VPN or Virtual Private Network is a network that is created with the help of a public network or wires (in this case the public network is the internet).
Bottom Line Upfront:ExpressVPN is the world's leading provider of VPN services, and its German VPN service provides fast and secure access to all of the major online sites. ExpressVPN has a strong security track record, though it might not be as convenient for streaming video as its rivals. If you want to protect your privacy but aren't a heavy user of your Internet connection, this is a good choice to access the full range of websites that are blocked in your country. I would recommend you to try ExpressVPN for free now.
It gives its users an option to send and receive data across the computers connected to their private network. It is set up by creating a virtual point-to-point connection with the help of virtual tunneling protocols or traffic encryption. It is mostly used by big businesses and corporations, but you can also use it for your personal computer.
VPN gives you complete anonymity on the internet and keeps all your data safe and private. If you are using VPN then it gets really hard for anyone to track your actual IP address and create a log of your web searches. With the help of a VPN, you can share confidential data and files safely. You can also access blocked websites and bypass filters.
There are a lot of VPN service providers out there, but not all of them give you the desired quality of service, this is why today I am writing this review of one of the best VPN service providers ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN is one of the leading Virtual Private Network service providers. They offer VPN and services related to security for all kinds of devices and operating services like windows, Android, and iOs.
Their top-notch features, compatibility, and quality give them an edge over their competitors. ExpressVPN has 500 servers spread over 78 countries through which they provide VPN security.
They offer services like encrypted data transfer, website unblocking, and anonymous web surfing. Their services are not limited to a particular operating system. They support various router systems, media consoles, and kindle. ExpressVPN provides unlimited bandwidth, access to servers located all over the world, and high-end encryption technology.
Check out This Awesome Intro Video By ExpressVPN
Apart from anonymity and security, you can surpass internet censorship and geographical restrictions. ExpressVPN was founded by Ben Newman in 2009, it is known for providing fast, reliable, and affordable VPN connections.
During their initial years, they created VPN applications only for Windows and Mac, later they expanded their services for android, iOS, and others.
Here are the features:
1. Kill Switch
Even if the VPN connection stops, this powerful security feature keeps your IP address and traffic safe. This feature is known as Network Lock by ExpressVPN, and it has a startling drawback.
If your connection is compromised, it is designed to block traffic and hide your data and IP address. I was relieved to discover that the app's kill switch is enabled by default rather than requiring explicit configuration.
The kill switch of ExpressVPN is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and routers. It's known as the network protection feature on Android, but it's the same thing. It's a different story with iOS. For iOS, there isn't a kill switch. We keep track of the best VPNs for mobile, including iOS, at vpnMentor. ExpressVPN is one of the finest, therefore it's a shame this crucial functionality isn't available on iOS.
2. Split Tunneling
This unique functionality allows you to encrypt only a portion of your traffic through specific browsers while leaving the rest unencrypted. At the same time, you can browse both locally and through your VPN. All you have to do now is choose which apps will use the VPN. It's simple to add and remove apps. Simply click the + sign.
I left my online banking app, as well as BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub, outside of the encryption tunnel so that I could continue to use them. After that, I put it to the test. To determine which apps use the VPN and which keep the local connection, use the split-tunneling settings.
After connecting to a server in the United States, I went back to the BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub apps to test if I could stream the material. Achievement! I could view everything on both applications at the same time, and I could browse while connected to the US server.
3. Browser Extensions
Both Chrome and Firefox have dedicated ExpressVPN browser plugins. Everything else you do online is unencrypted because these only encrypt traffic that passes via your browser. It's almost as though there's a split tunneling option.
You simply click on the extension to connect after installing the add-on in your browser. It's perfect if you merely want to encrypt your browser traffic quickly, such as while using Chrome on a public WiFi network.
4. Router App
ExpressVPN does have a router app. Installing the app on your router will safeguard every device in your home, even if it doesn't normally support VPN software. This includes all televisions, video game consoles, mobile phones, and tablets. Once it's installed on your router, there's no limit on how many connections you can make.
To get started, there are only a few simple steps to do. You may choose your unique router from a drop-down menu on ExpressVPN's website, and it will walk you through the process.
There are step-by-step tutorials along with snapshots categorized according to the operating system.
ExpressVPN also has an app which you can use on your smartphones and tablets. It is compatible with Android as well as iOS. You can use this app for free for 1 day; ExpressVPN gives you the option to choose from over 97 servers, you can connect your mobile device or tablets to these servers anytime you want to access the blocked websites.
Access blocked websites and services with ExpressVPN by using an IP address in another country. With servers in over 78 countries, there's bound to be a server to fit your needs. With ExpressVPN, you can unblock:
ExpressVPN has 160 server locations in 94 different countries. In most locations, ExpressVPN has the finest blend of hardware and virtual servers among my top-rated VPNs (more on this later). Although it has held this title for a long time, CyberGhost is catching up, with servers in 90 countries.
ExpressVPN not only has the most server locations, but it also has the most geographic diversity, with several in Africa and great coverage across South America-two countries that are frequently underserved or disregarded by other VPN providers.
ExpressVPN also has servers in Turkey and Vietnam, two countries that have harsh internet rules.
Virtual servers have been a source of concern for several readers. These are software-defined servers, which means that they can run several virtual servers on a single piece of hardware.
Virtual servers can be set up to seem in a nation different than the one where the physical hardware is located. Virtual servers aren't inherently evil, but the prospect of your data being sent to a nation other than the one you desire can be unsettling.
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ExpressVPN is simple to set up. You'll receive a welcome email with an activation code and link after selecting your subscription, creating an account, and entering your payment information. This will take you straight to your device's installation tutorial.
With only a few clicks, you may download and install the software. It took less than four minutes to complete the process.
ExpressVPN's desktop and mobile apps are stylish, dependable, and extremely easy to use. You can choose the server location to utilize or use the Smart Location functionality with a single click. For quick protection, this instantly connects you to the nearest high-speed server.
The app will automatically detect and select the best security protocol for you.
Another feature I enjoyed was the app's display of recent locations you've linked to. It all adds up to a quick setup as soon as the VPN app is launched.
It's simple to find your settings in the app by clicking on the hamburger menu. You can use the speed test, alter security protocols, use the split tunneling functionality, and utilize the toggles to switch on and off additional features like the Network Lock from here.
Privacy is at the heart of every great service, and for VPN companies, it's either make or break. While other VPN companies may make flimsy claims, ExpressVPN has some solid technology to back it up.
To begin - and be warned, this is where we get technical - ExpressVPN uses a 4096-bit SHA-512 RSA certificate to secure its control channel, as well as industry-standard AES-256-CBC to encrypt its data channel and HMAC to protect against real-time data tampering.
When we looked at the OpenVPN config files, we saw that this was really the case.
Perfect Forward Secrecy is also included, which means that each time you connect, you're given a new session key, and every 60 minutes after that, you're given a new one. That implies that if your connection is corrupted in any way, they'll only acquire a maximum of 60 minutes of data before being kicked off.
While the amount of its obfuscation isn't disclosed, ExpressVPN does include a number of obfuscated servers that are quite handy when using it as a China VPN.
These servers hide the fact that you're using a VPN at all, allowing you to bypass regional VPN limitations or even use it in places where VPN use is restricted, such as universities.
Finally, the ioXt certification was just provided to ExpressVPN's Android app. This means that the app's and service's design has been thoroughly scrutinized so that users can be confident that the program is operating correctly. Taking these tests on your own is difficult, therefore this certification is a significant plus in our book.
On each of its servers, ExpressVPN runs its own zero-knowledge 256-bit encrypted DNS. This eliminates the need for third-party DNS providers such as the vulnerable OpenDNS. These third parties may track your DNS requests, which, if not encrypted, provide a convenient route for hackers to intercept and manipulate your queries.
While we didn't go into great detail, testing on websites like IPLeak and DNS Leak Test confirmed that ExpressVPN does not leak DNS information - and the apps also provide this service if you want to utilize it.
In the event that your VPN-protected connection fails, you'll also get a simple and functional kill switch, which is very essential for torrenting. You may be browsing or downloading for hours without recognizing you were disconnected if you didn't have this.
Finally, we come to the reality that all of ExpressVPN's servers run entirely on RAM. RAM-only servers, in contrast to standard hard-disk servers, are physically incapable of saving data after power-down (even after a complete wipe, data can sometimes still be retrieved from hard drives). This is a perfect example of VPN best practice, and it takes us directly to.
Even the most privacy-conscious customers will not be willing to sacrifice connection speed, especially because there is such a wide selection of high-quality providers that combine security and speed. Whether you need a high-performance gaming VPN or just want to surf quickly, a VPN's performance is crucial.
To recapitulate our procedure, we connected ExpressVPN to the nearest location using a Windows 10 PC (US and UK). We used a variety of speed test sites and services to determine the speeds, and we recorded at least five results from each. We tested the process three times, utilizing OpenVPN, IKEv2, and Lightway, as well as morning and evening sessions to see if there were any speed differences.
ExpressVPN's OpenVPN connections were excellent, reaching speeds of 270-280Mbps on our speedy 1Gbps US line.
That's a tad higher than we've seen before, so we can confidently state that ExpressVPN routinely provides fast OpenVPN connections in the United States. Speeds increased to 300-310Mbps while using IKEv2, which is the fastest we've experienced with that protocol.
If you want truly blistering speeds, though, you'll want to adopt the brand-new Lightway protocol. The speeds varied from 490-630Mbps, which should be plenty for most people and makes good use of the gigabit connection we utilized for testing.
Desktop VPN programs are the bread and butter of any VPN service, and they should be straightforward, straightforward, and provide you access to everything you'll need in just a few clicks. ExpressVPN does not let you down.
With an initially straightforward UI, you'll see the Smart Location that was automatically selected as well as a large, enticing on/off button. All you have to do is click that button if you just want to be safe and forget about it.
When you click the selected location, a list and search box appear, allowing you to choose a new server. The software also allows you to save favorites and displays your two most recent servers. You may also connect to your last three locations without opening the program by using a system tray icon on Windows or the menu bar on Mac.
Both the Android and iOS apps have interfaces that are quite similar to their desktop counterparts, and both are available from their respective app stores. On all systems, setup is straightforward and only requires you to input your login information and approve a few permissions.
Beyond VPN protection, both editions contain an IP address checker, a DNS leak tester, a WebRTC leak tester, and a password generator, among other features.
There is no easy way to tell how fast a server is before you connect because neither of the mobile apps provides the important speed test that the desktop version gives, although Smart Location can typically remedy this.
Because of the operating system, the iOS version has a few limitations. You don't have split tunneling or a kill switch, which are both available on the Android version, but you do have automatic reconnection, which is as near to a kill switch as iOS allows. It's not flawless, but it's about as good as Apple's software will get for the time being.
ExpressVPN's mobile apps are strong, well-designed, and, most importantly, simple to use, despite the lack of some advanced features such as the option to specify your favorite DNS servers.
The server list doesn't provide much information regarding a server's health, but a built-in speed test is accessible and can provide you with useful information.
Lightway, OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, L2TP/IPSec, and IKEv2 are among the protocols available when you open the options menu (support for the ancient and vulnerable PPTP has been dropped).
From here, you may turn on the dependable kill switch, as well as IPv6 leak protection and DNS settings. Split tunneling is also available, allowing you to choose which apps go over the VPN and which don't.
Like the majority of VPN providers ExpressVPN also offers three packages monthly, half-yearly and annually, all three plans have the same features and services. The price of the packages differs according to the time duration; their annual plan is cheaper than the semi-annual and monthly plan. Their monthly plan will cost you $12.95 per month, and if you sign up for a 6-month plan you can save a few bucks as it will cost you $9.99 per month. If you are going for the yearly package, then your wallet is going to thank you as it will cost you only $8.32 per month.
You can give ExpressVPN a try without any worries as they offer 30-day money back guarantee, if you are not happy with their services or if it is not working out for you then they will give you your money back.
I don't think you will ever face any trouble in making a payment to ExpressVPN, as they have numerous ways available through which you can make payment. They accept all leading debit and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express). They also accept payment through various third parties, they are as follows:-
Bitcoins are ideal for the people who are extra-conscious about their privacy and anonymity online.
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux and a slew of others
- Number of simultaneous connections: 5
- Average speed loss: 52% speed lost in autumn 2020 tests
- Number of servers: 3,000-plus
- Number of server locations: 160 in 94 countries (four in Hong Kong)
- Number of IP addresses: 30,000
- Security & Privacy Jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands
- Encryption: AES-256, 4096-bit RSA key, Perfect Forward Secrecy
- No leaks detected
- Includes kill switch
ExpressVPN Pros
- Compatible with all operating system
- No data logging
- Excellent customer support
- Amazing speed
- 30-day money back guarantee
- Easy to setup
- Dedicated Android App
- Over 97 servers located all across the globe
ExpressVPN Cons
- No free trial
- Not the cheapest option in the market
You've decided to work from home. You're gaming, binge-watching Netflix, and listening to music, and if you're reading this, we're guessing you're looking for a VPN that can handle the massive amount of data flowing through your coaxial cable.
That's where our guide to the fastest VPN comes in. We examined and assessed a number of VPN services in order to identify the VPN with the best performance.
1. Surfshark
As a relative newcomer to the VPN sector, Surfshark finished my review with only a 27% speed loss, placing it far ahead of all of its competitors - with the exception of the seemingly unstoppable speed leader ExpressVPN, which dominated my 2019 testing with less than 2% speed loss.
However, by the end of 2020, Surfshark had surged ahead of the pack with a 17 percent speed loss, while ExpressVPN speeds had dropped to 52 percent in my most recent tests.
The surprising feature about Surfshark's speed is that it doesn't have to fight to keep up with substantial speed losses in any given test zone. On race day, this beast walked up and snatched the gold without breaking a sweat.
My non-VPN base speeds averaged 194 megabits per second during testing, whereas Surfshark's total average was 161 Mbps.
After averaging the results of five different testing locations, none of the averages dipped below 100 Mbps. In every test column, this is an outright victory over its competition.
2. NordVPN
Since I originally tested NordVPN last year, its speeds have been continuously improving. While my most recent tests show the VPN provider lagging 2 percentage points behind ExpressVPN, it consistently outperforms other speed testing sites.
NordVPN has become more aggressive since its embarrassing third-party server hack last year (which appeared to cause minor damage). Its engine has been cranked up, along with a suite of fleet-wide privacy upgrades to its servers.
Granted, some of this could be due to the introduction of NordVPN's new NordLynx security system. It's based on the still-developing WireGuard protocol, which some believe is less secure than OpenVPN (which is available in all of the VPNs listed here and which I use in testing), but which generates a speedier VPN tunnel in the end.
Both Ookla and AV-Test recommended it because of the improvements.
Despite the praise of others, NordVPN's overall world average speed was 91 Mbps during my tests, a speed loss of about 53% in a dataset with average non-VPN speeds of 194 Mbps.
While it's common for a VPN to reduce your internet speed by half or more, the noteworthy background here is that NordVPN never dropped below 85 Mbps across the averages of my five test zones. It's still one of the most reliable and stable VPNs I've encountered.
3. ProtonVPN
While we'd like to see ProtonVPN's premium service become more affordable, you can sign up for its free version, which isn't as fast but still provides unlimited bandwidth and data.
However, the free tier of ProtonVPN only allows you to connect one device and gives you access to servers in the Netherlands, Japan, and the United States. You'll need to upgrade to the paid version to have access to 55 countries and up to 10 devices.
We like ProtonVPN's transparency principles, which include the ability to send your traffic through a secure bunker of private servers. It's totally open-source, with regular audits, and it comes with a built-in route to Tor servers.
We're especially confident in endorsing its mobile app because it no longer uses some of the poorer security protocols that other VPNs still employ, such as PPTP and L2TP.
FAQs on ExpressVPN Review
If you are looking for a reliable and secure VPN service that guarantees complete privacy with unlimited bandwidth and high speed then I highly recommend ExpressVPN. It is no doubt one of the leading brands when it comes to VPN service providers. Its Android app is a great help as it gives the option to surf the internet and share files with complete anonymity and safety even when you are traveling. Though their prices are not the cheapest in the market, the quality of their service they provide is worth every dime you spend, plus you are covered under a 30-day money-back guarantee.
So, what are you waiting for? Sign-Up with ExpressVPN and get the security, privacy, and anonymity you always wanted.