Best VPN for China

Do I need a VPN in China?

China is the country with the most censored online content in the world. If you’re in China, you definitely need a VPN to browse the Internet without restrictions as so much of the world’s content is blocked from your view. This can be a major hurdle for those visiting for both business and pleasure. You absolutely need a VPN in China, and we advise you to choose one which works before you arrive.

What does the Great Firewall of China block?

The Great Firewall of China blocks more than 100 websites—social media sites and apps, blogging platforms, emailing and messaging sites, and even basic search engines. Here’s a list of blocked websites in China:

Social media sites

• – Facebook
• – Twitter
• – Instagram
• – Pinterest
• – Tumblr
• – Snapchat
• – Picasa
• – Flickr
• – Google+
• – Google Hangouts
• – Hootsuite

Messaging applications

• – WhatsApp
• – Messenger
• – Viber
• – Line
• – KaKao Talk

Streaming apps and websites

• – Youtube.com
• – Netflix.com
• – Vimeo.com
• – Dailymotion.com
• – Twitch.tv
• – Vevo.com
• – SoundCloud.com
• – Pandora.com
• – Spotify.com
• – Hulu.com
• – HBO.com
• – NBC.com
• – Fox.com
• – Pornhub

Search engines

• – Google
• – DuckDuckGo.com
• – Baidu.com
• – Yahoo.com
• – Startpage.com

There are a lot more websites that are blocked in China. You can use this tool to find out if a certain website is accessible in China or not to prepare yourself before you visit. If a website you need or want access to is blocked, you need to buy a VPN from our list above before you go.

Why do I need a VPN in China specifically?

In China, you can’t access applications and websites you usually use (check the list above) due to the “Great Firewall of China.” This fact concerns anyone who is visiting the country for leisure or business.

With a VPN, you can bypass many restrictions to access the blocked sites. The restriction is based on geographical location, so what you need to do is connect to a VPN server that’s located outside China, and encrypt your activities so that the firewall itself can’t block you as well. A VPN will make your location appear as if you are not in China, and also encrypt your traffic.

Is it safe to use a VPN in China?

For the most part, yes. In March 2018, China has blocked unlicensed VPNs, leaving people with government-approved VPNs only. VPN providers wishing to operate in China must apply for a license. However, this need for government approval makes people wonder what the agreement between the VPN provider and the Chinese government could be. Are licensed VPN providers still required to block specific websites? Are they required to log user’s data and activities? A “Yes” to both questions defeats the purpose of using a VPN. Still, lots of people attest that they can use some of the popular VPNs without any problem, we’ll keep updating our list above with those we know to be working.

What is the best VPN for China?

The search for the best VPN for China is daunting, as only a few VPNs are working in China due to the VPN ban. Don’t worry though. We reviewed and listed below the best VPNs for China above. Read our reviews for these providers, and choose the one that suits you best.

Keep in mind that many VPNs have differing features. There are many which work in China, but do you also need one which has IP binding? That will allow torrenting? Read through our reviews to make the best possible choice!

Are there free VPN providers for China?

There are reliable VPN providers that offer free trial services in China. However, VPN services that are entirely free rarely work. The country has blocked numerous VPN services, which includes most of the free VPN providers. This situation is probably for the best since many free VPN services have malware and ad trackers that can harm you.

Is China’s VPN ban real?

Yes, China’s VPN ban is very real. The Chinese government started circulating the directive in 2017 and gave the deadline of March 2018. We’re well past that period, so many VPNs have been banned since then.

However, not all VPNs are banned. VPN companies can apply for a license so that they can operate in China. The Chinese government cannot ban VPNs altogether since global businesses operating in the country need VPNs for business communication and operations. A total ban on VPNs will hurt the economy, and the Chinese government doesn’t want that to happen.

How to bypass VPN blocking in China?

To bypass the VPN blocking, you have to understand first how China blocks VPNs. VPN blocking can be done in many ways:

• – Blocking the websites of VPN providers so people can’t sign up for any service.
• – Blocking the IP address of VPN servers which can easily be done by the Great Firewall of China.
• – Blocking port numbers normally used by VPN protocols.
• – Examining encrypted data through a deep packet inspection (DPI) method to detect VPN patterns.

Knowing the above methods, you can bypass VPN blocking in China by doing the following:

• – Choose a VPN provider that is not blocked: Remember, there is no total ban on VPNs in China. There are government-approved VPNs, so you might as well use them as you review our testing above to be sure they’re good.
• – Turn on the stealth or obfuscation feature of your VPN: To get away with the DPI method of checking VPN traffic patterns, VPN providers have come up with different protocols that make VPN traffic look less obvious. Turn this feature on to avoid being detected.
• – Carefully choose your port numbers: Many VPN protocols use port numbers that are easy to block. For illustration, OpenVPN protocol normally uses port 1194. If you know this, the Chinese government knows this fact too, making this port number an easy target for blocking. If there’s an option to change a VPN’s port number, use universal ones like 443 (used by HTTPS) and 80 (used by HTTP). Since HTTPS and HTTP are widely used protocols, blocking their port numbers will significantly affect Internet traffic.

VPNs are in a constant ‘gray-area’ state in China. The government wants to clamp down on anti-government sentiment, but it still wants businesses to run effectively. We will work hard to keep our reviews accurate as changes happen with which VPNs China restricts, so be sure to read our reviews, and leave your feedback for us as well.