The Best Free VPNs for China — Tested and Working in 2024
Reading time: 20 min
Updated on November 01, 2024
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Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Cybersecurity Editor
The Great Firewall of China blocks some of the top premium VPNs with its advanced detection mechanisms. It’s even rarer for free VPNs to work in China, as their tech isn’t as good as premium alternatives. However, after extensively testing most free options, I’ve found the best free VPNs that you can use to secure yourself in China.
The free VPNs I’ve chosen have obfuscation, decent security, and no-logs policies, making them worthwhile for use in China. However, they have small server networks, bandwidth caps, and slower speeds, so a premium VPN is still the best choice for safe browsing in China.
Of all premium options, ExpressVPN is the #1 VPN for China. Its advanced obfuscation, impenetrable security, lightning-fast speeds, and extra safety features make it my top choice. Plus, the app gives you 30 days to ask for a full refund if you’re unsatisfied with it. Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
Warning! The VPNs listed here aren’t government-approved and are prohibited in China. While there haven’t been any reports of travelers being prosecuted for using VPNs in China, you should still use them with caution and avoid illegal activities. Also, you can’t access most VPN websites while in China, so consider downloading the apps before you travel.
Quick Guide: Best Free VPNs for China That Really Work in 2024
- ExpressVPN — The #1 paid VPN for China, offering unmatched security and obfuscated servers.
- Proton VPN — Provides unlimited data with its free plan, but it doesn’t let you manually pick a server
- Hotspot Shield — Delivers reliable security and fast speeds with its Catapult Hydra protocol, but it has ads in the free plan.
- hide.me VPN — Provides 7 server locations in its free subscription, but its speeds aren’t the fastest
- TunnelBear — Allows full access to its server network on the free plan, but it limits bandwidth to 2GB/month.
Why You Need a VPN in China
You need a VPN in China to ensure you can bypass The Great Firewall and access the websites you usually use. The Great Firewall of China is the country’s internet censorship system that was made to regulate the internet within its borders. Some methods the firewall uses to restrict the internet include:
- IP Blocking. China has a list of IP addresses belonging to banned websites and blocks your traffic when you try to access them.
- DNS Spoofing. When you try to access a blocked website, the DNS responses are manipulated to redirect your traffic to a different IP address, like an error page or a government-approved alternative website.
- URL Filtering. The firewall scans URLs for flagged keywords and blocks pages with anti-government sentiments.
- Deep Packet Inspection. The firewall scrutinizes blocks of unencrypted data to identify sensitive keywords and avoid transmitting unfavorable packets.
- Manual Filter. The government pays people to scan the internet for content that needs to be blocked.
Although the Great Firewall of China actively stops VPN traffic, it can’t block all of it, which is why only the best VPNs still work there — because of their advanced technology. Note that the Chinese government ordered the Apple Store to remove all VPN apps, meaning it’s best to install a VPN before traveling there to avoid issues.
VPNs encrypt your internet traffic so that the Great Firewall can’t see what websites you’re visiting. They also route your traffic through servers in other countries so it doesn’t look like it originated from China. Also, top VPNs have obfuscation features to mask your traffic as regular HTTPS traffic to avoid China’s deep packet inspection.
The Best Free VPNs for China – Updated 2024
1. ExpressVPN — The #1 VPN for China With Top-Grade Security and Effective Obfuscation
Key Features:
- Has a vast network of 3,000+ servers in 105 countries
- Offers advanced obfuscation to ensure safe and undetected browsing from China
- Uses AES 256-bit encryption and a strict no-logs policy for safety and privacy
- Includes 24/7 live chat and other support channels for immediate assistance
- Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee
Even though it isn’t completely free, ExpressVPN is worth spending money on because it offers privacy and security features that free VPNs don’t. For example, all of its servers support obfuscation, meaning it masks your VPN traffic to bypass detection mechanisms. Plus, it maintains protection with its AES 256-bit encryption and has a strict no-logs policy to ensure your activity isn’t stored on the app’s servers.
Aside from obfuscation and encryption, ExpressVPN has several extra security features and extras to keep you safer and more anonymous in China than most free VPNs. These include the following:
- TrustedServer technology — RAM-based servers that lose all data upon reset, ensuring no browsing data is stored.
- Network Lock — keeps you anonymous by stopping your internet connection if the VPN is unstable.
- Threat Manager — blocks trackers and malware while surfing the web.
- Ad blocker — enables smooth browsing by preventing unnecessary ads from loading.
- Leak protection — stops you from leaking identifying information like your IP address.
- ExpressVPN Keys — keeps your login information secure with an encrypted password manager, included for free in every subscription.
I also like that ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, meaning it’s outside the 5 Eyes Alliance’s jurisdiction and isn’t bound by any data retention laws.
When testing several options in its network of 3,000+ servers, I found that ExpressVPN maintained consistently fast connection speeds in China. My download speed only dropped an average of 20% while connected to its servers, ensuring lag-free browsing and streaming. Also, the Smart Location feature always connected me to a reliable server automatically.
It’s best to download ExpressVPN before entering China, but you can contact ExpressVPN’s support to get a download link if you didn’t do it before traveling. Just email the support team (support@expressvpn.zendesk.com) for a mirror link where you can get the app.
Although it’s not 100% free, you can get a 7-day free trial on mobile and use its 30-day money-back guarantee to try ExpressVPN in China and see if it’s right for you. I’ve tested the money-back guarantee, and I was never pressured to keep my account. My refund was approved right away and I had my money back in less than a week.
If you decide to sign up, you can get a % discount on the 2-year + 4 months free plan. With the discount it comes to /month which is an excellent deal considering everything you get for the price.
2. Proton VPN — Uses Alternative Routing to Ensure Stable VPN Connections in China
Key Features:
- Offers 5 server locations with its free plan — the Netherlands, Japan, Poland, Romania, and the US
- Delivers unlimited bandwidth for uninterrupted browsing, streaming, and downloaded
- Provides a strict no-logs policy and AES 256-bit encryption for safety
- Maintains decent connection speeds on nearby servers
- Works on 1 device with the free plan
Proton’s free plan offers unlimited data and lets you connect to servers in 5 out of 71 locations. Also, the free plan includes the Alternative Routing feature, which tries different routes to ensure access to Proton services, making this a reliable VPN for China.
You’ll also get airtight security with Proton VPN. Alongside the app’s strict no-logs policy, the free plan provides safety through the following tools:
- AES 256-bit encryption — encrypts your traffic to ensure prying eyes can’t see what you’re doing.
- Leak protection — protects you from IP address and other sensitive information leaks.
- Stealth protocol — uses obfuscation to mask VPN traffic as regular traffic.
- Split tunneling — lets you choose which apps use the VPN tunnel.
The free plan works on 1 device, but you can set up Proton VPN on a router and connect to all your devices without issues.
One issue is that Proton VPN’s free plan doesn’t include some key features like Secure Core and P2P-compatible servers. Streaming is also inconsistent on the free plan, meaning it isn’t the best as an all-purpose VPN for China. However, it’s still a solid option for safe browsing.
It’s easy to start using Proton VPN’s free plan — just download the app on your device before traveling to China and sign up for an account.
3. Hotspot Shield — Ensures High-Speed Connections in China With the Catapult Hydra Protocol
Key Features:
- Provides servers in the UK, US, and Singapore with the free plan
- Offers the Catapult Hydra protocol to ensure security without compromising speed
- Secures online activity with AES 256-bit encryption
- Has email support and helpful setup guides for free users
- Doesn’t require signing up to use the free plan
Some VPNs are slower in China because they rely on obfuscation to circumvent the Great Firewall. However, Hotspot Shield ensures fast connection speeds in China through its Catapult Hydra protocol, ensuring lag-free browsing while in the country. When testing its 3 free server locations, my download speeds only dropped 25% compared to baseline values.
Of course, Hotspot Shield also delivers solid security to keep you protected while surfing the web in China. Some of its key features include the following:
- AES 256-bit encryption — secures your data with unbreakable encryption to ensure prying eyes can’t see what you do.
- Leak protection — prevents you from leaking your IP and other sensitive data.
- Kill switch — keeps you anonymous by stopping your internet if the VPN connection drops.
- Always on — reestablishes a VPN connection automatically if it fails.
I like that Hotspot Shield’s free plan offers unlimited data, but one downside is that the free plan requires you to watch ads before you can connect. Each ad you watch gives 15 minutes of connection time. I found that it’s best to watch several ads at once to get over an hour of connection time and then use the app.
Hotspot Shield’s free plan doesn’t require an account. Just download the app before traveling to China, and you can use it directly on your devices without signing up.
4. hide.me VPN — Offers Unlimited Data With Its Free Plan
Key Features:
- Offers servers in 7 locations with the free plan
- Comes with unlimited free bandwidth to ensure uninterrupted internet access
- Has AES 256-bit encryption and a strict no-logs policy for safety
- Provides a kill switch to ensure privacy if the VPN connection is unstable
- Offers 24/7 live chat and other support channels for free users
hide.me’s free plan offers servers in 7 locations — Finland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. Also, while the app used to have a 10GB bandwidth cap on the free plan, it’s recently been lifted and even free users get unlimited data now.
The app’s security is impressive, as hide.me provides AES 256-bit encryption and a strict no-logs policy. You’ll also get a kill switch to stop your internet if the VPN connection is unstable.
Connection speeds aren’t the fastest on hide.me servers, but they’re still decent. In my tests, I found that my connection was up to 40% slower on some servers compared to baseline speeds. This is slower than competitors like ExpressVPN, but it’s still good enough for secure, lag-free browsing in China.
Note that hide.me requires an account before you can use its free plan. Thankfully, account creation is simple — download the app and sign up with your email.
5.TunnelBear — Provides Access to All Server Locations on the Free plan
Key Features:
- Allows access to all 46 server locations in the free plan
- Has a 2000MB/month data limit
- Ensures reliable obfuscation via the GhostBear feature
- Uses AES 256-bit encryption to secure traffic against prying eyes
- Provides help via email
I was impressed to see that TunnelBear lets you use its full network of 5,000+ servers in 46 countries on the free plan. This means you can easily find an uncrowded server near China that’ll provide fast connection speeds.
For security, TunnelBear offers AES 256-bit encryption and other useful features, including the following:
- No-logs policy — doesn’t keep logs of any browsing.
- VigilantBear — protects your anonymity by blocking all traffic if the VPN disconnects.
- GhostBear — obfuscates your traffic to make it look like regular traffic.
Unfortunately, TunnelBear only provides 2GB of data per month for free users. So, it isn’t the best choice if you want to download torrents or stream shows in UHD. However, it’s more than enough for lighter activities like surfing the web.
You need a TunnelBear account to use the app’s free plan, which is simple to make. You can easily set it up with your email and start using TunnelBear once you’ve verified the email.
Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
Comparison Table — 2024’s Best Free VPNs for China
Here are the top features of the best free VPNs for China:
| Free plan | Data | Speeds | Server countries | Ads | |
| ExpressVPN | ✘ | Unlimited | Fastest | 105 | ✘ |
| Proton VPN | ✔ | Unlimited | Fast | 5 | ✘ |
| Hotspot Shield | ✔ | Unlimited | Fast | 3 | ✔ |
| hide.me | ✔ | Unlimited | Average | 7 | ✘ |
| TunnelBear | ✔ | 2000MB/month | Average | 46 | ✘ |
Using Free VPNs vs Paid VPNs in China
You can use both free and paid VPNs to circumvent the Great Firewall of China. However, both have significant advantages and drawbacks that you must remember when making your decision.
Free VPNs
Pros
Cost. The most obvious benefit is that they are free. There are no subscription fees, making them accessible to everyone.
Cons
Security. Free VPNs often have weaker encryption and may log user data, posing significant privacy risks.
Performance. They typically have slower speeds due to limited servers and bandwidth restrictions.
Reliability. Many free VPNs can’t bypass the Great Firewall, making them unreliable for consistent access.
Ads and Malware. Free VPNs often come with ads, and some may even contain malware, compromising your device’s security.
Paid VPNs
Pros
Security. Paid VPNs offer robust encryption and strict no-logs policies, ensuring your data remains private and secure.
Performance. They provide faster speeds and more stable connections due to a larger network of servers.
Reliability. Paid VPNs are generally more successful at bypassing the Great Firewall, offering consistent access to blocked websites and services.
Support. Premium VPNs often include customer support, which can be crucial if you encounter issues while in China.
Cons
Cost. The primary downside is the subscription fee, which may be significant depending on the VPN and plan chosen.
While free VPNs might be tempting due to their zero cost, they come with significant limitations and risks, especially in a restrictive environment like China. Paid VPNs, despite their price, are much better options. They offer enhanced security, reliability, and performance, making them superior for freely accessing the internet in China.
3 Easy Steps: How to Use a VPN in China
- Get a VPN. Subscribe to a VPN and install it on your device. You should get ExpressVPN because of its advanced security, reliable obfuscation, and fast speeds.
![Screenshot showing how to subscribe to ExpressVPN through its official website]()
- Connect to a server. Navigate to the server browser and connect to your preferred server. For the fastest speeds, you should connect to a server in a country near China.
![Screenshot showing ExpressVPN connected to a server in a country near China]()
- Surf the web safely. You can now use the platforms and services you’re subscribed to without any issues.
Warning! Avoid These Free VPNs in China!
While there are some good free VPNs, all of them have limitations, and most don’t work in China. Even worse, some free VPNs on the market can risk your security. I recommend avoiding the following:
Betternet
Betternet’s Android app was found to contain malware and tracking libraries, meaning this isn’t a VPN worth considering if you value privacy and safety. Plus, the connection speeds are slow, and there’s limited server variety, so it’s a poor overall choice.
Hola
Hola was caught stealing and reselling user bandwidth through its subsidiary company Luminati. This means premium users could connect through your personal IP address, potentially making you responsible for illegal activities others conduct using your IP address.
How I Tested and Ranked the Best Free VPNs for China
These are all the criteria I evaluated to select the best free VPNs for China:
- Ability to circumvent censorship — I chose VPNs that can effectively circumvent China’s censorship, letting you browse the web freely.
- Sizeable server network — I picked VPNs with global server networks, ensuring you can access your home country’s websites from China.
- Reliable security — I picked VPNs with strong encryption, a strict no-logs policy, a kill switch, and other safety features to keep you safe and anonymous.
- Generous data allowance — I selected free VPNs with generous data allowances that’ll let you safely surf the web in China without fear of using up your data allowance.
- Fast speeds — I prioritized VPNs that deliver fast connection speeds, allowing smooth browsing and lag-free streamings.
- Responsive customer support — I picked VPNs with helpful customer support that you can contact if you ever have issues with China’s firewall.
FAQs on Free VPNs for China
Is it legal to use a free VPN in China?
Are free VPNs safe?
Which sites are banned in China?
The list of banned websites in China is always changing, so you need a top VPN to ensure you can access the websites you usually use. The following are some popular websites that are banned in China:
| Wikipedia | ||
| Netflix | ||
| Skype | X |
Which free VPNs have servers in China?
What can I do if my VPN stops working in China?
Start by ensuring you’re using one of the best VPNs for China. If they aren’t working, try the following steps:
- Change protocols. Access your VPN’s settings and choose a different protocol, like ExpressVPN’s Lightway or Hotspot Shield’s Catapult Hydra.
- Enable obfuscation. Obfuscation masks your VPN traffic as regular traffic to help bypass censorship, so you should ensure it’s enabled.
- Change servers. Connecting to a server in another country might help resolve issues and allow you to surf the web freely.
- Contact customer support. If the above methods fail, you can ask customer support to help you find a set-up that works in China.
Which VPNs have Android APK files for download?
Why is my VPN so slow in China?
While top-tier VPNs like ExpressVPN remain consistently fast, some VPNs may be slow in China because of the following reasons:
- You’re connected to a long-distance server, slowing speeds by requiring your data to travel further.
- Your traffic is going through Deep Packet Inspection by the Great Firewall of China, causing slowdowns.
- You’re using obfuscation, which causes some slowdowns.
Why can’t I access Google and other sites and platforms in China?
What’s the Best Free VPN for China?
How Do I Get a Chinese IP Address?
Is Social Media Blocked in China?
Can I use a free VPN to watch Netflix and other streaming sites in China?
Stay Safe While in China With a Reliable Free VPN
In conclusion, you need a VPN to secure your browsing activity in China, or you risk compromising your privacy. Also, connecting to a VPN lets you access websites from your home country, which is important if you need to use banking and other critical services.
The free VPNs listed above are reliable choices for China, as they offer good security and multiple server options. Of course, they aren’t perfect, as some have data limits, some offer slow speeds, and some require you to watch ads before you can connect to a server.
A top premium VPN like ExpressVPN is a much better option for use in China. Its obfuscation, security, and privacy features ensure you can safely access any website while in China. Also, you can try ExpressVPN risk-free. It has a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning you can ask for a full refund if you’re unsatisfied with the app.
Summary: Here Are the Best VPNs for China in 2024
Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
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