VPN Comparison: ExpressVPN vs Avast

In today's digital landscape, VPN services have become essential tools for online privacy and security. However, navigating the complex world of VPN providers can be challenging for the average user. Technical terminology and vague marketing claims often obscure what these services actually offer.

This comparison guide aims to demystify two popular VPN options: ExpressVPN and Avast SecureLine. By breaking down their features in plain language, we'll help you understand exactly what these services do and how they might affect your browsing experience.

Our analysis is based on hands-on testing of both platforms, offering you a practical perspective rather than just repeating promotional materials. We've organized this information into a clear, side-by-side comparison that highlights where one service outperforms the other.

Throughout this guide, we'll decode technical jargon and explain the real-world implications of each feature. Whether you're concerned about streaming capabilities, connection speeds, or privacy policies, we'll provide straightforward explanations of what matters most.

No need to wade through complicated technical documentation or trust vague claims – our comprehensive testing reveals exactly how these VPNs perform in everyday situations.

Comparing Subscription Models: ExpressVPN vs Avast SecureLine

When examining payment options between these two VPN providers, notable differences emerge in their subscription strategies.

ExpressVPN maintains flexibility with its monthly subscription at $12.95, catering to users who prefer short-term commitments. Their pricing structure rewards longer commitments, with a six-month plan at $59.95 and their most popular annual plan at $99.95, which includes three bonus months and reduces the effective monthly cost to $6.67.

Avast SecureLine has recently pivoted to focus exclusively on long-term subscribers, eliminating their monthly payment option entirely. Their pricing strategy heavily incentivizes multi-year commitments, with their premium three-year subscription priced at $135 total, bringing the monthly equivalent down to just $3.75. One and two-year plans are available with more modest discounts starting at 39%.

Both services offer risk-free trial periods through money-back guarantees lasting 30 days. Avast provides an additional 60-day free trial period—though users should note that payment details are required before connecting to their servers.

For maximum savings, consider ExpressVPN's annual plan with its three free months or Avast's three-year subscription for the lowest monthly rate, depending on your preferred commitment length.

ExpressVPN and Avast SecureLine VPN: A Comparative Analysis

ExpressVPN offers exceptional device compatibility with dedicated applications for all major operating systems and specialized support for devices like Amazon Fire TV. Their custom router firmware provides whole-home protection with minimal setup complexity.

In contrast, Avast SecureLine supports more simultaneous connections but lacks Linux and router compatibility, limiting its versatility for tech-savvy users. This restricted platform availability represents a significant drawback in today's multi-device households.

Browser extension functionality differs meaningfully between these services. Avast's extensions work independently to encrypt Chrome or Firefox traffic. ExpressVPN's extensions serve as remote controls for the desktop application, ensuring comprehensive protection across all applications, not just browser traffic.

For specialized needs, ExpressVPN provides smart DNS technology that enables region-shifting on VPN-incompatible devices like smart TVs. Their split tunneling feature allows specific applications to bypass the VPN connection, optimizing performance for activities like gaming updates.

Avast's automation capabilities stand out with customizable connection rules that activate the VPN based on user-defined scenarios. However, their split tunneling is more limited, allowing only websites—not applications—to bypass the VPN connection.

When it comes to streaming content securely, ExpressVPN is a top choice. Although it couldn't access BBC iPlayer in our tests, it performed seamlessly with all other services we tried. This means you can enjoy your home country's version of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video even when you're traveling abroad.

Avast SecureLine also showed impressive results, successfully unblocking BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and Hulu without any issues.

In China, the government's stringent online censorship, known as the Great Firewall, blocks large parts of the internet. While a VPN can theoretically help bypass these restrictions, many providers' websites are inaccessible in China. Additionally, unless a VPN has robust cloaking mechanisms to hide its traffic, connecting to blocked sites is nearly impossible.

Sadly, Avast SecureLine does not function in China. On the other hand, ExpressVPN works effectively in the country, allowing you to browse freely without needing to adjust any settings. Moreover, ExpressVPN maintains a separate website that remains accessible in China, though you'll need to contact their support team for the URL before your trip. It's also a good idea to save a copy of the manual setup instructions as a precaution.

ExpressVPN offers intuitive applications characterized by their clean interface and user-friendly design. The home screen features a prominent one-click connection option that automatically selects the optimal server based on your location and network conditions.

For convenience, the app displays your previous server selection, facilitating quick reconnection to your preferred locations. While the configuration options might seem minimal, they're logically organized into categorical tabs with clear labels for easy navigation.

Desktop versions include built-in functionality that eliminates the need for external tools. Users can conduct speed tests directly within the application, verify their connection for potential security leaks, and check their current IP address - all integrated seamlessly into the software's interface.

Simplicity at the core of ExpressVPN's competitor

When examining Avast SecureLine's interface, users will immediately notice its minimalist approach to design. The dashboard emphasizes functionality with a prominent one-click connection button, while clearly displaying your current IP address information.

Navigation through server options follows a logical geographical organization by continent. For specialized needs, Avast has created dedicated sections for both P2P activities and streaming-optimized connections.

While the settings interface maintains an orderly structure, some features could benefit from improved clarity. One notable example is the Smart VPN mode, which lacks upfront transparency about its functionality - users aren't informed that activating this feature will override manual server selection until they return to the main screen.

This straightforward design philosophy makes Avast SecureLine accessible to VPN newcomers, though experienced users might find the lack of immediate clarity around certain features somewhat limiting.

When comparing the network infrastructure of these two VPN providers, the disparity is quite evident. The first service maintains a robust network spanning 94 countries—significantly exceeding the industry average of 60 countries—with a server count approximately quadruple that of its competitor.

In contrast, the second provider's coverage extends to just 34 countries, which falls below expectations for a premium VPN service. However, this provider does offer specialized servers specifically configured for streaming and P2P activities, a feature not available with the more extensive network provider.

Performance metrics reveal an even more substantial difference between these services. Speed tests demonstrate that the larger network delivers average speeds of 135 Mbps on gigabit connections, making it capable of supporting multiple devices streaming 4K content simultaneously.

The smaller network's performance is considerably more limited, with average speeds of only 34 Mbps, creating potential bottlenecks despite allowing more concurrent connections.

Server distribution comparison:

The first provider offers comprehensive global coverage across North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, South America, and parts of Africa and the Middle East.

The second provider focuses primarily on high-demand locations in North America, Western Europe, and select Asian markets, with more limited presence in other regions.

ExpressVPN vs Avast SecureLine

ExpressVPN offers extensive global coverage with a significant presence in regions typically underserved by VPN providers, particularly across Africa and Asia. It uniquely provides IP addresses from countries like Brunei Darussalam and Laos, setting it apart from competitors in the market.

While Avast SecureLine does maintain exclusive server presence in Latvia—a location not covered by ExpressVPN's network—its overall geographic footprint is considerably smaller. This difference in coverage becomes particularly noticeable when examining representation in developing regions.

For users seeking diverse connection options in traditionally underrepresented areas, ExpressVPN's broader network may offer substantial advantages despite the single gap in Baltic coverage that Avast exclusively fills.

Encryption Standards and Security Features: A Comparison

Both services employ military-grade protection with 256-bit AES encryption combined with 4096-bit RSA keys - widely recognized as the current benchmark for digital security and practically impossible to breach.

Each VPN implements essential safety mechanisms including automatic kill switches that terminate data transmission during unexpected connection failures. Additionally, both maintain proprietary DNS servers, eliminating potential vulnerabilities associated with third-party DNS infrastructure.

Protocol Diversity: Notable Distinctions

The services diverge significantly in their protocol offerings. One provider boasts an extensive protocol selection including their custom-developed Lightway technology, engineered to maintain security during network transitions. This proprietary solution addresses a common vulnerability point when switching between connections.

In contrast, the competitor provides OpenVPN compatibility alongside their in-house Mimic protocol. Curiously, limited technical documentation exists for this proprietary solution, with marketing materials vaguely claiming it "delivers falsified identity and geographical information to websites." While proprietary technologies often involve confidential elements, users typically receive clearer justification for their implementation.

Recent Innovations

The first provider has enhanced their service with two significant updates: a parallel connection system that simultaneously attempts multiple protocols to optimize connection speed, and a protective feature that blocks applications from communicating with known tracking servers.

While Avast SecureLine claims not to retain personally identifiable data, it collects substantial analytics.

This includes timestamps of connections, total bandwidth consumption, crash reports, and specific features used.

Much of this collected data remains stored for a lengthy two-year period, raising privacy concerns for a service emphasizing security.

ExpressVPN, headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, maintains a minimal data policy.

It records only the date of connection (not specific times), aggregate bandwidth usage, and the chosen VPN server location.

Critically, ExpressVPN asserts none of this data can identify individual users.

For enhanced anonymity, the service also accepts anonymous payment methods like Bitcoin.

ExpressVPN and Avast SecureLine both implement a shared IP allocation system where multiple users on the same server are assigned the same IP address. This approach enhances privacy by making individual user activities harder to distinguish within the collective traffic. While both services maintain strict no-logs policies as their primary privacy measure, this shared addressing serves as an additional security layer.

Some VPN providers in the market offer dedicated IP addresses as a premium option. These static IPs can be beneficial for users who regularly access services with strict security protocols, such as banking platforms that might flag changing IP addresses as suspicious activity. However, it's important to note that using a dedicated IP address can potentially make your online movements more traceable.

Neither ExpressVPN nor Avast SecureLine currently provides dedicated IP address options in their service packages. If having a static IP is essential for your needs, you might need to consider alternative VPN services that offer this feature, despite the potential privacy compromises it entails.

When it comes to customer support, top VPN services understand the importance of timely assistance. Both ExpressVPN and Avast SecureLine provide multiple channels for reaching their support teams.

ExpressVPN offers round-the-clock live chat support, ensuring help is available whenever you need it. They've also implemented a ticket submission system specifically designed for technical issues that might require more detailed investigation. Their dedicated YouTube channel features concise tutorial videos focused exclusively on their VPN service.

Avast SecureLine takes a slightly different approach. While they maintain 24/7 chat support like their competitor, they also provide direct telephone support—a feature ExpressVPN doesn't offer. Email communication is available with both providers for less urgent matters. Avast's YouTube presence, however, covers their entire product line, making VPN-specific content harder to locate among their comprehensive software tutorials.

Both companies maintain searchable knowledge bases where users can find answers to common questions without contacting support directly. These self-service resources can be particularly helpful for resolving simple issues quickly. When comparing premium VPN services, it's essential to look beyond brand recognition to evaluate actual performance. While Avast SecureLine delivers solid privacy with its no-logs policy and supports important activities like secure browsing, streaming, and P2P file sharing, ExpressVPN consistently demonstrates superior capabilities across multiple metrics.

ExpressVPN's global accessibility stands out immediately, functioning reliably even within China's restrictive internet environment. Its proprietary Lightway protocol provides significantly better speed performance, addressing one of the most common VPN complaints. Content access represents another area where ExpressVPN excels, with server locations in 94 countries compared to Avast's more limited network. This translates to approximately triple the potential content access.

The industry consensus further supports ExpressVPN as the more versatile solution, earning respect for its consistent performance across various use cases. While Avast SecureLine shouldn't be dismissed as inadequate, most users seeking comprehensive VPN protection will find ExpressVPN better addresses their needs with its broader capabilities and proven reliability.

What is a Netflix VPN and How to Get One

Netflix VPN is a specialized virtual private network service that enables users to bypass geographical restrictions on Netflix's content library, allowing them to access shows and movies available in other countries. By masking your actual location and connecting through servers in different regions, Netflix VPN provides viewers with the ability to significantly expand their streaming options beyond what's available in their home country. This technology has become increasingly popular among streaming enthusiasts who want to explore Netflix's full global catalog rather than being limited to regionally restricted content.

Why Choose SafeShell as Your Netflix VPN?

If people want to access region-restricted content by Netflix VPN, they may want to consider the SafeShell VPN . 1. SafeShell VPN offers high-speed servers specifically optimized for seamless Netflix streaming, ensuring buffer-free and high-definition playback. 2. It allows you to connect up to five devices simultaneously, supporting a wide array of operating systems such as Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, and Apple Vision Pro. 3. The exclusive App Mode feature enables you to unlock and enjoy content from multiple regions at the same time, providing a diverse range of streaming services and libraries. 4. With lightning-fast connection speeds and no bandwidth limitations, SafeShell VPN ensures that you can stream, download, and browse without any interruptions. 5. Top-level security is a priority with the proprietary "ShellGuard" protocol, offering advanced encryption and robust security features to protect your data. 6. Additionally, SafeShell VPN provides a flexible free trial plan, allowing users to experience its high-speed connectivity, enhanced security, and user-friendly interface without any commitment. By choosing SafeShell VPN, you can enjoy Netflix unblocked and a world of entertainment at your fingertips.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Watch Netflix with SafeShell VPN

To utilize SafeShell Netflix VPN for accessing geo-restricted Netflix libraries, follow these streamlined steps:

• Begin by installing the SafeShell VPN application on your preferred device (Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android) after securing a valid subscription
• Launch the installed SafeShell VPN app and authenticate using your account credentials
• Navigate to the server selection interface and choose a virtual location matching your desired Netflix region (e.g., Japan, Germany, or Brazil)
• Engage the connection protocol to establish a secure link through the SafeShell Netflix VPN gateway
• Simultaneously activate the Netflix platform either via web browser or native application
• Initiate playback of region-specific content immediately after successful VPN authentication

This optimized routing configuration enables seamless streaming through SafeShell's dedicated infrastructure.