Advertised $2.49 a month is almost always a 24-month prepaid intro. Surfshark Starter is $2.49 a month on 2-year, $3.39 on 1-year, $16.45 monthly (official 30 July 2026 blog). ZoogVPN Premium matches $2.49 on 2-year ($59.99 for 27 months including 3 free months), $3.39 on 1-year, $9.99 monthly. Proton VPN Plus is $9.99 monthly, about $3.99 a month on 1-year (about $47.88), about $2.99 a month on 2-year (about $71.76), and renewal often jumps toward about $9.99 a month. Proton VPN Free is the generous consumer free plan here (1 device, medium speed, 10 random countries). Mullvad VPN is €5 a month including VAT (about $5.79 in September 2026) for 1 month, 1 year, or 1 decade: no sale, no free plan. TunnelBear paid starts around $3.33 a month annual. NordVPN typical 2026 intro is about $3.39 a month long term, about $11.99 monthly. ExpressVPN typical 2026 intro is about $3.49 to $4.49 a month long term. Brave VPN is $9.99 a month or about $3.00 a month annual in our catalog. Opera is a free browser VPN, not a standalone multi-device app.
9 tools compared on price, features and fit, with prices checked on vendor pages in September 2026.
Advertised "$2.49 a month" on a VPN is almost always a 24-month prepaid intro, not the renewal bill. Mullvad VPN at €5 a month including VAT is the major that publishes one honest number. Proton VPN Free is the generous no-logs-oriented free consumer VPN in this set. Toolradar data: Toolradar lists 10,429 published tools as of September 1, 2026, including 33 published VPN tools, 64% of them free or freemium (5 free-only, 16 freemium, 12 paid).
This guide ranks 9 consumer VPNs by the cheapest prepaid intro we can document, and it states the monthly and renewal picture next to that intro. Proton Plus figures come from July to August 2026 specialist trackers plus Proton's plan structure, because the official page hides dollar amounts in JavaScript. Surfshark figures come from Surfshark's 30 July 2026 blog. ZoogVPN figures come from zoogvpn.com/pricing. Mullvad is mullvad.net/en/pricing as of September 2026. We dropped Kaspersky, Bitdefender, Dashlane, F-Secure, Avast, and Aura (security suites), Tailscale, Headscale, Netmaker, Pritunl, and WireGuard (mesh, protocol, or self-host infra), the Proton suite slug (this list uses proton-vpn), and NordLayer (business).
Nine picks is the full set. A tenth consumer VPN was not invented to pad the list.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
Free: 1 device, medium speed, 10 random countries. Plus: $9.99 a month monthly; about $3.99 a month on 1-year (about $47.88); about $2.99 a month on 2-year (about $71.76). Renewal often jumps toward about $9.99 a month.
Starting price
From $6.99 /mo
4.3 (5 reviews)
Best for
People who want a generous free consumer VPN, or a Swiss Plus plan with open-source apps and a 30-day money-back window
Official 30 July 2026 blog: Starter $2.49 a month on 2-year, $3.39 a month on 1-year, $16.45 a month monthly. One and One+ cost more. Intro rates; renewal is a higher annual bill. Unlimited devices. 30-day money-back.
Starting price
From $2.49 /mo
4.3 (923 reviews)
Best for
Households that want unlimited devices and will prepay two years to hit the $2.49 Starter intro
Free 10 GB a month. Premium: $2.49 a month on 2-year ($59.99 for 27 months including 3 free months), $3.39 a month on 1-year ($39.99), $9.99 monthly. 7-day money-back. zoogvpn.com/pricing.
Starting price
From $2.49 /mo
4.3 (173 reviews)
Best for
Buyers chasing a $2.49-class intro who will accept a 7-day money-back window and a smaller brand than Nord or Express
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | From $6.99/mo | 4.3 5 reviews | People who want a generous free consumer VPN, or a Swiss Plus plan with open-source apps and a 30-day money-back window |
| Surfshark | From $2.49/mo | 4.3 923 reviews | Households that want unlimited devices and will prepay two years to hit the $2.49 Starter intro |
| ZoogVPN | From $2.49/mo | 4.3 173 reviews | Buyers chasing a $2.49-class intro who will accept a 7-day money-back window and a smaller brand than Nord or Express |
| TunnelBear | From $3.33/mo | 4.0 510 reviews | People who want a simple consumer VPN brand and a paid floor near $3.33 a month annual, with a limited free fallback |
| NordVPN | From $3.39/mo | 4.0 18,319 reviews | Buyers who want a large specialist network and will prepay a long term near $3.39 a month, not $11.99 monthly |
| ExpressVPN | From $3.49/mo | 4.6 291 reviews | People who want ExpressVPN's network and apps and will prepay a long term in the $3.49 to $4.49 a month intro band |
| Mullvad VPN | From $5/mo | 3.7 154 reviews | Buyers who want one honest number and will pay about $5.79 a month rather than chase a $2.49 intro that renews higher |
| Brave | From $3/mo | 4.3 1,033 reviews | Brave browser users who want a VPN toggle in the browser at about $3.00 a month annual, not a specialist multi-app network |
| Opera | Free | 4.4 461 reviews | People who only need a free browser-toggle VPN inside Opera and will not pretend it is NordVPN on a phone and a laptop |
Proton VPN
Free: 1 device, medium speed, 10 random countries. Plus: $9.99 a month monthly; about $3.99 a month on 1-year (about $47.88); about $2.99 a month on 2-year (about $71.76). Renewal often jumps toward about $9.99 a month.
- 4.3 on G2 (5 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $6.99/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.3 (5 reviews)
Best for: People who want a generous free consumer VPN, or a Swiss Plus plan with open-source apps and a 30-day money-back window
- Pro: Free plan is the generous consumer free VPN in this set: 1 device, medium speed, 10 random countries
- Pro: Plus 2-year intro near $2.99 a month (about $71.76) competes with Surfshark and ZoogVPN intros
- Pro: Swiss company, open-source apps, 30-day money-back on paid Plus
- Con: Official pages hide dollar amounts in JavaScript; $ figures here are July to August 2026 specialist trackers plus Proton's plan structure
- Con: Renewal often jumps toward about $9.99 a month, so the $2.99 intro is not the long-run bill
The free tier is genuinely usable, unlimited data with no ads, which no other major VPN matches.
Watch out
Monthly pricing ($9.99/month) is 3.3x more expensive than the 2-year rate. Casual users testing the service for a few months pay a significant premium.
Surfshark
Official 30 July 2026 blog: Starter $2.49 a month on 2-year, $3.39 a month on 1-year, $16.45 a month monthly. One and One+ cost more. Intro rates; renewal is a higher annual bill. Unlimited devices. 30-day money-back.
- 4.3 on Trustpilot (840 reviews)
- 4.5 on Capterra (61 reviews)
- 4.0 on G2 (22 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $2.49/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.3 (923 reviews)
Best for: Households that want unlimited devices and will prepay two years to hit the $2.49 Starter intro
- Pro: Starter at $2.49 a month on 2-year is the headline cheap intro, published on Surfshark's 30 July 2026 blog
- Pro: Unlimited devices, so a family is one Starter bill rather than a 5-device Mullvad cap
- Pro: 30-day money-back on paid plans, longer than ZoogVPN's 7 days
- Con: Monthly Starter is $16.45, which is not a cheap VPN compared with Mullvad at about $5.79
- Con: Intro rates expire; renewal is a different, higher annual bill
Surfshark's pricing is aggressively fair at $2.49/mo for the Starter and One tiers, though the identical feature lists between them is confusing.
Watch out
Identity theft coverage may have caps
ZoogVPN
Free 10 GB a month. Premium: $2.49 a month on 2-year ($59.99 for 27 months including 3 free months), $3.39 a month on 1-year ($39.99), $9.99 monthly. 7-day money-back. zoogvpn.com/pricing.
- 4.3 on Trustpilot (173 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $2.49/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.3 (173 reviews)
Best for: Buyers chasing a $2.49-class intro who will accept a 7-day money-back window and a smaller brand than Nord or Express
- Pro: Premium 2-year math is $2.49 a month ($59.99 for 27 months including 3 free months) on zoogvpn.com/pricing
- Pro: Free tier includes 10 GB a month, a numbered cap rather than Proton's device-and-country cap
- Pro: 1-year Premium at $3.39 a month ($39.99) matches Surfshark's 1-year Starter headline
- Con: Money-back is 7 days, shorter than Proton and Surfshark at 30 days
- Con: The $2.49 figure is a 27-month prepaid intro, not the $9.99 monthly rate
At $2.49/mo for unlimited bandwidth and 10 devices, ZoogVPN is exceptionally cheap versus mainstream VPNs.
Watch out
Free tier caps at 10GB per month, then requires $2.49/mo Premium
TunnelBear
Free plan is limited. Paid plans start from about $3.33 a month annual (catalog / vendor 'from $3.33 a month').
- 4.5 on Capterra (470 reviews)
- 4.4 on G2 (32 reviews)
- 1.7 on SourceForge (8 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $3.33/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.0 (510 reviews)
Best for: People who want a simple consumer VPN brand and a paid floor near $3.33 a month annual, with a limited free fallback
- Pro: Paid from about $3.33 a month annual sits next to NordVPN's typical long-term intro near $3.39
- Pro: A limited free plan exists, unlike Mullvad, Surfshark paid-only paths, NordVPN, and ExpressVPN
- Pro: Consumer apps are aimed at non-specialists, closer to TunnelBear's original teaching-the-VPN story
- Con: Free is limited, so it is not Proton Free's 10-country consumer fallback
- Con: Catalog / vendor 'from' pricing should be confirmed at checkout; 'from' often means a multi-year intro
TunnelBear's pricing is fair, especially with its generous free tier offering 2GB.
Watch out
Free tier is limited to 2GB, not suitable for heavy use.
NordVPN
Typical 2026 intro is about $3.39 a month on a long term; monthly is about $11.99. Always separate intro from renewal.
- 4.1 on Trustpilot (15,913 reviews)
- 4.6 on Capterra (1,393 reviews)
- 4.4 on G2 (804 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $3.39/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.0 (18,319 reviews)
Best for: Buyers who want a large specialist network and will prepay a long term near $3.39 a month, not $11.99 monthly
- Pro: Typical 2026 long-term intro near $3.39 a month matches Surfshark 1-year Starter and ZoogVPN 1-year Premium headlines
- Pro: Specialist network and app set sit in the Nord / Express class, unlike Brave or Opera
- Pro: Monthly near $11.99 is published enough in 2026 trackers that you can refuse the intro and still know the bill
- Con: About $3.39 a month is an intro on a long term, not the about-$11.99 monthly rate
- Con: Renewal after the first term is higher than the intro; do not budget year two at $3.39
Compared to Proton VPN (which has a genuinely free tier with unlimited data), NordVPN requires a financial commitment upfront.
Watch out
Renewal pricing may differ from promotional sign-up pricing. NordVPN frequently adjusts promotional rates, and your renewal price at the end of your term may be higher than what you initially paid. Check your account settings before auto-renewal kicks in.
ExpressVPN
Typical 2026 intro is about $3.49 to $4.49 a month on a long term; monthly is much higher. Specialist network, not a $2.49 Starter clone.
- Starting price
- From $3.49/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.6 (291 reviews)
Best for: People who want ExpressVPN's network and apps and will prepay a long term in the $3.49 to $4.49 a month intro band
- Pro: Typical 2026 long-term intro about $3.49 to $4.49 a month still sits under Mullvad's about $5.79 if you prepay
- Pro: Specialist network in the Nord / Express class, unlike Brave VPN or Opera's browser toggle
- Pro: Monthly is much higher, and that gap is the point: cheap Express is prepaid, not month to month
- Con: Monthly is much higher than the $3.49 to $4.49 intro; do not quote the intro as the monthly bill
- Con: Typical intro is still above Surfshark Starter at $2.49 on 2-year and ZoogVPN Premium at $2.49 on 2-year
While the 'Basic' tier at $3.49/month is more competitive, the value proposition diminishes quickly with higher tiers.
Mullvad VPN
Flat €5 a month including VAT (about $5.79 in September 2026), the same for 1 month, 1 year, or 1 decade. No sales, no free plan, 5 devices, 14-day money-back that is not cash. mullvad.net/en/pricing, September 2026.
- 3.3 on Trustpilot (149 reviews)
- 4.6 on G2 (4 reviews)
- 5.0 on SourceForge (1 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $5/mo
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 3.7 (154 reviews)
Best for: Buyers who want one honest number and will pay about $5.79 a month rather than chase a $2.49 intro that renews higher
- Pro: One price: €5 a month including VAT, about $5.79 in September 2026, on mullvad.net/en/pricing
- Pro: Same rate for 1 month, 1 year, or 1 decade, so there is no 24-month trap
- Pro: No sales, which is the honest non-promo number this category otherwise hides
- Con: No free plan, unlike Proton VPN Free, ZoogVPN's 10 GB, TunnelBear limited free, and Opera
- Con: About $5.79 a month is above a $2.49 two-year intro if you only compare the first-term headline
This pricing is generous compared to many competitors who often charge more for similar features or longer commitments.
Watch out
10% crypto discount requires specific payment method.
Brave
Brave VPN is listed at $9.99 a month or about $3.00 a month annual in our catalog. Browser-bundled, not a Nord or Express specialist network.
- 4.6 on G2 (531 reviews)
- 4.7 on Capterra (351 reviews)
- 4.2 on Trustpilot (142 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $3/mo
- Free plan
- Free to use
- Rating
- 4.3 (1,033 reviews)
Best for: Brave browser users who want a VPN toggle in the browser at about $3.00 a month annual, not a specialist multi-app network
- Pro: About $3.00 a month annual in our catalog sits in the same intro band as TunnelBear and NordVPN long-term deals
- Pro: Monthly list at $9.99 matches Proton Plus monthly and ZoogVPN Premium monthly
- Pro: Lives next to the Brave browser, so there is no extra specialist app if you already live in Brave
- Con: Browser-bundled, not a specialist VPN network in the NordVPN or ExpressVPN class
- Con: Catalog annual figure should be confirmed in Brave's current VPN offer before you prepay
Brave VPN at $9.99/month is competitive for a privacy-focused VPN.
Opera
Free VPN inside the Opera browser. Limited, and not a standalone multi-device VPN.
- 4.6 on Capterra (214 reviews)
- 4.2 on G2 (213 reviews)
- 4.5 on SourceForge (34 reviews)
- Starting price
- Free
- Free plan
- Free to use
- Rating
- 4.4 (461 reviews)
Best for: People who only need a free browser-toggle VPN inside Opera and will not pretend it is NordVPN on a phone and a laptop
- Pro: Free inside the Opera browser, no $2.49 two-year prepay and no €5 Mullvad bill
- Pro: Useful as a limited browser fallback when you refuse a specialist subscription
- Pro: No intro-versus-renewal trap, because the in-browser VPN is not sold as a 24-month Starter card
- Con: Not a standalone multi-device VPN; other browsers and most phones are outside the product
- Con: Limited compared with Proton VPN Free's dedicated apps and country list, or any paid specialist network
Opera's pricing is exceptionally generous, offering a fully-featured browser experience with built-in VPN, ad blocker, and AI completely for free.
Watch out
Potential data collection for ad targeting (common for free services).
What 'Cheapest VPN' Actually Means
A cheap consumer VPN is a privacy and access app you install on phones and laptops, with a published month, year, or multi-year price. It is not a mesh overlay (Tailscale), a protocol (WireGuard), or an antivirus suite that happens to bundle a VPN. Intro rates assume you prepay 12 or 24 months. Monthly rates are often 3x to 6x that intro. Renewal after the first term often jumps toward the monthly-class number, which Proton Plus illustrates when a 2-year intro near $2.99 a month later tracks toward about $9.99 a month.
Mullvad VPN refuses that game: €5 a month including VAT, the same for 1 month, 1 year, or 1 decade. Proton VPN Free (1 device, medium speed, 10 random countries) is the only generous free consumer plan in this set. Opera is free inside the Opera browser and is not a standalone multi-device VPN.
Why $2.49 a Month Is Usually 24 Months Prepaid
Surfshark's official 30 July 2026 blog lists Starter at $2.49 a month on 2-year, $3.39 a month on 1-year, and $16.45 a month monthly. ZoogVPN Premium is $2.49 a month on 2-year ($59.99 for 27 months including 3 free months), $3.39 a month on 1-year ($39.99), and $9.99 monthly. Those $2.49 figures are prepaid intros with a different (higher) renewal. Comparing $2.49 to Mullvad's €5 (about $5.79 in September 2026) without saying "24 months upfront" is how cheap-VPN roundups mislead.
Proton Plus monthly is $9.99. The 1-year deal is about $3.99 a month (about $47.88). The 2-year deal is about $2.99 a month (about $71.76). Renewal often jumps toward about $9.99 a month. Official Proton pages hide dollar amounts in JavaScript; those dollar figures are from July to August 2026 specialist trackers plus Proton's published plan structure. Treat them as tracker-backed, not as a screenshot of Proton's marketing HTML.
Key Features to Look For
Renewal after the first term (Essential)
Proton Plus intros near $2.99 to $3.99 a month often renew toward about $9.99 a month. Surfshark and ZoogVPN intros are first-term rates; the next annual bill is higher.
The one honest non-promo number (Essential)
Mullvad is €5 a month including VAT (about $5.79 in September 2026) for 1 month, 1 year, or 1 decade. No sales, no free plan, 5 devices, 14-day money-back that is not cash.
What the free consumer plan actually is (Important)
Proton VPN Free: 1 device, medium speed, 10 random countries. ZoogVPN free: 10 GB a month. TunnelBear free is limited. Opera is a browser-only free VPN. Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Mullvad have no generous permanent free consumer plan of the Proton type.
Money-back window (Important)
Proton and Surfshark: 30 days. ZoogVPN: 7 days. Mullvad: 14 days, not cash. ExpressVPN and NordVPN typically publish a 30-day window on paid plans; confirm on the checkout you use.
Browser-bundled versus specialist network (Nice to have)
Brave VPN is listed at $9.99 a month or about $3.00 a month annual in our catalog, and it is browser-bundled, not a Nord or Express specialist network. Opera's VPN lives inside the Opera browser.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Treating $2.49 a month as a monthly price. Surfshark Starter $2.49 and ZoogVPN Premium $2.49 are 24-month (or 27-month) prepaid intros. Surfshark monthly Starter is $16.45. ZoogVPN monthly Premium is $9.99.
- ×
Budgeting Proton Plus at $2.99 a month for year three. Plus monthly is $9.99. 1-year is about $3.99 a month (about $47.88). 2-year is about $2.99 a month (about $71.76). Renewal often jumps toward about $9.99 a month.
- ×
Comparing Mullvad's €5 (about $5.79 in September 2026) to a $2.49 intro without saying Mullvad's number is the same every month, with no sale and no free plan.
- ×
Putting Tailscale, WireGuard, NordLayer, or an antivirus suite in a cheapest-consumer-VPN list. Those are mesh, protocol, business, or suite products. This list also uses proton-vpn, not the Proton suite slug.
- ×
Calling Opera a multi-device VPN. Opera's VPN is free inside the Opera browser and is limited. Proton VPN Free is the generous dedicated free consumer plan in this set.
Expert Tips
- →
- →
If you want one number that will not change after 24 months, pay Mullvad €5 a month including VAT (about $5.79 in September 2026) at mullvad.net/en/pricing.
- →
If you want $0, start on Proton VPN Free (1 device, medium speed, 10 random countries) or ZoogVPN's 10 GB a month, not on Opera unless you only browse in Opera.
- →
If you need unlimited devices, price Surfshark Starter intros before Mullvad's 5-device cap. The $2.49 2-year Starter is the device-unlimited cheap intro.
- →
Proton dollar figures on this page are tracker-backed (July to August 2026) because official Proton pages hide $ in JavaScript. Re-check a specialist tracker or a completed checkout before you treat $47.88 or $71.76 as exact to the cent.
The Bottom Line
Advertised $2.49 a month is almost always a 24-month prepaid intro. Surfshark Starter and ZoogVPN Premium both publish that $2.49 2-year headline, with monthly rates of $16.45 and $9.99. Proton VPN Plus intros land near $3.99 a month on 1-year and $2.99 on 2-year, while monthly and many renewals sit near $9.99. Proton VPN Free is the generous consumer free plan in this set. Mullvad VPN is the honest non-promo number: €5 a month including VAT, about $5.79 in September 2026, the same for a month, a year, or a decade. TunnelBear, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Brave fill the about-$3 to $4.50 intro band. Opera is a free browser VPN, not a standalone multi-device app.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest VPN in 2026?
The cheapest prepaid intros are Surfshark Starter at $2.49 a month on 2-year (official 30 July 2026 blog) and ZoogVPN Premium at $2.49 a month on 2-year ($59.99 for 27 months including 3 free months). Those are intros, not monthly rates. The cheapest generous free consumer VPN in this set is Proton VPN Free. The cheapest honest non-promo paid rate is Mullvad at €5 a month including VAT (about $5.79 in September 2026).
Is $2.49 a month the price I pay next year?
Usually not. Surfshark Starter $2.49 and ZoogVPN Premium $2.49 are long prepaid intros. Renewal is a higher annual bill. Surfshark monthly Starter is $16.45. ZoogVPN monthly Premium is $9.99. Proton Plus renewals often jump toward about $9.99 a month. Mullvad stays €5 a month including VAT with no sale calendar.
Which VPN has a real free plan?
Proton VPN Free: 1 device, medium speed, 10 random countries. ZoogVPN free: 10 GB a month. TunnelBear free is limited. Opera includes a free VPN inside the Opera browser, not as a standalone multi-device app. Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Mullvad are not in that generous-free set.
Why is Mullvad more than $2.49 if this is a cheapest list?
Mullvad publishes one number, €5 a month including VAT (about $5.79 in September 2026), for 1 month, 1 year, or 1 decade. No sales, no free plan, 5 devices, 14-day money-back that is not cash. A $2.49 headline is a 24-month intro that renews higher. Mullvad is here as the honest bill, not as the lowest first-term ad.
Why are Tailscale, WireGuard, and antivirus VPNs missing?
Tailscale, Headscale, Netmaker, Pritunl, and WireGuard are mesh, protocol, or self-host infrastructure, not consumer VPNs. Kaspersky, Bitdefender, Dashlane, F-Secure, Avast, and Aura are suites. NordLayer is business. The Proton suite slug was dropped in favor of proton-vpn. This list is nine consumer VPNs, and a tenth pick was not invented.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Cheapest VPN in 2026", updated September 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/cheapest-vpn
Sources
Prices and plan details on this page come from each vendor's own pricing page, re-checked by the Toolradar pricing tracker:
- Proton VPN pricing, checked
- Surfshark pricing, checked
- ZoogVPN pricing, checked
- TunnelBear pricing, checked
- NordVPN pricing, checked
- ExpressVPN pricing, checked
- Mullvad VPN pricing, checked
- Brave pricing, checked
- Opera pricing, checked
Related Guides
Some offers on this page may be paid placements or contain affiliate links.