China’s stringent internet restrictions make accessing foreign content, social media, and certain news outlets incredibly challenging. To navigate these geo-restrictions safely and effectively, using a top-tier VPN for China is essential. However, it’s crucial to choose a trustworthy VPN, as even highly-rated services can sometimes be detected and blocked, leaving you vulnerable to China’s stringent laws.

Considering the complexities of selecting the best VPN for China, with a friend from Guangzhou eager to stay connected with the world, we embarked on a journey to test VPN services in China. After testing hundreds of VPNs over thousands of hours, we’ve identified the weaknesses, flaws, and inconveniences that might compromise your internet security. Here are our top recommendations among the very best VPNs.

We are here to help you navigate the internet securely and without limits. Check out the best VPN options available and seamlessly access the worldwide network from China today!

Our recommendations

Our friend, Li Wei, a tech enthusiast living in Guangzhou, understood the challenges of the Great Firewall. He offered to help us test various VPNs to find those that could reliably bypass the restrictions without compromising security. His expertise and willingness to experiment in a high-stakes environment proved invaluable.
So we are happy to present our top five VPNs for China in 2024 that effectively bypass the Great Firewall while ensuring your online security:

1. ZoogVPN

ZoogVPN stands out as the best choice for use in China due to its robust combination of speed, security, and specialized features designed specifically to overcome the challenges posed by the Great Firewall. In a country where internet censorship and surveillance are pervasive, ZoogVPN provides a reliable solution for maintaining online freedom and privacy, making it a top contender among VPNs.

One of the main reasons ZoogVPN excels in China is its implementation of unique ZoogTLS and Shadow protocols, which are based on advanced technologies like XRray, V2Ray, and Shadowsocks. These protocols are specifically engineered to bypass the sophisticated censorship techniques employed by the Chinese government. By using advanced obfuscation methods, ZoogVPN disguises VPN traffic as regular internet activity, significantly reducing the chances of detection and blocking. This makes ZoogVPN particularly effective in accessing heavily censored content and maintaining a stable connection, even during periods of heightened government efforts to crack down on VPN usage.

Additionally, ZoogVPN offers a diverse range of protocols, including IKEv2, WireGuard, and OpenVPN, providing users with flexibility in choosing the best method for their specific needs. This versatility ensures that users can switch between protocols to find the optimal balance between speed and security, which is crucial for staying connected in China. The service also features a built-in Kill Switch, which automatically disconnects your internet if the VPN connection drops, preventing any accidental exposure of your true IP address. Combined with comprehensive leak protection, users can trust that their data will remain secure and private at all times.

With over 1,000 IPs and 100+ server locations strategically placed around China, including nearby regions like Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan, ZoogVPN provides fast and reliable connections for browsing, streaming, and gaming. This extensive server network ensures minimal latency and high-speed connections, allowing users to access global content without compromising performance. Whether you want to stream your favorite shows, access social media, or play online games, ZoogVPN delivers a seamless experience.

Another key advantage of ZoogVPN is its affordability. At just $2.49/month, it offers a premium VPN experience at a budget-friendly price, making it accessible to a wide range of users. Despite its low cost, ZoogVPN doesn’t compromise on quality, providing bank-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and 24/7 customer support to ensure a secure and user-friendly experience. The service supports up to 10 devices per subscription, making it ideal for families or individuals who want to protect multiple devices simultaneously.

ZoogVPN also supports torrent-friendly servers and a SOCKS5 proxy, which enables fast and unrestricted downloads. This is particularly beneficial for users who want to access peer-to-peer networks without facing throttling or restrictions. Additionally, the VPN’s strict no-logs policy guarantees that your browsing activity is not tracked or stored, providing peace of mind in a country where privacy is often compromised.

In conclusion, ZoogVPN’s tailored approach to overcoming China’s internet restrictions, combined with its robust security features, extensive server network, and unbeatable affordability, makes it the best choice for users in China. Whether you’re looking to stream international content, stay connected on social media, or simply browse the web freely and securely, ZoogVPN delivers a reliable and efficient solution that stands out among its competitors.

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2. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN is an excellent choice for users in China seeking a straightforward yet effective solution to bypass the country’s stringent internet censorship. Its easy-to-use apps and intuitive interface make it particularly appealing for VPN beginners who might find more complex services overwhelming. With clear explanations for each feature and a minimalist design, even those unfamiliar with VPNs can quickly get up and running.

One of PrivateVPN’s biggest strengths in China is its use of obfuscation technology. This feature disguises VPN traffic to appear as regular internet traffic, making it harder for the Great Firewall to detect and block. This capability, combined with perfect forward secrecy, ensures that even if your encryption key were somehow compromised, past sessions would remain secure. PrivateVPN also provides strong leak protection, safeguarding against DNS and IPv6 leaks, which can inadvertently reveal your true IP address and compromise your anonymity.

In terms of performance, PrivateVPN maintains impressive speeds across its network of servers, which are strategically located in nearby regions such as Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Indonesia. This proximity ensures low latency and fast connection speeds, making it suitable for activities like streaming, browsing, and downloading. The service reliably unblocks popular websites and streaming platforms, allowing users to access content that would otherwise be unavailable in China.

While PrivateVPN lacks some of the advanced features found in other top VPNs—such as split-tunneling, an integrated ad blocker, and smart DNS—its core functionality is robust enough to meet the needs of most users. Its no-logs policy means that PrivateVPN does not track or store user activity, ensuring that your data remains private and secure. This is a critical consideration for users in China, where privacy and security are of utmost importance.

Moreover, PrivateVPN supports up to 10 simultaneous connections, allowing you to protect multiple devices with a single account. This flexibility is ideal for families or individuals who want to secure all their devices without purchasing multiple subscriptions.

Despite its limitations, PrivateVPN’s combination of ease-of-use, reliable obfuscation, and strong encryption makes it a solid choice for users in China. It provides a balanced mix of speed, security, and simplicity, which is particularly valuable in a region where internet access can be both complex and risky. Whether you are a newcomer to VPNs or looking for a no-fuss solution to bypass censorship, PrivateVPN is a dependable option that effectively secures your online activities while providing access to the global internet.

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3. PureVPN

PureVPN is another solid choice for circumventing censorship in China. What makes it stand out in the Chinese market is its comprehensive suite of features designed specifically to combat the ever-evolving challenges posed by the Great Firewall.

One of the key strengths of PureVPN is its implementation of obfuscation techniques via OpenVPN, which disguises VPN traffic as regular internet traffic, making it harder for the Chinese authorities to detect and block. This feature is crucial for users in China, where many VPNs are easily recognized and shut down. Additionally, PureVPN operates RAM-only servers, which means all data is wiped after each session, providing an extra layer of privacy and security. Coupled with full-leak protection and perfect forward secrecy, users can be assured that their online activities remain private and secure at all times.

PureVPN also adheres to a strict no-logs policy, meaning that it does not track or store user activity. This commitment to privacy is further reinforced by the use of Quantum-Resistant servers, which provide advanced protection against potential future cyber threats, including those that might arise with the advent of quantum computing. This forward-thinking approach to cybersecurity makes PureVPN particularly well-suited for use in China, where privacy concerns are paramount.

With over 6,000 servers in 65+ countries, PureVPN offers a vast network that includes numerous servers located close to China, such as in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. This geographic proximity ensures fast and reliable connections, whether you’re browsing the web, streaming videos, or engaging in online gaming. For those interested in accessing popular streaming services, PureVPN excels in unblocking platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, delivering a smooth streaming experience without buffering or lag.

Furthermore, PureVPN supports P2P activities on servers in over 30 countries, making it an excellent choice for users looking to engage in torrenting or file-sharing without compromising their anonymity. This versatility ensures that users can enjoy unrestricted internet access for a variety of activities, whether it’s streaming, downloading, or browsing.

Overall, PureVPN’s robust feature set, strong privacy protections, and extensive server network make it a solid choice for anyone looking to navigate China’s internet restrictions effectively. While some VPNs struggle to maintain stable connections within the country, PureVPN’s advanced security measures and obfuscation capabilities ensure a more reliable and secure browsing experience, making it a trusted tool for maintaining internet freedom in China.

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4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a well-known and widely respected VPN service, particularly for its ease of use and strong security features, which makes it a good option for users in China. With automated configurations, ExpressVPN simplifies the process of setting up a secure connection, allowing users to protect their internet activity with just two clicks. This is a major advantage, especially for VPN newcomers or travelers unfamiliar with technical details. It also offers 24/7 customer support, the proprietary Lightway protocol for fast and secure connections, and versatile features that make it adaptable to various internet needs.

However, when comparing ExpressVPN to other VPNs like ZoogVPN, it’s important to note that ExpressVPN’s performance in China can be inconsistent. China’s firewall technology is constantly evolving, and while ZoogVPN has developed specialized protocols like ZoogTLS and Shadow to handle these challenges effectively, ExpressVPN is subject to large-scale blockings more frequently. This means that although ExpressVPN has a strong reputation globally, its stability in China can be unpredictable, leading to varying success in bypassing restrictions. Users may experience periods where the VPN works flawlessly, followed by sudden interruptions when government efforts to block VPN services intensify.

ExpressVPN offers a wide range of servers in nearby regions such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mongolia, and Japan, and provides essential features like AES 256-bit encryption, obfuscation protocols, a kill switch, and parallel VPN connections. It also has a TrustedServer setup, which ensures no data logs are stored. Despite these strengths, the fact that ExpressVPN faces more frequent interruptions than some of its competitors means that users in China might find it less reliable than ZoogVPN, which has been specially designed to navigate heavy censorship.

Still, ExpressVPN remains a solid choice for unblocking popular streaming services and accessing geo-restricted content, although users should be prepared for occasional instability when using it within China.

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5. StrongVPN

StrongVPN is a notable option for bypassing censorship in China due to its strong security features and efficient protocols. Its use of the WireGuard protocol provides high-speed, stable connections and robust encryption, making it ideal for users looking to maintain privacy and access restricted content. The service’s adherence to a strict zero-logging policy means that none of your online activities are tracked or stored, which is crucial for ensuring true online privacy in a heavily monitored environment like China.

Additionally, StrongVPN offers features like DNS leak protection and an automatic kill switch to prevent accidental exposure of your real IP address if the VPN connection drops. This is particularly valuable in China, where any slip in security can lead to blocked access or, worse, potential penalties for circumventing government restrictions.

However, while StrongVPN’s technical capabilities are solid, it isn’t without its limitations when it comes to navigating the Great Firewall. The service has fewer server locations compared to other top-tier VPNs, which can impact connectivity options and speeds. More importantly, users may experience intermittent disruptions, especially during times of heightened government efforts to block VPNs. This unpredictability means that StrongVPN, while effective at times, might not always provide the reliable, uninterrupted access that users in China need.

Moreover, the service’s performance in Hong Kong, once a popular server choice for bypassing restrictions, has been affected by recent changes in the region’s legal landscape. The introduction of new national security laws has prompted StrongVPN to caution users about the reduced privacy of Hong Kong servers and to recommend connecting to nearby servers in countries like Singapore or Malaysia instead.

These factors make StrongVPN a good, but not the best, choice for use in China. While it offers strong encryption and privacy protections, the occasional connection issues and limited server options mean it may not be the most consistent option for users needing uninterrupted access. For those who prioritize stable and predictable performance, other VPNs specifically optimized for China, like ZoogVPN, may offer a more dependable experience.

In summary, StrongVPN is equipped with the right tools for secure browsing and bypassing censorship, but its variable performance in China might make it a secondary option compared to other VPNs that have been more rigorously tailored to overcome the complexities of the Great Firewall.

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How we rate the VPNs

Due to the Great Firewall and government actions, many VPN services are either blocked or unreliable in China. That’s why our crucial objective is to find the best VPN options available, tailored to their specific needs and purposes in this region.

We comprehensively test different indicators, such as security, speed, cost, customer service, and unblocking capabilities, all focusing on performance within China, and share the results with our readers.

Our dedicated team has tried out a range of VPN services, ensuring that we provide comprehensive and fair reviews from the perspective of users based in China to find the best options available on the market. At VPNAcademy, we prioritize the functionality and reliability of VPNs in China over their popularity. Lesser-known services for China that deliver on their promises and support all essential features deserve high ratings in our transparent evaluation.

FAQ

What Is a VPN and how does it work?

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a service that encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a server in a location you choose. This process hides your real IP address and modifies it as if you are browsing from the VPN server’s location. This ensures privacy and security by protecting your online activities from being monitored or tracked by your ISP or other entities.

Why do I need a VPN in China?

You need a VPN in China to access websites and apps that are blocked by the Chinese government. The Great Firewall of China restricts access to many international websites and services, comprising social media platforms, news outlets, and a lot of other online resources. A VPN allows you to circumvent these restrictions and use the internet with no limits

Which websites and apps are blocked in China?

A considerable part of demanded websites and apps are blocked in China, such as:

• Google services (Search, Gmail, YouTube, etc.)
• Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
• Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram
• News websites like The New York Times, Bloomberg, and The Economist
• Streaming services like Netflix, Twitch, Vimeo, DailyMotion, and Periscope

Is it legal to use a VPN in China?

The legality of using a VPN in China is a gray area. VPNs are not outright illegal there, but their use is heavily regulated. While using a VPN isn’t officially against the law, China permits only state-approved VPN providers to operate, which compromises the privacy that VPNs are designed to offer.

How to install a VPN in China?

1. Choose a reliable VPN provider. Select a VPN provider known to work well in China, such as ZoogVPN, PrivateVPN, PureVPN, or others.
2. Subscribe to the VPN service. Sign up for a plan that suits your needs.
3. Download the VPN app. Install the VPN app on your devices (computer, smartphone, tablet) preferably before arriving in China, as some VPN websites may be blocked once you’re there.
4. Set up the service. Follow the instructions to set up the VPN app on your devices.
5. Connect to a server. Open the app and connect to a server outside of China to start browsing the internet without restrictions.