Today, using a VPN is the best way to access websites and use applications that are blocked in China. After more than 10 years using and testing out different VPNs in China, this article is the product of our experience.
Our selection of the best VPNs for China in 2020
- ExpressVPN: This is the VPN that we usually recommend for the majority of users. It’s fast, stable, easy to use and has demonstrated that it has been one of the most reliable VPNs over the past years.
- VyprVPN: A premium VPN with excellent services in China at a very reasonable price. We recommended it for people who are looking for security for their connection.
- NordVPN: Very easy-to-use VPN with excellent services in China. It’s the best choice for people who want a dedicated IP address.
- Ivacy: The fact that this VPN is less popular, has a low price and good services in China make it perfect as a backup in the event that the more popular VPNs encounter problems.
1. ExpressVPN
- Excellent performance in China, both in terms of speed, stability and connectivity
- Very easy to use
- High server count
- Somewhat higher price than the other options
ExpressVPN is one of the most-used and popular VPNs in China and is the VPN we usually recommend for the majority of users. ExpressVPN is very easy to use and offers one of the fastest and most stable connections in China.
For years, Express VPN has been one of the most reliable VPNs during periods of intensified restrictions. Because of its popularity, it is also the target of frequent attacks; however, its excellent technical department tends to solve problems very efficiently. More information…
Exclusive deal: 3 months free with an annual subscription (6.67 USD per month).
- Server count: 1,700+ servers
- Countries with servers: 94 countries
- Simultaneous connections: 5 connections
- Encryption protocols: OpenVPN, L2TP-IPsec, SSTP, PPTP
- Monthly plan: 12.95 USD per month
- Annual plan: 6.67 USD per month (with our exclusive deal)
- Money-back guarantee: 30 days
- Extra options: Split tunneling, integrated speed test
2. VyprVPN
- Very good balance between speed and security
- Only uses its own servers
- Offers the Chameleon protocol, which was specially designed for China
- Its technical service can be somewhat lacking at times
VyprVPN combines excellent performance in China with a secure connection. Also, its annual plan is one of the most affordable among premium VPNs. We recommend VyprVPN for people who need more security, especially people who usually connect over insecure public networks, such as at airports, cafés or hotels. Even though it doesn’t have a high server count, VyprVPN owns all of its servers.
Among the features offered by VyprVPN, it is worth highlighting NAT Firewall (an extra security layer) and the Chameleon protocol (which was specially designed for places like China). More information…
Exclusive deal: 70% off annual plans (3.75 USD per month) and 80% off biannual plans (2.50 USD per month).
- Server count: 700+ servers
- Countries with servers: 70 countries
- Simultaneous connections: 5 connections
- Encryption protocols: PPTP, OpenVPN™, L2TP/IPsec, Chameleon™
- Monthly plan: 12.95 USD per month
- Annual plan: 3.75 USD per month (exclusive deal)
- Money-back guarantee: 30 days
- Extra options: NAT Firewall, kill switch
3. NordVPN
- Offers obfuscated service with good performance in China
- Easy to use
- Offers dedicated IP addresses
- Less reliable and stable in China than the previous options
NordVPN is one of the most complete VPNs on the market and offers good performance in China. Its applications are designed to be extremely easy to use. However, in the past, it has been less reliable than the previous two VPNs.
Among the interesting options that it offers are obfuscated servers (which are very efficient in China), Smart DNS (which makes it more difficult for the VPN to be blocked), double VPN (which despite being slow is very useful when restrictions are increased in China) and dedicated IP addresses at a relatively affordable price. More information…
Exclusive deal: 70% discount off 3-year plans (3.60 USD per month).
- Server count: 1,400+ servers
- Countries with servers: 61 countries
- Simultaneous connections: 6 connections
- Encryption protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec
- Monthly plan: 11.95 USD per month
- Annual plan: 6.99 USD per month
- Money-back guarantee: 30 days
- Extra options: dedicated IP addresses, Smart DNS, DDoS and web proxy extensions, CyberSec function (blocks suspicious websites and malware), Double VPN
4. Ivacy
- Good services at a very low price
- Offers dedicated IP addresses at a good price
- Very complete with multiple extra options
- Performance in China that is somewhat inferior to premium VPNs
Ivacy is a very complete VPN with good connectivity in China at an excellent price. We recommend Ivacy as a backup VPN because its performance in China is somewhat worse than the previous VPN. Being a smaller provider that is less used in China, it is less likely for it to be attacked.
Despite its low price, Ivacy offers all of the features of a premium VPN, such as secure DNS, IPv6 Leak Protection and NAT Firewall, making it secure and very resilient in China. In addition, it’s one of the few VPNs that offers servers in China.
Exclusive deal: 25 USD discount on the 5-year plan using the code saporedicina (1.08 USD per month).
- Server count: 1,000+ servers
- Countries with servers: 56 countries
- Simultaneous connections: 5 connections
- Encryption protocols:OpenVPN, IKEv2, PPTP, SSTP, L2TP
- Monthly plan: 9.95 USD per month
- Annual plan: 3.33 USD per month
- Money-back guarantee: 30 days
- Extra options: Split Tunneling, Kill Switch, Secure DNS, IPv6 Leak Protection, NAT Firewall
Tips when choosing a VPN for China
- Make sure that your VPN works in China: Keep in mind that the majority of VPNs on the market don’t work in China. However, if you choose one that isn’t mentioned in this article (the ones in this article have been tested in China), you need to make sure that it works and has been recently tested in China.
- Don’t use free VPNs: The large majority of these don’t work in China and/or imply a threat to your privacy. Also, many are simply malware or viruses. Remember that maintaining a VPN that works in China requires quite a bit of investment, and this has to come from somewhere. You can read more about the risks of using a free VPN here.
- Analyze the VPN’s features: Make sure that at a minimum, it has a good server count, with servers located in multiple countries, and a variety of encryption protocols (including OpenVPN). Features such as obfuscated servers, anti-IPv6 leak protection, Double VPN and Smart DNS, among others, can sometimes make the difference between your VPN being blocked by the Great Firewall of China or not.
- Money-back guarantee: Nobody can make sure that your VPN will work once you arrive in China. Because of this, it’s important to check whether the chosen provider offers this option and what the conditions are. Normally, reliable providers offer a 30-day money-back guarantee without the need for evidence for annual subscriptions.
- Backup VPN: Regardless of how good it may be, no VPN will work all the time in China. If you are going to spend a long time in China, it is recommendable to have at least one backup VPN if the VPN that you normally use stops working for a time. We tend to recommend choosing a premium VPN with a long history in China and a less popular one (such as ExpressVPN and Ivacy).
- Install the software or app before going to China: The majority of VPN websites are blocked in China and the apps have been eliminated from apps repositories. Even though once in China you can still download a VPN, avoid problems and do it before going to the country.
- Test your VPN before going to China: A good way to test the quality of your VPN before going to China is to try to access geographically-restricted content , such as foreign versions of Netflix, BBC iPlayer or online television shows from other countries.
Tips for using a VPN in China
- Patience: Using the Internet in China requires a great deal of patience. A VPN isn’t a magical solution; because of this, browsing may be slower than what you’re used to (obviously it will depend greatly on the quality of the VPN). Also, sometimes it will take a few minutes to connect or you are going to have to play around with the settings (see next section), and sometimes it can even block Internet access. However, it continues to be an efficient and easy-to-use system to get around restrictions and remain in contact with the outside world.
- Maintain your software and/or apps up-to-date: Good VPN providers make frequent updates to their software and apps to also adapt to the constant updates to the Great Firewall. Having the latest version will reduce the likelihood that your VPN will be blocked.
- Choose nearby servers: Even though the majority of VPNs automatically connect to the best available server, sometimes you will have to choose the server manually. In this case, choose nearby servers, such as Hong Kong, Japan or Korea, as they tend to give the best performance or connection speed. Servers in the United States also tend to be a good option, as the majority of providers tend to have a large number of good quality servers there.
- Use the OpenVPN UDP protocol: In general, the OpenVPN UDP protocol tends to work quite well, without excessively affecting speed.
What to do if your VPN doesn’t work in China
As we mentioned in the previous section, connecting to the Internet in China requires patience. Below, we will go over some of the things you can do when your VPN gives you problems.
Keep in mind that this list is neither in order nor exhaustive. Play with the different variables and in the large majority of cases, you will achieve your goal.
- Is this the first time you’re using this VPN in China?: If the answer is yes, it might simply not work in China, so save yourself the following steps. You can also do a quick Bing search and check whether any “serious” website has tested the VPN in China recently.
- Change server: In the majority of cases, simply trying different available servers will solve the problem.
- Change encryption protocol: In general, the OpenVPN UDP protocol tends to offer good connectivity in China, but sometimes it doesn’t work. Try different encryption protocols on different servers. Even though your connection speed will be affected, protocols such as Chameleon and StealthVPN or using a double VPN increase the chances that you will connect successfully.
- Try on another device: Sometimes connecting from your telephone or tablet is easier than doing it from your laptop or vice versa. Try on different devices to see if you can connect the VPN.
- Try over another Internet connection: Internet connections such as those at universities, public libraries or companies may be more restrictive than a personal connection. Also, poor quality collections, such as those offered by many cafés, tend to make it harder to use a VPN. In China, each Internet connection is a world in itself and the configurations that work on one might not work on another. If you have difficulties connecting, try another connection (especially if you’re connecting from a public network).
- Contact the technical department: Normally a VPN’s technical department is aware of the problems that their product may encounter in China and will tell you about its state of connectivity and suggest adjustments that will make connecting more likely.
- Port forward to port 433: This is somewhat more of a technical solution, but can be useful when everything else fails.
- Try another VPN: People who have lived in China for long enough know that all VPNs fail eventually, because of which you should have at least one backup just in case.
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