ExpressVPN is moving beyond its VPN roots with three new services that push it into full security-suite territory. The lineup includes a private-by-design AI assistant called ExpressAI, a standalone password manager dubbed ExpressKeys, and a universal email masking tool named ExpressMailGuard. Together, they signal a clear bid to match and outpace rivals pivoting from single-purpose VPNs to broader privacy platforms.
A Private AI Assistant Designed For Confidentiality
ExpressAI is the headline upgrade: a privacy-first assistant that blends confidential computing with AI tasks like research, drafting, summarizing, and even image generation. The company says it relies on an enclave-style architecture and zero-access end-to-end encryption so prompts and files remain unreadable to everyone, including ExpressVPN. Chats are set to auto-delete after a defined interval, and users can set a primary password to keep an encrypted history under their control.
Notably, ExpressAI aims to break the pattern of prompts being retained or used to train large language models. That pledge resonates in a year marked by recurring headlines about sensitive data being pasted into public AI tools. In live demos, the assistant also offers a side-by-side comparison view so users can test multiple models and pick the best result for the task at hand.
The technical posture mirrors a broader industry push toward trusted execution environments championed by groups like the Confidential Computing Consortium. If implemented well, it could narrow the gap between AI utility and data minimization that many enterprises and privacy-conscious consumers have struggled to reconcile.
ExpressKeys Breaks Out As A Full Password Manager
ExpressKeys, formerly bundled inside the VPN app, now ships as an independent password and credential manager. It supports secure autofill, a password generator, storage for notes and payment details, cross-device sync, and built-in authenticator capabilities. Mobile users can add biometric unlock for faster, on-device access.
Existing Keys users can migrate with their normal ExpressVPN login, while the integrated version will remain available during the transition to prevent data loss. Splitting Keys into its own app puts it in direct competition with dedicated tools from incumbents and with suite offerings like NordPass and Proton Pass.
ExpressMailGuard Brings Universal Email Masking
ExpressMailGuard tackles inbox privacy with disposable aliases that forward to any primary email provider. The idea is simple: sign up for services without exposing your real address, then trace and block sources if spam starts flowing. Users can set forwarding rules, choose shared or dedicated domain styles, and customize aliases with numbers or randomly generated words.
The service is now bundled into ExpressVPN plans, making email masking as routine as connecting to a server. It’s a practical defense given the persistent leak-and-resale economy around email lists that fuels targeted spam and phishing.
Subscription Tiers, Pricing, and What Ships When
Feature availability will vary across Basic, Pro, and Advanced subscriptions, continuing the tiered model the company adopted as it broadened beyond core VPN access and raised the limit on simultaneous connections. ExpressKeys and ExpressMailGuard are rolling out to subscribers now. ExpressAI is slated to arrive after additional polishing to meet performance and privacy targets.
The expanded portfolio joins Identity Defender, the firm’s US-focused identity protection service, signposting a strategic shift that mirrors moves by competitors integrating password management, email privacy, and breach monitoring into unified bundles.
Why This Matters In The Security Suite Race
Consumers are asking for fewer vendors and tighter integrations. VPNs have become a commodity, with speed, streaming access, and server counts largely converging. The next differentiation wave is security breadth and privacy depth: password vaults that sync everywhere, masked emails for safer sign-ups, and AI helpers that don’t harvest prompts.
The privacy case is compelling. The Federal Trade Commission reports consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with phishing and account takeover among the top attack methods. Email aliasing and stronger credential hygiene can blunt those risks, while confidential computing promises to keep AI-driven productivity from turning into a data exposure nightmare.
Early Takeaways And The Biggest Open Questions
On paper, ExpressAI’s enclave approach and auto-deleting messages are a strong response to the industry’s data retention concerns, especially after high-profile incidents where corporate code or sensitive files leaked into public models. Still, the proof will be in execution: model quality, latency under encryption, and transparency reports around data handling will define trust.
ExpressKeys and ExpressMailGuard feel immediately useful for most users, especially those consolidating security under one subscription. If ExpressVPN can maintain its performance reputation while deepening privacy guarantees across these new services, it will have a credible bid to lead the all-in-one privacy suite category.
