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ExpressVPN and Smart DNS Proxy highlight two different approaches to keeping your data and browsing safe. Each delivers high-quality security options and premium capabilities. ExpressVPN is a well-known brand due to its military-grade encryption and 3,000+ servers in 94 countries with native apps for every platform. With a paid Smart DNS Proxy account, you get access to both a DNS Proxy and its VPN service. The proxy option is designed to unblock streaming content and works with more than 400 channels, but it doesn’t encrypt your data. Its VPN does encrypt your data, supporting leading protocols, including PPTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN. Of its 100 listed servers, half support the VPN service and half support P2P. There’s no software installation for any of the Smart DNS Proxy services, but its VPN has apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. One important note is that the Smart DNS Proxy company calls its VPN service SmartVPN, but this is not the same as the SmartVPN.com service from Anonymous SARL, so we won’t refer to it by that product name in this review. Keep reading to find out which option is right for you.
Features
10.0
Pricing
9.2
Ease of Use
10.0
Reliability & Support
10.0
Features
7.4
Pricing
9.0
Ease of Use
8.0
Reliability & Support
8.2
Rating
Features
10.0
7.4
0.0
Pricing
9.2
9.0
0.0
Ease of Use
10.0
8.0
0.0
Reliability & Support
10.0
8.2
0.0
Reviews
Review by our expert
Matthew Amos
Cybersecurity Researcher
9.8
ExpressVPN is one of the safest, fastest VPNs around, but the one drawback has always been the price. It often offers discounts that make it more affordable, but there are other decent VPNs offering similar security features for much cheaper. So, do you really need to pay so much for a VPN as good as ExpressVPN?
To find the answer, I performed extensive tests on desktop and mobile devices run...
Fastest VPN I've tested.This VPN works very well. It has lots of servers from around the world that you can connect to; hiding your real location and IP address, it allows you to browse the web without being tracked by websites or your ISP. Express VPN has the fastest speeds of any VPN I've tried. Give it a go.
Latest negative user review
Michael
2.0
Express VPN is TERRIBLE!After reading all of the rave reviews, I signed up for ExpressVPN. Express VPN constantly causes me to lose my internet connection on my Dell XPS Laptop, Windows 10 especially when booting the computer or waking the computer. I then have to disconnect Express via the task manager and reconnect to internet. It sometimes kills my connection in the middle of tasks. There is no telephone support. Email to support went unanswered. After troubleshooting with Chat and sending my log files which are fine, Chat Support simply said that this was a problem their engineers are aware of. Whaaaaat? So when, if ever, will there be a fix?? Worthless service, Terrible support! Deserves zero stars.
Smart DNS Proxy is a brand of Global Stealth Inc. which has been offering world internet security, anonymity services, and data encryption since the mid-1990’s. While we can't help wishing it had the speed of ExpressVPN, many Fortune 500 companies trust this brand to keep their employees secure and encrypted when surfing the web. Based out of Seychelles and has only eighty-nine servers in forty-...
Works great for me!I use SmartDNSProxy primarily to access BBC and other British tv channels from the USA. It has proven to be very reliable, with a high-resolution picture and no buffering 100% of the time that I have used it. I started with their 2-week free trial about one month ago (no credit card needed), and was immediately impressed. After the trial ended, I signed up for the paid service. I haven't so far needed to resort to their customer service to troubleshoot anything, so I have no idea how that is. But so far, so good. I highly recommend it.
Latest negative user review
Sam
2.0
Doesn't work with NetflixAbsolute Rubbish Customer service And the biggest thing they advertise is to watch Netflix from anywhere (I'm in Australia and wish to watch everything from the world) And none of NetFlix works anywhere. Garbage, never use them.
ExpressVPN is one of the safest, fastest VPNs around, but the one drawback has always been the price. It often offers discounts that make it more affordable, but there are other decent VPNs offering similar security features for much cheaper. So, do you really need to pay so much for a VPN as good as ExpressVPN?
To find the answer, I performed extensive tests on desktop and mobile devices run...
Smart DNS Proxy is a brand of Global Stealth Inc. which has been offering world internet security, anonymity services, and data encryption since the mid-1990’s. While we can't help wishing it had the speed of ExpressVPN, many Fortune 500 companies trust this brand to keep their employees secure and encrypted when surfing the web. Based out of Seychelles and has only eighty-nine servers in forty-...
Fastest VPN I've tested.This VPN works very well. It has lots of servers from around the world that you can connect to; hiding your real location and IP address, it allows you to browse the web without being tracked by websites or your ISP. Express VPN has the fastest speeds of any VPN I've tried. Give it a go.
Paul Y
10.0
Works great for me!I use SmartDNSProxy primarily to access BBC and other British tv channels from the USA. It has proven to be very reliable, with a high-resolution picture and no buffering 100% of the time that I have used it. I started with their 2-week free trial about one month ago (no credit card needed), and was immediately impressed. After the trial ended, I signed up for the paid service. I haven't so far needed to resort to their customer service to troubleshoot anything, so I have no idea how that is. But so far, so good. I highly recommend it.
Latest negative user review
Michael
2.0
Express VPN is TERRIBLE!After reading all of the rave reviews, I signed up for ExpressVPN. Express VPN constantly causes me to lose my internet connection on my Dell XPS Laptop, Windows 10 especially when booting the computer or waking the computer. I then have to disconnect Express via the task manager and reconnect to internet. It sometimes kills my connection in the middle of tasks. There is no telephone support. Email to support went unanswered. After troubleshooting with Chat and sending my log files which are fine, Chat Support simply said that this was a problem their engineers are aware of. Whaaaaat? So when, if ever, will there be a fix?? Worthless service, Terrible support! Deserves zero stars.
Sam
2.0
Doesn't work with NetflixAbsolute Rubbish Customer service And the biggest thing they advertise is to watch Netflix from anywhere (I'm in Australia and wish to watch everything from the world) And none of NetFlix works anywhere. Garbage, never use them.
ExpressVPN’s high-speed network of servers, IPv6 and DNS leak protection, and ability to get past even the toughest geoblocks make it a popular option. Smart DNS Proxy provides a fast service for its proxy and VPN, which can be used separately or together, but there are mixed reviews on the reliability of streaming content.
ExpressVPN’s high-speed network of servers, IPv6 and DNS leak protection, and ability to get past even the toughest geoblocks make it a popular option. Smart DNS Proxy provides a fast service for its proxy and VPN, which can be used separately or together, but there are mixed reviews on the reliability of streaming content.
Every one of ExpressVPN’s servers supports torrenting to give you fast access to content, while also keeping you safe behind top security and a kill switch on most platforms. The VPN from Smart DNS Proxy, which comes with any paid account, utilizes PPTP, SSTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN protocols and offers dozens of secure torrent-friendly P2P servers.
Every one of ExpressVPN’s servers supports torrenting to give you fast access to content, while also keeping you safe behind top security and a kill switch on most platforms. The VPN from Smart DNS Proxy, which comes with any paid account, utilizes PPTP, SSTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN protocols and offers dozens of secure torrent-friendly P2P servers.
ExpressVPN offers a Windows-specific client that gets high marks from users due to its simplicity, good speeds, and safety tools, with no logging. Smart DNS Proxy allows you to stream without any software, but you’ll get a dedicated app for its VPN tool that makes choosing your connection, turning on the kill switch, and auto-reconnecting easy.
ExpressVPN offers a Windows-specific client that gets high marks from users due to its simplicity, good speeds, and safety tools, with no logging. Smart DNS Proxy allows you to stream without any software, but you’ll get a dedicated app for its VPN tool that makes choosing your connection, turning on the kill switch, and auto-reconnecting easy.
ExpressVPN gives you access to thousands of servers in 94 countries while employing an AES 256-bit cipher with a 4096-bit RSA key and SHA-512 HMAC authentication on its native Android app. The VPN from Smart DNS Proxy has launched an Android app that some users say is confusing to setup and has led to a number of upset customers. It also doesn’t work in conjunction with some popular apps like Whatsapp.
ExpressVPN gives you access to thousands of servers in 94 countries while employing an AES 256-bit cipher with a 4096-bit RSA key and SHA-512 HMAC authentication on its native Android app. The VPN from Smart DNS Proxy has launched an Android app that some users say is confusing to setup and has led to a number of upset customers. It also doesn’t work in conjunction with some popular apps like Whatsapp.
ExpressVPN’s Mac client provides support all the way back to Snow Leopard (10.6) and uses OpenVPN as standard, split tunneling, and even lets you favorite different services for easy access. Smart DNS Proxy’s VPN and proxy service support all Mac devices and make it easy to stream or browse with minimal logging of your data.
ExpressVPN’s Mac client provides support all the way back to Snow Leopard (10.6) and uses OpenVPN as standard, split tunneling, and even lets you favorite different services for easy access. Smart DNS Proxy’s VPN and proxy service support all Mac devices and make it easy to stream or browse with minimal logging of your data.
ExpressVPN protects your iOS devices with access to more than 160 VPN server locations. You can get a free 14-day trial on its app that protects you on wi-fi, LTE/4G, 3G, and all mobile data carriers. Smart DNS Proxy’s VPN gives iPhones, iPads, and other Apple devices a full complement of encryption and protection with a simple network adjustment.
ExpressVPN protects your iOS devices with access to more than 160 VPN server locations. You can get a free 14-day trial on its app that protects you on wi-fi, LTE/4G, 3G, and all mobile data carriers. Smart DNS Proxy’s VPN gives iPhones, iPads, and other Apple devices a full complement of encryption and protection with a simple network adjustment.
ExpressVPN makes it safe and straightforward to access leading US content, such as Netflix and HBO, with users reporting success and fast speeds from the UAE, Russia, China, and others. Smart DNS Proxy explicitly touts its ability to unblock a wide range of content, but users report inconsistent results, especially for Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
ExpressVPN makes it safe and straightforward to access leading US content, such as Netflix and HBO, with users reporting success and fast speeds from the UAE, Russia, China, and others. Smart DNS Proxy explicitly touts its ability to unblock a wide range of content, but users report inconsistent results, especially for Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
ExpressVPN has an advantage over Smart DNS Proxy based on the size of its network, automatic kill switch, reliable geoblocking capabilities, and friendly customer service. But, the lower price and software-free nature of Smart DNS Proxy could be a good choice for you now that it includes a true VPN offering with its paid proxy service. You’ll want to look at the devices you use and your comfort around working with or without specific software to help narrow down your selection. Either way, you’ll get fast speeds, safe connections, and short-term free trials from each of these two popular services.
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