With so many VPN providers around now, choosing the right one can be a pretty daunting task. Fortunately, many VPN providers offer free trials to help you test their features and performance before committing to a long-term subscription.
In this article, I’m going to fully explore the world of VPNs with free trials and help you find the best VPN that suits your needs. From the outset, I just wanted to let you know that many of them do not require payment up-front, either. Woohoo!
Let me be straight: I know it’s annoying having to pay for things if you don’t need to… and a VPN is no different.
What can make it even more frustrating, is paying but then finding it only falls short of your needs. That’s why VPNs offering free trials are so appealing to so many people: you can try before you buy.
And here at VPN Hound, we recommend that you try out a VPN’s free trial first, wherever possible. Of course, not all VPNs give you the ability to try out their service before committing, and even among those that do, some only give you access to a subset of its features (though this isn’t that common).
Most higher-end VPNs – like for example NordVPN – offer fully functional, feature-complete free trials. Anyone can test out NordVPN without any financial risk because of their 30-day money-back promise, and importantly before deciding whether or not NordVPN is the best VPN for you, you can test out all of its features for 30-days.
NordVPN gives you all of the best features without any frustrating limitations. Join Nord now via the FREE TRIAL risk-free with their money-back guarantee!
Why should I consider a free trial VPN?
Many consumers are drawn to free VPN trials because of the various benefits they provide:
- For one, you can test out top-rated VPN services before committing to a costly membership – with no downsides or drawbacks. This allows you to try out a number of VPN services before committing to one fully.
- Another free VPN perk is that they provide you unrestricted use of every function the service has to offer (usually – some don’t allow streaming, more on this later).
- In addition, those who need a VPN for a limited period of time, like or a week of travelling for example, may want to consider a free trial VPN. In these situations, a free trial VPN can offer the required security without the requirement of a full subscription. Why pay more?
So without further ado, here are out top ‘Free Trial VPNs. You can sign up for most of these without entering your payment details. I have developed a list of the best VPNs that provide free trials to help you make a more informed choice.
1. NordVPN – Best Free Trial, Period.
First and foremost, I recommend NordVPN since it has the best free trial period of any VPN provider, plus the easiest installation process to boot.
The company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on top of a 7-day free trial, for a total of 37 days of risk-free protection. While a credit card is required to activate the trial, NordVPN is a dependable service that accepts PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Payments, and even cryptocurrency.
| ⭐ VPN Hound User Rating: | 4.7 |
| 📝 No logs policy: | No logs |
| 💯 Money-back guarantee: | 30 days |
| 🍿 Streaming services: | Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV |
| 💵 Cheapest price: | $3.71/month (2-year plan) |
| 💥 Current deal: | Get 75% OFF + 3 Months FREE at NordVPN |
Limited Offer: ⚠️ Get 75% OFF + 3 Months FREE at NordVPN — today only!
During the trial period, you can use all of NordVPN’s services, including access to its 5500+ lightning-fast servers in 60 different locations. Plus, you can quickly download torrents and stream content from services like Netflix, Hulu, and use BBC iPlayer. You shouldn’t really notice any slowdown in performance while streaming, torrenting, or browsing because, thanks to NordVPN’s usage of its own patented tunneling technology, NordLynx, it really is one of the fastest VPNs around. Everything included in the trial is essentially the same as their fully paid service – there are no slowdowns here.
Pros:
- NordVPN has a vast server network, with over 5500 servers in 60 countries, providing users with numerous options for connecting to the internet.
- A strict no-logs policy, which means they don’t track or log your online activity.
- Provides excellent security features, including AES 256-bit encryption, Double VPN, and CyberSec technology, which blocks ads and malware.
- Supports a range of devices and platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and routers.
- NordVPN offers 24/7 customer support through live chat, email, and a knowledge base.
Cons:
- Subscription plans can be a bit expensive compared to other VPN services on the market.
- Credit card details required to get the free trial 🙁
- App interface may not be as intuitive or user-friendly as some other VPN providers.
- NordVPN’s free trial is only available for 7 days, but they offer a 30-day money back guarantee.
For more information, read my full-length review of NordVPN here.
2. Surfshark – Cheapest VPN (if you do pay)
I know that this is an article reviewing the best VPNs with free trials, but it figures that many of you will go on to start paying for a VPN if you like the free trial. And that’s why I’ve picked Surfshark as the number 2 here because, while their free trial is very good, if you do decide to sign up as a paying member, it won’t break the bank.
Surfshark is another great VPN service that offers a free trial that you should check out. I suggest this: try Surfshark risk-free for 7 days to see if it meets your needs. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee that works across operating systems.
Surfshark’s free trial is available regardles of what app or gadget you use: download on iOS and Android devices, desktop computers running Windows, Linux, or macOS. This will offer you an unrestricted glimpse into how the VPN actually functions.
| ⭐ VPN Hound User Rating: | 4.6 |
| 📝 No logs policy: | No logs |
| 💯 Money-back guarantee: | 30 days |
| 🍿 Streaming services: | Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV |
| 💵 Cheapest price: | $2.49/month (24 month plan) |
| 💥 Current deal: | Click here for 60% OFF at Surfshark |
Limited Offer: ⚠️ Click here for 60% OFF at Surfshark — today only!
Pros:
- Surfshark’s free trial allows you to test all of its features free of charge for 7 days on an unlimited number of devices.
- You can also use the 30-day money-back guarantee on all devices, including Windows and Linux.
- Surfshark accepts alternative payment methods to credit cards, such as PayPal and cryptocurrencies.
- They offer professional 24/7 customer support to assist you with any questions or issues during the free trial period.
Cons:
- As with NordVPN, sadly you must use a credit card to grab Surfshark’s free trial.
- The 7-day free trial may not be long enough for some to fully test the service out.
- While Surfshark offers a vast server network, it’s not as extensive as some other VPN providers in the market.
All of Surfshark’s capabilities, like as its 3200+ servers in 100 countries and its ability to unblock streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Peacock, are yours to use without limtiation throughout the trial time. If you have any issues with the free trial or have any concerns about the terms of service, simply contact Surfshark’s expert customer support team at any time, day or night. As mentioned in our Surfshark review, their support team is well trained and ready to help.
So the summary? If you’re looking for a VPN that offers a free trial and a money-back guarantee, go no further than Surfshark; it has fantastic features, reasonable pricing, and responsive customer service.
3. PrivateVPN – No Card Details Needed!
A lesser-known VPN this time, perhaps. But still a worthy contender: it’s PrivateVPN.
Chosen as our number 3 in the list of top VPN free trials because PrivateVPN gives you something that many other VPNs don’t: they don’t require a credit card to start the trial.
The trial period is 7-days and is available now on any computer or device – meaning it’s compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. For the full list, check out our PrivateVPN review.
And the great thing is, if you decide to keep using PrivateVPN after the free trial period is over, but then decide that actually it’s not for you (for whatever reason!), even if you’ve paid already they still cover you under the 30-day guarantee period.
All that aside, the fact that PrivateVPN’s trial doesn’t require your credit card is one of its main selling points, frankly, and PrivateVPN stands out among VPNs offering free trials since, since most of the other VPNs ask for payment information first.
| ⭐ VPN Hound User Rating: | 4.1 |
| 📝 No logs policy: | No logs |
| 💯 Money-back guarantee: | 30 days |
| 🍿 Streaming services: | Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV |
| 💵 Cheapest price: | $2.00/month (From) |
| 💥 Current deal: | Click here for 85% OFF at PrivateVPN |
Limited Offer: ⚠️ Click here for 85% OFF at PrivateVPN — today only!
What else is there? Well, PrivateVPN’s flexible encryption options provide you peace of mind about the safety of your online transactions. The CBC and GCM cyphers are available in 128-bit and 256-bit sizes, respectively, for your data encryption needs.
- Big Server Network: PrivateVPN’s 200 servers in 63 countries isn’t the largest on this list, but it still gives you plenty of flexibility when it comes to accessing content from around the world.
- PrivateVPN is a good choice for consumers who routinely torrent files because it supports P2P file sharing, even on the free trial.
- Accessibility: Even customers unfamiliar with VPN services will find the PrivateVPN interface intuitive and simple to use, as we did. It’s a real newbie-friendly VPN,
- Free trial users can be assured that any problems they face will be swiftly and easily resolved by PrivateVPN’s dependable and responsive customer care team – you don’t need to be a paying member to get support.
When looking for a VPN that offers a free trial without requiring a credit card, PrivateVPN is really the top choice. NordVPN and Surfshark have more options & features, but they require payment details first, even if they don’t charge you anything.
Pros:
- 👍 No credit card required for the free trial
- 👍 Customizable encryption options
- 👍 Large server network
- 👍 P2P compatibility
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 👍 Excellent customer support
Cons:
- 👎 Limited device compatibility
- 👎 No live chat support
4. CyberGhost VPN – Short Trial Period, But Loads of Features
It may seem odd to pick a VPN that only offers a 1-day free trial in this list.
Sure, it’s not the longest period – but you mustn’t overlook the fact that you get a full 45 days to request a refund if you’re not happy. That’s a longer period than nearly all other VPN providers.
In short, CyberGhost is a great VPN service with a variety of risk-free trial periods to choose from. The trial period is shorter (1 day) for desktop/Windows devices, longer (3 days) for Android devices, and longest (7 days) for iOS devices.
Here’s a rundown:
| Operating System | Free Trial Length |
|---|---|
| Desktop (Windows, macOS) | 1 day |
| Android | 3 days |
| iOS | 7 days |
There’s a 14-day money-back guarantee for all monthly services, and a 45-day money-back guarantee for annual and/or multi-year subs. But best yet, CyberGhost’s free trial is available without providing any credit card / payment details.
And you can use any of the common methods of payment (credit card, Amazon Pay, PayPal, or cryptocurrency) and still qualify for the money-back guarantee. So in short, CyberGhost is a great alternative for consumers who want to try out a VPN service without committing to a long-term membership because of its several free trial choices and money-back guarantees.
| ⭐ VPN Hound User Rating: | 4.5 |
| 📝 No logs policy: | No logs |
| 💯 Money-back guarantee: | 45 days |
| 🍿 Streaming services: | Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV |
| 💵 Cheapest price: | $2.89/month (24 month plan) |
| 💥 Current deal: | Sign up Now for 60% OFF at CyberGhost |
Limited Offer: ⚠️ Sign up Now for 60% OFF at CyberGhost — today only!
Here are the best bits, in brief:
- CyberGhost has a number of diferent free trial options to choose from, allowing you to find the right fit.
- Their free trial is an easy and risk-free option to test out the service without having to hand over any payment details beforehand.
- You’ll get the ability to connect to any of its 9700+ servers in 91 countries.
- Also, you can instantly use all specialized servers, and stream on various platforms, among other features.
- Even during the free trial, users have access to 24/7 live chat customer support.
CyberGhost really have made it simple for customers to join too, by accepting a huge range of payment methods: all major credit cards (including AmEx), Amazon Pay, PayPal, and even cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH).
Doesn’t ExpressVPN offer a 30 day free trial?
No. ExpressVPN offer a 30-day money back guarantee, which is different to a free trial. They don’t offer an actual free trial in the literal sense.
The 30-day money-back guarantee also provides a longer period of time to test the service compared to many other VPNs that only offer a 7-day trial. This gives you ample time to test different servers, check for speed and security, and see if it meets your needs.
Note that to be eligible for the money-back guarantee, you need to sign up for one of their subscription plans and pay for it upfront. If you do decide to cancel, you will need to go through their customer support team and follow their instructions to request a refund.
Which VPNs can I try without a credit card?
| VPN Provider | Free Trial Period | Access to Premium Features | Credit Card Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | 30-day money-back guarantee | Full access | Yes |
| NordVPN | 7-day free trial on Android and iOS | Full access | Yes |
| Surfshark | 30-day money-back guarantee | Full access | Yes |
| CyberGhost | 1-day free trial on desktop and mobile | Basic features only | No |
| PrivateVPN | 30-day money-back guarantee | Basic features only | No |
As you can see, now that it’s obvious once in table form, that the ‘no credit card’ VPNs do not offer the full feature set. Sadly, to get access to any VPN’s full features & services, you need to enter your credit card details – even if you aren’t charged until the end of the trial period. It’s a shame, but that’s the way it is.
PrivateVPN and CyberGhost are currently the only VPN services that offers a free trial without requiring a credit card. You can start your free trial as soon as you enter your discount code.
All of the VPN providers we’ve reviewed here accept payment using PayPal or Bitcoin if you’d rather not use a credit card. For instance, NordVPN allows payment via Bitcoin, Ethereum, Google Wallet, and Amazon Payments.
Using a method other than a credit card for payment allows you to trial any of the VPN services without risk. Keep in mind that VPN services may have varying payment options since we wrote this article, so it’s best to check each service’s website for specifics.
Why You Can Trust VPN Hound
We're completely independent from any VPN provider or company. We've spent thousands of hours curating and hand-testing all the big & small VPN services, and have been doing so since 2018.VPNs tested:
82Total hours testing:
602Terabytes used:
300+IPs banned:
3Torrents tested:
1,200+Funds spent on testing:
$8,500+
What about payment methods?
Here’s a list of the payment options supported by the top VPN services:
NordVPN:
- Paypal
- Google Pay
- Amazon Pay
- Credit card
- Cryptocurrencies
Surfshark:
- Paypal
- Google Pay
- Cryptocurrencies
- Credit card
PrivateVPN:
- Paypal
- Stripe
- Credit card
ExpressVPN:
- Paypal
- Credit card
- Cryptocurrencies
CyberGhost:
- Credit card
- Paypal
- Amazon Pay
- Cryptocurrencies
Atlas VPN:
- Paypal
- Google Pay
- Credit card
How do I cancel my free trial?
Just contact the VPN provider’s support team to end your trial period or refund your money. Contact information, including live chat and email availability, is posted on each VPN company’s website. Checking their knowledge base for tutorials on the procedure is also an option.
If you purchased a VPN app from the App Store or Google Play, you will need to get in touch with that store’s support team in order to terminate your subscription. If you want to avoid being charged, you must cancel before the trial or guarantee period ends.
Tips for making the most of your free VPN trial
It really is crucial to make the most of the time allotted to you during a VPN’s free trial – particularly if it only lasts a day! Here are some suggestions for things to try out :
- Ensure that the VPN provider you’re considering offers servers in locations that “pique your interest”. Connecting to servers in the locations where the content you want to watch is available is a good way to test out a VPN service before committing to paying for it.
- Assess the VPN’s speed by performing speed tests on various servers. It’s clearly quite important to test your VPN’s impact on your internet speeds before signing up for a subscription.
- Investigate any potential security breaches: Verify that the VPN is not leaking your real IP address by doing a DNS leak test or IP leak test. WebRTC leaks and other potential security flaws should also be investigated.
- Test out the help desk: Sounds boring, but worth it: test the VPN provider’s customer service to the test by sending in queries or bug reports. You can gauge the support team’s responsiveness and helpfulness in this way.
- Test the VPN on all the gadgets you intend to use it on before committing to using it everywhere you go. You may learn more about the VPN’s compatibility with various platforms and hardware this way.
Additionally, if you’re a gamer, try out the VPN’s server locations that are optimized for gaming. This will help you avoid lags and reduce latency, providing you with a smooth gaming experience. You can also test the VPN’s compatibility with different gaming platforms and check if it unblocks geo-restricted gaming content.
Alternatives to free trial VPNs: Are there any other ways to try before you buy?
Yes, there are various alternatives to free trial VPNs that can help you test the service before making a commitment. Here are some choices to think about:
- Money-back guarantees: Many VPN providers offer a money-back guarantee, which allows users to try out the VPN for a set period of time and get a full refund if they decide not to continue using the service. The duration of money-back guarantees can vary, but most providers offer a guarantee of at least 30 days. It’s important to note that money-back guarantees are not the same as free trials, as users are required to pay for the service upfront.
- Limited free plans: Some VPN providers offer limited free plans that allow users to use a limited version of the VPN service for free. While these plans often have restrictions such as limited bandwidth or server access, they can be a good way to test the VPN’s basic features and performance.
- Friend referrals: Some VPN providers offer referral programs that allow users to invite friends to try the VPN service. If the friend signs up for the service, both the user and the friend may receive a free trial or a discount on the VPN subscription.
Are VPN Free Trials safe?
Yes. VPN providers with a solid track record of security and reliability will only offer risk-free trials of their services.
These companies have a strict no-logs policy, which means they do not track their customers’ online behavior in any way. In addition, free trials give you an opportunity to evaluate a VPN’s functionality and features before committing to a paid membership.
Although free VPNs are sometimes unreliable and may pose privacy/security hazards, it is vital to highlight that free trials from reputable VPN companies are considerably safer than using a “free” VPN. Apples and oranges.
What are the differences between Free Trials & Money-Back Periods?
Here are some quick explainers showing the difference between VPN free trials and money-back guarantees:
- 🆓 Free trials let you test the VPN for 7 days at most, while money-back guarantees usually give you 30 or 31 days.
- 🎁 Free trials only offer basic features, while money-back guarantees give you access to the full version of the VPN.
- 💳 To use the money-back option, you need to purchase the VPN first, but with free trials, you’ll only be charged after the 7-day period.
- 🤝 Most VPNs offer both options, so you can use the free trial first and then take advantage of the money-back guarantee for an extended testing period.
Common mistakes with free trial VPNs
It’s crucial to make the most of your VPN free trial by avoiding these frequent pitfalls. Some things are worth remembering:
- Skipping necessary tests: Use the VPN’s free trial to its fullest potential and check out all of its capabilities. Among the advanced features to try out are other server locations, encryption methods, and more.
- The subscription will be charged to your payment method/card if you don’t cancel before the end of your free trial period – sounds obvious but many forget! If you don’t want to keep using the VPN after the trial period is up, make sure you cancel before the trial period ends by setting a reminder.
- In contrast to free trials, free VPNs don’t limit your access to the service (other negatives aside). You may not get the same level of security or access to more locations with a free VPN as you would with a subscription service. Don’t waste your time on a low-quality VPN because it’s free – they rarely actually are.
- Neglecting to check for security flaws or leaks: A VPN’s reliability and security won’t matter if your network configuration leaves your data vulnerable. To make sure your connection is safe, you can use DNS leak testing or WebRTC leak tests.
Conclusion – Free Trial VPNs, yes or no?
Taking advantage of a VPN service’s free trial is a great way to evaluate the quality of their service, before committing to a paid subscription.
Some VPNs’ free trials will always ask for a credit card / payment detaisl beforehand, however there are other solutions if you’d rather not disclose that kind of information. Above I’ve highlighted some of the top VPNs that provide free trials or money-back guarantees, so you can choose one that works for you no matter what your preferences (or budget) are!
Today's Top Deals
Evaluate the speed, safety, and functionality of a VPN service without spending a dime and let me know in the comments section below how you get on!
Other articles related to VPN free trials:
- Best cheaper VPNs – Find the budget friendly VPN to suit you!
- Best VPNs for gaming – Tired of lag? Fret no more!
- Best Business VPNs reviewed
- Students: Best VPNs for school & Uni revealed, and how to access blocked content
| VPN | Free Trial | Price | Trustpilot Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | 7 days | $3.71/month (2-year plan) | 4.5/5 |
| Surfshark | 7 days on mobile devices | $2.49/month (2-year plan) | 4.3/5 |
| PrivateVPN | 7 days | $2.50/month (13-month plan) | 4.7/5 |
| CyberGhost VPN | 1 day on desktop | $2.25/month (3-year plan) | 4.8/5 |
Frequently Asked Questions for Best VPNs with Free Trials
Free trial VPNs are VPN services that offer users a limited time to test the service for free before they decide to subscribe.
Generally, yeah, free trial VPNs are safe to use. However, it's important to do research and read reviews before using a free trial VPN to ensure that it is a reputable provider.
Indeed. Some VPN providers offer free trial VPNs without requiring payment information, while others require users to enter payment details before the trial period starts. It's important to read the terms and conditions carefully before signing up for a free trial VPN to avoid unexpected charges.
