When comparing VPN data packs and monthly plans, start with your actual usage on international routes and how often you connect. VPN56 uses app-based split tunneling to route domestic traffic directly and separate it from international traffic. Before choosing a plan, check which route each app uses and track the data on that route—your total home internet usage is not a reliable estimate of plan needs.
In general, a monthly plan is worth comparing first if you use the service regularly and your monthly usage is fairly steady. If your usage is intermittent and you often go a whole month without connecting, consider a non-expiring data pack. Neither is automatically the better choice: you may leave data unused on a monthly plan, while money spent on a data pack can remain tied up in unused balance. Here’s how to compare the costs.
Compare monthly subscriptions and data plans by expiration rules first
A monthly plan provides a data allowance for each month. VPN56 resets data monthly on your activation date, not at the start of each calendar month. Track usage around your reset date, and don’t assume unused data will carry over indefinitely.
A data pack draws down from a total balance until it’s used up, and never expires. If you pause usage, the remaining balance won’t expire just because a new month begins. That makes a data pack useful when your schedule is unpredictable, but it doesn’t mean it will always cost less than a monthly plan.
| Billing type | Price | Data allowance | Validity and reset rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan | ¥9.9/month | 60GB | Resets monthly on your activation date |
| Monthly plan | ¥18/month | 250GB | Resets monthly on your activation date |
| Monthly plan | ¥28/month | 500GB | Resets monthly on your activation date |
| Data pack | ¥158 | 300GB | Use it until it’s gone; never expires |
| Data pack | ¥358 | 1000GB | Use it until it’s gone; never expires |
| Data pack | ¥658 | 3000GB | Use it until it’s gone; never expires |
Compare both the price and the time rules. You can’t compare a monthly plan’s listed price directly with the total price of a data pack. A higher one-time payment for a data pack doesn’t necessarily mean higher long-term costs, either. Compare them over the same period and for the same needs.
How to track actual usage with app-based routing
Split tunneling rules determine whether requests use a direct domestic connection or an international route. A browser may access domestic and international sites at the same time, and an app may connect to multiple domains, so an app being open doesn’t mean all its requests use the same route. Rule mode, system proxy settings, and an app’s own proxy settings can all affect the result.
Use the service dashboard’s data records as the basis for estimating plan needs and reconciling usage. Client statistics can help identify which activities use data. Operating system totals typically include direct traffic, and client statistics may not match the service’s billing records, so don’t mix these figures.
- Note the starting point. Record the current data balance and the time in the dashboard, and check whether any other devices are using the same service.
- Recreate your usual tasks. Browse, stream, or work as you normally would. Don’t change video quality, download sizes, or your usual combination of apps just for the test.
- Note the end point. Check the dashboard after the tasks. If updates are delayed, wait until the figures settle before comparing them.
- Group usage by task. Track browsing, streaming, meetings, and large downloads separately, then total them according to how often each task actually occurs.
Estimating usage for light browsing, regular streaming, and remote work
Light browsing: distinguish regular use from occasional bursts
If you mainly read text pages and search documents, you may not need a large allowance. But browsing can also include autoplay videos, full-resolution images, and file downloads, so time spent online alone won’t tell you how much data you use. Track your actual tasks, then compare usage on similar days with your plans for the month.
If you use the service every day and your needs fit within 60GB, the ¥9.9/month plan is one monthly option to compare. If you only use it for specific projects or trips and leave it idle during other months, a non-expiring data pack may be more useful. Focus on the months you’re active rather than minimizing the average daily cost.
Streaming regularly: consider video quality and watch time
Video data use varies with quality, encoding, content, and each platform’s adaptive streaming. There’s no single hourly estimate that applies to every viewing habit. For a useful comparison, keep your usual quality setting and measure data use across a full viewing session, including any background preloading.
If you stream regularly, compare monthly plans first, since continuous playback will steadily draw down a data pack. Compare your measured monthly needs against 60GB, 250GB, and 500GB, and choose an allowance that covers your usual usage. If you need more than the listed allowances, check the currently available plans; don’t assume a monthly plan includes unlimited data. Plan allowances also don’t guarantee access to any particular streaming service.
Remote work: track sync and meetings separately
Work-related data use goes beyond web browsing. Code repositories, cloud assets, video meetings, remote desktops, and file syncing can all use data on international routes. The initial checkout of a project or restoration of files may not reflect typical daily use. On the other hand, measuring only text-based communication can miss large transfers near a delivery deadline.
Estimate routine tasks separately from occasional large files, then combine them to get your actual monthly needs. VPN56 allows unlimited devices to connect at the same time, but remember to include usage from shared computers, tablets, and other devices. Unlimited devices doesn’t mean unlimited data. For work devices, follow your organization’s network access and data handling policies; don’t change proxy settings on managed devices without authorization.
Calculate actual costs over the same period
Choose a comparison period first, such as the expected duration of a project. Base it on your actual usage plans, not on what makes a particular plan look cheaper. Then note the active months in that period, your international-route usage each month, and the one-time payment you’re comfortable with.
Monthly plan: Choose an allowance that covers each month’s needs and add up the monthly fees. If usage is steady, multiply the monthly fee by the number of months you plan to use the service. If usage varies, calculate each month separately instead of comparing only your busiest or quietest month.
Data pack: Add up the data you expect to use during the comparison period, then check which pack covers it. Track both the amount spent and any balance remaining at the end of the period. You can still use that balance, but it isn’t a cash refund and doesn’t mean no money has been spent.
Estimated usage = measured data for each task × how often you expect to do that task; then add the results.
Nominal data pack cost per unit = data pack price ÷ listed data allowance.
Actual monthly plan cost per unit = monthly fee ÷ data used that month, not the total plan allowance.
To compare nominal unit prices for data packs, you can calculate ¥158 ÷ 300GB, ¥358 ÷ 1000GB, and ¥658 ÷ 3000GB. This is only useful for comparing data packs with one another. Even if a larger pack costs less per unit on paper, it may not fit your budget if it takes a long time to use up.
If you regularly have a lot of data left on a monthly plan, check whether a lower tier would be enough. If you often approach the limit, see whether any apps or background syncing can use a direct domestic connection instead. If you upgrade midway through a VPN56 plan, the price difference is converted into remaining days; the upgrade doesn’t give you a new full billing period. Check the result shown in the dashboard before making a change.
For steady, predictable usage, calculate the cost of a monthly plan first. For intermittent use without monthly reset constraints, calculate the cost of a data pack first. If you’re unsure, start by tracking actual usage rather than taking on a higher cost just because a plan has a larger allowance.
A pre-purchase checklist
- ✅ Confirmed which apps use direct domestic connections and which use international routes; didn’t count total home internet usage as plan usage.
- ✅ Combined usage across shared devices and included background syncing, meetings, and occasional large files.
- ✅ Checked the monthly plan’s reset date and didn’t assume unused data carries over.
- ✅ Compared both options over the same period and distinguished money spent from unused data remaining.
- ❌ Don’t mistake “never expires” for unlimited data or assume a larger data pack is automatically a better fit.
If you’re switching from another service, first check client compatibility and how to import subscriptions. VPN56 supports Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux, but that doesn’t mean every client on those platforms can import a subscription directly. Follow the setup guide to get a client and configure it. Don’t share your subscription link publicly.
Choosing a plan doesn’t replace checking your connection. Consider DNS resolution paths alongside the route used by the app: seeing an overseas DNS address alone doesn’t prove the app is using an international route as expected, and an unusual DNS test result doesn’t necessarily mean you’re short on data. If access isn’t working as expected, check your allowance, routing rules, and connection separately, then refer to troubleshooting.
Frequently asked questions about choosing a plan
I don’t know how much data I use each month. Should I just choose a larger pack?
Don’t choose a larger allowance just because you haven’t tracked usage yet. Observe representative tasks and estimate based on how often you expect to do them; this is usually more reliable than guessing. If you have historical usage from another network tool, first check what it measures so you don’t double-count direct traffic or multiple devices.
Can I assume a data pack and monthly plan can be used together?
Don’t assume how they work together, which balance is used first, or whether they switch automatically. The prices and time rules in this article don’t establish those details. If you want to hold both or switch billing types, check the details on the plans page and in the dashboard. Contact support if needed before making a change.
What should I know about payment and refunds?
VPN56 accepts Alipay, WeChat Pay, and USDT, and offers a 60-day no-questions-asked refund. The full policy allows you to request a full refund for any reason within 60 days of your first payment. The refund policy can help you evaluate the service, but it doesn’t replace estimating your usage before purchase or mean the request period restarts with every payment.
The best plan isn’t necessarily the one with the largest listed allowance. Choose one that covers your actual tasks, has suitable time rules, and fits your budget. Track actual usage, active months, and reset dates to turn the difference between data packs and monthly plans into a clear comparison rather than a guess.