How to Pay for a VPN Anonymously (Bitcoin & Other Methods)

There are many ways to pay for VPNs anonymously, from cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to cash. But some payment methods may not work in your location or the VPN provider might not accept your preferred way for paying anonymously.

To make sure you can subscribe to a service without giving out your personal details, I checked all the top VPNs’ payment options. I found that many don’t accept prepaid cards, and most only accept certain cryptocurrencies. But there are a few with more options.

ExpressVPN is the best VPN to purchase anonymously. It accepts almost all popular anonymous payment methods and provides the best balance of speed, security, and functionality of any top VPN. There’s also a 30-day refund policy, so you can try it anonymously and risk-free.

Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

Get ExpressVPN anonymously

Why Should You Pay for a VPN Anonymously?

Without an anonymous payment, VPN providers can see a lot of information about you. For example, your email address, credit card details, IP address, and even purchase timestamp can be used to identify you.

This is especially risky if the VPN provider keeps user logs (although many legitimately don’t) — they can be forced to surrender it. For example, journalists in countries that suppress freedom of speech can be caught and punished if their online activities are subpoenaed by the government. The same applies to citizens in countries that block certain sites like gambling.

VPNs with no-log policies are great, but to be really sure it has nothing on you, it’s better to purchase it anonymously. After all, a VPN provider can’t tie your browsing histories to you if they don’t know anything else about you.

When You Shouldn’t Buy a VPN Anonymously

You might want to consider using more traditional payment methods if:

• You might want a refund — Some VPN providers tie refunds to identifiable payment details, making non-anonymous transactions more practical for reimbursements.
• You don’t need total anonymity — If your VPN needs are basic and full anonymity isn’t vital, stick to regular payment methods.
• You want to pay quickly and without hassle — Anonymous payments often involve extra steps like buying a cryptocurrency or gift card. If speed and simplicity matter, traditional payment methods are more straightforward.
• You want to pay for your subscription in installments — Traditional methods make it easier to pay regularly and renew plans automatically.

What to Do Before You Pay for a VPN Anonymously

To make sure you don’t make any costly mistakes or regret your purchase, do these first:

• Understand transaction fees — Certain payment methods, especially cryptocurrencies, may involve transaction fees. These fees can vary based on the cryptocurrency and the service you use, so research and consider these costs.
• Get a temporary email address — You can get a “burner” email address from a service like ProtonMail or Tutanota. These services offer anonymous email accounts that don’t require personal information for signup.

If you’re buying a VPN with a cryptocurrency, make sure to:

• Use a secure wallet — Hardware wallets like Ledger or Trezor provide a high level of security. Ensure you follow best practices for wallet setup.
• Buy crypto anonymously — Consider using Bitcoin ATMs, which allow you to purchase cryptocurrency with cash. You can use online tools to find the nearest Bitcoin ATM to you. If you’re buying crypto online, use a temporary prepaid SIM card in your phone for additional anonymity.

You could also consider P2P crypto exchanges — platforms like LocalBitcoins or Bisq. These don’t require personal information but carry a risk of scams, so exercise caution when trading.

6 Ways to Pay for a VPN Anonymously

1. Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are digital currencies where your transaction records are verified and maintained in a decentralized ledger. You can buy them through a cryptocurrency exchange or by receiving them as payment for goods and services. They offer a high level of anonymity since transactions don’t include personal information.

However, the process can be complex for beginners as it involves wallet setups and exchanges. Exchange rates for cryptocurrencies are also volatile, potentially affecting the cost of your VPN subscription.

Top VPNs that accept cryptocurrency: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, NordVPN, and Surfshark.

2. Prepaid Debit Card

Prepaid debit cards are cards preloaded with a specific amount of money. They can be purchased without requiring personal information and are a practical choice for anonymity. These are easily available and you don’t need to share sensitive data.

However, there are downsides. Non-reloadable cards have a fixed amount, making them unsuitable for recurring VPN subscriptions. Additionally, some VPN providers might not accept certain prepaid cards. Therefore, ensure your chosen VPN supports prepaid debit card payments, and consider reloadable cards if you plan on long-term VPN usage.

Top VPNs that accept prepaid debit cards: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, NordVPN.

3. Gift Card

These are physical or online prepaid cards offered by retail stores. Gift cards offer a high level of anonymity, especially when bought with cash. However, not all VPN providers accept gift cards — check with your provider to confirm whether they support this option.

If your chosen VPN’s website doesn’t have a gift card payment option, don’t give up. You can use a Play Store or App Store gift card to purchase any VPN app that’s available on these stores.

Top VPNs that accept gift cards: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, NordVPN, Surfshark.

4. Virtual/Masked Credit Card

Virtual/masked credit cards are generated online and linked to your existing credit card, concealing your actual card details during transactions. You can buy them from various online services.

While these cards enhance privacy by not revealing your credit card information, keep in mind that the purchase of a virtual card may still appear in your credit card payment history. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of the virtual card service you choose for any potential privacy implications.

Top VPNs that accept virtual/masked cards: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, NordVPN, Surfshark.

5. Payment Apps

Payment apps like Google Pay, PayPal, Apple Pay, Venmo, and Cash App offer a degree of anonymity by not sharing your bank account or card details with service providers. However, these apps often require your personal information, including your name, address, email, and bank details for registration.

While they don’t expose your financial details to VPN providers, the purchases made through these apps are linked to your identity. Therefore, they may not provide the same level of anonymity as methods like cryptocurrencies or gift cards.

Top VPNs that accept payments from payment apps: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, NordVPN, Surfshark.

6. Cash

Cash is one of the most anonymous payment options available, as it doesn’t leave a digital trail tied to your identity. However, it’s important to note that many VPN providers don’t accept cash payments directly through their websites due to the lack of a digital transaction record.

To pay for a VPN with cash, find a VPN that accepts cash (for example, NordVPN) and follow the provider’s instructions. The payment process will vary between providers, and may include posting cash in a physical envelope.

Top VPNs that accept cash: NordVPN.

The Best VPNs With Anonymous Payment Options (Tested in 2024)

1. ExpressVPN — The Fastest, Most Secure VPN You Can Buy Anonymously

Outstanding

Outstanding

📍Servers	3,000+
📱Devices	8
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

ExpressVPN tops my list of the best VPNs and has many anonymous payment options, including Bitcoin. It balances speed without sacrificing security with its proprietary Lightway protocol. Paying with Bitcoin only took a few minutes and I did it with a throwaway email address.

All the protocols it supports (Lightway, OpenVPN, L2TP, and IKEv2) use 256-bit encryption, which is used by the US military to secure data. ExpressVPN also includes leak protection, which made sure there were no IP, WebRTC, or DNS leaks during my tests. There are also various other security and privacy features like:

• TrustedServer technology — RAM-based servers that automatically delete all your data with every reboot.
• No-logs policy — verified by multiple audit firms that ExpressVPN doesn’t collect or store personally identifiable data.
• Network Lock kill switch — instantly stops your internet if your device disconnects from the VPN to prevent your data from being exposed to snoopers.
• Perfect Forward Secrecy — changes your encryption keys frequently for an extra layer of security from hackers.
• British Virgin Islands headquarters — located outside the intelligence-sharing 5/9/14 Eyes countries, so ExpressVPN isn’t legally required to gather or share your data.

During my speed tests, ExpressVPN beat all other top VPNs. On nearby servers, my speeds only dropped by 4% — an amount not noticeable at all. Even on servers 3,000 miles away in New York, the slowdown was only 12%. This is minimal considering I could still send emails and download large files privately and quickly.

While ExpressVPN comes at a premium price, the 1-year + 3 months plan at $6.67 per month is worth its RAM-based servers, audited no-log policy, and fast connections. You can also pay privately with virtual/masked cards, prepaid cards, and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, PAX, and USDC. All you need to sign up is a temporary email address.

You’re covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee, whichever plan you choose. The refund policy also applies if you pay with Bitcoin. I tested this by messaging the 24/7 customer support live chat, and was refunded in USD in just 4 days.

Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.

2. CyberGhost — The Longest Refund Period Among VPNs for Purchases Made With Bitcoin

Outstanding

Outstanding

📍Servers	11,800+
📱Devices	7
💰Refund	45 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

CyberGhost offers an extremely generous money-back guarantee that applies to Bitcoin purchases as well as other payment methods. You can claim your money back within 45 days (or 14 days with the 1-month plan). This is very useful if you want to try out a VPN anonymously and then get your money back when you’re finished with it.

All CyberGhost servers are RAM-based for additional privacy. Additionally, its NoSpy servers are owned and managed internally by CyberGhost staff so no third-party data centers can see your data. Besides the military-grade encryption, CyberGhost’s leak protection ensured none of my IP, DNS, or WebRTC information was exposed.

Other features include:

• WiFi Protection — secures your traffic by initiating a VPN connection automatically when your device detects a public WiFi network once you set it up.
• Privacy-friendly jurisdiction — headquartered in Romania, which isn’t a member of any intelligence-gathering alliances.
• No-logs policy — audited and verified by Deloitte.

One minor drawback that I encountered with CyberGhost was that speeds can be unpredictable on more distant servers. However, speeds were reliably impressive on nearby servers, with a slowdown of only around 5-6%. Local servers were more than fast enough for me to stream in UHD and play Call of Duty with no lag despite using a VPN.

Besides Bitcoin, you can buy CyberGhost with Ether, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and other cryptocurrencies. It also accepts virtual cards. The 2-year + 2 months plan is great value at $2.19 a month. I messaged a customer support agent via the 24/7 live chat to test the money-back guarantee, and I had my money returned in less than a week.

3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Lets You Pay Anonymously With a Retail Gift Card

Excellent

Excellent

📍Servers	35,000+
📱Devices	Unlimited
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

PIA accepts gift cards from Walmart, Starbucks, and other popular retailers, so you can subscribe without sharing your bank details. Paying for PIA with a retail gift card is almost as easy as paying with a regular bank card — the website includes instructions on how to do this.

You can choose between 128-bit encryption (the faster default option) and 256-bit encryption (the more secure option) with the OpenVPN protocol. For a protocol that’s fast and secure, you can also choose the WireGuard protocol too.

There are also plenty of other privacy and security features that PIA offers, like:

• Data leak protection — makes sure that none of your data can leak through encryption protocols and become visible to third parties.
• MACE tracker blocker — improves your privacy by blocking ad trackers and malware so that you’re not targeted for ads and other cyber attacks.
• Automatic kill switch — prevents any of your data from being exposed if your device loses connection to the VPN.

Unfortunately, PIA is based in the US — a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance. Luckily, PIA has a strict no-logs policy that’s been audited and verified by Deloitte. This means that you can use it without worrying about your data being shared with anyone.

As well as gift cards and prepaid Visa/Mastercard, PIA accepts cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ether, Dogecoin, Litecoin, and more. It has one of the cheapest monthly plans, although I recommend the 2-year + 2 months plan for $2.19 a month. I sent a support ticket on the online portal to test the 30-day refund policy and had my money back in 5 days.

4. NordVPN — One of the Few Top VPNs You Can Pay for With Cash For Extra Anonymity

Excellent

Excellent

📍Servers	6,300+
📱Devices	10
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

NordVPN is unique among other top VPNs because you can subscribe with cash, which is one of the most anonymous ways of buying a VPN. It comes in a box with an activation code at physical stores like Walmart, BestBuy, Staples, and more. NordVPN also accepts app store gift cards, prepaid cards, and cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ether, and Ripple).

When you’re online, your identity is protected by military-grade encryption and other security and privacy features including:

• An automatic kill switch — stops your IP address from becoming exposed if your VPN connection is interrupted.
• Privacy-friendly jurisdiction — NordVPN is headquartered in Panama, which isn’t part of any international intelligence-sharing agreements.
• No-logs policy — audited and verified by PwC.

There’s also a Double VPN feature that routes your traffic through an extra server, although this does halve your connection speeds. However, it’s still useful in situations where security takes priority over convenience, and anonymity is vital.

You can get a NordVPN subscription for only $3.09 for the 2-year + 3 months plan. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee too — I tested this policy by messaging the 24/7 customer support live chat, and my money was back in the same week.

5. Surfshark — IP Rotator Gives You Extra Anonymity From Snoopers Online

Great VPN

Great VPN

📍Servers	3,200+
📱Devices	Unlimited
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

Surfshark’s IP Rotator feature keeps your identity anonymous by regularly changing your IP address without disrupting your online experience. This feature gives another layer of protection to stop unauthorized third parties from tracking you online.

Although Surfshark is based in the Netherlands (a 9 Eyes Alliance member), it has a no-logs policy that’s been verified by Deloitte. There are also other features to keep you private and secure online, like:

• CleanWeb — a built-in ad blocker that also blocks malware and trackers to keep you safe and anonymous.
• Camouflage Mode — obfuscates your VPN traffic to look like “regular” internet traffic, so snoopers don’t even know you’re on a VPN.

A 2-year + 2 months subscription costs $2.29 a month, and Surfshark also accepts Bitcoin, Ether, and Ripple. You can get a 7-day free trial if you’re on Android or iOS. In case you need to switch VPN, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee — I contacted the 24/7 live chat to test this and had my money back in a week.

Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

Comparison Table: 2024’s Best VPNs for Anonymous Payment

Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

How I Tested and Ranked the Best VPNs for Anonymous Payment

• Anonymous payment options — I eliminated any VPN without at least one anonymous payment option (such as cryptocurrency) from the running.
• Privacy policy — unfortunately, some VPN providers log data on your online activity. In my final list of best VPNs, I only included those with audited no-logs policies.
• Global servers and speed — whether you’re streaming, gaming, or working, you don’t want your VPN to slow down your speeds too much. The VPNs on this list are fast.
• Compatible devices — my recommended VPNs are compatible with all major Operating system so you can use it on your mobile device or at home behind a desktop.
• Customer support — the VPNs on this list include 24/7 live chat and other customer support options so that you’re never too far away from getting a solution.

FAQs: Paying for a VPN Anonymously

Which VPNs accept cryptocurrency?

All the VPNs on this list accept at least one type of cryptocurrency. These VPNs all accept Bitcoin and Ethereum, and some also accept coins like Litecoin and Dogecoin. Not all VPNs on the market accept crypto though — many providers struggle to price their products in crypto due to its volatility.

What’s the best way to buy a VPN anonymously?

It depends on your preferences and access. There are many ways to pay a VPN anonymously and each has its advantages and disadvantages. It also depends on which VPN you want to buy, as the availability of these options can vary between VPN providers. Check with your chosen service to confirm which anonymous payment methods they accept.

Can you pay for a VPN with PayPal and other payment apps anonymously?

Payment apps like PayPal and Google Pay can give some anonymity, but not as much as other methods. Although you can often use them to pay for VPNs without sharing much information (other than your email address) with the VPN, the payment apps themselves usually require many details. These include your name, address, email, and bank information.

Can I use a credit card to pay for a VPN anonymously?

Buying a VPN with your credit card reveals your name and card number to the VPN provider. However, you can use a virtual/masked card to make purchases without sharing your account details with the VPN. Not all VPNs accept virtual credit cards, so check if this is an option first.

Can a VPN see your payment details?

It depends on the payment method that you use. For example, paying with a (non-masked) credit or debit card will share certain details with the provider, while paying for a VPN with cash or cryptocurrency can be entirely anonymous. Other methods, such as payment apps, can vary in levels of anonymity (for example, depending on the app itself).

Is anonymity guaranteed when using cryptocurrency to pay for a VPN?

No, although paying for a VPN with cryptocurrency generally offers greater anonymity than paying with fiat currency. The level of anonymity can vary depending on the specific cryptocurrency used and how you make the transaction. Some cryptocurrencies are designed with privacy features, while others may leave more transaction details exposed.

Using certain cryptocurrency trading platforms or exchanges can introduce potential privacy risks. To maximize anonymity, consider using privacy-focused cryptocurrencies and following best practices when making transactions. Do some research first if you’re not sure how to do this.

Am I still eligible for a money-back guarantee if I pay for a VPN anonymously?

Refund policies vary among VPN providers. For example, ExpressVPN offers refunds for cryptocurrency purchases, as does CyberGhost at the time of writing. However, others may have different policies. Check the refund terms of your chosen VPN service before making a payment.

Should you use a free VPN to avoid providing payment details?

I don’t advise using free VPNs. While some free VPNs are reliable, many are unsafe to use or don’t work properly. Some don’t encrypt your traffic at all, which means your data is vulnerable to hackers. There are even free VPNs that sell your data directly to marketers.

It’s better to buy a reliable premium VPN — like the ones on this list — and pay for it with an anonymous method. If you’re worried about your money, a premium VPN like CyberGhost lets you get a refund within 45 days if you need to.

You can claim a refund via CyberGhost’s 24/7 live chat

Pay for a VPN Anonymously Today

Protecting your online privacy with a VPN is essential, and anonymous payments further enhance your security. There are various ways to pay anonymously, but not all VPNs accept the same anonymous payment methods.

Based on extensive testing, ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for anonymity. It accepts popular anonymous payment methods and excels in speed, security, and functionality. Plus, since it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can buy ExpressVPN anonymously and risk-free.

Summary — Best VPNs for Anonymous Payment in 2024

Rank

Provider name

Our score

Price

Top Ranked Top Choice

1.

9.8

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$6.67 / month Save 49%

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2.

9.6

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$2.19 / month Save 83%

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3.

9.4

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$2.19 / month Save 82%

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4.

9.4

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$3.09 / month Save 76%

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5.

9.4

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$2.29 / month Save 85%

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