6 Best China VPN – Enjoy Internet Freedom with Mainland VPN

After a decade long cat & mouse game with privacy advocates, watchdogs and journalists, China’s government finally enacted its very own cyber-security legislation on 7th November 2016. The cyber law establishes that:

  1. Data of Chinese internet users will be stored locally in China
  2. Surveillance will legally be part of Chinese internet
  3. All Chinese internet users’ will register broadband & mobile internet in their own name
  4. Ban all Chinese netizens from accessing foreign websites

To prevent Chinese authorities from spying on your internet activities, or accessing foreign websites from China, you require China VPN.

6 Best China VPN Services of 2018 with Pros & Cons

The growing surveillance & data retention threats for all Chinese netizens require that they take proper precautions to protect their internet from all intrusions. This is where the best China VPN services come in:

Providers Price ($) Features Rating Discount More Info
  1.  $12.95 
    $8.32
    Per Month
    • OpenVPN TCP, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP and PPTP protocols
    • 145+ Servers in 94 countries
    • Multi Logins
    • 30 day money back guarantee
    • Upto 256bit encryption
    Very reliable
    Exclusive discount 35% discount
  2.  $11.95 
    $3.99
    Per Month
    • 4500+ servers in 61+ countries
    • Offers 5 Tunneling Protocols
    • 6 Simultaneous Connection
    • Offers 2048 Bit Encryption for Certificate Authentication
    • 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
    • Supports Netflix
    reliable
    Exclusive discount 66% discount
  3.  $10.95 
    $3.54
    Per Month
    • 750+ servers in 141+ countries
    • 5 Multi Logins
    • 15-Days Money-Back Guarantee
    • Live Chat Support
    • tunneling protocols
    • Compatible with all devices
    Very reliable
    Exclusive discount 68% discount

1. PureVPN – An All-Round VPN with Worldwide Servers

PureVPN has more than 2,000 servers located in 140+ countries across the globe and that is what makes it our recommended choice. It has a stealth VPN browser that offers an internet speed of up to 20 mpbs. Because of its high performance and impressive speed for streaming, uploading and downloading, it is regarded as a top VPN for China. PureVPN does not log the websites that you visit or the files you download but they do collect your login time and the bandwidth used.

Pros
  • Split-tunnel option
  • Stealth VPN browser
  • Consistent speed
  • Vast customization option
Cons
  • No free plan
  • Not user-friendly
  • Long-term subscription plans

2. NordVPN – For Enhanced Online Encryption

Based in Panama, the VPN service that has double VPN encryption. Perfect for a China VPN, NordVPN takes anonymity and privacy of its users seriously. Privacy and anonymity are the two most important things when you are using a VPN. Although it collects IP addresses and timestamps of users, the laws of Panama government prohibit the data to be shared with any third party under any circumstances.

It has three types of subscription plans, free trial for three days, basic plan and premium plan. They have a ping of around 75 ms, which can affect you if you use NordVPN for online gaming. Download speed also shows a drop of 65% when using double VPN.

Pros
  • Easy to install and use
  • Unlimited data
  • No DNS requests logged
  • Mobile Support
Cons
  • Speed can be a bit slow

3. ExpressVPN – For Exquisitely Faster Streaming

ExpressVPN is available for both mobile and desktop, and is the top of the line VPN by far. By delivering top quality service, it provides users with a large variety of servers to choose from. They have servers in 145 cities across 94 countries, which can easily dodge the censorship technology used by Chinese government.

It comes with a monthly plan of $12.95 and provides a speed of 20 to 25 Mbps for the US and UK servers. Your connection times or IP address is not collected by the VPN.

Pros
  • Stealth servers
  • Easy to install & use
  • Best Customer Service
Cons
  • No free trial
  • Can support 3 simultaneous connections

4. PrivateVPN – Unblock Everything from Anywhere

It is a Sweden-based VPN provider and is one of the best VPN for China. It offers 54 server locations and has super fast streaming speed. The encryption is done with perfect and lets you access anything online in China. It has a 30-day money back warranty and provides support of 16 different Netflix regions. So if you’re a Netflix fan, it is perfect for you.

Pros
  • 6 simultaneous connections
  • Remarkable customer service
  • High streaming speed
  • Affordable
Cons
  • DNS needs to be configured manually

5. Ivacy – Gets you Protected against Malware

The mission of Ivacy is to provide everyone with unrestricted internet whilst keeping their online anonymity. In China, this is exactly what you need. It is headquartered in Italy and uses transparent server statuses. The company is very eloquent about privacy of their users. Although it has a higher ping than typical VPNs – it delivers an amazing speed.

It has a number of subscription plan options: 6-month subscription plan for $5/month, month long subscription for $9.95 and annual subscription for $3.3/month.

Pros
  • Easy to use interface
  • Top-level privacy
  • Transparent server status
Cons
  • Limited locations of server

6. IPVanish – For Anonymous and Secure Streaming

IPVanish makes your internet connection secure with its 256-bit encryption. It gets you around censorship filters with its 1,000+ anonymous servers. It takes online freedom to a whole new level because it bypasses geographical restrictions with its servers available in 60+ countries.

Pros
  • 10 servers in Hong Kong
  • Presence in 60+ countries
  • Anonymous Torrenting
Cons
  • Only 7-days money-back guarantee

What is a China VPN &Why you need one?

A VPN is online software that masks the user’s IP address and hides all online activities through secure tunneling protocols. A tunneling protocol ensures that all your online activities are hidden & encrypted from the Great Firewall and the Chinese Internet Police.Encryption ensures all user data is converted into unrecognizable alphanumeric code before it leaves user devices.

There are various reasons for internet users’ (both foreign & China based) to use a China VPN server to access websites. For instance,the Chinese government does not allow its netizens to access foreign social media services like Facebook and YouTube. A major reason Chinese netizens have to use China VPN services to bypass the Great Firewall restrictions within China.

Similarly, internet users across the world are also restricted from accessing Chinese based social networks and video streaming services like:

  1. Youku
  2. Tudou
  3. Sohu
  4. LeTV
  5. iQiyi
  6. QQ Video

This increases the demand for a mainland VPN service amongst foreign based Chinese expats &internet users. Chinese expats &Chinese speaking netizens particularly those based in Japan, USA, UK, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Germany, Canada etc are all making use of China VPN servers to access their favorite Chinese news, entertainment, documentary, TV &sports websites.

VPN into China – Get China IP and Watch Your Favorite Chinese Sites outside China

Wants to enjoy watching your favorite content on Chinese websites, but couldn’t do it from outside China? No worries. To access any websites that are located in China, you need to get a Chinese IP. Hence, you will need a VPN into China, connect to a Chinese server, and access Chinese websites.

First, a Chinese VPN will unblock geographical restrictions that have been imposed by the Chinese government. Once you do that, you will be able to access Chinese content right away. Second, you will stay protected online. Nobody will know you accessed a certain website, making you completely anonymous over the internet.

Things to know about VPNs Before Traveling to China

It was announced on July 2017 by the Chinese government that they will block all VPN service providers by February, 2018. It was then the crackdown on VPNs started. To initiate the crackdown, China blocked VPNs that were available on Apple Store.

Hence, to use a VPN in China, you first need to download and install a VPN before you travel to China. Otherwise, you would not be able to install it from China.

There’s one thing you need to make sure, not all VPNs work in China. That is why we recommend you the best Chinese VPN that works perfectly in China.

Benefits of Using the Best VPN for China

Using a Chinese VPN will spare you from a lot of troubles, but at the same time it creates ample opportunities for a free and open internet. Check out some of the benefits of using the best VPN for China:

  • Unblocks social media networking websites
  • You are able to access Google services i.e. Google search engine, Gmail, etc.
  • Unblocks streaming content regardless of your location
  • Connect to a public Wi-Fi with safety
  • Protects against prying eyes of the government and cybercriminals
  • Gets you protected against malware
  • It bypasses government surveillance, so the government will not be able to monitor activities

Who Needs a VPN in China?

The usage of a VPN has increased in China due to multiple reasons. Here we list down some of the important reasons why you need a VPN in China:

  • When you live in China or are travelling to China for either Leisure or business purpose
  • To use the internet for business or professional purposes
  • To use internet to access social media websites i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc.
  • To avoid being victim of online privacy threat caused by malware
  • To prevent your online activities to be seen by prying eyes

If any of the above reasons apply to you, it is important that you get a Chinese VPN.

How to Choose the Best China VPN?

Some of the factors that play a key role in choosing a China VPN are:

Price

It depends on you. Whether you can afford to spend extra bucks on getting a VPN or want to get the cheapest VPN provider.

Features

Every VPN offers different services and features. Take a thorough look at all the features a VPN is offering before settling on one.  Do you need the uber cool features listed or not?  What matters to you most, strength of connection, switch servers etc.?

Speed

What speed does the VPN offer? Is it going to create problems when you are gaming or having a video call or be smooth?

Security

This factor is the most crucial. How much secure is the VPN’s connection? What measures do they take to guarantee your anonymity?

Unblock Youku from Outside China

Although you can access the famous Youku websitefrom outside China, you will not be able to play any of it videos. Depending on which device (PC, Mac, iOS or Android) you are usingyou can easily unblock Youku with a China VPN server Shanghai or Beijing.

To unblock Youku with a mainland VPN, here is what to do:

  1. Subscribe to a mainland VPN service that offers amainlandVPN server
  2. Download the app for your China VPN
  3. Connect to a mainland VPN server (Beijing or Shanghai)
  4. Go to your browser, clear your cache then access Youku.com
  5. You should now be able to play all Youku videos, movies and clips​

unblock-youku-in-china

Which Websites are blocked in China?

The Chinese government censors & blocks media from most parts of the world including the USA, UK, EU, Australia, several countries of S.E.Asia etc. Theseinclude everything from social networks, video streaming, gaming, news, health &well-being, human rights and millions of other websites.

While a mainland VPN will generally unblock all such website, you should always confirm that your China VPN service does not leak your IP address. Always test your China VPN providerusing DNS leak tests available on Google.

News Websites blocked in China

China’s government is taking every initiative to curb the notion of “Freedom of Expression”.  There are different online news websites including theGuardian, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine etc.that are blocked in China. Use of mainland VPN is increasing among Chinese netizens to catchall the latest happenings taking place worldwide.

Social Media Platforms blocked in China

These online restrictions are also applied on different social media websites like Facebook,Google,YouTube, Twitter, Flickr,SoundCloud and Vimeo too. The Chinese government has banned all these social websites to encourage its local internet industry by developing alternative social networks.

Hence, netizens have to use China VPN services to access popular social media websites to connect with their friends, send emails, look at trending news and events etc.

Online Tools and Search Engines blocked in China

There is a huge list of tools and search engines that are also blocked in China. This list includes Google Services, Shutter Stock, Dropbox, iStockPhotos, WayBackMachine, Duck Duck Go, Yahoo and many others.It becomes necessary for Chinese internet users and professionals alike to selectMainland VPNservicesto use their preferred work tools and search engines.

Even the creator of the Great Firewall, Fan Binxing, had to use a mainland VPN service to unblock Google search at a lecture at the Harbin Institute of Technology to deliver a point. Binxing was left embarrassed in front of a massive crowd as his China VPN service failed to load the Google home page.

How China Blocks VPN Services?

China blocks VPN services through the Golden Shield Project, a broad technology designed to monitor and listen on to everything happening in Chinese cyberspace. The Great Firewall (one of Golden Shield’s main tech) blocks any website that promotes violence, questions the Chinese government and criticizes Chinese government policies.It also applies Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) method to find out China VPN users thenusers’ connectionsare ultimately blocked.

Here are some known mechanisms that the Golden Shield Project and Chinese internet Police follow:

·         IP Blocking

IP blocking helps in blocking connections from a certain IP address. The Great Firewall blocks outgoing connections to thousands of websites and refuses connection to foreign IP addresses.

Expats and foreign based Chinese internet users’ can mask their foreign IP addresses with the best China VPN services to ensure they get access to their favorite websites instantly.

·         DNS Filtering & Redirection

DNS filtering is a method in which DNS (domain name server) is unable to resolve the correct domain or returns an incorrect IP address.  So if a Chinese user types Google in the browser, a domain not found error will come up. Using a China VPN server in Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea or Pakistan can resolve the issue.

·         URL Filtering

URL filtering categorizes the websites over internet and allows or blocks the access to these websites based on information contained in a URL list.  The Chinese government maintains a huge list of websites for URL filtering through the great firewall.

Irrespective of mobile or PC, a China VPN instantly bypasses URL filtering to provide all websites on the TGFW banned list.

·         Packet Filtering

A method used to monitor both incoming & outgoing data packets. Packets are blocked based on the destination internet addresses, protocols and ports.

Since this is one of the top technologies used by the Chinese government, the best China VPN services ensureyour data packets are not blocked by making your IP address appear within China.

·         Connection Reset

Connection reset is a method that blocks web request which contains censored keywords. All connection attempts are also blocked and reported by the Chinese internet police.

·         SSL Man in the Middle Attack

The Chinese internet police create an independent connection with netizens devices and make them realize they are communicating with one another in this method.

Why China Blocks mainland VPN services?

There are several reasons that the Chinese government uses to slow down or completely blockChina VPN connections. Some of these reasons are:

  1. To avoid criticism of political and civil policies
  2. To restrict criticism of the government
  3. To encourage the local IT industry
  4. To restrict false news & disinformation from spreading within China
  5. To avoid data retention from the NSA and its associates

It is essential that you choose only from the best China VPN services while making sure the provider is not based in the country itself. A China VPN service based inside the mainland is already compromised and the Chinese internet police are already monitoring its users’.

How to Access Facebook & YouTube in China without a mainland VPN?

Chinese netizens can access Facebook and YouTube in China by a method other than aChina VPN. This method is popularly known as Proxy Server. There are proxy servers working within China to facilitate Chinese netizens to access Facebook and YouTube. Proxy servers’however don’tsecure the online activities, IP address and location ofinternet users.

Chinese netizens mustconsider using a China VPNservicewhen it comes to accessing social media websites such as Facebook, Instagram, FourSquare etc. in China. A mainland VPN provider will ensure that:

  1. User IP address is secure
  2. User location is secure
  3. User data is encrypted
  4. User activities is hidden and secure

We highly recommend usinga mainland VPN in China; proxy servers are dangerous and very unsecure. Mainland VPN not only provide you security & anonymity but also offer numerous value added benefits like live customer support, added payment options for China and exclusive high speed servers for Chinese users.

Employing state of the art data encryption China VPN services ensure that none of your activities are monitored by the Chinese internet police. Using anti-DPI (deep packet inspection)tech China VPN providers make sure no one knows what you are doing online.

How to Unblock Websites with China VPN

The process of unblocking websites in China is simple with a Mainland VPN. Unblockingon PC, Mac or Linux is very easy,since there is support built into all three operating systems for China VPN. While the easiest way is to use the apps offered by most China VPN providers, you can always manually configure the mainland VPN manually.

Unblock Facebook with a China VPN

You can unblock Facebook in 3 simple steps on PC, Mac and Linux OS using a China VPN service:

  • Subscribe to a Mainland VPN service (Check out our table above)
  • Download the China VPN app for your device(s)

ivacy-setup-1

  • Choose your desired China VPN server (Singapore, Hong Kong, Netherlands etc.)

ivacy-setup-2

  • Open a browser window and access Facebook without restrictions with your China VPN connected

access-facebook-in-china

Note: Never disconnect your mainland VPN while using social networks in China. Always consider a China VPN with the “Internet Kill Switch”& “Auto Reconnect Features”.

How to Unblock Snapchat in China?

Snapchat, an instant messaging app is easily access in China with the help of best VPN for China. To get around geographical blocking on Snapchat, you need to follow below mentioned steps and connect with your friends and family:

  • Select a VPN from the table provided above
  • Download its VPN client or app
  • Log in to VPN app using Username and Password
  • Connect to a Chinese or Hong Kong server
  • Now open Snapchat app > Enjoy instant messaging to friends and family!

How to Unblock Instagram in China

Despite of a strong online restrictions such as the Great Firewall of China, there is still a possibility of you using social networking website i.e. Instagram. While connecting to a Chinese VPN, you can unblock Instagram with ease. Here are the steps that you must follow:

  • Choose a China VPN from the table provided above
  • Install its VPN application for either Windows, Android, or iPhone
  • Enter Username and Password
  • Connect to a Chinese server or Hong Kong server
  • Open Instagram app > Connect with friends and family!

How to Unblock Google Services with China VPN

Chinese netizens can also unblock Google services in China with a mainland VPN. Internet users can access different Google services prominently Gmail, YouTube, Google Docs & Google Analytics without having to go through the Great Firewall.

A China VPN can solve the issue by assigning you a new IP address from another country preferably Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan or South Korea so you can easily access all Google service without facing the GFWC.

How to Unblock Gmail with a China VPN Service

Chinese netizens can easily bypass the Great Firewall and unblock Gmail through a mainland VPN. Here is how Chinese netizens can unblock Google Services on their Android phones:

  • Sign upto China VPN service from the list provided
  • Download theChina VPN service app (Windows, Mac, Android and iOS)

unblock-gmail-in-china-1

  • Connect the China VPN app with afastserver like Singapore, Hong Kong etc.

unblock-gmail-in-china-2

  • Download the Google Services Framework APK
  • Install the file and install all other Google Services as the permissions come up
  • Once installation is finished, you will see Gmail, Google Play, Calendar & other Google apps on your Android Phone Home Screen

You can also follow this video to install and use Google Services in China. Remember to turn your mainland VPN on whenever using Google Services:

Note: Your internet speed might suffer due to China’s Great Firewall restrictions;consider testing the China VPN service before you buy. Never disconnect your device while using Google Services from China.

Frequently Asked Questions

52% of Chinese population uses internet. Hence, a total of 700 Million Chinese users have access to internet. Amongst these 700 Million users, 29% of people use best VPN for China to unblock their favorite websites and apps.
It is important that you install a VPN before you travel to China. The Chinese government has enforced crackdown against VPNs and that is why VPN services are blocked in China. Hence, you will definitely need a VPN when travelling to China and to unblock some of your favorite social networking websites.
With 256-bit VPN encryption, your online data and privacy is protected. The VPN providers we have mentioned in this guide gives you a military-grade 256-bit encryption.
Chinese VPN is available for Android application and as well as for other applications such as for Windows, iOS, and others.
Proxy servers will unblock websites that you want to watch, but your online identity will be compromised. Proxy servers do not have encryption, which means it will not hide your online activity, but it will expose you. The Chinese government will know you have been unblocking websites that will get you in trouble.
Paid China VPN is far superior to a free VPN. Paid VPN services have a zero log policy, meaning everything you do over the internet remains hidden and protected. However, many free VPN providers would spy on you and sell your online data to third-parties and advertisers.
If you are new to digital world and do not want to spend money on using a VPN service. For those users, we recommend using a free Chinese VPN. However, one thing that you should know before using a free service over a paid VPN subscription is its privacy policy. Free VPNs would not protect you online privacy from Chinese government. It will most probably sell your data and that is how they earn money. Hence, we would always recommend users to opt for paid VPN as mentioned in this guide. To name a few VPN providers that offer free services, we have a list of following VPNs:

  • ZenMate VPN
  • TunnelBear
  • Hola VPN

It is easy to setup a Chinese VPN. First, you are required to subscribe to any of the best VPN for China mentioned in the guide. Install its VPN application from their websites, enter username and password, and then connect to a Chinese server.
The reason why Chinese authorities block VPN services is because they want to keep a close on its internet users and their online activities.
For a VPN to work in China, it is important that it has Chinese or Hong Kong servers. You can ask from their customer support to know if they have Chinese or Hong Kong servers and then start using the VPN.
To choose a best VPN for China protocol, it is widely recommended that you use OpenVPN protocol. It has a 256-bit encryption which is the strongest, unblocks websites from around the world, and is recommended for faster streaming.
Yes, it is possible for you to use the same VPN on different devices. Many VPN providers offer the service of connecting to a multiple device with a single account. IPVanish allows you to use its account on 10 different devices, which is the highest from any VPN provider.
Since Chinese government has banned VPNs, it is not legal to use a VPN. However, using a VPN is perfectly legal all over the world.
Many different payment methods are available to buy a VPN in China including Bitcoins. Paying through a Bitcoin keeps your transaction anonymous.
The Great Firewall of China is an online restriction that has been imposed by the Chinese government over its citizens. The government keeps a close eye on its citizens online activities by this rule.

In a Nutshell/Conclusion

We hope you will find our China VPN reviewsuseful when searching for your next security &surveillance bypassing solution. Unblock your favorite Chinese websites from anywhere in the world with the 5 best China VPN services and enjoy your favorite Chinese social networks, entertainment and news.