How to use a VPN | ExpressVPN
Published by ExpressVPNWatch on YouTube
Updated Oct 5, 2026
VPN Services
ExpressVPN
VPN with RAM-based servers and router, smart TV and console support
From $6.24/mofree trial
ExpressVPN at a glance
from our research
Consumer VPN for multi-device homes, with apps for computers and phones plus routers, smart TVs and consoles
TrustedServer runs every server in RAM, so data is wiped at each reboot; KPMG assessed it in 2025
No free plan, and the free trial is 3 days and limited to the iOS and Android apps
Basic is $14.99 billed monthly, or $74.85 upfront for one year, renewing at $99.95 a year
Overview
What is ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN is a consumer VPN service that says it has helped people take control of their online privacy since 2009. It operates from the British Virgin Islands and joined the Kape Technologies family of privacy and security brands in 2021. It's sold in three tiers. Basic is the VPN with ad and malware blocking, Advanced adds the ExpressKeys password manager, more room in the ExpressMailGuard email relay and a 3 GB eSIM from holiday.com, and Express Pro adds ExpressAI and a dedicated IP address.
You install the app, connect, and your traffic runs through a server in one of 113 countries over WireGuard, OpenVPN or Lightway. ExpressVPN calls its server setup TrustedServer: every server runs on RAM only, so all data is wiped each time it reboots. An Internet Kill Switch blocks traffic if the VPN connection drops, and split tunneling sends chosen apps through the VPN while the rest use your regular connection. Lite Protection on Basic blocks ads, malicious sites and adult sites; Advanced Protection on the higher tiers blocks trackers as well.
There are apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android, support for routers, smart TVs and game consoles, and extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge. Basic covers 10 devices at once, Advanced 12 and Express Pro 14. Every tier is sold month to month or on longer terms billed upfront, all of them renew automatically, and first-time customers get a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Our verdict on ExpressVPN
Updated Oct 5, 2026Pricing checked Oct 5, 2026
ExpressVPN fits a household that wants one VPN subscription across every kind of device. Besides apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android, it supports routers, smart TVs and game consoles, and even Basic covers 10 devices at once. Its privacy claims have outside backing too. Every server runs on RAM only, KPMG's assessment as of 28 February 2025 gave reasonable assurance that TrustedServer and the privacy policy worked as designed, and the company says 23 third-party audits have been published.
The catch is the price structure. The one-year and two-year plans are sold at a first-term price and then renew at a higher yearly rate, so the checkout total understates what later years cost. The higher tiers also lean on extras, a password manager, more email aliases, an eSIM and AI credits, which only add value if you'd otherwise pay for them separately. There's no free plan, and the free trial lasts 3 days and runs only through the iOS and Android apps. Anyone who subscribes through the App Store or Google Play falls under Apple's or Google's refund rules rather than ExpressVPN's 30-day guarantee.
Most buyers need only Basic: the VPN, blocking for ads and malicious sites, and 10 devices. It costs $14.99 a month on a monthly plan, or $74.85 billed upfront for a one-year plan that renews at $99.95 a year, and that renewal is the number to budget on. Advanced costs $16.99 a month, or $89.85 upfront for a year and $119.95 a year at renewal, and adds tracker blocking and the ExpressKeys password manager. Express Pro, at $22.99 a month or $134.85 upfront renewing at $199.95 a year, includes a dedicated IP; on the other tiers that's an add-on at $8.99 a month.
Choose ExpressVPN if router, TV and console support from one provider matters to you and the renewal price fits your budget. If cost comes first, Proton VPN's VPN Plus renews at $83.88 a year for 10 devices and has a free plan you can try before paying. If the household has more devices than ExpressVPN's tiers allow, Surfshark permits unlimited simultaneous connections on every plan.
Written by Lokesh Kapoor
Pros & cons
ExpressVPN pros and cons
What it does well
- Servers run entirely in RAM, so stored data is wiped every time a server reboots
- KPMG gave reasonable assurance on its servers and privacy policy as of February 2025
- Supports routers, smart TVs and game consoles, plus Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions
- Basic covers 10 devices at once; Advanced covers 12 and Express Pro 14
Where it falls short
- Introductory prices rise at renewal: Basic's one-year plan goes from $74.85 to $99.95 a year
- The 30-day money-back guarantee excludes App Store and Google Play purchases
- A dedicated IP costs $8.99 a month extra unless you pay for Express Pro
Editor's assessment from vendor documentation and published pricing
Pricing
ExpressVPN pricing
ExpressVPN's paid plans start at $6.24/month, above the $5 median across the 5 tools in our VPN Services ranking. You can test it on a 3-day free trial.
Basic
$6.24/mo
per month
or $14.99/mo billed monthly
- 10 simultaneous devices
- Lite Protection: blocks ads and malicious sites
- ExpressMailGuard: 10 MB a month, 10 aliases
- Dedicated IP available as an add-on
Usage: 1-year price billed $74.85 upfront, renewing at $99.95 a year; 2-year price billed $83.72 upfront, renewing at the same $99.95 a year. Month to month renews at $14.99.
Advanced
$7.49/mo
per month
or $16.99/mo billed monthly
- 12 simultaneous devices
- Advanced Protection: also blocks trackers
- ExpressKeys password manager, 2FA authenticator
- ExpressMailGuard: 100 MB a month, 50 aliases
- Dedicated IP available as an add-on
Usage: 1-year price billed $89.85 upfront, renewing at $119.95 a year; 2-year price billed $125.72 upfront, renewing at the same $119.95 a year. Month to month renews at $16.99.
Express Pro
$11.24/mo
per month
or $22.99/mo billed monthly
- 14 simultaneous devices
- Dedicated IP included
- ExpressAI: 500 credits a day, 6 models
- ExpressMailGuard: unlimited relay and aliases
- ExpressKeys password manager, 2FA authenticator
Usage: 1-year price billed $134.85 upfront, renewing at $199.95 a year; 2-year price billed $209.72 upfront, renewing at the same $199.95 a year. Month to month renews at $22.99.
Checked against ExpressVPN (Kape Technologies)'s pricing page on October 5, 2026 · see the full breakdown
Capabilities
ExpressVPN features
Checked against the same feature list as every other tool in its category.
Privacy & Trust
- Not included:Anonymous signup & paymentRegister without an email address and pay in cash or cryptocurrency.
- Included:Independently audited no-logsA third-party firm has verified and published that the no-logs claim holds.
- Not included:Open-source appsClient source code is public and independently reviewable.
- Included:Privacy-friendly jurisdictionIncorporated outside major intelligence-sharing arrangements.
- Included:RAM-only serversServers run from memory, so a reboot wipes everything and nothing persists to disk.
Network & Speed
- Included:Dedicated IP optionA static IP address for services that block shared VPN addresses.Paid add-on, included in Express Pro
- Included:Large global server networkThousands of servers across many countries for choice and load spreading.
- Included:Reliable streaming accessConsistently works with major streaming services rather than intermittently.
- Included:WireGuard protocolModern protocol offering substantially better speed than legacy options.
Apps & Extras
- Included:Ad and tracker blockingBlocks ads, trackers and malicious domains at the DNS level.
- Not included:Free tierA free plan that stays usable, rather than a limited trial.
- Included:Kill switchBlocks all traffic if the VPN connection drops, preventing exposure.
- Included:Split tunnellingRoute selected apps through the VPN and the rest directly.
- Not included:Unlimited simultaneous devicesOne subscription covers every device you own without a connection cap.
Ecosystem
ExpressVPN integrations
- Router firmware
- Browser extensions
- Smart TV apps
Videos
Watch ExpressVPN in action
Product walkthroughs from ExpressVPN's own YouTube channel.
How to set up ExpressVPN on Windows
Published by ExpressVPNWatch on YouTube
Alternatives
Top ExpressVPN alternatives
Tools that do the same job, from the same category.
NordVPN
Best for households with up to 10 devices that want a VPN with audited no-logs claims
From $5.49/mo
Surfshark
Best for households that need one VPN plan to cover an unlimited number of devices
From $4.24/mo
Proton VPN
Best for privacy-minded users who want audited no-logs claims and a free plan to start on
Free plan
Fit check
Will ExpressVPN fit your team?
Support
- Email support
- Live chat
- Knowledge base
Training
- Documentation
- Video tutorials
Deployment
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
Typical users
- Freelancers
- Small businesses
- Mid-size companies
FAQs
ExpressVPN FAQs
Written by our editorial team.
How much does ExpressVPN cost?
ExpressVPN Basic costs $14.99 a month on a monthly plan, or $74.85 billed upfront for a one-year plan that renews at $99.95 a year. Advanced is $16.99 a month, or $89.85 upfront for a year, renewing at $119.95. Express Pro is $22.99 a month, or $134.85 upfront for a year, renewing at $199.95. Every plan renews automatically, and there's no free plan. See ExpressVPN pricing for the two-year terms and the dedicated IP add-on.
Does ExpressVPN have a free trial?
Only on phones and tablets. ExpressVPN offers a 3-day free trial on iOS and Android when you sign up through the app. On other devices, first-time customers rely on the 30-day money-back guarantee instead, which you claim by asking support over live chat or email. Purchases made through the App Store or Google Play aren't covered by that guarantee, because Apple's or Google's refund rules apply to them.
Does ExpressVPN keep logs?
ExpressVPN has a no-logs privacy policy, and KPMG LLP has assessed it. In an assessment as of 28 February 2025, under the ISAE (UK) 3000 Type 1 standard, KPMG gave reasonable assurance that TrustedServer and the privacy policy functioned as designed. The TrustedServer page also cites audits by PwC and, more recently, Cure53, and ExpressVPN says 23 third-party audits have been published. Its servers run on RAM only, so data is wiped at every reboot.
Who owns ExpressVPN and where is it based?
ExpressVPN says it joined the Kape Technologies family of privacy and security brands in 2021. It operates from the British Virgin Islands, which it describes as a jurisdiction with no mandatory data retention laws for VPN providers, and says it has worked on online privacy since 2009. For providers based elsewhere, such as Proton VPN in Switzerland or Mullvad in Sweden, see ExpressVPN alternatives.
What's the difference between ExpressVPN Basic, Advanced and Express Pro?
The tiers differ in device limits and in the extras around the VPN. Basic covers 10 devices and blocks ads, malicious sites and adult sites. Advanced covers 12, blocks trackers as well, and adds the ExpressKeys password manager, 100 MB a month of ExpressMailGuard email relay with 50 aliases, and a 3 GB holiday.com eSIM. Express Pro covers 14 and adds a dedicated IP, ExpressAI with 500 credits a day and unlimited email relay.
Sources & methodology
Product details come from ExpressVPN (Kape Technologies)'s public website and documentation (British Virgin Islands). Every plan and price was checked against the vendor's pricing page on October 5, 2026. We haven't tested this product hands-on; the verdict is a desk assessment. How we research and rank tools
- Founded 2009
- 8 languages supported
- expressvpn.com
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