ExpressVPN review 2026 – packed with security and notably quick, if at a cost

Despite the September 2025 pricing restructure, ExpressVPN remains one of the more costly options on the market.

ExpressVPN's cheapest two-year Basic plan (at $3.49) is almost twice as expensive as Surfshark ($1.99). It's also more expensive than NordVPN's two-year plan, NordVPN Basic ($3.39).

ExpressVPN is a good, polished service, but you should carefully consider whether it's the right VPN for your needs given the higher price tag.

Keep in mind that these prices will vary throughout the year (especially during the Black Friday/holiday season).

As you can see, ExpressVPN's 1-month-only prices are steep. This is par for the course across all of our best VPNs. The only real benefit of signing up for a month is that you won't be tied into a long-term commitment. That's useful if you're just trialling ExpressVPN, but it's a costly way to do it.

If you can, we'd recommend checking out ExpressVPN via its iOS or Android 7-day VPN free trial, then upgrading to a one or two-year plan if you want to continue using it.

The two-year ExpressVPN plans offer the biggest potential for savings and throw in an additional four months of coverage for free. Remember that you'll need to pay for the entire subscription up front, though.

Score: 7/10

Advanced Protection Lite won't block trackers or adult sites (you'll need to upgrade to an Advanced or Pro plan for that), but it will block ads and malicious sites, so you don't have to worry about annoying pop-ups or accidentally landing on an untrustworthy site while you do your day-to-day browsing.

The Advanced Protection features are currently available for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. Apple TV users can check out the Threat Manager tracker blocker and ad blocker. Also, anyone with an Aircove VPN router will be glad to hear that Advanced Protection features are readily available and applied automatically to any device that connects to the router (smart TVs and appliances included).

Advanced Protection is similar to NordVPN's Threat Protection and Proton VPN's NetShield tool, and we'll dig into the full-fat version of Advanced Protection in the Privacy section later on.

There's equally a stripped-back version of ExpressVPN's new MailGuard functions. You can only use 2 alias email domains and send 25 emails per month, but for individual users sending only a few emails, this'll be more than enough.

ExpressVPN Advanced

If you want to get the most out of ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection, an Advanced (or Pro) plan is the way to go. In addition to blocking ads and malicious sites, the enhanced version of this toolkit will also block trackers. This prevents sites and services from keeping tabs on (and potentially sharing) your online activity, and can block adult sites, too.

This expanded utility is useful, especially if you're looking for a VPN with some form of parental controls, but NordVPN and Surfshark both offer a little extra with built-in antivirus features. In fact, a Surfshark One plan gives users access to a full-blown AV tool.

Before enabling Advanced Protection, know that you'll only be able to use the feature when connected to ExpressVPN via the Lightway protocol.

This won't be a problem for most users – after all, Lightway is based on the speedy, secure WireGuard protocol, which serves as a reliable everyday option for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

For anyone who prefers OpenVPN (thanks to its long-standing reputation for privacy), you'll need to switch protocols when you want to use the Advanced Protection suite.

Next up is ExpressVPN's very own password manager: ExpressVPN Keys. It's included in all Advanced and Pro plans, and built directly into the Android and iOS apps. It's also available as a Chrome extension if you'd rather access it via your browser.

Keys is equipped with a good amount of core password manager features. It can import existing passwords from other browsers and password managers, it'll let you know if any of your current passwords aren't as secure as they could be (which is your cue to swap them out for stronger ones), and it can save and sync passwords across all of your devices.

Keys generates new passwords on demand via a simple pop-up that appears during the password creation phase of sign-up. It's a simple bit of UI where you can regenerate passwords as many times as you want, use a sliding bar to adjust the complexity of the password (which affects how long it'd take a bad actor to crack it), and add capitals, numbers, and symbols into the mix. Keys can also fill in login forms automatically when you revisit a site you've logged into previously.

Much like the overall ExpressVPN product itself, Keys nails the basics, but offers relatively little in the way of extras. For starters, it doesn't support passkeys, doesn't support secure password sharing, and isn't as configurable as other password managers.

One of the biggest and most consistent gripes about Keys is its autofill inconsistency. Users on Reddit have raised issues about the autofill not working at all. The problem seems especially prevalent on the Safari browser. We put it to the test on iOS to see if we could recreate the issue.

As on desktop, generating and storing passwords was easy enough, and the autofill feature worked like a charm for the most part. When tapping into the password field on a login page, we saw an option at the bottom of the screen, above the keyboard, for Keys to autofill the field. We used this to log into our Netflix, X, Instagram, and Amazon accounts without any hiccups.

While we had a stress-free experience, it's possible that, with continued use, we'd run into the same autofill issues other users have reported. It's certainly something we'll be monitoring as we continue to use the tool.

Collate these issues, and, sadly, you'll begin to understand why Keys has a rating of 2.3 on the Chrome Web Store.

It's not all doom and gloom, though, and we did notice a few unusual positives when putting Keys through its paces.

Firstly, ExpressVPN had the Keys app audited back in 2022 by Cure53, underscoring a commitment to transparency that we can only commend, and confirming the app's trustworthiness. We're also glad to see that you can continue using Keys for free even if you cancel your ExpressVPN subscription.

All in all, we're glad that Keys is included as part of the ExpressVPN Advanced and Pro plans. Plus, it's nice and easy to use, which is great news for folks who want to take their first steps with a relatively straightforward password manager that does exactly what it says on the tin (generates, manages, and safely stores your login credentials).

If you've got more experience with password managers, or want something that offers more customizability and extra features, you'll be better off with a specialist product, like Dashlane.

Advanced plans also introduce two more of ExpressVPN's new features — Identity Defender and MailGuard.

While you get a limited version of the latter with a Basic, plan, Advanced plans get 6 domains (5 of which can be dedicated), 50 emails per day, 5 rule automations, increased bandwidth, and loads more.

It's an effective solution for protecting your emails, and, while it's certainly more advanced than Surfshark's Alternative ID, it's not as well integrated, being a web solution rather than in-app.

Identity Defender is another great addition. For Advanced plan users, it includes Dark Web Monitoring, ID theft insurance, ID alerts, credit scanning, and data removal. It's a solid competitor to the equivalents from NordVPN and others.

Finally, ExpressVPN Advanced users get an eSIM (embedded SIM) that allows them to connect to a cellular network without needing a physical SIM card.

eSims connect to local carriers when you travel abroad, which generally means better network quality and lower rates. Advanced users get 3 days of unlimited daily data included in their plan – but you'll need to make sure that your device is compatible with eSims before you plan to rely on it during your next vacation.

ExpressVPN Pro

The leap from Advanced to Pro plan has thankfully expanded somewhat due to the arrival of ExpressVPN's new features.

If you do shell out for ExpressVPN's most premium subscription, you'll have access to everything included in the Basic and Advanced plans. This includes the full version of Advanced Protection and the Keys password manager – though Pro users don't get any extra functionality.

You also get full access to ExpressMailGuard, including unlimited shared aliases and unlimited bandwidth. Plus, Identity Defender gains the ability to monitor threats to data surrounding your home, car, retirement accounts, criminal records, and more.

Pro users also get 5 days of unlimited daily data included in their free eSIM bundle, as well as a dedicated IP address.

Dedicated IP addresses are unique to the user. It's not assigned to anyone else – unlike the dynamic IP addresses we use more regularly, which can be shared by multiple devices at once. The dedicated IP address is the same, stays the same each time you connect to it, and is tied to a VPN location in one of 22 countries.

With a dedicated IP, you won't be held responsible for what other people get up to when sharing a dynamic IP. If you're using a shared IP address, and someone else using that IP address goes on to send spam or get up to something illegal, the address could be blocked by pages, sites, and apps as a result – restricting your access, too, even though you weren't party to any mischief.

So, with a dedicated IP address that's yours alone and influenced solely by your browsing habits, it means less chance of encountering blocks, bans, and even CAPTCHAs.

The benefits of a Pro plan will probably only appeal to a select group of users, and that's not a bad thing. The new ExpressVPN pricing structure is similar to NordVPN's, and we appreciate that both VPNs give users the option to pay for the tools that they'll actually use.

Score: 7/10

ExpressVPN hasn't declared how many servers it has in total. This might seem like a glaring omission but, as NordVPN once claimed, the overall number of servers shouldn't be more important than the reliability, speed, and bandwidth of those servers. After all, a huge pool of servers isn't any good if they all slow your browsing to a crawl.

Back in 2019, ExpressVPN unveiled TrustedServer, the system by which it runs and manages its server network. TrustedServer allows this network to run entirely in RAM with no hard drive. This means that, if some misconfiguration occurred that meant sensitive information was left on a file in local storage, it'll be lost as soon as the server is rebooted (which happens at least daily).

Nothing is even written to a hard drive and left vulnerable to third-party attacks (like hacks and backdoors), minimizing the risk to your (potentially sensitive) data.

ExpressVPN does use virtual servers, stating that while the majority of physical servers and their registered IP addresses are based in the same country, it's not the case for a small number of countries.

ExpressVPN claims that this is because it's sometimes "impossible" to find servers in those areas that meet their exacting standards – hence the need for virtual servers.

These virtual servers are labelled. ExpressVPN tells you that its Kenya servers aren't based in Kenya, for instance, and also tells you the country where they're actually hosted (Germany, in this case).

We decided to see for ourselves whether ExpressVPN's information was correct. We tested a sample of 25 virtual locations to see if the country where ExpressVPN claimed these servers were actually hosted was the truth.

The good news is that the majority of our results matched ExpressVPN's assertions. The virtual India server that ExpressVPN claims to be hosted in Singapore, for example, really does seem to be located in Singapore.

The only issue we spotted during our testing was ExpressVPN's use of Dallas as a general data centre for various island nations.

We like to see virtual servers hosted as close as possible to their advertised locations, and it's hard to see why ExpressVPN would default to using Dallas for locations that are sometimes 1,100+ miles away in actuality.

Score: 9/10

ExpressVPN doesn't log your source IP, the time you connected to a server, the specific server you chose, your DNS queries, browsing history, or network traffic. This is exactly what we like to see, and this limited session logging can't link you to any of the actions you take online.

If you want to learn more about the data that ExpressVPN does (and doesn't) collect, you'll want to head on over to the privacy policy. It's not light reading by any means, but after we combed through it, we're confident that there are no glaring red flags or areas of concern.

The ExpressVPN team has done its best to make the technical jargon as digestible as possible, and it's certainly one of the more parsable policies we've come across. Navigating through it is pretty simple, too, thanks to the table of contents at the top of the page.

Unlike Proton VPN, which has its very own proprietary obfuscation technology in the form of its Stealth protocol, ExpressVPN has no equivalent. This means that if you'd rather your VPN traffic/usage wasn't discoverable, you'll want to choose another VPN.

However, ExpressVPN does claim that its proprietary Lightway protocol is the only VPN protocol built from the ground up to support obfuscation, though it's not the protocol's primary use case.

Also, Lightway isn't used by default, so you'll need to remember to switch over to it when you need an extra layer of security (like in countries with digital censorship and/or VPN bans).

The Lightway protocol was released back in 2020 and was "inspired" by WireGuard, with the aim of creating something even faster and more capable. It's safe to say that ExpressVPN succeeded.

Lightway is wickedly fast, in its Turbo form, at least, and we'll dig into that in our Speed section). It also offers post-quantum encryption, and is the only significant custom protocol created by a VPN that's open source.

Lightway is available in UDP and TCP forms, with the former generally considered to be the quicker option – and the one you'll want to pick for streaming and gaming. TCP tends to be more reliable, however, and a good everyday option for anyone who doesn't need to maximize their online performance.

Just like ExpressVPN's general privacy policy, you can peruse Lightway's code yourself (on GitHub). The same can't be said for NordVPN's proprietary protocol, NordLynx, which is closed-source, meaning that nobody outside the company can comb through its code.

The newest iteration of Lightway is Lightway Turbo – an enhanced version of Lightway UDP. It's currently only available on the ExpressVPN Windows app and uses the app to open and send traffic through multiple channels. This means ExpressVPN can use more of the device's CPU cores, improving performance, making it significantly faster than the regular version of Lightway.

In addition to Lightway and Lightway Turbo, WireGuard is available, enhanced by ExpressVPN's post-quantum protection. Users can opt for OpenVPN, in both TCP and UDP forms, too, as well as IKEv2 (though it's only accessible to Mac and iOS devices).

ExpressVPN's TrustedServer network management system (described in the Server Network section) has considerable bonuses for privacy, too.

You might've heard other VPNs, like NordVPN, Surfshark, and Mullvad, talking about their own RAM-only servers, but TrustedServer goes a step further. It ensures that every server in the ExpressVPN fleet is running the same software with the same configuration, and this solves multiple problems.

For a start, all ExpressVPN servers automatically get software updates and security patches at the same time. So, if a hacker did manage to compromise a server and install some of their own code, the next server reboot would replace it with the standard ExpressVPN server setup within a few hours.

ExpressVPN is registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). As far as VPN jurisdictions go, this is pretty positive, as there are no data retention laws in the BVI. This means that ExpressVPN is not required by law to log any user data.

ExpressVPN next standout privacy feature is ShuffleIP. When you connect to a VPN, you'll usually be assigned a random IP address until you disconnect from the server, and a different IP address the next time you connect. ShuffleIP does things differently – it changes your IP address each time you access a new website.

The benefit of this frequent switching means that it's much harder for third parties to track you across an internet session or connect your activity to a specific VPN server. After all, you'll look like you're connecting to the internet from a totally different place each time you load a new site.

ShuffleIP is enabled automatically, so there's no need to toggle it on or off. We're happy to report that, during our hands-on testing, ShuffleIP worked as intended. Our IP address changed completely between checking our email account and opening X to check our DMs, with no impact on the overall performance.

However, there are a few limitations to keep in mind. ShuffleIP isn't compatible with all ExpressVPN servers, and there's currently no way to tell which servers do or don't support the tool. This isn't ideal, and we'd like to see ExpressVPN implement some sort of UI that indicates the server locations that are ShuffleIP-compatible.

Unlike NordVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN, ExpressVPN has no multi-hop or double VPN feature. Multi-hop works like a regular VPN connection, but instead of routing your traffic through just one VPN server, it's routed through two or more, with each connection adding another layer of encryption.

ExpressVPN has actively chosen not to offer this feature. It claims that this is because it doesn't want to add extra complexity to user connections, or slow them down, and that each ExpressVPN server is engineered to offer the same kind of security that you'd expect from a multihop connection, thanks to a combination of its TrustedServer technology, no-logs policy, and ShuffleIP.

One classic VPN feature that ExpressVPN does offer, however, is split-tunnelling.

We were able to build two types of lists – one with the apps that don't use the VPN tunnel, and one with the apps that do use the tunnel. That way, you can choose which apps benefit from VPN encryption and geo-spoofing, and which ones you can access via your regular internet connection.

This comes in handy if you want to check out local streaming services without a VPN server making it seem like you're halfway around the world. You could also use split tunnelling to take advantage of the Lightway protocol, by only routing the apps that require a high performance through the VPN tunnel.

However, because split tunnelling isn't compatible with Lightway Turbo, you might see slower speeds anyway, as you'll have to use the regular Lightway iteration.

Split tunnelling is available on Windows and Android, and previously was only accessible to older versions of Mac devices. In January 2026, however, ExpressVPN rolled out a bumper upgrade to its MacOS app - and improved split tunnelling is part of the package.

iOS misses out on split tunnelling entirely, which is par for the course, as other top-rated VPNs, like NordVPN, similarly lack split tunnelling on iOS.

Another feature that ExpressVPN is lacking is support for Tor over VPN. In fact, ExpressVPN has no integrated support for Tor at all, unlike NordVPN and Surfshark.

This might disappoint users looking to really supercharge their online security and anonymity.

Tor over VPN conceals the fact that the user is using the Tor network at all, as their ISP will only see that they're connected to a VPN server, and similarly hides the original IP from Tor entry nodes, further boosting anonymity. And, of course, when using Tor over VPN, the user has access to the Tor network (even if a school or work network administrator has blocked it).

It is still possible to use the regular Tor browser once you've connected to an ExpressVPN server, though.

Score: 9/10

One of the biggest threats to VPN encryption is Q Day – a day in the future when quantum computers will be able to crack our current best-in-class encryption standards.

ExpressVPN isn't waiting for this to happen, though. Like other VPNs (including NordVPN and Mullvad), it has implemented post-quantum encryption, and was actually one of the first providers to do so back in October 2023.

This post-quantum encryption is offered by default and implemented in the Lightway protocol. A lengthy blog post goes into more detail, explaining that the post-quantum support was initially added by using the Kyber encryption standard, recommended by NIST.

This was only step one of the post-quantum project, however, as ExpressVPN continues to keep up with encryption developments. When NIST announced a new gold standard, ML-KEM, ExpressVPN implemented that, too.

To put this into perspective, while most VPNs haven't added any post-quantum protection to their products, ExpressVPN has now implemented protection and announced a big update – and all in a relatively short timeframe.

It's an impressive trail to blaze in the VPN sphere and, in August 2025, ExpressVPN even introduced a post-quantum WireGuard protocol that uses ML-KEM-based encryption.

ExpressVPN's auto-connect feature is more basic, however, and the Windows and Mac editions are pretty barebones. Still, it did the job it is intended to do by automatically connecting us to the last VPN server we joined when we launched our devices.

The Android version of auto-connect has an extra feature. It connected us to the last location on launch, and also automatically joined the server whenever we connected to an internet network that wasn't marked as trusted.

This is an especially useful tool to have on a mobile device, especially if you regularly rely on public Wi-Fi hotspots (which can be hotbeds of cybercriminal activity thanks to their unsecured nature).

Sadly, like split tunnelling, auto-connect is not available on iOS devices. ExpressVPN's kill switch is available on all platforms, though.

ExpressVPN deserves a lot of credit for providing a kill switch on every platform. More importantly, though, the ExpressVPN kill switch delivered excellent results during our hands-on testing.

We used various methods to do this: turning our router on and off, leaving the range of a Wi-Fi hotspot, and even force-closing processes on our devices. Then, we watched our internet access and the app to see what happened.

The kill switch activated, blocked our internet, and prevented IP address leaks in every instance. We couldn't trip it up or get it to fail at any point, which is fantastic. This means that users can rest assured that their traffic won't ever be routed without protection.

Our one concern is that the apps didn't always do a great job of telling us that the kill switch had kicked in or that our internet access had been cut or restored. Not being notified about the kill switch activating can get confusing, quick, as it could leave users wondering why their internet suddenly appears to be down with no warning.

We also encountered a situation where the ExpressVPN app didn't reconnect after the kill switch cut and subsequently restored internet access. Resolving this was simple enough, as we just connected to a server manually, but a kill switch feature should handle this by itself.

Bear in mind, however, that our testing methods are pretty extreme, and the ExpressVPN apps likely aren't written to recognize the kinds of failures we were throwing at it.

We can't imagine that you'll encounter these problems in your real-life usage. We still consider the ExpressVPN kill switch to be one of the best we've ever tested, because it delivers where it matters, blocking your internet access when the VPN tunnel fails.

As mentioned in the Features section, part of ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection is an ad-blocker, which effectively removes display ads from our browsing session.

When we tested the ad-blocker, it did an excellent job, removing 87% of ads, which is only a fraction behind Proton VPN at 88%.

That's not all, though. Advanced Protection also blocks trackers, malicious sites, and phishing attempts.

We put the last of theses to the test after collecting 50 brand-new malware-hosting and phishing pages, then attempted to access them on a system protected by ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection suite.

As outlined in the table below, ExpressVPN sits in the middle of the pack in terms of effectiveness. It blocked 84% of phishing sites, which is decent, but also a massive jump from the 76% protection rate we saw the last time we tested it.

The malware results are more disappointing. ExpressVPN blocked only 16% of the 50 malware links we threw at it. Still, as it blocked none last time, it's somehow an improvement.

All in all, ExpressVPN's results are an important reminder that a VPN can't match specialist antivirus apps. These standalone apps often beat 90% in our malware and phishing tests, after all, so they're a safer bet for reliable protection.

Score: 9/10

As for non-Windows users on ExpressVPN, they're stuck with the regular Lightway protocol, WireGuard or OpenVPN. Lightway is not as quick as the Turbo version, nor even as speedy as the last time we tested it.

In fact, in the main, Lightway gave the lowest performance of our top VPNs in our most recent speed tests with just 428 Mbps over a local connection and 265 Mbps to the US.

In fact, according to our results, non-Windows ExpressVPN users would be better off with WireGuard for download speeds. This achieved 967 Mbps with local testing and 699 Mbps connecting across the Atlantic.

Thankfully, it's not all bad news away from Windows. ExpressVPN offers some of the best OpenVPN performance around and that's important for people looking for a privacy-first protocol as their daily workhorse.

ExpressVPN was comfortably the top performer over OpenVPN in our most recent tests. In fact, ExpressVPN's OpenVPN speeds averaged significantly better than both of its Lightway protocol over long and short distance connections, achieving 1038 Mbps and 703 Mbps respectively. If you're not on Windows, OpenVPN seems the most sensible choice right now.

It's also important to praise ExpressVPN for its low latency and jitter rates in general, particularly compared to Surfshark, and that bodes well for activities that require a consistently quick connection – like gaming and streaming.

The overall picture for ExpressVPN's speed is something of a mixed bag, then, and it really depends on your set-up as to whether it's going to be a fast VPN for you or not.

We'd certainly encourage Windows users to choose ExpressVPN, as well as anyone who insists on working with OpenVPN. Outside of those use cases, one of NordVPN, Surfshark or Proton VPN is probably a better choice.

Score: 8/10

When it comes to the free local streaming services in the UK and Australia, though, ExpressVPN worked like a charm first time, every time. It had no problems with BBC iPlayer, ITV, C4, 9Now, or 10Play at all. Only NordVPN can match that.

The significant takeaway, then is that ExpressVPN is a reliable streaming VPN –particularly when trying to unblock some of the free platforms around the world – but you might need to do some server hopping to access some of the tougher streaming service out there.

Do remember that customer service is a good option to shortcut solutions like this. Stream unblocking is something of a moveable feast and they tend to know the best servers to use ay any particular moment.

Score: 9/10

ExpressVPN has apps for all modern platforms you can imagine – which is exactly what we expect from one of today's leading VPNs. This includes apps for the usual suspects, like Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as Linux support with a full GUI.

ExpressVPN is also compatible with Android TV, Samsung TV, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, and there are plenty of setup guides and tutorials that can walk you through the installation process.

Most recently, ExpressVPN announced a dedicated app for the Meta Quest VR headset. It becomes the first VPN with a dedicated app for the platform.

When it comes to browser extensions, ExpressVPN supports Chrome and Firefox, though the Chrome version gets the lion's share of features.

Throughout our testing, we noticed that ExpressVPN's browser extensions are unlike the others we've vetted. A browser extension usually works as a stand-alone product that uses proxies to change the user's IP address.

You tap on the VPN icon by the address bar, select a server, and connect to it. It seems to work just like connecting to a VPN app, but the protection only applies to your browser. Traffic from other apps and from your system itself is unaffected.

ExpressVPN's browser extension can do things differently. While an update in February meant it can now act as an independent proxy, it can also serve as a remote control for the regular app (which will need to be installed on the device beforehand).

We get the same icon by the address bar, and it's the same process of picking and connecting to a VPN server, but something different happens behind the scenes. The browser extension sends a message to the full VPN app telling it to connect to the location we choose.

The benefit of this way of doing things is that it's easier to use the VPN from within a browser. If you find yourself locked out of content because you're in the "wrong" country, for example, you don't have to find and launch the main VPN app and choose a new location from there. Instead, you control the VPN from inside the browser.

Plus, the method of using proxies to connect just isn't as secure as this alternative approach. Proxies offer less protection compared to a full VPN, and their protection is limited to what happens within the browser. It's the kind of thing you'd always need to be aware of. With ExpressVPN, you have more peace of mind (and privacy).

We were also glad to see that ExpressVPN's browser extension has a "Spoof your location" feature. Websites can ask your browser for your country-level location, and because this isn't related to your IP address, your browser can often give your real location away.

The spoofing feature ensures that, if your browser is asked to provide your location, ExpressVPN will return the location of the server you've connected to. The website will see that the IP address and browser location match, which can result in fewer CAPTCHAs and other hassles.

A similar tool is the "Block WebRTC" feature. WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications) can also be used by sites to determine your real IP address. If the site sees that the WebRTC address doesn't match the IP address, it can block your access. ExpressVPN's Block WebRTC feature blocks this backdoor access to prevent this eventuality.

Installing a VPN on a router takes time, patience, and know-how. It's the same with ExpressVPN.

There are three ways to get ExpressVPN working on a router. The first is to install it yourself, manually, and configure it to support the VPN. This is the only type of router support offered by most VPNs, and ExpressVPN has listed examples of the process here.

Alternatively, you can replace the firmware of the router (the code that controls the screens and features) with ExpressVPN's custom firmware. Most routers treat VPNs as a minor extra feature that is tucked away in a menu, but ExpressVPN’s firmware is built from the ground up with VPNs in mind, making them as easy to use as possible.

Finally, the easiest (but potentially most costly) way to use ExpressVPN on a router is to purchase one of its very own Aircove routers – and there are home and travel versions available via Amazon. Prices range from $145 to $190, depending on the router model and where you live, so it's a significant investment. However, if you'd rather not tackle manual configuration, it could be worth it.

Soon, the latter of these options will be the only option available, as ExpressVPN is winding down broader router support in favor of moving people to its Aircove devices. While this is a hugely frustrating decision for people currently using ExpressVPN with their router, it does make some sense given the massively increased functionality that Aircove brings for ExpressVPN's features.

We investigated how many updates big VPN providers made to their iOS apps between January and December 2025. This gives us a clearer picture of how well they support their software, as iOS apps often receive the least amount of updates.

iOS app updates in 2025

The number of updates the iOS apps of each of these VPNs had in 2025

iOS app updates

NordVPN

23

Surfshark

21

ExpressVPN

25

Proton VPN

22

PureVPN

18

Mullvad

9

IPVanish

10

Windscribe

11

CyberGhost

0

Private Internet Access

3

iOS app updates Data

Product	Value (number)
NordVPN	23
Surfshark	21
ExpressVPN	25
Proton VPN	22
PureVPN	18
Mullvad	9
IPVanish	10
Windscribe	11
CyberGhost	0
Private Internet Access	3

ExpressVPN is very much on par with the rest of our recommended VPNs for keeping up with app development.

ExpressVPN sits at the head of the crowd in the table above, with 25 updates. That's very much in keeping with our other recommended VPNs and well beyond the chasing pack.

Considering ExpressVPN's proactive approach to auditing and implementing new features, this level of iOS TLC isn't surprising, but it's still great to see.

Score: 5/5

While you're here, it's also worth visiting the Subscription tab to see whether automatic renewal is enabled. Following the spate of legal actions levelled at major VPN providers (including ExpressVPN), alleging that their auto-renewal practices are unlawful, it's well worth checking, as VPNs have historically not made auto-renewal that obvious.

Once you're done with the dashboard, don't close it, because you'll need the activation code we mentioned earlier after you install the VPN app on your device and log in.

After you've punched in your credentials, you'll be asked for the code, so be sure to copy and paste it before exiting out of the dashboard. Alternatively, you can sign in via an email sign-in link.

User experience

ExpressVPN's apps look and feel the same across all platforms – and that's a good thing. There's a core idea here of being the VPN that "just works", and when apps are similar, buttons are (more or less) in the same place, features have the same name, and you don't have to master each platform separately. Learn one, and you've learned them all.

ExpressVPN frequently updates and finetunes its UI experience, too. Most recently, it ditched its super simple approach in favor of more information and instant access to key settings. Regardless, its iconic, huge 'Connect' button remains, just now with a greater amount to view around it.

However, the app remains simple compared to the majority of other VPNs . The NordVPN Windows app dashboard has 23 buttons, icons, and other clickable elements. Surfshark has 23, and Proton VPN has 19. ExpressVPN, on the other hand, has 13. This perfectly encapsulates ExpressVPN's "less-is-more" approach to its UI, even with more being progressively added.

It's worth remembering, though, that unlike many of these alternatives, ExpressVPN doesn't have any specialized servers at all. So there are no tabs for P2P activity, Tor over VPN, or streaming picks.

The simplicity continues into ExpressVPN's settings. Not only is this now easily accessed from the home screen, but you'll quickly find options contained under their own submenus. For instance, if you want to switch your protocol, something also now present on loading in, it's as simple as tapping the submenu and selecting the box next to your protocol of choice.

All in all, the desktop version of the app was our favorite. It not only offers a less cluttered feel, but also retains quick access to settings, protocols, and all of ExpressVPN's new features - should you use them.

The mobile app does a good job of this too given screen size limitations. It's super intuitive to navigate, gives you more quick access than ever before, and retains the classic one-click-connection feel that ExpressVPN has always had.

Score: 5/5

ExpressVPN doesn't have any specialist accessibility features, and the desktop apps are missing a common automation feature that'd allow users to automatically connect whenever there's access to public Wi-Fi.

However, the ExpressVPN Windows app does have one excellent bonus feature: a command-line tool called ExpressVPN.CLI.exe.

The app is extremely smart, and can be used to connect to any location, disconnect, change your protocol, and other key settings.

It takes a little command line knowledge to set this up, but even if you’re a total newbie, you can still learn everything you need in an hour or so.

When you’re ready, you can set up scripts to connect to ExpressVPN, disconnect, automatically launch or close apps, and then run those scripts via Windows voice access or whatever other app launcher you prefer.

The Windows ExpressVPN app supports 17 languages, which is decent. Proton VPN has it pegged, offering 28, but most providers have around 10 to 20. ExpressVPN still outperforms NordVPN (13 languages), CyberGhost (12), and IPVanish (8).

ExpressVPN offers common options, like English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish. Some are missing from the list, though, most notably Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and Arabic.

We then put ExpressVPN's keyboard support to the test. It's a key element of any deep dive into accessibility. After all, if a user can't operate a mouse, they should still be able to access every feature of the app via the keyboard.

Using standard Windows keypresses like Tab, Enter, and keypress, we try and move around the app, browse lists, select buttons, and otherwise play around.

Language support

Language options available in the Windows apps of each VPN.

Number of languages supported

NordVPN

13

Surfshark

13

ExpressVPN

17

Proton VPN

31

PureVPN

12

Mullvad

20

IPVanish

8

Windscribe

20

CyberGhost

12

Private Internet Access

18

010203040

number

Number of languages supported Data

Product	Value (number)
NordVPN	13
Surfshark	13
ExpressVPN	17
Proton VPN	31
PureVPN	12
Mullvad	20
IPVanish	8
Windscribe	20
CyberGhost	12
Private Internet Access	18

ExpressVPN offers slightly more languages than most VPNs, though it's still worth checking that the language you need is available before downloading.

Previously, ExpressVPN's old design had enabled it to have excellent keyboard support. Now, its increased number of home screen areas mean performing more complex tasks is near impossible. So you can connect and disconnect, without being able to choose the location, you can find the settings menu, but tweaking them becomes problematic.

Most top VPNs face similar issues here, so we can't mark it down hugely. That said, it's an unfortunate step backwards considering just how well it had previously performed in this area.

Score: 3/5

Although that's only roughly half of the amount we found on Surfshark's support site, at 120. ExpressVPN, though, does far better than the 5 articles we discovered when plugging "DNS" into Hotspot Shield's site. Plus, only one of these contained any useful troubleshooting advice.

ExpressVPN has a distinct lack of articles covering torrenting and P2P, however, though this isn't all that surprising. It's a minefield of a topic – legally speaking.

The support site is well organized and easy to navigate. Popular topics are listed at the top of the page, so you can jump right into a setup guide or troubleshoot common issues, and popular articles are listed right underneath. These link directly to useful pages like how to find the ExpressVPN activation code and how to cancel a subscription.

The articles themselves are easy to read and follow. Set up guides make liberal use of annotated screenshots and use short, simple instructions to guide users through everything from installation to setting ExpressVPN up on a router.

Some of the setup pages can be rather long, however, so it'd be great to see more navigation elements on the page. There is a contents table at the top, but scrolling all the way up to find is a minor annoyance.

When we explored ExpressVPN's live chat, we were first greeted by a chatbot and the usual generic questions. It's capable of guiding customers through the initial troubleshooting process and providing simple solutions.

When we told it that our VPN was slow, for instance, it asked us if we were using Wi-Fi. When we said yes, it suggested that we use Ethernet instead. It won't work for everyone, but it's a possibility that some customers won't have thought to try.

The chatbot is loaded with a surprising amount of information and gave intelligent advice during our "conversation". So, even if you have no plans to chat with it yourself, it's good to know that your first port of call when contacting support isn't a totally useless barrier between you and a real person. Plus, the more people the chatbot can help, the more time real human support agents have to troubleshoot issues.

If you've exhausted the chatbot's advice, or want to skip straight to an agent, you don't have to endure a complicated process to do so. Just clicking the "Transfer to an agent" button does exactly that – and when we tried it for ourselves, we only waited a few minutes before a connection was established.

We had a great experience with our agent. Unlike other provider support teams, where it can feel as though they're just waiting to pounce on keywords and funnel you towards generic solutions ("have you turned it on and off again?"), ExpressVPN agents clearly took the time to listen to our queries.

We asked our agent how to set up the VPN in order to play online games with friends in the US. The agent suggested that, if we didn't know where the game server was physically located, our best bet was to join a server close to our home base, unless we needed a US IP address ourselves.

The entire conversation took just under 10 minutes, the agent was friendly and clearly knowledgeable about the product, and we were happy with the exchange overall.

Score: 4/5

A few users claimed that there were long gaps between support agent replies, for example, which could mean that ExpressVPN's agents are expected to cover a lot of customers at any one time, and one review rated ExpressVPN poorly because they couldn't connect in China.

ExpressVPN is bound to receive some targeted criticism because of its prominent position in the VPN market, but we've seen a big drop in investment in Kape VPNs, with relatively few development or new features. This could be causing hiccups with long support times and unsatisfied customers.

On the other hand, ExpressVPN's Android app rocketed up from a 4.4 rating to a 4.7 since May 2025.

We're not certain what has prompted this surge. The percentage of one-star ratings dropped from 10% to 5%. If this happened naturally, it would require ExpressVPN to have doubled its number of ratings in the last five months, without a single one being a one-star review.

It's possible that ExpressVPN was targeted by bots, and that these bots were eventually detected and removed by Google. Since most of the bot reviews were one-star, this caused ExpressVPN’s rating to soar, but this is only conjecture.

Whatever the truth is, we don't believe that it changes much, and the real story here is that today's top providers are as close to "neck and neck" as it gets.

In February 2024, ExpressVPN revealed that a reviewer had discovered a DNS leak in its Windows app that had been active since May 2022.

This meant that DNS requests sent from the user device weren't directed through the tunnel and instead used the regular connection. Because of this, the user's ISP, or whoever ran the network they used, may have been able to log the websites they accessed.

It was bad news, and not just because it invalidated one of the primary reasons to invest in a VPN in the first place (to conceal your browsing history from third parties). The leak had also been happening for years without anyone noticing.

ExpressVPN did point out mitigating factors. The issue only affected Windows machines, for instance, when split tunnelling was enabled.

ExpressVPN also responded quickly when it became aware of the issue. It removed split tunnelling from the Windows apps to ensure users couldn't be affected and, within six days, the larger problem was troubleshooted and a fix had been developed. Split tunnelling also returned in short order.

ExpressVPN commissioned an independent audit to confirm its success, reporting mostly positive results (another issue was found and fixed) in an April blog post.

Another controversy arose when former US military intelligence officer Daniel Gericke joined ExpressVPN as its CIO.

In 2021, the US Justice Department revealed that Gericke previously worked for a company that provided hacking services for the UAE.

This included creating "zero-click exploits to illegally obtain and use access credentials for online accounts issued by U.S. companies, and to obtain unauthorized access to computers, like mobile phones, around the world, including in the United States".

Gericke and two others later signed a Deferred Prosecution Agreement which ‘restricts their future activities and employment and requires the payment of $1,685,000 in penalties’.

More recently, ExpressVPN has found itself in hot water with the Indian authorities. Indian streaming site JioStar has claimed ExpressVPN is a "knowing facilitator and inducer" of online piracy, and has reported the provider to the Noida Cyber Crime Police Station.

Audits

ExpressVPN (and its various technologies) has undergone a huge number of audits.

The most recent of these took place in June 2025, by KPMG, and combed through ExpressVPN's no-logs policy. The audit confirmed that ExpressVPN abides by the claims in its privacy policy, and doesn't log or store identifiable data.

If a VPN invites an audit at all, it's usually just to verify the no-logs policy. It's a good place to start, and ExpressVPN does these too, but it consistently goes further.

It has separate audits for its Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux apps, its browser extension, Aircove router, Keys password manager, and more. In fact, ExpressVPN's custom Lightway protocol has been the subject of four separate audits.

Unlike some providers, ExpressVPN doesn't congratulate itself with a "we did great" blog post that contains just a few cherry-picked lines from the auditor's conclusion. ExpressVPN always makes the full report available online for anyone who is interested.

Score: 3/5