Surfshark: From $2.19 a month for 27 months
Billed $59.13 upfront
NordVPN: From $3.09 a month
Billed at $83.43 to $161.73 for 24 months of service and 3 months free
PIA VPN: $1.98 a month for 40 months
Billed $79 upfront
IPVanish: $2.75 a month for 24 months
Billed $65.99 upfront
A VPN, or virtual private network, creates an encrypted connection between your device and the internet, keeping your data away from prying eyes as you surf the web. We’ve already tested and rounded up some of the most trustworthy VPN services of 2024, and below, we’ve put together the best ways to get signed up for less.
There are a plethora of reasons to use a VPN. For example, did you know your internet service provider amasses as much data as possible on your digital activity? A 2021 Federal Trade Commission report noted that the leading ISPs have gathered user data on topics as personal as race, sexual orientation and real-time location. The ISPs have combined it, cross-referenced it and shared it with third-party partners.
A VPN can help protect you from such pervasive data-gathering practices. In addition to hiding your internet activity by providing a secure and private “tunnel” to your online destination, a VPN can let you virtually move your location to a different city or country — a nice bonus if you’re looking to get around local censorship laws or try out different streaming media offerings in different locales.
An important thing to keep in mind is that free VPN services aren’t worth the risk. For the most part, they’re playing that same game of scooping up and selling your data. The good news is there are some great VPN deals available right now, with prices starting at what amounts to less than $2 a month if you prepay for a year or two of service. We’ve tested a bunch of the market leaders and pulled together our recommendations for the best VPN deals. Just keep a few things in mind:
VPN deals: tested and recommended
The VPNs in this first group are also among our current top six best VPN picks. We can broadly recommend them, with the noted caveats. The fast-changing ownership landscape in the VPN space may continue to shake things up, but we’ll continue to update this list as we uncover more.
Devices: Unlimited
Refund policy: Fully refundable for 30 days
With one of the best user interfaces in the field, according to our reviewer, IPVanish is good for those who want to be able to customize settings and those who are new to a VPN. If this is your first time at the rodeo and you want to know more about the technology, IPVanish is a reliable service with a gentle learning curve. Normally, IPVanish goes for $90 a year, but this deal gets you two years of IPVanish for $65.99 ($2.75 per month). If you want to save without a multiyear commitment, there is a discount on the yearly plan which scores you 12 months for $39.99 ($3.33 per month). Note that IPVanish is owned by US-based Ziff Davis, which may be a concern if you’re a security-focused user. Read our IPVanish review.
Devices: Up to 10
Refund policy: Fully refundable for 30 days
Go off the grid with ProtonVPN for around $5 a month, good for two years. Keep in mind that this deal is billed as $119.76 upfront. ProtonVPN Plus (the paid plan) has no data caps or server-switching limits. Its ease of use, Tor support and ad-blocking feature make ProtonVPN a favorite with many users. You may also opt for the 12-month plan at $5.99 per month (billed at $71.88). To access the biggest savings, choose the 24-month plan option. Read our ProtonVPN review.
Devices: Up to 10
Refund policy: Fully refundable for 31 days
PureVPN presents another affordable option if you’re in the market for a simple VPN without a big price tag. With a solid server fleet numbering over 6,500 in 78 countries, PureVPN promises reliable service, although we haven’t had the chance to verify that. Another disclaimer: PureVPN was reported by our sister site ZDNet as having provided timestamp-only logs to the FBI in a cyberstalking case in 2018. PureVPN has since stopped the timestamp logging practice and undergone a third-party audit to ensure that it keeps to its no-log policy. Its one-year standard plan is currently discounted by 80%, which drops the price to $2.49 a month for the first 12 months ($29.95 upfront).
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