Although variety is the spice of life, having more than a dozen good options when it comes to selecting the finest virtual private network (VPN) software can be extremely frightening. This is where we step in. The top of the VPN ladder is a battle between NordVPN, Hotspot Shield, and the subject of our review, ExpressVPN. While not flawless, Express VPN is an excellent place to begin or continue your VPN experience.
Table of Contents
User Experience and Connectivity
At the time of revisiting ExpressVPN after a year of use in 2020, the core Windows software had been updated for 2021 and it was incredibly speed to connect. ExpressVPN connects in roughly three seconds, which is faster than NordVPN’s amazing near-instantaneous connection. Just give yourself a few more seconds to ensure you’re fully connected for internet business as usual.
There are occasions when connecting to a VPN server becomes difficult, but ExpressVPN normally connects quickly enough to avoid interfering with time-sensitive online activities like music streaming, which isn’t always the case with Hotspot Shield. When it comes to disconnecting, old competitor NordVPN comes in second, with ExpressVPN giving a one-tap connect/disconnect option that’s impossible to overlook. Meanwhile, NordVPN requires you to look for a tiny connection button and navigate a drop-down menu to disconnect.
ExpressVPN featured a substantial number of servers (3,000+) in a wide range of countries (94, second only to PureVPN) at the time of writing, providing significant versatility. The only caveat is that ExpressVPN has the second-lowest server count of our top five VPNs, so while the country count is second, more servers in popular countries tend to indicate quicker overall speeds and consistent uptime.
Prior to the new update, ExpressVPN was a little more difficult to use in terms of app/software than NordVPN. ExpressVPN has now accepted NordVPN’s ease-of-use lessons and simplified things with a smart server recommendation based on your location, as well as a simplified short list of suggested server selections. You can search for unlisted nations or localities, or you can browse alphabetized server locations by country. Once connected, there’s a handy ‘Check my IP’ button to ensure your internet is being routed properly.
ExpressVPN Plan and Prices
| Plan | Monthly price | Upfront price | Detail |
| One month | $12.95 | $12.95 | View Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six months | $9.99 | $59.95 | View Plan |
| One year | $6.67 | $99.95 | View Plan |
ExpressVPN Features — Updated
| 💸 Price | 6.67 USD/month |
| 📆 Money Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
| 📝 Does VPN keep logs? | No |
| 🖥 Number of servers | 3000+ |
| 💻 Number of devices per license | 5 |
| 🛡 Kill switch | Yes |
| 🗺 Based in country | Virgin Islands (British) |
| 🛠 Support | 24/7 Live Chat Support |
| 📥 Supports torrenting | Yes |
Without a doubt, one of the best and most powerful VPN clients available.
ExpressVPN makes it to the top of most VPN rankings, and it is really hard to beat. It makes sure you’re covered on every aspect of what you’ll need from a VPN. The company says it’s AES 256-bit encrypted and accepts the major VPN security protocols. The company keeps no activity logs or other information that could be used against you. Obfuscated servers, TrustedServer technology, and split tunnelling are among its nice-to-haves. It can even be used to unblock Netflix US and a variety of other geographically restricted platforms.
According to the most recent data from its website, ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, for a total of 160 locations. That is well beyond the majority of its competitors, and it implies that you should be covered for the most part regardless of where you live or where you travel.
The sole disadvantage of ExpressVPN is its high pricing. While its monthly rate of $12.95 is just slightly higher than many of its competitors, its yearly fee of $99.95 (equivalent to $8.32 per month) is significantly higher. However, the company provides returns within 30 days if it fails to meet expectations, so you don’t have to take my word for it.
Pros
Fast: Download speeds that are faster than 90% of all VPNs.
Maximum privacy: It follows a strict zero-log policy and does not trace anything you do online.
Maximum security: It employs all of the best security features, including the OpenVPN protocol, AES-256 encryption, its own DNS servers, and an automatic kill switch.
Servers in 94 countries: There are almost 2000 servers spread throughout 94 countries, covering all continents.
Premium design: Every programme, whether on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, or Linux, looks great, connects quickly, and has a premium feel to it.
It is one of the few VPNs that works in restricted countries, including China.
Express VPN has the highest user rating of any VPN we’ve evaluated on TrustPilot.
Works with Netflix and torrents (P2P).
Cons
Expensive: ExpressVPN is significantly more expensive than CyberGhost and NordVPN, two other top-tier VPN providers. Particularly when estimating the cost per connection.
There are only three simultaneous connections: Although enough for most users, it only allows you to safeguard three devices at once.
Speed – How Fast is ExpressVPN?
Here are the results of our ExpressVPN speed test:
| SERVER | DOWNLOAD (MBPS) | UPLOAD (MBPS) | PING (MS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| No VPN | 94.4 | 94.52 | 2 |
| The Netherlands | 88.39 | 88.07 | 4 |
| Germany | 88.72 | 88.76 | 11 |
| United Kingdom | 87.75 | 88.89 | 11 |
| United States East (New York) | 87.05 | 88.73 | 93 |
| United States West (Los Angeles) | 74.74 | 88.82 | 152 |
| Canada | 83.91 | 87.92 | 113 |
| Brazil | 75.56 | 88.79 | 205 |
| South Africa | 72.22 | 74.26 | 171 |
| Japan | 72.11 | 88.69 | 246 |
| Australia | 61.64 | 85.39 | 365 |
| Location | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) | Ping (ms) |
|---|---|---|---|
| No VPN (Benchmark) | 527.54 | 503.02 | 1 |
| United States (Seattle) | 411.49 | 217.33 | 191 |
| United States (New York) | 361.54 | 180.09 | 259 |
| United Kingdom (London) | 406.84 | 127.01 | 252 |
| Germany (Frankfurt) | 398.55 | 198.81 | 256 |
| Singapore | 495.02 | 474.72 | 10 |
| Australia (Perth) | 458.44 | 388.22 | 56 |
| Japan (Tokyo) | 435.02 | 347.15 | 94 |
As you can see, our speeds did drop a little bit (even on local servers). However, the remaining speeds were incredibly stable and impressive and allowed us to enjoy the internet without much delay — we could do anything from streaming to playing Diablo 2 online.
During our tests, we didn’t experience any disconnects, crippling lag, or any other anomalies. Everything felt smooth in spite of relatively high pings. We were able to connect to any server in mere seconds.
Speed during daily use
ExpressVPN dishes out solid speeds during day-to-day operation. We didn’t experience any lag during regular browsing or working on our own website. Streaming and downloading were no problem either. We could watch videos on YouTube and use Netflix without any trouble.
We had no lag while gaming when utilising the suggested servers. In this instance, however, it is critical to connect to a server that is not too far away from your actual location. Overall, ExpressVPN is a good gaming VPN.
In general, when utilising ExpressVPN, we were able to sustain excellent internet connections without experiencing crippling performance drops. Express VPN is so quick that you won’t even notice it’s there. The only time we wouldn’t recommend Express is when your connection speed is already very low and you need to undertake heavy internet operations, such as streaming or gaming.
A VPN should operate wherever you need to go and have firm headquarters outside of the United States.
ExpressVPN streaming
One possible application for a VPN service is to bypass region-locked content, which may be as simple as watching a geo blocked YouTube trailer, streaming an international Netflix library, or accessing premium services unavailable in Australia. This is a tricky area in terms of VPNs (read those terms and conditions! ), but it is a viable option to access content that may not be widely available in Australia. Alternatively, while travelling abroad, you can use a VPN to connect to an Australian server and access Australian streaming services.
ExpressVPN performance with popular streaming services
| Service | ExpressVPN compatible? | Buffering speed |
| Netflix US | Yes | Slow |
|---|---|---|
| HBO Max | Yes | Fast |
| Hulu | Yes | Fast |
| Peacock | Yes | Moderate |
| Kayo | Yes | Fast |
| Stan (including Stan Sport) | Yes | Fast |
How Secure is ExpressVPN?
A good VPN should anonymize your browsing and keep you safe from prying eyes. They accomplish this by concealing your real IP address, encrypting your transmission, and not logging your data. Express VPN excels in this area, combining a transparent privacy policy with excellent security measures. As a result, it received a 9/10 for online safety.
Here is a summary of Express VPN’s security features:
- ExpressVPN makes use of 256-bit encryption.
- It is compatible with the OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, and Lightway protocols.
- Despite recent controversy, ExpressVPN has maintained its rigorous “no logs” policy.
- It is equipped with an automated kill switch.
- ExpressVPN’s obfuscation option is automatic, although it can be difficult to locate.
- You only need an email address and a payment method to set up an account.
Compare ExpressVPN prices to other VPN providers
| Provider | Price | Standout feature | Detail |
| ExpressVPN | $12.95/mo. | Blocks ads of your choice on all devices | View Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | $11.99/mo. | User-friendly, speedy connection | View Plan |
| Hotspot Shield | $12.99/mo. | Incredibly fast performance | View Plan |
| CyberGhost | $12.99/mo. | Seven simultaneous devices | View Plan |
| PureVPN | $10.95/mo. | Stacks of servers | View Plan |
Conclusion
It’s no surprise that ExpressVPN is always at the top of our list of the best VPNs. It operates admirably in the vast majority of critical areas for a VPN service. They provide adequate speeds and dependable connections. Express VPN will safeguard your traffic without generating heavy slowdown or lengthy loading screens, whether you’re just browsing or gaming hard.
Express VPN provides the greatest encryption available. Because of their strict no-logging policy and RAM-only servers, you won’t have to worry about your privacy. Furthermore, a kill switch will protect your privacy by preventing data leaks. The company has recently experienced several concerning events, although we presently have no evidence of any negative impact.
Having saying that, ExpressVPN’s prices remain a little high, especially for lengthy memberships. Although the quality is certain, we believe that the same service might be supplied for less money. It is still one of our go-to services, and we highly suggest it unless your internet bandwidth is exceedingly slow.