ExpressVPN vs NordVPN (2026): Which Is Better?
NordVPN is the better VPN by our scores: faster, cheaper, and it unblocked every streaming service where ExpressVPN dropped one. ExpressVPN is the better product to live with if polish matters more than numbers — its apps, especially on Apple devices and routers, are the best we have used, and it is the more dependable choice on networks that block VPNs. Pay the premium for that, not for performance.
Who wins each category
- Privacy & securityNordVPNExpressVPN 9.4 · NordVPN 9.6
- SpeedNordVPNExpressVPN 9.0 · NordVPN 9.8
- StreamingNordVPNExpressVPN 9.3 · NordVPN 9.8
- Apps & easeExpressVPNExpressVPN 9.8 · NordVPN 9.5
- ValueNordVPNExpressVPN 8.2 · NordVPN 9.4
Sub-scores from this month's tests; weights are privacy & security 30%, speed 25%, streaming 15%, apps & ease 15%, value 15%. Methodology
Choose ExpressVPN if…
- You use iPhone, iPad or Apple TV and want the cleanest app
- You travel to places that block VPNs — ExpressVPN's automatic obfuscation is the most reliable
- You want the Aircove router for whole-home VPN with no setup
Choose NordVPN if…
- You want the fastest speeds and the most streaming coverage
- You'd rather pay about a third less on the 2-year plan
- You want Threat Protection Pro, Meshnet and a dedicated-IP option
ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: the numbers
 ExpressVPN |  NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 9.1 | 9.7 |
| Rank · badge | #3 · Easiest apps | #1 · Top rated overall |
| 2-year price / mo | $4.99 | $3.39 |
| 1-year price / mo | $6.67 | $4.99 |
| Monthly price | $12.95 | $12.99 |
| Renewal | renews at the 1-year rate | renews at the 1-year rate |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days |
| Simultaneous devices | 8 | 10 |
| Avg download speed | 598 Mbps | 712 Mbps |
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands | Panama |
| Owner | Kape Technologies | Nord Security |
| No-logs audit | KPMG no-logs audit, 2024 | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 |
| Servers | 3,000+ in 105 countries | 7,400+ in 118 countries |
| Protocols | Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordWhisper |
| Torrenting | P2P allowed on all servers | P2P allowed on dedicated P2P servers |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Support | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre |
| Visit ExpressVPN | Visit NordVPN |
Full reviews: ExpressVPN · NordVPN
What each one actually costs
The advertised rate covers the first term only. These are the totals once the renewal is counted.
| ExpressVPN | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan priced | 24-month plan | 24-month plan |
| Intro rate / mo | $4.99 | $3.39 |
| Then renews at / mo | $6.67 (+34%) | $4.99 (+47%) |
| First term, up front | $119.76 | $81.36 |
| Total over 3 years | $199.80 | $141.24 |
| True cost / mo over 3 years | $5.55 | $3.92 |
| Money-back | 30 days — refunded in 2 days | 30 days — we got ours in 4 days |
| Check ExpressVPN price | Check NordVPN price |
NordVPN is cheaper both ways — lower to start and $58.56 less across three years once the renewals are counted. Same arithmetic as our price calculator: the first term at the advertised rate, every month after it at the rate the provider publishes for renewals.
Speed by region
Download on a 940 Mbps line, 3 runs per server, median reported. Highlighted cell = fastest.
| ExpressVPN | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| US East | 650 Mbps | 771 Mbps |
| UK | 622 Mbps | 742 Mbps |
| Singapore | 560 Mbps | 668 Mbps |
| Australia | 558 Mbps | 667 Mbps |
| Added latency | +7 ms | +4 ms |
Streaming, service by service
| ExpressVPN | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Unblocked | 13 of 14 | 14 of 14 |
| Netflix US | ||
| Netflix UK | ||
| Netflix JP | ||
| Netflix CA | ||
| Netflix AU | ||
| Prime Video | ||
| Disney+ | ||
| Hulu | ||
| Max | ||
| Paramount+ | ||
| Peacock | ||
| BBC iPlayer | ||
| ITVX | ||
| DAZN |
Security features
| ExpressVPN | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | ||
| Split tunnelling | ||
| Obfuscation / stealth | ||
| Port forwarding | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Ad & tracker blocking | ||
| Multi-hop (double VPN) | ||
| RAM-only servers | ||
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, Aircove router | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers |
Has the no-logs promise ever been tested?
Every VPN on this page says it keeps no logs. The claim only means something once someone has demanded the data — a police raid, a court order, a subpoena. Here is what happened to each of these two when that came up, and what it means if it never has.
- ExpressVPNHeld
2017 server seizure in Turkey. The claim held — there was nothing useful to hand over. That is the one form of proof no audit can give you, because it happened under real pressure rather than on a scheduled visit.
Audit: KPMG no-logs audit, 2024 · British Virgin Islands
- NordVPNNever tested
No police raid, court order or subpoena against NordVPN has been made public. That is not a mark against it — most providers have never been asked — but it does mean the policy has never had to hold up under pressure.
Audit: Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 · Panama
What each one is our top pick for
One of these scores higher overall, which does not make it the right buy for every job. These are the use cases where each one comes first on its own list.
- ExpressVPN2 categories
The most reliable always-on behaviour on iOS, instant reconnects between Wi-Fi and cellular, and the same app on Apple TV.
- NordVPN16 categories
Questions
Is ExpressVPN better than NordVPN?
Not on our measurements: NordVPN was faster in all four regions, unblocked 14 of 14 services to ExpressVPN's 13, and costs less. ExpressVPN has the better apps and works more reliably on restrictive networks.
Which is faster, ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
NordVPN — 712 Mbps average against 598 Mbps on our 940 Mbps line, and lower added latency. ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol is very consistent but slower in raw throughput.
Which is more private, NordVPN or ExpressVPN?
Both have repeated independent no-logs audits and RAM-only servers, in Panama and the British Virgin Islands respectively. We rate them within a point of each other on privacy; neither has a disqualifying history.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Scores and the winner are decided by the tests before any commercial consideration. Disclosure