Best Cheap VPN 2024: 5 Most Affordable and Reliable VPNs

Getting an affordable, yet reliable VPN seems like an impossible mission nowadays. Pretty much all providers promise you everything you want to hear, only to ultimately disappoint in practice. This is something we experience daily, as we frequently test different services.

The truth be told, many cheap VPN providers in 2024 are going to follow this route since cheap prices and great Virtual Private Networks don’t usually go with each other. And that’s where our expertise comes in.

We tested more than 300 providers, both cheap and expensive, carefully examining each provider. We did this in a bid to give you the most affordable VPN providers that, despite being very cheap, still offer impressive levels of security, performance, and many other crucial features.

Thus, today, we will talk about the best affordable VPN in 2024 and give you our 5 favorite picks. We’ll also talk about our criteria for selection, answer some interesting topic-related questions, and of course, help you save money on a VPN subscription.

What Exactly Is a Cheap (Affordable) VPN?

Before giving you our list, we need to clarify one very important thing.

Namely, the cheap Virtual Private Network providers we’re going to talk about are not ranked solely by their price. As said, many of them are not great and you should avoid them if you don’t want to ruin your privacy.

For that reason, our main criteria revolve around the price/performance ratio. This means that a VPN that’s not expensive must ALSO provide good performance, rock-solid security, and other important features of a VPN service.

Simply put, there’s no point in focusing solely on the cheapest VPNs. By doing so, we would neglect their quality and give you the providers you probably wouldn’t like for whatever reason. Sure, you’ll save a lot of money but the result will be your dissatisfaction, making your savings pretty much useless.

That being said, there are cheaper VPNs than the ones on the list, but they’re not as great in terms of security and performance.

Best Affordable VPN Providers in 2024 [Cheaper Than $2 a Month!]

With our little disclaimer out of the way, I think it’s time we get to the nitty-gritty of the subject. Wondering what are the best cheap VPN services? Keep reading to find out!

1. NordVPN

NordVPN is the best choice on this list. While it’s not the cheapest VPN in 2024 per se, it comes with outstanding features that you can get for less than $3.5 a month. For the start, we should address its server fleet of 6,400+ servers in 111+ countries, which isn’t the most impressive part.

Besides, NordVPN is one of the most secure providers on the market. It has dedicated P2P servers, but also Double VPN and obfuscated servers for doubling your level of encryption and bypassing censorship respectively.

We especially like its Onion Over VPN servers that let you browse the dark web in complete anonymity. That apart, NordVPN provides rock-solid 256-bit encryption, an automatic kill switch, and split tunneling, further accompanied by NordLynx.

With this proprietary protocol, NordVPN gives you blazing-fast speeds great for torrenting or streaming. It’s a great VPN for Netflix US as well, but you can utilize it to watch Hulu or Disney+ abroad. Given its Panamanian jurisdiction, NordVPN isn’t obligated to store any logs.

Thus, its privacy policy has been audited by PwC and Deloitte several times, proving its no-logging claims. Moreover, this affordable VPN is fairly easy to use as well and offers applications for all major platforms. You can, therefore, install it on Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, and even routers and Smart TVs.

While it gives you 10 simultaneous connections (3 more than CyberGhost), its 24/7 live chat support is also something to write home about. Unlike CyberGhost, NordVPN works in censored countries and you can use it in China or Russia effortlessly.

Now, price-wise, it will usually cost way less than $3.5 a month for a 2-year plan. The great thing is that it always offers a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee for all plans. This allows you to test NordVPN without the risk of losing any money, in case you don’t like it for any reason.

To make sure you get the latest prices on NordVPN, click on the button below. By doing so, you’ll be able to get the best discounts and claim the cheapest possible price on this VPN.

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2. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is one of the best value VPN services you can find in 2024. It’s surprising what an affordable VPN like this one can give you, starting with 12,000+ servers in 100 countries globally. Among them, you’ll find dedicated streaming, torrenting, and gaming servers, for added versatility.

Speaking of which, despite its affordable price, CyberGhost is great for P2P activities and streaming. You’ll be able to use it to watch Netflix US, enjoy BBC iPlayer abroad, or unblock foreign TV channels outside of their respective countries.

Those worried about security can put an end to their worries. CyberGhost comes with a reliable kill switch, IP/DNS leak protection, and military-grade 256-bit AES encryption to shield your privacy. To that, we need to add an ad-blocker and WireGuard support for better performance. Find out more in our full CyberGhost VPN review.

Being based in Romania, CyberGhost’s cheap pricing is expected. What’s also expected is an audited no-logging policy, which guarantees that no logs are stored on its servers. And CyberGhost isn’t obligated to do so thanks to its privacy-friendly jurisdiction.

Furthermore, we must mention its amazing device support. This means that you can install it on any device you can think of and enjoy 7 simultaneous connections on a single subscription. CyberGhost includes 24/7 live chat support too, should any VPN-related issues appear.

As said, this is the best cheap VPN in 2024 and it’s among the most affordable choices on the list. To be precise, it will cost you less than $2.3 a month for its 2-year plan, where you almost always get 2 months FREE on top of that.

We also need to mention its 45-day money-back guarantee. It applies to plans longer than one month, allowing you to test CyberGhost infinitely during this period. Since it’s so affordable, you can’t expect it to be better than ExpressVPN, for example.

However, if you don’t mind the fact that it doesn’t work in China, which is the only noticeable downside, CyberGhost will give you a lot for your money.

As the prices change from time to time, make sure you click on the button below to get the cheapest available deal on CyberGhost and get the best discounts.

Get CyberGhost for Under $2.5 a Month

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3. Surfshark

Surfshark has been on the market for quite some time, offering extremely affordable prices and great security. This Netherlands-based VPN provider comes with more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries, giving you a fairly large server fleet.

Being one of the best cheap VPN services in 2024, it is characterized by decent performance (not the best) and lots of security features. It does offer 256-bit AES encryption but also a kill switch, split tunneling, and an ad-blocker that never fails to impress.

With WireGuard support in place, Surfshark cemented its place on the list of the best, most affordable VPN providers. However, if you pay a bit over $1 a month, you can get its special Surfshark One which adds an antivirus, true incognito mode, and Alerts, that will alert you if your email address is compromised.

Surfshark will cost you less than $2.5 a month as well. For this price, you get one of the best VPNs for Netflix, as Surfshark works with the US, UK, Canadian, and Japanese libraries. Moreover, its torrenting capabilities are excellent.

Speaking of torrenting, Surfshark is all about anonymity. And being based in the Netherlands, it isn’t forced to store any logs, hence, all users can enjoy a log-free experience, which is backed up by a certified zero-logs policy.

My favorite thing about Surfshark is unlimited simultaneous connections. I mean, you can use it on an infinite number of devices with just one subscription that costs less than $2.5 a month. To crown its excellence, the VPN even includes 24/7 support that’s fast, helpful, and dependable.

Much like every other affordable VPN in 2024, Surfshark covers your purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee. In that case, you can test it out risk-free without losing any money in case you don’t like it or don’t need it anymore.

It has a few downsides like occasional long connection times and not the best performance. For the price, however, I think that finding a better deal is only possible in NordVPN, as the two VPNs are very similar in pricing.

Make sure you check Surfshark’s latest deal and get the best prices through the button below.

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4. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is a surprisingly cheap VPN that makes the word “cheap” have a different meaning. You see, it’s not the most affordable VPN in 2024, but it’s pretty close to that. A part of that has to do with its humongous server network of 30,000 servers in 90+ countries.

If that’s not impressive enough, PIA VPN is one of the most secure providers you can get. Apart from bank-grade encryption and a dependable kill switch, you can expect an ad-blocker (PIA Mace), WireGuard support, and a palette of advanced security features.

This makes Private Internet Access suitable for both advanced users and newcomers. Now, PIA VPN is based in the United States, which should raise eyebrows among users who care about security. However, despite its 5 Eyes jurisdiction, PIA remains a no-log provider to the core.

In fact, it proved that it stores no logs several times and so far, never had a single incident related to exposing users’ privacy. After all, it’s a sister company of ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, so you can expect almost the same level of quality. Read our PIA review to learn more.

While not my favorite inexpensive VPN for streaming, I do enjoy its P2P capabilities. Also, I like its unlimited simultaneous connections on one account, as well as decent, albeit not the best device support. Given that Private Internet Access costs a whisker over $2, it’s impressive what you get for the money.

Some of its bonus features include PIA Antivirus, cheap dedicated IP addresses, and a free email breach monitor. Even if you pay a bit more for them, Private Internet Access will remain affordable and won’t cost you a fortune.

As said, this is one of the cheapest VPN services on the list. Of course, its long-term plans yield the best discounts. However, you get a 30-day money-back guarantee for all subscription plans, and sometimes, PIA throws you in 3 months free on top of the longest (3-year) plan.

Prices of VPNs tend to change, as always, so to stay up to date with the best deal on PIA VPN, make sure you use the button below. Through it, you’ll be able to get it for the cheapest possible price.

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5. Proton VPN

Do you want a VPN cheaper than $3.7 a month? In that case, you might want to check Proton VPN. Proton VPN is one of the most affordable providers in 2024 that also isn’t a slouch. Its 6,600 servers in 111+ locations are going to make you jump in excitement, as the provider offers even more servers than Surfshark and NordVPN.

Proton VPN plays with different cards compared to many of its rivals. Its focus is security and privacy but also cramming in as many features for the money. Hence, you’ll be able to enjoy the strongest encryption, a solid kill switch, Secure Core servers, an ad-blocker called NetShield, and lots of security-focused and dedicated servers.

Proton VPN gives you P2P, Streaming, Torrenting, and Onion Over VPN servers. The last ones are especially interesting because they let you use Tor with a VPN and go to the dark web anonymously. Torrenting servers, as expected, allow for anonymous P2P on all devices.

WireGuard support is here as well, but Proton VPN gives you OpenVPN as well. Moreover, Proton VPN is a product of Proton, and you can, therefore, expect the same focus on privacy. It’s based in Switzerland, which, in this case, is just amplifying its crystal-clear zero-logging policy.

Sadly, Proton VPN’s streaming servers could be slightly more capable. It often works with Netflix US but fails to unblock more than 8 to 10 catalogs. On the good side, you can enjoy 10 simultaneous connections, decent device support, and stellar speeds with WireGuard.

However, be aware that Proton VPN doesn’t support Smart DNS just yet, making it a bit less versatile than other best-value VPN services on this list. Still, for a Starbucks coffee price, you get 24/7 live chat support and easy-to-use VPN apps for all major platforms.

Proton VPN makes things better by backing you up with a 30-day money-back guarantee for all subscription plans. Needless to say, testing it out is risk-free and if you don’t want to get the longest plan, know that other plans are fairly affordable as well.

Since we’re talking about a VPN that improves over time, its prices are bound to change. Thus, to stay in touch with the latest and greatest (and cheapest!) prices for this service, use the button below!

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How Did We Choose the Best Affordable VPN Providers for 2024?

If you’ve checked our list of the best affordable VPN services, you noticed that we presented just 5 choices, whereas, there are many cheap providers on the market.

That is because we use very strict criteria that every provider must fulfill without exception. Here’s what we looked for in our low-cost VPN options.

Security & Privacy

Security and privacy are the two most important criteria when looking for a VPN that’s not expensive. Inexpensive VPNs tend to cut costs in terms of security features, meaning that your online privacy can suffer as a result.

For that reason, we made sure to give you the best affordable VPNs that don’t follow this route. We looked for mandatory features like 256-bit encryption but also a kill switch that will prevent any potential IP or DNS leaks.

Furthermore, an affordable VPN must include advanced security features. Apart from OpenVPN support, we want protocols like WireGuard or NordLynx in NordVPN, which is an even better solution. As you saw, all providers from the list tick these boxes.

While testing all of the cheapest VPNs, we also performed IP and DNS leak tests. By doing so, we made sure that none of them would accidentally leak your IP and DNS addresses to the public eye.

No-Logs Policy

Another very important factor is a no-logs policy. In my opinion, every Virtual Private Network provider MUST have this in place. Otherwise, the purpose of using this service doesn’t exist, as the provider can still collect and manage your personal info the way it wants.

Whether or not a VPN will have a no-logs policy depends mainly on the jurisdiction. We value secure countries like Romania, Switzerland, the British Virgin Islands, Panama, and Bulgaria. However, on the list, we have PIA which is based in the US – the most privacy-endangering country.

Still, both of these VPNs offer a crystal-clear no-logs policy that you can rely on. NordVPN and Surfshark, for example, even have external audits on their privacy policies, meaning that all claims are backed up by a third-party cybersecurity company.

We carefully examined each privacy policy and concluded that all providers store very few bits of information that can’t be associated with users. Therefore, you should know that, regardless of your choice, you can enjoy supreme privacy and online security without compromises.

Performance

Performance plays a huge part in how good an affordable VPN is. Once again, cheaper prices mean several cut costs and performance is almost always at the forefront. ExpressVPN isn’t on this list, for instance, and that’s because it’s a bit more expensive.

Conversely, it’s also the best-performing VPN you can get. Don’t worry, though, as we made sure that all the VPNs on this list have at least decent performance. The best choices in this regard are NordVPN, CyberGhost, and Surfshark, while PIA and Proton VPN are a bit slower.

Nevertheless, all VPNs allow you to download files quickly or enjoy streaming in HD on a variety of platforms. We also tested their connection stability to see how often you get disconnected or experience connection issues.

So far, every provider passed the test with flying colors, giving reliable connections even on more distant servers. This makes them great even for gaming, where the low ping and fast internet speeds are of the utmost importance.

Number of Servers

The best affordable VPNs in 2024 must have somewhat large server networks. While we don’t always expect thousands of servers, affordable providers can actually surprise even the most experienced users.

The prime example of that is Private Internet Access which has nearly 30,000 servers. Or perhaps CyberGhost that boasts more than 12,000+ of them in nearly 100 worldwide countries. Having a large server network is important for many things.

For one, large server networks are hard to overcrowd by users. This guarantees that you’ll get the best possible performance and stability, as users are equally distributed across the large server fleet.

Large server networks are also great for bypassing geo-blocks online. If a VPN has servers in lots of countries, you can unblock many more websites and platforms by getting IP addresses from different locations.

Streaming (Netflix Support)

Now that I touched on streaming, this is why many people look for the top affordable VPN providers in 2024. You want to watch Netflix US, Japan, and Canada, right? Well, if that’s what you need, believe it or not, these low-cost VPNs are capable of fulfilling your wishes.

We made sure that a large portion of these providers is streaming-capable. What this means is that they can unblock geo-restricted streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Hotstar, and many more.

NordVPN and CyberGhost are extremely reliable in this case, with Surfshark following closely. They allow you to unblock all the aforementioned platforms and enjoy more than a dozen Netflix libraries.

Private Internet Access isn’t the best solution. However, it’s a solid choice for unblocking foreign TV channels and platforms that are less likely to detect VPN usage.

Of course, given that almost all providers offer more than decent performance, streaming will be enjoyable even in 4K, for the most part.

P2P Capabilities

Those who download a lot will look for a torrenting VPN. P2P capabilities have to do with overall security, performance, and allowance for this type of activity. Luckily, all of the 5 best cheap VPNs offer you this commodity, letting you jump right into it.

Some of them will also give you dedicated P2P servers. This is the case with NordVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, and Proton VPN. Having dedicated servers for this purpose gives you the most optimized torrenting experience, granting you blazing-fast speeds and rock-solid security.

Ease of Use

We understand that many of our readers aren’t going to be as tech-savvy as we are. That’s why we picked VPNs that are not very hard to get into. All VPNs are very easy to set up, and once you get your subscription, installing them takes no more than 30 seconds.

Using them is also quite simple. All of them allow for one-click connections, so you can establish a connection to the server of your choice in merely a few seconds. Moreover, these providers support different devices and we made sure that all of them are mobile-friendly.

This means that you can use any of them on your iOS or Android smartphone the same way, with no additional learning curve. Why not try some of the best affordable VPNs in 2024? You’ll see what we’re talking about!

Simultaneous Connections

Last but not least, we took into account simultaneous connections. This one’s quite simple. If you have more than 10 devices you want to protect, PIA and Surfshark are great options given their unlimited simultaneous connections.

On the flip side, if you’re looking to protect just a few of them, PIA, NordVPN, and CyberGhost are great alternatives. All VPNs on the list offer at least 7 simultaneous connections, so they should be enough even for more demanding users

Customer Support

Don’t you hate it when a VPN doesn’t offer 24/7 support through live chat? We do! And because of that, the choices you see above are never going to disappoint you in this regard.

Their support teams are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are ready to tackle your VPN-related issues. Furthermore, we must mention in-depth guides and knowledge bases that all VPNs proudly boast.

That way, you’ll never run out of solutions for potential issues. Not that they’ll happen a lot, but at least, you’ll have a way of fixing them, instead of waiting for 3 or 4 days for a simple solution.

Which Cheap VPNs to Avoid?

When you see an affordable provider, in most cases, it means it’s not as good as the more expensive one. Our list consists of the best cheap VPNs in 2024 and we tested them personally, so we can say from experience that they’re worth your time and money.

Still, there are affordable services that’ll bait you with cheap prices and false promises that you should avoid. Here are some of them:

1. FastestVPN

FastestVPN is a very affordable provider with a Lifetime plan that allows you to pay once and enjoy the provider forever. Lifetime plans are usually not recommended, as they’re offered by low-quality providers that are most likely going to disappear with your money in the future.

Companies offer these plans to bring in more customers but since it’s a one-time payment, they’ll quickly run out of resources to maintain a VPN service and will be forced to shut it down. Other than that, FastestVPN really isn’t fast and it offers nothing new.

It’s reasonably secure and offers 10 simultaneous connections but nothing more than that. It lacks certain security features, doesn’t offer great streaming capabilities, and it’s not compatible with many devices. Overall, it’s not a great service and it should be avoided.

2. PureVPN

Our recent PureVPN review showed that this is indeed a subpar service. Its history of logging and giving out user-related information to the authorities is quite problematic. In 2024, the VPN is much better but it still lacks stellar streaming capabilities and performance.

Yes, it can be quite cheap, especially if you go for the long-term plan, but don’t expect it to be a great performer compared to NordVPN or CyberGhost. The provider is known for scammy business practices and generally speaking, it’s not very reputable among users online.

PureVPN is rumored to have connections with China and Hong Kong, so it most likely won’t be great from a privacy standpoint. Much like FastestVPN, it’s cheap but not great and among the top 5 providers we presented, you can find significantly better options.

3. McAfee SafeConnect VPN

McAfee SafeConnect VPN is surprisingly cheap and costs just around $40 a year. Compared to our top 5 providers, it looks like a steal deal but it’s not. In our McAfee VPN test, the provider proved to be extremely slow and borderline insecure.

McAfee isn’t the most trustworthy company, so you can expect it to covertly keep sensitive logs. Furthermore, McAfee VPN is useless for streaming and offers slow speeds for torrenting and general browsing. Let’s not forget its poor device support.

With apps only for Windows, iOS, Android, and macOS, Linux and Firestick TV users are left stranded. McAfee SafeConnect VPN also supports just 5 simultaneous connections, which is way lower than other cheap VPNs on this list. All in all, it’s inexpensive but still not worth it.

Conclusion

With everything said, you now know what are our favorite affordable VPNs in 2024. As you can see, a cheap VPN doesn’t have to be bad and if you know where to look, you can find decent providers for not that much money.

Obviously, our favorite is NordVPN, but CyberGhost and Surfshark are great alternatives too. If you want the cheapest VPN, however, PIA is a stellar choice, albeit, with a few downsides that other providers don’t have.

Cheaper VPNs are also available on the market but their quality is questionable, so they didn’t make it on our list.

For the top 5 choices we presented, we can guarantee a high level of quality, rock-solid security, and fast performance, which will make them great companions for your online journeys. And thanks to their money-back guarantee, you can test any of them out risk-free without losing a single penny.

Try NordVPN Today

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FAQ

Let’s wrap things up by answering some important questions related to our favorite cheap VPN providers in 2024.

🤑 How to save money on a VPN subscription?

Okay, so this is a very important question that many people are asking. You see, all VPNs offer a few subscription plans, ranging from monthly, all the way to 3-year plans – sometimes even more.

If you look at the pricing on a monthly basis, you will see that the monthly plan is usually the most expensive. Take a look at CyberGhost prices, for example. Its longest plan costs just below $2.5, while the monthly plan sits at around $13 or so.

This means that you actually save money on a VPN subscription by going for long-term plans! And this is all there is to it. If you don’t want to pay $10 to $20 a month for a VPN, just get a one, two, or three-year plan and your monthly costs will significantly shrink.

Of course, you’ll need to pay upfront, but even in that case, savings are obvious.

🕵️ Are cheap VPNs any good?

Not always. Cheap VPNs are usually not great because affordable prices usually don’t go well with some of the greatest providers. ExpressVPN, for example.

However, not all affordable VPN providers are bad and you can easily see that from our top 5 list. NordVPN and CyberGhost are prime examples of that, as they have millions of satisfied users who prefer them over more expensive options like VyprVPN or Astrill VPN.

It’s important to not have sky-high expectations, though. While cheap providers can be great, in many cases, they’re not going to be better than more expensive ones. In some cases, however, expensive providers can be worse than cheap.

We noticed that Betternet and Urban VPN have extremely expensive plans that go well over NordVPN, CyberGhost, and even ExpressVPN. You’d think that paying for them would yield better performance but the slap of reality would soon get to you.

When it comes to slightly pricier VPNs, ExpressVPN is the king. If you’d like to pay less, as said, stick to NordVPN or CyberGhost.

🆚 Free vs cheap VPN – Which one is better?

A paid VPN is always going to be better than a free one.

Despite that, we still recommend you check out our list of the best free VPN providers in 2024. Here, we explained all the limits of free providers, but for the sake of this article, I’ll give you a short version.

Namely, free VPNs come with limited monthly bandwidth, very slow speeds, and questionable security. Many of them will collect and sell your personal information to third parties to earn revenue, violating your privacy in the process.

Also, they’re not reliable for streaming and they don’t work with Netflix. P2P traffic is very often forbidden, so they can’t be used for torrenting.

Lastly, free VPNs will give you just one connection per account and no 24/7 support, which is typical for providers like Windscribe, ProtonVPN, TunnelBear, and many others.

Now, if you compare what I just said to the best cheap VPN in 2024, you’ll see a huge difference. Apart from unlimited bandwidth and great speeds, the best cheap VPNs will offer stronger security, a no-logs policy, P2P and streaming support, many simultaneous connections, and 24/7 customer service.

When you think about it, all of them, except NordVPN, cost in the neighborhood of $2 a month. Do you think that going for a free VPN is worth it when you can pay this minuscule price and get SO much more? Well, the answer should be right before your eyes at this point.

💸 Should I get a more expensive VPN instead?

If you have an unconstrained budget, my answer would be loud & clear YES.

ExpressVPN is a more expensive VPN, costing just below $6.7 a month. However, it’s more secure, offers significantly faster speeds, and has more reliable connections than any of the best cheap VPNs we presented.

Simply put, more expensive services like ExpressVPN have larger budgets to work with. This means that there’s always enough money for maintaining, improving, and upgrading security and server infrastructure, which results in better service overall.

As said, if budget isn’t a concern, we strongly recommend getting ExpressVPN instead. After all, it gives you a 49% discount and 3 months free for its annual plan, which is backed up by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

By getting this deal, you’ll be able to lower its price significantly and make it much more affordable.