Best VPN free trials in 2023

Trying out a premium VPN with a free trial to find the best security tool for yourself is smart. You get to test out the connection speeds, server fleet options, features, and streaming capabilities in a short period of time without any risk. Besides, some VPN services don't even require a credit card or payment information to try it out. Not having tried out the service, you might end up locked in a long-term subscription with a VPN that doesn’t meet your needs.

Sadly, not all VPNs offer a free trial option and some of the ones that do – give limited access to the features. However, with our top pick NordVPN, you can surely hope for a money-back guarantee. With it, you get unlimited access to all the features as with a premium subscription.

So read below and find out the best VPN free trials in 2023!

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Top 5 best VPNs with free trials

1. NordVPN – best VPN free trial in 2023
2. Surfshark VPN – top VPN with a 7-day free trial
3. PrivateVPN – great free trial provider VPN with no credit card information required
4. ExpressVPN – secure VPN with a free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee
5. CyberGhost – VPN with an extra long 45-day money-back guarantee

What makes the free trial VPN great?

There are several reasons why free trial VPNs are a great option for some users. Here are some of the reasons:

• Risk-free experience. With a free trial, you can try out a premium VPN provider without paying anything. So, you can sample different VPNs until you find the best one for you.
• Get all the features. With a free trial, you get to experience all of the features that the provider has for free. For example, streaming abilities, connection speeds, and others. You get to both try all the features in a limited time and determine if they meet your needs.
• Get all the features. With a free trial, you get to experience all of the features that the provider has for free. For example, streaming abilities, connection speeds, and others. You get to both try all the features in a limited time and determine if they meet your needs.
• Great for limited-time use. If you only need a VPN for a short time, for example, a week of traveling, then there’s no reason to purchase a full subscription. A free trial VPN is the best option for that scenario.

The best VPN free trials of 2023 – our detailed list:

You should definitely get the possibility to try the VPN service before committing to a long-term subscription plan. For this reason, we have selected great VPNs that offer a free trial and the money-back guarantee options. You will find a detailed list below.

1. NordVPN – best free VPN trial with the easiest setup

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NordVPN is the best VPN with a free trial that you can opt for. It offers a free 7-day trial – combine it with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you have yourself 37 days of free security!

The free trial is applicable for Android users, but you can set it up on any other device after claiming the trial and creating an account. This includes Windows, macOS, Linux, and iOS.

You’ll have to provide your credit card details to make use of the trial, but the provider is reliable . This VPN also supports PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and cryptocurrency payment methods in case you don’t want to use the credit card.

If you claim NordVPN’s free trial, you’ll get access to all VPN features. Aside from a huge server fleet (5500+ ultra-fast servers in 60 countries), you’ll get to enjoy access to various streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more), and fast torrenting.

Not to mention that NordVPN uses a proprietary NordLynx tunneling protocol, which ensures extraordinary performance. So whether you’re streaming, torrenting, or casually browsing, you won’t experience visible speed drops.

For more information, please read our NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – premium VPN with a free macOS trial

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Surfshark is another great free trial VPN which allows you to test all of its features free of charge for 7 days. Alternatively, you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee on all devices, including Windows and Linux.

You can get the free trial on iOS and Android devices, but after creating an account, you can use the trial on desktop devices as well. This includes Windows, Linux, and macOS.

With Surfshark’s free trial, you can get a full sense of how this VPN works, as it doesn’t limit the access to any of its attributes.

Once you claim a free Surfshark trial, you can use it for free on as many devices as you want since it gives unlimited simultaneous connections. You’ll be able to access 3200+ servers in 100 countries and unblock Netflix, Peacock, Amazon Price, or plenty of other streaming platforms.

Additionally, it has professional 24/7 customer support to answer any questions regarding the free trial setup or terms of use. Also, you can be sure that they’ll take care of your refund quickly in case you want to use the money-back guarantee.

If you decide that you want to keep using Surfshark after the free trial, you can purchase one of its affordable subscription plans and pay with PayPal, Google Pay, or cryptocurrencies.

To find out more, read our full Surfshark VPN review.

3. PrivateVPN – get a free VPN trial without the credit card

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PrivateVPN has a free trial option that you can use on desktop and mobile devices for up-to 7 days. Keep in mind that if you want to use PrivateVPN services for longer and free of charge, it gives a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The free trial is available on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. And you can pay with PayPal, Stripe, or a credit card to purchase a PrivateVPN subscription plan and use the month-long money-back guarantee.

One of the greatest advantages of this VPN – it doesn’t require the credit card information in order to get a free trial. You can simply contact their customer support and get a gift code. Your free 7-day trial starts immediately, once you use it to register an account.

With the free trial, you get the ability to choose from 200 servers in 63 countries and customize your encryption to encrypt your online activities with 128 or 256-bit variants of CBC and GCM ciphers. Additionally, this VPN is P2P-compatible, so you can also enjoy torrenting.

However, PrivateVPN also has affordable premium service and provides the best VPN coupons for discounts. So, you can always find a budget-friendly subscription option once the free trial expires.

To find out more, read our in-depth PrivateVPN review.

4. ExpressVPN – secure VPN with a free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee

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ExpressVPN has a free trial that lasts for 7 days. To obtain it, you need to download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. If that’s not enough, you also get a 30-day money-back guarantee, to safely test the product out.

After claiming the free trial, you can use the ExpressVPN app on any device that supports Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux OS. However, you will need to provide your payment information to get the free trial deal.

ExpressVPN accepts payments with credit cards, PayPal, crypto, and other options. So, once your free trial ends, if you don’t cancel your subscription, you will be charged for the plan you’ve selected.

The free trial gives access to all of the features. You’ll be able to choose from more than 3000 servers in 94 countries, access streaming sites, browse seamlessly, block trackers, and more. In addition, this VPN is torrenting friendly, so you can easily enjoy secure P2P connections.

If you choose to continue using this VPN, then you can purchase the full subscription. However, you should keep in mind that it’s a bit pricey, so just head over to our ExpressVPN coupons page to find the best deal for you.

Learn more in our ExpressVPN review.

5. CyberGhost – VPN with an extra long 45-day money-back guarantee

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CyberGhost offers several different free trials, all depending on the OS you’re using. There are also two different money-back guarantees for the different length plans that you can choose from.

You can get a 1-day trial for the desktop apps, 3 days with Android devices, and 7 days for your iOS devices. In addition, if you pick a one-month subscription plan, you’ll get a 14-day money-back guarantee. However, all longer plans come with an extra long 45-day money-back guarantee.

Another perk is that you don’t need to provide payment information for the free trial. However, to claim the money-back guarantee, you can pay with a credit card, Amazon Pay, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies.

During the trial, you’ll get to try the full product. So, you can connect to any of the 9700+ servers in 91 countries, use the specialized servers, stream on different streaming platforms, or enjoy secure P2P connections.

In addition, even during the free trial, you’ll have access to 24/7 live chat customer support. So, if you run into any issues, CyberGhost support will be available for you.

For more information, head over to our CyberGhost review.

6. Atlas VPN – free trial VPN that supports all devices

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Atlas VPN also makes it to the list of the best VPNs with a free trial. It allows the users to try its features for 7 days without paying. You can test it on Windows, macOS, and mobile devices – iOS or Android.

Just like others, it also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee that you can use. If you combine it with a free trial, you get 37 days in total to use the service free of charge.

The free Atlas VPN trial can help you watch global content on streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and BBC iPlayer. It also offers a relatively large selection of 750 servers in 38 countries.

In addition, Atlas VPN will provide you with stable and fast connection speeds with the WireGuard tunneling protocol.

It’s important to note that Atlas VPN also offers a completely free version of its product, but it’s not the same as a free trial. The free VPN gives users a limited access to its features while the free trial of a premium version allows you to try all of them.

To find out more, read our in-depth Atlas VPN review.

How we tested free trial VPNs

We aim to provide you only with the best recommendations for VPN services. Likewise, our experts have tested at least a dozen of different providers to find the best VPN free trial options. Our selected products were carefully chosen according to the following criteria:

• Free trial period. All VPN service providers offer different free trial periods. We’ve searched for and selected only the ones that allow you to use their services for the longest period of time. This way, you get all the time you need to try out all of the VPN’s features.
• Money-back guarantee. Our selected VPNs with a free trial also offer the money-back guarantee option. These two combined can give you an even longer trial period to enjoy.
• Compatibility. Usually, free VPN trials are only available on a very limited number of operating systems. However, our chosen VPNs offer trials free of charge for the most popular platforms, including desktop and mobile devices. So, you can definitely find the one that supports your device.
• Functionality. You probably already know that free versions of products, including VPNs, offer limited access to their features. Commonly, users only get to test the basic functions. Since we aim to help you get the most out of trials, our experts picked the VPNs that do not limit functionality extensively.

What are the benefits of VPN free trials?

Whenever you want to invest in a service, it’s very useful to get a glimpse of what you’ll be getting. For this reason, products offering a free trial are a great option to discover the best VPN that suits your needs.

Free trial VPNs are useful, because:

• Let you examine the VPN’s capabilities. VPN providers try their best to list all the benefits their customers are getting. However, reading about the features is not the same as trying them out yourself. A free trial can help you check the VPN’s server fleet, test the speeds, and try out all of its other features.
• Allows you to check compatibility. While many VPNs have dedicated apps for all popular devices, some of them work worse than the others. Likewise, free trials can be very handy when testing how efficient and compatible the VPN is with your device.
• You can try using the tool. Keep in mind that if you intend to use the VPN on a daily basis, it should be as easy to use as possible. Thus, free trial VPNs give you the possibility to check out their interface and see how user-friendly it is for everyday use.
• You can make sure that you're getting trustworthy services. If you seek reliable VPN services that you could use without paying, free trials are an excellent option. Keep in mind that it’s a safer solution than using VPNs that are free in general.

VPN free trial vs money-back guarantee: what's the difference?

Many VPNs offer both a free trial and the money-back guarantee. If you want to try the product for free, it might be challenging to distinguish the difference between these two options.

Firstly, free VPN trials and the money-back guarantee policy have different validity time periods. The free trial allows you to test the product free of charge for 7 days at most. Meanwhile, the money-back guarantee gives more time – usually, 30 or 31 days.

Secondly, these two options might offer different access to a VPN’s functionality. Keep in mind that free trials often allow you to use only the basic features and require a premium subscription plan to access the rest.

On the contrary, money-back guarantees get you the full version of the VPN from the start. So, you can test everything the VPN has to offer.

Finally, the last difference between these two options is the payment process. You must purchase a VPN first to use the money-back option, while with the free trial, you’ll be charged only after the 7-day period ends.

However, be aware that most VPN service providers offer both options. You can easily combine them and use the VPN free of charge for longer.

Best free trial VPNs compared

Even though most VPNs with free trials have similar terms of use, some of them have slight differences. In the table below, you will find a simple summary of the most important free trial VPN aspects that each provider offers. You can easily use it to compare the services and choose the best free trial VPN option for you.

	NordVPN	Surfshark	PrivateVPN	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost	Atlas VPN
Brand
Free trial duration:	7 days	7 days	7 days	7 days	up to 7 days	7 days
Money-back guarantee:	Yes, 30 days	Yes, 30 days	Yes, 30 days	Yes, 30 days	Yes, 45 days	Yes, 30 days
Credit card required:	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Compatible OS:	Android and iOS	iOS, macOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Free trail limitation:	None	None	None	None	None	None
Payment info needed:	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes

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How can I get a VPN free trial?

Getting a VPN free trial is rather simple. Usually, VPN service providers have dedicated sections on their websites where you can learn how to try their products for free.

However, each VPN might require you to complete slightly different steps to claim the free trial. For that reason, we’ve prepared generic instructions to guide you through the process:

1. Choose a VPN, our top suggestion is NordVPN.
2. Download and install the app.
3. Create an account.
4. Select the plan with a free trial.
5. Add payment details, you will only be charged after the free trial ends.
6. Start using the free trial of your VPN!

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How do I cancel my VPN free trial or money-back guarantee?

If you want to cancel your free VPN trial or money-back guarantee, you will need to contact your VPN’s customer support. You can do that by navigating to its official website and using one of the offered help options.

Most VPN service providers have 24/7 live chat and email support. Additionally, you should be able to find extensive knowledge bases which contain how-to guides. So, choose which help option is the most convenient for you and ask to cancel your subscription.

Keep in mind that if you’ve purchased a dedicated VPN application from Apple’s App Store or Google Play, you should ask each of their individual customer support to revoke the VPN’s free trial or money-back guarantee.

Which VPNs can I try without a credit card?

Currently, only PrivateVPN offers this possibility to get a free 7-day free trial without entering credit card details. Just reach out to their customer support via the [email protected] email. You should receive a gift code that activates the VPN free trial as soon as you use it to register your account.

However, if you can’t or don’t want to use the credit card, all of the listed VPNs support alternative payment methods. For example, NordVPN accepts PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and cryptocurrency payments.

Likewise, technically you can try all VPN services risk-free with the money-back guarantee by using other payment options than the credit card. Here is a detailed list of payment methods that each of the provided VPNs support:

	NordVPN	Surfshark	PrivateVPN	ExpressVPN	CyberGhost	Atlas VPN
Brand
Payment options	Paypal Google Pay Amazon Pay Credit card Cryptocurrencies	Paypal Google Pay Cryptocurrencies Credit card	Paypal Stripe Credit card	Paypal Credit card Cryptocurrencies	Credit card Paypal Amazon Pay Cryptocurrencies	Paypal Google Pay Credit card

Are free trial VPNs safe?

Yes, free trial VPNs are completely safe. Their developers are experts in their field and only deliver high-quality services that can be tested free of charge for a limited time. In addition, we have tested all the providers mentioned in this article ourselves and can confirm that there are no issues nor danger to use them.

Free trials allow users to experience the products in action, like checking the speeds, encryption protocols, and the server fleet. Keep in mind that even if the service is free of charge, it still operates under the no-logs policy, so your private data is secure.

It’s important to note that using a free trial option of a trustworthy VPN is definitely safer than choosing a VPN that’s free in general. You should be aware that questionable VPN service providers often offer poor-quality and unreliable products that may put your privacy at risk. Thus, we highly advise you to avoid them and use free trials instead.

Try the most secure VPN with a free trial

NordVPN is the best VPN on the market that offers a free 7-day trial for Android users. It ensures advanced security measures, excellent speeds, and wallet-friendly prices.

cybernews® score

4.9 /5

• Advanced security features
• Best for streaming and torrenting
• Affordable price

Visit NordVPN

If you still insist on using services that do not require payments at all, make sure that you at least get one of the best free VPNs – they’re approved by the experts and provide trustworthy services.

Conclusion

While there are not many VPNs offering a free trial, the ones that do, truly allow their users to make the best of it. After a detailed review, we can conclude that NordVPN and Surfshark are the best VPN with a free trial.

You can not only get 7 days to use the VPN service for free, but also prolong it with the 30-day money-back guarantee. Combine these two options and you get 37 days to enjoy all of the VPN’s features for free.

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