Why We Don't List ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, or Private Internet Access
ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, and Zenmate dominate review sites because they spend heavily on affiliate marketing. That is not why we exclude them. We exclude them because ownership and trust history matter more than ad spend or coupon codes.
Key points
- These VPNs share the same parent company, Kape Technologies.
- Kape's past as Crossrider is enough to raise serious trust concerns.
- ExpressVPN also kept a senior executive tied to UAE hacking operations.
Kape Technologies
Kape was previously called Crossrider. Crossrider built a business around browser extensions and software distribution that security researchers repeatedly associated with adware behavior. A rebrand does not erase that record.
| Year | Acquisition | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | CyberGhost VPNA virtual private network encrypts traffic between your device and a provider-run server, hiding activity from local networks while shifting trust to the VPN operator.Glossary → | ~$9.3M |
| 2019 | Private Internet Access (PIA) | ~$95.5M |
| 2021 | ExpressVPN | ~$936M |
| 2021 | Zenmate | undisclosed |
The ExpressVPN Problem
Daniel Gericke, ExpressVPN's CIO, was publicly tied by the DOJ to hacking work for the UAE government. ExpressVPN kept him on. For a VPN company, that is not a small footnote. It goes to the center of the trust model.
Why Audits Are Not Enough
- Audits are narrow. They test selected systems, not the full ownership and access story.
- Audits are snapshots. They do not tell you who has access next month or what changed after the report.
Audits matter. Clean ownership matters more.
Affiliate Distortion
High commissions explain why Kape brands flood search results and review lists. Publishers get paid more to recommend them. That incentive bends the rankings before the user even starts reading.
We list services that pass our vetting criteria. We do not list services that fail them.
What About PIA's Old Court Record?
PIA's pre-Kape no-logs history was meaningful. It was also pre-Kape. Ownership changed, governance changed, and the old evidence no longer answers the present question.
Hola VPN
Hola is a separate exclusion. Its network turns users into exit nodes and sells bandwidth through related services. That creates direct abuse risk for users whose connections get repurposed.
What We Recommend Instead
We prefer providers with transparent ownership, clean history, independent audits, and no-log claims backed by structure or real-world tests.
- Mullvad
- Independent ownership, strong logging posture, and a 2023 police raid that found no user logs.
- IVPN
- Transparent ownership and solid audit history.
- LNVPN
- Account-free option for users who want Lightning payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN is owned by Kape Technologies, which bought it in 2021. Kape also owns CyberGhost, Private Internet Access, and Zenmate. Kape was previously known as Crossrider, a browser extension business widely criticized for adware and malware distribution practices.
Why is ExpressVPN considered a privacy risk?
A VPN can see all of your traffic, so ownership, governance, and privileged staff access matter. ExpressVPN kept Daniel Gericke after it became public that he had participated in UAE government hacking operations. That alone raises a serious trust problem.
What is wrong with Hola VPN?
Hola routes other users' traffic through your connection and sells bandwidth through related services. That means your IP can become an exit node for activity you did not generate. This model has been criticized for years and creates obvious abuse risk.
Does PIA's proven no-logs history still apply after Kape's acquisition?
Pre-acquisition court examples still describe what happened before Kape owned PIA. They do not automatically prove the same facts under a different owner, leadership team, and legal structure.
What VPNs should I use instead of ExpressVPN?
Mullvad and IVPN remain the strongest alternatives on ownership and logging posture. LNVPN is another option for users who want account-free Lightning payments.