A lifetime VPN subscription only sounds like a good idea. But dig deeper, and you’ll see it’s
actually a bad investment or even a{‘ ‘} scam. Learn about the risks you
take with a lifetime service and discover the best alternatives.
A lifetime VPN is a virtual private network subscription you purchase once and enjoy for the
rest of your life without ever renewing it or paying any extra charges. The up-front fee might
seem high, but it is still cheaper compared to a monthly VPN subscription in the long run.
Sounds too good to be true? In most cases, it is.
As tempting as a lifetime VPN plan sounds, it comes with a bunch of risks that might end up
costing you more than you ever intended to pay:
and functionality compared to VPNs that operate on a monthly or yearly subscription model. For
example, some lifetime VPN services might have a smaller server network, restricting your
options for server locations and potentially affecting connection speed. VPNs meant to serve
you for a lifetime also might not offer advanced features like a functional kill-switch,
split-tunneling, or ad-blocking.
offer regular updates or miss out on essential security patches. Regular updates address
security vulnerabilities, so skipping them leaves user data and privacy at risk. The lack of
advanced security features mentioned above also adds to the poor security of lifelong VPNs.
customer support. It can be difficult or even impossible to get help when you need it.
services, it raises concerns about what they will do when the funds from one-time payments run
out. Research before purchasing a lifetime service to avoid unreliable providers and scammers.
“lifetime” promise, and make sure to read the contract thoroughly — most lifetime VPN
subscription deals are only available for a few years. And if the provider decides to end your
lifetime contract, you might not even get a refund.
their customers and go hand in hand with evolving technologies. You might find it difficult to
use the VPN on multiple devices or on upgraded ones. In contrast, premium VPNs have the funds
to update and improve their technologies constantly.
Don’t be tempted by the promise of lifetime subscriptions and opt for an alternative to keep
your online activity and data truly private:
and yearly subscription plans, as well as{‘ ‘} great VPN deals on special occasions. While
these plans may cost more in the long run, they typically offer additional features, better
security, and more frequent updates than lifetime subscriptions. You can test most of them for
free or opt out of a plan if unsatisfied. For example, NordVPN offers a{‘ ‘} 30-day money-back guarantee for all its
subscription plans.
limitations on features, bandwidth, and server locations. Additionally, free VPN providers may
collect and sell user data to third parties, which defies the purpose of using a VPN. So be
extra careful when choosing between{‘ ‘} free and paid VPNs.
can set up your own server or use a cloud hosting service to create your own VPN. While this
option requires more technical know-how, it can offer greater control and customization over
your VPN. You can follow our NordVPN guides on creating and configuring a self-hosted or cloud{‘ ‘} VPN server with DigitalOcean
,{‘ ‘} Microsoft Azure
,{‘ ‘} AWS
,{‘ ‘} Google Cloud
,{‘ ‘} Linode
, or{‘ ‘}
Hetzner
{‘ ‘}
with the free Meshnet feature.
installed on popular browsers. These VPN extensions are often free or offer affordable
subscription plans and can provide basic VPN functionality like{‘ ‘} IP masking and encryption. However,
browser VPN proxy extensions lack some of the features of standalone VPNs. For example, they
only encrypt the traffic generated within the specific browser but do not provide
comprehensive protection for other internet activities or applications on your device.
anonymously. While Tor is not a VPN,
it offers similar privacy and anonymity.
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You will not fall for a VPN scam if you
pay attention to specific red flags. Here is a list of the main tell-tale signs that you should
look out for in a VPN service offering a lifelong plan:
If the price for a lifetime VPN is extremely low compared to that of reputable VPN
subscriptions, better stay away. The upkeep of a quality VPN service is costly, so offering it
at a meager price is economically unfeasible.
Incomplete or vague information about the company and the technologies it uses is a sign that
you should not trust it. A reliable VPN service should provide complete information on the
company, its privacy policy, terms of service, and contact details.
Read what the users have to say about the service before subscribing. If most of the feedback is
poor or outright negative, refrain from purchasing.
Limited server locations restrict your ability to choose and could impact the connection speed.
If the network is minimal or the company is vague about it — it’s probably a scam.
If a VPN provider does not offer a trial period or a refund policy, it could mean they want to
pocket your money and avoid any responsibility if their services are subpar.
If you’ve subscribed to a service on a website that was flooding you with ads and pop-ups, and
if you started receiving unsolicited marketing emails, it could mean you are dealing with
scammers.
If you have to wait a long time for a reply from the customer service team or if the answer
never comes, you are dealing with a scam VPN.
Scammers usually accept obscure or untraceable payment methods, while reputable providers accept
widely recognizable ones.
No, a lifetime VPN will either end sooner than you think or expose your data and online
connection, which can result in privacy breaches and subsequent financial losses.
No, many{‘ ‘}
free VPNs display security vulnerabilities
{‘ ‘}
or trade your data with third parties. In case you find a trustworthy one, you’ll have to accept
being flooded with ads because free services need to earn money somehow, and they do so through
advertising and user data trading.
Do your research before committing to a lifetime subscription. Very few — if any — quality VPN
providers offer lifetime subscriptions. The best option to secure online security for your whole
life is to subscribe to a monthly or yearly premium VPN plan and renew the subscription
regularly.
No, NordVPN does not offer lifetime subscriptions, but it offers monthly, 1-year, and 2-year
plans, as well as special discounts and deals.
