The Best NordVPN Alternatives in 2026
Tolodora Editorial Team
Independent software reviews for founders and small businesses.
Quick answer
The best NordVPN alternatives in 2026 are Proton VPN, Surfshark and Mullvad. Proton VPN is our top overall pick, best for privacy-focused users and anyone who wants a real free option. See the full ranked comparison below.
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NordVPN is quick, reliable and stuffed with features, so the gripes tend to be predictable: that first year is cheap, then the renewal price jumps and suddenly you're paying a lot more than you signed up for. Some people also just want a more privacy-pure option, or a free tier to dip a toe in. Whatever's nudging you, the VPN market is fierce and there are excellent alternatives at every price point.
Here are six NordVPN alternatives worth a look in 2026, ranked on value, privacy, speed and features. A quick heads-up on VPN pricing: the eye-catching numbers are almost always multi-year deals, and the monthly rate is much higher, so always check what you'll actually pay at renewal. There's more in security.
Prices below are published 2026 list prices and lean on longer-term plans where noted; VPN pricing is notoriously term-dependent, so confirm the current figure (and the renewal rate) before you buy. Ratings are our own editorial calls to help you compare.
| Tool | Starts at | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | Free; Plus ~$3.99/mo | Yes (unlimited data) | Privacy-focused users and anyone who wants a real free option |
| Surfshark | From ~$2.19/mo (long term) | Trial | Households and budget-conscious users with lots of devices |
| Mullvad | Flat €5/~$5/mo | No | Privacy purists who want anonymity and zero lock-in |
| ExpressVPN | From ~$6.67/mo (long term) | Trial | People who want the smoothest, most reliable premium VPN |
| CyberGhost | From ~$2.19/mo (long term) | Trial | Beginners who want easy, purpose-built server options |
| Private Internet Access | From ~$2/mo (long term) | Trial | Value seekers who want open-source apps and a privacy track record |
| Tool | Value | Support | Ease of use | Features | Overall | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surfshark | 10.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.8 | Households and budget-conscious users with lots of devices |
| Proton VPN | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 8.5 | Privacy-focused users and anyone who wants a real free option |
| CyberGhost | 9.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.5 | Beginners who want easy, purpose-built server options |
| ExpressVPN | 6.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.3 | People who want the smoothest, most reliable premium VPN |
| Private Internet Access | 9.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | Value seekers who want open-source apps and a privacy track record |
| Mullvad | 8.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.5 | Privacy purists who want anonymity and zero lock-in |
Comparing against the original?
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| # | Tool | Best for | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proton VPN | Privacy-focused users and anyone who wants a real free option | 4.3/5 |
| 2 | Surfshark | Households and budget-conscious users with lots of devices | 4.4/5 |
| 3 | Mullvad | Privacy purists who want anonymity and zero lock-in | 3.8/5 |
| 4 | ExpressVPN | People who want the smoothest, most reliable premium VPN | 4.1/5 |
| 5 | CyberGhost | Beginners who want easy, purpose-built server options | 4.3/5 |
| 6 | Private Internet Access | Value seekers who want open-source apps and a privacy track record | 4.0/5 |
Proton VPN
- Pricing
- 9.0/10
- Functionality
- 9.0/10
- Ease of use
- 8.0/10
- Support
- 8.0/10
What I like
The only big-name VPN with a genuinely good free tier, and it's Swiss and privacy-obsessed.
Best for
Privacy-focused users and anyone who wants a real free option
Proton VPN is the one I'd point most people to. It's made by the Swiss privacy crew behind Proton Mail, it's independently audited and open-source, and uniquely among the big names it has a genuinely usable free tier with unlimited data (no catch, just fewer servers). Paid Plus is around $3.99 a month on longer terms and unlocks the full server list, streaming support and extras like Secure Core routing. Swiss jurisdiction and a strong no-logs stance make it a privacy favorite. If you want a VPN you can trust, try for free, and grow into, Proton VPN is tough to beat.
Surfshark
- Pricing
- 10.0/10
- Functionality
- 8.0/10
- Ease of use
- 9.0/10
- Support
- 8.0/10
What I like
Cheap, fast, and the rare VPN that lets you connect unlimited devices.
Best for
Households and budget-conscious users with lots of devices
Surfshark is the value king, and its headline trick is unlimited simultaneous connections, so one subscription can cover your whole household and every gadget in it. It's genuinely fast, easy to use, and on longer terms it's one of the cheapest reputable VPNs around (roughly $2.19 a month). It also piles on extras like ad-blocking and alternative IDs. The usual VPN caveat applies, the low price is a multi-year deal and the monthly rate is much higher, so mind the renewal. But for a household that wants speed, features and a lot of devices covered without paying NordVPN money, Surfshark is a steal.
Mullvad
- Pricing
- 8.0/10
- Functionality
- 7.0/10
- Ease of use
- 8.0/10
- Support
- 7.0/10
What I like
Radical privacy and flat pricing, no accounts, no upsells, no nonsense.
Best for
Privacy purists who want anonymity and zero lock-in
Mullvad is the VPN privacy nerds quietly adore, and it does things refreshingly differently. There are no email sign-ups or personal details, just a random account number, and the price is a flat €5 (about $5) a month whether you pay for one month or twelve. No fake discounts, no auto-renewal traps, no 'first year only' games. You can even pay in cash or crypto if you really want to stay anonymous. It's less flashy than Nord (fewer streaming-optimized bells and whistles), and the server count is smaller. But for sheer privacy integrity and honest, flat pricing, nothing here matches Mullvad's principles.
ExpressVPN
- Pricing
- 6.0/10
- Functionality
- 9.0/10
- Ease of use
- 9.0/10
- Support
- 9.0/10
What I like
Premium speed, rock-solid reliability and the best at getting into streaming services.
Best for
People who want the smoothest, most reliable premium VPN
ExpressVPN is the premium pick, and it earns the 'it just works' reputation. It's consistently fast across far-flung servers, superb at unblocking streaming libraries, and its apps are about as polished and foolproof as VPNs get, which matters if you want to install it on a relative's device and never hear about it again. It's the priciest option here (around $6.67 a month even on a longer term), so you're paying for that reliability and support. If budget is your main driver, Surfshark or Proton make more sense. But if you want the smoothest premium experience and you'll happily pay for it, ExpressVPN delivers.
CyberGhost
- Pricing
- 9.0/10
- Functionality
- 8.0/10
- Ease of use
- 9.0/10
- Support
- 8.0/10
What I like
Beginner-friendly with handy preconfigured servers for streaming and torrenting.
Best for
Beginners who want easy, purpose-built server options
CyberGhost is the approachable, beginner-friendly VPN with one genuinely useful idea: preconfigured servers labeled for exactly what you want to do, optimized for Netflix, for torrenting, for specific countries, so you don't have to guess which server to pick. It's cheap on long terms (around $2.19 a month), has a huge server network, and offers an unusually long money-back window to test it properly. The usual term-pricing caveat applies at renewal. It's a bit less of a privacy darling than Proton or Mullvad, reflecting its ownership and marketing-heavy style. But for a newcomer who wants an easy, affordable VPN with sensible one-click server choices, it's a friendly option.
Private Internet Access
- Pricing
- 9.0/10
- Functionality
- 8.0/10
- Ease of use
- 8.0/10
- Support
- 7.0/10
What I like
Cheap, open-source apps, unlimited devices and a long proven no-logs record.
Best for
Value seekers who want open-source apps and a privacy track record
Private Internet Access (PIA) is the value-and-transparency pick. Its apps are open-source, which privacy folks appreciate, it allows unlimited simultaneous connections like Surfshark, and it has a long, court-tested no-logs reputation (it's famously been unable to hand over data it doesn't keep). On longer terms it's among the cheapest reputable options at roughly $2 a month, with a massive server network and granular settings for tinkerers. It's less slick and less streaming-polished than ExpressVPN, and shares the same corporate ownership as a couple of others here. But for an affordable, configurable, open-source VPN with a solid privacy history, PIA is a strong NordVPN alternative.
The verdict
For most people the best NordVPN alternative is Proton VPN, trustworthy, Swiss, and the only one with a genuinely good free tier. Surfshark and PIA are the value picks with unlimited devices, Mullvad is the choice for privacy purists who want flat, honest pricing, ExpressVPN is the premium 'it just works' option, and CyberGhost is the friendliest for beginners. Whatever you pick, check the renewal price, not just the shiny first-term deal.
Whatever you shortlist, run your real work through it for a week before committing — the right tool is the one that quietly disappears and lets you get back to it. And if you build software like this yourself, you can list it on Tolodora free.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best free alternative to NordVPN?
Proton VPN is the clear winner, it's the only major VPN with a genuinely usable free tier that includes unlimited data (you just get fewer server locations). Most other reputable VPNs offer trials or money-back guarantees rather than a true free plan, so if 'free forever' matters, Proton VPN is the one.
Which NordVPN alternative is best for privacy?
Mullvad and Proton VPN are the privacy standouts. Mullvad is radically private, no email needed, flat pricing, cash/crypto payment options, while Proton VPN pairs Swiss jurisdiction with open-source, audited apps and a strong no-logs stance. Either is a step up if privacy is your main reason for switching.
Which is the cheapest NordVPN alternative?
On longer-term plans, Private Internet Access (around $2/month), Surfshark and CyberGhost (around $2.19/month) are the cheapest reputable options, and Surfshark and PIA both allow unlimited devices. Just remember those are multi-year prices, the monthly rate and the renewal are significantly higher, so factor that in.
Why do people switch from NordVPN?
The most common reason is renewal pricing, the cheap intro deal jumps substantially when it renews. Others switch for a free tier (Proton VPN), stronger privacy principles (Mullvad), unlimited devices (Surfshark, PIA), or simply a lower long-term price. NordVPN is a good VPN; most switches are about cost or privacy preference.
Do these VPNs work for streaming?
Yes, most do, though some are better at it. ExpressVPN is widely regarded as the best for reliably unblocking streaming libraries, and Surfshark and CyberGhost (with its streaming-optimized servers) also perform well. Proton VPN supports streaming on its paid tier. Streaming support changes often, so check current performance before committing.
Sources & further reading
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