ExpressVPN

VS

Lantern

VPNs Comparison

ExpressVPN vs Lantern: Side-by-Side Comparison

ExpressVPN
Lantern
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
4.6/5
★★★★★★★★★★
3.5/5
Free Tier
No
Yes
Trial Days
30-day trial
None
Pricing
1-month plan $12.95/month. 6-month plan $9.99/month. 12-month plan from $6.67/month.
Free tier with data limits. Lantern Pro from $3.33/month (annual).
Company
Kape Technologies
Brave New Software
Founded
2009
2012
Best For
Travelers to restrictive countries needing guaranteed VPN access with premium connection speed
Users in China and Iran needing free emergency internet access when other VPN tools fail

Pros & Cons

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ExpressVPN

Lightway protocol delivers the fastest and most stable connections of any VPN
Works reliably in restrictive countries like China and UAE where others fail
MediaStreamer unblocks streaming services even on devices that cannot run VPN apps
Independent audits by Cure53 confirm no-logs policy and app security
Router app allows VPN protection across entire home network from one device
One of the more expensive VPNs with no major discount on short-term plans
Only 8 simultaneous device connections compared to competitors offering unlimited

Lantern

Peer-to-peer network designed specifically for circumventing government censorship
Free tier provides limited data for users in censored countries without payment
Works in China, Iran, and other heavily censored countries reliably
No account needed to start using - download and connect immediately
Used as an emergency tool by dissidents and civil society organizations
Free tier data limits are very restrictive for regular browsing activity
Privacy protections weaker than dedicated VPNs due to peer-to-peer architecture

Use Case Analysis

Which is better for Privacy?

Both ExpressVPN and Lantern support Privacy workflows. ExpressVPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Most reliable VPN in censored regions like China with MediaStreamer for non-VPN devices. If Privacy is your primary use case, ExpressVPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for Streaming?

Both ExpressVPN and Lantern support Streaming workflows. ExpressVPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Most reliable VPN in censored regions like China with MediaStreamer for non-VPN devices. If Streaming is your primary use case, ExpressVPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for Encryption?

Both ExpressVPN and Lantern support Encryption workflows. ExpressVPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Most reliable VPN in censored regions like China with MediaStreamer for non-VPN devices. If Encryption is your primary use case, ExpressVPN is the safer pick.

Verdict

ExpressVPN edges out Lantern with a 4.6 vs 3.5 rating. ExpressVPN's main advantage: Most reliable VPN in censored regions like China with MediaStreamer for non-VPN devices. That said, Lantern may still be the better choice if Users in China and Iran needing free emergency internet access when other VPN tools fail.

Try Them Yourself

The best way to choose is to trial both. See full details on each:

Get ExpressVPN Get Lantern Free

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