Best VPNs of 2026 for Public Wi-Fi, Privacy and Value
Wi-Fi in hotels, cafes and airports is shared with strangers. A VPN encrypts your connection, so other people on the same network cannot easily read what you send. Below we compare 9 well-known VPNs side by side, with the intro price and the renewal price, so there are no surprises later.
Best for unlimited devices
One plan covers every device in your home, with an audited no-logs policy.
SEE DETAILS
Best budget pick
The lowest first-year price of our top four, with an ad blocker and antivirus license included at no extra cost.
SEE DETAILS
Best for speed and audited security
A large server network and a no-logs policy that has been audited several times.
SEE DETAILSThe 9 VPNs we compared
Pros
- Lowest first-year price of our top four ($19)
- Ad blocker (Total Adblock) and antivirus (TotalAV) license included at no extra cost
- 30-day money-back guarantee; cancel online at any time
Cons
- Renewal jumps from $19 to $99/year
- Covers 1 device; more devices cost extra
- Company is based in the UK and the US
- $19 for the first year
- Ad blocker and antivirus included
- 30-day money-back
Opens the provider's own website
Score details
Key facts
| $19 first year (80% off) | $99/year | 30 days | 1 (more as paid add-on) | - | - | UK and US |
Pros
- Unlimited devices on one plan
- No-logs policy audited by Deloitte (2025)
- 4,500+ servers in 100 countries
Cons
- Renewal price is not stated on the price page
- Lowest price needs a 27-month plan
- Company is based in the Netherlands
- Unlimited devices
- Audited no-logs (Deloitte, 2025)
- 30-day money-back
Score details
Key facts
| $2.49/mo (27 months, $67.23) | Not stated | 30 days | Unlimited | 4,500+ in 100 countries | Deloitte, 2025 | Netherlands |
Pros
- No-logs policy audited by Deloitte (latest report December 2025)
- 10 devices on one plan
- Servers in 225+ locations
Cons
- One of the bigger price jumps at renewal ($139.08/year)
- Lowest price needs a 27-month plan
- Limit of 10 devices
- Audited no-logs (Deloitte, 2025)
- 10 devices
- 30-day money-back
Opens the provider's own website
Score details
Key facts
| $3.49/mo (27 months, $94.23) | $139.08/year | 30 days | 10 | 225+ locations | Deloitte, 2025 | - |
Pros
- Company is based in Switzerland
- No-logs policy audited by Securitum every year (latest 2026)
- Free plan to try it first (1 device, limited locations)
Cons
- Free plan is limited to 1 device
- Some users report app and support issues
- Lowest price needs a 24-month plan
- Audited no-logs (Securitum, 2026)
- 20,000+ servers
- Free plan to try
Opens the provider's own website
Score details
Key facts
| $3.49/mo (24 months, $83.76) | $83.88/year | 30 days | 10 (free plan: 1) | 20,000+ in 140+ countries | Securitum, 2026 | Switzerland |
Pros
- 10 devices on one plan
- Audits by KPMG and Cure53 listed on its site
- Servers in 105+ countries
Cons
- One of the higher renewal prices on this list ($99.95/year)
- Lowest price needs a 28-month plan
- 10 devices
- Audits by KPMG and Cure53
- 30-day money-back
Score details
Key facts
| $2.99/mo (28 months, $83.72) | $99.95/year | 30 days | 10 | 105+ countries | KPMG, Cure53 | - |
Pros
- Same price every month, no long plan needed
- Regular security audits (Cure53, 2024)
- Company is based in Sweden
Cons
- Only a 14-day money-back window
- 5 devices at most
- No free plan
- Flat EUR 5/month
- 5 devices
- 14-day money-back
Score details
Key facts
| EUR 5/mo flat (about $5.61) | EUR 5/mo (about $5.61) | 14 days | 5 | - | Security audits (Cure53, 2024) | Sweden |
Pros
- 45-day money-back guarantee
- 7 devices on one plan
- Servers in 100+ countries
Cons
- Lowest price needs a 2-year plan
- Intro price changes with seasonal deals
- 45-day money-back
- 7 devices
- 100+ countries
Score details
Key facts
| $2.19/mo (2 years + 2 months, $56.94) | $56.94/year | 45 days | 7 | 100+ countries | Deloitte | Romania |
Pros
- Unlimited devices on one plan
- Servers in 104 countries
- No-logs audit by Deloitte (2022)
Cons
- Many settings can feel complex for beginners
- Lowest price needs a long plan
- Unlimited devices
- 104 countries
- 30-day money-back
Score details
Key facts
| $2.03/mo (3 years + 3 months) | $79 every 3 years | 30 days | Unlimited | 104 countries | Deloitte, 2022 | - |
Pros
- Unlimited devices on one plan
- Servers in 150 locations
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Renewal price is not stated on the price page
- We found no audit report on its own site
- Unlimited devices
- 150 locations
- 30-day money-back
Score details
Key facts
| $2.19/mo (2 years, $52.56) | Not stated | 30 days | Unlimited | 150 locations | - | - |
Key facts side by side
| VPN | Intro price | Renews at | Money-back | Devices | Servers | No-logs audit | Based in |
|---|
Prices as of October 19, 2026, in US dollars, for the longest standard plan. The TotalVPN price is the first-year offer shown at checkout through our link. They may vary by country, plan, currency and taxes. "-" means we could not confirm the fact on the provider's own website. Always check the final price on the provider's checkout page.
Our Top Pick
Pros
- Lowest first-year price of our top four ($19)
- Ad blocker (Total Adblock) and antivirus (TotalAV) license included at no extra cost
- 30-day money-back guarantee; cancel online at any time
Cons
- Renewal jumps from $19 to $99/year
- Covers 1 device; more devices cost extra
- Company is based in the UK and the US
- $19 for the first year
- Ad blocker and antivirus included
- 30-day money-back
Opens the provider's own website
Score details
Key facts
| $19 first year (80% off) | $99/year | 30 days | 1 (more as paid add-on) | - | - | UK and US |
Prices as of October 19, 2026, may vary. Intro prices apply to the first term only; plans then renew at the regular price unless you turn off auto-renew.
Why use a VPN on public Wi-Fi?
On public Wi-Fi you share the network with people you do not know. Most websites already use encryption (the lock symbol in your browser), but not every app does, and the network owner can still see which sites you visit.
A VPN (virtual private network) puts your traffic inside an encrypted tunnel to a server run by the VPN company. Encryption means the data is scrambled, so others on the same Wi-Fi cannot easily read it. Your internet provider and the hotel network see that you use a VPN, but not what you do inside it.
What a VPN does not do
A VPN is a useful privacy tool, but it has limits. It does not make you invisible online: websites you log in to still know who you are, and cookies still work. It does not stop phishing emails or fake websites, and it does not remove malware from your device by itself.
You also move your trust from your internet provider to the VPN company. That is why we show where each company is based and whether an outside firm has checked its no-logs promise (an independent audit).
How to avoid a renewal surprise
- Look at both prices. The low price is usually for the first term only. Our table shows what the plan renews at.
- Note the money-back window. Most providers give you about 30 days. Some limit it to certain plans.
- Turn off auto-renew if you want. You can usually do this in your account right after you buy. You keep the VPN until the end of the paid term.
- Set a reminder. Put a note in your calendar a week before the renewal date.
OUR TOP PICKS FOR OCTOBER 2026
- Lowest first-year price of our top four ($19)
- Ad blocker (Total Adblock) and antivirus (TotalAV) license included at no extra cost
- 30-day money-back guarantee; cancel online at any time
- Unlimited devices on one plan
- No-logs policy audited by Deloitte (2025)
- 4,500+ servers in 100 countries
- No-logs policy audited by Deloitte (latest report December 2025)
- 10 devices on one plan
- Servers in 225+ locations
How we compare VPNs
We look at the same points for every provider:
- Price now and later: the intro price and the regular price after the first term.
- Refund terms: how many days you have to ask for your money back, and on which plans.
- Devices: how many devices you can connect at the same time.
- Network: the number of servers and countries the provider states.
- Privacy: the no-logs policy, whether an independent firm has audited it, and the country where the company is based.
- Apps and extras: ease of use, supported devices and extra tools such as ad blockers.
Our sources are the providers' own websites and price pages, published audit reports, app store ratings and independent reviews. We did not run our own lab speed tests. We check prices and facts regularly; the last check was on October 19, 2026.
The overall score is our editorial rating. We earn a commission from some providers, and this can influence the order and the scores. The score details in each card show where a provider is strong and where it is weaker.
Frequently asked questions
Why is TotalVPN first on this list?
TotalVPN is our pick in the category "Best budget pick". The lowest first-year price of our top four, with an ad blocker and antivirus license included at no extra cost. We also earn a commission when you buy through our link, and that can influence the order and the score. Every provider on this page has its downsides listed, so you can decide for yourself.
How much does a good VPN cost?
Most paid VPNs cost a few dollars a month when you pay for one or two years in advance. Monthly plans cost much more. Our comparison table shows the intro price and the renewal price for each provider.
What happens when the intro price ends?
Most VPN plans renew automatically at a higher regular price. You can usually turn off auto-renew in your account right after you buy. Set a reminder a few days before the renewal date.
Can a VPN protect me on public Wi-Fi?
Yes, it helps. A VPN encrypts the connection between your device and the VPN server, so other people on the same Wi-Fi cannot easily read your traffic. It does not stop phishing links or malware by itself.
What does "no-logs" mean, and what is an audit?
A no-logs policy is a promise that the provider does not store records of what you do online. An independent audit is when an outside firm checks that promise. Our table shows which providers have published an audit.
Are free VPNs safe?
Some are, many are not. A free VPN still has to pay for its servers, and some do it with ads or by selling data. If you want a free option, choose one from a known company with a published audit, such as Proton VPN's free plan, and expect limits.
How many devices can I use?
It depends on the provider. Some allow 5 to 10 devices at the same time, others allow unlimited devices. See the Devices column in our table.
Can I get my money back?
Most providers on this page offer a money-back guarantee, usually 30 days, sometimes only on certain plans. Check the terms on the provider's site before you buy.
Is a VPN hard to set up?
No. You download the app, log in and tap connect. Most apps choose a fast server for you.
How do you make money from this page?
We earn a commission from some providers when you buy through our links. This does not change the price you pay, but it can influence the order and the scores. We earn no commission from providers marked "No partner link" on this page.
Advertiser disclosure
Compared.app is a free comparison service. We earn a commission from some of the providers on this page when you buy through our links. This does not change the price you pay. It can influence which providers we list, the order in which they appear and their scores.
We earn no commission from providers marked "No partner link" on this page; we list them so you can compare. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the providers. Product names and logos belong to their owners. We do not list every VPN on the market. Prices and offers were last checked on October 19, 2026 and can change at any time. Compared.app is operated by Noventa Media Ltd. (Malta); company details are on our Contact Us page.