Best VPN Deals for Small Business
Small business VPN deals fall into two categories: business-tier products (with team management, centralized billing, and dedicated account support) and consumer plans where the owner and a small team share a multi-device subscription informally. This guide covers both, with honest guidance on which makes sense at what business size.
Consumer Plan for 1–3 Person Businesses
For solo operators or very small teams where one person manages everything, a consumer plan with high device count covers real business needs at consumer pricing. At this scale, the additional cost and complexity of a "business" VPN plan isn't justified.
NordVPN
$3.49/mo2-yr plan · 10 devices · 30-day money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections covers a small team's laptops, phones, and tablets on one account. Threat Protection adds anti-malware coverage relevant to remote work.
Get NordVPNSurfshark
$2.49/mo27-mo plan · Unlimited devices · 30-day money-back guarantee
Unlimited devices eliminates device-count planning entirely. One plan, everyone on the team, no user-limit math.
Get SurfsharkNordVPN Teams / NordLayer
For businesses that need centralized management, user provisioning, and dedicated support, NordVPN's business product is NordLayer. It starts at a per-seat monthly rate significantly higher than consumer pricing but includes: admin dashboard, user access control, dedicated IP options, and SSO integration. Overkill for a 3-person team; relevant at 10+ employees where individual credential sharing becomes unmanageable.
When to Use a Business VPN vs Consumer Plan
| Scenario | Recommended Approach | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Solo operator, remote work | Consumer plan (NordVPN/Surfshark) | $2.49–3.49/mo |
| 2–5 person team, informal | Consumer unlimited-device (Surfshark) | $2.49/mo flat |
| 5–15 people, needs admin control | Business tier (NordLayer, Perimeter81) | $7–12/seat/mo |
| 15+ employees, compliance needs | Enterprise/dedicated solution | Custom pricing |
The honest guidance: most small businesses overestimate how much they need a "business" VPN. Consumer plans with high device counts cover real use cases at a fraction of the cost until the team reaches a size where centralized management becomes necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it against VPN ToS for a business to use a consumer plan?
Most consumer VPN ToS specify 'personal use' without explicitly defining it in ways that exclude small business use. Using the VPN for work on your own devices is generally treated as personal use. Explicitly reselling VPN access or running a commercial VPN service on a consumer plan would be outside ToS. For most small businesses, consumer plans are used without issue.
What's the difference between NordVPN and NordLayer?
NordLayer is NordVPN's business product with centralized user management, admin dashboards, and team provisioning. NordVPN is the consumer product. NordLayer costs significantly more per user per month but provides enterprise management features that the consumer product doesn't. For teams under ~10 people, the consumer product usually suffices.
How many devices does a small business need covered?
A 3-person team where each person has a laptop, phone, and tablet needs 9 device slots minimum. NordVPN's 10-device consumer plan covers this exactly. Surfshark's unlimited plan covers any team size without device math.