ExpressVPN vs. StrongVPN 2024

Keira Waddell

Former Senior Writer

Although not as well known in the VPN industry, StrongVPN is a fair competitor to ExpressVPN. Both VPNs offer impressive speeds and robust security features and work with popular streaming platforms. However, there are some differences between them you should be aware of before making your choice.

To help you make an informed decision, I compared the 2 VPNs side by side in various categories, including speed, streaming, server network, privacy, and security.

After my testing, I found that ExpressVPN is the overall winner. Our international team of testers confirmed it works with global streaming platforms and it’s one of the fastest VPNs in the industry. Plus, it’s highly recommended for privacy-conscious users with its audited no-logs and privacy-friendly jurisdiction.

StrongVPN is a solid runner-up, though. It comes with the essential security features and fast speeds provided by premium VPNs at a much lower price. Plus, it's a great option for streaming with its StrongDNS feature. However, it hasn’t been audited to date and has poor server coverage.

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Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings

Streaming — ExpressVPN Wins by a Narrow Margin

ExpressVPN was more reliable for uninterrupted streaming. Neither provider offers dedicated streaming servers, but ExpressVPN’s regular servers gave me and my global colleagues a smooth connection with every local platform we tried that is licensed for our respective countries. This wasn’t the case with StrongVPN.

The following table shows how well each VPN works with popular streaming platforms:

ExpressVPN gave my international team and me consistent connections to our local Netflix libraries (over 20), including major ones like the US, the UK, Japan, Germany, and Australia. I used the server closest to me, in New York, to watch Community on Netflix US in UHD. Thanks to its fast speeds, I never experienced any lag.

The picture quality remained the same even when skipping to different parts of the episode

In our tests, ExpressVPN was just as reliable with other major streaming platforms, like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer.

StrongVPN also works with most platforms and Netflix libraries, but there were a few inconsistencies. I had to try a few US servers before I found one that gave me a stable connection for Max. Our UK testers also found that BBC iPlayer required troubleshooting (switching servers and browsers) before it worked.

Aside from that, I experienced no buffering while streaming with StrongVPN from my location in the US.

It didn’t take more than a few seconds for the show to load

ExpressVPN and StrongVPN both offer a Smart DNS service — ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer and StrongVPN’s StrongDNS. These let you stream on devices that don’t support VPNs, like smart TVs and gaming consoles. They don’t offer encryption like their full VPN apps, though.

MediaStreamer only works with select US and UK streaming platforms, so it’s only suitable for people in these countries. Meanwhile, StrongDNS service supports around 140 streaming services, making it a better option for users across the world.

Winner

ExpressVPN is the overall winner for streaming, as it works more consistently and more reliably with the most popular streaming platforms.

Server Network — ExpressVPN Has a Much Larger Server Network

Both VPNs have good global coverage, but ExpressVPN has a much larger network, with 3,000+ servers worldwide. ExpressVPN also covers 105 countries spread across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

In comparison, StrongVPN has only 950 servers in 30 countries. The vast majority of its servers are based in Europe and North America, while other regions aren’t too well represented. Both VPNs lack servers in restrictive countries like Russia and China.

On the positive side, StrongVPN does offer a good number of city-specific servers. Plus, most of them are based in the US, so users in the States can easily find a fast, local server.

Winner

ExpressVPN has a lot more servers than StrongVPN and covers a lot more countries, with every continent well represented.

Speed — StrongVPN Was Slightly Faster

ExpressVPN and StrongVPN are both very fast. Both VPNs were tested by our speed tester in the UK, using their fastest protocols — Lightway for ExpressVPN and WireGuard for StrongVPN.

Starting with baseline speeds of 112.71 Mbps, ExpressVPN local UK server reached up to 105.85 Mbps — only a 6% drop. Meanwhile, its upload speeds dropped by 9% (from 15.96 Mbps to 14.5 Mbps), which is also impressive.

While download speeds are important for streaming and torrenting, upload speeds can affect activities like gaming and file sharing.

A minor speed loss of only 6% means the VPN connection is barely noticeable

StrongVPN performed similarly to ExpressVPN on nearby servers. With baseline speeds of 116.25 Mbps, StrongVPN’s speeds dropped by only 5% on the local UK server. Its upload speeds barely dropped to 16.71 Mbps.

WireGuard provides the best speeds for streaming, browsing, or torrenting with StrongVPN

Looking at long-distance speeds, both VPNs had excellent results. ExpressVPN dropped speeds by only 11% on the overseas New York server. StrongVPN performed even better on the US connection, with only a 7% speed loss. But the difference in these results is so small that it's unnoticeable in real-time.

Winner

ExpressVPN and StrongVPN are both very fast over short and long distances, but StrongVPN came out slightly ahead in most speed tests.

Gaming — ExpressVPN Has Lower Ping Rates

To see how each VPN performs during gaming, I tested their ping rates on a few servers across the globe (nearby and long-distance). Ideally, the ping should stay well below the 100 ms mark for smooth gaming to prevent lag or disruptions to your game.

I first recorded my ping without a VPN connection, which was 64 ms. Then, I tested both VPNs’ fastest servers, as well as their US, UK, and Hong Kong connections. For the most accurate results, I played the fast-paced Counter-Strike 2.

ExpressVPN gave me a lower ping than StrongVPN at both short and long distances. When I used its Quick Connect option, there was no difference in gameplay compared to when I wasn’t using a VPN.

The game loaded within seconds, and there were no interruptions while playing

As expected, the ping increased the further away the server was from my actual location. ExpressVPN’s London server gave me 115 ms, so I waited around 5 minutes for the game to load and noticed slight lagging while playing. With StrongVPN, loading times were even longer.

With both VPNs, I couldn’t even get the game to load when connected to their Hong Kong servers, so I don’t recommend using either VPN for gaming at distances over 8,000km.

Winner

ExpressVPN gave me lower ping rates than StrongVPN on both nearby and long-distance servers, making it the overall winner in this category.

Torrenting — Both VPNs Support P2P Sharing On All Their Servers

Unlike some VPNs, ExpressVPN supports torrenting on all its servers. You don’t need to look for specialized P2P servers — simply connect to your nearest location and start downloading. This, combined with its fast speeds, makes it one of the best torrenting VPNs.

StrongVPN also allows P2P connections across its entire server network, so it’s another solid choice for torrenting.

During tests, it took a little over 4 minutes to download a 1.3 GB file with ExpressVPN, which is similar to the time it takes me to download a file of that size without a VPN. StrongVPN gave me similar results.

However, downloading copyrighted content is illegal in most countries, so make sure to only torrent files that are copyright-free and are in the public domain. Also, check your country’s local laws and regulations before using either VPN for torrenting.

Winner - draw

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ExpressVPN and StrongVPN support P2P sharing on all their servers, so this category is a tie. They gave me great download speeds, similar to the time it takes me without a VPN connection.

Security — ExpressVPN Wins Thanks to More Advanced Features

ExpressVPN and StrongVPN are both very secure, but ExpressVPN has more security features, so it’s the overall winner. That said, if you’re looking for a VPN with standard security features, like strong encryption, a kill switch, and IP/DNS leak protection, StrongVPN is also a great option.

ExpressVPN uses its proprietary TrustedServer technology to ensure all your data is wiped from the server with each reboot. This means all ExpressVPN servers are RAM-based (run on volatile memory).

This is much safer than traditional hard disk drives that keep data permanently. StrongVPN’s server network is also RAM-based.

ExpressVPN and StrongVPN use AES 256-bit encryption — the strongest available. Plus, both VPNs offer a selection of secure VPN protocols to choose from. ExpressVPN offers OpenVPN (UCP and TDP), IKEv2, and its own Lightway protocol (based on WireGuard) that’s built for fast speeds and security.

Lightway has also undergone multiple independent audits that further prove its security

StrongVPN lets you choose between 4 highly secure VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2, and IPSec. This means you can customize your VPN connection based on your needs. For instance, WireGuard is recommended for speed, while OpenVPN is considered the safest protocol.

Both VPNs offer obfuscation technologies that disguise your VPN traffic so they’ll work in restrictive networks like at school, work, or on public WiFi.

ExpressVPN has one of the most advanced obfuscation features of any VPN — it’s built into all its servers and kicks in automatically once it detects a restrictive network. StrongVPN offers obfuscation through the Scramble feature, which needs to be manually enabled.

StrongVPN’s Scramble feature is available on Windows, macOS, and Android

Since both VPNs offer a kill switch, you can rest assured that your data isn’t exposed in case your VPN connection fails. ExpressVPN’s kill switch (Network Lock) is available on all platforms, while StrongVPN’s is only available on its desktop apps.

Winner

ExpressVPN’s robust security features are available on a wider array of devices, while some of StrongVPN’s features are device-specific.

Privacy — ExpressVPN’s No-Logs Claims Have Been Proven Multiple Times

Both ExpressVPN and StrongVPN claim they keep no logs of your browsing activity or personal data. However, ExpressVPN has been audited multiple times by reputable third-party organizations (like KPMG and Cure53) to validate its no-logs claims. Unlike ExpressVPN, StrongVPN has yet to undergo independent audits.

ExpressVPN clearly states in its privacy policy that it retains no activity or connection logs. The only personal information it collects is your sign-up details, such as your email address and payment info, which is needed to maintain its service.

It does collect some anonymized data, such as your bandwidth usage, crash reports, and VPN connection diagnostics, but this information is not personally identifiable, meaning it cannot be traced back to you.

For added privacy, you can pay with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin

StrongVPN’s privacy policy is also very transparent, claiming the VPN doesn’t track or store any of your data, like your browsing activity or IP address. Similar to ExpressVPN, it only collects basic information needed to maintain its service, but I’d like to see these claims audited.

When it comes to jurisdiction, ExpressVPN comes out on top as it’s based in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands. This country has no data retention laws and is outside the data-sharing 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. On the other hand, StrongVPN is based in the US, one of the founders of the 5 Eyes Alliance.

Winner

ExpressVPN’s no-logs policy has been proven true multiple times by independent audits, whereas StrongVPN’s no-logs claims haven’t been verified to date.

Works in China — ExpressVPN Works, StrongVPN Might

While neither service guarantees that they work in China, ExpressVPN is known to be the most reliable VPN for the country. Its automatic obfuscation means it works more often than not on restrictive networks in the country, and it even has mirror sites that let you download it in the country (its website is blocked by the Great Firewall).

When I contacted StrongVPN’s customer support, the agent was clear that service can be hit or miss and may require extra configuration to work within the country.

ExpressVPN also offers servers in Hong Kong, while StrongVPN doesn’t offer any Chinese IP addresses. Neither VPN has servers in mainland China, though.

Note that using a non-government-approved VPN in China is illegal. There haven't been any publicly reported cases of tourists getting penalized for using one, but we advise you to be cautious. The team and I don't condone using a VPN to break any laws.

Winner

Both of them offer powerful obfuscation features that have allowed them to work in China, but ExpressVPN is one of the VPNs that is known to work reliably.

Installation & Ease of Use — ExpressVPN’s Desktop App Is Easier to Navigate

ExpressVPN and StrongVPN both offer apps for all major platforms that are easy to set up and use. Simply download the app from the app store or the VPN’s official site and install it on your device. Installation didn’t take more than a few minutes with either VPN — once I entered my login credentials, I could start using the VPN immediately.

I found ExpressVPN’s Windows app very intuitive and user-friendly. The main interface is minimalistic, only displaying the server location you’re using without any unnecessary information. Plus, you can add shortcuts to your most frequently used apps and websites.

Click on the 3 dots next to your current location to open the list of servers

Clicking the large power button at the center automatically connects you to the fastest server for your location. If you want to connect to a specific country, you can easily find it with the search bar at the top of the server list.

StrongVPN is also easy to use, but I didn’t find it as intuitive as ExpressVPN. Like ExpressVPN, a big portion of the main screen is taken up by the Connect button and the server location. The main interface is clean and basic, but it shows a bit more information, making it a little cluttered.

You can look for servers by country or by city

Clicking on the current location pulls up the server list. StrongVPN’s servers are sorted alphabetically instead of by continent, making it more difficult to find specific countries. The main settings are hidden behind the cog icon at the top of the main screen.

Like ExpressVPN, StrongVPN’s app is pretty similar across platforms. However, there are certain features, like the kill switch, that are only available on Windows and macOS.

Winner

I found ExpressVPN’s desktop app more intuitive due to the simple main screen, easy-to-find servers, and features like app shortcuts.

Reliability & Support — Both VPNs Offer Excellent Customer Support

ExpressVPN and StrongVPN have multiple support options, but ExpressVPN’s live chat support is knowledgeable and quick to answer. You can find the live chat at the bottom right corner of any page of the VPN’s official site. You don’t even need an active subscription to use ExpressVPN’s live chat.

Like ExpressVPN, StrongVPN’s live chat is available 24/7. The live chat is easy to find and is open to everyone. When you click on it, you can either chat with a support bot or choose to get in touch with a live agent.

Winner - draw

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Overall, both VPNs have similar support options with fast response times, so there is no definitive winner here — they both offer excellent customer support.

Tips on Choosing Between ExpressVPN and StrongVPN

ExpressVPN and StrongVPN have a lot of differences and unique features, so it can be difficult to choose which one to use. Here are the criteria I used to determine the overall winner:

• Smooth streaming — Choose a VPN that reliably works with your favorite local streaming platforms with fast enough speeds for buffer-free streaming. In theory, you can use a VPN to connect to another location and watch content that’s specifically licensed for that region. However, that goes against most platforms’ T&Cs and may constitute copyright infringement.
• Fast speeds — No matter what you want to use the VPN for, its speeds must be fast enough to avoid lagging and interruptions. Although it’s normal for a VPN to slow down your speeds a bit, you should still be able to stream, browse, or torrent smoothly.
• A large server network — The more servers a VPN has, the better chances you have of connecting to a fast, local server. Plus, a large number of servers means you can avoid slowdowns caused by overcrowding.
• Strong security — Any reputable VPN should cover the basics, like military-grade encryption, a kill switch function, and IP/DNS leak protection. If security is your top priority, you should look for a VPN with added extras, like obfuscation, RAM-based servers, and so on.
• Privacy-friendly — The VPN should have a strict no-logs policy that’s been proven true by an independent audit. Plus, it’s best if it’s based in a country that doesn’t belong to the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
• Cross-platform support — Make sure the VPN offers an easy-to-use app for all the major platforms and devices, especially the platform you plan to use the VPN most frequently on.
• Reliable customer support — Always look for a VPN that offers 24/7 live chat support, as you’ll be able to get assistance at any time. If that’s not available, you should at least be able to reach out to support via email.
• Money-back guarantee — Most reputable VPNs let you try their services for a certain amount of time and get a full refund if you don’t find it suitable for you. This is very useful, as it means you can try the VPN without any financial risk.

ExpressVPN vs. StrongVPN — Reddit Opinions

Many Reddit threads discuss whether ExpressVPN is worth the higher cost. Most users report positive experiences with ExpressVPN as it reliably delivers fast speeds, works well for streaming, and has great security features. However, some users don’t like its higher price point.

Some Redditors have reported that StrongVPN has given them inconsistent speeds and connection issues. Even though it’s a cheaper option, users report that it doesn’t perform as well as many other VPNs at a similar price.