The best VPN for the budget isn’t simply the cheapest VPN on the market. Rather, it comes down to overall quality (such as connection speed and available security features) coupled with the best possible pricing. It’s only through rigorous testing of a provider that we can determine if its subscription prices are good value relative to the features it offers.
TL;DR – These Are the Best Budget VPNs
- Mullvad
- PrivateVPN
- Proton VPN
- NordVPN
- IPVanish
- CyberGhost
- Surfshark
With a VPN, you can secure your online activities from prying eyes. It encrypts your data and hides your IP address for anonymous browsing. Other benefits include the ability to sidestep content restrictions and even bypass bandwidth throttling. The best budget VPNs allow you to do all of this at an affordable price without compromising on quality.
The Best Budget VPNs:
1. Mullvad
Best budget VPN
Mullvad is unique in that it offers a flat rate of just €5 a month (approximately $5.33). So if you’re looking for a quality VPN at the best possible price without being tied to a long-term contract, Mullvad is your best bet. Just bear in mind that if you’re willing to commit to a one or two year subscription, you can find more affordable plans via other VPNs for as little as $2–3 a month.
One thing that Mullvad has proven is that it’s possible for a VPN to offer top-notch privacy without compromising on performance. Mullvad stands out in that you don’t need to provide an email address and can pay by sending cash in an envelope. It’s one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, has very user-friendly apps, and operates a genuine no-logs policy.
2. PrivateVPN
Best VPN for beginners
PrivateVPN may be a lesser known provider, but it’s beginner-friendly and offers almost unrivaled unblocking of streaming services. As long as you don’t mind a three year subscription, you can save significantly as it’s just $2 a month ($72 total). PrivateVPN also has a three month subscription ($6/month) while its one month plan ($9.90) is one of the more affordable available.
Although PrivateVPN offers fewer servers (a little over 200), they’re located in over 60 countries. We’ve also found that its IP addresses don’t get blacklisted as quickly as more popular providers, making it particularly suitable for unblocking streaming platforms. Further reasons to use PrivateVPN include its user-friendly apps, no-logs policy, and excellent support.
3. Proton VPN
Best VPN with a free tier
Proton VPN has a free tier which, unlike most free VPNs, has no ads, logging, or speed limits. As for its paid plans, one month costs $9.99 which is about average. Where you can save is with its one year subscription which is priced at $4.99 a month ($59.88). You can only save five percent more with the two year plan so if you do have any doubts, one year seems a safe bet.
It’s hard to find fault with Proton VPN which has become such a strong all-rounder. It has 4,000+ servers in 90+ countries and its speeds rank among the fastest. This is thanks to its use of the WireGuard protocol and 10 Gbps connections on many servers. Unlike some rival VPNs, Proton has anonymous payment options and an independently audited no-logs policy.
4. NordVPN
Best VPN for Gaming
NordVPN has a fairly expensive one month subscription price ($12.99+ depending on the tier chosen). Yet you’ll find bigger discounts with the one year and two year subscriptions. Its Basic (VPN only) tier equates to $4.59 a month for one year or $3.69/month for two years. Overall, NordVPN is a better option if you’re looking for a long-term subscription.
This is arguably the best known VPN provider and for good reason. NordVPN excels at bypassing content restrictions and is also our best VPN for gaming thanks to its vast server network (6,000+ servers in 111 countries), consistent connections, and Meshnet feature for LAN gaming. The desktop and mobile apps feel like they’re trying to do too much however.
5. IPVanish
Best VPN for multiple devices
IPVanish has affordable one year ($47.88 / $3.99 a month) and two year ($71.76 / $2.99 a month) subscription options. Its single month plan is approaching the higher end of the scale at $12.99. We recently tested IPVanish’s money-back guarantee and were pleased to find that it honored it, making the cancellation process quick and painless.
This is a particularly popular option with North American users thanks to its 1,400 servers in the US and Canada. It has made strides with regard to its server speeds (we averaged 84 Mbps) and unblocking. There’s no limit as to the number of devices you can connect at once either. One area in which IPVanish has room for improvement is its customer support.
6. CyberGhost
Best VPN for traveling
CyberGhost has one of the best value two year plans. While its one month subscription ($12.99) is more than double the price of Mullvad ($5.33), you can save significantly with its two year plan which is $56.94 – just $2.03 a month. It also offers a six month plan (a rarity among VPNs) which costs $41.94 ($6.99 a month).
One area in which CyberGhost stands out is its server network which consists of 11,000+ servers in 100 countries. This gives you greater flexibility for unblocking geo-restricted websites and services. Indeed it’s one of our best VPNs for streaming. CyberGhost has a no-logs policy and has gaming-optimized servers in London and New York.
7. SurfShark
Best VPN for Netflix
Surfshark is expensive if you subscribe for a single month (plans start from $15.45). With the base Surfshark Starter tier, you get access to the VPN and an ad blocker. This costs $41.88 ($3.49/month) for a year or $59.76 ($2.49/month) for two years. The best value is to be found in the Surfshark One tier which adds an antivirus for $49.08 ($4.09/month) for a year or $76.56 ($3.19/month) for two years.
This is an excellent streaming VPN thanks to a combination of fast speeds (we averaged 104 Mbps) and reliable unblocking. It worked with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Prime Video in testing. It’s bursting with features including an ad, tracker, and malware blocker, as well as MultiHop servers for two or more layers of encryption.
How to pick the best budget VPN
A budget VPN could be a service that offers the lowest one month subscription. Or it could be a VPN that has the lowest average monthly rate via an annual or multi-year plan. With this in mind, we’ve taken the one month subscription rates of each VPN and their lowest possible monthly price and created an average. We looked at the overall quality of each VPN and factored in this average when compiling our rankings.
If you’re looking to use a VPN month-to-month, you’ll find that Mullvad is by far the most affordable. Yet PrivateVPN works out 62 percent cheaper per month if you opt for its three year subscription deal.
Here are a few features that might help swing your decision when choosing a budget VPN:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections: IPVanish, Surfshark
- Accepts cash payments: Mullvad, NordVPN, Proton VPN
- No email required for signup: Mullvad
- Smart DNS: NordVPN, CyberGhost, Surfshark
- Dedicated IP: NordVPN, CyberGhost, Surfshark
- True no-logs policy: Mullvad, PrivateVPN, Proton VPN
How to use the best budget VPN
If you haven’t used a VPN before, rest assured that getting set up and connected is simple:
- Sign up with one of the best budget VPNs.
- Download and install the VPN app compatible with your device.
- Open the VPN app and log in.
- Connect to a server in your preferred location.
- You’re all set!
Best budget VPNs: FAQ
Are cheaper VPNs less secure?
Not necessarily. Factors that may dictate a VPN’s pricing include the number of servers it operates and the availability of extra features like specialty servers or a password manager. The best budget VPNs still offer all of the key security features required from a quality VPN. It’s just that they do so at a more competitive price point.
Can I use a free VPN instead of a budget VPN?
Few free VPNs are trustworthy and of decent quality. Free VPNs don’t offer many servers or server locations. They also tend to throttle bandwidth and cap data, resulting in poor performance. Many don’t provide an adequate level of encryption and may log and sell your browsing data. If you do need to opt for a free VPN, we’d recommend Proton VPN’s free plan.
What’s the difference between monthly and yearly plans?
When you opt for a one month VPN subscription, you’ll pay more each month than with an annual plan. The advantage is that you have more flexibility to switch if you’re unsatisfied. However, the biggest savings come with yearly or even multi-year subscriptions. While you’ll pay less each month with a yearly subscription, you have to pay the full amount upfront.
Can I get a refund if I’m not satisfied with a VPN?
All of the best budget VPNs come with a 30-day money-back guarantee (except CyberGhost which is 45 days). This allows you to try them all out risk-free. As long as you remember to cancel before the end of this money-back guarantee period, you’ll receive a full refund.
Mark Gill is a freelance VPN writer for IGN, bringing over five years of dedicated experience from Comparitech, where he delves deep into the intricacies of VPNs. A journalism graduate with a passion for safeguarding digital freedoms, Mark has strengthened his expertise with a Google Cybersecurity Certificate and is now studying for the CompTIA Security+ certification. When he’s not testing VPNs, Mark is an avid gamer with a soft spot for the Sega Mega Drive, reliving the classics for a dose of nostalgia.
