July 2011 – You'll notice a lot of links that aren't working here on the site. It seems that in recent weeks, The Great Firewall has had some serious updates, and many of the VPNs featured/reviewed are blocked (at least the sites are). This may not be for the entire country, but at least here in Fujian, many have been blocked.
Securitales is a Web Based Service that is not blocked. A web based service is different from a VPN, but can also unblock sites in China. The advantage of a Web based service over a VPN is that you don't have to download anything onto your computer. It works on iPhone, iPad and other smart phones as well as laptop and desktop operating systems like Mac, Windows, and Linux.
The most important thing right now is that it's NOT BLOCKED.
Check out Securitales at www.securitales.com.
I've decided to make my own Top Five, based on my personal experience in China, blogs I've read, and vpn blogs I read.
1. 12vpn – Even though their site (vpn's were still working) was blocked on March 16, and even though they've now doubled in price they get extra points for Neil and customer service. SUPER EASY to install, and very reliable. No charge for switching servers. IP's in the US, UK, and Europe.
2. Strongvpn – Tons of choices. Reliable and professional. Live support. Blocked temporarily this month but quickly recovered. Confidence in brand. However, they are a bit pricy and charge monthly for limited server locations. Installation needs some instruction but manageable
3. Vyprvpn – They're a relatively new vpn, but their sleek professional vpn was unaffected by the block. Unlike Freedur and Witopia which market to more of a hipster expat crowd, Vyprvpn is designed for someone who's willing to pay a bit more for something that they know is going to work. Definetly worth a look for businesses or professionals in China.
4. ibVpn – Nice site and reasonble prices. Reported blocked in some areas but I've never had a problem. Live support, free two hour trial.
5. Waiting for updates