VPN discussion - ExpressVPN vs. the world

[maflynn]

I'm currently subscribing to ExpressVPN and have been somewhat happy with them but they were sold to Kape technologies. It appears that Kape has been on a buying spree. I'm not sure how I feel about them losing their independence and being beholden to another company.

My primary need for VPN is for security when on public wifi.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

If you believe that ExpressVPN will behave differently, there are other VPN software out there to try out.

 

[maflynn]

there are other VPN software out there to try out.

No question, That's why I'm also asking here, looking for some input on others

 

[lclev]

Do some research. I personally use NordVPN and really like it. It is fast and I actually forget I have it running.

10 Best VPN Services

A VPN, or virtual private network, is a service that encrypts your activity on the internet and keeps your identity hidden while browsing. We’ve analyzed 22 of the best VPN services on the market across 36 data points, thoroughly tested the providers that made it into the top 10, and then awarded ea

www.forbes.com

Lisa

 

[IWT]

@maflynn

Well, this is news to me. I've been a long time paid-up user of ExpressVPN. I've found it to be very quick, stable and reliable - but your post naturally raises concerns.

Is it possible to post a link or links to support your comments, please? I don't doubt them; just want to research this myself.

In the recent past, I've also used PIA and NordVPN. They are slower where I live and I've let my subscription lapse.

Ian

 

[Raz0rEdge]

ExpressVPN Officially Joins Kape Technologies | ExpressVPN Blog

This move means that we’ll be able to innovate faster and provide you with protection from a wider range of threats.

www.expressvpn.com

This happened nearly a year ago...

 

[maflynn]

Is it possible to post a link or links to support your comments, please? I don't doubt them; just want to research this myself.

Sure
ExpressVPN
Is Kape's acquisition of ExpressVPN cause for concern?
Kape Technologies buys ExpressVPN for almost $1 billion

Well, this is news to me. I've been a long time paid-up user of ExpressVPN.

I've largely been pleased with them, though they tended to be on the pricier side. I'm not anti-ExpressVPN but rather as my subscription is nearing its renewal, I'm just doing my do diligence to see if its something I still want to pay for

 

[IWT]

Thank you guys. I was certainly behind the times - Kape also owns PIA which I haven't used for a while despite having a "lifetime" subscription.

The articles which @maflynn and Ashwin linked suggest that ExpressVPN is acting independently and, so far, there's no genuine concerns re security/privacy. But who knows?

Thank you again.

Ian

 

[maflynn]

Do some research. I personally use NordVPN and really like it. It is fast and I actually forget I have it running.

10 Best VPN Services

A VPN, or virtual private network, is a service that encrypts your activity on the internet and keeps your identity hidden while browsing. We’ve analyzed 22 of the best VPN services on the market across 36 data points, thoroughly tested the providers that made it into the top 10, and then awarded ea

www.forbes.com

Lisa

Thanks for the link, that's helpful

 

[Randy B. Singer]

My primary need for VPN is for security when on public wifi.

It's a matter of debate, but it may be that VPN's are an anachronism that have been made superfluous by current technology:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/06/technology/personaltech/are-vpns-worth-it.html

"The reality is that web security has improved so much in the last few years that VPN services, which charge monthly subscription fees that cost as much as Netflix, offer superfluous protection for most people concerned about privacy, some security researchers said.

"Many of the most popular VPN services are now also less trustworthy than in the past because they have been bought by larger companies with shady track records."

There has been a LOT of consolidation in the VPN market in the last year or so. Mostly, companies that have harvesting your data as a business model have been buying up VPN services. This is not a good thing.

That all said, there are three VPN companies that always come up as "the best."

NordVPN

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A fast VPN service that encrypts your traffic and shields your IP and virtual location. Improve your security and enjoy some of the best VPN speeds!

nordvpn.com

NordVPN’s limited-time deal

Go big on cybersecurity: Get a massive discount on the world's top VPN!

nordvpn.com

Fast and usable almost anywhere. Plus, it has built-in split tunneling.

ProtonVPN

The best VPN for speed and security

Get fast, secure VPN service in 110+ countries. Download our free VPN now — or check out Proton VPN Plus for even more premium features.

protonvpn.com

Proton VPN features | Proton VPN

Proton VPN is a fast and reliable Swiss-based VPN that uses premium VPN features to protect your privacy.

protonvpn.com

Why should you trust Proton VPN? | Proton VPN

The VPN industry is notorious for unscrupulous players, so it’s reasonable to ask is Proton VPN trustworthy. Here's what set Proton VPN apart from other VPN services.

protonvpn.com

Mullvad VPN

Mullvad VPN - Free the internet

Free the internet from mass surveillance and censorship. Fight for privacy with Mullvad VPN and Mullvad Browser.

mullvad.net

The Wirecutter has them as their current top pick.

The Best VPN Service

You might not need a VPN, but if you want to add an extra layer of security to your web browsing, Mullvad has been our pick for years.

www.nytimes.com

 

[MacInWin]

There is one business case for VPN. I can't read the article at NYT Randy linked as it is behind a paywall, so I don't know if it was addressed. I have one bank I do business with because I have a credit card issued by them. I travel internationally, and when the payment is due and I am overseas, the bank will not allow me to connect to my account because it sees the IP as being outside the US. I can't even get to the login screen, it's blocked just for geography. Stupid, yes, but it is what it is. So, I have the VPN to allow me to pretend I'm in the US when overseas, the bank allows me to log in an do business. Unique, maybe, but it is needed.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

There is one business case for VPN. I can't read the article at NYT Randy linked as it is behind a paywall, so I don't know if it was addressed. I have one bank I do business with because I have a credit card issued by them. I travel internationally, and when the payment is due and I am overseas, the bank will not allow me to connect to my account because it sees the IP as being outside the US. I can't even get to the login screen, it's blocked just for geography. Stupid, yes, but it is what it is. So, I have the VPN to allow me to pretend I'm in the US when overseas, the bank allows me to log in an do business. Unique, maybe, but it is needed.

Ironically, I have a bank that won't let me connect when on a VPN, even when connected to a US server.

One of my core uses is to bypass the restrictions for the public wi-fi at work. There are perfectly legit sites I sometimes need or want to access from my iPad but they block them.

 

[Rod]

It's a difficult task to find a truely independent, comparative evaluation of VPN services out there but broadly speaking the two top competitors would certainly seem to be Nord VPN and Express VPN the two top priced VPN services in the market.

The argument that you only get what you pay for with a VPN is probably true to an extent but Swedish Mullvad VPN mentioned by Randy certainly looks to be very good at roughly half the price of Express VPN. Their relative lack of internet visibility is probably due to a lack of affiliation with the "popular" web sites that write evaluations of software like this.

As a long time user of Express VPN I can say that their 24/7 live chat support is excellent and unlike Nord don't seem to engage in the same sales hype the Nord do. For example if you go to the Nord site The best online VPN service for speed and security | NordVPN you will see at the top a little panel listing your IP address and ISP and in red as "Unprotected" claim. Interestingly the IP address stated is not mine and the ISP is in a different country to where I am. That's because I'm using Express VPN. Mullvad do a similar thing on their site Mullvad VPN - Privacy is a universal right with the distinct difference that they only state I'm not using Mullvad (in red) and my location which is the location created by Express VPN. A little more honest than "Unprotected" but that's just semantics.

So, it is a bit of a personal thing choosing a VPN and how I justify the cost:

My traffic in encrypted which decreases my ISP's access to the sites I visit or the files I access or transmit. This affords me a level of privacy especially in a foreign country or internet cafe. For that reason I also have Express VPN on my mobile devices for all those free WiFi sites. US Congress also made it legal for ISP's to sell your browsing data to third party advertisers.

It can, in some cases, get around local content restrictions and other kinds of censorship.
I use a Express VPN to access live streaming TV content from services I subscribe to in my home country. I have tried others that simply did not work.

Ease of use is also worth considering, Nord, Surfshark, Pure, Express and many others all claim easy installation but the only one I have tried that was truely easy was, and still is Express VPN but that was a few years ago.

I understand that a VPN is not a magic bullet affording me total anonymity and privacy, it is just one of a number of tools for that purpose and choice is, to some degree a matter of trial and error. Having said that I do think it is a valuable tool.

If I was just starting out I'd definitely try a cheaper one. Does Express being acquired by Kape concern me? No, not overly. Kape appear to be a genuine online security corporation, in their words, "Kape is a leading privacy-first digital security software provider offering a suite of solutions to protect consumers’ digital lives."

One of Express VPN's recent new features is an option to block trackers and malicious sites by blocking other apps from sharing your activity with third party trackers. Express also now have a Random Password Generator. I often think that when an app begins to include gimmicky features like this it's time to move on.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

...Does Express being acquired by Kape concern me? No, not overly. Kape appear to be a genuine online security corporation, in their words, "Kape is a leading privacy-first digital security software provider offering a suite of solutions to protect consumers’ digital lives."
...

I hold the site "Restore Privacy" in high regard. Here is their recent review of ExpressVPN. (Spoiler alert: They aren't worried about the aquisition by Kape YET, as there is no sign that Kape has compromised ExpressVPN's excellent security. They have lots and lots of good things to say about Express VPN, but they think that it is on the expensive side for what it offers. It is twice the price of NordVPN, and triple the price of some other VPN services.)

ExpressVPN Review and 2025 Test Results (Pros & Cons)

In this new ExpressVPN review, we tested out the Lightway protocol, speeds, server network, security, VPN apps, and more.

restoreprivacy.com

 

[Randy B. Singer]

There is one business case for VPN.

Oh, I can think of several reasons one might want to have a VPN. I was just addressing the original poster's one stated concern.

1. Surf the internet without revealing your real IP address and geo-location (online anonymity).
2. Prevent your Internet Service Provider (ISP), third parties, network admins, and governments from spying on your online activities.
3. Unblock websites and access content that is restricted (censored) to certain geographic locations.
4. Torrent, P2P download, and stream media with more privacy.
5. Save money on flights and other online purchases by changing your IP address (your virtual geographic location).

The thing is that many (most?) ordinary users may not care enough about any of the above such that they would be willing to pay for a VPN.

 

[maflynn]

Whelp, ExpressVPN auto-renewed this morning. I could probably push the issue, and cancel it, since I did turn off auto-renew and verified that it was off, but its mysteriously was re-enabled

I thought I had a little more time, but the research I did do, found that ExpressVPN was still near the top of the recommendations and while a bit pricier its served me well enough. I was on an extended contract the time before (something like 18 or 24 months, I forget).

Thanks everyone for offering their opinions, providing links to help with my do diligence.

 

[stoker]

thanks everyone. I stumbled on this discussion,, and found it really interesting, and reading all your input. Many things that I was unaware of . I use Express vpn,, and yes when the bill comes in, it stings. That wears off after a while. I use it very seldom,, but when needed works fast, and connects well. Thanks for alerting me to all the other providers that you respect. Next renewal,, I shall think again

 

[jpdemers]

I use SurfShark - it's relatively inexpensive, connections are fast, and it's simple to use.

Remains to be seen if they remain independent or get gobbled up by a large corporation having dubious/opaque privacy policies.

 

[Rod]

SurfShark is an interesting product, it's cheap, allows unlimited devices and does some interesting things like ad blocking and 3rd party cookie blocking. Sadly they have no servers in Australia so it's of no use to me.

 

[lclev]

I am looking for the Nord VPN

The best VPN service for speed and security in 2025

A fast VPN service that encrypts your traffic and shields your IP and virtual location. Improve your security and enjoy some of the best VPN speeds!

nordvpn.com

They have a black Friday deal going on now. I use NordVPN and like them.

Lisa