Best VPN for Brazil in 2020: The Surveillance Samba

Brazil is the largest country in South America, and it’s home to some spectacular scenery. There’s the Amazon rainforest, exotic beaches and many wondrous cities, such as Rio De Janeiro and its 98-foot tall Christ the Redeemer statue. Whichever part of Brazil you’re exploring, you should use one of our best VPN for Brazil picks while you’re online.

For those of you who want a quick answer, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Brazil. There are other choices, though, so read on to choose one that best suits your needs.

A virtual private network is beneficial in many ways. First off, it’ll secure your connection, helping you stay safe from any online dangers and surveillance. It will also help you get around any restrictions, such as geoblocks. Geoblocks can be a real pain, especially if you’re in another country and find you can’t watch your favorite show.

Take Netflix for instance. You may be used to the U.S. library, but Brazil’s Netflix will vary in how it looks and what is available to watch. Thankfully, a VPN can help you get around that by giving you a U.S. IP address and making you look like you’re there. Likewise, for the Brazillian library, you’ll need a Brazilian IP address.

In many countries, there are other restrictions to worry about, though. Censorship is a growing problem all around the world. China is one of the worst culprits. Its Great Firewall blocks most content and online services from its citizens, and it only allows access to authorized apps. If you plan on visiting, you should use one of our best VPN for China picks.

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Best VPN for Brazil 2020

What Makes a VPN the Best for Brazil

There are certain criteria you should consider before making a final decision on which VPN you’ll use for Brazil. 

You need to pick a VPN that has good security. In doing so, you’ll be safe from any cybercrime and hidden from any surveillance. A kill switch is a good feature, too, as it will disconnect you from the internet if the VPN fails, protecting your sensitive data.

If you want to torrent, make sure the VPN will cover you, or you’ll run the risk of getting into trouble with Brazilian authorities.

Your privacy is important, as well. You need to check if the VPN company has a no-logs policy. With one in place, you can be sure that your online activities won’t be stored. 

In case there are any future blocks to WhatsApp — or any other content and services — it’s a good idea to have a large server network at hand. The more servers there are available in as many countries as possible, the easier it will be for you to find a suitable one. Also, if you want to access content restricted to Brazil, you’ll need the VPN to have servers there. 

Good speeds are beneficial so you won’t have to wait long for content to load. Unlimited bandwidth is another good feature. If you don’t have it, you’ll soon hit the limit and find that the VPN no longer works. 

Both of those features are important if you plan on streaming. Plus, if you want to access Netflix, you’ll need to choose one that has what it takes to get past Netflix’s VPN detectors (read our piece on the Netflix proxy error). There are only a few that have that capability, but you can find some dedicated recommendations in our best VPN for Netflix roundup.

Other features to look out for include device compatibility, its user-friendliness and how many simultaneous connections it allows. Good customer service is helpful, and its price may sway your decision.

Best VPN for Brazil: ExpressVPN

We’ve chosen ExpressVPN as the best VPN for Brazil. It’s often mentioned in our top five articles, and it ticks all the boxes for Brazil, too. 

ExpressVPN has excellent security, set at 256-bit encryption out of the box. You can increase that, as well, and there’s a built-in kill switch that’s enabled by default for extra protection. A no-logs policy is in place, so you can be sure your online activities are kept private.

It has a large server network, consisting of more than 3,000 servers across 94 countries, so you’re bound to find one that’s suitable. There are also some in Brazil, so you can access content from there.

You’ll have no problem loading content, as ExpressVPN has ultra-fast speeds. In fact, it’s the fastest VPN we’ve tested, making it the fastest VPN for Brazil. Plus, you get unlimited bandwidth, so you don’t need to worry about hitting a limit. 

It’s a great choice for streaming because it can get into pretty much any streaming platform there is, earning it the best VPN for streaming crown. You’ll also be covered if you want to torrent. Read our ExpressVPN review for a better look at the service.

Other Reasons We Like ExpressVPN

You can use ExpressVPN on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, and connect up to five devices simultaneously. There are also browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Safari. It’s easy to use and a great choice for beginners due to its simplicity. However, tinkerers can change settings, too. 

A handy knowledgebase is available, and there’s live chat and email support at hand 24/7. All offer great help, but the email support is best for more technical problems.

ExpressVPN is expensive when compared to its competitors, but the service it offers makes it worthwhile. Plus, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee in place, in case you find you don’t like it.

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NordVPN

NordVPN is our second choice, but other than its one downside with speed — which we’ll get to in a minute — it’s comparable to ExpressVPN, as you can read in our ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN throwdown piece.

It has fantastic security set at 256-bit encryption, but you also get the option of using its double-hop servers, which add even more security to the connection and are the reason why NordVPN provides some of the best security on the market. A kill switch is provided, and it respects your privacy by having a no-logs policy in place. 

NordVPN has more than 5,000 servers in 59 countries, giving you plenty to choose from. There are 25 in Brazil, too, in case you want to access Brazilian content. 

Its speeds are good, but they can become slow when you use distant servers. It switches servers quickly, though, and comes with unlimited bandwidth. It can also get into all streaming platforms, and it’s a great choice if you want to torrent, as it’s our best VPN for torrenting. Take a look at our NordVPN review for more information.

Other Reasons We Like NordVPN

It works with Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. You can simultaneously connect up to six devices, and the clients are easy to use. You can also download the browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.

A useful knowledgebase is available for self-help. There’s also live chat and email support available 24/7. Either of those options are great, but live chat will get you the fastest response.

NordVPN’s price is more inviting than ExpressVPN’s, so it may be a better option for you. The longer plans offer better value than the monthly plan, though. There’s a 30-day refund window, in case you don’t like it.

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CyberGhost

Next up is CyberGhost. It has good security, and it comes with an automatic kill switch. That’s great if you’re likely to forget to turn it on, but you also can’t control it, so it’s permanently on. It doesn’t keep a log of your activities.

CyberGhost’s server network is one of the largest around, with more than 5,000 servers in 89 countries. Plus, there are 28 in Brazil, so you can access Brazilian content. 

It’s fast but, like NordVPN, can become slow over long distances. There are no limits to bandwidth, and it can access most streaming services. You’ll also be protected if you torrent, and you can refine the server list to those suitable for torrenting, too. Check out our CyberGhost review for more on that.

Other Reasons We Like CyberGhost

It’s compatible with Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. There are browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. It allows up to seven simultaneous connections, which is a lot compared to our other selections, but not quite enough to make the top five in our best VPN for multiple devices list. Plus, seven is the limit for how many devices it can be installed on.

It has an extensive knowledgebase to help with minor problems. Failing that, there’s live chat and email support. The live chat is available 24/7 and is the fastest option, but the email team is better if your problem is more technical.

CyberGhost is an inexpensive service, provided that you opt for a long term plan, as the monthly rate isn’t great. A free seven-day trial is available for Android and iOS users, and there’s a 445-day money-back guarantee in place, too.

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VyprVPN

VyprVPN is also a good choice for Brazil due to its excellent security. Tinkerers will enjoy playing around with the settings, but newbies won’t have an issue using it, either. VyprVPN also comes with its proprietary Chameleon protocol, which adds even more protection to the connection. A kill switch is provided, and there’s a no-logs policy in place, too.

Its servers network is disappointing when compared to our other choices, but there are still more than 700 available in 64 countries, which should be plenty. There are also some in Sao Paulo for accessing Brazilian content.

VyprVPN’s speeds aren’t great, but they should be fine for most activities. It comes with unlimited bandwidth and will cover you if you want to torrent. Plus, it can get into most streaming services. Our VyprVPN review goes into more detail.

Other Reasons We Like VyprVPN

You can install it on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. Its mobile apps are some of the best available, earning it a spot in our best VPN for Android piece. It’s easy to use, and you can have up to five devices connected at the same time, depending on the plan you choose.

A knowledgebase is available, and there’s live chat and email support available 24/7. Live chat will connect you to a bot, but there is a button you can press that will connect you to a human instead. 

You can choose either the “standard” plan, which will get you three connections, or the “premium” plan, which will get you five connections and the use of the Chameleon protocol. A monthly or yearly price plan is available, with the yearly one working out better in the long run. Plus, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, in case you don’t like it.

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Best Free VPN for Brazil: Windscribe

Our last pick is Windscribe, but it’s still a worthy choice. Its security is good and customizable, and there’s a kill switch, although it’s confusingly called a firewall. Windscribe has many privacy features, but it does log some information. That information is kept to a minimum, though, and it can’t be tied back to you.

There are more than 600 servers in 60 countries, and some of them are in Brazil. However, we must point out that Windscribe has a free plan and a paid plan, and the Brazilian servers are only available on the paid plan. 

The paid plan will get you access to all of its servers, and there are some other perks. Its speed is good, and paid members can enjoy unlimited bandwidth. Those on the free plan are limited to 2GB per month, but that increases to 10GB if you enter a valid email address. 

There are other ways you can increase the limit, too. If you stick with the free plan but want to access a paid server, you can add a location for $1 per month, and by doing that, you’ll increase your bandwidth by 10GB. In fact, each location you add on will get you a further 10GB. 

You can also add on Windscribe’s special Windflix servers, which are built for streaming. Paid users get access to them anyway, though. Read our Windscribe review for more about the service.

Other Reasons We Like Windscribe

It has clients for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. There are browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Opera. You’ll be happy to know that both the free and paid plan get unlimited connections, too. Its interface is simple and easy to use, which is great for beginners, but more technically minded people can also tinker with the settings.

A knowledgebase is available, along with FAQs, setup guides and a subreddit. Plus, there’s live chat and email support available 24/7. That said, the live chat is controlled by an AI representative called Garry. It gives good answers, but if you’d rather speak to a human, you can submit a ticket to the email team.

Windscribe’s monthly price is expensive, but longer plans make it more affordable in the end. There’s no refund policy in place, but that’s because you can test it with the free plan. That said, if you ask for a refund within three days of purchase, they’ll happily oblige.

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Online Censorship in Brazil

Brazil’s internet is classed as partly free, but there are minimal reports of online content being blocked or filtered. 

Social media and messaging services as freely available. The only notable blocking to such a service is with WhatsApp. It’s been blocked multiple times, but that was due to it failing to comply with information requests to help with criminal investigations.

Torrent sites can also be blocked following a court order. Plus, there are laws in place to handle copyright infringement, and some people have been prosecuted for it, so keep that in mind. 

Online Surveillance in Brazil

Privacy and data protection is a fundamental right in Brazil’s Marco Civil da Internet Law, but there is still a data retention mandate. Under it, ISPs are required to keep a record of users’ logs for 12 months, but it does state that the logs can only be used for judicial purposes.

Privacy and data protection legislation has been approved, though. The General Data Protection Act was signed into law in August 2018, which will regulate how personal data is used, protected and transferred.

That said, the number of free public WiFi hotspots have increased in the country, but the government of the city of Sao Paulo approved the “WiFi Livre Sampa” plan, which would let companies that provide public WiFi collect user data generated at its hotspot for commercial reasons. 

The government uses the excuse of major events and combating crime to increase surveillance. During 2014 to 2016, the Ministry of Defense spent 68 million Brazilian real ($16.9 million) on surveillance equipment. 

Brazil’s constitution does not allow anonymity online, and courts expect to be able to identify an individual through their IP address, at least. While there are no reports of VPNs being banned or blocked, this would suggest they’re not welcome. 

Plus, individuals are required to register their real names when buying a mobile phone or accessing private internet connections.

Freedom of Speech Online in Brazil

Freedom of speech is provided for in the constitution, but there are some restrictions. Citizens can generally discuss sensitive or political topics, but election periods can build a different atmosphere. 

Defamation and blasphemy are criminal offenses. Insulting or offending someone’s dignity can result in a fine or up to six months in prison. Critical posts can be removed, and journalists face threats, harassment and violence for their work, especially if it involves corruption or crime. Many have been killed, too.

In one example, a critical radio presenter was shot dead at his home after being threatened repeatedly. Investigations into the murder found that a local politician had ordered the murder.

Cybercrime in Brazil

Brazil is a top target for cybercrime. It was classed as the world’s second most targeted country in a report by Akamai. Efforts have been made to increase cybersecurity. A National Cyber Defense Command was opened and a Cyber Security Summit will take place in 2020.

Still, you can’t completely get away from cybercrime, unless you go offline, and with the increase in public WiFi, there’s more risk than ever. Public WiFi can be riddled with dangers, so you should protect yourself with a VPN, as well as a decent antivirus.

Final Thoughts

We hope we’ve helped you choose a suitable VPN for Brazil. With the high presence of cybercrime and the possibility of surveillance, you need to pick one that has good security and privacy. 

Plus, to bypass any restrictions, it’s a good idea to pick a VPN that has a large server network. That way, you can be sure you’ll find a suitable one. If you want to access content restricted to Brazil, you’ll need to make sure it has servers within the country, too. 

Our winner for Brazil is ExpressVPN because of its excellent security, respect for privacy and large number of servers. Its other features play a part in its win, too, such as its streaming abilities, speed and ease of use. It’s a great VPN, but you can find that out for yourself by making use of its 30-day money-back guarantee.

Do you have experience using a VPN in Brazil? Let us know about it in the comment section, we’d love to read about it. Check out our other VPN articles while you’re here, too. As always, thank you for reading.

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