When looking for the best VPN for you, there are a huge number of factors to consider – number of servers, speeds, unblocking power, where the VPN's servers are located…the list could go on and on.
One factor that can stand out among the rest, however, is price. How much a VPN costs can overshadow its other aspects, as a cheaper VPN that offers less may initially seem better value than a VPN that costs more but has more features. But, if you consider what you want to use the VPN for, you may realize that paying more is actually better value in the long run.
With this in mind, how much you should pay for a VPN gets a little relative, but don't worry – I'm here to guide you through the Black Friday weeds to the VPN deal that's right for you.
How much should you pay for a VPN?
VPN prices vary wildly even before you factor in things like Black Friday VPN deals. They can vary from less than $1.50 per month – PrivadoVPN is currently on offer for $1.48 per month for a two year contract plus three months free – or a flat rate of $30 (or $23 with the code BFCM24) for a lifetime VPN subscription, like FastestVPN's deal.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that when it comes to VPNs you generally get what you pay for. While there are some great cheap VPNs out there, paying a little extra usually means you get access to some extra features, like cybersecurity tools.
One example of this is ExpressVPN. While ExpressVPN does have a reputation for being pricier than its rivals, its Black Friday deal is actually incredibly good value for money. This is because instead of having tiers that unlock extra features like NordVPN or Surfshark, ExpressVPN offers everything at just one price.
This means that for $4.99 per month (for a two year contract plus 4 months free) you can get ExpressVPN's two-year plan which includes the VPN itself, a password manager, adult site blocker, an ad tracker and malware blocker and Identity Defender (which includes personal data leak monitoring, ID theft insurance, data broker removal). This is all for just $2 more per month than NordVPN's Basic Plan (which is currently $2.99 per month for a two year contract plus three months free), which only offers the VPN and Nord's Threat Protection Lite, which is a mobile ad and malware blocker.
So, while it may cost more, you're ultimately getting more. To answer the question properly, how much you should pay for a VPN depends on what you want to get out of it. If you just want a VPN you can count on to encrypt your connection, spoof your location and unblock content, you can pay less than $2. For example, the fastest VPN, Surfshark, is on offer for $1.99 per month for a two year contract plus 4 months free. While you may not get access to its other cybersecurity features at this price, if you just want a VPN for streaming, gaming and/or data privacy, it is perfect for these tasks.
If you want added extras, however, like ad blocking or cybersecurity tools like identity protection, you will have to pay more for these. But, depending on your use case, this cost can be more than worth it to keep you safe online.
