If signing up for one of the best VPNs long-term from the outset is scary, you need a VPN free trial.
Many providers offer 30-day money-back guarantees, 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.
Unfortunately, many VPN deals don't include these detail-less trials. So I've rounded up the best that do, as well as the best alternative trials available if you're after a top VPN experience.
5 best VPN free trials: quick overview
The 5 best VPN free trials in 2026
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The best VPN free trial
Surfshark is a mainstay at the top of our best cheap VPN rankings, and manages to combine 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 is compatible 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).
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The Surfshark UI is clean and simple, with no clutter to overwhelm new users or overcomplicate smaller mobile screens. Still, in terms of overall flair, it falls a step behind ExpressVPN, which is slightly more interesting to look at – though minimalists might prefer Surfshark's straightforward approach more.
During our testing, we were particularly impressed by the CleanWeb tool. It works similarly to NordVPN's Threat Protection suite, blocking ads, trackers, malware, and other digital nasties before they can cause havoc on your device. Combined with CleanWeb 2.0 for browsers, you can rest assured that your browsing sessions won’t be derailed by a rogue threat or eerily targeted ads.
In terms of performance, Surfshark scores well in our fastest VPN rankings, with WireGuard speeds reaching 1,000+ Mbps when we connected to a local server. Considering that you only need 25 Mbps to stream Netflix in HD, Surfshark is more than quick enough to handle any 4K movie marathon or online gaming sessions you have planned.
Surfshark also performs well as a streaming VPN. In our latest round of testing, Surfshark was able to unblock all Netflix libraries, as well as Disney+ and BBC iPlayer, though it did struggle with Prime Video and US YouTube.
The best VPN for most people
NordVPN is our favorite VPN overall thanks to a 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 limits the trial to one per customer and means that you’ll need to cancel the trial via the Google Play Store, too.
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If you do decide to check out the Android free trial, you’ll still be able to take advantage of NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee if you pick up a subscription once it’s expired.
NordVPN is available for all of today's most popular platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux. However, no free trial is currently available for iPhone or iPad.
We found that NordVPN is easy to use, regardless of what device you install it on, even if you’re new to the world of VPNs. All of NordVPN’s features are housed in its side panel, which keeps things organized and easy to read if you’ve invested in NordVPN’s add-on tools.
The standout here is NordVPN’s Next Gen Antivirus suite (previously called Threat Protection Pro), available on all Plus plans and above. It makes short work of invasive ads and trackers, malicious links, and phishing domains, making your overall online experience far more secure.
The best secure VPNs go the extra mile to reassure users that their personal data is in safe hands – usually with a third-party audit of the provider's logging policy and security. In NordVPN's case, it had its security audited between May and October 2025, and its no-logs policy audited in late 2025 also.
NordVPN is a reliable streaming VPN, too, and we didn't encounter any issues accessing geo-restricted content during our in-house testing - and we weren't asked to turn the VPN off at any point, either. Content loaded the first time, every time, and remained high-quality throughout our session.
This is largely thanks to its NordLynx performance, NordVPN’s WireGuard-based VPN protocol, which clocked in at a whopping 1000+ Mbps during our testing – way more than you need for 4K streaming.
The best VPN money-back guarantee
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.
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That’s a lot of trials to choose from, and it ensures that no matter which platform you use, you have access to the service. Best of all, CyberGhost won’t demand that you fork over any credit card details in the process, which is a massive plus for folks who don’t want to expose their payment info.
It is worth noting that some of these free trials are pretty short. 24 hours is not a lot of time to see how CyberGhost performs as a Windows VPN or check out its tools, but it could be handy if you need access to a premium VPN in a pinch.
CyberGhost is compatible with all modern platforms, and during our testing, we found that the apps are relatively straightforward to use. We find the overall interface similar to Surfshark – light, clean, and well-organized. We had no trouble switching between protocols or checking out CyberGhost’s roster of servers, so it’s worth investigating if you’re on the hunt for a solid VPN for beginners.
In terms of streaming, CyberGhost excels thanks to its dedicated streaming servers. You’ll find servers for most major platforms – Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ included. During our testing, we ran into some problems this time around, notably with Prime Video and YouTube, though it didn't struggle with Netflix libraries, local services such as BBC iPlayer, or even sports streaming sites such as DAZN.
CyberGhost also clocked in at a blistering 1400+ Mbps during our speed tests, using the WireGuard protocol, which will ensure a buttery smooth experience whether you’re streaming in HD, gaming online, or simply going about your day-to-day browsing.
The best privacy-focused VPN free trial
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.
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We were pleasantly surprised to see that, if you invest in a 7-day trial, you’ll still be eligible for the 30-day money-back guarantee when it expires. This is especially handy if you want to extend your coverage to your PC or Mac and check out what PIA has to offer desktops.
PIA does VPN basics right – you’ll have access to a kill switch, which ensures you don’t leak personal information in the event of a VPN dropout, and a handy MACE feature. This built-in ad, tracker, and malware blocker works in the background to keep threats at bay, but our testing showed that it’s not effective enough to be your only method of antivirus protection.
Unfortunately, PIA didn’t blow us away when we put its performance to the test, clocking in at around 400 Mbps using the WireGuard protocol. This puts it way below the likes of Surfshark and NordVPN, but it should be noted that PIA is still quick enough to keep up with HD streaming and your general day-to-day activities. If you really want to optimize your streaming, gaming, or torrenting setup, however, you may want to look elsewhere.
On a more positive note, PIA is a reliable VPN for streaming and accessing all sorts of platforms – big global titans and smaller regional sites included. In fact, during testing, PIA achieved a clean sweep, which is a testament to its unblocking power.
The best basic VPN free trial
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.
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Alternatively, you can check out the full-fat version of Norton VPN and enjoy an absolutely whopping 60-day money-back guarantee. That’s two whole months worth of risk-free coverage, which is more than enough time to determine whether the VPN can keep up with your streaming, gaming, torrenting, and browsing habits.
Norton VPN has put in huge work to improve its feature set of late. It now includes between 10 and 20 devices, depending on your plan, up from only one. It also now includes scam and malware protection, ad blocking, cloud storage, and password management, depending on the plan you choose.
It's also improved its streaming performance massively. It proved to be flawless with every streaming service we tested it with. Its only downside in this respect was that it struggled with live events a touch more than NordVPN.
In more encouraging news, however, Norton VPN surprised us when we put its speeds to the test. It came in at 1000+ Mbps, which is on par with the quickest services out there – NordVPN and Surfshark. So, if you’re looking for a speedy VPN that can manage HD streaming (with some caveats) and don’t need the security bells and whistles, Norton VPN could be worth a look.
FAQs
Does NordVPN have a free trial?
Yes, NordVPN offers a 7-day free trial for Android, accessible via 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.
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, Surfshark and CyberGhost are 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.
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.
