Is ExpressVPN free? A breakdown of the popular VPN’s costs

By Alan Truly Updated January 17, 2025

ExpressVPN is one of the fastest streaming VPNs available, so it’s a popular choice when you want to bypass geo-blocks on international content. It’s one of the most expensive VPNs so you might want to check out the free trial before committing.

I reviewed ExpressVPN and was impressed with its ease of use, instant server connections, and consistently fast speeds in every country I tested. Still, pricing is a consideration, so let’s dig into details about the free trial and subscription costs when the trial ends.

Yes. ExpressVPN now offers a free seven-day trial so you can test how well it works in your area and with your devices. You’ll get full access with all the same features as a subscription.

You can also get a 30-day free trial of ExpressVPN when you buy an Aircove router. You can get a Wi-Fi 6 router that’s already set up with ExpressVPN to protect all your devices without installing any apps.

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Whether you choose the free seven-day trial or buy an Aircove router to get the 30-day trial, you’ll need to decide whether you want to keep using ExpressVPN and pay for a subscription or cancel before the allotted time runs out.

If you want to keep using ExpressVPN, you need to know how much that will cost. If ExpressVPN is too expensive or doesn’t work well for you, you might want to check out the best free VPNs that protect your privacy and aren’t loaded with ads.

ExpressVPN is one of the fastest services but it is an expensive VPN. Maintaining high-speed servers worldwide is costly and the 24/7 live chat support line is another premium feature. The old adage holds: “you get what you pay for.” Fortunately, a new two-year plan reduces costs significantly, making it more competitive.

If you pay in advance for two years of ExpressVPN service, it’s equivalent to a monthly cost of $6. New subscribers get four free months reducing the average monthly fee to $5. Your bill will be $140, every two years.

If long commitments aren’t worrisome, note that you can buy a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited for $200. It isn’t as fast or attractive as ExpressVPN but it might be all you need.

If you can’t spare $140 right now, the $100 annual subscription is the next best deal. The monthly average rises to an affordable but still expensive $8 monthly. ExpressVPN rewards new subscribers with a three-month bonus that shaves a dollar off your monthly fee.

If a long commitment isn’t appealing but you want the speed and ease of ExpressVPN, you can choose a $13 monthly subscription. It’s expensive so don’t forget to cancel or upgrade if you decide to keep using it for several months.

After eight months of a monthly subscription, you will have paid $104, which is more than an annual plan. If you keep a monthly subscription for 11 months, your VPN fees will add up to $143. That means less than a year on the monthly plan costs more than a two-year subscription.

Mullvad VPN is a totally anonymous option with a low monthly subscription. It’s five euros per month (about $5.15) and has been for many years.

There are plenty of great VPN services and we’ve reviewed all the top contenders. Before making a big commitment to ExpressVPN, get the free trial to make sure it meets your needs.

VPNs have servers around the world and some could be more crowded or less well maintained than others. If you’re primarily interested in watching international videos, check out our guide to the best streaming VPNs.

If you need to protect your privacy while unblocking content at college, we have a list of the best VPNs to use at school. In this case, obfuscation is a key feature that disguises the fact that you’re using a VPN to get through administrative firewalls.

If my testing, Surfshark was as fast as ExpressVPN but your experience could vary. NordVPN is universally recognized as another excellent but costly service. For more options, check out our guide to the best ExpressVPN and NordVPN alternatives.