17 Best VPNs with a Free Trial in 2024

1. ExpressVPN

Rating: 5 out of 5

The best VPN service to stay secure, and protect your identity online.

• Loads of servers to choose from
• Lots of features and functionality
• Tons of streaming sites available
• Supports over 20 device types including smart TV systems and game consoles
• Speedy connection and solid performance overall

• No free trials per se; available only in a 30-day money-back guarantee

ExpressVPN does not offer a completely free trial, but banks on a 30-day money-back guarantee for a month. If users aren't satisfied with the platform, they'll get their money back in full. While it has fewer simultaneous connections than alternatives, the service provides 160 VPN locations with military-grade encryption when you surf online.

Online activities and connections are not logged to safeguard your privacy. If anything happens to your connection, there's a kill switch that guarantees your IP address won't leak (your data won't be left unencrypted to be intercepted by third parties). If you enjoy this VPN service, you can keep using the platform at a monthly rate of just $6.67 (on a 12 month period) and 3 months free.

2. Surfshark

Rating: 4.7 out of 5

A feature-packed VPN provider at a decent price.

• Jam-packed features and functionality
• Unlimited connections and devices supported
• Unlocks major streaming sites, especially with Netflix’s 15 libraries
• Supports smart TV systems, laptops, mobile devices, and game consoles
• Provides adblockers to curb trackers, malware, and phishing attempts

• The 7-day free trial is only available on mobile devices
• Offers average to above-average speed

If you have no qualms about using your mobile to access the free trial, then you can enjoy Surfshark's best VPN features. However, most people prefer using the service on a desktop or laptop for work or leisure. Still, this VPN provider offers a huge array of features for a reasonable price.

Surfshark costs $12.95 a month and a discounted rate of $60 per year. However, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if people are left unsatisfied with the product. Users love the fact that the provider is compatible with a wide range of devices and supports unlimited simultaneously connections. This means you can enjoy the security features on your phone, tablet, laptop, set-top box, and game console at the same time.

3. IPVanish

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Extremely low-price VPN to privatize your online connection and identity.

• Cheap pricing plans considering the level of functionality
• Unlimited device connections and support
• Able to stream major viewing websites like Netflix and Amazon Prime
• Excellent encryption capabilities
• Speedy connection and reliable performance

• Strong geo-blocking features but needs improvement with UK servers
• Speed in some regions is average

If you're looking for an inexpensive option to get a VPN free plan, IPVanish might be the one for you. This provider's monthly pricing is the lowest we've seen among premium providers. With rates starting at $4.99, it's seriously cheap for a provider who offers a genuine quality VPN service.

It also supports major operating systems and various platforms and is able to handle unlimited devices at the same time. It's a perfect VPN provider for families at home who are looking to stream and watch their favorite shows on Netflix, Prime, or Hulu.

4. Hotspot Shield

Rating: 4.3 out of 5

Fastest VPN connection speed thanks to thousands of servers.

• Has a basic plan that is indefinitely free
• Military-grade encryption complete with malware detection
• Internet kill switch
• Multiple VPN protocols
• Ease of use

• The free version is limited to one device, 500MB daily limit cap, streaming access, connection speed of 2Mbps only, and one virtual location
• Secure and private browsing is good for a couple of hours at most

Hotspot Shield has a reputation for the fastest connection speed amongst competitors. If you choose their basic plan, however, you'll only get about 2Mbps, basic support, and a data limit of 500MB daily. Nevertheless, it's good enough to stream major video and gaming platforms.

Their premium plan starts at $12.99 with a 45-day money-back guarantee. This includes optimized streaming access for Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and more. Hotspot Shield's connection speed for this plan is up to 1Gbps - and they're not joking!

5. CyberGhost

Rating: 4.1 out of 5

Lay-favorite for streaming with over 6,000+ servers.

• Famous for streaming video content
• Huge number of servers worldwide
• Has torrent support and kill switch when the stream goes wrong
• A longer money-back guarantee period
• Offers antivirus, privacy guard, and security updater bundled together

• Free premium trial only lasts for a day
• Complicated user interface

CyberGhost is known for its VPN streaming service for video content. It offers a whopping 6,000+ servers to watch your favorite TV shows on Netflix, Disney+, or BB Player. What's more, the provider has a solid money-back guarantee of 45 days for longer plan usage.

If you're in a hurry to finish a deadline or have spare time to kill, the VPN premium free trial is worth grabbing. With a 35Mbps speed, it's fast enough to stream videos in 1920x1280 resolution and higher.

6. VyprVPN

Rating: 4 out of 5

Enhanced geo-blocking services for streaming content at low prices.

• Despite its limited number of VPN servers, it can geo-block tough website restrictions
• Unblocks most streaming sites
• Quite torrent-friendly and user-friendly interface
• Added security for cloud servers
• Provides fast and reliable internet connection

• Connection logs are kept for 1 month
• Peer-to-peer traffic can be improved

VyprVPN's free trial allows you to use 1GB of data - how long this lasts depends on your activity and usage. Nevertheless, you get premium features including security and encryption protocols.

Its Chameleon technology allows you to bypass the toughest regions with streaming video content despite having a limited number of VPN servers around the globe. This provider's most popular plan costs $60 for 36 months with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you find the period too long, you can opt for the annual plan for $45.

7. ProtonVPN

Rating: 4 out of 5

Biggest encrypted email service with VPN to safeguard your privacy.

• Available with a free plan with 1 VPN connection and 3 servers
• Has decent speed, tested around 10Mbps
• Intuitive interface
• Popular encrypted email service
• Safeguards your data under Swiss laws

• The free and basic plans have limited features and usage
• Internet connection speed is fairly average compared to competitors

Proton has built a reputation for its encrypted email service over many years. In more recent times, their focus and has extended to VPN services. This provider includes essential features such as a kill switch, split tunneling, and DNS leak protection.

For its free plan, users get access to 1 VPN connection for 3 servers. Understandably, it gives you a slower speed due to its limitations. Still, it does a good job of blocking ads and not logging any online activity.

8. CactusVPN

Rating: 4 out of 5

Unlocks 340+ geo-restricted websites – no credit card info needed.

• Simultaneously connects to unlimited devices
• No credit card information needed
• User-friendly interface
• A decent number of geo-blocked websites lifted
• Worry-free torrenting

• Fewer server locations
• Slower speeds due to long-distance servers

CactusVPN gives users a free 3-day trial when they sign up for an account on the platform. While the monthly premium feature starts at $10, users are granted a 30-day money-back guarantee if they have a hard time using the platform.

The VPN service uses strong encryption protocols and effective DNS leak protection against cybercrime. They also deploy a kill switch and P2P servers to better manage unstable connections. Generally, CactusVPN is a decent service perfect for beginners or users with relatively light internet usage.

9. PureVPN

Rating: 4 out of 5

Flexible VPN service that provides users with 300,000 IPs in 6,500 servers.

• Great set of features and security protocols
• Plenty of servers available for users in 180 countries
• Decent connection speed
• Chat support is fast and friendly
• Simultaneous connections and device supported are quite generous
• Rigorous external auditing

• Complicated setup
• The trial isn’t completely free

Users get to enjoy premium features with PureVPN's 7-day trial that allows them to enjoy its robust features and security protocols. What's more, they offer 6,500 servers and 300,000 IP addresses in 180 countries. Users can easily bypass geo-blocked countries to unblock streaming and torrenting video content.

PureVPN is the only service that is continually audited and been independently audited by KPMG for their no-logging policy.

PureVPN has an active chat support channel which is makes it easy to get help while installing the software. You can purchase the service at $10.95 a month with a 31-day money-back guarantee.

PureVPN can be expensive when purchasing month-to-month ($10.95) and 6-month plans ($8.95/month). However, it offers big discounts for longer plans. Currently, a 2-year subscription costs only $2.95/month, so make sure to try the free trial to explore all of PureVPN's features before committing to a longer plan.

10. SaferVPN

Rating: 4 out of 5

For a steady speed connection and streaming.

• No payment details needed
• Robust network of servers for fast connections in remote areas
• Sufficient speed
• Military-grade encryption protocols
• Compatibility with Tor network

• Only 3 peer-to-peer-friendly locations for torrenting
• 24-hour free trial only

SaferVPN provides decent functionality with around 1,300+ servers worldwide. Users can enjoy streaming access like Netflix and Prime in US servers, as well as BBC iPlayer in UK servers.

The provider's speeds are ample enough for streaming and gaming needs with little problems. However, they're not exactly torrent-friendly since they only have 3 supported locations. Nonetheless, you get excellent encryption protocols and VPN security measures.

11. Private Internet Access

Rating: 4 out of 5

Jam-packed VPN software to safeguard sensitive data.

• Best VPN security protocols and safety features
• Military-grade DNS and IP leak protection
• Built-in tracker, ad & malware blockers for P2P activity and torrenting
• Widespread VPN server locations
• 10 generous simultaneous device connections

• Occasional dips in speed
• Couldn’t access some streaming sites

Private Internet Access stays true to its promise with jam-packed security features to protect sensitive information and online activities. It doesn't have a free trial, though. The service costs around $9.95 a month but comes with a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

The provider is known for its solid encryption, which can be used for managing business transactions, streaming, or torrenting. They have excellent DNS and IP leak protection. Overall, their biggest feature has been their network of 25,000+ servers to mask your IP and be able to enjoy military-grade online safety.

12. PrivateVPN

Rating: 4 out of 5

Don’t underestimate the tiny but mighty.

• Beefy servers
• Unblocks most streaming services
• Standard downloadable speed
• Unlimited data and bandwidth for streaming, torrenting, and downloading
• Easy to use for first-time VPN users

• Long-distance VPN servers cause dips of up to 70% in internet speed
• Lags happen at times

PrivateVPN costs $8.49 a month but comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee for you to test its premium features. While the provider has fewer servers at 150, it can unblock major streaming content online while protecting your identity with outstanding security protocols.

Internet speed for long-distance servers may lag from time to time. At 5Mbps to 10Mbps, it can still stream your favorite content. PrivateVPN integrates strong security protocols like no-logging activity, DNS and IP leak protection, and auto-kill switch.

13. ZenMate VPN

Rating: 4 out of 5

Unlocks most UK streaming sites.

• Outstanding encryption technology and protocols
• Unblocks torrent sites
• Available with unlimited devices and simultaneous connections
• Easy setup with one-click
• Overrides geo-blocked content, especially in the UK

• Android devices don’t have a kill switch
• Inconsistent speed

What users love about ZenMate is that it unblocks most UK streaming sites such as BBC iPlayer, BritBox, and ITV Hub. What's more, they have a free plan that comes with limited features such as access to 4 servers and data speed of 2Mbps. Take note of the number of devices supported (Chrome, Edge, and Firefox) because that's what you'll get.

Overall, ZenMate offers decent speed that shows no negative effect on streaming or downloading content. The provider, however, is best for torrenting due to its optimized servers. They're a bit inconsistent with browsing speed and encryption, which we found use AES 256-bit encryption for desktops and mobile devices. With the browser extension, they only offer 128-bit.

14. UltraVPN

Rating: 4 out of 5

Unlimited for all devices with just one VPN connection.

• Strong access to major US streaming sites
• Very good speed
• Allows P2P connections for torrenting with no problems
• Unlimited bandwidth for streaming, torrenting and downloading
• Easy to use for first-time VPN users

• No ad blockers and fewer device compatibilities
• Geo-restrictions are limited from the toughest countries

UltraVPN provides comprehensive security protocols when masking your identity online. It can unblock most US streaming sites, but not many UK servers such as BBC iPlayer. The provider has fast and reliable internet speed for browsing, torrenting, and streaming.

It can't lift geo-restrictions in China and Russia, but the provider is currently working on that. A premium plan will cost you $6.99 with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

15. Windscribe

Rating: 3.8 out of 5

Good choice for VPN newbies and non-techies.

• User-friendly interface and app
• Unlimited device usage and simultaneous connections
• A free plan gives you access to 10 VPN servers
• Torrent-friendly
• Outstanding security features

• Limited customer support via chat
• Short 3-day refund period

Windscribe has a free plan for new users to take advantage of. While it has limited features, it's a good start to get a taste of their encryption protocols. We've also found out that Windscribe comes with speedy connections of around 30Mpbs to 50Mbps.

It can unlock major US streaming sites like Netflix, but we had a hard time bypassing UK servers. They don't keep activity logs and use industry-standard VPN protocols to keep your identity safe. Unfortunately, they only have a short 3-day refund period if you want to cancel your subscription.

16. AirVPN

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Award-winning privacy technology to keep you safe online from threats.

• Robust privacy technology and security protocols with OpenVPN
• No traffic and time limit
• Defeats geo-restrictions in many countries
• Optimized P2P for torrent-friendly downloads
• Fully-featured GUI Linux

• Hard-to-understand interface
• Not really built for streaming

AirVPN is known for its encryption networks and protocols. Despite having a limited number of servers, they provide excellent connection speeds, faster than many competitors. This is perfect for P2P connections and downloads, however, we struggled a little with streaming sites.

The interface and functionality need more elbow grease, especially if you want to access highly geo-restricted countries like China. If you want a full refund of your subscription, AirVPN can comply with it as long as you haven't used 5GB or more of bandwidth.

17. HideMyAss! (HMA)

Rating: 4 out of 5

Large VPN network with solid reputation.

• A lot of server locations
• Plenty of payment options for easy transactions
• Super speedy connection at 20Gbps
• Easy experience for first-time VPN users
• Provides essential protection and military-grade encryption

• Fewer features
• Connectivity logs are kept for a month or so

If you know where to look, HideMyAss (HMA) has a 7-day free trial. With a free trial, you're able to connect up to 2 devices, enjoy ad blocking, and change VPN protocols. The monthly plan starts at $60 with a reliable 30-day money-back guarantee.

Even though HMA says there are no logs kept, it seems like connectivity logs are kept for more than a month. There are fewer features found in HMA compared to other VPN servers. Either way, HMA offers good performance with the essential security features every VPN should have.