Security & Cybersecurity · head to head
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN
NordVPN
Security & Cybersecurity
The best online VPN service for speed and security
- From
- $3.99/month
- Rated
- -
ExpressVPN
Security & Cybersecurity
High-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service
- From
- $6.67/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: NordVPN the App Store listing states the app is free to download but is non-functional without purchasing a subscription first; no price figure appears anywhere in the listing itself, only the requirement to buy a plan before VPN access works.; ExpressVPN the App Store listing (seller Expressco Services, LLC) states subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the billing period, and that any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited on purchase
- They diverge on capability: NordVPN covers Military-grade encryption, ExpressVPN covers Lightway protocol.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which NordVPN and ExpressVPN actually diverge.
| Attribute | NordVPN | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $3.99/month | $6.67/month |
| Founded | 2012 | 2009 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Security & Cybersecurity).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in NordVPN
- Military-grade encryption
- No-logs policy
- Kill Switch
- Double VPN
- Onion over VPN
- Threat Protection
- Meshnet
- NordLynx protocol
Only in ExpressVPN
- Lightway protocol
- TrustedServer technology
- Network Lock kill switch
- No activity logs
- Private DNS
- Speed test
- MediaStreamer
- Smart TV
Both cover
- Split tunneling
- Chrome extension
- Firefox extension
- Edge extension
- AES-256 encryption
- RAM-only servers
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
NordVPN
- Vpn
- Privacy
- Online Securitynot ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
- Vpn
- Privacy
- Streamingnot NordVPN
Both are used for vpn, privacy, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
NordVPN
- The App Store listing states the app is free to download but is non-functional without purchasing a subscription first; no price figure appears anywhere in the listing itself, only the requirement to buy a plan before VPN access works.
ExpressVPN
- The App Store listing (seller Expressco Services, LLC) states subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the billing period, and that any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited on purchase
- The same listing caps a single ExpressVPN subscription at 14 simultaneous device connections
Pricing, plan by plan
NordVPN
$3.99/month- Standard$3.99/month
- 6 devices
- 5,500+ servers
- Threat Protection Lite
- Plus$4.99/month
- All Standard features
- Threat Protection Pro
- NordPass password manager
- Complete$5.99/month
- All Plus features
- NordLocker 1TB encrypted cloud
- Identity theft protection
ExpressVPN
$6.67/month- 1 Month$12.95/month
- 8 devices
- 94 countries
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 12 Months$6.67/month
- All features
- 3 months free
- Best value
- 6 Months$9.99/month
- All features
- 30-day guarantee
Which should you pick?
Choose NordVPN if
- You need military-grade encryption.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
- You also want no-logs policy.
Choose ExpressVPN if
- You need lightway protocol.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
- You also want trustedserver technology.
Questions people ask
- Is NordVPN or ExpressVPN better?
- Neither clearly leads. NordVPN starts at $3.99/month and ExpressVPN at $6.67/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, NordVPN or ExpressVPN?
- NordVPN starts at $3.99/month and ExpressVPN at $6.67/month.
- Does NordVPN or ExpressVPN run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is NordVPN best used for?
- NordVPN is most often used for vpn, privacy, online security. Of those, online security is not what ExpressVPN is typically brought in for.
- What can NordVPN do that ExpressVPN cannot?
- NordVPN covers Military-grade encryption, No-logs policy, Kill Switch, Double VPN. ExpressVPN covers Lightway protocol, TrustedServer technology, Network Lock kill switch, No activity logs. Both handle Split tunneling, Chrome extension, Firefox extension, Edge extension.