How Much Does a VPN Service Cost per Month in 2026?
In the US in 2026, a VPN service usually costs about $2 to $8 a month on a long first term and about $13 to $15 a month if you pay month to month. At the time of writing, ExpressVPN Basic works out to $2.99 a month on its 28-month plan and CyberGhost to $2.19 a month on its 26-month plan. Check the renewal price, then start on ShopBack US before you pay.
Published: 8 October 2026 · Author: Mirabelle Chew, Shopping Editor, ShopBack US
ShopBack US is a free cashback app and website. You start on ShopBack, buy from providers like NordVPN, ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN as usual, and part of what you spent comes back to you as cash. Sign up for ShopBack before you pick a VPN plan.
How much does a VPN cost per month?
A VPN costs between about $2 and $15 a month in the US, and the plan length decides where you land. Long plans paid upfront carry the lowest monthly price; month-to-month plans cost the most. Here is what two big providers list on their own checkout pages at the time of writing:
| Provider and plan | Price per month | Billed today | Then renews at |
|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN Basic, 28 months | $2.99 | $83.72 | $99.95 a year |
| ExpressVPN Advanced, 28 months | $4.49 | $125.72 | $119.95 a year |
| ExpressVPN Pro, 28 months | $7.49 | $209.72 | $199.95 a year |
| CyberGhost, 2 years plus 2 months | $2.19 | $56.94 | $56.94 a year |
| CyberGhost, 6 months | $6.99 | $41.94 | $41.94 every 6 months |
| CyberGhost, 1 month | $12.99 | $12.99 | $12.99 a month |
Sources: ExpressVPN order page and CyberGhost checkout page, checked 8 October 2026. Prices are in US dollars, and both providers say sales tax may be added at checkout depending on where you live.
ExpressVPN says its discounts are measured against the current monthly price for each tier. Its 28-month Basic plan is shown as $419.72 before the discount, which works out to $14.99 a month at the standard rate. CyberGhost says its discounts are measured against its monthly price of $12.99. So the answer is a range: about $13 to $15 a month without a long plan, and about $2 to $8 a month with one.
NordVPN sells 2-year, 1-year and 1-month plans and says its prices are updated regularly on its pricing page, so check the live figure there.
What a VPN really costs per month once it renews
The first-term price is only half the story; the cost per month over three years or so is the fairer number. Long plans start low and renew at a higher yearly price, so it helps to spread the full cost across the months you get.
Here is the math for two plans, using the prices above:
- ExpressVPN Basic: $83.72 for the first 28 months, then $99.95 for the next 12 months. That is $183.67 for 40 months, or about $4.59 a month.
- CyberGhost 2 years plus 2 months: $56.94 for the first 26 months, then $56.94 for the next 12 months. That is $113.88 for 38 months, or about $3.00 a month.
ExpressVPN's renewal prices on their own come to about $8.33 a month for Basic, $10.00 for Advanced and $16.66 for Pro. NordVPN says plans renew automatically at the applicable renewal price and that it emails you before any price change, according to its support center.
A simple habit saves money here: set a calendar reminder a week before the renewal date. That gives you time to compare the renewal price with a fresh long-term offer and decide which to take.
VPN service: what you pay for
Every paid VPN service sells the same core idea, encrypting your connection through the provider's servers, so the price differences come from device limits, bundled tools and refund terms.
| What to compare | NordVPN | ExpressVPN | CyberGhost VPN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan lengths | 2-year, 1-year, 1-month | 28-month plans in Basic, Advanced, Pro | 26-month, 6-month, 1-month |
| Devices at once | Up to 10 | 10, 12 or 14 by tier | 7 |
| Money-back window | 30 days, first purchase only | 30 days, new users | 45 days on longer plans, 14 days on 1 month |
| Free trial | 7 days for new users in the US | Not listed on the order page | Not listed on the checkout page |
| Server reach | See NordVPN's site | 113 countries | 100 plus countries |
Sources: NordVPN support center, ExpressVPN order page and CyberGhost checkout page, checked 8 October 2026.
Higher tiers usually bundle other tools. ExpressVPN's Advanced and Pro tiers include a password manager and Pro includes a dedicated IP address, according to its order page. NordVPN also sells several tiers, and its pricing page lists what each one adds. Only pay for a higher tier if you will use what it adds.
Other VPN providers you can shop on ShopBack US include Surfshark and PureVPN, alongside NordVPN, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN.
VPN service in 2026: how prices are set
In 2026, VPN providers price almost entirely around long first terms, with bonus months, renewal prices and refund windows doing the rest. A few patterns show up across the big names:
- Bonus months. ExpressVPN's 2-year plans run 2 years plus 4 months, and CyberGhost's longest plan runs 2 years plus 2 months.
- Paid upfront. NordVPN says its 2-year and 1-year plans are paid in full at purchase. If you want to pay month by month, pick the 1-month plan and expect a higher monthly price.
- Refund windows as a test drive. A 30 or 45 day money-back window lets you test speed and streaming on your own connection before you are locked in.
- Device limits shape value. ExpressVPN Basic at $2.99 a month across 10 devices, or CyberGhost at $2.19 a month across 7, works out to about 30 cents per device per month for a whole household.
These prices change often, so treat the tables as a snapshot of 8 October 2026 and check the live price on each checkout page.
VPN service best deals in the US for 2026
The best VPN deals in the US usually come from a long first term, a seasonal sale and a free trial or refund window used well.
- Pick the longest term you are sure you will use. It carries the lowest monthly price at all three providers.
- Time it. VPN providers often run their deepest offers around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which are Friday 27 November and Monday 30 November in 2026.
- Try before you commit. NordVPN offers a free 7-day trial to new US users, and all three list money-back windows.
- Look for a valid code from the provider itself or its ShopBack page. Our guide to finding promo codes that work explains which code sources are safest.
- Start on ShopBack, then shop at the store as usual. Activate the provider on ShopBack US before you pay, so cash comes back on the same order.
The live codes and offers sit on each store's ShopBack page, so check there rather than relying on an old screenshot.
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN: VPN service price comparison for 2026
NordVPN and ExpressVPN both cover 10 or more devices and both offer a 30-day money-back guarantee to new customers; the price difference comes from how each sets out its plan lengths and tiers.
ExpressVPN publishes its prices on its order page: $2.99, $4.49 and $7.49 a month for Basic, Advanced and Pro on 28-month plans at the time of writing, renewing at $99.95, $119.95 and $199.95 a year. NordVPN sells 2-year, 1-year and 1-month plans across its tiers and updates prices regularly on its pricing page.
| What to compare | NordVPN | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Plan lengths | 2-year, 1-year, 1-month | 28-month plans |
| Devices | Up to 10 | 10, 12 or 14 by tier |
| Money-back | 30 days, first purchase only | 30 days, new users |
| Free trial | 7 days, new users in the US | Not listed |
| Renewal | Automatic, with email notice of price changes | Renewal price printed next to each tier |
NordVPN suits buyers who want a choice of term lengths, including a 1-year option, and a free trial first. ExpressVPN suits buyers who want to pick a tier by device count, up to 14 on Pro. For a fair comparison, open both checkout pages on the same day, write down the first-term and renewal price for a plan that covers your devices, and work out the cost per month over three years.
NordVPN, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN: buying a VPN service in the US
Buying a VPN well takes about ten minutes: count devices, compare cost per month over the full term, then start on ShopBack and pay.
- Count your devices. Phones, laptops, tablets, streaming sticks and smart TVs all count.
- Shortlist two or three providers that cover that number, such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN.
- Write down three prices for each: the first-term price, the renewal price and the month-to-month price.
- Work out the cost per month over three years, as in the examples above.
- Check the refund window and set a reminder a few days before it ends.
- Start on ShopBack, then shop at the store as usual. Open ShopBack US, tap the provider, activate it and check out in the same session.
- Turn off auto-renewal or set a reminder before the renewal date if you want to compare again.
How ShopBack US lowers the monthly cost of a VPN
ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. You still buy from NordVPN, ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN at their price, and ShopBack sends part of what you spent back to you as cash.
Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.
Here is a worked example with an illustrative rate: on an $84 VPN plan at an illustrative 20%, about $17 comes back, so the effective price is about $67. Spread over a 28-month term, that is about $2.40 a month instead of $3.00. Rates differ by provider and change often, so check the live rate on the NordVPN, ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN page on ShopBack US before you buy. Some plan types, renewals or purchases made through app stores may not qualify, and those terms are shown on each store's page.
Our guide on activating before you buy walks through the steps, and our streaming subscription savings guide covers other yearly subscriptions you may be paying for.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a VPN cost per month?
In the US, a VPN service usually costs about $2 to $8 a month on a long first term and about $13 to $15 a month if you pay month to month. At the time of writing, ExpressVPN's Basic plan works out to $2.99 a month on its 28-month term and CyberGhost to $2.19 a month on its 26-month term, while CyberGhost's 1-month plan is $12.99. Renewal prices are higher than the first term, so check both before you pay.
Why is a monthly VPN plan so much more expensive?
Providers give the lowest monthly price to customers who pay for a long term upfront. CyberGhost lists $12.99 a month on its 1-month plan, $6.99 a month on its 6-month plan and $2.19 a month on its 26-month plan at the time of writing. The trade-off is a bigger single payment today.
What does a VPN cost after the first term?
Long plans renew at a different price. At the time of writing, ExpressVPN lists renewals of $99.95, $119.95 and $199.95 a year for Basic, Advanced and Pro, which is about $8.33, $10.00 and $16.66 a month. CyberGhost's checkout shows its 26-month plan renewing at $56.94 a year. NordVPN says plans renew at the applicable renewal price and it emails you before a price change.
How much does NordVPN cost per month?
NordVPN sells 2-year, 1-year and 1-month plans, and the monthly price depends on the plan length and tier you pick. NordVPN says its prices are updated regularly on its pricing page, so check the live price there. The 2-year and 1-year plans are paid in full at purchase, while the 1-month plan is paid monthly.
How much does ExpressVPN cost per month?
At the time of writing, ExpressVPN's order page lists $2.99 a month for Basic, $4.49 for Advanced and $7.49 for Pro on 2-year plans that run 28 months. That is billed as $83.72, $125.72 or $209.72 for the first 28 months, and the plans then renew at $99.95, $119.95 or $199.95 a year.
How much does CyberGhost VPN cost per month?
At the time of writing, CyberGhost lists $12.99 a month on its 1-month plan, $6.99 a month on its 6-month plan and $2.19 a month on its 2 years plus 2 months plan, billed as $56.94. Every plan covers 7 devices, and the longer plans come with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Is there a way to try a VPN before paying?
Trials and refund windows let you test one first. NordVPN offers a free 7-day trial to new users in a list of countries that includes the United States. NordVPN and ExpressVPN list 30-day money-back guarantees for new customers, and CyberGhost lists 45 days on its longer plans and 14 days on its 1-month plan.
How many devices does one VPN subscription cover?
According to each provider, NordVPN allows up to 10 devices at the same time, ExpressVPN allows 10, 12 or 14 depending on the tier, and CyberGhost covers 7 devices on every plan. Count your phones, laptops, tablets and TVs before you choose.
When is the best time to buy a VPN?
VPN providers often run their deepest offers around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which fall on Friday 27 November and Monday 30 November in 2026. If your current plan renews around then, compare the renewal price with a new long-term offer before it charges.
How does ShopBack lower what I pay for a VPN?
ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. Start on ShopBack US, open NordVPN, ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN, and buy your plan as usual. Part of what you spent comes back as cash, so the effective monthly cost drops. The live rate and terms are on each store's ShopBack page.
Key takeaways
- A VPN service in the US usually costs about $2 to $8 a month on a long first term and about $13 to $15 a month on a monthly plan.
- At the time of writing, ExpressVPN Basic is $2.99 a month on a 28-month plan, renewing at $99.95 a year, and CyberGhost is $2.19 a month on a 26-month plan.
- Over about three years, ExpressVPN Basic averages about $4.59 a month and CyberGhost about $3.00 a month once renewal is counted.
- NordVPN sells 2-year, 1-year and 1-month plans, covers up to 10 devices and offers a 7-day free trial to new US users.
- Start on ShopBack US, then shop as usual: NordVPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost VPN.
Related reads
- Activate Cashback Before Buying
- How to Find Promo Codes That Work
- How to Save on Streaming Subscriptions in the US
- Stack ShopBack Cashback with Credit Cards in the US
Shop VPNs through ShopBack US: NordVPN · ExpressVPN · CyberGhost VPN · Surfshark · PureVPN
Disclaimer
The views in this article are those of the author and are for general information only. This article is not affiliated with or endorsed by NordVPN, ExpressVPN or CyberGhost VPN. Plan prices, renewal prices, device limits, trials, refund terms and sale dates can change; check each provider before you buy. Cashback rates on ShopBack vary by store and campaign; check the current rate and terms on each store's ShopBack page before you shop.
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