ExpressVPN review: Speed and security tested

ExpressVPN is a high-quality VPN with over 3,000 servers in 105+ countries, and it can be difficult to compete with its selection of features. Although it’s at the top end of the price range, it can do most things – and does them well. 

The company has made an effort to make it especially easy to use the VPN across various platforms, whether it’s a router, a browser, or anything in between.

It’s great for beginners thanks to some of the best customer service you’ll find, with experienced staff who can help with most basic queries. Response times are impressive, with the provider claiming to answer the average question within 20 seconds. 

Usability is seen throughout the selection of apps available for every popular operating system, and it’s one of the few VPNs to offer a proprietary protocol. Here’s how it stacks up compared to some of the best VPNs in the business:

Lightway 

A custom protocol might not sound like a big deal, but it’s another example of how ExpressVPN goes a step beyond the scope of most providers. Lightway was designed to use less battery, and should be able to connect to a VPN server more efficiently. In practice, the protocol is enabled by default, and it’s available on every ExpressVPN app. 

ShuffleIP

Some VPNs offer the ability to switch your IP address every so often. This is helpful if you’re aiming to improve privacy, as it should be harder to track your activities if you have an ever-changing IP. 

ExpressVPN has gone one step further with the recent release of ShuffleIP. It works so the IP address assigned to you automatically changes for every web server or website you access. Chief Engineering Officer Pete Membrey argues that it’s an improvement over IP shuffling solutions deployed by other VPNs; 

“The traditional method for VPNs is to assign a single IP address to all traffic on a device, then switch the IP every few minutes. This creates identifiable patterns that might make it possible for an observer to recognize that behavior is originating with the same person. In fact, this type of telltale IP switching creates even more risk than maintaining the same IP continuously, as the continuous IP address would still be shared with multiple VPN users and thus hard to associate with a single person.”

As with Lightway, and the post-quantum protection seen below, this feature is built into the ExpressVPN app, and doesn’t cost anything extra to use. 

Post-quantum protection 

While the majority of VPN providers are more focused on the here and now, ExpressVPN is one of the only VPNs I know of that is aiming to prepare for the advent of quantum computing. 

Essentially, more powerful computers in the future might be able to bypass the encryption that is currently in place today. If companies hold onto encrypted data, there’s a chance that they could access the contents eventually. It’s worrying, although ExpressVPN has taken steps to protect your data in the here and now.

Post-quantum protection is available with every ExpressVPN subscription as long as you’re using the Lightway protocol. It’s available via ExpressVPN apps for Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, and Windows. 

Aircove

Aircove is a VPN router which allows you to customise your network connection. As well as the base Aircove model, there’s a Go version, designed for increased portability. I’ve spent the last few weeks using an Aircove Go router, and it’s a clear improvement over alternatives seen elsewhere. For one, it’s built with VPN usage in mind, while a number of features help to improve the user experience. 

Most other VPN routers involve flashing the device, which is a level of technical know-how that goes beyond the average user. In the case of Aircove, it’s designed to be a click and connect solution, even during the initial setup. 

In my own experience, I had to connect via Wi-Fi on the Aircove Go model to get started, but there were no issues afterwards. Aircove allows the user to set parental controls, with multiple profiles that can be set to different locations at the same time. 

Of course, buying a dedicated VPN router is a pretty costly solution, but Aircove is one of the cheaper dedicated models available as of August 2024.

ExpressVPN: Pros 

ExpressVPN is arguably the best VPN on the market for secure streaming. It’s great for accessing the majority of geo-restricted sites and services, and it worked with every UK-based platform I tried during testing. 

Scoring across a range of criteria sees ExpressVPN placed within the top three providers overall, and it’s a great VPN in a number of different scenarios. Speeds have proven to be solid across multiple devices, while it’s one of the only VPNs that is making an effort to future-proof against the threat of quantum computing. 

It’s based in the British Virgin Islands, and it comes with a strict no-logs policy that ensures your data is dealt with properly. Aircove is also notable if you’re interested in a hardware solution, protecting every device in your network at the same time. 

ExpressVPN: Neutral

As one of the higher scoring VPNs we’ve taken a look at, there isn’t much to speak of that is middling. The current asking price is a clear drawback if you’re looking for the best cheap VPN, although that’s covered in the cons section below. A single account is limited to eight simultaneous device connections, which isn’t bad, but there are alternatives that allow for unlimited connections.

It’s a minor bone of contention, but the MacOS app looks a little outdated by modern standards, even if it does the job effectively. This is especially noticeable if you’ve tried out Aircove, or the iOS ExpressVPN app. 

ExpressVPN: Cons 

The price tends to be a major downside, especially as it’s up against a number of budget providers that match up in a number of important ways. For example, a handful of cheap VPNs can be found for a fraction of the cost, but still offer similar speeds and streaming capabilities. Surfshark is a prime example. 

Of course, ExpressVPN will argue that it comes with a feature set that isn’t replicated elsewhere, as many alternatives expect users to pay more to access the full range of features on offer. If money is no object, then it’s hard to think of many reasons why ExpressVPN won’t fit the bill. On the other hand, if pricing is a factor, it’s arguably better to look elsewhere for the cheapest deals.

Factor-by-Factor 

Here’s how ExpressVPN measured up during our tests.

Speed – 7.62

ExpressVPN has proven to be one of the quickest providers on the market across a range of devices. It recorded the fastest overall UK VPN server speeds via MacOS (402.00 Mbps) and Windows (269.19 Mbps), so it’s a solid pick if you’re in need of speedy desktop connections. 

We put ExpressVPN to the test to find out how much using the service affected internet download and upload speeds. To do so, we took the average from multiple tests via server locations in the US, the UK, and Australia. 

Content Access – 10.0

Content access (10.0) was no issue for ExpressVPN, as it worked with all 10 streaming services we tested. I wasn’t particularly surprised, given Express has always been one of the best providers when it comes to avoiding geo-restrictions. You can expect similar success with a variety of popular international platforms. MediaStreamer is a great feature if you’re using a device that doesn’t have traditional VPN support. 

Pricing – 6.90

Most VPNs offer one-month rolling plans and an option to pay annually; the latter is always the cheapest option. When customers download ExpressVPN, they can pay monthly, but this will see them being charged a considerable amount more per month than the annual fee. 

The lack of a two-year plan reflects unfavourably in comparison to other providers. It leads to one of the lowest pricing scores of the VPNs we’ve tested. The cheapest ExpressVPN deal currently works out to roughly £6.66, which is a lot pricier than Surfshark (£1.69), NordVPN (£2.69), or various other comparable services.

On a more positive note, you only need to contact the support team and request a refund, and you’ll get your money back with no questions asked, provided it’s within the initial 30-day window. 

Privacy & Security – 8.77

On its website, the company discloses all of its audits conducted via independent security auditors such as Cure53, F-Secure and PwC Switzerland. There were a few minor issues found while conducting some of these audits, but there were no major breaches, and any bugs have since been fixed by the company.

VPNs with no-log policies mean that companies can never be compelled to provide customer data that does not exist. Clearly stated on the no-logs page, ExpressVPN makes note of what it does and doesn’t keep a record of. Its apps and VPN servers don’t log IP addresses, browsing history, traffic destination of metadata or DNS queries. 

However, there is still some information that ExpressVPN does collect, including:

• Choice of VPN server location
• Date (but not times), when connected to the VPN service
• Total amount of data (in MB) transferred per day
• Apps and app versions successfully updated

The company says it keeps a log of these details to help troubleshoot technical issues relating to the service, provide technical support and give country-specific advice and enable ExpressVPN engineers to identify and fix network issues.

Headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN benefits from a high degree of autonomy. The British Virgin Islands has no laws that require companies based within the territory to submit any data, and it’s a separate legal jurisdiction from the UK, with its own laws. 

Usability – 8.95

Usability is an area in which ExpressVPN scores well. For instance, the app suggests a Smart Location – this is the location in which the service determines the user will find the best connection. 

It can be set up on a router, but this depends on whether your model is compatible. If it is, then this is one of the best ways to use the service. It means that whenever the router is on, all devices on the network will be connected automatically to the VPN, cutting out the hassle of remembering to turn it on when you need browsing privacy. Of course, you’ll also be able to use an Aircove model if you prefer. 

Features – 9.05

You’ll find a long list of features with ExpressVPN apps. We’ll start with the basics, such as a sturdy kill switch, split tunnelling, and an ad blocker. ShuffleIP is a recent addition, while quantum-computing protection may prove to be worthwhile in the long run. Best of all, a similar feature set can be expected no matter which version of the app you opt for. That’s without accounting for Lightway, a password manager, and TrustedServer technology. TrustedServer ensures that no user data is written to a hard drive, with ExpressVPN using a RAM-only solution instead. 

Customer Support – 9.50

ExpressVPN has a well deserved reputation as one of the best VPNs in terms of customer service. According to the provider, average response times equate to roughly 20 seconds, down from 30 seconds a few months ago. That’s the time it takes to speak to a human via live chat, as opposed to bot support seen elsewhere. 

During our tests, it took roughly 51 seconds to get a response, so it’s fair to say that it’s unlikely you’ll have to wait long to get help with any queries. Response times are one thing, but it’s also worth factoring for the accuracy of the advice given. ExpressVPN had no issues with our questions, including taking us through the refund process. 

Company – 10.0

ExpressVPN scores a perfect 10 in this section, steering clear of any infractions via organisations like the ASA and the ICO. The company is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is ideal for a VPN given its outside of the jurisdiction of the US or the EU. 

Aside from the criteria used for scoring, it’s worth mentioning that ExpressVPN has shifted to a more transparent business model in recent years, with lots of information made readily available about the service, staff, and more. Given VPN ownership can be murky at the best of times, it’s a clear step in the right direction.

Other VPNs to consider 

• Pricing – ExpressVPN is one of the more expensive providers by a decent margin, and should arguably be compared to pricier tiers, rather than basic VPN offerings seen elsewhere. Regardless, if you’re only looking for a service that has the capability to assign the user with a new IP address, or for Netflix streaming, there are numerous cheaper options that can get the job done like Surfshark or PIA. NordVPN is comparable in most respects, but is still far cheaper than ExpressVPN. 

• Simultaneous device connections – A limit of eight devices isn’t bad, and should be enough for the average user. However, cheaper alternatives allow for unlimited device connections. Using a VPN router is another solution, as the router only counts as one device, even if it’s connected to multiple devices via Wi-Fi.