ExpressVPN and NordVPN both offer full-featured, easy-to-use apps, fast VPN connection speeds, and additional privacy features – but which of the pair is right for you depends on exactly what you want from your VPN.
While both feature in our list of the best VPNs, ExpressVPN takes a minimalist approach that caters to beginners, while NordVPN offers an unbeaten number of servers for easy location switching and consistently high connection speeds.
That’s not to say that ExpressVPN doesn’t have a wide range of servers to choose from, or that NordVPN is for pro-users only – both VPNs have rich feature sets and intuitively designed apps designed to get you set up with a fast, private connection as quickly as possible.
And while NordVPN still reigns as our best VPN overall, ExpressVPN has made some substantial improvements in an effort to catch up to its rival. For example, the highest-tier ExpressVPN subscription now lets you connect to a VPN with up to 14 devices simultaneously, beating NordVPN’s limit of 10 devices.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Pricing
Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer a range of monthly, one-year, and two-year plans, with increasing discounts for longer contracts.
ExpressVPN is, generally the cheaper of the two, with some NordVPN plans matching its price. Plans vary by region, so we’ll focus on the US in this article.
ExpressVPN starts at $14.99 per month for a Basic monthly plan, rising to $16.99 per month for the Advanced tier and $22.99 per month for the highest-tier Pro plan.
A one-year plan cuts the per-month equivalent price to $4.99 / $5.99 / $8.99, while a two-year contract offers the best prices at $2.99 / $4.49 / $7.49 per month. In the US, the Advanced and Pro plans come with $3 million in identity theft insurance.
NordVPN comes in with slightly higher prices for the monthly and one-year options. A monthly subscription to NordVPN Basic will run you $14.99 per month, rising to $19.99 per month for the Complete tier and a steep $29.99 per month for NordVPN Prime.
A one-year term offers a discount at all tiers, cutting the per-month equivalent price to $5.49 / $6.49 / $9.49, while a two-year plan comes down to $3.49 / $4.49 / $7.49. The US-exclusive Prime plan comes with $1 million identity theft insurance.
Both VPNs offer a 30-day money back guarantee, though ExpressVPN has come under fire this year for revoking this guarantee during promotional periods. NordVPN’s Complete and Prime tiers also come with a handy 1TB of cloud storage.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Server network
As you’d expect from two top-of-the-line VPNs, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer a large range of servers to choose from in a wide variety of locations. With that said, no VPN can match the sheer number of servers NordVPN has to offer.
NordVPN offers users their choice of 225 servers in 150 countries. Of these, 77 are based in North America, 54 in Europe, and 94 in other parts of the world.
This ensures that users always have options when trying to access content, or if a server starts lagging during a livestream or while downloading files. NordVPN also offers users the choice to self-host servers in the US, UK, or Netherlands, with a 4TB monthly data allowance that far exceeds the usage of most households.
ExpressVPN comes in with a very respectable 196 servers in 113 countries – not as many as NordVPN, but certainly enough to ensure access and connection to any locally-restricted content.
ExpressVPN boasts 72 North American servers as well as a few more European servers than its rival, with 61 European locations. For expert users, ExpressVPN offers a VPN Model Context Protocol server option, which allows AI agents to monitor and control ExpressVPN based on current context.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Privacy and security
ExpressVPN and NordVPN both use industry-leading security and privacy technology to keep users safe online and make sure data remains unlogged and untraced, with both gaining verification from independent auditors.
NordVPN passed its most recent no-logs audit from Deloitte in February 2026, while ExpressVPN completed its 27th overall security audit at the hands of Cure53 in May 2026.
ExpressVPN uses RAM-based servers that wipe all data and install the latest OS and security updates every time they reboot. These servers use post-quantum encryption by default, which is available through ExpressVPN’s own Lightway protocol or, since August 2025, its post-quantum WireGuard option.
To be specific, ExpressVPN uses AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20 encryption with a 4096-bit key, which is as strong as we could reasonably expect to see.
Our testing verified that NordVPN also uses AES-256-GCM encryption with a 4096-bit key, though its post-quantum encryption is not as well implemented as ExpressVPN.
Whilst the NordVPN app does offer post-quantum encryption, it’s only available with the proprietary NordLynx protocol, won’t work with a dedicated IP or server obfuscation, and will disable Meshnet peer-to-peer connections while active.
The NordVPN app, in our opinion, doesn’t do enough to inform or warn users about the consequences of its post-quantum encryption implementation.
On the privacy front, both VPNs have a no-log policy for IP addresses, though ExpressVPN collects a little more data than NordVPN about the dates of your VPN sessions and the apps you use, which it says is necessary for troubleshooting.
Also, it seems that the Shuffle IP feature that changed users IP address with each new website, thereby making it hard to trace activity, has been quietly removed.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Performance
When it comes to connection speeds with proprietary protocols, NordVPN has the edge over ExpressVPN.
In our most recent testing, NordVPN achieved download speeds of 1427mbps – 28 per cent faster than ExpressVPN running the Windows-exclusive Lightway Turbo Dual Tunnel protocol, which managed 1119mbps.
However, ExpressVPN takes the lead when we switch to OpenVPN, with 52 per cent faster connection speeds than NordVPN.
In our latest tests, ExpressVPN achieved download speeds of 967mbps compared to NordVPN’s 633mbps. With that said, both VPNs scored well enough while running either protocol to support high-quality video streaming and large file downloads.
It’s also worth noting that neither VPN came particularly close to the top spot in either category, as Norton Standard holds a steady lead. For more details, be sure to take a look at our list of the fastest VPNs.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Streaming
Any of the best VPNs are a great choice for getting around geo-blocking restrictions while on the move, but NordVPN’s unbeaten number of servers makes it the obvious choice for accessing content from other countries.
ExpressVPN takes the bold approach of stating which streaming services it can unblock outright on its website, listing BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and ESPN amongst others. Its 113 unique server locations can help with accessing different regions, though some of these are really quite niche, such as its servers in Monaco and the Isle of Man.
NordVPN excelled in our testing when it comes to accessing streaming services, consistently accessing major streaming services like Netflix and Amazon prime as well as local public service broadcasters like BBC iPlayer and Australia’s 9Now. There were some difficulties accessing certain services in Japan or specific US states like New York, but overall NordVPN performs well.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Torrenting
If you torrent without using a VPN, you’re exposing your IP address to everyone you’re sharing files with and a VPN is an indispensable safety tool to keep you anonymous. We think both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer excellent P2P functionality.
ExpressVPN is more open to torrenting than some other providers, with P2P supported on all of its servers. The company also states there are no bandwidth restrictions and no data cap. It's a refreshingly hassle-free experience.
NordVPN also supports P2P on all its servers, as well as offering servers specifically optimized for P2P. As with ExpressVPN there’s no restrictions or data cap and there’s a kill-switch to keep your traffic private in case of a loss of VPN connection.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Apps
As well as desktop apps for macOS and Windows, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer polished mobile apps. This allows users to stay protected and private while using public WiFi in cafés and libraries or while on public transport, as these networks are often unsecured
ExpressVPN and NordVPN both feature on our lists of the best VPNs for iPhone, the best VPNs for Android, the best VPNs for mobile, and the best VPNs for iPad – no matter which device you’re using on the go, both VPNs offer a native solution. Both company’s Android apps are certified by the ioXt alliance, a cybersecurity watchdog.
On Android, NordVPN comes equipped with DNS blocking for ads, cookies, and malicious sites in the form of Threat Protection Lite. You also get access to Double VPN, which routes your connection through two VPN servers, server obfuscation to bypass VPN-blocking, and split tunnelling to keep some apps on a direct connection. You get a choice between NordVPN’s own NordLynx protocol or OpenVPN, plus IKEv2 on iOS.
As for ExpressVPN, we’re a fan of its clean, beginner friendly mobile app layout, as well as its selection of protocols including its proprietary Lightway. It also comes with an ad blocker, passkey service, and a specialised VPN option designed for mobile gaming, built to minimise lag.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Support
While we would certainly hope that you won’t have problems with your VPN, the inescapable fact of our modern world is that sometimes technology goes wrong! Having an easy-to-use support service can mean the difference between a quick fix and hours of frustration.
NordVPN sports a comprehensive support database that covers pretty much everything you might need to know about its products, from basic installation questions to getting started with streaming or troubleshooting connectivity issues. It also offers email and live chat options if you can’t find what you’re looking for in the support site. There’s no phone number, which is a bit of a shame, but we imagine these days most people will be happy with the options on offer.
ExpressVPN is much the same, with an in-depth support database supplemented by email and live chat if you find you can’t locate the specific issue you’re facing. Both services offer 24/7 live chat, so if you find yourself stuck you can reach out and talk to a real person.
Both support sites are laid out in much the same way, and both have plenty of useful information, though NordVPNs is a little more sleek and polished.
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Which is better?
Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN remain two of our top picks, and we think they’re both great choices. ExpressVPN's new plan structure has made it stiff competition for NordVPN if you're looking to balance features and security, but in our opinion, NordVPN remains the pick in 2026 and the best VPN around right now.
How we test VPNs
With so many VPNs to choose from, it’s important to know which ones are worth your time, which ones live up to their advertising claims, and which ones you should avoid.
Here at TechRadar, we’ve been putting VPNs through their paces for years, and we conduct an in-depth analysis of the top 30 VPN services every 6 months to ensure they still deliver the quality they claim.
We make sure it lives up to the marketing. Whether it’s a free VPN or a paid one, it must provide the service it advertises; otherwise, you’re just wasting your money. With our top recommendations like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, we make sure customers are getting their money's worth.
We test the claimed connection speeds and the ability to unlock streaming services around the world of every VPN we recommend by checking with multiple shows to see if the VPN can access and play them all or if it struggles with some of them.
We make sure that it’s something users will find easy to live with in the day-to-day. We look at points such as how easy it is to get the VPN app installed and set up, how much attention to detail has been paid in is in the design and whether a beginner will be able to get to grips with it or if it requires specialist knowledge that limits the appeal.
We also look at what security tools each provider offers. Does it include other features and functionality to keep its users safe? But more than that, we check to see if there’s any sneaky things hiding where the average user might not look. Does the privacy policy clearly state how your data will be handled?
Are there any sneaky little gotchas hiding buried deep in the Terms of Service? Is the pricing open and honest, or does it use dark patterns or deceptive wording to trick you into paying more than you need to?
The ultimate point of all our testing is not just to look at what a provider says it gives you, but what it really gives, and whether you can trust it with your data and your wallet.
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.
