Is NordVPN free? What it actually costs in 2026
No free tier. It is a paid product.
No free tier. Billed by subscription — roughly $13/month month-to-month, dropping to about $3–5/month on 1–2 year plans; introductory prices typically rise at renewal.
When paying is still the right call
If you want the widest server network, dependable streaming unblocking, and a big bundle of extras (threat protection, meshnet, dedicated IP) with zero setup, NordVPN delivers and is competitively priced on a long plan. If those conveniences matter to you more than open-source transparency, staying is a reasonable call.
What you are locked into
A subscription service — your account and any prepaid term live on Nord's platform, but there's no data to migrate and no technical lock-in. The only real cost of leaving is re-subscribing (or self-hosting) elsewhere.
If you would rather not pay: Mullvad VPN
Mullvad VPN
The privacy gold standard — flat price, no account, fully audited.
Flat €5/month, no tiers; anonymous 16-digit account number, no email
See all 5 NordVPN alternatives comparedCompare the free options head-to-head
Pricing is verified against the vendor's published figures and dated above. Vendors change prices — confirm current numbers with Nord Security before you commit. More vpn & privacy decisions on Macrostack.