Although it is one of the most expensive virtual private network (VPN) providers, the ExpressVPN has proven to be one for the Best services that you are likely to see. It offers a stable, versatile and versatile VPN service, with clients and documentation for a wide range of devices and operating systems. It is one of the few VPN services whose logging policy has been demonstrated in a court case, making it the right choice for privacy-conscious people. In July of 2020, the company also published the results of an independent audit showing that it complies with its privacy policy.
Features Of ExpressVPN
On Windows, ExpressVPN has a pleasantly simple interface, with a cheerful-looking button that automatically connects you to an optimized endpoint or the last chosen endpoint. Additional features include a speed test on all available parameters and a diagnostics output that lets you see your log files – a welcome feature for those who want to know exactly what happens in the background when they connect.
With the options menu, you can choose whether ExpressVPN is started and a connection is made when Windows starts; enable an internet kill switch that will stop all internet traffic if you lose your VPN connection, and switch from automatic protocol selection to your choice of OpenVPN or a range of other supported protocols.
Chrome, Firefox, and Safari enhancements allow you to launch the VPN directly from your browser, block potential data breaches from the WebRTC protocol, and automatically connect to the most recently used location when you open your browser. Clients are also available for macOS, Linux, and the common mobile platforms, plus Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Fire TV, with instructions available on how to use ExpressVPN with routers and other devices.
VPN Protocols
VPNs are a very mature technology, and as such, there are many different ways to make a VPN connection. I prefer the OpenVPN. This VPN protocol is known for its speed and reliability, but the most important is an open-source project, which means that the code has been taken over for vulnerabilities. ExpressVPN happily supports OpenVPN UDP / TCP on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. It also supports configuring routers to use OpenVPN.
ExpressVPN also supports the older L2TP protocol on macOS and Windows and the much less secure PPTP only on Windows. I also do not recommend using both unless you absolutely must do this for an unknown reason. Remarkably, ExpressVPN supports OpenVPN in its iOS app. That’s because Apple is making app developers who want to use OpenVPN jump extra hoops, and many developers are refusing to do this. ExpressVPN also supports the IKEv1 / 2 protocols on iOS, which is my second best choice for the VPN protocol after OpenVPN.
Servers and Server Locations
Part of what you pay with a VPN subscription is access to the company’s VPN servers. These are the machines that you connect to and from which your web traffic appears to come. In general, it is good to have a different distribution of servers, as this ensures that you can find one in the area regardless of where you travel, and probably get better service because of that proximity. It also gives you more options to fake your location.
ExpressVPN offers 160 server locations in 94 countries. Among my top-rated VPNs, ExpressVPN offers the most choices for server locations. My top pick, NordVPN, only supports 62 countries and CyberGhost only 80. It also excels in geographic diversity, with four of its locations in Africa and excellent coverage in South America – two continents that are often undervalued or completely ignored by other VPNs. -Businesses. ExpressVPN also maintains servers for some countries with repressive internet policies, including Russia, Turkey, and Vietnam.
Some readers have expressed concern about virtual servers. These are software-defined servers, which means that one piece of hardware can host multiple virtual servers. Virtual servers can also be configured to appear as if they are in a different country from where physical device is located. Virtual servers are not necessarily bad, but the idea that your data may go to a country other than where you want to go can be worrying.
Most VPN companies run servers as needed (virtual or otherwise) to meet demand. As such, the total number of servers is influenced by the number of subscribers a company can have. But a large server fleet also means that it is more likely that the server will not be visited so that you may get better performance. ExpressVPN has more than 3,000 servers at its disposal and is, therefore, one of the most extensive collection of servers that we have seen.
Performance Of ExpressVPN
A constant concern with VPNs is that using one slows down your internet connection to a crawl. While it is true that using a VPN increases latency and lowers upload and download speeds, it is usually a bearable experience. To get an idea of the impact that a VPN has on your internet experience, we perform a series of tests with the Ookla speed test tool. Keep in mind that network connections are meaningless things and that your individual experience is likely to be different from mine.
Consider these results as more of a snapshot for comparison, rather than a final assessment of performance. When I initially tested ExpressVPN, the results were not spectacular. It increased the latency enormously, in my case by 1,266.7 percent. I discovered that ExpressVPN reduced the upload speed by 85.7 percent and the download speed by 95.3 percent.
When ExpressVPN released the current version of its software, company representatives said it was reactivated to produce better speed test results. I was skeptical, but the test results speak for themselves: ExpressVPN now reduces latency by only 25 percent, upload speeds by 76.3 percent and download speeds by 85 percent.
Pricing Of ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has three price levels: $12.95 per month, $59.95 per six months, and $99.95 per year. Like most services, the only difference is how long you commit. The company accepts payments with all major credit cards, PayPal, and other services such as Alipay and WebMoney. ExpressVPN subscriptions can also be purchased with Bitcoin. There is no free trial period, but there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Conclusion
ExpressVPN has a lot to it. The geographic spread is excellent, and the use of virtual servers seems smart – not sketchy. It also has more than 3,000 servers, which is pretty robust. Although it includes all basic principles, ExpressVPN goes further by incorporating rarely seen functions such as split tunneling. Overall, the ExpressVPN is an extensive VPN service with an impressive server fleet and excellent features.
