As VPN editor of Tom's Guide, I spend an inordinate amount of time testing, reading, and writing about virtual private networks When is the best time to buy a VPN?

The answer is always "Black Friday," but it's not always that simple Some of the best VPN providers offer incredible VPN discounts on Cyber Monday, while others offer no discounts at all So, depending on which VPN you set your eyes on, you may get a great deal or you may end up paying full price [Most VPNs continue to offer deals through Cyber Monday; we've listed the best and biggest VPN deals for 2023 and calculated the real price difference compared to other days of the year

Deal: 2 years + 3 months free with up to $30/£30 Amazon gift card

NordVPN is my personal favorite and is currently #2 on my overall VPN rankings Plus, their Cyber Monday deals are like nothing I've seen before

The headline price is already eye-catching, and at only $299 per month, it's a genuine cheap VPN service right out of the gate

However, exclusively for Tom's Guide readers, the privacy powerhouse is offering a free Amazon gift card to anyone who creates a new Nord account

If you choose the Standard plan, you get access to VPN, malware protection, and a tracker blocker, plus a $10/pound gift card; the Plus plan includes Nord's password manager NordPass and a gift card worth £20 are

Those who purchase the full plan get all of this plus NordLocker (Nord's cloud storage solution) and a hefty $30/lb gift card

Whichever you choose, this is the best deal I've seen from Nord so far, and it's only available through November 29 If you were previously considering choosing NordVPN, now is definitely the time to buy

Price Difference: $389/month $299/month

Save over 1-month plan: up to 69%

Deal: 2 years + 3 months free for $199/month

Surfshark is the best cheap VPN on the market Get a 2-year plan for $199/month and welcome 2024 with confidence

Compared to the competition, this is in line with (or lower than) the cheapest monthly VPN prices on the market This is a little "hack" that VPN providers use to make their monthly prices look cheap, but the inclusion of the 3-month free period brings this headline figure down a bit

Unlike some providers, however, Surfshark not only lowers the price, but also offers extras: about a month ago, Surfshark was already offering two months free, but charging $230 a month Therefore, the new deal offers a genuine value-add

I found Surfshark to be very capable of unblocking streaming sites and keeping you private online, so if your budget can't stretch quite to NordVPN, Surfshark is well

may be the one to go for Price Difference: $2 49/month $199/month

Save up to 80% over a 1-month plan

Deal: $203/month ($57) for 2 years + 4 months free

Looks familiar, doesn't it Private Internet Access current deal is almost identical to Surfshark's, but for 4 free months instead of 2 This extension of a couple of months, available through April 2026 instead of February, is not really a big differentiator

A little more noteworthy is that the overall discount Pia is offering is not that impressive Prior to Cyber Monday, PIA was oscillating between $219/month and $219/month 03/month - This provider is like the cheapest I've seen, but not as special as the two deals I outlined above

But any way you look at it, it's still seriously good value - especially if you're looking for a competent torrent VPN that has a bunch of extra features rarely seen from mainstream providers

Price difference: $219/month $203/month

Save over 1-month plan: up to 83%

Deal: 2 years + 3 months free $111/month

OK, now we're talking

PrivadoVPN is one of the newer names in the industry, but one that is already making waves - and it's the best free VPN I've tested in a long time The provider is also discounting its prices for Cyber Monday, so it's a natural addition to my list

For $111/month, you can subscribe to a 2-year plan, which includes a free 3-month extension Plus, even with auto-renewal, you pay only $30 for 24 months This is refreshing compared to other providers who raise their rates upon renewal

So why isn't this my headline deal? Well, while I consider PrivadoVPN safe and secure to use, it quite simply cannot rival the likes of NordVPN in terms of quality - yet, at least However, it is quite effective at unblocking streaming sites, and if you are looking for basic VPN protection as cheaply as possible, this is the way to go

Price difference: $199/month $111/month

Save over 1-month plan: up to 90%

Deal: 2 years + 6 months free for $399/month

Talk about a pleasant surprise - Proton VPN always takes part in Black Friday festivities or, offer many discounts at all, so we are thrilled that things are different in 2023

The downside is that the deal won't last long Proton VPN knows that it is a sophisticated premium provider and believes that users will pay a little more for superior service (just like a certain provider we are about to introduce)

However, the high $399/month fee is certainly not a bargain, and the initial cost, which is well over three figures, may turn some users away

There may be several reasons to choose Proton VPN, and I personally appreciate their commitment to user privacy and unique features such as the secure core server However, those looking to save big should look elsewhere

Price Difference: $499/month $399/month

Save over 1-month plan: up to 60%

Deal: 1 year + 3 months free $667/month

Well, ExpressVPN has a sweet spot in my overall VPN rankings, Cyber Monday Best Bargain Award, it did not win the Cyber Monday Best Bargain Award

ExpressVPN prefers to keep the same pricing structure all year round However, as a thank-you, ExpressVPN is offering Tom's Guide readers three months free, as well as a one-year subscription to Backblaze But no matter how it brands it, this is quite simply not just for Black Friday

Indeed, ExpressVPN is one of the more expensive services on the market However, I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for, and the overall quality of ExpressVPN just can't be matched However, as with Proton VPN, if you're looking for a bargain, I suggest you scroll back to the top and pick one

Price difference: $833/month $667/month

Save over 1-month plans: up to 49%