10 Best VPNs to Test Before You Buy in 2022

  • 04/Jan/2022
  • 11:32 am

A VPN is an excellent tool to have in your online arsenal. Everything from the all-round protection, particularly on public networks, to the improved privacy and anonymity a Virtual Private Network affords you, is a delight. But for many, its ability to bypass geo-blocks makes it a critical tool in the tool set.

If you haven’t used a VPN before, it is entirely possible that you aren’t sold on its importance just yet. Perhaps you simply want to test the capabilities of the VPN before taking a plunge? Unfortunately, VPNs can be fairly pricey, and discounted prices are typically only available for lengthy commitments in the form of 1-3 year subscriptions.

But did you know it’s possible to enjoy all of the benefits of a premium VPN without actually paying for it? You got that right! You can indeed enjoy some of the world’s finest virtual private networks without spending a penny, by taking advantage of a free trial period.

What is a VPN Free Trial?

The concept of a free trial has evolved greatly within the VPN world. The concept was originally designed as a period of time during which you can enjoy access to the features of a VPN at no cost. Of course, this time was meant to be a limited time period, with some VPNs even limiting just what can be done in this time.

In recent times, though, the concept of a free VPN has evolved to include – and is almost exclusively limited to – the money-back guarantee. Rather than enjoy access to the VPN at no cost, you actually get to pay for the VPN. However, your payment can be refunded at anytime within a specified time period, no questions asked.

As part of the evolution into more of a money-back guarantee model, free VPN trial are increasingly limited. Most VPNs that offer free trials place limits on bandwidth and data usage, and ultimately restrict the features you can access.

On the other hand, a money-back guarantee allows you to enjoy the full pleasures of a VPN. Everything from streaming to torrenting, gaming, and unrestricted browsing are allowed by VPNs under money-back guarantees. This is essentially a trial without limitations. And should you choose to opt out, your full payment is returned.

In selecting the best VPNs with free trials, we’ve taken the time to select VPNs that offer you the best of features in security, privacy, anonymity, and malware protection. We also consider VPNs that hit top speeds, ensuring your torrenting and streaming experience is a breeze.

How to Identify and Use a VPN Free Trial

  • Visit your desired VPN site and check for their money-back policy or free trial. On the other hand, you could check out the next section of this article for our top 10 VPN free trial.
  • Review the instructions for the activation and use of the money-back guarantee or the free trial
  • Install the VPN and activate the free trial.
  • Begin putting your VPN to the test.

Top 10 VPNs with Free Trials

  1. ExpressVPN
  2. Surfshark
  3. NordVPN
  4. Hotspot Shield
  5. PrivateVPN
  6. CyberGhost
  7. Private Internet Access
  8. ZenMate
  9. SaferVPN
  10. Windscribe

CyberGhost Review  ExpressVPN

Free or not, ExpressVPN ranks amongst our best VPNs ever. This towering premium VPN provides you with excellent security features, thanks to its military-grade encryption, leak protection, and kill switch. It also provides a clear express when streaming or torrenting – thanks to its top-of-the-stack connection speeds.

Although it doesn’t provide an option for a completely free trial of its service, ExpressVPN offers users a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you can enjoy all of its premium features after a subscription, and pull the plug on your purchase anywhere within a 30-day period.

We don’t think you’d be doing that, though. In addition to its top speeds and premium security, the VPN comes fitted with superb unblocking powers. Its over 3,000 servers in more than 90 countries are capable of unblocking most streaming services across the globe.

Impressively, we also found that ExpressVPN is able to bypass even the toughest of state censorships. The Great Firewall of China, as well as heavy censorship from the Russian state, and elsewhere, was broken down with ease. And with a strict no-logs policy, your data is forever safe.

Windscribe Review  Surfshark

Surfshark is one of the most impressive all-round VPNs we ever tested. As with ExpressVPN, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on your first subscription, allowing you test out all of its features unrestricted. However, it does more than that too.

Mobile users of Surfshark will be able to enjoy a totally free 7-day trial of the app. Simply download the app on your Play or App store, and create your user account. With your 7-day free trial activated, you can login on any other device and enjoy unrestricted access to the service. Users are also entitled to unlimited simultaneous connections with every account, meaning you don’t have to worry about maxing out your connections.

Besides its impressive freemium capabilities, Surfshark is impressive for its security and speed, which make it out as a top VPN for streaming or torrenting. Its CleanWeb technology enables you access ad-heavy sites without worrying about infections from trackers and malware.

Surfshark also successfully unblocks streaming services across the world, including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. It proved itself able to bypass both the toughest of geo-blocks and state censorships, thanks to its proprietary NoBorders mode. And its Multi-Hop feature takes anonymity to a whole new level.

PIA Review  NordVPN

Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN is technically not free. However, it does offer you a 30-day money-back guarantee that ensures you enjoy unrestricted access to its service. Within this time, you’d be allowed to collect a refund on request, no questions asked. It also offers a 7-day free trial for mobile users alone.

NordVPN boasts an impressive security framework, with its unbreakable AES 256-bit encryption combined a leaks protection and a kill switch. The VPN also operates a strict no-logs policy that ensures you can browse without worry about data snoops identifying who you are.

NordVPN also has some dedicated P2P servers amongst its over 5,300 servers across the world. This makes it excellent for unblocking geo-restrictions, with virtually every streaming service in the world unblocked by NordVPN. Its speeds are also uber-impressive rivaling those of ExpressVPN.

Indeed, NordVPN ranks amongst our best VPNs for streaming and torrenting. It successfully bypasses Chinese restrictions, and works suitably on 6 simultaneous devices. And for extra protection, its CyberSec feature keeps out malware and ads, making for a much safer browsing experience.

Windscribe Review  Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is most renowned for its excellent connection speeds across its over 2,500 servers spread across 70 countries. Like Surfshark, the VPN combines a free trial model with a money-back guarantee model.

Hotspot Shield offers a 45-day money-back guarantee for subscribers, which is about the most generous in the industry. Users will also be able to enjoy a complete 7-day free trial of its premium service. However, you should note that your credit card information will be taken upfront for the trial.

Originally based in the US, Hotspot Shield provides top connection speeds, thanks to its proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol. This protocol ensures top speeds regardless of your device type or location. It also successfully unblocks streaming services like the BBC iPlayer and Netflix.

For those who’d rather consistently enjoy Hotspot Shield for free, a freemium version is made available. Unfortunately, this limits you to just 500MB data bandwidth per month, as against the unlimited bandwidth on the premium. With its security features, though, you get to enjoy complete privacy, even on public networks.

TunnelBear   Review  PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN may boast only 100 self-owned servers spread across 56 countries, but it is hardly less powerful than any of the other VPNs on this list. Everything from its level of security to line-topping speeds make it a great premium VPN to invest on.

For those who aren’t sure, PrivateVPN offers a commitment free 7-day free trial. Simply sign up with a working email address and enjoy unrestricted access to every feature of the VPN for free. This period is further extended with a 30-day money-back guarantee, which allows for stress-free cancellation.

All of PrivateVPN’s 100 servers are P2P servers optimized for streaming. These servers successfully breaks through the geo-blocks of Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Netflix, and more. Lag and buffer was also hardly an issue on its servers, except for those in faraway locations like Australia.

In terms of security and privacy, PrivateVPN employs industry-best practices. Security is assured through a military-grade encryption, combined with an auto kill switch and a leak protection. Anonymity is further guaranteed thanks to a strictly followed no-logs policy.

PrivateVPN also provides users with the opportunity for up to 6 simultaneous connections. And with its app so easy to use, this is one VPN you’re unlikely to abandon.

Speedify    Review  CyberGhost

CyberGhost matches the generosity of Hotspot Shield with its 45-day money-back guarantee. This means you can enjoy all that CyberGhost has to offer, at entirely no risk to your pockets, for 45 days. And its cancellation process during this time is smooth and stress free.

CyberGhost boasts one of the easiest to use VPN clients. Setting it up for use is so easy even a beginner will require little directions. And with over 6,300 servers in 90 countries, this VPN is the most expansive of all. This enables it to successfully bypass geo-blocks and censorships by state or service.

You should note that its servers are hardly the fastest in the world, but they’re beyond satisfactory for torrenting and streaming. CyberGhost also provides torrent-optimized P2P servers for even faster torrenting and streaming.

CyberGhost successfully unblocked streaming services like BBC iPlayer and Netflix. You’d likely notice, though, that a few servers struggle with unblocking particular services. To keep from testing too much, simply use CyberGhost’s dedicated servers for each service.

CyberGhost boasts all of the features we consider standard today for top level VPNs. 256-bit encryption is supported by a kill switch – although this doesn’t work on mobile devices, leak protection, and a no-logging policy. You’d also enjoy its built-in ad and malware blocker, and can connect simultaneously on 7 devices.

Private Internet Access  Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access was designed to offer you complete privacy when accessing the internet. Its advanced privacy and security features ensure your sensitive data is safe while online. Its secure military-grade encryption ensures you’re untraceable when torrenting, streaming, or just browsing.

Like most VPNs on this list, Private Internet Access doesn’t offer you a true free trial. Instead it offers users a 30-day money-back guarantee that offers total access to all of its privacy and security features.

Users will also enjoy access to Private Internet Access’s MACE feature. This feature keeps out malware, trackers, and ads, making for a super secure browsing experience. It has solid protection against DNS and IP leaks, and boasts a strictly followed no logs policy.

Private Internet Access boasts an impressive network of servers, with over 3,000 servers spread across about 30 countries. These servers successfully unblock streaming services like HBO, Showtime and Netflix, but seem to struggle with others like Disney+ and Hulu.

With all of its servers supporting P2P torrenting, Private Internet Access ensures streaming and torrenting on its servers is stress-free. Its speeds are impressive, and an allowance for up to 10 simultaneous connections is generous. With its difficulties unblocking certain services, though, a good test might be needed to determine if this is the best VPN for you.

Speedify    Review  ZenMate

ZenMate offers a very generous 7-day free trial, no credit card required. Simply enter your email to sign up and begin enjoying access to all of its features. For even more security while testing the product, you’d have a 30-day money-back guarantee upon your first subscription.

Operating out of Germany, ZenMate is a sturdy VPN that has been around for a few years now. It has about 3,600 servers spread across over 70 countries. Its servers reliably unblock major British TV platforms like ITV Hub, Netflix UK, and BBC iPlayer, amongst others.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with US providers. While it reliably unblocked Netflix, HBO, and Amazon Prime Video, it struggled unsuccessfully to unblock Hulu.

ZenMate does produce top level speeds, though. This makes it great for streaming should it successfully unblock your desired streaming platform. It’s also great for torrenting, with its host of dedicated P2P servers. It provides 128-bit encryption on its browser extensions, which is enough for regular browsing.

For improved security, you’re best served using ZenMate’s client app which provides 256-bit encryption. Leak protection and an automatic kill switch are also part of the package. And like Surfshark, ZenMate allows you connect to an unlimited number of devices at once.

Speedify    Review  SaferVPN

SaferVPN is among only a few VPNs here that allow unrestricted free trial with no payment details required. However, this only lasts for 24 hours. For the most part, if you want to enjoy SaferVPN at no cost, you’d need to take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee.

SaferVPN has a limited number of servers in its network at just 700 in 50 countries. But this is enough to reliably unblock streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. We had no issues when testing its unblocking capabilities, and it produced no lags when streaming.

Speed may not be its best feature, but SaferVPN streamed smoothly enough and only lagged minimally with heavier games. There are only 3 P2P-optimized servers, though, so torrenting can be a drag sometimes.

SaferVPN has a rather intuitive app for easy usage by VPN newbies and oldies alike. The app comes with a secure military-grade encryption, an automatic kill switch, no logs policy, and malware protection. It also boasts support for security protocols like the OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP, and is compatible with the Tor Browser.

As a SaferVPN subscriber, you’d have an allowance for up to 5 simultaneously connected devices, which is about the industry standard.

img Windscribe

Windscribe is one free VPN many love to use. As a free subscriber, you enjoy a minimum of 10 GB monthly. This can get up to 20 GB based on certain conditions. This free plan gives you access to a limited number of servers, but crucially allows access to its own ad and malware blocker, known as R.O.B.E.R.T.

Amongst the limitations of the freemium is its inability to unblock Netflix US with the available free servers. To enjoy a completely unrestricted access to the VPN, you’d need to sign up for the 1-day free trial, no cards required. This time may be really little, but coupled with its freemium version, it should be enough to make up your mind about purchasing the premium version.

Windscribe is mostly popular for its free plans, but its premium packs a punch. Its 256-bit encryption security is top of the line, as is the case with its leak protection, OpenVPN encryption protocol, and ad/malware blocking technology.

The VPN is based out of Canada, which is a disadvantage considering Canada is a part of the so-called 5-Eyes alliance. Windscribe makes up for this with a zero-logging policy which has so far proved to be worth its weight in gold.

Conclusion

VPNs can be an expensive investment. Unfortunately, not every VPN out there gives just what it promises. To ensure you’re not paying for a service that doesn’t offer value, a free trial is an excellent option. And if you can’t find a truly free trial, a money-back guarantee is an excellent promise. If you really do want only VPNs that are completely free, check out this list of the 10 best free VPNs today.

Are Free VPNs Safe?

Its hard to tell which free VPNs are safe. For the most part, free VPNs with premium, paid versions are generally safe. However, they offer limited versions of the premium offerings. VPNs that promise everything at no cost are generally red flags. Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it most likely is.

Can I get a VPN free trial without my credit card details?

Mostly, no. Majority of the VPNs that offer free trials offer it as part of a money-back guarantee period. This means you’d have to pay upfront and get a refund should you desire one. However, a few VPNs on this list do not require your credit card details for their free trials.

Can I enjoy a free trial more than once?

Unfortunately, no. VPN free trials are typically limited to only the first time of use. This means once you’ve tested it out without purchasing, you’d have to pay if you decide to go ahead with the VPN in future.

How do I cancel a free trial or get a refund?

Most VPNs have the processes involved in canceling a free trial outlined on their websites. If you want to collect a refund, though, your most likely option is to get in touch with customer support. The VPNs we listed here do not ask you a bunch of questions before agreeing to cancel and refund.