Black Friday VPN deals: What to expect, early sales

It might seem early, but VPN deals have already begun for Black Friday — and these early deals from VPN providers look to be among the best ever.

What’s more, you can make your purchase now and rest assured you’re getting the best price. Most VPN services start their discounts early and run the same deals through the entirety of the holiday season.

We’re already seeing some great discounts on our Editors’ Choice picks, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, and more. We’ll continue to track down and highlight the best VPN deals on offer leading up to and during Black Friday 2024.

Best early Black Friday VPN deals

ExpressVPN, now $4.99 per month for 24 months + 6 free months (61% off at ExpressVPN)
Surfshark VPN, now $2.49 per month for 24 months + 4 free months (86% off at Surfshark)
NordVPN, now $3.89 per month for 24 months + 3 free months (74% off at NordVPN)
Private Internet Access, now $1.98 per month for 36 months + 4 free months (83% off at PIA)
Proton VPN, now $2.99 per month for 12 months (70% off at ProtonVPN)
PrivadoVPN, now $1.11 per month for 24 months + 3 free months (90% off at Privado VPN)
IPVanish VPN, now $3.29 per month for 24 months (64% off at IPVanish)
Hotspot Shield, now $3.33 per month for 12 months (66% off at Hotspot Shield)
FastestVPN, now $0.83 per month for 12 months + 12 free months (83% off on FastestVPN)

Our Editors’ Choice and top overall VPN pick, ExpressVPN is offering a great deal on its long-term 2-year plan for $4.99 per month (61 percent off). The real kicker, though, is the extremely generous six extra months thrown in for new subscribers. That means not only are you getting the best VPN on the market at a steep discount, but you’ll also enjoy the service for an additional half of a year without paying an extra cent.

Surfshark is another of our top picks here at PCWorld, and this one’s on sale for just $2.49 per month for two years (86 percent off). They also provide an additional four extra months for free when you sign up. Alternatively, you could opt for the NordVPN deal that’s currently $3.89 per month for two years (74 percent off). Both services come with a stacked line-up of privacy and security features. Personally, I think the Surfshark deal is a bit better — it comes with fewer features and the speeds are just a tad slower, but the price can’t be beat.

FAQ

When is Black Friday?

This year, Black Friday falls on Friday, Nov 29. However, many services have already started offering great discounts on VPNs. Keep your eyes tuned to PCWorld for the best VPN deal alerts. We’ll be covering discounts now through November and on to Cyber Monday, Dec 2.

What is a VPN?

A VPN creates a secure tunnel between your PC and the internet. You connect to a VPN server, which can be located in the United States or a foreign country (like France or Japan). Your web traffic then goes through that server to make it appear as though you’re browsing from that server’s location and not from your actual location.

When you’re using a VPN, it’s difficult for others to snoop on your web-browsing activity. Only you, the VPN service, and the website you’re visiting will know what you’re up to.

A VPN can be a great solution to a variety of concerns, such as online privacy, anonymity, greater security on public Wi-Fi, and, of course, spoofing locations.

What should I look for in a Black Friday VPN deal?

There are a few things you should keep in mind when shopping for a good VPN deal.

The first thing to consider is, of course, your budget. How much are you willing to spend each month? How much can you afford to drop on a longer-term plan with an upfront payment? You’ll also need to determine how long you intend to use the VPN. Do you just need it for a short trip? A few months? Or forever? The very best VPN deals are generally on longer-term plans for 2 or 3 years.

After you decide on your budget and how long you’ll use the VPN, next you can start comparing features. Look at the number of servers and locations for each VPN. A good starting point is to look for services that have at least 1,000 servers and 30 or more country locations.

The next thing to consider is VPN speed. This may be tricky to do since you aren’t likely to be able to test connection speeds without first paying to use the service. Reading reviews online will give you a general estimate. Look for reviews, like ours, that give you a relative average of connection speeds rather than direct Mbps speed comparisons for a more accurate picture.

Finally, compare each VPN’s privacy protections. Does it have a no-logs policy? Has it undergone any independent audits of its servers? Where is the VPN company located? All of these are critical and you’ll want to go with a VPN that has clear and transparent data collection policies.

Black Friday: The best PC deals around

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Author: Sam Singleton, Assistant Editor, PCWorld

Sam Singleton is PCWorld's VPN beat reporter and jack of all trades. When he's not on the hunt for the best computer deals he's covering VPNs, productivity software, laptops, and a wide gamut of consumer-grade hardware and software.