Best cheap VPN: which is cheapest depends on the measure

The cheapest VPN depends on what you measure

Of the five paid VPNs we cover, PIA is the cheapest to start: its deal costs $46.54 for 26 months, a $1.79 monthly equivalent. PureVPN has the lowest published renewal, $47.95 a year, and its first term plus one renewal costs $106.15 for 39 months, the lowest known total. PrivateVPN is the cheapest known way to cover exactly three years, at $72.00 for 36 months. PIA’s deal page doesn’t show its renewal amount, so its longer-term cost can’t be compared yet.

These are USD quotes checked on 13 October 2026 for each provider’s selected plan, before tax. They don’t cover every VPN on the market or every regional promotion, and your checkout can differ with your country, currency, tax and add-ons.

USD quotes checked 13 October 2026, before applicable tax. Currency, campaign and checkout prices can vary. Monthly rates are equivalents of upfront payments. How pricing works.

The arithmetic for each provider

The rows run from the smallest upfront bill to the largest. The order changes with the measure:

• Smallest bill today: PIA ($46.54), then PureVPN ($58.20), Surfshark ($67.23), PrivateVPN ($72.00) and NordVPN ($94.23). The gap from smallest to largest is $47.69.
• Lowest monthly equivalent: PIA ($1.79), then PrivateVPN ($2.00), PureVPN ($2.16), Surfshark ($2.49) and NordVPN ($3.49). PrivateVPN collects more than PureVPN or Surfshark today but has a lower equivalent, because its bill covers 36 months instead of 27.
• Lowest renewal: PureVPN ($47.95 a year), then PrivateVPN ($72.00), Surfshark ($79.00) and NordVPN ($139.08). Divided by 12, those are $4.00, $6.00, $6.58 and $11.59 a month. PIA isn’t ranked because its amount isn’t shown.
• First term plus one renewal: PureVPN ($58.20 + $47.95 = $106.15), PrivateVPN ($72.00 + $72.00 = $144.00), Surfshark ($67.23 + $79.00 = $146.23) and NordVPN ($94.23 + $139.08 = $233.31). Spread over the months covered, that’s about $2.72, $3.00, $3.75 and $5.98 a month.

Every published renewal costs more per month than the first term did. The first term carries an introductory price and, usually, bonus months that don’t repeat: Surfshark’s $2.49 equivalent becomes $6.58 at renewal, and PrivateVPN’s $2.00 becomes $6.00.

Why the terms don’t line up

The first terms run 26, 27 or 36 months, and every renewal adds 12 months. So a first term plus one renewal covers 38 months for PIA, 39 for NordVPN, Surfshark and PureVPN, and 48 for PrivateVPN. That’s why PrivateVPN’s $144.00 and Surfshark’s $146.23 look close but aren’t comparable: PrivateVPN’s total buys nine more months.

One like-for-like comparison works without guessing: the cash needed to stay covered for three years, if each plan renews at its quoted price. PrivateVPN’s first term is exactly 36 months, so it needs no renewal: $72.00. A 27-month plan needs one 12-month renewal to get past month 27, so staying covered for three years means paying for 39 months: $106.15 for PureVPN, $146.23 for Surfshark and $233.31 for NordVPN. PIA’s figure is $46.54 plus one renewal of unknown size. On this measure PrivateVPN is the cheapest of the four with known prices. We don’t prorate a renewal to exactly 36 months, because each renewal is charged for a full 12 months.

PIA’s longer-term cost can’t be totaled yet

PIA’s deal page lists the plan as 2 years + 2 months for $46.54 and says it renews yearly, but it doesn’t print the renewal amount. We don’t fill that gap with a figure from another PIA plan or another provider. At checkout, look for the yearly renewal amount and add it to $46.54: the result is your cost for 38 months. Until you’ve seen it, PIA’s lead is certain only for the first 26 months.

Rounded rates: use the bill

Advertised monthly rates are rounded, and not always in the same way. PureVPN shows $2.15 a month for Standard, but $58.20 ÷ 27 = $2.1556, which rounds to $2.16; PureVPN cuts off the extra digits instead. Multiply the advertised rate back and you get $2.15 × 27 = $58.05, which is 15 cents less than the $58.20 PureVPN actually bills. That’s why this page calculates every equivalent from the full bill, and why the bill is the number to compare.

Calculate a quote you’re looking at

The calculator opens with NordVPN’s quote as an example; replace it with the payment and months your checkout shows. It doesn’t fetch prices, and it won’t total a blank renewal as zero, which is the right treatment for PIA until you’ve seen its renewal. Add tax or optional extras to the first payment if you want to compare final bills rather than pre-tax quotes.

A cost-first shortlist

• Smallest bill today: PIA at $46.54 for 26 months, if its desktop app rules and unlimited devices fit; check the renewal amount at checkout. Get the PIA deal (affiliate link).
• Lowest published renewal and lowest known two-term total: PureVPN Standard at $58.20, then $47.95 a year, if you don’t need split tunneling on a Mac, iPhone or Linux. Get the PureVPN deal (affiliate link).
• Lowest known cost for three years: PrivateVPN at $72.00 for 36 months, if you can do without split tunneling in its apps. Get the PrivateVPN deal (affiliate link).
• Unlimited devices with a published renewal: Surfshark Starter at $67.23, then $79.00 a year. Get the Surfshark deal (affiliate link).
• A specific NordVPN feature: NordVPN Basic has the largest bill and the highest published renewal here, so it’s worth the extra only if you need something it documents, such as its Windows App Kill Switch combined with app split tunneling on Windows and Android. Get the NordVPN deal (affiliate link).

We don’t claim this shortlist finds the cheapest VPN anywhere on the market. It compares five providers’ selected plans, checked on the same day.

When cheap isn’t good value

A low price saves nothing if the plan lacks a feature you need. Check these before buying on price alone:

• Devices: NordVPN, PureVPN and PrivateVPN allow 10 simultaneous devices; Surfshark and PIA document unlimited.
• Split tunneling: PrivateVPN’s apps have none. PureVPN documents none on a Mac, iPhone or Linux, and PIA’s iPhone app splitting is unverified because its own pages conflict.
• Add-ons: PureVPN sells port forwarding and dedicated IPs as paid add-ons, so its bill rises if you need either. PrivateVPN includes port forwarding on selected servers.
• Refunds: PureVPN’s guarantee runs 31 days and the other four run 30. PrivateVPN’s terms exclude orders under USD 45, which leaves out its 1-month and 3-month plans.

Free plans are another option for light use, but data allowances, server choice and device limits can differ. Our free vs paid VPN guide explains how to judge a free service’s business model and limits. For a feature-first choice, the best VPN guide matches the same five providers to specific devices, and the VPN pricing guide explains each calculation.

Common questions

What is the cheapest VPN?

Of the five paid VPNs we cover, PIA costs the least to start: $46.54 for 26 months, or $1.79 a month as an equivalent. Over a longer period PureVPN may cost less, because its $47.95 yearly renewal is the lowest published and PIA’s renewal amount isn’t shown. We haven’t compared every VPN on the market.

Is a monthly plan cheaper for short-term use?

For a single month, yes: PrivateVPN’s 1-month plan costs $9.90 and PIA’s costs $11.95, against $46.54 for PIA’s 26-month deal. For longer needs, divide each total by the months you’ll actually use. PrivateVPN’s terms exclude orders under USD 45 from refunds, so its 1-month plan has no money-back guarantee.

Which VPN has the cheapest renewal?

PureVPN Standard renews at $47.95 a year after its first 27 months. PrivateVPN’s plan card shows $72.00 a year, Surfshark’s renewal table $79.00 and NordVPN $139.08. PIA’s deal page says only that the plan renews yearly.

Does canceling auto-renewal get me a refund?

No. Canceling auto-renewal stops the next charge, while a refund is a separate request under the provider’s policy. Those guarantees mostly cover the first purchase, for 30 days, or 31 at PureVPN.