It’s not all about privacy: Why ExpressVPN is my top choice for this year's summer vacation — best of all, it’s still on sale

Hand holding an iPhone with the ExpressVPN app open on its home page and in dark mode
(Image credit: Future)

Have you ever been caught out by sneaky data roaming charges when traveling abroad? I certainly have, and it can end up costing hundreds.

You might think the best VPNs are only good for encrypting your data and enhancing your digital privacy. But that's not all. Some of the best travel VPNs now include free eSIMs in their plans — and ExpressVPN is one of them.

ExpressVPN Advanced | 2 Years + 4 months FREE$4.49per monthNow: $3.59 per month

ExpressVPN Advanced | 2 Years + 4 months FREE
Was: $4.49per month
Now: $3.59 per month
ExpressVPN is a secure, easy to use VPN. It's ideal for beginners and its Advanced and Pro plans come with three and five days of unlimited eSIM data respectively.

What you'll get...

✈️ 3 days of unlimited holiday.com eSIM data
🌍 3,000+ servers in 189 locations & 105 countries
🔒 Class-leading privacy & security
✨ Extra privacy apps

A 28 month ExpressVPN Advanced plan costs $3.59 per month ($100.58 upfront, pre-tax) and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Two deals to choose from

Unlike traditional roaming, a travel eSIM functions as a digital secondary line, allowing you to tap into local networks to access data without paying your home carrier’s inflated daily rates.

Simply select your travel destination and you're away – plus there's no worrying over physical SIM cards.

Holiday.com eSIM data is included in ExpressVPN Advanced and Pro. There's three days of unlimited data with Advanced, and five free days with Pro. Both plans come with four extra free months of VPN protection and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • ExpressVPN Advanced: $3.59 per month ($100.58 upfront, pre-tax) + 4 months FREE
  • ExpressVPN Pro: $5.99 per month ($167.78 upfront, pre-tax) + 4 months FREE

holiday.com in use on smartphones

(Image credit: holiday.com)

With coverage across 100 countries and the option for regional or global bundles, the flexibility here is solid. If you outlast your included window, topping up is handled via the holiday.com app, which keeps things centralized.

It’s a smart pairing: while an eSIM handles your basic connectivity, it doesn't provide encryption or IP masking on its own. Using it alongside ExpressVPN’s network—now spanning 189 locations—fills that security gap.

You can protect up to 12 devices on one plan, and you'll also benefit from ExpressVPN's extended privacy suite. It includes the ExpressKeys password manager, ExpressMailGuard, and Identity Defender (for US users).

No other leading VPN includes eSIMs with unlimited data, although IPVanish does includes free eSIMs with its plans. ExpressVPN's plans are a touch expensive. So, if you’re purely hunting for the cheapest monthly cost, budget-friendly picks like Surfshark or PrivadoVPN are still the better value.

However, if you want a high-performance VPN that genuinely solves the travel data headache in a one click, this bundle is the best option we've seen so far.

Disclaimer

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.

George Phillips
Staff Writer

George is a Staff Writer at Tom's Guide, covering VPN, privacy, and cybersecurity news. He is especially interested in digital rights and censorship, and its interplay with politics. Outside of work, George is passionate about music, Star Wars, and Karate.

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