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ExpressVPN is one of the most respected names in VPN software, but not many folks know that it also provides a secure password manager.
As one of the most popular VPNs, ExpressVPN might not be your first port of call when considering a password manager—but perhaps it’s time you changed that. The ExpressVPN Keys is free with every ExpressVPN subscription, works in your browser or with your smartphone, and, best of all, is incredibly simple to use.
I’ve been testing ExpressVPN Keys to see how it compares to other password managers, and if you’re still using Google Password Manager, it could be time to make the switch.
ExpressVPN Keys
ExpressVPN Keys is a relatively new addition to the world of password managers, but it does the most important thing well: protecting your usernames and passwords from prying eyes. Its user interface is easy to navigate, and it works well for the most part, but it does have some issues with auto-filling information on its mobile app with mobile browsers, and there are one or two features that would be good to see in future updates.
ExpressVPN Keys Is a Password Manager for Chrome, Android, and iOS
ExpressVPN Keys is a secure password manager developed by ExpressVPN. It’s available as a Google Chrome extension and as part of the ExpressVPN app for Android and iOS.
Download:ExpressVPN Keys forChromeǀAndroidǀiOS(Subscription required)
You need an ExpressVPN subscription to start using ExpressVPN Keys. However, you can continue using ExpressVPN Keys on your devices even after your ExpressVPN subscription expires, which is great if you don’t want to move all your passwords to another provider.
ExpressVPN Keys can be used to store account passwords, user names, and other credentials, along with credit and debit card information and other secure notes.
How Much Does ExpressVPN Keys Cost, and How Does That Compare?
On that, an ExpressVPN subscription costs:
Now, before you say that’s a little expensive for a password manager, remember that you get all of ExpressVPN’s features for that price, not just Keys. So while 1Password is cheaper at $2.99 per month, it’s just a password manager (a good one, mind.) More comparable is Dashlane, which includes both a VPN and a password manager in a single package.
Dashlane costs $3.33 per month, but its VPN (which is actually Hotspot Shield) feels like more of an afterthought rather than a serious feature. It can unblock some geo-restricted content, but given Dashlane is based in the US, it’s not a service we would recommend due to the country’s strong data retention laws and potential for government interference. Furthermore, it’s unclear whether Dashlane VPN/Hotspot Shield logs your data during usage, and with that in mind, it’s hard to recommend it over ExpressVPN, even at a cheaper price.
NordVPN is realistically the best comparison, as its VPN service is consistently well-reviewed, and its VPN password manager combination comes in at $5.99 per month for 12 months, which is $71.88 on offer (note that it runs to $126.96 per year without, which is around $10.58 per month).
It’s Simple to Import Passwords
How you use ExpressVPN Keys differs slightly between the browser extension and mobile versions, but both are simple to use.
Downloading and installing the Keys extension is straightforward; once you download theExpressVPN Keys Chrome extension, you’re prompted to verify your ExpressVPN subscription using a verification code.
Once copied across, Keys will activate and launch a browser window so you can create your strong and unique primary password, which secures Keys from prying eyes. You’ll want to use a strong yet memorable password here, as having to write down your master password somewhat defeats the object of using a password manager to begin with. Once the primary password is set, you can begin importing passwords from elsewhere, with default options including Chrome, 1Password, Dashlane, LastPass, and Bitwarden, plus the option to import from Other services.
In all cases, you’ll need a CSV file export of your existing passwords. Downloading and exporting a CSV with your master list of passwords always feels like a risky way to transfer such vital data. But without direct transfer services between the major password managers, this is often the easiest way—just remember to fully erase the CSV file once you’re done.
Once you have your exported password file, pressChoose Filein ExpressVPN Keys, and let the import begin. It should only take a few seconds to read your CSV file, after which all your passwords will be ready.
Manually Importing Passwords Into ExpressVPN Keys
you may also manually import passwords into ExpressVPN Keys one by one. Note that this isn’t the same as adding a new website and password, which I’ll explain the process for in a moment.
To manually add an existing username and password to ExpressVPN Keys:
PressSaveto complete the process. Now, the next time you open that service, you can press the red key logo again, and it’ll prompt ExpressVPN Keys to provide the password.
Multiple Ways to Add a New Username and Password
The first time I attempted to add new login data to ExpressVPN Keys, I didn’t find the process entirely intuitive. I wanted ExpressVPN Keys to generate a secure password similar to how most browsers now work, offering a solution in the password field that fits the requirements. However, that’s not how ExpressVPN Keys works.
I should add that it’s not that ExpressVPN doesn’t work well; it was just different from what I’m used to.
The next time you go to log into the website, ExpressVPN Keys will be on hand to provide your username and password. However, ExpressVPN Keys didn’t launch on some websites. For example, I couldn’t get the red key icon to appear when trying to make an example Reddit account for this review, even after creating an account using the above method.
Yet it works fine on other websites where I made an example account, like Netflix. When the red key icon does appear, the account creation process is much simpler than the above method. Take Netflix, for example.
Now, that is simple, and how it should work every time. The first method, which is also listed on the ExpressVPN site as “How to Save Your Login Details For a New Account,” doesn’t even mention the second method. Not that ExpressVPN Keys is alone in this somewhat frustrating process;1Password also has the same issues.
Autofill Issues on Mobile
The ExpressVPN smartphone app needs some work, especially around the process of creating and saving email addresses and usernames and launching the app itself. I tried the ExpressVPN app on a range of Android devices (OnePlus Nord, Nothing Phone 2, and Tecno Phantom V Flip) and found the same issues with autofill and account creation.
Many times, the autofill process wouldn’t work when using Chrome, my default browser. But if you head to the ExpressVPN Autofill Troubleshooting page for advice, it just repeats the regular account creation page process, which is no help. Switching to Firefox did enable the autofill to begin working, but I found the ExpressVPN Keys icon floating above the URL bar rather than having a handy option within the text entry fields.
Which brings me to my next point: how many people are using websites on their smartphones? If I use Reddit, I use the Reddit app, and there is no autofill option present on any device. It was a similar story with other apps I tried.
The mobile process is also backward. Most folks want to go to a website or app, create their account, and have the password manager save that information, not go to the password manager, create your account information, and then hope that it auto-magically jumps into the website or account.
Is ExpressVPN Keys Secure?
For all ExpressVPN Keys' foibles surrounding entering new credentials, it is a secure password manager with good security credentials.
First up, ExpressVPN Keys has been independentlyaudited by Cure53, a penetration-testing security company specializing in VPN and password managers. Cure53 has previously audited NordVPN and Surfshark, among others, and ExpressVPN Keys passed with flying colors.
Second, ExpressVPN Keys uses what is known as zero-knowledge encryption, which basically means no one but you can access and decrypt your passwords; ExpressVPN never has access to your user names, passwords, or anything else you store in Keys. If ExpressVPN were breached, the hackers wouldn’t gain access to your password database.
Furthermore, it uses AES-256 encryption to secure your data, which means your data is extremely secure.
ExpressVPN Keys Features I’d Like to See
I’m impressed with ExpressVPN Keys. Its lightweight and pared-back approach to password management is useful, and overall, ExpressVPN Keys is easy to use.
However, given the competition among password managers, there are some features I would hope to see as ExpressVPN Keys matures as a product.
These are small quibbles, but it would be good to see them addressed in future ExpressVPN Keys updates.
Is ExpressVPN Keys Worth the Money?
ExpressVPN Keys isn’t the most feature-filled password manager you’ll ever use. However, it hasn’t been around for long and does the most important things well.
I’d like to see some more consistency across websites and services, and a very small improvement would be proper favicons in the app rather than the first two letters of the URL. There are a lot of accounts markedACorWWwhen a proper icon would be nicer for user experience. They’re present in the mobile app, so why not the desktop version?
In terms of cost, it’s a good deal if you’re already an ExpressVPN user. I mean, why wouldn’t you use a tool you already have access to? Especially as you can continue using Keys after your ExpressVPN subscription ends.
So, overall, yes, ExpressVPN Keys is a good password manager, if a little light on features and needing some work, but I expect that will come in time.
