Updated on: October 7, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best VPN for Hong Kong in 2024:
- 🥇 ExpressVPN : Top-notch security features to maintain your online privacy, obfuscation on all servers (Hong Kong included), and lightning-fast speeds. You also get user-friendly apps and each plan is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
I highly recommend using a VPN to protect your online privacy in Hong Kong. VPNs encrypt all of your traffic, making it unreadable to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the government, so they won’t be able to see what you’re doing online.
VPNs also hide your IP address, which reveals your general location. Instead, it assigns you the IP address of the server you’re connected to, so you can browse the internet as if you’re located elsewhere.
I tested 30+ VPNs to find the best picks for Hong Kong, and my favorite one is ExpressVPN because it has lots of advanced security and privacy features and is super fast. That said, the rest of the VPNs on my list are excellent alternatives. Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Summary of the Best VPNs for Hong Kong
At SafetyDetectives, we don’t condone using VPNs for copyright infringement or any other illegal activity. All the VPNs on this list have strict no-logging policies, so they don’t monitor or log what you do online. This means that you alone are responsible for your online actions.
Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
🥇 1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for Hong Kong in 2024
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN to use in Hong Kong, thanks to its top-notch security and privacy features and large server network spanning 105 countries. It offers 2 server locations in Hong Kong, as well as nearby locations like Vietnam and the Philippines.
ExpressVPN offers lots of advanced security features to protect your online traffic in Hong Kong:
- RAM-only servers. RAM-only servers delete all data upon every reboot. This way, even if the Hong Kong authorities access the servers, they won’t be able to see what you are doing online.
- Full leak protection. I ran multiple leak tests while connected to the Hong Kong server, and I only saw the IP address of the ExpressVPN server.
- An audited no-logs policy. ExpressVPN doesn’t track or record your online activity. This means that even if the Hong Kong authorities ask for information about your online activities, ExpressVPN won’t have anything to share with them.
- Advanced Protection. Blocks ads, trackers, and malicious sites. In my tests, websites with ads loaded a lot faster, and ExpressVPN stopped me from visiting shady sites I tried to click on.
ExpressVPN obfuscates all of its servers, including the ones it has in Hong Kong. This feature masks your VPN traffic as normal traffic, so your ISP in Hong Kong can’t detect and block your VPN connection. ExpressVPN’s obfuscation is enabled automatically when the VPN detects any blocks, and it works across all of its protocols. If you prefer using the Tor browser for extra anonymity, ExpressVPN supports Tor traffic on all servers.
I really like how fast ExpressVPN is — in fact, it’s the fastest VPN on the market, thanks to its proprietary Lightway protocol. In my tests, Lightway gave me the fastest speeds out of all other VPN protocols I tested, and I could watch HD and 4K videos without any buffering on both nearby and very distant servers, which is pretty impressive.
ExpressVPN has excellent streaming and torrenting support, too. It works with 100+ streaming services, including international sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime, as well as regional ones such as Viu and iQIYI (confirmed by multiple live chat representatives), and it supports P2P traffic on all servers. Plus, it works great with all popular P2P clients, including qBittorrent, uTorrent, and Transmission.
ExpressVPN offers plans starting at $4.99 / month. It includes a 30-day money-back guarantee with all purchases, so you can test the VPN without any risk.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is the best overall VPN for Hong Kong in 2024. It has advanced security features, blazing-fast speeds for all online activity, and excellent streaming and torrenting support. It also has obfuscation and supports Tor traffic on all of its servers. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈 2. Private Internet Access — Excellent VPN for Torrenting in Hong Kong
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a great VPN for torrenting from Hong Kong. It supports torrenting on all servers in 91 countries, including on its Hong Kong server. In my tests, it works well with all top torrent clients.
PIA comes with P2P-friendly features that boost your speeds. These include its SOCKS5 proxy servers, which hide your IP address but don’t encrypt your traffic so your download and upload speed is faster, and port forwarding, which allows you to connect to more peers. PIA has great streaming support, too — it works with 30+ streaming sites, including Netflix and Amazon Prime.
PIA has excellent security features to protect your data in Hong Kong. It uses RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy, it offers full leak protection, and it has an independently audited no-logs policy, so it won’t be able to share any information with the Hong Kong government even if requested to do so. Plus, all apps are open source, which means anyone can inspect them for cracks in security or privacy.
PIA offers obfuscation via Shadowsocks servers, which are located in 5+ countries, including in Japan. It works well with VPN blocks, so you won’t have trouble freely browsing the web from Hong Kong. That being said, I prefer ExpressVPN, as it includes obfuscation on all servers and it’s faster.
I really like PIA MACE, which is PIA’s ad, tracker, and malicious site blocker. In my tests, it got rid of all ads in search results as well as on ad-heavy sites, which also slightly increased my loading times.
I tested PIA’s speeds on nearby and very distant servers and was happy with the results. All websites and HD videos loaded instantly when I was connected to PIA’s servers — when I used a SOCKS5 proxy server, my download speeds increased by about 10%, compared to my VPN speeds.
Private Internet Access has affordable plans starting at $2.19 / month, and it supports all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access is great for torrenting from Hong Kong, as it comes with P2P-friendly features, like SOCKS5 proxy servers and port forwarding. It also has strong security and privacy features, it offers obfuscation, and it supports Tor traffic. PIA backs all plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
Editors' Note: Private Internet Access and this site are in the same ownership group.
🥉 3. CyberGhost VPN — Excellent Automation Features
CyberGhost VPN lets you automate your connections in Hong Kong, which is super convenient if you want to configure the app once and let it work in the background. You can set up the app to automatically connect you to the Hong Kong server when you launch it and create a list of apps that trigger the VPN to connect when you open any of them. CyberGhost can even open any app on your device as soon as you connect to a server of your choice.
CyberGhost VPN has good speeds for all online activities, but it’s not as fast as ExpressVPN. In my tests, HD and 4K videos on YouTube loaded in 1–2 seconds without any buffering on both nearby and very distant servers.
CyberGhost VPN protects your online privacy and security in Hong Kong with advanced security features. These include RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, an audited no-logs policy, and DNS and IPv6 leak protection. You also get Tor support on all servers, but there’s no obfuscation feature.
If you want extra privacy, CyberGhost has its NoSpy servers. All of these servers are located in privacy-friendly Romania and only CyberGhost staff has access to them. The only downside is you might experience some slowdowns since they’re not very close to Hong Kong. Another drawback about CyberGhost is it lacks obfuscation.
CyberGhost VPN has good torrenting and streaming support. It works with 50+ streaming sites and allows torrenting on servers in 85+ countries which includes its Hong Kong servers. That said, it doesn’t have extra P2P features like Private Internet Access.
CyberGhost VPN’s plans start at $2.19 / month. You get a 45-day money-back guarantee on long-term plans and a 14-day money-back guarantee on the monthly plan.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN allows for plenty of automation and lets you fine-tune your VPN connection in Hong Kong. It doesn’t have an obfuscation feature, but it has a specialized group of super secure servers located inside it’s headquarters in Romania for maximum privacy. It also has good security and good speeds. It covers long-term plans with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.
4. PrivateVPN — Great VPN for Beginners With Good Streaming Support
PrivateVPN is a great VPN to use in Hong Kong if you’re a VPN beginner. Its apps have a Simple View, which lets you pick a server from the server list (there’s one in Hong Kong) and connect to the VPN — the VPN is pre-configured to secure your connections, so you don’t have to configure any settings. If you still want to do that, you can find them via Advanced View.
PrivateVPN is great for getting around network restrictions in Hong Kong thanks to its Stealth VPN protocol. It works really well in restrictive countries that restrict VPN use. Plus, it uses perfect forward secrecy, comes with DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and supports Tor traffic on all servers in 63 countries.
PrivateVPN has good speeds. In my tests, all websites I visited loaded immediately, HD videos took about 1–2 seconds to load on average, and I didn’t experience any significant buffering or slowdowns. It’s still not as fast as ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access.
PrivateVPN is a good pick for torrenting from Hong Kong. It works with most popular P2P clients, including uTorrent, has port forwarding, and it lets you use SOCKS5 proxy servers for better torrenting speeds. As for streaming support, it works with 20+ streaming sites, including Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime.
PrivateVPN offers very low-cost plans, starting at $2.00 / month. It backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
PrivateVPN has very simple, no-frills apps that let you connect from Hong Kong in as few clicks as possible. It works in restrictive countries, has great torrenting and streaming support, and offers good security. All of its plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full PrivateVPN review
5. Proton VPN — Secure VPN for Accessing Tor from Hong Kong
Proton VPN makes it super easy to browse the Tor Network in Hong Kong. It has a specialized Tor server in Hong Kong that automatically routes all of your traffic through the Tor network, including on browsers like Chrome or Firefox — you don’t need to download the Tor browser. You can also browse .onion sites via this server, though you’ll need to configure your browser (Proton has easy-to-follow guides for this).
Proton VPN is a highly secure pick for Hong Kong. It has full leak protection, an independently audited and verified no-logs policy, and it obfuscates your traffic via its proprietary Stealth protocol.
Proton VPN is pretty fast. In my tests, websites loaded immediately and HD videos took 3–4 seconds on very distant servers. I was able to boost my speeds on very distant servers with Proton’s speed-boosting VPN Accelerator feature — when I enabled it, HD videos loaded in about 2 seconds.
Proton VPN supports torrenting on all Hong Kong servers, and it has port forwarding for better torrenting speeds. It also works with 50+ streaming sites.
Proton VPN offers plans starting at $3.59 / month, backed by a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee. It has a Free plan, too, but you only get access to servers in 5 countries and limited features.
Bottom Line:
Proton VPN is great for browsing the Tor network in Hong Kong, as it has a specialized Hong Kong server that lets you use the Tor network on regular browsers like Chrome. It also offers obfuscation, a speed-boosting feature (called VPN Accelerator), and a unique Alternative Routing feature to let you access Proton services in places where they’re blocked. It backs all purchases with a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Proton VPN review
Quick Comparison Table
Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
I followed our proven SafetyDetectives testing methodology to ensure that I recommend only the best VPNs for Hong Kong. I tested these VPNs for real-life situations and scenarios and ranked them accordingly. Every VPN on this list met all of our criteria for security, privacy, speed, ease of use, and reliability, which you will find here:
- I looked for VPNs with strong security features. All the VPNs on this list have industry-standard security features, such as bank-grade 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch that shuts down your internet if the VPN connection drops to prevent any leaks, and a no-logs policy that prevents the provider from monitoring or logging any of your online activities. Plus, every VPN listed here has IP leak protection.
- I tested the VPNs’ speeds. VPNs slow down your connections because of the encryption process, but the VPNs I recommend here minimize that effect — I could barely tell I was using a VPN in my speed tests.
- I checked every VPN’s P2P and streaming support. The VPNs I recommend on this list all allow torrenting traffic on their Hong Kong servers and servers in nearby locations. Every VPN consistently worked with any torrenting client I tried, and they work with lots of streaming sites, too.
- I made sure their apps are easy to use and compatible with all devices. All the VPNs on this list have apps for all major operating systems and make it very easy to find and connect to a server. Also, none of them require a lot of technical know-how to use any of their features.
- I checked for Tor support and obfuscation. All of the VPNs here support Tor traffic and most of them have features that obfuscate your connections to hide VPN traffic (in case of any VPN blocks).
- I evaluated the overall value. The VPNs come with lots of extra features, allow multiple connections, and they all offer a money-back guarantee on all purchases.
Why Use a VPN in Hong Kong
Online Privacy and Anonymity
A VPN helps protect your online activities from being monitored by encrypting your internet connection and hiding your IP address. This is crucial for maintaining anonymity and safeguarding your personal information from third parties — including government surveillance.
Security on Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi networks, commonly found in cafes, airports, and hotels, are often unsecure, making them hotspots for cybercriminals looking to steal sensitive information. Using a VPN encrypts your internet traffic, protecting you from potential threats like man-in-the-middle attacks, eavesdropping, and data theft.
Avoiding Bandwidth Throttling
ISPs (Internet Service Providers) may intentionally slow down your internet speed based on your online activities, such as streaming or gaming. A VPN hides your internet traffic from your ISP, which prevents them from throttling your bandwidth based on content consumption.
Please note that we at SafetyDetectives don’t support the use of VPNs for illegal activities. I recommend familiarizing yourself with local laws and regulations and following them.
How to Use a VPN in Hong Kong
- Choose a great VPN for Hong Kong & go to its website. My favorite is ExpressVPN but the rest of the VPNs on my list are excellent picks, too. You can also click here to read the criteria I used to determine what makes a good VPN for Hong Kong.
- Pick the plan that suits your needs best. I usually recommend getting a long-term plan because it offers the best value.
- Enter your details and your payment information. Some of the VPNs on my list allow paying with crypto for extra anonymity.
- Download the VPN’s installation files. If you’re on desktop, you can download the files from the VPN’s website. If you’re on mobile, find the VPN’s app on the app store. If you’re unable to access the VPN’s website, you can reach out to their customer support via email and they’ll send you the installation files. Then, run the installation files.
- Restart your device. This will make sure your VPN loads and boots on your device properly.
- Clearing out your browser’s cache. Removing cache from your browser will make sure that none of the saved data can link your past browsing activities to your new IP address.
- Open the VPN app and connect to a server. Find the server list in the VPN app, pick a server location you want to connect to, click on it, and you’re all set! Note that all the VPNs in my list have server locations in Hong Kong.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- NordVPN. NordVPN is a highly secure VPN that’s fast on all servers. It provides obfuscation, but it doesn’t work well in restrictive countries.
- Surfshark. Surfshark is an affordable VPN with easy-to-use apps and advanced security features. However, it’s slow on very distant servers, and its obfuscation doesn’t work in censorship-heavy countries.
- TunnelBear. TunnelBear has fun apps that are simple to navigate, but its speeds are slower compared to the VPNs on my list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is using a VPN in Hong Kong legal?
Yes, using a VPN in Hong Kong is legal. Since Hong Kong has a certain degree of autonomy from mainland China, it has different laws and regulations regarding internet access.
Still, online surveillance is a rising issue in Hong Kong, which is why I always recommend using a VPN to protect your online anonymity. I believe the best VPN for Hong Kong is ExpressVPN, as it’s highly secure, works in restrictive countries, and has 2 server locations in Hong Kong, as well as lots of servers in nearby countries for the best possible speeds.
Can I use Tor with a VPN in Hong Kong?
Yes, the Tor browser is allowed in Hong Kong. Using a VPN will further boost your online security when you’re browsing the Tor network.
The only issue is that the cumulative slowdown from both the VPN and Tor’s encryption can seriously affect your speeds. This is why I recommend using ExpressVPN, which supports Tor on all servers and has lightning-fast speeds that will minimize the slowdown.
Are there free VPNs that are good for Hong Kong?
Possibly, but free VPNs aren’t usually a great choice. They usually limit bandwidth, server access, and may even share data with third parties, which isn’t great for your privacy.
I recommend getting a quality VPN like ExpressVPN to use in Hong Kong instead, which has strong security and privacy features, including an audited no-logs policy, and has excellent speeds for all activities.
Can anyone see that I’m using a VPN in Hong Kong?
Yes, your ISP can tell that you’re connected to a VPN by the nature of your traffic, though they can’t see what you’re accessing through the VPN because it scrambles your traffic.
That said, top VPNs offer obfuscation, a feature that masks your VPN traffic as normal traffic. This makes it a lot more difficult for your ISP and anyone else to tell that you’re using a VPN. ExpressVPN has obfuscation on all servers in its network spanning 105 countries, including its Hong Kong servers.
