Best Cheap VPNs In Canada For May 2024

Contributor,  Editor

Updated: May 1, 2024, 10:46am

Aaron Broverman
editor

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Editorial Note: Forbes Advisor may earn a commission on sales made from partner links on this page, but that doesn't affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

A virtual private network, or VPN, can be used to hide your data from hackers and other prying eyes. These networks encrypt your traffic so no one can see your activity.

Not all VPNs are created equal, however, and some can be quite costly. That’s why Forbes Advisor Canada has compiled a list of the best cheap VPNs available today. Read on to find the right option for your needs and budget.

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The Best Cheap VPNs of 2024


BEST FOR PLUG-AND-PLAY SOLUTIONS

CyberGhost

CyberGhost
4.6
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Monthly Plan Price

$12.99 USD ($17.53 CAD)

per month

Money-Back Guarantee

45 days

Server locations

Located in 91 countries

CyberGhost
Learn More

On CyberGhost's Website

Monthly Plan Price

$12.99 USD ($17.53 CAD)

per month

Money-Back Guarantee

45 days

Server locations

Located in 91 countries

Why We Picked It

CyberGhost offers one of the most user-friendly experiences in the VPN space. The Romania-based company provides clear and concise privacy rules and maintains a strict no-logs policy. This means it doesn’t record your browsing history, accessed websites, IP address, session duration, bandwidth usage or VPN server connections.

Protect your Windows, iOS, Linux, Mac, Android, gaming consoles, routers and smart TVs. With a subscription, you can safeguard up to seven devices. CyberGhost is fast and boasts features such as over 100 locations in 91 countries, 24/7 customer support, 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch and a 45-day money-back guarantee when choosing a one-year or longer plan.

Learn More: Read our CyberGhost VPN Review

Who should use it:

CyberGhost is best for those who want an easy-to-use interface and lots of features.

Pros & Cons
  • Over 100 locations in 91 countries
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Connect up to seven devices
  • Pricier than the competition

BEST FOR TECH-SAVVY USERS

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access
4.5
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

One-Year Plan Price

$39.95 USD ($53.37 CAD)

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

Located in 84 countries

Private Internet Access
Learn More

On Private Internet Access' Website

One-Year Plan Price

$39.95 USD ($53.37 CAD)

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

Located in 84 countries

Why We Picked It

Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the most popular VPN providers on the market, and for good reason. It’s fast, it’s cheap and it’s open source. PIA encrypts your data not just at the transport layer but also at the application layer. This means that even if your VPN connection were to drop, your data would still be protected.

PIA has a strict no-logs policy, and it doesn’t track or store user activity data. Protect up to ten devices with a PIA subscription, which includes Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox extensions.

Learn More: Read our Private Internet Access Review.

Who should use it:

PIA is best for those who are privacy-conscious and want a VPN with advanced security features.

Pros & Cons
  • Includes ad blocking
  • Accepts cryptocurrency and third-party gift cards for total anonymity
  • Advanced split tunnelling
  • Laypeople may not get the full benefit of PIA’s potential because it takes coding knowledge

BEST FOR BEGINNERS

Surfshark

Surfshark
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

One-Year Plan Price

$5.43 CAD per month (renews at $17.63 CAD)

Billed annually

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

100 countries

Surfshark
Learn More

On Surfshark's Website

One-Year Plan Price

$5.43 CAD per month (renews at $17.63 CAD)

Billed annually

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

100 countries

Why We Picked It

Surfshark is one of the most user-friendly VPNs on the market. It’s great for beginners who want a simple interface and don’t need a lot of bells and whistles. Protect unlimited devices and receive 24/7 customer support when choosing Surfshark.

It encrypts your traffic with AES-256-GCM, which is higher than the AES-256 encryption used by the U.S. military. It also offers a strict no-logs policy, a kill switch and malware protection.

Who should use it:

Surfshark is best for people who want a simple, user-friendly VPN.

Pros & Cons
  • Over 3,200 server locations in 100 countries
  • Unlimited devices
  • Change your IP address
  • Can make your connection slow on mobile
  • Charges more at renewal

BEST FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS

TorGuard VPN

TorGuard VPN
4.2
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

One-Year Plan Price

$59.99 USD ($80.01 CAD)

(or $9.99 USD ($13.49 CAD) per month)

Money-Back Guarantee

7 days

Server locations

More than 3,000

TorGuard VPN

One-Year Plan Price

$59.99 USD ($80.01 CAD)

(or $9.99 USD ($13.49 CAD) per month)

Money-Back Guarantee

7 days

Server locations

More than 3,000

Why We Picked It

TorGuard is a highly-rated VPN that comes with an impressive array of features and inclusions. Not only does it have over 3,000 servers in over 50 countries with no logs or leaks, an internal encrypted DNS and the ability to have up to eight simultaneous connections, but it also offers some advanced features for frequent international travellers. For example, it has a Stealth proxy and the WireGuard tunnelling protocol. It is regarded as a solid VPN for torrenting and even foreign travels as it has been reported to work in some notoriously restrictive countries, such as China (though this cannot be guaranteed).

Who should use it:

Its feature set makes it stand out for international business travellers who want to uphold safety and privacy while visiting restrictive countries.

Pros & Cons
  • Up to eight simultaneous connections
  • Over 3,000 servers in 50-plus countries
  • Internal encrypted DNS
  • No logs or leaks
  • Supports iOS and Android
  • Shorter-than-average free trial
  • No free version
  • No public audit

BEST FOR STREAMING

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

One-Year Plan Price

$10.99 CAD per month, paid annually

Free option available

Money-Back Guarantee

45 days

Server locations

More than 80 countries

Hotspot Shield

One-Year Plan Price

$10.99 CAD per month, paid annually

Free option available

Money-Back Guarantee

45 days

Server locations

More than 80 countries

Why We Picked It

Hotspot Shield is one of the few free VPNs on the market. It offers a fast and reliable service with military-grade AES-256 encryption. It also has a strict no-logs policy, meaning your data is never stored or tracked.

With Hotspot Shield, you can unblock websites and streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video. It also includes security features such as a kill switch and malware protection. It’s important to note its free plan only includes one server location, while its paid plans offer over 115 server locations in more than 80 countries.

Who should use it:

Hotspot Shield is best for people who want a free VPN with good security features.

Pros & Cons
  • Free seven-day trial
  • Optimized for streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and Disney+
  • Offers a free forever plan
  • Only one server location for its free plan

BEST FOR SECURITY

VyprVPN

VyprVPN
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

One-Year Plan Price

$60 USD ($80.98 CAD)

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

More than 70

VyprVPN

One-Year Plan Price

$60 USD ($80.98 CAD)

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

More than 70

Why We Picked It

VyprVPN is one of the most secure VPNs on the market. It uses the Chameleon protocol, which scrambles your traffic to make it difficult for your ISP or government to detect and block.
This makes it a great option for those in countries with restrictive internet laws.

VyprVPN also offers a strict no-logs policy, meaning your data is never stored or tracked. It has servers in more than 70 countries and offers 24/7 customer support.

Who should use it:

VyprVPN is best for those who want a secure VPN with a strict no-logs policy.

Learn more: Read our VyprVPN Review

Pros & Cons
  • Up to 30 simultaneous connections
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Offers over 300,000 IP addresses
  • It’s more expensive than its competition

BEST FOR UNLIMITED CONNECTIONS

IPVanish

IPVanish
3.7
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

One-Year Plan Price

$45.33 CAD

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

More than 2,000

IPVanish

One-Year Plan Price

$45.33 CAD

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

More than 2,000

Why We Picked It

IPVanish VPN is a torrent-friendly VPN that makes online safety easy with a simple one-step setup for any device type, so you can be protected no matter how you’re accessing the web. It also boasts a large network with over 40,000 IP addresses to protect you from third-party spying.

Learn More: Read our IPVanish Review.

Who should use it:

IPVanish VPN is the cheapest VPN for those who want the ability to connect to any number of devices with no data caps for a low annual price.

Pros & Cons
  • Free 30-day trial and competitively priced plans
  • No limit on connections
  • Over 75 VPN locations and over 40,000 IP addresses
  • Anonymous IP addresses
  • Wi-Fi hotspot shield
  • Local network protection
  • Not as many server locations as some of its top competitors
  • No dedicated IP address
  • Not the best for streaming

BEST FOR REMOTE WORKERS

Bitdefender Premium VPN

Bitdefender Premium VPN
3.1
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

One-Year Plan Price

$29.99 CAD (renews at $69.99 CAD)

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

More than 4,000

Bitdefender Premium VPN
Learn More

On Bitdefender's Secure Website

One-Year Plan Price

$29.99 CAD (renews at $69.99 CAD)

Money-Back Guarantee

30 days

Server locations

More than 4,000

Why We Picked It

Bitdefender is one of the leading providers in the VPN space, offering high-quality protection no matter how you’re using your internet—or where you’re using it. So, whether you’re using your devices for working, gaming, surfing, shopping or streaming at home, in a local cafe or overseas, it has what you need to stay protected and use your devices securely. New users pay just $29.99 CAD for their first year, then $69.99 CAD per year upon renewal, or $6.99 CAD per month with a monthly plan, making it one of the most affordable premium VPNs available.

Learn More: Read our Bitdefender Review.

Who should use it:

Because it’s a solid VPN for just about any use, it’s a good option for everyone—especially those who work remotely and want a versatile VPN.

Pros & Cons
  • Low introductory pricing
  • Over 4,000 servers in over 49 countries
  • Access geo-restricted web content (e.g., YouTube)
  • No logs
  • No ISP throttling
  • Single tunnelling protocol
  • Doesn’t unblock all streaming services (e.g., Netflix or Hulu)

BEST FREE VPN

Windscribe

Windscribe
3.1
Our ratings take into account a product's rewards, fees, rates and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

One-Year Plan Price

Free; or $69 USD ($92.03 CAD) per year (for premium plan)

Money-Back Guarantee

3 days

Server locations

More than 63 countries

Windscribe

One-Year Plan Price

Free; or $69 USD ($92.03 CAD) per year (for premium plan)

Money-Back Guarantee

3 days

Server locations

More than 63 countries

Why We Picked It

Windscribe is one the best VPNs that does a good job of balancing a multitude of features with a streamlined simplicity, which makes it easy to use and beginner-friendly. It offers a free forever plan as well as a premium plan with more server locations for $69 USD ($92.03 CAD) per year. It also has port forwarding, split tunnelling and multiple config generators, such as Generate OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard.

Who should use it:

Due to its free forever plan, Windscribe is the best free VPN for those on a very tight budget.

Pros & Cons
  • Free forever plan available
  • Includes multiple config generators
  • No logs
  • Blocks ads
  • Unblocks Netflix while overseas
  • Split tunnelling for more control
  • Port forwarding
  • Small number of server locations compared to competitors
  • Not the fastest

Forbes Advisor Ratings


COMPANY FORBES ADVISOR RATING PLAN PRICE MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE SERVER LOCATIONS
CyberGhost
$12.99 USD ($17.53 CAD) per month 45 days Located in 91 countries
Private Internet Access
$39.95 USD ($53.37 CAD) per year 30 days Located in 84 countries
Surfshark
$5.43 CAD per month, billed annually 30 days 100 countries
TorGuard
$59.99 USD ($80.01 CAD) (or $9.99 USD ($13.49 CAD) per month) 7 days More than 3,000
Hotspot Shield
$10.99 CAD per month, paid annually, plus free option available 45 days More than 80 countries
VyprVPN
$60 USD ($ 80.98 CAD) billed annually 30 days More than 70
IPVanish
$45.33 CAD 30 days More than 2,000
Bitdefender Premium VPN
$29.99 CAD (renews at $69.99 CAD) 30 days More than 4,000
Windscribe
Free; or $69 USD ($92.03 CAD) per year (for premium plan) 3 days More than 63 countries

Methodology

To find the best cheap VPNs, we first looked at 17 different providers across 35 data points to narrow it down to the top five options. Each provider can score up to 55 points based on the following criteria:

  • Price: We looked at the price of each provider’s one-year plan.
  • Free Trial: While rare for VPN services, we noted which provider offers a free trial.
  • Money-Back Guarantee: If the provider offers a money-back guarantee, how long is it?
  • Server Locations: We looked at the number of server locations each provider offers.
  • Number of Devices: How many devices can you use with one subscription? Can you use the VPN on your phone?
  • Encryption: What type of encryption does the provider use?
  • No-Logs Policy: Does the provider have a no-logs policy?
  • Kill Switch: A kill switch is a must-have security feature for any VPN. It prevents your traffic from being exposed if your connection drops.
  • Malware Protection: Does the provider offer malware protection?
  • Customer Support: How can you contact support, and what are its hours?

We then weighted each criterion based on how important it is to a cheap VPN. For example, price is more important than customer support because you’re looking for a cheap VPN, not the best customer support. After scoring each provider, we ranked the scores to get our final rankings.


What Makes a Good, Cheap VPN?

When looking for a cheap VPN, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you’ll want to make sure the provider has a no-logs policy. This means it won’t store or track your data, which is important for privacy.

You’ll also want to make sure the provider has a kill switch. This is a security feature that prevents your traffic from being exposed if your connection drops.

Finally, you’ll want to make sure the provider offers malware protection. This is important because VPNs are a popular target for malware and hackers.


What Does a VPN Do?

A VPN, or virtual private network, is a tool that allows you to change your IP address and encrypt your traffic. This makes it difficult for your ISP or government to track and block your traffic.

VPNs are also a great way to unblock websites and streaming services that are blocked in your country. They can also improve your online security and privacy.


How Does a Cheap VPN Affect Your Speed?

One thing to keep in mind when looking for a cheap VPN is that you may experience some speed loss. This is because the encryption process used by VPNs slows down your traffic. However, the loss is usually minimal and won’t affect most activities, such as browsing the internet or streaming video.

Canadian specific editing and research (including pricing) provided by Anna Rey.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best VPN?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The best VPN for you depends on your needs and budget. However, after a thorough analysis of the best cheap VPNs available, we determined CyberGhost is the best option across many data points. It scored 4.6 out of 5 stars in our review.

Is a cheap VPN worth it?

A cheap VPN is a great option for those on a budget. However, you may experience some speed loss when using a cheap VPN. Additionally, cheap VPNs may not have all the features that more expensive options have. But, overall, a cheap VPN is a great option if you’re looking to improve your online security and privacy on a budget.

Are cheap VPNs secure?

No matter the price of your VPN, there are many with encryption as strict as what the U.S. military uses, which is AES-256 encryption. Go with any of the providers on our list and you’ll have secure encryption.

Can I use a VPN for streaming services?

One of the most popular use cases for VPNs is accessing streaming content in other territories. If a VPN offers service locations in a given country, there’s a good chance that you can access geo-restricted content. However, some streaming services do have anti-VPN measures in place, so your mileage may vary.

Related: Best VPN for Streaming in Canada

Can I host my own VPN?

Technically, you can set up and host your own VPN on your home computer. It’s not the best idea to do so though, because you’ll miss out on the main reasons to use a VPN. Connecting to a third-party VPN can change your location, which lets you access otherwise blocked content, and you won’t be masking your location with a VPN. Plus, a VPN requires a bit of bandwidth, which you likely don’t have with your home internet connection.


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