5 Best VPNs for Iran in 2024 — Fast, Secure & Affordable

Updated on: March 25, 2024
Fact Checked by Katarina Glamoslija
Paige Henley Paige Henley
Updated on: March 25, 2024

Short on time? Here’s the best VPN for Iran in 2024:

  • 🥇ExpressVPN: Works 100% of the time in Iran and has blazing-fast speeds, robust security features, and excellent ease of use. It offers affordable plans backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

VPNs are the best way to protect your online data in Iran. They encrypt it so securely that not even the government can access it or spy on your online activities. Plus, they also circumvent firewalls and allow you to reclaim your internet freedom.

Unfortunately, many VPNs don’t work in restrictive countries like Iran, and some that do work don’t provide very good security or privacy and might even sell your data. You need a VPN that works reliably in Iran as well as protects your identity, has a strict no-logs policy, and provides good performance for all online activities.

I spent a few weeks testing various VPNs to find the best ones for Iran. Though every VPN on my list is worth considering, ExpressVPN is my favorite — it has incredibly fast speeds, strong security and privacy, easy-to-use apps, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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IMPORTANT: VPN use in Iran has limitations. Neither I nor anyone at SafetyDetectives endorse using a VPN for illicit purposes. Ensure you’re familiar with local rules about VPNs to avoid unintentionally breaking the law.

Quick summary of the best VPNs for Iran:

  • 1. 🥇ExpressVPN — Best overall VPN for Iran in 2024 (with excellent security and privacy features).
  • 2. 🥈Private Internet Access — Great for torrenting with P2P support on all servers and an excellent ad blocker.
  • 3. 🥉PrivateVPN — Good VPN with simple, easy-to-use apps and fast speeds for online activities.
  • 4. TunnelBear — Intuitive VPN with a fun interface + decent free plan (with 2 GB data limit).
  • 5. CyberGhost VPN — Solid VPN for beginners (with virtual servers in Iran + automation rules).

🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Iran

Approved by our experts
ExpressVPN
Approved by our experts
Most readers pick ExpressVPN
Servers in countries
105
Key Features
Industry-leading speeds
Number of devices
8
OS compatibility
Money-back guarantee
30 Days
expressvpn.com

ExpressVPN is my top choice for Iran. In addition to working 100% of the time in Iran without any issues, it has excellent security and privacy features that protect your identity, hide your online activities, and safeguard your data.

Even though it doesn’t have servers located in Iran, it has a large server network of servers across 105 countries, including nearby countries like Pakistan and Turkey. This extensive network ensures that users in Iran can easily find servers with optimal performance and minimal latency.

What’s more, all of ExpressVPN’s servers include obfuscation. This way, all of your VPN traffic will appear as regular traffic and allow you to bypass Iran’s firewall. ExpressVPN recommends that users choose the Automatic protocol under Settings for circumventing censorship.

🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for IranExpressVPN’s security features are great for a censorship-heavy country like Iran. It has TrustedServer technology, which runs servers exclusively on RAM to ensure no data is ever stored on hard drives. Threat Manager is another great feature since it prevents ad trackers from spying on your traffic and stops you from accessing malicious sites. ExpressVPN also employs perfect forward secrecy, which means that even if an encryption key were to be compromised, only a small portion of your data would be at risk. Finally, its full leak protection ensures that your real IP address and DNS queries remain hidden at all times.

I also really like that ExpressVPN has very user-friendly apps. From downloading the app to creating an account and connecting to a server near Iran, the entire process took me less than 3 minutes. Plus, it has an auto-connect feature to save you time searching and manually connecting to the server closest to you.

ExpressVPN is also the fastest VPN I tested. I checked its speeds over several activities and had great results: 4K videos loaded instantly, large files downloaded in under 11 minutes, and I didn’t experience any lag when playing online games on my PC.

ExpressVPN provides excellent value with a starting price of $6.67 / month. Even though it is one of the pricier options on my list, ExpressVPN provides the best value on the market. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Bottom Line:

ExpressVPN is the top choice for Iran in 2024. All of its servers come with obfuscation, allowing you to bypass government restrictions. Plus, it has excellent security and privacy features, including perfect forward secrecy, full leak protection, Threat Manager, and TrustedServer technology. ExpressVPN offers great ease of use and super fast speeds for all online activities. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full ExpressVPN review

🥈2. Private Internet Access — Excellent P2P Support

Servers in countries
91
Key Features
Excellent ad blocker
Number of devices
Unlimited
OS compatibility
Money-back guarantee
30 Days
privateinternetaccess.com

Private Internet Access (PIA) is an excellent choice for securely torrenting in Iran. I found that PIA supports torrenting on all of its servers and works seamlessly with popular torrent clients like BitTorrent and uTorrent. And the inclusion of port forwarding enhances P2P file-sharing speeds by allowing you to connect to more peers, which is a significant advantage for torrent enthusiasts.

Thanks to its Shadowsocks proxy servers, PIA is able to bypass firewalls in Iran. When you connect to a Shadowsocks server, all of your data is obfuscated and encrypted so it looks as if you’re not using a VPN. While it only takes a couple of easy steps to connect to a Shadowsocks server, I still prefer ExpressVPN’s obfuscation method since all of its servers have obfuscation.

PIA’s security features are impressive, with an audited no-logs policy and full leak protection. The VPN supports both OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, providing users with options to choose between performance and security based on their needs.

PIA also includes a powerful feature called PIA MACE, which effectively blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites. This additional layer of protection not only enhances your online security but also contributes to a cleaner and more enjoyable browsing experience.

🥈2. Private Internet Access — Excellent P2P SupportThe provider also has excellent ease of use. Its well-designed apps are straightforward to navigate, and it supports unlimited device connections, allowing you to secure all your devices simultaneously.

In terms of speed, PIA was consistently fast during my tests, downloading a 27 GB file in just 16 minutes and allowing me to watch HD videos without any delays. However, it’s worth noting that ExpressVPN is even faster, making it a better choice if speed is your top priority.

Private Internet Access is value-packed and affordable, with plans starting at only $2.19 / month. Plus, its 30-day money-back guarantee ensures you can try the service risk-free.

Private Internet Access: Save 82% on the 24-month plan + FREE months!
You can save 82% if you act right now.

Bottom Line:

Private Internet Access is an excellent VPN for torrenting in Iran, offering robust P2P file-sharing support, strong security features, and fast speeds. It also comes with proxy servers that obfuscate your VPN traffic so you can access a free and open internet. Plus, it’s user-friendly apps and allows unlimited device connections, and its PIA MACE feature adds extra value, making it a solid option for users in Iran. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full Private Internet Access review

🥉3. PrivateVPN — Customizable Interface & Decent Speeds

Servers in countries
63
Key Features
Works in restrictive nations
Number of devices
10
OS compatibility
Money-back guarantee
30 Days
privatevpn.com

PrivateVPN is pretty good at getting around Iran’s firewall and protecting your privacy online. This VPN is good for Iran because it has a proprietary obfuscation feature called Stealth VPN. It works by hiding your VPN connection so the Iranian government can’t see that you’re using a VPN — it just looks like normal internet traffic.

I really enjoy using PrivateVPN due to its simple, customizable interface. It is really well-designed, so it’s easy to find and enable the Stealth VPN feature, search for servers, and connect to a server near Iran. Plus, new users can stick with the Simple View of the interface, while experienced users can switch to the Advanced View for more control.

🥉3. PrivateVPN — Customizable Interface & Decent Speeds

This VPN has pretty good speeds, but it isn’t as fast as ExpressVPN. That said, it still performed well in my tests. I was able to stream, download, and browse with little issue. However, bigger files and 4K videos did need a little more time (an extra 7 minutes for a 30 GB file and an extra 4 seconds for high-quality videos).

PrivateVPN is very affordable with plans starting at $2.00 / month. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Save up to 85% on PrivateVPN!
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Bottom Line:

PrivateVPN is a good VPN for both beginners and experienced VPN users. It is easy to use, provides good security via its Stealth VPN feature, and has fast speeds. Plus, it has very affordable prices and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full PrivateVPN review

4. TunnelBear — Good Free VPN for Iran

Servers in countries
47
Key Features
Intuitive, fun apps
Number of devices
Unlimited
OS compatibility
Money-back guarantee
N/A
tunnelbear.com

TunnelBear is a decent free VPN for Iran. The free plan has a limit of 2 GB per month, but it includes all of TunnelBear’s features, so it’s good for securely browsing the web. Plus it includes access to servers in 47 countries, including a few near Iran like Cyprus and Kenya.

This VPN has an obfuscation tool called GhostBear. It works by disguising your VPN traffic as regular online traffic so the Iranian government can’t see that you’re using a VPN. GhostBear works very reliably in restrictive countries like Iran.

4. TunnelBear — Good Free VPN for IranI think that TunnelBear is very user-friendly. I love the cute digital bears all over the dashboard, and the interface is well-designed and easy to navigate. It’s very easy to find the GhostBear feature, and it only takes one click to activate it. Plus, the VPN allows unlimited connections, which is great.

I was also happy with TunnelBear’s speeds during my tests. It isn’t as fast as ExpressVPN, but it is good for streaming and gaming. However, I did experience some lag when gaming, and high-quality videos (4K) took up to 6 seconds to load. That said, I didn’t experience any buffering once they loaded.

TunnelBear has affordable plans starting at $3.33 / month. Unfortunately, there’s no money-back guarantee.

Bottom Line:

TunnelBear is a good VPN for Iran with a free plan. Its GhostBear feature provides obfuscation with one click, and it has a simple-to-use interface along with other user-friendly features. Its speeds are also decent. TunnelBear does not come with a money-back guarantee.

Read the full TunnelBear review

5. CyberGhost VPN — Great for Beginners

Servers in countries
100
Key Features
Special streaming servers
Number of devices
7
OS compatibility
Money-back guarantee
Up to 45 days
cyberghostvpn.com

CyberGhost VPN doesn’t always work in Iran, but it has 20+ virtual servers there. So, Iranian expats can use it to get an Iranian IP address abroad.

This VPN is particularly beginner-friendly, with well-designed apps that make navigating through settings a breeze. The user interface also includes beginner-friendly explanations, ensuring new users can easily understand and configure the VPN to their liking. The Smart Rules feature also simplifies your experience by automating the VPN connection under specific conditions. For example, you can enable automatic connections to its Iranian servers.

5. CyberGhost VPN — Great for BeginnersCyberGhost has a wealth of advanced security features as well. My favorites are the NoSpy servers which add a layer of privacy and Content Blocker, which is an ad blocker. When I tested Content Blocker, it stopped me from accessing 100% of the malicious sites I tried to visit (but it doesn’t block as many ads as Private Internet Access’s PIA MACE).

The VPN is fairly fast, but it’s still slower than ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access. Videos and downloads took longer when using CyberGhost.

CyberGhost VPN offers affordable plans starting at $2.03 / month. It has a 45-day money-back guarantee on long-term plans and a 14-day money-back guarantee on the shortest plan.

Bottom Line:

CyberGhost VPN is a beginner-friendly VPN for Iran with a large server network, including virtual servers in the country. It offers easy navigation and many other user-friendly features and advanced security features such as full leak protection, NoSpy servers, and Content Blocker. It backs all long-term plans with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full CyberGhost VPN review

Comparison of the Best VPNs for Iran in 2024

VPN Starting Price Number of Countries With a Server Obfuscation Audited No-Logs Policy Number of Devices Money-Back Guarantee
🥇1. ExpressVPN $6.67 / month 105 Up to 8 30 days
🥈2. Private Internet Access $2.19 / month 91 Unlimited 30 days
🥉3. PrivateVPN $2.00 / month 63 10 30 days
4. TunnelBear $3.33 / month 47 Unlimited
5. CyberGhost VPN $2.03 / month 100 7 14 days (monthly plans)
45 days (long-term plans)

How to Choose the Best VPN for Iran in 2024

  • Choose a VPN that works in Iran. The VPN you choose must work in Iran. All of my top picks provide obfuscation and almost work 100% of the time in Iran.
  • Prioritize strong security features. Since online tracking is taken seriously in Iran, it’s important that the VPN you use has a full suite of security and privacy features. I only chose VPNs that have a no-logs policy, kill switch, leak protection, and 256-bit AES encryption.
  • Pick a VPN with fast speeds. High-speed connections are crucial for seamless browsing, streaming, and downloading, so choose a VPN known for its speed and performance. I recommend ExpressVPN since it has the fastest speeds.
  • Select a VPN with user-friendly features. Easy-to-use apps and interfaces are essential when choosing a VPN for everyday use in Iran. I chose VPNs that make it quick and easy to set up an account and quickly connect to a server near Iran. CyberGhost VPN is one of the most beginner-friendly VPNs on my list.
  • Choose a VPN that offers excellent value for your money. Look for a balance between features, performance, and pricing to ensure you get the best experience without exceeding your budget.

Why You Should Use a VPN for Iran in 2024

Iran is known for stringent regulation of internet use. This involves blocking certain websites and curbing online freedom of speech, particularly during periods of political turmoil or demonstrations. Thus, using a VPN in Iran becomes essential, whether you’re a resident or merely a visitor, to preserve your digital liberty. Here’s why you should contemplate using a VPN in Iran:

Bypass Censorship

While in Iran, you might be unable to visit some of your favorite sites, including many Western social media platforms and news outlets. This is due to the Iranian government’s extensive internet censorship. But a VPN can come to your rescue. By rerouting your internet traffic through a server in a different country, a VPN makes it appear as if you’re browsing from outside Iran. This bypasses local restrictions, giving you access to the global internet just like everyone else.

Regain Freedom of Speech

A VPN isn’t just a tool for bypassing censorship, it’s also your digital megaphone. In Iran, speaking out online can have serious consequences, but a VPN helps you to protect your right to free speech. By hiding your IP address, it allows you to voice your opinions online without fear of being tracked. This means you can express your thoughts without the fear of surveillance or landing in jail.

Getting Public Wi-Fi Protection

Public Wi-Fi hotspots are a godsend when you’re out and about, but they’re also a hunting grounds for hackers — and in Iran, possibly even state security agencies — looking to steal your data or spy on your activities. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection for your data, safeguarding you from these cyber threats. It’s like having a personal bodyguard for your data whenever you’re using public Wi-Fi in Iran.

Downloading Torrents Anonymously

If you’re a fan of torrenting, you know the importance of maintaining your anonymity. Iran has been known to crack down on torrenting activities, but with a VPN, you have less to worry about. By hiding your IP address, a VPN makes it incredibly difficult for anyone to trace your online activities back to you.

Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut

  • IPVanish. IPVanish offers an impressive network of 2,200+ servers in 52 countries, user-friendly apps, and unlimited simultaneous connections. However, it doesn’t work in Iran.
  • Proton VPN. Proton VPN delivers exceptional security and privacy features, including a strong no-logs policy and Secure Core servers. On the downside, it isn’t great at bypassing internet censorship, so it isn’t a great choice for Iran.
  • NordVPN. NordVPN would be an excellent choice since its robust security and privacy features are great for countries like Iran with strict internet activity monitoring. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work in Iran or other restrictive countries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a VPN in Iran?

Yes, using a VPN in Iran is highly recommended. Due to extensive internet censorship and online surveillance, a VPN helps you bypass restrictions and maintain your privacy while accessing the internet. ExpressVPN is the top choice for users in Iran, offering fast speeds, robust security features, and a user-friendly interface. Plus, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the service risk-free.

Can I use a free VPN in Iran?

While it’s possible to use a free VPN in Iran, it’s not recommended due to limited features, slow speeds, and potential security risks. Instead, consider using a reputable paid service like ExpressVPN, which offers consistently high speeds, excellent security measures, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Which VPN is best for Iran?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for users in Iran, providing a secure and reliable service to bypass restrictions and protect your privacy. With fast speeds and top-notch security, ExpressVPN stands out among competitors. Additionally, its 30-day money-back guarantee allows you to try the service without any risk.

Will VPN use in Iran slow down my speeds?

Using a VPN may cause a slight decrease in speed due to encryption and server distances; however, choosing a high-quality VPN like ExpressVPN minimizes this impact. ExpressVPN is known for its fast connection speeds and numerous server options, allowing you to find the best server for your needs to ensure a smooth internet experience.

Is it safe to use a VPN in Iran?

Yes, using a VPN in Iran is safe, especially when you choose a reliable and reputable service like ExpressVPN. With strong encryption, an audited no-logs policy, and advanced security features, ExpressVPN ensures your online activities remain private and secure.

Best VPNs for Iran in 2024 — Final Score:

Our Rank
Our Score
Best Deal
1
9.8
save 49%
2
9.6
save 82%
3
8.8
save 85%
4
8.4
save 67%
5
9.4
save 84%
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About the Author
Paige Henley
Updated on: March 25, 2024

About the Author

Paige Henley is an editor at SafetyDetectives. She has three years of experience writing and editing various cybersecurity articles and blog posts about VPNs, antivirus software, and other data protection tools. As a freelancer, Paige enjoys working in a variety of content niches and is always expanding her knowledge base. When she isn't working as a "Safety Detective", she raises orphaned neonatal kittens, works on DIY projects around the house, and enjoys movie marathons on weekends with her husband and three cats.