Best VPNs for China

Accessing and using the internet in China is not what it is like in other countries because China has a censorship system that it uses to monitor most, if not all internet activities in the country. Because of these various laws and censorship on internet activities by the Chinese government, many internet sites are restricted or completely blocked off from use in China. It is therefore quite difficult for people to access online content of their favourite shows and websites in China.

This is where a Virtual Private Network (VPN) comes in. A VPN is an application that lets you browse as if you were in a different country other than China, thus bypassing the Chinese Great Firewall.  When you’re connected to a VPN, whatever data you send or receive is totally secure and hidden from whoever seeks to watch or spy on your internet activities. With a VPN, you get access to restricted sites and can evade firewalls.

Let’s take a look at the best VPNs for this purpose in China.

Quick Guide

  1. ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN has been rigorously tested and has consistently been found to work reliably in China and almost every other part of the world. For good reason, it is one of the favourites among users.
  2. NordVPN: For an averagely low price, you get to access websites anywhere on the globe using NordVPN. And if you need to stream, this network unblocks most of the restricted content while also keeping your online identity safe.
  3. SurfShark: SurfShark offers you good value as it allows you to connect all of your devices using just one subscription. This means that all your family and friends can stay protected online while granting you access to blocked sites.
  4. UltraVPN: Securely access all your favourite sites with its top-notch security. You have connections that are ultrafast and reliable from anywhere in the world. Interestingly, UltraVPN has a stealth mode to hide your VPN traffic.
  5. ProtonVPN: ProtonVPN has a zero-logging policy. This means that you don’t have to worry about your internet history. It has a free plan, and even better, it has no limit to the amount of data you can use.
  6. Trust.Zone: Although Trust.Zone is not as popular as the other big names in the VPN industry, it is still a strong contender in the VPN scene. Designed for you to have complete anonymity and speed, it is one of the most reliable networks for Japanese surfing the internet from China.

6 Best VPNs for China

Many VPNs promise powerful unblocking abilities for common streaming sites such as Netflix, as well as optimum security features for protecting your data. However, when they are put to the test, they end up failing woefully. The following VPNs are tried and tested to provide you:

  • Access to blocked and restricted sites and streaming channels
  • Swift speed for downloading and torrenting
  • 24/7 access to a helpful customer support service
  • Value for your money

ExpressVPN

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Key features

  • No logging of personal data
  • Excellent customer support
  • Over 3000 servers
  • Fast and reliable speeds

ExpressVPN is considered one of the most popular VPNs for use anywhere in the world. It works across all devices and its security is second to none. You can easily switch from one server to another across over 3000 servers in 160 locations worldwide. The VPN provider consistently evades China’s great firewall, and so, you can get access to all the restricted sites. When streaming, you get fast internet speeds so you can enjoy whatever you are watching without a pause.

Although it is slightly more expensive than the average cost for other providers, it allows you to connect 5 devices on a particular subscription at once. And the best thing is, you have a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee should you not be content with the services you get from this provider. Its advanced split funnelling feature also gives you flexibility by allowing you control which apps go through your VPN.

ExpressVPN is a great choice for watching Japanese TV in China, if you want to watch shows like AbemaTV or GYAO.

NordVPN

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Key features

  • Super-affordable
  • Cryptocurrency payments allowed
  • Compatible with all devices
  • Optimized servers with AES 256-bit encryption

NordVPN is another good provider, competing strongly with ExpressVPN but with a little lower subscription cost. With its unlimited bandwidth, you can surf the internet unending, using it on six devices simultaneously and you get a money-back guarantee for 30 days. With over 5000 servers worldwide and 370+ servers in the Asia-Pacific countries alone, you can switch unrestrictedly between servers, accessing content and websites from all over the world, including your fave Japanese shows and sites. It blocks ads and malware on all websites with its ad-blocking feature so you have the freedom to surf the net for as long as you want without any ads popping up.

If any problem with connection arises, it has an automatic kill-switch that prevents your data from being leaked or getting into the wrong hands.  The encryption standard is military-grade, and to further bolster that, you have double encryption via its Double VPN feature. This takes your traffic through two servers. NordVPN has obfuscated servers, specially designed for places with stringent internet rules. To access restricted sites in China, all you need to do is connect to one of these servers, and you can surf without borders.

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs to use overseas, if you want to watch shows like Japanese Hulu or Japanese Netflix in China.

Surfshark

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Key features

  • Ads and tracking blocker
  • Connects unlimited devices simultaneously
  • Excellent speed
  • 24/7 customer support

Surfshark offers you nothing but the best. Asides the basic features of a VPN, SurfShark offers a lot more, bringing you the best of everything. The VPN has a strict no-logs policy, so you can be confident that your browsing history and personal information will not be stored. You can connect to multiple servers at the same time and get decent speeds to allow you to enjoy your browsing experience in China.

It does not end there, you can connect all your devices at once using a single subscription. This means that you and your friends can get optimum protection at the same time. This is after you might have used up your 7-day free trial period (available for Android and iOS devices). Asides this 7-day trial period, Surfshark also provides a risk-free trial period through its 30-day money-back guarantee. That is, if you’re not convinced that it is the right VPN for you, you can request for your money within a 30-day period.

When browsing with Surfshark, ads are automatically blocked, which is good because sometimes, the pop-up ads could be annoying. The VPN also prevents malware that can be used to track your devices or steal your information. If you’re looking for the best network in terms of quality/price ratio, then Surfshark is the one for you.

UltraVPN

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Key features

  • 256-bit AES encryption.
  • App compatibility with most devices.
  • Unlimited bandwidth.
  • One-click connect.

Fast internet speed combined with the ability for UltraVPN to unblock almost any geo-restricted site makes it a top choice for users in China. No matter where you are, even in China, you get complete anonymity when surfing the web. This VPN also blocks ads, webpages and videos load faster, and there’s no buffering when streaming.

UltraVPN’s strict no-logging policy helps to protect your identity and browsing footprint. The VPN also offers a good streaming experience, and with a premium plan, you can connect 3 devices simultaneously. Multiple security protocols such as the IKEv2 or TCP can be configured on your device and it uses its automatic killswitch to prevent unprotected data from leaving or entering your device, in the event of a drop in connection.

The provider has a very user-friendly interface; its layout is quite simple and convenient. If you don’t like how it looks, you could easily customize it to suit your taste. With this VPN, you get an out-of-this-world browsing experience. If you have any troubles setting it up or any other issues at all, the customer support is ready to assist and guide you through.

ProtonVPN

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Key features

  • Best free VPN on the market
  • Easy to use Android app
  • Superb security features

ProtonVPN is another excellent VPN for bypassing the Great Firewall of China. It uses one of the best protocols, OpenVPN, and combines it with military-grade encryption. This shields your location and whatever data you’re sending from prying eyes. The VPN is strict with its no-logs policy. The only thing you’ll need when signing up is your email address.

ProtonVPN allows up to 10 devices to share a subscription plan, and you can connect to different servers across 800 locations worldwide. It can bypass several geo-restrictions in China and its speed is decent. It is also an ideal network for torrenting as it allows P2P file sharing on all its servers.

The security system is robust. Your IP address is always masked and kept protected using the DNS leak protection system. It uses two solid encryption protocols – AES-256 encryption and 4096-bit RSA key exchange. Even if a hacker comes across your data, they still won’t be able to decipher it, hence keeping your browsing activities safe and protected. Additional security is achieved by routing your traffic through countries that are privacy-friendly before it reaches its final destination.

Trust.Zone

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Key features

  • Offers complete anonymity
  • Unblocks all kind of websites
  • 164 Servers in 80+ Zones
  • Free trial period

For a cost averagely lower than other contemporary VPNs, Trust.Zone offers you a lot of features. If you seek excellent speed, then this is a great choice because it makes your internet considerably faster, preventing any loading or buffering especially when streaming. It easily bypasses China’s great firewall therefore, you have access to whatever information or content you want. It secures your activities in such a way that the government cannot recognize your traffic, so you can easily evade its watching eyes. Your traffic is also shielded from your internet service provider.

The VPN originates from Seychelles, a privacy-friendly country so it is not under the 14-Eyes Surveillance. With a connection to this network, you can access Japanese content from China, regardless of it being geo-restricted. It also has an automatic kill switch to ensure optimum protection for you. Additionally, it uses a variety of encryption protocols to keep your information fully secure. It also protects your devices from malware, making you totally impenetrable when you are online.

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Suitable VPN

It is no doubt that a VPN is ultimately necessary to access blocked content from China. It gives you access to restricted sites and protects your browsing identity and data. But what characteristics should you look out for when you want to use one? After thorough research, we’ve come up with a list that your prospective VPN must check in order for it to be suitable for use.

Below are the factors that should be considered when you want to choose the VPN to use:

  • Security: The entire purpose of using a VPN stems from the need for security when carrying out your online activities and bypassing geoblocks. A VPN that cannot offer you this basic function is definitely a poor choice.
  • Speed: It goes without saying that this is one of the major factors to consider for choosing a VPN and you cannot make compromises for this if you wish to enjoy your streaming experience. Be sure to select a VPN that at least assures you of swift speeds.
  • Reliability & Stability: It is no use to use a VPN that cannot provide either of these factors because it would mean putting your data at risk. Choosing a VPN whose connection rarely goes down and also provides a kill-switch as backup is a wise idea.
  • Number of Servers and Server Locations: The number of servers a VPN has assures you of easy access to different geo-blocked locations. Go for a VPN that has a considerable amount of these in prominent locations.
  • Customer Support Service: Look out for a VPN service with reliable customer support service that is available 24/7. It should have at least two methods of communication and these means of communication should be easily accessible to you.

Conclusion

Living in China and trying to access some Japanese sites is downright impossible except through the VPNs discussed above. They will be of great help to connect you to a Japanese server to access Japanese content or content in any other part of the world. They will also protect your activity and digital footprint from being tracked, hacked, sold or exposed.