Best Cheap VPN in 2023

Not all VPNs are created equal. Many are bloated with unnecessary features, others are riddled with security flaws. And then there are the cheap or ‘budget’ VPNs – those services that promise the world for a pittance, but deliver only disappointment and frustration.

Yet, there are a select few budget VPNs that buck this trend: they are the best cheap VPNs around today – services that provide perfect privacy at a fraction of the cost of their more expensive counterparts.

Think of them as the champions of the budget-conscious internet user, offering reliable protection and unrestricted access to the web without breaking the bank. Here I’m going to write about the very best ones you can buy, in 2023.

How do I choose the best budget VPN?

Believe me, I understand that household budgets are strained and many of you will be looking to save money wherever you can.

Free VPNs exist, but they are unable to match the performance or security of their paid counterparts…

But in your quest for a cheap VPN, please don’t overlook the importance of investing in your online privacy. While free VPN options certainly exist, they are often unable to match the performance, security, and privacy provided by their paid counterparts.

If you think about it, it’s obvious. There’s no such thing as a free lunch: so when evaluating a cheap VPN provider, you really must take into account factors such as strong security, good commitments to  privacy, solid performance speeds, extensive device and platform coverage, and user-friendly apps. It is also imperative to ensure that any VPN provider caters to your specific needs, be it for unblocking streaming services, torrenting, or Android/mobile use, and so on.

Note that any VPN provider with a money-back guarantee is always going to be highly recommended here at VPN Hound. Why? Because it can act as a “guarantee” of satisfaction with the service and obviously you get refunded if the service fails to meet your needs. 🙂

So which is cheapest?

The best way to choose the cheapest VPN is to consider average prices over a 2 year period. This will always give you the the cheapest, accurate price overall.

Here’s a table showing the average cost per month, over 2 years, for several popular VPNs:

And that leads me nicely on to…

1. Surfshark – Our Top Budget VPN

In the rather crowded market of cheap VPN providers, few can compare to the likes of Surfshark.

Surfshark’s subscription prices start at $2.49 a month, which is truly remarkable given the features you get at this price-point. Read my full Surfshark review for more, but if you don’t have time for that, then just know that it truly shines against all other providers.

And the value doesn’t stop there. Surfshark allows you to use the VPN on as many devices as you like simultaneously, making it an even more attractive proposition. You could even share your login details with your friends and family, though with the price point so low, it’s hardly necessary.

Everything you would expect from a VPN provider…

What do you get for this paltry sum? In short, everything you would expect from a VPN provider that sits so highly in our list of the best budget-friendly VPNs.

With a plethora of security protocols to choose from, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and the new, faster WireGuard and a kill switch for added protection, Surfshark offers the complete package. Plus, the convenient ‘Quick connect’ option means you can be connected to one of its 3,200+ servers in no time at all.

Pros & Cons of Surfshark

While it’s true that there are cheaper VPN providers available, they often require sacrificing quality or committing to a longer subscription. With Surfshark, you don’t have to make any compromises. That’s why it rightfully claims the top spot among cheap VPN providers here at VPN Hound.

What else do I need to know about Surfshark?

Surfshark’s VPN can handle unlimited connections at once, has a plethora of functions, and almsot unrivalled security.  There’s also an app for Android, iPhone, and Windows, including a free trial period of 7 days for Android.

Surfshark’s AES-256 cryptography is used by the military and governments,  to encrypt sensitive communications globally, and additionally it comes packed with a kill switch, browser filtering, and DNS and IP leak protection.

Using the ever-popular WireGuard tunneling technique, Surfshark is among the fastest of all VPN providers. Include the fact that there’s P2P connections, multi-hop VPN servers, Camouflage Mode to hide VPN use, and split tunnelling to give you more control over your VPN connection and you’ll realize there’s literally loads here to try.

As for the downsides, if you’re looking for a 1-month plan only then it’s not the cheapest VPN by a long shot. For 1-month plans, I recommend ExpressVPN.

⭐ VPN Hound User Rating:	4.6
📝 No logs policy:	No logs
💯 Money-back guarantee:	30 days
🍿 Streaming services:	Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV
💵 Cheapest price:	$2.49/month (24 month plan)
💥 Current deal:	Click here for 60% OFF at Surfshark

Go To Surfshark

Limited Offer: ⚠️ Click here for 60% OFF at Surfshark — today only!

2. Atlas VPN – Has a Free Version

Atlas VPN is a highly-affordable VPN that we really like here at VPN Hound. It offers almost the best value for money that we’ve seen.

There’s a free version too, which is why AtlasVPN calls it’s a “freemium” VPN – though it’s sadly a bit iffy. On the other hand, the premium version (which starts at $1.82/month) provides unlimited simultaneous connections, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious users. This may sound counter-intuitive, but the premium version is about a hundred times better than the free one, and surprisingly doesn’t cost much at all.

This is because with the free version, it comes with extremely limited in features: to the point of being almost unusable. Read my Atlas VPN review for more information.

Price – How cheap?!

It might come as a surprise, but Atlas VPN is arguably cheaper than our #1 Surfshark – but this is only if you sign up for a full 3 years. We’re increasingly seeing multi-year deals from several VPN providers, and Atlas is no different.

But not every customer will want to sign up for a full three year period; that is, after all, quite a commitment. If you do though, then it’ll work out at a frankly ridiculous $1.89 a month, which is the cheapest price for any VPN.

Features

Atlas VPN service boasts excellent security features, such as SafeBrowse and SafeSwap, which claim to keep you safe as you browse the internet. There’s also a kill switch and AES-256 encryption cipher for added protection.

With the latest implementation of the WireGuard protocol, Atlas VPN has drastically improved its speed and performance, making it now a strong competitor in the budget VPN market. It’s been proven in our testing to bypass geo-restrictions with ease, allowing for smooth streaming of popular services like Netflix, YouTube TV, and BBC iPlayer. The service is also compatible with many popular other streaming services like Hulu and Disney+, improving the overall user experience.

Pros of Atlas VPN include a free version, unlimited simultaneous connections, some of the best low-cost VPN plans available, AES-256 encryption, live support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, the VPN has a small server fleet and is based in the US, which could be a concern for some users who prioritize location privacy.

AtlasVPN Features: At a glance:

Overall then, a worth runner-up particularly if you’re into streaming. It’s cheaper than Surfshark, but Atlas VPN has slightly fewer features, hence being in the number 2 spot.

⭐ VPN Hound User Rating:	4.6
📝 No logs policy:	No logs
💯 Money-back guarantee:	30 days
🍿 Streaming services:	Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV
💵 Cheapest price:	From $3.67
💥 Current deal:	Sign up Now for 83% OFF at Atlas VPN

Visit Atlas VPN

Limited Offer: ⚠️ Sign up Now for 83% OFF at Atlas VPN — today only!

3. Private Internet Access (PIA) – Big Features, Small Price

How cheap is PIA VPN?

Well, a one-month plan from Private Internet Access is fairly competitively priced at $11.95 per month, but the monthly rate for the two-year plan is naturally a lot cheaper: it works out at $3.33 average.

When compared to Hotspot Shield’s Premium service, which costs $95.99 annually for example, this is a MUCH more cost-effective solution. It isn’t as cheap as our number 1 or 2 choices above, but then you get more here with PIA.

For a start, dedicated IPs are available in a number of countries and generally guarantee a consistent online identity – regardless of where you access the service. Why is this important? Because  websites get more “familiar” with you if you consistently use the same IP address, thus it makes sense to switch it up: monthly fees for dedicated IP addresses are $5.00, or $4.25 when paid annually.

In terms of private or anonymous payments, customers are well-supported here too: there’s Bitcoin, credit cards, PayPal, and, for US customers, Amazon Pay are all accepted but no cash payments sadly (for that you’ll need to use Mullvad).

For mobile customers, PIA offers a free 7-day trial, and if you are not satisfied, you may get your money back within 30 days (only applies for those who join via mobile apps).

Unlike competing VPN services, PIA gives consumers unlimited refunds too. When three months have passed since the previous refund, a new account purchase will be eligible for a second refund. In case you have any questions or concerns, PIA’s live chat help is available around the clock.

But despite the trial only being available for mobile, this isn’t the best VPN for mobile-centric customers – for that, I recommend Atlas above.

⭐ VPN Hound User Rating:	4.5
📝 No logs policy:	No logs
💯 Money-back guarantee:	30 days
🍿 Streaming services:	Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV
💵 Cheapest price:	$3.67/month (12 month plan)
💥 Current deal:	Sign up Now for 60% OFF at PIA VPN

Visit PIA VPN

Limited Offer: ⚠️ Sign up Now for 60% OFF at PIA VPN — today only!

How many connections and protocols?

PIA allows up to 10 simultaneous device connections, which is twice as many as some other VPNs (although Windscribe and Surfshark have no limit). The VPN comes with a variety of features that cater to different needs, including built-in ad, tracker, and malicious website blocking, a SOCKS5 proxy for extra speed, port forwarding support, and the ability to choose preferred encryption, authentication, and handshaking methods. Additionally, PIA offers 24/7 live chat support to assist users with any issues they may encounter.

What countries can I use with PIA?

Here’s a list of virtual locations, though the full list is too long to put here, but is available on the PIA website here.

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Germany
• France
• Belgium
• Switzerland
• Netherlands
• Sweden
• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• South Korea
• India
• Brazil
• Mexico
• Argentina
• Chile
• Costa Rica
• Panama
• South Africa

4. NordVPN – A Reliable Old Friend

Okay, so Nord would probably object to me calling them ‘old’, but they have been around for a long time and are arguably the best known VPN in the entire world.

NordVPN offers a smorgasbord of features at – surprisingly – an affordable price. I know that many people think Nord are a “premium” VPN and they certainly can be, but it’s easy to get a reduced monthly price with a NordVPN discount code.

Why should I use NordVPN?

The service caters to people who want to use a reliable & trusted brand when they’re getting online anonymity, access to censored websites, or a secure internet connection.

NordVPN’s pricing plans start from $3.29/month for a 2-year subscription, making it a budget-friendly option for those looking for a VPN service. There are more expensive plans if you opt for a 1-year subscription or a monthly plan. The 7-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee give users a risk-free opportunity to try out the service.

Note that the NordVPN 3-year (36 month) deal is only available some of the time; you’ll need to check the Nord website to see if it’s up right now. Read my full NordVPN review here for more information.

To protect your data from unwanted eyes, NordVPN (like many other VPNs) relies on AES-256 encryption, which is pretty much the industry standard. Providing a securer connection is NordVPN’s proprietary NordLynx tunneling protocol which is also faster than stock WireGuard. Plus, it provides more consistent connections, which means both streaming and gaming experiences should be lag-free.

What makes NordVPN different?

NordVPN offers additional features that you can tweak to your liking, which makes it shine brighter than others. For example, CyberSec filters out malicious websites, and its flashy “Double VPN” allows you to connect through two VPN servers, adding an extra layer of security. Nord also offers the option to mix the Tor network with a VPN connection for ultimate internet anonymity. Overall, NordVPN provides excellent value for money, and its features make it a solid choice for those seeking a VPN service with loads of features.

⭐ VPN Hound User Rating:	4.7
📝 No logs policy:	No logs
💯 Money-back guarantee:	30 days
🍿 Streaming services:	Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV
💵 Cheapest price:	$3.71/month (2-year plan)
💥 Current deal:	Get 75% OFF + 3 Months FREE at NordVPN

Go To NordVPN

Limited Offer: ⚠️ Get 75% OFF + 3 Months FREE at NordVPN — today only!

As with ExpressVPN, this is a premium service so expect to pay more for short term VPN subscriptions (6 months or less). The real value comes from longer term packages. Customers who sign up for the next two years will receive a 60% discount, making it one of the best prices available. All in all, it’s excellent value for customers who are looking for ongoing VPN usage.

In addition to the discounted price, NordVPN also offers customers the option to add extra security tools for a few extra dollars: for example a password manager, data breach scanner, and/or encrypted cloud storage.

5. CyberGhost – Great for Shielding Privacy

👍 Cheap-ish pricing
👍 45-day money-back guarantee
👍 Reliable connection speeds
👍 Modern tunneling protocols used
👍 Good at bypassing geo-restrictions

👎 No free trial
👎 Parent company collects some user data
👎 Limited advanced options for power users

CyberGhost stands out as one of the best VPN services for those on a budget. Quite simply, it’s one of the cheapest VPNs available, with monthly rates beginning at just $3.19 (if you go for a 3 year plan). The best part is that you can try it risk-free for 45 days and get your money back if you don’t like it.

And, CyberGhost uses the most advanced encryption standard, AES-256, to keep your data safe while you surf the web. The fact that they are headquartered in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction and have a rigorous no-logs policy only adds to the VPN’s credibility and dependability.

Our tests showed that there were no delays whether streaming or broadcasting

CyberGhost provides stable connection speeds and supports cutting-edge tunnelling protocols like WireGuard in addition to OpenVPN and IKEv2. Our tests showed that there were no delays whether streaming or broadcasting, making it a great option for media consumption in general.

In addition, CyberGhost is quite effective at evading geo-restrictions so their customers can usually access services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max regardless of where they actually are. In addition, this VPN works with a broad variety of OSes and browsers, making it accessible and easy to use.

⭐ VPN Hound User Rating:	4.5
📝 No logs policy:	No logs
💯 Money-back guarantee:	45 days
🍿 Streaming services:	Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV
💵 Cheapest price:	$2.89/month (24 month plan)
💥 Current deal:	Sign up Now for 60% OFF at CyberGhost

Go To CyberGhost

Limited Offer: ⚠️ Sign up Now for 60% OFF at CyberGhost — today only!

Why isn’t it number 1?

So why all this praise if it’s not our number 1? Firstly, while CyberGhost’s base plan is among the most affordable on the market at just $3.19/month for 3 years, there are even more affordable VPNs available. The two-year Surfshark plan, for instance, only costs $2.49 per month average.

CyberGhost has a solid reputation for security and privacy, but some customers may feel more comfortable with VPNs from countries with stricter data protection regulations or that have completed independent security audits, too.

Ultimately, there are other VPNs that are even faster and more trustworthy, especially for customers who need to do a lot of streaming or downloading, but CyberGhost does offer stable speeds and fantastic performance overall if you’re not a heavy VPN user.

Read the full review of CyberGhost here.

Why do VPN prices vary so much?

VPNs have varying costs for a variety of reasons. Let’s investigate the most typical explanations:

Furthermore, marketing costs can play a HUGE role in driving up VPN pricing. This is due to the fact that VPNs, like any other product, typically invest heavily on marketing and it’s hyper-competitive out there to win customers and differentiate yourself. Some people already think that the VPN space is far too crowded.

Be wary of overspending

In the VPN niche, the notion that “you get what you pay for” holds true for free VPNs. This is because free VPNs are (as a rule) extremely limited, usually serving merely as a ploy to lure unsuspecting users into paying for more comprehensive plans.

Of course, not every free VPN is like this – here at VPN Hound, we particularly like TunnelBear.

However, all that beside, the VPN market has stabilized over time, with a consensus emerging on how much a VPN should cost. Beyond a certain point, throwing more money at a VPN would yield diminishing returns. It’s worth noting that all VPNs on this list are excellent, with a host of features, while still being relatively inexpensive. Of these, at VPN Hound our top pick as we’ve said is Surfshark, which I recommend as the most noteworthy one.

What about 1 year VPN plans?

I realize that not everyone will be looking for a 2-year or even 3-year VPN plan, and that’s fine. If that’s you, then be awae this changes things a lot! But being honest, an article about the “cheapest VPN” wouldn’t be right if we didn’t also look at 1 year costs.

Here’s a comparison:

So, somewhat surprisingly perhaps, CyberGhost is now the cheapest VPN among these providers, if you consider the first year cost alone.

Of course, none of these prices include current discounts available from various coupon codes or promotions, and are subject to change. And believe me prices do change often; the world of VPNs is highly competitive so you’re bound to find a reduced price if you know where to look.

How to test budget VPNs (before committing to a long-term plan)

There are a few things you really MUST do to make sure you get the best low-cost VPN before committing to a subscription.

If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to evaluate a low-cost VPN service and make an informed decision before signing up for an ongoing 2 or 3 year sub.

What are the drawbacks to budget VPNs?

There are of course both benefits and drawbacks to using a low-cost VPN for your online surfing (or torrenting, or Netflix, etc….).

On the one hand, a low-priced VPN may well provide an economically sensible approach to security that protects your online endeavors. It can also be used to gain access to content that is restricted to specific regions.

Cheaper VPN services can skimp on important safety/privacy features…

However there could be problems if you use a cheap VPN and it’s really quite crucial to understand this. The biggest potential issue is that cheaper VPN services may skimp on important safety/privacy features that are standard with more expensive providers or plans. Some examples might be:

1. Dedicated IP addresses, which allow for a more consistent and secure connection. Rarely available on cheaper plans.
2. Another example could be advanced malware and phishing protection, which uses machine learning algorithms to detect and block potential threats.
3. High-end VPN services may also offer more extensive encryption options, such as multi-hop VPN and obfuscation techniques to help bypass deep packet inspection.
4. Additionally, some premium VPNs may provide access to exclusive servers and protocols for added security and privacy.

It’s also worth noting that low-cost VPNs will also have fewer servers from which you can choose, which can seriosuly impede your ability to stream media… or even visit specific websites. Plus, and this is almost a given, it may also be rather difficult to get assistance in the event of technical difficulties with some of the cheaper VPNs. Why? Because their customer service dept may be understaffed (or non existant!)

Ultimately, a cheap VPN could go both ways, it could be a perfect method to safeguard your online activities on a budget, or it could leave you wanting it. Whatever the case, it’s crucial to do your research and find a reputable company with a track record of delivering solid VPN features.

Conclusion: Budget-friendly VPNs

So there we have it: the best VPNs on a budget. As an absolute minimum, I suggest you look for my recommended “must have” features, and as long as a VPN provider has all of these, then frankly it doesn’t really matter which cheap VPN provider you use. These “must have” features are:

• That uses robust encryption methods, such as the current gold standard of the industry, AES-256.
• A VPN that will not keep any logs, or records, of your activity on the service, protecting both your digital privacy & your security.
• A VPN that has servers in many places, so you can use them to access content that is restricted in your country.
• Connection speeds that won’t slow you down: A fast VPN is essential for uninterrupted surfing, streaming, and downloading.
• One that works across a wide range of devices, including desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

In conclusion, it is evident that the era of overpriced VPNs is now over.

In these times of austerity, it is more important than ever to be frugal with your hard-earned money. Fortunately, the VPN market has evolved to accommodate the needs of the discerning and budget-conscious consumer and it’s now possible to enjoy the benefits of a VPN service without breaking the bank.

From the VPN Hound top budget pick, Surfshark, to the other budget-friendly options I’ve discussed, you can be confident that your online privacy needs will be met without compromising your hard-earned. Remember, it’s not always true that you get what you pay for: in the case of budget-friendly VPNs, the value is so much more than the price.