Latest news with #NordSecurity
Tom's Guide
18-06-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
World-famous VPN company embroiled in class-action lawsuit
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against NordVPN, with the provider's practices around automatic subscription renewals brought into question. NordVPN is not the only provider to adopt these tactics – many of the best VPNs do, and indeed it's part and parcel of most subscription service industries – but the lawsuit claims that NordVPN's are "illegal" and "deceptive". The claim names Nordvpn S.A, Tefincom SA, and Nordsec B.V. as the defendants, and Lanzy Kandeh as the plaintiff. It was first filed on March 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, with violations of state consumer laws alleged. It is alleged that Nord Security doesn't adequately warn customers that their subscriptions will auto-renew. The lawsuit describes this practice as a "negative option" feature. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says this is a "condition under which a seller may interpret a consumer's silence, failure to take an affirmative action to reject a product or service, or failure to cancel an agreement as acceptance or continued acceptance of the offer." Put simply, unless you cancel your NordVPN subscription, the provider will assume you want it to continue and automatically renew your subscription – at an inflated price. The lawsuit claims these are "deceptive and unlawful subscription practices" and argues they are "designed to entrap consumers". Lanzy Kandeh claims he didn't know his NordVPN subscription would renew automatically. He said he was "charged $119.08 for another year of that subscription that he did not want". According to the claim, Nord Security is said to mislead users in the following six ways: As well as himself, Kandeh is looking to represent any New Yorker affected by auto-renewals and is seeking damages of $50 million. Kandeh reported that he subscribed to a two-year NordVPN plan in December 2023 and then a one-year subscription to Incogni data removal service – which is owned by Nord Security. He said that Nord Security "deceived" him into believing the Incogni subscription would cease after one year. But the plan auto-renewed and Kandeh said he couldn't work out how to cancel his NordVPN and Incogni subscriptions. A refund was obtained via PayPal, but Kandeh said he "did not authorize or want his Nord Subscriptions to renew". A similar case was brought against NordVPN in 2024 and was filed in a Colorado federal court. Again, "deceptive" auto-renewal tactics were the subject of the lawsuit. It's not just NordVPN that has faced these accusations. In 2022, an investigation was opened against Proton VPN. Its auto-renewal tactics were described as "potentially fraudulent." Tom's Guide reached out to NordVPN regarding the lawsuit. A NordVPN spokesperson said: "Nord Security continuously strives to provide an excellent customer experience and complies with legal requirements." "We have responded to the lawsuits but cannot comment on the specific allegations at this time, other than to state that we are and always have been very clear about the recurring nature of our services." We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Forbes
14-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Flywheel Effect And It How It Nurtures Next-Gen Entrepreneurs
Saily CEO, Vykintas Maknickas, says working in a company-within-a-company setup is like being in a ... More big accelerator. According to a recent report by VC firm Accel and market intelligence provider Dealroom, 281 unicorn companies in Europe and Israel have been collectively responsible for the launch of more than 2,000 new tech startups. The logic behind the research - which I covered last month is this. As startup businesses morph into scaleups, their key employees gain experience and start to develop business ideas of their own. The result is an ever-increasing number of new companies, led by people who understand their chosen markets and the realities of growing a startup. This is the much sought-after flywheel effect. But how does it play out in practice? Well, one important factor is the willingness of scaling companies - some of them at least - to assign leadership roles to team members as they develop new products or explore hitherto untapped market opportunities. Projects of this kind provide an opportunity for today's employees to acquire the insights, skills and market know-how that will help them become tomorrow's entrepreneurs. In some cases an individual chooses to move on and start a new business. But there may also be an opportunity to take charge of a company within a company. That's the route taken by Vykintas Maknickas, CEO of eSim venture Saily, a business that sits within the portfolio of Lithuanian scaleup Nord Security. And as Maknickas sees it, there are some real practical advantages to building a company under the umbrella of a larger parent. 'You don't need to think about the office. You don't need to worry about where the tables come from. You don't need to worry about the IT stuff. You mostly focus on product, marketing and delivery. It's like being in a big accelerator,' he says. Saily operates as an independent brand, with its own CEO, as part of Nord Security. As Head of Strategy within that organisation, Maknickas researched new business opportunities. During that time, he identified eSims - virtual sim cards - as a promising, under-developed and potentially lucrative market. He pitched the idea to Nord Security's founders and Saily was born. So how difficult was the sell? Maknickas says Nord Security is open to proposals from team members but that doesn't necessarily equate with taking a leadership role. 'The founders are very open to everyone pitching,' he says. 'Execution is a different matter. You may not be the best person to execute, so that could be tricky.' Once a business has been given the green light and a leadership role asigned, there are further advantages to being part of a bigger organisation, not least in terms of resourcing. For instance, staff can be shared across different teams. Typically, a company may have seven or eight full time people, such as developers. Other roles can be split between business units. 'For intance, you don't necessarily need your own graphic artist,' says Maknickas, 'but you do need dedicated product and marketing people.' For the parent company, there is an opportunity to find new customers and revenue streams. At the same time, there can be an overlap between the new company's product and the parent's core offer. For instance, Nord Security is best known for its VPN and security solutions. Saily's main customer case is travellers who want to keep roaming costs down, but in addition to the eSIM functionality, the company has built in VPN/Security features. Thus reputation, credibility and and knowhow can be extended into adjacent markets. Of course, not everyone will have an opportunity to form a company within a company. The flywheel effect is also - and perhaps mainly - driven by those who spend time working for one or more technology startups before launching their own ventures. David Villalon is co-founder and CEO of Maisa, an agentic AI startup that has raised $5 million in pre-seed finance. Prior to forming Maisa with Manuel Romero, Villalon worked as Head of Product at VoiceMod and Chief AI Officer at Clidrive. Having held senior positions in Spanish technology companies, he applied his insights into creating a company that has adopted - as he characterizes it - a new approach to AI. Maisa is aimed at businesses in regulated industries, such as energy, finance and manufacturing. As he explains, the AI is designed to automate key tasks while being fully transparent around the decision making and execution process. As such it can be trusted to carry out tasks that require accuracy and accountability. The key insight that he took from his previous roles was the lack of customer trust in a technology they didn't really understand. 'Clients were telling me, we don't understand this. We hear this is great but we don't know what to do with it and we don't have the know-how,' he recalls. When Villalon and Romero founded Maisa they felt they had a clear idea of what theirtarget customers were looking for. 'We thought about what kind of messaging they were looking for, what kind of products, what kind of leaders and what kind of thought leadership.' Added to that was the practical operational acquired in previous roles. 'During our time at Voicemod we saw hyperscaling. We went from a small team to over 100 in a year and half. That gives you insights. You learn you have to build a solid company. You have to create processes that are agile. I learned how to hyperscale from a team and resources perspective,' he says. Perhaps the question facing entrepreneurially minded employees who develop their own ideas is 'should I stay or should I go.' There are advantages to both approaches, but what can't be denied is that experience in the technology sector is helping a new generation of CEOs and founders to build companies on a foundation of operational and market knowledge.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
94 Billion Stolen Browser Tracking Cookies Published To Dark Web
Billions of leaked browser tracking cookies are available on the dark web. Although you would be right to be concerned about the number of compromised credentials that have been published to the dark web, some 19 billion passwords alone, there's more to worry about than just the stolen password problem. Even as the FBI is recognized for having success as part of Operation RapTor, disrupting dark web marketplaces, and Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit likewise for disrupting the Lumma Stealer password-compromising malware infrastructure, so the true scope of shadowy criminal hacker resource forums emerges. The latest research has confirmed the truly staggering number of stolen browser tracking cookies that have been published on the dark web, all 94 billion, along with the hacking threats that accompany them. Here's what you need to know. Nord Security's Aurelija Skebaite has revealed in a May 27 report how threat exposure researchers at NordStellar analyzed 93.7 stolen browser cookies found on the dark web. While most cookies can be thought of as harmless enough, in the overall scheme of life on the internet, once they get into the wrong hands, all bets are off. 'Even the smallest crumb can reveal a whole digital trail,' Skebaite warned, 'so accepting web cookies blindly can be a risky habit.' The newly published research reveals just how risky. The research revealed what NordVPN has called a massive malware operation. The total of 94 billion cookies stolen is bad enough, a 74% increase from the 2024 report totals from the same researchers, but more than 20% of them are currently active and pose a threat to user privacy and security, which is even worse. There are some 18 billion assigned IDs and 1.2 billion session IDs exposed, critical data types when it comes to identifying users and securing their online accounts. 'The stolen information often included full names, email addresses, cities, passwords, and physical addresses,' Skebaite said, 'key personal data that can be used for identity theft, fraud, and unauthorized account access.' Digging into the data, the researchers found that there were more than 4.5 billion cookies associated with Gmail, Google Drive and assorted Google services, with YouTube and Microsoft also accounting for more than a billion cookies each. 'Popular platforms make for tasty targets because you can scrape more information off of them,' Skebaite explained. Here's the kicker, though, using stolen session cookies could give hackers access to email, files, calendars, and accounts, 'with no need to guess passwords or trigger two-factor authentication.' Several mitigations can be considered, including blocking cookies and not accepting them initially. Rejecting unnecessary cookies is always a good move, and third-party ones that track you, especially so. You can always reject them, and if it impacts your use of a website, then you have the option to go back and accept. Whatever, I would recommend clearing your browser cookie cache, along with your browsing history, on a regular basis. If nothing else, as Skebaite said, 'it helps reduce the window of time during which your data can be hijacked.'
The Independent
15-05-2025
- The Independent
NordVPN vs Surfshark: I put price, features and streaming to the test
When choosing the best VPN, two names often rise to the top: NordVPN and Surfshark. Both offer powerful privacy tools, fast speeds and strong security, but which one is actually the best? At a glance, they seem almost identical. Each comes with thousands of servers, support for WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, and features like split tunnelling, kill switches and ad blocking. But dig a little deeper, and there are a few key differences, particularly around pricing, device limits and advanced security extras that might make one a better fit for your setup. It's also worth noting that both VPNs are owned by the same parent company, Nord Security, after merging in 2022. That means they share similar infrastructure and privacy policies, but they're still operated independently. Below, we break down the pros and cons of NordVPN and Surfshark to help you decide which is the best VPN for you. How we tested Both of these VPNs were tested on multiple devices. We put them through their paces on an Android Nothing Phone (2a), an iPhone 15 Pro Max, a MacBook Pro laptop and a Windows laptop. We analysed each VPN's speed, measuring how quickly they connected, buffered and streamed, then compared them to each other. We also assessed security and privacy claims, and tested out bonus features like split tunnelling, kill switches, and double VPNs. All our recommended VPNs are tested under ideal conditions to keep tests fair, but we also try them in areas with poor wifi to see how they buffer under pressure. We've also tested them in public hotspots like cafes to ensure that they can handle dodgy security setups and heavy traffic. We've even tried them on streaming sticks. Why trust us Senior tech critic Alex Lee has reviewed hundreds of different tech products, especially VPNs. Over his career, Alex has tested every major VPN service, assessing their budget and premium offerings to understand every inch of the market. NordVPN vs Surfshark: Price If you're looking for a VPN that won't break the bank, both NordVPN and Surfshark are reasonably priced. However, Surfshark is generally cheaper on long-term plans. NordVPN isn't exactly pricey, but it costs about £1 more per month than Surfshark when you commit to a longer subscription. That said, it's still more affordable than ExpressVPN, and for what you get, we'd say it's worth considering. NordVPN has three tiers – basic, plus and ultimate. The cheapest option is the two-year basic plan, which costs £62.16 up-front (about £2.59 per month). The one-year plan costs £45.48 (£3.79 per month), and if you don't want to be locked into a long contract, the monthly plan costs £10.09. The plus plan, which adds malware protection and a password manager, costs £81.36 for two years (£3.39 per month), £55.08 for one year (£4.59 per month) or £10.79 per month. The ultimate plan, which includes 1TB of secure cloud storage and cyber insurance covering up to £5,000 if you get scammed online, costs £126.96 over two years (£5.29 per month), £77.87 for one year (£6.49 per month), or £12.79 per month. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if it's not for you, you can cancel within a month for a full refund. Surfshark also has three tiers – starter, one and Surfshark one+. Prices fluctuate due to promotions, but generally, a 24-month Starter plan is the cheapest, costing £45.63 upfront (about £1.69 per month). A 12-month plan costs £38.85 (£2.59 per month), while the monthly plan is a steep £12.29 – making it more expensive than NordVPN's equivalent monthly option. Surfshark offers a seven-day free trial on mobile, and like NordVPN, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee if you decide it's not for you. The biggest perk of Surfshark? Unlimited device connections. You don't need to worry about which devices are logged in – you can connect as many as you like. NordVPN recently upped its limit to 10, which is better than before, but still doesn't match Surfshark's unlimited number of devices. Also, one word of advice: If you go for a long-term NordVPN or Surfshark plan, set a reminder to cancel before it renews. Once the initial contract is up, the renewal price shoots up significantly, and you might not want to be locked into another two years at a much higher rate. We've seen customers locked in battles with VPN companies over unexpected auto-renewals, struggling to get refunds or cancel their plans. While both NordVPN and Surfshark allow cancellations, it's always better to be proactive than to deal with a frustrating back-and-forth with customer support. If you think you won't need it for that long, just go for the one-month option; it'll work out cheaper in the long run. Winner: Surfshark Surfshark takes this one. It's cheaper on long-term plans, lets you connect unlimited devices and offers the same 30-day money-back guarantee. But if you don't want to commit to a lengthy subscription, NordVPN's one-month plan is actually the better deal. NordVPN vs Surfshark: Privacy and features Both NordVPN and Surfshark come with all the security bells and whistles you'd expect from any bog-standard VPN. They both give you AES-256 encryption, support for WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, a kill switch and split tunnelling support. They also both offer multi-hop connections – NordVPN calls it Double VPN, a feature that routes your traffic through two servers for extra security. But there are differences in the feature set. NordVPN throws in more security features up front, like Onion over VPN, which lets you route your traffic through the Tor network for extra anonymity. It also has dedicated P2P servers for torrenting, optimised for faster speeds. Another small but handy perk with NordVPN is its pause feature, which lets you temporarily turn off the VPN without fully disconnecting – something Surfshark doesn't offer. NordVPN wins here when it comes to features at the basic tier. If you upgrade to a higher tier, things start to even out. NordVPN's plus and ultimate plans include NordPass, a password manager, and a dark web monitoring tool, which scans for leaked credentials. Surfshark's one and one plus plans also include a password manager and data breach alerts, so neither has an edge. Both offer ad and malware blockers – NordVPN calls it Threat Protection Pro, while Surfshark calls it CleanWeb – but these are only available on paid plans above the base tier. We also found NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro better at filtering out ads and trackers than Surfshark's CleanWeb. Higher tiers of Surfshark also come with a handy search engine, a private search engine that delivers organic results without tracking or ads. It's nice and clean, and a nice perk over NordVPN. Where they really differ is in extra cybersecurity tools. NordVPN's ultimate plan includes 1TB of encrypted cloud storage and cyber insurance that covers up to £5,000 if you get scammed online. Surfshark doesn't offer those, but its top-tier plan includes Alternative ID, which generates a fake email address and phone number for extra privacy. Winner: NordVPN NordVPN gives you more security tools in its base plan without making you pay extra, making it better value for anyone serious about privacy. Surfshark is still a great option if you need unlimited devices, a private search tool or Alternative ID, but NordVPN includes more privacy features up-front without forcing an upgrade. NordVPN vs Surfshark: Logging and transparency Both NordVPN and Surfshark promise that they don't log user data, and both have been independently audited to prove it. NordVPN has had five separate audits – PWC checked its no-logs policy in 2018 and 2020, while Deloitte ran further audits in 2022, 2023 and the most recent one in late 2024, confirming it doesn't store user data. Surfshark has been audited fewer times, but it still passed its no-log audits. Cure53 assessed its browser extensions in 2018 and its server infrastructure in 2021, finding no major issue, and in late 2022, Deloitte verified Surfshark's no-logs claims, giving it the same kind of stamp of approval as NordVPN. Both VPNs also run on RAM-based servers, meaning no data is stored long-term, and everything is wiped on reboot. NordVPN operates out of Panama, a country with no mandatory data retention laws, while Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which is part of the Nine Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. Some privacy-conscious users might prefer NordVPN's location, but since neither VPN keeps logs, it shouldn't matter in practice. That said, NordVPN nor Surfshark have been completely free from security concerns. NordVPN suffered a server breach in 2018, where a hacker gained access to a third-party data centre in Finland. No user data was compromised, but NordVPN didn't disclose the breach until a year later, which understandably led to some trust issues. Surfshark hasn't had a breach like that, but in 2021, researchers found that some of its old Indian servers were still online after it claimed they had been shut down, so you might be concerned about how its infrastructure is managed. Winner: Draw Neither instance resulted in any leaked user data, and both VPNs have taken steps to improve their security since. Still, NordVPN has been more proactive with its third-party audits, and Surfshark has worked on improving its infrastructure. If complete transparency is a dealbreaker, NordVPN's delayed breach disclosure might give you pause, but if audit frequency matters, it's ahead of Surfshark. They're both trustworthy VPNs, so there's no real winner in terms of logging. NordVPN vs Surfshark: Performance and speed The NordVPN desktop app is a little cluttered, with a large interactive map that takes up more space than it probably needs to. Surfshark's simpler layout is easier to navigate, especially for beginners. That said, NordVPN gets a lot of things right. The pause button is easy to access, searching for specific servers is straightforward and useful settings like the kill switch are enabled by default, so you don't have to mess around with them. NordVPN's sidebar is also pretty handy, giving quick access to threat protection, dark web monitoring and usage stats. Mac users also get handy server presets for speed, downloads and browsing, and we could even create custom presets with our preferred settings. The one downside is that split tunnelling is only available on Windows. This split tuneling is flawed, too – we ran into occasional hiccups with certain streaming services detecting the VPN despite whitelisting them. Surfshark's interface is much more streamlined. Instead of a large map, it sticks to a simple alphabetical server list on the left, along with quick-connect buttons for static IP addresses and multi-hop servers. It feels more beginner-friendly while still giving advanced users plenty of options. Surfshark's browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox also work well, mirroring the desktop experience, though they lack access to features like the kill switch and Whitelister. If you can, the desktop app is the better option. In terms of speed, NordVPN remains one of the fastest VPNs we've tested. Using its quick-connect UK server, we saw only a four per cent drop in download speed on a 67 Mbps connection, while connecting to the US only slowed things down by about nine per cent. That's incredibly fast, making it a great option for streaming, gaming and downloading content. Surfshark has also improved massively in this area and now keeps up with NordVPN. On the WireGuard protocol, Surfshark's UK servers only dropped speeds by around five per cent, while even more distant servers saw just an 11 per cent drop. Streaming on UK services like BBC iPlayer and ITVX was seamless, with no buffering or lag. Winner: NordVPN In terms of raw speed, NordVPN takes the edge, but Surfshark has closed the gap and is no longer as sluggish as in previous tests. Surfshark also has a more user-friendly interface, whereas NordVPN offers more customisation and additional features. If speed is your main concern, NordVPN is the faster option, but for ease of use, Surfshark is the simpler choice. NordVPN vs Surfshark: Streaming If you're travelling abroad and want to stream your favourite shows or catch up on sports from back home, both NordVPN and Surfshark make that possible. While using a VPN to access geo-restricted content isn't illegal, it does violate most streaming services' terms of service, so there's always a risk of platforms cracking down on VPN usage. That said, both let us stream Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and more without running into annoying proxy errors. NordVPN is particularly good for streaming thanks to its obfuscated servers, which mask VPN usage so platforms couldn't detect we were using one. In our tests, streaming services never flagged the connection, and we were able to watch BBC iPlayer, Sky Go, ITVX, Channel 4 and Prime Video on an iPhone, Mac and Windows laptop without interruption. Speeds were fast enough that we didn't experience buffering, even when streaming live sports. Another big plus is that NordVPN rarely requires switching servers – it just works straight away, without the hassle of finding a working connection. Winner: Draw Surfshark performs just as well for Netflix, Disney+ and BBC iPlayer, and in our tests, we could stream on desktop, iOS and Android with no buffering issues. Prime Video worked fine, though it's worth noting that Amazon ties accounts to billing regions, so if you try to access Prime Video from another country, it might still flag you as travelling rather than fully changing your region. Ultimately, both VPNs let us stream BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4, with very little buffering or proxy errors.
The Independent
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN, compared by a tech expert
When it comes to the best VPNs, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are right up there. They've got strong security credentials, speedy streaming performance and are dead easy to use, but which one is better? As with most things, it depends on what you want from your VPN – and how much you're willing to spend. Owned by Nord Security – a company that also operates Surfshark – NordVPN is extremely affordable and has a stacked feature list. ExpressVPN, meanwhile, is owned by Kape Technologies. It's simpler to use, especially for beginners – but it has a much more premium price tag in comparison. Below, we've compared the two to help you decide which is right for you. Whether you prioritise price and features or just want something fast, secure and simple to use, there's enough there to differentiate them, and it all depends on how you'll use a VPN or what you want it for. If you don't want to spend too much on a VPN, NordVPN is one of the cheapest around (if you opt for a longer-term plan). While ExpressVPN is one of the priciest options, it recently readjusted its subscription tiers, making it a lot cheaper than it was previously (if you opt for one of the longer-term plans), though still expensive in comparison to NordVPN. NordVPN has three tiers – basic, plus and ultimate. The cheapest option is the 27-month basic plan, which costs £64.53 up-front (about £2.39 per month). The one-year plan costs £46.68 (£3.89 per month), and if you don't want to be locked into a long contract, the monthly plan costs £10.19 per month. NordVPN is always running various different promotions, so the prices can fluctuate. Also, don't take too much notice of the 'three extra months' messaging underneath the two-year plans, those are usually rolled into the full price. But NordVPN has more than just one basic plan. You can also opt for the plus plan, which adds malware protection and a password manager. It costs £86.13 for 27 months (£3.19 per month), £56.28 for one year (£4.69 per month) or £10.99 if you'd prefer to pay monthly. The ultimate plan, which includes 1TB of secure cloud storage and cyber insurance covering up to £5,000 if you get scammed online, costs £137.43 for a 27-month plan (£5.09 per month), £80.28 for one year (£6.69 per month), or £12.09 if you'd prefer to pay on a monthly basis. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if it's not for you, you can cancel within a month for a full refund. What's nice about ExpressVPN is that it keeps things simple with one standard tier – you don't need to upgrade to a plus or ultimate tier to get all of the features. Some might love this, but we can see why some might prefer NordVPN's pick-and-mix style pricing model. A 28-month plan costs £112.88, which works out to around £4.04 per month. A 15-month plan costs £80.75 (£5.39 per month) and if you prefer to pay for your VPN on a monthly basis, you'll pay £10.46 per month. Like NordVPN, ExpressVPN also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a refund if you're not entirely satisfied. A word of advice: If you go for a long-term NordVPN or ExpressVPN plan, set a reminder to cancel before it renews. Once the initial contract is up, the renewal price shoots up significantly, and you might not want to be locked into another two-year subscription, billed at a much higher price. We've seen users charged hundreds of pounds because they forgot to cancel, so if you don't want to be locked into a lengthy back-and-forth with VPN companies, trying to secure a refund, we'd recommend either just being proactive with your cancellation, or opting for the (far safer) monthly option. In any case, NordVPN wins this battle. The basic plan costs less, no matter which subscription length you go for – even the monthly plan is cheaper. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN come with the standard security basics you'd expect from any VPN provider. Classic AES-256 encryption is ticked off, there are kill switches, so your internet is cut off if your VPN connection drops, as well as split tunnelling (so you can split certain apps and websites off from the VPN) and DNS leak protection. NordVPN uses NordLynx, its custom version of WireGuard, while ExpressVPN uses Lightway, a protocol it built from the ground up to be fast and lightweight. NordVPN also includes a few more advanced features up front. Its Double VPN feature routes your traffic through two servers for extra anonymity, while Onion over VPN lets you route your traffic through the Tor network without using a separate browser. NordVPN also throws in Threat Protection Pro, a built-in tool that blocks malware, ads and trackers system-wide, even when you're not connected to a VPN server. ExpressVPN keeps things simpler. It doesn't offer double VPN or Onion integration, but it has recently introduced a password manager, a tracker-blocking Threat Manager tool and parallel connections, which help connect to servers faster. In early 2025, ExpressVPN also added Lightway Turbo and post-quantum encryption to future-proof its protocol against emerging security threats. One small difference is device support. NordVPN lets you connect up to 10 devices on one account. ExpressVPN has a limit of eight, which is still decent but might matter if you're juggling phones, laptops, tablets and smart TVs. NordVPN offers a bigger set of features at its base plan, including double VPN and Onion routing, without needing upgrades. ExpressVPN nails simplicity and speed, but NordVPN gives you more tools for a cheaper price. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN state that they don't keep logs of your data, and both have had that claim independently audited multiple times. NordVPN has been through five no-logs audits since 2018, the latest was completed by Deloitte in February 2025. Deloitte looked at NordVPN's server setups and IT systems and confirmed there wasn't any data collection or retention. On top of that, NordVPN also had all its apps and extensions audited by Cure53 between June and August 2024. While it uncovered 31 minor security issues (some more serious than others), most were patched quickly, and no critical security issues were found. ExpressVPN has a longer track record of audits – more than 22 independent ones now, including a major audit by KPMG in May 2024, which signed off on its no-logs policy and TrustedServer tech. Plus, there's the real-world proof from 2017, when Turkish authorities seized an ExpressVPN server but found absolutely nothing, thanks to its RAM-only setup. NordVPN is based in Panama, which has no data retention laws, and ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is also privacy-friendly. Ownership may also factor into your choice. NordVPN's parent company, Nord Security, is seen as a cybersecurity-first firm, and it doesn't have much of a shady past. ExpressVPN's owner, Kape Technologies' history is a little bit murkier, however. Kape used to distribute adware and malware before it bought a tranche of VPN providers, including ExpressVPN, CyberGhost and Private Internet Access. Kape has cleaned up its act since, but it's still something to be aware of. Both VPNs have been independently audited and boast RAM-only servers. While NordVPN has more frequent no-log audits, both are trustworthy providers who've been going for quite a while. NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs we've tested. On a 67Mbps UK fibre connection, using NordLynx, download speeds only dropped by around four per cent. Even connecting to US servers only slowed things down by about nine per cent. ExpressVPN is close behind. Using its Lightway Turbo protocol, UK speeds dropped by about five per cent, and US connections saw about an eight per cent dip. Both VPNs kept streaming and gaming fast and smooth. Where NordVPN edges ahead is server customisation. The desktop app lets you set server presets, monitor dark web breaches, and tweak connection types. ExpressVPN, in contrast, keeps things clean and simple – a big round button to connect, a collapsible server list and an easy interface. For beginners, ExpressVPN's interface might be more intuitive, but for those who want advanced options, NordVPN gives you more to play with. NordVPN is marginally faster and offers better customisation for power users. ExpressVPN is easier to navigate but can't match the same level of customisability. It's close though. If you're travelling abroad and want to stream shows from back home, both VPNs make it possible. They reliably gave us access to BBC iPlayer, Sky Go, Channel 4, ITVX, Disney+ and Netflix in our tests. NordVPN's obfuscated servers made it particularly good for streaming abroad. We didn't have to swap servers often to find one that worked, and streaming was consistently smooth across all platforms. ExpressVPN performed just as well. Whether on desktop, Android or iOS, we streamed The Apprentice and Race Across the World on BBC iPlayer and caught up with Celebrity Big Brother on ITVX without any buffering or proxy errors. It's worth noting that some streaming services, like Prime Video, may still flag your billing region rather than your streaming IP, no matter which VPN you use. But for simply accessing UK content, both VPNs worked perfectly. Winner: Draw Both VPNs are excellent for streaming, offering seamless playback and reliable access to your content, especially good for catching up on your favourite UK shows while travelling abroad. NordVPN and ExpressVPN are two of the best VPNs you can subscribe to, but they cater to slightly different needs. NordVPN is better for those who want top speeds, more privacy features and a cheaper price point. It's a fuller product, packed with extras like Double VPN, Onion over VPN and a better Threat Protection. ExpressVPN, on the other hand, is the best pick if you value simplicity and consistency. It's fast, easy to use and has one of the cleanest interfaces around. It's perfect for beginners who just want a VPN that works without the need to tweak settings. For most people, NordVPN takes the win by a hair – offering more for less. But if ease of use is your top priority, ExpressVPN remains an excellent choice.
