We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: Holiday.com, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: Holiday.com, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

ExpressVPN vs Betternet: Which VPN Should You Pick in 2025?

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.9/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 7.1/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Editor's Note: Transparency and impartiality are important to us when bringing you our best selection of VPNs. Some of the industry-leading products on our list, including Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company. The VPNs we choose are derived from a thorough testing process.

    Is ExpressVPN or Betternet better for price, speed, streaming, gaming, and privacy?

    Author Image Daniel Krohn
    Daniel Krohn Cybersecurity Researcher
    Updated on March 21, 2024

    Betternet and ExpressVPN have pretty impressive features each in their own standing. Both VPNs are compatible with many of the popular native apps including Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, and Android. One of Betternet’s most enticing features is its free service that allows users to enjoy online anonymity without spending money. Other than its user-friendly functionality, Betternet does not seem to offer anything more in the way of advanced privacy and anonymity. On the other hand, ExpressVPN has a reputation for being one of the most trusted VPNs. While Express allows for up to 8 devices per license, Betternet allows for just one. ExpressVPN’s SmartDNS makes it easy for US, UK, and Australian users to stream domestic content on devices that don’t normally support VPNs. Its no log policy attests to ExpressVPN’s true commitment to anonymity, a feature Betternet does not guarantee. Residents of China whose OpenVPN is blocked will find ExpressVPN especially useful.

    Our Score

    Features 9.9/10
    Pricing 9.4/10
    Ease of Use 10.0/10
    Reliability & Support 10.0/10
    Features 7.1/10
    Pricing 5.6/10
    Ease of Use 6.0/10
    Reliability & Support 6.0/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image James Everard
    James Everard Senior Writer
    Our Score: 9.9/10

    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 features for less in the long term. So, do you really need to pay that much...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    A
    Anonymously
    10.0/10
    TEst Vlad

    My wife and I love the service we get. Never a problem yet! We have a few phones, two laptops, and a d... esktop connected to the VPN with zero concerns. I am excited to tell friends about Express VPN when I have the chance!More

    Latest negative user review
    C
    Charli
    6.0/10
    Ok, but expensive

    Seems ok, but I wouldn't say it's worth $20AUD a month. That's steep if you live in a backwater like A... ustralia, where the currency is not valuable. Easy enough to set up - you don't need to be Einstein - but unless you're a tech nerd who can take a look under the bonnet, you'll just have to trust what they say about their product. It frequently drops out without the slightest warning, often when it's the only thing online at the time - despite fast and flawless fiber internet, rendering expression entirely useless UNLESS you have it sitting on your desktop where you can keep an eagle eye on it to actually see it when it drops out so you can kick it back into service again (it doesn't do it by itself), which seems to defeat its purpose, so I'm taking away 2 stars for that. Support is good and they do get back to you as fast as they can.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Doris Muthuri
    Doris Muthuri Senior Writer
    Our Score: 7.1/10

    Betternet is a popular free VPN, but it’s been involved in several controversies. In 2016, a team of researchers caught Betternet embedding malware and tracking libraries in their VPN apps. So, is this VPN actually safe, and can you trust it with your personal information? To remove any doubts, I extensively tested its security and privacy features. I also thoroughly explored its speeds, gam...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    A
    Anonymously
    10.0/10
    Good App

    Absolutely free VPN. BTW just click the exit button to close the free-trial box. It will continue to r... un without it. I don't experience any ads that I am aware of but I have an ad-blocker and a no-script installed on my browser which may account for that. I get a better connection on public WiFi generally. Their Terms and Conditions state they do not keep log files of your actual IP address or sites accessed; and they do not sell your information for money. They are supposed to be paid by premium accounts and the ads generated which, like I previously stated I haven't really seen much of. Lastly, they allow p2p and torrenting, though they will collect your data if they get subpoenaed to for illegal downloads. Overall, excellent VPN app in my opinion.More

    Latest negative user review
    A
    Australian.Dev.Nerds
    2.0/10
    Dangerous Service

    What most people don't know about BetterNet VPN is that it's running by Hamid Rezazadeh, the son of En... sieh Khazali, a very radical Iranian government official (or 4th Reich), he's moved to Canada to mass collect users' data under this service!More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $4.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 8 devices
    Starting price $7.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 45 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices
    Please note that ExpressVPN's generous money-back guarantee applies to first-time customers only.

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    With ultra-fast speeds, 8 simultaneous connections, and reliable streaming capabilities. ExpressVPN is hard to beat. Click here for the best coupon deals.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    ExpressVPN welcomes torrenting and P2P on all its servers. Its fast speeds, and top-notch security levels, and British Virgin Islands location top Betternet, which also allows torrenting, but is slower, less private and secure, and complies with Canada’s data retention laws.

    Best VPN for Windows

    On the surface, both ExpressVPN and Betternet have elegant and slick native clients for Windows. Digging deeper, you will find that even for its paid service, Betternet falls short on several features such as a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 protection, ability to change protocols, and stealth technology. Your money would be better spent on ExpressVPN, as it offers a feature-rich Windows app with a kill switch, a large server network with Smart Location to pick the fastest server, ability to change protocols, DNS and IPv6 leak protection as well as split tunneling to filter the apps you want to tunnel through your VPN connection.

    Best VPN for Android

    Both Betternet and ExpressVPN offer simple and attractive apps for Android users. Even though neither app includes a kill switch, ExpressVPN for Android is more advanced than Betternet’s app. It's also faster, and it includes more features (such as Smart Location), more servers, and the ability to switch between different protocols.

    Best VPN for Mac

    Similarly to its Windows app, Betternet doesn’t offer any special features like kill switch or personal customizations in its Mac client. Mac users will appreciate ExpressVPN’s Mac app for its high-speed connections, wide range of servers, kill switch, split tunneling, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and ease of use.

    Best VPN for iOS

    While neither ExpressVPN nor Betternet offer a kill switch in their iOS apps, ExpressVPN for iOS is more elegant, more user-friendly, and more customizable. You can choose from a much larger selection of ultra-fast servers with ExpressVPN for iOS, in addition to its stronger security measures and verified no-logging policy.

    Best VPN for USA

    ExpressVPN has more than 30 servers in the US alone and works with most top streaming services. If you’re in the US, you can stream on platforms like Hulu and Max without risking your data online. Betternet has fewer servers in the US. It also works with some streaming services, such as ABC and NBC, but not Netflix. ExpressVPN’s stable and super fast speed connections also give it an advantage over Betternet, especially when it comes to streaming HD video.

    The Bottom Line

    See Offers & Pricing

    ExpressVPN plays no games when it comes to anonymity; it does not log DNS queries or traffic data, guaranteeing users privacy. Admittedly, ExpressVPN has a higher price compared to the free-to-use Betternet. Yet, with advanced features such as high connectivity speed, unlimited bandwidth and a huge number of servers in an equally impressive number of countries, Express customers certainly get bang for their buck. With the capacity to connect up to 8 devices compared to Betternet’s 10 device, ExpressVPN gives users the unhinged freedom to privately and safely use multiple devices at any given time.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with ExpressVPN
    Go with Betternet
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is ExpressVPN better than Betternet?

    Yes, ExpressVPN is better overall than Betternet. It has 3000 servers in 105 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $4.99 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between ExpressVPN and Betternet?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then ExpressVPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is ExpressVPN faster than Betternet?

    Yes, ExpressVPN is faster than Betternet. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free. It’s backed by a 30*-day money-back guarantee*, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do ExpressVPN or Betternet offer any deals?

    Both ExpressVPN and Betternet offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 61% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    [*] Please note that ExpressVPN's generous money-back guarantee applies to first-time customers only.
    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: Holiday.com, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    Technical writer with a passion for online privacy.