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VPN free trials allow you to enjoy the benefits of top-rated VPN services without paying upfront.
The very best VPN free trials don’t even ask for credit card or payment details.
A VPN free trial allows you to hide your IP address, access restricted web content, and secure your internet connection completely free, for a limited period of time.
Based on trial length, quality of service, and cancellation policy, the best VPN free trials are:
The VPNs we recommend above offer genuine free trials as well as money-back guarantees. We explain the difference further down the page.
Update: PrivateVPN has temporarily suspended its free trial. We will update this page just as soon as it’s back.
EXPERT TIP: To use a lifetime free VPN, see our list of the best free VPNs overall. They’re safe to use, but are limited compared to paid VPNs and free trials.
The table below compares the best VPN free trials offered by major VPN services. You can compare each free trial based on duration, restrictions, whether they require payment details, and more.
Use the following table to compare how the five top VPN free trials perform in each key testing category:
An unrestricted five-day free-trial that requires no payment details and ends automatically.
PrivateVPN offers the best genuine free trial. The free trial application is easy to download and it requires no payment information.
There are also no limitations to the trial service, either. It’s exactly the same as the full paid PrivateVPN software.
Moreover, the free trial is available on all major platforms including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Fire OS. And you’re allowed up to five VPN connections at once.
| Free Trial Duration | 5 Days |
|---|---|
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days |
| Cheapest Price | $1.98/mo over 24 months See all plans |
| Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection | 94Mbps |
| Servers | 200 |
| Logging Policy | No Logs |
| Support | Live Chat |
PrivateVPN’s free trial is great to unblock streaming services for free. It’s a very reliable VPN for streaming Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and more.
The trial version comes with dedicated servers for specific video platforms, and the highest number of dedicated servers for Netflix.
PrivateVPN is also a very secure VPN. It uses AES-256 encryption by default, and offers a reliable kill switch with DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection.
The VPN is ideal for torrenting, too. It has dedicated P2P servers, a no-logs privacy policy, and the service handles DNS requests directly rather than using third-party data handlers.
Sadly, there are a limited number of advanced features compared to other top services. There is no split tunneling, or multi-hop VPN servers, for example.
However, PrivateVPN’s Stealth VPN protocol works to bypass censorship in China.
PrivateVPN’s main drawback is that its dedicated streaming servers aren’t always as fast as its competitors.
There are only 200 available in 63 countries, and the streaming servers are extremely popular and therefore often congested.
PrivateVPN has no Smart DNS feature either, which means it won’t work well with Apple TV and games consoles like the Xbox or PlayStation 5.
To get a PrivateVPN free trial, head to the free trial page and click ‘Try PrivateVPN risk-free’.
You’ll then be directed to an online form to generate a PrivateVPN account.
PrivateVPN’s free trial login screen.
There are no payment details required at any point, and you can download the trial software from the website onto your device.
The free trial will automatically end after five days.
or read our full PrivateVPN Review.
A high-quality free trial that cancels automatically after 7 days.
Astrill VPN is available to download completely free of charge for a seven-day free trial on Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS.
The signup process is simple and requires no upfront payment details. The free trial cancels itself on expiry.
The VPN is a good option for censorship, torrenting, and streaming US Netflix. But, there are some restrictions on trial accounts. There are also no refunds if you decide to purchase a subscription.
| Free Trial Duration | 7 Days |
|---|---|
| Money-Back Guarantee | No Refunds |
| Cheapest Price | $10.00/mo over 12 Months See all plans |
| Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection | 80Mbps |
| Servers | 110 |
| Logging Policy | Some User Logs |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat |
Astrill is among the most private and secure VPNs we’ve tested.
The software uses gold-standard AES-256 encryption, it operates a no-logs privacy policy, and the company is based in the privacy-friendly Seychelles.
Astrill is equipped with a proprietary stealth protocol that makes it the best VPN for China. Sadly, Astrill’s free trial isn’t available in China.
Our tests have never detected any DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks and the service uses its own first-party DNS servers.
The OpenVPN connection protocol is easily selected via the settings menu, along with the option to use WireGuard.
Astrill’s international speeds are fast across the board, with a high average download speed of 81Mbps connecting to the US from the UK.
Over the last eight-week period, it has consistently competed with NordVPN – one of the fastest VPNs available.
The full VPN offers servers in 110 cities across 59 countries, made up of approximately 350 IP addresses. This is less than usual, but hasn’t resulted in congestion so far.
Astrill’s free trial version restricts the countries you’re allowed to connect to, which is the free trials’ main limitation.
The Astrill free trial restricts certain servers.
P2P-optimized servers are available for torrenting, and the VPN works with US Netflix. It’s less reliable with BBC iPlayer, but privacy and security are Astrill’s true strength.
It’s also a very expensive VPN on its premium subscription – the cheapest price is $10 per month, which is far more expensive than almost any other VPN. The free trial is a good opportunity to check if it’s worth the investment, particularly as Astrill has a no-refund policy.
Astrill VPN offers a 7-day free trial with absolutely no data caps or payment details required to sign-up. The trial also automatically cancels after the period is over.
To get the free trial, head to the Astrill free trial page and create an account to receive an access code.
Once activated, Astrill gives you daily updates on the remaining days left on your trial. When it’s over, a pop-up window will appear asking if you want to upgrade to a full account.
or read our full Astrill VPN Review.
The overall best VPN with a seven-day free trial on mobile devices.
ExpressVPN is available to use on a completely free seven-day trial for iOS and Android devices as well as risk-free 30-day money back guarantee.
The service is fast, very private, and highly secure. It unblocks streaming services with ease, and even gets around Chinese web blocks.
| Free Trial Duration | 7 Days |
|---|---|
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
| Cheapest Price | $6.67/mo over 15 Months See all plans |
| Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection | 88Mbps |
| Servers | 3,000 |
| Logging Policy | Anonymous Server Usage Data |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat |
Using ExpressVPN’s money-back guarantee allows you to use the service without limitations or restrictions, including access to 3,000 fast servers across 94 countries.
ExpressVPN also registers very good speed test results, both locally and internationally. We measured a local speed loss of only 8% while the VPN was running.
You can also test the VPN on multiple devices at once, thanks to its five simultaneous device allowance.
You can try ExpressVPN on your Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Fire TV devices, and even your router.
ExpressVPN is a great VPN for accessing streaming platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
It works with 19 global Netflix libraries, and easily streams the American library on all its US servers. It performs just as well with Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO and more.
You can also stream with ExpressVPN using its excellent browser extensions, or its Smart DNS service on AppleTV and games consoles.
ExpressVPN is one of the most expensive VPNs around, costing $6.67 per month on its cheapest subscription plan.
That’s why a free trial is so helpful – you’ll get to test its fast speeds, user-friendly and secure apps at essentially no cost.
You can get ExpressVPN’s seven-day free trial for iOS and Android by simply downloading the app from the App Store.
ExpressVPN’s free trial sign up window
Once installed, launch the app and you’ll see two options: Start Free Trial and Sign In.
On Android devices, you won’t need to provide any payment details or credit card information to access the trial. Simply select the free trial option and insert your email address.
You can see how many days are left on your trial period via the ‘Account’ menu. Once the trial period is over, you’ll be asked by email if you’d like to upgrade to a premium account.
On iOS devices, you will have to insert payment details and you will be automatically upgraded to a premium account unless you cancel within seven days.
Installing ExpressVPN through the App Store makes you subject to Apple’s refund policy. If you don’t want to enter into a contract when using the free trial on iOS, cancel your free trial within seven days.
If you’re not on an iOS or Android device, simply subscribe to the service on the ExpressVPN website and cancel within 30-days for a guaranteed refund.
or read our full ExpressVPN Review.
Very fast VPN with a 7-day free trial on mobile.
NordVPN is a verified zero-logs VPN that effectively masks your IP address and hides your browsing activity from snoopers.
It can be tested on all devices without restrictions as part of a 30-day refund period or a seven-day free trial for Android.
| Free Trial Duration | 7 Days |
|---|---|
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
| Cheapest Price | $3.30/mo over 27 Months See all plans |
| Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection | 93Mbps |
| Servers | 5,208 |
| Logging Policy | No Logs |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat |
All NordVPNs apps are easy to use and come with robust security features, including a VPN kill switch, AES-256 encryption, WireGuard protocol and more.
NordVPN’s large server network is comprised of 5,208 servers in 60 countries.
All servers allow P2P traffic. And with DNS leak protection, Double VPN for an added layer of security, and a completely log-free privacy policy, NordVPN is ideal for torrenting.
NordVPN isn’t as good as ExpressVPN for unrestricted streaming. But, thanks to its SmartPlay feature, NordVPN still works with nine Netflix regions.
The VPN also works extremely well with BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max.
NordVPN is also one of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested, with a local download speed loss of just 1%. You won’t have any issues streaming in HD or 4K.
All the apps are consumer-friendly and simple to use from the outset.
If you do happen to need help, NordVPN’s 24/7 live chat support is on hand for prompt assistance. Or, you can always send an email.
NordVPN offers a seven-day free trial for Android devices, and a 30-day money-back guarantee on all other devices, including Windows, macOS, and iOS.
To get a NordVPN free trial on all devices, subscribe to NordVPN via its website and cancel within 30 days. This can be done by simply contacting customer support.
There are no exceptions to its refund policy as long as you request it within 30 days.
NordVPN once offered a genuine free trial on all platforms, but discontinued it after citing “abuse” of the service.
The company later reintroduced a free trial on Android via the Play Store. To use this, download and install NordVPN directly from the Play Store.
Once installed, you’ll be asked to create an account and insert your payment details. NordVPN will charge a subscription fee after seven days unless you cancel.
If you forget to cancel, or want to continue with a premium subscription, you’re still eligible to claim NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee.
We recommend subscribing to the full VPN and taking advantage of the money-back guarantee, since you need to cancel your subscription no matter what.
or read our full NordVPN Review.
Fast VPN with a one-day free trial (and a 45-day refund period).
CyberGhost is a popular VPN service that offers three free trial periods: a one-day free trial on desktop, a seven-day free trial on mobile devices, and a 45-day money-back guarantee.
| Free Trial Duration | 1 Day |
|---|---|
| Money-Back Guarantee | 45 Days |
| Cheapest Price | $2.25/mo over 3 years See all plans |
| Top Download Speedi Based on 100Mbps local test connection | 89Mbps |
| Servers | 7,400 |
| Logging Policy | Anonymous Server Usage Data |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat |
CyberGhost doesn’t disappoint for server count or network performance. The VPN delivers good speeds on 7,400 servers in 91 countries.
On short distance, we registered an average speed loss of 13%. Its international speeds aren’t as good as ExpressVPN’s or NordVPN’s, though.
Nevertheless, our streaming tests confirm that CyberGhost can stream in HD and Ultra HD rather easily.
The VPN’s premium subscription gives access to servers optimized for streaming and torrenting. Currently, CyberGhost works well with five Netflix libraries and Disney+.
However, streaming-optimized servers are unavailable to free trial customers.
As such, even if CyberGhost is a top-rated streaming VPN, you won’t be able to fully test if it meets your specific streaming needs.
You’ll still be able to test CyberGhost’s usability and overall performance.
The VPN uses the unbreakable AES-256 cipher and OpenVPN protocol, along with a standard VPN kill switch and DNS leak blocking.
The VPN’s security features – combined with optimized servers for P2P traffic – make CyberGhost a good choice for secure torrenting.
CyberGhost’s one-day free trial doesn’t require personal information or payment details at sign-up.
Simply download the software from the website and trial it.
However, there are restrictions: you can’t use its optimized streaming servers or manually configure it on routers.
This is disappointing considering that streaming is one of CyberGhost’s strengths, but you can still test the software and get a good feel for it.
While the one-day free trial is limited to desktop, you can get a seven-day free trial on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. To do this, download the app from the Google Play Store or App Store.
Similarly to NordVPN, you must select a subscription plan to start the trial, and you will be charged after the seven-day period unless you cancel before.
How to cancel CyberGhost’s 7-day free trial for iOS.
If you need a longer free trial period, sign up to CyberGhost and get a refund within the 45-day money-back period.
This risk-free 45-day refund period is uniquely generous, as most VPN services typically offer 30 days or less.
CyberGhost’s one-month subscription plan is limited to a 14-day money-back guarantee, so choose a longer plan to get the most out of your free trial period.
or read our full CyberGhost VPN Review.
When it comes to VPN free trials, our experts test for specific features in order to calculate an overall rating.
For VPN free trials specifically, we measure:
For a more detailed look at our rating system, read the following methodology to learn about each testing subcategory and how much it factors into the overall rating.
Minimum Requirement: Access to the majority of the VPN’s servers without speed throttling and a comparable security suite.
We Recommend: No restrictions at all. The free trial works the same as the premium version.
We systematically compare and contrast the free trial experience to the premium account and discover what’s been excluded from the trial run.
The fewer the restrictions the higher the rating we award.
Many VPN trials exclude certain features to encourage subscriptions. This can include fewer global connections, the removal of streaming-optimized servers, or inferior security.
We recommend VPNs that offer the fullest free trial experience.
Minimum Requirement: One day.
We Recommend: At least five days.
Free trials can be as short as one day but some can last up to seven days.
For money-back guarantees, you can expect around 30 days as an average, but some go as high as 45 days.
The more time you are given to experience the VPN, the stronger the rating we assign.
Minimum Requirement: Payment details are taken but you are not charged automatically.
We Recommend: No payment details are required at all.
Some free trials require you to insert payment details to access the service.
But we rate highly those that don’t require any payment information at all.
This way, you don’t have to remember to cancel your account.
If you forget to cancel a free trial that requires payment details, you could be charged.
Minimum Requirement: Cancellation is easy to find on the account page.
We Recommend: Cancellation is automatic.
Free trials should be easy to cancel. We give the highest ratings to VPN free trials that stop automatically.
For VPN free trials that require payment details, we rank higher those that make cancellation options easy to find.
After we sign up and test the free trials, we inspect and judge the process of cancellation.
If the cancellation process is difficult, or has any hidden catches, we punish the VPN service with a lower rating.
While all three options allow you to test a VPN free of charge for a period of time, there are some important differences that you need to be aware of.
The majority of free VPNs are not safe to use. They often log your browsing data, share your information with third-parties, or contain malware and viruses.
The only free VPNs we recommend are those from reputable services, that offer a free VPN alongside a premium service.
While they are completely free to use, they have significant limitations such as monthly usage data caps, slower speeds, or restrictions on streaming and torrenting.
If you want to try out a premium VPN service for free, your next best option is a genuine free trial. The five VPN services we recommend in this guide all come with genuine free trials.
The final option is to subscribe to a VPN service with a money-back guarantee, and then request your money back within the defined refund period. This can range anywhere from seven to 45 days.
Taking advantage of money-back guarantees lets you test a VPN for much longer than a free trial. However, unlike free trials, you must pay for the full subscription upfront. You must also remember to cancel within the refund period, or you won’t be able to recoup your money.
Most VPN services have no-questions-asked refund policies, however some providers reserve the right to deny a refund under some circumstances.
You can find out if a VPN service offers a free trial, or a money-back guarantee, by checking the VPN service’s website, or by reading our VPN reviews.
When it comes to free trials, each VPN service will work differently.
For example, AirVPN requires you to contact it so that it can send you an activation code for your free trial. Other VPN services have a dedicated free trial page on their official website.
As a general rule, it’s best to get in contact with customer support and ask about available free trials.
If the VPN you’re after doesn’t offer a free trial, you can often take advantage of its money-back guarantee. You will have to pay for a subscription upfront, but cancel within the refund period and you’ll get your money back.
If you’re using a VPN free trial, you need to know how to cancel your subscription, or whether it will cancel itself automatically.
In many cases, if you don’t cancel your trial you may end up in a contract with the service provider.
In this section, we explain how to cancel your free trial depending on which option you’ve taken.
If you’re using a VPN free trial and didn’t submit any payment details on sign-up, you won’t need to do anything to cancel your subscription. The service will stop once the trial period has ended.
There are some VPN free trials that don’t require you do anything to cancel, but are slightly different in sign-up.
In the case of ProtonVPN, you need to sign up to its lifetime free plan before you can access the premium free trial. Once the trial ends, you’ll return to the free service.
Some free trials require you to submit payment information in order to use the service.
Most of these VPNs require you to cancel. The VPNs that offer genuine free trials, but also require payment details, include:
If you’re using any of the VPN free trials above, you’ll need to contact the VPN service via email or live chat and cancel before the trial period is up.
Some will also allow you to cancel in-app. In almost all cases, the cancellation process is extremely easy and quick.
If a VPN service takes payment from you in order to use its service within a money-back guarantee period, this is usually called a ‘risk free’ trial.
In this case, remember to contact the VPN service’s support team within the refund period to get your money back.
The refund process is usually straight-forward with most VPN services, although some have specific rules in place.
For example, PrivateVPN won’t refund your initial payment if you’ve used over 100GB of data.
We advise to always check the terms and conditions of a VPN’s refund policy.
While most VPN services do honor money-back guarantees, some can refuse issuing a refund. However, this is a rare occurrence likely caused by serious misuse of the service.
It is entirely possible to get a VPN free trial with no credit card and no payment details.
It’s hypothetically possible to use a free trial more than once, but it would require using new email addresses each time, and potentially deleting your cookies or switching browsers.
In Astrill’s case, all that’s required to use the free trial is an email address. You could just use another email address and sign up again.
However, Astrill’s website uses cookies to identify whether you’ve already registered for the free trial. As such, you may get a different page that doesn’t include the free trial option. To avoid this, delete your cookies or use a different browser.
There’s always the risk the VPN in question is aware of free trial “abuse” and may ban you or stop offering free trials all together. NordVPN cancelled its free trial following “abuse” of the service.
Most VPNs offer ‘money-back guarantees’ but potential customers are sometimes concerned they actually won’t get their money back.
The VPNs listed on this page that offer money-back guarantees have confirmed they will not refuse repayment on any condition, as long as it’s within the refund window.
However, buying a VPN through the App Store or iTunes find that the refund process doesn’t apply. That’s because applications purchased through those marketplaces are subject to Apple’s refund policies, and not those of the VPN service.
For example, NordVPN includes this information in its terms of service: 
In other words: VPNs can’t issue refunds through iTunes/App Store. This also applies to resellers such as Amazon and subscriptions purchased using gift cards.
For this reason, it’s best to subscribe directly from the VPN service’s website. If you sign up via a marketplace, be sure to consult its refund policy as it may not be as good as the VPN provider’s.
Some VPNs are stricter than others, too. If the money-back guarantee is advertised as risk-free, a VPN service may refuse your refund depending on your reason for cancellation or initial payment method.
McAfee Safe Connect, for example, forces you to call customer support and give a reason for cancellation.
For the most part, popular VPNs will honour their money-back guarantees. Very rarely will they deny a refund within the refund period of time.
While there are many free VPNs you should avoid, the case isn’t the same when it comes to free trials.
Free trials almost always come from reputable VPN companies and are safe to use with no security risks.
Many people avoid free trials that require payment details, because they fear accidentally falling into a long-term VPN contract. HideMyAss, Hotspot Shield, and NordVPN all offer free trials that require you to enter payment details.
As for money-back guarantees, we recommend signing up to the service via the provider’s website, rather than the App Store or the Google Play Store.
Refund policies differ on marketplaces, so it’s best to subscribe on the VPN’s official website to be covered by the company’s own refund policy.
Many people use a VPN to stream Netflix content from other countries.
A VPN free trial is an excellent way to gain temporary access to international Netflix libraries, without committing to a full subscription.
A free trial also allows you to test a VPN with Netflix before committing to a long-term plan.
Not all VPNs work with Netflix and other streaming services, though. We’ve tested many popular VPN free trials with Netflix, and we recommend using the below VPNs:
If you take advantage of their money-back guarantees, you get much more time than a typical free trial, usually limited to between one and seven days.
If you’re a regular Netflix streamer, we suggest reading our articles on the best VPNs for Netflix, and the best free VPNs for Netflix.
