ExpressVPN is the best all-round VPN in 2023, but I can understand if it’s not right for you. Luckily, the 30-day money-back guarantee makes it easy to get a full refund if you’re not satisfied. When I tested this myself, my refund was approved in minutes over 24/7 live chat and the money returned to my account in 5 days. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, you can try CyberGhost risk-free. While it can’t beat ExpressVPN’s fast speeds, CyberGhost comes a close second. It even has an even longer money-back guarantee of 45 days, so you can test every feature in your own time.
Quick Guide: 3 Easy Steps to Cancel ExpressVPN and Get Your Money Back
Step-By-Step Guide: How to Cancel ExpressVPN and Get a Refund
The Best Alternatives to ExpressVPN (Tested in January 2023)
1. CyberGhost — Dedicated Servers for Fast Streaming, Torrenting, and Gaming
CyberGhost is the top alternative to ExpressVPN with its optimized servers for streaming, torrenting, and online gaming. These servers are regularly tested by CyberGhost’s staff to ensure you get the fastest, smoothest connections without hassle. Each server has a 1-click connection to save you time — during tests, my connections were almost instant. I could stream Netflix US without getting the proxy error, download 5GB torrents in 10 minutes, and play games online without lag or interruptions. I was pleased to find CyberGhost uses the same military-grade encryption as ExpressVPN to keep my data secure and anonymous. CyberGhost also uses RAM-based servers to ensure no user data can accidentally be stored — the servers are wiped clean with every scheduled reboot. Plus CyberGhost has effective ad, malware, and tracker blockers to ensure you won’t see any targeted ads or click on a malicious link. If you’d like to try CyberGhost risk-free and make sure it’s right for you, the service offers a generous 45-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied, you can easily get a full refund over email or 24/7 live chat.
2. Private Internet Access — Best Budget VPN With High-Level Security Features
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a low-cost VPN with top-tier security. You can subscribe to PIA for as little as $2.03 with its 2-year + 4 months — and it has a 30-day money-back guarantee. All this makes PIA an affordable and secure alternative to ExpressVPN. With a huge network of 35000+ servers, PIA has one of the biggest VPN networks on the market. During my tests, I found it easy to choose a local server for streaming, torrenting, and secure online browsing with minimal lag and buffering. However, I did notice some slowdown when I connected to servers further from my physical location. PIA uses military-grade encryption and leak protection to keep your online activity anonymous while you’re connected. None of your browsing history is ever monitored, stored, or shared. PIA has a strict no-logs policy, which has successfully passed an independent audit. The PIA apps even come with a built-in ad and malware blocker, which helps increase page loading times (on top of adding an extra layer of security). I recommend you test PIA for yourself risk-free and see if it’s the right choice for you. If not, you have up to 30 days to get a full refund. Try Private Internet Access risk-free
3. NordVPN — Premium VPN With Cheap Prices on Long-Term Plans
NordVPN is one of the best VPNs on the market — and you can get super cheap prices when you sign up for a long-term subscription. One thing to note, however, is that when it’s time to renew your subscription, prices do increase quite significantly. I did, however, have issues with using NordVPN’s native Fire TV app. Although it worked and unblocked some streaming services, it sometimes had issues unblocking Netflix US and kept crashing. I also found that NordVPN’s user interface for desktop devices was less user-friendly than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. NordVPN has the following security and privacy features:
AES 256-bit encryption A kill switch that cuts your internet access if your connection to a VPN server drops suddenly Built-in ad and malware blocker, so you don’t need a third-party ad blocker Fully audited no-logs policy (audited by PwC) – NordVPN doesn’t store any personal or identifying data while you’re connected to the VPN
In addition, NordVPN includes Threat Protection that protects you from viruses, infected websites, and trackers – and it works whenever you have the NordVPN app open, even if you’re not connected to a VPN server. You can stream, torrent, and browse for free for up to 30 days with NordVPN’s money-back guarantee. It has plans that cost as little as $3.69 per month. To ensure that you’ll really get your money back, I tested NordVPN’s money-back guarantee. At first, the support team tried to give me an extended trial period — but they initiated my refund right away after I told them I wasn’t interested in the extension. I got my money back in 6 business days. NordVPN works on: Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Chromebook, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Fire Stick, and Android TV
4. Surfshark — Best Value for Money with Unlimited Device Connections and Fast Speeds
Surfshark offers the best value for money out of every premium VPN on the market. You can connect an unlimited number of devices with a single subscription (which means you can connect your entire family and even friends!). I tested Surfshark’s unlimited connections on 2 PCs, 2 phones, a Fire Stick 4K, and an iPad. My connection remained reliable on all 6 devices. Even while I was actively streaming on all my devices, my average speed was 112 Mbps — fast enough for UltraHD quality. When I saw the price of this service, I thought it couldn’t possibly have top-grade security features for such a low price, but I was pleasantly surprised. Surfshark has the following security and privacy features:
AES 256-bit encryption on all devices, with ChaCha encryption available for Android users Wireguard VPN protocol enabled by default Diskless, RAM-only servers to protect your privacy (no data can be physically extracted from any servers) Kill switch (although this isn’t enabled by default) IP and DNS leak protection
Surfshark offers two-factor authentication (2FA) on your account. This feature requires you to enter an extra code before you can log in to ensure that only you (and those you share your account with) can access your account. While Surfshark does have slightly fewer global servers than rivals such as CyberGhost and PIA, I didn’t experience any issues during my tests. I easily connected fast working servers every time, and I had excellent speeds for streaming Netflix in Ultra HD, downloading torrents, and browsing the internet. You can try Surfshark for yourself with the 30-day money-back guarantee. It has plans that cost as little as $2.05. Requesting a refund is easy with Surfshark’s live chat feature. Although the support team asked why I wanted to cancel my subscription, I had no problem getting my money back (and it only took 4 days!). Surfshark works on: Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, Linux, Fire Stick, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, Android TV, Kodi, and selected routers
How does ExpressVPN’s money-back guarantee work?
The money-back guarantee allows you to sign up for ExpressVPN, test it out, and get a full refund in 30 days if you’re not satisfied. It’s included with every subscription — whether you choose a 1-month or annual plan. This lets you make your purchase with confidence, giving you plenty of time to test ExpressVPN and make sure it’s right for you. It’s important to note that ExpressVPN’s money-back guarantee is a 30-day period, not a month. For example, if you sign up for ExpressVPN at 10am on April 1, you’ll have until 10am April 30 to use the money-back guarantee. After that, you aren’t eligible for a refund unless you can prove ExpressVPN wasn’t working at that time and you attempted to contact support to fix the issue.
How do I cancel and get my money back from ExpressVPN?
All you have to do is log in to your ExpressVPN account and contact customer service to request a refund. As long as you ask for your money back within 30 days, ExpressVPN will refund the cost of your subscription. The fastest way to request a refund if through the 24/7 live chat function. You can also send an email to the customer support team (support@expressvpn.zendesk.com). However, in my tests, I always received a quick response over live chat within 1 minute.
Can I cancel ExpressVPN anytime?
Yes. If you’re within the 30-day money-back guarantee period, you can cancel ExpressVPN and still get a refund. If the 30 days have passed, you can cancel your subscription by logging into your account through your browser. Visit the “Your Subscription” option and choose “Manage subscription settings.” Then, click “Turn off automatic renewal.” This won’t give you a refund, but your subscription won’t automatically renew. You’ll still be able to use ExpressVPN until your current subscription expires.
How long does ExpressVPN take to issue a refund?
ExpressVPN aims to have your money back in your account in less than 7 business days. When I tested ExpressVPN’s money-back guarantee process, I was pleasantly surprised to receive the money back to my bank account in less than 5 days. The speed you receive your refund depends on your bank account, as well as the payment method. When I tested PayPal, I received my money back in just 1 day.
Is there a reason I won’t get a refund from ExpressVPN?
Yes. You can’t cancel ExpressVPN and get a refund if you’ve made the request outside of the 30-day money-back guarantee period. There is an exception though — if you can prove that ExpressVPN wasn’t working during the 30 days and you attempted to contact customer support about the issue, you could be given a refund at the company’s discretion. However, ExpressVPN also won’t issue a refund if you purchase a subscription through a third party (like the Apple App Store or Google Play Store). If you wish to cancel, you must contact the third party directly to arrange a refund. This can take a lot of time and hassle to resolve — it’s always best to purchase a subscription from the ExpressVPN website as you’re automatically covered by the money-back guarantee.
Make Sure to Find the Right VPN for Your Needs
Not every VPN will be the right fit, so it’s good to know that ExpressVPN will give you a refund if you’re not fully satisfied. However, you shouldn’t put yourself at risk by not having a VPN at all as this can compromise your data security. I recommend CyberGhost as the next best alternative to ExpressVPN. With CyberGhost, you get high-level security, optimized servers, and a built-in ad and malware blocker. Better still, you can try CyberGhost risk-free for a generous 45 days with the money-back guarantee.
