Proton VPN vs ExpressVPN: plans, routing and port-forwarding differences

Proton VPN is the stronger starting point in this pair if you need an ongoing free plan or a paid feature such as incoming VPN port forwarding. ExpressVPN is worth considering when its tiered device allowances, particular split-tunneling controls or supported router setup meet your needs. The right answer comes from the configuration you will use, not an archived speed table.

VPNBlade has not run a comparative speed or streaming test for this article. This is an assessment of current provider documentation with practical buying analysis. The archived article’s numerical speed tests, old five-device ExpressVPN limit, obsolete prices and statements of complete anonymity are not reused. We may earn a commission from qualifying links; a commercial placement is not a measured technical ranking.

Cover: AI-generated editorial illustration of generic home networking equipment and a smartphone, not branded hardware or a VPNBlade product test.

Proton VPN versus ExpressVPN: compare the actual entitlement

Requirement	Proton VPN	ExpressVPN
Ongoing free access	Free plan with unlimited bandwidth, one simultaneous device and restricted location selection.	Premium service; any mobile trial is separate from a paid refund guarantee.
Paid simultaneous connections	VPN Plus documents ten devices at a time.	Basic ten, Advanced twelve and Pro fourteen, according to the current Windows setup guide.
Mac selective routing	Experimental app exclusions with WebKit and protocol limitations.	Current desktop documentation includes Mac support; check the installed edition and its available rules.
iPhone selective routing	Do not assume the desktop split-tunneling controls exist on iOS.	Single IPv4-address exclusions; not arbitrary app exclusions.
Incoming VPN port	Paid desktop support, P2P server conditions; macOS early access.	Router forwarding instructions explicitly put forwarded ports outside the VPN tunnel.
Refund headline	Eligible subscriptions may qualify within 30 days, with payment-channel exclusions.	Eligible new subscribers may request within 30 days; renewal and app-store exclusions apply.

The forwarding row is especially important. Two providers can use the phrase “port forwarding” while describing different network paths. A reader who needs incoming traffic at a VPN exit should establish that requirement before buying a router or choosing a long subscription.

Who should consider each service first?

Start with Proton VPN when you want a genuine free option for one device, are assessing Secure Core, or need its documented paid desktop port-forwarding workflow. Treat those as separate reasons: the Free plan does not automatically include the paid functions that make Proton attractive to a more specialized user.

Start with ExpressVPN when its actual app controls fit your phone or desktop, or when a supported router deployment is the central requirement. Its current plan levels also matter if more than ten simultaneous direct connections are essential. Confirm the selected entitlement rather than relying on an older generic statement about five devices.

For both providers, first list the device and task you cannot compromise on. A plan that supports your computer but lacks the routing exception you need can still be the wrong purchase. Conversely, a specialist feature that you will never use should not outweigh a simpler setup that fits your routine.

VPNBLADE · PLAN SHORTLIST

A current plan to consider

Compare all terms →

Selected plan offers, not performance rankings. We may earn a commission through affiliate links. Monthly equivalents require the full payment shown.

ExpressVPN

Check your exact device setup

ExpressVPN Basic — 28-month introductory offer

USD 2.99/mo equivalent

USD 83.72 upfront · First 28 months, paid upfront

Get ExpressVPN deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

USD 99.95 annually after the initial 28-month term.

30-day money-back guarantee for new users; provider terms and purchase-channel conditions apply.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.

NordVPN

Apps across major device platforms

NordVPN Basic — 27-month introductory offer

USD 3.49/mo equivalent

USD 94.23 upfront · First 27 months, paid upfront

Get NordVPN deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

USD 139.08 every year after the initial 27-month term at the current renewal price.

30-day money-back guarantee; provider eligibility, payment-channel and refund terms apply.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.

Surfshark

Households with multiple devices

Surfshark One — 27-month introductory offer

USD 2.49/mo equivalent

USD 67.23 upfront · First 27 months, paid upfront

Get Surfshark deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

Automatic renewal after the introductory term at the then-applicable rate. Confirm the chosen bundle’s next invoice and billing interval before purchase; no numeric renewal amount was verified.

30-day money-back guarantee; purchase-channel and provider eligibility conditions apply.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.

PureVPN

Published subscription offer

PureVPN Standard — 27-month prepaid offer

USD 2.16/mo equivalent

USD 58.20 upfront · First 27 months, paid upfront

Get PureVPN deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

Checkout displays USD 2.15/month after 27 months. This is the provider’s renewal-rate label, not a verified future invoice. The next charge amount and billing interval were not separately established; confirm both before paying.

31-day money-back guarantee advertised; provider eligibility and refund terms apply.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.

VeePN

Published subscription offer

VeePN Basic — 28-month introductory offer

USD 1.99/mo equivalent

USD 55.72 upfront · First 28 months, paid upfront

Get VeePN deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

Card/PayPal checkout quotes automatic renewal at USD 59.76 every 12 months after the initial 28-month period. Future renewal prices can change.

Thirty-day refund window for the original purchase, subject to terms. Rebilling and previously refunded accounts are excluded; plan extensions or added licenses can waive eligibility.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.

Plans and devices: VPN-only versus a wider suite

Proton separates Free, VPN Plus and wider bundles such as Proton Unlimited. Its current paid comparison lists ten VPN connections. Check whether you already have the necessary VPN entitlement through another Proton subscription before paying again. An email or storage bundle may be useful, but it should not be counted as VPN savings unless it replaces something you actually need.

ExpressVPN’s current Windows setup guide lists ten simultaneous connections for Basic, twelve for Advanced and fourteen for Pro. Its FAQ says suite inclusions depend on the tier and that certain services have regional conditions. Decide whether additional connections or other included tools justify the higher full payment.

Installation count and simultaneous connection count answer different questions. Someone can install an app on several devices without using all of them at once. Write down normal concurrent use before upgrading purely to obtain a larger number. Also distinguish a consumer subscription from business account administration; a larger allowance does not establish team-management features.

Review our ExpressVPN offers and Proton VPN offers for current selected plans. The inherited offer buttons keep destinations under central link management. Compare the upfront total, initial term and renewal bill rather than treating a monthly equivalent as a month-to-month commitment.

Split tunneling on desktop: look beyond a feature tick

Proton’s paid split-tunneling guide documents Windows app and IP rules, supported Linux GUI packages and experimental macOS exclusions. On Mac, WebKit-based apps such as Safari have limitations, and the feature requires WireGuard or Stealth rather than IKEv2. Its Linux instructions also require restarting affected apps after connecting.

The guide makes another important distinction: split tunneling generally conflicts with Proton’s kill switch, with a documented Windows exception. A reader who needs both features should verify the actual combination on the intended platform. Desktop features should not be assumed to work identically on every operating system.

ExpressVPN’s current desktop guide covers Windows, Mac and Linux. It describes application rules and IP-address rules and notes that DNS continues to use ExpressVPN while connected, regardless of split-tunneling settings. An app exception therefore does not necessarily mean every related name-resolution request follows the same direct route.

These details matter during troubleshooting. If a site fails, distinguish the application, its destination address and DNS behavior before changing several settings. Keep each exception understandable. Otherwise, a temporary attempt to make one service work can leave a lasting routing rule whose purpose you no longer remember.

iPhone exclusions: a small control with a specific scope

ExpressVPN’s current feature page describes iOS split tunneling through single IPv4-address exclusions. That is useful to know, but it is not the same as excluding a whole app or entering an arbitrary website name. A website can use changing or shared addresses, so an address-based rule needs care.

Do not infer that Proton’s desktop include/exclude controls exist in its iPhone application. If selective routing on iOS is the deciding feature, inspect the available current controls before subscribing. Our iOS VPN guide gives a broader device comparison without making every platform sound interchangeable.

A bypassed connection is intentionally outside the VPN route. It may help a location-sensitive service work, but it changes coverage for that traffic. Evaluate the exception and the rest of your connection separately rather than assuming the presence of a VPN icon settles both questions.

Port forwarding: avoid the router terminology trap

Proton’s paid port-forwarding documentation covers Windows, Linux and macOS applications, with macOS identified as early access. It requires a P2P-capable server and assigns a port that usually changes when you reconnect. An application relying on the port needs the current value, not a number copied from an earlier session.

ExpressVPN’s router guide covers supported router software, Aircove and Aircove Go. It explicitly warns that forwarded ports are outside the VPN tunnel and depend on ISP support. That workflow is not equivalent to Proton’s incoming port through a VPN server. Router ownership does not change that distinction.

Choose based on the service you need to reach and the path that traffic must take. An incoming path also exposes whichever application is listening behind it, so enable it only for a clear purpose. Neither approach means that every game, file transfer or remote-access program will work automatically.

Privacy features: match the design to the problem

Proton’s paid Secure Core routes traffic through designated entry infrastructure before the exit. Its documentation describes entry locations in Iceland, Sweden and Switzerland and explains the design as a response to observation at an exit location. This is a provider-described threat model, not proof that identification or correlation is impossible.

NetShield is another paid Proton feature, intended to filter ads, trackers and malicious domains. Separate that from basic VPN transport and the wider suite. A filtering function does not certify every download as safe, and an encrypted route does not prevent a website from recognizing an account you sign into.

ExpressVPN likewise describes a suite whose exact inclusions depend on the purchased tier. Read the selected plan before assuming all extras are included. This comparison does not award an encryption winner from cipher names, make jurisdiction-immunity claims or reuse historical Trustpilot scores as evidence of current security.

Proton VPN: pros, cons and reasons to choose it

Pros

• An ongoing unlimited-bandwidth Free tier supports basic one-device use.
• Paid port forwarding addresses a specific incoming-connection requirement.
• Secure Core has a documented entry-network design.
• VPN Plus can be assessed separately from a broader Proton bundle.

Cons

• Free access has restricted selection and does not include every paid feature.
• Paid VPN Plus has a ten-connection allowance.
• Split tunneling has platform, protocol and kill-switch compatibility limitations.
• macOS port forwarding is early access, which matters for a production workflow.

Choose Proton VPN when its Free tier fits or a documented paid capability is necessary. Its strongest buying case here is a requirement you can name, such as incoming VPN ports. Verify the applicable platform and server conditions before committing to a term.

ExpressVPN: pros, cons and reasons to choose it

Pros

• Tiered allowances provide ten, twelve or fourteen simultaneous connections.
• Current desktop documentation covers split tunneling on Windows, Mac and Linux.
• iOS offers a documented IPv4-exclusion option.
• Supported router guidance provides a separate deployment route for compatible hardware.

Cons

• The ongoing free-plan option in this pair belongs to Proton.
• Extra connections and suite inclusions depend on the selected tier.
• iPhone address exclusions are narrower than arbitrary app rules.
• Router port forwarding is outside the VPN tunnel and cannot substitute for an incoming VPN-exit port.

Choose ExpressVPN if its actual app behavior, supported router deployment or tier allowance matches your setup. Confirm those requirements using the current application and checkout. None establishes a measured speed or streaming advantage over Proton in this article.

Refunds and payment channels: compare the details

Checkout question	Proton VPN	ExpressVPN
Headline window	Eligible subscription within 30 days.	Eligible new subscriber within 30 days of the initial purchase.
Important exclusions	Bank transfer and cash are excluded in its refund support guide.	Renewals and redemption-code purchases are excluded; a prior refund can affect eligibility.
App-store purchase	Apple refund requests follow Apple’s process; other channels have their own instructions.	Apple App Store and Google Play purchases are outside ExpressVPN’s own guarantee.
Before paying	Confirm VPN-only or bundle, required paid features and renewal.	Confirm tier, connection allowance, initial total and renewal.

A paid guarantee is not an ongoing free subscription. Cancellation of future renewal and requesting a refund are separate actions, and a checkout change does not necessarily start a new guarantee period. Keep the receipt and the terms shown when you purchased.

Frequently asked questions

Which is best without paying?

Proton has an ongoing Free tier with unlimited bandwidth. Its one-device allowance and restricted location selection still matter. ExpressVPN’s mobile trial conditions, when offered, should be reviewed separately from its paid refund policy.

Which should I choose for torrenting?

For lawful sharing, first establish whether your application needs incoming VPN port forwarding and which desktop you use. Proton’s paid documentation provides that route, with conditions. This article does not establish a download-speed winner or guarantee anonymity.

Does ExpressVPN still allow only five devices?

No. The current setup guide lists ten, twelve and fourteen simultaneous connections by tier. The five-device statement in the archived article is obsolete.

Where can I compare another provider?

Read the dedicated NordVPN versus ExpressVPN comparison or Proton VPN versus Surfshark comparison. Each pair keeps its own decision and features. Check the current deals directory after selecting the right service and plan.

Continue your research

ExpressVPN →

Proton VPN →

VPNBLADE · PLAN SHORTLIST

Ready to choose a plan?

Compare all terms →

Selected plan offers, not performance rankings. We may earn a commission through affiliate links. Monthly equivalents require the full payment shown.

ExpressVPN

Check your exact device setup

ExpressVPN Basic — 28-month introductory offer

USD 2.99/mo equivalent

USD 83.72 upfront · First 28 months, paid upfront

Get ExpressVPN deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

USD 99.95 annually after the initial 28-month term.

30-day money-back guarantee for new users; provider terms and purchase-channel conditions apply.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.

NordVPN

Apps across major device platforms

NordVPN Basic — 27-month introductory offer

USD 3.49/mo equivalent

USD 94.23 upfront · First 27 months, paid upfront

Get NordVPN deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

USD 139.08 every year after the initial 27-month term at the current renewal price.

30-day money-back guarantee; provider eligibility, payment-channel and refund terms apply.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.

Surfshark

Households with multiple devices

Surfshark One — 27-month introductory offer

USD 2.49/mo equivalent

USD 67.23 upfront · First 27 months, paid upfront

Get Surfshark deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

Automatic renewal after the introductory term at the then-applicable rate. Confirm the chosen bundle’s next invoice and billing interval before purchase; no numeric renewal amount was verified.

30-day money-back guarantee; purchase-channel and provider eligibility conditions apply.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.

PureVPN

Published subscription offer

PureVPN Standard — 27-month prepaid offer

USD 2.16/mo equivalent

USD 58.20 upfront · First 27 months, paid upfront

Get PureVPN deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

Checkout displays USD 2.15/month after 27 months. This is the provider’s renewal-rate label, not a verified future invoice. The next charge amount and billing interval were not separately established; confirm both before paying.

31-day money-back guarantee advertised; provider eligibility and refund terms apply.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.

VeePN

Published subscription offer

VeePN Basic — 28-month introductory offer

USD 1.99/mo equivalent

USD 55.72 upfront · First 28 months, paid upfront

Get VeePN deal ↗Offer details & coupon conditions →

Renewal & refund conditions

Card/PayPal checkout quotes automatic renewal at USD 59.76 every 12 months after the initial 28-month period. Future renewal prices can change.

Thirty-day refund window for the original purchase, subject to terms. Rebilling and previously refunded accounts are excluded; plan extensions or added licenses can waive eligibility.

Price source checked 2026-10-25 · Confirm tax and eligibility at checkout.