ExpressVPN: Is It Really the Best VPN or Just Marketing?

ExpressVPN collects less data than the vast majority of VPNs. It only retains some non-identifying connection data, such as your bandwidth usage, to help with diagnostics and service improvement.

While we’d prefer it adopted a strict no-logs policy like PIA VPN, the key point is that none of the information ExpressVPN collects can be used to identify you personally.

This was demonstrated when Turkish authorities seized an ExpressVPN server and were unable to find any connection logs.

To support its privacy claims, the VPN operates a fully diskless server network. Unlike most VPNs that store data on hard drives, ExpressVPN’s servers run on volatile memory, which is erased with every reboot. This makes it impossible for ExpressVPN to store your usage data or for hackers to extract information from the servers.

It’s also one of the only VPN services whose RAM-only server network has been independently audited and verified by a third party.

Kape Technologies’ acquisition of ExpressVPN in 2021 generated controversy due to Kape’s earlier links to an ad-injector platform. However, that platform operated under the company’s previous name, Crossrider, and was shut down in 2016. Since then, Kape has introduced a new management team, a new company name, and a focus on digital privacy.

Despite what some publications suggest, there is no evidence that ExpressVPN’s ownership compromises user privacy. Claims to the contrary are unfounded and often used to justify lowering ExpressVPN’s ratings, particularly when its performance is harder to criticize.

Under Kape’s ownership, ExpressVPN has actually strengthened its privacy practices with more independent audits, biannual transparency reports, and bug bounty programs. The product itself has also improved significantly, with better app design and noticeably better streaming performance.

As the table shows, connecting to a nearby VPN server resulted in only a 2% drop in download speed. In practical terms, this feels almost identical to browsing or streaming without a VPN — it’s that fast.

Our speeds also remained very stable, with minimal fluctuations. As a result, we didn’t experience sudden drops, lag spikes, or unexpected buffering during our tests.

Wherever you are in the world, you can expect similar performance when connecting to a server close to your location. In fact, our data shows that ExpressVPN is the second-fastest VPN we’ve tested for local download speeds.

We attribute this performance to two key factors: its custom-built Lightway protocol and its network of 10Gbps servers, which provide high bandwidth capacity. On Windows, you can also use Lightway Turbo, which delivers even faster speeds.

However, we’ve noticed a slight decline in ExpressVPN’s international performance compared to earlier tests. For example, its speeds have dropped by 27% in South Africa and 7% in Germany compared to our previous measurements.

To put these numbers into perspective, you can see how ExpressVPN compares to other leading VPNs in our dedicated speed comparison chart:

All ExpressVPN apps include the ‘Network Lock’ kill switch, even on platforms that many VPNs ignore, like Fire TV and iOS. There’s also an advanced Network Lock option that blocks all internet traffic from your device until the VPN connection is restored.

Using our in-house tools, we tested ExpressVPN for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks while connected to a nearby server. It passed every test, ensuring none of our personal information or real IP addresses were exposed.

Previously, a bug in ExpressVPN’s Windows app caused DNS leaks when split tunneling was enabled, allowing ISPs to see which websites you visited. Fortunately, ExpressVPN fixed the issue quickly once it was reported, and we’ve seen no sign of it returning.

Importantly, ExpressVPN also uses its own first-party DNS servers, so your DNS requests never have to go through your ISP.

All of these security claims have been backed up by multiple independent security audits. In the last three years alone, ExpressVPN has undergone 13 security-related audits. By comparison, NordVPN has completed only two during the same period.

ExpressVPN’s user experience and design are consistent across platforms, with only minor variations. You can expand each section below for a closer look at how the VPN looks and behaves on specific devices.

As we’ve mentioned throughout this review, ExpressVPN is genuinely a pleasure to use. We choose it as our daily VPN over every other service we test.

After years of using it, we sometimes forget how well it handles the basics: it connects quickly, has a minimal but attractive interface, and delivers excellent performance across almost all use cases.

The difference becomes obvious whenever we switch to other top-tier VPNs. Surfshark, for instance, often frustrates us with constant upsell prompts and small design annoyances. In contrast, ExpressVPN feels polished and premium from the start.

Most of the time, all we do is click the large “on” button and leave it running in the background. We only explore other menus when we need to connect to international servers for geo-blocked content.

Our only real complaint in the past was the frequent CAPTCHAs we encountered while browsing with the VPN enabled. Fortunately, ExpressVPN has resolved this issue, and it’s no longer a regular problem.

We’ve been reviewing VPNs for years, and we’re still surprised by how few review sites emphasize ExpressVPN’s exceptional router app.

It’s the only VPN that offers a fully-featured, dedicated router app with its own interface and complete set of options. Because the app is browser-based, you can manage your VPN connection and switch servers through a web page on your laptop or phone just as easily as you can from the desktop app.

This gives you a level of device compatibility that no other VPN currently matches, since any device connected to your router is effectively connected to the VPN.

That means you can change your virtual location and encrypt your traffic on devices that don’t support VPN apps, like many Smart TVs and game consoles.

This add-on lets you connect to a server with an IP address that’s used only by you, unlike standard VPN IPs that are shared by many users.

When setting up your dedicated IP, ExpressVPN uses zero-knowledge encryption and a blind token system to protect your privacy. In simple terms, this stops the VPN from seeing your unique activation code or linking it to your account.

Unfortunately, this is not the industry standard. NordVPN states in its privacy policy that it links your dedicated IP address to your account.

All of ExpressVPN’s apps include an ad and tracker blocker called Threat Manager.

In our tests, Threat Manager blocked only 60% of ads and trackers. Private Internet Access and NordVPN blocked 100%.

As it stands, Threat Manager is a useful feature that enhances protection of your web activity from data profiling, but there are more effective alternatives available.

All VPNs assign you a new IP address when you first connect, but ExpressVPN goes a step further by changing your IP every time you open a new website or app.

This feature, known as ShuffleIP, makes it extremely difficult for anyone to track your online activity or collect data about your browsing habits.

You won’t even notice this happening, as the feature runs automatically in the background without interrupting your connection.