Best VPN for Egypt 2020: Unblock Sites & Apps in the Land of Pharaohs

If you’re visiting Egypt to get a glimpse of the Sphinx, pyramids and other famous monuments, it’s highly likely that you’ll want to post a selfie or two on social media. Perhaps you just want to surf the internet or stream your favorite show. Well, you might find that Egypt’s internet is restricted. Whatever you want to do online, you should install one of our best VPN for Egypt picks.

In this article, we’ll go over all the reasons you need a virtual private network for Egypt, such as internet freedom, bans and online dangers. We’ll also list five of our best VPN providers that will keep you protected while you’re connected. 

For a quick answer, we recommend you install ExpressVPN. It has Egyptian servers, too, meaning you can get an Egyptian IP address and access the country’s content.

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How to Unblock Sites With the Best VPN for Egypt 

1. Sign up to a good VPN service (ExpressVPN is the best choice)
2. Download the app to your device, launch it and sign in
3. Connect to a VPN server outside of Egypt and access what you want

Important Features for an Egypt VPN

There are many characteristics that make up a good VPN. Some are more important than others, depending on the country that you are using it in. We’ve listed the most crucial features for keeping you safe in Egypt below.

• Security — Strong security with a kill switch is a must, especially considering Egypt’s security issues, which we’ll talk about more later in the article.
• Privacy — A no-logs policy will ensure that your online activities aren’t recorded.
• Servers — Having plenty of servers to choose from in other countries is essential for accessing blocked content. You need servers in Egypt, as well, if you want to access content restricted to the country.
• Fast speed — This will reduce load times and ensure you have a decent resolution when watching shows.

The 5 Best VPNs for Egypt

We’ll now go through our list of five VPN services that will keep you safe in Egypt. Each is a little different, so make sure you choose one that best fits your needs.

1. ExpressVPN — The Best Egypt VPN

The best all-around VPN for Egypt is ExpressVPN. It comes with strong security that includes a kill switch to make sure you stay protected even if the VPN fails. It also has a solid no-logs policy and some of the fastest VPN speeds we’ve seen. You can read more about that in our ExpressVPN review.

It has a large server network that covers 94 countries, and that includes, Egypt, too. You get unlimited data, and it’s our best VPN for streaming due to it being able to get into any streaming platform. It’s also easy to use, plus you can use it on almost any operating system and have five devices connected at the same time.

Although ExpressVPN’s price is costly, you can bring it down a little by opting for a lengthier plan. Plus, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you’ve got nothing to lose.

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2. NordVPN

NordVPN is another decent VPN provider you can use in Egypt. It comes with top security and privacy, including the use of its double-hop encryption servers, which basically add another layer of protection. There’s also a kill switch and a strict no-logs policy. You can read more about all of that in our NordVPN review. 

If you like to torrent, NordVPN is our best VPN for torrenting. Egypt’s anti-cybercrime law penalizes data piracy, and you can be punished if caught, so it’s best to err on the side of caution and protect yourself with a VPN.

NordVPN has thousands of servers in many different countries, but there are no servers in Egypt for accessing the country’s content. However, you get unlimited data, and its speeds are mostly fast, if a little inconsistent. You’ll also be able to access all major streaming platforms. 

It’s easy to use and can be installed on most operating systems with up to six simultaneous connections. NordVPN’s monthly cost isn’t great, but by choosing a long-term plan, you’ll see some savings. There’s also a 30-day refund window.

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3. CyberGhost

CyberGhost has good security and comes with a kill switch. It also doesn’t keep logs. Its huge server network is spread over around 90 countries and includes 28 servers located in Cairo, meaning you can browse with Egyptian IP addresses. CyberGhost also has dedicated streaming servers, so you’ll be able to easily access the shows you want. 

You get unlimited bandwidth with CyberGhost, and its speeds are mostly fast, as you can read in our CyberGhost review. If you come across a slow VPN server, though, just switch servers until you find one that’s decent. CyberGhost is compatible with most operating systems with an easy-to-use interface. You can also connect up to seven devices at the same time.

CyberGhost is inexpensive, especially if you opt for a lengthier plan. Plus, it has a free trial you can use to see if you like it; you get seven days on mobile devices and one day on desktop. 

There are also free browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox, though it’s worth mentioning that it doesn’t include all of the VPN features and you only get access to servers in four countries. If you opt for the paid version and you don’t like it, there’s a long money-back guarantee, too.

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4. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access can also be used for Egypt. Its security is good, although you’ll need to tinker with the settings before you connect. That’s because PIA uses 128-bit encryption out of the box, and the recommended 256-bit encryption offers better protection. You can read more in our PIA review, but it does come with a kill switch and a no-logs policy.

PIA has a smaller server network than our top picks, but it’s enough for bypassing blocks and also includes 24 servers in Egypt. If streaming is an important activity for you, though, then PIA is probably not going to be the best choice. It can’t get into all of the major streaming platforms, like our other picks do. It can get into Netflix, though, in case that’s all you want.

It has unlimited data and mostly fast speeds. Plus, it can be used on most devices, with up to 10 connected simultaneously. It’s a cheap VPN that has a lot of useful features, and it also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee in place.

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5. Windscribe

Our last recommendation is Windscribe, which is a good option if you need a free VPN in Egypt. It has both a paid and free plan, but there are some limitations to the free plan, which we’ll go through.

Windscribe has good security that comes with a kill switch. There’s a little concern with the online privacy policy, though, which states that it collects some information, but it’s nothing that can be tied back to you, as you can read in our Windscribe review. It has a good number of servers, though they are not all included with the free plan and there are no servers in Egypt.

Its speeds are good enough for most activities, and you get up to 10GB of data with the free plan or unlimited data with paid plans. The VPN is also easy to use, works with most operating systems and you get unlimited connections on any of its plans. Windscribe also has dedicated streaming servers with its paid plan, called Windflix, and they work well.

The free plan is limited, so if it’s not enough you can opt for the full plan. However, if that’s a little pricey, you can use Windscribe’s build-a-plan and bag yourself a specific server — even one of the Windflix servers — and unlimited data for just $2 per month. There’s also a three-day refund period.

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Why You Need a VPN for Egypt

There are a few reasons why you should use a VPN in Egypt, and we’ll go through the main ones here.

Egypt’s Social Media & VoIP Bans

Many social media and communication apps have been banned in Egypt, such as the secure messaging app Signal in 2016. VoIP services — such as Viber, WhatsApp and Skype — have been disrupted, too.

There have been multiple reasons why the Egyptian government has banned or blocked such apps, though it’s mostly due to protests, election periods and the government trying to stop encrypted messages.

Other Attacks on Internet Freedom

The Egyptian government censors the internet by blocking websites related to news, political discussions and human rights organizations, as well as sites that are seen to promote terrorism and extremism. This censorship occurs especially during election periods, but it can happen at any time.

Also, after many terrorist attacks since 2017, the country has been in a lengthy state of emergency. Although it’s there to help protect the country, it also results in the blocking of websites and the monitoring of online communications. Even VPNs, proxy tools and some protocols can be blocked, which means it’s a good idea to install the app before you get there.

It’s wise to be careful about what you say online, too. Anyone who pokes fun at the government online can be punished, and that includes fines and imprisonment. 

With Egypt’s emergency law, authorities can carry out surveillance without judicial oversight, and with the surveillance equipment the country has obtained through companies such as Hacking Team, you could be under a very watchful eye.

Is It Safe to Use a VPN in Egypt?

Although VPNs have been banned before, it’s not illegal to use one in Egypt. You can be punished for accessing blocked content, though, so if you’re caught using a VPN for that purpose, you could get in trouble.

Aside from physically getting caught, though, if you choose a good VPN that has top security and privacy, you’ll stay hidden from government surveillance and any other online dangers. Those online dangers can include cyber attacks, too, especially since Egypt was reported to be one of Africa’s most vulnerable countries. 

It’s important to keep safe when you’re online in any country, but Egypt has a few extra reasons. Using a VPN will keep you protected, and it’s a good idea to use one when you’re connected to public WiFi, as well as have an antivirus installed.

What Is the Best Free VPN for Egypt?

Getting a VPN service for free is great, especially if you’re broke. However, many of the free VPNs you’ll find on your app store are more trouble than they’re worth. You can read our piece on the worst free VPN providers for some examples, but we’ll go through some of the reasons now.

Many free VPNs don’t actually protect you. They advertise great security and encryption, but they don’t actually implement any of it. That’s the worst case, but there are other concerns, too, such as them containing a virus, selling your sensitive information or simply bombarding you with ads.

The biggest issue is that if you use a VPN in Egypt that isn’t actually protecting you, you could face some serious problems. What you need to do is ensure that the VPN has a good reputation and that it can actually protect your privacy.

With all of that in mind, if you absolutely need a free VPN, then we’ll point you to our fifth recommendation, Windscribe. It’s our best free VPN service, and its free plan will be enough to get you past general blocks and hide your true identity. Just remember that it has some limitations, doesn’t include Egyptian servers and isn’t great for streaming unless you have access to its Windflix servers.

Final Thoughts

Egypt’s pyramids are known for their ancient security mechanisms, but the online world is on the other end of the scale. Unless you protect yourself with a VPN, you’ll be wide open to Egypt’s possible surveillance and online attacks, and you won’t be able to access certain websites or services. 

You need the VPN to have great security and privacy, as well as a kill switch, in case the VPN fails. It also needs to have a good server network for getting past blocks, as well as servers in Egypt if you want to access Egyptian content. 

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for the job with its excellent security and privacy, fast speeds and ability to get into any streaming service. It also has a large server network with servers located in Egypt. Why not give it a go with the 30-day money-back guarantee?

Have you used a VPN for Egypt? Do you agree with our top pick? Tell us in the comment section below about your experience and what VPN you used. As always, thank you for reading.

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