ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN 2025: Do You Value Speed or Affordability?

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 budget-friendly, but the experience suffers a bit compared to ExpressVPN.  

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

ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN at a glance

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

	Our Pick
Price	From $3.49/mo (billed every two years)	From $1.99/mo (billed every two years)
Max # of connected devices	14	10
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
# of servers	Unlisted 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. 

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.

PureVPN pros and cons

For the starting plans, PureVPN is cheaper than ExpressVPN. But don't worry — affordable prices don't mean you need to skimp on features. 

PureVPN also gives you access to an industry-leading 6,000+ servers, kill switch, and split tunnelling functionality, and more.

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

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.

		Our Pick
Price range	$3.49–$12.95/mo	$1.99-$19.95/mo
Best value plan	ExpressVPN Basic for $3.49/mo (billed every two years)	24-month plan for $1.99/mo (billed every two years)
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 $3.49–$12.95/mo, with the best deal being the two-year plan for $3.49/mo (billed every two years). 

Compared to ExpressVPN, PureVPN is more affordable, with prices dipping as low as $1.99/mo (billed every two years). Granted, this does require a two-year plan, making 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 a 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.

Which VPN is faster?

ExpressVPN is the clear winner here, with noticeably better performance. 

U.S. server location	Our Pick
Average speed loss	6.08% decrease	26% decrease
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. We expect a speed loss of no greater than 18%, and PureVPN missed the mark. 

Faster, more reliable speeds make for a better browsing and streaming experience. 

Which VPN is more secure?

ExpressVPN offers better overall security features when compared to PureVPN.

Feature	Best Features
Number of servers	Unlisted 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 6,000+ servers in 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. 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, all of which remain strong protocols.

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 for overall experience.

	Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Linux
Router
Smart devices
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera
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 tested the live chats for both providers and found them helpful, if a little slow.

Both providers also have comprehensive knowledge bases with 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 payment methods, including standard options like debit cards, 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)

ExpressVPN and PureVPN alternatives

Both ExpressVPN and PureVPN are among our top picks for the best VPN services. We recommend ExpressVPN for reliable speed and security, and PureVPN for VPN beginners. But overall, we found NordVPN to be the best VPN provider. Here's a look at other tested VPNs we recommend:

FAQs

ExpressVPN vs. PureVPN: Which is better?

We recommend ExpressVPN over PureVPN for most users. ExpressVPN offers a fantastic experience with solid performance during in-house testing, servers in over 100 countries, and advanced VPN protocols for enhanced speed and security.

We still like PureVPN. But ultimately, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs available. Faster performance and greater reliability make for a more seamless VPN experience.