What is ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN provides a stable, versatile and feature-packed virtual private network service with clients and documentation for a wide range of devices and operating systems. While expensive, it’s one of the few VPN services that’s had its no-logging policy demonstrated in a court case, making it a good choice for the privacy-conscious.
Related: Best VPN
ExpressVPN – Features and usability
Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most expensive VPN services around, with a high annual price of £76.42 (working out at £6.37 per month) and a month-to-month subscription price of £9.93.
On Windows, ExpressVPN has a particularly simple interface, with a cheery-looking button that, when pressed, will automatically connect you to either an optimised endpoint or the last one you selected.
Additional features include a speed test on all available endpoints and a diagnostics output that lets you see your log files – a welcome feature for those who want to know exactly what’s going on in the background when they connect.
An options menu allows you to choose whether ExpressVPN starts and connects on Windows startup, enable an internet kill switch that stops all internet traffic if you lose your VPN connection, and switch from automatic protocol selection to your choice of OpenVPN or a range of other supported protocols.
Extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Safari allow you to start the VPN directly from your browser, block potential data leaks from the WebRTC protocol and automatically connect to the last used location when you open your browser.
Clients are also available for macOS, Linux and the usual mobile platforms, plus Amazon’s Kindle Fire and FireTV, with instructions available on using ExpressVPN with routers and other appliances.
ExpressVPN – Performance
ExpressVPN’s performance in our speed tests was a little slower this time around compared to previous tests, while faster rivals have driven the average speeds we compare it to up a little.
Its UK-to-UK connection speeds were good, coming in at around 8.5MB/s (68Mbit/s) via both FTP and HTTP, while endpoints in the Netherlands gave us 6.3MB/s (50.4Mbit/s) via FTP and 7MB/s (56Mbit/s) via HTTP. US connection speeds, as you’d expect, were rather slower at 2.5MB/s (20Mbit/s) via FTP and a very decent 3.2MB/s (25.6Mbit/s) over HTTP.
Although ExpressVPN has previously been a reliable service for international video streaming, both Netflix and BBC iPlayer detected the VPN this time around.
Related: What is a VPN?
Today's Best VPN Deals
ExpressVPN | $99.95/£70.53 per year ($6.67/£5.12 per month)
ExpressVPN | $99.95/£70.53 per year ($6.67/£5.12 per month)
ExpressVPN provides a fast, stable and feature-packed service that did well in our speed tests and proved useful for international media streaming.
Private Internet Access | $69.95/£52 per 2 years ($2.91/£2.17 per month)
Private Internet Access | $69.95/£52 per 2 years ($2.91/£2.17 per month)
One of the least expensive, most feature-packed services around and has a tested no-logging policy.
NordVPN | $69/£49 per year ($5.75/£4 per month)
NordVPN | $69/£49 per year ($5.75/£4 per month)
NordVPN consistently performs well in our tests, with an excellent range of features at a low cost.
Why buy ExpressVPN?
The company is based in the British Virgin Islands which, although a British Overseas Territory, doesn’t share the UK’s strict data retention laws. If you’re after anonymous payment options, you can buy your subscription with bitcoin, and the company has a clearly stated no-logging policy.
ExpressVPN’s no-logging policy has been put to the test in a court of law – when its Turkish endpoint servers were seized by local authorities in December 2017, no logs were found on the systems.
Verdict
The company is based in the British Virgin Islands which, although a British Overseas Territory, doesn’t share the UK’s strict data retention laws. If you’re after anonymous payment options, you can buy your subscription with bitcoin, and the company has a clearly stated no-logging policy.
ExpressVPN’s no-logging policy has been put to the test in a court of law – when its Turkish endpoint servers were seized by local authorities in December 2017, no logs were found on the systems.
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