The best ExpressVPN alternative depends on why you're leaving. For a different owner: Mullvad, IVPN, Windscribe, Proton VPN or Buycat VPN, none of which is part of Kape Technologies (ExpressVPN's owner). For a free tier: Proton VPN or Windscribe. For maximum anonymity: Mullvad. For a simple, lower-cost one-tap app from a small independent company: Buycat VPN, from $37.69 a year on the web.
By Team Boycat
ExpressVPN is one of the best-known VPNs, but people leave it for three common reasons: price, ownership, or wanting something simpler. Here are six alternatives, what each is best at, and who owns it. We make one of them (Buycat VPN), so we've kept the facts sourced and said where others are a better fit.
| Alternative | Owner | Free option | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | Proton AG (Switzerland) | Yes, free plan | Free tier, Proton users |
| Mullvad | Amagicom AB, founder-owned (Sweden) | No | Anonymity, no email signup |
| IVPN | IVPN Limited, founder-owned (Gibraltar) | No | Privacy-first users |
| Windscribe | Founder- and employee-owned (Canada) | Yes, limited free plan | Try before you pay |
| Buycat VPN | Boycat | No (30-day money-back) | Simple one-tap app, lower yearly price |
| NordVPN | Nord Security (also owns Surfshark) | No | Big server network, extra security tools |
Proton VPN is made by the Swiss company behind Proton Mail. Its largest shareholder is the nonprofit Proton Foundation (Proton). It's the most credible free plan around: no ads, but fewer locations and one device. Paid plans add speed, more countries and streaming. Pick it if you want to try a VPN without paying, or you already use Proton.
Mullvad doesn't ask for an email. You get a random account number and can pay a flat €5 a month (Mullvad pricing). It's owned by its founders through Amagicom AB (Mullvad). In 2023 Swedish police came with a search warrant and, per Mullvad, left with no customer data (Mullvad blog). The trade-off: a plain app and no streaming focus.
IVPN is a small Gibraltar company, founder-owned (IVPN). It publishes details on its team and ownership and is well regarded in privacy communities. Like Mullvad, it's built for privacy, not for unblocking streaming catalogs.
Windscribe is Canadian, and the company says it's owned by its founders and employees with no outside investors (Windscribe). It has a free plan with a monthly data cap, which makes it easy to test on your own network before you commit.
Buycat VPN is built and owned by Boycat and isn't part of a VPN group. The app is one tap: open it, connect, and it picks a fast location. It uses WireGuard, with IKEv2 and OpenVPN available, and runs on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux plus a browser extension.
Web pricing (boycat.io/vpn):
Every web plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee. There's no free tier. Buycat VPN publishes a no-logs policy; it hasn't published a third-party audit yet. If audited claims matter most to you, Proton or Mullvad are stronger today.
NordVPN is big, fast and packed with extras. Note that Nord Security and Surfshark merged in 2022 (NordVPN blog), so moving between those two keeps you in one group. It's a real alternative to ExpressVPN, just not an independent one.
Want a simple independent option? See Buycat VPN plans.
It depends on the reason. Proton VPN for a free tier, Mullvad for anonymity, IVPN for privacy, Windscribe to try first, Buycat VPN for a simple lower-cost independent app, NordVPN for extra features.
Yes. Proton VPN, Mullvad, IVPN, Windscribe and Buycat VPN are not part of Kape. CyberGhost and Private Internet Access are Kape-owned, like ExpressVPN.
Several. Buycat VPN web plans start at $37.69 a year, and Proton VPN and Windscribe have free plans. Always compare renewal prices.
ExpressVPN advertises a money-back guarantee. Check its current terms; App Store purchases are refunded through Apple.
NordVPN is owned by Nord Security, which also owns Surfshark. It isn't part of Kape.
BuycatVPN
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