The Best Cheap Monthly VPN Services in 2024: Less than $3

Over the years, technology has shown us that it’s very integral to the progress of humanity. Access to technology and the convenience that easy access to it often brings is as vital as the technology itself. A Virtual Private Network is a service that gives you privacy and protection to browse on the internet without any entity having the ability to track or monitor your activities online. 

A VPN is one of the services that remains paramount to ensure that the average human can afford to use it. An efficient and cheap VPN should do both its primary purpose and not break the bank. Finding such a phenomenal and cheap VPN is more challenging than finding just a regular good one. The more expensive a VPN, the more premium features you will find in it. That does not mean that there are no cheap VPNs with exceptional features. 

Why Choose a Monthly Subscription?

If you are new to using VPNs, you will realize that hundreds of VPNs are out there. There is a lot of competition in the VPN market. Deciding which VPN to use will require proper research and testing it out yourself. Thankfully, several VPN service providers offer free trials and money-back guarantees. 

Monthly subscriptions are favorable to people that don’t plan to use VPNs for long periods. In a bid to have people sign up for their services, VPNs reduce or offer discounts on the monthly price for more extended subscription plans. 

If you’re out of your country for a short time and you need to use a VPN to stream your favorite show, there’s no point getting a subscription that’s longer than your period of stay. Think of it as renting a car for a year and then using it for just a month. 

It will make sense to pay for a monthly subscription with that in mind.

Best Overall VPN

Before we get right to some of the cheapest monthly VPN services, here is the best provider on all counts:

Overall Best in Our Tests

ExpressVPN

Overall score: 9.8

• Super-fast servers
• AES 256-bit encryption
• Supports private protocol, Lightway
• Money-back guarantee

Try ExpressVPN

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Everyone in the VPN industry definitely has heard of this British Virgin Islands-based provider. It rises to the top of every VPN list, being consistent over the years with the delivery of stellar performance.

ExpressVPN has over 3000 servers in 94 countries and 160+ locations. This is one of the largest spread of locations you can find. Also, its server count is quite commendable. You can rely on ExpressVPN’s speed at all times. It offers unlimited and unrestricted bandwidth to all of its subscribers. Whether you want to stream content, download, or play games with the service, you are assured of zero lags the whole time.

This provider is the best when it comes to streaming. It unblocks geo-restricted sites with ease, even though new blocks spring up by the day. It is so reliable that it gets around the Great Firewall of China. This provider is also excellent for torrenting and P2P filesharing. It has servers optimized for this purpose. Due to its stringent privacy rules, you will not be in danger of being detected when torrenting with this provider.

Security is also a strong suit for this provider. It boasts of all of the popular security features and then some. Thus, you will find the standard AES 256-bit encryption, split tunneling features, a kill switch, and an adblocker on this service. More so, this provider is compatible with the Tor Network, applies Perfect Forward Secrecy, and also the double encryption option. It is also privacy-friendly. It maintains a strict no-logs policy that prohibits the retention of any part of its users’ data.

You will find an ExpressVPN app for almost any device you can imagine. From iOS to Android to Linux and Windows devices, there is surely something for you. In addition, it has extensions for both Chrome and Firefox browsers. Each subscription plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee window.

Recommended Cheap Monthly VPN Services

Looking for a cheap VPN service provider should not mean you have to expect less in terms of security, privacy, performance, user-friendliness, and comprehensive coverage of platforms. Most importantly, it should serve the purpose you need it to do. For example, if you need a VPN just for streaming, make sure it’s excellent at unblocking the platform you use to stream. We will be looking at some budget-friendly monthly VPNs and give you reasons why we think they are good options for you. 

Cheapest Option

NordVPN

Overall score: 9.6

• Incredibly fast servers
• Great security features
• Verified no-logs policy
• Unblocks streaming platforms

Try NordVPN

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

NordVPN is one of the fastest and versatile VPN service providers. A premium all-rounder VPN with a vast range of features. 

With excellent security, it is no wonder many users trust it to keep them safe. Internet traffic is kept secure with military-grade AES-256 encryption that makes sure it can’t be hacked or hijacked. It has an automatic Kill Switch that disconnects your device from the internet if your VPN connection is off. That prevents your IP address from unwanted exposure. 

Other features include DoubleVPN servers for double security, DNS and IPv6 leak protection. A No-Log policy is effective as it doesn’t store user activity on the internet. NordVPN’s headquarters is in Panama, where there are no compulsory data-retention laws that support its No-Log Policy. 

An outstanding network of over 5400 servers in 59 countries keeps its users satisfied with the service they get. This tremendous amount of servers ensures bolt speed while browsing or streaming. More servers usually equate to having a better rate due to the capacity of the VPN to support more users per server. 

There are also specialty servers for P2P (Peer-To-Peer) file-sharing, supporting the sharing of torrent files. Its unblocking powers allow you to get around platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and several others. It has a Quick Connect feature that positions you to connect to the fastest server available immediately. 

NordVPN’s monthly plan is not precisely low-priced, but it is cheaper than most premium VPNs with the same features. Its price begins at $11.95 per month, and you can get discounts on more extended plans. Six simultaneous devices per account are enough for individuals with several devices. There’s also a 30-day refund policy you can bank on if you’re interested in testing the service at no risk. 

Best for Netflix US

IPVanish

Overall score: 9.4

• Speedy servers
• AES 256-bit encryption
• Offers a 7-day free trial
• Unblocks restricted platforms with ease

Visit IPVanish

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

IPVanish offers fast connections and an exciting list of features at an economical cost.

It comes as no surprise that IPVanish uses AES-256 encryption to secure internet traffic. This unbreakable encryption standard is a must if any VPN service provider wants to keep its users safe from malicious entities. Although headquartered in the US, they claim not to keep records of connections, logs, and internet activity.

IPVanish has 1600 plus servers in 75 countries. It can access several blocked platforms like Netflix, Vudu, YouTube, ESPN, DAZN, and HBO Go. However, it struggled with a few other platforms like Hulu and BBC iPlayer. So it’s not a favorite when it comes to streaming on all platforms. Its servers fully support torrenting by granting unlimited P2P connections. Its partnership with SugarSync (a cloud storage/file-sharing company) permits you to store your files, with a limit of 500 Gigabytes if you subscribe to it.

Gone are the days of buffering and high latency with IPVanish. You can browse, stream, and download without any notable reduction in speed. The amount of data you can transfer unlimited. 

IPVanish has applications for several major platforms like Windows, iOS, macOS, Android, Linux, Chrome OS, and Amazon Fire Tv. Unlimited connections with a single user account give you the liberty to use it on all devices you own. 

Its monthly subscription is a bargain. At $3.49 for the first month, you don’t need a free trial to see if this VPN is the right one for you. $9.99 per month after the first month is still relatively cheap. If you decide to use its storage option (that comes with its partnership with SugarSync), you get a bill of $3.84 for the first month and $10.99 subsequently. 

Best for Android

PrivateVPN

Overall score: 9.3

• Advanced configuration settings
• Unblocks restricted platforms
• Compatible with most device types
• Supports the OpenVPN, L2TP and IPSec protocols

Visit PrivateVPN

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

PrivateVPN is an excellent choice if you’re looking to save some money and still get the performance of premium VPNs. 

When it comes to privacy, PrivateVPN has its strength in these areas. It protects your data and traffic with strong encryption (AES-256) and keeps your IP address secure with IP masking. It secures your internet connection with DNS and IPv6 leak protection. The popular automatic Kill Switch prevents your IP address and data from leaking if the link stops unexpectedly. A point to note is that the Kill Switch is only available on its Windows OS app. This VPN supports some secure protocols like OpenVPN with UDP/TCP, L2TP, IPsec, PPTP, and IKEv2. Although located in Sweden, under the 14-Eyes Alliance jurisdiction, it keeps no logs of user data and history. 

It has a network of 150 servers spread over 60 countries and continues to expand. Despite its small size of servers, performance remains swift and unhindered. It can keep up respectable speed and useful connections. PrivateVPN is not the fastest, but it does the job adequately. There should be no issues streaming, downloading, and even gaming. Torrenting is also supported with unlimited P2P file sharing. It has designated Netflix servers that can breeze past geo-restrictions. 

With one subscription account, you can use its applications on six devices. PrivateVPN’s applications are available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and manual installation on routers. It’s pricing plans are rational. All subscription plans have the same features and only differ in duration. Its monthly plan is only $8.10 per month. That is one of the cheapest monthly plans we have seen. They also have a 3-month program that is ridiculously lower at $5.03 per month. A 30-day money-back guarantee is all you need to know if it suits your needs.

Best VPN with a free version

Trust.Zone

Overall score: 8.2

• Offers dedicated IP addresses
• Allows torrenting and P2P file sharing
• Great pricing
• Free version available

Visit Trust.Zone

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Trust.Zone is a Seychelles-based VPN service provider that has only been around for about six years. 

Its location permits it to keep a strict No-Log Policy. Trust.Zone is under no obligation to keep your internet data and traffic history. They even have a ‘Warrant Canary’ that shows its users there has not been any secret request from any government to summon them to court. 

AES-256 bit encryption, OpenVPN, and L2TP over IPsec are the security protocols the service uses to secure user traffic. You are also secure from DNS and WebRTC leaks. A DoubleVPN feature gives you another layer of security by routing data through two VPN servers. 

It has a collection of about 200 servers in 44 countries. With servers in six continents, it has a broad range enough to satisfy users, and it does an excellent job at that. No limitation on bandwidth for its users means that they can experience little or no stress while streaming or downloading. 

While it’s not among the fastest VPN service providers, it is fair enough to browse, stream, and download without any significant delays. It also allows unlimited P2P file sharing, which is a plus for people that download and seed torrent files. You can also bypass and get access to geo-blocked content on several platforms. 

It has an easy-to-use app that is compatible with major operating systems like Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. Trust.Zone VPN allows up to five devices per subscription account on it’s most extended user plan, which is usually enough if you have a few gadgets. 

It has three subscription plans and a free 3-day limited trial run. Its monthly plan runs at $8.88 and permits just three simultaneous device connections. However, you have the option of adding three more devices, which costs an extra $2.99 per month. 

VPN with the Best No-Log Policy

Windscribe

Overall score: 8.3

• Available in 60+ countries
• Unblocks geo-restricted platforms
• Offers a free version
• Blocks ads and malware

Visit Windscribe

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Windscribe is another relatively new VPN service provider. Joining the league of VPNs in 2016, it has amassed about 25 million subscribers.

Windscribe boasts of security features that will discourage any hacker or malicious entity from snooping around. It uses the legendary AES-256 bit for encryption, with SHA512 authentication and a 4096-bit RSA key. They also don’t save any connection or session logs used to monitor your activity online. 

An automatic Kill Switch and DNS/IPv6 leak protection keeps you anonymous and safe. Another security layer adds other features such as a built-in ad blocker, malware blocker, and surprisingly, a crypto-mining blocker. 

It is present in 63 countries, with 179+ servers resident in these countries. Its performance is okay for streaming, torrenting, and downloading. It has a stealth mode that empowers you to get around anti-VPN software and unblock censored or restricted content, which is an excellent feature to utilize if you live in a country with a VPN ban. Dedicated Windflix servers are for bypassing Netflix’s geo-restrictions.

Almost all servers permit P2P file sharing, except for a few. Performance is average as there is conflicting speed across different servers, and it can take a minute to find servers that suit your performance needs. 

It is suitable for use on several operating systems and browsers. At $9 per month, its monthly charge is affordable and reasonable. You also have access to an endless amount of connections. There is also a free account you can use, but it comes with a limited data transfer and regions available. They also offer a unique Build-A-Plan feature, which allows you to select a minimum of two and a maximum of seven server locations at the cost of a dollar per site. 

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Cheap Monthly VPN Services in 2024

What is the cheapest monthly VPN?

The cheapest VPN on our list is PrivateVPN, but looking for an affordable VPN service provider does not mean we should compromise security. However, we recommend going for a premium VPN with more security and reliability like ExpressVPN.  ExpressVPN provides all the essential features to give you data security, privacy, and flexibility online.

ExpressVPN can ensure the constant availability of high-speed servers because of their extensive server network, allowing them to switch between servers in close proximity in case the connection drops. So it is definitely worth the extra bucks.

Is using a VPN illegal?

No, using a VPN isn’t against the law. However, using VPNs to engage in illegal activities violates a country’s laws, such as internet fraud and piracy. On the other hand, using a VPN to access geo-restricted content is not unlawful. However, you may be going against the site’s policy.

Should I always leave my VPN on?

Yes, that is the preferred option. It’s notably more crucial if you frequently access insecure accounts or conduct confidential transactions over the internet. However, this might cause certain apps to malfunction. Fortunately, most VPN providers have a split-tunneling feature allowing you to run some apps without VPN protection.

If you frequently use public Wi-Fi like airports and hotels, you must always keep your VPN on because these networks tend to be insecure, which means hackers could easily access your online activity. So, it’s crucial to let your VPN run continuously.

Which is the best VPN provider to choose?

All of the VPNs listed above are exceptional. However, we recommend ExpressVPN as it is one of the VPN providers with the largest server location. This provider also is the best when it comes to streaming and data privacy. 

When deciding on the best VPN to use, you should consider security, speed, server location, and privacy features. Your VPN service should provide all of the tools you need to protect yourself from online threats and maintain your privacy.

Conclusion

In a world where over four billion people have access to the internet, there is an increasing concern to stay secure when surfing the internet. VPNs are tools that help us achieve our goal to keep our internet connection private and safe from bad actors. We have made a case for budget-friendly VPNs, but the final decision lies with you. Some of these VPNs sacrifice premium features for a lower price to attract users. You should be able to see beyond that and find one that meets your needs. Check out our VPN reviews to find the perfect match for your privacy, unblocking, and security needs.