How Much Does a VPN Cost?

In general, VPN services are priced at around $10.00 if you decide to pay monthly. However, you can bring that price down to about $3.00 to $4.00/month if you can pay for a long-term plan from the get to. With that said, there are many different ways to answer the question of how much does a VPN cost - as VPNs tend to come with somewhat confusing pricing options.

So, let's talk about a typical cost associated with VPNs, giving you an idea of how much you can expect to spend monthly or yearly. And of course, we'll reveal some tips on how to save money. Let's jump in, shall we?

How Much Does a VPN Cost per Month? 

A reputable VPN costs from around $10.00 to $13.00 per month. That means that you’ll be charged that amount every single month for as long as you remain a subscriber. 

To give you a clearer idea of how much you’ll need to pay, let’s talk about the best VPN services available today (based on our hands-on testing, of course). The following table reveals the names of those VPN services and their standard monthly prices. 

Paying $10-$13/month might sound like a lot. However, let’s not forget that the primary use of a VPN is to protect and safeguard your digital privacy. With that said, make sure to spend your money wisely on a VPN that will treat your privacy with respect. 

How Much Does a VPN Cost per Year?

If you decide to pay per year, a reputable VPN will cost around $40.00 to $90.00. In other words, that price comes down to $3.50 to $6.50 per month. 

Still, it’s worth noting that not all VPNs offer annual plans. Due to today’s overcrowded VPN market and as a way to stay competitive, many of them provide 2-year plans instead (for the price of their "old" 1-year plans). That means that you can expect massive savings across the board. 

As you can see above, there’s no apparent order here. Today’s VPNs bring very similar prices for their 1-year and 2-year plans. That gives you a lot of freedom regarding how to spend your money, as with a little bit of research, you can get a long-term VPN subscription at a low cost. 

What’s the Best Way to Save Money on a VPN? 

The best way to save money on a VPN is to get a long-term subscription plan. Yes, that might sound like odd advice, but that’s how you can reach truly massive savings. 

As explained above, paying monthly for a VPN is the least affordable way to go. Even though you won’t have to pay anything upfront, you’ll be spending a lot of money every single month. So, if you can pay upfront and get a long-term subscription, you’ll save quite a lot during the next year or two (depending on the duration of your subscription). 

To illustrate the previous two paragraphs and show you how much you can save on a VPN, we’ve created the table you’ll find just below. So, make sure to check it out. 

As a way to ensure that you’re spending your money wisely, you can get a trial account. Still, don’t forget that VPNs typically offer limited trials – available on mobile devices. So, they don’t paint a complete picture, but they can be a valuable tool to ensure you’re not wasting your money. 

Before you dive deeper, make sure to understand the difference between free, paid, and free trial VPNs. Then, check out the best 100% free VPN trials (no credit card needed). If you don’t mind providing your payment information, check out these VPN trials as well. 

What’s the Cheapest VPN Currently Available? 

Among the cheapest VPNs right now, you’ll find Ivacy VPN, VyprVPN, and Private Internet Access – all of which are reputable and highly recommended VPN services. 

When it comes to Ivacy VPN, you can get its 5-year plan for $60.00. In that sense, this VPN's monthly price will be $0.99/month, which is perhaps the lowest you can pay for a commercial VPN service. 

Then, VyprVPN offers a range of plans that add extra time to your subscription (for the first billing period). That’s how you can get VyprVPN’s 3-year plan for $65.00, which means its price comes down to $1.81/month. 

And lastly, we recommend considering Private Internet Access and its 3-year plan, where you’ll receive 3 extra months on top. You’ll need to pay $79.00 for that plan, which means that its price comes down to only $2.03/month.

Which VPN Is Free of Cost?

There's a number of free-of-charge VPNs out there, where some of the most popular ones right now are ProtonVPN, Windscribe, Speedify, TunnelBear, and more. 

However, we feel obliged to recommend avoiding free VPNs since the majority of those aren’t safe to use. They're designed to collect your sensitive data and track your online whereabouts, often selling that data to the highest bidder. You can learn more about that in our guide explaining why free VPNs aren’t safe. 

If you decide to go that route, make sure to consult our guide on the best free VPNs. However, don’t forget that the most affordable commercial VPNs start at $1.00-$2.00/month, as explained in this article. So, review your options well before you proceed. 

That would be all on how much does a VPN cost. If you have any questions for us, let us know via the comments section below. And lastly, thanks for reading!