There are many countries that impose high restrictions and censorship on most of online content. UAE is a nation also included in list which has a restricted using VPN in UAE for its residents. The internet is controlled and what content people can access, is also highly limited and regulated by the state.
People living in UAE can surpass the barriers of censorship, by using a vpn that works in UAE. A VPN provides you with digital liberty along with online privacy. A VPN stands for virtual private network and can unblock any website that has been banned/censored by the government without anyone knowing what you are searching for.
VPN refers to an encoding process that helps in transferring data safely without any issues. It is an encrypted network that is highly used in corporate fields these days keeping away the unaccredited and unlicensed people. People use VPN to protect their identity and secure all their transactions with the gift of anonymity. A VPN service helps you create a strong encrypted private connection that will be more powerful and reliable as compared to a strong Wi- Fi connection.
Although VPNs are officially banned in the country, the government only takes action against those who are using a VPN to hide their IP addresses. However, using best VPN in UAE for legal purposes such as ensuring privacy on public wifi and more is fine.
Quick Comparison Table: Top 5 Best VPNs for UAE 2022
Selecting the best VPNs for UAE can be a difficult task, and it is recommended to choose a VPN that has a variety of servers located in the UAE with strong security protocols, features, and encryptions.
| Name | Nord | Express | Windscribe | Vypr | PIA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Types of Access | Paid | Paid | Free & Paid | Paid | Paid |
| Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Servers | 5000+ | 3000+ | 10 in free version & 500 in premium | 700+ | 35000+ |
| Connection Speed | 200+ Mbps | 150+ Mbps | 80+ Mbps in the free version & 130+ Mbps in the premium version | 150+ Mbps | 150+ Mbps |
| Security | IKEv2, IPsec, Wirecard (NordLynx), and OpenVPN | IKEv2, IPsec, Wirecard, OpenVPN, and more | WireGuard and OpenVPN | OpenVPN, Chameleon, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPsec | WireGuard and OpenVPN |
| Compatibility | Windows, Mac, iOS, androids, Linux, and router | Windows, Mac, iOS, androids, Linux, and router | Windows, Mac, iOS, androids, Linux, and router | Windows, Mac, iOS, androids, Linux, and router | Windows, Mac, iOS, androids, Linux, and router |
| Bandwidth Limitation | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10 GB monthly in the free version and Unlimited in the premium | Unlimited | Unlimited |
The 5 Best VPNs for UAE to Try
1. ExpressVPN – Best VPN for Accessing Restricted and Censored Content
Providing the users with a fast connection speed is the job of Express. What’s more, it allows users to access restricted and censored content at high speed. Although the prices of Express are a bit above average and only five devices can be simultaneously connected to the VPN, it covers up for those with its impressive security features, protocols, 24/7 customer support, 30-day money-back guarantee and more.
1. Security and Privacy
Being one of the best VPNs for UAE requires strong security and privacy features. Fortunately, Express delivers all of those and provides the users with OpenVPN, WireGuard, IPsec/IKEv2, and many other protocols. Moreover, the users can choose between OpenVPN(UDP) and OpenVPN(TCP).
Advanced and responsive security features such as kill switch, split tunneling, ad blocker, and more are available to prevent any DNS and IP leaks. Moreover, these features and protocols are not set in stone; the users can easily customize them to suit their needs.
Express VPN also provide its users with a variety of worldwide servers which are protected with AES-256 bit encryption and allow their users to bypass censorship and access restricted content. Moreover, a bunch of these servers are located in the UAE and allow the users to stay online privately. Express VPN is also in the list of Best VPNs for iPhones.
2. Customer Support
Although Express has 24/7 live chat customer support, it is not the best customer service when compared with other top class VPN providers. However, the customer service of Express is more than enough to solve most of the queries related to features, protocols and servers, but it takes time to resolve questions around subscription plans and refunds.
The customer service of Express does not have human chat support; it provides the users with a bot. Although the chatbots of Express are fully responsive, they are not much advanced and can only answer specific questions.
All in all, the customer service of Express is not the best we have seen, but it is more than enough to get by and can solve small queries.
3. Simultaneous connection and bandwidth
The fast connection speed and security features of Express would have been wasted if there was a bandwidth limitation, and fortunately, there is none. Express supports up to five simultaneous device connections. However, five simultaneous connections are not enough to describe its subscription plans.
The speed and security of all the devices are guaranteed. Moreover, it has P2P servers, which allow the users to share files among the connected devices at high speed securely.
Overall, Express is a premium VPN and has its ups and downs. However, none of its cons is big enough to prevent it from being one of the best VPNs for UAE.
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2. NordVPN – DNS Leak Protection
Nord is a well-known and all-rounder VPN for every device and has won the trust of worldwide users. Moreover, Nord can easily unblock a variety of restricted and censored content in the UAE.
1. Security and Privacy
Nord is not only a fast VPN; it is also one of the most secure VPNs and follows strong security protocols of WireGuard (NordLynx), OpenVPN, L2TP, and more. These security protocols encrypt the user’s network to prevent any leaks in the online information. Nord VPN is also counted in best VPN for firefox.
NordVPN also makes sure that the users’ devices will remain safe and secure through its splendid security features, such as Onion over VPN Dubai, kill switch, threat protection, and more. However, the customization of Nord’s security features and protocols is not automatic and requires the users to select the programs they want to enable manually.
Moreover, Nord provides its users with a huge variety of over 5000. Furthermore, all the servers of Nord are protected with high-grade encryptions, which allows the users to access restricted content at high speed safely.
2. Customer Support
Although Nord also provides the users with a chatbot in customer support, its chatbot is one of the most advanced and can solve the users’ queries within minutes.
The customer support of Nord is available for 24/7, and if the chatbot fails to solve the query, then they can connect with the human chat support system, which can take up to 48 hours to come through.
To sum it up, Nord’s customer support is one of the best, and its chatbots are more than capable enough to solve most of the users’ queries. Moreover, the chatbots of Nord are advanced enough to solve questions related to subscription and refund plans.
3. Simultaneous connection and bandwidth
Nord is budget-friendly and one of the best VPNs for UAE and supports a generous number of six simultaneous device connections with unlimited bandwidth. Although Nord does not support port forwarding, it provides users with safe and secure P2P servers.
The P2P servers of Nord are great for torrenting and sharing files with all the connected devices. Moreover, the free VPN for UAE does not suffer from a connection loss and provides all the connected devices with a fast and stable connection speed.
Overall, Nord is a secure and multi-purpose VPN that has powerful and responsive security features and protocols, although its customization is not easy to do.
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3. Windscribe – Best free VPN in UAE
Windscribe is one of the few VPNs that offers many features and protocols for free. Although many types of limitations apply to the free version, none of them is big any impact on the user’s online activity.
1. Security and Privacy
Over 500 servers are available in the premium version of Windscribe, while ten servers are given to the free version users. The servers of each version follow the same of encryption of AES-256 with security protocols of OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2.
Moreover, Windscribe VPN provides its both free and premium version users with strong DNS and IP leak protection. In addition, the tunneling protocols of Windscribe are regarded as one of the best and secure the devices from any malware and malicious softwares.
Although features like kill switch, split tunneling, and more are only available in the premium version, the security of the free user’s devices and online information are ensured with its protocols and encryptions.
2. Customer Support
In terms of customer support, Windscribe provides users with a chatbot named Garry, which is not available for 24/7. The chatbot can take upto 2 hours to reply to a question. Moreover, the chatbot is not even much of a help, to begin with.
Although it is not likely that the user will be faced with a problem in the VPN, but if they did, then depending on Garry for help is not a wise option.
3. Simultaneous connection and bandwidth
Both the free and premium version of Windscribe supports unlimited simultaneous connections. As bandwidth limitation, the free version is imposed by 10 GB monthly data. However, 10 GB monthly data is a generous amount and is more than protecting the user’s online information but is not nearly enough for torrenting, streaming, and other online activities that consume data quickly.
Overall, Windscribe is one of the best free VPNs for UAE and has more than enough security protocols to ensure safe and private browsing.
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4. Vypr VPN – Great features for VPNs restricted locations
Vypr is one of the hidden gems in the VPN market and has excellent features and protocols such as Chameleon to use the app in VPN restricted countries. Moreover, many of Vypr servers are located in UAE and other nearby countries.
1. Security and Privacy
VyprVPN has a good variety of over 700 worldwide servers. Although 700 servers are not the widest range, all of them are protected with military-grade encryption. Moreover, it only follows top notch security protocols such as OpenVPN, Chameleon, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPsec. All the protocols of Vypr are great and work impressively at protecting the user’s online information. However, the Chameleon protocol is a bit different from other protocols. It is an exclusive protocol which is specially designed to access censored content while keeping the user’s online information hidden.
Vypr does not make compromises with the user’s online privacy and offers fully responsive and advanced features such as kill switch, split tunneling, malware blocker, and more.
2. Customer Support
Vypr is a hidden gem and has one of the best customer support, which can solve the users’ queries within minutes. Although the customer support of Vypr also provides the users with a bot and pre-built questions, they are more than advanced and detailed enough to easily and quickly solve any query related to the VPN.
3. Simultaneous connection and bandwidth
Although five devices can be simultaneously connected to the VPN, it does not impose any type of bandwidth limitation on them. Therefore, when combined with its Chameleon protocol, it becomes one of the best choices of VPN to access restricted and censored content.
However, the connection speed of Vypr is average and won’t allow the users to download big files or stream videos at a high quality.
All in all, Vypr is a hidden gem of the VPN market and has the potential to compete against the best VPN providers. Moreover, its features and protocols are more than enough to make it one of the best VPNs for UAE.
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5. Private Internet Access (PIA) – Top Rated VPN
Private Internet Access is primarily famous for its wide variety of safe and secure servers. Moreover, many of its servers are located in UAE, which allows the users to do fast and secure browsing.
1. Security and Privacy
Private Internet Access offers advanced features and protocols to the users, which are dedicated to protecting their privacy. PIA only follows the strongest security protocols, such as OpenVPN and WireGuard. Moreover, these protocols are customizable and allow the users to choose between OpenVPN(TCP) and OpenVPN(UDP).
It offers more with its praise worthy security features such as multi-hop mode, kill switch, split tunneling, and more. The users can play with these features to make them suit their preferences.
2. Customer Support
Although Private Internet Access has a 24/7 live chatbot customer support, it is not one of the best and can only answer specific questions. The small queries can be solved within minutes, while little to progress will be seen in bigger problems regarding to the VPN
3. Simultaneous connection and bandwidth
Private Internet Access supports upto ten simultaneous connections and does not impose any bandwidth limitation on them. Moreover, its huge variety of servers supports P2P traffic and provides the users with a fast connection speed to share files with all the connected devices.
Overall, Private Internet Access is a strong and reliable VPN and has excellent features and protocols to ensure the safety of users’ online information and also allows them to access most of the restricted content while keeping their data secure.
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Are VPNs necessary in UAE?
The citizens of UAE are not only imposed by many types of internet restrictions, but the government also keeps track of all their online activity, which also includes the time they spend on social media apps.
To ensure the privacy and access to restricted content, a VPN is necessary. However, installing any VPN on your device is not a wise choice because if the VPN is shady, then the government will quickly find out, and the VPN can also steal your online data.
Although using a VPN to access restricted content is legal, but if someone is using a VPN for purposes such as hacking or making a software or app vulnerable, it will alert the government, and a fine of up to AED 2,000,000 will be imposed.
To avoid this from happening, you can use one of the best VPNs for UAE. These VPNs are entirely safe and secure and are more than capable enough at unblocking restricted and censored content while keeping the user anonymous.
