Express VPN Reviews : November 2017

ExpressVPN Overview

ExpressVPN review (also known as Express VPN review, Express VPN reviews, ExpressVPN reviews, or Review ExpressVPN) highlights that the Virtual Private Network operates from the British Virgin Islands and offers amazing features. With 100+ servers located in 87 different countries, 24/7 customer support, multi-device compatibility, military grade encryption, and leading edge protocols, it is certainly amongst the best VPN providers.

At VPNRanks, we have tested many providers and conducted in-depth VPN reviews. There are not many VPN services that can match the performance offered by ExpressVPN. Therefore, to take a close look, our 2017 ExpressVPN review devolves deep into each of its features as evaluate the all round performance of the VPN. We examine the service’s device compatibility, payment options, apps, tutorials (if any), its logging and privacy policy, and other aspects.

Pros of ExpressVPN Review

Cons of ExpressVPN Review

Table Of Contents

ExpressVPN’s Packages and Pricing

We start our ExpressVPN review by discussing pricing and package plans; because most of you would like to go for an easy-on-wallet VPN service. Which makes it quite obvious that price paid for a VPN service is the most important elements to consider before buying a VPN service.

While reviewing different VPNs, we observed that there are many service providers that do not offer diversity in their package plans. Most VPN providers stick to a monthly and yearly package offering only. However, ExpressVPN offers 3 different packages to choose from.

How Much Does ExpressVPN Cost per Month?

In our ExpressVPN review, we found that the provider liberates your decision to choose from monthly, semi-annually and yearly package plans.

* 30 day money back guarantee

Just register to ExpressVPN’s monthly package plan at the cost of $12.95 per month. In addition, you can save a few bucks by registering to the 6 months plan that will cost you $9.99 per month. However, the best offer among all is the yearly package plan with is priced as low as $8.32 per month.

Unlike many other VPN providers, ExpressVPN offers same benefits with each package plan offered. Most of the VPN service often discriminate when it comes to feature allocation; their features offered for a yearly plan are completely different from monthly plan. It is like considering monthly subscribers inferior to yearly subscribers. On the other hand, ExpressVPN adopts a standardized strategy for benefit sharing.

Server Locations Offered by ExpressVPN

Server availability is an important aspect of a VPN. Geographic dispersion of servers along with the number of servers provided by a VPN plays a significant role in enforcing a purchase decision.

There are many reasons for you to buy a VPN; the most significant among them are related to privacy, security and censorship concerns. Availability of servers and their geographic dispersion promises broader access to geo-restricted content. Hence, a VPN can be considered as an effective tool to cope with censorship issues.

While researching for this ExpressVPN review, we came to know that the service provider has a wide range of servers available in 100+ cities in 78 countries. Thus it enables you to access content from 78 countries of the world. Moreover, this feature ensures your privacy as you have complete liberty to connect any server you want and mask your real IP.

However, I could not find the number of servers offered by ExpressVPN. So, I inquired this from their customer service representative. However, I received a bizarre response from the representative. He said that they cannot disclose the exact number of servers for security reason which is quite odd. Let me give you some glimpse of my chat with their customer service representative.

ExpressVPN’s customer service representative says and I quote “All I can assure you is that each of the location can handle the bulk of the customers using the service.” ExpressVPN confidently states that their servers can handle bulk users; this probably means that they have a large number of servers scattered in 47 countries.

ExpressVPN Speed Test

For our ExpressVPN review, we conducted tests to gauge the performance of the service. The speed tests were conducted using speedtest.net and we switched between different servers and protocols to test the speeds. Additionally, we also tried the service on different streaming platforms to find out if we were able to watch our favorite shows in high-quality.

First, we conducted the speed test without any VPN connection and got the following result:

Next, we switched to a server located in the USA and with PPTP protocol and observed the following result:

Then we connected to a server based in the UK with OpenVPN protocol and obtained the following results:

The results show from our ExpressVPN review speed tests showed that it has great performance. When we were connected to a server located in US, there was hardly any speed drop. Similarly, we were able to access all blocked streaming services such as Hulu, Pandora, and Netflix US library, and were able to stream in HD without any delays.

However, when we connected to a UK server with OpenVPN protocol, the speeds dropped slightly but there was a high rise in ping. That said, we were able to watch our favorite shows on BBC iPlayer and ITV without any hiccups or delay in streaming.

What does VPN Express do?

ExpressVPN is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that creates secure tunnels between you and the internet. When you try to access any website, all your internet traffic is routed through tunneling protocols and is encrypted in the process.

This way, anyone trying to snoop on your internet activities won’t be able to access anything as it is passed through secure tunnels. To add an extra layer of security, ExpressVPN encrypts your data through 256-bit encryption, protecting your internet traffic from various cyber threats.

5 Key Benefits of ExpressVPN

During ExpressVPN reviews, we uncovered that it offers diverse features and provides numerous benefits to all its users. When you are using the VPN service, you might not be fully utilizing all its functions. In order to maximize your VPN usage.

ExpressVPN Review on Google Play Store

The all round compatibility of the service makes it a highly recommended VPN service. The positive reviews of ExpressVPN app on Google Play Store shows how good its application is on Android devices. Here are some users that have praised it’s slick and easy to use the software while suggesting certain features as well. ExpressVPN Review on Google Play Drew BarBZ

ExpressVPN Review on Google Play Drew BarBZ

Express VPN App Reviews on Google Play Store by Fabio Stable

The Great Firewall of China has been a nuisance for many internet users. It’s pesky content filtration system does not allow users to access all the websites or web based services within China. One way of getting around this problem is by changing your virtual location using a VPN.

However, not all VPN services work in mainland China apart from ExpressVPN. It is one of the very few providers that allows you to unblock websites, remain anonymous, and protect your privacy in China. One Android user expressed his gratitude towards the VPN for offering great performance in China:

ExpressVPN App Review by a Customer Nobel Stone on Google Play

ExpressVPN Review on CNET

Users reviews of ExpressVPN on CNET show that the provider offers top notch service with great features. There is high praise about its VPN software on multiple platforms and the protection it offers. Here is one user that was pleased with the encryption levels provided by ExpressVPN and how it keeps his privacy safe from various cyber threats.

Many ExpressVPN consumers also pointed out that the pricing plans are too expensive compared to other VPN providers. In addition to this, there are no additional features such as Internet Kill Switch or more simultaneous connections. Here is a customer that has rated the service 4 out 5 stars on CNET, but has also highlighted the costly pricing plans of the provider.

ExpressVPN Reviews on Reddit

ExpressVPN has servers located in all major locations around the world. Using these servers, unblock and access any geo-blocked website from any corner of the earth. This wide server spread came in handy for this Reddit user when he wanted to watch Sons of Anarchy online:

The ease of use has once again come into play as new subscribers can easily configure and use the service. The overall design and aesthetics of VPN software on different platforms allows VPN beginners to get the hang of things very quickly. There are numerous reviews of ExpressVPN on Reddit that highlighted this aspect of the service.

Check out the list of best Reddit VPN as per Redditors choice, You can also participate in it.

ExpressVPN Review on Twitter

For our ExpressVPN review, we explored different social media platforms, including Twitter to gauge user feedback about the service. Although it offers great user interface of its software, some users would like a bit more modification. Here is one subscriber recommending some changes to the OSX software for ExpressVPN:

On the other hand, some users are really happy with the performance of ExpressVPN:

If you are traveling abroad for vacation or for a business trip or for any other purpose, you should know that your online privacy and security are at stake. There are numerous cyber-goons looking to prey on the sensitive information, especially if you connect to unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots.

One of the ways to keeping this data safe is through a VPN and nothing comes close to ExpressVPN in terms of online security. It encrypts all your internet traffic while keeping you anonymous over the internet, as illustrated by one user:

ExpressVPN Review: Compatibility

Device compatibility of a VPN is another factor to be concerned for. A VPN that is not compatible with different devices is as good as nothing. Imagine if you buy a VPN that runs only on a computer or a laptop and does not support Android or iOS platform. In this case, your computer or laptop will be secure; but, your Smartphone will still be vulnerable to unauthorized access or online surveillance.

We all play different roles in the stage show called life. Hence, we need a VPN that is in compliance without on-the-go routine. ExpressVPN promises compatibility with different devices. Simply configure the VPN on different devices like Computer, Smartphone, iPad, Tablet, and Router etc. Furthermore, ExpressVPN supports Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS allowing users to experience Internet freedom no matter which device they use or platform they prefer.

ExpressVPN iOS App

ExpressVPN iOS App provides high speed and ultra secured online environment to iPhone and iPad users. It ensures that you are anonymous all the time in the cyber world, giving you ultimate protection against vulnerable cyber attacks and data thefts. Even more, the Log-free policy ensures that none of your account sessions are backed up, giving you premium security against third party tracking activities.

With ExpressVPN, you get premium protection and anonymity at very affordable cost. Here are some of its benefits:

ExpressVPN Review Android App

The ExpressVPN Android app is compatible with all Android devices that have an Android version of 4.0 or above installed in them. You can use its app on your Android devices for free for 1 day! The Android app gives you access to mainstream streaming services like Netflix and Hulu from your region.

ExpressVPN app provides users with 97+ servers to choose from. Just connect your smartphones or tabs to these servers anytime to access all the blocked websites. It provides AES 256-bit encryption for your data and tunnels it through OpenVPN and L2TP protocols to keep it safe.

With ExpressVPN Android app, you are set to get 99.99% uptime and unlimited bandwidth and speed to make sure your downloading and streaming processes are faster than ever. You can always protect your Android smartphones and tabs with ExpressVPN Android app because it kills all the chances of snoopers hacking into your devices to steal your data.

Protocols and Encryption

VPN providers support diverse protocols. Through these protocols, a secure network is formed which tunnels your data with extreme protection. A user may prefer a particular protocol as per his/her convenience. Users unwilling to sacrifice their Internet speed often prefer Point-to-Point-Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) as it serves all basic purposes of a VPN with minimal effect on Internet speed.

However, there is another classification of users. These users are quite concerned about their privacy and security. Hence, they prefer more secure protocols such as Layer-to-Tunneling Protocol (L2TP), Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) and Secure Shell (SSH) etc. Furthermore, these users are also concerned about encryption supported by a VPN provider.

In this section, we will critique the protocols and encryption offered by ExpressVPN. Express VPN supports different protocols such as PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP and OpenVPN along with 128bit and 256bit encryption. Express VPN by default connects with OpenVPN; however, users are liberated to select any protocol through manual configuration or software.

ExpressVPN Logs and Privacy Policy

ExpressVPN has a clear and concrete log and privacy policy. Log maintaining and online monitoring are the activities most VPN don’t prefer to talk about. In fact, most VPN services don’t have clear clauses regarding user privacy. However, ExpressVPN clearly states each and everything. As you read it from the snapshot given below, you will see that it doesn’t engage in maintaining user logs or monitors their online activities.

However, ExpressVPN has the right to investigate the user if their assigned IP is suspected to be involved in criminal or unlawful acts. This isn’t something new though; every VPN investigates a user if he is suspected to be involved in unlawful actions.

Customer Support

Most of the VPN brag about 24/7/365 availability; however, when you need them the most, they are seldom found. However, this is not the case. ExpressVPN claims its availability 7 days a week. However, based on my recent experiences, I found it hard to believe.

While conducting an ExpressVPN review, I tried to contact its customer and tech support. It took them several hours to respond to a simple query; furthermore, the interaction wasn’t even facilitated through live chat. So, what was the point in bragging about 24/7/365 availability? Anyway, this review is based on analysis of ExpressVPN’s features. So, let’s get back to the track.

In order to test ExpressVPN’s customer and tech support, I left a message at their live chat. I was astonished by what happened next. Their customer service representative responded within 10 seconds. In order to test his knowledge about the features offered and persistence in responding to my queries, I kept the conversation going.

Our interaction lasted for around 20 minutes in which he responded to every question I asked with patience and perseverance. Therefore, I would like to rate ExpressVPN at 8/10 with respect to its customer and tech service.

Payment Methods

I believe that a VPN should offer diverse payment methods to choose from. This will facilitate a user to select a payment method as per his/her convenience. In order to check the payment methods offered by ExpressVPN, we reviewed their official website. ExpressVPN facilitates its users by offering diverse modes of transaction. It accepts all leading Debit/Credit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover etc).

In addition, there are many who consider third party payments as reliable payment option. For them, Express VPN offers the most reliable transaction method of them all – PayPal. PayPal is one of the most trusted transaction platforms, frequently used by individuals around the globe.

That’s not all. ExpressVPNis also respecteds its users’ privacy. Thus, Express VPN accepts Bitcoin as well. Bitcoin as a payment method is trusted by those who are extremely conscious about their privacy and identity revelation. Acknowledging priorities and preferences of its users, the provider accepts Bitcoin to help its customers keep their identities discreet.

Hence, it can be said that Express VPN cares a lot about its customers and their freedom of choice with respect to payment.

Unique Selling Proposition

Among all the benefits and features offered, there is one attribute that outshines all. ExpressVPN offers 7-days-a-week live customer and tech support which is tried and tested in this review. Their customer service representatives are patient, persistent and equipped with all necessary information to answer your queries.

Hence, their customer and tech support can be considered as their unique selling proposition. Because, in a services industry the relationship between a buyer and a seller doesn’t end with the transaction; it goes along through after sales services.

Additional Features Offered by ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN Multi-Logins

With every package, you get 3 simultaneous logins. Previously, these logins would only work if you had a different type of devices. For instance, you could use a single ExpressVPN account on 3 different devices such as iPhone, PC and Mac.

However, that is no longer the case. Thanks to one our esteemed reader’s, subscribers canw use ExpressVPN on the same type of device; example 3 laptops. Multi-logins are really useful in protecting your privacy and online security on multiple devices. It also allows you to stream your favorite show or movie on any device of your choice (even on 3 devices at the same time).

All-New-Shiny VPN Client for ExpressVPN

Many might not know this, but ExpressVPN conducts surveys and researches on regular basis to know their shortcomings. Many of such surveys have resulted in ExpressVPN coming up with a newly designed VPN client for its Mac users. The app is designed to provide an overall better experience to its users.

The new client now lets you select the servers as favorites and gives them the highest priority when you are looking to select the server. Now you can also select the regions and locations easily which are sorted alphabetically to make things easy for you. With the new VPN Client, users can always check if you are connected to the VPN or not.

In case your connection drops for any reason, the newly designed VPN Client reconnects you to the same server automatically. The Client can be downloaded and installed on all the Mac devices with OS X 10.8 or above in them.

99.99% Uptime on Servers!

What more can a user ask for from his VPN provider except for a consistent VPN connection? ExpressVPN just gives you that! With 99.99% Uptime on all the servers, ExpressVPN provides a breath of fresh air to all its users. Using the VPN does not only guarantee you the access to all the websites and video streaming services, but it also takes very good care of your online security with a solid encryption support on its servers.

Want to know what’s even better? ExpressVPN gives you the option of unlimited server switches and provides fast blazing speeds to ensure the users are fully facilitated with the best services!

Throttling-Free Servers

If you are a gamer or an online streaming lover, you ought to try the 30 throttling-free servers offered by ExpressVPN. The servers are fast and secure and ideal for all the gamers out there. With throttling-free servers, you will not experience lags or high pings while aiming for the headshot, and similarly will not experience pixelated online streaming.

Software and Tutorials of ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers free software that is compatible with different devices and platforms such as Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS etc. The software is user-friendly and free from complex command requirements. However, I couldn’t find any link to download the software from their official website.

Later, I discovered that Express VPN doesn’t allow you to download its software unless you purchase any of their package plans. After successful transaction, ExpressVPN sends you a confirmation email and the link from where you can download the software for your device. The software runs perfectly on all leading platforms as Express VPN is compatible with different devices.

In case if the software doesn’t support your preferred operating system or platform – don’t panic; ExpressVPN also provides detailed tutorials to configure a VPN manually on your device. Unlike many VPN, ExpressVPN has clearly provided each and every step to ease the process of manual configuration.

Setup Process to Configure ExpressVPN Manually on Windows 10

ExpressVPN is compatible with different devices and offers free software for almost all leading platforms. However, there are some devices/platforms upon which you will have to configure ExpressVPN manually. Don’t freak out – it is an easy process and we are here to guide you.

In this review, we will provide some steps that you need to follow if you wish to configure ExpressVPN on Windows 10.

Now, follow the steps prescribed below to configure ExpressVPN’s SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol) connection on Win10.

Step 1

ExpressVPN doesn’t allow you to manually configure a VPN on your device unless you have purchased any of their package plans. In order to configure ExpressVPN on your Windows, you will have to purchase ExpressVPN’s account that supports PPTP and L2TP/IPSec on your Windows.

Step 2

Once you have purchased ExpressVPN account, you will be sent a welcome email. In that email, you will receive a download link which can be used to manually configure ExpressVPN on Windows. Click the link given in the email.

If you are unable to find the link, log into your account.

After clicking the link given in the welcome email, you should click on “Setup ExpressVPN” on the active subscription page.

Now click on the manual configuration provided on the left screen. Choose PPTP and L2TP/IPSec tab on the right. After selecting, your username and password will be shown.

The screen should remain opened, as you will have to copy and paste the details later to setup a VPN connection.

Step 3

Now, you have to add a new VPN connection. Click on the internet access icon in the system tray.

If the subscribers are using Wi-Fi connection, they will see the below mentioned icon.

If the subscribers are using an Ethernet connection, they will see the below mentioned icon.

Choose the network settings from the popup menu.

Choose VPN>Add a VPN connection from the network and internet settings panel.

Step 4

Now setup your VPN connection through your username, server address and password. Use the following settings from the “Add a VPN Connection” menu.

VPN Provider: Windows (Built-in)

Connection name: Provide the name of your choice for your connection

Server name or address: [ExpressVPN server address]

VPN type: Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP)

Type of sign-in information: username and password

User name: [User name shown in the manual configuration (PPTP and L2TP/IPSec) section

Password: Password shown in the manual configuration (PPTP and L2TP/IPSec) section

Now you should check for Remember my sign-in information

Click Save

Step 5

Now you should connect to the VPN server location, you will see a new VPN connection in the Network and Internet settings panel. In order to connect to the VPN server, click the name of the connection then click Connect.

Congratulations! Your VPN connection is running now.

Note:

You can setup as many VPN connections as you wish by following the steps given above.

If you wish to connect to these servers in a moment, Click on the Wi-Fi connection or Ethernet connection in the system tray. Choose the server you want to connect to.

If you want to disconnect your VPN server location, Go to Network & Internet > VPN > [name of VPN connection] > Disconnect.

Refund Policy of ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money back guarantee to users, ensuring a complete hands-on experience to subscribers. If a subscriber is unsatisfied with its service, then he can request a full refund. However, if the refund is requested after 30 days, then ExpressVPN will provide a pro-rata based refund of service fees for the time duration when VPN wasn’t working. Not to forget, refunds are processed within seven days of a request through local currency or bitcoin.

Free Trial of ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN doesn’t offer a FREE trial. Since we all are fascinated with FREE things, they should have at least considered this attribute. However, it offers 30 days money back guarantee. This can be considered as an alternate for the FREE trial. ExpressVPN claims to provide a refund (terms and conditions apply) to users who don’t wish to continue with their service anymore. So, there’s no need to worry even if you have paid for a whole year; you will get your money back if you want to discontinue the service.

ExpressVPN in China

Being a fans favorite censorship-evasion service, ExpressVPN serves Chinese users by effectively circumventing the GFW (Great Firewall of China). With having particular “Stealth Servers” located in Hong Kong, it allows users to instantly bypass the GFW and access Facebook, Snapchat, Tumblr, YouTube and almost every blocked site from within China.

The Chinese Government has imposed rigorous censorship laws on more than 10,000 websites, including traditional social networks, VoIP services, instant messengers and more services. Interestingly, the government puts a ban on almost any media that promotes violence, sex, gambling & anti-state discussions. With such an aggressive censorship placed on internet, netizens find ExpressVPN a top choice to instantly bypass the GFW and access blocked sites from within China.

Moreover, ExpressVPN will aid Chinese residents to get rid of ISP throttling, which limits the overall network speed of users. By using ExpressVPN, users from Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Qinghai, Shandong, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hubei, Hubei and more regions will be able to experience internet with top-grade data protection and premium anonymity.

ExpressVPN Torrenting

When it comes to using torrents and P2P file sharing services, ExpressVPN is highly recommended. There are various attributes about the service that makes it a top VPN provider for torrenting. For starters, it offers anonymous payment method when signing up for the service. One of these methods includes Bitcoin, which can be easily setup using just an email address.

Secondly, ExpressVPN does not keep any logs of its subscriber’s activities. Having ‘Zero Log Policy’ allows anyone to use the VPN for torrenting and P2P file sharing without the fear of getting caught. Similarly, the excellent performance combined with fast internet speeds makes ExpressVPN a valid choice for the use of torrents.

The wide spread of servers also aid in using torrents. ExpressVPN offers servers located in torrent friendly regions, such as Switzerland or Netherlands. By connecting to these regions, you can use P2P files sharing services at high speeds with complete anonymity and privacy.

You can get more information on the best torrent VPN providers in our dedicated guide.

ExpressVPN Netflix

When we speak of Netflix, it is the most popular and perhaps the most powerful streaming service available to date. Just a few years ago, Netflix was only available in a handful of countries. This mean that users had to subscribe to a ExpressVPN and access Netflix if they weren’t located within the specified region. However, earlier in 2016, Netflix announced that it is expanding its service into 130 new regions. So is there a need for a VPN?

To simply put it, yes. The Netflix library is severely compromised in these new regions as only few titles are available for streaming. When we compare it US Netflix library, it hosts the largest library of shows, movies, documentaries and much more. This is where a Netflix VPN comes into play; its servers allow you to access Netflix library of any region. For our ExpressVPN review, we tested this out and found that the service is working perfectly for accessing US Netflix library from any other region.

Is ExpressVPN Safe?

Many VPN users have this question in mind, is the service (ExpressVPN) safe to use? The answer is YES! With ExpressVPN by your side, you are effectively stopping hackers, spammers, phishes, snoopers, State sponsored surveillances, and various other cyber-goons from stealing your personal information and breaching your online privacy. This is achieved by the military grade encryption levels and secure protocols offered by ExpressVPN.

If that’s not all, the privacy policy of ExpressVPN states that it does not record or maintain any kinds of logs of user’s activities. This means that the service has an utmost emphasis on your privacy; making it a highly reliable and safe to use.

Wrapping up our ExpressVPN Review

After a detailed analysis of ExpressVPN’s features and package plans, it can be said that the service provider can be considered as an alternative. It supports PPTP, L2TP, OpenVPN and SSTP protocols to fulfill our privacy and security needs. ExpressVPN doesn’t offer a free trial; however, they offer 30 days money back claim which can be considered as a replacement.

ExpressVPN offers free software and has an easy manual setup process; hence, the service can be rated on 8/10 with respect to use experience. Don’t forget to share your ExpressVPN experience with others in the comments section, or check out some of the other VPN reviews if you want to consider other options. As a Author we rate ExpressVPN 4.9 / 5.0

Thursday, 30 November 2017