ExpressVPN is owned by Kape Technologies with BVI registration; PrivadoVPN is independently registered in Switzerland. Both sit outside the 5-eyes core — the split is protocol engineering depth against jurisdictional basis and ownership independence.

What you get that PrivadoVPN doesn't offer

Lightway — independently audited as a standalone protocol implementation. TrustedServer: hardware-enforced data non-persistence. Cross-platform connection experience designed around lower friction. Published independent audit of the no-logs policy; PrivadoVPN has no published third-party audit. Streaming access is actively maintained. Eight simultaneous connections.

What you give up

PrivadoVPN registers in Switzerland — constitutional privacy protections outside all Eyes alliances. PrivadoVPN is independently owned with no parent group; Kape Technologies owns ExpressVPN alongside CyberGhost and PIA. Free tier with 10GB monthly. Ten simultaneous connections vs eight.

What you get that ExpressVPN doesn't offer

Swiss jurisdiction — constitutional privacy protections outside all Eyes alliances. Independent ownership — no conglomerate parent. Free tier with 10GB monthly and no time limit. Ten simultaneous connections. Straightforward pricing without premium markup.

What you give up

No published independent audit — PrivadoVPN's no-logs policy is stated but not third-party verified. Lightway and TrustedServer are not available. Streaming access and connection performance reflect a smaller infrastructure. Kape's ownership history is a concern, but ExpressVPN's protocol engineering investment is real and independently verified.