Many VPN providers advertise a “risk-free trial” but turn out to be a refund guarantee, while others limit the services available to trial users. After testing 30+ VPNs that claim to offer a trial, we selected the 8 best providers that deliver a real VPN free trial, along with details on the trial period, how to sign up, and the information needed to get started. Keep reading to explore our top picks.

8 VPN Free Trials at a Glance

Short on time? Here’s a quick look at the 8 best free trial VPNs that actually work in 2025.

VPN	Trial Period	Payment Info Required
Surfshark	7 Days	Yes
CyberGhost	Windows & macOS: 1 Day iOS: 7 Days Android: 3 Days	Windows & macOS: No Android & iOS: Yes
Kaspersky	7 Days	Yes
X-VPN	7 Days	Yes
NordVPN	3 Days on Android	Yes
HideIPVPN	3 Days	No
Hidemy.name	1 Day	No
WorldVPN	1 Day	No

To learn more about each free VPN trial, jump directly to the next sections. Follow the steps illustrated to quickly grab your trial and start encrypted browsing.

1. Surfshark VPN 7-Day Free Trial

Surfshark offers its first-time users a 7-day VPN free trial, which gives users access to all their 3200+ global servers, top-notch encryption, and no speed throttling. All 3 Surfshark plans can be trialed, with the latter 2 offering more security features far more than a VPN. Another thing you need to select is the billing period, only the 24-month and 12-month plans support a trial. After 7 days, you’ll be auto-charged the total price for the selected billing period.

How to Start Surfshark VPN Free Trial?

Step 1. Visit Surfshark official trial page at “surfshark.com/vpn-free-trial”.

Step 2. Click on the “Start a free trial” button on the page.

Step 3. Select a billing period (24 or 12 months) to determine your charge after the 7-day trial. Note that the 1-month option does not include a free trial.

Step 4. Select a package from Surfshark Starter, Surfshark One, or Surfshark One+ for your trial.

Step 5. Enter your first-time user email to verify, and input your credit card or PayPal payment details.

Step 6. Now you can enjoy the trial on 3 devices simultaneously for all features.

Trial Details:

Trial Period	7 Days
Email Required	Yes
Payment Info Required	Yes
Payment Methods	PayPal or Credit Card
Auto-Renewal Price	$47.85 at Least
All Features Available	Yes

Pros & Cons:

✅ All three Surfshark plans with various features can be trialed.

❌ Can not trial for the one-month package.

❌ Payment info is necessary.

2. CyberGhost VPN 1-7 Day Trial Varies by Device

CyberGhost stands out as the best VPN free trial no credit card for Windows and macOS, limited to 24 hours, however. Or, opt for their 3-day free trial for Android, and 7-day for iOS, which follows the App Store and Google Play Store free trial offer, which may ask for your payment details. As for how to start the trial, the following steps take the desktop version as an example, for there’s no payment info required.

How to Start CyberGhost VPN Trial?

Step 1. Download CyberGhost VPN from their official trial page “cyberghostvpn.com/vpn-free-trial”.

Step 2. Find the package in File > Downloads, double-click to install.

Step 3. Click “Sign up” in the pop-up window, and create an account with a first-time registration email.

Step 4. Verify your email by clicking the “Active Free Trial” button in your email.

Step 5. Now you can download your CyberGhost desktop app to enjoy the 24-hour VPN trial.

Failed to see the pop-up? Try disabling your ad-blocker temporarily, or option for a pop-up blocker that allows a whitelist.

Trial Details:

Trial Period	Windows & macOS: 1 Day iOS: 7 Days Android: 3 Days
Email Required	Yes
Payment Info Required	Windows & macOS: No Android & iOS: Yes
Payment Methods	App Store/Play Store payment methods
Auto-Renewal Price	$12.99 at Least
All Features Available	Yes

Pros & Cons:

✅ Offer a desktop VPN free trial with no credit card required

❌ The desktop trial period is too short

❌ Too many pop-ups in the process

3. Kaspersky VPN 7-Day Trial Excluding the U.S.

Kaspersky also provides a 7-day free VPN trial for users to better understand their features before further investing. However, since the US government banned Kaspersky products in 2024, this trial is not available in the USA regions. On the official trial page, Kaspersky VPN clearly calculates when your trial starts, ends, and sends a notification. This helps trial users better manage their subscription for auto-renewal policies. The steps to acquire the trial are not complicated, but it does ask for more information than other trials do.

How to Start Kaspersky VPN 7-Day Trial?

Step 1. Click the “Try 7 days for free” button on the Kaspersky official trial page “www.kaspersky.com/downloads/vpn-secure-connection-free-trial“.

Step 2. Enter your email, country, name, address, zip code, and city.

Step 3. Add payment details after completing billing information. Only a credit/debit card is accepted.

Step 4. Click the “Start Free Trial” button and enjoy all Kaspersky VPN features on 5 devices simultaneously.

Trial Details:

Trial Period	7 Days
Email Required	Yes
Payment Info Required	Yes
Payment Methods	Credit/Debit Card
Auto-Renewal Price	$33.99 at Least
All Features Available	Yes

Pros & Cons:

✅ Will remind you 2 days in advance.

✅ Clearly show you your trial period details.

❌ Collect too much personal information.

❌ Not available in the U.S.

4. X-VPN 7 Days Free Trial Through App Stores

Another trial provider is X-VPN. This VPN with free trial is also bound with major app stores. By downloading the app from the Windows Microsoft Store, Apple App Store, or Google Play Store, users can enjoy a 7-day free VPN trial before officially subscribing. As one of the best VPNs for PC, desktop trial users can fully access all X-VPN Premium features, including the desktop-exclusive ad-blocker, browser protection, dark web monitor, etc.

How to Start X-VPN Free Trial?

Step 1. Search for and download X-VPN from Google Play Store, App Store, or Microsoft Store.

Step 2. Tap “Install” and open the app after it finishes. You’ll see their privacy policy first, after which tap the “Agree and Continue” button.

Step 3. Choose a plan from “Annual” and “Monthly”, both offer you a 7 days free trial.

Step 4. You’ll start the trial instantly by tapping the “Continue” button. If you haven’t added any payment information for your store, you need to complete that first.

Trial Details:

Trial Period	7 Days
Email Required	Yes
Payment Info Required	Yes
Payment Methods	App Store/Play Store payment methods
Auto-Renewal Price	$11.99 at Least
All Features Available	Yes

Pros & Cons:

✅ 7 Day free trial available for various devices.

✅ One-month plan can be trialed and canceled freely.

❌ A valid payment information is required.

5. NordVPN 3 Days Free Trial for Android Only

You may be surprised that I mention NordVPN here, for the free trial page of it showcases their 30-day money-back guarantee instead. Compared to X-VPN, who offer a clear trial page and download sources, NordVPN’s free trial is a little bit hidden but it does exist. Scrolling down their trial page and opening the first frequently asked questions, you can see their 3-day free trial exclusive to Android, which is bound with the Play Store, similar to X-VPN.

You may wonder that same related to app stores, why NordVPN trial is only for Android. Is it particularly the best VPN for Android? No, according to Apple Developer and Play Console Help, it is determined by the service provider itself, which makes X-VPN even more generous compared with other commonly seen VPN giants.

How to Start NordVPN Trial on Android?

Step 1. Search for and download NordVPN on Google Play.

Step 2. Open the app, agree to their terms, and tap Sign Up.

Step 3. You’ll be redirected to your browser, where you need to enter your email address.

Step 4. Verify your email by entering the code sent to you. It was found in my junk mail.

Step 5. Create a password for your account and go back to the app to start the trial.

Trial Details:

Trial Period	3 Days
Email Required	Yes
Payment Info Required	Yes
Payment Methods	Play Store payment methods
Auto-Renewal Price	$12.99 at Least
All Features Available	Yes

Pros & Cons:

✅ A rare VPN giant that offers a true free trial.

❌ Only available to Android users.

❌ A valid payment information is required.

6. HideIPVPN 3 Days Free Trial with Email

The other 3 VPNs with free trials are less famous, but their trials are more unrestricted as well. HideIPVPN is such a provider that offers new registrants a free 3-day VPN trial with only an email required. This VPN offers fewer VPN features and servers than the previous ones, with which you can change location to only 24 locations. Another common issue is that during our test, the email failed to reach our mailboxes frequently, so you may need to try a few more email addresses.

How to Start HideIPVPN Free Trial?

Step 1. Visit the HideIPVPN official trial page “www.hideipvpn.com/free-vpn-trial”.

Step 2. Continue with your Google or use another email along with your name.

Step 3. Finish the human verification and click the “Create Trial Account” button.

Step 4. After seeing “Your Free trial account has been created”, open your email to find your login credentials. If you didn’t find the email, check the spam/junk mail as well.

Step 5. Download the app and log in with the given credentials.

Trial Details:

Trial Period	3 Days
Email Required	Yes
Payment Info Required	No
Payment Methods	/
Auto-Renewal Price	/
All Features Available	Yes

Pros & Cons:

✅ No payment details required.

❌ Only 24 VPN servers.

❌ There are chances you can not find the email for credentials.

7. Hidemy.name One Day VPN Trial with Email Only

Hidemy.name VPN offers new users an intuitive 1-day trial page. With only an email address needed, you can start the trial immediately. Similar to HideIPVPN mentioned before, as it’s less well-known, VPN features and server locations are relatively fewer. You can reach 46 locations after starting the trial, and 245 servers are available.

How to Start Hidemy.name One Day Trial?

Step 1. Visit Hidemy.name official trial page “hide.mn/en/demo/“.

Step 2. Enter your email and click the “Get code” button.

Step 3. After seeing the “code has been sent” notification, check your email for the login credentials.

Step 4. Download the app to your Windows, macOS, Android, or iPhone, and log in to start the trial.

Trial Details:

Trial Period	1 Day
Email Required	Yes
Payment Info Required	/
Payment Methods	/
Auto-Renewal Price	/
All Features Available	Yes

Pros & Cons:

✅ No payment information required.

❌ Trial only lasts 1 day.

❌ You can barely find any security features introduced on their website.

8. WordVPN 24-Hour Free Trial Using Email

WordVPN offers its first-time user a 24-hour free trial to try their services before buying. This one-day free trial offers you 200+ servers and unlimited bandwidth, without payment info required! However, as they claimed, the free trial only provides shared IPs, which may be used simultaneously by many other users and result in a lower speed. If you prefer a dedicated IP, subscribing to their Dedicated VPN plan is a must.

How to Start WordVPN Free Trial?

Step 1. Visit the WordVPN official trial page “www.worldvpn.net/free-trial”.

Step 2. Enter an email address that has never registered here before.

Step 3. Click on the “Submit” button, and you’ll see “We’ve received your request”.

Step 4. Open your mailbox, wait for less than one minute, and you’ll review a mail clearly written with the login credentials, download links, and setup guides.

Step 5. After downloading and logging in with the given account, you can now change your IP to over 200 locations.

Trial Details:

Trial Period	1 Day
Email Required	Yes
Payment Info Required	No
Payment Methods	/
Auto-Renewal Price	/
All Features Available	No dedicated IP

Pros & Cons:

✅ VPN free trial no credit card.

❌ Only provide 200 VPN server locations.

❌ The trial only lasts 24 hours.

Three Bonus Tips for Trialing a VPN

Getting the most out of VPN free trials requires some savvy. Here are 3 tips to help maximize your legitimate rights.

1. Cancel Immediately After Signing Up

For any trial that requires your payment details or is linked with your app store payments, cancel the subscription instantly after the trial is valid. This stops VPN auto-renewal and lets you enjoy the entire trial period hassle-free. Whether you are satisfied with the trial or not, subscription prices are the same!

2. Try More VPN Trials

Don’t stop at one, don’t forget I offered 8 options here! Once your trial with Provider A ends, immediately start a trial with Provider B, then C. You can also briefly record your trial experience to compare back-to-back.

3. More Emails, More Trials

For trials needing only an email, trial twice with another email. If possible, use a disposable mail instead of your working one. Many providers will regularly send you promotional emails, resulting in inbox clutter and marketing spam.

VPN Free Trial vs. Refundable Risk-Free Trial

Before finding this guide, you’ve likely tried many VPNs that claimed to offer a free trial but turned out not to. Many review sites lure you with ”free trial“ headlines, only to offer a refundable ‘risk-free’ guarantee instead. They are not the same thing.

• A genuine VPN free trial lets you access all premium features without any upfront payment. Some providers only need your email for verification; others require payment details only for potential auto-renewal after the trial ends.

• A “risk-free” money-back guarantee, however, requires you to pay first. You can request a refund within a specific window (often 30 days), but providers may ask for a reason, making it less flexible. For example, ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee instead of a true free trial.

Free VPN Trial vs. VPN Free Plan

Two other concepts that are easily confused are free VPN trial and VPN free plans. While both offer cost-free access, their purpose and structure differ significantly.

• Free VPN plans are permanent, limited tiers designed to attract users long-term, hoping they’ll eventually upgrade. These always come with restrictions, like data caps, speed throttles, limited server access, or ads. The free plan provides basic features at no cost but requires a paid upgrade for optimal performance.

• Free trials, however, grant full, unrestricted access to the VPN’s premium features for a short period (typically 1-7 days). It’s a “try-before-you-buy” experience identical to being a paying subscriber, designed to showcase the service’s full value before requiring payment.

How We Picked the 8 Best Trials?

We tried 36 VPNs that claim to offer a trial and discarded ones that provide only a money-back guarantee. This top list is only for readers, for no promotional purpose, and no affiliate or any other VPN partnerships.

Trial Tested	36
Devices We Use	iPhone 16 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, MacBook Pro 16-inch, Dell XPS 13 Plus
Trial Mails We Use	Gmail, Outlook, Proton mail
Time Duration	7 Days

Genuine VPN free trial: Every VPN on our list offers a truly free trial with no upfront payment required, or a limited free plan instead. We have specifically filtered out services like ExpressVPN, PIA’s 30-day money-back trial, PureVPN’s $0.99 “free” trial, and the limited free plan of Proton, Hide.me, and PrivadoVPN.

Independent testing with no sponsorship: SafePaper is not related to any of these VPNs, and we receive no sponsorship from any of them. We provide only objective reviews for our readers.

Transparency of trial terms: We verify that each VPN provides clear, upfront details about its trial. Their duration, the information required to sign up, and the cancellation process can all be found on their official website.

Conclusion

That’s all about the 8 VPN free trials that still work in August 2025, and SafePaper will keep updating when changes happen. The truth is, the majority of VPN giants barely offer a free trial, but attract users with a sole money-back guarantee. Small to medium-sized VPN companies, on the other hand, provide free trials but with fewer features. No matter how you choose, keep their auto-renewal policies in mind, or immediately cancel the subscription to avoid unnecessary costs.

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