Avast SecureLine VPN vs ExpressVPN in 2021

Avast VPN vs ExpressVPN – which one’s better? This is an interesting question because Avast is known for making a lot of security software, including antivirus software, secure browsers, and even anti-online-tracking software. Surely a company with this much experience can make a good VPN, right? To find out, I’ll compare their VPN solution to ExpressVPN – one of the best and most well-known services on the market.

Avast SecureLineVPN has 700+ dedicated servers in 34+ countries. It’s using the OpenVPN tunneling protocol and has the SmartVPN feature. On the other hand, ExpressVPN has 3000+ servers in 94+ countries. It’s using its proprietary Lightway tunneling protocol and is running on RAM-only servers.

This barely scratches the surface of what I’ll be comparing. So let’s not hesitate and dive right in.

Highlights

Speed

One of the most important factors when choosing a VPN is speed. That’s why it’s the first thing I’ll compare between these two VPNs.

Normally I’d take the data from our speed test, but Avast SecureLine VPN is not there yet. So instead, I’ll utilize manual tests with the Ookla speed test. Here are the results with OpenVPN for Avast SecureLine VPN and Lightway for ExpressVPN.

Baseline speeds are 294 Mbps download and 319 Mbps upload.

Unsurprisingly, ExpressVPN won this round. Its proprietary Lightway protocol is superior to OpenVPN in practically every regard. Until Avast implements WireGuard or its proprietary version, it will stay behind most premium providers.

Servers

In terms of server infrastructure, ExpressVPN is also in the lead. It has 3000+ servers in 148 locations across 94+ countries. Some of those server locations are virtual. But one of the main selling points of ExpressVPN is RAM-only servers, something that most VPNs do not have.

On the other hand, Avast SecureLine VPN has 700+ servers in 34+ countries. It’s a decent amount, and it’s running on dedicated hardware. Additionally, both providers allow unrestricted P2P traffic.

Pricing

Neither VPN comes with a free version of its app. Instead, both have 30-day money-back guarantees, but sometimes it can be tricky to get a refund. Additionally, Avast VPN comes with a 7-day free trial, which can be used without any credit card information. It has only a few subscription options, but it’s still way cheaper than ExpressVPN.

Avast SecureLine VPN pricing

Avast SecureLine VPN went through a few pricing changes recently. For US residents, there are two subscription options that would secure 10 devices. The plans are:

• $4.99/month for 1 year
• $3.99/month for 2 years
• $3.99/month for 3 years

Before committing to any plan, you can take advantage of their 7-day free trial, which can be used without any credit card information. After that, you have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Payment options are a bit sparse and only include Credit Card and PayPal.

ExpressVPN pricing

ExpressVPN offers no free trial but provides a 30-day money-back guarantee for all pricing plans. Its plans allow for up to 5 simultaneous connections. The pricing plans are:

• $12.95/month for 1 month
• $9.99/month for 6 months
• $6.67/month for 15 months

Plus, it’s possible to find a lot of coupons online to get a better deal. Payment options are plentiful and include Credit card, PayPal, Bitcoin, Paymentwall, AliPay, UnionPay, and more.

Security

It may seem that these VPNs are on opposite sides of the spectrum, but there is some overlap too. For starters, both are using military-grade AES-256 encryption and support OpenVPN. Moreover, neither is prone to IP or DNS leaks, and both are equipped with kill switches.

ExpressVPN security features

The shiniest feature of ExpressVPN is its Lightway proprietary tunneling protocol. It’s fast, lightweight, and utilizes the open-source WolfSSL cryptographic library. Additional protocol options include IKEv2 and L2TP/IPsec.

After that, another highlight is its TrustedServer technology. This is how ExpressVPN calls their RAM-only servers, which guarantee security and privacy on a technical level. Plus, ExpressVPN is running its encrypted DNS servers, adding even more layers of privacy.

The aptly named Stealth servers will be automatically enabled when necessary. This feature masks your VPN traffic and makes it appear like regular HTTPS traffic. Finally, split tunneling and port forwarding features are also available.

Avast SecureLineVPN security features

The default tunneling protocol on most Avast SecureLine VPN apps is OpenVPN. That is unless you’re on Mac or iOS – then it’s IPSec.

One unique feature of this VPN is SmartVPN. It enables the VPN whenever you’re doing something that requires extra security, for example, shopping or banking. And if you’re streaming some content, then it switches to the fastest available servers.

Besides the earlier mentioned kill switch, Avast SecureLine VPN lacks in the security department. Thus, it shouldn’t be surprising that ExpressVPN wins this round.

Privacy

Once again, ExpressVPN is leading the way forward. Its jurisdiction is in the British Virgin Islands, free from the prying Fourteen Eyes and any data retention laws. Plus, its no-logging policy has been independently audited by PwC. If that wasn’t enough, you could ensure your privacy by paying anonymously with Bitcoin.

Meanwhile, Avast SecureLine VPN is based in the Czech Republic. It’s in the EU, which is not a big deal. However, what is a big deal is their logging of data that is unnecessary for the VPN to work. That’s your operating system, hardware, device country/location, network information, applications on your device, and more. Additionally, to this device data, Avast collects personal, billing, account, and service information.

Perhaps you believe that such data is necessary to guarantee a quality service. Maybe that’s true, but I don’t think that Avast SecureLine VPN warrants that much data. In any case, ExpressVPN is still the better choice in terms of privacy.

Device compatibility

Avast SecureLine VPN is still trailing behind ExpressVPN. It lacks Linux support and only has dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Android TV. Additionally, browser extensions are available for Chrome and Firefox. You can also manually set up your router to work with this VPN. Finally, you can connect 10 devices simultaneously.

On the other hand, ExpressVPN has dedicated apps for all major platforms and many other devices. So many, in fact, that it’s getting difficult to mention all of them.

There are additional dedicated apps for routers, Chromebooks, Amazon Fire Stick, and Fire TV devices. Browser extensions are the same as for Avast SecureLineVPN – Chrome and Firefox.

In addition to that, manual configuration is possible for Kindle Fire, Chromecast, routers, smart TVs, Roku, NAS (Network-attached storage), and more.

With so many supported devices, it’s almost a shame that a subscription allows you only 5 simultaneous connections. Regardless, ExpressVPN is the undisputed winner in this category.

ExpressVPN

VPNpro rating: 8.2 / 10

Visit ExpressVPN

Streaming

Unfortunately, Avast SecureLine VPN is having a hard time with streaming services, Netflix included. The VPN has dedicated servers for streaming in various countries, but my tests were rather unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, ExpressVPN is one of the better options for streaming, but not quite the best. However, it has the added benefit of being available on a wide range of streaming devices, such as Kodi and Amazon Fire Stick. Plus, its fast connection speeds guarantee no buffering issues, and it has no trouble unblocking a variety of Netflix libraries. Plus, other streaming services are not a problem as well.

Torrenting and P2P

Both Avast SecureLine VPN and ExpressVPN support torrenting and P2P file sharing. However, ExpressVPN is a solid option for torrenting, thanks to its robust security features and fast speeds.

Meanwhile, Avast SecureLine isn’t exactly a good choice due to the privacy and logging concerns I mentioned earlier.  Even if you choose to ignore that, Avast SecureLine only allows torrenting on a limited number of servers. Plus, it does not have split tunneling or port forwarding features, which are present on ExpressVPN. Yet it’s missing a SOCKS5 proxy, a feature that could cement it as one of the best VPNs for torrenting.

China

Sadly, Avast SecureLine VPN has no chance against the Great Firewall of China. It is simply ill-equipped for such a great task.

Meanwhile, ExpressVPN has Stealth servers, which are enabled once DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) is detected. This feature works when you’ve enabled the automatic protocol option in the settings menu. But that’s only one feature with little control from the user. If you want more options when circumventing Chinese censorship, look through our list of best VPNs for China.

Customer support

Finally, we have an area where Avast SecureLineVPN gains an edge. Premium users can choose from 24/7 live chat or phone calls. Plus, email conversations are also available, and there are plenty of written guides to peruse.

Naturally, free users get limited access to these features. Out of all of these, ExpressVPN is lacking a phone line but is still excellent at providing customer support.

Best VPN by category

Avast SecureLine VPN vs ExpressVPN – which is better?

Was there really ever a contest? If there was, it’s plain from this Avast SecureLine VPN vs ExpressVPN comparison that ExpressVPN is the better option whichever way you look at it. It’s reliable, fast, much safer to use, and much more feature-packed than its competitor.

The only thing Avast SecureLine VPN really has going for it is its pricing and customer support. However, its subpar security and privacy features make it a poor choice for anyone looking to stay anonymous online.

If you found this comparison informative and would love to learn more, check out our full reviews. Otherwise, leave a comment and tell me what’s your favorite daily-use VPN.

You may also like to read:

Avast SecureLine VPN vs NordVPN
Avast SecureLine VPN vs PIA
Hotspot Shield vs ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN

FAQ

Is Avast SecureLine VPN safe?

Avast SecureLine VPN is not 100% safe. It may be safe in a technical way, but it’s not perfect in terms of privacy because it collects unnecessary data about your device.

Do I need Avast SecureLine VPN?

Any VPN is useful to have. However, Avast SecureLine VPN is not a very good VPN. Instead, think about your priorities and look through our lists of best VPN providers.

Is ExpressVPN free?

Unfortunately, ExpressVPN is not free. Instead, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Can ExpressVPN be hacked?

Technically, every VPN can potentially be hacked. Luckily, ExpressVPN has been audited by a third party and did not have any issues in the past. Thus, it can be concluded that it’s quite secure from hacks.