NordVPN vs ExpressVPN
NordVPN and ExpressVPN both sell a consumer VPN in tiers bundled with extra security tools. NordVPN offers 1-month, 1-year and 2-year terms, a 7-day trial in 15 countries and a Panama base. ExpressVPN shows three tiers with prices on its order page, more devices per tier and a British Virgin Islands base. NordVPN wins on trial terms, ExpressVPN on price visibility and device count.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for visibility on this site; it never changes what we say about a product. How that works.
Choose NordVPN ifyou want to test the service before paying, can use a card or PayPal in one of the 15 trial countries, and accept that a server accepts at most five connections.
Choose ExpressVPN ifyou want every tier and price visible before checkout, need 10 to 14 devices on one account, and accept a long first term of 28 months.
NordVPN and ExpressVPN side by side
| NordVPN | ExpressVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Our VPN services rank | #6 of 12 | #7 of 12 |
| Established in | Panama | British Virgin Islands |
| Pricing | Tiered plans on 1-month, 1-year and 2-year terms; 7-day trial in listed countries | Basic, Advanced and Express Pro tiers published; 30-day refund for new users |
| List price, 20 October 2026 | Not read: nordvpn.com/pricing returned a bot check. Support pages confirm 2-year, 1-year and 1-month plans | Basic 2.49 euros a month, Advanced 3.99, Express Pro 6.49 on a 28-month first term (EUR, tax may apply); renewal 79.95, 109.95 and 179.95 euros a year |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Buyers who want a large vendor with audited no-logs claims and a trial | Buyers who want a mainstream VPN with audited privacy claims and 113 countries |
| Not for | People who need the same price at every renewal or a small vendor | Anyone who wants an owner outside the Kape group or a stable price |
Both are reviewed in full in our VPN services ranking: NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Where they differ
NordVPN 1 · ExpressVPN 2 · open 2- 01
Can you read the price before you buy
ExpressVPN's order page lists Basic, Advanced and Express Pro at 2.49, 3.99 and 6.49 euros a month, billed for a first term of 28 months and then renewing annually at 79.95, 109.95 and 179.95 euros. NordVPN's pricing page returned a bot check to us, so we read only that it sells 2-year, 1-year and 1-month plans and that annual terms are paid in full up front.
Edge: ExpressVPN
- 02
Devices on one account
NordVPN allows up to 10 devices at once, but only five can share one server, each on a different protocol, and a router uses one slot. ExpressVPN lists 10, 12 and 14 simultaneous devices for Basic, Advanced and Express Pro, with no per-server rule on its order page. The larger households pay for the higher tier.
Edge: ExpressVPN
- 03
Trial and refund
NordVPN gives a 7-day trial to new users on 1-year and 2-year plans, in 15 listed countries, by card or PayPal only, and separately a 30-day money-back guarantee on the first purchase. ExpressVPN lists only the 30-day guarantee for new users. NordVPN lets you test without paying first, ExpressVPN needs a payment and a refund request.
Edge: NordVPN
- 04
No-logs evidence
NordVPN cites a fifth no-logs assurance engagement by Deloitte Audit Lithuania, with access from 18 November to 20 December 2024 under the ISAE 3000 standard. ExpressVPN states its servers run on RAM only and wipe data at every reboot, and its privacy policy links a KPMG audit. Both are vendor-published statements; read the full reports yourself.
Depends on the buyer
- 05
Company base and ownership
NordVPN says it operates under Panama's jurisdiction, owned by nordvpn S.A., with parent Nord Security based in the Netherlands. ExpressVPN's operator, Express Technologies Ltd., is in the British Virgin Islands, and its ultimate holding company is Kape Technologies PLC in the UK. Both are outside the EU for the operating entity; neither base is a ranking criterion.
Depends on the buyer
When neither fits
If you want a vendor that publishes one flat price and no add-on bundle, or a free version, the category has other routes. Mullvad VPN and Proton VPN rank above both of these in our VPN services list.
NordVPN or ExpressVPN: questions
4 answersDoes NordVPN have a free trial?
Yes for some buyers. The 7-day trial is for new users only, on 1-year and 2-year plans, in 15 listed countries, with a card or PayPal. The 30-day money-back guarantee is a separate right and applies to the first purchase only.
How many devices does ExpressVPN allow?
Its order page lists 10 devices on Basic, 12 on Advanced and 14 on Express Pro, all at the same time. NordVPN allows 10 on one account with a limit of five on a single server.
What happens to the ExpressVPN price after the first term?
The order page shows a first term of 28 months, then annual renewal at 79.95 euros on Basic, 109.95 on Advanced and 179.95 on Express Pro. Check the renewal figure before checkout, not only the monthly headline.
Where are NordVPN and ExpressVPN based?
NordVPN says it operates under Panama's jurisdiction and its parent Nord Security is in the Netherlands. ExpressVPN's operating company is registered in the British Virgin Islands.
Sources
Checked 20 October 2026- NordVPN support: plans and prices: 2-year, 1-year and 1-month plans; annual plans paid in full.
- NordVPN support: devices: 10 devices, five per server on different protocols, router uses one slot.
- NordVPN support: free trial: 7-day trial, 15 countries, 1-year and 2-year plans, card or PayPal.
- NordVPN support: refund policy: 30-day money-back guarantee on the initial purchase.
- NordVPN support: where it is based: Panama jurisdiction, parent Nord Security in the Netherlands.
- NordVPN support: founders and owners: owned and operated by nordvpn S.A., founded 2012.
- Nord Security press release: Deloitte Audit Lithuania fifth no-logs assurance engagement, ISAE 3000, Nov-Dec 2024.
- ExpressVPN order page: tiers, prices, 28-month first term, renewal, devices, 113 countries, 30-day guarantee.
- ExpressVPN privacy policy: Express Technologies Ltd. in the British Virgin Islands, Kape Technologies PLC holding company, logs statement, KPMG audit link.
- ExpressVPN features: TrustedServer RAM-only servers wiped on every reboot.