Are 2-year VPN plans worth it?

By Riya Shah · 8 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

VPN

Every major VPN shows its lowest price on the longest plan. NordVPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN all quote a monthly figure that only applies when you prepay for two years.

What you actually pay

A $3.39/mo deal on a 2-year plan is a single charge of about $81 today. Compare that with $12.99 billed monthly: after 7 months the long plan has already paid for itself.

When the monthly plan is better

If you only need a VPN for a single trip, use the monthly plan and its 30-day money-back guarantee. Long plans also renew at a higher price, so set a reminder before the renewal date.

NordVPN
Monthly plan with 30-day money-back guarantee
See 4 offers

Stacking a coupon on top

Coupon codes on VPN sites usually add bonus months instead of cutting the price further. Check the checkout summary: the extra months should appear as a separate line.

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