Best VPNs to unblock WhatsApp in 2023

WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging app with a global user base of 2 billion people as of 2022. The app, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $19 billion, has dominated the chat app market with its singular purpose, lack of advertisements, and commitment to privacy. The problem is that because of the level of security WhatsApp offers, it has been banned in multiple countries.

If you’re a WhatsApp user who lives in one of these countries or plan on visiting, you can bypass these restrictions by connecting to a VPN. Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN encrypts all of your device’s internet traffic and routes it through an intermediary server in a location of your choosing. This prevents your ISP and government authorities from discerning the content or destination of your internet traffic, in this case, messages and calls sent and received on WhatsApp.

We’ll get into detail about each of the best VPNs you can use to unblock WhatsApp below, but if you haven’t the time to read the whole article, here’s a summary of our top selections.

Best VPNs for WhatsApp:

1. NordVPN Our #1 VPN for WhatsApp. Encrypts all traffic and keeps no logs. Mobile apps work great with messaging and VoIP services and are easy to use. 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark Best budget alternative. With no connection limit, decent speeds, and a major focus on security, Surfshark makes it easy to use WhatsApp safely from anywhere.
3. ExpressVPN Fast and secure. Effortlessly unblocks WhatsApp and most other VoIP and messaging apps.
4. PrivateVPN This is one of the fastest VPNs around, and better still, it comes with several advanced security features. It keeps no logs whatsoever and easily unblocks WhatsApp abroad.
5. VyprVPN Gained credibility for consistently circumventing Chinese censorship. Reliable and secure for WhatsApp other messaging services but somewhat pricey.

WhatsApp features end-to-end encryption, which means all messages are encrypted on the sender’s device and remain encrypted until they arrive on the receiver’s device. Anyone who happens to intercept messages in transit–be it an ISP, hacker, government entity, or even Facebook–will not be able to decrypt their contents. WhatsApp uses the encryption suite developed by Whisper Systems, which makes the much-lauded and privacy-focused Signal messaging app.

This level of privacy is excellent for users, but some governments and law enforcement agencies argue that it protects activists, journalists, dissidents, criminals, and terrorists who can use the app to secretly communicate. As a result, WhatsApp has been banned, either temporarily or permanently, in over a dozen countries including:

• Bangladesh
• Brazil
• China
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Montenegro
• Saudi Arabia
• The Gambia
• Turkey
• Uganda
• Zimbabwe

In some countries, WhatsApp’s voice calling (VoIP) feature is often blocked while the rest of the app is left open. VoIP allows users to make voice calls over the internet, similar to Skype, which is also blocked in some countries. WhatsApp voice calls are blocked in:

• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Morocco
• United Arab Emirates
• Uzbekistan

Telecom companies in several countries have lobbied their respective governments to restrict WhatsApp as well. Because WhatsApp serves as a substitute for traditional calls and SMS, it cuts into the profits of legacy telcos.

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

Best VPNs for WhatsApp

We’ve curated a list of the best VPNs for WhatsApp primarily based on the following criteria:

• Strong encryption suite
• No usage logs
• DNS leak protection
• Mobile apps available including Android and iPhone/iOS
• Doesn’t reveal your online activity

1. NordVPN

Mar 2023 unblocks whatsappTested Mar 2023

NordVPN is our top choice for WhatsApp. It offers a global network of servers so you will be able to access a wide range of services while abroad. It maintains a true zero-logs policy and protects every connection with unbreakable encryption. For serious security buffs, there’s also the option to connect to a double VPN or Tor over VPN. By default, the app will route your DNS requests through NordVPN’s own DNS servers and prevent any DNS leaks that could otherwise give away your location.

Apps are available for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android. NordVPN gives you a whopping six simultaneous connections on a single subscription, so it’s great for a family, office, or group of roommates. Nord also works with streaming services like US Netflix and Hulu and pegs some of the fastest speeds we’ve seen.

BEST VPN FOR WHATSAPP:NordVPN is our #1 choice. It unblocks all major VoIP, social media, and chat apps with ease including WhatsApp, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Skype, and more. Allows up to 6 simultaneous connected devices. Great privacy and security credentials. A 30-day money-back guarantee makes it a risk-free deal.

Read our full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

unblocks whatsappTested Mar 2023

Surfshark is another young provider making a big splash in the VPN space by allowing users to connect an unlimited number of devices at the same time. That’s not the only card in its hand, though: Surfshark offers the security and online privacy you need to use WhatsApp from any country. It works in both the UAE and China. The company doesn’t store any logs and uses top-notch encryption.

If you want to securely access streaming sites, Surfshark has you covered. It reliably works with Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer, among others. 24/7 live chat support is available when you need it.

Apps are available for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, and Fire TV.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark is ideal for sharing with family as it allows unlimited simultaneous connections. Reliable servers and user-friendly apps. No-logs VPN with 24/7 live chat support. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review.

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3. ExpressVPN

unblocks whatsappTested Mar 2023

ExpressVPN offers cutting-edge security at every stage, including 256-bit encryption and perfect forward secrecy. The company keeps no logs of your activity or source IP address. DNS leak protection is built in so your true location is never revealed to your ISP, and the company operates its own private DNS servers. Apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux (command-line). ExpressVPN is fast and servers are available in 94 countries. It’s also capable of providing secure access to a wide range of platforms including US Netflix and Hulu.

RELIABLE SERVICE:ExpressVPN is a fast and reliable choice. It works well with WhatsApp and other apps, boasts reliable connections, and has a huge range of countries available. Great privacy features and keeps no logs. Plans include a 30-day money back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

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4. PrivateVPN

unblocks whatsappTested Mar 2023

PrivateVPN is an up-and-coming provider that offers all the security and features you would expect from a veteran player. It works in both China and the United Arab Emirates. The company stores zero logs about its users and employs uncrackable encryption. Perfect forward secrecy ensures that even if your encryption key is compromised, it can’t be used to decrypt past sessions. Leak prevention comes baked into all of the apps, but a kill switch is only available on the Windows version.

PrivateVPN is also great for securely accessing streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more. The apps are novice-friendly simple to set up.

Apps are available for Windows operating systems, macOS, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV. You can connect up to 10 devices at a time.

HIGH-SPEED SERVERS:PrivateVPN has particularly fast servers making it a great option for WhatsApp calls.Very easy to use and offers live chat support. Secure with encryption. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

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5. VyprVPN

unblocks whatsappTested Mar 2023

VyprVPN has built its reputation around its ability to bypass authoritarian censorship systems in countries like China, so it’s no stranger to unblocking apps like WhatsApp. In addition to an already impressive encryption suite–256-bit AES paired with SHA256 authentication–customers can also avail of its proprietary Chameleon protocol to hide the fact that they are using a VPN at all.

VyprVPN also works with some streaming services like US Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. Speed shouldn’t be a problem for streaming with VyprVPN making our list of fast VPNs. Apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.

UNLIMITED DATA USAGE:VyprVPN has user friendly app. Reliable at unblocking WhatsApp. Good speeds and uptime as all servers are owned by VyprVPN. Not the cheapest option. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full VyprVPN review.

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Avoid free VPNs

It is highly unlikely that any free VPN will reliably bypass a countrywide restriction on WhatsApp. A government that can block WhatsApp can just as easily block a VPN server. Free VPNs have too few resources and too little incentive to keep their servers off of these government blacklists. Paid VPNs are much better positioned to do so.

China and the UAE actively block the vast majority of VPNs, even paid ones. However, the paid VPNs we recommend above have the expertise and resources to stay a step ahead. They also offer live customer support to users who experience any issues accessing WhatsApp.

Even if a free VPN manages to grant access to WhatsApp, that access might not be secure. Free VPNs often use subpar encryption and leak protection to prevent snooping third parties from monitoring your connection.

We recommend avoiding free VPNs commonly found on Google Play and the App Store. These apps often track and log what you do online, inject advertisements, and can even infect your device with malware. And if the police come knocking on their door asking for information on a specific user, they aren’t going to risk their business to save someone who uses their app for free.

Additionally, most free VPNs have a limited range of servers to choose from, limit available bandwidth, and cap data.

How to run WhatsApp through a VPN

Once you’ve chosen and signed up for one of the VPNs above, follow these instructions below to use WhatsApp in a country where it is censored.

Here’s how to unblock WhatsApp and make calls with a VPN:

1. Download and install your chosen VPN provider’s app for your device. (We recommend NordVPN).
2. Run the app and select a server located in a country where WhatsApp is not blocked.
3. Hit the Connect button.
4. Once the connection has been established, open WhatsApp and use it normally.

Methodology: How we find the best VPNs for Whatsapp

Comparitech aims to publish the most accurate, comprehensive, and useful VPN reviews and recommendations to our readers. To do that, we evaluate each VPN based on expert analysis, real-world experience, and a number of security and performance tests. When it comes to WhatsApp VPNs in particular, we look at:

• Security: We assess each VPN’s encryption scheme and test connections for a variety of data leaks.
• Logging policy: We pour over each VPN’s terms of use and privacy policy for any language or lack thereof that could indicate the collection of personally identifiable data when using the VPN.
• Speed: We measure and record download speeds while connected to VPN servers located around the world and only recommend the fastest VPN services.
• Streaming: We check whether each VPN can access popular streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney+, and Paramount+.
• Customer service: Our reviewers contact each VPN’s customer service as secret shoppers to gauge response times and quality.
• Ability to bypass censorship: We check whether VPNs can connect in countries with heavy censorship like China and the UAE.

You can read more about our VPN testing methodology on our page about how we rate and review VPNs.

WhatsApp VPN FAQs