Finding the best cheap VPN offers you the chance to quickly secure your online activity without putting a huge dent in your bank balance. Although the majority of VPNs require an upfront payment, cheap VPNs offer security solutions for under $85 that keep you protected for two years or longer, depending on the plan.
The cheapest VPN deals start at only $53.73 pre-tax for 27 months of coverage. With this, you can access one of the best VPNs we've tested, which has shown speeds faster than any other provider, and is easy enough to use that you needn't worry if you're a beginner.
5 best VPNs: quick overview
Need a quick answer to your cheap VPN needs? Here's a brief rundown of our top five choices.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | 2-year* | 1-year** | 1-month |
|---|---|---|---|
from $1.99/month | from $3.19/month | from $15.45/month | |
$2.03/month | $3.33/month | $11.95/month | |
from $2.49/month | from $4.49/month | N/A | |
$2.03/month | $6.99/month | $12.99/month | |
$1.11/month | $1.33/month | $10.99/month |
*Aside from PIA which offers three years instead
**Aside from CyberGhost which offers six months instead
The 5 best cheap VPNs in 2026
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The best cheap VPN
Surfshark is undoubtedly the best cheap VPN available. It balances strong VPN performance with a very user-friendly interface and a bunch of useful features, all without letting its price take the burden.
First off, with any Surfshark subscription, you get access to the fastest VPN speeds we tested (over 950 Mbps using the WireGuard protocol) across an unlimited number of devices.
When you consider that Surfshark is available on almost every VPN-compatible device – including iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Amazon devices, and smart TVs – this means you can secure all of your gadgets without unexpected throttling or device limits.
If you're looking for features, both the Surfshark One and Surfshark One+ plans give an incredible number of extras in exchange for a slightly more expensive price tag. Surfshark's complete package, Surfshark One+, gives you every feature Surfshark offers. This includes:
Read more about Surfshark ▼
- Surfshark VPN (including a kill switch, split tunneling, multihop, and static IP)
- Surfshark Alternative ID
- Antivirus
- Webcam protection
- Surfshark Alert
- Surfshark Search
- Incogni
This raft of features is available for just $3.99 a month ($107.73 before tax billed upfront)! For comparison, that's only $10 cheaper than ExpressVPN's basic two-year plan.
Despite this, if you want the best value for your money, we recommend picking up a Surfshark One plan.
While you'll miss out on Incogni, Surfshark's data removal service, you get everything listed above for only $2.29 per month ($61.83 billed upfront), saving you over $40 without losing out on the majority of features.
In testing, we found Surfshark had little difficulty unblocking content across streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Netflix. Plus, it presented no major security concerns throughout, as proven by multiple no-logs and security audits carried out over the past few years.
Partner this with top-rate speeds across WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, and the usual array of VPN features, including a kill switch and Multihop, and you've got a seriously high-value package.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Surfshark Starter | Surfshark One | Surfshark One+ |
|---|---|---|---|
Price | from $1.99/month ($53.73 pre-tax) | from $2.19 per month ($59.13) | from $4.19 per month ($113.13) |
VPN | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Alternative ID (masked email generator and personal detail generator) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Antivirus | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Alert (personal data, credit card, and ID leak alerts with data security reports) | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Search | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Incogni | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
The best cheap 3-year VPN deal
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a longstanding member of the VPN community and has continuously been among the cheapest VPNs available. Despite not being the most feature-laden service available, it has a history of trusted security, impressive speeds, and reliable unblocking across many platforms, most notably Linux.
For value, however, the key benefit of PIA is its three-year deals. Most cheap VPNs offer their best value over two years, maybe adding a few extra months for free as part of an offer.
PIA, however, adds extra months for free onto its three-year deals! So, whereas Surfshark, the best cheap VPN, might only offer up to 27 months for around $1.99 per month, $59.13 overall, PIA gives you a whopping 39 months for only $2.03 per month – $79 overall.
Read more about PIA ▼
| Header Cell - Column 0 | 1-year* (pre-tax) | 2-year** (pre-tax) |
|---|---|---|
$47.85 | $53.73 | |
$39.95 | $79 | |
$53.88 | $59.76 | |
$41.94 | $56.94 | |
$20 | $30 |
*Aside from PIA which offers three years instead
**Aside from CyberGhost which offers six months instead
As mentioned, PIA doesn't have a wide pool of extras like Surfshark. The two main features to note are PIA's MACE tool, which blocks ads, trackers, and malware at the DNS level, and the inclusion of pCloud secure storage for one year.
Given that PIA only runs a singular plan, unlike providers such as NordVPN or Surfshark, there are no tiers that offer added features. Instead, you can add Antivirus by PIA or a dedicated IP for an additional cost – the latter, admittedly, is more traditionally being sold separately.
Despite its limited feature set, we cannot fault PIA as a secure, fast, and reliable VPN. We found it to be impressively effective at unblocking the likes of Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video, and, while it's not as quick as NordVPN or Surfshark, its impressive speeds meant we never experienced slow loading times or unwanted buffering while streaming or searching.
The best cheap VPN for beginners
Norton VPN has made a swift entry into our cheap VPNs guide thanks to its latest, exclusive offer. The provider is, for a limited time, offering two-year plans. These plans drop the price per month to below NordVPN and ExpressVPN by a margin.
Starting from only $2.49 per month, its Basic plan is only beaten by Surfshark and PIA when comparing VPNs of a similar quality. However, its $3.49 per month Plus plan is where the value really sets in.
10 device connections, antivirus, password management, scam detection, dark web alerts, and cloud storage are all included. By comparison, NordVPN's $3.39 per month Basic plan only gives you access to Meshnet (which is free regardless) and basic Threat Protection.
Read more about Norton VPN ▼
It's no slouch in performance testing either. It recorded over 900 Mbps speeds using WireGuard and over 450 Mbps with OpenVPN. It comfortably unblocked every Netflix library we tested it with, and didn't struggle with Amazon Prime or Disney+ either.
What's more, its recent offer also introduced new device limits, meaning you can now watch on up to 20 devices if you choose an Ultimate plan or 10 across Basic and Plus. This is a massive step forward if you're a family looking for a cheap way to secure your devices, since until now the most Norton would give you was five!
A final thing to mention if you're keen to ensure you're getting your money's worth, is Norton's trials and money-back guarantee. Not only does Norton offer a true 7-day free trial, but you also have the option of a whopping 60-day money-back guarantee. Only CyberGhost's 45-day guarantee comes close to this, and very few VPNs offer a 7-day trial at all right now.
The best of the budget-friendly rest
CyberGhost VPN is among the cheapest VPNs and has long been one of the fastest, too. While not the most feature-rich, it offers more for users than providers such as PIA, and boasts speeds that rival the likes of Surfshark and NordVPN in the process, all while remaining similarly priced.
At only $2.03 per month, CyberGhost VPN offers speeds over 950 Mbps when using WireGuard and on servers spanning 124 locations in 100 countries.
The downside of CyberGhost compared to Surfshark and even NordVPN is that you only have 7 simultaneous connections to work with, meaning it's unlikely you can connect a family's worth of devices all at once.
Read more about CyberGhost ▼
Despite this, should you choose CyberGhost, you won't have issues no matter what you do. In testing, we found CyberGhost impressively effective at unblocking streaming sites such as Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and HBO Max.
Plus, we never encountered issues with VPN detection, and its speeds meant we were never stuck watching an endless buffering circle.
For value, CyberGhost rivals NordVPN, should you be looking for pure VPN capabilities. While it does offer some antivirus and antimalware tools, our testing showed it to have limited effectiveness.
Generally, it's best to use a separate antivirus and anti-malware software alongside your VPN software for maximum security anyway. Where CyberGhost falls further short, however, is the lack of added features, such as password management, included in the price.
Despite sitting fifth on our list, PrivadoVPN could be the cheap VPN of choice for many. At only $1.11 per month on a two-year plan and $1.33 per month on a one-year plan (billed upfront as $30 or $20, respectively), no other VPN provider gets close to PrivadoVPN when it comes to affordability.
What's more, that obscenely low cost covers an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. This means if you're looking to protect your family, or you simply have a large number of devices, you needn't worry like you'd have to were you to choose NordVPN or CyberGhost, both of which are also more expensive.
Where both NordVPN and CyberGhost are superior, however, is in features. PrivadoVPN, alongside the VPN itself, only offers ad blocking as an extra within its basic plan. You can add an antivirus for an extra $1.99 per month, but we wouldn't necessarily recommend that.
Read more about PrivadoVPN ▼
Our testing proved it to have little effectiveness, and you'll actually save more money looking at our top-ranked service, Surfshark.
Its performance outside of this, however, was seriously impressive. Download speeds over 800 Mbps, no major issues unblocking major streaming services (though it had some struggles unblocking Netflix in Canada, should that be of importance), and no slow loading times or major security risks to speak of.
Something we do note with PrivadoVPN is its lack of a third-party audit. Unlike every other provider on this list, PrivadoVPN has yet to put itself under the scrutiny of a no-logs audit. So, while everything we can see suggests it can be wholly trusted, we haven't got the same reassurances we do with other providers.
How we test VPN services
Finding the best cheap VPN isn't as simple as just looking at the price tag. Many VPNs appear cheap but can hide flaws, poor performance, security risks, and downright scams behind the appetizing pricetag.
To tackle this, we subject VPNs to an array of tests that identify the weaknesses and strengths of each provider and discover whether or not a cheap VPN is truly capable, or whether the price is as low as the quality. This covers:
Features: Whether it's the size and location of server networks, the protocols and encryption methods supported, or the other included functions and features, there are always minor differences between providers.
Privacy and security: We probe each provider's privacy policies, encryption protocols, and independent audits. We also perform several proprietary tests on key security features such as kill switches and DNS leak protection to identify weaknesses, ensuring you can trust that your data will remain private with the VPN provider.
Performance: We use a 1 Gbps internet line, testing multiple different device types across regular points throughout the day to spot any issues with speeds, connection times, jitter, and general performance issues in real-life use, including browsing online or streaming, at different times of the day.
Unblocking content: Can the VPN unblock geo-restricted content across global platforms, such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu? Does it work with regional sites like BBC iPlayer, 10 Play, and Peacock? Are there any errors encountered throughout the process? These are all things tested regularly by our team.
Support and reliability: We test VPN providers' customer support channels, FAQ pages, and AI chat options to see how quickly and helpful different providers are with both common and more technical queries and how easily you can troubleshoot issues yourself using the resources provided to you.
Want to know more? You can read more about our testing process on our methodology page.
How to choose the best cheap VPN
Just because it's a cheap VPN doesn't mean it's bad, and hopefully, our rankings prove that. Here's what to keep in mind when shopping around for a cheap VPN.
What features am I getting for the price? Are there added extras, such as antivirus software or a password manager, included?
Can I rely on the VPN's performance? What sort of download speeds can you expect? Has it got a history of issues performing certain tasks?
Can I rely on the VPN's security? While more of an issue for free VPNs, not every VPN can be trusted. Has the VPN you're choosing had a no-logs audit? Has it ever had any security breaches?
Once you've done this, make use of money-back guarantees offered by providers. The cheap VPNs listed above all come with a minimum 30-day money-back guarantee, which you can use to test the service to see if you like it enough before committing to a long term plan.
Pick the service that suits your needs best. Only you will know which one it is—I can only show you the cream of the crop.
Cheap VPN FAQs
What is the best cheap VPN?
The best cheap VPN right now is Surfshark.
This is because of its balance of performance and features, all while keeping an impressively low cost. Should you be looking for the best performance, we'd recommend NordVPN. Alternatively, if you're looking for something even cheaper than Surfshark, consider PIA or PrivadoVPN.
Are cheap VPNs secure?
Not all cheap VPNs are secure. As a minimum expectation, I would only use a service that offers a no-logs policy, a kill switch, and AES 256-bit encryption with OpenVPN, WireGuard, or IKEv2 encryption protocols as standard.
If you want to know if a VPN's claims are genuine, see if it has any independent third-party audits of its network and policies. Alternatively, if the service is open-source and you know what to look for, you can verify it yourself.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
