VPN

Best Cheap VPN: The 5 Best High Quality, Low-Cost VPNs

Author
Martin Gschwentner
Translation
Lisa Torelli-Sauer
Last update
20. Mar 2023
Ad disclaimer: For links on this page, EXPERTE.com may earn a commission from the provider. This supports our work and has no influence on our editorial rating.

For many, a reliable VPN has become an indispensable part of their daily, digital life. Whether on your desktop or mobile device, VPNs provide security while on public WiFi, anonymity when surfing from home, and make it possible to bypass region restrictions on video streaming content. Naturally, these services aren't available without some (financial) investment.

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Completely free, as well as premium VPN providers with free subscriptions (more on this later) do exist, however, to really enjoy everything that a VPN has to offer, you'll need to pay for one. The costs aren't unreasonable, and a good VPN will only set you back a few dollars per month.

We reviewed 27 VPN services and determined which offer impressive quality at low prices.

Best Cheap VPN: Our TOP 5

We didn't just look at the price tag when selecting our Top 5, but also assessed what users get, in other words, each service's price-performance ratio. To compare providers, we selected the least expensive monthly rate for each, which typically requires at least a one-year commitment. So that performance would also be represented, only those services that received a "good" rating in our overall review were taken into consideration.

Here are the Top 5:

1.

Surfshark: Best Price-Performance Ratio

Surfshark VPN
Surfshark VPN
(207,223 )
Surfshark is one of the cheapest providers on the market, but it's a lot more than a great budget option: the relatively new VPN boasts strong protection, many features, and a great support with 24/7 live chat.
3,200+ servers in 100 countries
unlimited number of devices
many apps (Linux, FireTV, ...)
cheap 24-month plan
expensive monthly plan
8.8
good
Data Volume
unlimited
Devices
unlimited
Protocols
3
Contract Period
1 - 24 months
Surfshark 24 months
$1.99
monthly price
Visit Website*
Get 83% Discount

Surfshark has the best price-performance ratio of all the VPN providers we assessed. The relatively young service offers up user-friendly apps packed with handy features, such as split tunneling and MultiHop, which aren't yet standard to all VPNs. To top it off, Surfshark delivers excellent performance.

With their high security standards and good customer support, it's clear that Surfshark is an excellent all-around choice. Taking their low prices into consideration, $3 per month with a 2-year subscription, the VPN is even more appealing.

  • Multitude of features, including split tunneling

  • Intuitive applications

  • Excellent speeds

  • Server network could be a bit larger

Review
8.8
good
Visit Website*
Check Review
Performance
10 / 10
Bedienung & Features
9.4 / 10
Support
8.6 / 10
Security & Privacy
8.0 / 10
Server Network
8.0 / 10
2.

CyberGhost: Good and Inexpensive

CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN
(219,165 )
CyberGhost offers a lot of bang for the buck, especially in the 2-year plan. It has lots of features, even more servers, and quick support including live chat. We had occasional performance issues, however.
8,000+ servers
affordable prices
7 simultaneous connections
fast support with live chat
7.8
good
Data Volume
unlimited
Devices
7
Protocols
7
Contract Period
1 - 24 months
CyberGhost 2 Years
$2.37
monthly price
Visit Website*
45 days money-back guarantee

CyberGhost performed strongly in a number of review categories: they have a huge server network, user-friendly applications, and a support team that quickly responded to our questions. Their performance is also solid, although we did experience occasional connection issues during testing.

Unfortunately, CyberGhost hasn't submitted to an independent security audit for quite some time. This makes us skeptical, especially since they (along with other competitors such as ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and ZenMate) are owned by Kape Technologies, a company with a somewhat shady past.

However, those willing to overlook the above issues will be treated to a very capable VPN service at an excellent price, especially if booking their 3-year plan.

Review
7.8
good
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Check Review
Server Network
9.4 / 10
Bedienung & Features
8.6 / 10
Support
8.6 / 10
Performance
6.6 / 10
Security & Privacy
6.0 / 10
3.

NordVPN: Review Winner At a Reasonable Price

Best Overall 2024
NordVPN
NordVPN
(877,857 )
NordVPN is our number one VPN because it combines speed, ease-of-use, and functionality in a slick package that's also pretty affordable.
5,500+ servers, 60 countries
excellent performance
no logs
6 devices simultaneously
affordable 2-year package
9.4
excellent
Data Volume
unlimited
Devices
6
Protocols
5
Contract Period
1 - 24 months
NordVPN 2-year plan
$3.79
monthly price
Visit Website*
30 days money-back guarantee

NordVPN isn't the least expensive VPN service on the market, but it is the best (and still manages to be relatively affordable). This Panama-based provider took first place in our review thanks to its optimal performance, features, and user-friendliness.

NordVPN also topped our speed test, and their package gives you access to all of the most important features, such as split tunneling. At less than $4 per month with a 2-year subscription, NordVPN offers a great price-performance ratio.

Review
9.4
excellent
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Check Review
Performance
10 / 10
Security & Privacy
9.4 / 10
Bedienung & Features
9.4 / 10
Support
9.4 / 10
Server Network
8.6 / 10
4.

Windscribe: Low-Priced Newcomer

Windscribe VPN
Windscribe VPN
(160,845 )
With its flexible pricing and a generous free plan, Windscribe is a solid option for budget-minded VPN users. It also has a nice, lean app with lots of features – but sadly, its performance can't keep up.
lots of features
free plan with 10 GB limit
unlimited devices
weaker performance
smaller server network
7.8
good
Data Volume
10 - ∞
Devices
unlimited
Protocols
2
Contract Period
0 - 12 months
Windscribe Free
$0.00
monthly price
Visit Website*
Download for free

Windscribe is relatively new to the VPN scene and stands in the shadows of larger providers. They fared well in our speed test but did not lead the pack.

The VPN does rack up points owing to its variety of features, great apps, low pricing, and rather generous free version.

Review
7.8
good
Visit Website*
Check Review
Bedienung & Features
9.4 / 10
Support
8.0 / 10
Performance
8.0 / 10
Server Network
7.4 / 10
Security & Privacy
6.0 / 10
5.

Private Internet Access: Inexpensive and Customizable

Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access
(99,300 )
Besides its huge server network and its audit-proofed 'no logs policy', Private Internet Access sets itself apart from the competition with its module-based app that can be adjusted to each users' habits.
34,000+ servers in 84 countries
customizable VPN client
wide range of features
independent audit 2022
performance could be better
8.2
good
Data Volume
unlimited
Devices
10
Protocols
2
Contract Period
1 - 36 months
Private Internet Access 3 Years
$2.19
monthly price
Visit Website*

Like Cyberghost, Private Internet Access belongs to Kape Technologies. So if you're looking for a VPN without any baggage, you may be in the wrong place. That being said, this provider won us over with their user-friendly VPN client, the modules of which can be customized. They also offer an impressive server network.

Less impressive is Private Internet Access's performance, which saw them finish in the lower half of our speed ranking. Also, an independent audit is well past due, especially considering the company's affiliation with Kape Technologies.

All the same, PIA's 2-year plan is one of the most attractively priced VPN offers on the market.

Review
8.2
good
Visit Website*
Check Review
Bedienung & Features
10 / 10
Server Network
9.4 / 10
Support
8.0 / 10
Performance
7.4 / 10
Security & Privacy
6.0 / 10

Free VPNs as an Alternative

Do low-cost VPNs seem too expensive? If you're determined not to pay for a VPN service, you'll have to accept some trade-offs. With free VPNs, you're usually only afforded access to specific servers in certain countries, with the bypassing of region restrictions for streaming video content usually not on the cards. Most free VPNs also impose strict data and speed limits.

Complicating things is that there are a number of dubious providers in the free VPN realm, to whom you should not entrust your data. For that reason, we only recommend using free versions of well-known premium VPNs. Despite the drawbacks, there are a few whose free versions are worth considering.

Of these, Proton VPN is the best in our opinion. It grants access to a limited number of VPN servers, however, you won't need to worry about connection speed or data caps.

Proton VPN
Proton VPN
(144,686 )
With its open source philosophy and extra security features, Proton VPN targets security-conscious VPN users. But thanks to its user-friendly interface and suitability for streaming, it's worth a look for a wide audience.
open source & external audits
2,900+ servers in 67 countries
great performance
free plan without data limit
not suitable for China
9.1
excellent
Data Volume
unlimited
Devices
1 - 10
Protocols
3
Contract Period
0 - 24 months
Proton VPN Free
$0.00
monthly price
Visit Website*
Free forever

For more on the best free VPN services, be sure to consult our guide.

Conclusion

Anonymous surfing doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg, with many VPNs available for less than the price of a cup of coffee. The VPN providers with the best price-performance ratio include Surfshark, Cyberghost, NordVPN, Windscribe, and Private Internet Access. Generally speaking, the longer the subscription, the lower the monthly price. So before signing a contract, make sure you fully understand what the service has to offer. Our VPN comparison can help you make an informed decision.

There are, of course, cheaper—and even free—VPNs out there. However, these come with some limitations; region restrictions on streaming platforms cannot be reliably bypassed with free VPNs, and they usually cap data and connection speeds (Proton VPN is one of the exceptions). We have a separate article dedicated to the best free VPN services.

FAQs

Which VPN is the least expensive?

The least expensive VPN from our EXPERTE.com sample was Zenmate, which only costs about $1.60 per month for a 3-year plan. However, their program received a "satisfactory" rating in our EXPERTE.com review and wasn't included here. The best price-performance ratio is offered by Surfshark, which scored significantly higher in all test categories and will only set you back around $2 per month.

Which VPNs are free?

Many VPN providers have a "freemium" option - a free version with limited features. Of these, ProtonVPN is the best. You can find completely free VPN services without premium plans, however, there are many dubious offers among them. As such, it's best to be cautious when considering a free VPN.

How much does a VPN cost?

VPN services typically cost between $2 and $11 per month. Generally speaking, the longer the contract, the more affordable they become. If you're looking to spend just a few dollars per month, you'll likely need to sign on for a 1-, 2- or 3-year subscription.

Top VPN Provider 2024
Sponsored
from $3.79
per month
NordVPN
from $6.67
per month
ExpressVPN
from $0.00
per month
Proton VPN
from $1.99
per month
Surfshark
show all
Author (German Version): Martin Gschwentner
Martin Gschwentner majored in American Studies and Media Studies in Germany, the USA and France and works as a freelance editor in Paris. He is a doctoral student at the Institute for English and American Studies at the University of Paris Diderot, where he is researching the influence of money on US politics. On EXPERTE.com he writes about IT security, data protection and software for the self-employed and small businesses.
Translation: Lisa Torelli-Sauer
* Ad disclaimer: For links marked with an asterisk, EXPERTE.com may earn a commission from the provider. The commission has no influence on our editorial rating.
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Best Overall 2024
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5,500+ servers, 60 countries
excellent performance
no logs
6 devices simultaneously
affordable 2-year package
9.4
Review
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