5 Best VPN for China to Break Through Great Firewall [2024]
If you are traveling to China, don’t forget to download a VPN before your trip — once you get there, you won’t be able to do it. Google services are off the market in China, including Google Play, as are most VPN apps from the App Store.
Do VPNs Work in China?
Yes, there are good VPNs that work in China. However, they should be downloaded before going to China. Once you’re in China, you won’t be able to download and set up VPN services as China has an advanced online censorship system called the Great Firewall that restricts any access to using VPNs.
Here is the list of five VPNs that work in China:
ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Shanghai
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Shanghai and China overall.
Its best features include the following:
- Compatibility with desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux, etc.) and mobile devices (Android, iOS)
- Amazing speed anywhere
- No leaks, high security, and privacy
- Over 3000 servers in about 150 countries around the world
- No login policy
- AES 256-bit encryption
- RAM storage
- 24/7 live chat support with agents
ExpressVPN is probably the safest option because you can use obfuscated servers, so it looks like your VPN is regular traffic.
It has a smart DNS option to mask your current location. The download speed is fantastic, and there is a kill switch that helps block your traffic if the connection breaks.
ExpressVPN doesn’t require logins, and nothing can be traced back to you — all data will be deleted and cleared when you finish your session. Note, however, that it provides no more than three simultaneous connections.
It is more expensive than other VPN services, but ExpressVPN also boasts a money-back guarantee with no questions asked within 30 days. It offers a yearly plan that costs $8.32 per month (you’ll be billed $99.95 annually).
Get the Best Deal on ExpressVPN
NordVPN — Best VPN to Use in China
If you’re looking for a cheaper option that still works perfectly in China, NordVPN’s features are your top choice.
These include:
- 370+ servers close to China
- No logs, as the company is based in Panama
- Incredible speeds
- Compatibility with desktop (Mac, Windows) and mobile devices (Android, iOS)
- CyberSec Ad blocking feature
- AES 256-bit encryption
- 24/7 live chat support with agents
It is an excellent choice because, with one subscription, you can connect up to six devices simultaneously. It features a kill switch, as well. With obfuscated servers, no one can know you are using a VPN or track you down.
If you often use torrents, this one of the best VPN for torrenting provides great P2P servers. Its encryption hides the IP address, which makes your information safe. Another feature is the possibility of unblocking many websites, including Facebook (Facebook VPN), YouTube (VPN for YouTube), WhatsApp, and more.
There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee period, but we doubt you’ll need it.
A yearly plan costs $83.88, which comes to about $6.99 per month. You can also get a three-year subscription, which is the most affordable option — you’ll be billed $3.49 per month or $125.64 every three years.
Surfshark — VPN That Works in China
Surfshark VPN works in China and has features that will attract you. Some functions worth taking a look at are:
- Strict no login policy
- Switching between multiple countries
- More than 1000 servers worldwide in 60+ countries
- IP Privacy
- Compatible with desktop (Linux, Windows, macOS) and mobile devices (Android, iOS)
- Camouflage mode for added privacy
- AES 256-bit encryption
Surfshark offers many high-speed servers in Asian countries, so if you’re a gamer, this could be the top VPN for gaming to use in China. Its stable NoBorders Mode can bypass the Great Firewall of China without any problems. You can use it for Playstation, Xbox, and other game consoles.
You can work in China using multiple devices since one account has unlimited simultaneous connections. Like the previous two, this service has a kill switch option. Moreover, its CyberWeb feature keeps you safe from ads and viruses.
If you change your mind, there’s no need to worry since there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee. Note that the provider’s prices are quite reasonable — $1.99 per month for a two-year subscription or $47.76 that you pay every other year.
Get the Best Deal on Surfshark
PrivateVPN — Best Free VPN for China
PrivateVPN is the best free VPN for China and is our strong contender for the “top VPN provider in China” title. It offers high speeds and exceptional privacy, among other features.
Some of the most important features are:
- More than 150 servers in over 60 countries
- Switch servers without limits
- AES 256-bit encryption
- No login policy
- Compatible with desktop (Linux, Windows, macOS) and mobile devices (Android, iOS)
- Fast connections
- Live 24/7 chat help
- Guaranteed privacy thanks to the company’s location in Sweden
The program’s stealth mode will protect and hide your activity and unblock geographical restrictions, allowing you to watch Netflix with VPN, Hulu, Amazon Prime (VPN for Amazon Prime Video), etc. You have the option to choose from multiple security protocols and see which one works best for you.
PrivateVPN’s servers are located in Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan, among others, so the connections are fast with military-grade 2048-bit encryption. You can connect with six devices at once. The company is relatively new but snowballing, so expect additional features soon.
If you want to buy VPN for China, PrivateVPN offers excellent deals and a 30-day refund. For a 13-month agreement, you will be charged $3.82 monthly or $49.68 at once. They also have a 7-day free trial.
Get the Best Deal on PrivateVPN
Astrill VPN — Good VPN for China
This may not be the very best VPN for China, but depending on what you need, Astrill is a good VPN for China and offers some useful features.
It provides speed and security, among the following characteristics:
- Unlimited connections at the same time
- More than 100 servers in 63 countries
- SmartMode for automatic VPN traffic
- Anonymous Surfing
- Customizable
- Compatibility with desktop (Linux, Windows, macOS) and mobile devices (Android, iOS)
There are no leaks whatsoever since Astrill uses extra configuration to help you bypass geo-blocks. P2P sharing is possible on any server. Watching movies has never been easier with access to Netflix, YouTube, Hulu (VPN for Hulu), HBO GO, BBC iPlayer, etc.
This VPN does not keep any logs and has unlimited bandwidth.
Astrill VPN has an automatic kill switch, and there are no IP and DNS leaks. Thanks to their reliable and secure servers in Hong Kong and Japan, there are no speed problems. Their customer support isn’t that prompt, but they do offer a 24/7 chat feature.
They do not offer a refund if you’re unhappy with their service, but you can try it out for free for seven days. The price for one year is $120 or $10 per month — there are no discounts.
Get the Best Deal on Astrill VPN
How to Use VPN in China
To use VPN in China, you should download a VPN before going to the country.
Below, we describe how to use a VPN on Express VPN’s example:
Step 1: Choose your ExpressVPN subscription plan and sign up.
Step 2: Log in to your account.
Step 3: Select Set Up ExpressVPN under Active Subscriptions.
Step 4: Set up the VPN on your OS.
Step 5: Connect to the servers.
How to Check if a Website is Blocked in China?
You can use various online tools to check whether a particular website is blocked in China. The most popular is Comparitech.
Here is how it works:
- Click on the link above;
- Enter the URL of the website you’d like to check (you can copy/paste it);
- Find out whether the website is blocked.
How Does China Block VPN Providers?
Based on the research from ThousandEyes, here are the most popular methods of how Chinese authorities can block VPN providers:
Manual enforcement
Approximately 50,000 workers make up the Chinese Internet police manually. Police track online content, directly remove inappropriate content or order websites, internet hosts, and service providers to remove objectionable material.
IP blocking
IP blocking is a method that forces routers to block specific IP addresses that got into the IP blacklist. This blacklist is injected via BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) using null routing.
Null routes are transmitted into the network for destinations on a given IP blacklist, causing routers to drop all traffic bound for blocked IPs and effectively create a black hole (places where traffic is silently dropped without informing the source that the date hasn’t reached out to its recipient).
While null routing can only block outbound traffic and allow inbound traffic, it is typically sufficient to block a website, as most Internet communication can only be established by two-way interaction.
The government may form a centralized blacklist without interference from the ISPs (Internet Service providers), and thus without the chance of leakage.
Null routing often adds only a small load to the filtering routers from ISPs, and no individual devices are needed.
DNS tampering and hijacking
Tampering with DNS involves falsifying the response that the DNS server returns, either by deliberate manipulation or DNS poisoning.
The server could provide fake info about the associated IP address, any domain-specific CNAMEs (canonical name records), the domain’s authoritative servers, and the domain itself.
As a result, users are given no clear answers for blocked sites such as Facebook and domain-level blocking of websites. DNS techniques and IP filtering can effectively seal both domain and IP rates off blocked pages and servers.
Collateral DNS Damage
The Great Firewall doesn’t differentiate between the traffic coming in and out of the country while deploying DNS injections.
As a consequence, when large-scale collateral damage occurs, it affects communication outside censored networks, while censored links are traversed outside of DNS traffic.
Collateral damage may occur if a path goes through a censored network, even though both the source and destination are in uncensored networks.
Using anycast DNS authorities, where a single IP address may represent a widely distributed server network, further complicates the picture.
When two resolvers attempt to access the same IP address in different networks, they can enter various physical servers through different routes, some of which may pass through censored networks.
Deep packet inspection and keyword filtering
Most content inspection schemes operate by going through a proxy to pass all traffic that refuses to represent outcomes for prohibited material.
However, a proxy-based system that would be incredibly costly and difficult to scale would be able to cope with the traffic volumes of an extensive network or a whole country.
The alternative method of inspection of material deployed by China uses intrusion detection system (IDS) components.
Filtering routers transfer copies of the traffic to IDS-based out-of-banded tools.
The packets proceed unhindered on their route while the IDS technology inspects the copies to decide if the packet contents, including the requested URL.
If the IDS technology senses unauthorized content and decides that a link is to be blocked from a client to a web server, the router injects TCP resets (with the RST flag set) into the data streams so that the endpoints exit the link.
Self-censorship
The Chinese government has also succeeded in promoting a system of Internet self-censorship.
Not only are ISPs required to track and filter traffic on their networks according to state guidelines, but the law also requires all Internet companies operating in China to self-censor their traffic. If you’re wondering whether you can get arrested for using a VPN in China or how to get a VPN in China, read the following section to find the answers to the most frequently asked questions.
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FAQs
The Great Firewall of China is a set of legislative and regulatory actions and technologies enforced by the Chinese government.
The main goal is to regulate the Internet domestically, for instance, to block specific websites or slow down traffic.
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