Hong Kong is an exciting place to travel to and a popular location for expats to move to and live their life there. However, it cannot be said that it is a haven for those seeking privacy and online freedom.
Sadly the situation in Hong Kong means:
- Some websites are inaccessible
- What you say online can be monitored
- Privacy is being eroded
- The internet is no longer free
In order to achieve and protect those, you need to use a strong VPN service, hide your real IP address by connecting to an overseas VPN server which will ultimately protect your privacy.
This is also the only way to reach certain websites, access them securely and speak freely online. Thankfully when using a VPN you can still access all your regular services like Netflix without needing to disconnect.
So if you’re looking for VPNs for Hong Kong to help you decide, I’ll show you exactly which seven are the best.
Let’s get going.
Top 7 Providers for Hong Kong
| RANK | PROVIDER | PRICE | COUNTRY LOCATIONS | SIMULTANEOUS CONNECTIONS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  | $6.67 /mo | 94 | 5 | VISIT |
| 2. |  | $2.99 /mo | 62 | 6 | VISIT |
| 3. |  | $5.00 /mo | 64 | 5 | VISIT |
| 4. |  | $6.49 /mo | 60 | ∞ | VISIT |
| 5. |  | $2.75 /mo | 90 | 7 | VISIT |
| 6. |  | $2.99 /mo | 63 | ∞ | VISIT |
| 7. |  | $2.99 /mo | 77 | 10 | VISIT |
1. ExpressVPN
The top choice for the best Hong Kong VPN has to go to ExpressVPN. This VPN is generally considered the best globally, with over 3,000 VPN servers located in 94 different countries.
ExpressVPN has excellent download speeds perfect for streaming or casual browsing, downloading, and any other online activity, including gaming. ExpressVPN offers military-grade encryption, multiple security protocols, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and more.
Its fast connection speed is ideal for video streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and any other service that requires bypassing geo-restrictions, including social media.
ExpressVPN also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, and it is available on numerous operating systems, including Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and more.
ExpressVPN has servers in Hong Kong, so you can also safely browse the local web. It also covers India, Japan, Bhutan, Australia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and many other nearby countries.
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2. NordVPN
Our second recommendation for the best Hong Kong VPN is NordVPN.
The reason why we believe that this is one of the best VPNs for Hong Kong is the fact that it has very advanced privacy and security features. These include military-grade encryption, security protocols, a kill switch, split tunneling and more, all that you would expect from top-notch VPN companies.
NordVPN is also extremely fast, which is great for streaming content on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and simultaneously protecting all forms of web traffic, even from your internet service provider.
NordVPN offers over 5,500 VPN servers in nearly 60 countries worldwide, and of course, that includes Hong Kong and Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia and South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, plus more.
The server network from NordVPN is vast and one of its biggest strengths, but it is not the only advantage of this service.
NordVPN has very user-friendly apps, great discounts on long-term plans, it supports numerous devices and systems, and it even has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. VyprVPN
Next, we have VyprVPN, another of the best VPNs for Hong Kong, also featuring a 30-day money-back guarantee, a strong server network that can hide a user’s IP address, provide split tunneling, and secure your internet access.
VyprVPN claims to have over 2 million users worldwide, and it supports all the popular devices, including Android and iOS.
It allows users to protect up to 5 different devices simultaneously, which is excellent for those wishing to protect their data on multiple devices or those who want to protect the data of their entire family and boost their security.
VyprVPN offers over 700 servers in 70 different countries, with a total IP address count exceeding 300,000.
It has servers in Hong Kong and plenty of surrounding countries, such as India, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, and more.
With Hong Kong servers also comes a Hong Kong IP, which lets you browse local content quickly, safely, and all that at very competitive prices.
4. IPVanish
Next up, we have IPVanish, which is another very affordable Hong Kong VPN that offers a vast network of servers, over 1,600 in total in 75 different locations worldwide.
We should note that this one doesn’t offer servers in Hong Kong itself. However, it is still a good VPN for Hong Kong because it can still unblock geo-restricted and censored websites, and it offers advanced security features and great privacy features.
Plus, it offers plenty of servers in nearby countries, so your internet connection speeds should not suffer much. It has servers in South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Israel, India, Taiwan, Singapore, and the UAE, plus, Australia and New Zealand.
With diverse server locations, you should be able to reach most services that Hong Kong ISPs wouldn’t let you access otherwise, such as social media, streaming services, and more.
It also has a strict privacy policy, and it is careful about handling user information and any data that you may send or receive during your sessions.
5. CyberGhost VPN
Our next selection for the best Hong Kong VPN is CyberGhost.
CyberGhost is a Romanian VPN that offers a strict no-logs policy (although currently unaudited), breakneck connection speeds, and excellent privacy protection features.
It allows you to connect to over 6,700 servers in 90 different countries, and in doing so, completely hide your internet traffic and ensure your internet freedom in Hong Kong.
CyberGhost offers top-notch security also, at very affordable pricing. By using things like encryption, multiple security protocols, leak protection features, and more, it can not only ensure fast speeds, but it also allows you even to hide your online activities from the government.
As such, it is a perfect VPN to use in Hong Kong on your Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, and many more platforms.
As for its server locations, it has one in Hong Kong, where it offers 60 different servers.
However, its strongest feature is undoubtedly its money-back guarantee, which lasts for 45 days, longer than any other among premium VPNs.
6. Surfshark
Nearing the end of our list, we have Surfshark, another VPN from the British Virgin Islands, just like ExpressVPN.
And, like ExpressVPN, this one is also a great Hong Kong VPN. Surfshark lets you use the internet without leaving a digital footprint. It has a strict privacy policy, excellent customer support, and it offers plenty of apps for different devices.
Also, among all of the listed VPN providers, it is the only one to offer unlimited simultaneous connections. You can establish a VPN connection on as many devices as you want with a single license.
Its pricing is also very affordable, especially given the fact that it has a massive server network of 3,200 servers in 65 countries.
It is a great VPN to use in Hong Kong and connect to anywhere globally with excellent speed, and protect your data while doing it through advanced security and privacy features. And, if you end up not liking it, you can always use its 30-day money-back guarantee to get a refund.
7. Private Internet Access
We will finish our list of the best Hong Kong VPN service recommendations with Private Internet Access, or PIA as they are often known.
PIA is another great VPN for Hong Kong, thanks to its massive server network that has over 77 countries. In total, the service has over 35,600 servers, spread across the world, and constantly launching more.
So, if you live in Hong Kong or plan to travel there, you will have to use a VPN to access your favorite social media sites, news websites, streaming services, and more.
Private Internet Access is one of the faster VPN services, and as such, it is suitable for a variety of online activities that you wish to perform unobserved.
It also offers many different apps for different devices and systems, where it protects your privacy and ensures top-notch security of your data.
Why do you need a VPN for Hong Kong?
There are many reasons why using a VPN in Hong Kong is a good idea, but we have narrowed it down to four.
Hopefully, these will be all you need to understand how much you would be missing out on using the internet without a VPN in Hong Kong.
1. Bypass censorship
While Hong Kong doesn’t really have a massive problem with censorship, such as the rest of China, there are still things that you cannot access without a VPN.
Things like some adult content services, torrent websites, and similar sites cannot be reached with a Hong Kong IP address.
Also, while there are no reports of news outlets censorship from the government, there have been plenty of cases of self-censorship of these same outlets.
In other words, to learn the news and gather up the facts, you will need to venture outside the borders of the Hong Kong internet.
2. Freedom of speech
According to recent reports, freedom of speech, traditionally not an issue in Hong Kong has started shrinking at an alarming rate. The country has had big problems with self-censorship, as mentioned, but also with intimidation of journalists and activists in Hong Kong.
Once again, in order to ensure your privacy, online security, and anonymity, one of the mentioned VPNs for Hong Kong are undoubtedly the way to go.
You can use them to connect to servers in Hong Kong or outside and ensure that no one can track your data to your actual location.
3. Unlock streaming services
Unlocking streaming services around the world has grown to become one of the primary uses of VPN technology.
Even those who do have access to services like Netflix are typically not satisfied because Netflix offers different content to different countries.
In China, people don’t have access to Netflix at all, so it is easy to understand how and why a Hong Kong VPN can be helpful in these situations.
Access more content using a VPN.
You can connect to nearby countries and enjoy their Netflix content, or go straight to the source and connect to the US or Japan, where the biggest amount of content is available to users.
Just make sure to pick a VPN with fast connection speeds, as this will be necessary to enjoy uninterrupted streaming and avoid buffering.
4. Public Wi-Fi security
People often have a false sense of Wi-Fi security, believing that they are safe when connecting to a hotspot in their favorite coffee shop, park, or even in a hotel room or airport.
This has been an issue everywhere, and articles talking about the issue in Hong Kong focused on the problem in 2017.
Almost 90% of local respondents used public Wi-Fi without a second thought or any worry about security or risks that doing so carries with it.
Of course, most people in 2023 know that using public Wi-Fi without one of the VPN providers protecting your data is not safe.
You can never know who you share an internet connection with, and anyone can hack your Android or iPhone or even a laptop while you are connected. Data is the most popular currency these days, which is why boosting your security should be your number one priority.
How we tested & made our selection
We recommended several VPNs earlier, claiming that each of them deserves the title of the best Hong Kong VPN, or at least that they are good choices for the region.
Here is why we selected those providers as the best VPNs for Hong Kong and how we tested them.
1. Servers in or nearby Hong Kong
Of course, every VPN has servers, with most of them having them all over the world.
But, for you to achieve the best possible speeds, the key is to have servers nearby. The closer, the better, essentially, at least as far as speed is concerned.
So, we selected VPNs that have servers in Hong Kong or surrounding countries.
The best VPNs for Hong Kong should also allow you to browse local content but be anonymous and secure while you are doing it. You can only do that if you use a VPN provider with servers in the country, so remember that when you are making your choice.
2. Strong Privacy Policy
Hong Kong has plenty of issues with mainland China now, so we wanted to recommend only those VPN services that can offer the best privacy policy.
They needed to have a strong no-logs policy, meaning that they need to guarantee that they won’t log your data.
ExpressVPN are clear that they don’t log.
If they don’t record your online activities, they can’t surrender your data to the government and so your privacy should be ensured. We opted to pick those services that have audited their claims.
It is also good if they can block cookies and protect your device from exposing your identity through kill switches and DNS leak protection.
3. Apps for all devices
Another thing worth noting is the apps. There are numerous types of devices that can be connected to the internet these days, and your VPN of choice needs to have apps for them.
Otherwise, what’s the point in paying for them?
It is good if a VPN has servers in a country you wish to connect to, but without apps that support your devices, you can’t use them.
Most of these VPNs support every device you can think of, including smartphones, computers, gaming consoles, smart TVs, routers, and more, but it is always best to check a specific VPN and its apps before subscribing to one.
4. Registered outside Hong Kong
It is also essential for a VPN provider not to be based in Hong Kong.
This is why we chose ExpressVPN and Surfshark, which are in the British Virgin Islands, or NordVPN, which is from Panama.
PIA and IPVanish are from the US, which is still not the best, but better than Hong Kong or China. While CyberGhost is from Romania.
Most of these countries are privacy-friendly, and their VPNs can protect your device and privacy simultaneously.
So, if you wish to use a VPN, make sure to use the right one, and make sure that it can protect you adequately for as long as you are in Hong Kong.
5. Money-back guarantee
Lastly, you should always choose a VPN that has a money-back guarantee.
The longer it lasts, the more time you have to check it out and ensure that it works well for your needs. Almost every legitimate VPN service has a money-back guarantee, with a common length being 30-days.
Some may have a guarantee that lasts for a week or 15 days, and CyberGhost’s lasts for 45 days, which is the best we have seen.
But, regardless of how long it lasts, it is vital that it has one, otherwise, you might be stuck with a VPN service that doesn’t fit. If you start using one and you don’t like it, contact customer support and request a refund.
It’s as simple as that.
Are VPNs illegal in Hong Kong?
As you may know, China has made VPNs somewhat illegal, apart from those that the government has allowed.
However, those are unlikely to provide true safety and anonymity.
Fortunately, Hong Kong has different digital privacy laws, thanks to the ‘One country, two systems’ policy. As a result, VPNs are perfectly legal in Hong Kong.
Although, how long this lasts may well be tested.
However, that still didn’t stop some VPN providers from disabling their servers to protect users from China’s recent security law.
Luckily, there are still plenty of VPNs with Hong Kong servers, such as the ones listed above.
Which VPN has a Hong Kong server?
Most of the VPNs listed above have servers in Hong Kong, including:
- ExpressVPN
- NordVPN
- CyberGhost
- VyprVPN
- Surfshark
There are likely other VPN providers that offer at least one server in Hong Kong. Still, these all offer multiple ones, and they fit our criteria based on other features, such as speed, total server count, IP address number, privacy options, and more.
What is the best country to set your VPN to?
When it comes to finding the best country to connect to, that depends on what you need.
If you wish to watch US Netflix on your Smart TV, you will need a US IP address, so you don’t have much of a choice there.
However, connecting to a US server will cause a significant loss of internet speed due to the US and Hong Kong’s physical distance.
But, if you simply wish to browse the open web on your Android or other device, then you can select any nearby country.
The best countries are the privacy-friendly ones, such as Switzerland, Iceland, Panama and Romania. However, these may also cause speed loss.
It is also probably best to avoid locations that are under the Chinese government, such as Macau and other similar locations that fall under the government jurisdiction.
How can I get a VPN in Hong Kong?
Subscribing to a VPN service for Hong Kong is easy. All you need to do is select a VPN service (we will use ExpressVPN in our example) and follow these steps.
- Go to the ExpressVPN website.
- Click the ‘Get ExpressVPN‘ button.
- Select a VPN plan, payment method, and enter your email address and payment details.
- Download a VPN app for the device you need. You can download the app from the site or from Google Play Store (Android), Apple App Store (iOS), and other stores for specific devices.
- Install the VPN app, launch it, and log in.
- Find a list of servers and connect to a server in a country whose online service you wish to access.
Connecting with ExpressVPN is straightforward.
That’s it. You can go through these steps in a matter of minutes and start browsing the web safely with your brand new VPN service.
Is there a free VPN for Hong Kong?
Free VPNs are generally not recommended due to various downsides, but we understand that they are sometimes necessary.
Whether you cannot afford a premium VPN or you need a VPN quickly, and you don’t have the money on your card at the moment, or if there is any other reason, yes, there are a few free services you can turn to.
One of them is PrivadoVPN, while some useful alternatives include ProtonVPN and TunnelBear.
However, note that they all come with certain downsides. ProtonVPN, for example, only lets you access three servers, and you can’t use it to unblock Netflix.
TunnelBear only grants you 500MB of bandwidth per month, which is something that you can spend by watching a few YouTube videos. At best, it will last you a couple of days if you use it sparingly.
PrivadoVPN has a little better package of 10GB of free data per month, access to 12 servers, and decent security.
However, none of them compares to premium services like ExpressVPN, which lets you use unlimited bandwidth at unlimited speeds.
It also offers split tunneling thousands of servers at 94 locations, top-notch security and privacy features, support for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and numerous other platforms, and more.
All that for only $6.49 per month when you select a long-term plan.
What are the dangers of free VPNs?
Free VPNs have many downsides, most of which come from the fact that they don’t get money from the users.
Servers and security still need to be paid for, and let’s not forget developers and other staff. So, if you aren’t paying them, they have to find the money somewhere.
Typically, they will record your data and sell it, maybe to advertisers, maybe to the government, or perhaps both.
Some of the most respected tech publications warn against free VPNs.
You can never know who is behind them, so it is not impossible to use a VPN set up by hackers who aim to steal your data.
This can all be pretty bad for anyone anywhere, but it is terrible for Hong Kong users due to the current issues.
Conclusion
In the end, Hong Kong is a great place, but it is seeing a severe issue with privacy and free speech.
Censorship is likely to worsen, and geo-restrictions are already strict when it comes to this region of the world.
Using a VPN easily solves all of these issues, but you need to select a good service in order for it to matter.
We recommend ExpressVPN, but any of the ones we tested and listed above will do the trick, so be sure to check them out and get your own VPN license as soon as possible.
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