Best VPN for China 2026 Recommendations

Even the best VPN for China isn’t as reliable as it used to be. The Great Firewall is volatile. It changes and strengthens each day, so finding a trusted VPN for China is difficult. This firewall is a result of Chinese political beliefs, and the reason for extreme surveillance and arduous website blocks. Chinese residents can’t use Google, YouTube, Gmail, Instagram, and thousands of other sites, apps, and platforms. Many of the best VPNs for China in the past don’t work anymore, leaving them helpless.

Well, not everything is so bleak in 2026. After testing over 30 services, we found hope. The 5 providers below are the only VPNs that still work in China in 2026 that we can genuinely recommend, with minor and occasional connection issues. Be aware that the Great Firewall evolves and situations change, so if the VPN doesn’t work today, it may work tomorrow. We’ll update this list accordingly to address the changes.

❓ How We Tested VPNs in China: Important

We put 30 VPNs through their paces from inside mainland China in June 2026, not from a desk in another country, guessing at what works. China’s Great Firewall is relentless: it sniffs out and blocks most VPN traffic, and a VPN that connects flawlessly one week can go dark the next, especially around sensitive dates. So we focused on what actually matters on the ground.

Which apps could punch through with their stealth or obfuscated modes (the standard ones get blocked), how fast they reconnected when the connection dropped, and whether speeds held up once traffic was bouncing overseas. Because the situation in China keeps shifting, we’ll keep coming back to re-test and update this list. What tops it today might wobble next month, so it’s worth checking back.

Best VPN for China: Top 5 VPNs That Still Work in 2026

During tests, we were baffled at how the majority couldn’t make it past the Chinese firewall. This is the reason why our list contains just 5 China VPN options. After trial and error, we found that we can rely on these:

1. NordVPN: Best VPN for China That Works in June 2026

Many say that commercial providers don’t work well in this country. NordVPN begs to differ, as it was and still is our best VPN for China in 2026. The secret is its obfuscated servers that mask your VPN traffic and make it look regular. In return, you bypass the Great Firewall of China and use the internet normally. While obfuscating your traffic, NordVPN keeps the performance high for some of the best VPN speeds around. This comes down to its modern server infrastructure.

NordVPN uses 10 Gbps servers and has 9,400+ of them. Obfuscation uses OpenVPN TCP, but apart from that, NordLynx also seldom works. NordVPN excels in privacy and security, which Chinese VPN users will love. The VPN uses 256-bit (post-quantum) encryption, with a kill switch to prevent IP leaks. Threat Protection Pro, which blocks ads and trackers, is also available on all devices. NordVPN doesn’t store logs (audited by Deloitte in 2026) and is based in privacy-friendly Panama.

Even if the Chinese authorities seize any server, they would find nothing because NordVPN uses RAM-only servers. What about entertainment? Well, NordVPN works with Netflix and even supports torrenting, which works in China. The VPN works like a charm on macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, and other platforms. As the icing on the cake, it’s also affordable, at around $3.00 per month.

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2. ExpressVPN: Fastest and Most Secure China VPN

ExpressVPN doesn’t struggle in China. Having tested it, we can say it’s the best VPN for China that works without special tweaks. Obfuscation masks every connection. This means you can pick any server and go with it, and the VPN will automatically apply it. Plus, this VPN doesn’t store any logs and has several audits from KPMG (the last time was in 2025). As one of the leading VPN in China, it uses AES-256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and IP/DNS leak protection for airtight security.

It’s also good for US users connecting to China, since its US  server network stays accessible within the mainland (we tested this). ExpressVPN operates its own Private DNS that prevents third-party DNS from tracking your activities. It also relies on RAM-only servers, like NordVPN, and introduces Lightway Turbo, a proprietary protocol that mixes speed and security, exactly the things you need in a VPN for China. While Multi-hop servers are lacking, Advanced Protection is free in every plan.

In our tests, it blocked ads, trackers, and some malicious URLs while browsing in China. The VPN is most famous for its user-friendly apps adapted to beginners. Depending on the plan, it also protects 10-14 devices at a time. ExpressVPN costs nearly as much as NordVPN. Its Basic plan starts at $2.49 per month for 2 years, with 4 free months. As the best VPN for China, it has a 30-day refund policy to test it risk-free.

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3. Surfshark: Cheapest VPN for China With Obfuscation

Surfshark might surprise many, as it’s high up on our list of the best VPN for China 2026. This cheap little VPN offers the Camouflage Mode or obfuscation, which masks your VPN traffic and makes it easy to get over the Great Firewall. Surfshark worked 6 out of 10 times in our tests; great for a $1.99/mo VPN. Surfshark uses WireGuard for optimal stability and connection speed. Security consists of MultiHop servers that route traffic through 2 servers for stronger, layered encryption

IP Rotation rotates your IP periodically (5-10 minutes), keeping your connection active to make you untraceable; it’s unique to Surfshark and uses its self-healing server technology, which reduces the chance of connection breaks. If you spend more on the One plan, the VPN throws in antivirus protection, a surprisingly effective security feature that we discussed in our Surfshark review. Above all, Surfshark is a no-log service, audited by Deloitte in 2025 and in 2026 by SecuRing.

Surfshark’s biggest benefit is unlimited simultaneous connections that many good VPNs for use in China lack. It’s great for streaming too, unblocking over 30 Netflix catalogs. All this for $1.99 per month sounds unreal, but Surfshark’s promises were never false and never will be. See for yourself below.

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4. Astrill VPN: Trusted VPN for China That Works Reliably

Astrill VPN works in China in 2026, and occasionally more reliably than Surfshark and ExpressVPN. It has all you need to make it past the firewall. There’s the Stealth VPN protocol that masks your VPN traffic. OpenWeb, another protocol it offers for China, also works fuss-free. This provider is a technological marvel. It works in China with stellar performance and reliability. Its 10 Gbps server fleet spans over 119 cities, and you get all the most advanced security features.

MultiHop, kill switch, WireGuard, and IPv6 leak protection are all there. The VPN is also famous for privacy. But, we didn’t expect less from the best VPN in China. Astrill is based in the Seychelles Islands, a privacy-friendly jurisdiction with no data retention laws. This allows this famous China VPN to not store logs and keep you private in the Mainland. Astrill VPN also works on all platforms, but it’s limited to 5 connections. It’s one of the best-rated VPN for China, but with fatal flaws.

Astrill VPN’s price is very high, and the cheapest 2-year plan is $12.50 per month. For comparison, NordVPN’s equivalent costs around $3 on average. Astrill has lots of features, but so do NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark at lower prices. I’ll also warn you that it lacks a money-back guarantee or a free trial, so you must be sure you really want this VPN for China.

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5. Mullvad VPN: Superb China VPN for Privacy and Anonymity

Mullvad VPN works well in China. In our tests with Mullvad, it was far from perfect, as it still had occasional issues. We can approximately say it works 5 out of 10 times, which is still great given the intensity of the Great Firewall. This provider uses 10 Gbps servers with AES-256 encryption and OpenVPN and WireGuard support. You’ll also find its MultiHop or Bridge Mode useful to increase your security. Mullvad’s performance is stellar unless you enable the much-needed obfuscation.

This will slightly decrease the speed at the cost of privacy. Mullvad doesn’t keep any logs, which the best VPN for China shouldn’t do anyway. It doesn’t require your email for registration, instead relying on account numbers to provide service. Mullvad is simple to use and works on all devices, so even iPhone and Android users enjoy a variety of security features. However, being in last place, Mullvad suffers from a few issues. The most obvious is not working with streaming services.

Mullvad isn’t very fast and limits you to 5 simultaneous connections. At least you don’t need to commit to it, and you can pay as you go, plus you get a 30-day money-back guarantee, so refunds are on the table.

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Best Stable VPN for China 2026 Comparison

	NordVPN	ExpressVPN	Surfshark	Astrill	Mullvad
✅ Reliability (China)	Excellent	Excellent	Good	Excellent	Moderate
🚀 Speeds	Fastest	Fastest	Very fast	Fast	Good
🔴 Streaming	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Limited	Very limited
🔄 Security Audits	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
🌐 Servers	9,400+	3,000+	4,500+	300+	570+
📱 Devices	10	10-14	Unlimited	5	5
💲 Price	$3.09/mo	$2.49/mo	$1.99/mo	$12.5/mo	$5.6/mo

How to Buy and Use a VPN in China: Our Recommendations

You now know all about the best VPN for China in 2026, but using one can be problematic. VPNs are very simple to use and require a connection to the server. Well, China is different and requires a tad more effort. We need to determine if you’re traveling or live there. If you’re traveling, subscribe to a VPN beforehand. The most critical step is to buy your VPN for China before you land; VPN websites are blocked on the mainland, so you won’t be able to install one once there.

When you get there, the process should look like this:

Subscribe to NordVPN

• Open the app and sign in.
• Enable the kill switch to prevent unwanted data leaks.
• Connect to an obfuscated server (NordVPN). If you’re using ExpressVPN, you can connect to any server without tweaks. If you’re using Surfshark, enable NoBorders first and then connect to a server.
• Go ahead and test the connection – everything should work reliably.

Depending on the VPN for China you select, you can enable a few advanced security features. For instance, NordVPN and Surfshark offer malware and virus protection. They even include dark web monitoring and tracker protection. When using a VPN that works in China, make it as secure as possible using all tools at your disposal.

Free VPN for China: Is it Good and Safe?

While the presented premium VPNs offer strong performance in China or in other restrictive regions like India, for TikTok, free VPNs drop the ball and aren’t as great. During our testing, we involved a few great free VPNs as well, but had no luck. Think of them as Lite versions of paid VPNs for basic browsing and security. The biggest flaw of free VPNs is their lack of advanced security features and obfuscation. We tested Proton VPN, Hide.me, Windscribe, PrivadoVPN, and a few others.

While these providers were safe and with no logging, they couldn’t bypass the Great Firewall. Some of these VPNs offer unlimited data. Proton VPN even supports OpenVPN TCP, often used for these cases. However, our tests were unsuccessful. We don’t recommend free VPNs for China because many aren’t safe. 100% free options like Turbo VPN, Hola, Urban-VPN, and others are notorious for logging and even IP and DNS leaking. The best VPN for China should be safe and fast.

These lack both aspects. You can use NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and others for free thanks to their 30-day refund policy. If you no longer need them, you can request a refund and be reimbursed. It’s as if you were using a free VPN for China for a month, but actually a good one.

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Why Use a VPN in China? Do You Really Need It?

In most cases, we say that it’s unnecessary. However, you’ll make things difficult if you’re not using a trusty VPN in China. Let us remind you: China blocked thousands of websites (311,000+ domains, according to The Record Media’s 2021 analysis), apps, and platforms. Some include:

• Google (including Google services like Gmail, Docs, …)
• Social media sites (Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, …)
• Porn sites (Pornhub, Xvideos, RedTube, …)
• Streaming sites (YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Max, …)
• News platforms (Bloomberg, Reuters, The New York Times, …)
• VoIP services (Skype …, Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Signal, …)

It’s impossible to use the internet properly and enjoy every other app or platform that users worldwide can, including AI tools like ChatGPT. These websites can only be unblocked by bypassing censorship, exactly what the best VPN for China does. This applies everywhere from Beijing to Shanghai. A Beijing VPN and a Shanghai VPN are the same, since the Great Firewall operates uniformly across the country. Apart from censorship, the authorities don’t shy away from surveillance.

For example, they have their versions of VoIP apps, which allow the government to spy on conversations. The government will monitor your every step. They’ll know which sites you’re on, what you’re downloading, with whom you’re talking, and more. This is problematic for US users, expats, or businesses connecting between the US and China who need access to American platforms. A VPN that works in China disconnects you from this matrix, hides your IP address, and encrypts your traffic.

This allows for a greater degree of internet freedom and privacy. So, to answer the second question, you need a VPN in this country. It’s a necessity in 2026.

Popular VPNs That Don’t Work in China

Many popular providers advertise as being great for bypassing censorship, even going as far as offering Stealth VPN and other functionalities. In practice, many of these are great only for mild censorship and weaker firewalls – not for China. We’ll list a few to help you avoid pitfalls and avoid spending your money in vain.

❌ CyberGhost

CyberGhost is an excellent option if you want to stream movies on Netflix or download torrents. Unfortunately, as much as we love it, we mourn its lack of obfuscation, which seriously harms its reliability in China and similar countries. Have we tested it? Yes – this VPN wouldn’t work in China, no matter what.

Again, this comes down to the lack of obfuscation that would allow you to get over deep-packet inspection. Our experts recommend changing CyberGhost for NordVPN before you go to the mainland.

❌ Proton VPN

Proton VPN openly admits to not working in this country, and this is honest, though it still provides tips for using it in China on its site. Interestingly, Proton offers Stealth VPN. It works well in the UAE, Turkey, Qatar, and other mildly censored regions, but fails in the mainland. Compared to our #1-rated VPN for China, NordVPN, this one is as secure. But you need much more if you’re in this country. In 2026, Proton VPN won’t suffice to jump over the wide and tall Great Firewall.

For context, when stacking up Mullvad, Surfshark, and Proton VPN on China performance, only the first two cleared our firewall tests; Proton did not.

❌ Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access was mentioned many times on Reddit as a VPN working in China. This was a few years ago, when PIA’s obfuscation with Shadowsocks could beat the Great Firewall. In 2026, very few people used it successfully. We know of some users satisfied with PIA in China. Even we managed to make it work from time to time, but not reliably and with great speed. PIA is better than Proton VPN and CyberGhost. However, it’s far from usable in this country.

❌ IPVanish

IPVanish often makes it to the lists of the best overall VPNs. Practice showed that it’s far from NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark. While IPVanish offers obfuscation, it won’t work against Chinese censorship. We even confirmed it by testing it, and noticed that we couldn’t connect to it at all. We switched to OpenVPN, then WireGuard, and used a kill switch and all the security features we could conjure. Nothing worked, and IPVanish remained useless.

Is Using a VPN in China Legal in 2026?

Contrary to Turkmenistan, Belarus, and a few other locations where VPNs are strictly illegal, we title China a gray zone. The government restricts the use of VPNs but doesn’t outright ban them. This means you won’t end up in jail for using one. Simultaneously, VPNs and their websites are heavily blocked.

This is why it’s recommended to subscribe to a VPN for China before you arrive. If you’re already there, you can use tourist hotels’ WiFi networks to do this because they’re less censored. Either way, we haven’t heard of anyone going to jail or being fined for using reliable VPNs in China. You can use them to watch content, unblock sites, and preserve your privacy. The only thing to worry about is selling and/or promoting VPNs, which is illegal.

The authorities let people use only government-approved providers, but this isn’t viable for many because they keep logs and lack privacy. If you’re going to use a VPN, better do it without bragging, promoting, or anything similar. Ask a Chinese lawyer about VPN-related laws if you’re unsure what to do. A lawyer will explain to you how to use it and what not to do. Also, refer to our guide addressing the question of VPN legality in many regions.

Summary of the Best VPN for China 2026 Recommendations

China is a specific country. Its culture and cuisine are some of the most revered, but its politics, censorship, and surveillance deter many tourists. With the best VPN for China in 2026, things will be easier. NordVPN and ExpressVPN are the best VPN for China, all safe, fast, and reliable. They’ve consistently topped our tests alongside Surfshark since 2024. If you’ve been asking if NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark works in China, the answer for all three is yes.

Surfshark is the cheapest premium VPN for China, and its unlimited connections and NoBorders mode are a perfect match for budget users. Astrill VPN is more efficient than Surfshark, but roughly six times more expensive. We then have Mullvad, the most anonymous option. It’s time to make it happen. Pick the best VPN for China and reclaim your internet freedom.

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