7 Best VPN for China in 2020 (Tested & Verified)

It’s no secret that the People’s Republic of China is one of the countries that strictly regulates the flow of information. Therefore, using a VPN in this country is shrouded in mystery – with many misconceptions floating online. However, you should know that using a VPN in China is entirely possible, and there’s a way to overcome the limitations of the Great Firewall of China – and take a peek at what the outside world offers. As you can imagine, you’ll need a reliable tool for this purpose, which is why we’ll dedicate this article to talking about the best VPN for China in 2020

First, let’s clear up some of the most common misconceptions. You’ve perhaps heard that China blocks all VPN services and that some VPN-related prison sentences were used to give an example of what happens to those using these tools. The truth is that selling VPNs (without prior authorization) might be a problem in this country. However, using one comes without any problem, especially if you’re traveling to China. In other words, it all comes down to using VPNs without breaking Chinese laws – and picking those capable enough to unblock the Web and grant you access to websites not available in this country.

After having tested more than 60 popular (and less popular) VPN services, we know their true capabilities. And also, we know what kind of website unblocking techniques they use, many of which are specifically designed to be used in China. With this said, any of the following recommendations will do the job. However, make sure to read their descriptions carefully to see which of these truly meet your requirements (in terms of browsing the Web, unblocking specific services, media streaming, and more).

MAKE A WELL-INFORMED DECISION: We did our best to bring up-to-date information on which VPNs work in China in 2020. At the time of testing the following VPNs, all of them worked without any problems. However, we recommend checking with their customer support before making your purchase, as China is changing its anti-VPN strategies quite often.

So, without further ado, here are the 7 best VPN for China in 2020.

1. ExpressVPN

Without any doubt, ExpressVPN is the best option right now. No matter if you just want to stop anyone from collecting your data, or to jump over the Great Firewall of China, this VPN will most definitely get the job done with minimum fuss.

We understand that some of you might have prior experience using a VPN, while others might be complete newbies. Well, ExpressVPN caters to both of these groups of users. It’s very simple on the outside and it brings a highly polished UI. However, a lot of power hides within. This includes 256-bit encryption and the ability to unblock just about any Web service. Finally, ExpressVPN offers 24/7 live chat, which is hugely helpful if you encounter a problem and it also claims 99.9% uptime. Needless to say, ExpressVPN also uses high-end protocols that can easily unblock just about any website not available in China.

We gave you highlights of the most important features of this VPN. To learn more about each of these features, please read our ExpressVPN review.

• Available Encryption & Protocols: AES-256; OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, PPTP.
• ExpressVPN Unblocks the Following Websites: Google, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Skype, Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, and more.
• ExpressVPN’s Servers (Near China): Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea.
• Expected Throttling & General Performance: Up to 19% on average.

2. NordVPN

Back in July 2017, NordVPN announced its presence in China. This is a huge achievement for any VPN because entering this market requires meeting a lot of different regulations. And since then, NordVPN has become hugely popular in this country, being a VPN known for its high-end technologies and unique features.

If you’re looking for an amazing value, you’ll find it here. NordVPN allows you to connect six devices at the same time using a single subscription. The only limitation is that those six devices cannot be connected to the same server using the same protocol. On the other hand, this VPN unblocks Netflix and Hulu, as well as the majority of other censored websites in China. And finally, you can count on double encryption which gives you the highest possible protection against data leaks, which is also one of NordVPN’s flagship features.

We are sure you can’t wait to learn more about this VPN, so make sure to check our in-depth and hands-on NordVPN review.

• Available Encryption & Protocols: AES-256; OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordLynx.
• NordVPN Unblocks the Following Websites: Google, Facebook, YouTube, Whatsapp, Skype, Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, and more.
• NordVPN’s Servers (Near China): Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand.
• Expected Throttling & General Performance: Up to 17% on average.

3. VyprVPN

Setting up a server network requires a significant investment. That’s why the majority of VPNs don’t own their servers. This isn’t the case with VyprVPN, which is one of the few VPN networks that their entire network and equipment. Therefore, it’s not surprising to know that VyprVPN offers a custom-designed setup that’s suitable for users in China as well.

The fact that VyprVPN is able to make deep customizations to its servers translates to speedy performance. In addition, there’s a proprietary cloaking technology called ‘Chameleon’, which truly sets this VPN apart. Even though it’s on the pricier side, this VPN service works amazingly well in battling the Great Firewall. Finally, the good news is that you can pay using Alipay, a hugely popular payment service in China. With all of this said, it’s easy to see why this is one of the best VPN for China in 2020.

Are you intrigued by what this VPN offers and want to learn more? If that’s so, feel free to read our VyprVPN review.

• Available Encryption & Protocols: AES-256; OpenVPN, Chameleon, PPTP and L2TP/IPsec.
• VyprVPN Unblocks the Following Websites: Google, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Skype, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and more.
• VyprVPN’s Servers (Near China): Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea.
• Expected Throttling & General Performance: Up to 35% on average.

4. Surfshark

China has some pretty rigorous measures when it comes to censorship. Very few VPNs can successfully get around the Great Firewall, and we’re pretty excited when we stumbled upon a VPN that can easily open up a whole new digital world. Well, that’s how Surfshark found its place in its article – and how it quickly become on the best VPN for China.

With hundreds of servers across the world, you’ll get to easily cross China’s digital borders. Surfshark comes with the strongest type of commercially available encryption (AES-256), in addition to a whole slate of capable and tested VPN protocols. With just a single click, you’ll manage to unblock websites not available in this country, secure your privacy, and go beyond what Chinese authorities don’t want you to see.

Plenty more could be said about this VPN. However, we won’t waste your time – and we’ll recommend you read our full Surfshark review.

• Available Encryption & Protocols: AES-256; OpenVPN, IKEv2.
• Surfshark Unblocks the Following Websites: Google, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Skype, Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, and more.
• Surfshark’s Servers (Near China): Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand.
• Expected Throttling & General Performance: Up to 28% on average.

5. Ivacy VPN

For a very long time, Ivacy has been known as the best VPN for China. This is because this VPN service has been able to go over Chinese Web roadblocks with plenty of success, at least when it comes to regular Web browsing.

First, you need to know that Ivacy is a reputable VPN brand. With no previous indiscretions from the past and with the promise of keeping your private data safe, this VPN has attracted plenty of loyal fans. You can use it on a number of devices, it comes with a simple installation method, and it’s easy enough even for complete beginners. There’s really nothing not to like here.

It should be also noted that Ivacy VPN comes from Singapore, it offers plenty of servers located in China as well in this country’s neighboring territories. This gives you plenty of freedom when selecting a server and a good chance of getting fast Web speeds. To learn more, here’s our Ivacy VPN review.

• Available Encryption & Protocols: AES-256; OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, SSTP, and IKEv2.
• Ivacy VPN Unblocks the Following Websites: Google, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and more.
• Ivacy VPN’s Servers (Near China): Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.
• Expected Throttling & General Performance: Up to 49% on average.

6. Buffered VPN

If you care about simplicity, you will find Buffered VPN to be highly interesting. This is a very straightforward VPN with an exceptional set of features. And even though it’s not the biggest out there, it gets the job done.

We’ve wanted to place Buffered VPN on our list of the best China VPN in 2020 for those looking for something simple. This VPN service brings a very intuitive UI that looks identical on both desktop and mobile platforms. All you need to do is to select a server, and that’s it. There aren’t tons of features to play, and everything about Buffered is fully automated. And also, it comes with ultra-capable encryption that easily unblocks any website in China. So, you get the ease of use as well as plenty of power, all wrapped up in a single package.

There are also a few perks that you’re going to love. Buffered works well with Netflix US, as well as with plenty of websites banned in China. And it manages to provide speedy performance. If you’d like more details before you make up your mind, check our hands-on Buffered VPN review.

• Available Encryption & Protocols: Blowfish 256-bit; OpenVPN.
• Buffered Unblocks the Following Websites: Google, Facebook, YouTube, Skype, Netflix, WhatsApp, and more.
• Buffered’s Servers (Near China): Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan.
• Expected Throttling & General Performance: Up to 54% on average.

7. TunnelBear

The final option on our best VPN for China list is TunnelBear. This is a highly reputable VPN service that comes with some unique features designed for users in China. We’re talking about a recently-introduced feature called ‘GhostBear’ that helps you fight censorship on restricted networks.

In all fairness, you should know that TunnelBear isn’t the biggest VPN out there. It comes with a relatively small server network, and can’t be used for media streaming. However, we strongly recommend it for unblocking other services in China, as well as for regular Web browsing. With this said, we believe that TunnelBear brings plenty of value for its price.

Before jumping to any conclusions, make sure to research about this VPN. An excellent place to start is our TunnelBear review, so make sure to check it out.

• Available Encryption & Protocols: AES-256; OpenVPN, IKEv2, and IPSec.
• TunnelBear Unblocks the Following Websites: Google Facebook, and Skype.
• TunnelBear’s Servers (Near China): Hong Kong and Japan.
• Expected Throttling & General Performance: Up to 31% on average.

Dear readers, this is where we conclude our article on the best VPN for China in 2020. We hope that you managed to get valuable information out of this guide. If you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment.