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 widely regarded as one of the best VPNs in the world, offering a well-rounded service that backs up its fast speeds. Proton VPN does have some unique features and impenetrable security, but does need to work on value and support.
Proton VPN’s speeds are not the best, but still usually serviceable for streaming in most cases. On the other hand, ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN on the market, so there’s no contest here. If you want the best streaming speeds, and upload/download speeds, always go with ExpressVPN.
| VPN vendor |
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|---|---|---|
| Download speed reduction | 11% (UK) | 31% (UK) |
| Upload speed reduction | 16% (FRA) | 99% (FRA) |
| Ping time to google.com | 24ms | 217ms |
| Average time to connect (sec.) | 11ms | 6.7ms |
| 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.
ExpressVPN currently has 148 server locations in 94 total countries around the world, which is definitely better than the 112 locations in just 14 countries that Proton VPN has.
| VPN vendor |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Server Locations | 3,300 | 1520 |
| Server Countries | 105 | 65 |
| IP Addresses | 1,500+ | 698 |
| 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.
ExpressVPN backs up their stellar product with support on all levels, be it live chat, email help, or a large knowledge base and tutorials on their site. Proton VPN currently lacks a live chat or any 24/7 support, but can be emailed for help. They have some decent help material on their site.
| VPN vendor |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Email Response Time | 0.3 | 2 |
| 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.
ExpressVPN is incredibly easy to download and set up and use on multiple devices. Once opened, the app will offer to connect you to a recommended server based on your location, but you can just as easily choose to connect to the location of your choice. If you wish to change from the automatic security protocol, simply click on the settings button and you’ll see the full list of protocols to choose from.
ExpressVPN can unblock content on most any streaming platform — another reason why it’s so popular.
Overall, we found Proton VPN easy to use. Once you’ve signed up for an account, you can download the appropriate software based on your operating system. They have clients for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. Depending on your subscription you may use this service on multiple devices. Set up is easy and only takes a few minutes.
Once loaded, you can choose which country to connect to, or you can select the quick connect feature. Typically, connecting to the server takes a few seconds, but if you choose a relatively full server, it may take longer. If you have a server that you want to connect to regularly, you can create a profile with that location and server information. Profiles appear on the quick connect dropdown list.
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