You've read our guide to the best VPNs, and spent time doing your own research, but there's no getting away from it... signing up for most providers means handing over money for a service before you've really been able to try it.
Yes, there are exceptions: those free VPNs that rely on a freemium model to eventually get you to upgrade to a premium tier, for example. And then there are the companies that try to reassure you by plastering their websites with 'MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!!' banners, and that seems to make sense.
It should be safe to assume that when a website tells you there's a 30-day guarantee, that's a month of testing time and you'll get your money back if you're unhappy. Right?
Well, not necessarily. We've dug into the detail, and it turns out many of these guarantees don't offer the protection you might think.
What is a VPN money-back guarantee?
In the cybersecurity world, the concept of VPNs with free trials can be something of a misnomer. Yes, they do exist - most likely if you're downloading a mobile VPN app for your Android or iPhone - but it's much more common that it will actually be in the form of a money-back guarantee, usually of around 30 or 45 days.
But while that concept of a money-back guarantee seems clear and obvious, there are often somewhat sneaky catches tucked away in the small print. For example...
Restrictive condition - We've seen some providers place conditions on the refund. You might not be eligible if you've used a set amount of data, for instance, or connected 'too many times'.
Pro-rata refunds - Even when you qualify to get your money back, it might not be all of it. A few companies only refund you for the period you've not used, so if it takes you 90% of your money-back period to decide, you'll only get 10% back.
Available on selected plans - Providers who offer full refunds, won't necessarily offer it for all plans. Many guarantees apply only to annual or longer schemes. And this kind of makes sense - it would be rather odd to have a 30-day money back guarantee on a one month subscription!
Previous refunds - If you've ever had a refund from your chosen provider, then be careful: some companies limit the number of refunds you can claim, or say there must a minimum period of time between requests.
Money-back guarantees: what do VPN companies offer?
Money-back guarantees aren't just about catching you out; sometimes they'll give you rights you didn't expect. For example, refund periods don't always apply to the number of days since your initial purchase. A few generous providers cover you for renewal payments, too.
You'll generally find this information in a provider's terms and conditions. There's no need to spend an age digging into the small print, though, because we've done it already, and below you'll find the refund policy details for ten of the world's top VPN services.
