VPN · 9 tools compared
What is the best VPN in 2026?
Short answer
Windscribe ranks first on published facts: a free plan (limited free locations), paid plans from $1 / mo. 3 of 9 have a free plan.
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | From | 1st year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Windscribe | VPN with a free tier and build-a-plan | Yes | $1 / mo | $12 |
| 2. Proton VPN | Privacy-first VPN with a free tier | Yes | $4.49 / mo | $53.88 |
| 3. Surfshark | Cheap VPN with unlimited devices | No | $2.49 / mo | $29.88 |
| 4. Private Internet Access | VPN with unlimited simultaneous devices | No | $2.03 / mo | $24.36 |
| 5. CyberGhost VPN | VPN with 45-day refund window | No | $2.19 / mo | $26.28 |
| 6. Hotspot Shield | VPN with a limited free plan | Yes | $7.99 / mo | $95.88 |
| 7. NordVPN | Fast VPN with security extras | No | $4.99 / mo | $59.88 |
| 8. ExpressVPN | Premium VPN with identity protection | No | $2.99 / mo | $35.88 |
| 9. IVPN | Audited no-logs VPN with anonymous signup | No | $60 / yr | $60 |
From = cheapest paid plan, billed yearly where offered. 1st year = that plan for 12 months.
How did we rank these 9 VPNs?
On published facts only, scored out of 7: free plan (2, or 1 for a trial), first-year cost against the others (up to 3), three or more paid plans (1), mobile apps (1). We do not test tools hands-on.
| Tool | Score / 7 |
|---|---|
| Windscribe | 6 |
| Proton VPN | 4.1 |
| Surfshark | 3.9 |
| Private Internet Access | 3.6 |
| CyberGhost VPN | 3.3 |
| Hotspot Shield | 3 |
| NordVPN | 2.8 |
| ExpressVPN | 2.5 |
| IVPN | 2.4 |
The 9 best VPNs, ranked
Windscribe
Best for: VPN with a free tier and build-a-plan
- Free plan
- Yes, limited free locations
- From
- $1 / mo
- 1st year
- $12
Proton VPN
Best for: privacy-first VPN with a free tier
- Free plan
- Yes, unlimited data, limited servers
- From
- $4.49 / mo
- 1st year
- $53.88
Surfshark
Best for: cheap VPN with unlimited devices
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.49 / mo
- 1st year
- $29.88
Private Internet Access
Best for: VPN with unlimited simultaneous devices
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.03 / mo
- 1st year
- $24.36
CyberGhost VPN
Best for: VPN with 45-day refund window
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.19 / mo
- 1st year
- $26.28
Hotspot Shield
Best for: VPN with a limited free plan
- Free plan
- Yes, 2 Mbps, 500 MB daily, 1 location
- From
- $7.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $95.88
NordVPN
Best for: fast VPN with security extras
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $4.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $59.88
ExpressVPN
Best for: premium VPN with identity protection
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $35.88
IVPN
Best for: audited no-logs VPN with anonymous signup
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $60 / yr
- 1st year
- $60
Which VPN is cheapest?
Windscribe, at $12 for the first year, then Private Internet Access at $24.36.
| Tool | Cheapest plan | 1st year |
|---|---|---|
| Windscribe | Pro | $12 |
| Private Internet Access | 1 Year | $24.36 |
| CyberGhost VPN | 2 Years + 2 Months | $26.28 |
| Surfshark | Starter | $29.88 |
| ExpressVPN | Basic | $35.88 |
| Proton VPN | VPN Plus | $53.88 |
| NordVPN | Basic | $59.88 |
| IVPN | Standard | $60 |
| Hotspot Shield | Premium | $95.88 |
Which VPNs have a free plan?
3 of 9: Windscribe, Proton VPN, Hotspot Shield.
- Windscribe: limited free locations
- Proton VPN: unlimited data, limited servers
- Hotspot Shield: 2 Mbps, 500 MB daily, 1 location
Sources
| Vendor page | URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Windscribe pricing | windscribe.com/upgrade | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Proton VPN pricing | protonvpn.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Surfshark pricing | surfshark.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Private Internet Access pricing | privateinternetaccess.com/buy-vpn-online | 27 Oct 2026 |
| CyberGhost VPN pricing | cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Hotspot Shield pricing | hotspotshield.com/select-plan/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| NordVPN pricing | nordvpn.com/pricing/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| ExpressVPN pricing | expressvpn.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| IVPN pricing | ivpn.net/en/pricing/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
Prices in USD as published by each vendor, billed yearly where offered. How we compare