Database Mart's 24-hour free trial: how to request it, and what to test before the clock runs out

We pay for the servers and plans we use. Links marked as affiliate links earn us a commission at no cost to you; it never changes what we recommend. Details.

Most hosts answer "can I try it first?" with a money-back guarantee. Database Mart does it the other way round: payments are generally non-refundable, and there is a free trial instead. A day is short, so it pays to know the steps and to arrive with a list.

Why the trial matters here

Database Mart's terms say that once a service is paid, fees are "generally non-refundable", and that not being satisfied does not by itself qualify for a refund. The same terms tell customers to use the trial options before buying. The details are in our reading of the pricing and terms.

So the trial is not a marketing extra. It is the only free way to find out whether the server suits you.

How to request it

The sales FAQ gives three steps:

1. Choose a plan and click Order Now.
2. In the notes section, type 24-hour free trial, then click Check Out.
3. Click Submit Trial Request at the top right and fill in your details. No payment is required.

What the pages say happens next:

The free-trial page lists VPS, dedicated and GPU plans. Which plan you pick matters: the trial is of that plan, so choose the one you would actually buy. For anything that serves a website, that means a plan with a dedicated IP, not the $5.99 one.

Start by opening Database Mart's plans, and start the trial at a time when you have the next few hours free. The clock does not wait for you.

Nine checks for 24 hours

These are the checks we run on a new server before trusting it. Most take a minute.

1. Time the delivery. Note when you submitted the request and when the login arrived. It tells you what to expect from the same team when something breaks.

2. Confirm you got what the plan says.

nproc
free -m
df -h /
lsb_release -d

3. Check the IP address is yours. On a dedicated-IP plan the address on the network interface should be the public one.

ip -4 addr show scope global
curl -s https://ifconfig.me

If the two differ, you are behind a shared address and inbound ports will not behave the way a web server needs.

4. Test from outside that ports answer. Start a throwaway listener, then request it from your own computer, not from the server.

python3 -m http.server 80

curl -I http://YOUR_SERVER_IP/

5. Measure the network from where your users are. Database Mart publishes a test address per data centre. From our server in Frankfurt, on 2 Oct 2026, both Dallas and Kansas City answered in about 125 ms on average with no packets lost. Run the same from your own location:

ping -c 10 108.181.95.28
ping -c 10 93.127.132.250

6. Look at CPU steal. Run something heavy for a few minutes and watch the st column. A number that stays well above zero means the neighbours are busy.

vmstat 5 12

7. Write to the disk.

dd if=/dev/zero of=/root/test.bin bs=1M count=2048 oflag=direct
rm /root/test.bin

8. Install the thing you will really run. Docker, then your app, or Coolify with a stopwatch. On our $6 server the Coolify install is timed step by step, so you have something to compare against.

9. Reboot it. Then check that it comes back, how long that takes, and that your services start on their own.

Write the numbers down. A trial you cannot remember is worth nothing a week later when you decide.

If the day is not enough

A VPS can be judged in a few hours. A GPU server for model work often cannot: downloading weights alone can eat the morning. Database Mart's answer to "can I get more trial days" is to contact their sales team with the project's requirements. Ask before the trial starts, not in hour 23.

What we will add

We plan to take the trial ourselves. When it is done, this page gets the real delivery time, the output of the nine checks and anything that did not match the plan page, with the date.

FAQ

Does Database Mart have a free trial?

Yes. New clients can request a 24-hour free trial of a plan. No payment is required. The request is made during checkout by writing "24-hour free trial" in the order notes and clicking Submit Trial Request.

Do I need a credit card for the Database Mart trial?

No. The sales FAQ says no payment is required, and the free-trial page says no credit card is required. You do have to fill in your personal information.

How long does it take to get the trial server?

Database Mart says login details are sent within 30 minutes to 2 hours after the trial request. A request can also be declined, in which case they notify you by e-mail.

Can I extend the 24-hour trial?

Database Mart says that if you need more time because of special project requirements, you should contact their sales team by e-mail. It is not automatic.

What happens when the trial ends?

To keep the server, you pay the invoice in your billing account. After payment the usual terms apply, and those say fees are generally non-refundable.