ExpressVPN has expanded its global server network to 214 "app-selectable locations" across 113 countries – its broadest coverage to date. The expansion adds new connection points across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and North America, with cities including Nuuk, Lagos, Doha, Valencia, and Manchester among the new additions.
For users of one of the most popular best VPNs on the market, more locations means more precise control over where their encrypted connection appears to originate – which affects everything from latency to which local services and content are accessible. The expansion also builds on ExpressVPN's earlier rollout across all 50 US states, extending that same local-first approach to its global network.
The headline figure of 214 deserves some scrutiny, however. ExpressVPN counts multiple connection points within the same city – Toronto 1 and Toronto 2, for example – as distinct locations. By our count, the network sits closer to 196. Both figures tell a real story, but they're measuring different things.
How much has changed?
The expansion represents a meaningful step up for ExpressVPN's network. By country count, the service has grown from 108 to 113 – an increase of 5. By location count, our latest testing puts the figure at 196 unique locations, up from 188 – an increase of 8. The gap between that 196 and ExpressVPN's stated 214 comes down to methodology – the company counts multiple connection points within the same city as distinct "app-selectable locations."
However, the most significant new addition is one ExpressVPN hasn't drawn attention to: China. The service now offers a Chinese IP address, though the physical server is hosted in Singapore – a setup ExpressVPN lists transparently on its virtual server locations page.
For those who need a Chinese IP for work, travel, or accessing local services, this is a genuinely useful addition, even with that caveat. It's also a selling point over big rivals NordVPN and Surfshark, which don't offer any locations in China.
How does ExpressVPN compare?
In terms of country count – the metric that matters most for most users – ExpressVPN's 113 puts it behind NordVPN (149 countries) and Proton VPN (148 countries). However, these are the only two reputable providers we can confidently say offer broader reach, and finishing third in this particular race is far from embarrassing.
The gap narrows when location depth is taken into account: ExpressVPN's 196 unique locations trails NordVPN's 224 and Proton VPN's 193, but comfortably outpaces Surfshark, our pick for the best cheap VPN, which covers 100 countries across 142 locations.
It's also worth noting that country count and location count measure different things. Country coverage determines where a VPN can get you. Location count determines how precisely you can get there – useful for reducing latency or accessing city-specific content in large countries. ExpressVPN has historically punched above its weight on the latter, and this expansion keeps it competitive.
Taken as a whole, this is a meaningful upgrade rather than a transformative one – with one exception. The addition of China changes the calculus for a specific group of users in a way that no location count figure can capture.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
