Express VPN Review 2021

When choosing the right web proxy service, you will want to find a company that offers the best options for both security and speed, along with the ability to configure the software to suit your needs. One way to make sure you find the best option for your needs is by taking a look at what the ExpressVpn company has to offer.

To access content only available from a specific country, connect through a VPN server in that particular country: Under the ExpressVpn website, select the “Map” icon in the left menu bar. Select the country of your choice and then click the “Map” icon again. Your browser will now show the map of that specific country.

You can also connect to servers on a single continent. Here, you will connect through a single server that has an address in the area code of your country. Here, the IP address is not necessarily unique and therefore does not give you any privacy. You can also select from the country of your choice and then enter the desired address. This feature is particularly handy if you are connecting to a specific web site or to someone who is located in another part of the world.

Important! The IP address that you use for your server should not be the same as your personal or business computer. By doing this, you will allow other people to trace your internet activities back to you and will expose your internet protocol address to other parties that could be a risk. Therefore, it is recommended that you select a different address when using the service.

When you are connected through a server, you will see a list of the countries that the server supports. If you have a business in a country that does not support ExpressVpn, you will not be able to access your content. If you do use a country that supports the service, however, you will find that the security offered by this web proxy service is exceptional.

Another advantage of this type of web proxy service is the ability to log your browsing activity and save it in order to read it later. This is also useful if you need to monitor your website’s traffic to see what kind of traffic is flowing through your website. You can even log in when you are connected through a VPN server and view your activities. and use this information to help you improve your website’s performance.

Different features that come with a company’s web proxy server include logging the websites you visit and what pages you are visiting. You can log the websites you visit and what you are visiting. on a daily basis. If you do not use a proxy server, then you will have to worry about being connected to a number of web sites that you do not want to have access to.

You will also be able to use the web proxy service if you are concerned about privacy. You can choose the IP address of a server you want to connect through and then choose an anonymous proxy server that is secure and anonymous to protect your privacy.

An important thing that you want to do is set up a username and password. With many web proxy servers, you can set up these two pieces of information separately, so you will be able to change them if you want to. Also, you should be sure to change your passwords frequently to keep your identity safe. The more information you give out, the less likely it is that someone will steal it and use it for their own malicious purposes.

Another important thing that you want to do is make sure that you use a service that provides quality service. There are many companies out there that claim to offer high quality service, but fail to deliver. This is especially important if you are using the web proxy to access a secure connection. You will want to use a company that does not use a random IP address. and offers a secure connection to protect your identity.

Remember that when you are selecting a web proxy server, there is no reason that you cannot use a company that offers reliable and secure services. If you take the time to learn more about how to use the web proxy server, you can increase your website’s security and anonymity.

 

 

Express VPN Pricing and Features

ExpressVPN has three subscription options: $12.95 billed each month, $59.95 billed every six months, and $99.95 billed annually. Like most services, the only difference is for how long you commit. The company accepts payment by all major credit cards, PayPal, and other services such as Alipay and WebMoney. ExpressVPN subscriptions can also be purchased with Bitcoin.

 

The current monthly price of a VPN service averages around $10.10, which is quite a bit below ExpressVPN’s $12.95 asking price. Many VPNs come in well below the average. Mullvad, for example, costs just $5.54 per month, making it one of the cheapest VPNs available.

The only thing cheaper than cheap is free, and ExpressVPN does not offer a free VPN subscription. That’s unfortunate, because the best way to tell if a VPN will work for you is to try it out at home. TunnelBear VPN does offer a free trial, but limits you to 500MB of data per month, while HotSpot Shield’s free subscription cuts you off at 500MB per day. ProtonVPN, on the other hand, places no data restrictions on its free subscription and has a flexible pricing structure that can get you started for $5.00 per month.

Previously, ExpressVPN limited you to just three simultaneous connections from different devices. I’m happy to say that the company has improved its offering to match the industry average of five simultaneous connections. That welcome change comes a little late as several VPNs challenge that expectation by offering less restrictive plans. NordVPN offers six connections, and CyberGhost seven, while TorGuard VPN lets you choose how many connections you’d like with a simple slider that goes from five to 205. Avira Phantom VPN, Encrypt.me VPN, Ghostery Midnight, Surfshark VPN, and Windscribe VPN don’t even bother to limit the number of simultaneous connections.

Window showing a successful connection

Alternatively, you can spring for a router preloaded with ExpressVPN software, thanks to a partnership between ExpressVPN and FlashRouters. Or you can follow ExpressVPN’s instructions and configure the router yourself. The advantage of a VPN-enabled router is that it protects every device on your network, including those that can’t run VPNs on their own, and effectively lets you connect an infinite number of devices. ExpressVPN notably provides apps or installation instructions on a dizzying number of platforms, so you’re sure to find something that meets your needs.

VPN Protocols

VPNs are a mature technology and as such there are a lot of different ways to create a VPN connection. I prefer OpenVPN, which is an open-source project. That means its code has been picked 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 on Windows only. I don’t recommend using either, unless you absolutely have to for some obscure legacy reason.

 

Two app windows, showing the available VPN protocols

It’s notable that ExpressVPN supports OpenVPN in its iOS app. Apple makes app developers that wish to use OpenVPN jump through additional hoops, so some developers don’t bother. ExpressVPN also supports the IKEv1/2 protocols on iOS, which is my next-best choice of VPN protocol after OpenVPN.

The Wireguard protocol is the heir-apparent to the OpenVPN throne. This open-source project has been long in development and just recently left its experimental phase, leading some VPN companies to adopt it. In my limited testing, I have found this new technology to be extremely fast. I hope ExpressVPN follows suit, but it’s not a major issue for the moment.

Express VPN and Netflix

Streaming media is incredibly important for consumers, but streaming services like Netflix will sometimes block your access when you use a VPN. This is often in order to protect distribution agreements for streaming companies.

Fortunately, I was able to connect to Netflix while ExpressVPN was in use. Keep in mind that you may find yourself blocked, however since VPNs and Netflix are in an ongoing arms race over access.

Beyond VPN

Some VPN companies include additional features to help differentiate them from competitors. For example, NordVPN attempts to block advertising at the network level. Other companies attempt to block malicious URLs, or provide static public IP addresses. ExpressVPN does not offer these extras.

Speed and Performance

A perennial concern with VPNs is that using one will slow your internet connection to a crawl. While it is true that using a VPN will increase latency and reduce upload and download speeds, it’s usually a bearable experience. To get a sense of the impact a VPN has on your internet experience, we run a series of tests using the Ookla speedtest tool. (Note that Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns PCMag.) I run through the nitty-gritty of our testing elsewhere, so be sure to read that if you’re curious about my methodologies.

Keep in mind that network connections are mercurial things, and your individual experience will probably differ from mine. Think of these results as more of a snapshot for comparison, rather than a final verdict on performance.

In my testing, I found that ExpressVPN performed well, increasing latency by only 65.2 percent. This beat out a median of 69.6 percent. My tests showed that ExpressVPN decreased download speed tests scores by 71.8 percent and upload speed test scores by 76.3 percent. The median result for these two categories is 68.5 percent and 63.6 percent, respectively. ExpressVPN cut fairly close to those figures.

You can see how ExpressVPN compares in the chart below with the top nine performers among the nearly 40 services we tested.

Table showing the nine fastest VPNs

According to my testing, Hotspot Shield VPN is the fastest VPN based on its comparatively small impact on download speeds and latency. Surfshark, however, is close behind, racking up a peerless upload score and narrowly missing Hotspot Shield’s download score. That said, I believe that features and overall value are far more important than speed, and discourage readers from judging a VPN solely off these results.

ExpressVPN on Other Platforms

ExpressVPN offers apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. I highly recommend that people use an app with a VPN, since it is easier to use, requires no manual configuration, and grants access to additional features. ExpressVPN also supports Linux users with a command line tool.

ExpressVPN also has plug-ins available for browsers, including Safari, Firefox, and Chrome. Note that browser plug-ins function as proxies, letting you change the apparent location of only your browser traffic, and don’t apply the same encryption found with VPN protocols.

ExpressVPN provides Fire TV and Kindle Fire apps, and instructions for using the service on Apple TV, PlayStation, and Xbox devices.

Tough Competition

ExpressVPN is the premiere service for frequent travelers, or anyone who absolutely must have a server in a specific location. Its small reliance on virtual servers and emphasis on secure hardware set it apart from other VPN services that boast big server distributions. It has made a strong commitment to the privacy and security of its customers, and has worked to make its product a better value by allowing the industry average of five devices.

Despite its achievements, Editors’ Choice winners TunnelBear and ProtonVPN shine brighter, but not because of any failing on ExpressVPN’s part. These services simply offer a lot for less, making them more attractive to the average consumer. If you’re on the road often, require VPN access to a specific country, or are enticed by ExpressVPN’s privacy setup, however, ExpressVPN will not disappoint.

 

Related posts