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Kathy Haan,Kelly Main
Contributor,Editor
Updated: Mar 28, 2024, 10:26am
Edited By
Mark Hooson
Editor
Edited By
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With more people traveling and using public Wi-Fi hotspots, they’re increasingly susceptible to security threats. One way to protect your data is to use a virtual private network, or VPN, to veil your data from unscrupulous hackers and prying eyes. These networks encrypt your traffic so no one can see your activity.
Not all VPNs are created equal, and some can be quite costly. That’s why Forbes Advisor has compiled a list of the nine best cheap VPNs. Read on to find the best fit for your needs.
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- Featured Partners
- The Best Cheap VPNs of 2024
- CyberGhost
- Private Internet Access
- Surfshark
- TorGuard
- Hotspot Shield
- VyprVPN
- IPVanish
- Bitdefender Premium VPN
- Windscribe
- Methodology
- What Makes a Good, Cheap VPN?
- What Does a VPN Do?
- How Does a Cheap VPN Affect Your Speed?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Find The Best VPNs
- Best UK VPN Services
- Best Mobile VPNs
- Fastest VPNs
- Best Business VPNs
VPN Reviews
- NordVPN Review
- ExpressVPN Review
- Surfshark VPN Review
Featured Partner Deals
1
NordVPN
Plan Costs
£3.59/month or £53.85/year
# of Servers
5200+
Encryption
AES-256
1
NordVPN
On NordVPN’s Secure Website
Get 69% off + 3/mo free
2
UltraVPN
Plan Costs
£1.56/month or £18.75/year
# of Servers
1,000+
Encryption
AES-256 bit security
2
UltraVPN
On UltraVPN’s Website
Get 70% off
3
Surfshark
Plan Costs
As low as £1.69 per month
# of Servers
3200+
Encryption
AES with 256-bit keys
3
Surfshark
On Surfshark’s Website
Get 85% off + 2/mo free
4
ExpressVPN
Plan Costs
£5.61/month or £84.10/year
# of Servers
3,000+
Encryption
AES with 256
4
ExpressVPN
On ExpressVPN’s Secure Website
Get 49% off + 3/mo free
The Best Cheap VPNs of 2024
- CyberGhost:Best for plug-and-play solutions
- Private Internet Access:Best for tech-savvy users
- Surfshark:Best for beginners
- TorGuard:Best for international travelers
- Hotspot Shield:Best for streaming
- VyprVPN:Best for security
- IPVanish:Best for unlimited connections
- Bitdefender Premium VPN:Best for remote workers
- Windscribe:Best free VPN
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Plug-and-Play Solutions
CyberGhost
4.6
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
One-Year Plan Price
$51.48 (£42.42)
Money-Back Guarantee
45 days
Server locations
Located in 91 countries
On CyberGhost's Secure Website
One-Year Plan Price
$51.48 (£42.42)
Money-Back Guarantee
45 days
Server locations
Why We Picked It
CyberGhost offers one of the most user-friendly experiences in the VPN space. The Romania-based company provides clear and concise privacy rules and maintains a strict no-logs policy. This means it doesn’t record your browsing history, accessed websites, IP address, session duration, bandwidth usage or VPN server connections.
Protect your Windows, iOS, Linux, Mac, Android, gaming consoles, routers and smart TVs. With a subscription, you can safeguard up to seven devices. CyberGhost is fast and boasts features such as over 100 locations in 91 countries, 24/7 customer support, 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch and a 45-day money-back guarantee when choosing a one-year or longer plan.
Who should use it:
CyberGhost is best for those who want an easy-to-use interface and lots of features.
Read more:
Read our full CyberGhost VPN Review.
Pros & Cons
- Over 100 locations in 91 countries
- 24/7 customer support
- Connect up to seven devices
- Pricier than the competition
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Tech-Savvy Users
Private Internet Access
4.5
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
One-Year Plan Price
$39.95 (£32.92)
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
Located in 84 countries
On Privateinternetaccess.com's Secure Website
One-Year Plan Price
$39.95 (£32.92)
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
Located in 84 countries
Why We Picked It
Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the most popular VPN providers on the market, and for good reason. It’s fast, it’s cheap and it’s open source. PIA encrypts your data not just at the transport layer but also at the application layer. This means that even if your VPN connection were to drop, your data would still be protected.
PIA has a strict no-logs policy, and it doesn’t track or store user activity data. Protect up to ten devices with a PIA subscription, which includes Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox extensions.
Who should use it:
PIA is best for those who are privacy-conscious and want a VPN with advanced security features.
Read more:
Read our full PIA VPN Review.
Pros & Cons
- Includes ad blocking
- Accepts cryptocurrency and third-party gift cards for total anonymity
- Advanced split tunnelling
- Laypeople may not get the full benefit of PIA’s potential because it takes coding knowledge
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Beginners
Surfshark
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
One-Year Plan Price
$47.88 (£39.95)
(renews at $59.76 (£49.24))
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
65 countries
Via Surfshark's Secure Website
One-Year Plan Price
$47.88 (£39.95)
(renews at $59.76 (£49.24))
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
65 countries
Why We Picked It
Surfshark is one of the most user-friendly VPNs on the market. It’s great for beginners who want a simple interface and don’t need a lot of bells and whistles. Protect unlimited devices and receive 24/7 customer support when choosing Surfshark.
It encrypts your traffic with AES-256-GCM, which is higher than the AES-256 encryption used by the US military. It also offers a strict no-logs policy, a kill switch and malware protection.
Who should use it:
Surfshark is best for people who want a simple, user-friendly VPN.
Pros & Cons
- Over 3,200 server locations in 65 countries
- Unlimited devices
- Change your IP address
- Can make your connection slow on mobile
- Charges more at renewal
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for International Travelers
TorGuard
4.2
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
One-Year Plan Price
$59.99 (£49.43)
(or $9.99 £8.23) per month)
Money-Back Guarantee
7 days
Server locations
More than 3,000
One-Year Plan Price
$59.99 (£49.43)
(or $9.99 £8.23) per month)
Money-Back Guarantee
7 days
Server locations
More than 3,000
Why We Picked It
TorGuard is a highly rated VPN that comes with an impressive array of features and inclusions. Not only does it have over 3,000 servers in over 50 countries with no logs or leaks, an internal encrypted DNS and the ability to have up to eight simultaneous connections, but it also offers some advanced features for frequent international travelers. For example, it has a Stealth proxy and the WireGuard tunneling protocol. It is regarded as a solid VPN for torrenting and even foreign travels as it has been reported to work in some notoriously restrictive countries, such as China (though this cannot be guaranteed).
Who should use it:
Its feature set makes it stand out for international business travelers who want to uphold safety and privacy while visiting restrictive countries.
Pros & Cons
- Up to eight simultaneous connections
- Over 3,000 servers in 50-plus countries
- Internal encrypted DNS
- No logs or leaks
- Supports iOS and Android
- Shorter-than-average free trial
- No free version
- No public audit
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Streaming
Hotspot Shield
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
One-Year Plan Price
$95.99 (£79.09), plus free option available
Money-Back Guarantee
45 days
Server locations
More than 80 countries
One-Year Plan Price
$95.99 (£79.09), plus free option available
Money-Back Guarantee
45 days
Server locations
More than 80 countries
Why We Picked It
Hotspot Shield is one of the few free VPNs on the market. It offers a fast and reliable service with military-grade AES-256 encryption. It also has a strict no-logs policy, meaning your data is never stored or tracked.
With Hotspot Shield, you can unblock websites and streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video. It also includes security features such as a kill switch and malware protection. It’s important to note its free plan only includes one server location, while its paid plans offer over 115 server locations in more than 80 countries.
Who should use it:
Hotspot Shield is best for people who want a free VPN with good security features.
Pros & Cons
- Free seven-day trial
- Optimised for streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and Disney+
- Offers a free-forever plan
- Only one server location for its free plan
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Security
VyprVPN
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
One-Year Plan Price
$100 (£82.40)
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
More than 70
One-Year Plan Price
$100 (£82.40)
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
More than 70
Why We Picked It
VyprVPN is one of the most secure VPNs on the market. It uses the Chameleon protocol, which scrambles your traffic to make it difficult for your ISP or government to detect and block. This makes it a great option for those in countries with restrictive internet laws.
VyprVPN also offers a strict no-logs policy, meaning your data is never stored or tracked. It has servers in more than 70 countries and offers 24/7 customer support.
Who should use it:
VyprVPN is best for those who want a secure VPN with a strict no-logs policy.
Pros & Cons
- Up to 30 simultaneous connections
- 24/7 customer support
- Offers over 300,000 IP addresses
- It’s more expensive than its competition
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Unlimited Connections
IPVanish
3.7
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
One-Year Plan Price
$39.99 (£32.95)
(renews at $89.99 (£74.14))
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
More than 2,000
One-Year Plan Price
$39.99 (£32.95)
(renews at $89.99 (£74.14))
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
More than 2,000
Why We Picked It
IPVanish VPN is a torrent-friendly VPN that makes online safety easy with a simple one-step setup for any device type, so you can be protected no matter how you’re accessing the web. A key selling point is that for just $39.99 (£32.95) per year you can connect an unlimited number of devices with no data cap. It also boasts a large network with over 40,000 IP addresses to protect you from third-party spying.
Who should use it:
IPVanish VPN is the best cheap VPN for those who want the ability to connect to any number of devices with no data caps for a low annual price.
Pros & Cons
- Free 30-day trial and competitively priced plans
- No limit on connections
- Over 75 VPN locations and over 40,000 IP addresses
- Anonymous IP addresses
- Wi-Fi hotspot shield
- Local network protection
- Not as many server locations as some of its top competitors
- No dedicated IP address
- Not the best for streaming
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Remote Workers
Bitdefender Premium VPN
3.1
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
One-Year Plan Price
$29.99 (£24.76)
(renews at $49.99 (£41.27))
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
More than 4,000
On Bitdefender's Secure Website
One-Year Plan Price
$29.99 (£24.76)
(renews at $49.99 (£41.27))
Money-Back Guarantee
30 days
Server locations
More than 4,000
Why We Picked It
Bitdefender is one of the leading providers in the VPN space, offering high-quality protection no matter how you’re using your internet—or where you’re using it. So, whether you’re using your devices for working, gaming, surfing, shopping or streaming at home, in a local cafe or overseas, it has what you need to stay protected and use your devices securely. New users pay just $29.99 (£24.76) for their first year, then $49.99 (£41.27) per year upon renewal, or $6.99 (£5.77) per month with a monthly plan, making it one of the most affordable premium VPNs available.
Who should use it:
Because it’s a solid VPN for just about any use, it’s a good option for everyone—especially those who work remotely and want a versatile VPN.
Pros & Cons
- Low introductory pricing
- Over 4,000 servers in over 49 countries
- Access geo-restricted web content (e.g., YouTube)
- No logs
- No ISP throttling
- Single tunnelling protocol
- Doesn’t unblock all streaming services (e.g., Netflix or Hulu)
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Free VPN
Windscribe
3.1
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
One-Year Plan Price
Free; or $69 (£56.94) per year
(for premium plan)
Money-Back Guarantee
3 days
Server locations
More than 63 countries
One-Year Plan Price
Free; or $69 (£56.94) per year
(for premium plan)
Money-Back Guarantee
3 days
Server locations
More than 63 countries
Why We Picked It
Windscribe is one the best VPNs that does a good job of balancing a multitude of features with a streamlined simplicity, which makes it easy to use and beginner-friendly. It offers a free forever plan as well as a premium plan with more server locations for $69 (£56.94) per year. It also has port forwarding, split tunnelling and multiple config generators, such as Generate OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard.
Who should use it:
Due to its free forever plan, Windscribe is the best free VPN for those on a very tight budget.
Pros & Cons
- Free forever plan available
- Includes multiple config generators
- No logs
- Blocks ads
- Unblocks Netflix while overseas
- Split tunneling for more control
- Port forwarding
- Small number of server locations compared to competitors
- Not the fastest
Methodology
To find the best cheap VPNs, we first looked at 17 different providers across 35 data points to narrow it down to the top five options. Each provider can score up to 55 points based on the following criteria:
- Price: We looked at the price of each provider’s one-year plan.
- Free Trial: While rare for VPN services, we noted which provider offers a free trial.
- Money-Back Guarantee: If the provider offers a money-back guarantee, how long is it?
- Server Locations: We looked at the number of server locations each provider offers.
- Number of Devices: How many devices can you use with one subscription? Can you use the VPN on your phone?
- Encryption: What type of encryption does the provider use?
- No-Logs Policy: Does the provider have a no-logs policy?
- Kill Switch: A kill switch is a must-have security feature for any VPN. It prevents your traffic from being exposed if your connection drops.
- Malware Protection: Does the provider offer malware protection?
- Customer Support: How can you contact support, and what are its hours?
We then weighted each criterion based on how important it is to a cheap VPN. For example, price is more important than customer support because you’re looking for a cheap VPN, not the best customer support. After scoring each provider, we ranked the scores to get our final rankings.
What Makes a Good, Cheap VPN?
When looking for a cheap VPN, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you’ll want to make sure the provider has a no-logs policy. This means it won’t store or track your data, which is important for privacy.
You’ll also want to make sure the provider has a kill switch. This is a security feature that prevents your traffic from being exposed if your connection drops.
Finally, you’ll want to make sure the provider offers malware protection. This is important because VPNs are a popular target for malware and hackers.
What Does a VPN Do?
A VPN, or virtual private network, is a tool that allows you to change your IP address and encrypt your traffic. This makes it difficult for your ISP or government to track and block your traffic.
VPNs are also a great way to unblock websites and streaming services that are blocked in your country. They can also improve your online security and privacy.
Our Pick Of The Best UK VPN Services
We’ve compiled a list of what we think are the best VPNs for 2024
Compare VPNs
How Does a Cheap VPN Affect Your Speed?
One thing to keep in mind when looking for a cheap VPN is that you may experience some speed loss. This is because the encryption process used by VPNs slows down your traffic. However, the loss is usually minimal and won’t affect most activities, such as browsing the internet or streaming video.
Featured Partner Deals
1
NordVPN
Plan Costs
£3.59/month or £53.85/year
# of Servers
5200+
Encryption
AES-256
1
NordVPN
On NordVPN’s Secure Website
Get 69% off + 3/mo free
2
UltraVPN
Plan Costs
£1.56/month or £18.75/year
# of Servers
1,000+
Encryption
AES-256 bit security
2
UltraVPN
On UltraVPN’s Website
Get 70% off
3
Surfshark
Plan Costs
As low as £1.69 per month
# of Servers
3200+
Encryption
AES with 256-bit keys
3
Surfshark
On Surfshark’s Website
Get 85% off + 2/mo free
4
ExpressVPN
Plan Costs
£5.61/month or £84.10/year
# of Servers
3,000+
Encryption
AES with 256
4
ExpressVPN
On ExpressVPN’s Secure Website
Get 49% off + 3/mo free
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best VPN?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The best VPN for you depends on your needs and budget. However, after a thorough analysis of the best cheap VPNs available, we determined CyberGhost is the best option across many data points. It scored 4.6 out of 5 stars in our review.
Is a cheap VPN worth it?
A cheap VPN is a great option for those on a budget. However, you may experience some speed loss when using a cheap VPN. Additionally, cheap VPNs may not have all the features that more expensive options have. But, overall, a cheap VPN is a great option if you’re looking to improve your online security and privacy on a budget.
Are cheap VPNs secure?
No matter the price of your VPN, there are many with encryption as strict as what the U.S. military uses, which is AES-256 encryption. Go with any of the providers on our list and you’ll have secure encryption.
Can I use a VPN for streaming services?
One of the most popular use cases for VPNs is accessing streaming content in other territories. If a VPN offers service locations in a given country, there’s a good chance that you can access geo-restricted content. However, some streaming services do have anti-VPN measures in place, so your mileage may vary.
Can I host my own VPN?
Technically, you can set up and host your own VPN on your home computer. It’s not the best idea to do so though, because you’ll miss out on the main reasons to use a VPN. Connecting to a third-party VPN can change your location, which lets you access otherwise blocked content, and you won’t be masking your location with a VPN. Plus, a VPN requires a bit of bandwidth, which you likely don’t have with your home internet connection.
Find The Best VPNs
- Best UK VPN Services
- Best Mobile VPNs
- Fastest VPNs
- Best Business VPNs
VPN Reviews
- NordVPN Review
- ExpressVPN Review
- Surfshark VPN Review
Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circ*mstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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Kathy HaanContributor
Kathy Haan, MBA is a former financial advisor-turned-writer and business coach. For over a decade, she’s helped small business owners make money online. When she’s not trying out the latest tech or travel blogging with her family, you can find her curling up with a good novel.
Kelly MainEditor
Kelly is an SMB Editor specializing in starting and marketing new ventures. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she manages a column at Inc. Magazine.
