Best cheap VPNs in 2024: Security on a budget

Want online privacy and security without breaking the bank? We found the best cheap VPNs with strong encryption, a no-logs policy, fast speeds, and plenty of server locations to pick from.

Paying more doesn't always guarantee a better service. Some of the most impressive VPNs we have ever reviewed offer their service at competitive price points. By contrast, there are dozens of cowboy VPNs that overcharge.

In this guide, we pinpoint the best cheap VPNs available. As always, we put privacy and security first when choosing VPNs. Despite being cheap, all our recommendations are trustworthy and reliable.

The cheap VPNs in this guide have ample server locations, excellent speeds, plenty of useful features, and the ability to access popular regional websites and services – all at an affordable price point!

The list below gives you a quick look at the best cheap VPNs. Keep scrolling for more information about how we recommend VPNs, and for detailed summaries that will help you pick a VPN to suit your needs.

The best cheap VPNs:

1. Surfshark: The best all-around cheap VPN. Fast speeds. Servers in 100+ countries. Lots of excellent features, including a kill switch and obfuscation. Works with Netflix, Hulu, and more. Starts at $2.39 for two years with one extra month for free. Comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. CyberGhost: Excellent low-cost VPN for beginners. Fewer advanced features make it super easy to use. No-logs policy and strong encryption ensure data privacy no matter where you are. Starts at $2.11 per month for a two-year contract with three extra months for free.
3. AtlasVPN: Has servers in 44+ countries that work to access popular streaming services. Super-fast WireGuard protocol and a built-in ad blocker. Starts at $1.82 for a two-year contract with three extra months for free.
4. PrivateVPN: A reliable VPN based in Sweden that runs on a proprietary network. Port forwarding feature makes it the best cheap VPN for torrenting. Works with Netflix and other popular streaming services. Starts at $2 per month for a three-year contract.
5. Private Internet Access: A US-based VPN with reliable apps for all platforms. Strong encryption and a no-logging policy that has been proven in court. Starts at $2.03 per month for a three-year contract with three extra months for free.

Summary Table

To find reliable cheap VPNs that are safe to use, we tested the market looking for secure VPNs that cost less than $2.50 per month. 

The cheap VPNs in this guide have all been tested rigorously. We checked the VPN apps under the hood, tested the VPN for leaks, analyzed the encryption standards, and ensured that each service has what you need to stay secure whether at home, at work, or while using public WiFi. 

Below, we have included some of the criteria we used to pick the best cheap VPNs:

• Affordable pricing: Our recommendations offer budget-friendly plans without compromising on privacy features or performance.
• Robust security: We only recommended VPNs that put data security first. These providers may be cheap, but they also support multiple tunneling protocols, have strong AES or ChaCha encryption, and offer useful features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection.
• No-logs policy: These VPNs have trustworthy no-logging policies, ensuring that your online activities and personal information are not recorded or shared.
• Fast speeds: We looked for budget VPNs that still manage to run a reliable network of fast servers ideal for streaming in HD, gaming, torrenting, video conferencing, listening to music, and other data-intensive tasks.
• Global server network: These VPNs offer plenty of servers around the world to let you get an IP address and access region-locked or censored websites.
• Apps for all devices: We understand that users want a VPN that can protect them at home, at work, and on public WiFi. Our recommendations allow multiple connections using a variety of devices. 
• Customer support: The best cheap VPNs don’t leave you out in the cold wondering what to do. These services have live chat support, email support, FAQs, setup guides, and a comprehensive knowledge base to give you assistance whenever you need it.

Best cheap VPN – detailed reviews

You can use the list above to get a quick peek at the best low-cost VPNs. Each service has different features and advantages. The summaries below provide a more detailed understanding of each VPN’s abilities so you can pick the best budget VPN for your needs.

Surfshark is by far the most impressive cheap VPN on this list. It costs a few cents more than our other recommendations but qualifies for the budget category by costing less than $2.50 per month. It easily competes with many VPNs that cost up to four times more, so it's our pick if you're looking for the cheapest plans. 

The provider has more than 3,200 servers in 100+ countries. This gives you an unprecedented amount of choice, allowing you to get an IP address on any continent and bypass censorship or region locks no matter where you travel. 

Surfshark’s servers work to access around 20 different Netflix regions, Hulu, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, and many other popular streaming platforms.

The VPN runs on a fully diskless server network that allows the VPN to pull the plug on any server remotely in an emergency. It underwent a full third-party audit of its no-logs policy and network.

The VPN provides a choice of protocols, including OpenVPN with AES-256 encryption and WireGuard with robust ChaCha encryption. It’s a secure VPN that will stop local networks, ISPs, government agencies, and hackers on public WiFi from spying on your connection.

In our recent tests, Surfshark’s average global download speeds was 188 Mbps, which means it is suitable for gaming and streaming in HD without lag or buffering. The VPN lets you connect unlimited devices, so you can share your account with friends and family at no extra cost. It also works well with P2P file sharing, and supports a wide range of operating systems. 

Live chat support is available at any time of day so that you can ask questions. Apps are available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Firestick, and Linux (GUI). Those apps come with a kill switch, obfuscation, ad blocking, and split tunneling. It even throws in a free Smart DNS service. You can try it yourself using its no-quibbles 30-day money-back guarantee.

BEST CHEAP VPN: Surfshark is secure, reliable, and unbelievably fast considering the cost of a subscription. It works with multiple Netflix regions and tons of other international streaming services. Allows torrenting, and is secure enough to protect your data at home and on public WiFi. Many advanced security features – including strong encryption, a kill switch, obfuscation, ad blocking, and DNS leak protection. Offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Surfshark.

CyberGhost is a simple VPN that provides strong encryption for your data, a trustworthy privacy policy, and fast servers that work to access most popular streaming services. 

One of the benefits of CyberGhost is that it keeps things simple for newcomers to VPNs. We tested its apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. You can use it to gain privacy at home, at work, working remotely on public WiFi, and while out and about using mobile devices on various hotspots.

A subscription starts at just $2.11 per month, and you can use the VPN on up to seven devices. This is usually enough for most power users but is clearly a slight handicap compared to our number one preference, Surfshark. 

CyberGhost’s network consists of more than 10,000 servers in 100+ countries. This lets you get an IP address just about anywhere you need. We tested those servers to watch Netflix US, Hulu, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime and found it to work without issues. In addition, this VPN is fast, which means it is great for playing games.

The main caveat is that this VPN has fewer advanced features. You don't get split tunneling, port forwarding, MultiHop connections, Smart DNS, ad blocking, malware filtering, or any other extras you might get with some of our other recommendations. Most VPN users rarely use these features, so CyberGhost may actually have everything you need.

A kill switch is available in its apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, and you get a choice of OpenVPN or WireGuard depending on your needs. Plus, you can compare it to any other cheap VPN yourself thanks to its highly generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

EASY TO USE: CyberGhost is incredibly cheap considering its fast speeds and vast choice of servers. Has a no-logging policy and strong encryption to prevent hacking and online surveillance no matter where you connect. Servers are located in 89+ countries. A kill switch and DNS leak protection are included. Has a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.

AtlasVPN was only launched in 2019, but it has quickly become a user-favorite service, earning 4.3 stars on Trustpilot. So what makes this VPN so popular? Firstly, it allows unlimited connections with a single account. Despite costing just $1.82 per month, it is suitable for large families who all want to use a VPN. 

If paying under $2 per month doesn’t convince you to try out AtlasVPN on your devices, you will be stoked to find out about its free plan. AtlasVPN lets you connect to servers in the US and the Netherlands free of charge, which means you can use this VPN without paying to gain privacy or bypass blocks in a pinch. Just bear in mind that the free plan is limited to 10 GB of data per month and will not work to watch Netflix or other streaming platforms.

Paying for AtlasVPN removes any limitations, allowing you to access Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, Crunchyroll, iPlayer, HBO Max, and just about every other international streaming service we have ever tried it with. It is super fast and secure thanks to the WireGuard protocol and ChaCha encryption.

AtlasVPN has apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Those apps have DNS leak protection, a kill switch, MultiHop connections, and split tunneling. The VPN provides DNS-based ad-blocking and malware filtering, protecting you as you surf and improving page load times.

The only caveat is that the kill switch leaks momentarily during reconnection. So, while the kill switch will cut your internet successfully, we recommend you pause your torrents or other sensitive activities until you have reconnected to a server to guarantee your privacy at all times. A fast and reliable VPN that you can compare to other options using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

SUPERB ALL ROUNDER: AtlasVPN is perfect for anybody looking for a cheap VPN that secures your remote work sessions, lets you connect to public WiFi hotspots without being tracked, and is fast enough to watch Netflix or any other TV service on vacation. Has a free plan. 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Read our full review of AtlasVPN.

PrivateVPN is a Swedish provider that has been around since 2009. In that time it has maintained an impeccable reputation for providing online privacy throughout. It was originally launched with the backing of activists who support consumers’ right to privacy. It runs on a wholly-owned network of bare metal servers. 

True to its name, the VPN has a solid no-logs policy, and apps for all platforms that include strong AES encryption (OpenVPN protocol), obfuscation, DNS leak protection, and a reliable kill switch. It is the only cheap VPN on this list that includes port forwarding. This makes it the go-to cheap VPN for those who regularly torrent.

PrivateVPN has apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Those apps are a pleasure to use regardless of which device you have. We used the VPN to access various streaming services, including Netflix US, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube TV, and iPlayer.

PrivateVPN is the slowest VPN on this list. So if raw power is a concern, you may want to test it using its 30-day money-back guarantee to check it has what you need. 

A no-logging policy means you never have to worry about this VPN sharing your data, and its base in Sweden means that it never has to comply with any mandatory data retention directives. Servers are available in 63+ countries, which gives you more than enough choice.

BEST CHEAP VPN FOR TORRENTING: PrivateVPN offers reliable apps and secure servers in 63+ countries. Works with popular streaming services, including around 15 Netflix regions. Fast speeds for torrenting and gaming. Port forwarding feature is great for hosting servers, torrenting, or accessing LAN resources remotely. 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Read our full review of PrivateVPN.

PIA is a US-based VPN provider that comes in at just $2.03 per month. It’s one of the most affordable security-first VPNs available on the market. Users get apps that come with a choice of protocols and encryption options.

Although being based in America may put some people off due to the presence of NSA warrants and gag orders, PIA maintains a strict no-logs policy. Even if the authorities come knocking, it would have nothing to hand over. Better yet, the VPN has proven its no-logging policy in court more than once, which removes any doubt about its integrity.

The VPN provides solid protection against ISP snooping, tracking at the hands of local networks, and protection against hackers and evil twin attacks when using public WiFi.

When we tested it recently, Private Internet Access had an average global download speed of 117 Mbps. This is a touch slower than our top recommendations but still reliable enough for HD streaming, torrenting, and gaming. The only caveat is that PIA isn't quite as good for accessing streams. In our tests, it worked with Netflix US and BBC iPlayer but not with Hulu or Amazon Prime Video. Test it yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee to check if it works with your specific accounts. 

One of the most impressive things about PIA is the extent of its server network. It claims to have around 10,000 servers spread across the 83+ locations it covers, which is pretty remarkable. And, although it doesn't have port forwarding, it does provide split tunneling, ad-blocking, and malware protection.

STRONG ON SECURITY: PIA is a trusted VPN service that has proven its no logs policy in court. Allows torrenting and is fast enough for streaming in HD. Works with Netflix US, but you should test it with other services to be sure. Customizable encryption settings and a solid no-logs policy. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Cheap VPN testing methodology

At Bleeping Computer we have pretty strict views on VPNs. We understand that many home users want a VPN to access Netflix on vacation or to access Minecraft at work. For us, success in these areas isn’t enough to recommend a VPN.

We feel strongly that a VPN is a privacy service above all else, and that each service must provide reliable security. That is why we spend a lot of time checking VPN privacy policies, testing VPN apps, and analyzing VPN encryption.

Your first instinct when you hear that a VPN is cheap might be skepticism. We feel the same. However, we understand that some people have less to spend. That is why we decided to check every VPN under $2.50 per month to see if any passed our methodology test criteria.

Unfortunately, we could only find one VPN that passes every benchmark we usually insist on for our top three VPNs. So, if you want a VPN that has been independently audited by a reputable third party and that has a diskless server network – you will need to stick to our #1 recommendation, Surfshark.

With that caveat aside, we still found five VPNs that offer high levels of reliability without sacrificing vital security features. All the VPNs in this guide have a no-logs policy and watertight encryption. They are free of IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks, which means they always tunnel your data safely inside of the VPN tunnel. 

In addition, these cheap VPNs have kill switches that cut off your internet connection should the VPN connection get disrupted.

Below, we have included some of the important things we looked for when picking out cheap VPNs for this guide. 

• Privacy and security: Our focus was on cheap VPNs that offer secure encryption, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection. We've factored in for the monthly subscription price, any special deals, and we've looked at long-term subscriptions too. The VPN must include essential security features. 
• No logs policy: Our recommended VPNs strictly adhere to a no-logs policy, meaning they never track your web visits or store any data that could identify your online activities.
• Fast connection speeds: We selected cheap VPNs suitable for gaming, streaming, VoIP calls, and other data-intensive tasks.
• Reliable support: Our recommendations provide comprehensive support through FAQs, setup guides, and live chat assistance, ensuring help is available whenever you need it.
• Unrestricted access: Our chosen budget VPNs have a global server network that works to bypass censorship, regional blocks, or local network restrictions – giving you an IP address in a huge number of countries. 
• Value for money: We sought out VPNs that offer a reliable and secure VPN for less than $2.50 per month.
• Apps for all devices: Our recommendations can protect your data privacy on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices simultaneously. It must allow for at least five maximum devices. 
• Third-party audits and diskless servers: Our #1 recommended VPN has undergone third-party audits to validate the security of its service and has diskless servers that can be erased instantly in an emergency. 

How we determine what qualifies as an affordable VPN

We analyzed the market closely to check varying VPN prices across dozens of market-leading providers. The price of premium VPNs ranges from less than $2 all the way up to around $15 per month. After careful analysis, we decided that in order to get a reliable VPN that offers privacy but is also cheap, we could consider numerous VPNs that cost $2.50 and under. For this reason, we used this as a cut-off for our cheap VPNs page.

We think a price of under $2.50 per month is extremely good value for money, which is why we were happy to be able to find 5 reliable providers in this price range. Annual plans tend to be cheaper than the monthly plan for a VPN. 

Bypass streaming restrictions with a cheap VPN

Nowadays, accessing popular streaming services like Netflix with a VPN is a challenge, especially when you're on vacation or using restricted networks, such as at work. You might think that cheaper VPNs would be the first to get blocked in a world where streaming services are cracking down on VPN use. However, the reality is that some expensive VPNs have been blocked by Netflix, while a few affordable VPNs still work.

In this guide, we've carefully selected the best cheap VPNs based on their affordability, excellent apps, reliable security, and servers that successfully unblock geo-restricted content like Netflix, Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. However, it's essential to double-check our summaries to ensure compatibility with your specific streaming service. Alternatively, you can test the VPN yourself using their money-back guarantee.

Cheap VPN FAQs

Why can’t I just use a free VPN?

If you can’t afford a VPN, we have recommended one cheap VPN in this guide that also has a free plan: Atlas VPN. You can use it to gain online privacy risk-free. Note that the free plan enforces speed limits and download limits to encourage users to upgrade to a paid plan. It also fails to access popular streaming services.

The cheap VPNs we recommend in this guide are completely private and secure. They provide their service for a low cost but do not compromise on security, have a wide choice of reliable features, and have large server networks capable of bypassing international blocks or regional censorship.

Most of the free VPNs available on Google Play are concerning. They lack encryption, suffer from leaks, have app and server vulnerabilities, and even contain spyware in their app.

Most free VPNs have privacy policies that allow them to track everything you do and sell your data to third parties. They act as honeypots designed to intercept your data and sell it for profit. This is the polar opposite of what a VPN is supposed to do, which is to provide users with online privacy. 

With this in mind, it is essential that you only stick to recommended free VPNs and do not take a risk by picking one at random. Doing so is a huge threat to your data privacy and the security of your devices.

Can I watch Netflix with a cheap VPN?

Yes. The VPNs we have recommended in this guide all work with at least one Netflix region. You can use them to watch Netflix on vacation or on any network where it is blocked, such as at work.

Can I get a cheap VPN with port forwarding?

Yes. Although port forwarding is usually an advanced VPN feature found in more expensive VPNs, one of our recommendations includes port forwarding: PrivateVPN. You can pay less than $2.50 per month for a service that is reliable for seeding torrents or other tasks that require port forwarding.

Can I get a dedicated IP with any of these cheap VPNs?

Yes. Some of the cheap VPNs we have recommended offer dedicated IPs. Dedicated IPs are always an extra that you will have to pay for in addition to the monthly subscription. This will substantially increase your monthly VPN costs.

Are cheap VPNs secure?

The answer to this question is twofold. On the one hand, there are hundreds of VPNs on the market and many free and cheap VPNs are not secure and should be avoided at all costs. 

Thankfully, however, our researchers have managed to find five cheap VPNs that cost less than $2.50 per month – without sacrificing security or privacy. You can use any of the VPNs in this guide without worrying that you are compromising security.

Do these cheap VPNs limit your bandwidth?

No. All the VPNs we have recommended offer unlimited bandwidth and do not cap your downloads. You can use them to play games, download torrents, and watch HD video streams.

Will a cheap VPN make my internet slower?

The VPNs we recommended in this guide all have fast servers and fast protocols, such as WireGuard and OpenVPN UDP. This makes all of our recommendations suitable for HD streaming, gaming, and other data-intensive tasks.

With that said, it is important to remember that a VPN must encrypt your data and route it to a remote server location on its way to its final destination. This inevitably causes some slowing of your internet. To find out more about how VPNs affect your speeds, check out our guide on the fastest VPNs.