Guide

Cheapest VPN in 2026: What a VPN Really Costs After the First Term

CyberGhost has the lowest three-year bill of the VPNs priced here that print a full renewal price: $113.88 for five devices. Proton and ExpressVPN cost more.

Louis CorneloupFounder, Dupple · Updated October 10, 2026 · 8 min read

CyberGhost has the lowest three-year bill of the VPNs on this page that print a full renewal price. Its 26-month plan bills $56.94, or $2.19 a month, with seven connections at once. For five devices over three years, one renewal brings the total to $113.88, or $3.16 a month. Proton VPN Plus costs $167.64 over the same period, and ExpressVPN Basic costs $183.67.

Toolradar data: Toolradar tracks 36 VPN tools as of October 10, 2026. This page prices five consumer VPNs, using only the figures each vendor prints on its own pricing page.

At a glance

VPN plan	Opening rate	Opening bill	Renewal price	Devices	Cost for 5 devices over 3 years
CyberGhost, 26-month plan	$2.19/mo	$56.94	$56.94 a year	7 connections	$113.88, or $3.16/mo
Proton VPN Plus, 24-month plan	$3.49/mo	$83.76	$83.88 a year	10 devices	$167.64, or $4.66/mo
ExpressVPN Basic, 28-month plan	$2.99/mo	$83.72	$99.95 a year	10 devices	$183.67, or $5.10/mo
Surfshark Starter, 27-month plan	$2.49/mo	$67.23	Not printed by Surfshark	Unlimited	Not calculated
Mullvad, flat monthly rate	€5/mo, no term	€5 a month	€5 a month, unchanged	5 devices	€180 over 36 months

The opening rate is the headline number. The renewal is what you pay for the years after it, and it decides the three-year total.

How the three-year bill is calculated

We counted every payment needed to keep one plan running for 36 months. CyberGhost bills $56.94 for its first 26 months, then renews for the next 12 at the same price, which totals $113.88. Divide that by 36 and you get $3.16 a month. Proton VPN Plus bills $83.76 for 24 months, then renews at $83.88 for 12 more, a total of $167.64, or $4.66 a month. ExpressVPN Basic bills $83.72 for 28 months, then renews at $99.95 for a full year, a total of $183.67, or $5.10 a month.

Each renewal runs for a full 12 months, which is how each vendor's page describes its renewal term. Mullvad bills by the month, so it has no opening term to separate from the rest of the bill. Its figure is the rate times 36.

The renewal is where the cheap plans get expensive

The first term carries the discount, and the renewal line is the rate you pay after it. CyberGhost's monthly rate more than doubles at renewal, from $2.19 to $4.75 a month, one twelfth of its annual renewal. Proton VPN Plus goes from $3.49 to $6.99 a month. ExpressVPN Basic makes the biggest jump of the three that print a full renewal price, from $2.99 to $8.33 a month, because its renewal is $99.95 a year.

Even after its jump, CyberGhost has the lowest renewal rate of the three plans that print a full renewal price. A buyer who plans to stay for three years should compare renewals first and opening rates second. If the VPN sits on a company card for that long, budget the renewal line from day one, because the invoice that arrives in year three repeats the renewal rate, not the opening one.

Surfshark and Mullvad stay out of the dollar totals

Surfshark Starter has the second-lowest opening rate, $2.49 a month, billed as $67.23 for 27 months, and it allows unlimited devices. Surfshark's pricing page says the plan renews at the applicable renewal price but never prints that figure. Any three-year total for Surfshark would rest on a number the vendor does not show. The struck-through price for the same 27 months is $444.15, which works out to $16.45 a month before the discount.

Mullvad prices in euros. It charges €5 a month on every term, gives no discount for committing longer, and says its rate has not changed since 2009. Five devices are included. Over 36 months that comes to €180. Mullvad's pricing page also shows a dollar equivalent of $5.60, but that is a conversion rather than a dollar price list, so it stays out of the dollar figures above.

Monthly billing costs the most

Month-to-month is the most expensive way to buy either CyberGhost or Proton VPN Plus. CyberGhost's monthly plan is $12.99 a month, or $467.64 over 36 months. Proton VPN Plus monthly is $9.99 a month, or $359.64 over the same period. ExpressVPN's pricing page lists no monthly plan, only its 28-month term, so there is no monthly figure to compare.

The free plan costs nothing and covers one device

Proton VPN Free costs $0. Its FAQ says there is no data cap and no artificial speed limit, but the plan covers one device at a time, runs at medium speed and picks from 10 countries at random. That is enough for one phone on public Wi-Fi. Five devices need a paid plan. Our free VPN list covers the other free tiers, and Android users have a separate guide. If you only need a browser proxy, our VPN Chrome extensions guide covers that narrower use, and it does not change the device math above.

What the cheapest plan leaves out

CyberGhost's cheapest term covers seven connections, two more than five devices, and carries a 45-day money-back guarantee on the 26-month plan. Proton VPN Plus covers 10 devices and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN Basic covers 10 devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users, and its Advanced and Pro tiers raise the count to 12 and 14. Surfshark allows unlimited devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee on Starter.

If seats and admin controls matter more than the personal bill, read our small business VPN guide and the NordLayer review. For brand detail, start with the Surfshark review, the ExpressVPN review, the Proton VPN review and the NordVPN review. Toolradar also keeps profiles of Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN and Mullvad.

What to check before you pay

Renewal date and price. The second invoice decides the three-year total, so note its date before you check out.
Sales tax and VAT. ExpressVPN says sales tax applies at checkout where it is due, and Surfshark says VAT may apply. Our figures are the prices shown before any tax.
Labelled discounts. ExpressVPN labels its opening discount as a limited-time offer, so the rate you see later may differ.
Devices. Count the laptops, phones and tablets that connect at the same time, not the people in the house.

Which plan fits which buyer

The cheapest total fits a buyer who will stay three years and can live with seven connections. On these numbers that is CyberGhost, as long as the renewal stays in the budget. A household or small team that connects 10 devices at once gets more headroom from Proton VPN Plus, which covers 10 devices and totals $167.64 over the same three years. ExpressVPN Basic also covers 10 devices, at a higher total, so its case rests on factors this page does not price.

Surfshark is the only plan here with unlimited devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee, but without a printed renewal price you cannot budget it past 27 months. A buyer who wants no renewal surprise pays €180 over 36 months for Mullvad and gets five devices, with the same rate on every invoice. Pick the plan whose renewal line you can defend in year three, not the one with the lowest number in the headline.

How we priced this

We read the prices on each vendor's own pricing page on October 10, 2026, in dollars or euros, along with the renewal prices printed on that page. The scenario is five devices for 36 months on the cheapest term each vendor offers, with renewals counted as full years. Monthly equivalents are the total divided by 36, rounded to the cent. This is a set of five VPNs chosen for dollar or euro prices confirmed today, not a full market list. The page compares what vendors charge. It does not measure app speed, privacy audits or streaming, and Dupple has not run these apps.

Cite this: Cyberpresso, "Cheapest VPN in 2026: What a VPN Really Costs After the First Term", October 2026.

FAQ

What is the cheapest VPN in 2026?

CyberGhost, on its 26-month plan. Over three years for five devices, including one renewal, it totals $113.88, which is $3.16 a month. Of the three VPNs on this page that print a full renewal price, it has the lowest three-year total.

How much does a VPN cost per month?

On multi-year plans in this set, the opening rate runs from $2.19 to $3.49 a month. Monthly plans run from $9.99 to $12.99 where the vendor offers them. After renewal the rate is $4.75 a month for CyberGhost, $6.99 for Proton VPN Plus and $8.33 for ExpressVPN Basic.

Is there a free VPN that covers five devices?

Not among the vendors priced here. Proton VPN Free costs $0 with no data cap, but it covers one device at a time, so five devices need a paid plan.

Why does a VPN cost more after the first term?

The opening term is priced below the renewal rate, so the first invoice understates the three-year cost. In this set, the monthly rate at renewal is about double the opening rate for CyberGhost and Proton VPN Plus, and close to three times for ExpressVPN Basic.

Does the cheapest VPN have a money-back guarantee?

CyberGhost offers 45 days on its 26-month plan. Proton VPN Plus and Surfshark Starter each list 30 days, and ExpressVPN Basic lists 30 days for new users. Mullvad's page lists a 14-day money-back guarantee.