Despite the rumors, VPNs continue to be the best way to get around the Great Firewall of China. Nonetheless, due to an intense campaign during the second half of 2017, many VPNs have stopped working or their services have been affected substantially.
In this article, which we update monthly, you will be able to see which VPNs continue to work in China.
Currently, WhatsApp does not work in China
Since June 2017, WhatsApp had been suffering intermittent problems, until it was definitively blocked at the end of September. It is still unsure whether this will be a permanent blockage, but the service remains inaccessible in China without using a VPN.
Skype continues to work in China
In December 2017, the Skype app disappeared from the App Store and other app markets in China. Even so, Skype has never stopped working in China.
VPN apps for Apple are not blocked in China
The apps have not been blocked. Even so, the App Store has blocked downloading these apps for users who are located in China, which means that you will not be able to download the apps or update them unless you have a VPN active on your phone (manually configured or by downloading the app in advance).´
Google maps is still blocked in China
Recent news pointed to the possibility that China may release the block to Google Maps for users in Mainland. However at the present moment Google Maps is unavailable in China without a VPN.
You probably already know that sites such as Facebook, Youtube or Google.com are blocked in China and that the only way to access them is with a VPN.
But what about the other hundreds of web sites that we normally use?
Are we sure that they’ll work in China?
One of the most frequent questions we receive is if a certain website or app, such as Dropbox Google Play, is blocked in China.
In this article we’ll list all web sites, which at the moment, don’t work beyond the Great Firewall of China, or the system developed by the Ministry of Public Security, (MPS) to control access to websites considered “dangerous” for Chinese citizens.
Which websites are blocked in China?
Here’s a list of the most popular websites which, at the moment, are blocked in China:
Social
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat, Picasa, WordPress.com, Blogspot, Blogger, Flickr, SoundCloud, Google+, Google Hangouts, Hootsuite.
Apps
Google Play (this means that without a VPN you won’t be able to download any apps from Google Play), Whatsapp, Telegram, Line, Periscope, KaKao Talk.
Search engines
Google (both Google.com and the majority of local versions like Google.com.hk, Google.fr, etcetera), Duck Duck Go, various foreign versions of Baidu and Yahoo.
Video Sharing
Youtube, Vimeo, Daily Motion, Nico Video
Media
The New York Times, Finacial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist Bloomberg, Reuters, The Independent, LeMonde, L’Equipe, Netflix, Google News, many pages of Wikipedia, Wikileaks.
Work tools
Google Drive, Google Docs, Gmail, Google Calendar (generally all Google services), Dropbox, ShutterStock, Slideshare, Slack, iStockPhotos, WayBackMachine, Scribd, Xing, Android, and many VPN sites.
Porn
Porn sites are almost all blocked; I don’t know of any exceptions.
What can you tell me about Chinese sites?
Chinese sites, in general, all work and moreover are extremely fast. Note that, if you’re using a VPN, some Chinese sites will not work correctly (for example many of the videos on Youku won’t be available). This is caused by the fact that some sites work only in China and, by turning on a VPN, you are “masking” your Chinese IP address with that of another country.
And if the site I’m interested in isn’t on this list?
The list published in this article is not exhaustive and bear in mind that the situation is constantly changing – a site that’s blocked today could work tomorrow – as well as just the opposite – a site that works today could stop working within twenty minutes.
To verify if a given website is blocked just insert the URL in the Greatfire Analyzer.
In addition, there are sites that are partially blocked (on Wikipedia for example some pages work perfectly while others don’t work at all), sites that go on and off and sites that despite not being blocked, are so slow that in a practical sense they’re unusable. The classic example is making video-calls on Skype: the connection is often so slow that you’ll want to skip the call.
Is there a solution or do I have to resign myself?
The only solution is to subscribe to a VPN service (here you’ll find the services we currently recommend).
Note however that especially after 8PM (Beijing time) sites hosted by servers outside of China (basically all Western sites) are often so slow as to be unusable. I’m not sure as to the reason why, but my theory is that this is the hour in which traffic between China and the West reaches its height (since it’s morning in America afternoon in Europe).
As a result the data lines are maxed out and say goodbye to your connection! I don’t even know if the problem is a result of the Great Firewall or, more simply, a physical limit between China and the rest of the planet.
Is it legal to use a VPN?
Disclaimer: here at SDC we are not qualified to give any legal advice; therefore if you choose to use a VPN you are doing so at your own risk.
That said, our interpretation is that using a VPN (acronym for Virtual Private Network) is not an illegal act in and of itself since it has to do with a technology developed to extend the benefits of private networks even to connections that travel on the Internet (or on a public network).
The VPN is, therefore, software designed to improve the security of your connection (click here to learn the technical details). In effect, many universities and – I presume – Chinese government offices use a VPN system to isolate their internal network from the public.
So the problem isn’t so much the use of a VPN, as much as the fact that you’re accessing sites that aren’t permitted in China. Is that a crime? The reality is that we have no idea and therefore can’t offer any advice.
On a practical level, our opinion is that the Chinese couldn’t care less if you use a VPN to log on to your Facebook profile or your Dropbox.
Of course, if you intend to use the Internet fraudulently, VPN or not, be aware that you’re taking a risk both in China and abroad.
Other frequently-asked questions
Is it true that all VPN access will be blocked in February 2018?
This information, published by Bloomberg and which comes from a source that is unknown at this time, is quite doubtful, as it has been denied by Chinese Ministry of Industry.
It is true that China initiated a campaign to limit VPN use in 2017, which will reach its peak in 2018, but up until now, it has focused on companies with headquarters in China, such as GreenVPN. However, it is difficult to believe that this campaign will be extended to all VPNs, as it is technically difficult, could block access to the global network and could affect the Chinese economy (many small businesses and individuals depend on these types of services for their economic activity).
In 2017, many VPNs stopped working or their performance was seriously affected. Nonetheless, some well-known VPN service providers (like those that we recommend in this article) are very unlikely to stop working. In fact, this type of campaign has been common over the years, especially during important political or social events (the Olympic Games, party congresses, etc.).
Does WhatsApp work in China?
Since September 26, 2017, WhatsApp has been blocked in China for most users (some users can still send text messages). It’s still too soon to know whether China will permanently block WhatsApp, as was the case of other similar applications, such as Line and Telegram, or whether this is simply a temporary measure. However, everything seems to indicate that the service will not be reestablished this time, as was the case in the month of July, when the service was partially blocked for a few days.
How can I download a VPN app in China?
On Android devices, you can download the .apk file directly from the VPN provider’s website (as long as their website isn’t blocked as well). On Apple devices, it’s best to manually configure the VPN (as they tend to indicate on their website), activate it, and then download the app from the App Store.
Best VPNs for China
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[Photo Credits (Creative Commons CC0): Pixabay.com]
Nice writeup!
One correction: Bing.com and other online Microsoft services (like outlook.com) work perfectly.
What about fire fox?
Firefox websites are not blocked in China.
Not exactly, Firefox is now accessible.
Exactly what I said (not blocked)
What about watsapp
whatsapp working perfectly
It looks like it have been blocked, but it isn’t clear if it’ll be permanent
It’s working
Thank you for the correction, we’ll check it out when we update the post
They are working but censored!
I experienced issues with One Drive several times, though (mainly with the web interface and syncing with Office 365)
All the non Chinese online storage services are either blocked or work pretty bad.
Hello,currently i am also living in china.Is it true they will also block skype?I have a mrssage on my ipad like four times in a row telling me there will be some changes but I did not read it properly at the time.
I don’t think they will block it at the moment, but nobody knows
Bing.cn works perfctly fine, but most of the search results are blocked. Ultimately, using bing is the same as using Chinese search engines (which are monitored and censored by the goovernment). You won’t be able to find any non-government approved websites in any browser.
Is messenger and skyped blocked as well? I have read at some websites that Skype is blocked, some say that it is not but you are required to pay a skype charge. Also is the ban like all over China or just specific cities?
Oh and Mozilla Firefox, is that blocked too? Thank you!
Hello,
Firefox shall work fine : )
Skype shall work! No, there is nothing to pay. In general, there are cities where internet works better but the blocked sites shall be the same
Thank you!
I access gmail via the iPhone built-in Mail app only iPad. Will I be able to access my gmail via the iOS app or will that be blocked as well if I am not connected to a von?
Thank you!
Hi Kat, the gmail app works more or less without VPN, you will be able to synchronize your emails but won’t be real time. Sending an email can take forever (forget to add any attachment).
Hi I want to ask if instagram and whatsapp in shanghai china is blocked or not? I will visit china soon for tourist and I dont have a china sim card. Thanks.
Instagram is blocked. Whatsapp at the moment is not blocked!
Is wechat video chat blocked in Shanghai
No Wechat isn’t blocked in China
Hello,currently i am also living in china.Is it true they will also block skype?I have a mrssage on my ipad like four times in a row telling me there will be some changes but I did not read it properly at the time.
hi is whatsapp blocked in xiamen china?
I don’t think Whatsapp is blocked in China at the moment
Hello, are there exceptions for Shanghai? I understand that some sites can be accessed within a certain radio of the city.
I don’t think there are many exceptions concerning Shanghai. Do you have any practical examples?
My Son is going to China for 3 weeks
Is there any social media apps like Facebook or Twitter that work in China and Canada ?
Get a VPN to accede to Facebook and Twitter from China. You find more info on the article!
I’m going to china soon for about a week on holiday, I normally communicate with my family back home via facebook messenger, whatsapp, emails (gmail) or skype; will any of these work at all or do I need to do something special in order for it to work? I don’t think subscribing to a vpn for only a week would be worth it, but I’m also a bit anxious if I have no way to communicate to my parents at all for a week…
Hello Tanya,
Whatsapp shall work fine. Skype’s chat will work (the calls work on and off). Facebook and Gmail won’t work without a VPN
You can use WeChat for video, voice, and text while in China to communicate with folks located worldwide, like the States.
technically anything made in china is not blocked
What about MESSENGERS, does that work ok ?
Facebook Messengers? I don’t think so
Using a VPN is not a crime in China, however, you can be (and there are people who actually were) charged with “compromising Internet security” and put into prison if you do any significant when using a VPN.
This is true in any country: if you do something against the law, you may be charged, independently of the fact that you use a vpn or not
i spend a little too much time in China myself (In WeiFang as I type). I use my Verizon phone and when connecting to their Global Data I can post and update Facebook. Keep in mind Global Data plans can be expensive so limit use and turn off when not actively using. Believe this is likely acting as a VPN though. On a side note – texting is not expensive.
Facebook messaging is usable just using Wifi and can be used for face to face video chatting like skype also.
Never had any problem with Skype – used it for years dealing communicating with workers in China.
Some oddball sites that do not work include the Homedepot.com – odd since Lowes.com works. I have found Google products hit and miss. SOmetimes google earth will work. Most times not.
Google translate app is fantastic – but it does not work in china.
It can be a tough place to navigate without my beloved Google products!!
Hello Matt, thank you for the tip!
yes, it’s possible that Global Data works, however as you said may be expensive, unless you need it for other reasons (work etc)
I am going to China and with have an international plan with AT&T. Does that mean that my gmail account will work without a VPN?
No, your gmail account (and any other blocked website) won’t work without a VPN. It doesn’t matter what kind of data plan you use, because the data plan will still need to go through the China network
What about Path? How does it open through an iPhone or Android?
Hello Cenn, sorry but I dont know what Path is.
Hi –
We are travelling to China (Beijing and Shanghai) for a week.
Have a few questions-
* When on wifi, will whatsapp, facetime and imessage (iphone txt) work, when you are in free wifi in hotel?
* Do we need VPN for Facebook/instagram/you tube when on hotel’s wifi?
* Is this VPN good on mobile devices like iphones and ipad?
*Do we need to subscribe to VPN on each device or can one subscription on my phone, will also work on my husband’s phone?
Thank you this is very helpful.
Hello Pam,
yes, whatsapp / facetime / imessage shall work
yes, you need a vpn for facebook / Instagram / youtube
Yes, vpn work fine in apple’s devices
No, each vpn allow multiple devices (see comparation table in this article for details)
My son going to China (Ningbo) Shereton Hotel can he contact to me in India wia WhatsApp, yahoo, Skype
Yes, he can.
What about kik?
Seems that the Kik website isn’t blocked in China but I don’t know about the app, I think it works fine but I never tested
I live and work in China, I use Skype every night to contact family in the UK, it is very much a hit or miss connection, video almost always a fail.
I have two internet access line China mobile and China Unicom, when one fails with skype the other usually works, but Unicom seems faster and less trouble, CMobile is slow and always failing, but fastest when used with Chinese sites.
I have found that recently Viber will only work using a VPN.
Thanks for sharing your experience, internet in China is always difficult
Yeah, Skype is available, but doesn’t work perfectly without VPN. Using QQ or WeChat to contact your closed ones in the “waiguo” is possible solution, though not perfect.
Agree as WeChat and QQ perform badly outside mainland China. FaceTime is a good option if you have an iOS device
I and my friends here in China use WeChat videochat daily to communicate between China and the US. It works fine.
Sure, WeChat works well for now.
lmao sapore di cina isn’t that italian?
Do you live in China?
Well, I’m sorry but it’s Italian, it means “Flavor of China” : )
Thanks for the list, useful article. I’ve been using GreatFire to check sites blocked in China but it’s not worked on a couple of occasions (although it seems to be working fine now). It would be really helpful if you could update your article with some alternate tools/sites (if they even exist) you would be happy to recommend as a backup option.
Hello Richard,
unfortunately it’s often difficult to replace these tools, especially if you work / communicate with somebody outside China. The best you can do is to use a VPN to have access to the blocked sites: http://www.saporedicina.com/english/vpn-how-to-access-facebook-in-china/
hello! is the line application can be able to use in china even though already dowloaded from other country.
Only if you have a VPN (that works in China) running in your phone.
work skype in china ?
Yes, however sometimes i’ts a bit slow
Currently, it is not legal to use VPN in China anymore. Check CNN news for more specific details, but you need a government-issued license to use VPN. I don’t think the government is gonna care about individuals, but just be aware of that.
Hello,
the law is actually not so “clear”. What mainly says is that to run a VPN server in China you need a gov license. We talked about this on our main article about VPNs, which is linked in this article.
hello
does these tools work in guangzhou please ?
evernote
todoist
whatsapp
gmail (via thunderbird)
Gmail won’t work, unless you have a vpn
ok thanks for the reply. and about evernote, i have a premium account not created in china. will it work ?
As far as I know, Evernote is not blocked. However I don’t use it myself so I don’t know how well it will work in China, without a VPN.
after my trip, i can confirm that Evernote, Whatsapp and Todoist worked fine. :)
Thanks for the update : )
thanks a lot for your help
I will travel to Guangzhou next week. May I know whether I can use whatsapp and instagram in Guangzhou using wifi hotel? And, can u advice what local number should I buy for internet plan as I will stay only 4 days
thank you
No problems for Whatsapp. For Instagram, Facebook etc you would need a VPN!
Does this apply to Hong Kong and Macau as well?
no
No, only Mainland China
I am travelling to Bejing China in May, 2017. I would like to know if i can use my Blackberry Q10 phone for watsapp in China without a VPN.
If no, can i get a VPN app for download purchase at the airport?
Thank you
At the present moment whatsapp is working in China. You can get the VPN anywhere but it’s better to install the software before leaving (an pay latter)
Hi…
My hubby would be going to Tianjin city next month for next 4 / 5 years for work & I will be joining with him later. I heard that there are very few people who speak English there..So can u suggest how to manage with English language. And How is medical facilities there?, Do the doctors speak English to communicate with the patients? Are they friendly in nature?
Please if possible do tell me about the Tianjin city a bit. How & where to find people who speaks English?.
Would be very thankful to you people if in anyway help me out.
Thanks in advance :)
Note: “m Indian
Hi,
it’s not so difficult to get around in China even if you don’t speak Chinese, especially in big cities.
Yes, there are international hospitals where doctors speak English. Just make sure to get a medical insurance that includes internationals hospitals
Thank you..:)
One more query , is it easy to get a part time job there as receptionist / volunteer work?.
Maybe you can get a job as volunteer (not paid), if you want to get paid legally isn’t easy because the company have to show that the job cannot be done by a Chinese citizen
Tianjin is one of the biggest cities in China with a big expat community and there are many Chinese people who can speak English, it shouldn’t be a big problem
Thank you :)
Is it possible to get a part time job in hotels/ big departmental stores or any voluntary work to help children in Tianjin ?
You cannot get a job in a low qualified positions, in a hotel maybe if they show that they need your language skills.
Thanks Mr. Sborto Zhou..:)
I’m friends with someone (in China) on Playstation. I’m worried that I could have gotten him/her in hot water for sending a news article. He/she hasn’t been online ever since. Is it possible?
Hi
Dont mind asking this…My hubby got Visa for China. How much time/days it takes to get Visa for spouse once he applies it after landing in China?
Thanks
You can apply at the same time
With VPN we can access all of them. And most of the foreigners access to them including me.
I have helped friend to use them. Actually all the good and bad sites could be accessed from china using vpn. It’s too bad that chinese people can not access google and youtube. so much stuff to learn from them.
china devoloped their own version of everything.
weibo for facebook and instagram
youku for youtube
wechat and qq for messenger
baidu for google
the thing is that you have to pay for a lot of the services. its not expensive but when you have a couple million people paying, that’s a lot of money and it’s beneficial for the economy
I was actually pretty shocked to realize Google Play was blocked when I first moved to China. ExpressVPN was a lifesaver.
: )
Google Translate has been working recently
Thank you for the update, google translate sometimes works again but is unpredictable
Great list,
The government has done an astounding job of developing the county and giving people personal freedom in my time here since 1991. The result is the people have wealth and want more say in government. The Party sees that revolution or democracy will not help China keep growing. So it caps ideas from outside the dominant paradigm to keep a lid on overthrow for the good of the country, So all live with peace, development, and blocked sites.
Thank for the comment. Here we don’t talk about politics, we just expose useful information for foreigners travelling or living in China.
Hello I’m going to China Wuyishan and Xiamen for a week can I know if WhatsApp and Instagram Will be working when I’m there?
At the moment they are blocked in all China
Ouh thank
You for the information can I also
Know if they block Snapchat?
Is the toilet in China have doors?im just curious because some of my friends said they have no doors in the toilet
Some public toilets have no doors, but normally they do
Instead of YouTube what app can I use to watch videos in China?
Well, it depends on the videos you want to watch. If you want Chinese videos, you can just use Youku or Tudou
What if I want to watch English videos?Is Netflix band too?and is Snapchat band too?
Netflix shall not be banned, however Netflix doesn’t broadcast in China. Snapchat is blocked.
Hello,
Great write up.
I would like to know about some of the other Messaging systems available.
Since we know that Whatsapp is sort of iffy now and Telegram is out.
Do messaging apps like
Wickr Me, Cyphr and Signal work?
would be nice to confirm or know if they work without or only with VPN.
Thank you
All messaging apps shall work with a VPN. As for the ones you mention, I don’t know if they work without VPN (I’ve never tried them). The messaging app that will (most likely) always work in China is Wechat.
That’s a real pity. if that is the case.
James, so I’m reading between the lines a little, but it seems like you’re asking about encryption, maybe? One thing to consider is whether the messages are exchanged within China’s boundaries, or are the messages crossing the border? This is less a question of what is banned, and more about, well, the resources China’s likely to expend monitoring activity within China compared to more unusual activity bouncing around servers and crossing the border.
Surprised nobody mentioned this, but unless something has changed, you can always FaceTime if you use an Apple device.
Oh Sorry, Sbortu Zhou did mention FaceTime as an option already, I just saw it!
Hi Laura, that would work!
However, it’s somewhat limited, as both people need to have an iPhone
Hi, thanks for all your kind advice, I’ve been living in China for 7 years and love it, if u wanna live here happily then u must either get a VPN (before you come) or just use Chinese apps.
I’d lake to ask, is it just me or do any of you other guys randomly receive your FB messenger messages without a VPN? Also, I heard Google Play Store may be coming back, but only a censored version, free apps and updates only. I noticed that it depends on where you are, when I was in a hotel in Xiamen Google Play Store suddenly started updating my apps, also some airport hotels have semi unblocked access
Gmail sometimes updates mails without vpn, I don’t use FB messenger (it use too much battery). Yes, some internet connections have less restrictions. About Google Play I have no news, but it’s clear that google wants to come back
If I wanted to communicate with a chineese national..what app or social media would be. acceptable for them use
We recommend WeChat!
Hi!
I will be travelling to China next Monday… i have some questions of what apps are allowed to use, i will be using the wifi from my hotel, so i wanted to know:
1. can i use whatsapp?
2. can i use instagram?
3. can i use gmail?
thks!
Without a VPN you can’t use any of the three
Hi,
We are going to Beijing and Shanghai in 2 weeks. I would like to know if Skype will work there , will be using the wifi at the hotel. Because skype is now connected to Microsoft. I am wondering if Skype will work there. I’ve read in some forum that Skype doesnt work unless your connected wth a VPN but it says here, it would work without VPN. Thank you.
At the present moment Skype works “fine” in China (a bit slow as always). There’s a bit confusion with Skype because some people read headlines without reading the full news, the only thing is that Skype app is not available any more in App Store and Android App Markets in China.
is hotmail/outlook working in China, specifically Beijing?
I have been sending mail with hotmail to one http://www.163.com without replies
Yes Hotmail is working
Whatsapp.com website is accessible in mainland China at the moment, though i’m not sure how the service itself works.
Skype is not blocked because it doesn’t utilize end-to-end encrpytion and Microsoft is clearly stating in the EULA that they will provide relevant information to the authorities if asked properly (court order and other stuff; in China easy game). Whatsapp team says they are unable to provide any because they themselves can’t see what is happening in their service.
Thank you for the information
WeChat always works. WhatsApp does not work (well) at the moment. I wanted to ask about KIK (messager), one of my friends asked me to look into it, does it work right now? BTW I live in Chendu and use ExpressVPN.
Hello Flavius, I’m sorry but I never heard about KIK!
Does Yahoo and mail work in China ?
It shall work for now
Hi, thanks for all your kind advice, I’ve been living in China for 7 years and love it, if u wanna live here happily then u must either get a VPN (before you come) or just use Chinese apps
Why I use VPN, but still can’t use Whatsapp, it’s keeping connecting. Facebook, twitter can be used.
What’s wrong?
What VPN are you using? The problem might be that the VPN is only encrypting your browser traffic or only some specific Apps use
What about webRTC functionality? I was trying to test with a potential client in China, and login works, but did not see audio and video.
Hello Rondo, what you see is what you get!