How Expensive is a VPN?
To continue the conversation from my last post, let’s take a look at how much does a VPN cost?
The short answer is it depends. There are a few different fees that you have to account for. Below, I will walk you through the different costs associated with a VPN:
Country Of Residence
The first and most crucial cost has to do with where you reside. If you live in Ireland, for example, you’ll have to pay 35 euros per month for a VPN service. If you reside in the U.S., you’ll only have to pay 17 euros per month for the same service. That’s more than a 50% savings if you live in Ireland compared to the U.S. A VPN might seem like a luxury to you if you live in a country where your internet is free or almost free. But if you’re paying for internet in another country, you’ll see the value in securing your digital identity.
Annual/Monthly Fee
The second important consideration when it comes to VPN costs is the annual or monthly fee. Just like with most other services, you’ll have to pay a one-time fee to set up your VPN account. After that, you’ll pay a monthly fee. Some VPNs have a free trial period, but you’ll have to decide whether to keep the service after the trial period ends or not. The cost of the trial period has to be taken into consideration as well. For example, you’ll have to pay 59 euros per month for ProtonVPN’s basic plan, which has a 30-day free trial. After that, you’ll have to pay 79 euros per month.
If you decide to keep the service after the trial period ends, you’ll have to pay the regular price of 79 euros per month. So the total cost for ProtonVPN after the trial period is 160 euros per month. If you’re looking for a completely free service, you’ll have to search elsewhere because ProtonVPN does not offer a completely free service.
Hardware/Software Requirements
The third important consideration when it comes to VPN costs has to do with the hardware and software requirements. To use most VPNs, you’ll need a decent computer or mobile device. The computing power of these devices determines how effective the service is. If you have a slow computer, you may have to consider paying for a faster one so that you can reap the benefits of a VPN. Some companies have a minimum requirement for the hard drive space of your device. For example, HMA VPN requires you to have at least 500 MB of free space on your device. If you don’t have at least 500 MB of free space, you have to purchase an external HDD to use their service.
Size Of Data You Can Upload/Download
The fourth important consideration when it comes to VPN costs has to do with the size of the data you can upload/download. The bigger the capacity of the data center you use, the more expensive it will be. You’ll have to consider how much data you need and how often you need to upload/download files so that you can make a reasonable estimation of the cost. BitTorrent users will pay the most for their VPN services because of the huge amount of data they need to upload and download. The more you use, the more you’ll have to pay. Keep in mind that many VPNs offer a free trial period, but you’ll have to decide whether or not to keep the service after the trial period ends.
Types Of Security
The fifth and final consideration when it comes to VPN costs has to do with the types of security the service offers. The better the type of security the service provides, the more expensive it will be. Most VPNs offer at least two types of security: military-grade encryption and an ad blocker. The former is far more effective and expensive than the latter. If you’re looking for a free service that offers both, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Most companies use the ad blocker to reduce the cost of their service. Without it, their customers would have to pay for the additional security measures.
To put it simply, there is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to how much a VPN costs. Depending on where you live, how much you need, and how much you’re willing to spend, you’ll have to decide which VPN service is best for your needs.