This is an updated list of my Top 5 VPNs in China. As an expat who’s been in China for about 5 years now, and maintained this blog for about three, I know that there have been quite a few changes to the best VPN services in China. Some have been blocked, some have changed their prices, some don’t offer services in China, and some have been bought by other companies. This list is based on overall speed, reliability, customer service, and of course, price.
**Updated Jan 2013
1. 12VPN
Still my favorite VPN service in China. They’re inexpensive, reliable, and their home base is located in Hong Kong, so they tend to know more about what’s going on in China. They’re well informed about which VPN protocols work/don’t work, and can even hook you up with a VPN for your iPhone/Android, despite many mobile VPN protocols not working properly in China. Their site is simple to navigate, and their VPN is super easy to get installed. They’re number one in my book, by far.
- US Only Plan $79 / Year (US IP addresses)
- World VPN $119 / Year (IPs in The US, The UK, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Canada)
*six month plans available
*iPhone/Android users are recommended to use 12VPN
……….
.jpg)
2. Panda Pow
They’re the new guy on the scene, and I’m excited about them. Their VPN is by far the easiest to set up, and their site doesn’t throw a bunch of mumbo jumbo about SSL encryption and VPN protocols in your face. It’s simple, it works, and it’s fast. Their support team is very friendly and easy going. This is a great choice for people who don’t get technology stuff and just want something that works, and they want it now.
Server Locations: US, UK, Europe
- $9 / 1 month
- $24 / 3 months
- $84 / 12 months
……….
.png)
For a full, updated review on VyprVPN please go to my VyprVPN post
……….
.jpg)
4. PureVPN
PureVPN is another great choice, even though there are some restrictions to their service. I’ve got great confidence in their service, as they were completely undisturbed by the uproar in March 2011, which many large VPN sites like Witopia, Freedur, and StrongVPN were blocked (temporarily or permanently). Their customer support is friendly and efficient, and they’ve even got live support available. They’ve got plans with limited bandwidth for a discount, and unlimited bandwidth plans available as well. They’ve even got dedicated IPs available.
Server Locations: US, UK, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Romania, Singapore, Luxembourg, Ireland, Malaysia, Russia
- Standard Plan $75 (30GB Bandwidth Cap)*
- Unlimited Plan $160 (Unlimited Bandwidth)
- Dedicated IP $145 (30GB Bandwidth Cap)
*30 GB is MORE than enough for the average Internet user. This limitation will only effect people who download a lot of music/movies on a regular basis.
……….
.png)
5. SwitchVPN
The dark horse of VPNs in China, they offer a reliable service, that flies under the radar. There are some major restrictions like server location and torrents limitation, but they’re good enough to make the Top Five. The main problem would be that you can only choose ONE server location unless you upgrade to “ComboVPN”. They’re decently priced, and though their main domain has been blocked in China, they’ve provided me with an alternate domain for you to sign up. A big disadvantage is that they only offer a 48 hour money back guarantee, so if you sign up, make sure you have time to test it out properly. They do offer live support though, which is a nice touch.
Server Locations: US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, France, Malaysia, Hong Kong
- OpenVPN $8 / month (choose one server location)
- ComboVPN $12 / month (multiple server locations)
*What about StrongVPN? They’ve had their main domain blocked in China, and have yet to provide an alternate domain for affiliates of the their VPN service.
