Speed and Performance

In our tests, NordVPN proved to be the fastest VPN, with an average speed loss of only 3%, while ExpressVPN recorded an 18% speed loss. Both fall well under the 25% threshold where slowdowns become noticeable, making them suitable for 4K streaming and data-heavy activities. If raw speed is your priority, NordVPN is the clear winner, but ExpressVPN remains a strong performer.

Value and Pricing

Both services are among the most expensive on the market, but intro prices offer decent value. ExpressVPN's Basic plan starts at $13 per month, with renewal at $100 per year. NordVPN's Basic plan also starts at $13 per month, but renewal jumps to $140 per year. ExpressVPN's Advanced tier includes a password manager and identity protection for a similar cost, while NordVPN offers additional features like secure cloud storage and threat protection at higher tiers. The best value depends on which extras you need.

Privacy and Security

ExpressVPN edges ahead with innovative privacy features such as TrustedServer technology, post-quantum encryption, and ShuffleIP, which changes your IP address with every site visit. The company has completed 23 independent audits since 2018, with full reports publicly available. NordVPN also offers post-quantum protection, a strict no-logs policy, and five audits, but its latest reports are only accessible to subscribers. Both providers are based in privacy-friendly jurisdictions outside the 14-Eyes alliance.

Usability and Streaming

ExpressVPN is the easiest VPN to use across all platforms, with a minimalistic interface and consistent experience. Its Apple TV app is particularly well-designed, and the router app simplifies unblocking geo-restricted content on smart TVs. NordVPN's app is also user-friendly but feels more cluttered, especially on mobile. Both reliably unblock major streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, and Hulu, but ExpressVPN is slightly more consistent with international Netflix libraries.

Features Comparison

NordVPN offers a wider range of features, including double-hop connections, Onion over VPN, and a larger server network across 126 countries. ExpressVPN provides ShuffleIP, a built-in password manager, and identity protection tools. NordVPN's Meshnet feature is being discontinued, which may affect its value proposition. ExpressVPN's TrustedServer and post-quantum encryption set a high standard for security.

Bottom Line

Choosing between ExpressVPN and NordVPN depends on your specific needs. For fastest speeds and additional privacy features like multi-hop, choose NordVPN. For ease of use, streaming reliability, and top-tier transparency, ExpressVPN is the better option. Both are excellent choices that deliver exceptional performance, privacy, and security.

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: Head-to-Head

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.

Speed Winner: NordVPN

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. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN fall well below that 25% threshold, with NordVPN cutting our speeds by a mere 3% and ExpressVPN by 18% in our 2025 speed tests. If fast VPN connection speeds are your main priority, NordVPN is the way to go – but ExpressVPN is no slouch when it comes to speed performance either.

Value Winner: ExpressVPN’s Renewal Prices Are More Palatable

Analyzing and directly comparing VPN prices can be difficult because of the multitude of subscription tiers available and because the features offered at each tier don't always line up neatly from one provider to the next. Both VPNs are two of the most expensive on the market and offer somewhat similar price plans and decent overlap with features, but NordVPN offers additional services that ExpressVPN does not, like advanced malware protection and secure cloud storage. The overall difference in value is razor-thin between ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Ultimately, the value is based on the specific tools you need. If you need a password manager and a handful of identity protection features on top of your VPN, then ExpressVPN would be the way to go. On the other hand, NordVPN is an excellent choice if you value more robust malware protections and encrypted cloud storage.

• ExpressVPN Basic: $13/month, $75 for 15 months, then $100/year
• ExpressVPN Advanced: $14/month, includes password manager, identity protection
• ExpressVPN Pro: $20/month, adds data removal, dedicated IP
• NordVPN Basic: $13/month, $60 for first year, then $140/year
• NordVPN Plus: $14/month, includes password manager and Threat Protection
• NordVPN Complete: $15/month, adds 1TB cloud storage
• NordVPN Prime: $18/month, adds identity protection

Privacy and Security Winner: ExpressVPN

Although NordVPN’s privacy posture is solid, ExpressVPN gets the edge here because of its innovative privacy initiatives coupled with transparency that goes above and beyond what most of the competition delivers. ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer technology takes the traditional principles of a RAM-only server infrastructure a step further by reinstalling the entire software stack in addition to wiping any data with every reboot, minimizing the risk of misconfiguration while ensuring no user data remains stored on a hard disk. ExpressVPN was also one of the first VPNs to implement post-quantum encryption to protect against potential future decryption threats from quantum computers, and it keeps up with the latest standards. The company also rolled out its own version of WireGuard with the same post-quantum protections and published a white paper detailing its process for others to follow – which is exemplary of ExpressVPN's commitment to pushing the industry forward. NordVPN also includes post-quantum protections across platforms, similarly integrating the latest NIST standard ML-KEM algorithm into its NordLynx protocol. This has helped NordVPN come up to speed with ExpressVPN and other top VPN options for privacy-focused users. But ExpressVPN’s 23 independent audits since 2018 leaves others, including NordVPN, in the dust. In that same time period, NordVPN has commissioned five independent audits, including a steady clip of annual audits in 2022, 2023 and 2024. However, NordVPN’s latest audit reports are only available to customers, meaning that you have to register an account and buy a subscription to access the reports. ExpressVPN’s full audit reports, on the other hand, are available for the general public to scrutinize directly from its Trust Center. That said, both VPNs have strict no-logs policies that have been audited, which is more than many other VPNs can declare. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN employ industry-standard AES 256-bit and ChaCha20 encryption and deliver other essential VPN privacy protections like a kill switch and DNS leak protection. Both are also based out of privacy-friendly jurisdictions outside of the 14-Eyes data-sharing alliance (NordVPN in Panama and ExpressVPN in the British Virgin Islands). I like that ExpressVPN has a built-in ShuffleIP feature that automatically changes your IP address for every site you visit while connected to its network, giving you extra protection against the possibility of anyone tracing your activity back to you. NordVPN doesn’t offer such a feature but does include a few other privacy features that ExpressVPN doesn’t. For instance, NordVPN offers Onion over VPN, which leverages the Tor network, as well as double-hop VPN connections, which route your traffic through two VPN servers instead of just one. Both of those features boost your privacy by supplying you with an extra layer of encryption. Although ExpressVPN is still the VPN I’d pick for critical privacy needs, I’d like to see the provider add the option for multi-hop connections in the future to make its service even stronger.

Usability Winner: ExpressVPN

I often recommend ExpressVPN to beginners because it’s the simplest VPN to use no matter what platform you’re using it on. The app requires no learning curve and delivers a consistent experience across platforms, is nicely minimalistic and easy to navigate. NordVPN’s app is also user-friendly, but somewhat more cluttered – especially on mobile where the map navigation functionality dominates the interface. That said, I particularly like that NordVPN gives you the option to pause your VPN connection instead of disconnecting outright, which can be helpful if you need to jump off the VPN connection for a short amount of time but don’t want to risk forgetting to reconnect when you need it. Both VPNs offer apps for Windows, MacOS, Linux (with GUI), Android, iOS, Android TV, Fire TV and Apple TV. Both also work on routers, but ExpressVPN’s router app (which is compatible with various router models including its own Aircove router) delivers by far the most intuitive router setup in the industry. This makes unblocking geo-restricted streaming content with ExpressVPN on smart TVs and streaming devices like Roku without native VPN support almost too easy. I also prefer ExpressVPN’s Apple TV app over NordVPN’s because it’s far simpler to navigate, with servers organized in a sensible manner. While I use ExpressVPN’s Apple TV app in my free time, I stay away from NordVPN’s unless I’m actively testing it because it’s a pain to navigate, with side-scrolling navigation the only option to browse server locations arranged in no discernible manner. I find it a curious choice for a VPN that has servers in 126 countries. If you’re looking to stream content with NordVPN on a streaming device, its Fire TV Stick app delivers a far superior experience. ExpressVPN and NordVPN are both excellent for streaming, with each provider expertly unblocking geo-restricted content on popular streaming sites like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and BBC iPlayer. However, I found ExpressVPN to be slightly more reliable for unblocking content on various international Netflix libraries. For instance, my family and I routinely use ExpressVPN to unblock Hungarian content on Netflix, whereas NordVPN is unable to give us access to the same content. On the other hand, NordVPN offers servers in 126 countries while ExpressVPN has servers in 105, meaning that NordVPN should theoretically give you access to a wider range of international streaming content. I like ExpressVPN’s newly updated iOS app, which includes some nice usability enhancements, including quick access to the protocol selection functionality and more intuitive server navigation options. You can quickly choose your desired VPN protocol right from the home screen and easily select from the five most recent, fastest or most popular server locations based on where you are. Additionally, you can now sort server countries by the number of available endpoints and easily select from a list of city-level servers. NordVPN’s app allows you to sort countries by alphabetical order or popularity. Ultimately, whether you choose ExpressVPN or NordVPN, you’re making an excellent choice. Both VPNs sit at the very top of CNET’s list of the best VPNs available for a reason – they’re first-class providers that deliver exceptional performance and privacy. Which one you choose will largely depend on what specifically you need from your VPN. If you’re looking for the fastest possible speeds from your VPN or if you want additional privacy features like double-hop connections or Onion over VPN, go with NordVPN. In most other cases, ExpressVPN has the edge, like if you’re looking for the easiest app to use across platforms and the best option for streaming. Also, if you have critical privacy needs and/or appreciate companies with elevated transparency efforts, ExpressVPN is the better choice.

Source:CNET News