ExpressVPN vs NordVPN 2023
After comparing both VPNs, ExpressVPN takes the cake!
Our Verdict
Joining the long list of red vs. blue brand wars, ExpressVPN & NordVPN enter the fray with fierce motivation to one-up each other, which only means great things for us users. While both services offer excellent features, there are some key differentiators in which ExpressVPN truly shines.
In this review, we’ll delve deep into what makes each VPN great (and why ExpressVPN takes the cake), dissecting the features and benefits every user cares about while keeping the review as simple as possible.
Speed Test
Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer reliable, best-in-class speed when it comes to downloading, uploading, streaming, and gaming amongst the competitors.
However, users who want to get every bit of speed while using a VPN will find ExpressVPN the best option.
While the gap is not that big, it’s worth mentioning that ExpressVPN’s servers were 12% faster when it came to same-country connections and 15% faster than NordVPN’s overseas servers—making ExpressVPN the faster VPN.
Streaming Services Compatibility
I didn’t experience any buffering when I used both VPNs. However, I found it much easier to stream using ExpressVPN on all major streaming platforms.
Both provide strong Netflix compatibility. However, ExpressVPN’s servers were way more reliable than NordVPN’s hit-or-miss servers. That goes for other streaming platforms, too.
FireStick and Apple TV Users:
Stick with ExpressVPN
If you have or plan to have an Amazon Fire TV Stick or an Apple TV, then you’d be better off with ExpressVPN. Nord’s apps for these platforms are kinda lackluster, and it shows.
Torrenting
I’ve tried torrenting with both VPNs, and honestly, both seemed fast (though ExpressVPN is clearly faster) and did a great job of keeping me secure and anonymous. Here’s the catch, though.
All of ExpressVPN’s servers let you torrent whatever you want securely, anonymously, and with no bandwidth restrictions.
NordVPN only has a select few. That was a huge downside for me to know that there are only a bunch of “specialty servers” for torrenting.
Overall, ExpressVPN is faster, more versatile, and for me, way better when it comes to torrenting.
Security
Both VPN powerhouses provide extraordinary security measures paired with multiple top-of-the-line VPN protocols to encrypt your traffic. Both software come with their proprietary security protocols.
Protocols, leaks & the kill switch:
ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol combines great speed, ironclad security, and battery-friendly optimization for your phone.
And Nord uses NordLynx, a WireGuard-based security protocol that provides great security and speed.
Both VPNs come with a 256-bit key AES and RSA encryption. However, ExpressVPN offers superior security with its 4,096-bit key compared to Nord’s 2,048-bit key, making it harder for hackers to try
anything malicious.
Another area that ExpressVPN excels at is its wide range of protocols to choose from, and the great automatic selection option. Most of us want a VPN that just works and applies the best security features without us getting into the nitty-gritty of it all, and that option does just that.
Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN come equipped with a reliable kill switch with a bit of a twist. NordVPN’s kill switch doesn’t work well with Android, making Nord a questionable choice for Android users.
Censorship
Header Col 3 | Header Col 3 |
|---|---|
Risk-free trial | Yes - 30 days |
Number of servers | 3000+ |
Number of countries | 94 |
Number of devices per subscription | 5 |
Kill switch | Yes |
Split-tunneling | Yes |
Supports torrenting | Yes |
China support | Yes |
Compatible with streaming platforms | Yes |
Support | 24/7 - Chat/Email |
Country of origin | British Virgin Islands (Dubbed as privacy haven) |
Here’s where NordVPN makes an outstanding appearance.
Both VPNs do a phenomenal job bypassing VPN restrictions as they offer obfuscated servers to disguise your internet traffic, but when it comes to heavily-censored areas of the world like China, where they use Deep Packet inspections, NordVPN is your go-to.
Don’t get me wrong, ExpressVPN also works in China, but it’s not as reliable as NordVPN.
If you’re not in China or not planning to move there soon, you can skip ahead to the next section as this will not affect your day-to-day experience.
Logging policy and jurisdiction
Neither VPNs keep any logs that could identify you. Information like real IP address, activity log, browsing history, etc., goes straight to the trash can and then digitally incinerated. Both VPNs, however, keep some sort of data.
ExpressVPN keeps data to better its services, data like:
- – Date (not time) you connected to the service
- – The server you connected to
- – Total amount of data transferred
NordVPN collects advertising IDs on mobile for internal use.
Rest assured that none of this data can personally identify you. Here’s the kicker, though.
While both services are located in privacy-friendly countries (the British Virgin Islands for ExpressVPN and Panama for NordVPN), Panama has some personal data legislation while BVI has none.
NordVPN has officially admitted that if it were to be ordered by law, it could start keeping activity logs of certain users (criminals/people of interest) under investigation.
Server Location
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|---|---|---|
Countries | 59 | 94 |
Servers | 3000+ | 5000+ |
With 94 countries to choose from and an average of 15 cities per country, ExpressVPN wins this one by a landslide.
While Nord has 2000 more servers than its red competitor, users will unlikely notice any difference as 3000 servers is more than good enough.
Usability & Devices
I loved how easy it is to use both apps. ExpressVPN has a small, mobile-friendly design for whichever platform you’re using! The settings page has a neat little grid of all the countries and recent locations you connected to, which makes it super easy to revisit them.
NordVPN opts in for the futuristic look, displaying an abstract map of the world with markers of NordVPN servers you can click to connect to. The interface is intuitive and works fine, but I prefer ExpressVPN’s neat and minimalist UI.
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|---|---|---|
Desktop Apps | Windows, Mac, Linux | Windows, Mac, Linux |
Mobile Apps | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
Both brands support all major operating systems, including but not limited to routers, gaming consoles, Chromebooks, and Kindles.
Customer Support
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|---|---|---|
Email support | Yes | Yes |
Phone support | No | No |
ExpressVPN and NordVPN are industry leaders when it comes to customer care. Both services offer 24/7 live chat support, email with great response time, video tutorials, well-articulated FAQ sections, and easy-to-follow installation guides.
I had a great experience contacting both VPNs’ customer service; both were friendly, well-informed, and ready with solutions to my problems. I don’t have a clear favorite, so I’m praising both services for prioritizing and putting great effort into customer care.
Price & Value
You can try out both VPNs; if you don’t like them, they’ll give you back your money. They back all of their plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee. I tried this myself with both brands, and they honored their promise without asking us to provide a reason or proof.
Header Col 1 | Header Col 2 | Header Col 3 |
|---|---|---|
1-month | $12.95/m | $11.99/m |
6-months | $9.99/m | N/A |
NordVPN offers a 2-year plan with immense value; the only downside is you have to commit to it for two years.
The $1.67 difference in the 12-month plan between both VPNs is, personally for me, worth it. What ExpressVPN offers outweighs the extra $20 I pay annually.
I don’t suggest you go for the 6-months or the 1-month plan for either VPN, even if it’s just for trial purposes. If you end up liking the product, you won’t be able to benefit from the first-time user discounts, which is a lot of money saved.
So, which one should you buy?
It was a close race, but as we’ve seen in the review—ExpressVPN edged out Nord by just enough points for it to be the clear winner. With great apps, robust privacy features, excellent compatibility with Netflix and other streaming platforms, and its commitment to making everything easy-to use and private, ExpressVPN offers everything you need in a VPN service!
About the Author
John Reed
John Reed is a lifelong technology and security enthusiast. After focusing on threat intelligence and incident response at a US cybersecurity firm, he developed a keen interest in widely available security software. This led him to realize the importance of VPNs that protect the general public from legal forms of monitoring as well as illegal privacy breaches. He tested many different VPNs, later creating vpnRadar because he felt responsible for providing accurate, accessible VPN reviews. He hopes his research and testing results will help others decide which VPN works best for them.
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Overall Trustpilot Rating
4.7
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|---|---|---|
Email support | Yes | Yes |
Phone support | No | No |