1. Best cheap VPN overall
2. Best cheap Linux VPN
3. Best cheap VPN with antivirus
4. Cheapest premium VPN
5. What is the best VPN overall?
6. Cheap VPN rankings
7. How to choose a cheap VPN
8. Cheap VPN FAQs
A cheap virtual private network (VPN) doesn't need to be anything less than a premium product. In fact, in our list of the best VPN providers, our top cheap VPN—Surfshark—comes in at #3 thanks to its wealth of features, unbeatable speeds, and overall reliability.
But this is just one example where "cheap" doesn't also mean bad quality. In TechRadar's 15 years, we've conducted countless tests across hundreds of providers —comparing server locations, unblocking capabilities, speeds, and (most importantly) the cost, to curate this list of the best budget VPNs.
We've focused on the services that offer great prices on one-year or more subscriptions, as that's where the best value lies with the cheapest VPNs. Check out our top three picks for the best budget VPN in 2023:
June 2, 2023 update notes
In our latest round of updates, we expanded our reviews to give you clearer insight into what sets these providers apart from the competition, why you might want to use or avoid each of them, and how they compare to one another.
We added sections on the pros and cons of a cheap versus premium service, and how to know you've picked a provider that's genuinely safe, and not just saying it is.
Last, but by no means least, we checked the accuracy of server locations, pricing, deals, and unblocking capabilities.
The best cheap VPNs in 2023
Let's take a deeper look at the best budget VPNs, and see why value for money doesn't have to come at the expense of quality, functionality, or even usability.
The best cheap VPN overall
✔️ You want the best budget VPN: a low-cost, high-quality option, Surfshark has lots of features, unbelievable speeds, and a reliable network.
✔️ You need the fastest VPN around: Surfshark currently tops our charts with over 950 Mbps average speeds, Surfshark isn't just fast, it's faster than every other VPN.
✔️ You want a cheap security suite: much like NordVPN, Surfshark comes with an array of internet security tools to keep you safe.
❌ You need a bulletproof kill switch: our testing showed some issues with Surfshark's kill switch. If an accidental IP leak could put you in danger, we'd recommend Private Internet Access or NordVPN.
❌ You need an unbeatable antivirus: decent protection is one thing, but if you need 100% guaranteed protection, you'll need one of the best antivirus solutions.
❌ You only want to torrent: while Surfshark supports torrenting on its service, it doesn't hold a candle to the likes of Private Internet Access or ExpressVPN.
🔒 Surfshark is our #1 choice for the top cheap VPN. With unparalleled speeds and unlimited simultaneous connections, you get a lot of VPN for a low price. Try for yourself and see why it's our favorite value-for-money VPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Check out our in-depth Surfshark VPN review and see why the fastest VPN is also our #1 budget pick.
Surfshark VPN costs as little as $2.30 per month, and currently ranks #3 in our list of the best VPNs overall. It's a feature-rich service with the option to upgrade to a full security suite (including antivirus, ad blocking, and dark web scanning) for only $1.49 extra per month.
It's not all about the bottom-line cost, though. The fact that you can use Surfshark on as many devices as you like improves the value even further. There's nothing really stopping you from sharing your login details with your friends and family if you want to protect everyone you love online.
▶ Try Surfshark—our #1 cheap VPN.
But don't think that the low-cost means sacrificing quality or security. Surfshark is as robust as any of our premium recommendations and offers a wide array of security features as standard, and a no-logs policy that prevents authorities from seeing what you've used the VPN for.
There are plenty of encryption protocols to choose from, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and the latest and greatest in the industry today: WireGuard. This lets you customize your security to get the perfect blend of speed and security, regardless of whether you're streaming Netflix, gaming online, or torrenting large files.
In addition to that customization, you also get a kill switch that cuts your internet if your VPN connection drops, preventing any unencrypted data from accidentally falling into the wrong hands. While we did note some kill switch issues in our latest round of extreme stress testing, we're confident it will still be reliable for all day-to-day use.
I personally loved Surfshark's "Quick connect" option, which let me connect automatically to the fastest server in a single click—it doesn't get easier than that.
While there are cheaper VPNs than Surfshark (such as PureVPN), choosing them means you have to compromise on quality or crank up the subscription to as much as five years. Put Surfshark to the test with its 30-day money-back guarantee, and see if it's the right service for you—all without risking a penny.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Elegant, simple, and intuitive | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ease of use | Great for beginners, and seamless connections | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Performance | Faster than all of our top picks | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Unblocking | Good content unblocking, but not amazing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Security and privacy | Some kill switch issues, and the built-in ad blocker and antivirus wasn't as good as we were expecting | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Customer support | Lots of supporting articles, but awkward to navigate to when you need help on the fly | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Price | The best cheap VPN on the market | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
The best cheap Linux VPN
✔️ You want a VPN that's proven its claims: PIA has proven its no-logs policy in court—not once, but twice.
✔️ You need the best Linux VPN: GUI apps for the most popular distros and plenty of support.
✔️ You need a cheap torrenting VPN: port-forwarding and a mountain of torrent-friendly servers make PIA an excellent pick for P2P file sharing.
❌ You want the easiest VPN to use: PIA's technical prowess is both a blessing and a curse, and its orientation towards technical users means it isn't the simplest for beginners.
❌ You want a built-in password manager: unlike ExpressVPN and NordVPN, PIA doesn't offer a password manager for users.
❌ You want the fastest VPN: PIA offers good speeds for torrenting, but it is nowhere near what's on offer with NordVPN or Surfshark.
🔒 Private Internet Access is a long-standing favorite of privacy purists like myself. See why we love it so much with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Check out our in-depth Private Internet Access VPN review and see why this low-cost option is also great for Linux.
Private Internet Access is a 10-year veteran of the industry, and over the past few years, it's grown its server count by the thousands. With its wealth of customization and budget-friendly price tag, it's a high-quality service without the premium price tag.
In our most recent testing, we lauded the quality of its clients and apps. PIA made some great steps in improving the service, and really pack in the extra features if you want to fully customize your VPN protection. However, we did note that its speeds were slower than those of Surfshark and NordVPN.
▶ Get Private Internet Access' proven security.
With its MACE feature, you get built-in threat protection and ad-blocking at no extra cost. You can protect your device from hackers as well as secure your digital privacy, all under a single subscription.
PIA's best pricing is dependent on you being happy enough to commit to it for the next couple of years (and pay upfront for the privilege), but any qualms should be quelled by the fact that PIA is constantly upgrading its service, and proven its no-logs claims in court repeatedly.
While it isn't our go-to pick for streaming content, PIA offers dedicated servers to help you unblock your favorite shows from around the world, and with tens of thousands of servers, you'll always find a server that works. In fact, it keeps adding more and more services to its "unblock" list (most recently it has upped its game as a BBC iPlayer VPN).
When you put all of the above together with unlimited simultaneous connections, it's clear to see why PIA is nipping at the heels of Surfshark for the #1 position. You can use one of the most trusted and proven VPN services to protect every device you own, as well as everyone you know, all on a single plan.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Lots of customization, but could do with some attention to detail | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ease of use | Not the best for beginners, but great for advanced users | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Performance | Good speeds, but generally average compared to industry leaders | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Unblocking | dedicated streaming servers and tens of thousands of servers to help you unblock anything and everything | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Security and privacy | The latest and greatest in VPN tech, and a proven no-logging policy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Customer support | A mass of knowledge online and expert support on-hand at all times | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Price | Budget-friendly and offering plenty of value for money | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
The best cheap VPN security suite
✔️ You want an all-in-one security suite: NordVPN comes with ad blocking and malware protection as standard with its VPN subscription.
✔️ Streaming Netflix is your primary use case: NordVPN currently tops our list as the best VPN for Netflix, so you can access streams anywhere in the world.
✔️ You want a blend of cost and quality: tonnes of features, additional security tools, and competitive pricing make NorVPN one to watch.
❌ You need a VPN under $3: NordVPN offers some amazing value for money, but it's a more expensive option than PIA and Surfshark when you consider what's on offer.
❌ You want a super simple interface: NordVPN's map-style interface can be fun, but if you want a plain design without the bells and whistles, our other top picks all have cleaner apps.
❌ You want to access content everywhere: with servers in 60 locations, you get a lot of options, but compared to our other top picks, NordVPN is more limited in countries and locations.
🔒 NordVPN strikes the perfect balance between security, usability, performance, and unblocking capability. See for yourself with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Check out our in-depth NordVPN review for a closer look at this all-in-one security solution.
NordVPN recently got a bump up in our cheap VPN chart thanks to a price reduction on its best-value 2-year plan (now 59% off the regular monthly price). So, not only do you get a very affordable VPN with NordVPN, but you also benefit from a service with excellent security.
NordVPN offers a number of "Double VPN" servers that route your data through not one but two separate VPN servers. By doing so, this further increases your anonymity and makes it much harder for anyone to know what you're doing online. I like that it's one of the few VPNs that offer Tor over VPN servers for an additional layer of protection.
▶ Try NordVPN's VPN security suite.
With an automatic kill switch and robust encryption protocols, you can be certain your data is always protected, and if not, it won't let you continue with a false sense of security.
Couple that with built-in threat protection, password management, and encrypted cloud storage, and NordVPN becomes an all-in-one privacy and security solution. If you want to cut the cost of multiple separate subscriptions and invest in one single toolkit, NordVPN offers the best value for money.
NordVPN supports all major platforms with easy-to-use clients (or setup guides) and allows P2P traffic for those who like to use their VPN for torrenting. Check out its specialty server list for use-case-specific servers.
We found performance was good too, delivering above-average speeds in our testing. Another plus point is that this provider has a zero-logs policy that's fully audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers no less. This means NordVPN does exactly what it says on the tin. No sharing your information, or watching what you're doing, unlike some of the more unscrupulous VPN services out there.
Take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee, to compare it to Surfshark and Private Internet Access without risking a penny.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | A fun design that can be a little busy for some people | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ease of use | Everything is easy to find, but the map interface can be off-putting, and there isn't much attention to detail | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Performance | One of our fastest VPNs | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Unblocking | Perfect for Netflix and other streaming sites | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Security and privacy | Every bit as strong as ExpressVPN | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Customer support | Friendly, supportive and professional | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Price | Fantastic value for money | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
The cheapest premium VPN
✔️ You want to spend less than $1.40 per month: at a meager $1.33 per month, you get a secure and reliable service for less than a cup of coffee.
✔️ You need the cheapest streaming VPN: PureVPN surprised us by reliably unblocking some of the most popular services.
❌ You don't want to commit to a five-year plan: PureVPN puts its prices so cheap by spreading the cost over five years, rather than the usual two or three.
❌ You want a fast VPN: without WireGuard, PureVPN is lagging behind. If speed is important to you, I would choose Surfshark instead.
🔒 PureVPN is a popular choice for users with an absolutely rock-bottom budget, and one of the best VPNs under $1.50 per month.
Check out our in-depth PureVPN review to see how it compares to Surfshark, PIA, and NordVPN.
You'll notice pretty quickly that PureVPN has a lower star rating and ranking than the other providers on this list. But the prices it offers are so reasonable, it would be remiss of us not to feature this still-premium service on a list of cheap VPNs.
The pricing is reasonable all year round but comes into its own around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, at which time it really throws some jaw-dropping prices into the mix. With these offers now gone, it still remains brilliantly priced
If the price was the only positive about PureVPN, we wouldn't feature it on this list. Thankfully, there are plenty of other praises to sing. For starters, it boasts upwards of 6,500 servers around the world, your subscription covers 10 devices at once
PureVPN had a good run at unblocking geo-restricted streaming services: Netflix US, Disney+ and BBC iPlayer were all on the success list. for a VPN that costs just $1.33 per month, that's absolutely fantastic
So, where does it trip up? Speed was the first and most notable downfall (it doesn't offer WireGuard), coming up much slower than the competition on this list. That isn't a disaster, but it may mean you don't want to have PureVPN connected constantly, as it may negatively impact your day-to-day browsing.
The apps and client could do with some UX improvement, too, and the general layout of the support site doesn't fill us with much confidence. Still, it offers live chat support on-site, so if you get stuck, there's usually someone there to help.
But, as we say, PureVPN will do just fine for most users looking to shore up their protection, and at this price, we'd say it's well worth using its 31-day money-back guarantee to see whether going cheaper really is better.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | A bit messy, and generally underwhelming | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ease of use | Not the best user experience | ⭐⭐ |
| Performance | Somewhat slow speeds are a bit of a drag | ⭐⭐ |
| Unblocking | Surprisingly good at unblocking popular streaming sites | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Security and privacy | About industry standard, with the exception of WireGuard | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Customer support | Support site just feels awkward, but live chat support is a bonus | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Price | The cheapest VPN we recommend | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
The best of the budget-friendly rest
✔️ You want an easy-to-use VPN: a clean and intuitive interface makes CyberGhost VPN a great choice for beginners.
✔️ You want more than a month to test it: CyberGhost VPN offers the longest money-back guarantee on the market at a spectacular 45 days.
❌ You need a Disney Plus VPN: in our latest round of testing, CyberGhost VPN struggled to unblock the popular streaming service.
❌ You need in-depth support: while the customer support agents are friendly and helpful, CyberGhost's support site lacks the depth on offer with PIA, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN.
🔒 CyberGhost VPN is a popular choice for beginners with easy-to-use apps and a whopping 45-day money-back guarantee.
Check out our in-depth CyberGhost VPN review to find out more about this popular VPN provider.
CyberGhost VPN has an enormous server count, with over 9,100 servers spread across 91 countries. That's almost as much coverage as Surfshark and PIA—so you don't need to worry about busy servers slowing you down.
Its maximum speed is pretty impressive, but recent testing was slower than our previous round. We saw WireGuard connections sitting around 730 Mbps (down from 850 Mbps), and OpenVPN reaching 400 Mbps and more. This is still incredibly fast, and more than enough for gaming online, torrenting and streaming in 4K, so you'll be glad to know it won't slow you down.
▶ Try CyberGhost VPN's SmartDNS servers.
Sadly, CyberGhost VPN removed its password manager due to a lack of interest from users, which I think is a real shame, and lowers the value for money on offer. However, there are still plenty of features to take advantage of, and it's an incredibly customizable service.
CyberGhost VPN is one of a handful of VPNs that offer SmartDNS technology, which makes it easier to unblock your favorite streams from abroad. By using SmartDNS VPN servers, you're less likely to run into the usual "it looks like you're using a VPN" message that we've all grown to hate.
Much like Surfshark and NordVPN, CyberGhost VPN offers the option to upgrade to a full security suite to help you save costs elsewhere. For just a fraction more, you get a built-in antivirus and auto-update to help prevent hackers from exploiting your device,
That does sometimes mean that speeds aren't up to the same pace as, say, those of ExpressVPN. But you can discover all this for yourself with CyberGhost's generous 45-day money-back guarantee—the longest VPN free trial on offer.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Simple, intuitive, and easily customizable | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ease of use | Perfect for beginners and anyone wanting a simple experience | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Performance | Decent speeds that are great for torrenting, streaming and gaming online | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Unblocking | Dedicated streaming servers, but struggled to unblock Disney Plus and Netflix UK | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Security and privacy | Robust and reliable with a third-party audit from Deloitte | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Customer support | Agents are helpful, but the on-site content could be better | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Price | Excellent value and competitive pricing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
What if I just want the best premium VPN?
It's always nice to save money and know that you've bagged a bargain, but sometimes it's also worth investing in the very best. One look at our guide to the very best VPNs will show that the current market leader is ExpressVPN.
Cheap VPN rankings
There are plenty of great services out there, and I'm sure you could name a few that you've seen that aren't on this list, so here are our industry rankings for the best cheap VPNs.
| Provider | Summary |
|---|---|
| 1. Surfshark | The best cheap VPN, and also the fastest in our tests. |
| 2. Private Internet Access | The best Linux VPN. A dedicated GUI for Linux, and a no-logs policy that was proven in court twice. |
| 3. NordVPN | The best VPN security suite. An all-in-one solution with ad blocking and malware protection. |
| 4. PureVPN | One of the cheapest premium VPNs on the market. |
| 5. CyberGhost VPN | The best of the rest. A popular and easy-to-use platform that's great for beginners. |
| 6. ExpressVPN | The best VPN overall and our top pick for most use cases. |
| 7. PrivadoVPN | The best free VPN. It even unblocks Netflix. |
| 8. ProtonVPN | A popular free VPN service with a history of advocating for the freedom of the internet. |
| 9. Windscribe | A fast service with a popular browser proxy. |
| 10. IPVanish | An up-and-coming provider that supports Linux. |
| 11. Mullvad | Good for Linux, and you can even pay in cash. |
| 12. Hide.Me | A speedy service with plenty of customization. |
| 13. TunnelBear | A reliable free VPN but no support for content unblocking. |
| 14. Atlas VPN | A new player in the VPN industry that's already making waves. |
| 15. Hotspot Shield | A lightning-fast VPN service with lots of great features. |
| 16. StrongVPN | Another mid-range VPN that continues to improve. |
| 17. PrivateVPN | An excellent cheap service that offers plenty of support for streaming and torrenting. |
| 18. VyprVPN | A reliable VPN with a dedicated protocol for bypassing even the most severe censorship. |
| 19. AstrillVPN | A mid-range VPN that's popular for bypassing Chinese censorship. |
| 20. AirVPN | Built by hacktivists, for hacktivists. |
| 21. Goose VPN | An incredibly cheap mid-range VPN. |
| 22. TorGuard | A torrent-friendly VPN that's good for accessing foreign content. |
| 23. UltraVPN | Fast and secure with plenty of server locations. |
| 24. Le VPN | Lots of locations to choose from and integrated SmartDNS technology. |
| 25. VPNArea | A mid-range VPN that struggles to hold up against the industry leaders. |
| 26. Norton VPN | Known for its popular security suite with a lacklustre VPN. |
| 27. Mozilla VPN | A well known brand with a VPN that currently underperforms. |
| 28. ZoogVPN | A fairly underwhelming VPN from Greece. |
| 29. FastestVPN | Making its way up the list, but not yet living up to its name. |
| 30. Google One | Google's history with data doesn't give us much faith in the service. |
How to pick the best cheap VPN
Having to pay for a VPN should not be surprising when you consider that you’re getting top-notch performance, security, and privacy that free VPN services just can't match. However, it’s definitely possible to sign up for an excellent VPN provider and pay a very reasonable subscription fee, and those are the services we’re pointing out in this article.
A cheap VPN provider is no different from any other in terms of what you’re likely to be looking for: tight security and good levels of privacy, with at least 50 Mbps download speeds on the performance front, and as ever, wide coverage of devices and platforms with a range of user-friendly clients.
But more than that, make sure that it serves the purpose you want it to. Big streamer? Make sure it unblocks Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, or whatever your chosen streaming service is. Torrenter? Make sure the service excels there. And if you're more likely to use your VPN on mobile, then be sure that dedicated Android and/or iOS apps are available, too.
Remember to look out for a provider that has a money-back guarantee, so you can always quit and get your cash back if you decide you don't want it later, or it doesn't quite meet your needs.
Cheap VPN FAQs
What is the best cheap VPN?
If you just want a premium service that can do it all, without costing a small fortune, our #1 recommendation is Surfshark.
However, we can't tell you which VPN would be the best for you. It's up to you to decide what your priorities are, and how the best services above fit within those. All we can do is give you the information to help you decide which service suits you best.
Why are VPNs so expensive?
While some VPN services are expensive, they are still cheaper than most other security tool subscriptions. Unfortunately, a truly premium VPN service can't be wholly free. It needs to maintain its servers, refresh its list of IP addresses, and pay its staff while giving you total protection and decent speeds.
Most VPNs do this through advertising and selling your data, but the best will opt to charge a premium instead—giving you a better experience, and genuinely protecting your data privacy, rather than just giving you a false sense of security.
Note: a good VPN doesn't have to be expensive. There are plenty of budget-friendly services that rival even the most pricey providers like ExpressVPN. If you find yourself in a situation where you can't afford a decent cheap VPN, then I recommend you check out some of the best free VPNs as a reliable alternative.
Are cheap VPNs secure?
Not all cheap VPNs are secure. As a minimum expectation, I would only use a service that offers a no-logging policy, a kill switch, and AES 256-bit encryption with OpenVPN, WireGuard, or IKEv2 encryption protocols as standard. These are the most secure VPN encryption protocols on the market, and I wouldn't recommend anything else.
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.
Are cheap VPNs worth it?
Yes, but only if you pick the right one. Not all cheap VPNs are created equal, and some aren't even worth paying for. We've reviewed hundreds of VPN providers over the years, and unfortunately, only a few of them are genuinely worthwhile.
A good cheap VPN will have plenty of features, a no-logs policy, unlimited data usage, and won't serve you adverts while you're using it. If you're looking to save money, you don't have to sacrifice value.
