ExpressVPN is easily one of the best VPN services out there, with it being our personal pick of the bunch. So what makes it so special? What sets it apart from its competitors? If you’re asking these questions, you’ve come to the right place.
This is your guide to everything you might want to know about ExpressVPN. We’ve answered a number of FAQs on everything from free plans to Netflix compatibility
Below, we’ve answered a lot of the questions that people tend to ask about ExpressVPN. We’ve made sure that our answers are easy to understand, so you’ll be able to follow along regardless of your experience with the service of VPNs in general.
A VPN is a fairly large financial commitment, so it’s important to make sure that you understand exactly what it is that you’re paying for. The last thing you want is to take out a long term subscription for a service that isn’t right for you.
What does ExpressVPN do?
ExpressVPN, like every other VPN provider, allows you to discretely and securely browse the internet by encrypting your traffic so that your internet service provider (ISP) or potential bad actors can’t snoop on your activity.
However, it has several other functions too, such as allowing you to access the content of your home region while travelling abroad. VPNs can also potentially increase your connection speeds by stopping your ISP from slowing things down when you use a lot of bandwidth. With speeds of 55.76Mbit/s, it is one of the fastest VPN providers, and you may well find that your home connection speeds improve when you use it.
ExpressVPN in particular boasts over 3,000 servers across 94 countries, which is both a larger number of servers, and a broader range of locations than you’ll find with many other VPN providers. To ensure you’re being treated to the best level of performance, ExpressVPN uses a selection of different protocols (including Lightway, OpenVPN, and IKEv2) and then chooses the most suitable option for your own network.
Take a look at the table below for an overview of ExpressVPN’s features.
| ExpressVPN features | |
| Locations | 3,000+ servers in 94 countries |
|---|---|
| Services unblocked | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, YouTube |
| Free trial length | No free trial |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Simultaneous connections | 5 |
| Router support | Yes |
Is ExpressVPN free?
No. Unlike some other providers, ExpressVPN does not offer a free plan. This is largely due to the quality of the service it provides, which far exceeds even the best free VPN providers.
Free VPNs will usually limit the amount of data you can use each month, while only allowing you to use a small selection of servers. Additionally, with a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can essentially use ExpressVPN for up to 30 days for free, before you truly have to commit financially.
Is ExpressVPN legit?
ExpressVPN is a perfectly reliable VPN service, and we wouldn’t recommend a service that wasn’t completely safe and trustworthy. If you take out an ExpressVPN subscription, you get what you pay for, which is an excellent VPN service.
How much does ExpressVPN cost?
The cost of using ExpressVPN varies depending on how often you want to be billed. It currently has three different plans available, with a special bonus for PCGN readers. Here’s a quick look at each of them:
- One Month: if you pay monthly, it will cost you $12.95 per month. Each month, you’d have the option to reassess your VPN needs.
- Six Months: if you pay every six months, it will cost you $59.94, which works out as $9.99 per month. After the 30-day money-back guarantee period ends, you will have to pay for the entire six month period, even if you decide to cancel after only a couple of months.
- 12 months + three months free: Paying annually will cost $80.04, which works out as $6.67 per month, which is almost half the monthly rate. As an extra bonus exclusive to PCGN readers, you get three free months thrown in at the end of that year, which would technically make it work out as $5.34 per month. After the 30-day money-back guarantee, you’re locked in for the whole year.
Is ExpressVPN or NordVPN better?
The answer to this question depends on who you ask. If you want a provider with lots of servers, NordVPN has over 5,000, while ExpressVPN has less than 4,000. However, if the range of those servers is more important to you, NordVPN’s servers only span around 60 countries, while Express is over 90.
NordVPN is also fractionally faster (with average download speeds of 65.79Mbit/s vs. ExpressVPN’s 55.76Mbit/s). It’s a fair bit cheaper too, but the range of server locations is going to be a huge selling point for ExpressVPN, which is why we think it just edges it out.
Check out our NordVPN guide if you want to learn more about it.
When was ExpressVPN founded?
ExpressVPN was founded in 2009 and has now been providing VPN services for over a decade.
Who owns ExpressVPN?
Kape Technologies, a business owned by Israeli billionaire, Teddy Sagi, owns ExpressVPN. It was originally founded by two entrepreneurs based on the US who sold the business in 2021.
Will ExpressVPN work with Netflix?
Yes it will. However, many of its servers have been blocked by Netflix, so if you find that you can’t access the streaming platform, then switch to another server and try again. Which servers will or won’t work changes over time. Netflix will block more and more IP addresses, but then, ExpressVPN will also refresh the IP addresses of its servers at a fairly high rate.
Can ExpressVPN be used on multiple devices?
Yes, it can. However, keep in mind that it will only allow you to have up to five simultaneous connections.
Can ExpressVPN block ads?
No, ExpressVPN does not have a built-in ad-blocker. However, by its very nature, it will stop businesses from accumulating data on you and therefore stop you seeing adverts which have been tailored based on your private data.
Source: https://www.pcgamesn.com/expressvpn-everything-you-need-to-know
