| Comparison Between: |
| NordVPN & ExpressVPN |
| Overall Winner: |
| ExpressVPN |
| [Three Months Free Coupon] |
ExpressVPN and NordVPN are probably the two biggest names in the VPN industry with huge brand recognition. Even though both are great choices, only one came out on top in this head-to-head comparison.
In this ExpressVPN vs NordVPN guide, we’ll closely examine and test each VPN in twelve different categories. If you’ve been on the fence about which VPN to choose, this in-depth guide will answer all your questions.
Real user feedback: This guide now has over 100 comments, with numerous users sharing their experience and feedback below.
Here’s what we’ll cover in this NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison report:
- Speeds
- Reliability
- VPN Apps
- Features
- Security
- Logging Policies
- Jurisdiction
- Netflix & Streaming
- Torrenting
- Price
- Payments & Refunds
- Value
Lastly, we will also wrap up this comparison with some FAQs and our conclusion and recommendation.
Now let’s get into the in-depth test results for this comparison guide. First up are the speed tests.
1. Which is faster ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
Based on all of the speed tests we ran for this comparison, NordVPN is faster than ExpressVPN.
Controlling variables: All tests for this comparison were conducted using the OpenVPN protocol with AES-256 encryption on the same computer and operating system. My baseline speed for testing was about 160 Mbps, with my physical location being in Germany. Additionally, I did not use any overloaded servers, but let the VPN app automatically select the best server for a given country/region.
For the first round, I ran speed tests for both ExpressVPN and NordVPN with nearby servers in Europe (closest to my physical location). Here are the results:
Nearby servers
ExpressVPN server in Germany: 144 Mbps
NordVPN server in Germany: 149 Mbps
Here we can see that both ExpressVPN and NordVPN have comparably fast speeds, although NordVPN has a slight edge. Next up is Switzerland.
ExpressVPN Switzerland server: 146 Mbps
NordVPN Switzerland server: 150 Mbps
Once again, speeds were very similar.
I then ran tests for servers in Italy, with similar results.
ExpressVPN server in Italy: 145 Mbps
NordVPN server in Italy: 150 Mbps
Overall these are amazing speed tests for both VPNs! Each one was close to maxing out my baseline (non-VPN) speed.
You can see that both NordVPN and ExpressVPN have low ping with nearby servers. This is an important factor to consider when selecting the best VPN for gaming, an area where both VPNs do well.
Long-distance speed tests
I also ran a number of long-distance speed tests with servers in the United States and Canada. The results were similar.
ExpressVPN server in the US (New York): 140 Mbps
NordVPN server in the US (New York): 148 Mbps
Tests for other server locations in the US offered similar results, with speeds essentially the same.
Lastly, I also tested servers in Canada.
ExpressVPN server in Toronto, Canada: 145 Mbps
NordVPN server in Toronto, Canada:
As you can see, the speeds with ExpressVPN and NordVPN are very close. Either one would be a great VPN for Canada offering fast speeds.
Note: I ran all speed tests with the OpenVPN protocol. However, NordVPN now supports the WireGuard protocol in their apps, which should give you even faster speeds. ExpressVPN is also launching a new, faster protocol called Lightway, but this is still in beta testing.
Conclusion: Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer excellent speeds. While this category is basically tied, NordVPN came out slightly ahead of ExpressVPN with the servers I tested, but not by a huge margin.
Winner for speed: NordVPN
Other comparisons: Both VPNs came out on top in speed comparisons with other VPN services. In the NordVPN vs PIA comparison, NordVPN was the winner. And the speeds continue to get better in recent tests with the WireGuard protocol.
In the ExpressVPN vs IPVanish comparison, ExpressVPN came out on top by a solid margin.
2. NordVPN vs ExpressVPN reliability
In terms of reliability, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN are great options.
First we will take a look at NordVPN.
NordVPN reliability
With the latest round of tests for the NordVPN review, I found everything to work very well. NordVPN offers excellent reliability in the following areas.
- Applications: The apps work great without any bugs or crashes.
- Servers: The servers were reliable and fast with no issues to report.
- Connections: Connections were stable and fast to connect.
In previous comparisons, I’ve found NordVPN to have mediocre reliability with the apps not always working properly. However, in the latest round of tests it did very well. (We’ll take a closer look at the NordVPN apps in the next section.)
ExpressVPN reliability
Similar to NordVPN, ExpressVPN also does very well in terms of reliability. It has always been one of the most reliable VPNs I’ve tested in all areas.
- Applications: Very smooth and easy to use with no crashes, bugs, or issues.
- Servers: All servers were reliable and performed great.
- Connections: ExpressVPN has stable connections and is fast to establish a connection.
While ExpressVPN has traditionally been the winner in the reliability category, NordVPN is also performing well right now. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer great reliability.
Reliability Winner: Tie
3. VPN Apps: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN
For this category, we are mainly looking at the design and usability of the VPN apps (user experience).
First we’ll examine the ExpressVPN apps. As you can see below, the ExpressVPN client is very clean and minimal, as I pointed out in the ExpressVPN review.
The one-tap server switch is really quick and easy, but you can click the “Current Location” section to pull up a full server list. Settings can also easily be modified within the app.
ExpressVPN’s apps really stand out in that they are clean, minimal, and very easy to use. It doesn’t feel overcrowded or clunky. Server selection and preferences are opened through a pop-up window. This keeps the main desktop application simple, without taking up too much space.
NordVPN apps
In contrast to ExpressVPN, NordVPN apps are larger and a bit more clunky. Here’s the NordVPN Windows app for comparison.
In comparison to ExpressVPN, the NordVPN Windows client is larger and feels somewhat busy. And while NordVPN is a great VPN for Windows, the client does take up lots of space on your desktop.
The main reason that the NordVPN clients are so large is that they incorporate a global map for server selection. This uses up more space, but allows server selection from the map. Meanwhile, it’s also rather redundant since you can select servers with the individual countries on the left side of the app as well.
With ExpressVPN, servers selection is minimized when not in use. This keeps the app small and clean.
Winner for VPN apps: ExpressVPN
4. Features: NordVPN compared to ExpressVPN
Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer some good features for different types of users.
ExpressVPN features
One unique feature with ExpressVPN is that it offers a split-tunneling option. This lets you route certain apps through the encrypted VPN, while routing other apps over your regular (unencrypted) internet connection. ProtonVPN also offers this feature, but it’s still not very common.
Note: NordVPN now supports split tunneling as well, but only with the Android VPN app.
Here are some of ExpressVPN’s other features:
- Secure, self-hosted DNS (protects you against DNS leaks and third-party DNS snooping)
- Obfuscation features (gets around network restrictions and VPN blocking)
- Support for Smart TVs and gaming systems (through the MediaStreamer smart DNS feature)
- Browser extensions that have passed a third-party audit and also come with HTTPS Everywhere (available for Firefox and Chrome)
- ExpressVPN runs all servers in RAM-disk mode, rather than on hard drives. This makes it impossible to physically store any logs or data on the servers and also improves security (see the TrustedServer feature).
Regarding obfuscation, ExpressVPN also has a lineup of obfuscated servers. These are useful if you are using a VPN for China or in other restricted networks (for more details, see the best VPN for China report).
NordVPN features
Just like with ExpressVPN, NordVPN also offers some great features.
First up are the specialty servers that are suited for different use cases:
- Double-VPN servers, where traffic is encrypted over two different hops
- P2P servers (designated for torrenting)
- Obfuscated servers (for places where VPN traffic is blocked, such as in China)
I found the double-VPN servers to perform well in my testing. This is a feature we see with both NordVPN and Surfshark. The P2P servers also worked great with fast speeds and no connection issues.
Aside from the specialty servers, NordVPN also offers a useful security feature called CyberSec. The CyberSec feature blocks ads, trackers, malware, and phishing domains from infecting your device. It is easily enabled directly in the VPN app, as you can see below:
If you need a VPN with ad blocking, then NordVPN would be a good choice. But there are also some excellent browser-based ad-blockers, such as uBlock Origin.
Overall both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer some unique features.
Features winner: Tie (both are great!)
5. Security and encryption: ExpressVPN vs NordVPN
In the security category, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN do very well. However, there is only one winner in this area.
Encryption comparison
Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN utilize strong encryption standards.
- ExpressVPN: Data is encrypted with an AES-256 cipher, SHA-512 hash authentication, and a 4096-bit RSA key exchange.
- NordVPN: Data is encrypted with an AES-256 cipher, SHA-256 hash authentication, and a 4096-bit RSA key exchange.
NordVPN and ExpressVPN basically offer the same levels of encryption and both are secure. The slight difference in hash authentication is rather trivial as both offer a high level of security that is considered unbreakable by today’s standards.
VPN protocols
Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN support all of the main VPN protocols.
- ExpressVPN: OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, IPSec/IKEv2, IPSec/L2TP, and Lightway protocol (currently in BETA)
- NordVPN: OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, IPSec/IKEv2, IPSec/L2TP, and WireGuard
The main difference here is that NordVPN currently supports the WireGuard VPN protocol. This is a new protocol with upgraded security and faster speeds, although it does come with some privacy drawbacks. NordVPN currently supports WireGuard on all operating systems through the “NordLynx” feature.
Server security
In terms of server security, ExpressVPN comes out on top.
ExpressVPN currently runs all servers in its network in RAM-disk mode. As noted above, this is the TrustedServer feature. This offers a higher level of security and also ensures no servers can physically store any data.
Just like ExpressVPN, NordVPN is now also running all servers in RAM-disk mode, with zero hard drives.
One issue with NordVPN servers, however, was an incident that surfaced back in 2019, which some people call the ‘NordVPN hack‘. While this wasn’t a breach, since no data was exposed, or much of a “hack” for that matter, someone did obtain an expired TLS key for a single NordVPN server in Finland. NordVPN cited the datacenter in Finland for security issues, but then began a full server security audit for their entire network.
Leak protection
Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN do very well in terms of leak protection. With the NordVPN and ExpressVPN desktop clients, they both offer:
- IP address leak protection (for both IPv4 and IPv6)
- DNS leak protection
- Kill switch to block traffic if the VPN connection drops
I thoroughly tested all leak protection features in each of the respective reviews using these VPN test procedures. The results were great: (no leaks) for either VPN service.
In terms of security, ExpressVPN comes out on top, mainly because of server security. But again, this was a close call.
Security winner: ExpressVPN
6. Logs and Privacy: ExpressVPN compared to NordVPN
When it comes to privacy and logs, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are great options. Both of these VPNs are verified no logs VPNs. We’ll examine both.
NordVPN logging policy
NordVPN is a no logs VPN provider, as explained on its website:
We do not store connection timestamps, session information, used bandwidth, traffic data, IP addresses, or other data. Nothing to store – nothing to share with anyone.
Verification: NordVPN’s logging claims were verified when they voluntarily subjected their servers, VPN infrastructure, and staff to a third-party audit to verify their logging policies. The audit was completed by PWC AG in Zurich, Switzerland.
ExpressVPN logging policy
ExpressVPN also has a clear no logs policy:
ExpressVPN stores no activity logs and no connection logs from our users. Here’s what that means:
No activity logs. ExpressVPN does not see or record which websites you visit. We never log the destination or contents of your traffic, and we run our own private, zero-knowledge DNS on every VPN server for added privacy and anonymity.
No connection logs. ExpressVPN never logs connection timestamps, session duration, your source IP address, or the ExpressVPN IP address that your computer assumes when connected to the VPN.
Verification: ExpressVPN’s no logs policies were also tested and verified when authorities in Turkey first attempted to coerce ExpressVPN to hand over data. When that didn’t work, Turkish police then seized ExpressVPN servers, but they were unable to obtain any data as ExpessVPN did not have any logs to hand over.
Like NordVPN, ExpressVPN has also undergone a third-party no logs audit. This audit was also performed by PWC and verified the no-logs policy and privacy protection measures are in place.
Logs winner: Tie
7. ExpressVPN and NordVPN jurisdictions
Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are based in good privacy jurisdictions.
NordVPN in Panama – Panama is not a member of the 14 Eyes countries and it is generally considered to be a good offshore jurisdiction, safe from US and European influence.
ExpressVPN in British Virgin Islands – The British Virgin Islands are also considered a good jurisdiction. The BVI is not a member of 5/9/14 Eyes surveillance groups and it is a free and independent country, with its own legal and judicial system, despite the historical ties to Britain. Some of the newer VPNs, such as Surfshark, are incorporating in the BVI for this reason.
Both Panama and the British Virgin Islands have strong privacy protections in place, making them popular locations for banking and other businesses that demand high levels of privacy.
Jurisdiction winner: Tie
8. ExpressVPN vs NordVPN torrenting tests
Once again, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are great options for torrenting.
They both come out on top. When looking for the best VPN for torrenting , there are two things to consider:
- Speeds: NordVPN and ExpressVPN provide excellent speeds, as we showed above. This is important when torrenting large files and ensures the fastest VPN speeds.
- Leak protection: ExpressVPN and NordVPN both offer excellent leak protection. Each incorporates a kill switch into the VPN apps to protect your traffic. This will keep your IP address and location secure when torrenting files. If the VPN connection drops, you will still be protected if you have the kill switch activated.
If you need a great VPN for torrenting, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are good options.
Torrenting winner: Tie
9. ExpressVPN vs NordVPN with Netflix and streaming
As someone who enjoys streaming American Netflix overseas, I’ve tested many services to find the best VPNs that work with Netflix. Fortunately, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN work well for accessing Netflix.
ExpressVPN offers 24/7 access to Netflix with very fast streaming speeds (zero buffering). Here I’m streaming Netflix through an ExpressVPN server in Washington, DC:
I have not had any major issues streaming Netflix with ExpressVPN. With that being said, I do find that NordVPN gets blocked more frequently than ExpressVPN. To address this issue, I simply ask NordVPN support which servers to use.
NordVPN Netflix – NordVPN also does well with Netflix. If you have any issues, simply open a chat box and NordVPN support will tell you exactly what servers are working with Netflix.
Netflix regions: Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN support numerous Netflix regions around the world. For example, you can connect to Canada Netflix, UK Netflix, Australia Netflix, German Netflix, etc. by simply choosing servers in these countries.
Other streaming services: Additionally, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN work with other streaming services. You can use these VPNs to stream Amazon Prime, Hulu, Roku, BBC iPlayer, and more. If you ever have an issue with blocks, simply connect to the chat support for assistance. They will tell you exactly what servers to use. ExpressVPN seems to offer the largest selection and support for streaming.
Netflix and streaming winner: ExpressVPN
10. ExpressVPN vs NordVPN price comparison
In terms of price, NordVPN is the winner with the cheapest rates.
Here is a brief breakdown of the pricing with both ExpressVPN and NordVPN:
Monthly Plan: $11.95/mo
6-Month Plan: $9.00/mo
2-Year Plan: $3.71/mo
Monthly Plan: $12.95/mo
6-Month Plan: $9.99/mo
15-Month Plan: $6.67/mo
NOTE: The discounted pricing above is only available if you utilize the discounted coupon links below:
- NordVPN 68% Discount – This drops the monthly price from $5.75 down to only $3.71.
- ExpressVPN 49% Discount – This coupon gives you three months free and drops the monthly price from $8.32 down to $6.67.
As you can see, NordVPN offers the cheapest price with the two-year discounted rate at $3.71 per month. There is, however, more risk involved in signing up with a VPN for three years, but that is the tradeoff for the lower price. NordVPN is currently the best cheap VPN, offering a high-quality service at under $4 per month.
ExpressVPN does not offer any free trial, nor do they offer two-year plans. The discounted 15-month rate does offer some good savings (below the standard price of $8.32/month without the coupon). Regarding temporary sales, ExpressVPN remains consistent on their pricing, as explained in my ExpressVPN coupons guide.
Price winner: NordVPN
11. Payments options and refunds: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN
Now we’ll examine payment options and refunds for both ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
ExpressVPN – ExpressVPN supports a wide range of payment options, including all major credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin, as well as other payment processors.
You only need to enter a valid email address and your payment details with ExpressVPN.
NordVPN – NordVPN also supports many payment options, but there is one big difference: no PayPal. For unknown reasons, PayPal has not been an option with NordVPN since January 2019. This is indeed a drawback, since PayPal is a popular payment option.
While NordVPN no longer supports PayPal (in the US), all other major payment options are available, including cryptocurrencies. Additionally, NordVPN accepts more cryptocurrencies than ExpressVPN, which only takes Bitcoin.
Note: NordVPN occasionally offers discounts and special packages, such as around the holidays. This is explained on my NordVPN coupon page, tracking the latest deals.
Refunds – Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer a 30 day money-back guarantee.
This category is clearly a tie. ExpressVPN accepts PayPal, NordVPN accepts more cryptocurrencies, and both offer a 30 day money-back guarantee.
Payment options and refunds winner: Tie
12. Is ExpressVPN or NordVPN the best value?
Last, but not least, is the question of value.
Which VPN offers the best value for your money?
This is a tough call, since both VPNs did well in all categories of testing.
While NordVPN offers cheaper prices on a monthly basis, you have to commit to a two-year subscription. This is a good value, but with a longer commitment.
ExpressVPN is more expensive on a monthly basis, but it includes three months free with annual subscriptions when you use this three months free coupon.
When you examine the one-year subscription rates, ExpressVPN actually comes out cheaper than NordVPN:
- NordVPN: $6.99/month for one year
- ExpressVPN: $6.67/month for one year (plus three months free)
On an annual basis, the prices are very similar. ExpressVPN and NordVPN were strong performers in all categories. In most cases it was very close, such as with the speeds and security. With the one-year prices being so close, the value is a tie.
Value winner: Tie (both are a great value)
Which is better NordVPN or ExpressVPN?
Based on all of our test results and research, we must conclude that ExpressVPN is better than NordVPN – but it was a close call!
To summarize our findings in this NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison, here are the winners for each category:
- Speeds – NordVPN
- Reliability – Tie
- VPN Apps – ExpressVPN
- Features – Tie
- Security – ExpressVPN
- Logs and Privacy – Tie
- Jurisdiction – Tie
- Netflix & Streaming – ExpressVPN
- Torrenting – Tie
- Price – NordVPN
- Payments & Refunds – Tie
- Value – Tie
Overall winner: ExpressVPN
The winner of this ExpressVPN vs NordVPN comparison was a close call! Many categories were tied and others were very close. This is why both NordVPN and ExpressVPN hold the top two positions as the best VPNs for 2020.
At the end of the day, either of these two VPNs may be the best service for you. It all depends on your needs and uses for the VPN. Whichever service you decide to go for, be sure to get the best price via the discounts below:
Coupon to get 49% off ExpressVPN + 3 Months free >>
This discount link drops the price of ExpressVPN to $6.67 per month.
Coupon to get 68% off NordVPN >>
This discount link drops the price of NordVPN to $3.71 per month.
If you are really still on the fence, keep in mind that ExpressVPN and NordVPN both offer a 30 day money-back guarantee. Therefore you could purchase both VPNs, test each service for a few weeks, and then cancel the one you don’t want for a full refund.
I have Nord and Express accounts, both subscriptions are ending soon and I’m thinking of keeping only one from now on. Not 100% decided yet but leaning towards Nord for a few reasons:
– Nord did smth weird with their speeds but they’ve been incredibly fast for more than half a year, whereas the Lightway protocol from Express disappointed me 🙁
– There’s more and more info on Reddit about Express officially ceasing their support for the Great Firewall of China and other bypasses. Tbh, I had VPN 2 accounts just because I used to travel a lot and used to visit countries that had strong internet censorship. Maybe the reviewer has more info about this, is it temporary or not because it’s a fairly serious problem. Sadly, their support did not give a straight answer regarding this.
– And of course the price. I tried finding a good Express deal but I never managed to. I’m under the impression that their so called deals are fake. With Nord at least it’s possible to find more interesting price options. Personally, I bought them with via cashback.
Thanks for the feedback on getting around censorship (Great Firewall). I’m going to look into this more.
Yes, I have ran new speed tests and NordVPN with WireGuard is still much faster than ExpressVPN with Lightway.
Sven, thank you for this great review. I’m curious how both of these services compare to something like Guardian Firewall. While not a traditional VPN, it offers firewall and tracker prevention. Do either of these services have similar features built into their VPN offerings?
It looks like the NordVPN CyberSec feature has most of this covered in terms of blocking trackers and malicious websites. ExpressVPN does not have anything like CyberSec.
How necessary would a feature like that be in terms of the overall comparison? I know that the same features can be replicated with other content blockers for browser usage, but system wide is a different story.
Hi Sven,
Just wanted to know how these work with betting sites? Ive heard that betting sites can sniff out people who use VPNs, since basically VPNs use shared IPs. How does ExpressVPN and NordVPN circumvent this? Do they refresh their server IPs? If so, how frequently?
Hey Nick, this is something I’ve never tested, but I’m sure either ExpressVPN or NordVPN would work fine. If you find yourself getting blocked, just switch to a different VPN server and try again. However, another option is to get a dedicated IP address, which only you will be using. This works well, but it is an extra cost on top of your VPN subscription. You can get a dedicated IP address with NordVPN.
Please update pricing for the current deal on two year subs:
For a limited time, the 2-year NordVPN plan is as cheap as the 3-year plan
Yep, thanks for the info.
Hello,
I live in the UK and just want to use a VPN for privacy reasons, not to circumvent geo location restrictions (i.e. I just want to access my usual UK Netflix, Amazon Prime UK etc…). I read a lot of reviews on the web about how ExpressVPN is great and superior to other VPNs for streaming in the UK, including this review, and I’m wondering if reviewers are actually testing the services.
I’ve been using ExpressVPN for about a year and a half, in my experience ExpressVPN doesn’t work with Amazon Prime UK nor with BBC iPlayer. And for UK Netflix it only works with a server based on Isle of Man, but then any google search or online shopping places you in the Netherlands… (is it a virtual server?)
On the other hand, I just started to test NordVPN and so far those 3 streaming services are working very well in the UK
Ben
Yes, I’ve tested both services extensively, hence the screenshots. For streaming, I typically test US Netflix and BBC iPlayer, but I can also add a few other UK streaming services to the list. Thanks for the feedback.
Hi Sven,
Great work comparing the two. I am from India and thinking of subscribing to a vpn service for some time now. I’m tilting more towards Nordvpn due to its relative affordability. I do have a couple of questions, if you could please shed some light on them:
(1) Does nordvpn accept payment through debit card (issued by MasterCard), as I don’t own a credit card. I do all my online purchases via debit card only.
(2) Due to Corona lockdowns more and more people are spending their time online at home. Have you experienced any reductions in speed and/or connectivity issues in the past one or two months (specially in nordvpn)? I have a 50 Mbps connection and would be using the vpn mainly for torrenting and watching streaming 720p videos.
Please reply, and do stay safe in these times.
Hi Vivek,
1: I think so, but check with their support on that one. You can ask a live chat rep here (bottom right corner).
2: No, I have not seen reductions in speed. Also with NordVPN’s support of WireGuard, speeds are even better with this new VPN protocol.
Hello Sven, just wondering what protocols did you use to test both NordVPN and ExpressVPN because NordVPN just recently rolled out their stable NordLynx WireGuard protocol which is way faster than OpenVPN. Did you use the same protocol to fairly test both VPNs like using OpenVPN UDP/TCP?
Also, I know this has been asked before but does ExpressVPN really have obfuscation in all of their servers like all? Do all servers work on China or can it bypass my university’s firewall? My university apparently forbids the use of VPN.
I used OpenVPN UDP for all tests, as it is generally faster than OpenVPN TCP. Yes, I see NordVPN rolled out NordLynx, but I have not tested it yet. With ExpressVPN, only certain servers support obfuscation, and you need to ask their support which ones. With NordVPN, you can select from the Obfuscated servers in the VPN client. NordVPN may have a better chance of getting through your university VPN blocks.
Hi Sven, back in January you mentioned you were going to test the Vilfo router. I’m curious as to whether you have had a chance to test it at all yet, as I’m very interested in it. I need a new router and I am considering buying one, but there is not much useful information about it.
By the way, when it comes to privacy issues, Restore Privacy is always my first, and almost always only stop to find the information I’m looking for. This is a great site!
Hey Jen, no not yet, but from everything I’ve seen it is a great solution. I hope to order one soon, but no firm timeline yet.
Hello and thank you for the review.
I’m new to this VPN thing and I’m mostly concerned about privacy, security and speed. Not only to ISP but to the VPN. I recently read two Reddit posts that showed express VPN doing two things:
1. Running a process that if you kill, the launch agent launch again in Mac OS, you can’t kill the process.
2. This process has outgoing connections to sone very weird and unnecessary locations, including PayPal, banks, etc happening even if the app is not being used. This was caught by little snitch.
Do you know anything about this? I tried to contact support and they replied “and what do you want us to do?” It sounds very fishy.
I’m trying Nord now but in terms of server security express looked better, and also it got blocked far less than Nord.
Thanks for the review Sven!
I am currently testing both NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Would it be possible for you to test their speed stability over say 10/15 mns? Like by downloading a huge file?
NordVPN, in my case, has slightly better speeds than ExpressVPN, just like you measured. But when streaming some sport content from NordVPN remote servers, I often see what looks like fluctuations in speed, the stream has to adjust down and back up often as if going from 1080p to 480p and then back to 1080p.
It is a problem I almost never got with ExpressVPN.
Looking forward to read more reviews from you!
Thank you very much Mr. Steve. Maybe you can be updating this post.
Great job.
Thank you for so much detailed information. I’m still a bit overwhelmed. I just want to be sure I can conduct business while traveling within the U.S. Will either work for that?
Hi Nita, yes, both will work perfectly fine for that and will offer you security whenever you are using other wireless networks (hotel, airport, cafes, etc.).
Here in 2020, I have never used a VPN, because I’m an idiot. I’m interested in signing up and likely would primarily torrent on my main computer, while using obfuscation on my phone at work. Which one would you suggest Sven or others?
One other thing to point out, currently I don’t have a router st home and am just using the router/modem from my ISP; will this screw me over at all? (I’m in the market for a router, but can’t really afford a great one right now).
Any and all detailed advice is much appreciated!
Hey Paddy, NordVPN has the obfuscated servers that you can connect to and easily use on mobile devices. ExpressVPN also utilizes some obfuscation, but the obfuscated servers are not clearly displayed and you have to ask support about it (there are only a few that work).
Using your ISP router/modem is not a problem because everything will be encrypted between your device (computer) and the VPN server you are connected to. So your ISP can see an encrypted connection to a VPN server, but they can read any of the encrypted data or see what you’re doing. VPN routers can also be a bit iffy since most routers do not have the CPU power to do well with VPNs. The best option right now looks to be the Vilfo router, made by OVPN in Sweden. I’m going to be testing it soon.
Hi Sven,
Concerning your testing of the Vilfo router, I came across a pre-release review which has some very alarming concerns you might want to read about. However since this is a pre-release review, maybe Vilfo has taken action to address these concerns:
https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/vilfo-review-p3-security.html
As I stated in your Routers section just a little while ago that I plan on buying the ASUS RT-AX88U, it came to mind that I hadn’t checked out Vilfo yet, and figured I should before making my final decision.
I sent an email to Vilfo about my concerns, which I will post below:
According to the Perfect Privacy review, the processor you are using is the Celeron 3215U. This processor operates at 1.70 GHz., which isn’t all that fast compared to the high-end ASUS routers like the RT-AX88U, operating at 1.80 GHz on 4 cores.
The Celeron 3215U does NOT have AES-NI encryption acceleration. AES-NI encryption acceleration greatly speeds up crypto functions by using hardware encryption, which dramatically speeds up the internet throughput.
I just read another review which stated Vilfo uses the 2955U CPU at 1.4 GHz, which also doesn’t have AES-NI encryption acceleration.
I suggest using a different Celeron processor which has AES-NI encryption acceleration, and with even higher processor speeds, such as possibly the 4305U at 2.20 GHz, 3965U at 2.20 GHz, or at a minimum 3955U at 2.0 GHz, which all utilize AES-NI encryption acceleration.
Also, I just read an alarming article at Ctrl blog with a pre-release review about Vilfo which is outright frightening! I certainly hope you have reconfigured all of your firmware and software to make it completely secure and private:
https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/vilfo-review-p3-security.html
If/when these issues get resolved, Vilfo will be a very nice VPN router!
In some of the reviews I have read, there were concerns about the router’s WiFi capability. However for myself it is very adequate. I like it the way it is. With Vilfo, the VPN is the primary concern and the WiFi is a lesser secondary concern, and this is how it should be.
I hope you don’t get upset about what I have written, as I’m only trying to help you with these suggestions and critiques, as I really do hope that Vilfo will evolve and become the best, most robust and secure/private VPN router on the market, at which time I will definitely buy one and promote it. However, especially with the security/privacy issues listed in the Ctrl blog review, at this time I feel I must buy the ASUS RT-AX88U instead of a Vilfo router. Once I have gained full confidence in the Vilfo router, both power and security/privacy wise, I will most likely replace the router I will be using with a Vilfo router.
Take care,
Dave
Sven, I received a reply from Vilfo. It looks like most of the negative issues have been corrected already. Here is a link to the response of the ctrl.blog review:
https://www.vilfo.com/ctrlblog
Here is the context of their response:
We work hard to make Vilfo the best VPN router ever created. Security and privacy are a huge part of that.
We believe that security audits should be performed by a third-party as it’s impossible to find all issues in-house. We had read some of the previous articles written by ctrl.blog and appreciated his thorough and critical work and thus decided to send him a prototype.
We don’t agree on all his statements and conclusions – but we agree that he found several areas where the security and privacy of Vilfo could be improved. We have already been able to fix most of those areas:
Removing passwords when submitting diagnostics
Diagnostics are stored on a private Vilfo server rather than being submitted to Intercom
Diagnostics are automatically purged
MAC addresses have been replaced with local IP addresses in URIs (eg. 192.168.0.12)
Devices use the DNS servers pushed by the VPN server and DNS lookups are routed through the VPN tunnel
Removed OVPN.com’s DNS servers as default. Vilfo now uses the ISP’s standard DNS servers unless manually changed
Added a privacy policy on Vilfo.com
Re-organized setup flow so first step is setting a wifi password
We are working on:
Adding HTTPS support
Potentially adding a password prompt for when connecting a screen to Vilfo. Before this, we need to resolve a physical manner to factory reset the unit.
The Ubus API in LEDE is designed in such a way that it requires access to the credentials of a superuser in order to make API requests. Regardless if this password is stored in a database with an encrypted key the password could be decrypted with physical access to the device. We are looking for other solutions, but physical tampering is a concern that applies to all devices and is not exclusive to Vilfo.
During the development process we received a lot of feedback and understood the importance and value of being able to get insights and data to replicate users problems. Eventually, we made the decision that user experience would improve by integrating a robust support system directly into the Vilfo interface to quickly guide users and address any questions or concerns they may have.
On top of integrating Intercom directly into the user interface, we integrated Google Analytics to understand which areas need further development, and to properly understand how Vilfo is used.
Intercom & Google Analytics are used to better know where to focus development, make meaningful improvements, and improve user experience. This is how we have managed to improve the software since November together with our beta testers.
With this said we’ve tried our best to ensure that what’s shared with Analytics is not sensitive or intrusive. Obviously we made a mistake when it comes to the MAC addresses in URLs, which is why we appreciate ctrl.blog found and reported this issue.
We do reckon that not everyone wishes to have Intercom & Google Analytics included, and we now therefore allow users to disable them.
We are very glad with our decision to send a prototype to ctrl.blog, as it resulted in a better and safer product.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The person who replied to me stated that he can easily reach 480 Mbit/s while using the VPN, and gets 500 Mbit/s without, so the Vilfo router definitely looks like it might be the best VPN router available now (not counting pfSense).
I am anxiously waiting for your review!
P.S. Vilfo will have a guest network and IoT device isolation in the near future, along with improving their firewall on a regular basis. WPA3 will also be included when it’s officially supported in OpenWrt and Vilfo has tested the stability.
Sven, this is an excellent comparison review! They are very equal. I’m still having trouble deciding. Hopefully you can help me make up my mind.
I almost subscribed to ExpressVPN, the I saw that you have performed new reviews. I see that NordVPN is also moving toward RAM-disk servers, which is great.
There are two differences I’m interested in though. ExpressVPN has the Split Tunneling feature. Can you give me an example where it would be beneficial? It seems to me that it might be an excellent feature. If useful, that could be the tie-breaker for me.
NordVPN has the double-hop feature. Does this help very much with security or anonymity, or could it possibly just be overkill? It does sound nice though.
Also, could one be better than the other for Android cell phones? This is fairly important to me, as I use a cell phone service that tries to route all traffic (including voice) when possible through WiFi, both at home and in public. However lately I have been turning off WiFi in public due to the security risks.
As far as the desktop Apps go, ExpressVPN is definitely more clean and simple, however it seems when they are minimized to the system tray it wouldn’t make too much difference. But maybe one of the Android Apps is much better than the other. Do you have any experience with them, and if so, how do you feel about them?
Thanks for all of your hard work, Sven!
Dave
Hey Dave, glad you found it useful.
Split tunneling: Maybe you want to user a certain browser or app for banking and other online activities without a VPN, while everything else is encrypted through the VPN. That would be a use case.
Double-Hop: The potential benefits are difficult to quantify. Theoretically, if a data center has been compromised and is logging traffic, a double-VPN connection could help in that situation as traffic is getting encrypted over two hops and no VPN server has both your IP address and traffic. But again, this is theoretical. I have nothing concrete to show a double-VPN adds anything that a single-hop VPN (with good encryption and no leaks) doesn’t already do. Additionally, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN utilize shared IP addresses, so your traffic is getting mixed with many other VPN users on the same server and IP address.
Android apps: I didn’t take too much time trying out the Android apps for the latest round of tests, but when I did a while back both were good.
Sven, thank you very much for the reply, it definitely helped me in the decision-making process.
One thing I completely forgot to ask you about, is whether either is better for Linux. I have decided to leave Windows and move to Linux, most likely Mint. I still might use Windows on a HTPC in the living room, but my main PC will be Linux.
Also I plan on adding a router with the VPN on it, which makes me think ExpressVPN would be the better choice because of the Split Tunneling feature. However this depends on whether that is also the best choice for Linux.
Thanks again, Sven!
Dave
Hey Dave, both will work well with Linux. Regarding the router app, you may want to double check that your router firmware is compatible with the Express VPN router app. Some routers do not work well (or at all) with VPNs.
Hi Sven, for some reason there is no Reply button under your Jan. 30 response to me, so I’ll respond to that here.
It’s good to know that both Nord and Express will work fine with Linux.
As far as a router goes, I don’t have one yet, and was planning on getting the ROG Rapture GT-AC5300, however reviews indicate that this one and the Asus RT-AC86U have reliability issues, with a few failures being noted within one year. I probably wouldn’t let that keep me from getting the AC5300 or the AC86U though. My thoughts on them is that maybe the quad core processor of the AC5300 might be speedier than the dual core AC86U, as it should handle encryption better. What are your thoughts on the differences between these two? And if Merlin is installed, would that effectively remove Trend Micro from the routers? Reviews state they log all visited IP addresses, however logging can be disabled within the privacy settings. However I do not trust settings like this.
However I see you are getting ready to review the Vilfo router, so I think I’ll wait on purchasing a router until you post your findings on it. I have watched a few reviews on YouTube about it, but they are very unprofessional, being more focused on the WiFi part than the VPN part, as Vilfo themselves have stated that their WiFi section is weak, and if one needs a robust WiFi to attach a good WiFi router to it. That is completely acceptable to me if the VPN part really shines. It looks like it is extremely easy to configure and supports multiple VPN connections simultaneously along with split tunneling.
Vilfo does look very promising though, so I’ll be waiting for your review.
Thanks, Sven!
Dave
Hi Dave, if I may answer a few of your questions:
– I don’t own an Asus RT-AC86U (I own an AC87), but I was recently looking to get one. From what I gathered, there’s been a few bad series out there, it is hard to tell in which year they were produced (that model was first released in 2017). I had the impression the same 2 or 3 guys complained about it over and over on the SNB forums and it made it sound worse than it really was! Just don’t buy a second hand.
– the number of core in a router processor doesn’t matter too much if you intend to use only one OpenVPN client on your router (that is connecting just to one VPN server) since OpenVPN is single threaded (uses one core only per client). If you intend to run multiple clients with your router, then the extra cores may help. I personally ran 2 OpenVPN clients on my AC87 (older and with a less powerful dual core CPU), and I never had any issue with my 40 Mbps broadband line. I guess it depends on what other things you want to run on your router. The AC86 is cheaper than 5300 by quite a bit also at the end of the day…
– as for VPN speed, the 86 model is known to reach 200 Mpbs with OpenVPN, thanks to its CPU supporting AES hardware acceleration (AES-NI), I don’t know about the 5300.
– Merlin doesn’t remove anything Asus has in its firmware, it adds to it or improve it. The Trendmicro suite won’t be removed. But you don’t have to use it. If you don’t activate any of their tools, then no data are shared. If you decide to use their malware protection platform or the QoS tool, then you will be prompted to agree with their Privacy Policies
– worth noting, as of now, it doesn’t look like Wireguard VPN is coming to Merlin. Wireguard offers better speed than OpenVPN, sooner or later, VPN service providers will support it. NordVPN already has a linux client for Wireguard, but it all still looks experimental from their end.
My experiences regarding NordVPN’s server speeds are very different to yours. I have a 150 Mbps connection and when connected to the fastest server in my country (Austria) I always get 130 to 145 Mbps download. As for long-distance speed testing, I switched to a random server in the US and Japan. I got 145 Mbps and 127 Mbps respectively. I always let the client choose the best/fastest server for me and I tested with Speedtest.net. When torrenting I get download rates of up to 14 MB/s, which is basically the same speed I would have without a VPN.
I had to contact NordVPN customer support 2 or 3 times in the past 2 years due to connection issues (Linux, not Windows). They responded within 24 hours and were able to solve my problem immediately.
The only issue I currently have with NordVPN on Windows is that certain websites are unreachable. The issue seems to be related to their CyberSec feature. Also, I can’t watch any series on Amazon Prime Video when connected to NordVPN – I don’t know if ExpressVPN or any other VPN provider in general would make a difference in this regard though.
I use NordVPN since 2018 whenever I’m online. My sub will end soon so I decided to check out ExpressVPN, however it’s more than twice as expensive, I’m not so sure about that…
I have now completed all new speed tests for 2020, and yes, NordVPN comes out in top!
The comparison guide is updated for the speed section and NordVPN is the winner.
thanks for the review, cheers
great comparison, thanks for the research
I only use NordVPN for streaming or connecting through it to public wifi. Thus the price/quality for these things is good, especially considering how well it works with Netflix. ExpressVPN imo is on par with NordVPN, but it is just more expensive, considering what they are offering for 3y or 1y.
hi i live in turkey and elders scrolls online I playing (NA server) 250 Average Ping happening and I want to make it better still with VPNs
Which VPN ping values could best do you think of turkey with Na?
Thank you very much if you do return
ExpressVPN would offer the best performance based on my tests.
Could you please answer my question.. Can the jurisdictions of the UK to force ExpressVPN to give logs of certain people who are living in the UK?
No. ExpressVPN is not under UK jurisdiction. It is legally under the jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands, which is legally and politically independent from the UK (not under UK influence or jurisdiction).
Just moved to Portugal from USA. Bought a new Samsung TV and neither nord or express works with it. I currently have both while I figure this out. Was on with customer service with both of them for at least a half hour before being told I need a new router that I can put vpn on. Currently have my laptop connected to tv with hdmi cable.
VPN with TVs is tricky and not even possible with many TVs – even the latest models. You might want to look into the ExpressVPN Media Streamer Smart DNS option.
I’m a newbie and only now am considering a VPN purchase but am easily confused by some of the technical jargon. Regarding speed, I don’t do games or movies. I’m unsure if a new and faster router could improve my download speed OR if it depends on the VPN service…or perhaps it depends on both?
Speed test shows 3.9Mbps. My ISP with their provided router regulates the speed and I can increase the bandwidth/speed at additional cost. Is this speed that is talked about with NordVPN and ExpressVPN related to that download speed of 3.9Mbps that I get? (I’m using speed and bandwidth interchangeably)
Barry, 3.9 Mbps is pretty slow for today’s standards, which I guess is regulated by the paid internet plan from your ISP, based on what you said. Yes, the speed discussed in this article is download speed, which you can test at https://www.speedtest.net
I’m just getting ready to select a VPN service. I had it narrowed down to these two. Your extremely well written report helped me make up my mind. I’m going to order Express VPN and then start looking for a faster router. Thanks Swen!
Happy to help, Steven.
Thanks Sven.
Really indepth and helpful, this is a great site.
I had been using SurfShark but their app kept crashing and I gave up. Was agonising over these 2, and realised I’d rather pay more for Express.
which one works better for IPTV ?
Thanks
ExpressVPN
Morning Sven
Is Expressvpn blocked in the UK where I am based.
I cannot download Expressvpn on any device currently.
I don’t have a fixed line connection but use Three 4G sim to connect to the internet.
I can download Nordvpn which I could use but after your excellent article I am erring towards Expressvpn.
Your Thoughts
thank you
Hi Bob, very strange, I have not seen or heard any reports of ExpressVPN being blocked in the UK, it might be an issue with the mobile network. If you can get through to the ExpressVPN website (through NordVPN perhaps), you can check with them on this issue.
Thank You Sven.
A good tip. Managed to access Expressvpn.
Still not sure why the previous issue but thanks again
Bob
Great article Sven.
I purchased Express VPN on Friday 5th primarily based on your report, though I had looked into both, as well as some others beforehand and had it narrowed down to these two. Unfortunately Express VPN did not work on either of the two Windows hosts I use at home. Regardless of the options or locations I chose, my torrent speed started off very poor then dropped to zero within a few minutes, whilst my Microsoft Outlook (as well as some other dependant internet software) refused to connect. Browsing became intolerably slow.
Their support is all chat window based so you never actually have a phone conversation, but I did get immediate responses whenever I requested chat sessions. I had 3 separate sessions with 3 different tech-support guys to try and solve the problem but none were able to so, I cancelled the service. Even though the guys did know the product very well, there isn’t a lot of configurable options in the software and any meaningful troubleshooting is deferred to the connection log file.
As a network engineer myself I was able to decipher the log, and found a troubling entry which read. ” Fri Apr 05 15:28:23 2019 OPTIONS IMPORT: adjusting link_mtu to 1628″
This is suspect since the default and (generally) maximum size is 1500. Packet overheads would normally cause you to reduce this number rather than expand it, but essentially this means that packet fragmentation will always occur with this entry (very bad). Anyway, I mentioned this to the last tech-support guy and he said this can’t be changed, and the normal recommended size of 1492 (a normal setting for various technical reasons) can only be set when the VPN is used on a router (where such settings are configurable). I was going to Wireshark the connection to see if this really was the cause of the issue but since this setting can’t be configured anyway it would have been a pointless exercise.
Anyway, they have submitted my refund request without quibble so I still give them credit for doing what they say they will. Sorry to go “slightly” off-topic but just though I would throw in my two cents. Am about to try Nord VPN, so will make a post when I’ve done the install…
Hi Jim, wow, I just tested ExpressVPN recently (again) on a Windows 10 machine and got great speeds around 90 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. Some VPNs allow you to modify MTU size, but most don’t. Perhaps your router could be affecting performance as well. Not sure.
UPDATE: I ran new tests with a 160 Mbps and got around 150 Mbps with nearby servers – amazing speeds across the board on my end. All tests are posted with screenshots in the new ExpressVPN review.
I’ve never experienced any issues with NordVPN connections – speed, latency, or overall bandwidth. Now, I only have 15mbit to max out with, so maybe… Maybe the bandwidth is limited if you have over 15mbit. But after the clear bias in this article on every other point, I really doubt that just that one would be bias-free..
I’m not saying expressVPN is bad or worse but in my experience:
– expressVPN has split tunneling, NordVPN doesn’t (per app VPNsl
– expressVPN has the Netflix/Streaming bit for Windows. But you have to have Windows.
– NordVPN was easier to setup on Linux. I don’t know what one commenter was talking about having problems setting it up, it took me five minutes. Easier than express but both were easy.
Actually I’m not so sure this comment section isn’t rigged. I guess if I see my own comment sensored I’ll know.
End of the day, NordVPN’s 3-year deal is ridiculously cheap. NordVPN also has tor-over-VPN and more servers. I’ll stick to NordVPN for now.
This guide is simply based on my tests and experiences, but results may vary since there are many factors affecting VPN performance. By the way, testing speeds on a 15 Mbps connection will not give you a very accurate picture of VPN performance – just sayin’ …
You claimed “expressVPN has the Netflix/Streaming bit for Windows. But you have to have Windows.”
That is wrong. You can unblock Netflix with any device or operating system you are using with ExpressVPN (or NordVPN). All you need to do is connect to a VPN server that is getting through and stream Netflix as normal.
Hi Sven,
I truly believe that both of them works fine, but Chrome extension is the part where I am the most curious. It seems that with it, every single piece of information that goes through my computer will be encrypted or hidden from third parties such as hackers or ISPs. Is that right? I found out that NordVPN has a fast proxy extension and I am considering to try it out. What is your opinion about that? Would you recommend using the application or is extension better in some cases?
Hi Nevil, you asked, “Chrome extension is the part where I am the most curious. It seems that with it, every single piece of information that goes through my computer will be encrypted or hidden from third parties such as hackers or ISPs. Is that right?”
No, that is incorrect. A browser proxy extension is only encrypting traffic within the browser to the proxy server, not your entire operating system. Yes, these browser proxy extensions can come in handy in some situations. I have used these with VPN.ac as well. You could have the VPN app connected to one server, encrypting everything on your operating system level, and then run the browser proxy extension for only your browser if you want to utilize different locations. I have not tested it with NordVPN.
ExpressVPN also offers browser extensions, but they are NOT utilizing proxy servers. Instead, the ExpressVPN browser extension is merely an extension of the existing VPN client on the operating system, while also implementing HTTPS Everywhere.
I’ve tried both Nord and Express. I found Nord would connect quite quickly when it worked but would also have dropouts or not connect at all. Express is always reliable and the router firmware is great, much easier to switch servers than having to type in server settings like with Nord.
I also found when using Nord via the router that my AppleTV 3 would get the proxy error for Netflix US. This was the case with all the Nord servers I tried, even though the ios app was working fine while connected to the router. I then tried Express via the router and the Apple TV with Netflix US worked perfectly.
Tried both.
Nord VPV would not install on my older Mac / older mac OS. Nords only solution was a series of complex workaround and several different installations, which inevitably would have only led to more problems. I asked for a full refund within 48 hours after I bought it. NordVPN was good about giving me a prompt refund for the full amount.
Bought ExpressVPN for their best current deal (15 months). ExpressVPN worked immediately, no additional installs – very pleased about that – yes even on my older Mac. Initial-connection time is a bit slow, say as compared to Private Internet Access (PIA), which I will be discontinuing if ExpressVPN keeps up its good performance which I have experienced so far. PIA connects very fast, but it is lacking much needed “contemporary features” (which their tech department made clear to me personally that they are not developing and have no interest in doing so) so I am switching to ExpressVPN after being a PIA customer for 5 years. The slow initial-connection speeds of ExpressVPN may have something to do with the protocol settings being on Automatic. Within the first 48 hours I was overseas and used it immediately. I needed to use their live chat system to get help in small matters fine-tuning it for my needs, and both times someone answered my chat request immediately and gave me good solutions within minutes. For the slow connection speed they suggested manually switching the protocols instead of using the Automatic setting so I have yet to try that out while overseas next time. Overall ExpressVPN did exactly what was promised. I would recommend ExpressVPN (and I started a skeptic). And yes I am a private citizen and do not work in any aspect of the tech industry, and this is a real End User review.
In my personal experience I found these both providers to be almost the same quality wise. They both unblock Netflix fine as they offer obfuscated servers, the speed for streaming was more than enough too. After I tested both of these for a couple of weeks I ended up subscribing to NordVPN because of the price difference. I feel like these both are top notch providers, so I wasn’t ready to pay that much more for one of them.
If you want to protect all devices your family uses on the network, you can also install the VPN on your router. This will extend the benefits and traffic encryption to every device on your network, but it will only count as one connection toward your subscription. See also the VPN router guide for tips.
Thanks for the review, Sven! I’ve been on Nord for a week now (thanks to their massive discount and good reviews) but it’s been a hassle spending so much time trying to find a reliable server. I’ll try Express, and if it works better (I’m sure it will), I’ll get my money back from Nord. Thousands of servers doesn’t mean anything if only a hundred of them work. The fastest connection I’ve gotten so far with Nord (I’m in the UAE with 50mbps) is with two servers in France and Switzerland with ~120-130ms and 20mbps, and sometimes the speed varies. Auto connect always takes me to low-load servers with very, very poor performance. Speeds are usually abysmal and sometimes I can’t even use the internet at all.
Totally unacceptable.
I have been using both in the US and ExpressVPN speeds are very good and also very consistent (less that a 1% difference on average after a 40 day speed test period). Nords speeds are all over the board and it appears that Nord’s support team can’t say that the issue is not with me but with their servers. The last straw for me with Nord is when I connected to three different computers with three different ISPs and still got absolutely terrible speeds. Having 5000+ servers is no good if it means searching for that needle in a haystack. I am out of my trial period with Nord, so I will just have to eat the expense. I suggest that anyone who still has an option go with Express.
This has to be the best unbiased review I’ve seen about the two leading VPN services in the industry. Believe me I’ve read numerous umpteen reviews from several VPN services leaving me confused. I’m relatively new to VPN other than using one of the worst VPN services in the industry for a year. Bitdefender Total Security Anti Virus software may be ranked high be its VPN aka Hotspot VPN service literally sucks big time. I’m subscribing to Express VPN as a new customer. Thank You Seven for this great review. Its helped me a lot.
Thanks for the article. From 2017 to now, and looks like ExpressVPN still the one. Great article and user feedback, as I was stuck between choosing Express and Nord. Guy at work just renewed Express and loves it, especially the speed. Looks like I’m another Express convert.
For me choosing a VPN wasn’t a decision to be taken lightly, it was also difficult to decide between NordVPN and ExpressVPN. I ended up getting NordVPN merely because it supports more devices which is convenient for my family.
Thank you for your article, written in great detail, but I still have a question to ask you, can I use ExpressVPN to play games? Is it speed to play large online games?
Yes, ExpressVPN works well for games. I’d recommend connecting to the closest server to your geographical location for the best performance.
One thing you don’t mention here is that neither service supports port forwarding, which can cripple P2P clients. I’ve been a PIA customer for about 4 years years and they provide one dynamic forwarded port which helps with efficient performance with torrent and eDonkey clients. That said, PIA gave up on geohopping several years ago so they are useless for watching foreign NetFlix or BBC iPlayer. I pay $40/yr for PIA, which is a good deal given the reliability and high speeds, but I have decided geohopping is as important to me as anonymity so I am evaluating alternatives. I think I will be going with ExpressVPN, but I may need to keep my PIA account going for P2P purposes. I run a pfSense firewall with an OpenVPN gateway for PIA and apparently setting up ExpressVPN on pfSense should work the same way so I should be good to go.
A very deep comparison!
But are you sure that expressVPN comes with obfuscation feature ? I’ve never seen they advertise about it as NordVPN and VyprVPN do.
Thanks.
Yes, ExpressVPN has obfuscation and it works in restricted networks, but it’s built into the apps, rather than being a standalone feature. If you are in China or any other restricted network, there are certain servers that automatically utilize obfuscation. This is explained in the VPN for China guide.
I’m a senior and not overly a technical computer knowledgeable person seemingly like most of the posted commenters. I do like the idea of using VPN for security, banking and other personal reasons. Your article is obviously well informative accepted positively by most readers. Thank you for that. Is VPN easy or relative easy for one, say like me, to use? To be honest I’m not even sure what a sever is or how to connect to one. Your thoughts or any bodies positive thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
Hi Jim, if you are new to VPNs and looking for one that is user friendly, I’d recommend ExpressVPN. Their apps are simple and easy to use, plus you’ll get access to 24/7 live chat support if you have any random questions or need help with installation/setup.
NordVPN have been advertising everywhere like crazy lately, at first it annoyed me a little bit, but what can I say, I’m quite satisfied with the service. Speeds are pretty good, and the app seems very easy to use, not to mention that the design is very eye-pleasing. It would be nice if they would offer more servers in Thailand and even some in the Philippines because I’d like to watch a few PH shows. Anyway, I’m quite happy that their ad got me hooked up.
I’ve used Nord VPN for one year, and after that I changed to Express VPN. To be honest Express VPN is insanely fastest ever, connection speed, and reloading speed through server is ultimately fast and secure, I think the price won’t be too much expensive when we compare the reliability and speed.
I have recently tested nordvpn and torrents were extremely slow 50kb but faster using socks5, they never suggested using a different protocol as Expressvpn did. Nordvpn streamed 3 hrs of sports no buffering perfect. Expressvpn was taking forever to connect on another computer up to 5 mins Conclusion here is that both don’t offer a decent service. But at $2.75 and 6 connections Nordvpn is better
Quoting speeds is irrelevant as you wouldnt notice any difference in streaming at 50mb or 90mb. A film downloaded in 3 mins or 5 mins, doesn’t really make any odds
In the past years, I’ve been jumping between different providers back and forth, and still can’t decide which one I like the most. Funny thing, Nordvpn wasn’t even in my top three a few years ago. I’m not saying that I didn’t like it at all, but at that point in my life, I wasn’t ready to pay that much money for a service that doesn’t stand out from others that much. I guess times change, because a month ago I tried Nord once again and the overall experience was better than I remember, they improved a lot in these years. I’m not saying it’s my number one service, but I could see myself using it in the future more. I’ll give them five stars when the iOS version (the one I used) has the Cybersec feature. Hope that’s in their plans.
Hello,
I need a new VPN after I left IpVanish last month (I was satisfied, but that story of stored data released to authorities… :/ ).
I’m in Italy and I use it mostly for torrenting and downloading from google drive and Mega (And I think I should use Swiss servers) .
My average DL speed, without vpn, is about 40Mbps. So no need to insanely fast servers I suppose.
Thanks
Hi Marco, I’ve seen some NordVPN users complaining about speeds lately in various forums, but they didn’t do too bad the last time I tested everything for the NordVPN review. ExpressVPN has fast servers in Switzerland and Italy that I tested from my location in Germany for the ExpressVPN review. Their apps also offer better leak protection features (network lock).
Ok thanks for your reply, I’ll wait a bit for an expressVPN discount then.
They have an active discount here for three months free (49% off) with the 12-month plan. I don’t expect this to change anytime soon.
Thanks for the review. I was gonna switch to Nord for price, but I think I’ll stay with Express. I can afford it, I just wanted to switch to save a couple bucks but I’d rather pay for quality since it’s still the price of one hamburger a month.
I love your website, as the reviews here aren’t bought and you can always openly speak out your mind. For example, I bought Express after reading dozens of good reviews about it, especially because it worked well in China. What followed was that I was cut off from the world for 2 weeks because it didn’t work at all. When I wrote a negative review about it on another review site, it was removed – now isn’t that funny
There has been a massive crackdown on all VPNs in China by the Chinese government. ExpressVPN and VyprVPN are the only two I have found that still work. Everything else is blocked. And ExpressVPN is back up, but they were down for a day or so – at least where I’m at.
NordVPN has been advertising on TV like crazy recently and have a ton of new customers. Over the last few months NordVPN has come to a crawl. It is so slow in the USA. We have tried multiple different servers and all are incredibly slow. Emails to support are unresponsive. It use to be a good service in 2017 but unfortunately has gotten worse and worse in 2018. We purchased a 3 year plan due to the cheap price in 2017 and we still have 2+ years left. For torrenting in the US NordVPN has become way too slow. The only thing that it is any good for is privacy. If you plan on using it for items that use a lot of bandwidth such as P2P or Streaming 4K Videos, it’s just not going to serve you well. After trying every technical adjustment and tweak that we could come up with, nothing increased our speeds. We are using a very expensive Netgear R9000 Router which can definitely handle everything that is thrown at it. A simple test was to install other VPN services and compare the speeds. NordVPN was at the bottom of the list when we compared them solely on speed.
i agree with you. their server are slower ( much slower) and less stable compared to another vpn i tried. (express VPN). I did a simple test. Same source, same resolution, same video (just a 4k demo video, cause is big file). With express VPN no lag no buffering. Nord VPN: buffering as hell, even with 3% busy server!!!do you experienced my problem too?i mean connection drops, and having switch often by speed decreasing. And on android (with no percentage displayed) is almost a lottery choose the right server.
I have tested the top 5 vpn’s online. I tested Expressvpn, Nordvpn(currently using} Iwas a year with Cyberghost, had lots of issues. Then I tried IPVanish, very good vpn but located in the u.s.a within the 5 eyes. next up was TorGuard, if you like to play with settings, then TorGuard may be for you. and last i tested VyprVpn.
And 1st place goes to Nord, 2nd place Expressvpn, 3rd place Torguard, 4th place IPVanish, and finishing 5th is VyprVPN. So there you havwe it folks.
Enjoy! A VPN is very necessary now days.
Got Nord VPN for more than half a year, but changed to Private Internet Access for better pricing, but after half a first subscribtion month I figured out that them was in fault for my unreachable android phone to getting and making calls, sms, but the SIM and plan was active. I unistalled theyr app from my phone and sms and calls goes out and comes in to my phone. Going back to post, Nord VPN gave me slower connections and more errors in connecting to its servers than Private Internet Access. Thinking of going back to Express VPN as I checked when comparing to others is quite best in ratio of price and quality.
Thank you for that article. I tried both VPN, and my opinion is “EXPRESS VPN” clearly beat “NORD VPN“. In many things:
– Customer care: solved issues on express vpn in linux in 1 hour – with Nord vpn i have issues on drop connections since MONTHS(!!!) and after hours and hourswith random experiments, for their helpdesk the primary solution was : use obfuscated servers (lol so i ll lose more than 50%of my net power cause they are far away from me)damn, this is not solve the problem,is bypassing it hurting my net speed.I have issues on specifical servers in a specific place, why i have to be forced on lose bandwith?i am waiting an answer from them.
-Net speed: no match on speed. Express VPN speed is like an airplane. No disconnections, always fast, stable, no lag…On Nord VPN you have to start to play on a slot machine, 30, 40 servers or more but only few work decently and they will slow and go full in a few…and you have to switch, than full and switch again…and remember:connections drops are behind ya back!lol
Apps: on my android devices Express vpn was simple, you goin click smart choice and voilà.less servers but faster, incredibly faster. Nord Vpn shows you always the same server, every hours and every day, plus there is no display on loading value on the server you are choosing, so is a blind click on 40+ servers list.
Big issue on android about Express vpn. Lan devices are unreachable. So if you have a NAS (like me) you have to log off to reach it. And this was confirmed just few day ago from their customer care, at the moment is the only solution.this is an important thing to consider. all ok about Lan devices in Nord vpn app.
In conclusion, for me express vpn is expensive compared to nord vpn, but remember that the quality, almost always, have a price. If you want speed without goin frustrating on spam clicks to switch servers, have no connection drops and no lag, go to express VPN. If u want challenge the fortune and gamble on servers lottery, but spend at cheaper cost, go Nord VPN. this is what i experienced.
Is your article applicable to those of us across the pond — USA?
Hi Glenn – I was actually running more tests this past week on US servers from my location in Europe. ExpressVPN still outperformed NordVPN across the board with all US servers I tested, although NordVPN’s speeds have improved somewhat over the past six months.
I recently purchased a Asus RT-AC66-U. Yesterday I purchased and setup NordVPN because of all the good reviews I read. Unfortunately my speeds dropped from around 105-115 Mbps to only 15-20 Mbps. This is not acceptable. I emailed NordVPN for assistance after several hours of trying to troubleshoot on my own, but I have yet to receive a reply. I’ll try again today, but if I can’t get a substantial improvement, I’ll cancel NordVPN and try ExpressVPN. Thank you Sven for the great review. Joe
Hey Joe – just a quick tip: the problem is most likely the router, not the VPN service.
The Asus RT-AC66U is equipped with a 600 Mhz processor, which is underpowered for VPN use. I’m actually surprised you are getting up to 20 Mbps with that router, simply because it won’t handle OpenVPN encryption very well when compared to some of the higher-powered routers, such as the new Asus RT-AC86U. There’s really nothing you can do about this because it is a limitation with the router’s processor.
There are a few newer models with AES-NI acceleration instructions to massively boost VPN speed. Processing power is really the biggest factor with a VPN router in terms of performance. Check out the VPN router guide for more of a discussion on this topic. See the table comparing processing speeds for the different Asus routers.
Thanks for pointing this out! I am now set on getting a brand new router along with expressvpn
With ExpressVPN, though, he can flash their custom firmware onto his router making it INCREDIBLY EASY to connect all devices to VPN at the router level automatically. It’s so easy to use, too. And I believe his router is supported with their VPN Router App/Firmware.
NordVPN does not currently offer any custom firmware/app for any routers (just instructions on how to set it up with stock router VPN settings).
Cheers
Liked your review.
You did not mention that NordVPN allows 6 concurrent connections, while ExpressVPN only allows 3. I have a cellphone, laptop, desktop and iPad so clearly, numbers of connections would be important for me.
ExpressVPN allows an unlimited number of devices, but only three simultaneous connections. So unless you plan on surfing the internet (with VPN) with 4 or more of your devices at the exact same time, you should be good to go.
Many thanks for such a well researched article, I had been thinking of trying a vpn and my short list had come down to these 2, I now feel confident in being able to pick the best one for me, before reading this I was pretty much set on NordVPN but now I’m going to give Exoressvpn a try, thanks again for all the information.
Hi Peter, happy to help!
Well written article. And I got your back. I have been using ExpressVPN since 2014 and this is the only VPN that works really well with Netflix USA. due to high price I really looked for other cheap options such as cyberghost, XVPN, PureVPN they never worked really well and netflix always blocked the connection. And I have tried NORDVPN in october last year and february (last month) some of the servers give better speed than ExpressVPN but it could not beat ExpressVPN when it comes to Netflix. Every-time I accessed netflix using NORDVPN it took ages to load the movie. It did work though but waiting is annoying and sometime it wont even load. if you do not believe me please try 30 days program for both. And with ExpressVPN netflix is as smooth as you are accessing netflix from your own country. No lags load up faster. I was really looking forward to keep nordvpn because you can use 6 devices same time on NORDVPN but can only use 3 devices at a time with ExpressVPN. But as mentioned in the article ExpressVPN is few dollars expensive but you can rely on their services as every single thing works really well Im so proud I have been using it for nearly 4 years now but I really hope they increase the devices to 5 or 6 from 3.
and other thing is ROUTER app. other VPNs are working with router but if you are not a tech person you gonna find it really hard to set up the vpn on the router and mistakes can leave you with DNS leaks but with ExpressVPN app it is really easy. just flash the firmware and you will be good to go. select any server you want, choose which devices can connect to vpn and which can be connectec direct to internet without vpn.
Oh and apps for mac, windows and ios and android trust me ExpressVPN has the easy to use and best looking apps compared to all other. I will stick to expressvpn no matter what. Every good thing has a price.
Hi Jatt, thanks for sharing your feedback. I’ve been meaning to test out and review the ExpressVPN router app on a Linksys router, but have not yet gotten to it. But feedback I’ve gotten is similar to what you state: it works well and is easy to use, similar to all their apps for that matter.
This is an awesome thread I’m looking for. Really thank you for doing that!!!
您好，我在北京，想分享使用expressvpn中的问题，目前对expressvpn比较失望，同时也希望您能提供建议：哪个vpn能满足需要。
我使用expressvpn时，发现国内的网站好多打不开，换了好几个站点都是如此。于是，我就使用了split tunneling功能，但发现根本不起作用，即没有办法让应用不通过expressvpn。举例来说，我希望firefox不通过expressvpn,以便能专门浏览中国的网站，但实际情况是firefox连baidu都打不开，其他能打开的网站也极其慢。（firefox已通过https://www.expressvpn.com/what-is-my-ip测试，显示ip在北京，表明split tunneling设置已经生效）。
后来，又测试了其他3个主流浏览器，发现问题依旧如此，split tunneling 根本不起作用。
于是，我联系了expressvpn的工作人员，对方给我的回复如下：Thank you for getting back to us. We apologize that the same issue persists. The best thing we can advise is to access local sites using Hong Kong -1 server location as we can’t fully guarantee that split tunneling will work. The DNS queries made through our DNS servers even when using split tunneling.
最后，我很无奈，连高大上的expressvpn都解决不了。所以，我就求助您了，希望您能推荐一个能满足我需要的vpn,能让我既可以浏览中国的网站也可以同时浏览国外网站。
OK I’m afraid I don’t have any solutions for sites blocked in China. Since all DNS requests are going through ExpressVPN despite the split tunneling feature (to protect you against DNS leaks), you may still get blocked.
Sorry I don’t have any advice for this issue, other than to either use the VPN entirely, or turn it off to access local websites.
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好的，我担心我没有任何解决方案来阻止在中国被封锁的网站。 由于所有的DNS请求都通过ExpressVPN，尽管有分离的隧道功能（为了防止DNS泄漏），您仍然可能会被阻止。
很抱歉，我对这个问题没有任何建议，除非完全使用VPN，或关闭它以访问本地网站。
I think they have improved a lot with respect to the access of Chinese domestic websites. Some servers (Los angeles, Tokyo) that they recommend for the connection from China are working very well for surfing both sides. As a matter of fact, a few other VPN networks might not have this problem at all. You might want to check with VyprVPN, TorguardVPN, VPN.AC, and so on, which are also recommended here on this website .
我认为他们在访问中国国内网站方面取得了很大进步。 他们推荐从中国连接的一些服务器（洛杉矶，东京）对双方冲浪都很有效。 事实上，其他一些VPN网络可能根本没有这个问题。 您可能需要查看VyprVPN，TorguardVPN，VPN.AC等，这些也在本网站上推荐。
Thanks so much for this detailed and independant review. Its so hard sifting out the affiliated from independent reviews.
Wouldnt any VPN company need to collect some sort of data about how we use their servers in order to maintain and provide a better service?
Hi John, VPN logs are indeed a grey area, but I hate dishonesty. I’m working on a VPN logs report that dives deeper into this issue.
Nope! Just their own company using the vpn network would suffice for tweaking glitches, and things as such.
Well done Sven!
Your in-depth review is exactly what I was looking for. Your efforts are truly appreciated. Continue the good work. Your hard work and efforts are making a huge contribution to the general public (people like me).
For some time now, I felt VPN Area looked like a good option and I had reservations about NordVPN and Express VPN. Now you introduced me to Perfect Privacy. You have confirmed my thoughts about these VPNs and I feel more confident in making a selection now.
Thank you 🙂
Kind Regards
Navish Singh
Happy to help, Navish! Thanks for stopping by.