Updated March 2026 — Renewal Prices Verified

Stop Overpaying
for Privacy

The only VPN comparison that shows what $1.99/month really costs after year one. No sponsored rankings. No hidden owners. Just math.

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No Sponsored Rankings
Renewal Prices Shown
Audit Status Verified
Ownership Disclosed

Our Top Picks for 2026

Based on 5-year total cost, audit history, and real-world performance

What $1.99/Month Really Costs

Every VPN advertises a low intro rate. Here's what happens after year one.

+242%
NordVPN
$3.39/mo → $11.59/mo at renewal
+231%
Surfshark
$1.99/mo → $6.58/mo at renewal
0%
Mullvad
€5/mo → €5/mo. Same price since 2009.

The Ownership Shell Game

Nord Security

Owns both NordVPN and Surfshark (merged 2022). Also owns NordPass and NordLocker. Atlas VPN was discontinued April 2024 — users migrated to NordVPN. Two of the top 5 "competitors" are the same company.

Kape Technologies

Owns ExpressVPN ($936M acquisition, 2021), CyberGhost, PIA, and ZenMate (discontinued). Kape was formerly Crossrider — a company that distributed adware. Rebranded in 2018.

Why We're Different

Most VPN review sites are owned by VPN companies. We're not.

Renewal Prices Exposed

Every card shows both the intro rate and what you'll pay at renewal. Most review sites hide this because it hurts affiliate conversions.

Ownership Disclosed

We tell you when "competitors" are owned by the same parent company. Nord Security and Kape Technologies own 5 of the top 10 VPNs.

Audit Freshness Matters

Would you trust a security company with a decade-old audit? We track when each VPN was last independently verified and by whom.

Affiliate Disclosure: SideBySideVPN.com earns commissions from some VPN providers listed on this site. This never influences our rankings, which are based on independently verified data including pricing, audits, server counts, and jurisdiction. We show renewal prices and ownership structures that other affiliate sites hide. Our recommendations prioritize your long-term value over our short-term commissions. Learn more about our methodology →

Head-to-Head Comparison