Pros & Cons
-
- Large, diverse, widely distributed fleet of servers
- Fast speed test results
- Strong privacy and security practices
- Support for post-quantum encryption protocols
-
- Expensive monthly and annual plans
- No multi-hop connections
ExpressVPN Specs
| 500+ Servers | |
| Blocks Ads | |
| Free Version Data Limit | No Free Version |
| Geographically Diverse Servers | |
| Server Locations | 105 Countries |
| Simultaneous VPN Connections | 10-14 |
| Supported Protocols on Android | Lightway |
| Supported Protocols on iOS | OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| Supported Protocols on macOS | Lightway, OpenVPN, L2TP |
ExpressVPN's recent redesign and expanded array of security tools put the VPN in direct competition with the big security suites like NordVPN and Surfshark. Express holds its own thanks to its global server network, consistent performance, and forward-thinking approach. Express was one of the first VPNs to adopt post-quantum encryption, and it continues the innovation trend with its rollout of ExpressAI as an alternative to less secure LLMs. While on the pricey side, ExpressVPN's expansive network and dedication to staying on the forefront of new tech earn it an Editors' Choice award, and it's an especially good pick for frequent travelers.
Pricing: Steep Monthly and Annual Plans
ExpressVPN isn’t alone in having confusing price tiers, nor is it the worst offender. Still, you have to parse the checklists, bonus months, and yearly renewal math to get a general idea of what you’re actually paying for. I prefer VPN services that make their pricing and benefits clear up front to potential subscribers.
(Credit: PCMag/ExpressVPN)Express revamped its pricing model in early 2026 as the service shifted into security suite territory. Instead of features being broken up by subscription length as it was before, you can now choose between ExpressVPN Basic, Advanced, and Pro. Basic is $12.99 per month, supports 10 simultaneous device connections, and 10MB of mail forwarding protection with ExpressMailGuard. Advanced is $13.99 per month and allows for 12 simultaneous device connections. The Advanced plan comes with 100MB of mail protection, access to the ExpressKeys password manager, and five-way identity monitoring. Last up is Pro at $19.99 per month. For that price, you get 14 simultaneous connections, a dedicated IP address, infinite mail protection, 11-way identity protection, and 500 daily credits to ExpressAI. You can see how Express’s price compares with the competition in the chart below:
Express discounts all of its plans by term length, which I’ve differentiated in the bulleted list below:
- Basic (one year plus three bonus months): $74.85 for the first 15 months. $99.95 annually after.
- Basic (two years plus four bonus months): $78.18 for the first 28 months. $99.95 annually after.
- Advanced (one year plus three bonus months): $89.85 for the first 15 months. $119.95 annually after.
- Advanced (two years plus four bonus months): $100.58 for the first 28 months. $119.95 annually after.
- Pro (one year plus three bonus months): $134.85 for the first 15 months. $199.95 annually after.
- Pro (two years plus four bonus months): $167.78 for the first 28 months. $199.95 annually after.
Dedicated IP is still available as an add-on purchase after you make your initial purchase. The price varies depending on subscription length, ranging from $3.99 to $8.99 per month. ExpressVPN doesn’t offer a free plan, which isn't surprising, as good free VPNs are hard to come by. If you want to try a free VPN, consider Proton, which is our top pick thanks to its excellent feature set and generous free plan.
You can pay for your ExpressVPN subscription with PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, bitcoin, and all major credit cards. It’s a good selection of payment options, but I’d like to see more support for anonymous payment methods like cash and more crypto options. Mullvad VPN earned our Editors’ Choice award for its outstanding stance on privacy, which includes accepting cash payments for its service.
Features: A Wealth of Advanced Options
You can secure between eight and 14 devices simultaneously with a single subscription, depending on the service tier you select. Given the high price of its plans, I’d like to see unlimited simultaneous device support. Competing VPNs, such as TunnelBear, offer lower prices and support unlimited connections.
If you can’t compromise on that device limit, there is a way around it: Purchase the company’s $189 Aircove or $169 Aircove GO router. I'm looking to get my hands on both for testing, but the company claims the routers are pre-flashed with ExpressVPN’s service. That means any device you connect to the router will automatically be protected, as if you had configured it through an app. Setting up a VPN on your router can be difficult, so having preconfigured options takes out the guesswork. Each router comes with a six-month basic tier subscription to get you started, but you’ll need to supply your own after that.
(Credit: PCMag/ExpressVPN)Keys, ExpressVPN’s password manager, is bundled with each subscription. It’s available on iOS, Android, Firefox, and Chrome. It’s not quite as feature-rich as most standalone password managers, but I was impressed with it as an add-on. It has encrypted credentials and credit card storage, easy import and export options, and a streamlined UI and setup guide. I found that it worked seamlessly with every site I used it on.
Threat Manager lets you block malicious sites and ads on the basic plan, but you’ll need to pay for the advanced subscription tier to get tracker blocking capabilities. The various blocking options are either on or off, so you won’t be able to fine-tune them as you would a fully-fledged antivirus or parental control suite. I found that these features worked decently. The parental block kept most blatant porn sites at bay, but sites like Reddit were still accessible. Since you can’t tailor any sites with an allowlist, I wouldn’t recommend the feature as your sole parental control tool. The ad blocker worked on text-based sites and some YouTube videos, but the latter was hit-and-miss. I still saw ads on Netflix, Twitch, and other media streaming sites.
(Credit: PCMag/ExpressVPN)There’s a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox that serves as a control center for the main VPN application. It doesn’t add anything you don’t already get with the central client, but it does let you configure your connection without having to tab out of your browser.
ExpressVPN provides split tunneling, which lets you designate what traffic should travel through the VPN's encrypted connection and what should travel outside it. Split tunneling is useful for activities like gaming or streaming media, which require a lot of bandwidth but are comparatively low risk. It also offers a kill switch, which it calls Network Lock. Unfortunately, Express does not offer multi-hop (also known as double VPN) for even more secure connections.
Express has stepped forward to prepare for the potential quantum future. Basically, companies and bad actors have stockpiles of encrypted user data in the hopes that advancements in computer technology (of the quantum computing variety) will allow that data to be decrypted in minutes, hours, or days, rather than the millions of years required to crack encryption with current technology. Express is trying to get ahead of the curve by making the data it handles quantum resilient. That protection is available on all connections that use Lightway, the company's in-house VPN protocol. While this is a good, future-forward attitude, it’s impossible to evaluate, as the technology doesn't yet exist to truly put these claims to the test.
Although a VPN can improve your online privacy, it's just one tool and cannot protect against every threat. We strongly encourage you to use standalone antivirus software, enable multi-factor authentication whenever available, and use a password manager to store complex, unique passwords for each site and service you use.
Protocols: Lightway, WireGuard, and OpenVPN
ExpressVPN’s network is built on its Lightway protocol. While most VPNs use the open-source WireGuard protocol for its reliability and performance, Express has established Lightway as a direct competitor. Lightway delivers comparable performance, reliability, and privacy. The protocol’s core is open-source and freely available for review on GitHub.
(Credit: PCMag/ExpressVPN)You can configure a few versions of Lightway in the app. There’s Lightway UDP, TCP, and Turbo. Turbo is the newest offering by the company and claims to boost performance reliability even further than the already-fast base protocol. I found that my speeds were roughly the same compared with a regular Lightway connection, but you may benefit more from this feature if you have a poor base connection or live in a region far from an optimal server. That feature is currently only available on Windows. There’s also OpenVPN TCP and UDP for good measure. IKEv2 is available on iOS, Mac, and routers.
Server Network: 3,000 Servers, 105 Countries
ExpressVPN’s server network is expansive and offers competitive global coverage. There are roughly 3,000 servers distributed across 105 countries. The regions Express covers are well served with city-level options across a wide range of locations. Of those 3,000 servers, Express offers unparalleled geographic diversity. It covers underserved regions of the world, such as Africa and South America. There are also servers in Hong Kong and Ukraine, two regions where many competitors have completely pulled out.
(Credit: PCMag/ExpressVPN)I’m pleased to see that ExpressVPN is transparent about its use of virtual servers, though I would like to see a note in the app as well. As is, you have to go to the site’s virtual server page to get those details. Virtual locations are servers configured to appear as if they are in a country other than where that physical hardware is located. Neither is necessarily bad, but I prefer it when companies disclose exactly where customer data is heading.
The server page shows you which protocols each one supports. I normally check whether a given server supports torrenting or peer-to-peer (P2P) connections. While it’s not mentioned on the server page, I confirmed with a customer support representative that ExpressVPN supports torrenting on all of its servers. One notable missing feature is multi-hop. I’m glad to see ExpressVPN include advanced technology like post-quantum encryption, but I’d prefer to see multi-hop included first. After all, multi-hop has a proven use case, while post-quantum’s time to shine is yet to be seen.
To protect its data centers worldwide, ExpressVPN uses RAM-only servers that do not write any data to disk. ExpressVPN also says it uses a cryptographic key scheme that assigns a unique key to each server and does not store them on disk, making it much harder for an attacker to impersonate an ExpressVPN server.
Privacy: Frequent Audits and Transparent Policies
To discuss ExpressVPN’s privacy measures, it’s necessary to understand the nature of the VPN’s parent company, Kape Technologies. It’s a long story, but the short of it is that Kape used to be known as Crossrider. The service rebranded after some backlash over its blatant adware distribution. With the rebrand, the company shifted its focus entirely to VPNs and privacy software. Kape Technologies has acquired CyberGhost, Zenmate, Private Internet Access, ExpressVPN, and a number of affiliate review websites that push the company’s products.
ExpressVPN’s privacy policy is thorough and presented clearly. It is a bit dense, reading more like a legal document than an explainer. I’m a fan of TunnelBear’s privacy policy because it frames it with questions and sample scenarios and clearly elaborates on confusing language.
According to the privacy policy, the service does not sell logs of user activity, originating IP addresses, the IP address of the VPN a user is connected to, the session duration, or any connection timestamps. I confirmed with a company representative that ExpressVPN does not sell or profit from user data.
Similar Products
Our Current Picks for The Best VPN Services for 2026
The company is transparent about the seven types of data it collects. That data falls into the following categories:
- Personal data submitted in association with your Account (Personal Data)
- Aggregate Apps and VPN connection summary statistics (Usage Statistics Data)
- Data added to ExpressVPN Keys (Keys Data) (applicable only to ExpressVPN Keys users)
- Anonymous App diagnostics, including crash reports (App Diagnostic Data) (optional)
- IP addresses authorized to use MediaStreamer Services (MediaStreamer Data) (applicable only to MediaStreamer users)
- Data for marketing purposes, collected exclusively when using the App
- Identity Defender data
In summary, ExpressVPN records the aggregate amount of data transferred by each user, the date a user last connected, and the country a user last connected to. ExpressVPN says this information is insufficient to identify a specific individual, as it would match that of many other users on its network.
Biannual transparency reports give a rundown of every request that the company has fielded over the last six months. The latest report gives data from 2025. The 2026 report has not yet been released. It shows that ExpressVPN received 374 requests from government agencies, law enforcement, or civil agencies. It also received 1,063,598 DMCA requests. The service reports that no requests resulted in the disclosure of user-related data.
A company's location can determine whether it is required to keep user data. It’s not impossible for VPNs that operate in jurisdictions that require data retention to operate safely, but it does make for an uphill battle. Luckily, ExpressVPN is headquartered in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands. The country has no data retention laws. The company points out that any requests for user information must be issued by a local court, and such requests will only be heard by the courts if the crime under investigation is punishable by at least a year in prison in the British Virgin Islands.
ExpressVPN’s trust center includes a section that covers all the security audits it has undergone. As of the time of writing, the company has been audited 23 separate times on its features and services. The latest audit, conducted by Cure53 in February 2026, is available here. While the parent company’s past may be cause for concern, we are confident that, based on the evidence available, Express is doing its due diligence in handling user data.
Netflix Streaming: Most Regions Unblocked
Netflix relies on licensing agreements to determine what it can and cannot stream to users in certain regions. Those deals are why the catalog you get in the United States is different from the one in Japan. A good VPN can get around those blocks and give you access to any regional catalog. We break down the unblocking capabilities of a service into three categories: blocked, limited, and open. A VPN is considered blocked if it is completely barred from accessing the service. A limited classification is when Netflix can’t quite pin down where you are and displays a slim catalog of Originals. Open is total access with no restrictions.
ExpressVPN accessed the US, UK, Australia, and Canada without issues. It was detected and blocked in Japan. The chart above and our guide on how to unblock Netflix with a VPN further explain how we qualify these results. While you're at it, check out our recommendations for the best VPNs for Netflix.
Performance: Fast, Consistent Speeds
Speed tests are imperfect measurements of a VPN’s performance. These results are best used to get a baseline idea of what to expect from the service. I run a series of tests using Ookla Speedtest to find my base internet speeds on a given day and time. (Note: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag.com's parent company. For more, see the ethics policy in our Editorial Mission Statement.) Next, I connect to the VPN's recommended server for my location and calculate the percentage change between the figures. Our methodology page goes into our testing in more depth if you'd like to learn more.
ExpressVPN decreased download speeds by 15.48%, upload speeds by 13%, and increased latency by 109.40%. These results are above average, though not quite as impressive as NordVPN, our Lab Test winner for fastest VPN. You can view the full comparison between the VPNs we test in the chart below:
Remember that network connections are variable. I establish a new baseline speed for each test because my regular connection can fluctuate throughout the day, and so can yours. A VPN adds yet another variable, so your experience may differ from ours even if you test in a similar location with the same service.
Apps and Usability: Sleek and Consistent Across Platforms
All Windows testing was performed on an Intel NUC 12 ‘Serpent Canyon’ running the latest version of Windows 11. The ExpressVPN app underwent a redesign in 2026, forgoing its previously simple design for a more in-depth dashboard with configurable windows and statistics. I like that settings are now integrated into the main interface rather than having separate windows pop up, as was the case with the previous version. It’s now much more in line with the mobile versions.
(Credit: PCMag/ExpressVPN)It’s a busier dashboard, but there’s good data here. You can see a map of nearby locations, details regarding which server you’re connected to, how long you’ve been connected, and the protocol you’re using. The entire window expands to provide a wider view of the map. The left-hand menu houses settings, an in-app speed test, and a quick tab for any add-ons that came with your plan.
A complete set of configuration options is available in the options menu. There, you can enable the kill switch, decide on startup behavior, manage split tunneling, and tweak advanced tools and protocol settings. There are a few helpful links in the drop-down menu for checking your IP address and confirming that you’re not experiencing any DNS leaks. You’ll also get direct links to live chat support and the ID alerts page.
An additional window lets you browse and search ExpressVPN's servers, but you can’t do much more than scroll through country or city-level servers. A congestion filter option would be a welcome feature. I’d also like to see a disclosure somewhere detailing which servers are virtual locations.
Next, I tested ExpressVPN on an M4 Mac Mini running Tahoe 26. Since there's no App Store version, you’ll have to go directly to Express to get it. The user experience is largely the same as on Windows, with minimal design differences.
Split tunneling is difficult to deploy on macOS due to developer restrictions, but Express added support for it in 2026. You can now split-tunnel apps on macOS as long as you’re sporting version 11.0 or newer. Thanks to its excellent cross-system consistency. Express is one of our top choices if you want a good Mac VPN.
I then tested Express on an iPhone 14 running iOS 26.4. The iOS version is sleek and shares the same design as the desktop platforms. It's one of our favorite iPhone VPNs due to its streamlined mobile interface.
IKEv2 is present on iOS. The kill switch has two tiers of protection. The basic one shouldn’t interfere with features like AirDrop or Apple CarPlay. The advanced setting is more aggressive but can disrupt certain Apple services. Split tunneling is now available on iOS version 15.0 and later. On the server page, there’s an additional filter option to sort the servers by number of endpoints. That detail is somewhat useful, but I think more options would be a welcome addition across all platforms.
(Credit: PCMag/ExpressVPN)Last up was Android. I tested ExpressVPN's Android app using a Samsung Galaxy S23 FE running Android 14. The design is essentially the same as the iOS version. You can choose a light or dark theme manually, but I found that the app automatically synced with my phone's theme setting.
(Credit: PCMag/ExpressVPN)There are some notable differences between the iOS and Android versions of ExpressVPN. On Android, the kill switch only has one setting since it won't interfere with screen sharing or Android Auto. There's no IKEv2 protocol support on Android. You can choose between Lightway, WireGuard, and OpenVPN.
Support: Helpful Guides and Self-Help Options
ExpressVPN has a detailed support section with useful articles, guides, and FAQs. The search functionality is basic but works well. I recommend reviewing the guides before you reach out to the support team. Each guide features detailed walkthroughs for common topics and issues with helpful screenshots.
(Credit:PCMag/ExpressVPN)There are a handful of live support resources available if you can’t find the solution to your problem in the database. Click the live chat bubble in the bottom-right corner of the screen to access an AI assistant. It will try to help you by pulling answers from the support articles, but you can ask for an agent if you'd prefer to speak with a real person. I found the quick chat team helpful, but you’ll be directed to submit a ticket if you have a more complex or technical question. I submitted a couple of tickets and got knowledgeable replies to both within just a few hours.
ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is average. If you want to cancel, you have to reach out to support. My agent was friendly but pushy, using scripted messages to ask me to stay or to explain in detail why I was leaving. Once I was firm in my decision to cancel and get a refund, my request was processed in just a few minutes.
Final Thoughts
(Credit: ExpressVPN)
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a top service for frequent travelers thanks to its expansive global network, polished design, strong performance, and forward-looking security features like post-quantum encryption and ExpressAI.