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LifestyleGadgets

2020’s best VPNs for consumers and people that work in China, from Surfshark to free VPN 360

  • We break down five popular VPNs and look at their pros, cons, security and transparency
  • Surfshark is fast and well designed, TunnelBear the most affordable paid option, Astrill VPN works consistently in China, and VPN 360 is totally free

Reading Time:4 minutes
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Astrill VPN is one of the few VPNs to work consistently in China; many others are blocked by “The Great Firewall”. Image: Astrill VPN
Ben Sin

There are several reasons why an internet user might want to reroute their internet connection to a random location. One of the reasons most often cited is a desire for internet privacy.

Some people in Hong Kong rushed to install a virtual private network (VPN) as a precaution against China imposing its form of internet censorship on Hong Kong following its passage of the National Security Law, as a VPN can usually bypass many regional website-blocking restrictions. There are also some among those who were active in recent anti-government protests who believe masking their IP address will bring protection from the authorities.

A VPN can also bypass regional locks for streaming content. For example, Netflix offers market-specific content in different countries. Using a VPN to reroute your location would allow you to gain access to content available in that location that might not be available in yours.

Some VPNs are free, but most require a subscription. Some function normally in China – there is no law against the use of VPNs there – while others have been blocked by “The Great Firewall”.
Proton VPN is one of the few VPN companies to openly disclose its base of operations. Image: Proton VPN
Proton VPN is one of the few VPN companies to openly disclose its base of operations. Image: Proton VPN

But first, what is a VPN and how does it work? A VPN is a software program that intercepts the internet connection that flows between your computing device and your internet service provider. Once the data is intercepted, a VPN server is supposed to obscure your IP address (the unique identifier of your computing device) and reroute the passage of data through another location (usually of your choice), before sending the information to the internet service provider.

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