6 Best VPNs for WhatsApp in 2024 – Unblock It from Anywhere

Wondering why would you ever need to use a VPN for WhatsApp? Well, you may not realize the importance of these tools unless you’re in one of the regions that block this app and where you need to learn to unblock WhatsApp.

Love it or hate it, WhatsApp is the world’s premier messaging app. It boasted 1.5 billion users in 2018. Facebook bought the app in 2014 for 19 billion USD. Since then, WhatsApp has been the leading player in the chat market thanks to its lack of ads, security features, and overall usefulness. 

While Facebook’s commitment to user privacy remains dubious, WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption renders it a secure option for chatting and exchanging small files. Subsequently, many countries have banned it as it thwarts governmental efforts to surveil the population.

However, the widespread use of WhatsApp globally makes it imperative for many users to retain the ability to use it even in jurisdictions forbidding the app. But that’s not always possible. (And, of course, don’t ever go for the WhatsApp replicas, as they aren’t secure).

Fortunately, whether you are living, visiting, or planning to visit such a country that restricts access to WhatsApp, a VPN will allow you to bypass those restrictions, thus remaining online on WhatsApp. 

This article will give you five VPN options that will empower you to use WhatsApp wherever you are on the planet.

Best VPNs to unblock WhatsApp – Quick list 

If you are already conversant with VPN lore and are looking only for the essential information to get your WhatsApp going, find the top five choices for the job right here.

Why do I need a VPN for WhatsApp?

Besides data protection and online privacy, a WhatsApp VPN is beneficial in many ways, including; 

• Unlock WhatsApp geo-blocks: Some countries, such as China, Syria, and North Korea, have strict censorship policies, especially on social media. As such, you might not find WhatsApp on Google Play Store or App Store. Fortunately, with a VPN, you can unblock geo-restrictions to install WhatsApp. 
• Allow voice calls and messages: Qatar and UAE are examples of countries that have disabled VoIP features. As such, you can only use WhatsApp to send and receive text messages. However, with a VPN, you can unlock voice messages and calls. 
• An additional encryption layer: While WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption, a VPN can help add to the app’s security using the VPN’s AES-bit encryption standard. 
• Stay anonymous: A VPN offers top-notch security that lets you stay 100% anonymous by hiding your IP address and internet activity.

WhatsApp limitations throughout the world

Despite Facebook’s terrible reputation for privacy matters, WhatsApp is a secure communication tool. Specifically, all the information exchanged through WhatsApp remains safe with end-to-end encryption.

End-to-end means that the sender’s app encrypts the message. Decryption only happens when it reaches its destination at the receiver’s app. So, while the message is susceptible to interception while in transit, it’s unintelligible. Hence, any third-party snooper will see nothing but a stream of gibberish. That frustrated snooper could be your ISP, a hacker, or the government.

Besides, even Facebook can’t crack your WhatsApp messages because the encryption keys remain with the users only.

Whisper Systems power WhatsApp’s encryption system. It is the same encryption software you can find in Signal, the open-source messaging app preferred by the most advanced and privacy-aware users on the internet.

Thus, the privacy that WhatsApp affords to its users is excellent. And there are governments in the world who don’t like that at all. Some authorities believe that WhatsApp allows activists, journalists, dissidents, criminals, or terrorists to secretly communicate and organize against the status quo and escape official surveillance.

Consequently, 13 countries have labeled WhatsApp illegal or have banned it. China and Saudi Arabia are the most notorious countries on the list. Moreover, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Gambia, Turkey, Uganda, and Zimbabwe have also prohibited using WhatsApp within their borders.

Some other countries allow their citizens to use WhatsApp to exchange messages or files, but not voice calls. However, those governments are also against Skype and other virtual call software. That’s because either they have an economic stake in the local telephone services or the industry has lobbied them successfully against internet voice calls. Such offenders include Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.

The best VPNs for WhatsApp today

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) performs two crucial tasks. First, it re-routes all your traffic through a server in its network, thus hiding your actual IP address and showing one from the network as yours. Second, it must encrypt all your incoming and outgoing traffic to prevent any third party from tracking your online activities. Those third parties include hackers, your ISP, and even your government. These two functionalities are also vital for you to hide your WhatsApp activities.

Besides, a premium VPN service can bypass all the local restrictions against WhatsApp or other censorship measures.

But the question is: what is that excellent VPN that will do the job?

It’s a difficult question. Privacy concerns exploded after Edward Snowden‘s revelations became mainstream, and the VPN industry followed suit. Consequently, the number of VPN providers has risen dramatically over the last few years, offering various services covering different aspects of digital security.

But, no, it’s not enough for a VPN to be excellent to become the right tool for WhatsApp. For instance, many VPNs out there prioritize security. They add at least an extra layer of encryption or data routing, thus making traffic unhackable, even theoretically. However, the increased security comes at the cost of speeds, thus rendering these excellent services unable to support the kind of data stream during a WhatsApp video call.

So, figuring out the VPN to help you with this issue takes time, energy, and expertise. Furthermore, if you’re in one of those countries, barring WhatsApp, it’s also risky. But don’t worry. We’ve done all the work so that you don’t have to! 

How to find the best WhatsApp VPN?

As we keep testing many VPNs on the internet to find the best option for several use cases, we’re already aware of those that could do the best job with WhatsApp. Our staff tested many good options to find those that will give you a smooth WhatsApp experience anywhere.

But before moving on to the list, here’s a quick word about how to find the best WhatsApp VPNs.

You must look for VPNs that provide optimal WhatsApp functionality while ensuring user privacy protection. The following criteria guarantee those two goals:

• The provider does not reveal your internet activities and keeps no logs.
• VPN’s encryption is solid.
• The VPN is safe against all DNS/IP leaks.
• Has mobile apps for the VPN for both iOS and Android devices.

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1. NordVPN

NordVPN works the best as a VPN service for unblocking WhatsApp anywhere. Thanks to its extensive global network, NordVPN gives you plenty of servers to pick from. Moreover, it keeps no logs of user activity (a policy certified with external audits). Also, every connection enjoys the unbreakable encryption of AES-256.

The most prudent (or paranoid) users can route their traffic through two VPN servers or Tor over VPN. Every DNS request goes through NordVPN’s DNS servers, so no IP leaks are possible because of DNS queries.

The VPN’s platform includes mobile apps for Android and iOS and desktop apps for Windows and macOS.

Your NordVPN account includes six concurrent connections to the network. Hence, you can share it with your family or use it with several devices.

The network speeds are among the highest in the industry because NordVPN takes the lead in tunneling protocols. It adopted the WireGuard protocol, corrected its problems, and made it a standard user feature. And this VPN protocol allows the fastest speeds without sacrificing any security.

Another helpful feature of NordVPN is traffic obfuscation. This feature makes your traffic look like HTTPS. Consequently, any external observer will think you’re just browsing around the web. But in reality, you will use your WhatsApp, torrenting, or any other internet service you fancy. So it adds an extra layer of security to your digital activities without compromising speeds or functionality. Moreover, this critical feature allows for bypassing censorship in the most challenging countries, such as China.

NordVPN also gives you many unique additional features, so you will get more service than you are bargaining for. For example, among other perks, this VPN can unblock Netflix, Hulu, and almost every video streaming service online.

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2. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN probably has the most prominent reputation in the VPN business. This VPN has been around for a long time, always providing one of the best services available.

The security in ExpressVPN is top-notch. It includes the same AES-256 unbreakable encryption as NordVPN (AES is the industry’s standard for the most part) and perfect forward secrecy. The company sticks to a strict zero log policy that includes avoiding any records of your source IP address and is safe against all DNS leaks. Like NordVPN, ExpressVPN has its own DNS server network so that no unencrypted DNS server will ever know your address.

The VPN’s software includes mobile apps on Android and iOS and desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and even Linux. Unfortunately, the Linux version has no GUI, so you must be a confident terminal user to be comfortable with it. But at least it’s there, which is better than most other VPNs, even the best ones.

The network speeds are very high, and the server network spans 94 countries, so you’ll never want more options. This VPN will also give you more service than WhatsApp, as it can deal with the geo-blocks in Hulu, Netflix, and almost every video streaming platform.

Other cool features include split tunneling (you could have your WhatsApp traffic routed through the VPN while everything else on your device goes through your regular ISP connection, although we do not recommend doing this).

The one drawback of ExpressVPN is its price, which is among the highest in the market. However, the service is excellent, and with so many additional features, the subscription is worth the money. Still, other providers will give you similar quality for a fraction of the cost.

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3. Private Internet Access (PIA)

Private Internet Access (PIA) is an excellent choice to secure your WhatsApp usage. The VPN sits at the top of the most affordable, with the best features for the utmost online privacy and protection. 

For example, the AES 256-bit encryption comes in handy regarding WhatsApp security. While the messaging app already uses end-to-end encryption, the VPN’s encryption protocol adds extra protection to your WhatsApp messages and calls. The encryption standard makes it hard for government authorities and other parties to intercept or decipher your WhatsApp communications. 

Due to its vast server network of over 30,000 servers spread over 84 countries, you can easily avoid WhatsApp geo-blocks in many locations. 

Staying anonymous in a country that doesn’t allow WhatsApp usage is extremely important. PIA does that by tunneling your activity via secure servers. It hides your IP address and doesn’t retain your logs. As such, it is hard for third parties to track your real identity or monitor your internet activity. Furthermore, Private Internet Access offers reliable speeds vital for seamless messaging and media-sharing on WhatsApp. So, you don’t have to worry about sharing large media files such as videos or doing bandwidth-intensive activities such as video calling.

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4. Surfshark

Surfshark is a relatively new VPN that has been making a vast splash lately. It offers nearly as good services as NordVPN or ExpressVPN for a small fraction of the cost. Also, consider that your Surfshark account will grant you unlimited connections to the network at any time, not just five or six.

Surfshark has everything you need to keep active on WhatsApp (video and voice calls included) from any country. It works in China and the UAE.

The encryption is up there with the best, the speeds are good, and the company keeps no logs, which is the key to privacy in a VPN.

This VPN will also unblock many video streaming services; the customer service chat support is always alive. The apps include iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV versions.

Surfshark will give you a cheap service if you’re on a tight budget. But it will provide you with almost the same features you will find with the other vendors.

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5. Proton VPN

Proton VPN is the VPN associated with ProtonMail, the internet’s primary secure email service. The company specializes in providing security services of all kinds. Thus, you can expect Proton VPN to be designed and operated very carefully, and it shows as you use it. So, if you need a VPN to keep you online on WhatsApp from any country, ProtonVPN will do the job.

Every server in the 1200+ node network spanning 55 countries is super-fast, reliable, and secure. In addition, the Secure Core protocol sends your traffic through several network servers, enhancing your security. It also has perfect forward secrecy.

A rare feature of the Proton VPN network is its reliable free version that protects user privacy. Although, you’ll frequently find us advising readers to stay away from free VPNs (more on that later). But Proton VPN is exceptional. Its free service is good, protects your privacy, and allows unlimited usage. However, if you want to enjoy all the great features Proton VPN offers, you must pay for a subscription.

Each account gets you ten concurrent connections. Besides, the apps are user-friendly, and the provider has excellent customer service.

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6. PrivateVPN

The surprising thing about PrivateVPN is how it offers a service that looks like the veteran VPN when it hasn’t been around for too long. This VPN works from China and the United Arab Emirates (these two countries are a litmus test for VPNs). The encryption is uncrackable, and the servers keep no logs. Perfect forward secrecy guarantees security even when an encryption key is compromised (it will work on a single session only).

Besides, every app has leak protection hardcoded into the software. The kill switch, however, only works in Windows.

PrivateVPN’s versatility is comparable to that of the top players as it can deal with Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and many more streaming platforms without blinking.

The network allows for six simultaneous connections. The apps come in iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Amazon Fire TV versions.

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Free WhatsApp VPNs: Keep away from them!

In the Proton VPN section, we mentioned briefly how we always advocate for our readers to avoid free VPNs. Let us explain to you why in more detail.

First, let’s focus on the task: we want VPNs to enable you to use WhatsApp wherever you are. Unfortunately, most free VPNs will not do the trick for many reasons. If you want a VPN to perform this trick, it needs enough bandwidth, reliable connections, and a VPN server address that the world’s governments do not blocklist.

Unfortunately, most free VPNs will fail with each of those three things. In addition, the bandwidth is usually low, and the data is generally capped. Plus, it can take several minutes to get a server connection, and then it’s easily severed because the network is overworked.

Last but not least, keeping your servers’ addresses out of the blocklists requires constant effort on the VPN’s part to refresh them constantly. That takes the initiative and resources, and free VPNs have neither. Consequently, the world’s censoring governments already know them and have had them utterly blocked for ages. Using a free VPN from those countries could be harder than WhatsApp.

Think about the United Arab Emirates or China, for example. These countries invest a lot of effort and resources into blocking VPNs — including paid ones. Our five VPN picks still work out of those two countries (and many others) because they always keep waging war against censorship. They ensure they are a step ahead of the censoring measures in the world’s countries. Free VPNs can’t afford to put in the effort it takes to do that.

For instance, even if you find a free VPN that unblocks WhatsApp, you will still have serious problems. That’s because free VPNs are notorious for using defective encryption (which saves them resources), and they don’t have their own DNS servers. Consequently, you remain vulnerable to IP leaks through DNS queries, and your traffic could be cracked because it’s not AES-256.

And things could get even worse when it comes to business. The most common business model among free VPN companies is to track and log VPN users’ activities and then sell them to a commercial partner interested in data mining. Hence, not only is your privacy unprotected in these networks, but it’s also the exact product the company is using for trading.

So the ugly truth about free VPNs is that they are awful services that will not perform as you need, which can cost you your digital privacy. Indeed, Proton VPN is an exception, but it’s limited; you need to subscribe if you want the full Proton power. Still, it’s an infrequent exception, not the rule.

Running WhatsApp through a VPN network

OK, let’s get to the beef. You are in a country that bans WhatsApp but already has a VPN account with one of our five options. So what do you do now?

1. Download and install the app your VPN provider has for your device.
2. Launch the app. Connect to the VPN network. Choose a server located in a country where WhatsApp isn’t banned.
3. Once you’re online with your VPN, launch your WhatsApp and use it normally.

How we assessed the best VPNs for WhatsApp

At PrivacySavvy, we are committed to being an authoritative and reliable source on all the technical tools and issues that can help with digital privacy. Our assessment of each VPN is based on the expertise of our staff, real-world experience, security and performance tests, and the company’s track record regarding its policies and in the courts of law. 

So, when we sought to find out the best VPNs for WhatsApp, we prioritized the following things:

• Security. The VPN’s encryption must be up to par with the rest of the industry, and it has to be safe against IP number leaks.
• Logging policy. Privacy protection in a VPN network has nothing to do with technology and everything to do with policy. It’s all about the choices a company makes. So we combed each service’s terms of use to ensure they promise not to collect any personally identifiable information. Some VPNs have walked the walk regarding their zero log policy in legal cases, and others have their policies certified by independent audits.
• Speeds. Speeds may not be as critical for WhatsApp as they are for, say, gaming or video streaming. Still, having a good video call on WhatsApp needs a reliable and fast connection. So, we tested and measured the speeds in each service, and we found our five picks to be the fastest in the market.
• Streaming. We tried each VPN against the video streaming giants (Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Paramount +, and others) to see how they do.
• Customer service. In the optimal scenario, you’ll never need any help from customer service. But some of our chosen providers allow you to install a VPN in your router so that all the traffic in and out of your home (in every device) goes through the VPN. Of course, this is a reasonably advanced trick, so most users will need help. If you ever need expert help, it better be quick, friendly, and accurate.
• Ability against censorship. Using WhatsApp from a country that bans it is all about evading censorship. So, it’s one of the core features our VPNs must have.

WhatsApp blocked on WiFi and other networks

If you’ve tried to use WhatsApp on a public WiFi network, you probably already know that many such networks have it blocked. And not just WhatsApp but also Instagram, Facebook, and other social media networks. This is even more common in office or school WiFi networks.

So you see, the block on WhatsApp is not exclusive to repressive countries. It happens in democratic countries as well because the company or the college doesn’t want their people wasting their time on social media, and yes, even public WiFi hotspots block them.

The solution in this scenario, again, is to use a VPN. The VPN will unblock any social media you want to use without any problems.

My VPN is connected, but WhatsApp remains blocked. How do I fix this?

If you are facing this problem, you are in one of three possible situations:

1. Your ISP or mobile service has blocked the IP addresses of your VPN’s servers on behalf of the local authorities. Hence, you’re not online in the VPN at all, and you won’t be able to reach it or use it for any task, including WhatsApp unblocking. So, in this case, reach out to your VPN’s customer service and ask them about the servers that can unblock WhatsApp in your location. Good VPN networks are extensive, and it’s implausible that an ISP can block all its servers. So, there will surely be many nodes in the network that are still working, even in your situation.
2. You could have a DNS leak. It happens when a DNS request leaves your device outside the VPN’s secure tunnel, exposing your actual physical location and real traffic online. Therefore, as your ISP realizes your activities, it blocks you. To overcome this problem, the best VPNs have their own DNS servers. So, in such cases, you need to move to a robust VPN that prevents DNS leaks, like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark.
3. Your ISP blocks the ports WhatsApp typically uses. You can solve this problem using the port forwarding feature in your VPN (if it has one).

Is a VPN going to patch the WhatsApp backdoor?

No, it won’t, but read on. Let’s start at the beginning: there’s no such thing as a WhatsApp backdoor. However, the app does have a minor vulnerability in its end-to-end encryption implementation. WhatsApp encrypts every message you send before it leaves your phone. Then it travels through the net until it reaches the recipient’s WhatsApp. The recipient is the only user with the encryption key, so only he can decrypt it.

But let’s say that the recipient has a new phone. In this case, the WhatsApp client in the new phone won’t have the key required to decrypt your message. Consequently, the message could go missing and never reach the intended recipient. Realizing this problem, the WhatsApp team developed a fix for it. But unfortunately, it chose to compromise security to retain convenience and functionality. And this choice looks too much like a backdoor to some critics. The fix has the key exchange renegotiated behind the recipient’s back.

Then the backlog of messages gets re-sent. Your app can tell you when this happens, but the option is not on by default. A consequence of that strategy is that if a user goes offline for a period, WhatsApp could cheat the system by making the sender’s app believe there’s a new phone on the other side. It could force the negotiation of new private keys.

Once the new keys are agreed upon, WhatsApp or Facebook could read the whole messaging history. Please notice that this hack is not the kind of thing that even an expert hacker can exploit alone. Instead, it requires WhatsApp’s specific compliance and significant knowledge about the target.

In other words: this weakness is irrelevant for almost every WhatsApp user, as it needs for the company itself to be interested in your activity. However, if you feel like being the target of such surveillance, leave WhatsApp and use a different messaging app. As for a VPN, since this exploit doesn’t happen in your VPN server or device but in WhatsApp’s servers, using a VPN won’t help at this point.

Do I need a stealth VPN if WhatsApp is blocked in my country?

A VPN is your best bet if you live in a country with strict surveillance and censorship practices. It can get around government firewalls and even prevent ISP throttling. 

A stealth VPN uses obfuscation servers that disguise VPN traffic as usual traffic. This is especially useful in countries such as China, UAE, and Iran that prohibit VPN usage. 

Most VPNs with obfuscation features are quite reliable and fast. Therefore, they are quite helpful when sending large files such as videos or making video calls with your loved ones. Choosing a reliable VPN for WhatsApp is crucial for the best experience in a country that blocks the app. The stealth feature is integral if you live in a region where privacy is key.

Indonesia and WhatsApp

The volatile political climate in Indonesia saw some riots occur around the country. The authorities then tried to secure the country’s law and order by restricting WhatsApp, especially multimedia messages.

These measures seemed to be desperate attempts to bring the political temperature down after the controversial 2019 presidential elections.

Prabowo Subianto, the defeated candidate, challenged the election results, calling them “unfair.” Riots followed suit in Jakarta, the country’s capital. Two hundred people were injured, and six lost their lives.

In the following chaos, social media became the primary means for distributing information about the riots (with much of that information being false).

As the authorities realized what was occurring, the minister for legal, political, and security affairs, Mr. Wiranto, announced that the government would restrict and disable access to several social media apps. Then, the communications minister, Mr. Rudiantara, told the people to expect lag issues while sharing multimedia content on WhatsApp.

This dramatic situation was a fantastic example of how helpful VPNs can be when keeping your access to WhatsApp inviolate. In addition, several tech outlets reported that VPNs were efficiently bypassing the government’s measures.

What can’t a VPN do for WhatsApp?

While a VPN is crucial, there are certain things it can’t do for WhatsApp. They include:

Prevent authorities from seizing your device

A VPN will protect you from ISP and government surveillance and censorship. However, if authorities get hold of your device, a VPN won’t prevent them from accessing your WhatsApp messages.

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Render WhatsApp legal

A VPN won’t make it legal if you reside in a region that bans using WhatsApp and other social media platforms. The same applies to any other internet activity you do.

So, you shouldn’t engage in illegal activities whether or not you’re using a VPN. If authorities catch up with you, you could face severe consequences such as jail time or legal fines.

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Unblock WhatsApp when the Internet is turned off

A VPN will not unblock WhatsApp if your country shuts down the internet. A recent example is the case of Kashmir, where authorities disabled internet connection. In such a case, whether you use a VPN or not, you won’t be able to use WhatsApp. 

The same applies regardless of which type of internet you use: home internet, public network, or university WiFi. A VPN won’t help you use WhatsApp if the network is turned off.

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Conclusion

The updated terms of use for WhatsApp were highly controversial, and they prompted many users to move away to other apps. Nevertheless, WhatsApp remains the most popular messaging app in the world. That’s because it’s easy to use, powerful, versatile, and secure. Moreover, it’s too convenient to leave behind for most users. Very much like Facebook, even if you disagree with the app’s management strategy (especially about privacy), the cost of leaving it is too high in terms of communication with your peers. Thus, many users will keep the app on their devices, even grudgingly.

And yes, it’s banned in many countries, totally or partially. Some ISPs will throttle your account if they find you using too much bandwidth for WhatsApp. Nonetheless, you can avoid these problems by using one of the best VPNs for accessing WhatsApp.

This article listed the five best options for that and the detailed instructions needed to get started. So, share and enjoy! But above all, stay safe!

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