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Best VPNs for China

Compare published obfuscation and restrictive-network information for mainland China. Access can change quickly and is never guaranteed.

12 VPNs rankedTop pick: VyprVPNHow we rank
#1
VyprVPN logo

VyprVPNTop pick

Trustpilot 4.270 countries

Switzerland-based provider with owned servers, two no-logs audits, and proprietary Chameleon protocol that bypasses restrictive networks in China.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidrouter2 audits
$3.33/mo
mo on the 12-month plan
30-day refund
#2
ExpressVPN logo

ExpressVPN

Trustpilot 4.5105 countries

British Virgin Islands-based VPN provider offering the Lightway protocol, RAM-only server design, and apps for major platforms.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidandroid-tv12 auditsFree trial
$2.99/mo
mo on the 28-month plan
30-day refund
#3
ProtonVPN logo

ProtonVPN

Trustpilot 4.1120 countries

Swiss VPN provider with open-source apps, a free tier, Secure Core multi-hop, and support for modern VPN protocols.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidandroid-tv6 audits
$3.59/mo
mo on the 24-month plan
30-day refund
#4
NordVPN logo

NordVPN

Trustpilot 4.2149 countries

Panama-based VPN provider offering NordLynx, multi-hop connections, threat-blocking features, and apps for major platforms.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidandroid-tv5 auditsFree trial
$3.49/mo
mo on the 24-month plan
30-day refund
#5
Surfshark logo

Surfshark

Trustpilot 4.4100 countries

Netherlands-based VPN provider offering unlimited simultaneous connections, WireGuard support, and apps for major platforms.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidandroid-tv4 auditsFree trial
$2.49/mo
mo on the 24-month plan
30-day refund
#6
Mullvad logo

Mullvad

Trustpilot 4.444 countries

Swedish privacy-focused VPN provider with flat pricing, account-number registration, open-source apps, and WireGuard connections.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidchrome4 audits
$5.72/mo
mo on the 1-month plan
30-day refund
#7
TorGuard logo

TorGuard

Trustpilot 4.550 countries

United States-based provider with the most torrent-friendly defaults in the industry, dedicated streaming IPs, and Stealth VPN for restrictive networks.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidrouterFree trial
$2.50/mo
mo on the 24-month plan
7-day refund
#8
CyberGhost logo

CyberGhost

Trustpilot 4.1100 countries

Romania-based VPN provider with dedicated server categories, apps for major platforms, and a refund window that varies by plan.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidandroid-tv3 auditsFree trial
$2.19/mo
mo on the 26-month plan
45-day refund
#9
Windscribe logo

Windscribe

Trustpilot 4.469 countries

Canada-based VPN provider with a free tier, flexible paid plans, unlimited connections, and Pro-plan port forwarding.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidandroid-tv2 audits
$4.08/mo
mo on the 12-month plan
7-day refund
#10
IVPN logo

IVPN

Trustpilot 4.650 countries

Gibraltar-based privacy-focused VPN provider with open-source apps, multi-hop connections, and published third-party audits.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidrouter3 audits
$4.00/mo
mo on the 12-month plan
30-day refund
#11
Private Internet Access logo

Private Internet Access

Trustpilot 4.391 countries

United States-based VPN provider with WireGuard and OpenVPN support, port forwarding, and unlimited simultaneous connections.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidandroid-tv4 audits
$2.03/mo
mo on the 39-month plan
30-day refund
#12
HideMyAss logo

HideMyAss

Trustpilot 3.765 countries

UK-based 20-year veteran (longest-running VPN brand) with one Deloitte audit and the largest country list on this list at 220 jurisdictions.

windowsmaclinuxiosandroidrouter1 auditFree trial
$2.99/mo
mo on the 36-month plan
30-day refund

Expert guide

Network filtering in mainland China can identify and block common VPN protocols. Providers may offer obfuscation or proprietary protocols intended for restrictive networks, but access changes quickly. This guide summarizes published capabilities and limitations; VPNPlox has not tested connections from inside China.

How the Great Firewall blocks VPNs

Chinese network operators maintain deep packet inspection systems that identify OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IPSec traffic by the signatures those protocols leave in packet headers. Standard VPN connections are blocked at the network edge within milliseconds. Obfuscated protocols wrap VPN traffic in a TLS tunnel that looks like HTTPS, which is much harder to identify and block.

What to look for in a China VPN

  • Stealth, obfuscation, or proprietary protocols that disguise VPN traffic as HTTPS.
  • Servers physically close to mainland China (Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, US West Coast) for lower latency.
  • A track record of working from inside China in the last 90 days; the situation changes constantly.
  • Apps that ship with obfuscation enabled by default, not buried in settings.
  • 24/7 live chat support so you can switch servers quickly when one stops working.

A note on legality

Using a VPN in mainland China operates in a legal grey area. Most travelers and expatriates use them without issue, but laws can change. This guide is informational; check the current local regulations before you travel.

for China - frequently asked questions

Which VPN is the best for china?

The current top pick for china is VyprVPN, based on the documented provider data and guide-specific criteria shown below. Prices and features should be verified with the provider.

How do you score VPNs?

Each VPN is assessed across 18 documented dimensions, including jurisdiction, audits, protocols, pricing, support, and product features. Use-case guides then apply criteria relevant to that guide. See the methodology page for the current rules and data limitations.

Do you accept payment to influence rankings?

No. Sponsored placements are clearly labelled and never affect a score. Affiliate links earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, but they never change where a provider ranks.

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