Private Internet Access is the best price VPN for most readers, at $2.19 a month on its 2-year plan, because its renewal stays at $56.94 a year, the lowest renewal in this list. Surfshark is the best pick for a household with many devices, at $2.49 a month on its 2-year Starter plan, with no device limit. Proton VPN is the only pick here with a real free plan, at $0 with no data cap, for 1 device and servers in 10 countries.
The cheapest headline price is rarely the cheapest deal over 3 years. Most VPNs sell a low first term rate, then renew at a higher annual rate, so this list compares both numbers. Every price below comes from the official pricing page, opened on 2026-11-12.
On this page
Best price vpn: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Private Internet Access | Lowest long term cost | $2.19 per month | Free trial (7 days) | Visit |
| 2 | CyberGhost | Long money-back window | $2.19 per month | Free trial (24 hours) | Visit |
| 3 | IPVanish | Unlimited devices at a low headline price | $2.19 per month | No | Visit |
| 4 | Surfshark | Large households | $2.49 per month | Free trial (7 days) | Visit |
| 5 | ExpressVPN | Wide server network with tiered extras | $2.99 per month | Free trial (7 days) | Visit |
| 6 | Proton VPN | A real free plan | $2.99 per month | Yes | Visit |
| 7 | NordVPN | Threat protection bundle | $3.49 per month | Free trial (7 days) | Visit |
| 8 | Mullvad | Flat pricing with no renewal jump | €5 per month | No | Visit |
The 8 best best price vpns, in detail
Private Internet Access
Best for: Lowest long term cost
Private Internet Access sells three plan lengths, and the 2-year plan is the one that sets it apart. It costs $2.19 a month, billed as $56.94 for 26 months, and it renews at $56.94 a year, which works out at $4.75 a month. That renewal is lower than every other renewal in this list.
- The monthly plan costs $11.95 a month.
- One subscription covers unlimited devices at the same time, and the network covers servers in 113 countries.
- The service includes a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscribers, and a 7-day free trial is available through the mobile apps.
- Choose it if you want the lowest cost over several years with many devices.
Pros
- Unlimited devices on one subscription
- renewal stays at $56.94 a year
- servers in 113 countries
Cons
- No free plan, only a 7-day trial through mobile apps
- monthly plan costs $11.95 a month
CyberGhost
Best for: Long money-back window
CyberGhost sells one feature set across three plan lengths. The 2-year plan costs $2.19 a month, billed as $61.32 for the first 28 months, and it then renews at $61.32 a year. The 6-month plan costs $6.99 a month, billed as $41.94, and the monthly plan costs $12.99 a month.
- The 45-day money-back guarantee on the longer plans is the longest in this list, while the monthly plan gets only 14 days.
- Every plan covers 7 devices at once, with servers in more than 100 countries, unlimited bandwidth, a kill switch, and split tunnelling.
- Choose CyberGhost if you want a long refund window and a renewal that matches the first term total.
- Skip it if you need more than 7 devices, since Surfshark, Private Internet Access, and IPVanish have no device cap.
Pros
- 45-day money-back guarantee on 6-month and 2-year plans
- renewal stays at $61.32 a year
- 9,400 plus servers
Cons
- 7 device limit on every plan
- monthly plan costs $12.99 a month with only a 14-day refund window
IPVanish
Best for: Unlimited devices at a low headline price
IPVanish Essential costs $2.19 a month on the 2-year plan, billed as $52.56 for the first 2 years, the lowest upfront total in this list. The 1-year plan costs $3.89 a month, billed as $46.68, and the monthly plan costs $14.99 a month. After the first term, the long plans renew at $99.99 a year.
- The 30-day money-back guarantee covers the 1-year and 2-year plans bought on the website, but not monthly plans.
- Every plan allows unlimited devices, and Essential includes Threat Protection, live chat support, and 3GB of eSIM data for travel.
- Choose IPVanish if you want unlimited devices for the lowest upfront total and you plan to review the renewal before it starts.
- Skip it if you want a free plan or a trial, since IPVanish offers neither, and the renewal jump is one of the largest here.
Pros
- Unlimited devices on every plan
- Essential includes 3GB of eSIM data
- Threat Protection included
Cons
- Essential renews at $99.99 a year, almost double the first term total
- monthly plan costs $14.99 a month with no money-back guarantee
Surfshark
Best for: Large households
Surfshark sells three tiers, Starter, One, and One+, and the VPN inside each tier is the same. Starter costs $2.49 a month on the 2-year plan, billed as $67.23 for 27 months, and it renews at $79 a year. One adds antivirus, breach alerts, and a search tool, while One+ adds the Incogni data removal service.
- The monthly term costs far more per month than the 2-year term, so the long plan is the one that fits a low budget.
- Every plan covers unlimited devices, so one subscription can protect a whole household.
- The network lists 4,500 plus servers in 100 countries, and all plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- A 7-day free trial is available, limited to 3 devices during the trial.
Pros
- Unlimited devices on every plan
- Starter renews at $79 a year
- 4,500 plus servers in 100 countries
Cons
- No free plan, only a 7-day trial
- long plans renew annually at the standard rate after the first term
ExpressVPN
Best for: Wide server network with tiered extras
ExpressVPN sells three tiers, Basic, Advanced, and Express Pro, and all three share the same VPN network in 113 countries. Basic costs $2.99 a month on the 2-year plan with 4 extra months, billed as $83.72 for the first 28 months, and it renews at $99.95 a year. Advanced costs $4.49 a month, billed as $125.72, and Express Pro costs $7.49 a month, billed as $209.72.
- The monthly plans cost far more per month, so the 2-year term is the low cost route.
- Basic covers 10 devices, Advanced covers 12, and Express Pro covers 14, and the higher tiers add a password manager, identity monitoring, and more AI
- A 7-day free trial is available, and new users get a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Choose ExpressVPN if you want a wide network and tiered extras.
Pros
- Servers in 113 countries
- Basic covers 10 devices
- 30-day money-back guarantee for new users
Cons
- Basic renews at $99.95 a year
- dedicated IP is an add-on on Basic and Advanced, included only on Express Pro
Proton VPN
Best for: A real free plan
Proton VPN is the only provider in this list with a free plan you can keep. Proton Free costs $0, needs no card to start, and has no data cap, but it covers 1 device at a time, runs at medium speed, and connects to servers in 10 countries chosen at random, with no server choice. VPN Plus is the full service, with 10 devices, 20,000 plus servers in 140 plus countries, streaming, P2P, NetShield ad blocking, and Secure Core.
- It costs $2.99 a month on the 2-year plan, billed as $71.76 for the first 24 months, and $9.99 a month on the monthly plan.
- Both long plans renew at $83.88 a year.
- All plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Choose Proton VPN if you want to start free and only move to a subscription plan when you need server choice, streaming, or more devices.
Pros
- Free plan at $0 with no data cap
- VPN Plus covers 10 devices
- 20,000 plus servers in 140 plus countries
Cons
- Free plan covers 1 device, 10 countries, and medium speed with no server choice
- VPN Plus monthly plan costs $9.99 a month
NordVPN
Best for: Threat protection bundle
NordVPN sells three tiers, Basic, Complete, and Prime. Basic costs $3.49 a month on the 2-year plan, billed as $94.23 for the first 27 months, and it renews at $139.08 a year. Complete costs $3.99 a month, billed as $107.73, and Prime costs $6.99 a month, billed as $188.73.
- The 1-year Basic plan costs $4.99 a month, billed as $74.85 for the first 15 months, and the monthly Basic plan costs $14.99 a month.
- Basic includes the VPN on 10 devices, scam and phishing protection, and Dark Web Monitor for up to 5 emails.
- Complete adds an ad and tracker blocker, anti-malware, a password manager, and 1TB of encrypted cloud storage.
- Prime adds identity theft insurance of up to $1,000,000 and cyber extortion insurance of up to $100,000.
Pros
- 10 devices on every plan
- Dark Web Monitor on Basic
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Full antivirus is only in Complete and Prime, not Basic
- Basic renews at $139.08 a year, the highest renewal here
Mullvad
Best for: Flat pricing with no renewal jump
Mullvad charges one flat price, €5 a month, whether you buy 1 month, 1 year, or 1 decade, and the official pricing page states that the price has not changed since the service launched in 2009. The page lists €5 as equal to $5.54, and accepted crypto gets a 10 percent discount, which works out at €4.50 a month. There are no sales, no first term discount, and no renewal jump, so the price you see is the price you keep paying.
- One account covers up to 5 devices, and the service offers a 14-day money-back guarantee, except for cash payments.
- The account uses a generated number instead of an email address.
- Choose Mullvad if you want a simple price that never rises.
- Skip it if you need more than 5 devices or a free plan, since Surfshark covers unlimited devices and Proton VPN has a free plan.
Pros
- Same €5 a month for any term, with no renewal rise
- 10 percent discount when you pay with crypto
- no email address needed for an account
Cons
- 5 device limit
- no free plan and no long term discount
- no port forwarding
How we chose
We chose providers with an official pricing page that lists a consumer VPN plan, a published money-back guarantee, and a stated device limit. Prices and plan limits come from official vendor pricing pages opened on 2026-11-12, and each price is cited in Sources. We did not test any VPN hands-on. We ranked by first term price and renewal price, because the renewal decides the long term cost. The unique angle in this list is the renewal gap: three providers start at $2.19 a month, yet their renewals range from $56.94 to $99.99 a year.
Pick by budget and renewal cost
| Situation | Pick | First term | Renewal per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest total cost over 3 years | Private Internet Access | $2.19 a month, $56.94 for 26 months | $56.94 |
| Lowest upfront total | IPVanish Essential | $2.19 a month, $52.56 for 2 years | $99.99 |
| Longest refund window | CyberGhost | $2.19 a month, $61.32 for 28 months | $61.32 |
| Many devices, one subscription | Surfshark Starter | $2.49 a month, $67.23 for 27 months | $79 |
| No cost to start | Proton VPN Free | $0 | $0 |
| No renewal jump at all | Mullvad | €5 a month, flat | €5 a month, flat |
| Widest tier choice | ExpressVPN Basic | $2.99 a month, $83.72 for 28 months | $99.95 |
| Threat protection bundle | NordVPN Basic | $3.49 a month, $94.23 for 27 months | $139.08 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest VPN per month?
Three providers start at $2.19 a month: Private Internet Access at $56.94 for 26 months, CyberGhost at $61.32 for 28 months, and IPVanish Essential at $52.56 for the first 2 years. Private Internet Access is the cheapest over time, because it renews at $56.94 a year, while CyberGhost renews at $61.32 a year and IPVanish renews at $99.99 a year.
Which VPN is best for a family with many devices?
Surfshark is the best pick for a large household, because every plan covers unlimited devices for $2.49 a month on the 2-year Starter plan, billed as $67.23 for 27 months. Private Internet Access and IPVanish also have no device cap, at $2.19 a month, so either one works if you want the lowest headline price instead.
Is there a good free VPN in this list?
Yes, Proton VPN Free is the only free plan here, at $0 with no data cap. It covers 1 device at a time, runs at medium speed, and connects to servers in 10 countries, with no server choice. Move to VPN Plus at $2.99 a month on the 2-year plan when you need 10 devices, server choice, streaming, or P2P.
Why do VPN prices rise after the first term?
Most providers sell the first term at a discount, then renew at a standard annual rate. NordVPN Basic rises from $94.23 for the first 27 months to $139.08 a year, and IPVanish Essential rises from $52.56 for the first 2 years to $99.99 a year. Mullvad is the exception, with a flat €5 a month and no renewal rise.
Sources
- https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/
- https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/buy-vpn-online
- https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/
- https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/buy
- https://www.ipvanish.com/
- https://www.ipvanish.com/pricing/
- https://surfshark.com/
- https://surfshark.com/pricing
- https://www.expressvpn.com/
- https://www.expressvpn.com/pricing
- https://protonvpn.com/
- https://protonvpn.com/pricing
- https://nordvpn.com/
- https://nordvpn.com/pricing
- https://mullvad.net/
- https://mullvad.net/en/pricing
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.