{"id":3265,"date":"2023-01-05T23:54:46","date_gmt":"2023-01-05T14:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/?p=3265"},"modified":"2026-09-10T14:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T05:12:12","slug":"is-it-legal-to-use-a-vpn-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/is-it-legal-to-use-a-vpn-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Is it Legal to Use a VPN in China?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Is it illegal to use a VPN in China? If you are travelling or moving there, this is usually the first thing you want settled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article covers what the law actually says, what changed in 2026, and how much it should concern you in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Information as of July 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Legality is only half the question &#8211; whether your VPN actually connects from China is the other half. For real-world results, see <a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/nordvpn-in-china\/\">Does NordVPN Work in China?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The short answer: tourists and expatriates are not being arrested for this<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Travellers and expatriates are not being arrested for using a VPN. But it is not openly permitted either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That grey zone has been in place for more than twenty years, and it has not really moved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Purpose of China&#8217;s Internet Censorship<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are two reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box is-style-onborder_ttl\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\"><span>The Purpose of China&#8217;s Internet Censorship<\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To prevent systematic criticism about Chinese government over the internet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To grow Chinese services by excluding foreign firms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Considering the above, if you engage in the following behavior, it is likely to be detected by the government.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-swl-gray-background-color has-background wp-block-list\">\n<li>Getting overseas information by using a VPN, and extensively criticizing the government based on that information <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Giving a lot of publicity towards foreign services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Engaging in a business of recommending VPNs not approved by the government<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the other hand,&nbsp;if you are engaged in behavior that the government tends to ignore, it is unlikely that your illegal use of VPNs will be detected. However, please remember that sometimes the government takes actions which generally prevents access to VPN services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The rule that restricts VPNs dates from 1996<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">China amended its Cybersecurity Law in January 2026, and a number of sites reported this as &#8220;China has banned VPNs.&#8221; <strong>That is not correct.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The amendment raises penalties and adds provisions on artificial intelligence. The word VPN does not appear in it at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What actually restricts VPNs is a much older rule from 1996. In short, it says that any line used to connect abroad must be leased from a carrier the government has licensed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consumer VPN services sold outside China are not licensed under that rule \u2014 and that framework has been essentially unchanged for thirty years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What China\u2019s public security ministry did in 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In January 2026, the Ministry of Public Security published a draft of a new law. It is the first time circumvention tools have been addressed head-on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read closely, though, the draft targets those who build, sell or supply such tools. There is no clause penalising the people who use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also remains a draft, with no confirmed timetable for becoming law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the reports of users being fined<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In March 2026, authorities in Hubei province published two penalty decisions \u2014 fines of 200 and 500 yuan. Japanese media picked the story up as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read on its own, it looks like a sudden tightening. In fact, penalties of this kind go back years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was a 1,000 yuan fine in Guangdong in 2018, and a 15,000 yuan fine in Nanchang in 2024. One review of 50 published cases found that roughly 80% ended in a warning or a fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So the accurate reading is not that VPN use has newly become illegal, but that <strong>enforcement which already existed has become visible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Connections really are getting harder<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Separately from the legal picture, the technical side has genuinely tightened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Academic research has shown that China\u2019s censorship system can identify VPN traffic with over 85% accuracy without inspecting the contents of the traffic at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is why older VPN protocols suddenly stop connecting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In April 2026, LetsVPN \u2014 one of the largest services used inside China \u2014 shut down its mainland service entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much should this concern you?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table min_width30_\"><table style=\"font-size:16px;\"><tbody><tr><th>Tourists and business travellers<\/th><td>Very little. Your real problem is the VPN not connecting, not legal trouble<\/td><\/tr><tr><th>Expatriates and long-term residents<\/th><td>Low to moderate. Corporate VPN use is routine<\/td><\/tr><tr><th>Chinese nationals living in China<\/th><td>Higher. Every published case has involved this group<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Five things to keep in mind<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With all of the above in mind, here are five practical points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keep it to personal use<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How seriously a case is treated depends heavily on what was being done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the published cases, the heavy penalties went to people who supplied tools to others or turned them into a business. Where someone was simply using a VPN themselves, the outcome was a warning or a small fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Promoting or distributing a service widely on social media draws attention, so it is worth avoiding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t use a VPN to earn money<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Running a VPN business is an obvious risk, but so is using one to take on paid work from abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2023, a programmer in Hebei who had been taking overseas contracts through GitHub was fined 200 yuan \u2014 and had 1.05 million yuan, equivalent to three years of income, confiscated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice, the confiscation is far heavier than the fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Be careful what you do with what you find<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reposting overseas content straight to social media effectively announces that you are using a VPN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Viewing is far less likely to cause problems than republishing, so it is worth treating the two differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stay within local rules<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Posting in China with the same assumptions you would use at home can lead to trouble you did not anticipate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is safer to assume that what you do through the connection matters more than the fact of using a VPN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Avoid free VPNs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Free VPNs are hard to recommend on security, privacy or reliability grounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With free services that work in China, there is also no way to rule out that browsing data is being handed over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choose a paid service with a long track record in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The single most important preparation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sign up and install the app before you arrive in China.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From inside the country, VPN providers\u2019 websites are blocked, and the apps have been removed from the Chinese App Store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you have landed, it is too late. This is the one point every source agrees on without exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Best VPN Services for Use in China<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is hard to contract with a VPN service while staying in China because it is illegal to use a VPN except those approved by the government. So, if you want to use a VPN in China, you should sign up for the services and download their app before arriving in China. In addition, you should select a VPN service which is able to get through the firewalls that the government sets up regularly to block VPNs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some excellent VPN services we recommend.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"p-blogParts post_content\" data-partsID=\"7978\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table min_width20_ is-all-centered\"><table style=\"font-size:14px;\"><tbody><tr><td><\/td><td><span class=\"p-adBox\" data-id=\"374\" data-ad=\"text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/expressvpn\" rel=\"sponsored\">ExpressVPN<\/a><\/span><\/td><td><span class=\"p-adBox\" data-id=\"373\" data-ad=\"text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/nordvpn\" rel=\"nofollow\">NordVPN<\/a><\/span><\/td><td><span class=\"p-adBox\" data-id=\"378\" data-ad=\"text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/surfshark\" rel=\"nofollow\">SurfShark<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www19.a8.net\/0.gif?a8mat=3HMO2V+61BFIY+4LSW+5YJRM\" alt=\"\"><\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Prices<\/td><td>Basic: $2.99\/mo<br>Advanced: $3.99\/mo<br>Pro: $5.99\/mo<br>(2 Years + 4 Months plan, as of September 2026)<\/td><td>Basic: $3.49\/mo<br>Complete: $4.49\/mo<br>Prime: $7.49\/mo<br>(2 Years + 3 Months plan, as of July 2026)<\/td><td>Starter: $2.80\/mo<br>One: $3.14\/mo<br>One+: $5.05\/mo<br>(2 Years + 3 Months plan, as of September 2026)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Money-back Guarantee<\/td><td>30 days<\/td><td>30 days<\/td><td>30 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Countries<\/td><td>113 (214 locations)<\/td><td>149 (224 locations)<\/td><td>100 (142 locations)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Servers<\/td><td>Not disclosed<\/td><td>9,374<\/td><td>4,500+<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Maximum devices supported<\/td><td>Basic 10 \/ Advanced 12 \/ Pro 14<\/td><td>10<\/td><td>Unlimited<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Connection Speed<\/td><td>Ultra Fast<\/td><td>Fast<\/td><td>Fast<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Security<\/td><td>AES-256<br>Kill Switch<\/td><td>AES-256<br>Kill Switch<\/td><td>AES-256<br>Kill Switch<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Privacy<\/td><td>No-logging<\/td><td>No-logging<\/td><td>No-logging<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Support<\/td><td>24\/7 Live Chat Support<\/td><td>24\/7 Live Chat Support<\/td><td>24\/7 Live Chat Support<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ExpressVPN: Ultra-fast Internet Speeds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1438\" height=\"903\" src=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/expressvpn-en-002.jpg\" alt=\"Top page of ExpressVPN\" class=\"wp-image-9311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/expressvpn-en-002.jpg 1438w, https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/expressvpn-en-002-768x482.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1438px) 100vw, 1438px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table min_width20_ has-small-font-size\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Prices<br><\/td><td>Basic: $2.99\/mo<br>Advanced: $3.99\/mo<br>Pro: $5.99\/mo<br>(2 Years + 4 Months plan, as of September 2026)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Money-back Guarantee<\/td><td>30 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Countries<\/td><td>113 (214 locations)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Servers<\/td><td>Not disclosed<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Maximum devices supported<\/td><td>Basic 10 \/ Advanced 12 \/ Pro 14<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ExpressVPN offers some of the fastest internet speeds among the VPNs we have used. All VPNs may slow down your internet connection, but ExpressVPN is one of the fastest, and you rarely notice the difference. Review sites consistently rank ExpressVPN as one of the fastest VPNs. Additionally, with servers in 113 countries across 214 locations, you have a wide choice of countries to change IP addresses to. Real humans are available 24-hour live chat support to help you with setup and troubleshooting. ExpressVPN also has a no-log policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After you\u2019ve registered with ExpressVPN, you can use it to easily browse the internet just by downloading their app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-columns\"><div class=\"swell-block-columns__inner\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-column swl-has-mb--s\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box is-style-intext\" data-colset=\"col2\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\" data-has-icon=\"1\"><svg height=\"1em\" width=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\"><path d=\"M24 40c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2V10c0-1.1.9-2 2-2s2 .9 2 2v28c0 1.1-.9 2-2 2z\"><\/path><path d=\"M8 24c0-1.1.9-2 2-2h28c1.1 0 2 .9 2 2s-.9 2-2 2H10c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2z\"><\/path><\/svg><span><strong>PROS<\/strong><\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-check_list\">\n<li>Excellent speed and stability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fast and user-friendly app<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strict no-logs policy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wide range of server countries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Accepts Bitcoin payments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-column swl-has-mb--s\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box is-style-intext\" data-colset=\"col1\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\" data-has-icon=\"1\"><svg height=\"1em\" width=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\"><path d=\"M8 24c0-1.1.9-2 2-2h28c1.1 0 2 .9 2 2s-.9 2-2 2H10c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2z\"><\/path><\/svg><span><strong>CONS<\/strong><\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-bad_list\">\n<li>Slightly more expensive than competitors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box\" data-colset=\"col3\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\"><span>Ideal for those who:<\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Place a high importance on internet speed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-button -html green_ is-style-btn_normal\"><span class=\"p-adBox\" data-id=\"3505\" data-ad=\"text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/expressvpn\" rel=\"sponsored\">Try ExpressVPN<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">\\30 day Money-Back Guarantee\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">NordVPN: &nbsp;The Ultimate Balance of Price and Internet Speed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"454\" src=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/nordvpn-en-001-1024x454.jpg\" alt=\"Top page of NordVPN\" class=\"wp-image-349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/nordvpn-en-001-1024x454.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/nordvpn-en-001-300x133.jpg 300w, https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/nordvpn-en-001-768x340.jpg 768w, https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/nordvpn-en-001.jpg 1081w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table min_width20_ has-small-font-size\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Prices (standard plan)<\/td><td>Basic: $3.49\/mo<br>Complete: $4.49\/mo<br>Prime: $7.49\/mo<br>(2 Years + 3 Months plan, as of July 2026)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Money-back Guarantee<\/td><td>30 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Countries<\/td><td>149 (224 locations)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Servers<\/td><td>9,374<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Maximum devices supported<\/td><td>10<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NordVPN\u2019s excellent service, and balance of price, internet speed, servers, and countries, has allowed it to gain the greatest market share in the world. Overall, NordVPN consistently receives great reviews from leading experts. NordVPN has 9,374 servers in 149 countries, so you also have a lot of choices for which country to change your IP address to. You can et help and advice from our friendly customer support team through email or live chat for your 24\/7. And NordVPN also has a no-log policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After you\u2019ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using NordVPN just by downloading their app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-columns\"><div class=\"swell-block-columns__inner\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-column swl-has-mb--s\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box is-style-intext\" data-colset=\"col2\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\" data-has-icon=\"1\"><svg height=\"1em\" width=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\"><path d=\"M24 40c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2V10c0-1.1.9-2 2-2s2 .9 2 2v28c0 1.1-.9 2-2 2z\"><\/path><path d=\"M8 24c0-1.1.9-2 2-2h28c1.1 0 2 .9 2 2s-.9 2-2 2H10c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2z\"><\/path><\/svg><span><strong>PROS<\/strong><\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-check_list\">\n<li>World's most popular VPN by new user subscriptions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Large number of available servers <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Competitive pricing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strict no-logs policy <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>User-friendly dedicated apps<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Accepts cryptocurrency payments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-column swl-has-mb--s\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box is-style-intext\" data-colset=\"col1\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\" data-has-icon=\"1\"><svg height=\"1em\" width=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\"><path d=\"M8 24c0-1.1.9-2 2-2h28c1.1 0 2 .9 2 2s-.9 2-2 2H10c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2z\"><\/path><\/svg><span><strong>CONS<\/strong><\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-bad_list\">\n<li>Short-term plans can be relatively costly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box\" data-colset=\"col3\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\"><span>Ideal for those who:<\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Want to balance price and internet speed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-button -html green_ is-style-btn_normal\"><span class=\"p-adBox\" data-id=\"3506\" data-ad=\"text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/nordvpn\" rel=\"nofollow\">Try NordVPN<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">\\30 day Money-Back Guarantee\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surfshark: Impressive Performance with a Lower Price<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1372\" height=\"802\" src=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/surfsharkvpn-en-001.jpg\" alt=\"top page or surfsharkvpn\" class=\"wp-image-1903\" srcset=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/surfsharkvpn-en-001.jpg 1372w, https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/surfsharkvpn-en-001-768x449.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1372px) 100vw, 1372px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table min_width20_ has-small-font-size\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Prices (standard plan)<\/td><td>Starter: $2.80\/mo<br>One: $3.14\/mo<br>One+: $5.05\/mo<br>(2 Years + 3 Months plan, as of September 2026)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Money-back Guarantee<\/td><td>30 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Countries<\/td><td>100 (142 locations)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Servers<\/td><td>4,500+<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Maximum devices supported<\/td><td>Unlimited<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Surfshark offers impressive performance with a lower price. You can get Surfshark much cheaper than other services if you apply for the 24-month plan. Furthermore, Surfshark has no connection limits. So, you and your family can connect and use all your devices simultaneously. Surfshark has more than 4,500 servers in 100 countries. Just like the other VPNs, you also have a lot of choices for which country to change your IP address to. Customer support experts are there for you 24\/7, if you need a helping hand with them via live chat or email. And SurfsharkVPN also has a no-log policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After you\u2019ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using Surfshark by downloading their app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-columns\"><div class=\"swell-block-columns__inner\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-column swl-has-mb--s\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box is-style-intext\" data-colset=\"col2\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\" data-has-icon=\"1\"><svg height=\"1em\" width=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\"><path d=\"M24 40c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2V10c0-1.1.9-2 2-2s2 .9 2 2v28c0 1.1-.9 2-2 2z\"><\/path><path d=\"M8 24c0-1.1.9-2 2-2h28c1.1 0 2 .9 2 2s-.9 2-2 2H10c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2z\"><\/path><\/svg><span><strong>PROS<\/strong><\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-check_list\">\n<li>Affordable price (cheaper than NordVPN &amp; ExpressVPN)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unlimited simultaneous connections (ideal for families)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Large number of available servers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Speeds comparable to top-tier providers <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strict no-logs policy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Accepts cryptocurrency payments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-column swl-has-mb--s\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box is-style-intext\" data-colset=\"col1\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\" data-has-icon=\"1\"><svg height=\"1em\" width=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 48 48\"><path d=\"M8 24c0-1.1.9-2 2-2h28c1.1 0 2 .9 2 2s-.9 2-2 2H10c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2z\"><\/path><\/svg><span><strong>CONS<\/strong><\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list is-style-bad_list\">\n<li>Less effective at bypassing geo-restrictions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Limited service history \/ Less established<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box\" data-colset=\"col3\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\"><span>Ideal for those:<\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Who are budget conscious and want to want to connect with lots of devices<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-button -html green_ is-style-btn_normal\"><span class=\"p-adBox\" data-id=\"3507\" data-ad=\"text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/surfshark\" rel=\"nofollow\">Try SurfShark<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www19.a8.net\/0.gif?a8mat=3HMO2V+61BFIY+4LSW+5YJRM\" alt=\"\"><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">\\30 day Money-Back Guarantee\/<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-faq\" data-q=\"col-text\" data-a=\"col-text\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-faq__item\"><h3 class=\"faq_q\">What sites and apps are blocked in China?<\/h3><div class=\"faq_a\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some notable examples of services blocked in China:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>All Google services (including Gmail, Google Translate, Google Search, Google Drive, Google Docs etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Video sharing platforms including YouTube, Vimeo, and Twitch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>News media sites like the BBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Various other platforms such as Dropbox, GitHub, SoundCloud, Flickr, Skype, WhatsApp, Spotify, Hootsuite, Slack, and Wikipedia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The duration of these blocks can vary, with some sites being blocked temporarily, while others are blocked permanently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless of restrictions, users in China can unblock most of these websites and apps by employing a reliable VPN service. Always remember to arrange your VPN service before entering the country for seamless internet access.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-faq__item\"><h3 class=\"faq_q\">What is today&#8217;s best VPN in China?<\/h3><div class=\"faq_a\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is <span class=\"p-adBox\" data-id=\"374\" data-ad=\"text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/expressvpn\" rel=\"sponsored\">ExpressVPN<\/a><\/span> which stands out as the best VPN for use in China today. It&#8217;s reliable, fast, secure, and remarkably easy to set up and operate. An assurance of its no-logging policy is given by the audit conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, providing users with the confidence that their identities will be well-protected while surfing the web and streaming content in China. Moreover, ExpressVPN is unrivaled in its ability to unblock and bypass restrictions on banned websites and services. These qualities combined make ExpressVPN the prime choice for navigating the internet in China. <a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/best-vpn-for-china\/\">Best VPN services for China<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@id\":\"#FAQContents\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What sites and apps are blocked in China?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>Here are some notable examples of services blocked in China:<\\\/p><ul><li>All Google services (including Gmail, Google Translate, Google Search, Google Drive, Google Docs etc.)<\\\/li><li>Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest.<\\\/li><li>Video sharing platforms including YouTube, Vimeo, and Twitch.<\\\/li><li>News media sites like the BBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters.<\\\/li><li>Various other platforms such as Dropbox, GitHub, SoundCloud, Flickr, Skype, WhatsApp, Spotify, Hootsuite, Slack, and Wikipedia.<\\\/li><\\\/ul><p>The duration of these blocks can vary, with some sites being blocked temporarily, while others are blocked permanently.<\\\/p><p>Regardless of restrictions, users in China can unblock most of these websites and apps by employing a reliable VPN service. Always remember to arrange your VPN service before entering the country for seamless internet access.<\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is today's best VPN in China?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>It is <a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/en.sni-hub.com\\\/vpn\\\/expressvpn\\\" rel=\\\"sponsored\\\">ExpressVPN<\\\/a> which stands out as the best VPN for use in China today. It's reliable, fast, secure, and remarkably easy to set up and operate. An assurance of its no-logging policy is given by the audit conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, providing users with the confidence that their identities will be well-protected while surfing the web and streaming content in China. Moreover, ExpressVPN is unrivaled in its ability to unblock and bypass restrictions on banned websites and services. These qualities combined make ExpressVPN the prime choice for navigating the internet in China. <a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/en.sni-hub.com\\\/vpn\\\/best-vpn-for-china\\\/\\\">Best VPN services for China<\\\/a><\\\/p>\"}}]}<\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box\" data-colset=\"col3\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\"><span>Conclusion<\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>China does not ban VPN technology, but connecting abroad over a line the government has not licensed is not permitted \u2014 and consumer VPNs sold overseas fall outside that licensing. The basis for this is a 1996 rule, not the 2026 amendment to the Cybersecurity Law. A draft law published in January 2026 addresses circumvention tools for the first time, but it targets those who build, sell or supply them rather than the people who use them, and it is still only a draft. Fines against individuals are not new either; comparable cases go back to 2018. What changed is that enforcement has become visible. In practice: keep it to personal use, don&#8217;t earn money through it, be careful what you republish, stay within local rules, and avoid free VPNs. Above all, sign up and install before you arrive \u2014 provider sites are blocked from inside China.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-capbox cap_box\" data-colset=\"col3\"><div class=\"cap_box_ttl\"><span>The Best VPN Services for Use in China<\/span><\/div><div class=\"cap_box_content\"><div class=\"p-blogParts post_content\" data-partsID=\"7977\">\n<!-- ExpressVPN -->\n<div class=\"vpn-card\">\n  <div class=\"vpn-logo\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/expressvpn-logo1.jpg\" alt=\"ExpressVPN\">\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"vpn-content\">\n    <div class=\"vpn-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/expressvpn\" rel=\"sponsored\" style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #1a0dab; text-decoration: underline;\">ExpressVPN<\/a><\/div>\n    <div class=\"vpn-desc\">Blazing fast speeds. The #1 choice for lag-free 4K streaming.<\/div>\n    <div class=\"vpn-promo\">Exclusive: Get 4 extra months FREE + 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"vpn-button\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/expressvpn\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\"btn express-btn\">Try for free<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- NordVPN -->\n<div class=\"vpn-card\">\n  <div class=\"vpn-logo\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nordvpn-logo1.jpg\" alt=\"NordVPN\">\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"vpn-content\">\n    <div class=\"vpn-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/nordvpn\" rel=\"sponsored\" style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #1a0dab; text-decoration: underline;\">NordVPN<\/a><\/div>\n    <div class=\"vpn-desc\">Top-rated all-rounder. Unbeatable combination of speed & security.<\/div>\n    <div class=\"vpn-promo\">Huge Discount: Save up to 69% + 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"vpn-button\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/nordvpn\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\"btn nord-btn\">Try for free<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- Surfshark -->\n<div class=\"vpn-card\">\n  <div class=\"vpn-logo\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/surfshark-logo1.jpg\" alt=\"Surfshark\">\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"vpn-content\">\n    <div class=\"vpn-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/surfshark\" rel=\"nofollow\" style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #1a0dab; text-decoration: underline;\">Surfshark<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www19.a8.net\/0.gif?a8mat=3HMO2V+61BFIY+4LSW+5YJRM\" alt=\"\"><\/div>\n    <div class=\"vpn-desc\">Best Value: Connect UNLIMITED devices with one account.<\/div>\n    <div class=\"vpn-promo\">Budget-friendly pricing + 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"vpn-button\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/surfshark\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\"btn surfshark-btn\">Try for free<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The legal and case references in this article are based on the following primary sources and reporting. Last verified July 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cac.gov.cn\/1996-02\/02\/c_126468621.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Interim Provisions on the Administration of International Networking of Computer Information Networks (State Council Order No. 195, 1996; revised 10 March 2024)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cac.gov.cn\/2017-01\/23\/c_1120366809.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MIIT Notice on Cleaning Up and Regulating the Internet Access Service Market (\u4fe1\u7ba1\u51fd\u30142017\u301532\u53f7)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.npc.gov.cn\/npc\/c2\/c30834\/202510\/t20251028_449048.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NPC Standing Committee decision amending the Cybersecurity Law (adopted 28 Oct 2025, in force 1 Jan 2026)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mps.gov.cn\/n2254536\/n4904355\/c10386242\/content.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ministry of Public Security, draft Cybercrime Prevention and Control Law (published 31 Jan 2026)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2026\/03\/17\/china-cybercrime-bill-entrenches-censorship-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Human Rights Watch, \u201cChina: Cybercrime Bill Entrenches Censorship, Surveillance\u201d (17 March 2026)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usenix.org\/conference\/usenixsecurity22\/presentation\/xue-diwen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Xue et al., USENIX Security 2022 \u2014 peer-reviewed study on passive identification of OpenVPN traffic<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.yahoo.co.jp\/articles\/3e9a45d2b46d2f9f148e16018018e7e150c51337\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hubei penalty decisions, reported by Kyodo News (20 March 2026)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2023\/09\/chengde-seizes-three-years-of-illegal-income-from-programmer-who-used-vpn-for-overseas-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chengde case, China Digital Times (September 2023)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cna.com.tw\/news\/acn\/202604280316.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LetsVPN withdrawal from mainland China, CNA (28 April 2026)<\/a><\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is it illegal to use a VPN in China? If you are travelling or moving there, this is usually the first thing you want settled. This article covers what the law actually says, what changed in 2026, and how much it should concern you in practice. Information as of July 2026. Legality is only half [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7824,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"swell_btn_cv_data":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vpn-info"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3265"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12360,"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3265\/revisions\/12360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.sni-hub.com\/vpn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}