VPN Free Trials
On this page, Privacy Journal’s experts tell you how to get a feel for the world’s top VPNs for free — including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark and more.
Why Use a VPN?
At Privacy Journal, it’s our position that using a VPN helps you have a safer, more convenient and more fun time on the internet. You can ensure privacy and security on a public WiFi connection, catch up on Hulu from your hotel during business travel, plug into a European server to check out Eurovision from the United States and so much more.
As much as VPNs do for our online lives, though, they almost always come at a cost. The more robust a VPN’s infrastructure and the better its features, the more you’ll be expected to pay. As with most industries, the best service comes at premium prices.
That can pose problems, and not just when you’re drawing up your monthly budget. A lot of VPNs are similar at first glance, so the best way to tell which one is best for you (other than checking out Privacy Journal’s fact-checked reviews) is to try it for yourself. That can cost a hefty monthly fee.
Luckily, you’ve got options.
VPN Free Trials & Money-Back Guarantees
VPN providers want you to try out their services — after all, the best advertising for any company should be the product itself. That’s why almost all VPN services have some sort of trial period that any user can take advantage of.
This generally comes in three forms.
1. Free Trial
The first is a true free trial: you get to test-drive the VPN for a certain time without paying a cent. This is most common on mobile apps, and piggybacks on your payment information in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Be careful, as these trials can result in your account being charged automatically. In our articles, we’ll alert you about any potential traps, and tell you how to cancel your recurring subscriptions — which isn’t always as obvious as it should be.
2. Money-Back Guarantee
The second form is the most common: the 30-day money-back guarantee (sometimes longer). For this trial, you pay for one or more months of VPN service, then cancel before the guarantee period runs out and get a full refund.
You can almost always get your money back without too much hassle, but you may need to answer questions about your experience in some cases. The articles in this section go into detail about exactly how to get your refunds back, and which VPNs will make you work for it.
3. Free VPN & Freemium Tiers
The final common version of a free trial is for the VPN to have a “forever free” subscription, letting you use the VPN indefinitely without paying at all. As you might expect, these subscriptions come with other catches. You might be limited to a certain amount of data per month, restricted to a few servers or locked out of certain features.
Best VPNs With a Free Trial
Check out the services below and find a VPN free trial that’ll work for you — and subscribe to your next VPN with the confidence that only comes from a test drive.
- Best VPNNo free trial but best VPN, plus 30-day money-back guarantee you can use as a free trial.
- Fastest VPNNo free trial but it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee you can use as a free trial.
- Budget VPNNo free trial but it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee you can use as a free trial.
- Free trial for mobile and desktop24-hour free trial on desktop, three-day trial on Android, seven-day trial on iOS. 45-day money-back guarantee on longer plans, plus 15-day money-back guarantee on monthly plan.
- Best Free VPNThe free tier includes unlimited data, plus three server locations in the U.S., Japan and the Netherlands.
You Might Also Be Interested In…
If you’re looking into free trials, chances are you’re trying to be thoughtful with money. Check out our pricing guides, as well as more affordable VPN options, including cheap VPN plans and Chrome extension options.