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SaaSTweaks Benchmark · 2026

Best VPN

Our top vpn pick for 2026 is Proton with a SaaSTweaks Score of 83/100 (Strong Buy). Proton offers a compelling, high-value privacy bundle with verified discounts and strong capabilities, though some commitment is required for the best pricing.

How we score → six pillars, no pay-to-rank
# Tool Score From The deal
1 Proton 83 Custom Free forever plan + ~40% off Unlimited on 2-year billing
2 NordVPN 78 Custom Up to 70% off long-term plans via partner link
3 Surfshark 73 $2.49/mo Up to 85% off 24-month plans + 3 extra months free — Starter works out at $2.49/month ($67.23 for 27 months)
4 ExpressVPN 72 Custom Verified deal
5 Norton Small Business 70 Custom First-year pricing from $119.99 (6 devices) with a 60-day money-back guarantee
6 Keeper Security 67 $2/mo Free trial available
7 Dashlane 49 $4/mo No public discount or promo code - 14-day free trial on Business ($8/user/month billed annually); no free plan
#1 83/100 Strong Buy
Proton logo

Proton

The privacy-first productivity suite — encrypted Mail, VPN, Drive, Pass, Calendar and Docs from a Swiss non-profit foundation, all in one Unlimited plan.

Proton offers a compelling, high-value privacy bundle with verified discounts and strong capabilities, though some commitment is required for the best pricing.

Value for Money 9.0Capability 9.0Deal Strength 8.0
Free forever plan + ~40% off Unlimited on 2-year billing · from Custom Get Proton deal →
#2 78/100 Strong Buy
NordVPN logo

NordVPN

NordVPN is a fast, audited VPN with 8,000+ servers, Threat Protection, and bundled tools like a password manager and encrypted cloud storage.

NordVPN offers a strong verified discount and high capability, but long-term plans require commitment and renewal pricing is a catch.

Deal Strength 8.0Value for Money 8.0Capability 8.0
Up to 70% off long-term plans via partner link · from Custom Get NordVPN deal →
#3 73/100 Solid — with caveats
Surfshark logo

Surfshark

Budget VPN with unlimited simultaneous devices — the public 85% discount lives on the 24-month plans.

Strong public discount drives high value, but post-promotion renewal pricing and limited trust evidence temper the score.

Deal Strength 8.0Value for Money 8.0Time to Value 8.0
Up to 85% off 24-month plans + 3 extra months free — Starter works out at $2.49/month ($67.23 for 27 months) · from $2.49/mo Get Surfshark deal →
#4 72/100 Solid — with caveats
ExpressVPN logo

ExpressVPN

VPN with verified no-logs policy and 30-day refund window

ExpressVPN offers a strong verified discount and broad capability, but its pricing remains at the category norm despite being premium.

Deal Strength 8.0Capability 8.0Time to Value 8.0
Verified deal · from Custom Get ExpressVPN deal →
#5 70/100 Solid — with caveats
Norton Small Business logo

Norton Small Business

Endpoint security for businesses up to 10 employees — antivirus, password manager, secure VPN, dark-web monitoring, and 24/7 support.

A strong first-year deal with comprehensive capabilities for small businesses, though renewal pricing and thin reliability evidence limit long-term appeal.

Deal Strength 8.0Capability 8.0Time to Value 8.0
First-year pricing from $119.99 (6 devices) with a 60-day money-back guarantee · from Custom Get Norton Small Business deal →
#6 67/100 Solid — with caveats
Keeper Security logo

Keeper Security

Zero-knowledge password manager and secrets vault for teams, with built-in dark-web monitoring and granular admin controls.

A robust, compliance-focused password manager with strong security and competitive pricing, though the deal is limited to a standard trial.

Capability 9.0Value for Money 8.0Time to Value 8.0
Free trial available · from $2/mo Get Keeper Security deal →
#7 49/100 Situational
Dashlane logo

Dashlane

Polished business password manager with credential-risk monitoring - solid product, but no discounts and annual-only billing.

Dashlane is a capable business password manager with a security focus, but its offer is only a trial and pricing requires annual commitment.

Capability 8.0Value for Money 5.0Time to Value 5.0
No public discount or promo code - 14-day free trial on Business ($8/user/month billed annually); no free plan · from $4/mo Get Dashlane deal →

How we scored these vpn tools

Every tool earns a SaaSTweaks Score from 0–100, weighted across six pillars: deal strength (25%), value for money (20%), capability (20%), time to value (15%), trust & reliability (12%), and flexibility & exit (8%). Each pillar is backed by evidence and scored against a published rubric. The ranking above is strictly by total score — we never re-order for commission. Read the full methodology →

VPN ranking — FAQ

What is the best vpn software in 2026?

Proton ranks #1 with a SaaSTweaks Score of 83/100 (Strong Buy). Proton offers a compelling, high-value privacy bundle with verified discounts and strong capabilities, though some commitment is required for the best pricing. We rank every tool on six weighted pillars — deal strength, value, capability, time-to-value, trust, and flexibility.

How does SaaSTweaks rank vpn tools?

Each tool is scored 0–100 across six pillars (deal strength 25%, value for money 20%, capability 20%, time to value 15%, trust & reliability 12%, flexibility & exit 8%). The ranking is strictly by total score — we never re-order for commission. See /how-we-score.

What is the cheapest vpn tool here?

Effective prices are shown for each tool in the table below; the lowest paid monthly tier (after any verified deal) determines the entry price. Several tools also offer free plans or credits.