Updated on: April 24, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best VPN free trial in 2024:
- 🥇 ExpressVPN: Provides a 7-day VPN free trial on iOS and Android. While you need to provide credit card details, it’s worth it because you get access to all of the mobile features and are also covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, ExpressVPN has industry-first security features, servers in 105 countries, the fastest speeds on the market, excellent streaming and P2P support, and has affordable plans that start at $6.67 / month.
I don’t like buying a VPN without first fully testing it — this is why I always look for a VPN that offers a free trial.
Unfortunately, many VPNs don’t offer free trials. And many of the ones that do restrict your access to features, throttle your speeds, or set a limit on your data usage.
So, I decided to put together a list of the best VPN free trials on the market. All the VPNs in this article provided me with access to generous free trials that allowed me to fully test their services.
Quick summary of the best VPN free trials:
- 1. 🥇ExpressVPN — Best VPN free trial in 2024 with the fastest speeds (ideal for all online activities).
- 2. 🥈CyberGhost VPN — 24-hour free trial with great streaming & torrenting support (on dedicated servers).
- 3. 🥉CactusVPN — 3-day free trial with unlimited connections (good pick for large families).
- 4. Bitdefender Premium VPN — 7-day free trial with really good VPN speeds + advanced security features.
- 5. Private Internet Access — 7-day free trial on Android & iOS devices with strong privacy and security.
🥇 1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN Free Trial in 2024
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN free trial out there — it provides a free 7-day trial on iOS and Android that is only available through their respective mobile app stores. While the free trial requires you to confirm your credit card, I still think it’s worth it because ExpressVPN provides the best value on the market.
Plus, ExpressVPN’s free trial gives you access to all of the VPN’s features. And, on Android, once the trial is over and you upgrade to a paid plan, you’re still covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Unfortunately, the refund doesn’t cover subscriptions bought through the iTunes store, but you can cancel the free trial at least 24 hours before it ends and get a paid subscription via ExpressVPN’s site to be eligible for the 30-day refund.
With ExpressVPN’s free trial, you get all of its high-end security features. In addition to a strict no-logs policy that has been independently audited and proven true multiple times, you also get:
- RAM-only servers — All of ExpressVPN’s servers run on RAM memory, meaning every server reset wipes all data.
- Perfect forward secrecy — This feature changes the encryption key for each VPN session to prevent hackers from compromising past or future keys to spy on your traffic.
- Full leak protection — ExpressVPN provides complete protection against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. I ran dozens of leak tests on servers in 30+ countries and never experienced any leaks.
- Threat Manager — Blocks connections to malicious sites and limits how much browsing data your device shares with trackers.
- Ad blocker — ExpressVPN has the best VPN ad blocker in 2024. It filters out most ads, which will speed up your browsing and prevent unnecessary data consumption. I tested it by visiting several ad-heavy news and social media sites and didn’t encounter any ads at all.
ExpressVPN also provides the best streaming support out there — it consistently works with 100+ streaming services, including popular sites like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer — my colleagues in the US tested Hulu while my colleague in the UK tested BBC iPlayer and confirmed the VPN works with each respective streaming platform. Also, ExpressVPN allows torrenting on all of its servers and works with top P2P apps like qBittorrent and uTorrent.
ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries, so it’s very easy to find a nearby server to get fast speeds. In fact, ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol maintains the fastest speeds on the market — I always enjoyed lightning-fast streaming, browsing, gaming, and torrenting on both nearby and distant servers.
ExpressVPN offers several paid plans that start at $6.67 / month.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN has the best VPN free trial in 2024 — its 7-day trial is available on iOS and Android, and it includes all of ExpressVPN’s features. ExpressVPN also has ultra-secure features, works with all popular streaming sites, provides the fastest speeds on the market, and more. ExpressVPN has paid monthly and yearly plans that start at $6.67 / month and are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈 2. CyberGhost VPN — 24-Hour VPN Free Trial With Dedicated Streaming & Torrenting Servers
CyberGhost VPN provides a 24-hour VPN free trial on all platforms that gives you access to all features, and you don’t need to share your credit card information to use it. If 24 hours isn’t enough for you, you can also get a free 3-day trial through the Android app (it also doesn’t require credit card details), and CyberGhost VPN’s iOS app comes with a 7-day trial (but you need to confirm your credit card to use it) — note that you’re not covered by CyberGhost VPN’s money-back guarantee if you upgrade to a paid subscription through the iTunes store (you’d need to upgrade via CyberGhost’s website).
CyberGhost VPN has the largest server network on this list — 11,528 servers in 100 countries. Its server network includes dedicated streaming servers in 20+ countries that work with 50+ streaming apps, P2P servers in 70+ countries, and gaming servers in 4 countries that are optimized to provide low ping. The large server network made it very easy for me to get fast speeds for all online activities by using nearby servers and avoiding overcrowded servers. However, I still had faster P2P and streaming speeds with ExpressVPN.
CyberGhost VPN provides strong security features. It has a good malware and tracker blocker called Content Blocker, offers NoSpy servers (ultra-secure servers located in CyberGhost VPN’s headquarters), and comes with advanced security features like full leak protection, RAM-only servers, and perfect forward secrecy. CyberGhost VPN’s no-logs policy has been independently audited and verified like ExpressVPN, and I like that CyberGhost VPN publishes regular transparency reports, which show that the provider refused to comply with requests for user data.
CyberGhost VPN has affordable plans starting at $2.03 / month. It backs its longest plans with a 45-day money-back guarantee and the shortest plan with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN provides a 24-hour VPN free trial on all devices that doesn’t require a credit card. It also has a 3-day trial on Android and a 7-day trial on iOS (but it requires credit card details). You also get a huge server network, great streaming and P2P support, excellent security features, and user-friendly apps. CyberGhost VPN comes with paid monthly and yearly plans and backs long-term plans with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
🥉 3. CactusVPN — 3-Day VPN Free Trial With Unlimited Connections
CactusVPN provides a 3-day VPN free trial that doesn’t require credit card details and provides you with access to all of the VPN provider’s features. Its VPN free trial supports unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning you can use the VPN on as many devices as you want — so CactusVPN is a good pick if everyone in your family wants a great VPN free trial.
Unlike most VPNs, CactusVPN uses a smart DNS (a service that changes your device’s DNS settings) and claims to work with a staggering 340+ streaming sites in 10+ countries — but you use the VPN for all other online activities. Also, I love how CactusVPN provides in-app access to the smart DNS, so it’s extremely simple to switch to the VPN (it takes just 1 click) — most competitors that have a smart DNS require you to manually set it up.
CactusVPN’s VPN service provides good security and access to extra features like split-tunneling (lets you choose which apps use the VPN and which apps use your local network) and obfuscation (makes your VPN traffic look like regular internet traffic). And in addition to a standard kill switch, you get an app-based kill switch that shuts down selected apps when the VPN disconnects. But CactusVPN’s no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited and the VPN is missing IPv6 leak protection.
CactusVPN only has 36 servers in 22 countries, so its server network is significantly smaller than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN — many users in South and Central America, the Middle East, and Africa won’t be able to use nearby servers to get fast speeds.
CactusVPN has affordable monthly and yearly plans that start at $3.95 / month. It also backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
CactusVPN comes with a 3-day VPN free trial that’s available on all platforms and provides unlimited connections. It provides great streaming support via its smart DNS service and has a secure VPN, but its VPN server network is pretty small. CactusVPN has paid monthly and yearly plans that are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full CactusVPN review
4. Bitdefender Premium VPN — 7-Day Trial With Fast Speeds
Bitdefender Premium VPN provides a 7-day VPN free trial for all devices, which gives you access to all of the VPN’s features. After the trial expires, your account is downgraded to the free plan, which limits you to 500 MB per day (which is barely enough for 2-3 hours of basic web browsing) and doesn’t let you pick which server to connect to (the VPN automatically connects you to the fastest server for your location).
While Bitdefender Premium VPN’s trial includes perfect forward secrecy and obfuscation, unfortunately, Bitdefender Premium VPN’s no-logs policy hasn’t passed an independent audit like ExpressVPN. Also, DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection is only available on Windows (the other apps only have DNS leak protection) — top VPNs like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN have full leak protection on all devices.
You also get access to 4,000+ servers in only 50+ countries, so some users might have a hard time finding and using nearby servers to get fast connections. That said, I still enjoyed good speeds for browsing, streaming, and gaming while connected to Bitdefender Premium VPN’s distant servers.
Bitdefender Premium VPN allows torrenting on all of its servers, and it works with top streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.
Bitdefender Premium is available via 2 different subscription plans. You can get the paid VPN as a standalone purchase ($2.92 / month) or as part of Bitdefender’s top-tier internet security plan, Premium Security ($79.99 / year). All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Bitdefender Premium VPN comes with a 7-day trial that gives you access to all of the VPN’s features. The VPN service provides fast speeds, strong security features, good P2P and streaming support, and a large server network. Once the trial expires, you’re downgraded to the free plan, which has limited data (500 MB per day). Bitdefender Premium VPN’s paid plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Bitdefender Premium VPN review
5. Private Internet Access — 7-Day Trial on iOS and Android With Strong Privacy Features
Private Internet Access (PIA) provides a 7-day trial on its iOS and Android apps. You need to confirm your credit card, but I think it’s worth it because PIA provides really good value. Plus, on Android, you’re covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. The refund is not available on iOS, but you can cancel your trial before the 7th day and get a subscription through PIA’s site to be covered by its 30-day refund.
What I like the most about PIA is that it provides great privacy — its no-logs policy has been proven true in court, and all of its apps are open-source (anyone can inspect the code for security vulnerabilities). In addition, you also get advanced security features like full leak protection and RAM-only servers.
PIA also has servers in 91 countries, provides fast speeds for all online activities, and works with top streaming sites like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. It also supports P2P traffic on all of its servers and allows port forwarding (lets you connect to more peers for faster downloads).
Private Internet Access has very cheap plans that start at $2.03 / month. It backs each purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access (PIA) comes with a 7-day trial on Android and iOS, but you need to share your credit card details to use it. PIA provides really good privacy and overall value, and it covers all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
Comparison of the Best VPN Free Trials in 2024
How to Choose the Best VPN Free Trial in 2024:
- Ensure the free trial doesn’t restrict features. A comprehensive trial lets you gauge the VPN’s complete potential. My preferred trial is ExpressVPN, granting full access to its features on both iOS and Android.
- Opt for a VPN with a long trial period. The VPN should offer at least 24 hours of free trials for you to be able to test it properly. My top pick, ExpressVPN, offers a 7-day trial.
- Opt for a VPN that comes with a money-back guarantee. Should you choose to switch to a paid subscription after the trial period, your investment ought to be safeguarded by a money-back guarantee in the event of a change of heart. Every VPN included in my list provides a money-back guarantee on its packages.
- Select a VPN with strong security. I only recommend VPN free trials that provide access to strong encryption ciphers (like 128-bit and 256-bit AES encryption), a kill switch (disables internet access if the VPN disconnects to prevent traffic leaks), a no-logs policy (to make sure the VPN doesn’t collect your data), and protection against DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks.
- Find a VPN with good value. All the VPN free trials on my list provide access to VPN services that allow multiple simultaneous connections, provide access to extra features like split-tunneling, obfuscation, or an ad blocker, have fast speeds (ExpressVPN had the fastest speeds in my tests), and work with top streaming sites or provide good P2P support.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- AirVPN. This VPN provides a free 3-day trial, but you need to ask for it via its contact form, which is inconvenient. Also, AirVPN doesn’t provide great value since it’s not good for streaming, it’s complicated to use, and it has slow speeds on distant servers.
- HMA VPN. This provider comes with a free 7-day trial on mobile that requires credit card details. While HMA VPN is secure and easy to use, it doesn’t work with top streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu, has really bad customer support, and its quick-connect feature is buggy.
- PureVPN. PureVPN has a 7-day trial, but it costs a small fee. And while this VPN is secure and good for streaming, it has slow speeds on distant servers, limited P2P support, and its live chat and email support need improvement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a VPN free trial without a credit card?
Yes, some VPNs provide access to a free trial without requiring you to confirm your credit card details — for example, CyberGhost VPN has a 24-hour VPN free trial that only requires you to share your email address. And, on its Android app, you can actually get a 3-day trial without sharing any credit card information.
That said, ExpressVPN’s 7-day trial on iOS and Android requires credit card details, but it’s worth it because it provides excellent value — you get access to high-end security and privacy features, servers in 105 countries, excellent streaming and P2P support, user-friendly apps, and more.
Can I use a VPN free trial more than once?
Usually, no. VPN providers don’t allow people to use a free trial more than once to prevent abuse. If you need more time to try out the VPN, most top providers that have VPN trials provide a money-back guarantee, which allows you to upgrade to a paid subscription risk-free after the trial expires (ExpressVPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee).
Do VPN free trials have limitations?
Not all VPN free trials limit your access to the service’s features, but some do. If you’re looking for a VPN trial that lets you test all features, I recommend ExpressVPN — even though its 7-day free trial only lets you use its iOS and Android apps, you still get full access to all of its features.
How do you cancel a VPN free trial?
It usually depends on what type of trial you signed up for. If the VPN free trial doesn’t require any payment information (like CyberGhost VPN), it will automatically expire. However, if the VPN trial requires you to provide credit card details (like ExpressVPN), you’ll need to manually cancel the trial through your VPN account or by contacting customer support. If you got the trial through the Google Play Store or iTunes, you can also cancel it from your app store account.
