For occasional use, Proton VPN's free plan costs nothing and has no data cap. For a paid replacement, every alternative we compared renews for less than NordVPN Basic's $139.08 a year: CyberGhost renews at $56.94 a year, Private Internet Access at $73.71 every 3 years, and Mullvad never changes from $5.56 a month (billed as €5). Pick by renewal price and device count, then test your apps inside the refund window.
NordVPN's intro price looks low, $3.49 a month on the 2-year Basic plan, but the plan renews automatically at $139.08 a year. Auto-renewal is the top complaint in its reviews and the subject of several U.S. class action lawsuits.
This guide is for people who want a VPN that costs less after year one, covers more than 10 devices, or comes from a different company. Surfshark is cheaper on renewal but belongs to the same parent group, Nord Security.
Below are six alternatives, a renewal cost table, the main reasons people leave NordVPN, and how to cancel auto-renewal.
Why people look for NordVPN alternatives
NordVPN’s ratings are strong (4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot from about 51,000 reviews), but its complaints cluster around four problems:
- Auto-renewal at a much higher price. Basic goes from $3.49 a month to $139.08 a year. Look at: CyberGhost, Private Internet Access or Mullvad.
- Connection drops and repeated troubleshooting. Look at: any pick with a long refund window, so you can test on your own network.
- Problems with calling and messaging apps. Test the apps you rely on before the refund deadline.
- Slow support on billing disputes. Cancel auto-renewal early and keep the confirmation email.
Surfshark fixes the device cap and costs less, but it belongs to the same parent group.
Free options
Proton VPN Free is the only free plan among our picks: no data limit, no ads, one device, and servers in 10 countries chosen for you. It is enough for occasional use on public Wi-Fi.
The FTC advises reading a VPN’s privacy policy before you trust it with your traffic, whether it is free or paid.
What NordVPN alternatives cost after the first term
| VPN |
First term |
Renewal |
| NordVPN Basic |
$94.23 for 27 months |
$139.08 a year |
| ExpressVPN Basic |
$83.72 for 28 months |
$99.95 a year |
| Proton VPN Plus |
$83.76 for 24 months |
$83.88 a year |
| Surfshark Starter |
$67.23 for 27 months |
$79 a year |
| Mullvad |
$5.56 (€5) |
Same |
| CyberGhost |
$56.94 for 26 months |
$56.94 a year |
| Private Internet Access |
$1.89 a month for 39 months, paid up front (promotion as listed October 13, 2026; $2.03 earlier in October) |
$73.71 every 3 years |
Prices as listed October 2026, before tax. VPN promotions change often, so check the renewal line at checkout.
How to choose a replacement VPN
- Compare renewals, not intro prices. The renewal is what you pay from year three on.
- Count devices. NordVPN allows 10. Surfshark and PIA have no cap; Mullvad allows 5.
- Decide if a new company matters. Surfshark shares NordVPN’s parent.
- Use the refund window. Test streaming, banking and calling apps before it closes.
- Turn off auto-renew on day one if you are not sure you will stay.
How to cancel NordVPN
- Sign in to your Nord Account and open Billing.
- Cancel auto-renewal next to your subscription. Keep the confirmation email.
- For a refund within 30 days of your first purchase, contact live chat, open the link it sends and click Refund next to the payment. Renewals are not covered unless local law requires it.
- If you subscribed through Apple, Google Play or Amazon, cancel and request refunds in that store.
- On the 7-day free trial, cancel under Billing before day 7.
Steps per NordVPN’s Help Center, checked October 2026.
Terms to know
- Auto-renewal
- An automatic charge for a new term when your current subscription ends.
- Renewal price
- The price a VPN charges after the discounted first term ends.
- No-logs audit
- An outside firm's check that a VPN does not keep records of user activity.
- Simultaneous connections
- How many devices can use one account at the same time.
- Specialty servers
- Servers set up for a specific use, such as routing through two VPN servers.
