The Best WeChat VPN in 2022
The WeChat app has millions of users in and outside of China. With the country’s strict surveillance and censoring laws, many users would like the opportunity to communicate privately. The answer? The best WeChat VPN that keeps your connection encrypted and private.
— Last Updated: 2022-03-14T09:37:32+00:00 Facts checked by Elisabeth Ivey
To say that the Internet is censored in China would be a gross understatement. The Chinese government tends to censor popular social media networks, such as Facebook. WeChat is China’s government-approved social network, but you need a WeChat VPN to ensure you’re using the app securely and in private.
Key Takeaways:
- With lightning-fast speeds and great reliability in China, ExpressVPN is the best WeChat VPN.
- NordVPN and Surfshark are more affordable alternatives you can use for unblocking WeChat.
- VyprVPN puts a strong emphasis on security, but it is very expensive.
- Windscribe is the only free VPN we recommend for WeChat users.
WeChat is a social media app that wears many hats — instant messenger, social network, mobile payment app, you name it. It has 1.2 billion active monthly users, and is China’s largest instant messaging app, with some describing it as a “super app” because of all the functionality it offers its users.
However, as part of the massive surveillance network in China, most user interactions on the app are monitored. To add to this, the app was (and still is) banned in India, received a temporary ban in Russia, and was almost banned in the U.S. A VPN will let you access it from anywhere, without the Chinese government knowing what you’re doing.
To access WeChat with a VPN, simply install the VPN app and connect to a server near you. Just make sure the server isn’t in a country where WeChat is blocked, like India. Then, all you need to do is log in to your WeChat account as usual.
No, if your account has been banned, not even a VPN can help.
Yes, you can use WeChat in the U.S. There was an attempt to ban it in the U.S., but it failed as it was viewed as a restriction on free speech. However, you should still use a VPN to keep yourself protected while using WeChat.
At the moment, there are no popular Chinese VPN providers, though many VPNs are secretly owned by Chinese companies.
Top VPNs for WeChat
- 1
- : PayPal, Credit card, Bitcoin, regional payment systems, WebMoney
- : 5
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- 2
- : Credit card, Google Pay, AmazonPay, ACH Transfer, UnionPay, Crypto Currencies, PayPal (via Paddle)
- : 6
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- 3
- : PayPal, Credit card
- : 30
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- 4
- : PayPal, Credit card, Google Pay, Amazon Pay
- : Unlimited
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- 5
- : PayPal, Credit card, bitcoin, Paymentwall
- : Unlimited
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What Makes the Best WeChat VPN
When you’re trying to find a virtual private network provider to unblock WeChat, there are a few criteria that you should consider: speed, security, privacy and the VPN’s ability to get past the Great Firewall of China. The VPN providers below give you all of that, and then some.
- ExpressVPN — Blazing-fast VPN that works in most Chinese regions
- NordVPN — Reliable alternative with double VPN servers
- VyprVPN — Secure VPN provider with Chameleon protocol
- Surfshark — Great value VPN with proprietary NoBorders mode
- Windscribe — Free VPN provider that works in China
When you’re tunneling through a VPN connection, speed should be one of your priorities. You don’t just want to unblock WeChat — you want your connection to be as fast as possible, too.
In addition to this, you want a VPN that focuses on security features like data encryption, DNS leak protection and a kill switch to keep you safe in case the VPN connection drops.
Next up, the VPN provider you use should have a no-logs policy that guarantees online privacy and that your data will remain yours and yours alone when you’re accessing WeChat. With the monitoring system in place in mainland China, privacy features should ensure nothing falls into the hands of the Chinese authorities.
Last but not least, if you’re using a VPN for WeChat from within China, you want the VPN you’re using to be able to get past China’s firewall, so you can get uncensored access to the outside world.
The Top 5 VPNs to Access WeChat
If you want to be able to access WeChat and still have privacy concerns, these are the best VPNs for the purpose.
1. ExpressVPN
More details about ExpressVPN:
- Pricing: $6.67 per month for the yearly plan, plus three months free
- Provider website: expressvpn.com
Pros:
- Top-notch speeds
- Works almost anywhere in China
- Servers run on RAM only
Cons:
- Expensive
If you want the best VPN to access WeChat, ExpressVPN is your best choice. It comes with fast connections that comfortably put it at the top of our list of fastest VPN services, as well as excellent security and privacy features like a kill switch and strict no-logs policy. This combination also makes it the best VPN overall, and you can find out more about it in our ExpressVPN review.
ExpressVPN’s server network has over 3,000 servers in 160 server locations across 94 countries. Although ExpressVPN doesn’t have any servers in mainland China, it does offer one in the autonomous region of Hong Kong. This will let you access WeChat from China without running into issues with speed and latency.
RAM-Only Servers Wipe Data on Shutdown
All of ExpressVPN’s servers store data only in their RAM memory, which means all data is wiped every time the servers are rebooted. Even if the Chinese government tries to force the VPN to provide data about its users, there would be no data to provide. This has happened before, in an incident involving Russia and Turkey, and ExpressVPN could not provide any data to the two countries.
When it comes to pricing, there is no way around it — ExpressVPN is expensive. The annual subscription knocks a few dollars off the price, but even then it’s still pretty high.
However, the performance and reliability when it comes to using WeChat makes it very much worth it, and you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee to take it for a test drive.
2. NordVPN
More details about NordVPN:
- Pricing: $3.29 per month for the two-year plan
- Provider website: nordvpn.com
Pros:
- Has obfuscated servers
- Double VPN functionality
- Very user friendly
Cons:
- Doesn’t work everywhere in China
NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs around. Its users get a large selection of obfuscated servers, as well as a suite of security features that include an internet kill switch, an app kill switch and a strict no-logs policy. The VPN also has a proprietary NordLynx protocol that builds on the speed of its WireGuard base and adds extra security on top. You can find out more about it in our NordVPN review.
NordVPN has 5,200 servers in 59 countries around the world. This includes servers in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam that will serve locals and expats well, as well as a smattering of servers in the U.S.
Improved Security With Double VPN Servers
If you don’t want China’s government to discover that you’re using a VPN and ban your account (or worse), the double VPN functionality can save your hide. It passes your connection through two VPN servers, so that if the first line of defense fails, you still have a second VPN server to fall back on, keeping your original IP address undetectable.
While the monthly rate is very similar to ExpressVPN, which we already determined to be expensive, a two-year plan halves ExpressVPN’s price and gets you much better value. If you aren’t happy with it after you subscribe, you have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. VyprVPN
More details about VyprVPN:
- Pricing: $8.33 per month for the yearly standard plan
- Provider website: vyprvpn.com
Pros:
- VyprDNS takes care of censorship
- Chameleon protocol offers improved security
- Simple to use
Cons:
- Speeds aren’t impressive
- Expensive
VyprVPN is all about keeping user data secure and away from the hands of both your internet provider and the Chinese government. Aside from including all the features you’d expect from a secure VPN like a kill switch and DNS leak protection, you also get a proprietary Chameleon protocol that’s built to bypass deep packet inspection (an advanced technique for VPN detection).
VyprVPN covers 60 countries with its server network, including a Hong Kong server location. However, keep in mind that VyprVPN only has 700 servers in total, which means server loads might fluctuate a bit and cause unexpected lag.
Secure Chameleon Protocol
The Chameleon protocol takes OpenVPN as a base and adds an obfuscation layer that jumbles the packet metadata. This makes it almost impossible for anyone to decipher and gain access to your internet connection. Unfortunately, this impacts browsing speeds, so they won’t be particularly impressive. You can read more about this in our VyprVPN review.
VyprVPN’s price is very expensive, even compared to ExpressVPN. However, considering it goes above and beyond to protect user data and provide free and open Internet, it might be worth it for some. This is especially important for use in China, where most VPNs are banned. If VyprVPN isn’t for you, the 30-day money-back guarantee has your back.
- : Unlimited GB
- : 30
- : Unlimited GB
- : 30
4. Surfshark
More details about Surfshark:
- Pricing: $2.21 per month for the two-year plan, plus three months free
- Provider website: surfshark.com
Pros:
- NoBorders mode is perfect for China
- Built-in malware blocker
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
Cons:
- Doesn’t work everywhere in China
If an affordable VPN for WeChat sounds like something you could use, Surfshark should be right up your alley. It pairs unlimited simultaneous connections and a built-in malware blocker with a selection of VPN protocols that includes Wireguard, OpenVPN and IKEv2. It also offers standard VPN features like a kill switch and split tunneling, plus it has a double VPN feature called MultiHop.
Surfshark casts a wide net (pardon the pun) with its servers, covering 65 countries with its 3,200 servers. Like the other services on this list, China isn’t covered, but nearby Hong Kong is, ensuring good performance for American expats in the Middle Kingdom. Read our guide to learn how to set up Surfshark to bypass network restrictions.
Unblock WeChat & Hide Your VPN Use With NoBorders Mode
The feature we like most is the NoBorders mode, which makes it easy for Surfshark to give you a protected, encrypted connection in restrictive countries like China. This is likely done using the Shadowsocks protocol to hide the fact that you’re using a VPN, which we mention in our Surfshark review. If WeChat doesn’t know you’re using a VPN, you can’t get banned for using one.
Surfshark is incredibly affordable, provided you’re willing to stick around for a while. The monthly subscription is a bit steep, as per usual, but the three-year plan is one of the best deals for a VPN, and you get a 30-day money-back guarantee if you don’t like it.
- : Unlimited GB bandwidth,Unlimited devices
- : Unlimited GB
- : Unlimited
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5. Windscribe
More details about Windscribe:
- Pricing: Free; $4.08 per month for the yearly plan
- Provider website: windscribe.com
Pros:
- Free plan with 10 locations
- Double-hop feature
- Build-your-own plan
Cons:
- 10GB data limit on free plan
- 3-day money-back guarantee
If you’d prefer to keep your wallet intact, Windscribe is the best VPN for WeChat that won’t cost you a dime. This does come with limitations — only 10 locations to choose from (one of which is in Hong Kong), and a 10GB data limit. Windscribe comes with a strict no-logs policy, a kill switch and DNS leak protection, as well as an ad-blocker. You can find out more about it in our Windscribe review.
Although its Hong Kong location is free, Windscribe’s paid plan unlocks 165 server locations across 60 countries. Unfortunately, Windscribe doesn’t make its exact server count public, but that’s less important than the location coverage in any case.
Free VPN With Double-Hop Servers
Windscribe comes with a double-hop functionality, although you’ll need its browser extension for that. You choose one server location on the desktop app, and the second one on the extension itself, which means that apps that aren’t your browser don’t experience the speed impact of a double VPN.
Windscribe is a free VPN, but if you don’t want to deal with data and location limitations, you can either go for the premium plan or build your own plan with just the locations you need. Each location will run you $1 and comes with 10GB of additional data, plus you can add unlimited data for another $1 per month. The three-day money-back period is a bit short, but the free plan more than makes up for it.
- : Per “Pro” server location
- : 10 GB
- : Unlimited
- :
- : Unlimited GB
- : Unlimited
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The Dangers of Using the WeChat App Without a VPN
The Chinese government is notorious for its invasive practices when it comes to user data, and that includes taking seemingly innocent apps that users love and monitoring each and every interaction. WeChat is no exception to this rule — WeChat messages are constantly monitored, especially if the Chinese authorities consider you to be a person of interest.
WeChat users have been arrested in the past for posting certain types of content on WeChat, so exercising caution when you’re using the app is recommended. However, if you want to be sure nobody can gain access to your data and the messages you’re sending, a VPN is a must.
Read our guide to learn how to get a Chinese IP address. For WeChat fans outside China, we have a complete guide on how to sign up for WeChat outside China.
Final Thoughts
When all is said and done, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for WeChat. It’s fast, it’s secure and it’s able to bypass China’s Great Firewall with relative ease. If you want something more affordable, though, NordVPN and Surfshark are great alternatives, whereas VyprVPN gets you excellent obfuscated servers.
Last but not least, Windscribe is great for users who want free VPNs. Be sure to check our list of worst VPNs to avoid.
What’s your favorite VPN when you want to access WeChat? Do you go for ExpressVPN’s blazing-fast VPN services, or do you prefer saving a bit of money and opting for some of the cheaper, or even free VPNs? Let us know in the comments, and thank you for reading!
