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VPNchek

Updated April 2026

Best ExpressVPN Alternatives (2026)

We ranked the top 5 ExpressVPN alternatives by score, privacy, streaming, and price. Rankings are based on test data.

Why people leave ExpressVPN

Price

ExpressVPN is among the most expensive VPNs — $13/month on a monthly plan, $8.32/month annually. NordVPN and Surfshark offer comparable features for 30–50% less.

Kape Technologies ownership

ExpressVPN was acquired by Kape Technologies in 2021 alongside CyberGhost and Private Internet Access. Some privacy-conscious users prefer independently owned providers.

No WireGuard support

ExpressVPN uses its proprietary Lightway protocol instead of WireGuard. Lightway is fast, but some users prefer the open-source auditability of WireGuard.

Top ExpressVPN alternatives

1
NordVPN

The proven choice for most people.

Best Overall
9.2/10
Excellent

NordVPN has the largest verified server network, consistently fast speeds, and a independently audited no-logs policy. It costs more than Surfshark but the reliability gap is measurable — especially on streaming.

96%

Speed kept

111

Countries

$3.39

/mo 2-yr plan

  • 6,400+ servers in 111 countries — the widest real network we've tested
  • Independent no-logs audit by Deloitte (2024)
  • Meshnet feature lets you connect your own devices without extra cost
  • More expensive than Surfshark or Private Internet Access
See NordVPN dealFull review →

30-day money-back guarantee

Full review →ExpressVPN vs NordVPN →Get deal →
2
ProtonVPN

Built by the team behind ProtonMail. Privacy is the product.

Best for Privacy
9.1/10
Excellent

ProtonVPN is the strongest privacy-first choice if you distrust VPN marketing claims. The no-logs policy has been court-tested, the apps are fully open source, and the Swiss jurisdiction is the most legally favorable for privacy in Europe.

87%

Speed kept

91

Countries

$3.99

/mo 2-yr plan

  • Strongest verifiable privacy: open-source apps, court-tested no-logs policy
  • Swiss jurisdiction — outside EU and US data retention laws
  • Secure Core routes traffic through hardened servers in Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland
  • Speeds slower than NordVPN or ExpressVPN — 87% retention
See ProtonVPN dealFull review →

30-day money-back guarantee

Full review →ExpressVPN vs ProtonVPN →Get deal →
3
Surfshark

Unlimited devices. Honest price. No surprises.

Best Value
9.0/10
Excellent

Surfshark covers unlimited devices for under $2.50/month on the 2-year plan. Speed is slightly behind NordVPN but more than sufficient. The unlimited simultaneous connections policy alone makes it the obvious choice for households or anyone with more than 5 devices.

91%

Speed kept

100

Countries

$2.19

/mo 2-yr plan

  • Unlimited simultaneous connections — covers every device in your household
  • Under $2.50/month on 2-year plan — the best price-to-feature ratio we've found
  • CleanWeb blocks ads, malware, and trackers (works across all apps, not just browser)
  • Slightly lower speed retention than NordVPN — 91% vs 96%
See Surfshark dealFull review →

30-day money-back guarantee

Full review →ExpressVPN vs Surfshark →Get deal →
4
Mullvad

No email. No account name. Flat €5/month. That's it.

Best for Anonymity
8.7/10
Very Good

Mullvad is the only mainstream VPN with genuinely anonymous accounts — you get a random number, not an email address. Flat €5/month with no multi-year lock-in. If maximum privacy is the requirement, this is the answer.

89%

Speed kept

46

Countries

€5.50

/mo annual

  • Anonymous account creation — number only, no email, no name, no tracking
  • Accepts cash payments for complete financial anonymity
  • Flat €5/month — no confusing discount tiers or introductory pricing traps
  • No streaming optimization — unreliable on Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer
See Mullvad dealFull review →
Full review →ExpressVPN vs Mullvad →Get deal →
5
IVPN

No account. No analytics. The hardest privacy standard available.

Maximum Privacy Standard
8.6/10
Very Good

IVPN sets the highest privacy standard of any VPN we've tested alongside Mullvad — no account system, multi-hop routing, WireGuard with Multihop, and annual audits. Not for streaming. Built for people who actually need privacy.

81%

Speed kept

37

Countries

$5.00

/mo annual

  • Independently audited — one of the only VPNs with no account system, no email, no logs, and open-source apps
  • No email, no account name — sign up with a random account ID only
  • Multi-hop (WireGuard Multihop) routes traffic through two servers by default on Pro tier
  • Standard plan limits you to 2 devices — 7 devices requires the Pro plan at $10/month
See IVPN dealFull review →

30-day money-back guarantee

Full review →ExpressVPN vs IVPN →Get deal →

Frequently asked questions

Is ExpressVPN worth it in 2026?

ExpressVPN scores 8.6/10 in our testing — strong overall. ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN we've tested and the easiest to use — but at $8.32/month it's nearly twice the price of NordVPN. Justified only if raw speed or near-zero setup friction is your primary requirement.

What's cheaper than ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN starts at $8.32/month on its best plan. Among the alternatives above, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, Surfshark, Mullvad, IVPN offer lower pricing while maintaining strong feature coverage.

What's more private than ExpressVPN?

For maximum privacy, Mullvad and IVPN offer anonymous account creation (no email required), accept cash payments, and have been independently audited with zero logged data. ProtonVPN is headquartered in Switzerland with open-source apps and court-verified no-logs. If privacy is the primary concern, any of these three are stronger choices than most mainstream VPNs.