The Best VPNs for China | 5 are Still Working in 2021

If you come across a China website blocked by its online censorship system, ‘The Great Firewall,’ it means you need the best VPN for China to access these websites. Most VPNs don’t work in China, but the ones that do, are prolonged.

Chinese ex-pats and native users often use a VPN app to unblock websites and apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and VPNRanks.com.

To find out the best VPN that works in China, I have tested a total of 23 VPNs to see if they bypass China’s Firewall restrictions.

IMPORTANT: Even though the VPN apps I have listed in this guide works in China, but their websites are blocked in the region. It is best to sign-up with these VPNs before you visit China.

We found the 5 best VPNs for China that happened to bypass all kinds of restrictions and are fast enough to stream HD content.

5 Best VPN Services for China

Here is a rundown of the best VPNs that still work in China and why:

1. ExpressVPN – Overall best VPN for China with multiple fast-speed servers.
2. Surfshark – Extremely affordable Chinese VPN with unlimited device connections
3. NordVPN – Obfuscated servers that unblock all websites in China
4. PureVPN – Powerful and secure VPN for China works with US Netflix
5. PIA–A reliable VPN with 12 servers in China and offers good value for money

1. ExpressVPN – Overall Best VPN China

Based in	British Virgin Island
Price	$6.67/mo
Servers	3000+
Logs	No Logs
Multi-login	5 Devices
Refund	30 Days
Website	ExpressVPN.com

Visit ExpressVPN
Get 49% off Here>>

With ExpressVPN, you can access international servers from the list of 3,000+ servers to watch any foreign content of your choice. It follows a no-logging policy and encrypts your internet traffic with 256-bit encryption. ExpressVPN is also very easy to set up, and you can use it in China on several devices as it is compatible with routers, Smart TVs, Apple TV, Linux, Gaming Consoles, PlayStation, and more. 

Even though ExpressVPN doesn’t have a VPN server in China, popular Chinese streaming content such as CCTV, CHC Television, and CNC world was accessible on its Hong Kong server. Still, this doesn’t mean it will also necessarily work for you if it worked for us.

Although it comes at a high price of $6.67/mo with a 30-day refund policy.

As of now, you cannot access its official site in china, but you may open the ExpressVPN mirror site without using a VPN connection in the country.

For more information, check out our exclusive ExpressVPN review.

2. Surfshark – Affordable VPN that bypasses Great Firewall

Based in	BVI [SAFE]
Price	$2.49/mo
Servers	3,200+
Logs	No Logs
Multi-login	Unlimited Devices
Refund	30 Days
Website	Surfshark.com

Visit Surfshark
Get 81% off Here>>

Surfshark turns out to be an interesting option if you want to watch your favorite foreign TV shows, including Netflix, iPlayer, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and others, with the help of 3,200+ servers in 65 countries worldwide. It’s also one of the fastest VPN services in the industry.

Like ExpressVPN’s Hong Kong server, Surfshark’s Hong Kong server was also able to unblock some China-based channels, including CCTV, JXTVS, and China Health TV. If you are located in Beijing or Shanghai, Surfshark is the best VPN to use in China.

Besides, the service mainly hails from user-friendly jurisdiction that is the British Virgin Island like ExpressVPN. It means Chinese authorities cannot access its users’ data due to its excellent no-logs feature. Surfshark also doesn’t have a server in China for the users who wish to connect to it from the outside. But Surfshark is the best VPN in the Philippines.

It is one of the few VPNs that offer the Chinese Mirror Website if you cannot access the Surfshark official website. 

For more information, check out our exclusive Surfshark review.

3. NordVPN – Super-secure with obfuscated servers

Based in	Panama
Price	$3.71/mo
Servers	5,400+
Logs	No Logs
Multi Login	6 Devices
Refund	30 Days Money Back
Website	NordVPN.com

Visit NordVPN
Get 68% off Here>>

The service does not store users’ logs and provides a comprehensive list of tunneling protocols to its Chinese users. Besides, you may experience its double VPN encryption that encrypts your data not once but twice. 

Although it doesn’t offer a server in China, it offers 5,400+ servers globally that allows you to access US Netflix with NordVPN, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon, or other international media services residing in China.

Unlike ExpressVPN and Surfshark, NordVPN’s Hong Kong server could not unblock any Chinese-based content during our testing. Still, it is one of the best VPNs for China as it works great for the people in China to unblock many different websites that they aren’t otherwise. Both NordVPN and Surfshark are great options for users in China. 

If you face any problem while downloading its app, you can try downloading it from the NordVPN Mirror Website. It comes at a good price of $3.71/mo with a 30-day NordVPN’s refund policy and a 7-day free NordVPN trial. 

For more information, check out our exclusive NordVPN review.

Note: The Chinese government constantly cracks down on VPN services. To avoid any issues while you are in China, it is better to download from the link I have provided above and set up your best VPN app for China before entering the Chinese jurisdiction.

4. PureVPN – Fastest and Secure Chinese VPN

Based in	Hong Kong
Price	$3.33/mo
Servers	6,500+
Logs	No Logs
Multi Login	10 Devices
Refund	31 Days Money Back
Website	PureVPN.com

Visit PureVPN
Get 70% off Here >>

For people living in China, you can access 6,500+ servers in 140+ countries. This way, you can access your favorite media streaming services like US Netflix Hotstar, BBC iPlayer, ITV, Sony Liv, and others while living in China.

Only iQiyi and CCTV were working with deficient streaming quality on PureVPN’s Hong Kong server.

Similarly, you can access local Chinese social sites such as Sina Weibo or Douban with their servers located in China. Besides, you can use its port forwarding feature to transfer your traffic through port 443.  Due to its low-cost pricing plans, it is the cheapest VPN for Chinese users so far. Even it is on top of the list if we talk about Best Kodi VPN and Best Firestick VPN.

For more information, check out our exclusive PureVPN review.

5. PIA VPN – Best Value for Money in China

Based in	USA
Price	$2.69/mo
Servers	29,000+
Logs	No Logs
Multi Login	10 Devices
Refund	30 Days Money Back
Website	privateinternetaccess.com

Visit PIA
Get 77% off Here >>

What makes this VPN stand out from other services is its meager price available for only $2.69/mo with a 30-day refund policy. PIA can also unblock US Netflix and other websites. This VPN is fast and secure, meaning you can

Here is the detailed video guide of our top 3 China working VPNs in 2021.

Are VPNs legal in China?

Yes, VPNs are legal in China. The technology itself is not illegal, but you need an official license issued by the government to use a VPN. VPNs are commonly used by different multinationals corporations, organizations, and agencies to access international websites for different purposes.

If you do not have the official license we talked about above and try to use a VPN, then you may land yourself in hot waters, such as being punishable by paying a fine. There is a potential risk, no denying that, so it is better to always do your own research before using a VPN there. Only because, if anything has recently changed so you should be aware of it.

We have tested 23 VPNs in China, and here are the Results

Our VPNRanks Chinese representative ‘Weili Wong’ tested 23 VPNs on her Windows laptop. These VPN apps were already downloaded before she visited China. The task at hand was to know if these VPNs worked in the Mainland and were they able to unblock YouTube, US Netflix, Hulu, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

There were mixed results. From a total of 23 VPNs, only 8 were working in China, but only 5 of them were fast enough to stream in HD. Here is a look at the table below:

Criteria to select best Working VPN for China

Considering the implications of the Great Firewall, I have selected some of the best VPN apps for 2021 you can use in or outside China based on the criteria I have mentioned below:

1. Obfuscated servers
2. Port forwarding (to transfer your traffic on port 443)
3. Wide range of list of tunneling protocols
4. Internet Kill Switch
5. Keeps no logs
6. Servers across the globe, including China
7. It can be downloaded while being in China.

When you connect to a Chinese server via China VPN, you can change your IP with an encrypted connection, enabling you to bypass the Great Firewall restrictions.

What is the Great Firewall of China?

The Great Firewall of China (GFW) is the unification of juridical actions and technologies enforced by the Government of China to regulate the Internet domestically. Its role in internet censorship in China is to prevent access to selected international websites and slow down cross-border internet traffic.

The effect includes: limiting access to foreign information sources, blocking foreign internet tools, e.g., Google search, Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, and multiple mobile applications.

It was called Golden Shield Project and was operated by SIIO. Since 2013, the firewall is technically operated by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC).

The battle of dominance between the firewall and VPNs has been going around for quite some time now. The VPN providers have to develop methods to help overcome the censorship that the people in China face. They have seen good days and bad days, but the effort keeps going on.

How do China block VPNs with the Great Firewall?

A handful of VPN providers work in China. The reason is the ‘Great Firewall.’ This infamous Great Firewall uses many methods to block VPN services. These include:

• IP Blocking: The Great Firewall blocks several IP addresses to stop users from accessing websites like Facebook, YouTube, etc.

• DNS Filtering: Upon writing a website (URL) in your browser, your devices contact DNS servers and check IP addresses. In case DNS is not allowed to provide an address, you cannot access the website.
• Deep Packet Inspection: GFW inspects an unencrypted data packet and looks for sensitive keywords in those packets. If the keywords are blacklisted, the content is then blocked or restricted for the user.
• URL filtering: The Chinese government has blacklisted different URLs. Therefore, you may not be able to access certain pages within the websites.

How VPNs bypass the Great Firewall of China?

You must be wondering by now that how does a VPN bypass the network restrictions that the Great Firewall of China sets up?

They do that by doing two things.

1. Hide your data 
2. Hide your destination

If the firewall doesn’t know what you are trying to access and from where you are trying to access it, it will not block it.

The actual data containing the information such as the website name, streaming content, messages, chats, videos, or anything you are trying to send over the internet is encrypted using a VPN before it leaves your device. When the Great Firewall sees this information, it does not see anything except the scrambled data (encrypted data), so it can not determine what it is that you are trying to access.

Similarly, at the time of receiving, the data which is sent by the destination is also scrambled, courtesy of the same VPN server you used earlier to send the traffic. The Great Firewall of China sees this incoming traffic but can’t make any sense of it as it is encrypted.

The data and the destination identity itself are hidden as it will look like you are receiving the data from an unknown location or server. The destination’s identity hidden here is one of the most crucial aspects and advantages of the VPN. If the identity were exposed, the firewall would immediately block the transmission.

That being said, China can block VPN servers just like it blocks different websites, so be sure to get ExpressVPN, which is the best VPN for China with its optimized applications in China.

How to unblock websites in China Without using VPNs?

If you’re not into VPNs, we can recommend other solutions to unblock websites from China:

• Shadowsocks: It is a proxy application that works in China but offers awful speed. Read more about Shadowsocks.
• Lantern or Urban: These are actually peer-to-peer VPNs that use their users’ network resources to unblock the internet. This is a bit risky as your system becomes part of helping people unblocking websites. So, your IP address will be available to the public.
• Tor: This is also a good alternative for VPNs, but their encryption is easily detectable by China’s Firewall, so use it at your own risk.
• Virtual Private Server: Setting up your own VPS is an option only if you are not new to the concept and available to regularly carry out server upgrades and maintenance.

VPN to China: Know this before your travel to China

Even the VPNs that were working in the past are no longer working in China. Only a handful of VPNs tend to work in the country. It has also removed VPN apps from the iTunes Store that were unauthorized.

Therefore, there is one thing that you should know before traveling to China is to install a VPN on your laptop or mobile device. Otherwise, you won’t be able to open VPN websites since they are blocked in the country. Similarly, accessing VPN support articles will not be possible without a VPN. Therefore, make sure you already save the necessary documents on your device before traveling.

It would be best if you took China’s internet laws seriously. If you wait out and think that you’ll be able to install it when you visit China, then you’re wrong.

Popular Websites and Apps blocked in China and How to access them?

We have listed down some popular social media applications and other international websites that are blocked in China. Followed by that, we will guide you on how to access them using the Best VPN for China.

Social Media Applications

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Tumblr
• Snapchat
• Flickr
• hangouts
• Disqus
• Tinder

Streaming Apps and Websites

• Youtube
• Netflix
• Vimeo
• Dailymotion
• Twitch
• Vevo
• Pandora
• Spotify
• Hulu
• SoundCloud
• HBO
• PlayStation
• Fox
• NBC

To access the popular websites and streaming applications mentioned above, you will need to follow the steps below.

1. Purchase ExpressVPN
2. Download and install the ExpressVPN application on your device
3. Log in to the application using an ExpressVPN account.
4. Connect to one of the servers from the application depending on the content you wish to access.
5. That’s it. You should now be able to access blocked content like social media apps and other stuff.

To access content related to the US region, you should connect to a US-based server. Similarly, for accessing content related to the UK region, you will connect UK-based server.

How to use Google Play in China?

Google Play Store is blocked in China. If you wish to download the VPN provider’s Android Phone application, the chances are that you will not find it on the Google Play Store. It is highly recommended that you download and install the Google Play Store application before landing in China.

Even though China has its own App Stores for Chinese people, you will not find VPN applications. For the people in China and want to use the VPN application, it is suggested to download and install it using its APK file.

An APK file is the setup file of the application. It is easily available from the VPN provider’s official website. Ensure it is acquired from an official source and not some random third party as it could contain malware.

You can also download the APK file on your computer, transfer it to the phone using a USB data transfer and then install the application from the file on the phone.  You will need to allow apps from unknown sources in your device’s settings to install using an APK. Also, note that if you install an APK file, the app will not automatically update.

How to use iOS App Store in China?

Apple has been allowed to operate in China, but it must abide by the Chinese laws and regulations on one condition. Whenever the Chinese authorities request an application to be removed from App Store, Apple has to remove it if it wishes to continue its operations in China.

In 2017, Apple removed several VPN applications from the Chinese version of its App Store after they were found to be working without an official license. `

If you set up your iCloud and/or iTunes Connect in another country, you will still be able to find, download, and update VPN apps. They should continue to work even if you are inside China. However, if you are set up your device from within China and connected to the Chinese App Store, you will not download the VPN application.

The solution to this is to change the location of your Apple accounts. To do this, however, you will need a form of payment native to another country. If you don’t have this, you can try purchasing an iTunes gift card from another country and using that as a payment method.

How to access Youtube in China?

With a reliable VPN, accessing Youtube in China shouldn’t be an issue. All you need is ExpressVPN, which is the best VPN to use in China. You can follow the steps mentioned below to access Youtube on your device via VPN.

1. Purchase ExpressVPN
2. Download and install the ExpressVPN application on your device
3. Log in to the application using an ExpressVPN account. 
4. Connect to a US-based server from the application
5. That’s it. You should be able to access Youtube.

Make sure that your browser cache, cookies, and history are cleared before connecting to the VPN. If you are using a hand-held device, then the device’s location service should be disabled as well.

Also, while most of the social media applications and popular streaming websites require a US-based IP address, make sure that your VPN provider has a good amount of reliable US servers that you can use in China. To make a better decision for yourself, we would recommend that you visit our best VPNs for USA page to know which VPNs are the most suitable for getting an IP in the US.

Best Free China VPNs that Work in China

We know what our readers are thinking at this point, “Which is the best free VPN in China?”. Let us tell you; not all free VPNs work in China. The reason is, they do not have strong encryption that could bypass China’s Great Firewall. It took us a lot of time in compiling this list of free VPNs that work in China:

• Windscribe
• ProtonVPN
• TunnelBear
• Hide.Me
• Avira Phantom

While the idea of using a free VPN is very tempting, we would highly recommend against it in countries like China or Pakistan, where the government is constantly involved in mass surveillance. Any remarks made about government or religion can land you at the short end of the stick. The only way to ensure your complete and secure online privacy and protection, especially in Pakistan, is by using the Best VPN for Pakistan. 

Why we discourage the use of Free VPNs in China?

There are multiple reasons to avoid a free VPN in China. We have listed a few down to help our readers understand why it is dangerous to trust a free VPN in China.

Limited Servers: With the Great Firewall of China, you’d want a VPN that can let you choose a different VPN server if any one of the servers is blocked. With a free VPN, you’d get a maximum of 5 servers if you are lucky. Therefore, opting for a free VPN provider that can’t guarantee the connection anytime is not a good idea.

Bandwidth: Due to such a low number of servers and a high number of users connecting them at a single time, don’t expect to get any substantial amount of VPN speed. It has been observed that these VPNs can barely let you open a website during their peak hours.

Security: With no server maintenance or capabilities to improve the encryption and security mechanism, don’t be surprised to know if these providers fail to keep your real identity hidden. Also, they are known to sell user personal data to different government organizations. This reason alone is sufficient to compel you to use a premium VPN provider in many countries such as Singapore; you can be fined or sent to jail if you are caught downloading torrents or speaking ill of the government. Thanks to the best VPN in Singapore, internet users protect their online activities and identities while enjoying complete internet freedom.

Even if you see an advertisement for a VPN provider in China, do not use it. As that provider will be officially licensed, the chances are to share its user’s personal data and information with the Government of China. In the past, there has been such an incident where a VPN provider leaked its user data and personal information.

Using a reliable VPN provider that knows the importance of the user’s trust is the best option in China. Therefore, we recommend using ExpressVPN as it is the Best VPN to connect in China.

The Best VPNs for iPhones Users in China

We recommend having more than one VPN in China. In case the primary VPN goes down for some time, you will still have a backup to use. Moreover, after our testing, we were able to find the best VPN for iPhone users in China.

1. ExpressVPN – 3000+ servers in 94 countries, No-log policy, super-fast connection speed, compatibility with all devices, and a 30-day money-back guarantee program.
2. NordVPN – 5500+ servers in 59 countries, No-log policy, state-of-the-art security, and encryption features a 30-day money-back guarantee program.
3. PureVPN – 6500+ servers in 140+ countries, second largest VPN server network with 10 simultaneous connections.

The Best VPNs for Android Users in China

We can’t forget our friends with Android devices. We were also able to find the best VPNs for Android users in China.

1. ExpressVPN – 3000+ servers in 94 countries, No-log policy, super-fast connection speed, compatibility with all devices, and a 30-day money-back guarantee program.
2. Surfshark – 3200+ servers in 65 countries, 15 different regions Netflix supported unlimited simultaneous connections and a 30-day money-back guarantee program.
3. PIA– 6,600+ servers in 89+ countries, easy to install apps, reliable server speeds with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

How to get Chinese IP Addresses outside China? Watch Chinese Streaming channels with a VPN

To acquire a Chinese IP Address outside China, you will need a VPN provider with a server located in China. Unfortunately, only one of the VPN providers on our list has a VPN server in China. You can follow the steps below to get Chinese IP to unblock Chinese streaming content and other websites.

1. Purchase Private Internet Access
2. Download and install the PIA application
3. Log in to the application using the PIA account.
4. Connect to the China server in the PIA application
5. Once connected, you should be able to access Chinese streaming content and other websites.

Make sure that your browser cache, cookies, and history are cleared before connecting to the VPN. If you are using a hand-held device, then the device’s location service should be disabled as well.

Moreover, in our investigation, we found that many major Chinese websites were accessible with ExpressVPN’s Hong Kong server. Therefore, if you are not interested in PIA, you can surely go for ExpressVPN, a more reliable, efficient, and better VPN for China.

A few of the popular Chinese streaming content are listed below for your information.

Youku

Youku Tudou, formally known as Youku, is often referred to as the YouTube of China. It has a user base of 580 million unique monthly visitors. It was acquired for USD 4.8 billion by China’s most important and dominant tech and e-commerce company: Alibaba. Youku is more precisely an internet television company. It pays for and produces content and earns money through a monthly subscription service.

iQiyi

This platform, owned by Chinese tech giant Baidu, claims nearly half a billion users and over 5.5 billion hours of content streamed each month. It partnered with Netflix in 2016 to stream exclusive Netflix content in China (though that agreement has since expired).  It also acquired the popular South Korean show My Love From the Star. That show is such a hit that it has been streamed on iQiyi over 14.5 billion times since December 2013.

Tencent Video

The biggest Chinese online video platform by daily average users. In 2018 it had reached nearly 89 million paying subscribers. Tencent Video promotes and produces its own content for subscribers to consume. In addition to being China’s biggest online video platform, Tencent Video’s mobile app also ranks first among its competitors. This reality has allowed for the genesis of giant live-streaming video platforms with e-commerce integration like Taobao live, Douyin, and Kuaishou.

Taobao Live

Like other major Chinese companies, Alibaba has made Taobao Live a focal point of their strategy for years. Taobao Live is expected to generate over 500 billion sales transactions over the next three years. Taobao Live is by far the most popular platform for live streaming: 79 percent of all e-commerce live-streaming transactions in China occurred on its platform. More recently, almost 10 million people watched her livestream from Auckland, New Zealand, and spent nearly $NZD 30 million.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

I believe the authorities in China are taking every possible step to curb its netizens’ online freedom. Luckily with the best VPN for China, you can access sites and platforms in China or outside china while being secure.

Our recommended best VPN for China ExpressVPN will help you keep your privacy intact and also lets you access a wide range of content from all around the globe. This is the perfect moment to get ExpressVPN. You can get their 12 + 3 months free plan for only $6.67/mo.

Lastly, on the safe side, don’t forget to use mirrors sites to download and install the VPN app for China on your desired devices accordingly before you arrive in China. 

Stay Safe and keep using VPN services of your choice provided in this guide!