I test VPNs daily - these are the Cyber Monday VPN deals I'd buy

As VPN editor at Tom's Guide, I spend a heck of a lot of time testing, reading, and writing about virtual private networks. The people in my life know this, and I'm always getting asked "When's the best time to buy a VPN?"

The answer is invariably "Black Friday" – but it's not always quite that simple. Some of the best VPN providers offer incredible Cyber Monday VPN deals, while others don't offer any discounts at all. So, depending on which VPN you've got your eye on, you could be getting a steal, or you might be paying full price.

So, while another Black Friday has come and gone, there are still massive savings on offer – seeing as most VPNs keep their deals running through to Cyber Monday. I've put together a list of the best and biggest VPN deals of 2023, and calculated the real difference in price compared to any other day in the year, so you can see for yourself exactly how much you'll save.

NordVPN

Deal: 2 years + 3 months free, including up to $30/£30 Amazon gift card

NordVPN is a personal favorite of mine, and currently sits at the #2 position in my overall VPN rankings. Plus, its Cyber Monday deal is unlike anything I've seen before.

The headline price is already eye-catching – at just $2.99 a month it's knocking on the door of genuine cheap VPN services. 

However, exclusively for Tom's Guide readers, the privacy powerhouse is throwing in an Amazon gift card for free as well for people creating a new Nord account.

Opt for the Standard plan and you'll get access to the VPN, malware protection, and a tracker blocker, as well as a $10/£10 gift card. The Plus plan comes with some extras, like Nord's password manager NordPass, and a £20/£20 gift card.

Those who go all-out and purchase the complete plan will get all that plus NordLocker (Nord's cloud storage solution) and a hefty $30/£30 gift card.

Whichever you choose, this is easily the best deal I've ever seen from Nord, and it's only available until November 29. If you were considering choosing NordVPN previously, now's definitely the time to buy. 

Difference in price: $3.89 a month $2.99 a month

Saving over 1-month plans: up to 69%

Surfshark

Deal: 2 years + 3 months free for $1.99 a month

Surfshark is the best budget VPN on the market, which means you're getting a steal at any time of the year - but its Cyber Monday deal is especially juicy. Grab a 2-year plan for $1.99 a month, and head into 2024 with total peace of mind.

Compared to the competition this is up (or down) there with the cheapest monthly VPN prices on the market. The inclusion of three free months helps drop that headline figure a little, although this is a bit of a 'hack' that VPN providers use to make their monthly prices appear cheaper.

However, unlike some providers, Surfshark has cut the price as well as offering a freebie. A month or so ago, Surfshark was already offering two months free, but charging $2.30 a month. So, with this deal, it's actually offering some genuine extra value.

I've found Surfshark to be very capable of unblocking streaming sites and staying private online, so if your budget can't quite stretch to NordVPN, Surfshark may well be the one to go for

Difference in price: $2.49 a month $1.99 a month

Saving over 1-month plans: up to 80%

Private Internet Access

Deal: 2 years + 4 months free for $2.03 a month ($57)

Looks familiar, doesn't it? Private Internet Access's current deal is almost like-for-like with Surfshark's, although you'll get four months for free, not two. Those extra couple of months will see you through into April 2026 rather than February, but in practice, it's not a huge differentiating factor.

What is a little more notable is that the overall discount PIA is offering isn't quite as impressive. Before Cyber Monday, PIA has been vacillating between $2.19 a month and $2.03 a month – so while this is equal to the cheapest I've seen the provider go for, it's not quite as special as the two deals I've outlined above.

However, whichever way you slice it, it's still seriously good value – especially if you're looking for a capable torrenting VPN that has a bunch of extra features rarely seen from mainstream providers.

Difference in price: $2.19 a month $2.03 a month

Saving over 1-month plans: up to 83%

PrivadoVPN

Deal: 2 years + 3 months free for $1.11 a month

OK. Now we're talking. 

PrivadoVPN is one of the newer names in the industry, but one that's already making waves – and it's the best free VPN I've tested in a long time. The provider has also discounted its prices for Cyber Monday, making its inclusion into my list a no-brainer.

You can get yourself a 2-year plan for just $1.11 a month, which includes 3 months of extra coverage for free, bringing your total to 27 months of airtight protection. What's more, when it auto-renews, you'll still only pay $30 for 24 months, which is a breath of fresh air compared to some other providers that hike the price on renewal.

So why isn't this my headline deal? Well, while I consider PrivadoVPN to be secure and safe to use, it quite simply can't match the likes of NordVPN in terms of quality – yet, at least. However, it's pretty effective at unblocking streaming sites, and if you're looking for basic VPN protection for as cheap as possible, this is the one to go for.

Difference in price: $1.99 a month $ 1.11 a month

Saving over 1-month plans: up to 90%

Proton VPN

Deal: 2 years + 6 months free for $3.99 a month

Talk about a pleasant surprise – Proton VPN doesn't always join in with the Black Friday festivities, or offer many discounts at all, so I'm thrilled that things are different in 2023.

The downside is that this deal won't last long. Proton VPN knows that it's a polished and premium provider, and believes that users are willing to pay a little more for a superior service (just like a certain provider we'll see in a moment).

However, at a chunky $3.99 a month, it's certainly no bargain, and an initial outlay well into three figures could put off some users. 

For some, there will be a few very good reasons to choose Proton VPN, and I personally appreciate its commitment to user privacy and unique features like its Secure Core servers. Those looking to save big, though, ought to look elsewhere.

Difference in price: $4.99 a month $3.99 per month

Saving over 1-month plans: up to 60%

ExpressVPN

Deal: 1 year + 3 months free for $6.67 a month

Okay, so while ExpressVPN is sitting pretty at the #1 spot in my overall VPN rankings, it's not winning any prizes for the best Cyber Monday bargain – because it doesn't offer any.

ExpressVPN prefers to keep its pricing structure the same all year round. However, as a way to say thanks, ExpressVPN does offer 3 months free to Tom's Guide readers, as well as a year's subscription to Backblaze could storage. But no matter how it brands it, this quite simply isn't just for Black Friday.

Admittedly, ExpressVPN is one of the more expensive services on the market. I firmly believe that you get what you pay for, however, and ExpressVPN's overall quality just can't be matched. Just like Proton VPN, though, if you're looking for a bargain I'd advise you to scroll back up to the top and take your pick.

Difference in price: $8.33 a month $6.67 a month

Saving over 1-month plans: up to 49%