The number on the homepage isn’t the price
Many VPNs advertise a monthly equivalent for a longer subscription. Read the checkout to see whether the full amount is charged upfront, how many months it covers and what happens after the first term. Do not assume that the renewal rate shown in an old review still applies.
This is not automatically unfair; it is simply easy to compare incorrectly. NordVPN’s live pricing page, for example, separates introductory pricing from auto-renewal and says renewal can use the then-applicable price. ExpressVPN’s terms likewise explain that supported payment methods renew automatically by default until canceled.
Working out the real cost
- Record the total due today, including tax where shown.
- Record the covered term and calculate the monthly equivalent yourself.
- Read the auto-renewal line, including the next billing date and whether the rate is fixed or subject to change.
- Check cancellation and refund conditions, including app-store exceptions.
Treat the refund policy and renewal cancellation as separate questions. The current NordVPN and ExpressVPN terms cited here limit their headline money-back offers to an initial purchase, not a renewal charge. Save cancellation confirmation and check the account status after changing automatic renewal.
Recheck these terms at the provider’s live checkout before paying. Promotions, taxes, currencies and app-store conditions can change faster than a comparison page can be updated.