ExpressVPN Review 2023 – Top-Notch Privacy and Security

ExpressVPN has been serving in the industry as a reputable (SaaS) service provider, enabling millions of privacy-savvy users to take their internet privacy to the top-notch level. On the contrary, the only drawback is ExpressVPN’s pricing which makes the users take a flight and choose a different option. However, that’s only one side of the picture. Despite being unduly priced, ExpressVPN offers multiple deals and packages that undermine it. However, there’s so much to uncover about ExpressVPN review, from pricing to high-class security. We will walk you through this ExpressVPN review to give you a crystal clear idea to decide for yourself whether you should invest in this VPN or not. 

Therefore, I tested the ExpressVPN app on Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Amazon Firestick, and other operating systems to find out about all the advantages and disadvantages of the VPN and whether it is compatible or just candy wrapped advertised. I performed speed tests, and checked servers’ reliability, different VPN protocols, and privacy features, including Kill-Switch, Private DNS, Lightway Protocol, and compatibility with several devices. Also, I have read its troubleshooting guides about multiple topics, which were very helpful. 

Moreover, I checked ExpressVPN’s unblocking techniques and successfully unblocked popular streaming services, including Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, ESPN+, BBC iPlayer, and many others. It has a use-worthy money-back guarantee of 30 days. So, if you are not satisfied, you can claim your full refund within the official time period. All in all, ExpressVPN amazed me in regards to privacy, security, decent latency, and unblocking capabilities, which tick all the boxes why I recommend using ExpressVPN. It is risk-free and capable to beat in every aspect to make your digital life unagitated by nefarious cybercriminals. 

ExpressVPN Review: Pros and Cons – Have a Swift Look 

Are you in a hurry? Don’t worry. This doesn’t take more than a few minutes to have a swift look at ExpressVPN’s pros and cons. 

ExpressVPN Review – Pros 

Vast Server Network Globally

ExpressVPN operates an extensive server network of 3000+ VPN servers in 94 countries. All of its servers are obfuscated. So you can choose any server of your choice and secure your internet activities along with using certain servers for unblocking international geo-restricted services. 

Unblocks a Ton of International Streaming Services

ExpressVPN is highly-capable of unblocking geo-restricted services that is grasping at straws. I have checked its capability by unblocking a couple of streaming services, including Hulu, HBO Max, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, ESPN+, and many more. 

Advanced VPN Protocols 

ExpressVPN has advanced VPN protocols that boost your digital security. It comes with WireGuard, Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and L2TP.  

Performs in China

Most users look for a VPN that works in China. Since a VPN can circumvent the great strict firewall of China, it works in any other country. We tested ExpressVPN and found it works best with getting past the strict surveillance in China and other highly monitored countries. 

A Proven No-logs Policy 

ExpressVPN ensures No activity logs, which means it doesn’t keep an eye on your session duration, your source IP address and which websites you visit, and what amount of data you share. 

AES-256-bit Encryption

ExpressVPN comes with a military-grade encryption technology, AES-256-bit, which is proficient in scrambling your sensitive data into a cipher, an indestructible web language. That way, no one can spy on your data or decode it.

Blazing Speeds for Uninterrupted Streaming

ExpressVPN has lightning-fast speeds on all of its servers which is a great perk for the media-lovers. You can watch your favorite local and international content without any buffers, lags, or high latency. I witnessed blazing speeds while binge-streaming the best shows on Hulu and other streaming sites. 

Compatible VPN Apps for Major Streaming Devices

ExpressVPN offers user-friendly apps for most streaming devices and operating systems. I installed the app on Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Amazon Firestick, and WiFi routers. They have easy-to-use features and a sophisticated app UI. The cherry on top is you get to use 5 simultaneous connections, which is great for running the same VPN account on your 5 devices 

ExpressVPN Review – Cons

Comparatively Expensive 

I didn’t find any cons, but its expensive subscription plans put a question mark when deciding whether to invest in ExpressVPN. But, the truth unfolds, ExpressVPN is worth every penny with cutting-edge privacy and top-notch security features it offers. Therefore, you must walk with me till the end to justify why ExpressVPN has slightly higher pricing than other VPNs in the market. Conversely, ExpressVPN offers deals and discounts on various occasions, covering for its expensive packages. Also, it provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you are free to test the VPN on all of your devices. If you don’t find it delivering what it sells to you, simply go to the chat support and cancel your ExpressVPN subscription to claim a full refund before the 30-day ends.  

ExpressVPN Features 2023 – Quick Glance 

Running out of time? Let’s have a quick glance at the robust features of ExpressVPN that distinguish this VPN provider from the others available in the market. 

• Best Privacy Features: It include a No-activity or Connection Logs policy, DNS Leak Protection, Network Lock Kill-Switch, Private DNS, and Threat Manager. 
• Advanced Protocols: It comes with the latest security protocols to secure your virtual traffic. ExpressVPN has a WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN, Lightway, L2TP, IPSec, PPTP, and SSTP. All of them provided impenetrable encryption and authentication, which also enhanced levels of speed and security and stabilized the connections. 
• Simultaneous Connections: ExpressVPN offers 5 multi-logins on a single account. I have connected one ExpressVPN account to all five streaming devices conveniently. 
• Based in Jurisdiction Free Country: ExpressVPN originated from the British Virgin Islands, ensuring that it doesn’t collect any data logs. 
• Supports Torrenting: All ExpressVPN servers support torrenting. It means you can freely download and upload files with torrent clients. 
• 24/7 Chat Support: ExpressVPN has a dedicated chat support team that actively assists with VPN queries in no time. 
• Money-Back Guarantee: ExpressVPN ensures a trustworthy 30-day money-back guarantee which declares you can claim a full refund within 30 days of your order if you want to cancel your subscription. 

ExpressVPN Review – Top-Notch Privacy Features [Updated 2023] 

ExpressVPN has always been concerned about its user’s privacy and security. It offers robust VPN features that secure your web browsing activities and sensitive data from cyber vulnerabilities. That is why it is at the top of our rating list. Here you can read about my user experience with testing the ExpressVPN features. 

Strong Encryption: ExpressVPN encrypts my internet data with its industry-leading AES-256-bit encryption protocol. It is customized to encrypt your web traffic routing between your device and the VPN server. That said, ExpressVPN is highly qualified to protect your sensitive data. 

IP Addresses Masking: I tested ExpressVPN’s IP masking feature, and it didn’t disappoint. My IP address was masked, and I got easy access to inaccessible sites. Also, this robust feature helps hide your physical location from prying third parties. 

IP DNS Leak Protection: ExpressVPN protects you from DNS leaks once you configure the VPN on your device. It has a highly optimized DNS and IP Leak protection feature to ensure your web traffic between your device and DNS server is end-to-end encrypted. 

Network Lock Kill-Switch: This is the feature every privacy-savvy person needs when investing in a VPN. It worked incredibly in the immediate VPN connectivity drop and saved my bacon. This indicates that ExpressVPN’s network lock Kill-Switch feature masks your crucial data and web identity if your connection drops, blocking all internet traffic until your connection is restored. 

No Activity or Connection Logs: ExpressVPN ensures a no activity and connection logs feature. It says that ExpressVPN never collects and logs user data. That said, only you can witness your whereabouts on the internet. Your DNS queries, browsing history, IP address, and connection timestamps are safe from monitoring. 

Public WiFi Safety: People use public WiFi whenever they are outside or visiting a favorite coffee shop or shopping mall. Using an unprotected public network comes with potential risks that ExpressVPN is concerned about. Its public WiFi safety feature prevents your web data from cyber vulnerabilities. 

ExpressVPN Review – 3000+ Servers Globally 

ExpressVPN operates a decent number of 3000+ optimized VPN servers in 94 countries. It says you can pick any server from the VPN servers available for unblocking major streaming platforms. All servers are installed according to country, region, and continent. 

Besides, you can find all ExpressVPN servers mentioned with a specific VPN protocol that you can use with that server. Also, it has a Smart location feature that helps connect to the nearest VPN server available to your physical location. That way, you can experience better connections, the fastest speeds, and lower latency. 

Moreover, ExpressVPN has virtual server locations for numerous countries. Those servers are fast and offer reliable connections. Once you connect to a virtual server, it assigns you an IP address from your chosen country and routes from a robust server located in a different country. That said, it turns your digital life into never-experienced ease to enjoy a private, restriction-free internet. 

ExpressVPN Review: Unblocking Capabilities – Unblock Popular Streaming Sites 

VPN users around the world yearn to pick a VPN that comes with top-notch unblocking capabilities. Since most of the popular streaming sites are geo-restricted outside a specific location. In that regard, we tested ExpressVPN servers by unblocking several streaming services, and the results were satisfactory.

 For instance, if you are located in a region where HBO Max is accessible or you are watching Netflix US, once you move abroad for traveling, it will become geo-locked to access, and you cannot continue your current watch. Seems unfair? ExpressVPN can beat these geo-restrictions and offers you robust streaming servers capable of circumventing geo-restrictions of services when tested. 

I tested ExpressVPN servers with the mostly-viewed streaming services, including American Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and Crunchyroll. What I admired when testing ExpressVPN’s unblocking capabilities is it has robust IP addresses that cannot get detected by the IP blockers of these streaming sites. 

Also, ExpressVPN mentions a list of the geo-restricted sites that it unblocks, including BBC iPlayer, DAZN, Disney+, ESPN+, HBO, Facebook, Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Showtime, Kodi, Sky Go, Sling, and Snapchat. 

Have a look down below to learn how efficiently ExpressVPN unblocks multiple streaming services and apps. 

Unblock American Netflix with ExpressVPN  

Netflix is one of the leading streaming services and the top favorite of media streamers. It has a variety of diverse media shows, covering different genres from fantasy-fiction, Crime, Science fiction, and psychological thrillers. It has distinguished libraries for different regions; you can only access one if you are available in that territory. 

However, American Netflix has an extensive range of TV shows and movies covering its massive American Netflix library, which you can find limited in its other libraries. I was eager to get my hands on them. I found ExpressVPN the best Netflix VPN since it made unblocking US Netflix a piece of cake. 

Hence, some shows are accessible only on the American Netflix library, including NCIS, The Borgias, 30 Rock, Manhunt: Deadly Games, and Ripper Street. 

I then connected to the Dallas server and effortlessly binge-streamed all my much-anticipated seasons without a hiccup. The comforting thing was I didn’t face any buffering or internet lags throughout my binge stream. Since that happened with most of the VPNs when you connect to a Virtual server, they don’t deliver satisfying streaming results. 

Besides that, I got access to Netflix UK, Canada, Spain, Turkey, Germany, and Japan Netflix by connecting to all these servers. Also, I tested ExpressVPN unblocking Netflix on Windows, iOS, Android, Amazon Firestick, and Roku. All of the apps worked seamlessly with easy-to-operate features. 

Unblock Hulu with ExpressVPN 

Hulu is available only in the USA and Japan. It is another most admired streaming service among media enthusiasts, with many critically acclaimed shows and movies. I configure the ExpressVPN app on my gaming consoles, including PlayStation and Xbox. You can do it easily by reading their guide on how to set up the best VPN for PlayStation.

Hulu comes with stubborn geo-blocks that every VPN cannot beat. I tested unblocking Hulu with other VPN services, but it didn’t make it. When I connect to the US servers of ExpressVPN to unblock Hulu (New York, Atlanta, Dallas) and go to Hulu, it instantly gives me access without any delay. 

I effortlessly watched much-anticipated Hulu Originals that have been hanging on my to-be-watching list for a long time. I watched all of the shows in UHD, and no video pause or buffering was involved. Also, I connected to the ExpressVPN Japan servers (Tokyo and Yokohama servers) to check them. They worked perfectly well with unblocking the Hulu Japan library in no time. I get to stream Love You as the World Ends and The Walking Dead. 

Unblock Disney Plus with ExpressVPN

Disney Plus has an extensive library of the all-time best Comics, TV shows, and Live-action movies. All from the world’s well-known brands, including Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Pixar, Disney, and National Geographics. Unfortunately, you cannot access Disney Plus in every region since The Walt Disney Company has limited the content to 60 Disney+ licensed countries. The US Disney Plus library contains a large number of shows and movies. So, we connected to the different US servers of ExpressVPN to check whether it unblocks the streaming site. ExpressVPN unblocked the service without much delay. It took 4-5 seconds to load episodes of Obi-Wan-Kenobi and Ms.Marvel. Since Disney+ has strict geo-blocks, it was a win-win situation to get access to Disney+ without compromising on streaming 4K videos. 

I tested 20+ US servers with Disney Plus, and they all provided satisfactory results. The only issue I faced was the connectivity time with its virtual servers, including Argentina, Bosnia, Jersey, and the Isle of Man. Also, I couldn’t access all the Disney+ shows I wanted to access. 

While it is unfortunate that you cannot get your hands on the entire Disney+ library with some of its virtual servers, meanwhile I accessed an arsenal of Disney Plus content with its other servers. 

Unblocks BBC iPlayer with ExpressVPN

If you are an enthusiast who loves exploring content from different regions, ExpressVPN never disappoints. All of the lightning-fast UK servers of ExpressVPN let me watch BBC iPlayer without difficulty. 

Only a few VPNs come with reliable UK servers since they prioritize US servers. That said, I was looking for a VPN with robust UK servers, and ExpressVPN has fulfilled my search. I connected to London and Docklands servers and watched shows, including The Fades, Peaky Blinders, and Strike Career of Evil. 

Furthermore, When i used ExpressVPN to unblock BBC iPlayer, I was impressed by the servers’ speed, results, and bandwidth. It never occurred to me that I was waiting for my videos to stop buffering. Everything went smoothly, and I was stress-free from my ISP, who dedicatedly put data caps on my internet consumption. 

Furthermore, it’s straightforward to sign up for BBC iPlayer. You need to connect to any of ExpressVPN’s UK servers and head toward BBC iPlayer. Sign up by following the screen instruction. If you are asked for a postal code to confirm your UK TV license, pick a random code from Google and continue. 

Unblock Crunchyroll with ExpressVPN

Crunchyroll is an all-time favorite of anime lovers. ExpressVPN performed well in unblocking every popular streaming site that I wanted to unblock. Even though Crunchyroll is available to stream in many countries, it has limited content libraries. You will find famous anime shows and movies, including Naruto: Shippuden, Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer, and Fire Force to binge-stream, no matter your geo-location. 

On Crunchyroll, it took a few seconds to load the anime, and it kicked started. To check its nitty gritty, we measured every feature as advertised. I connected to the New Jersey, New York, and Chicago servers of ExpressVPN to unblock Crunchyroll.  Everything I streamed was high-definition, and I didn’t spot any higher latency or buffering issues. Furthermore, once you try it, you know what I mean. 

Unblock Amazon Prime with ExpressVPN 

Amazon Prime is available in more than 200 countries. But, its media libraries vary from country to country. It has most of the content accessible in its US library. I checked most of the ExpressVPN country servers where it is available, including the USA, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Mexico. 

I watched Good Omens, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, and After Ever Happy. All of the shows were in high-definition without any buffering and lags. Even though I have successfully downloaded the content to watch offline. Conversely, remember that some servers, such as the UK, Portugal, and Turkey, would not work well with Amazon Prime because the streaming service tracks your billing address. 

ExpressVPN Review for Torrenting – P2P Optimized Servers

Torrenting is restricted in many countries.  It’s also considered illegal and counts as copyright infringement if you download copyrighted content. So, ensure you connect to server locations of countries that allow torrenting, like Mexico, Spain, Netherlands and Switzerland.

ExpressVPN has support for P2P-optimized servers that are capable of fast and secure torrenting. It has the best speed results, top-notch privacy, and impenetrable security that secures your connection while torrenting. With its optimized VPN servers, it performs the best results for P2P support. There are not any specified servers named for torrenting since you can use any of ExpressVPN’s servers for torrenting.

Therefore, I tested ExpressVPN torrenting support on the Android app on Utorrent and connected to the USA – Washington DC server. The download speeds were super fast; it barely took a few minutes to download one file. I downloaded some of my much-anticipated movies to watch, including Black Panther – Wakanda Forever, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Black Widow. 

On the other hand, you can use ExpressVPN to access free movies and shows on Putlocker.  Since it’s a free streaming service that uses a torrenting client, you will probably have to connect to P2P-supported servers for access. It turns out that ExpressVPN works great for it too.

ExpressVPN Review – Compatibility with Devices 

I go through an in-depth app analysis to give you a crystal clear idea of what ExpressVPN is fully capable of. Every VPN app performs differently and comes with various features on a particular device. ExpressVPN is highly focused on the user-friendliness of its apps on every device. It has distinguished characteristics for Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Amazon Firestick, Linux, and more. If you use the VPN on your iOS and Android, or its browser extensions, the performance differs slightly from the app on another device.

I ran the ExpressVPN apps on most supported devices that are commonly used in our daily life. Each ExpressVPN app supports discernible features. However, if I reviewed the ExpressVPN apps, they were user-friendly, each to navigate, and had an appealing UI.

ExpressVPN cleared every test. I used its app on Windows, Android, iOS, Firestick, or Mac and gaming consoles. It has simple-to-use navigation and a large power button in the center since a design of a VPN plays a massive role in liking or disliking it for regular use.  Some providers complicate VPN apps with the wrong use of colors, something as simple as connecting to a server, difficult-to-navigate features, protocols, and lazy chat support.  A VPN software needs to be simple, easy to use, and comes with features that are designed to run by a beginner as well as an expert. In a nutshell, I found ExpressVPN ticking all these boxes. 

ExpressVPN Review for Router Support 

ExpressVPN comes with router support that helps configure the VPN on devices that don’t support native VPN apps, such as Roku, Kodi, Xbox, PlayStation, Apple TV, and Samsung Smart TV. Besides, it protects every device that’s connected to your WiFi device without any limit. 

It is one of the features that a privacy-friendly VPN app considers providing. A VPN app on a WiFi device saves you from many cyber vulnerabilities. It comes without any limit to connecting several devices. I tested it by connecting to my 8 devices simultaneously, and the results were up to the mark. 

ExpressVPN installation on WiFi is simple. All you need is to configure the VPN app on a supported WiFi device and enjoy fully secure internet. Plus, some routers need manual configuration; ExpressVPN mentions that as well. The ExpressVPN app can be added to various router models; DD-WRT, Asus, D-Link, Tomato, Sabai, Xiaomi, and more.

Additionally, if you don’t have a router with the applicable firmware, you can get pre-flashed routers with ExpressVPN already configured on them from the website. When I tested the ExpressVPN router VPN app, I added several devices that I use at home, including gaming consoles and Smart TVs. 

ExpressVPN Review – Installation in 5 Simple Steps 

It’s simple to install ExpressVPN on any device. Here’s how to do it: 

• Sign up. 
• Download and install the ExpressVPN app on a compatible device. 
• Log in using your credentials. 
• Launch the app and connect to a VPN server. 
• That’s all!

ExpressVPN Simultaneous Device Connections

ExpressVPN permits 5 simultaneous logins with a single account. Once you get a subscription, you can install and use the VPN app on 5 devices at a time. The cherry on top is ExpressVPN comes with amazing router support, which means you can configure the VPN app on your WiFi router to use it on as many devices as you want. 

ExpressVPN Pricing and Multiple Payment Methods

Along with the best privacy features, security, and app compatibility, the pricing of a VPN also matters. Most users recognize ExpressVPN as one of the most expensive VPNs in the industry. I second them, but its features, best-in-class encryption, and reliable servers set it apart from all VPN providers in the industry. Here, let’s have a glance at the pricing of ExpressVPN. 

• 1-month plan – $12.95
• 6-month plan – $9.99/mo.
• 12-month plan – $6.67/mo.+ 3 months free

You must be wondering, the monthly plan is expensive, and the cheapest ones is the 12-month plan. However, you need to look at things from all perspectives. Other VPNs cost slightly less than $6 for a 1-year plan, but there are other disadvantages attached to them. ExpressVPN costs almost the same for more than 12 months since it’s throwing in 3 months free. Other than that, I sense the prices are justified since the performance of the VPN was higher than I expected. 

You can use the following payment methods to get an ExpressVPN subscription. 

• Credit cards
• Debit cards 
• PayPal
• Bitcoin
• Digital transfers (Giropay, iDEAL, Interac, and Klarna (or SOFORT).

ExpressVPN Review: 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

ExpressVPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of its plans.  It is another perk of investing in this VPN since you can use the long trial period to check its credibility and witness all the pros and cons of the VPN’s performance. This 30-day money-back guarantee gives you sufficient time to test the ExpressVPN premium features and their vulnerabilities, such as the performance of the IP protection or Kill-Switch. 

However, to avail of a full refund, you need to contact support and ask them for a refund within the 30-day timeframe. Keep in mind if you claim a refund once the 30-days are over, you are not eligible for it. Thus, you can check its terms of service for a transparent picture. 

How to cancel ExpressVPN Subscription

Check the tutorial below to cancel your subscription to avail yourself of a full refund. Go to the ExpressVPN website and sign into your account.

• Contact chat support by Clicking on the “Need help? Chat with us” option.
• Start a chat with them, asking them to cancel your account and avail of a refund. However, make sure you do this before the 30-day time period. Otherwise, you’re canceling your account without being eligible for a full refund. 
• Wait for a while for chat support to issue an approval.
• The refund or account cancelation will take about 3-5 business days, and you will be notified through an email. 
• ExpressVPN 24/7 Active Chat Support and Guides 

One of the best things about ExpressVPN is its reliable chat support. They are active 24/7 and replies instantly to your VPN-related queries. Customer support goes a long way in assisting users and potential buyers will all sorts of inquiries. The ExpressVPN live chat was more than helpful with the endless questions I asked. Chat support helped me with everything that I needed clarification on. All the in-depth results in this ExpressVPN review are the outcome of the conversations I had with them. 

The ExpressVPN support divides itself into 5 options:

• Troubleshoot Now
• Live Chat
• Get Instructions
• Email
• Ticketing

Lastly, you can check the FAQ section if you have simple questions like “What do I get with my subscription.” 

Verdict – ExpressVPN Review 2023 – Do I Recommend ExpressVPN for Top-Notch Privacy and Security 

Yes, I do recommend ExpressVPN. This VPN is hands down the best I’ve ever tested, among a list of many other providers that I reviewed, seeing all the perspectives. It’s the word for word that is advertised as the best VPN for privacy, security, and torrenting. If you are someone looking to secure internet connections and access all of the geo-restricted media, then you can blindly trust ExpressVPN. Hence,  the prices are abrupt, but if you’re looking for a solid VPN, ExperssVPN is the best choice.