The comparison at a glance
Details as each provider published them on 30 October 2026. NordVPN prices are not quoted because its support pages point to a pricing page that changes; check it at checkout. [6]
| Item | NordVPN | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|
| First-term price | Not quoted; renewal charged at the applicable renewal price [6] | 12 months + 3 free: $74.85 Basic, $89.85 Advanced, $134.85 Express Pro [1] |
| Renewal | Email notice before a price change; auto-renews unless cancelled [6] | $99.95, $119.95 or $199.95 a year by plan [1] |
| Simultaneous devices | Up to 10; max 5 on one server, each with a different protocol [5] | 10, 12 or 14 by plan [1] |
| Router counted as | One device slot [5] | One device (Aircove, Fortify) [3][4] |
| GL.iNet travel router path | WireGuard client preset with access token, or OpenVPN files with service credentials [8][9] | No router app; app-first approach [2] |
| Own router hardware | None described in the NordVPN pages reviewed | Aircove, Aircove Go, Fortify (GL-MT6000 built by GL.iNet) [3][4] |
| Refund window | 30 days, first purchase only [7] | 30-day money-back guarantee for new users [1] |
Router support: the real dividing line
This is where the two differ most for travelers. GL.iNet's WireGuard client has a built-in NordVPN option: generate an access token in your Nord Account (it is shown only once), paste it on the router under VPN, WireGuard Client, NordVPN, pick servers and connect. [8] NordVPN's own GL.iNet article documents a second route using OpenVPN files from the manual setup page plus your service credentials. [9]
ExpressVPN's VPN for routers page, checked on 30 October 2026, answers No to whether it still offers a VPN router app or hardware, saying it has moved to an app-first approach because apps use each device's processing power. [2] The same site still lists Aircove and Aircove Go and introduces Fortify, described as an AX6000 Wi-Fi 6 router developed by GL.iNet with ExpressVPN, model GL-MT6000, priced at $199.99 including 12 months of ExpressVPN Advanced, with WireGuard as its protocol at launch. [4] Fortify is presented as a home router, not a travel router.
GL.iNet does publish an ExpressVPN activation guide for its firmware, but it states that the guide only applies to the co-branded Fortify (GL-MT6000), not to travel models such as the Beryl AX. [13]
So if your plan is one pocket router that covers a laptop, phone, console and streaming stick in a hotel room, NordVPN is the one with a documented GL.iNet travel-router setup. ExpressVPN users on the road should expect to install the app on each device, which uses more of the device allowance.
Devices: how far each allowance stretches
NordVPN allows up to 10 devices at once and counts a router as one. It adds two limits: at most five devices can share one server, and devices on the same server must each use a different protocol. [5] A family of four with two devices each, all behind one router, uses one slot.
ExpressVPN's allowance depends on the plan: 10 on Basic, 12 on Advanced, 14 on Express Pro. [1] Without a travel-router option, the same family running the app on eight devices would use eight connections, which fits every plan but leaves less room for a home computer or a second traveler.
Price: first term versus renewal
ExpressVPN's three plans were all shown as 12 months plus 3 free months on 30 October 2026. Worked example for Basic: $74.85 for the first 15 months, then $99.95 a year, so two and a quarter years cost $174.80, an average of about $6.47 a month. Express Pro over the same period is $134.85 plus $199.95, or $334.80. [1]
NordVPN's support pages say you will be charged the applicable renewal price and that you will be emailed before any change; they direct you to a separate renewal pricing page rather than listing figures. [6] Compare the live checkout totals for both term and renewal before choosing on price.
Refunds are similar on paper. NordVPN offers 30 days on new subscriptions, renewals generally excluded unless local law requires, and App Store purchases go through Apple. [7] ExpressVPN lists a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. [1]
Restrictive networks and protocols
NordVPN lists NordLynx (built on WireGuard), NordWhisper, OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec. [12] Its documented order for blocked networks is: switch to NordWhisper, connect to an Obfuscated server (shown only with Auto or NordWhisper selected), switch to OpenVPN TCP, reset the network, then try a manual IKEv2 connection. [10] Its obfuscated servers now run on NordWhisper instead of OpenVPN, and NordVPN says you can no longer reach them through a manual OpenVPN connection. [11] On a GL.iNet router, that means obfuscation is not available; keep the app on a laptop as the fallback.
ExpressVPN's pages we read describe Lightway as its custom protocol for fast, reliable connections, and note that routers are usually locked to the few protocols their firmware supports. [2] We did not find an ExpressVPN restricted-network checklist in the pages reviewed.
Who fits each, and who should skip both
Based on the documentation above, not on speed or unblocking tests.
- NordVPN fits: travelers who want one GL.iNet router to cover every device on one slot, with a firmware preset and a token login.
- ExpressVPN fits: people who only use apps on a few devices and want up to 14 connections on Express Pro, or who want a home router sold with the service.
- Skip both if: you only need to reach devices at home, where a mesh tool such as Tailscale is the better fit; or you want a flat price with no renewal step, which is what Mullvad publishes at 5 euros a month for any length. [14]
Checklist before you buy
Run these checks at checkout on the day you buy.
- Write down the first-term total and the renewal price, and set a reminder before the renewal date.
- Count devices that will run the app directly versus devices that will sit behind a router.
- Confirm your router model and firmware: GL.iNet's NordVPN preset lives in the WireGuard client; GL.iNet's current guide covers firmware 4.7 and later, with a separate guide for 4.6 and earlier. [8]
- Keep the 30-day refund window in mind and test on the networks you actually use during that window.
Questions before you decide
Can I run ExpressVPN on a GL.iNet Beryl AX travel router?
ExpressVPN's own router page, checked on 30 October 2026, answers No to whether it still offers a VPN router app or hardware and says it has moved to an app-first approach. The GL.iNet WireGuard client preset list we read includes NordVPN, Mullvad, Surfshark and PIA but not ExpressVPN. GL.iNet's ExpressVPN activation guide says it applies only to the Fortify (GL-MT6000), and we found no ExpressVPN document describing a Beryl AX setup, so plan on the ExpressVPN app on each device instead.
Does a router count as one device on NordVPN and ExpressVPN?
NordVPN says a router uses only one of its 10 device slots while protecting every device behind it. ExpressVPN says Aircove counts as one of the devices you can connect at once and that a Fortify router only counts as one, no matter how many devices are connected to it.
What does ExpressVPN cost after the first term?
On 30 October 2026 ExpressVPN listed 12-month plans with 3 extra months for the first term: Basic $74.85, Advanced $89.85 and Express Pro $134.85, renewing at $99.95, $119.95 and $199.95 a year. NordVPN's support page says renewals are charged at the applicable renewal price, with an email notice before any price change.
Which is better on a hotel or campus network that blocks VPNs?
NordVPN documents a sequence for restricted networks: switch to its NordWhisper protocol, use Obfuscated servers, then OpenVPN TCP, then a network reset and manual IKEv2. Its obfuscated servers now run on NordWhisper and cannot be reached through a manual OpenVPN setup, so that option is for the app, not the router. ExpressVPN's pages we read describe its Lightway protocol but do not publish a comparable restricted-network checklist.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- ExpressVPN pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- ExpressVPN: VPN for routers Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- ExpressVPN Aircove Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- ExpressVPN Fortify Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordVPN Support: How many devices can I use with NordVPN? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordVPN Support: How much will I need to pay upon renewal? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordVPN Support: What is your refund policy? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet docs: WireGuard Client Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordVPN Support: GL.iNet setup with NordVPN Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordVPN Support: Troubleshooting VPN connection in a country with internet restrictions Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordVPN Support: NordVPN Obfuscated Servers are getting an upgrade - what changed? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordVPN Support: What features does NordVPN have? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet: ExpressVPN activation guide Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Mullvad: Pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.