This pits privacy ideals against commercial polish. ProtonVPN, from the team behind ProtonMail, is a Swiss-engineered service with an uncompromising commitment to user anonymity. ExpressVPN has perfected premium VPN…
ProtonVPN is a Swiss VPN from the Proton Mail team with open-source apps and a free tier that has no data cap or ads. It suits privacy-first users.
A premium-priced VPN based in the British Virgin Islands, with RAM-only servers and a no-logs policy audited 23 times. It suits travelers and journalists.
This pits privacy ideals against commercial polish. ProtonVPN, from the team behind ProtonMail, is a Swiss-engineered service with an uncompromising commitment to user anonymity. ExpressVPN has perfected premium VPN service for mainstream users and leads on streaming.
ProtonVPN's free tier gives unlimited bandwidth (with speed restrictions) across 3 countries. ExpressVPN has no free option at all. ProtonVPN's unique feature is Secure Core, which routes traffic through privacy-friendly jurisdictions such as Switzerland and Iceland. ExpressVPN has MediaStreamer DNS for devices that don't support VPNs.
ExpressVPN is far ahead on streaming, with dedicated infrastructure and SmartPlay technology. ProtonVPN's geo-unblocking is improving but inconsistent. ProtonVPN has much stronger privacy credentials, with Swiss privacy laws, open-source applications and independently audited infrastructure. ProtonVPN is also more affordable, especially given its strong free tier.
| Feature | ProtonVPN | Express VPN |
|---|---|---|
Ad & Tracker Blocking | ||
Anonymous Payment Methods | ||
Connection Protocols | ||
Custom VPN Protocols | ||
Customer Support Availability | ||
Dedicated IP Option | ||
Encryption Standard | ||
Independent Audits | ||
IPv6 Leak Protection | ||
Kill Switch | ||
Multi-Hop | ||
No-logs Policy | ||
Open Source Apps | ||
RAM-only Servers | ||
Simultaneous Connections | ||
Split Tunneling | ||
Streaming Support | ||
Support Channels | ||
Torrenting Support |
This choice reflects what you value most online. Choose ProtonVPN if you're a privacy advocate who values Swiss privacy laws and military-grade security features and wants a useful free tier. Go with ExpressVPN if streaming reliability comes first, you like a premium experience and you'll pay top dollar for consistent performance. For privacy-conscious users on a budget, ProtonVPN is the better choice on both value and principles.
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