It does not matter which website you visit, where VPN advice is often distributed; you will always see either NordVPN or ExpressVPN on the top of the list of best VPNs. There are many experts and techies in the market that consider ExpressVPN to be on the top in this ExpressVPN vs NordVPN debate, while many say that NordVPN deserves that spot. So, who do you think is right? “NordVPN vs. ExpressVPN” is on the top of the rival VPN chain, but which one is better?
Just like other top competitions in the world, such as Android vs. iOS, this VPN industry is observing these two giants getting head-to-head these days. However, when it comes to their performance, they both do perform exceptionally well. Before buying the best VPN subscription, it is essential for you to know how it works and whether you should get it or not, which is only fair.
This is why I tested both these VPNs in terms of streaming, security, pricing, and performance so that you can make the right choice. I must say they were so close overall, but one came out to be better in the end, and I revealed that. Without any further ado, let’s get started.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN – A Quick Look
We have covered NordVPN and ExpressVPN so many times in different regards, and they work just perfectly. They are always in our pick of the top VPN services in the industry because they never cease to amaze their users with what they have to offer.
It is not a surprise to see both VPNs being the top choices for many users. They have been conquering the market for so long and never disappoint. But, is ExpressVPN better than NordVPN? This question is often asked by many people. You cannot answer that without going through both of them with in-depth analysis. We tested NordVPN and ExpressVPN then reviewed it thoroughly for our readers so they get to know what to expect. The ExpressVPN vs NordVPN is something going on for a good time now and people need an answer.
ExpressVPN is more expensive than NordVPN but offers more server locations. On the other hand, NordVPN is relatively affordable and offers dedicated IP at an additional cost, whereas there is no dedicated IP option in ExpressVPN even at a price. We have included both these VPNs in the list of our cheap VPN service providers, but they are all the way in the end.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN – Subscription plans, cost, and trials
When it comes to the pricing plan of ExpressVPN, you are required to pay $12.95 per month on its monthly plan and $9.99 per month on its 6-month plan. However, the best price of $8.32 is offered on its 12-month plan, where you can save 35%. It is clear that the longer your duration with the VPN service is, the more significant discount you will get; the same is true with ExpressVPN.
Moreover, looking at NordVPN pricing plans, I saw that for the standard plan of 2 years, you are required to pay $3.29, saving 60%. The plus plan sits at $3.99 per month for the same duration, where you can save 62%, and for the best plan, you must pay $5.29 per month for 2 years as well, saving you 68%.
Looking at the pricing plans of ExpressVPN vs NordVPN, it is clear that NordVPN comes out on top. The best price you have to pay is $5.29/mo which is way less than $6.67, which is the best price for ExpressVPN. Also, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer a 30-day free trial with a money-back guarantee. On testing, I can say that both NordVPN and ExpressVPN honor this pledge and ask no question if you decide to cancel the subscription within the trial period.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN – Data logging and data privacy
This should not come as a surprise that data logging and data privacy are the essential selling points for any VPN service provider. Keeping this in mind, you should know that both ExpressVPN and NordVPN were verified by the PricewaterhouseCoopers audit, which claimed that there is no logging of the user’s data. This draws many users to them, as data privacy and logging are pretty crucial.
It is quite a minimal amount that ExpressVPN logs which contains only the date of your connection to the server and which server it is. You should know that this information does not potentially cause any harm to anyone. Other than this, no other data is stored or logged. You cannot be traced by anyone on the internet.
Similarly, NordVPN respects your privacy as well. This is the reason why NordVPN has no servers in Russia now. The Russian government asked NordVPN to share its user data with them as they wanted to see if their citizens are visiting websites that the Russian government blacklists. As a result, NordVPN servers were removed from Russia because they did not comply with the idea of anyone interfering with their zero-logging policy.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN – How well do they perform?
Let us now come to the point where you will expect your selected VPN to work at its fullest. How the VPN performs matters a lot as it is quite essential. If VPN performance is similar to the crawling speed, then there is no point in being connected at all.
Luckily, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are pretty impressive when it comes to performance. It depends on which servers you connect to, as the ones that are far may cause some delay in the connection being built.
There were moments where the speeds were low, but that is only because the locations were far, but when it came to the US servers, the speeds were jaw-dropping. The pictures below were taken when I connected to NordVPN and ExpressVPN US servers, they will help you get a good idea of how well they perform in terms of speeds.
ExpressVPN:
NordVPN:
The ExpressVPN speeds have been unmatched lately. I even got higher results when I tested the VPN to unblock Hulu and Disney Plus in the Philippines, Denmark, Mexico, and other places.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN – Security and Privacy
Both of these top VPN service providers stand shoulder-to-shoulder in terms of security and privacy. The military-grade AES-256-bit encryption enables you to connect to the internet while being fully secured. Both the VPNs claim that there are no DNS leaks, and when I tested them, it was backed up.
ExpressVPN has its zero-knowledge 256-bit encrypted DNS on the servers it owns. On the other hand, NordVPN has some top-notch features as well, such as Onion over VPN and a double VPN system which shows how crucial its security is. Furthermore, ioXT Alliance, a cybersecurity watchdog of sorts, has certified the Android apps of ExpressVPN and NordVPN, which yet again shows that they both take their mobile security quite seriously.
This proves that overall, both of these VPN service providers are quite trustable when it comes to security and privacy.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN – The streaming
One of the most common reasons why people get VPN service providers is to access geo-restricted streaming sites. If you fall into that category, it might be a tough pick for you to make, considering if NordVPN is better than ExpressVPN or vice versa.
ExpressVPN has stated which geo-blocked websites it can unblock for its users, which is a smart move. This is a smart move as many streaming services battle to block users with VPNs. This is why ExpressVPN successfully bypasses geo-restricted streaming services quite easily, such as BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, etc.
On the other hand, NordVPN does not openly claim to unblock any specific streaming sites on its website. However, it does say that it can let you access entertainment content like it can unblock Netflix for you with great ease. Keeping that in mind, NordVPN went head-to-head with ExpressVPN in terms of unblocking the geo-restricted streaming sites.
Netflix is known to catch the users trying to access it using VPNs. However, NordVPN has upped its games and now successfully unblocks Netflix where it is geo-restricted, which makes it see ExpressVPN straight into its eyes. This makes it more challenging to separate these two.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN – Mobile apps
Using free Wi-Fi at airports, restaurants, and cafes is something most of us are guilty of. It is not wrong to do it, but it can be dangerous given that there is zero security. It means that hackers can easily see what you do online and steal your crucial information like online bank credentials or personal information.
This is why it is essential for VPN service providers to create mobile apps to help their users stay safe while using the internet. You can get ExpressVPN mobile app for Android and iOS with a free 7-day trial to get started.
When it comes to mobile apps, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN have outdone themselves. The security features with top-notch protocols work just perfectly to ensure that you stay protected from any online criminal activity.
However, I personally found ExpressVPN mobile app to be more user-friendly than NordVPN. This does not mean that NordVPN is a disaster, but it could definitely use some tweaking to attract more users. Moreover, NordVPN also offers a free 7-day trial for its Android users.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN – Support
It happens a lot that even the experts can sometimes face some problems using the VPNs as anything can go wrong. This is where customer support comes into play. It is so crucial as it can make users leave or stay using the VPN. The list of ExpressVPN troubleshooting tutorials is quite simple and helpful. It helps its users to deal with problems that might occur.
On the other hand, the list of troubleshooting articles of NordVPN is not as simple to work with as ExpressVPN. You have to look for the problem that you want to solve; once you do that, it becomes pretty easy. There is email and live chat support in both providers, which are quite helpful and come in handy.
If I compare NordVPN vs ExpressVPN live chat support, then I must say ExpressVPN is much more comprehensive. There is always someone available to lend you a hand 24/7.
Final Words – Which is better NordVPN or ExpressVPN?
The debate between NordVPN vs ExpressVPN is not going to end anytime soon. However, it is quite clear to see that ExpressVPN tops out in the competition in our guide, where we discussed them both in quite detail. NordVPN is indeed a worthy VPN service provider, but for me, ExpressVPN is much better.
Keeping in mind the top-edge security features, strong privacy, and no logging policy, ExpressVPN is indeed a fully polished package that is worth the extra cost for anyone who can afford it.
Frequently Asked Questions – ExpressVPN vs NordVPN
Is NordVPN better than ExpressVPN?
NordVPN is the better option for many users, and it is quite affordable as compared to ExpressVPN. However, ExpressVPN is better than NordVPN overall, so a little bit of extra cost does not hurt if you can afford to pay it.
Is ExpressVPN faster than NordVPN?
ExpressVPN is ranked as the fastest VPN in the world by so many users, and there are so many reasons why. While being connected to ExpressVPN, most users do not even notice the difference in speed which is quite impressive.
Why is ExpressVPN so fast?
The servers of ExpressVPN are dedicated and have fast speeds. Moreover, the innovative location feature of ExpressVPN comes in handy as well. Most VPNs’ automatic server selection is based on what server is nearby, whereas ExpressVPN enables you to connect to a server with the best latency, speed, and distance.
Which is more affordable long term, ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
It is essential for you to know that the prices of VPN service providers vary from time to time. However, in the long term, the NordVPN subscription plan is much more affordable. The best price NordVPN offers is $3.29/month on its 2-year plan, whereas ExpressVPN charges $8.32/month on its 12-month plan. It is clear that NordVPN is much more affordable than ExpressVPN.
