ExpressVPN Review: Pros, Cons, and Real-World Performance

For all of us working remotely, having a reliable and fast VPN is part of our daily basics. You need it whenever you use café or airport Wi-Fi to work securely without worrying that your connection or privacy might be at risk.

If you are a digital nomad, you have probably heard of ExpressVPN, one of the most popular VPNs out there. It has been around since 2009 and has more than four million active subscribers across over 108 countries. They must be doing something right, and I did not want to miss the chance to try it myself.

In this guide, I will give you my honest breakdown of how it works, its performance, and the things I liked most (and the ones I did not).

ExpressVPN: Pros and Cons

Speed and Performance

One of the highlights of ExpressVPN is its consistent speed. They use their own protocol called Lightway, designed to keep connections fast and stable, even for video calls or 4K streaming.

The most recent speed tests show results that are pure gold for digital nomads:

Of course, speed also depends on your location, internet quality, and how many people are connected at the same time. Still, in most cases, the performance is very solid.

Streaming and Torrenting

Here is the good part: ExpressVPN still unblocks most major platforms. It works with Netflix US, UK, and Japan, along with Hulu and Disney+. Sometimes you need to change servers when Netflix detects the VPN, but overall it works very well.

ExpressVPN is also fast, secure, and really protects your privacy since it does not keep any logs of what you do. You can use it for torrents or even with Tor if you want maximum security, and the app is very easy to use.

It works on almost any device, from your phone to your computer or TV. Plus, with thousands of servers worldwide, you can always find a good connection no matter where you are.

Is ExpressVPN Safe and Private?

Yes, and this is where it earns the trust of so many users. Let me explain why:

• It is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is outside of the major surveillance alliances (the so-called “14 Eyes”). In simple terms, no one can easily force them to hand over your data.

• They do not keep logs of what you do online. And it is not just their claim: independent external audits have already confirmed it.

• RAM-only servers: their servers only use temporary memory (RAM), not hard drives. This means that every time they restart, all information is automatically wiped.

• Kill switch (Network Lock): if the VPN disconnects for any reason, your internet connection stops too. That way your real IP never leaks by accident.

• Leak protection: it blocks your IP from being exposed through things like DNS or WebRTC, which are little backdoors where information could escape. Tests showed it works well, and your real IP always stays hidden.

If you work with sensitive data or simply do not want to be exposed when using public Wi Fi at a café, ExpressVPN gives you a very reliable layer of security.

Supported Devices and Ease of Use

ExpressVPN works on pretty much everything: laptops, smartphones, tablets, routers, and even smart TVs or streaming devices. That gives you the freedom to cover your whole setup.

Keep in mind:

• 10 devices per account. This is a bit limited compared to some competitors, but still enough for most users.

• Browser extensions are available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

• Smart Location feature connects you to the fastest server automatically.

ExpressVPN Pricing

With ExpressVPN, you can choose between three types of plans: Basic, Advanced, and Pro.

Even though the prices are a bit higher than other VPNs, the longer you subscribe the better it gets. You avoid monthly payments and get big discounts:

It also includes a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 7-day free trial on mobile (iOS and Android).

Customer Support

I usually do not enjoy customer service when it is just a bot because I rarely solve anything. But ExpressVPN surprised me. The chatbot works really well. It is intuitive and fast. I insisted on talking to a live agent and managed to do so within minutes, although to be honest, the AI had already solved my issue.

They also have very clear guides and tutorials to install it on routers, consoles, and streaming devices. I found them super useful and complete. Everything is detailed by device and brand with video walkthroughs.

Before you ask ChatGPT how to do it, check their guides first, they are really good.

Is ExpressVPN Worth It in 2025?

Honestly, yes. ExpressVPN's speed and stability are consistent which felt like gold during long workdays. The security is truly solid and gave me peace of mind while using it in several airports. And if you are like me and do not like to complicate things, it is super easy and intuitive to use.

I would not recommend it if your budget is very tight or if you genuinely do not care about secure connections.

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