Best VPN in China

**Warning: Some VPN Services are experiencing problems in late 2012/early 2013. I will update with any news. 

So, you’ve come to find the best VPN in China.  This is the right place. Why? Three Reasons;  I’m a guy living  in China, I use VPNs on a daily basis, and I know what I’m talking about when it comes to what works in China, and what doesn’t .

1. I have personally tried 12 16 VPN services over the past 5 years.

• VPN Tunnel
• PureVPN
• Hide My Ass
• VyprVPN
• 12VPN
• ibVPN
• Privacy Pro
• PandaPow
• StrongVPN
• iVPN
• SwitchVPN
• IPVanish
• IAPS Security Store
• HideIPVPN
• Private Internet Access
• SecuriTales

2. I live in China

• Longyan, Fujian – Look it up

3. On a daily basis I have to engage in various activites online while connected to a VPN

• Normal Internet Browsing
• Check Email (Gmail)
• Chatting
• VoIP Calls
• Personal Blog
• Maintain Over 10 websites (Chinese/non-Chinese)
• Watch TV/Movies (Netflix/Hulu/YouTube)
• Download Music/Movies (Torrents)

So who is better qualified than me to rate VPN services in China?

With some of the best VPN services world wide blocked in China, how do you know which VPN will get you fast and reliable connection speeds, for a good price?

If this is you’re first time using a VPN, how can you find a good one without wasting hours researching and reading?

Facebook and YouTube were blocked in 2009, so how do you know which services are best to unblock them in 2011/2012?

You will not find a more UP TO DATE and HONEST review of the top VPN services available in CHINA.

Don’t believe me?

~Go ahead and browse the blogs from 2009
~Go ahead and read the fake VPN review sites
~Go ahead and take advice from people who’ve never been to China

Or see what I have to say about it.

So lets get started. I’ve got the current Top 5 VPNs in China just below. Some VPN services have had their main domains blocked, so when you click on a link it will take you to an alternate site, but you’ll be able to purchase the VPN all the same. I’ll try to include all the important information without boring you with long explanations as I did above.

***Some VPN services may time out the first time you try to connect.  Hit the ‘refresh’ button on your browser to try a couple times. If it still doesn’t connect, the service may have been blocked. (Update May 2012)

 

1. PandaPow * Still Rated The Best VPN in China

• ***Updated Feb 9 2013

Price: 10/10
Speed: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Support: 10/10
Features 10/10

Originally featured as the #2 VPN service in China, as of June 2012, I’ve moved them to #1.  Not only have they proved to be a reliable service available in China, but they provide more pricing options that 12VPN (the former #1), and also give you an option for UK/European IP addresses for ALL packages. PandaPow is easy to set up, and easy to use. Fast servers and a money back guarantee means you have all your bases covered.  The only reason to NOT choose PandaPow would be if you’re looking for an IP address outside of the US/UK.

Features

• Unlimited Bandwidth
• 7 Day Money Back Guarantee
• Free Server Switching
• Servers in US, UK, Europe
• Easy Installation

Packages

• $9 / 1 month
• $24 / 3 months
• $84 / 12 months

Mirror Site https://pandapow.co

 

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2. 12VPN

***Update Feb 2013: 12VPN is now back to normal. As usual, the 12VPN staff was quick to restore VPN service to users in China. Thanks guys!

Price: 10/10
Speed: 10/10
Reliability: 8/10
Support: 10/10
Features: 10/10

Just about every “Top VPN in China” list I’ve every created has 12VPN at the top, and no one listens to me.  The amount of people signing up for 12VPN through my sites are pretty few for as much as I talk about it and tell people how great it is.  They’re the cheapest on the list for what they offer, they’re fast and reliable, and their support team is very friendly. I have had some connectivity problems with 12VPN to be honest, but their support team is very quick to respond.

Their home base is in Hong Kong, and they know a lot about what’s going on in China. By far, my overall experience with 12VPN makes it the best VPN in China.  However, I know you’re not going to listen choose something else, so there are 4 more choices below, which are also very good options.

Features

• Unlimited Bandwidth
• 14 Day Money Back Guarantee
• Free Server Switching
• Servers in Japan, Canada, US, UK, Netherlands,Germany
• Custom Options For Users in China
• Easy Installation
• *Custom Solutions for iPhone/iPad/Android Users

Packages

• US IP Only $79 / 12 months
• World VPN $119 / 12 months

China Site: http://12vpn.com (it’ll say ‘get setup file’ to disguise the link)

 

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3. VyprVPN

Price: 8/10
Speed: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Support: 10/10
Features: 10/10

VyprVPN is by far the most reliable VPN on this list.  If the best VPN in China were ranked on speed and reliability alone, it’s VyprVPN you’d see on top of this list.  10/10 across the almost across the board, if you’ve got a long-term stay planned in China, VyprVPN is definitely a great choice. The fact that VyprVPN owns and runs their own VPN network further enhances the idea of privacy online, and it also means that they have full control – unlike some services that which use ‘hosted’ solutions.  What this means that they have full control over all aspects of their private network – something unique among VPN services.  The technical details get complicated, but basically it all boils down to better performance in the end.  Users in China will need their OpenVPN service – and guess what – you get an exclusive offer though my site.  Normally $20 per month, you save $5 every month, for the life of the account.

Features

• Unlimited Bandwidth
• 14 Day Money Back Guarantee
• Free Server Switching
• Servers in US, UK, France, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Toronto
• New Mac & Windows App
• New iOS & Android App
• 5 GB Cloud Storage Included on Dumptruck (100% free)

Packages

• $15 / month OpenVPN

Official Discount Link: VyprVPN – Private and Secure VPN

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4. PureVPN

***The main website has been blocked only on some ISPs. They are working on getting a mirror site set up specifically for China.

Price: 8/10
Speed: 10/10
Reliability: 9/10
Support: 9/10
Features: 8/10

I was a bit skeptical at first about using PPTP and L2TP as PureVPN suggested. They don’t offer OpenVPN, and seeing as the SSTP they offer only works for Win 7 and Vista (which I don’t have), I didn’t use their service for a long time, and even wrote some negative reviews.  However, I had the opportunity to try both the custom PPTP and custom L2TP VPN for users in China, and they worked great. Actually, installation was super easy (though a bit different from other providers I’ve used before, ie with OpenVPN.  Everything went smoothly, the connection was fast, I was able to stream video, and well, no complaints here!  The HUGE HUGE HUGE advantage here is that you can use PPTP and L2TP on your iPhone, iPad, and Android.  I should also mention that their service team is very fast in responding, and they have live support as well.  If you’re into gaming in other countries, they also offer a static IP address (the only one on this list).

Features

• Unlimited Bandwidth Packages Available
• 3 Day Money Back Guarantee
• Free Server Switching
• Servers in US, UK, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Romania, Singapore, Luxembourg, Ireland, Malaysia, Russia.
• Custom Options For Users in China
• SSTP for Vista/Win 7
• *Live Support

Packages

• $75 / 12 months (30 GB Bandwidth Cap)
• $145 / 12 months – Dedicated IP (30 GB Bandwidth Cap)
• $160 / 12 months (Unlimited Bandwidth)

Official Site: http://purevpn.com

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5. SwitchVPN

*mirror site is working!

Price: 9/10
Speed: 9/10
Reliability: 8/10
Support: 10/10
Features 6/10

SwitchVPN is also a good choice for VPN users in China. They haven’t go the cheapest price plan available, and they haven’t got the best list of features, but they have a reliable and fast VPN that is not blocked in China.  Just remember, that last place on a top 5 list means that they still beat out at least 10 other services.  The major disadvantages here are that you can only choose ONE server location for their standard package, and they’re money back guarantee is only 2 days.  However, they do offer unlimited bandwidth, live support, and a package upgrade option, so they’re not all that bad.

*some areas may experience problems connecting to the website, even the mirror site

Features

• Unlimited Bandwidth
• 2 Day Money Back Guarantee
• Free Server Switching for ComboVPN
• Servers in US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, Malaysia, Hong Kong
• *Live Support

Packages

• $6 / month (One Server Location)
• $10 / month (Multiple Server Locations)

Mirror Site: http://switchvpn.net

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Update August 2012

 

 

6. StrongVPN

Price: 9/10
Speed: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Support: 10/10
Features 9/10

StrongVPN was blocked for the longest time, but I just found out recently that they have some mirror sites up for users in China.  You can find the link to one below.  This is a well known VPN service, and they have a huge range of VPN accounts available.  Their PPTP and L2TP will work in China, and they even have ‘Lite’ package that’s cheaper than some of their other options.  Fast servers, fast service, and tons of features.  It’s an awesome VPN service.

Though they scored high on a lot of categories, there are some drawbacks to the service.  Price, features, and server options depend on which package you choose. For example, there’s a $21 dollar/3 month package with US servers, but no other countries are available.  There’s also a $55/12 months option available with US, UK, Netherlands, and Canadian servers, but to get access to their full network you will pay on average, more than other services.  They also limit you to how many times you switch servers, and charge different prices for PPTP & OpenVPN.

The point is, you might be able to get a great deal on a great VPN service if you fit into their discount-priced plans.  If not, you’ll still get a great service, but you’ll pay a price you’d expect from a great VPN for China.

Features

• Unlimited Bandwidth
• 7 Day Money Back Guarantee
• Servers in US, UK (For Basic Package) + 18 other countries
• PPTP, L2TP, OpenVPN
• Live Support
• Lite Packages Options

Packages

• $21 /  3 months (PPTP)
• $30 / 3 months (OpenVPN)

• $40 / 6 months (PPTP)
• $60 / 6 months (OpenVPN)

• $55 / 12 months (PPTP)
• $85 / 12 months (OpenVPN)

*These are the prices for “Lite” Packages, which limits your server location to US-Only.  They also have a China Package which is $10 per month for OpenVPN connections to US servers.  There are tons of other options, including Standard, Deluxe, and Premium options for 20 different countries, combo VPN packages.  Check out their site and explore all their options. Navigate to the “Packages” or “Order” area to see a break-down of all they have to offer.

Mirror Site For Users in China: www.mystrongvpn.org

 

Not enough choices? Be sure to check out the New VPN Providers For China (2o12)

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*Best Joke of 2011

So there’s two American guys working for a Chinese boss. One day, one of the Americans approaches the boss and asks for a two week vacation.  The boss laughs, and says, “Go ahead”.

The next day, as the first American is bragging to his coworker about his two week vacation, and their Chinese coworker overhears.

The Chinese coworker says, I think you misunderstood. Our boss’s English isn’t so good.  When he said, “Go ahead”, he meant, “去个头” (Go-A-Head)