ExpressVPN
The veteran VPN that proved its no-logs claim in a real server seizure, with TrustedServer RAM-only infrastructure.
About
ExpressVPN has been in the VPN business since 2009 from the British Virgin Islands, which has no data-retention requirement and no intelligence-sharing arrangement. Its privacy story rests on two pillars: TrustedServer infrastructure where everything runs in RAM so a reboot wipes the machine, and repeated independent audits by KPMG, Cure53, and PwC Switzerland covering the no-logs policy, apps, and servers, with KPMG's TrustedServer and privacy-policy assessment current to February 2025. The strongest evidence is older but real: in 2017 Turkish authorities seized an ExpressVPN server during an investigation and found no logs or connection records, a test no audit can reproduce.
The product is deliberately simple: the open-source Lightway protocol (recently extended with a Turbo mode), MediaStreamer DNS for smart TVs, Network Lock kill switch, and strong streaming unblocking across Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+ with about a 7% speed drop in 2026 testing. Pricing moved to tiers in 2026: Basic from about $2.44-$3.49 a month on a two-year term with core features on 10 devices, Advanced near $4.49 with a password manager and identity monitoring, and Pro near $7.49 with eSIM data and data-removal services. The caveat that follows every ExpressVPN discussion is the 2021 acquisition by Kape Technologies, an ad-tech holding company behind CyberGhost and PIA, which continues to commission audits but makes some privacy buyers uneasy. No published independent benchmarks beyond third-party review speed tests.
What it can do
- TrustedServer RAM-only infrastructure, no disks to seize
- Lightway protocol, open source and independently audited
- MediaStreamer DNS for smart TVs and consoles
- Network Lock kill switch with DNS leak protection
- Audited no-logs policy: KPMG, Cure53, PwC Switzerland
- Public bug bounty program for apps, servers, and site
- Streaming unblocking across 105 countries
- Tiered plans: Basic, Advanced, Pro with dedicated IP options
Setup
Choose a tier on expressvpn.com, create an account, and install the apps on up to 10-14 devices depending on tier; 30-day money-back guarantee.
Prerequisites
Account with email; payment by card, PayPal, or Bitcoin.
Use cases
Works with
Trust score — 8/10
Scored 8/10 (verified tier, metrics-v1). Evidence: 2026 reviews confirm the BVI jurisdiction, TrustedServer RAM-only design, KPMG/Cure53/PwC audits, the 2017 Turkish server seizure that recovered no logs, the open-source Lightway protocol, and the 2026 tiered pricing (Basic ~$2.44-$3.49/mo). Strengths: a seizure-tested no-logs record and deep audit history. Docked for: (1) ownership by ad-tech holding company Kape since 2021; (2) higher list prices than discount rivals; (3) closed-source apps and no free tier. License: proprietary (Lightway open source).
How the trust score is built
Full methodology →- Adoption · stars/downloads, log-scaled vs peers
- 10.0/10
- Maintenance · recency, releases, issue load
- 9.0/10
- Openness · license + docs
- 3.0/10
- Manual review · sanity read + red-flag check
- 8.0/10
- · Founded 2009; British Virgin Islands (no data-retention laws)
- · TrustedServer: all servers run in RAM, no disks
- · Audited by KPMG, Cure53, PwC Switzerland; public bug bounty
- · 2017 Turkish server seizure recovered no logs or connection records
- · Lightway protocol is open source and independently audited; Turbo mode added 2026
- · Owned by Kape Technologies since 2021 (also CyberGhost, PIA)
- · MediaStreamer DNS for smart TVs; strong streaming unblocking
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these sources. Where a claim comes from the provider and couldn't be independently verified, the text says so.