Our ranking
Surfshark 💰 Best value
✅ Unlimited simultaneous connections · Best value for money on the market
CyberGhost 🎬 Streaming king
✅ Largest server network (11,500+) · Servers optimised for Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video
Private Internet Access
✅ 100% open-source apps (GitHub) · No-logs proven in court (FBI 2016 + 2018)
NordVPN 🏆 #1 pick
✅ Fastest VPN thanks to the NordLynx protocol · No-log policy audited three times
| VPN | Rating | Price/month | Servers | Devices | Refund | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surfshark | 9.0/10 | 2,19 €/mo | 3 200+ | Unlimited | 30 d. | See |
| CyberGhost | 8.8/10 | 2,03 €/mo | 11 500+ | 7 devices | 45 d. | See |
| Private Internet Access | 8.5/10 | 1,45 €/mo | 35 000+ | Unlimited | 30 d. | See |
| NordVPN | 9.6/10 | 3,09 €/mo | 9 200+ | 10 devices | 30 d. | See |
Can you really find a good cheap VPN?
Yes, but under two conditions:
- Take a long-term plan (2 or 3 years). That’s where the real discounts are (60-80% vs monthly).
- Avoid suspiciously cheap “barely-a-euro” VPNs that aren’t in our shortlist. These services are either misleading (price jumps on renewal) or low quality.
The 4 VPNs below are all serious, audited and reliable, and on a long-term plan they cost barely more than a couple of coffees a year. For that kind of money, there is no reason to gamble on a dubious free service. Exact prices and scores are shown in the cards and comparison table at the top of this page.
Why these VPNs top the cheap list
The prices and scores that rank these providers are pulled automatically from our database (see the cards and table above). Here we focus on why each one is the best value for the money — the reasoning a raw price tag can’t convey.
Surfshark — best value for money. Surfshark is our number-one budget pick because it removes the usual cheap-VPN compromise: you don’t trade features for price. The killer detail is unlimited simultaneous connections, so one low-cost subscription covers an entire household. On top of that you get a large multi-country network, the CleanWeb ad and tracker blocker, reliable unblocking of Netflix US/UK/JP/FR, Disney+ and BBC iPlayer, a Deloitte-audited no-logs policy, and clean apps on every platform. You get near-flagship quality for budget-tier money — that’s what makes it unbeatable on value.
CyberGhost — the simplest and most generous. Among the cheap options, CyberGhost is the one built for non-technical users. Its servers are labelled by platform (Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Disney+), so a complete beginner just clicks the right label and it works. Back that with the largest server network on the market, a privacy-friendly Romanian jurisdiction, seven simultaneous connections and the longest money-back guarantee in the industry, and you have the ideal “a VPN that just works with Netflix” pick for a household that doesn’t want to fiddle with settings.
Private Internet Access — rock-bottom price. PIA is the cheapest serious VPN in this shortlist, and it’s no token entry: a vast server fleet, unlimited connections, fully open-source apps, and a no-logs policy that has actually been tested — and held up — in court. The two things to weigh are its US jurisdiction (Five Eyes; the authorities can request data in theory, though PIA has repeatedly shown it holds none) and a more technical interface that power users love but beginners may find less friendly than CyberGhost or Surfshark.
NordVPN — a small extra that makes all the difference. NordVPN sits at the top of this list as the “spend a little more, get noticeably more” option. It isn’t strictly a budget VPN, but the gap over the cheapest picks is tiny, and in return you get the fastest performance on the market (NordLynx), a triple-audited no-logs policy, Panama jurisdiction outside every alliance, Threat Protection Pro for malware and ads, and the best streaming unblocking around. If money is genuinely tight, Surfshark or CyberGhost are plenty — but if you can stretch slightly, NordVPN is a clear notch above on speed and versatility.
Comparison table
Per-month prices, commitment terms and scores are in the comparison table at the top of this page. The qualitative summary below is the part that actually drives the budget decision.
| VPN | Best for | Connections | Jurisdiction | Why it’s good value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIA | Lowest price | Unlimited | United States | Cheapest serious VPN, court-proven no-logs |
| CyberGhost | Beginners | 7 | Romania | Per-platform servers + longest guarantee |
| Surfshark | Best overall value | Unlimited | Netherlands | Unlimited devices, near-flagship features |
| NordVPN | A notch above | 10 | Panama | Fastest + best unblocking for a little more |
How to judge whether a cheap VPN is really cheap
The headline monthly figure is the most misleading number in the entire VPN market, because almost every “cheap” price is an introductory rate tied to a long commitment. Before you decide, run any budget VPN through three quick checks — they matter far more than which provider is a few cents cheaper than another.
Look at the total you actually pay, not the per-month figure. A provider advertising a tiny monthly rate over three years still asks for the full multi-year sum up front. The honest way to compare two cheap VPNs is to add up everything you’ll be charged across the whole commitment, then divide by the number of months you realistically expect to keep it. A two-year plan you abandon after eight months was never cheap.
Check the renewal price, not the promo price. This is where budget VPNs make their margin. The introductory discount is generous precisely because the renewal quietly returns to the standard rate, often several times higher. Every provider in our shortlist is upfront about this in its terms — but you still have to read them, note the renewal figure, and set a reminder to cancel or renegotiate before the cycle rolls over.
Make sure “cheap” hasn’t quietly removed something essential. A low price is only a bargain if the fundamentals are intact: an independently audited no-logs policy, modern protocols (WireGuard or equivalent), working streaming unblocking, and responsive support. The reason the four VPNs above earn their place is that none of them cut those corners to hit a low price — which is exactly what separates a genuine value pick from a cheap-looking trap.
When a cheap VPN is the wrong choice
Budget is the right lens for most people, but not everyone. If your priority is maximum download speed for large transfers, the fastest option is worth the small premium over the cheapest. If you handle sensitive work — journalism, activism, anything where jurisdiction is critical — you may prefer a provider based well outside intelligence-sharing alliances over the absolute lowest price, even within this shortlist. And if you only need a VPN for a one-off trip of a week or two, a long commitment makes no sense at all: lean on a serious free tier or a single-month plan instead, and skip the budget-annual maths entirely.
Cheap-VPN pitfalls to avoid
The promo rate that doubles on renewal
This is the most common trick. A VPN sells you a 2-year subscription at a rock-bottom introductory rate. At the end, it auto-renews at four or five times that price. You don’t notice, your card gets charged.
What to do: check the renewal price in the terms of service BEFORE subscribing, and disable auto-renewal 1 month before expiry.
”Free” VPNs that resell your data
According to a study (CSIRO, 2016), 75% of free VPNs contained at least one third-party tracker, and 38% contained malware. You seek privacy, you get the opposite.
The only reliable exceptions: Proton VPN Free and Windscribe Free (to a lesser extent).
Unknown VPNs at knockdown prices
If you’ve never heard of a VPN, if its audits aren’t public, if its head office is murky, run. A VPN without an independent no-logs audit in 2026 doesn’t deserve your trust.
Our final recommendation
- Best value for money Surfshark (unlimited connections, near-flagship features)
- Easiest to use CyberGhost (per-platform servers, 45-day refund)
- Cheapest PIA (lowest price in our shortlist, note the US jurisdiction)
- A notch above for a little more NordVPN (fastest, best unblocking)
All of these services offer 30-45 days of money-back guarantee. Test for a month, decide afterwards — that’s the best way to buy a VPN with no risk.