ExpressVPN is one of the most popular and trusted names in the industry. It’s known for being one of the safest, fastest VPNs around, so I wanted to see if it can live up to these claims. It’s not the cheapest VPN, but it often offers discounts that make it a better value for the money. Other decent VPNs offer similar security features for much cheaper. So, do you really need to pay that much for a VPN as good as ExpressVPN?

To find the answer, I performed extensive tests on desktop and mobile devices running Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. I tested its speeds while gaming, streaming, and torrenting. I also explored its security features, unblocking abilities, device compatibility, and its own Lightway protocol. To see if it's still trustworthy, I dove into its privacy policy, independent audits, and company history.

My conclusion: ExpressVPN is tough to beat in almost every way. It’s definitely worth the price. It is one of the fastest VPNs I've ever tested, is incredibly easy to use, and has powerful security features. Plus, it's one of the best VPNs I've used for unblocking streaming sites, and it has the best VPN router app I’ve tried. There's a money-back guarantee too, so you can test out all of ExpressVPN’s features risk-free. You have 30 days to get a refund if it’s not for you.

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ExpressVPN is highly recommended for accessing popular streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. Its reliability comes from its active server monitoring system. If a streaming service blocks an IP address, ExpressVPN quickly substitutes it with a fresh one.

On top of that, ExpressVPN provides an up-to-date inventory of the streaming platforms it supports on its official website. I put each platform on the list to the test, including some that were not listed, and encountered almost no issues. However, it is worth mentioning that ExpressVPN does have a minor limitation — there are still a few popular Netflix regions it can’t unblock.

Out of all of ExpressVPN’s server locations, I tested 50+ and could access the following platforms:

Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble accessing a platform, try switching browsers. When I had issues unblocking Max (formerly HBO Max) and Hulu, I switched from Chrome to Microsoft Edge and they loaded in a matter of seconds. Clearing your browser’s cache and cookies can also fix the issue, or you can try another server in the region. If you still get the error screen, you can contact ExpressVPN’s 24/7 live chat support to find a server that works with the library you want.

Unblocked: 20+ Netflix libraries including US, UK, and Japan

ExpressVPN let me unblock tons of Netflix regions and stream without interruptions. Netflix is always amping up its VPN-blocking technology, so it’s hard for even the most reputable VPNs to keep up. It’s not unusual for a VPN (even ExpressVPN) to stumble upon the dreaded Netflix proxy error, but I didn’t run into it once.

I first tested the London server and logged in to Netflix with no issues.

I never experienced any loading or quality problems on any Netflix library

I was able to unblock 20 different Netflix libraries. Even faraway servers let me watch in HD without buffering. When I used the New Jersey location, I was able to access US Netflix totally lag-free. But at super long distances, the videos took longer to load. On the Tokyo 2 server (9,500 km away), it took about 5 seconds for videos to start (which is still quite fast).

In addition to the US library, I was able to unblock Netflix in the following countries:

Unfortunately, ExpressVPN’s virtual servers could only access Netflix Originals. This is a version of the site that only has the movies and shows that Netflix owns, so you miss out on region-specific content. So, I could only watch Netflix Originals with the Argentina, Taiwan, Egypt, and Pakistan virtual locations.

Unblocked: Disney+

ExpressVPN unblocked Disney+ and let me watch Not Dead Yet without any buffering on all 10 servers I tested.

The picture quality never dropped down, even with the faraway US servers

I was able to watch Disney+ with servers from the US, Australia, Canada, Italy, and the UK with zero buffering. The only difference was the Australian server took about 3 more seconds to load videos.

Unblocked: Amazon Prime Video

I had one small issue accessing Amazon Prime Video, but for the most part, it worked great. I used servers in the UK, the US, and Canada to unblock it.

Every video played back instantly in HD, and I didn’t experience any buffering

I did run into one issue with the US servers. At first, it didn’t work even when I went through my basic troubleshooting procedure (switching servers/browsers/protocols), so I contacted support.

Prime Video might not work when your billing address is different from your IP

ExpressVPN’s support agent told me Amazon Prime Video won’t work on the app unless you have a US billing address. Mine is in the UK, so I didn’t get access. It was a little weird that it worked for other regions, though. However, the agent let me know Prime Video will work in your browser, even if the billing address doesn’t match. So, I headed over to Amazon.com and was able to stream US content from there.

Unblocked: Hulu

I was able to unblock Hulu and watch shows and movies in HD with super short load times.

The show began streaming 3 seconds after I pressed play in perfect HD

I normally have a tough time unblocking Hulu, but I used 7 different ExpressVPN servers to access it easily.

Unblocked: Max (formerly HBO Max)

I unblocked Max and watched shows on the platform without any problems. Succession played back perfectly with no issues.

I tested every US server, and each one could unblock Max without issues

Max worked great; the show loaded immediately, and it never stuttered or stalled.

Also Unblocks: BBC iPlayer, Peacock, Crunchyroll, ESPN+, Kodi, Social Media Sites, and more

ExpressVPN unblocked every other platform I tried, including BBC iPlayer, Peacock, Crunchyroll, ESPN+, and many more. I was even able to stream the public domain movie, The Wasp Woman, on Kodi. I was really impressed by this as there’s always at least one platform that a VPN can’t unblock. Even CyberGhost and NordVPN have problems with platforms like Sky Go or Amazon Prime Video.

Each of ExpressVPN’s 5 UK server locations let me watch BBC iPlayer, and I always had seamless streams. On Peacock, videos took about 10 seconds to load and started fuzzy. But, they upgraded to HD in 2 seconds. Streaming live basketball worked great on ESPN+; the game loaded instantly and played back with no errors. How Not to Summon a Demon Lord streamed perfectly on Crunchyroll as well.

Overall, ExpressVPN is an excellent VPN for streaming. I could access every single streaming platform I tested it with, and the videos played back perfectly with very few exceptions.

ExpressVPN also works with dozens of popular social media sites and apps that are blocked in some countries. If you travel abroad and can't access your social media accounts, you can use ExpressVPN to access Facebook, Instagram, Google (and Google services like Gmail), Twitter, YouTube, Whatsapp, Snapchat, Tinder, and more.

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ExpressVPN provides the fastest speeds of any VPN we’ve tested. I was impressed that I could get consistently quick speeds with ExpressVPN on both local and long-distance servers. These were the 3 aspects I focused on while analyzing our test results:

• Ping is how long it takes data to travel. This is crucial when you’re gaming; the lower the ping, the faster your inputs are received. It’s measured in milliseconds (ms).
• Download speed is how quickly you receive data. This affects your computer’s performance while streaming videos, loading web pages, downloading etc. It’s measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
• Upload speed is how fast you send data. It tells you how quickly you can upload videos, post to social media, share files, etc. It’s also measured in Mbps.

We have a dedicated VPN speed tester who tests ExpressVPN servers every week from the same UK location. This chart displays the average speeds of 10 tests done on each server. These tests were done with the Lightway UDP protocol since it gave us the best speeds.

A minor 5% speed drop on local servers and 25% on distant ones

ExpressVPN is incredibly fast — we didn’t record any speeds below 75 Mbps. In other words, speeds never dropped by more than 38%. To put that into perspective, it’s common for even the best VPNs to drop your speeds much more. For example, a 30% drop on local servers, and up to 85% on long-distance ones are pretty common results even with fast VPNs like CyberGhost and Private Internet Access.

In June 2022, ExpressVPN began upgrading its servers to make overcrowding less of an issue. Several popular servers’ bandwidth went from 1Gbps to 10Gbps. More than 20 locations have been updated, including every US and UK location.

ExpressVPN’s speed testing tool is now only available on the macOS app. That’s too bad because it used to be on the Windows app too. It shows you the relative difference in ping (listed as latency), download, and upload speeds between servers to help you choose the best server for your needs.

Local Speeds

ExpressVPN’s local servers were the fastest of any other VPN we’ve tried. We never had more than a 7% drop. Below, you’ll see our speed tester’s full base speed with no VPN connection to compare the results.

No VPN (London, UK):

These tests were performed using a Windows 11 laptop.

The first test used the “Smart Location” feature, which automatically finds an optimal server based on latency, speed, and distance. It connected to a server in London, UK, and the rates barely dropped.

London, UK:

Connecting a little farther away to Paris, France, resulted in very similar results.

Germany and Ukraine also didn’t result in any noticeable speed drops. The speeds only fell by 5% connected to a Ukrainian server, which is impressive since it’s over 2,500 km away from the UK.

Our tester’s speeds never fell by more than 7% on local servers

I performed tests on the same servers, and there were no noticeable changes in performance when I was browsing or streaming on any of the European servers from my location in the UK. I was always able to stream in Ultra HD since you only need 25 Mbps.

Long-Distance Speeds

Speeds dropped more over long distances, but were still very impressive. The biggest drop was on the Tokyo 2 server, where speeds dropped by 38%. But since it’s 9,294 km from the test location, these are actually really good results — I’ve personally tested VPNs that dropped my speeds by 90% at that distance.

Testing servers in both US coasts gave us the following results:

New York, United States:

Los Angeles, United States:

Finally, super faraway servers in Australia, India, Brazil, and Japan were tested.

Speeds never dropped by more than 38% on long-distance servers

During my own tests, speeds on long distance servers were still fast enough for high-bandwidth activities. I was able to stream geoblocked content on all these servers without buffering. Overall, ExpressVPN’s long-distance speeds are great, and you’ll be able to find a fast connection no matter where you are.

Protocol Speed Tests

Lightway UDP was the fastest protocol during my tests, but there wasn’t a huge difference between that and IKEv2. I measured both local (green) and long-distance (yellow) speeds with all protocols.

You won’t have to worry about speed drops if you decide to switch protocols

Although OpenVPN was the slowest, my speed never dropped below 70 Mbps.

ExpressVPN is an excellent VPN for gaming as long as you stick to local servers. On long-distance servers, I wasn’t able to load a match because the ping was too high. But this is to be expected — I’ve never found a VPN that lets me game on long-distance servers.

When you’re playing competitive online games, your inputs are very important. This is why you want a ping rate below 85 ms. If it takes too long for the game to register your commands, it stops being fun. Even a split-second of lag puts you at a disadvantage, especially in games that require instant reactions.

I performed my tests with the fast-paced shooter Team Fortress 2. I started on the London location with a really low ping of 8 ms. I found a match in no time at all. During the game, I didn’t even notice I was using a VPN.

I was able to run, jump, duck, and shoot with zero delays

However, playing an FPS on a long-distance server was impossible. I got the best download speeds from the Chicago location, 6,349 km away. So, I decided to test it with gaming. The quick download rate didn’t matter because my ping was over 13 times higher than London at 110 ms. I waited 5 minutes for a game to load. After that, I decided to exit out and reconnect. The same thing happened again, so I couldn’t even see how it played.

Unfortunately, the same issue popped up when I tried a New York server. It’s only 5,567 km away from me, but I still couldn’t find a game even after multiple attempts. Because of this, I only recommend ExpressVPN for gamers if you know there’s a server near you.

ExpressVPN operates an expansive network comprising more than 3,000 servers distributed across 105 countries. This broad coverage makes it significantly easier to secure a swift and reliable connection.

However, it's important to note that using crowded or distant servers might result in reduced speeds. While certain providers, such as Private Internet Access, boast even larger networks (29,650 servers), ExpressVPN’s selection is substantial enough to help you find quick nearby servers every time.

The United States and Europe have the most servers, and Africa has the least

ExpressVPN also has great coverage within countries. For example, it’s nice to see servers on both Australian coasts. There are also servers in several countries that other VPNs often neglect, including Hong Kong, Venezuela, and Turkey. Just keep in mind these are virtual locations, and that might affect speeds.

City-level servers make it easier to optimize your speeds. That’s because they let you know which city a server is in, so it’s easier to find one nearby.

ExpressVPN does not offer dedicated/static IP addresses. Some VPNs let you pay extra to use one of these, which can be helpful if you run a website. However, they’re much less safe. ExpressVPN mixes your IP with the traffic of other users, making it much harder to track your information and activity. Each time you sign in, you’ll connect to a different rotating IP.

While the IP addresses are all owned by ExpressVPN, they do work with third-party data centers. Their job is to maintain the servers, but they have no access to the information on them. After contacting ExpressVPN, I was told their partners can see traffic coming in and out of the server. However, they don’t have the proper credentials to tie any online activity to individual users.

Smart Location

Smart Location is convenient, but I was able to find faster servers on my own.

The 3 dots next to your Smart Location will show you the full server list

For example, Smart Location connected me to the Midlands server, but when I tried the East London location my speeds were 5 Mbps faster.

TrustedServer Technology

ExpressVPN increases your security and privacy by running RAM-only (diskless) servers. They call this TrustedServer Technology. RAM is incapable of storing any data, so once it’s restarted, any data from your session is deleted. Everything, including the operating system, is loaded fresh with each reboot from a secure read-only image stored on the hard drive. This increases the safety of the technology in the following ways:

• None of your data is ever stored in a hard drive.
• Data is stored for shorter periods of time.
• The software is reinstalled every time the server reboots, so they’re all updated with the latest security patches.
• It ensures the software is consistent across all servers. With some VPN services, the software can vary across servers, leaving some more vulnerable.

Most VPNs store their information on hard drives. This is less secure because hard drives store data until it’s manually deleted. ExpressVPN’s servers are rebooted every 1-2 weeks. Since these servers won’t store your sensitive information, you’d be safe no matter how often they reboot. However, it’s good that they are continually restarted to make sure they’re always running the most updated technology.

ExpressVPN is even offering a bug bounty of $100,000 to anyone who can find flaws in its servers. This is one of the highest sums any company has offered on Bugcrowd (the website where it hosts its bug bounties). ExpressVPN doesn’t expect anyone to gain unauthorized access to its servers, or to find leaks. So, this shows me it’s very confident in the security of its servers.

Obfuscated Servers

Every ExpressVPN server is automatically obfuscated. Some VPNs make you use different servers or special protocols to use a VPN on networks that block them. I’m glad you don’t have to worry about this with ExpressVPN since every server “obfuscates” (hides) your VPN use. This makes it more likely you can connect to ExpressVPN at work or school, for example.

Does ExpressVPN Use Virtual Locations? Yes

Less than 5% of ExpressVPN’s servers are virtual locations, meaning the physical server is somewhere else. Your new IP address is within the target country, but the actual server is in another one.

It also lists the location of the physical server, which helps you estimate speeds

Virtual servers let ExpressVPN offer IPs in countries with restrictive internet policies. It can be difficult to find safe locations to place a data center in countries that ban or restrict VPNs. Having no physical servers in countries like Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia also keeps ExpressVPN outside their jurisdiction.

ExpressVPN removed physical servers from India in 2022, for example. The country’s government passed new laws requiring VPNs to record customers’ personal information like phone numbers and physical addresses. Removing physical servers means ExpressVPN doesn't have to adhere to these laws, and it still has virtual Indian locations.

Virtual servers can also provide you with better speeds and more reliable connections. Some countries don’t have fast or stable internet connections, so the VPN’s performance is improved by placing the server in a country with better infrastructure.

The downside is these locations aren’t great at unblocking streaming sites. They can sometimes lower your speeds if the server’s real location is farther away than the virtual one. Overall, these servers allow ExpressVPN to offer much wider global coverage than most other top VPNs. For example, NordVPN only offers servers in 105 countries.

ExpressVPN’s wide variety of security features and military-grade encryption will keep your data safe. I thoroughly tested ExpressVPN’s kill switch, split tunneling, and Tor compatibility. Plus, I compared its protocols and did a deep dive into its exclusive Lightway technology. Lastly, I looked into the results of its third-party audits to see how its infrastructure and practices held up under scrutiny.

The only downside I found is that ExpressVPN doesn’t offer a built-in ad and malware blocker. This is a really convenient feature for sure, but the ad and malware blockers offered by other VPNs usually don’t work very well. You need to use a dedicated app or extension for full protection anyway.

Encryption — Military-Grade Protection

ExpressVPN’s encryption technology protects your private information. It keeps you safe with 256-bit AES encryption, which combines an AES 256-bit cipher with a 4096-bit RSA key and SHA-512 HMAC authentication. In layman's terms, your data is essentially uncrackable. This is the same level of encryption used by militaries, banks, and governments.

The number of bits in a key determines the number of possible combinations. For instance, 1 bit leads to 2 combinations, while 8 bits result in 256 combinations. But with 256 bits, you get a huge 78-digit number worth of combinations, making it extremely difficult to decrypt even a small part of the data. It would take billions of years for even the most powerful computer to do so.

ExpressVPN ensures high security for data transfers, such as P2P file sharing, through the use of SHA-512 HMAC authentication. It uses a shared secret key that allows both the sender and receiver to verify a file's authenticity. Any alteration in the secret key would indicate tampering, enabling prompt detection, so any breach would be quickly identified and dealt with.

ExpressVPN employs perfect forward secrecy as well. This feature alters your encryption key with each logon session, ensuring that even if one key is compromised, previous and future VPN sessions remain inaccessible as they use different keys.

Security Protocols — Multiple Options for All Devices

ExpressVPN offers multiple security protocols that let you customize the VPN for any situation. Protocols are a set of rules a VPN uses to tell it how to encrypt your information. They can be switched in the protocols tab for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. On Linux, you use commands in the terminal.

Advanced options for Lightway lets you change the encryption cipher

Each of the protocols is a little different:

• Lightway: This protocol was developed by ExpressVPN, and no other VPN offers it. It drains less battery and transitions between networks seamlessly, making it a good choice for phones. There’s a UDP and TCP option. UDP was faster during my tests, but it’s a little more error-prone than TCP.
• OpenVPN: This is one of the most secure protocols. It’s open source, and people all over the world continuously examine the code to strengthen it. It also has UDP and TCP options.
• IKEv2: Generally thought to be faster than OpenVPN, it was only 1% quicker in my tests. I only use this protocol if the others aren’t working because it’s not as secure. There’s no TCP option, so it’ll be blocked by some firewalls.

You’ll have different options for protocols depending on your device. There is also an automatic setting. This will choose the best protocol for you based on your current connection.

Overall, I’d recommend Lightway UDP since it gives you the best balance of speed and security.

Lightway

Lightway is ExpressVPN’s proprietary protocol that’s super lightweight and offers several advantages, including fast speeds (my speeds were around 12% faster than OpenVPN). For devices like smartphones, switching to ChaCha20 encryption further enhances speed. It uses wolfSSL, a modern cryptographic library known for its military-grade 256-bit encryption, thoroughly reviewed by third parties.

Lightway also changes networks quickly. Rather than terminating the VPN connection, it idles when the signal drops, allowing quick reconnection when switching between WiFi and mobile networks. Plus, Lightway often establishes connections in less than a second. With only 2,000 lines of code, Lightway has one of the smallest VPN protocol code bases, making it easier to audit and resulting in lower battery usage.

ExpressVPN has also updated Lightway to DTLS 1.3, which improves it in several ways. It’s the first VPN to utilize DTLS (Data Transport Layer Security) version 1.3. This upgrade makes the protocol more secure, improves latency for activities like gaming, and lowers data consumption.

You now get post-quantum protection with Lightway as well. While most computers can’t crack standard encryption levels in any realistic timeframe, cybercriminals with quantum technology can do it in a few days. That’s why I’m happy ExpressVPN has updated its exclusive protocol with quantum protection, so you’ll be safe if these attacks become widespread in the future.

Although it doesn’t offer Wireguard, this exclusive option is a comparable replacement that’s similarly speedy and safe. ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol makes it one of the best VPNs to use on mobile devices. The protocol has also been independently audited by Cure53, and its core library is open-source (it's available on GitHub).

Leak Test Results — Passed

ExpressVPN passed all of my leak tests on Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone apps. In my first set of tests, I used ipleak.net with 10 different servers.

Even though I was really in the UK, the test only detected the VPN's Montreal server

The image above shows that each of the tests only saw the Montreal IP address and DNS server I was connected to with the app. IPv4, IPv6, WebRTC, and DNS leaks are all different ways that your data can be accessed. Even if a VPN does a great job protecting you in every other way, leaks like these can still occur. That’s why it’s great that ExpressVPN has built-in leak protection to conceal your data from every method hackers use to access it.

Private DNS on All Servers

One of the reasons ExpressVPN passed my leak tests is because of its private DNS servers. You need to access a network called the Domain Name Server to move between websites. A Private DNS server cuts out this middleman, eliminating one more area where your information can be leaked.

There is an option to use your own DNS, but I recommend sticking with ExpressVPN’s own Private DNS servers as often as possible.

Independently Audited

Independent audits done by several reputable security firms prove ExpressVPN is as secure as it claims. These reports never found any major issues and each minor vulnerability was quickly fixed.

Out of every VPN I’ve tested, ExpressVPN has the most frequent audits by the largest variety of firms. It’s constantly improved by world-class experts, and I’m particularly impressed that it’s had audits done by multiple companies that verify its privacy policy.

Cure53

This firm has audited its Lightway protocol (2021), TrustedServer technology (2022), and the Chrome and Firefox extensions (2018). The browser extensions are open-source, so anyone with the technical ability can perform a similar test. Its latest audits were on the Linux and macOS apps in 2022.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)

PwC is one of the leading auditing firms in the industry. Over an entire month, they reviewed ExpressVPN’s privacy policy and TrustedServer technology by examining code and interviewing team members (2019).

KPMG

KPMG does audits for major companies in several industries from insurance to governments. It also audited the TrustedServer tech along with ExpressVPN’s privacy policy in 2022.

F-secure

This is a team that tests the security of many of the world’s top banks. In 2022, it looked for any weaknesses in the Windows v.12 app and found none.

ioXt Alliance

ExpressVPN also received ioXt Alliance certification for its Android app. The app was checked in 2021 for low-level security issues to ensure its design and how it runs is safe and can be trusted. For ex., network security, where the encryption keys are stored, and whether the software design and updates are secure.

Kill Switch

ExpressVPN’s kill switch blocks your internet traffic if the VPN ever disconnects, so you’re always protected. This is an essential feature in any VPN, and ExpressVPN calls its version “Network Lock”.

On Windows, Linux, and Mac, ExpressVPN's kill switch is enabled automatically. You can also grant access to devices on the LAN. This is handy if you have a printer connected to WiFi, so your documents aren’t affected by a faulty server. With the desktop, Android, and iOS apps you can toggle the kill switch on and off, but the router app cannot. It’s called Network Protection on Android and iOS apps, and it takes one additional step to activate: you just need to set the VPN to “Always On” in the Android settings.

Split Tunneling

Split tunneling allows you to exclude certain traffic from the VPN tunnel. This is useful for maintaining a local connection for activities like banking while simultaneously streaming content from another country. It can also be utilized for printing and conserving bandwidth during file downloads (by encrypting only the torrenting application).

It's simple to add or remove applications from the list of exemptions, but it's necessary to disconnect from the VPN temporarily to do so.

You will need to disconnect from the VPN while you add or remove apps and websites

I removed my online banking app from the tunnel and put this feature to the test. I connected to a US server and returned to Hulu. It worked, and I was able to stream The Secrets of Hillsong while still staying connected to my UK bank.

This feature is available for Linux, Windows, Android, and router apps. Unfortunately, there is no split tunneling in the iOS app or on macOS devices using OS 11 and up.

Tor Compatibility

You can use ExpressVPN with Tor (The Onion Router) using the Tor over VPN method. Tor is a special browser that encrypts all traffic within its network, anonymizing your data. Since it’s one of the main hubs to access the dark web, it has a bad reputation for housing many darknet sites where illegal activities can occur. However, Tor is also necessary since it allows activists and whistleblowers from anywhere to share important information anonymously.

For ExpressVPN to work with Tor, you need to connect to the VPN first. This lets you access Tor even if it’s blocked on your network. You also won’t have to worry about being flagged for using Tor, and you’ll have extra protection against any bugs in the browser.

Since Tor is highly encrypted, it’s a little slower than traditional browsers. Connected to the Los Angeles 1 server, I loaded up a Tor browser in 4 seconds. This is equivalent to my speeds with no VPN connected, so I used Tor without any extra delays.

Advanced Protection

ExpressVPN goes the extra mile when it comes to security with its Advanced Protection features, including Threat Manager, Ad blocker, and Parental controls.

Threat Manager

Threat Manager stops websites and apps from communicating with third parties known to track your activity or engage in malicious behavior. There's nothing more annoying than when you start seeing a bunch of targeted ads after browsing a site or app. But you don’t need to worry about this with ExpressVPN.

Threat Manager is available on all ExpressVPN’s apps, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Linux. Plus, it’s included in its Aircove router as well.

Ad blocker

ExpressVPN also has an ad blocker, which performed well in my tests, blocking 72% of ads. This isn’t perfect, but I’ve never come across an ad blocker that blocked them completely.

The ad blocker is available for Windows, Android, and iOS. It’s expected to be available for Mac and Linux users by the end of 2023.

Parental controls

Another unique feature is its parental controls, including an adult site blocker. This lets you block access to inappropriate content on your or your child’s device. Like the ad blocker, it’s only available to Windows, Android, and iOS users, expected to be rolled out to Mac and Linux by the end of 2023.

Auto-Update

ExpressVPN's desktop apps come with an automatic update feature, keeping users up-to-date with the latest features and security enhancements. This means you don’t need to worry about manual updates taking time out of your day — it will simply update itself automatically.

This feature is especially useful for those in regions with internet restrictions, such as China or the UAE. It eliminates the need to manually update the apps from the ExpressVPN website, which you won’t be able to access there easily.

ExpressVPN has a zero-logs policy and it's located outside of the 14 Eyes Alliance. It's owned by Kape Technologies, which owns many other VPNs (CyberGhost and Private Internet Access, for ex.).

Does ExpressVPN Keep Logs? No

ExpressVPN has a strict no-logs policy, so it will never store, share, or sell your personal data.

It only stores email and billing information along with anonymized data to improve performance

ExpressVPN states it only collects:

• Information you used to sign up (billing details and email address)
• How many apps and app versions you’ve activated
• The day a connection was made (no specific time)
• The server location you connect to (but not the IP address assigned to you)
• The amount of data transferred in one day

I was impressed with how little information is stored; I can’t think of another VPN that collects less. This is the minimal amount of information needed to maintain the VPN and stay in contact with customers. It only reveals that you’ve used a VPN at some point, nothing more.

To protect yourself further, you can pay with cryptocurrency and make a new email for your account. I reached out to ExpressVPN support through the live chat to see if your data, payment, and email information can be deleted. It can, but only after you cancel your subscription.

This can only be done after you've cancelled your account

ExpressVPN does not collect:

• Your personal IP address or the VPN IP address you’ve used
• Data on your browsing history (which websites you’ve accessed)
• Metadata
• DNS queries (the websites you’ve attempted to access)

In other words, there’s no record of where you used ExpressVPN from or what you did while connected.

Diagnostic information can be shared with ExpressVPN voluntarily. When you download the app, simply choose “No Thanks” on the “Help Improve ExpressVPN” page.

If you choose to share, it only gives them anonymized data that can't be linked to you

In addition to everything else, ExpressVPN's policy of not keeping logs was challenged in 2017. The Turkish government seized one of ExpressVPN's servers while investigating an assassination. However, they discovered no information as no data had been stored, validating the authenticity of the no-logs policy.

ExpressVPN International Limited (the parent company behind the app) uses ExpressVPN as its sole source of revenue. The company has also worked with the Center for Democracy and Technology to help improve privacy rights worldwide. This, along with its proven track record, shows me that ExpressVPN is dedicated to online anonymity.

Based in the Privacy-Friendly British Virgin Islands

ExpressVPN is located in the British Virgin Islands, a country with no data retention laws. The country where a VPN company is incorporated is very important because it's required to follow the rules and regulations of its jurisdiction. Along with their strong privacy laws, it’s very difficult for prosecutors to acquire a warrant. They don’t have a mass surveillance program, and the BVI are also outside of the 14 Eyes Alliance (or SIGINT Seniors Europe). This is an agreement between countries to share data on their citizens.

Despite being a British overseas territory, the BVI operates with complete autonomy in its governance. This is great as Britain is part of the 14 Eyes Alliance. Although other nations can request the BVI high court to share data, the BVI government cannot be compelled to disclose information concerning its citizens or businesses.

Even in the hypothetical scenario where another country might influence them, it's important to note that ExpressVPN does not retain any customer data. Nonetheless, being based in such a privacy-friendly jurisdiction offers an additional safeguard for your information that I appreciate.

Does ExpressVPN Work in China? Yes

You can use ExpressVPN in China, but it’s best to download it before getting there. While only government-approved VPNs are legal in China, so far, the government fights non-government-approved VPNs by blocking them. It’s uncommon for them to go after the individuals using them. However, we urge you to read up as much as you can about VPN use in China so that you’re fully aware of the risks.

The Chinese government heavily censors internet usage in the country. This online censorship is known as the Great Firewall of China. However, when the Chinese government cracked down on VPN use a few years ago, ExpressVPN was one of the only VPNs that still worked (and still does).

ExpressVPN also has servers in Hong Kong, which allow you to access Chinese TV and websites while outside of China.

Although the ping was high (229 ms), the Hong Kong 2 server only decreased my speed by 14%. So I was able to stream Chinese shows with no lag in HD.

It works in reverse, too: people inside China can access digitally censored sites with foreign locations. While ExpressVPN uses obfuscation technology, it also keeps an updated list of servers that are guaranteed to work in China. To stay safe, I recommend you do your research because the laws and regulations are always changing.

You need to set your protocol to automatic and connect to one of the recommended servers for China

The support team told me it also works in restrictive countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. For China specifically, the company has a website with troubleshooting advice, along with the servers it recommends. These are constantly changing, so be sure to check out the list each time you connect.

ExpressVPN allows P2P file sharing with unlimited bandwidth on every server, so it’s great for torrenting.

Many VPNs restrict P2P to a specific server, but with ExpressVPN, you’ll be able to use the best location near you for top speeds. ExpressVPN works with qBitTorrent, Transmission, Vuze, Deluge, uTorrent, and every other major P2P application. It also works with Kodi, where you can access P2P streaming sites.

To test ExpressVPN’s torrenting performance, I used uTorrent to download the public domain movie A Boy and His Dog. On a New York server, I was able to download at 2.1 MB/s with only 0.44 seeders. That let me complete the 700 MB file in under 6 minutes.

Even with only 0.44 seeders, I reached a 2.1 Mb/s download speed

ExpressVPN only allows port forwarding through its router application and it does not offer a SOCKS5 proxy. While these functions are mainly used for faster seeding, my test results revealed that speedy downloading can still be achieved in their absence.

It's important to note that neither my team nor I endorse illegal torrenting or streaming activities. I advise sticking to the download of files that are free from copyright restrictions to ensure you're in compliance with the law.