Alternatives to ExpressVPN
Premium VPN with the Lightway protocol
ExpressVPN ranks #6 of 9 in Personal VPNs, with an Alt Score of 85. It is proprietary, sold by subscription from $3.49/month and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension. 11 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Individuals who want to protect their online privacy and security, including travelers, remote workers, and anyone using public Wi-Fi. Also useful for people who want to browse without geographic content restrictions.
Access to VPN servers in 113 countries, encrypted via ExpressVPN's proprietary Lightway protocol with AES-256 encryption. Includes a no-logs policy (independently audited), kill switch, split tunneling, and private DNS. Apps are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, routers, and major browsers, with up to 8 simultaneous connections.
Install the ExpressVPN app on a device, sign in, and connect to a server location; traffic is then routed through an encrypted tunnel that masks the device's IP address and location.
Where ExpressVPN stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave ExpressVPN
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Personal VPNs checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
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| Personal VPNs checklist | ExpressVPN | Private Internet Access | Windscribe | Surfshark | NordVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Independent audit published | ||||||
| No-logs policy jurisdiction | ||||||
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| Kill switch | ||||||
| Split tunneling | ||||||
| Port forwarding | ||||||
| Dedicated IP option | ||||||
| P2P allowed | ||||||
| RAM-only servers | ||||||
| Anonymous payment accepted |
Every fact and feature listed for ExpressVPN is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Pricing model Subscription verified 2026-07-11
ExpressVPN offers three subscription tiers: Basic, Advanced, and Express Pro.
https://www.expressvpn.com/support/manage-account/available-subscriptions/ -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension verified 2026-07-11
ExpressVPN is available for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and more.
https://www.expressvpn.com/vpn-download -
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
Usage of any material that is subject to ExpressVPN's intellectual property rights is prohibited unless you have been provided with explicit written consent by ExpressVPN.
https://www.expressvpn.com/tos -
Starts at $3.49/month verified 2026-07-11
starting at just 3.49 USD/month on a two-year plan
https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/introducing-expressvpn-tiered-pricing/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Since 2009, ExpressVPN has helped millions of people take control of their online privacy.
https://www.expressvpn.com/about-us -
Independent audit published Yes verified 2026-07-11
We engage independent auditors to review the security of our services and software.
https://www.expressvpn.com/trust -
No-logs policy jurisdiction Yes verified 2026-07-11
We're registered in the British Virgin Islands, which is a jurisdiction with strong privacy laws.
https://www.expressvpn.com/what-is-vpn/policy-towards-logs -
WireGuard support Yes verified 2026-07-11
Yes. ExpressVPN offers a custom-built WireGuard implementation across its apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and tvOS (Apple TV).
https://www.expressvpn.com/what-is-vpn/protocols/wireguard -
Server count / countries Yes verified 2026-07-11
Servers in 113 Countries
https://www.expressvpn.com/vpn-server -
Simultaneous devices Yes verified 2026-07-11
One ExpressVPN subscription covers up to 14 simultaneous active connections, giving you access to our full ExpressVPN feature suite on every platform.
https://www.expressvpn.com/features/how-many-devices-can-i-connect -
Kill switch Yes verified 2026-07-11
automatically blocks all internet traffic until the secure VPN tunnel is restored
https://www.expressvpn.com/features/network-lock -
Split tunneling Yes verified 2026-07-11
choose which apps or websites use the VPN and which connect directly
https://www.expressvpn.com/features/split-tunneling -
Port forwarding No verified 2026-07-11
ExpressVPN doesn't support port forwarding on its VPN servers.
https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/vpn-ports/ -
Dedicated IP option Yes verified 2026-07-11
a unique IP address assigned only to you
https://www.expressvpn.com/features/dedicated-ip -
RAM-only servers Yes verified 2026-07-11
All data wiped with every reboot, as VPN servers run on RAM only
https://www.expressvpn.com/features/trustedserver -
Anonymous payment accepted Yes verified 2026-07-11
ExpressVPN is committed to ensuring user privacy, which is why we have been accepting Bitcoin payments for users signing up for new accounts since 2014.
https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/expressvpn-now-accepts-bitcoin/
FAQ
Yes. Windscribe, Proton VPN and Cloudflare WARP have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Windscribe, Proton VPN and Mullvad — every license claim links its source.