Best cheap VPNs under $3 per month (2026)

The two-year plan is where all the value lives. Every VPN in this bracket advertises a headline monthly price on their homepage that assumes you commit for 24 months upfront — cancel before the renewal and you keep the low rate for the whole first term.

Surfshark is our current pick for the sub-$3 tier. Unlimited simultaneous connections, reliable streaming and an independent audit make it hard to beat at the price.

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a solid runner-up. The interface is more technical and the desktop app looks its age, but the underlying network is one of the largest in the industry.

Avoid so-called lifetime deals from providers you have never heard of. The unit economics of running a VPN do not support a one-time $60 fee for infinite service, and these offers routinely disappear along with the company behind them.