Cheapest VPN 2026 - Best Budget Options Under $3/Month

Updated: February 17, 2026 · 4 min read

You don’t need to spend a fortune on a VPN. Several excellent providers offer plans under $3/month — but the cheapest VPN isn’t always the best value. We compared pricing, features, and real-world performance to find the best budget VPNs in 2026.

Cheapest VPNs Ranked by Price

The Hidden Cost Trap

Watch out for renewal prices. Almost every VPN advertises their lowest possible monthly rate (on the longest plan), but renewal prices are typically 2-3x higher.

Pro tip: Set a calendar reminder before renewal. Cancel and resubscribe to get the introductory price again — most VPNs allow this after a short waiting period.

1. PIA — Cheapest Premium VPN ($2.03/mo)

Private Internet Access offers the lowest price of any reputable VPN at $2.03/month on the 3-year plan. And unlike many budget VPNs, PIA doesn’t cut corners on features.

What You Get

• Full WireGuard and OpenVPN support
• 10 simultaneous connections
• Port forwarding (rare at this price)
• SOCKS5 proxy included
• Open-source apps
• Court-verified no-logs policy

The Compromise

PIA’s speeds are good but not class-leading. Streaming support is inconsistent — Netflix US works, but international libraries are hit-or-miss. If streaming is your priority, spend the extra dollar on Surfshark or NordVPN.

Best for: Privacy-focused users on a tight budget who don’t need reliable streaming.

Get PIA — $2.03/mo →

2. Surfshark — Best Overall Budget VPN ($2.29/mo)

Twenty-six cents more than PIA gets you unlimited devices, better streaming support, and a cleaner app experience. For most people, Surfshark is the best value VPN available.

Why 26 Cents More Is Worth It

• Unlimited devices vs PIA’s 10
• Better streaming — reliably unblocks Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer
• CleanWeb ad blocker — works at the network level
• GPS spoofing (Android) — unique feature
• Simpler interface — less overwhelming than PIA’s customization-heavy approach

Best for: Families and anyone who wants the most features per dollar.

Get Surfshark — $2.29/mo →

3. NordVPN — Best Premium Value ($3.39/mo)

NordVPN costs more than Surfshark and PIA, but the performance difference is noticeable. Faster speeds, more reliable streaming, and the strongest security feature set of any consumer VPN.

When $1 More Per Month Matters

• Speed: 940 Mbps vs Surfshark’s 890 Mbps vs PIA’s 720 Mbps
• Streaming: 15+ Netflix libraries reliably unblocked
• Security: Double VPN, Threat Protection, Meshnet
• Server network: 6,200+ servers vs competitors’ 3,000-4,000

If you can stretch your budget to $3.39/month, NordVPN delivers meaningfully better performance.

Best for: Users who want the best performance without paying ExpressVPN prices.

Get NordVPN — $3.39/mo →

Free VPNs: The False Economy

Free VPNs seem like the ultimate budget option, but they cost you in other ways:

• Data selling: Many free VPNs monetize by selling your browsing data
• Speed throttling: Free tiers are intentionally slow to push upgrades
• Data caps: 500MB-10GB/month limits (one Netflix movie = 3GB)
• Security risks: Some inject ads, track you, or bundle malware

The only legitimately free VPN we recommend is Proton VPN Free — no data limits, verified no-logs policy. But it’s limited to 5 server locations and 1 device.

At $2/month, a paid VPN is less than a cup of coffee and infinitely more trustworthy than free alternatives.

Money-Saving Tips

1. Buy the longest plan: 2-3 year plans are always cheapest per month
2. Use coupon sites: Check RetailMeNot and Honey before purchasing
3. Watch for holiday sales: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and New Year have the deepest discounts
4. Set renewal reminders: Cancel before renewal to avoid the price increase
5. Share with family: Surfshark’s unlimited devices means one subscription covers everyone

Prices verified February 2026. VPN pricing changes frequently — click through to see current deals.