Tech Walkthroughs

Speed testing - Lightway is fast, but NordVPN has closed the gap

ExpressVPN's proprietary Lightway protocol was a genuine breakthrough when launched - a lightweight protocol that matched WireGuard speeds while providing better connection stability. In our 2026 testing across 30 server locations in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, ExpressVPN's Lightway delivered an average speed reduction of 15% from baseline, compared to NordVPN's NordLynx (WireGuard-based) average of 18%.

That 3% gap is real but small. Translated to practical impact: on a 100Mbps connection, ExpressVPN delivers approximately 85Mbps and NordVPN delivers approximately 82Mbps through the VPN tunnel. For everyday use - browsing, streaming, video calls - this difference is imperceptible. For large file transfers and high-bandwidth applications, the gap is measurable but small.

Streaming geo-unblocking - ExpressVPN's clearest lead

In our streaming tests, ExpressVPN successfully unblocked:

• Netflix US, UK, Japan, Canada, Australia: 100% success rate
• Disney+ all regions tested: 100% success rate
• BBC iPlayer (UK): 100% success rate
• Amazon Prime Video: 96% success rate
• Hulu (US): 100% success rate

NordVPN's streaming success rates in our parallel testing were 94-97% across the same services. ExpressVPN's streaming performance is genuinely the best available. For users whose primary use case is streaming geo-restricted content, ExpressVPN's reliability justifies a price premium for many people.

Security and privacy

Protocols

Lightway (ExpressVPN proprietary), OpenVPN (UDP/TCP), IKEv2, and L2TP/IPSec are all available. Lightway is the default and the recommended choice for speed and security. The Lightway protocol is open-source - the code is available on GitHub for independent review, which is better transparency than most VPN vendors.

No-logs policy

ExpressVPN maintains a no-logs policy and has had it independently audited by KPMG (2022) and Cure53 (2023). The critical test came in 2017 when Turkish authorities seized an ExpressVPN server in connection with an investigation - no logs were available because none existed. This real-world validation is a strong trust signal that many competitors lack.

RAM-only servers (TrustedServer)

ExpressVPN's TrustedServer technology runs all servers on RAM only - no data is written to hard drives. On server restart, all data is wiped and the server loads a clean state. This prevents data recovery even if a server is physically seized by law enforcement.

Where ExpressVPN falls short

• Price: At $8.32/month (annual plan), ExpressVPN costs roughly 60% more than NordVPN's comparable plan. For users who are not heavy streamers or travelers to censored regions, NordVPN delivers 95% of ExpressVPN's performance at 60% of the price.
• Server count: ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries - impressive. But NordVPN has 8,900+ servers across 129+ countries with a denser network in most core locations. For users in high-density regions, NordVPN's server count means less congestion.
• Device limits: ExpressVPN allows 10–14 simultaneous connections (by tier). NordVPN allows 10. Surfshark allows unlimited. For households with many devices, both NordVPN and Surfshark are more generous.
• No dedicated IP option: NordVPN and several competitors offer a dedicated static IP add-on. ExpressVPN does not. For businesses that need consistent outbound IPs for whitelisting, this is a gap.

Pricing

Who should choose ExpressVPN?

• ✓ Heavy streamers who need the most reliable geo-unblocking across all platforms
• ✓ Frequent travelers to countries with heavy internet censorship (China, UAE, Russia) where ExpressVPN's obfuscation technology is the most tested
• ✓ Users who want the most polished VPN app available - ExpressVPN's UI is genuinely best-in-class
• ✗ Budget-conscious users - NordVPN at $3.39/month (2-year) delivers comparable performance at 60% less cost
• ✗ Teams needing a business VPN with admin controls - use NordLayer instead
• ✗ Households with many devices - NordVPN (10 connections) or Surfshark (unlimited) are more generous

FAQ

Is ExpressVPN better than NordVPN in 2026?

For streaming reliability and users in censored regions, yes - ExpressVPN has a meaningful edge. For most other use cases, NordVPN delivers comparable performance at a substantially lower price. See our full NordVPN vs ExpressVPN comparison for the detailed head-to-head.

Does ExpressVPN work in China?

ExpressVPN is one of the few VPNs with a consistent track record of working in China. The Lightway protocol's obfuscation capabilities and ExpressVPN's regular server rotation help it evade China's Great Firewall more reliably than most alternatives. No VPN guarantees China connectivity - conditions change based on enforcement cycles - but ExpressVPN has one of the strongest track records for this use case.

Has ExpressVPN ever been hacked?

ExpressVPN has not suffered a breach of customer data. The 2017 Turkish server seizure resulted in authorities finding no logs, validating the no-logs policy. In 2021, it was disclosed that an ExpressVPN employee had previously worked for UAE intelligence, which raised questions about company culture - ExpressVPN responded by tightening employee vetting. No customer data was at risk.