Updated April 2026

Best VPN for China (2026)

Most VPNs stop working inside China within days of a GFW update. Only VPNs with proprietary obfuscation protocols — ones engineered specifically to look like normal HTTPS traffic — survive long enough to be worth recommending.

Our top pick:NordVPN9.2/10

What matters for china — how we scored each VPN

Primary criteria: Proprietary obfuscation protocol that survives GFW updates, tested from inside China. Beyond this core requirement, we weighted overall score, privacy, and price.

NordVPN

The proven choice for most people.

Best Overall

9.2/10

Excellent

NordVPN has the largest verified server network, consistently fast speeds, and a independently audited no-logs policy. It costs more than Surfshark but the reliability gap is measurable — especially on streaming.

96%

Speed kept

111

Countries

$3.39

/mo 2-yr plan

6,400+ servers in 111 countries — the widest real network we've tested
Independent no-logs audit by Deloitte (2024)
Meshnet feature lets you connect your own devices without extra cost

More expensive than Surfshark or Private Internet Access

See NordVPN deal Full review →

30-day money-back guarantee

ProtonVPN

Built by the team behind ProtonMail. Privacy is the product.

Best for Privacy

9.1/10

Excellent

ProtonVPN is the strongest privacy-first choice if you distrust VPN marketing claims. The no-logs policy has been court-tested, the apps are fully open source, and the Swiss jurisdiction is the most legally favorable for privacy in Europe.

87%

Speed kept

Countries

$3.99

/mo 2-yr plan

Strongest verifiable privacy: open-source apps, court-tested no-logs policy
Swiss jurisdiction — outside EU and US data retention laws
Secure Core routes traffic through hardened servers in Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland

Speeds slower than NordVPN or ExpressVPN — 87% retention

See ProtonVPN deal Full review →

30-day money-back guarantee

ExpressVPN

The fastest VPN we've ever tested. At a price.

Fastest Speeds

8.6/10

Very Good

ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN we've tested and the easiest to use — but at $8.32/month it's nearly twice the price of NordVPN. Justified only if raw speed or near-zero setup friction is your primary requirement.

98%

Speed kept

105

Countries

$8.32

/mo annual

Fastest speeds we've recorded — 98% speed retention on nearby servers
Lightway protocol (proprietary, open-source) is genuinely fast and audited
Consistently unblocks all major streaming platforms

$8.32/month is the most expensive mainstream VPN — hard to justify vs. NordVPN

See ExpressVPN deal Full review →

30-day money-back guarantee

Astrill

The VPN that actually works in China.

Best for China & Censorship Bypass

8.3/10

Very Good

Astrill is the only VPN we've tested that works consistently in China, Russia, and the UAE. The proprietary StealthVPN and OpenWeb protocols bypass deep packet inspection that defeats standard WireGuard/OpenVPN connections. The price — $20/month, or $130/year — reflects this specialized capability.

90%

Speed kept

Countries

$10.83

/mo annual

StealthVPN protocol works reliably in China — tested from Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen
OpenWeb protocol is the fastest obfuscated protocol we've tested — negligible overhead
App-Specific VPN lets you route individual apps, not just system-wide

$20/month is the most expensive mainstream VPN — annual plan ($130/year) is still steep

See Astrill deal Full review →

China VPN comparison table

Feature	NordVPN9.2/10	ProtonVPN9.1/10	ExpressVPN8.6/10	Astrill8.3/10
Our Score	9.2	9.1	8.6	8.3
Monthly Price	$3.39/mo	$3.99/mo	$8.32/mo	$10.83/mo
Servers	6,400+	2,900+	3,000+	300+
Countries	111	91	105	57
Simultaneous Devices	10	10	8	5
Speed (tested)	730 Mbps (96%)	665 Mbps (87%)	755 Mbps (98%)	685 Mbps (90%)
No-Logs Policy
Independently Audited
Kill Switch
Ad Blocker
Streaming
Torrenting / P2P
Port Forwarding
Obfuscation
Double VPN
RAM-Only Servers
Jurisdiction	Panama (outside 5/9/14 Eyes)	Switzerland (outside EU/US jurisdiction)	British Virgin Islands	UAE / Seychelles (outside 5/9/14 Eyes)
Money-Back Guarantee	30 days	30 days	30 days	None

Data verified April 2026. Prices reflect lowest available plan per month (billed upfront).

Frequently asked questions

Which VPNs work in China in 2026?

Astrill (StealthVPN/OpenWeb), NordVPN (Obfuscated Servers), ExpressVPN (Lightway obfuscated), and Surfshark (Camouflage Mode) have the best track record. Standard WireGuard and OpenVPN connections are blocked. You need obfuscation.

Is using a VPN in China illegal?

China prohibits unauthorized VPN use under its cybersecurity laws. Foreign nationals visiting China operate in a legal grey area. We recommend researching current enforcement posture before traveling. This is not legal advice.

Should I install a VPN before going to China?

Yes. App stores in China don't carry most VPN apps. Download, install, and test your VPN before you cross the border.

Do you earn commissions on these recommendations?

Yes. We earn affiliate commissions on some links. Our rankings are set by test data collected independently. Commission rates do not affect ranking position. Commission rates for each recommendation are published in individual reviews.

Related guides

Explainers

What Is VPN Obfuscation? (Stealth VPN Explained) →Best VPN for Travel (2026) — Country-by-Country Guide →

Other categories

Best VPN for Streaming →Best VPN for Privacy →Best VPN for Gaming →Best VPN for Travel →Best VPN for Torrenting →Best VPN for Budget →Best VPN for Netflix →Best VPN for BBC iPlayer →