A keen eye for detail is quintessential when choosing between two of the biggest names in the VPN world. NordVPN and ExpressVPN are high-value providers, and they’re two of our favorite VPNs for their outstanding performance on benchmarks like security, streaming, and speed.
Also: The best VPN services: Expert tested and reviewed
Based on my hands-on experience testing both services, one may offer a slight advantage over the other, depending on what you want to achieve with a VPN. Both services offer automatic connection to optimal servers, promise a 30-day money-back guarantee, and offer no-logs policies. Here’s how to decide which VPN is best for you.
Spec |
ExpressVPN |
NordVPN |
Starting price |
||
Servers |
3,000+ |
6,500+ |
Countries |
105 |
113 |
Specialty servers |
None |
Double VPN, P2P, Onion over VPN, obfuscated servers |
Protocols |
Lightway (proprietary), OpenVPN IKEv2/IPSec |
NordLynx (proprietary), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec |
Security |
AES 256-bit (with PFS), kill switch, leak protection, RAM-only |
AES 256-bit GCM encryption, … |