VPNs, or digital non-public networks, are a few of the most accessible methods to strengthen your privateness on-line. They’re additionally intuitive and handy instruments we are able to use to entry geo-restricted content material on the web.
The issue is most high quality VPNs require a paid month-to-month or yearly subscription to make use of. This turns into a problem since a enterprise can’t know for certain if a VPN matches their wants until they’re in a position to check it out.
SEE: 10 Myths about Cybersecurity You Shouldn’t Consider (TechRepublic Premium)
Happily, there are a variety of VPN suppliers providing practical free trials that enable entry to premium VPN options with out paying for an upfront subscription. On this article, I’ve gathered a few of the greatest VPNs with free trials in 2024.
ESET PROTECT Superior
Staff per Firm Dimension
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Giant (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Any Firm Dimension
Any Firm Dimension
Options
Superior Risk Protection, Full Disk Encryption , Fashionable Endpoint Safety, and extra
ManageEngine Log360
Staff per Firm Dimension
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Giant (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Micro (0-49 Staff), Small (50-249 Staff), Medium (250-999 Staff), Giant (1,000-4,999 Staff), Enterprise (5,000+ Staff)
Micro, Small, Medium, Giant, Enterprise
Options
Exercise Dashboard, Superior Risk Analytics, Analytics/Reporting, and extra
Graylog
Staff per Firm Dimension
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Giant (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Medium (250-999 Staff), Giant (1,000-4,999 Staff), Enterprise (5,000+ Staff)
Medium, Giant, Enterprise
Options
Anomaly Detection, Audit Logs, Compliance Reporting, and extra
Finest VPNs with free trials: Comparability
I’ve gone forward and damaged down a few of the greatest VPN free trials obtainable available on the market at this time. Particularly, you’ll be able to take a look at trial lengths, characteristic restrictions and variety of servers within the desk under:
| Size of free trial | 7 days | 24 hours for desktop; 3–7 days for cellular | 7 days | 7 days | Free model, free endlessly |
| How you can entry trial | Through cellular apps (usable on different platforms after) | Home windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Through Android solely (usable on different platforms after) | iOS or Android solely | Free model on Home windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS |
| Requires fee info | No | No | Sure | Sure | No |
| Characteristic restrictions | None | None | None | No entry to desktop app | Slower speeds; entry to solely 5 server international locations |
| Pricing of paid plan | $2.19 per 30 days (2 years) |
$2.19 per 30 days (2 years) | $4.69 per 30 days (2 years) | $6.67 per 30 days (1 yr) | $4.49 per 30 days (2 years) |
| No. of servers | 10,000–35,000 (reportedly) | 9,000+ (reportedly) | 6,300+ | 3,000+ (reportedly) |
4,900+ servers |
| Server areas | 91 international locations | 100 international locations | 111 international locations | 105 international locations | 91 international locations |
| VISIT PIA VPN | VISIT CYBERGHOST | VISIT NORDVPN | VISIT EXPRESSVPN | VISIT PROTON VPN |
Personal Web Entry VPN: Finest VPN free trial
Personal Web Entry VPN is an all-around resolution that carries quick speeds and an intensive server community. Particularly, you get servers unfold throughout 91 international locations, permitting you to unblock geo-blocked content material simply whereas getting good speeds.
Free trial particulars
PIA VPN provides a seven-day free trial that’s accessible by way of its cellular apps on the Google Play Retailer and the iOS App Retailer.
SEE: Free VPN vs Paid VPN: Which One Is Proper for You? (TechRepublic)
I personally advocate PIA VPN’s free trial resulting from its limitless simultaneous system connections.This allows you to check its premium VPN on a number of units, as its limitless system threshold allows you to use PIA VPN in your desktop or different units after accessing its cellular free trial.
Does it require fee or bank card info?
No, PIA VPN’s free trial by way of cellular doesn’t require any fee info to entry. Once I tried its free trial utilizing my Android smartphone, I didn’t must enter any bank card to activate the seven-day trial.
Pricing
- 1 month: $11.99 per 30 days.
- 6 months: $7.50 per 30 days.
- 2 years (+2 months free): $2.19 per 30 days.
Options
- Servers throughout 91 international locations.
- WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec protocols.
- RAM-only server know-how.
Professionals
- Limitless simultaneous system connections.
- Quick general VPN speeds.
- Customizable app bookmarks.
Cons
- WireGuard protocol could also be buggy.
- No free model.
If you wish to study extra, take a look at my full Personal Web Entry VPN assessment right here.
CyberGhost VPN: Finest desktop free trial
CyberGhost VPN is an outstanding possibility for customers who need a various server fleet and easy-to-use specialised servers. Proper now, CyberGhost provides servers from 100 international locations and neatly segregates its servers so they’re greatest optimized for streaming, gaming and torrenting. Its desktop free trial can be one of the crucial accessible on this listing.
Free trial particulars
CyberGhost provides a 24-hour free trial obtainable for Home windows and macOS by its official web site. It additionally provides a three-day free trial for Android smartphones and a seven-day trial for iOS units.
I selected CyberGhost VPN as the perfect for desktop because it doesn’t require any further hoops to entry. You don’t want to enroll by way of its cellular app or create an account on a special system. All you might want to do is go to CyberGhost’s official web site and begin a trial.
That is on prime of not requiring any fee info to begin a free trial. Whereas I’d’ve most popular the trial to be longer than 24 hours, it’s nonetheless the best solution to get a desktop VPN trial with out handing over bank card data.
Does it require fee or bank card info?
No, CyberGhost doesn’t require any bank card or fee info to entry. CyberGhost VPN is likely one of the solely VPNs that supply a free trial of their premium desktop utility with out requiring any fee particulars to activate.
Pricing
- 1 month: $12.99 per 30 days.
- 6 months: $6.99 per 30 days.
- 2 years (+2 months): $2.19 per 30 days.
Options
- Specialised servers for streaming, gaming and torrenting.
- OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard protocols.
- 24/7 dwell buyer assist.
Professionals
- Servers in 100 international locations.
- Free trial doesn’t require fee data.
- 45-day money-back assure.
Cons
- Desktop free trial may very well be longer.
- Sophisticated firm historical past.
If you wish to study extra, take a look at my full CyberGhost VPN assessment.
NordVPN: Finest for privateness fans
If safety is your most important concern, I like to recommend NordVPN. This selection contains a wide range of security-focused options, resembling built-in menace safety, darkish net monitoring and Meshnet safe file-sharing. It additionally not too long ago elevated its server unfold, now providing servers from 111 international locations in comparison with 60 nation areas in 2023.
Free trial particulars
NordVPN has a seven-day free trial accessible by way of its Android utility. Happily, you should use NordVPN on different platforms after you’ve signed up for a trial on Android.
Does it require fee or bank card info?
Sure, NordVPN requires fee data or a bank card to entry its free trial on Android. Whereas it might’ve been ultimate to have entry with out fee knowledge, I discover NordVPN’s heavy emphasis on offering a wide range of safety features to be value a strive.
Pricing
Beneath is an outline of the mid-tier NordVPN Plus subscription:
- 1 month: $13.99 per 30 days.
- 1 yr: $5.49 per 30 days.
- 2 years (+3 months): $4.69 per 30 days.
Options
- Servers in 111 international locations.
- 10 simultaneous system connections.
- Double VPN performance.
Professionals
- Specialised safety servers (Double VPN, Obfuscated).
- Independently audited.
- Constructed-in safety towards malware and intrusive advertisements.
Cons
- Priced comparatively excessive.
- No free model.
- Free trial accessible solely by way of Android.
If you wish to study extra, take a look at my full NordVPN assessment.
ExpressVPN: Finest cellular free trial
A go-to selection for a lot of, ExpressVPN provides one of the crucial intuitive VPN experiences available on the market. It has an especially simple to make use of interface and persistently quick efficiency. It has additionally proven a powerful dedication to transparency, being one of the crucial prolific VPN suppliers that repeatedly bear third-party safety testing.
Free trial particulars
ExpressVPN provides a seven-day free trial for its Android and iOS purposes solely.This implies Home windows or macOS customers might must look elsewhere in the event that they need to check drive a premium VPN. Regardless of this, I imagine ExpressVPN’s top-tier person expertise is a good possibility for customers who solely plan to make use of a VPN on their cellular units.
Does it require fee or bank card info?
Sure, ExpressVPN does require fee info to entry its cellular free trial. Whereas it doesn’t explicitly ask for fee particulars whenever you join a free trial, it’ll routinely hyperlink your trial entry to the default fee knowledge linked in your cellular system.
Pricing
Right here’s a rundown of the Surfshark One mid-tier subscription plans:
- 1 month: $12.95 per 30 days.
- 6 months: $9.99 per 30 days.
- 1 yr (+3 months): $6.67 per 30 days.
Options
- Servers in 105 international locations.
- 100% RAM-only server infrastructure.
- 24/7 buyer assist.
Professionals
- Limitless simultaneous system connections.
- Reasonably priced paid subscriptions throughout the board.
- Effectively-designed and intuitive utility.
Cons
- Free trial is for cellular solely.
- On the costly aspect.
- Lacks longer two-year subscription possibility.
If you wish to study extra, take a look at my full ExpressVPN assessment.
Proton VPN: Finest totally free model
Proton VPN is a Swiss-based VPN that has a beneficiant free model, which I imagine counts as a viable free trial. Being primarily based in Switzerland, Proton is ready to provide a few of the world’s strongest privateness legal guidelines to its person base — a significant value-add to these aware of presidency surveillance.
Free trial particulars
Whereas Proton VPN technically doesn’t have a free trial of its premium service, it has one of many extra usable and full free VPNs obtainable at this time. Proton VPN’s free model is exclusive in that it provides limitless knowledge, in comparison with different free VPNs, which impose month-to-month knowledge caps which are simple to make use of up.
The advantage of this free model is that it’s free endlessly,with no expiry date in comparison with full free trials. The draw back, however, is that you just don’t get to strive Proton VPN’s premium options and performance.
Its free model provides servers in 5 international locations, encrypted VPN servers and medium VPN pace.
Does it require fee or bank card info?
As a free model, Proton VPN Free doesn’t require any fee info to obtain or use.
Pricing
Beneath is a rundown of Proton VPN’s Plus subscription tier:
- 1 month: $9.99 per 30 days.
- 1 yr: $4.99 per 30 days.
- 2 years: $4.49 per 30 days.
Options
- Safe Core, privacy-friendly international locations.
- VPN pace accelerator.
- NetShield advert, malware and tracker blocker.
Professionals
- Very beneficiant free model.
- Underneath pro-privacy Swiss jurisdiction.
- Limitless bandwidth within the free model.
Cons
- No devoted free trial of premium plan.
- Stay chat assist for paid customers solely.
If you wish to study extra, take a look at my full Proton VPN assessment.
Ceaselessly requested questions (FAQs)
Do VPN free trials work?
Sure, VPN free trials are designed to work as an everyday premium VPN subscription. The primary distinction is that VPN free trials enable entry to the software program for a restricted time.
They’re designed to offer customers an opportunity to check paid software program with out paying for a full VPN subscription. When it comes to security, VPN free trials needs to be as secure as their totally paid counterparts.
In case you’re curious to understand how secure VPNs are, take a look at our current explainer masking whether or not VPNs may be hacked and why they’re good enterprise investments in the long term.
How lengthy do VPN free trials final?
VPN free trials will typically final for as quick as sooner or later or so long as seven days.
VPN free trials vs. free VPNs
VPN free trials differ from free VPNs in that they provide all of the premium options of a given VPN. In distinction, a free VPN can have a restricted characteristic set in comparison with its paid counterparts. This sometimes interprets to not getting access to the entire server suite, decrease VPN speeds or a month-to-month knowledge cap.
One upside of free VPNs is that they’re free endlessly,whereas VPN free trials will solely final you a day to so long as per week’s value of use.
In case you’re all in favour of studying extra about the perfect free VPNs, I extremely advocate testing our rundown of the Finest Free VPNs for 2024.
In that article, we spotlight the perfect general free VPN, the perfect VPN for newbies and different choices you need to think about within the VPN house.
Do VPN free trials require fee or bank card info?
It relies upon.From my expertise, many VPN free trials require fee or bank card info to entry. Both they ask you throughout the free trial course of for fee info or they’ll use the fee methodology already linked to your system of selection.
Nevertheless, there are a handful of VPNs, like CyberGhost VPN and PIA, that supply free trials with out fee info.
Personally, I believe extra distributors ought to undertake this strategy because it lowers the barrier to entry into making an attempt out their software program.
VPN free trials vs. money-back ensures
You may need seen money-back ensures if you happen to’ve browsed for VPN subscriptions. Most VPN suppliers help you refund your subscription after a set time frame by money-back ensures that usually span 30 or so days.
Whereas each VPN free trials and money-back ensures enable you and your group to check out a paid VPN, availing of a money-back assure requires you to pay for an preliminary subscription after which refund throughout the allotted time.
For customers all in favour of understanding how a lot a VPN sometimes prices, we’ve got an intensive information masking VPN prices and saving ideas.
Then again, VPN free trials received’t cost you till after the free trial interval expires. Higher but, some VPNs don’t require any form of fee methodology in any respect and can simply ask if you need to subscribe to a plan after the allotted trial interval.
In case you’re interested by which one is healthier, that may depend upon what you are promoting’ wants. On one finish, money-back ensures are extra easy to entry because you’ll go straight to buying a subscription as standard. Nevertheless, the refund course of could be a trouble and varies amongst completely different suppliers.
In the meantime, VPN free trials have fewer strings hooked up and received’t cost you upfront. The caveat right here is there could also be some further steps you might want to take to check out their software program, i.e., having to enroll by way of cellular earlier than testing on a desktop machine.
Methodology
In my rundown of the perfect VPN free trials obtainable at this time, I thought-about a mixture of how accessible every trial is and the standard of the VPN software program itself.
For the free trial, I checked out trial size, characteristic limitations for every trial, how simple it’s to entry the trial and whether or not it required fee or bank card info to activate, amongst different elements.
I’ve additionally personally evaluated every VPN listed above. All of the VPNs talked about have gone by our full assessment therapy, which was performed by a mixture of first-hand testing, intensive product analysis and professional evaluation.
Lastly, I took under consideration how every free trial and VPN service may very well be helpful to several types of customers and use instances. That is particularly essential since companies can have various necessities, relying on their wants and circumstances.
