8 Proven VPNs for China (Paid & Free)
These include China-capable security measures in the form of DNS and IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch and all the usual protocols. China has heavy internet censorship, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world, barring maybe a few Arab countries in the Middle East. Nonetheless, as a general rule, ExpressVPN tends to have the least problems connecting, even on low-quality connections. The two factors to consider are high latency and download/upload speeds. Some of the key market players in mobile VPN industry such as Netmotion Wireless Inc. There are a few different factors that we will use to help us determine the answer to this question.
Read our full CyberGhost review. Our main considerations when curating this list include factors we believe are of utmost importance to China VPN users. Country/jurisdiction: Here’s the fact: The basic plan will cost you $9. I don't have to look far from home to see it.
This is very important!
ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means you can test it out for a month. If you’re ready to make to make a purchase, check out our coupons and deals page to see how you can cut the cost of your premium subscription. The company offers a complete set of online protections at no additional cost, all you have to do is click to stay safe. Make sure to copy the posted activation code to your platform. Comparitech researcher Aaron Phillips derived detailed connection data on 59 VPN providers within China, using their Windows apps and preferred high-security settings. Reliable, 24/7 customer service is also an important consideration, because if you experience technical difficulties while you’re there, the fastest service available isn’t much use to you if you can’t troubleshoot. Up to 5 devices with 1 subscription.
Reliably avoids China’s Great Firewall and unblocks Google, Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram & Skype and more. Personally, I’ve used a VPN in China for many years, and it has been important to give me access to my corporate email (which is Google-based), VoiP calling, and even the guilty pleasure of social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) We only ran tests from a single server, so these results represent a specific internet service provider and geographic region. If you want to play it safe, you can exchange for some at your local bank before you go. The increased anonymity makes this service a good choice for China. Instagram is blocked in China, so how is Guanghong using his account? If you have an Android device and plan on going to China, we strongly recommend you get your VPN app and subscription before your trip. As for support, live chat is available 24/7 with any questions you have.
Of course, the best VPNs will be always available at all times. Founded in 2020, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPN providers for anonymity services in China and other countries as well. Any thoughts or suggestions? ExpressVPN has apps that can be used on your computer, your phone, your laptop, and your routers. Data sent to and from your device is always secured with military-grade 256-bit AES encryption. Most VPN providers have at least one or two servers blackholed. Lately, we’ve seen a lot of poorly-worded headlines suggesting otherwise. So in such a case, how do you go about accessing the websites with the best VPN comparison and VPN review?
Wireless & VPN Routers
This means they have a history of working and serving the China market. Now connect to one of the servers designated for China users (ask support which servers to use – not all servers will work from China) and then use the internet as normal. All websites, services, and users will only see your VPN server’s IP address. The VPN speeds were tested using iOS on a China Unicom 4G network in Guangzhou with a max non-VPN speed of about 11 mbps.
And is has a strict no-logs policy for maximum anonymity, even after you’ve disconnected. Free vpn service by betternet, we will briefly discuss the various devices below. Would it be unavailable for China's citizens? If you need to be able to send all web traffic (not just web browser) over the Astrill VPN software you will need to use Stealth Mode on the desktop app, which is now included in a normal subscription. Using an offshore (non-Chinese) VPN with a good track record (all of the VPNs in this guide) will further protect you from any issues. Includes a 30 day money back guarantee.
It seems that a special configuration is required. And in this case, there is a life hack that published on Reddit: Members have full access to their network in the USA and beyond for a very good price.
You Need a VPN to Visit Blocked Websites in China.
Your data is secure with no logging at all. 10 best 100% free vpn apps for android, the benefits of free VPNs A free VPN is a useful tool for people who need access to online information or websites that are blocked. For VPN users in China, I recommend ExpressVPN’s servers in Hong Kong, Japan and Los Angeles , which turned out to be the fasted ones and the most reliable ones. Extra security features: So, let’s set the record straight.
- Got a question for our security community?
- At certain times of day, the server that might be optimal for you and your connection might change.
- But, more importantly, each one has a wide variety of varying skills.
- If you are in such a situation then give a read to some of the guides that are out there on the internet about accessing the international version of the Apple App Store from any place in the world.
Further Reading
This is an important feature when choosing a VPN, most of all in China. If you are tech savvy, you can run your own VPN/Shadowsocks proxy on a server. Changes made in China’s biggest state-run routers propagate automatically via BGP, which puts the Chinese internet authority in every ISP in the country. 256-bit is considered the standard in most VPNs. And their tactics. When wondering what is the best VPN still working for China in 2020, this is definitely something you’ll have to look into. If you ask people in China to recommend the best VPN, you might get different answers.
However, because it is better to be sure, you want to download an android app.
How to browse anonymously in China
It supports Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, along with plugins for Chrome and Firefox. So there is no information for them to hand over to any entity upon request. As of 2020 it controlled the vast majority of domestic traffic with a market share of 70%. So if you're looking to access a restricted website then downloading a VPN in China is a solid solution. When a company seized one of their servers to get the potential user, they found nothing. And no, it’s not like other VPNs that force you to continue subscribing to them.
If you are one of those users who want to improve their online security and privacy then the single and perhaps the most effective measure to take is to use a VPN service. Already have a VPN but not sure if it works in China? Here’s an article with recommendations on getting your own VPN server. Generally speaking NordVPN has some pretty great pricing and frequently does special offers, too. It is a great choice for P2P and torrenting as well.
What VPN should I choose for China?
While the results obtained are complicated to interpret due to the high number of parameters involved, we have been able to come to some conclusions: Some would argue that the Chinese government is right to worry about the real or perceived political and social threats that the internet may cause to the country’s cultural ideology and values. The best vpn services for 2020, you're placing your trust in a VPN provider to be more upstanding about security and user privacy than your ISP is, and there's little in the way of regulation or control when it comes to who can set up a Virtual Private Network and rent it out. Thank you to @flytpack for my WiFi with VPN in China. Individual plans are available if you only use one device, or get a family plan for a few dollars more and connect every laptop and phone in the house. Moreover, there are two legal ways of using Surfshark for free:
Trust me, I’ve done it. VPN obfuscation is a special method to hide VPN traffic from censorship such as the GFW and it worked pretty well with me on my computer. In a move that angered many, both Apple and Google caved in to Chinese pressure and removed VPN applications from their app stores. It's good to use when you're facing coverage gaps, internetwork roaming, bandwidth issues or limited battery life, memory or processing power. Who is this guide for? ExpressVPN apps have powerful VPN features.
Change server : Jump on a friend’s WiFi. Proxies are network protection methods for your internet browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc.) Explore our ExpressVPN review to see the full results of our research and testing.
So, Can You Get a Legal VPN in China?
Some VPN providers offer a service that's very near to China such as servers in Hong Kong or on the West Coast. There were reports of a man sentenced to 9 months in jail for selling VPNs. The company offers three plans: You have fast, reliable connections on any server you connect to.
It's worth the money to install reliable service. A quick look through comments on Beijing or Shanghai expat forums will reveal that none are perfect. And since it has close proximity to China, it takes care of users who want to use a VPN service in that country as well. There are records of guard geese giving the alarm in ancient Rome when the Gauls attacked; geese have been used to guard a US Air Defense Command base in Germany and a brewery in Scotland. Your success with this service will largely depend on where you are geographically in the country. This protects the personal data of a user from being exposed in China. We like that PureVPN offers a 31-day refund policy and supports Bitcoin payments, to further extend anonymous browsing.
Is Using a VPN in China Legal?
ExpressVPN performed very well in our speed tests. NordVPN uses “obfuscated servers,” that are specifically designed to be used in countries with heavily restricted internet access like China. The biggest limitation of using a corporate VPN is that all data generated in China needs to remain within the country’s borders. If you’re ready to sign up, take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee and try it out risk-free. Her verdict on T-Mobile? This is really quite affordable. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try before you buy, or just use it for your China trip and then opt out, if you're comfortable with that.
It is believed that companies are free to use their custom VPNs – but they need to know their limitations.
Tips for Using VPN in China:
Some VPN have free trials, test if all your devices are compatible before going for its longer subscription. That being said, if all you care about is surfing the web on your computer, then Astrill might still be a good choice. As a result, NordVPN really works in China. Let's start off with the biggest win it offers: When you try out a VPN, make sure you test its speed and reliability. It’s more secure but slows down your speeds (so it’s not ideal for, say, streaming Netflix in China). I’ve used StrongVPN off and on over the years and they’ve always provided a good software experience and excellent customer support. The much-praised Chameleon protocol is excluded from the basic plan, which offers three simultaneous connections.
Learn more in our guide on How to Use Tor: Besides, the technical support should be capable of quickly solving the problems that may come up during each update to the Great Firewall. Other important sources of information would be unreachable, and indeed no Facebook, Whatsapp, or Instagram. The company's one-year subscription plan costs is for $6. Moreover, for people coming from China, the company offers its stealth technology called Chameleon. Despite all-new technical innovations, there are some cases when AstrillVPN is unable to bypass the blocking. The best free VPN service for China is VPN Gate.
With your VPN connected and active, open a browser on the device and load ipleak. Every traveler needs a VPN for China, but it’s not always easy to know what is the best option. PureVPN costs $10. You can also choose OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec and PPTP if you want to switch your security protocol. We also take into consideration the great amount of feedback that we have received from our readers. You can also try a free trial for seven days. Such as posting negative news about the government on Twitter or something like this.
No. 1: ExpressVPN
However, most VPNs are blocked in China as well. This can be a hassle as the configuration can be complicated, with long strings of letters and numbers you must manually enter. The protocol still needs a bit of development, as right now, it doesn’t do a good job of protecting anonymity (which is essential for getting around restrictions in China), and its security must be analyzed thoroughly before it can be commercialized. Easily break through the Great Firewall and access any online content you want. Most cost-free VPNs will not work all the time.
They go even further by employing special technology that erases all their ExpressVPN server data when rebooted. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. Tunnelbear – Offers a totally free 500 MB per month bandwidth plan. There is also a feature called 'VigilantBear', a kill switch that blocks all unsecured traffic when you lose your WiFi connection, until a device has safely reconnected again. This ensures you’re always anonymous and minimizes the risk of your data or traffic being exposed.
This means they’ll retain some (or all) of your data, including personal information or browsing activity. Based on my experience, PureVPN is stable and fast (if not super fast) in China. In general, however, Astrill has a record of providing the most consistent, un-interrupted connection status for a VPN in China. Read our full NordVPN review. There had been no case of people getting into legal problem for using a VPN, until January 2020, when a man in Guangdong was fined 1000 Yuan for using a VPN. Connecting to a VPN like Astrill will slow your connection down even more. That means you can bypass digital censorship on all of your platforms.
How to use TorGuard in China:
95 when you pay for a month. But those reports only showed that the Chinese government had started to take action against foreign as well as domestic VPN services that allowed users to have access to a VPN service in China. Its best offer is $2 a month, for its 24-month plan (you pay $48 up front). The engineering team at ExpressVPN is constantly updating servers whenever the Great Firewall starts blocking all VPNs (holidays, major political events) and sends regular email updates on the situation. The long answer is – there are still ways to make Gmail work. However, the strength of China’s Internet restrictions may vary regionally and from year to year, so you may want to turn on one of our advanced security features.
This VPN is excellent for privatizing transmissions. How to prepare for a potential VPN ban How to prepare for a potential VPN ban Reports of the Chinese government banning VPNs in the country have surfaced from time to time in the past. Best vpn for china, so, think through your needs as you make a decision. Aside from reliability (which is huge), there are two things that separate ExpressVPN from the competition: What is a mobile VPN? The best providers’ solutions are actually used in enterprises and businesses and aren’t only important to people looking to use Google or Facebook.
The supposed deadline for the VPN has passed, and Chinese telecom companies have confirmed that no such ban exists and they have not received any such notice from authorities. You don’t need to know every detail of the laws, but you do need to know that the Great Firewall of China is what stops you accessing a long list of foreign websites, including Google, Facebook, Twitter, and many more. For this reason, I recommend you try to download and install the apps before you arrive. Norton security, this feature worked about half the time, in my experience, and not reliably enough to access video content from other countries. Enjoy using ExpressVPN in China and unblocking all online content. Currently it’s hard to say whether using a VPN in China is legal or not. Here, we’re talking mostly about Taiwanese and Tibetan separatist groups.
- A VPN (Virtual Private Network) can be used to browse freely, but few actually work in China, making the best VPN for China hard to find.
- Only need a VPN for a short time?
- Popular website, Reddit, is blocked in China.
- Be careful, because it looks like that will jump to $143 after your first year is up.
- It ideally combines effectiveness and price.
- A great way to ensure browser security is to install HTTPS Everywhere and Privacy Badger, two extensions that force an encrypted connection and disable tracking scripts.
The Best Free VPNs for China – Full Analysis (Updated 2020)
This VPN provider does allow torrenting and P2P file sharing. I would advise getting a Hotmail account and downloading the outlook app to your phone or laptop. You're an Aussie who is looking for a dependable service for the World Cup. – This is quite important, as where VPN ban is on the rise and VPN closure is happening more than often. Even though many VPNs have an option to automatically connect to the server with the best performance, sometimes it’s useful to test which server works the best with your connection. This social data is then combined with shopping histories, biometric data, and video surveillance footage. ExpressVPN lets you unblock thousands of sites worldwide on PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more, and you never have to worry about complicated configurations or setup procedures.
🧱 What is the Great Firewall of China?
They are able to respond swiftly to customers concerns and enquiries and they treat their customers quite modestly. Nord's actions following the discovery included -- eventually -- multiple security audits, a bug bounty program and heavier investments in server security. You also have advanced encryption alongside built-in malware protection, which blocks any potential phishing scams or websites that could infect your device.
PrivateVPN
Generally speaking, VPNs are legal to use in China, so long as you aren’t using the VPN to do something illegal. Best free option Image: Choose from servers in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, or even Singapore. Afghanistan's rulers benefitting while people suffering. Betternet vpn review & test 2020, betternet keeps logs that could expose your activity and makes your information vulnerable to third parties through advertising. Who hasn’t heard about GFW? I’m a huge fan of their overall design (which was just updated last year) – the website, desktop app and mobile app are all beautiful, quick to install and easy to use. Launch a web browser on the same device and go to ipleak. If someone living in a country where the government routinely attacks the privacy of its own citizens takes my advice, and I am wrong, the consequences are potentially much greater.