ExpressVPN Review 2025

Quick Facts

Overview

ExpressVPN, founded in 2009 and headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, has become one of the leading names in the VPN industry. Known for its strong commitment to privacy, the service operates with a strict no-logs policy, ensuring that your online activities are never recorded. ExpressVPN also offers a wide selection of apps, making it accessible across multiple devices and platforms. One of its standout features is Lightway, a proprietary VPN protocol developed by ExpressVPN, designed to offer faster speeds and enhanced security.

Privacy and Security

ExpressVPN follows a strict no-logs policy, meaning they do not store any user activity or connection data. This includes details such as the websites you visit, the times you connect, or the servers you use. Even aggregated data, like the number of users connected to a specific server, is not retained. To reinforce its commitment to privacy, ExpressVPN has undergone independent audits to verify this policy, with the most recent audit conducted by KPMG. These audits are publicly available and can be found on their website.

In addition to its privacy practices, ExpressVPN has developed its own proprietary VPN protocol called Lightway. The primary benefits of Lightway include faster connection times, improved speeds, and more reliable connections with fewer drops. It's also designed to be energy-efficient, which reduces battery consumption on mobile devices. Another significant feature of Lightway is its quantum resistance, meaning it is built to withstand potential future threats from quantum computing advancements, ensuring long-term security for users. Finally, the protocol is open source and has been independently audited by Cure53.

Compatibility

ExpressVPN offers an impressive array of apps, making it accessible on a wide range of platforms. Whether you're using a desktop, mobile device, browser, or even a smart TV, you'll find a dedicated app designed for seamless integration and ease of use. These apps come with several helpful features, such as the ability to automatically connect to the fastest server, a kill switch to protect your privacy in case of disconnection, and options to configure ad and tracker blocking for a smoother browsing experience.

However, there are some drawbacks. While the apps themselves are robust, they are not open source, which might concern users who prioritise transparency and security. On the plus side, ExpressVPN does provide configuration files for OpenVPN, which gives you the flexibility to use third-party VPN clients if you prefer.

That said, there's a notable limitation when it comes to ExpressVPN’s custom Lightway protocol. Since Lightway is developed by ExpressVPN, it is not supported on third-party clients. This means you won’t be able to use Lightway on devices without an official app like routers. For those who prefer the best performance and faster speeds, this can be disappointing, as you’ll be limited to OpenVPN, which doesn’t perform as well as Lightway or WireGuard.

Performance

For our performance testing, we connected to three different servers, both within Australia and internationally. We simulated a typical home internet setup with a 100 Mbps download and 40 Mbps upload speed limit. Each speed test was conducted five times, and the average results are summarized below.

During our testing, server connection speeds were consistently fast, whether using the Lightway or OpenVPN protocol.

Locally, the Australian server experienced a 53% decrease in speed compared to our baseline. International servers showed more significant drops, with speeds reduced by 68% in Los Angeles and 80% in London. As expected, servers using the Lightway protocol delivered better performance than those on OpenVPN. Overall, the results were solid, and streaming content should pose no issues from any of the servers.

The Australian server saw only a minor increase in ping, meaning it's still more than capable for activities like web browsing, video streaming, and even gaming. On the other hand, international servers had notably higher ping times, which could impact the experience for tasks like browsing.

Streaming

Streaming with ExpressVPN was seamless. We had no trouble accessing content from major platforms in Australia, the U.S., and the U.K., although Prime Video in the U.K. was the only exception.

Overall, ExpressVPN is a top choice for streaming both local content and geo-restricted media from abroad.

Pricing

ExpressVPN currently does not accept cryptocurrency as a payment method, limiting payment options to credit cards and PayPal. This could be a drawback for users who prefer the anonymity offered by digital currencies.

Regarding price, ExpressVPN’s monthly subscription costs $12.95, which is relatively expensive. However, if you opt for a longer plan, the price drops significantly. Their two-year plan, for example, costs just $4.99 per month, making it a more affordable choice for those willing to commit long-term.

TL;DR

ExpressVPN

Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and free months

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