Best VPN for Hong Kong: Keeping Free in 2020

Hong Kong is one of the most popular places for tourism, with an incredible skyline that includes I.M. Pei’s Bank of China Tower. It’s densely populated and has many food and shopping opportunities. Its internet is among the freest in the world, but using one of our best VPN for Hong Kong picks is still a good idea.

Hong Kong is part of China, but, as a Special Administrative Region, it is allowed to operate as an independent country. That means it can set its own rules and regulations, and not be bound by those of the Middle Kingdom. After all, if it was behind the Great Firewall, its internet would look a lot different.

The only form of censorship in Hong Kong is for material such as child pornography and other obscene images. Social media and messaging apps are free to use, too.

As Hong Kong’s internet doesn’t suffer from many restrictions, one of the main reasons to use a virtual private network is to bypass geoblocks. Let’s say you want to watch Netflix U.S., but find yourself browsing through Hong Kong’s library. A VPN would help you bypass that by making it look like you’re physically in the U.S., thus showing you the U.S. library.

That goes for any other countries libraries you want to access, too. Take a look at our best VPN for Netflix guide for some recommendations. 

Alternatively, if you’re away from Hong Kong and want to access some local restricted content, a VPN will allow you to access such content easily. Our how to get a Hong Kong IP address guide can help with that, too.

Bypassing geoblocks is one good reason to use a VPN, but there are many others, too. Read on to find out more.

Best VPN for Hong Kong 2020

Online Surveillance in Hong Kong

There are concerns over how users’ activities are being monitored. Government surveillance in Hong Kong is regulated by the Communications Interception Law, but it hasn’t been updated since it was enacted in 2006. 

For that reason, authorities are able to intercept new forms of communication that aren’t covered by the law, without judicial oversight. That includes online communications, such as social media and messaging apps. 

In June 2019, the country witnessed some of the biggest protests in years, and they have continued until time of writing. Crowds gathered to oppose an extradition law which would make people who are accused of crimes against mainland China be sent there to go trial.

Protesters disguised themselves, turned off their location and purchased things such as train tickets with cash to stay under the radar. With authorities being able to intercept communications, you’d have to be careful about what you post online.

Thankfully the bill was suspended, but that doesn’t mean China will just leave those who criticize the country alone and there is evidence that they will act illegally.

Freedom of Speech Online in Hong Kong

China has already gone against the “one country, two systems” pledge. In 2015, five employees of a Hong Kong company that published books critical of China disappeared. They returned in 2016 after being held by Chinese authorities. 

Freedom of speech is protected in Hong Kong’s Bill of Rights and citizens are able to discuss topics freely. However, the fact that China went to such lengths to detain critical voices and that some news outlets either have ties with or have been acquired by mainland businesses has led to many journalists practicing self-censorship. Some journalists have been physically assaulted for their work, too.

Cybercrime in Hong Kong

Cybercrime in Hong Kong has increased over the years. At least two million people were affected by cybercrime in 2017 and over 9,000 attacks occurred in the first nine months of 2018. Many of the attacks include identity theft, ransomware and scams, such as phishing emails and fake banking apps or websites. 

Laws are in place that try to prevent cybercrime, with convictions leading to fines and possibly jail time. However, even if they are enforced, that doesn’t mean you won’t encounter any threats. Our best VPN for Thailand shows another country where cybercrime if rife.

More people are online now than ever and many connect to ever-growing public WiFi hotspots. However, there’s no way of knowing how secure the connection is through them. Using one without the protection of a VPN is a bad idea, but we also recommend that you install a decent antivirus, too.

What Makes a VPN the Best for Hong Kong

All of the providers we’ve tested have similar features, so you could just pick one from there. However, once you get into the nitty-gritty of the services, some are just better than others and you need to make sure it is suitable for Hong Kong.

Since censorship is not much of a problem, one of the biggest hurdles is getting past geoblocks. To have the best chance of doing that, you need to pick a provider that has servers worldwide. The more there are, the better. Plus, if you want to access Hong Kong restricted content, you’ll need one that has servers in the country.

Another factor to consider is the VPN’s speeds. If it is slow, then you’ll constantly be waiting for content to load, so pick one that has good speeds. Unlimited bandwidth is beneficial, too, as with it, there’s no limit to how much you can download or stream. 

Your security and privacy are important. To make sure you are protected you need to choose one that has great security and doesn’t keep a log of your online activities. A kill switch is also a good idea as that will protect you if the VPN fails by cutting your connection. 

Other features to consider are what devices it’s compatible with and its ease of use. Keep in mind how many devices you want to connect through the VPN, too, as each service has a different limit. Lastly, the price may sway your final decision, as some are more expensive than others.

1. The Best VPN for Hong Kong: ExpressVPN

We’ve chosen ExpressVPN as our winner for Hong Kong. It’s an excellent service and often pops up in our VPN articles. It has a huge server network, covering 94 countries. That includes some in Hong Kong, too, for content restricted to there. 

Speed is not an issue with ExpressVPN, as it’s the fastest VPN we’ve tested. Plus, it has unlimited bandwidth, so you won’t hit a limit. You’ll be able to get into all streaming platforms and it came first in our best VPN for streaming comparison, so choosing this provider is a no-brainer if streaming will be your main activity. 

It has excellent security set at 256-bit encryption and you can increase that for extra protection, too. A kill switch is also provided and is enabled by default, for extra peace of mind. ExpressVPN strictly keeps no record of your online activities, too. Read our ExpressVPN review for a more in-depth look at the service.

Other Reasons We Like ExpressVPN

When it comes to user-friendliness, ExpressVPN is a top contender. It works pretty much straight out of the box and is great for beginners. Once it’s installed, all you need to do is make sure you are connected to a secure server, which is easy. 

You can use it on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Linux. Up to five devices can be connected at the same time, too. 

If you run into any problems, support is available with a useful knowledgebase being your first stop. If you still need help there’s live chat and email support available 24/7. The live chat will get you the fastest response, but you should take the email route for more in-depth help.

Unfortunately, ExpressVPN is an expensive service when you compare it to other providers. However, the service you get makes it worthwhile and if you subscribe over a longer period, the overall cost comes down significantly. Plus, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee to fall back on.

ExpressVPN Review

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2. NordVPN

Another provider that will get you what you want in Hong Kong is NordVPN. It’s a great service that has over 5,000 servers dotting 60 countries. Plus, it has 80 in Hong Kong, so you can access content from there. 

Its speeds are good, but they can slow down over long distances. That’s why it didn’t make the top spot. Other than that, its service is comparable to that of our first choice, as you can read in our ExpressVPN vs NordVPN piece. NordVPN doesn’t have any bandwidth caps and it is able to get into all streaming services. 

If you like to torrent, it’s worth knowing that NordVPN is our best VPN for torrenting, thanks to its fantastic security. It’s among the best on the market for it and includes double-hop encryption, which will basically add more protection to the VPN tunnel if you choose to use it. There’s also a kill switch built in and a strict no-logs policy in place.

Read our full NordVPN review for a better look at the provider.

Other Reasons We Like NordVPN

It’s compatible with Windows, macOS, Android and iOS with easy to use clients. You can connect up to six devices at the same time.

There’s a handy knowledgebase available to help with small issues. If you need more help, you can contact support via live chat or email, 24/7. Live chat is the fastest route, but either way, the help is good.

NordVPN is good value for money, but we wouldn’t recommend opting for the monthly plan. It’s not bad, but the cost works out better on the longer plans. There’s a 30-day refund window, giving you plenty of time to make sure you like it.

NordVPN Review

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3. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a good choice for Hong Kong, too. It has a good server network, with more than 4,000 in 59 countries. Forty-six of those are in Hong Kong, too. It has fast speeds, but is similar to NordVPN in that it can become slow over long distances. There are no bandwidth limits and it is capable of getting into most streaming platforms, too.

The security is good and there’s a permanently enabled kill switch to keep you safe. There’s also a no-logs policy to ensure privacy. Check out our CyberGhost review for more details.

Other Reasons We Like CyberGhost

It can be installed on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. The interface was recently updated, but while it’s better than the old version, it can still take a while to get used to. CyberGhost allows up to seven devices to be connected at the same time, which helped it come second in our best VPN for multiple devices piece.

Customer support is available with a handy knowledgebase as your first port of call. After that, there’s live chat and email. The live chat is available 24/7 and you’ll get a quick response, but if you need more technical help, you’d be better off contacting support through email.

CyberGhost is an inexpensive service, but the monthly rate is bad. You can give it a whirl with the free seven-day trial available for Android and iOS. Plus, there’s a money-back guarantee that covers all platforms. The monthly plan gets 14 days, while longer plans get 45.

Cyberghost Review

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4. TorGuard

You can also use TorGuard for Hong Kong. Its network consists of more than 3,000 servers in 55 countries and some of those servers are in Hong Kong, too. One thing to note, though, is that switching servers is an annoying process because you have to disconnect from the VPN to do so. 

It has fast speeds, but the level of security you choose and which location you are connected to can affect it drastically. Unlimited bandwidth is included in the service. However, the base version cannot get into some streaming platforms, such as Netflix. 

There is a way around that, though. You can purchase dedicated streaming IPs, which are guaranteed to access the streaming service you choose. That earned it the top spot in our best VPN with dedicated IPs piece and a place in our best VPN for travelers guide.

Its security is among the most customizable available, allowing you to choose from different protocols. A kill switch is provided that is automatically enabled and strictly no logs are kept by the company. Read our TorGuard review for more information.

Other Reasons We Like TorGuard

It’s available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, though the mobile set-up can be a pain. You can connect up to five devices at the same time with the standard package, but up to 20 more can be purchased for $1 each.

There’s a knowledgebase, resources and a forum to help you with any problems. Live chat is available, but it’s manned by a basic customer service team. For that reason, it’s best to keep the technical questions for the email support team, which is available 24/7.

The monthly cost isn’t bad, but longer plans are better. There’s a seven-day money-back guarantee, too, in case you’re not happy with it.

Torguard Review

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5. VyprVPN

Our last selection is VyprVPN. While it doesn’t have all the features of our other picks, it still has some that are worth considering. There are fewer than 1,000 servers in 64 countries to choose from. Still, that should be plenty for circumventing blocks and it does have some in Hong Kong, too.

Its speeds can be slow, but they should be fine for most activities and there are no bandwidth limits, too. VyprVPN can get into most streaming services, too.

One of VyprVPNs main features is its security because it’s excellent. You can customize it, but it’s a good choice for newbies as well. It also has its own Chameleon protocol, too, which adds more protection to your connection. You can read more about that in our VyprVPN review, though. A kill switch and no-logs policy is also part of the service.

Other Reasons We Like VyprVPN

Clients are available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. The interface is easy to use, but it looks dated. It allows for three simultaneous connections with the standard package and up to five with the premium option. 

If you need help you can use the knowledgebase that’s available. There’s also live chat and email, both of which are available 24/7. That said, the help received isn’t the greatest we’ve seen.

VyprVPN has two packages to choose from, both with the choice of a monthly or yearly plan. The standard package allows for three simultaneous connections, but the premium one allows for five connections and the use of its Chameleon protocol. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee that you can make use of, too.

VyprVPN Review

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Final Thoughts

While Hong Kong’s internet is mostly free, there are valid reasons to use a VPN there. For the most part, you’ll most likely use one to get past geoblocks. That said, protecting yourself from government surveillance and cybercrime should be a priority, too. 

For those reasons, you need to choose one that has a good server network to help you bypass any restrictions and decent security to keep you safe. A no-logs policy will ensure your privacy is protected, too.

You can use any of the VPNs we’ve recommended, but ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Hong Kong. It has a huge server spread, excellent security and many other features, too. Plus, as it’s our most secure VPN, it’s also our best VPN for China, so if you plan on visiting the mainland, you’ll be covered.

Do you have experience with using a VPN in Hong Kong? Share your experience in the comments below, we’d love to hear them. Thank you for reading.

ExpressVPN Review

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