VPNs are indispensable tools for Internet users, as they improve your privacy and security while providing access to geo-blocked websites. Unfortunately, many of them are expensive, especially if you get a month-to-month VPN subscription. While a one-month subscription lets you evaluate the service, it is not cost-effective.
It's important to compare the features each budget VPN offers to ensure they meet your specific needs and, despite being affordable, are still reliable and consistent. The solution is to use the cheapest monthly VPN that doesn't sacrifice quality. Not only is it affordable, but it also offers advanced features that meet most users’ needs.
In this article, we provide an overview of 8 best monthly VPNs. We will also compare all the services, give you tips on how to choose the best cheap VPNs, and guide you through setting one up. Finally, we'll advise you on the benefits of monthly versus long-term VPNs, answer some FAQs, and much more.Â
To get a cheap monthly VPN, you will have to subscribe to a service with an affordable monthly pricing plan. Here are all the steps you'll need to take:Â
To decide the best cheap monthly VPN, we relied on the criteria defined in our article on the best VPNs. First, it’s most crucial to get a service that has an affordable monthly plan. Plus, it should have a generous money-back guarantee. The provider also needs to support many different devices so that you can easily install them on all your tech.
You will want a service with a huge server network that covers many locations worldwide. It should provide advanced VPN protocols that ensure excellent performance and blazing speed. This will make it suitable for gaming, torrenting, and streaming.Â
Your privacy and security are very important, so you will want a no-logs VPN with high-end encryption that will make your outgoing data unreadable. We made sure that the cheapest VPN per month also provides many simultaneous connections so that you get the most out of your subscription. Lastly, your VPN should offer 24/7 customer support through live chat.
According to all these criteria, these are the 5 cheapest monthly VPNs:
NordVPN is the best cheap monthly VPN currently available. Its monthly plan starts from $12.99, and an annual subscription costs $4.49 monthly, while you can get a 2-year plan for just $3.79 per month. This VPN offers a 7-day free trial for Android devices and a 30-day refund policy if you decide to get a full subscription for testing it on other platforms.
With over 5,800 servers in 60 countries, NordVPN supports 6 simultaneous connections, so you can use it on multiple devices. Its app is available on most modern devices, including routers, browsers, smartphones, and PCs.
By subscribing, you will maintain your privacy, as this is a no-logs VPN. Its security is also airtight thanks to its combination of AES 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and various leak protection tools. NordVPN also offers advanced protocols like NordLynx and OpenVPN that guarantee fast speeds and optimized performance across all servers.
NordVPN is excellent for gaming, streaming, and torrenting. It has SmartDNS and split tunneling, along with dedicated P2P servers that are perfect for file sharing. If you're a gamer, you can expect low ping and stable latency. Lastly, NordVPN has responsive 24/7 live chat support, so you will never get stuck without help.
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Surfshark is a solid-budget monthly VPN that will cost you $13.99 per month if you go with the month-to-month option. Then there’s an annual plan that costs $3.99/month and a 2-year plan for $1.99/month. You can take advantage of its 7-day trial on iOS and Android, but we recommend testing out a full subscription risk free thanks to its 30-day refund guarantee.
This VPN gives you access to 3,200+ servers in 100 countries. It has strong device support, so it will work perfectly on computers, routers, tablets, smartphones, and more. Moreover, Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections, so you'll never have to get another subscription to cover more devices.
Surfshark supports VPN protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN that are secure and provide instant connections. All your outgoing data is protected by AES 256-bit encryption, and none of it will be stored long term due to its no-logs policy.
You will find that Surfshark is suitable for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. It provides low ping, fast connections, and P2P servers for torrenting. It also has amazing unblocking capabilities, so you can access any site you want. On top of that, it has 24/7 live chat support.
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ExpressVPN is among the cheapest month-to-month VPN services. You can choose between a monthly ($12.95), 6-month ($9.99/month), or an annual subscription ($6.67 per month). There's also a 7-day trial period for Android and iOS users. If you decide to get a full plan to try out the service, you’ll have peace of mind because a 30-day refund is available.
ExpressVPN has 3,000+ servers throughout 105 countries. Its app is compatible with nearly every device, from routers and browsers to computers and smartphones. With one subscription you can make up to 8 simultaneous connections.
This VPN supports multiple protocols like Lightway and OpenVPN, so expect solid speeds and performance. None of your private information is kept as ExpressVPN follows a no-logs policy. Its AES 256-bit encryption scrambles your outgoing data, while leak protection and a kill switch prevent your identity from spilling online.
Look no further if you need a VPN for torrenting, streaming, or gaming. ExpressVPN has servers optimized for streaming and P2P file sharing, which prevent lagging and facilitate speedy downloads. SmartDNS is also available, so you can use it on devices that don't natively support VPNs. Finally, it offers professional 24/7 live chat support.
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CyberGhost is another affordable VPN service with monthly ($12.99), 6-month ($6.99/month), and 2-year ($2.03/month) plans. It also offers a 7-day trial for iOS and Android devices, as well as a 24-hour trial for Windows and macOS. You can test it on other devices for a longer period, though—if you get a 6-month or 2-year subscription, you’ll have 45 days to ask for a refund.
This VPN has a vast network of 10,000+ servers in 100 countries. Its app is available on many devices, like smartphones, computers, tablets, and routers. CyberGhost allows you to make 7 simultaneous connections, which is usually enough for a whole household.
CyberGhost is a no-logs service with AES 256-bit encryption, so both security and privacy are well covered. It also has a kill switch, leak protection, and robust protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN. Plus, this VPN has servers optimized for streaming, gaming, and torrenting, along with SmartDNS for devices that aren't compatible with VPNs.Â
If you encounter any problems, you can always contact its 24/7 live chat support. They are professional and responsive, so troubleshooting will be easy.
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Private Internet Access (PIA) is a cheaper VPN that doesn't sacrifice quality. It has a monthly plan for $11.95, an annual plan for $3.33/month, and a 3-year subscription plan for $1.98/month. There's also a free 7-day trial for Android and iOS. However, if you get a longer subscription to evaluate the service, you can take advantage of PIA's 30-day refund policy.
PIA has the biggest network on the market, spanning thousands of servers in 84 countries. It has strong VPN protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN that deliver consistent performance, although its speeds are a bit slow. It’s compatible with most modern devices, including routers, PCs, smartphones, and tablets.Â
Your privacy will remain intact, as PIA strictly follows a no-logs policy. It has high-end AES 256-bit encryption that will scramble your outgoing data, making it unreadable to third parties. For extra security, there's a kill switch and leak protection.Â
PIA offers unlimited simultaneous connections, so you won't have to get multiple subscriptions. It can easily unblock restricted platforms and websites, which makes it great for gaming, torrenting, and streaming. In case you get stuck, PIA's 24/7 customer service is available through live chat and will quickly solve your problems.Â
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IPVanish is another promising VPN with a monthly subscription that will cost you $12.99. The annual plan goes for $2.99 per month, while a 2-year plan is even cheaper at $2.49 per month. There's a 7-day iOS and Android trial, but you will get a 30-day money-back guarantee if you subscribe to a 1- or 2-year plan.Â
If you want to use a VPN for one month and choose IPVanish, you’ll get access to 2,000+ servers in over 50 countries. IPVanish supports nearly every device you may expect, like computers, smartphones, routers, and tablets. Since it has unlimited simultaneous connections, you can really get the most out of your money.
IPVanish is designed for gaming, streaming, and torrenting optimization. It has a SOCKS5 proxy, which lets you maintain fast speeds while streaming. Gamers can preview server performance, making it possible to easily find a solid connection. This VPN also has numerous VPN protocols, including WireGuard and OpenVPN.
Your data will remain secure thanks to its military-grade AES 256 encryption. IPVanish is a no-logs VPN, so your privacy will also be protected. Lastly, while live chat support is available, you unfortunately can't access it 24/7.
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Ivacy is a less popular but still high-quality VPN. Its cost per month subscription is $9.95, an annual plan comes to $3.99 per month, and its 5-year subscription costs only $1 per month. While Ivacy doesn’t offer a free trial, long-term subscribers can count on its 30-day refund policy (monthly users will have 7 days).
This VPN offers 5,700+ servers located in 60+ countries. It has excellent device support, so you can use it on routers, smartphones, computers, and tablets. A single subscription will provide up to 10 simultaneous connections. Ivacy also has multiple secure protocols to choose from like OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec.
With them, you can quickly access every website and platform. There are plenty of P2P- and streaming-optimized servers you can connect to. Plus, your ping will remain low with stable latency when playing games. All in all, Ivacy is a good choice for torrenting, gaming, and streaming.Â
Since this is a no-logs VPN, your data will remain private at all times. Security is covered with AES 256-bit encryption, leak protection, and a powerful kill switch. Finally, Ivacy provides reliable customer support with its 24/7 live chat service.
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Proton VPN may be our last recommendation, but it's still a solid service that will cost you €9.99 for a monthly plan, €5.99/month for a yearly plan, or €4.99/month for a 2-year plan. While there is no free trial, Proton VPN has a limited free plan that you can use indefinitely. It also offers a 30-day refund policy if you want to test out the full version without risk.
Proton VPN offers 3,000+ servers in 69 countries worldwide and lets you hold up to 10 simultaneous connections. This network includes P2P servers which, in combination with solid protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard, make it ideal for torrenting, gaming, and streaming. On top of that, it can quickly unblock any website you wish to access.
Security is at a very high level, thanks to the AES 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, split tunneling, and leak protection. Proton VPN adheres to a strict no-logs policy, so your data won't be stored. It is also compatible with most devices, such as tablets, smartphones, and PCs.
Proton VPN's customer support is available through email only, which is a bit disappointing. Still, it is reasonably priced and offers a fast connection, which is why we included it.
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To choose the best monthly VPN, focus on finding an affordable provider with an excellent price-to-quality ratio. Here are all the things you should consider when evaluating the cheapest 1-month VPN providers:
Monthly VPNs are so expensive because services would like you to subscribe for a longer period of time. By providing steep discounts on the cost per month, VPN providers incentivize customers to sign up for longer plans. Doing so also prevents users from switching to another service because they keep using the VPN for the duration of their plan.
This is why we recommend getting an annual subscription instead of a monthly subscription, as you can use the provider's refund policy to get your money back if you're not satisfied. While there are some VPN services that have a free trial, this feature is often reserved for smartphones. You can find out more about this in our best VPN free trials article.
Whether you should get a monthly VPN or a long-term VPN subscription will depend on what you are going to use the service for.Â
In general, getting a long-term plan is usually better than a monthly subscription. Aside from saving you a considerable amount of money, you might get a few extra benefits that are not present with the monthly version, such as a longer refund period or more simultaneous connections.
While VPNs are essential for improving your online security and privacy, many of them can be quite expensive. Getting the cheapest monthly VPN may seem logical, but budget services often lack the features necessary for a safe and enjoyable experience. This is why it’s important to evaluate the cost-to-benefit ratio when choosing the best monthly VPN.
We recommend NordVPN as the best cheap monthly VPN on the market. It has various affordable plans but doesn't sacrifice on quality. Moreover, its combination of a no-logs policy and military-grade encryption will keep your data private and secure, while its vast server network always provides fast and reliable connections.
You've reached the end of our article on choosing the cheapest monthly VPN. Don't hesitate to drop a comment if you have any remaining questions. Thanks for reading!