Developer Tools · head to head
CLion vs ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
Cybersecurity
Consumer VPN registered in the British Virgin Islands, owned by Kape Technologies since 2021, with repeated third-party audits.
- From
- $6.67/month
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Only CLion has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: CLion specific subscription pricing not listed on product page; ExpressVPN ownership passed in 2021 to Kape Technologies, formerly Crossrider, whose earlier browser extension platform was widely used to distribute adware, and Kape also owns VPN review publications, so nominally independent rankings a buyer consults may originate inside the same corporate group.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CLion and ExpressVPN actually diverge.
| Attribute | CLion | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $6.67/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api |
| Category | Developer Tools | Cybersecurity |
| Founded | Unknown | 2009 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in CLion
Nothing recorded that ExpressVPN does not also cover.
Only in ExpressVPN
- TrustedServer
- Lightway protocol
- Repeated external audits
- Network Lock
- Split tunnelling
- Aircove router
- Threat Manager
- Private DNS
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CLion
- C and C++ development with real-time analysisnot ExpressVPN
- Embedded systems and ARM toolchain developmentnot ExpressVPN
- Remote development via Docker and WSLnot ExpressVPN
- Educational programming instructionnot ExpressVPN
- Cross-platform development for Linux and Windowsnot ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
- A buyer who wants the largest available body of published third-party audit evidence behind a no-logging claimnot CLion
- Households wanting whole-network coverage through a router without configuring firmware by handnot CLion
- Frequent travellers who need connections that survive switching between mobile data and hotel Wi-Fi without droppingnot CLion
- Non-technical users who want the kill switch and DNS handled correctly by default rather than configurednot CLion
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
CLion
- Specific subscription pricing not listed on product page
- Requires reference to separate store page for tier details
- AI credits needed for integrated AI features
- No mention of free trial for commercial use
ExpressVPN
- Ownership passed in 2021 to Kape Technologies, formerly Crossrider, whose earlier browser extension platform was widely used to distribute adware, and Kape also owns VPN review publications, so nominally independent rankings a buyer consults may originate inside the same corporate group.
- In 2021 the company's then chief information officer was named in a United States Department of Justice deferred prosecution agreement over work for a foreign government's offensive cyber programme and remained in post, which is a governance fact that sits uncomfortably alongside a product sold entirely on trust.
- Audits are point-in-time engagements against an agreed scope, so they establish that specified servers and code matched the stated policy when examined, not that the infrastructure behaves the same way today or under different ownership.
- Several country locations are virtual, meaning the hardware physically sits elsewhere, and after India's 2022 directive requiring VPN providers to retain subscriber data ExpressVPN withdrew its Indian servers, so an Indian connection is routed through hardware in another country, which matters if you need genuine in-country routing.
- There is no port forwarding and no dedicated IP option, so seeding torrents, hosting a service behind the tunnel and any inbound connection do not work, and users who need those capabilities have to use a different provider.
Pricing, plan by plan
CLion
Free- Free (Non-commercial)Free
- Non-commercial use license
- Full IDE features for hobby and open-source projects
- Free (Educational)Free
- Student licenses
- Teacher licenses
- Full IDE access for educational purposes
- Subscription$null/month
- Different subscription options for individuals and organizations
- 25% discount for switching from competing products
ExpressVPN
$6.67/month- 1 Month$12.95/month
- 8 devices
- 94 countries
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 12 Months$6.67/month
- All features
- 3 months free
- Best value
- 6 Months$9.99/month
- All features
- 30-day guarantee
Which should you pick?
Choose ExpressVPN if
- You need trustedserver.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
- You also want lightway protocol.
Questions people ask
- Is CLion or ExpressVPN better?
- Neither clearly leads. CLion starts at Free and ExpressVPN at $6.67/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CLion or ExpressVPN?
- CLion has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CLion and $6.67/month for ExpressVPN.
- Does CLion or ExpressVPN run on more platforms?
- CLion runs on Web. ExpressVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
- Can I use CLion for free?
- Yes. CLion has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ExpressVPN starts at $6.67/month.
- What is CLion best used for?
- CLion is most often used for c and c++ development with real-time analysis, embedded systems and arm toolchain development, remote development via docker and wsl, educational programming instruction. Of those, c and c++ development with real-time analysis and embedded systems and arm toolchain development are not what ExpressVPN is typically brought in for.
- What can CLion do that ExpressVPN cannot?
- ExpressVPN covers TrustedServer, Lightway protocol, Repeated external audits, Network Lock.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
CLion: Is CLion free?
CLion offers free licenses for students, teachers, and non-commercial use. Commercial users can purchase subscriptions with organization pricing available.
SourceExpressVPN: Who owns ExpressVPN?
Kape Technologies, which acquired it in 2021. Kape was previously named Crossrider and also owns CyberGhost, Private Internet Access and Zenmate, along with the review sites vpnMentor and Wizcase.
CLion: What free options does CLion provide?
CLion provides non-commercial use licenses for open-source and hobby projects, plus full licenses for students and teachers without cost.
SourceExpressVPN: Is the British Virgin Islands jurisdiction actually useful?
It has no mandatory data retention law and is outside the Five, Nine and Fourteen Eyes arrangements, which is the reason it was chosen. It also means limited practical legal recourse for a subscriber, so the jurisdiction protects the company's ability to hold no data rather than protecting you against the company.
CLion: Does CLion include AI assistance?
Yes, CLion natively integrates AI with support for Claude, GPT, Gemini, and Grok models. Users can apply JetBrains AI credits or bring their own API keys to avoid vendor lock-in.
SourceExpressVPN: Has the no-logs claim been audited?
Yes, repeatedly. PwC and KPMG have examined the no-logging claims and the TrustedServer architecture, and Cure53 has reviewed the applications, extension and protocol. The reports are published.
CLion: Are there discounts for switching to CLion?
CLion offers a competitive discount of 25% for users switching from other IDEs and similar products.
SourceExpressVPN: Can I torrent with it?
Yes, peer-to-peer traffic is permitted on the network, but there is no port forwarding, so you can download but you cannot accept inbound connections and seeding performance suffers as a result.
ExpressVPN: Does it work in China or similar networks?
Sometimes, using obfuscated connection modes, but no provider can guarantee this and availability changes without warning. Treat it as best effort and have a fallback.
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