The cheapest VPN services if you're on a budget in 2020

There are hundreds of commercial VPNs on the market, and higher price doesn’t always equal better quality. Some expensive VPNs are terrible, and there are some cheap VPN services on the market that are mind-blowingly good!

The cheap VPN services we recommend in 2020

These are the best of the cheapest VPN services if you’re on a budget:

1. 
   PrivateVPN
   
   – From $1.89 per month, PrivateVPN is an absolute bargain when you consider how much comes packed into this affordable service.
2. 
   NordVPN
   
   – From $3.49 per month, NordVPN is slightly higher on the cost side, but still well under $5 per month, and it’s well worth it!
3. 
   CyberGhost VPN
   
   – From $2.75 per month, CyberGhost is the perfect cheap VPN if you want an easy to use app on all of your devices at once!
4. 
   Private Internet Access
   
   – From $2.85 a month, PIA is an affordable VPN choice for anyone with privacy and security at the top of their wishlist.
5. 
   Surfshark
   
   – From $2.49 per month, Surshark is a great all-round service, offering privacy, security, speed and unblocking without breaking the bank.

Try our #1 VPN pick PrivateVPN Today!

The cheap VPNs that we recommend don’t cost the world and offer the same set of features and levels of service that many of the premium providers do. Our experts have searched far and wide for budget VPNs that provide high-quality privacy, fast speeds, and superb unblocking capabilities, all at a cheap monthly price. Read on to find out about the best cheap VPNs in the world.

Before we look at the best cheap VPNs, it’s important to note that the best way to get the best possible price on a VPN is to subscribe to the service over a longer period. The longer you sign up for, the cheaper per month the VPN will be.

Picking a cheap VPN doesn’t necessarily mean that you must also compromise on quality. We test all of our picks to the same standards, regardless of how much they charge per month. We look for:

• Privacy and Security
• Fast speeds
• Server locations & choice
• Extra features, like a kill-switch
• Value for money

Provided that a VPN offers all of the above, it is eligible to be recommended in our list of the best cheap VPNs. So, you can rest assured that all our recommendations provide a quality service at a low cost. So, let’s take a close look at our recommended cheap VPNs to use.

The best cheap VPNs to use right now

These are all of the best cheap VPNs on the market today:

PrivateVPN starts at $1.89 a month and is our cheap VPN #1 pick. You get a VPN with strong privacy & the ability to unblock all major streaming sites from around the world.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$1.89 –
  ^$7.12

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

PrivateVPN is an excellent choice for a cheap VPN service, and continues to impress us year after year. The VPN usually costs $7.12 per month unless you’re willing to go for one of the lengthier subscription plans offered. 3-month plans come in at $4.20 per month (billed as $12.60) but the best deal starts at $1.89 per month (billed as $45.36 every 2 years).

Not only do you get a full-service VPN at an affordable price, but you get 60 server locations, excellent customer service, super-fast streaming speeds, and great encryption.

PrivateVPN is ideal for getting into Netflix; since the VPN will give you access to a whopping 16 different Netflix regions. PrivateVPN also offers six simultaneous connections, WiFi protection, and a 30-day money-back guarantee for unsatisfied customers.

NordVPN is cheap & a great all round VPN. It’s affordable, if on the higher side of cheap. Starting from $3.49, with this VPN you can enjoy loads of servers & great security features.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$3.71 –
  ^$11.95

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

NordVPN has consistently been rated as a top VPN provider year after year. The reason being that it is a highly secure service that is packed with security features such as DNS leak protection, stealth mode, a kill-switch, double-hop routing, and VPN into Tor.

Add to that a zero-logs policy and well-implemented OpenVPN encryption (military grade) and you can understand why NordVPN is a truly world-class provider. The result is a reliable and trustworthy VPN that is good enough to do even the most data-intensive tasks (such as online gaming or streaming content in HD). With NordVPN you get freedom and digital privacy, and users are free to do anything they wish (including torrenting).

You can pay for the VPN using a card, with Bitcoin, or via Paypal. You have several options for payment plans, including monthly, 6 months, 1 year, 2 year, or 3 year plans. NordVPN’s 3-year plan offers the biggest savings, affording you 75% off with our exclusive offer.

Finally, this VPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it without risking your hard-earned cash, win!

CyberGhost combines a cheap VPN with ease of use. From $2.75, you get 7 simultaneous connections to install CyberGhost’s slick VPN app on all of your devices.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$2.25 –
  ^$13.47

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

CyberGhost is a highly reliable and low-priced VPN that has been performing exceptionally well since 2018. What’s more, its servers are lightning-fast and easily handle data-intensive tasks like streaming in HD. This means CyberGhost is excellent for unblocking content from abroad, and across 7 devices simultaneously.

Encryption is provided with superbly implemented OpenVPN (our recommended protocol), and the privacy policy is watertight.  

If you subscribe to CyberGhost, you can have a choice of several payment plans including monthly, 6 monthly, or 18 months. Subscribers can pay by debit card, credit card, or by using Paypal. Bitcoin is also accepted.

With so much on offer, including 24/7 live chat support and an unprecedented 14-day money-back guarantee on 1-month subscriptions and a 45-day money-back guarantee on 6-month subscriptions of longer, CyberGhost VPN is well worth checking out.

PIA is the cheapest way to get a secure VPN. Starting at $2.85 per month for the yearly package, you can enjoy a no-logs service, amazing privacy features & true peace of mind.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$2.19 –
  ^$11.00

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Private Internet Access is a VPN provider from the US that has been around for many years. During that time, it has come to be recognized as a service that can be fully trusted to properly protect user privacy.

PIA provides a no-logs policy that it has proven in court on numerous occasions, meaning you can trust the VPN never to have any records about what subscribers do online while connected to its network. Plus, this VPN offers some of the best VPN apps available for all platforms. Those apps include advanced features such as OpenVPN encryption, a kill-switch, port forwarding, obfuscation, and split tunneling. Thanks to the robust privacy that this VPN provides, it can be trusted for even the most sensitive tasks.

And this VPN is often considered one of the best options for torrenting. Considering all that you’ll get with your subscription, PIA is an incredible value for your money. Well worth testing using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Surfshark is a cheap VPN for unblocking content. Starting from $2.49 per month, you get access to solid speeds & most major streaming sites. Perfect for streaming on a budget.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$2.21 –
  ^$12.95

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Surfshark is a VPN provider that has only been around for a few years now, but in that short time, it has taken the VPN market by storm with blazing-fast speed performance and 500 servers in over 60 countries.

As is to be expected from today’s top VPN providers, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 live chat support. What is unusual is that it allows you to connect as many devices as you want to the service at the same time!

Throw in split tunneling so you can choose which apps routes through the VPN and which don’t, a full Smart DNS service, and the fact that Surfshark was able to reliably unblock every service we threw at it, and you can see why it won our coveted Newcomer Award.

Ivacy is the cheapest VPN on our list. Starting from as little as $1.50 per month – if you are looking for the absolute cheapest VPN that won’t disappoint, you’ve found it.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$0.99 –
  ^$9.95

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Ivacy VPN is a service that ticks a lot of boxes, especially considering the low cost. With this VPN, you get access to fast servers in over 100 countries. Those servers can unblock all kinds of sought-after streaming services from around the world like Netflix US and BBC iPlayer.

Where privacy is concerned, this provider is strong. It keeps zero logs, which means it never stores any records of what its subscribers do online when connected to its VPN network. And, because Ivacy has military-grade OpenVPN encryption, nobody will ever be able to intercept your data or monitor your online habits when connected. We enjoy using this VPN across all platforms, and the apps are easy for beginners to use.

A low-cost VPN that you can test risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, you can use Ivacy on up to 10 devices simultaneously with just a single subscription. 

ZenMate is a cheap VPN choice for multiple devices. From just $2.22 per month this service offers unlimited simultaneous connections. That’s insane, considering the price!

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$2.22 –
  ^$10.99

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

This German service, once best known for its free VPN apps, now focuses on providing a premium VPN service. There are, admittedly, more fully-featured services out there, but few (exceptions above!) provide as much bang for your buck as ZenMate VPN.

It offers servers in 74+ countries, keeps no logs that can compromise its users’ privacy, and its Windows and Mac apps feature the all-important kill-switches needed to keep your browsing safe. P2P torrenting is a go, all connections are secured using very robust IKEv2 or OpenVPN encryption, and you can connect an unlimited number of devices at the same time. 

ZenMate VPN is also great at unblocking a wide range of streaming services, including US Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Its customer service is available via live chat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Throw in excellent apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire Stick, and even routers, and ZenMate VPN offers everything a casual user might want for a very pocket-friendly price.

VPNArea combines affordable prices with a balanced service. Starting a $2.99 per month you get a fast VPN that unblocks everything & provides excellent privacy. Everything you need!

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$2.99 –
  ^$9.90

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

This Bulgarian VPN is an incredible service that is often revered because it is such a fantastic all-rounder. The VPN has a no-logs policy, and it has apps for all platforms that can easily be used to unblock content in over 70 countries.

VPNArea can unblock loads of sought-after streaming services such as Netflix US and BBC iPlayer. We love this VPN’s live chat support – which has some of the friendliest and well-trained support staff in the VPN industry. Speeds aren’t the fastest we have ever encountered, but they are more than ample for gaming, streaming in HD, and other data-intensive tasks.

We think the level of service is incredible considering the low cost of a subscription. It’s a world-class VPN that you can test yourself thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. 

SaferVPN is a cheap way to get high end features. Starting at $3.29 per month all their apps come with both a kill-switch and DNS leak protection built in.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$2.50 –
  ^$12.95

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

SaferVPN is a provider that is often overlooked. However, it is a VPN that packs a hefty punch compared to the cost of a subscription. For just $3.29 per month, consumers get access to apps for all platforms that have essential security features like a kill-switch and DNS leak protection.

Plus, this VPN permits torrenting right across its entire network of servers. We love this VPN’s 24/7 live chat support, which means you can always get the help you need when you need it. The VPN keeps no usage logs that would put you at risk, and only minimal non-invasive connection logs to keep the service running efficiently. SaferVPN can unblock massive amounts of content from around the globe. However, it does struggle with some popular services such as BBC iPlayer. Despite this, we think this is a secure VPN that will suit many users’ needs.

Well worth comparing to the other options using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

HotSpot Shield might be cheap, but the VPN is well-known. Starting at $3.88 per month. For this you can have access to Hotspot Shield’s proprietary encryption that is seriously fast. Ideal for streaming.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$3.88 –
  ^$16.84

• Number of servers

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Hotspot Shield is perhaps best known for its free subscription plan, which gives consumers access to a VPN server in just one location: the USA. However, for those who enjoy the free plan but want access to a larger choice of servers, Hotspot Shield also has a premium subscription model at a very affordable price point.

For $3.88 per month, users get access to servers in 80+ countries and Hotspot Shield can unblock popular services like Netflix US and BBC iPlayer. Admittedly, this VPN has a proprietary encryption protocol – which may put some people off. However, the service is generally considered secure for most people’s needs and can provide great speeds for streaming and gaming.

You can test it yourself using its 45-day money-back guarantee. 

Can VPNs be fast and cheap?

Yes. VPNs that cost less will not necessarily suffer from a budget-level performance. To illustrate the speeds you can expect when subscribing to one of the VPNs recommended in this guide, check out the results of our up-to-date speed tests below.

How does a VPN affect your speed?

A VPN will never be able to improve your current internet speeds. In fact, you’ll actually experience a fractional loss of speed when connecting to a VPN. This is because a VPN needs to route your traffic further – via the VPN server – and allow time for encrypting your traffic. However, the good thing is that high-quality, reliable VPNs offer super-fast servers to minimize this impact and ensure users’ speed loss is negligible. The reality is that fast VPNs are a luxury, whereas slow VPNs will probably just drive you mad. 

If you want to know more, take a look at our VPN speed test guide.

How to get the best price for a VPN

As we stated at the top of this guide, hands down, the best way to get the best possible price on a VPN subscription is to commit. The longer you are willing to commit to a service for, the cheaper it becomes. In some cases, it is possible to get over an 80% reduction in the monthly cost of a VPN if you are willing to subscribe for a full year or longer.

Subscription plans are typically offered in monthly, bi-annual, and annual intervals. However, it is becoming more common for services to offer even bigger VPN deals on two-year subscriptions or longer – so keep your eyes peeled for even better bargains!

What is the average cost of a VPN?

The average cost of a VPN service currently sits at about $5 a month, or approximately $60 annually.

But this figure can vary depending on a number of factors like the service you choose to subscribe to and if you require additional features such as a static IP address. However, as we’ve already noted, the biggest impact on price is the length of time you are willing to commit for.

Of course, the longer the subscription that you purchase, the bigger discount you will receive. For this reason, we consider anything in the three dollars per month range to be cheap.

Quality Vs cost 

As with anything in life, there is often a tradeoff between quality and cost. A lower cost upfront may seem appealing at first, but the quality of some cheap VPNs is questionable to say the least. All the VPNs we recommend above have been vetted to provide the same robust service that you would expect from a premium VPN like ExpressVPN
.

The cheapest monthly VPN plan

If you are not willing to commit to a longer term deal with a VPN, it is still possible to pay for a one month VPN subscription and snag a bargain, just be aware the savings will not be as substantial as listed above.

We recommend PrivateVPN as the cheapest monthly VPN

The good news is that our overall best cheap VPN PrivateVPN
also happens to be the cheapest monthly VPN at just $7.12 per month.

This is a great deal, considering PrivateVPN offers excellent speeds, an expansive network of servers, and it has proven to be a real demon at unblocking all major streaming services and websites. So, it really is all you need from a VPN tied up into an affordable package.

Get PrivateVPN Monthly >>

If you would like to compare it against some alternatives, we can also recommend checking out Ivacy at $9.95 p/m
or VPNArea at $9.90 p/m
. Both of these picks are solid, but PrivateVPN remains the standout choice for anyone looking to pay for a service montly without breaking the bank.

Other cheap short term subscription options

Free trials

If you need a VPN subscription for even shorter than a month, we would recommend looking for a VPN free trial as possible short-term solution. We have done the legwork and collected all the best VPN free trials worth testing out for you.

3-Day subscrptions

A few services, notably AirVPN
, now offer 3-day subscriptions for just $2.25 per month – ideal if you have already used up all of your free trial VPN accounts.

Get AirVPN for 3-days >>

The ExpressVPN free hack

Finally, it is possible to get a premium service like ExpressVPN
for free for 30-days by taking advantage of the money-back guarantee. This does require for you to pay for the service initially, but this money will be given back to you at the end of the 30-days if you decide to get a refund.

Get ExpressVPN for 30-days >>

Are cheap lifetime VPNs worth it?

No, this is another Gimmick that might appeal if you are looking to keep costs low is the proposition of a lifetime VPN subscription (especially with some offering a lifetime service for as low as $30). But, while a lifetime VPN subscription sounds like an awesome deal on paper, the reality is that it isn’t sustainable and should be viewed with extreme suspicion.

VPN companies have a lot of overheads, and in order to keep providing a sustainable service, they require a regular income. If everybody pays for their VPN with a small one-off fee, the VPN is sure to run out of money – meaning that the service will either shut down entirely or begin extracting profit from users by selling their data. Either way, for these reasons, a lifetime VPN subscription usually spells disaster. 

Instead of a lifetime VPN subscription, we recommend you stick to a trustworthy, cheap VPN like the ones listed in this article. These VPNs may run tight margins, but they also keep their services running optimally for their users.

Are cheap VPN services safe?

Yes, if you’re careful. There are plenty of cheap VPN services out there that have a terrible reputation, but, at the same time, lots of expensive options are just as useless! In the VPN industry, the price of a service is not necessarily always a proper representation of the level of security and the overall quality you’re going to get (though admittedly some of the more expensive VPNs are well worth the price). 

What to avoid when picking a VPN on a budget:

• VPN Logs – Some VPNs keep VPN logs and have bad privacy policies. All the VPNs in this article keep no invasive logs that could put you at risk.
• Malware & Spyware – Some VPNs have malware or spyware in their VPN apps, particularly free services. We have tested all the services in our list for malware and they contain none.
• Lack of vital features – Often Cheap VPNs are lacking vital features that are needed to keep your data private. All of our picks have the features you need to stay secure and unblock content.
• Leaks – A VPN with performance issues, such as IP leaks, is a massive concern because it means that VPN isn’t protecting you (even though it is connected and you think it is). All the Cheap VPNs in this article have been tested and do not have IP leaks, DNS leaks, or WebRTC problems.

All the VPNs in this article are well-known and trusted brands that have demonstrated their worth, year after year. They all have a proven track record for being both cheap and safe, so regardless of the provider you opt for, you know you’ll be receiving a stellar service.

Using a budget VPN in restrictive countries?

The cheap VPNs listed in this article have servers all over the world. This means that they are perfect for people living anywhere! However, if you are using a VPN in countries such as China or the UAE (where censorship is an issue), you will need a VPN with specific features that will help you bypass government censorship. If this situation applies to you, we would recommend sticking with NordVPN
, CyberGhost
, and PrivateVPN
, as these services provide all the privacy features you’re going to need to evade such heavy-handed censorship measures.

Free Vs Cheap VPNs

Although there are free VPN services on the market; the vast majority of them are extremely risky to use. The free VPNs that we recommend are all quality providers, but they usually have download limits and connection speed restrictions. As a result, you will never get the kind of performance from a free VPN as you do from a cheap VPN. Alternatively, if you are unsure whether or not to sign up to a long term contract, we recommend that you check out a VPN’s free trial to determine if it’s worth signing up to.

Why do I need a VPN?

When you visit websites, they automatically detect your home IP address. This unique address can be used to track you – so that online services know when you return. On top of that, unless you use a VPN, your ISP can track your web history (and metadata) and pass that info to the government for surveillance purposes.

Nobody likes being tracked, regardless of what they do online, and a VPN is the ideal solution to protect against online tracking. With a VPN, you’ll gain solid digital privacy for yourself and your family. What’s more, VPN encryption also protects you from other online threats like hacking. 

What else can I use a VPN for?

In addition to protecting your data and digital privacy and giving you access more content online content, such as unblocking YouTube videos unavailable in your region, government censored news and websites, and geo-blocked sports streams, a VPN can also be used in a number of other ways!

Cheap VPNs for safer torrenting

If you often download TV shows and movies, or even software via BitTorrent; you really should use a VPN. Piracy is a crime and without a VPN you will be caught out easily.

With a VPN, you can avoid copyright violation notices for torrenting. All the cheap VPNs in this article permit P2P downloading; which means they are all valid options if you want a VPN for torrenting. 

To learn more about torrenting and VPNs, check out:

Gaming online with a cheap VPN

A VPN is a great partner for any online gamer. It allows you to broaden your horizons and play against the best from around the globe by connecting to VPN servers in different countries. What’s more, it can help you save additional money when purchasing games online, by giving you access to Steam and other online storefronts in other countries.

With speed being crucial to a good online gaming experience, you will want to ensure that your VPN is up to the task and won’t slow you down. We would recommend studying the speed test table that we covered earlier in this guide to understand the speeds you can expect from your chosen service.

To learn more about this, take a look at our best VPNs for gaming guide, or our best VPNs for steam guide to learn how to snag a bargain online.

FAQs

The questions below are popular questions about cheap VPNs that we get asked here or have seen people asking on Reddit and in other places. If you have any other questions, drop us a message below!

Conclusion

Now that you have all the information you need to make a cost-effective buying decision, let’s review our top cheap VPN picks:

1. 
   PrivateVPN
   
   – From $1.89 per month, PrivateVPN is an absolute bargain when you consider how much comes packed into this affordable service.
2. 
   NordVPN
   
   – From $3.49 per month, NordVPN is slightly higher on the cost side, but still well under $5 per month, and it’s well worth it!
3. 
   CyberGhost VPN
   
   – From $2.75 per month, CyberGhost is the perfect cheap VPN if you want an easy to use app on all of your devices at once!
4. 
   Private Internet Access
   
   – From $2.85 a month, PIA is an affordable VPN choice for anyone with privacy and security at the top of their wishlist.
5. 
   Surfshark
   
   – From $2.49 per month, Surshark is a great all-round service, offering privacy, security, speed and unblocking without breaking the bank.