Less publicized than certain competing services like NordVPN, ExpressVPN is nevertheless one of the benchmarks in the sector. Is it as fast and comprehensive as it promises? Here is our review of ExpressVPN.
Considered by many to be the best VPN service on the market, ExpressVPN is one of the major players in the sector, with a focus on security and speed, where others focus more on the ability to bypass geo-filtering. Launched by two Englishmen, officially located in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN has several million subscribers around the world and has often been in the news when it denounced attempts at censorship in different countries (China, India…). Enough to give him a rather good reputation.
In short: our opinion on ExpressVPN
The verdict
We liked
- A simple and effective interface
- Almost no slowdown
- An application available everywhere
We liked less
- Support on Smart TVs is more complicated
- No automatic software updates for PC
ExpressVPN is a simple and comprehensive service. Available on most operating systems (including Apple TV’s tvOS), ExpressVPN allows you to easily change your location, without noticeable loss of speed. It’s a service that you can easily leave running constantly without noticing the slightest difference, except when the quality of your cellular connection is not good (for security reasons, ExpressVPN will then block the entire Internet).
Its application, available on Android and iOS, takes the form of an on/off button with a list from which you can choose a country from around a hundred. Anyone should be able to use it, while advanced users can always create their own configuration, for example for the Freebox’s P2P manager. ExpressVPN is also fast when streaming, which is a strength compared to the competition. Finally, ExpressVPN offers alternative services, like the Keys password manager.
ExpressVPN interface: as simple as an on/off button
ExpressVPN allows its advanced users to create custom configurations, but most of its members use it through its official app. Available on iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux and some partner routers, the ExpressVPN app is the same everywhere. Its home page shows an on/off button to turn on or extend the VPN, as well as a list of countries where the servers are located. Easy as pie.
In a few seconds, one can connect to any server. The settings also allow you to change the connection protocol, activate blockers (ads, trackers) or test your IP address or speed. ExpressVPN integrates natively with the OS system settings, which makes it easy to know that you are connected to the service.
Unlike NordVPN, ExpressVPN sends few notifications (only to indicate a connection or disconnection) and does not integrate third-party services into its application, other than Keys, its official password manager.
What’s the point of having ExpressVPN? The main characteristics
Here’s what ExpressVPN offers on paper:
| Features | Data |
|---|---|
| Servers | Not specified |
| Countries covered | 105 |
| Number of devices per account | 8 |
| VPN protocols | Lightway UDP Lightway TCP IKEv2 OpenVPN |
| After-sales service | Live chat |
| Satisfied or refunded guarantee | 30 days |
| Advanced Features | TrustedServer Homemade DNS AES-256 encryption Internet blocking in case of outage Ad blocker |
| Double authentication protection | Yes |
| Price | €6.49/month (one-year subscription) |
Daily use
ExpressVPN can be used to access the foreign version of a site, watch streaming content blocked in France, or block ads. Some will leave it running all the time, others only when they need to bypass a geographic restriction. It can also be a way of hiding one’s own provenance online.
Use abroad
Abroad, ExpressVPN is one of the best services available. Able to bypass Chinese blockages (at least, in theory, China doesn’t like the service), ExpressVPN can be left permanently activated to continue visiting and using French services. Its in-house protocol, Lightway, works very well.
ExpressVPN and SVOD
The big streaming platforms are not fans of VPN services. They try to block them and some indicate in their regulations that it is forbidden to use them. In fact, using a VPN to access foreign catalogs is not guaranteed to work every time. Additionally, the streaming site is likely to take retaliatory measures.
However, after several years of subscribing to ExpressVPN, and during our trials, we were rarely disconnected from a platform. Quality drops can occur, but this is a situation that almost never occurs. In fact, this is the kind of technique that will bypass the media chronology, to watch films more quickly.
ExpressVPN servers
In France, ExpressVPN has five servers (Strasbourg, Marseille, Alsace, Paris 1 and Paris 2). It covers a total of 105 countries around the world, on all continents. United States, Canada, South America, Asia, Africa and Middle East (there are few countries here, but we still find Lebanon, Ghana, Morocco, Israel, Algeria and Egypt )… ExpressVPN provides a wide range of geographic options. In addition to the recommended locations, there are other lesser known ones in the settings.
Multi-platform, password manager: the bonuses of ExpressVPN
Let’s take an overview of the particularities of ExpressVPN. What makes this a service worth the investment?
A service available everywhere
One of ExpressVPN’s strengths is its compatibility with most platforms. Since December 2023, ExpressVPN has been accessible in particular on Apple TV, to access content unavailable in France on streaming services. It is one of the first major VPNs available on Apple TV, since Apple decided to offer this possibility in tvOS 17.
Password manager
Since 2022, ExpressVPN has included in its subscription a password manager integrated into its application. A way to change your habits so as not to always use the same code. And an option not found with other services. This is another aspect of digital hygiene, beyond securing its navigation.
Lightway, Split Tunneling: The security advantages of ExpressVPN
Split Tunneling
A feature of ExpressVPN is “Split Tunneling”. This technology gives users the choice of which applications and websites must go through the VPN and which can directly access the Internet, with the real IP address of the Internet box. This provides unparalleled flexibility to finely control bandwidth and personalize the browsing experience.
Lightway Protocol
ExpressVPN has developed its own VPN protocol, Lightway, designed to be both fast and secure. Lightway delivers faster connections, better reliability, and stronger security, all while using fewer resources, which is particularly beneficial for mobile devices. Lightway also allows you to bypass several blockages.
Bug bounty
ExpressVPN has set up a bug bounty program, with a reward of up to $100,000 in the event of a very serious server breach. Smaller bonuses may be granted if the seriousness of the flaws is less. Certain types of threats are excluded from the scope of this program.
Security audits
ExpressVPN also orders security audits on a regular basis. These audits necessarily have certain limits, but they have the merit of covering various aspects of the service: browser extension, Lightway VPN protocol, privacy policy, TrustedServer technology, Windows / macOS / Linux application, build verification, etc.
These audits are carried out by different firms (F-Secure, Cure53, KPMG, PwC Switzerland). They are also renewed from time to time. In 2023, for example, ExpressVPN commissioned a second audit of Lightway. It also contacted another firm to comment on its data policy and a third about its TrustedServer architecture.
How much does an ExpressVPN subscription cost?
ExpressVPN provides a refund of its service upon request after 30 days, if you are not satisfied. Otherwise, ExpressVPN prices are as follows:
- 12.61 euros for 1 month
- 9.73 euros per month, for 6 months
- 6.49 euros per month, for 12 months (with 3 months offered as a bonus).
ExpressVPN isn’t the most affordable VPN, but it offers excellent value for money.
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