ExpressVPN is one of the most widely used virtual private networks (VPNs) in the world. It will appeal to the majority of users because of its fast speeds, ability to unblock a largenumber of streaming services (including Netflix), and wide range of servers.ExpressVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and the ability to connect up to five devices at the same time. ExpressVPN is currently owned by the same firm that owns Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, and ZenMate VPNs, following the acquisition of the company by Kape Technologies. Daniel Gericke, the company's Chief Information Officer, was named in a report that was released shortly after. It identified him as one of the members of Project Raven, which is responsible for developing cyber-espionage tools to aid the UAE in its efforts to target human rights activists, journalists, and opponents of the UAE government.
With this information in mind, many users may begin to lose confidence in this VPN.Is it appropriate for them to do so? Is this high-speed VPN service still a worthwhile investment – even with its hefty price tag? In fact, should you even consider acquiring ExpressVPN when there are several quite decent (and far lessexpensive) competitors available, such as NordVPN?
Pros of ExpressVPN
- VPN programs that are both secure and easy to use
- No-logs In a secure country, use a virtual private network (VPN).
- Netflix and other streaming services are compatible.
- Apps that are safe and dependable on mobile devices
- VPN router software
- Customer service is excellent, and the return policy is fair.
- Extensions for the web browser
- VPN server network with a large and safe number of servers
Cons of ExpressVPN
- There is no GUI for Linux
- For WebRTC security, there is no Safari ExpressVPN browser plugin.
- There are fewer features compared with other popular VPNs.
Pricing for ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN, like the majority of VPN service providers, does not restrict access to certain features to specific tiers. You'll receive the same bundle as everyone else. The only difference between the two is the length. The longer the subscription period that you choose, the greater your discounts.
Despitethe fact that the stated fees are displayed as a series of installments overthe course of the subscription, they are quite costly. If you purchase an annual membership, you would still be paying twice as much as you would with many other VPN providers, even with the 35 percent discount (including theirmain rival, NordVPN). It would be really beneficial if ExpressVPN offered an even longer subscription option, which might allow for a cheaper pricing tier to be offered. As things are right now, this just isn't the case.
And to make matters even worse, there is no free version or trial period available.So, if you're on the fence, the only way to get your money back if you don't like the service is to take advantage of their 30-day money-back promise. Because their customer service is excellent, getting your money back should notbe a major challenge.
When it comes to payment choices, you may use a credit card, PayPal, Bitcoin, orother options such as UnionPay to make your purchase. As a result, there are alternatives for people who favor privacy as well as those who prefer convenience. Remember that the entire amount will be charged at once, so makesure to arrange your transfer properly.
(Also Read – Surfshark VPN Review)
What is the level of security provided by ExpressVPN?
Privacy is at the heart of every outstanding service, and it is the make or breaksfactor for VPN services. And, while other VPN companies may offer weak guarantees, ExpressVPN has some genuine technology to back up their claims with.
Tobegin, and please be aware that we are about to get a little technical, we will say the following: Using a 4096-bit SHA-512 RSA certificate, ExpressVPN encrypts its control channel using industry-standard AES-256-CBC encryption, and it leverages HMAC to protect against a real-time change of regularly sentdata. When we looked at the OpenVPN configuration files, we saw that this was completely correct.
Asan added layer of security, Perfect Forward Secrecy is implemented, which meansthat you'll be issued a new session key each time you connect, and a new one every 60 minutes after that. That implies that even if your connection is compromised in some way, they will only be able to access a maximum of 60minutes of data before being kicked from the network.
While the exact number of obfuscated servers operated by ExpressVPN is not disclosed,the service does have a significant number of them, which are particularly handy when using it as a China VPN. These servers hide the fact that you're using a VPN at all, and they can help you get around regional VPN restrictions or even make it possible to use a VPN in locations like colleges that may prohibit the usage of VPNs.
Finally, the cost certification for ExpressVPN's Android app has recently been awarded to the company. Because the app and service have been inspected at a basic level, consumers may be confident that the program is operating properly. In our opinion, it is really difficult to complete these examinations on your own; hence this certification is extremely valuable.
What is thespeed of ExpressVPN?
Even the most privacy-conscious user need adequate connection speeds. With theintroduction of WireGuard, many VPNs are now pushing speeds to heights we've never seen before, and as gaming VPN services become more popular, it's critical for any provider to ensure they don't fall behind. ExpressVPN'sLightway, thankfully, can keep up with the competition.
Torecap our procedure, we connected ExpressVPN to the nearest location using aWindows 10 PC (US and UK). We used a variety of speed test sites and servicesto determine the speeds, and we recorded at least five results from each. Using OpenVPN and Lightway, we performed the operation three times.
ExpressVPN's OpenVPN connections were outstanding, delivering speeds of roughly 310Mbps onour 1Gbps US line. That matches our previous tests, and while a couple of providers were somewhat faster (Hide. me at 390Mbps and ProtonVPN at 400-600Mbps), it's safe to say ExpressVPN has some of the fastest OpenVPNconnections available.
Whenutilizing Lightway, speeds reached 580Mbps, which is equivalent to WireGuardspeeds for most other services. Some, like NordVPN, CyberGhost, and IPVanish, provide quicker connections, but there is no obvious difference in performance for the ordinary user on normal home Wi-Fi.
The Final Word
Overall, ExpressVPN gives the image of being a reliable, secure, and powerful VPN service. The connection rates can be rather fast, most streaming services can be unblocked, and torrenting is not prohibited.
All of the important VPN security features, such as split tunneling and a killswitch, are included. There are no DNS leaks or vulnerabilities that might allow your IP address to be discovered. In addition, the router app and the MediaStreamer functionality are included.
Aside from VPN capabilities, there isn't anything else. Also, while the speeds aregenerally rapid, there were a number of areas with significant speed decreases. As a result, consistency is a hit-or-miss proposition.
It may not seem like a huge problem, but given that it's nearly twice as much as the competition for identical yearly plans, you have the right to demand more. ExpressVPN would go a step closer to the VPN crown if it rethought its price options and addressed the connection concerns.
