On the few times that I did, an email to the support desk was responded to quickly and the problems were easily solved. It is a more expensive option than some of the others but it has always worked without issue. I made the mistake of being lured by NordVPN into a long-term deal (Price looked great) but for access from China you have to use their obfuscated servers. Problem with this is that you have to be able to connect to get the updated list which I couldn’t. Most websites blocked by the Great Firewall remain blocked permanently, but some are only blocked temporarily.
I tried lots of different servers and connections but Astrill was faster and more reliable than ExpressVPN. The tech support at ExpressVPN was really helpful and friendly but no tweeks solved the problems and after a few days trying I stayed with Astrill.
Why is Astrill VPN the best choice
These are designed for locations with heavy digital censorship that makes it difficult to use a VPN. However by hopping onto one of NordVPN’s obfuscated servers, not only are your internet traffic and location hidden, but so is your VPN activity. In places like China, Turkey, and the UAE, these help you bypass geoblocks and avoid government surveillance, so NordVPN is ideal if you find yourself in a restricted country.
However, you do need to install the app before you get there, otherwise you won’t be able to access it. With a static IP address, you’ll use the same IP address each time you connect to the VPN. If you’re the only one using a particular IP address, streaming services won’t ever flag it as belonging to a VPN. Even leading vendors like ExpressVPN and Surfshark don’t offer this feature—I’m impressed. So, what’s being banned are foreign VPN services and other VPN implementations that don’t comply with government policies and regulations.
This is designed to give you better connections and speed as your traffic is routed through a country with a better connection. NordVPN doesn’t offer any virtual server locations, so you can trust that your connection really is routed to the country you intended. Another great privacy feature from NordVPN is its obfuscated servers.
Just choose your preferred server as normal and you should be able to browse the web freely. However, the ExpressVPN website is currently blocked in China.
As a result, we strongly recommend registering and installing the service before you travel to the country. The Chinese government imposes heavy censorship on internet use within the country. These restrictions are known collectively as China’s Great Firewall, and they present a real problem to travelers and expats staying or living in China. However, you can bypass the Great Firewall with a Virtual Private Network (VPN) like ExpressVPN. Today, we’ll explain Chinese internet blocking in more detail, and show how to use ExpressVPN safely in China.
This one looks exactly like the original website, allowing you to log-in to your user account and download the required software. The government systematically shuts down VPN protocols and blocks servers from time to time. I use Astrill’s Home Plan (5 connections) + I bought their year plan that came with a free VPN router. I have the router and my mobiles set to their encrypted Stealth protocol and set to TCP. I have access to 1 other VPN provider and maybe use this once a month if I’m have difficulty with the Astrill servers.
Happy with stealthvpn connection on my own router running Asuswrt merlin, mac os, and android phone. But to be honest China is so aggressively restrictive I am happy to pay the money to a company that is offering a proper solution. By the way I think the reviewer’s comments in this article are incorrect as the wording clearly relates to the astrill.com website rather than the vpn service.
Personal VPN plan pricing
And also, Google has removed VPN-related ads from appearing in this country. VyprVPN is one of the few tier-1 VPN networks with support for users in China, meaning it owns most of its own VPN servers and data centers. That equates to fast, consistent speeds and excellent uptime. The Pro version includes a proprietary Chameleon protocol that masks VPN traffic to make it less susceptible to the Great Firewall’s deep packet inspection technology. It’s on the pricier side, but residents of China will be happy to know the company accepts payments from Alipay, a popular payment gateway in the country similar to PayPal.
You will find that NordVPN has perhaps the best mix of services for the price if you subscribe to an account for a longer period of time. All users have full access to their network and custom software. They also have an easy-to-use mobile app for Android and iOS (iPhone, iPad) devices. You can use the NordVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. NordVPN offers some advanced privacy features like double VPN, P2P servers, and dedicated IP that really helps the service stand out.
- You will find that NordVPN has perhaps the best mix of services for the price if you subscribe to an account for a longer period of time.
- All users have full access to their network and custom software.
- They also have an easy-to-use mobile app for Android and iOS (iPhone, iPad) devices.
The new law didn’t make VPNs illegal in this country, as you might have read online. However, it doesn’t mean that there’s no reason for concern. We don’t know the exact relationship between licensed VPNs and the Chinese government. Do those VPNs keep logs, and have they developed backdoor access? I have used Astill since 2014 and though it has occasionally been slow, it has always connected and I’ve never had any real issues with it.
China has indeed blocked access to several websites selling VPN services. However, this is why you’ll find mirror or proxy websites that are still available in this country. So, instead of visiting the official website of a VPN, you need to do a Google search if a mirror website is available.
Does Astrill VPN work in China?
Astrill VPN Works in China, But Only If You Do This First. From social media to news sites to video streaming services, the list of banned websites and services in China would stretch out for kilometers. Read on to learn how to set up and use Astrill VPN to gain access to the content you want while you’re in China.
Why use Astrill VPN?
I’ve used Astrill for over 5 years and it’s been fast, reliable, and easy. I like the little Astrill window that shows a graph of download and upload speeds – I can quickly see if it’s working OK or if I need to change to another server. Contrary to this review I’ve had excellent chat support on the rare occasions I’ve needed to contact them. I do think they are more expensive than other VPNs so periodically I’ve tried others. Unfortunately ExpressVPN was a lot slower than Astrill from my location.
Also ExpressVPN does not have a way to quickly see upload and download speeds like Astrill does – a feature I really like. I am based in China and even if there are some drawbacks, Astrill is the only 100% reliable VPN service I know. During certain events or anniversaries the Great Firewall of China blocks everything. Friends with VPN providers like Witopia or ExpressVPN can not connect for days. The downside is that the iOS app often takes multiple tries to connect.
Whether you need Google, Facebook, YouTube, or just your Hotmail account, NordVPN guarantees access from inside China. It’s quite common for VPNs to use virtual servers, where the physical location of the server is not actually in the country you’re connecting to.
NordVPN uses obfuscated servers that fly past the Great Firewall of China. These servers not only encrypt your traffic, but they also hide the fact that you’re using a VPN at all. This means the Firewall can’t see that you’re using a VPN, so it can’t block your traffic, so you’re completely anonymous and undetected while browsing your favorite sites.
Because it is implemented on all the major access points for online traffic in and out of the country, the Great Firewall can throttle international traffic to a crawl. This often happens after a government scandal, during anti-government protests, and every year around June 4, the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Many VPN server networks are blocked at times like these, including corporate VPNs.
Beyond the USA, the ExpressVPN network boasts thousands of servers in key locations to help protect user’s privacy. You can connect to their VPN network to protect your privacy, unblock censorship, and watch your favorite streaming services from anywhere. One of the best things about ExpressVPN is that there are no special steps required to connect in China.
Why Astrill VPN Works in China
That’s because the restrictions and government surveillance are so intense that some VPNs simply aren’t powerful enough to get around them. In these countries, you can’t even get onto most vendors’ sites, never mind download the app to use them. But thanks to extra obfuscation and bulletproof encryption, NordVPN is one of the best services you can bring with you to China.
It is compatible with all devices, does not retain logs, and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee (it’s real, we checked). With a price so low, it’s no wonder NordVPN is the most popular VPN out there, used by technology experts all around the world. If true and enforced, the crackdown would block all access to VPN services used to circumvent the Great Firewall. China’s advanced online censorship system, known as the Great Firewall, has made it a hotspot for VPN users.