VPN Money-Back Guarantee: Refund Windows and Rules Compared

By Disha Barot

Published Oct 29, 20267 min read

Most big VPNs give you 30 days to ask for a full refund: NordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN and Private Internet Access (PIA) all do. CyberGhost gives 45 days on 6-month and longer plans, but only 14 days on a monthly plan. For NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN the guarantee covers your first purchase, not renewals; PIA’s terms also allow a refund within 30 days of a renewal. If you paid through Apple’s App Store, you usually ask Apple instead.

This matters most when you buy a long, discounted plan, for example in a Black Friday sale. Below is what each VPN’s own terms say, the exceptions that catch people out, and how to ask for your money back. We couldn’t load ExpressVPN’s pages on 29 October 2026, so it isn’t included.

VPN money-back guarantees compared

NordVPN refund policy

NordVPN’s terms of service let you request a refund within 30 days of your purchase. The money-back guarantee applies only to your initial purchase: once a plan has renewed, it can’t be refunded under the guarantee, unless local law says otherwise.

There is one exception in the terms. If a plan longer than one month renews and you bought it from Germany, the Netherlands or the United Kingdom, you can get either a full refund if you ask within 30 days of the renewal charge, or a pro rata (partial) refund.

NordVPN can’t refund App Store purchases: those follow Apple’s refund policy. Purchases through other stores and resellers (its terms name Amazon, Google Play, BestBuy and StackSocial) follow that seller’s terms.

Surfshark refund policy

Surfshark gives you 30 days from your initial purchase to claim a refund. Its terms say the guarantee is for trying the service, so it applies only to the first purchase and is limited to one refund per service.

The terms list several exceptions. There is no refund if you signed up through a reseller other than Paddle, Google Play or Cleverbridge, or paid with a prepaid or gift card. The Alternative Number feature and an anonymous dedicated IP are non-refundable. There is also no refund if you were given a free trial of 30 days or longer.

Proton VPN refund policy

Proton’s terms let you cancel within 30 days of the initial purchase for a full refund. Both the cancellation and the refund request must be made within those 30 days, through Proton’s support form. Refunds can be requested once per user.

Payments made by cash or bank transfer are not refundable. If you subscribed through a third party, that party’s refund policy applies. Proton says refunds are processed within 30 days of the request, so the money may take a while to arrive.

PIA and CyberGhost refund policies

Private Internet Access offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Its order page says this is for new subscribers only, but its terms of service allow a refund within 30 days “from the date of the initial purchase and/or renewal”. If you’re unsure, ask support in writing before the 30 days end. Purchases through the Apple App Store, Google Play, gift cards or third-party deal sites are refunded by that seller, not PIA. If you take a refund and buy a new PIA account within three months, the new account can’t be refunded. If PIA asks you to verify your account, reply within 30 days or the request lapses.

CyberGhost has two windows. You get 14 days on a monthly plan and 45 days on longer plans (6 months and up). To get your money back, contact its support by email or live chat before your window ends. Subscriptions billed through the App Store, iTunes, Google Play or Amazon aren’t covered; you request those refunds from the store instead.

How to get a refund from a VPN

1. Check where you paid. If you paid on the VPN’s own website, you ask the VPN. If you paid through an app store or a reseller, you usually ask them.
2. Check the date. Count from the day you bought, not the day you first connected.
3. Contact support. Use the VPN’s live chat, email or support form and say you want a refund under the money-back guarantee.
4. Cancel auto-renewal too. Turning off auto-renewal stops future charges, but it is not a refund request. NordVPN’s terms say cancelling auto-renewal does not by itself entitle you to a refund, and PIA’s say that without a refund your account simply stays active until the end of the period. Ask for the refund as well.
5. Keep the reply. Save the confirmation in case the money takes time to arrive.
6. Don’t delete your account or file a chargeback first. Surfshark doesn’t refund deleted accounts for the unused time, and Proton’s terms say that using a card chargeback gives up its own refund. Ask support first.

How to use the refund window well

• Test early. In your first week, try the VPN on every device and for the things you bought it for: speed, the countries you need, and the apps you use.
• Buy direct. If you want the VPN’s own guarantee, buy on its website rather than in an app store.
• Check your payment method. Some payment methods are excluded (Proton excludes cash and bank transfers; Surfshark excludes prepaid and gift cards).
• Mark the renewal date. With most of these VPNs the guarantee covers only your first purchase, not a renewal two or three years later (PIA’s terms and NordVPN’s rules for Germany, the Netherlands and the UK are exceptions), so decide before the plan renews.
• Expect the money back the way you paid. Proton refunds in the original currency and to the original payment method; Surfshark refunds crypto payments in the same cryptocurrency.

Comparing prices as well? See our Black Friday VPN deals, with first-term and renewal prices. You can also read our NordVPN review, or check whether a free VPN is safe enough for your needs.

This is a summary of each VPN’s terms, not legal advice. The provider’s current terms decide.

Written byDisha Barot

Disha Barot has published 83 articles on Justwebworld since 2022, mostly covering Tech, Gaming and Shopping.

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