ExpressVPN vs HMA VPN 2024

Doris Muthuri

Senior Writer

Both ExpressVPN and HMA VPN have some strong similarities that make them great options for protecting your data online. One is a top player in the industry, while the other is a more affordable smaller VPN with more server locations than most.

I tested out both VPNs side-by-side to see how fast they are and if they work well for streaming, torrenting, and gaming. I also checked out the quality of their customer support and examined pricing plans to make sure there weren't any hidden fees. Even more important, I looked into their privacy policies and reputations, and how they handle user data.

My honest recommendation? ExpressVPN is by far the better option. It's fast and dependable, and it has many more servers than HMA VPN. Plus, it has more advanced security and privacy features to give you maximum protection online. You can even try it risk-free for 30 days with a reliable money-back guarantee.

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Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings

Streaming — ExpressVPN Wins With Superior Reliability

ExpressVPN’s network is optimized for smooth streaming, and every server we tested was fast and reliable. I also appreciate that its Lightway protocol saves battery life when streaming on mobile devices.

While it gave us decent video quality when streaming, HMA VPN had trouble with some popular platforms.

My team and I tested ExpressVPN with the most popular streaming services within our own countries. My US colleague said they had zero issues with Netflix US, Hulu, Max, Disney+, and more. The video quality was perfect, and they never experienced any buffering while watching their favorite movies and shows.

Videos loaded quickly and played back without any buffering

I also like that it offers Smart DNS via its MediaStreamer feature, which allows streaming on devices that don't usually support VPNs. This works with several platforms in the UK and US, like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney +, and more. On the other hand, HMA does not offer Smart DNS.

In comparison, HMA VPN only works with a handful of platforms — despite offering streaming-optimized servers. We tested it with US streaming services and could only get it to work with a few. My colleague in the US didn’t have much trouble getting it to work with Max and ESPN. However, when they tried it with Hulu, they couldn’t even get past the login page.

My US colleague reported some buffering while streaming

Winner

ExpressVPN has faster speeds and works much more reliably with popular streaming platforms from anywhere.

Server Network — ExpressVPN Has More Servers Overall

ExpressVPN has a higher number of servers, which makes it more efficient. A large number of servers spread out reduces congestion and improves speeds. HMA has a smaller network but covers more countries.

HMA offers 189 servers optimized for streaming across six locations, with four in the US, one in the UK, and one in Germany. It also has servers specialized for P2P in eight locations, including three in the US, one in the UK, and four in Europe. Meanwhile, all ExpressVPN servers are optimized for all types of activities.

Winner

ExpressVPN has one of the most impressive server networks available. HMA VPN has servers in many more countries, but it has a limited number of servers, which can affect speeds.

Speed — ExpressVPN Is the Fastest We’ve Tested

Our UK speed tester tried each VPN with its fastest protocol. Their baseline download speed was 261.24 Mbps, and their upload speed was 26.37 Mbps. For ExpressVPN, Lightway (its proprietary protocol) was used, and for HMA VPN, they used WireGuard. Although WireGuard is generally seen as a good mix of speed and privacy, our testing consistently finds Lightway to be the fastest VPN protocol on the market.

When comparing ExpressVPN and HMA VPN in terms of speed, the winner was pretty obvious. ExpressVPN’s speeds are excellent overall. On nearby UK servers, the tester’s speeds dropped by only 2%, while servers far away in the US dropped by 8% drop.

Our tester noticed minimal speed loss from their base connection

HMA VPN speeds were extremely slow, especially on far-away servers. I was expecting the speeds to be reasonable over short distances, but I was surprised that the server in the UK lowered her rates by 29%. I also tested my local servers in Nairobi, and my speeds dropped by 31%. For reference, a VPN will slow you down by an average of 15% at close range, so this drop was disappointing.

A speed drop this size can be frustrating on slower connections

Winner

The winner is clear. ExpressVPN is faster than HMA VPN on both short and long distances.

Gaming — ExpressVPN Wins by a Narrow Margin

Ping measures how quickly your commands are responded to on-screen — which is crucial for gaming. Aim for under 100 ms for smooth gameplay, but the lower, the better. In my experience, ExpressVPN consistently delivered lower ping rates, resulting in smoother gameplay.

Our UK tester compared both VPNs. Starting with a base ping of 30 ms, here are the average results:

With ExpressVPN, I could play games without lag on most servers. I tested it with Roblox and Minecraft and had a ton of fun playing without lag. I also like its easy-to-use apps, which make it even better for gaming. Plus, you can set up ExpressVPN on gaming consoles like Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.

I never experienced delays on any of the games I played

HMA was slightly slower on nearby servers but had similar speeds to ExpressVPN at long distances. The gameplay was still smooth with servers close by, and I could even play with minimal lag while connected to the US.

The ping rate on both VPN’s Japanese servers was so high that I couldn’t even start my game. It's important to understand that all VPNs will increase your ping to some degree. Also, in my experience, no VPN allows lag-free gaming when connecting to servers far away from your location.

Winner

ExpressVPN provides slightly lower ping rates nearby for gaming and offers a bit broader range of compatibility with game consoles.

Torrenting — ExpressVPN Supports Torrenting on All Servers

Both VPNs work for downloading, but ExpressVPN has excellent speeds that make it the better option for torrenting. I downloaded the same 5GB copyright-free file with both VPNs using servers near my location in Nairobi.

ExpressVPN completed the transfer 7 whole minutes faster than HMA. Plus, with its stronger privacy protection (like RAM-only servers and a court-proven privacy policy), you know that your personal data and torrenting activity are safe. It also offers port forwarding via routers, which is nice for more direct, faster downloads. HMA VPN lacks this feature.

Winner

ExpressVPN beats HMA VPN for torrenting speed because it supports torrenting on all its server servers and offers port forwarding.

Security — ExpressVPN’s Security Features Are Far More Advanced

ExpressVPN offers far more security features than HMA VPN. It uses RAM-only servers that automatically wipe all data upon reboot. This means that if (in the rare case) one of its servers gets hacked or stolen/seized, none of your data will be compromised.

I also like that ExpressVPN offers an automatic ad blocker, Threat Manager, that prevents malicious ads and malware that could affect your online experience. HMA VPN also offers an ad blocker, but only with its Chrome extension.

Parental control helps block all adults sites

HMA has an IP Shuffle that randomly changes your IP address at intervals you choose, making online tracking harder. This privacy-enhancing tool is available on Windows, Android, and macOS devices but not iOS devices.

There are descriptions under each feature to tell you what to expect

All of ExpressVPN’s servers offer automatic obfuscation, making it one of the best VPNs for overcoming tough firewalls. This scrambles your data to make your VPN connection look like normal traffic. It’s what allows ExpressVPN to work on restrictive networks, like at work or school, and even in countries that use robust VPN-blocking technology. HMA doesn’t offer this.

Winner

ExpressVPN offers better security with more advanced features, such as automatic obfuscation, RAM-only servers, and ad and malware blockers.

Privacy — ExpressVPN’s No-Logs Policy Has Been Audited Multiple Times

Both VPNs have strict no-log policies that independent parties have audited and confirmed. They both state they don't retain any personal data. ExpressVPN’s policy has been audited and verified by multiple third parties, while HMA was audited once by VerSprite.

It only stores your email and billing information

HMA had privacy issues in the past, with two instances of sharing user information with authorities. However, after being acquired by Avast, it updated its privacy policy, and there have been no issues since.

In addition to the privacy policy, I also like that Avast, HMA's parent company, releases a warrant canary four times a year. This canary clearly shows all requests Avast receives from government agencies to disclose VPN user data. These actions demonstrate Avast's commitment to transparency and distancing itself from past data-sharing problems.

Both VPNs are also headquartered outside the jurisdiction of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. This alliance requires member countries to share specific types of information among themselves, which raises additional privacy concerns for users.

Winner

It has a clean history, and its privacy policy has been audited and verified by multiple independent parties.

Works in China — ExpressVPN Works While HMA Doesn’t

China operates the Great Firewall (GFW), one of the strictest internet security systems globally. It keeps updating its technology to block VPNs, making it challenging to use them in the country. Even the best VPNs sometimes struggle in China, requiring significant effort to stay effective.

However, ExpressVPN stands out as the most reliable choice for China with its obfuscated servers. While it may have moments of downtime, it's more consistent than many other VPNs. It also has servers in Macau and Hong Kong, which are not subject to mainland China's VPN regulations. Plus, it works in other restrictive countries like Russia and the UAE.

On the other hand, HMA VPN doesn’t work consistently in China. Its proprietary protocol, Mimic, is meant to work in countries like China, but I couldn’t get the protocol to work at all.

Winner

HMA VPN doesn’t work consistently in China, so another win for ExpressVPN.

Installation & Ease of Use — ExpressVPN Support More Devices

While both VPNs have easy-to-use interfaces, ExpressVPN's interface feels cleaner and less cluttered. It also comes with essential security features pre-configured, such as DNS leak protection, so you don’t need to make any adjustments. It took me less than 5 minutes to install it and connect to a server in the US.

ExpressVPN's Smart Location feature is also fantastic. It recommends the best server based on factors like distance, speed, and latency. Whenever I used it, I barely noticed any speed decrease.

Besides Smart Location, ExpressVPN also shows Recent and Recommended locations

HMA is also easy to set up and use, but I experienced connection issues multiple times when testing. During my initial tests, I couldn’t get it to connect to a server. I always had to reboot my device to get it working again.

ExpressVPN works on more devices and operating systems compared to HMA. Plus, it offers custom firmware so you can easily set it up to safeguard all your devices at once. While you can manually install HMA on your router, I found it quite complicated. I prefer using a VPN with a dedicated router app.

Winner

Both VPNs are easy to set up and use, but ExpressVPN stands out for its intuitive features and router app, which is simple to install.

Reliability & Support — ExpressVPN Offers 24/7 Chat Support

ExpressVPN offers 24/7 chat support, and the agents are friendly and knowledgeable. If you have any issues, you are sure to get timely help no matter what time it is.

In comparison, HMA doesn’t offer chat support. You can contact customer support through a ticketing system on its website, but it takes at least 12 hours before you get a response through email. This is not very convenient, especially if you have urgent questions.

Winner

ExpressVPN offers highly responsively 24/7 chat support, which HMA doesn’t offer.

Tips on Choosing Between ExpressVPN vs HMA VPN

When deciding between ExpressVPN and HMA VPN, you need to compare several key factors. Here are the factors I considered when making this comparison:

• Smooth streaming. My team and I tested both VPNs to ensure they reliably work with global streaming services.
• Fast speeds. VPNs can slow down your internet due to encryption and longer server distances. I tested both VPNs’ speed performances over short and long distances to find out which offers the best speeds.
• Server networks. More servers mean easier access and faster speeds. I checked the server network size to ensure smooth performance without overcrowding.
• Robust security. I investigated whether the VPNs offer robust security features, such as robust encryption, a kill switch, and protection against IP/DNS leaks. Additional features like obfuscation (to bypass VPN blocking) and a RAM-based network (for improved privacy) are considered bonuses.
• Privacy practices. I verified if the VPNs keep logs of user activity, ideally with an independent audit to confirm their claims. It's preferable if the VPN is located in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction that is not part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance (an intelligence-sharing agreement between several countries).
• Ease of use. I confirmed that both VPNs offer user-friendly apps for various devices, with easy installation and usage processes. I also checked how accessible the security settings are within the apps.
• Money-back guarantee. A trustworthy money-back guarantee is a must. Both VPNs offer this, so you can try them without risk. If they're not for you, getting a refund should be easy.

ExpressVPN vs HMA VPN — Reddit Opinions

ExpressVPN earns praise for its reliability and speed. Many Redditors switch to it for faster connections and appreciate its live support. Users also like that it supports routers and various devices, including Apple TV, which isn't common among other VPNs.

Not many VPNs offer this feature

HMA is criticized for various issues, including connectivity and slow speeds. Redditors also complain about its customer service and unclear refund policy.