Top VPNs That Claim To Work In China in 2025

Are you a fellow China traveler? Or are you just wondering which VPNs that claim to work in China? We have been there too. As a fellow wanderer we have tried and tested many virtual private network services to see how many can bypass the Great Firewall and access our favorite sites like Google, Facebook and YouTube. 

And guess what? There are still some VPNs that manage to work in China as of today. But not all virtual private networks are equally packed with features. The wrong one can leave you frustrated with constant blockage and with very slow speed.

And that is where we come in. We are very excited to share our top picks for the best VPNs that claim to work in China based on our real-life experiences. These are the ultimate ninjas. They use cutting-edge techniques to sneak past China’s censors undetected. Now get prepared to unlock the Internet and surf freely in China.

VPN Legality in China

China has some strict rules about the use of VPNs. While virtual private networks are not completely illegal, the use of VPNs not authorized by the Chinese government is heavily restricted. The Chinese government requires providers to acquire government consent and unauthorized VPNs are commonly blocked. 

The use of virtual private network services is closely monitored to stop the circumvention of the Great Firewall. That limits access to many overseas websites and internet services that include YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and even Google.

China’s VPN Laws and Regulations

Only those VPNs that are approved by the Chinese government are allowed legally to operate in China. These must obey government rules which include data retention and sharing policies. The Chinese government has also employed many methods like Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). This detects and blocks any VPN traffic that is not authorized.

The VPN traffic is also monitored to detect the use of any unauthorized VPNs. There are a few other rules that providers should also follow. Providers should not give any access to prohibited content. Providers are also required to log user activity and share this data with the government authorities upon request. 

Best VPNs for China in 2025 

Now you know what the laws for a VPN are. Let us inform you about the Best VPNs for China. Here is the list of VPNs that claim to work in China perfectly. 

NordVPN

NordVPN is known for powerful encryption and dedicated servers. NordVPN successfully bypasses the Great Firewall. It offers specialized servers and a solid no-logs policy. To Access Chinese content and enjoy fast and secure streaming access by getting NordVPN.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN uses very advanced confusing techniques to disguise its traffic. That makes it highly successful in China. It also offers very fast speed and a risk-free return assurance in 30 days.

Here is a detailed review of ExpressVPN.

VyprVPN

VyprVPN has its own Chameleon rules to defeat any VPN blockings. That makes sure that you get reliable access in China. It is also known for transparency and very robust security features.

Private Internet Access (PIA)

Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the VPNs that claim to work in China. It uses the Shadowsocks protocol to disguise your internet traffic. It allows you to customize configurations just for connections within China.

Surfshark

Surfshark provides a NoBorders mode to bypass internet restrictions and maintain high connection speed. It is also known for its reasonable price and multiple connections on different devices.

Astrill VPN 

Astrill VPN  is highly popular and one of the best VPNs for China because of its consistent performance and StealthVPN protocol. It is designed to avoid any detection from the Great Firewall.

Here is a detailed review of Astrill VPN .

PureVPN

PureVPN gives special servers just for China with dedicated bafflement technology in order to maintain access to restricted sites. It also offers very large server locations worldwide.

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield uses its own Catapult Hydra protocol. Which is designed for fast and secure connections. That makes it a great choice for the users in China. It is known for its great speed and it is also reliable. 

StrongVPN

StrongVPN offers WireGuard protocol and discombobulation features to bypass Chinese censorship. It is also known for its powerful security and very straightforward usage.

Ivacy VPN

Ivacy VPN uses very advanced encryption and has dedicated IPs to ensure secure access from China. It supports many protocols to increase connectivity.

ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is best known for its focus on privacy and Secure Core architecture. ProtonVPN uses cloud servers to bypass any kind of censorship in China.

Here is a detailed review of ProtonVPN.

PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN uses stealth mode to hide any VPN traffic from Chinese internet filters. It also offers strong protocols and It is friendly to its users.

Windscribe

Windscribe engages stealth mode and a double-hop feature to avoid any detection. It is known for its free plan and very robust security features.

TorGuard

TorGuard offers stealth VPN protocols and discombobulation techniques to ensure access for you in China. It is also popular for its high level of customization.

Mullvad VPN

Mullvad VPN uses OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols to maintain access. Mullvad is highly considered for its privacy and security policies.

Hide.me

Hide.me uses complicated servers and a no-logs policy to ensure private and secure access from China. It gives a very friendly interface with very strong encryption.

AirVPN

AirVPN is also one of the top VPNs that claim to work in China and it is well known for its commitment to the privacy of its users. They bypass the Great Firewall by using OpenVPN with SSL/TLS tunneling. It also provides strong security features.

UltraVPN

UltraVPN also uses complicated techniques and powerful encryption to bypass Chinese restrictions. It is highly praised for its high-speed connections and for its reliability.

VPN.ac

VPN.ac engages advanced complicated methods and a strong encryption to defeat the Chinese censorship. It is recognized for its high-security performance.

BulletVPN

BulletVPN uses advanced encryption algorithms and puzzlement protocols to ensure you can access the internet from China. It offers very good speed and solid security features.

The Great Firewall of China

The Great Firewall of China or GFW is a complete internet censorship and surveillance project which was started by the Chinese government. Its main goal is to control and restrict access to any foreign websites and content that seems inappropriate to the Chinese authorities. Let us tell you in short:

Their Objectives

• To Control Information
• To Prevent arguments
• To Promote Local Services

Their Mechanisms and Techniques

• The GFW stops any DNS requests and provides incorrect IP addresses for blocked domains.
• Specific IP addresses are blocked.
• URLs that contain sensitive keywords are also blocked.
• The GFW scans data packets that are traveling over the internet to identify and block content based on their own criteria.
• If a connection to a prohibited website is detected then GFW can terminate the connection by sending out the reset packets.
• Search engines and social media platforms are also required to filter results based on a list of banned keywords.

Its Impact on VPNs

• The GFW uses DPI to discover and jam VPN traffic.
• To bypass the GFW, the providers use complicated techniques to disguise VPN traffic as regular HTTPS traffic.
• Only approved providers are allowed to work legally within China. 

Their Historical Development

• In 1998-2006: At the start they focused on building infrastructure and basic filtering abilities.
• In 2006-2012: They expanded to include more advanced techniques like DPI and keyword filtering.
• In 2012-Present: Now there are new updates and improvements to counter new circumvention methods.

Notable Blocked Websites and Services

Following is the list of online services that are blocked by The Great Firewall. 

• Google (All services) 
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Wikipedia (Certain language versions are blocked)
• Western News Outlets (The New York Times and BBC)

The Bottom Line 

Navigating the online world in China can feel like an uphill battle, but having a trusty virtual private network service by your side is like having a secret weapon to conquer the Great Firewall. Now you know about VPNs that claim to work in China. We have also spilled the beans on our favorite VPNs that work best in China. The key is to choose a provider that is always one step ahead. They constantly update their methods and switch up their server IPs.

Just keep in mind that when using a VPN in China is normally okay for foreign visitors. But it is best to fly under the radar and avoid drawing any attention to yourself. With a reliable provider in your toolbox you will be able to access all the services while you are in China. But just in case your primary VPN gets caught in the censorship net you should have a plan B like Shadowsocks. Stay safe, stay connected and most importantly, have fun exploring the online world without any limits.