10 Everyday VPN Hacks That Actually Save You Money
Stop Overpaying. Start Location-Hacking.
Most people think a VPN is just for securing your online presence. While true, that's barely scratching the surface. The internet treats every country like a different shop with different prices. Learning how a VPN works is your ticket to a world of global discounts. Let's explore ten ways to put money back in your pocket.
Hack #1: The YouTube Premium Price Plunge
This is the gold standard of digital arbitrage. YouTube prices its Premium service based on the local economy. While users in the UK or Europe pay a high monthly fee, those in developing economies receive a significantly lower rate to encourage adoption. This isn't just a minor discount; it is a total transformation of your monthly bill.
By learning how to change your IP address to a country like Turkey, Argentina, or Ukraine, you can view the localised storefront. Once you subscribe at the local rate, the savings recur every month. It's one of the most consistent ways to make your VPN pay for itself in weeks.
Real Life Websites: YouTube, YouTube Music, Google Play.
Case Study: The South American Savings
An average user in London pays roughly £12.99 (~$16.25)/month. By switching their virtual location to Argentina, the cost drops to 869 ARS, which often converts to roughly £0.80 - £1.00 (~$1.00 - $1.25) GBP. Over a year, this saves the user approximately £144 (~$180). Total Savings: ~92% per year.
Is It Allowed?
Using a VPN is legal in most countries globally. However, Google’s Terms of Service state that you must provide accurate location information. While not a criminal offence, Google may periodically check your payment method's origin and could cancel subscriptions that don't match your IP's billing region.
Hack #2: The Netflix Nomad Subscription Trick
Netflix is famous for battling VPNs, but their billing department is often separate from their content-blocking systems. Like YouTube, Netflix offers regional pricing tiers. Even though they have implemented "household" restrictions in many regions, starting an account in a lower-cost market can still save you a fortune on your monthly outgoings.
The trick is using one of the best VPNs for streaming to register your account in a region like Egypt or Pakistan. Once the account is set up and the payment method is verified, you can often stream your local content library while continuing to pay the much lower foreign rate.
Real Life Websites: Netflix.
Case Study: The Bosphorus Bargain
A UK Standard plan costs £10.99 (~$13.75). In Turkey, the same plan is approximately 149.99 TL, which is about £3.80 (~$4.75). By using a Turkish gift card to fund the account initially, a global traveller can reduce their annual Netflix bill from £131 (~$164) down to roughly £45 (~$56).
Is It Allowed?
Globally, Netflix forbids using a VPN to bypass geographic restrictions. If detected, they typically just block the connection rather than banning your account. Note that some regions now require a local phone number for verification, making this hack slightly more difficult than in previous years.
Hack #3: Cheaper Flights by Switching Your Point of Sale
Airlines use "Dynamic Pricing" to maximise profits. They look at your cookies, your search history, and most importantly, your location. If you are searching for a flight from a high-income country, the algorithm often assumes you have a higher budget and adjusts the price upwards accordingly.
By changing your virtual location to a lower-income country or the airline's home country, you can access the local "Point of Sale." This allows you to dodge the "tourist tax" often hidden in international booking sites. It's a professional travel hack that can save hundreds on long-haul journeys.
Real Life Websites: Skyscanner, Kayak, Expedia, British Airways, Emirates.
Case Study: The Long-Haul Loophole
A traveller booking a flight from London to Tokyo noticed a price of £950 (~$1,185). By clearing their cookies and switching their VPN to Malaysia, the price on the same aggregator dropped to £780 (~$975). The simple act of appearing to be a local shopper saved them £170 (~$210) in five minutes.
Is It Allowed?
This is entirely legal. Airlines expect customers to browse from different locations. There is no law against using a foreign version of a website. Just ensure your credit card doesn't charge high foreign transaction fees, or use a fintech card like Revolut or Monzo to keep the savings.
Hack #4: Deep Discounts on Hotel Bookings
Hotels operate on the same logic as airlines. Booking aggregators segment users by their IP address. A resort in Thailand might show a higher price to someone browsing from New York or London than to someone browsing from within Thailand or a neighbouring country like Vietnam.
Using a VPN service for the UK can help you find domestic deals, but for international trips, switching your IP to the destination country often reveals "local-only" promotions and lower base rates that are hidden from the global market.
Real Life Websites: Booking.com, Agoda, Trivago, Hotels.com.
Case Study: The Tropical Trick
A luxury hotel in Bali was listed at £210 (~$260)/night for a UK-based user. By switching the VPN to an Indonesian server, the price dropped to £175 (~$220)/night. For a 10-night honeymoon, the couple saved £350 (~$435)—enough to pay for their meals for the entire trip.
Is It Allowed?
Perfectly legal. While some hotels may have "Resident Only" rates that require a local ID at check-in, most VPN-based savings come from the site's default regional pricing, which rarely requires any special verification upon arrival.
Hack #5: Slashing Car Rental Costs
Car rental companies are notorious for dynamic pricing and currency markups. When you visit a rental site from abroad, you are often forced onto an "International" version of the site with higher rates and pre-selected insurance packages that might be more expensive than necessary.
By using a reliable VPN with Australian servers (or whichever country you are visiting), you can access the local version of the site. This often gives you access to local currency pricing and promotional codes that aren't advertised to international tourists.
Real Life Websites: Hertz, Sixt, Enterprise, Rentalcars.com.
Case Study: The European Road Trip
A user booking a car in Munich was quoted £400 (~$500) on the UK site. By switching to a German VPN and using the .de site, the price was €310 (approx £265 / ~$330). Even after adding their own insurance, they saved over £100 (~$125) on a single week's rental.
Is It Allowed?
Legal globally. However, always double-check the insurance requirements. Local rates might exclude certain coverages that are mandatory for foreign drivers. Ensure you have a valid international driving permit and independent excess insurance to stay fully protected.
Hack #6: Cheaper Software & SaaS Subscriptions
Digital products like Adobe Creative Cloud or Microsoft 365 have zero shipping costs, yet their prices vary wildly by region. Software companies use "Purchasing Power Parity" to set their prices. They know a freelancer in India or Brazil cannot afford the same rates as a corporate firm in Paris or London.
Savvy professionals use recommended VPNs for businesses to manage their overheads. By subscribing through a region with a weaker currency, you can access the exact same tools for a fraction of the cost. This is a game-changer for startups and solopreneurs.
Real Life Websites: Adobe, Microsoft, Canva, Slack.
Case Study: Creative Cloud Savings
The Adobe "All Apps" plan is over £56 (~$70)/month in the UK. In regions like Turkey, the price has historically been closer to £15-£20 (~$18-$25)/month. For a small design agency, switching locations for their five seats could save over £2,000 (~$2,500) per year.
Is It Allowed?
This is a grey area. While using a VPN is legal, intentionally providing a false address to get a lower price violates the service's Terms of Service. Companies like Adobe have begun cracking down by requiring local credit cards or ID verification in certain regions.
Hack #7: Access Geo-Restricted Sales & E-Commerce Deals
Brands often launch sales in one country while keeping prices high in others. Whether it's a clothing brand like ASOS or a digital storefront like Steam, your IP address determines what sales you see. A VPN allows you to "teleport" to the country where the best clearance deals are happening.
This is especially effective for digital goods like video games. If you want to find the best VPNs to unblock websites for shopping, look for ones with servers in South America or Southeast Asia, where digital storefronts often have massive discounts.
Real Life Websites: Steam, Epic Games Store, ASOS, Zara.
Case Study: The Gaming Gain
A new blockbuster game costs £60 (~$75) on the UK Steam store. On the Argentine or Turkish store, the regional price might be the equivalent of £25 (~$31). Gamers can effectively double their library size for the same annual spend.
Is It Allowed?
Legal, but high risk for accounts. Steam, in particular, has very strict rules against using VPNs to change regions. If you are caught, you risk a permanent ban and the loss of your entire digital library. Only use this hack if you understand and accept the risk of account suspension.
Hack #8: Save on Online Learning Platforms
Online education platforms like Udemy and Coursera use aggressive tracking. If you've visited a course page several times, the price might suddenly "increase" to create a sense of urgency. They also localised prices to make education accessible in lower-income regions.
A VPN helps you reset these trackers. By using a "clean" IP and one of the best VPNs for mobile, you can appear as a new student in a different region, often triggering "first-time buyer" discounts or localised lower rates.
Real Life Websites: Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare.
Case Study: The Course Correction
A Python coding course was listed at £120 (~$150) for a returning UK user. After clearing cookies and switching to an Indian VPN server, the price for the exact same course dropped to £12.99 (~$16.25) as part of a "Regional New Learner" sale.
Is It Allowed?
Perfectly legal and very low risk. These platforms are generally more interested in volume sales than in policing exactly where a student is sitting when they watch a video. It is a widely used tactic among students globally.
Hack #9: The Spotify Family Plan Arbitrage
Music streaming services are in a constant battle for global users. In markets like India, the Philippines, or Brazil, they offer plans for a fraction of the Western price. The "Family Plan" is the best value, allowing up to six accounts to share one low monthly cost.
You can use recommended VPNs for India to sign up. While Spotify technically requires all members to live at the same address, they usually verify this via IP data. Once your "Family" is set up on the foreign plan, you only need to connect to the VPN occasionally to keep the account active.
Real Life Websites: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal.
Case Study: The Manila Music Mix
A UK Spotify Family plan is £19.99 (~$25)/month. In the Philippines, the same plan is about 239 PHP (approx £3.30 / ~$4.15). By sharing this with friends, the cost per person becomes less than 60 pence per month for full premium features.
Is It Allowed?
Legal, but violates Spotify's Terms of Service regarding household residency. Spotify may occasionally send emails asking to verify your address or may block accounts that are used exclusively in a different country for extended periods without a VPN check-in.
Hack #10: Level Up for Less: Gaming Subscription Savings
Gaming subscriptions like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PlayStation Plus are becoming more expensive every year. However, Microsoft and Sony use regional pricing to stay competitive in markets like Turkey and Brazil. Savvy gamers use these differences to stack years of membership for the price of a few months.
Using a fast VPN for gaming, you can redeem digital codes bought from regional resellers. This allows you to convert basic memberships into "Ultimate" tiers at the lower regional rate, saving you hundreds over the course of a console generation.
Real Life Services: Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, EA Play.
Case Study: The Ultimate Upgrade
A UK gamer would pay £179 (~$225)/year for Game Pass Ultimate. By using a VPN to redeem Brazilian "Core" codes and then upgrading, that same gamer can secure a year of service for roughly £80 (~$100). This pays for their VPN and a new AAA game with the leftover cash.
Is It Allowed?
Legal in most jurisdictions. However, Microsoft and Sony have made it harder to redeem foreign codes by requiring a VPN that matches the code's region. While account bans for this are rare, companies are increasingly region-locking their digital gift cards to prevent this type of arbitrage.
Bonus Hack: Knockout Prices on WWE Streaming
Wrestling fans often get stuck with expensive cable TV contracts to watch live events. However, the WWE Network is a global platform with prices that vary by territory. In some countries, it is a standalone app, while in others, it is bundled with local streamers.
By finding the best WWE VPN, you can subscribe in a region where the service is cheapest. This gives you the full archive and all live Premium Live Events (PLEs) without the need for a costly monthly sports television package.
Real Life Websites: WWE Network, Binge (Australia), Peacock (USA).
Case Study: The Wrestlemania Win
A UK fan might pay £25+ (~$31+)/month for a sports package. By using a VPN to subscribe to the WWE Network in a region like the Philippines, they pay closer to £8 (~$10)/month. That is a 60% saving for the exact same high-definition stream.
Is It Allowed?
Legal. Similar to Netflix, the WWE Network tries to block VPN IPs to honour exclusive broadcast deals in certain countries. If your VPN is detected, you might be blocked from viewing until you switch servers, but account cancellations for regional pricing are virtually unheard of.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to use a VPN to get cheaper prices?
In the vast majority of countries, including the UK, USA, and Europe, **VPN use is perfectly legal**. To check your specific region, visit our guide on whether VPNs are legal or illegal. While legal, using one to bypass regional pricing is almost always a violation of a company's **Terms of Service (ToS)**. This is a private contract matter, not a criminal one, but it could lead to your account being restricted.
Can I get banned for using a VPN to subscribe?
It depends on the service. For streaming sites like Netflix or YouTube, bans are extremely rare; they usually just block the VPN connection. However, for digital marketplaces like **Steam or the PlayStation Store**, account bans are a real risk. Always research the specific platform's history before attempting a region-switch for digital purchases.
Must I keep the VPN on at all times?
Usually, no. For most subscriptions, you only need the VPN active during the initial signup and payment process. Once the recurring billing is established, you can often use the service on your local connection. You only need the VPN active if you are trying to access a specific country's content library that isn't available in your home region.
Why do companies have different prices anyway?
This is called "Regional Pricing." Companies adjust their prices to match the average income and economic strength of a country. If they charged UK prices in India, they would have no customers. Savvy users simply use a VPN to "digitally travel" to the storefront with the best value for their money.
This information is for educational purposes. Global laws and Terms of Service are subject to change. Some countries, such as China, Russia, and the UAE, have strict regulations regarding VPN use. Always ensure you are complying with local regulations and the current policies of the platforms you use.