What's the best cheap VPN that's still secure, Reddit?

VPN
1

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been looking into cheap VPN services I could use to improve my privacy and also because I enjoy torrenting and streaming with a VPN. Since I’m on a budget, I searched for VPNs that cost less than $4/month.

After some time, I’ve managed to narrow down my list to 5 affordable VPNs. I decided to test them, as they all come with a 30-day refund guarantee. Here’s what I experienced, but let’s hear any feedback on other cheap VPNs I may be missing.

1. NordVPN - Is this the best cheap VPN?

NordVPN consistently gave me a fast and reliable connection speeds. I mostly relied on using its NordLynx protocol, which is a variation of WireGuard that provides the best speeds. It let me unlock every streaming platform I tried, and I didn’t notice any limitations.

Feature Details
Jurisdiction Panama
Server Count and Locations 7,000+ servers in 118 countries
RAM Servers Yes
No-logs Policy Yes (audited)
Simultaneous Connections 10
Encryption AES 256 encryption
Streaming Platforms Unlocks Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, ESPN+, and more
VPN Protocols NordLynx, IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN
Server Types Double VPN, Obfuscated, P2P, Onion-over-VPN, Dedicated IP
Platforms Supported Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox.
Best Price $3.39/month (with coupon below)
Coupon for 72% Discount: 72% Off NordVPN Coupon >
Refund Policy 30 days
24/7 Live Chat Support Yes

In terms of performance, NordVPN did quite well. I hit speeds over 800 Mbps with servers in the US, as you can see below. To give you a real snapshot of the performance, here’s a quick speed test I ran while typing up this post.

NordVPN gave me very fast speeds with US servers. Not bad for a cheap VPN.

NordVPN has also passed numerous independent audits verifying its security and privacy. So while it is definitely among the best cheap VPNs, it is also very secure.

72% Off NordVPN Deal for Reddit: https://nordvpn.com/coupon-deal

2. Surfshark - Budget-friendly VPN with unlimited connections

Surfshark, in many respects, is similar to NordVPN, but I wish that it offered more servers. Since it let me hold as many connections as I want, I’ve also tested it on my smartphones and even installed it on my router to protect all devices that don’t support VPNs. I was very impressed with how well it worked, and its intuitive interface.

Feature Details
Jurisdiction Panama
Server Count and Locations 3,200+ servers in 100 countries
RAM Servers Yes
No-logs Policy Yes
Simultaneous Connections Unlimited
Encryption AES 256 encryption
Streaming Platforms Unlocks Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, etc.
VPN Protocols WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN
Server Types Multi-Hop, Obfuscated, P2P, Dedicated IP
Platforms Supported Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox.
Best Price $1.99/month (2-year plan)
Coupon: 80% off Surfshark Coupon >
Refund Policy 30 days
24/7 Live Chat Support Yes

Surfshark’s 82% off coupon: https://surfshark.com/deals/coupon

3. ProtonVPN - Cheap VPN with many servers

I can easily see why this is a popular Swiss VPN. It has one of the biggest server networks and works great across many streaming platforms. ProtonVPN also has a neat VPN accelerator feature, which significantly improves performance on remote servers. The only downside I found is that it doesn’t provide RAM servers.

Feature Details
Jurisdiction Switzerland
Server Count and Locations 8,700+ servers in 112 countries
RAM Servers No :no_entry:
No-logs Policy Yes
Simultaneous Connections 10
Encryption AES 256 encryption
Streaming Platforms Unlocks Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, etc.
VPN Protocols WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN, Stealth
Server Types Tor-over-VPN, Obfuscated, Double VPN, P2P, Dedicated IP
Platforms Supported Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox.
Best Price $3.59/month (with coupon below)
ProtonVPN Coupon: 64% Off ProtonVPN Coupon >
Refund Policy 30 days
24/7 Live Chat Support Yes

Proton VPN coupon: https://protonvpn.com/offers/coupon

4. IPVanish - Budget-Friendly VPN in the U.S.

It seems to me that IPVanish is a direct competitor to Surfshark, as there are many similarities. Still, I would say that this is an inferior service. It is based in the US and doesn’t have RAM servers, which automatically made me worried about my privacy. I also found that, despite using WireGuard, IPVanish wasn’t as fast as Surfshark. Not sure why that is.

Feature Details
Jurisdiction US
Server Count and Locations 2,400+ servers in 100 countries
RAM Servers No :no_entry:
No-logs Policy Yes
Simultaneous Connections Unlimited
Encryption AES 256 encryption
Streaming Platforms Unlocks some platforms
VPN Protocols WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN, IPSsec
Server Types Obfuscated, Double VPN, P2P
Platforms Supported Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox.
Best Price $2.19/month (2-year plan)
Refund Policy 30 days
24/7 Live Chat Support Yes

5. Private Internet Access - An affordable and simple VPN

PIA has the same problem as IPVanish, and that is a bad jurisdiction. Even though it might have the most developed server network, I found it was really slow. I frequently lost connection while using it and had problems accessing some streaming platforms. I guess that some of its servers are blacklisted, and it takes a while to find the ones that will work on sites like Hulu.

Feature Details
Jurisdiction US
Server Count and Locations Thousands of servers in 91 countries
RAM Servers Yes
No-logs Policy Yes
Simultaneous Connections Unlimited
Encryption AES 256 encryption
Streaming Platforms Unlocks some platforms
VPN Protocols WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN, IPSsec
Server Types Obfuscated, Double VPN, P2P
Platforms Supported Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox.
Best Price $2.03/month (2-year plan)
Refund Policy 30 days
24/7 Live Chat Support Yes

I still have a few days till my free trial is over and I guess that I’ll continue using Surfshark, Proton, or NordVPN. Which of these do you think is the best cheap VPN? Or what others am I missing her in this overview?

Reddit, what are some other good cheap VPNs I should consider?

Ok, so I’m sure I missed some cheap VPNs, so any advice from the Reddit community would be appreciated.

I’m still in the 30 day trial window with two of these VPNs, so I can cancel and get a full refund if there are any other better options. Any other cheap VPNs you’d recommend Reddit?

2

These are all good cheap VPNs, but like OP, I’ve gotten the best performance with NordVPN, with speeds consistently over 700 Mbps on my computer and tablet. I’m currently on day 23 of a 30 day trial with NordVPN and will be keeping it for the long run. I love the extra security features (Threat Protection), as well as Nord’s ability to effortlessly unblock streaming services from around the world. I found that Surfshark and ProtonVPN could also unblock most overseas streaming content, but the speeds were not as good.

For anyone interested in the 30 day trial with NordVPN, you can grab it here: https://nordvpn.com/30-day-trial

3

My advice is to steer clear of IPVanish. It doesn’t have RAM servers and is based in an unfavorable privacy jurisdiction (US), which makes it problematic. If you value privacy, I would go for a VPN based in EU country with favorable privacy laws (The Netherlands, Switzerland, etc)

4

It seems like you are overthinking it. You really can’t go wrong with either Surfshark or NordVPN. They come with a 30-day refund, so you can get your money back if they don’t work for you.

5

I’ve been using NordVPN ever since I was a student without problems. It’s very secure, and you can connect to double VPN servers to further strengthen your encryption.

6

I’m so glad that there are other cheaper options that can replace ExpressVPN. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never had that many problems with it, but it does cost an arm and a leg. Now that I switched to IPVanish, I’ll have the same level of protection and pay way less for it.

7

If your main concern is torrenting, getting Proton is the right call. Their VPN Accelerator boosts performance, and they also offer port forwarding which can improve your torrenting speeds.

8

You really can’t go wrong using any of these services. It really comes down to what one you find the most useful. Some are better than others. I like Surfshark for its affordability, same with ProtonVPN.

9

I would go with Surfshark, simply because I believe that it has the best price/quality ratio. It has over 3k servers in key locations around the world, so it’s unlikely that servers will get overcrowded, which would negatively affect your speed.

Also, Surfshark can hold unlimited connections, meaning that you can protect every device in your house. You can also install it on your router to secure gaming consoles and other platforms that don’t directly support VPNs.

10

Look into Trust Zone. Years ago they were advised in the privacy community. Quite good budget wise.

11

What do you want to use your VPN for? If you need something ultra secure for going to the dark web, I’d say to go with NordVPN. It has Onion over VPN servers that use the Tor network to give you airtight security. Notice that this will have an impact on your speed, but if security is really what you’re after, I’d say it is worth it.

12

If you’re looking for a VPN that’s truly affordable, I’d go with IPVanish or Surfshark.

I would actually give a slight advantage to Surfshark, as it uses only RAM servers, which periodically wipe out all stored data. That means that even if the government requests that Surfshark gives your private information (search history, etc.), there would be nothing to share.

13

Mulvad is pretty decent. It has a fixed rate of 5€/month, which is very affordable in comparison to other premium VPNs (at least if you need a shorter subscription).

14

I think the best cheap VPN to go with is NordVPN when you use the 72% off coupon in the post above. The only drawback I see with the service is that the Threat Protection Pro feature is not available on the cheapest (Basic) plan. This feature is pretty important in my opinion as it blocks trackers, ads, malware, and phishing on your devices. Premium ad blockers can be expensive and I liked how this feature was integrated into NordVPN a few years back.

For an alternative cheap VPN, I think Surfshark is a solid choice. Like NordVPN, Surfshark offers the CleanWeb feature that also blocks ads and trackers, but it’s not quite as robust as NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro feature.

15

There are other best cheap VPNs that you forgot to mention. There’s Privado that comes at 1.99$, and Ivacy for 1.17$. Both are great no-logs VPNs that offer a more than adequate service. Although they haven’t been under any independent audits, they can still be a decent alternative to other popular VPNs.

16

I’d say all of the services here are neck to neck in one aspect or another. If you’re just looking for one that’s cheapest, just go for Surfshark.

17

Surfshark is perfect if you are on a tight budget because it is very fast, private, and has advanced security features that will keep you safe. There are more than enough servers, and its apps are optimized so they run well on different platforms.

If you have an older device, you can just install the Surfshark browser extension, which is very lightweight.

18

Windscribe also seems like a great deal. Their build-a-plan feature makes payment flexible, since you can add and remove locations when you need them.

19

Get Surfshark. It is a no-logs VPN with very fast RAM servers that periodically reset, wiping out all user data. This means that you will remain completely private, even if the government requests data disclosure. Surfshark uses AES-256 encryption, which is one of the most advanced encryption protocols on the market. Since it supports WireGuard, you will get also get fast and stable connection.

20

Proton VPN should be closer to the top despite not having RAM servers. Switzerland is one of the best privacy jurisdictions in the world, so your privacy definitely won’t be compromised, as this VPN follows a no-logs policy that has been independently audited.

This VPN also has an absolutely massive server network, so it’s easy to find an optimized connection in many countries around the world. And if you want to connect to really remote servers, there’s an accelerator feature that other VPNs are missing.