ExpressVPN Review

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5 / 5
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SUMMARY

Typically, this is a very friendly tool for those who want to tap into a VPN for a bit of added privacy. ExpressVPN is very clear about the fact that it does not take any chances with your privacy.

Express VPN: Is this the right VPN for you in Ireland?

As many Irish internet users will know, the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is very useful. It can help you to get better speeds, clearer rules on privacy and more control over your online usage. That being said, the sheer number of options for VPNs in Ireland can be quite off-putting. One common topic that comes to light, though, is that of ExpressVPN. This has become a go-to VPN for many internet users in Ireland. Providing you with a fast, robust, secure and modern VPN service, ExpressVPN is the users choice for many users. Is it really as good as some say, though?

If you speak to some VPN users, you’d think that no other VPN was even worth considering. That, though, is stretching the truth to a point. Yes, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs in Ireland that you can use. No, it’s not perfect. And no, it’s definitely not the only choice that you should consider. In this review, we’ll take a look at why you might wish to use ExpressVPN – and why you might wish to take pause before you go and sign-up.

ExpressVPN and Privacy: How private is ExpressVPN?

Typically, this is a very friendly tool for those who want to tap into a VPN for a bit of added privacy. ExpressVPN is very clear about the fact that it does not take any chances with your privacy. In fact, it claims to not log any IP addresses, browsing history, DNS queries or metadata. We recommend that you look a bit closer at their VPN policy for privacy here.

The good thing about ExpressVPN is that, unlike other Irish VPN options, they keep to their word. This isn’t just smart phrasing: this really does not keep any important data about you when in use. It’s got a very strong and secure “no logging” policy that can put you at ease. In fact, thanks to their awesome AES-256 encryption and their reputation for privacy, the only information that is going to be collected about you includes:

  • The applications that you are have activated to do with ExpressVPN and otherwise.
  • The time that you spend connected to your VPN.
  • The choice of server that you so happen to use the most for your VPN connections.
  • Data levels transferred on a daily basis, which is very useful to know anyway.

Also, the fact that this VPN is based in the British Virgin Islands helps with privacy a lot. It’s a location that is a bit of a double-edged sword. The total lack of transparency on company performance or ownership is a worry for some people. However, it does mean that you are equally protected. This helps ExpressVPN to avoid unwanted interactions from governments and other such groups. Therefore, the limitations to viewing their own information extends to protecting you, as well: it’s a trade-off we think is well worth considering.

Privacy features and benefits with ExpressVPN, though, do not necessarily stop here. Indeed, users can benefit from other nice extras that boosts your VPN experience, such as:

  • Anonymous IP protection and access to a kill switch more or less on demand.
  • P2P servers that can be great for a bit of torrenting if you so choose.
  • Access to most modern streaming tools, such as Netflix and Hulu.
  • Up to 3 entirely private, secured connections that can be used simultaneously.
  • Access to over 2,000 servers across 90 nations, giving you total access and freedom.

As mentioned above, you have thousands of servers to pick from in not far off 100 nations. As such, this provides a very powerful service that should make your usability a joy to watch. However, what is great about ExpressVPN is how user-friendly it is. For example, let’s say that you are using ExpressVPN to get access to geo-blocked content in America. If you were to lose your connection, all you need is a simple kill switch. This will kill off the connection and any software with a single press of a button. Now, you can feel even more protected.

So, if you are looking for a VPN that does a fine job of keeping your data nice and private, you can trust ExpressVPN.

screenshot from the ExpressVPN website

ExpressVPN Usability: Is this VPN as easy to use as it should be?

Usability and user-friendliness are always an important aspect of using a VPN in Ireland. You’ll be pleased to know that the majority of routers, mobile and desktop devices and common operating systems (Windows, Mac and Linux) all run ExpressVPN without any issue. So, if you are worried about having to exclude a commonly used device, fear not.

Another reason why this is so ludicrously easy to use, though, is the fact that ExpressVPN uses AES-256 encryption. That should bestow a lot of confidence into you when you are using this platform. Combined with the use of OpenVPN, this is one of the most powerful and robust VPNs on the market. The chances of any kind of brute force attack or any other mischievous assaults on their platform are very slim indeed. In fact, they use a level of protection that is more or less government standard: so, you can feel pretty safe knowing you have a combination of AES-256 encryption and OpenVPN working to protect you.

It also has other protocols for more advanced users, such as SSTP, PPTP and L2Tp protocols. It’s advanced, robust, modern and more than capable of making user-friendliness a staple of the service.

ExpressVPN Performance: Are speeds as stable as they should be?

A common problem when using a VPN is finding out that they are not as fast as they could or should be. However, with consistently good speeds for both upload and download speeds, ExpressVPN really helps you to break free of that mould. We’d probably say that you are not going to find a faster service. Some services have a similar speed but fall down on a whole host of other important factors.

For Irish users, you should get pretty solid standard speeds when you start using ExpressVPN. They have plenty of servers anyway, so you should be able to get a solid connection of 80mbps+ if you keep on trying.

ExpressVPN and File Sharing

As mentioned above, you could use ExpressVPN for torrenting and for general file sharing, as well. These still retain good speeds and can give you a much easier time when it comes to downloading on P2P networks. The fact they keep no logs adds to the security of using ExpressVPN for file sharing, so that is a nice touch. The fact it’s got great download times and unlimited bandwidth attached to most of their packages, too, makes it easy for you to find a suitable VPN for downloading torrents in Ireland.

ExpressVPN and Streaming

But what about streaming? Can you use this VPN to help you get access to geo-blocked Netflix content, for example? Yes, you can. 100%.

The majority of servers on ExpressVPN will give you total control over where you wish to get access to. Therefore, you might be able to get a lot more out of your Netflix subscription than you can at this moment in time. The majority of US, UK, Canadian and Dutch servers should give you access to the Netflix collection of your dreams. It’s the same with various other streaming platforms, too.

Speeds are excellent, leaving you with a very impressive streaming standard VPN. Buffering should be minimal, except perhaps at peak times on the weekend. So, if you have issues when it comes to finding a VPN in Ireland that is good for streaming, the go-to choice will be ExpressVPN.

Express VPN and TOR

Like many Irish users, you might choose to use The Onion Router (TOR). It’s a strong, security-minded solution that many people use to encrypt their traffic. This makes it easier for you to keep your location from being tracked. Some VPNs, though, clash with TOR: ExpressVPN does not. You can easily use TOR when you are working with ExpressVPN. It connects easily, allowing you to double-up on your privacy and keep you from prying eyes.

While TOR is not necessary in Ireland, those who are precious about privacy will be happy to know that ExpressVPN and TOR can work together hand-in-hand for that added peace of mind. If you would like to access to TOR, we recommend that you contact their customer support service.

Speaking of customer support…

ExpressVPN Assistance: How good is the customer support?

Any good VPN should come with reliable, professional support as well. If you want to get a bit of help with your torrent usage, you’ll find that their 24/7 available, live chat support are among the best in the business. You can get rapid responses via live chat, while e-mail responses are often a lot faster than you get on other platforms. If you are no in immediate need of a response, e-mail should suffice. Got a serious problem? Try out their live chat service: it’s pretty tremendous.

You’ll often be redirected to the live chat system anyway, though, so keep that in mind. It’s a quick, easy to use option for vastly improving the standard and consistency of your VPN usage. If you run into any problems, support is courteous, clear and friendly in helping you find solutions.

ExpressVPN sounds perfect! Does it have any faults?

Sadly, nothing in life is perfect. Though ExpressVPN does a valiant job of being as perfect as it can be, it does have some issues that you might wish to consider. The ‘cons’ are far outweighed by the excellent service we have listed above. However, there are some mild concerns that you may wish to keep in mind. Let’s take a look at what they might be.

A lack of transparency

As mentioned above, ExpressVPN takes privacy seriously – especially for itself. That is not a bad thing, per se, but it does make getting in touch with the company touch. Good luck finding a business contact that is legitimate, for example. However, ExpressVPN makes up for that by having a happy list of customers presently in the millions.

Don’t feel too put out by the fact that ExpressVPN is a little bit more mysterious than other companies. The quality of their service is outstanding.

Device limitations are annoying

The other main problem that we have with ExpressVPN is more of a gripe than anything else. For a single account, you can have up to three devices connected at once. If you are used to using a VPN for the whole family or for the workplace, this might not be enough for you. Many other companies offer 5, even unlimited, device connections.

If your sole need for a VPN is to use it on multiple devices, ExpressVPN might not be the right choice for you. However, if it is just for personal security, it’s easily one of the best VPNs in Ireland.

A price to pay

We haven’t mentioned price too much yet, and there is one reason for that: pricing can be quite expensive. Though they often provide some great special deals, you will need to pay a fair amount for this particular VPN. That might seem like a frustration, but you do get good value for money. If you are comparing this to some other good VPNs in Ireland, though you’ll notice that pricing is often a bit more robust.

If you are looking for exceptionally cheap VPN systems, you probably won’t find what you are looking for here unfortunately. However, the fact that you can pay with credit cards, online payment tools like PayPal or even cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin makes it very attractive from a safety point-of-view.

ExpressVPN: The Final Verdict

Far be it from us to tell you what to use, but ExpressVPN has a fine reputation with good reason. It’s a wonderful service that is packed with features and tools that you can easily use to your advantage. With personal privacy secured, your main challenge is using ExpressVPN for more than just yourself.

For a VPN, though, you would do well to find a better system to pick from. It’s got everything that you need: a user-friendly interface, robust privacy, no real limits to performance and great speeds. If you are looking for a VPN to start using and stick with, we recommend that you look at ExpressVPN.

They have a robust and strong reputation and will be around for the long-term. Out of all the recommendations on the market, you’d do well to find a better alternative than ExpressVPN. It might not be for everyone, but it’ll be perfect for the majority.