Best Cheap VPNs for 2022

While there are a few excellent free VPNs, most will run you more than $10 per month. In this roundup, we look at the VPNs that don't come with the restrictions of a free VPN but won't break the bank either.

Who Needs a VPN?

When you switch on a VPN, it creates an encrypted connection between your machine and a server operated by the VPN company. All your data is piped to the server before exiting back out onto the internet. Back in the day, when HTTPS was a rarity and public Wi-Fi was the wild west, this protection was essential for security. But with more sites and services securing themselves appropriately, VPNs have become more of a privacy product. When you use a VPN, it prevents your ISP from being able to monitor the sites you visit (and potentially monetize that data). A VPN can also make it harder for advertisers from monitoring your movements across the web.

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For some people, VPNs are still an essential tool. For anyone living under threat of oppression or surveillance (which, realistically, could be anyone), a VPN makes it much harder for observers to see what you're doing online. They can also be used to bypass state-sponsored sensorship, letting people freely access the web. Some people use them for watching Netflix in another country. But for the average person, a VPN is a tool for being a little less exposed on the web.

Keep in mind, however, that with enough time and effort a determined adversary is likely to win out. If you choose to use a VPN, therefore you should also make sure you are protecting yourself in other ways. Advertisers have numerous tricks for gathering data, so use an adblocker such as the EFF's Privacy Badger and use the ad- and tracker-blocking features of your browser. Account takeovers are devastating, so protect your accounts with unique passwords from a password manager and enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible. Lastly: never underestimate malware. We strongly encourage readers to use standalone antivirus software.

What Makes a Good, Cheap VPN?

Among all the VPN services we've tested, the average monthly price is around $9.96 per month. We figured that about two dollars per month cheaper would qualify as “cheap,” and set the cut-off for this list at $8.00 per month. We also looked to our previous reviews to inform our choices. To qualify for this list, a VPN service needs to have earned at least three stars within the last two years.

The only thing cheaper than cheap is free, and there are a great many free VPN services out there. Some of the services on this list also offer a free version, usually with limitations that are lifted when you pony up some cash. If you are looking for a free VPN, ProtonVPN is our top choice.

One more note about pricing: we only consider the monthly price. Most VPN services give you a discount for buying longer-term subscriptions, but this isn't a comparison of who gives the biggest discounts. It's the flat fee we're interested in. Also, some VPNs have different features at different pricing tiers. We don't see this too often, but if the service has a pricing tier that meets our requirements, it's eligible for consideration.

Finally, make sure you trust your VPN. Because all your data is routed through the VPN, it could have enormous insight into your activities. In our reviews, we scour company's privacy policies, ask what legal jurisdiction they operate under, and try to understand how they protect customers, so be sure to read those. If a VPN offers a great deal, but something about it makes you nervous, look for another option. There are plenty to choose from.

Once you've picked a service, you can get up and running with our feature on how to set up and use a VPN.

(Editors’ Note: While they may not all appear in this story IPVanish and StrongVPN are owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag's parent company.)