This page is ordered by one thing: the lowest monthly price each vendor actually charges on its longest plan, read from the vendor's own checkout on the day we last refreshed it. That is why the highest scoring VPN is not at the top. Scores, server counts and device limits are all still on the card, so you can see exactly what a lower price costs you in features.
Every price here is the introductory rate on a multi year plan. Renewal is dearer at every vendor, which is the single most common surprise in this category, so we list the renewal terms in each review.
What you give up at the bottom of the price list
Server count and locations. The cheapest plans tend to run smaller networks. That matters if you need a specific country, and matters very little if you want privacy on a coffee shop connection.
Simultaneous devices. Two vendors here place no limit at all, which changes the maths if you are covering a household rather than one laptop. A slightly dearer plan with unlimited devices can work out cheaper per person than the lowest headline price.
Renewal price. The gap between the introductory rate and year two is wide, and it is where the cheapest option can stop being the cheapest. Check the renewal line before you commit.
Refund window. Every provider on this page offers money back, but the window differs. It is the cheapest insurance there is against picking wrong.
How to buy at the lowest real price
Take the longest term you are comfortable with, because per month pricing falls steeply with term length and that is where the discounts live. Pay attention to the refund window rather than the marketing claim. If you are covering a family, divide the price by the device limit before you compare anything.