Express VPN speedsAlthough fast enough for almost any online activity, ExpressVPNs speeds aren't quite as fast as some of its competitors, based on our latest speed tests. In 2024, we measured a 24.8% average speed loss with ExpressVPN. This is still fast, considering many VPNs can slash your internet speeds by 50% or more. We saw better speeds from NordVPN (11% speed loss) and Surfshark (17% speed loss). Still, ExpressVPNs speeds were largely consistent and aligned with our expectations across protocols and server locations.Overall, we registered the fastest speeds through ExpressVPNs proprietary Lightway protocol on MacOS (7% speed loss). On the other end of the spectrum, the slowest speeds we measured were through OpenVPN on Windows, at a 48% speed loss. Overall, speeds were generally faster with relatively close server locations like New York and the UK, and slower to distant locations like Australia and Singapore. Either way, ExpressVPNs speeds were still fast enough for general browsing and data-intensive activities like streaming, gaming and videoconferencing, especially if you use Lightway.Privacy and transparencyWe did encounter DNS leaks on Windows while split tunneling was enabled, but Express immediately disabled the feature after confirming it. The company then published a blog post outlining the issue, and shortly rolled out a fix, after which we detected no leaks. The leaks were concerning, but the swift, decisive response from ExpressVPN was illustrative of the companys commitment to transparency and user privacy. The companys latest independent audit is slated to be published soon, building on its industry-leading audit count. ExpressVPN says it collects no logs, a claim bolstered by a 2023 no-logs audit by KPMG.Nettitide performed a penetration test of ExpressVPN's Windows app in April 2024, and Cure53 audited the company's browser extension in 2024. In July 2024, ExpressVPN published a detailed transparency report showing the number of DMCA requests, warrants from government institutions, and civil/government/law enforcement requests it received, but because Express doesn't log information (as audits confirmed), the company didn't have any information to share with authorities.In addition to its transparency efforts, ExpressVPNs privacy protections are top-notch and forward-thinking. The provider upgraded its proprietary open-source Lightway VPN protocol with Quantum Protection to help guard against future threats from quantum computers, along with encryption enhancements to better protect against threats like eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks. ExpressVPNs TrustedServer technology elevates the protections of the traditional RAM-only server architecture by reinstalling the entire software stack with every reboot. UsabilityIn addition to offering excellent privacy protections, ExpressVPN delivers the most consistent and streamlined VPN app experiences across platforms. Its minimalist interface is simple to use, whether youre an advanced VPN user or if youve never used one before. The app settings are easy to navigate and finding a server location is straightforward. We like how the app always connects in a snap, which isnt always the case with other VPNs -- like Surfshark -- which often struggle to connect immediately on the first attempt.Alongside its VPN offering, ExpressVPN's plans all include a password manager, ad blocker and tracker locker, with the one- and two-year plans bundling ID alerts and ID theft insurance. The two-year package throws in data removal services.If you want the best for streaming, ExpressVPN is a good bet because it effortlessly unblocks all sorts of streaming content, including Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. We were able to access foreign content libraries, like Egypt Netflix, that rivals NordVPN and Surfshark couldn't load. In our August testing, it also improved its streaming capabilities on Apple TV, where it previously struggled with Netflix. The provider also offers eight simultaneous connections, which is slightly less generous than Proton VPN or NordVPNs 10 simultaneous connections but considerably less than the unlimited simultaneous connections allowed by others like Surfshark, PIA and IPVanish. If youre not satisfied with the service, you can request your money back within 30 days of your purchase.