We put these VPNs to the test to find out which is the best!
Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
ExpressVPN is a top performer in nearly every category, as it’s not only the fastest VPN on the market, but also one of the most well rounded. Betternet’s only real advantage is the free price, if you want to count that. It pales in comparison everywhere else.
ExpressVPN is widely known as the fastest VPN you can use, but that doesn’t mean there are others that can’t compete at least somewhat. With that said, Betternet doesn’t come close, and actually hinders your speed quite a bit at times.
| VPN vendor |
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|---|---|---|
| Download speed reduction | 87.8% (UK) | 11% (UK) |
| Upload speed reduction | 31% (FRA) | 16% (FRA) |
| Ping time to google.com | 193ms | 24ms |
| Average time to connect (sec.) | 6.5ms | 11ms |
| Unblock successful for |
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| Visit Site | Visit Site |
Speed determines how fast content uploads, so if you're torrenting or streaming, you want the speed to be somewhat identical to your regular internet speed. Since a VPN encrypts your data, it usually takes a bit longer to send your data back and forth, which can slow down your connection. However, if your ISP deliberately slows down your connection (also known as throttling) a VPN might increase your internet speed. Testing a VPN is somewhat pointless because new servers pop up and affect speed. Your speed can also differ according to your location, so your speed test might not match ours. Having said that, we tested the speed in numerous locations to provide you with the average.
While there are other VPNs with a lot more servers, ExpressVPN still offers a good amount, with 148 locations spread around 94 countries. Betternet only offers servers in 10 countries, and 11 with their premium service.
| VPN vendor |
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|---|---|---|
| Server Locations | 125 | 148 |
| Server Countries | 85 | 94 |
| IP Addresses | 50 | 1,500+ |
| Dynamic Server Switching | ||
| Visit Site | Visit Site |
The ratio of servers to countries is an important factor to look at when choosing a VPN. Only paying attention to location or number of servers can get you in trouble. More servers generally means faster speeds, but if VPN X has a few more servers than VPN Y but twice as many users, VPN X will typically have slower speeds. Ideally, you want a VPN that has a lot of servers in every location. This way you won’t have to worry that server/country that you want will be overburdened and running slow
Customer support is a big area of focus with ExpressVPN. Their site has a large knowledge base, and you can use a fast email ticketing system when needed. If that’s not fast enough, they have live support. Betternet only offers 24/7 email support to premium users, but their site does have a decent FAQ section.
| VPN vendor |
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|---|---|---|
| Email Response Time | X | 0.3 |
| 24/7 Support | ||
| Live Chat | ||
| Knowledge Base | ||
| Video Tutorials | ||
| Visit Site | Visit Site |
We personally test the customer support team of every VPN we review. This means asking technical question through the live chat feature (where applicable) and measuring the response time for email questions. Whether you need to connect to a specific server, change your security protocol, or configure a VPN on your router, finding a VPN with quality customer support should be important to you.
Betternet is available for every major platform and device, and incredibly simple, which works to its advantage with the app. Just download, install, tap the “connect” button, and that’s all there is to it. You also have the option to select a different “virtual location” (IP) — and that’s it. Anyone can use it.
Just don’t expect to unblock streaming services like Netflix, however. Accessing censored or restricted websites is fine, but due to slow speeds, and inadequate abilities, Betternet is not a good choice for watching pretty much anything.
Downloading and installation of ExpressVPN was fast and easy.
Upon launching the application, I successfully accessed and enjoyed streaming our preferred shows on Netflix and Hulu effortlessly. Thanks to the exceptional speeds provided by ExpressVPN, we experienced seamless playback without any buffering.
We tested out our IP address in numerous countries without a problem and found the interface easy enough for a beginner to use from the start. If you are worried about getting around China’s firewall, there is a solution to that: Just download ExpressVPN prior to your arrival. It can be installed on an Android device or laptop, but not the iPhone, so keep that mind.
With this connection, you can still visit your favorite sites and protect your information from authorities. Another thing of note is that ExpressVPN can unblock content on most any streaming platform — another reason why it’s so popular.
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