ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Which is Best for You?
ExpressVPN and NordVPN are among the most highly rated VPN providers today. A quick search for "best VPN" on Google will bring up these two VPNs on virtually all the search results.
ExpressVPN has grown in popularity since it started operation in 2009. Presently, based on stats from SimilarWeb, the official website has between 8 to 11 million monthly visits. The Google Play Store rating is now 4.5/5 based on 251,539 user votes.
Similarly, NordVPN has grown steadily since its inception in 2008. Presently, 11 to 13 unique visitors come to the website monthly. Their Google Play Store app has a rating of 4.5/5 based on 535,988 user votes.
At this time, you can’t go wrong if you choose any of these two VPN services. However, one VPN may meet your need for streaming, privacy, security, or multi-platform use better than the other.
If you want to pick just one VPN, this ExpressVPN vs NordVPN review will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each service, and help you to make a smart choice.
Which VPN is Best for You?
You may have read many NordVPN vs ExpressVPN reviews without knowing which one to pick. I recommend NordVPN to you if you want a cheaper option that is fast and good for streaming.
If you travel a lot, or you only want to use your VPN for streaming US Netflix, then you may choose ExpressVPN. It has servers in over 94 countries, and it works better for unblocking content from Netflix.
Next, you can read a comparison of these two VPNs based on different attributes or features.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Speed and Performance
Both VPNs are fast and reliable for long and short-distance connections. But NordVPN is the faster of the two.
Speed test data obtained from Comparitech show that for NordVPN users, the average speed for U.S.-to-U.S. connections was 460 Mbps while that of ExpressVPN was 136 Mbps.
Connection speed data from research firm Top10VPN also confirms that NordVPN is faster at 93 Mbps. Their speed for ExpressVPN was 88 Mbps.
Take these figures as a clue to the speed you should expect when you use any of these two providers. If you want a fast VPN, choose NordVPN first. But remember that your connection speed will vary based on your location, the VPN server you are connecting to, and the speed of your ISP’s internet service.
Streaming and Torrenting
As expected, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN unblock many streaming sites. You may use them for U.S. Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and HBO Max.
Virtually all the VPN servers give you an IP that unblocks content in different geographical regions. If you try one server and can’t access a streaming service, you can contact thier customer support to get a list of other functional servers.
Presently, ExpressVPN is still the better choice for unblocking US Netflix. It provides more reliable streaming across different devices such as routers, Firestick, Android TV, Apple TV, and major operating systems.
If you want the best VPN to stream content from US Netflix, go for ExpressVPN. Just beware that Netflix terms of service say it is illegal to stream content from a Netflix server outside your geographical region.
ExpressVPN also has more fast P2P servers for torrenting. It allows you to download your torrent files securely on all servers. On the other hand, NordVPN only permits torrent downloads on specific servers. Moreover, ExpressVPN offers a faster download speed during torrenting.
Simultaneous Connections
The number of simultaneous device connections for the two VPNs is quite close. While NordVPN allows six connections, ExpressVPN permits just five.
However, if you need to connect many devices with the same VPN account, and you have a router, you may be better off with ExpressVPN. Indeed, both providers allow you to use a wide variety of routers. But ExpressVPN has custom router firmware while NordVPN does not.
If you connect multiple devices to your router, they will all share the same connection. The performance will drop, but you can connect many devices without breaking the device limit.
Server Network
NordVPN and ExpressVPN have an impressive server network. NordVPN allows you to use any of its 5,300+ servers spread across 60 countries.
ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers in 94 countries. But these servers are in 160 locations, so you can make more precise server choices at the city level.
That means if you need to use servers in remote nations, ExpressVPN will most likely meet your needs. Nonetheless, you need to check out their server lists, locations, and speed tests before making your final decision.
Privacy
It’s easy to know if your VPN will keep your online activities private. To start with, look for these details about the VPN:
* Headquarter base
* Logging policy
* Payment options
* Independent server audit
* Unique privacy features
ExpressVPN has its headquarters in the British Virgin Islands. While this country has affiliations with the U.K., it has no laws about data retention. So ExpressVPN is not required to preserve data about your activities online.
ExpressVPN keeps some connection logs. But it does not hold data on the websites you visit. These claims have been verified by an audit conducted by PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC).
To help you stay anonymous online, ExpressVPN allows you to make payments with cryptocurrency. But only Bitcoin is allowed for now.
NordVPN has its headquarters in Panama. Although this country has no data retention laws, it has copyright laws that may force it to cooperate with the U.S. The good news is that NordVPN does not maintain any servers in Panama.
Unlike ExpressVPN, NordVPN retains no logs of your connection or activities online. It uses diskless servers and offers more options for paying with cryptos. Presently, you may use Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Ripple.
Paying with cryptocurrency enhances your privacy. Instead of using a credit card that exposes your name, address, and other details, you can pay without revealing your identity.
ExpressVPN even allows you to pay with a Mint card. You can load this pre-paid card with cash in a store, and you don’t have to identify yourself.
Unfortunately, both providers require you to use an email address. But to avoid revealing your identity, you can use an anonymous email that will not give away your real identity.
Privacy is vital if you need to use P2P connections for torrenting. Thankfully, both services let you know about how they support torrents.
Security (Encryption & Protocols)
The two providers use the best VPN protocols for data encryption and security. ExpressVPN auto-selects protocols, and it has not recorded a security breach till date. So you may opt for it if you want the more secure service.
That does not mean that NordVPN will not give you adequate security. It has a multi-hop feature, also called “double VPN”. This feature allows you to pass your internet traffic through a second VPN server for additional privacy.
Both VPNs use the OpenVPN and WireGuard protocol with AES-256 encryption. Other security features offered by the two VPNs include:
* DNS and IP leak protection
* First-party DNS
* Diskless servers
* Kill switch
However, note that, at the time of writing this, ExpressVPN’s kill switch is not available on iOS and Android. NordVPN’s kill switch does not yet cover Amazon FireTV.
Anti-censorship
If you live in a country like China, Russia, Turkey, Iran, or UAE, you need the best anti-censorship VPN. While both VPNs can bypass government censorship, ExpressVPN performs more consistently in China, where censorship is quite aggressive.
The two VPNs can disguise VPN traffic to beat national firewalls. ExpressvPN performs better than NordVPN against China’s frequently upgraded firewall. Another downside for NordVPN is that their obfuscation tools (to bypass national firewalls) are not yet available on iOS.
IP address
The two VPNs use the shared address method to mask users' IP addresses. That means that many users will have the same IP, so it is difficult for government agencies or hackers to know who owns the IP address.
When you check your IP address, you will see the VPN’s IP address instead of the one assigned to you by your ISP. If anyone attempts to track your activity on any website, they will end up at the VPN’s server instead of your computer or mobile device.
Sometimes, you may like to have your private IP address. This address will remain the same and will not be shared by other VPN users.
Presently, only NordVPN offers static IP addresses to its clients. This costs an additional $70 per year. NordVPN gives static IP addresses in the U.S., the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. If you need a static IP address in those nations, choose NordVPN.
App & Ease of Use
It is difficult to choose a winner in this category. Both services have intuitive, easy-to-use app interfaces. You can easily connect to each VPN by clicking or tapping on the app’s icon and then on the connect button.
NordVPN provides a map for selecting servers in different parts of the world. ExpressVPN uses a simpler ddrop-down list instead. Both services have native apps for most operating systems, platforms, and devices.
Whether you use Windows, Mac iOS, Android, or Amazon Firestick, you will get a native app to download and enjoy the service. If you need to install on Linux, you can use the command line options available for the popular Linux distros.
Customer Service
What kind of customer support should you expect from these two VPNs? ExpressVPN and NordVPN have good customer support.
You can enjoy support through live chat round the clock. Support is also available through email, video tutorials, and setup guides.
However, ExpressVPN is more responsive to emails than NordVPN. You will need to wait twice as long for an email response from NordVPN. Similarly, live chat support tends to be quicker and better informed on ExpressVPN.
Both providers give you detailed guides for installing the VPN on devices like routers. But if you are not tech-savvy and you frequently need help with your VPN app, installation, or connection, ExpressVPN may be a better choice for you.
Pricing Comparison
NordVPN offers more value for your money. The prices of its short and long-term plans are lower than those of ExpressVPN.
Paying for a year or two reveals a significant price difference between the two services. NordVPN allows you to pay as low as $3.71 if you pay for two years. Paying for 12 months increases the subscription fee to $4.92 per month.
ExpressVPN has no two-year plan currently, so the least you can pay is $6.67, billed every 12 months.
Before you commit to a one or two-year plan, try out each service for at least 30 days. During your test, check the performance, security, streaming, torrenting, customer support, and server availability in the countries you want.
If you are satisfied with your results, you can pay for one or two years. Testing either service for a month will cost you $12.95 for ExpressVPN and $11.95 for NordVPN.
Now you know the difference between ExpressVPN and NordVPN. It should be easier for you to choose one service that meets your needs. For a quick recap of the features of the two services, look at the table below.
Final Thoughts
If you need a super fast VPN with strong security at a relatively low price try NordVPN. On the other hand, if you want a VPN service with wider geographical spread, that works well under censorship, unlocks U.S. Netflix and you don’t mind paying a little more for it, try ExpressVPN.
Daniel O. Kolade is a freelance tech writer available for hire. For over nine years he has written thousands of content pieces for leading marketing agencies, software development companies, engineering firms, and affiliate marketers. You can reach him via email at oodaniel75@gmail.com
