VPN Pricing in 2026: Why the Headline Price Is Almost Always a Lie
VPN providers run some of the most aggressive renewal pricing on the internet. Here's how to read a VPN price honestly and what the true 12-month cost looks like across the major brands.
By The Assistant De Venté Editors
"£1.99/month" — for 27 months, billed as a single £53.73 charge today, then £124.99/year on renewal. That's a typical VPN ad. Here's how to translate VPN pricing into something you can actually compare.
The two-price model
Every major VPN runs the same structure: an aggressive intro price (year 1 or first 24/27/36 months) and a much higher renewal. The intro is what's advertised; the renewal is what most people end up paying because they forget to cancel.
Real annualised cost (intro vs renewal)
We checked the public list prices in early June 2026:
- NordVPN 2-year plan: ~£2.39/mo intro → renews at ~£99/yr. True 3-year cost: ~£156.
- ExpressVPN 12-month plan: ~£5.40/mo intro → renews at ~£99/yr. True 2-year cost: ~£164.
- Surfshark 24-month plan: ~£1.99/mo intro → renews at ~£59/yr. True 3-year cost: ~£107.
- Proton VPN 2-year: ~£3.59/mo intro → renews at the same rate. No renewal cliff.
Proton's model is the outlier and increasingly the honest pick if you plan to keep the service.
The cashback layer
VPN affiliates pay some of the highest commissions on the web — which means cashback portals (TopCashback, Quidco) often pay £40–£80 back per signup. Always check before clicking the brand's site directly. We've seen Surfshark effectively free for year one once cashback clears.
The cancellation trick
Most VPNs require you to disable auto-renewal inside the dashboard, not via email reply. Do it the day you sign up — you keep the year you paid for and you don't get blindsided at renewal.
Bottom line
Treat the headline £/month as fiction. Calculate the true cost over the period you'll actually use the service, factor in cashback, and disable auto-renewal on day one. Proton if you want price honesty; Surfshark or Nord if you want the lowest year-one cost and don't mind the admin.