9.0 / 10
SCORE ExpressVPN Buy at ExpressVPN Price $13 per month, $100 for the first 15 months (then $117 per year) or $140 for the first 28 months (then $150 per year) Latest Tests No DNS leaks detected, 18% speed loss in 2025 tests Network 3,000 plus servers in 105 countries Jurisdiction British Virgin Islands Score Breakdown Usability 10 /10 Value 7 /10 Speed 9 /10 Privacy 10 /10 Features 9 /10 Pros Cutting-edge privacy and security
Excellent for streaming
Easy to use across platforms
Strong commitment to transparency
Privacy-friendly jurisdiction (British Virgin Islands) Cons Expensive
No multihop connections
New price structure doesn't add much value
Two things come to mind when I think of ExpressVPN: First, it's a juggernaut and the VPN industry standard-bearer, especially when it comes to privacy and transparency -- it's one of two VPNs to earn a 10/10 for privacy, alongside Mullvad. Second, ExpressVPN is expensive. The price of the service nearly eclipsed its feature advancements in late 2024, but the company introduced a newly overhauled price structure in September 2025, just in time for this review. Based on my extensive testing and experience, Express holds its position at the top of the VPN pile, but it’s still the most expensive choice.
I ran ExpressVPN through a rigorous battery of tests over the course of several weeks in January 2025, retested its speed performance in March and ran additional streaming, app performance and DNS leak tests in August and September. In addition to testing ExpressVPN’s apps across a variety of devices and operating systems throughout the year, I closely examined the company’s privacy policies, corporate structure, third-party audits and security innovations. I also ran over 300 individual speed tests, checked for leaks, evaluated its streaming capabilities across various platforms and streaming services and assessed its overall value. Throughout the process, I maintained close communication with the ExpressVPN team via email and video conference.
I found that ExpressVPN continues to get improve through cutting-edge innovations like ShuffleIP, which swaps your IP address with each new page you visit, making it harder for anyone to track you online. However, price changes make it a less attractive option for casual, budget-minded VPN users. (Check out our list of the best cheap VPNs if that's more your speed.)
Even so, ExpressVPN remains one of the best VPNs you can buy, especially if you have critical privacy needs or are looking for solid protection against future threats from quantum computers, which will someday be able to crack current encryption standards.
Speed: Enhancements to Lightway and OpenVPN Connection Protocols on Windows massively boost speed performance
18% speed loss in 2025 tests
Number of servers: 3,000-plus
Number of server locations: 105 countries (including in all 50 US states)
Key takeaway: The implementations of Lightway Turbo and DCO on OpenVPN have totally redeemed ExpressVPN’s previously shaky speed performance. ExpressVPN was the third-fastest VPN we tested in 2025.
ExpressVPN has made some significant improvements since January to address speed loss that had worsened steadily over the past few years. A pair of inventive solutions on the Windows side helped transform ExpressVPN’s overall speed loss from 35% to a much more respectable 18% -- the third fastest results in our 2025 testing, behind NordVPN's 3% and Proton VPN's 16%.
VPN speeds are determined partly by connection protocols, basically the rules for how your connection is encrypted. The two most common ones are the speedy WireGuard, and the old standard OpenVPN, which is usually slower but more battle-tested. I tested speeds through ExpressVPN's own Lightway protocol and OpenVPN -- both of which the company has been improving.
In March 2025, ExpressVPN introduced Lightway Turbo, an advancement to its Lightway protocol, which now runs connections through multiple tunnels simultaneously instead of through a single tunnel. This helps boost speeds by allowing more data to be sent at once. ExpressVPN also rolled out Data Channel Offload for OpenVPN on Windows, which helps improve speeds by handling data packets more efficiently. In my Windows speed tests, speed loss through Lightway went from 40% in January 2025 to 17% in March 2025 and dropped from 64% to 18% through OpenVPN over the same time period. ExpressVPN says that Lightway Turbo will be coming to MacOS and other platforms in the near future.
On Mac, things were more of a mixed bag. While speeds on MacOS were blazing fast through Lightway (cutting my speeds by only 8%), I was somewhat disappointed by the 29% speed loss I calculated through OpenVPN on my Mac. It’s not a surprise that OpenVPN speeds were slower than Lightway, but I still lost more speed through OpenVPN than I would have expected. Unfortunately ExpressVPN’s DCO solution on OpenVPN is not compatible with non-Windows devices, so hopefully engineers will work on giving OpenVPN speeds a similar boost on MacOS.
Either way, ExpressVPN’s overall speed turnaround from January to March was impressive, and indicative of the company’s commitment to continuous improvement.
ExpressVPN’s speed performance was generally stable across most locations and protocols. I ran speed tests from my location in Ohio on a fiber connection that gets me about 370 Mbps. Speeds to relatively closer VPN server locations like New York and the UK generally yielded the fastest results, pushing 350 to 360 Mbps on MacOS through Lightway. Speeds to Germany and France were also quite fast at around 340 Mbps. It was on servers halfway across the globe in Australia and Singapore that speeds started to drop off slightly, usually hitting around 260 to 300 Mbps.
ExpressVPN's speed performance was impressive during my tests. Screenshot by CNET
And while I did notice a fair amount of instability in my January speed tests when connecting through OpenVPN on Windows to Australia and Singapore (where speeds fluctuated from around 70 Mbps to around 120 Mbps), Lightway Turbo and DCO on OpenVPN seemed to have ironed that out, because speeds remained remarkably consistent on Windows in my latest tests. That’s saying a lot because many VPNs often struggle to maintain consistent speed performance from one speed test to another.
Cost: A new tiered price structure offers more subscription options but doesn't translate into an increase in overall value
Key takeaway: ExpressVPN is one of the best VPN services on the planet, constantly improving and innovating. It also asks you to pay some of the highest prices for that service. Even if its new VPN-only Basic tier doesn't deliver much value, its Advanced tier might be a better overall value than NordVPN's Basic subscription plan.
$13 per month, $75 for the first 15 months (then $100 per year) or $98 for the first 28 months (then $100 per year)
30-day money-back guarantee
Payment options: Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit card, PayPal, Bitcoin
Apps available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, FireTV, Android TV, Apple TV, routers
Works with: Netflix, Disney Plus, Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV Plus and others
ExpressVPN now offers three subscription tiers: Basic, Advanced and Pro. The Basic tier bumps the simultaneous connection allowance from eight to 10, but includes only the VPN and basic ad- and tracker-blocking capabilities and costs $13 per month, $75 for the first 15 months (then $100 per year) or $98 for the first 28 months (then $100 per year). The long-term plans are cheaper now with the Basic tier than they were previously, but now with a stripped-down version of the Advanced Protection features and without access to the Keys password manager. It's a small cost savings, but doesn't really add value.
ExpressVPN introduced a tiered price structure in September 2025. Screenshot by CNET
I was hoping ExpressVPN would introduce a VPN-only plan with its new tiered prices -- and technically, that's what the company came up with. However, I'm keeping ExpressVPN's value score the same because I was underwhelmed by the changes. While $75 for the first year and $98 for the first two years is a decent value for a premium VPN service, a $100 annual renewal rate is steep for what essentially amounts to a barebones offering. I would have rather seen the Basic tier renew annually at a more reasonable rate -- say around $80. As it stands, casual and budget-conscious users still have better options elsewhere.
By comparison, you can get one year of Surfshark’s base VPN plan for $48 for the first year and $79 per year afterwards. Surfshark's base plan includes unlimited simultaneous connections, cookie-popup and ad-blocker, split-tunneling on all platforms and a one-of-a-kind personal detail generator. If you want something even cheaper than that, you can get PIA for $40 for the first year (then $50 annually thereafter) or $80 every three years. Both Surfshark and PIA are excellent budget-friendly VPNs.
This review focuses primarily on ExpressVPN's Basic subscription tier, but depending on which plan you choose, its higher tiers include the Keys password manager, full suite of Advanced Protection features, Identity Defender tools, dedicated IP and a solid discount on its Aircove Wi-Fi 6 router. Also, the Advanced tier allows up to 12 simultaneous connections while the Pro tier allows for 14.
Although ExpressVPN's Advanced tier is initially more expensive than NordVPN's Basic tier, it's arguably a better value. With ExpressVPN's Advanced tier, you get access to the VPN, password manager, full suite of Advanced Protection features, most of the Identity Protection tools and 12 simultaneous connections for $90 for the first 15 months and $120 annually thereafter. By comparison, NordVPN's Basic plan includes only the VPN with 10 simultaneous connections and costs $60 for the first 12 months but renews at $140 annually. With ExpressVPN's Advanced plan, you get more tools and more simultaneous connections at a similar intro price and a considerably cheaper annual renewal rate. If you're looking for a decent VPN bundle, then ExpressVPN's Advanced tier is a good choice.
ExpressVPN bundles at a glance Here's a breakdown of each subscription tier offered by ExpressVPN Plan Basic Advanced Pro Price $13 per month, $75 for the first 15 months (then $100 per year) or $98 for the first 28 months (then $100 per year) $14 per month, $90 for the first 15 months (then $120 per year) or $126 for the first 28 months (then $120 per year) $20 per month, $135 for the first 15 months (then $200 per year) or $210 for the first 28 months (then $200 per year) VPN Yes Yes Yes Advanced Protection Partial Yes Yes Password manager No Yes Yes ID alerts No Yes Yes ID theft insurance No Yes Yes Credit scanner No Yes Yes Data removal No No Yes Credit reports No No Yes Dedicated IP Optional add-on Optional add-on Yes Aircove discount None Up to 50% off Up to 75% off
ExpressVPN’s core VPN offering is top-notch
Otherwise, ExpressVPN hits all the right notes when it comes to delivering a top-of-the-line VPN service. Its apps are slick and easy to use across a wide variety of platforms, its privacy and security is among the best in the business and you can’t get much better than ExpressVPN for streaming. It’s already a top-notch VPN provider, and its core VPN offering only continues to get better.
So if you’re not turned off by the high price, I recommend ExpressVPN for basically any online activity.
Signing up is a breeze, and you can pay for a subscription via a variety of payment methods including credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Bitcoin.
With ExpressVPN, you’ll get apps for Windows, MacOS, Linux (GUI), Chromebook, Android, iOS, FireTV, Android TV and Apple TV. A router app is also available as well as detailed tutorials on how to set up ExpressVPN on a variety of routers. Additionally, you can purchase ExpressVPN’s own Aircove or Aircove Go routers for $165 or $145, respectively, with the VPN already built in. Although ExpressVPN recently bumped its simultaneous connection allowance to 10 on its Basic plan, going with a router setup can bypass that restriction entirely and give you whole-network protection while only accounting for a single connection.
ExpressVPN’s apps are minimalist in design compared to others from PIA and Surfshark, giving you all you need in a package that’s simple to navigate. The Network Lock kill switch is easy to enable and works flawlessly and you can easily access options to change protocols or enable ExpressVPN’s suite of Advanced Protection features that allow you to block ads, trackers, malicious sites and adult sites -- but the Basic plan only includes the ad- and tracker-blocker functionalities. The Windows and Android apps include a split-tunneling feature that worked well during my testing.
ExpressVPN's brand-new mobile app retains its minimalist feel, but adds some useful components and gives you the ability to customize the look of the app interface on iOS and Android. I like the convenience of the in-app speed test functionality and quick access to protocol and server selection from the home screen. The server selection section of the app also helpfully lists a group of the fastest servers based on your location, along with recent locations and popular locations for your country, giving you even more options to quickly select the ideal server for your needs. The map feature isn't fully interactive, but I like how you can tap on the IP address to quickly and easily refresh it. I also think it's cool that you can now customize the theme of the app interface as well as the app icon itself. ExpressVPN representatives tell me that the updated desktop app is slated to be rolled out this November.
You can select from a handful of different themes to customize the look of the mobile app. Screenshot by CNET
I chose Twilight. Screenshot by CNET
ExpressVPN is solid for streaming and for travelers
ExpressVPN remains one of the best VPNs for streaming thanks to how effortlessly it cuts through regional restrictions and allows users to access virtually any streaming content from anywhere in the world.
During my testing, I was able to stream content from multiple locations across various streaming services including Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Apple TV Plus and Hulu. My experience was remarkably smooth regardless of whether I was streaming content on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Fire TV Stick or Apple TV.
ExpressVPN easily unblocks international streaming content. Screenshot by CNET
ExpressVPN is also a solid VPN for travel because it has a large network of servers spread across 105 countries, which helps ensure stable connections wherever you may be in the world. And as an added benefit for travelers, ExpressVPN Advanced and Pro subscription plans include the opportunity to try its new eSIM service holiday.com for free. With the Advanced plan, you get a three-day eSIM, while the Pro plan comes with five days of eSIM data. It’s a great way to get instant access to an international data plan without the hassle of getting it set up through a local mobile carrier at your destination.
Privacy and security: Constantly evolving to exceed current and future privacy needs
Key takeaway: All VPNs claim that user privacy is their top priority, but ExpressVPN has consistently demonstrated that it’s one of the best in the business when it comes to privacy and security. It's a trustworthy VPN service that I can confidently recommend for users with critical privacy needs.
Jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands
Encryption: AES 256-bit, ChaCha 20
Diskless TrustedServer technology
No leaks detected
Protocols available: Lightway, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2
Post-quantum protections
Regularly audited
While it’s an excellent all-around VPN service, privacy and security is where ExpressVPN shines the most. Few VPNs actually demonstrate their commitment to privacy as evidently and consistently as ExpressVPN.
Perhaps what I admire most about ExpressVPN is that it refuses to rest on its laurels. The team is always seeking new ways to enhance user privacy for today and for the future. Express stays on the cutting edge, setting the standard for what a VPN should do to protect its users.
In October 2023, ExpressVPN became one of the first VPN providers to offer post-quantum protections. Since then, ExpressVPN has doubled- and tripled-down on its commitment to providing protection against future privacy risks from quantum computers by continuing to roll out stronger post-quantum encryption standards. Most other VPNs are still playing catch-up -- if they’ve even entered the space at all.
Early this year, ExpressVPN took a significant step in beefing up its security standards by upgrading to ML-KEM -- the latest NIST standard for post-quantum encryption. And by taking a hybrid approach and pairing the latest in post-quantum protections with today’s leading encryption, ExpressVPN can help ensure user privacy is protected to the highest of standards today and well into the future. ExpressVPN’s post-quantum protection is integrated into Lightway across all platforms, so all you need to do to reap its benefits is download the latest version of the app and connect to the VPN using the Lightway protocol, which is where you'll also find the fastest connections.
If you prefer to use WireGuard, ExpressVPN recently rolled out its own implementation of post-quantum WireGuard and published a white paper detailing the team's process as a roadmap for other VPNs to follow in the future. I like the move because it helps push the industry forward and gives users additional connection options even though Lightway is still ExpressVPN's default protocol. However, I was curious as to why ExpressVPN decided to do this when they already offer post-quantum encryption and have open-sourced Lightway for others to implement as well.
“Lightway is and will remain our best protocol, but it’s deeply tied to ExpressVPN. For some competitors, it may have felt a step too far to adopt a ‘branded’ option," Pete Membrey, ExpressVPN's Chief Research Officer told me via email. "We built Post-Quantum WireGuard because so few VPN brands have any Post-Quantum protection, then released a white paper to give the entire industry, including smaller providers, a path forward. Post-Quantum protection isn’t a nice-to-have anymore, it’s the new baseline.”
ExpressVPN's transparency is unrivaled
ExpressVPN is also one of the standard-bearers for how a VPN should approach transparency. The VPN industry is based on trust. When you use a VPN, you’re trusting that service to keep its eyes off your internet activity. You're placing a ton of trust that it won’t log and share your data like your ISP does (many VPNs, unfortunately, do not uphold that standard, especially free VPNs). And ExpressVPN is one of the VPNs I trust the most, based on years of experience. The company goes well above and beyond to build that trust and communicate transparently about the steps it takes to protect users.
ExpressVPN has an extensive Trust Center that offers a wealth of information detailing everything it takes to uphold its commitment to security and user privacy. One of the most impressive components of ExpressVPN’s Trust Center is the section that links to the VPN’s long list of independent audits. While most other VPNs that commission third-party audits have maybe a handful under their belt, ExpressVPN has undergone 23 independent audits -- far outpacing the competition.
At CNET, we typically like to see VPN providers commission an audit at least once a year. ExpressVPN undergoes multiple audits every year, including its latest audit by KPMG this year which found that ExpressVPN's TrustedServer technology is implemented in accordance to the company's privacy policies. While independent audits aren’t infallible and can only confirm the VPN’s status during the audit process itself, they serve as a critical trust signal that can help bolster a VPN’s claim that it’s doing what it says it does. I also appreciate that ExpressVPN makes its full audit reports available for the general public to download, whereas many other VPN companies only give access to the reports to existing users.
ExpressVPN promises not to keep any logs of your online activity while using its service.
“We do not collect logs of your online activity while you are connected to our Services, including no logging of browsing history, traffic destination, data content, or DNS queries,” states ExpressVPN’s privacy policy. “We also never store connection logs, meaning no logs of your IP address, your outgoing VPN IP address, connection timestamp, or session duration.”
This promise has been scrutinized by independent auditing firms over the years and will likely face continued review in the future. A VPN’s no-logs claims are also impossible to verify with 100% certainty, but audits (and legal cases) can help bolster the veracity of those claims.
A VPN that doesn’t log user activity has no useful data to hand over to authorities, even if served with a warrant or subpoena. I appreciate that ExpressVPN has started publishing a bi-annual transparency report included in its Trust Center detailing the number of legal requests it receives every six months. The company says in its latest report from the first half of 2025 that out of the more than one million requests for user data received over the past six months, none of the requests resulted in the disclosure of user-related data.
It’s no accident that ExpressVPN has established itself in the British Virgin Islands, a privacy friendly jurisdiction that sits outside of the 14-Eyes alliance and doesn’t impose data retention laws. I appreciate the clarity with which ExpressVPN’s privacy policy articulates how user data is managed under its BVI jurisdiction: “Your Personal Data is controlled by and stored under ExpressVPN, and not by its ultimate holding company, Kape Technologies PLC (UK) or other related entities. Express Technologies Ltd. operates under BVI jurisdiction, in accordance with BVI laws... Consequently, any demand via legal means for Personal Data (or other types of data) is subject to BVI jurisdiction and laws. We fight vigorously to defend our rights (and those of our users) if an attempt is made to bypass the privacy protections provided for by the BVI. A parent, subsidiary, or related entity cannot be compelled to, nor would it voluntarily, provide Personal Data stored by Express Technologies Ltd.”
Along with its no-logs policy, one of ExpressVPN’s core privacy protections is rooted in its TrustedServer technology, which builds upon the basics of a diskless server infrastructure. With RAM-only diskless servers, there is theoretically nowhere for data to reside like it does on a traditional hard disk. And whenever a server is shut down or rebooted, all data is completely wiped. TrustedServer takes this a step further and reinstalls the entire software stack with each server reboot, which ensures consistency and helps mitigate risks associated with misconfiguration. (Though if ExpressVPN doesn’t log its users’ online activity, there shouldn’t be any useful data on the servers anyway.) Still, ensuring its servers run on volatile memory is about as foolproof as you can get.
Privacy features work as intended, and Express keeps releasing more
ExpressVPN’s privacy features worked well during my tests. The kill switch did what the kill switch is supposed to do, and I detected no leaks of any sort on any of ExpressVPN’s apps. Last year, I detected DNS leaks while connected to ExpressVPN’s Windows client with its split-tunneling feature enabled. However, I’m happy to have encountered no such leaks since ExpressVPN engineers took quick and decisive action to fix the issue after I reported it. The rapid resolution and the thorough, transparent nature with which ExpressVPN handled the issue last year is a testament to how committed the team is to protecting users.
A couple of other recent enhancements I like include the ShuffleIP feature and the cipher selection feature. ShuffleIP works constantly in the background and automatically, switching your IP address every time you access a new web page without disconnecting you from the VPN. This helps boost your privacy by making it even more difficult for others to track you online. Surfshark also includes a similar feature, but you need to enable it separately with Surfshark rather than having it on by default and automatically working in the background with ExpressVPN. The cipher selection feature allows Android and iOS users to switch the cipher between ChaCha 20 or AES 256-GCM when using Lightway. This is great for power users who want more granular control over their connection or users who might be experiencing performance issues on older devices and could benefit from switching the cipher.
ExpressVPN's cipher selection feature is a nice addition for power users. Screenshot by CNET
ExpressVPN continues to raise the bar
ExpressVPN remains one of the best VPNs in the world because it excels at virtually everything that a VPN service should be doing and it keeps getting better. I’m impressed by ExpressVPN’s commitment to transparency as much as I am by its forward-thinking approach to privacy and its dedication to pushing the industry forward. However, I'm somewhat disappointed in the retooled price structure because it's not much of an upgrade for the budget-conscious user who’s just looking for something that can hide their activity from their ISP and unblock streaming content at a reasonable price. But for raw streaming capabilities and thorough privacy, you really can't beat ExpressVPN.