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ExpressVPN's cheapest plan costs $8.32 per month when billed annually for a full 12-month plan. Don't want to commit to a year? The other two plans cost $9.99 per month when purchasing six months, and $12.95 per month for a single month.
All three plans offer the same VPN service, along with 24/7 support and unlimited bandwidth.
Your best bet is to be vigilant for ExpressVPN deals and discounts, which can cut down that fairly steep asking price to a more palatable fee.
Read on to find out exactly what you'll get for your money, whether ExpressVPN is the best value VPN for you, and whether you should spend less on an alternative service.
ExpressVPN Pricing Plans
Each of ExpressVPN's price plans offer the same service, with the same suite of features. The only difference is how many months you're willing to pay for at a time.
The month-long $12.95/month plan will (naturally) cost a total of $12.95 for one month, while the $9.99/month plan will result in a bill of $59.95 for six months. The largest saving is available through the $8.32/month annual plan, and will result in the highest bill – $99.95 for 12 months – which represents a saving of 35% compared to the one-month plan.
While the $12.95 one-month plan is pricey for a VPN, the annual plan brings the cost down to a reasonable (though still at the higher end) per-month cost.
Money-Back Guarantee
ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, with no questions asked. Just contact their Support team through live chat or email.
The VPN company does not offer a general free trial period, but the money-back deal is functionally the same. This makes it easy to sample the service at no cost, assuming you eventually decide that it's not for you.
Referral Program
ExpressVPN offers one extra way to save a little money on your plan: Any ExpressVPN users who successfully refer a friend to the service will receive a free 30 days of the service for both themselves and their friend. You can refer as many friends as you want, and get a further 30 days for each one.
Payment Options
ExpressVPN accepts payment through all major credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and JCB.
It also supports Paypal and Bitcoin, as well as many other alternative payment methods, such as those available through the payment provider Paymentwall.
If you're interested in ExpressVPN's service, you may want to try the $12.95 plan for one month just to test it out. If you like it, you can then switch to the less expensive 12-month plan for the best savings.

ExpressVPN is one of the world’s most popular VPN services, enabling you to connect to the internet through a Virtual Private Network link. It's a good offering with an intuitive interface, though our main reservations are around its disappointing impact on your internet speeds and higher than average price point. Its VPN software runs on most devices and operating systems, though only three of your devices can be connected at any one time.
ExpressVPN Pricing for Business
With the business world transitioning to a more hybrid, remote workforce, security is more important than ever. With a good VPN like ExpressVPN, you'll be able to ensure that your company data is safe, even if your employees are logging in from home or, heaven forbid, at a coffee shop with lax WiFi security. But how much will it cost your business to use one?
Unlike other VPN providers that offer specific business pricing plans that follow a “per month per user” model, ExpressVPN does things a bit different. The popular VPN provider actually doesn't offer specific business pricing, but rather charges based on the amount of licenses you need. Quick note, each license allows for up to five users.
The best part about this method of pricing, dubbed volume licensing, is that you'll actually save money on more licenses. As we demonstrate in the table below, you'll get a lower per license charge if you need more licenses. For larger teams, this can make ExpressVPN more affordable than some of the best VPNs for business out there, although the overall price will of course be a bit higher.
1 Month | 6 Months | 12 Months | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0-4 Licenses | 5-9 Licenses | 10-19 Licenses | 20-29 Licenses | 30-49 Licenses | 50+ Licenses |
$12.95 per month | $10.36 per month | $9.71 per month | $9.07 per month | $8.42 per month | $7.77 per month |
$9.99 per month | $7.99 per month | $7.49 per month | $6.99 per month | $6.49 per month | $6 per month |
$8.32 per month | $6.66 per month | $6.25 per month | $5.83 per month | $5.41 per month | $5 per month |
Does ExpressVPN Have a Free Version?
No, ExpressVPN does not offer a free trial or a free plan tier. It's a premium VPN, not a freemium one.
At least, it doesn't offer a free trial in most circumstances: ExpressVPN does provide a free trial for “certain mobile devices,” according to its website. You'll need to get in touch with their Support team to learn more.
We have rounded up all the best free VPNs in the past, although they all come with their own drawbacks as well: Most come with heavy bandwidth limitations or speed throttling, almost all offer limited features, and a few even come with dangerous security risks that may leave your information more exposed than if you'd avoided a VPN at all.

Why is ExpressVPN more expensive than other VPNs?
Even at its cheapest, ExpressVPN still costs $8.32 per month, which puts it solidly at the higher end of the scale for VPNs – many of which are available for $3 to $5 per month.
Put simply, ExpressVPN justifies this price by offering a superior service: The company runs and maintains a scaled-up and highly secure network, which is what its customers are paying for. ExpressVPN comes with all the basic features you need to stay safe online, including a kill switch, AES-256 encryption, and private DNS servers. However, it also provides advanced features too like Threat Manager, which prevents your device from communicating with servers that are listed on ExpressVPN's “blocklist” of trackers and malicious web pages (currently available on Mac, iOS and Linux – Windows and Android provision coming soon).
In the table below, we compare ExpressVPN's pricing and features to some of its main competitors, along with our independent test findings:
Test Score Our scoring is based on independent tests and assessments of features, privacy settings, ease of use and value. | Price From Lowest price for single month subscription to cheapest paid tier. Other plans are available. | Verdict | No. of Devices | No. of Servers | Zero Data Logging | Kill Switch | Email Support | Live Chat | Ease of Use | Features | Privacy | Speed | Help & Support | Value for Money | Free Trial | Try Click to find the latest offers, deals and discounts from the VPN provider | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BEST ON TEST | ||||||||||||||||||
4.8 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 3.5 | |||||||||||||
$3.33/month | $2.29/month | $9.99/month | $8.32/month | $2.03/month | ||||||||||||||
Fast, effective, low-cost and simple – the best VPN we've tested, with risk-free money-back guarantee | Powerful features and security, but a bit technical. Some massive savings currently available. | A safe, simple, outstanding VPN | Good VPN privacy at good speeds | Superb features, but at a higher cost | A user-friendly VPN, let down by some speed loss | |||||||||||||
6 per account | Unlimited | 5 | 8-12 | 5 | 5 | |||||||||||||
5,400+ (60+ countries) | 2,200+ (55+ countries) | 7,600 (78+ countries) | 3,000+ (50+ countries) | 3,000+ (94+ countries) | 7,000 servers (90+ countries) | |||||||||||||
| | | | | | |||||||||||||
| | | | | | |||||||||||||
| | | | | | |||||||||||||
| | | | | | |||||||||||||
★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | |||||||||||||
★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | |||||||||||||
★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | |||||||||||||
★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | |||||||||||||
Phone, email, live chat | Phone, email, live chat | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | |||||||||||||
★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | |||||||||||||
30-day money-back guarantee | Yes (iOS and Android) | | | 30-day money-back guarantee | | |||||||||||||
Compared to the competition, $8.32 a month can seem like a lot. But consider what it's protecting you against: Unsecured information could lead to identity fraud, or money lost to phishing attempts. If you're interested in staying safe online, and you need a reliable service, paying the cost of a cup of coffee a month for the privilege makes sense.
Is ExpressVPN better than the cheaper competition? Ultimately, you'll need to decide that for yourself, based off your budget and need for security. We can confirm it's one of the most secure options out there.

NordVPN – best overall VPN
While any VPN is going to lower your internet speeds a little bit, NordVPN only does so a little, putting it ahead of ExpressVPN in our tests:
Provider | Upload Speed (No VPN) | Download Speed (No VPN) | Upload Speed (London) | Download Speed (London) | Upload Speed (New York) | Download Speed (New York) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NordVPN | 20.9 | 214.1 | 19.2 | 204.4 | 7.26 | 196 |
ExpressVPN | 20.9 | 218.8 | 16.8 | 200.4 | 16.6 | 186.7 |
Overall, our internet speeds decreased by just 13% while we were connected to NordVPN's network, and 23.1% when connected to ExpressVPN's. These were both good results, though, and ExpressVPN by no means “feels” slow when you use it.
On top of being a speed demon, NordVPN offers a great suite of features as well, rivaling ExpressVPN's options. We've compared the two services in plenty of depth in a separate article, so check this out if you're interested in learning more.
One other big benefit: NordVPN can cost very little – provided you nab the best discounts!

Pros:
- Risk-free money-back guarantee
- Excellent mobile app for iOS
- Lightning-quick connection speeds
- Packed with useful security features
- Excellent value for money
Cons:
- Couldn't unblock some streaming services when tested
- Roughly half of the server network is located in the USA
- Assumes some technical knowledge for advanced features
PureVPN – best for saving money
PureVPN is one of our top-rated VPNs, thanks to an impressive collection of features and a simple approach. The interface is easy to use, the features offer plenty of options for connecting third-party apps, and the package comes with some extra security functions that other VPNs don't have. These security bonuses include Ozone, an antivirus that blocks internet security risks before you notice them, and Gravity, an ad blocker.
Best of all, it's a cheap service: go for the discounted two-year plan through this link, and you'll pay just $2.91 per month.

Pros:
- Effective privacy and security features
- Smart Mode-based approach
- Clear notifications
- Excellent value
Cons
- Not quite as fast as billed
- Doesn’t unblock Netflix unless you use the browser extension
IPVanish – best for VPN experts
If you know your way around a VPN, you'll likely want one with detailed, granular features and settings. A power user will benefit from gaining the ability to customize their VPN protocol or to pick the best type of leak protection. On the flip side, if you're not an expert, you might get bogged down in the details.
IPVanish delivers those features, along with a speedy connection and global server coverage. Prices aren't the lowest, though, at around $10 per month when paid monthly.

Pros:
- Controls a proportion of its server network
- Solid privacy and security features
- Decent speeds
Cons
- Slightly intimidating user interface
- Hasn't made the switch to RAM servers
- Priced above some rivals
TorGuard – best for file-sharing
TorGuard is a great option for users interested in peer-to-peer file sharing while retaining privacy. While we at Tech.co don't condone any illegal activity, such as sharing copyrighted materials, there's nothing wrong with the act of file-sharing itself. TorGuard keeps you safe during the process, thanks to high-quality leak protection functionality and consistently high speeds for a VPN.
On top of all that, it can also unlock Netflix – something that only a handful of VPNs can boast.
Paid annually, TorGuard is about $5 a month, making it a fairly cheap service. One downside: It can be intimidating to casual users.

Pros:
- Strong global presence
- Great features and control for expert users
- Impressive VPN performance
- Fully-featured Linux GUI
Cons:
- Not great for less experienced users
- Awkward sign-up process
- Unblocking abilities could be better
CyberGhost – best for VPN newbies
CyberGhost aims its service at VPN beginners, prioritizing ease of use. It'll automatically block ads, trackers, and malicious websites. Plus, users can just pick one out of a series of “modes” when signing on – Surf Anonymously, Torrent Anonymously, or Unblock Streaming are a few examples. This gives them an easy way to get the best server for their needs, even if they don't have any technical knowledge.
The trade-off is that it's a pretty slow VPN, sometimes slowing connection speeds by over 60%. Sign up for two years at a time, and it'll cost you just $3.50 per month.

Pros:
- Clearly-explained settings
- Lots of advanced features
- Strong online help and support
- Good value
Cons:
- Not very speedy
- Makes some odd server choices
Final Thoughts – Is ExpressVPN good value?
Whether ExpressVPN provides strong value for its price depends on what you're looking for.
The good: ExpressVPN offers unbeatable security, one of the most essential elements of a good VPN. It's also feature-rich, giving users the flexibility they need to stay protected. It also supports peer-to-peer file-sharing, even including tutorials.
The bad: ExpressVPN costs a lot, and it's not one of the faster VPNs out there. Our tests found a speed loss of around two-thirds, though it was also inconsistent, sometimes performing much better.
If you're looking for a trustworthy and secure VPN, ExpressVPN offers great value. If you're looking for a speedy VPN service at a low price, we've rounded up a few other VPN options you might be interested in.
It offers a great mobile app as well. However, it's not as fast as some VPNs.
Overall, NordVPN may have the edge – largely due to the price difference. We've compared the two services in more depth in another article.
Some countries, including China and Russia, restrict the use of VPNs within their borders. In addition, some companies ban VPN use in their terms of service even when it isn't strictly illegal. For a deep dive into these cases and more, read our article discussing the legal complexities of VPN use.
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