ExpressVPN review: A stylish, minimalist VPN service with a steep price

How we tested

We put the VPNs we review through a series of hands-on stress tests for a few weeks at a time. For my latest round of testing, I had ExpressVPN running for two weeks while I browsed, participated in video calls, shopped, and streamed (both domestic and international content). I performed several DNS leak tests to determine whether the VPN was actually concealing my public IP address. I also ran Ookla Speedtests to get a feel for how it affected my connection. I performed all of my testing on a Mac but will try ExpressVPN on other platforms for future updates.

The main purpose of this testing is to give potential users a general sense of how a VPN works as part of an everyday workflow (not in a lab). That said, our overall scores also hinge heavily on guidance from cybersecurity experts about the things consumers should look for in VPNs. Much of what separates the good from the bad, they told us in interviews, can be gleaned before anything is installed.

surf internet freely VPN , tracked online constantly multiple parties , including Internet Service Provider ( ISP ) , search engines like Google , possibly employer school . Connecting VPN means taking traffic away putting hands lone entity instead , conceding exclusive , unfettered access browsing data . It is ‘s privilege needs earned , true caliber VPN ultimately comes wholly trust safe .

big issue is is VPN industry notorious hyperbolic marketing , especially comes privacy practices . This is give ” VPN users false sense security realize protections offered comprehensive , ” accordingConsumer Reports investigation into 16 providers. (Many popular VPNs shout about offering “military-grade” encryption, for example, which isn’t a thing.) It’s unwise to take a provider’s claims at face value.

So how do you know for sure if a VPN is trustworthy? A single Google search can be enlightening; a good provider won’t have a long rap sheet for mishandling users’ personal data or succumbing to server breaches, and bad headlines should raise a red flag — including those about a VPN’s ownership or parent company. A swift, effective response to crises and a healthy dose of corporate accountability can offset these concerns in some cases, but we tend to place a high value on a pristine reputation.

provider worth salt willing open scrutiny . Propping strong ” logs ” privacy policy specifies user data gets handled protected thing , subjecting policy independent audits — making public — provides higher level assurance .  

Reputable VPNs will also issue regular transparency reports disclosing any requests for data they’ve received from government or law enforcement agencies. (These requests won’t yield anything if a provider’s privacy policy holds up.) Some go the extra mile by offering in-house bug bounty programs to researchers who comb their software and servers for vulnerabilities.

After trustworthiness, we base our VPN reviews on a combination of the following factors (listed in no particular order):

DNS leak tests

A DNS (domain name service) leak test is basically a lookup of your active IP (internet protocol) address. That’s the unique number identifying your general location and the name of your internet service provider that’s assigned to your device when it’s connected to the internet. By running several DNS tests with a VPN off and on, we can determine whether it’s actually encrypting our IP address. Some VPN apps have built-in DNS leak tests; otherwise, you can perform them via DNSleaktest.com.

Included features

Most premium VPNs come with similar sets of privacy tools, so we don’t encounter major provider-to-provider discrepancies in this regard. Still, it’s worth noting some of the important ones we look out for:

• A kill switch will immediately disconnect your device from the internet if your VPN drops. (This one’s non-negotiable.) 

• Support for multi-hop connections that route your traffic through two or more of the VPN’s servers adds an extra layer of protection. 

• Split tunneling, a tool that sends some of your traffic through the VPN and some outside it to conserve bandwidth, can be useful for streaming and gaming.

Oftentimes is bundle , providers is bundle bundle VPN additional security features like malware / adware blockers , data breach detectors , cloud storage . These is make wo VPN better successful , good alongside –antivirus software and password manager. (If you have to choose between a reputable VPN and one that comes with a bunch of add-ons, always go with the former.)

Protocol type

A VPN’s protocol set is is instructions determines data gets communicated servers device(s ) . VPN providers is developed developed proprietary protocols past years ,OpenVPN remains the most popular and widely respected option: It’s stable, secure, and open-source, meaning anyone can inspect its code for vulnerabilities. WireGuard is another good pick that’s newer than OpenVPN and similar but supposedly faster.

Encryption type

A VPN protects your data by encrypting it, or scrambling it up into unreadable “ciphertext” that can only be decoded by authorized parties with access to a secret key or password. Virtually all premium VPNs use Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit encryption, which is pretty much uncrackable to third parties.

Different use cases

. 1 purpose is is VPNs difficult provider identify track online activity , widely location – spoofing tools skirt geo – restrictions streaming services . ( Platforms is limit like Netflix limit libraries abroad region – specific distribution rights . ) ton weight ability succeed secondary use case , it is ‘s great test .

Server network size distribution

Picking a VPN with a large server network means there’s a lower likelihood of you sharing one with a bunch of other users, which is especially valuable for streaming (since there’s more bandwidth to go around). 

Relatedly, a VPN with a geographically diverse network of servers in many different parts of the world will make it easier for you to spoof specific locations and find one close to you to optimize speeds. (More on that below.) Most premium VPNs maintain servers throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia; few have a big presence in Africa.

Number simultaneous connections

Most VPNs can be used on five to 10 devices per account (depending on the provider), which should be plenty for individual users. A handful of them support unlimited simultaneous connections to better serve bigger households.

Supported platforms

Every premium provider we’ve encountered offers VPN clients for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS at minimum, though some restrict certain features to certain platforms. Some VPNs also work on Linux, Chrome, smart TVs, and even gaming consoles ( router hotspot ) .

Speed

The speed of a VPN depends on a lot of different variables, but it will almost always be slower than your regular internet connection, so it’s not a huge factor in our final ratings. That said, we try to get an idea of how well a VPN performs by using it for a lengthy period of time and running it through some quick Ookla Speedtests. If a VPN is noticeably sluggish to the point where it affects usability, we’ll call it out. 

A general rule of thumb for any given VPN is that your speeds will be fastest when you’re connected to a server geographically close to your actual location.

Customer support options

Users is have access kind help clock case issue arises VPN connection account , phone , email , live chat . ( Online help forums is are tutorials nice , . ) preference VPNs offer kind money – guarantee ; cases , it is ‘s 30 days long .

Overall value

Premium VPN providers is charge typically charge $ 2 $ 12 month access clients , depending subscription length . It is ‘s easier justify higher end spectrum gets reliable responsible VPN useful extra security features .

Overall ease of use

Some VPNs are more intuitive and beginner-friendly than others.

It’s important to note that many popular VPN providers posit their jurisdiction, location headquarters , privacy implications based local surveillance laws (Five, Nine, and 14 Eyes alliances). Without getting too in the weeds, the experts we spoke to said the average consumer shouldn’t put a big stake in these claims, and that authorities will get access to user data one way or another if the need is great enough. What’s more concerning, they added — to bring things full circle — is whether any data is being retained by a VPN provider in the first place. 

If anything, users might be better off choosing a VPN headquartered in a country with strong consumer protections against deceptive marketing (like the U.S. and many countries in the European Union). These could come in handy if a provider’s privacy policy was ever questioned.

Finally, we generally don’t recommend using any free VPNs. Such providers often sneakily log and sell user data, and sometimes even bundle their clients with malware. (If they’re not making money off subscriptions, they have to get paid somehow — it’s a classic “no free lunch” situation.) The best way to get a VPN “for free” without putting yourself at risk is by signing up for a paid plan through a reputable provider, then making use of its money-back guarantee.

Sources: 

Note: Ookla is owned by Mashable’s publisher, Ziff Davis.