ExpressVPN Review

Streaming: Does ExpressVPN Work with Netflix?

Yes. ExpressVPN belongs to the exclusive group of VPNs capable of unblocking the content of Netflix and other streaming services such as Disney +, BBC, and HBOMax, among others.

One feature that makes VPNs so popular is their ability to unblock restricted content. We are talking, of course, about Netflix, HBOMax, Hulu, and Disney+, which are famous for having sophisticated blocking systems that guarantee that their exclusive content will only be available in certain regions.

Now, you should know that these restrictions are not a conspiracy of the streaming providers. It would be much easier for them to distribute the same content globally. The current restrictions have to do with legal aspects related to distribution rights, audiovisual copyrights, content censorship in certain countries, etc. 

It is for this reason that streaming services must block certain content. Moreover, they must do everything possible so that VPNs do not break this block. Fortunately, select VPN providers, like ExpressVPN, make it possible to overcome these restrictions.

ExpressVPN achieves this thanks to its cutting-edge technology that combines highly encrypted connections that use state-of-the-art VPN protocols along with its own DNS servers. 

Best of all, all this power is at your fingertips with just one click. If you want to enjoy your favorite show on Netflix, all you have to do is open the ExpressVPN app, choose the server, and voila!

By default, ExpressVPN connects to the most convenient server depending on your location. However, you can change the location both before and after connecting.

In fact, you can add any server to your favorites list for more convenient access in the future. Additionally, you can create shortcuts to your favorite apps and websites.

This is how you can easily access Netflix programming in the USA.

Or, if you are studying a foreign language like Portuguese, you can access Netflix Brazil just by changing the server.

Do you want to see the latest Bollywood hits? All you have to do is selecting the India server.

The possibilities are endless. Access to restricted content is just one of the many benefits of having a premium provider like ExpressVPN.

P2P, Does ExpressVPN Allow Torrenting?

Yes, ExpressVPN allows you to download torrents while maintaining a high level of encryption to protect your privacy. Moreover, since ExpressVPN uses its own DNS servers, it can also eliminate the annoying download speed limits imposed by Internet Service Providers (ISP).

The ability to download content securely and privately is undoubtedly one of the main features to consider when choosing a VPN. In this regard, ExpressVPN has the most secure VPN protocols currently in use. That said, ExpressVPN’s approach to torrenting is not as friendly as its main competitor NordVPN.

In our review of NordVPN, we were able to see how Windows and macOS users have fast and convenient access to a list of pre-configured P2P servers. 

Sadly, that is not the case with ExpressVPN. 

You can use both IKEv2 and OpenVPN UDP protocols with ExpressVPN. Both provide you with an excellent level of privacy along with fast download speeds. On the other hand, you could also opt for ExpressVPN’s next-gen protocol, Lightway, which promises even faster download speeds.

However, unlike NordVPN, you will have to choose the protocols manually in the Protocol tab of the Preferences menu.

Our complaint with this approach is that it is far from being friendly or convenient for the average or advanced user. We would have loved it if ExpressVPN’s fabulous UI included a section to select these types of servers, something similar to what NordVPN does.

To make this point crystal clear, ExpressVPN has the necessary protocols to download torrents securely. However, you will need to manually adjust the preferences each time you want to use them. 

A possible workaround for some users would be to set the preferred P2P protocol in the preferences and use ExpressVPN with those settings for all kinds of tasks. However, as we will see in the next section, this may be inconvenient for advanced users.

Does ExpressVPN have Specialty Servers?

The short answer is yes, ExpressVPN has specialty servers, however, accessing them is not a trivial task.

Before going deeper into this topic, it is convenient to clarify what specialty servers are. Given that VPNs can be used for many purposes, some providers have set up servers with special configurations, hence the name specialty servers.

If you are reading this review, it’s because you are considering whether or not to subscribe to ExpressVPN. In this sense, if you are an advanced user, you may be wondering what kind of specialty servers ExpressVPN has. That is why we have prepared the following material to give you a clearer perspective of what you can expect from ExpressVPN regarding specialty servers.

Standard servers. As the name suggests, these are the normal servers you have access to in the list of countries. These servers can be manually configured to use different protocols depending on your needs.

Does ExpressVPN have double VPN servers? At the time of this writing, ExpressVPN does not have this type of specialty server available. Double VPN servers make two serial connections, first from your device to one VPN server and then to a second VPN server. This type of connection usually offers more privacy than a single connection.

Does ExpressVPN have onion over VPN servers? ExpressVPN does not offer such servers directly in its app, but since 2016 the company maintains a secure site on the Onion network, http://expressobutiolem.onion, which allows users to browse privately. The disadvantage of this approach is that you must download the official Tor Project browser to access the site. In contrast, providers such as NordVPN can connect directly from the app to Onion Over VPN specialty servers using your preferred browser.

Does ExpressVPN have dedicated IP servers? Sadly, at the time of this writing, ExpressVPN does not provide the option to use dedicated or static IPs. Although this is one of the more exclusive services, some VPN providers do offer this alternative.

Does ExpressVPN have obfuscated servers? Yes, ExpressVPN has obfuscated servers, but you will not get them listed on the app’s server list. To access this type of specialty server, you will need to contact the ExpressVPN support team. They will provide you with the available locations (server names) that use this type of connection. Needless to say, this procedure is extremely inconvenient, especially when other VPNs allow you to access their obfuscated servers directly. 

We would like to emphasize again that the availability of specialty servers is an issue that mainly affects advanced users. If you only want to unblock streaming services and download torrents, these features (or lack of them) do not affect you at all.

ExpressVPN Kill Switch

Leaving advanced topics aside for a moment, we come across a feature that every VPN should have—a kill switch.

A kill switch is a security mechanism that blocks traffic from your device in the event that the secure connection to the VPN is interrupted. This allows you to maintain your privacy at all times, even if your connection is unstable. Now, does ExpressVPN have a Kill Switch? Yes, it does. In fact, it has this feature enabled for its Windows and macOS apps as well as the Android and iOS apps.

As you can see, ExpressVPN does not call it a kill switch but considers it a feature called Network Lock. ExpressVPN’s Network Lock also allows you to decide if other devices connected to the network (such as printers, file servers, NAS, etc.) can be accessed when a secure connection is established. 

Regardless of how ExpressVPN calls the Kill Switch, the question that many advanced users must be asking is, what kind of Kill Switch does ExpressVPN offer? 

Unlike other VPN vendors that let you choose between using a system-wide Kill Switch or an app-level Kill Switch, ExpressVPN only provides the former. In other words, you cannot choose which applications use the Kill Switch, but your device completely freezes when the secure connection is lost.

Does ExpressVPN Support VPN Split Tunneling?

Currently, ExpressVPN only offers split tunneling for its Windows and Android apps. It is worth noting that this feature is also available for most versions of macOS before Big Sur, specifically, from macOS Yosemite (10.10) to Catalina (10.15).

Split tunneling is a convenient feature for both novice and expert users. When activated, it allows you to browse safely using ExpressVPN strong encryption while also using your local IP for other purposes. 

Believe us; there are many use cases where this can make your life easier.

For example, split tunneling allows you to configure a specific browser to use the VPN connection and thus enjoy Netflix or Disney+ restricted content. If you wish, you can configure ExpressVPN so that the rest of your apps use your real IP and thus have access to local content. The advantage of this dual connection is that you don’t need to turn the VPN server on and off; all you have to do is decide which apps will use ExpressVPN and which ones are not.

ExpressVPN currently supports three types of Split Tunneling:

System-wide VPN. This is the default mode where all apps use the encrypted VPN connection. In other words, it’s the equivalent of having the split tunneling turned off.

App Exclusion. This mode lets you select which apps will not use the VPN. This mode is useful if you plan to use a secure connection for almost all but a few of your apps.

Inverse Split. This is a handy mode if you only want to use the VPN with a few apps. For example, if you only plan to use ExpressVPN to watch Netflix and download torrents, you can configure Firefox and your preferred P2P app to use the VPN while the rest of your apps use your local IP.

Some vendors offer an additional mode called URL splitting, which allows you to choose which specific URLs should use your local IP. However, at the moment, ExpressVPN does not have such a mode.

While split tunneling provides enormous convenience, it is not a feature available on all platforms. As mentioned above, it is only available in versions of macOS before Big Sur, Windows, and Android. We are sure that ExpressVPN will update its app to work on iOS and macOS Big Sur shortly but keep in mind that this feature is not supported at the moment.

Supported Protocols

We have mentioned that ExpressVPN uses the most secure protocols currently available. But what are those protocols exactly? In this section, we will list the most popular VPN protocols and their level of support in ExpressVPN.

OpenVPN. Said by ExpressVPN’s own technical team, OpenVPN is one of the best protocols currently in use. In fact, all ExpressVPN apps support both OpenVPN TCP and OpenVPN UDP VPN protocols. So if you are one of the millions of users who trust this protocol, know that with ExpressVPN, you can use it without problems.

IKEv2. This is one of the safest and most efficient protocols for mobile devices since it has the advantage of maintaining a secure connection even when switching from WiFi to LTE or 5G. If you are wondering if ExpressVPN supports IKEv2, the answer is yes. So if you need protection on the go, you can count on this protocol.

WireGuard. Despite all the hype around this modern and efficient open-source VPN protocol, it is not supported by ExpressVPN (yet). In defense of ExpressVPN, WireGuard is still under development, so hopefully, it will be included in the future when it reaches a more stable version.

L2TP/IPsec. At one point, this was one of the most secure VPN protocols on the market. However, since the widespread use of OpenVPN, this protocol has been forgotten, mainly due to its slow transmission speeds. Is it supported by ExpressVPN? Yes, it is still supported by ExpressVPN, so if you prefer to use this old but secure protocol, you can.

Lightway (UDP and TCP). Last but not least, we have the brilliant Lightway protocol developed by the expert team at ExpressVPN. With Lightway, ExpressVPN seeks to combine the speed and stability of the leading protocols on the market in a single product. For this, Lightway uses the cryptography library wolfSSL and sophisticated mechanisms that allow it to be safe and fast. According to the ExpressVPN team, this should be your preferred VPN protocol.

As you can see, despite not supporting WireGuard, ExpressVPN has numerous protocol options. So regardless of whether your priority is higher speed or utmost privacy, ExpressVPN won’t let you down. We recommend reading this interesting post on the ExpressVPN blog for more information on these and other VPN protocols.

Supported Platforms

ExpressVPN is recognized as one of the most comprehensive VPNs in the industry. No wonder. The list of supported devices is enviable.

• Windows 10, 8, 7
• macOS 10+ (Some features not available in macOS Big Sur)
• Linux
• Chromebook
• Android 7+
• iOS 11+
• iPadOS
• Firefox
• Google Chrome
• Amazon Fire Tablet
• Routers (DD-WRT, D-Link, Netduma, Sabai, Tomato, TP-Link)
• Streaming media consoles (Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Android TV, Chromecast)
• And many other devices that can be configured manually.

There is no doubt that one of ExpressVPN greatest achievements is that it provides a consistent user experience across all of these platforms. And if you think this is trivial, then think again because it is not. 

ExpressVPN’s attention to detail is one of the main reasons explaining why it has so many subscribers. Let’s be honest, 80% of VPN subscribers are not interested in knowing what’s under the hood. What they are looking for is a VPN that allows them to browse with maximum privacy and security. In this sense, ExpressVPN stands out from its competitors by providing a clean, mobile-inspired interface.

For example, if you are used to the Windows app.

And then, use ExpressVPN on your MacBook Air; you won’t notice any major differences.

When going from one platform to the other, the learning curve is zero since all the options and menus are almost identical.

With few exceptions, the same is true for Android and iOS apps. In short, ExpressVPN leads the competition in terms of ease of use and consistency of the user experience across all of its platforms.

ExpressVPN Servers Locations

We have talked about protocols, advanced functions, and user experience, but in truth, none of that matters if the VPN provider does not have enough servers around the world. Thankfully, the number of servers will not be a concern if you subscribe with ExpressVPN. From a coverage standpoint, no one comes close to ExpressVPN. We are talking about more than 3000 VPN servers in 94 countries, a figure that is difficult to beat. 

Only in the United States ExpressVPN has servers in all major cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and more. This ensures that you always have enough bandwidth and low latency, especially for streaming services.

All in all, if you need a VPN service that gives you an IP from a specific country, chances are that ExpressVPN has it. For a complete list of the countries where ExpressVPN has a presence (and what protocols are supported), you can visit their server locations page.

Customer Support

In many ways, ExpressVPN customer support follows the trend of other leaders in the VPN industry, providing multiple support channels such as tutorials, videos, FAQs, blog posts, contact forms, etc. Moreover, although ExpressVPN does not have a contact phone number, if you want to talk to a human you can do so through their 24/7 live chat support.

Another trend that ExpressVPN has echoed is maintaining a strong social media presence. This is how you can find many instructions and how-to guides on ExpressVPN’s official YouTube channel or keep up to date (and even contact support) via ExpressVPN’s Twitter account.

ExpressVPN Price

Since many people are working from home, the demand for reliable VPN services has exploded. This has resulted in a lot of noise regarding the price of VPNs. We are not just talking about competition between big-name companies like ExpressVPN, but about a communication struggle to educate the public about the risks of free VPNs. In fact, ExpressVPN has dedicated an entire page to explain why a paid VPN is the best VPN.

That said, you may be tempted to go for the cheapest VPN. While that’s a valid option, keep in mind that not all VPNs can unblock Netflix content or give you the security of torrenting in complete anonymity.

How can you evaluate the price of ExpressVPN then? Simple, comparing it to a similar competitor. To that end, we have prepared a comparison between ExpressVPN and its most formidable competition, NordVPN.

However, before analyzing the prices, it is essential to make a clarification. VPN prices are seasonal. You can check it yourself below.

As you can see, NordVPN offers huge discounts on their 2-year plan every so often.

ExpressVPN uses a similar strategy but on its 15-month plan. Interestingly, both are usually discounted simultaneously.

Having clarified the point of seasonal discounts, we will proceed to analyze the prices of both companies.

NordVPN. From a formal point of view, you can expect to pay as little as $3.71 per month when the service is on sale. However, you must consider that you must subscribe for 2 years and pay $89 in advance for this.

ExpressVPN. Although the cheapest plan has is $6.67 per month, you should consider that the subscription is for 15 months and that you will have to pay $99.95 in advance.

Clearly, ExpressVPN does not stand out for having an affordable price. In fact, it is arguably one of the most expensive VPNs of its kind. So if the price is a determining factor in your decision, ExpressVPN may not be the best alternative.

On the other hand, if you are looking for one of the safest VPNs globally, and without a doubt, the one that provides the best user experience, then ExpressVPN is for you.

Privacy, Does ExpressVPN Log My Data?

No, ExpressVPN doesn’t track or share your private information.

Online security and privacy are not limited to tests that you can run from your device. It goes much further. Below we make a summary of the most important points that make ExpressVPN a service you can trust.

• Log Policy. ExpressVPN does not store information about your browsing activity. However, to enhance technical troubleshooting, ExpressVPN saves some metadata such as the operating system used, version of the app, which servers are used the most, and amount of data transferred per day. While this information is not sufficient to identify users, ExpressVPN is transparent in admitting that it uses such metadata. 
• Based in the British Virgin Islands. As stated on their website, “ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, a jurisdiction with strong privacy legislation and no data retention requirements.”
• Crypto friendly. To help maintain privacy, ExpressVPN accepts cryptocurrencies.

ExpressVPN takes privacy very seriously. An entire page of their website is dedicated to the Signals of Trustworthy VPNs, an article that we recommend reading to have a clearer vision of the company’s privacy policies.

ExpressVPN review: Verdict

ExpressVPN provides the most polished, friendly, and homogeneous user experience in the VPN industry. Additionally, ExpressVPN uses the most recent VPN protocols, including its own VPN protocol, Lightway. Another point in its favor is that it has servers in more than 90 countries, giving you enormous flexibility to decide which IP address you want to use.

We believe that ExpressVPN has succeeded in providing a set of unique benefits, such as ease of use, excellent security and privacy, and a huge list of servers to choose from. This is why it remains one of our preferred VPNs, especially for inexperienced users looking for an easy-to-use app.