ExpressVPN review: My first-hand experience in 2026

After a recent close call with a very convincing fraudster who, armed with my card number, phone number and name, could have cleaned out my business bank account in seconds, I am now erring on the slightly obsessive side of online security.

I am no stranger to VPNs (virtual private networks that encrypt your internet connection), having used them regularly to unblock streaming content whilst travelling.

But now that I know my bank details were breached somehow, I use a VPN whenever I connect to any public or unknown network. Just to be on the safe side.

I won’t just use any VPN provider, though. I need to know my connection is genuinely encrypted, backed by a strict no-logs policy, with a good variety of servers and speeds fast enough to use the internet as normal. And as a bonus, a decent VPN will still unblock my favourite streaming services.

ExpressVPN is one I’ve used a lot since I first set out on my travels, but after this close call, I decided to put them through a proper test and have been using their service daily ever since. In this ExpressVPN review, I’ll cover my full experience, including speeds, server count, streaming, privacy, security features, and pricing.

Sign up to ExpressVPN here

What is ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN is one of the OG VPN brands, having launched back in 2009. It’s a virtual private network service that encrypts your internet connection and routes it through one of its servers in another location, hiding your real IP address and keeping your online activity private.

This makes your internet connection more secure, especially on public WiFi, and it lets you appear as if you’re browsing from another country. I find this particularly useful when I’m trying to watch my home Netflix library from a hotel abroad, or for protecting my data when working from a public WiFi network in a cafe or airport.

The service is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, which sits outside major data-sharing jurisdictions, and it operates a strict no-logs policy that has been independently audited multiple times. It currently offers servers in 105 countries and apps for pretty much every device you can think of, from your laptop and phone to your smart TV, games console, and router.

Here is a summary of ExpressVPN’s key features:

• Servers in 105 countries
• Lightway protocol with Lightway Turbo for top speeds
• TrustedServer technology (RAM-only, nothing written to disk)
• Independently audited no-logs policy
• Network Lock kill switch and built-in obfuscation
• ExpressMailGuard private email aliasing (Included with Basic, Advanced and Pro plans)
• ExpressKeys password manager (Included with Advanced and Pro plans)
• ExpressAI private-by-design AI assistant (Included with Pro plan)
• Up to 14 simultaneous device connections
• 24/7 live chat and 30-day money-back guarantee

My experience

I first started using ExpressVPN many years ago, when I was looking for ways to watch my favourite home TV shows whilst travelling. More recently, following the close call I mentioned above, I’ve been using their service far more extensively, and I’ll share my full experience with you below.

Impressively fast speeds with Lightway Turbo

One of the things I love about ExpressVPN is the speed, and a big part of that comes down to Lightway, their in-house VPN protocol. The newer Lightway Turbo upgrade has given everything a noticeable boost, designed to keep speeds high even when you’re streaming, on a video call or uploading big files.

Of course, the proof is in the pudding. So I ran a few speed tests from my flat in London, comparing ExpressVPN against another well-known VPN provider:

• London server: ExpressVPN clocked 689 Mbps download / 98 Mbps upload. The other provider managed just 190 Mbps download / 66 Mbps upload.
• Boston server (tested from London): ExpressVPN hit 734 Mbps download / 90 Mbps upload. The other provider came in at 731 Mbps download / 75 Mbps upload.

Funnily enough, both VPNs were faster connecting to Boston than to London (where I am based!)

On top of these tests, in my day-to-day use, I genuinely haven’t noticed a difference between browsing with ExpressVPN on or off. Streaming is smooth, pages load instantly, and uploading image-heavy blog posts to WordPress feels just as quick as ever.

Servers in 105 countries

ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries, with around 170 different server locations spread across them. Coverage is the best in Europe and North America (the US alone has a server in every single state).

They also reach plenty of places that other VPNs skip altogether, like Cuba. And when I browsed their full list, I could see that all their servers are using Lightway (mentioned above), so I imagine speeds will be great throughout!

Whilst they don’t have the largest country count of all the best VPN providers, as a well-known competitor edges them out by a small handful of countries, I don’t believe it’ll make a difference for the large majority of people. For the average traveller like me, ExpressVPN’s coverage is more than enough.

I have even used their library of servers to help find cheaper flights, which has, on occasion, helped me save a few pennies!

Reliable for streaming (Netflix and more)

My Netflix account is very strict about location, and there have only been a few countries where I’ve been able to use it like normal. Even then, when it does work, the library will change depending on where I am. Which sometimes means I can’t access the particular show that I was watching back home.

This is one of the main reasons I started using a VPN in the first place, and ExpressVPN rarely lets me down when it comes to streaming. I connect to a UK server, sign into my Netflix account as normal, and watch my usual library.

It’s not just Netflix either. I’ve used ExpressVPN to access BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 from abroad (UK channels), and it even held up brilliantly when I decided to binge The Sopranos on HBO whilst in Mexico.

Strong privacy with TrustedServer technology

This is the bit that gives me peace of mind after my close call with the fraudster. ExpressVPN runs all of its servers on RAM only, which means no data is ever written to a hard drive. Every time a server reboots, everything on it is wiped clean. If anyone ever did manage to get hold of one of their servers, there’d simply be nothing on it to find.

Pair that with their strict no-logs policy (which has been independently audited), and you have a setup where ExpressVPN itself couldn’t hand over your browsing history even if it wanted to.

For me, this matters most when I’m working from cafés, hotels and airport lounges. Public WiFi is notoriously dodgy, with anyone on the same network potentially able to snoop on what you’re doing.

Knowing my connection is encrypted, my data isn’t being logged, and there’s no paper trail being kept on a server somewhere helps me to rest at night.

Advanced Protection built in

Beyond the VPN itself, ExpressVPN has a bunch of additional features that work in the background to block ads, trackers and malicious websites. You can toggle it on and off very easily in the settings of your app.

I was sceptical that I’d notice much of a difference, but once I switched it on, the change was instant. I no longer saw ads being displayed on almost every site I visited, pages loaded faster, and the whole browsing experience just felt cleaner.

And it saves me money from buying a just-as-decent standalone ad blocker! However, it only works when your VPN is actually switched on. The moment you disconnect, the ads come flooding back. This isn’t a deal breaker for me, but it is worth knowing if you tend to turn your VPN on and off a bit, as I do.

Competitive pricing

ExpressVPN used to have a reputation for being one of the pricier VPNs on the market. In 2026, though, they updated their pricing to be a little more accessible:

• Basic: from $3.49/month (on a 2-year plan)
• Advanced: from $4.49/month (adds ExpressKeys password manager and a few extras)
• Pro: from $7.49/month (adds a dedicated IP, ExpressMailGuard, and identity protection tools)

The Basic plan gives you the full VPN experience (all the speed, all the security features, all 105 countries’ worth of servers), so unless you specifically want the bundled extras, it’s all you’ll need.

Compared to other major VPN providers, ExpressVPN’s Basic plan is priced pretty similarly (you’ll find a couple of providers offering similar features for around $2/month, but they tend to fall behind on speed and reliability). For a fast service that has been independently audited many times, I think it’s good value.

There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans, which means you can give it a proper test run with zero risk. If it’s not for you, you get your money back!

ExpressVPN review verdict

Having used ExpressVPN on a daily basis since my close call with the scam, I can honestly say it has been an absolute breeze. The speeds have been so good that I have barely noticed I have a VPN running in the background at all times.

But where I do notice it is when I’m browsing the internet, which is now pretty much clear of all irritating adverts! This is all thanks to their Advanced Protection features, which block ads, trackers, and malicious sites.

I have used many other VPN providers on my travels, and really, when it comes to speed and reliability, there are only a handful that I would use. And ExpressVPN is one of them.

Basic plans start at $3.49/month, and the 30-day money-back guarantee means you can give it a proper test run with less risk!

If you’re a frequent traveller, work from public WiFi, or just want to keep watching your usual streaming services from abroad, I believe that ExpressVPN will be a great tool for you – particularly if you want to avoid a data breach situation like mine!

Sign up to ExpressVPN here