NordVPN vs ExpressVPN Comparison 2025

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are two of the biggest names in the VPN world, often topping "best VPN" lists. As someone who relies heavily on VPNs for privacy and streaming, I decided to test both NordVPN and ExpressVPN extensively to see which one truly comes out on top. In this detailed comparison, I'll share my personal experience with both services in key areas like speed, privacy, ease of use, streaming support, pricing, and server availability. By the end, I'll crown a winner - and spoiler alert, I found NordVPN to have the edge overall (for reasons like faster speeds and better value). But first, let's dive into the head-to-head details of NordVPN vs ExpressVPN.

Speed Performance

Speed is crucial for a VPN - no one wants a secure connection that crawls. I ran numerous speed tests with NordVPN and ExpressVPN on both nearby servers and long-distance connections. Both VPNs are extremely fast, but NordVPN had a slight advantage in my tests.

Local connections (nearby servers)

On servers close to my location, the difference was barely noticeable - both VPNs only reduced my download speeds by a few percent. ExpressVPN was marginally faster on some nearby connections (in one test my speed dropped only ~2% with Express vs ~4% with Nord). In real-world use, that difference was trivial, as browsing and HD streaming remained smooth with both.

Long-distance connections

NordVPN excelled when I connected to far-away servers. For example, when streaming a show from a server across the world, NordVPN delivered slightly better speeds and no buffering, whereas ExpressVPN was just a touch slower (still no buffering, but downloads took a bit longer). This aligns with other testers' findings that NordVPN tends to be faster for international connections while ExpressVPN shines on local links.

One reason for NordVPN's speed lead is its use of the NordLynx protocol, a custom implementation of WireGuard known for its efficiency. ExpressVPN uses its own Lightway protocol, which is also highly optimized. In my experience, both protocols made a big difference versus older VPN protocols - connection times were near-instant and speeds were superb on both VPNs. However, NordLynx consistently gave me a slight edge in raw download throughput. In fact, NordVPN has been recorded as one of the fastest VPNs in recent industry tests. ExpressVPN isn't far behind at all - it's also in the top tier of VPN speeds - but if I had to pick, NordVPN was generally the speedier of the two for me.

It's worth noting that in some independent tests NordVPN was even shown to increase speeds in certain locations (likely due to optimizing routing). While I didn't personally see my speed go above baseline, I was impressed that both VPNs sometimes maintained 100% of my non-VPN speed or better, which is a pleasant surprise (VPNs usually slightly reduce speeds). Overall, NordVPN wins the speed round in my book - it delivered outstanding performance with a bit more consistency, especially over long distances. ExpressVPN is not far behind and is certainly fast enough for any bandwidth-intensive tasks (4K streaming, large downloads, online gaming, etc.), but NordVPN's faster protocol and optimizations gave it the edge.

Privacy and Security

When it comes to privacy, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN have excellent reputations - and I felt comfortable trusting either with my data. Both providers are based in privacy-friendly jurisdictions outside the reach of invasive surveillance alliances: NordVPN is based in Panama, and ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). These countries have no mandatory data retention laws and are outside the Five Eyes, so they don't require VPN companies to log or share user data.

No-Logs Policies

Crucially, neither VPN keeps activity logs of what you do online, and that's been verified. NordVPN and ExpressVPN have undergone independent audits (most recently in 2024) to confirm their no-logs claims. In other words, third-party auditors have inspected their systems and confirmed that your browsing history, connection timestamps, IP addresses, etc., are not being recorded. This gave me confidence that my anonymity is protected with both services.

That said, I did find a subtle difference in logging practices. ExpressVPN retains a tiny bit more connection metadata than NordVPN - specifically, ExpressVPN logs the date you connected, which VPN server location you used, and how much data was transferred during your session. This does not include any websites you visited or anything that could identify your activity; it's basically minimal usage statistics. NordVPN, on the other hand, takes an even stricter approach and does not log server locations used or bandwidth data for individual sessions. Aside from your account email and basic billing info, NordVPN runs with almost zero knowledge of your usage. In practice, I didn't feel this minor difference had any impact on my privacy - neither service collects personally identifiable activity data, as confirmed by those audits. It's simply a point for the ultra privacy-conscious: NordVPN's policy is slightly more minimal.

Security Features

Both VPNs are top-notch in security and gave me peace of mind while browsing. They use AES-256 encryption (with strong protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, and their new protocols mentioned above), which is essentially unbreakable by any practical means. During my tests, I ran DNS leak tools and never saw any IP or DNS leaks with either VPN - all my data stayed securely inside the encrypted tunnel. They also both include an automatic kill switch (which I tested by dropping the Wi-Fi - it successfully blocked all traffic when the VPN disconnected, preventing any data leak). Features like split tunneling are available on both as well, letting me route certain apps or sites outside the VPN if needed. In short, NordVPN and ExpressVPN both covered the essential security basics such as strong encryption, leak protection, and kill switches, to keep my connection safe.

Advanced Security & Extras

NordVPN and ExpressVPN each offer some unique extras. NordVPN offers a Double VPN (multi-hop) feature, which lets you route your traffic through two VPN servers in different countries for added encryption layers. I tried it out while doing some sensitive browsing - it worked, though at the cost of some speed. Double VPN is probably overkill for day-to-day use (and I didn't use it regularly), but it's a nice advanced feature for those who want maximum privacy. NordVPN also has specialty servers like Onion over VPN (routing through the Tor network) and P2P-optimized servers, plus a built-in Threat Protection feature that can block ads and malware. It even bundles things like a password manager (NordPass) and cloud storage in certain plans - making it a bit of an all-in-one security suite.

ExpressVPN doesn't have multi-hop servers, but it has its own strengths. One highlight is ExpressVPN's TrustedServer technology, which means all its VPN servers run on RAM-only and never write data to a hard drive. Every server wipe (reboot) erases all information automatically. This reassured me that even if a server were somehow seized, there'd be no logs or data sitting there. (NordVPN has also transitioned to RAM servers in many locations as well, to be fair.) ExpressVPN also includes Threat Manager, a feature on iOS/macOS that blocks trackers, and it introduced a built-in password manager (ExpressVPN Keys). These show that both providers are continuously improving on privacy features.

In terms of trustworthiness, both VPNs have solid track records with a couple of hiccups: NordVPN experienced a single server breach back in 2018 on a third-party datacenter, but no user data was compromised and they have since beefed up security audits and infrastructure. ExpressVPN came under some scrutiny when it was acquired by Kape Technologies (which had a past in adware), and when it was revealed a few years ago that one of its executives had a history in government surveillance programs. These things might concern some users, but in my personal use I did not find any reason to distrust either company - their policies and technical measures (like audits and RAM-only servers) speak louder to me.

The upshot: Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN are industry leaders in privacy and security, and using either I felt my data was in safe hands. If I nitpick, NordVPN's stricter no-log stance and extra security tools give it a tiny edge in this category. But realistically, you can trust both VPNs with your privacy - I certainly do.

Ease of Use and Apps

As someone who isn't new to VPNs, I still greatly appreciate a well-designed, easy-to-use app. In this regard, ExpressVPN and NordVPN both offer very polished and user-friendly applications across devices. Setting up each VPN on my laptop and phone was straightforward, but there are a few differences in the interface and user experience.

Desktop & Mobile Interface

ExpressVPN's app is known for its simplicity, and I felt that immediately. The design is clean and minimalist - basically a big power button to connect, and a list of server locations. It's extremely easy for beginners or those who don't want to fiddle with settings. In fact, I'd say ExpressVPN's apps are as straightforward as it gets: pick a country and hit connect, with smart defaults in place. NordVPN's apps, on the other hand, include a bit more flair and functionality. NordVPN presents a world map interface where you can zoom in and click on a country to connect. I actually enjoyed this visual approach (it makes selecting a region kind of fun), though on a small smartphone screen the map can be a little clunky, so I often switched to the server list view. NordVPN also puts shortcuts to specialty servers (like P2P, Double VPN, Onion) in the interface. Overall, I found NordVPN's app still very easy to use, but it offers more options and settings up front than ExpressVPN's does. If you're an advanced user, you might appreciate that; if you prefer ultra-simplicity, ExpressVPN has the slight edge. As one review aptly put it, ExpressVPN excels in usability for beginners with its clean, no-frills design. NordVPN's interface is by no means complicated - I had no issues navigating it - it just has more features tucked in its menus (which is a plus for power users).

Device Compatibility

Both services have apps for all major platforms. I used them on Windows PC, Mac, and Android phone - the experience was smooth on all. NordVPN allows up to 10 simultaneous device connections now per account, which meant I could protect my laptop, two phones, a tablet, and even share with family, all at once. ExpressVPN recently upgraded to 8 simultaneous devices (from 5 previously), which is decent but if you have a big household, Nord's higher device limit is nice. That said, ExpressVPN offers a cool solution for covering more devices: they sell a router called Aircove with built-in VPN, and they have a custom firmware/app for routers. If you install ExpressVPN on a router (or buy their pre-configured one), you can protect every device on your network without worrying about the device limit - a very convenient option. NordVPN also works on routers, but you have to set it up manually; it doesn't have its own branded router solution. Aside from that, both VPNs support a wide range of devices: from common ones like Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, to smart TVs, browser extensions, and more. I even tried ExpressVPN's MediaStreamer DNS feature on my gaming console, which let me unblock streaming content on a device that doesn't support VPN apps (it was easy to set up and worked as intended for streaming, though note it's not encrypted). NordVPN has a similar SmartPlay DNS feature automatically for streaming devices.

Logging in and Settings

In daily use, both apps were stable and rarely gave me any trouble. I did notice one annoyance with ExpressVPN's login process - when installing it on a new device, you can't just enter your username/password; instead, ExpressVPN has you enter a unique activation code (sent via email or shown in your account dashboard). This extra step caught me off guard and felt a bit cumbersome, since I had to retrieve a code every time I set up on a device. It's a security measure (kind of like multi-factor auth), but with NordVPN I could just log in with my account credentials directly, which I personally found more convenient. Once logged in, I found both VPNs pretty easy to configure. NordVPN exposes more toggles (for things like its CyberSec/Threat Protection, protocol switch, obfuscation, etc.), whereas ExpressVPN's settings are simpler (you can change protocol, enable the kill switch, split tunneling, etc., but it doesn't have as many extra features to toggle).

In terms of reliability, both were excellent. Neither app crashed on me, and connections were quick and stable. If I had any issue (like needing a specific server), both offer 24/7 live chat support. I tested each support with a couple of questions: NordVPN's and ExpressVPN's reps both responded within minutes and provided helpful answers - so it's a tie on customer service for me (both are great).

Winner (Ease of Use): It's basically a draw. ExpressVPN is slightly better for a totally non-techy user who wants one-click protection with zero tweaking. NordVPN is also very easy, but gives you more features and choices if you like to tinker or need specialty servers. I personally like having those extra options, so NordVPN's app appealed to me a bit more after I got familiar with it. But you can't go wrong with either - installation and daily use were smooth on both VPNs.

Streaming Support

One of my primary uses for a VPN is streaming geo-blocked content (Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, etc.), so I paid close attention to how NordVPN vs ExpressVPN perform for streamers. In short, both are excellent choices for streaming - these two VPNs are among the best on the market for unblocking content. But ExpressVPN has a slight edge in the sheer range of streaming services it can access, whereas NordVPN is not far behind and handled all the major platforms I tried.

Netflix and Big Platforms

In my tests, NordVPN and ExpressVPN both unblocked Netflix with ease, including Netflix US, UK, and other regional libraries that I tried. I was able to watch Netflix in HD/4K without buffering on both. NordVPN currently works with ~17 different Netflix libraries, while ExpressVPN works with ~18 libraries. In practice, that difference is minor - unless you specifically need that one extra country's Netflix (ExpressVPN managed to access a couple of regions like Netflix India and South Korea that NordVPN occasionally struggled with in my tests). Both VPNs also let me stream Disney+, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and more without issues. I appreciated that NordVPN's SmartPlay feature (enabled by default) seamlessly handled DNS when needed - for instance, I could use a foreign Netflix server on my smart TV without manual DNS setup. ExpressVPN has an equivalent called MediaStreamer, and it was very reliable in my use as well.

Other Streaming Services

The difference came with some less common services. For example, I attempted to watch content on Hotstar (Indian streaming service) - ExpressVPN was able to unblock Hotstar, whereas NordVPN could not get past Hotstar's VPN blocks in my test. Similarly, ExpressVPN gave me access to a broader range of DAZN libraries (a sports streaming service) than NordVPN. These niche differences echo what others have reported: ExpressVPN goes a step further by unlocking a few platforms and regions that NordVPN can't. However, for 99% of streaming needs (Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, etc.), NordVPN worked flawlessly for me. Unless you have a very specific streaming provider in mind, both VPNs will cover the popular services.

Streaming Quality

I was happy with the performance on both. Thanks to their fast speeds, I could stream in high definition. NordVPN's slightly faster long-distance speed meant that when I connected to, say, a UK server from Asia to watch BBC iPlayer, I had a buffer-free experience. ExpressVPN was also very fast; I rarely saw any buffering except perhaps a couple extra seconds of initial load on a very far server. Both support smart DNS which helped when streaming on devices like an Apple TV that doesn't have a VPN app.

Both VPNs also proved adept at avoiding VPN bans. Netflix and other services are constantly trying to block VPN IPs - I noticed that if one server IP was blocked, NordVPN had many alternative servers in the same region to switch to, and one of them would work. ExpressVPN, with fewer servers, still had multiple options per country and I always found one that worked too. In fact, ExpressVPN's large spread of countries (105+) could be beneficial if you need a library from a country NordVPN doesn't have (though Nord now has servers in over 118 countries, leveling this playing field).

Winner (Streaming): ExpressVPN wins by a small margin here, simply because it unlocked a couple more obscure streaming libraries in my trials. For the average user like me who sticks to Netflix, Prime, Disney+, etc., NordVPN was just as effective - I never felt hindered in streaming with NordVPN. If your goal is the broadest streaming access possible and you must watch that one show on (for example) Hotstar or a specific country's Netflix, ExpressVPN might be the safer bet. But I will emphasize: for all mainstream streaming, NordVPN worked like a charm too. I was able to binge my favorite shows on both VPNs without frustration.

Pricing and Value

Price is a major factor for many, and here NordVPN clearly comes out ahead. NordVPN is more affordable, especially on long-term plans, and it often bundles more features for the price. ExpressVPN is considerably pricier for equivalent plans, which I felt was a drawback given how closely it matched (or in some cases, slightly lagged behind) NordVPN in performance.

Subscription Plans

NordVPN offers a variety of plans and tiers. You can pay month-to-month, 1-year, or 2-year. The best deal is the 2-year plan - at the time of writing, NordVPN's 2-year plan (Standard tier) costs about $3.39 per month (billed upfront). Even Nord's 1-year plan is around $4.99/mo. In contrast, ExpressVPN's longest standard plan is 12 months (often advertised as "1 year + a few months free"). That came out to roughly $6.67 per month for me (billed annually). Sometimes ExpressVPN has a limited 2-year special (I saw one for about $4.99/mo), but even that basically matches Nord's 1-year price. In other words, NordVPN's two-year subscription is about half the cost of ExpressVPN's one-year subscription on a per-month basis. This is a huge difference in value. Over two years, I'd spend ~$80 with NordVPN versus ~$160 with ExpressVPN, roughly speaking.

Both providers include a 30-day money-back guarantee (I've requested a refund from each in the past out of curiosity - both honored it, no questions asked, which is good). Neither requires any long-term commitment beyond that refund period, so you can try and get your money back if it's not a fit. ExpressVPN does offer a 7-day free trial on mobile, and NordVPN sometimes has a 7-day trial on Android as well - but those are small perks. The real savings is in long-term pricing. For someone like me who's ready to commit to a VPN for a couple of years, NordVPN's pricing is far more budget-friendly.

What You Get

Despite the price gap, NordVPN actually throws in more features at its base price. For instance, all plans include the CyberSec/Threat Protection (malware blocking) feature. If you opt for NordVPN's Plus or Complete tiers (which cost a bit more), you also get NordPass (password manager) and NordLocker (1TB encrypted cloud storage) included - essentially an entire security bundle. I found the Standard plan sufficient for my VPN needs, but it's worth noting NordVPN's higher-priced tiers add a lot of value for a moderate bump in cost. ExpressVPN, by contrast, has one plan (with all features) - it does include its own password manager and Threat Manager, but no cloud storage or antivirus. So, feature-wise, I felt NordVPN gives you more bang for your buck.

Payment options: Both services accept a variety of payment methods - including credit cards, PayPal, cryptocurrency (for more anonymous purchases), and others. NordVPN even accepts regional payment options and often has promotions (holiday sales, etc.). ExpressVPN doesn't tend to offer big discounts beyond the extra months on annual plans.

Given my experience, I'd say NordVPN is the better choice if you're price-sensitive or looking for value. It's significantly cheaper and I didn't feel I was missing anything; in fact, I gained some extra features. ExpressVPN's higher price might be justified for those who absolutely need its particular advantages (like the widest country coverage or the router with built-in VPN). But for most users, it's hard to justify paying nearly double for ExpressVPN when NordVPN matches or outperforms it in most areas. As one reviewer summed up, NordVPN gives you the same benefits - high security, fast speeds, streaming unblocking - at a much lower cost. I have to agree with that conclusion from my own hands-on use.

Pricing Summary: NordVPN 2-year plan @ ~$3.39/mo; ExpressVPN 1-year plan @ ~$6.67/mo. Both have 30-day money-back guarantees. NordVPN often has bigger sales (I got 68% off plus a bonus gift on Black Friday, for example). Winner on price: NordVPN by a wide margin.

Server Network and Availability

Having a large server network can mean better performance and more choices for the user. Here again, NordVPN has an advantage in raw numbers, while ExpressVPN offers broad coverage too, albeit with fewer servers overall.

Server Count

NordVPN boasts over 7,000 servers worldwide as of 2025. This number has grown significantly - I remember NordVPN having around 5,000 servers a couple of years ago, and they've expanded to more than 7k now. In contrast, ExpressVPN has around 3,000+ servers (exact numbers aren't published, but it's commonly estimated around 3k). In everyday use, a higher server count can help prevent any single server from getting overcrowded. I did notice that NordVPN's app often shows server load percentages, and I could usually find servers with very low load in popular regions. With ExpressVPN, they don't show load, but I never experienced slowdowns there either - top-tier VPNs tend to add capacity to meet demand. Still, NordVPN's larger fleet of servers gives it a cushion; it's less likely you'll ever find all servers in a country saturated.

Server Locations (Countries)

ExpressVPN historically led in the number of countries - it has servers in 94+ countries (now about 105 countries) worldwide. This wide coverage includes some locations that NordVPN didn't have until recently. However, NordVPN made a big push in 2024 by introducing many new virtual server locations - about 50 new countries were added via secure virtual servers hosted nearby. As a result, NordVPN now covers 118 countries in total as of 2025, which actually surpasses ExpressVPN's country count. This was surprising, as NordVPN used to be around 60 countries for a long time, but with the addition of those servers (in places like Africa, the Middle East, smaller nations, etc.), Nord's coverage became more global. ExpressVPN has about 105 countries covered, which is still excellent, but NordVPN has closed the gap and then some.

In practical terms, both VPNs gave me plenty of choices. If you need a very specific country's IP, it's worth checking each provider's server list. ExpressVPN might have a few odd locations NordVPN doesn't (for instance, ExpressVPN has servers in Pakistan, or Venezuela, which NordVPN didn't for a long time - Nord's new virtual locations might cover some of those now). NordVPN with 118 countries even includes some exotic locales via virtual servers (e.g. I saw options like Kenya, Ecuador, Nepal in Nord's list, achieved through virtual server routing). The trade-off between physical and virtual servers didn't affect me much - the virtual location I tested (India on NordVPN, which is served via a Singapore server) worked fine and gave me an Indian IP for browsing. ExpressVPN also uses some virtual locations for places like India (after new regulations, they pulled physical servers from India and route via Singapore similar to Nord).

Server Performance

Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN run all their servers on RAM (volatile memory) for security, and use high-speed gigabit connections. I consistently got fast speeds from servers of both VPNs in various countries, as mentioned in the speed section. NordVPN's huge server count could mean less user congestion; ExpressVPN's wide distribution means you might find a server closer to wherever you are. I never had to wait to connect - it was always instant on both. They also both support P2P (torrenting) on their servers (NordVPN even labels certain servers as P2P-optimized, but in practice I could torrent on any ExpressVPN server too). My torrent tests showed similarly great performance, though NordVPN's speeds were a tad higher, likely due to the NordLynx protocol efficiency on long transfers.

One thing to mention is that NordVPN allows specifying particular servers and even shows server load, which I appreciated when I wanted to pick the best server manually. ExpressVPN doesn't show that info; it just has its locations and a "smart location" auto-pick. The lack of transparency on ExpressVPN's exact server numbers is a minor gripe (they choose not to disclose exactly how many servers they operate, whereas NordVPN openly advertises their 7,000+ count).

Overall Network Winner: NordVPN wins on server network due to the sheer number of servers and now an equal-or-greater country selection. In real use, both global networks were more than sufficient for me - I always found a nearby server and could hop around the world as needed. If you travel or need an IP from a very specific country, check each provider's list: ExpressVPN might still have a couple unique countries Nord lacks and vice versa. But with 118 vs 105 countries covered, NordVPN has largely leveled the playing field in coverage. The average user likely won't need anywhere near that many locations; both VPNs cover all the most popular regions and then some. The important point is that NordVPN's massive server count gives it an advantage in flexibility and potentially performance (less load per server), which is part of why I lean towards Nord.

To put it simply, you'll have no shortage of connection options with either service - but NordVPN's network is bigger and was recently the widest in the industry after its 2024 expansion.

Quick Feature & Specs Comparison

To summarize the head-to-head, here's a quick comparison of NordVPN vs ExpressVPN on key features and specs:

Feature	NordVPN	ExpressVPN
Speed Performance	Extremely fast; fastest overall in tests (NordLynx protocol excels for long distances)	Extremely fast; a close second (Lightway protocol great for low latency)
Logging Policy	Strict no-logs, independently audited (no activity or connection logs saved). Based in Panama (privacy-friendly).	Strict no-logs, independently audited (no activity logs; minimal connection stats). Based in BVI (privacy-friendly).
Security Features	AES-256 encryption; Kill switch; Split tunneling; Double VPN (multi-hop) option; Onion-over-VPN; Threat Protection (malware blocking); Multi-factor auth optional.	AES-256 encryption; Kill switch; Split tunneling; TrustedServer RAM-only servers; Threat Manager (tracker blocking); Own DNS on every server; Supports router app; Keys password manager.
Streaming Unblocking	Unblocks Netflix (17+ libraries), BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime, etc. reliably. SmartPlay DNS for devices. Struggles with a few (e.g. Hotstar).	Unblocks Netflix (18 libraries), BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon, Hotstar, DAZN and more. MediaStreamer DNS makes it easy on consoles/TV. Top-tier streaming capability.
Servers & Countries	~7,300 servers in 118 countries (includes recent addition of ~50 virtual locations). Multiple servers per country (low user load).	~3,000 servers in 105 countries. Wide global spread (many country choices), though exact server count not disclosed.
Simultaneous Devices	10 devices at once. (Can also use on a router for unlimited devices).	8 devices at once. (Router applet or Aircove router available to cover more).
Ease of Use	Apps are user-friendly with a map interface and lots of features; great for both beginners and advanced users. Quick Connect available.	Apps are extremely simple with one-click connect; very beginner-friendly. Few extra settings - a plug-and-play experience.
Pricing (Longest Plan)	~$3.39/month (2-year plan) - far cheaper in long term; frequent discounts (e.g., 68% off deals).	~$6.67/month (1-year plan) - higher cost; rarely deeply discounted. (Often ~$100/year).
Money-Back Guarantee	30 days (no hassle refund).	30 days (no hassle refund).
Notable Extras	Password manager (NordPass) and encrypted cloud storage (NordLocker) bundled in Plus/Complete plans; Meshnet for device-to-device VPN link; Dark Web Monitor.	Optional dedicated IP (add-on); Unique hardware router (Aircove) with VPN; Strong focus on simplicity and reliability; Large support library.

Conclusion: My Winner - NordVPN 🏆

After using both services extensively, I found that NordVPN is the better overall VPN service for my needs, and I would recommend it over ExpressVPN for most users. While ExpressVPN is undeniably a top-tier VPN, NordVPN managed to match or beat ExpressVPN in virtually every category I care about, all while costing significantly less in the long run.

To recap the key points:

Speed: NordVPN gave me slightly faster speeds, especially on distant connections, making it the top performer in my speed tests. ExpressVPN was very fast too, but NordVPN's NordLynx protocol put it over the top.

Privacy & Security: Both are rock-solid on privacy - no logs, strong encryption, and advanced security features. This was essentially a tie, but NordVPN's extra tools (Double VPN, etc.) and even stricter no-logs stance are a nice bonus in its favor.

Ease of Use: A tie. ExpressVPN has a minimalist simplicity that's great for anyone, NordVPN has a feature-rich interface that remains easy to use. I had no issues with either, though ExpressVPN's login process was a bit more involved (activation codes). Both have excellent cross-platform support.

Streaming: Both VPNs excel at unblocking streaming content. ExpressVPN has a slight edge in the total number of platforms and regions unblocked, but NordVPN handled all the major streaming services I watched without any problems. For most people, NordVPN will stream everything you want just as well as ExpressVPN.

Pricing: NordVPN is the clear winner on cost. It's much cheaper for multi-year plans and even packs more value with security extras. ExpressVPN is nearly twice the price for similar use, which is hard to justify given that it's not outperforming NordVPN.

Server Network: NordVPN now offers a larger server network (both in servers and countries), which gave me more options and potentially better performance when servers were crowded. ExpressVPN's network is widespread and absolutely effective, but NordVPN's expansion has taken away Express's former advantage in country count.

In my day-to-day usage, these differences meant that NordVPN provided a slightly smoother and more versatile experience. Whether I was downloading large files, streaming international content, or just browsing securely, I found myself favoring NordVPN for its speed and the peace of mind that I was getting top-notch security at a great price. ExpressVPN impressed me as well - it's certainly one of the best VPNs out there - but when directly compared, I kept coming back to the fact that anything ExpressVPN can do, NordVPN can do too (or better), and for less money.

Of course, the "best" VPN can depend on individual priorities. ExpressVPN might be worth considering if you specifically need one of its unique features: for example, if you need a VPN router solution out-of-the-box, or you absolutely require a certain niche streaming service, or you prefer its super-simple interface above all else. It's a premium product and it performs excellently - just at a higher cost. However, for the majority of users looking for the best all-around VPN in 2025, NordVPN is my pick as the winner. It offers faster speeds, more servers, and an equal level of security and streaming capability, all at a more affordable price. My own experience mirrored what many reviewers conclude: NordVPN simply delivers more value and edges out ExpressVPN in this head-to-head matchup.

Winner: NordVPN - It's the VPN I'll be continuing my subscription with, after testing both.

NordVPN beats ExpressVPN for best overall VPN in 2025 in my tests.