Understanding VPN Costs: What you need to know in 2024

Are cheap VPNs any good? Are you confused by the different VPN subscription plans available? We discuss VPN costs and explain how to pick the right VPN for your needs.

Understanding VPN costs can be confusing. Have you ever searched for a VPN only to find that they cost varying amounts but claim to be “the fastest” or “most secure”? We understand your pain.

There are dozens of commercial VPNs on the market, and the cost of a VPN subscription doesn’t always reflect the quality of the service or the features you get. Discounts on longer term plans can cut the monthly cost of a VPN by more than half.

The cost of a VPN is often a poor indicator of quality. Some cheap VPNs offer a service that eclipses VPNs that cost three times more. By contrast, some expensive VPNs suffer from vulnerabilities that make them unfit for purpose. This can make choosing a VPN tricky. 

At BleepingComputer, we carefully review VPNs using a detailed VPN testing methodology. We never recommend cheap VPNs unless they meet all of our security, privacy, and performance standards.

In this guide, we help you understand VPN costs so that you can make an informed decision. With our help in choosing a VPN, you can get the best value for money without picking a VPN that leaves you wanting for more.

How do I know if a VPN is worth the cost?

Deciding whether a VPN is right for your needs involves more than looking at prices. High prices don't always mean superior quality, as some overpriced VPNs are less effective than cheaper options.

By contrast, some cheap VPNs compromise on quality, leading to slower internet speeds, poor performance with streaming services, and inadequate security features.

 Our recommendations are based on the following criteria:

• Reliable apps for all popular platforms.
• A choice of VPN protocols that offer robust encryption.
• The latest encryption standards are implemented securely.
• A no-logging policy that ensures the VPN does not handle, store, or share sensitive user data.
• A kill switch that prevents your data from leaking outside of the VPN tunnel.
• Fully tested apps that do not suffer from any leaks or vulnerabilities.
• A reliable network of servers that offer fast speeds for streaming and torrenting.
• A wide choice of servers that work to bypass online restrictions, censorship, and region locks.
• Apps that are easy to use, as well as excellent customer service.
• Value for money. If the VPN meets our standards for privacy and security we consider the cost and whether it represents good value for money compared to other options.

Our review process ensures you can choose between trustworthy VPNs. To help you out further, our lists always include detailed summaries, so you know exactly what features you get. This significantly narrows down your search and removes the possibility of ending up with an inferior VPN.

Are cheap VPNs inferior?

Budget VPNs often get a bad reputation, and for good reason. Many cheap VPNs offer outdated protocols, inferior server networks, and other severe limitations or vulnerabilities. 

That said, it's easy to assume that low-cost VPNs always compromise on quality – but this isn't always the case. Some budget VPNs priced below $3 per month outperform pricier counterparts that cost over $7 per month.

The best budget VPNs don't cut corners on security and performance. They provide a broad selection of servers, user-friendly and up-to-date apps, fast speeds, strong encryption, and a robust privacy policy – all at an affordable price.

Do expensive VPNs have additional features?

Not necessarily. But if you have a bigger budget to play with and want a VPN that has additional features, you should look out for the following things:

• A larger server network
• MultiHop connections
• Tor over VPN
• Split tunneling
• Port forwarding
• Ad and tracker blocking
• Smart DNS
• Streaming optimized servers
• Allows torrenting
• Obfuscation technologies

A VPN that has some or all of these features in addition to the fundamentals might cost a few bucks more per month, and you might decide that you don’t mind paying a bit extra for these additional features. 

However, there is a big caveat, because there are some cheap VPNs that also have some of these features. This means that if you do some research you could get all the features you need without overpaying.

VPN pricing models

Understanding the pricing of a VPN service is crucial. Most VPN providers follow a straightforward subscription model, offering the same features across all plans. This typically includes full access to servers, applications, and security features.

The only difference between these plans is the subscription length and cost. For example, a monthly subscription might cost around $10, but committing for a longer period, like six months or a year, will reduce the monthly cost to $7 or $5. Longer commitments, like two or three years, will drop the price even further to $3 per month or less.

This subscription model is customer-friendly and provides users with the ability to get a larger discount without compromising on security or features. 

Tiered plans

Although it is less common, some VPNs offer tiered plans where higher prices unlock additional features or allow more simultaneous connections. For example, you might get access to more servers, protocols, or bandwidth.

Dedicated IPs

Dedicated IPs are a unique feature not commonly included in standard VPN plans. A dedicated IP is solely reserved for your use, differing from the shared IPs in regular subscriptions (which any subscriber can connect to and use). 

Dedicated IPs never change, whereas standard VPN IP addresses are dynamic and change each time you connect. This is useful if you need to access a specific site, app, or service from the same IP address every time.

Fully featured security suites

In recent years, a few market-leading VPNs have branched out to secondary services such as password managers, end-to-end file encryption services, antivirus, and secure cloud storage. They offer additional value to subscribers by selling these as bolt-ons to the VPN, usually as part of an online security suite. 

Most VPNs do not force you to purchase these add-ons. You can still subscribe to the standard VPN and receive a discount by committing for longer.

However, if you do need any of the services that the VPN offers in its security suite, you can opt to purchase the VPN along with these extras. From our experience, the cost of purchasing these bundles can save you money, so it is worth considering. 

What factors influence VPN costs?

The biggest factor influencing the cost of a VPN is how long you are willing to commit. Longer subscription periods offer larger discounts, reducing your costs substantially. 

Other factors that influence the cost of a VPN are as follows:

• The size of the network.
• The quality of the servers and connection speed.
• Custom apps available for more operating systems.
• The quality of the apps and the features they provide.
• The number of consecutive connections each subscriber is allowed.
• Access to region-locked content.
• Customer service quality.

VPNs that offer more features and better services will often cost a few dollars more per month. However, with the right discount, it is possible to find a fully featured VPN with a large server network at a very reasonable price.

How does the cost of a VPN compare to other security tools?

To compare VPNs to other security tools, I decided to calculate the average annual cost of five different market-leading VPNs: IPVanish, PureVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN. 

For this comparison, I used the annual VPN price rather than the longer subscriptions (which can make a VPN even cheaper). I did this to more easily compare the cost of a VPN to other annually-purchased security tools. As you can see, the annual average was $57.33 per year. 

Below, I have included the average costs of other security tools:

• Antivirus: Between $30 to $50 per year.
• Password manager: $40 per year.
• Secure email service: $50 per year.

As you can see, other security tools cost a similar amount per year to a VPN. However, when you consider that you can cut the cost of a VPN even further – between $24 and $30 per year – VPNs seem like pretty amazing value for money!

Are there any hidden costs with a VPN?

No. When you subscribe to a market-leading VPN, the agreed price gives you unlimited access to the VPN and all of its features. You will not be billed again until the subscription period ends. At this time, the VPN may deduct the next year’s fee from your account automatically. 

Unfortunately, this automatic renewal can sometimes leave a bitter taste in the subscriber’s mouth. The price quoted on the VPN’s website is usually an introductory offer, and the discount offered is not always applied when your account renews. 

You could end up paying up to 80% more when it renews. To avoid unexpected charges, keep track of your subscription's end date and/or turn off auto-renew in your account settings. We recommend canceling before the renewal date to prevent automatic billing at a potentially higher rate. 

Although this isn't necessarily a ‘hidden fee’, automatic renewal can be a nasty surprise.

Understanding VPN costs – FAQs

What is the average cost of a VPN in 2024?

The average cost of a VPN in 2024 typically ranges from $3 to $10 per month, depending on the length of the subscription. Committing for longer will usually give you a decent discount.

How do I know if a VPN is worth the price?

To find out if a VPN is worth investing in, we recommend checking its features, server network, speed, privacy policy, and customer support. Compare these against the cost and competitors that offer a similar feature set.

Can I trust free VPN services?

No. Studies have revealed that many free VPNs have lousy privacy policies, outdated protocols, IP and DNS leaks, badly implemented encryption, network vulnerabilities, and even apps that contain spyware. This makes using most free VPNs a huge risk to your data and the safety of your devices. 

That said, there are a few premium VPNs that offer a limited free plan. These VPNs usually enforce download limits, bandwidth restrictions, and streaming blocks. However, they can still provide you with watertight data security. Just bear in mind that these reliable free VPNs are a minority, and most free VPNs must be avoided.

What should I look for in a cost-effective VPN?

A cost-effective VPN should offer a balance of essential features like strong encryption, a good server selection, fast speeds, a solid privacy policy, and a reasonable price. Look for VPNs that meet your specific needs without overcharging.