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5 Best Lifetime VPNs & Reasons to Avoid Some

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After testing several free VPNs, I found NordVPN to be the best overall lifetime VPN.

NordVPN features plans for up to two years, offering fast speeds and excellent security throughout the service’s duration. The VPN is also suitable for unblocking streaming services in geo-restricted areas. A kill switch feature, leak protection, and strong encryption protect all NordVPN connections.

Other lifetime VPN alternatives include Surfshark, CyberGhost, IPVanish, and PrivateVPN.

Top 3 VPNs You Can Basically Get for a Lifetime

MOST AFFORDABLE
Surfshark
Surfshark Devices

Surfshark is an affordable lifetime VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections. It’s excellent for unblocking streaming services and provides solid security, thanks to its military-grade encryption and kill switch.

4.6/5
Read More
BEST OVERALL
NordVPN
NordVPN devices

NordVPN offers excellent security and fast speeds across 5400+ reliable servers for unblocking services from anywhere. Its most extended plan lasts up to 2 years and allows uninterrupted streaming, split tunneling, and a strict no-logs policy.

4.8/5
Get Discount
MOST SERVERS
CyberGhost
cyberghost multiple devices

CyberGhost is another privacy-oriented provider with 9,000+ servers across 90+ countries. Its 2-year plan offers excellent connection speeds, unlimited bandwidth, robust security features, and a 45-day money-back guarantee. 

4.6/5
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Lifetime VPNs, in this context, don’t necessarily mean a one-time purchase for lifetime service. Instead, these VPNs provide more than two years of services without compromising privacy or security features.

I have discussed these lifetime Virtual Private Networks below and why they earned a spot on the list.

Searching for the Best Lifetime VPNs? Grab These!!!

Lifetime VPNs have drawbacks, but they’re worth the try if they offer top-notch security services. That said, here are the five best lifetime VPNs that you can try.

  • NordVPN: Best Overall Lifetime VPN
  • Surfshark: Budget-Friendly Lifetime VPN With a 2-Year Plan
  • CyberGhost: Reliable Lifetime VPN With 26 Months’ Subscription
  • IPVanish: Best Lifetime VPN With Unlimited Simultaneous Connections
  • PrivateVPN: User-friendly Lifetime VPN for Unblocking Multiple Streaming Services

The above list is just the icing on the cake. Get the full bite below.

Best Lifetime VPNs: Tests and Comparisons

I tested 18+ VPN providers using criteria like subscription prices and duration, server coverage, compatible devices, reliable privacy, speed, and security features, but only five passed my tests.

Here’s how they differ and why they’re the best “lifetime” VPNs.

BEST OVERALL

NordVPN - Best Overall Lifetime VPN

nordvpn homepage
NordVPN home page

NordVPN is the best overall lifetime VPN and one of the most reputable providers in the industry for distinct reasons.

For starters, NordVPN’s most extended subscription lasts up to 2 years. Even though that’s not a lifetime, this duration is long enough to enjoy the provider’s first-class protection.

I tested the 2-year plan and got all the security features without limits or extra charges.

That said, what makes NordVPN the best overall lifetime VPN on my list is its many security options. NordVPN protects its user’s data with AES-265 encryption and a solid no-logs policy, ensuring your data is in safe hands during your subscription.

On top of its super security standards, NordVPN boasts fast speeds across 5400+ servers in 60 countries. I connected to these servers, and the speed drop was negligible enough to ensure fast downloads and streams.

And if you’re wondering, the NordVPN “lifetime” subscription is supported on multiple devices, including Android, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Windows. Moreover, you’ll get to use the subscription on up to six devices simultaneously.

NordVPN pricing
Image for illustration only. Design, deals, and details may differ. Click on the image for current info.

If you’re up for the 2-year plan, try this one-time NordVPN discount and get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Cons

MOST AFFORDABLE

Surfshark - Budget-Friendly Lifetime VPN With a 2-Year Plan

surfshark homepage
Surfshark Home Page

Surfshark is the most budget-friendly “lifetime” VPN, featuring a 2-year plan and unique features tailored to your needs.

Surfshark even offers unlimited simultaneous connections, ensuring you don’t have to pay for an extra plan to secure all your devices during the lifetime usage. Only IPVanish comes close here, with the next (PrivateVPN) offering just ten connections.

Being a pocket-friendly lifetime VPN, Surfshark’s combination of WireGuard and P2P servers always delivers secure and fast torrenting, every time and anywhere. And if you’re having trouble streaming due to geo-restrictions, I’ve comfortably used Surfshark to unblock Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.

There’s also a kill switch feature, which keeps my true IP/DNS secure whenever my network connection drops or the VPN disconnects for other reasons.

Thus, ensuring another level of data privacy against snoopers and packet sniffers.

Besides, Surfshark offers 3200+ servers in 100 countries, representing more regions than NordVPN covers. That’s why I had no issues accessing content from anywhere (even Voot via India servers and NRK TV over Norway servers).

Screenshot MS 1 1
Image for illustration only. Design, deals, and details may differ. Click on the image for current info.

To try the 24-month plan, check out these discount offers and enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Cons

MOST SERVERS

CyberGhost - Reliable Lifetime VPN With 26 Months’ Subscription

cyberghost homepage
CyberGhost Home Page

CyberGhost is another reliable lifetime VPN offering 9000+ servers in 90+ countries. These servers are fast and optimized for streaming, gaming, and torrenting.

Besides, CyberGhost’s most-extended plan goes up to 26 months at a stretch, more than NordVPN and Surfshark offer.

My CyberGhost tests also revealed that the VPN provider reflects its name in the privacy features you’ll receive, particularly hiding your IP address to make you an online “ghostie” on any of its servers.

My network connection dropped a few times during my CyberGhost tests, but the VPN’s kill switch switfly turned off my internet connection.

Thus, my internet traffic data remained private while the VPN re-established a server connection.

CyberGhost also offers unlimited bandwidth on all servers, like the other VPNs on this list. So, you don’t have to worry about using up your bandwidth volume over your lifetime plan duration.

This was useful since my ISP is notorious for cutting my internet speed allocations, especially when streaming, downloading files, or gaming.

But over CyberGhost’s servers, I didn’t have such concerns anymore.

cyberghost vpn subscription plans and pricing
Image for illustration only. Design, deals, and details may differ. Click on the image for current info.

Like Surfshark, CyberGhost is also a cheap “lifetime” VPN alternative.

But you can save more with these fantastic deals and enjoy a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Cons

IPVanish - Best Lifetime VPN With Unlimited Simultaneous Connections

ipvanish homepage
IPVanish Home Page

IPVanish also offers unlimited simultaneous connections, just like Surfshark, and native apps for mobile and PC devices. Thus, you can enjoy your “lifetime” usage across preferred devices.

I tested this VPN by downloading its apps and connecting different devices in my household simultaneously. As advertised, it held the demand perfectly. Likewise, my sisters unblocked Netflix and BBC iPlayer, and I browsed the web privately without ISP throttling at the same time!

Besides, IPVanish also supports torrenting, which is excellent news for torrenting fans. I unblocked access to The Pirate Bay over its Sweden servers, even though the website is restricted on my ISP, and downloaded a few files without getting nasty copyright notices.

Moreover, like its name, IPVanish, your IP address disappears once connected to any of the 2,200+ servers in 75+ locations.

Although the VPN wasn’t as fast as NordVPN or Surfshark, its WireGuard protocol was genuinely built for speed.

Like the others, IPVanish also uses a kill switch to disable your internet whenever the VPN connection drops. That’s why I’m always confident of switching from mobile data to Wi-Fi (or vice versa) while connected to IPVanish without fearing a data leak to hackers, the government, or my ISP.

Lastly, IPVanish’s 2-year plan isn’t as cheap as Surfshark or CyberGhost. However, it’s less expensive than NordVPN.

You can use our fantastic IPVanish deals with a 30-day money-back guarantee to save even more on your 2-year purchase.

Pros

Cons

PrivateVPN - User-Friendly Lifetime VPN for Unblocking Multiple Streaming Services

privatevpn homepage
PrivateVPN Home Page

PrivateVPN is a user-friendly lifetime VPN for unblocking multiple streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.

The PrivateVPN app features a simple and advanced view, making it easier for newbies and advanced users to find their way around quickly.

Besides, PrivateVPN supports up to 10 simultaneous connections.

Apart from its easy-to-use app, PrivateVPN uses the standard AES 256-bit encryption to keep your activity and information private.

I tested this by connecting to a few random servers and activating my Wireshark client to see if it read my web data. Instead, I got gibberish output confirming that the encryption works!

PrivateVPN is also an affordable VPN, but it falls short of the others, with only 200+ servers in 63 countries.

While this is the least server count here, I’ve never encountered any connection issues using this VPN. Plus, it offers free (dynamic) dedicated IP addresses, which you must pay for on NordVPN and CyberGhost.

Additionally, PrivateVPN offers unlimited bandwidth over fast connection speeds. I could unblock 4K content on Netflix without buffering on its standard servers. Moreover, PrivateVPN features port forwarding for torrent clients and gaming enthusiasts to enjoy faster speeds and remote device connections.

Finally, the VPN offers a 36-month plan, which is the most-extended period on the list after CyberGhost’s two years and three months.

privatevpn pricing
Image for illustration only. Design, deals, and details may differ. Click on the image for current info.

You can try out these exclusive deals with a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the three years plan.

Pros

Cons

Can You Get a Lifetime VPN for Free?

Getting a lifetime VPN for free is possible, but they’ll have limited server options, low data allowances, and slow speeds, which makes them unreliable for many tasks.

Likewise, some “free lifetime VPNs” can be scams that will collect your internet traffic data, log your online activities, and may even introduce malware to your device.

Reasons to Avoid Lifetime VPNs

lifetime vpn subscription

Even though lifetime VPNs advertising a one-time price forever may sound like a great idea, they have some setbacks. Here are several reasons to avoid lifetime VPNs:

  1. Trustworthiness: Lifetime Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) often come from relatively untested or unknown companies. Thus, it can be challenging to determine their security and reputation. This is a concern, especially since users should trust VPNs to protect their privacy and sensitive information online.
  2. Service Quality: Some lifetime VPNs offer low-quality services, including slow speeds, unreliable connections, and limited servers. As a result, they’re poor for most online activities such as torrenting, gaming, etc.
  3. Outdated Services: Lifetime Virtual Private Networks won’t keep up with VPN industry developments since they don’t have the financial incentive to do so, leaving you with outdated and vulnerable services.
  4. Hidden Costs: Lifetime VPNs may come with hidden costs or demand additional fees for advanced features. Thus, the Virtual Private Network may cost more in the long run than you would have paid for a reliable service provider like NordVPN.
  5. Limited Customer Support: Some lifetime VPNs may not offer 24/7 customer support. This can make finding solutions to issues encountered while using the service challenging.
  6. Lack of Accountability: Some lifetime VPNs are startups or less established companies. So, accountability may be lacking if something goes wrong or the company shuts down. This can also make it difficult to seek compensation for any harm from using the VPN.

How to Set up a Lifetime VPN?

Once you’ve picked your preferred lifetime VPN, here’s how to set it on your device.

  1. Subscribe to a reliable lifetime VPN. I’ll use the best overall VPN on the list, NordVPN, for this demonstration.
  2. Download the NordVPN app for your device. I will use the Windows PC app for this step.
download nordvpn app
Download a NordVPN app
  1. Launch NordVPN and log into your account.
login to nordvpn account
Log in to your NordVPN account
  1. Enable the NordVPN kill switch to prevent data leaks when your connection becomes unstable.
activating nordvpn kill switch feature
  1. Choose the correct protocol. I recommend NordLynx for NordVPN. Alternatively, choose WireGuard (or its alternatives) on your preferred VPN.
selecting nordlynx protocol on nordvpn
  1. Connect to the recommended server or choose one from the list.
nordvpn connecting to poland server
Choose a server
Interesting Reads:

FAQs

A lifetime VPN can only be safe if you choose a reputable provider that offers high-quality privacy and security services. Furthermore, the safety of using a lifetime VPN depends on the reputation and trustworthiness of the VPN provider, the security and privacy policies the lifetime VPN service provider has in place and the quality of the premium VPN service itself.

Some VPN providers offer a lifetime subscription, but in most cases, reputable VPN providers offer a “lifetime” one that only lasts a few years.

This means that the actual duration of the subscription varies from one provider to the other. So, check the length of the lifetime subscription of your preferred provider to understand what you’re signing up for.  

Try the Best Lifetime VPN for Longer Protection

After several tests, I confirmed that NordVPN is the best lifetime VPN, with up to 2 years to enjoy its services at a stretch. The VPN offers incredible speeds, top-shelf online protection, a DoubleVPN feature, and supports up to six simultaneous connections.

Grab these fantastic NordVPN deals to save more and enjoy exclusive security features for up two years.

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