The 4 Best Cheap VPN Services (2023 Update)

CyberGhost: Temporarily save up to 83%  🔥

Surfshark: Get an 81% discount on this hidden page  🔥

IPVanish: Temporarily get 61% OFF  🔥

How we test the best cheap VPN services

After careful planning, we tested 30 of the best VPNs for all common operating systems. These include Windows 10 and 11, macOS, Android, and iOS. You can find all the tests we conducted below:

> Test 1: Logging policy

What is a logging policy?

Many believe that all VPNs guarantee their privacy as they browse their favorite sites. The problem is not every provider does so. Browsing information passes through VPN servers, and some companies gather the data.

These are the two main things VPN services track:

• Your browsing history and downloads.
• Your approximate physical location via a public IP address

Hola VPN and many more are guilty of recording this information. These providers then sell your data to data brokers and advertising companies for a price. It should be clear why these VPNs are free. A saying goes: “If the product is free, you are the product.”

After performing checks, we determined around 30% of all available VPN services track your IP address. A disturbing 5% of services record browsing behavior.

A VPN provider must inform users whether the company is tracking all of this information. Unfortunately, many try to hide this fact by using confusing language in their terms of service.

What do we test for?

We look for what information every VPN’s logging and privacy policies gather. Not all logging is harmful, as details like bandwidth usage and server load statistics help developers improve the product. These also don’t contain personal information.

However, these criteria should remain untouched:

• Browsing activity: Even though some VPNs track data and delete it after a session, this isn’t acceptable at all. All browsing activity should be left alone for privacy reasons.
• IP Address: Your IP address can let malicious users discover your geological location and even the ISP you’re using. We check if the VPN records this.

> Test 2: Ownership

What do we mean by ownership?

In many cases, a VPN service is owned by Company 1, and Company 1 is owned by Company 2, a classic example of a corporate holding structure. It’s a common sight, but it theoretically allows both entities to access your data.

These companies are registered in various countries, many of which have different and even contradicting laws on data retention. Examples include the United States and the Netherlands.

Where a VPN service is registered and what company owns it makes a difference when you delve into the fine print.

While it’s true that VPNs are competing with each other, the competition is scarcer than it seems. When you look closely, it turns out only several companies own most of the popular ones out there:

• Kape Technologies offers ExpressVPN, CyberGhost VPN, Private Internet Access, and ZenMate. Its headquarter is based in the United Kingdom.
• Ziff Davis owns StrongVPN, IPVanish, SaferVPN, Buffered VPN, Perimeter 81, Encrypt.me, and many more. It’s a company located in the United States.
• Aura (or Pango) owns Hotspot Shield, JustVPN, and TouchVPN. It’s behind the VPN technology many other VPN services like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Panda, and more employ. It’s also a company located in the United States.
• CyberSpace owns the popular NordVPN, Surfshark, and Atlas VPNs. CyberSpace is a Dutch company.
• Gaditek owns and operates Ivacy VPN, PureVPN, and Unblock VPN. It’s the only company on this list from a Middle Eastern country, Pakistan.

What do we test for?

We dig deep into who owns a specific VPN service and check for where it’s registered. We look at the country’s data retention laws to polish our findings. Finally, we research the company’s history and timelines for scandals or other events.

For instance:

• Crossrider changed its name to Kape Technologies in 2018. The company built a browser extension development platform. The sad news is many malware creators and attackers took advantage of it and forced a name change.
• In 2016, IPVanish handed over data it wasn’t supposed to possess to Homeland Security. The company underwent two owner changes since the scandal, but it still hasn’t dissuaded many in the industry.

> Test 3: Independent audit

What is an independent audit?

VPN providers may make big claims to attract customers to close out a deal. However, serious users with enough cybersecurity knowledge will start asking questions. They want to confirm all advertised features like “Military Grade Encryption” are valid.

Independent auditors are third parties the VPN providers can hire to prove their claims. They analyze server infrastructure and privacy policy, among other components of a VPN service.

Examples include:

• ExpressVPN hired PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) in 2019 to check whether the latter’s TrustedServer technology performed a data wipe after server reboots.
• PwC investigated NordVPN’s server configuration, infrastructure, and technical logs in 2020. The auditor also interviewed employees.
• Surfshark’s audit by Cure53 in 2021 combed Surfshark’s server infrastructure for flaws.
• Private Internet Access (PIA) audit by Deloitte in 2023 compared the server environment to PIA’s privacy policy.

What do we test for?

We determine whether independent auditors have tested the VPN service, what they investigated with the audit, and look for any discovered flaws.

> Test 4: Available VPN protocols

What is a VPN protocol?

VPN protocols are the rules that determine how a VPN server and app interact. They touch on how they identify the other, how the app logs into the server, the data transfer methods, encryption schemes, and more.

Changing protocols affects the required connection time, download speeds, and security status of a service.

These are commonly encountered protocols:

• OpenVPN: Practically every modern VPN service uses this open-source protocol due to its customizable nature. It’s also fast and secure while working with most software.
• WireGuard: WireGuard is a next-generation open-source protocol that improves upon OpenVPN and IPsec. It boasts higher download speeds due to having much fewer lines of code.
• IKEv2: Cisco and Microsoft collaborated on this secure VPN protocol, but our tests show it’s slower than the above two protocols despite claims.
• L2TP/IPSec: A simpler, older, and slower VPN protocol.
• PPTP: This is one of the oldest VPN protocols and contains several security flaws.

Though there are plenty of open-source protocols, some providers choose to design their own. They include ExpressVPN, Hotspot Shield, and NordVPN. Of all three, only ExpressVPN elected to publish its protocol as open source.

• NordVPN developed NordLynx, based on the WireGuard protocol.
• ExpressVPN developed Lightway without basing it on existing protocols.
• Hotspot Shield developed Catapult Hydra from scratch.

It’s crucial to know that there’s no best VPN protocol. Many providers opt to go with OpenVPN but may offer WireGuard or IKEv2 as an alternative.

What do we test for?

We take a close look at each VPN provider’s chosen protocols and whether they’re limited to select operating systems.

> Test 5: Supported encryption standard

What is an encryption standard?

Encryption standards are how data is kept safe from unauthorized access. The Data Encryption Standard (DES) was released in 1977 as the first symmetric key algorithm. In other words, the key is used both for encrypting and decrypting.

The United States government replaced DES with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in 2002. It’s based on the Rijndael block cipher, using a block size of 128 bits. Standard key sizes are 128, 192, or 256 bits.

Today, many VPN protocols use AES-128 or 256 encryption, either in GCM or CBC version. The former is faster as it’s often written in parallel and not a series, increasing the throughput. GCM is extra safe because individual blocks can be encrypted apart from each other.

What do we test for?

We find out what each VPN service offers as the standard encryption scheme and if there are any alternatives. Should AES-128 be the default, it should be the GCM version. AES-256 is the next preference.

> Test 6: Basic security features

What are basic security features?

All VPNs should offer these standard security features:

• AES-256 encryption: As the most advanced encryption standard publically available, it’s all but immune to brute-force attacks.
• OpenVPN and WireGuard: As the benchmark for open-source VPN protocols, OpenVPN is often compared to WireGuard, a modern contender.
• Split tunneling: Split tunneling allows some programs to connect directly to the internet, ignoring the VPN tunnel.
• Kill switch: When a VPN fails or is somehow compromised, the VPN should automatically block any connection to the internet.

What do we test for?

We check whether the provider offers any of these features and if they genuinely keep users safe.

> Test 7: Advanced security features

What are advanced security features?

Advanced security features are those that may not be included in every VPN app or service, but having them is almost always beneficial. Here are some prime examples:

• Ad, tracker, and malicious website blocker: These blockers prevent ads from appearing, trackers from discovering your location, and users from accessing malicious websites that make them vulnerable to malware.
• Dedicated IP address: A dedicated IP address is great for online banking or avoiding purchases because switching addresses can trigger security systems.
• Double VPN: Instead of sending your internet traffic through a single server, some services let you use two. It’s also referred to as server chaining. Activating it bolsters your encryption twofold, increases IP protection, and ensures another level of privacy.
• Obfuscated servers: It’s not difficult for some entities to tell who’s using a VPN, but obfuscated servers are designed to trick people into thinking a person isn’t connected to one. They’re helpful for people in countries like the UAE or China.
• Override GPS Location: This feature is also called GPS spoofing, as you’re replacing your current location with that of the server’s. Apps like Facebook or Google Maps won’t be able to find out where you truly are.
• RAM-only servers: These servers don’t have hard drives and only use Random Access Memory (RAM), which is wiped after a reboot. Thus, the past activity is erased without a trace if the server is shut down.

What do we test for?

Similar to Test 6, we test whether these features and others are present and functional.

> Test 8: IP leak

What is an IP leak?

Every device has a public and a private IP address. When they use the same network, a private IP address is used for communicating with specific devices. However, they all use the same public IP address when connected to the internet.

Your ISP is the one that provides you with a public IP address. Most people have an IPv4 address, but IPv6 addresses are slowly gaining popularity and replacing the older format.

There are two reasons IP addresses can be used against you:

• It shows your approximate location on a zip code or neighborhood level.
• When combined with browsing habits, malicious users can build a profile based on your habits and likes.

A VPN is designed to combat this. The app or service encrypts your connection and shows the VPN’s IP address instead of yours. This has two benefits:

• Because an ISP can’t peer into your traffic when you use a VPN, it can’t tell what your browsing habits are.
• Apps and websites can only see the VPN server’s IP address, which doesn’t tell them who are where you are.

You have an IP leak on your hands when your original IP address is shown instead of the provider’s as you use a VPN.

What do we test for?

We connect our systems to a VPN service and check the displayed address. If it’s ours, we know there’s a leak.

> Test 9: DNS leak

What is a DNS leak?

A Domain Name System (DNS) translates human-friendly domain names into the actual IP address of a website. As an illustration, the DNS enables your browser to automatically route you to 165.227.148.211 when you enter SoftwareLab.org in the URL tab.

You can see the DNS as a phone book, while a DNS server is a phone operator. They translate a domain name to a target IP address. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is usually the one operating the DNS servers you use.

From this information, it’s not difficult to conclude your ISP has access to your browsing history. Because you need these servers, you can’t avoid sending them the info. The best VPN providers, however, have their own DNS servers to prevent ISPs from gathering this data.

DNS leaks happen when your queries go through the ISP’s DNS server instead of the VPN provider’s. This leak can happen by entering incorrect VPN settings or when a VPN service doesn’t have any dedicated DNS servers.

What do we test for?

We use a VPN service and look for the DNS server, which shouldn’t be from the ISP. If it is, we have a DNS leak.

> Test 10: WebRTC leak

What is a WebRTC leak?

WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) lets modern web browsers like Firefox and Chrome create communication channels with websites in real time. The live connection allows the websites to stream video and audio content without extra software. 

As WebRTC happens, the browser and website exchange data, which includes your public and private IP address. Sadly, since this exchange is standardized, blocking WebRTC requests is not straightforward.

Fortunately, you can use a reliable VPN to send the provider’s IP addresses instead, which lets WebRTC function without issues. Doing so is a double win as you stay hidden too.

What do we test for?

We start a VPN connection and do a WebRTC lookup. A WebRTC leak happens if our original IP address is shown instead of the VPN’s.

> Test 11: Download speed via OpenVPN

What is OpenVPN?

OpenVPN is an open-source VPN protocol. Anyone can look at the source code and modify the contents for private use. This reason is why the protocol has been improved repeatedly since 2001.

Many hail OpenVPN as one of the best VPN protocols. Many services incorporate it to provide stable and reliable connections across many popular operating systems.

There are two versions of the OpenVPN protocol:

• OpenVPN UDP (User Datagram Protocol): This is the default option as it boasts faster download speeds.
• OpenVPN TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): While TCP has increased data control, the download speeds are slower.

Even after WireGuard’s introduction, OpenVPN remains the industry standard. WireGuard may have faster download speeds, but if the latter protocol works, there’s no reason to abandon it entirely.

What do we test for?

We record the download speeds of all top VPN services using the OpenVPN protocol. We test the download speed of each VPN on an internet connection with a speed of 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps).

> Test 12: Supported speed via WireGuard

What is WireGuard?

WireGuard is a streamlined open-source VPN protocol containing 4,000 lines of code instead of the 500,000 lines OpenVPN and IPsec have. As fewer lines make it easier for developers to debug, many VPN providers use it. Debugging and security audits are now much quicker and simpler as a result.

The protocol was initially only made for the Linux kernel, but developments have expanded it for other operating systems. It works on Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS.

Our tests show that WireGuard is around 60% faster than OpenVPN. The result was calculated after accounting for an extensive amount of VPN servers.

What do we test for?

We use an internet connection with a speed of 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps) for our tests. Our computer will connect to the network while using one of many VPN services that function on the WireGuard protocol.

> Test 13: (Virtual) VPN servers and locations

What are (virtual) VPN servers?

VPN servers differ from standard ones by hosting specialized VPN software, and the VPN tunnels are located on these servers. Clients’ internet traffic will be directed to VPN servers as they use the service. Some servers have purpose-built hardware to improve the service.

NordVPN and Surfshark are two providers that use RAM-only servers. All data is deleted after a system restart.

A majority of VPN servers are physical devices in a country shown on the app. Users who choose a server will have their traffic routed to the country. The displayed IP address is a local one to the nation.

Not all countries or territories have physical server infrastructures, and these tend to be less-developed or small locations. Andorra is a small and mountainous European country that doesn’t own physical servers. But some providers have servers from this place.

The reason for this is virtual VPN servers, which have a local address in Andorra, but the server is physically elsewhere. While you get a local Andorra IP address, the host is likely in Spain or France.

The usual number of countries providers offer is roughly 60 if they have a more extensive network. Those who have more than 60 may be using virtual VPN servers.

What do we test for?

We check how many servers and locations a VPN provider has. After that, we examine whether these are physical or virtual. Bonus points if there are country- and city-level servers.

> Test 14: Streaming compatibility

What is compatibility with a streaming service?

Some shows or series are region-locked, meaning you have to be in specific countries or territories to stream them. Netflix is the best example because some of its shows aren’t available elsewhere but in the United States.

By connecting to a VPN service and selecting a location in the United States, your IP address is switched to an American one. Netflix will then let you see the shows you’ve been missing out on.

While that’s the case in an ideal world, Netflix isn’t dumb. It has solutions for identifying customers using VPN servers. Customers who are detected using a VPN can’t use Netflix at all until they turn it off.

Thus, there’s a constant war between streaming companies and VPN providers. It takes an experienced VPN provider to stay ahead of Netflix and other streaming giants. That’s what we look for.

What do we test for?

Our targets are Hulu, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Netflix in the United States. We test whether a service can unblock all of them. Aside from the United States, we also see if the service unblocks Netflix in Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Australia, among others.

> Test 15: Torrenting compatibility

What is compatibility with a torrent network?

Torrenting is a form of peer-to-peer (P2P) downloading. Unlike websites hosted on servers that let you download files, torrenting lets users obtain files from each other. There isn’t a centralized point where the files are stored.

Clients like μTorrent or BitTorrent are necessary to download or share files this way. Popcorn Time is a streaming service that uses torrenting. People stream content with this service.

Torrenting isn’t illegal, contrary to what some might say. It’s merely sharing files with one another. However, many of these files and folders are copyrighted, and users sharing them without a license are breaking the law. That’s why many link torrenting to piracy.

Some people distribute their own products via torrent links. Downloading them isn’t illegal, so there’s no need to worry in this case.

What do we test for?

We check whether a VPN service allows for peer-to-peer network downloading on specific servers or all of them.

> Test 16: Annual price and price per device

What is the annual price and price per device?

A quick look at most VPN services’ price pages will show they tend to charge by the month. A single-month subscription is usually the costliest option. Those who pick longer contract durations tend to enjoy lower prices.

We’ll compare the annual price for a one-year contract and the service cost per device. Even though many services have a similar price point, one isn’t the case. That standout is ExpressVPN, which is incredibly expensive.

Surfshark and IPVanish are two providers that don’t limit how many devices can install their services. Services with this perk have a low cost per device, and users are more encouraged to share them with friends and family.

What do we test for?

We calculate the annual price for a one-year contract from a large number of top VPN providers. We then divide the price by how many simultaneous connections are allowed.

What cheap VPNs have we tested?

We have tested 30 paid and free VPNs (Virtual Private Networks). Proton VPN is the best free VPN service. But if you have the money, we recommend getting a paid VPN service.

In the best case, the free version allows you to protect only one device and doesn’t offer you unlimited bandwidth / unlimited data. And in the worst case, the free VPN providers show you ads or secretly sell your browsing history to advertisers and your internet service provider.

And should you be strapped for cash, don’t opt for an expensive VPN like ExpressVPN. Instead, get a cheap VPN, like Surfshark, that allows you to install it on an unlimited number of devices and share the cost with a friend.

• Astrill VPN
• Atlas VPN
• Avast SecureLine VPN
• Betternet VPN
• Bitdefender VPN
• CactusVPN
• CyberGhost VPN
• ExpressVPN
• HideME VPN
• HMA VPN (HideMyAss VPN)
• Hola VPN
• Hotspot Shield VPN
• IPVanish VPN
• Ivacy VPN
• IVPN
• Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection
• McAfee Safe Connect VPN
• Mozilla VPN
• MullVad VPN
• NordVPN
• Norton Secure VPN
• Private Internet Access VPN
• PrivateVPN
• Proton VPN
• PureVPN
• StrongVPN
• Surfshark VPN
• Tunnelbear VPN
• VyprVPN
• Windscribe VPN

The best are: CyberGhost, NordVPN, and Surfshark.

Frequently asked questions

Languages, comparisons and Sources

Other comparisons on SoftwareLab.org:

• Best Antivirus of 2023
• Antivirus for Windows 11
• Antivirus for macOS
• Antivirus for Android
• Antivirus for iOS
• Antivirus with a VPN
• Best VPN of 2023

VPN privacy policies and independent audits:

• CyberGhost – Privacy Policy
• CyberGhost – Transparency Report
• ExpressVPN – Privacy Policy
• ExpressVPN – PWC Audit
• ExpressVPN – Lightway Audit
• ExpressVPN – Browser Extension Audit
• IPVanish – Privacy Policy
• NordVPN – Privacy Policy
• NordVPN – Privacy Policy Audit
• Surfshark – Privacy Policy
• Surfshark – Infrastructure Audit

VPN testing tools:

• BrowserLeaks – Data Leak Test
• Fast – Speed Test
• Speed Test – Speed Test
• Exodus – Privacy Audit Android

Custom VPN protocols:

• ExpressVPN – Lightway protocol
• NordVPN – NordLynx Protocol

VPN mergers and acquisitions:

• NordVPN and Surfshark merger
• Kape technologies buys CyberGhost
• Kape Technologies buys ExpressVPN
• Kape technologies buys Private Internet Access