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Home VPNs ExpressVPN Review: Is It The Top VPN Service in 2020?
ExpressVPN Review: Is It The Top VPN Service in 2020?
Nabakwe Ian
Millions of people worldwide have access to the internet, either through their phones or other devices such as personal computers. The internet has made the world a small global village where social and eCommerce activities occur with minimum restrictions. However, the increased use of the internet has come with a lot of challenges. Many people are falling victim to cybercriminals, who scam them millions of dollars every year. There has also been a rise in government surveillance and censorship, monitoring citizens' online activities. Thats why anonymity tools like ExpressVPN are on high demand.
If you want to browse safely without the fear of someone spying on your internet activities, you need to enlist Virtual Private Network services. VPNs provide much-needed privacy and security and enable you to unblock some of the popular sites like Netflix and Hulu that are geographically restricted. You can also download torrents, stay anonymous online, and play games.
One of the excellent VPN providers that you can consider using is ExpressVPN. This VPN provider has a worldwide distribution of servers, meaning a server is likely closer to you. The company has also invested in features that ensure you have a seamless experience as you use their services. However, it is among the most expensive VPNs around. Is it worth the price? Let's find out.
Summary of what to expect from ExpressVPN
Unblocks sites such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Sling TV, HBO, DAZN, and Showtime
Supports torrenting
Works on devices such as Windows, Android, Linux, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV
High-speed VPN and can improve the torrenting speed
Easy to set up and use
VISIT ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN Pricing and Subscription Option
There are free VPNs and paid VPNs that you can use to mask your online activities. However, free VPN is often slow and do not guarantee the much-needed security. ExpressVPN is a paid VPN, meaning that you need to pay a subscription fee before you can use the service. With this VPN provider, you can subscribe monthly, every six months, or annually. The monthly subscription is about $12.95, while you will pay $59.95 for the six months. The annual subscription is approximately $99.95. So, you can choose a subscription that meets your budget or preference. All subscriptions have the same premium features.
You can save on the cost of subscription by paying for more extended plans. There are also frequent deals, discounts, and coupons that you can take advantage of to save on the subscription cost. The VPN provider also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to its subscribers. You will get a 100% refund if you are not satisfied with their services. The good thing is that you will not be asked why you are demanding a refund.
Regarding payment mode, you have various options, including PayPal, credit cards, and other options such as WebMoney and Alipay. You do not have to worry about your payment information security as ExpressVPN operates a no-logs policy. You can also purchase ExpressVPN subscription with Bitcoin.
The average monthly price for VPN is around $10, meaning that ExpressVPN is quite pricy. Most VPNs cost less than the monthly average price. But, ExpressVPN users believe the VPN provider is worth the price. The VPN provider does not offer a free subscription, meaning that you cannot tell whether it will work for you at home unless you subscribe.
Setup and Ease of Use
When you are subscribing or enlisting for a product, the first thing you want to know is whether you can set up and use it seamlessly. ExpressVPN does not disappoint when it comes to set up and use. You can set it up and use it within four minutes. After choosing your subscription, you only need to create an account and enter your payment details. The provider will email you the link and activation code. The link will enable you to install the service on your device.
ExpressVPN has an attractive and user-friendly interface. From the app, you can select your country and server. Alternatively, you can use the Smart Location feature to connect to the server near you automatically. The app also stores the recent locations you linked to. You don't have to search for the location every time you fire up the VPN.
You can also navigate through the app with ease to find your settings. A single click on the menu key leads to all the settings you may need, including speed tests, security protocol features, and speed tunneling, among others.
The good thing about ExpressVPN is that you can connect up to five devices simultaneously. You don't have to unplug one device to connect the other. Moreover, you can have unlimited simultaneous connections if you install the VPN app on your router since it considers the router as a single device. So, why not protect all the family devices by installing the VPN on your router?
ExpressVPN Servers and Server Location
When you pay for ExpressVPN subscription, you are actually paying to access their fleet of servers. VPN providers have servers in various locations to ensure that their users connect seamlessly no matter where they are. ExpressVPN has over 3000 servers in 160 server locations across 94 countries globally, meaning that it has the most server locations of any VPN provider. ExpressVPN has well-distributed servers in Africa and South America, two of the most underserved continent by most VPN providers. It also has servers in countries with strict cyber laws and internet policies like Vietnam and Turkey.
Some countries or server locations have more servers than others due to the high demand. The US has over 20 servers in 15 cities, making it the country with the best coverage. Additionally, ExpressVPN operates virtual servers, which may appear to be in a country which they aren't. The virtual servers come in handy in cases where ExpressVPN is unable to get servers that meet its rigorous standards as regards security, reliability, and consistent speeds. A good example would be Indonesia. If you use ExpressVPN to connect to Indonesia, your network traffic will be routed via a server in Singapore and assigned an Indonesian IP. That way, your traffic will appear as if it's originating from Indonesia, and your connection will be secure and reliable with fast and consistent speeds.
ExpressVPN and Privacy
The reason you want to subscribe to a VPN service is to keep your online activities secure and private. While some VPNs claim that they can keep your data private, this is not always the case. The data is sometimes shared with third parties, such as the government. ExpressVPN has a reasonably lengthy privacy policy.
Strictly No-Logs Policy
The VPN provider maintains a no-logs policy, nor does it store your IP address or the VPN IP you connect with. Additionally, it does not record connection timestamp or session duration. ExpressVPN is categorical in its policy that it does not sell user data but generates its revenue from subscriptions. The only data that it collects is your sign up information such as payment details and email address.
Trusted Server Technology
ExpressVPN does not have ad blockers. However, it uses TrustedServer Technology, meaning that the servers run on RAMs and clears all the data upon reboot. RAMs cannot store any data. Once you turn it off and on again, all your browsing data will be deleted. Everything, including the OS, will be uploaded afresh, making it difficult for hackers to get through to your data.
ExpressVPN and Security
A good VPN should offer maximum encryption, leak-proof protection, and robust security protocol. ExpressVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption, meaning that it uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt your data, making it almost impossible to break. It also uses SHA-512 HMAC authentication, which is highly secure for the transfer of data. File senders and receivers can use a shared secret key to verify the authenticity of the files.
Perfect Forward Secrecy
Another important security feature is the perfect forward secrecy that changes the encryption key whenever you log on. The provider assigns you a new key at the beginning of each session, meaning that your previous session's data is unrelated to the current session.
Kill switch is also another security feature employed by ExpressVPN. This feature ensures that your traffic data is safe if the VPN connection drops unsuspected.
The stand out feature of the ExpressVPN is the split tunneling, which enables you to separate the VPN data from the rest of the data. Thus, you can browse both through the VPN and locally at the same time by choosing which app to use the VPN.
DNS Leak Protection
The VPN provider also protects your data from DNS leak, enabling you to remain anonymous. Thus, your ISP cannot get any information about your IP address or send a request for the same.
Tor Compatibility
ExpressVPN also offers Tor compatibility, meaning that you are completely anonymous as your data is not visible to the VPN.
ExpressVPN and Speed
One of the concerns that VPN users have is that it slows the internet connection. VPNs increase latency and reduce the download and upload speed. However, ExpressVPN measures latency and speed and connects to the fastest server nearest to you using the Smart Location feature. This means that you will experience an impressive performance every time you connect to the VPN. However, whether you connect to a nearby server or one that is far off, you will still have a quick and reliable service.
Although ExpressVPN is pricy, it offers value for money. It has so much to offer users, including high-speed connections, a vast network of servers, highest security, and unblocking capabilities. The split tunneling feature enables users to separate their VPN data from the rest of the data. Moreover, the VPN is easy to set up and use, with the process taking less than four minutes.
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