Introduction
The VPN industry moves fast. Here is a roundup of the most important developments from early 2026 that affect travelers choosing a VPN.
ExpressVPN Launches EventVPN Free Tier
In a surprising move, ExpressVPN launched an ad-supported free VPN service called EventVPN in September 2025. This marks ExpressVPN first entry into the free VPN market. The free service is designed for casual users and events, though details on data caps and server availability are still emerging. This could shake up the free VPN market dominated by Proton VPN.
ExpressVPN Introduces Three-Tier Pricing
ExpressVPN overhauled its pricing structure in late 2025, introducing Basic, Advanced, and Pro tiers. The Basic plan starts at just $2.44/month on a 2-year plan, making ExpressVPN significantly more affordable than before. The Pro plan at $7.49/month adds a dedicated IP address.
NordVPN Passes 7,000 Servers
NordVPN continues to expand its network, now surpassing 7,000 servers across 118 countries. This makes it the largest consumer VPN network. The expansion focuses on regions popular with travelers including Southeast Asia and South America.
Surfshark 7-Day Free Trial Goes Global
Surfshark extended its 7-day free trial to all platforms in mid-2025, previously available only on mobile. This gives travelers a risk-free way to test Surfshark before committing, in addition to the existing 30-day money-back guarantee.
WireGuard Adoption Reaches Critical Mass
Nearly every major VPN provider now uses WireGuard-based protocols as their default. The speed and efficiency benefits are particularly valuable for travelers on mobile devices. OpenVPN remains available as a fallback but is no longer the primary protocol.
Price War Continues
Competition has driven VPN prices to record lows. Premium VPNs are now available for under $2/month on multi-year plans. This is great news for budget travelers who previously had to choose between cost and quality.
What This Means for Travelers
The VPN market in 2026 is more competitive than ever, which benefits consumers. Faster speeds, lower prices, more features, and better free options mean there has never been a better time to add a VPN to your travel toolkit.
