ExpressVPN: The Best VPN for All Your Online Activities

ExpressVPN is renowned for its reliability and consistency, but it has some limitations in customizability. This review delves into its performance, security, and daily usability to help you decide if it’s the right VPN for you. If you’re interested in pricing or discounts, check out the latest coupon codes available online to save some money.

Key Takeaways

• Privacy Policy: ExpressVPN values user anonymity, demonstrated by their trusted server technology and multiple independent audits.
• Speed: Excellent speed retention, with drops between 10-25% during tests.
• Streaming and Torrenting: High consistency in accessing streaming services and full support for torrenting.
• Security: Uses military-grade encryption and offers features like a kill switch and split tunneling.
• Usability: Simple, clean interface but lacks advanced customisation options.

Privacy Policy

ExpressVPN is committed to user privacy, as evidenced by a real-life stress test where the Turkish government seized an ExpressVPN server but couldn’t extract any information. This is due to their trusted server technology, which uses RAM disk drives instead of physical hard drives, ensuring no data is stored long-term. Since being acquired by Kape Technologies in late 2021, ExpressVPN has maintained its privacy policy and conducted five independent audits in 2022 alone to verify their no-logs policy and system security.

In September 2021, ExpressVPN faced controversy involving their Chief Information Officer, who had a history with US and UAE intelligence services. Despite this, ExpressVPN has publicly condemned any controversial activities and highlighted how the officer’s expertise has helped improve their security measures.

Speed

Speed tests can vary based on factors like your connection speed, server load, and distance to the server. Generally, a 10-20% speed drop is excellent for a VPN, and anything up to 40% is still good if your base speed is high. During tests, ExpressVPN showed speed drops within the 10-25% range, which is excellent. For the best performance, use the Lightway UDP protocol and consider downloading the lightweight optimised version of ExpressVPN for Windows, which offers faster connection times.

Streaming and Torrenting

ExpressVPN excels in streaming, consistently accessing services like HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and various Netflix libraries. For torrenting, it supports P2P activity across all servers without speed or bandwidth restrictions, although it doesn’t support port forwarding. Gamers will also benefit from low ping times, especially when connecting to a server close to the game server.

Security

ExpressVPN uses 256-bit military-grade encryption, ensuring your connection is secure. The Lightway UDP protocol is recommended for the best speed, but the automatic setting is also a good option. While not loaded with advanced features, ExpressVPN offers a reliable kill switch and split tunneling. Other security features include DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leak protection, as well as perfect forward secrecy, which changes encryption keys every 60 minutes.

Usability

ExpressVPN operates over 3,000 servers in 94 countries and is compatible with almost every modern smart device, including Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, smart TVs, and Roku. It allows up to five simultaneous connections per subscription. The user interface is clean and bug-free, focusing on performance and reliability rather than flashy design.

Conclusion

ExpressVPN is a reliable, practical, and easy-to-use VPN service. While it lacks advanced customisation options and a dark mode, it excels in performance, security, and usability. If you’re looking for a VPN for torrenting, streaming, or maintaining online privacy, ExpressVPN is a top choice. Check out the latest discounts to save on your subscription.