much of this is because all the features are already integrated and enabled by default.
With the 30-day money-back guarantee, you can review ExpressVPN and test all the server locations to see which delivers the best for your needs.
When you use the VPN inside this time, you will find that you are using a top VPN provider who offers the best VPN services.
The ExpressVPN app is uncluttered, easy to use, and the design is what many other VPN companies follow.
It is straightforward to recommend ExpressVPN. It is rock solid in any DNS leak test, delivers unrivalled connections in the speed test (using OpenVPN or Lightway), and keeps users safer when online than a large number of rivals.
Rather than continue praising the VPN, you can make your ExpressVPN download and try Express VPN free.
One, you can see how the ExpressVPN app stacks up against other VPN companies, and two, you can see how well it streams HD content from any streaming service you decide to choose.
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