Proton VPN vs ExpressVPN: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
Both are outside the 14 Eyes. Proton VPN has a free plan, port forwarding on paid plans, the newer audit (2026) and 6,015 US servers in 22 cities; ExpressVPN lists 62 US locations (38 virtual), allows up to 14 devices on its top plan and bundles a password manager and identity insurance on Advanced and Pro.
Option A
$9.99/moVPN Plus
Official price before tax: $9.99
Price checked
Also has a free plan: Proton Free
Proton VPN price and plans
Option B
We compare plans with a similar purpose, whose features may differ; prices before sales tax; prices for other plans and periods are in the reviews.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | Proton VPN | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes (1 device) | No |
| Port forwarding | Yes (paid) | No |
| US coverage | 6,015 servers, 22 cities | 62 locations |
| Devices | 10 | 10 / 12 / 14 |
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland | British Virgin Islands |
| Latest audit | 2026 | 2025 |
Proton VPN and ExpressVPN both lean on privacy credentials — Switzerland and the British Virgin Islands — but package them very differently.
If you don’t want to read further
Free to start or port forwarding — Proton VPN. More US locations, more devices or identity insurance in one subscription — ExpressVPN.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
Is there a free plan?
Proton VPN
Yes — one device, no data limit, no ads.
ExpressVPN
No.
Only Proton can be tried without paying.
Port forwarding?
Proton VPN
Yes, on paid plans, on P2P servers.
ExpressVPN
No.
For setups that need it, Proton.
US coverage?
Proton VPN
6,015 servers in 22 cities.
ExpressVPN
62 locations; 38 marked virtual.
Express offers more places; Proton publishes a server count.
How many devices?
Proton VPN
10 on paid plans (Free: 1).
ExpressVPN
10, 12 or 14 by plan.
Above 10 devices, only Express’s upper plans.
What comes with the upper plan?
Proton VPN
Proton Unlimited adds Mail, Calendar, Drive and Pass.
ExpressVPN
Advanced adds ExpressKeys and Identity Defender; Pro adds a dedicated IP and ExpressAI.
Proton bundles privacy apps; Express bundles identity tools.
Linux?
Proton VPN
App with or without a graphical interface; standard and advanced kill switch.
ExpressVPN
App with or without a graphical interface, with kill switch and split tunneling.
Both cover Linux – check your distribution.
TV apps?
Proton VPN
Android TV, and Apple TV on a paid plan with tvOS 17.
ExpressVPN
Apple TV, Android TV and Fire TV apps.
No app for your TV? A VPN router covers it.
Where they don’t differ, even though it seems they should
This part is often more useful than the list of differences — it saves money for anyone who was about to pay for an imaginary advantage.
Outside the 14 Eyes
Switzerland and the British Virgin Islands.
30-day money-back
Both refund within 30 days (Express: first-time users).
Auto-renewal
Both long plans renew automatically after the intro term.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| You want to try before paying | Proton VPN Free | One device; no country choice. |
| You need port forwarding | Proton VPN Plus | On P2P servers. |
| You want identity insurance bundled | ExpressVPN Advanced | Under the insurer’s terms. |
| You use Proton Mail already | Proton Unlimited | VPN, Mail, Drive and Pass in one plan. |
- Proton’s price list doesn’t say whether tax is added; Express adds it at checkout where applicable.
- ExpressVPN’s guarantee doesn’t cover App Store or Google Play purchases.
- Proton Free picks the country for you.
- ExpressVPN has no port forwarding.
Where the facts come from
Sources: Proton’s and ExpressVPN’s US price lists, server lists, Proton’s port forwarding page and ExpressVPN’s refund policy. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: Proton VPN or ExpressVPN
Other comparisons
The same products against other competitors, and other comparisons in the “VPN services” category.
Where their scores differ
Only criteria we’ve checked for both services and where the scores differ. Equal criteria and criteria without data aren’t shown here, because they add nothing to the decision.
If what matters most is — port forwarding: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Proton VPN VPN Plus: yes (5,0/5) · ExpressVPN Basic: no (1,0/5)
If what matters most is — free way to try it: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Proton VPN VPN Plus: free version (5,0/5) · ExpressVPN Basic: refund within 30 days (3,0/5)
If what matters most is — what’s included in the same plan: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Proton VPN VPN Plus: ad blocking, tracker blocking, split tunneling (3 of 3) (5,0/5) · ExpressVPN Basic: ad blocking, split tunneling (2 of 3) (3,7/5)
If what matters most is — network coverage: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Proton VPN VPN Plus: 149 countries (5,0/5) · ExpressVPN Basic: 113 countries (4,0/5)
If what matters most is — price jump at renewal: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Proton VPN VPN Plus: 6,99 USD/mo — 2,0× more expensive (3,0/5) · ExpressVPN Basic: 8,33 USD/mo — 2,8× more expensive (2,5/5)
If what matters most is — price now: ExpressVPN Basic
Proton VPN VPN Plus: 3,49 USD/mo before tax (4,0/5) · ExpressVPN Basic: 2,99 USD/mo before tax (4,3/5)
If what matters most is — app rating: ExpressVPN Basic
Proton VPN VPN Plus: 4,6 out of 5 (4,6/5) · ExpressVPN Basic: 4,7 out of 5 (4,7/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: