ExpressVPN Review
Reviewed by Carlos Gil · Founder & Editor, The Best Network
Updated 7 min readEditorially reviewed
Quick facts
- Starting price
- Basic $14.99/mo, or $83.72 for the first 28 months (renews at $99.95/yr)
- Free plan
- No
- Best for
- Individuals and households who want a VPN with apps for nearly every device, split tunneling on phones and computers, and 24/7 chat, and who will plan around the renewal price
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, smart TVs, game consoles, routers
BestStacked Score
Weighted average of 5 categories. Methodology below.
Quick answer
Is ExpressVPN worth it, and what does it cost after the first term?
ExpressVPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through its servers, hiding your IP address from the sites you visit and your traffic from your local network. It has no free plan. On October 19, 2026, Basic cost $14.99 a month, $74.85 for the first 15 months or $83.72 for the first 28 months, and both longer plans renew at $99.95 a year. Basic covers 10 devices and includes split tunneling, the Lightway protocol and an ad and malicious-site blocker; Advanced adds a password manager and US identity monitoring, and Express Pro a dedicated IP. KPMG has checked its privacy-policy claims three times since 2022, and the latest report is public. A VPN is one layer of security, not anonymity, and it doesn't make a business compliant on its own.
- Best for
- People who want split tunneling on iPhone, Mac, Windows, Linux and Android, apps for TVs and consoles, and 24/7 chat.
- Skip it if
- You want a free plan, the lowest renewal price, or more than 10 devices without paying for a higher tier.
- Strongest capability
- Split tunneling documented on five platforms, plus Lightway with post-quantum support and RAM-only TrustedServer servers.
- Biggest limitation
- Renewals: Basic goes from $83.72 for 28 months to $99.95 a year, $20.95 a year more than Surfshark Starter.
- Current cost
- Basic $14.99/mo, $74.85 for 15 months or $83.72 for 28 months, then $99.95/yr; Advanced renews at $119.95, Express Pro at $199.95.
The Verdict
ExpressVPN's strength is breadth with few platform gaps. Every plan includes split tunneling, which ExpressVPN documents on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, its own Lightway protocol with post-quantum support, a kill switch, automatic obfuscation on supported platforms and an ad and malicious-site blocker. Apps cover desktops, phones, TVs and consoles, and support is 24/7 live chat and email. The evidence is comparatively open: KPMG has reviewed its privacy-policy claims in 2022, 2023 and 2025, the 2025 report can be read after accepting KPMG's terms without buying anything, and the trust center lists dozens of Cure53 and other audits. The trade-offs: no free plan, a Basic renewal of $99.95 a year that's higher than Surfshark's or Proton VPN's, the password manager and identity tools only on Advanced and above, and a 30-day refund that excludes app-store purchases and free-trial sign-ups. We score ExpressVPN 7.9/10.
Best for
People who want split tunneling on every device they own, households with TVs and consoles, and anyone who values 24/7 chat support.
Skip if
You want a free plan, the lowest renewal, unlimited devices, or anonymous sign-up without an email address.
AlternativesSurfshark, Proton VPN, NordVPN
The Background
What Is ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN is a virtual private network run by Express Technologies Ltd., which its privacy policy says is headquartered and registered in the British Virgin Islands and whose ultimate holding company is Kape Technologies PLC. A VPN encrypts the traffic between your device and an ExpressVPN server, so your internet provider or the Wi-Fi operator can't see which sites you visit, and those sites see the server's IP address instead of yours. ExpressVPN's pricing page listed servers in 113 countries on October 19, 2026. There are apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone and iPad, Android, Android TV, Apple TV and Fire TV, extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge, and setup guides for smart TVs, PlayStation, Xbox and routers. ExpressVPN now sells the VPN in three tiers that bundle other products: ExpressMailGuard email aliases, the ExpressKeys password manager, Identity Defender monitoring for US subscribers and, on Express Pro, the ExpressAI chatbot. What a VPN doesn't do matters as much. It doesn't make you anonymous: the sites you sign in to still know who you are, and browser fingerprinting and cookies still work. It doesn't stop phishing, malware you install yourself or weak passwords, although the blocker and ExpressKeys help. And it doesn't make a business compliant with GDPR, HIPAA or any other regulation; that depends on your own processes and contracts.
The Product
ExpressVPN Features: What You Actually Get
Split tunneling on five platforms
ExpressVPN documents split tunneling on Windows 10 and 11 (by app, IP address or subnet, plus an inverse mode that protects only chosen apps), macOS 11 and later (apps and websites), its Linux app, Android 7.0 and later (per app) and iOS. NordVPN documents it on Windows, Android and Android TV only, and Surfshark on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It's included in Basic.
A remote worker keeps a home printer and a banking app outside the VPN on a Mac while everything else stays encrypted.
Lightway, TrustedServer and obfuscation
Lightway is ExpressVPN's own protocol. The trust center says it uses the wolfSSL library, has an open-source core and supports post-quantum protection, and that a faster Lightway Turbo mode is on Windows for now. TrustedServer runs every server from RAM, so data is wiped on each reboot, and ExpressVPN says obfuscation switches on automatically on supported platforms when a network tries to block VPN traffic. Its private DNS runs on every server.
A traveller on hotel Wi-Fi that blocks VPNs connects with Lightway and leaves obfuscation to the app.
Blocker, ExpressKeys and Identity Defender
Basic blocks ads, malicious sites and adult sites at the DNS level; Advanced and Express Pro add tracker blocking. Advanced adds ExpressKeys, a zero-knowledge password manager with a 2FA authenticator, and Identity Defender (5 ID alerts, data removal and up to $3 million of identity theft insurance, for US subscriptions). Express Pro raises that to 11 alerts and $5 million and includes a dedicated IP and ExpressAI.
A US household on Advanced replaces a separate password manager and gets breach alerts in the same subscription.
Devices, kill switch and dedicated IP
Basic covers 10 devices at once, Advanced 12 and Express Pro 14. The Internet Kill Switch blocks traffic if the VPN drops, and ExpressVPN says its apps guard against IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks. A dedicated IP, which ExpressVPN says it assigns with a blind-token system so it can't be traced to your payment, is an add-on on Basic and Advanced and included on Express Pro. There's also an opt-in, local MCP server that lets AI coding tools check and change VPN settings.
A consultant buys the dedicated IP add-on so a client's firewall can allow one fixed address.
Feature recap
- KPMG privacy-policy audits (2022, 2023, 2025); 2025 report public
- RAM-only TrustedServer servers; Lightway with post-quantum support
- Split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS
- No free plan; 3-day trial in the iOS and Android apps
- 10 devices on Basic, 12 on Advanced, 14 on Express Pro
- Ad and malicious-site blocker on every plan; trackers from Advanced
- ExpressKeys and Identity Defender from Advanced; dedicated IP on Pro
- 24/7 live chat and email; 30-day refund for first-time customers
The Numbers
ExpressVPN Pricing: Every Plan Explained
These are USD prices from expressvpn.com/pricing on October 19, 2026, read in a browser for each plan length (1 month, 12 months and 2 years). Introductory prices apply to the first term; the 12-month plan includes 3 extra months and the 2-year plan 4, and both renew yearly at the price shown. Sales tax is added at checkout where applicable.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Included Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BasicBest value | $14.99/mo | $74.85 for the first 15 months, then $99.95/yr; or $83.72 for 28 months, then $99.95/yr | VPN on 10 devices, split tunneling, ad, malicious and adult-site blocker, ExpressMailGuard (10 aliases); dedicated IP as an add-on | Most people who just want the VPN |
| Advanced | $16.99/mo | $89.85 for the first 15 months, then $119.95/yr; or $125.72 for 28 months, then $119.95/yr | Basic plus 12 devices, tracker blocking, ExpressKeys password manager, Identity Defender (US; up to $3M insurance), 3 GB eSIM | US households that want a password manager and ID alerts |
| Express Pro | $22.99/mo | $134.85 for the first 15 months, then $199.95/yr; or $209.72 for 28 months, then $199.95/yr | Advanced plus 14 devices, dedicated IP included, Identity Defender up to $5M, ExpressAI (500 credits a day), unlimited email aliases | People who need a fixed IP and the full bundle |
| ExpressVPN for Teams | $9.74/user/mo (5-9 licenses) | $4.68/user/mo on 12 months ($280.80/yr for 5 licenses); $3.05 on 2 years | Admin dashboard, 5-license minimum, volume discounts to 50+ licenses; Dedicated IP for Teams +$390/yr per location | Small teams that want one bill and central licenses |
Pricing scenarios (our calculations from ExpressVPN's published USD prices, October 19, 2026; tax excluded). Basic month to month costs $179.88 a year. The 2-year plan costs $83.72 for 28 months, then $99.95 a year, so 40 months cost $183.67. The 12-month plan costs $74.85 for 15 months, then $99.95, so 27 months on it cost $174.80, while the 2-year plan covers 28 months for $83.72. Each Basic renewal works out to about $8.33 a month: more than Surfshark Starter ($79 a year) or Proton VPN Plus ($83.88), less than NordVPN Basic ($139.08); Mullvad charges a flat €5 a month. Advanced costs $42 more than Basic over the first 28 months and $20 a year more at renewal; Express Pro renews at $199.95, twice Basic. Refunds: ExpressVPN's guarantee covers first-time customers for 30 days, but not App Store or Google Play purchases and not people who started with the 3-day mobile trial. Its FAQ also promises a full refund within 14 days of an unintended renewal, which is more generous than NordVPN's or Surfshark's stated policies. Set a reminder before the first renewal anyway.
Privacy and transparency
No-logs policy, KPMG audits, Kape and the BVI
ExpressVPN's privacy policy, last updated October 2, 2026, says it doesn't log browsing history, traffic destination, data content or DNS queries while you're connected, and never stores connection logs: no IP address, outgoing VPN IP, connection timestamp or session duration. It names Express Technologies Ltd. in the British Virgin Islands as the operator and says it doesn't transfer control of users' personal information to related entities, including its ultimate holding company, Kape Technologies PLC.
On June 25, 2025, ExpressVPN announced a KPMG LLP engagement under ISAE (UK) 3000 Type 1 that examined its TrustedServer system and privacy-policy claims as of February 28, 2025. ExpressVPN says KPMG gave reasonable assurance that its systems worked as designed and that anyone can read the full report after accepting KPMG's terms. The trust center lists earlier KPMG audits in September 2022 (no-logs policy) and December 2023 (privacy-policy claims), and PwC Switzerland audits in 2019 and 2020. We read ExpressVPN's posts and trust center, not the reports.
The trust center's audit list also includes Cure53 reviews of Lightway, TrustedServer, the desktop and mobile apps, browser extensions, Aircove routers, ExpressKeys and, in 2026, ExpressMailGuard, Identity Defender and ExpressAI. ExpressVPN says it achieved ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 9001 and ISO 18295 certifications with the Kape Group in 2025 and publishes a twice-yearly transparency report; for January to June 2026 it lists 137 government, law-enforcement and civil requests and 3 warrants. Any audit is a point-in-time check; it can't prove what happens every day in between.
Beyond the VPN
ExpressVPN for Teams
ExpressVPN for Teams puts the same apps under an admin dashboard with central licensing. Its pricing page lists a retail price of $12.95 per user a month, a 5-license minimum and volume discounts: for 5 to 9 licenses, $9.74 per user on monthly billing, $4.68 on a 12-month plan (renewing at $280.80 a year for five licenses) and $3.05 on a 2-year plan. Discounts reach 50% at 50 or more licenses, and a dedicated IP for the team costs $390 a year per location on 1- and 2-year plans.
It's a way to manage VPN accounts for staff, not a network-access platform with a cloud firewall or device posture checks. Teams that need those should compare NordLayer; teams of two to four can look at Proton VPN for Business, which has a 2-user minimum. None of these makes a business compliant on its own.
See ExpressVPN for TeamsRead before you buy
Where ExpressVPN's pages differ
KPMG audit count: the June 2025 post is titled "3rd KPMG Security Audit" and the trust center calls it the third KPMG audit, but the post's text calls it "our second assessment by KPMG LLP."
Devices during the trial: the features page says that after activating the 3-day mobile trial you can use your credentials "on up to 14 devices," and that ExpressVPN supports "up to 14 simultaneous connections," while the pricing page caps Basic at 10 devices and Advanced at 12; 14 is the Express Pro limit.
Server footprint: the pricing, features and money-back pages say servers in 113 countries, a July 2026 blog post announces 214 server locations, and an older video description embedded on the money-back page still says 94 countries. All were read on October 19, 2026.
Scoring
How the score is built
BestStacked weights five sub-scores: ease of use 20%, features 25%, pricing 20%, support 15% and integrations 20%. For ExpressVPN they come only from ExpressVPN's documentation, not from testing, and are calibrated against our Proton VPN (7.9), NordVPN (7.8) and Surfshark (7.9) reviews. Ease of use 8.4: apps for nearly every device, automatic obfuscation and split tunneling documented on all five desktop and mobile platforms, with the same feature set on Basic. Features 8.3: Lightway with post-quantum support, RAM-only servers, kill switch, private DNS and a blocker on every plan, but Basic doesn't block trackers and the password manager and identity tools start on Advanced. Pricing 7.0: a 30-day refund plus a 14-day window after an unintended renewal, offset by no free plan and a $99.95 Basic renewal that's above Surfshark's and Proton VPN's. Support 8.0: 24/7 live chat and email for every customer and an ISO 18295 customer-contact certification, but no phone line. Integrations 7.8: the widest device list among the VPNs we review, browser extensions, routers and an MCP server, but few third-party connections beyond that. That works out to 7.9 out of 10.
The Tradeoffs
ExpressVPN Pros and Cons
What we love
- Split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS
- KPMG privacy-policy audits, with the 2025 report public
- RAM-only servers and Lightway with post-quantum support
- Apps and guides for TVs, consoles and routers
- 24/7 live chat and email for every customer
- 30-day refund for new customers and 14 days after an unintended renewal
What could be better
- No free plan
- Basic renews at $99.95 a year, above Surfshark and Proton VPN
- Tracker blocking, password manager and ID tools start on Advanced
- 10-device limit on Basic
- App-store purchases and mobile-trial users can't use the 30-day refund
- Owned by Kape Technologies, which some buyers want to know before choosing
The Audience
Who Should Use ExpressVPN?
Best for: people who split-tunnel on every device
If you need some apps outside the VPN on an iPhone, a Mac and a Linux laptop, ExpressVPN documents split tunneling on all of them, and it's in Basic.
Best for: homes with TVs and consoles
Apps for Apple TV, Android TV and Fire TV, plus setup guides for smart TVs, PlayStation, Xbox and routers, cover devices that some VPNs skip.
Skip if: you want the lowest renewal or unlimited devices
Surfshark Starter renews at $79 a year with no device limit, and Proton VPN has a free plan. Mullvad charges a flat €5 a month with no email on the account.
The Methodology
How We Reviewed ExpressVPN
This is an editorial review, not a hands-on test. We didn't use ExpressVPN for this review and make no speed, streaming-unblocking or leak-test claims. It's based on ExpressVPN's own documentation on expressvpn.com, all checked on October 19, 2026: the pricing page (read in a browser in USD for the 1-month, 12-month and 2-year options), the features, split-tunneling and money-back-guarantee pages, the trust center, the June 2025 KPMG announcement, the privacy policy and the ExpressVPN for Teams pricing page. Competitor prices come from each vendor's own pricing page the same day. No rival's comparison pages were used. Where ExpressVPN's pages differ, we report both. BestStacked has no affiliate relationship with ExpressVPN; the score doesn't depend on one.
Our editorial evaluation considers product information, official documentation, pricing, features and professional experience. It is not a claim of documented hands-on testing.
Our review methodology →What changed
- : First published. Editorial review based on ExpressVPN's pricing page (read in a browser in USD for each plan length), features, split-tunneling and money-back pages, trust center, KPMG announcement, privacy policy and teams pricing page, all on expressvpn.com and checked October 19, 2026.
The Field
ExpressVPN vs The Competition
Prices below were read on each vendor's own pricing page on October 19, 2026, in USD unless noted, and are introductory where marked.
| Tool | Starting Price | Free plan | Best Feature | BS Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | Basic $14.99/mo, or $83.72 for the first 28 months (renews at $99.95/yr) | No | Split tunneling on five platforms | 7.9/10 |
| Surfshark | Starter $67.23 for the first 27 months, renews at $79/yr | No | Unlimited simultaneous devices | 7.9/10 |
| Proton VPN | Free; VPN Plus $83.76 for the first 24 months, renews at $83.88/yr | Yes | A free plan and public audit reports | 7.9/10 |
| NordVPN | Basic $94.23 for the first 27 months, renews at $139.08/yr | No | Meshnet, Onion Over VPN and specialty servers | 7.8/10 |
| Mullvad | €5/mo flat on any term | No | Sign-up with an account number, no email | 7.3/10 |
Surfshark: Surfshark sets no device limit on any plan, includes split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, and renews Starter at $79 a year, $20.95 less than ExpressVPN Basic. Its Deloitte reports sit inside customer accounts.Read our Surfshark review →
Proton VPN: Proton VPN has a free plan for one device, publishes each year's Securitum no-logs audit and open-sources its apps. VPN Plus covers 10 devices, like ExpressVPN Basic, and renews for $16.07 a year less.Read our Proton VPN review →
NordVPN: NordVPN covers 10 devices and adds free Meshnet, Double VPN and Onion Over VPN servers. Its split tunneling is documented on fewer platforms, and Basic renews at $39.13 a year more than ExpressVPN Basic.Read our NordVPN review →See ExpressVPN vs NordVPN →
Mullvad: Mullvad charges one flat monthly rate with no renewal jump, asks for no email and accepts cash. It covers 5 devices and offers email support only.Read our Mullvad review →
In The Wild
How People Actually Use ExpressVPN
A remote worker on public Wi-Fi
Basic at $83.72 for 28 months covers a laptop and phone on café and airport networks, with split tunneling for a work printer or banking app. Budget $99.95 for each renewal.
A household with streaming boxes and consoles
Basic covers 10 devices, including Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV apps; Advanced raises that to 12 and adds a password manager. Families with more devices should compare Surfshark.
A five-person consultancy
ExpressVPN for Teams on a 12-month plan costs $280.80 a year for five licenses at the listed rate, with an admin dashboard. Add $390 a year if the team needs a shared dedicated IP.
The Ecosystem
ExpressVPN Integrations
A VPN's integrations are mostly platforms and bundles. ExpressVPN runs on these, and connects to its other products through Advanced and Express Pro.
- →Windows, macOS and Linux apps
- →iPhone, iPad and Android apps
- →Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV and smart TVs
- →Chrome, Firefox and Edge browser extensions
- →PlayStation, Xbox and routers through setup guides
- →ExpressKeys, ExpressMailGuard and Identity Defender bundles
- →Local MCP server for AI coding tools (opt-in)
Split tunneling options and Lightway Turbo differ by platform, and Identity Defender is for US subscriptions only. Check the feature page for your device before buying.
Common Questions
ExpressVPN FAQ
The Final Word
Should You Use ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN suits people who want one VPN that works the same way on almost every device: split tunneling on five platforms, Lightway with post-quantum support, RAM-only servers, apps for TVs and consoles, and 24/7 chat. Its KPMG audit record is reasonably open, with the latest report readable without an account. The cost is the catch: there's no free plan, and Basic renews at $99.95 a year after an $83.72 first term of 28 months, so buy the 2-year plan if you'll keep it and decide before it renews. Look elsewhere if you want a free plan or public no-logs audits every year (Proton VPN), unlimited devices and a lower renewal (Surfshark), specialty servers and Meshnet (NordVPN), or anonymous sign-up (Mullvad). We score ExpressVPN 7.9/10.
Yes, if
you want split tunneling and apps on every device you own, with live chat at any hour, and you'll plan around the renewal price
No, if
you want a free plan, the lowest renewal, unlimited devices or an account with no email address
About the reviewer
Carlos Gil
Founder & Editor, The Best Network
Carlos Gil is the Founder & Editor of The Best Network, bestselling author of The End of Marketing, and a LinkedIn Top Voice. His digital marketing career began in 2008 and spans corporate roles at LinkedIn and BMC Software, consulting for global brands, creator partnerships, and building his own businesses.
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