Has ExpressVPN been independently audited?

Yes. The most recent published audit is by KPMG in 2023, covering no-logs policy. ExpressVPN has 2 published audits in total.

Where is ExpressVPN based, and does it matter?

ExpressVPN operates from British Virgin Islands under Kape Technologies, acquired 2021. That jurisdiction is outside the Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing agreement, which limits routine legal compulsion from member states.

How much does ExpressVPN cost?

The lowest effective rate we recorded is $4.99 per month, which requires the 2-year plan. Prices were checked on August 13, 2026 and change often, so confirm on the provider’s own page.

How many devices can I use with ExpressVPN?

One subscription covers 8 devices. Native apps are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV and Router.

Rank 6 of 11 · Updated August 13, 2026

ExpressVPN review: 74.0/100

British Virgin Islands jurisdiction and the in-house Lightway protocol, owned since 2021 by Kape Technologies.

Rubric total

74.0/100

Strong

Verdict. Polished software and a genuine router firmware, at a price the rest of the market has moved away from.

Best for. Readers who want a router-level install with vendor-supported firmware.

Visit ExpressVPN

We earn nothing from ExpressVPN. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.

What holds up and what does not

Holds up

Dedicated router firmware rather than a manual OpenVPN configuration
No-logs claim assured by KPMG
Lightway protocol source published and audited by Cure53
RAM-only server fleet

Counts against it

Highest two-year price here at $4.99/month
Kape Technologies also owns CyberGhost, Private Internet Access and ZenMate
Default protocol is proprietary

Do not buy this if: You are price-sensitive, or you want your provider to be independent of a group that owns several apparent competitors.

How the score was reached

ExpressVPN scores 74.0 out of 100. The table below shows every criterion, its weight, the raw score and the fact that produced it. Nothing here is adjusted after the fact, and commission is not an input. The full rubric is published.

Rubric total

74.0/100

Strong

The weighted sum of the seven criteria below. Nothing is adjusted afterwards, and commission is not an input.

Score breakdown for ExpressVPN
Criterion	Weight	Score	Why
Independent audit	20	18.0 (9/10)	KPMG assured the no-logs claim and Cure53 audited the Lightway protocol source, both with public summaries.
Jurisdiction and ownership	15	10.5 (7/10)	British Virgin Islands sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement, but ownership sits with Kape Technologies, which also owns three competitors.
Protocol and crypto stack	15	10.5 (7/10)	OpenVPN is available and Lightway source has been audited, but the default protocol is proprietary to one vendor.
Leak protection	15	13.5 (9/10)	Network Lock kill switch on desktop, DNS run on the same servers, and a RAM-only fleet under TrustedServer.
Transparency	15	7.5 (5/10)	Closed-source clients apart from Lightway, email signup required, with a published transparency report.
Price and refund terms	10	5.0 (5/10)	The most expensive long-term plan in this dataset at $4.99/month on a two-year commitment.
Platform coverage	10	9.0 (9/10)	Apps across all major platforms plus purpose-built router firmware, with 8 simultaneous connections.

The evidence

Each row links to the page the claim was read from and the date it was read. If a source has changed since, tell us and we will re-check it.

ExpressVPN — sourced facts
Field	Value	Evidence
Headquarters	British Virgin Islands	Source checked August 13, 2026
Ownership	Kape Technologies, acquired 2021 Kape also owns CyberGhost, Private Internet Access and ZenMate.	Source checked August 13, 2026
Server countries	105	Source checked August 13, 2026
Simultaneous devices	8	Source checked August 13, 2026
Refund window (days)	30	Source checked August 13, 2026
Independent audits	KPMG 2023 — No-logs policy Cure53 2022 — Lightway protocol and applications	Report Report
Protocols	Lightway OpenVPN IKEv2	Provider documentation

Features

✓ Kill switch
✓ RAM-only servers
✗ Open-source apps
✓ Split tunnelling
✗ Port forwarding
✓ Ad and tracker blocking
✓ Dedicated IP available
✗ Signup without email
✗ Accepts cash
✓ Accepts cryptocurrency

Pricing

ExpressVPN pricing, as published by the provider
Term	Effective monthly	Billed up front	Checked
Monthly	$12.95	—	August 13, 2026
2-year plan	$4.99	$119.76	August 13, 2026

Refund window: 30 days.

Lab status

We have not run our own speed or leak tests against ExpressVPN yet. Rather than print an estimate, this section stays empty until a measurement exists. The method we will use is published in advance.

Common questions

Has ExpressVPN been independently audited?: Yes. The most recent published audit is by KPMG in 2023, covering no-logs policy. ExpressVPN has 2 published audits in total.
Where is ExpressVPN based, and does it matter?: ExpressVPN operates from British Virgin Islands under Kape Technologies, acquired 2021. That jurisdiction is outside the Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing agreement, which limits routine legal compulsion from member states.
How much does ExpressVPN cost?: The lowest effective rate we recorded is $4.99 per month, which requires the 2-year plan. Prices were checked on August 13, 2026 and change often, so confirm on the provider’s own page.
How many devices can I use with ExpressVPN?: One subscription covers 8 devices. Native apps are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV and Router.
Who should not buy ExpressVPN?: You are price-sensitive, or you want your provider to be independent of a group that owns several apparent competitors.

Compare ExpressVPN directly

Audit criterion raw score: 9/10. Transparency: 5/10.