The PrivateVPN Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about PrivateVPN in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
PrivateVPN
The Insider’s Guide
Subscription VPN on 10 connections with three term lengths
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among VPNs, read from PrivateVPN’s own pages.
Made by PrivateVPN Global AB · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from PrivateVPN’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on PrivateVPN’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 6 of the 27 other VPNs we grade
PrivateVPN is a subscription VPN from the Swedish company PrivateVPN Global AB. Its apps run on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, iPadOS, Android and Kodi, and it lists servers in 63 countries. One account covers 10 simultaneous connections, and plans differ only by term length.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about PrivateVPN, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux that you install and use.
- 1
Best for one VPN on up to 10 devices
PrivateVPN covers 10 devices with unlimited bandwidth on every plan, and takes PayPal and crypto.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $72 per year at renewal, after a first 36 months for $72.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
- 4
10 simultaneous connections
Every plan allows 10 devices at once, with unlimited bandwidth.
- 5
Servers in 63 countries
The pricing page and the locations page list 200+ server locations in 63 countries.
- 6
Apps for most systems
The download page lists macOS, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android, Linux, Kodi and routers.
- 7
A 2.2 GPA, above 6 of 27
That is against the other VPNs we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace PrivateVPN you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
PrivateVPN at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $72 per year at renewal, after a first 36 months for $72
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Made by
- PrivateVPN Global AB
- Category
- VPNs
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for one VPN on up to 10 devices
PrivateVPN covers 10 devices with unlimited bandwidth on every plan, and takes PayPal and crypto. The $72 headline is for 36 months, though, and what you pay once that runs out is $72 a year, or $9.90 if you go monthly.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Sign-up is $72 for the first 36 months, but the listed renewal is $72 a year, or $6 a month, in the middle of the category's $3.99 to $8. Monthly is $9.90. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan or trial. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee, which isn't a trial, and it doesn't cover renewals, crypto or App Store purchases. |
| Features | B | 10 connections, 200+ servers in 63 countries, P2P and port forwarding, a kill switch page, 24/7 support. Nothing in the listing's own gaps touches the core VPN job. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record. Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux that you install and use. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android, Linux, Kodi and routers. Phones and computers, but no API or integrations. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who PrivateVPN is for
- Fits if you want one account across up to 10 devices
- Works for people who want to pay by PayPal or crypto and use P2P
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to try before paying, as there's no free tier or trial
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $9.90
- Watch out: the cheap 36-month price renews at $72 a year
- Watch out: the 30-day refund doesn't apply to renewals, crypto payments or App Store purchases
- Watch out: prices include VAT and move with the tax country you pick, and the offer shows no end date
Good to know
Good for
- Households that need a VPN on up to 10 devices
- People who want to pay by cryptocurrency or PayPal
- Kodi and Linux users who need a native app
Worth knowing
- The $72 sign-up price covers a 36-month first term. The page then shows $72 billed every 12 months, which is the figure recorded as the renewal price.
- Prices on the page are marked as including VAT and depend on the tax residence chosen at checkout.
- The 30-day refund does not apply to renewals, to cryptocurrency payments or to purchases made through the App Store.
- The pricing page is marked as a limited offer with no end date shown.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$6
A month to start, paid by the year
PrivateVPN is a paid product, starting at $72 per year at renewal, after a first 36 months for $72.
12 Months (36 months at sign-up)
$72
per year at renewal, after a first term of 36 months
The '12 Months + 24 Months extra' offer: the first 36 months cost $72 ($2 a month), then the page shows $72 billed every 12 months.
3 Months
$17.99
per 3 months, billed every 3 months
Shown as $6 a month, billed every 3 months.
1 Month
$9.90
per month, billed monthly
Renews monthly at $9.90.
Read from privatevpn.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
12 Months + 24 Months extra for $72
The limited offer gives 36 months for $72 up front ($2 a month); the page then shows $72 billed every 12 months. No end date is displayed.
Stated on privatevpn.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android
Subscription VPN on 10 connections with three term lengths. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: file sharing, vPN.
Nothing in the listing's own gaps touches the core VPN job.
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Every plan allows 10 devices at once, with unlimited bandwidth.
- Servers in 63 countries
- The pricing page and the locations page list 200+ server locations in 63 countries.
- Apps for most systems
- The download page lists macOS, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android, Linux, Kodi and routers.
- P2P and port forwarding
- PrivateVPN has a page for torrenting and file sharing over the VPN, and a port forwarding feature page.
- 24/7 support
- The pricing page lists 24/7 customer support on every plan.
- Payment options
- Checkout takes card (through Stripe), PayPal and cryptocurrency (through Coinify).
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
PrivateVPN is made by PrivateVPN Global AB.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/27
Other VPNs it is graded above
PrivateVPN's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 6 of the 27 other VPNs we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on features (B, above 12 of 27) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $6 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 16 of the 26 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 28 VPNs we grade, cut by the letter each got. PrivateVPN’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 2 of 27
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 27
- BFeaturesAbove 12 of 27
- BEase of useAbove 7 of 27
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 27
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 27 VPNs. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. PrivateVPN is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace PrivateVPN you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 18 of the 27 other VPNs grade higher. It costs $72 a year.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. PrivateVPN’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
PureVPN, IPVanish, CyberGhost, Mullvad VPN and Windscribe
The 5 tools PrivateVPN is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
PureVPN
From $47.95/yr
VPN sold in three tiers that add a password manager and data removal.
- Only PureVPN lists a browser extension.
- PrivateVPN also covers file sharing.
- PureVPN also covers password manager and ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.6GPA
IPVanish
Free trial · from $99.99/yr
Ziff Davis-owned VPN with no device cap and antivirus on higher plans.
- PrivateVPN also covers file sharing.
- IPVanish also covers ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.4GPA
CyberGhost
Free trial · from $61.32/yr
VPN for seven devices with a 45-day money-back window on long plans.
- Only CyberGhost lists a browser extension.
- PrivateVPN also covers file sharing.
- CyberGhost also covers ad and tracker blocking.
- 1.8GPA
Mullvad VPN
From €5/mo
Flat-rate Swedish VPN with anonymous numbered accounts.
- Mullvad VPN is open source, according to its own site.
- PrivateVPN also covers file sharing.
- Mullvad VPN also covers ad and tracker blocking.
- 2.6GPA
Windscribe
Free plan · from $3/mo
VPN with a 10GB free plan and pay-per-location pricing.
- Windscribe has a free plan. PrivateVPN does not.
- Only Windscribe lists a browser extension.
- Windscribe is open source, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is PrivateVPN free?
No. PrivateVPN is a paid product, starting at $72 per year at renewal, after a first 36 months for $72.
How much does PrivateVPN cost?
PrivateVPN lists 3 plans. 12 Months (36 months at sign-up): $72 per year at renewal, after a first term of 36 months.
What platforms does PrivateVPN work on?
PrivateVPN is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does PrivateVPN offer any discounts?
PrivateVPN publicly lists the following: 12 Months + 24 Months extra for $72.
Is PrivateVPN open source?
PrivateVPN is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Who makes PrivateVPN?
PrivateVPN is made by PrivateVPN Global AB.
What are the alternatives to PrivateVPN?
The closest alternatives to PrivateVPN in our directory are PureVPN, IPVanish, CyberGhost, Mullvad VPN and Windscribe.
How does PrivateVPN compare with other VPNs?
PrivateVPN's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 6 of the 27 other VPNs we grade, and level with 3.
Is PrivateVPN good value for money?
ToolGPA grades PrivateVPN C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $6 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 16 of the 26 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of PrivateVPN?
To replace PrivateVPN you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from PrivateVPN’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from PrivateVPN's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. The pricing page showed no figures to our page reader, so the prices stand on the listing.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by PrivateVPN Global AB. Prices change, so check privatevpn.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- PrivateVPN, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/privatevpn
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "PrivateVPN: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/privatevpn
Know someone choosing between VPNs?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/privatevpn/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded VPNs after PrivateVPN, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- VPNs Insider's GuideEvery one of the 28 VPNs we grade, compared
- Cloudflare WARP Insider's GuideFree Cloudflare app that encrypts traffic, with an optional paid tier3.2 GPA
- hide.me Insider's GuideMalaysia-based VPN with a no-signup free plan and flat renewal prices3.0 GPA
- X-VPN Insider's GuideVPN with an unlimited-data free plan and discounted first terms3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what PrivateVPN’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. PrivateVPN is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by PrivateVPN Global AB. Prices and plans change: check privatevpn.com before you buy.