My VPN worked for a few hours and then died. Is the app broken?›
That pattern is normal inside China. The connection comes up, the firewall cuts it, and you move to another server. Obfuscation reduces how often that happens. It does not stop it. For a short stay, roaming on your home SIM or a travel eSIM that exits outside the mainland avoids the chase.
The hotel Wi-Fi works, but the VPN will not connect. What is going on?›
Hotel networks in China often block known VPN addresses on top of the national firewall. A plain WireGuard server fails first. An obfuscated or stealth server is the one worth trying. If the hotel login page itself will not load, connect once with the VPN off so the portal can see you, then turn the VPN on. For a short stay, a travel eSIM that exits outside the hotel skips both the portal and the block.
Which VPNs still connect in China?›
Astrill, NordVPN's obfuscated servers, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark's camouflage mode are the ones that still connect often enough to bother testing. Plain WireGuard and OpenVPN usually do not. A server that worked last month can be dead now, so read the date of the last successful test on this page before you fly.
Is using a VPN in China illegal?›
China prohibits unauthorized VPN use under its cybersecurity laws. Foreign nationals visiting China operate in a legal grey area. We recommend researching current enforcement posture before traveling. This is not legal advice.
Should I install a VPN before going to China?›
Yes. App stores in China don't carry most VPN apps. Download, install, and test your VPN before you cross the border.
Will a VPN that works in China also work well for streaming back home?›
Not automatically — obfuscation performance inside China and streaming-unblock performance outside it are tested separately. Astrill is purpose-built for China but isn't our top streaming pick; NordVPN and ExpressVPN score well on both fronts, which is why they lead this list rather than a China-only specialist.
How do I know a VPN's China servers still work right now, not just when it was last reviewed?›
The Great Firewall updates its blocking rules frequently, and a VPN that worked last month can fail without warning. We retest obfuscated connections from inside China and flag the date of the most recent successful test — check that date before you travel, not just the general review date.
Do you earn commissions on these recommendations?›
Yes. We earn affiliate commissions on some links. Our rankings are set by test data collected independently. Commission rates do not affect ranking position. Commission rates for each recommendation are published in individual reviews.