Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
ExpressVPN vs FastestVPN
ExpressVPN takes it by 26 points, 74.0 against 48.0. That margin is worth reading past — FastestVPN wins 2 of the seven criteria outright.
ExpressVPN
74.0Polished software and a genuine router firmware, at a price the rest of the market has moved away from.
- From
- $4.99/mo
- Based in
- British Virgin Islands
- Devices
- 8
- Audits
- 2
We earn nothing from ExpressVPN. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
FastestVPN
48.0Priced below everything else here, and documented below everything else here. Those two facts are related.
- From
- $1.11/mo
- Based in
- Cayman Islands
- Devices
- 15
- Audits
- None published
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Criterion by criterion
ExpressVPN wins 4, FastestVPN wins 2, 1 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | ExpressVPN | FastestVPN | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 9/10 (18.0) | 0/10 (0.0) | ExpressVPN |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 7/10 (10.5) | Tied |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | FastestVPN |
| Leak protection | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 5/10 (7.5) | ExpressVPN |
| Transparency | 15 | 5/10 (7.5) | 2/10 (3.0) | ExpressVPN |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 5/10 (5.0) | 8/10 (8.0) | FastestVPN |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 9/10 (9.0) | 7/10 (7.0) | ExpressVPN |
| Total | 100 | 74.0 | 48.0 | ExpressVPN |
Where each one actually wins
ExpressVPN is ahead on
- Independent audit. KPMG assured the no-logs claim and Cure53 audited the Lightway protocol source, both with public summaries.
- Leak protection. Network Lock kill switch on desktop, DNS run on the same servers, and a RAM-only fleet under TrustedServer.
- Transparency. Closed-source clients apart from Lightway, email signup required, with a published transparency report.
- Platform coverage. Apps across all major platforms plus purpose-built router firmware, with 8 simultaneous connections.
FastestVPN is ahead on
- Protocol and crypto stack. WireGuard and OpenVPN are offered, with less documentation of default cipher choices than competitors provide.
- Price and refund terms. $1.11/month is the lowest here, but it requires a five-year prepayment and the refund window is 15 days.
Choose ExpressVPN if
Readers who want a router-level install with vendor-supported firmware.
Choose FastestVPN if
Readers whose only constraint is the lowest possible headline price.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip ExpressVPN if: You are price-sensitive, or you want your provider to be independent of a group that owns several apparent competitors.
Skip FastestVPN if: You need evidence rather than assurances. With no audit and no transparency reporting, every privacy claim here rests on the company’s own word.
Questions
- Is ExpressVPN or FastestVPN better?
- ExpressVPN scores higher overall, 74.0 against 48.0, a gap of 26 points out of 100. Polished software and a genuine router firmware, at a price the rest of the market has moved away from.
- Which is cheaper, ExpressVPN or FastestVPN?
- FastestVPN, at $1.11/mo against $4.99/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- ExpressVPN. FastestVPN has published no independent audit at all.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. ExpressVPN operates from British Virgin Islands and FastestVPN from Cayman Islands. Both sit in the same position relative to the Fourteen Eyes agreement.
Related comparisons
Comparison generated from the same dataset as the ranking. Emphasis criterion definitions are on the rubric page. Criterion labels: Independent audit, Jurisdiction and ownership, Protocol and crypto stack, Leak protection, Transparency, Price and refund terms, Platform coverage.