Onion over vpn not working? Before I contact support. I wanted to see if anyone else is having issues with the onion over VPN is working for them. I am able to connect to it. I'm able to search for normal sites for the most part. Google, CNN, and etc. But when I go to use a legitimate onion site. Unfortunately, the Onion over VPN servers are currently a bit faulty. That is why they sometimes appear and sometimes disappear from the server list. If you do wish to access certain websites with previously used Onion over VPN servers, I would suggest using regular servers with a TOR browser instead. With NordVPN’s Onion Over VPN feature, you gain the advantage of Tor combined with the security of a VPN tunnel. The Onion Router (Tor) allows you to browse while hiding your identity, but the entry node can still see your real IP address. Using the Onion Over VPN feature, not even the entry node can see your IP address.

No longer the preserve of the whiz kid or hacker, VPNs are becoming more and more commonplace around the world.

This rising usage can be attributed to not only increasing awareness of the importance of online security, but also the ever-expanding range of top-quality VPN providers out there. So, in this head to head, were we’re going to pit two of the biggest hitters against each other in a VPN battle for the ages: ExpressVPN vs NordVPN.

You may have heard of ExpressVPN, and for good reason – with great support and a vast number of servers, ExpressVPN is a premium service through and through. However, NordVPN is a hugely popular rival and also practically a household name at this point, offering everything you expect plus some intriguing in-depth features.

The best VPN provides the full package – watertight security features, easy-to-use apps and the ability to access geo-blocked websites like Netflix, amongst other things.

So how do ExpressVPN and NordVPN stand up against each other – and which is worth spending your money on?

TechRadar's ExpressVPN review
TechRadar's NordVPN review

First impressions and specs

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: specs comparison

Number of servers:

ExpressVPN: 3,000+ / NordVPN: 5,700+

Server countries:

ExpressVPN: 90+ / NordVPN: 55+

Maximum simultaneous connections:

ExpressVPN: 5 / NordVPN: 6

Money back guarantee:

ExpressVPN: 30 days / NordVPN: 30 days

Lowest monthly cost:

ExpressVPN: $6.67 / NordVPN: $3.49

From the moment you install them, it's crystal clear why these are two of the biggest beasts in the world of VPN. Both brag fantastic products.

Once installed, both have you logging on to your choice of their vast number of servers within just a few seconds. ExpressVPN with it's huge inviting 'on/off' button, NordVPN with it's illustrated map of the world and 'Quick connect' option.

As you'll see from the spec comparison, you'll not want for server locations. From Albania to Vietnam, these two providers have put in the hard yards to deliver their users options all over the globe. Nord may have the sheer wealth of numbers, but Express pips it with the variety of locations.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Plans, pricing and trials

ExpressVPN opens with a one-month plan priced at $12.95, and that’s knocked down to $9.99 a month if you opt for a six-month plan. NordVPN only offers one plan lasting under a year, which is one month for $11.95.

However, things start to get quite a bit cheaper if you sign up for longer, with NordVPN’s one-year plan coming in at $6.99 a month.

ExpressVPN’s cheapest is the year-long plan, which currently offers three extra months free, bringing the monthly cost down to only $6.67.

The star of the show is NordVPN’s three-year plan, though, which is currently being offered at only $3.49 a month. This means that overall you’ll pay almost exactly the same as you would if you chose the two-year plan for an extra year of cover.

Both offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you're happy to commit to three years of NordVPN (which is paid in full upfront) then the services edges out ExpressVPN in terms of pricing. Although the three months extra free from the latter makes it more than competitive.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Privacy

NordVPN and ExpressVPN both tote impressive privacy credentials. Both offer Perfect Forward Secrecy, meaning that even if one session is compromised, your next will be protected again through the use of a different key.

Both also claim to block DNS leaks, and our tests backed this up. However, ExpressVPN runs its own zero-knowledge, 256-bit encrypted DNS on all its servers. Keeping that sort of work under its own roof is a good sign.

NordVPN offers some excellent features like Onion over VPN and a double VPN system, but unfortunately the 2018 server hack still leaves a bit of a bad taste. Best home media server nas.

It’s difficult to separate the two here, as while NordVPN offers a couple of features not available from ExpressVPN, they’re unlikely to be used by the vast majority of users – and ExpressVPN does have a squeaky-clean track record.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Logging

The logging status of any VPN service is a major selling point, and NordVPN has been verified by an independent Price Waterhouse Cooper audit which satisfied their claims of absolutely no logging.

ExpressVPN, on the other hand, logs a very minimal amount – just the date of connection and the choice of server. That information alone doesn’t put the user at risk in any way, and as no other data is stored.

Nord Double Vpn

In both cases, the logging policies are clear and easy to understand. It’s always a good sign when all relevant information is readily available, and we applaud both services on their commitment to transparency.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Performance

Now onto something that you’ll notice day-to-day. The performance of a VPN is crucial – if your connection is reduced to a crawl, there’s not much point in being connected at all.

From our 75Mb UK test line, ExpressVPN saw only a 5-6% reduction in speeds, while NordVPN fared slightly worse with reductions of 6-8%. Both very respectable figures, though.

On our 600Mb US test line, ExpressVPN averaged 200-250Mb, with a lowest figure of 157Mb. While NordVPN peaked at 300Mb, we experienced more fluctuation in connection speed, with it bottoming out at 125Mb.

When connecting to farther-flung servers both services did well, but also experienced some very slow connections. However, ExpressVPN again proved to be a little more reliable and just has its nose ahead in a footrace - you can head straight to Express's site to sign up.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Streaming

A major reason many might consider getting a VPN is to access geo-blocked streaming services. If that’s you, this is a crucial comparison in making your choice.

ExpressVPN explicitly states which websites it can unblock for you – a bold move as these services are constantly battling to restrict VPN access. Adobe illustrator cs2. However, ExpressVPN backs these claims up, unblocking every one of our tested Netflix servers, YouTube and the notoriously difficult BBC iPlayer.

NordVPN doesn’t explicitly claim to unblock any specific sites, although it does imply that it’ll give you access to ‘entertainment content’. That being said, it successfully unblocked every Netflix location we tried, and YouTube too.

However, iPlayer proved to be a stumbling block for Nord, and we had to resort to using the browser extension in tandem with the desktop client to unblock the BBC’s streaming service.

While both were (eventually) successful in unblocking everything we tried, ExpressVPN makes the process simpler. No wonder we tote it as the best Netflix VPN available.

ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: Torrents

If you regularly engage in unprotected torrenting activity, you’re exposing your IP address to everyone you’re sharing files with – and a VPN is the perfect safety solution.

Nordvpn Onion Over Vpn Missing