ExpressVPN review 2023: Cost, features and more
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 2:23 a.m. UTC Nov. 25, 2023
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Our take
ExpressVPN is a high-speed, premium VPN service offered at a premium price.
ExpressVPN
Pros
- Fast download speeds averaging over 200 Mbps.
- Massive server network across 94 countries.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
Cons
- Among the most expensive VPNs we reviewed.
- Number of servers not shared publicly.
- No dedicated IP address.
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ExpressVPN review 2023
ExpressVPN is a large, high-performing VPN with a server network across 94 countries. It’s one of the fastest VPN services, with average download speeds of 204 Mbps and average upload speeds of 146 Mbps. ExpressVPN is fairly straightforward; in our testing, we found it easy to download and set up on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Chromebook and Linux devices. It also supports smart TVs, network-attached storage (NAS), e-readers, routers and media streaming consoles.
While ExpressVPN performs well, it isn’t cheap. The one-month subscription price is among the highest in the industry, and longer terms are hardly bargain-priced. If you want a reliable VPN for your devices with good support and don’t mind paying a little more, ExpressVPN may be a good choice. But if your main focus is finding a bargain VPN, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
ExpressVPN overview and facts
ExpressVPN is known for being a large, fast, and dependable virtual private network provider. The company was founded in 2009 and operates with a globally distributed workforce. ExpressVPN is legally headquartered in the British Virgin Islands and operates without data retention laws.
It offers one of the largest lists of countries to choose from among competitors and provides very fast download and upload speeds, but it’s also one of the more expensive VPN services. It’s also one of just a few providers offering a custom router with the VPN already preinstalled and configured.
Past customers are generally happy, supported by an impressive 4.6 average rating of over 15,000 reviews on Trustpilot. The few negative reviews point to performance issues and challenges with billing. Positive reviews say that it’s fast and easy to use, which we can confirm from our testing.
ExpressVPN pricing
ExpressVPN only offers paid plans, and there’s no free trial. However, plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Users can choose between one-month, six-month and 12-month plans, all with the same features.
ExpressVPN
As with other VPN providers, the one-month option is the most expensive per month, and the service gets cheaper as you choose longer terms. The one-month plan costs $12.95, at the top end of monthly costs for VPN plans we reviewed. You can save up to 49% with longer term plans, but those still come in on the high end for costs.
ExpressVPN is priced in the premium category, so this VPN provider is not a good fit for business owners on a budget.
ExpressVPN plans
ExpressVPN only offers a single plan, unlike tiered services provided by NordVPN and other providers. The only choice to make is your term length. You can pay for one, six, or 12 months at a time. Regardless of your choice, you get the same VPN features.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN offers a single plan. With an ExpressVPN plan, you can access all server locations with unlimited bandwidth and no speed caps or limits. All features are included in this plan with no need to purchase add-on services. With a premium provider, you’re paying for uncapped speeds to browse, email, download and upload with enhanced privacy.
ExpressVPN includes:
- Unlimited bandwidth.
- Five simultaneous device connections.
- Servers located in 94 countries.
- Encrypted DNS on every server.
- No-log policy.
- Lightway protocol.
- Military grade, AES-256, encryption.
- Split tunneling.
- Kill switch.
- Tracker blocker.
- 24-hour email and live chat support.
- Bitcoin payment option.
Aside from dedicated os static IP addresses, ExpressVPN includes all features we look for when reviewing virtual private network services.
Featured VPN service offers
NordVPN
Free plan
No
Cheapest monthly plan
$12.99
Download speed (average)
235 Mbps
Surfshark
Free plan
No
Cheapest monthly plan
$12.95
Download speed (average)
263 Mbps
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Free plan
No
Cheapest monthly plan
$11.95
Download speed (average)
124 Mbps
ExpressVPN add-ons and optional features
ExpressVPN doesn’t offer any paid upgrades. All features are included in the main ExpressVPN plan. The only paid upsell is a customized ExpressVPN router that’s designed to provide coverage to your entire home or office network.
Aircove router
In addition to configuring your home router to use ExpressVPN, where supported, you can also buy a router directly from ExpressVPN. Known as the Aircove router, the device works with the latest Wi-Fi standards. At the time of writing, the router was priced at $190 on Amazon. It includes dual-band wireless connections, WPA3 encryption and five-gigabit ethernet ports.
The Wi-Fi 6 router takes about five minutes to set up, according to ExpressVPN, and provides privacy and VPN benefits to all devices on your wireless network. Note that a subscription is still required to use the VPN service, so you’ll only want to pay for the device if you plan on using ExpressVPN for at least a couple of years.
Tip: This is a great option for businesses that want to cover an entire office space. By using a VPN on your router, you can cover all of the devices connected to your network, but it will only count as one of the five device connections permitted. This is a great way to get the most bang for your buck without the simultaneous connection limits.
ExpressVPN customer support and experience
A major benefit of ExpressVPN is the ability to quickly connect with a human for support. We were able to reach someone for basic questions in under a minute using live chat. While there’s no phone support, it’s nice to know you can get help 24/7 with a few clicks. Customer service here is generally rated better than the industry average and we found a live agent was quickly and efficiently able to answer our questions during testing.
ExpressVPN has more than 15,700 Trustpilot reviews, making it one of the most reviewed VPN providers on our Best VPNs of 2023 list. Positive user reviews discuss good performance and a user-friendly interface. Many reviewers focus on getting around geolocation firewalls for streaming and gaming services with a reliable connection.
ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN
NordVPN is another of the top-tier, big-name VPN service providers. It offers average uploads and download speeds just a hair faster than ExpressVPN, and is practically the same price. Due to the faster speeds, NordVPN may be a better choice for some users, but either option will likely meet your needs as they’re both premium VPN providers and priced accordingly.
The big drawback of NordVPN is a past security breach of one of its servers, leading some to question the security and privacy levels offered by NordVPN. ExpressVPN doesn’t have a history of breaches and therefore could be the better option for ultra-privacy-focused users.
ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark
While both VPN providers offer a single-tiered VPN plan at the same rate for a one-month subscription, longer terms become much cheaper with Surfshark. The cheapest monthly cost is $8.32 with a one-year term at ExpressVPN. At Surfshark, you can sign up for a 24-month plan for just $1.99 per month.
Surfshark is faster and cheaper than ExpressVPN for all plans aside from the one-month option. Considering both have similar features and supported device lists, Surfshark is a better choice for anyone looking for a subscription of at least 12 months.
Read our full Surfshark review for more information.
Is ExpressVPN right for your business?
ExpressVPN is a reasonable choice for a solo business owner looking for a secure, fast VPN connection. If you’re looking to connect in any specific country, you’re more likely to find it supported by ExpressVPN than other providers thanks to its large server network spanning across 94 countries.
If cost is your main concern, ExpressVPN probably won’t be the best pick for your business. For faster speeds, lower costs, and bundled team pricing, you may want to shop around for another option. If you’re not supporting a remote team and do all of your business in an office space, ExpressVPN’s Aircove router is an option that can help cover numerous users under one VPN account.
Methodology
We extensively research the key competitors within an industry to determine the best products and services for your business. Our experts identify the factors that matter most to business owners, including pricing, features and customer support, to ensure that our recommendations offer well-rounded products that will meet the needs of various small businesses.
We collect extensive data to narrow our best list to reputable, easy-to-use products with stand-out features at a reasonable price point. And we look at user reviews to ensure that business owners like you are satisfied with our top picks’ services. We use the same rubric to assess companies within a particular space so you can confidently follow our blueprint to the Best Business VPNs of 2023.
ExpressVPN does not offer a free trial. All plans require a subscription and payment. However, if you decide you’re unhappy and want to cancel, you can get a full refund thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee. Some other VPNs allow you to start with a free trial or offer a limited free version.
ExpressVPN is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands. The British Virgin Islands are outside of the five eyes, a group of five countries that maintain an intelligence-sharing agreement. Local laws don’t require any kind of data retention in the British Virgin Islands. This location helps support ExpressVPN’s ability to operate a completely private VPN with a solid no-log policy.
ExpressVPN operates servers in 94 countries, an impressive number that outpaces most competitors. However, it doesn’t share its number of servers. ExpressVPN offers extensive coverage in the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific regions. While there are only five locations in the Middle East and Africa, that’s still better than most others.
ExpressVPN is extremely secure. With an offshore headquarters and industry-standard encryption protocols, users can trust their connection is private and secure when operating through an ExpressVPN server.
Users can choose between five different VPN protocols when connected to ExpressVPN. Those include L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN, IKEv2, PPTP, SSTP and WireGuard. While WireGuard is an industry-standard, it’s nice to have the option to switch to other protocols when required by specific devices or software packages. ExpressVPN also offers Lightway, a proprietary protocol developed to compete with current industry standards.
Connecting to ExpressVPN is a quick and easy process when you use any of the ExpressVPN apps. Popular devices include Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Chromebook, Amazon Kindle and many routers.
To encrypt only your web browser traffic, you can install plugins for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave and Vivaldi. While not all routers support VPN configurations, those that do enable you to protect your entire network with a single device.
ExpressVPN follows a strict no-log policy. The company doesn’t keep any activity logs, ensuring all connections are fully private. ExpressVPN doesn’t keep connection logs or timestamps, so there’s virtually no record that you used the service or what you did when connected.
While not the fastest VPN on the market, ExpressVPN offers high speeds and reliable connections. Download speeds average 204 Mbps and the average upload speed is 146 Mbps. As with all VPNs, your distance from your chosen server location influences connection speeds, among other factors.
Nearly any internet-connected device can work with ExpressVPN. For smart home devices where you can’t directly configure VPN connections, you can use a router-level VPN, which encrypts all traffic in and out of your home or office. You can install ExpressVPN software on popular Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, smart TVs and several other devices.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
