If you want a good VPN but are on a budget, you're in luck. There's no need to compromise on a sketchy or scammy VPN, as the best services are pretty affordable these days. Most VPNs offer discounts for longer subscription periods, like one or two years. That means, generally speaking, you can expect to pay less if you subscribe for longer. That said, a multi-year commitment isn't your only path to savings; a few services buck the trend by offering low, flat monthly rates without forcing you into an extended contract.
A low advertised price is a great starting point, but the right VPN should also meet your everyday needs. A decent VPN should have the following:
- optimized support for the devices you use
- a good selection of servers and a reasonable data allowance
- strong encryption and a reliable kill switch
- a transparent privacy policy and reasonable pricing
Read on for our guide to the best cheap VPNs we've tested so far. Looking for more recommendations? Check out our articles on the best free VPNs, the best VPNs for torrenting, and the best VPNs for privacy.
Since 2025, we've published reviews for over 20 different VPN services. These reviews followed months of research, test development, and collaboration among our engineers, testers, writers, photographers, and editors. Our process for each review involves extensive work behind the scenes, including rigorous checks and balances, to deliver the most accurate and useful test results so you can make the right purchasing decisions for your needs.
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Best Cheap Month-To-Month VPN
Private Browsing9.1Security8.6Policies & Practices9.2Countries:50Data Limit:N/ASee all our test resultsSimultaneous Devices:6.8Mullvad is the best cheap VPN we've tested if you plan to pay on a monthly basis. Unlike most services that discount long-term subscriptions, it charges a flat rate of roughly $6 USD per month, no matter how long you subscribe. That said, you can sometimes find discounted prepaid plans through retailers like Amazon. Mullvad stands out for its excellent privacy-by-default approach: instead of using an email and password, you sign up using a randomly generated account number to help preserve your anonymity in the event of a data breach.
The VPN comes with built-in obfuscation tools to help bypass VPN blocks and make your traffic harder to detect, along with an effective kill switch that keeps your data encrypted even if the VPN disconnects. Mullvad's main drawback is its lack of port forwarding, which could matter if you plan to torrent. But with flat monthly pricing and a 14-day money-back guarantee, it's an appealing choice for users who want a straightforward privacy solution with no hidden catches. The company accepts various anonymous payment methods, including cash and cryptocurrency, with a 10% discount for crypto.
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Best Cheap Annual VPN
Private Browsing9.2Security8.6Policies & Practices9.4Countries:65Data Limit:N/ASee all our test resultsSimultaneous Devices:9.9Windscribe is the best cheap annual VPN we've tested for its features and ongoing value. Its full plan includes every server location and unlimited personal devices, so you can cover your computers, phones, and other supported devices without managing a connection limit. You also get strong privacy practices backed by independent audits, support for streaming and torrenting, built-in ad blocking, and an effective kill switch to keep your traffic secure. Additionally, unlike Mullvad and IVPN, Windscribe supports port forwarding for better P2P performance by letting you connect to more peers.
At $69 USD per year, you save about $39 by opting for an annual plan versus its standard $9 rolling monthly plan. Better yet, if you only need access to a couple of locations and don't need port forwarding, you can save more with Windscribe's custom Build-a-Plan option, which comes with two paid countries and unlimited data for just $3 per month (or $36 per year). While some competing VPNs offer cheaper introductory rates (such as Proton VPN, covered below), their higher annual renewal prices make Windscribe's flat rate more cost-effective beyond the first year. You can pay by card, PayPal, cryptocurrency, or by cash by mail for subscriptions of a year or longer.
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Best Cheap Long-Term VPN
Private Browsing7.5Security8.6Policies & Practices6.3Countries:117Data Limit:N/ASee all our test resultsSimultaneous Devices:9.1If you're comfortable committing to a longer term of two years, Proton VPN offers a lower introductory monthly equivalent than Windscribe's full annual plan. You pay roughly $84 USD upfront, working out to $3.50 per month, for unlimited data, every server location, and up to 10 devices connected at once. Official support for streaming, port forwarding, and torrenting is included, along with built-in ad blocking. The catch is renewal: after those two years, you're charged $84 every year, exceeding Windscribe Pro's current $69 annual rate.
Proton's apps are intuitive and available across all major platforms, and its functional kill switch makes sure your data stays encrypted. However, Proton's terms are noticeably more ambiguous than those of competitors like IVPN, Windscribe, or Mullvad, and its wall of fine print does little to hide the fact that the VPN collects more user data than necessary to operate. All in all, it's worth considering if you'll use its features throughout the initial two-year term, but Windscribe offers better value at its current annual renewal rates. Proton accepts all standard payment methods, along with Bitcoin, wire transfer, and cash by mail.
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Best Cheap Short-Term VPN
Private Browsing9.2Security8.6Policies & Practices9.3Countries:40Data Limit:N/ASee all our test resultsSimultaneous Devices:9.1IVPN is our recommendation if you only need a VPN for a week or less. Its Standard plan costs just $2 USD for seven days, including unlimited data, access to the full server network, and up to five simultaneous connections. IVPN accepts standard payment methods like cards and PayPal, alongside Bitcoin and Monero. You can also pay with physical cash, but that'll require you to subscribe for at least a year.
Like Mullvad, IVPN has an excellent no-logging policy and lets you register with a generated account number rather than requiring an email address. It comes with an effective kill switch, integrated ad blocking, and obfuscation tools to help disguise your traffic. There's no port forwarding, which can be limiting if you plan to torrent, and streaming access is generally hit-or-miss since it's not officially supported. For longer use, Windscribe's $3 Build-a-Plan is cheaper than IVPN's $6 monthly option, but IVPN is a practical choice for a week's coverage.
Notable Mentions
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Surfshark VPN:
Surfshark VPN's long-term discounts and unlimited devices are appealing, but the provider's terms clearly state that it collects and sells your data. Worse yet, its kill switch leaked traffic after a reboot in our testing. We'd choose Windscribe's monthly plan for better security, privacy, and overall value.
See our review
Recent Updates
Oct 14, 2026:
We've revised our recommendations with updated pricing information and clearer buying advice to help you compare. We've also moved Surfshark from the main lineup to the Notable Mentions.
Aug 19, 2026:
We've reviewed our picks to ensure they're accurate and relevant, and haven't made any changes.
Jun 23, 2026:
We've reviewed this article for accuracy and haven't made any changes to our recommendations.
Apr 23, 2026:
We've reviewed and verified that our current recommendations remain the best picks, and have added Windscribe as a Notable Mention.
Feb 23, 2026:
We haven't changed any of our picks, but we've updated text throughout the article for accuracy and clarity.
All Reviews
The VPNs above are what we'd currently recommend as the best cheap VPNs for most people. We only recommend VPN services with a clear and digestible privacy policy, a proven track record of protecting their customers' privacy, transparency about their ownership, and acceptable security and speeds. We also factor in price (a cheaper VPN wins over a more expensive one if the difference isn't worth it), user feedback, and community reputation.
When choosing a VPN, consider what you need it for and understand its limitations. Depending on your risk profile, always using one is probably unnecessary; modern websites, browsers, and devices have ample built-in security measures to protect you from the most common threats. If you're trying to secure an older device that doesn't support third-party VPN installs, take a look at our article on the L2TP protocol. If you're new to the world of virtual private networking, you can learn more about VPNs and their inherent limitations in our guide. You can also read more about the different encryption algorithms used to protect your data, such as Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) and Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA).
With all that in mind, here's the list of all our VPN reviews.