Express VPN vs. Pure VPN: Opinions??

[dddave]

I've read many reports extolling the virtues of Express VPN, especially in accessing US content on Netflex, Hulu, Amazon Prime, ect.

When I subscribed to PureVPN, it was usually rated #1 by popular review sites but I usually can not access US content on Netflix when using it.  It could just be my personal lack of proper technique.

 

Any experiences with Express vs. any other VPN providers?

 

[Asquith Production]

I bought Express VPN last month and it as been 100% reliable for access to sites. I researched between all the VPN and for me Express was what worked for me. I bought Freedome when I first came here and it worked well but now it is very hit and miss with UK sites.

[Asquith Production]

I only purchase 1 month initially to see if it worked for me. I will now purchase the 12 month plan which is cheaper. I would recommend just getting a month subscription or free trial if offered. Then if not suitable it saves the hassle of getting your money back.

Edited July 11, 2020 by Asquith Production
update

[stouricks]

Into my second year with Express, it is 99% reliable, sometimes BBC iPlayer is unobtainable but change the UK server and it's back again.

I used a different email for second year so got my 15 months for $99. Pleased with it.

You get what you pay for. It makes me laugh when I read this VPN or that VPN has 9000 servers all over the World. I only need 2 really, UK & USA.

Edited July 11, 2020 by stouricks

[john34]

Ive used express vpn for a few years now, its well maintained with regular updates.

[Susco]

19 hours ago, dddave said:

I've read many reports extolling the virtues of Express VPN, especially in accessing US content on Netflex, Hulu, Amazon Prime, ect.

There are much cheaper options available that work for all the purposes you mention.

 

Send me a PM if you want to try it out 7 day for free

[clonetom]

Been an Express VPN customer for +3 yrs and counting. Very reliable, fast responding customer service and pretty much the only solution that works consistently in in more demanding regions i.e. China

[AAArdvark]

I would make sure that you find one that has a free trial and make sure you specify a server in the country that you wish to access.  Not all of them will work with the sites that you mention.

For me I always have the issue with Netflix since I use the app on a smart TV which would require a router that has its own VPN.

[dddave]

3 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

I would make sure that you find one that has a free trial and make sure you specify a server in the country that you wish to access.  Not all of them will work with the sites that you mention.

For me I always have the issue with Netflix since I use the app on a smart TV which would require a router that has its own VPN.

I have a Win 10 NUC PC connected to my (non-smart) TV thru which I get my content, including Netflix.  My VPN is installed on the NUC and the NUC runs off of wifi: 3BB fiber via a 3BB supplied router. 

Could you elaborate on the issue: a router requiring it's own VPN?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

22 hours ago, dddave said:

I've read many reports extolling the virtues of Express VPN, especially in accessing US content on Netflex, Hulu, Amazon Prime, ect.

When I subscribed to PureVPN, it was usually rated #1 by popular review sites but I usually can not access US content on Netflix when using it.  It could just be my personal lack of proper technique.

 

That's been my experience as well in the past when comparing those two services. EVPN usually has some server connection that will give you access to almost anything. Pure, not so much. Even though EVPN is more expensive, you're getting what you pay for, especially when it comes to accessing difficult U.S. connections like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

21 minutes ago, dddave said:

I have a Win 10 NUC PC connected to my (non-smart) TV thru which I get my content, including Netflix.  My VPN is installed on the NUC and the NUC runs off of wifi: 3BB fiber via a 3BB supplied router. 

Could you elaborate on the issue: a router requiring it's own VPN?

 

Just guessing, his smart TV may not be able to install a VPN app on its own, or may not have the VPN app he wants to use in the TV's app store.  Thus, in order to get a VPN connection on his TV, it's going to have to come via wifi from his wifi router. Hence, needing to have a VPN service via his router.

 

Not all routers can accommodate that. But some, especially those from ASUS, have VPN client capability built into the firmware of the router. So you just log into the router, go to its VPN client section, and enter in the user ID, password and server address for the VPN service you want to use. And bingo, all wifi connections to that router will get the VPN connection. It's a good solution for wifi-capable devices where you cannot configure the VPN locally on the receiving device.

 

Edited July 11, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[DerekJ]

ExpressVPN works great but the only service I’ve seen that it can’t get so far is Amazon Prime. Can PureVPN get Amazon Prime as well? Or rather what VPN service gets Amazon Prime? 
 

Thanks 

 

Derek 

[DerekJ]

33 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

That's been my experience as well in the past when comparing those two services. EVPN usually has some server connection that will give you access to almost anything. Pure, not so much. Even though EVPN is more expensive, you're getting what you pay for, especially when it comes to accessing difficult U.S. connections like Netflix and Amazon Prime.

 

Do you know of any that get Amazon prime? ExpressVPN get everything except Amazon prime 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 minutes ago, DerekJ said:

Do you know of any that get Amazon prime? ExpressVPN get everything except Amazon prime 

 

I had an EVPN subscription until a few months ago, and watched APV just fine. The trick is, not all their U.S. servers are going to work for that purpose. Amazon has done a pretty good job of blocking various VPN IPs and designing their system to recognize VPN connections... But EVPN always had at least SOME of their server connections that worked. You pretty much have to trial and error server by server until you find those that aren't blocked by APV.

 

Your outcome also can vary by device type as well. In my experience, sometimes, devices without geolocation capabilities built in like Smart TVs and set-top boxes will work better, whereas devices such as PCs will have more problems.

 

You also have to pay attention to what IP range any particular VPN server city location is giving you.. Because in a lot of cases, including with EVPN, they will have at least two different IP ranges for any given city connection. And in some cases, one IP range will work and the other won't.

 

Which explains why sometimes a city server connection will work, and other times it wont. Yes, you're connecting to the same server, but it may be giving you a different IP range from one connection to the next. Pay attention to the actual IP range anytime you get a good connection that works.

 

MyLocation.org

 

 

Edited July 11, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[RANGER55]

27 minutes ago, DerekJ said:

ExpressVPN works great but the only service I’ve seen that it can’t get so far is Amazon Prime. Can PureVPN get Amazon Prime as well? Or rather what VPN service gets Amazon Prime? 
 

Thanks 

 

Derek 

For amazon prime, CBS All Access and Sling on Express VPN. Set your router to LA3, not LA 2 or 1. They also work on a few other locations in the states, one being New Jersey site. But LA 3 is the best.

As for NetFlix, if you have a smart TV with the link for Netflix on the TV, with a subscription to NetFlix you do not have to have a VPN, I run it through my true router/modem (no VPN). Just sign into the site with user name and PW. I just checked to make sure.

I have a Linksys 1900 router with Express VPN firmware loaded in it. I have 3 Fire TV devises that I use to run all the programs plus several more such as TtV programs, you can get virtually every move, TV series if you look (you don’t have to have a VPN to uses most of these programs. The good thing about the Fire TV is you can also down load Express VPN apps and turn on and off as needed.

I have had express VPN for about 3 years and like it. It is a must have to do on line banking with several banks to avoid sign in problems (like Wells Fargo, they are a pain).

If you decide to get express VPN and load onto your router be very careful and make sure you know how. One slip up and your router turns into a paper weight!

[RANGER55]

32 minutes ago, DerekJ said:

ExpressVPN works great but the only service I’ve seen that it can’t get so far is Amazon Prime. Can PureVPN get Amazon Prime as well? Or rather what VPN service gets Amazon Prime? 
 

Thanks 

 

Derek 

Put your Express VPN on LA 3

[samtab]

if you need the one that offers more servers around the world NordVPN is the only one.

I checked all.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

18 minutes ago, RANGER55 said:

For amazon prime, CBS All Access and Sling on Express VPN. Set your router to LA3, not LA 2 or 1. They also work on a few other locations in the states, one being New Jersey site. But LA 3 is the best.

 

Yep, I had good success with LA3 in the past as well....  But the VPN providers periodically change and shift their IP address ranges associated with particular city/servers... So if you find something that works, keep using it... But just beware, you may have to switch to a different server at some point in the future.... I always go thru the entire servers list and test them one by one... So that I keep a list of what servers work for what things I use, and so I also have 2nd and 3rd connection options if my first option stops working.

 

 

[tlcwaterfall]

Another option is to use Smartdns proxy. Have used them for three years now and can access American Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Australian tv channels etc.

 

They offer a free trial and subscriptions are not expensive.  Unlike a VPN this service does not slow down your internet speed.

 

Worth a look if you wish.

 

 

[tweedledee2]

14 minutes ago, RANGER55 said:

As for NetFlix, if you have a smart TV with the link for Netflix on the TV, with a subscription to NetFlix you do not have to have a VPN, I run it through my true router/modem (no VPN). Just sign into the site with user name and PW. I just checked to make sure.

  Your Smart TV only allows you to watch the Netflix programming that is allocated for Thailand. When you log-in to your Netflix account, you receive content according to your ISP address. You can't watch content that is available in the US or other regions, unless you unblock geographically restricted content by hiding your ISP.

[Tony125]

I use PrivateVPN has many survers and even 1 just for Amazon Prime.  I watch Thai Netflex but canuse the VPN  to USA Netflex or even ones  in other countries. I sign up for 3 months at less rhan $15

[RANGER55]

58 minutes ago, tweedledee2 said:

  Your Smart TV only allows you to watch the Netflix programming that is allocated for Thailand. When you log-in to your Netflix account, you receive content according to your ISP address. You can't watch content that is available in the US or other regions, unless you unblock geographically restricted content by hiding your ISP.

Just went and checked both back and forth between VPN to US Netflix and TV through Thailand NetFlix and found very little difference. Actually, Thailand had a few movies not playing now on the US with VPN (Jumanji for one). The only real difference was Thailand had a top 10 recommended list of movies playing now which I did not see on the US site. Over all very little difference that I could tell from going back and forth. People in Thailand pay for English movies. The big difference is if you play with a Thailand router/Tv you can get Thai in the subtitles where as if you use VPN/US no Thai subtitles. Didn’t know that till my Niece told me. Some times she will watch with the Thai subtitles, some times with a VPN to watch with English subtitles to practice her English.

But it comes down to Netfic is Netflix.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

From various accounts, there's a considerable difference between the U.S. and Thailand catalogs available via Netflix...  But it only matters, if either country's catalog actually has the things you want to see. The U.S. version of Netflix has a larger catalog than any other individual country.

 

Quote

 

Under 40% of Netflix’s 13,500+ titles are available in its US catalogue – more than are available in any other country.

The Netflix International Map below shows the number of TV shows and movies available in each market active Netflix market; 

 

 

Netflix Thailand:

 

Netflix U.S.

 

https://www.finder.com/global-netflix-library-totals

 

Those totals above may be from an older list produced by the Finder site. When I dig further, I find an update by country for Netflix movies that they say is current as of July 2020:

US movies - 3712

https://www.finder.com/netflix-movies

Thailand movies - 3202

https://www.finder.com/th/netflix-movies

 

 

 

Edited July 11, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[stouricks]

4 hours ago, dddave said:

I have a Win 10 NUC PC connected to my (non-smart) TV thru which I get my content, including Netflix.  My VPN is installed on the NUC and the NUC runs off of wifi: 3BB fiber via a 3BB supplied router. 

Could you elaborate on the issue: a router requiring it's own VPN?

I am exactly the same as you. You cannot put Express on the router 3BB supply you with, and one which does will cost you. Stick as you are! 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

14 minutes ago, stouricks said:

I am exactly the same as you. You cannot put Express on the router 3BB supply you with, and one which does will cost you. Stick as you are! 

 

You can daisychain a 2nd router with the 3BB provided router, and thus use a VPN based router of your own. ASUS routers that will allow that run anywhere from $60 U.S. to $200 U.S. 

 

The exact means of accomplishing that depends on what specific 3BB router you've been issued. But in general, it involves running an ethernet cable out from one of the 3BB router's LAN ports and into the WAN port of your own VPN capable router. You also typically will need to change the router IP address on your personal router to a different subnet from the 3BB router, to make sure they don't conflict with each other, just in case they both are defaulted to 192.168.1.1.  So in that case, you'd set your personal VPN router instead, for example, to 192.168.2.1, giving it a different subnet address.

 

In some cases, people actually turn off entirely the wifi aspect of the 3BB router, and only use the wifi from their personal VPN router. In other cases, again depending on the 3BB router, you can run both at the same time, having TH wifi coming from the 3BB router and VPN wifi coming from your own router.

 

PS -- AFAIK, none of the 3BB issued routers have VPN client support built into their firmware, either their Huawei models or their FiberHome ones.  You gotta go elsewhere for that in terms of routers.  But it doesn't mean you're stuck using ONLY the 3BB router.

Edited July 11, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[NE1]

Re NordVPN , I have just hit the wrong button and removed my wifi from " my trusted wifi network " is there anyway to get it back again ?