ExpressVPN vs NordVPN — Which Is the Best VPN in 2025?

ExpressVPN and NordVPN are some of the most popular VPNs out there. I’ve been using both of them regularly over the past 5+ years — especially when traveling abroad. And I always had a really good experience with both providers.

I wanted to see which one is better, so I ran a couple of tests. I tested both providers’ security and privacy features, and extra tools. Also, I tested their streaming, P2P, and gaming support, and also checked out their server locations, speeds, and censorship bypassing abilities. Finally, I also compared their cross-platform compatibility and ease of use, pricing, and customer support. 

I found that ExpressVPN and NordVPN are matched in many categories. They perform equally well when it comes to security, privacy, streaming, torrenting, server locations, and ease of use. Plus, they both offer affordable pricing and great value, and they both have very good customer support. 

There are only a few differences — NordVPN comes with way more additional features than ExpressVPN, and ExpressVPN performs much better when it comes to gaming support, speeds, and censorship bypassing. 

Overall, I picked ExpressVPN as the winner, but it wasn’t an easy decision. I actually recommend reading my whole comparison to see each vendor’s highlights and decide which one provides the best value for you. 

Quick Comparison of My Top Picks

Security Features — Both VPN Services Are Very Secure Security Features

Each VPN service is excellent for security. That’s because both ExperssVPN and NordVPN come with all essential VPN security features: 

• 256-bit AES encryption — This is the same level of encryption that the military and banks use. It makes your web traffic 100% unreadable, so that nobody can spy on it.
• Kill switch — This security feature shuts down internet traffic if the VPN connection drops. It does this to prevent accidental traffic leaks that could expose your personal data.
• No-logs policy — This ensures that the VPN doesn’t record sensitive information, such as your web traffic (which sites you visit or what files you download) and your IP address, which can reveal your location. 
• DNS leak protection — This means the VPN routes your DNS traffic through its own encrypted DNS servers. By doing this, it ensures your DNS traffic doesn’t leak outside the VPN tunnel. If that were to happen, your internet service provider (ISP) could see what sites you browse.

I also like how NordVPN has an app-based kill switch in addition to its standard system-level kill switch. The app-based kill switch shuts down selected apps when you disconnect from the VPN — I actually tested it with my torrenting client, and NordVPN always successfully closed the P2P app whenever I disconnected from the VPN.

And both VPNs have secure protocols, including OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec. They also have proprietary VPN protocols — ExpressVPN has Lightway, and NordVPN has NordLynx. Both proprietary protocols are designed to provide strong security and fast speeds.

I also like how both VPN services offer IPv6 and WebRTC leak protection on top of DNS leak protection. I ran leak tests on 10+ server locations from each VPN provider, and I’m happy to say that I never experienced any leaks. 

What’s more, both VPNs also have advanced security tools. Each VPN uses RAM-only servers, which means that every server reset wipes all data. And both providers have perfect forward secrecy, which changes the encryption key for each VPN connection.

And it’s great how both VPNs offer ways to secure your VPN accounts. ExpressVPN allows two-factor authentication (2FA), and NordVPN supports multi-factor authentication (MFA) — both tools require you to authenticate each login attempt into your online VPN account with a time-sensitive code. So, if a hacker manages to compromise your VPN account credentials, they still wouldn’t be able to log in.

Privacy Features — Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN Are Excellent for Privacy Privacy Features

I think each VPN service provides high-end privacy. Both of them come with a strict no-logs policy that clearly states that neither VPN logs user traffic and IP addresses. This means that ExpressVPN and NordVPN don’t know what sites you browse while connected to their VPN servers, and they also don’t store your real IP address. 

Also, both VPNs have had their no-logs policies audited multiple times. In addition, ExpressVPN’s no-logs policy was also proven true in a server seizure incident that occurred in Turkey in 2017. And NordVPN’s no-logs policy was proven true as well in a data breach incident back in 2018 (one of the servers hosted in a third-party data center was compromised, but no user data was leaked).

Plus, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN have undergone other security audits too. They both have had their proprietary protocols independently audited, and their apps and browser extensions have undergone independent security audits as well.

But only NordVPN started open-sourcing its apps, which means anyone can inspect the security code for security vulnerabilities. That said, the provider has only open-sourced its Linux app so far. 

Also, I like how each VPN service is located in a privacy-friendly country. ExpressVPN is located in the British Virgin Islands, and NordVPN is headquartered in Panama. Neither country is part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances, which are a group of countries that share surveillance data with each other. What’s more, both countries lack mandatory data retention laws. 

Finally, it’s great that both VPNs accept cryptocurrency payments. These types of payment provide much better privacy than standard payment methods, such as credit/debit cards and PayPal, as they’re much harder to track.

Extra Features — NordVPN Has More Additional Features Extra Features

Both VPNs have tons of extras, but NordVPN is just better since it comes with way more additional features compared to ExpressVPN. 

To start off, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN have split-tunneling. This tool lets you choose which apps or sites use the VPN connection, and which apps or sites use your local internet connection. Both provider’s split-tunneling tools work great — I used both ExpressVPN and NordVPN to only split-tunnel P2P traffic through the VPN, and that boosted my download speeds by around 15–20% with each VPN. 

Also, both VPNs come with a tool that blocks ads and shady sites. Both tools work well, as they always got rid of pretty much all ads, and stopped me from accessing malicious HTTP sites. ExpressVPN’s feature also lets you block adult sites, which provides a level of parental controls. But NordVPN’s ad blocker is still superior — it’s also able to protect you from malware-infected downloads, and it also runs app vulnerability scans on Windows. 

And both NordVPN and ExpressVPN come with obfuscation, which is a security tool that hides your VPN traffic (it makes it look like regular internet traffic). But I like ExpressVPN’s obfuscation more — it’s available via all protocols and on all servers, and it also works in restrictive countries like China without issues. NordVPN’s obfuscation, on the other hand, is only available on servers in 20+ countries via the OpenVPN protocol, and it also doesn’t consistently work in restrictive regions. 

You also get Tor support with both VPNs, which means you can connect to their servers before using the Tor network (this provides extra privacy when using Tor). Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN allow Tor traffic on all servers, but NordVPN also has Onion Over VPN servers in the Netherlands and Switzerland — these servers automatically route your traffic through the Tor network, which means you can browse .onion sites in regular browsers like Chrome and Firefox (normally, you have to use the Tor browser to surf the dark web).

And both VPNs have a smart DNS, which is a tool that lets you access streaming content on devices that don’t support VPN apps (like gaming consoles, for example). However, NordVPN also uses SmartPlay across all of its servers — this feature mixes VPN and smart DNS technology, which makes it much harder for streaming platforms to detect and block your VPN connections.

With ExpressVPN, you also get these other extras: 

• ExpressVPN Keys — This is a password manager that’s included for free with each ExpressVPN subscription. It allows you to securely store your logins and generate new, strong passwords. It’s built into the mobile apps and available via a browser extension on desktop devices. 
• Shortcuts — A feature that lets you set up 1-click shortcuts for specific apps and websites. Once you connect to a VPN server, the shortcuts show up on the main connection screen. I often use this tool to get instant access to Netflix and Steam after first securing my connection with ExpressVPN. 

And NordVPN comes with more additional tools: 

• Dark Web Monitor — This tool sends you alerts if the login details associated with your NordVPN account are leaked on the dark web. 
• Double VPN — NordVPN has double VPN servers that send your data through 2 VPN servers instead of just 1 VPN server. This way, you secure your data with an extra layer of encryption. 
• Meshnet — Allows you to link up to 60 devices over encrypted VPN connections. You can use this tool to host secure virtual LAN parties with your friends, or share files between devices. I often use Meshnet while traveling to share videos from my phone to my laptop (which I leave back at my accommodation).
• Dedicated IPs — For a small extra cost, NordVPN lets you get a dedicated IP address from 15+ countries. Dedicated IPs are useful for avoiding reCAPTCHAs and accessing sites that block shared VPN IPs (like bank sites).

Streaming Support — Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN Are Excellent Picks Streaming Support

Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN provide very good streaming support. ExpressVPN claims to work with 100+ streaming services, while NordVPN can’t provide an approximate number — but both VPNs work with popular services, such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video. 

And both VPNs are really good for Netflix — ExpressVPN is compatible with 15+ Netflix libraries, and NordVPN works with 30+ libraries. And both NordVPN and ExpressVPN work with top libraries, like Netflix US, Netflix Canada, and Netflix Japan. That said, I still consider ExpressVPN to be the #1 Netflix VPN on the market in 2025. 

Also, I like how both VPNs come with a smart DNS, which allows you to watch streaming content on devices that don’t natively support VPN apps (like certain smart TV models, for instance). NordVPN also provides access to SmartPlay, which mixes VPN and smart DNS technology across all of its servers — this makes it harder for streaming sites to detect the provider’s connections.

Torrenting Support — Both VPNs Are Great Picks for Torrenting Torrenting Support

I think you get very good P2P support with both ExpressVPN and NordVPN. ExpressVPN allows torrenting on servers in 100+ countries, while NordVPN has P2P servers in 80+ countries — to be honest, it’s extremely easy to torrent on nearby servers to get fast downloads with both vendors.

Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN have useful P2P-related features. ExpressVPN allows port forwarding (connect to more peers to get faster downloads) via its router app, while NordVPN has SOCKS5 proxy support, which changes your IP address but doesn’t provide encryption — so you get much faster downloads. 

Also, both VPNs provide very secure torrenting — they both come with a kill switch and an audited no-logs policy. Also, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN have features that block malicious P2P sites and get rid of ads on torrenting sites (but NordVPN’s feature can also protect against malware-infected torrents). 

Gaming Support — ExpressVPN Is Better for Gaming Gaming Support

Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN provide smooth gaming. I used both of them to play several rounds of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and I always maintained average, stable ping while connected to distant servers. What’s more, I never experienced lag, and my connections to the gaming servers never dropped.

Also, I like how both VPNs come with anti-DDoS protection on their servers. This way, if a sore loser tries to DDoS your VPN connection to disconnect you from ExpressVPN or NordVPN, they wouldn’t be able to do it. 

But ExpressVPN has much better router support than NordVPN. Both VPNs allow manual router setups, but ExpressVPN also comes with a native router app. The router app is much easier to install and use than performing a manual router setup. So ExpressVPN makes it more convenient to securely play online games on devices that don’t work with VPN apps, like gaming consoles.

Also, only ExpressVPN comes with cloud gaming support. This means it guarantees support for platforms like GeForce Now, which stream games to portable devices (like smartphones and laptops). While NordVPN worked with GeForce Now in my tests, it lacks cloud gaming support, so I can’t guarantee you’ll have similar results. 

Still, I like NordVPN’s Meshnet feature, which you can use to securely host virtual LAN parties with your friends. The feature lets you link up to 60 devices over encrypted VPN connections, which are powered by NordLynx (the provider’s proprietary protocol that’s really fast). 

Server Network — ExpressVPN and NordVPN Both Have Great Server Networks Server Network

I’m happy with both providers’ server networks — both VPNs have servers in 100+ countries, which makes it extremely easy to connect to nearby locations to get fast speeds. But only NordVPN discloses its total number of servers (6,000+).

Plus, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN have good P2P server networks. ExpressVPN allows torrenting on all of its servers, while NordVPN supports P2P downloads on P2P servers in 80+ countries, which is really good.

However, only NordVPN has dedicated IP servers. For a small extra cost, it lets you pick a dedicated IP address from 15+ countries. In addition, NordVPN also comes with double VPN servers and Onion Over VPN servers (let you surf dark web sites in normal browsers like Chrome and Firefox). It also supports obfuscation on servers in 20+ countries, though I think ExpressVPN is better since it allows obfuscation on all of its server locations.

Connection Speeds — ExpressVPN Is Much Faster Than NordVPN Connection Speeds

ExpressVPN is the clear winner here. While both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are really fast, ExpressVPN simply provides smoother connection speeds for all online activities. 

I tested both nearby and distant servers from ExpressVPN, and had excellent results. On average, all the sites I accessed loaded instantly, and so did HD and 4K videos. Plus, I never experienced buffering while watching HD and 4K videos. And I was generally able to download a 10 GB file in around 9–10 minutes, which is very good. 

I ran similar tests with NordVPN, and it provided good speeds too — but it just wasn’t as fast as ExpressVPN. On average, it took up to 2 seconds for sites to load, while HD videos loaded instantly. When it came to 4K videos, they took around 2–3 seconds to load. HD videos didn’t buffer, but I did experience minor buffering at the start of 4K videos. And the same 10 GB file I torrent with ExpressVPN took around 13–14 minutes to finish downloading with NordVPN.

But I like how both VPNs have speed-boosting features. ExpressVPN and NordVPN both come with split-tunneling, which lets you choose which traffic goes through the VPN. If you only route the traffic you want to secure, you might improve your VPN speeds. For example, I used split-tunneling from both providers to route only Netflix traffic through my VPN connections, and that increased my Netflix speeds by about 15–20% on average.

Censorship Bypassing — ExpressVPN Is the Best Option Censorship Bypassing

I only recommend using ExpressVPN in restrictive countries — while both VPNs have obfuscation, only ExpressVPN works without issues in restrictive regions like China, Egypt, and Turkey (I always use it when traveling through China without any problems). NordVPN, on the other hand, doesn’t guarantee that its service will 100% work in such places. 

Plus, I really like how convenient ExpressVPN is. It supports obfuscation on all of its servers and protocols, and it also has servers in 100+ countries, including many server locations near restrictive regions (so you can use nearby servers to get the fastest speeds). It’s also ranked #1 on my list of the best VPNs for China.

Apps & Ease of Use — Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN Are Intuitive Apps Ease of Use

I think both VPNs offer great cross-platform compatibility. They both provide access to apps for tons of platforms — Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Fire TV, and Apple TV. And they both come with apps for Kindle Fire and Chromebook devices. 

What’s more, NordVPN and ExpressVPN both have user-friendly apps. All of their apps come with quick-connect features that automatically connect you to the fastest server for your location. In addition, their apps make it very simple to find and connect to different servers, and they also provide helpful explanations for all settings and features. 

The only thing that’s different is the router support. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN allow manual router setups on tons of router models, but ExpressVPN also has a native router app — this is much easier to install and use than performing an inconvenient manual router setup. 

Pricing and Refund Policy — Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN Provide Excellent Value Pricing and Refund Policy

Both VPNs are affordable and provide great value. ExpressVPN has plans that start at $5.49/month, while NordVPN’s prices begin at $3.99/month. 

ExpressVPN has 3 plans — a 1-month plan, a 6-month plan, and a 12-month plan. The longest plan provides the best savings, and it also often comes with extra months of service for free.

And NordVPN has 4 tier-based subscriptions, and each subscription comes with a 1-month, a 1-year, and a 2-year plan. I recommend getting the Basic subscription if you only want to use the VPN, and don’t need the provider’s ad blocker and malware protection. If you get the Plus subscription, you get the VPN with Threat Protection and also NordPass (a good password manager). And the Complete subscription adds encrypted cloud storage. Finally, the Ultra subscription adds a personal data removal tool.

Finally, both VPNs accept tons of payment methods and have generous refund policies. Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN accept credit/debit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies, and they both also come with a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee.

Customer Support — Both VPNs Provide Top-Tier Customer Support Customer Support

NordVPN and ExpressVPN both have amazing customer support. Both VPNs offer tons of customer support channels — 24/7 live chat, email support, and an in-depth support library. 

Both providers’ live chat support is very good. On average, it doesn’t take more than a few seconds to be connected to a live chat rep. And both VPNs’ live chat reps are extremely friendly and helpful — I always got accurate and detailed replies to all of my questions.

I’m also happy with ExpressVPN and NordVPN’s email support. It takes less than 24 hours to get a reply from both providers, and their email support reps are just as friendly and helpful as each provider’s live chat reps. 

Finally, each VPN comes with a very helpful support library. The providers’ libraries are chock-full of helpful frequently asked questions (FAQs), setup tutorials, and troubleshooting guides. I also love how most tutorials come with helpful screenshots — what’s more, some support articles even come with video guides.

ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN — Final Words Final Words

ExpressVPN and NordVPN are both closely matched in terms of value. They’re among the best VPNs on the market, and for good reason — they both provide high-end security and privacy, are very good for streaming and torrenting, each have a large server network, have very intuitive VPN apps for all popular devices, are affordable and provide good value, and offer excellent customer support.

But ExpressVPN ultimately comes out on top, at least in my opinion. The provider is a much better option for gaming, has faster connection speeds, and is better for accessing the web in restrictive countries. That said, I should still note that NordVPN provides access to way more additional features than ExpressVPN — if this is very important for you, you might be better off picking NordVPN.