ExpressVPN Review 2024

ExpressVPN is probably the most popular VPN service on the market today. That says it all, especially considering this is a market with a vast number of services, with more joining each year. This is based on the fact that most people have realized that a VPN program is the right way to go for complete safety and privacy when browsing online.

In times of large technological progress in the VPN business, ExpressVPN has been solid all the way. This is perhaps one of the main reasons why ExpressVPN has kept its position as the industry´s leading provider along with the likes of NordVPN, SurfShark, and a few others. In this review, we will take a look at why ExpressVPN is one of the very best, and how it keeps on innovating in ways that keep it at the top of the pack.

Introduction – Our ExpressVPN Review

ExpressVPN was founded back in 2009 when the internet was in full swing for more than a decade already. However, no VPN service was really a mainstay in that position yet, nor was privacy and security at the forefront of anyone’s mind. At this time, there were mostly businesses who used VPNs, but soon private individuals had to find a way to bridge additional security into their everyday lives and compile that along with antivirus programs to ensure that their online lives were kept safe.

This came in the wake of the threat to digital privacy. It has been clear that for the last decade at least it is not only inhabitants of authoritarian regimes such as China and Russia who are subject to surveillance. Even people in many free democratic countries are being monitored by both their own governments and in countries that you wouldn’t necessarily expect such as the US, UK, Germany, France, and many more, which threatens the individual fabric of everyday privacy that people know and love.

ExpressVPN is one of the services that supports complete anonymity online and it is probably one of the best in the field, something that we explore in our ExpressVPN review. When the business grew a lot by selling services to individuals who wanted anonymity online, ExpressVPN was a natural choice for many of those looking for a VPN service.

The service is available in all countries all over the world, so you can use it both at home and on holiday. It is also a flexible program considering devices and operating systems, where the developers have made sure that the most popular devices are covered and Windows, iOS, and Android are fully supported, along with a bunch of other less popular operating systems too.

In our ExpressVPN review, we will focus on factors such as anonymity, security, number of servers, speed, stability, pricing, user-friendliness, and customer service. Furthermore, we will discuss both streaming services such as Netflix compatibility overseas, and how to watch international TV programs too. We also dive into gaming services, downloads, accessing certain sites, and much more.

Last but not least, the review will take a closer look at the extra functions ExpressVPN offers, a section that is specifically designed for the more technologically advanced user. Keep reading if you want to know what ExpressVPN can offer you, and why this service has gained such popularity in today’s market!

Anonymity and Security – Is ExpressVPN Safe?

As mentioned, the desire to act anonymously online has led to a growing demand for VPN services over the last decade. Contrary to popular belief, VPNs are not just for people wanting to get involved in questionable activity, there are first and foremost ordinary people who want to protect their privacy against surveillance from the government, amongst other things.

ExpressVPN joins a small group of VPN services where the users truly have faith in that their data is not being shared with the nearest marketing agency. Even if many VPN services claim to not share their user’s activity, there have been many reports about this, and as GDPR in Europe comes closer to reality, this will start to move in favor of the consumer, but until then it’s up to the user to protect themselves. ExpressVPN however, has a zero-logging policy and no sale of information on activity has been reported.

Much of this is probably due to the fact that ExpressVPN runs its operations from the British Virgin Islands. Unlike VPN services that operate in the EU or the US, ExpressVPN does not have to log or share any information about you. Actually, if you want your own information from ExpressVPN you can´t get it – because they don´t have it! 

As the final point revolving around anonymity, all functions on ExpressVPN are centered around keeping your activity anonymous. The service offers a so-called Kill Switch. The point of this is to disconnect you if an error occurs in the VPN program, so that your original IP address is not leaked at any time. Thus, you remain completely anonymous.

Furthermore, security is not something that ExpressVPN takes lightly. Actually, they are among the most future-proof at this point. Their encryption is at 256-bit, which is the same encryption degree the US military operates on. In other words, you stay as secure as the documents of the Pentagon!

Anonymity is not the only important thing; security is also important. ExpressVPN executes this in an excellent way by giving its users the option to hide their IP address, but also encrypt their communication and activity through a sky-high encryption degree. You are guaranteed good conditions on every single server.

Selection of Servers – How Many Servers Does ExpressVPN Have?

Even if ExpressVPN doesn’t have the largest total number of servers, they offer a very good selection of over 3,000 different servers. These are spread throughout almost every country and this is where ExpressVPN is way ahead of its competitors. Their servers are found in 94 different countries around the globe. 

At ExpressVPN these servers are presented in simple and orderly lists. The lists are based on the countries you want to connect to, then their cities, followed by a list of their associated IP addresses. It’s worth mentioning that ExpressVPN offers a one-click connection and this connection is made in seconds, making it one of the fastest you will see in today’s market. 

As we discuss later in our ExpressVPN review, it gives you the opportunity to avoid geo blockings. This is not only a trick that works for large streaming services but also works for services in small countries all over the world, and even to opens up Facebook and YouTube on work- and school networks!

After all, content has been blocked across national borders due to copyrights. Since you can borrow a new IP address with the help of a VPN, you can also log on to an IP address in the country you want to view content, and therefore get the access you may need.

The selection of servers also has a direct effect on the quality. This is why ExpressVPN is one of those VPN providers that offer the best quality on their servers in terms of speed and stability. Also, their server park is updated regularly, so you get good servers at all times, also when the old ones start to expire.

Speed and Stability – Is ExpressVPN Fast and Reliable?

Speed and stability at ExpressVPN first and foremost come from the large selection and high quality the service offers. A large selection of servers secures that the traffic on the server is not too big and that you can always choose the fastest server in a list that is almost too long.

ExpressVPN is known for giving its users the option to stream up to 4k and also game-heavy games, even through a VPN connection. It is true that VPN connections cause some loss in speed, but ExpressVPN is an exception here to the extent that they minimize the lost speed to an absolute minimum.

In practice, you will not notice the reduction in speed when using ExpressVPN servers. This allows you to watch, among other things, very high-quality Netflix streams with ExpressVPN, as well as games as mentioned above without any interference. This optimizes your experience with these forms of entertainment so that using a VPN at ExpressVPN is not a compromise.  

However, as important as speed is stability. Just as it does not help with a fast home network that is constantly disabled, it is no good with an unstable VPN. ExpressVPN on the other hand provides a VPN that almost never fails so that you can enjoy your experience at high speed and without interruption.

ExpressVPN lets you see both speed and stability of the server you wish to connect to. In this way, you can base your choice upon this and be happy with a combination of two benefits with ExpressVPN. Whether it´s just browsing or entertainment, ExpressVPN delivers an experience with no form of compromise.

Pricing and Trial Period – What Does ExpressVPN Cost?

ExpressVPN gives you the freedom to choose what type of subscription you want. In total, the service gives you three different options and these subscriptions are a 1-month, 6-month, 12-month or 15-month option. The price is dramatically reduced depending on how long you would like to subscribe, and it is without doubt the best value for money to choose the latter option.

First of all, the 1-month subscription comes at a price of $12.95. This is actually quite expensive in the VPN industry and it is only recommended to choose this option if you only want to try out the service for a short period of time.

If you choose a 6-month subscription instead, the price is reduced to $9.99 per month which is a major difference. Last but not least, if you choose a 1-year subscription with ExpressVPN you get a 49% discount down to $6.67 per month. Note that in this you get three months for free included. 

It is therefore the longest subscription that is the cheapest at ExpressVPN, which is normally within the industry. Just over $6 per month is not so bad either considering all the benefits you get. If you are skeptical about price versus value, you should note the trial period ExpressVPN offer. 

This period is a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you can start for example a 6-month subscription and use ExpressVPN for 30 days before asking for a refund. ExpressVPN will then give you a refund without asking any questions, so you could actually just get the service for free.

Based on a line of experience it is always best to register for the longest subscription, here 15 months, since this gives the lowest monthly fee including the 30-day money-back guarantee. If you are not happy, you ask for a refund. However, if you are pleased, you have the lowest price possible for a quality service!

Can You Get ExpressVPN Free? – Get an ExpressVPN Trial

The shorter answer is no. ExpressVPN is a premium VPN service where you have to make a payment before usage. You need to be extra careful with free VPN providers. A VPN runs on a server that someone has to pay for, and so one way or the other, the provider has to make a profit. There have been cases where free VPN providers had to leak user data and sell user bandwidth just to make some money from their ‘free service’. There is also usually compromised security; so if a provider offers a completely free service, research should be carried out before accepting that offer.

It is not a surprise then, that ExpressVPN has no free option where nothing is paid upfront. ExpressVPN does have a 7-day free trial that you can claim on TechShielder. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee where getting a refund is guaranteed. Once you cancel your subscription before the trial runs out, you are sure to get your money back and you’re able to cancel instantly and still retain usage of the VPN until the day your trial or subscription runs out. It is a simple, risk-free deal. Getting a 7-day trial or 30-day risk-free access on ExpressVPN is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is register with your email address, follow further instructions, and enjoy your risk-free trial with no restrictions.

User-friendliness and Customer Service – A Balanced ExpressVPN Review

The quality associated with ExpressVPN starts as soon as you enter their website. ExpressVPN is not like any other service. Even if they undeniably market themselves on their websites, the focus is much more focused on informing their customers about the use of VPN services. This includes a number of helpful articles.

Included in the program is also a major focus on user-friendliness. ExpressVPN is, after all, among the most popular VPN services on the market and therefore it is used by a range of different people. This includes technology geniuses, but also complete beginners so everything from organization to navigation is very simple here.

At ExpressVPN you only need one click to get to a server. If you want to change the settings or use any of the advanced functions, they are absolutely available for people. Nevertheless, this is hidden in many ways to not confuse beginners, but still easy to find.

ExpressVPN is one of the very few VPN services that offer 24-hour customer service. This is something you rarely see in the VPN business, but just as customer service increases in rank in other industries, so do users within the VPN industry see the benefit of good customer service as this enhances user experience in the long run.

Customer service is all in all very good at ExpressVPN. From the time you choose a subscription and pay until you are connected to a VPN server it only takes minutes. With this service, the possibility of opening a brand-new internet through an anonymous and secure service is not only possible but also a very exciting journey.

ExpressVPN for Netflix

Disregarding the above factors, one of the most important parameters many uses for measuring a VPN service is whether or not they can watch American Netflix. This version of Netflix has a much larger selection of shows and movies than many other countries. However, you still pay the same amount.

It is the previously mentioned geo block that leads to this. The main purpose of a VPN service is to lend you a new IP address and one of the benefits is that you can borrow one from a different country, for example, the USA. ExpressVPN is among the services that have broken the Netflix code. 

Over the last few years Netflix and other major streaming services have fought the use of VPNs and many of these services have been blacklisted. In practice, today only the very best services are able to avoid geo-blocking. ExpressVPN is one of those that are especially great at letting you watch Netflix abroad.

Not only can American Netflix be made available, but also the British, German, French and many other versions can be made available. Even if the selection is pretty much the same across borders, there are almost always some shows and movies that are unique to some countries, and a VPN will let you access these.

Don´t forget that you need a Netflix subscription. A VPN does not open access to Netflix itself, just the content by pretending you are in some other country and avoiding geo blockings.

Watch TV Overseas with ExpressVPN

Another bit of good news with ExpressVPN is that the service lets you watch TV from your home country overseas. Many people travel or live overseas over long periods of time. If you are moving overseas, it is not always easy to watch TV from your home country. However, watching TV with ExpressVPN is quite simple. This is not only a service that offers a range of servers. The servers are also great considering speed and stability.

What this means is that you can enjoy TV shows and movies in your mother tongue overseas. This opens up the internet in a completely new way and removing geo blockings gives you access to all the content you deserve.

After all, there is nothing worse than looking forward to an episode of a series or a movie, only to be greeted with the message that this is unavailable overseas. Instead of encountering this message, you can enjoy a great VPN at ExpressVPN and watch whatever you want out there.

Advanced Functions – ExpressVPN Added Extras

Among the many advanced functions at ExpressVPN there are a few functions that are unique to this service. One example of this is the feature named Split Tunneling. The concept here is that some of the traffic is routed through a VPN server, while other traffic is routed through the local network. 

For example, you may want to save bandwidth, or you need the local network for some tasks. This can be especially useful at your job where you want to access Facebook and YouTube, but you also want the local network to function with your work tasks.

ExpressVPN also offers three different protocols that you can use. These are OpenVPN with UDP, OpenVPN with TCP, IPSec, and PPTP. These are all famous VPN protocols, but the first two are the most effective. However, as a complicated feature, ExpressVPN lets you choose which protocol you want your traffic to run on. 

How To Get Your Money Back From ExpressVPN – Claim an ExpressVPN Refund

If you have opted for a subscription on ExpressVPN and later discover that it does not work for you or satisfies your VPN needs, you can easily cancel your subscription and receive a full refund from ExpressVPN. You must, however, note that if you upgrade your subscription plan within 30 days of activating your account, your money-back guarantee will be forfeited.

You can follow these brief steps to get your money back:

1. Confirm that you have not exceeded the 30-day free trial. The 30 days time frame can be a bit confusing. We recommend keeping track of time on your calendar, even though you may decide to continue with the VPN after the period is over. This is important because once the period is up, you will not be able to get your money back.
2. Open your ExpressVPN account and click the live chat button. You can also contact a representative via email but the live chat is more friendly as you would get in contact immediately.
3. Proceed to tell the representative about your plan to cancel your subscription and get a refund.
4. Your request will be processed immediately and you will get your money back within 5-7 working days.

ExpressVPN For Torrenting – ExpressVPN Download Options

Torrenting, which is also known as file share, is when you download pieces of metadata of a file that allows you to download the actual file in its entirety. It is usually done amongst several different users and at different times. During torrenting, your IP address is in danger because it can be seen by anyone. ExpressVPN is the best to use for torrent files.

ExpressVPN is quite fast, and this is necessary for torrenting because it slows down the internet speed. Many VPN providers do not allow P2P networks but this is not so for ExpressVPN. Not only do they allow P2P, but there are also no restrictions on the content that can be accessed during torrenting. The VPN does not keep logs or data of its users.

The ExpressVPN company recommends that you use the uTorrent client for torrenting because it is fast and you also get access to bandwidth management tools. However, you can select any preferred torrent client of your choice with guaranteed protection.

Torrenting with ExpressVPN is not cumbersome in any way. It only requires some simple steps to begin:

1. Open the ExpressVPN app on your device and establish a secure connection.
2. Pick a server location that suits you.
3. Open uTorrent or any other torrent client and begin downloading torrent files safely.

ExpressVPNs Apps For iPhone and Android

The ExpressVPN app can be accessed on several devices. It is compatible with iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, and many more. The following steps show how to set up an ExpressVPN app on common devices.

For an iPhone:

1. Open the Safari browser.
2. Go to the ExpressVPN website and tap “Set up ExpressVPN.”
3. You will be redirected to the app on the Apple store.
4. Install the VPN and open it on your phone.
5. Sign in and follow further instructions.
6. Make sure the VPN is turned on in the app before browsing.

For an Android:

1. Open your web browser
2. Go to the ExpressVPN website and tap “Set up ExpressVPN.”
3. You will be redirected to the app on the Play Store
4. Install the app and launch it on your phone.
5. Sign in and follow further instructions.
6. Be sure the VPN is turned on before browsing is continued.

For Windows:

ExpressVPN app supports Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10. Other versions of Windows may require a manual configuration or upgrade.

1. Open the ExpressVPN website.
2. Click the “My account” button.
3. Enter your email and password to sign in.
4. Click “Download for Windows.”
5. Copy the activation code that pops up.
6. Click “Download file” and install the app.
7. Agree to the requests asked by your computer.
8. Paste the activation code and sign in.

Encryption

ExpressVPN is a company built in the British Virgin Islands where there is no data retention policy. It uses the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) that has 256-bit keys. This is also called the AES-256. It is military-grade encryption used by the U.S. government and other data protection agencies.

AES-256 is symmetric; this means that the same key used to encrypt your data must also be used to decrypt it, making it close to impossible to penetrate. The VPN also uses a perfect-forward secrecy feature. It is highly advanced and it changes your encryption key each time you begin a new browsing session. This means that any data from your previous session is completely wiped off. ExpressVPN uses various security protocols and automatically selects the best protocol with the most stable connection for you.

ExpressVPN also offers a split tunneling feature which allows you to encrypt a part of your browsing data and leave the rest of it. This implies that you can browse without a VPN and through a VPN at the same time. The VPN keeps no logs of your data. You can be sure of accessing any website from across the world and be 100% encrypted.

Value For Money

Most VPNs seem to offer the same services and features as ExpressVPN so a lot of people wonder if it is worth the price. Considering the services rendered, we can say that it is definitely worth the value of your money. This VPN can unblock all geo-restricted content. It is available in a considerably higher number of countries compared to many other VPNs. In addition, it offers advanced security while keeping the experience simple and user-friendly. It is able to spoof your location, offers lightning internet speed, 24/7 customer service and you can even pay in Bitcoin for complete anonymity.

ExpressVPN might come off as more expensive than some other top providers, but you would realize that the fee is only a small price to pay to ensure uncompromised security and unblocking services all the way.

Summary – ExpressVPN Review Conclusion

There should be no doubt about ExpressVPN’s position in the market and this is absolutely one of the best VPN services there is. This is a good candidate for you to choose and these reviews have only highlighted a fraction of the benefits that come with this VPN service.

The service, founded a decade ago, had grown massively on the wave of need for anonymity. The fact that the company is located outside US and EU jurisdiction is a major advantage. Yet there are so many factors where ExpressVPN does an excellent job.

Factors such as anonymity, security, number of servers, speed, stability, pricing, user-friendliness, and customer service are all aspects where ExpressVPN has confirmed its position. There is no field where ExpressVPN has a clear weakness and this says it all about this service and what it offers you as a user.

If you are looking for a VPN service, ExpressVPN should definitely be at the top of your list. No matter what needs you have, whether it’s securing anonymity or just avoiding geo-blocks to watch content, ExpressVPN is undoubtedly a deal that can be valuable for you as a user.

With a money-back guarantee of 30 days and a 7-day free trial, there is really nothing to think about. ExpressVPN offers a unique VPN service and now it’s just up to you to try it out!