Silver

ExpressVPN Review

The fastest VPN on the market — Lightway protocol, 105 countries, BVI jurisdiction

Last reviewed: 2026-03-21 · By GBBR Editorial Team

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Our Top Pick · Silver Tier

ExpressVPN

From $2.44/mo

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The Bottom Line

ExpressVPN consistently tops independent speed tests and was the first major VPN provider to deploy a custom protocol (Lightway) engineered specifically for speed and reliability. It operates out of the British Virgin Islands — a strong privacy jurisdiction — and has undergone audits by KPMG and Cure53. Its current 28-month deal at $2.44/month ($68.40 total) makes it genuinely competitive on pricing. It earned a Silver tier rating because while its speeds and protocol engineering are best-in-class, it offers fewer simultaneous connections than Surfshark and has slightly fewer audits than NordVPN. For users who prioritize absolute maximum speed, ExpressVPN is the choice.

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What is ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands. Acquired by Kape Technologies in 2021 for $936 million, it has maintained its technical independence and privacy commitments since the acquisition. ExpressVPN's core engineering team is behind Lightway — a proprietary protocol built on wolfSSL that outperforms both OpenVPN and WireGuard in connection establishment time and reconnection speed. Over 4 million users in 180+ countries use ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN homepage — ExpressVPN — homepage preview

What does ExpressVPN offer?

ExpressVPN's current 28-month deal runs $2.44/month ($68.40 billed upfront) — competitive with NordVPN's 2-year plan and cheaper in total. The monthly plan is $12.95/month. All plans include access to 3,000+ RAM-only servers in 105 countries, the Lightway protocol, split tunneling, kill switch, 8 simultaneous device connections, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. All ExpressVPN servers run on RAM only (TrustedServer technology) — no hard drives means no persistent data even if a server is seized.

28-Month Deal

$2.44

/month

Monthly

$12.95

/month

Is ExpressVPN worth the price?

$2.44/month (28-month deal) — competitive pricing with the fastest speeds in the category

ExpressVPN's 28-month deal ($68.40 total) is actually cheaper than NordVPN's 24-month plan ($81.36) while delivering the fastest speeds — makes the price-vs-speed trade-off much more favorable than it once was

Strong value

How we scored it

Overall score: 86/100

Connection Speed?10/10

Lightway protocol achieves the fastest connection establishment and reconnection speeds of any VPN tested — 90%+ speed retention in independent tests

No-Log Policy?9/10

Audited by KPMG and Cure53; BVI jurisdiction provides strong legal privacy protection

Server Network?8/10

3,000+ servers in 105 countries — excellent global coverage but smaller network than NordVPN or CyberGhost

Ease of Use?10/10

The most consistently polished VPN interface across all platforms — minimal learning curve, excellent on routers and smart TVs

Price-to-Value?6/10

$2.44/month on the 28-month deal ($68.40 total) is competitive — cheaper in total than NordVPN's 24-month plan at this writing

Device Limit?8/10

8 simultaneous connections — adequate for individuals, limiting for families with many devices

Why ExpressVPN is Silver Tier

ExpressVPN earns Silver because its speed, protocol engineering, and ease of use are genuinely excellent — and the 28-month deal has closed the pricing gap with NordVPN significantly. It falls short of Gold because its server count (3,000) is lower than NordVPN (8,000) and CyberGhost (11,000+), it has fewer independent audits (2 vs NordVPN's 5), and offers 8 simultaneous connections vs NordVPN's 10. For speed-obsessed users, it's the category leader.

How We Test VPN Software

We test each VPN over a minimum 72-hour period on dedicated Windows 11 and macOS 14 machines. Speed benchmarks run 50+ Speedtest.net measurements across US, EU, and Asia server locations and compare download/upload retention against an unprotected baseline. DNS and WebRTC leak detection run via dnsleaktest.com and ipleak.net before and after connection. Kill switch functionality is verified by simulating mid-session drops and confirming traffic stops completely. No-log policies are read in full — including any available third-party audit reports — not just the marketing summary. Streaming geo-block testing covers Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+ from a non-US IP. Pricing is pulled directly from the checkout page, not the landing page.

Last tested: 2026-03-21 · Reviewed by GBBR Editorial Team

Pros & Cons

Pros

Fastest VPN speeds via proprietary Lightway protocol
100% RAM-only server infrastructure (TrustedServer) — no persistent data
Works in restricted countries (China, UAE, etc.)
Best-in-class interface across all platforms
28-month deal at $2.44/mo makes pricing competitive

Cons

Only 8 simultaneous connections vs NordVPN's 10
Smaller server network than NordVPN (3,000 vs 8,000+) or CyberGhost (11,000+)
Fewer independent audits than NordVPN (2 vs 5)
Acquired by Kape Technologies (some user trust concerns)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is ExpressVPN worth it in 2026?

$2.44/month (28-month deal) — competitive pricing with the fastest speeds in the category Overall verdict: Strong value.

What is ExpressVPN best for?

ExpressVPN is best for: Speed-critical users (heavy download, 4K streaming, gaming), Users in high-censorship countries needing reliable bypass, Users who value polished UX and RAM-only server architecture.

Does ExpressVPN have a free trial?

ExpressVPN does not offer a permanently free plan. Paid plans start at $2.44/month.

Who should NOT use ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN is not the right fit for: Families needing unlimited device connections (Surfshark is better); Users who need the most independently audited no-log policy (NordVPN's 5 audits vs 2).

What are the best ExpressVPN alternatives?

Top alternatives to ExpressVPN include nordvpn, surfshark, cyberghost.