By Jordan Brennan · Editor & Lead Tester
Last updated: April 24, 2026 · Fact-checked: April 2026
Our verdict
Visit ExpressVPNExpressVPN is the most polished premium VPN on the market. If budget is a distant second to reliability, Lightway and TrustedServer make it hard to beat.
Quick facts
| Price from | $4.99/mo |
|---|---|
| Refund window | 30 days |
| Servers | 3,000+ |
| Countries | 105 |
| Simultaneous connections | 8 devices |
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands |
| No-logs audit | Yes — audited by KPMG & Cure53 |
| Protocols | Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| Encryption | AES-256-GCM |
| Kill switch | Yes |
| Split tunneling | Yes |
Pros
- Lightway protocol is extremely fast and lightweight
- TrustedServer (RAM-only) infrastructure wipes data on reboot
- Consistently unblocks the most streaming catalogs
- Audited no-logs policy (KPMG, Cure53)
- Excellent apps for routers and smart TVs
Cons
- Priciest among the top five
- Only 8 simultaneous connections
How we tested
Tested April 10-21, 2026 on a 1 Gbps fiber connection. Lightway protocol used for all speed tests. Streaming tested from a fresh browser profile with clean cookies.
Speed test results
| Server | Download | Upload | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| US — Washington DC | 830 Mbps | 610 Mbps | 19 ms |
| US — Los Angeles | 760 Mbps | 540 Mbps | 44 ms |
| UK — London | 590 Mbps | 410 Mbps | 110 ms |
| Japan — Tokyo | 310 Mbps | 220 Mbps | 162 ms |
| Australia — Melbourne | 190 Mbps | 140 Mbps | 204 ms |
Streaming test results
| Service | Result |
|---|---|
| Netflix US | ✓ Unblocked |
| Netflix UK | ✓ Unblocked |
| Netflix Japan | ✓ Unblocked |
| Netflix Australia | ✓ Unblocked |
| Disney+ | ✓ Unblocked |
| Hulu | ✓ Unblocked |
| HBO Max | ✓ Unblocked |
| BBC iPlayer | ✓ Unblocked |
Company background and jurisdiction
ExpressVPN is operated by Express VPN International Ltd, registered in the British Virgin Islands. In 2021, Kape Technologies acquired ExpressVPN for approximately $936 million. Kape also owns CyberGhost, Private Internet Access, and Zenmate — a consolidation of several large consumer VPN brands under a single parent. The acquisition raised questions about Kape's earlier adtech history (as Crossrider), but subsequent audits of ExpressVPN's infrastructure have continued to pass. The BVI remains outside all major intelligence-sharing alliances and has no mandatory data-retention laws.Privacy, audits, and TrustedServer
ExpressVPN has been audited more times and by more firms than almost any other commercial VPN. KPMG audited the no-logs policy in 2022 and 2024. Cure53 audited the browser extensions and Lightway protocol implementation multiple times. PwC audited the TrustedServer infrastructure — ExpressVPN's RAM-only server system — in 2019 and 2022. TrustedServer is worth special attention: every ExpressVPN server runs entirely in RAM and loads a freshly generated operating system on every reboot. This means any data that could theoretically be written to disk is destroyed on a regular schedule, making server seizure attacks mostly moot.Speed and Lightway protocol
ExpressVPN's proprietary Lightway protocol is open source and specifically designed for quick reconnection on mobile devices. In our tests, Lightway performed essentially on par with NordLynx and WireGuard — 830 Mbps to Washington DC from a 1 Gbps baseline, 590 Mbps to London — though NordLynx edged it out on raw throughput by 3-5%. Where Lightway excels is reconnection time. When we deliberately cut the VPN tunnel on iOS and triggered an automatic reconnect, Lightway re-established the session in under 1 second across twenty trials. This matters in real life: dropping off Wi-Fi and picking up cellular on a phone should not leave your traffic exposed while the tunnel renegotiates.Streaming and unblocking
ExpressVPN unblocked all eight streaming services we tested on first attempt, including HBO Max, which is historically one of the harder unlocks. Netflix catalogs loaded reliably in the US, UK, Japan, Australia, and Canada. BBC iPlayer and ITVX worked from London servers. Disney+, Hulu, and Prime Video loaded immediately. Of the top five VPNs we tested, ExpressVPN had the highest overall unblock rate across a two-week test window.Apps, router support, and ecosystem
ExpressVPN publishes native apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux (CLI and GUI), and — uniquely among the top five — a dedicated firmware for home routers called Aircove. Aircove is a hardware router preconfigured with ExpressVPN; it is useful for households that want VPN coverage on smart TVs, consoles, and smart home devices that cannot run a VPN app natively. The desktop and mobile apps are minimalist and well-designed, with fewer features than NordVPN but a more polished user experience. Advanced features include Threat Manager (DNS-level tracker blocking), split tunneling on every platform, and built-in kill switches that survive app crashes.Pricing and value
ExpressVPN is the priciest of our top five at $4.99/month on the 2-year plan. That is roughly 50% more than Surfshark and 45% more than NordVPN. The premium buys you the best-polished apps, the most reliable streaming unlocks, and the longest audit history. Whether that premium is worth it depends on how much you value polish versus value. For readers prioritizing budget, NordVPN delivers 95% of the experience for 60% of the price. For readers who want the most reliable premium VPN without qualifications, ExpressVPN remains the benchmark.Who should pick ExpressVPN
Pick ExpressVPN if streaming reliability is your top priority, if you travel frequently and need a VPN that reconnects quickly across Wi-Fi and cellular transitions, or if you want the most polished apps. Pick a different VPN if you are price-sensitive (NordVPN and Surfshark are both cheaper) or if you need more than eight simultaneous device connections (Surfshark is unlimited).Ready to try ExpressVPN?
From $4.99/mo with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
ExpressVPN FAQ
Is ExpressVPN the fastest VPN in 2026? +
It is tied with NordVPN at the top of our 2026 speed rankings. NordLynx edged Lightway by 3-5% on raw throughput, but Lightway reconnects faster — a real advantage on mobile.
Is ExpressVPN safe after the Kape acquisition? +
ExpressVPN has passed four independent audits (two by KPMG, one by PwC, multiple by Cure53) since the 2021 Kape acquisition. Its TrustedServer RAM-only infrastructure remains verified.
Does ExpressVPN work in China? +
Yes. ExpressVPN has servers specifically tuned for use in countries with active VPN blocking. It is one of the few VPNs that reliably works from mainland China as of our April 2026 testing.
How many devices can I use with ExpressVPN? +
Eight simultaneous connections per subscription. If you need more, either install ExpressVPN on your router (one slot, all traffic covered) or consider Surfshark for unlimited devices.