One provider advertises $125/month. Another advertises $215/month. The first looks far cheaper — until the fine print shows the $125 requires paying for a full year upfront, while its true month-to-month rate is closer to $235.
Annualized is a commitment
An annualized or effective-monthly price spreads a prepaid annual cost across twelve months. It is real, but only if you commit and pay for the year. If you might stop at month three, that number does not apply — the month-to-month rate does.
Compare like with like
Put both on the same basis. Annual-to-annual: total if you pay for a year. Monthly-to-monthly: the rate with no commitment. A provider can win one and lose the other. Decide which basis you will actually use before a headline persuades you. Also confirm what happens if you cancel mid-commitment: is the discount clawed back, and are refunds available? A plan that is cheap on paper can become expensive if you leave early.