Tech Talk

To be the best VPN service doesn't mean you can't also be the cheapest VPN service. There are a lot of VPN providers out there offering plans at a variety of different price points, some of which even have free VPN plans. Normally, when it comes to services and subscriptions the best ones are on the more expensive side, but when it comes to VPNs that isn't the case.

You don't have to go broke each month or pay a huge upfront cost to get a great VPN, some of the best VPNs are actually pretty cheap, seriously.

5 best free VPN services ranked

1. Surfshark: Lots of features, fast speeds, and cheapest option | More info
2. NordVPN: Well known, reliable, and offers clients for all devices | More info
3. IPVanish: Easy to use and includes 250GB cloud storage | More info
4. Hotspot Shield VPN: Tweeting earns you more free bandwidth | More info
5. CyberGhost VPN: Easiest server matching for unblocking content | More info

Bonus Pick: ExpressVPN: Best overall VPN for most users | More info

You'll want to weigh out all your options here, but when it comes to cheap VPNs that are really affordable, we recommend Surfshark VPN for a number of reasons. At just $2.49 per month it's really hard to beat what it offers, so be sure to follow along below for more!

You'd be surprised just how many cheap VPN services there are. For less than the price of a cup of coffee per month you can protect your entire month's worth of browsing. To get the best deal on some of these you'll need to sign up for an annual subscription or prepay for a few years at once, but at the prices they are listed for it's well worth it.

There are a lof of affordable VPN services, and we've rounded up all the best cheap VPNs in one place to make it easier for you. Here are our favorites, and the best you'll find.

1. Surfshark VPN

By far the best cheap VPN service

Bottom line: It's one of the most affordable options out there, but that doesn't mean you are making big sacrifices. There is no limit to the number of devices you can connect at once, and with servers all around the globe it's easy to keep your account safe and still access everything you want to see.

Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Amazon | Servers: 1,700+ | Server Locations: 100+ in 63 countries | Trial Period: 30 days

Pros:

• Priced from just $2.49/mo
• Over 1,000 servers available
• Company based in British Virgin Islands
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons:

• Privacy policy wording is vague
• Android app is less reliable than other versions

Surfshark VPN is a British Virgin Islands-based VPN provider that offers AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and Double Hop capability to keep security in its DNA.

Don't let the cute name fool you, Surfshark is ready to compete with all the other providers head to head. With over 1,000 servers spread across 60 different locations you can use its services for everything you'd normally think of. There are no limits in place as to how many devices you can have connected at the same time for each subscription, and the apps are super easy to use.

Surfshark stripped out the extra fluff in its apps to make them super easy to understand and navigate. The company doesn't keep any user logs or histories.

It's one of the best Android VPNs and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you enough time to try it out and see if it's the VPN service for you or not.

2. NordVPN

Most well-known VPN provider out there

Bottom line: Back in 2018 one of NordVPNs servers was compromised, but the company has beefed up security measures to ensure it can't happen again. It is one of the best-known VPN brands that exists today, and offers a bunch of key features that people love to use.

You get a 30-day money-back guarantee should you find it isn't quite the provider that works best for you or your devices.

Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Streaming services unblocked: Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, iPlayer, Amazon | Servers: 5,300+ | Server Locations: 80+ in 59 countries | Trial Period: 30 days

Pros:

• Nearly 6,000 servers
• 2048-bit encryption
• Recognized name globally
• Multiple plan options

Cons:

• Security breach in 2018

It may not be the absolute cheapest option, but the deal that NordVPN is running right now makes it quite a compelling option. Pricing for the service starts at just $3.49 per month, but right now when you sign up for the 3-year plan you can get up to an extra year of VPN service for free, which brings that actual cost down pretty significantly.

A recent bit of news revealed that back in 2018 one of the company's servers was compromised. After investigating it, and the confirmation from Nord, it was understood that it was a single server with limited information being obtained. There's a lot at play here beyond just Nord's involvement, and our pals at TechRadar have a great breakdown, so be sure to check that out.

Aside from that, NordVPN offers some really compelling features that would make you want to use it. There are more than 5,600 servers available that are spread around over 60 different countries and Nord makes use of 2048-bit encryption, which exceeds what others are doing.

The company also offers a kill switch, apps for all the popular platforms, DNS leak protection, and more. You can use it to easily circumvent geo-restrictions with a built-in feature that makes it easy to conenct to the right server location.

You can sign up and pay monthly, but the way to get the best deal is to just go all-in on the three year plan, which is just $3.49 per month.

3. IPVanish VPN

Includes 250GB cloud storage for free

Bottom line: Real-world testing has proven that IPVanish is a fast and reliable service. The apps are available on a variety of different platforms, and they are all easy to use. As an added bonus, IPVanish includes 250GB of SugarSync Cloud Storage with all of its plans, giving you a safe place to store your data to access from anywhere.

IPVanish recently changed its policy so that it now allows you to connect as many devices simultaneously as needed. There is no longer a limit of 5 devices.

Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, YouTube, Hulu | Servers: 1,400 | Server Locations: 75+ in 50 countries | Trial Period: 30 days

Pros:

• Over 40,000 shared IP addresses
• Great customer support
• Now offers unlimited devices to be connected simultaneously

Cons:

• Server locations don't match what's said
• No iOS kill switch

When it comes to IPVanish, it falls inline feature wise with many of the other providers, but comes in a little bit cheaper than some of the others.There are more than 1,300 servers spread across 50 different countries and it offers up to 10 simultaneous connections on a single account.

It is a US-based provider, which some people may not like, but IPVanish does not keep logs or any other information on its users. There are apps for all major platforms and it's very easy to use.

4. Hotspot Shield VPN

Feature-rich free plan available

Bottom line: While it's one of our favorite free VPNs as well, Hotspot Shield is also a great contender in the paid space. This is an option you won't want to sleep on.

Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, YouTube | Servers: 3,200+ | Server Locations: 130+ in 80+ countries | Trial Period: 45 days

Pros:

• Great customer support
• Unlimited bandwith each month
• Over 2,500 servers
• Great free plan available

Cons:

• No longer supports OpenVPN protocol

We had a few complaints when looking at Hotspot Shield as the best free VPN service, but almost every one of them gets solved when you pony up a few dollars each month and pay to use it. It comes in as one of the best cheap VPN providers for a few reasons, from unlimited bandwidth and devices to the 24/7 customer support.

There are over 2,500 servers in more than 70 locations across the world. You can connect up to five devices at the same time, and it's completely ad-free. There is no data logging with Hotspot Shield, and the only major lacking things are OpenVPN support and Bitcoin for payments.

This is one that you'll want to try out for just under $3 per month.

5. CyberGhost VPN

Easiest cheap VPN to use to unblock content

Bottom line: CyberGhost offers all the standard features that you'd expect to see in a VPN and also offers some of the easiest server matching out of everyone. The company makes it insanely easy to find the best server so that you can unblock Netflix, Hulu, and more.

Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon, YouTube | Servers: 6,400+ | Server Locations: 110+ in 90 countries | Trial Period: 45 days

Pros:

• Over 6,200 servers available
• Based in Romania & Germany
• Automatic server matching for geo-restricted content unblocking
• 45-day money-back guarantee on 3-year plan

Cons:

• Connection speeds are slower than competition

Romania & Germany-based CyberGhost is one of the top VPN providers out there with more than 6,200 servers that span over 110 different locations. Compared to much of the compeition, this is a huge number.

One of the biggest standout features about CyberGhost is just how easy it makes for unblocking georestricted content while you are on the go. There is a one-click server matching option that pairs you with the best server from CyberGhost to allow you access to Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and more. Once connected, the app even opens up your browser for you so you can start streaming. It's the most convenient thing, ever.

Additionally, the service can block ads, trackers, and malicious sites. It automatically sends you to the HTTPS version of each site to ensure you are viewing the most secure option you can. On mobile, you can enable data compression to help save you some MBs while on the go.

Thanks to the ease of use, speeds, and reliability it offers, CyberGhost has been able to bring over 10 million users to its service. The pricing is quite competitive, and by signing up for longer-term plans you can help reduce the per-month cost of the service as well. Will you be the company's next subscriber? Check out our full CyberGhost VPN review for all the details.

6. PIA VPN

One-click easy connections to servers

Bottom line: PIA is a U.S.-based VPN provider that gives you an unlimited amount of data to use each month and up to 10 simultaneous connections.

Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon, YouTube | Servers: 3,300+ | Server Locations: 65+ in 45+ countries | Trial Period: 30 days

Pros:

• Easy to use apps
• No data limits
• Supports 10 devices at once

Cons:

• Based in the U.S.

PIA, previously called Private Internet Access, is a US-based VPN provider that helps secure your online identity. Before sending any data outbound from your session it automatically assigns a brand new IP address to you in order to keep you secure. It uses AES 256-bit encryption with a strict no-logging policy.

It offers more than 3,300 servers, which is more than many of the competitors, and spreads them across 50 different locations around the world. There are no data limits when using the service, which means you can keep your devices connected at all times without worrying that you'll use too much data daily.

The apps are super easy to use, and PIA has made them as easy as being able to click just a single button to get instantly connected to a server.

ExpressVPN

Our top overall VPN pick for most people

Bottom Line: ExpressVPN offers the perfect balance of speed, reliability, customer service, and ease of use. It has features to protect everyone, and whether you are experienced with VPNs or this will be your first, you'll have no problem getting started with it.

ExpressVPN is so sure you'll like the service that it offers a 30-day full money-back guarantee should you want to cancel it.

Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon, YouTube | Servers: 3,000+ | Server Locations: 160 in 94 countries | Trial Period: 30 days

Pros:

• Servers in 160 locations
• 100 Mbps download speed
• Great customer support
• Works with almost every device & browser

Cons:

• More expensive than others
• Limited to five devices simultaneously

ExpressVPN combines the best of nearly all worlds and features when it comes to VPNs, but that comes at a price to you. It's definitely more expensive than the other services out there by about double each month, but it's also one of the most reliable offerings that we've tested with the fastest and most consistent speeds.

The service is easy to use and the mobile apps are super friendly. ExpressVPN offers 24/7 customer support so should you run into any issues, you can get them resolved pretty easily.

When it comes to downsides, there's not much to complain about. The service checks a lot of the key boxes for what most VPN users will care about and want, though it does charge a bit of a premium for it. The pricing structure is higher than some of the competition, but using our link you can actually save up to 49% on your first year of service, along with an extra three months free. Remember, ExpressVPN gives you a free 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you don't find it valuable or just can't figure it out, you can always get your money back with ease.

Be sure to read our full ExpressVPN review and get started for yourself below.

What should I look for in a cheap VPN?

When looking at the various best cheap VPN options, you'll want to look at a few different pieces of the puzzle to find the best offering. You'll want something that offers fast, consistent speeds and has great customer service. The whole "you get what you pay for" thing doesn't always hold true, especially with this list. The cheapest is one of the best here, and you can't go wrong with it.

Make sure that there are servers in lots of locations so that you can connect to the ones you need. Otherwise, give them a look, try some of them out, and see which one works out best for you.

When should you upgrade your VPN?

Moving from a free VPN to a cheap VPN is a great option for many people. Paid VPNs tend to offer improved features, but unfortunately cheap VPN plans aren't the best for everyone. You may notice that the plans don't offer enough data for you each month or that you need the ability to connect more devices at the same time than the plan offers. That's a good indicator that it's time to upgrade to something else.

If you happen to be a business user, you'll want to check out our top business VPN picks.