ExpressVPN Review

A Look At ExpressVPN Servers

ExpressVPN has more than 2,000 servers distributed across 105 countries. You might be thinking you’ll never need all of those servers, but the massive fleet allows ExpressVPN to handle traffic from all of its 4 million users. While the number of ExpressVPN servers is impressive, It’s only about one-third the number of servers owned by NordVPN, which happens to be our No.1 VPN. ExpressVPN still gets high marks for all of its servers being run only on RAM, the importance of which we’ll explain in just a bit.

But first, let’s focus on the network. With more than 2000 servers, ExpressVPN can easily offer enough bandwidth to prevent bottlenecks, especially because each server offers between one and 10 Gbps of bandwidth. On top of that, ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries, which opens up access to a multitude of location-specific sites and services. For example, you could access a different Netflix region outside your country. Also, the scope of ExpressVPN’s network makes it a great VPN for traveling because there’s likely a VPN server in whatever country you’re visiting.

>> Learn More: The Top VPNs for Streaming in 2024

ExpressVPN Features

For this review, we tested ExpressVPN extensively using different internet connections, even mobile data. We also paid close attention even to smaller details like how much data it logs, its encryption and VPN protocols, and its ability to evade the detection of streaming websites. Here’s the full scoop.

Will ExpressVPN Log My Data?

The whole reason that we want to use VPNs is to hide our browsing data from hackers, advertisers, and even our own internet provider. Well, that and to access Netflix U.K., but more on that later. Privacy is, of course, very important to us, and we’re glad to see that ExpressVPN respects that. The company says quite clearly that it doesn’t and will never log IP addresses and browsing histories. Case in point: When India’s government passed the law requiring VPN companies to log user data, ExpressVPN was one of the first VPNs to pull out its servers from the country.

No VPN provider can function without capturing any data whatsoever. ExpressVPN collects certain types of data, such as device information, software versions, and the bandwidth you have used. While that isn’t nothing, those data types aren’t enough to compromise your privacy.

We find ExpressVPN’s logging practices to be better than most. For example, Surfshark logs IP addresses but encrypts them and deletes the information within 15 minutes after disconnecting. ExpressVPN didn’t log IP addresses at all.

Overall, ExpressVPN’s openness on the types of data it collects gave us confidence that our privacy is safe with its VPN.

Does ExpressVPN Have A Kill Switch?

Before using a VPN, check if it has a kill switch. It’s one of the features that make VPNs stealthier, but we find that a lot of VPNs still don’t offer it. Basically, what a kill switch does is block your device’s internet connection if ever your VPN gets disconnected. It sounds simple, but it’s crucial. You wouldn’t want to compromise your privacy that you’ve worked so hard to keep by accidentally connecting to the internet without a VPN cloaking your network.

Fortunately for ExpressVPN, there is a kill switch. Don’t worry though; having a kill switch doesn’t mean that the VPN will suddenly disconnect. It’s just a contingency that most of the top VPNs offer. Our ExpressVPN connections were stable and the kill switch only had to activate twice – once when the server timed out and another when we accidentally switched Wi-Fi networks. That was throughout our month-long test where we stayed connected to ExpressVPN for about 15 hours per day on average.

What Kind of Tunneling does ExpressVPN Offer?

Another good thing about ExpressVPN is that it allows split tunneling (unless you are running on macOS 11 and above). This feature allows traffic from your device to pass through two types of networks: One is the encrypted VPN network and the other is the normal, unencrypted network.

As you probably know, not all apps and websites are VPN-friendly. Some apps, like our mobile banking apps, block VPN traffic. Instead of turning the VPN off whenever we use such apps, which is a hassle and a privacy risk (we might forget to turn it back on), our solution is to use split tunneling.

Here’s how it worked: Within the app, we selected which apps are allowed to connect directly to the internet. Slack calls, for instance, drop frequently when we’re connected to a VPN, so we chose Slack. Whenever we turned on ExpressVPN, it connected our entire device to the VPN tunnel except Slack. As a result, we enjoyed smooth team meetings, while ExpressVPN protected the sensitive files we shared with the team.

Can I Use Netflix with ExpressVPN?

One of the most popular uses of a VPN is to unblock streaming libraries from all around the globe. For us in the United States, that includes watching Netflix U.K., Australia, Japan, and others. We’re huge TV and movie fans, so we were delighted to find out that ExpressVPN can give us access to Netflix libraries abroad.

This was where that wide server reach of ExpressVPN proved handy. While there are a lot of good shows on the U.S. Netflix, we learned that the countries with the largest libraries are Slovakia and Bulgaria. Those countries aren’t big and popular so most VPNs don’t have servers in them. We didn’t see those countries when we reviewed Total VPN – a VPN with servers in only 35 countries. But with ExpressVPN’s 105 server locations, getting an IP address from Slovakia and Bulgaria wasn’t only possible, but easy.

ExpressVPN Encryption

ExpressVPN used several methods to protect our privacy. It had a private DNS server so we wouldn’t have to use our internet provider’s DNS, rotated our IP address regularly to prevent tracking, and offered encryption to hide the content of our traffic from prying eyes.

That last one, encryption, was the most important. ExpressVPN encrypted our traffic using 256-bit AES, the modern encryption standard the U.S. military uses. It’s the highest encryption available in VPNs, and coupled with ExpressVPN’s efficient traffic delivery protocols a.k.a. VPN protocols, it provided us a smooth but secure experience.

ExpressVPN Protocols

Internet protocols determine how to dispatch data packets across a network. We like to think of the data packets as mail, and protocols as the different routes that mailmen could take. Sure, they could go through the woods and get there quicker, but they might run into a wolf on the way. On the other hand, if they take only major highways, the mail will arrive safely, but perhaps later than it would be going through the woods.

The metaphor holds true for internet protocols, as safe protocols mean a safer, if slower, VPN server. ExpressVPN offers the following VPN protocols:

OpenVPN

OpenVPN is the most popular protocol among VPNs and with good reason. It provides the perfect combination of safety and speed. Plus, OpenVPN offers two separate flavors:

• UDP: UDP, or User Datagram Protocol, sends messages called datagrams that don’t require virtual circuits to transfer data. The advantage of UDP is that it requires lower bandwidth, resulting in less delay. Its disadvantage is that some packets may be lost or out of order.
• TCP: Transmission Control Protocol is made up of seven layers that transport data and make sure it gets to the right place by breaking the data into smaller packets. It’s an excellent combination with UDP, as it can make sure the data is put back together in the right order.

Think of UDP and TCP as your parents packing for a trip. While your Dad might pack your stuff a bit quicker, your Mom will make sure that everything gets to your destination safely and in order.

Lightway Protocol

ExpressVPN also built its own protocol called Lightway. It’s built on lightweight codes, which is why we like it for smartphones and devices that don’t have the processing power of a gaming PC. But it brings more than just performance to the table. It’s also secure.

Encryption-wise, it can offer either 256-bit AES or ChaCha20. You can even choose which to use – for example, if you’re experiencing a slow connection. And speaking of slow connections, Lightway can refresh your VPN connection without disconnecting you. Just pull up the VPN app and tap the refresh button next to your VPN IP address. Since it won’t disconnect you, whatever you’re doing online won’t be interrupted.

We also learned that Lightway sends NAT heartbeats. We test a lot of VPNs, and sometimes, when our phones are idle but connected, messages and emails are delayed. Apparently, that’s because the VPN tunnel goes into idle mode as well. Lightway’s NAT heartbeats feature sends small data packets to keep the tunnel active and open for messages and emails. It’s a minor feature really, but it’s great for productivity.

TrustedNetwork Services

One of ExpressVPN’s premium features is its TrustedNetwork Services. It’s a feature only some of the top VPNs offer, and one that ExpressVPN helped pioneer. But what is it? Well, TrustedNetwork is ExpressVPN’s way of saying it has RAM-based servers or servers that run entirely on Random Access Memory.

Servers are basically computers, and traditionally, VPN servers use hard disk drives (HDD) to store and run their VPN operating system. While HDD servers from reputable no-logs VPNs do a good job of keeping sensitive data unrecorded, they store remnant data even when wiped. And unfortunately, remnant data can be recovered.3 That’s risky if, let’s say the government seizes a VPN’s servers or if old HDDs are sold at auctions, which is common practice by server farms.

In contrast, RAM gets completely wiped of data every time it’s rebooted. That’s why RAM is referred to as temporary memory. There’s no data remanence, and the VPN operating system must be installed from scratch. That protects the server network and users’ data from inside attacks (e.g. rogue employees installing backdoors to servers), government and police raids, and other threats to which HDD-based servers are vulnerable.

Currently, all ExpressVPN’s physical servers are RAM-based.

Password Manager

Each ExpressVPN subscription now includes a password manager as well. While it seems unrelated to the VPN, a password manager can help you lock down your accounts using strong passwords. It works by storing your passwords in an encrypted vault that only you can access. It can also generate randomized passwords and store them automatically for your convenience and security.

Using the password manager alongside ExpressVPN can help you stay on top of your digital security and privacy.

VPN Hardware: Aircove Router by ExpressVPN

Surprisingly, one of the latest innovations from ExpressVPN is not a piece of software. It’s a device called Aircove – A Wi-Fi 6 router that comes equipped with ExpressVPN.

Aircove is not the first router VPN. Lots of VPNs can be set up on a Wi-Fi router manually, protecting all Wi-Fi connected devices within the network, even consoles and smart TVs that don’t support VPN apps natively. Aircove’s distinct advantage, however, is that you don’t need to set up the VPN manually. Moreover, if there are any changes you want to make to your VPN network, you can use your ExpressVPN online dashboard to configure Aircove.

One of the best things about Aircove is that you can conveniently customize how each connected device connects to ExpressVPN. You can designate up to five VPN servers to which your devices will connect to. For example, you can have your smart TVs connect to the Australia streaming server, while your gaming console and personal computer connect to the closest server for best speeds. You can even exclude specific devices from the VPN network, but still give them an internet connection like a regular router does. With most router VPNs, all devices connect to the VPN and you can use only one server location at a time. Not to mention, it’s often difficult to switch servers due to the lack of a web or smartphone interface.

The Aircove router currently costs $189.90 for the device, but you’ll need an on-going ExpressVPN subscription to enjoy its VPN benefits. Without a VPN, it functions as a regular Wi-Fi router.

Testing ExpressVPN

Before revealing whether we recommend ExpressVPN or not, we wanted to do some objective tests to see how it functions. With the tests, we looked at internet speed as well as leak protection, specifically. How well did the ExpressVPN software perform?

Speed Test

Obviously, internet and vpn speeds are really important. As we note in our guide to VPNs, all VPNs slow down internet connections because they create additional paths for our internet traffic to take. We wanted to make sure, though, that ExpressVPN didn’t make our internet speed unbearable.

Keep in mind that internet speed is made up of several factors, including the time of day, location, internet service provider, software, hardware, and the VPN server. We tested ExpressVPN on a Macbook Air and a Windows Vivobook from our apartments in Brooklyn, New York. Without a VPN, we’re on an Optimum Wi-Fi network, typically.

Download Speed Tests

First, we measured the difference in download speed in megabits per second. As the above picture demonstrates, ExpressVPN had a very similar decrease in the download speeds on both the Mac and the Windows computers. The Mac’s download speed slowed by about 39 percent and the Windows speed slowed about 37 percent.

Upload Speed Tests

Next, we tested the difference in upload speeds with and without the VPN. Again, ExpressVPN performed well, but it did better on the Mac with a decrease of only about 14 percent compared to 23 percent on the Windows computer.

Ping Speed Tests

Finally, we tested the ping, or latency, in milliseconds. In this category, the Windows computer actually performed better than the Mac, but not by much, as you can see. Overall, we concluded that ExpressVPN worked really well on both Macs and Windows computers. We were perfectly content with our speeds.

DNS Leak Test

We always perform DNS leak tests because if it has a leak, a device could send DNS traffic outside of the VPN’s tunnel. Alternatively, it might use the VPN tunnel but connect to a third-party server. A leak can happen even if you configure your VPN manually if an attacker gets control of your router.

ExpressVPN has a DNS leak test on its website. All we had to do was turn our VPN on and click the button to look for leaks. In a matter of seconds, we had our answer.

As the above photo shows, our ExpressVPN server had no DNS leaks, definitely a good sign.

WebRTC Leak Test

WebRTC, otherwise known as Web Real-Time Communication, is a collection of standardized technologies that allow web browsers to communicate with each other directly. That means they don’t have to go through intermediate servers. WebRTC creates faster speeds, particularly for video chat, live streaming, and file transfers. Sounds great, right?

The possible security issue arises from the fact that WebRTC needs your private IP address.

ISPs, or internet service providers, issue public IP addresses. These addresses are globally unique, and your ISP can assign only one to each device, typically a router. Public IP addresses allow users to access the internet directly.

On the other hand, routers issue private IP addresses to each device in your network. Mostly, computers, smartphones, and tablets use them. A VPN issues you a unique private IP address so no one can track your online activity.

As WebRTC uses your private IP address, if you’re using a VPN, it’s important to test for WebRTC leaks. A leak could make your address available to prying eyes. Keep in mind that Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Microsoft Edge all default to WebRTC.

Like DNS leaks, ExpressVPN has a WebRTC leak test on its website, and it’s incredibly easy to use. We made sure our VPN was turned on and clicked a button to detect leaks.

Blessedly, our ExpressVPN protected us from WebRTC leaks. We had a fast connection without risking the security of our private IP addresses.

ExpressVPN Video Review

We condensed our testing process and information about ExpressVPN’s features in this video review, so check it out if you want to see ExpressVPN in action.

ExpressVPN Subscriptions

Let’s cut to the chase. What does all this protection cost?

We had a choice, between one month, one year, or two years. Essentially, the monthly price gets lower as the term length increases. ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so we tried the VPN out without any real risk. We knew we could “return it” digitally for a full refund.

One thing to note is that ExpressVPN is not the cheapest VPN. All that protection costs a premium price relative to what other VPNs in the market provide. The lowest rate for ExpressVPN is about $5 per month for the two-year package, whereas there are lots of great options like Private Internet Access that offer protection for as low as $2.19 monthly.

Here’s ExpressVPN’s options.

Options

As you might have noticed, the one-year and two-year packages include free months. That’s not always the case, but at the time of writing, ExpressVPN was offering bonus months as a part of its early Black Friday sale. With those free months, the rate drops down to $4.99 per month. Without them, the lowest rate is $6.25. See our ExpressVPN pricing guide for more information.

For comparison’s sake, let’s look at NordVPN, our highest-rated VPN right now. Subscriptions from NordVPN cost a minimum of $3.79 per month, but to get that deal, you’d need to sign up for two years. That’s $102 for 24 months with three free months of service – just $2 more than ExpressVPN’s one-year plan.

Be sure to keep an eye on the simultaneous connections, though. With a subscription, you can install NordVPN and ExpressVPN on unlimited devices, but you can connect up to only 10 devices at a time with NordVPN regardless of which plan you’re using. With ExpressVPN, you can connect five to eight devices, depending on your subscription.

With all of ExpressVPN’s subscriptions, we switched between an unlimited number of servers and maintained five connections at once. Had we needed more simultaneous connections, we could have bought an additional license or set up a VPN router to get an unlimited amount.

Manual Configurations

ExpressVPN works with Linux, Chromebook, wireless routers (Sabai, DD-WRT, Asus, or Tomato), and with several different streaming media and gaming consoles (Apple TV, FireTV, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or Xbox).

The setup process for those devices vary, but all in all, it doesn’t take much expertise to run ExpressVPN. Plus, with the Aircove router, you can opt to skip the complicated setup process and just buy a VPN hardware that protects all your home network traffic from the get-go.

Browser Extensions

We had the choice to enter an ExpressVPN server using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

ExpressVPN Customer Support

When we ran into trouble with ExpressVPN, we were pleased to have access to a knowledgeable customer support team.

Features

ExpressVPN has 24/7 customer support through live chat and email. As millennials, these services were enough for us, despite the lack of a phone line. We also had the option to contact customer support through our ExpressVPN app directly, which should have made the whole experience seamless.

The ExpressVPN App

Of course, we always want a good app to connect with our VPN. Let’s talk about the ExpressVPN app: what it offers, where we used it, and just how well it worked.

The ExpressVPN app supports the Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Blackberry, routers, and Kindle operating systems. That’s already a long list, but as more operating systems add native VPN app support, ExpressVPNs apps keep growing as well. Just recently, for example, ExpressVPN launched an app for Apple TV, which is exclusively available to Apple TV users using the tvOS 17 system. That’s one reason ExpressVPN deserved a spot in our roundup of the best Apple TV VPNs.

Even for the devices that don’t have native VPN app support, ExpressVPN offers Aircove as an alternative. Aircove doesn’t need an app to direct a device’s traffic to the VPN server – all you need to do is connect any device to its Wi-Fi or Ethernet network.

As for ourselves, we conducted most of our tests on iOS and Android devices. All in all, we were pretty happy with the ExpressVPN app. Others on the app store seem to be happy with it as well. It has a nearly perfect 4.6 rating from the Apple store and a decent 4.3 rating from the Google Play store.

“Very impressed with the new in-app shortcuts to navigate to favorite apps…I have noticed a significant improvement of the connection reliability,”

wrote Android user Bruno Perovic in a recent four-star review.

Recap of ExpressVPN

Overall, we recommend ExpressVPN to our readers, as it’s very secure, performs well, and allows us to go on Netflix and torrent movies. But since everyone has their personal preferences, we’ll break it down even further.

We’d recommend ExpressVPN to anyone that wants a VPN based in a Five Eyes non-member country, with an extensive network of more than 2,000 servers worldwide. ExpressVPN is also a great choice for anyone that wants to watch Netflix or torrent content, and it performed well in our speed tests.

However, ExpressVPN may not be for you if you’d like multi-hop encryption, dedicated IP addresses, or unlimited simultaneous connections. Otherwise, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for a reason: it’s safe, it’s secure, and it won’t break the bank.