Protecting your privacy with a VPN doesn’t have to break the bank. Free VPNs often have built-in restrictions, and some even collect and sell the data they should be protecting. PCMag has been testing VPNs for years, and we’ve seen this before. That’s why we’ve assembled this list of industry-leading services with affordable prices—you won’t find any here for more than $9.99 per month. Proton VPN tops the list thanks to its reasonable premium plan and stellar free version. However, there are plenty of other great options on this list. Read on to see which one is the best fit for you.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
- Best free VPN subscription yet
- Numerous advanced privacy tools
- Strong customer privacy stance
- Large server network
- Slick, accessible client
- Excellent upload speed scores
Proton VPN is $9.99 monthly, though that price drops a lot when you spring for a one or two-year plan. Proton offers VPN customers a dazzlingly diverse server selection, plus adblocking, double-hop connections, malware protection, split tunneling, and up to 10 simultaneous device connections. The free version is a great option, too. For no cost, you can use the no-log VPN service without any data limits on one device.
If you’re looking for an affordable, easy-to-use VPN service that provides a legible privacy policy, Proton VPN is a great option. Proton has a no-logs policy and publishes regular transparency reports. Proton accepts cash and crypto payments in a further nod toward preserving your privacy. Another green flag: Proton offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all subscriptions.
Simultaneous VPN Connections
10
Server Locations
117 countries
Free Version Data Limit
Unlimited
Learn More
Proton VPN Review
Best for Unlimited Device Usage
TunnelBear VPN
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Excellent privacy policy
- Annual independent audits
- Friendly, approachable design
- No multi-hop connections
- Unimpressive customer support
Tunnnelbear’s monthly plan is $9.99, but that price drops considerably if you commit to a one or three-year service plan. For that price, you can use Tunnelbear across unlimited devices without any data limits. One particular feature of note: The city-level server selection makes finding and saving a familiar location easy.
If you have a lot of devices, Tunnelbear is the right option for you. As for other perks, the app has split tunneling, and the company’s privacy policy includes a no-log statement. No logging means that Tunnelbear VPN does not collect your IP address or any DNS queries while you’re connected, which is great. There’s a free option, too, but it’s somewhat limited.
Simultaneous VPN Connections
Unlimited
Server Locations
46 Countries
Free Version Data Limit
2GB per month
Learn More
TunnelBear VPN Review
- Affordable
- Requires no email or account information
- Radically transparency
- Open Netflix access in all regions tested
- Awkward desktop interface
- No transparency report or warrant canary
- Servers in a small range of countries
At 5 euros for a monthly subscription ($5.88 as of publication), Mullvad VPN is a great value in a crowded market. The open-source app shows a commitment to privacy from the start by using an anonymous number system to identify your account in lieu of an email and password combination. The privacy policy is concise and easy to read, too.
If you’re looking for an ultra-low-price, ultra-private VPN, Mullvad is an excellent value. Mullvad has a no-logs policy on its website that breaks down its fairly minimal data retention strategy. Impressively, you can even pay for your Mullvad VPN subscription using cash! Just put the money in an envelope with your payment token. Mullvad’s policy promises the employees handling the mail will shred all the non-money content, but, of course, refrain from writing your name or return address on the envelope!
Simultaneous VPN Connections
5
Server Locations
38 Countries
Free Version Data Limit
No Free Version
Learn More
Mullvad VPN Review
Best for Simplifying Privacy
Windscribe VPN
- Industry-leading company transparency and communication
- Large number of payment options
- Best free plan of any VPN we’ve tested
- Helpful AI support bot
- Open Netflix access in all regions benchmarked
- Unlimited number of simultaneous connections and devices
- Anonymous signup allowed
Windscribe costs $9 monthly, though you can save a little more with the app’s unique Build A Plan. This pricing model allows you to pay just $1 per location you connect to monthly. There’s also a free version of the app, which limits you to 10GB of browsing data by using a confirmed email over servers in 10 countries. If you choose not to provide an email address, you can still use up to 2GB of data. The Windscribe Unlimited subscription gets you access to MAC address spoofing, a secure hotspot, proxy server creation tools, split tunneling, a firewall, and double-hop connections.
Like IVPN and Mullvad, Windscribe’s privacy policy is very easy to read. The app’s code is open source, and Windscribe has a no-logs policy. As another bonus for the privacy wonks, the company publishes regular updates to its Transparency Report, which shows Windscribe customer data requests from copyright and law enforcement agencies.
Simultaneous VPN Connections
Unlimited
Server Locations
69 Countries
Free Version Data Limit
10GB Per Month
Learn More
Windscribe VPN Review
Best for Video Streaming
Hide.me VPN
- Ten simultaneous connections
- Reliable Netflix access
- Privacy-first policies
- Affordable
- Full-featured free plan
For $9.95 monthly, Hide.me provides access to thousands of servers in more than 90 countries, firewall protection, a kill switch, and split tunneling. You can keep up to 10 connections going simultaneously, which is a big deal for families or anyone with several devices. The free version has no data limits, which is excellent, but its server selection is very limited, the connection speeds are slower, and you can only connect one device at a time.
If you plan to watch a lot of movies or shows on Hulu, Netflix, or other video streaming services, Hide.me’s unlimited traffic is a major plus. The app also has a no-logs policy, undergoes independent security audits, and doesn’t collect a lot of personal data at sign-up, all of which are ideal for a privacy tool.
Simultaneous VPN Connections
10
Server Locations
89
Free Version Data Limit
10GB Per Month
Learn More
Hide.me VPN Review
Best for Staying Anonymous
IVPN
- Flexible, affordable pricing
- Powerful multi-hop system
- Privacy is baked into its account system
- Strong stance on transparency
- Offers few server locations
- Multi-hop and account ID features might confuse some
IVPN’s starter plan costs $6 per month and includes support for two devices and an anti-tracking tool. The $10 per month plan adds support for five more devices and multi-hop capability.
IVPN’s policies imply that the company is serious about protecting your identity online. The app doesn’t require an email to sign up, it is open source, it accepts crypto payments, and it has private DNS servers. That’s more than enough to consider IVPN to be a quality investment in your privacy toolbox.
Simultaneous VPN Connections
7
Server Locations
32 Countries
Free Version Data Limit
No Free Version
Get Our Best Stories!
All the Latest Tech, Tested by Our Experts
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
The Best Cheap VPNs for 2025
Compare Specs
Buying Guide: The Best Cheap VPNs for 2025
How We Choose the Best Cheap VPN Services
We’ve set the standard for affordability to $10 per month. Many VPNs advertise incredibly cheap subscriptions of $2 to $4 per month, but those deals aren’t always what they seem. More often than not, you have to pay for two or three years at once to get that discount. A true monthly subscription offers much more flexibility if the VPN no longer covers regions you need or drops in quality. So, when we say a subscription costs X dollars per month, we’re talking about the no-discount standard plan. You can view the price breakdown for every VPN we have reviewed in the chart below:
Additionally, only VPNs that scored at least four out of five stars in our tests were considered for this list. Cheap doesn’t need to mean a poor experience. Oh, and if you don’t want to spend any cash at all, we have a list of free VPNs that offer some compelling features if you’re willing to compromise on speed and server access.
Should I Pay for a VPN?
Free VPNs are, at best, a temporary solution. Even the best free options are going to have major restrictions like limited bandwidth, capped speeds, data limits, and reduced server access. Privacy protection comes at a cost. While there are a handful of good free options, there are just as many that profit from your data. A no-name service offering a free plan that appears too good to be true is often exactly that.
Paying for a VPN doesn’t eliminate that risk entirely, which is why we’ve curated this list of affordable services that we trust not to pilfer your data. If you stray from this selection, be sure to research each company you intend to purchase from thoroughly by reading the privacy policy and terms of service. Additionally, consider reading our guide on the criteria we use when evaluating a VPN to help you make an informed decision.
Are Cheap VPNs Fast?
It depends. Much like more expensive VPNs, the performance you experience will be influenced by factors like your region, local infrastructure, server load, and your proximity to the nearest physical server. A higher-priced subscription tier doesn’t automatically equate to better speeds. Given the variables at play, performance scores aren’t the main feature we look for when reviewing a VPN.
That said, we prefer that the performance impact be minimal. Your speeds shouldn’t slow to a crawl while you’re connected to a VPN. Each option on this list meets or exceeds expectations in terms of speed. The chart below lists the performance results of every VPN we’ve tested.
It’s worth noting that chasing optimal performance really only works out locally. You’ll get the best speeds when connected to a nearby server. If you were using a VPN to circumvent the Pornhub ban in the US, you may want to connect to a server in Mexico or Canada. That connection is going to be much slower than if you connected to a server in your home state or city. Instead of focusing on speed, we recommend finding a reputable VPN at the right price that has the features you want.
Are Cheap VPNs Trustworthy?
Some are. Some aren’t. Whether you can trust a VPN is dependent on its history, privacy policy, and how it has handled requests for user data in real scenarios. A no-name service promising a rock-bottom price with nothing to back that up isn’t trustworthy. Whichever company you pick has the potential to have complete insight into your online activities. The best VPNs have clear and transparent policies for protecting your information.
Recommended by Our Editors
We scour privacy policies, review recent audits, consult with company representatives, and evaluate the VPN’s response to past inquiries from government agencies when we review a service. This process gives us a clear picture of how much you can trust an individual company, and you can review those findings in any of our full-length reviews. It’s best to conduct similar research of your own when choosing a VPN, especially if you’re unfamiliar with it.
However, data leaks do happen. Every week, thousands of private data records fall into hackers’ hands because a company fails to secure its customers’ data. Governments around the world have yet to do anything effective to stop this, so you have to take precautions to avoid giving up so much of your private information online, including when using a VPN.
