5 days ago
Opera VPN Pro update adds new locations and ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol
In an upgrade to Opera VPN Pro, the browser company has added ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol to its premium VPN service.
The open-source protocol is seen as an industry leader and matches top competitors for speed and security. Previously, Lightway was only available if you used ExpressVPN. Despite being open source, the resistance of many of the best VPNs to be linked with one another has slowed its uptake.
The addition, conducted in collaboration with ExpressVPN, comes alongside several other improvements to the VPN Pro package, including infrastructure upgrades for connectivity and to enhance the server network.
This overhaul includes a significant upgrade to Opera VPN Pro's infrastructure. Its 3,000 servers now deliver connections of up to 10Gbps, and the network has expanded from 33 locations to 48 (including servers in the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, South Korea, and Japan).
This, alongside the adoption of the Lightway protocol, should deliver faster, more reliable connection speeds, while the wider range of server locations will give global users more choice and the ability to find servers that are closer to their real location.
The upgrade will be rolled out automatically for desktop users, while mobile users will be sent a notification to update the Opera app to get the new features.
The Lightway VPN protocol was created by ExpressVPN and launched in 2020. To date, the protocol has been exclusive to the premium VPN provider, and it has been a selling point for the provider's relatively expensive plans.
VPN protocols manage the connection between the VPN app on your device and the VPN server, and enable you to use the internet securely and anonymously. Reliable VPN protocols ensure your information is safely encrypted while minimising the impact on your connection speed.
Alongside popular protocols such as OpenVPN and WireGuard, which are generally offered by the best VPNs, providers like NordVPN and Hotspot Shield have their own proprietary solutions in the form of NordLynx and Catapult Hydra, respectively.
Lightway is regarded as one of the best VPN protocols on the market today. It is open source, meaning that the user community can inspect its code and report on issues and vulnerabilities. It also has a much smaller codebase than other options, running to just 2,000 lines of code, making it simple to audit, maintain, and develop for.
The protocol itself has been independently audited twice, confirming the effectiveness of its security, and the fact that Lightway is built in the Rust programming language further adds to its efficiency, enabling it to deliver high performance without impacting the battery life of your device.
Commenting on the addition of the Lightway protocol to VPN Pro, an Oracle representative said, "Lightway aligns with our focus on continuing to improve VPN Pro... [It] boasts improved speed and reliability and works especially well on mobile devices where it offers reduced latency and better battery life."
The protocol also incorporates post-quantum protection, anticipating future threats that will have the bandwidth to beat current encryption technology. This was another draw for Opera, and they noted the importance of the fact that Lightway "can help [Opera] future-proof VPN Pro for our users today."
The VPN Pro implementation of Lightway does not integrate the 2025 Lightway Turbo update, however, which routes VPN traffic via multiple tunnels for increased connection speeds.
VPN Pro provides up to six simultaneous connections for Windows, Mac, and Android devices via Opera One, Opera GX, and Opera for Android. Opera users can also access the provider's more limited free VPN service, which is included with the browser. The provider has an audited no-logs policy and commits not to collect or store personal information or data on users' browsing activity.
Looking ahead, Opera has a roadmap of VPN product improvements based on community feedback and states that it plans to release more updates in the near future.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
