VPN for 5 Dollars a Month: What You Actually Get in 2026

If you want a VPN for about 5 dollars a month without signing up for years, your realistic option is Mullvad, which charges a flat €5 a month (slightly over $5 in US dollars) no matter how long you pay for. Most other big-name VPNs only drop to $5 or less when you prepay for one or two years, and many of them renew at a higher price afterward.

So the real question is not “which VPN is $5?” but “do I want to pay $5 every month, or prepay to get a lower average that may go up later?” Here is how the main options compare as of November 2026.

The quick answer: three ways to pay about $5 a month

There are three pricing models you will run into:

1. Flat monthly pricing. You pay the same rate every month and can stop any time. Mullvad is the clearest example.
2. Discounted annual pricing. You pay for a year up front, and the monthly average lands near $5. IVPN Standard works this way.
3. Introductory multi-year deals. You prepay one to two years and the average falls well under $5, but the renewal price is higher. Proton VPN and Surfshark use this model.

None of these is a trick on its own. The problem is when you compare an introductory two-year price against someone else’s honest monthly price and think you’re comparing like with like.

How the main options compare

The prices below come from the providers’ own pages. Prices change often, especially around Black Friday, so treat these as a snapshot as of November 2026 and confirm on the checkout page.

Mullvad: the only true “$5 a month” VPN

Mullvad’s pricing page lists a single rate of €5 per month, whether you pay for one month, one year or longer. The company says it has kept that price since it launched in 2009. In US dollars that came to about $5.60 when the page was last indexed, but the exact figure moves with the exchange rate.

A few details worth knowing:

• One account works on up to five devices.
• Mullvad says paying in supported cryptocurrencies gets a 10% discount.
• There is a 14-day money-back guarantee, but it does not cover cash or cryptocurrency payments.
• You can pay by card in several local currencies, and Mullvad says the price stays equivalent to €5 without added conversion fees.

Because there is no long-term discount, there is also no renewal surprise. That makes Mullvad the simplest answer to this search.

IVPN Standard: $5 a month if you pay yearly

IVPN restructured its plans in 2026. According to IVPN’s own announcement, Standard costs $2 a week, $6 a month or $60 a year. Paying yearly brings the average to exactly $5 a month. The new Plus tier is $8 a month and Pro Suite is $10 a month.

Some third-party sites still show IVPN’s older Standard/Pro structure, so go by IVPN’s site rather than review roundups.

Proton VPN Plus: under $5 only on a long prepay

Proton VPN’s sign-up page lists VPN Plus at $9.99 for a single month. On a 12-month plan, the average drops to $3.99 a month, and on a 24-month plan it drops to $2.99 a month. After that first 24-month term, the page says the plan renews at $83.88 for 12 months, which works out to about $6.99 a month.

Proton’s deals page advertises a 30-day money-back guarantee. Note that Proton’s own pages did not all show the same headline discount when we checked, so trust the figure on the checkout screen.

Proton also has a free plan with no time limit. It is limited to one device and fewer servers and features than Plus. If $5 a month is a stretch, it’s a reasonable place to start.

Surfshark Starter: cheap up front, check the renewal

Surfshark’s two-year Starter plan is widely reported at about $2.49 a month, but sources disagree on its month-to-month price. Surfshark publishes its renewal rates on a subscription renewal prices page. Third-party summaries of that page give different Starter renewal figures, so read the page yourself before you buy rather than relying on a review.

Why “$5 a month” headlines can mislead

A Tom’s Guide investigation into VPN renewal prices describes a higher price after an introductory deal as almost standard practice for subscription services. The cheap rate you see in an ad often has three conditions:

• You prepay. “$2.99/mo” usually means one charge for 24 months, not $2.99 billed monthly.
• It’s for the first term only. After that, the plan renews at the regular rate unless you cancel or switch.
• It may not include tax. Many listed prices are before sales tax or VAT.

Mullvad’s €5 includes VAT, according to its pricing page. Some US listings from other providers show prices before sales tax.

How to keep a VPN at about $5 a month

If your budget is firm, these steps help you avoid surprises:

1. Decide whether you want flexibility or the lowest average. If you might only need a VPN for a trip or a few months, a flat monthly plan like Mullvad’s usually costs less overall than a two-year prepay you don’t use.
2. Find the renewal price before you pay. Look for a line like “renews at” on the checkout page or the provider’s terms. Divide it by the number of months to get the real monthly cost after the first term.
3. Check the refund window and its exceptions. Proton advertises 30 days. Mullvad offers 14 days but excludes cash and crypto payments.
4. Set a calendar reminder a few weeks before renewal. That gives you time to cancel, switch plans or look for a new-customer deal elsewhere.
5. Turn off auto-renewal if you don’t want to be charged automatically. You can usually do this in your account settings on the provider’s official website or in the app store you subscribed through.
6. Only buy from the provider’s official site or the official app store listing. Resellers may charge different prices; Mullvad itself notes that some third-party resellers do.

Which one would we pick at this budget?

If you want to pay about $5 every month with no commitment and no renewal jump, Mullvad is the straightforward choice. If you’re happy to pay once a year, IVPN Standard hits $5 a month exactly. If you’re comfortable committing to two years and want the lowest price now, Proton VPN Plus costs less up front, as long as you plan for the higher renewal rate. And if you only need light protection, Proton’s free plan costs nothing.

Whichever you choose, prices in this market change often, especially around November sales. Check the provider’s own checkout page on the day you buy.