Does NordVPN Have a Free Trial in 2026, and Which Plan Is Cheapest?

Published: 8 October 2026 · Author: Trang Do, Beauty Editor, ShopBack

Short answer for the US in 2026: Yes. NordVPN offers a free 7-day trial to new users in the United States on its 1-year and 2-year plans, according to NordVPN's help center at the time of writing. First-time Android users can get a separate 3-day trial through Google Play, and first-time customers who pay can ask for a refund within 30 days. On price, the 1-month plan has the smallest upfront charge, while 1-year and 2-year plans are paid in full upfront and typically cost less per month. If you buy a paid plan, go through ShopBack US first so the subscription costs you less.

ShopBack is a free app and website that gives cash back on purchases at partner stores in the US, including NordVPN. You sign up for free, open NordVPN on ShopBack, then buy your plan on the NordVPN website as usual. The live rate and the terms sit on the NordVPN page on ShopBack.

Does NordVPN have a free trial, and which plan is cheapest?

NordVPN has a free trial, and the cheapest plan depends on whether you care about the upfront charge or the cost per month. Here are the facts from NordVPN's help center at the time of writing:

Option	What NordVPN says	Who it suits
7-day free trial	New users only, in 15 countries including the US, on 1-year and 2-year plans, card or PayPal required	Anyone who wants to test every feature before paying
3-day Google Play trial	First-time Android users who download the app from Google Play, one per customer	Android users who only want a quick test
30-day money-back guarantee	First-time customers can request a refund within 30 days of purchase	People who want to pay now and decide within a month
1-month plan	The smallest upfront charge, paid monthly	Short trips or short-term use
1-year and 2-year plans	Paid in full at purchase	People who will use a VPN all year

NordVPN was founded in 2012 and is developed by Nord Security. Prices on NordVPN's pricing page change regularly, so this article does not quote them. Open the pricing page on the day you buy.

NordVPN free trial: how it works

The NordVPN free trial lasts 7 days, costs nothing during the trial, and turns into a paid plan automatically unless you cancel. According to NordVPN's help center:

• Who can get it. Only new NordVPN users with no prior subscription, and only once per customer with a new Nord Account.
• Where. France, the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Italy and Poland.
• Which plans. 1-year and 2-year plans.
• How you pay. Credit card or PayPal. Other methods grey out the trial option.
• What you get. Full access to the features and servers in the plan you picked.

How to start it. Pick a 1-year or 2-year plan on NordVPN's site, enter your card or PayPal details, download the app and use it for 7 days.

How to cancel. Log in to your Nord Account, click Billing, and under Subscriptions click Cancel next to Free trial. NordVPN says it emails a reminder of the price and conditions before the paid plan begins.

NordVPN free trial 2026: trial vs money-back guarantee

In 2026 you have two ways to try NordVPN without losing money: the 7-day free trial and the 30-day money-back guarantee. They work differently.

With the free trial, you pay nothing up front and cancel inside 7 days if it is not for you. With the money-back guarantee, you pay for a plan first, then first-time customers can contact NordVPN's support for a refund within 30 days. If you bought NordVPN through Apple's App Store, NordVPN says to contact Apple for the refund instead.

Which should you use? The trial is the safer way to test with no charge at all. The money-back route gives you a longer window to decide, but you pay first. That choice also matters for ShopBack, which we cover below.

Is NordVPN free?

Not permanently. NordVPN is a paid VPN, and its free options are time-limited. You get 7 days free on the trial, 3 days free on the Google Play trial, or up to 30 days to ask for a refund after you pay. There is no permanent free tier listed in NordVPN's help center.

NordVPN cheapest plan: how to compare

The cheapest NordVPN plan depends on three things: the plan length, the tier and the renewal price.

1. Plan length. NordVPN sells 2-year, 1-year and 1-month plans. The 1-month plan is billed monthly, so it has the smallest upfront charge. The 1-year and 2-year plans are paid in full at purchase, according to NordVPN. Longer plans typically cost less per month, so divide the total by the number of months to compare.
2. Tier. A VPN-only plan costs less than a bundle. NordVPN says its Complete plan includes NordPass and NordLocker. Add-ons such as a dedicated IP also raise the price at checkout.
3. Renewal price. NordVPN says your plan renews automatically at the end of the first term at the applicable renewal price, which can differ from the first-term price. Check the renewal price before you commit.

Other things that change the final charge. Sales tax may be added at checkout based on where you live, app store purchases can be priced slightly differently from a direct web purchase, and paying in a different currency can add bank conversion fees, according to NordVPN.

NordVPN cheapest way to save money: tips for the US in 2026

The cheapest way to buy NordVPN in the US in 2026 is to pick the right plan length, use an official deal, and go through ShopBack before you check out.

• Choose the length you will use. If you need a VPN for one trip, a month is enough. If you use it every day, a longer plan usually works out cheaper per month.
• Pick the tier you need. If you already use a password manager, a VPN-only plan avoids paying for a bundle you will not use.
• Time it to a sale. NordVPN says it runs deals through the year, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Black Friday falls on November 27, 2026 and Cyber Monday on November 30, 2026.
• Buy on the website. A direct web purchase is the one you can start from ShopBack. App store purchases go through Apple or Google.
• Go through ShopBack first. For subscriptions like NordVPN, going through ShopBack is an essential step before you check out, so you pay less on the same order.

NordVPN official deals

NordVPN's own deals are listed on its pricing page and in its help center. According to NordVPN's help center at the time of writing, they include:

• Student discount for students and apprentices aged 18 to 26.
• Monthly coupon deals on NordVPN's coupons page.
• Creator coupon codes from content creators in NordVPN's affiliate program.
• Refer a friend to get a month of NordVPN free.
• Seasonal deals, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

One caution if you plan to use ShopBack: a promo code from outside ShopBack can stop the purchase from tracking. If you use a code, use one featured on the NordVPN page on ShopBack.

Other VPNs on ShopBack US include Surfshark and ExpressVPN, so you can compare plans and still go through ShopBack whichever you choose.

How ShopBack lowers what you pay for NordVPN

ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

Here is the routine:

1. Sign in to ShopBack US and open the NordVPN page on ShopBack.
2. Tap through to NordVPN and pick your plan on the NordVPN website.
3. Pay in the same session. Part of what you paid comes back to your ShopBack account once the purchase is confirmed.

Illustrative example: on a $100 NordVPN plan at an illustrative 20%, $20 comes back, so the effective price is $80. The real rate can be very different and changes over time, so check the live rate on the NordVPN page on ShopBack.

What to check in the terms first. At the time of writing, ShopBack's NordVPN terms say:

• Cash back applies to new NordVPN subscriptions, and people who have used a NordVPN free trial count as existing customers.
• Renewals and plan changes do not qualify, and neither do NordPass or NordLocker plans.
• Refunds and cancellations are not eligible, so a plan refunded under the money-back guarantee will not earn cash back.
• Turn off your VPN and ad blocker while you tap through from ShopBack, and clear your NordVPN cart first, so the purchase can be tracked.

These terms can change, so read the Terms section on the NordVPN page on ShopBack before you buy. If you are sure you want NordVPN, going through ShopBack on a paid plan lowers the effective price of that plan. If you are not sure, the trial lets you test it without paying.

NordVPN cashback: what to check on any cashback site

Several cashback and shopping-rewards sites list NordVPN, and the terms matter more than the headline number. Whichever site you look at, check four things before you buy:

• Whether it applies only to new subscriptions or also to renewals.
• Whether a past free trial makes you count as an existing customer.
• Which plans or tiers qualify.
• Whether a promo code from elsewhere stops the purchase from tracking.

On ShopBack US, all four are answered on the NordVPN page on ShopBack.

NordVPN, credit card rewards and other offers

Your credit card and ShopBack are separate programs. A rewards credit card usually earns its own points or cash back as normal on a NordVPN purchase you started on ShopBack, but check your card issuer's terms and check the merchant's terms on its ShopBack page. Some card issuers also run their own merchant offers that you add to your card; those follow the card issuer's rules. For more on how the two fit, see 5 cashback mistakes US shoppers make.

Frequently asked questions

Does NordVPN have a free trial?

Yes. According to NordVPN's help center at the time of writing, NordVPN offers a free 7-day trial to new users in 15 countries, including the United States, on 1-year and 2-year plans. You pay nothing during the trial, but you need a credit card or PayPal, and the plan starts automatically unless you cancel before the 7 days end. First-time Android users can also get a separate 3-day trial through Google Play.

Which NordVPN plan is cheapest?

It depends on how you measure it. NordVPN sells 2-year, 1-year and 1-month plans. The 1-month plan has the smallest charge upfront. The 1-year and 2-year plans are paid in full at purchase, according to NordVPN, and longer plans typically cost less per month. A VPN-only tier also costs less than a bundle such as Complete, which adds NordPass and NordLocker. Check the renewal price too, because it can differ from the first-term price.

Is NordVPN free?

Not permanently. NordVPN is a paid service. You can try it free for 7 days if you are a new user in an eligible country such as the US, or for 3 days through Google Play on Android, and first-time customers can ask for a refund within 30 days of purchase under NordVPN's money-back guarantee.

How do I cancel the NordVPN free trial before I am charged?

Log in to your Nord Account, click Billing in the left-hand menu, and under Subscriptions click Cancel next to Free trial, according to NordVPN's help center. Do it before the 7 days end. NordVPN says it emails a reminder of the price before the paid subscription begins. A Google Play trial is cancelled through Google Play.

What is the difference between the NordVPN free trial and the money-back guarantee?

With the free trial you pay nothing for 7 days and cancel before the plan starts. With the 30-day money-back guarantee you pay for a plan first, and first-time customers can ask NordVPN's customer support for a refund within 30 days of purchase. If you bought through Apple's App Store, NordVPN says to contact Apple for the refund.

Does NordVPN have a student discount?

Yes. According to NordVPN's help center, NordVPN offers an additional discount for students and apprentices aged 18 to 26.

What are NordVPN's official deals?

NordVPN lists its current plans on its pricing page and, according to its help center, also offers a student discount, monthly coupon deals, creator coupon codes through its affiliate program, a free month for referring a friend, and seasonal deals such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Can I get cashback on NordVPN?

Yes, on eligible purchases. NordVPN is on ShopBack US. Go through ShopBack before you check out on the NordVPN website, and part of what you pay comes back as cash once the purchase is confirmed. The live rate and the full terms, including which plans and purchases qualify, are shown on the NordVPN page on ShopBack.

Does a NordVPN free trial qualify for ShopBack cashback?

Usually not. A free trial has no payment, so there is nothing for cash to come back on. At the time of writing, ShopBack's NordVPN terms also say people who have used a NordVPN free trial count as existing customers, and cash back applies to new subscriptions. Read the Terms section on the NordVPN page on ShopBack before you choose between the trial and buying a plan.

Is cashback the same as credit card rewards?

No. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. A rewards credit card usually earns its own points as normal on the same purchase; check your card issuer's terms.

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Key takeaways

• NordVPN offers a free 7-day trial to new US users on 1-year and 2-year plans, a separate 3-day Google Play trial, and a 30-day money-back guarantee for first-time customers, according to NordVPN.
• The 1-month plan has the smallest upfront charge; 1-year and 2-year plans are paid in full upfront and typically cost less per month.
• A VPN-only tier costs less than bundles like Complete, and the renewal price can differ from the first-term price.
• NordVPN's own deals include a student discount for ages 18 to 26, monthly coupons, refer-a-friend and Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
• If you buy a paid plan, go through ShopBack US first; at the time of writing, a past free trial counts you as an existing customer under ShopBack's NordVPN terms.

Before you buy a paid NordVPN plan, open NordVPN on ShopBack and check the live rate and terms on that page.

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author.

NordVPN trials, plans, prices, renewal terms, refunds and deals are set by NordVPN and can change. Figures in this article were taken from NordVPN's help center at the time of writing. Cashback rates, qualifying purchases and terms on ShopBack US are published on each store's ShopBack page and can change, so check that page before you buy.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional or financial advice.