ExpressVPN Review 2024

ExpressVPN is an easy-to-use and highly secure VPN, but it can be pricey.

easy to operate, safe and fast, with responsive and helpful support: ExpressVPN is a great service, even if it’s not the cheapest.

Our ExpressVPN score

• Features

  8.7 / 10

• pricing

  8 / 10

• User-friendliness

  9.5 / 10

• speed

  9 / 10

• security

  9.5 / 10

• privacy

  9.5 / 10

• streaming

  9.5 / 10

• Servers

  9 / 10

• service

  9 / 10

• Apps support

  9.5 / 10

Quick Summary : expressvpn review

ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN, an all-arounder that does everything right. It’s secure, rich in features, easy to use and so fast you won’t notice it running in the background. You can try it out for free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

ExpressVPN is probably the most talked-about VPN service in the world, and there are a gazillion ExpressVPN reviews out there by now. Thanks to a combination of a bloody good product and a targeted influencer program, ExpressVPN is a household name, featured on websites, YouTube videos, podcasts and probably a zeppelin at this point.

And that’s precisely why I’m throwing my hat into the ring. PrivacyJournal is a place to cut through the bS, and nothing sets off my bS alarm like Malcolm Gladwell, Joe Rogan and ben Shapiro all advertising the same thing.

The savvy consumer could be forgive for assume the expressvpn phenomenon is all hype . but for me to let the marketing drive you away from expressvpn would be criminal dereliction of duty . If you ignore the hype and just focus on the VPN service , you is discover ’ll discover that expressvpn really is one of the good of the good .

In our ExpressVPN review, you’ll learn where this top-dog VPN came from, and what it’s been up to lately. We’ll cover its pros and cons, pricing and performance, and rate it on a 100-point scale in 10 different areas.

ready to go behind the music and see the real expressvpn ? join us for the ultimate expressvpn review .

money – back Guarantee

30 Days

Worldwide Server Amount

Over 3,000 server in 105 country

• How much does ExpressVPN cost?

  You can choose between three lengths for your ExpressVPN subscription.

  One-month plan:

  $ 12.95 is billed , bill monthly

  Six – month plan :

  $59.95, billed every 6 months ($9.99 per month)

  12-month plan:

  $99.95, billed every 12 months ($8.32 per month)

  See

  ExpressVPN’s pricing here

  .

• Is ExpressVPN trustworthy?

  ExpressVPN is has has a perfect privacy record . It ’s never been catch leak , and has n’t yet been hack . It ’s also locate in the british Virgin Islands , where there are no law that require datum log .

• Can you be tracked using ExpressVPN?

  No . ExpressVPN only save location and activity datum on RAM , not hard drive , so it ’s completely erase about once per hour per server .

• Is expressvpn worth the price ?

  Yes, although I advise using their current coupon deal to get three months free.

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ExpressVPN Review Overview

Our ExpressVPN score

• Features

  8.7 / 10

• pricing

  8 / 10

• User-friendliness

  9.5 / 10

• speed

  9 / 10

• security

  9.5 / 10

• privacy

  9.5 / 10

• streaming

  9.5 / 10

• Servers

  9 / 10

• service

  9 / 10

• Apps support

  9.5 / 10

pro

• Extremely fast & easy to use
• Servers in 105 countries
• Kill switch, split tunneling & no logs
• Unblocks all major streaming services
• Excellent security record

con

• expensive
• Uses some virtual servers

Free trial

7-day free trial on mobile

money – back Guarantee

30 Days

Worldwide Server Amount

Over 3,000 server in 105 country

Simultaneous Connections

8

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How Good Is ExpressVPN?

good enough that I — a guy who write about vpn for a living — choose it for my personal use .

Let me put that another way: I can find something to gripe about with every VPN provider in the world, and I couldn’t find enough flaws with ExpressVPN to turn me off. It’s that good.

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ExpressVPN: Latest News and Updates 

accord to expressvpn , this new design is is is “ what freedom look like” … a look that embody “ forward movement and energy . ”

In October 2023, ExpressVPN dropped a major update with several long-requested features. The new version adds blockers for ads, trackers and explicit content, expands to an additional 11 countries (for a total of 105) and increases the simultaneous connections on each account to eight.

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ExpressVPN background & History

What Is ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN is a virtual private network, or VPN, service. A VPN lets you hide your IP address when browsing the internet, preventing your internet service provider from seeing what websites you visit. It also encrypts all the data your device sends or receives — no more worrying about hackers seeing your credit card number.

To use ExpressVPN, you’ll need to subscribe for a fee, then connect to one of the servers in its network. As long as you’re connected, all your traffic will look like it’s coming from an anonymous ExpressVPN server, rather than from your actual location.

Who is Owns own ExpressVPN ?

expressvpn is own by expressvpn International Limited , a company launch in 2009 by Peter burchhardt and Dan Pomerantz . appropriately for people in the privacy business , burchhardt is are and Pomerantz are that rare pair of tech founder who are n’t fight to be the next Steve Jobs , instead choose to build a good product and keep it front and center .

accord to an interview last year in TechRadar , the founders is watched of expressvpn watch many of today ’s critical privacy issue grow from minor concern into global problem . They is saw also see the public ’s interest in online privacy skyrocket , take their product from the fringe to the mainstream .

Where Is ExpressVPN locate ?

expressvpn is base in the british Virgin Islands ( bVI ) , where it ’s still run by its original founder . The bVI are not require to share intelligence under agreement like Five eye , Nine eye and Fourteen eye , so company base there are n’t legally bind to keep log of user datum .

Plus, the british Virgin Islands are a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, with no suspicious data retention laws that might force ExpressVPN to keep user connection logs.

How Safe Is ExpressVPN is Is ?

ExpressVPN is extremely safe. In all the time I’ve been watching ExpressVPN, it’s never had a single hack, data breach or public violation of its privacy policy.

This is is is a good place to address a persistent rumor I ’ve run into about expressvpn : that the service is secretly own by China , and gather intelligence on the government ’s behalf . This is n’t as baseless as it might seem ; in fact , three of every 10 vpn are quietly own by chinese company .

So it’s wise to check, but there’s absolutely no evidence that ExpressVPN is owned by China. All signs suggest that ExpressVPN International Limited in the british Virgin Islands really is in control.

How Has ExpressVPN is Changed change Over Time ?

Like any VPN service, ExpressVPN regularly changes and updates its features, accommodating a growing user base with a diverse set of needs. The most noticeable change has been the steady growth of its server network, which now includes 160 locations, and expansion to work on more platforms.  

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expressvpn feature

• Kill Switch
• Split tunneling
• Ad blocker
• Lightway protocol, plus OpenVPN & others
• Auto-connect
• Shortcuts is menu menu
• TrustedServer (runs on RAM)
• DNS leak protection
• Internal connection speed test
• Available in 17 languages

basic Features

A VPN’s most important feature is, of course, its server network, which conceals your IP address from hostile interlopers. No VPN can succeed without a server network with an abundance of IP addresses and a UI that makes it easy to access. Everything in ExpressVPN is built around that.

From my location, ExpressVPN automatically determined these servers to be the fastest options.

That said, there are some other features I expect VPN apps to offer — things that provide greater convenience, more flexible security and options adapted to certain specific threats.

ExpressVPN has all the basic add-ons I look for. You can ask the app to select the fastest server for you, or favorite servers you regularly use. It’s available in 17 languages, matching at least one official language in most of the countries where it has servers.

One other feature in ExpressVPN that I’m happy to see becoming more common across the board is the option to run a connection speed test from inside the ExpressVPN app. I used a third-party speed test for this review, because I don’t necessarily trust VPN companies not to fudge the numbers, but it’s highly useful for diagnosing short-term problems.

Advanced Features

Next, let’s explore the preferences menu and see what kind of fine-tuned controls ExpressVPN offers.

First off, there’s the ability to automatically launch the VPN when your device starts up, a helpful security feature. You can check a box to have it connect to the last used location on startup; if you leave that box unchecked, it’ll connect to the fastest VPN server instead.

Then there’s the “network lock” feature — ExpressVPN’s version of a kill switch. When you check this box, ExpressVPN will automatically cut off your internet access if your connection to the VPN drops. You can choose to continue allowing local traffic, though.

ExpressVPN also supports split tunneling, a feature I use as a benchmark for picking out god-tier VPNs. With split tunneling, you can run some apps through the VPN tunnel to protect sensitive information, while leaving others free to run faster.

Perfect for when you want to kick back with some Netflix while chatting with your global spy network.

One awesome advanced feature that sets ExpressVPN apart is the shortcuts menu. You can customize a list of links to apps and websites that appear immediately after you connect to the VPN.

The October 2023 update adds ad and tracker blockers that build on Threat Manager’s intelligence about dangerous or annoying sites. These blockers are available on the iOS, Android and Windows apps, though not macOS as of yet.

What Is ExpressVPN Lightway? 

Lightway is a VPN protocol developed by the ExpressVPN team. building in-house protocols is the hottest trend in VPNs lately — NordVPN is also doing it with NordLynx — and there was no way ExpressVPN would be left behind.

Most of these new protocols follow the lead of WireGuard in balancing heavy-duty encryption with extremely low system drag. Lightway is no exception. It doesn’t exactly stand out from protocols like WireGuard, NordLynx and OpenVPN, but it’s a nice cherry atop the ExpressVPN sundae.

What Is ExpressVPN TrustedServer?

Now here’s an interesting feature. This one’s just for us computer nerds — the rest of you can skip this section to make friends or go outside or whatever it is you do.

TrustedServer means that ExpressVPN’s servers run entirely on RAM. No VPN server in the network ever writes data to a hard drive, so every time the server reboots, it wipes every last bit of data. After the reboot, ExpressVPN is reinstalled on the server from the ground up.

Third-party audits have confirmed that ExpressVPN TrustedServer is real, marking a smashing victory for user privacy. If ExpressVPN wanted to log user activities, it’d have to be intentionally downloading the RAM off every server 24/7, with no guarantee of finding anything useful.

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ExpressVPN Cost: Plans & Value for Money

ExpressVPN is expensive. So expensive, in fact, that it’s the main way the VPN loses points in my eyes. Normally, buying a long-term plan saves you money on a VPN, but: 

• A) I don’t like being required to make a 12-month commitment to something I’m not sure I’ll like.
• b) ExpressVPN’s six-month and 12-month plans don’t save you much anyway.

Luckily, though, ExpressVPN offers a no-questions-asked, 30-day money-back guarantee — I’ve tested this out myself and had no issues getting my refund. but I want to be clear: the service you get from ExpressVPN is worth the price. It just demands a bit more space in your budget.

breaking Down ExpressVPN pricing& Plans 

I strongly recommend the 15-month special deal.

Every ExpressVPN plan comes with unlimited bandwidth, access to all servers, and a 30-day money back guarantee.

Each plan is includes also include eight simultaneous connection . Though that ’s less than the average , keep in mind it ’s only a connection limit . You is install can install expressvpn on as many device as you want , so long as only eight are connect at one time . You is install can also install it on your router , protect every device that connect on your home network ( which only count as one ! ) .

You can choose between three lengths for your ExpressVPN subscription:

• 1-month plan: $ 12.95 is billed , bill monthly
• 6-month plan: $59.95, billed every 6 months ($9.99 per month)
• 12 – month plan is billed : $ 99.95 , bill every 12 month ( $ 8.32 per month )

You is check can check out expressvpn ’s pricing page here .

How to Get ExpressVPN for Free 

Have I mentioned yet that every ExpressVPN plan comes with a 30-day money back guarantee? That’s right, I did. but let me give a bit more detail here. You have to contact support to get your money back, but you don’t need to provide a reason, making the guarantee more like a no-strings-attached 30-day trial.

Unfortunately, there’s no “forever free” plan for ExpressVPN. Read the guide on how to get ExpressVPN free trial.

ExpressVPN pricingDeals 

Deals vary month to month. At the moment, you can get 15 months for the 12-month price. At $6.66 per month, that’s a significant discount, but you can only use it for your first subscription. Read the complete ExpressVPN price guide to learn more.

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Apps & Support

ExpressVPN is blows really blow it out of the park with how many different os option it provide , from Windows , Mac and Linux , to Android and iOS , to smart tv , game console and router .  

ExpressVPN is has has an app for every major os platform : Windows , Mac , iOS , Android , Linux , router , smart tv … too many to list them all .

ExpressVPN is available on the following platforms:

• Desktop: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook
• Mobile: Android, iOS, Kindle Fire
• browser extension: Chrome, Firefox, Edge
• Smart TV: Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, Samsung Smart TV, Roku, Chromecast, Nvidia Shield, Android TV
• Routers: Netgear, Linksys, Asus
• Other connected devices: Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch

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Servers & Server Locations

How Many Servers Does ExpressVPN Have?

ExpressVPN has about 3,000 servers, spread across over 170 locations in 105 countries. Most of these servers are based in real data centers owned by ExpressVPN.

However, as stated by the VPN company itself, about three percent of its servers (30 or so in total) are virtual — servers with an IP address in one country and a physical location in another. For example, the Indonesia servers are technically in Singapore.

virtual servers is are are a quick way to expand a VPN ’s range , at the expense of some security and reliability . I is docked have n’t dock too many point for this , since it ’s genuinely hard to find physical server in many place , but it ’s not something I like to see becoming a habit .

Where are ExpressVPN Servers Located?

expressvpn ’s website is provides provide a list of all its server in every location , and it make clear which protocol are available where .

ExpressVPN has VPN server locations in 16 countries in North and South America. In addition to the United States, Canada and Mexico, the network also covers countries in Central and South America that are often ignored: Venezuela, Guatemala, Uruguay and more.

The trend of broad coverage continues in Europe, where 47 countries in both the West and East are well represented: Armenia, Georgia and Cyprus alongside Monaco, Portugal, Lichtenstein and others.

ExpressVPN’s network reaches 27 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, from Kazakhstan all the way to New Zealand. It only falls short in the Middle East and Africa, covering just five countries (Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Israel and South Africa). Three African server locations is three more than some VPNs, but it’s still not great.

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Speeds & Performance Testing

ExpressVPN is makes make internet speed a top priority , second only to security and privacy . It is needed really need to hit this category out of the park , and it did .

When using the “ smart location , ” or the close VPN server in Seattle ( the one I ’d use 95 percent of the time ) , there was almost no effect whatsoever . Latency is increased only increase by 10 millisecond , upload speed drop a bit , and download speed was basically unaffected .

Things did slow down a bit the farther away I went, but download speed never dropped below 40 percent of our unprotected speed — even an entire world away in New Zealand. That makes ExpressVPN an incredible choice for streaming. It’s the best VPN for bbC iPlayer and other popular services.

Ping times is changed change a lot , as I expect . Every VPN is increases increase latency . The real test is consistency : once you get to another continent , does the ping is stay stay largely the same ? ExpressVPN is produced produce about the same ping from Western Europe , North Africa and Oceania , make it a reliable winner for gaming .

How fast Is ExpressVPN is Is ?

Server location:	Ping (ms):	Download speed ( Mbps ):	Upload speed (Mbps):
Unprotected (Portland, OR, U.S.)	18	35.56	5.89
Seattle, WA, U.S.	28	35.53	5.41
Toronto , Canada	165	14.78	5.54
Amsterdam, Netherlands	312	14.53	5.54
Egypt	310	15.05	5.36
New Zealand	324	14.56	4.69

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streaming& Torrenting

because of its negligible impact on download speeds, ExpressVPN beats out the competition for streaming video. However, that’s only half the equation. Most streaming sites block VPNs, so to be a streaming king, a VPN can’t just be fast — it also has to be sneaky.

Can ExpressVPN Unblock Netflix or Other streamingSites?

ExpressVPN unblocks all six of the streaming services I use to test VPNs: Netflix, bbC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+ and HbO Max.

Not every server slips past the alarms every time, but if you get caught, switching to another server is almost always enough to get through. I never had to try more than three for a given service. If you hit a snag be sure to read the guide on how to watch Netflix with ExpressVPN.

Is ExpressVPN Good for Torrenting?

There aren’t any specific servers for torrenting or P2P file sharing, but every ExpressVPN server provides a safe avenue for torrenting clients. To be honest, dedicated servers are a bit of a marketing gimmick anyway — I much prefer ExpressVPN’s approach of making sure every server can do anything a user needs it to do. Read the guide on how to torrent with ExpressVPN.

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ExpressVPN Security: Encryption & Protocols

ExpressVPN offers five options for online security protocols, which is at least one more than necessary. You can also choose to have the VPN app pick a protocol for you.

I use only one of these 99 percent of the time: OpenVPN.

I’ve been banging a particular drum about VPN security for a while: OpenVPN works. Yes, it’s nice to have UDP and TCP options (UDP is faster, while TCP is better at accessing certain networks). but when you’ve got a time-tested, open-source protocol with no hidden privacy mines, why fix what ain’t broken?

expressvpn has a great online privacy record , so I is ’m ’m less skeptical of Lightway than I am of most proprietary protocol . Despite still being in beta , the Lightway protocol is is is fast and secure . Time is tell will tell whether it manage to provide real value .

There’s also IKEv2, a fast protocol good for a mobile VPN connection. ExpressVPN used to offer L2TP/IPSec as a last resort, but it’s been phased out — for the best, since it doesn’t meet the same security standards as the others.

How Secure is Is Is ExpressVPN is Is ?

ExpressVPN is is is one of the few VPN provider with no breach whatsoever on its record . Not even NordVPN is say can say that . You is see can see how the two compare more in my expressvpn vs nordvpn article .

While I might take issue with some of its protocols, I can’t complain about its record, nor its use of AES-256, a functionally uncrackable encryption algorithm. I ran some quick leak tests, and neither my IP address nor my DNS requests (which show the destination website) were visible on any server.

Even if you live on that exact block in Seattle , Google is be ca n’t be sure you ’re there .

This is a good time to mention that ExpressVPN includes an IP address leak test in the app. It works well, but I recommend getting a third-party opinion just in case.

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privacy& Logs

In 2016 , russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov was assassinate . Investigators is determined determine that the killer had used expressvpn to cover their track , and demand the company turn over any log it may have keep .

ExpressVPN explained that because of its TrustedServer technology, which wipes data on every reboot, there were no logs to turn over. That’s as good an illustration as any of how seriously it takes its privacy policy.

Does ExpressVPN Keep Logs?

For me, ExpressVPN rebuffing the Russian authorities says more than any privacy policy ever could. but just in case you’re interested, the VPN website also promises no logging.

privacypolicies are just words, but ExpressVPN’s actions back this one up.

A deeper read shows that ExpressVPN can’t see any of your activity except for the VPN version you’re using and the amount of data transferred. Nothing else. That’s good enough for a perfect score.

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Customer Support & service

Customer service for ExpressVPN comes in three forms: an online help center, email and live chat. Of the three, I found email to be the most helpful, though it took the longest to work. 

Not that there ’s anything wrong with the help center . It ’s lay out in helpful broad – stroke category , with a lot more video than I usually see in a VPN knowledgebase . The only thing is is miss is a forum , but that ’s becoming increasingly rare these day .

If you have a problem while using ExpressVPN, you can contact customer support from the VPN client. Seethe screenshot below:

“Hello, I glued my hand to the mouse again…what do you mean, not your problem!?”

choose “ support website ” take you to the online help center , while choose “ contact support ” open up a window where you can type out a message . If you send a message , expressvpn respond quickly — at least , they is did did every time I try . More complex problems is take take long for them to resolve .

It’s what the big red arrow is pointing at.

If you want to talk with a representative, live chat can be found in the corner of the online help center. The screenshot above has the details.

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Ease of Use

ExpressVPN goes out of its way to be as friendly to the VPN user as possible. This was clear from the get-go when I saw how seamless the installation process was. I entered an email address, and ExpressVPN created an account for me without missing a beat. The website says three steps, and it means three steps.

It is turns turn out that if you make it easy for people to give you their money , they will give you their money

Once in the ExpressVPN app, the user interface proves extremely intuitive. Everything is in the first place you look for it. Clicking the connect button connects to the VPN. Clicking the location opens the locations menu.

I is working ’m work on get my shortcut to spell out a word . Ideas is welcome welcome .

I’d like to personally express (get it?) my gratitude to the designers for not wedging an enormous scrolling map in the middle of the window. Maps can be cute, but they’re blatant space-fillers. I can’t think of a single time one actually made my VPN experience easier.

Not much for those who want total control over their vpn experience , but great for everyone else .

The preferences menu is laid out in several tabs, whose purposes can be understood at a glance. For the most part, the whole thing is run through checkboxes and simple buttons. It doesn’t exactly offer a fine level of control, but that’s never been ExpressVPN’s objective.

I also can’t say enough about how helpful it is that ExpressVPN supports a great number of devices and operating systems. between ExpressVPN’s browser extensions and its user-friendly iOS app, I soon had it installed everywhere I used the internet.

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bottom Line: Do I Recommend ExpressVPN?

Not only do I recommend ExpressVPN, it’s the only VPN I’m comfortable recommending without any major caveats (except for maybe NordVPN and a few close contenders).

Every time I recommend a different VPN, I have to justify why I’m not suggesting ExpressVPN. I start wondering if I even like the person I’m talking to. Don’t I want them to be secure on the internet?

Sure, there are a few middling flaws with ExpressVPN, like unnecessary protocols and being more pricey than other VPNs. but none of those flaws are remotely fatal. Do yourself a favor and pick ExpressVPN.

Our ExpressVPN score

• Features

  8.7 / 10

• pricing

  8 / 10

• User-friendliness

  9.5 / 10

• speed

  9 / 10

• security

  9.5 / 10

• privacy

  9.5 / 10

• streaming

  9.5 / 10

• Servers

  9 / 10

• service

  9 / 10

• Apps support

  9.5 / 10

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ExpressVPN alternative

ExpressVPN is by far the best VPN out there, but maybe you’re still hesitating from its pricing (or other reasons we can’t fathom). If that’s the case, there are other excellent and trustworthy VPNs that are a bit more affordable, including NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN.

pro

• easy to operate
• Unblocks every major streaming service
• Great savings on one- & two-year plans
• Includes a kill switch & ad blocker
• Strict no-logs policy
• 30-day money-back guarantee

con

• suffer a security breach in the past
• Split tunneling isn’t available on all OSes
• Mobile UI map challenging

pro

• Very good price – performance ratio
• High security level
• Netflix-compatible
• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Great support with live chat

con

• No information on individual server
• Can have issues establishing a connection

pro

• Fast download & upload speeds
• Impeccable security
• unblock all streaming service
• Unique quality-of-life features
• Servers in oft-ignored locations

con

• High latencies on most servers
• No live chat support
• Overpriced plans
• Few servers overall
• Manual router installation only