A VPN trial lets you use a VPN provider fully and freely for a short time, so you can try out all its features. Some VPNs provide free trials without payment, lasting from 24 hours to 60 days, and don’t require any sign-up information. Most VPNs, however, have 30-day money-back guarantees, meaning you pay upfront but can get a refund if you decide to cancel.
If you pick a completely free option, your choices will be limited. A premium top-rated VPN service is a better choice, but you’ll need to enter your payment info. Cancel your subscription before the trial ends to avoid charges.
This guide lists our top 10 picks for the best VPN free trials.
The Best VPNs with Free Trials in 2024
Finding the best VPN free trial can be confusing because of misleading marketing messages. You should follow a consistent set of criteria. Your VPN should have a long trial period (7 to 30+ days) and apps for all your devices.
Check the payment details carefully. Know how much you need to pay. VPNs accept various payment methods like credit/debit cards, PayPal, and other digital services. We’ll list some VPN free trials that don’t need any payment info.
You’ll want unlimited access to features like unlimited bandwidth, every server, and all features. You’ll want a large variety of servers in many countries. Remember privacy features like a no-logs policy, strong VPN protocols, and good encryption. Everything should work together with quick speeds and smooth performance, without any random disconnects.
We recommend trying a VPN that allows multiple connections at once. Money-back guarantees protect your purchase if you pay. Customer support is available 24/7 via live chat to answer your questions.
1. NordVPN – Free Trials
NordVPN provides a 7-day free trial exclusively for Android devices. Your Google account must have a payment method, or you can add funds using a Play Store gift card. When you start your NordVPN free trial, it will prompt you to sign up for the annual plan. You’ll only be charged if you forget to cancel your 7-day trial before it finishes.
You can also subscribe on NordVPN’s site. There’s no trial, but they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee with no questions asked. You’ll get more plans, more payment options (credit/debit cards, Google Pay, PayPal, and crypto), and access to all NordVPN apps. You must pay right away, but you can get your money back within the first 30 days of your subscription.
2. Surfshark – VPN Free Trials
Surfshark has a 7-day free trial for its VPN, available only through the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Download the Surfshark app, open it, and tap “Start Free Trial.” Create an account with your email and set a password.
You need to choose a subscription plan. Make sure your Apple ID or Google Account has a payment method set up. Cancel your subscription on time to avoid charges. If not, you’ll be billed when your trial is over.
This applies to devices using Android and iOS/iPadOS. The same goes for Surfshark’s app on macOS if you get it from the Mac App Store. If your Apple ID has payment info, you can try Surfshark for 7 days on macOS.
You can also subscribe on Surfshark’s website for more subscription plan options. Remember, you must pay for your subscription right away. Payment options include credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, or crypto. You have a 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked, and you can use it twice.
3. CyberGhost VPN Free Trials
CyberGhost provides a completely free VPN trial without needing credit card information. You can try this VPN on iOS for 7 days and on Android for 3 days. To activate CyberGhost VPN trials, you need a payment method on file. You’ll need to subscribe to CyberGhost’s annual plan, but you’ll only be charged if you forget to cancel on time.
You can try this free VPN for 24 hours on Windows or macOS. Click the “Or try our VPN for (Windows PC/Mac) for free for 24h” link on the VPN’s website to download and install the software. Create a new account with your email (no payment info required) and enjoy 24 hours of full access to CyberGhost VPN on your computer.
You can choose any method and get unlimited access to CyberGhost VPN. There are no performance or bandwidth limits. You can access thousands of servers across 100 countries. This VPN allows 7 simultaneous connections. You can use your free trial on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Fire TV, and more.
4. ExpressVPN – VPN Free Trials
ExpressVPN is a very popular VPN that offers a free trial. Download the app on iOS or Android to test it out. You’ll get a 7-day free trial. You can use your credentials to try the VPN on other devices too. It works with Windows, macOS, Linux, streaming devices, and more.
Remember, you need to link a payment method to your Apple ID or Google account for the ExpressVPN free trial to function. You’ll be charged for ExpressVPN’s annual plan after your 7-day trial ends. You can easily avoid that by canceling your trial on time.
ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can subscribe on ExpressVPN’s site, buy a plan (get 3 extra months with the annual plan), and use ExpressVPN on any device. To proceed, please provide your email address and payment details. This VPN accepts credit cards, PayPal, various third-party payment options, and Bitcoin.
5. PIA VPN – Free Trials
Private Internet Access is a VPN that offers a trial you can use on your mobile device. It’s available on iOS and Android, offering 7 days of unlimited access. However, you must agree to subscribe to PIA’s annual plan. You must have your payment info saved. You’ll be charged unless you cancel your subscription on time.
PIA allows unlimited connections. When you begin the VPN trial, you’ll get your credentials to use on non-mobile devices too. You can also use PIA on your computer.
You can also sign up on PIA’s website. Just pay for your subscription with a credit card, PayPal, Amazon Pay, or crypto. This VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.
Your access to PIA will be unlimited during the trial. No need to worry about limited performance or bandwidth. Play with thousands of servers in 91 countries using protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPsec. This VPN uses strong AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption.
6. Hotspot Shield – VPN Free Trials
Hotspot Shield offers a 7-day free trial available on its website. It’s free, but you must give your payment info. This VPN accepts credit cards and PayPal. You’ll be billed $12.99 monthly after your trial ends.
Hotspot Shield has a 45-day money-back policy, making it better than many competitors. This is a no-questions-asked money-back policy, so you have nothing to lose by trying the free trial.
Hotspot Shield has improved a lot in recent years. Today, it’s a top-notch VPN with features for anyone wanting digital privacy. It has a great interface and works on many devices and platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. You can also unblock streaming services like Hulu and Disney+.
7. TorGuard – VPN Free Trials
With TorGuard’s free trial, you have a few choices. To switch from another VPN, cancel your current subscription and email your last bill to TorGuard at freshstart@torguard.net. TorGuard offers a 7-day VPN trial with no need for personal information. If you cancel your other VPN subscription, you’ll receive an extra 30 days of use.
You can also try TorGuard for 7 days. To sign up for TorGuard’s trial, visit its website and select a VPN subscription first. You have 7 days to try this VPN as a first-time customer and request a refund if you’re not happy. You can pay in different ways: credit card, Amazon Pay, payment processors, crypto, and gift cards.
TorGuard, like our other picks, won’t limit you during your trial. Access over 3,000 servers in more than 50 countries. Use apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and web browser extensions. You’ll also get 8 connections at the same time, which is pretty generous.
8. BitDefender Premium VPN – Free Trials
Bitdefender Premium VPN lets you try its services without needing to give credit card or payment info. Just download the VPN from the site—no forms needed. Your trial lasts 7 days. After that, the app will deactivate unless you subscribe.
Visit the Bitdefender Premium VPN website and click on the “Get the 7-day trial” link. The installation file will then download to your computer. Create a free Bitdefender account with your name, email, and password to begin the trial. You can use this VPN on your Windows or macOS computer freely.
This VPN offers over 4,000 servers in more than 50 countries and 70 locations overall. It uses Catapult Hydra, the same protocol as Hotspot Shield. Unfortunately, it lacks additional protocols, so you can’t change its performance. It’s not a major issue since Bitdefender VPN’s nearby servers are usually fast, though remote servers may experience some slowdowns.
9. Avast SecureLine VPN – Free Trials
Avast SecureLine VPN provides a 7-day free trial for mobile devices (iOS, Android) and a 60-day trial for desktop devices (Windows, macOS). To start the trials, Avast will need your payment info. You’ll be billed for SecureLine VPN’s annual subscription after the trial ends unless you cancel in time.
This VPN may not have many features, but you can use all of them without limits during your trial. It offers unlimited bandwidth, no throttling, and access to all features and every Avast SecureLine VPN app. It has about 700 servers in over 55 countries.
10 AVG Secure VPN – Free Trials
To try AVG’s Secure VPN, simply download its desktop application. When you connect for the first time, the app will request your payment details. After you provide that, you’ll have 60 days to try out this VPN.
You get unlimited access to all AVG Secure VPN features for 60 days. If you don’t cancel your trial, you’ll be charged for the VPN’s yearly subscription.
You can also try this VPN in another way. Download AVG Secure VPN on your iOS or Android phone and start a 7-day trial. Your payment info will also be needed in that case. Remember to cancel your trial on time to avoid charges if you change your mind about this VPN later.
You’ll enjoy unlimited access to this VPN, just like a paying customer, from the very beginning. You can test Secure VPN’s 700+ servers in over 50 countries, use VPN protocols like Mimic, enjoy AES-256 encryption, and see if it can unblock streaming sites.
How We Test VPN Free Trials
Our team tested over 50 VPNs to recommend the best options. We aimed to find reliable, efficient, and quick VPNs, while also assessing their trial availability and quality. All the recommendations above are included in this article after the steps described below.
Creating a Free Trial Account
We test VPNs directly. The first step in our review process is to sign up for an account ourselves. We go to the VPN’s website, enter the required info, and take note of the data needed to start the trial. We check if the VPN needs your payment info to create a trial account and prefer those that ask for less information.
Setting Up the VPN
We use different devices and operating systems to test VPNs. We test the setup for each VPN on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. This step involves checking how easy the installation is, if manual setup is required, and how user-friendly the whole process is, focusing on VPNs with straightforward instructions.
Testing Core VPN Features
Every VPN needs encryption, protocols, and a kill switch. We check the VPN’s encryption standards and security protocols in the app’s settings and documentation. When the kill switch is on, we use tools like IPleak.net to check for IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks and ensure the data tunnel is secure.
Assessing Performance and Speed
Our team uses SpeedTest.net to check the speed and performance of various servers. First, we check our baseline speed. Then, we connect to nearby servers (in our country or a neighboring one) and remote servers (like the US, UK, Italy, Canada, India, Singapore, and Australia). After each successful connection, we perform a speed test and compare our baseline speed with the VPN speed.
Evaluating UI and UX
Avoid getting a VPN that’s complicated and tough to use, especially since today’s VPN apps offer many different features. We check the app to see if the server list is easy to find. We check how easy it is to enable basic and advanced features, and if the VPN clearly labels and explains all its features.
Testing Split Tunneling, Geo-Unblocking, and Ads/Malware Blocking
VPNs serve many purposes, so we aim to address different use cases. We evaluate how effectively each VPN can access geo-restricted sites, streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and BBC iPlayer, as well as other platforms such as online casinos and game launchers. We test split-tunneling, ad-blocking, and malware scanning effectiveness.
Customer Support
When problems come up, it’s great to have dependable customer support available. We test the support of each VPN as part of our review process. If available, we talk to support agents live. We email each VPN and record how long it takes to respond. Our team checks for published materials like tutorials, FAQs, installation guides, and more.
Evaluating Costs and Overall Worth
After trying some VPN trials, you’ll need to choose one. Checking the price is important. You need to know what to expect. We review all subscription plans and assess each VPN’s overall value. We check for any available extras since most VPNs usually have time-limited promotions.
Canceling the Trial (If Necessary)
We will now cancel the trial. This process should be straightforward and without tricks. Cancel your trial before it ends to avoid charges. If you don’t do it on time, you’ll be charged automatically if you provided your payment info when signing up. All our top-rated VPNs let you cancel your trial easily.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Free Trial VPN?
A VPN trial lets you try the provider’s services before you pay for a plan. You can check if you like the VPN and see if it’s worth the cost without paying anything. Additional benefits are:
Unlimited Access to Premium Features
A trial gives you access to premium VPN features for a set time, ranging from 24 hours to 30 days. You have plenty of time to see how the VPN works, so there won’t be any surprises if you choose to pay for it.
Test All Your Devices & Platforms
You can try a free trial VPN to see how it works on your devices, in addition to checking individual features. VPNs provide apps for computers, phones, tablets, streaming devices, and routers. You can use a trial to install your VPN on any device, making sure it works well and is compatible.
Test VPNs’ Ease of Use
Choose a VPN that you feel comfortable using since you’ll use it every day. First-time VPN users may prefer fully-automated options, while advanced users might seek more complex solutions.
Test Geo-Unblocking Capabilities
A VPN lets you change your virtual location to access content that is restricted to certain areas. If you’re outside the US and want to watch Hulu, just connect to a VPN server in the US.
Avoid Financial Risk
You can use a VPN trial without a credit card, so there’s no need to worry about payment details or risks. Enjoy the services stress-free. No money will be taken from your account if you don’t cancel the free trial, as you haven’t given any payment details.
Avoid Data Manipulation
Trials provide great security and privacy from top VPNs. They will secure your Internet connection and protect you from hackers. This is not true for free VPNs, which often log your data.
Conclusion
To find a good VPN free trial, you need to do some research. Free trial VPNs usually have conditions. They often require you to pay upfront or provide your payment details. Remember, real free trials are hard to find now, so consider money-back guarantees instead.