Your actual IP address stays hidden from everyone
Each Memorial Day, millions of Americans move through airports, hotels, and coffee shops, carrying their digital lives across networks they do not control. This year, three major VPN providers are offering discounted subscriptions — NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and PrivadoVPN — as a quiet reminder that the freedom of travel and the vulnerability of public WiFi arrive together. The offers, ranging from $1.11 to $3.09 per month, represent different philosophies about what online privacy should look like and who it should be accessible to.
- Every public WiFi connection is an open door — airports, hotels, and cafés expose unencrypted data to anyone sharing the network, and holiday travel multiplies that risk dramatically.
- Three VPN services are competing for attention this Memorial Day weekend, each staking out distinct territory: NordVPN on raw capability, ExpressVPN on simplicity, and PrivadoVPN on price.
- PrivadoVPN's $1.11/month entry point and 2,334 Mbps speeds challenge the assumption that privacy protection requires a premium budget, though its apps sacrifice polish for affordability.
- NordVPN's post-quantum encryption and 211-country server network set the feature ceiling, but its $3.09/month price on a 27-month commitment asks users to invest before they fully understand what they need.
- The broader trend is clear — VPN adoption is accelerating as travelers and streamers alike discover that geo-restrictions and surveillance are two sides of the same coin that a single subscription can address.
Memorial Day weekend scatters people across airports, coffee shops, and unfamiliar hotel networks — exactly the conditions that make personal data most vulnerable. A VPN encrypts what you send and receive, hides your location, and prevents network owners or fellow users from seeing your activity. This weekend, three major services are offering discounts that make the decision easier to act on.
NordVPN presents itself as the comprehensive option. With speeds reaching 1,200 Mbps, servers in 211 locations across 135 countries, and at least one server in every U.S. state, it's built for travelers who want consistent performance wherever they land. It reliably unblocks Netflix, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer, supports post-quantum encryption, and allows up to ten devices per plan. Independent audits have verified its no-logs policy. The Memorial Day price starts at $3.09 per month on a 27-month plan — not the cheapest, but the feature set earns it.
ExpressVPN prioritizes ease of use. Its apps share the same design across every device, centered on a single button that turns protection on or off. Speed is strong — up to 1,177 Mbps on Windows and 967 Mbps via WireGuard — and both far exceed what 4K streaming requires. It unblocked Netflix in the U.S., UK, and Canada during testing. Three subscription tiers start at $2.79 per month, and the current deal includes four additional free months alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee.
PrivadoVPN competes almost entirely on price: $1.11 per month for a 27-month plan, with $30 due upfront. What's surprising is that its speed — 2,334 Mbps in testing — outpaced every other service reviewed. It unblocks Netflix and Disney+ globally, includes split tunneling, a kill switch, and a threat protection suite that blocks ads, phishing, and malware. The trade-off is a utilitarian interface that lacks the refinement of pricier alternatives. For budget-conscious users, though, the value is hard to argue with.
The case for any of these extends well beyond the holiday. Public networks are structurally risky — anyone sharing a WiFi connection can potentially intercept unencrypted traffic. A VPN closes that exposure while also unlocking geo-restricted content, letting travelers access home-country streaming libraries from abroad. Each of the three services solves the same underlying problem through a different lens: depth, simplicity, or affordability. Which one fits depends on what you value most.
Memorial Day weekend brings the usual scatter of plans—travel, family gatherings, streaming binges, time away from home. It also brings a particular vulnerability. When you're moving between networks, using airport WiFi, sitting in a coffee shop, your data becomes exposed in ways it isn't when you're home. A VPN can help. It encrypts what you send and receive, masks your location, and keeps your browsing habits from being visible to whoever controls the network you're on. This Memorial Day, three major VPN services are running discounts worth considering.
NordVPN positions itself as the comprehensive choice. It's fast—capable of hitting 1,200 megabits per second in testing—and it has real reach, with servers in 211 locations across 135 countries, including at least one in every U.S. state. That density matters if you're traveling and want consistent speed no matter where you land. The service handles streaming well. Netflix, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer all work reliably. Amazon Prime Video works almost everywhere except Australia and New Zealand. NordVPN supports post-quantum encryption across all platforms, allows up to ten devices on a single plan, and has undergone independent audits of its no-logs policy. The Memorial Day pricing starts at $3.09 per month on a 27-month commitment ($83.43 upfront before tax), with a 30-day refund window. It's not the cheapest option available, but the feature set justifies the cost for most users.
ExpressVPN takes a different approach: simplicity. The apps are designed to be approachable, built around a single large button that toggles protection on and off. Every app looks the same regardless of device, which removes the learning curve. You can protect up to 14 devices depending on your plan. Speed is solid if not quite class-leading. The Windows-exclusive Lightway Turbo version hit 1,177 megabits per second in testing; the cross-platform WireGuard option reached 967 megabits per second. Both are more than sufficient for 4K streaming, which requires only 25 megabits per second. ExpressVPN unblocked Netflix in the U.S., UK, and Canada during testing, though it struggled in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. The service has completed multiple independent audits and includes post-quantum encryption by default. It recently launched a privacy suite with up to five apps included depending on your plan and region. Three subscription tiers are available, starting at $2.79 per month ($78.18 upfront before tax), plus a 30-day money-back guarantee and four additional free months.
PrivadoVPN competes almost entirely on price. A 27-month plan costs $1.11 per month with $30 upfront—a fraction of what the other two charge. The feature list is lean but functional: split tunneling, a kill switch, P2P support, and a 10-device connection limit. What's striking is the speed. In testing, PrivadoVPN outpaced every other service tested, reaching 2,334 megabits per second. It unblocks Netflix and Disney+ globally and handles local streaming services as well. Amazon Prime Video remains inaccessible everywhere, though PrivadoVPN isn't alone in that limitation. The threat protection suite—blocking ads, phishing attempts, and malware—is more robust than many competitors offer at this price. The trade-off is in the user experience. The apps feel utilitarian, lacking the polish and customization options of pricier alternatives. PrivadoVPN also offers a free tier that ranks highly among free VPN services, though it can't match the paid version's capabilities. Still, for someone watching their budget, the value proposition is difficult to ignore.
Why does this matter beyond the holiday weekend? Public networks are inherently risky. When you connect to WiFi at an airport or hotel, anyone on that network can potentially intercept unencrypted traffic. A VPN creates a tunnel between your device and a remote server, encrypting everything that passes through. Your internet service provider can't see what you're doing. The network owner can't see it. Hackers on the same WiFi can't see it. Your actual IP address—the number that identifies your location and device—stays hidden. Beyond security, VPNs unlock geo-restricted content. Netflix libraries vary by country. Some streaming services are only available in certain regions. A VPN lets you appear to be in a different location, accessing content that would otherwise be unavailable. During travel, when you're most likely to be on unfamiliar networks and might want access to home-country content, these benefits compound. The three services on sale this weekend each solve the problem differently: NordVPN through comprehensive features and speed, ExpressVPN through ease of use, PrivadoVPN through affordability. Which one makes sense depends on what matters most to you.
Notable Quotes
NordVPN handles streaming well, with Netflix, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer all working reliably— Tom's Guide testing
PrivadoVPN outpaced every other service tested, reaching 2,334 megabits per second— Tom's Guide testing
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a VPN matter specifically during Memorial Day weekend? Isn't it just another weekend?
It's when people move. They travel, use airport WiFi, sit in coffee shops. Their devices touch networks they don't control. That's when the encryption actually protects something.
So it's not about hiding from the government or anything dramatic like that?
Not necessarily. It's about the person running the WiFi network, or someone else on that network, not being able to see what you're doing. It's about Netflix working the same way whether you're home or abroad. It's practical.
Why is PrivadoVPN so much cheaper? Is it actually worse?
It's stripped down. Fewer features, less polished interface. But the core function—encryption, speed, unblocking—it actually performs better on speed than the others. You're paying for simplicity and features you might not need.
What's the catch with the money-back guarantees?
There isn't one, really. They're all 30 days. It's a way to let you try it without risk. If it doesn't work for you, you get your money back.
If I'm just streaming Netflix at a hotel, do I need the fanciest option?
No. Any of these three would work. It depends on whether you want the extra features, how much you care about interface design, and what you're willing to spend.