Budget VPNs

What separates the picks on this page?

Price is not the split. Four of the seven sit between $2.03 and $3.39 a month on their long-term plans, and the scores still run from 9.2 down to 8. NordVPN leads at 9.2 on speed and streaming: it kept 91% of download speed to US-East on NordLynx and unblocked 10 of 10 streaming services on all three days. Surfshark is next at 9 for $2.19 a month, with unlimited devices and 9 of 10 streaming services. Proton VPN and ExpressVPN both score 8.6, but for different reasons — Proton VPN brings Swiss jurisdiction and a free tier with no data cap, while ExpressVPN unblocked 10 of 10 services including on Apple TV and Fire TV apps.

Below that, CyberGhost (8.4) has labelled streaming and gaming servers and the longest refund window here at 45 days. Private Internet Access (8.3) is the cheapest long-term at $2.03 a month with unlimited devices. Mullvad (8) is the privacy pick: a 16-digit account number, no email, cash and Monero accepted — and only 2 of 10 streaming services worked.

What should you check before buying?

The scoring weights tell you what matters: Privacy 30, Speed 25, Streaming 15, Apps & devices 15, Value 15. Match those to your own use.

• Device count: Surfshark and Private Internet Access allow unlimited connections. NordVPN allows ten, ExpressVPN eight, CyberGhost seven, Mullvad five.
• Renewal price: NordVPN's renewal after the 2-year term is much higher than the intro rate. Surfshark's monthly plan is the most expensive in the ranking at $15.45.
• Jurisdiction: NordVPN is in Panama, ExpressVPN in the BVI, Proton VPN in Switzerland. Surfshark sits in the Netherlands, inside 14-Eyes sharing, and Private Internet Access is a US company.
• Streaming: if Netflix UK or BBC iPlayer matter, note that Private Internet Access failed both. Proton VPN was inconsistent on Hulu and Max.
• Speed: Proton VPN's speeds trailed NordVPN by nine points. CyberGhost was slower to Japan than the top three.

Streaming and speed first

NordVPN for the fastest tested speeds and 10 of 10 streaming services. ExpressVPN if you watch on Apple TV or Fire TV apps or want router firmware and the Aircove router.

Many devices on a tight budget

Surfshark at $2.19 a month with unlimited connections, or Private Internet Access at $2.03 a month on the 3-year plan, also unlimited, with open-source apps and a no-logs claim tested in US court.

Privacy above all

Mullvad if you want no email, no name and cash accepted. Proton VPN if you want Swiss jurisdiction, audited open-source apps and a free plan with no data cap.

Try before committing

CyberGhost's 45-day money-back guarantee is the longest here, and its streaming and gaming servers worked first time.

For streaming and speed, NordVPN and ExpressVPN are the two to weigh, with ExpressVPN the better fit for TV and router setups. If you need many devices cheaply, Surfshark at $2.19 or Private Internet Access at $2.03 covers unlimited connections. For privacy, Mullvad and Proton VPN are the picks, and CyberGhost's 45-day refund suits anyone who wants to test first.