ExpressVPN Review

ExpressVPN collects less data than the vast majority of VPNs. It only retains some anonymous connection logs, such as your bandwidth usage, for diagnostic purposes and service improvement.

While we’d prefer that it adopted a true no-logs privacy policy, like PIA VPN, the bottom line is that none of this information can be used to identify you.

This was proven when Turkish authorities seized an ExpressVPN server, and found no connection logs.

To underpin its privacy policy, the VPN service owns and operates a diskless server network. Unlike most VPNs that store data on hard drives, ExpressVPN’s servers run on volatile memory, which is erased with every reboot. This makes it impossible for the VPN to log your usage data or hackers to extract information.

It’s also one of the only VPN services to have had its RAM-only server network audited and verified by a third party.

Kape Technologies’ 2021 acquisition of ExpressVPN sparked controversy because of its previous ties to an ad-injector platform. However, that platform was active when the company was called Crossrider, and was shut down in 2016. This was followed by an entirely new management team, company name, and an ethos centered on digital privacy.

Despite what some publications claim, there is absolutely no evidence that ExpressVPN’s ownership compromises user privacy. This is a fabrication used to justify lowering the VPN’s rating, since it’s much harder to criticize its performance.

Under Kape’s ownership, the VPN service has actually improved its privacy practices through additional audits, biannual transparency reports, and bug bounty programs. It’s also a much better product in general, with massively improved app design and streaming performance.

ExpressVPN consistently works with Netflix, unblocking a staggering 18 libraries. This is more than NordVPN, and includes popular regions like the US, UK, and Canada.

It also reliably unblocks the UK library of Disney+, an area where big-name VPNs like PIA fall short. We used its London server to access Star content on our US Disney+ account, allowing us to stream shows usually locked behind a Hulu subscription.

ExpressVPN unblocks all major Netflix libraries without issue.

We’re also happy to report that ExpressVPN now bypasses BBC iPlayer’s strict geo-restrictions, letting you stream live and on-demand content. That wasn’t always the case, so we’re glad to see ExpressVPN has addressed it.

FuboTV Canada is the only notable outlier, with the VPN failing to bypass its strict proxy detection. Surfshark works if you want access, but you’ll also need a Canadian payment method.

Beyond unblocking geo-restrictions, ExpressVPN provides a smooth and consistent streaming experience across all devices. For example, its plug-and-play apps meant it took less than five minutes to install the VPN on Fire TV and start streaming JioHotstar. This is much easier than with most VPNs, like Mullvad which doesn’t provide apps for Apple TV or Fire TV.

This even extends to devices that don’t support VPNs like games consoles, thanks to ExpressVPN’s browser-based router app. Just connect your streaming device to your router, select a VPN server, and begin streaming.

While other VPNs make you connect to a “streaming-optimized” server, ExpressVPN works first time, making accessing geo-blocked content a walk in the park. The only exception is US Netflix, where we found that the “New Jersey - 1” server works much better than the default.

You can use ExpressVPN to watch US streaming services from anywhere.

The VPN’s focus on user experience is also seen in its server location accuracy. Far too many VPNs claim to connect you to New York only for your IP address to end up in Delaware. ExpressVPN rarely does so, and it makes all the difference when streaming local broadcasts.

As shown above, connecting to a VPN server near our testing location resulted in a 2% speed loss. In practical terms, this is no different to browsing or streaming without a VPN — it’s that fast.

Our connection speeds remained stable throughout, rarely fluctuating, which meant we never had to deal with any sudden lag or buffering.

No matter where you’re located, you can expect a similar result when using a nearby server. In fact, we’ve run the numbers and ExpressVPN is the second-fastest VPN we’ve tested for download speeds on local connections.

We’ve put this down to two key features: its custom-made Lightway protocol, and a network of 10Gbps servers that provide high bandwidth capacity. You can also use Lightway Turbo on its Windows app which delivers even faster speeds.

However, we’ve observed a slight decline in the VPN service’s international speeds recently. Compared to our previous tests, its speeds have decreased by 27% in South Africa and 7% in Germany.

To put all of this into context, you can see how ExpressVPN’s speed performance compares to other leading VPNs in the chart below:

ExpressVPN uses its self-developed Lightway protocol by default. Lightway automatically switches between two very secure encryption ciphers, ChaCha20 and AES-256, depending on your device and network settings. This optimizes performance without compromising your security.

We checked this ourselves by running our VPN traffic through Wireshark, a data packet analyzer.

Head of Research, Simon Migliano, tested ExpressVPN’s encryption with Wireshark.

Every single ExpressVPN app, including its browser extensions, successfully encrypted our traffic. This is unheard of as most VPN browser extensions are usually basic web proxies that don’t encrypt anything.

Lightway is open-source, too, meaning anyone can inspect its code base for vulnerabilities. If you’re still unconvinced, you also have the choice of post-quantum WireGuard in all ExpressVPN apps (aside from macOS).

ExpressVPN uses Perfect Forward Secrecy, a 4096-bit RSA key, and SHA-512 HMAC authentication. While most tech review sites treat these standard security features as cutting-edge, we want to be transparent and reveal that almost every VPN includes them. They’re used to establish an encrypted connection, that’s it.

All ExpressVPN apps feature its ‘Network Lock’ kill switch, including frequently overlooked platforms like Fire TV and iOS. You can also enable an advanced version of Network Lock that blocks your device’s internet connection, until the VPN is reactivated.

Using our in-house tools we also tested ExpressVPN for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests while connected to a nearby server. It passed every test with flying colours, ensuring none of our personal information was exposed.

Previously, a bug in ExpressVPN’s Windows app caused DNS leaks when split tunneling was enabled, allowing your ISP to see the websites you visited. Thankfully, the issue was fixed quickly once disclosed, and we’ve not seen any evidence to suggest the issue has recurred.

Reassuringly, ExpressVPN also uses first-party DNS servers to prevent your ISP from handling DNS requests.

All of the above has been verified by multiple independent security audits. In the last three years alone, ExpressVPN has been subject to 13 security-related audits. By comparison, NordVPN has had just two in the same time.

Using the VPN, you can get an IP address from more countries than most VPN services, including 18 more than PIA VPN.

That said, it covers slightly less countries in Asia and Africa than its closest rival NordVPN.

ExpressVPN server list on iOS (left) and Android (right)

Where ExpressVPN enters a league of its own is with its city-based server locations, offering more than any other VPN.

The VPN lets you connect to specific cities in 15 countries, which is far more than IPVanish (7) and CyberGhost (9).

This feature is valuable for connecting to the closest possible server to you, or for accessing localized content like avoiding MLB blackouts or watching out-of-market NFL games.

Moreover, ExpressVPN provides access to the most VPN server locations in the USA (57), and covering all 50 states. No other VPN has servers in as many American cities.

ExpressVPN’s user experience and design is consistent across devices, with one or two variations. You can expand each section below for an insight into how the VPN looks and feels on a specific platform.

As we’ve mentioned throughout this review, ExpressVPN is simply a joy to use. We choose to use it as our daily driver over every other VPN service.

After years of using it, we sometimes take for granted just how well it does the basics: like quick server connection times, a minimal and attractive interface, and superb performance that handles everything with ease.

ExpressVPN is our favorite VPN to use.

The difference becomes obvious when we switch to even other top VPNs. Surfshark, for example, can even frustrate us with constant upgrade pop-ups and minor annoyances. ExpressVPN, by comparison, feels premium from day one.

Most of the time, we just click the large ‘on’ button and we’re set. We only venture beyond the home screen when connecting to international servers for geo-blocked content.

The only gripe we’ve ever had with ExpressVPN was the frequent CAPTCHAs we’d experience using the VPN. Thankfully, this is no longer the case as ExpressVPN has patched this issue.

There’s no record of ExpressVPN ever forwarding DMCA requests to its users. You can check this yourself by looking through the service’s transparency reports.

Aside from its privacy features, we love how straightforward it is to torrent with ExpressVPN. With other VPNs, we’ve lost count of the number of times we thought it blocked torrents, only to discover we hadn’t activated a hidden setting or connected to a specialized server.

You won’t have that problem here, as every server, protocol, and app works for torrenting. Just click and connect, and you’re good to go.

ExpressVPN’s file-sharing speeds are among the best.

One criticism often levelled at ExpressVPN, is its lack of port forwarding. Honestly, it’s a nice-to-have feature, but it won’t massively affect your P2P speeds. That said, you can always use PIA if port forwarding is a deal-breaker for you.

To add some context, here’s how quickly we could download a 20GB file using the VPN, compared to other household names:

You can run ExpressVPN on several devices at once.

If you plan on sharing your subscription with others, be aware that ExpressVPN allows 10 simultaneous connections per account. While this is very typical, cheaper services like PIA and Surfshark don’t impose any limits.

We’ve been reviewing VPN for years, and we’re always shocked at how few review sites highlight ExpressVPN’s extraordinary router app.

It’s the only VPN that offers a dedicated router app, including a bespoke user interface and a full suite of features. It’s browser-based, meaning you can change VPN settings and switch servers through a website on your laptop or phone as simply as you can on its PC or mobile apps.

This provides an unprecedented level of device compatibility that’s matched by no other VPN service, as any device that connects to your router is now connected to the VPN.

This means you can spoof your location and encrypt your connection on devices that don’t support VPN apps, like Smart TVs and games consoles.

This add-on allows you to connect to a server with an IP address that’s exclusive to you, unlike standard VPN IPs that are shared among dozens of users.

When setting up your dedicated IP, ExpressVPN uses zero-knowledge encryption alongside a ‘blind token system’ to maintain your anonymity. In plain English, this prevents the VPN from seeing your unique activation code and linking it to your account.

Unfortunately, this is not the industry-standard. NordVPN admits in its privacy policy that it links your dedicated IP address to your account.

All of ExpressVPN’s apps include an ad and tracker blocker, named Threat Manager.

According to our data, Threat Manager only blocked 60% of ads and trackers. Private Internet Access and NordVPN prevented 100%.

As it stands, Threat Manager is a useful feature that’ll enhance protection of your web activity from data profiling. But there are better alternatives available.

All VPNs assign you a new IP address when you first connect, but ExpressVPN goes one step further by changing your IP every time you use a new website or app.

This feature, known as ShuffleIP, makes it near-impossible for anyone to track your online activity or harvest data about your browsing habits.

You won’t even notice this is happening, as the feature works automatically in the background without interrupting your connection.