ExpressVPN is our second recommendation in the VPN category, after NordVPN. Both are excellent. The decision between them is essentially a question of priorities: pure speed (ExpressVPN wins narrowly) versus value (NordVPN wins). For users who can afford the higher price and who care primarily about streaming and connection speed, ExpressVPN is the better choice.

The Lightway advantage

ExpressVPN’s most genuine technical innovation is Lightway, their in-house VPN protocol. Lightway is open source (auditable), uses wolfSSL for cryptography, and is engineered specifically to minimize connection latency and CPU overhead.

In independent third-party tests (2025-2026 benchmarks from Top10VPN, ProPrivacy, Comparitech):

  • Lightway adds 35-65ms latency on transatlantic connections (NordVPN’s NordLynx adds 45-85ms)
  • Lightway reduces speed by 22-38 percent on most servers (NordLynx by 35-50 percent)
  • Lightway uses less CPU and battery on mobile devices (measurable on iPhone tests)

These are small differences in absolute terms, but for users who:

  • Stream 4K content where any throttling causes buffering
  • Game online where latency matters
  • Use video calls daily over VPN

The cumulative effect adds up to a noticeably smoother experience.

TrustedServer (RAM-only servers)

ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer technology means every server in their network runs entirely from RAM, with no persistent storage on disk. Each server reboot wipes everything; there is no historical state. This makes:

  • Server breaches less consequential (no historical logs to exfiltrate)
  • Hardware seizure by governments less useful (no data on the machine after reboot)
  • Code updates faster (push to RAM image rather than disk-update each server individually)

This is a meaningful security architecture decision. NordVPN has a similar “colocated server” program but does not run 100 percent of their network on RAM yet.

Pricing breakdown

The advertised $6.67/month is the 12-month plan paid upfront ($99.95 total). Year 2 renewal jumps to the equivalent of $12.95/month unless you intervene.

  • 12-month plan: $99.95 ($8.32/month average)
  • 6-month plan: $59.95 ($9.99/month)
  • 1-month plan: $12.95/month (avoid this)

The 12-month is the only competitive tier. The 1-month is a tax on indecision.

There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee that works reliably (we tested it in 2024 for editorial purposes; refund was issued within 5 business days).

Streaming reliability

For streaming, ExpressVPN consistently unblocks:

  • Netflix US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan (the major libraries)
  • BBC iPlayer (UK-only by license)
  • Disney+ (regional libraries differ)
  • Hulu (US-only)
  • ESPN+, NBC Peacock (US sports streams)
  • HBO Max / Max
  • Amazon Prime Video regional libraries

Compared to NordVPN, ExpressVPN has slightly better Netflix unblocking consistency. The two are tied or close on every other major streaming service. For users whose primary VPN use case is streaming, this is the strongest argument for ExpressVPN over the cheaper competitors.

Router-level integration

ExpressVPN has the most polished router integration in the consumer VPN market. They publish a custom firmware for several Asus and Linksys models that puts the VPN at the network level, meaning:

  • All household devices use the VPN automatically (no per-device app needed)
  • Smart TVs, gaming consoles, IoT devices get VPN protection
  • Per-device routing (rule: Apple TV always uses US server, iPhone always uses local Italy)

This is a $50-80 router-firmware-flashing project, but for households with many devices, it is the most elegant solution to whole-home VPN coverage.

Who should buy ExpressVPN

Buy ExpressVPN if:

  • Streaming Netflix US (or other geo-restricted streaming) is a primary use case
  • You game online and need minimum latency overhead
  • You want router-level VPN integration for your household
  • Budget of $100-150/year is acceptable

Buy NordVPN instead if:

  • Budget is a primary concern ($40-80/year cheaper at equivalent commitments)
  • You need 6+ devices simultaneously (vs ExpressVPN’s 5)
  • Surveillance threat model is more important than streaming speed

Setup time

5 minutes (the simplest of any VPN we have reviewed):

  1. Sign up at the affiliate link, pay for the 12-month plan
  2. Download the ExpressVPN app on each device (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, Apple TV, Fire TV)
  3. Sign in with the activation code emailed to you
  4. Click the big power button to connect
  5. Optional: customize server selection or enable kill switch

Editorial independence note: We use both ExpressVPN and NordVPN editorially. ExpressVPN gets the slight speed advantage; NordVPN gets the value advantage. Affiliate commission does not change our scoring.