- Heavy internet restrictions in Russia are stopping citizens and tourists from accessing a vast range of websites.
- Without a VPN, your internet activity will be monitored and you could face legal consequences if you try to exercise your freedoms.
- You’ll be unable to access sites like Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, the BBC and many more Western platforms and media.
- Using Surfshark VPN, we’ve unblocked all of those websites from Russia while hiding our activity.
We recommend following our guidance and downloading Surfshark. Many VPNs don’t work in Russia right now. Surfshark VPN is the best VPN for Russia that’s still working and still able to get you past those geo-blocks.
Surfshark
Our full article below has more information on using a VPN in Russia and other providers that you can try.
The importance of using a VPN in Russia can’t be understated. We’ve seen people face penalties of up to 15 years in prison for spreading “false information” about the war in Ukraine. With Navalny’s recent death just days prior to a prisoner exchange that would’ve seen the opposition leader free, it’s clear that anyone in Russia needs to take steps to protect themselves from persecution.
Meanwhile, internet users are blocked from an endless list of Western websites, limiting internet freedom. Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram are blocked. Western news organizations are blocked, too, limiting Russian citizens’ access to unbiased information on the conflict with Ukraine and the government in general.
Surfshark is one of the few Russian VPN services that still work to resolve these issues. The provider’s powerful NoBorders mode can still bypass blocks right now in the wake of Russia’s further action against VPNs in March of 2024. Don’t delay – get Surfshark now before any other potential blocks come into force!
As recently as January 2024, there have been mass internet outages as a result of the state’s continued efforts to limit internet access, and even your internet service provider poses a risk to your privacy through online tracking of your activity.
The Best VPN For Russia: Bypass Internet Censorship
We looked at the market and created this list of the best VPNs to use in Russia. Below, you’ll find a table summarizing the features of our top 3 picks.
| Editor’s Pick | |||
| VPN |  |  |  |
| Servers | 3000-5000 | 5000+ | 5000+ |
| Protocols | OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard | OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard | OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard |
| Operating systems | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux |
| Connections | Unlimited | 10 | 7 |
| Compatibilities |        | | |
| Logs | Zero logs | Zero logs | Zero logs |
| Money-back guarantee | Money-back guarantee, 30 Days | Money-back guarantee, 30 Days | Money-back guarantee, 45 Days |
| Price | $ 2.19 | $ 3.39 | $ 2.19 |
| Visit Surfshark | Visit NordVPN | Visit CyberGhost |
1. Surfshark: The best overall VPN that works in Russia
Surfshark routinely ranks as our best VPN for overcoming powerful internet blocks. In our eyes, they’re also a really respectable company. We’ve seen representatives from Surfshark pointing Reddit users toward the Shark China page – a page dedicated to helping people bypass stringent blocks. The guidance is all written in Russian for your convenience.
In addition to its powerful NoBorders mode that can smash through internet restrictions, Surfshark offers MultiHop. With this feature, we could connect through two VPN servers at the same time to further anonymize our connection. In a time when Russia is taking further action against VPNs, having this feature up your sleeve is a major plus.
Take our advice and make sure you have a VPN as soon as possible before the state potentially further restricts them. You can even use Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency to take advantage of Surfshark’s temporary 86% discount to knock your subscription costs down.
2. NordVPN: A security powerhouse that’ll hide your online activity in Russia
NordVPN’s a personal favorite of ours, offering up some of the best speeds and security we’ve seen from a premium VPN. It dropped into second place due to pulling out of Russia initially, but we’re happy to confirm that we’ve now seen NordVPN working again in Russia.
This again highlights the urgency around getting yourself protection from a VPN. NordVPN’s security is incredibly robust, with powerful encryption and IP cloaking that’ll obscure your activity from authorities. It’ll also protect you from your internet service provider and others – the 2019 sovereign laws in place in Russia mean that authorities can sidestep your ISP to surveil your internet usage.
With 6441 servers worldwide, you should have no trouble finding one that works. You can use cryptocurrency and a host of other payment methods to set up your account, get your 30-day VPN free trial, and a 72% discount on subscriptions below.
3. CyberGhost VPN: An alternative Russia VPN with a broad server choice
Our third recommendation for getting past Russian internet censorship is CyberGhost. This easy-to-install VPN offers users an expansive server network with strong encryption and reliable speeds. It’ll give you one of the broadest choices of servers possible in a premium VPN – we’ve found this a huge help when particular VPN servers in Russia have been blocked.
We’ve also tested CyberGhost’s premium dedicated IP addresses that are available via a special token. With those, even CyberGhost itself does not have your IP address. This makes it a great choice for use in Russia, where you’re more likely to get blocked when sharing an IP address with other users connected to the same public server. It’s also why CyberGhost is one of our best VPNs for Iran, a country that shares similarly restrictive internet policies.
With several VPN servers close to Russia, you should find a quick and responsive server that’ll unblock the internet without impacting your day-to-day activities. Additionally, CyberGhost provides a 45-day money-back guarantee to give users time to try out the service without committing.
How We Chose the Best VPNs For Russia
If you’d rather do your own research into different VPNs, there are several factors you should take into consideration. Due to Russia’s internet censorship efforts, a great VPN for Russia should offer safety and freedom above all. This means it should:
- Have a strict no-logging policy. Otherwise, there’s always a risk that your data might be leaked or shared with other parties as part of an official inquiry.
- Have servers in Russia or neighboring countries to ensure fast connection speeds.
- Be able to get around big virtual geographical restrictions such as those in Russia. This will help you enjoy content unavailable in the country by changing your Russian IP address.
If you’re looking for the best VPN to use in Russia, it’s also wise to take some other things into account. These include the VPN’s connection speeds, its encryption quality, its extra safety features like a kill switch, and its price.
If you want to learn more about VPNs, how they protect your internet traffic, or how they help you get around online restrictions, make sure you check out our VPN explained article.
Can I Use A Free VPN In Russia?
We don’t recommend choosing a free VPN to use in Russia. That’s because free VPNs usually log your data or don’t encrypt it to the same degree as paid VPNs do. This can leave you exposed to government crackdowns on free speech or any other form of online censorship.
Even if you find a free VPN that doesn’t log your data, you’ll likely run into limitations fairly quickly. Free VPNs tend to have very few servers and server locations that are shared between many users – take a look at our article on free VPNs for Kenya as an example. In our experience testing such services, these VPNs will significantly slow down your internet connection.
Since these servers are few and not updated very regularly, there’s a big chance you won’t be able to unblock content, either. That’s because platforms like Netflix and HBO Max will recognize your IP as a VPN server and block your access to their services.
All of that being said, we understand that subscribing to a VPN is not possible for everyone. Moreover, some people don’t mind the limitations of free VPNs. If you want to use a free VPN, make sure you consult our list of the best free VPNs to see which providers are trustworthy and give you the best and most reliable options.
Why Do I Need A VPN in Russia?
Russian internet censorship has been on the rise in the past decade, which makes it increasingly hard for Russian citizens, as well as tourists, to access a free and unfiltered internet.
Even Russian servers belonging to premium VPN servers have been shut down.
The Russian government takes repressive actions like:
- Silencing political opposition
- Blocking access to communication apps like Telegram
- Systematically discriminating against the LGBTQ+ community
- Shielding religious organizations from criticism
They’re able to censor parts of the internet by controlling internet service providers, passing targeted regulations, and blocking access to VPNs. That’s why masking your IP while browsing the internet from Russia is crucial to browsing a free internet.
Can I access VPN websites in Russia?
According to our research, the official websites of all three VPNs on our list are accessible from Russia. That being said, this could change at any moment, and even now, there might be differences in accessibility for different Russian IPs.
If you can’t access the VPN website of your choice, you can try using the Opera browser, which has a built-in VPN, or downloading the Tor browser and using that to access a VPN’s official website. Once you’ve reached the official website, you can sign up for an account and use that VPN connection from that moment onwards.
If you’re a tourist about to travel to Russia, we recommend subscribing to a VPN beforehand, just to make sure you don’t run into any problems.
How Do I Install a VPN to Use in Russia?
The process of installing a VPN will differ depending on your chosen VPN and the device you wish to install it on. For example, downloading a VPN on your PC is much easier than installing a VPN on your router.
In most cases, this is what you’ll have to do:
- Get a VPN subscription. We recommend sticking with Surfshark for the lowest prices and the greatest chance of success in finding a connection.
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- Download the VPN software from their website.
- Install the VPN software and log in using your new account.
- Choose a VPN server. Nearby servers usually offer the best speeds. If you run into problems getting connected, we recommend trying another server – usually, we can find one that works, even when some have been blocked.
- Connect to the VPN. All the VPNs featured in our article have a big “Connect button” right above the server list. After you choose a server, you can click it, and it will automatically change your IP.
How to download a VPN without the Google Play Store
Payment restrictions have meant that Google Play purchases are blocked in Russia. We’ve seen some users struggle to even find premium VPN apps on the Play Store. If that includes you, here’s our advice for getting around the problem on Android devices:
- Go to Surfshark’s website.
- Click on the Downloads section.
- Choose the Android operating system.
- Click on the Download APK file button.
Final Thoughts
Our best Russia VPN, Surfshark, will help you circumvent government censorship and protect yourself online. Whether you live in Russia or plan to travel there, we strongly recommend you use one of the VPN providers we’ve recommended to protect your privacy.
If the government bans VPNs this year, you’ll need to act fast. It could become very difficult to get a VPN after that. Download Surfshark now, and you’ll be able to get ahead of the curve and protect your online freedom.
You can also read more about using a VPN in Russia with our related guides:
- How to Get a VPN in Russia
- Censorship in Russia: How to Bypass Government Restrictions
- How to Access TikTok in Russia: A Step-by-Step Guide
- How to Unblock LinkedIn From Russia: A Full Guide
- How to Use Instagram in Russia: Step-by-Step Guide
- How to Access Facebook in Russia: A Step-by-Step Guide
Note:
While some VPNs are still legal in Russia, accessing banned websites while using one isn’t. To avoid legal concerns, we recommend staying up-to-date on the latest laws regarding the use of VPNs in the country.
If our article didn’t answer all of your questions, you can read our response to the most frequently asked questions about the best VPN for Russia down below.
The best VPN to use in Russia, whether as a citizen or as a tourist, is Surfshark. It’s one of the few VPNs that still work in Russia, based on our tests. Surfshark is also active on sites like Reddit helping users to get around restrictions from what we’ve seen. With Surfshark, you’ll be able to bypass government blocks while protecting your data.
We don’t recommend using free VPNs in Russia. Most of the time, they’ll log your data or offer unstable connections. They’re also not the best tools for unblocking regionally restricted content, especially when you’re in Russia.
However, if you must use a free VPN, we recommend Proton VPN Free. It has very few servers, but it doesn’t log your data, and it’s completely free to use. If you want to see more options, read our article on the top five free VPNs.
People use a VPN in Russia for a few reasons. First, a VPN helps you hide your identity online, protecting you from government crackdowns on free speech. Second, a VPN can help you unblock regionally restricted content from news websites and even streaming platforms like Netflix.
"This app isn't available on Google Play in your region". That's what I get when searching for Surfshark app. Not too helpful for those of us behind the Iron Curtain here :(
Hi Dimitri! We're sorry to hear it. You can try to use a free VPN like PrivadoVPN or Proton VPN to change your location initially and get access to the Surfshark app on Google Play. We wouldn't recommend using a free VPN in the long run, but it can help you to get through this step. We'll test out some new methods ourselves in the near future, too, and we'll update the article with new tried and tested tips soon!