NordVPN vs ExpressVPN: Which is Better? (2024 Test Results)

Kate Hawkins
Last Updated by Kate Hawkins on January 02, 2024 Fact-checked by Justyn Newman Fact-checked by Justyn Newman

ExpressVPN and NordVPN are 2 of the best VPN services on the market, so it’s hard to choose between them. I put each VPN to the test in 13 different categories to establish which service takes the top spot. I looked at speed, privacy policies, security features, payment methods, customer support, and more.

Overall, ExpressVPN is the winner because of its top speeds, low connection latency, and ability to avoid network restrictions — it’s one of the few VPNs that work in China. NordVPN is a solid choice, but it’s not as fast and can’t always get around online restrictions.

Luckily, both VPNs offer a money-back guarantee period, allowing you to try them without risk and determine which one suits your needs.

Try ExpressVPN risk-free

No Time? Here’s a 1-Minute Summary of Category Winners

ExpressVPN logo
Pricing As low as $6.67/month with a 1-year + 3 months plan — price doesn’t change on renewal As low as $3.99/month with a 2-year + 3 months plan — price increases on renewal
Streaming Provides blazing-fast speeds with zero lag for smooth streaming on Netflix (20+ libraries), Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and more Unblocks Netflix (10+ libraries), Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and more with moderate speeds
Servers 3,000+ servers in 105 countries 6,180+ servers in 83 countries
Speed Local speed tests: 5.4% decrease from baseline speed

Long-distance speed tests: 20% decrease from baseline speed

Local speed tests: 6.1% decrease from baseline speed

Long-distance speed tests: 26% decrease from baseline speed

Security
  • AES-256-GCM encryption
  • Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec protocols
  • DNS and IP leak protection
  • Kill switch
  • Malware blocker (only available on iOS, macOS, and Linux)
  • TrustedServer technology
  • AES-256-GCM encryption
  • NordLynx, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec protocols
  • DNS and IP leak protection
  • Kill switch
  • Ad and malware blocker
  • Double VPN
  • Onion over VPN
  • Diskless servers
Torrenting 6 minutes to download a 1.41GB file 10 minutes to download a 1.41GB file
China Works consistently with good speeds for streaming Doesn’t work in China
Gaming 22% average increase in latency from base speed 55% average increase in latency from base speed
Device Compatibility Available on Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux, and more. Apps are more intuitive and easy to use for beginners. Available on Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux, and more. Has ad and malware blocker and specialty servers on all apps.
Company Jurisdiction Headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, with audited zero-log policy Headquartered in Panama, with audited zero-log policy
Privacy Policy No-logs policy. Independently audited. No-logs policy. Independently audited.
Payments and Refunds Accepts payments through most major credit cards, Paypal, Mint, and Bitcoin Accepts payments through most major credit cards and several cryptocurrencies (but not Paypal or Mint)
Customer Support Fast and helpful 24/7 live chat and email support Fast and helpful 24/7 live chat and email support

13 Categories of Comparison for ExpressVPN vs NordVPN

Here’s a summary of the full list of criteria that I used to compare ExpressVPN and NordVPN. For an in-depth description of my test results, click on the categories to jump to the findings of each section:

  1. Pricing — compared the subscription plans and refund policies offered by both providers.
  2. Streaming — tested whether both providers can access Netflix and other streaming sites without buffering or loss of resolution.
  3. Servers — compared number and location of servers as well as the ability to bypass online restrictions.
  4. Speed — conducted local and long-distance speed tests with multiple servers in the global networks.
  5. Security — analyzed encryption and other security features.
  6. Torrenting — looked at whether the providers are torrenting-friendly, tested speed, and researched how many P2P servers each has.
  7. China — conducted tests in China to see whether each VPN was able to work consistently there.
  8. Gaming — evaluated each VPN’s ability to maintain good gaming speeds, access global servers, and provide security.
  9. Device Compatibility — examined which devices were compatible with each VPN and compared the differences between apps on various operating systems.
  10. Company Jurisdiction — investigated the location of company headquarters and whether these countries are part of international intelligence-sharing alliances.
  11. Privacy Policy — closely examined each VPN’s logging policies and the type of user data they store.
  12. Payments and Refunds — reviewed payment methods available for both providers and how easy it was to get a refund.
  13. Customer Support — tested the response speeds and knowledgeability of both customer service teams as well as the types of support available.

1. Pricing — NordVPN is More Affordable Initially, While ExpressVPN’s Prices Don’t Increase on Renewal

Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are affordable options. NordVPN’s initial long-term subscriptions are top value, especially for its 2-year + 3 months plan. However, when your subscription renews, the price jumps by over 50% in most cases. With ExpressVPN, you won’t be charged more than the price you initially paid when your subscription renews.

Here’s a comparison of the providers’ plans:

ExpressVPN NordVPN
Best Deal $6.67/month $3.99/month
Free Trial 7-day free trial available on some platforms 7-day free trial available on some platforms
Money-Back Guarantee 30 days 30 days
Monthly Price $12.95 $15.69
6-Month Price $9.99/month
1-Year Price $6.67/month $4.99/month
2-Year Price $3.99/month

Note that each provider’s respective plans offer the same features regardless of the subscription length (in other words, longer plans don’t offer better protection or extra features).

Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer a 7-day free trial through the Google Play Store and Apple iTunes Store — but I wouldn’t recommend subscribing this way. If you do, you’ll lose out on exclusive discounts and may have to deal with third-party handling of your refund (which can result in weeks of delays).

ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee, as does NordVPN. This allows you to compare the VPNs to see which meets your needs better. If you’re not satisfied with the performance, you’ll be able to get your money back from 1 or both services.

For more savings, you can also check for discounts here — this page is regularly updated so you can save money without wasting time doing the research yourself.

Pricing Winner: Tie

2. Unblocking Netflix and Streaming — ExpressVPN Has Faster Speeds for Smooth Streaming in More Countries

If you want a VPN that can access Netflix US, UK, Canada, Japan, and more, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are both great choices. You can access over 10 different Netflix libraries with each provider. However, ExpressVPN won because it can access a few more Netflix libraries than NordVPN.

  • ExpressVPN: Australia, Brazil, Belarus, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the US.
  • NordVPN: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, the UK, and the US.
ExpressVPN lets you easily access your local Netflix account

In addition, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN can reliably access your local streaming accounts for the following services:

HBO Max BBC iPlayer Disney+ Amazon Prime Video Hulu Vudu
SkyTV Showtime DAZN ESPN Sling TV …and more!

Overall, I found ExpressVPN was better for streaming because of its faster speeds. I could watch a marathon of Stranger Things on Netflix in UHD with no buffering. NordVPN is only marginally slower than ExpressVPN, so it’s still a great choice for streaming in UHD without lag or interruptions.

I was impressed that both VPNs were able to consistently access my local accounts for the top platforms and allowed me to stream smoothly. However, I recommend you try streaming with ExpressVPN because it’s faster.

Streaming Winner: ExpressVPN

3. Servers and Bypassing Geo-Restrictions — Both Have an Extensive Global Server Network to Bypass Blocks

This category is a tie because both VPNs have a large number of servers in many countries to help you bypass restrictions. While NordVPN has a greater total number of servers, ExpressVPN has servers in more countries.

ExpressVPN NordVPN
Server Number 3,000+ 6,180+
Server Countries 105 83

If you want to access popular content from countries like the US, UK, or Canada, both VPNs perform about equally well because they have plenty of servers in these countries.

ExpressVPN NordVPN
Works in China
Works in Russia
Works in Iran
Works in Turkey
Works in UAE
Server Obfuscation
Virtual Servers 48 locations

If you need to access sites from a specific country, the number of servers there is more important than the overall network size. If a VPN doesn’t have servers in a certain region, you may not be able to avoid restrictions.

For example, if you want to access online banking in Cambodia, ExpressVPN would be better because it has a server there, while NordVPN doesn’t have any. On the other hand, if you want to stream Lightbox programs such as High Road, NordVPN is the better service for New Zealand — it has 20+ servers there, while ExpressVPN only has 1 server location.

There are exceptions to this general rule. If you need to access a service while in a censorship-heavy country, proven performance is more important than the number of servers to bypass restrictions. ExpressVPN has proven it works consistently in China, with fast and reliable servers in Hong Kong and Japan. NordVPN doesn’t work in China.

Before you commit to a subscription, I recommend you check with customer service since both providers constantly add new servers to improve coverage.

Servers Winner: Tie

4. Speed — ExpressVPN Is Faster Than NordVPN (But Only Slightly)

I was impressed by the fast speeds from both services, but ExpressVPN is faster than NordVPN on every connection — albeit only slightly.

Screenshots of ExpressVPN and NordVPN connected to UK servers, with the results of Ookla speed tests showing ExpressVPN is slightly faster.

ExpressVPN consistently provides faster speeds across its server network

To assess speed differences, I carried out two sets of speed tests. I conducted four tests on servers located within the UK and Europe, and an additional four tests on servers situated in far-off regions such as the US, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia.

It’s important to know no speed test is perfect — factors like internet connection, router, location, type of device, and other variables affect results. To keep the tests as accurate as possible, I used the same computer and operating system (Windows 11), the same OpenVPN protocol, and let each provider automatically connect me to the fastest server.

For reference, my baseline speed without any VPN connection is 70.05Mbps.

Local Speed Test Results:

In my local tests, ExpressVPN was 2.56% faster than NordVPN. Both services provided reliably fast connections to nearby servers, more than fast enough for UHD streaming, torrenting, online gaming, and more. ExpressVPN reduced my speeds by a tiny 8.04%, while NordVPN slowed them just a little more at a 10.37% speed loss.

UK France Netherlands Germany
ExpressVPN 65.28Mbps 65.22Mbps 63.57Mbps 63.59Mbps
NordVPN 62.72Mbps 63.61Mbps 62.99Mbps 61.81Mbps

Long-Distance Speed Test Results:

There is a greater difference in speed when using servers further away, as ExpressVPN is better able to mitigate speed loss on distant connections than NordVPN. I had an average speed reduction of 20.73% using ExpressVPN, with a bigger slowdown of 28.86% using NordVPN’s servers.

US Israel Japan Australia
ExpressVPN 60.94Mbps 63.84Mbps 48.16Mbps 49.17Mbps
NordVPN 52.98Mbps 56.22Mbps 42.84Mbps 47.28Mbps

If you have activities that require a lot of data, I recommend using ExpressVPN for its faster speeds. I found it was far better for UHD streaming, torrenting, and gaming without lag. While NordVPN is still fast, you may experience a bigger drop in speed if your standard internet connection is slower — especially if you’re using a server more than 5,000km away.

Speed Winner: ExpressVPN

5. Security — NordVPN Has Additional Specialty Servers

Both services have strong core security features with some key differences. However, NordVPN offers a selection of specialty server options, so it wins this section.

ExpressVPN NordVPN
Encryption AES-256-GCM with 4096-bit DH key, SHA-512 HMAC authentication AES-256-GCM with 4096-bit DH key, SHA2-384 HMAC authentication
VPN Protocols Lightway, OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, IPSec/IKEv2, and IPSec/L2TP NordLynx, OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, and IPSec/IKEv2
No-logs policy Yes (externally audited) Yes (externally audited)
Kill switch Available on Windows, macOS, Android, Linux, and routers. Not available on iOS. Available on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. Not available on routers.
DNS and IP address leak protection DNS and IP address leak protection DNS and IP address leak protection
DNS servers Runs its own private and encrypted DNS on all servers Runs its own private and encrypted DNS on all servers
Split tunneling Yes, on Windows and Mac (macOS 10 and lower) Yes, on Windows and Android
Multihop servers No Yes, offers a Double VPN feature
Malware/ad blocker Malware blocker on iOS, Mac, and Linux Yes on all platforms
Onion Over VPN servers No Yes
Dedicated IPs No Yes
Writes data to hard drive No

TrustedServer technology means servers run on RAM, and no data is written to hard drives

No

Diskless, RAM-based servers ensure no data is written to a hard drive

Encryption Standard

Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN use top-tier AES 256-bit encryption to secure your data, which is the same standard used by government cybersecurity experts. Even the US’s top spy agency would need years, millions of dollars, and a supercomputer to try to break a single encryption key with this level of security.

Encryption Protocol

An encryption protocol is a set of instructions that determines how your information is coded as it’s transmitted over the internet. ExpressVPN and NordVPN use the safest protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2 to offer the best balance of security and speed.

Both services also offer their own proprietary protocols — ExpressVPN has Lightway, while NordVPN has NordLynx. Lightway uses the wolfSSL cryptography library and is open-source, with an independent audit confirming its security. NordLynx is based on the WireGuard protocol, with only 4,000 lines of code that make it easy to fix bugs or issues.

Lightway and NordLynx are both designed for top speeds without sacrificing security. Lightway produces better speeds and is available on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, and routers. NordLynx is available on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Ad and Malware Blocker

I find having a VPN with a malware blocker is essential to my online safety. Viruses can appear on seemingly risk-free websites and even on those with “https” at the front of the URL. I was pleased to find both ExpressVPN and NordVPN feature threat protection.

NordVPN’s Threat Protection is the superior feature, with an “always on” option that protects your devices even when you’re not connected to the VPN. During tests, NordVPN effectively blocked pop-up ads, files containing malware, and suspicious sites. Threat Protection is available on Mac and Windows (Threat Protection Lite is on Android, iOS, Linux, and NordVPN’s browser extensions).

Screenshot of NordVPN's Windows app showing the Threat Protection feature is always on.

You can rest assured that NordVPN is always blocking malicious items and ads

ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager is only active when you’re connected to a server using the Automatic or Lightway protocol. I found it was also effective at blocking ads and trackers, as well as stopping access to malicious websites. Threat Manager is available for Mac, iOS, and Linux.

Leak Protection

Considering that I travel to censorship-heavy countries like the UAE and India, I’m cautious of government agencies and my ISP trying to see my online activities. Therefore, I wanted to test these VPNs’ leak protections to ensure I’d stay private.

I ran tests for both providers and didn’t find any DNS, IPv4, WebRTC, or IPv6 leaks. I tested each VPN by connecting to a server outside of my UK location (ExpressVPN in France and NordVPN in Germany) — both VPNs successfully masked my true location and prevented leaks.

Screenshots of IPleak tests for NordVPN and ExpressVPN connected to German and French servers, showing that both connections had no data leaks.

I was impressed by how well both VPNs kept my data secure

Both providers also include an automatic kill switch to prevent your data from being exposed in the event of technological errors. If your VPN or internet connection fails, your real IP address, identity, and browsing history will still stay hidden. Since I don’t always have access to a stable internet connection when traveling, this feature gave me peace of mind.

Specialty Servers

NordVPN offers additional specialty servers that ExpressVPN doesn’t, including the Double VPN feature, Onion Over VPN servers, and P2P-optimized servers.

I find the Double VPN feature useful when I’m doing my online banking or making payments. This configuration passes your data through 2 servers instead of 1, which results in double encryption that’s almost impossible to break. This setting reassured me that my sensitive financial information would be 100% safe.

NordVPN also offers Dedicated IP addresses for an additional monthly cost, which provides you with exclusive access to an IP address that only you can use.

Server Security

ExpressVPN uses TrustedServer technology to stop data from being written to server hard drives. Data is only temporarily written to RAM and gets erased during server reboots. This system is so secure that it’s quickly becoming an industry standard, and was proven to work when Turkish authorities seized an ExpressVPN server and recovered zero user data.

Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN uses a diskless, or RAM-based, server infrastructure. This means none of your data can be written to NordVPN’s servers, which is a huge boost for your personal security when connected.

Security Infrastructure Audits

Independent security audits are rare in the VPN industry because it can be risky for a provider to subject its technology to this level of scrutiny. However, ExpressVPN and NordVPN are so committed to providing the best user safety that they have undergone multiple cybersecurity audits.

  • NordVPN: After NordVPN successfully fought off a minor security breach in 2018, it underwent additional audits of its security infrastructure by VerSprite (a cybersecurity consulting firm). Afterward, it published the positive results of this investigation.
  • ExpressVPN: Since 2018, ExpressVPN has undergone more than 10 independent audits of its apps, Lightway protocol, no-logs policy, TrustedServer technology, and more by PwC, Cure 53, KPMG, and F-Secure. ExpressVPN has never experienced a security breach.

This level of transparency and commitment to security is difficult to find in the VPN industry. These audits reassured me that both services prioritize my safety above all else — including their reputations.

Overall, ExpressVPN and NordVPN are among the safest services on the market.

Security Winner: NordVPN

6. Torrenting Safety and Speed — ExpressVPN Is Faster

Both VPNs offer top-tier security and are compatible with any torrenting software (BitTorrent, uTorrent, and others). Plus, they don’t restrict downloads according to file size or type.

However, ExpressVPN is the torrenting winner because of its faster download speeds. Even though NordVPN has more specialty torrenting servers, it couldn’t beat ExpressVPN’s blazing-fast service.

Torrenting Safety

It’s very important to me that my ISP doesn’t find out that I’m torrenting. If I exceed my data limit, they throttle my internet speed. Plus, torrenting can expose my personal data to other P2P users, which can compromise my security.

Choosing a safe VPN for torrenting isn’t easy because some may have anti-torrenting policies or poor privacy features. ExpressVPN and NordVPN are torrenting-friendly and provide you with the best security. ExpressVPN allows torrenting on all of its servers, and NordVPN offers P2P servers that are optimized for torrenting safety.

I was impressed that ExpressVPN and NordVPN use the best available features to keep your torrenting private including:

  • military-grade encryption on all server connections
  • kill switch protects your data from other P2P users if the VPN is interrupted
  • secure protocols ensure a safe, anonymous connection
  • data leak protection prevents DNS requests, IP addresses, and other data from leaking
  • zero-log policy guarantees your torrent activity is anonymous

In addition to these features, ExpressVPN and NordVPN are also headquartered in countries that aren’t subject to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) or other international copyright agreements. You can jump to the security section to learn more about how each VPN keeps your data safe, whether you’re torrenting or doing something else online.

Torrenting Speed

ExpressVPN and NordVPN never limit your speed, bandwidth, or data. That means you can download as much as you’d like and never worry about speed throttling or other limitations.

Since NordVPN has over 4,000 specialized P2P servers optimized for torrenting, I thought it would have faster download speeds — but I was wrong. While ExpressVPN doesn’t have any P2P servers, all of its 6,180+ servers support torrenting.

To test torrenting speed, I downloaded the same (public domain) movie (1.41GB) using both VPNs. ExpressVPN was considerably faster: it only took about 6 minutes to download. On the other hand, NordVPN’s P2P servers took almost 10 minutes.

Screenshots of BitTorrent torrent client showing the download times for 2 torrents, with ExpressVPN and NordVPN connected to UK servers.

ExpressVPN is significantly faster than NordVPN

It was a close match between the 2 VPNs for this category. Both offer top torrenting security, but my speed tests show that ExpressVPN’s normal servers downloaded the same file faster than NordVPN’s P2P servers. Because of this, I recommend you try ExpressVPN for blazing-fast torrenting.

Torrenting Winner: ExpressVPN

7. Does It Work in China? — ExpressVPN Works in China Consistently

ExpressVPN is one of the few services able to bypass online censorship in China. After running extensive tests on the top VPNs, ExpressVPN consistently lets you access accounts for Facebook, YouTube, and more. I also found ExpressVPN works reliably in China on any device. Unfortunately, NordVPN does not work in China.

Screenshot of ExpressVPN's help website showing a list of the servers recommended for making a connection in China.

ExpressVPN’s customer support linked me to a page recommending specific servers for China

ExpressVPN also had fast speeds for smooth streaming in China. This is important because the internet can be unreliable in some regions of China. ExpressVPN’s fast Japanese servers allow access to YouTube videos with just 3-4 seconds of buffer time, and minimal lag on Netflix.

Make sure you install ExpressVPN before heading to China, as the ExpressVPN website is blocked inside the country. This means it’s also tough to access customer support, but you can still send emails to support@expressvpn.zendesk.com — I had an email response in less than 30 minutes.

China Winner: ExpressVPN

8. Gaming — ExpressVPN Has Lower Latency for Gaming

Since most VPN reviews don’t conduct detailed testing of services’ gaming performance, I was wary about how ExpressVPN and NordVPN would perform. After all, a basic speed test isn’t enough to determine how a VPN will impact your gaming experience.

I found that both VPNs easily provide top security for uninterrupted gaming. However, ExpressVPN is the winner because it was slightly faster than NordVPN.

Gaming Speed

As an avid gamer, I didn’t want to make the mistake of buying a long-term subscription to a VPN that would cause slow speeds and unresponsiveness.

I tested NordVPN and ExpressVPN by playing the fast-paced online game Call of Duty: Warzone to see the impact on gaming latency. This is the measure of the time it takes your gaming device to send data to servers and back (remember: the lower the latency the better).

Both VPNs increased my latency from baseline — but ExpressVPN had a lower latency score than NordVPN, which meant more responsive gaming with less lag.

No VPN Connection ExpressVPN NordVPN
Average Latency in ms 9ms 11ms 14ms

I ran multiple tests with both ExpressVPN and NordVPN connected to local servers. The latency test results were consistent with my own personal experience. I didn’t notice any difference when connected to ExpressVPN as compared to having no VPN connected. I could keep up with my teammates in Call of Duty: Warzone and didn’t miss any battles.

For the most part, NordVPN’s gaming speed was also good. The lag I experienced was minimal and it didn’t affect my gameplay. However, NordVPN’s higher latency could negatively affect your gaming depending on your baseline speed.

Playing Online on Different Global Servers

I like to play games online with my friends in different countries, but often I find my server choices are limited to those in my resident country — I can’t play on US or Asian servers as I’m based in the UK. However, when I use a VPN to connect to a server in a different country, I can easily join my friends to play games online.

When I tested ExpressVPN and NordVPN, I found both services worked perfectly at letting me access different servers in games like Call of Duty: Warzone and League of Legends.

Gaming Security

In a DDoS attack, hackers track down your IP address and try to shut your server down by overloading it. I thought these attacks were only targeted at competitive gamers, but they’re becoming common in casual gameplay. You’re especially at risk if you participate in P2P gaming, as your opponents can easily look up your IP address and attack you.

The best way to prevent DDoS attacks is to use a VPN because it hides your real IP address. If opponents ever tried to attack you, all they would see is encrypted information and your VPN server’s location.

Both VPNs can protect you equally well from DDoS attacks and allow you to enjoy fair gaming. To learn more about the encryption and leak protection that ExpressVPN and NordVPN use to mask your real IP address, jump to the security section.

Gaming Winner: ExpressVPN

9. Device Compatibility and App Differences — Both VPNs Support Multiple Platforms With Comprehensive Apps

To check each VPN’s compatibility for myself, I tested them and found that both performed well regardless of device type or operating system — NordVPN has more features across devices, but ExpressVPN is more intuitive to use.

Device Compatibility

ExpressVPN and NordVPN work on: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chromecast, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android Smart TV, Kodi, Blackberry, Raspberry Pi, Windows Phone, Chrome extension, Firefox extension, Opera Extension, PlayStation, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam, routers, and more.

Both providers are compatible with numerous devices, operating systems, and extensions. For devices that don’t have native apps, you can set up a VPN with your Samsung Smart TV, gaming consoles, and more by configuring the service through your router. This will then protect any device that connects to your WiFi.

As a bonus, ExpressVPN is one of the few VPNs to have a dedicated router app. I found this makes setting up router connections very easy, with less configuration needed to switch between servers.

I also found it convenient that ExpressVPN and NordVPN allow multiple simultaneous connections with each account, as I didn’t have to log out of one device to connect another one. ExpressVPN has the extra benefit of allowing 8 simultaneous device connections (NordVPN only allows 10).

App Differences Between Operating Systems

ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer different features according to the operating system. Both VPNs have different encryption protocols, split-tunneling configurations, and security features for certain devices — ExpressVPN doesn’t offer a kill switch for iOS (NordVPN does), but it does offer split-tunneling on Windows (NordVPN doesn’t).

I found ExpressVPN to be easier to operate on different devices, as its interface is intuitive and simple to navigate. NordVPN is trickier — using the map interface makes it difficult to pinpoint precise locations. Also, you can’t “favorite” servers on the Windows app for faster future connections, but you can on Mac and iOS.

However, NordVPN has a much broader range of features available across all apps, including Threat Protection (an ad and malware blocker) and optimized servers for torrenting, multi-hop connections, and accessing the Tor network.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that some NordVPN features, like the kill switch, aren’t automatically active on download. This is easy to overlook and could result in compromised security if you don’t switch it on yourself. In comparison, ExpressVPN is configured for top security as soon as you sign in to the apps without any manual configuration.

Device Compatibility Winner: Tie

10. Privacy and Anonymity — Both Are Located in Privacy-Friendly Countries

It’s a tie for this category because both VPNs are located in countries with privacy-friendly laws and they have undergone independent audits.

ExpressVPN NordVPN
Country in which the parent company is headquartered The British Virgin Islands Panama
Headquartered in a 5, 9, or 14 Eyes country No No
User information required to sign up Email address Email address
Anonymous Payment Methods Bitcoin, Mint, Ethereum, XRP, and other stablecoins Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Zcash, Ripple, Gridcoin, Dash, and Monero
Privacy policy independently audited Underwent audits in 2022 to verify that its zero-log policies and TrustedServer technology work as advertised. Underwent audit in 2022 to show that its zero-log practices are consistent with its policies.
Warrant Canary Not available Posts daily updates confirming that it has not received any requests from government agencies to reveal user data

Where a VPN is officially headquartered is important because that affects how it handles your private information. ExpressVPN and NordVPN uphold their no-logging standards because they are located in countries where they are not restricted by data retention laws. This means they’re not legally required to keep records of your data.

It’s also important that both providers are also based outside the 5, 9, and 14 Eyes alliances (international intelligence groups of countries that share information gathered from mass surveillance of citizens). This means that they’re not required by law to give any information to national or international security agencies.

Privacy Policy Winner: Tie

11. Logging Policies and User Data Storage — ExpressVPN and NordVPN Don’t Keep Data That Could Reveal Your Identity

ExpressVPN and NordVPN have strict no-logging policies and do not store identifiable user data. That means none of your online activities can be traced back to you.

Logging Policies

Almost all VPNs claim to have a strict no-logging policy, but that’s simply not the case. When I dug deeper into other services’ privacy policies, I found that some VPNs record IP addresses, browsing history, and more. Logging this kind of private data goes against why I want to use a VPN — to keep my personal information secure and anonymous.

I investigated both VPNs’ policies and discovered they mean it when they say they don’t keep logs. Neither provider records your IP address, DNS queries, browsing history, traffic destination, or file downloads/uploads.

Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN do log some non-identifiable information — ExpressVPN logs connection date (not time), amount of data transferred, and server location, while NordVPN logs connection timestamps and connectivity information. This is purely for analytical purposes, and to keep the VPNs operating to the best standards.

Additionally, both VPNs are so serious about their no-logs policies that they have undergone independent audits by cybersecurity experts and published the results.

In 2017, ExpressVPN’s no-logging policy was again proven to be true when Turkish authorities seized a server as part of an investigation. Nothing was recovered because ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer technology and RAM-based servers can’t store data. To me, this real-life example is further evidence that you can trust ExpressVPN’s no-logging policy.

However, I was concerned to find that NordVPN states it will agree to share identifying data with foreign governments and law enforcement:

“In cases where, following an appropriate legal process, we are obligated to comply with a request and we are able to identify a specific person, we will provide the limited data we process as per our Privacy Policy given it falls within the scope of the request.”

As NordVPN is a proven zero-log provider, I don’t think this is a huge issue — it’s extremely unlikely any logged metrics could identify an individual, even if NordVPN is legally forced to share data. However, this may be a bigger cause for concern if you’re extremely privacy-focused.

User Data Storage

Both VPNs store some basic information about you (like your email address, name, and payment method). I’m comfortable with these practices because they allow me to auto-renew my subscription to prevent service interruptions and none of this data can be linked back to what you do online.

If you’d rather stay 100% anonymous, you can use a fake email address and pay for both ExpressVPN and NordVPN with a prepaid card or cryptocurrencies.

Ultimately, this section is a tie because both providers have proven that they don’t log data that could reveal your online activities.

Logging Policies and User Data Storage Winner: Tie

12. Payments and Refunds — ExpressVPN Accepts a Few More Important Payment Methods

Although both services accept numerous payment methods and have generous refund policies, ExpressVPN wins this category because it accepts a greater variety of payment methods.

Payment Methods

ExpressVPN NordVPN
Major Credit Cards (Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and more) Yes Yes
Paypal Yes No
Mint Yes No
Bitcoin Yes Yes
Other Cryptocurrencies Ethereum, XRP, and stablecoins (USDC, PAX, and more) Ethereum, Litecoin, Gridcoin, Dash, Monero, and Ripple
Other Popular Payment Systems Discover, Diners Club, JCB, Union Pay, and many more Discover, Google Pay, JCB, Amazon Pay, and more

Both providers accept payment through major credit cards and several cryptocurrencies, but ExpressVPN has a few more options for 100% anonymous payments. ExpressVPN accepts payment through PayPal and Mint, while NordVPN doesn’t. Since Mint doesn’t require you to provide any personal information, this is a bonus for privacy-conscious users.

Money-Back Guarantees

Both VPNs offer a money-back guarantee. I found that taking advantage of this offer was a risk-free way for me to test their features before committing to a long-term subscription.

Getting a refund from ExpressVPN and NordVPN was easy through their customer service live chats. Both providers processed my refund in under 3 minutes and my money was returned within a week.

The only difference was that NordVPN’s customer service representative tried to get me to stay. This was a little annoying, but once I explained that I was in a hurry the representative processed my request quickly. On the other hand, ExpressVPN’s policy is truly no-questions-asked and processed my refund immediately without any troubleshooting.

I also discovered that the refund process is more difficult if you purchase your VPN through a virtual store like the Apple App Store. In these cases, the third-party vendors handle refunds (which may mean weeks of delays). Given the differences in the refund policies, I recommend you subscribe to your VPN directly through the official website.

Payment and Refunds Winner: ExpressVPN

13. Customer Service — Both Have Fast and Helpful Customer Service

ExpressVPN and NordVPN have knowledgeable customer service representatives who respond quickly (usually in less than a minute via live chat or in a few minutes via email).

There’s nothing worse than purchasing a VPN and then being unable to get help when you have a problem. You won’t face that problem with either of these VPNs — both providers offer many resources to solve problems fast. For example, they have educational blogs with FAQs and how-to pages in addition to helpful customer service resources.

Customer Service Speed

Both providers offer almost instant responses via the 24/7 live chat. I’ve contacted both services at different times of the day and never had to wait more than a minute for a representative to respond. They also always responded via email in under 30 minutes.

ExpressVPN NordVPN
Live Chat Yes Yes
Average wait time for a response via chat 10 seconds 12 seconds
Email support Yes Yes
Average wait time for a response via email 10 minutes 18 minutes
Ticket support Yes Yes
Phone support No No
Searchable help articles Yes Yes
Video Guides Yes Yes

Customer Service Knowledgeability

Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN’s customer support services were also knowledgeable.

ExpressVPN’s live chat agent gave me a thorough response to my question about the TrustedServer Technology. After my initial question, the agent responded quickly, taking less than a minute to type a detailed reply. I then asked another question, which the agent had to check for me — in less than 2 minutes, I had another informative response.

Screenshots of ExpressVPN's live chat, showing detailed responses to questions of a technical nature about TrustedServer Technology.

ExpressVPN provides fast, detailed responses to technical questions

NordVPN took a little longer to provide a response. After my initial question, the agent had to look into the answer, taking around 6 minutes to reply to me. However, the response was complete and fully answered my query, so I was happy to wait for an answer.

Screenshots of NordVPN's live chat agent answering a question about P2P file-sharing on standard servers.

I was pleased with NordVPN’s complete answer to my questions

This was important to me because nothing is more frustrating than a customer service representative who doesn’t know how to help. I contacted both VPNs about issues like fixing streaming issues, requesting a refund, or clarifying how features work. The representatives from both companies always answered my questions accurately and quickly.

Customer Support Winner: Tie

FAQs on ExpressVPN and NordVPN

What is the difference between NordVPN and ExpressVPN?

The key difference between the 2 services is that ExpressVPN is faster, while NordVPN has a selection of optimized servers. ExpressVPN is the overall better choice, particularly because it’s excellent at reducing speed loss so you can still enjoy a lag-free and uninterrupted experience even if your network is slower.

On the other hand, NordVPN has a range of dedicated servers designed for P2P file-sharing, Onion Over VPN connections, obfuscating VPN traffic, and multi-hop connections. These make it easy to access the best server for your particular online activity, ensuring solid speeds and reliable connections.

Is ExpressVPN better than NordVPN?

Based on my tests, ExpressVPN is better than NordVPN, but only slightly. ExpressVPN was faster on all connections, making it the better choice for streaming, torrenting, online gaming, and browsing. ExpressVPN also has a greater variety of anonymous payment methods, more knowledgeable customer service, and top-tier security and privacy features.

That being said, NordVPN is a high-quality service with some standout features. It offers dedicated servers for P2P file-sharing, Onion Over VPN connections, and you can opt for a dedicated IP address as well. Plus, NordVPN’s Threat Protection provides an additional layer of protection for your devices.

Ultimately, the best way to decide which VPN is better for you is to test them for yourself.

Which is better for streaming and torrenting – NordVPN or ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN is the better choice for streaming and torrenting. During tests, ExpressVPN could easily access a bigger range of streaming services, and its fast speeds are ideal for lag-free streaming and quick torrenting — I could download a 1.5GB file in just 6 minutes.

Better still, all of ExpressVPN’s 3,000+ servers are optimized for streaming and torrenting. NordVPN has a selection of P2P-optimized servers, but these can get full quickly and aren’t as fast as ExpressVPN’s servers. It’s still a good option for torrenting though, with robust security and a strict zero-log privacy policy.

Which one has the easiest-to-use VPN apps?

I found ExpressVPN to be easier to use overall, with an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate and almost identical across supported platforms. With ExpressVPN, it’s simpler to choose specific locations, and you can favorite servers that work the best for you. NordVPN doesn’t have the option to favorite connections on Windows or Android.

NordVPN’s apps are more complex but clearly laid out so you can navigate them pretty easily. It takes a bit longer to get used to NordVPN and find out where different settings are, but once you’re familiar with the apps you won’t have an issue using them.

What works better on a game console – NordVPN or ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN is the better option for a game console, as it’s easier to set up with your router — game consoles don’t natively support VPN apps, so ExpressVPN’s simple router configuration makes it the top choice. Plus, ExpressVPN is the best choice for gaming, with fast speeds and low ping that make your online gameplay smooth and lag-free.

Is ExpressVPN faster than NordVPN?

Yes, ExpressVPN is faster than NordVPN. In my tests, I found ExpressVPN is excellent at mitigating speed loss so you can stream, torrent, game online, and browse without lag or interruptions.

On local connections, ExpressVPN is only slightly faster than NordVPN. However, there’s a bigger gap in long-distance connections; ExpressVPN is often several Mbps faster than NordVPN. This may only seem like a small difference, but if your existing internet connection is slower, you could notice a more significant impact on your connection.

Are there any VPNs that are less expensive than NordVPN and ExpressVPN?

Yes, but you get what you pay for when you use a cheaper VPN. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN are reasonably priced considering their top-tier features, making them worth the extra cost for comprehensive protection.

If you’re looking for a cheaper VPN service, there are some reliable services like CyberGhost ($2.19/month) and Private Internet Access ($2.19/month). These VPNs offer top-level security, but you won’t get the same speeds, server options, or overall high quality as you would with ExpressVPN or NordVPN — there’s a reason they’re cheaper.

And the Winner Is…ExpressVPN (By a Small Margin)

Based on my testing, the final score was 6 wins for ExpressVPN, 1 victory for NordVPN, and 6 ties. ExpressVPN is the winner in 2024 across most categories, but NordVPN was a close second.

Ultimately, both are top services, and you should make your choice depending on your specific needs for a VPN.

I recommend you test NordVPN if you’re on a budget or want a VPN with specific security features (like its Onion Over VPN servers or Double VPN). It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test the service thoroughly before you commit to a subscription.

However, if you want seamless streaming, gaming, or torrenting, try ExpressVPN and its excellent speeds. It also beats NordVPN for bypassing blocks in heavily-censored countries like China, and it has more anonymous payment methods to keep your data secure.

Best of all, you can try ExpressVPN risk-free to make sure it’s right for you. If you change your mind, you can get a full refund within 30 days — no questions asked.

Overall Winner: ExpressVPN


Summary: Other Top VPNs in 2024

Top Ranked Top Choice
ExpressVPN
$6.67 / month Save 49%
CyberGhost VPN
$2.19 / month Save 83%
Private Internet Access
$2.19 / month Save 82%
NordVPN
$3.99 / month Save 69%
Surfshark
$2.29 / month Save 79%

We rank vendors based on rigorous testing and research, but also take into account your feedback and our commercial agreements with providers. This page contains affiliate links.

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