Online censorship in Hong Kong can be both a curse and a blessing. However, using the best VPN for Hong Kong ultimately makes things a lot safer for you. Stay with me and read on!
It’s 2020, and so much has happened already. Let’s begin with the Covid-19 breakout, which initially began in China and spread throughout the entire world! Hong Kong too had been affected, and because of that everyone is quarantined at home. So, you’re bound to spend endless hours online.
Since you’re going to be spending all this free time on the internet and probably going to spend even more time trying to gain access to some international streaming services in Hong Kong, what better way to do it, than do it safely?
Makes sense? If not…read ahead!
Internet Privacy in Hong Kong
Internet privacy is highly observed in Hong Kong, but that doesn’t mean you’re not under the microscope. Not everything shiny and new remains appealing. Hong Kong is still under pressure, shadowed down by China. Although… in recent times has been deemed as a partly free nation by Freedom House.
This made it all the more evident that every individual residing or traveling to and from Hong Kong, should always consider using a VPN.
- Surfshark – Fast VPN, providing Hong Kong IP addresses, and unlimited device connections.
- NordVPN – Top-notch security features and provides IP addresses for Hong Kong.
- ExpressVPN – Fast and secure VPN for bypassing firewall to access Netflix in Hong Kong.
- CyberGhost – Ultimate privacy for internet access, providing 70 servers in Hong Kong.
- FastestVPN – Budgeted VPN for Hong Kong with high-end security and speeds.
Before moving on with an abridged review for each of the Hong Kong VPN providers, you should get a little acquainted with how I chose these VPNs.
The best VPN for Hong Kong
Now, that you’ve gone through the features that make up the best VPN for Hong Kong, let’s take a detailed look at what these 5 VPN providers have to offer you. We start with;
1. Surfshark
| Price | $2.49/mo. |
| Website | Surfshark.com |
Surfshark is known to be one of the best VPNs in the industry that allow you to connect to unlimited devices per subscription. This British Virgin Islands VPN sports some of the best privacy laws for anyone who is in need of anonymity over the internet.
It has around 1700+ servers spread across 64 countries, which include numerous servers in Hong Kong. The fact that it has servers in Hong Kong is pretty convenient for the people in China. Most VPNs do not work in China, nor do they provide servers based there.
On another note, almost all the Surfshark servers are P2P optimized.
Since we’re on the topic of servers, Surfshark has a generous range of US servers. This makes the app very convenient to access international streaming services like the US Netflix library, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, and a lot more. To stream successfully, it also provides unlimited bandwidth, and good speed results.
Also, keeping in mind that privacy and online anonymity is also a main concern, Surfshark has a tight grasp on security measures. It runs on 256-bit AES encryption, OpenVPN protocol and more, has a Kill Switch, GPS Spoofing and a Multi-Hop feature that will mask your physical location.
Device compatibility is a major perk and Surfshark is compatible with a number of devices and apps for Windows, Firestick, iOS, Android, Linux, browser extensions, and a lot more. You can even put these to the test using its 30-day refund on top of each subscription.
If you’re looking for limited and free testing, why don’t you go for the Surfshark free trial for mobiles?
Just in case you’d like a little more details regarding its speed and performance, you can check out my Surfshark review for more.
2. NordVPN
| Price | $3.71/mo. |
| Website | Nordvpn.com |
Coming to NordVPN, it is known as one of the powerhouse VPNs in the industry. Privacy and security have never been an issue for NordVPN.
This Panama based provider ensures the privacy of its users, be maintained in every area possible. The company doesn’t log your data, which is a win-win using this VPN in Hong Kong.
It has around 5000+ servers in 59 countries with around 87 servers in Hong Kong! That’s a huge coverage for you to connect to if ever you’re trying to access local content from abroad. The plus point is that NordVPN also works in China. All you have to do is connect to any one of its Hong Kong servers.
Speaking of streaming, it unblocks unlimited streaming services all around the globe, besides local content. You’ll be able to gain access to the US Netflix library, the Disney Plus libraries, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and a whole lot more.
You can check out the bigger details using my NordVPN review.
You can start connecting to the VPN using unlimited supported devices since NordVPN is compatible with many. Some of them include Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, Firestick, and a lot more.
Since its device compatibility is high, you can connect it to more than one device; NordVPN allows you up to 6 devices per subscription.
Security has always been one of NordVPN’s biggest accomplishments. It runs on 256-bit AES encryption, doubled with 2048-bit SSL keys.
Other features include an option of the OpenVPN protocol, an active Kill Switch, is DNS and IP leak protected, a CyberSec feature to block ads, and much more. It also runs on obfuscation technology, meaning even the people of China will be able to access it and international streaming services along the way.
You can test out its security features using the NordVPN free trial since all premium features are accessible. It also offers a refund policy of 30-days, in case you need more time for testing.
If, however, you’re not happy with the services during the refund, you could always ask for your money back and cancel your account.
3. ExpressVPN
| Price | $6.67/mo. |
| Website | ExpressVPN.com |
ExpressVPN is by far one of the best VPN providers for Hong Kong, and one to circulate the market to date. It also origins from the British Virgin Islands, observing some pretty strict privacy policies. Additionally, ExpressVPN has a reputation that exceeds the limit of being a great VPN provider.
It has around 3000+ servers in a huge coverage of 94 countries. This includes around 9 servers in Hong Kong.
When put to the test, ExpressVPN rendered some of the best speeds and performance results, which were tested out using different server locations from around the world.
The added perk is that you can use any of the ExpressVPN Hong Kong servers in China too.
There’s a lot more that this provider offers in performance and features which you can see in my ExpressVPN review.
You can even use ExpressVPN in China, using its SmartPlay technology. Other than this, ExpressVPN has some of the heaviest security measures. It operates on 256-bit encryption, with OpenVPN protocol being an option; it has a Kill Switch, MediaStreamer technology, and much more.
ExpressVPN is said to be the best when it comes to unblocking international streaming services from anywhere in the world. And yes, I tested it out!
It allows you to access Hulu with great speeds, Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, and a lot more local content. You can access all this and more using this VPN provider in Hong Kong.
You can test the app using the ExpressVPN free trial. It also offers a refund period, allowing you to test the app, and if not satisfied, you can ask the support team to cancel your account and subscription.
Another thing that ExpressVPN is good for is the fact that it supports multiple devices. You can download and install the app easily on your Windows, r on other devices. You’ll also be able to connect up to 5 devices simultaneously!
4. CyberGhost
| Price | $2.25/mo. |
| Website | Cyberghost.com |
Second in line we have CyberGhost. Hailing from Romania, you can be sure to add privacy to your list.
CyberGhost is pretty invested in the best no-logging policies, making sure its users have the internet in the palm of their hands. This makes a great choice for accessing geo-restricted content within Hong Kong.
It has around 6000+ servers in 90 countries, with around 58 servers within Hong Kong! That’s a huge coverage for accessing both local and international content. Unfortunately, CyberGhost doesn’t work in China and that’s very common since China actively blocks VPNs.
You can try connecting to Hong Kong serves to access some of the Chinese content, but that’s only if the VPN is being used within Hong Kong.
Other than that, CyberGhost makes a really great option for accessing Netflix and many other streaming services like Disney plus and Amazon Prime Video. You can even get a hold of local channels when abroad by connecting to its servers.
Besides privacy, CyberGhost is pretty strong on the security front. It runs on 256-bit AES encryption, with OpenVPN protocol and more, uses an active Kill Switch, compatibility with TOR, DNS and IP leak protected, and much more.
You can test out the CyberGhost features using multiple supported devices like Windows, iOS, FireTV, Android, macOS, browser extensions, etc. It also allows you to make up-to 7 multi-device connections per subscription. To put these to the test, you can try out the CyberGhost free trial.
All-in-all, CyberGhost makes a pretty decent app for privacy, which comes with great discounts. Apart from its free trial for a limited period, it has a 45-day refund policy, in case you feel like stretching out your trial period.
For more details on its performance or features, give the CyberGhost review a look.
5. FastestVPN
| Price | $1.11/mo. |
| Website | Fastestvpn.com |
Hailing from the Cayman Islands, shipping some of the most decent speeds for streaming and safe torrenting, we have FastestVPN. This provider believes in the privacy of its users and never logs your data. They have a very clearly outlined privacy policy included on their website.
Sometimes less is more, and FastestVPN seems to ship a very simple server list of 350+ servers in 39+ locations, with the inclusion of servers in Hong Kong.
This makes it extremely easy for you to navigate through its servers, choosing the perfect one for you. You can connect the VPN up-to 10 multi-devices in one go, since it’s compatible with numerous apps and platforms for Windows, iOS, Android, macOS and much more.
Another thing I admire about FastestVPN is that despite the fact of its humble server list, it has dedicated servers for streaming. You can access Netflix, Popcorn Time, DAZN, Amazon Prime, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and a lot more.
Apart from that, FastestVPN is known to serve a strong backing for security. It operates on AES 256-bit encryption, has the widest list of protocols, which also includes OpenVPN, is DNS and IP leak protected and has an internet Kill Switch by default.
FastestVPN doesn’t really have a free trial period, but it does have a 15-day refund free trial, which by the way, is pretty reliable if you’re only looking to test the VPN out for a short while.
For more details on its performance, you can check out my detailed FastestVPN review.
How to choose the best Hong Kong VPN
Before buying a product, you might have a clear picture in mind regarding what you’re looking for.
For instance, you need a pair of blue jeans for everyday use. You’ll first look for a pair that is in the color blue, check out the size, see its elasticity whether they’re comfortable or not, you’ll also check the material composition.
In a similar way, that’s exactly how I chose these 5 VPN providers.
Of course, to choose a Hong Kong VPN that’s fit for you, always go through extensive and detailed VPN reviews to find the best VPN. Test the provider out for yourself to get a clearer idea. Other than that, always look for what the VPN has to offer.
To need a VPN for Hong Kong, you’ll have to look for certain aspects; certain specifications for the VPN to provide you with what you need. All the VPNs I chose, posses features like:
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Great speeds
- These VPN services offer Hong Kong IP addresses to access local content from abroad.
- DNS and IP leak protection
- Access to geo-restricted streaming services
- Obfuscated technology
- Has a Kill Switch by default
- VPN functionality in China
- A wide server coverage
- Strict privacy and no-logging policy
- And other advanced features
FAQs
Why do we need a VPN for Hong Kong?
The question isn’t really about why you need a VPN in Hong Kong but should rather be about why you need a VPN in general. But, since this is about the residents in Hong Kong or about anyone traveling to that amazing country, there are a few things to bear in mind.
- Even though internet privacy is practiced in Hong Kong, it still doesn’t mean that the Chinese government from mainland China isn’t keeping an eye on the residents’ internet activities. Surveillance runs extremely high within these borders, which is why using a VPN would give you an extra coat of protection.
- Not many international streaming websites or services are available in Hong Kong. Using a VPN, will not only give you open access to innumerable streaming platforms but will also provide you with the best or steady speed results/unlimited bandwidth that all the VPNs mentioned in my list provide.
- Besides added privacy measures, you’ll also need extra security protection for your devices. Since online freedom is a blessing, it can also be a curse. This opens the path for unwanted cyber-attacks. Using a VPN will encrypt your tunnel and bard away malicious or dangerous links, emails, or viruses.
- For those traveling to Hong Kong for business, and may have forgotten their personal Wifi devices, you might accidentally connect to a dangerous open network. Using a VPN can protect you from shady unsecured Wifi connections.
Can I use a free VPN in HK?
You can, but I would never recommend it.
It’s an extremely risky move to try and utilize an unsecured free VPN within a country that monitors your activities. There are many premium VPNs that offer free trials that work in HK, China, and many other countries around the world. Why not give those a try instead of an absolutely free one?
A free VPN will only add to your burdens, steal your data, sell it, or just hack into your systems. They have to make the money up in some way or the other.
How to access Netflix or Amazon Prime Video in Hong Kong?
Most Netflix libraries and Amazon Prime video channels aren’t open to everyone around the world who is outside the US. Using a VPN can provide you with all the access you need from where ever you may be. To unblock its libraries you have to:
- Subscribe and create an account with one of the VPNs provided.
- Download or Sideload the app, depending on what you require.
- Install and launch the app.
- Connect to either a US or UK server, depending on what library you’re looking for.
- Open up Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, and start binging!
Are VPNs illegal in Hong Kong?
No, they’re perfectly legal! The whole reason why the people of Hong Kong are so actively promoting VPNs is mainly due to surveillance issues from the government of China. Other than that, internet freedom is pretty solid.
To conclude
Internet privacy with a string security backing when in Hong Kong will never be an issue anymore. Using the best VPN for Hong Kong (Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and FastestVPN), you’ll be accessing much more than just internet privacy. Accessing international streaming services, with military-grade encryption and unlimited bandwidth, is just the tip of the iceberg of what these 5 providers can offer.
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