ExpressVPN is a well-known name in the VPN world. It’s praised by many experts and those who’ve used it for its approach to security and privacy, as it built its reputation on a stringent no-logs policy that many people value.
In addition, ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN provider on the market, so it provides the highest level of performance compared to its competition. Needless to say, this is a VPN with very few (if any) compromises that satisfy millions of users daily.
However, some people will still search for the best ExpressVPN alternatives because it’s not perfect. In some cases, ExpressVPN will not work as intended for one reason or another, which will prompt you to look in another direction.
In this case, you’ll be wondering what are the best ExpressVPN alternatives and which one is great for you. Well, if you’re in this situation, I’m here to help. Keep reading and I’ll give you 3 awesome VPNs that you can try instead.
Reasons to Look for ExpressVPN Alternatives
A name as big as ExpressVPN surely sounds irreplaceable given its superior performance and security. But as is the case with every other provider, you’ll find some cases in which users aren’t satisfied with what it has to offer or are simply unconvinced by its offerings.
For me, the biggest reason to look for an alternative to ExpressVPN is its pricing. While not expensive by any means, compared to NordVPN or CyberGhost, for example, its price is a bit higher for both short-term and long-term plans.
However, ExpressVPN justifies its higher price with a high level of quality. Although, compared to some of its competitors, it does lack certain features, such as Multi-hop, malware protection, and a dark web monitor that many other providers already have.
Since this is one of the best providers you can get, our ExpressVPN alternatives won’t necessarily be better. Instead, I’ll focus on giving you VPNs that are very close in overall quality but a bit cheaper (although the first alternative below IS better!).
If you haven’t tried it out yet and you’re looking for an alternative, I have some advice. You can try ExpressVPN by getting its 49% discount and 3 months free for the annual plan. This cheapest deal will lower its price significantly and you’ll get a 30-day money-back guarantee, too.
And if you’ve tried it and you don’t like it for some reason, that’s another story. A story that sees its continuation in the next section of this guide.
Best Alternative to ExpressVPN: Top 3 for 2024
The list that you’re going to see below will consist of 3 VPNs I think are great ExpressVPN alternatives. Of course, these are premium providers as well, as I want to make sure you get high-quality choices that you can rely on.
1. NordVPN
Pros
- Specialty servers (Double VPN, obfuscated, P2P, …)
- NordLynx VPN protocol
- 10 simultaneous connections (2 more than ExpressVPN)
- Threat Protection (antivirus & malware protection)
- Performances are pretty good
Cons
- The app is confusing for beginners
- Value-added taxes increase the price based on your location
Let’s start with NordVPN, which is a superior ExpressVPN alternative. You’ve most likely heard about it as a solid ExpressVPN competitor too. In my opinion, it’s a decent replacement for many reasons, one of which is its performance which surpasses that of ExpressVPN.
Furthermore, NordVPN has 6,400+ servers globally, which is a lot more than its competitor. A nice addition is the presence of dedicated servers. Therefore, NordVPN gives you Double VPN, P2P, Onion over VPN, and obfuscated servers for different purposes.
My tests also showed that NordVPN is very reliable, despite rare connectivity issues on Windows. With fast speeds, you can use it for P2P activities or enjoy Netflix US outside of America, no matter your location.
NordVPN’s apps look modern and support one-click connections. Compared to ExpressVPN, they’re also a bit more feature-rich. This provider offers 256-bit encryption and a NordLynx protocol but also antivirus and malware protection for added security.
Advanced features like Dark Web Monitor are here, too, and NordVPN perfectly complements them with an audited zero-logs policy. However, it had a tiny security breach in 2018, which thankfully didn’t affect user-related information.
Unlike ExpressVPN, it also includes full malware which I found very useful. But on the other hand, it’s a bit harder to use due to the design of its apps. In this department, ExpressVPN is very hard to beat, so it’s not a big deal.
Finally, NordVPN is a lot cheaper than ExpressVPN. Value-added taxes might additionally increase the price in some countries, though, so the price might end up being similar. The good thing is that there’s a 30-day refund period as standard.
So if you don’t think you’ve gotten enough for the money, you can always request a refund and look for another ExpressVPN alternative. Perhaps the one below.
2. CyberGhost
Pros
- Affordable long-term plans
- Servers in nearly 100 countries
- Offers an ad-blocker
- Customer support in 3 languages
- Stores no logs
Cons
- Not usable in China
- Desktop apps are not the best
If you want a great VPN like ExpressVPN, you should maybe try out CyberGhost. CyberGhost is its brother company, as both VPNs reside under the Kape Technologies umbrella. Its alternative, however, is much cheaper and offers more servers.
This provider has 12,000+ servers in over 100 countries, with dedicated/P2P servers in the equation. Moreover, it can take pride in being reasonably fast, which is great for downloading or streaming on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu.
CyberGhost put some effort into security features as well. Thus, unlike ExpressVPN, it offers dependable NoSpy servers and WireGuard support on all devices. As said, it’s not better than ExpressVPN but it’s the cheapest provider you can get.
Besides, it’s based in Romania, which is extremely good for privacy. As such, it stores no logs of your browsing history or IP address, which it backs up with transparency reports every 3 months. All of this makes CyberGhost a very trustworthy choice.
I even like the fact that it has 24/7 support in 3 languages and offers 7 simultaneous connections. Compared to ExpressVPN which gives you 8, its brother company is still a great value because it charges you a lot less and offers a similar number of concurrent connections.
Being a cheaper provider, CyberGhost does have some disadvantages, though. It’s slower than ExpressVPN, doesn’t work in China, and has a not-so-intuitive app for desktop platforms. On the other hand, there’s this 2-year plan that will cost you a Starbucks coffee per month.
And if that’s not enough, it offers a massive 45-day money-back guarantee for all plans. This means that you can get full reimbursement in the first 45 days if you’re not satisfied, so you don’t need to lose any money to enjoy it for 45 days.
Can it completely replace ExpressVPN? No. Is it a great alternative? You can bet it is!
3. Surfshark
Pros
- Lots of security features
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Very affordable pricing
Cons
- Some kill switch problems (occasional)
- Not the best speeds
- Expensive short-term plans
Surfshark took the world by storm with its attractively cheap plans that include unlimited connections, thousands of servers, and above-average security. You can already see why it’s a great ExpressVPN alternative that can replace most of its qualities.
Is it better than ExpressVPN? Once again, no, but in recent years, Surfshark saw a massive improvement in every department. For instance, it now has 3,200+ servers in 100 countries, with MultiHop servers for doubling your encryption.
This provider also has easy-to-use apps for all platforms, where you can enjoy tons of great security features. You get a kill switch, military-grade encryption, and WireGuard support, in addition to an audited no-logging policy.
Interestingly, Surfshark is also based in the Netherlands, which turned out to be quite a good location, as the provider got an audit from Deloitte since moving from the BVI. This location alone guarantees complete privacy with no 5 Eyes countries intertwined with this privacy-friendly country.
Surfshark is also a great alternative in terms of streaming. My tests proved that it works with Netflix reliably, which applies to other streaming platforms, too. Also, Surfshark offers antivirus, true incognito mode, and Alerts as a bonus security suite that you can find more about in my Surfshark review.
Although it’s paid additionally, its monthly price is all but high. For the price, Surfshark is even more feature-rich than, let’s say CyberGhost. However, it’s known to have a lot slower speeds than its more expensive competitors coupled with occasional kill switch problems.
The silver lining is its 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans and a cheap 2-year plan that costs similarly to CyberGhost’s cheapest plan. This will allow you to pay much less money, yet, don’t commit for too long if you’re unsure whether or not you’ll like it.
ExpressVPN Alternatives – Summary
To summarize, I’d say you’re already acquainted with the level of quality that ExpressVPN gives. In spite of its greatness, people might be looking for alternatives to ExpressVPN that aren’t as expensive or offer something else.
Those people are best off with NordVPN, which is BETTER than ExpressVPN, with a few additional features. It’s cheaper, offers more servers, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee, making it the best and risk-free alternative to ExpressVPN.
CyberGhost is a close second here because of its amazing speeds, rock-solid security, and trusted zero-logging practices. The same can be said about Surfshark that’s the weakest link in this chain. However, it’s all but bad.
This VPN offers unlimited simultaneous connections, extremely affordable prices, and tons of security functionalities. At the end of the day, every provider has its advantages and disadvantages, so not liking even ExpressVPN is okay.
But if you’re serious about your online security, it’s time to look for an alternative. Now that you have everything you need, get another VPN and secure your connection today!
Get NordVPN: A Superior ExpressVPN Alternative
FAQ
Are you still thinking about ExpressVPN alternatives? Well, let’s uncloud your mind with a few more questions and answers.
Are there any free ExpressVPN alternatives?
Unfortunately, we can’t recommend any free VPN that would successfully replace ExpressVPN. You can use a free service all you want but if you expect to get even a remotely close experience, you’ll be very disappointed. For one, free services are very slow and they limit your bandwidth.
They’re also not great for streaming because they don’t work with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and other popular services. Just think about a monthly bandwidth limit of a few gigabytes plus 1 Gbps speeds and you’ll see why free services simply can’t replace ExpressVPN properly.
Other than that, free providers tend to store logs, sell your private data to third parties, and limit the number of simultaneous connections to no more than one. If you want to avoid these issues and get a similar level of quality to ExpressVPN, consider the alternatives we talked about.
Is ExpressVPN genuine?
Yes, absolutely. That, however, doesn’t mean that everyone likes ExpressVPN. Not a single VPN is perfect and this one also has its flaws, making it unsuitable for a particular group of users. If you’re one of them, consider NordVPN, CyberGhost, or Surfshark.
All of the three services are genuine as well and they all have at least one third-party audit.
NordVPN or ExpressVPN, which one is better?
Obviously, NordVPN is a bit better choice but ExpressVPN isn’t that far behind. It offers servers in more countries and it’s faster but both services have proprietary protocols, they’re excellent for streaming/torrenting, and offer impeccable privacy and security.
You know what? You can check our full comparison of ExpressVPN and NordVPN. We talk about everything you should know about the two providers here, so if you’re wondering which one is better and why, we strongly recommend clicking the link above.