TechRadar Reviews

Light spoilers follow for Stranger Things: Tales From 85 episodes 1 to 10, which are all out now on Netflix.

Stranger Things is in a, well, strange place right now. One of Netflix's biggest success stories, it's been watched by millions of people worldwide and won numerous awards since it debuted in 2016. Yet, thanks to the main show's incredibly polarizing fifth and final season, there's a tangible sense that the supernatural sci-fi horror franchise might have run its course.

The arrival of Stranger Things: Tales From 85, an animated show viewed as both a spin-off and canonical interquel starring the main show's cast, then, is most curious. Netflix is one for one on the well-received offshoot front, with its prequel stage play The First Shadow garnering universal praise since its 2023 West End debut, although the launch event for that project came amid fervent fan anticipation for Stranger Things season 5's upcoming launch.

The question now, then, is does Tales From 85 further prove that Stranger Things has staying power in an era where viewers' attentions quickly turn to the next big thing? Having watched all 10 episodes, I'm inclined to say "just about" — but only if it swiftly moves on from the Hawkins setting and young cast that made it a pop-culture phenomenon in the first place.

Snowed under

Stranger Things' latest spin-off begins just after New Year's Day 1985 (Image credit: Netflix)

Set between the main show's second and third seasons, Tales From 85 reunites us with Eleven, Mike, and company as they get caught up in a new mystery amid wintry conditions in their home town.

Indeed, despite Eleven closing the rift to the alternate dimension dubbed the Upside Down in its parent show's season 2 finale, the introduction of mutated flora and fauna in Tales From 85 sees the core six — Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Will, Lucas, and Max — embark on a new quest to find out what's going on. Cue a hijinks- and mishaps-laced investigation that sees the group uncover more nefarious sci-fi malpractice, and combat a monstrous new threat with ties to the aforementioned parallel realm.

Tales From 85 is a return to the enjoyable albeit dangerous adventures of seasons 1 and 2

The first positive thing to note about this Netflix offering is that we get to see the kids be, well, kids again. Gone are the world-ending stakes — for the most part, anyway — of the main show's latter seasons and, in their place, is a return to the enjoyable albeit dangerous adventures of seasons 1 and 2.

Call me nostalgic, but I think many will agree that Stranger Things was at its best in those early installments. However, despite its timeline proximity to them, there was no guarantee that Tales From 85 would recapture the charm and entertainment factor of those seasons. Thankfully, it not only does a great job on that front, but is also able to really lean into the absurdity and slapstick nature of the group's misadventures in a more exaggerated fashion through the animated medium.

Tales From 85 introduces us some new creatures with ties to the Upside Down (Image credit: Netflix)

Something that Tales From 85 struggles to replicate, though, is its parent show's horror and high-stakes peril.

Sure, its animated aesthetic allows it to be far more artistic on the creature-creation front, which gives rise to a fresh Monster of the Week-style narrative that's disappointingly discarded as the plot progresses. Early episodes also include a couple of instances that, in spite of Tales From 85's Saturday-morning cartoon vibe, indicate that it hasn't fully lost sight of Stranger Things' nightmarish tonality.

Tales From 85's ability to build nail-biting tension and generate credible scares is completely nullified

Armed with a PG rating, though, Tales From 85 is neither as gruesome nor as hair-raisingly effective as the 15 age-classified primary show. Okay, it doesn't need to be stomach-churning, but it does have to put its characters in serious peril to elicit some sort of reaction from viewers — and that's where its timeline position becomes a curse rather than a blessing.

Indeed, with the individuals that I named earlier surviving up to the show's final season, Tales From 85's ability to build nail-biting tension and generate credible scares is completely nullified by their already-established plot armor. Save for the three new characters that this spin-off introduces, then, it's hard to care about anything happening to this series' key cast.

The kids are alright

Stranger Things' core group aren't voiced by the main show's young superstars (Image credit: Netflix)

If those factors are sources of disappointment, the same can't be said of the voice cast.

That might sound weird to say, especially in light of Tales From 85 showrunner Eric Robles telling me why the main show's cast didn't return to voice their characters. Nevertheless, there's surprisingly very little in the way of uncanny valley effects here. In fact, some of Tales From 85's cast have been so successful in replicating the vocal inflection and tonality of the actors who appeared in the main show, it's difficult to detect any clear difference between them.

By and large, Tales From 85's cast do a solid job of impersonating their main show counterparts

Okay, that's not always the case — for example, the voice actor behind Jim Hopper sounds nothing like David Harbour, which is an immediate immersion killer — but, by and large, the others do a solid job of impersonating their main-show counterparts. Special mention to Braxton Quinney and Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, whose near-perfect imitations of Gaten Matarazzo's Dustin and Sadie Sink's Max will convince you that the latter duo actually reprise their roles in this animated offshoot.

Don't worry, the Steve-Dustin bromance is alive and well in Tales From 85 (Image credit: Netflix)

It would be remiss of me not to also highlight how effortlessly this cast recreate the camaraderie within the core group. In some ways, it's far harder to develop and refine that chemistry from the solitary confinement of a recording booth, so kudos to Tales From 85's youthful stars for reproducing the individual and collective bonds forged among the live-action group.

With so much emphasis placed on said gang, however, there's little room for Stranger Things' adults and older teens to be involved.

Some, including Hopper and Nancy, are lightly sprinkled throughout. Meanwhile, Steve has what's akin to a guest-starring role in episode 4, a chapter that sees one of modern TV era's best bromances — i.e., the one between him and Dustin — delightfully take center stage once more. However, if you were hoping to sees the likes of Joyce and Jonathan, or expected anyone else have substantial roles to play, you'll be sorely disappointed.

The demogorgon in the room

Nikki's (left) addition to the cast upends Stranger Things' lore (Image credit: Netflix)

All the issues I've outlined so far, though, pale in comparison to the retroactive impact that Tales From 85 has on the wider Stranger Things universe.

Take new-kid character Nikki, for example. Best described as a diluted cross between fan favorites Robin and Eddie, she's a talkative and inventive punk rocker who injects freshness and an unlikely dynamism to the main collective.

I couldn't shake the belief that Tales From 85 would have worked better as a standalone tale

The problem is that her addition — and, for that matter, Tales From 85's entire story — creates a canonical paradox. It's a huge criticism that I not only fully understand, but one that I also feel is entirely justified on the part of aggrieved sections of the fanbase.

I recognize the argument made by Robles that Tales From 85's events couldn't be referenced in Stranger Things' later seasons because, as an idea, the former didn't exist until after the latter's race had nearly been run. However, given the additional lore that Tales From 85 adds to the mix and, far more importantly, the eyebrow-raising implications of its ending, it feels like a major oversight for this show to be set in Hawkins and involve the main show's core cast.

Mrs Baxter is one of three new characters you'll see in this Stranger Things interquel (Image credit: Netflix)

There are other drawbacks. Relationship issues that arise in Stranger Things 3 are similarly covered here, which makes for trite melodrama and an unimaginative storytelling re-tread. Contrived plot devices also give off the sense that Tales From 85 is trying to force the issue narratively rather than naturally plot out its course. Furthermore, establishing Will as a more self-assured individual at this point on the timeline is a bizarre creative choice at best and, at worst, an egregious retconning of his character arc at this point on the Stranger Things timeline.

It's for these reasons that, with each passing episode, I couldn't shake the belief that Tales From 85 would have worked better as a standalone tale. In my view, focusing on an entirely new cast in a completely different location, albeit one still situated in the Stranger Things universe, would have navigated these troubles with ease.

My verdict

Stranger Things: Tales From 85 is a benign and oft-times unnecessary expansion of the franchise's primary storyline.

If you're able to look past the canonicity of it all, and are really craving some more Stranger Things content, it's an occasionally fun addendum that also captures the spirit of the original show's early seasons, and includes plenty of in-universe and wider 80s references. With episodes lasting between 25 and 30 minutes, it's a nostalgia-fueled early-morning TV contender that's ripe to stream while you munch on some sugar-filled cereal.

In the end, though, the key questions I kept returning to throughout Tales From 85, though, were: Does it do enough to justify its existence? And does it wash away the bad aftertaste of its parent show's divisive final season?

Sadly, the answer to both questions is a resounding no. Continuing with the food theme, it's a light-afternoon snack not unlike an Eggo. Sure, it'll satiate you for a while but, ultimately, it'll leave you feeling unsatisfied.

"Not great, but okay for binging on a sick day" is how a random Reddit comment described the first season of Running Point shortly after it launched on Netflix. Frankly, it's not exactly the praise you'd hope for if you were the one releasing a new TV show into the world, but I think it's generous.

I'll be honest: I knew next to nothing about the Kate Hudson-led show before I knew I'd be covering Running Point season 2. It had Hudson. It had basketball. I assumed it was a comedy. Now that I've seen both seasons, I'm pining for these days of ignorant bliss.

I hate to be a Debbie Downer on anything, let alone the fact that it has Hudson in it (I absolutely adore her). But Running Point season 2 is dire, thanks to its lack of laughs, unsufferable characters, and generally uninteresting or unnecessary storylines.

Netflix often has the cheek to cancel genuinely thought-provoking, boundary-pushing, creative work, yet continues projects like this that should definitely have been stopped after their first season. Who is Running Point's core audience, their purpose? And more importantly... what is the point?

Running Point season 2 is laughless, mundane and worthy of a million eye rolls

After the team recovers from the previous season's scandal, Isla (Hudson) is now a recognized, high-scrutiny leader trying to prove she's not just holding the seat for her brother Cam (Justin Theroux). Meanwhile, works quietly behind the scenes to undermine Isla, using her mistakes as leverage to plot his comeback.

That tiny little paragraph is the most interesting take on what happens that you can possibly get. In a world where terrible men defying it all to succeed in business, pleasure, and just life in general is shoved down our throats, watching Isla's brothers continuously undermine and override her with garbage ideas is about as fun as a dental filling.

When you're not wanting to punch 99.9% of characters shown in the series, you're keeping a straight face. This isn't a case of laughs not landing, more that they're not there in the first place. Sure, Running Point season 2 is certainly easy to watch. But at what cost?

Brenda Song steals the show in an otherwise sinking ship

Kate Hudson and Brenda Song. (Image credit: Netflix)

The friendship between Isla and Ali (Brenda Song) is almost ruined for good for very petty reasons, but the move highlights how Song is the strongest link in an otherwise feeble chain. She's briefly freed from the shackles of the LA Waves, and it's clear that there's a lot of untapped potential in her character.

But as the besties reconcile once again, the promise of season 2's first potentially interesting story is immediately taken away. We don't really care about the team's locker room love triangle, Cam's return, or the arrival of wayward coach Norm (Ray Romano), so consider all hope lost.

What's most disappointing is how Hudson comes across in the leading role. Instead of being dynamic, hilarious, or infectiously charming — all things we know Hudson is in real life — Isla is white noise in the middle of the non-existent drama. Beautifully dressed white noise, all the same.

Unsurprisingly, you shouldn't waste your time on Running Point season 2 unless you are genuinely so sick that you've got a doctor's note excusing you from work (and full consciousness). If that's you, well... at least there's an exceptional cameo from Lisa Rinna.

How we tested ExpressVPN

Commissioning Editor, River Hart, wrote this ExpressVPN review. I have five years of experience researching and writing about VPNs, including ExpressVPN.

I have ExpressVPN installed on my iPhone and Android mobile devices, a Windows (Lenovo) laptop, and on my Chrome browser. I use it to broaden my streaming horizons and unblock US-based streaming services, like HBO Max and Hulu, and monitor ExpressVPN's streaming capabilities.

I primarily use ExpressVPN while connected to public Wi-Fi hotspots – particularly during lengthy train commutes. I keep Advanced Protection on when I'm using ExpressVPN on my phone, too, so display ads and pop-ups don't eat away at my mobile data. I also use ExpressVPN Keys to identify and regenerate weak passwords, and rely on it to store my updated credentials.

Read more about our ExpressVPN testing methodology▼

ExpressVPN review scores

We've included a breakdown of our ExpressVPN review scores below, sorted by testing category. For more information, click the links in the Comments section.

Category

Score

Comments

Total

82 / 100

Easy to use and built around a core of robust privacy (with a proven track record), ExpressVPN is well worth investing in. Read more ▼

Price plans & value

7 / 10

The new pricing structure makes ExpressVPN more affordable, but it's still pricier than the other top-rated VPNs. The premium 'Pro' plan offers little value but Basic and Advanced are solid. Read more ▼

Features

7 / 10

ExpressVPN's basic features are solid, but it lacks the diversity offered by other top-rated VPNs. Read more ▼

Server network

9 / 10

ExpressVPN has a broad global network of servers with a focus of coverage in the US and Europe. For the most part, it correctly labels all of its virtual servers and their actual location. Read more ▼

Read all of ExpressVPN's review scores ▼

Privacy

9 / 10

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, and isn't required to collect or store user logs by law. TrustedServer technology also ensures that user data well protected. Read more ▼

Security

9 / 10

ExpressVPN's encryption is solid, and its early adoption of PQE is highly commendable. The kill switch could do more to warn users that the internet has been cut. Read more ▼

Speed

8 / 10

Lightway Turbo is one of the quickest protocols we've tested, but only works with Windows. The original Lightway protocol sits in the middle of the pack owing to recent performance dips. Read more ▼

Unblocking streams

9 / 10

ExpressVPN works well with most streaming platforms and accesses content on the first time of asking. It can unblock Netflix, iPlayer and most global services. We did have to retry using different servers when accessing some smaller region-specific sites. Read more ▼

P2P & Torrenting

4 / 5

All servers support torrenting. ExpressVPN's solid download speeds mean that the P2P experience is generally smooth. However, there is no support for port forwarding. Read more ▼

Apps & Compatibility

5 / 5

Apps are available for all platforms, including Linux, smart TVs, consoles, and browsers. The iOS version is missing a few features, but nothing significant. Read more ▼

Usability

5 / 5

ExpressVPN's stripped-back approach to UI means that its apps are intuitive, even to users who have no prior experience with VPNs. Read more ▼

Accessibility

3 / 5

Although ExpressVPN's home page scored low in our accessibility tests, its apps are available in a dozen languages, and keyboard support is excellent. Read more ▼

Customer support

4 / 5

24/7 live chat, email, and on-site support are available to help troubleshoot issues. Agents are knowledgeable and friendly, and not afraid to tackle techy questions. Read more ▼

Track record

3 / 5

ExpressVPN has drawn concern in the past because of its ties to Crossrider and Kape Technology, but its rapid approach to solving a recent DNS leak issue is encouraging. Read more ▼

ExpressVPN price plans

• ExpressVPN price plans start at $3.49 per month.
• ExpressVPN Advanced is the best value – little significant in value to Pro.
• A free 7-day trial is available to Android and iOS users.

You can pick up an ExpressVPN subscription for as little as $3.49 per month.

ExpressVPN offers three plan types: Basic, Advanced, and Pro. Users can choose among 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year subscription lengths, too.

Pick a long-term commitment, and you'll save more money in the end. This is why we generally recommend opting for the 2-year plan. Below, we've compared all of ExpressVPN's plans and prices, so you can see where the value is.

If you really want to get your money's worth from ExpressVPN, it's well worth considering the jump from a Basic two-year plan to an Advanced two-year plan.

For one dollar more each month, you get an increased allowance of simultaneous connections (from 10 to 12), access to the built-in password manager, ExpressVPN Keys, expanded access to ExpressMailGuard, and access to some of IdentityDefender's tools.

For an extra $2/month (or $3 if jumping from Basic), you gain 2 further simultaneous connections (14 in total), a dedicated IP, increased MailGuard access, the full suite of Identity Defender tools, and, finally, ExpressAI.

Read more about ExpressVPN's price plans ▼

Despite the September 2025 pricing restructure, ExpressVPN remains one of the more costly options on the market.

ExpressVPN's cheapest two-year Basic plan (at $3.49) is almost twice as expensive as Surfshark ($1.99). It's also more expensive than NordVPN's two-year plan, NordVPN Basic ($3.39).

ExpressVPN is a good, polished service, but you should carefully consider whether it's the right VPN for your needs given the higher price tag.

ExpressVPN per month price

ExpressVPN Basic

ExpressVPN Advanced

ExpressVPN Pro

1-month price

$12.99/month

$13.99/month

$19.99/month

1-year price

$4.99/month

$5.99/month

$8.99/month

2-year price

$3.49/month

$4.49/month

$7.49/month

Keep in mind that these prices will vary throughout the year (especially during the Black Friday/holiday season).

As you can see, ExpressVPN's 1-month-only prices are steep. This is par for the course across all of our best VPNs. The only real benefit of signing up for a month is that you won't be tied into a long-term commitment. That's useful if you're just trialling ExpressVPN, but it's a costly way to do it.

If you can, we'd recommend checking out ExpressVPN via its iOS or Android 7-day VPN free trial, then upgrading to a one or two-year plan if you want to continue using it.

The two-year ExpressVPN plans offer the biggest potential for savings and throw in an additional four months of coverage for free. Remember that you'll need to pay for the entire subscription up front, though.

Score: 7/10

Features: What can ExpressVPN do?

• ExpressVPN's main VPN features are secure and reliable.
• Advanced and Pro plans offer the best access to ExpressVPN's new features.
• Pro plan adds ExpressAI and a dedicated IP, but at a price jump.

ExpressVPN Basic is exactly that – basic. There aren't a lot of features and tools included in this subscription tier, so you're really just paying for the core VPN product and a handful of straightforward extras, and that's fine. Luckily, the "VPN" part of ExpressVPN is secure and reliable (as we'll expand on later in our Security section).

However, a Basic plan does grant users access to the proprietary Lightway VPN protocol and ExpressVPN's implementation of post-quantum protection. This ensures that your data and browsing sessions are kept safe from attacks by regular and quantum computers (which are capable of cracking ordinary, non-quantum encryption).

(Image credit: ExpressVPN )

Included in the Basic plan is a "Lite" version of ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection toolkit. It's a bit barebones, but we certainly appreciate that even a stripped-back version is available at this price point.

Read more about ExpressVPN's features ▼

Advanced Protection Lite won't block trackers or adult sites (you'll need to upgrade to an Advanced or Pro plan for that), but it will block ads and malicious sites, so you don't have to worry about annoying pop-ups or accidentally landing on an untrustworthy site while you do your day-to-day browsing.

The Advanced Protection features are currently available for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. Apple TV users can check out the Threat Manager tracker blocker and ad blocker. Also, anyone with an Aircove VPN router will be glad to hear that Advanced Protection features are readily available and applied automatically to any device that connects to the router (smart TVs and appliances included).

Advanced Protection is similar to NordVPN's Threat Protection and Proton VPN's NetShield tool, and we'll dig into the full-fat version of Advanced Protection in the Privacy section later on.

There's equally a stripped-back version of ExpressVPN's new MailGuard functions. You can only use 2 alias email domains and send 25 emails per month, but for individual users sending only a few emails, this'll be more than enough.

ExpressVPN Basic

ExpressVPN Advanced

ExpressVPN Pro

VPN

✅

✅

✅

Simultaneous connections

10

12

14

Advanced protection ad blocker

✅ (LITE version)

✅

✅

Advanced protection tracker blocker

❌

✅

✅

ExpressMailGuard

✅ (limited)

✅(less limited)

✅

ExpressKeys

❌

✅

✅

Identity Defender

❌

✅(Limited)

✅

ExpressAI

❌

❌

✅

eSIM

❌

✅ (3 days)

✅ (5 days)

Dedicated IP

❌

❌

✅

ExpressVPN Advanced

If you want to get the most out of ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection, an Advanced (or Pro) plan is the way to go. In addition to blocking ads and malicious sites, the enhanced version of this toolkit will also block trackers. This prevents sites and services from keeping tabs on (and potentially sharing) your online activity, and can block adult sites, too.

This expanded utility is useful, especially if you're looking for a VPN with some form of parental controls, but NordVPN and Surfshark both offer a little extra with built-in antivirus features. In fact, a Surfshark One plan gives users access to a full-blown AV tool.

Before enabling Advanced Protection, know that you'll only be able to use the feature when connected to ExpressVPN via the Lightway protocol.

This won't be a problem for most users – after all, Lightway is based on the speedy, secure WireGuard protocol, which serves as a reliable everyday option for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

For anyone who prefers OpenVPN (thanks to its long-standing reputation for privacy), you'll need to switch protocols when you want to use the Advanced Protection suite.

Next up is ExpressVPN's very own password manager: ExpressVPN Keys. It's included in all Advanced and Pro plans, and built directly into the Android and iOS apps. It's also available as a Chrome extension if you'd rather access it via your browser.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN )

Keys is equipped with a good amount of core password manager features. It can import existing passwords from other browsers and password managers, it'll let you know if any of your current passwords aren't as secure as they could be (which is your cue to swap them out for stronger ones), and it can save and sync passwords across all of your devices.

Keys generates new passwords on demand via a simple pop-up that appears during the password creation phase of sign-up. It's a simple bit of UI where you can regenerate passwords as many times as you want, use a sliding bar to adjust the complexity of the password (which affects how long it'd take a bad actor to crack it), and add capitals, numbers, and symbols into the mix. Keys can also fill in login forms automatically when you revisit a site you've logged into previously.

Much like the overall ExpressVPN product itself, Keys nails the basics, but offers relatively little in the way of extras. For starters, it doesn't support passkeys, doesn't support secure password sharing, and isn't as configurable as other password managers.

One of the biggest and most consistent gripes about Keys is its autofill inconsistency. Users on Reddit have raised issues about the autofill not working at all. The problem seems especially prevalent on the Safari browser. We put it to the test on iOS to see if we could recreate the issue.

As on desktop, generating and storing passwords was easy enough, and the autofill feature worked like a charm for the most part. When tapping into the password field on a login page, we saw an option at the bottom of the screen, above the keyboard, for Keys to autofill the field. We used this to log into our Netflix, X, Instagram, and Amazon accounts without any hiccups.

While we had a stress-free experience, it's possible that, with continued use, we'd run into the same autofill issues other users have reported. It's certainly something we'll be monitoring as we continue to use the tool.

Collate these issues, and, sadly, you'll begin to understand why Keys has a rating of 2.3 on the Chrome Web Store.

It's not all doom and gloom, though, and we did notice a few unusual positives when putting Keys through its paces.

Much like the overall ExpressVPN product itself, Keys nails the basics, but offers relatively little in the way of extras.

Firstly, ExpressVPN had the Keys app audited back in 2022 by Cure53, underscoring a commitment to transparency that we can only commend, and confirming the app's trustworthiness. We're also glad to see that you can continue using Keys for free even if you cancel your ExpressVPN subscription.

All in all, we're glad that Keys is included as part of the ExpressVPN Advanced and Pro plans. Plus, it's nice and easy to use, which is great news for folks who want to take their first steps with a relatively straightforward password manager that does exactly what it says on the tin (generates, manages, and safely stores your login credentials).

If you've got more experience with password managers, or want something that offers more customizability and extra features, you'll be better off with a specialist product, like Dashlane.

Advanced plans also introduce two more of ExpressVPN's new features — Identity Defender and MailGuard.

While you get a limited version of the latter with a Basic, plan, Advanced plans get 6 domains (5 of which can be dedicated), 50 emails per day, 5 rule automations, increased bandwidth, and loads more.

It's an effective solution for protecting your emails, and, while it's certainly more advanced than Surfshark's Alternative ID, it's not as well integrated, being a web solution rather than in-app.

Identity Defender is another great addition. For Advanced plan users, it includes Dark Web Monitoring, ID theft insurance, ID alerts, credit scanning, and data removal. It's a solid competitor to the equivalents from NordVPN and others.

Finally, ExpressVPN Advanced users get an eSIM (embedded SIM) that allows them to connect to a cellular network without needing a physical SIM card.

eSims connect to local carriers when you travel abroad, which generally means better network quality and lower rates. Advanced users get 3 days of unlimited daily data included in their plan – but you'll need to make sure that your device is compatible with eSims before you plan to rely on it during your next vacation.

ExpressVPN Pro

The leap from Advanced to Pro plan has thankfully expanded somewhat due to the arrival of ExpressVPN's new features.

If you do shell out for ExpressVPN's most premium subscription, you'll have access to everything included in the Basic and Advanced plans. This includes the full version of Advanced Protection and the Keys password manager – though Pro users don't get any extra functionality.

You also get full access to ExpressMailGuard, including unlimited shared aliases and unlimited bandwidth. Plus, Identity Defender gains the ability to monitor threats to data surrounding your home, car, retirement accounts, criminal records, and more.

Pro users also get 5 days of unlimited daily data included in their free eSIM bundle, as well as a dedicated IP address.

Dedicated IP addresses are unique to the user. It's not assigned to anyone else – unlike the dynamic IP addresses we use more regularly, which can be shared by multiple devices at once. The dedicated IP address is the same, stays the same each time you connect to it, and is tied to a VPN location in one of 22 countries.

With a dedicated IP, you won't be held responsible for what other people get up to when sharing a dynamic IP. If you're using a shared IP address, and someone else using that IP address goes on to send spam or get up to something illegal, the address could be blocked by pages, sites, and apps as a result – restricting your access, too, even though you weren't party to any mischief.

The benefits of a Pro plan will probably only appeal to a select group of users, and that's not a bad thing.

So, with a dedicated IP address that's yours alone and influenced solely by your browsing habits, it means less chance of encountering blocks, bans, and even CAPTCHAs.

The benefits of a Pro plan will probably only appeal to a select group of users, and that's not a bad thing. The new ExpressVPN pricing structure is similar to NordVPN's, and we appreciate that both VPNs give users the option to pay for the tools that they'll actually use.

Score: 7/10

Server network and locations

• ExpressVPN has servers in 108 countries – not bad but behind the best.
• ExpressVPN's server locations are heavily focused on Europe and the US.
• Virtual servers are (mostly) labelled correctly.

ExpressVPN's server coverage is broad, although it's some way behind the very best VPNs.

ExpressVPN has servers in 108 countries compared to NordVPN's 135 countries, it also no longer beats NordVPN in terms of total locations, with servers in 188 locations compared to NordVPN's coverage in 209. While this is a notable margin, it'll still be more than enough for most people.

As is often the case with today's leading VPNs, ExpressVPN's server coverage is among the strongest in Europe and North America, with 58 and 71 locations respectively. This is more than NordVPN's 54 in Europe, but not quite as many as NordVPN's 74 in North America right now.

Read more about ExpressVPN's server network ▼

ExpressVPN hasn't declared how many servers it has in total. This might seem like a glaring omission but, as NordVPN once claimed, the overall number of servers shouldn't be more important than the reliability, speed, and bandwidth of those servers. After all, a huge pool of servers isn't any good if they all slow your browsing to a crawl.

Back in 2019, ExpressVPN unveiled TrustedServer, the system by which it runs and manages its server network. TrustedServer allows this network to run entirely in RAM with no hard drive. This means that, if some misconfiguration occurred that meant sensitive information was left on a file in local storage, it'll be lost as soon as the server is rebooted (which happens at least daily).

Nothing is even written to a hard drive and left vulnerable to third-party attacks (like hacks and backdoors), minimizing the risk to your (potentially sensitive) data.

ExpressVPN does use virtual servers, stating that while the majority of physical servers and their registered IP addresses are based in the same country, it's not the case for a small number of countries.

ExpressVPN claims that this is because it's sometimes "impossible" to find servers in those areas that meet their exacting standards – hence the need for virtual servers.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN )

These virtual servers are labelled. ExpressVPN tells you that its Kenya servers aren't based in Kenya, for instance, and also tells you the country where they're actually hosted (Germany, in this case).

We decided to see for ourselves whether ExpressVPN's information was correct. We tested a sample of 25 virtual locations to see if the country where ExpressVPN claimed these servers were actually hosted was the truth.

The good news is that the majority of our results matched ExpressVPN's assertions. The virtual India server that ExpressVPN claims to be hosted in Singapore, for example, really does seem to be located in Singapore.

The only issue we spotted during our testing was ExpressVPN's use of Dallas as a general data centre for various island nations.

We like to see virtual servers hosted as close as possible to their advertised locations, and it's hard to see why ExpressVPN would default to using Dallas for locations that are sometimes 1,100+ miles away in actuality.

Score: 9/10

Privacy

• Solid no-logs policy.
• Lightway Turbo protocol only available on Windows.
• No multi-hop and no support for the Tor network available.

ExpressVPN abides by a strict no-logs policy.

This means that the ExpressVPN servers only log a small amount of information about your sessions – including the dates (but not the exact times) of your connections, the location of the server you connected to (but not the server IP), and the total amount of data transferred during the session. ExpressVPN also makes a note of the apps you've activated and their versions.

ExpressVPN claims that this information is recorded to troubleshoot technical issues, provide technical support, and identify users abusing the VPN.

So, for example, if one individual is pushing more traffic than thousands of other users combined, subsequently affecting the quality of the service for everyone else, ExpressVPN might get in touch with that individual (and ask for an explanation).

This isn't all that unusual in the world of VPNs, though, and most services have a clause in the small print that states that they can and will do the same thing.

Take NordVPN, for example. Its terms state that users must not "take any action that imposes or may impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure".

Read more about ExpressVPN's privacy credentials ▼

ExpressVPN doesn't log your source IP, the time you connected to a server, the specific server you chose, your DNS queries, browsing history, or network traffic. This is exactly what we like to see, and this limited session logging can't link you to any of the actions you take online.

If you want to learn more about the data that ExpressVPN does (and doesn't) collect, you'll want to head on over to the privacy policy. It's not light reading by any means, but after we combed through it, we're confident that there are no glaring red flags or areas of concern.

The ExpressVPN team has done its best to make the technical jargon as digestible as possible, and it's certainly one of the more parsable policies we've come across. Navigating through it is pretty simple, too, thanks to the table of contents at the top of the page.

Unlike Proton VPN, which has its very own proprietary obfuscation technology in the form of its Stealth protocol, ExpressVPN has no equivalent. This means that if you'd rather your VPN traffic/usage wasn't discoverable, you'll want to choose another VPN.

Lightway isn't used by default, so you'll need to remember to switch over to it when you need an extra layer of security.

However, ExpressVPN does claim that its proprietary Lightway protocol is the only VPN protocol built from the ground up to support obfuscation, though it's not the protocol's primary use case.

Also, Lightway isn't used by default, so you'll need to remember to switch over to it when you need an extra layer of security (like in countries with digital censorship and/or VPN bans).

The Lightway protocol was released back in 2020 and was "inspired" by WireGuard, with the aim of creating something even faster and more capable. It's safe to say that ExpressVPN succeeded.

Lightway is wickedly fast, in its Turbo form, at least, and we'll dig into that in our Speed section). It also offers post-quantum encryption, and is the only significant custom protocol created by a VPN that's open source.

Lightway is available in UDP and TCP forms, with the former generally considered to be the quicker option – and the one you'll want to pick for streaming and gaming. TCP tends to be more reliable, however, and a good everyday option for anyone who doesn't need to maximize their online performance.

Just like ExpressVPN's general privacy policy, you can peruse Lightway's code yourself (on GitHub). The same can't be said for NordVPN's proprietary protocol, NordLynx, which is closed-source, meaning that nobody outside the company can comb through its code.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN)

The newest iteration of Lightway is Lightway Turbo – an enhanced version of Lightway UDP. It's currently only available on the ExpressVPN Windows app and uses the app to open and send traffic through multiple channels. This means ExpressVPN can use more of the device's CPU cores, improving performance, making it significantly faster than the regular version of Lightway.

In addition to Lightway and Lightway Turbo, WireGuard is available, enhanced by ExpressVPN's post-quantum protection. Users can opt for OpenVPN, in both TCP and UDP forms, too, as well as IKEv2 (though it's only accessible to Mac and iOS devices).

ExpressVPN's TrustedServer network management system (described in the Server Network section) has considerable bonuses for privacy, too.

You might've heard other VPNs, like NordVPN, Surfshark, and Mullvad, talking about their own RAM-only servers, but TrustedServer goes a step further. It ensures that every server in the ExpressVPN fleet is running the same software with the same configuration, and this solves multiple problems.

For a start, all ExpressVPN servers automatically get software updates and security patches at the same time. So, if a hacker did manage to compromise a server and install some of their own code, the next server reboot would replace it with the standard ExpressVPN server setup within a few hours.

ExpressVPN is registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). As far as VPN jurisdictions go, this is pretty positive, as there are no data retention laws in the BVI. This means that ExpressVPN is not required by law to log any user data.

You might've heard other VPNs, like NordVPN, Surfshark, and Mullvad, talking about their own RAM-only servers, but TrustedServer goes a step further.

ExpressVPN next standout privacy feature is ShuffleIP. When you connect to a VPN, you'll usually be assigned a random IP address until you disconnect from the server, and a different IP address the next time you connect. ShuffleIP does things differently – it changes your IP address each time you access a new website.

The benefit of this frequent switching means that it's much harder for third parties to track you across an internet session or connect your activity to a specific VPN server. After all, you'll look like you're connecting to the internet from a totally different place each time you load a new site.

ShuffleIP is enabled automatically, so there's no need to toggle it on or off. We're happy to report that, during our hands-on testing, ShuffleIP worked as intended. Our IP address changed completely between checking our email account and opening X to check our DMs, with no impact on the overall performance.

However, there are a few limitations to keep in mind. ShuffleIP isn't compatible with all ExpressVPN servers, and there's currently no way to tell which servers do or don't support the tool. This isn't ideal, and we'd like to see ExpressVPN implement some sort of UI that indicates the server locations that are ShuffleIP-compatible.

Unlike NordVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN, ExpressVPN has no multi-hop or double VPN feature. Multi-hop works like a regular VPN connection, but instead of routing your traffic through just one VPN server, it's routed through two or more, with each connection adding another layer of encryption.

ExpressVPN has actively chosen not to offer this feature. It claims that this is because it doesn't want to add extra complexity to user connections, or slow them down, and that each ExpressVPN server is engineered to offer the same kind of security that you'd expect from a multihop connection, thanks to a combination of its TrustedServer technology, no-logs policy, and ShuffleIP.

One classic VPN feature that ExpressVPN does offer, however, is split-tunnelling.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN )

We were able to build two types of lists – one with the apps that don't use the VPN tunnel, and one with the apps that do use the tunnel. That way, you can choose which apps benefit from VPN encryption and geo-spoofing, and which ones you can access via your regular internet connection.

This comes in handy if you want to check out local streaming services without a VPN server making it seem like you're halfway around the world. You could also use split tunnelling to take advantage of the Lightway protocol, by only routing the apps that require a high performance through the VPN tunnel.

However, because split tunnelling isn't compatible with Lightway Turbo, you might see slower speeds anyway, as you'll have to use the regular Lightway iteration.

Split tunnelling is available on Windows and Android, and previously was only accessible to older versions of Mac devices. In January 2026, however, ExpressVPN rolled out a bumper upgrade to its MacOS app - and improved split tunnelling is part of the package.

iOS misses out on split tunnelling entirely, which is par for the course, as other top-rated VPNs, like NordVPN, similarly lack split tunnelling on iOS.

Another feature that ExpressVPN is lacking is support for Tor over VPN. In fact, ExpressVPN has no integrated support for Tor at all, unlike NordVPN and Surfshark.

This might disappoint users looking to really supercharge their online security and anonymity.

Tor over VPN conceals the fact that the user is using the Tor network at all, as their ISP will only see that they're connected to a VPN server, and similarly hides the original IP from Tor entry nodes, further boosting anonymity. And, of course, when using Tor over VPN, the user has access to the Tor network (even if a school or work network administrator has blocked it).

It is still possible to use the regular Tor browser once you've connected to an ExpressVPN server, though.

Score: 9/10

Security

• Excellent AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20 encryption.
• Early adopter of post-quantum protection.
• Advanced Protection blocker is short on malware and phishing sites.

ExpressVPN uses AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20 encryption, which is as strong a setup as we've seen from any provider.

We're also glad to see 4096-bit RSA key and SHA-512 HMAC authentication. This is a step up from Surfshark's 2048-bit RSA encryption keys, and should appease even the most security-conscious users.

Some VPNs promise the world when it comes to security, though, and don't actually deliver. To find out if ExpressVPN's encryption setup is really as solid as it claims, we connected to a server using OpenVPN and saw that our Windows app connected using AES-256-GCM – just as promised.

Read more about ExpressVPN's security credentials ▼

One of the biggest threats to VPN encryption is Q Day – a day in the future when quantum computers will be able to crack our current best-in-class encryption standards.

ExpressVPN isn't waiting for this to happen, though. Like other VPNs (including NordVPN and Mullvad), it has implemented post-quantum encryption, and was actually one of the first providers to do so back in October 2023.

This post-quantum encryption is offered by default and implemented in the Lightway protocol. A lengthy blog post goes into more detail, explaining that the post-quantum support was initially added by using the Kyber encryption standard, recommended by NIST.

This was only step one of the post-quantum project, however, as ExpressVPN continues to keep up with encryption developments. When NIST announced a new gold standard, ML-KEM, ExpressVPN implemented that, too.

To put this into perspective, while most VPNs haven't added any post-quantum protection to their products, ExpressVPN has now implemented protection and announced a big update – and all in a relatively short timeframe.

It's an impressive trail to blaze in the VPN sphere and, in August 2025, ExpressVPN even introduced a post-quantum WireGuard protocol that uses ML-KEM-based encryption.

ExpressVPN's auto-connect feature is more basic, however, and the Windows and Mac editions are pretty barebones. Still, it did the job it is intended to do by automatically connecting us to the last VPN server we joined when we launched our devices.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN)

The Android version of auto-connect has an extra feature. It connected us to the last location on launch, and also automatically joined the server whenever we connected to an internet network that wasn't marked as trusted.

This is an especially useful tool to have on a mobile device, especially if you regularly rely on public Wi-Fi hotspots (which can be hotbeds of cybercriminal activity thanks to their unsecured nature).

Sadly, like split tunnelling, auto-connect is not available on iOS devices. ExpressVPN's kill switch is available on all platforms, though.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN )

ExpressVPN deserves a lot of credit for providing a kill switch on every platform. More importantly, though, the ExpressVPN kill switch delivered excellent results during our hands-on testing.

We used various methods to do this: turning our router on and off, leaving the range of a Wi-Fi hotspot, and even force-closing processes on our devices. Then, we watched our internet access and the app to see what happened.

The kill switch activated, blocked our internet, and prevented IP address leaks in every instance. We couldn't trip it up or get it to fail at any point, which is fantastic. This means that users can rest assured that their traffic won't ever be routed without protection.

Our one concern is that the apps didn't always do a great job of telling us that the kill switch had kicked in or that our internet access had been cut or restored. Not being notified about the kill switch activating can get confusing, quick, as it could leave users wondering why their internet suddenly appears to be down with no warning.

We also encountered a situation where the ExpressVPN app didn't reconnect after the kill switch cut and subsequently restored internet access. Resolving this was simple enough, as we just connected to a server manually, but a kill switch feature should handle this by itself.

The kill switch activated, blocked our internet, and prevented IP address leaks in every instance.

Bear in mind, however, that our testing methods are pretty extreme, and the ExpressVPN apps likely aren't written to recognize the kinds of failures we were throwing at it.

We can't imagine that you'll encounter these problems in your real-life usage. We still consider the ExpressVPN kill switch to be one of the best we've ever tested, because it delivers where it matters, blocking your internet access when the VPN tunnel fails.

As mentioned in the Features section, part of ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection is an ad-blocker, which effectively removes display ads from our browsing session.

When we tested the ad-blocker, it did an excellent job, removing 87% of ads, which is only a fraction behind Proton VPN at 88%.

That's not all, though. Advanced Protection also blocks trackers, malicious sites, and phishing attempts.

We put the last of theses to the test after collecting 50 brand-new malware-hosting and phishing pages, then attempted to access them on a system protected by ExpressVPN's Advanced Protection suite.

As outlined in the table below, ExpressVPN sits in the middle of the pack in terms of effectiveness. It blocked 84% of phishing sites, which is decent, but also a massive jump from the 76% protection rate we saw the last time we tested it.

The malware results are more disappointing. ExpressVPN blocked only 16% of the 50 malware links we threw at it. Still, as it blocked none last time, it's somehow an improvement.

All in all, ExpressVPN's results are an important reminder that a VPN can't match specialist antivirus apps. These standalone apps often beat 90% in our malware and phishing tests, after all, so they're a safer bet for reliable protection.

Score: 9/10

Speed

• Lightway Turbo speeds are excellent – but it's only for Windows users.
• Regular Lightway continues to perform below par.
• Chart-topping OpenVPN results.

ExpressVPN is a very fast VPN service, but not all the time, and not to everyone.

Its Lightway Turbo VPN protocol performs exceptionally well. Our most recent round of VPN lab speed testing clocked it in with download speeds at 1177 Mbps when connecting between our Dublin lab location and the nearest ExpressVPN server.

That puts it on a par with NordVPN (1249 Mbps) and just faster than Surfshark (1021 Mbps).

Where Lightway Turbo really excels, though, is over long distance connections. Download speeds hardly dropped at all when we connected from Dublin to a server in the US and saw 1117 Mbps downloads. No VPN came close to this in our latest rounds of testing, making ExpressVPN top dog if you're needing to connect over long distances.

That's a terrific overall performance for ExpressVPN but there are two significant caveats to keep in mind: Lightway Turbo is only available on the ExpressVPN Windows app, and it won't work with every website, app, and game. We also found that, despite its overall speeds, it was slow to actually connect to a server.

Read more about ExpressVPN's speed ▼

As for non-Windows users on ExpressVPN, they're stuck with the regular Lightway protocol, WireGuard or OpenVPN. Lightway is not as quick as the Turbo version, nor even as speedy as the last time we tested it.

In fact, in the main, Lightway gave the lowest performance of our top VPNs in our most recent speed tests with just 428 Mbps over a local connection and 265 Mbps to the US.

In fact, according to our results, non-Windows ExpressVPN users would be better off with WireGuard for download speeds. This achieved 967 Mbps with local testing and 699 Mbps connecting across the Atlantic.

Thankfully, it's not all bad news away from Windows. ExpressVPN offers some of the best OpenVPN performance around and that's important for people looking for a privacy-first protocol as their daily workhorse.

ExpressVPN was comfortably the top performer over OpenVPN in our most recent tests. In fact, ExpressVPN's OpenVPN speeds averaged significantly better than both of its Lightway protocol over long and short distance connections, achieving 1038 Mbps and 703 Mbps respectively. If you're not on Windows, OpenVPN seems the most sensible choice right now.

It's also important to praise ExpressVPN for its low latency and jitter rates in general, particularly compared to Surfshark, and that bodes well for activities that require a consistently quick connection – like gaming and streaming.

The overall picture for ExpressVPN's speed is something of a mixed bag, then, and it really depends on your set-up as to whether it's going to be a fast VPN for you or not.

We'd certainly encourage Windows users to choose ExpressVPN, as well as anyone who insists on working with OpenVPN. Outside of those use cases, one of NordVPN, Surfshark or Proton VPN is probably a better choice.

Score: 8/10

Unblocking streaming services

• ExpressVPN unblocks all regional Netflix libraries.
• Excellent for local free streaming services around the world.
• Some struggles with US streaming services, such as YouTube and Prime.

ExpressVPN is, and has always been a very good VPN for unblocking streaming services. It has a near-flawless track record and was only beaten by NordVPN, which we name as the best VPN for streaming, in our most recent streaming test.

ExpressVPN, like NordVPN and Surfshark, doesn't have optimized servers for streaming. Instead, all of its servers can handle HD and 4K content, which means you'll spend less time looking for a small set of dedicated servers and can instead just connect to any server in the location of your choice.

First, we tested ExpressVPN with Netflix to see whether it could unblock the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan versions of the site. ExpressVPN was somewhat successful here, only struggling with the Australian and Japanese libraries despite attempting to connect via three different locations in each.

We also encountered some roadblocks when pitting ExpressVPN against some of the tougher US streaming services to unblock such as Prime Video. Again, this result came after trying it across locations in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.

Read more about ExpressVPN's streaming service unblocking ▼

When it comes to the free local streaming services in the UK and Australia, though, ExpressVPN worked like a charm first time, every time. It had no problems with BBC iPlayer, ITV, C4, 9Now, or 10Play at all. Only NordVPN can match that.

BBC iPlayer

ITV

Channel 4

TVNZ Plus

NordVPN

✅

✅

✅

✅

Surfshark

✅

✅

✅

✅

ExpressVPN

✅

✅

✅

✅

Proton VPN

✅

❌

❌

❌

The significant takeaway, then is that ExpressVPN is a reliable streaming VPN –particularly when trying to unblock some of the free platforms around the world – but you might need to do some server hopping to access some of the tougher streaming service out there.

Do remember that customer service is a good option to shortcut solutions like this. Stream unblocking is something of a moveable feast and they tend to know the best servers to use ay any particular moment.

Score: 9/10

P2P and torrenting

• All servers support P2P activity but no port forwarding avaialble.
• Lightway Turbo protocol ensures quick downloads where available.
• Almost no online help or advice around torrenting.

ExpressVPN supports torrenting on all of its servers. That means users can choose the server closest to them to maximize the performance of their P2P traffic rather than picking from just a handful of torrenting-friendly locations in a tiny list.

ExpressVPN doesn't make a big fuss about its torrenting compatibility – though few VPNs do. Besides a brief mention of protecting IP addresses when using P2P on the home page, we couldn't find a single support article that even mentions P2P or torrenting, let alone anything that delves into more detail about server support or troubleshooting advice.

It's a shame, really, because ExpressVPN is an excellent torrenting VPN. The experience was just as smooth as the other top VPNs we tested, and ExpressVPN played nicely with our uTorrent client without causing issues.

Plus, thanks to Lightway Turbo, we didn't have any problem with sluggish downloads – though it is worth remembering that your P2P connection speeds are more likely to be impacted by peer quality.

ExpressVPN doesn't support port forwarding, claiming that it poses too many security risks. Other VPNs, like NordVPN and Surfshark, echo this sentiment, and you'll need to look elsewhere for a VPN that does implement the feature (like PIA and Proton VPN).

If you'd rather stick with ExpressVPN, there's a detailed 5,000-word blog post that'll walk you through the benefits and risks of port forwarding, as well as how you can set it up on common router types.

Score: 4/5

Compatibility

• Apps for all major platforms, smart TVs, consoles, etc.
• Great feature parity across apps.
• Powerful Chrome browser extension is more than a proxy.

ExpressVPN apps have a recognisable look and feel across all platforms. We think they do a great job of balancing readability, simplicity, and a little creative flair thanks to a splash of color.

This consistency applies to ExpressVPN's functionality, too. Almost all of its features are present across its apps, although the iOS app has a few significant omissions: split tunnelling and auto-connect.

Features available on iOS app

ExpressVPN

NordVPN

Surfshark

Proton VPN

Kill switch

✅

✅

✅

✅

Autoconnect

✅

✅

✅

❌

Split tunneling

✅

✅

✅

✅

Protocols

Lightway, Lightway Turbo, OpenVPN, WireGuard

NordLynx, NordWhipser, OpenVPN

WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2

WireGuard, OpenVPN

Malware blocking

✅

✅

✅

✅

GPS spoofing

❌

❌

✅

❌

Custom DNS

❌

✅

❌

✅

Read more about ExpressVPN's compatibility ▼

ExpressVPN has apps for all modern platforms you can imagine – which is exactly what we expect from one of today's leading VPNs. This includes apps for the usual suspects, like Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as Linux support with a full GUI.

ExpressVPN is also compatible with Android TV, Samsung TV, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, and there are plenty of setup guides and tutorials that can walk you through the installation process.

Most recently, ExpressVPN announced a dedicated app for the Meta Quest VR headset. It becomes the first VPN with a dedicated app for the platform.

When it comes to browser extensions, ExpressVPN supports Chrome and Firefox, though the Chrome version gets the lion's share of features.

Throughout our testing, we noticed that ExpressVPN's browser extensions are unlike the others we've vetted. A browser extension usually works as a stand-alone product that uses proxies to change the user's IP address.

You tap on the VPN icon by the address bar, select a server, and connect to it. It seems to work just like connecting to a VPN app, but the protection only applies to your browser. Traffic from other apps and from your system itself is unaffected.

We were also glad to see that ExpressVPN's browser extension has a "Spoof your location" feature.

ExpressVPN's browser extension can do things differently. While an update in February meant it can now act as an independent proxy, it can also serve as a remote control for the regular app (which will need to be installed on the device beforehand).

We get the same icon by the address bar, and it's the same process of picking and connecting to a VPN server, but something different happens behind the scenes. The browser extension sends a message to the full VPN app telling it to connect to the location we choose.

The benefit of this way of doing things is that it's easier to use the VPN from within a browser. If you find yourself locked out of content because you're in the "wrong" country, for example, you don't have to find and launch the main VPN app and choose a new location from there. Instead, you control the VPN from inside the browser.

Plus, the method of using proxies to connect just isn't as secure as this alternative approach. Proxies offer less protection compared to a full VPN, and their protection is limited to what happens within the browser. It's the kind of thing you'd always need to be aware of. With ExpressVPN, you have more peace of mind (and privacy).

We were also glad to see that ExpressVPN's browser extension has a "Spoof your location" feature. Websites can ask your browser for your country-level location, and because this isn't related to your IP address, your browser can often give your real location away.

The spoofing feature ensures that, if your browser is asked to provide your location, ExpressVPN will return the location of the server you've connected to. The website will see that the IP address and browser location match, which can result in fewer CAPTCHAs and other hassles.

The easiest (but potentially most costly) way to use ExpressVPN on a router is to purchase one of its very own Aircove routers

A similar tool is the "Block WebRTC" feature. WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications) can also be used by sites to determine your real IP address. If the site sees that the WebRTC address doesn't match the IP address, it can block your access. ExpressVPN's Block WebRTC feature blocks this backdoor access to prevent this eventuality.

Installing a VPN on a router takes time, patience, and know-how. It's the same with ExpressVPN.

There are three ways to get ExpressVPN working on a router. The first is to install it yourself, manually, and configure it to support the VPN. This is the only type of router support offered by most VPNs, and ExpressVPN has listed examples of the process here.

Alternatively, you can replace the firmware of the router (the code that controls the screens and features) with ExpressVPN's custom firmware. Most routers treat VPNs as a minor extra feature that is tucked away in a menu, but ExpressVPN’s firmware is built from the ground up with VPNs in mind, making them as easy to use as possible.

Finally, the easiest (but potentially most costly) way to use ExpressVPN on a router is to purchase one of its very own Aircove routers – and there are home and travel versions available via Amazon. Prices range from $145 to $190, depending on the router model and where you live, so it's a significant investment. However, if you'd rather not tackle manual configuration, it could be worth it.

Soon, the latter of these options will be the only option available, as ExpressVPN is winding down broader router support in favor of moving people to its Aircove devices. While this is a hugely frustrating decision for people currently using ExpressVPN with their router, it does make some sense given the massively increased functionality that Aircove brings for ExpressVPN's features.

We investigated how many updates big VPN providers made to their iOS apps between January and December 2025. This gives us a clearer picture of how well they support their software, as iOS apps often receive the least amount of updates.

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} #fv-chart-1766008818567-893v1qsiz .fv-x-axis-label-space:not(.fv-grouped-x-axis .fv-x-axis-label-space) { display: none !important; } #fv-chart-1766008818567-893v1qsiz .fv-x-axis-chart-space { padding-right: 0 !important; } #fv-chart-1766008818567-893v1qsiz .fv-benchmark-title { font-size: 16px !important; } #fv-chart-1766008818567-893v1qsiz .fv-logo { width: 60px !important; max-width: 60px !important; } #fv-chart-1766008818567-893v1qsiz .fv-carousel-nav-btn { padding: 6px 8px !important; font-size: 11px !important; } #fv-chart-1766008818567-893v1qsiz .fv-y-axis-title { padding-left: 5% !important; /* (30/600) for mobile view */ } #fv-chart-1766008818567-893v1qsiz.fv-contains-line-chart .fv-footer-content { margin-left: -1rem !important; margin-right: -1rem !important; } } { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Dataset", "name": "iOS app updates in 2025", "description": "The number of updates the iOS apps of each of these VPNs had in 2025", "creator": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "TechRadar", "logo": "https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dAwPEozB9GMMhAngdFJTHb.png" }, "isAccessibleForFree": true, "dateCreated": "2025-12-17T22:00:18.568Z", "citation": "ExpressVPN is very much on par with the rest of our recommended VPNs for keeping up with app development.", "keywords": [ "NordVPN", "Surfshark", "ExpressVPN", "Proton VPN", "PureVPN", "Mullvad", "IPVanish", "Windscribe", "CyberGhost", "Private Internet Access", "iOS app updates", "benchmark", "comparison", "performance", "review", "TechRadar" ], "measurementTechnique": "Performance Benchmarking", "variableMeasured": [ { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "NordVPN – iOS app updates", "value": 23, "unitText": "number" }, { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "Surfshark – iOS app updates", "value": 21, "unitText": "number" }, { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "ExpressVPN – iOS app updates", "value": 25, "unitText": "number" }, { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "Proton VPN – iOS app updates", "value": 22, "unitText": "number" }, { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "PureVPN – iOS app updates", "value": 18, "unitText": "number" }, { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "Mullvad – iOS app updates", "value": 9, "unitText": "number" }, { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "IPVanish – iOS app updates", "value": 10, "unitText": "number" }, { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "Windscribe – iOS app updates", "value": 11, "unitText": "number" }, { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "CyberGhost – iOS app updates", "value": 0, "unitText": "number" }, { "@type": "PropertyValue", "name": "Private Internet Access – iOS app updates", "value": 3, "unitText": "number" } ]} iOS app updates in 2025

The number of updates the iOS apps of each of these VPNs had in 2025

iOS app updates NordVPN 23 Surfshark 21 ExpressVPN 25 Proton VPN 22 PureVPN 18 Mullvad 9 IPVanish 10 Windscribe 11 CyberGhost 0 Private Internet Access 3 iOS app updates Data ProductValue (number) NordVPN 23 Surfshark 21 ExpressVPN 25 Proton VPN 22 PureVPN 18 Mullvad 9 IPVanish 10 Windscribe 11 CyberGhost 0 Private Internet Access 3 ExpressVPN is very much on par with the rest of our recommended VPNs for keeping up with app development. 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ExpressVPN sits at the head of the crowd in the table above, with 25 updates. That's very much in keeping with our other recommended VPNs and well beyond the chasing pack.

Considering ExpressVPN's proactive approach to auditing and implementing new features, this level of iOS TLC isn't surprising, but it's still great to see.

Score: 5/5

Usability

• Apps (and extra products) can be downloaded from the account dashboard.
• Installation takes a few clicks – and an activation code.
• Simple and clean app UI.

Once you've picked and paid for an ExpressVPN plan, you'll want to head to the account dashboard. Pop in your credentials when prompted, and you're almost good to go. The next step is to input the verification code that was emailed to you.

Once you have access to the dashboard, you can download the VPN for whichever device you're using. They're all contained in a handy UI panel, front and center, and this is also where you'll find the VPN activation code you'll need later.

From the dashboard, you can also reach out to support via live chat, and there's a handy indication of wait times. There's also a link to the support center, where you'll find setup guides and tutorials that are well worth exploring if you're having trouble.

Finally, access to the Keys password manager and Identity Defender is also found on the dashboard.

Read more about ExpressVPN's usability ▼

While you're here, it's also worth visiting the Subscription tab to see whether automatic renewal is enabled. Following the spate of legal actions levelled at major VPN providers (including ExpressVPN), alleging that their auto-renewal practices are unlawful, it's well worth checking, as VPNs have historically not made auto-renewal that obvious.

Once you're done with the dashboard, don't close it, because you'll need the activation code we mentioned earlier after you install the VPN app on your device and log in.

After you've punched in your credentials, you'll be asked for the code, so be sure to copy and paste it before exiting out of the dashboard. Alternatively, you can sign in via an email sign-in link.

User experience

ExpressVPN's apps look and feel the same across all platforms – and that's a good thing. There's a core idea here of being the VPN that "just works", and when apps are similar, buttons are (more or less) in the same place, features have the same name, and you don't have to master each platform separately. Learn one, and you've learned them all.

ExpressVPN frequently updates and finetunes its UI experience, too. Most recently, it ditched its super simple approach in favor of more information and instant access to key settings. Regardless, its iconic, huge 'Connect' button remains, just now with a greater amount to view around it.

However, the app remains simple compared to the majority of other VPNs . The NordVPN Windows app dashboard has 23 buttons, icons, and other clickable elements. Surfshark has 23, and Proton VPN has 19. ExpressVPN, on the other hand, has 13. This perfectly encapsulates ExpressVPN's "less-is-more" approach to its UI, even with more being progressively added.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN )

It's worth remembering, though, that unlike many of these alternatives, ExpressVPN doesn't have any specialized servers at all. So there are no tabs for P2P activity, Tor over VPN, or streaming picks.

The simplicity continues into ExpressVPN's settings. Not only is this now easily accessed from the home screen, but you'll quickly find options contained under their own submenus. For instance, if you want to switch your protocol, something also now present on loading in, it's as simple as tapping the submenu and selecting the box next to your protocol of choice.

All in all, the desktop version of the app was our favorite. It not only offers a less cluttered feel, but also retains quick access to settings, protocols, and all of ExpressVPN's new features - should you use them.

The mobile app does a good job of this too given screen size limitations. It's super intuitive to navigate, gives you more quick access than ever before, and retains the classic one-click-connection feel that ExpressVPN has always had.

Score: 5/5

Accessibility

• ExpressVPN homepage scores well for screen reader support.
• Command-line tool allows voice commands.
• Keyboard navigation worse due to new layout.

We used Accessibility Check to scan the ExpressVPN home page and point out accessibility issues. It scored 44%, which is pretty disappointing, and far lower than the likes of Mullvad (95%) and NordVPN (65%). However, it did outperform CyberGhost (17%) and PrivadoVPN (10%).

ExpressVPN passed AccessibilityChecker’s visual and navigation tests, and continues to struggle with screen readers.

This is a tough test that very few VPNs score well in, and we only tested a single page to get a general feel for its accessibility credentials.

Read more about ExpressVPN's accessibility ▼

ExpressVPN doesn't have any specialist accessibility features, and the desktop apps are missing a common automation feature that'd allow users to automatically connect whenever there's access to public Wi-Fi.

However, the ExpressVPN Windows app does have one excellent bonus feature: a command-line tool called ExpressVPN.CLI.exe.

The app is extremely smart, and can be used to connect to any location, disconnect, change your protocol, and other key settings.

It takes a little command line knowledge to set this up, but even if you’re a total newbie, you can still learn everything you need in an hour or so.

When you’re ready, you can set up scripts to connect to ExpressVPN, disconnect, automatically launch or close apps, and then run those scripts via Windows voice access or whatever other app launcher you prefer.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN)

The Windows ExpressVPN app supports 17 languages, which is decent. Proton VPN has it pegged, offering 28, but most providers have around 10 to 20. ExpressVPN still outperforms NordVPN (13 languages), CyberGhost (12), and IPVanish (8).

ExpressVPN offers common options, like English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish. Some are missing from the list, though, most notably Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and Arabic.

We then put ExpressVPN's keyboard support to the test. It's a key element of any deep dive into accessibility. After all, if a user can't operate a mouse, they should still be able to access every feature of the app via the keyboard.

Using standard Windows keypresses like Tab, Enter, and keypress, we try and move around the app, browse lists, select buttons, and otherwise play around.

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Language options available in the Windows apps of each VPN.

Number of languages supported NordVPN 13 Surfshark 13 ExpressVPN 17 Proton VPN 31 PureVPN 12 Mullvad 20 IPVanish 8 Windscribe 20 CyberGhost 12 Private Internet Access 18 010203040 number Number of languages supported Data ProductValue (number) NordVPN 13 Surfshark 13 ExpressVPN 17 Proton VPN 31 PureVPN 12 Mullvad 20 IPVanish 8 Windscribe 20 CyberGhost 12 Private Internet Access 18 ExpressVPN offers slightly more languages than most VPNs, though it's still worth checking that the language you need is available before downloading. 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Previously, ExpressVPN's old design had enabled it to have excellent keyboard support. Now, its increased number of home screen areas mean performing more complex tasks is near impossible. So you can connect and disconnect, without being able to choose the location, you can find the settings menu, but tweaking them becomes problematic.

Most top VPNs face similar issues here, so we can't mark it down hugely. That said, it's an unfortunate step backwards considering just how well it had previously performed in this area.

Score: 3/5

Customer support

• 24/7 live chat and chatbot support, as well as email and on-site channels.
• Live chat agents respond promptly with tailored advice.
• Support articles are well-written and easy to follow.

You can reach out to ExpressVPN customer support via the site, 24/7 live chat, or email.

We also put customer support to the test by running different searches in the Support section of a VPN provider's site, and seeing the articles it returns.

ExpressVPN has a huge number of articles covering all sorts of issues. When we searched for "DNS", for example, the support site returned 64 articles covering DNS leaks, router setup guides, operating system setup tutorials, and more.

Read more about ExpressVPN's customer support ▼

Although that's only roughly half of the amount we found on Surfshark's support site, at 120. ExpressVPN, though, does far better than the 5 articles we discovered when plugging "DNS" into Hotspot Shield's site. Plus, only one of these contained any useful troubleshooting advice.

ExpressVPN has a distinct lack of articles covering torrenting and P2P, however, though this isn't all that surprising. It's a minefield of a topic – legally speaking.

The support site is well organized and easy to navigate. Popular topics are listed at the top of the page, so you can jump right into a setup guide or troubleshoot common issues, and popular articles are listed right underneath. These link directly to useful pages like how to find the ExpressVPN activation code and how to cancel a subscription.

The articles themselves are easy to read and follow. Set up guides make liberal use of annotated screenshots and use short, simple instructions to guide users through everything from installation to setting ExpressVPN up on a router.

Some of the setup pages can be rather long, however, so it'd be great to see more navigation elements on the page.

Some of the setup pages can be rather long, however, so it'd be great to see more navigation elements on the page. There is a contents table at the top, but scrolling all the way up to find is a minor annoyance.

When we explored ExpressVPN's live chat, we were first greeted by a chatbot and the usual generic questions. It's capable of guiding customers through the initial troubleshooting process and providing simple solutions.

When we told it that our VPN was slow, for instance, it asked us if we were using Wi-Fi. When we said yes, it suggested that we use Ethernet instead. It won't work for everyone, but it's a possibility that some customers won't have thought to try.

The chatbot is loaded with a surprising amount of information and gave intelligent advice during our "conversation". So, even if you have no plans to chat with it yourself, it's good to know that your first port of call when contacting support isn't a totally useless barrier between you and a real person. Plus, the more people the chatbot can help, the more time real human support agents have to troubleshoot issues.

If you've exhausted the chatbot's advice, or want to skip straight to an agent, you don't have to endure a complicated process to do so. Just clicking the "Transfer to an agent" button does exactly that – and when we tried it for ourselves, we only waited a few minutes before a connection was established.

Unlike other support teams, where it can feel as though they're just waiting to pounce on keywords and funnel you towards generic solutions, ExpressVPN agents took the time to listen to us.

We had a great experience with our agent. Unlike other provider support teams, where it can feel as though they're just waiting to pounce on keywords and funnel you towards generic solutions ("have you turned it on and off again?"), ExpressVPN agents clearly took the time to listen to our queries.

We asked our agent how to set up the VPN in order to play online games with friends in the US. The agent suggested that, if we didn't know where the game server was physically located, our best bet was to join a server close to our home base, unless we needed a US IP address ourselves.

The entire conversation took just under 10 minutes, the agent was friendly and clearly knowledgeable about the product, and we were happy with the exchange overall.

Score: 4/5

User reviews

• Trustpilot reviews have increased slightly.
• Complaints mostly stem from billing and support problems.
• Android rating has soared, possibly down to removing bot reviews.

While user reviews on Trustpilot and mobile app stores can provide a valuable insight into the reputation of a VPN amongst its users, it's important to remember that they're not totally infallible.

ExpressVPN currently holds a Trustpilot rating of 4.1, which marks a slight increase from the 4.0 we saw when we last checked in on the service. It's only a small rise, but ExpressVPN still lags behind Surfshark (4.4) and NordVPN (4.2).

Around 7% of ExpressVPN's reviews are one-star reviews, often focusing on billing and support problems. We suspect that some of these may not reflect real issues.

Read more about ExpressVPN's user reviews ▼

A few users claimed that there were long gaps between support agent replies, for example, which could mean that ExpressVPN's agents are expected to cover a lot of customers at any one time, and one review rated ExpressVPN poorly because they couldn't connect in China.

ExpressVPN is bound to receive some targeted criticism because of its prominent position in the VPN market, but we've seen a big drop in investment in Kape VPNs, with relatively few development or new features. This could be causing hiccups with long support times and unsatisfied customers.

On the other hand, ExpressVPN's Android app rocketed up from a 4.4 rating to a 4.7 since May 2025.

We're not certain what has prompted this surge. The percentage of one-star ratings dropped from 10% to 5%. If this happened naturally, it would require ExpressVPN to have doubled its number of ratings in the last five months, without a single one being a one-star review.

It's possible that ExpressVPN was targeted by bots, and that these bots were eventually detected and removed by Google. Since most of the bot reviews were one-star, this caused ExpressVPN’s rating to soar, but this is only conjecture.

Whatever the truth is, we don't believe that it changes much, and the real story here is that today's top providers are as close to "neck and neck" as it gets.

Google Play

App Store

Trustpilot

ExpressVPN

4.7

4.7

4.1

NordVPN

4.6

4.7

4.2

Surfshark

4.6

4.7

4.4

Proton

4.7

4.6

2.1

Windscribe

4.6

4.6

4.7

Track record: can you trust ExpressVPN?

• Owner, Kape Technologies, has distanced itself from Crossrider
• A major DNS leak was discovered in 2024, active since 2022
• The leak was resolved quickly with a fix that was later audited

We've often seen articles that claim ExpressVPN's owner, Kape Technologies, was responsible for creating malware under its previous name, Crossrider. The reality is more complicated.

Crossrider was a development platform that could be used to create browser extensions. The Wayback Machine archive of its site details this.

Some bad actors used the platform to create adware and other malicious applications. They were low-level, though, as Crossrider just wasn't capable of creating ransomware or anything truly destructive.

Still, there is discussion about whether Crossrider could have done more to stop the bad actors.

We're not sure. Crossrider did have ethical issues, like including features that allowed extensions to inject ads into web pages, but that's still not malware. Crossrider changed its name and direction years ago, too, leaving the brand behind.

Read more about ExpressVPN's track record▼

In February 2024, ExpressVPN revealed that a reviewer had discovered a DNS leak in its Windows app that had been active since May 2022.

This meant that DNS requests sent from the user device weren't directed through the tunnel and instead used the regular connection. Because of this, the user's ISP, or whoever ran the network they used, may have been able to log the websites they accessed.

It was bad news, and not just because it invalidated one of the primary reasons to invest in a VPN in the first place (to conceal your browsing history from third parties). The leak had also been happening for years without anyone noticing.

ExpressVPN did point out mitigating factors. The issue only affected Windows machines, for instance, when split tunnelling was enabled.

ExpressVPN also responded quickly when it became aware of the DNS leak

ExpressVPN also responded quickly when it became aware of the issue. It removed split tunnelling from the Windows apps to ensure users couldn't be affected and, within six days, the larger problem was troubleshooted and a fix had been developed. Split tunnelling also returned in short order.

ExpressVPN commissioned an independent audit to confirm its success, reporting mostly positive results (another issue was found and fixed) in an April blog post.

Another controversy arose when former US military intelligence officer Daniel Gericke joined ExpressVPN as its CIO.

In 2021, the US Justice Department revealed that Gericke previously worked for a company that provided hacking services for the UAE.

This included creating "zero-click exploits to illegally obtain and use access credentials for online accounts issued by U.S. companies, and to obtain unauthorized access to computers, like mobile phones, around the world, including in the United States".

Gericke and two others later signed a Deferred Prosecution Agreement which ‘restricts their future activities and employment and requires the payment of $1,685,000 in penalties’.

More recently, ExpressVPN has found itself in hot water with the Indian authorities. Indian streaming site JioStar has claimed ExpressVPN is a "knowing facilitator and inducer" of online piracy, and has reported the provider to the Noida Cyber Crime Police Station.

Audits

ExpressVPN (and its various technologies) has undergone a huge number of audits.

The most recent of these took place in June 2025, by KPMG, and combed through ExpressVPN's no-logs policy. The audit confirmed that ExpressVPN abides by the claims in its privacy policy, and doesn't log or store identifiable data.

If a VPN invites an audit at all, it's usually just to verify the no-logs policy. It's a good place to start, and ExpressVPN does these too, but it consistently goes further.

It has separate audits for its Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux apps, its browser extension, Aircove router, Keys password manager, and more. In fact, ExpressVPN's custom Lightway protocol has been the subject of four separate audits.

Unlike some providers, ExpressVPN doesn't congratulate itself with a "we did great" blog post that contains just a few cherry-picked lines from the auditor's conclusion. ExpressVPN always makes the full report available online for anyone who is interested.

Score: 3/5

Final verdict

ExpressVPN is a great VPN and ranks third in our shortlist of the best VPNs overall. We also consider it the best VPN for beginners.

The ExpressVPN Basic plan offers the best value for money, at $3.49 per month. The 2-year ExpressVPN Pro plan ($7.49 per month) comes with extras, including 5 days of unlimited eSIM data and a dedicated IP. A 7-day free trial is available for iOS and Android via the App Store or Google Play Store.

Who should use ExpressVPN?

✅ Anyone new to VPNs: Thanks to an intuitive UI (that spans all platforms/gadgets) and a simple installation process, ExpressVPN is an ideal choice for anyone's first VPN.

✅ People who prioritize their digital privacy: ExpressVPN has an extensive and successful auditing history, covering its logging policy, apps, and even its proprietary Lightway protocol.

✅ Streamers and gamers: ExpressVPN's speedy Lightway protocol ensured a smooth and buffer-free experience for us when testing streaming platforms and online games.

ExpressVPN: $4.49/month

We think that ExpressVPN's Advanced plan is the best overall package, and it's only a dollar more expensive than the Basic subscription. Users get:

✅ Advanced Protection (tracker and ad blocking)
✅ ExpressVPN Keys password manager
✅ 3 days of unlimited eSIM data

There's even a 7-day free trial for iOS and Android, as well as a standard 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

Who should try a different VPN instead?

❌ Bargain hunters: ExpressVPN recently restructured its pricing model, introducing new tiers, but monthly prices are still more expensive than competitors like Surfshark and NordVPN.

NordVPN – from $2.99 per month
The best VPN overall and best for streaming
If you want a VPN and an all-in-one security suite, NordVPN has more to offer than ExpressVPN. Its Threat Protection Pro toolkit is designed to block ads, trackers, phishing attempts, and malicious URLs – and is included in all Plus and Ultimate plans. A more basic version, Threat Protection, comes with Basic plans. NordVPN also excelled at streaming, partially thanks to its excellent speeds, and is nice and easy to use. See how NordVPN compares to ExpressVPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

ExpressVPN FAQsDoes ExpressVPN have a free trial?

Yes, ExpressVPN has a 7-day free trial available for iOS and Android, accessible through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

ExpressVPN testing methodology

In this review, whenever I say that “I” did something or had a specific opinion, I’m drawing on my firsthand experience with the product.

On the other hand, when I say “we”, it refers to the TechRadar VPN team and how ExpressVPN held up in our lab testing. This testing was performed by Mike Williams, Technical Editor, who has built his own VPN testing software and methodology over a span of 11 years in the VPN industry.

Mike subjected ExpressVPN to the same lab conditions that we apply to all of the VPNs we stress test and review at TechRadar. The testing process involves standardized speed testing in conditions that are optimal for VPN performance, ensuring that the kill switch isn’t causing IP address leaks, and manually checking the VPN protocols. For more information about Mike’s process, head on over to our lab testing methodology explainer.

You can also take a look at our author biographies to get a better idea of our experience in the VPN field.

The TechRadar VPN team has fact-checked this ExpressVPN review, which also contains information from the provider itself, and we update the review each month.

We add feature news, audit results, and other new information, and ensure that our ExpressVPN review is always as up-to-date as possible, so there’s no discrepancy between our coverage and the product you download.

If your experience with ExpressVPN differs from ours, or if we’ve missed anything, you can reach out in the comments section or email us direct. We’ll do our best to provide product support, correct any mistakes, or warn other users and readers.

Dali Sonik 1: Two-minute review

Dali’s new Sonik series of speakers is the Danish brand’s re-introduction to the global hi-fi market — and these, the Dali Sonik 1, are a set of versatile, broad-appeal passive bookshelf speakers aimed squarely at the entry-level audio enthusiast. They enter a saturated market at this size and price, rubbing shoulders with about every major speaker brand you can name; still, they stand apart and more than hold their own.

Clever driver and cone designs, refined from Dali speakers past, provide a surprising quality of sound, from clear and distortion-free articulation to smooth, natural-sounding mids and highs. Everything shines through these, but vocals benefit perhaps the most.

Transient performance is nothing short of delicious, and the low end is surprisingly supple for the size of the units (helped along by some very enthusiastic bass reflex ports). There’s a chance that the Sonik 1 are a little over-eager with respect to high end, but it’s marginal — and minimal against the robustness and throat on display in denser mixes.

Being a curmudgeonly sort, I tried my best not to love these speakers at first listen. I failed. It’s love. From the clear attention to detail shown in their design and build to the stunningly versatile sound performance, the Dali Sonik 1 are an overperforming pair of almost-budget bookshelfs. And definitely among the best stereo speakers on the market.

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Dali Sonik 1 review: Price & release date

• Released February, 2026
• Priced $900 / £449.99 / AU$849

Do you ever feel like the Scandinavians just do it better? From my distant and semi-ignorant perch in deepest West Yorkshire, in the UK, I can’t help but feel like it’s true. Whether its education, taxation, or straight-up happiness, the concept of Nordic exceptionalism is very real indeed – and we’ve got even more proof right here in the land of domestic hi-fi audio, thanks to the landmark Danish audiophile loudspeaker industry frontrunner, Dali. Which stands for, er, Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries.

Dali has been designing speakers from the ground up since the early 80s, and has established a well-earned reputation in that time. Its speakers touch every point of the hi-fi market, from budget-friendly fare to audiophilic bucket-list bookshelfs and beyond. Its roster of speakers is broad, deep and a little intimidating to reckon with — which is, in part, why it came out with this in February 2026: the Sonik series of passive speakers.

The Sonik series is Dali’s full and formal self-introduction to a global audience, taking everything it’s learned in its 40-ish years of loudspeaker development and cramming the best into a budget-spanning set of new flagships. There are seven different sets in the Sonik series, a comprehensive spread encompassing standmount, floorstanding and home cinema-friendly models. Whatever it is you want or need, chances are you’ll find it here.

Of these, the Dali Sonik 1 are proudly the smallest and cheapest of the bunch: a set of bookshelf standmounts that are dinkier than they look, and also much more powerful than that deceptive dinkiness would suggest. At $900 / £449.99 / AU$849, these aren’t the cheapest bookshelf speakers money can buy (especially in the US!), but they’re more or less in direct competition with entry-level bookshelf fare from practically every other hi-fi brand going; from Klipsch’s RP-600Ms to KEF’s Q1 Metas to Bowers and Wilkins’ 607 S3s to umpteen other austere offerings.

It’s a tough crowd, but one that Dali’s been quietly besting in a few key areas for a long time. In this competitive loudspeaker arena, will Nordic exceptionalism prove itself again?

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Dali Sonik 1 review: Specs

Type

Bookshelf

Active or passive?

Passive

Bi-wirable

No

Woofer

5.25-inch Clarity Cone wood fiber; SMC driver

Tweeter

29mm soft dome

Impedance

6 ohms

Dimensions

274 × 162 × 231mm

Dali Sonik 1 review: Features

• Small-format bookshelf speakers with two-way crossover
• Patented cone design for smoother mids
• Remarkably low distortion, via proprietary driver composition

The Dali Sonik 1 are a pair of passive bookshelf speakers, with a two-way crossover involving a 29mm soft-dome tweeter and a 5.25-inch woofer, and a ported bass reflex chassis. They’re single-wire connectable, as opposed to bi-wirable; unless you have grand and arcane plans of driving tweeters and woofers separately, I don’t consider this in any way a shortcoming — and if you actually do have such plans, you are surely looking in the wrong price range.

Being passive, the Sonik 1’s features are almost entirely found in their clever composition, which hides some smart proprietary bits and pieces behind those optional magnetic cloth grilles. For instance, the whole Sonik series, Sonik 1 included, benefits from Dali’s trademarked Clarity Cone technology (taken from the Kore range that came before), wherein the speaker cones are made using a proprietary paper/wood-fiber blend, said to improve mid-range smoothness among other things.

There’s another trademarked feature, too, in the “SMC” (Soft Magnetic Composite)-assisted magnet systems that constitute the driver. Dali’s patented composite sits in the voice coil, significantly reducing distortion in the process. Collectively, these in-house divinations deign to create a fulsome, highly natural-sounding set of standmounts.

The Sonik 1 are the smallest of the Sonik series, and quite slender even for their size. It’s a small surprise settling them in to their respective homes and having some room to spare — but still, there’s a sense that they’re certain to punch above their weight class as soon as you take them out of the box.

Speaking of which, there’s not much here in the way of box candy (no speaker cables, either). That said, they do ship with two sets of stick-on rubber feet: small, squashy black ones for standing them on your shelf of choice, and some thick, translucent ones for sticking on the back if you intend to wall-mount them. I’m not one for wall-mounting them just yet, but I was nonetheless touched that Dali elected to send clear stand-offs so as not to cause unsightly shadows if you do hang them.

That particularly small-beers inclusion is, for me, a perfect crystallization of Dali’s approach with the Sonik 1, and a reflection of its journey to this point. Small things, offered without ceremony, that add up to a thoughtful and gratifying whole.

• Features score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Dali Sonik 1 review: Sound quality

• Smooth, dulcet vocal reproduction
• Deep, reflex-assisted bass
• Transparent treble and tactile transients

Dali talks a big talk about the natural sound of the Sonik series. As someone that also works on the other side of the mixing desk from time to time, it’s hard to describe what makes something sound ‘natural’ as anything other than a neutral approach to representing exactly what was recorded. Hi-fi devices are not typically designed to do this, either; they’re designed to flatter. They accentuate the bits that gratify us, giving us more to grab onto than a flat-response set of monitors would dare to. And yet...

To reach for a sense beyond natural, the Sonik 1 do some marvelous things, from delicate treatment of higher highs to a round, robust treatment of reedier sounds. It’s the voices, really, that shine, with no undue thanks to those Clarity Cone woofers; my household’s vinyl copy of Mitski’s Nothing Is Happening To Me has been on heavy rotation, and rendered in disturbingly effective heartbreaky three-dimensionality each and every time, since I installed the Sonik 1 pair.

Cats is a long, soft-silk ribbon, pulled deftly through my left ear and out the right. If I Leave’s brief crescendo of deep-gritted guitars and chest-voice urgency is a weighty presence in the room. B-side opener and second single, I’ll Change For You, is an honest-to-god tearjerker with thanks to an exceptionally tangible rendering of that stunning lead line – Mitski’s voice honestly feeling as if it floats forward through the mix, drifting airily on its own delusive train of thought. Brain-scratchingly good stuff.

Spinning the 10th anniversary repress of Adult Jazz’s Gist Is, I got a real feel for the Sonik 1’s handling of space. The richness of that midrange lends itself to roomy sounds, in which Gist Is, a patchwork of heres and theres, readily revels. Sparse, clever instrumental arrangements are articulated with fullness — illustrating some tactile transient responsiveness just as much as a natural, earnestly flattering representation of timbre.

The cheeky-swung drums on opener Hum are a bright, effervescent presence; cymbal crashes and open hats fizz in Am Gone. Slow-burner Spook is a highlight, rendering powerful dynamic shifts and slow-developing ambiences with a sense of unbothered expertise. Palm-muted guitars spike through like football cleats through turf, and legato lead lines skate sharply across the crescendo as if on six feet of ice.

Dali commits to harnessing low end wherever and however it can, leading to some extremely impressive bass performance from speakers that have neither the stature nor the right. There’s a little weight missing, and the bass reflex port is doing a lot of heavy lifting to replace it (aided, no doubt, by the sub-optimal listening position in which the Sonik 1 lived for most of my testing), but even without that telltale pumpy bluster, there’s a lot to love about the structure of the heft they possess.

If I were to find anything to complain about with the Dali Sonik 1, it would end up being a slight high-end over-presence. The treatment of trebly sources is delicate, considered and even fastidious, but sometimes, to the point of clear preference over other elements of a mix. This is emphasized further by that slight lack in the low end, countered by an eager bass reflex.

But here’s the thing: I feel like I’m reaching. Putting on one of the more chaotic records in my vinyl collection — My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless — I’m greeted with unexpected clarity and cohesion. Everything’s resolved as it was, is and should be, from brain-swallowing yet still-punchy lows to screeching uber-compressed wall-of-guitar highs. It’s a high-performing pair, through and through.

• Sound quality score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Dali Sonik 1 review: Design

• High attention to detail
• Clever attachable grille
• Cool, understated looks

Dali’s full-spectrum approach to design and manufacture means the same care and attention is given to the development of each product in their roster, as gamely demonstrated by the quality on display with the Sonik 1.

There’s attention to detail wherever you look, be it the chunky brass terminals at the rear or the tastefully radiused face-plates at the front. Really, these are tasteful-looking through and through. The pair under review are the natural oak variant version, but you can also pick these up in white, black ash or walnut. With mine, a cream front face is gamely disrupted by bold black driver surrounds, accentuating the presence of that cool burgundy woofer cone.

The included cloth grilles are a mottled off-white, and attachable (as is becoming increasingly common) with magnets; this leaves a smooth face on the speakers, and makes for a posh-feeling set overall. With the grilles on, the Dali Sonik 1 become coolly understated; they fade amenably into the figurative milieu of your living room, and shine all the more prominently on their acoustical merits.

• Design score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Dali Sonik 1 review: Value

• A familiar price for entry-level audiophile fare
• Incredible performance for budget
• Impossible not to like

Generally speaking, and whichever way you slice it, $900 / £449.99 / AU$849 is a lot of money to ask someone to pay for something. But it’s the de facto floor price (excepting that tariff-y US-import price) for something good in the audiophile hi-fi space. When big numbers get bandied around for confoundingly clever loudspeakers further up the chain, it’s easy to lose sight of the real ask here for the average consumer.

Every brand that puts out an entry-level artefact of posh loudspeaker design at this price, then, has to be able to justify it. And most of the heavy hitters do, pulling down top-flight innovations to an affordable price and walking the walk on sound quality (Bowers and Wilkins’ 607 S3 being a chief competitor and major example). And just as most of the heavy hitters do, so too does Dali.

The Sonik 1 are as smart a pair of bookshelf speakers as you could ask for. They’re deeply versatile, deep-sounding despite their stature, and delightful to listen to. The frequency response reflects a hyper-natural richness, without overrepresenting anything too nakedly. They fill small and medium spaces capably, handle loud signals with minimal distortion, and deliver gratifying performance from wherever you sit or stand.

These speakers are an excellent example of what investing in hi-fi can actually mean for someone. The articulation and fidelity on display is demonstrably far, far better than cheaper fare you come across. The Sonik 1 may be the entry-level pair in a large family of new broad-appeal loudspeakers, but they’re as refined as you could ever want in a mid-range listening setup. They look the part, yes, but they feel the part, too.

To be blunt, I went into this review with a harshly critical eye. It was softened instantly, by a self-assured set of speakers that elevated my home hi-fi without ceremony. Dali is doing some incredible work reinstating the importance of attention to detail, of pride in a product, via a seamlessly well put together set of speakers that actually exceed their expectations.

• Value score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Dali Sonik 1 review: scorecard

Comment

Rating

Features

A 29mm soft dome tweeter and a 5.25-inch woofer with a proprietary driver and cone design, plus a diminutive footprint.

5/5

Sound quality

Speakers that have no right sounding how they do. Full articulation, with impressive clarity of vocals; rich and robust low end; dynamics handled naturally.

5/5

Design

Understatedly gorgeous, with a seamlessness that reflects build quality as well as aesthetic nice-ness.

5/5

Value

Even though the cheaper end of the spectrum for 'decent' hi-fi passives is quite pricey, they represent nothing but value for money.

5/5

Should you buy the Dali Sonik 1?Buy them if...

You want capable, versatile performers
The Dali Sonik 1 are broad-appeal bookshelfs, with a decidedly ‘natural’ sound profile. They work well wherever you put them, whatever you put through them and whatever volume you like (within reason). They’re low distortion, high fidelity and hard to flap!

You like crooners
Voices are articulated with astonishing accuracy and presence, alongside strings and reedy things. Your heartbreaking Americana records will never sound better below $1000 (just).

Don't buy them if...

You’re a bass-hunter
The low end is certainly remarkable with the Dali Sonik 1, but that’s with respect to their size. They rely (sometimes overly) on their thick, pumpy bass reflex ports to build out the subby stuff, so you may want to size up if that's your bag.

The price makes you think twice
Nothing’s worth stretching a budget hard for, and the Dali Sonik 1 are no different. Dali has cheaper, more accessible bookshelfs that offer tantalizing glimpses at the very same quality on display here — if money is an object, consider going for the Kupid instead.

Dali Sonik 1 review: Also consider

Dali Sonik 1

Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3

Kanto Ren

Price

$349.99 / £279.99 (approx AU$570)

$369.99 / £329.99 / AU$449

$599 / £599 (around AU$1,199)

Type

Passive bookshelf

Passive bookshelf

Passive bookshelf

Bi-wirable?

No

Yes

No

Woofer

5.25-inch Clarity Cone wood fiber; SMC driver

130mm Continuum mid/bass driver

114mm wood-fiber/paper mid/bass driver

Tweeter

29mm soft dome

25mm titanium double-dome

26mm soft dome

Impedance

6 ohms

8 ohms

4 ohms

Dimensions

274 × 162 × 231mm

300 x 165 x 207mm

245 x 150 x 198mm

Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3
The Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 are the vaunted speaker brand’s new flagship for entry-level audiophilia, and an excellent set of passive bookshelfs in their own right. They share some things vaguely in common with the Sonik 1, from a preference for high end to a slightly demanding price point — but they’re bi-wirable, too.
Read our full Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 review here

Dali Kupid
If $900 / £450 is a little rich for your budget, Dali has you covered. The Dali Kupid passive bookshelf speakers are even budget-ier, and carry a lot of the same DNA. Concessions are made, of course, but these entry-level standmounts still got full marks from us.
Read our full Dali Kupid review here

How I tested the Dali Sonik 1

• Tested for 6 week(s)
• Used as main living-room listening speakers
• Predominantly tested using vinyl records, played on Vestax turntables; also with CDs and hi-res streaming from Qobuz

The Dali Sonik 1 bookshelf speakers found their home at the epicenter of my living-room listening station, where they were hooked up to my Cambridge Audio A2 integrated amplifier, and received audio from a variety of sources — most commonly, vinyl records played through Vestax PDX-D3 turntables (outfitted with Audio-Technica AT-VM95E cartridges) and a Vestax preamp and mixer.

I listened to CDs using a FiiO DM13 CD player, and I threw some hi-res streaming from Qobuz in there for good measure, too, via a 3.5mm jack from my laptop to the Vestax mixer.

First reviewed: April 2026

Read more about how we test at TechRadar

Oppo Find X9 Ultra: Two-minute review

The Oppo Find X8 Ultra was one of the best camera phones to launch in 2025, but there was one big problem: you could only officially get it in China. Now, its successor has landed, and thankfully, this one's launching globally.

To make matters even better, the Find X9 Ultra has been upgraded in just about every conceivable way. It features the latest Snapdragon SoC, a bigger battery, a fresh Hasselblad-inspired design, and a faster screen with a new shape.

Really, though, it's the cameras that are the main attraction, and this is no small upgrade. The phone's main camera has been bumped up to 200MP, as has the 3x periscope telephoto lens. Meanwhile, the ultra-wide gets a significantly larger sensor, and the 6x telephoto has been replaced with a 10x unit.

The Find X8 Ultra was already amazing, but the X9 Ultra takes smartphone imaging to new heights. It has the best zoom of any phone I've tested, and captures stunning shots in all lighting conditions.

Plus, it benefits from Hasselblad-approved film simulations and stunning portrait mode effects. And that's before we get into its video chops, where the Oppo Find X9 Ultra boasts up to 4K 120fps recording with Log and Dolby Vision, with the ability to bake in LUTs.

(Image credit: Future)

If you want to take your video and photography capabilities even further, there's an amazing photography kit and teleconverter lens available for the Find X9 Ultra — but it doesn't come cheap. At the time of writing, I haven't put this kit through its paces, but the 300mm-equivalent teleconverter looks to be one of the most impressive offerings so far.

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra has been an absolute delight to live with, and I find myself with almost zero complaints. The software is brilliant, the battery life is solid, the performance is top-notch, and the cameras may be the best of any phone yet.

The only things that might deter some people are the physical size and weight of this phone, as well as its price. But if you want the best camera phone on the market, those are the sacrifices you have to make. In my eyes, the Find X9 Ultra is absolutely worth it.

Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• 12GB + 512GB for £1,449
• Launched 'globally' for the first time
• Not available in the US

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is available to pre-order now in both the UK and Europe, along with most other regions globally — excluding the United States. The phone will be available at retail starting May 8, 2026, and it comes in two colours, either Tundra Umber (vegan leather) or Canyon Orange.

In the UK, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra is only available with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but select markets will also be able to purchase a 16GB+1TB variety. The 12GB+512GB model will cost you £1,449, which is exactly the same price as the 512GB Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

It's a pricey phone, but with a stacked spec sheet and the most advanced camera hardware on the market, that was to be expected. You couldn't call it a bargain, but if you're a photography and video enthusiast, I think the cost of entry is well justified.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: Specs

Here’s a look at the Oppo Find X9 Ultra’s key specs:

Oppo Find X9 Ultra

Dimensions:

163.16 x 76.97 x 9.10mm

Weight:

236g

OS:

ColorOS 16, based on Android 16

Display:

6.82-inch OLED, 144Hz

Resolution:

3120 x 1440 pixels

Chipset:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

RAM:

12GB

Storage:

512GB

Battery:

7,050mAh

Rear cameras:

200MP (f/1.5) main, 50MP ultra-wide (f/2), 200MP 3x telephoto (f/2.2), 50MP 10x telephoto (f/3.5)

Front camera:

50MP (f/2.4) AF

Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Hasselblad X2D-inspired design
• Tundra Umber and Canyon Orange options
• IP68 + IP69 dust and water-resistant

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is available in two distinct and bold color options for the global market. I opted for the Tundra Umber version, which takes design cues from Hasselblad's X2D medium format camera.

It has a brownish finish with a metallic sheen, covered by two panels of black vegan leather that mimic the look of a camera grip. The camera control button (or Quick Key) has Hasselblad's signature orange finish, and there's a subtle orange ring around the camera island, too.

The Canyon Orange version makes even more of a statement. It foregoes the vegan leather panelling in favor of a smooth glass back with a subtle swirling pattern. They both look stunning, but if you're a camera nerd, Tundra Umber is the obvious choice.

The X9 Ultra has a large circular camera module, just like its predecessor, but this one looks a little different. While the base platform is a circle, the glass lens covering is now a curved hexagonal shape. It's a somewhat unusual decision that I'm not entirely sold on.

(Image credit: Future)

I'm not sure of the exact reasoning behind it, but if I had to guess, I think Oppo is attempting to mimic the shape of the aperture opening on a high-end lens.

Taking clear inspiration from Apple's latest iPhones, and following in the footsteps of the X9 Pro, the X9 Ultra has its version of both an Action Button and Camera Control button. Of course, you get the usual volume rocker and lock button, as well.

I’m a big fan of these buttons on the iPhone, so I’m happy to see them here, too. Oppo could have done something a little more original, but there's no arguing with the utility.

The Action Button (or Snap Key, as Oppo calls it) has all the same functionality as Apple’s equivalent, but Oppo’s version of the Camera Control (Quick Button) is more limited.

(Image credit: Future)

You can still use it to open the camera app with a double tap, swiping it zooms in and out, and pressing it takes a photo. However, it's not customizable like Apple’s version. You can't use it to adjust your EV compensation, switch filters, or half-press it to focus. These features seem like they'd be easy enough to implement, but for some reason, Oppo hasn't done so.

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra has both IP68 and IP69 certifications. This means it’s effectively dust and waterproof, and it’ll even survive blasts from jets of hot water. Handy, if you ever accidentally run it through the dishwasher.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: Display

(Image credit: Future)

• 6.82-inch 144Hz OLED display
• Similar shape to the S25 Ultra
• 3,600 nits peak brightness

The first thing that struck me about the X9 Ultra’s display is that the corners have a much sharper radius than other phones in the Find X9 family.

It reminds me of the screen on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. It occupies a middle ground between sharp 90-degree corners and a softer, more iPhone-like curve.

The result is a display that feels noticeably larger than that of the Find X9 Pro, without actually taking up much more pocket space.

The downside is that it doesn't benefit from the same razor-thin bezels as the Pro model. They're still slim, but they're nowhere near as impressive.

(Image credit: Future)

Another standout is the fact that this phone has a 144Hz adaptive refresh rate, rather than 120Hz. I’d be lying if I said I could tell the difference, but if you're in the upper echelons of competitive gaming, you might appreciate it more.

Otherwise, the screen on the Find X9 Ultra gives you exactly what you'd expect from a top-tier flagship phone.

The colors are vibrant and accurate, the contrast levels are impeccable, and it gets more than bright enough to compete with strong sunshine.

If you're sensitive to flicker, you'll be pleased to learn that the Find X9 Ultra has a speedy 2160Hz PWM dimming frequency, too.

• Display score: 5 / 5

Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: Cameras

(Image credit: Future)

• 200MP main (f/1.5)
• 50MP ultra-wide (f/2)
• 200MP 3x telephoto (f/2.2)
• 50MP 10x telephoto (f/3.5)

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is almost more camera than phone, and with such significant hardware changes, there's a very good chance that this will be the most advanced camera phone of 2026. Every single camera has been upgraded over the Find X8 Ultra, which was already one of the best camera phones we'd ever tested.

On the rear, there are four cameras. The main camera has a 1/1.2-inch 200MP sensor with an f/1.5 aperture, the ultra-wide is 50MP f/2.0 with a larger 1/1.95-inch sensor, and the first telephoto is a 200MP 3x periscope f/2.2 with a massive 1/1.28inch sensor.

Arguably, it's the second telephoto that's the most exciting of the bunch. It's a 10x lens, the first we've seen on a flagship since Samsung ditched its own 10x lens on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Don't make the mistake of thinking this is an equivalent lens, though. Oppo says the Find X9 Ultra's second telephoto lens has 306% better light-gathering capabilities than that of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

(Image credit: Future)

It's a 50MP unit with a 1/2.75-inch sensor and an f/3.5 aperture. Oppo is so confident about the performance of this new lens that it says it's like having the external teleconverter for the X9 Pro built in.

Of course, we can't forget about the selfie camera. This camera has also been upgraded, although the changes aren't quite so drastic. It's now 50MP, up from 32MP, and Oppo says the autofocus has been optimized, as has the image processing.

I won't beat around the bush; this is likely the best smartphone camera system I have ever used. The Vivo X300 Ultra provides some stiff competition, but without a dedicated 10x lens, it's easy to argue that the Find X9 Ultra is more versatile.

Regardless of which lens you use, and in all lighting conditions, you can expect exceptional detail and clarity. The combination of high-resolution sensors and optical reach means that this phone outclasses just about everything with its digital zoom — and if you want to go even further, you can add the external teleconverter lens.

(Image credit: Future)

The phone's default image processing gives you vibrant, sharp, and contrasty images, but if you want photos that look more like they were shot with a DSLR, you can switch to the Hasselblad Master mode.

Master Mode removes the HDR effect, has less digital sharpening, and uses zero generative AI in its processing. For this model, Oppo has added nine new film simulations that work in this mode, and each can be customized to your preference. I found that a lot of the film sims leaned too heavily on the cooler tones for my liking, but that's no issue, as I can just increase the color temperature myself.

There's also a new addition called Soft Light, which essentially mimics the effect of a Pro Mist filter. There are two strengths available, and both add some bloom to the highlights. It makes photos look like film stills, or like they came from a vintage camera, and I immediately fell in love with the effect.

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is just as ambitious when it comes to professional video features. Every lens can shoot at up to 4K 60fps in either Dolby Vision or Log, while the main and 3x telephoto can do so at 4K 120fps. You can preview your video with real-time LUTs or burn them into the final recording. There are three stylised LUTs as standard, but you can also import your own.

• Cameras score: 5 / 5

Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: Camera samplesFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureOppo Find X9 Ultra review: PerformanceFutureFuture

• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset
• 12GB RAM
• 512GB storage

The Oppo X9 Ultra is powered by one of the fastest processors money can buy: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. The global version only comes in one variety, with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage as standard.

Oddly, the Ultra model has less RAM than the X9 Pro, which has 16GB. Oppo hasn't mentioned the reason, but I think it's safe to assume that current RAM prices are to blame. Regardless, this disparity didn't seem to have a negative impact during my testing.

It probably won't shock you to learn that the Find X9 Ultra performs like the best of them. It feels super snappy, no matter what you're doing. That's partly thanks to the optimization and animation style of the ColorOS platform, and partly due to the amount of raw horsepower under the hood.

I played a few hours of Wuthering Waves on the highest graphical settings, and the Find X9 Ultra handled it perfectly. The phone's frame got quite toasty after a while, but it never became uncomfortable to hold, and the framerates remained rock steady.

Of course, if you're more interested in productivity than gaming, the performance of the Find X9 Ultra will help there, too. I was able to combine multiple clips of high-bitrate 4K video in Luma Fusion, and the phone barely broke a sweat.

It's also worth mentioning the speakers, as they're quite impressive. There's an audible improvement compared to the previous model, with better clarity at the top end and almost zero distortion at max volume.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: SoftwareFutureFutureFuture

• ColorOS 16, based on Android 16
• New AI features
• Styling updates and Mind Space

ColorOS has been my favourite Android skin for a while now, and Oppo continues to improve it with new features. The basics remain the same, so if you used a recent Oppo, OnePlus, or Realme device, you'll have a good idea of what's in store.

Recent versions of the software have some very Apple-like touches, which seems to be a trend with Chinese brands of late. There are Liquid Glass-looking elements, a Dynamic Island clone, depth effects, and stretched clocks for the lock screen; even the UI for the Action Button looks identical to Apple's.

Again, no awards for originality, but I can't help liking what Oppo has done here. These features all look fantastic, and the Dynamic Island-like cutout is as useful as ever, allowing me to quickly get to my media playback, timers, and more.

As for what's new, there's a lock screen feature called Live Space, which looks very similar to Samsung's Now Bar. It's found in the same place at the bottom of your screen, but this one just displays notifications, rather than AI updates.

(Image credit: Future)

Oppo has also been hard at work on its AI Mind Space app. It's still in beta, but it basically works like Nothing's Essential Space or the Screenshots app on a Samsung or Pixel phone. It collects screenshots of important information and uses AI to organize them, summarize them, and make them searchable.

Oppo differentiates itself with the features it adds on top. If you often take photos or screenshots of your receipts, for instance, the new AI Bill Manager can help you keep track of your finances.

There's also a new feature called Mind Pilot, which lets you chat with Gemini, Perplexity, and Deep Seek, all from a single app. The idea is that Mind Pilot will match your query with the AI that's most suited to help.

It could be handy if you're a chatbot hopper, but unfortunately, on my prerelease software, Mind Pilot wasn't working correctly. It would match my query with an AI, but then the answer would never materialize.

FutureFuture

There are some other features that aren't quite as new, but are still worth mentioning. I love O+ Connect, which is a piece of software that lets me control my Mac or PC with my phone, and vice versa. It even lets me copy and paste between the two, which is super handy.

There's also a feature called AI Speak, which reads websites aloud in a natural-sounding voice, no matter which browser you use. It's nothing new, but it's just as handy as ever.

When it comes to long-term support, Oppo pledges five years of major OS upgrades and six years of security patches to the Find X9 Ultra. That's behind the likes of Samsung and Google, but it's not a bad offering.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: Battery

(Image credit: Future)

• 7,050mAh silicon-carbon battery
• 100W wired charging
• 50W wireless charging

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra has a 7,050mAh battery, which is big, but bizarrely, it's significantly smaller than the 7,500mAh pack found in the Pro model. I suppose all of these giant camera sensors take up space that would otherwise be filled with a battery.

Still, that battery will last you a long time. I couldn't consistently squeeze two days of use from this phone like I could with the Find X9 Pro, but a day and a half was pretty typical with my usage.

Of course, your mileage with the Find X9 Ultra will vary depending on how you use it. The camera system seems to be the most power-hungry, followed by high-end mobile games, but that's not too surprising.

When it's time to charge, the Find X9 Ultra won't have you waiting for long. It supports speeds of up to 100W with the right charger, but you don't get one in the box, just a USB-C cable.

Just half an hour on the charger was enough to take this phone from zero to over 70%. However, that's with Oppo's official wall adapter; third-party chargers take far longer.

Wireless charging is also rapid. This phone can charge at 50W with one of Oppo's AirVooc chargers, which is incredibly convenient, but those chargers don't come cheap.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Oppo Find X9 Ultra?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is a pricey phone, but it's also one of the best, so I think the price is justified.

4 / 5

Design

The Find X9 Ultra impresses with its Hasselblad-inspired design, but the not-quite-circle not-quite-hexagon camera module won't appeal to everyone.

4 / 5

Display

It's big, it's bright, it's speedy. What's not to like?

5 / 5

Cameras

Simply put, these are some of the best cameras on any phone.

5 / 5

Performance

With the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 inside and solid thermal performance, the Find X9 Ultra goes toe-to-toe with the best.

5 / 5

Software

ColorOS is one of the most full-featured and aesthetically pleasing Android skins, but the support terms aren't the longest.

4 / 5

Battery

The battery life is really good, but it can't match the Find X9 Pro's.

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want the best camera phone on the market

If photography and video shooting are your top priorities, there are few phones that can compete with the Find X9 Ultra. It might be the best camera phone of 2026.

You're looking for a zero-compromise flagship

Outside of the cameras, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra isn't lacking in any department. The software is excellent, the performance is top-notch, it has a big battery, speedy charging, and it looks nice, too.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a tight budget

It might be one of the best phones around, but the best never comes cheap. This phone is a significant investment, and bargain hunters need not apply.

You want something lightweight and compact

With a massive screen and giant camera bump, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra is a bit of a unit. If you have smaller hands, it might be difficult to manage.

Oppo Find X9 Ultra review: Also consider

The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is one of the best phones we've ever tested, but it's important to consider the competition, too. Here are a couple of competitors worth looking at.

Vivo X300 Ultra

The Vivo X300 Ultra is the Find X9 Ultra's closest competitor. It offers some more advanced video options than the Oppo, but without a second periscope, it struggles to match its zoom. It's difficult to get hold of outside of China, too.

Read our hands-on Vivo X300 Ultra review

Xiaomi 17 Ultra

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is another top camera-focused Chinese flagship that shouldn't be ignored. I don't think it outperforms the other options here, but it competes well, and might not sting the wallet quite so much.

Read our hands-on Xiaomi 17 Ultra review

Oppo Find X9 Ultra

Vivo X300 Ultra

Xiaomi 17 Ultra

Price:

£1,449

€1,999

£1,299 / €1,429 / AU$1,799

Display:

6.82-inch OLED

6.82-inch OLED

6.9-inch OLED

Cameras:

200MP main; 50MP ultra-wide; 200MP 3x telephoto; 50MP 10x telephoto

200MP main; 50MP ultra-wide; 200MP 3.7x telephoto

50MP main; 50MP ultra-wide; 200MP 3.2x-4.3x telephoto

Chipset:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Battery:

7,050mAh

6,400mAh

6,000mAh

How I tested the Oppo Find X9 Ultra

• Review test period: Two weeks
• Testing included: Everyday use, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
• Tools used: Geekbench 6, 3DMark, native Android stats

I used the Oppo Find X9 Ultra as my main phone for around two weeks. I used it exactly as I would any other phone, taking lots of photos and videos, gaming, messaging, working, streaming video, and navigating with Google Maps.

I also compared the experience of playing graphically challenging games like Wuthering Waves to my experience on other Android flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Oppo Find X9 Pro. I ran lots of benchmarks on the handset, including 3DMark and Geekbench, to confirm my performance findings.

I tested the battery performance based on my real-world usage, and charging times were measured using an official Oppo charger and cable.

First tested April 2026

The last few years have been absolutely mind-blowing for Richard Gadd. 2024 saw the release of the hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer, catapulting Gadd to global stardom virtually overnight.

What followed was record-breaking success and a tumultuous legal case involving the alleged inspiration for Martha (Jessica Gunning), Fiona Harvey. Two years later, he returns to TV with Half Man, his first fully fictional series launching on HBO Max and BBC iPlayer.

If you thought Baby Reindeer was uncomfortable to watch (especially episode 4), Half Man makes it look like child's play. The series follows brothers Niall (Jamie Bell) and Ruben (Gadd) through 30 years of their lives, exploring why their relationship is so toxic in Ruben's hands.

Where I've repeatedly binged Baby Reindeer since it first released — Gunning's performance and Gadd's script are just too captivating not to relive — I don't think I could ever stream Half Man again in my life. In short, it dredges up the worst of social masculinity in the most ruthlessly vulnerable of ways.

Despite being an exceptional series, I still feel it will linger in Baby Reindeer's shadow, largely because of how Gadd handles his first completely fictitious subject matter.

• How to watch Half Man online and for free – from anywhere

Half Man is a brutal evisceration of the worst kind of toxic masculinity

Before we get to the negatives, let's explore how Gadd has made vomit-churning evil into remarkable television. Half Man is a no-holds-barred look at the effects of excused toxic masculinity, with a lack of repercussions pivotal to understanding how reality is reflected in what we're seeing.

While meek Niall is our focal point across the six episodes, brutish Ruben is the one the story really sits with. We first meet him as a troubled teen in the 1980s, freshly out of juvenile detention and home to a mother who chalks his violent outbursts down to him being "unwell."

He quickly controls Niall with the most disturbing mental mind games I've ever seen portrayed on television, indoctrinating every part of his sexual, platonic, school and family life. This continues to get worse as Niall attends university, before their adult lives disperse and convene back together like crashing waves out at sea.

For a woman or vulnerable person, Ruben is a very real, living nightmare thrust into the faces of those who refuse to acknowledge the abominable behaviour of not all men, but some.

He's the one we fear while we're walking down the street, exercising at the gym or trying to enjoy a night out with our friends. It's almost no wonder why I don't want to see Half Man again — to an extent, many of us live it.

The more severe end of the violence scale is handled incredibly well, and I hope it will prompt some Adolescence-style dialogue and change. Gadd has such a shrewd knack for taking the dregs of global society and turning them into grotesquely real television, even if it's not always palatable.

It's Gadd's commitment to warts-and-all storytelling that will undoubtedly make Half Man one of the standout TV shows of 2026. No matter what he represents to us, no matter what we already think we know, we're metaphorically punched in the gut until we can no longer bear to look.

So why is Baby Reindeer the "better" show then?

Jamie Bell as Niall and Richard Gadd as Ruben. (Image credit: HBO)

Let me start by saying that Baby Reindeer and Half Man are two entirely different concepts, but it's the comparison that viewers are bound to make (and frankly, already are).

If we're really nitpicking, I think there's room for improvement in the structure of the story — and my best guess is that this is largely down to confidence. With Baby Reindeer, Gadd was using events from his actual life to craft something that he'd lived, beginning, middle, and end. Half Man has no bearing on reality, and thus is a storytelling shot in the dark.

This naturally leaves a greater room for error, which I think is displayed in what we're not seeing. The creative choice to time jump between episodes is, for the most part, incredibly effective, but it means that a lot of detail is unaccounted for. One of Niall's most significant romantic relationships is solely left to the imagination, as are many of the family unit's most significant milestones.

On top of this, Gadd is the weakest link in the show's otherwise strong ensemble performance. I realize I've spent the entire first half of this review relaying the importance of Ruben as a character, but we really absorb these effects of this through Niall.

Young Ruben (Stuart Campbell) is pumped up on machismo and Lynx, spouting absolute misogynistic and homophobic nonsense through a thick Scottish brogue. Gadd's version uses his normal voice, which is jarring even if it is an intentional plot point. Rather than feeling like two halves of a whole, our Rubens are connected by a string too faint to make out.

Campbell and Mitchell Robertson (who plays Young Niall) are our standout stars in Half Man. Their version of the fraught brotherhood hits the hardest, is the most emotionally explicit, and is the most exploitative in its manipulation. Emmys and BAFTAs all round, if I had my way.

My review comes with a word of warning: stream Half Man with caution. It probably ticks every trigger warning in existence, along with an alarmingly liberal use of the C word that US viewers will likely be annoyed by. But consumed correctly, Half Man could easily be 2026's TV moment of change.

In today’s hiring landscape, speed and accuracy can make or break your recruitment process. HireRight, one of the world’s most established background screening providers, helps businesses verify candidates efficiently while staying compliant with complex global regulations. Trusted by thousands of mid- to large-sized organizations, it combines advanced technology with decades of industry experience to deliver secure, fast, and reliable results.

This review examines how HireRight operates, its pricing structure, key strengths and limitations, and its integration with the leading HR and applicant tracking systems that businesses rely on daily.

HireRight: Pricing & plans

(Image credit: Future)

The cost structure of HireRight depends on multiple factors, including business size, screening volume, and the specific services required by each organization.

Small businesses can initiate their screening process at $39.95 per check for basic screening, while Advantage packages range from $69.95 to $79.95 per check for comprehensive background checks. The service offers various pricing plans, starting at $39.95 per month for individual users and progressing to more advanced plans that support multiple users.

Meanwhile, the cost of enterprise-level contracts falls into a direct pricing model, which exceeds $17,000 per year for businesses of this size. The company maintains its pricing information confidential because clients must request personalized quotes through HireRight.

You can view the full services offered by clicking here.

HireRight: How it works

(Image credit: Future)

HireRight provides comprehensive cloud-based background check and screening solutions to organizations of all sizes, helping them streamline their hiring processes. Their offerings encompass a wide range of services, including criminal background checks, educational verification, employment history checks, drug screening, and thorough identity verification for job candidates.

The integration features of HireRight allow users to connect their system with multiple HR software platforms and applicant tracking systems (ATS). The system provides users with a simple way to initiate background checks, displaying real-time progress information and complete results through an accessible dashboard. The centralized system reduces time requirements while delivering improved efficiency in the recruitment process.

HireRight’s platform offers customized solutions through packages tailored to the specific requirements of various business sectors and their corresponding regulatory needs. Businesses operating in healthcare, finance, transportation, or retail sectors must select screening options that align with their industry-specific regulations. HireRight’s worldwide presence makes it an ideal solution for organizations that operate across multiple countries or have employees based in various locations.

The candidate journey primarily occurs through digital channels, enabling both hiring managers and job seekers to manage document collection and screening operations more efficiently. The digital method enables faster verification operations while providing candidates with improved access to the verification process.

HireRight: Pros and cons

(Image credit: Future)

HireRight offers several key advantages that make it one of the leading background screening solutions for businesses. Its strong integration capabilities allow seamless connections with major Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and Human Resource software platforms. This setup streamlines background check initiation and monitoring, helping organizations reduce hiring delays and save time.

HireRight’s global screening functionality makes it particularly valuable for companies operating internationally or subject to stringent regulatory standards. The platform delivers comprehensive reports that employers rely on for accurate background information, giving them confidence and peace of mind. Its thorough coverage is essential for organizations with complex hiring needs that must meet multiple layers of local, national, and international compliance requirements.

That said, some businesses and candidates encounter significant challenges with HireRight. The most common drawback is slower processing times compared to more automated background check providers. Applicants with international experience or diverse work histories often face extended wait periods, which can reduce overall hiring efficiency.

Customer support is another frequent point of concern. Many clients and job candidates report difficulties reaching responsive service when clarification or documentation corrections are required. This lack of timely support can cause frustration and uncertainty during critical hiring stages.

The screening process itself can also be confusing for applicants. Repeated requests for documentation or verification are especially challenging for self-employed workers or those educated abroad. While these strict requirements are in place to protect employers, they often result in a negative experience for applicants.

Finally, HireRight’s enterprise-oriented pricing model poses barriers for small businesses. Companies that conduct background checks infrequently may find the service too expensive and instead seek more flexible alternatives that better fit their needs.

Overall, HireRight delivers robust and reliable screening capabilities. However, organizations must weigh their strengths against potential implementation hurdles to determine whether it aligns with their hiring processes and operational goals.

HireRight: Who would benefit the most using this

While HireRight offers solutions for small businesses and provides basic screening packages, user reviews and expert analysis suggest that it is best suited for medium and large enterprises with recurring and/or international hiring needs. Small businesses that need to conduct limited background checks annually should select cost-effective solutions that deliver fast results. The system provides complete solutions for organizations operating in regulated sectors (transportation and healthcare) that need to follow strict compliance rules.

The company delivers comprehensive solutions and system integration, but its pricing system and complex design make it unsuitable for businesses with simple needs. The system offers business owners both peace of mind and regulatory support, as well as workflow efficiency, but requires a premium cost and sometimes leads to reduced customer service.

HireRight integrates with many of the most widely used HR and applicant tracking platforms, making it easy for organizations to streamline their hiring and screening processes.

The most well-known solutions with direct HireRight integration include Workday, Oracle Cloud HCM, SAP SuccessFactors, UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group), Ceridian Dayforce, iCIMS, Greenhouse, and Cornerstone OnDemand.

These integrations allow recruiting teams to order background checks, track real-time results, and manage screening tasks directly within their existing HR workflow. As a result, companies can automate candidate vetting and improve hiring efficiency without needing separate systems or manual data re-entry. HireRight’s robust partnerships with these major platforms help ensure a smooth and efficient background screening experience for both employers and candidates.

HireRight: Final verdict

In conclusion, HireRight is a robust and widely adopted background screening provider, particularly well-suited for medium- to large-sized enterprises with recurring, international, or regulated hiring needs. Its strengths lie in comprehensive service offerings, strong integration with major HR and applicant tracking systems, and regulatory compliance across industries.

However, the platform faces significant criticism for its slow processing times, especially with international checks, repetitive and confusing documentation requests for candidates, and notably poor responsiveness to customer support. These issues can cause frustration and delays, potentially impacting hiring outcomes and candidate experience. Additionally, HireRight’s pricing model is geared toward larger organizations, making it less accessible or cost-effective for small businesses with limited screening needs.

Organizations considering HireRight should weigh its powerful screening capabilities and global reach against its operational challenges and premium costs to determine if it is a fit for their specific requirements.

BackgroundChecks.com is a cloud-based background screening platform designed to streamline the hiring process by making it faster, safer, and more organized. Previously known as ClearChecks, the platform automates time-consuming verification tasks, helping employers confirm candidate details while maintaining legal compliance.

In a hiring landscape where speed must balance with accuracy, BackgroundChecks.com aims to deliver both efficiency and reliability.

This overview examines how the platform operates, its pricing model, key advantages and disadvantages, and the types of organizations that benefit most from its features.

BackgroundChecks.com: Pricing & plans

(Image credit: ClearChecks)

BackgroundChecks.com uses a tiered pricing model that scales with the depth of the screening. Basic checks start around $24.99 per individual report. More comprehensive searches—including multi-county criminal checks, professional license verifications, and drug screenings—typically cost between $49 and $ 100.

Standalone or à la carte options are also available, such as a basic arrest record search for about $7 or a sex offender registry search for around $5. These can be combined to create customized screening packages tailored to specific hiring needs. The “Elite” plan, the platform’s most comprehensive option, costs approximately $49 per report and includes all key checks from lower tiers, plus additional verifications for roles that require greater trust or clearance.

Despite clear starting rates, some users have raised concerns about pricing transparency. Employers occasionally encounter undisclosed county-level court access fees, which vary by jurisdiction and can increase total costs. These hidden fees make budgeting for large screening batches difficult, and some users report challenges in obtaining refunds or resolving billing issues in a timely manner. Prospective buyers are advised to review each plan carefully and confirm pricing details before proceeding.

You can check it out by clicking here.

BackgroundChecks.com: How it works

BackgroundChecks.com is an all-in-one screening hub for both small businesses and large employers. Setup is straightforward: after registering, employers can log into a secure dashboard accessible from desktop, tablet, or mobile devices. The interface is designed for ease of use, enabling administrators to select screening types, invite candidates to complete digital consent forms, and track progress in real-time.

The platform offers a wide range of background checks, including multi-jurisdictional criminal searches, scans of state and county court records, motor vehicle record lookups, and drug testing panels. Employers can also verify education credentials, employment history, and professional licenses—essential for positions requiring specialized certifications or regulatory compliance.

BackgroundChecks.com: Performance

(Image credit: BackgroundChecks.com)

Speed is one of BackgroundChecks.com’s standout features. Automated workflows consolidate data from multiple databases and official repositories, providing results in minutes for many checks. More complex verifications, such as education or employment history, may take longer since they rely on responses from third parties.

Compliance is another priority. The platform adheres to Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) guidelines, ensuring responsible handling of consumer data while protecting applicants’ rights to dispute inaccuracies. Data transmission and storage use encrypted servers in line with data protection standards. Employers can also utilize audit logs and permission controls for enhanced oversight of report access.

For organizations managing high volumes of hires, batch processing enables multiple screenings to run simultaneously—a significant benefit for staffing agencies, seasonal employers, and rapidly growing businesses. Integration with HR systems and applicant tracking platforms enhances its flexibility, allowing screenings to begin directly within existing workflows without requiring a switch between platforms.

BackgroundChecks.com: Strengths and weaknesses

User feedback on BackgroundChecks.com highlights both strong performance and points for improvement. The platform’s intuitive interface and streamlined dashboard make initiating and monitoring screenings simple, even for first-time users. Many customers praise its speed, noting that standard checks often process within hours—an essential advantage for industries with constant hiring demands like retail or staffing.

The company’s focus on compliance and data security further enhances its reputation. Employers appreciate FCRA adherence, strong encryption, and customizable screening packages that avoid unnecessary costs. Many users also report positive experiences with customer support for resolving technical issues or account setup questions.

However, the recurring complaint surrounds inconsistent pricing transparency. Unexpected county-level fees and occasional billing discrepancies have led some employers to view the service as less predictable in terms of cost. Customer support experiences also vary: while some describe helpful, prompt service, others cite long response times—especially for billing disputes. A minority of users report occasional inaccuracies or incomplete results, which can delay hiring and require manual verification, thereby reducing the time-saving benefits.

Overall, BackgroundChecks.com offers a strong combination of efficiency, compliance, and convenience, though its transparency and support consistency leave room for improvement. For businesses focused on affordability and predictable pricing, these issues may outweigh their advantages. Still, for organizations seeking a fast, compliant, and secure screening solution, it remains a competitive option worth consideration.

BackgroundChecks.com: Who would benefit the most using this

BackgroundChecks.com caters to a diverse range of employers seeking an automated approach to background screening. It suits small business owners, HR departments, and large enterprises alike.

Industries with rapid hiring needs — such as hospitality, retail, and staffing — benefit most from its quick turnaround times. Highly regulated sectors, such as healthcare, education, and financial services, also benefit from its compliance-focused architecture and enhanced verification options.

For HR teams managing multiple candidates, batch processing and ATS integration help standardize workflows while minimizing manual data entry. This reduces administrative effort and potential errors.

The platform is equally useful for start-ups and small to mid-sized businesses without dedicated compliance teams, offering guided workflows that simplify legal adherence. However, employers conducting complex criminal background checks or operating across multiple jurisdictions may prefer supplementing their automated system with manual reviews to ensure accuracy.

BackgroundChecks.com stands out as a dependable screening solution that strikes a balance between automation, compliance, and accessibility. Its cloud-based design simplifies the complexities of background verification, enabling employers to complete checks quickly while maintaining compliance with FCRA regulations.

BackgroundChecks.com: Final verdict

By offering customizable screening packages and integrations with HR systems, the platform adapts well to a range of business sizes and industries. However, inconsistencies in pricing transparency and responsiveness to customer support may limit its appeal for organizations seeking absolute cost predictability. For most employers, though, its speed, data security, and compliance-driven structure make it a valuable tool for maintaining trust and safety throughout the hiring process.

Philips Baristina Milk Frother: Two-minute review

The Philips Baristina milk frother is designed to be partnered with the company’s Baristina bean-to-cup espresso machine, and it works an absolute treat. As it’s available as an optional extra for the Baristina machine, I’ve been using it for a couple of weeks alongside my Philips LatteGo 4400 Series espresso machine, and have found it to deliver much more pleasing results compared to my machine where milk foam is concerned.

It has three modes: hot milk foam, hot milk and cold milk foam. It’s incredibly easy to control, with just a single button that you press for no more than one second for hot milk foam, or you can hold it for three seconds to activate the cold milk foam mode. If you want hot milk, you need to remove the coil from the whisk before starting up the machine. Once the button is pressed, the Philips Baristina Milk Frother will spring into action to deliver you a foamy result. There’s no audible beep to let you know it’s finished, but the light on the button will go out.

In use, I found the Philips Baristina Milk Frother to be extremely quiet, measuring around 40dB using the decibelX app on my iPhone, and standing right next to it while it was working. It’s much quieter than using a steam wand on a coffee machine, or the automatic LatteGo system on my Philips machine.

The good thing about the Philips Baristina Milk Frother is that it’s been designed to work with any type of milk, including non-dairy varieties. This can’t be said of all milk frothers, including the Smeg Mini Milk Frother, which is intended to be used only with chilled full-fat dairy milk, and is a feature I find particularly appealing, being an oat milk drinker.

In tests, hot milk foam was very thick, making it well-suited for topping a cappuccino or even an espresso macchiato. Realistically though — and if you’re particularly specific about milk in your coffee — it’s just too thick to make a caffe latte or flat white. For me, personally, whose regular order is an oat milk flat white, I didn’t mind the thickness of the foam, especially as some other milk-foaming systems I’ve used aren’t as effective.

The exact results you achieve will depend on the specific milk you put in. I tried a couple of different oat milk brands and achieved similar results each time — this being a high level of foam, but without much gloss.

With that being said, if you want to be able to adjust the foam texture when frothing milk using a device such as this, the Dreo Baristamaker or Smeg Multi Milk Frother give you the option. It’s a similar story with cold milk foam too, with the Philips Baristina Milk Frother returning a thick, stable foam that is ideal for iced cappuccinos.

The carafe itself has a non-stick coating that helps your milk pour out easily, and it makes washing up as easy as possible. All it took during my use was a rinse under the tap to remove any leftovers. The whisk is removable to help ensure nothing is caught in it, and this, along with the lid, are both dishwasher safe.

While I was consistently pleased with results, given the fact you can’t specify the level of foam you’d prefer, and you can find more affordable options that do have such function, I have to dock some points from the Philips Baristina Milk Frother.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Philips Baristina Milk Frother review: Price & Availability

• List price: $99.99 / AU$149 (£79.99)
• ‘Coming soon’ in the UK as a standalone unit

The Philips Baristina Milk Frother has a list price of $99.99 in the US and AU$149 in Australia. In the UK, it’s currently only available when bundled with the matching Baristina bean-to-cup coffee machine.

At the time of writing, the Black set including the milk frother can be had for the same £299.99 as the Baristina coffee machine on its own. The White set is currently selling for £359.99. Given the fact the Baristina coffee machine doesn’t have a built-in milk frother, adding the matching one makes total sense. There is a listing on the Philips UK website for the milk frother as a solo unit, but it currently says “out of stock”.

Its list price places the Philips milk frother in mid-range territory. The Nespresso Aeroccino 3, which has previously been the milk frother I’ve used at home and which offers the same limited range of features, retails for $99 / £79 / AU$109, making it cheaper only in Australia.

If you want a milk frother that offers more features, Smeg Multi Milk Frother, which has six functions and is also suitable for making drinks like hot chocolate, costs $249.95 / £179.95 / AU$299 and is available globally.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Philips Baristina Milk Frother review: Specs

Dimensions (H x W x D)

195 x 112 x 112mm

Maximum capacity

4 fl oz / 120ml

Modes

3

Noise

50dB

Philips Baristina Milk Frother review: Design & performance

• Attractive matte finish in two colors
• Non-stick lining for simple cleaning
• Thick milk foam from all milk types

The Philips Baristina Milk Frother has been designed to perfectly match its recently released Baristina bean-to-cup espresso machine. My colleague, Cat, has already reviewed that machine, where she awarded it a full five stars, claiming it to be the best budget espresso machine currently available.

One of the only negatives she could find was that there was no built-in steam wand for frothing milk, making this standalone milk frother a necessity for milk-based coffee drinkers. It comes in the same two color choices of white or black, and adopts the same ribbed aesthetic as the main body of the matching machine.

It comprises a cylindrical carafe, a translucent plastic lid, a removable whisk that’s held in place magnetically and a base that powers the frother. The carafe has a non-stick lining, with raised markings indicating the maximum fill level. There’s no minimum fill level marking, and Philips doesn’t list one on its website — it just mentions a capacity of 4 fl oz / 120ml — but I rarely filled up to the maximum fill line, and was still able to return a large amount of milk foam.

To activate the milk frother, you just need to press the button once to activate hot milk foam, or hold it for roughly three seconds for cold milk foam. You’ll know you’ve activated cold milk foam mode correctly because the ring light around the power button will turn blue. If you just want hot milk with no foam, you can unclip the coil from the whisk handle.

There’s no dedicated pouring spout on the Baristina Milk Frother, you’re free to pour out wherever you want. However, do note that the lack of spout, combined with the sheer thickness of milk foam produced does mean you can forget about creating latte art.

Future / Max LangridgeFuture / Max LangridgeFuture / Max LangridgeFuture / Max LangridgeFuture / Max Langridge

I found the Philips Baristina to be relatively quick to finish foaming milk, taking around 90 seconds with oat milk filled to the maximum fill line. The Nespresso Aeroccino 3 that I’ve previously used takes closer to two minutes to heat at full capacity, and the level of foam isn’t always as consistent.

While I primarily used oat milk during my testing, I did also use full-fat dairy milk and, as expected, the results were similarly impressive. Full-fat dairy milk is higher in protein, which is essential when frothing milk to achieve the desired results. Non-dairy milks don’t always have similar levels, so for the Baristina Milk Frother to deliver the level of foam it did with oat milk, is mightily impressive.

I was also impressed by the machine's ability to consistently heat milk up to around 140ºF / 60ºC, which is ideal for most milk varieties.

Cleaning up is an absolute walk in the park, as the non-stick lining means you only need to rinse the milk frother under the tap to remove any leftovers.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Philips Baristina Milk Frother review: Should you buy it?Buy it if…

You don’t have a steam wand

If you’re a milk-based coffee drinker but your machine doesn’t have a steam wand, then the Philips Baristina Milk Frother will help you prepare milk in minutes.

You drink non-dairy milk

The Phillips Baristina Milk Frother doesn’t discriminate against non-dairy milk varieties, and is capable of producing consistently good foam no matter what you pour in.

Don't buy it if...

You want to create latte art

While the foam results are consistent, they’re very thick, making it unsuitable for latte art — or lattes and flat whites for that matter.

Philips Baristina Milk Frother review: Also consider

Smeg Mini Milk Frother

This stylish Smeg milk frother is just as simple to use and produces consistently good results. Similarly to the Philips Baristina, it’s not great if you want to create latte art, and it’s more expensive. Read our full Smeg Mini Milk Frother review for more details.

Dreo Baristamaker

Unlike the Philips Baristina Milk Frother, the Dreo Baristamaker can create milk foam of differing consistencies, including an option suitable for latte art. A steam wand is ultimately still better at such tasks, but the Dreo machine is a viable alternative. Read our full Dreo Baristamaker review for more information.

Philips Baristina Milk Frother review: How I tested

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

I tested each of the Philips Baristina Milk Frother’s modes using chilled oat milk and fresh full-fat milk, in accordance with Philips’ instructions.

As part of my testing, I used an oat milk that I’ve previously had trouble generating froth with when using a Nespresso milk frother. The Philips machine fared much better.

I cleaned the non-stick carafe under a tap and used a cloth to wipe away any stains, as per the instructions in the user manual.

First reviewed April 2026

For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products on TechRadar.

Veremark is a global background screening and verification platform designed to streamline pre-employment checks for HR professionals, recruiters, and small business owners. It provides a scalable, secure, and easy-to-use solution that helps organizations verify candidate credentials while maintaining compliance with international data protection and privacy regulations such as GDPR and ISO 27001.

Operating in more than 180 countries, Veremark supports a wide range of checks, including identity verification, criminal record screening, employment and education verification, professional license validation, credit and financial integrity checks, and right-to-work documentation. The platform integrates seamlessly with popular HR systems, applicant tracking software, and API-based workflows, allowing recruiters to automate and manage the entire screening process from a single dashboard.

Known for its modular approach, Veremark allows organizations to customize screening packages tailored to specific roles, industries, or regulatory requirements. Its transparent pricing model eliminates hidden fees, while built-in digital consent tools enhance candidate experience and compliance. The system’s blockchain-backed verification framework also ensures data integrity and auditability, providing employers with tamper-proof reports they can trust.

With a strong focus on speed, accuracy, and reliability, Veremark’s global network of verification partners and advanced technology infrastructure enables fast turnaround times without compromising on compliance or data security. Its responsive customer support team and dedicated account management further make it a preferred choice for enterprises, startups, and global staffing firms seeking a modern, trustworthy background check solution.

Veremark: Pricing & plans

(Image credit: Veremark)

Veremark offers flexible pricing that suits companies of all sizes — from startups needing occasional checks to global corporations running hundreds each month.

• Pay-as-you-go plans: Ideal for smaller organizations or those hiring sporadically.
• Subscription plans: Provide discounted rates for consistent hiring needs, available in monthly or annual formats.
• Per-check pricing: Starts around $6 per check, depending on the verification type and geographic location.
• Basic plan: Begins at about $15/month, allowing access to the platform without a long-term contract.

Enterprise clients can request custom quotes, particularly for high-volume or industry-specific screening packages. Free demos and limited trial access are also available.

Veremark integrates with leading HR tools, including Lever, Greenhouse, Workable, BambooHR, and Zapier, enabling organizations to embed background checks directly into their hiring workflows without separate logins or manual data entry.

You can see the full services by clicking here.

Veremark: Features

(Image credit: Veremark)

Veremark centralizes every step of the background check process on one intuitive platform. Users can select from an extensive list of verification types, including employment history and professional reference checks; criminal records and global sanctions checks; identity and address verification; education and qualification validation; and right-to-work and visa checks.

Each check is automated where possible, leveraging integrations with global databases, institutions, and regulatory bodies. HR teams receive real-time progress tracking and automatic notifications as results become available.

Final reports are displayed in a clear dashboard format — complete with digital audit trails and export options — to support compliance, audits, and recordkeeping.

Veremark: Setup

Setting up Veremark is straightforward, designed to have teams operational within hours rather than days. The process typically involves:

1. Creating an account and choosing the desired pricing plan.
2. Adding team members or assigning permissions within the admin console.
3. Selecting required check types (e.g., ID or employment) via menu templates.
4. Integrating with HR tools for automation through API or prebuilt connectors.

Candidates receive a secure invitation where they can provide consent and upload necessary documents. From there, Veremark's system takes over the coordination with external data sources and referees.

The company also provides onboarding guidance and training videos to help HR teams tailor settings, notification preferences, and report formats from the start.

Veremark: Ease of use

Veremark’s interface is widely praised for its user-friendliness and efficiency. The centralized dashboard gives recruiters a complete view of candidate progress across multiple checks, helping reduce time spent on manual follow-ups or chasing references.

Key features that simplify workflows include real-time candidate status tracking, instant alerts when checks are completed or delayed, batch processing for high-volume hiring, and downloadable, customizable reports for easy record management.

HR professionals often note that the navigation feels intuitive, even for users with limited technical experience. The design strikes a balance between simplicity and depth, allowing users to access detailed verification data without feeling overwhelmed.

Veremark: Security and privacy

Veremark prioritizes data protection and candidate privacy, aligning its infrastructure with GDPR, SOC 2, and ISO 27001 standards.

All data is encrypted both in transit and at rest, and users' access is controlled through role-based permissions. Candidate consent is mandatory for every check to ensure ethical and legal screening practices.

The platform's transparency around data handling and regulatory compliance helps organizations maintain trust and meet evolving regional privacy obligations, especially when conducting international checks.

Veremark: Support

Customer support is one of Veremark's best-reviewed strengths. Clients consistently highlight the responsiveness and professionalism of the support team. Available channels include live chat, email, and scheduled video calls for enterprise clients.

Support offerings include:

• Onboarding assistance and account setup help
• Knowledge base and documentation for troubleshooting
• Proactive updates when reports or integrations change

While most feedback is positive, some users report that credit usage can add up faster than anticipated and suggest greater clarity around balance tracking. Others note that notifications to candidates could benefit from more customizable timing to prevent premature contact with current employers.

Veremark: Competition

Veremark competes with leading background check platforms such as Checkr, Goodhire, and Certn. What sets Veremark apart is its global reach across more than 190 countries, transparent pay-as-you-go pricing with no volume minimums, and self-service setup complemented by automation tools that reduce the need for account manager intervention. It also offers seamless integrations with modern HR systems, making implementation straightforward for employers.

However, competitors like Checkr often provide deeper analytics and more comprehensive U.S.-focused compliance tools, while HireRight stands out for its enterprise-level reporting customization. Veremark’s strength lies in serving as a modern, scalable alternative that combines international coverage and flexibility, particularly appealing to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Veremark: Final verdict

Veremark stands out as a comprehensive, automation-first background screening solution tailored to modern, distributed hiring needs. It combines speed, transparency, and compliance in one secure, globally connected system.

SMBs appreciate its affordability and self-service flexibility, while international enterprises benefit from its diverse check coverage and integration options. The platform's design, support, and robust privacy controls make it a reliable choice for fast-growing teams that want to streamline background checks without sacrificing accuracy or candidate trust.

In short, Veremark is a forward-looking option for HR teams seeking efficient, compliant, and scalable background screening — all within a clean, user-friendly interface.

Accurate Background, often called Accurate, has become one of the most trusted and established names in the employee background screening industry. Over the years, it has built a reputation for delivering fast, compliant, and secure background checks for businesses of all sizes. Its client base includes both mid-sized companies and global enterprises that require reliable and legally defensible hiring processes.

Accurate sets itself apart by offering a balance of efficiency, compliance, and seamless digital experience. Employers can manage screenings entirely online through a centralized cloud platform. When a candidate is up for a position, an invitation link is sent through Accurate’s secure system, allowing the candidate to submit information and consent to the background check. Employers can then track every step of the progress in real time, viewing results organized by category and risk level.

What really distinguishes Accurate is its strong adherence to compliance regulations, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and privacy regulations such as the GDPR. Its automation ensures that required steps, such as adverse action notifications, happen without manual oversight. Combined with integrations across more than seventy popular applicant tracking systems, the platform provides one of the most comprehensive screening solutions available to modern HR departments.

Accurate’s overall mission is to simplify background screening without compromising on precision or compliance. The need for digital efficiency in hiring has grown rapidly, and Accurate’s cloud-based approach replaces outdated systems of paperwork, calls, and manual verification. Instead, the entire screening process can be completed in a secure, organized, and trackable digital space.

For HR professionals, this means reduced administrative delays and stronger confidence in hiring accuracy. For candidates, it provides transparency and a fair, consistent process. Accurate serves businesses across multiple industries, but thrives particularly in regulated sectors such as healthcare, finance, transportation, and staffing—industries where legal accuracy and data protection are essential.

Accurate: Plans and pricing

(Image credit: Accurate)

Accurate’s pricing model is custom-built for each client. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all subscription, the company tailors costs based on volume, screening depth, and specific client needs. While this approach benefits large companies, it can feel opaque for smaller businesses that prefer published, predictable pricing tiers.

Although the company does not list official pricing on its website, various client and industry reports indicate that basic pre-employment checks average $30 to $45 per candidate. More comprehensive packages that include employment and education verification, as well as federal and state-level background checks, typically range from $60 to $100 per report. Employers that require additional services, such as drug or health screenings, can expect costs of about $30 to $70, depending on the test type. Manual verifications, such as confirming degrees or employment history, add roughly $7 to $21 per verification.

Larger organizations with high screening volumes typically receive negotiated rates under custom contracts, while smaller employers submit quote requests individually. This flexibility allows enterprise clients to fully customize processes, but smaller businesses may find the lack of clear pricing a disadvantage compared to more transparent competitors such as Checkr or GoodHire.

You can check out the full services by clicking here.

Accurate: Features

Accurate offers an extensive range of screening services, covering nearly every major component an employer may require in the hiring process. Employers can conduct detailed criminal history searches at the county, state, and federal levels, and verify work experience, education, and professional credentials.

The platform also supports drug and medical testing and includes motor vehicle record checks, identity verification, and global background checks in more than two hundred countries. One of its strongest selling points is its automation of compliance steps. Every background check automatically follows FCRA and EEOC obligations, with required disclosures, consent tracking, and notification handling built directly into the system.

Automation extends beyond compliance. Employers can integrate Accurate into existing hiring systems so that background checks launch automatically when a candidate reaches a specific stage in their applicant tracking system. Integrations with over seventy different software platforms—including Greenhouse, Workday, and iCIMS—make workflows nearly seamless. This integration advantage ensures consistency across departments and reduces administrative workload for large hiring teams.

Accurate: Setup

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Setting up Accurate is generally straightforward but can vary depending on the organization’s size and technical structure. For smaller companies, setup may be quick, with configuration taking only a few business days. Larger corporations often go through a brief onboarding phase, during which Accurate’s implementation team helps fine-tune permissions, custom forms, and data policies.

During the setup process, employers collaborate with an Accurate representative to select screening package types, set up access controls, and configure candidate communication templates. Integration settings also come into play here, as HR teams determine how background checks should integrate with existing workflows.

Training during setup is often praised by users for its thoroughness and clarity. Once the configuration is complete, the system minimizes manual effort, allowing future screenings to be launched and monitored with minimal input.

Accurate: Ease of use

(Image credit: Accurate)

Accurate’s cloud-based platform is intuitive and well-organized. The dashboard provides clear visibility into the status of each background check, letting employers see whether reports are pending, completed, or awaiting candidate consent. Each report presents easy-to-read results organized by risk category, and notifications alert HR teams when documents need review or action.

Candidates also benefit from consistent communication. Once invited to participate, they receive a mobile-friendly link to complete forms and securely upload identification. The process is transparent, allowing candidates to track their progress so they aren’t left wondering about the status of their background check.

Users frequently highlight Accurate’s simplicity. Reports load quickly, and dashboards are customizable without becoming cluttered. Some advanced administrative functions, such as managing complex adjudication workflows, may require additional training or initial support. However, once familiar with it, the interface functions smoothly for teams of all sizes, even those conducting hundreds of checks per month.

Accurate: Security and privacy

Because background screening involves storing and transmitting sensitive personal data, Accurate applies strict measures to protect every stage of the process. All data is encrypted at rest and in transit using modern encryption protocols. Role-based access controls restrict who within an organization can access specific information, reducing internal risk.

The company also enforces multi-factor authentication for employer accounts and conducts independent SOC 2 Type II audits on a regular schedule. These audits verify that Accurate’s systems meet high standards for operational security and data management. Regular penetration testing and compliance certifications ensure continued adherence to evolving privacy laws.

Accurate is fully compliant with major regulatory frameworks, including FCRA, GDPR, and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Employers can customize how long background data is retained before automatic deletion, and candidates always have access to consent forms and dispute processes. With these safeguards, Accurate demonstrates a proactive approach to protecting candidate and employer information alike.

Accurate: Support

Accurate provides customer support through multiple channels, including phone, email, and an online support center filled with resource articles and training materials. Larger enterprise clients typically have direct account managers who assist with workflow optimization and compliance questions. Smaller organizations are supported through shared help desks and online communication tools.

Response times are generally positive for enterprise clients, often within the same business day. However, smaller users sometimes report slower response times or limited communication on more complex inquiries. The help center is comprehensive, with detailed documentation that helps mitigate these concerns by allowing users to troubleshoot issues independently.

Accurate also runs training programs and webinars for HR teams to stay current on compliance and system updates. While support quality is generally highly rated, clients occasionally note that support resources should be more accessible to non-enterprise clients seeking faster answers.

Accurate: The competition

Accurate competes in an industry with several strong players. Companies such as Checkr, GoodHire, Sterling, and HireRight hold significant market share in the background screening market. Checkr stands out for its developer-friendly interface and transparent pricing model, which attracts startups and gig-economy employers. GoodHire appeals to small business owners with prepackaged, easy-to-understand pricing and simplified reporting dashboards. Sterling, meanwhile, is a direct competitor to Accurate in the enterprise space, offering similar international screening capabilities and a deeply configurable compliance structure.

Where Accurate differentiates itself is in its balance of technology, reliability, and compliance automation. Its integration strength with HR tools makes it ideal for medium-sized and enterprise organizations managing consistent hiring flows across departments. Smaller companies seeking a lighter, self-service experience might find greater convenience with competitors, but Accurate’s breadth of features and wide regulatory coverage make it difficult to match for more demanding operations.

Accurate Background: Final verdict

Accurate Background remains a top-tier solution for organizations that prioritize compliance, thoroughness, and reliability in their hiring process. Its combination of comprehensive screening options, automatic compliance handling, and integration with the industry’s best HR and ATS platforms make it one of the most complete background screening solutions available today.

While Accurate’s lack of transparent pricing and occasional inconsistencies in customer support may frustrate smaller users, these drawbacks are outweighed by its performance, automation capabilities, and commitment to data security. It is ideally suited for employers running frequent or large-scale hiring campaigns, particularly in regulated industries where even minor compliance issues can lead to costly consequences.

For larger HR departments seeking speed, consistency, and legal precision, Accurate stands as one of the strongest players in the market. Its advanced platform delivers the right balance of technology and trust, ensuring that every hire meets the highest standards of compliance and verification integrity.

The Bluetti Elite 30 V2 is a fantastic compact offering with an impressive 600W inverter that can lift up to 1500W in Power Lift High Demand Mode. This unit is great for camping, travel, and other times when you may need power on the go.

I’ve used it for several storms to recharge key devices, blow up inflatable mattresses, and recharge tool batteries while installing cameras on a job site.

For this size, the power output is pretty notable. It also recharges quickly and has a fantastic port offering, making it a jack-of-all, master-of-none kind of machine.

This is the kind of power station you want to recharge something, not necessarily keep something running that needs to be plugged in. Or, perhaps, you simply need a decent amount of power, but only in spurts.

Bluetti Elite 30 V2: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Bluetti Elite 30 V2 has an MSRP of around $300, though it's currently on sale for $219 on Bluetti's site, and it's also available at other online retailers for around the same discounted price. Availability is good in the US, UK, Europe, and elsewhere.

The port selection is wonderful for most users, the output is high enough to handle emergency needs, and Bluetti brand’s reliability makes it a solid investment when discounted.

There are a multitude of colors to choose from, giving you the option to feel like you’ve at least had the chance to customize, which is very important for some. Or, if you’re more subtle and don’t want your power station to scream color, you can pick a more neutral color.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Bluetti Elite 30 V2: Unboxing and First Impressions

Within the box, Bluetti sends the power station, of course, the AC charging cable that matches the region (US for me), and then some basic documentation. With a quick app download, you can pair and get more control over this device, or simply power it on and use it as is, without any app connection.

One thing worth noting is that when you first press the power button, it turns on the device itself, not any of the ports. You’ll need to select DC or AC to route power from the main battery to the ports. Don’t be like me and forget to do that, walk away thinking something is charging, and then walk back to zero charging happening, all because you forgot to press a silly button.

Outside of the button-pressing (or lack thereof) mishap, this is a super simple grab-and-go machine, great for just about anything. Small enough to bring with you in a road trip, around the house, camping, and so on, while having enough power and ports that it would be worth it to bring this over a standard portable battery. That’s a pretty fantastic bit of kit if I do say so myself.

One more thing worth mentioning is that Bluetti also includes a cable to recharge from a car socket, and one to connect to solar (XT60-style) in case you have solar panels already or if you pick some up. For the few times I’ve recharged this from my Jeep, the car socket cable has been super helpful — or you could pick up Bluetti’s newest alternator charger, the Charger 2, for faster vehicle charging.

Bluetti Elite 30 V2: Design & Build Quality

The Elite 30 V2 has a great form factor for power stations, especially this size. There is an integrated handle, which is highly beneficial; it’s got all front-facing ports for power output, two full-size, three-prong AC outlets, two USB-C ports, one at 140W and one at 100W, two USB-A ports at 15W, a DC car socket, two 12V barrel plugs, and a special inlet port for the DC Car socket or solar input. On the right side is the IEC power connector for standard charging.

Bluetti Elite 30 V2: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

As I mentioned, I used this in the back of my Jeep to recharge tools, keep it as a backup during colder months, always topped off and ready, and help recharge tools while I was on job sites while testing this power station. It worked great to use the included DC socket charger to top off, without having to run through a different converter or pay extra for Charger 2, for my simple use cases.

Also, during my testing phase of around 130 days, we had a few power outages due to winter storms. The Elite 30 V2 is the perfect size to bring around and knock out the quick little things that I need to take care of, such as blowing up air mattresses, powering up some iPads for the kids, perhaps recharging or topping off a backup light, or maybe even the modem/router if really needed. While this isn't the kind of power station I’d want to rely on for my fridge or anything like that, I can trust it to recharge some smaller electronics.

One thing I do wish is that this power station, designed for emergency or backup power, which would not be uncommon to happen at night, would have a built-in light, even if just a small one. I have noticed this becoming increasingly popular among other brands, and I have come to really appreciate it in times of need. Having that as an added element to this Swiss Army Knife of power stations would be a super nice addition.

Bluetti Elite 30 V2: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Bluetti E30 V2 is a compact, easy-to-use jack-of-all-trades power station. An all-rounder for general usage with spectacular port options, impressive output, and even more impressive lift.

I especially like that it's all in a box that's very easy to use and has a built-in handle. It’s not perfect, it doesn’t have the largest battery, but the inverter is impressive to say the least.

If you’re looking for a powerful machine to handle all of your quick one off needs at a great price point, then make sure you check out the E30 V2.

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For more top-performers, see our guide to the best portable power stations we've tested.

SAP is one of the largest enterprise software providers in the world, and its suite of products includes SAP SuccessFactors – a flexible suite of AI-powered tools that’s designed to help you manage teams, grow your headcount, tackle payroll, and scale HR operations.

SuccessFactors promises a broad array of features and use cases in one app, but if there’s one company that could handle the complexity it should be SAP, with global reach and enterprise-level customers on every continent.

Unsurprisingly, this tool places a big emphasis on managing global teams and complex HR operations with plenty of depth and scalability. We've previously reviewed the Core HR and Payroll module (read it here), so this review will look at the wider ecosystem that makes up SuccessFactors.

With a steep learning curve and a feature set that may prove too much for more modest businesses, though, read on to discover if SAP SuccessFactors is right for you – and if it's a suitable pick from the best HR software we've tested.

SAP SuccessFactors: Plans and pricing

(Image credit: Future)

As with most HR providers, SAP doesn’t share much pricing for SuccessFactors because it’s determined on a case-by-case basis. Pricing will depend on a variety of factors, including licensing volume, the number of solutions required, and the length of the contract.

Typically, an SAP SuccessFactors solution is built from several modules: SAP offers Core HR and Payroll, Team Management, Workforce Management, and Sales Performance Management – companies can build a combination of these to create a well-rounded product that suits their needs.

While SAP doesn’t share extensive pricing details, some basic pricing information is available on the SAP website. The cloud-based SuccessFactors system is available on a per-user, per-month basis, with SAP SuccessFactors Core HR available for $6.30 per user. A more extensive Core HR system is listed as costing $18 per user per month.

Further modules will add cost, and pricing will vary on a case-by-case basis – so prices could rise significantly based on the package that you need.

You can see the full Human Capital Software solutions by clicking here.

SAP SuccessFactors: Features

(Image credit: Future)

The central SAP SuccessFactors product combines global reach with extensive AI capabilities. It’s designed to simplify people management, improve employee performance, adapt to changing workforce conditions and work easily with systems throughout your organization.

The central HR module supports personalized employee profiles, global benefits administration and easy employee absence management thanks to an extensive self-service option.

It covers time and attendance tracking across desktop, mobile, and integration with third-party time and attendance tools.

Employee documentation is fully searchable, templates can automatically create new documents, and compliance is supported through retention rules and employee completeness checks.

The system supports local regulations, laws, and policies to ensure compliance and integrates with SAP payroll systems to enable easier financial planning and execution. It’s secure, too, thanks to robust encryption and adherence to ISO and GDPR policies, with more details found on the dedicated SAP Trust Center.

Payroll processes are united on a single automated platform, which makes management easier, and the tool offers pre-configured localization frameworks for over 100 countries and payroll support for over 50 countries.

Elsewhere, SuccessFactors provides employees with a central self-service portal, and your HR teams can get the job done more effectively with collaborative workspaces.

It’s a great start, and you get even more capability if you add one of the optional modules to your SuccessFactors package. The Talent Management option includes extensive ATS and candidate management options, AI-enabled customized onboarding, and skills-based career development and learning. The system provides tailored growth opportunities for employees, learning experiences, skills development, and a system to track employee goals and performance, including reviews and evaluations.

The Workforce Management section serves up time and absence administration, external worker tracking and compliance, real-time employee analytics, and worker profile management. And the Sales Performance Management module includes incentive management, territories and quotes, real-time insights, and external agent management.

The mobile app is also impressive, with feature parity between Android and iOS, access to common tasks, a useful to-do list, and extensive options to manage employees, tackle compensation tasks, handle benefit claims, and provide employee self-service.

SAP SuccessFactors lacks little, though its sheer scale and modular architecture may prompt some users to seek alternatives for a different experience.

Tools from competitors like HiBob, BambooHR, or Gusto are easier to navigate and deploy thanks to their all-in-one design, for instance, and you could look towards a tool like Workable if you want an app with a greater focus on recruitment.

SAP SuccessFactors: Ease of use

(Image credit: Future)

SAP SuccessFactors uses a functional, enterprise-style UI that provides quick links to common tasks and easy access to those that require immediate attention. At the top-left of the app, you can access a menu to open major modules within the software.

The UI looks plain and businesslike, and it generally does a great job of presenting analytics and data – this is where you’ll find a little more color used, which makes trends and alerts easier to spot. The Recruiting module makes it easy to see your current progress through hiring tasks, and the Career Development section is a highlight thanks to its graphical design and effective presentation of employee information.

SAP SuccessFactors also adds functionality through integrations with SAP Access Control and Concur, as well as payroll tools from companies like Strada and iCIMS.

This isn’t the easiest UI to navigate, though, and it’s not the most attractive either. The design is both plain and complex, so the learning curve will be steeper than with many other HR systems.

During our testing we also spotted some design inconsistencies. Sometimes you’ll open a module, like Goals, Continuous Feedback, or Continuous Performance, and get a list of employees on the left side – but in other modules, like Development, that disappears, and you’ve got to click an employee name to switch to another team member.

We’ve seen reports online of implementations being lengthy and complex, especially if you need to do most of the work yourself or deploy many integrations and customizations. Bear in mind that your implementation may also be supported by a third-party SAP implementation partner rather than by SAP directly.

SAP SuccessFactors: Support

(Image credit: Future)

SAP SuccessFactors’ support offerings are collected together in a Portal with an extensive Knowledge Base and product documentation, a busy user community, and a fully-featured dashboard that enables you to log, track, and manage your support tickets.

There are extensive reporting options, a maintenance planner, a KPI catalog, a SAP Readiness Check tool, information about SAP’s product roadmap, and a section filled with alerts and diagnostics.

If you do need to get in touch, 24/7 phone support is available alongside live chat and email support, with the latter only available on weekdays. Also bear in mind that operational hours and support methods may vary by region.

SAP SuccessFactors: Competition

Sage HR’s ease of use and fast implementation are both welcome in the SMB market, but this product faces strong competition from a host of accomplished rivals.

If you’re not keen on payroll being handled by another product, even if it’s from the Sage family, then RUN Powered by ADP and Gusto are both strong choices that include native payroll functionality.

Sage HR’s interface is clean and effective, but HiBob has more modern visuals paired with deeper employee engagement and experience features, and BambooHR is a good choice if you need a clean interface and in-depth onboarding functionality.

For recruitment, we’d recommend Workable with its extensive, dedicated features, and Rippling is an excellent choice if you want to experiment more with automation.

SAP SuccessFactors: Final verdict

SAP SuccessFactors is at its best when managing diverse, global teams with complex structures and HR operations, and it’s got plenty of scalability, depth, and customization. If you’re in a larger organization, that’s ideal, though it means this software may be too much for smaller businesses unless you’re planning rapid growth.

It’s got great analytics, impressive reporting, good talent management features, and robust, secure central data management, too.

Negatively, the depth of SuccessFactors means a steep learning curve, the app’s integrations can be complicated, and the UI isn’t always consistent. We’ve also seen reports of lengthy, complex implementations, especially if your organization requires extensive customization – this tool will work best in businesses that already have dedicated HR teams in place.

SAP SuccessFactors stands out as a robust solution tailored for organizations with global, complex HR requirements thanks to its extensive customization and powerful analytics.

With a history steeped in accounting and financial software and a reputation for accuracy and reliability, it’s no wonder that Sage is a big contender in the HR software space.

Its Sage HR solution promises a no-nonsense set of capabilities that could save you time, cut down on admin, and accelerate recruitment, and is designed for businesses with up to 250 employees.

Sage HR makes it refreshingly easy to get started thanks to a straightforward interface – and your accounts department will be pleased, too, because Sage HR uses a modular pricing structure that makes it easier to see where you stand.

With features designed around SMBs and straightforward pricing, is Sage HR your next human resources solution?

See other options in our guide to the best HR software.

Sage HR: Plans and pricing

Lots of HR solution providers are not transparent about their pricing, so it’s refreshing that Sage provides plenty of financial detail upfront about its HR products alongside a free 30-day trial.

Sage HR starts at $6 per user per month, and for that investment you get access to the Core HR and Leave Management modules.

The Performance, Shift Scheduling, and Timesheets options each cost $3 extra per user per month, and the Expenses module costs $1.50. The Recruitment module, which is not priced on a per-employee basis, costs $200 per month, and you can pay $100 per month for an HR Advice Essentials package.

That refreshing transparency is paired with a straightforward pricing calculator that combines all of those modules with your headcount. Be aware that pricing can rise significantly if you start adding modules - and that, as always, pricing will vary by region.

(Image credit: Future)Sage HR: Features

Sage’s Core HR module provides a centralized employee database, onboarding, a workflow builder to automate key tasks, and an electronic signature tool. It also provides an organization chart, the option to store custom employee data, and a self-service employee portal for accessing company details.

Leave Management is included alongside Core HR and includes a shared calendar for scheduling and planning, a self-service employee portal for leave administration, and custom approval flows for your HR staff.

Reporting is solid for an SMB tool, and managers can approve time off from the Sage HR system, the mobile app, their email inbox, or even in Slack. You can also create custom time-off policies.

The Sage HR mobile app is one of the most helpful you’ll find anywhere, with options for managers to handle vacation requests, expenses, schedules, and calendars from their smartphones. Employees can use the app with single sign-on to book vacation, browse directories, and share feedback - and they can submit expense claims by simply taking photos of receipts.

Sage HR’s onboarding system is designed to be customizable and seamless thanks to a powerful workflow builder, and managers can access extensive reporting to track the progress of new hires.

When they’re integrated into the business, Sage’s Performance module enables goal and OKR setting, tracking, and management alongside 360-degree feedback, surveys, 1-1 meetings, and fast recognition options.

Elsewhere, the Sage HR Recruitment module includes end-to-end pipeline management, unique talent landing pages, interview scheduling, and custom scorecards.

Unsurprisingly, Sage HR integrates well with products across the Sage ecosystem, which makes this a more effective choice if your organization already uses the company’s products. In terms of third-party integrations, Sage works with Slack, Google, Zapier, Microsoft tools and products like Find My Shift, and it’s got API support.

There’s one thing missing in Sage HR: payroll. It’s not included natively, so you’ll need to sign up for one of Sage’s payroll solutions and integrate it with your HR system.

(Image credit: Future)Sage HR: Ease of use

Some HR solutions opt for ultra-modern, friendly designs with lots of color. Unsurprisingly, Sage HR takes a more mature approach, pairing an unfussy, effective layout with smart, mature visuals.

The dashboard gives you an immediate overview of tasks that require your attention alongside key information about your employees, from upcoming time away to 1-1 meetings and goals. The dashboard is fully configurable, so it can be tweaked to match your organizational requirements.

The calendar makes it easy to see employee activity and can be filtered by team and location, and the timesheet and scheduling modules are similarly intuitive and easy to understand. The company directory has impressive filtering and a straightforward organization chart, and the reporting module provides data that’s easy to understand thanks to uncomplicated visuals.

Some apps do go further when it comes to reporting and analytics. While that can increase complication, it could also prove more powerful and insightful, especially in larger organizations.

At the top of the window is a list of handy quick actions, there’s a search bar at the top left of the app, and the user interface is consistent throughout – something that isn’t always the case on many rival HR solutions. Sage also pairs this system with a mobile app that’s just as easy to use for both managers and employees.

The sensible, consistent interface means that Sage HR has a gentle learning curve, which should make integration into your business easier. Online user sentiment suggests that Sage is easy to use for everyday HR tasks.

Two of the only minor complaints we’ve seen online are that the interface looks a little dated and that some workflows are basic compared to deeper products.

(Image credit: Future)Sage HR: Support

Sage HR’s support starts with a help center that’s packed with guides and FAQs. The size and popularity of the wider Sage ecosystem mean there’s a huge amount of information available for troubleshooting common issues. You’ll also find a community forum and a wealth of training materials.

As with most HR solution businesses, Sage now provides an AI chatbot that connects to human agents if you need immediate advice. Users can file support tickets and manage them from within the help center, too.

(Image credit: Future)Sage HR: Competition

Sage HR’s ease of use and fast implementation are both welcome in the SMB market, but this product faces strong competition from a host of accomplished rivals.

If you’re not keen on payroll being handled by another product, even if it’s from the Sage family, then RUN Powered by ADP and Gusto are both strong choices that include native payroll functionality.

Sage HR’s interface is clean and effective, but HiBob has more modern visuals paired with deeper employee engagement and experience features, and BambooHR is a good choice if you need a clean interface and in-depth onboarding functionality.

For recruitment, we’d recommend Workable with its extensive, dedicated features, and Rippling is an excellent choice if you want to experiment more with automation.

Sage HR: Final verdict

Sage HR competes well in the SMB space: it’s easy to deploy and use, it’s packed with helpful features, and its mobile app and leave management functionality are both best-in-class.

The modular pricing structure lets you easily evaluate costs and gives your organization the flexibility to scale its HR solution as business needs evolve.

The lack of native payroll and a slight lack of reporting and analytics depth are negatives, but neither is a dealbreaker. If your organization needs an HR solution that prioritizes simplicity, functionality, and transparency, start with Sage.

Lots of big-name HR apps have had to adapt as the world has leaned more towards remote and hybrid work – but HiBob has been built from day one to support that kind of flexible employment.

With scalability and agility baked into the platform, HiBob claims to help organizations of all sizes be more productive and boost employee engagement and retention.

The company was founded in 2015 and began by offering HR solutions to SMBs, and HiBob has since expanded to cater for businesses of all sizes, including over a dozen enterprise clients. The company now serves over 1.4 million employees.

Unsurprisingly, HiBob is packed with features that prioritize employee recognition and performance alongside tools designed to promote and grow company culture. On paper it sounds great, but can HiBob compete with the big names?

Take a look at other options in our guide to the best HR software.

HiBob: Plans and pricing

As with many other HR solutions, HiBob doesn’t publish pricing publicly – so if you want to find out HiBob costs, you’ll need to request a quote and build your own package.

While that means you’ll get a personalized price that’s closely aligned with what you need in your business, it can make initial research and evaluation difficult.

And while the modular approach is undoubtedly useful, it can also mean that your costs grow as your business expands, especially if you need to add more functionality.

(Image credit: Future)HiBob: Features

HiBob’s features promise to simplify complexity, boost agility, and lead with data so HR teams can make confident decisions, all with a design ethos that’s focused on modern ways of working. At the top level, the company’s HR solution is divided into three areas – operations, culture, and strategy – with every module falling under one of these designations.

Unsurprisingly, HiBob is packed with custom automation and workflow options that enable HR teams to save time by accelerating repetitive tasks. Workflows, tasks, and timelines can be easily adjusted to reflect changes within your organization, and those workflows can be further personalized for different departments or teams. You can build customized task lists, too, and permission groups for the various teams in your organization.

HiBob’s homepage looks more like a social media feed than a data-rich dashboard, which immediately helps it stand out against other HR solutions. It’s a brilliant way to keep up with what’s going on in the business, and it does a great job of balancing culture-first updates about your staff with notifications about pressing HR issues that need your attention. HiBob’s core HR offering includes a visual organization chart with plenty of customization options.

The app supports electronic signatures, centralized document storage, and analytics dashboards with visual representations of key company data, lots of filtering, and options to create reports. Those dashboards are excellent: there are 12 pre-configured options to choose from, including a dedicated DEI dashboard, and they all offer deep customization – you can drag, drop, and resize modules, change colors and appearance, and more. They all have extensive data export options, too.

HiBob’s payroll hub includes visual tracking, notifications, and automatic updates to help make the process easier, and HiBob’s payroll modules include dedicated tools for US, UK, and global functionality with compliance, flexible pay types, and tax regulations included. Employee self-service includes access to payslips, too.

If you don’t opt to include one of HiBob’s payroll modules in your HR package, third-party integrations are supported, too. HiBob supports software from ADP, Dayforce, Paylocity, Trinet, Xero, and more.

There are more financial features in HiBob beyond the payroll module, too, thanks to in-depth compensation management. You can create, standardize, and adjust pay bands, make decisions based on updated salary, tenure, and performance data, and use charts and sliders to allocate base pay, bonuses, and equity plans. Salary reviews are bolstered by recommendations, alerts, and guidelines.

Employees can request PTO and managers can respond to them in the HiBob app or in Slack and Microsoft Teams, and you can create custom vacation policies and view team schedules with calendars.

Clocking in and out is as easy as employees clicking a button, and managers can adjust working time from the app or via third-party integrations.

To help your employees perform at their best, HiBob offers customizable performance reviews with AI-powered insights and 360-degree feedback. Managers can use calibration worksheets to evaluate teams, create individual, team, and organizational goals, and enhance 1-1 meetings with templating, follow-up reminders, and more.

Employee data from across the system is collated in a KPI dashboard that covers headcount, retention, growth, and more, and managers can build custom reports. Employee surveys include opportunities for anonymous feedback and there’s a full succession planning suite included in HiBob.

Hiring is covered in HiBob, too. Customizable hiring pipelines, AI-powered CV summaries and candidate self-scheduling make the start of the recruitment journey easier. The app provides AI-generated job descriptions and can post to over 2,300 global job boards, and you can build your own branded career page.

Interviewing is easier thanks to native Outlook and Google Calendar integration and automated reminders. Candidates can access their own portal, and managers can analyze hiring data in a dashboard that’s packed with analysis options.

When you’ve hired, you can build your own onboarding process, create tasks for your colleagues to ensure a smooth arrival for the new employee, and provide the new hire with materials about the company culture to help them get started.

As with most modern HR solutions, HiBob offers API support so companies can develop their own integrations alongside hundreds of third-party integrations that are ready to deploy with less technical knowledge.

As well as the payroll tools we mentioned earlier, HiBob integrates with software from Culture Amp, Deel, Google, Jira, Oracle, PWC, Slack, and more. Microsoft integration comes from Azure Active Directory, Entra ID, Microsoft 365 calendar integration, and Teams, but you’ll find more elsewhere if you’re really committed to working with Microsoft tools.

Unsurprisingly, HiBob has already begun to deploy AI tools throughout its software, and the options available here are already more extensive than many you’ll find elsewhere. The AI assistant pops up throughout HiBob to assist with common tasks, like writing.

HiBob provides more transparency than most rivals when it comes to AI usage. Dive into the settings menu and you can see the guiding principles based around permissions, data privacy, and security, alongside settings to tweak AI functionality – including options to only allow AI usage in certain areas of the tool, and a toggle to turn it off entirely.

Data never leaves HiBob when you’re using AI, which improves security, and a cross-platform tool called Bob Companion is currently in beta testing. It’ll read documents and give responses based on company policies, analyze your data to answer your questions, and assist with more complex tasks.

(Image credit: Future)HiBob: Ease of use

HiBob is one of the best-looking HR solutions you’ll find on the market. The central dashboard is set out like a social media feed, with the latest updates, notifications, events, and even birthdays – and you can use a handy panel on the right-hand side to access your integrations, which is a smart piece of design we’ve not seen anywhere else.

The organization chart is attractive and well-designed, too: you can click an employee’s name to bring up a panel with key information, click down to see their direct reports, and use easy filtering options.

Employee profiles are another highlight: people’s pages contain a vast amount of information in an effective layout, there are color-coded attrition indicators, a menu of handy quick-actions, and a huge amount of depth.

HiBob’s colorful, detail-packed, customizable dashboards are a highlight, with key information made easily available, smart and imaginative charting formats, and loads of filtering.

The only downside is that it’ll take you a little time to build dashboards and use this feature effectively – and that initial implementation can take a little while, too, especially if you want to make the most out of HiBob and use plenty of customization.

To access different modules, users can click the navigation button in the top-left of the app – you’ll find links to switch to the Talent, Workforce Planning, Hiring, Learning, Payroll, and Compensation tools, depending on what’s included in your package.

No matter the module you use, you’ll find the same clever UI throughout, with a keen balance struck between data and design. HiBob’s Workforce Planning tool displays useful analytics about your employees, including onboarding updates, and the Payroll hub makes complex information easy to understand.

A sandbox mode is available for testing new functionality. There’s always a help button available in the bottom-left corner, and you don’t have to mess around with different versions of the tool – HiBob only ever uses one version of the software.

You can tell that HiBob is a modern HR system that’s designed for modern ways of working thanks to its clever design, handy features, and rock-solid mix of depth and functionality – it’s certainly not a legacy system that’s struggled to keep up with the times.

(Image credit: Future)HiBob: Support

As well as the in-app support widget that uses AI to triage issues, HiBob offers email-based support to users alongside a Help Center that’s packed with articles, guides, and videos that are useful to administrators, managers, and employees.

If you file a support ticket, you’ll be supported by a team that offers global coverage across multiple time zones, and you can flag issues with varying priority levels depending on their status to your business.

During implementation, HiBob customers can work with a dedicated manager and a success manager to support product functionality once the solution has been deployed.

(Image credit: Future)HiBob: Competition

There’s no shortage of competition for HiBob in the mid-market HR space, but this tool does a fantastic job of standing out thanks to its design, engagement tools, and focus on employee culture.

That said, if you want something that’s more straightforward, perhaps for a smaller business, then BambooHR is a common alternative, and Rippling generally provides more automation and even more features to support IT teams.

If you’d like to step up to an enterprise-grade product, then SAP SuccessFactors and Workday deliver more power alongside a proportionate step up in complexity.

HiBob: Final verdict

HiBob is an HR standout if you want your software solution to feel modern, engaging, and effective – especially when it comes to employee culture and performance.

Its interface is excellent, the social feed home page is one of the best around, and the entire platform is extremely configurable and scalable. Its reporting is excellent, too, and it’s excellent for hybrid, remote, and geographically disparate workforces.

It can take a little time to implement and learn HiBob properly, though, and costs may rise as your business grows and you add more modules.

Those are relatively minor issues, though, and HiBob remains one of the best HR solutions on the market. If you want to prioritize employee wellbeing and engagement, HiBob should be at the top of your shopping list.

Factorial is a Barcelona-based HR software provider that already serves over 15,000 businesses, and its array of features sounds impressive – it covers most of the bases for core HR capabilities and promises to tackle project management, IT management, and procurement, too.

Combine its extensive range of abilities with a transparent structure, and you’ve got the starting point for an effective piece of HR software.

An AI agent has recently launched and promises to further streamline workflows while allowing humans to handle more important tasks, and the company says it will be particularly useful to SMBs across Europe and Latin America.

See more options in our guide to the best HR software

Factorial: Plans and pricing

Factorial’s plans start at $8 per user per month, although, as with most HR solution providers, the company will tailor quotes and packages on a case-by-case basis.

Indeed, creating a tailored experience is a key part of the Factorial solution. Every organization that signs up gets access to Factorial Core, which provides a broad range of conventional HR functionality. Beyond that, you can choose from Time, Talent, and Finance Management options depending on your needs.

Unfortunately, the prices for these modules are not listed on Factorial’s website. That’s not particularly unusual in the HR solutions market, but prices could easily accelerate once you start building a package, and you’ll need to talk to sales to get a personalized quote.

That can make it harder, at least initially, to weigh up potential investment against rivals that are more transparent about pricing.

Before you dive in, also check if Factorial is supported in your country. At the time of writing, the website offers localization for the UK, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Chile - alongside a global site aligned with the US.

(Image credit: Future)Factorial: Features

Factorial Core includes a comprehensive selection of HR features, from contract and legal management to approvals, permissions, and custom workflows - all designed to keep your business moving.

Task management is included alongside document management, and you get an employee directory, organization chart, onboarding, scheduling, and more. The entire Core module includes accessible reporting and data presentation, which makes it easier for HR teams to spot potential opportunities and issues, and you get mobile access and reasonable customization.

Financially, you can use Factorial Core to get in-depth and real-time insights on company performance, and the platform can guide you through the payroll process.

Step up to the Enterprise product, and you get more customization, from template and report creation to API keys, fillable PDFs, and support for multiple currencies.

The Time Management platform, available as an extra module, adds loads of functionality. If you opt to expand with this, you’ll get an in-depth time-off system that supports overtime and additional flexibility, along with geolocation-powered employee time tracking in the complete working and productivity module. There’s a shift management tool, too, if that’s how your people work, as well as employee self-service for documents, scheduling, and vacations.

The Talent Management solution offers tools for tracking and improving performance, including 360-degree reviews, analysis, and a recruitment suite. Factorial provides employee engagement features like goal-setting, OKR tracking, training management, onboarding, offboarding, and evaluations.

Choose the Finance Management module to add project management, expenses, and procurement tools. Add the payroll module for automated bonuses, custom agreements, and overtime support.

One of Factorial’s newer features is IT management, which allows your teams to support staff with zero-touch device deployment and instant SaaS access. Your teams can track hardware, licenses, and compliance across multiple operating systems and environments, apply policies, lock devices, and generate reports. You can even handle procurement here, with pre-configured devices available for shipment to employees in over 60 countries.

Factorial now includes a new AI agent that promises to streamline processes and save time. It’s the kind of addition that’s being rolled out across many HR solutions at the moment, and Factorial’s AI tool can generate meeting summaries and handle research tasks, reporting, and employee surveys.

There are more than eighty third-party integrations available for the Factorial system, including Zapier, Workable, Slack, WhatsApp, Jira, and software from Apple and Google. Microsoft support is also extensive and includes Power BI, Dynamics 365, Outlook, and more. The system offers an API, although you’ll find more pre-built, third-party integrations elsewhere.

This is all very impressive, but there’s a caveat: you’ll only get all of these features if you sign up for every module, which can increase cost. Also consider that Factorial’s payroll settings are good, but you’ll get stronger abilities here if you opt for a dedicated payroll product or an HR solution that places more emphasis on this area, like Paylocity.

(Image credit: Future)Factorial: Ease of use

Factorial’s design is brighter and more engaging than many other HR solutions – the dashboard is immediately colorful, with bold alerts reminding you of urgent tasks and events, color-coded indications of employee locations, and photos used frequently for staff profiles.

One inbox handles every request in Factorial, and most requests include quick-action buttons so HR managers can easily reject or approve common requests. It’s a smart bit of design that speeds up workflows across the system.

As with many other HR solutions, a menu bar on the left-hand side contains links to the product’s various modules, including analytics, recruitment, and performance.

The organization chart is packed with photos, just like those employee profiles, which makes it easier to navigate. The profiles are well laid out, with timesheets, details, current status, and alerts all foregrounded.

A color-coded calendar makes time off easy to manage, and more colors are used to help HR managers tackle recruitment, with bold graphics used to illustrate the funnel of candidates for open positions.

Our impressions of Factorial were bolstered by broad user sentiment. Real-world users of the system praise Factorial’s clean user interface and the breadth of features available for SMBs. That said, some users mention that more customization can be found elsewhere and that you’ll get deeper analytics and reporting with other HR solutions, too.

(Image credit: Future)Factorial: Support

The first port of call for Factorial support is the Help Center, which includes quick-start guides, FAQs, and helpful articles.

If you need to get in touch, you can file a support ticket, use live chat, or rely on phone support. The latter is advertised as being the best option for urgent support, and phone and live chat support options are available between Monday and Friday from 9am to 6pm in European and Latin American time zones.

Live chat is only available to Factorial users with administrator permissions, and it’s best used for urgent or fast clarifications. The system uses an AI assistant for initial triage.

(Image credit: Future)Factorial: Competition

The SMB HR market is extremely competitive, which means that Factorial has no shortage of rivals that bring something different to the table.

If you need strong core HR functionality with a concentration on onboarding in a growing business, then BambooHR could be your best option – and if you want to explore an alternative that matches Factorial’s strong UI and employee engagement options, then consider HiBob.

Rippling could be a compelling option for an SMB that wants to prioritize automation and integration with IT systems.

Factorial: Final verdict

Factorial is a strong option for SMBs that want to streamline HR tasks and deploy one app with a huge range of core HR functionality – with everything covered from time and performance management to recruiting, devices, and learning, there’s a huge amount of capability here inside an excellent interface.

The main issue, though, is cost and modularity. You’ll need to add several modules to get the full Factorial experience, and that could drive costs up to a potentially prohibitive degree. Also bear in mind that integration and payroll depth are stronger elsewhere.

Factorial is a polished and scalable SMB platform that will be easy to use for most HR teams and professionals, but make sure you’ve done your research into features and pricing before taking the plunge.

UKG is a global HR solutions provider on a mission to take its clients beyond individual software solutions by providing a “Workforce Operating Platform” that combines HR, payroll, and workforce management.

The organization aims to combine a deep understanding of people, HR processes, and AI to turn insights into confident decisions, and UKG provides a huge array of modules that span core HR functionality, payroll, data centralization, employee connectivity, and more.

For SMBs, UKG Ready is the all-in-one HR and payroll solution that gathers several of those modules together in a platform that’s built to guide and empower growing businesses.

For more options visit our guide to the best HR software

UKG Ready: Plans and pricing

It’s not uncommon to find HR solutions providers that are frustratingly unclear about pricing, and UKG doesn’t provide pricing information about UKG Ready – you need to request a quote.

UKG Ready pricing is devised on a case-by-case basis, and you’ll have to talk to the business to get a personalized quote. Positively, that means you’ll get numbers that are designed around your organization and its needs. Negatively, that makes initial research and comparison difficult.

UKG Ready is available in three plans: Essentials, Plus, and Premium. Different features are available at each level, and Essentials and Plus are restricted to businesses with less than 200 employees – so if you scale past that number, you’ll have to upgrade to the Premium option.

All three of those UKG Ready packages include core HR functionality like compliance, reporting, dashboards, graphical displays, and a mobile app. Each tier supports pre-built technology integrations, employee self-service, and the UKG Bryte AI system.

This new AI addition helps you streamline processes, reduce administrative burdens, and deliver personalized solutions to your employees. It can help you create job descriptions, uncover performance insights, manage shifts, improve engagement, analyze your organization, and more.

If the SMB-focused UKG Ready product isn’t going to be suitable for your business, then UKG Pro Workforce Management is the company’s enterprise-level solution.

(Image credit: Future)UKG Ready: Features

The Essentials plan is just that – a basic HR offering suitable only for smaller organizations.

It includes employee directory and record management, HR actions and checklists, all-important customizable workflows, and new-hire onboarding. Essentials also offers timesheet and time-off management and employee schedule creation.

On the financial side, Essentials includes direct-deposit payroll runs, garnishments and vendor payments, tax deposits and filing, and automated state and local tax identification. This package also includes benefit deductions and integrations with third-party benefit administration tools.

The entry-level product rounds out its feature set with new-hire reporting, payroll comparisons, compliance analysis, and a dashboard with exporting options.

This is a basic offering that you can expand with more benefits and staff engagement features for an extra cost. If you pay more, you can add benefit plan designers, employee enrollment, automated carrier and financial connections, and year-end processing.

If you’d like an add-on product to enhance your employee engagement capability, you’ll get annual trust surveys, staff benchmarking and analytics, certification badges, and AI-assisted leadership recommendations.

Those benefit and employee engagement add-ons are included by default in the Plus tier, and this improved option also enhances the time and attendance module with support for shift differentials, pay premiums, and overtime pay.

Opt for the Plus package and you also get performance tools, including employee reviews, a rating builder, goal-setting and 90-day review functionality. You get recruitment features in this tier, too, including applicant tracking and reporting, an interview question generator, and modules to build external career sites and job requests.

The Plus tier adds learning management functionality and expense tracking, and you can pay extra to add leave tracking, pay grades, budget modeling, sentiment analysis, benchmarking, and employee burnout detection.

Invest in the Premium package and you get everything we’ve already mentioned here alongside some extra top-level features.

Premium enables position management in the employee directory, expanded checklist and workflow capability, the option to run global and certified payroll processes, project costing, and union management features.

The Premium tier includes drag-and-drop schedule builders, more flexibility around shift coverage, timecards, and shift-swapping, and the option for peer reviews, continuous feedback, and succession planning. It’s only at this level where you’ll find job board integrations and pre-screening questions for job applicants, too.

UKG Ready provides a great selection of features for SMBs with a particularly impressive slate of payroll, scheduling, and time-tracking capabilities. That said, be aware that many of those features are locked away in the higher tiers or provided as add-ons, so your costs may start to spiral if you want to add extra functionality to the system.

(Image credit: Future)UKG Ready: Ease of use

At the time of writing, UKG wasn’t able to provide access to the software for this review, and the company doesn’t offer free trials.

User sentiment gives a good indication about what to expect, though, and many UKG Ready administrators praise the app’s logical design, its wide support for HR and payroll processes, and its strong option for customizable workflow creation. Users say that its views and filtering are impressive, and that its automated reporting is a strong point for the tool.

Negatively, administrative users say that UKG Ready suffers from a steep learning curve and occasionally complex design.

Employees using its self-service tools regularly say that UKG is a straightforward option for time, schedule, and PTO management, and that the mobile app is a highlight.

(Image credit: Future)UKG Ready: Support

UKG provides customers with the same level of support no matter which UKG Ready package they’re using.

Support starts with training provided to system administrators when they deploy UKG Ready, and the business also offers rapid-response support for mission-critical incidents.

Elsewhere, the company provides access to product domain experts, an extensive HR and Payroll Resource Library, and a customer community forum.

Support requests are handled by a ticketing system, but there’s little indication on the product-facing website about the communication methods available or how long this will take.

(Image credit: Future)UKG Ready: Competition

UKG Ready sits in a crowded SMB marketplace and is surrounded by rivals that excel in different areas.

If you’d prefer a solution that prioritizes payroll, then RUN Powered by ADP is a top choice alongside Gusto, and HiBob is a strong contender for any organization that needs advanced tools for employee engagement.

If the strong automation in UKG Ready is attractive but you want to weigh up your options, then Rippling also goes big on automation. And for simpler setup and a clean UI, BambooHR is a perennial favorite.

UKG Ready: Final verdict

UKG Ready is a rock-solid option for any SMB that needs a centralized platform for core HR, payroll, time tracking, and scheduling. It’s particularly well-suited to businesses with employees who work in shifts – and where compliance is a constant priority.

Positively, the three-tier pricing structure used by UKG Ready gives a logical upgrade path to SMBs looking to expand – but, negatively, it means lots of functionality is locked away behind unclear pricing structures and potentially prohibitive costs.

If you don’t mind talking to UKG Ready to get a quote and you’re prepared to pay extra for a fully-featured product, though, then this is well-suited to SMBs that need broad HR coverage and room to grow.

As this product isn't available, consider this a hands-on, as between now and its release, some of the issues I'll talk about might well be fixed.

Punkt. is a Swiss company that manufactures in Germany, and the MC03, as the name suggests, is the third iteration of its secure, minimalist phone design.

If you like minimalist things, perhaps in black and white, and your Android phone not spaffing your personal data around carelessly, then perhaps the MC03 could be for you.

Comparing it to the MC02 model, the new MC03 swaps up the Dimensity 900 to the newer Dimensity 7300 SoC, more RAM and storage, but largely the same camera.

However, the thing that makes this offering stand out is AphyOS, a fork of AOSP 15, a GrapheneOS-related development, according to Punkt., is inherently more secure and able to keep the user's data from being easily harvested.

However, the AphyOS-specific apps are unique to Punkt. platforms require a monthly or yearly subscription after the first year, on top of the $699 base price of the device.

In terms of the phone's specifications, it's decent, but hardly premium. The SoC is mid-range, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage are hardly pushing the boat out, and a 64MP camera sensor is hardly cutting-edge. And, Punkt. phones have a reputation for bugs that linger over successive patches.

If you, or your business, are invested in the Proton suite the MC03 offers, including Mail, Calendar, Drive, VPN and Pass, alongside Threema for encrypted messaging, then perhaps the high cost and ongoing subscription might be worth it. But for regular Android users, the high cost of mid-range hardware and additional costs to ownership could be deal breakers.

Since this device hasn’t officially launched yet, it's way too early to say whether it is one of the best rugged phones yet.

Punkt. MC03: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? $699/£660/€699
• When is it out? On Pre-order
• Where can you get it? You can order it directly from Punkt.

Based on the most recent information, in Europe, the MC03 is on pre-order from the official site here, with the intention to ship at the end of April 2026. North American customers should be able to see this device in early Summer 2026, hopefully.

The pre-release pricing is $699/£660/€699. When exchange rates are taken into consideration, the most expensive place to buy is the UK, followed by Europe, where it's made, and the least expensive is the USA, which has tariffs on European goods. This makes zero sense, other than perhaps the market for secure phones in the USA is greater than in Europe.

As an alternative, Google's Pixel phones can run GrapheneOS, and a Pixel 10 is around $650 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. And that phone has an optical zoom on its camera.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Punkt. MC03: Specs

Item

Spec

CPU:

MediaTek Dimensity 7300 (MT6878), octa-core 2.5GHz

GPU:

Mali-G615 MC2

NPU:

MediaTek NPU 655

RAM:

8GB

Storage:

256GB

Screen:

6.67-inch OLED, 120Hz, HDR

Resolution:

2436 x 1080 pixels

SIM:

1x Nano SIM + eSIM + TF

Weight:

240 grams

Dimensions:

163 x 76 x 11mm

Rugged Spec:

IP68

Rear cameras:

64MP Primary Camera + 8MP Wide + 2MP Macro

Front camera:

32MP

Networking:

5G bands, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.4

Bands:

GSM 850/900/1800/1900

UMTS B1/2/5/8

LTE B1/2/3/5/7/8/9/18/19/20/28AB/34/38/40/41(194 MHz)/42/43(194 MHz)

5G NR n1/3/5/7/8/20/26/28/38/40/41/77/78 (SA)

OS:

AphyOS (based on Android 15 / AOSP 15)

Battery:

5200 mAh removable (33W wired, 15W wireless)

Colours:

Black

Punkt. MC03: Design

• Minimalist
• By-the-numbers layout
• Internal access and battery replacement

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Punkt has always been a design company that happens to make phones rather than the other way around. The MC03 carries that forward. The aesthetic is stripped back and deliberate, favouring clean lines over the glossy excesses that dominate this market.

This device is assembled at Gigaset's facility in Bocholt, Germany, which Punkt uses as a selling point and rightly so, given that German assembly brings with it a baseline assumption of quality control that assembly lines elsewhere do not always guarantee.

The dimensions are 163 x 76 x 11mm with a mass of just 240 grams. That is a meaningful presence in the hand and not a light phone by any measure, but it’s also significantly closer to a normal phone than those typically marketed as rugged. The IP68 rating for dust and water resistance is where it should be at this price point and covers immersion up to a metre for 30 minutes, which is the standard you would expect.

The frame is aluminium, and I suspect the display is Gorilla Glass protected, though Punkt's own materials are somewhat vague on those specifics.

The button layout is as derivative as it gets, with the volume rocker and power button on the right, and a custom button on the left.

However, due to unresolved beta issues with AphyOS, the fingerprint reading doesn’t currently work, and there is no way to define what the custom key does. By accident, I discovered it takes a shot while using the camera, but there is no tool to adjust what it does at this time. I’m assuming that the fingerprint will be read via the power button, because I don’t see the rear sensor that the phone mentioned when I tried to use this feature.

The bottom edge of the phone has the SIM tray and USB port, which doesn’t require a rubber plug, thankfully. It’s slightly odd that there is an external SIM tray, since the entire back of the MC03 comes off, revealing the replaceable battery and the TF card slot. Since there is only one Nano SIM supported by the external slot, why this wasn’t placed inside is a mystery. You can have a second SIM by eSIM, so you can have two phone numbers and a TF card in place simultaneously.

Having a battery you can replace is certainly a great feature, especially in an IP68-rated phone, although the capacity of only 5200 mAh isn’t huge. On top of the battery is a wireless charging coil that enables the phone to charge at 15W without a cable being inserted if you have a Qi-compatible charger.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Probably the other standout feature of the MC03 is the screen, a 6.67-inch OLED with a 120Hz refresh rate, a dramatic improvement over the IPS panel the MC02 got. However, I do find a strong sense of irony in putting OLED on a phone that uses monochrome icons as part of its minimalist ethos.

Although not in the Punkt. specs, the peak brightness is around 550 nits, which is workable but not especially impressive for outdoor use in strong sunlight. OLED's inherent contrast advantage helps considerably, and the 120Hz refresh makes the interface feel responsive rather than sluggish in a way the old panel never could. Punkt describes the display as supporting HDR, which should benefit anything streamed from Proton or accessed via the Wild Web environment.

The MC03 certainly has a love-or-hate aesthetic based on how you feel about minimalism as a design concept. While I’m not a massive fan of excessive embellishments, there isn’t much to get excited about here from a style perspective either. Because I have the view that a lack of style isn’t an actual style, in the same way that black isn’t truly a color.

But, you might think differently, and the replaceable battery is something few alternatives can match.

Punkt. MC03: Features

• MediaTek Dimensity 7300
• 5200 mAh battery

The Dimensity 7300 is such a common SoC that I must have written a sixteen-part white paper’s worth of words about this octa-core chip that uses 2x Cortex-A78 @ 2.5GHz + 6x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0GHz.

Technically, it can address up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but on this device, you get half of that amount in each case. The issue here isn’t that the Dimensity 7300 is a poor SoC, because it's far from that, but frankly, it’s a mid-range SoC, not something built for a premium design.

That said, I’m wondering if the sort of customer Punkt. is aiming the MC03 at will care, because it’s unlikely they’ll be running the sort of tasks that demand more performance than the Dimensity 7300 has to offer. But it should be clear that if this phone were made in China, and not Germany, the justification for its asking price would be even more contradictory than it already is.

The one advantage of using a 4nm SoC design is that it can make the battery go a long way, and with only 5200 mAh of capacity under the hood, then maybe it was the right choice.

While it is possible to change this battery, this isn’t one of those situations where you would want to buy an extra battery to carry along to swap when you need more power. Replacing the battery requires partially dismantling the phone, and the connectors aren’t designed for repeated detachment and reattachment cycles. Swapping the battery is something you might do when it doesn’t hold a charge reliably, maybe three years from now, not because you forgot to charge it up.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

With a battery of this size and 33W charging, it can be recharged from empty reasonably quickly, I estimate in under two hours.

And using wireless charging, it should take about twice that timeframe. That there doesn’t appear to be a provision for reverse charging is no huge surprise on a battery of this capacity.

Punkt. MC03: Software

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

AphyOS, developed by the Swiss firm Apostrophy, is the entire reason the MC03 exists and the source of its most interesting commercial divergence. The operating system is built on AOSP 15, meaning the Android foundation is familiar and functional, but Apostrophy has replaced the tracking and monetisation infrastructure that normally sits on top of that foundation with its own privacy-first layer.

The most visible expression of that approach is the dual environment. The Vault is the primary home screen and contains only applications that have been vetted and approved by Punkt and AphyOS.

In practice, that means the full Proton suite, including Mail, Calendar, Drive, VPN and Pass, alongside Threema for encrypted messaging and Punkt's own curated app selection. The interface in this environment is intentionally monochrome and minimal, which sounds austere, but the logic here is that it actively discourages the aimless scrolling that characterises most smartphone use.

The Wild Web is the second environment, accessible via a swipe, and it is where the MC03 reveals its pragmatism. Google Play is not installed by default, but users can enable it during the setup process if they wish. Third-party applications installed here operate within sandboxed environments with visible, adjustable permissions. The MC03 does not pretend the wider Android ecosystem does not exist; it simply insists that applications within it be contained and transparent about their data appetites.

Additional AphyOS features include Digital Nomad, a built-in VPN that encrypts traffic, and the Ledger, which gives per-app privacy controls ranging from full access to complete lockdown. The Ledger also includes a Carbon Reduction view showing background energy consumption by application, which is either a genuinely useful tool for the environmentally conscious or a conversation starter, depending on how you look at it.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The snag? The first twelve months of AphyOS are included with the device. After that, continued access to the full feature set costs $9.99 per month, or around $120 per year. Multi-year bundles reduce this significantly: three years of future subscription is priced at $129 (a saving of 45 per cent), and five years at $199 (a saving of 60 per cent).

Without a subscription, the phone reverts to a basic AOSP device, which means losing the Vault environment, the Proton integration, the VPN, and the managed app ecosystem.

Given the device's relatively high cost, is this additional subscription justified?

The honest answer is that value depends entirely on your existing outgoings and your threat model. If you already pay for Proton Mail and a separate VPN service, the MC03 subscription bundles several things you are already paying for into a device-level solution.

Many Proton users pay $9.99 per month for Proton Unlimited on its own, and that does not include device-level hardening or a Threema subscription. From that angle, the MC03 subscription is competitive with the status quo rather than additional to it.

For journalists, legal professionals, medical practitioners, activists in high-risk environments, or anyone handling commercially sensitive communications, the total cost-of-ownership argument is reasonably straightforward. For a general-purpose user who mostly wants social media and a decent camera, the case is harder to make.

Punkt. MC03: Cameras

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• 64MP, 8MP and 2MP on the rear
• 32MP on the front
• Four cameras in total

Rear camera: 64MP Omnivision OV64b40 Primary Sensor, 8MP GalaxyCore GC08A3 Wide Angle, GalaxyCore GC02M1 Macro
Front camera: 32MP GalaxyCore GC32E1

Let’s cut to the chase, some of these sensors are decent, others less so, the thing they all have in common is that they are inexpensive. Evidently, Punkt. doesn’t consider its core audience to be interested in photography, which is why we see Omnivision and GalaxyCore sensors across the board.

While the 64MP Omnivision OV64b40 isn’t a bad primary sensor, it's not something I’d expect to see on a premium device, but rather on a low- to mid-tier device.

It can take some sharp photos in good light conditions, and it has ML-PDAF focusing, but it only has digital zooming, not optical, and its native 0.7μm pixels are smaller than many competitors.

But as I’ve seen more of the results of this sensor, I’ve also noticed that the dynamic range isn’t wide, and it tends to wash out bright areas too easily. Some of its deficiencies can be addressed by post-capture software processing, but I see little evidence of this on the MC03, resulting in missing detail in shadows, for example.

The redeeming aspect of this camera cluster is that it will take 4K video, even if the storage capacity of this phone isn’t ideal for doing that.

One disappointment is that Punkt. wouldn’t pay for the Widevine L1 license, only L3, so if you use the MC03 to watch streams from the likes of Disney or Netflix then the resolution will only be 480p, even if you have an HDR-rated display capable of better than 1080p.

In short, not a photographer's phone, although it can take the odd decent image.

Punkt. MC03 Camera samplesMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavancePunkt. MC03: Performance

Phone

Punkt MC03

Motorola ThinkPhone 25

SoC

MediaTek Dimensity 7300

Mediatek Mediatek Dimensity 7300-Ultra

GPU

Mali-G615 MC2

Mali-G615 MC2

NPU

MediaTek NPU 655

MediaTek NPU 655

Memory

8GB/256GB

8GB/256GB

Weight

240g

171g

Battery

5200

4310

Geekbench

Single

1013

1050

Multi

2974

2998

OpenCL

2481

2602

Vulkan

2478

2527

PCMark

3.0 Score

13082

15115

Battery

13h 15m

14h 21

Charge in 30 Mins

%

39

55

Passmark

Score

13819

14125

CPU

6912

7077

3DMark

Slingshot OGL

6642

6090

Slingshot Ex. OGL

5188

5037

Slingshot Ex. Vulkan

4905

3676

Wildlife

3184

3185

Nomad Lite

350

349

Originally, I was going to compare this phone to the AGM G3 Pro, since it uses the same SoC, but instead, I went with the Motorola ThinkPhone 25, which also uses that platform. I could have used the Doogee V Max LR, Ulefone Armor 34 Pro or Ulefone Armor 30 Pro, as these all use it too.

As you can see from these numbers, the performance of the Dimensity 7300 is reasonably consistent irrespective of the brand of phone, and it delivers reasonable if unexciting results.

However, what I found genuinely interesting was that with less battery, 20% less, the Motorola managed to run for a little longer. That hints that when you reorganise the OS to be more secure, there might be an impact on power efficiency. And, the Motorola also charges more rapidly, because it can charge at 68W, not 33W.

But the most damning aspect of this comparison isn’t in these benchmark scores. It’s that the ThinkPhone costs only £275 in the UK (not available in the USA), and it comes with a far superior camera platform that includes an optical zoom.

Therefore, if you strip away the AphyOS part of the MC03 offering, it appears to be more than double the price that the hardware can reasonably justify.

Punkt. MC03: Early verdict

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

I can rationalise that some people find minimalist tech attractive, probably because of companies like Microsoft and others that overstuff their products with features their customers never asked for.

However, my experience with the MC03 didn’t make me want to embrace the ringfenced mindset behind this design for numerous reasons.

As a reviewer of this device, along with the device I was provided by the makers with a long list of critical, major and minor known problems with the MC03. Having had the phone for a month, none of these has been addressed so far, and I’ve found additional problems along the way. Considering that this phone is meant to be ready for customers at the end of April, it’s concerning that I haven't seen a rapid succession of updates.

If I do see a bug-squashing firmware release before it is available to purchase, I’ll add a note to that effect below.

But those flaws aside, my first complaint is that this device assumes, probably because the customer bought it, that they’ve entirely bought into the Punkt. ecosystem even before they’ve used the phone.

When you run through the typical question-and-answer system of a phone initialisation, you are told to create an Aphy account, which gives you one year of free use, and then it’s a paid subscription. You don’t get to skip this and come back to it later, which I personally hated.

Then it asks you which Aphy apps you want to install, even if you have no idea which ones you want, and it won’t accept the answer ‘none of them’. Again, the same approach to the customer is blatantly to do as you are told.

I randomly picked Proton VPN, and then I discovered that while you need an Aphy account to access the app, you also have to pay extra to use it.

It’s like at every turn, this device holds its hand up and declares that where you are heading is out of bounds. A personal favourite, and not one of the documented bugs, was that I couldn’t take screenshots of my benchmark results.

It told me that either the app or my organisation had not given permission for that! Yes, that overburdening corporation I work for decided I couldn’t take screenshots, even though I’m self-employed.

I could go on, but it’s all rather tedious to recount, and it made me just want vanilla Android more than ever.

Yes, I’m sure that what Punkt. has been built is technically more secure, and reducing the app model to this form has undeniable benefits. But, as has been the complaint with previous Punkt. phones, they’re expensive and can have significant bugs that the company seems slow to fix.

Others have commented that the security credentials of AphyOS come from companies that Punkt. does business with, where alternatives like Graphene have had independent third-party appraisals. I don’t have the inside knowledge to confirm or refute that view, but it would be interesting to see what the Mythos AI, created by Anthropic, made of this platform from a vulnerability perspective.

The security angle aside, the biggest issue here is asking this much for a phone with mid-tier components and additional subscriptions for the secure apps seems to shrink the number of potential customers for the MC03. But since this company has sold enough MC01 and MC02 devices to remain in business, it must be doing enough right to have brought us the MC03.

For more options, check out our selection of the best business smartphones we've tested.

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: two-minute review

Founded in 2009 by a team of engineers in Shenzhen, China, Reolink has grown into a global provider of smart, yet affordable, security cameras. A little while back I tested the Reolink Altas PT Ultra and was really impressed with the 355-degree pan and 90-degree tilt camera, though the design was a little bulky. This recently launched Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is very different though.

While it doesn’t feature a rotating pan-and-tilt camera (instead it features a fixed lens with 150-degree field of view), it does boast two large LED panels capable of delivering up to 1,000 lumens of brightness. It’s also quite a bit cheaper than the Reolink Altas PT Ultra, currently retailing for around £85. Of course, the cheaper price tag does involve some trade-offs, not least the lower video resolution. Whereas the Reolink Altas PT Ultra offers 4K ultra high definition, the Solar Floodlight Cam is restricted to 2K (1440p) resolution. However, for the vast majority of people, 2K video resolution is more than adequate.

The camera's two extra-bright spotlights resemble 'ears' on either side of the main unit (Image credit: Future)

Designed to be placed on the outside of the property with a clear view of the sky at a height of around 2.5 to 3m, the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is reasonably easy to install. In the box there’s a mounting bracket with screws and wall plugs, as well as — unusually — a mounting wrench for tightening up the bracket.

Before installation, you will need to charge the unit using the USB-C cable provided and pair the camera with the Reolink app using the QR code on the back of the unit. Helpfully, the camera supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi frequencies and it tells you when it is successfully paired with your home network.

The camera comes with a mounting bracket and screws, plus a mounting wrench to tighten the bracket (Image credit: Future)

Unlike some apps, which can be confusing to navigate, the Reolink app offers everything you need within a reasonably clear interface. You can select the different types of object you want the camera to detect (human, animal, vehicle or other) and set a schedule for when you want recordings to happen (for example, switch off during the day if you know family members are going to be around). You can also exclude certain parts of the frame, which is handy if — like me — you are setting the camera up in a back garden and don’t want to record activity from your next-door neighbour’s property.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to use the Reolink app, the device can be fully integrated with Amazon Alexa, allowing you to view live video feeds on screen-enabled devices such as an Echo Show (though we didn’t test this facility). You can even control the floodlights using your own voice via the Alexa app.

The Reolink app has a refreshingly clear interface (Image credit: Future)

In addition to two powerful spotlights, a very loud 110dB siren is provided to help deter burglars. Alternatively, it’s possible to set your own custom audio tone if the alarm is triggered such as whispering ‘pssst’ to get intruders to look at the camera for better facial recognition.

Not only can the brightness of the LED spotlights be adjusted depending on your preferences, it’s also possible to adjust color temperature depending on whether you want your intruders to be bathed in a cold ‘blue-ish’ light or a much warmer yellow light.

You can adjust the brightness of the camera's twin spotlights, and even their color temperature (Image credit: Future)

Two-way audio is provided for communications with sound coming from a large-ish speaker on the bottom of the unit next to the PIR sensor and waterproof connections for the USB-C cable and Micro SD card.

Footage can be recorded either to the MicroSD card (up to a maximum of 512GB) or you can subscribe to Reolink Cloud to store footage in the cloud – see details below. This facility also includes AI Video Search so you can quickly find footage using natural language. For example, type ‘man wearing a red T-shirt’ and in the UK it will bring up the postman coming to the door and anyone else wearing a red T-shirt!

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: subscription options

Reolink Cloud, Single Device Plan: Up to 30-day cloud video history, one camera, 16GB cloud storage, AI video search. £2.71 (about $3.50 / AU$5) per month.

Reolink Cloud, Standard Plan. Premier Plan: Up to 30-day cloud video history, up to 5 cameras supported, 30GB cloud storage. £2.87 (about $4 / AU$6) per month.

See https://cloud.reolink.com/cloud-plan for further details

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: price and availability

• How much does it cost? Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam £85 UK, $US99, $AUD169
• When is it available? Since March 2026
• Where is it available? UK/US/Australia

First announced at CES 2026 in early January, the Solar Floodlight Cam is one of a number of devices Reolink is planning to release this year. Others include a 24MP triple lens outdoor camera (the OMVI X16 PoE) and an interesting Reolink AI set-top box designed to add AI functionality to non-AI cameras.

What’s more, the Floodlight Cam is also one of the cheapest outdoor cameras you can buy with local storage (although you will have to fork out for your own Micro SD card). Whereas some companies keep hardware prices relatively low by tying you into a subscription even for basic functionality, the Reolink offers a best of both worlds’ solution - cheap hardware combined with local subscription-free storage.

Nor is just about the money. For those worried about the security of cloud-based storage, local storage is a far safer option (providing the burglar doesn’t steal the camera with the MicroSD card inside, of course). However, there is always the option of taking out a monthly subscription if you so choose.

Whereas some manufacturers will charge you over £10 a month for basic functionality, at least Reolink Cloud is relatively cheap. Subscription prices have even come down since I last reviewed a Reolink product around 18 months ago. You can now get 30-days of recordings stored in the cloud for less than £3 a month. The cloud subscription also includes AI video search for finding recordings using short descriptions.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: design

• Unique triple cube design
• Fixed solar panel
• IP66 waterproofing

Most outdoor security cameras comprise either one or maybe two main elements. There’s usually the camera itself plus a solar panel which is either mounted on the camera or housed in a separate device and connected via a USB-C cable. The Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is unusual in that it really comprises four elements of similar size and shape.

First there’s the main cube where the fixed camera lens and PIR are located. Then there are the two flexible LED lights that sit either side like big flappy ears. Finally, there’s the solar panel, which sits on top of the main unit.

The solar panel is in a fixed position, so you need to be careful to mount the camera in a place where it will catch the sun (Image credit: Future)

Usually if the solar panel is integrated it can be moved manually towards the sun (or in the case of the innovative Baseus Security S2 the panel actually rotates with the movement of the sun). But that’s not the case here. Instead, the solar panel is fixed which means you will need to install the camera somewhere that is relatively sunny to ensure additional power.

Initially I had worried that the unusual cube design might make the Solar Floodlight Cam feel a bit more flimsy than some of the more conventional tubular shaped models. However, this white unit feels well-built and comes with IP66 waterproofing.

The camera is equipped with a dome-shaped motion sensor and a large speakerFutureThe camera is equipped with a dome-shaped motion sensor and a large speakerFuture

Underneath the camera are two weatherproof sockets (one for external power from a USB-C cable and one for power on/off and a MicroSD card slot). Also provided are a PIR dome motion sensor and large speaker. Finally at the back of the camera sits a metal ball joint that connects to the mounting bracket to provide ultimate flexibility when it comes to angling the camera.

• Design score: 4/5

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: performance

• Powerful 1,000-lumen illumination
• 2K resolution
• Color night vision

When it comes to performance it’s fair to say that the Reolink is solid rather than spectacular. Images from the 2K (1440p) camera lens aren’t the sharpest I’ve seen, certainly nowhere near as good as those from its stablemate, the Reolink Altas PT Ultra. However, where it comes into its own is its ability to capture footage in near total darkness. Virtually every night I tested the camera it captured wildlife in my garden, including several foxes and even a hedgehog! Thankfully no human intruders though.

Reolink's app is easy to use, and clips are neatly ordered for quick referenceFutureYou can schedule times when the camera should and shouldn't watch for activityFutureAdjusting the battery mode can extend the time between chargesFutureThe time lapse setting is unusual, but helpful for things like tracking the process of a building projectFuture

Whereas some security cameras have apps that are very difficult to navigate, Reolink’s are generally very easy to use. Underneath the main image there’s a timeline where you can scroll through captured footage — useful if you missed the push notifications on your phone. Each of the clips is categorized for easy reference with an image of a running person for an intruder, pawprint for animal or a circle for other sighting. This makes it much easier to find relevant footage.

As with many security cameras, I found the lens on the Reolink Solar Floodlight camera a little too sensitive at its default setting of 80. For example, sheets hanging on a washing line were routinely triggering alerts. As a result, I found it necessary to reduce the sensitivity to around 50 so it didn’t capture every minor movement.

The Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam doesn't capture the sharpest images in daylight...Future...but it really comes into its own after darkFuture

Alternatively, if you want to use the camera for creative, rather than security purposes, there’s an innovative time lapse setting. This can be set up to capture images at set intervals of between 10 seconds and six hours and also includes different pre-sets including one for construction — handy if you are tracking the progress of a building project.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam?Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Costing around £85, the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is excellent value for money considering it offers two large spotlights and a built-in solar panel.

4.5/5

Design

An unusual cube design, the Reolink is surprisingly sturdy with decent IP66 rating.

4/5

Performance

The Reolink produces solid rather than spectacular images. However, its menus are easy to navigate and it incorporates some useful features such as time lapse.

4/5

Average rating

If you want a decent security camera with powerful spotlights that you don’t have to keep recharging every few months then the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is a good option, especially given the competitive price tag.

4/5

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam: also consider

Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam

Ring Spotlight Cam Pro (Solar)

IMOU Cell 3C

MP

Subscription price

None. Optional Reolink Cloud From £2.71 a month.

From £4.99 a month

None required. optional IMOU Protect from £3.49 a month)

Viewing angle

150° ultra-wide (diagonal)

140° view horizontal, 80° vertical

120° horizontal

Network connection

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz)

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz)

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)

Audio

Two-way audio

Two-way audio

Two-way audio

Video

2K (1440p) video resolution

2K Video, HDR, Live View, Color Night Vision

2K (3MP) video resolution

Power

Battery/Solar

Battery/Solar (mains option also available)

Battery/Solar

Hardware price

£85 (with built in solar panel)

£199 (with separate solar panel)

£49.99 (with built in solar panel)

If you're not sure whether the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam is the right device to protect your home, here are two other options you should consider:

Ring Spotlight Cam Pro (Solar)

Available in black or white, this outdoor security camera from Amazon-owned Ring comes in battery, solar and mains versions. Great functionality but relatively expensive, especially with monthly subs.

Read our full review of the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro

IMOU Cell 3C

A decent outdoor security camera with integrated solar panel. What it lacks in image quality the IMOU more than make up for in functionality and the price is extremely competitive.

Read our full review of the IMOU Cell 3C

Should you buy the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam?Buy it if

You want to flood your property with light

One of the main benefits of the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam are the two powerful spotlights providing up to 1,000 lumens of illumination.

You don’t want to have to recharge the device’s battery

The Reolink features a built-in solar panel so you don’t have to recharge the built-in lithium ion battery so often.

How I tested the Reolink Solar Floodlight Cam

• * I used the camera outdoors for 10 days
• * I set it up myself using the fittings provided by the manufacturer
• * The security camera was installed on the outside of my summer house

I installed the Reolink camera on the front of my summer house which also serves as a small gym and an office during the summer. Because the building is made of wood it makes it simple to install cameras using the screws provided, whereas if it was on a brick wall I would have to use a drill and the wall plugs provided for installation.

As the solar panel is fixed and the ideal location for the camera is under the eaves of the summer house I had worried that the solar panel would be ineffective. But, remarkably, after 10 days of testing (admittedly many of them actually sunny for a change), the camera’s battery is still at 100% charge. Part of the reason is that I turned the sensitivity of the camera down to reduce the number of false alerts. I also reduced the brightness of the spotlights so as not to annoy the neighbours with too much light pollution every time an alert is triggered.

QLVR ENDVR: Two minute review

Most running shoes feel familiar for a reason: the formula has barely changed in millennia. We have archaeological evidence of shoes being fastened with “shoelaces” as far back as around 3,500 BC, yet the basic lace-up running trainer remains the default.

QLVR (pronounced “clever”) set out to challenge that. Its debut shoe, the ENDVR, is a laceless “running slipper” built around a women-specific mechanical structure, with a slip-on Wing Fit system inspired by the way a bird’s wing opens and closes around movement.

The brand’s core argument is blunt: most athletic shoes are designed on men’s lasts (the mechanical devise used by manufacturers to create the foot shape) and scaled down for women, even though women’s feet tend to have different shapes and pressure points. So, they decided to literally break the mould and design something specifically for women’s feet.

It sounds like a noble ambition, although it didn’t necessarily start out as one. Originally the company was focused on doing away with laces. But co-founder and footwear designer Martin Dean soon realised this would be impossible with a unisex shoe.

“We were tweaking the design but we couldn't get it to work. The unisex fit system means it would just be too loose on the back of a woman's foot,” said Dean.

“That's when we realised that the majority of footwear is made to fit a man's foot. So we thought ‘let's launch this for women’.”

As a runner who often struggles with shoe fit, I could immediately relate to Dean’s explanation. I spend an inordinate amount of time fiddling with laces trying to get the fit around my ankle just right. I don’t want the laces to dig in, but I also don’t want my ankles rocking around. I also struggle with the width of running shoes finding that the toe box shape is never quite right. Typically, a lot of running technology, not just shoes but also some of the best running watches, are male by default.

When I heard about the QLVR ENDVR I was keen to try them out. Maybe, finally, this shoe would fit! Over the past couple of months, I’ve been testing the shoe on a range of activities. Treadmill intervals, 10k easy road runs, gym sessions and as an everyday trainer for trips around the shops.

As soon as I slipped the pair on they immediately felt different. But were they the shoe I was ultimately looking for?

(Image credit: Lily Canter)What makes it different?

The 'women-first’ part is not just a marketing line. QLVR is designed around a more 'triangular' female foot shape, with a narrower heel, wider toe area, and higher arches, rather than shrinking a men’s shoe and relying on laces to make up the slack.

The laceless part is the standout: the Wing Fit system is designed to sit in a closed, ‘laced-up’ position, flexing as you step in and then holding the rearfoot securely once your heel drops. In practice, it’s the first slip-on I’ve tried that feels like it’s meant to be run in. There is an immediate locked-in feel, and the foot is held snugly inside with minimal slippage. Being able to slip on a shoe and have the perfect heel fit straight away is a revelation.

Then there’s sustainability. QLVR leans hard into bio-based materials: a dandelion-derived foam it calls Dandelite, a Pebax Rnew polymer (from castor beans) for the Wing Fit system and propulsion plate, and a Tencel yarn upper made from eucalyptus fibres.

What it’s like to run in

The fit is the first shock. I used QLVR’s sizing guidance and went down to a UK 6.5 (I usually size up to a 7 in running shoes). Straight out of the box, they felt very snug: secure around the ankle and heel, with noticeably more arch presence than I’m used to.

But that sense of the arch’s prominence faded fast. Once I started moving, the shoe relaxed into something closer to a slipper-like comfort, without the wobbly, overly soft feeling some max-cushioned shoes can have. For easy treadmill miles, it’s been especially pleasant: quiet, stable, and easy to forget about.

The laceless convenience is not a gimmick, either. If you’re popping out for a short run, going from work to gym, or fitting training into the cracks of a day, sliding in and heading off is genuinely freeing. No lace bite across the midfoot, no fiddling to get heel lockdown just right. The rearfoot hold is simply “there” every time.

QLVR positions the ENDVR as a shoe that can handle everything from intervals to cross-training. Based on my testing, that checks out. It feels comfortable and controlled for steady running, and supportive enough for gym sessions where you’re moving laterally or lifting lightly.

But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. For me, the snugness may be a limiter. On longer distances, feet swell and I like a little more room up front. With my toes close to the end of the shoe and a hint of heel rub developing, I’d be cautious about taking these beyond half marathon territory. But then again, they are designed as an all-round training shoe rather than a long distance running pair.

Grip has been mostly fine on roads, but on icy patches I felt less confident than in some of my regular winter-friendly trainers. And, subjectively, the look will be divisive: the Wing Fit silhouette is unapologetically bold, and personally I think they’re pretty ugly.

One extra practical win: QLVR says you can machine-wash the shoes cold after removing the insoles and using a laundry bag.

(Image credit: Lily Canter)Price and availability

The QLVR ENDVR costs £165 ($233, AUS $311) and is sold direct from the QLVR website. QLVR says it ships worldwide, although its FAQ notes US shipping is temporarily on hold while it assesses the impact of new import tariffs. The pricing is pretty much on-par with mid-range running and gym shoes.

QLVR ENDVR: Specifications

Type

Neutral multi-training

Drop

9mm drop with 35mm rear / 26mm forefoot stack height

Weight

270g (women’s size 6)

Sizing note

QLVR’s current guidance is worth considering carefully, as it is a little contradictory. The product page and FAQ suggest the shoe can size up a bit small, recommending going up half or a full size if you’re between sizes. But the size chart says if you follow its guide you don’t need to go up in size, as toe wiggle-room is built in. This is why I opted for a 6.5 after measuring my feet according to their metrics. If I wanted to run longer distances in these shoes, I would definitely size up to 7.

QLVR: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

Appropriate for mid-range shoes

4/5

Design

Innovative and interesting

4/5

Performance

Great for mid-distance

4/5

QLVR ENDVR: Should I buy?Buy it if...

You're interested in new running tech

Been running in the same kind of shoes all your life? The QLVR is for runners interested in the experimental.

You care about the environment

The bio-based materials mean the shoe manufacturing process is eco-conscious.

Don't buy it if...

You're male

The QLVR ENDVR is specifically biomechanically designed for women's feet

You're a marathoner

If you’re a long-run purist or ultra runner who needs toe-box space when your feet puff up and a little more slack at the heel, then this might not be the solution you are seeking.

First reviewed: March 2026