ExpressVPN wins if your priority is speed and country coverage. It's got 3,000+ servers across 105 countries with the Lightway protocol consistently beating Proton's speeds in independent tests. Proton VPN is your pick if privacy and free access matter more than performance. Its free tier has no data caps (rare), and the company has actually proven no-logs compliance in court. Both are legitimate. ExpressVPN costs more and delivers performance. Proton costs less, includes privacy features like an ad blocker, and offers a free option you can actually use.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ExpressVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | No free tier | Free available |
| Paid price | $6.67 USD/mo | $4.99 USD/mo |
| Protocol | Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP | — |
| Servers | 3,000+ | — |
| Countries | 105 | — |
| Simultaneous Connections | 8 | — |
| Kill Switch | ||
| Split Tunneling | ||
| Ad Blocker | VPN Plus+ | |
| Audited No Logs | — | |
| Torrenting | — | |
| Streaming Optimized | — | |
| No Logs Policy | — | |
| Open source | — | |
| Tor Over V P N | — | VPN Plus+ |
| Streaming Support | — | VPN Plus+ |
| Dedicated I P | — | |
| Simultaneous Devices | — | 1 free / 10 paid |
| Server Count | — | 17200+ |
| Score | 8/10 | 8/10 |
ExpressVPN
8
Proton VPN
8
Runner-up
Pick ExpressVPN for speed and streaming reliability, especially if you travel or need servers in specific regions. If you value privacy over raw performance and want a trustworthy free tier, Proton VPN is the smarter choice.
Pricing
ExpressVPN's annual plan runs $6.67/month (billed yearly), with a monthly option at $12.95/month if you want flexibility. You get 8 simultaneous connections and their proprietary Lightway protocol.
Proton VPN offers a genuinely usable free tier with unlimited data and no speed throttle on 5 countries. VPN Plus, their paid tier, is $4.99/month annually (or $9.99/month month-to-month), giving you 10 simultaneous connections and 17,200+ servers. If you bundle it with Proton Mail, Drive, and Pass, Proton Unlimited at $9.99/month is competitive against buying those services separately.
ExpressVPN is pricier upfront but includes premium features at base tier. Proton lets you test drive with a legit free option and has better per-dollar value if you want a privacy suite.
Performance and Protocol
ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol, open-sourced and independently audited, consistently ranks among the fastest VPN protocols available. Real-world tests show speed advantages over Proton on long-distance connections. Proton VPN is competent but trails on speed benchmarks. For nearby servers or casual browsing, you won't notice the difference. For international travel or streaming-heavy use, ExpressVPN's speed edge matters.
ExpressVPN uses RAM-only servers (TrustedServer) that wipe all data on reboot, independently audited by PwC. Proton has equally strong privacy credentials but adds open-source clients on every platform and has actually withstood Swiss legal requests, handing over nothing because they genuinely have nothing to hand over.
Server Coverage and Streaming
ExpressVPN covers 105 countries with 3,000+ servers. This breadth makes it easier to find a working server for specific regions, especially smaller countries. It's optimized for streaming and reliably unblocks Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Hotstar.
Proton VPN covers 120+ countries with 17,200+ servers. More total servers, but they're concentrated in fewer countries. Streaming support is included on VPN Plus but isn't its strong suit. If your primary use case is unblocking specific streaming libraries, ExpressVPN is more reliable.
Who Each Product Suits
ExpressVPN works best for:
- Frequent travelers who need reliable connections from many countries
- People who want the best speeds on intercontinental connections
- Streaming fans who need Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, or Disney+ to work consistently
- Anyone willing to pay a premium for top-tier performance
Proton VPN works best for:
- Privacy-first users who want verifiable no-logs enforcement
- People who want a free VPN that actually works (not stripped-down garbage)
- Developers and security-minded folks who value open-source audits
- Anyone comfortable trading raw speed for privacy assurances and a bundled ecosystem