ExpressVPN Review

Isa Aliu

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Updated: November 18, 2024

ExpressVPN was founded in 2009 and currently have 3000+ servers in 160 locations. The best price on Surfshark right now is $8,32/mo. Based on our tests, our rating for ExpressVPN is 8.7.

Pros and Cons

Kodi is a home media software that enables users to listen to music, watch movies, organize photos and play games on one platform. Unlike other platforms such as Chromecast and Apple TV, which offer the same services but charge a fee, Kodi is open-source and 100% free, making it very popular amongst users.

It is highly customizable, meaning users are free to change the interface, including custom backgrounds, themes, and so on, to create their own unique experience. However, Kodi is blocked in many countries and often attracts hackers and malware. But you can conquer this with the use of a VPN.

Of the many options available, ExpressVPN is arguably one of the best. Want to know why? Read on to find out.

How to watch Movies on Kodi

On its own, the Kodi app is almost useless; the add-ons are what enable users to enjoy an endless collection of entertaining content. While your device determines how you set up your Kodi, there are general steps common to all the devices, and they include:

• Download the Kodi app from its official website
• Choose “video add-ons”
• Select your preferred add-on from the list available (such as Crackle, YouTube, etc.)
• Install the add-ons
• Go back to the installed add-on and start streaming contents

Why You Need a VPN for Kodi

Yes, streaming videos on Kodi can work fine without a VPN, but having a VPN will take your streaming experience to the next level. Here are reasons you need a VPN for Kodi:

To fully optimize your add-ons

As stated earlier, some add-ons are blocked in certain regions, while others have their functionality censored by various networks. This makes Kodi inaccessible in these regions and can be quite frustrating. But a VPN enables you to bypass these geo-blocks. A VPN like ExpressVPN allows you to change your IP address so that your extensions can run smoothly from any part of the world.

To prevent ISP Throttling and Logging.

ISPs are always lurking around, snooping into people’s online activities to see what they are doing. Some ISPs may even log your internet activities, including the contents you stream through Kodi; they may also throttle your speed, frustrating your streaming experience.

To prevent all of these, you need a VPN. A VPN such as ExpressVPN encrypts your internet traffic, making it unreadable for third parties and ISPs. The VPN also has a strict zero-logs policy; hence your connection and activity logs are safe from exploitation.

For Water-Tight Leak Protection

VPNs such as ExpressVPN feature Network Lock (also known as Kill Switch); this effectively and automatically severs your internet connection if your VPN connection experiences a downtime. This feature prevents your data from leaking through the secure tunnel created by the VPN connection.

Besides, ExpressVPN operates its own private and encrypted DNS on all its servers; this prevents any DNS leaks.

Devices That Support Kodi VPN

Many devices support VPN set up on Kodi. Some users set up the VPN on their Kodi device via the “Kodi VPN manager” plug-in, but this is quite complex as it requires a lot of additional configurations. Another way to install a VPN like ExpressVPN is to install the VPN app on a device and then minimize the VPN to run silently in the background.

The following devices support Kodi VPN setup:

• Chromebook
• Mac
• Android
• Windows
• Nvidia Shield
• Amazon Fire TV (Fire Stick)
• Android TV Box

Benefits of Using ExpressVPN for Kodi

Without a VPN, your ISP will be able to view your internet activities, including your search history, web browser, and traffic from any app that uses the internet, including Kodi and many more.

Your ISP can go further to record the information gotten and use it against you. Therefore, if you don’t want your ISP snooping around or logging your data while you stream or download content on Kodi, do well to protect yourself with a VPN such as ExpressVPN.

The VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between the internet and your Kodi device. With this, your ISP will no longer be able to see your internet activities and cannot monitor, sell or log your streaming activity. ExpressVPN, on its part, has a strict zero-log policy and has no connection logs. Hence you can be sure of your privacy.

Besides, ExpressVPN routes your traffic through a proxy server; this means your actual IP address is masked and replaced by a new one that’s untraceable to you.

How to Install ExpressVPN on a Kodi in 3 Steps

• Step 1: Download and signup for ExpressVPN
• Step 2: Connect to a server in any location of your choice
• Step 3: Start using Kodi with ExpressVPN on your favorite device