Rating: 9.3/10 · The fastest VPN we have ever tested. Premium price, premium performance.
Overview
ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN we have tested, averaging 101.4 Mbps on UK servers. Its Lightway protocol is the most efficient in the industry. The only drawback is price — at £5.28/mo it costs roughly twice as much as NordVPN.
We tested ExpressVPN over 30 days on UK broadband, a 4G mobile connection and public Wi-Fi. On a 500Mb connection it reduced download speeds by 5.2% on average using Lightway UDP.
ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN we have tested, averaging 101.4 Mbps on UK servers. Its Lightway protocol is the most efficient in the industry. The only drawback is price — at £5.28/mo it costs roughly twice as much as NordVPN.
Performance Scores
All scores out of 100, based on independent UK server testing over 30 days in May 2026.
ExpressVPN Scores
Average UK download speed: 101.4 Mbps. Speed reduction on a 500Mb connection: 5.2% using Lightway UDP.
Streaming Performance
Tested weekly against UK streaming platforms. Results as of May 2026:
Results above are from weekly testing. Any VPN failing a service is re-tested three times before status is updated.
Pros and Cons
- ✓Fastest VPN in every UK speed test
- ✓Works with BBC iPlayer, Netflix, ITV Hub, Channel 4
- ✓Lightway protocol has lowest CPU overhead
- ✓Router app available
- ✓Independent Cure53 no-logs audit
- ✗Most expensive VPN on this list
- ✗Only 5 simultaneous connections
- ✗No split tunnelling on all platforms
Features and Technical Specs
| Protocols | LightwayWireGuardOpenVPN |
| Servers | 3,000+ |
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands |
| Devices | 5 simultaneous |
| Kill Switch | Yes (all platforms) |
| No-Logs Policy | Yes — independently verified |
Pricing and Current Deal
Full Verdict
ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN we have tested, averaging 101.4 Mbps on UK servers. Its Lightway protocol is the most efficient in the industry. The only drawback is price — at £5.28/mo it costs roughly twice as much as NordVPN.
If raw speed is your priority and budget is not a concern, ExpressVPN is the choice. For most UK users, NordVPN delivers 95% of the performance at half the price.