What will your VPN really cost?
What your VPN subscription will actually cost
The introductory price only lasts as long as the commitment. The real figure is the one after.
Introductory prices recorded during our tests: Proton VPN €2.99, NordVPN €2.87, Surfshark €1.99, CyberGhost €1.75, ExpressVPN €2.39. We only sourced the renewal rate for NordVPN and ExpressVPN: for the others, look it up in the terms before subscribing, since it is precisely the figure nobody advertises.
Every VPN comparison ranks on the headline price. It is the only figure providers advertise, and it stops being true after twenty-four months. Over the real life of a subscription the ranking regularly flips, and this tool exists to show you that before you pay.
Why the ranking flips
| NordVPN | ExpressVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Headline price, 24-month term | €2.87 | €2.39 |
| Monthly outside the promotion | €5.99 | €12.95 |
| Which looks cheaper | — | ExpressVPN |
| Which actually is, over 3 years | NordVPN | — |
ExpressVPN shows the lower entry price of the two and the highest out-of-promotion monthly in our whole comparison. That is exactly what the calculator makes visible. Our NordVPN vs ExpressVPN head-to-head covers the rest.
Three habits before subscribing
- Look for the renewal rate, not the advertised price. It lives in the terms, never on the button.
- Check the commitment length. €1.75 over 27 months and €2.39 over 24 months are not directly comparable.
- Remember renewal is automatic. It fires at full price without warning, and that is the industry’s model, not one provider’s trick.
The refund guarantee changes the calculation
All five services in our selection refund within 30 days, which lets you decide for yourself rather than trusting any comparison, ours included. It does not change the three-year cost, though: it protects you from the wrong choice, not from the renewal rate.
Choosing on real cost
Once you have the figure, our best VPNs of 2026 gives the ranking from our own testing, and our guide on how to choose a VPN walks through the criteria in order.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find the renewal rate?
In the terms and conditions, under renewal, and sometimes only in the order summary before payment. It never appears on the buy button. If you cannot find it, email support before subscribing: a written answer is binding.
Why are headline prices so low?
Because they assume a long commitment, often twenty-four or twenty-seven months paid upfront in one go. The monthly figure shown is not what you pay each month, it is the total divided by the term. The calculator works on the same basis, which makes offers comparable.
Is the cheapest the best choice?
No, and that is the other half of the question. Our comparison also scores speed, logging policy, jurisdiction and streaming access. Real cost is there to rule out false bargains, not to decide on its own.