Most VPN headline prices are first-term prices. Across the long-term plans of NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN, the yearly price after the first term ranges from 1.0 to 4.6 times what you paid per year at the start. This page puts every long-term plan in one table with its first payment, monthly equivalent, renewal price and that multiplier, so you can see the full cost before you subscribe.
This is a documentary comparison based on the providers’ official pages. We have not bought, installed or speed-tested any of these services, and nothing here rates their security or privacy.
How to read the numbers
Prices and plan details were checked on the providers’ official pages on 5 November 2026. All figures are in USD as displayed during our visit, before tax. Prices vary by country, currency, taxes and promotions, so confirm the final amount at checkout.
“First term” is the length of the introductory period, bonus months included: NordVPN and Surfshark add 3 free months, and ExpressVPN shows “2 Years + 4 Months”. “Monthly equivalent” is the first payment divided by the months in the first term. “Renewal per year” is the price each provider displays for every year after the first term.
“Jump” is our own calculation: renewal per year ÷ first-term yearly equivalent, where the yearly equivalent is the first payment ÷ months in the first term × 12. Example: NordVPN Basic for 27 months costs $94.23, which works out to $94.23 ÷ 27 × 12 = $41.88 a year. It renews at $139.08 a year, and $139.08 ÷ $41.88 = 3.3. A jump of 1.0 means no increase; 3.3 means each renewal year costs about three times as much as a year of the first term.
Long-term plans: first payment, renewal and jump
| Plan | First term | First payment | Monthly equivalent | Renewal per year | Jump |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN Basic | 27 months | $94.23 | $3.49 | $139.08 | 3.3 |
| NordVPN Complete | 27 months | $107.73 | $3.99 | $219.48 | 4.6 |
| NordVPN Complete Max | 27 months | $161.73 | $5.99 | $301.08 | 4.2 |
| NordVPN Basic | 15 months | $74.85 | $4.99 | $139.08 | 2.3 |
| NordVPN Complete | 15 months | $89.85 | $5.99 | $219.48 | 3.1 |
| NordVPN Complete Max | 15 months | $119.85 | $7.99 | $301.08 | 3.1 |
| Surfshark Starter | 27 months | $67.23 | $2.49 | $79 | 2.6 |
| Surfshark One | 27 months | $67.23 | $2.49 | $99 | 3.3 |
| Surfshark One+ | 27 months | $107.73 | $3.99 | $119 | 2.5 |
| Surfshark Starter | 15 months | $44.85 | $2.99 | $79 | 2.2 |
| Surfshark One | 15 months | $44.85 | $2.99 | $99 | 2.8 |
| Surfshark One+ | 15 months | $104.85 | $6.99 | $119 | 1.4 |
| ExpressVPN Basic | 28 months | $83.72 | $2.99 | $99.95 | 2.8 |
| ExpressVPN Advanced | 28 months | $117.32 | $4.19 | $119.95 | 2.4 |
| ExpressVPN Express Pro | 28 months | $201.32 | $7.19 | $199.95 | 2.3 |
| Proton VPN Plus | 24 months | $83.76 | $3.49 | $83.88 | 2.0 |
| Proton VPN Plus | 12 months | $53.88 | $4.49 | $83.88 | 1.6 |
| Proton Unlimited | 24 months | $191.76 | $7.99 | $119.88 | 1.3 |
| Proton Unlimited | 12 months | $119.88 | $9.99 | $119.88 | 1.0 |
What the jump means in dollars
The jump is easiest to feel with a single renewal year. NordVPN Complete costs $107.73 for its first 27 months, then $219.48 for the next 12: one renewal year costs more than double the whole first term. Surfshark One costs $67.23 for 27 months, then $99 a year. ExpressVPN Basic costs $83.72 for 28 months, then $99.95 a year. Proton VPN Plus costs $83.76 for 24 months, then $83.88 for each 12 months, which is why its jump is 2.0.
A low jump is not the same as a low price. Surfshark One+ on the 15-month plan and Proton Unlimited on the 12-month plan have the smallest jumps because their first payments are already high. If you plan to keep a VPN for years, the renewal column matters more than the jump: on these pages the lowest renewal prices were Surfshark Starter at $79 and Proton VPN Plus at $83.88 a year, and the highest was NordVPN Complete Max at $301.08.
Tiers are not like for like. NordVPN Complete adds, among other things, antivirus, a password manager and 1 TB of cloud storage, and Complete Max adds a dedicated IP. Surfshark One adds antivirus, Alert and Search, and One+ adds Incogni data removal and US identity theft coverage, according to Surfshark’s renewal-price page and help centre. ExpressVPN Advanced adds the ExpressKeys password manager, and Express Pro includes a dedicated IP. Proton Unlimited adds premium Proton Mail, Calendar, Drive and Pass. Our NordVPN vs Surfshark comparison goes through two of these bundles in detail.
Monthly plans
Monthly plans cost more per month but have no first-term discount to lose. ExpressVPN’s pages contained labels for 1-month plans, but no 1-month price was displayed, so we leave it out.
| Provider | Monthly prices | After the first month |
|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | Basic $14.99, Complete $19.99, Complete Max $21.99 | Billed monthly; renewal price not displayed |
| Surfshark | Starter $18.95, One $19.95, One+ $22.85 | Same prices on the renewal-price page |
| ExpressVPN | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Proton VPN | VPN Plus $9.99, Unlimited $12.99 (Proton Free $0) | Same price every month |
Twelve months of Proton VPN Plus on monthly billing would cost $9.99 × 12 = $119.88, against $53.88 for the first year on the 12-month plan and $83.88 for later years.
ExpressVPN showed two prices on the same day
ExpressVPN’s /pricing page showed Advanced at $4.19 a month ($117.32 for 28 months) and Express Pro at $7.19 a month ($201.32). Its /order page, read the same day, showed slightly higher figures: Advanced at $4.49 a month ($125.72) and Express Pro at $7.49 a month ($209.72). Basic was $2.99 a month ($83.72) on both. With the /order figures, the jump would be 2.2 for both Advanced and Express Pro. The price you see may depend on the page, the campaign or the visitor.
Renewal rules in the terms
- NordVPN: the intro price covers only the first subscription period; the plan then renews at the current renewal price, which may be higher and may change. Annual payments can be charged up to 14 days before renewal, with an email notice first for plans longer than a month.
- Surfshark: the 2-year plan is billed once upfront, then annually. Surfshark says it may A/B test prices, including displayed renewal prices.
- ExpressVPN: after 28 months, the plan “autorenews” at the annual price shown in the table.
- Proton VPN: if the renewal price has changed, the then-current price is charged at renewal.
Method
We read each provider’s pricing page, plus Surfshark’s renewal-price page and the four providers’ terms and refund pages, on 5 November 2026. NordVPN and Surfshark redirected our browser to French-language pages that still displayed USD; NordVPN’s English plan names (Basic, Complete, Complete Max) come from its English pricing page, which showed the same 2-year prices. Monthly equivalents and jumps are our arithmetic on the displayed figures, rounded as shown.
Caveats: country pricing, tax and promotions
Country and currency. Surfshark bills in GBP, EUR, HKD, PLN, JPY, KRW, CAD or AUD depending on your card country or IP address, and in USD for the US and other countries. NordVPN says payment options depend on country and currency. Proton VPN offers CHF, EUR and USD. Whether ExpressVPN’s prices vary by country was not confirmed.
Tax. NordVPN notes that VAT may apply, Surfshark’s prices exclude tax, and ExpressVPN adds sales tax at checkout where applicable. The same tax rate on both prices leaves the jump unchanged, but it raises every dollar amount.
Promotions. NordVPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN all showed Black Friday banners, and Proton VPN showed discount labels such as “65% OFF” on 2-year VPN Plus. None showed an end date. First-term prices in the table may be promotional and may end at any time.
Refund windows
All four providers state a 30-day money-back guarantee, with conditions. In general it covers only the first purchase, not renewals, and purchases made through app stores, resellers or gift cards can follow different rules. Read the details before relying on it; our guide on how to choose a VPN covers refunds and short-term needs.
How to decide
Decide first whether you need a VPN at all, using our personal threat model guide and our guide to home and travel networks. Then compare the first term and the renewal year separately, and set a reminder before the first term ends.
- How many years do you expect to keep the VPN?
- What is the renewal price per year, and the jump, for the plan you picked?
- Do you need the extras in a higher tier, or only the VPN?
- Does the price at checkout, after tax, match the page?
- Have you noted the 30-day refund deadline and the renewal date?
With those answers, compare NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN at checkout, where taxes and current promotions are applied.
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