Softwr

Productivity · head to head

DeskTime vs ExpressVPN

DeskTime logo

DeskTime

Productivity

Automatic computer activity tracking and productivity analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ExpressVPN logo

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
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DeskTime has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DeskTime screenshots are excluded from the Pro plan and start at Premium; 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.
  • They diverge on capability: DeskTime covers Automatic activity tracking, ExpressVPN covers TrustedServer.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DeskTime and ExpressVPN actually diverge.

Attributes where DeskTime and ExpressVPN differ
AttributeDeskTimeExpressVPN
Starting priceFree$6.67/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, LinuxWeb, Desktop, Mobile, Api
CategoryProductivityCybersecurity
Founded20132009

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 DeskTime

  • Automatic activity tracking
  • Application and website tracking
  • Daily reports
  • Weekly summaries
  • Privacy-first design
  • Detailed analytics
  • Goal setting
  • Mobile apps

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.

DeskTime

  • Automatic time tracking of desktop app and website usagenot ExpressVPN
  • Measuring team productivity and idle timenot ExpressVPN
  • Scheduling shifts and tracking absencesnot ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

  • A buyer who wants the largest available body of published third-party audit evidence behind a no-logging claimnot DeskTime
  • Households wanting whole-network coverage through a router without configuring firmware by handnot DeskTime
  • Frequent travellers who need connections that survive switching between mobile data and hotel Wi-Fi without droppingnot DeskTime
  • Non-technical users who want the kill switch and DNS handled correctly by default rather than configurednot DeskTime

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

DeskTime

  • Screenshots are excluded from the Pro plan and start at Premium
  • Integrations and API access require the Premium plan
  • Shift scheduling requires the Premium plan
  • Enterprise is aimed at 200+ users and is priced by quote with no published rate
  • The advertised $6.42 and $9.17 per user rates require annual billing; monthly billing costs more
  • The trial lasts 14 days

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

DeskTime

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Activity tracking
    • Basic reports
    • Weekly emails
  • Pro$9/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced reports
    • Detailed analytics

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 DeskTime if

  • You need automatic activity tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want application and website tracking.
DeskTime review

Choose ExpressVPN if

  • You need trustedserver.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want lightway protocol.
ExpressVPN review

Questions people ask

Is DeskTime or ExpressVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. DeskTime 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, DeskTime or ExpressVPN?
DeskTime has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for DeskTime and $6.67/month for ExpressVPN.
Does DeskTime or ExpressVPN run on more platforms?
DeskTime runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, Linux. ExpressVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
Can I use DeskTime for free?
Yes. DeskTime has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ExpressVPN starts at $6.67/month.
What is DeskTime best used for?
DeskTime is most often used for automatic time tracking of desktop app and website usage, measuring team productivity and idle time, scheduling shifts and tracking absences. Of those, automatic time tracking of desktop app and website usage and measuring team productivity and idle time are not what ExpressVPN is typically brought in for.
What can DeskTime do that ExpressVPN cannot?
DeskTime covers Automatic activity tracking, Application and website tracking, Daily reports, Weekly summaries. ExpressVPN covers TrustedServer, Lightway protocol, Repeated external audits, Network Lock.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DeskTime: What are DeskTime's subscription tiers?

DeskTime offers Pro at $6.42/user/month (annual billing) for small teams and startups, Premium at $9.17/user/month (marked Most Popular) for hybrid and growing teams, and Enterprise with custom pricing for 200+ users.

Source
ExpressVPN: 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.

DeskTime: What features differentiate the Premium tier from Pro?

Premium adds screenshots, integrations & API, and shift scheduling compared to Pro's document title tracking and calendar integrations.

Source
ExpressVPN: 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.

DeskTime: How long is the DeskTime free trial?

DeskTime offers a 14-day free trial. No credit card is required to start.

Source
ExpressVPN: 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.

DeskTime: What billing options does DeskTime offer?

DeskTime offers monthly or annual billing. Annual subscriptions include one complimentary month compared to monthly plan pricing. You can pay by credit card or PayPal.

Source
ExpressVPN: 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.

Share

Related pages

More on DeskTime

More on ExpressVPN

Keep looking

Other head to heads