ExpressVPN: High Quality

Launched in 2009, ExpressVPN is one of the longest-running VPNs that we see regularly. Today, it is widely regarded as one of the top VPN providers in the industry, offering robust encryption and top-notch security. As such, it still enjoys a spot on our ranking of the best VPNs.

ExpressVPN is a beginner-friendly service that consistently appears in our top five best VPNs. It offers intuitive apps that are easy to install and flaunts a collection of strong VPN protocols, including the super-fast and proprietary “Lightway.” AES-256 encryption also provides top-tier security. Moreover, the company doesn’t keep any activity logs that could be used against you.

We noted that ExpressVPN offers thousands of servers in 105 countries. Bonus features include obfuscated servers, TrustedServer technology, and split tunneling. ExpressVPN can even unblock Netflix US, Disney+, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.

However, if you are unsure about whether you want to purchase ExpressVPN, you can use the 30-day ExpressVPN free trial – a money-back guarantee – to see for yourself if the features offered suit your needs. And if you aren’t satisfied, you can claim a refund right away. Check out our ExpressVPN review for the full deep dive.

Speed – How Fast Is ExpressVPN?

Slow internet connections can cause lag while downloading, streaming, and gaming. That’s why we test all VPNs on their speed – to see whether and to what degree a VPN service might slow down your connection.

• We retained around 92% of our download speeds when connected to ExpressVPN.
• There was no noticeable change in speed during daily use.
• Our speeds were good, no matter what server we chose.
• ExpressVPN offers its own built-in speed test.

Speed test results for ExpressVPN

We tested ExpressVPN from the Netherlands. We evaluated different ExpressVPN servers from around the globe to observe how download and upload speeds were affected based on the server we used.

ExpressVPN gave us some very good results on upload speeds throughout our tests, even for countries that were at a distance from our base in the Netherlands. Our download speeds had higher values in countries close to our location, with the United Kingdom giving us speeds as high as the Netherlands.

ExpressVPN maintained good speeds on faraway servers, even though the ping increased the further away we were from our location. Based on our results above, Australia had the highest ping for us. So using an Australian server may cause you to experience some lag, especially if you want to stream content from that country.

Overall, based on the speed test results above, we can say that ExpressVPN servers offer users around the world some very good download and upload speeds.

Logging and privacy

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands. While formally part of the UK, this region is governed by its own legislation. The absence of mandatory data retention laws makes it a VPN-friendly location. It’s also not a participant of the Eyes Alliance, where member nations share information with each other regarding the internet activity of online users.

ExpressVPN doesn’t keep any harmful user logs. This is fortunate, as the BVI Supreme Court can order a company to disclose customer records. Even if that does happen, ExpressVPN won’t have any IP addresses, traffic data, browsing history, or DNS queries to hand over.

Of course, you have the right to access, transfer, correct, delete, and object to the processing of your personal data. All you have to do is contact the company at support@expressvpn.com

and inform them.

Does ExpressVPN leak your data?

While testing ExpressVPN, we didn’t see any dangerous data leaks. First up, we covered the basics – we checked whether ExpressVPN suffered from IP address leaks, and the good news is that it passed our tests.

Additional ExpressVPN leak protection

ExpressVPN also provides some useful security tools on its official website. These include an IP checker, DNS/WebRTC leak tests, and a decent password generator. You can access these tools from your ExpressVPN client as well.

Additionally, ExpressVPN offers its own encrypted DNS server on each of its VPN servers. This means that your DNS requests won’t be exposed to third parties every time you visit a website.

What information does ExpressVPN need?

To create an account with ExpressVPN, you only need an email address and a payment method. This means you can stay completely anonymous if you use a fresh email (without any identifiers) and pay with Bitcoin.

ExpressVPN’s website and installation process

The ExpressVPN website is simple and easy to navigate. We found everything to be intuitive and well laid out. Even VPN beginners will have no trouble finding their way around and getting ExpressVPN going.

Clicking the “My Account” button in the top-right corner will open up your personal dashboard. Here, you can edit your payment method, download apps for supported platforms, view invoices, get your referral link, tinker with the DNS settings, and change your password.

You can also view your subscription details and manage subscription settings from the ExpressVPN app.

Installing ExpressVPN was a quick and effortless process for us, with an installation wizard to guide you. We also checked out the native apps for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and certain routers.

Alternatively, you can set up ExpressVPN manually with OpenVPN or L2TP/IPSec. However, we don’t recommend this unless you know exactly what you’re doing. When it comes to some of the best browser extensions, ExpressVPN supports Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

Additionally, Express can be used with Android TV, Fire TV & Kindle Fire, gaming consoles, Apple TV, Chromebook, and many other platforms.

ExpressVPN’s appearance and ease-of-use

ExpressVPN’s client is sleek and professional – a lack of complicated options on the main dashboard makes it extremely beginner-friendly. Everything “regular users” might need is right there on the screen. Some advanced options are also available once you scratch the surface.

The main window features a prominent on/off button and a shortcut to switch between ExpressVPN servers. We noticed that the Windows client also displays some interesting articles from the company’s blog at the very bottom.

The hamburger menu in the top-left corner allows you to:

• Open the server list.
• Perform an in-client speed test.
• Access the “Options” menu.
• Contact customer support.
• Check your IP address and test for DNS/WebRTC leaks.
• Get your referral link.
• Log out.

In summary, ExpressVPN’s client has something for both beginners and power users. We appreciate the minimalistic design and give ExpressVPN a huge thumbs up for its user interface. VPNs with complicated clients, like Windscribe, could definitely learn a thing or two.

Pricing and payment methods

The ExpressVPN cost may put a few people off, with a price as high as some other competitors like BolehVPN (which is highly overpriced). However, one could argue that its impressive list of features justifies the high price tag, which is a fact easily discernable through this ExpressVPN review.

You can always use their 30-day money-back guarantee and get a free ExpressVPN trial that way. This will give you plenty of time to test the software cost-free and see if it works for you.