The best cheap VPNs for cybersecurity and streaming

These VPNs cost less than your daily coffee.

By Joseph Green, Haley Henschel

Aug. 10, 2023

The best cheap VPNs for cybersecurity and streaming

NordVPN

Best For Security

One of the most popular services for securing your online activities.

Pros & Cons

CyberGhost VPN

Best For Newbies

CyberGhost combines usability with unique tools and powerful features.

Pros & Cons

Private Internet Access

Best For Server Network

Private Internet Access lets users connect to a huge network of servers, which is helpful for streaming.

Pros & Cons

PureVPN

Best For Globetrotters

PureVPN is a strong option with a diverse selection of servers that should appeal to those that travel far and wide.

Pros & Cons

Surfshark

Best For Multiple Devices

Surfshark offers an unlimited number of simultaneous connections to you can securely stream on all your devices.

Pros & Cons

Ivacy VPN

Best For Torrenting

Ivacy VPN lets you connect to P2P optimised servers for high speeds and a impressive torrenting experience.

Pros & Cons

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

All those hours you've spent searching for the perfect reaction GIF or drooling over recipes on YouTube seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things — but to Google, hackers, your internet service provider (ISP), and even certain government agencies, that browsing history is a valuable commodity.

And guess what? They're probably tracking and logging every digital move you make. Like, right now. The best thing you can do to make sure your online activities are undetectable and untraceable is to invest in a VPN.

What is a VPN?

A VPN is a service that makes your web presence more difficult to track and trace, and if someone can't track or trace your web presence, they can't collect your personal data and do suspect things with it — like sell it to advertisers or use it to incriminate you in nefarious activities.

A VPN improves online privacy because the user's IP address is replaced with one from the VPN provider. Those subscribed to a VPN can obtain an IP address from any gateway location the VPN service provides. A VPN is like an encrypted tunnel through which all of your online traffic passes through. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware

Do you need to pay for VPNs?

The short answer is this: There's no such thing as a free lunch.

A VPN keeps you anonymous online by masking your IP address and encrypting your traffic through its secure servers, and while it would be nice of providers to give away and maintain this technology for free, they have to make money somehow. So, if they're not charging you a monthly or annual fee to use their service, they're likely logging and selling your data in order to pay their bills. Some even have the audacity to seed their products with spyware. In the best-case scenario, that data will be used to generate eerily specific ads based on your browsing history. At worst, your privacy will be compromised.

What is the best cheap VPN?

We've found that many VPN providers are willing to offer their services for cheap so long as you commit to a long-term subscription. We have looked at everything on offer to line up a short selection of your best options, including popular providers like NordVPN and CyberGhost VPN.

We recommend taking your time and properly considering all the options in this list. There is something for everyone right here. You just need to weigh up each service against your own set of priorities, and pick a favourite.

These are the best cheap VPNs in 2023.

NordVPN

Best For Security

The good

Money-back guarantee Number of servers No ads

The Bad

On the pricier side

The Bottomline

One of the most popular services on the market, due to large number of servers and high degree of privacy.

Specs

1 year plan: £5.35/month
1-year plan: £3.64/month
2 year plan: £3.05/month
2-year plan: £2.91/month
3 year plan: £2.29/month
Annual plan: $4.99/month (billed $59.88 for your first two years, then $99.48/year thereafter)
Monthly: £10.39/month
Monthly (Complete plan): $14.19/month
Monthly (Plus plan): $12.89/month
Monthly (Standard plan): $11.99/month
Monthly plan: $11.99/month
One year: £5.66/month
One-year plan: £3.99/month
Three-year plan: £2.82/month
Two years: £4.04/month
Two-year plan: £3.19/month

NordVPN is one of the most popular services for securing your online activities. NordVPN now has almost 5000 servers around the world, making it one of the largest services in the world, too.

Privacy is a major issue when it comes to VPNs, and NordVPN makes all the right noises about keeping your information private. NordVPN states that the company does not insert ads into your web traffic, and doesn’t profit from the sale of user data. On top of that, NordVPN only collects aggregated app-crash statistics and voluntary diagnostic data, meaning that the service doesn’t collect any personally identifiable information. Good news.

NordVPN is consistent across every platform on which it's offered, and includes ad blocking as an added bonus. You can also connect up to six devices at the same time.

Even if NordVPN doesn’t work out for you, they have a 30-day money-back guarantee. So you are completely covered either way. You can either be impressed with the service, and continue with your plan, or — if you don’t like what NordVPN offers — you can get out for free.

CyberGhost VPN

Best For Newbies

The good

Easy to use Good value No restrictions on browsing Generous money-back guarantee

The Bad

No free version Not as many servers as NordVPN

The Bottomline

CyberGhost could be the best option if you're new to the VPN game, and want an easy to use service with a strong set of features.

Specs

1 year plan: £4.59/month
1-year plan: £3.45/month
2 year plan: £3.09/month
2-year plan: £2.98/month
3 year plan: £2.10/month
3-year plan: £1.59/month
Free trial on Android: Three days
Free trial on iOS: Seven days
Free trial on Mac: 24 hours
Free trial on Windows: 24 hours
Jurisdiction: Romania
Kill switch: Yes
Money-back guarantee: Yes (14 days with monthly plans, 45 days with long-term plans, ); free 24-hour trial
Monthly: £10.89/month
Monthly plan: $12.99/month
Most recent external audit: 2022
Network size: Over 9,100 servers in 91 countries
One-year plan: $4.29/month (billed $51.48 every year)
Pricing: $2.11-$12.99/month
Simultaneous connections: 7
Six-month plan: £6.19/month
Split tunneling: Yes, but only for Android
Support options: Live chat, online support center
Three-year plan: £2.10/month
Three-year plan 3 months: $2.29/month (billed $89.31 every three years)
Three-year plan three months for free: £1.59 per month
Two-year plan: £1.92/month

CyberGhost is a VPN that combines a lot of the essentials that you want from a service. It’s available in loads of locations, it’s not restrictive, and it’s discreet. CyberGhost hosts over 4500 servers in 90 locations across over 60 different countries. This makes CyberGhost a preferred VPN for those that travel the world for business or pleasure. It doesn't place restrictions on browsing habits, so users benefit from unlimited traffic and bandwidth. CyberGhost utilises 256-AES bit encryption to protect your payment info from cyber-criminals and hide your browsing data from ISPs. So you can rest assured that your sensitive data is secure. CyberGhost is one of the leading VPNs because it is able to combine usability with unique tools and powerful features, as well as a privacy policy that protects customers. In a nutshell, it does what a VPN should, without the unnecessary frills that sometimes populate other services. There is not a free service, but CyberGhost can usually be picked up for just £2.10 a month, depending on what deal is being offered. If the price is currently too high for you, then chances are CyberGhost will offer a special discounted price soon enough. If you do take the plunge on CyberGhost, then rest assured that, just like NordVPN, you do get a 45-day money back guarantee.

Private Internet Access

Best For Server Network

The good

Number of servers Decent connection speeds 10 simultaneous connections

The Bad

Lacking some of the more advanced features

The Bottomline

Private Internet Access keeps things simple to offer a slick streaming experience.

Specs

1-year plan: £2.52/month
2-year plan: £2.20/month
Monthly: £10.99/month
Monthly plan: £5.25/month
One year: £2.71/month
One-year plan: £2.71/month
Six-month plan: £5.39/month
Two years: £2.19/month
Two-year plan: £1.69/month

A great buy at just $2.59 a month with a two-year plan, Private Internet Access, or PIA, is the best VPN you can get for less than a Starbucks latte: It installs in a jiffy, offers 24/7 live chat coverage, stands by a strict no-log policy, and maintains an absolutely massive server network. Its app is pretty basic and its platform support is limited, but it makes up for that with free email breach monitoring and a tool called MACE that blocks ads, trackers, and malware. Supported platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Opera

PureVPN

Best For Globetrotters

The good

Strong network of servers Dedicated IP

The Bad

Not the absolute fastest

The Bottomline

Not the fastest service but a solid all-around option for those that want a VPN without any major weaknesses that would get in the way of your movie marathon

Specs

1-year plan: £4.25/month
2-year plan: 2.46/month
Monthly: £8.37/month
Monthly plan: £8.30/month
One-year: £2/month
One-year plan: £2.86/month
Two-year plan: £1.75/month

When looking for a VPN that will keep you connected to all the content that the Fire Stick potentially provides, Pure VPN ticks an awful lot of boxes.

PureVPN has a strong network of geographically diverse servers, a dedicated IP, and a strong privacy policy. So the key message is that this VPN boasts an outstanding network of international servers so you can keep watching your favourite series wherever you may be. Ideal for those that get around the globe.

It isn't all perfect. PureVPN is not the fastest VPN out there, but it is faster than most, and is definitely fast enough for most users to stay connected and enjoy the Fire Stick content buffer-free.

Overall, PureVPN is a serious option for anyone wanting to enjoy all of Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, and Netflix, without being blocked. It's one of the best VPNs thanks to its mix of competitive performance, polished design, and diverse server locations.

Surfshark

Best For Multiple Devices

The good

Unlimited number of connections User-friendly interface Cheap if you commit

The Bad

Pricey if you can't commit to a two-year deal

The Bottomline

User-friendly VPN that lets you stream on all your devices at the same time.

Specs

Monthly: £9.90/month
One month: $12.95
One year: $3.99/month
One-year plan: £3.05/month
Six-month plan: £4.75/month
Two years: $2.30/month
Two-year plan: £1.76/month
Two-year plan three months for free: £1.64 per month

Surfshark is one of the best VPNs for streaming and large households, as you can connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously with the same plan. Surfshark also offers a wide range of impressive features including split tunnelling and enterprise-grade infrastructure, with a 30-day money-back guarantee meaning you can access everything for free. Just don't forget to cancel your subscription if you're using this method. If you choose to commit to Surfshark, the best rates are reserved for the longest contracts. If you're willing to commit to a longer contract, the monthly rate comes down sharply.

Ivacy VPN

Best For Torrenting

The good

Cheap if you're willing to commit 10 multi-logins Over 3,000 servers located all around the world

The Bad

Monthly plan is expensive

The Bottomline

An impressive VPN that makes streaming and torrenting quick and easy.

Specs

Five-year plan: £0.80/month
Monthly: £8.22/month
One-year plan: £2.91/month

There are a number of VPN providers that claim to be able to unlock streaming services, but few can unlock seven major Netflix regions like Ivacy VPN. All Ivacy VPN plans can also unblock BBC iPlayer, Disney , and Hulu.

Ivacy VPN is one of the best services for streaming and torrenting, with P2P optimised servers for high speeds and an intuitive experience. Plus, if you're willing to commit, you can subscribe for less than the other best service for streaming — ExpressVPN.

Subscribers can also connect up to 10 devices simultaneously with Ivacy VPN, so you can securely stream and torrent with all of your devices at the same time.