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ExpressVPN

November 2024 Review & Coupons

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Our Score9.8
User Rating
 4.8416 star 
(1,894 User Reviews)

Works With

  • Netflix
  • BBC iPlayer
  • Disney+
  • Hulu & HBO Max
  • Amazon Prime Video
  • Torrenting & Kodi

Available On

Highlights

  • Perfect for streaming & torrenting
  • Very fast, secure & anonymous
  • Instant setup & very easy to use
  • Try for free for 30 days
Find out more on expressvpn.com

ExpressVPN Pros & Cons

  • Exceptionally fast & reliable speeds
  • Strong security & AES-256 bit encryption
  • Works with Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer & more
  • Safe, fast & unrestricted torrenting traffic
  • Audited zero-logs policy & no IP leaks
  • User-friendly PC, Mac, iOS, Android & Firestick apps

  • No Linux GUI

ExpressVPN Key Data

Data CapNone
Local Download Speed92Mbps
Logging PolicyNo Identifying Data
Data LeaksNo
JurisdictionBritish Virgin Islands (Privacy Haven)
Servers3,000
IP Addresses3,000+
Countries with Servers94
Support24/7 Live Chat
Cheapest Price$4.99/mo over 30 Months
Official WebsiteExpressVPN.com

Price & Value

Great 30-day Risk-free Trial on All Devices

ExpressVPN offers three main subscription plans, all of which include the same features.

The longer you subscribe for, the cheaper the monthly cost – although you will have to pay the full subscription fee up front.

  1. Monthly

    $12.95/mo

    Billed $12.95 every month
  2. 16 Month(s)

    $6.25/mo

    Billed $99.95 the first 16 months and $116.95 yearly thereafter
    Save 51%
  3. 30 Month(s)

    $4.99/mo

    Billed $149.70 the first 30 months and $116.95 yearly thereafter
    Save 61%

ExpressVPN Risk-free Trial

ExpressVPN also offers a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee. This lets you try the VPN for free for 30 days on all devices.

If you don’t want to continue your subscription, ask ExpressVPN’s live chat team for a refund and they’ll promptly process it.

Accepted Payment Methods

  1. Alipay
  2. American Express
  3. Bitcoin
  4. Giropay
  5. iDeal
  6. Klarna
  7. Mastercard
  8. Mint
  9. PayPal
  10. SOFORT
  11. UnionPay
  12. Visa
  13. WebMoney
  14. Yoo Money (Yandex.money)

Speed

Very Fast Global Speeds

ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested. We recorded an average speed loss of just 8% connecting to its nearby VPN servers.

The VPN’s speeds are remarkably consistent, on both short-distance and long-distance connections.

All apps connect quickly to servers, and we didn’t experience any connection drops over thousands of tests.

What really stands out is ExpressVPN’s speeds on long-distance connections. It’s the best VPN to connect to a country far away from your real location.

Local Speed Test results before using ExpressVPN:

  • Download Speed: 100Mbps
  • Upload Speed: 100Mbps
  • Ping: 3ms

Local Speed Test results with ExpressVPN:

  • Download Speed: 91.62Mbps
  • Upload Speed: 91.57Mbps
  • Ping: 8ms

Download speed loss when ExpressVPN is running: 8%

To measure the impact of ExpressVPN on internet speed, we compared our download speeds before and after manually connecting to a nearby VPN server (using the ‘Smart Location’ feature).

Here are our full speed test results:

Download speed without ExpressVPN: 95.46Mbps

Download speed with ExpressVPN: 87.46Mbps

Our download speed loss when ExpressVPN is running: 8%

Only 8% speed loss while using a VPN is very impressive. Testing the OpenVPN and Lightway protocols, ExpressVPN had barely any impact on our download and upload speeds.

An 8ms ping time is also excellent, especially if you’re gaming online. Lag can ruin an online video game, so the lower the latency (ping time) the less lag you’ll experience.

International Speed Test Results

We also measured ExpressVPN’s average speeds connecting to servers around the world. We wanted to see how well the service performs over long-distance connections (even if these places may not be far from you).

Here are our latest long-distance speed test results:

USA (New Jersey):

  • Download: 78.92Mbps (17% slower)
  • Upload: 45.36Mbps (55% slower)

Germany:

  • Download: 88Mbps (8% slower)
  • Upload: 74.98Mbps (25% slower)

Singapore:

  • Download: 73.12Mbps (24% slower)
  • Upload: 22.35Mbps (78% slower)

Australia:

  • Download: 69.44Mbps (27% slower)
  • Upload: 23.44Mbps (77% slower)

ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs on long-distance connections, something many VPNs struggle with.

Streaming

Excellent for Streaming & Torrenting

Streaming ServiceWorks with ExpressVPN
Amazon Prime VideoYes
BBC iPlayerYes
Channel 4Yes
Disney+Yes
Hotstar IndiaYes
HuluYes
ITVXYes
MaxYes
Netflix USYes

ExpressVPN is our best-rated Netflix VPN. It’s also a great choice to stream other streaming services.

The VPN easily streams platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video with minimal buffering.

Optimized for Netflix

In our latest tests, we streamed the US Netflix library through almost all of its US VPN servers. New York was the only server that didn’t work.

The Isle of Man and Jersey servers worked well with UK Netflix.

Overall, we accessed 18 different Netflix regions in a variety of different languages. Some of the most popular libraries ExpressVPN works with are:

  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Egypt
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Malaysia
  • Netherlands
  • Pakistan
  • Panama
  • Romania
  • Sweden
  • UK
  • US

Just connect to a server located in the same country as the Netflix library you want to watch, and you’re good to go.

ExpressVPN Still Works with BBC iPlayer

ExpressVPN still works with BBC iPlayer, but recently it’s having some issues. Beating BBC iPlayer’s VPN ban isn’t easy, and it can take a few tries for ExpressVPN to work.

We recommend using ExpressVPN’s browser extensions, and connecting to the London server, or the Wembley one. This method works well, as long as you’re located outside the UK.

Access to Many Other Streaming Platforms

The vast majority of ExpressVPN’s servers work with many streaming platforms, including:

  • Amazon Prime Video
  • DAZN
  • Disney+
  • ESPN
  • HBO Max
  • Hulu
  • Now TV
  • Peacock
  • Sky
  • Sling TV

The VPN’s fast download speeds mean that whatever video you stream, it will be buffer-free.

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming. Try it risk-free for 30 days.

Torrenting with ExpressVPN

Simply put, ExpressVPN is great for torrenting. You can torrent files across the entire server network without restrictions. None of your file-sharing activity will be stored.

We tested ExpressVPN with torrent clients like qBittorrent, uTorrent, and Deluge. The VPN didn’t leak our torrent IP address once.

ExpressVPN running at the same time as qBittorrent

And if the VPN connection had dropped, the VPN kill switch would have prevented our real IP address from being exposed.

Also, the VPN’s advanced security features let you stream P2P-based Kodi add-ons and IPTV apps anonymously.

The only issue with torrenting with this VPN is that it doesn’t allow port forwarding. While you can still technically upload or ‘seed’ torrent files, your speeds will be very slow.

Security

Very Safe & Secure

ProtocolsAvailable in ExpressVPN
HydraNo
IKEv2/IPSecNo
L2TP/IPSecNo
LightwayNo
NordLynx (WireGuard)No
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)No
PPTPNo
ProprietaryNo
SoftEtherNo
SSL VPNNo
SSTPNo
TLS VPNNo
UndisclosedNo
WireGuardNo
EncryptionAvailable in ExpressVPN
AES-128No
AES-192No
AES-256Yes
BlowfishNo
ChaCha20No
SecurityAvailable in ExpressVPN
Diskless ServersNo
DNS Leak BlockingYes
First-party DNSYes
IPv6 Leak BlockingYes
Supports TCP Port 443No
VPN Kill SwitchYes
WebRTC Leak BlockingYes
Advanced FeaturesAvailable in ExpressVPN
Ad BlockerNo
Dedicated IPNo
Double VPNNo
SOCKSNo
Split TunnelingYes
Static IPNo
Tor over VPN ServerNo
Tracker BlockerNo

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

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.

High Degree of Encryption

All apps use AES-256 bit encryption, in combination with the OpenVPN protocol, a 4096-bit RSA key and SHA-512 HMAC authentication. This is the level of encryption that governments and banks recommend.

What’s more, ExpressVPN runs its own private, zero-knowledge DNS servers. In other words, ExpressVPN handles and encrypts your DNS requests (the websites you visit), not a third party. Only the finest VPN services offer this.

ExpressVPN Advanced Settings

By default, the VPN service uses Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS). This adds another layer of protection by creating a new encryption key for every session, and replacing it every 60 minutes.

PFS means that even if someone intercepted and decrypted your data transfer, the most they could get is 60 minutes of data.

Secure VPN Protocols

The VPN apps automatically choose the best VPN protocol for you, but you can choose one manually if you prefer.

We recommend using OpenVPN, or ExpressVPN’s proprietary protocol named Lightway.

Lightway has been performing very well in our speed and security tests. It also uses less battery than other VPN protocols, since it has fewer lines of code.

Effective Kill Switch

ExpressVPN doesn’t have a tonne of advanced security features, but those it does have are extremely effective.

Its reliable VPN kill switch is called Network Lock. This feature stops your internet connection entirely in the unlikely event your VPN connection drops. In doing so, your true IP address is never exposed.

Network Lock is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android (on which it’s called Network Protection). It’s not on the iOS app yet, which ExpressVPN needs to fix.

TrustedServer

The VPN also comes with TrustedServer. This proprietary technology ensures your web data is never written to a server’s hard drive.

TrustedServer has the following security benefits:

  • Wipes all data with every reboot, as VPN servers run on RAM only
  • Servers never write to the hard drive, further minimizing data risk
  • The entire software stack is reinstalled on every server at startup
  • Allows ExpressVPN to know what’s running on every server, with no inconsistencies

Split tunneling

Split tunneling is a useful setting that you won’t find in many VPNs. It lets you decide which apps should use the VPN connection, and which ones shouldn’t.

Split tunneling can have practical uses (for example with your wireless printer). You can keep certain devices connected to your standard internet line, rather than the VPN, preventing connection issues between devices.

IP and DNS Leak Test Results

We ran the VPN apps through IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests and it passed all tests with no leaks whatsoever.

As you can see below, ExpressVPN masked our real UK IP address, replacing it with a Swedish one.

ExpressVPN passing a leak test

Browserleaks.com also confirmed ExpressVPN is very secure

We also tested the VPN extensions for HTML5 browser leaks, which also passed with flying colors.

Privacy

Verified No-logs VPN Service

ExpressVPN is a virtually zero-logs VPN service. It’s a trustworthy company that goes to great lengths to protect user privacy.

The VPN doesn’t collect any personal activity logs. It only keeps some connection data, including the date of the connection and your choice of server, but it doesn’t store your full IP address or web activity.

Here’s all the information ExpressVPN collects:

  • Dates when connected to the VPN service
  • Choice of VPN server location
  • Total amount of data transferred per day

That’s it. ExpressVPN maintains this is the minimum amount of data needed to keep server performance as strong as possible. All this data reveals is that you used the VPN at some point.

An excerpt from ExpressVPN's logging policy

An excerpt from ExpressVPN’s logging policy

ExpressVPN’s logging policy was stress tested in December 2017. One of its servers was seized and inspected by Turkish authorities investigating the assassination of the Russian ambassador, Andrei Karlov.

However, the Turkish investigators couldn’t find any user connection logs.

Based in Safe Jurisdiction

The VPN service was founded in 2009, and is operated by Express VPN International Ltd.

The company is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and outside the 14 Eyes surveillance alliance.

The BVI is an excellent choice of jurisdiction for a privacy-minded company. The country has full sovereignty over its data regulations, and outside governments or agencies cannot force ExpressVPN to surrender information.

Server Locations

3,000 Secure Servers in 160 Locations

Globe with a blue flag
94 Countries
Image of a city landscape
160 Cities
Image of a pink marker
3,000+ IP Addresses

ExpressVPN operates 3,000 VPN servers across 160 cities in 106 countries.

It’s one of the largest VPN server networks available. No matter where you’re located you shouldn’t have trouble finding a server close by.

The more servers there are, the less likely they’ll suffer from traffic congestion and slower speeds.

Wide Range of City-level Servers

You can access 51 specific city-level servers in the following locations:

  • Australia (4 cities)
  • Brazil (2)
  • Canada (3)
  • France (2)
  • Germany (2)
  • Hong Kong (3)
  • India (2)
  • Italy (2)
  • Japan (3)
  • Netherlands (3)
  • Singapore (3)
  • Spain (2)
  • Switzerland (2)
  • UK (4)
  • US (14)

The VPN has servers in 14 city-level locations in the US, and four in Australia. Servers on both sides of these big countries equals fast VPN speeds across the land.

There are plenty of servers in Asia, and in countries that aren’t typically available with other VPN services.

Device Compatibility

Works Well on All Devices

Apps

  1. Windows
  2. Mac
  3. iOS
  4. Android
  5. Linux
  6. Router

ExpressVPN has apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Fire OS and Linux. All the apps are very easy to set up and use.

You can use one ExpressVPN subscription on five devices at the same time, which is the industry average.

Router Compatibility

For unlimited connections, you’ll need to install the VPN on your home router.

ExpressVPN is compatible with the following routers:

  • Asus RT-AC56(U/R/S)
  • Asus RT-AC68U
  • Asus RT-AC87U
  • Linksys EA6200
  • Linksys WRT1200AC
  • Linksys WRT1900AC(S)
  • Linksys WRT3200ACM
  • Netgear R6300v2
  • Netgear R6700v3
  • Netgear Nighthawk R7000
  • Netgear Nighthawk R7000P

You can also manually set up the VPN on these router manufacturers:

  • Other Asus models
  • D-Link
  • DD-WRT
  • Netduma
  • Sabai
  • Tomato
  • TP-Link
  • Xiaomi

Games Consoles & Streaming Devices

  1. Apple TV
  2. Amazon Fire TV
  3. Chromecast
  4. Nintendo
  5. PlayStation
  6. Roku
  7. Xbox

ExpressVPN is a great VPN to use on games consoles and streaming devices that don’t support native VPN applications.

ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer (Smart DNS Tool)

For devices which don’t support dedicated VPN apps you can use MediaStreamer, ExpressVPN’s Smart DNS service.

MediaStreamer lets you connect to VPN servers on devices like Apple TV, Roku, Xbox and PlayStation.

It works by changing your device’s default DNS servers to ones run by ExpressVPN. It’s not as secure as a full VPN connection, but it’s the easiest way to spoof your location on these devices.

Using MediaStreamer is simple, and there are setup guides for dozens of devices on ExpressVPN’s website.

ExpressVPN’s Fire TV Stick App

A very popular streaming device right now is Amazon’s Fire TV Stick. ExpressVPN has a good Firestick app that works with streaming apps, and streams Kodi add-ons and IPTV apps anonymously.

A screenshot of ExpressVPN running on an Amazon Fire TV Stick

Browser Extensions

  1. Chrome
  2. Microsoft Edge
  3. Firefox

ExpressVPN provides full VPN browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge.

ExpressVPN Browser App

Most of the VPN browser add-ons we review are proxies and not full VPNs, but ExpressVPN’s extensions are the real deal.

The browser add-ons need the desktop application to run at the same time. In reality, they act more like a remote control for the full application.

Private and Secure Browser Add-ons

The security and privacy of these extensions is reinforced by the use of HTTPS Everywhere. The tool encrypts your browser’s communication with insecure websites still not using SSL certificates.

What’s more, the ExpressVPN extensions are the only browser add-ons that prevent HTML5 IP location leaks.

Ease of Use

Apps Are Easy to Set up and Use

ExpressVPN is so easy to use that it’s hard to go wrong. Its apps are among the best in the industry – they’re easy to set up, intuitive and well-designed.

It took us less than five minutes to install each VPN application for our tests. Chose your subscription plan, create an account, and enter your payment details.

After you’ve subscribed, you’ll receive a confirmation email with an activation code and a link to the installation guide for your device.

Once you’ve installed the application, the ExpressVPN home screen is simply a big on/off button and a list of VPN servers.

You can also customize your experience by adjusting the advanced settings in each app. These are labeled and explained in plain language, so you’ll know exactly what you’re doing.

Here’s a summary of the differences between ExpressVPN’s applications for each device:

Feature Windows Mac iOS Android
Native App
Kill Switch
OpenVPN
IKEv2
Split Tunneling

 

Let’s take a closer look at each application and the key differences between them:

ExpressVPN’s Windows 10 Client

ExpressVPN Windows App

The Windows app is the most complete out of ExpressVPN’s applications. It’s very easy to use despite having all the tools and features an advanced VPN user could need.

Click on the server you have selected, and a second window with a server list will open next to it. Don’t miss the two tabs at the top: ‘Recommended’ is selected by default, but it doesn’t reveal the whole server list. Click ‘All Locations’ to see the full list, or use the search bar to find a specific location.

ExpressVPN Windows Settings

Other important features are the kill switch (called ‘Network Lock’ under the ‘General settings’ tab) and the protocol selection tab. From here you can select your preferred VPN protocol, or leave it set to ‘Automatic.’

ExpressVPN’s Mac Client

ExpressVPN Mac App

ExpressVPN’s macOS app is practically identical to the Windows version. Many VPN services release subpar Mac apps compared to their flagship Windows app, but that’s not the case here.

The only issue for Mac users is that there’s no extension for Safari yet.

ExpressVPN’s iOS App

ExpressVPN iOS App

ExpressVPN for iPhone and iPad is even more simplified than the desktop version.

It looks largely the same, however once you dive into the settings menu you’ll notice there’s not much there.

ExpressVPN iOS settings

You have the option to choose between OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, and a toggle for whether or not the VPN automatically reconnects if it loses connection. There’s also a button to reset the VPN configuration, if the app stops working.

It’s obvious ExpressVPN decided to make its iOS app more streamlined and lightweight for mobile. But, it would be good to see some of desktop features on the iOS app, too. The kill switch is the most notable absence of all.

ExpressVPN’s Android App

ExpressVPN homescreen on Android

The Android app has the exact same home screen as the iOS app, but there are a few differences between the two applications.

The main difference is the inclusion of a kill switch. With this feature enabled, you can use your smartphone safely with the confidence that your IP address will remain hidden if your VPN connection ever drops.

You’ll find the kill switch under Settings > Network Protection > Block internet when unable to connect or reconnect to VPN.

The other useful feature on Android, that’s missing on iOS, is split-tunneling. Because the Android platform is more flexible, ExpressVPN was able to introduce this feature, which lets you choose which apps (if any) should not use the VPN connection.

ExpressVPN’s Linux Client

ExpressVPN running on Linux

Despite having great apps for every other platform, ExpressVPN’s Linux app is disappointing.

In fact, ExpressVPN doesn’t even have a true app for Linux. There’s no GUI (graphical user interface), meaning that it runs straight from the console.

How it looks choosing a server with ExpressVPN on Linux

Linux users are likely used to this, and a little more tech-savvy than many ExpressVPN users, but it’s still an oversight.

Once you’ve installed ExpressVPN using standard Linux console commands, you can connect to the recommended server, or see a full list of servers along with the console commands required to connect to them.

You can also toggle the Network Lock (the kill switch), change protocol, and instruct the client to auto-connect on startup.

Customer Support

Excellent 24/7 Live Support

Customer SupportAvailable in ExpressVPN
24/7 Email SupportNo
24/7 Live Chat SupportYes
ChatbotNo
EmailYes
Email Support via Online FormNo
Online ResourcesYes
Tutorial VideosNo

ExpressVPN’s helpful 24/7 live chat is the best in class. If you ever have a problem, you’ll be back up and running as quickly as possible.

This is one of the most customer-focused VPN services we’ve reviewed. Its support team makes sure to keep you happy both before and after you’ve become a customer.

You can also email customer support, with equally responsive, helpful and enthusiastic responses.

If you experience a specific technical issue, it makes a big difference to receive a response tailored to your message. Too many VPN companies use support centers with agents who don’t know the product. That’s not the case with ExpressVPN.

There’s also a huge range of support guides, FAQs, video tutorials, and troubleshooting options available on the support website. The online help center is available in over 16 languages.

Bypassing Web Censorship

ExpressVPN Works in China

ExpressVPN is one of the few VPNs that still works in China.

We test ExpressVPN’s access in China weekly, and its undoubtedly one of the more consistent VPNs in the region.

This is thanks to investing significant resources into outsmarting the Great Firewall of China.

A screenshot of ExpressVPN's performance in China according to Greatfire.org

ExpressVPN’s average speeds and stability in China (source: Greatfire.org)

Its obfuscation technology activates by default when protocol selection in the app is switched to Automatic.

Good choice of servers from China

ExpressVPN recommends specific servers for users in China. Contact their customer support (available 24/7) for updated server tips.

These servers tend to be in nearby locations, like Hong Kong (which still enjoys a free internet). The Hong Kong servers also let you access Chinese TV and websites from outside China.

The official ExpressVPN website is blocked in China, so remember to download the latest version of the app(s) before you arrive.

ExpressVPN’s built-in obfuscation tool is so effective that the VPN also works in the UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and other restrictive nations.