5 best and cheapest VPN services in 2023
-
Kristina Jarusevičiūtė
Writer
Using a VPN is important for enhancing your data privacy and security online, even if it’s a cheap VPN. There are plenty of low-cost services that can still protect you with high-quality measures, starting from an affordable price of $1.64/month.
One of the best cheap VPNs is Surfshark which doesn’t compromise security or speeds. However, not every provider can guarantee cheap compromise-free services.
To help you make an informed decision, we researched dozens of VPNs hands-on and made this VPN price comparison. We reviewed their security features, pricing options, extra functionalities, and more. We then ranked the cheapest VPNs based on their monthly and yearly plans as well as the value they bring.
Best cheap VPNs in 2023– shortlist
- Surfshark – the best cheap VPN in 2023
- NordVPN – best cheap VPN for fast connection speeds
- Norton – secure and affordable VPN option
- TotalVPN – best cheap VPN for ultimate security
- CyberGhost – best cheap VPN option with a massive server network
What to look for in a cheap VPN
Choosing the best cheap VPN service might not be as easy as it sounds. We tested dozens of high-quality VPNs and selected only the top ones, which excel in value for money, quality, security, privacy, and more touchstones. Here’s what to look for when choosing a cheap VPN:
| Money-back guarantee: | 30 days |
| Long-term plans: | 1 or more years |
| Security features: | Kill switch |
| Privacy features: | No-logs policy, independent audit |
| Fast tunneling protocols: | WireGuard |
- Money-back guarantee. All decent VPNs should offer a money-back guarantee that’s valid for at least 30 days. That’s enough time to decide whether the service truly suits your needs.
- Long-term discounts. While there aren’t many lifetime VPNs, getting at least a few-year subscription plan lets you save a lot of money. So, it’s a good idea to look through all the plans of your preferred VPN provider and choose a longer subscription.
- Extra features. Some VPNs are pretty basic, while others are security-focused VPNs that have plenty of features. Think about what exactly you need from the tool and pick accordingly.
- Privacy and security. Before picking a VPN tool, check out its privacy and security characteristics. It should be a no-logs VPN – even better if it’s audited. It should also use powerful encryption ciphers, such as AES or ChaCha20, and include secure and fast tunneling protocols
Cheapest VPNs in 2023 – detailed list
To help you pick the best money-saving VPN service that would also fit your VPN usage needs, we made a detailed VPN price comparison. So take a look at the cheapest VPNs down below:
1. Surfshark – the best cheap VPN in 2023
| Simultaneous connections | Unlimited |
| Money-back guarantee: | 30-days money-back guarantee |
| Cheapest price: | $1.99/month (2-year plan) |
| Current deal: | 🔥 Holiday deal! Get 82% OFF Surfshark + 4 months FREE 🔥 |
Surfshark is one of the cheapest VPNs on the market. At just $1.99/month, you get to make use of advanced data encryption, DNS and IP leak protection, and a functional kill switch.
Price: All the plans are budget-friendly starting from $1.99/month if you get a 2-year subscription. Not to mention that it also has a 7-day free trial. Once you download the app on macOS, Android, or iPhone, you can then install it on your desktop.
| Plan duration | 2 years | 1 year | 1 month |
| Price (monthly) | $1.99/month | $3.99/month | $10.99/month |
| Total price | $55.20 | $47.88 | $10.99 |
| Savings | 82% | 64% | – |
Security: All the data that goes through their VPN servers will be encrypted with the AES-256 cipher. It's an encryption standard that even military bodies and government institutions use for their communications – and you’re getting it for $1.99/month only. The service also has a kill switch, and web filters and doesn't leak your DNS or IP address.
Speed: Surfshark is the best affordable VPN that guarantees fast speeds as well. When we tested their WireGuard tunneling protocol, we found that it helps retain around 86% of initial connection speeds on average, letting you browse and stream buffering-free.
Extra features: Even with a reasonable price like this, the service is stuffed with many useful additional features. It works with P2P connections and allows connecting through multiple VPN servers (multi-hop). You can hide the fact that you're using a VPN via Camouflage Mode. Finally, a split tunneling option gives you much better control over how your VPN connection is used. You also get unlimited simultaneous connections.
While Surfshark isn’t the cheapest VPN out there, it deserves the top spot considering the value it brings. This VPN doesn’t compromise on anything – speeds, security, or privacy. So you’re getting yourself a valuable service for less than 3 dollars.
For more information, visit our Surfshark review.
2. NordVPN – competitively fast VPN for a cheap price
| Simultaneous connections | 6 |
| Money-back guarantee: | 30-days money-back guarantee |
| Cheapest price: | $2.99/month (2-year plan) |
| Current deal: | 🔥 Holiday Deal! Get NordVPN with 69% OFF + 3 months FREE! 🔥 |
NordVPN is another excellent and inexpensive VPN that comes at only $2.99/month. For a price like that, you get excellent value for your money because the provider retains a very high percentage of initial connection speeds and guarantees powerful security.
Price: NordVPN has incredible low-price VPN plans that start from $2.99/month for a 2-year subscription. There are pricier options if you get a 1-year subscription or a monthly plan. Still, if you try the service and don't like something, there's a 7-day free trial for Android devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee available.
| Plan duration | 2 years | 1 year | 1 month |
| Price (monthly) | $2.99/month | $4.49/month | $12.99/month |
| Total price | $83.76 | $59.88 | $12.99 |
| Savings | 69% | 45% | – |
Security: The service relies on AES-256 encryption to protect your data from unwanted eyes. No hacker will be able to brute force it to reveal your data, which is sent in an encrypted tunnel.
Speed: During our tests, the proprietary NordLynx tunneling protocol performed better than WireGuard, offering more consistent connections. While NordVPN is slightly more expensive than Surfshark, the download speeds of this VPN were even faster with retention rates averaging at 90%, which makes your streaming or gaming experience lag-free.
Extra features: You can tweak the app quite a bit as there are many additional features. Threat Protection filters out malicious ads, trackers, and websites, and you can use the Double VPN feature to connect through 2 VPN servers. There is an option to mix the Tor network with a VPN connection for ultimate anonymity.
All in all, NordVPN is definitely one of the most affordable VPNs out there. While the price is higher than that of some other providers, NordVPN ensures exceptional speeds and great streaming capabilities as well as security measures.
Learn more information about the product on our NordVPN review.
3. Norton – secure and affordable VPN option
| Simultaneous connections: | 10 |
| Money-back guarantee: | 60-day money-back guarantee |
| Cheapest price: | $2.49/month (1-year plan) |
| Current deal: | 🔥Holiday deal! Get up to 58% OFF Norton VPN!🔥 |
One of the best cheap VPN options is also Norton Secure VPN, from the developers of the widely known Norton antivirus. You can get Norton VPN together with the antivirus service, or as a separate product.
Price. Norton VPN offers monthly and yearly subscriptions the prices of which differ based on how many devices you want to protect – one, five, or ten. You can get the 1-year plan and pay per month, or pay the full 1-year price in one go. Below is the price comparison for 1 device subscription:
| Plan duration | 1 year | 1 month |
| Price (monthly) | $2.49/month | $4.99/month |
| Total price | $9.96 | $59.88 |
| Savings | 58% | 40% |
Security. Coming from one of the most well-known antivirus providers, Norton VPN surely takes its security very seriously. It uses the industry-standard AES-256 encryption and offers essential security features such as a kill switch, auto-connect, and an ad blocker.
Speed. Although it is slower than VPNs such as NordVPN, we found during our Norton VPN testing that it still provides quite good speeds. In our tests, the average speed retention rate was 74%. It is enough for a fast and smooth browsing experience, as well as relatively high-quality streaming.
Extra features. Norton VPN doesn’t have many extra features – it offers the most basic ones like an ad blocker and auto-connect. Unlike the other best VPNs like NordVPN or Surfshark, it doesn’t offer specialized streaming servers either.
You can try Norton VPN for free with the 7-day free trial, and also use the 14-day money-back guarantee for monthly, and 60-day money-back guarantee for yearly plans.
4. TotalVPN – cheap and well-rounded VPN for security
| Simultaneous connections: | 6 |
| Money-back guarantee: | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Cheapest price: | $1.58/month (1-year plan) |
| Current deal: | 🔥Holiday deal! Get 85% OFF TotalVPN!🔥 |
TotalVPN is undeniably one of the cheapest VPNs you can find in the market. Most importantly, it includes ad-blocking and antivirus perks at no extra cost, making it an exceptional value-for-money investment.
Price. TotalVPN only offers one subscription option, which is the one-year plan. The monthly cost equates to $1.58/month, but you’ll have to pay the entire sum upfront. Note that the price may change once the initial subscription year is over.
| Plan duration | 1 year |
| Price (monthly) | $1.58/month |
| Total price | $18.96 |
| Savings | 85% |
Security. You won’t have to worry about any cybersecurity issues because TotalVPN is packaged with Total Adblock and TotalAV at no additional cost. Regarding VPN protection, TotalVPN provides AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and a reliable no-logs policy.
Speed. Connectivity isn’t TotalVPN’s strong suite because it lacks the cutting-edge WireGuard protocol. Instead, it provides solid speeds with OpenVPN and IKEv2 tunneling protocols
Extra features. As mentioned before, the TotalVPN package covers every critical cybersecurity front. Total Adblock will nullify ads, trackers, and malicious websites. Meanwhile, TotalAV will monitor your device 24/7 for malware and other dangerous files. You can also unlock Total Password to strengthen your online account security.
You can get a taste of all these perks risk-free using the provider’s reliable 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. CyberGhost – budget-friendly VPN with loads of servers
| Simultaneous connections: | 7 |
| Money-back guarantee: | 45-day money-back guarantee |
| Cheapest price: | $2.04/month (2-year plan) |
| Current deal: | 🔥Holiday deal! Get CyberGhost VPN, now 84% + 4 months FREE!🔥 |
CyberGhost is one of the best low-cost VPNs with an extensive server network and prices starting from $2.04/month. With over 10,200 servers in 100 countries, you’re getting yourself a VPN that excels in security and features to protect your online activities and other data.
Price: The best part about CyberGhost is its price – the plans start at just $2.04/month for the 2-year plan. Plus, there’s a 45-day money-back guarantee if you’d like to try it out. All this makes it one of the most budget-friendly VPNs out there.
| Plan duration | 2 years | 6 month | 1 month |
| Price (monthly) | $2.04/month | $6.99/month | $12.99/month |
| Total price | $52.56 | $83.88 | $12.99 |
| Savings | 84% | 46% | – |
Security: For just a little over 2 dollars, CyberGhost ensures advanced security measures. It implements the market-leading AES-256 encryption to secure your data, has a strict no-logs policy, and specialized servers, and is based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction.
Speed: CyberGhost offers reliable connection speeds and the modern WireGuard tunneling protocol (besides IKEv2 and OpenVPN). During our testing, we didn’t experience any lag while streaming or broadcasting, as the service retained around 84% of initial connection speeds.
Extra features: After reviewing it ourselves, we found that CyberGhosts also excels at bypassing blocks on geo-restricted content. So you can access various streaming platforms, such as Netflix, Hulu, Max, and more. Plus, this provider offers great compatibility with different operating systems and browsers and is easy to use.
Whether you’re in it for streaming or staying secure without compromising speeds, CyberGhost is a cheap VPN solution for it all.
For more information, visit our CyberGhost review.
How we selected these cheapest VPNs
Looking for the cheapest good VPN means looking for the best possible value. Therefore, we tested, analyzed, and selected the best cheap VPN providers based not solely on the price but also on the value of money, money-saving flexible subscription plans, security suite, and other criteria. Here are some of them:
- Price value. To compile our list, we evaluated what a VPN has to offer for its given price. Too often, you can find mediocre services that have a premium product price tag. But on this list, you’ll find the cheapest paid VPNs that also ensure high quality.
- Free trial. We looked into and chose those VPN providers that offer to try their service with a free trial first before committing. The standard free trial length is 7 days, however, its applicability may differ between apps for different devices.
- Money-back guarantee. Along with free trials, we also looked for money-back guarantees. They offer a safety net in case you decide you don’t want the service even after paying for it. You can also use a premium VPN for a short time for free.
- Server locations. We made sure that our suggested cheapest VPNs have vast and well-distributed server networks to ensure the best connection speeds and overall functionalities.
- Number of devices. We made sure that all the cheapest VPNs on our list offer more than one (1) device connection, so you can connect to multiple devices at once.
- Security features. Even if a VPN is cheap, it should ensure a high security level so that no third parties, including corporations and malicious actors, could access your information. Strong encryption, secure tunneling, and an active kill switch are necessary technical traits to protect your data.
- Privacy policy. Your VPN service provider should respect your anonymity, so it's imperative that they have a no-logs policy. This shows dedication to keeping you incognito no matter who comes in requesting your data. An independent audit of this no-logs policy is also a good way to build trust.
Cheap VPN price comparison
If you’re wondering which is the cheapest yet high-quality VPN subscription, take a look at a quick VPN price comparison of our chosen services below.
| Surfshark | NordVPN | Norton | TotalVPN | CyberGhost | IPVanish | PureVPN | ExpressVPN | PrivateVPN | Ivacy VPN | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Rating | |||||||||||
| Free trial | Yes, 7-day | Yes, 7-day | Yes, 7-day | No | Yes, 1-day on a desktop, 3-day on Android, and 7-day on iOS | Yes, 7-day | Yes, 7-day | Yes, 7-day for mobile devices | Yes, 7-day | Yes, 1-day | Yes, unlimited |
| Price (lowest price per month) | $1.99/month | $2.99/month | $2.49/month | $1.58/month | $2.04/month | $2.49/month | $2.08/month | $6.67/month | $2.00/month | $1.00/month | $3.99/month |
| Simultaneous connections | Unlimited | 6 | 10 | 6 | 7 | Unlimited | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 60 days | 30 days | 45 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
How to buy a VPN cheap?
Buying a cheap VPN is an effortless task, but you first have to find the best VPN deal or VPN coupon for you. Then, all you need to do is follow this quick tutorial:
- Choose a cheap VPN. We recommend Surfshark, which is now 82% off and comes at $1.99/month.
- Go to the official website or follow our automatic coupons.
-
Choose a subscription term. Usually, the longer you buy for, the cheaper you pay.
-
Enter your email address and pick a payment method.
- Complete the purchase and download the app.
- After installation, log in to the app.
- Connect to a server and that’s it!
Is a cheap VPN safe?
Yes, cheap VPNs are generally safe if you choose a reputable provider. Some VPNs are known to be low-priced but have a questionable reputation in terms of data collection practices.
However, if you pick time-tested and trustworthy cheap VPN services, they’ll only improve your cybersecurity posture. VPNs encrypt your data, making it unreadable to third-party eyes. This includes malicious actors and your Internet service provider (ISP). Plus, such services hide your IP address, so everything you do online is known to you and you only.
All VPNs on this list are among the best of the best, yet they are also quite cheap! As for the most attention-worthy one, we suggest Surfshark – our top pick.
To learn more, read what makes VPN safe: Are VPNs secure?
Is it worth it to try and save money on a VPN?
Yes, it’s worth saving money on a VPN but you can get just as good quality with cheap ones if you choose wisely. VPNs aren't a luxury product – if you score a good deal, it can cost you as little as a few dollars per month. And it won’t even compromise on speeds or security.
That’s because the competition between VPN providers keeps prices in check. Still, there are many affordable VPNs to choose from, which can seem daunting if you're not sure what to look for.
Our top VPN recommendation is Surfshark and it will cost you only $1.99/month when buying for 2 years. Its inexpensive plans and exclusive subscription deals together with advanced security, privacy, and additional features take the spotlight. We recommend trying it out with a free 7-day trial for macOS, Android, or iOS devices, or a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Best Cheap VPN: conclusion
A good VPN does not have to be expensive, and luckily, there are plenty of reliable, good quality cheap VPNs that offer excellent features, speed, and security for the lowest prices. Additionally, many of them have free trials and money-back guarantees you can use to get yourself the cheapest VPN deal.
Our best cheap VPN recommendation is Surfshark. Its monthly 2-year plan price is just $1.99/month, and it has a 7-day free trial for Android, Mac, and iOS. Also, you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee.
More VPN guides from Cybernews:
Best VPNs for Windows 11: find your ideal VPN and secure your Windows PC
Best VPNs for Mac: make your Apple device even more private
Best VPNs for crypto trading: completely safe to unblock trading sites
Best VPNs with a free trial: try a VPN without spending a single penny
Best lifetime VPNs: high-quality VPNs with a long-term subscription
FAQ
What's the cheapest VPN in 2023?
The cheapest VPN in 2023 on the market is Surfshark. Its subscription plans start at just $1.99/month, which is the most budget-friendly price considering this VPN’s advanced feature suite. It also offers a flexible 30-day money-back guarantee and even has a free trial to try the service out.
What is a good price for a VPN?
VPN’s price will differ depending on your needs and budget. While there’s no one-size-fits-all, you should consider the price and feature suite ratio. Normally, quality VPNs range between $2 and $5 a month for long-term subscription plans.
How much do VPNs cost?
On average, a monthly VPN cost is around $7. In most countries, this is less than you would pay for Netflix. Plus, you can pay even less by going for a longer VPN subscription.
What makes VPNs expensive?
While it’s not always the case, VPNs are expensive because they have to maintain their servers. And considering that they usually have thousands around the world, that can make up to huge sums.
Do you have to compromise on features with a cheap VPN?
No, if you choose wisely, you don’t have to compromise on features when getting a cheap VPN. Even if they’re low-cost, VPNs should provide you with the basic online security measures to keep your data safe. Plus, it shouldn’t compromise on speeds either – it should retain enough speed on average for both casual browsing and streaming.
Comments
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are markedmarked