Best VPNs for Singapore and which ones to avoid in 2024

Singapore’s status as a business and technology hub in Southeast Asia has never been doubted, but there are question marks over the levels of internet freedom granted to residents of the Lion State. The best Singapore VPNs can keep you safe while living or working in the country, but finding the right provider can be a time-consuming and expensive task. Luckily, we’ve taken the guesswork out of it for you through our rigorous research and uncompromised testing, factoring in key elements like robust security, absolute online privacy, and the power to unlock global streaming channels.

Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN encrypts all the internet traffic flowing to and from your device and tunnels it via an intermediary server outside your location. Hackers or surveillance agencies can’t keep track of what you’re doing online, including which websites you’re visiting and the content you stream.

A VPN is also a handy tool for expatriates living in Singapore looking to securely access local media content from back home, such as BBC iPlayer, various Netflix libraries, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, SkyGo, ESPN, BeIN Sports, or any other video streaming services. Several of these providers can also give you a Singaporean IP address to watch Singaporean content, such as shows on Singtel TV, while traveling outside the country.

This guide reveals our top picks for Singapore VPNs to help you stay safe while living or traveling in Singapore. We cover all of our recommended providers in more detail, but if you’re in a hurry, we’ll start with a quick summary.

Discover the best VPNs for Singapore:

1. NordVPN: Our top pick for Singapore. Veteran VPN provider with a strict no-logs policy and strong security to bypass Government censorship. Great speeds make it an ideal choice for streaming. 30-day money-back guarantee included.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Singapore.
2. Surfshark: Budget VPN that puts your security first with AES 256-bit encryption. Offers great unblocking potential to overcome content restrictions and allows any number of connections.
3. IPVanish: Torrent-friendly, premium VPN service with stable speeds, no logs, and AES-256 encryption. A smaller list of servers than some of the competition. The cheapest monthly subscription of any provider on our list.
4. ExpressVPN: Well-designed apps with great security, fast speeds, and the ability to access bypass blocks such as Netflix US. Servers in Central Business District, Jurong, and Marina Bay, Singapore.
5. PureVPN: A fast VPN that’s perfect for streaming Singaporean content. Always-on obfuscation and supports up to 10 simultaneous device connections.
6. ProtonVPN: Highest levels of security, including 256-bit AES encryption and DNS leak protection.
7. Private Internet Access: A speedy, versatile VPN. A perfect choice for Singaporean users abroad as it has servers in Singapore.
8. CyberGhost: A reliable VPN service with an extensive server network. It has plenty of advanced features to protect internet activity, and it doesn’t keep any connection logs.

Criteria for choosing the best VPNs for Singapore

Our ranking of the best VPNs for Singapore was based on the following factors:

• Speed: We conducted multiple tests to find out how fast each VPN was while we were connected to its servers in Singapore.
• Features: We checked whether providers had the ability to bypass blocks in China and protect users against rogue public wi-fi hotspots. We also evaluated them based on the number of countries in which they had a presence and the number of connections they permitted.
• Security and privacy: To find the VPNs most capable of keeping you safe online, we evaluated them against 16 unique criteria, including the level of encryption they used and whether they keep logs of user details or activities,
• Ease of use: Nobody wants their life to be more difficult, which is why we gauge how easy to use each service is. We did this by evaluating them using 10 individual metrics including sign up and cancellation process and customer support.
• Streaming: Many people use VPNs to access streaming platforms, making this a key area for testing. We used nine different criteria to evaluate how suitable each VPN provider was for streaming.

You can read about the tests we carried out for each of these areas later in the article. More importantly, you can see the results for each test. First, let’s take a close look at

The best VPNs for Singapore – our hands-on review

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

The best VPN services for content and streaming access in Singapore

From real-world testing, here’s our list of the best Singapore VPNs:

1. NordVPN

Nov 2024

NordVPN is one of the most popular VPN services and has been in the business for over a decade – a testament to the high standards the company maintains for itself.

It continues the tradition of holding zero data about its users – no real IP address, browsing habits, timestamps, or server information. The company has received requests for information in the past, but it says nothing on its servers could incriminate users.

NordVPN operates around 6,200 servers in 111 countries – with some optimized for double VPN connections, beating censorship, and accessing the dark web. In other words, this VPN should cater to your needs regardless of your requirements.

Around 40 of these servers are located in Singapore, which is ideal for local residents who want to access Singaporean websites while traveling abroad. Further, NordVPN works with many international services, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.

We tested how fast NordVPN’s servers in Singapore were by carrying out three speed tests over the course of a day. We used a connection with a base speed of 249.77 Mbps without a VPN and you can see the results below.

NordVPN was consistently fast, with an overall average speed of 165.47 Mbps. This was more than 50 Mbps faster than the combined average speed of the other providers in our tests. If you like streaming in 4K, this is the provider for you.

Encryption standards are impressive — NordVPN uses the 256-bit AES protocol encryption standard by default coupled with 2,048-bit SSL keys. DNS leak protection is enabled. NordVPN also offers automatic wi-fi protection which is especially handy if you connect to public wi-fi on a regular basis.

There’s support for Linux, Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

BEST VPN FOR SINGAPORE:NordVPN is our top pick. Solid security and privacy and works reliably in Singapore. Use up to 10 devices at once with great connection speeds. Offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Here’s our full review of NordVPN.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark operates around 3,200 servers in 100 countries including Singapore. Its speeds are fast enough for streaming live, high-definition video, and this service is capable of securely accessing all sorts of streaming platforms (Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer to name a few). Best of all, with no connection limit, you’re free to secure all of your devices with a single account.

We tested Surfshark’s servers in Singapore to find out how fast they were. The results are shown below.

Surfshark’s speeds were on a par with NordVPN, though not quite as consistent. Overall, the average download speed was 164.14 Mbps, which is 50 Mbps faster than the combined average speed of the other providers. Like NordVPN, Surfshark is a great choice for gaming or streaming in high resolution.

The provider takes your online security very seriously. It protects you from DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks, uses 256-bit encryption to hide your traffic from snoopers, and automatically blocks ads and malware for you. There’s even a kill switch, which ensures you never accidentally browse without protection, even for a second. Surfshark keeps no logs whatsoever of your online activities, meaning you’re almost completely anonymous when using it.

Surfshark apps are available for MacOS, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. Manual installation is required for use with wireless routers.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark lets you enjoy reliable streaming and browsing on any device, with no limit on connections. Highly affordable and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Surfshark here.

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3. IPVanish

IPVanish offers another sturdy VPN service that delivers top-tier speeds without compromising on encryption standards or user privacy. It’s a completely logless service – meaning there’s no storage of web activity or metadata. The only time it retains some information is when an account is registered for the first time.

Encryption protocols are stringent – IPVanish uses 256-bit encryption on the WireGuard protocol by default, SHA512 authentication, and a DHE-RSA 2,048-bit key exchange with perfect forward secrecy. In the unlikely event that a hacker gains control of your account, they will still be unable to decrypt past session data to figure out what you’ve been up to on the web.

IPVanish also includes an internet kill switch, which means traffic will be temporarily halted if the VPN connection drops out and recenlt added a Secure Browser feature for added peace of mind.

Servers are optimized for speed, stability, and security — with almost 2,000 of them spread across 60+ countries, including 19 in Singapore. We tested the speed of the Singapore servers over the course of a day using a connection with a base speed of 249.77 Mbps without a VPN. You can see the results below.

Speeds were consistently above 120 Mbps, which is a great result. It was faster than the combined average speed of the other providers, and the third-fastest overall. It’s suitable for a range of tasks such as gaming or live video calls.

There are mobile apps for both iOS and Android as well as desktop support for Windows and MacOS.

SECURE EVERY DEVICE:IPVanish has low-cost subscriptions. Generally solid for torrenters, P2P & Kodi users. Adhere to the highest standard of digital privacy and works well with popular streaming sites. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of IPVanish.

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4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN combines a neat, minimalistic, and functional design with impeccable service, making it a great choice for anyone in Singapore.

The company operates over 3,000 secure VPN servers spread across 105 countries. In fact, this includes servers in three locations in Singapore: Central Business District, Jurong, and Marina Bay. This allows users to access websites like StarHub TV, Netflix, and BBC iPlayer while traveling abroad.

Speed-wise, the provider achieved respectable results in our tests. It wasn’t the fastest, but neither was it the slowest.

An average download speed of 89.36 Mbps is plenty fast enough for streaming high-resolution content — provided you have a fast base connection speed (ours was 249.72 Mbps).

ExpressVPN does not store any traffic logs, so it ranks well from a privacy and anonymity perspective. It does record some minimal user information such as the “date (not time) of internet connection, choice of VPN Singapore and server location, and total bandwidth used.” This can’t be used to identify you and is only used to improve service quality standards. If you’re still feeling uneasy, it’s possible to sign up for the service via a burner email account and pay through Bitcoin. There’s no way for the activity to be traced back to you.

Security features and encryption standards are robust. The service leverages 256-bit AES-CBC protocols as well as HMAC authentication and perfect forward secrecy. An internet kill switch is included, referred to as a ‘network lock’, which means all web traffic will be temporarily halted if the connection drops unexpectedly.

There are Android and iOS apps and desktop clients for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

EXTREMELY VERSATILE:ExpressVPN is a reliable choice. Works extremely well with Netflix and other stubborn streaming sites. Has an app for routers and effective built-in obfuscation. 30-day no-quibbles money-back guarantee.

Here’s our in-depth review of ExpressVPN.

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5. PureVPN

PureVPN is both practical and cost-effective for anybody seeking a Singaporean IP address. This VPN offers excellent value for money, starting at just $1.96 per month.

With over 6000 servers in more than 65 countries, including Singapore, PureVPN provides local IP addresses for accessing Singaporean streaming services, internet banking, online shopping, and localized Google search results.

We carried out several speed tests while connected to PureVPN’s servers in Singapore. For reference, our base connection speed was 249.72 Mbps.

PureVPN performed well in all three tests, with an overall average speed of 125.50 Mbps. This was a little faster than the combined average speed of the other providers and makes it suitable for activities like streaming, gaming, and torrenting.

The provider is ideal for unblocking geo-restricted content on Singaporean platforms like meWATCH and StarHub Go as well as services in 65 different countries. These include Netflix US, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, British TV, and streams in many other countries around Asia and the world. You can also use it to bypass blocks at workplaces or on campus within Singapore.

In terms of security, PureVPN offers strong protection with AES encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak prevention, and a stringent no-logging policy. These features are crucial for safeguarding against online tracking by local networks, ISPs, and government agencies, and they offer protection against hackers, especially on public wi-fi.

Though customer support response times can be slow, we think the overall reliability of PureVPN offsets this minor caveat. You can check it out yourself on any device using its 31-day money-back guarantee.

LOW COST:PureVPN is a low-cost VPN ideal for accessing Singaporean services on vacation. It has servers in over 65 countries, including Singapore. Robust privacy and security features. Fast WireGuard protocol and apps for all platforms.

Find out more in our PureVPN review.

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6. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is a highly advanced VPN solution that is perfect for tech-savvy users seeking a Singaporean IP address. It is based in Switzerland and was developed by the creators of the well-regarded ProtonMail. The provider has had its apps and network independently audited.

With apps for all popular platforms, ProtonVPN includes useful features such as AES encryption, a range of VPN protocols, obfuscation technology, split tunneling, multi-hop connections, and self-owned Secure Core servers. It also offers the option to use Tor over VPN. These features make ProtonVPN reliable to evade ISP and government surveillance — particularly useful if you travel to countries with high levels of surveillance and censorship.

While ProtonVPN’s longer subscription plans are a touch pricey, you can get an excellent deal on the one-month plan. This makes it a decent option for anybody who is going on vacation or traveling for work.

Our tests revealed that ProtonVPN works to watch Singaporean streaming services like meWATCH, Toggle, StarHub Go, and Singtel TV GO. It’s also compatible with international services such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer.

We tested out its servers in Singapore to find out how fast they were. You can see the results below (note that our base connection speed without a VPN was 249.72 Mbps).

The first server we connected to was slow. This can happen to any provider, so it’s nothing to worry about. The important thing is that the average speed, even with the aforementioned slow server, was still a respectable 109.02 Mbps.

ProtonVPN’s customer support is accessible 24/7 through live chat, and you can try the VPN risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Finally, it’s a fantastic option for torrenting, thanks to its split tunneling and port forwarding.

HIGHLY SECURE:ProtonVPN is a reliable and trusted VPN with servers in 112+ countries, including Singapore. It works to access Singaporean streaming services abroad or while at work within Singapore. Strong AES encryption and a kill switch. Easy to use on all devices.

Read our full ProtonVPN review.

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7. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access (PIA) has a larger network than most other providers, offering access to nearly 10,000 servers in 91+ countries, including Singapore.

Speeds were decent enough. We carried out tests using PIA’s Singapore servers and found that the provider averaged 73.25 Mbps.

This is fine for interruption-free streaming, provided that you have a good base connection speed to start with (our was 249.72 Mbps).

Users don’t have to worry about their privacy, either. Traffic is hidden using 256-bit encryption (though you can lower this for slightly faster speeds), a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks.

Notably, PIA includes a tool that can block ads and malware automatically. You can also switch to the speedy WireGuard protocol if you’d like, or use a different port to help obfuscate your OpenVPN traffic. Having trouble? No problem: customer support is free and on-hand 24/7 over live chat.

PIA apps are available for Linux, MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS. You’ll have to follow manual setup instructions to get it running on supported routers.

UNLIMITED CONNECTIONS:Private Internet Access can handle almost anything you throw at it. It offers powerful privacy tools and quick servers all over the world (including in Singapore), plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check out our full review of PIA.

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8. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is headquartered in Romania and has a policy of not logging any user behavior or content of communications. Also, it has one of the largest networks around, with almost 10,000 servers globally and around two dozen in Singapore alone.

The service will enable you to securely access many streaming service websites, including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. When you log in to your VPN account, you can simply choose from a list of streaming-optimized servers, making the whole process as easy as possible.

We carried out multiple speed tests while connected to CyberGhost servers in Singapore. You can see the results below.

The provider achieved an average speed of 99.55 Mbps, which is good enough for streaming in 4K or making international video calls.

Data loss concerns should be questioned because CyberGhost uses 256-bit AES encryption on the WireGuard protocol by default along with 2,048-bit RSA keys and MD5 HMAC authentication. These are generally viewed as top-tier standards. An internet kill switch is also included, which means web traffic will be halted if the connection drops unexpectedly.

Apps are available for both Android and iOS, as well as desktop support for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.

NOVICE FRIENDLY:CyberGhost is easy to use. Achieves safe and reliable connections with an impressive range of servers. Great online privacy with zero logs and DNS leak protection. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of CyberGhost.

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How to use a VPN for Singapore (a first-person guide)

Whether you’re a traveler looking to stream TV from back home or a Singapore native who wants a little extra security while browsing the web, a VPN is a great tool to have. Below, I’ll explain how to get set up in a few simple steps:

1. First, you’ll have to sign up for a reputable VPN. In this example, I’ve used NordVPN, but after years of testing these services, I can safely say that most of them look quite similar. This means that you shouldn’t have any issues following along, even if you chose one of the other providers mentioned in this post
2. We’ll begin by visiting Comparitech’s IP address checking tool and making a note of the IP address that’s shown. This way, we’ll be able to verify that the VPN is working properly in a couple of minutes

   

3. Now, open up your VPN app. In NordVPN, you have to click the downwards arrow in the top-left to show the full server list, but this is visible by default in Surfshark (ExpressVPN users have to click the Selected Location button)
4. You’ll usually get the fastest speeds from a nearby server, so I’d suggest using a Singaporean server if you’re concerned about security. On the other hand, if you want to access region-exclusive services like BBC iPlayer, you’ll have to select a server from that specific country. On this occasion, I searched for “United Kingdom” and picked a server in London

   

5. After a moment, the screen will change to let you know that you’re connected to the VPN. We can verify that it’s actually working by going back to the IP address checker – it should now think that you’re in the same country as the server you chose earlier

   

6. From this point on, you should be able to access your usual streaming services and torrent anonymously and play games with friends in other countries. However, if you’re having trouble, you might want to try a different server or open the website in a private tab to make sure that old location data isn’t what’s causing the issue.
7. Still having trouble? In that case, I’d recommend getting in touch with your VPN’s support team. All of the providers above offer live chat (just click the popup in the bottom-right of their website) and in my experience, this is the quickest and easiest way to get help.

Our methodology: How we found the best VPNs for Singapore

There are some challenges that come with browsing the web from Singapore. Aside from some international websites and services being geo-blocked, there’s also an increasing level of censorship in the country. Fortunately, a VPN can help in this respect. Below, we reveal the tests involved in choosing the best VPNs for Singapore.

Speed

We wanted to know how fast each VPN’s servers in Singapore were. To do this, we carried out three speed tests over the course of a day: one in the morning, one at noon, and one in the afternoon. We then averaged the results.

We used a virtual machine for testing that had been rate limited to 250 Mbps. This is the median average of fixed broadband speeds in the US, and thus, most likely to reflect users’ real-world experiences.

As you can see from the above, NordVPN and Surfshark were easily the fastest providers. If neither of these appeal, IPVanish and PureVPN are good alternative options. All of these providers offer excellent speeds suitable for Singapore’s fast broadband.

Features

We scored providers on whether they could effectively obfuscate traffic — even in countries like China, which have particularly stringent blocks. We also scored them on the number of countries they had servers in, the number of connections they permitted, and whether they offered public wi-fi protection. All of these features are important if you’re living or traveling in Singapore.

For ease of comparison, we combined the scores into a single ‘features’ score.

Surfshark scored highest, largely thanks to its unlimited device connections and generous distribution of servers. NordVPN is a good second-best option. Both providers work in China and offer public wi-fi protection.

Security and privacy

Given the Singaporean government’s attitude toward internet freedom, it’s wise to use a VPN that prioritizes privacy and security. To find which providers do this, we evaluated them against the criteria shown in the table below.

We assigned a score to each criterion so that we were left with an overall score out of ten. This makes it easier to compare providers.

All of our recommended providers scored relatively highly. However, NordVPN and Surfshark had a slight edge over the other VPNs.

Streaming

If you’re in Singapore, chances are you’ve come across geo-restricted content or even censorship enforced by the Singaporean Government. As such, you’ll want a VPN that is able to bypass restrictions and unblock a wide range of websites and services. To evaluate each provider’s ability to do this, we used the following metrics.

Scores for each metric were combined to produce a total score out of ten. We can use this to conveniently compare providers.

The top streaming VPNs are NordVPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN. All excel at bypassing restrictions and provide seamless access to international streaming platforms.

Ease of use

All of the above is important, but it means little if the VPN is too complicated for you to use! The following criteria helped us evaluate each VPN’s service.

Each of these criteria was given a score, which we combined to create an overall score out of ten. We can use this to meaningfully compare providers.

The VPNs with the easiest-to-use services were NordVPN and Private Internet Access. Both have particularly well-design apps and a streamlined sign-up process.

Be aware: VPNs to avoid while in Singapore for secure content access

Reducing internet freedoms in Singapore means that most people opt to use a VPN service because they value their privacy on the web. The VPNs mentioned in this article have had no documented cases of violating that trust, but there are some others floating around that have compromised their ethical commitment to maintaining privacy without a second thought. We recommend you turn your back on them.

Here’s an example:

HolaVPN

Israel-based Hola, which once boasted a user base of almost 50 million, shockingly turned this critical mass into a massive botnet in 2015.

Part of users’ bandwidth was bifurcated illegally by the company for Distributed Denial of Service Attacks and for distributing copyrighted content. That’s without any user consent whatsoever. We recommend you avoid Hola like the plague.

While we don’t condone the use of VPNs to commit illegal acts – which is clearly what both Cody Kretsinger and Chris Dupuy were accused of doing – we do maintain that a VPN company needs to put ethics and privacy as its top priorities. So when it violates that principle, there should be no second chances.

Internet surveillance in Singapore

The Singapore government monitors the country’s internet. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) oversees this, and all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must adhere to the Internet Code of Practice. Over the years, the government has increased its control over online content, leading to concerns about internet freedom. They’ve used advanced technology to monitor citizens, including tracking apps and other tools, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is why we highly recommend that privacy-conscious netizens use a VPN while living, working, or traveling in Singapore.

Can I use a VPN to watch the Premier League in Singapore?

If you’re a football fan living in or visiting Singapore, you’re in luck. You have a few options to watch the English Premier League (EPL) live online in Singapore. Locally, it’s StarHub that holds the broadcasting rights for the Premier League and you’ll need a paid subscription to watch. The contract-free option costs S$40.74 a month.

With this option, a VPN isn’t compulsory to watch but allows for secure streaming. However, if you travel outside Singapore, you’ll want to connect to a server in Singapore in order to bypass the geographic restrictions and continue watching as normal.

Of course, it may be that you’re visiting Singapore from the UK. If so, you’ll want to access your usual streaming platform as normal. Back in the UK, the Premier League is available to stream on Sky Sports (215 matches), TNT Sports (52 games), and Prime Video (20 matches).

All of these options become region-locked when you travel outside the UK but you can get around this with a VPN and UK IP address.

What about the Champions League?

beIN Sports is the official broadcast partner of the UEFA Champions League in Singapore. It may be that you already have access to this via a local pay TV provider. If not, there’s a contract-free option too with beIN Sports Connect, the network’s dedicated streaming platform. This costs S$14.98 a month or S$139 yearly.

Due to the fact that beIN Sports Connect Singapore is only available in Singapore, a VPN and Singapore IP address is required to watch from overseas. As for UK streaming options for British tourists in Singapore, you’ll need access to TNT Sports or Amazon Prime. Again, a British IP address via a VPN is needed to watch the Champions League from Singapore.

FAQs about VPNs for Singapore:

See also: