Between free trials and money-back guarantees, there’s more than one way to try the best VPNs risk-free without having to part with your hard-earned money. The trouble is that it’s increasingly difficult to differentiate a growing list of options, particularly when so many VPN providers claim to offer the fastest or more secure service on the market.
To save you some time, I’ve run dozens of VPN services through a battery of tests. This process includes measuring their server speeds, checking for DNS leaks, and parsing through their privacy policies. At the same time, I’m looking for those VPNs that also provide generous free trials of their service so you can test them for yourself before having to make a decision.
TL;DR – These Are the Best VPNs with a Free Trial:
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, encrypts your internet traffic. Not only does this hide your online activity so you can browse anonymously, it can spoof your location and bypass content blocks of streaming services such as Netflix. You can even get around bandwidth throttling for faster speeds when gaming online. There are countless paid VPNs, only some of which offer free trials. I’ll take you through the best VPNs with free trials so you can try them out risk-free.
1. CyberGhost
Best VPN With a Free Trial
CyberGhost tops our list of the best VPNs with free trials, standing out for its unique free trial for Windows and MacOS. Notably, this 24-hour VPN free trial doesn’t even require you to provide a credit card. CyberGhost’s VPN free trial for mobile is even longer at three days for Android and seven days for iOS, providing more time to try out CyberGhost’s many features. Its 45-day money-back guarantee is also among the most generous of any VPN provider on the market.
This VPN has one of the largest server networks, spread across 100 countries. CyberGhost uses the high-speed Wireguard protocol and provides dedicated, streaming-optimized servers for gaming. CyberGhost’s VPN free trial includes full access to all features, including an ad blocker and split tunneling.
2. Surfshark
Best Budget VPN With a Free Trial
Surfshark has one of the more generous VPN free trials for MacOS. For a full seven days, you can also use it with Android and iOS. (It’s one of our favorite VPNs for iPhones, too.) Your Surfshark VPN free trial includes unrestricted access to all 3,000 servers across 100 countries. Surfshark performs consistently well in my speed tests and excels at unblocking streaming services. In fact, it works with far more Netflix libraries than most VPNs.
You can find Surfshark’s free trial via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. A registered payment method is required and surpassing the seven-day period means you’ll be charged for a 12-month subscription. If you do forget to cancel, you’ll still be eligible for Surfshark’s risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Surfshark is a more feature-heavy VPN that offers an antivirus and allows unlimited simultaneous connections.
3. Proton VPN
Best VPN With a Free Plan
Forget a free trial – Proton VPN has the best free plan of any VPN, period. Available for all platforms, this free tier rivals many of the best VPNs with free trials because it imposes so few restrictions. You’ll have unlimited data and speed, no ads, and no upfront payment. One of the few caveats is that you’ll only have access to a handful of server locations. What’s more, you can’t choose the location of the server to which you connect.
The free VPN plan of ProtonVPN is ideal if you need time to test its apps. You won’t have access to as many features and you’ll be limited to one device. However, if you do want to try the paid version, you can always take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee. One reason to do this is Proton VPN’s strong privacy stance. Not only does it operate a genuine no-logs policy, it’s one of the few VPNs that allows you to pay anonymously in cash.
4. ExpressVPN
Best VPN for Streaming
ExpressVPN offers a seven-day free trial on iOS and Android, provided you download the app via the App Store or Google Play Store. This provides access to all of ExpressVPN’s features which include a password manager, ad and tracker blocker, and split tunneling. It’s well worth trying this VPN if you’re looking for a strong all-rounder that balances performance with privacy protection. The apps are neatly laid out, making them easy to use and navigate.
Beyond its free trial, ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Having tested this for myself, I can verify its authenticity and the speed with which refunds are issued. ExpressVPN’s speeds coupled with its generous server network in 105 countries help make it the best VPN for streaming. I was successfully able to access the likes of BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and Netflix with its servers. Need help? ExpressVPN has some of the best support of any VPN.
5. Private Internet Access
Best VPN for Power Users
Private Internet Access has a seven-day VPN free trial for Android and iOS that includes full access to all of its many features, including a built-in ad blocker and MultiHop servers. PIA has an impressive server network in 91 countries and provides a no-logs policy with absolutely no identifying logs. Speeds are more than fast enough for bandwidth-intensive activities, be it streaming or online gaming.
In order to get this free trial VPN, you’ll need to sign up via Google Play or the App Store. Once installed, you’ll notice that PIA’s apps allow for a high level of customization. This makes it a popular option with more experienced VPN users. Considering the generous number of features on offer, PIA’s subscription prices are highly affordable should you decide to continue beyond the VPN free trial – subscriptions start from just $2.03 a month.
6. NordVPN
Best VPN for Gaming
NordVPN is known for its consistent connections and a vast server network of 7,000+ servers in 118 countries – two big reasons why it’s our best VPN for gaming. With it, you can find specialty Double VPN and Onion Over VPNs servers for enhanced privacy.
NordVPN’s seven-day trial is subject to Google Play’s Terms of Service, so you’ll need to cancel via Google Play before that period is up to avoid being charged. If you don’t remember to cancel or simply need more time to fully test it, NordVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee. This is a VPN that works very well with popular streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix – great if you regularly travel abroad and want to access your usual content from home. If you do have any issues when using NordVPN, 24-hour support is available via live chat and email.
Free Trial vs. Money-Back Guarantee: What’s the Difference?
There are both free and paid VPNs, including paid VPNs with free trials or money-back guarantees. Here’s a quick breakdown of each:
- Free VPN: This is a VPN that’s entirely free to use. Most free VPNs are likely to limit your speed and data. You’ll also have access to fewer locations and features. On the plus side, you’re free to use a free VPN for as long as you like.
- Paid VPN: With a paid VPN subscription, you won’t have restrictions placed on your data, speed, or the server locations you can access. However, some paid VPNs have multiple subscription tiers with varying levels of features.
- Money-back guarantee: If you sign up with a VPN that offers a money-back guarantee, you’ll pay up front for a subscription. As long as you cancel before the conclusion of that window (usually 30 days), you’ll receive a full refund.
- Free trial: A VPN free trial doesn’t require you to pay in advance. You’ll usually still need to input a payment method so you can be charged at the end of the free trial. If you forget to cancel before your free trial is over, you’ll be charged. In some cases, you’ll still be eligible for the VPN’s money-back guarantee.
How We Picked the Best VPNs with Free Trials
Choosing a free trial VPN isn’t any different than choosing a paid VPN, particularly because a quality free trial should include all of the full version’s features. You want to look for a VPN that offers strong security, servers worldwide, and accessible apps.
Having tried many VPNs myself, I’ve come to learn the most common pitfalls of free trials. This sometimes includes limited access to features or a head-scratching cancellation process. If you’d like to avoid those kinds of issues, you’re better off sticking with the best VPNs with free trials, all of which meet our testing requirements as laid out below:
- No upfront payment required
- Access to premium features
- Simple cancellation process
- Strong encryption and no logs
- Live chat and email support
How to Use a VPN Free Trial
- Search for your VPN of choice in a browser or app store.
- Download and install the VPN app on your device.
- Click to sign up for the VPN and select the free trial offer.
- Enjoy the VPN subscription for the duration of the free trial.
- Remember to cancel if you don’t want to continue to a paid subscription.
How to Cancel a VPN Free Trial
With the exception of CyberGhost VPN’s free trial on Windows and MacOS, the vast majority of VPNs require a credit card that will be charged at the end of the free trial. Cancel before that day comes to avoid paying. Here’s how to go about this:
iOS
- Go to Settings.
- Tap your name.
- Select Subscriptions.
- Tap your VPN subscription.
- Tap Cancel.
MacOS
- Open the App Store.
- Select your name (you may need to sign in).
- Click on Account Settings.
- Scroll to Subscriptions and click Manage.
- Select the VPN subscription.
- Click Cancel subscription.
Android
- Go to the Google Play Store and sign in.
- Tap Menu and Subscriptions.
- Select your VPN subscription.
- Tap Cancel.
Best VPNs with Free Trials VPN FAQs
Which is the best free VPN?
If you’d rather use a free VPN instead of a VPN that merely has a free trial, Proton VPN is your best bet. Unlike most free VPN plans, it doesn’t limit your data or speed. Furthermore, the free tier is supported by its paid plans so you won’t have to put up with any annoying ads either. Proton VPN’s free plan includes access to five server locations (the U.S., Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland). It also operates a genuine no-logs policy and uses the highest level of encryption.
Which VPN has a completely free trial?
All of the VPNs I’ve covered offer completely free trials. The caveat is that you’ll be charged if you don’t cancel before the end of the free trial. CyberGhost stands out as being the only VPN with a free trial that doesn’t require you to provide a payment method to access. This is a 24-hour trial on its Windows and MacOS apps. It also has a much longer money-back guarantee than most VPN providers at 45 days instead of the standard 30 days.
Is there a free trial VPN which doesn’t require a credit card?
Most VPN free trials require providing a payment method so that you can be charged once the trial period ends. This makes it all the more important that you remember to cancel before your free trial is up. One exception is CyberGhost, which provides a 24-hour free trial for Windows and MacOS with absolutely no credit card or alternative payment method required.
