Does Surfshark work in China?
Mostly yes. Surfshark's NoBorders mode is built for restricted networks and is reported to work in China for many travellers, though it is less consistent than Astrill.
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Surfshark in China at a glance
- Status this week
- Working
- Price
- From ~$2.50/mo
- Protocols
- WireGuard, OpenVPN, NoBorders mode
- Best for
- A cheap second VPN to carry alongside Astrill, or a budget first choice for short trips.
NoBorders mode is built for restricted networks and switches on automatically when Surfshark detects the Great Firewall. Cheap enough to carry as your second option alongside Astrill, with unlimited devices on one plan.
Good
- Cheap
- Unlimited devices
- NoBorders mode turns on automatically
Not so good
- Less consistent than Astrill
- Support will not promise it works in China
How to set up Surfshark for China
- Subscribe and install Surfshark before you travel. Its website is blocked inside China.
- Install it on every device. One plan covers unlimited devices, so set it up for everyone you are travelling with.
- Check that NoBorders mode is on in the settings. It normally switches on automatically when Surfshark detects a restricted network.
- Try nearby servers first: Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore or South Korea.
- If it will not connect, change the protocol and try again before giving up on it.
More detail: how to set up a VPN before your trip and what to try if your VPN stops working.
Alternatives to Surfshark
- Does Astrill work in China? · From ~$12.50/moWorking
- Does ExpressVPN work in China? · From ~$8/moHit or miss
- Does Proton VPN work in China? · From ~$5/mo (paid tier)Hit or miss
Head-to-head
Surfshark in China: questions
- What is Surfshark NoBorders mode?
- NoBorders is Surfshark's mode for countries that restrict VPNs. It shows a list of servers that are more likely to get through and uses obfuscation to disguise the traffic.
- Is Surfshark as good as Astrill in China?
- Not quite. Reports are positive overall but less consistent than Astrill. Surfshark is much cheaper, though, which makes it a good backup.