ExpressVPN Review

The best VPN money can buy!

9.9

Outstanding!

9.9 Outstanding!

Works With

 Streaming

Review-banner-img Gaming

Review-banner-img Torrenting

Review-banner-img Censorship

Highlights

Review-banner-img Try it risk-free before you decide (30-day money-back guarantee)

Review-banner-img User friendly apps for all popular devices

Review-banner-img Lightning fast servers in 94 countries

Review-banner-img 256-bit encryption to keep your data safe

Review-banner-img Zero-logs policy means your data can’t be stored or shared

Review-banner-img Connect 5 devices at the same time

Review-banner-img Chrome, Firefox & Edge extensions

Compatibility

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Find out more on expressvpn.com compatibility-icon

Founded over a decade ago, ExpressVPN has proved time and time again why it deserves to be called the absolute best. Despite how competitive the market is nowadays, no other VPN service has come close to providing the speed, security, variety of servers, and features ExpressVPN delivers.

1- Minute Review For Those On The Go

Watch your favorite content

Watching videos on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and all other streaming platforms is as simple as a click.

Buffer-free servers

Hate the pesky dotted circle that keeps popping up whenever you watch a video? Not anymore. ExpressVPN’s rapid servers eliminate all buffering for good.

Lightning fast download & upload

I barely noticed I had a VPN running in the background. Despite the heavy security ExpressVPN applies to my connection, my download & upload speeds remained unnoticeably the same

Military-class digital security

ExpressVPN has top-of-the-line encryption technology and advanced security features to keep nosey ISPs, dangerous hackers, and DDoSers at bay.

Biggest server network in the market

With over 3000 servers in 94 countries, ExpressVPN gives you the ultimate freedom to pick and choose what servers and which countries you want to connect to

Apps for every device

Doesn’t matter what device you have, ExpressVPN has a user-friendly, dedicated app for all major and not-so-major devices.

24/7 customer service

Probably one of the best customer service experiences I’ve ever had. They’re friendly, supportive, and extremely knowledgeable.

Transparent no-logs policy

Don’t take our -or ExpressVPN’s- word for it, take it from the 3rd party cybersecurity auditing firms. ExpressVPN even makes it crystal-clear on their website that they have no interest in your private data.

Unmatched value for price

After trying the competition, I can say with conviction that ExpressVPN is worth every penny you spend. Just make sure you opt-in for the long-term subscriptions as they pack way more value than short-term ones.

ExpressVPN Highlights — Updated in January 2023

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Risk-free trial

Yes - 30 days

Number of servers

3000+

Number of countries

94

Number of devices per subscription

5

Kill switch

Yes

Split-tunneling

Yes

Supports torrenting

Yes

China support

Yes

Compatible with streaming platforms

Yes

Support

24/7 - Chat/Email

Country of origin

British Virgin Islands (Dubbed as privacy haven)

While not even close to becoming a deal-breaker, ExpressVPN still has some areas of opportunity that you should know about. In the below table, we’ve listed some pros & cons that will give you a better idea of what to expect.

ExpressVPN Pros & Cons

Pros

correct-sign Military-grade security protocols

correct-sign 30-day risk-free trial

correct-sign 3,000+ servers in 94 countries

correct-sign Intuitive app design

correct-sign Strict no-logs policy

correct-sign IP/DNS leak proof

correct-sign Exceptional customer support

Pros

cross-sign No Linux GUI

Speed & Reliability

Alright, let’s kick off our review with something important to all, speed.

To give you some context, I upload around 40GBs worth of videos a day, stream Netflix for several hours, and download an immeasurable amount of materials every single day so I’d know if my internet was acting slow or being throttled down. There was no alarming difference.

ExpressVPN blew me away by how fast it was, no matter the server I was connected to.

Here are some of the test results:

I’ve also checked by connecting long distance locations (up to 14398km away from me), and here are the results:

Location
Download Speed
Upload Speed

United Kingdom (8597km)

94.12 Mbps

88.84 Mbps

Germany (7882km)

89.32 Mbps
89.32 Mbps

 

 

South Africa (14398km)
83.09 Mbps

84.28 Mbps

India (13595km)

91.06 Mbps

79.92 Mbps

Australia (8551km)

93.88 Mbps

78.32 Mbps

Despite the heavy security layers ExpressVPN has, it still manages to deliver insane connection speed across the board.

Security & Features

For those who don’t want to go through tens of complicated abbreviations and cybersecurity terms, here’s what you need to know:

ExpressVPN is equipped with military-grade security protocols and the latest and greatest encryption algorithms, storing your private information in a neat little impossible-to-crack safe.

For those want to get down to the nitty-gritty, here are the security features ExpressVPN offers:

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Protocols

  • Lightway (Built from the ground up by ExpressVPN)
  • IKEv2/IPSec
  • L2TP/IPSec
  • OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)

Encryption

AES-256

Security

  • DNS Leak Blocking
  • IPv6 Leak Blocking
  • VPN Kill Switch
  • WebRTC Leak Blocking

Advanced Features

Split Tunneling

ExpressVPN is an extremely safe VPN service that uses the highest security protocols and encryption standards.

The VPN’s security has been verified through audits by trusted firms like PWC and Cure53.

Not to mention many of the VPN applications are open-source and open for external scrutiny by security researchers.

Protocols, leaks & the kill switch:

ExpressVPN’s proprietary 256-bit encrypted DNS service eliminates the need for third-party services like OpenDNS, saving you from potential cyber-attacks and data leaks.

White hat hackers and penetration testers found it challenging to infiltrate ExpressVPN-protected sessions. The security protocols and encryption methods ExpressVPN uses make it difficult even for the elite to launch a successful DDoS attack or cause a data leak.

Speaking about leaks, there are none. IPLeak and DNS Leak Test proved that ExpressVPN doesn’t leak your real IP address. In addition to a simple yet effective kill switch that cuts off your internet connection entirely in case the VPN stops for any reason–making it ideal for torrenting!

Split-tunneling:

The split-tunneling feature works as intended. For those unfamiliar with the feature, split-tunneling allows you to manually choose which apps go through the VPN connection and which go through your regular connection. A handy feature if you want to keep your static IP the same while torrenting or gaming.

Here I’m only letting my torrent client and TOR browser use the VPN, leaving all of my other apps to use my direct internet connection.

Streaming

ExpressVPN is reliable when it comes to watching content on your favorite streaming sites. I successfully tested their compatibility with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer!

One of the best things about ExpressVPN is that they actively monitor how well each server works with these streaming services. So if an IP stops working for one network (like Disney+ or Hulu.), it will quickly be replaced with another.

Here’s my personal experience with watching content on various streaming services using ExpressVPN

It’s also worth mentioning that I easily watched Crunchyroll (Thank you, Jack, for the account), ESPN+, Peacock, and other major streaming services.

Torrenting

ExpressVPN is a godsend for those who want high speeds and complete privacy while torrenting. This VPN gives you much-needed peace of mind.

Logging Policy & Jurisdiction

Here’s where ExpressVPN’s transparency and dedication to privacy truly shines.

Most, if not all, VPNs advertise themselves as a “ZERO-LOGS POLICY!!” VPN, but that’s not always the case. You’ll find a pesky asterisk after those exclamation marks instructing you to read through a 10-page jargon-filled privacy policy to know what kind of data the VPN keeps. You’ll be shocked at the amount of private data they keep.

That’s not the case for ExpressVPN. Let me keep it real simple for you:

ExpressVPN DOES NOT log your private data. They simply do not care. Data like browsing history, IP address, and activity go straight to the shredder.

They, however, collect the following:

  • Dates (not times) when you connect to one of their servers
  • The location of the server you connected to
  • Total amount of data transferred/used per day

Why?

Because it helps them keep track of their traffic to maintain a stable, fast connection.

Server Locations

With over 3,000 servers across the globe, ExpressVPN by far has one of the largest VPN networks in the industry.

How does this benefit you as an end-user?

For one, you’ll be able to connect to servers in 94 countries. For two, the more servers, the less the traffic and the faster the connection speed. So it doesn’t matter if ExpressVPN has a huge upward spike in users tomorrow; you’ll still be able to connect and surf the internet safely and quickly.

Devices & Installation

From Windows to macOS, to Amazon FireStick to Routers, ExpressVPN has a client for virtually every device out there. ExpressVPN’s subscription allows you to connect up to five devices simultaneously, which most users deem more than enough.

Setting up ExpressVPN on most devices is as simple as downloading and installing the software. Some devices, like routers, require a 5-minute configuration to set up.

The user interface is intuitive and easy to follow, with no overly complicated “futuristic” design or 600 buttons and sliders to mess with. Just a simple, clean interface model made for the everyday user

Gamers, rejoice!

As you know, gaming consoles lack native VPN support, leaving you vulnerable to DDoS attacks, getting doxxed, or worse. Thankfully, ExpressVPN’s Smart DNS Tool has joined the fray.

The Smart DNS Tool lets you connect to ExpressVPN-protected servers on your Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or any other gaming console you might have.

Setting it the Smart DNS Tool takes around 5 minutes, and it WON’T affect your gaming experience one bit. From the tests I’ve done on my PS5, I didn’t notice any difference in the ping, there was no lag whatsoever, and my FPS was the same.

Overall, it was a great experience gaming with peace of mind.

Dear Linux Users

With great sadness, I write to inform you that the ExpressVPN Linux app does not come with a GUI.

I found it hard to navigate because I’m unfamiliar with Linux or how terminals work, but I’m sure most Linux users are used to this and won’t see a problem with it.

Customer Support

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24/7 LiveChat support

Yes

Email

Yes

Online Resources

Yes

Probably the most helpful, friendliest customer service I’ve ever contacted. I’ve had my fair share of interactions with my ISP, project management software, and bank, and none of them came close to how supportive and energetic ExpressVPN’s customer service is.

Whether you have a technical question, a billing issue, or need some installation guidance, ExpressVPN support will give you all the answers you need to make your day brighter and internet secure.

If you’re not a fan of dealing with other people, you can always confide in their support guides and video tutorials. They make sure to update it every once in a while to ensure you have all the materials you need without contacting support.

Price & Value for Money

ExpressVPN Coupon

Get 3 months free with ExpressVPN's 12-month plan

Review-banner-img Tested . Ends 24 Jan

Let me address the elephant in the room. Yes, ExpressVPN’s subscription plans may come off more on the premium side, but that’s for a very good reason. As you’ve read throughout the review, the features, quality of servers, and speed make it more than a worthy investment.

All three subscription plans come with the full software version and a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to worry about.

Monthly

US$12.95/mo
Billed $12.95 every month

6 Monthly(s)

US$9.99/mo Save 23% Billed $59.95 every 6 months Save 23%

15 Monthly(s)

US$6.67/mo Save 49% Billed $99.95 first 15 months and 12 months thereafter Save 49%

The refund process is more than simple; you go to the website, contact support, ask for a refund, and you’ll get your lump sum back within 5 to 10 business days. This goes for all payment methods.

And speaking about payment methods, ExpressVPN supports over 15+ different payment methods, such as:

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Discover
  • Diners Club
  • Visa Electron
  • American Express
  • JCB

Plus, more modern payment methods, such as:

  • Paypal
  • Bitcoin

And international payment methods (via Paymentwall), like:

  • UnionPay
  • Klarna
  • Giropay
  • Interac
  • OneCard
  • iDeal
  • WebMoney
  • Yandex.money
  • Mint
  • SOFORT

Bottom Line

The entire vpnRadar team has been using ExpressVPN for years now, me included. The speed, the security, the versatility, the features, everything screams quality.

No other VPN in the market comes close to ExpressVPN.

If you haven’t already, I suggest you try it and judge yourself. Spoiler: you’ll love it.

ExpressVPN is an exceptional service. Try it risk-free for 30 days.

About the Author

John Reed

John Reed is a lifelong technology and security enthusiast. After focusing on threat intelligence and incident response at a US cybersecurity firm, he developed a keen interest in widely available security software. This led him to realize the importance of VPNs that protect the general public from legal forms of monitoring as well as illegal privacy breaches. He tested many different VPNs, later creating vpnRadar because he felt responsible for providing accurate, accessible VPN reviews. He hopes his research and testing results will help others decide which VPN works best for them.

Reviews 10623.Excellent

4.7/5

Exclusive VPN Offers:

Get 3 months free with ExpressVPN's 12-month plan

Review-banner-img Tested . Ends 24 Jan

Overall Trustpilot Rating

4.7