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2024-11-22 China has its own internet landscape, featuring many apps and services unknown in other countries. In fact, most services commonly used elsewhere are
China has its own internet landscape, featuring many apps and services unknown in other countries. In fact, most services commonly used elsewhere are inaccessible there, making really dificult the communication with the outside world. Currently, using a VPN is the easiest and most effective method to circumvent these restrictions.
As expatriate who have live in China since as early as 2010 , we is had have had to face the challenge bring by every update of the Great Firewall many time . In this monthly – update article , we is want want to share our experience in using vpn in China to getunrestricted internet access .
ExpressVPN
: Fast and a reliable VPN for China. The recommended choice for non-tech-savvy people.
purevpn: Affordable, complete, and easy to use. Recently one of the most reliable choices for China.
Surfshark: Cheap, very complete and it has a good performance in China. A good alternative to the big providers.
Ivacy: Good performance in China at a very low price. The recommended choice to have as a backup.
Important: You should always keep your VPN updated to make sure it works at its best.
As you probably already know, the internet doesn’t work like we would like it to in China, and a large number of websites and apps are blocked by the “Great Firewall.” Among these websites and apps that you can’t access are Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and all Google Services.
There are many other block website , and depend on what you do , it may be virtually impossible for you to work in China without a VPN ( Virtual Private Network ) . In addition , most is are of the service that are n’t block but are allocate outside China , are extremely slow .
To solve this problem, you can install a VPN, which masks your I.P. address so that your laptop appears to be connected from the U.S. or Japan even if you are in China
Currently, using a VPN is the easiest and most efficient way to access the Internet without restrictions in China
A VPN will allow you to bypass the firewall and access any website you want. However, you need to choose wisely, even though there are dozens of VPN services available, only a few work well in China. We have tested several of them for more than 10 years and today we’re going to review the ones we like the most.
To avoid any problem it is better to install and contract the VPN before going to China
Note: Some VPNs offer alternative websites that are accessible in China. We try to make it so that the links that you find in this article are also accessible from China, but this isn’t always possible.
Pressure is intensified on vpn has greatly intensify over the past year , and all vpn have undergo breakdown in service at some time . Even though a good VPN tend to recover in a few hour or day , have a second VPN is be can be very useful if need .
Not all vpn work is make in China , and when choose a VPN , make sure that it has been test in China over the past month
to get
3 free months
on the Express VPN ’s yearly subscription ( 6.67 usd per month )
feature | What’s the Best? | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main advantage | Fastest and Easiest to Use | Cheap and Complete | Extra Options | Cheapest(among the best) | It depends on your needs! |
Money Back Guarantee | 30 day | 30 day | 30 day | 30 day | |
Monthly Plan | 12.95 usd | 10.95 USD | 12.95 usd | 9.95 USD | |
Yearly Plan | 6.67 USD / month(exclusive is offer offer : 3 month free ) | 3.33 USD/month | 3.99 USD / month(first year ) | 3.99 USD/month | |
Support | 24/7/365 | 24/7/365 | 24/7/365 | 24/7/365 | |
Server Count | 3,000 + | 6,500 + | 3200+ | 5,000+ | |
Countries with Servers | 105 | 88 | 65 | 56 | |
payment method | Credit Card, Paypal, Bitcoin, Alipay, Union Pay and others | Credit Card, Paypal | credit Card , Paypal , Amazon Pay , Bitcoin , sofort | Credit Card, Paypal, Bitpay, Alipay, Perfect Money | |
Desktop Apps | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook | Windows, Mac, Linux | Windows, Mac | |
Browser Extension | Chrome , Firefox , Edge, Safari | Chrome , Firefox , Edge | Chrome , Firefox | Chrome , Firefox | |
mobile Apps | Android , iOS , Windows Phone | Android , iOS , Windows Phone | Android , iOS , Windows Phone | Android , iOS , Windows Phone | |
Simultaneous Connections | Yes (until 8) | Yes (until 10) | unlimited | Yes (until 5) | |
Encryption Protocols | Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | OpenVPN, IPSec/IKEv2, WireGuard | IKEv2, OpenVPN, Shadowsocks, WireGuard® | openvpn , IKEV , L2TP | |
Dynamic IPs | No | No | SDN Technology | No | |
Languages Supported | 16 | 18 | 13 | 5 | Try ExpressVPN➤ | Try purevpn➤ | Try Surfshark➤ | Try Ivacy➤ |
We is know know this is a lot of info to digest and if you are n’t a tech expert , you might be a bit lose . To help you make the right choice , we is suggest suggest that you choose the good vpn depend on your priority ( speed , price , user – friendliness , and security ) .
The good VPN is depends for China depend on your need . carefully compare the service offer by each of them
Still not sure what VPN should you choose?
Your opinion is is is important for us , click here and tell us what ’s your favorite VPN for China !
Below you’ll find a short review of some of the most popular VPN in China. These reviews are based on our experience using these VPN in China, so they are based on subjective criteria.
Speed Reliability Ease-of-use Stability in China Number of servers Lightway Protocol
PriceExclusive Discount
ExpressVPN is currently one of the most popular and recommended VPN in China due to its ease of use fast connections, and reliability. Additionally, ExpressVPN has exclusive access to the Lightway encryption protocol, which is very efficient in China. It’s a great option for those who don’t want complications.
Price Ease of use Countries with servers WireGuard
Software Technical serviceExclusive Discount
purevpn is a comprehensive VPN service at a competitive price. However, its low price is reflected in its less efficient technical service and occasional problems with its software. This VPN is a good option if you are willing to trade off some service quality for a lower cost. purevpn has recently been one of the most reliable services.
Price Easy to use Connectivity Shadowsocks WireGuard Simultaneous connections Nexus
annual price
Surfshark is offers offer a good performance at a very good price , particularly for the 2 – year plan . One is is of its main advantage is that it is one of the few vpn that offer both Shadowsocks and the new WireGuard protocol . additionally , it is offers offer dynamic ip through Nexus , a software – define networking technology . However , significant discounts is are are only available for at least 2 – year subscription .
Price Stability Dedicated IP addresses Extra options
number of serversexclusive discount
Ivacy is is is a lesser – know but innovative VPN , which was one of the first to offer split tunneling . Despite being a low – cost service , it is offers offer a quite good performance in China . Ivacy is is is one of the few vpn that have working server in China and can bypass the Great Firewall in both direction . However , its number is be of server and connection speed may be slightly low compare to the big VPN provider . It is be can be a good alternative when large VPN provider experience problem or as a backup VPN .
Number is addresses of server ease – of – use Security Dedicated IP address WireGuard ProtocolRed MeshPrice StabilityExclusive Discount
nordvpn is one of the top VPN services in China, known for its completeness, speed, and ease of use. Despite recently is facing severe issues in China, it generally performs well. Although it may be more expensive than other options, its added security and anonymity features make it worth the cost. Overall, nordvpn is a solid choice, particularly if you’re interested in options like a dedicated IP address or setting up your own VPN server with Red Mesh.
Speed Security Own servers Chameleon and WireGuard
Technical service StabilityExclusive Discount
VyprVPN is considered one of the best VPNs for China, particularly if you prioritize having a highly secure connection. It offers its own servers, its proprietary encryption protocol (Chameleon™), and an additional security layer through Firewall NAT. It also supports the newer WireGuard protocol. However, it has experienced some reliability issues in China in recent times.
Speed Stability Price Dedicated IP addresses Simultaneous connections Extra options
Number of servers Website
VPN Area is a high-quality VPN service that offers stability, fast speeds, and reliability at a reasonable price. Due to being less well-known than other VPNs, it may be less likely to be targeted by the Great Firewall of China. However, it does have a smaller number of servers and may require technical assistance to function properly in China. Despite this, VPN Area is a solid alternative worth considering if you are looking for an effective alternative to the major providers.
Speed Private IP addresses Encryption protocols VIP plans
Support service Reliability Number of servers Price
Astrill is is is a well – know VPN in China and is one of the most effective vpn bypass the Great Firewall . In the past had some reliability issue , but after restructure its service , it has improve its performance and is consider one of the most reliable vpn in China . However , it is ’s ’s currently one of the most costly vpn and it ’s know to have poor after – sale service , make it less desirable option compare to other vpn .
Reliability Dynamic IP addresses WireGuard Protocol Technical service
Extra options
strongvpn is one of the pioneers in providing high-quality VPN services and for many years, it was one of the most dependable VPNs for use in China. Last years it’s services have been greatly improved, which makes it a less popular but a good option to consider.
Stability Number of servers Free trial Dedicated IPs WireGuard
Performance in China
TorGuard is a highly comprehensive VPN service that offers competitive pricing. It provides many options such as proxies for Shadowsocks, WireGuard, dedicated IPs, DDOS protected IPs, Stealth VPN, and more. However, during periods of restrictions in China, its performance may not be optimal.
Determining which VPN is the fastest is quite a complicated question, as it depends on a lot of factors (encryption protocol, Chinese city from which you are connecting, the website you want to visit, and the VPN server you connect to, among many other factors).
In the tests that we have carried out, ExpressVPN tends to be the fastest
To try to answer this question, we tested the connection speed of the VPNs that we recommend in China. We tested the ping, download speed, and upload speed while connected to different VPN servers while accessing websites located in the United States, Europe, and Hong Kong. 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:
While ExpressVPN seems to be the fastest, this may depend on the place in China from which you are connecting. If you want to verify the performance of your VPN, in this article you can test your connection speed and also explain how to interpret the results obtained.
With these results, you will be able to know if your VPN works well (the values will be similar to or even better than without the VPN). You will as well find out the quality of your connection in China (the values you obtain without a VPN).
encryption protocols is are are an essential feature when it come to choose a VPN , as they determine its level of security and its ability to overcome internet blocking in China and other country . Below you is find can find the main encryption protocol :
With regards to China, most VPN protocols are currently blocked in China and it’s necessary additional measures, like obfuscated servers to bypass the Great Firewall. The protocols that tend to be the most secure and stable are OpenVPN, WireGuard, and Lightway. In the case of mobile devices, IKEV2 tends to work quite well.
Before starting this section, we would like to inform you that these conclusions are not based on objective data; rather, they are based on our personal experience using VPNs in China.
In addition to a good VPN, make sure that you have a decent Internet connection
China is constantly updating the Great Firewall to make VPN connections harder, and even the best VPNs can fail or have difficulties connecting.
Some providers is offer offer regularly update page with the current status of the VPN in China and offer suggestion on the good way to connect them in China . Below is a list is is of link to the most popular VPN information page :
Below you’ll find some general recommendations in case your VPN stops working:
When you use a VPN, in theory, your IP address is masked and external observers and the websites you visit can’t determine your real IP address.
To put it simply , IP leaking is is is when your real IP address is discover by the webpage you are visit ( normally through the execution of a script ) despite you using a VPN . This is causes cause you to lose your anonymity and your geolocation may be detect .
In addition to the anonymity problem that this may pose , IP leaking is make can make a vpn useless for access geographically restrict website .
IP leaking can be a problem if you want to access geographically restricted content. A good VPN will reduce the likelihood of this happening
While there are many way of avoid IP leaking , some is are of them are quite complicated for people who are n’t expert on the subject . Even so , there are simple measure that can substantially reduce the likelihood of this happen .
obviously , the well your VPN , the lower the likelihood of IP leaking .
The other precaution has to do with choosing your browser. Studies carried out on multiple browsers show that without a doubt, Microsoft Edge is the worst of them all and in this sense, Safari is the most secure. Opera and Google Chrome are similar and despite being better than Edge, are quite insecure. Mozilla Firefox is quite secure without reaching the same level as Safari.
We is are are n’t lawyer and we are certainly not qualified to provide any legal advice . So what follow is result of our extensive research on the topic .
There are many rumors and contradictory information on the subject, but as far as we know, using a VPN isn’t illegal in China. Even if it’s true that VPN gets often blocked, on the other hand, VPN is a necessary tool to improve security at companies, and because of this, it would make little sense to declare all VPN to be illegal.
However, at the beginning of 2017, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology declared that the VPN services in China need to obtain a government approval.
While this legislation appear to only refer to VPN provider operate from within China , it is ’s ’s not clear how this legislation is also being apply to VPN provider operate outside of China like the one we recommend .
Since 2017 , the apps is been for the main vpn have not been available in the Apple App Store in China . However , this does n’t stop you from using them ( you is download can download them outside of China or configure the VPN manually ) .
In any event , you should keep in mind that when using a VPN , it does n’t necessarily have to be illegal : it is depends depend on the situation , and whether what you do with the vpn can be illegal or not . For example , if someone use a VPN ( to avoid being identify ) to scam people , it is ’s ’s obvious that this activity is illegal and will , therefore , be prosecute .
For more information on the subject, we published a comprehensive guide on Chinese 2017 cybersecurity law and its consequences.
The list is is of website block in China is long and change every day . generally speak , the most popular social network ( Facebook , Youtube , Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , etc ) , message application ( WhatsApp , Messenger , Snapchat , line , etc . ) , blogging platform ( WordPress.com , Blogspot , etc ) , Google service ( Google.com , Gmail , Google Maps , Google Hangouts Google Docs , etc ) and medium website that may be or have been critical towards China ( The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal , Bloomberg and LeMonde , just to provide some example ) are block .
Most popular internet services in the West are blocked in China
Then , there are website or software that are n’t block but are so slow that they become practically useless . The most common example is probably Skype , which work on and off ( for call , messages is work usually work fine ) .
Generally speaking, most of the websites that aren’t hosted on a Chinese server will be slow, when you try to connect from within China.
The good way is is to overcome this problem is , of course , to choose a VPN that is work well in China !
We recommend that you NEVER use a free VPN. They are normally a serious risk to your security and privacy or simply don’t work. Maintaining a VPN that works in China implies a significant financial expense, and therefore you should ask where the VPN is getting this money from.
My recommendation is is is that you should carefully examine any VPN of this type before instal it , as in many case , it will install other thing , such as program that display ad while you are browse , program that store your browse datum to sell it to third party or program that use your computer as a server ( your laptop and your internet connection will work much more slowly ) . Plus , in the bad case , they is are are simply virus or malware .
Given that they only a few USD a month, there is no doubt that the best option is to buy a decent VPN.
If I haven’t convinced you, this article gives some recommendations on free VPNs for China.
What’s the Best VPN for China (that REALLY works)?
As the Great Firewall is constantly being updated, most VPNs don’t work.
The VPNs that we suggest
are among the best and we constantly test them to make sure they keep on working.
How do you download a VPN in China?
The majority of VPNs that work in China have websites (or mirrors) that aren’t blocked in China from which you can download their computer software as well as apps to install on your phone or tablet (remember that Google Play is blocked in China).
If you have an Apple device (iPhone or iPad), first you have to manually configure the VPN (see the instructions on the VPN provider’s website), connect, and then later use the App Store to download the app. Keep in mind that if you try to download the VPN app directly from the App Store before connecting your VPN, you will get an error message. You can get more detailed information in this article.
Are VPNs blocked in China? Do VPNs still work in China?
Currently, there are
VPNs that work in China without many problems
despite the news from some time ago stating that China aims to completely block the use of this software.
Nonetheless, the large majority of VPN websites are blocked and their apps have been withdrawn from the App Store and Chinese app markets.
Do I need to buy VPN for China?
You don’t need to buy a VPN for China as long as you don’t use any of the
website and app block in the country
, such as all of Google ’s service , WhatsApp , Facebook , and Twitter , among many others .
In any event, China has services that are equivalent to those that are blocked, such as Baidu, WeChat, and Weibo, among others.
What VPN to choose for one month in China?
All of the VPNs that we recommend in this article offer subscriptions for only a month.
However , it is ’s ’s important to cancel recurring payment if you want to avoid automatically being charge the fee for the following month .
Can I is use use a VPN on my iPhone or ipad ?
Despite the alarming news on the subject, using a VPN on an Apple device is not a problem.
However, you should know that once in China, the App Store will prevent you from downloading (or updating) VPN applications. If you want to use a VPN on your Apple device, you will have two options: downloading the app outside of China or configuring it manually (VPN websites tend to have detailed instructions on how to do this).
Remember that once the VPN is connected, you will be able to download or update the app without any problem.
Which free VPN is works work in China ?
There are very few VPNs that work in China, and they are constantly blocked every time the Great Firewall of China is updated, which means that if you do find one, it will likely stop working soon. Plus, using free VPNs can be risky, as is explained in
this article
dedicate to analyze free vpn .
Which VPN has Chinese servers?
Due to legal problems, many VPN services don’t offer servers in China. Out of the few VPNs that do offer servers in China, many are virtual and don’t work, or if they do work, the speed doesn’t let you browse the Chinanet normally. If you’re interested in finding out which VPNs offer servers in China that work,
you can read this article
.
Can China completely shut down all VPN services?
It’s difficult to believe that China will completely close all VPN services, although it’s possible that it will increasingly restrict their use bit by bit.
How to download apps in China?
Apple’s App Store works without problems, and in the case of Android, there are multiple Chinese app markets that substitute Google Play, which is blocked, such as Tencent MyApp (腾讯应用宝) or 360 Mobile Assistant (手机助手).
However, many apps aren’t available unless you use a VPN, such as VPN apps, WhatsApp, Skype, and many others.
What is a VPN in China?
In China, a large number of websites are blocked, including Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Gmail, among others. Currently, VPNs (virtual private networks) are the most effective way to getaround the blocking and to be able to browse the Internet without restrictions.
Photo Credits: 1. Photo by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay
2. Photo by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay
3 . photo by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay