ExpressVPN vs VyprVPN Comparison: Which One is Better?

Both ExpressVPN and VyprVPN are reliable VPN service providers, but our research revealed that ExpressVPN is the winner.

Our multiple tests show ExpressVPN had significantly better connection speed results and more streaming options. Its SmartDNS technology unlocked websites that VyprVPN struggles with on a standard VPN connection. Moreover, ExpressVPN offers more browser extensions and a better Linux app.

VyprVPN is cheaper than ExpressVPN, and offers 30 simultaneous connections compared to 8. However, ExpressVPN offers a larger server pool with better global coverage.

Because VyprVPN provides a split-tunneling feature for macOS, which ExpressVPN lacks, it is a priority choice for Apple users. Otherwise, ExpressVPN wins the competition by providing a better price-value ratio.

ExpressVPN vs VyprVPN

ExpressVPN and VyprVPN offer reliable and private VPN services with core differences outside the security perimeter. While cheaper, VyprVPN has fewer streaming site options and lower Internet connection speed. ExpressVPN has more servers and browser extensions but caps the simultaneous connections at 5, compared to 30 simultaneous VyprVPN connections. However, ExpressVPN is the winner because it has better performance and price-value ratio.

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Netflix and streaming performance

VyprVPN and ExpressVPN have significant differences regarding streaming capabilities, with the latter performing better.

Both services successfully unlocked various Netflix libraries, however, VyprVPN struggled with US and UK regions. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN effortlessly unblocked Japanese Netflix on every tested server, and produced the same great results for other regions.

ExpressVPN offers apps for Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, Nvidia Shield, and has a MediaStreamer feature, which works similarly to a more well-known SmartDNS. It's a robust tool for accessing geo-restricted sites from devices that don't support a VPN connection. However, on our tests, MediaStreamer failed to perform on Xbox.

VyprVPN, on the other hand, does not offer SmartDNS services, so you will have to rely on its standard protocol. However, the VyprVPN app works well on Amazon Fire Stick, and you can integrate it on Kodi.

Both services performed admirably with YouTube, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Videos. Yet VyprVPN failed to unlock Hulu, which ExpressVPN had no trouble with. Furthermore, the VyprVPN IKEv2 protocol was identified as an "unblocker or proxy" error – an issue that SmartDNS technology would solve.

The limited number of servers, struggle with Hulu, and lack of SmartDNS feature prevent VyprVPN from appearing on the best streaming VPN lists.

Simultaneously, ExpressVPN costs more than other top-notch VPNs and provides fewer servers and a slightly slower connection speed. Both services could not compete with NordVPN or Surfshark, which take the top spots in our Best VPN for Netflix list.

Wrapping up

ExpressVPN outperforms VyprVPN in nearly every streaming criterion. If you’re picking between the two, ExpressVPN is by far the better option for streaming.

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Plans & pricing

Both services are quite similar in their pricing strategies and offered features for the money: with a noteworthy difference regarding simultaneous connections. ExpressVPN is more expensive, but it supports only 8 simultaneous connections. VyprVPN offers 30 – enough for using one account on your entire household and more.

Like many other VPN services, both offer the full package of features on all plans, lowering their cost for longer subscriptions. The monthly option is the most expensive, draining your wallet $12.95 for ExpressVPN and a round $10.00 for VyprVPN.

You will get much more competitive pricing if you sign up for yearly plans – $6.67/month and $5.00/month for ExpressVPN and VyprVPN, respectively.

It’s important to note that these price options are both above market average. There are cheaper options with just as good, if not better, quality. For example, one of the industry leaders, NordVPN, offers the best deal with a two-year-long subscription, which costs only $3.09/month.

ExpressVPN takes the upper hand regarding payment options variety because it allows paying in cryptocurrency, which is mandatory for a private purchase. Even though VyprVPN does not offer such an option, both accept UnionPay, making the services viable for China. Other than that, they accept PayPal and other regular credit card payments.

While VyprVPN doesn't offer a cost-free trial, ExpressVPN provides a 7-day free trial for mobile devices. However, there’s a simple way to try these VPNs with no risk on any device of your choice. Both offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so check them out, if you're one of the lucky ones that don't forget to cancel subscriptions.

You can get a 7-day free trial for ExpressVPN from Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Simultaneously, VyprVPN offers a 3-day free trial for iOS and Android users – and both providers will ask for your payment details.

Wrapping up

Both VPNs are more expensive than several other top providers – but across the board, VyprVPN offers lower prices than ExpressVPN.

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ExpressVPN vs VyprVPN: which is more secure?

VyprVPN and ExpressVPN are secure providers that will protect your online traffic from undesired attention and prevent data leaks. ExpressVPN uses ChaCha20 encryption, which is faster and more resource-friendly than VyprVPN's AES-256-CBC. However, both algorithms perform similarly well, protecting your online data flow from cyber threats.

To prove their mettle, both providers went through independent no-logs audits. VyprVPN chose Leviathan Security, meanwhile, ExpressVPN opted for PricewaterhouseCoopers – the same company that audited NordVPN servers. Both audits proved their no-logs claims.

Both ExpressVPN and VyprVPN do not include an ad blocker to its otherwise rich feature set-up – a feature more and more common amongst various VPN services. ExpressVPN focuses more on security, with a bug bounty program, which helps to identify and fix vulnerabilities as quickly as possible. VyprVPN does not have such a program but offers advanced DNS leak protection: these two try to steal each other's thunder at every corner.

Infrastructure

Even though neither is based in a 14-eyes Alliance country, VyprVPN chose not to use RAM-only servers, posing a greater risk of a data leak. An independent audit proved that VyprVPN takes the no-logs claim seriously, however, the RAM-only server structure is safer by design.

Meanwhile, ExpressVPN RAM-only TrustedServer technology wipes out all data that is not used, including service management software. So, even if a cybercriminal manages to infect their servers, the malware is deleted alongside everything else every time the server restarts.

Privacy

ExpressVPN is based in British Virgin Islands with no data retention laws. The British Virgin Islands are not a part of the 14-eyes Alliance or any other online surveillance group, and when Turkish authorities seized one of ExpressVPN’s servers in 2017, they found no logs on it.

However, in 2021 this VPN service was acquired by Kape Technologies, a security and digital privacy company that also owns CyberGhost VPN, ZenMate, and Private Internet Access (PIA).

Meanwhile, VyprVPN is located in Switzerland, with favorable privacy laws suited for a no-logs VPN. Their privacy policy document clearly outlines the no-logs claim, backed by an independent audit.

Even though both services have proven they are privacy-friendly, ExpressVPN gains the edge with its RAM-only servers.

Logging

Both VyprVPN and ExpressVPN provide no-logs VPN services and have facts to back them up. They chose base operation locations with privacy-friendly laws, and each went through an independent no-logs audit.

However, VyprVPN chose not to transit to RAM-only servers, putting it behind ExpressVPN. Instead, it owns and operates all of its servers. As applaudable as it is, it does not compensate for the robust security of the RAM-only server structure, called TrustedServer technology in the ExpressVPN app.

China and countries with restricted internet access

Even though using VPNs in China is legal, their usage is severely restricted, and only a few manage to get through their Great Firewall.

VyprVPN is one of the best VPNs for China due to its Chameleon protocol. It excels at avoiding Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) used by the Chinese government to identify and block VPN traffic.

Simultaneously, ExpressVPN has a sufficient number of regional servers and provides excellent connection speed. It also successfully avoids DPI detection, so both of these services are excellent choices.

However, it's best to download both apps beforehand if you plan on traveling there because China blocks access to VPN download sites.

Speed comparison: ExpressVPN vs VyprVPN

We ran our speed tests on VyprVPN Wireguard and ExpressVPN proprietary Lightway protocols, and they revealed that ExpressVPN is a clear winner. Here are the specifics:

Data period: 08.27 - 09.10

Download retention
US (NY)	91% (459 Mbit/s)	6% (64 Mbit/s)
United Kingdom	92% (461 Mbit/s)	2% (27 Mbit/s)
Upload retention
US (NY)	92% (464 Mbit/s)	12% (120 Mbit/s)
United Kingdom	92% (461 Mbit/s)	11% (112 Mbit/s)

Download/Upload baseline speed - 500 Mbit/s

VyprVPN's speeds are pretty slow compared to the other providers on the speediest VPN list. Their servers work best at close proximity, significantly dropping below average the further the destination.

ExpressVPN showed much more consistent results and an impressively short connection to server time – compliments to their Lightway protocol. However, the speed difference between closer and farther servers was still too big, especially compared to one of the top performers, the proprietary NordVPN's NordLynx protocol.

Overall, ExpressVPN clearly showed better results than VyprVPN in all regions. ExpressVPN is a clear winner in this category, however, if you're looking for the best connection speed possible, we recommend faster options in our speediest VPN list.

Features overview

Both ExpressVPN and VyprVPN come loaded with additional features but might leave you wanting more if you're looking for something specific.

Wrapping up

Both VPN providers include all the basic features – but ExpressVPN wins due to its addition of SmartDNS, which makes streaming possible even on devices that don’t natively support a VPN.

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SmartDNS

Many users use VPNs to access geographically restricted content alongside the security they provide. Moreover, your streaming experience will be much better if there’s a SmartDNS feature for devices that don't support a VPN connection.

ExpressVPN provides MediaStreamer, which is another way of calling the SmartDNS technology. It bypasses the encryption part but modifies your DNS metrics to grant access to geo-blocked sites. However, the MediaStreamer feature works only with US libraries.

VyprVPN does not offer SmartDNS, or any alternative option, meaning you will have to rely on its VPN servers to avoid blocks. However, some streaming sites identified its IKEv2 protocol as VPN traffic and prohibited access, so ExpressVPN is a much better streaming sites option.

Private DNS servers

Even VPNs with the strongest encryption algorithms will fail to protect your data if they leak DNS data. Your online activities will remain obfuscated, but the DNS server will reveal the websites you visit, undermining your online safety.

VyprVPN uses an advanced DNS relay system. Not only does it prevent DNS leaks, but it also hides the very fact you are using a VPN. Remember that VPN tests might show VyprVPN is using Google or Amazon DNS servers. In reality, it hides its VyprDNS servers to provide you with more online anonymity.

As expected, ExpressVPN also has its own DNS servers. They are encrypted and void all the requests after the browsing session to adhere to no-logs policies but do not support the DNS relay function.

Split tunneling

VPNs often decrease the connection speed due to a hop through additional servers and auxiliary encryption. Split tunneling allows you to have more control over the VPN data stream and select which application traffic is free to flow through the standard ISP channel.

VyprVPN calls this feature Connection Per App. You can choose which apps on your device use a VPN connection while the others communicate over a regular network. Strangely, this feature is available on macOS but nowhere to be found for Windows users.

On the contrary, ExpressVPN split tunneling is available on Windows but disappears on macOS 11 and newer versions. However, ExpressVPN gives you three options: for all apps to use the VPN tunnel, to select apps that always use it, or to pick ones that are not allowed to use a VPN connection.

If split tunneling is the key feature you’re looking for, the better VPN here will depend on your computer’s operating system.

Obfuscated servers

ExpressVPN does not allow activating its Stealth Servers (their name for obfuscated servers) manually but claims to activate them anytime it detects DPI. However, due to the lack of information on their website, it's hard to tell how exactly they identify such occasions. Stealth servers will modify your online traffic to resemble standard encrypted information flow, avoiding authoritarian governments' espionage or any online service that uses DPI to control access points.

VyprVPN works slightly differently with the same end goal. Its Chameleon protocol modifies OpenVPN metadata to ensure it is not recognizable by DPI vigilance, bypassing the restrictive networks. You can activate the Chameleon protocol on their app anytime, which we find more applicable than the automatic ExpressVPN model.

Server locations

ExpressVPN is an obvious leader regarding both criteria. It offers 3000+ servers in 105 locations, and the latter number is among the biggest in the whole VPN industry. ExpressVPN uses virtual server locations but claims they don't exceed 3% of the whole network.

VyprVPN offers only 700+ servers but compensates with sufficient 64 country coverage. Moreover, it owns each server and supplements it with a dedicated DNS server. It helps VyprVPN maintain the server quality and increases the chances of bypassing even the most challenging geo-blocks.

Wrapping up

With more servers and different types, ExpressVPN is a clear winner. It’s a much more suitable option if you’re looking for a VPN with solid global reach.

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Torrenting

During our tests, all ExpressVPN and VyprVPN servers supported P2P connections.

Although it took some time to wind up, ExpressVPN download speed fluctuated between 48-120 Mbps. Meanwhile, VyprVPN never exceeded 40 Mbps, which was not surprising considering its overall low speeds.

You can use both services for torrenting due to their robust online privacy features and proven no-logs policies. However, if that's your primary goal, there are better options on our best VPN for torrenting list, such as NordVPN, which provides a SOCKS5 proxy for faster downloads.

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Platforms, interface, and ease of use

VyprVPN and ExpressVPN work well on all major operating systems. However, VyprVPN has only one browser extension and lacks Wireguard protocol on Linux, but it provides six times more simultaneous connections.

The main difference between the two is the availability of a split-tunneling feature, with each provider prioritizing a different operating system. All in all, the difference is too small and will depend on your hardware.

Desktop apps

Both VPNs provide an easy-to-use Windows application. However, the VyprVPN Windows version lacks anti-malware and split tunneling features, which are significant disadvantages. Split tunneling, however, is available on Mac.

On the other hand, ExpressVPN does not provide split tunneling for macOS 11 or newer, making these two providers quite the opposite. You won't find a server map of either app, but that's compensated by the ability to sort or quick-search the servers for easier access.

VyprVPN Linux app is available on Ubuntu and Mint distributions, meanwhile, ExpressVPN adds Fedora, Debian, RedHat, and Arch-based distributions to the list. You can use the ExpressVPN propriety Lightway protocol on the Linux OS but will have to rely on OpenVPN if you want to use the VyprVPN Linux version.

Lastly, controlling the ExpressVPN Linux app through a browser extension is possible, avoiding the terminal. This provider excels in nearly all desktop-app aspects, except for split-tunneling availability on macOS newer versions.

Mobile apps

Both providers offer quite similar mobile apps without huge differences between Android and iOS versions. They are intuitive and don't stray far from their desktop counterparts.

ExpressVPN and VyprVPN Android versions provide split-tunneling and a kill switch, which you won't find on iOS devices. Even though it's due to how Apple handles developer instructions, iPhone users will have a slightly worse experience.

VyprVPN does not offer an IKEv2 protocol on Android, but you can choose WireGuard, Chameleon, or OpenVPN instead. Simultaneously, ExpressVPN offers a variety of Android tunneling protocols. Overall, both service's mobile apps offer sufficient features and function similarly well.

Customer support

A professional and helpful customer support agent is at each end of the table. You can reach ExpressVPN or VyprVPN via the 24/7 live chat option or send your query via email if the situation requires a broader explanation.

We had no trouble contacting each support directly and received an accurate explanation of technical queries. Furthermore, both websites provide additional documentation and troubleshooting guides.

Both service providers ask for an email address to verify account status, which is a standard procedure. Overall, the excellent service of each support team will not leave you wanting more.

ExpressVPN vs VyprVPN – which one wins?

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ExpressVPN wins the competition by providing better speeds, as well as streaming and torrenting features than VyprVPN. The latter's lack of SmartDNS feature coupled with low connection speed diminishes the price advantages and a better macOS version.

VyprVPN is much more moderately priced and offers more simultaneous connections. However, ExpressVPN has more browser extensions and a much better Linux version.

Because both services provide similar online protection and additional benefits, the streaming criteria were a dominant deciding factor in naming ExpressVPN a winner.

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