What does a VPN cost?

Paid plans start at €2.99 per month, introductory 2-year plan billed €80.73 for the first 27 months, renews at €139.08 a year for NordVPN (per month, introductory 2-year plan billed €80.73 for the first 27 months, renews at €139.08 a year), €2.49 per month, introductory, 28-month first term billed €69.72, renews at €79.95 a year for ExpressVPN (per month, introductory, 28-month first term billed €69.72, renews at €79.95 a year), €2.49 per month, introductory, first 27 months billed €67.23 (VAT may apply), renews at a higher renewal price for Surfshark (per month, introductory, first 27 months billed €67.23 (VAT may apply), renews at a higher renewal price), $2.99 per month, introductory, first 12 months billed $35.88, renews at $83.88 a year for Proton VPN (per month, introductory, first 12 months billed $35.88, renews at $83.88 a year), €1.80 per month, billed €72 per 40-month term, labelled a time-limited early access price for Private Internet Access (per month, billed €72 per 40-month term, labelled a time-limited early access price), €2.19 per month, billed €61.32 for the first 28 months for CyberGhost VPN (per month, billed €61.32 for the first 28 months), €5 per month, same rate for 1 month, 1 year or longer, VAT included for Mullvad VPN (per month, same rate for 1 month, 1 year or longer, VAT included), $1 per location per month, $3 minimum for Windscribe (per location per month, $3 minimum), $6 per user per month, starting price with Lite features, minimum 200 users for NordLayer (per user per month, starting price with Lite features, minimum 200 users), $5 per user per month as shown on the plan card (page notes yearly billing saves 15%), up to 100 users for Twingate (per user per month as shown on the plan card (page notes yearly billing saves 15%), up to 100 users), $14.99 per month, billed monthly for IPVanish (per month, billed monthly), $12.95 per month, billed monthly for PureVPN (per month, billed monthly), $3.33 per month, starting price on the longest prepaid term for TunnelBear (per month, starting price on the longest prepaid term). Prices are as shown on each pricing page when it was last read.

What is VPN pricing based on?

NordVPN and ExpressVPN and Surfshark and Private Internet Access and CyberGhost VPN and Mullvad VPN and Windscribe and IPVanish and PureVPN: flat per account. Proton VPN and NordLayer and Twingate and TunnelBear: per seat.

Which vpn services have a free plan?

Proton VPN, Windscribe, Twingate, TunnelBear list a free plan next to the paid tiers.

VPN services pricing

Consumer VPNs are sold almost entirely on long prepaid terms with steep first-term discounts that renew at higher prices. NordVPN Basic starts at €2.99 a month for 27 months and renews at €139.08 a year, ExpressVPN at €2.49 a month for a 28-month first term that renews at €79.95 a year, and Surfshark, CyberGhost, IPVanish and PureVPN sit near $2 to $2.50 on similar terms, while their monthly plans cost $12.95 to $17.99. Mullvad charges a flat €5 a month with no deals. Business VPN and zero trust tools price per user instead, from Twingate at $5 and TunnelBear Teams at $5.75 to NordLayer at $8 per user a month.

Exhibit 1

Private Internet Access is the cheapest way in at €1.80, against €5 for Mullvad VPN

Entry price of each product, € per month

Private Internet Access3 Years + 4 Months€1.80
CyberGhost VPN2 Years + 4 Months€2.19
ExpressVPNBasic€2.49
SurfsharkStarter€2.49
NordVPNBasic€2.99
Mullvad VPNMullvad VPN€5

VPN services compared

Current list prices as last read from each pricing page.

Product	Starts at	Top listed plan	Priced by	Free plan	History
NordVPN	€2.99 per month, introductory 2-year plan billed €80.73 for the first 27 months, renews at €139.08 a yearBasic, per month, introductory 2-year plan billed €80.73 for the first 27 months, renews at €139.08 a year	€5.99 per month, introductory 2-year plan billed €161.73 for the first 27 months, renews at €269.88 a yearUltra	Flat per account	No	read Nov 2026
ExpressVPN	€2.49 per month, introductory, 28-month first term billed €69.72, renews at €79.95 a yearBasic, per month, introductory, 28-month first term billed €69.72, renews at €79.95 a year	€6.49 per month, introductory, 28-month first term billed €181.72, renews at €179.95 a yearPro	Flat per account	No	read Nov 2026
Surfshark	€2.49 per month, introductory, first 27 months billed €67.23 (VAT may apply), renews at a higher renewal priceStarter, per month, introductory, first 27 months billed €67.23 (VAT may apply), renews at a higher renewal price	€3.99 per month, introductory, first 27 months billed €107.73, renews at a higher renewal priceOne+	Flat per account	No	read Nov 2026
Proton VPN	$2.99 per month, introductory, first 12 months billed $35.88, renews at $83.88 a yearVPN Plus, per month, introductory, first 12 months billed $35.88, renews at $83.88 a year	$9.99 per user per month, billed yearly, minimum 2 users, dedicated IPs extraVPN Professional (business)	Per seat	Yes	read Nov 2026
Private Internet Access	€1.80 per month, billed €72 per 40-month term, labelled a time-limited early access price3 Years + 4 Months, per month, billed €72 per 40-month term, labelled a time-limited early access price	€11.69 per month1 Month	Flat per account	No	read Nov 2026
CyberGhost VPN	€2.19 per month, billed €61.32 for the first 28 months2 Years + 4 Months, per month, billed €61.32 for the first 28 months	€11.99 per month1 Month	Flat per account	No	read Nov 2026
Mullvad VPN	€5 per month, same rate for 1 month, 1 year or longer, VAT includedMullvad VPN, per month, same rate for 1 month, 1 year or longer, VAT included	single paid plan	Flat per account	No	read Nov 2026
Windscribe	$1 per location per month, $3 minimumBuild A Plan, per location per month, $3 minimum	$9 per monthPro	Flat per account	Yes	read Nov 2026
NordLayer	$6 per user per month, starting price with Lite features, minimum 200 usersEnterprise, per user per month, starting price with Lite features, minimum 200 users	$14 per user per month, billed yearly ($18 monthly), minimum 5 users, dedicated server $40 a monthPremium	Per seat	No	read Nov 2026
Twingate	$5 per user per month as shown on the plan card (page notes yearly billing saves 15%), up to 100 usersTeams, per user per month as shown on the plan card (page notes yearly billing saves 15%), up to 100 users	$15 per month, up to 7 users, non-commercial useHome	Per seat	Yes	read Nov 2026
IPVanish	$14.99 per month, billed monthlyEssential, per month, billed monthly	$17.99 per month, billed monthly, adds 1 TB cloud storageAdvanced	Flat per account	No	read Nov 2026
PureVPN	$12.95 per month, billed monthlyStandard, per month, billed monthly	$19.95 per month, billed monthlyMax	Flat per account	No	read Nov 2026
TunnelBear	$3.33 per month, starting price on the longest prepaid termUnlimited, per month, starting price on the longest prepaid term	$5.75 per user per month, 2+ usersTeams	Per seat	Yes	read Nov 2026

VPN services pricing questions

What does a VPN cost?: Paid plans start at €2.99 per month, introductory 2-year plan billed €80.73 for the first 27 months, renews at €139.08 a year for NordVPN (per month, introductory 2-year plan billed €80.73 for the first 27 months, renews at €139.08 a year), €2.49 per month, introductory, 28-month first term billed €69.72, renews at €79.95 a year for ExpressVPN (per month, introductory, 28-month first term billed €69.72, renews at €79.95 a year), €2.49 per month, introductory, first 27 months billed €67.23 (VAT may apply), renews at a higher renewal price for Surfshark (per month, introductory, first 27 months billed €67.23 (VAT may apply), renews at a higher renewal price), $2.99 per month, introductory, first 12 months billed $35.88, renews at $83.88 a year for Proton VPN (per month, introductory, first 12 months billed $35.88, renews at $83.88 a year), €1.80 per month, billed €72 per 40-month term, labelled a time-limited early access price for Private Internet Access (per month, billed €72 per 40-month term, labelled a time-limited early access price), €2.19 per month, billed €61.32 for the first 28 months for CyberGhost VPN (per month, billed €61.32 for the first 28 months), €5 per month, same rate for 1 month, 1 year or longer, VAT included for Mullvad VPN (per month, same rate for 1 month, 1 year or longer, VAT included), $1 per location per month, $3 minimum for Windscribe (per location per month, $3 minimum), $6 per user per month, starting price with Lite features, minimum 200 users for NordLayer (per user per month, starting price with Lite features, minimum 200 users), $5 per user per month as shown on the plan card (page notes yearly billing saves 15%), up to 100 users for Twingate (per user per month as shown on the plan card (page notes yearly billing saves 15%), up to 100 users), $14.99 per month, billed monthly for IPVanish (per month, billed monthly), $12.95 per month, billed monthly for PureVPN (per month, billed monthly), $3.33 per month, starting price on the longest prepaid term for TunnelBear (per month, starting price on the longest prepaid term). Prices are as shown on each pricing page when it was last read.
What is VPN pricing based on?: NordVPN and ExpressVPN and Surfshark and Private Internet Access and CyberGhost VPN and Mullvad VPN and Windscribe and IPVanish and PureVPN: flat per account. Proton VPN and NordLayer and Twingate and TunnelBear: per seat.
Which vpn services have a free plan?: Proton VPN, Windscribe, Twingate, TunnelBear list a free plan next to the paid tiers.