Are you looking to try Lightnode for free? Unfortunately, the platform doesn’t provide any such offer. However, they offer some free credit around $5-15.
But still you need to make a minimum payment of $10 in order to deploy their server.
Then, if you are needing a genuine free trial, go for Kamatera, an enterprise-grade cloud platform that offers a free 30-day trial with a free $100 credit.
As you are informed now, Lightnode doesn’t have such an offer, even though you urge to try it. I am providing sign-up guidance below.
LightNode Free Trial
LightNode does not offer a true free trial. You may see a $5–$15 bonus credit, but you must deposit at least $10 before you can deploy any server. So it’s not risk-free. If you’re specifically looking to test a VPS without upfront payment, it isn’t ideal.
Better Alternative?
If you want no hassle, Kamatera is your go-to:
✅ Genuine 30-Day Trial
✅ Free $100 Credit
✅ 100% Uptime
✅ 24/7 Live Chat Support
✅ 100+ One-Click Apps
✅ No Card Required
Great for beginners and those seeking enterprise-grade servers with real-time help. LightNode is complex, but Kamatera is simple, fast, and beginner-friendly.
Signing up with the platform is quite straightforward. It doesn’t require any government ID except a payment through a valid method to filter out genuine users.
1. Visit LightNode and click sign up.
2. Enter email address, 
Fill in the verification code, 
set a password, and hit the sign-up button.
3. Add personal information.
Although you can skip subscribing to marketing emails.
- Name
- Address
- Zip code
- Country
- Phone number
4. You can see some gifts of $5-15,
but still you need to top up your account with a minimum of $10 with the available payment mode.
5. Consider making payment in order to spin their server.
More Free Trial Offers From Other Cloud Platforms
1. Kamatera
Kamatera has done a tremendous job in recent years. They have heavily invested in improving their cloud server performance, security, and reliability.
We noticed the result-oriented changes in our independent test, as their server was able to achieve God-level 100% uptime, TTFB ~20 ms and 1 core VPS handled 10k users in real time.
Diagonal scaling is their core identity, and 100+ one-click apps assist beginners in launching their first web property on the cloud. These two features eliminate the need for developers and allow you to choose exactly what resource you need.
You will find 24 global data centers, a cloud firewall, DDoS protection, and disaster recovery management protecting you from the front.
Moreover, if you get stuck somewhere, their support on calls, email, and live chat is ready to help you.
2. Vultr
Vultr is known for their high-frequency servers, as their servers are built with 3 GHz Intel Skylake chips and NVMe storage.
The NVIDIA A16 unlocks top-notch performance for running heavy-duty processes, such as video rendering, AI calculations, live streaming, and gaming apps.
That’s why experienced developers rejoice to join them.
A vast bunch of data centers and a 100% uptime SLA allow you to keep your data accessible and closest to your audience with no interruption.
They also come with a free 30-day trial without a CC.
FAQ
1. Does LightNode really offer a free trial?
No. LightNode does not provide a true free trial. While you may receive a $5–$15 bonus credit, you must add at least $10 to your account before deploying any server. This makes it a paid test, not a risk-free trial.
2. Can I deploy a VPS using only the $5–$15 LightNode credit?
No. The bonus credit alone is not usable for server deployment. LightNode requires a mandatory $10 top-up, even if you already received free credits.
3. Do I need to submit ID or documents to sign up on LightNode?
No government ID or documents are required. You only need an email address and a valid payment method. The payment requirement exists mainly to prevent fake or abusive sign-ups.
4. Is LightNode suitable for beginners testing VPS for the first time?
Not really. Since there’s no genuine free trial and deployment requires upfront payment, LightNode can feel complex and risky for beginners who just want to experiment without spending money.
5. What is the best free alternative to LightNode in 2026?
If you want a real free trial, go with Kamatera. It offers a 30-day free trial with $100 credit, no forced deposit, enterprise-grade infrastructure, 24/7 support, and 100+ one-click apps, making it far more beginner-friendly than LightNode.
Ravi Kumar is a Server Performance Analyst with over 4 years of experience benchmarking cloud infrastructure. He has optimized and stress-tested over 150+ websites, digging deep into uptime, disk latency, and CPU performance. Whether you’re looking for a free trial or a high-performance production server, Ravi uses real-world data to help you find the perfect host.