- In 2023, there are a lot of VPNs to consider,
but amongst the most popular ones
the perpetual fight for domination
of NordVPN versus ExpressVPN is still raging.
Which one is really the best for you?
Let me help you figure that out.
And don't forget, you can always subscribe for more content
or check the description below for the latest VPN deals.
Today, I shall compare ExpressVPN versus NordVPN
by going through all the pros and the cons they have,
pulling no brakes.
(upbeat music)
Full speed ahead. I want to begin with performance.
VPNs reduce speeds by default.
So taking my baseline of 300 Mbps, I can show you
the NordVPN versus ExpressVPN speed difference.
To begin the ExpressVPN versus NordVPN speed test,
I use the OpenVPN protocol to connect to the UK.
This protocol is older,
so the performance is going to be slower,
and you can see that it's exactly the case here.
But wait for it, I'm switching to proprietary protocols.
NordVPN's NordLynx and ExpressVPN's Lightway
are both developed in-house and are the cream of the crop
as far as modern protocols go, and it shows.
It's visible through this
NordVPN versus ExpressVPN speed test
that their speed jumped up quite a bit.
Even so, you can see for yourself that ExpressVPN
can't quite keep the same performance as NordVPN.
Protocols are only for speed-defining elements of a VPN.
Servers and locations matter a lot as well.
In that regard, NordVPN leads with over 5,300 servers
across 60 countries Express.
ExpressVPN has more countries in comparison, 94 in total,
but it used to have fewer servers than NordVPN, around 3000.
Though what's strange,
they currently remove their server count on their webpage.
Reason pending.
ExpressVPN's secrecy is barely surprising
after 2020 ones events.
To put it bluntly,
ExpressVPN was acquired by Kape Technologies,
and that's what I want to start with
when talking about privacy.
Kape Technologies has been previously involved
in malware production
and is currently collecting VPN providers.
Zenmate, PIA, and CyberGhost already belongs to them,
which doesn't reflect the VPN industry in the best light
seeing as they're big names.
So is ExpressVPN safe to use after all this?
It's very hard to say.
Being sold to Kape soiled ExpressVPN's reputation,
that's for sure.
And yet, ExpressVPN remains
in the privacy friendly jurisdiction
of the British Virgin Islands,
and a no-logs policy is in place.
Notably, ExpressVPN was the first VPN
to introduce RAM-only servers as well,
making it impossible to retain user data.
In comparison, does NordVPN keep logs?
The answer is no, and multiple audits prove it.
NordVPN's no-log's policy is solid,
plus NordVPN has adopted RAM-only servers as well,
which is good for privacy.
Furthermore, NordVPN's jurisdiction
also lies in the privacy friendly region, Panama.
Still, NordVPN had its share of problems
with the 2018 breach fresh in mind,
however, I have to admit that NordVPN
did a lot to remediate this breach,
both with the bug bounty
and repeated audits in terms of security infrastructure.
And with this, it's time to check
is NordVPN safe compared to ExpressVPN?
NordVPN versus ExpressVPN come head to head
in terms of encryption, kill switches, and leak protection.
This means I never had to worry about my IP will get leaked
or network instability will threaten my privacy as I browse,
but that also means that when it comes to
the NordVPN versus ExpressVPN comparison,
I need to rely on extra features
to draw a line between them.
NordVPN's position is very stable here.
I find most of its features very useful.
For instance, Threat Protection drives away ads,
trackers, and even malware.
A handy tool.
An array of specialized servers is nice as well,
especially if you need a way to boost your security,
bypass firewalls,
or even achieve almost unbreakable privacy.
ExpressVPN can't offer that much.
At best, it can't match NordVPN's Threat Protection
with its Threat Manager, but I found it to be less reliable.
It still has troubles getting rid of most malicious links
and malware online.
Now, after hearing about performance, privacy, and security,
if you think you have made your decision,
don't forget to check the links down below
to get the NordVPN coupon and other best VPN deals.
But hey, you're probably still looking
to check streaming capabilities first.
These days, a lot of VPNs struggle to access Netflix,
and I have to admit that NordVPN and ExpressVPN
have their share of troubles.
If you're planning to use ExpressVPN for Netflix,
it can be quite problematic.
It took me a while to connect in some locations,
and I had trouble with Japanese library,
which I can't say about NordVPN.
On the other hand, NordVPN is not perfect either
now that the Indian servers are gone.
You can forget about both Netflix India
and Disney+ Hotstar.
Still, when it comes to the most other streaming platforms,
it's enough to choose a server
and reload the websites you need.
Both VPNs work quite consistently here.
To make things more convenient,
you can run ExpressVPN on Firestick and Android Smart TVs
with dedicated apps.
NordVPN Firestick and Smart TV compatibility
is also on a high level.
Notably, even without apps,
NordVPN's SmartPlay and ExpressVPN's MediaStreamer
can access platforms on devices that don't support VPN apps,
like gaming consoles or smart TVs
that aren't running Android.
Now, let me talk about torrenting as well very briefly.
The difference between ExpressVPN
versus NordVPN here is marginal.
ExpressVPN allows torrenting on all servers
and keeps decent performance, not a bad P2P option.
NordVPN, instead, offers optimized P2P servers.
While the NordVPN download speed
gets better on those servers,
not every country has access to them.
At the end of the day, however,
the torrenting performance you get with them
is almost identical.
Then again, if P2P is frowned upon in your country,
you got to pick the provider
with the best privacy for your torrenting.
Okay, one more thing to cover is the apps themselves,
which are easy to use even for a beginner.
This is very subjective, I think, but in my experience
I found both apps to be fairly easy to pick up.
Of course, NordVPN has the benefit
of using a map on their UI.
Visual pointers are always appreciated and very intuitive.
On the other hand,
the ExpressVPN app's UI is also fairly simple
and the features are easy to configure
thanks to the in-app explanations.
This is almost entirely the same for each app
whether these apps are on Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS,
almost only because mobile apps
are a bit less streamlined than desktop ones
with some features missing.
One more addition.
ExpressVPN router applet is indispensable,
especially if you'd like your wifi
to permanently be protected through the VPN connection.
NordVPN doesn't have a thing like that. A big difference.
After everything is said, can you guess
is NordVPN worth it or is ExpressVPN worth it even more?
With both prices on the screen,
you can see if your guest is correct.
ExpressVPN, right here,
remains a bit more of a pricier option,
with one account only being enough for five devices at once.
NordVPN, on the other hand,
supports one more device connection
and is slightly less expensive.
Both VPNs can offer money-back guarantees
and a seven-day free trial though NordVPN free trial
is only available on Android devices
and ExpressVPN on Android and iOS.
So now it's time to answer the final question.
ExpressVPN or NordVPN?
If you are a casual or a newer user,
I would say that NordVPN is better for you.
It's solid all around and there's no need for you
to look for additional security measures
to make up for poor privacy elements.
But if you are a power user
with a distinct need for a router applet
and you don't mind spending a bit extra,
I think you will be able to overcome ExpressVPN's cons
and make good use of it.
Once again, I hope you won't forget
to take a look at the best VPN deals of today.
The link is in the description.
Thanks for watching,
and let me know if you have any more questions left.
(upbeat music)