ExpressVPN vs NordVPN

When you are stuck pondering over the latest ExpresVPN review and trying to compare against the most recent NordVPN review, it can be challenging to see which is the best.

Many reviewers often bias opinions, so getting the real truth can be difficult. No matter which way you look at it, these are the top two VPN services worldwide.

In our guide, we check all the areas between each other VPN and where you could use to base a final decision on.

By the end, we hope to find a clear winner between NordVPN and ExpressVPN, although we think things will be far closer than anyone expects it to be.

NordVPN as highly secure VPN

Is NordVPN Really Private?

Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer multiple VPN protocols. OpenVPN is currently the better for top-level security, and which they both supports.

Security and Protocols

A couple of years ago, NordVPN saw a data breach, and because of this, ExpressVPN pulls ahead on security. However, it doesn’t mean NordVPN lacks as that is far from it. ExpressVPN uses RAM disk mode on all servers, and all user data will be wiped at every server reboot.

The VPN protocol offerings are solid from both providers. However, NordVPN inches in front with fast IKEv2 for mobile devices. Encryption by ExpressVPN is a tad better than the offering of NordVPN, although both use AES 256-bit encryption, which is uncrackable.

ExpressVPN also uses longer 4,096-bit keys compared to 2,048-bit keys from Nord.

Security levels are vital if you are in China, where some reckon the Chinese can crack RSA with a 1,024-bit key.

If they were to bypass the 2,048-bit key version, NordVPN wouldn’t be secure, yet this is probably many years away.

User Privacy

ExpressVPN and NordVPN force all DNS queries to go down encrypted tunnels and private DNS servers, thus stopping outsiders from spying on activities.

Both apps include effective kill switches, and NordVPN offers one you can set on a system-wide basis or per-app basis. ExpressVPN doesn’t use this per-app kill switch, although you can be selected using their split tunnelling and send some traffic encrypted from certain apps.

You will find that both ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer Perfect Forward Secrecy, which randomly changes keys while in operation.

The privacy policy for both providers is among the very best. ExpressVPN has headquarters in the BVI (British Virgin Islands), and NordVPN has its base in Panama. Panama does have strict copyright laws, and on occasions, they have supposedly helped the US authorities.

Both VPNs allow users to use obfuscated servers to hide VPN traffic, although enabling the ‘Stealth VPN’ in ExpressVPN isn’t as simple as enabling Nord’s version.

Privacy Policies and Logging

NordVPN doesn’t have servers in its home country; this won’t have any useful information to hand over to any government. Furthermore, NordVPN doesn’t retain any logs when looking at the logging policies, while ExpressVPN will retain some non-identifying connection logs.

Payments for both can be made through cryptocurrencies to remain anonymous, and you can use a burner email address for more anonymity.

In Nord, you can find the chance to use a double VPN where connections are bounced around multiple servers. Also, the NordVPN exclusive Cyber Sec is their ad-blocker, tracker, and malware prevention. (Read CBS Live Stream)

Nord inches ahead in the privacy stakes, yet ExpressVPN is a little in front when it comes to security implementations. Neither retains identifiable IP addresses at any time.

Is NordVPN Actually Good?

The NordVPN, ExpressVPN can go on for ages, and trying to determine which is the best can be one of the most challenging things a person wanting a VPN service can go through.

If you run through a few sections separate from the above, you get the picture that NordVPN deserves its place alongside ExpressVPN as one of the best VPNs in the world.

Price Comparison and Refund

NordVPN is a little cheaper, although you should never pick any VPN by price alone as with anything. Each offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test all the features before committing.

The monthly plan is almost identical, and you see the differences once you reach the one-year plan.

Express VPN is the quicker to refund as they don’t try to resolve issues beforehand. When you look at simultaneous connections, Nord gives you six while ExpressVPN offers you five.

Apps and Leak Protection

Both of the VPNs offer the best in leak protection; you won’t find any DNS or IP address leaks. They offer the best protection when using public Wi-Fi, and deliver the best security to an internet connection with installable router software.

The NordVPN router setup solution isn’t quite as extensive or as well supported as the one from ExpressVPN.

However, both offer support for the majority of devices you could use, such as apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. Manual configuration files are also available for other devices that don’t have apps.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN

Which is Better NordVPN or ExpressVPN

So far, it is a hair width that can separate the two VPNs. One falls short, the other inches in front, and then things are reversed in another area.

Key areas users are most often interested in are the number of servers and server locations and the offer’s download speeds. Besides this, there is unblocking Netflix performance, which is key and a huge selling point.

The number of VPN servers from ExpressVPN is over 3,000 compared to NordVPN, which has 5,000+. While this can mean fast connections, ExpressVPN covers 94 countries and 160 different locations. Nord comes in supporting 59 countries.

Unblocking

The unblocking streaming services capabilities are close concerning Channel 4, BBC, NBC, CBS, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. Between the two, they pretty much assure access to any global streaming service.

When you look at Netflix, ExpressVPN holds the roost as it unblocks many more Netflix libraries than NordVPN.

Besides the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Japan. You will see that Express VPN can unblock Netflix Germany, Hong Kong, India, and many more.

Speeds

Connection speeds vary between local and international. The number of servers NordVPN has doesn’t help it out using local servers as ExpressVPN is well ahead. On the other hand, Upload speed goes to NordVPN, which is way above that of Express VPN.

On an international basis, things are in the same region, although you may find ping higher on Express VPN vs NordVPN.

You will find the download speed compared to using a connection without a VPN and is hardly noticeable for the average user. Both offer a connection speed over what is required for fast torrenting and streaming 4K HD content.

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are almost tied on performance, yet when you include reliability and consistency.

The ExpressVPN, NordVPN battle goes to ExpressVPN as it delivers the fastest download speed from most of their VPN server locations in testing.

Express VPN the Best VPN

Is Express VPN the Best VPN?

In the comparison of ExpressVPN vs NordVPN, there are many areas where each comes out on top.

For example, many VPNs now offer ad-blockers and the like, yet this doesn’t affect ExpressVPN as it doesn’t include them. It more than makes up for this in other more important areas where you can’t get an alternative.

You can easily get an ad-blocker, but you can’t get the world-class chat support that ExpressVPN provides. Customer support is the fastest you can expect.

Every time you ask a question, it takes less than an hour for a live chat response, which puts other companies to shame who take four hours and above.

While both apps are easy to use, across the board, ExpressVPN vs NordVPN again goes to Express VPN as the mobile apps perform as well as the desktop.

To put it all into perspective, NordVPN offers a highly secure VPN service that comes out toward the top of the speed tests. (Read NordVPN Reviews Australia)

It does more than many to secure your IP address and keep you safe, and it offers a welcome money-back guarantee. Nord VPN may earn a position as one of the best all-around VPNs for many users.

However, if you want finesse and guaranteed performance, no other VPNs reach the levels that ExpressVPN reaches. No matter how close another VPN comes, they always do enough to remain in front.

Perhaps they are a little more expensive on each plan, yet you do get what you pay for. ExpressVPN tops the tables in too many areas not to be considered the better of the two VPNs in this head to head comparison.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN