There are a lot of VPN services out there, and many of them claim to be the cheapest. We went through our VPN reviews to find the services and make sure you get the best value.
If you go through our selection of the best VPN services, you’ll quickly see many differences in how VPNs approach price. Some, like ExpressVPN, charge a lot, but as you can read in our ExpressVPN review, they offer a lot, too, making it worth it. Others, like NordVPN, offer a very reasonable first-time fee but then charge you double or even triple when you renew your subscription, something I go over in detail in my NordVPN review.
These differences in approach make things very confusing for consumers looking for a VPN that doesn’t cost too much. But these five services below have everything a VPN should (security, privacy, and the ability to unblock Netflix) and do so without sacrificing performance.
They also do this without charging users too much. Overall, most quality VPNs cost about $60 per year. All my picks below are either on that mark or below. If you find they’re still out of your price range, check out my selection of the best free VPNs.
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Pros |
Cons |
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Great discount |
Three-year plan |
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Fast |
Some interface issues |
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Cracks Netflix |
Of all the VPNs out there, Private Internet Access (better known as PIA) offers the best deal. For $79, you get the service for three years and four months. This isn’t just the cheapest deal; it’s also the longest. The best part is that you can renew at that price, too—no shenanigans when you renew.
Just because PIA doesn’t cost a lot doesn’t mean it lacks features. As you can read in my Private Internet Access review, it’s a solid service that gets all the basics right. It’s secure, easy to use, and pretty fast, to boot. Though it isn’t the best in any one area except price, it does a fine job overall.
The only real issues I have with PIA are that I don’t like the app much and that it’s not the greatest for unblocking Netflix. However, neither of these are dealbreakers, so if you want a long-term VPN for a great price, I recommend giving PIA a spin and seeing how you like it.
Best Budget VPN for Mac: Proton VPN
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Pros |
Cons |
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Great bundles |
Not as cheap as the rest |
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Reputation for privacy |
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Great for Netflix |
Proton VPN is another great pick if you want to save money on a VPN. This option is also fantastic for Mac and iPhone users as its apps work well on both macOS and iOS while losing none of the functionality of the native Windows app.
As for money, Proton VPN takes up an interesting spot. At first glance, you wouldn’t be saving all that much at $60 per year, but it gets interesting once you factor in the Proton Unlimited bundle, which costs $120 per year (less if you sign up for two) and gets you a VPN, secure mail, a password manager, and cloud storage.
As you can read in my Proton VPN review, I think this offers a great deal of value to consumers, allowing them to secure their online presence in one swoop for just one payment. The Proton ecosystem allows you to ditch Google pretty easily and get a lot closer to making the web a place where you can be without being spied on.
Best Budget VPN for Mac
Proton VPN
Proton VPN is a fast and secure service, that comes with a strong reputation for privacy.
Best Budget VPN for Netflix: CyberGhost
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Pros |
Cons |
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Very cheap two-year plan |
Renews for only one year |
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Great interface |
Some speed issues |
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Cracks Netflix with ease |
If the main reason you want to use a VPN is getting through Netflix geoblocking, CyberGhost is the right budget VPN choice for you. When testing it out for my CyberGhost review, I had very little issue getting through to the streaming service. This is in no part due to the fact that it has special servers set up for this very purpose, so you can test out different ones until they work.
Price-wise, CyberGhost is pretty cheap—it’s $60 for the first two years, and when you renew it, it becomes an annual plan. Though it’s not as generous as PIA, it’s a lot better than Surfshark or NordVPN, and it costs about half the money most VPNs initially charge.
What you get for your money is pretty good, too. I really like the CyberGhost interface, especially for people who may be new to VPNs and would like some help navigating this type of software. If you want to switch Netflix libraries on the cheap, CyberGhost is a solid choice.
Best Budget VPN for Netflix
CyberGhost
CyberGhost has a user-friendly interface, perfect for beginners. It’s also one of the few VPNs to offer automation features.
Most Customizable Budget VPN: TorGuard
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Pros |
Cons |
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Customizable |
A bit overwhelming |
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Cheap one-year plan |
No multi-year deals |
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Fast |
If you want a cheap and extremely customizable VPN, you’ll like TorGuard. In my review, I found that the service was extremely flexible in what it let you do with it yet somehow still managed to be user-friendly. Striking a balance between being easy to use andalso letting you go wild with settings is rare for any kind of software, making TorGuard a special case.
What also sets TorGuard apart is its pricing, with its basic package setting you back only $33 per year, making it one of the very few services on this list that lets you go year-by-year on the cheap. If you don’t like to commit to long-term subscriptions—and I don’t blame you—TorGuard may be just the ticket.
That said, there are some issues to be aware of with TorGuard. While it lets you leave the garden path, it gives you very little guidance when doing so. This means your tinkering could put you at risk. If you’re comfortable with that, you may want to try TorGuard.
Most Customizable Budget VPN
TorGuard
TorGuard offers a range of advanced features like custom scripts. The service ensures a low ping and latency while still offering great security.
Best Budget VPN for Gaming: Surfshark
Surfshark
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Pros |
Cons |
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Good deal at signup |
Renewal is pricey |
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Nice interface |
Some speed issues |
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Easy to use |
For gamers that want to be able to switch to servers at will regardless of location, I like Surfshark. During the testing for my Surfshark review the ping was pretty good, especially for nearby servers, meaning that gamers should be able to play as normal—though maybe not to cross any oceans.
Another issue to look out for with Surfshark is renewing your subscription. Like its parent company, NordVPN, Surfshark offers a great package of under $60 for two years and four months for first-time users, but ups that to over $400 when you renew. That price is insane, of course, so make sure you switch off autorenew.
Other than that, Surfshark is a solid VPN that’s easy to use and pretty fast, especially on nearby servers. It’s good at cracking Netflix, and has some interesting bundles if you want to add some extras like data removal services.
Best Budget VPN for Gaming
Surfshark
Surfshark is a low-cost VPN service that offers unlimited simultaneous connections, making it a great pick if you want to share the VPN account with friends and family.
FAQ
What is a VPN?
A virtual private network (VPN) is a tool that lets you connect to the internet via a remote server. This allows you to mask your identity while online and access sites normally blocked in your location.
Should I use a VPN to use Netflix?
Using a VPN while watching Netflix isn’t necessary, but it greatly improves the experience as you can access other countries’ libraries. This greatly increases the movies and shows you have at your disposal.
Does a VPN make my ping better?
No. Since a VPN reroutes your connection, this hurts your latency, or ping. There is no way around this, sadly.
