How do you get a Proton VPN free trial? If you’re interested in giving it a go without shelling out for a subscription, you’re too late. Until recently, it offered a full 7-day trial. However, that offering disappeared after the VPN wrapped it up in 2021. But don’t worry, there’s still a way to test Proton VPN before committing.
To enjoy a Proton VPN trial, you can use its 30-day money-back guarantee if you wish to test its premium version. This article explains everything there is to know and even lets you in on a little secret: using Proton VPN for free forever. Check this out.
Proton VPN Free Trial Guide for 2026
- Subscribe to Proton VPN. Pick any plan you like.
- Download and set up Proton VPN on your device.
- Launch the app and sign in to start using it.
- Request a refund within 30 days to be refunded and lose nothing.
Try Proton VPN for Free for 30 Days
Please note that, instead of a Proton VPN trial, you can opt for its free plan, which lets you use it without paying, forever. However, it lacks premium features, so you don’t get to try and test every feature.
Does Proton VPN Have a Free Trial?
No, Proton VPN doesn’t offer a free trial in the traditional sense, where there’s a limited-time test period with full access to all features. Until a few years ago, it included a 7-day trial when you signed up for the free plan (more on that later). However, that has now been discontinued. So, what to do then?
The VPN comes with a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. To take advantage of this, you must sign up for a Plus (premium) plan. While it’s obviously not the same as the (genuinely) free trial, a money-back guarantee allows you to test the provider’s full range of features before committing.
We traced the reason behind that move to Reddit, where Proton VPN said it removed the free trial to prevent abuse. Some users were creating multiple accounts to access its Plus servers and premium features, causing excessive strain on its servers and affecting performance for paying customers.
But here’s how the money-back guarantee subs in as a free trial. Say you sign up for Proton VPN and try out its features. If you’re not satisfied, you can request a refund within 30 days. In essence, you walk away without spending money if the VPN doesn’t impress you, but you have an extended test run, not only 7 days.
Proton VPN Trial for 30 Days: How to Try it for Free?
Well then, let’s dive into the easy-to-follow steps to trying Proton VPN with its money-back guarantee. It’s nothing new, and it’s how most free trial VPNs function, including our favorite NordVPN free trial that you can also test.
Step 1: Sign Up
Go to the Proton VPN website and choose a pricing plan. It has substantial discounts for the annual and two-year plans, but picking the monthly plan means you pay less to sign up. We leave the choice to you.
Note: Payments made with cash or bank transfers are not refundable, so we suggest using other methods instead. Also, make sure to sign up through the VPN’s website or mobile app, not a third-party service.
Step 2: Download and Install the App
Download the VPN app once you’re done subscribing and creating an account. Proton VPN offers native apps for all popular platforms, so there should be no issues during setup. Install the VPN and log in using your credentials. You can now enjoy its best-in-class security tools, fast speed, and unblocking capabilities.
Step 3: Cancel Your Subscription & Request a Refund
You can cancel your Proton VPN subscription to claim a refund if you decide the VPN isn’t for you. To do so, reach out to the provider’s customer service team via the support form or use the live chat option on your account page.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind:
For starters, you’re only eligible for a refund if you request one within 30 days of your initial subscription. Don’t forget this because it’s a pretty strict window—no exceptions. Secondly, if you check Proton’s Terms of Service, don’t be alarmed by the mention of prorated refunds for the unused portion of your subscription.
If you dig a little deeper, you’ll see that this doesn’t apply to Proton VPN or Proton Drive users. When we contacted support, a representative confirmed that you do get a full refund. Simply request one within 30 days, and you’re good. Also, refunds can take up to 30 days to process, according to Proton VPN’s policy.
However, this timeframe is likely a precaution to account for unexpected delays. In reality, you’ll probably see your money refunded within a few days. Finally, expect a refund in the same currency as your original payment. You could ask for a different currency, but know that the company decides the exchange rate.
What You Get With the Proton VPN Free Trial
Take advantage of Proton VPN’s money-back guarantee, and you’re getting front-row seats to everything it offers for up to 30 days. It’s the premium tier. For example, you can access its entire fleet, comprising more than 18,100 servers across 130 countries. That’s a wide range of options to bypass geo-restrictions.
And honestly, it’s an area in which the VPN never struggled to impress. Relatedly, the entire collection is optimized for fast connection speeds, which it brings to the table with its speed- -friendly WireGuard and the VPN Accelerator. Proton VPN has earned a reputation for being a highly secure VPN, above all.
No surprises there, considering it’s brimming with industry-standard and advanced features. They include military-grade encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and Double VPN. You have its Swiss jurisdiction to bank on, privacy-wise, as the country has some of the strongest privacy laws in the world.
Also, you get built-in support for Tor, which all but guarantees your anonymity online. Last but not least, Proton VPN has a strict no-logs policy, which emphasizes a promise never to track or store details of your online sessions. Independent experts have audited that policy multiple times, so you can be sure it’s a valid claim.
Curious to learn more? Feel free to read our detailed review of Proton VPN or check out our NordVPN vs Proton VPN comparison to make the best possible choice.
You Can Also Use Proton VPN for Free (Really)
What if you really don’t want to pay a subscription fee, even with the refund guarantee? Good news: this VPN offers a completely free plan that’s so good, we rank it among the top free VPNs available. Proton VPN’s free plan is in a tiny category of free VPNs without a data or bandwidth limit.
What’s more, Proton VPN’s apps are completely ad-free. That’s a good sign that the provider doesn’t track your browsing activities or sell your data to third parties. You don’t get that with most free VPNs. However, as great as this sounds, hold off on getting too excited. Proton VPN claims its free plan has no catch.
But that’s not entirely true. In fact, there are quite a few drawbacks. For instance, free users can only connect to servers in ten countries: The United States, the Netherlands, Japan, Romania, Poland, and a few more. Also, while the free plan is usable, Plus subscribers quite clearly get priority for fast connections.
Proton VPN Free also has no streaming support. It can unblock, say, US TV channels from abroad, but it struggles to bypass more formidable geo-restrictions.
Final Thoughts
With Proton VPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee, you have ample time to confirm whether or not the provider is a good fit. That’s like getting a Proton VPN free trial, except you must sign up for a premium account first. Interested in checking other options? Here’s our comprehensive guide to the best VPN free trials of 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Proton VPN trial?
No, not in the traditional sense. Proton VPN has discontinued its 7-day free trial because it was prone to abuse. Instead, the provider offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, a risk-free way to test its premium features before committing.
Is Proton VPN free?
Yes, it’s free. There are two versions: Free and Plus. The former is really free, and you don’t have to submit credit card information to use it. It’s not a Proton VPN trial but rather an entirely different, less capable version of the same service.
Can you unblock Netflix when you get a Proton VPN free trial?
Yes, Proton VPN unblocks several Netflix libraries hassle-free. Subscribing to the plan allows you to enjoy this benefit even if you plan on cancelling your subscription and claiming a refund within 30 days of purchase.