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Sorted by three-year true cost. "Unconfirmed" means the provider does not clearly publish the renewal price; we do not guess it. Prices are published USD list prices on the review's check date.
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How the calculation works
You pay the intro total once for the intro term. After that the same term renews at the renewal price, as many times as needed to reach the horizon you chose, rounded up to whole terms because that is what a provider actually charges. The figure shown is the total paid divided by the months that money buys, not by the horizon. That distinction matters: a two-year plan covering a three-year horizon is charged for four years of service, and dividing by 36 rather than 48 would make it look worse than the same provider's one-year plan for no reason beyond arithmetic.
Why renewals are where the money is
Acquisition is expensive in this market: affiliate commissions run 40–100% of the first payment. Providers recover it on the renewal, which is why the intro is so low and the renewal so high, and why the renewal price is in small type. Our affiliate disclosure page shows the commission structures; the pattern is obvious once you see it.
Providers that do not play this game
Mullvad charges the same €5 forever and has no intro price at all. IVPN and Windscribe renew at what you paid. These are also, not coincidentally, the providers with no or minimal affiliate programmes — there is no acquisition cost to claw back.
Frequently asked questions
What is the "true cost" of a VPN?
The total you pay over the time you actually keep it, divided by the months. Intro prices cover the first term only; the plan then renews, usually at the standard yearly rate, which is often two to three times the intro monthly figure. Over three years a "$3.39 a month" two-year plan can cost more than $6 a month.
Why do VPNs advertise per-month prices for multi-year plans?
Because $2.19 reads better than $53 up front. It is arithmetic, not a lie, but it invites you to compare against a monthly plan that you would never buy for 24 months. Compare total charges over the same horizon instead.
Which providers do not raise the price at renewal?
Mullvad (flat €5), IVPN, Windscribe, ExpressVPN's one-year plan, PIA's yearly plan and hide.me's yearly plan renew at the same price on our current data. The two-year plans of NordVPN, Surfshark, IPVanish, PrivadoVPN and Proton all renew higher. "Unconfirmed" means the provider does not state the renewal price clearly and we will not guess.
How do I avoid paying the renewal price?
Set a calendar reminder a week before the term ends. Either cancel and re-subscribe as a new customer at the intro price (often possible with a different email), switch providers, or contact support and ask for the current promotional rate — several providers will match it to keep you.
Are the prices here accurate?
They are the published list prices on the date shown on each review, in USD. Promotions change weekly and regional pricing varies, so treat the numbers as the shape of the deal rather than a quote. Renewal prices marked unconfirmed are exactly that.
Can I enter my own plan?
Yes — the custom option lets you put in any intro price, term and renewal price and see the true monthly cost over one, two and three years, for a VPN or anything else sold the same way.