It’s common sense for reputable VPNs to offer free trials to attract potential subscribers. What better way to test the service’s features, geo-block bypassing capabilities, performance, and ease of use? But not all free trial versions are created equal and may even trick you into purchasing a plan.
We’ve evaluated many providers and created this list of the best free trial VPNs so that users don’t get stuck with services they don’t like. You’ll get a complete VPN experience for free with the option to prolong the testing period with the help of money-back guarantees.
Top 3 VPNs with a free trial in 2023
- Best VPN available free for over a month9.7
- Security-first VPN with a 7-day free trial9.4
- Versatile free 7-day trial VPN9.0
How to get a VPN free trial
- Pick a reliable VPN service with a free trial. Our top provider is NordVPN
- Download the VPN on your device and install it
- Open the app and pick the free trial option. Register an account if needed.
- Thoroughly test the service until the trial ends!
Best 7 VPN free trials selected in 2023
We evaluated dozens of premium VPNs and picked the top 7 that are worth your time. First and foremost, we checked the duration and the terms of their free trials and the money-back guarantees. Later, we sorted the list according to each service’s review rating and features.
As a result, what you see is seven great providers with military-grade encryption, good speeds, no-logs policies, and lengthy free trials. These VPNs also support a range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more.
1. NordVPN – best VPN with a 7-day free trial
60
5400
24/7 live chat, Email
1,245 Mbit/s
- Unbeatable in terms of speed and security
- Independently-audited and secure
- Fastest speeds in the industry
- Free trial requires Android device
NordVPN is one of the best VPN services. It’s the market leader in terms of security and performance, meaning online activities remain speedy and private. Moreover, the provider offers a robust toolkit and adheres to an independently-audited no-logs policy, even during the testing period.
You get access to the vast network of 5400+ RAM-only servers across 60+ countries. Specialized hardware is also available – these include P2P, Double VPN, Dedicated IP, and obfuscated servers. And, of course, feel free to utilize the fastest tunneling protocol in the industry, the proprietary NordLynx.
With this provider, you can torrent on optimized servers and watch Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, or Amazon Prime without any problems. As for features, NordVPN doesn’t limit what curious cats can try, from Threat Protection to split tunneling, Dark Web Monitoring, and more.
Now, the free trial itself. It lasts 7 days, and you will need an Android device to unlock it on Google Play Store. After that, it works on any platform. You’ll have to provide your credit card details but don’t worry – you won’t be charged until the trial ends. And you can potentially prolong it with the 30-day money-back guarantee.
NordVPN free 7-day trial details:
- Length of free trial: 7 days
- Credit card needed: Yes
- Free trial vs. subscription: No difference
- Subscription after trial: Depends on the plan chosen
- Subscription price after trial: Depends on the plan chosen
- Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Android TV, Chrome, Firefox
For a deeper investigation of NordVPN, read our NordVPN review.
2. Surfshark – security-first VPN with a 7-day free trial
100
3200
24/7 live chat, FAQ
935 Mbit/s
- Streaming, torrenting, gaming
- Largest country coverage
- WireGuard tunneling protocol
- Must activate the subscription on your smartphone
Surfshark is a relatively new provider showing VPN market veterans how it’s done. It’s a fantastic all-rounder great for many usage scenarios – P2P, streaming, gaming, browsing, etc. The best thing about it is that it comes with plenty of additional features, readily available even during the free trial.
Get access to a fleet of 3200+ RAM-only servers in 100+ countries. Great connectivity and breakneck speeds are a given, considering this size and the next-gen WireGuard protocol powering the connections. It should be fast enough to stream Netflix 4K (UHD) videos or download torrent files in mere minutes.
The provider has apps for all major platforms and unlimited simultaneous connections, so put it to good use. Surfshark is top-notch in terms of geo-block bypassing, thus, getting foreign libraries on Amazon Prime Video or BBC iPlayer is easy. Finally, utilize Camouflage & NoBorders modes, CleanWeb, GPS Spoofing, and more.
You can test Surfshark with its 7-day free trial, available on the Google Play and Apple App Stores. Once you’ve registered, you can use the same log-ins to try the service on desktop clients and any other device. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to provide some payment details. Thankfully, the 30-day money allows getting a refund if you forget to cancel.
Surfshark VPN free 7-day trial details:
- Length of trial: 7 days
- Credit card needed: Yes
- Free trial vs. subscription: No difference
- Subscription after trial: Depends on the plan chosen
- Subscription price after trial: Depends on the plan chosen
- Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, various routers
For a deeper investigation of Surfshark VPN, read our Surfshark VPN review.
3. PrivateVPN – 7-day free trial, no credit card needed
63
200
24/7 live chat
135 Mbit/s
- Great for streaming & P2P
- Broad device compatibility
- Only requires email
- 30-day money-back guarantee canceled if you exceed 100 GB
PrivateVPN gives you seven days of unlimited use and all features. Even better, you don’t have to add your card or provide any details. This means you’re not risking automatic renewal, which might be a hassle to cancel with customer support. The only thing you’ll require to provide is your email.
Since you get unrestricted access, you can connect to any of their 200+ servers in 63+ countries. Albeit the network is modest, PrivateVPN buys internet capacity directly from IP transit providers, meaning the speeds are superb. Now combine it with the trusted OpenVPN protocol, and streams are crisp HD, and torrents finish downloading before you even notice.
P2P is supported across the whole network, and getting access to popular streaming services is quick. You can even use the service to break through tough internet censorship due to Stealth VPN. Other notable features include a SOCKS5 proxy, port forwarding, and 10 simultaneous connections.
As mentioned previously, the 7-day free trial doesn’t require any payment information. All you have to do is head over to the provider’s official website, contact the support, and ask for a gift code. Extend the testing period even further with the help of the 30-day money-back guarantee.
PrivateVPN free 7-day trial details:
- Length of trial: 7 days
- Credit card needed: No
- Free trial vs. subscription: No difference
- Subscription after trial: Monthly
- Subscription price after trial: $9.90/month
- Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, various routers
For a deeper investigation of PrivateVPN, read our PrivateVPN review.
4. Atlas VPN – free VPN with a generous data cap
37
750
Email, tickets, FAQ
- Allows torrenting
- No registration needed
- 3 server locations
- Doesn't unblock Netflix
Trying Atlas VPN is entirely risk-free. That’s because it has a free version that doesn’t require any credit cards or other payment methods. What’s more, you don’t even have to create an account to use it. Let’s see what it entails.
Available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, the free Atlas VPN version includes a generous 5 GB/month data limit and 2 simultaneous devices. The network is restricted to servers in the Netherlands and the US – streaming is, understandably, not an option, but at least P2P is. Also, remember that you’re not getting the best speeds since they are exclusive to premium.
Purchasing an Atlas VPN subscription grants you access to 750+ servers in 37+ countries. Streaming-optimized hardware, SafeSwap servers, MultiHop+, and split tunneling also become available. Finally, you can use unlimited simultaneous connections to secure virtually every device in the household and more.
The premium version costs only $2.05/month and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Take advantage of it to get a taste of the service without restrictions for well over a month. If it’s for you, continue using Atlas VPN for an incredibly low price, and if it’s not – get a refund.
Atlas VPN free version details:
- Length of money-back guarantee: 30 days
- Credit card needed: No
- Free version vs. subscription: 5 GB/month data cap, slower speeds, 2 simultaneous connections, 3 server locations, P2P allowed, no streaming.
- Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
For a deeper investigation of Atlas VPN, read our Atlas VPN review.
5. Proton VPN – free VPN with a strong focus on privacy
67
2100
Email, knowledge base
245 Mbit/s
- Amazing security credentials
- VPN Accelerator
- No data caps
- No streaming or torrenting
Proton VPN is brought to you by the same developers who created Proton Mail. And because the company seeks to provide security tools accessible to everyone, it even comes with a free version. All you need is to create an account – no payment information is necessary.
The free Proton VPN application comes with unlimited bandwidth and 1 simultaneous device connection. And connections remain speedy and stable whether you pick servers in the US, the Netherlands, or Japan, thanks to VPN Accelerator. Unfortunately, P2P and streaming aren’t an option.
Going premium unlocks access to a network of 2100+ servers across 67+ countries. Then you can also use features such as Netshield (ad & malware blocker), Secure Core (double encryption), split tunneling, port forwarding, etc. Of course, torrenting and streaming are on the table, plus 10 simultaneous connections to boot.
You can get a Proton VPN subscription for as low as $4.99/month. The offer is well worth it, as the 30-day money-back guarantee also protects it. Technically, it also lets you use the service scot-free for over a month. Just don’t forget to request a refund before the period is over.
Proton VPN free version details:
- Length of money-back guarantee: 30 days
- Credit card needed: No
- Free version vs. subscription: No data cap, 3 server locations, 1 simultaneous connection, no streaming or P2P, includes the Stealth protocol & VPN Accelerator
- Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chromebook
For a deeper investigation of Proton VPN, read our Proton VPN review.
6. PureVPN – 7-day trial, plus a 31-day money-back guarantee
71
6500
24/7 live chat
120 Mbit/s
- Large country selection
- Great performance
- Independently-audited no-logs policy
- Payment details required
PureVPN has a great 7-day VPN trial, even though it’s not free. The price is only $0.99, and for that, you get full access to what this service has to offer. Furthermore, the provider hails from the British Virgin Islands and adheres to an independently-audited no-logs policy, so utter privacy is guaranteed.
Put the massive network of 6500+ servers in 71+ countries to good use. Neither streaming nor torrenting will suffer from subpar performance, not with the speedy WireGuard tunneling protocol. Most of the hardware is 10 Gbps, which also facilitates great speeds.
The service includes torrenting support in most countries and the capability to unblock multiple streaming platforms. We’re talking about such services as BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, among others. PureVPN is also one of the few providers that come with a Kodi add-on that works on multiple devices.
Test PureVPN and see how one of the best VPNs works in practice with its 7-day trial. Or you could just pay $2.08/month for a proper subscription to be able to use the full feature set for a month and get a refund later. It’s made possible with the 31-day money-back guarantee, after all.
PureVPN free 7-day trial details:
- Length of trial: 7 days
- Credit card needed: Yes
- Free trial vs. subscription: No difference
- Subscription after trial: Yearly
- Subscription price after trial: $3.24/month
- Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV & Fire Stick, Kodi add-on, DD-WRT applet
For a deeper investigation of PureVPN, read our PureVPN review.
7. Ivacy VPN – 7-day free trial, best VPN for low prices
69
5700
24/7 live chat
- Incredibly cheap
- Free version
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Based in a Five Eyes partner country
Ivacy is an inexpensive VPN service with an appealing feature list. Now, this provider is one of the few VPNs that come with a free app and include a trial version as well. The former comes with reasonable restrictions, while the latter costs a mere $0.99.
The free Ivacy VPN version doesn’t require an account, so you can technically use it on multiple devices. It comes with unlimited bandwidth, and 4 country picks – the US, the Netherlands, Germany, and France. And while it can’t unblock Netflix, at least torrenting is an option.
Picking the 7-day trial lets you test the full scope of the service. It entails a network of 5700+ bare-metal servers in 69+ countries and plenty of powerful features. We’re talking about a malware blocker, split tunneling, and even port forwarding (useful for P2P). Utilize them however you please on up to 10 devices.
A longer testing period is a possibility, you’d have to subscribe first. The lowest subscription starts at $1.00/month and comes with the protection of a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can use it to get your hard-earned cash back once you’ve had your fun with Ivacy VPN.
Ivacy VPN 7-day trial details:
- Length of guarantee: 7 days
- Credit card needed: Yes
- Free trial vs. subscription: No difference
- Subscription after trial: Depends on the plan chosen
- Subscription price after trial: Depends on the plan chosen
- Supported platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Firefox, Chrome
For a deeper investigation of Ivacy VPN, read our Ivacy VPN review.
Free VPN trials: comparison
| Free trial duration | Payment details required | Restrictions | Requirements | Money-back guarantee | |
| NordVPN | 7 days | Yes | None | Android (works on all devices) | 30 days |
| Surfshark VPN | 7 days | Yes | None | Android, iOS, or macOS (works on all devices) | 30 days |
| Atlas VPN | Free version | No | 5 GB/month data cap, slower speeds, 2 simultaneous connections, 3 server locations, P2P allowed, no streaming | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV stick | 30 days |
| Proton VPN | Free version | No | No data cap, 3 server locations, 1 simultaneous connection, no streaming or P2P, includes the Stealth protocol & VPN Accelerator | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chromebook, Linux | 30 days |
| PrivateVPN | 7 days | No | No | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | 30 days |
| Ivacy VPN | 7 days | Yes | No | Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux | 30 days |
| PureVPN | 7 days | Yes | No | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux | 31 days |
How to select a good VPN free trial?
The answer to the question above depends mainly on what your needs are. But there are a few universal factors you must take into account. We’re talking about:
- Free trial period. Some VPNs have extremely short testing periods, with the briefest we found being 24 hours. The longer the trial, the better, as you get to thoroughly examine the service and its performance.
- Security & privacy. You’re trusting the provider with the safety of your data, so it would be best if the free trial VPN doesn’t collect user info. Check whether it adheres to a strict no-logs policy and make sure it also includes the essential security features. These are AES-256 encryption, leak protection, and a kill switch.
- No limitations. We want to see what the complete service is capable of, not just test the basic functions. Look into what’s restricted in the free trial in terms of features, servers, speeds, devices, and so on.
- Compatibility. This technology is handy for many devices. If you’re planning on securing everything you own, you should be able to test it on almost every one. Thus, the VPN with a free trial must be available for both desktops and mobiles.
- Money-back guarantee. In case the trial isn’t enough, these let you test providers for an even longer period of time. Although you’ll have to pay a subscription fee for this, the guarantee lets you get a refund once you’ve had enough.
Are free trial VPNs safe?
Yes, free trials that come from reputable providers are safe to use. In fact, they are the best way to get a taste of a VPN before committing to it or moving on to the next. The ones we listed in this article were tested thoroughly and found to be as secure as possible.
Just remember there’s a difference between free trials and free versions. The former lets you test the full scope of a VPN for a certain duration, while the latter offers a limited service. Furthermore, not all free versions are safe, especially if they don’t come from freemium providers.
What are the limitations of a VPN free trial?
Most often, with free VPN trials you’ll be restricted to a smaller pool of servers. There could be additional limitations with bandwidth caps that slow down your speeds up to a certain threshold. These caps determine how much data you can download, dictating what you can do with a service. Depending on the VPN, other restrictions include but are not limited to:
- Smaller tunneling protocol roster
- Less simultaneous connections
- Access to fewer features
- No P2P file-sharing
- No streaming
We always advise checking the conditions underlined by the provider on their webpage. Here, you will always find the most up-to-date information of features available during a free trial. If you’re already on a free version, it’s also an option to contact their customer service; they will happily provide all the necessary information.
Can a VPN free trial be used more than once?
Practically it should be possible to use the free trial multiple times. Usually, this will involve using a different e-mail address for services that don’t require payment information. For the trials that do need your credit card info, you’ll usually need a separate e-mail and a different card to register.
Keep in mind that you could still be tracked by your IP address or even the IMEI address of your device. In most of these cases, you most likely are breaching the provider’s terms of service, so you should always do such things at your own risk. In most cases, it’s less of a hassle to just pay for a subscription.
What is the difference between a VPN free trial and a money-back guarantee?
A VPN free trial lets users test the full service for a limited duration. The 30-day money-back guarantee is the option to cancel your subscription and still be able to get a full or partial refund. The trick with the latter is that it can also act as a trial since you’re getting your money back in the end.
The main difference between the two is the duration you can use the VPN at no cost. Trials typically last from 1 to 7 days, while money-back guarantees usually cover a whole month. Of course, in some cases, you can combine the two for an extra-long testing period.
Another difference is payment. With trial versions, you’ll be charged after it ends. Money-back guarantees, on the other hand, require you to purchase a subscription first.
Bottom line
Not many providers have the option to test their services for free before subscribing, so we recommend taking advantage of them. Trials are the best way to assess the service’s features, speeds, ease of use, geo-block bypassing capabilities, and more.
We’ve found NordVPN to be the best option among many VPNs. Furthermore, combining the free 7-day trial with the 30-day money-back guarantee allows using it at no cost for well over a month. Don’t miss out on this chance to benefit from the security provided by an industry-leading VPN.
Know any other notable VPNs with free 7-day trials? Tell us all about them in the comment section below!
You may also like to read:
Best cheapest VPNs
Best VPN for streaming
Best VPN for torrenting
Change your location with a VPN
How to bypass geo-blocks
Bypass YouTube TV location restrictions
FAQ
Which VPN offers the longest free trial?
This depends on your definition. PrivateVPN has the most extended premium trial for seven days and requires no payment information. Proton VPN has a free version with no time limit but bandwidth restrictions. If the lengths of money-back guarantees count, CyberGhost’s lasts for a record-breaking 45 days.
How to cancel a VPN free trial?
Canceling a VPN free trial or using a money-back guarantee is different for each provider. In most cases, you will have to fill out a form that will automatically cancel a free trial. Alternatively, you may have to contact customer support.
Which VPN has a 30-day free trial?
All VPNs with 30-day or longer money-back guarantees have such free trials. You’ll have to pay for the subscription first, but if you cancel before the month is up, you’ll get a full refund. Technically, this allows you to test the full service at no cost.
Which VPN has a free trial without a card?
PrivateVPN lets you use the free trial without entering any credit card details. Simply contact the provider’s customer support, and you’ll get a gift code that activates the free trial once you create an account.
What is the best free trial VPN?
NordVPN is the best free trial VPN. You get access to the complete feature set and server list for 7 days. There’s also an option to extend the testing period by a whole month by utilizing the 30-day money-back guarantee.
It seems that ExpressVPN is the best but comes at a price, NordVPN is the best of both worlds, Astrill offers the best 7 day free trial. I couldn’t find a free vpn trial for 30 days, that would have been great.
Thanks for all the interesting info, both in the article and in the comments. It helped me make up my mind. I first took the vyprvpn free trial, then tried Windscribe for free and then I went with Nord VPN because they offer a great balance between their service quality and monthly price. Thanks again.
Instead of trying all sorts of free trials I would recommend you just go with a free VPN like Proton VPN or Windscribe. When you’re ready, just get a paid option with ExpressVPN – the best – or NordVPN – second best and inexpensive – and just be done with it. The NordVPN free trial was the best trial because after you tried it you would have seen why Nord is so good. If there was an express vpn free trial for 7 days that would probably increase sales for Express. But then again, people were trying to exploit Nord when they had a free trial so they took it down so… You could basically go from free trial to free trial and then check out some free vpn options and be ok for some time. But, if you need extra protection, for torrenting or keeping your anonymity online, then a paid option is the way to go for sure.
Both Austin and Corolar1 are right. You can take a lot of VPNs for a free spin but there’s nothing like a paid version. The best free trial is a vpn free trial where no credit card is needed so look around and find some. To get you started, try safervpn free trial and cactus vpn free trial as they don’t ask for a credit card. If you want to torrent then you should probably go with NordVPN (3-year is just $2.99 per month) or if you want to be extra safe, go with ExpressVPN which is more expensive but the best.
There used to be a nordvpn 7 day trial which was cancelled like you said. It was a great way to see what Nord has to offer without paying a cent. I’m mentioning Nord because they are among the top 3 vpn services out there for sure. It would have been nice to also get an express vpn free trial since their prices are a bit higher (but they are probably the best out there). For those who want to explore more options, some other interesting ones are: cactus vpn free trial, ipvanish free trial or safervpn free trial. These 3 might not be the best but if you at least want to see the difference between them and others that are better you can get a vpn free trial no credit card needed (in most cases).
Took the cyberghost free trial and the vyprvpn free trial. The first was just a 1 day free trial which is not much but you can get a feel for it nonetheless. Cyber is good but expensive. Vyprvpn offers a 3 day free trial. They are better in some aspects than Cyber and cheaper. I would be curious to see a cyberghost vs vyprvpn comparison from you guys to see which one is better and in which areas.
I took the cactus vpn free trial and it wasn’t that good. Then I tried Proton VPN, the free version and it was better but I still needed something for torrenting. I ended up getting a month with NordVPN and they are stellar. I am tempted to get a 3-year account with them since it’s so inexpensive.
PS: right now, there’s no ipvanish free trial for PC. I checked.
Hey Austin! Thanks for your thoughts. You’re right, and it seems that more and more VPN services are ditching the free trial option, and I personally don’t see this trend going out. When it comes to the VPNs you’ve offered, all three are pretty good but come with some caveats:
1. IPVanish free trial is available for iOS users only.
2. SaferVPN has only a 24-hour free trial and some logging issues, not to mention its ExpressVPN-esque prices.
3. CactusVPN has the lowest score of all three and also gives only 24 fours to test it. But most importantly, its lack of servers and locations hinders your connection speed.
But if we were to make a list without the VPNs that offer money-back guarantee only, these three would definitely be on it.
I plan to try out the free trial offered by NordVPN. I’ve heard a lot about them and recently I’ve started seeing TV commercials by them so they really seem to be making a big push for new customers. My main reason for getting a VPN is so I can securely connect to public Wi-Fi or any other network.
I think that I’ll give Trust.Zone VPN a try. They’re currently running a special that if you sign up for 2 years it only costs $2.88 per month. That’s a pretty good deal even though they don’t have a money back guarantee.
Not all VPN will give you access to free trial. Though the definition of free trial may vary from organization to organization. Good enough, free trial gives an idea of the quality of the VPN before payment is made
Free trial is best way to evaluate a VPN. One can firsthand check the availability of features that are most important for oneself. One is in better position to decide after trying out a few available options.
NordVPN worked for me perfectly well. After enjoying the three days free trial, I decided to subscribe for one year. The customer service support is amazing and helpful. I recommend NordVPN to anyone who needs a good VPN with a free trial