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ExpressVPN Review

February 26, 2021 By Sven Taylor — 95 Comments
VPNExpressVPN
Based inBritish Virgin Islands
LogsNo logs (audited)
Price$6.67/mo.
Support24/7 Live chat
Refund30 days
WebsiteExpressVPN.com
express vpn

Coupon for Three Months Free >>

ExpressVPN is a well-regarded VPN service used by many people – but how well does it actually perform?

In the past year, ExpressVPN has undergone some big security and infrastructure updates. The biggest change has been the release of Lightway, a new VPN protocol that promises faster speeds and upgraded encryption – but it also comes with some noteworthy drawbacks.

In this new and updated ExpressVPN review, we set out to answer these questions:

  • How fast is ExpressVPN and does it outperform other leading VPNs?
  • How well do the features and leak-protection settings work?
  • Are the VPN apps secure and user-friendly?
  • Can it unblock Netflix and other streaming services?
  • Is ExpressVPN worth the (above average) price?

We purchased an ExpressVPN account and tested the VPN apps on both desktop and mobile operating systems to answer these questions and more. All test results are posted bellow.

Here is a brief overview of our findings:

Pros of ExpressVPN

  1. Secure VPN apps for all devices
  2. Strong encryption, good security features, and no leaks
  3. No-logs VPN in a safe jurisdiction
  4. Large and secure server network
  5. Works with Netflix and other streaming services
  6. Secure browser extensions
  7. Split tunneling feature
  8. Secure and reliable mobile apps
  9. Dedicated VPN router app (for unlimited connections)
  10. Great customer support and refund policy

Cons of ExpressVPN

  1. Above average prices
  2. Slow OpenVPN speeds
  3. Fewer features than other leading VPNs

Additional research findings

  • Lightway Protocol (Pros and Cons)
  • Can you use ExpressVPN for torrenting? (Yes)
  • Does ExpressVPN work in China? (Yes)
  • How many connections do you get with ExpressVPN?
  • Is ExpressVPN worth it?

Now let’s examine the details and findings of this ExpressVPN review, starting with the pros.

ExpressVPN Pros

Here are the pros of ExpressVPN:

1. Secure VPN apps for all devices

When it comes to secure, reliable, and user-friendly VPN apps that just work, ExpressVPN is one of the best options available.

They offer dedicated apps for all major operating systems and devices, including:

  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • Linux
  • Android
  • iOS
  • Routers
  • Chromebook
  • Kindle Fire and Nook

ExpressVPN also offers a feature they call MediaStreamer. This is basically a smart DNS service that is ideal for unblocking content and accessing your favorite streams. This is a great solution if you are wanting to use a VPN for Apple TV, gaming systems, or other devices that do not normally support VPN apps.

Below I’m testing out the ExpressVPN Windows app for this review. You can see it has a clean and minimal design that doesn’t take up too much space on your desktop.

ExpressVPN apps review
The ExpressVPN apps are clean and minimal.

Tapping the three lines in the top-left corner of the VPN app opens up a new window with more features and settings that we’ll discuss further below.

The ExpressVPN apps have always had an intuitive design and simple layout. Many VPN apps are buggy and/or clunky, but this is not the case with ExpressVPN.

2. Strong encryption, good security features, and no leaks

When it comes to implementing strong encryption and security, ExpressVPN does not cut any corners. We’ll examine the encryption, VPN protocols, security features, and leak test results in this section.

ExpressVPN encryption

With the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, ExpressVPN uses an AES-256 cipher with an RSA-4096 key and SHA-512 HMAC authentication. The Lightway protocol uses AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20/Poly1305 ciphers to encrypt traffic, along with D/TLS 1.2 for server authentication.

The AES-256 and ChaCha20 ciphers offer an extremely high level of encryption that is currently considered unbreakable, even with modern quantum computers. They also provide excellent performance, especially the Lightway protocol (test results below). Additionally, ExpressVPN supports Perfect Forward Secrecy negotiated through a Diffie-Hellman key exchange.

VPN Protocols

ExpressVPN gives you the ability to select which VPN protocols you want to use directly in the apps. Here you can see the available VPN protocols in the Windows client:

ExpressVPN encryption vpn protocols
ExpressVPN offers a large selection of VPN protocols to choose from.

With “Automatic” enabled, ExpressVPN will select the best VPN protocol based on your network settings. I tested out OpenVPN UDP and Lightway UDP for this review.

In my tests, Lightway was faster than OpenVPN by a large margin. If you want the best performance, then I’d recommend using Lightway at all times, although OpenVPN UDP was still plenty fast enough for browsing, streaming, and torrenting.

ExpressVPN Network Lock (kill switch)

ExpressVPN refers to the kill switch as the Network Lock. The Network Lock feature will keep your data secure by blocking all traffic if the VPN connection drops. This ensures every data packet remains encrypted and secure, with your real IP address being protected at all times.

The Network Lock feature is currently available in the following apps:

  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • Linux
  • Routers

Below you can see ExpressVPN’s Network Lock feature under the General settings in the Windows app:

ExpressVPN Network Lock
The Network Lock feature keeps your traffic secure and protected at all times.

The Network Lock feature worked well when I tested it out with Windows and Mac OS. All traffic was effectively blocked when I manually interrupted the VPN connection.

The kill switch (Network Lock) is important to keep your data secure if your connection drops for any reason. Most VPNs offer this feature, but in many cases it does not work well.

Kill switch for mobile devices – On mobile devices, ExpressVPN does not offer the official Network Lock feature, but it still has a kill switch to protect against traffic leaks.

  • Android has the “Network Protection” option that functions as a kill switch and will block traffic when the connection drops.
  • iOS has the “Auto-Connect” feature that will also block traffic and automatically reconnect the VPN when your internet connection resumes.

ExpressVPN leak test results (no leaks)

I ran the ExpressVPN apps through some basic VPN tests to identify any issues or problems. The main testing site I used was ipleak.net. I did not find any leaks or security issues with any of the ExpressVPN apps.

Below is the ExpressVPN Windows client with no leaks:

ExpressVPN Privacy test

Above you can see everything matches up with the VPN server I’m connected to in The Netherlands. ExpressVPN is securing all traffic by providing me with an IPv4 address, blocking IPv6, and handling all my DNS requests with their secure DNS resolvers. ExpressVPN’s Windows app passed all tests and is currently our top recommendation as the best VPN for Windows.

I also ran the ExpressVPN Mac OS app and also the Android app through the same leak tests. As with previous tests, no leaks were found. These are the same tests we got with NordVPN and Surfshark with their Android clients.

3. No-logs VPN in a safe jurisdiction

ExpressVPN is one of the few VPNs with no logs that have been verified and proven to be true. Why is this important? Choosing a VPN is all about trust, since the VPN has the ability to log and record your data. There have been at least two cases where “no logs” VPNs have given up information on their users:

  • IPVanish handed over logs to the FBI for a criminal investigation (details in the IPVanish review).
  • PureVPN also provided government agents with data logs for a criminal case (see the PureVPN review for more info).

But back to ExpressVPN. First, we will take an in-depth look at ExpressVPN’s policies, then we’ll cover the real-world cases that verified these policies.

ExpressVPN no-logs policy

ExpressVPN explains their general stance on logging as follows:

ExpressVPN is a premium VPN provider focused on user privacy and anonymity. Our network is built around specifically NOT knowing the internet activities of our users. As privacy is a core part of our service offering, ExpressVPN is in the business of protecting our users’ private internet data.

And this screenshot from their website provides a good summary:

ExpressVPN No Logs Policy

In the Privacy Policy, they further explain:

We do not collect logs of your activity, including no logging of browsing history, traffic destination, data content, or DNS queries. We also never store connection logs, meaning no logs of your IP address, your outgoing VPN IP address, connection timestamp, or session duration.

That being said, there is an option in the VPN apps to share crash statistics, which helps ExpressVPN improve apps, but this data is completely anonymized, does not include personal information, and is optional. Nonetheless, it can also easily be disabled with one click in the Settings area.

ExpressVPN passed third-party audit of logging policies

ExpressVPN is also one of a handful of VPNs that has been independently audited.

To verify and prove their no-logs claims, ExpressVPN underwent a third-party audit from PricewaterhouseCoopers. The audit verified the TrustedServer feature (discussed below), no logs policy, and that all privacy protections are being adhered to correctly.

Very few VPNs have undergone third-party audits to verify logging policies. And there’s also further proof that ExpressVPN is following a true no-logs policy. This is an advantage ExpressVPN has over other leading VPNs, as you can see in the ProtonVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison.

ExpressVPN servers seized: ‘no logs’ policy tested

In December 2017 news broke that authorities in Turkey seized an ExpressVPN server in an attempt to obtain customer data. Before the server was seized in Turkey, Turkish authorities had attempted to force ExpressVPN to provide logs from the server in question. ExpressVPN informed the officials that they are a no-logs VPN, not subject to Turkish law, and they do not have any data to provide.

After these demands failed, the Turkish government then seized an ExpressVPN server, but still came up empty-handed in their quest for user data.

Why is this important?

The relevant issue here is that the authorities were not able to obtain any customer data – either through demands or seizing a server – because there were no logs available.

This case from Turkey, and also the no-logs audit, confirm ExpressVPN’s logging policies and overall commitment to securing customer data.

Located in a safe, privacy-friendly jurisdiction (BVI)

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). The BVI is an independent, self-governing entity with strict laws protecting the privacy of businesses and individuals operating there.

Unlike the UK, the BVI has no mandatory data retention laws or wide-scale surveillance programs, which affect UK VPN services. Similar to Switzerland, the British Virgin Islands are well-known for strong privacy protection and data secrecy, unlike the different Five Eyes countries.

The judicial system in the BVI also cannot be compelled to force companies there to produce records on their customers. As a country, the BVI is fully independent and does not fall under any other country’s jurisdiction, despite the historical connection to Britain. We also see other VPNs incorporating in the BVI for these same reasons, as noted in the Surfshark review.

4. Large and secure server network

ExpressVPN offers a large selection of servers around the world, with a very secure network setup.

At the time of this review, ExpressVPN has about 160 VPN server locations in 94 countries. This includes a total of more than 3,000 VPN servers. Europe and North America have the best coverage, but they also offer a good selection of servers in South America, Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific region.

All servers running in RAM-disk mode (TrustedServer feature)

ExpressVPN is now one of only a handful of VPNs that run all servers in RAM-disk mode. In other words, ExpressVPN does not use any hard drives with its server network, but instead, only RAM memory. This network security setup is referred to as the TrustedServer feature.

Express VPN RAM servers security

The TrustedServer feature offers ExpressVPN users a higher level of security. We also discuss RAM servers in our NordVPN vs IPVanish comparison.

Does ExpressVPN offer static/dedicated IP addresses?

No, ExpressVPN does not offer dedicated IP addresses.

If you want a dedicated IP address, see my guide on VPNs with dedicated IPs for more details. (Note that dedicated/static IPs are not the best choice for privacy because your internet traffic is not getting mixed with other users.)

5. Works with Netflix and other streaming services

If you need a good VPN that works with Netflix and other streaming services, then ExpressVPN is a great choice. It is one of the few VPNs that continues to work with Netflix, providing 24/7 access.

For this review, I tested out US Netflix with an ExpressVPN server in Washington DC. Everything worked perfectly, as you can see below.

To use Netflix with ExpressVPN, simply start the ExpressVPN app on your device, connect to a server of your choice in the Netflix region you want to use, and then stream Netflix as normal.

If you get any kind of proxy error with Netflix when you are connected to an ExpressVPN server, just contact ExpressVPN’s chat support and they’ll tell which server(s) to use instead.

ExpressVPN Netflix review
ExpressVPN works well with Netflix and many other streaming services.

ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for Netflix for three main reasons:

  • Good streaming quality with fast speeds (no buffering or interruptions)
  • 24/7 access to Netflix (no network-wide blocks)
  • Unblocks numerous Netflix regions around the world: US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Japan, and Germany.

Other streaming services that work with ExpressVPN

In addition to Netflix, ExpressVPN also works well with Disney Plus and Amazon Prime. And if you need a VPN for Hulu or streaming Kodi, ExpressVPN works here as well.

Note on BBC iPlayer: We have gotten feedback that ExpressVPN is currently not working well for BBC iPlayer. As an alternative, we’d recommend either NordVPN or Surfshark for this service.

ExpressVPN is also one of the few VPNs for Firestick with a dedicated app you can find in the Amazon App Store.

6. Secure browser extensions

ExpressVPN offers browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox browsers. The browser add-on is an extension of the ExpressVPN desktop app. This means you’ll need to be running the ExpressVPN Windows, Mac OS, or Linux desktop application.

Why use the browser extension when you can use the desktop VPN app?

The biggest advantage of using the browser app is convenience. It offers the ability to easily switch server locations directly in your browser, rather than having to navigate to the desktop VPN client. Here are some additional advantages of the ExpressVPN browser extensions:

  • Block WebRTC leaks in the browser (WebRTC is a privacy risk that can expose your real IP, even when using a good VPN).
  • Spoof your HTML5 geolocation data in the browser.
  • HTTPS Everywhere – automatically connects to the more-secure HTTPS version of websites where available.

Here’s what the ExpressVPN browser extension looks like in Chrome:

ExpressVPN Chrome browser extension

The extension can be set to light or dark mode (above). We tested out ExpressVPN’s extension on Chrome browsers, then rated it as one of the best VPNs for Chrome. Everything worked well.

7. Split tunneling feature

ExpressVPN offers a split tunneling feature with their applications for Windows, Mac OS, Android, and routers.

Split tunneling allows you to select which apps will go through the VPN tunnel and which can bypass the VPN to the regular (unencrypted) internet.

This feature can be found in the settings area of the VPN client. By default, all traffic and applications are routed through the VPN. In the settings, you can select three different options:

  1. All apps use the VPN
  2. Do not allow selected apps to use the VPN
  3. Only allow selected apps to use the VPN
ExpressVPN Split Tunneling
ExpressVPN offers a great split tunneling feature.

If you click the second or third options, a pop-up window appears, allowing you to select the specific apps.

This is also really useful with routers, because it allows you to select specific devices and/or websites to bypass the VPN.

8. Secure and reliable mobile apps

The ExpressVPN mobile apps I tested on Android and iOS performed very well.

Android users will be happy to hear they can take advantage of the Lightway protocol with the latest Android app release. This offers huge advantages to mobile users:

  • Seamlessly transition between different networks (WiFi and 4G) without your VPN connection dropping
  • Faster download speeds
  • Better reliability
  • Improved battery life

Legacy protocols, particularly OpenVPN, simply do not perform well on mobile devices. Lightway solves these problems.

Note: Lightway is available with the Android app right now, and will be released for iOS later in 2020. Meanwhile, iOS users can maximize performance by using the IKEv2 protocol, or stick with the traditional OpenVPN protocol.

Here’s a screenshot of the ExpressVPN iOS client.

ExpressVPN iOS app
The ExpressVPN iOS app is secure and user-friendly.

If you are a heavy mobile user, ExpressVPN has you covered with excellent mobile VPN apps. See our best VPNs for Android for more discussion on this topic.

9. Dedicated VPN router app (for unlimited connections)

ExpressVPN is also one of the few VPN services that offer a dedicated VPN router app. The router app works on select router models with the supported firmware.

Using a VPN on your router is a smart way to get an unlimited number of connections with your VPN. This is because the router will only count as one connection, but it will provide every device that connects to your router with the full benefits of the VPN: encrypted traffic, new IP address, location anonymity.

If you want to use ExpressVPN on your router, you have the following options:

  1. Use the ExpressVPN router app on one of the supported router models (recommended)
  2. Manually setup ExpressVPN on your router (more work, but not too difficult with some routers, such as with most Asus models)

Using the ExpressVPN router app (option 1) is the best solution because it offers the following features:

  • Easily switch between VPN servers
  • Split tunneling (select which apps or websites bypass the VPN)
  • Network Lock (kill switch) to block all traffic if the VPN connection drops

10. Great customer support and refund policy

While support with larger VPN services can sometimes be hit or miss, ExpressVPN seems to be doing quite well with live chat support.

I tested out ExpressVPN’s support repeatedly for this review. In all my interactions, I found the support department to be prompt, knowledgeable, and polite.

You can get access to 24/7 live chat support directly through their website in the bottom-right corner. With all of my chat sessions, I was connected with a representative in under a minute (no long delays).

ExpressVPN support
Live chat support is available 24/7.

Live chat support is definitely a plus if you need help setting up the VPN on your devices or have specific questions that are not answered on the website.

30 day money-back guarantee

Another great benefit with ExpressVPN is that it offers one of the longest refund windows in the industry. With all VPN subscriptions (even one-month plans), you get a full 30 day money-back guarantee. If you are not 100% satisfied with your VPN subscription, you can cancel on day 30 for a full refund, no questions asked.

Overall ExpressVPN offers great customer support.

ExpressVPN Cons

1. Above average prices

One drawback with ExpressVPN is that it is more expensive than some other rival VPN competitors (but also not the most expensive VPN). In short, it is not a cheap VPN.

With the regular pricing, the cheapest you can get ExpressVPN for is $8.32 per month, or $99.95 per year. However, there is a discounted coupon rate that gives you three months for free with the coupon below.

Get Three Months of ExpressVPN for FREE >>
ExpressVPN price
These are the discounted ExpressVPN prices when you use the coupon.

While ExpressVPN is more expensive than some other rivals, namely NordVPN and Surfshark, the key question is always value, or what you get for your money. In terms of value, ExpressVPN has a lot to offer, as you can see with all of the pros above. Based on the results and information in this review, these are the factors that make ExpressVPN stand out from other options:

  • Faster speeds with the Lightway protocol
  • Secure and reliable apps with strong encryption and built-in leak protection
  • 24/7 access to Netflix and many other streaming services
  • Live chat support

Another factor that’s important to consider is the history of the VPN itself. ExpressVPN has a squeaky-clean record going back many years. Additionally, it is a verified and proven no-logs VPN service that runs a very secure server network.

2. ExpressVPN slow speeds with OpenVPN protocol

Another noteworthy drawback with ExpressVPN is the performance issues we found with the OpenVPN protocol. The OpenVPN protocol is still the most widely-used protocol with VPN services and offers security and (typically) good performance. OpenVPN is also open source and trusted by many users and organizations.

We ran speed tests using the OpenVPN protocol with ExpressVPN on a 500 Mbps connect. The results were not very good.

ExpressVPN server in Seattle with the OpenVPN protocol: 32 Mbps.

ExpressVPN slow speeds

This is really slow considering my baseline of 500 Mbps and the fact that OpenVPN speeds can often get about 200 to 300 Mbps.

Next up was an ExpressVPN server in Los Angeles at 41 Mbps.

ExpressVPN OpenVPN speed test

While this is slightly better than the previous server in Seattle, it is still far slower than it should be. We should be getting speeds of well over 100 Mbps with the OpenVPN protocol.

It’s clear that ExpressVPN is struggling with OpenVPN speeds. This could be problematic for people who opt for OpenVPN as their primary VPN protocol.

There is another alternative, however, and that is to just use the Lightway protocol. And with Lightway, ExpressVPN beats out many other VPN services, as you can see in the ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost post.

3. Fewer features than other leading VPNs

The last con we are going to discuss with ExpressVPN is the lack of features.

As we noted above, ExpressVPN is more expensive than other leading VPNs. In relation to the high price, it’s also important to note that you don’t get a lot of features. To illustrate this point, we’ll take a look at NordVPN, which is currently the best overall VPN in our rankings.

What features do we find with NordVPN that are not available with ExpressVPN? NordVPN offers:

  • Double VPN servers that encrypt traffic over two separate hops. This adds a higher level of security for those who want it.
  • Tor-over-VPN servers that add an additional layer of encryption via the Tor network.
  • Obfuscated servers that allow you to use the VPN in restricted locations, where VPNs may be blocked.
  • P2P servers that are optimized for torrenting and fast download speeds.
  • CyberSec feature to block ads, trackers, malware, and phishing domains. CyberSec was rated as the best VPN ad blocker we’ve tested.

The lack of features was one of the big reasons that NordVPN came out on top in our ExpressVPN vs NordVPN comparison.

And aside from all of the features noted above, NordVPN also runs all servers in RAM-disk mode and does not use any virtual server locations like ExpressVPN. They are additionally rolling out self-owned (colocated) servers with high-speed 10 Gbps bandwidth channels. We discuss these items more in our NordVPN review.

Additional review findings

Here is some additional information I found for this ExpressVPN review:

Lightway protocol (Pros and Cons)

After over a year of development, ExpressVPN has finally launched the Lightway VPN protocol. Lightway is available on all major operating systems: Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Android (but not yet iOS).

So what does Lightway offer? Here’s what I found:

  • Faster speeds than OpenVPN (thank goodness!)
  • Updated encryption
  • Fast to establish connections (about one second or less)
  • Seamless transition when going in and out of connectivity, or changing networks (such as Wi-Fi to 4G)
  • Smaller code base makes it easier to audit than OpenVPN and IPSec

In many respects, Lightway is similar to the WireGuard protocol. It is smaller, leaner, faster, and more secure, while solving a lot of the problems and baggage of legacy protocols like OpenVPN and IPSec/IKEv2. It’s great to see this protocol is now live and supported in the ExpressVPN apps.

Faster speeds with the Lightway protocol

One of the biggest benefits to Lightway is the potential for faster speeds and better overall performance. I ran some tests of Lightway on a Mac OS computer with a 500 Mbps connection. Here were some results with US servers:

ExpressVPN Lightway server in Seattle: 136 Mbps.

ExpressVPN speed review

This is better than before with OpenVPN, but certainly not great.

ExpressVPN Lightway server in Los Angeles:

ExpressVPN speed test

ExpressVPN Lightway server in New York:

ExpressVPN Lightway speeds

As you can see, Lightway speeds are better than OpenVPN, but still not on par with WireGuard.

While Lightway is faster than OpenVPN, we still see that’s it’s not keeping up with other leading VPN services, as you can see in our ExpressVPN vs Surfshark review.

Lightway vs WireGuard

For comparison, here is a speed test with NordVPN using the WireGuard protocol:

NordVPN faster than ExpressVPN

As you can see, NordVPN with the WireGuard protocol is giving us speeds that are over 200 Mbps faster than ExpressVPN with Lightway.

Recommendation: If speed is your top priority, then check out NordVPN with WireGuard.

Lightway is not open source

Right now Lightway is not open source, and this is another drawback it has in comparison to WireGuard.

According to their website:

Lightway uses wolfSSL, whose well-established cryptography library has been extensively vetted by third-parties, including against the FIPS 140-2 standard.

And soon, the core library of Lightway will be open-sourced, ensuring that it can be transparently and widely scrutinized.

I reached out to ExpressVPN for further comment on this issue. They explained that Lightway remains under development and will be open source in the future once they achieve a few more development milestones. Maybe we can expect it to be fully open source in 2021 – but who knows.

Can you use ExpressVPN for torrenting? (Yes)

Many VPNs restrict or limit torrenting on their network. With ExpressVPN, torrenting is allowed without any restrictions or limitations.

There are four factors that make ExpressVPN a good choice for torrenting:

  1. High-performance (premium) server network with exceptionally fast speeds and great reliability.
  2. Overseas jurisdiction that is not subject to DMCA requests or copyright violation demands.
  3. High-quality applications that will keep your data secure while also protecting you against leaks and vulnerabilities. This, of course, also protects you from copyright trolls and DMCA notices.
  4. No bandwidth limitations or traffic restrictions whatsoever.

ExpressVPN is among the top recommendations in our VPN for torrenting guide.

Does ExpressVPN work in China? (Yes)

Despite the current VPN blocks and censorship efforts, ExpressVPN continues to work in China.

To use ExpressVPN in China, simply connect to one of the China-designated servers (check with support to see these). These servers will automatically utilize an obfuscation protocol with the VPN app, thereby concealing the VPN traffic as regular HTTPS encryption. This easily gets through the Great Firewall and censorship efforts.

See the best VPNs for China guide for additional information and setup tips.

How many connections do you get with ExpressVPN?

With your ExpressVPN subscription, you will get five simultaneous connections.

Note: You can use ExpressVPN on an unlimited number of devices, but you are limited to five simultaneous connections at any one time with your subscription.

If you want to use more than five devices with the VPN, there is an easy solution. Simply use ExpressVPN on your router, as we covered above, for an unlimited number of connections. The router will count as only one connection and you’ll be able to use it with as many devices as you wish.

Does ExpressVPN work well for gaming?

There are some serious advantages to using the VPN for gaming — but you need to select the right VPN. Some of the key factors that you’ll want to look for are:

  • A large server network with locations in the areas you need
  • Fast speeds so your game play will not lag behind others
  • Low ping (latency), which is improved by having fast servers close to your location

Even though ExpressVPN is not the best VPN for gaming, it is still a decent choice with good performance.

Conclusion: Is ExpressVPN worth it?

ExpressVPN’s performance for this latest review update has earned it a spot as one of the best VPNs we’ve tested — although it’s not in the top position any longer.

Overall, we think it is a great VPN service worthy of consideration. To summarize, here are the main findings from this ExpressVPN review:

  • Safe offshore jurisdiction and company policies to protect customer data and user privacy.
  • Continues to work with Netflix and most other streaming services.
  • Huge selection of apps that are well-designed, secure, reliable, and user-friendly.
  • Secure network with all servers running in RAM-disk mode.
  • Good customer service with 24/7 live chat support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

While there are a few drawbacks, we feel ExpressVPN is certainly a good choice for all types of users.

And if you want to give this VPN a test drive, then grab the coupon below for the best savings:

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Alternatives to ExpressVPN

Click the VPN name below to read our full review – or click the discount coupon for the best savings. Both of these VPNs have a 30 day money-back guarantee, and both support the WireGuard VPN protocol.

  1. NordVPN review  [68% discount coupon]
  2. Surfshark review  [81% discount coupon]

You can also check out our guide on the top-rated VPN services for other recommendations.

If you have used ExpressVPN, feel free to share your honest review (good or bad) below in the comments section.

ExpressVPN Review
  • Rating
    (2)
Sven Taylor

About Sven Taylor

Sven Taylor is the founder of Restore Privacy. With a passion for digital privacy and online freedom, he created this website to provide you with honest, useful, and up-to-date information about online privacy, security, and related topics. His focus is on privacy research, writing guides, testing privacy tools, and website admin.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarBob Maf

    February 27, 2021

    Expressvpn VPN is the best in the world???

    Express VPN does not have a GRAPHICAL interface for LINUX!!! no settings management! (ONLY command line, like DOS, Terminal) For every change you have to type commands, to change ip (country) you must first disconnect this VPN in command line, as a ROOT user, then change country and then reconnect.

    Upon install, Expressvpn tells you to add their “app”, which is nowhere to seen, only in terminal, commandline and endless typing and typing..

    PIA and AirVPN have a beautiful graphical interface and settings management. ExpressVPN doesn’t have all of that. You have to endlessly type commands and search it as a root user (su)!

    Settings management is possible ONLY in Terminal, command line interface, ROOT. That means that you have to log in as root every time, and check if your VPN is on.

    Isn’t it ridiculous???? The “best VPN” of the world????

    It’s 21st century and worlds “best VPN” is nowhere to be seen on linux desktop, you have to search for it in root (most dangerous way), every time!

    As a Linux user you get tired of it!

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      February 27, 2021

      Yep, I understand the frustration. But you also have to acknowledge reality: as a Linux user, you are a very tiny sliver of the overall userbase. And it get’s even worse: there are dozens of popular flavors of Linux (distros), so there is no uniformity. So making a GUI app for your specific version and flavor of Linux is tons of effort for a very tiny little segment of the user base. This is reality. And that’s why most VPNs do not spend the effort here. They are busy trying to make the bulk of their users happy, unblock streaming sites, fix bugs, launch updates, etc.

      Tip: If you want a great Linux GUI VPN with some excellent features, check out OVPN in Sweden.

      Reply
      • AvatarBob Maf

        February 27, 2021

        Thanks for your answer, but it’s the same for every distro. Expressvpn = Terminal, Commandline, root user interface, not user-friendly and the same price as for the other (popular) operating systems.

        I don’t think that for a company that has been on the market since 2009 and is also offering a Linux product, who claims to be the biggest and best in the world.. there is much effort to create a user-friendly interface.

        B.t.w. for that price what you pay for Expressvpn, there are far too few options, settings and futures. This is reality 😉 I think, telling your customers the truth is the best way to make them happy.

        Thanks for your tip, I really appreciate it.
        Have a good weekend

        Reply
        • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

          February 27, 2021

          No, when a VPN makes a GUI client, it is not “the same for every distro”, which was the context of my comment (making a GUI client for Linux). Typically, it’s for Ubuntu distros, which has the largest share of users.

  2. AvatarDave

    January 31, 2021

    I am new to VPNs and subscribed to Express VPN. I’m having difficulty receiving text messages. My phone is set to MMS. I dont understand SMS or MMS very well. All I know is I have to shut off the VPN to receive replys. Any thoughts?

    Reply
  3. AvatarThomas Hayes

    January 31, 2021

    This is the worst purchase of software that I have ever made. Constantly dropping connection. The worst part is the dire support you receive from people who seem to generate. random word combinations – great for Scrabble but of zero use when you have a problem. I will write of the amounts sent and buy something from a company that. doesn’t treat the customer with unbridled contempt and withering disdain

    Reply
  4. AvatarBrad

    January 28, 2021

    As well as all the issues I’ve listed below, I appear to have some remote surveillance port on display. I’ve tried searching for more details about it online but it seems to be an old port which no longer exists so there is hardly any information on it.
    I also have a long list of every Express VPN server that I’ve ever used on my laptop along with the times and dates so they don’t log the details of my VPN use but I do.
    Some of the tests I have run are suggesting that my traffic is also being leaked outside of the VPN tunnel. According to one of them “If you are using a VPN, it is a transparent VPN or Proxy. Your ISP is able to view pages that you visit”.
    I am also noticing that there are a huge number of blacklisted IP addresses.
    I appear to have zero privacy online. Every site that I visit seems to be able to provide content to match my preferences. Even YouTube starts off with a generic home page but as soon as I click on any content, it immediately reverts to my country’s homepage. Trying to book a holiday or buy property with my VPN is a waste of time. I may as well be using my own ISP.
    I don’t seem to remember past VPNs that used, doing any of this.

    Reply
  5. AvatarHollywood

    January 27, 2021

    Maybe I’ve just been lucky but I really don’t get the bad comments regarding Express. I’ve been a happy customer for a few years now. To be fair, I don’t use any streaming services like BBC or Netflix, so if you want those maybe a different VPN is the right choice.

    Reply
  6. AvatarWise

    January 22, 2021

    Should also mention that Foxtel streaming has been blocked for at least 2 years and Express VPN don’t care.

    Reply
  7. AvatarDimitris

    January 5, 2021

    Even from within the UK, BBC iPlayer won’t work with ExpressVPN. It has blacklisted all IPs for ExpressVPN, and will do so for the rest of them. So it’s just a matter of time.

    So it doesn’t matter where you are really.

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      January 5, 2021

      Yes, we have found the same in our recent tests and now are only recommending two VPNs in our guide on the best VPNs for BBC iPlayer.

      Reply
      • Avatarliving man

        February 2, 2021

        Dimitris tels you that: Even from within the UK, BBC iPlayer won’t work with ExpressVPN. It has blacklisted all IPs for ExpressVPN, and will do so for the rest of them

        and Sven replies:
        Yes, we have found the same in our recent tests and now are only recommending two VPNs in our guide on the best VPNs for BBC iPlayer.

        BUT Heinrich recommends THREE not 2 best vpns for BBC iplayer, with ExpressVpn at #1. Come on!!!!!!!!

        all rights reserved without prejudice

        Reply
        • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

          February 2, 2021

          What? Did you look at this guide? We changed the recommendations a few weeks ago. There are only two recommendations and ExpressVPN NOT recommended and is listed as being blocked:
          https://restoreprivacy.com/vpn/best/bbc-iplayer/

  8. AvatarRobert Pratt

    December 29, 2020

    Following a USA recomendation I kicked off myVPN experiences with IPVanish. Poor admin re my credit card sent me elsewhere and after much reading I tried Express VPN. No real issues except they stored my credit card no. when asked not too. ( I had suffered a fraudulent attack re my cc account probably due to poor security by one of several companies I had dealt with.) Finally, last August I tried Cyberghost. I recently updated my laptop and struggled to get CG downloaded today due to a time out error. Before checkingwith CG I searched online for info and came across this Restore Privacy site. From the ST review it looks like I need to ditch CG for NordVPN and take a hit to do so.

    Reply
    • AvatarSimon

      January 5, 2021

      I wrote the ‘Simon’ comment prior to yours. When I recently dropped Express, I also ended up going back to Nord VPN after a year away from them. What shocked me as strikingly different from ExpressVPN is that so far I’ve found NordVPN is ridiculously consistently very stable in all the various connections I’ve used. In comparison, Express was disconnecting every couple of hours in most connections I used to use – and at times those would/could crash a separate document software I was running at the same time?? I was going to try CG before I chose Nord, but the reviews I read about CG gave rise to concerns about who owned it and if privacy was assured overall. Nord has a boring interface compared to the last time I used to use it, but it’s stable, with tons of servers, and more reliable privacy assurances.

      Reply
  9. AvatarSimon

    December 27, 2020

    Sorry, but although ExpressVPN is fantastic when it works – fasy install, very user-friendly, great customer support, superfast connections, tons of server options – it has major flaws of late; not just only more abrupt disconnections than usual, but also recently it has suffered with flurries of updates, seemingly indicating some kind of recent system development chaos going on; 3 updates in 3 weeks! And with these updates you may find some disastrous consequences; ie, the normal route of updates were failing to install. Fresh clean installs may not work either as a remedy. When these installs failed, the brokedown vpn blocks internet access; only with a bit of knowledge on recovering internet access can workaround to recover it – only having a good uninstall tool will flush expressvpn out so that its stubborn internet-blocking going on while its broke, will gain back your normal internet access. For that reason I can’t recommend them anymore, even though it is a superior vpn in every other respect – when it works that is.

    Reply
  10. Avatarvikky

    December 18, 2020

    Hello guys and so sven
    Congratulations !
    I had talk with them (express vpn team )
    And they told me soon we are open source in our new protocol (lightway , beta )
    And again audit and proven for zero logs policy !
    I did with them
    Was successful !
    Best cheers
    Good luck .

    Reply
  11. AvatarBrad

    December 13, 2020

    I simply cannot understand why ExpressVPN continues to receive such high ratings.
    I have been using ExpressVPN for 2 years, having tried others that I didn’t really like. I was not able to renew my subscription with the details I used previously, I don’t know why, so for some reason I could only sign up using an entirely new set of information which meant that I lost the yearly discount which I would have gotten through PCMag.
    Anyway, I tried to use ExpessVPN last week, only to find that most things on the page (Google.com) was written in Arabic. I tried to type in a search term in the box only to find the cursor was moving from right to left instead of left to right. Anyway, I thought I’d leave it for a while and come back later as this is probably a just a glitch. I came back, typed in “what’s my IP address”, to check my location. The label on the VPN said I was in London. I thought great, English! That’s a good start. I then typed in “restaurants near me”, only to receive results for Portland, Chicago, New York (3,470 miles/5,585 km), Borehamwood (14 miles/22.7 km) from London), Birmingham (101 miles/163 km from London) but nothing for the place that the VPN actually suggested that I was in (London). Google frequently refuses to do my searches, stating that it “cannot accept search terms from IP address …..while asking me to prove that I’m not a robot, plus what’s my IP address has a huge label giving the name and address of the VPN owner, details from my computer, everything down to whether I have cookies and Java turned off or not. Plus my real IPS details so is this a good VPN service to sign up to or have I been shopped to the NSA and my laptop and VPN service taken over by Iran? The is not a trustworthy VPN in my opinion.

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      December 13, 2020

      The IP you are using for google searches could have come from some other source, and that source could have had a language preference set to Arabic, which Google remembers and implements automatically. Or, the people in London who were previously using that IP address (or others currently using it) have selected the Arabic language. This shouldn’t be a huge issue to fix. But as we noted in the review, ExpressVPN has dropped a few places in our rankings, for various reasons we noted above.

      Reply
  12. AvatarTom B

    December 10, 2020

    Hi, thanks for publishing such a an extensive review and contrary to most other publications a totally unbiased article. I live in Canada and have been using Express VPN for a few years now, with my subscription running out in May 2021. Up to the last couple of months I have had no serious complaints concerning Express VPN’s service and their customer support has been great, but now my access to UK BBC iplayer, Channel 4 and ITV is being blocked. This is with my Mac and Apple TV, with me using the Apple TV a lot more to access TV programs. On the basis of this I am seriously considering purchasing a router so that my Apple TV and other IOS devices get VPN coverage. I am also thinking about switching to Nord VPN. On that basis I have looked at routers that both Express VPN and Nord VPN approve and see from your article you recommend ASUS models. I am looking for fast speed and wonder if you could answer a few questions as I am not as computer literate as I would wish? Is ASUS the best router to buy and convert for Express VPN and Nord VPN for my purposes and if yes, which model? It will cost be a lot more to import from the USA a pre customized router with Express VPN apps already loaded, so is it easy for a layman like me to follow the manual loading process and buy a locally sold router? Can I run to my original router as well as the new one so I can have a local non VPN network and if yes, is it an easy process and what are the pro’s and con’s

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      December 10, 2020

      Hi Tom, thanks for sharing your review of ExpressVPN. We have also tested out BBC iPlayer with ExpressVPN and found it to be blocked, but we did not know it was getting blocked with those other channels.

      With routers, we have a general VPN router guide that covers different options. However, I would strongly recommend considering the Vilfo router. This comes with NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark config files already loaded into the router. It is really turn key and simple to use, while still giving you tons of features. We tested it out this year for our Vilfo review and found the best speeds to be with NordVPN.

      I would also concur that NordVPN offers the best access to streaming sites right now and does better than ExpressVPN in this area (while also offering much faster speeds, more features, and the WireGuard protocol). To use NordVPN with Vilfo, simply select it from the available providers when you get the router, enter your credentials, then select and connect to a NordVPN server. It’s very quick and easy. Yes, you can use VPN routers with your existing router, no problem. The Vilfo would also meet your needs here because it allows selective routing to allow certain devices or websites to bypass the VPN tunnel. You can control this from the admin panel. Vilfo ships from Sweden and is made by the team behind OVPN.

      And if you are considering NordVPN, they have a great deal going on now for 68% off + 3 Months free here.

      Reply
      • AvatarNeil Spencer

        December 15, 2020

        I can confirm that ExpressVPN has not worked effectively with BBC Iplayer for months now and has also stopped working with ITV Hub and All4 apps in the UK as well.
        I have lost patience with them telling me for about 6 months now its being worked on and still nothing improves so have switched to NordVPN instead and now everything works great so avoid these guys if you are trying to stream content from the UK as its hopeless and not sure why then get such high ratings either.

        Reply
  13. AvatarNick Hudson

    November 27, 2020

    Hello there,

    I want to buy a VPN for streaming and gaming. I have shortlisted these VPNs. What’s your opinion about these:
    – Pure VPN 86% off on 10 devices for 5 years.
    – Nord VPN 68% off for 2 years.
    – Express VPN 35% off for 1 year only.

    TIA

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      November 27, 2020

      NordVPN and ExpressVPN are both solid options, but as we noted in the ExpressVPN vs NordVPN comparison, NordVPN is doing better with streaming right now with access to all major sites. ExpressVPN offers access to fewer Netflix regions, and it is also getting blocked with some other services right now, such as BBC iPlayer.
      Regarding PureVPN, I would avoid it. They have been caught logging users and giving this data to the FBI — all while claiming to be a “zero logs” VPN. It also had DNS leaks in our tests for the PureVPN review.

      Reply
  14. AvatarMichael

    November 25, 2020

    I have been using Expressvpn in the Middle East for around seven years and found it to be reliable. However, since August 2020 I’ve been unable to use BBCiPlayer. However, despite numerous emails and promises of ‘fixing’ the issue BBCiPlayer is still not working as well as itvhub and britbox.
    I read positive reviews about NordVPN and decided to try it out.
    What a surprise! I was immediately able to stream all my 🇬🇧 TV shows from BBCiPlayer and the others!

    Very disappointed with Expressvpn and their technical team!

    NORDVPN 👍👍👍👍😁

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      November 25, 2020

      Yep, we noted the same. NordVPN comes out on top in our new ExpressVPN vs NordVPN comparison.

      Reply
  15. AvatarPaola

    November 10, 2020

    Many thanks for your reply. I’m watching italian TV with NordVPN right now. Tks again.Paola

    Reply
  16. AvatarPaola

    November 9, 2020

    Hi Sven
    Many thanks for your very interesting article.
    I have had ExpressVPN for more than a year.
    I don’t use it all the tima but quite often, just to watch RAIPLay (Italian TV) from abroad.
    For the past few days it does work. RAIPlay will return the message saying that the content is available in Italy only.
    I reported the problem to ExpressVPN and I got this answer:
    “We just want to let you know that this is a known and reported issue that our engineers are working on.”
    When I asked for an estimate, I got this:
    “We do not have an estimated date when this issue will be resolved.”
    They are willing to refund or to add 2 months to my account, but this does’nt solve my problem 🙁
    Coud this be a consequence caused by recent big updates you are mentioning in your article?
    What do you advise me to do?

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      November 9, 2020

      Yes, ExpressVPN has not been doing well unblocking streaming websites. We have also noticed this with BBC iPlayer, and it’s still not working. I would recommend switching to NordVPN if streaming is a top priority. They do the best with unblocking different websites and content around the world. And they are running a Black Friday VPN deal here >>

      Reply
  17. Avatarlorrin

    November 9, 2020

    Hi , sven tell us if we use express vpn is safe 100% again ?
    Why you delete it from recomended privacy security in end of website ?
    Is that first in the vpn’s ranking or not ?
    is anything to scare of use it ?

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      November 9, 2020

      I don’t think anything is 100% safe. The recent changes in overall rankings were largely based on performance. ExpressVPN is just as safe and secure as ever before.

      Reply
  18. AvatarKevin

    November 4, 2020

    Hi, I like that ExpressVPN is confirmed no logs and a very trustworthy VPN except I think the price is a little too high for the actual features you get. I also noticed on IOS at least, The Open VPN Protocol has gone down hill in speeds a lot, I have a 230Mbps average wifi speed and Openvpn UDP and TCP I get around 100-110Mbps, While IKeV2 I get my baseline speed. I do not have access to Lightway yet on IOS, And lastly The Mexico Location refuses to connect on any protocol, It was an Issue in the past and they have fixed it but it has came back again. Other then that it is a good vpn service.

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      November 4, 2020

      Yes, we have also noticed issues with ExpressVPN and speeds, which is why we recently revised our overall VPN rankings here, which considered these same factors you mentioned: performance, server reliability, and access to streaming media.

      Reply
  19. AvatarD Jack

    November 2, 2020

    When it fails to connect which is fairly common, it will lock you out of your internet connection. The only way to get your connection back is to uninstall Express VPN and then reboot. On our 3 connections this happens a couple of times a week and requires the program to be completely uninstalled to get normal internet service connection back. Closing/stopping the VPN does not release the internet lock so a reboot is required. This is a bit of a pain but apart from this issue the program seems to work well.

    I should also mention about updates. Go to their web site and try to find updates for download! After that gives you the grips, then try to find the software program to download! You will go round and round like a fart in a milk bottle. I am of the belief that this company is controlled by some self proclaimed marketing genius who has not been living amoungst the common users. Not a people person company but the product does do what is claimed.

    Reply
  20. AvatarHolger Danske

    November 1, 2020

    I’m so tired of how expressvpn has gone to hell.
    Servers disconnect, website unnavigable.

    Try finding and downloading their software without being logged in.
    Go on, I dare you!!!

    The actual link is:

    https://www.expressvpn.com/latest?utm_source=windows_app

    But you will not find that easily by searching anywhere.

    A VPN that want you to login to do anything not privacy related, like downloading the software.
    Then patronises you when you try to use it.

    Asking me to be a beta tester at $99 a year!!!

    They have GONE TO HELL since you started recommending thwm!
    Im so angry i can barely see straight.

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      November 1, 2020

      Hi Holger, I would concur that things have gotten worse for ExpressVPN in the past year and we are updating our recommendations today and tomorrow. Two alternatives we like are NordVPN and Surfshark.

      Reply
  21. AvatarRichard

    September 30, 2020

    I have been using expressvpn for about 6 months now and I will not be renewing my subscription when it runs out. The problem I have with expressvpn is too many timeouts when surfing the web. The problem goes away as soon as I disconnect from the vpn. I have tried connecting to different servers and I get the same problem. It’s just too annoying.

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      September 30, 2020

      Thanks for the feedback Richard. Check out some of the other options in our best VPN services guide.

      NordVPN is a close second and it offers better performance. Plus you can get a 68% discount here that drops prices to $3.71 per month.

      Reply
  22. AvatarRaymond Marshall

    September 15, 2020

    Will I be able to watch every New England Patriots game on my phone even though I am in Texas?

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      September 15, 2020

      Yep, just connect to a server in the location you need for streaming the game.

      Reply
  23. AvatarJohn Does

    September 4, 2020

    Hi Sven,

    While the 3rd party confirmed that there was no evidence of ExpressVPN violating their no logging policy, whats there to show that they have not startrd logging since that audit was conducted? There needs to be continuous audits

    Reply
    • Sven TaylorSven Taylor

      September 5, 2020

      Keep in mind that most VPNs have zero audits and it’s all about trust. ExpressVPN has three things going for it in this regard:
      – It went to battle against a country demanding user data and refused to give anything up (the case with Turkey), which ultimately culminated in Turkish authorities seizing a server.
      – It runs all servers in RAM-disk mode, making it impossible to store logs on the VPN servers.
      – It completed the audit by PWC further verifying no-logs.

      Still, another option is always NordVPN. They conduct annual no-logs audits and just completed another one a few months ago. NordVPN is also converting their network to only run in RAM-disk mode and they have an ongoing security audit and penetration testing agreement with Versprite. It’s also a bit cheaper at only $3.71 with the 68% discount coupon.

      Reply
  24. AvatarPascal

    September 1, 2020

    Hi there, thanks for the review. I’m using ExpressVPN for more than two years with very few issues. Until a few days ago, when all South America locations went dark. They just disappeared and didn’t come back until now. Costumer service said that they are working on it, but it’s taking a loooong time for such a huge issue. Pity for an otherwise good service.
    Best, Pascal

    Reply
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