The Best VPNs That Work in China: Our Top 3 Picks
While finding a VPN that works in China isn’t easy, we’ll give you three proven options.
Last Updated on Jul 10, 2023
China is known for its bustling culture and rich history, but in the digital space, the country has quite a notorious reputation for censoring the internet. Known as The Great Firewall of China, the government uses legislation and technology to regulate internet traffic. The Great Firewall notably restricts access to foreign news sites like the BBC and The New York Times, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and even search engines like Google.
Those restrictions apply to all internet users in China – even tourists – unless, of course, you use a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic. The problem is, China regulates VPNs, as well, so it’s not easy to find VPNs that work. With the help of our correspondents based in China, we were able to test three VPNs that can scale the Great Firewall undetected. Those three VPNs are NordVPN, Surfshark, and Private Internet Access.
The Legality of VPNs in China
Before we talk about the three best VPNs that work in China, we thought it would be best to give you a short overview of the country’s stand vis-à-vis VPNs.
China doesn’t outrightly ban VPNs (unlike these countries where VPNs are illegal). By China’s laws, you can safely use a VPN as long as it has the government’s seal of approval. To gain approval, however, a VPN must give the government backdoor access to its systems, rendering its protection moot in the first place.
That being said, those regulations apply mostly to companies that use VPNs, rather than individuals. So far, no person has gotten into trouble by using a VPN. The closest case is a man being sentenced to five years in jail for distributing an illegal VPN – not for using it.1
Still, you should exercise caution when using a VPN in China. In some cases, phones of tourists are inspected, and VPNs are removed. If you’re ever in that situation, it’s best to comply.
Additionally, note that while some VPNs work in China, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can buy a VPN subscription while in the country. Websites of VPNs not approved by the government are often banned, so it’s best to purchase and install a VPN before your trip.
Now that we’ve briefed you about the VPN situation, let’s look closer at the three options we mentioned earlier: NordVPN, Surfshark, and Private Internet Access.
FYI: In addition to online censorship, China has strict regulations in place to limit online gaming among young internet users. The law, enacted in 2021, limits the availability of online gaming servers in China to one hour during Fridays and weekends only. However, VPNs can be used to connect to another region’s server. We made a list of the best VPNs to use for gaming here.
The Best VPNs for China
- NordVPN - The Best VPN with Multi-Hop
- Surfshark - The Best Obfuscated VPN
- Private Internet Access VPN - The Best Customizable VPN
Details on The Three Best VPNs That Work in China
| System |
NordVPN
|
Surfshark
|
Private Internet Access VPN
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Ratings | 9.7/10 | 9.5/10 | 9.4/10 |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VPN obfuscation | Obfuscated servers | Camouflage Mode | No |
| Multi-hop | Yes (Double VPN) | Yes (Dynamic MultiHop) | Yes (proxy only, no encryption) |
| Total server locations | 60 countries | 100 countries | 84 countries |
| Read Review | NordVPN Review | Surfshark Review | Private Internet Access VPN Review |
Why They’re The Best: Summary of The Best VPNs in China
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1. NordVPN - Best VPN with Multi-hop
Product Specs
Multi-hop Yes Camouflage Mode Yes Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes In VPN communities, NordVPN stands out for its privacy and security features. One of those features is DoubleVPN, otherwise known as multi-hop.
DoubleVPN encrypts your traffic twice and routes it through two consecutive VPN servers, making it particularly useful in circumventing censorship and restrictions. The double encryption means that even if one is cracked, your traffic wouldn’t be visible immediately. There’s another layer of encryption scrambling your data.
NordVPN’s DoubleVPN can do wonders for your digital security, but it’s especially useful if you’re transmitting sensitive data that you don’t want the Chinese government to see – for instance, if you’re a journalist or an activist visiting the lion’s den.
The DoubleVPN feature can also help you access server locations that are closely monitored. For example, it has been reported that the Chinese government is particularly wary of traffic heading to U.S. servers. Rather than connecting directly to a NordVPN server in the U.S., you can instead connect to a server in Hong Kong, for instance, and then make the traffic hop over to a U.S. server. That way, you’re less likely to be monitored.
FYI: While the Great Firewall doesn’t cover internet users in Hong Kong and other territories under China (i.e. Macau and Taiwan), these territories have laws that allow Beijing to monitor and censor internet users to some degree.
What We Like
- DoubleVPN feature
- Specialty servers, including obfuscated servers
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Wide selection of servers in Asia (faster speeds if browsing from China)
What We Don’t Like
- May need advanced configuration to access in China
- DoubleVPN causes significant speed loss
- Not downloadable in China
- Limit of six devices per account
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2. Surfshark - The Best Obfuscated VPN
Product Specs
Multi-hop Yes Camouflage Mode Yes Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes The Great Firewall may not be able to see encrypted VPN traffic, but it still knows if you’re using a VPN based on the route your traffic takes. That’s especially true for VPNs that use the OpenVPN protocol using the TCP port, as the Great Firewall monitors that port more closely.
As a workaround, some VPNs use a technique called obfuscation where they don’t just encrypt your data but also make the VPN traffic less conspicuous by making it appear like normal internet traffic. Surfshark is one of the VPNs that offer obfuscation, and it does that through the Camouflage Mode feature.
Surfshark’s Camouflage Mode automatically activates when you use the OpenVPN protocol. For even greater peace of mind, you can connect to any of the VPN’s specialized obfuscated servers. In addition, Surfshark has a feature called NoBorders mode, which automatically connects you to servers optimized to avoid restrictions if it detects that you’re browsing from a restrictive network or region.
Pro Tip: When using a VPN in China, always enable the kill switch feature to prevent any leaks in case your VPN disconnects unexpectedly.
What We Like
- Camouflage Mode and servers optimized for obfuscation
- NoBorders Mode
- OpenVPN protocol works in China
- Dynamic MultiHop
What We Don’t Like
- May lag when streaming
- No specialized servers for P2P file sharing
- Based in the Netherlands (14 Eyes country)
- Camouflage Mode and NoBorders Mode not always foolproof
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3. Private Internet Access VPN - The Best Customizable VPN
Product Specs
Multi-hop Yes Camouflage Mode No Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes Private Internet Access doesn’t offer features as fancy as NordVPN and Surfshark, but it became one of our favorite VPNs that work in China because of how customizable it is.
Private Internet Access’ apps give users complete control over their connection. It’s perfect for VPN pros who want to be in the driver’s seat in terms of setting an encryption standard or VPN protocol. For instance, if you want greater privacy, you can opt to use the OpenVPN (UDP) protocol with 256-bit AES encryption. If you want better speeds, however, you can reduce the encryption standard to 128-bit AES. It’s still secure, but a lot faster.
You can also enjoy a multi-hop feature, but only through the SOCKS5 protocol, which is basically a proxy protocol. As such, it won’t encrypt your traffic. The bright side is, without encryption, SOCKS5 is a faster way to achieve a multi-hop connection. If your online activity isn’t sensitive – for example, if you only want to access Netflix – then SOCKS5 is a great solution.
One more advantage of Private Internet Access is that it has virtual servers in China. As such, you can enjoy greater speeds while maintaining a secure and encrypted connection.
What We Like
- Private Internet Access apps provide customization options
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Affordable
- Has servers in China
What We Don’t Like
- Lacks obfuscation
- SOCKS5 proxy used for multi-hop
- U.S.-based company (may share data with the U.S. government)
- PIA website blocked in China
Conclusion
Online privacy should be a basic human right; unfortunately, some countries don’t recognize it as such. That’s why we advocate for the use of VPNs whether in restrictive countries like China or anywhere else in the world. VPNs not only protect your privacy, but also give you access to a more open internet free from restrictions, censorship, and government control.
When choosing a VPN to use, however, you should strongly consider how secure the architecture is, including the encryption standards and VPN protocols available. That way, you can better protect yourself from government overreach and monitoring.
For more VPN options, check our list of the best VPNs. These are the most secure, most trusted, and most reliable VPNs in the market.
FAQs on VPNs That Work in China
Here’s more information about using VPNs in China.
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Why are some VPN websites blocked in China?
China has strict regulations as to which VPNs are allowed to operate in the country. However, these regulations make the “legal” VPNs unsecure, as they give the government backdoor access to VPN systems. The VPNs that don’t follow China’s VPN guidelines are more secure, but because they are technically illegal, their websites are banned in the country.
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Are VPNs legal in China?
Yes, VPNs are legal, but not all of them are. Legal VPNs comply with China’s regulations, including providing the government access to monitor and restrict VPN traffic. As such, these VPNs are still under close monitoring of the Great Firewall. On the other hand, the VPNs that China considers illegal are those that can truly provide privacy and security to users. While Chinese laws make it illegal to use such VPNs, the country’s implementation of the rules hasn’t been strict. Still, exercise caution when using a VPN banned in China.
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What does the Great Firewall of China monitor?
The Great Firewall monitors all internet traffic originating from IP addresses in China. The official purpose is to monitor and restrict the internet access of subvertors, terrorists, and activists speaking against the Chinese government.
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What sites are blocked in China?
A lot of websites are blocked in China, including Western social media platforms, foreign news agencies and publications, and even search engines. China has domestic versions of such sites, but these are often regulated and controlled by the government.
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Besides China, are there other countries that restrict VPN use?
Yes. In fact, China isn’t the most restrictive country in terms of VPN use. There are countries that completely ban VPNs, such as Iraq, Belarus, and North Korea. The use of VPNs is also heavily regulated in Russia, the UAE, Iran, and Turkey, just to give a few examples.
The Guardian. (2017, Dec 21). Man in China sentenced to five years' jail for running VPN.
theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/22/man-in-china-sentenced-to-five-years-jail-for-running-vpn