Cheapest VPN software
11 products with sourced pricing and capability data, 3 with a free plan. Entry paid plans median $10.99/mo; the cheapest product covering the 7 most common capabilities here is Proton VPN from $9.99/mo. Pick the one you pay for today to find a cheaper replacement.
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Same job. Way less money.
VPN price ladder
Every product's entry point, cheapest first: the free plan if there is one, otherwise the lowest paid plan as a monthly equivalent (yearly-billed plans divided by 12). Prices as observed on official pricing pages.
| Product | Free plan | Paid from | Plan | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windscribeconsumer vpn | Free | $3/mo | Build A Plan | 2026-10-29 |
| Mullvad VPNconsumer vpn | — | $5.58/mo | Flat monthly rate | 2026-10-29 |
| IVPNconsumer vpn | — | $6/mo | Standard | 2026-10-29 |
| ExpressVPNconsumer vpn | — | $8.33/mo | Basic · billed yearly | 2026-10-26 |
| Proton VPNconsumer vpn | Free | $9.99/mo | VPN Plus | 2026-10-29 |
| PrivadoVPNconsumer vpn | Free | $10.99/mo | Monthly | 2026-10-26 |
| Private Internet Access (PIA VPN)consumer vpn | — | $11.95/mo | PIA VPN | 2026-10-29 |
| CyberGhost VPNconsumer vpn | — | $12.99/mo | Monthly | 2026-10-26 |
| IPVanishconsumer vpn | — | $14.99/mo | Essential | 2026-10-29 |
| NordVPNconsumer vpn | — | $14.99/mo | Basic (1-month) | 2026-10-29 |
| Surfsharkconsumer vpn | — | $16.45/mo | Surfshark Starter | 2026-10-26 |
Cheapest vpn tool for each capability
For every capability at least a third of these products support: the cheapest product that covers it, free plans counted at $0.
- Need ad & tracker blocking, multi-hop or unlimited devices?
- Windscribe — free plan
- Need dedicated IP?
- Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) — from $11.95/mo (PIA VPN plan)
- Need money-back guarantee?
- Mullvad VPN — from $5.58/mo (Flat monthly rate plan)
- Need no-logs policy or split tunneling?
- PrivadoVPN — free plan
- Need port forwarding or simultaneous devices?
- Proton VPN — free plan
- Need server network size?
- ExpressVPN — from $8.33/mo (Basic plan), billed yearly
- Need static IP?
- Windscribe — from $9/mo (Pro plan)
Frequently asked
What is the cheapest VPN software?
Windscribe has the lowest paid entry price we have sourced, from $3/mo (Build A Plan plan). 3 of the 11 products also offer a free plan.
Which VPN tools have a free plan?
3 of the 11 we track: PrivadoVPN, Proton VPN, Windscribe. Free plans carry limits; each product page lists them.
How much does VPN software cost?
Paid entry plans in our data run from $3/mo to $16.45/mo, with a median of $10.99/mo across 11 priced products (monthly equivalents; yearly-billed plans divided by 12).
Which VPN tool is cheapest with ad tracker blocking, multihop or unlimited devices?
Windscribe, free plan.
Which VPN tool is cheapest with dedicated ip?
Private Internet Access (PIA VPN), from $11.95/mo (PIA VPN plan).
Is there an open-source VPN option?
Yes: Private Internet Access (PIA VPN), Proton VPN. Self-hosting removes the subscription but not the hosting and maintenance cost.
When were these prices checked?
Between 2026-10-26 and 2026-10-29, on the vendors' official pricing pages.