Virtual Private Network or VPN protects you from malicious activities on the internet, it is the universal tool to hide your identity online so you can browse the internet anonymously.
A Virtual Private Network creates a secure tunnel between the user and the VPN server from which the sensitive data is encrypted and the user can easily surf the web without getting targeted by hackers.
By using a VPN, you can mask your IP, stream blocked content by geo-spoofing, or prevent malicious practices.
ExpressVPN was registered in the British Virgin Islands because of no data retention laws and was released in 2009.
And now it has been considered one of the best VPN companies of 2021. Being placed in one of the top 10 ranked VPN services of all time, followed by NordVPN and Surfshark, it has been mentioned in CNET and Techradar as their Editor’s Choice.
If you’re looking for an overall ExpressVPN review, then keep on reading.
ExpressVPN encrypts user data with its strong and reliable encryption methods to make sure user traffic is safe and secure.
By providing a variety of different features, ExpressVPN fulfills the never-ending user demands. With a large number of VPN servers spread all across the world’s different locations, you can unlock the popular streaming services and watch your favorite show easily.
Short on Time? Here’s a Short Summary of How Does ExpressVPN Works?
- ExpressVPN encrypts your traffic with its 4096-bit encryption method.
- It has OpenVPN, Lightway, PPTP, L2TP VPN Protocols.
- You can use ExpressVPN easily on your device by going to the ExpressVPN website.
- Log in with your account, head to the Dashboard, and copy the Activation Code.
- Download the suitable file for your device and install it. Paste the Activation Code when needed. Finish the setup process.
- Now turn on your VPN connection by tapping the power button. Or connect to a different server by tapping on Locations.
How Does ExpressVPN Work?
You can use ExpressVPN on your device by simply going to the website and logging in with your account. Remember, you should have a VPN subscription plan for it. If you don’t, then first register yourself.
But if you have an account, enter your username and password.
On the dashboard, choose between the ExpressVPN apps and download the one suitable for your device. Get your Activation Code. Open setup when the file is downloaded. Follow the instructions and paste your activation code. To connect to your VPN, click the power button.
ExpressVPN, with its 4096-bit CA and AES-256-CBC encryption methods, makes sure that the user data is safe and secure. It has OpenVPN, Lightway, SSTP, L2TP, and PPTP. The Lightway VPN protocol was released to improve connectivity, stability, and reliability in 2020.
With its wide range of servers, ExpressVPN can unblock any geo-restricted site on the web.
ExpressVPN has the compatibility to run on Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. With a number of 5 devices being run with an ExpressVPN subscription at the same time on any device or operating system.
It has multiple features like Network Lock as a Kill-Switch, MediaStreamer as a tool to stream geo-blocked content, and the ability to run as many devices by installing ExpressVPN firmware on your router.
How Does ExpressVPN Work On iPhone?
If you want to secure your traffic with a VPN on your iPhone, ExpressVPN is the best choice. And it’s easy to install too.
- Download the app from the App Store.
- Install it on your device.
- You should be subscribed to one of the plans of ExpressVPN.
- Enter your username and password.
- Tap on the power button to connect to the default ExpressVPN server. Or if you want to connect to somewhere else, tap on the location bar and choose another server.
How Does ExpressVPN Work On Android?
To set up ExpressVPN on your Android mobile devices or smart TVs, follow these steps.
- Go to Google Play Store and type ExpressVPN on the search bar.
- Download and install it on your Android device.
- Open the app, enter your credentials for ExpressVPN (You should have a subscription plan for ExpressVPN).
- Once logged in, tap on the power button to connect to the default ExpressVPN server. Or, you can connect to a different region by tapping on Locations.
Couldn’t find Google Play Store on your smart TV? That’s because you probably have a non-Android TV. Visit our detailed guide on how to install a VPN on Smart TV for an easy solution.
How Does ExpressVPN Work On Windows?
You can easily install the ExpressVPN desktop app and continue using it in your windows operating system.
- To download the ExpressVPN windows app, go to the ExpressVPN website.
- Go to My Account and enter your username and password (You should have a subscription plan of ExpressVPN).
- On the Dashboard, download the VPN client app for Windows.
- Copy the Activation Code, we will need it later.
- Install the file on your computer. It will ask for Activation Code while signing in, paste the Code.
- Click Sign-in.
- Click the power button with Smart Location already set. Or if you want to connect somewhere else, tap the location button and select another country.
How Does ExpressVPN Work On Mac?
- Open the ExpressVPN website and go to My Account.
- Enter your username and password to log in.
- Click on Download for Mac.
- You will install the installer package.
- Copy the Activation Code on the screen, we will need it later.
- Install the package and paste the code.
- Connect to the fastest location by tapping the On button or connect to another server.
To install ExpressVPN manually on your Mac, visit our detailed guide on how to install ExpressVPN on Mac OS
How Does ExpressVPN Billing Work?
ExpressVPN has three plans. It often comes with new deals and offers. But the subscription plans at this moment are,
- A one-month plan costs $12.95.
- A six-month plan costs $9.99 per month, charging $59.95 upfront for the first time, and will be charged every 6 months.
- A fifteen-month plan costs $6.67 per month, charging $99.95 upfront for the first time, and then charged every 12 months.
ExpressVPN has compatibility for a wide variety of credit cards for billing. It also supports Cryptocurrency methods to pay for a subscription plan.
To compare the prices of ExpressVPN with other competitors, visit our detailed guide: How Much Does a VPN Cost
How to Stop ExpressVPN Subscription?
- Go to the ExpressVPN website and go to My Account.
- Sign in with your ExpressVPN credentials.
- Under the Subscription tab, click on Manage Settings.
- You will see the Turn Off Automatic Renewal option, click it.
- Confirm it by clicking on the Turn Off option again.
- You will be displayed a message that your Automatic Renewal is off and your subscription will soon expire on XYZ date.
How Many Devices Does ExpressVPN Allow?
You can use ExpressVPN at the same time on any operating system on 5 different devices. ExpressVPN has the compatibility to run on Windows, iOS, Android, Mac, and Linux.
You can install the app on an unlimited number of devices but you can use it only on 5 devices at the same time. Virtual Machines are also included in those 5 devices.
How Much Data Does ExpressVPN Use?
VPNs use only 10% of the data of your overall operation performed. Suppose, if you are downloading a movie that has an overall size of 4 GB (or 4,096 MB), downloading it without a VPN would take exactly 4 GB or 4,096 MB of your data.
But with a VPN, it would take an extra 10% (406.6 MB of your data for a movie of 4 GB space). Making it a total of 4,505 MB used with a VPN to download a file.
So with this calculation, if you use ExpressVPN to download several movies in a day, it would take 1 – 2 GB of extra data usage. The extra data will be used in the encryption process when you download the movies.
How Does ExpressVPN Work with Netflix?
It can be a pain-in-the-neck when you search your favorite show on popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Prime Video and find out that they’re not available in your region.
A VPN on Netflix lets you access the international libraries of the streaming giant so you can easily watch your favorite shows that are geo-restricted in your current region.
All you need to do is change your Netflix region to a location where the content you’re looking for is available and you’re all set.
ExpressVPN is the best provider in the market and it can unlock more than 20 libraries of Netflix. So with ExpressVPN, you’ll always find a server that’ll work on Netflix and other major streaming platforms.
Changing your Netflix region with ExpressVPN is easy and here’s how you can do it.
- First, go to the website and subscribe to one of the plans of ExpressVPN.
- Download and install the app on your device.
- Log in to your ExpressVPN account.
- Tap on the power button or select another country server by tapping on the location button.
- You are connected to one of ExpressVPN’s virtual servers. Minimize your VPN app and open your Netflix app.
- You can now stream your favorite content on Netflix!
How Many Server Locations Does ExpressVPN Have?
ExpressVPN has over 3000+ server locations which are distributed in 94 different countries.
ExpressVPN servers are wide in quantity covering major countries like Brazil, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Canada, Spain, the UK, Singapore, and the United States.
All of these servers work on volatile memory (Random Access Memory).
How Does ExpressVPN Speed Test Work?
ExpressVPN has its own speed test tool from which you can run tests on different server locations. But it works on Windows and Mac only.
- On your ExpressVPN dashboard, click on the menu icon.
- Click on Speed Test.
- Now click on Run Test.
The results will be sorted by Download Speed, Latency, and Speed Index.
How To Use / Find Your ExpressVPN Activation Code?
Activation Code for ExpressVPN can be used to authenticate your credentials when you log in with your credentials to your ExpressVPN app on your device. You can find your ExpressVPN by following the steps below,
- Go to the ExpressVPN website.
- Find My Account and click on it.
- Sign in with your email and password.
- You should find your ExpressVPN Activation Code under the My Subscription window.
How Does ExpressVPN Network Lock Work?
Network Lock is the Kill-Switch for ExpressVPN. A VPN kill switch makes sure that you don’t accidentally leak any of your traffic when your connection is dropped, making your VPN reliable and efficient.
It blocks all the internet traffic until your VPN app is fully restored. With Network Lock, your device won’t leak your IP or any other data.
Network Lock kill switch halts all the operations when you switch between different networks, put your device to sleep, or restart your internet. It switches on automatically whenever your VPN connection is dropped.
You can turn on and off Network Lock on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
How Does ExpressVPN Network Lock Work On Windows?
- In your ExpressVPN app, click the three horizontal lines options and go to Options.
- Under the General tab, you will find the section of Network Lock.
- Enable or Disable the Network Lock by checking or unchecking it.
How Does ExpressVPN Network Lock Work On Mac?
- Click the three horizontal lines in your ExpressVPN app and go to Preferences.
- Head to the General tab and you will find a section of Network Lock.
- You can easily enable or disable the Network Lock by checking or unchecking the option.
How Does ExpressVPN Network Lock Work In Linux?
To enable or disable ExpressVPN Network Lock in Linux works with a single line command.
- Type expressvpn preferences set network_lock off (to disable)
- Type expressvpn preferences set network_lock on (to enable)
How Does ExpressVPN MediaStreamer Work?
MediaStreamer is a package that comes along with the subscription plan of ExpressVPN. It can be used to access geo-blocked content working as a Smart DNS.
To use it, you just have to set your device to use ExpressVPN’s DNS Servers and then you can use MediaStreamer as a Proxy and access any content you want!
How Does ExpressVPN MediaStreamer Work On Windows?
- Go to the ExpressVPN website and click on My Account.
- Sign in with your ExpressVPN credentials (You should have an ExpressVPN subscription plan).
- On the Account Page, click on the DNS Settings windows on the top.
- Under IP Registration, click on Register My IP on the My IP Address window.
- Toggle the Automatically Register My IP Address button On so that it can automatically update your IP even if it changes.
- Click on Dashboard and click Set up on more devices.
- Find MediaStreamer by scrolling down and clicking it.
- You’ll get two MediaStreamer IPs. Minimize the window, you will use these IPs later.
- Open the Search Bar of your Windows, search ncpa.cpl, select your server network, and go to its properties.
- Under the Networking tab, check Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
- Go to Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) by double-clicking it.
- Under the General tab, select Use the following DNS addresses.
- Go to your ExpressVPN Page, copy the DNS IPs and paste them into the required fields.
- Click on OK. The MediaStreamer is now enabled on your Windows.
How Does ExpressVPN MediaStreamer Work On Mac?
- Go to the ExpressVPN website and go to My Account.
- Head to DNS Settings Page.
- Under the IP Registration section, click on Register my IP and also toggle the Automatically Register My IP to enable it.
- Go to the ExpressVPN Setup Page from Dashboard>Set up on more devices>MediaStreamer.
- Click on MediaStreamer DNS IP. You will find two MediaStreamer IPs, minimize this window. You will need these IPs later.
- Click on the Apple Icon on your Mac and head to System Preferences.
- Go to Network. Click on Advanced in the bottom right corner.
- In the Wi-Fi tab, click on DNS.
- Click on the plus (+) sign to enter the first MediaStreamer IP found earlier on the ExpressVPN page.
- Similarly, add the second MediaStreamer IP.
- Click OK.
- You’re ready to stream the geo-block content!
How Does ExpressVPN MediaStreamer Work On AppleTV?
- Visit the ExpressVPN website and go to My Account.
- Sign in with your ExpressVPN Credentials and on the Account Page, go to ExpressVPN DNS Settings Page.
- Under IP Registration, click on Register My IP. Toggle the button for Automatically Register My IP.
- Go to the ExpressVPN setup page, find MediaStreamer DNS Server IP Addresses. You will find your DNS IP, we will use this DNS IP soon.
- Go to Settings on your Apple TV.
- In Settings, go to Network>Wi-Fi.
- Select your Wi-Fi Network’s settings.
- Go to Configure DNS and select Configure DNS Manually.
- Enter the DNS IP that we found on ExpressVPN MediaStreamer Setup Page.
- Tap on Done.
- Restart your Apple TV by going to Settings>System>Restart.
- You’re all set to use MediaStreamer to stream geo-restricted content.
For a step-by-step process, visit our detailed guide on how to install ExpressVPN on Apple TV
How Does ExpressVPN MediaStreamer Work On Samsung Smart TV?
- Go to the ExpressVPN website and head to My Account.
- Sign in with your username and password. Go to ExpressVPN DNS Settings Page.
- Under IP Registration, click on Register My IP. Toggle Automatically Register My IP to ON.
- Head to the ExpressVPN MediaStreamer Page. Find the two DNS IP Addresses, we will need these IPs later.
- Go to the Menu of your Samsung Smart TV.
- Head to Network and then Network Status.
- In the Network Status, go to IP Settings.
- Select DNS Settings and select Enter Manually.
- Enter the two DNS IP Addresses from ExpressVPN Page and click OK.
- Your MediaStreamer is now Active. Stream your favorite content!
For a thorough process, visit our detailed guide on how to install ExpressVPN on Samsung TV
How Does ExpressVPN MediaStreamer Work On PS4?
- First, you will need to set up a DDNS Hostname. Using Dynu DDNS Service Provider, set up a Dynu Account.
- Go to the Dynu website and click on Create Account. Create your account by filling in the necessary information.
- Log in to your Dynu Account.
- Go to the Control Panel of Dynu DDNS. Head to DDNS Services.
- Click Add with (+) sign on the top right corner.
- You can use Option 1. Type your preferred Domain Name and click Add.
- Uncheck Wildcard Alias and Enable IPv6 Address fields. Click Save.
- Dynu Account is now ready!
- Go to the ExpressVPN website, enter credentials and sign in.
- Go to DNS Settings.
- Under Dynamic DNS Registration, enter your Dynamic DNS which you have set up earlier on Dynu. Click on Save Hostname.
- Go to My Subscription on the ExpressVPN page.
- Click on Set Up ExpressVPN.
- Select PlayStation.
- You will see a DNS IP Address. We will need this IP Address later in Configuring PS4.
- Go to Settings of your PS4 and head to Network>Set Up Internet Connection>Use Wi-Fi>Custom>Automatic>Do Not Specify>Manual>Primary DNS.
- Enter the DNS IP Address you found on the ExpressVPN Page. Click on Done.
- Click Next.
- For MTU Settings, select Automatic.
- For Proxy Server, select Do Not Use.
- You will see a message Internet Settings Updated. Click on Test Internet.
- Restart your PS4 by clicking on the Power option on the Home Screen of your PS4.
- The MediaStreamer is set up on your PS4 using DNS IP Address.
For further information, check out our detailed guide: How to Install ExpressVPN On PS4
How Does ExpressVPN Work On Multiple Devices?
ExpressVPN supports simultaneous connections on a maximum of 5 devices at the same time and you can use it on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Other than that, there is also an ExpressVPN browser extension for Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.
You can have simultaneous connections on five desktop computers or two Android Phones with 3 iPhones, or you can connect to 1 TV, 2 Computers, and 2 Android Phones.
You can work out any combination you want to use ExpressVPN on your devices.
But, if you want to use more than 5 devices at the same time, you can go for the options of,
- Purchasing 2 subscriptions to allow 10 devices at the same time.
- Set up a dedicated server on Windows or macOS.
- Set up ExpressVPN directly on your router.
How Can I Install ExpressVPN On My Router?
Whether it be for the reason of enjoying a VPN service 24/7 or covering a wide range of devices with one ExpressVPN subscription.
You can easily set up your ExpressVPN on your router. ExpressVPN has the option to install a VPN on your existing router or a new router. If you don’t have a router, you can buy a VPN router from the website’s affiliated links.
- Go to the ExpressVPN Router Setup page.
- Choose whether you want to install a VPN on your existing router or a new router.
- Select your router from the drop-down menu.
- You will get a download option for the firmware for your router. Download the file. Click Next.
- Install the ExpressVPN firmware by signing in to your router’s configuration page.
- Go to your router’s VPN connectivity section and under Firmware Update, select the downloaded file. Update your firmware settings and restart your router.
- After updating, you will see a window for setting up your router. Follow the instructions.
- Enter your Activation Code when needed and finish the installation process.
- You can now connect as many devices as you want to your router for secure and reliable internet connectivity.
Other than that, you can also set up virtual servers using Amazon Web Services or Google Cloud to set up your VPN, but you’ll have to maintain everything yourself.
For more information, visit our dedicated guide: How to Install ExpressVPN On A Router
How to Use ExpressVPN 30-Day Free Trial?
ExpressVPN has no standard free trial for the customers to check out the features for a limited time before actually purchasing a subscription plan.
But you can use ExpressVPN free for 30 days with its 30-day-money-back guarantee offer. You will have to purchase an ExpressVPN subscription, cancel it before 30 days, and request a refund.
- Go to the ExpressVPN website.
- Purchase an ExpressVPN subscription. We advise you to purchase a one-month plan as you have to pay for it upfront to use its service.
- Get your ExpressVPN Activation Code.
- Install ExpressVPN on your device and paste the Activation Code to start using it.
- When the 30 day period is near to end, go to the ExpressVPN website to cancel your subscription plan.
- Go to My Account and sign in with your ExpressVPN credentials.
- Under the Subscription tab, click on Manage Settings.
- You will see an option of Turn Off Automatic Renewal, click it.
- Click it again to confirm.
- You will see a message that your ExpressVPN subscription is soon going to expire.
- Click on the Customer Support icon on the ExpressVPN page and request a refund.
- Provide the necessary information and you will get your money transferred back to your account in approximately 7 working days.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
How much does ExpressVPN cost for one month?
Is ExpressVPN free to use?
How many devices can I connect to with one ExpressVPN subscription?
On which platforms does ExpressVPN work?
Does ExpressVPN log my personal data?
Does ExpressVPN offer dedicated IP addresses?
To install ExpressVPN on other devices, check out:
Conclusion
Wrapping up the ExpressVPN review, you will cover the aspects of speed, reliability, security, and scalability. With its secure encryption methods, you can easily prevent your traffic from getting exposed.
Mask your IP Address, browse geo-restricted websites, stream unlimited content, and use a VPN anywhere, anytime.
And even if your VPN connection drops, Network Lock will have your back acting as your perfect Kill-Switch to make sure your identity is safe.
