ExpressVPN vs NordVPN (One Very Clear Winner in 2023)

If you've spent any time exploring the world of VPNs, it's highly likely that you've come across NordVPN and ExpressVPN, two well-established and popular virtual private networks with enormous user bases. Both of them frequently appear on “best VPN” lists and have been in operation for several years. They are clearly two of the top names in the industry.

But how do they compare head-to-head? That's the question we set out to answer in this review. Reading this NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison will give you a very clear picture of who is now on top.

Overall, we found that NordVPN was the clear winner in this comparison report. It came out on top with speeds, security features, streaming capability, and also value. The table below highlights the two VPNs before we dive into the test categories.

	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
Location	British Virgin Islands	Panama
Servers	3,000+	5,500+
Countries	94	60
Price	$6.67	$3.19
Logs	No logs (audited)	No logs (audited)
Netflix	Yes	Yes
Torrenting	All servers	All servers
Support	Knowledge Base; 24/7 live chat	Knowledge Base; 24/7 live chat
Apps for	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Website	ExpressVPN.com	NordVPN.com
Best Deal	49% Off >	68% off + 3 months FREE >

Here are the categories we examined for this comparison:

1. Security and Privacy
2. Features comparison
3. VPN apps (hands-on testing with in-depth leak tests)
4. Speed tests (many server locations tested)
5. Streaming and Torrenting
6. Customer Support
7. Prices
8. Conclusion and Final Verdict

Here's a quick overview table highlighting each VPN service before we examine each test category.

Now let's begin with the first category: privacy and security.

Security and Privacy: ExpressVPN vs NordVPN

Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer excellent security and privacy features. But as you will see, there is a winner in this category.

ExpressVPN security and privacy

Here's a summary of what ExpressVPN brings to the table:

• Secure VPN protocols
• A private DNS service
• Leak protection and Network Lock (the ExpressVPN version of a kill switch)
• Threat Manager

ExpressVPN protocols

ExpressVPN gives you several VPN protocols to choose from. IKEv2 and the OpenVPN protocol are well-known, secure, industry standards. But they have upped their game with the proprietary Lightway VPN protocol.

Here are the protocols ExpressVPN supports in the Windows app:

Lightway makes ExpressVPN even more secure, while also making it faster. But with competitors bringing out new protocols too, is Lightway good enough?

We'll find out shortly.

NordVPN security and privacy

NordVPN is a recognized leader in VPN privacy and security. They give you:

• Secure VPN protocols
• A private DNS service
• Kill switches and leak protection
• Threat Protection

NordVPN protocols

NordVPN's main protocols are IPSec/IKEv2, OpenVPN, and NordLynx (WireGuard). IPSec/IKEv2 and OpenVPN are widely used industry standards that use AES-256 encryption to secure your connection.

But the NordLynx VPN protocol is what gets everyone excited. Based on the WireGuard protocol, NordLynx uses the most secure current encryption methods. Even better, tests show that NordLynx is much faster than older protocols.

NordVPN created NordLynx to boost the privacy of WireGuard. To do it, they created the double NAT system and incorporated it into WireGuard. The result is that no personal data gets stored on the server. NordLynx combines the speed and security of WireGuard with NordVPN privacy protection.

Let's see what other privacy and security features they've got to pit against ExpressVPN.

Advanced security and privacy features of NordVPN

NordVPN piles lots of goodies on top of the security and privacy features you get from a leading VPN. I like to use the Double VPN server locations for the added encryption, as you can see below:

Some of my favorite NordVPN features include:

• Threat Protection is a system that blocks ads, trackers, and malware from even reaching your device. Your web pages will even load faster with Threat Protection blocking all that junk. It can also be configured to scan downloaded documents for malware and delete infected ones before you can open them. Even more impressive, Threat Protection will protect your system even when you are not connected to the VPN! Threat Protection Lite is a limited version of Threat Protection that blocks ads, trackers, and malware for traffic flowing through the VPN tunnel.
• Servers with specialized security and privacy features. I'll tell you more about these in the next section.
• Private DNS service to keep your internet service provider (ISP) and others from seeing your DNS queries. The DNS provided by your ISP works fine, but it is visible to your ISP. The private DNS provided by NordVPN (and ExpressVPN as well) is controlled by the VPN and accessible through the encrypted VPN tunnel. That means your queries are not visible to your ISP.
• Diskless servers that can't store your private info. No disk drives in the servers means that there is no place for your data to be stored, even accidentally. Period. No disks in the servers also means that the server software must be reloaded after every restart. Reloading the software helps protect against hacks by bad guys.

Specialized NordVPN server types

NordVPN's server network contains more than 5,100 servers. This makes room for many types of specialty servers with unique security and privacy capabilities. These include:

• Double VPN servers. They route your VPN traffic through two VPN servers located in different places. This boosts the security of the connection with only a small impact on connection speed.
• Onion-over-VPN servers. Pass your VPN traffic through the Onion network (see the Tor project). This adds Tor anonymity to NordVPN privacy and security. These specialty servers are super slow, so use a Double VPN server when possible.
• Obfuscated servers. They make VPN traffic look like regular HTTPS traffic. This lets you evade corporate and government censors. Obfuscated servers are only available when you are using the OpenVPN protocol.

See all NordVPN features here >>

Privacy policies and logs: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN

The marketing materials for many VPN services say they keep no logs of their users' online activities. They may even have it written into their privacy policy. But at least two “no-logs VPNs” that I know of (IPVanish and PureVPN) have been caught secretly logging user information and turning it over to government officials.

Fortunately, we don't always have to trust a VPN's marketing literature. Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN have had their no-logs status verified by third-party audits.

ExpressVPN

On October 25, 2022, ExpressVPN announced the results of their most recent third-party audits. KPMG audited their no-logs policy and found that the company was in compliance with their privacy policies and does not collect any activity or connection logs. You can read the KPMG audit report here.

Meanwhile, Cure53 was independently conducting an audit of ExpressVPN's TrustedServer technology. They spotted a few minor problems which were described as, “trivial to fix and resolve.” You can download the Cure53 audit report here.

NordVPN

Previously NordVPN has completed several audits of their policies and systems, including a privacy policy audit by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). In January of 2023, NordVPN announced the results of their third independent audit of their no-logs claims. This audit was conducted by Deloitte.

Jurisdictions

The competition is deadlocked when thinking about jurisdictions. ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), an excellent privacy jurisdiction. NordVPN is based in Panama, another excellent privacy jurisdiction. Neither country has mandatory data retention policies that would force them to log user activities or otherwise take steps to compromise internet user privacy.

Privacy and security verdict: NordVPN wins this category. Both of these products are strong on the basics of security and privacy. But NordVPN offers more advanced features.

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Feature comparison: Is ExpressVPN or NordVPN better?

Now let's look at which features each VPN provider packs into their product.

ExpressVPN features

ExpressVPN has a strong feature set that covers all the basics, along with a few advanced touches. Here are the main features:

• Industry-standard VPN protocols
• Proprietary Lightway protocol for enhanced speed and security
• Audited no-logs policy
• Apps for popular devices and operating systems
• Apps for many types of connected devices, including routers
• Leak protection and Network Lock kill switch (see image)
• Split tunneling (see image)

• Large and extremely secure network of over 3,000 servers enhanced with TrustedServer security
• Fast streaming and torrenting
• Private DNS
• Five (5) simultaneous connections
• Obfuscated servers to evade internet censorship
• Threat Manager to block ads, trackers, and malware
• 24/7 live chat customer support

Regarding features, ExpressVPN is a little bit on the light side. It seems they are more focused on making simple, user-friendly apps than adding more features to the VPN. Below you can see this for example with the ExpressVPN Android app.

Can NordVPN top this? Let's see.

NordVPN features

NordVPN has an extensive set of features. Check this out:

• Industry-standard VPN protocols
• Custom NordLynx protocol with enhanced privacy
• Audited no-logs policy
• Apps for popular devices and operating systems
• Apps for many types of connected devices, including routers
• Leak protection and kill switch
• Huge network of 5,500+ diskless servers
• Co-located (self-owned) server deployment in progress
• Fast streaming and torrenting
• Split tunneling
• Private DNS
• Six (6) simultaneous connections
• Threat Protection feature that blocks ads, trackers, malware, and more
• Private DNS
• Several types of specialized servers (see below)
• Multi-factor Authentication for extra security on your Nord account
• Meshnet secure local area network (LAN)
• 24/7 live chat customer support

Threat Protection

The Threat Protection feature is noteworthy because it is a very aggressive blocker against ads, trackers, malware, and phishing sites, even when you are not connected to the VPN. This is a big deal since it means, in effect that NordVPN will protect your entire system.

Threat Protection also has some anti-virus-like capabilities. These appear in the way it can check files for threats before you open them, Threat Protection is easy to enable in the settings of NordVPN.

Threat Protection runs on Windows and macOS. But NordVPN hasn't forgotten about the rest of their apps. For them, there is Threat Protection Lite. Threat Protection Lite is available in the apps for Android and iOS, as well as Linux, and Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browser extensions.

There are a couple of differences between Threat Protection and Threat Protection Lite. Threat Protection Lite only protects traffic that passes through the VPN tunnel. In addition, Threat Protection Lite doesn't have the ability to scan downloaded documents.

Note: You can use Threat Protection Lite on Windows and macOS as well, but the full Threat Protection feature is better, so use that!

Meshnet, your own secure LAN (Local Area Network)

Meshnet allows you to create secure, direct connections between devices. Regardless of where in the world the devices are located, you can connect them directly for high-speed, low-latency activities. File sharing is one use, but Meshnet also enables active work collaboration, and multiplayer gaming, activities where the high-speed low-latency characteristics of Meshnet really shine.

Nord Security has made Meshnet available for free to everyone. And I mean everyone–you don't need to be a paying customer of NordVPN to use this feature. Just download and install the NordVPN app for your device, then follow the directions to get Meshnet configured.

We already talked about some of NordVPN's specialized servers. Here's the full set:

• Standard servers – fast, secure, and diskless
• Double-VPN servers – these provide extra security by passing your data through two different servers in two different countries, resulting in your data being encrypted twice
• P2P (Peer-to-Peer) servers – provide direct, encrypted connections to other users for faster, more secure downloading and torrenting than standard VPN servers
• Obfuscated servers – evade internet censorship by camouflaging your VPN traffic as standard HTTPS traffic
• Onion Over VPN servers – give you the anonymity benefits of Tor while preventing your real IP address from being exposed to potentially compromised entry nodes
• Dedicated IP servers – give you a fixed IP address for remote access to your network's resources

Feature set verdict: NordVPN wins here. They offer everything ExpressVPN does, then add more on top.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN apps comparison

Both of these services are known for their high-quality apps. It is really a win-win situation here, but still worth trying to figure out which VPN has better apps than the other.

ExpressVPN apps

ExpressVPN offers VPN apps for almost anything you are likely to want to connect. Those apps have earned a reputation for quality and ease of use. They're good-looking and consistent in appearance and function across all devices. (to the extent possible).

The main devices supported include Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, Linux, routers, Chromebook, and Kindle Fire. Here is the ExpressVPN app for Windows that I tested:

ExpressVPN also provides apps for a wide range of Smart TV systems and game consoles. They are one of the few VPN provider companies with a custom router app. And as you would expect from a class outfit, they also provide browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

I have used ExpressVPN on many of these devices and browsers. I don't recall ever having a problem. I've also tested several of their apps for IP address leaks, DNS leaks, and other security issues. I never encountered any.

NordVPN apps

NordVPN gives you apps for the most common devices too. Windows, mac OS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, and many more. Let's not forget the browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox either. NordVPN does work on routers, but you will have to set that up manually.

The NordVPN apps are easy to use. They even include a map you can use to select any of the server locations you want to connect to. Here's what the NordVPN app looks like on Android devices:

While you can specify the server location you want to connect to, the NordVPN app can do that for you. It will connect you to the best server for your current location. You can even drill all the way down to selecting a specific server in a specific city. All NordVPN apps include a kill switch to provide leak protection.

VPN apps verdict: Call this one a tie. Both VPN companies give their users a ton of secure, reliable apps that make using the VPN as easy as possible.

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NordVPN vs ExpressVPN performance: Which VPN is faster?

This is the second time when we have been able to show you head-to-head results of the 2 big new VPN protocols. WireGuard is an open-source protocol used by several VPN service providers, including NordVPN. Lightway is the proprietary VPN protocol developed by ExpressVPN.

In the tests that follow, I am comparing NordVPN and ExpressVPN using their new protocols. We run our tests on a 500 Mbps fiber-optic connection.

Note: For you purists out there, NordVPN uses NordLynx, a custom protocol that combines WireGuard with enhancements to maintain a no-logs status.

Here are some representative speed test results:

New York speed test results

NordVPN: 280 Mbps

ExpressVPN: 214 Mbps

Seattle speed test results

NordVPN: 446 Mbps

ExpressVPN: 137 Mbps

Los Angeles speed test results

NordVPN: 305 Mbps

ExpressVPN: 210 Mbps

Speed test verdict: NordVPN runs away with this one. ExpressVPN is definitely faster than it used to be (and faster than most VPNs out there), but not fast enough to keep up with NordVPN. That Seattle download speed of almost 446 Mbps is truly impressive!

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Streaming and torrenting comparison

Streaming and torrenting are popular online activities. That's why you need a VPN that can do both well. NordVPN and ExpressVPN can handle both of these tasks. Keep reading to find out the details.

Streaming

ExpressVPN is very capable of streaming. It can unblock most streaming platforms and other video sources. In particular, ExpressVPN does a great job unblocking Netflix libraries around the world. Just log into a server located within the region you want to view and log into Netflix normally.

Supported Netflix libraries include Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the United States. Be aware that you might need customer support to provide you with the exact server to log into sometimes. ExpressVPN's 24/7 support line and excellent technicians can get you that information in a minute or two.

ExpressVPN also works well with other streaming services. We've used it to log onto Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Kodi, and BBC iPlayer. Since it can unblock these high-end services, you can bet ExpressVPN can unblock most other streaming media sites you might want to visit.

Note: Although I hadn't experienced it personally, there were once reports that ExpressVPN couldn't connect to BBC iPlayer reliably. The most current information I have is that this problem has been resolved and ExpressVPN is once again a good VPN for BBC iPlayer.

We just saw test results showing that ExpressVPN is a lot slower than NordVPN. But those results don't mean that ExpressVPN is slow. ExpressVPN is easily fast enough to view HD video if you have a decent internet connection.

NordVPN does an excellent job of unblocking streaming content. It can stream 15+ Netflix regional libraries and most other streaming services. Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and Hulu are some of the premium streaming sites you'll have access to. Thanks to the speed of NordLynx, you will be able to stream full HD video without any stutter or image quality problems. As a matter of fact, NordVPN's performance placed it on our lists of the best VPNs for Netflix and the best VPNs for streaming!

Torrenting performance: ExpressVPN vs NordVPN

The most important things to look for in a VPN for torrenting are:

• The ability to keep your real IP address hidden
• Reasonable download speeds (the faster the better)
• Unlimited bandwidth for downloading

ExpressVPN and NordVPN both get the job done. They are both audited no-logs services with kill switches and leak protection to prevent your real IP address from being exposed if the VPN connection drops while torrenting. They're also located in pro-privacy jurisdictions with no mandatory data retention laws.

NordVPN may download your files faster, but you would be happy torrenting with either one of these services.

Streaming and torrenting verdict: NordVPN wins this category thanks to higher speeds and better streaming.

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Customer support: Which is better?

ExpressVPN has always excelled at customer support. Their excellent team is always helpful and quick to respond. I've never had to wait for more than a minute or two for a response from someone on their 24/7 live chat support line.

I've also used NordVPN for years. I've contacted their 24/7 support line many times with review questions. Fast, helpful responses are the rule here too.

These VPNs also have large knowledge bases on their respective websites. They include everything from numerous videos and written tutorial guides to those all-important 24/7 live chat connections.

Customer support verdict: This is a tie.

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Price Comparison between NordVPN and ExpressVPN

Pricing is definitely one area where these two VPN services differ. One charge an above-average price, the other a below-average price.

ExpressVPN pricing

ExpressVPN is one of the most expensive VPNs available. Here's what their prices look like today (assuming you use our discount coupon):

The one-month plan runs $12.95 per month.

The six-month plan runs $9.99 per month, billed as $59.95 every six months.

The fifteen-month plan is the best deal if you use the discount coupon offer we have linked below. It works out to $6.67 per month for the first 15 months of your subscription.

NordVPN pricing

NordVPN is a high-end service at a low price. Their pricing has become more complicated as they have added additional capabilities at a higher price. They now have three plans: Standard, Plus, and Complete, with additional capabilities added at each level. Here are the current prices on their 2-year plan:

The Standard option on the 2-year plan runs an incredibly low $3.19 per month.

The Plus option adds a password manager and data breach scanner.

The Complete option includes everything in the Plus option and 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage.

You will always get the best price possible on NordVPN when you use the coupon here that includes the 3 months of free time.

Note: The pricing on NordVPN is so good that it tops our list of the best cheap VPNs.

ExpressVPN and NordVPN refund policies

NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all their plans. So does ExpressVPN.

Price and refund policies verdict: NordVPN wins this one. While VPN pricing changes frequently, at the time of this review, NordVPN currently offers much better prices.

One last thing to consider: The merger of Nord Security and Surfshark

Last year Nord Security, the parent company of NordVPN, signed a merger deal with Surfshark, the parent company of Surfshark VPN. This deal is a strategic one and has not had any immediate impact on NordVPN. As announced initially, the two companies have continued to function independently, with “their own target markets, audiences, and product development.”

We don't see this deal as having any negative impact on NordVPN or changing any of the conclusions in this ExpressVPN vs NordVPN battle. Want to learn more about the merger? Click here.

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Conclusion: Is NordVPN or ExpressVPN the best?

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are both excellent VPN providers, consistently ranked among the best in virtually any category you can think of. That makes a NordVPN vs ExpressVPN battle a must-see. But while NordVPN continued to innovate throughout the pandemic, ExpressVPN seemed to lose momentum. As a result, not only is NordVPN faster than ExpressVPN, it has more security and privacy features than ExpressVPN. It is also better at streaming and torrenting than ExpressVPN.

NordVPN is the winner in this comparison.

With all that said, while ExpressVPN did not win in this comparison guide, it still has a lot going for it. Sure, it may be more expensive and have fewer features, but it is still a very reliable and well-regarded VPN service. It just completed audits by KPMG and Cure53 and continues its high reliability and ease of use tradition. You can give ExpressVPN a shot and also pick up the best savings with this coupon for 3 months free:

Want to read about some other options?

Then check out our guide to the best VPN services for some other great picks.

Other VPN comparisons on SecurityTech:

• ExpressVPN vs IPVanish
• ExpressVPN vs Surfshark
• ExpressVPN vs VyprVPN
• NordVPN vs IPVanish
• NordVPN vs Surfshark
• NordVPN vs Proton VPN
• Surfshark vs IPVanish
• VyprVPN vs NordVPN
• VyprVPN vs Surfshark

This NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison guide was last updated on April 3, 2023.