Best VPN Free Trials in 2026: 10 VPNs Compared by Card, Trial Length and Refund Rules

Last verified 4 October 2026. The best VPN free trial is Proton VPN, because its free plan has no data cap, no ads and no expiry date, and it never asks for a card. If you want to test a paid VPN for a week, Surfshark and NordVPN both run 7-day trials on their websites, but both take payment details first and charge you when the week ends unless you cancel. Below are 10 VPNs ranked on how usable and low-risk each trial path is, using only what each vendor's own pages state this week.

Four different things get called a free trial: a permanent free plan (never expires, smaller product), a website trial (the paid product for a few days, payment details required), a store trial (an App Store or Google Play introductory offer that renews into a paid plan unless you cancel) and a money-back guarantee (you pay first, then ask for a refund). None of the paid VPNs here lets you try its paid plan without a payment method on file.

Toolradar data: of the 35 VPN tools in our catalog, 5 are completely free and another 16 are freemium.

Quick Comparison

Our picks: the best VPN free trials, ranked

1. Proton VPN

Proton VPN's free plan is the lowest-risk way to try a VPN: no data limit, no ads and no credit card. Proton's pricing page answers "Can I try Proton VPN for free?" with the Free plan, not a timed trial. Free users get one device and servers in 10 countries chosen at random, at medium speed.

Paid plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee. Proton's cancellation guide says website subscribers contact support within 30 days, bank transfer and cash cannot be refunded, and App Store buyers request refunds from Apple. After you cancel, paid features last to the end of the billing cycle, then the account returns to Proton Free.

Pick it if you want to test a VPN with no card on file and no clock running, and can live with one device and an assigned country.

2. Windscribe

Windscribe's free plan gives 10 GB a month with a confirmed email (2 GB without), 10 countries and unlimited devices, with no credit card. The page says Windscribe does not run "free trials" that "quietly bill you on day 8", so there is nothing to cancel.

The paid refund policy is short: ask within 7 days of the first purchase, with under 10 GB used on the paid plan, after troubleshooting with support. Renewals are not refundable and Apple purchases go through Apple. To cancel, use Billing, then Manage Subscriptions; the plan runs to the end of the period you paid for.

Pick it if you want 10 GB free with a choice of country and will test the paid plan only inside a 7-day, 10 GB window.

3. PrivadoVPN

PrivadoVPN's pricing FAQ is blunt: "We do not offer a free trial, however you can sign up for PrivadoVPN for free." PrivadoVPN's free plan gives 10 GB every 30 days, and its free VPN page says no credit card is required. A free account connects one device; paid accounts connect up to 10.

The pricing page shows a 30-day money-back guarantee on the 12-month and 24-month plans, but not on the 1-month card. PrivadoVPN's refund article, last updated in February 2022, says 30 days and no refund if your account was terminated for breaking its terms. It does not say which plans it covers, so ask support before buying monthly.

Pick it if you want 10 GB with no card first, then a 12 or 24-month plan under the 30-day guarantee if it works.

4. Surfshark

Surfshark's 7-day trial runs on its website for 12-month and 24-month plans, on up to 3 devices, and costs $0.00 up front. You enter a card, PayPal or Apple Pay, and your payment is charged when the trial ends. To stop that, cancel in your account: profile icon, Subscription, disable auto-renewal.

After the charge, the 30-day guarantee still applies, which Surfshark counts as 37 days in total. Request it through live chat. It does not cover renewals or a second refund, and App Store purchases are refunded by Apple.

Pick it if you want a full week of a paid VPN on three devices and will set a reminder to cancel or request a refund.

5. NordVPN

NordVPN's support site describes a 7-day trial for new users on 1-year and 2-year plans, in 15 countries: the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Japan, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. It needs a credit card or PayPal; Google Pay, Union Pay, Sofort and crypto grey out the option. Unless you cancel before day 7 (Nord Account, Billing, Subscriptions, Cancel next to "Free trial"), the plan starts at the price shown, and Nord emails a reminder first.

Android users on Google Play get a separate 3-day trial managed by Google. The 30-day guarantee is separate: first-time customers ask support, Apple handles App Store refunds, and renewals are not refundable.

Pick it if you live in one of the 15 trial countries and want a week with a major provider, with the 30-day guarantee as the backstop.

6. CyberGhost

CyberGhost's trials live in the app stores. Its iOS guide describes a 1-week trial on long-term offers, charged as a yearly subscription unless you cancel before the renewal date. The Android guide offers an annual plan with a 3-day trial. On iOS, monthly plans have no trial.

The website gets the longest refund window here. The refund policy gives 45 days on plans of 6 months or longer and 14 days on monthly plans. You contact support with your order number, and turning off auto-renewal does not start a refund. In-app purchases are excluded and handled by the store.

Pick it if you want the longest refund window and will buy on the website, accepting that a store trial forfeits that guarantee.

7. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN's trial page offers a 3-day free trial on iOS and Android when you sign up in the app, and it needs a valid payment method linked to your App Store or Google Play account. You cannot cancel inside the app: cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends, in your app store or on the website.

Website buyers get the 30-day money-back guarantee: first-time subscribers ask 24/7 chat or email, previously refunded accounts are ineligible, and App Store and Google Play subscriptions are excluded. If a subscription renews unintentionally, ExpressVPN guarantees a full refund for 14 days from the renewal.

Pick it if you want a 3-day app trial or a plain 30-day web guarantee, and like the 14-day safety net after an accidental renewal.

8. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access has no free plan. Its help articles say the Android app and iOS app offer a 7-day free trial with an annual subscription, and a monthly plan has no trial. Buying on the website instead gives new subscribers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The eligibility rules exclude App Store and Google Play purchases, gift cards, third-party deal sites and anyone who re-signs within 3 months of a refund. To cancel, turn off auto-renewal in the Client Control Panel; the account stays active until the paid term ends.

Pick it if you want a 7-day mobile trial or a plain 30-day guarantee and need no free plan.

9. IPVanish

IPVanish's trial article describes a 7-day free trial on iOS and Android for yearly subscriptions only; cancel in the app store before the end of day 7 and you are not charged. Its refund page says trial accounts are refundable within the first 6 days.

On the website, the 30-day guarantee covers first-time customers on annual or longer plans, with refunds processed within 3 business days of canceling in the customer portal. Monthly plans, renewals and in-app purchases are excluded.

Pick it if you will commit to an annual plan and want a 7-day mobile trial; skip it for month-to-month testing.

10. ZoogVPN

ZoogVPN's free plan gives 10 GB a month with no credit card. Its pages disagree about trials of the paid plan: the help center says mobile trials "typically last 3 days" and later in the same article says 7, while the pricing page answers "Do you have a trial?" with the free plan and the money-back guarantee.

The refund policy is strict: 7 days from subscribing, under 10 GB used, a plan of at least 30 days bought directly on zoogvpn.com, card or PayPal only, and a 5% admin fee. Charges after a Google Play or App Store trial ends are not refundable.

Pick it if you want 10 GB free with no card and will treat the 7-day refund as conditional.

How to choose a VPN free trial

Decide which risk you can accept. A free plan risks no money but is a smaller product. A website trial charges you if you forget. A store trial usually forfeits the vendor's guarantee. For permanent free plans, see our guide to the best free VPNs.

Buy where the guarantee lives. CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, PIA and IPVanish exclude app-store purchases from their guarantees, and Nord sends App Store refunds to Apple. For the guarantee, buy on the website. On a phone, see the best free VPN for Android first.

Set the cancel reminder on day one. ExpressVPN wants cancellation at least 24 hours before the trial ends. After you pay, canceling auto-renewal keeps access to the end of the paid period at Surfshark, Windscribe and Proton.

Check country, plan and usage. Nord's trial covers 15 countries and 1 and 2-year plans, Surfshark's 12 and 24-month plans, IPVanish's yearly plans only. Windscribe and ZoogVPN refund only under 10 GB used, so test with light browsing, not downloads.

Test what you are buying it for. Use the window on your own streaming site or country. The best free VPN for PC lists free plans worth trying on Windows. If you torrent, confirm P2P rules first: see the best VPN for torrenting.

FAQ

What is the difference between a VPN free trial and a money-back guarantee?

A trial lets you use the paid plan before the first charge. A guarantee charges you first and returns the money if you ask in time. Surfshark combines both: 7 days free, then 30 days of refund eligibility.

Is there a VPN free trial with no credit card?

Not for a paid plan. The trials above need a card, PayPal or an app-store account. The no-card route is a free plan: Proton VPN, Windscribe, PrivadoVPN and ZoogVPN all say no credit card is required.

Does NordVPN have a free trial?

Yes, in 15 countries. Nord's support site describes a 7-day trial on 1-year and 2-year plans for new users paying by card or PayPal, plus a separate 3-day Google Play trial.

Does ExpressVPN have a free trial?

Yes, a 3-day trial on iOS and Android when you sign up in the app. Cancel at least 24 hours before it ends, in your app store or on the website.

Can I get a refund if I buy through the App Store or Google Play?

Usually not from the VPN. ExpressVPN, PIA, CyberGhost and IPVanish exclude store purchases and send you to Apple or Google. Surfshark treats Google Play as an eligible reseller, and Nord's support can refund Google Play payments within its terms.

Which VPNs have no trial at all?

Mullvad has no free plan and lists no trial; its 14-day guarantee covers card, PayPal, Google Play, Swish and bank wire, but not App Store, cash, crypto or vouchers. PrivadoVPN says it offers no trial, only the free plan and a guarantee.

Bottom line

Start with Proton VPN's free plan: it needs no card and has no clock. If you need to test paid features such as streaming or more locations, take Surfshark's 7-day website trial, or NordVPN's if you are in one of its 15 countries, and set the cancel reminder before you sign up. Buy on the website rather than through an app store so the money-back guarantee still protects you.