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Independently verified · Quarterly re-audit
EU VETTED
Head-to-head

ExpressVPN vs Proton VPN

How Proton VPN, a European VPN tool, compares with ExpressVPN on the signals a privacy-conscious buyer actually checks: who owns it, where it hosts, and its exposure to the US CLOUD Act.

In short

Proton VPN (Switzerland — owned by the non-profit Proton Foundation, open source, independently audited no-logs, from €5/mo) is the transparency-first pick against ExpressVPN. Both are audited and both sit outside the 14-Eyes alliance (ExpressVPN in the British Virgin Islands, Proton in Switzerland), so jurisdiction is broadly comparable. The clearest difference is ownership: ExpressVPN is owned by Kape Technologies, a London-listed company with a history rooted in the former Crossrider ad-tech business, while Proton VPN is controlled by a Swiss non-profit and ships fully open-source apps. ExpressVPN's strengths are polish and its RAM-only TrustedServer fleet.

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Side-by-side

ExpressVPN vs Proton VPN, on jurisdiction & transparency

Ownership, jurisdiction, and independently audited no-logs — side by side. The right column is pulled live from our verified dataset.

ExpressVPN vs Proton VPN, on the sovereignty signals
Signal ExpressVPN Proton VPN
Jurisdiction British Virgin Islands Offshore · outside 14-Eyes Switzerland Outside 14-Eyes
Owner Kape Technologies (London-listed) Proton Foundation (Swiss non-profit)
No-logs, audited Audited Audited
Servers / countries 3,000+ / 105 20,000 / 140
Devices 8 10
Price from from $6.67/mo from €5/mo
Visit Proton VPN → Read the Proton VPN profile →
Verdict

ExpressVPN vs Proton VPN: which should you pick?

Both ExpressVPN and Proton VPN are audited and both sit outside the 14-Eyes alliance, so jurisdiction is broadly comparable and this is mainly an ownership decision. ExpressVPN is owned by Kape Technologies, a London-listed company whose lineage traces to the former Crossrider ad-tech business; it counters with slick apps and a RAM-only TrustedServer fleet. Proton VPN (Switzerland — Proton Foundation non-profit, open source, audited) offers a cleaner ownership story and fully open-source apps.

The no-logs question is largely settled for both by independent audits. What differs is who owns the company and how verifiable its software is.

Pick ExpressVPN if app polish and its RAM-only server marketing are decisive and the premium price is acceptable. Pick Proton VPN if non-profit ownership, open-source verifiability, lower price, and a usable free tier matter more — the typical profile of a privacy-conscious user moving to the Proton ecosystem.

Switching

Migrating from ExpressVPN to Proton VPN

Switching VPNs is quick — apps and billing only, no data to move.

  1. Install Proton VPN first. Sign up (or trial the free tier) and set up the apps on all your devices before cancelling ExpressVPN, so you are never unprotected.
  2. Re-apply your settings. Enable the kill switch, choose WireGuard, set up split tunnelling, and turn on Secure Core or always-on if you want multi-hop or auto-connect.
  3. Test your real use cases. Verify streaming, P2P, or specific-country servers behave as expected before dropping ExpressVPN.
  4. Cancel ExpressVPN and request a refund. ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee; claim it if you are within the window, then remove the apps once Proton VPN is live everywhere.
FAQ

ExpressVPN vs Proton VPN — frequently asked questions

Is ExpressVPN's ownership a concern?
It is the main reason privacy-focused users compare it with Proton VPN. ExpressVPN was acquired by Kape Technologies, a London-listed company whose corporate lineage traces to Crossrider, a business historically associated with ad-injection software. Kape also owns several other VPN brands and review sites. None of this means ExpressVPN is insecure — its no-logs claim has been audited and it runs RAM-only servers — but for buyers who weight ownership transparency, Proton VPN's Swiss non-profit structure is a cleaner story. We state this factually; assess the public record yourself.
Do both sit outside the 14-Eyes alliance?
Yes. ExpressVPN is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and Proton VPN operates from Switzerland — both outside the Five/Nine/Fourteen-Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances, which is favourable for a privacy VPN. So jurisdiction is roughly a wash here; the decision turns on ownership, open-source verifiability, and features rather than which country can compel data.
What is RAM-only / TrustedServer, and does Proton VPN have it?
ExpressVPN's TrustedServer runs its servers from RAM with no writable disks, so every reboot wipes the server and nothing persists — a strong anti-logging design. Proton VPN uses full-disk encryption with a no-logs policy and owns much of its core server fleet, and its no-logs claim is independently audited. Both architectures aim at the same goal (no retrievable logs); ExpressVPN markets RAM-only specifically, Proton emphasises ownership of its network and open-source apps.
Is Proton VPN open source and audited?
Yes. Proton VPN's consumer apps are fully open source, allowing independent inspection, and its no-logs policy has been independently audited and published, alongside a transparency report and warrant canary. ExpressVPN publishes audits too but its apps are not open source. For users who value verifiable transparency end-to-end, that combination — open code plus published audits under Swiss non-profit control — is Proton VPN's core argument.
Which is cheaper?
Proton VPN generally undercuts ExpressVPN, which is positioned at the premium end of the market. Proton VPN paid plans start around €5/month and it offers a no-data-cap free tier; ExpressVPN has no free tier and higher headline pricing. For value plus a usable free option, Proton VPN; for ExpressVPN's specific app polish and TrustedServer marketing, you pay the premium.
Will I lose features moving from ExpressVPN to Proton VPN?
Mostly you trade polish for transparency. ExpressVPN's apps are famously slick and its server network is well optimised. Proton VPN matches the core feature set — WireGuard, kill switch, split tunnelling, streaming servers — and adds Secure Core multi-hop and a free tier, while being open source. If your priority is the most frictionless consumer app, ExpressVPN leads; if it is verifiable privacy and ownership, Proton VPN is built for that.
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METHODOLOGY

How we verified each row above.

For every product we read the public DPA, sub-processors document, hosting region declaration, and corporate ownership records. Each is timestamped. Signals are editorial, re-verified quarterly. We never accept self-attestation.

Reviewed by the EU Vetted editorial team · Editorial guidelines

Last verified June 2026

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