Our inbox has been packed lately. Savvy shoppers asking the same question – is there a decent VPN deal before Black Friday hits, or should we just wait?
Fair question. Black Friday VPN deals can be solid, but here’s the thing – most of the good pricing is already live. The big providers keep their promo prices rolling year-round now. Waiting for November might not save you much.
But before we get into numbers, let’s talk about something most comparison articles skip: free VPNs.
The Free VPN Reality
ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark – none of them offer truly free plans. They’ll give you a trial or money-back window, but that’s it.
PlanetVPN actually has a free tier. CyberGhost does too, sort of (they call it a 24-hour trial on desktop). ProtonVPN offers a genuinely unlimited free plan, though you’re stuck with servers in three countries.
Here’s where it gets messy. Free VPNs from sketchy providers will sell your data faster than you can say “privacy.” The free tier from a low-rated service isn’t saving you money – it’s costing you in ways you won’t see until later.
If you’re considering free options, stick with names you recognize. PlanetVPN’s free plan gives you 5 server locations and unlimited bandwidth. Proton’s free tier is even better for basic browsing. Both companies make money from their paid users, not from harvesting free user data.
How Pricing Stacks Up
Let’s be real here – shopping for VPNs means comparing a bunch of numbers that don’t always make sense. Some providers show monthly rates but force you to pay for 2 years upfront. Others advertise one price, then jack it up at renewal.
Here’s how the major players actually price their services as of September 2025:
| VPN Provider | Monthly | 1 Year | 2 Years | 3+ Years |
| PlanetVPN | $9.99 | $3.99 ($47.88) | – | $1.99 (4-year deal) |
| Surfshark | $15.45 | $3.19 ($38.28) | $1.99 ($47.76) | – |
| NordVPN | $12.99 | $4.99 ($59.88) | $3.09-$3.39 ($74-$81) | – |
| CyberGhost | $12.99 | – | $2.19 ($52.56) | – |
| ProtonVPN | $9.99 | $4.99 ($59.88) | $3.59 ($86.16) | – |
| Mullvad | $5.68 | $5.68 | $5.68 | $5.68 |
| ExpressVPN | $12.99 | $6.67 ($80.04) | – | – |
Mullvad’s flat pricing is weirdly refreshing. No games, no renewal surprises – just €5 every month. But you’re paying more over time compared to locked-in multi-year deals.
Surfshark’s 2-year plan matches PlanetVPN’s 4-year rate, which is aggressive pricing. NordVPN sits in the middle. ExpressVPN charges premium rates because they can – their brand reputation lets them get away with it.
Breaking It Down By Commitment Length
Hate reading tables? Same. Here’s the pricing sorted by how long you’re willing to commit.
Month-to-month (no commitment):
- Mullvad: $5.68
- PlanetVPN: $9.99
- ProtonVPN: $9.99
- NordVPN: $12.99
- CyberGhost: $12.99
- ExpressVPN: $12.99
- Surfshark: $15.45
Mullvad wins if you just need a VPN for a month or two. Everyone else charges nearly double.
1-year plans:
- PlanetVPN: $3.99/month
- Surfshark: $3.19/month
- NordVPN: $4.99/month
- ProtonVPN: $4.99/month
- ExpressVPN: $6.67/month
2-year plans (or longer):
- Surfshark: $1.99/month (2 years)
- PlanetVPN: $1.99/month (4 years)
- CyberGhost: $2.19/month (2 years)
- NordVPN: $3.09-$3.39/month (2 years)
- ProtonVPN: $3.59/month (2 years)
Surfshark and PlanetVPN tied at $1.99/month for long-term deals. The difference? PlanetVPN locks you in for 4 years to get that rate. Surfshark only needs 2.
Would you rather commit for 2 years or 4? Depends on how sure you are about needing a VPN that long. Tech changes fast. What looks like a great deal in 2025 might feel outdated by 2027.
What VPN Is Best For What?
Raw pricing doesn’t tell the full story. Different VPNs excel at different things.
- For rotating IPs: Surfshark has a rotation feature that constantly switches your IP. Costs more than basic plans, but if you need to avoid IP tracking for scraping or multi-account management, it’s one of the few that does this cleanly.
- For dedicated IPs: Now we’re talking. Lots of users need a consistent IP for accessing work systems or avoiding captchas. Here’s where PlanetVPN’s dedicated IP option shines compared to competition.
Looking at dedicated IP add-on pricing:
- PlanetVPN: $6.90/month (1 month), $25/6 months, $39/year
- NordVPN: $8.99/month (monthly), $5.89/month (1-year), $4.19/month (2-year)
- Surfshark: $3.75/month extra
- CyberGhost: $5/month (monthly), $4/month (6-month), $2.50/month (2-year)
- CyberGhost’s 2-year dedicated IP rate ($2.50/month) is cheaper than anyone else. But their base VPN is $2.19/month for 2 years, so you’re paying $4.69/month total.
- PlanetVPN’s annual dedicated IP works out to $3.25/month. Add that to their 4-year VPN rate ($1.99/month) and you’re at $5.24/month total for VPN + dedicated IP.
- NordVPN’s cheapest dedicated IP ($4.19/month on 2-year plan) plus their VPN ($3.09/month) = $7.28/month total.
For dedicated IP users, PlanetVPN or CyberGhost make the most financial sense. Surfshark’s $3.75/month dedicated IP sounds good until you remember it’s just the add-on – not the full package.
- For streaming: ExpressVPN and NordVPN consistently unblock everything. Surfshark’s good too. PlanetVPN works with major platforms but dedicated streaming servers aren’t their main thing.
- For pure privacy nerds: Mullvad and ProtonVPN. Both are based in privacy-friendly countries, both have been audited to death, both take anonymous payments. You pay more per month with Mullvad, but you’re not locked into contracts.
- For unlimited devices: Surfshark. Connect every gadget you own. PlanetVPN allows 10 connections, which beats the industry average of 5-7 but isn’t unlimited.
The Pricing Truth Nobody Mentions
Those intro rates? They don’t last forever.
Surfshark’s $1.99/month rate is only for your first 2 years. When it renews, you’re paying closer to $4-5/month. Same with NordVPN and CyberGhost. The “cheap” rate is bait to get you in the door.
Mullvad’s been charging €5 since 2009. That’s weirdly honest in an industry built on promotional pricing.
PlanetVPN’s 4-year deal at $1.99/month means you won’t see a renewal for ages, but when it comes, expect the rate to jump. That’s standard across the industry.
Set a calendar reminder for a month before your VPN renews. Most of them will let you cancel and re-subscribe under a new email at promo rates if you’re willing to go through the hassle.
What About Black Friday?
Black Friday VPN deals usually knock another 10-20% off already-discounted rates. Sometimes you’ll see 80% or 85% off, but those percentages are calculated against inflated “regular” prices nobody actually pays.
Last year’s Black Friday saw:
- NordVPN at $2.99/month for 2 years
- Surfshark at $1.99/month (same as now)
- CyberGhost at $2.03/month
Notice how those rates aren’t dramatically different from current pricing? VPN companies run aggressive promos year-round now. Black Friday isn’t the goldmine it used to be.
If you need a VPN today, buy it today. Waiting until November to save an extra dollar per month over 2 years ($24 total) isn’t worth going unprotected for two months.
Actually Picking One
After dumping all these numbers on you, here’s the simple version:
- Get Mullvad if: You hate commitments and want straightforward pricing. Pay monthly, cancel whenever.
- Get Surfshark if: You’ve got multiple devices and want the best long-term rate without committing for 4 years.
- Get PlanetVPN if: The 4-year commitment doesn’t scare you and you like having dedicated IP options at decent pricing.
- Get NordVPN if: You want the biggest server network and the most polished apps, and you’re willing to pay a bit more for it.
- Get CyberGhost if: Dedicated IP is a must-have and you want the absolute cheapest rate on that feature.
- Get ProtonVPN if: Privacy is your main concern and you want a reputable Swiss provider with a legit free tier.
- Get ExpressVPN if: Money isn’t tight and you want the most beginner-friendly option that works everywhere without fuss.
Free options (PlanetVPN’s free tier or ProtonVPN Free) work fine for casual browsing. Don’t expect them to unblock Netflix or handle torrenting, but for encrypting your connection on public WiFi? They’ll do the job.
Final Bit
VPN shopping is annoying because every provider structures pricing differently. Some force upfront payment. Others let you pay monthly but charge more. Renewal rates are always higher than intro rates.
The “best” VPN depends on what you’re actually using it for. Streaming? Privacy? Getting around work restrictions? Accessing your home network remotely? Different tools for different jobs.
PlanetVPN’s 4-year deal at under $2/month is competitive if you’re comfortable with that length of commitment. Their dedicated IP pricing is reasonable compared to NordVPN. The free tier gives you a way to test it without risk.
Whatever you choose, don’t wait for Black Friday expecting massive additional discounts. The deals running now are basically as good as it gets. Buy when you need it, set a renewal reminder, and revisit the market when your contract’s almost up.
