ExpressVPN vs NordVPN
Based on product documentation, both VPNs compared. See which is better for privacy and streaming.
The Story at a Glance
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ExpressVPN
Best for streaming
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NordVPN
Best for privacy
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Pricing
ExpressVPN: $6.67/mo · NordVPN: $3.39/mo
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Speed
ExpressVPN is slightly faster
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Our Pick
ExpressVPN for speed, NordVPN for value
Key Facts
ExpressVPN and NordVPN are the two most established premium VPNs, and their differences come down to speed versus value, with both delivering genuine privacy fundamentals: audited no-logs policies, RAM-only servers, and strong encryption.
ExpressVPN holds the speed edge in most independent tests, thanks to its Lightway protocol — a leaner alternative to OpenVPN that connects in seconds and maintains throughput on long distances. Its 105-country server network is the widest in the industry, which matters for streaming: region-locked services work reliably across more locations than any competitor. Eight simultaneous connections cover a household. The cost is price: $6.67 monthly on the annual plan, roughly double NordVPN's effective rate.
NordVPN delivers most of the same privacy architecture at $3.39 monthly on multi-year plans — the value argument. Its NordLynx protocol (WireGuard-based) benchmarks comparably to Lightway, and its feature set is broader: double VPN routing traffic through two servers, obfuscated servers for restrictive networks, and Threat Protection, which blocks ads and malware at the DNS level. Six thousand servers across 60 countries handle streaming well, though its country count trails ExpressVPN. Ten simultaneous connections beat ExpressVPN's eight.
Both passed independent no-logs audits (ExpressVPN via PwC and Cure53; NordVPN via Deloitte), and both migrated to RAM-only infrastructure meaning servers hold no persistent data.
The practical decision: if you stream international content regularly and want maximum connection reliability, ExpressVPN's speed and country coverage justify the premium. If your use is general privacy on a budget — securing public Wi-Fi, masking your IP — NordVPN provides equivalent core protection at roughly half the cost, with extra security features as a bonus. Both offer 30-day refunds, so testing both with your actual usage is a low-risk approach.