NordVPN and ExpressVPN are the two VPNs most buyers end up choosing between, and in 2026 both have moved well beyond a plain VPN subscription: each now sells three tiers that bundle password managers, identity monitoring, and insurance on top of the tunnel itself. We pulled both companies’ official pricing pages on October 28, 2026 to compare what each tier costs up front, what it renews at, and what you actually get.
At a Glance
| Spec | NordVPN | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Tiers | Basic, Complete, Prime | Basic, Advanced, Express Pro |
| Cheapest long-term intro price | $3.49/mo (Basic, 2-year: $94.23 for first 27 months) | $2.99/mo (Basic, 2-year: $83.72 for first 28 months) |
| Entry-tier renewal | $139.08/year | $99.95/year |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 on every plan | 10 / 12 / 14 by tier |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days (new users) |
| Best for | Buyers who want antivirus and 1TB cloud storage bundled in | Buyers who want the lowest renewal price on a plain VPN |
Short Verdict
If you just want a VPN and plan to keep it past the first term, ExpressVPN’s Basic plan is the cheaper long-term buy: it renews at $99.95 a year against NordVPN Basic’s $139.08. NordVPN pulls ahead once you want the extras, because its middle Complete tier bundles a desktop antivirus, an ad and tracker blocker, a password manager, and 1TB of encrypted cloud storage. Both companies advertise steep first-term discounts, so the number that matters for budgeting is the renewal price, not the headline monthly rate.
NordVPN Pricing
| Plan | Monthly billing | 1-year intro | 2-year intro | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $14.99/mo | $4.99/mo ($74.85 for 15 months) | $3.49/mo ($94.23 for 27 months) | $139.08/year |
| Complete | $19.99/mo | $5.99/mo ($89.85 for 15 months) | $3.99/mo ($107.73 for 27 months) | $219.48/year |
| Prime | $29.99/mo | $8.99/mo ($134.85 for 15 months) | $6.99/mo ($188.73 for 27 months) | $296.28/year |
NordVPN’s 1-year and 2-year terms each include 3 extra months, which is why the first billing period is 15 or 27 months. When we checked, the pricing page was also running a Black Friday promotion, so the intro rates above may change after the sale ends; the renewal prices are the more stable figures. Every plan covers 10 devices at once. Basic is the VPN plus scam and phishing protection. Complete adds a next-generation desktop antivirus, a desktop ad and tracker blocker, email link protection, a cross-platform password manager, 1TB of encrypted cloud storage, Dark Web Monitor Pro, and bank transaction monitoring for US accounts. Prime adds identity-protection services on top: credit freeze assistance, up to $1M in identity theft insurance, up to $100K in cyber extortion insurance, 1-bureau credit monitoring, and a VantageScore 3.0 credit score.
ExpressVPN Pricing
| Plan | 2-year intro | First 28 months | Renewal | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $2.99/mo | $83.72 | $99.95/year | 10 |
| Advanced | $4.49/mo | $125.72 | $119.95/year | 12 |
| Express Pro | $7.49/mo | $209.72 | $199.95/year | 14 |
ExpressVPN’s VPN network covers servers in 113 countries on every plan. Basic includes a lighter threat-protection layer that blocks ads, malicious sites, and adult sites, plus a small ExpressMailGuard email-alias allowance. Advanced adds tracker blocking, the ExpressKeys password manager with a 2FA authenticator, and Identity Defender with data removal and up to $3M in identity theft insurance. Express Pro includes a dedicated IP (an add-on on the lower tiers), unlimited email aliases with 20 custom domains, up to $5M in insurance, and ExpressAI, the company’s bundled AI assistant. The pricing page we checked only listed 2-year terms, so we have not quoted monthly or 1-year prices for ExpressVPN.
Where They Actually Differ
The biggest practical gap is at renewal. Over a long subscription, ExpressVPN Basic costs roughly $39 a year less than NordVPN Basic, and ExpressVPN Advanced still renews below NordVPN Basic. The second gap is what each company bundles at the middle tier: NordVPN Complete leans toward device security (antivirus, ad blocking, cloud storage), while ExpressVPN Advanced leans toward identity protection (data removal and insurance). Device limits also differ: NordVPN gives every tier 10 devices, while ExpressVPN scales from 10 to 14 as you move up. Neither identity-insurance figure is a reason to buy on its own, since coverage terms and eligibility can be limited by country (NordVPN’s bank transaction monitoring, for example, is US-only), so read each company’s terms before relying on it.
Pros and Cons
- NordVPN pros: Complete tier bundles a desktop antivirus, password manager, and 1TB of encrypted storage; 10 devices on every plan; 1-year and 2-year terms include 3 bonus months. Cons: highest renewal prices of the two at every tier; ad and tracker blocking is not in Basic.
- ExpressVPN pros: lowest renewal price for a plain VPN; device limit rises to 14 on Express Pro; dedicated IP included on the top tier. Cons: the cheapest plan’s protection layer is a lighter version; pricing page only showed 2-year terms when we checked.
Bottom Line
Pick ExpressVPN Basic if you want a VPN and nothing else and expect to renew, since its $99.95 renewal is the cheapest long-term option here. Pick NordVPN Complete if you would otherwise pay separately for an antivirus, a password manager, and cloud storage, because the bundle covers all three. Whichever you choose, budget around the renewal price, set a reminder before the first term ends, and use the 30-day money-back window to test speeds on your own connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which is cheaper after the first term? ExpressVPN. Its Basic plan renews at $99.95/year versus $139.08/year for NordVPN Basic.
- How many devices can I use? NordVPN allows 10 on every plan; ExpressVPN allows 10, 12, or 14 depending on tier.
- Do both offer refunds? Yes. Both advertise a 30-day money-back guarantee; ExpressVPN specifies it is for new users.
- Are the intro prices permanent? No. They apply to the first term only, and NordVPN’s were part of a Black Friday promotion when we checked on October 28, 2026.
Sources
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