ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN 2025: Battle of the VPN Titans

We’ve tested both services in a side-by-side comparison and think NordVPN is the better choice for most people. Historically, NordVPN has outperformed ExpressVPN during all our in-house tests. NordVPN also offers more at a lower price, especially now that ExpressVPN subscription plans omit the password manager on the lowest tier. 

Both VPNs have a lot going for them, including generally speedy connections, high-level security, and the ability to unblock streaming content. And ExpressVPN might be the better choice if you're looking for broad compatibility. But our firsthand experience and testing show that NordVPN generally matches or beats ExpressVPN across multiple categories.

Let’s explore our ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN review to dig deeper into details about prices, features, speed tests, and more.

ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN at a glance

• NordVPN: Best for low price and speeds
• ExpressVPN: Best for compatibility

		Our Pick
Price	Starts at $3.49/mo (billed every two years)	Starts at $2.99/mo (billed every two years)
Max # of connected devices	14	10
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Firefox
# of servers	Unlisted in 105 countries	8,200+ servers in 120+ countries
VPN protocol	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2	OpenVPN, NordLynx (WireGuard), NordWhisper
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?
	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

ExpressVPN pros and cons

ExpressVPN comes with a premium price tag, but you might find it worth the cost. For one, it provides a security-focused product. Its headquarters are in the British Virgin Islands, which has no obligatory data retention laws. It also undergoes regular third-party audits of its no-logs policy.

ExpressVPN also offers many features to make a subscription worth your while. Its proprietary Lightway protocol was created with speed, security, and reliability in mind. Beyond its standard VPN features, it also offers Advanced Protection (a tracker blocker) and Keys (a built-in password manager) with its higher-tier subscriptions.

NordVPN pros and cons

There aren't many cons with NordVPN. Compared to ExpressVPN, Nord provides a cheaper starting price of $2.99/mo (billed every two years) for a two-year plan. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN offers $3.49/mo (billed every two years) as its lowest starting price.

Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN has its headquarters in Panama, which doesn't have any obligatory data retention laws. Nord also adheres to a strict no-logs policy, verified by third-party audits. In fact, NordVPN undergoes audits more frequently than competitors. 

Finally, NordVPN offers plenty of features that make its lower starting price a great value. The Threat Protection feature can block ads, trackers, and malicious websites. You also have the Dark Web Monitor to monitor if your personal information appears on the dark web.

ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN: prices

		Our Pick
Price range	$3.49–$12.95/mo	$2.99–$17.99/mo
Best value plan	2-year plan for $3.49/mo (billed every two years)	24-month plan for $2.99/mo (billed every two years)
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days
	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

ExpressVPN costs between $3.49–$12.95/mo, with its lowest-priced plan coming in at $3.49/mo (billed every two years) for 2 years.

NordVPN costs between $2.99–$17.99/mo, with its lowest-priced plan coming in at $2.99/mo (billed every two years) for 24 months.

NordVPN is the better choice for most people. It costs less,  has faster speeds, and provides a higher (and more transparent) server count than ExpressVPN.

NordVPN can be expensive, but its long-term options are more budget-friendly if you want to save money on a VPN. Both VPN services offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing for full refunds within the first month.

Which VPN is faster?

We test internet speeds before and after establishing secure VPN connections to see if a service significantly reduces our speed. It’s almost guaranteed that using a VPN will reduce your internet speed to some degree.

We want to determine if the decrease is substantial enough to impact your regular bandwidth usage, whether from browsing websites, streaming content, or playing games.

We run a speed test before connecting to any VPN to get a baseline speed. Then we run speed tests while connected to VPN servers in different locations and see if there’s a significant difference, as shown in the table below. 

U.S. server location		Our Pick
Average speed loss	6.08% decrease	5.80% decrease
	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

NordVPN and ExpressVPN have historically increased our internet speeds, indicating they both provide superior service. We typically expect VPNs to slow our internet speeds because we need to route our connection through a server, so these results were surprising.

NordVPN increased our download speeds significantly more than ExpressVPN at all the locations we tested. We've previously had some trouble finding a good server with ExpressVPN, but our latest round of testing provided a better experience.

Keep in mind that connecting to servers far away typically slows your internet connection more than connecting to nearby servers.

Which VPN is more secure?

Features		Our Pick
Number of servers	Unlisted in 105 countries	8,200+ servers in 120+ countries
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
VPN headquarters	British Virgin Islands	Panama
Encryption	AES-256	AES-256-GCM
VPN protocol	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2	OpenVPN, NordLynx (WireGuard), IKEv2/IPsec
Kill switch
Split tunneling
DNS leak protection
Ad blocker
	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer many similar features, including a kill switch, split tunneling, and torrenting support. They also have strict, audited no-logs policies. Nord's was most recently audited by Deloitte, and ExpressVPN's was audited by KPMG. 

And both VPNs are headquartered in countries or territories that aren’t part of the Five, Nine, or 14 Eyes Alliances. Both Panama (NordVPN) and the British Virgin Islands (ExpressVPN) have strict data protection laws.

The differences lie primarily in the number of servers and the available VPN protocols.

ExpressVPN doesn’t currently publish the total number of servers, but it was once estimated to have around 3,000. NordVPN has 8,200+ servers in 120+ countries. So the NordVPN server count is higher, and it's now surpassed ExpressVPN's country count too (105 countries).

More servers could mean lower server load, or how congested a server gets from user traffic. But more countries could mean more opportunities to unblock streaming content. Note that 105 countries is still likely more than enough for the average VPN user.

The main difference between the VPN protocols from both providers is that ExpressVPN uses Lightway, while NordVPN uses NordLynx and NordWhisper. These are fast, next-generation protocols, but NordLynx tends to be faster than Lightway.

NordVPN also offers one more feature that ExpressVPN doesn't: double VPN, also called multi-hop. This likely isn't a critical feature for most VPN users, but it provides extra security for anyone who worries their internet access might be limited or blocked.

ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN: compatibility and customer support

Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Linux
Router
Smart devices
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi	Chrome, Firefox, Edge
24/7 support
Customer support options	Live chat, email, online guides	Live chat, email, online guides
	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN: compatibility

Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN were easy to download and install on our Windows desktop computer. Both VPNs also have broad device compatibility and offer browser extensions, mobile apps, and desktop widgets. 

You can also use these VPNs with routers and other types of smart devices that might not have VPN apps. To be clear, you can’t set up the ExpressVPN app or NordVPN app on a device that’s not compatible. But you can use a feature called Smart DNS to unblock streaming services on different devices, such as an Xbox or Smart TV.

ExpressVPN offers Smart DNS functionality through its MediaStreamer feature. NordVPN offers Smart DNS through its SmartPlay feature.

We do like that ExpressVPN created a proprietary router, known as Aircove, with the VPN already installed. That way, you can cover all the devices in your home without being hindered by the simultaneous connections limit.

ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN: interface

The interfaces for both Windows apps are generally intuitive and easy to use. We had no issues finding server lists, quick-connect buttons, or the settings to access other features, such as the kill switch or split tunneling.

If there was anything slightly frustrating about our experiences with either service, it’s that we couldn’t figure out how to log in to ExpressVPN without going through a verification process (getting a code via email). Multi-factor authentication is a helpful security feature, but it can make things difficult if you share an account with others.

ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN: customer support

Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer 24/7 customer service through live chat, email, and online guides. There’s no phone number to call or any official online support forum for either VPN, but you can check out the unofficial subreddits for both providers to interact with other customers.

Not every VPN provider offers 24/7 live chat support, or you might need to be a paying subscriber to access it. But you don’t even have to be a customer to interact with ExpressVPN or NordVPN customer service, which can be helpful if you have specific questions before signing up for a subscription.

We used the live chat features from both companies and found the representatives to be polite, easy to understand, and helpful. We also didn’t have to wait more than a few minutes to connect with someone.

ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN alternatives

ExpressVPN and NordVPN are some of the best VPNs on the market, but they're not the cheapest. Some of our top recommended NordVPN alternatives include Surfshark and Private Internet Access. Both offer unlimited simultaneous connections at a low price. Surfshark offers a better ad blocker, while PIA offers VPN servers in all 50 U.S. states, which is great for sports streaming and betting.

Here's a snapshot of how NordVPN compares:

FAQs

ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN: which is better?

Between the two options, we recommend NordVPN. 

ExpressVPN provides high levels of security and privacy, can unblock streaming services, and offers fast speeds. But NordVPN does the same things, costs less, and has historically outperformed ExpressVPN for speed in repeated in-house testing.