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Cybersecurity · head to head

ExpressVPN vs Springbrook Software

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
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Springbrook Software logo

Springbrook Software

Government

Cloud ERP built only for small and mid-sized local governments and utility districts

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Springbrook Software nothing is publicly priced, and public sector quotes bundle licence, implementation and conversion so tightly that comparing two vendors requires a formal procurement.
  • They diverge on capability: ExpressVPN covers TrustedServer, Springbrook Software covers Cirrus cloud platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ExpressVPN and Springbrook Software actually diverge.

Attributes where ExpressVPN and Springbrook Software differ
AttributeExpressVPNSpringbrook Software
Starting price$6.67/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Mobile, ApiWeb
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
Founded2009Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 ExpressVPN

  • TrustedServer
  • Lightway protocol
  • Repeated external audits
  • Network Lock
  • Split tunnelling
  • Aircove router
  • Threat Manager
  • Private DNS

Only in Springbrook Software

  • Cirrus cloud platform
  • Fund accounting
  • Utility billing
  • Payroll and human resources
  • Cashless payments
  • Permitting and land management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ExpressVPN

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

Springbrook Software

  • A city of a few thousand residents retiring an on-premises finance server nobody on staff can maintainnot ExpressVPN
  • A water and sewer district needing meter-based utility billing tied directly to the general ledgernot ExpressVPN
  • A town that must produce GASB-compliant annual financial reports without a full-time systems accountantnot ExpressVPN
  • Adding online resident payment for utility bills and licences without integrating a third-party gateway by handnot ExpressVPN

Where each one falls short

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

Springbrook Software

  • Nothing is publicly priced, and public sector quotes bundle licence, implementation and conversion so tightly that comparing two vendors requires a formal procurement.
  • It is scoped for small and mid-sized agencies, so grant accounting, capital project tracking and human resources depth fall short for larger cities.
  • Data conversion from a legacy municipal system is the largest risk and cost in the project, and historical utility billing data in particular frequently converts badly.
  • The integration list is short compared with entrenched public sector vendors, so agencies already committed to a large incumbent ecosystem will have gaps to bridge.
  • Being cloud-native means the agency cannot defer upgrades, which is an advantage for security but removes control over timing from finance teams working to a fiscal calendar.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Springbrook Software

On request
  • Springbrook Cirrus$undefined/year
    • Cloud ERP for local government
    • Priced by population, module selection and user count
    • Implementation, data conversion and training quoted separately

Which should you pick?

Choose ExpressVPN if

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

Choose Springbrook Software if

  • You need cirrus cloud platform.
  • You also want fund accounting.
Springbrook Software review

Questions people ask

Is ExpressVPN or Springbrook Software better?
Neither clearly leads. ExpressVPN starts at $6.67/month and Springbrook Software at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ExpressVPN or Springbrook Software?
ExpressVPN starts at $6.67/month and Springbrook Software at On request.
Does ExpressVPN or Springbrook Software run on more platforms?
ExpressVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api. Springbrook Software runs on Web.
What is ExpressVPN best used for?
ExpressVPN is most often used for a buyer who wants the largest available body of published third-party audit evidence behind a no-logging claim, households wanting whole-network coverage through a router without configuring firmware by hand, frequent travellers who need connections that survive switching between mobile data and hotel wi-fi without dropping, non-technical users who want the kill switch and dns handled correctly by default rather than configured. Of those, a buyer who wants the largest available body of published third-party audit evidence behind a no-logging claim and households wanting whole-network coverage through a router without configuring firmware by hand are not what Springbrook Software is typically brought in for.
What can ExpressVPN do that Springbrook Software cannot?
ExpressVPN covers TrustedServer, Lightway protocol, Repeated external audits, Network Lock. Springbrook Software covers Cirrus cloud platform, Fund accounting, Utility billing, Payroll and human resources.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Springbrook Software: Who is Springbrook for?

Small and mid-sized cities, towns, water and sewer agencies and special districts, not counties or states.

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.

Springbrook Software: Is Cirrus really cloud-native?

Yes, it is a multi-tenant rebuild rather than a hosted version of the older client-server product, which is the main reason agencies switch to it.

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.

Springbrook Software: Is pricing published?

No. Local government ERP is quoted through procurement, bundling licence, implementation and data conversion.

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.

Springbrook Software: What is the hardest part of implementation?

Converting historical data, particularly utility billing history, from the outgoing system.

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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