I’ve been using ExpressVPN and NordVPN for more than a decade, and have been consistently impressed with the exceptional quality of both services and how consistently each one has improved over the years. They're two of the best VPNs in the industry and are neck-and-neck in virtually every category in which they compete, which makes comparing the two both easy and challenging. Easy because they're both great choices and challenging because it’s difficult to declare a clear winner.
Both providers offer fast speeds, intuitive apps, robust encryption, forward-thinking privacy protections, expansive server networks and excellent streaming capabilities. Be prepared to pay a premium for either service but, either way, you’re getting one of the best.
ExpressVPN has the edge in privacy and usability, while NordVPN wins out for features and speed. Read on for a more detailed evaluation of how these two VPN giants stack up against one another.
ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN compared
Major features compared
ExpressVPN NordVPN Price $13 per month, $75 for the first 15 months (then $100 per year) or $98 for the first 28 months (then $100 per year) $13 per month, $60 for the first year (then $140 per year), $81 total for the first two years (then $140 per year) Average Speed Loss % 18% 3% Server Network 11,500 plus servers in 105 countries 7,400-plus servers in 126 countries Encryption AES 256-bit, ChaCha20 AES 256-bit, ChaCha20 VPN Protocols Available Lightway, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 NordLynx, OpenVPN, NordWhisper, IKEv2 Jurisdiction British Virgin Islands Panama Compatibility Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Routers Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, Routers Simultaneous Connections 10 10
ExpressVPN ExpressVPN Price $13 per month, $75 for the first year or $98 total for the first two years (one- and two-year plans renew at $100 per year) Latest Tests No DNS leaks detected, 18% speed loss in 2025 tests Network 3,000 plus servers in 105 countries Jurisdiction British Virgin Islands ExpressVPN is currently CNET’s Editors’ Choice Best Overall VPN thanks to its cutting-edge privacy protections, exceptional transparency, unrivaled streaming capabilities and incredible ease-of-use across platforms. Whether you’re a VPN veteran with critical privacy needs or a casual user who just wants something easy to use and the best VPN for streaming international content, ExpressVPN delivers. It’s not as loaded with extra features as NordVPN is, but ExpressVPN offers everything that most VPN users need and is top of its class at virtually everything it does. 73% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months). Now only $3.49/month See at ExpressVPN
NordVPN Price $13 per month, $60 for the first year or $83 total for the first two years (one- and two-year plans renew at $140 per year) Latest tests No leaks detected, 3% average internet download speed loss in 2025 tests Network 7,400-plus servers in 118 countries Jurisdiction Panama If you’re looking for the fastest VPN on the market, NordVPN is a good bet. We measured a 3% average speed loss in our 2025 speed tests, which outshined the competition by a long shot. On top of being a speed leader, NordVPN is excellent for streaming, includes some useful privacy extras and has intuitive apps on most platforms. Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN is one of the most expensive VPN providers out there right now. But Express has the edge for privacy-critical users who care about the finer details of things like privacy policies and transparency reports. See at NordVPN
Speed winner: NordVPN was the fastest VPN in our tests
All VPNs will slow your internet speeds somewhat. At CNET, we generally like to see a VPN cut our base internet speeds by 25% or less -- which is our cutoff for categorizing a VPN as “fast.” With less than a 25% speed loss, you’re unlikely to notice any major performance issues, even if your base internet connection is on the slow side and you’re streaming in 4K or engaging in other data-heavy activities like torrenting or videoconferencing.
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