TorGuard vs ExpressVPN comparison 2024

TorGuard and ExpressVPN are two great providers, each with its pros and cons. But which one comes out on top when both face off head-to-head against each other? That’s what I’m going to find out in this ExpressVPN vs TorGuard comparison.

In this bid to find out the best of the best, I’ll be putting these two options through their paces in several areas, the most important being security, privacy, speed, ease of use, and customer support.

Generally speaking, both services should fare pretty well in terms of security and privacy. However, I see TorGuard having an advantage in speed and torrenting. In the meantime, ExpressVPN should excel in streaming and support. As for the ease of use, I’ll have to try them both to find out.

Highlights

Speed and servers of ExpressVPN and TorGuard

Multiple factors impact the performance of a VPN. To start with, it’s the quality and the quantity of its servers. You can own your fleet and use physical servers only, but if the user is thousands of miles away from the nearest option, there will be latency and speed issues.

On the other hand, if you’re using the next-gen WireGuard protocol, nine out of ten times, such a connection will be much faster than OpenVPN or IKEv2. Therefore, you should evaluate as many factors as possible before choosing your provider.

During our in-house VPN speed tests, TorGuard was almost twice as fast as ExpressVPN. That’s because this US-based VPN has well integrated WireGuard protocol in its infrastructure. In the meantime, ExpressVPN (British Virgin Islands) is working on an in-house Lightway protocol – it’s incredibly stable but, considering raw speeds, not as impressive.

Servers

ExpressVPN has a bigger and better server list than TorGuard. The number of available countries is almost twice as big, and all servers are physical.

To illustrate the difference in available options, I’ve put all TorGuard server countries in the Asia Pacific (listed A-Z) on the left and the beginning of the same list from ExpressVPN. The latter had 8, and the former had 27 at the time of writing this comparison.

What’s more, ExpressVPN uses RAM-only servers, which means more security as data is wiped as soon as the power goes off.

ExpressVPN vs TorGuard: pricing comparison

TorGuard is much cheaper than ExpressVPN, which is among the priciest providers in 2024. Also, it offers more plans, including a two-year deal, which is no longer available for ExpressVPN users. Finally, one TorGuard account comes with 8 simultaneous connections while its opponent offers only five.

One area where ExpressVPN leaves TorGuard behind is the length of the money-back guarantee. The former comes with an industry-standard 30 days. In comparison, TorGuard gives only 7 days, which might not be enough to evaluate the service properly.

Additionally, new customers might be tempted to grab a subscription by using an ExpressVPN discount code. It grants a 48% discount and bonus subscription time on the lengthiest plan.

To sum up, if you’re mainly concerned about getting good value for your money, then TorGuard is definitely worth considering as it offers a solid experience at rather affordable prices. Even if it doesn’t have all the features you’re looking for, you can find way cheaper premium VPNs than ExpressVPN.

Security of TorGuard and ExpressVPN

At first glance, these two services seem to be equally matched in the area of security, and they pretty much are. Both use the unbreakable AES-256 encryption, leak protection and have a number of extra security features. ExpressVPN and TorGuard also have a kill switch to protect your data in the event of unexpected disconnections.

However, TorGuard wins in the tunneling protocol area, offering WireGuard that is both faster and more secure than any other protocol. It will take some time to see if ExpressVPN’s Lightning protocol can compete with the leader.

ExpressVPN also has fewer security features. It offers neither StealthVPN nor a free SOCKS5 proxy. But TorGuard’s split tunneling works on Android lonely, so both contestants are tied in this category.

Privacy: TorGuard vs ExpressVPN

Moving from security to privacy, chinks begin to appear in TorGuard’s armor.

For one thing, TorGuard uses Gmail as its mail service. This may give persons who need very high levels of security and privacy online pause. Additionally, the company behind TorGuard is registered in the US, a Five Eyes country. What’s more, its no-logs privacy hasn’t been audited by a third-party.

ExpressVPN, on the other hand, raises no such privacy concerns. The company is registered in the British Virgin Islands, which is outside the Fourteen Eyes country group’s scope. ExpressVPN also features an independently-audited no-logs policy and is considered one of the safest VPNs to use regardless of what you’re doing online.

TorGuard narrowly escapes the one-sided loss by offering more anonymous payment options. They range from cryptocurrencies to gift cards. In the meantime, ExpressVPN accepts Bitcoin only.

Ease of use and apps of ExpressVPN and TorGuard

ExpressVPN is much more user-friendly than TorGuard. It all starts with the app design – the former is simple and sleek, while the latter is cumbersome and stuffed. Of course, that also means that tech-savvy tinkerers will have way more settings to tweak with TorGuard.

The apps and browser extensions of ExpressVPN apps are very easy to install, set up, and use, and they offer just enough customization options for the average user. What’s more, this VPN has way more dedicated apps, including those for routers, which means you won’t have to configure everything manually.

On the other hand, TorGuard gives eight simultaneous connections to ExpressVPN’s five, which is advantageous if you share the same account with family or friends. But if you’re setting up a VPN in your household, running it on a router will protect all connected devices.

Streaming Netflix: is TorGuard better than ExpressVPN?

Once more, we’ll have to look beyond the table to see which duelist holds an edge. To start with, ExpressVPN is on our “Best VPN for Kodi” list, which should already say something about its streaming capabilities. In the meantime, TorGuard is actively encouraging you to get a Dedicated IP ($7.99/month) that will unblock content platforms in the US or other countries.

Without a dedicated IP address, streaming with TorGuard won’t be easy. While it unlocks Netflix US, other Netflix libraries will remain geo-blocked. Speaking of other streaming platforms, I had luck with Hulu, NBC, and Comedy Central. But even if you get a dedicated US IP, it won’t unblock content from other countries.

ExpressVPN allows you to access Netflix from most regions in any location. The speeds should be enough to stream in HD or even 4K, depending on your internet connection. I was also able to unblock Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and even BBC iPlayer.

Torrenting and P2P: ExpressVPN vs TorGuard

It’s not for nothing that TorGuard bears its name, which references its torrenting abilities. If your primary aim for getting a VPN is to torrent securely, TorGuard is for you.

It’s an excellent option for torrenting and P2P file-sharing. You can even take advantage of the Anonymous Proxy option, which is cheaper. Its robust security features and fast speeds make TorGuard one of the best VPNs for torrenting and file sharing.

ExpressVPN is also good for torrenting. It allows P2P traffic on all servers and has no bandwidth limit. What’s more, it has a fully functional split tunneling feature, which will allow you to protect your P2P efforts and leave other apps at full speed.

TorGuard vs ExpressVPN – which has better customer support?

When glancing at the table, both ExpressVPN vs TorGuard combatants look pretty good. But the truth is that ExpressVPN offers better customer support. And here’s why.

TorGuard has a 24/7 phone line, but it works in the US only, so I cannot qualify this as round-the-clock support. And while it has a live chat, it’s availability depends on your time zone.

To compare, ExpressVPN has a real 24/7 live chat that works great. Whenever I had to contact the support, I didn’t have to wait longer than a few minutes. What’s more, the staff was polite and knowledgeable.

There’s also an option to write an email, which might be the only option for TorGuard users, but if you’re an ExpressVPN subscriber, I can’t think of a reason why you would ever need it.

Finally, TorGuard’s website design is outdated and user-unfriendly, so digging in the knowledgebase can prove daunting and frustrating. In contrast, the ExpressVPN website is easy-to-navigate, clear, and informative. Support Center, VPN Setup Tutorials, and FAQ – most likely, you will find your answer in one of these.

TorGuard and ExpressVPN – do they work in China?

Both ExpressVPN and TorGuard work in China. TorGuard even has a Stealth VPN feature, which enables it to bypass China’s Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). Although ExpressVPN works reliably, it lacks a “stealth protocol,” making it potentially less secure.

ExpressVPN vs TorGuard: best VPN by category

TorGuard vs ExpressVPN video review

TorGuard vs ExpressVPN – which one is better?

After taking a closer look at these two VPN solutions in this ExpressVPN vs TorGuard comparison, I can declare ExpressVPN to be the slightly better one of the two. While TorGuard put up a good fight and ranks as one of the best VPN services out there, its shortcomings turned out to be more glaring.

Known for torrenting capabilities, TorGuard struggles with streaming while Express fares well in these two important categories. And while the former has better speeds, the latter has a much more solid server list. Speaking of security and privacy, both VPNs take a split while also tieing in the China category.

Pricing is where ExpressVPN stumbles mightily, still known as one of the most expensive services in 2024. However, winning in Compatibility and Customer support categories solidifies its win over TorGuard for the time being.

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