Best VPNs for Vietnam: Access Blocked Sites and Services

Vietnam might be a beautiful country, but it’s also a place where internet use is highly regulated. Websites critical of the government are routinely banned, along with those of international human rights organizations and expatriate political parties. Social media sites often have content removed, and complete blackouts of services like Facebook have previously occurred. So, if you want the freedom to access and post whatever you like online while visiting or living in Vietnam, you’ll need to use a VPN. In this article, we’ll list the best VPNs for Vietnam and explain how to use them.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts your internet traffic so your communications will be secure and masked from any prying eyes. It will obfuscate your digital footprint and allow you to access sites that state authorities try to block or censor. It can also protect you while using public wifi and help you bypass blocks on geo-restricted content. In short, a VPN is an excellent tool to have when in Vietnam.

In case you’re short on time, we’ll start with a brief summary of the VPNs we recommend for Vietnam. Scroll down for more in-depth reviews of each provider, plus the answers to some commonly asked VPN questions.

Here’s our list of the best VPNs for Vietnam:

1. NordVPN: Best overall VPN for Vietnam. Excellent online protection and access to geo-restricted sites. Has over 5,500 servers in 60+ countries, including Vietnam. Strong security, impressive speeds, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Vietnam.
2. Surfshark: Best budget VPN for Vietnam. Servers in 100+ countries, including Vietnam. Very fast WireGuard protocol. Allows torrenting. Works to access Hulu, iPlayer, Netflix, and more.
3. IPVanish: Ideal for Kodi users who need lightweight, remote-control-friendly solutions. Strong security and great speeds, works with a variety of streaming platforms around the world.
4. ExpressVPN: Fast servers with top security, plus it can access most streaming sites. Great privacy features, easy-to-use apps, and servers in Vietnam.
5. CyberGhost: Beginner-friendly provider with high-grade security, fast speeds, no logs, and a vast network of global servers. Easily unblocks restricted sites and services, ideal VPN to use in Vietnam.
6. PrivateVPN: Fast speeds and excellent unblocking abilities, good for streaming Popcornflix and other popular platforms.
7. Private Internet Access: A fast and secure VPN based in the US. Servers in Vietnam and countries across Asia. Strong AES encryption and a kill switch.

How we select the top Vietnam VPNs

There are plenty of VPNs on the market, but they don’t all provide the same level of service. When we compiled our list of the best VPNs for Vietnam, we looked for providers that met the following criteria:

• Speed and stability of service
• Large network of servers across the world – including Vietnam
• Strong encryption parameters to maintain privacy and anonymity
• Ease of use with customer support if needed
• Apps for Android and iOS

You can find out more about how we rank and test our VPNs by reading our VPN methodology, or keep scrolling for reviews of the VPNs that made our list.

Best VPNs for Vietnam: at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for Vietnam. 

The best VPNs for Vietnam

At Comparitech, we aim to bring you the most helpful and accurate VPN Information possible. To do this, we use and test every VPN rigorously before we recommend them to you. Let’s take a closer look at the ones that impressed us.

Here are the best VPNs for accessing blocked and restricted sites in Vietnam:

1. NordVPN

Nov 2024 Works in VietnamTested Nov 2024

NordVPN is our top choice VPN for bypassing restrictions in Vietnam. It has been in the VPN business for over a decade and combines several powerful security and privacy features into an intuitive app. NordVPN operates 5,500+ servers in around 60+ countries, so it’s easy to find a stable, secure connection. 10+ servers are located in Vietnam, along with a wealth of options in Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.

Speeds are impressive, along with top-tier security protocols. All internet traffic is encrypted via the 256-bit AES protocol by default and uses 2,048-bit SSL keys. DNS leak protection is enabled. It’s also an example of a completely logless service. There isn’t any data captured about user sessions, traffic, or timestamps. The company is headquartered in Panama – out of the jurisdiction of Western government agencies or mandatory data retention laws.

It can easily access most restricted websites and popular streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer, plus it supports torrenting. There’s support for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. 24/7 Iive customer support is available should you need it.

#1 VPN FOR VIETNAM:NordVPN is an excellent choice for solid security and privacy and it works reliably in Vietnam. Use up to 6 devices at once with great connection speeds. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Here’s our in-depth review of NordVPN.

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2. Surfshark

works in VietnamTested Nov 2024

Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN provider based in the British Virgin Islands. This is a location that is superb in terms of privacy thanks to its distance from invasive jurisdictions like the UK, Canada, the EU, and the US. It also has a trustworthy no-logs policy, which means it never retains any records about what its users do while connected.

Apps are available for all popular platforms, and they come with a kill switch, obfuscation, DNS leak protection, AES encryption, split tunneling, malware filtering, and ad blocking. This makes it perfect for gaining privacy, whether at home or out and about. It also protects you against eavesdroppers and hackers when you use public wifi.

Servers are available in 100+ countries, including Vietnam, and those servers work to access restricted content and regional services such as iPlayer, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and more. A single account can be used on an unlimited number of devices. This makes it incredible value for money and means that you can share your account with friends and family. Finally, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee to let you try the service risk-free.

FAST AND SECURE:Surfshark is the best budget VPN to gain privacy in Vietnam. Servers in 100+ countries. Allows torrenting. Secure AES encryption. Many advanced privacy and security features. Works with BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and more. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check out our full Surfshark review for more info.

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3. IPVanish

Works in VietnamTested Nov 2024

IPVanish prioritizes speed, security, and privacy. Users will be pleased with the fact that it’s relatively inexpensive and delivers a premium product at the same time. There are over 2,000 servers spread across 75 worldwide locations to choose from, including a location in Hanoi, Vietnam.

IPVanish is completely logless, meaning there’s no retention of any data related to session history, choice of servers, or bandwidth utilized. Only a tiny bit of data is retained when an account is registered for the first time.

Encryption parameters are strong, too. The company uses 256-bit encryption on the OpenVPN protocol by default, SHA512 authentication, and a DHE-RSA 2,048 key exchange with perfect forward secrecy. This feature makes it impossible for intrusive entities to decrypt past session data. An internet kill switch is included.

Many users find it an excellent option for Kodi because it allows them to download the Android APK directly to their device. Best of all, you can use it on an unlimited number of devices. There are apps for both iOS and Android, as well as desktop support for Windows and macOS.

UNLIMITED CONNECTIONS:IPVanish has a large network of uncongested servers that achieves super fast speeds. Strong security and privacy features. Allows unlimited simultaneous connections and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our review of IPVanish.

4. ExpressVPN

Works in VietnamTested Nov 2024

ExpressVPN is a reliable provider that offers robust speeds with stringent encryption protocols. They boast an impressive 3,000+ server locations spread across a sprawling network of 100 countries. There’s also an option to connect to local servers in Vietnam – ideal for local residents trying to acquire an IP address from back home when abroad.

The internet in Vietnam is severely restricted, so users definitely wouldn’t want any sort of privacy invasion or data leakage. ExpressVPN has you covered on these fronts. Encryption protocols are considered to be top-tier. It deploys 256-bit AES-CBC with the utilization of both HMAC authentication and perfect forward secrecy. An internet kill switch, referred to by ExpressVPN as a ‘network lock’, is included with all packages. This feature temporarily halts all web traffic if the connection drops unexpectedly, keeping your connection secure.

It has a strict policy of not storing any traffic logs. The only tiny bit of metadata retention pertains to the date (not time) of connection, choice of server location, and total bandwidth used. The company says your individual IP address won’t be recorded under any circumstances. If that still makes you uneasy, you can sign up with a burner email account and pay via Bitcoin. This means your digital footprint will be largely restricted.

It’s also able to access geo-restricted content on a bunch of streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu. It supports torrenting, and there are apps for Android and iOS as well as desktop support for Windows and macOS.

GREAT ALL ROUNDER:ExpressVPN is fast and reliable. Great at accessing all major geo-restricted streaming services in good HD quality. Top privacy features and keeps no logs. Try it risk-free with the 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our review of ExpressVPN.

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5. CyberGhost

Works in VietnamTested Nov 2024

CyberGhost is a beginner-friendly service with a vast network of over 10,000 servers in over 100 countries, including 45+ in Vietnam. It boasts fast speeds for streaming and downloading and doesn’t struggle to access blocked or restricted websites.

It’s a secure and reliable provider with excellent privacy protocols. CyberGhost uses 256-bit AES encryption on the OpenVPN protocol by default, along with 2,048-bit RSA keys and MD5 HMAC authentication. An internet kill switch is included. The company is registered in Romania and isn’t subjected to any mandatory data retention laws. It also has a policy of not logging any user behavior, which should ease concerns.

Apps are available for both Android and iOS, as well as desktop support for Windows and macOS. It allows 7 devices to be connected at once and offers a generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

BEGINNERS' CHOICE:CyberGhost has a simple set up, great privacy and security. Over 45 servers in Vietnam and 10,000 worldwide. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Here’s our full review of CyberGhost.

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6. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN is a small Swedish provider with a small network of just over 200 servers, but they’re strategically located across 60+ countries, including Vietnam. It’s particularly good for streaming thanks to its lightning-quick speeds and impressive unblocking abilities. Our test of PrivateVPN was impressive, with no interruptions to the stream. There’s unlimited bandwidth and usage too, so you can stream as much as you like.

The interface of PrivateVPN is very simple to use, although there is a tab for advanced options should you need it. You can use PrivateVPN to connect up to 10 different devices simultaneously. Using PrivateVPN provides plenty of protection with encryption, lPv6 and DNS leak protection, and a kill switch feature. Customer support is also offered in the form of a live chat service.

PrivateVPN can be used on Windows, MacOS, IOS and Android. It can also be used on Linux and certain routers via manual installation.

EXCELLENT FOR STREAMING:PrivateVPN easily unblocks most popular streaming services and has excellent speeds. Although it only has access to a small number of servers, PrivateVPN can still give you access to BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Netflix, and more. Also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of PrivateVPN.

7. Private Internet Access

works in vietnamTested Nov 2024

Private Internet Access is a VPN that has long been complimented by consumers and privacy advocates on platforms like Reddit. The VPN is fast thanks to its WireGuard implementation, and it has servers in over 80 countries, including Vietnam – and servers in all 50 US states. In fact, PIA has over 10,000 servers which eclipse any other provider on this list and effectively removes congestion issues.

The VPN might be based in the US, but it has a no-logs policy that has been proven in court on numerous occasions. It also features strong encryption, a killswitch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation.

When it comes to streaming, the VPN works to access US services like Netflix and Hulu. However, it is not quite as good at unlocking streams as some of our other recommendations. So we recommend testing it with yours using its money-back guarantee.

Apps are available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, and you can connect unlimited simultaneous devices.

SECURE US-BASED VPN:PIA is a fast and secure VPN with a lot of customization options. Can be used on unlimited devices. Has a huge number of servers, including servers in Vietnam. Lots of excellent security features, including AES encryption and a kill switch. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of PIA.

How do I use a VPN in Vietnam?

Even if you’ve never used a VPN before, you’ll find it’s surprisingly easy to do. Just follow the steps below for a seamless experience.

Here’s how to use a VPN to access blocked and restricted sites in Vietnam:

1. Browse through our recommended list of VPN services and decide on a plan that works for you. We recommend (NordVPN).
2. Download the apps for your chosen device and install them.
3. Select a server in the country where you’re trying to obtain an IP address, such as the US or UK, or a local IP address in Vietnam if you’re traveling outside the country and want to access your home services.
4. You should not be able to access the internet freely in Vietnam without any restrictions.
5. If you’re facing issues, clear your cookies and cache in all web browsers to remove old location identifiers.

What about a free VPN?

You could opt not to fork over your credit card details and settle for a free VPN instead, but bear in mind that it’ll most likely come with weak encryption and poor speeds.

Free VPNs don’t invest in building the product at the same level as paid options. Furthermore, these companies (yes, they’re registered businesses and need to make money!) will monetize by bombarding you with advertisements and sending spammy affiliate links.

Some free VPNs have also been caught inserting tracking cookies in browsers, mining user data, and selling it to advertisers. In 2013, Israel-based Hola, unethically and probably illegally, leveraged its massive base of almost 50 million users into a massive botnet. What this meant was that a part of each user’s bandwidth was put aside to engage in nefarious DDoS attacks, distributing copyrighted content and pornography. And that’s without any consent whatsoever.

So, we think it’s best if you avoid them. if you’re concerned about the cost, consider trying out a paid VPN that offers a free trial instead.

Using a VPN in Vietnam: FAQs