ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN 2024: Do You Value Speed or Affordability?

Q: Is ExpressVPN blocked by Netflix?

Netflix generally attempts to block all VPNs, so it’s sort of a game of cat and mouse for them to keep ahead. At the moment, ExpressVPN is working fine with Netflix, but that can change — usually temporarily.

ExpressVPN offers powerful features, but PureVPN is more affordable. We’ll help you determine which one is right for you.

Dave Schafer, Author

Steph Trejos, Editor

Last updated Jul 5, 2024

We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

4.9

Editorial Rating

On ExpressVPN's website

VPN

ExpressVPN

Save 49%

Hides intrusive display ads when browsing the web, improving page speed and easing data usage on mobile
Privacy and safety benefits of a VPN with best-in-class encryption and innovative server technology in 105 countries
Enjoy no activity logs, malicious sites and trackers protection, and more on up to 8 devices

4.1

Editorial Rating

On PureVPN's website

VPN

PureVPN

83% off with + 4 months extra

Vast global network of 6,000+ optimized VPN servers in over 65 countries with smart server selection for the fastest connection
Turn any network private, protect apps separately, privately share files, and more with an ultra-fast 20Gbps connection
Fly past location restrictions and VPN blockers on up to 10 devices

Are you in the market for a virtual private network (VPN) but stuck between ExpressVPN and PureVPN? ExpressVPN is the better overall option, offering excellent performance, servers in 105 countries, and good customer service. However, it’s one of the pricier options on the market. So if you're looking to save some money, PureVPN is more affordable, but the experience suffers a bit compared to ExpressVPN.

In this review, we’ll compare ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN for pricing, features, speed, and more.

In this article

At a glance
Prices
Security
Speeds
Compatibility and customer support
FAQs
Which is better?

ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN at a glance

On the surface, ExpressVPN and PureVPN are relatively similar. In fact, looking at the table below, the biggest difference would seem to be the price — PureVPN is quite a bit more affordable (or it can be, depending on the plan you choose).

ExpressVPN: Best for speedy performance
PureVPN: Best for the budget-conscious

How do ExpressVPN and PureVPN compare?

	ExpressVPN	PureVPN
Price	From $6.67/mo (billed annually)	From $2.03/mo (billed biannually) for the first 27 months
Max # of connected devices	8	10
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and more	Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, and more
# of servers	Servers in 105 countries	6,000+ servers in 65+ countries
VPN protocol	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2	OpenVPN, WireGuard, IPsec/IKEv2
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get PureVPN Read PureVPN Review

Overall, both VPN providers are quite good, so the choice likely comes down to how important the price is. If you need the cheapest option, go for PureVPN. If you can pay a little more each month, though, you may have a better experience with ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN pros and cons

ExpressVPN differentiates itself in a few key areas: namely, performance, ease of use, and customer service.

The main place you'll see it lose out against PureVPN and other VPN services is in price, but its features can definitely make up for the premium price if you're looking for overall reliability. And with a max price of $12.95/mo, it's not like it's an eye-popping price either.

Though ExpressVPN doesn't list the exact number of servers it offers, it does have options in 105 countries, which gives you a lot of flexibility. You'll also be well taken care of with access to a 24/7 live chat, a proprietary protocol, and an audited no logs policy.

Pros

Server locations in 105 countries
In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security
Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
24/7 live chat for all (not just customers)
Free features such as MediaStreamer and Threat Manager

Cons

More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

PureVPN pros and cons

For the starting plans, PureVPN runs several dollars cheaper than ExpressVPN and also works on more simultaneous devices — 10, compared to eight for ExpressVPN.

But don't worry — having affordable prices doesn't mean you need to skimp out on the features. PureVPN also gives you access to a industry-leading 6,500+ servers, kill switch and split tunnelling functionality, and more.

That said, we did have some issues with speed when we tested PureVPN, so try out a month first before committing to the longer plans to make sure it jives well with your needs.

Pros

Affordable basic VPN plan good for beginners

Large collection of servers

Works with popular streaming services

Cons

Drastically lowers internet speeds

Must pay for security "add-ons" included in competitor plans

Confusing payment options

How we test and rate VPNs

We complete standardized hands-on tests for each VPN we review so we can put their claims to the test. This includes vigorous third-party testing by comparing our internet speed while connected to different servers, checking for DNS leaks, making sure the kill switch actually works, and more. We also make sure we can comfortably access popular streaming sites, like Netflix, and still do our day-to-day work without interruption.

Once we’ve completed the testing, our editorial rating is calculated by taking into account key features you’d expect from a good product. We score each VPN in the following categories and use a weighted average to calculate the final rating out of 5 stars: price, server count, speed, security, and features.

To learn more about how we test, check out our full VPN methodology here.

Which VPN is the better value?

PureVPN offers the cheapest plans overall, with lots of options to further customize your subscription if you'd like.

	ExpressVPN	PureVPN Our Pick
Price range	$6.67–$12.95/mo	$2.03-$19.95/mo
Best value plan	12-month plan for $6.67/mo (billed annually)	24-month plan for $2.03/mo (billed biannually) for the first 27 months
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 31 days
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get PureVPN Read PureVPN Review

ExpressVPN prices range from $6.67–$12.95/mo, with the best deal being the 12-month plan for $6.67/mo (billed annually). This is definitely not the most affordable VPN on the market, but you do get a lot for your money. Whether it’s enough to be worth the increased price, of course, is up to you.

Compared to ExpressVPN, PureVPN is much more affordable, with prices dipping as low as $2.03/mo (billed biannually) for the first 27 months. Granted, this does require a two-year plan, but many people won’t have an issue with that. This makes PureVPN a great option if you’re looking to save money on a VPN.

It’s worth noting that PureVPN has multiple tiers of plans in addition to multiple subscription lengths — if you want a password manager, end-to-end file encryption, and a personal privacy manager, you’ll need to pay a bit more. PureVPN also offers add-ons for port forwarding and dedicated IP, so there are several ways you can customize your subscription.

While neither VPN offers a free plan, ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee, while PureVPN one-ups with a 31-day money-back guarantee. This gives you ample time to test out the VPN and decide if it’ll work for you.

Winner: PureVPN is definitely the winner in the price arena. The VPN service offers significantly cheaper plans than ExpressVPN (and many other competitors, as well). PureVPN also technically has a longer free trial period, even if just by a day.

Which VPN is faster?

ExpressVPN is the clear winner here, with noticeably better performance. ExpressVPN's slowest speeds on the U.S. server may have been a fluke, considering that the U.S. server was much closer to our location. That's the one area where PureVPN outperformed ExpressVPN.

Server location	ExpressVPN Our Pick	PureVPN
US	4% faster	63% slower
UK	10% faster	85% slower
AU	3% faster	84% slower
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get PureVPN Read PureVPN Review

Because of how VPNs work (routing your traffic through extra servers, potentially far from your physical location), they tend to impact your internet performance. This generally takes the form of reduced speeds, and the difference can range from barely noticeable to dramatic.

For these reasons, we put every VPN we review through a series of performance tests to check how it affects internet speed. This consists of running a speed test on our plain, unsecured connection and then running the same test connected to various VPN servers in different locations.

Winner: ExpressVPN performed much better in our testing, especially in terms of raw speed.

Which VPN is more secure?

ExpressVPN offers the better overall security features when compared to PureVPN.

Feature	ExpressVPN Best Features	PureVPN
Number of servers	Unknown number of servers in 105 countries	6,000+ servers in 65+ countries
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
VPN headquarters	British Virgin Islands	British Virgin Islands
Encryption	AES-256	AES-256
VPN protocol	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2	OpenVPN, IPsec/IKEv2, WireGuard
Kill switch
Split tunneling
DNS leak protection
Ad blocker		Only with Max plan (via PurePrivacy)
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get PureVPN Read PureVPN Review

Both providers offer a similar security feature set. Each has strong AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and split tunneling. They even have their headquarters in the same country — the British Virgin Islands.

Finally, each provider has a no-logs policy that’s been audited by independent companies. Neither provider showed any WebRTC leaks, and each successfully masked our IP address during DNS leak testing.

One of the most notable differences is their server networks. PureVPN boasts over 6,000 servers in over 65+ countries. ExpressVPN doesn’t advertise how many servers it has, but it has them in 105 countries — significantly more than PureVPN. This could be important if you need to make it look like you’re in a specific country.

The VPN protocols are the other major difference. As mentioned, ExpressVPN performs quite a bit better than PureVPN in our speed tests, and some of this performance may be due to its custom Lightway protocol. Lightway was created for a faster and more secure experience. PureVPN offers OpenVPN, IPsec/IKEv2, and WireGuard, which are all still strong protocols.

Winner: ExpressVPN. Both VPNs offer many of the same features, but ExpressVPN has the edge when it comes to server locations, performance, and more.

Which VPN has the better compatibility and customer service?

Both VPNs offer impressive levels of compatibility and customer service, but ExpressVPN comes out on top in terms of payment methods and overall experience.

	ExpressVPN Our Pick	PureVPN
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Linux
Router
Smart devices
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, and more
24/7 live chat
Customer support options	Live chat, email, online guides	Live chat, email, physical mail, online guides
Learn more	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get PureVPN Read PureVPN Review

Compatibility

ExpressVPN and PureVPN both support basically every device and operating system you can imagine, from basic Windows computers and Chromebooks, to mobile apps for iOS and Android, to routers and a slew of smart devices. If you have a device, we’re confident you’ll be able to use one of these VPNs on it.

As for ease of use, we didn’t have major problems with either provider. They both feature clean interfaces and clearly indicate whether the VPN is connected or not. Of course, nothing is perfect — although we had a handful of relatively minor issues with each provider, we did find that ExpressVPN offered a smoother overall experience.

In particular, we had issues with PureVPN’s account creation, which required us to reset our password multiple times. We also found that pricing pages were confusingly inconsistent during signup.

Customer support

As far as customer support, both providers offer a similar experience. This includes 24/7 live chat and email but no phone support — unfortunately, par for the course with VPNs. That said, we tried the live chats for both providers in our testing and found them to be helpful, if a little slow.

Both providers also have comprehensive knowledge bases where you can find articles and guides on nearly any topic. Of the two, we find ExpressVPN’s site a little friendlier and more modern-looking, but either one will get the job done.

Payment options

The way you pay for your VPN subscription matters more than you might think. Since these services are all about preserving privacy online, using a method that can be easily tied back to you may defeat the purpose. This is especially true in regions where using a VPN is frowned upon or banned.

Both ExpressVPN and PureVPN offer multiple ways to pay for their service, including standards like debit, major credit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrency. However, ExpressVPN accepts a lot more methods overall, including a ton of niche credit cards and direct debit options, which may be handy for some users.

ExpressVPN payment options

Prepaid/debit cards
Credit cards
PayPal
Apple Pay
Klarna
Cryptocurrency
Many more

PureVPN payment options

Debit card
Credit card
PayPal
Paymentwall
Coingate (and other electronic wallets)

Winner: The two providers offer a similar overall customer service experience — somewhat slow but helpful and friendly. ExpressVPN offers a broader selection of payment methods, so we’ll give it the nod there.

ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN FAQs

Is ExpressVPN legal in the US?

As a whole, VPNs are legal in the U.S. In fact, they’re legal in most of the world, apart from a handful of countries that bar them.

Is PureVPN reputable?

Yes, PureVPN has been around for a number of years and offers a dependable service. The only major gripe is that it used to be headquartered in Hong Kong, which was a potential privacy issue. However, it moved to the British Virgin Islands a few years ago — a much more neutral territory.

Is ExpressVPN blocked by Netflix?

Netflix generally attempts to block all VPNs, so it’s sort of a game of cat and mouse for them to keep ahead. At the moment, ExpressVPN is working fine with Netflix, but that can change — usually temporarily.

Which is better, NordVPN or PureVPN?

Overall, NordVPN is the better option. It tends to be faster and more consistent than PureVPN. Check out our full comparison for more details.

ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN: Which is better?

ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs available. It offers a fantastic experience with great performance, servers in a ton of countries, and solid customer service. Ultimately, though, we have to give the nod to ExpressVPN as the better of the two. The faster performance and other niceties add up to a great VPN experience.

However, PureVPN is quite a bit more affordable, which may be appealing to some. If you want to see even more VPNs that are worth your time, check out our full list of the best VPNs.

Extensive Server Network Provides Protection Wherever You Go

4.9

Editorial Rating

On ExpressVPN's website

VPN

ExpressVPN

Save 49%

Hides intrusive display ads when browsing the web, improving page speed and easing data usage on mobile
Privacy and safety benefits of a VPN with best-in-class encryption and innovative server technology in 105 countries
Enjoy no activity logs, malicious sites and trackers protection, and more on up to 8 devices

ExpressVPN and PureVPN alternatives

If neither of these providers does it for you, don’t worry — there are plenty of alternatives on the market. Some of our favorite VPN services are CyberGhost, NordVPN, and Surfshark.


Price	$3.39–$15.99/mo	$2.19–$17.95/mo	$2.03–$12.99/mo
Free version
Max # of connected devices	10	Unlimited	7
# of servers	6,300+ servers in 111 countries	3,200 in 100 countries	Servers in 100 countries
VPN protocol	NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2
Encryption	AES-256-GCM	AES-256-GCM	AES-256
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs	No logs
Headquarters	Panama	The Netherlands	Romania
Netflix access
Learn more	Get NordVPN	Get Surfshark	Get CyberGhost

Extensive Server Network Provides Protection Wherever You Go

4.9

Editorial Rating

On ExpressVPN's website

VPN

ExpressVPN

Save 49%

Hides intrusive display ads when browsing the web, improving page speed and easing data usage on mobile
Privacy and safety benefits of a VPN with best-in-class encryption and innovative server technology in 105 countries
Enjoy no activity logs, malicious sites and trackers protection, and more on up to 8 devices

Author Details

Dave Schafer

About the Author

Dave Schafer is a professional writer with a decade of experience specializing in cybersecurity. His expertise spans gadgets, technology, and the internet, with a focus on topics such as routers, hardware, and VPN product comparisons.