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VPN price comparison: initial term and renewal
21 offers from 6 providers state a price for the period after the initial term. The largest monthly increase is 231 %: Surfshark, Surfshark One, 24 months, requested from the United States on November 1, 2026.1
Free plans (Proton VPN, Windscribe, and hide.me) are compared on a page of their own: Free VPN plans compared
Monthly prices: initial term and afterward
- Initial term per month
- Afterwards per month
| Provider | Plan | Initial term | Requested from | Initial term per month | Afterwards per month | Change | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Surfshark | Surfshark One | 24 months + 3 months |  United StatesNov 1, 2026 | $2.49 | $8.25 | +231 % | |
 NordVPN | NordVPN Complete | 12 months | United States Oct 21, 2026 | $6.49 | $18.29 | +182 % | |
| Surfshark | Surfshark One | 12 months + 3 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $2.99 | $8.25 | +176 % | |
| Surfshark | Surfshark Starter | 24 months + 3 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $2.49 | $6.58 | +164 % | |
| NordVPN | NordVPN Prime | 12 months | United States Oct 21, 2026 | $9.49 | $24.69 | +160 % | |
| Surfshark | Surfshark One+ | 24 months + 3 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $3.99 | $9.92 | +149 % | |
| Surfshark | Surfshark Starter | 12 months + 3 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $2.99 | $6.58 | +120 % | |
| NordVPN | NordVPN Basic | 12 months | United States Oct 21, 2026 | $5.49 | $11.59 | +111 % | |
 Proton VPN | Proton VPN Plus | 24 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $3.49 | $6.99 | +100 % | |
| Surfshark | Surfshark One+ | 12 months + 3 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $6.99 | $9.92 | +42 % | |
 Private Internet Access | PIA VPN | 36 months + 3 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $2.03 | $2.19 | +8 % | |
 hide.me | hide.me Premium | 12 months + 2 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | £3.93 | £3.93 | 0 % | |
| hide.me | hide.me Premium | 1 month | United States Nov 1, 2026 | £11.99 | £11.99 | 0 % | |
| hide.me | hide.me Premium | 24 months + 4 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | £2.50 | £2.50 | 0 % | |
| Private Internet Access | PIA VPN | 12 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $3.99 | $3.99 | 0 % | |
| Private Internet Access | PIA VPN | 1 month | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $11.95 | $11.95 | 0 % | |
| Surfshark | Surfshark One | 1 month | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $19.95 | $19.95 | 0 % | |
| Surfshark | Surfshark One+ | 1 month | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $22.85 | $22.85 | 0 % | |
| Surfshark | Surfshark Starter | 1 month | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $18.95 | $18.95 | 0 % | |
 Windscribe | Windscribe Pro | 12 months | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $5.75 | $5.75 | 0 % | |
| Windscribe | Windscribe Pro | 1 month | United States Nov 1, 2026 | $9.00 | $9.00 | 0 % |
Pricing pages that do not state a price after the initial term: 
AzireVPN, 
IVPN, 
Mullvad, 
OVPN.
No prices collected yet for: AirVPN, CyberGhost, ExpressVPN.
Money-back period and prices by provider
Pricing pages promise a refund if you cancel within a set number of days.1
| Provider | Money back | Lowest price per month | Per month after the initial term | Features stated by the provider2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | 30 days | $5.49 | $11.59 | ad and tracker blocker |
| Private Internet Access | 30 days | $2.03 | $2.19 | streaming, 10 Gbit/s servers |
| Surfshark | 30 days | $2.49 | $8.25 | free trial, ad and tracker blocker, 10 Gbit/s servers, multi-hop |
| IVPN | 30 days | $5.00 | not stated | ad and tracker blocker, multi-hop |
| Mullvad | 14 days | €5.00 | not stated | not recorded |
| OVPN | 10 days | $4.22 | not stated | streaming, ad and tracker blocker, multi-hop, port forwarding |
| AzireVPN | 7 days | €3.75 | not stated | port forwarding |
 ExpressVPN | not recorded | not collected | not collected | not recorded |
 CyberGhost | not recorded | not collected | not collected | not recorded |
 AirVPN | not recorded | not collected | not collected | not recorded |
A dash means the list does not contain this information, or that it has not yet been collected or measured. “Servers listed” also shows a dash where the list gives only one name per location or a changing sample. Neither is a number of servers. The lowest price is the lowest monthly price a provider states on its pricing page for the initial term of a full plan. Free plans and plans for single locations do not count. Prices are in each provider's own currency and, depending on the provider, with or without tax. The provider's page says which.
Questions about VPN prices
Which VPN is the cheapest?
Prices come in different currencies and depend on the country you buy from, so this page does not name one cheapest VPN. In US dollars, the lowest initial-term price is $2.03 per month (Private Internet Access). After the initial term, the lowest monthly price in US dollars is $2.19 (Private Internet Access).
Why does the price go up after the initial term?
Many providers advertise a low monthly price for a long initial term. When that term ends, the plan renews at a higher price. Offers in this archive that cost more per month after the initial term: 11 of the 21 that state a renewal price. The largest increase is 231 %.
How can you avoid the higher renewal price?
Look at the price after the initial term before you buy; the table above lists it. If you do not want to renew, check in your account whether the plan renews automatically. If it does, turn automatic renewal off before the initial term ends. The pricing pages of hide.me and Windscribe state no higher monthly price after the initial term.
How long do you have to get your money back?
6 of the 9 pricing pages here that name a refund period promise 30 days or more. You pay first and can ask for a refund within that time; the provider sets the conditions.
Find a VPN that fits youCompare VPN providersWhat a money-back guarantee means
Guides for this page
Level 0 · BasicsDo you need a VPN? Advantages and disadvantages
Level 0 · BasicsIs a free VPN safe? Free plans, trials, and refunds
Level 1 · First stepsHow much does a VPN cost per month? Prices explained
Level 4 · ExpertThe real cost of a VPN over three yearsAs of November 1, 2026.