NordVPN vs ExpressVPN: more servers and features, or cheaper renewals
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · NordVPN Reviews · Updated October 1, 2026
These are two of the strongest VPNs around, and both hold a PCMag Editors' Choice. NordVPN gives you a published 7,300+ servers in 150 countries, the longer no-logs audit record, free Meshnet, and malware blocking built into the app, and CNET rates it the fastest VPN.
ExpressVPN wins on long-term cost: its Basic plan renews at $99.95 a year against $139.08, and its higher tiers allow 12 or 14 devices. If you plan to keep a VPN for years and want the renewal to stay lower, ExpressVPN is the safer bet on price.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN at a glance
| NordVPN | ExpressVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan, 2 years | Basic: $3.49/mo, $94.23 for 27 months | Basic: $2.99/mo, $83.72 for 28 months (some visits showed $3.49/mo, $97.72) |
| Entry plan, 1 year | $65.88 for 12 months | $74.85 for 15 months |
| Month to month | $14.99 / $19.99 / $29.99 | $14.99 / $16.99 / $22.99 |
| Entry plan renewal | $139.08/yr | $99.95/yr |
| Free option | No free plan; 7-day trial on Prime in some countries | No free plan; 3-day trial via the app stores (no 30-day refund then) |
| Refund | 30 days | 30 days, first-time customers buying direct |
| Devices | 10 on every plan | 10 / 12 / 14 by tier |
| Servers | 7,300+ in 150 countries | Count not published; 113 countries, some virtual |
| Own protocol | NordLynx, NordWhisper | Lightway |
| No-logs reviews | Six (PwC 2018, 2020; Deloitte 2022 to 2025) | Four (PwC 2019; KPMG 2022, 2023, 2025) |
| Extras | Malware and scam blocking, Meshnet, Onion Over VPN, double VPN | Ad and malware-site blocking, ID theft insurance on higher tiers, dedicated IP in Pro |
| Company | Nord Security (Lithuania); sold from Panama | Express Technologies (BVI); owned by Kape Technologies |
| PCMag | Editors' Choice, 4.5 (Apr 2026) | Editors' Choice, 4.0 (May 2026) |
| CNET best VPN list (Sep 2026) | Fastest VPN, 8.8 | Editors' Choice, best VPN overall, 9.0 |
| App Store (US) | 4.7 from 705,387 ratings | 4.7 from 419,133 ratings |
| Google Play (US) | 4.6 from 1,356,673 ratings | 4.6 from 490,305 ratings |
| Trustpilot overall | 4.2 from 50,763 reviews | 4.4 from 29,186 reviews |
| Trustpilot, invited | 4.54 (181 recent reviews) | 4.86 (49 recent reviews) |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-10-01. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
Price: similar up front, ExpressVPN renews for less
The first two years cost about the same. NordVPN Basic is $94.23 for 27 months; ExpressVPN Basic showed $83.72 for 28 months on most of our visits and $97.72 on others, so check the price you're offered. Month to month, both Basic plans are $14.99. The difference shows up later: ExpressVPN Basic renews at $99.95 a year and NordVPN Basic at $139.08. On a 1-year plan, NordVPN costs less up front ($65.88 vs $74.85, though ExpressVPN adds three months).
Network and features
NordVPN publishes its server count (7,300+ in 150 countries); ExpressVPN lists 113 countries, some served from servers in other countries, and no total. NordVPN adds Meshnet for linking your own devices, Double VPN and Onion Over VPN servers, and a malware scanner on its Complete plan. ExpressVPN's higher tiers lean toward identity protection, with dark web and credit monitoring and up to $5 million of identity theft insurance on Pro, and allow 12 or 14 devices.
Privacy and audits
Both run RAM-only servers and both have had their no-logs promises checked by big audit firms: NordVPN six times (PwC, then Deloitte through 2025), ExpressVPN four times (PwC, then KPMG through 2025). NordVPN is owned by Nord Security; ExpressVPN by Kape Technologies, which also owns CyberGhost and Private Internet Access.
What NordVPN and ExpressVPN reviewers say
Both invite Trustpilot reviews, and among recent invited reviews ExpressVPN scores higher (4.86 from 49 vs 4.54 from 181). Its pull had almost no unprompted reviews, so we can't compare that group. On the app stores the two are level. ExpressVPN's reviewers mention streaming hiccups; NordVPN's praise speed and long-term reliability.
“If you want something that just works and doesn't cost much, this is what you're looking for.”Derek Clyde, Trustpilot, September 2026 (ExpressVPN)
“Buffering issues sporadically continue with Netflix and Apple streaming.”Rob Narynski, Trustpilot, September 2026 (ExpressVPN)
“I used to use ExpressVPN but had nothing but trouble with the app crashing.”Jerry Arp, Trustpilot, September 2026 (NordVPN)
More: every NordVPN review we track, ExpressVPN alternatives, and ExpressVPN vs Surfshark.
Where ExpressVPN wins
- Lower renewal prices: $99.95 a year for Basic against NordVPN's $139.08
- More devices on its higher tiers (12 on Advanced, 14 on Pro)
- CNET's Editors' Choice for best VPN overall (September 2026)
- Higher scores among recent invited Trustpilot reviewers (4.86 vs 4.54)
- Identity theft insurance up to $5 million and a dedicated IP included on its Pro plan
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN FAQ
Is NordVPN or ExpressVPN cheaper?+
Close in the first term, cheaper with ExpressVPN at renewal. NordVPN Basic is $94.23 for 27 months; ExpressVPN Basic showed $83.72 or $97.72 for 28 months depending on the offer. Both cost $14.99 month to month. ExpressVPN Basic renews at $99.95 a year, NordVPN Basic at $139.08.
Which is faster, NordVPN or ExpressVPN?+
CNET's September 2026 best-VPN list names NordVPN "the fastest VPN" and ExpressVPN its best VPN overall. Both use their own fast protocols: NordLynx for NordVPN and Lightway for ExpressVPN.
Who owns ExpressVPN?+
Express Technologies Ltd, registered in the British Virgin Islands, whose holding company is Kape Technologies. Kape also owns CyberGhost and Private Internet Access. NordVPN belongs to Nord Security.
Has ExpressVPN's no-logs policy been audited?+
Yes: PwC in 2019 and KPMG in 2022, 2023, and 2025. NordVPN's has been reviewed six times, by PwC in 2018 and 2020 and Deloitte from 2022 to 2025.