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After reading some of my earlier posts in this VPN series, I’m sure many are still asking: “What is the cheapest VPN service out there?”
Since inexpensive for many people clearly means free, let me say that cheap is relative. The complaint I hear about VPN services most often is its speed, notably slower internet access speeds, as I have pointed out after trying to gain some privacy with the free Tor Browser. No matter the price, always look for a no-logs policy as it protects you even if the government or law enforcement come looking for your records.
If you are contemplating the most inexpensive VPN option available, a Do-It-Yourself VPN might be the least expensive. That is arguable, however, because the best setups require a cloud server. As I point out in How To Get A VPN, there is free, DIY software available to create and configure your own VPN.
However, I am a big fan of services that offer a free tier and allow you to test out their service, on a limited basis, for as long as you want.
Fastest VPN is definitely looking to be a world leader in the lowest-priced VPN service. During my research on their site, a special offer appeared for a “Lifetime Plan” for only $80. Even without that offer, FastestVPN’s prices are the lowest I have seen. A five-year subscription is 83 cents per month for a total of $49.95. Their plan allows you to connect up to ten different devices simultaneously.
Another inexpensive option is NordVPN. It’s one of the most recognized VPN brands in the marketplace and allows users to connect up to six devices at the same time. With a 30-day money-back guarantee, the three-year plan costs a reasonable $107.55 (which is $2.99 per month).
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PureVPN has been around for a long time, and most users value the excellent customer service in addition to the full feature set for VPN services. Outside of special offers, regular pricing is only $3.33 per month (paid annually). Not to be beaten by competitors, PureVPN has a “31-day” satisfaction guarantee.
The last three recommendations are cheap VPNs that provide a free level. If you only spend a tiny amount of time on the internet, one of these might cover your needs. Even if you need more time, these three VPNs give you inexpensive options for a service.
TunnelBear VPN offers a free level plan with 500MB of data each month. It has most of the important features people look for in a VPN provider—strong AES 256-bit encryption and a no-logs policy. The one-year plan is a low $4.99 per month but must be paid annually— $59.88 a year.
InvinciBull VPN offers a free, 1GB data plan, but the paid plans are modest, starting at $59.99 annually. This gives you full functionality across all apps and platforms (including Android, iOS, Windows, Mac).
Another solid recommendation for an affordable service is Proton VPN. Its free plan does not appear to be capped by the amount of data you use, but is limited to only three countries, one device and a medium speed (versus high-speed service on the paid plans that start at $4 per month).
Now, I appreciate free services as much as the next person, but if any service promises completely free VPN access I would suggest using it as a trial. As many have learned in this age of privacy and data security challenges, if the service is free, then how does a company sustain itself? It usually does so by selling your data and information. The ones I have listed above—ProtonVPN, TunnelBear, and InvinciBull—offer free tiers, but in the hope of getting you into a paid plan someday. That’s a much safer option in my view. Hackers and criminals take their work seriously. So should you.
