VPN services: plans and prices compared 2026
VPN prices in the US are almost always shown as a monthly figure for a long plan — and that figure only holds for the first term. Before you compare, look at the renewal price, how many devices you can connect, how long the money-back window is and whether sales tax is added at checkout.
We compare terms from the providers’ US pricing and checkout pages. Monthly prices are in the price block on each product’s page; long-plan intro prices aren’t the same as renewal prices.
Quick picks
If you have many devices
Surfshark and PIA allow unlimited devices; NordVPN and Proton VPN Plus allow 10; ExpressVPN 10–14 depending on the tier.
If you want to try it for free
Proton Free needs no credit card, with 1 device and servers in 10 randomly selected countries.
If you want a longer refund window
CyberGhost’s 6-month and 2-year plans have a 45-day money-back guarantee; most others give 30 days.
If you want identity theft protection
Surfshark One+ and ExpressVPN’s higher tiers include identity theft coverage; Surfshark’s excludes New York State residents.
If you want to read the code
PIA says its VPN is 100% open source and runs on RAM-only servers.
If you want a VPN bundled with storage
MEGA includes MEGA VPN in every paid storage plan, for up to 10 devices.
$9.99/mo
VPN Plus
What should you choose?
The service is picked by our score, the plan is the cheapest one that fits the situation. Prices are checked.
For maximum privacy · Cheapest for movies and shows
Proton VPN · VPN Plus
$9.99/moPlus sales tax where applicable
- Outside the 14 Eyes, audited 2026
- Smart DNS or streaming servers
Services in this category
from $9.99/moPlus sales tax where applicableThere’s also a free plan
Price checked
from $12.99/moPlus sales tax where applicable+2 mo free
Price checked
from $16.45/moPlus sales tax where applicable+3 mo free
Price checked
from $11.95/moPlus sales tax where applicable+3 mo free
Price checked
from $14.99/moPlus sales tax where applicable+3 mo free
Price checked
from $14.99/moPlus sales tax where applicable+4 mo free
Price checked
Related comparisons
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How to choose
- 1
Compare renewal, not the intro price
Long plans show a low first-term price and then renew higher — NordVPN’s 2-year plan, for example, covers the first 27 months and then renews yearly.
- 2
Count your devices
Phones, laptops, TV and the router all count; check the limit before you buy.
- 3
Plan for sales tax
NordVPN’s checkout added sales tax for a US address; ExpressVPN and CyberGhost say tax may apply.
- 4
Know the refund rules
Money-back guarantees are usually for new customers, and app store purchases follow the store’s terms (PIA says so explicitly).
- 5
Pay only for extras you’ll use
Higher tiers add antivirus, password managers, ad blocking or identity protection — useful only if they replace something you’d buy anyway.
Types of VPN plans
Most US VPN providers sell the same core service in different packages.
Free
Proton Free — one device, a limited set of server countries, no credit card.
VPN only
NordVPN Basic, Surfshark Starter, Proton VPN Plus, PIA, CyberGhost — the VPN itself.
Security bundles
NordVPN Complete and Prime, Surfshark One and One+, Proton Unlimited (all premium Proton products) — VPN plus antivirus, password manager, ad blocking or identity tools.
Add-ons
Dedicated IP addresses (NordVPN, Surfshark, PIA, CyberGhost, ExpressVPN) and antivirus add-ons (PIA).
What to check before you subscribe
Questions the advertised monthly price doesn’t answer.
| Question | What to look at |
|---|---|
| What does it cost after the first term? | What to look atLook for “renews at” next to the plan. Long plans renew at a higher price than the intro figure. |
| How many devices at once? | What to look atSurfshark and PIA — unlimited. NordVPN and Proton VPN Plus — 10. ExpressVPN — 10, 12 or 14 by tier. Proton Free — 1. |
| How long is the money-back guarantee? | What to look atNordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN, PIA and ExpressVPN — 30 days. CyberGhost — 14 days on monthly, 45 days on longer plans. |
| Is sales tax added? | What to look atNordVPN’s checkout added state sales tax; ExpressVPN applies it at checkout where applicable; CyberGhost and Surfshark say tax may apply. |
| Is there a free plan? | What to look atProton Free — yes, with limits. The others are paid, with a money-back guarantee instead. |
| Where are the servers? | What to look atNordVPN 225+ locations, Proton VPN 140+ countries, ExpressVPN 113 countries, PIA 104 countries including all 50 US states, Surfshark and CyberGhost 100 or more countries. |
| What about logs? | What to look atSurfshark — audited no-logs policy; CyberGhost — certified no-logs policy; PIA — open source and RAM-only servers; Proton VPN — no logs. |
| Does it include identity protection? | What to look atSurfshark One+ and ExpressVPN’s higher tiers include identity theft coverage; NordVPN’s top tier adds identity protection tools. |
When it pays off and when it doesn’t
Pays off
- If you often use public Wi-Fi or travel.
- If one subscription covers every device in the household.
- If a bundle replaces an antivirus or password manager you already pay for.
Doesn’t pay off
- A long plan bought only for the intro price — without checking the renewal.
- A security bundle when you already have antivirus and a password manager.
- Paying for a VPN you turn on once a month — the free tier may be enough.
- Buying a standalone VPN when a plan you already pay for includes one.
FAQ
In short
Choosing a VPN in the US comes down to the renewal price, device limit, money-back terms and whether you need the extras. This page collects those terms from the providers’ own pages.
Alt-subs is independent of the services on this page. Trademarks belong to their owners and are used only to identify the service. Prices come from the providers’ own websites and are shown with dates.
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