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The real cost of a VPN over three years
What a VPN costs over 36 months when the cheap initial term ends: a calculation from each provider's own stated prices, with the assumptions explained.
Key points
- The advertised monthly price applies to the initial term. After it, the plan renews at the stated renewal price.
- Over three years, the average monthly cost can be much higher than the advertised price, depending on how long the initial term is and how much the price rises.
- The table below calculates 36 months for each provider’s cheapest plan, from its own pricing page.
How the calculation works
- Take the plan with the lowest monthly price in the initial term, as the pricing page states it.
- Count the months the initial term covers, including bonus months.
- For the rest of the 36 months, use the renewal price per month the page states.
- Add both parts and divide by 36 for the average per month.
This is a calculation, not a quote. It uses the prices stated on the providers’ pricing pages for the country shown on each provider page. Taxes depend on the page; some show prices without tax. Currencies differ by provider and cannot be compared directly. Plans without a stated renewal price are not included.
Three years, calculated
| Provider | Plan | Initial term per month | Afterwards per month | 3 years | Average per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Surfshark | Surfshark One, 24 months + 3 months | $2.49 | $8.25 | $141 | $3.93 |
 NordVPN | NordVPN Basic, 24 months | €3.89 | €11.59 | €232 | €6.46 |
 Proton VPN | Proton VPN Plus, 24 months | $3.49 | $6.99 | $168 | $4.66 |
 Private Internet Access | PIA VPN, 36 months + 3 months | $2.03 | $2.19 | $73 | $2.03 |
 hide.me | hide.me Premium, 24 months + 2 months | $2.69 | $2.69 | $97 | $2.69 |
 Windscribe | Windscribe Pro, 12 months | $5.75 | $5.75 | $207 | $5.75 |
Why the gap can be large
A long initial term, such as two years plus bonus months, hides the renewal price for a long time. Then the plan renews, often for one year at a time, at a much higher monthly price. The largest monthly rise in this archive is 274 %.
| NordVPN | 274 % | |
|---|---|---|
| Surfshark | 231 % | |
| Proton VPN | 100 % | |
| Private Internet Access | 8 % | |
| hide.me | 0 % | |
| Windscribe | 0 % |
How to pay less
- Compare the renewal price, not only the advertised one. The price comparison lists both.
- Turn off automatic renewal before the initial term ends if you do not want the higher price, and decide again then.
- Filter for stable prices: the VPN finder has the option “the price does not increase after the initial term”.
Next step
Read Audits and no-logs claims: what you pay for when a provider promises not to keep logs.
The figures in this guide come from the archive and change with every data update. As of October 17, 2026.
Check it with the archive's data
- Free VPN or paid? VPN prices compared
- VPN finder: which VPN is best for you?
- VPN comparison: compare VPN providers side by side
Read next: Audits and no-logs claims: what they can and cannot proveAll guides