Which VPNs publish their renewal price?

In our 2026-10-23 check, Proton VPN, Private Internet Access, ExpressVPN and NordVPN stated a renewal rate, and Mullvad charges a flat EUR 5 per month with no intro discount. Surfshark and TunnelBear showed no renewal price on the pages we read, and IPVanish could not be verified.

Why do VPNs hide the renewal price?

We cannot know providers' motives, but the pattern is visible: long intro terms carry a large discount, so the headline monthly price is only valid once. A provider that states the post-term rate lets you budget; one that does not leaves you to find it at checkout or on the renewal notice.

How is the 36-month cost calculated?

It is the cash cost of three years: the intro term total plus the published renewal rate for any remaining months, prorated monthly when the renewal is annual. Each row states its own assumption. Providers that do not publish a renewal rate get no 36-month figure instead of a guess.

Is the cheapest VPN over three years the best choice?

No. This index measures price disclosure and arithmetic, not privacy, audits or speed. Use it to avoid surprise renewals, then compare providers on jurisdiction, audits and features in the reviews. Taxes, regional pricing and promotions also change the real amount you pay.

How often is this index updated?

Each row shows the date it was checked. NordVPN's page blocks automated checks, so its row uses the value recorded on 2026-09-30. Prices change often; confirm on the provider's order page before you pay and set a reminder before the intro term ends.

Home › Research › Renewal Price Disclosure Index

Original research · edition 2026-10-23

VPN Renewal Price Disclosure Index 2026

Name: VPN Renewal Price Disclosure Index 2026
Creator: VPN Advisor
License: https://vpnadvisor.net/terms

A VPN's headline price usually applies once. This index records which of the ten reviewed providers state what the subscription costs after the introductory term, and shows the three-year cash cost for those that do.

Key findings

Four providers state a renewal rate on the page we read (Proton VPN, PIA, ExpressVPN, NordVPN); Mullvad has no intro discount, so there is no renewal jump.
Surfshark and TunnelBear showed no renewal price; CyberGhost and Windscribe state it only partly; IPVanish could not be verified.
Where it can be computed, the three-year cost ranges from $79.00 (PIA, 39-month term) to $198.54 (NordVPN), with Mullvad at EUR 180 flat. The gap comes almost entirely from term length and the renewal rate, not from the first-term monthly price.

The index

Renewal price disclosure and 36-month cost per provider
Provider	Disclosure	Intro term and total	Stated renewal	36-month cost	Checked
Proton VPN	Renewal price published	24 months (VPN Plus) $83.76	$83.88 per 12 months	$167.64	2026-10-23 source
Private Internet Access	Renewal price published	39 months (36 + 3 free) $79.00	$79 every 3 years	$79.00	2026-10-23 source
ExpressVPN	Renewal price published	28 months (24 + 4 free) $83.72 (VPN Advisor USD record; EUR 69.72 shown from Germany)	$99.95 per year (EUR 79.95 per year shown from Germany)	$150.35	2026-10-23 source
NordVPN	Renewal price published	27 months (Basic) $94.23	$139.08 per year	$198.54	2026-09-30 source
Mullvad	Flat price, no renewal change	None (monthly) EUR 5 per month	Same EUR 5 per month; no intro discount	EUR 180	2026-10-23 source
Windscribe	Partly stated	12 months (Pro) $69	Not stated separately; the page shows $69 per 12 months	$207	2026-10-23 source
Surfshark	Not published on the page	27 months $67.23 (VPN Advisor USD record; page showed EUR 67.23)	Not shown on the pricing page	n/a	2026-10-23 source
CyberGhost	Partly stated	26 months $56.94 (VPN Advisor record; EUR 56.94 on the order page)	Wording on the order page was ambiguous	n/a	2026-10-23 source
TunnelBear	Not published on the page	Not stated on the page From $3.33 per month	No renewal price published	n/a	2026-10-23 source
IPVanish	Could not be verified	24 months $57.36 (record)	Could not be verified (site blocks automated access)	n/a	2026-10-23 source

Currencies differ (USD or EUR) and are not converted unless noted. Taxes are excluded. Order pages can show different currencies depending on the visitor's country.

Assumptions behind each 36-month figure

Proton VPN: 24-month plan plus one 12-month renewal at the stated rate.
Private Internet Access: The 39-month term covers 36 months; renewal falls after month 39.
ExpressVPN: 28-month plan plus 8 months of renewal prorated at the annual rate; currency follows the USD record.
NordVPN: 27-month plan plus 9 months at the annual renewal rate prorated monthly (price record from 2026-09-30; NordVPN's page blocks automated checks).
Mullvad: 36 x EUR 5, VAT included; roughly USD 201.60 at the provider's own USD 5.60 estimate.
Windscribe: Assumes the same $69 each year. The upgrade page did not state a separate renewal price.
Surfshark: No 36-month figure is computed because the renewal rate is not published on the pricing page.
CyberGhost: No 36-month figure is computed; the renewal wording could not be read unambiguously.
TunnelBear: The pricing page states a per-month figure without the billing term, so no total is computed.
IPVanish: Third-party reviewers report a higher renewal rate, but VPN Advisor could not confirm it on the provider's page.

Method and limits

For each provider, VPN Advisor read the public pricing or order page on the date shown and recorded the introductory term, the intro total and any stated renewal rate. The 36-month cost is arithmetic on those numbers, nothing more. VPN Advisor did not buy subscriptions or test checkout flows, so the index cannot show what an individual customer is eventually charged, nor promotions that apply only at checkout.

A provider can disclose renewal terms elsewhere (terms of service, help articles, the renewal email). This index records the pricing or order page because that is where a buyer decides. NordVPN's page blocks automated access, so its row uses the value recorded on 2026-09-30 and says so. For context on audits, ownership and features, read the provider reviews linked in the table, and see the methodology and the refund and renewal planner to put the renewal date in your calendar.

Frequently asked questions

Which VPNs publish their renewal price?: In our 2026-10-23 check, Proton VPN, Private Internet Access, ExpressVPN and NordVPN stated a renewal rate, and Mullvad charges a flat EUR 5 per month with no intro discount. Surfshark and TunnelBear showed no renewal price on the pages we read, and IPVanish could not be verified.
Why do VPNs hide the renewal price?: We cannot know providers' motives, but the pattern is visible: long intro terms carry a large discount, so the headline monthly price is only valid once. A provider that states the post-term rate lets you budget; one that does not leaves you to find it at checkout or on the renewal notice.
How is the 36-month cost calculated?: It is the cash cost of three years: the intro term total plus the published renewal rate for any remaining months, prorated monthly when the renewal is annual. Each row states its own assumption. Providers that do not publish a renewal rate get no 36-month figure instead of a guess.
Is the cheapest VPN over three years the best choice?: No. This index measures price disclosure and arithmetic, not privacy, audits or speed. Use it to avoid surprise renewals, then compare providers on jurisdiction, audits and features in the reviews. Taxes, regional pricing and promotions also change the real amount you pay.
How often is this index updated?: Each row shows the date it was checked. NordVPN's page blocks automated checks, so its row uses the value recorded on 2026-09-30. Prices change often; confirm on the provider's order page before you pay and set a reminder before the intro term ends.