Last updated Sep 19, 2024 at 7am ET
Quite a few VPNs offer free trials, including NordVPN, Surfshark, and PrivateVPN. The free trials almost always allow you to check out the service’s full feature set without any data, server, or security limits. This can be said about NordVPN and Surfshark. Additionally, some of them, like CyberGhost’s VPN free trial, don’t even require payment or credit card details to test it out.
However, some VPNs claim to have 100% free trials when in reality, all you’re getting is a highly limited version of paid software. Moreover, some of these free trial offers require your credit card details or even charge a fee. Therefore, I tested over 20 VPNs and their free versions to find the ones that offer the full premium package completely free for a limited time. So, keep on reading and learn my top choices of the best VPN free trials in 2024.
Best free trial VPNs: shortlist
- Overall best free trial VPN in 20249.8 / 10
- Best VPN with free trial for Android and iOS devices9.5 / 10
- Hassle-free vpn with longest free trial8.7 / 10
- 7-day free trial VPN for integrated VPN protection8.2 / 10
- The best free trial VPN with no credit card required8.9 / 10
VPNs with free trial options: an in-depth analysis
In October 2024, I analyzed over 20 VPNs and their free trial offers. The goal of my analysis was to figure out not only which of the providers had the longest free trial periods but also the quality of those free trials. For instance, are all the features available during those trials, whether you need to enter your payment details, what are the limitations for operational system and device access, and if the providers give a money-back guarantee. Here are how some of the most popular VPN providers fair against my requirements:
| VPNs | Rating | Free trial duration | Credit card required? | Trial restrictions | Access to free trial | Money-back guarantee |
| NordVPN | 9.8⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 7 days (mobile only) | Yes | Only for Android devices | Android | 30 days |
| Surfshark | 9.5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 7 days | Yes | Only for mobile | iOS, Android | 30 days |
| PrivateVPN | 8.7⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 7 days | No | None | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android | 30 days |
| Bitdefender VPN | 8.2⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 7 days | Yes | None | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android | 30 days |
| CyberGhost | 8.9⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 24 hours (desktop) / 7 days (mobile) | No | Limited features | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android | 45 days |
| Norton VPN | 7.3⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 7 days | Yes | Limited to Norton 360 | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android | 60 days (Norton 360) |
| Proton VPN | 8.6⭐⭐⭐⭐ | No free trial, but has a free plan | No | Free plan with limited servers | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android | 30 days |
| PureVPN | 8.5⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 7 days ($0.99) | Yes | None | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android | 31 days |
| ExpressVPN | 8.4⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 7 days (mobile only) | Yes | Mobile only | iOS, Android | 30 days |
| Hotspot Shield | 7.6⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 7 days | Yes | One device only | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android | 45 days |
The VPNs with the longest free trials (free trial + money-back guarantee combined) are Norton VPN, CyberGhost, and Hotspot Shield. All of these providers offer VPN free trials surpassing the 50-day mark, with Norton VPN standing as a clear winner with a whopping 62 days of free use. However, all these free trials come with limitations on features, accessibility, or device count. On the other hand, NordVPN and Surfshark do not limit their free trials in any way, and during their 7-day free trials, you get to try out the full set of premium features.
Naturally, there are a lot more VPN providers offering free trials, but they did not make it to my Top 10 list for several reasons: unreliable services, highly limited free trials that do not allow to test the VPN’s functionality, hidden fees, and no money-back guarantees.
So, if you need a reliable VPN for a short period of time, I recommend sticking with NordVPN, as it allows you to test out the full feature set during the 7-day free trial without any hidden fees.
Top 5 VPN free trials in 2024
- NordVPN – overall best free trial VPN
- Surfshark – best VPN with a free trial for unlimited devices
- PrivateVPN – VPN with free trial without credit card needed
- Bitdefender VPN – reliable 7-day free trial VPN
- CyberGhost – great gaming VPN with longest free trial
After testing over 20 free trial VPNs, I ranked my Top 5 according to the quality and the length of their free trials. It was very important to me that the free trials would give as much features as possible for me to try out, would last longer than 24-hours, and won’t come with any hidden fees or fine print liabilities. So, here are my choices of the best free trial VPNs:
1. NordVPN – overall best free trial VPN
111
6400
24/7 live chat, Email
551 Mbit/s
- Free trial with a full feature package
- Enormous server fleet
- 10+ Gbps download speeds
- Free trial limited to Android devices
NordVPN offers a 7-day free trial limited for Android devices, but completely unlimited in features and settings. This means your free trial can be used across all devices once connected, allowing you to test even the most advanced settings NordVPN has. Plus, the provider has a 30-day money-back guarantee, which extends free VPN use to a total of 37 days. Overall, NordVPN is hands-down the best Android VPN free trial, as it is fast, secure, and has the most features not limited by a free trial, making it excellent both for gaming and streaming.
How to get a NordVPN free trial?
Since the NordVPN free trial is available to Android users, you need to head to the Google Play store. Then, look for the NordVPN app and download it from there. Remember that only one free trial is available per customer, so make sure you log into your account when ordering a subscription. After you log in, your 7-day free trial is on. You can cancel the subscription directly on Google Play and if you forget to do that, you’ll be charged after the period ends. However, if getting a paid subscription was not your intention, you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee and get your money back easily. To use this guarantee, you’ll need to contact the NordVPN customer support team, tell them you’d like to get a refund, and then follow the directions you’re given. After that, you will get your money back in up to 10 business days.
Compatibility and performance – excellent (5/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
While NordVPN free trial is only available for Android users, the paid subscription is compatible with all major OS, including Linux, and works with all kinds of devices ranging from smartphones to Xbox and everything in between. The provider has a huge server fleet with 6400 pieces of hardware spread across 111 countries. That makes it super easy to access geo-restricted content. Plus, since the servers are based on the NordLynx tunneling protocol, they are capable of providing solid 10+ Gbps speeds with a 90% initial speed retention rate. The thing I liked the most about NordVPN and its free trial was how seamless the experience was and how skilled and responsive the customer support was. I’m pretty sure that NordVPN is perfect, even for first-time users.
Security features – most secure VPNs on the market (5/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Because the NordVPN is based on AES-256 encryption, you can be certain your data is safe with it. Plus, there’s a very reliable kill switch if server interruptions happen and additional IP and DNS leak protection. Lastly, there’s the double-hop feature for an extra layer of security and obfuscated servers to fool any website that you’re accessing as a regular netizen and not a VPN.
For a deeper investigation of NordVPN, read our NordVPN review.
2. Surfshark – best VPN with a free trial for unlimited devices
100
3200
24/7 live chat, FAQ
551 Mbit/s
- Full-featured free trial
- Easy to use
- Available for iOS and Android smartphones
- No free trial for laptops
Surshark VPN has a convenient 7-day free trial with an additional 30-day money-back guarantee, extending the period of free use up to 37 days. The free trial comes with no limitations regarding the service’s features and is available both for iOS and Android smartphones. In my opinion, Surshark has the best Android and iPhone VPN free trial on offer, because of its high compatibility and exceptional feature set.
How to get a Surfshark free trial?
To get Surfshark’s free VPN trial, you simply need to head to the Apple App Store or Google Play and find the app. Download it, open it, and click on the Start Free Trial button. If you don’t want to enter your credit card details while testing out the free trial, you can use PayPal, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Sofort, or even crypto for an additional layer of anonymity. Once your free trial ends, you’ll be charged a fee for your subscription. If you’d like to get a refund during the first 30 days of use, you can ask for it via Surfshark’s live chat or cancel the subscription in the place you first got the app (App Store, Google Play, Amazon) by accessing your subscriptions page.
Compatibility and performance – perfect (5/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This free trial VPN is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones, but the full subscription extends the use to Windows, MacOS, and Linux operational systems, too. The Surfshark free trial does not limit your server choice, and you get access to a vast fleet of 3200 servers in 100 countries. All of the servers are RAM-only, meaning none of the info is ever stored. Plus, they’re based on WireGuard tunneling protocol, which gives solid 10 Gbps download speeds and around 88% initial speed retention rate. This makes Surfshark an excellent VPN for streaming, and I had a blast accessing Brazilian, Japanese, and German Netflix libraries with it.
Security features – uses the highest encryption standard (5/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you’re wondering about security, rest assured that Surfshark does not skimp on it, either. Based on AES-256 encryption, the service is vault-safe, and the accompanying kill switch and IP and DNS leak protection features make your data impenetrable to onlookers. Additionally, the CleanWeb feature blocks all malicious ads and sites that could be trying to reach you.
For a deeper investigation of Surfshark VPN, read our Surfshark VPN review.
3. PrivateVPN – VPN with free trial without credit card needed
63
200
24/7 live chat
297 Mbit/s
- 7-day free trial with no limitations
- Great for P2P downloading
- Basic security features
- Smaller server fleet
PrivateVPN offers an industry-standard 7-day free trial with a 30-day money-back guarantee, totalling in 37 days of free use. However, what makes this free trial stand out is that is not limited neither in feature nor in device use. Plus, PrivateVPN is excellent for torrenting with torrenting-dedicated servers, which makes it a really good choice of a VPN with free trial.
How to get a PrivateVPN free trial?
Because the PrivateVPN free trial is not limited to mobile devices only, in addition to Google Play and Apple App Store, you can also download the app onto your laptop or mobile device directly from the PrivateVPN official website. PrivateVPN does not require payment details upon registering and starting the 7-day free trial, making it a great choice for a free VPN trial no credit card needed. Before the trial ends, you must cancel it manually, or you’ll be charged a subscription fee. If that happens, you can easily use the 30-day money-back guarantee and get a refund by contacting customer support. After your claim is submitted, the refund will be processed in 5 business days, and you’ll get your money back.
Compatibility and performance – good (4/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The PrivateVPN free trial, as well as the paid subscription is compatible with all major OS, including Linux, plus streaming devices such as Kodi and routers. However, it has a significantly smaller server fleet consisting of 200 pieces of hardware in 63 countries. This might make it harder to access exotic geo-restricted content. As for the protocols, all Private VPNs are based on OpenVPN, but you have a choice to switch to WireGuard, too. This should be great news for streaming, but in all actuality, PrivateVPN delivered slower 7 Gbps speeds with 74% initial speed retention rates, making my streaming experience a bit less enjoyable than with NordVPN.
Security features – a simplistic but very secure VPN service (4/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
PrivateVPN is based on the industry-standard AES-256 encryption enhanced with a kill switch. And while it has IP leak protection and unlimited P2P downloading, it lacks advanced features such as an ad block.
For a deeper investigation of PrivateVPN, read our PrivateVPN review.
4. Bitdefender VPN - reliable 7-day free trial VPN
50
4000
24/7 live chat
- Great free trial VPN for casual use
- Great integration with other Bitdefender products
- Hassle-free refund procedure
- Not really suitable for gaming
Same as my other choice of the best VPN trials, Bitdefender also offer 7-days of use completely free. Plus, there’s also the 30-day money-back guarantee, which extends the charge-free period up to 37 days. Bitdefender is a great choice for casual activities like browsing and streaming, making it a good choice if you want to try VPN for free.
How to get a Bitdefender VPN free trial?
To get Bitdefender VPN free trial, you’ll need to head to the official Bitdefender website and look for VPN selection under the products category. Open the page and download the app – the software is compatible with Windows, Android, iOS, and MacOS, so you can try it out for free on any device. Alternatively, you can get the app from Google Play or Apple App Store. Create an account, enter payment details, and start your 7-day free trial. After the trial ends, you’ll be automatically charged a subscription fee. However, you can ask for a refund in the first 30 days of use by contacting customer support via live chat, email, or phone. Your claim will be processed in a few business days and your refund will reach you in the next 5-7 business days.
Compatibility and performance – good (4/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bitdefender has a smaller fleet consisting of 4000 servers in 50 countries. Because of this, gamers might experience higher ping and latency, essentially making this VPN unsuitable for gaming. As for browsing and streaming, Bitdefender gave me consistent 7 Gbps speeds, but the retention rate was a bit below 80%, which positively surprised me. All in all, such speeds and rates proved more than enough for comfortable browsing and streaming.
Security features – secure enough to prevent your data from leaking (4/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bitdefender is equipped with AES-256 encryption, strong protocols including Catapult Hydra, and a no-logs policy. However, it lacks more advanced features, such as split tunneling, port forwarding, or double VPN.
For a deeper investigation of Bitdefender VPN, read our Bitdefender VPN review.
5. CyberGhost - great gaming VPN with longest free trial
100
11700
24/7 live chat
- 45-day money-back guarantee
- No credit card needed
- Advanced features are limited
- Slower connection speeds on free trial
CyberGhost has a 7-day free trial for mobile devices, a 24-hour payment-free trial for computers, and a whopping 45-day money-back guarantee. You also don’t need to enter your payment details, which makes CyberGhost a great choice as a free VPN trial with no credit card required.
How to get a CyberGhost VPN free trial?
To get the CyberGhost free trial, you’ll only need to download the app from the App Store, Google Play, or the official website and launch it. Because you do not need to enter any of your payment details, the free trial does not automatically jump to a paid subscription, which is great news if you forget to cancel your subscriptions. If you decide to get the full paid version of CyberGhost, you still are viable for the 45-day money-back guarantee. If you want to get a refund, you’ll need to contact CyberGhost customer service and apply through them. And, if you downloaded the app via a third-party retailer, such as Play or App Store, you’ll need to contact them for a refund. In any case, your application will be processed in a couple of business days, and you’ll get refunded in the next 5-7 days.
Compatibility and performance – good (4/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
CyberGhost is compatible with all major OS and all of the most popular devices, including routers. And while it has a solid fleet of 11700 servers across 100 countries, it underperformed during my free trial testing compared to its capabilities when on paid subscription. That might be because the free trial-specific servers can get a bit congested. But, when I tried the paid version later on, the speeds kept at 7 Gbps with impressive close to 90% initial speed retention rates, which made streaming lag-free for me.
Security features – safeguards your data with AES-256 encryption (4/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
During the free trial, you get to experience the AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and a multiple tunneling protocol selection which includes WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. However, advanced features, such as the NoSpy servers and dedicated IPs are limited to CyberGhost paid subscriptions.
For a deeper investigation of CyberGhost, read our CyberGhost review.
How I tested and selected the best VPNs with free trials
To ensure my recommendations are absolutely best, I put over 20 VPN services through rigorous testing. Here’s what interested me the most while selecting the best free trial VPNs:
- Free trial duration. The longer – the better. I chose VPNs that give at least 7 days for you to test out their services as that is the optimal time needed to check out all the features. This point made up a 25% of the final rating.
- Free trial restrictions. I wanted to find free trial VPNs that offer the full set of their features for you to test out. However, some VPNs put limitations on their free trials, such as making only few servers accessible or scratching out the more advanced features. This part also made up a 25% of the final score.
- Payment information. I like to try my VPNs commitment-free, so providers offering a free trial without credit card details got an extra star from me. This part made up 15% of the final rating.
- Ease of cancellation. This part was really important to me, as I was not willing to go the extra mile when canceling my plan. That’s why it also made up 15% of the final rating.
- Features. Great package of features is always nice to have, but in this case it only took a 10% of the overall score, as I focused on free trials, and not paid subscriptions.
- Security and privacy. Free trial or not, I’m never willing to trust my data to an unsafe VPN service. That’s why security and privacy made up a solid 10% of my final decision.
Explore NordVPN’s free trial now >
How to get a VPN free trial without a credit card?
The best VPN free trial with no credit card required you can get is the one offered by CyberGhost. The provider offers several free trial options: one day for laptops, three days for Android devices, and seven days for iOS. All of these trials are completely free and do not require any credit card details.
Here’s how to get a CyberGhost free trial for a laptop:
- Head to CyberGhost‘s official website.
- Download and install the app.
- Launch the app, and choose “Start Free Trial”.
- Enjoy CyberGhost pay-free for 24 hours on your laptop!
Here’s how to get CyberGhost free trial for Android and iOs devices:
- Head to Google Play for Androids or Apple Play Store for iOS.
- Download and install the CyberGhost VPN app.
- Launch the app and select “Start Free Trial.”
- Enjoy Cyberghost for free for 3 days on Android devices and 7 days on iOS!
By the way, you can use this free trial both on your laptop and on your smartphone, to check out how it works on these different devices. However, if you want a free trial VPN that does not skimp on any of its features and offers truly excellent speeds, then I recommend sticking with NordVPN’s 7-day free trial. Sure, you’ll need to enter your payment details for it, but you won’t regret the premium experience.
NordVPN offers the best 7-day VPN free trial that comes with no server limitations and gives you access to the full feature set. Whether you need a VPN for security, streaming, browsing, or downloading, NordVPN is unparalleled in all of these tasks. Try it out for 7 days completely free.
Alternative to VPN free trials: free plans and money-back guarantees
Free trials, money-back guarantees, and free plans are different things, and here’s all you need to know about them. VPN free trials offer limited-time, usually full-featured access to a service lasting from a few days to a full week. Free plans are permanently free but usually have limited servers and features and are possibly unsafe to use due to data monetization. Lastly, there are VPN money-back guarantees that grant you full-featured VPN service for up to 45 days during which you can request a full refund of your subscription.
Free trials and money-back guarantees are great for testing out premium VPNs and figuring out whether they live up to your expectations. On the other hand, they’re also excellent if you need a VPN for a short period of time. That said, I do not recommend using free VPNs at all, as they are usually unsafe, often infected with malware, and monetize on your data.
| PROS | CONS | |
| VPN free trial | ✅ Full access to premium features ✅ No upfront cost ✅ Short-term testing (1-7 days) ✅ No commitments | ❌ Limited duration ❌ May require credit card information ❌ May not include all servers or features in some cases |
| Money-back guarantee | ✅ Full-featured access ✅ Longer testing period (30-45 days) ✅ Fully refundable ✅ Often offered y trustworthy VPNs | ❌ Required upfront payment ❌ Risk of difficult refund process in some cases |
| Free plan | ✅ Permanently free ✅ No need to provide payment details | ❌ Crippling data caps ❌ Few available servers ❌ Slow speeds ❌ Possible data breaches ❌ Monetizes on user data |
If you like the idea of free VPN trial, but would like to find one that lasts for 30 days, I have to disappoint you – there are no VPN providers offering 30-day free trial period. However, you can always take advantage of the money-back guarantee, which will extend your free use period for a whole month and even more in some cases. I recommend trying out NordVPN or Surfshark this way, as my experience with their subscription cancellation and refund was by far the quickest and easiest.
How to get your money back after a VPN 30 days trial?
To get your money back after a VPN 30 days free trial, you usually have to contact your provider’s customer support. The fastest way to do so is via live chat, but if that’s not available, then through an email or phone call.
Once you contact customer support, they’ll process your request and provide you with further instructions if you need them. After the request is processed, the common practice is to give you back your money in up to 10 business days.
Conclusion: choosing the best VPN free trial in 2024
The most commonly available VPN free trials are limited-time full-featured access and free version with data caps and feature restrictions. There are also free trial VPNs that do not require any payment details, but even those that ask you to enter payment details might come with feature limitations or hidden fees. So, you have to do a good research to find the best free trial VPNs available.
My top recommendation for a free trial VPN is NordVPN, as it gives you full access to its top-notch features for whole 7 days, during which you can thoroughly test it out and use all of its 6400 servers. However, if you’d still prefer a VPN that does not require any credit card details, I recommend CyberGhost which offers a reliable service with no strings attached attitude.
You may also like to read:
Best cheapest VPNs
How to get NordVPN free trial
How to get Surfshark free trial
Best free VPN with unlimited data
FAQ
Which VPN has a 1-month free trial?
No VPN offers a direct 1-month free trial, so there is no free VPN trial for 30 days. However, providers like NordVPN and Surfshark have 30-day money-back guarantees, so while it isn’t technically a free trial, you can use these services for up to a month and then get a refund on your subscription.
Which VPN offers a 7-day free trial?
A lot of VPNs offer 7-day free trials, including NordVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, PrivateVPN, and many others. However, my top recommendation is NordVPN as during its free trial you’ll get access to the service’s full feature pack without any limitations.
What VPN has the longest free trial?
CyberGhost has the longest free trial. It offers a 7-day free trial and a 45-day money-back guarantee, which makes up the total of 52 days of free use.
What is the best free VPN trial for Android?
The best free VPN trial for Android is NordVPN. The service is completely free for 7 days and you get to test out all the features, including advanced, during the period. Besides, NordVPN is perfect for all sorts of activities, including streaming and torrenting.
Is there a free trial VPN for iPhone?
Yes, Surfshark offers a free trial VPN for iPhones. You can test out the service for 7 days completely free, and it gives you access to all its premium features. Because of its huge server fleet and excellent security features, Surfshark is an excellent VPN for iPhones.
Which gaming VPN free trial provides the fastest speeds?
NordVPN free trial provides the fastest speeds for gaming. All NordVPN servers are based on the lightning-fast NordLynx protocol, and the download speeds remain at a consistent 10+ Gbps. What’s more, NordVPN has over 6,000 servers, so you’ll be able to find one that suits you the best.
Can I get a free trial for a P2P VPN?
Yes, you can get a free trial for a P2P VPN with PrivateVPN. The provider offers a 7-day free trial, during which you can test out its P2P capabilities and download the files hassle-free.
How do I cancel my VPN free trial?
You can cancel your VPN free trial by contacting your provider’s customer support or revoking the subscription in the platform you first got it from. That includes Google Play, Apple App Store, and in some cases, Amazon.
