The best VPN free trials available right now — 7-day tasters and money-back guarantees for all devices

VPN design on MacBook screen
Trial the best VPNs without risking a penny

Signing up to a 2-year VPN plan can feel like a big commitment, particularly given you need to pay in full, up-front, and you might never even have use the service before. That's why a VPN free trial is a good idea, but not all providers offer one.

Instead, many VPN companies have a 30-day money-back guarantee – Norton VPN has a 60-day one, in fact – but these can be more hassle than they're worth. A true free trial gives you access to the full scope of a VPN's capabilities, with zero financial commitment made on signup.

Some free trials will ask for credit card details so they're prepared for when the trial ends. The best VPN free trials, however, require no payment information upfront whatsoever.

The Surfshark 7-day free trial is our pick as the best at the moment but you can find our other top recommendations just below.

5 best VPN free trials: quick overview

1. Surfshark 7-day free trialFree trial on any device

1. Surfshark 7-day free trial
Free trial on any device
Surfshark boasts some of the most budget-friendly prices of any VPN – but that doesn't mean you're getting anything less than a premium product. In addition to a long list of privacy-boosting tools, Surfshark includes impressive unblocking power and wickedly fast speeds, ideal for streaming in HD and 4K. It's an excellent package. Surfshark is our top recommended VPN that has a truly free trial, available for 7 days on any device. You do have to put in your payments details to get it but you will not be charged if you cancel within the 7-day period. Prices start at $2.49 per month thereafter.

Read more about the Surfshark free trial below ▼

2. NordVPN7-day Android free trial

2. NordVPN
7-day Android free trial
We rate NordVPN as the best VPN available but, sadly, it doesn't offer a free trial on every platform. Instead, it's just Android users that get the NordVPN 7-day free trial. Head to the Play Store, download the NordVPN and sign up as a new user. You'll normally get a 3-day free trial but the time period can vary.

Read more about the NordVPN free trial below ▼

3. CyberGhostFree trial, no payment details required

3. CyberGhost
Free trial, no payment details required
CyberGhost is a longstanding veteran of the VPN world that gets the basics right and, best of all, boasts a selection of free trials. Windows and Mac users can enjoy a 24-hour trial, Android users get 3 days, iOS gets the lion’s share with 7 days and, to cap it all off, CyberGhost also offers a longer-than-usual 45-day money-back guarantee. But the real icing on the cake is that all of these trials are true free trials and don’t require you to put down any payment details – which is pretty hard to beat.

Read more about the CyberGhost free trial below ▼

4. Private Internet Access (PIA)Android & iOS 7-day free trials

4. Private Internet Access (PIA)
Android & iOS 7-day free trials
Private Internet Access (PIA) is the privacy advocate’s favorite. It’s jam-packed with customizable features that VPN power users will appreciate, while also nailing all the core tools. PIA offers Android and iOS users a nifty 7-day free trial, though you’ll need to activate the trial from the App Store or Play store. There's also an industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee. Regular PIA 2-year plans cost around $60 in total.

Read more about the PIA free trial below ▼

5. Norton VPN7-day free trial of Norton VPN Standard

5. Norton VPN
7-day free trial of Norton VPN Standard
Norton VPN is a burgeoning name among VPN industry top dogs. Super-famous in the world of antivirus, it's recent charge in this space has been admirable and to tempt you over to try it out there's a 7-day free trial of the Norton VPN Standard. That's the entry level VPN price plan. There's also a sector-leading 60-day money-back guarantee. The only caveat here is that these trials do require payment information, so you’ll need to remember to cancel before you’re charged. Norton VPN impressed us when it came to speed and unblocking, however, so it’s well worth checking out.

Read more about the Norton VPN free trial below ▼

The 5 best VPN free trials in 2026

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The best VPN free trial

Android phone with the Surfshark app

(Image credit: Future)

1. Surfshark

Budget-friendly prices and a risk-free 7-day trial

7-day free trial
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Consistently impressive WireGuard speeds
Lacks port forwarding
Price hike upon renewal

Surfshark is a mainstay at the top of our best cheap VPN rankings, and combines a quality product with budget-friendly prices. Surfshark also has a 7-day free trial available across all devices and platforms – which is impressive, as most of today's top-rated VPNs only offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Surfshark works with all devices thanks to a range of apps. Users also get unlimited simultaneous connections, letting you secure all of a household's internet-enabled devices with a single subscription (or free trial).

NordVPN Android free trial

2. NordVPN

The best blend of free trial and money-back guarantee

Easy-to-use security tools
Available for all platforms
Free trial for Android users
Price hike upon renewal
Free trial requires payment information

NordVPN is our favorite VPN overall thanks to stellar performance across the board: it's quick, secure, and prices won't break the bank. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. This isn't particularly unique in the industry, but NordVPN’s overall value and full roster of security tools mean that you’re getting a more fleshed-out trial of a premium product, even if it's not a true trial.

To access the trial and be eligible for the money-back guarantee, you'll need to provide payment details and choose a plan. If you’d rather not commit to a subscription right off the bat, you’ll be glad to know that NordVPN also has a 7-day free trial for Android users. This trial needs to be downloaded from the Google Play Store and, as a result, is bound by the Google Play terms of service, which limit the trial to one per customer and mean that you’ll need to cancel the trial via the Google Play Store, too.

CyberGhost free trial with no payment details

CyberGhost free trial on Android OS phone

(Image credit: Future)

3. CyberGhost

A long list of free trials that don’t demand your details

Wide selection of true free trials
Selection of dedicated servers
Works with most streaming platforms
Customer support could be improved
Some streaming hiccups with 10Play

CyberGhost is another major player in the VPN sphere and a decorated veteran. In fact, the service has more than 20 years under its belt, which is pretty impressive. While CyberGhost isn't in our shortlist of the best VPNs overall, it's still a solid pick with a whole heap of free trials on offer and well worth investigating. A 24-hour free trial is available for Windows, a 3-day free trial is available for Android, and a 7-day free trial is available for iOS.

The final cherry on top is a 45-day money-back guarantee, which is way longer than the usual 30-day period offered by most VPNs. This gives you over a month to put the VPN, and its suite of tools, to the test on all of your devices. There's also a 14-day free trial for anyone who picks up a monthly CyberGhost subscription – though it's more cost-effective to commit to a longer plan.

PIA Android & iOS 7-day free trials

PIA free trial on an Android OS phone

(Image credit: Future)

4. Private Internet Access

Free trials for Android and iOS that put your security first

Full suite of security tools
Apps are massively customizable
Budget-friendly prices
May be too complicated for total newbies
Free trials require payment details

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a power user's dream, boasting levels of customization that you just won't find elsewhere. So, if you like digging into those settings and tailoring every inch of your VPN service, you'll want to give PIA a try. However, PIA’s VPN basics are all in order, too, so you don’t have to be a veteran to enjoy it or make the most of its standard 30-day money-back guarantee.

When it comes to free trials, you can take your pick of 7-day trials for both Android and iOS via the Google Play Store and App Store, respectively. This is great news for folks who are more mobile-oriented, but it's disappointing that there's no way to access these trials via a desktop. So, keep in mind that if you do check out PIA, you'll need to activate and cancel the trial through the store – and hand over your payment details during the process.

Norton 7-day free trial and 60-day money back guarantee

Norton VPN dashboard on a smartphone being held by a user

(Image credit: Norton)

5. Norton VPN

A generous money-back guarantee and week-long trial

Impressively quick
Ideal for VPN newbies
Good value when bundled with other Norton tools
Free trials require payment details
Struggled to unblock some Netflix libraries

You may not be familiar with Norton VPN, but it’s a solid choice for folks who have already invested in Norton’s other cybersecurity products. It earns a place in our free trial rankings thanks to its 7-day trial, available via the provider site, that gives you a week to put it to the test on your raft of devices.

The biggest downside here is that, like NordVPN and PIA, you'll need to hand over payment details before accessing the trial. That's not ideal – even though you won't be charged up front – as you'll need to remember to cancel the trial before it expires and you're charged.

FAQs

Does NordVPN have a free trial?

Yes, NordVPN offers a 7-day free trial for Android users, accessible through the Google Play Store. This trial is limited to one per customer and can be cancelled through the Google Play Store – though you’ll still be eligible for NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

There are no NordVPN free trials on other devices.

Which VPNs have free trials?

Most of today’s top VPNs offer risk-free money-back guarantees that last around 30 days. While you’ll need to provide payment details and purchase a plan to enjoy the guarantee, you’ll be able to request a refund at any time within 30 days to claim your money back, no questions asked.

Currently, CyberGhost is the only top-rated VPN that offers a free trial that does not require any financial details upfront.

How to cancel a VPN free trial

Ultimately, it depends on where you acquired your free trial. Any trials picked up from the App Store or Google Play Store will need to be cancelled through their respective stores, whereas trials acquired through provider sites will need to be cancelled via that same site.

Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Rob Dunne
VPN Editor

Rob is TechRadar's VPN Editor. Coming from a background in phones and technology, he's no stranger to the risks that come with putting yourself online. Over years of using different platforms, testing the limits of his online persona, and feeling the brunt of several data breaches, Rob has gained a keen understanding of cybersecurity and the benefits of services such as VPNs in providing a secure online experience. He uses this to not only advise on the best ways to stay secure online but also share his own experiences and especially how to avoid trouble. Outside of work, you'll find Rob on the tennis courts, in the gym, or diving into the biggest and best games of the year.
To share a story or tip, email robert.dunne@futurenet.com