ExpressVPN has introduced a new home VPN router, the Fortify, in partnership with GL.iNet. The device replaces the company’s previous Aircove line and represents a shift in strategy. GL.iNet supplies the hardware and networking platform, while ExpressVPN provides the VPN service and privacy technology.
Performance and Features
The Fortify router is built on GL.iNet’s Flint 2 platform. It uses Wi-Fi 6 technology to extend VPN coverage across a home network. This allows devices that do not support dedicated VPN software, such as smart TVs and games consoles, to connect through a secure tunnel. The router supports up to 86 concurrent devices.
Speed tests show the Fortify delivers VPN speeds of up to 900 Mbps on WireGuard. This is significantly faster than the Aircove, which topped out at 330 Mbps. The hardware includes a quad-core 2.0GHz processor, 1GB of DDR4 memory, and 8GB of eMMC storage. It also features 4×4 MU-MIMO, multi-WAN failover, and smart queue management.
Connectivity options include two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports and four Gigabit Ethernet ports. The router also supports AdGuard Home. At launch, ExpressVPN stops selling Aircove and Aircove Go and ends production of both models. Existing customers will continue to receive critical security updates and customer support through 2027 for Aircove and through 2028 for Aircove Go. Owners of the older routers will also be eligible for a discount on the new model.
Hardware and Software Integration
The launch signals a move away from ExpressVPN’s earlier model of selling its own purpose-built router hardware. Instead, the company is aligning with GL.iNet, a networking specialist whose products are used in more than 120 countries. At launch, Fortify connects to ExpressVPN through WireGuard and is configured through GL.iNet’s router interface. This setup preserves GL.iNet’s existing networking functions while integrating ExpressVPN’s service.
Fortify includes 12 months of the ExpressVPN Advanced plan for new and returning users. The subscription covers use of ExpressVPN through the router and through the company’s apps when devices leave the home network. The Advanced plan also includes ExpressKeys, the company’s password manager, along with Advanced Protection features that block ads, trackers, and malicious sites, parental controls for adult content, and ExpressMailGuard for email privacy. Those features are available through ExpressVPN’s apps rather than the router interface. In the United States, the plan also includes Identity Defender. The package also comes with up to three days of holiday.com eSIM data.
ExpressVPN first introduced dedicated router firmware in 2016 before later launching the Aircove line. Fortify continues that push into router-based privacy products, but on a different hardware base. The device is priced at USD $199.99.
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