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The cheapest-looking VPN is often not the cheapest one to keep. Compare the amount charged today, divide it by every month included in the term (including bonus months), then calculate the separate annual renewal cost. For example, a two-year plan with four bonus months is a 28-month purchase, not a 24-month one. Taxes, VAT, currency, device limits and bundled tools can change the practical value, so compare plans using the same geography and billing assumptions.
What is the right way to compare VPN prices?
Use three figures for every plan: the total introductory charge, the effective monthly cost during that term, and the renewal charge after the promotion ends. Never treat a headline “per month” number as an installment amount unless the checkout explicitly says you are billed monthly.
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- Record the exact upfront charge. Include the currency, tax treatment and the number of service months.
- Count all service months. Add bonus months to the paid months.
- Calculate the introductory rate. Divide the upfront charge by the total service months.
- Record the renewal charge separately. Divide an annual renewal by 12 only to create a monthly-equivalent comparison.
- Compare coverage and features. Check simultaneous devices, platforms and the specific tools you will use.
- Check the refund window and auto-renewal terms. Put the renewal date on your calendar and cancel before it if you do not want another charge.
Prices below are figures shown on official plan pages in 2026. Promotions, country, taxes or VAT, currency conversion, account status and checkout timing can change the final amount. Verify the checkout total before paying.
What do the advertised plans really cost?
The tables separate the upfront commitment from the later renewal. Effective introductory monthly costs are calculated from the stated charge and every month of service.
#1 Best Overall
- 【Five Gigabit Ports】1 Gigabit WAN Port plus 2 Gigabit WAN/LAN Ports plus 2 Gigabit LAN Port. Up to 3 WAN ports optimize bandwidth usage through one device.
- 【One USB WAN Port】Mobile broadband via 4G/3G modem is supported for WAN backup by connecting to the USB port. For complete list of compatible 4G/3G modems, please visit TP-Link website.
- 【Abundant Security Features】Advanced firewall policies, DoS defense, IP/MAC/URL filtering, speed test and more security functions protect your network and data.
- 【Highly Secure VPN】Supports up to 20× LAN-to-LAN IPsec, 16× OpenVPN, 16× L2TP, and 16× PPTP VPN connections.
- Security - SPI Firewall, VPN Pass through, FTP/H.323/PPTP/SIP/IPsec ALG, DoS Defence, Ping of Death and Local Management. Standards and Protocols IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.1q
Introductory term and renewal comparison
| Provider and plan | Service included | Upfront charge | Effective introductory cost | Renewal charge | Monthly-equivalent renewal | Simultaneous devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN Basic | 27 months | $94.23 | $3.49/month | $139.08/year | $11.59/month | 10 |
| NordVPN Complete | 27 months | $121.23 | $4.49/month | $219.48/year | $18.29/month | 10 |
| NordVPN Prime | 27 months | $202.23 | $7.49/month | $296.28/year | $24.69/month | 10 |
| Proton VPN Plus | 24 months | $83.76 | $3.49/month | $83.88/year | $6.99/month | 10 |
| Proton Unlimited | 24 months | $191.76 | $7.99/month | $119.88/year | $9.99/month | not stated |
| Mullvad | One month, one year or a decade | €5 per month, including VAT | €5/month | €5/month | €5/month | Up to 5 |
| ExpressVPN Basic | 28 months (two years plus four months) | $83.72 | $2.99/month | $99.95/year | $8.33/month | 10 |
| ExpressVPN Advanced | 28 months | $125.72 | $4.49/month | $119.95/year | $10.00/month | 12 |
| ExpressVPN Pro | 28 months | $209.72 | $7.49/month | $199.95/year | $16.66/month | 14 |
These are not directly interchangeable currencies: the dollar figures cannot be ranked against Mullvad’s euro price without a current exchange rate and a stated tax assumption.
What the numbers mean after the first term
NordVPN Basic starts at an effective $3.49 per month but renews at $11.59 per month equivalent. Complete rises from $4.49 to $18.29, and Prime from $7.49 to $24.69. The tier that looks only a few dollars more expensive at checkout can therefore cost much more in the second year.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteProton VPN Plus has a $3.49 introductory rate and a renewal equivalent of $6.99, making the transition smaller than on the higher NordVPN tiers. Proton Unlimited’s $7.99 introductory rate becomes $9.99 annually. ExpressVPN Basic is $2.99 during its 28-month term and $8.33 at renewal; Advanced moves from $4.49 to $10.00, while Pro moves from $7.49 to $16.66.
Mullvad is the outlier: its published €5 rate applies whether you buy one month, one year or a decade. Because VAT is included and there is no separate introductory price in the stated offer, the renewal calculation is straightforward.
How do I calculate an effective monthly price?
The formula is upfront charge ÷ total months of service. It prevents bonus months from being ignored and exposes plans whose advertised rate is tied to a large prepayment.
Rank #2
- 【AC1200 Dual-band Wireless Router】Simultaneous dual-band with wireless speed up to 300 Mbps (2.4GHz) + 867 Mbps (5GHz). 2.4GHz band can handles some simple tasks like emails or web browsing while bandwidth intensive tasks such as gaming or 4K video streaming can be handled by the 5GHz band.*Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【Easy Setup】Please refer to the User Manual and the Unboxing & Setup video guide on Amazon for detailed setup instructions and methods for connecting to the Internet.
- 【Pocket-friendly】Lightweight design(145g) which designed for your next trip or adventure. Alongside its portable, compact design makes it easy to take with you on the go.
- 【Full Gigabit Ports】Gigabit Wireless Internet Router with 2 Gigabit LAN ports and 1 Gigabit WAN ports, ideal for lots of internet plan and allow you to connect your wired devices directly.
- 【Keep your Internet Safe】IPv6 supported. OpenVPN & WireGuard pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers. Cloudflare encryption supported to protect the privacy.
Example: a 28-month offer
ExpressVPN Basic charges $83.72 for 28 months. $83.72 ÷ 28 = $2.99 per month. Calling it a $2.99 monthly subscription without saying that the full $83.72 is charged upfront would give the wrong impression about cash flow.
Example: a 27-month offer
NordVPN Basic charges $94.23 for 27 months. $94.23 ÷ 27 = $3.49 per month. The renewal is a different transaction: $139.08 for 12 months, or $11.59 per month when expressed as an equivalent.
Why renewal must be shown separately
A renewal figure is not an extension of the introductory discount. It is the price that applies after the purchased term, usually for a new 12-month charge. Compare it with your expected period of use, not with the promotional rate alone.
Which VPN plan offers the best value for a particular use case?
There is no single winner because “value” changes with the number of people, devices and bundled tools you need. Start with the use case, then use price as a tie-breaker.
For one person who wants a predictable bill
Mullvad’s flat €5 monthly rate is the clearest option when avoiding promotional renewals matters more than maximizing simultaneous devices. It supports up to five devices, accepts cash and several cryptocurrencies, and the published rate includes VAT. Its 14-day money-back guarantee has an exception for cash payments.
Rank #3
- New-Gen WiFi Standard – WiFi 6(802.11ax) standard supporting MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for better efficiency and throughput.Antenna : External antenna x 4. Processor : Dual-core (4 VPE). Power Supply : AC Input : 110V~240V(50~60Hz), DC Output : 12 V with max. 1.5A current.
- Ultra-fast WiFi Speed – RT-AX1800S supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections
- Increase Capacity and Efficiency – Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
- 5 Gigabit ports – One Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, 10X faster than 100–Base T Ethernet.
- Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
For a household with many devices
Among the plans with stated limits, ExpressVPN Pro allows 14 simultaneous devices, Advanced allows 12, and Basic allows 10. NordVPN’s three listed tiers and Proton VPN Plus each allow 10. A higher limit can be more economical than buying separate accounts, but only if the plan’s bundled features are useful to the household.
For streaming and a broad server footprint
Proton VPN Plus lists streaming support and more than 20,000 servers in more than 140 countries, along with 10-device coverage. Confirm that the services you use are supported in your country; streaming access can change independently of the advertised plan.
For security tools beyond a VPN tunnel
NordVPN Basic includes VPN access and scam/phishing protection. Its higher tiers add combinations of anti-malware, ad and tracker blocking, password management, monitoring and encrypted storage. ExpressVPN’s higher tiers add combinations of ad/tracker blocking, email relay, password management, eSIM and AI features. Treat those bundles as a replacement for tools you would otherwise buy only when their capabilities match your needs.
For a lower renewal increase
Proton VPN Plus renews at $83.88 per year after its 24-month term, compared with its $83.76 initial charge for two years. Mullvad keeps the same published monthly rate. Other plans in the table have larger gaps between the introductory equivalent and the renewal equivalent, so a calendar reminder is especially important.
How should I compare features instead of counting every extra?
Make a short requirements list rather than paying for every available add-on. The following checklist covers the differences that can change practical value.
Rank #4
- 【DUAL BAND WIFI 7 TRAVEL ROUTER】Products with US, UK, EU, AU Plug; Dual band network with wireless speed 688Mbps (2.4G)+2882Mbps (5G); Dual 2.5G Ethernet Ports (1x WAN and 1x LAN Port); USB 3.0 port.
- 【NETWORK CONTROL WITH TOUCHSCREEN SIMPLICITY】Slate 7’s touchscreen interface lets you scan QR codes for quick Wi-Fi, monitor speed in real time, toggle VPN on/off, and switch providers directly on the display. Color-coded indicators provide instant network status updates for Ethernet, Tethering, Repeater, and Cellular modes, offering a seamless, user-friendly experience.
- 【OpenWrt 23.05 FIRMWARE】The Slate 7 (GL-BE3600) is a high-performance Wi-Fi 7 travel router, built with OpenWrt 23.05 (Kernel 5.4.213) for maximum customization and advanced networking capabilities. With 512MB storage, total customization with open-source freedom and flexible installation of OpenWrt plugins.
- 【VPN CLIENT & SERVER】OpenVPN and WireGuard are pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers (active subscription required). Simply log in to your existing VPN account with our portable wifi device, and Slate 7 automatically encrypts all network traffic within the connected network. Max. VPN speed of 100 Mbps (OpenVPN); 540 Mbps (WireGuard). *Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【PERFECT PORTABLE WIFI ROUTER FOR TRAVEL】The Slate 7 is an ideal portable internet device perfect for international travel. With its mini size and travel-friendly features, the pocket Wi-Fi router is the perfect companion for travelers in need of a secure internet connectivity on the go in which includes hotels or cruise ships.
| Need | What to verify at checkout or in the plan description | Why it affects value |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming | Streaming support, supported regions and current service compatibility | A VPN that cannot reach your services is not a bargain. |
| Ad and tracker blocking | Whether blocking is included, which devices support it and whether it is enabled separately | It may replace a browser extension, but coverage can vary by platform. |
| Malware or scam protection | Threat categories covered and whether protection works only while connected | Useful for browsing risk, but not a substitute for endpoint security in every situation. |
| Password tools | Password manager scope, storage limits and sharing features | Bundling can reduce total subscription cost if you need a manager. |
| Monitoring and alerts | What data is monitored, alert timing and geographic availability | Identity features may be limited by country or data sources. |
| Dedicated IP | Whether a dedicated address is offered and its additional price | Some business or access-control systems require a consistent address. |
| Payment privacy | Cash or cryptocurrency support, refund rules and account-identifying information | Payment choice can matter as much as encryption for a high-privacy purchase. |
| Support | Support channels, hours and response expectations | Fast help has value when a travel or work connection fails. |
Do not assume that a higher-priced tier automatically improves the core VPN connection. It may simply bundle storage, identity monitoring or other products you would not otherwise use.
How do taxes, VAT and geography change the comparison?
Use one currency and one tax assumption for a fair comparison. A displayed dollar price may exclude sales tax, while Mullvad’s stated €5 includes VAT. The same plan can therefore produce different checkout totals in different countries.
- Write the country or billing region beside every price.
- Record whether tax is included, added at checkout or not stated.
- Do not convert euros to dollars using an old exchange rate; use the rate available on the day you compare.
- Check whether the provider changes the currency or payment method at checkout.
If you are comparing a US dollar offer with a euro offer, present the original currencies and explain that exchange-rate movement can change the ranking.
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What commitment and refund terms should I check?
Long terms lower the effective introductory rate but increase the amount at risk if you stop using the service. Every listed plan except Mullvad’s cash-payment case advertises a 30-day money-back guarantee; Mullvad advertises 14 days and excludes cash payments from that guarantee.
Before paying
- Confirm the exact term: 24, 27 or 28 months, or a monthly rate.
- Confirm the total charged now, not just the monthly-equivalent headline.
- Read the renewal line and note the date and amount.
- Check whether a refund is available for your payment method.
- Save the receipt and plan name.
After paying
- Set a reminder several days before the renewal date.
- Review whether you still need the bundled features and device allowance.
- Cancel auto-renewal through the account settings or support route specified by the provider if you do not want another term.
- Keep confirmation of cancellation.
Refund policies can have procedural requirements, and an introductory price may not be restored if you cancel and later resubscribe. Read the current terms that apply to your country and payment method.
Best Value
- Next-Gen Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Speeds: 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz bands ensure smoother streaming and faster downloads; support VPN server and VPN client¹
- A More Responsive Experience: Enjoy smooth gaming, video streaming, and live feeds simultaneously. OFDMA makes your Wi-Fi stronger by allowing multiple clients to share one band at the same time, cutting latency and jitter.²
- Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage: 4 high-gain external antennas and Beamforming technology combine to extend strong, reliable, Wi-Fi throughout your home.
- Improved Battery Life: Target Wake Time helps your devices to communicate efficiently while consuming less power.
- Improved Cooling Design: No heat ups, no throttles. A larger heat sink and redefined case design cools the WiFi 6 system and enables your network to stay at top speeds in more versatile environments.
What common comparison mistakes make a VPN look cheaper?
- Comparing monthly headlines with annual totals. A “$2.99/month” label can represent an $83.72 upfront payment.
- Ignoring bonus months. Dividing a 28-month charge by 24 understates the effective price.
- Mixing introductory and renewal rates. Put them in separate columns so the long-term bill is visible.
- Leaving out tax. Checkout tax can make two apparently similar plans differ materially.
- Paying for unused bundles. Password storage or monitoring has no value to you if you will not use it.
- Counting devices without checking simultaneous use. A device limit is not the same as the number of devices you own, and household sharing rules can differ.
- Assuming every platform has every feature. Split tunneling, blocking and monitoring can vary by operating system.
- Forgetting the refund exception. Payment method can affect eligibility, as with cash payments on Mullvad.
What is the practical decision process?
Use this order so a low promotional number does not decide the purchase by itself.
- Set the use case. Choose streaming, travel, public Wi-Fi, household coverage or advanced privacy as the primary goal.
- Set the minimum coverage. Count people, simultaneous connections and operating systems.
- Remove plans missing required features. Examples include streaming support, malware protection or a preferred payment method.
- Calculate the first-term effective cost. Use the full charge and all included months.
- Calculate the renewal equivalent. Divide the annual renewal by 12 and consider how long you expect to stay.
- Add tax and currency assumptions. Keep the original currency visible.
- Value only useful bundles. Compare the cost with what you would pay for those tools separately.
- Choose the shortest commitment that meets your price target. A slightly higher effective rate can be worthwhile if it avoids a large prepaid charge.
- Set a renewal reminder. Recheck the plan before the refund or cancellation deadline.
On the figures shown, the lowest introductory dollar equivalent is ExpressVPN Basic at $2.99 for 28 months, while Proton VPN Plus has a similar $3.49 introductory rate and a much lower stated renewal equivalent than several higher-priced tiers. Mullvad is the simplest choice for a stable, tax-included €5 rate. Those observations apply only to the listed terms and currencies; your checkout total and feature requirements should make the final decision.
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Are VPN “per month” prices usually paid monthly?
Not necessarily. Long-term offers commonly display a monthly-equivalent figure while charging the entire 24-, 27- or 28-month term at checkout. Look for the separate “charged today” amount before entering payment details.
Does VAT come out of the advertised VPN price?
It depends on the provider, country and plan. The published Mullvad rate includes VAT, while other offers may calculate sales tax or VAT at checkout, so record the tax treatment with the price you compare.
How can I compare a 28-month VPN term with a two-year term?
Divide each upfront charge by its actual service months, not by a common 24-month denominator. You can then compare the resulting effective monthly rates while keeping each plan’s renewal charge in a separate column.
What should I do if I do not want a VPN to renew?
Set a reminder before the renewal date, turn off auto-renewal using the provider’s account controls or support process, and save the confirmation. Check the current cancellation and refund terms for your country and payment method.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
