Affiliate disclosure: VPN Vetted may earn a commission if you sign up through some links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It doesn’t change our picks, and we list renewal prices and limits for each provider. Surfshark and NordVPN belong to the same company group (Nord Security) since 2022.
Top picks (October 2026)
A cheap VPN is cheap only for the first term. Every provider below advertises a low monthly rate that requires paying one to two years upfront, and then renews at a different price. We compare what you actually pay, using each provider’s official pricing page.
Price table
| Surfshark Starter | Proton VPN Plus | NordVPN Basic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised rate | $2.49/mo | $3.49/mo | $3.49/mo |
| Paid upfront | $67.23 for the first 27 months | $83.76 for the first 24 months | $94.23 for the first 27 months |
| Renewal (as published) | Not shown on the pricing page | $83.88 every 12 months | $139.08 per year |
| Monthly plan | Available, price not listed on the page | $9.99/month | Not verified |
| Devices | Unlimited | 10 | 10 |
| Free plan | No | Yes (1 device) | No |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Link | Surfshark | Proton VPN | NordVPN |
(opens the full-size image in a new tab)Prices checked October 10, 2026 on the official pricing pages (USD; sales tax or VAT may apply; prices vary by region and change often).
Best cheap VPNs
Surfshark: lowest upfront price
Surfshark Starter was the cheapest plan we found: $2.49 a month, billed as $67.23 for the first 27 months. Surfshark One currently costs the same ($2.49/mo, $67.23 for the first 27 months), labeled a “Black Friday deal” (promo price as of October 12, 2026), and One+ ($4.49/mo, $121.23) add other security tools on the same terms (pricing). Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous devices, so one plan covers a whole household, and it lists 4,500+ servers in 100 countries.
Limits: the pricing page says the 2-year plan renews annually at “the applicable renewal price” but doesn’t show that price, so check it at checkout before you pay. Its monthly plan exists but costs more, and the page doesn’t list the figure.
Surfshark: See plans and pricing
Proton VPN: best if you want to start free
Proton VPN is the only pick with a free plan: one device, servers in 10 countries (randomly selected), medium speed, and no credit card required. VPN Plus costs $9.99 for a single month, or $3.49 a month on the 2-year plan, billed $83.76 for the first 24 months and then $83.88 every 12 months. That renewal is close to the intro price, which is unusual. Plus covers 10 devices and lists 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries (pricing). Proton is based in Switzerland and says its apps are open source.
Limits: the free plan is fine for light use, but you can’t choose the country. If you only need a VPN for one month, Proton’s $9.99 is the one monthly price we could verify.
Proton VPN: See plans and pricing
NordVPN: low intro rate with a clear renewal price
NordVPN Basic costs $3.49 a month on the 2-year plan, billed $94.23 for the first 27 months, and renews at $139.08 a year. The 1-year Basic plan is $65.88 for the first 12 months. Basic covers 10 devices and includes scam and phishing protection and Dark Web Monitor; the antivirus, password manager and ad blocker start on the Complete plan (pricing).
Limits: the renewal price is the highest of the three, so the long-term cost is higher than the advertised rate suggests. For a side-by-side on features, see our NordVPN vs Surfshark comparison.
NordVPN: See plans and pricing
Hidden costs: renewals and long plans
- Upfront billing. The “/mo” rates are averages. You pay the full term on day one.
- Renewal. After the first term, plans renew automatically at a published or “applicable” renewal price. NordVPN’s Basic renewal ($139.08/year) is more than three times its intro yearly average. Proton’s is almost the same as its intro price.
- Bonus months. Surfshark and NordVPN’s 27-month terms include 3 extra months, so compare the total, not the monthly rate.
- Add-ons. Dedicated IPs and extras such as data removal are sold separately or in higher tiers.
- Refunds. All three offer 30-day money-back guarantees, so you can cancel within a month if a VPN doesn’t work on your devices.
A practical approach: pick the 1- or 2-year plan, set a calendar reminder a few weeks before renewal, and decide then whether to renew, switch plans or cancel. If you want to protect every device at home without installing apps, see our guide to the best VPN for your router.
FAQ
What is the best cheap VPN? On upfront cost, Surfshark Starter ($67.23 for 27 months when we checked). If you want to pay nothing, Proton VPN’s free plan. If renewal cost matters most, Proton VPN Plus.
What is the best cheap VPN with a monthly plan? Proton VPN Plus at $9.99 for one month was the only monthly price we could confirm on an official page today.
Are free VPNs safe? Some are. Proton VPN’s free plan comes from the same company as its paid plan. Be wary of free VPNs with no clear business model or privacy policy.
What do Reddit users recommend? Reddit threads often mention these same providers, but they’re user opinions, not verified facts. Check prices on the official pages.
Can I get a refund? All three list a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Verdict
Choose Surfshark for the lowest upfront price and unlimited devices. Choose Proton VPN to start free, or for the most predictable renewal. Choose NordVPN if you want its feature tiers and don’t mind a higher renewal price. Whichever you pick, check the renewal line at checkout.
Surfshark: Check today’s price · or try Proton VPN
Sources (official pages, checked on October 10, 2026)
- Surfshark pricing: surfshark.com/pricing
- Proton VPN pricing: protonvpn.com/pricing
- NordVPN pricing: nordvpn.com/pricing