Thorough comparison of NordVPN and ExpressVPN! Which is better?

NordVPNandExpressVPNare two of the top VPN service providers in the world in 2022.

Both provide high-speed, encrypted Internet access through a virtual private network (VPN) with thousands of servers worldwide.

In this comparison, we will compare the differences between the two companies in terms of price, server performance, device compatibility, and customer service.

NordVPN vs ExpressVPN! Which is better?

feature	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
jurisdiction	British Virgin Islands	Panama
logging	No, sir.	No, sir.
Encryption	256-bit	256-bit
protocol	PPTP, OpenVPN, L2TP / IPsec	OpenVPN, IKEv2 / IPsec, NordLynx (WireGuard)
server	5,400+	5,500+
connection	5	6
Monthly Fee	1 Year Plan (+3 months free):$6.6 (about 800 yen) 6 months :10 dollars (1,215 yen) 1 month: $12.95 (about 1,580 yen)	2 years: $3.71 (about 400 yen) 1 year: $4.92 (about 540 yen) 1 month: $11.95 (about 1,300 yen)
Official Site	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
Japanese language support	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
Live Chat	Live chat ○ (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)	Live chat ○ (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)

Server Performance Comparison

feature	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
Number of simultaneous connections	5	6
operating system application	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire, some routers	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire,Router
Manual installation equipment	Set-top boxes, some routers	Some routers and set-top boxes
split-tunnel	ant	Windows only
free extra	Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.	Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. Ads and malware blocker

ExpressVPN and NordVPN are two of the few VPN services that offer command line utilities that can be easily installed on devices running Linux.

Both providers also offer native apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire devices.

 

ExpressVPN beats NordVPN in the router stakes because it has its own easy-to-use custom firmware that works with some routers.

Nevertheless, NordVPN can also be installed manually on a wide range of routers. It even offers an extensive library of tutorials that explain how to install VPNs on various router types.

 

NordVPN's concurrent connection allowance is slightly higher than that of ExpressVPN: 6 NordVPN units : 5 ExpressVPN units.

In both cases, if a VPN is installed on the router, it counts as one connection.

NordVPN has an ad blocking and malware protection system called CyberSec. This can be turned on within the application.

NordVPN Features

See the following article for a list of NordVPN's features.

ExpressVPN Features

See the following article on ExpressVPN's features.

Streaming vs. Netflix

TV Service	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
Netflix	Available at more than a dozen libraries in the U.S., Australia, Japan, Canada, and other countries	Available at more than a dozen libraries in the U.S., Australia, Japan, Canada, and other countries
Hulu	Australia, Japan	Australia, Japan
Sky Go	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
Amazon Prime Video	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
BBC iPlayer	an unknown	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
ABC	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	an unknown
CBS	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
NBC	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
ITV	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)

When it comes to unblocking regionally restricted streaming sites, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN excel.

ExpressVPN has contradicted BBC iPlayer in recent months, but there are few streaming platforms that are not accessible from abroad.

Both of these providers work very well with Netflix, and in the case of NordVPN, all of the servers we tested work. However, if the library corresponding to the server's location cannot be unblocked, NordVPN will automatically redirect to the U.S. Netflix library.

 

Kodi BoxIf you have a Kodiak TV, you can use one of these VPNs to get around regional restrictions on your TV service; neither ExpressVPN nor NordVPN have apps you can install on your Kodiak box, but setup guides for sharing a VPN connection from a PC or VPN router A guide is provided.

 

The range of VPN protocol options available with each provider (see below) means you get many choices in case your particular Kodi box does not support OpenVPN.

If you are using Kodi on a computer, you can control geolocation using the native ExpressVPN or NordVPN apps installed on the device.

How to Watch Netflix with NordVPN

See the following article on how to watch Netflix with NordVPN.

How to Watch Netflix with ExpressVPN

See the following article on how to watch Netflix with ExpressVPN.

Whether it can be used in China

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are also available in China. In fact, they are among the best services for countries where Internet access is restricted. However, they have very different ways of dealing with VPN bans.

ExpressVPN does not have an option to turn on stealth VPN. Instead, this feature is activated automatically when it is confirmed that DPI must be addressed. Unfortunately, this only works if the tunneling protocol is set to automatic.

Conversely, NordVPN has a specialized obfuscation server you can choose from. This is more convenient, but may require setting up a special app to make it work, at least in China.

Finally, NordVPN has an edge because of its other useful features: one is Double VPN, which uses two servers instead of one for additional protection. Another is Onion Over VPN, which adds a Tor relay on top of the encrypted connection.

Compare by Supported Devices

	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
Automatic Setup Wizard	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire, some routers	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire, some routers
Select Main Location	list based	Map-based / List-based
Additional Settings Page	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
Mobile Friendly	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)

The ExpressVPN app is small and maintains mobile-friendly proportions when used on a PC or Mac. Settings and servers each have their own screen, and everything is neatly organized.

For example, I like that the servers I have used recently are easily accessible from the main page, as it saves me the trouble of remembering which servers can unblock a particular Netflix library.

The main screen of NordVPN displays a world map, with a marker for each country where the server is operating. There is also a list view on the left side (at the bottom of the screen on mobile devices).

The server list is divided into general-purpose servers and servers for P2P traffic and Tor over VPN connections, making it easy to find what you need at any time.

How to set up NordVPN

See the following article for instructions on how to set up NordVPN.

How to set up ExpressVPN

See the following article on how to set up ExpressVPN.

Compare by number of servers, number of locations and server speed

server	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
Server Location	94	60
Total number of servers	3000+	5400+

ExpressVPN has server locations in more countries, while NordVPN has more options for its server network overall.

NordVPN has a server feature that ExpressVPN does not, and that is VPN chaining (also known as multi-hop VPN or double-hop VPN). It routes your traffic to two servers and encrypts your packets twice.

This is an interesting security feature, but it does slow down the connection speed somewhat. Another is that NordVPN allows you to route data through its servers before letting it pass through the Tor network.

According to the latest speed test results, both NordVPN and ExpressVPN are in the top 10 fastest providers. However, there is a fairly large difference between the two.

ExpressVPN's new Lightway protocol averaged 164 Mbps download speeds, but NordVPN is even faster, averaging 369 Mbps, thanks to its fast new NordLynx protocol.

server	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
North America	171Mbps	470Mbps
Europe	158 Mbps	357Mbps
Asian	163Mbps	303Mbps
average	164Mbps	376Mbps

AV-TEST, an independent IT security organization, compared the speeds of the industry's top VPNs. The results showed that NordVPN is the fastest VPN.

NordVPN Speed

See the following article for NordVPN speeds.

ExpressVPN Speed

See below for ExpressVPN speeds.

Compare by security performance

	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
VPN Protocol	OpenVPN, Lightway, L2TP, IKEv2	OpenVPN, NordLynx,IKEv2
Data encryption by OpenVPN	AES-256	AES-256
Encryption of OpenVPN control channel	RSA-4096	RSA-2048
cloaking technique	cryptographic blockchain	Obsfproxy
Transmission protection function		Double-hop routes
leak protection	DNS, WebRTC, IPv6	DNS, WebRTC, IPv6
App Security	Kill switch (desktop)	Kill switch (desktop and iOS), automatic wifi protection, ad blocking, malware scanning
DNS Status	Private DNS	Private DNS

ExpressVPN offers multiple VPN protocols to protect your Internet traffic, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and L2TP connections, while NordVPN offers a proprietary protocol that combines speed and security. lightway. It is also lightweight and should place less strain on the device's battery.

NordVPN also has its own protocol, called NordLynx, based on WireGuard, which many consider to be the next big thing in digital security. nordLynx is easier to audit than OpenVPN, especially if your chosen server is far boasts faster speeds, especially if your chosen server is far away.

Both companies use AES encryption with 256-bit keys; ExpressVPN has a slight advantage in the security it provides to the control channel.

Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN use the RSA cipher for this channel, but NordVPN uses a 2048-bit key and ExpressVPN uses a longer key - 4096 bits.

This level of security is especially important if you are in China. Chinese authorities are believed to be working on a version with a 2,048-bit key that can crack RSA, which at the moment has a 1,024-bit key. If that happens, NordVPN will no longer be completely secure in China, but it will be some time before that happens.

ExpressVPN over-enforces control channel encryption to ensure complete security.

Both companies scramble the encrypted contents of packets to avoid creating patterns of data repeated in encrypted transmissions.

 

Because DNS calls are not encrypted, if your VPN forces your computer to continue using the default DNS service designated by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), every website you visit could be logged by your ISP, hackers or government spies tapping your lines.

Fortunately, both ExpressVPN and NordVPN force all DNS references to pass through their encrypted tunnels, preventing outsiders from seeing your activity on the Web.

Both providers offer the same security options for their apps to prevent the actual IP address from being compromised. Both apps can be instructed to start at operating system startup and can be configured to run at any time on the computer.

Both apps have a kill switch option; NordVPN allows either a regular kill switch or a kill switch that affects only certain apps.

ExpressVPN does not have an app-specific option, but does offer split tunneling across all apps. This allows you to specify which apps you want to bypass the VPN and leave all other apps protected.

Compare by Monthly Fee

plan	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
1 month	1 month: $12.95 (about 1,580 yen)	11.95 USD (about 1300 yen)
6 months	Monthly Fee:10 dollars (1,215 yen)	not (verb-negating suffix; may indicate question or invitation with rising intonation)
1 year	Monthly Fee:6.6 U.S. dollars (about 800 yen)	Monthly Fee:4.92 U.S. dollars (about 540 yen)
2 years	not (verb-negating suffix; may indicate question or invitation with rising intonation)	Monthly Fee:3.71 U.S. dollars (about 400 yen)

When people purchase goods and services, [price] is often the first thing they look at. This is especially true in a price sensitive market. First, let's look at what each service is worth paying for.

For a standard monthly subscription, ExpressVPN is priced at $12.95 and NordVPN at $11.95. Both prices are expensive in the VPN industry, but the quality of service customers receive is also higher.

Which provider a customer prefers depends on their ability to use one service for an extended period of time. If you want to change plans quickly, ExpressVPN offers more flexibility, while NordVPN has less expensive options.

NordVPN Price Plans

Please see the following article for NordVPN's Japanese Yen pricing plans.

ExpressVPN Pricing Plans

See the following article for ExpressVPN's Japanese Yen pricing plans.

Compare by quality of customer support

Customer Support	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
Live Chat	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
Ticket Support	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
Email Support	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
Average response time for email support	50 minutes	3 hours
Phone Support	✕	✕
Searchable knowledge base	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)
video guide	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)	symbol used as a placeholder (either because a number of other words could be used in that position or because of censorship)

Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are industry leaders in customer support. Both offer live chat capabilities on their websites and are staffed by knowledgeable professionals.

Regular access to both chat systems revealed that ExpressVPN provided a quicker connection.

Compare by refund policy and type of payment method

	ExpressVPN	NordVPN
money-back system	30-day money back guarantee	30-day money back guarantee
Payment Method	credit card： ： TheVisa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Visa Electron, Diners Club International PayPal BitPay (Bitcoin) Other payment methods: Alipay, UnionPay, Giropay, Yandex Money, Interac Online, Mint, OneCard, Carte Bleue, Maestro, FanaPay, etc.	Credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, DISCOVER) Apple Pay Google (WWW search engine) play PayPal MoMo pay Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, etc.)

The refund policy is the same for both ExpressVPN and NordVPN, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

In terms of payment methods, NordVPN is more versatile, with more cryptocurrency types and support for Google Pay and Apple Pay.

However, both VPNs support payment methods commonly used for online shopping in Japan, so there will not be a big difference unless there are special circumstances.

NordVPN Payment Methods

See below for NordVPN's payment options.

ExpressVPN Payment Methods

See below for ExpressVPN payment options.

summary

In this article.NordVPNandExpressVPNwere compared from all points of view, including price and server performance.

If you are still in doubt, you can try either of these services for yourself. Fortunately, both services come with a full 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try them risk-free!