Best VPN Trials: Free Tests & Money-Back Guarantees Compared

It is always better to choose a VPN service based on quality rather than price.

Saving a few bucks each month shouldn’t mean putting your trust in an unreliable company.

In this article, we’ll give you the lowdown on speed, server locations, advanced features, and more, as we reveal which free trial VPN providers are best.

23 VPNs reviewed 3,400+ leak tests run 1 featured partner How we test →
1 Featured partner BEST MONEY-BACK ExpressVPN 30-day no-questions-asked refund. Full-featured during the guarantee period. From $3.49/mo Get ExpressVPN Now Why we picked it ↓
2 30-DAY GUARANTEE NordVPN 30-day money-back guarantee. NordLynx protocol included from day one. From $3.09/mo Get NordVPN Now Why we picked it ↓
3 NO CREDIT CARD ProtonVPN Genuinely free tier with no payment required. Upgrade any time, downgrade back to free. From $3.59/mo Get ProtonVPN Now Why we picked it ↓
ⓘ Last reviewed: April 1, 2026
Jump to section

Quick Guide to Choosing a Free Trial VPN

Although it’s convenient to use a free trial VPN to hunt for bargains and discounts, recent security issues show that you should pay for secure encryption when you browse online.

You can use the free trials or introductory versions of a trusted VPN provider on our list if you must use a free VPN version.

The best thing to do if you have to use a free VPN is to take advantage of a free trial offer from a paid VPN or make good use of a money-back guarantee.

Therefore, we recommend VPNs that offer either a free version of the premium service or an evaluation period of 30 days. Below are our top best contenders.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN Specifications
Best Price
$3.49/mo
$12.99/mo monthly
Free Trial
✗ No free trial
Refund Policy
30-day money-back guarantee
Devices
8
Servers
3,000+
Countries
105
Jurisdiction
🇻🇬 BVI (outside 14-Eyes)
Founded
2009 (17 years ago)
No-Logs Policy
Audited (KPMG, Oct 2024)
Encryption
AES-256-GCM
Post-Quantum
✓ Shipped (ML-KEM (NIST Level 5))
DNS Features
Threat Manager · Smart DNS
Support
24/7 live chat and email
Protocols
Lightway · OpenVPN · IKEv2/IPsec
Platforms
Windows · macOS · iOS · Android · Linux
Key Features
✓ Kill switch · ✓ Split tunneling · ✗ Open source
✓ What we like
  • ✓ High-speed servers in 105 countries
  • ✓ Unblocks Netflix, great for gaming and P2P
  • ✓ Rock-solid security and privacy
  • ✓ Works with almost all devices
  • ✓ Supports split tunneling
✗ What could be better
  • ✗ Limited port forwarding
  • ✗ No dedicated IP options
Best for: Users who want the fastest, most reliable VPN experience and are willing to pay for it
Not ideal for: Budget-conscious users - ExpressVPN costs more than most competitors with no multi-year discount

The ExpressVPN brand is one of the most recognizable names in the VPN industry. Since its inception in 2009, the British Virgin Islands-based firm has offered security and privacy to its customers.

Despite not having the lowest price available, ExpressVPN offers many advantages.

Privacy and speed are the most important features a VPN provides. In addition to security, VPNs must have two different aspects: the encryption used to secure your data and the protocols used to carry it. With ExpressVPN, you can select Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256).

As an added feature, ExpressVPN also offers a kill switch (Network Lock), which activates if your VPN connection drops. It will cut all traffic between your device and the Internet if such a situation occurs.

It also includes a large number of server locations.

ExpressVPN has servers spread across over 160 locations in 105 countries. It covers four main geographical regions, including the United States of America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Get ExpressVPN Now
30 days Money-back guarantee - cancel anytime, no questions asked.

Read our full ExpressVPN review →

Surfshark

Surfshark Specifications
Best Price
$1.99/mo
$15.45/mo monthly
Free Trial
✓ 7-day free trial on mobile (iOS and Android via app stores)
Refund Policy
30-day money-back guarantee
Devices
Unlimited
Servers
4,500+
Countries
100
Jurisdiction
🇳🇱 Netherlands (outside 14-Eyes)
Founded
2018 (8 years ago)
No-Logs Policy
Audited (Deloitte, Jun 2023)
Encryption
AES-256-GCM
Post-Quantum
✓ Rolling out (ML-KEM (via PSK))
DNS Features
CleanWeb
Support
24/7 live chat and email
Protocols
WireGuard · OpenVPN · IKEv2/IPsec
Platforms
Windows · macOS · iOS · Android · Linux
Key Features
✓ Kill switch · ✓ Split tunneling · ✗ Open source

Our Deal: Surfshark Starter for $1.99 ✓ Mar 18, 2026 for 2 years (+3 months free)
Best & Worst:

  • Unlimited simultaneous connections
  • Not all features are available on all devices.

Surfshark hosts 4,500+ servers in 65 locations worldwide.

Surfshark contains all the main protocols required for quick surfing to full-stealth mode, including our favorite – OpenVPN.

It also offers one of the best VPN free trials for new users. The free 30-day trial was appealing to us, and we signed up.

Surfshark also offers a feature called Whitelister (split-tunneling) that lets you decide which applications use the VPN and which ones don’t.

A few drawbacks are the following – the range of options offered by browser extensions is limited. Several features, such as kill switch and CeanWeb, do not work with browser extensions.

Get Surfshark Now
30 days Money-back guarantee - cancel anytime, no questions asked.

Read our full Surfshark review →

NordVPN 

NordVPN Specifications
Best Price
$3.09/mo
$12.99/mo monthly
Free Trial
✓ 7-day free trial on Android only (via Google Play)
Refund Policy
30-day money-back guarantee
Devices
10
Servers
8,400+
Countries
167
Jurisdiction
🇵🇦 Panama (outside 14-Eyes)
Founded
2012 (14 years ago)
No-Logs Policy
Audited (Deloitte, Dec 2023)
Encryption
AES-256-GCM
Post-Quantum
✓ Shipped (ML-KEM)
DNS Features
✓ Custom DNS · Threat Protection · Smart DNS
Support
24/7 live chat and email (10+ languages)
Protocols
NordLynx · NordWhisper · OpenVPN
Platforms
Windows · macOS · iOS · Android · Linux
Key Features
✓ Kill switch · ✓ Split tunneling · ✓ Dedicated IP ($4.19/mo) · ✗ Open source

Best & Worst:

  • The NordLynx protocol aims to balance speed with security.
  • While NordVPN has a large network of servers, they’re only located in 167 countries.

According to NordVPN’s registration information, it is based in Panama. As a result of its strong privacy laws, NordVPN does not have to log its users’ activities.

NordVPN also runs diskless RAM servers to prevent server hacks and follow its “no logs” policy. Servers of this type do not have the capacity to store data, so it is not possible to store sensitive data. It is nearly impossible to steal information if there are no data files or configuration files to steal in the event of a hack.

As a VPN mainstay, NordVPN comes with a kill switch, which stops all internet activity if the VPN drops and ensures that your information is kept private.

The company also supports split tunneling which allows you the choice of routing traffic from individual applications through the VPN or not.

Get NordVPN Now
30 days Money-back guarantee - cancel anytime, no questions asked.

Read our full NordVPN review →

Why Use a Free Trial VPN?

There are many reasons why you might decide to choose a VPN provider with a free trial.

First off, let’s discuss what a VPN does. A Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A free trial allows you to try multiple providers without getting tied into a contract, so you can find out which provider is best for you before parting with your cash.

However, many providers, such as ExpressVPN offer a money-back guarantee instead of a trial – the end result is the same as you can cancel and get your money back within a certain timeframe. However, it does mean that you have to pay upfront in the beginning. Both of these options differ from a free VPN which in some cases provides a limited VPN service free of charge. However, in many cases, it is better to pay for a VPN if you are serious about your privacy and internet security.

There are many features that you’ll want to look at when trialing VPN services. These include server locations, speed, number of servers, and value for money.

Ultimately, which VPN provider you choose will come down to your individual needs.

Read our full ExpressVPN review →

Methodology

:Methodology-blurb:

Our Verdict

Having a free trial is a great way to test out a VPN provider without having to worry about commitment or cost. It allows you to try a number of different providers and check out features such as server locations, speed, and generally whether it meets your online security needs.

Ultimately, the provider you pick will depend on your individual needs and requirements – but you won’t go too far wrong with any of the top free trial VPN providers listed above.

Our picks compared

ExpressVPN NordVPN Surfshark ProtonVPN Windscribe
Best rate $3.49/mo $3.09/mo $1.99/mo $3.59/mo $5.75/mo
Monthly price $12.99 $12.99 $15.45 $9.99 $9.00
Servers 3,000+ 8,400+ 4,500+ 15,000+ 480+
Countries 105 167 100 120 69
Devices 8 10 Unlimited 10 Unlimited
Jurisdiction 🇻🇬 BVI ⓘ 🇵🇦 Panama ⓘ 🇳🇱 Netherlands ⓘ 🇨🇭 Switzerland ⓘ 🇨🇦 Canada ⓘ
Money-back 30 days 30 days 30 days 30 days 7 days
Kill switch ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Split tunneling ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
No-logs audited ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗
Dedicated IP ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗
Review Read review → Read review → Read review → Read review → Read review →
Get ExpressVPN Now Get NordVPN Now Get Surfshark Now Get ProtonVPN Now Get Windscribe Now

How we chose these VPNs

Every VPN on this page goes through the same independent testing process. No provider pays for a ranking. ExpressVPN is our featured partner (clearly disclosed), but that relationship does not influence the testing methodology applied to every other provider on this page.

🔎

Leak tests

IP address, DNS, and WebRTC leak detection using our own testing tool

⚡

Speed tests

Download, upload, and latency measurements across multiple server locations

🎥

Streaming access

Testing against Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and other major services

📜

Privacy policy review

Jurisdiction analysis, logging policy audit, and independent audit verification

💻

App quality

Usability testing on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and browser extensions

💰

Value assessment

Price per month, money-back guarantee terms, and feature-to-cost ratio

Read our full testing methodology →

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the best free trial VPN?

ExpressVPN is the best free trial VPN that we found offering tight security and protection to customers’ data. The VPN offers a 30-day free trial. It is also easy to use and supports unlimited devices. As alternatives, you should also check out the other VPNs on our list.

Can I use a free VPN trial more than once?

Yes! You can share the VPN with your family on your separate devices if the VPN supports simultaneous connections. If everyone in your family wants to use it, you can share the VPN.

Can I register for a free trial VPN with no credit card?

VPN providers such as NordVPN accept various payment methods, including PayPal, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Sofort, Union Pay, and cryptocurrencies. Since VPN providers have all online payments on their websites covered by their 30-day money-back guarantee, you don’t need a credit card to start your VPN trial.

Update history

This page was revised 18 times between September 2021 and April 2026.

Linked jurisdiction information to ownership documentation for transparency.

Updated VPN trials comparison with verified spec data, standardized review links, and trust credentials. Replaced legacy hardcoded figures.

Added VPN comparison section with detailed specs tables, pros/cons analysis, and feature breakdowns for ExpressVPN and Surfshark providers.

Restructured opening paragraphs to emphasize quality-based VPN selection before introducing trial options.

Restructured and expanded ExpressVPN and Surfshark sections with detailed specs tables, pros/cons breakdowns, and enhanced feature descriptions.

Restructured opening section to lead with quality-over-price messaging and reorganized guide structure for improved clarity and reader flow.

Rewrote introduction and condensed ExpressVPN section, removing redundant explanations and tightening prose for clarity.

Restructured opening paragraphs for clarity, reformatted quick guide section with bulleted recommendations, and significantly expanded ExpressVPN subsections with detailed technical explanations and testing results.

Removed incomplete sentence fragment at end of Bitcoin payments section and restructured opening paragraphs for better flow.

Removed incomplete sentence fragment about Bitcoin payments and restructured ExpressVPN section content.

Removed redundant introductory paragraphs and restructured opening section for better flow and clarity.

Rewrote multiple sections for clarity and flow, corrected grammatical issues, and restructured content organization throughout the ExpressVPN and other provider descriptions.

Restructured content organization by moving the VPN list higher in the article and significantly condensing introductory sections to improve readability and user navigation.

Removed outdated 2021 heading and provider list, restructured content to remove incomplete sections and redundant explanations about VPN encryption protocols.

Rewrote multiple sections for clarity and removed outdated 2021 references, updating content structure and removing incomplete sentences.

Updated year references from 2021 to 2022 throughout VPN comparisons and pricing data.

Rewrote opening paragraphs for clarity, updated pricing and trial details, expanded feature comparisons, and corrected outdated references to 2020 encryption standards.

Rewrote multiple sections for clarity, corrected grammar throughout, updated server counts and encryption standards, and removed outdated 2021 references.

Show all 18 updates (15 more)

Rights

End-to-end encryption is under legislative threat in multiple countries. Several governments argue it should include "lawful access" backdoors.

Save image:

🛡️ More Free Security Tools

📍 IP Geolocation Where in the world is an IP address? 🖥️ Port Scanner Which ports are open on a server? 🛡️ VPN Leak Test Is your VPN actually working? Find out in 30 seconds ⚠️ Blacklist Checker Is an IP address blacklisted anywhere? #️⃣ Subnet Calculator Calculate network ranges from CIDR notation