The intricacies and general practice of online privacy can be overwhelming for virtually anyone. VPNs are still somewhat unfamiliar grounds for so many web users around the world. The best VPNs are the VPNs with a free trial and/or a generous money back guarantee, this is so you can really get a feel of the Virtual Private Network whether you’re new to the provider, or to VPNs entirely.
The idea of a free trial for a VPN is to try before you buy. Not only to get to grips with a certain Virtual Private Network, but to really know if that VPN is for you. Many internet users just throw all VPNs into the same bracket, but actually, every provider has set strengths and weaknesses.
The best VPN free trials at a glance:
• The best VPN free trial: ExpressVPN - View on ExpressVPN
• The longest VPN free trial: CyberGhost - View on CyberGhost
• The best VPN free trial for a budget provider: Surfshark - View on Surfshark
The best way to trial a VPN
When the time comes to choose a VPN and you want to make good use of a free trial, there’s a few things you’ll need to know. Most providers offer a free trial, but they'll also give new users a money back guarantee. If you want a free period that’s as long as possible, you’ll want to choose a VPN with both. For example, after a seven-day free trial you may still be entitled to a 30-day money back guarantee. So technically, you get a 37-day free trial. Of course, you’ll only really pay nothing if you cancel your subscription before the money back guarantee is up.
Additionally, you’ll need to be sure your chosen VPN free trial is available on the device you want to protect. Some providers only offer free trials to certain operating systems or even offer different trials for different devices. Don’t worry, we’ll give you the heads up on these providers should they have made our ranking.
Read on for our official ranking of the best VPN free trials of 2023. You might be starting your VPN journey, or you’re in a desperate search for a better one. Find the right one for you and your devices.
Please note: All prices are correct at time of writing. VPN deals and savings are subject to change at short notice.
The best VPN free trial
go.expressvpn.com
We couldn’t put the free trial for such an exemplary VPN anywhere but at the top of our ranking. ExpressVPN sits comfortably on the throne of online privacy, and its try before you buy setup ticks nearly all the boxes. Express has elected to ditch the 7-day free trial though, and instead offers the 30-day money back guarantee. If it was any other provider, you’d call this a copout or simply not a free trial. But these 30 days you get with ExpressVPN give you the most premium VPN experience available, and there’s the option for a full refund by the end of it.
This 30-day period with ExpressVPN is the full experience. Users get unlimited tool access, over 3000 worldwide servers at your fingertips, and unparalleled data protection. ExpressVPN is a first choice Virtual Private Network for gaming, streaming, banking and so much more.
ExpressVPN offers the best VPN free trial because it’s the full, premium experience. You get all the trimmings for a whopping 30 days. You just have to understand that it only really passes as a free trial if you decide to cancel the subscription before the 30 days are up.
Pros
- Full premium VPN access
- Great support
Cons
- Still have to pay, only a free trial if you cancel
| Free trial | No |
| Money back guarantee | 30 days |
| Operating systems | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Fire TV, routers |
| Simultaneous connections | 5 |
| 24/7 live support | Yes |
- Customer review: "It's the perfect tool and it never fails, super secure, it's 100% the best VPN I've ever had."
The best VPN free trial for features
protonvpn.com
Widely considered as being one of the best VPNs with a free trial, Proton is fantastic for its free trial. Similar in a way to ExpressVPN, Proton try before you buy method isn’t conventional either. In fact, instead of a free trial, ProtonVPN offers the entire free plan. ProtonVPN Free is so close to the paid version bar just a few extras. Users might even find the free version more than satisfactory, and never have to pay a penny for this VPN.
Treating this as a free trial, it’s packed with all the features from the paid plan. A VPN accelerator is a mighty tool in any Virtual Private Network’s arsenal, enabling you to bump speeds on demand should they ever faulter. It's regarded as one of the best free VPNs for good reason. You’ll have great access to streaming sites through Proton, and the provider promises to keep your devices as secure as imaginable.
As a newcomer to VPNs you’d hope for a comprehensive customer support, unfortunately, Proton’s doesn’t quite offer it 24/7 just yet. They do however offer a 30-day money back guarantee, if you want to make a comparison between the paid and the free version then this is still the best way to do it.
Pros
- Unlimited free trial
- Feature packed
- 30 day money back on paid version
Cons
- No 24/7 live support yet
| Free trial | Unlimited |
| Money back guarantee | 30 days |
| Operating systems | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android |
| Simultaneous connections | 10 |
| 24/7 live support | No |
- Customer review: "I'd give it six stars if possible, app is so smooth, split tunnelling is supported and the best thing is it's supported on every platform."
The best VPN free trial for a premium provider
nordvpn.com
When making a financial commitment of any measure, you want to be sure you’re making the right choice. In the case of VPNs, this comes in the form of free trials. NordVPN is one of the special VPN providers that offer both a 7-day free trial, and a 30-day money back guarantee. Meaning you can technically get 37 days of Nord for free. For a premium provider, we say that’s deserving of some praise.
Nord typically only offers up to six simultaneous devices. However, on the free trial you’ll get unlimited. Meaning you can collectively trial NordVPN with as many people as you like. If that doesn’t pull you in, we don’t know what will.
Being a premium VPN, NordVPN is feature packed and the free trial is no different. Naturally, total beginners to Virtual Private Networks may feel somewhat alienated to Nord’s interface. Although, with a little patience and the help of tremendous customer support, going from novice to expert shouldn’t take long at all.
Pros
- Both a free trial and a money back guarantee
- Unlimited simultaneous devices on free trial
- Feature packed
Cons
- Tough for total beginners
| Free trial | 7 days |
| Money back guarantee | 30 days |
| Operating systems | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux |
| Simultaneous connections | Unlimited |
| 24/7 live support | Yes |
- Customer review: "Fast and easy VPN to use and connect to. Nord provides a fast connection to its VPN, depending on where you connect. Nord also scans the deep web for any instances where your email may have been involved in a data breach. I highly recommend NordVPN for its fast and reliable service."
The longest VPN free trial
www.cyberghostvpn.com
The friendly little ghost is apparently as generous as it is adorable. CyberGhost welcomes new subscribers with a massive 45-day money back guarantee. Not only that, but you’ll also get a free trial depending on what device you use. It's easily makes the cut for VPNs with a free trial
CyberGhost makes it a little bit complicated for everyone involved, but bear with us while we break it down for you. iOS users are the favourites, you’ll get the standard 7-day free trial. 3 days for Android, and a measly 24 hours for Windows and Mac.
On the plus side, the full version of CyberGhost is highly acclaimed for beginners. It doesn’t lack in features, but at the same time it doesn’t bombard the users. Such a generous money back guarantee also adds to why CyberGhost is perfect for someone’s first VPN rodeo.
Pros
- 45-day money back guarantee
- Cheap VPN anyway
- Great VPN for beginners
Cons
- Different trial lengths based on devices in unnecessary
- Only one simultaneous connection on free trial
| Free trial | 7 days iOS, 3 day Android, 24 hours Windows & Mac |
| Money back guarantee | 45 days |
| Operating systems | Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, Windows, Amazon Fire Stick, Android TV |
| Simultaneous connections | 1 |
| 24/7 live support | Yes |
- Customer review: "Absolute favorite VPN. I've tried several others before but this one tops them all. No issues viewing my security camera or using other apps with it on, unlike some other VPNs I've used before. CyberGhost is totally worth the money, especially with all the locations available."
The best VPN free trial for a budget provider
surfshark.com
Even if the VPN you’re going for doesn’t come with the heftiest price tag, you still need to know what you’re signing up for. Surfshark is widely considered a budget Virtual Private Network provider, but it still offers a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money back guarantee.
Just like the paid plan, the free trial of Surfshark grants users the chance to connect an unlimited number of simultaneous devices. So if it’s a VPN for the household you’re after, Surfshark lets everyone get a taste of the action. Unfortunately, the Surfshark free trial is only available to Android, iOS, and macOS devices. Although, the 30-day money back guarantee does cover all devices and operating systems.
Surfshark is a great value VPN, and they want you to get the full experience of this. That’s why the free trial is packed with all the features you’ll find on the full plan. It's no doubt among the best VPNs with a free trial. Take advantage of a wide coverage of worldwide servers, stellar streaming servers, and impressive security.
Pros
- Feature packed
- Unlimited simultaneous devices
Cons
- Trial only for Android, iOS & macOS
| Free trial | |
| Money back guarantee | |
| Operating systems | |
| Simultaneous connections | |
| 24/7 live support |
- Customer review: "You don't have to be an I.T. guru or tech-bro to understand and use this VPN, and it's robust with servers situated all around the world. I appreciate the amount of work that it does for me, keeping me safe & private & anonymous."
Terms to remember
VPN - Virtual Private Network
Free trial – A tester period for a product free of charge
Money back guarantee – The period at the start of a subscription where you can claim a full refund if you’re dissatisfied
Simultaneous connections – Number of devices that can be connected to the VPN at once
Why use a VPN free trial?
Like any product, no one Virtual Private Network is the same, they can offer different users different things. Utilising a free trial gives you the opportunity to give the VPN a test run, understand its benefits, and to decide whether a certain provider is for you. The best VPNs with a free trial are worth some serious consideration.
Do all VPNs have a free trial?
Being subscription-based services, most VPNs do offer a free trial. If they don’t offer free trials, they’ll most likely have money back guarantees, where you can claim a refund before a certain period is up if you’re unhappy. Some Virtual Private Networks may even offer both.
How to cancel a VPN free trial?
Most VPN services will offer you a free trial and once that trial is up, you’ll be charged the first payment and the full subscription will commence. If you’re unhappy with the free trial experience, you need to make sure to cancel it before the free trial is up. You’ll be able to do this either through the VPN app, website, or your device’s subscription settings.
Jack Barrell is the Commercial Content Writer for VPNs. He's hands-on when it comes to producing best-of articles, how-to guides, and product reviews for Virtual Private Networks. On his off-days, Jack can be found in the gym, at the movies, or flicking through a car mag.