ExpressVPN vs ProtonVPN (March 2026)
| EExpressVPN | PVProtonVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.67/mo | Free |
| Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Free Tier | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Best For | Speed seekers, Streamers | Privacy-conscious individuals needing no-logs protection, Journalists and activists bypassing censorship |
ExpressVPN edges ahead with a 4.7/5 rating versus ProtonVPN's 4.3/5, offering stronger value for most teams.
Quick Overview
ExpressVPN
Premium VPN with fast speeds, military-grade encryption, and 24/7 support.
- Best for: Speed seekers, Streamers
- Starting price: $6.67/mo
- Category: VPN Services
- Founded: 2009
- Pricing model: subscription
ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN provides secure, no-logs VPN access with a free tier and premium plans, operated from Switzerland by non-profi...
- Best for: Privacy-conscious individuals needing no-logs protection, Journalists and activists bypassing censorship
- Starting price: Free
- Category: VPN Services
- Founded: 2017
- Pricing model: freemium
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ExpressVPN | ProtonVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Kill Switch | ✓ | ✗ |
| Split Tunneling | ✓ | ✗ |
| No-Log Policy | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multiple Devices | ✓ | ✗ |
| Streaming Access | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✗ |
| Browser Extension | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ad Blocker | ✗ | ✗ |
| Strict no-logs policy | ✗ | ✓ |
| 18,166 servers in 129 countries | ✗ | ✓ |
| Open-source apps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Free tier with unlimited data | ✗ | ✓ |
| DNS and WebRTC leak protection | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tor over VPN | ✗ | ✓ |
| Secure Core multi-hop routing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Router compatibility | ✗ | ✓ |
| Kill switch | ✗ | ✓ |
| NetShield ad/malware blocker | ✗ | ✓ |
| P2P/torrenting support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cross-platform apps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Always-on VPN | ✗ | ✓ |
Pricing Comparison
Prices last verified: March 16, 2026
ExpressVPN
ProtonVPN
Pros & Cons
ExpressVPN
- Very fast speeds
- Excellent for streaming
- Great apps
- Reliable connections
- Most expensive
- Only 8 devices
- No multi-hop
- No ad blocker
ProtonVPN
- Strong Swiss privacy laws and verified no-logs policy
- Non-profit structure prioritizes users over profits
- Generous free tier with unlimited data
- Open-source and independently audited for transparency
- Free tier has limited servers and speeds
- Many servers are third-party owned
- Premium pricing may be higher than competitors
- Smaller company scale with 55 employees
Which Is Best for You?
Choose ExpressVPN if:
- Speed seekers
- Streamers
- China users
- Privacy enthusiasts
- Higher user rating matters to you (4.7 vs 4.3)
Choose ProtonVPN if:
- Privacy-conscious individuals needing no-logs protection
- Journalists and activists bypassing censorship
- Free users seeking basic unlimited VPN access
- Tech-savvy users valuing open-source and audits
- You want to start with a free plan
- Budget is a priority (Free vs $6.67)
Our Verdict
After thorough analysis, ExpressVPN takes the lead in this comparison with a higher rating of 4.7/5 versus ProtonVPN's 4.3/5.
ExpressVPN is best for Speed seekers and Streamers. Very fast speeds.
ProtonVPN remains a strong alternative, especially for Privacy-conscious individuals needing no-logs protection and Journalists and activists bypassing censorship. Strong Swiss privacy laws and verified no-logs policy.
Pricing-wise, ProtonVPN is the more affordable starting option. Evaluate free trials of both before committing.