ProtonVPN vs ExpressVPN: Swiss Independence vs Kape's $936M Prize

September 2021: Kape Technologies paid $936 million for ExpressVPN. The biggest VPN acquisition in history.

Who is Kape? Before 2018, they were called Crossrider - an alleged malware and adware distributor. Malwarebytes and Symantec treated their software as malware. Then they rebranded, started buying VPNs, and spent nearly a billion dollars on ExpressVPN alone.

ProtonVPN: Swiss-based, independent, open source. Founded by CERN scientists. Four consecutive Securitum no-logs audits (2022-2025).

ExpressVPN: British Virgin Islands-registered, Kape-owned since 2021, closed source. 19 security audits (most in industry). I don’t promote Kape-owned products.

My ranking:

1. Mullvad - Raid-tested, €5/mo forever
2. ProtonVPN - Swiss independence + features
3. NordVPN - Fast speeds, breach baggage
4. ExpressVPN - Kape ownership disqualifies

Here’s why Swiss independence beats Kape’s billion-dollar VPN empire.

⚡ Direct Comparison

The setup: ExpressVPN owned by Kape (alleged ex-malware company Crossrider) since 2021. ProtonVPN Swiss independent with open source code. Both audited, both claim no-logs, massively different trust profiles.

Winner: ProtonVPN. Swiss independence, open source, port forwarding, better pricing. Loses only on raw speed and audit quantity.

Try ProtonVPN (Swiss Privacy + Open Source)

Why ProtonVPN wins: No Kape ownership, Swiss jurisdiction with real privacy laws, open source verification, port forwarding, free tier. Only sacrifice: slightly slower speeds and fewer Netflix libraries than ExpressVPN.

Why ExpressVPN still exists: Fastest VPN tested, 19 audits (trust through frequency), 24+ Netflix libraries. But Kape ownership remains fatal flaw for privacy software.

The Companies Behind Them

ProtonVPN (Proton AG, Swiss independent):

• My ranking: #2 - Swiss independence + features
• Founded: 2017 by CERN scientists
• Ownership: Independent, Swiss-based Proton AG
• Open source: Yes (all apps on GitHub)
• Audits: Securitum (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) - four consecutive

ExpressVPN (Kape Technologies subsidiary):

• My ranking: #4 - Kape ownership disqualifies
• Founded: 2009
• Ownership: Kape Technologies since Sept 2021 ($936M acquisition)
• Open source: Lightway protocol only, apps closed
• Audits: 19 total (Cure53, KPMG, PwC) - most in industry

Mullvad (Swedish independent):

• My ranking: #1 - Raid-tested privacy
• Why #1: Police raid found nothing, €5/mo forever, no email

September 2021: The $936 Million Acquisition

How Kape Bought ExpressVPN

September 13, 2021: Kape Technologies announced acquisition of ExpressVPN for $936 million. Mix of cash and stock. Largest VPN acquisition ever.

ExpressVPN’s valuation: $936M for a company with ~3 million users = $312 per user. That’s how much Kape thought each ExpressVPN customer was worth.

Post-acquisition: Kape’s total userbase doubled to 6 million users (ExpressVPN + CyberGhost + PIA + ZenMate).

Sources: The Register coverage, TechCrunch, Kape press release

Who Is Kape Technologies?

Pre-2018: Crossrider (alleged malware distributor)

What Crossrider did:

• Built tools for browser extensions that forced ads onto users
• 2015 UC Berkeley + Google study identified Crossrider as major ad injector affiliate
• MalwareBytes: “Browser hijacking indistinguishable from a virus”
• Symantec classified Crossrider software as malware
• Malware still active as late as August 2019

2018 rebrand:

• Crossrider → Kape Technologies
• CEO Ido Erlichman admitted name change distanced from “controversial past activities”
• Immediately started VPN acquisition spree

Kape’s VPN empire:

• 2017: CyberGhost (€9.1M)
• 2018: Private Internet Access ($127M), ZenMate (€4.8M)
• 2021: ExpressVPN ($936M) - crown jewel

Current ownership: Israeli businessman Teddy Sagi (via Unikmind) majority shareholder

Sources: Windscribe Kape investigation, Privacy Journal analysis

Why This Matters for Privacy Software

An alleged malware and adware company now owns the “most audited VPN” and charges the highest prices. The conflict is structural:

• Privacy software owned by alleged surveillance capitalism company
• $936M acquisition needs ROI - pressure to monetize user data
• 19 audits can verify current practices, can’t change ownership history

My take: Audits matter. Ownership matters more. Kape’s alleged malware past disqualifies them from privacy business, regardless of how many KPMG reports they publish.

ProtonVPN: The Swiss Privacy Alternative

CERN Scientists Built a VPN

2014: NSA Snowden revelations expose mass surveillance. Scientists at CERN (European particle physics lab) realize need for privacy tools.

2017: Same team launches ProtonVPN (after ProtonMail success in 2013).

Founders:

• Dr. Andy Yen (CEO) - particle physicist
• Dr. Jason Stockman - particle physicist
• Bart Butler - systems engineer

Philosophy: Privacy is a fundamental right. Build tools scientists would trust.

Current status: Proton AG Swiss company, independent, no outside investors controlling product decisions.

Sources: Proton about page, ProtonVPN history

Swiss Jurisdiction: Privacy Laws With Teeth

Why Switzerland matters:

Constitutional privacy: Article 13 of Swiss Constitution guarantees privacy as fundamental right.

Not in surveillance alliances:

• Not part of 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, 14 Eyes
• Not in EU (not subject to EU data retention directives)
• Not in US jurisdiction

Strong data protection:

• Federal Act on Data Protection (DPA)
• GDPR compliance (voluntarily, for EU users)
• No mandatory data retention laws for VPNs

Real enforcement: Swiss courts have rejected government data requests when not justified. Privacy laws enforced, not symbolic.

2025 concern: Proposed surveillance law might weaken protections. Proton CEO Andy Yen publicly threatened to leave Switzerland if passed. Shows commitment to privacy over convenience.

Sources: Proton on Swiss privacy

Open Source: Trust Through Verification

All ProtonVPN apps open source:

• Windows, macOS, Linux clients
• iOS, Android apps
• Browser extensions

GitHub repositories: Public code, anyone can audit

Why this matters: You don’t have to trust Proton’s word. Verify the code yourself. Security researchers worldwide can (and do) review it.

Compare to ExpressVPN: Only Lightway protocol is open source. Apps are closed. You must trust Kape.

Four consecutive Securitum audits (2022-2025): Verified no-logs annually. Code matches claims.

Sources: Proton GitHub, 2025 Securitum audit

Pricing: ProtonVPN Cheaper, Honest Renewals

ProtonVPN Pricing

Free tier:

• Unlimited bandwidth
• 1 device
• 5 countries (100+ servers)
• Medium speed
• No streaming, no torrenting
• No email required (unlike most “free” VPNs)

VPN Plus (paid tiers):

• Monthly: $9.99/mo
• 1-year: $4.99/mo ($59.88 upfront)
• 2-year: $3.59/mo ($107.76 upfront for 30 months)
• Renewal: Same price (no renewal spike)

Proton Unlimited (VPN + Mail + Drive + Calendar):

• Monthly: $12.99/mo
• 1-year: $9.99/mo ($119.88 upfront)
• 2-year: $7.99/mo ($191.76 upfront)

Sources: ProtonVPN pricing

ExpressVPN Pricing

No free tier

• Monthly: $12.95/mo
• 6-month: $9.99/mo ($59.94 upfront)
• 2-year: $4.99/mo ($119.76 upfront for 24 months)
• Renewal: $9.75/mo ($117/year)
• Tiered plans: Basic (10 devices), Advanced (12), Pro (14)

Sources: ExpressVPN pricing

Pricing Winner

Intro pricing: ProtonVPN ($3.59 vs $4.99)

Renewal honesty: ProtonVPN (same price vs 95% increase)

Free option: ProtonVPN (unlimited bandwidth free tier)

Long-term cost (5 years): ProtonVPN ~$215 vs ExpressVPN ~$590

Winner: ProtonVPN dominates on pricing. Cheaper upfront, no renewal games, free tier exists.

Or Try Mullvad (€5/mo Forever)

Speed & Infrastructure: ExpressVPN Faster

ProtonVPN Network

Coverage:

• 8,600+ servers in 110+ countries
• Secure Core servers (multi-hop through Switzerland, Sweden, Iceland)
• WireGuard protocol (fast)
• OpenVPN, IKEv2 available

Performance:

• Good speeds, not best-in-class
• Secure Core reduces speed (privacy > speed trade-off)
• Adequate for 4K streaming
• Strong upload speeds

Devices: 10 simultaneous connections (VPN Plus)

ExpressVPN Network

Coverage:

• 3,000+ servers in 105 countries
• TrustedServer technology (RAM-only, no hard drives)
• Lightway protocol (fastest, custom WireGuard alternative)
• OpenVPN, IKEv2 available

Performance:

• Fastest VPN in most independent tests
• Consistent speeds globally
• Excellent for 4K streaming
• Lower latency for gaming

Devices: 10-14 simultaneous (tiered plans)

Sources: Independent tests from Cyberinsider, Security.org, SafetyDetectives

Speed Winner

Winner: ExpressVPN. Fastest VPN tested, more consistent globally.

When ProtonVPN’s speed matters: Secure Core multi-hop feature trades speed for privacy. Not slowest VPN, just not fastest.

Streaming: ExpressVPN More Libraries, ProtonVPN Still Works

ProtonVPN Streaming

What works:

• Netflix: 10+ libraries (US, UK, Japan, Canada, Australia, etc.)
• Disney+, Prime Video, HBO Max: All work
• BBC iPlayer: Works with UK servers

Devices streaming: Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, smart TVs

Verdict: Good streaming VPN, not specialized for it

ExpressVPN Streaming

What works:

• Netflix: 24+ libraries (most of any VPN)
• Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, Apple TV+, BBC iPlayer: All work
• Dedicated streaming servers

Devices streaming: Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, gaming consoles, smart TVs

Verdict: Best streaming VPN tested

Sources: Cyberinsider streaming tests

Streaming Winner

Winner: ExpressVPN (24+ vs 10+ Netflix libraries)

Trade-off: Is 14 extra Netflix libraries worth Kape ownership? For privacy purists, no. For Netflix addicts, maybe.

Torrenting: ProtonVPN Has Real Port Forwarding

ProtonVPN Torrenting

P2P support:

• Allowed on servers in 120+ countries
• Port forwarding available (P2P servers only)
• Dedicated P2P servers marked with double-arrow icon
• Port changes each session (reconfigure client each time)

Privacy:

• Swiss jurisdiction (no DMCA)
• Securitum-verified no-logs (2025)
• Can’t identify users

Performance: Fast P2P servers, port forwarding improves seeding

Grade: A (full torrenting functionality)

ExpressVPN Torrenting

P2P support:

• Allowed on all 3,000+ servers
• Port forwarding via router only (impractical for most)
• Can’t port forward at app level
• Seeding severely limited

Privacy:

• BVI jurisdiction (no DMCA)
• KPMG-verified no-logs (2025)
• Can’t identify users

Performance: Fast downloads, seeding limited without port forwarding

Grade: B (downloads great, seeding poor)

Sources: ProtonVPN port forwarding guide

Torrenting Winner

Winner: ProtonVPN. App-level port forwarding beats router-only solution.

ExpressVPN’s router port forwarding requires technical setup most users won’t complete. ProtonVPN works out of the box.

Security: Both Audited, ProtonVPN Open Source

ProtonVPN Security

Code: Open source (GitHub)

Recent audits:

• Securitum (Aug-Sept 2025): 4th consecutive no-logs verification
• Securitum (2024): No-logs verified
• Securitum (2023): No-logs verified
• Securitum (2022): First no-logs audit

Features:

• Secure Core (multi-hop through privacy-friendly countries)
• Kill switch (always-on network protection)
• DNS leak protection
• Split tunneling
• NetShield (ad/malware blocking)
• Tor over VPN

Encryption: AES-256, ChaCha20

Protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2

ExpressVPN Security

Code: Closed source (Lightway protocol open source only)

Recent audits:

• KPMG (Feb 2025): Third no-logs audit
• Cure53 (multiple): Lightway protocol, browser extensions
• PwC (previous): Server infrastructure
• 19 total third-party audits (most in VPN industry)

Features:

• TrustedServer (RAM-only, no hard drives)
• Network Lock (kill switch)
• DNS leak protection
• Split tunneling
• Threat Manager (blocks trackers)

Encryption: AES-256

Protocols: Lightway (custom), OpenVPN, IKEv2

Sources: ExpressVPN 2025 KPMG audit

Security Winner

Audit frequency: ExpressVPN (19 total vs 4)

Code transparency: ProtonVPN (open source vs closed)

Trust model: ProtonVPN (verify code) vs ExpressVPN (trust auditors + Kape)

Winner: ProtonVPN. Open source verification > closed source audit frequency. Kape ownership negates audit advantage.

Why ExpressVPN Gets Recommended (It’s the Money)

The pattern: VPN review sites often rank by commission:

1. ExpressVPN (highest commission)
2. NordVPN
3. ProtonVPN
4. Mullvad (no affiliate program)

My ranking:

1. Mullvad
2. ProtonVPN
3. NordVPN
4. ExpressVPN

I deliberately invert the commission hierarchy. That’s the difference between honest recommendations and affiliate-optimized reviews.

When to Choose ProtonVPN

Choose ProtonVPN if you:

• Want Swiss privacy without Kape ownership
• Need open source code verification
• Want port forwarding for torrenting
• Value free tier (unlimited bandwidth)
• Prefer renewal price honesty
• Need streaming + privacy balance
• Trust independent company over Kape

You’ll sacrifice:

• Some speed (good, not fastest)
• Some Netflix libraries (10+ vs 24+)
• Audit quantity (4 vs 19, but open source compensates)

ProtonVPN’s perfect user: Privacy-conscious person who streams occasionally, seeds torrents, values transparency, won’t pay Kape.

Read full ProtonVPN review

Try ProtonVPN (Swiss Privacy + Port Forwarding)

When to Choose ExpressVPN

Choose ExpressVPN if you:

• Don’t care about Kape ownership
• Need absolute fastest speeds
• Want 24+ Netflix libraries
• Trust 19 audits > ownership concerns
• Prefer gaming/low latency
• Don’t seed torrents (no port forwarding)
• Believe Kape reformed from Crossrider days

You’ll sacrifice:

• Swiss independence (BVI + Kape)
• Open source verification (closed code)
• Port forwarding (router-only, impractical)
• Price honesty (95% renewal increase)
• Free tier (none exists)

ExpressVPN’s perfect user: Wants fastest speeds, maximum Netflix access, trusts Kape’s 19 audits over ownership history.

Read full ExpressVPN review

The Best Option: Mullvad

Can’t choose? Mullvad is still #1:

• €5/month forever (no renewal games)
• Raid-tested (2023 Swedish police found nothing)
• No email required (16-digit account number)
• Open source (GitHub verification)
• Port forwarding (torrenting works)
• No affiliate program (I earn $0)

Mullvad loses on:

• Streaming (Netflix blocked everywhere)
• Speed (good, not fastest)
• Support (email-only, no live chat)

Trade-off: Best privacy, worst streaming. Choose priorities.

Read full Mullvad review

Try Mullvad VPN (€5/mo, Raid-Tested)

What Reddit Says

ProtonVPN Reddit Sentiment

Praise (r/ProtonVPN, r/VPN, r/privacy):

• “Swiss company, open source, no Kape bullshit”
• “Free tier actually unlimited, rare”
• “Port forwarding works for torrenting”
• “Renewal price doesn’t double like others”
• “CERN scientists built privacy tools, trust that”

Complaints:

• “Slower than ExpressVPN in speed tests”
• “Fewer Netflix libraries than competitors”
• “Port changes each session, annoying for torrents”
• “Support slower than 24/7 live chat VPNs”

Consensus: Best for privacy + features balance, not for speed/streaming obsessives.

ExpressVPN Reddit Sentiment

Praise:

• “Fastest VPN I’ve tested, consistent globally”
• “24+ Netflix libraries work reliably”
• “19 audits show commitment despite Kape”
• “Gaming latency better than competitors”

Complaints:

• “Kape ownership ruins everything”
• “Most expensive VPN for Kape-owned product”
• “No port forwarding kills torrenting”
• “$95 commission drives every recommendation”
• “Closed source, must trust Kape”

Consensus: Great product, Kape ownership dealbreaker for privacy purists.

Sources: r/VPN, r/privacy, r/ProtonVPN, r/ExpressVPN

Final Verdict: Swiss Independence Wins

Head-to-head winner: ProtonVPN.

Why: Swiss independence, open source code, port forwarding, better pricing, free tier, no Kape. Only loses on raw speed and Netflix library count.

ExpressVPN’s only advantages: Fastest speeds, most Netflix libraries, most audits. Not enough to overcome Kape ownership for privacy software.

The honest hierarchy:

1. Mullvad - Maximum privacy
2. ProtonVPN - Swiss privacy + features
3. NordVPN - Fast speeds + Netflix
4. ExpressVPN - Kape ownership disqualifies

What to do:

• Privacy priority? → Mullvad or ProtonVPN
• Streaming priority? → ProtonVPN or NordVPN
• Speed priority? → ExpressVPN or NordVPN
• Don’t care about Kape? → ExpressVPN works well

Verify Everything

Don’t trust me. Check sources:

Kape/ExpressVPN acquisition:

• The Register: ExpressVPN bought by Kape
• TechCrunch: Kape acquires ExpressVPN
• Kape brands: Official page

Kape/Crossrider history:

• Windscribe investigation: What is Kape?
• Privacy Journal: Kape analysis

ProtonVPN transparency:

• Swiss privacy: Why Switzerland
• 2025 audit: Securitum no-logs
• Open source: GitHub repos
• Pricing: Official pricing

ExpressVPN transparency:

• 2025 audit: KPMG no-logs
• Pricing: Official pricing

Better research:

• Try ProtonVPN: Free tier or 30-day refund
• Try Mullvad: €5, 14-day refund
• Independent: NYTimes/WireCutter, Wired

Want to see the raw data behind my claims? Check out the data spreadsheets - technical details, ownership records, pricing, and more.

Legal disclaimer: Facts sourced and linked. Opinions marked. Kape/Crossrider’s alleged malware history documented in multiple independent sources.

Affiliate disclosure: I earn from ProtonVPN and NordVPN affiliate links. I earn $0 from ExpressVPN (I don’t promote Kape properties) and $0 from Mullvad (no affiliate program exists). Ranking ProtonVPN #2 and Mullvad #1 despite earning less (or nothing) from them.