First Impression
I got ExpressVPN because my boss asked me to check some websites for a project that were blocked in my country. Honestly, I didn’t even know what a VPN was before that. I just downloaded it on my Samsung Galaxy A54, made an account, and tapped the big power button. It connected in maybe two seconds flat. I remember it was a Tuesday afternoon, I was sitting at my kitchen table with a cup of coffee, and I literally said “okay that was easy” out loud to myself. The app looked clean and simple, no confusing menus or technical nonsense. It just felt like a proper grown-up app, not one of those sketchy ones with ads everywhere. The first time I used it to load a British news site, it worked immediately. I was honestly impressed because usually technology hates me.
What It Does Well
The speed is the main thing. I’ve tried a free VPN before and my internet basically crawled. With ExpressVPN, I barely notice a difference. I can watch YouTube videos, scroll through Instagram, even do video calls for work without it buffering every five seconds. The app has this list of countries you can pick from, and I usually just pick the one closest to me or the one I need for work. It’s never failed to connect on the first try, which is more than I can say for my home WiFi. I also love that it has a kill switch thing built in. I don’t fully understand how it works, but it gives me peace of mind when I’m using public WiFi at the mall or the airport. The one-tap connection is perfect for someone like me who doesn’t want to fiddle with settings. I just open it, tap, and I’m done. It also works in the background without draining my phone battery like crazy, which surprised me because my A54 isn’t exactly a flagship phone.
Where It Falls Short
The price. Man, it’s expensive. I pay monthly and it adds up. I think I pay something like $12 or $13 a month? That’s almost the same as my Netflix subscription. For a while I thought about switching to a cheaper option, but I was too scared to lose the reliability. Another thing that bugs me is that the connection sometimes drops completely when I switch between WiFi and mobile data. Like if I’m walking from my house to my car and the phone switches from WiFi to 4G, the VPN disconnects and I have to manually tap again. It’s annoying. Also, the app doesn’t have that many extra features. There’s no built-in ad blocker or tracker blocker like some other VPNs have. I saw my friend’s VPN app blocked ads on YouTube, but mine doesn’t do that. I also wish there was a way to automatically connect to certain WiFi networks. I have to remember to turn it on every time I go to the coffee shop, and sometimes I forget.
Is It Worth the Price?
This is the big question, right? For me, it depends on what you’re using it for. If you just want to watch Netflix shows from another country once in a while, maybe get a cheaper one. But if your job depends on it, like mine does, then yes it’s worth it. I’ve never had a moment where I couldn’t connect when I needed to. The speed is real, I’m not waiting around for pages to load. It’s like having a reliable car that never breaks down, but you pay a premium for that peace of mind. I did try to cancel once to save money, but after three days of using nothing, I got scared and reactivated it. That says something. If ExpressVPN ever lowered their price to like $7 or $8 a month, I’d give it five stars without hesitation. But as it stands, I feel like I’m paying for a luxury when I really just need the basic thing.
Developer & Support
I contacted support once because the app wouldn’t connect on a Thursday evening. I was frustrated because I needed it for a deadline the next morning. I used the live chat option on their website. The person I talked to was named Ravi, I think. He was polite and knew what he was talking about. He walked me through clearing the app cache and restarting my phone, which actually worked. But it took about four or five hours for someone to get back to me because I guess their support isn’t 24/7, or maybe I was low priority? It wasn’t instant, which was a little annoying when I was stressed about work. The email follow-up the next day was nice though, they asked if everything was okay. I appreciate that they’re helpful once you get to them, but I wish it was faster. Other than that one time, I haven’t needed them again.
Privacy & Safety
Look, I’m not some tech expert who reads privacy policies for fun. But I know enough to know that ExpressVPN has a good reputation for not keeping logs of what you do. That matters to me because I don’t want my internet provider or anyone else seeing what sites I visit. The app has a little info screen that shows you your new IP address and confirms you’re protected, which I check sometimes just to feel safe. I also like that they have a kill switch feature, like I mentioned. If the VPN drops for any reason, it stops your internet traffic so nothing leaks out. That happened to me once when I was on a plane’s WiFi and it kicked me off, but my data stayed safe because the kill switch did its job. Is it perfect? No, I’m sure nothing is. But for a regular person like me who just wants to browse without being tracked, it feels solid enough.
How do I connect to ExpressVPN on my Samsung Galaxy A54?
Just download the app, create an account, and tap the big power button. It connects in about two seconds, and you can pick a country from the list if needed.
Does ExpressVPN have a kill switch feature?
Yes, ExpressVPN includes a built-in kill switch that automatically cuts your internet if the VPN connection drops. This is especially useful for protecting your data on public WiFi at malls or airports.
Why does ExpressVPN disconnect when I switch from WiFi to mobile data?
This is a known issue where the VPN drops during network transitions, like walking from home WiFi to 4G. You'll need to manually tap the power button to reconnect after the switch.
How can I fix ExpressVPN not automatically connecting to coffee shop WiFi?
ExpressVPN doesn't have an auto-connect feature for specific networks, so you'll need to remember to turn it on manually. You can set a reminder on your phone to avoid forgetting.
How does ExpressVPN compare to free VPNs in terms of speed?
Unlike free VPNs that often slow your internet to a crawl, ExpressVPN maintains near-normal speeds for YouTube, Instagram, and video calls. It's much more reliable, though it costs around $12-$13 per month.
