How much does a VPN cost? How can you save money?
6 min read
With hacking and scamming on the rise, it’s worth investing in your online privacy with a reliable VPN service. The question is – how much should you invest? In our blog post, we’ll walk you through the main factors that contribute to VPN prices and share tips on how to save money on a VPN subscription.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
How much is a VPN?
The prices for using a virtual private network range from $2.19 to $17.99* a month, with some providers offering their services for free. The price varies depending on the VPN provider and the subscription period – the longer the subscription, the lower the price.
Most VPN providers offer monthly, one-year, and two-year plans. If you don’t want to commit to a lengthy subscription or need temporary VPN protection, you’ll find one-month plans that cost from a little under $10 to $17.95.
If you’re ready to commit to a one-year plan, the price per month will drop to $2.49–5.99. Several VPN providers offer six-month plans for around $7.
And if you’re willing to protect your internet traffic with a two-year plan, you’ll enjoy a monthly subscription price of $2.03–5.69, depending on the provider and the special VPN deal on offer. But why are the VPN prices so different?
* These price ranges are based on our review of the top ten VPN services, but keep in mind that the VPN market is highly competitive and the prices might change.
What factors affect VPN price
Factors that contribute to VPN pricing range from the VPN subscription period to its server infrastructure and special features. You should take them all into account when deciding how much to spend on a VPN.
VPN subscription plans and pricing model
One of the main factors that determine the VPN price is the length of the subscription. If you opt for the longest subscription period, which is usually two years, your average monthly cost for a VPN connection might drop by up to 70% compared to a monthly subscription price. Plus, to secure long-term subscribers, providers regularly offer special VPN deals that significantly lower the price.
Server infrastructure
Another key pricing factor is the extent of the VPN’s server network – the number of VPN servers and server locations. Operating a vast server network requires financial resources, so VPNs with a well-maintained and wide server network usually cost more.
Features and services
In addition to standard VPN benefits, like hiding your original IP, preventing bandwidth throttling by your internet service provider, or browsing home content from abroad, the best VPN services offer extra security features and services. These features raise the VPN price by a little but improve your online security by a lot.
Extra services might include a VPN with a dedicated IP, features for safe file sharing, like NordVPN’s Meshnet, or advanced tools for web protection and vulnerability detection, such as Threat Protection Pro. Some providers offer split tunneling for a faster browsing experience and a double VPN for extra protection.
A cheap VPN provider will typically offer you the basics – encryption for your internet traffic, a hidden IP address, and a kill switch that disconnects you from the internet if your VPN connection drops. However, cheap or free VPNs won’t provide the comprehensive security package that premium VPNs do.
Security level
The main reason for subscribing to a VPN service is online security which revolves around data encryption. But how do you know which VPN is secure? The easiest way to evaluate VPN security is to check what VPN protocol the provider uses to encrypt your traffic.
The most common VPN protocols are OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPsec. Since advanced protocols typically require a more sophisticated infrastructure and continuous development to guarantee robust VPN encryption, the price for VPNs that use them might be higher.
Performance and speed
The best VPNs compete to provide the fastest, uninterrupted connections for their users. They invest in encryption innovations and server network development, which, naturally, drives up the VPN cost.
As the fastest VPN on the market, NordVPN uses the innovative NordLynx protocol, built around the WireGuard protocol, characterized by lightning-fast internet connection speeds and top-notch security.
Simultaneous connections
As the number of allowed simultaneous connections increases, the VPN provider’s infrastructure and resource expenses also increase. The management of this extra load typically leads to higher prices.
Most providers offer a VPN for multiple devices: for example, NordVPN lets you connect a total of 10 devices with one account. Yet some providers allow unlimited simultaneous connections, which is a significant factor in their VPN’s pricing.
How can you save money on a VPN?
Even though online privacy solutions have their price, you can be smart about it and avoid overpaying. Visit the provider’s website and look if there are any deals, discounts, or coupon codes available to fetch you a better price.
Deals
One of the easiest ways to save money on a VPN is to seize special VPN deals that providers present more often than you might think. They announce special deals and discounts on Christmas, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, during Cybersecurity Month, and the anniversaries of their services. So make sure to check out their website on these occasions.
Annual subscriptions
Buying an annual subscription is usually a better deal because the monthly cost drops by over half for one-year and two-year plans. But keep in mind that with annual plans providers usually charge you the whole amount upon subscription. The amount might seem like a lot to spend in one go, but it also saves you the hassle of issuing a payment every month.
VPN coupons
Some VPN providers sweeten the deal by offering VPN coupons. Visit their official website to look for a coupon code and snatch your desired plan with a better price.
Influencer discounts
You’ve probably seen some influencers promoting their favorite VPN or even noticed a VPN logo when they’re sharing their screen. Well, you can usually profit from these promotions. For example, NordVPN is partnering with PewDiePie, so go ahead and seize that PewDiePie deal – it will earn you a discount and add several extra months to your subscription.
Student and employee discounts
Some VPN providers offer discounts to certain groups of people or specific professionals. If you are a student, graduate, healthcare practitioner, teacher, first responder, or work in the military, you might be eligible for a student or employee discount. All you have to do to receive the deal is verify your status on the provider’s website.
Is there an absolutely free VPN?
You can easily find free VPNs online, but we recommend staying clear of them. Why? Because they will still cost you something, even if it’s not your money. Free VPNs are infamous for tracking and selling your browsing data, flooding you with ads, and bombarding you with annoying messages about upgrading to a paid plan.
With less or no money coming from users, some free VPNs lack the funds to provide strong security and privacy for their customers, which altogether defies the purpose of a VPN. For more on free services, check out our blog post on free VPNs vs. paid VPNs.
Instead of trying to improve your online security for free, better look out for special deals from premium providers. Besides, you can shop around and choose the best VPN for you without putting your money on the line. For instance, NordVPN is a risk free VPN – you can ask for your money back within the first month of your subscription if you don’t find it a good fit. But chances are you’ll find it just right.