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Finding a VPN that works in China is becoming increasingly difficult because China implements strict online restrictions that actively block VPNs. As a result, those who live in or visit China lose access to websites like Google, Gmail, and Instagram, as well as streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu.
However, my team tested over 30 VPNs inside China, so you don’t have to. We tested these VPNs for their speed, reliability, and ability to unblock and access popular global content. Based on these results, I have shortlisted the best VPNs for China that are still working.
Among all the VPNs we tested, I found ExpressVPN the best. It can reliably work in China, and it has superfast speeds and state-of-the-art security features to bypass the Great Firewall and other anti-VPN restrictions. It has unblocking capabilities that can successfully unblock your favorite global content. In addition, it offers a solid 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can test all its features risk-free.
Naturally, we ranked the following VPNs based on their ability to bypass the Great Firewall, with secondary factors considered as well. Here’s what we found.
ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for China in terms of speed and connection stability. All our connections were very stable, and we did not face any slowdowns whatsoever with ExpressVPN. We averaged above 19.44 Mbps on a base connection of 20 Mbps with just a 3% loss. This speed is more than the 5 Mbps required to stream HD content. I could watch 2 episodes of The Witcher without buffering on Netflix US in HD.
ExpressVPN can reliably unblock global content in China with its obfuscation technology. This technology makes your VPN traffic appear like regular internet traffic to avoid detection by the Chinese authorities. During our testing, my team could access Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Google, etc., with its US, Japan, and UK server locations. Although all its servers are obfuscated, ExpressVPN offers specialized servers in China.
ExpressVPN’s robust security features keep you safe while using the internet in China. It uses military-grade encryption and leak protection to protect your online data. Plus, it owns all of its DNS servers to prevent third parties from accessing your information. We found no IP/DNS or WebRTC leaks during our testing. In addition, it has its headquarters in the British Virgin Islands, where the Chinese government has no authority.
In addition, ExpressVPN comes with an automatic kill switch to keep your actual location safe. If the VPN accidentally disconnects, the kill switch cuts off your internet connection. Plus, it adheres to a strict no-logs policy and uses RAM-based servers, meaning it does not log your online activity to protect your privacy.
The Great Firewall actively blocks all VPN websites, but ExpressVPN provides a mirror URL to download this VPN in China. You can email their customer support to ask for this link and, in most cases, get a response within the same hour.
It has multiple subscription plans, with monthly and six-month plans costing $12.95 and $9.99/month, respectively. However, I found its annual plan to be the most economical. With this plan, you can get ExpressVPN for just $6.67/month with three months of free service.
You can also test ExpressVPN risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. If you decide it’s not for you, you can easily claim a refund within this period. I tested this policy by canceling my subscription through its live chat customer support. My request was immediately approved, and I got my money back in just four days.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for China, with robust security features like obfuscation. Plus, its ultra-fast speeds ensure you can always watch your favorite global content without buffering in China. Although its entire server network can be used in China, it still offers optimized servers at popular locations like the US, Japan, Singapore, etc., in case of any connectivity issues with its servers.
The best thing about ExpressVPN is that you don’t need to take any special steps, unlike other VPNs, which must be configured manually.
These prices are for NordVPN’s Standard Tier, which excludes add-ons like a password manager or cloud storage.
NordVPN has dedicated obfuscated VPN servers that can reliably work in China. These servers are specially designed to bypass the Great Firewall without getting blocked. You can also use its regular servers, which are less reliable than the obfuscated ones. You might have to connect to a few servers before finding the one that works in China.
It keeps your online activity safe with military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection, protecting your location. It also adheres to a strict no-logs policy, meaning that it does not record your activity data, and even if the authorities can access your data, they still won’t find anything.
With NordVPN, you also get Threat protection and a Double VPN feature for your safety in China. Threat protection actively blocks ads, malware, and trackers that can expose your actual location. I did not experience any ads with this feature enabled. In contrast, the Double VPN feature uses servers from different places to encrypt your internet traffic twice for added security.
In addition, NordVPN offers excellent speeds for browsing and streaming global content in China. It can unblock global websites and is one of the best VPNs in China. We got more than 19 Mbps speed, losing just 5%. My team could watch their favorite content on YouTube in HD without any buffering and only had to wait for 5 odd seconds before their streams started.
The only issue we faced with NordVPN was that the Windows app was not working, so we had to manually download and set it up. I also contacted customer support. They assured me the issue would be fixed soon and provided instructions on downloading and setting up NordVPN’s China-only app in less than 10 minutes.
NordVPN’s subscription is also a bit different from other VPN services. Unlike others, it offers Standard, Plus, and Complete tiers for each pricing plan. The latter tiers offer different add-ons like cloud storage, password manager, etc. However, the Standard plan is more than enough to access global content from China. With its most extended Standard plan, you can get NordVPN for $4.19/month.
It also has short-term plans if you don’t want to commit to a longer period. These include a monthly plan costing $11.99/month and an annual one costing $4.99/month. However, I found the longest plan to be the most economical and comes with all the features you get with expensive short-term subscriptions.
It is the best VPN for China if you want a low-cost option with features. You can also test NordVPN’s features with its 30-day money-back guarantee. To test out this policy, I canceled my subscription after using it for 25 days through its 24/7 live chat. I got the money back 7 days after my request was approved.
ExpressVPN costs more than most competing premium VPN services, but it's worth the money. It has the fastest streaming and download speeds of all VPNs I've tested, servers on every continent, user-friendly apps, and advanced security features. Most importantly, you can trust ExpressVPN with sensitive data because of its strict, independently audited privacy policy. The bottom line is that ExpressVPN beats other providers in almost every way.
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