European Alternatives to ExpressVPN
Virtual private network service. Below are 2 alternatives from companies headquartered in Sweden and Switzerland. 2 of them keep data in the EU only, and 1 has a free plan.
Headquartered in Europe
Every company listed here has its headquarters in the EU, EEA, UK or Switzerland, not just a data centre there.
Data location you can check
The pricing table shows whether each one keeps data in the EU only, offers an EU region, or does not say.
Outside the US CLOUD Act
US providers can be ordered to hand over data held in their European data centres. A European company with no US parent or US operations is outside that reach.
Compare ExpressVPN Alternatives
| Company | Headquarters | Data Residency | Founded | Pricing | Open Source | Employees | Funding | Replaces | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mullvad VPN Open Source | Gothenburg, Sweden | 🇪🇺 EU Only | 2009 | €5/mo flat | ✅ Yes | ~40 | Bootstrapped, privately owned | NordVPN, ExpressVPN | Visit |
Proton Open Source | Geneva, Switzerland | 🇪🇺 EU Only | 2014 | Free tier, from €3.99/mo | ✅ Yes | ~500 | Community-funded, no VC investment | Gmail, Google Drive, iCloud | Visit |
ExpressVPN Alternatives: Pricing and Hosting Compared
Starting prices are the lowest paid plan each vendor publishes. Check the vendor's pricing page before you buy, as plans change.
| Alternative | Country | Free plan | Paid plans | Open source | Data residency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mullvad VPN | Sweden | No | From €5/mo | Yes | EU only |
| Proton | Switzerland | Yes | From €3.99/mo | Yes | EU only |
2 European Alternatives
Mullvad VPN
Swedish VPN focused on privacy. No accounts, just anonymous access.
Swiss privacy suite. Encrypted email, VPN, calendar, drive. Used by millions.
What to Check Before Switching from ExpressVPN
Where your data will be stored
Both alternatives here say they keep data in the EU only.
How you can try it
Proton has a free plan, so you can run a real test before cancelling ExpressVPN.
Open source
Mullvad VPN and Proton release their software or models under an open licence, which makes it easier to self-host, inspect what runs, and move again later.
Security certifications
Certifications we have confirmed on the vendor’s own site: Proton (ISO 27001, SOC 2). If your procurement requires one, check the others directly.
What you need to bring from ExpressVPN
List the data, templates and integrations you rely on in ExpressVPN, then confirm each one can be exported and that the alternative can import it or offers an API to rebuild it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the European alternatives to ExpressVPN?
- We list 2 companies headquartered in Europe that replace ExpressVPN: Mullvad VPN (Sweden) and Proton (Switzerland).
- Is there a free European alternative to ExpressVPN?
- Proton has a free plan. Free plans usually come with limits on usage or features, so check them against how you use ExpressVPN today.
- Which ExpressVPN alternatives keep data in the EU?
- Mullvad VPN and Proton keep data in the EU only.
- Is there an open-source European alternative to ExpressVPN?
- Yes: Mullvad VPN and Proton.