ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
ExpressVPN and NordVPN are two of the best-known commercial VPNs, and both sell apps for phones, computers and TVs. This page sets them side by side on price, privacy, apps and features, using the figures each provider publishes and the incident records about each. We run no speed tests of our own. Speed and streaming results come from other sites’ tests and are listed with their source, so this page names no winner for those.
How do ExpressVPN and NordVPN compare?
| Compared on | ExpressVPN | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Lowest intro price | $2.99/moBasic, 28 months · $83.72 for the first termexpressvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-13 | $3.49/moBasic, 27 months · $94.23 for the first termnordvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-12Black Friday · verified on the provider's pricing page by our editors on · ends |
| Then renews at | $99.95 a yearexpressvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-13 | $139.08 a yearnordvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-12 |
| Network | ||
| Servers | —not published | 7,000+nordvpn.com/trust · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Countries | 113expressvpn.com/vpn-server · checked 2026-11-13 | 150 (incl. virtual locations)api.nordvpn.com/v1/servers/countries · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Plan | ||
| Devices per plan | 10–14 (by plan)expressvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-12 | 10nordvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days (new users)expressvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-12 | 30 daysnordvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Privacy | ||
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands (ExpressVPN says its headquarters and registered place of business is there, and that Express Technologies Ltd. operates under BVI law)expressvpn.com/privacy-policy · checked 2026-11-13 | Panamanordvpn.com/features/no-log-vpn · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Owner | Express Technologies Ltd. (British Virgin Islands) runs the service; ExpressVPN's privacy policy names Kape Technologies PLC (UK) as its ultimate holding company, and its About page says it joined the Kape Technologies family in 2021expressvpn.com/privacy-policy · expressvpn.com/about-us · checked 2026-11-13 | Nord Security (parent company, headquartered in Lithuania)nordvpn.com/about-us · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Logging policy | Says it does not collect logs of online activity (browsing history, traffic destinations, data content, DNS queries) and never stores connection logs (your IP address, the VPN IP address, connection timestamps or session duration); it does keep some usage statistics and account data, described in the policyexpressvpn.com/privacy-policy · checked 2026-11-13 | Says it does not log or keep users' browsing activity; stores only what is needed to provide the servicenordvpn.com/features/no-log-vpn · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Latest audit | 2025KPMG LLP · TrustedServer architecture and privacy-policy claims as of 28 February 2025, ISAE (UK) 3000 Type 1; KPMG gave reasonable assurance that the systems worked as designed, with no identified issues in the technical safeguards against activity logging (ExpressVPN's words)expressvpn.com/blog/kpmg-2025-no-logs-poli… · checked 2026-11-13 | 2025Deloitte · no-logs policynordvpn.com/features/no-log-vpn · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Features | ||
| Protocols | Lightway (UDP and TCP), WireGuard (ExpressVPN's own version, in the Windows app among others), OpenVPN (UDP and TCP) and IKEv2; PPTP is in none of the appsexpressvpn.com/what-is-vpn/protocols · checked 2026-11-12 | NordLynx (WireGuard-based, default), NordWhisper, OpenVPN UDP/TCP, IKEv2/IPSec (manual setup only)nordvpn.com/servers · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Kill switch | Windows, macOS and Linux (Internet Kill Switch, on by default; it can also block traffic after a manual disconnect), Android, and the Fortify routerexpressvpn.com/features/network-lock · checked 2026-11-12 | Windows (app-level or system-level), macOS (can name the apps to shut down), Linux, iOS, and Android (through Android's own Always-on VPN setting)nordvpn.com/features/vpn-kill-switch · checked 2026-11-12 |
| Split tunneling | Windows (apps and websites, plus an inverse mode that sends only the chosen apps through the VPN), macOS, Linux, Android (per app) and iOS (websites only)expressvpn.com/features/split-tunneling · checked 2026-11-12 | Android, Android TV and Windows apps; website exclusions in the browser extensions; not on macOS or Linux (the macOS and Linux download pages, read 2026-11-13, do not mention it)nordvpn.com/features/split-tunneling · nordvpn.com/download/mac · nordvpn.com/download/linux · checked 2026-11-08 |
| RAM-only servers | Yes, ExpressVPN says its TrustedServer technology runs only on volatile memory (RAM) and that all data on a server is wiped at every reboot; it says PwC audited TrustedServerexpressvpn.com/trust · checked 2026-11-13 | Yes (all server data is stored in RAM)nordvpn.com/trust · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Apps | Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone and iPad, Android, Apple TV, Fire Stick and Android TV; extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge; routersexpressvpn.com/vpn-download · checked 2026-11-12 | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Android TV, tvOSnordvpn.com/download · checked 2026-11-08 |
| Visit ExpressVPN | Visit NordVPN | |
A badge appears only where two figures can be compared like for like. Where a figure carries a condition, such as a country count that includes virtual locations, or where a value is missing on one side, the row is shown side by side without a badge. ExpressVPN does not publish a total server count, so that row cannot be compared and the table shows what each provider says. The privacy and feature rows are never marked; the sections below explain how they differ.
Which is cheaper, ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
We do not name a cheaper one here. Each price table below shows only the offers an editor has checked on a US connection, and the two were checked on different days. Both providers sell their lowest prices as promotions, so read the line under each table, and treat a table that says a price is being re-verified as having nothing current to compare.
What does ExpressVPN cost?
| Plan | First term | Per month | First term total | Then renews at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 28 months | $2.99 | $83.72 | $99.95 a year |
| Advanced | 28 months | $4.19 | $117.32 | $119.95 a year |
| Express Pro | 28 months | $7.19 | $201.32 | $199.95 a year |
US prices; prices and currencies vary by country.
What does NordVPN cost?
| Plan | First term | Per month | First term total | Then renews at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 27 months | $3.491 | $94.23 | $139.08 a year |
| Complete | 27 months | $3.991 | $107.73 | $219.48 a year |
| Prime | 27 months | $6.991 | $188.73 | $296.28 a year |
| Basic | 15 months | $4.991 | $74.85 | $139.08 a year |
| Complete | 15 months | $5.991 | $89.85 | $219.48 a year |
| Prime | 15 months | $8.991 | $134.85 | $296.28 a year |
| Basic | 1 month | $14.99 | $14.99 | — |
| Complete | 1 month | $19.99 | $19.99 | — |
| Prime | 1 month | $29.99 | $29.99 | — |
US prices; prices and currencies vary by country.
When both tables show current prices, compare the intro price with the renewal price beside it: the renewal price is what you pay if you stay past the first term. Both providers list a money-back period, shown in the comparison table with the conditions each one attaches to it.
Which is better for privacy, ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
ExpressVPN says its headquarters and registered place of business are in the British Virgin Islands, and that the company running the service operates under BVI law. Its privacy policy names Kape Technologies, a UK company, as its ultimate holding company, and its About page says it joined the Kape family in 2021. NordVPN is owned by Nord Security, which is headquartered in Lithuania, and the VPN service itself operates under the law of Panama.
So the two differ in who owns them as well as where they are based. A reader who does not want a provider inside a larger group of VPN-related businesses should check the owner row above for each.
ExpressVPN says it does not collect logs of online activity and never stores connection logs, and that it keeps some usage statistics and account data, which its policy describes. NordVPN says it does not log or keep users’ browsing activity, and stores only what it needs to provide the service. Both statements are the providers’ own.
What do the audits cover?
- 2025KPMG LLP · TrustedServer architecture and privacy-policy claims as of 28 February 2025, ISAE (UK) 3000 Type 1; KPMG gave reasonable assurance that the systems worked as designed, with no identified issues in the technical safeguards against activity logging (ExpressVPN's words)expressvpn.com/blog/kpmg-2025-no-logs-poli… · checked 2026-11-13
- 2023KPMG · privacy policy audit of the VPN serversexpressvpn.com/security-audit-reports/kpmg… · expressvpn.com/security-audit-reports/kpmg… · checked 2026-11-13
- 2022Cure53 · TrustedServer: penetration test and source code audit (May 2022)expressvpn.com/news-pr/kpmg-privacy-policy… · checked 2026-11-13
- 2022KPMG · controls behind key parts of the privacy policy, including no activity or connection logs and how TrustedServer operates (September 2022)expressvpn.com/news-pr/kpmg-privacy-policy… · checked 2026-11-13
- 2022Cure53 · Lightway VPN protocol (second assessment, October and November 2022, published March 2023; ExpressVPN says Cure53 found five low-severity and four informational issues and re-tested the fixes in February 2023)expressvpn.com/blog/cure53-lightway-audit · checked 2026-11-13
- 2021Cure53 · Lightway VPN protocol (first assessment)expressvpn.com/blog/cure53-lightway-audit · checked 2026-11-13
- 2020PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Switzerland · build verification processexpressvpn.com/blog/cure53-lightway-audit · checked 2026-11-13
- 2019PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Switzerland · privacy policy compliance of the VPN servers, including no activity or connection logs, and how TrustedServer works (ISAE 3000 (Revised))expressvpn.com/blog/pwc-audits-expressvpn-… · checked 2026-11-13
- 2025Deloitte · no-logs policynordvpn.com/features/no-log-vpn · checked 2026-11-08
- 2024Deloitte · no-logs policynordvpn.com/features/no-log-vpn · checked 2026-11-08
- 2023Deloitte · no-logs policynordvpn.com/features/no-log-vpn · checked 2026-11-08
- 2022Deloitte · no-logs policynordvpn.com/features/no-log-vpn · checked 2026-11-08
- 2020PricewaterhouseCoopers AG Switzerland · no-logs policy (expanded: incl. obfuscated, Double VPN and P2P servers)nordvpn.com/blog/nordvpn-audit · checked 2026-11-08
- 2018PricewaterhouseCoopers AG Switzerland · no-logs policynordvpn.com/features/no-log-vpn · checked 2026-11-08
The lists are different kinds of work, so they are not a score. NordVPN’s list is a run of no-logs assessments by two large accounting firms. ExpressVPN’s list mixes accounting-firm reviews of its privacy policy and its server design with Cure53 security tests of its Lightway protocol and server software. A no-logs audit checks how a service was set up while the auditor looked, and a security test looks for flaws in the software; neither proves what happens between audits. ExpressVPN’s own list leaves out some app, router and extension audits, so it is not complete either.
Has either had a security or integrity incident?
- 2021In September 2021 a US Justice Department deferred prosecution agreement with three former US intelligence and military personnel over work for the UAE's "Project Raven" included Daniel Gericke, an ExpressVPN executive (TechRadar's reports at the time call him ExpressVPN's chief information officer, CIO; Reuters reported that he was named chief technology officer in August 2021); the three agreed to pay more than $1.6 million in fines in total (TechRadar). ExpressVPN said it knew his employment history when it hired him but had not known of the federal investigation or the details of his UAE work, called the UAE surveillance campaign "completely antithetical to our mission", and kept him in the post.euronews.com/next/2021/09/23/usa-cyber-exp… · techradar.com/features/expressvpn-and-proj… · checked 2026-11-13
- 2018One server at a third-party datacenter in Finland was breached around March 2018; NordVPN says it learned of it in April 2019, no user credentials or activity logs were affected, and the attacker obtained TLS keys that could not decrypt VPN traffic.nordvpn.com/blog/official-response-datacen… · checked 2026-11-08
We write each one the same way: first what happened, then what the company says about it.
ExpressVPN, 2021. In September 2021 the US Justice Department reached a deferred prosecution agreement with three former US intelligence and military personnel over work for the UAE’s “Project Raven” surveillance program. One of them, Daniel Gericke, was an ExpressVPN executive. TechRadar reports that the three agreed to pay fines, with the total shown in the incident record above. This was a matter about a person in the company’s leadership, not a breach of its servers. ExpressVPN says it knew his employment history when it hired him but had not known of the federal investigation or the details of his UAE work, calls the UAE surveillance campaign “completely antithetical to our mission”, and kept him in the post.
NordVPN, 2018. One server that NordVPN rented in a third-party datacenter in Finland was breached around March 2018. NordVPN says it learned of the breach in April 2019, over a year later. NordVPN says the attacker obtained TLS keys that could not be used to decrypt VPN traffic, and that no user credentials or activity logs were affected.
The two are different in kind: one was a server intrusion, the other a hiring and oversight matter. In both cases the company’s account is its own, and you should weigh how long NordVPN took to notice and what ExpressVPN chose to do after the facts were public.
How do the apps and features compare?
Both have apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge, and apps for Android TV and Apple TV. ExpressVPN’s list also names Fire Stick and routers; NordVPN’s download page does not list them.
Both apps include a kill switch, which blocks your connection if the VPN drops so your real IP address is not exposed while it reconnects. ExpressVPN lists it for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, and for its router app. NordVPN lists Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, where the Android one runs through Android’s own Always-on VPN setting. ExpressVPN’s page does not list iOS for its kill switch.
Split tunneling, which lets some apps skip the VPN, is where the two differ most. ExpressVPN lists it for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, and on iOS for websites only. NordVPN lists it for Windows, Android and Android TV, with website exclusions in its browser extensions, and its macOS and Linux download pages do not mention it. So on macOS and Linux only ExpressVPN has it, and on Android TV only NordVPN does.
The protocols differ. ExpressVPN’s apps use Lightway, its own protocol, and also offer its version of WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2. NordVPN’s apps use NordLynx by default, its own protocol built on WireGuard, and also offer NordWhisper, a newer NordVPN protocol, and OpenVPN; IKEv2 is available only through manual setup. Each provider describes its own protocol as fast and secure, and neither claim is something we have tested.
Plans also cap devices differently: ExpressVPN’s limit depends on the plan, and NordVPN lists a single limit. Check the device row above for the exact figures before you pick a plan.
Which is faster, and which works with streaming services?
We name no winner for speed or streaming on this page. Test results come from other sites and differ by date, place and server, so they are listed with their source instead of being ranked. Our own spot checks are below, where we have one.
| Our spot check | ExpressVPN | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming playback on a US server | No spot check yet | No spot check yet |
A spot check is our own: run in the US on a US server, five minutes of continuous playback to pass, with no fixed schedule. Results for other countries come from other sites' published tests.
What have other testers found?
These are other sites' tests, not ours. Each one is credited and linked, and nothing is merged or averaged.
Streaming · In the US
- Top10VPN (Netflix; article updated Nov 2026): Netflix US worked
- Safelyo (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): Netflix US played at full resolution with no buffering
- vpnMentor (Netflix; article updated Sep 2026): The US Netflix library opened with no need to switch servers
- Top10VPN (Hulu; article updated Nov 2026): Hulu US worked
- CNET (Hulu; article updated Oct 2026): Hulu unblocked
- Safelyo (Hulu; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): Hulu played in the US at full resolution
- vpnMentor (Hulu; article updated Sep 2026): Hulu ran in HD on the US servers with short load times, and the video stayed stable throughout
- Top10VPN (Prime Video; article updated Nov 2026): Prime Video US worked
- Safelyo (Prime Video; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): Prime Video played in the US with no buffering mid-stream
- vpnMentor (Prime Video; article updated Sep 2026): Prime Video US streamed in HD without a change of server or settings
- Safelyo (Disney+; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): Disney+ played in the US at full resolution
- vpnMentor (Disney+; article updated Sep 2026): Disney+ played reliably in the US, opening almost at once with no drops in quality
- Top10VPN (Max; article updated Nov 2026): HBO Max US worked
- Safelyo (Max; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): Max played in the US with no buffering mid-stream
- Safelyo (Paramount+; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): Paramount+ played smoothly in the US
- Safelyo (Sling TV; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): Sling TV played smoothly in the US
- Safelyo (ESPN; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): ESPN streamed live sports in the US without lag
Streaming · In the UK
- Top10VPN (Netflix; article updated Nov 2026): Netflix UK worked
- Safelyo (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): Netflix UK played at full resolution with no buffering
- vpnMentor (Netflix; article updated Sep 2026): The UK servers loaded Netflix UK consistently
- vpnMentor (Prime Video; article updated Sep 2026): Prime Video UK streamed in HD without a change of server or settings
- Top10VPN (Disney+; article updated Nov 2026): Disney+ UK worked
- Top10VPN (BBC iPlayer; article updated Nov 2026): BBC iPlayer worked
- Safelyo (BBC iPlayer; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): BBC iPlayer played smoothly
- vpnMentor (BBC iPlayer; article updated Sep 2026): BBC iPlayer opened on the first attempt, and on servers in all six UK locations
- Top10VPN (ITVX; article updated Nov 2026): ITVX worked
- Safelyo (ITVX; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): ITVX played smoothly
Streaming · In Canada
- Top10VPN (Netflix; article updated Nov 2026): The Canadian Netflix library was among the 18 that opened
- Top10VPN (DAZN; article updated Nov 2026): DAZN Canada worked
- Safelyo (DAZN; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): DAZN Canada played with no proxy errors
- Top10VPN (FuboTV; article updated Nov 2026): FuboTV Canada was the one service the VPN could not get past
Streaming · country not stated by the source
- Top10VPN (Netflix; article updated Nov 2026): 18 Netflix libraries opened, the US, UK and Canada among them
- CNET (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026): Netflix unblocked, though access was sometimes blocked on Apple TV and a server switch usually fixed it
- Safelyo (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): 25 of the 40 Netflix libraries they tested worked, with India needing two or three server changes; results were weakest in Latin America and in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia
- vpnMentor (Netflix; article updated Sep 2026): 20 or more Netflix libraries worked, the UK and Japan among them, with no buffering
- CNET (Prime Video; article updated Oct 2026): Amazon Prime Video unblocked
- CNET (Disney+; article updated Oct 2026): Disney+ unblocked
Speed
- CyberInsider (article updated Nov 2026; run from the US): On a 1 Gbps connection in the US with Lightway, ExpressVPN reached 718 Mbps on a Seattle server, with 612 Mbps in New York, 551 Mbps on a UK server and 444 Mbps in Los Angeles
- CNET (article updated Oct 2026): They measured an overall 20.82% average speed loss in 2026, ranging from 8.92% on macOS over Wi-Fi to 25.22% on Windows over Ethernet
- Safelyo (article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): On Lightway, an average of 436.9 Mbps download across 5 server locations, keeping 51.5% of an 848.94 Mbps no-VPN baseline measured from Vietnam; the US Los Angeles server gave 388.58 Mbps, or 45.8%
Torrenting
- Tom's Guide (article updated Nov 2026): Their review found the service strong for torrenting, and note there is no native port forwarding
- Security.org (article updated Sep 2026): Their quick stats record torrenting as supported, and they say they downloaded torrent files with it
Leaks and kill switch
- Top10VPN (article updated Nov 2026): IP, DNS and WebRTC leak tests on a nearby server passed with nothing exposed. Every app ships the Network Lock kill switch, and an advanced mode blocks the device's internet until the VPN is reactivated; the page does not report a simulated-drop result for ExpressVPN itself
- CyberInsider (article updated Nov 2026; run from the US): Leak tests on the Windows, macOS and Android apps found no leaks: IPv6 was blocked and all DNS requests went to ExpressVPN servers. The Network Lock kill switch worked well on Windows and macOS and blocked traffic when the connection dropped or was interrupted
- CNET (article updated Oct 2026): No leaks were detected, and the kill switch worked as intended in both its standard and always-on modes
- Safelyo (article updated Oct 2026; run from Vietnam): No leaks in the Windows leak tests with Lightway: IPv4 and IPv6, DNS and WebRTC all passed. The Network Lock kill switch cut all traffic as soon as the connection was pulled, and traffic only returned after the VPN came back up
- vpnMentor (article updated Sep 2026): Leak tests on ipleak.net across 10 servers on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone found no IP, DNS, IPv6 or WebRTC leaks, only the VPN's own address and DNS server
These are other sites' tests, not ours. Each one is credited and linked, and nothing is merged or averaged.
Streaming · In the US
- Safelyo (Netflix; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): Netflix US played the full catalog in 4K UHD
- Top10VPN (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026): Netflix US worked; the reviewer noted that the VPN picked a server on its own that reached the US library
- CNET (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026): The US Netflix library opened
- Comparitech (Netflix; article updated Aug 2026): In Comparitech's own Netflix benchmark, which measures how often the US library opens, the US catalog loaded on 86.21% of 29 measurements
- vpnMentor (Netflix; article updated Jun 2026): The US Netflix library opened on the first server tried
- Safelyo (Hulu; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): Hulu played in the US in 4K UHD with no proxy errors
- Top10VPN (Hulu; article updated Oct 2026): Hulu US worked
- vpnMentor (Hulu; article updated Jun 2026): Hulu worked
- Safelyo (Prime Video; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): Prime Video played in the US in 4K UHD with no proxy errors
- Top10VPN (Prime Video; article updated Oct 2026): Prime Video US worked
- Safelyo (Disney+; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): Disney+ played in the US in 4K UHD with no proxy errors
- Safelyo (Max; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): Max played in the US in 4K UHD with no proxy errors
- Top10VPN (Max; article updated Oct 2026): HBO Max US worked
- Safelyo (Peacock; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): Peacock played in the US in 4K UHD with no proxy errors
- Safelyo (Sling TV; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): Sling TV played in the US in 4K UHD with no proxy errors
- Safelyo (ESPN; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): ESPN streamed live sports in the US without lag
Streaming · In the UK
- Safelyo (Netflix; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): Netflix UK played the full catalog in 4K UHD
- Top10VPN (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026): Netflix UK worked
- CNET (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026): The UK Netflix library opened
- vpnMentor (Netflix; article updated Jun 2026): The UK Netflix library opened on the first server tried
- Top10VPN (Disney+; article updated Oct 2026): Disney+ UK worked
- Safelyo (BBC iPlayer; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): BBC iPlayer streamed live sports without lag
- Top10VPN (BBC iPlayer; article updated Oct 2026): BBC iPlayer worked
- vpnMentor (BBC iPlayer; article updated Jun 2026): BBC iPlayer streamed smoothly
- Safelyo (ITVX; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): ITVX played in 4K UHD with no proxy errors
- Top10VPN (ITVX; article updated Oct 2026): ITVX worked
Streaming · In Canada
- Safelyo (Netflix; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): The Canadian Netflix library worked, one of the 23 of 40 regional libraries that did
- CNET (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026): The Canadian Netflix library opened
- vpnMentor (Netflix; article updated Jun 2026): The Canadian Netflix library opened on the first server tried
- Top10VPN (DAZN; article updated Oct 2026): DAZN Canada did not work
Streaming · In Australia
Streaming · country not stated by the source
- Safelyo (Netflix; article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): 23 of the 40 regional Netflix libraries they tested worked; the other 17, Brazil, Thailand and Turkey among them, showed only Netflix Originals
- Top10VPN (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026): 17 Netflix libraries opened; the Indian and Dutch libraries would not stream
- CNET (Netflix; article updated Oct 2026): Besides the US, the UK, Canadian, Australian, French, German, South African, Japanese and Romanian Netflix libraries opened; Netflix Egypt did not, and showed the US library instead
- vpnMentor (Netflix; article updated Jun 2026): More than 15 Netflix libraries worked, the UK, Japan, Canada, Argentina, Malaysia and Thailand among them, each on the first server tried
- vpnMentor (Prime Video; article updated Jun 2026): Amazon Prime Video worked
- vpnMentor (Disney+; article updated Jun 2026): Disney+ worked
- vpnMentor (Max; article updated Jun 2026): Max worked
- vpnMentor (Sling TV; article updated Jun 2026): Sling TV worked
- vpnMentor (ESPN+; article updated Jun 2026): ESPN+ worked
- vpnMentor (DAZN; article updated Jun 2026): DAZN worked
Speed
- Safelyo (article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): On NordLynx, an average of 410.9 Mbps download across 8 server locations, keeping 47.7% of an 860.71 Mbps no-VPN baseline measured from Vietnam; the US Los Angeles server gave 446.39 Mbps, or 51.9%
- CNET (article updated Oct 2026): They measured an average 27.2% download speed loss in 2026, ranging from 15% on macOS over Wi-Fi to 41% on Windows over Wi-Fi
- CyberInsider (article updated Sep 2026; run from the US): On a 1 Gbps connection in the US with NordLynx, NordVPN downloaded at 903 Mbps on a Seattle server and 868 Mbps in Los Angeles, with 658 Mbps on a London server
Torrenting
- Security.org (article updated Oct 2026): Their tests measured downloads about 60% faster with NordVPN's SOCKS5 proxy, which hides the IP without encrypting the traffic
- Tom's Guide (article updated Oct 2026): Torrent downloads were speedy and reliable across the torrents they tried, and P2P is supported on all servers, but port forwarding is not offered on any platform
Leaks and kill switch
- Safelyo (article updated Nov 2026; run from Vietnam): No leaks in the ipleak.net, dnsleaktest.com and browserleaks.com tests: IPv4 and IPv6, DNS and WebRTC all passed. The Internet Kill Switch cut off all traffic whenever the connection was down, and the App Kill Switch closed qBittorrent when the VPN dropped, though restarting it while the VPN was not connected downloaded over the normal connection
- Top10VPN (article updated Oct 2026): The VPN passed all of the reviewer's data leak tests, and when they simulated a sudden connection drop the kill switch stopped the real IP address from leaking
- CNET (article updated Oct 2026): No leaks were detected in their 2026 testing, but the Windows kill switch stays engaged after a manual disconnect and has to be toggled off by hand
- CyberInsider (article updated Sep 2026; run from the US): No IP, DNS or WebRTC leaks on the Windows and macOS desktop apps, and no IPv6 leaks because the desktop apps block IPv6 at the engine level
- vpnMentor (article updated Jun 2026): The reviewer's kill switch and leak protection behaved as expected: during forced disconnections both the internet kill switch and the app kill switch prevented data exposure, and leak tests on ipleak.net across 12 servers found no DNS, WebRTC or IP leaks
The two lists are not the same size and should not be read as a score. The sites tested from different countries, on different connections and protocols, so their figures cannot be set against each other. Streaming results are grouped by country and answer one question only: were this VPN’s servers in that country blocked by the platform there? None of this is our own result.
Should you choose ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
- Choose ExpressVPN if you want split tunneling on macOS or Linux, you need an app for Fire Stick or a router, or you prefer a provider based in the British Virgin Islands. Know that it is part of Kape, and read the 2021 Gericke matter above and ExpressVPN’s own account of it.
- Choose NordVPN if you want split tunneling on Android TV, a kill switch listed for iOS, or a provider that is not owned by Kape. Know that it operates under Panama law and that its 2018 server breach went unnoticed for about a year, by its own account.
- Choose either with care if your deciding factor is a figure that is hard to compare. ExpressVPN publishes no server total, so a server count tells you nothing about which network suits you; check the country list for the places you need.
FAQ
Is ExpressVPN better than NordVPN?
Neither is better across the board. They differ in owner, jurisdiction, split tunneling coverage and which devices have apps. Each has a past incident on record, written above with the company’s own account.
Which is cheaper after the first term, ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
We do not name one. Prices appear on this page only after an editor has verified them on a US connection, and the tables above show the intro and renewal price side by side where both are known. The two were checked on different days.
Which has more servers, ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
We cannot say. NordVPN publishes a server count, but ExpressVPN does not publish a total, so the two cannot be compared. The comparison table shows what each provider says and the day it was checked.
Do ExpressVPN and NordVPN keep logs?
Both say they keep no activity logs, and both list outside audits of that claim. Both also say they keep some account or service data, described in their policies.
Which is faster, ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
We do not name a winner. We run no speed tests of our own, and other sites’ speed results depend on where and how each site tested, so we list them with their source and do not rank them.
Who owns ExpressVPN and NordVPN?
ExpressVPN’s privacy policy names Kape Technologies as its ultimate holding company. NordVPN is owned by Nord Security, which says it is headquartered in Lithuania.