My colleagues and I spent weeks testing over 40 top VPNs to ensure your traffic stays anonymous in India while accessing familiar content and banking platforms. I found ExpressVPN to be the best VPN for India with military-grade encryption, a kill switch, DNS protection, and a proven no-logs policy. You can sign up for ExpressVPN with complete peace of mind as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s easy to request a refund. Get ExpressVPN for India
Quick Guide: Best VPNs for India in 2023
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The Best VPNs for India — Updated 2023
1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN for India With Top Security Features for Complete Safety and Anonymity
Key Features: ExpressVPN is the best VPN for India as it has top security features to protect you whether you’re making a video call, uploading photos to cloud servers or transacting online. It has AES 256-bit encryption, which makes it impossible to break into sensitive information, and the kill switch that ExpressVPN calls its Network Lock further prevents accidental exposure by automatically disabling your internet connection if your VPN connection drops. ExpressVPN also has DNS leak protection that worked every time I tested it, and it allowed me to browse anonymously without revealing my actual IP address. The TrustedServer Technology ensures your data is wiped after every reboot so your online activity in India is not stored anywhere. Although ExpressVPN doesn’t have physical servers in India, it has registered Indian IP addresses to get around data privacy regulations that go against ExpressVPN’s no-logs policy. It offers 2 virtual server locations in India to route your connection without collecting and storing sensitive data. One goes via the UK and the other via Singapore. I found connecting via Singapore to be just as private as connecting to a country where there are physical ExpressVPN servers. ExpressVPN is also based in the British Virgin Islands, which are outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance and have no data retention policy in place. My speed tests showed that ExpressVPN is the fastest for India compared to all the other VPNs on this list. It’s great for high-bandwidth activities such as streaming, gaming, and video calling. My long-distance video calls had better quality and clarity with fewer dropped calls compared to other VPNs. I also tried ExpressVPN’s very own Lightway protocol and connected to an Indian server in less than 2 seconds. Since ExpressVPN supports P2P on each one of its servers in 94 countries and allows unlimited bandwidth, it was easy for me to download torrents safely and quickly. To do this, make sure that the torrents you access are freely available in the public domain. Otherwise, you’ll risk breaking copyright laws, which my team and I don’t condone. If there’s one downside to ExpressVPN, it’s that it’s quite costly compared to the other VPNs on this list. The good news is that it’s also the #1 VPN for India, which means you’ll get top security, top speed, and top accessibility for the price. The best value comes with the 1-year + 3 months subscription at $6.67 per month. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means there’s enough time for you to try ExpressVPN in India and decide if it’s for you. Get ExpressVPN for India
2. CyberGhost — Stream Movies and Shows Seamlessly in India With Optimized Servers
Key Features: CyberGhost has optimized servers in India for streaming Disney+ Hotstar and Netflix. This makes it a great VPN for watching The Mandalorian on Disney+ Hotstar and Stranger Things on Netflix India at high-speed. I experienced no lags or buffering with CyberGhost, which made for seamless streaming. The VPN also has worldwide servers optimized for torrenting and gaming. In terms of security, CyberGhost has AES 256-bit encryption and robust protocols to secure your online safety in India, especially if you’re on public WiFi. It is compatible with the popular OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, and also supports WireGuard, which has a small codebase, therefore a smaller attack surface for anyone trying to hack it. This, coupled with military-grade encryption, ensures your data is protected from cyberattack risks and leaks in India. I also tested and found no DNS leaks whenever I went online with CyberGhost. As all good VPNs should, CyberGhost has a kill switch and a no-logs policy that it takes very seriously. It switched to virtual server locations from physical servers after the Indian government required all VPN companies to store customers’ private data for up to 5 years. Plus, the VPN is based outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. CyberGhost also has a built-in ad and malware blocking tool to prevent serious security risks. If you often use public WiFi in India, the automatic WiFi protection launches the VPN as soon as it detects a new network. VPN servers are usually located in third-party data centers that control your sensitive data on those servers. It’s hard to predict the intentions of the data center owners or if hackers are eyeing them. CyberGhost eliminates these risks by offering a network of NoSpy servers, hosted in its headquarters in Romania. When you want to access your HDFC Bank account in India online, CyberGhost connects you to a colocated server to fully secure your banking details. These servers are also owned, controlled, and maintained by CyberGhost directly, but are not located in its Romanian headquarters like the NoSpy servers. With CyberGhost, you can connect up to 7 devices simultaneously in India whether it’s your laptop, smartphone, or tablet. To make it even better, CyberGhost is compatible with all major operating systems used in India and around the world including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Although each device has its own app, they all work the same way, so you’re all set if you know how to use it on one device. This is neither the most expensive, nor the cheapest VPN on this list. But its monthly plan is quite expensive and it only comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee. You’ll get better value for your money with the 2-year + 2 months plan at $2.19 per month. If you only need a VPN during a short trip to India, you can try CyberGhost for free with its 45-day money-back guarantee. I requested a refund after 30 days and was approved almost immediately with no questions asked. The money was back in my account within a week. Get CyberGhost for India
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Block Annoying Ads, Risky Malware, and Intrusive Trackers in India With MACE
Key Features: PIA has a great feature called MACE that blocks ads, ad trackers, and malicious sites to protect your privacy in India and deliver a better browsing experience. I had a less annoying time on the internet as the pages I visited loaded faster due to fewer ads and there were no pop-up windows. MACE also didn’t load suspicious websites. To use this feature on PIA to avoid Google and Spotify ads in India, just go to Settings, select Privacy on the menu, and toggle on PIA MACE. One of the best things about PIA is that you can personalize its security settings depending on your online activities in India. If you’re torrenting or streaming, AES 128-bit encryption is faster. Couple that with the L2TP protocol and you’ll barely notice any lags. I chose AES 256-bit encryption and WireGuard protocol when I accessed my bank account for maximum security. While PIA has a standard kill switch, it also has an advanced kill switch feature to make sure that your devices don’t connect to the internet before the VPN launches. This safeguards your privacy when your internet connection becomes unstable while switching WiFis in India. For reliable torrenting in India, PIA has servers that support P2P file sharing. Its SOCKS5 proxy gave me faster speeds when downloading torrent files from public domains. You can also configure your torrent client to use PIA’s port forwarding, which further boosts your download speeds in India while P2P file sharing. The unlimited bandwidth made sure I could download as many files as I needed, even while video calling or streaming. Just be sure not to violate any laws by downloading copyright-protected materials. When it comes to speed, I experienced no slow-downs due to congestion on servers, thanks to PIA’s huge server network. I could easily stream Sun TV, Star Maa and Zee TV without any buffering or lags. PIA has apps for various popular devices and operating systems to keep you safe online in India. It’s compatible with Windows, Android, iOS, and Mac. You can also connect up to 10 devices at the same time. Getting started is fast and easy with step-by-step guides available online, and if you need help, live chat support is available 24/7. This is quite an affordable VPN if you live in India and prefer a long-term subscription. You’ll get the best value with the 2-year + 2 months plan at just $2.19 per month. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee to give you an opportunity to try PIA risk-free before making a long-term commitment. I submitted a support ticket through the Contact Us link to ask for a refund after 2 weeks. A confirmation email arrived the same day and my money was credited back 7 days later. Get PIA for India
4. PrivateVPN — Increase Your Online Security With Dedicated IP Servers in India
Key Features: PrivateVPN has dedicated IP servers for increased security if you frequently make online transactions using public WiFi in India. Since these servers assign a unique IP address each time you connect, your bank and shopping sites will consider you a legitimate user, since no other user shares the same address. This also makes you virtually impossible to track online. Just like PIA, PrivateVPN offers different levels of encryption. I used 256-bit for all my internet activities and only switched to 128-bit to make long-distance video calls as it was faster. It also supports security protocols such as OpenVPN, L2TP, and IKEv2. PrivateVPN has all the privacy features of the best VPNs on the market like a kill switch and no-log policy. I also tested its DNS leak protection and found no leaks while being connected to servers in India. Plus, it secures your internet connection when you’re on public WiFi, checking your email, or sending Whatsapp messages. No matter what device you use in India, PrivateVPN likely has an app for it. It’s compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and other popular operating systems. Plus you can connect up to 10 devices at the same time. Setting up is easy, but PrivateVPN’s support team can also do it for you remotely. If you have any technical questions, you can chat live with the developers themselves. Although PrivateVPN has the smallest server network on this list, it’s possible to watch Indian shows at high-speed, thanks to the servers in Bangalore and Mumbai. It’s not as fast as ExpressVPN, but it’s enough to offer buffer-free streaming sessions. I found other VPNs with fewer servers often led to crowded servers and difficulty connecting or staying connected. The servers in Bangalore can access Sun TV, Sony Pal and Star Plus. PrivateVPN can also access your home content catalogs like Netflix US, Disney+, and more during your trip to India. This is one of the cheapest VPNs on this list with the 3-year plan costing only $2.00 per month. It’s ideal for short-term subscribers who are looking for VPNs with the best monthly plans. All the plans offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can use it to try PrivateVPN in India without the pressure of a commitment and decide if it’s the right VPN for you. Getting a refund was easy when I tried it and I received my money back within 5 days. Get PrivateVPN for India
5. IPVanish — Secure All Your Devices in India at the Same Time to Multitask Efficiently
Key Features: IPVanish lets you secure all your devices at the same time so you can multitask efficiently and have more time to tour India. I connected 8 of my devices at the same time to test the quality. I experienced stable connections while I uploaded travel photos to a cloud server, watched a series, made a video call, and browsed the internet simultaneously on different devices. The 8 server locations in New Delhi and Mumbai mean IPVanish can help access Sun TV, Zee TV, and Sony Pal without problems in India. The VPN also provides access to Netflix US, TikTok, and BBC iPlayer. This is not one of the fastest VPNs on this list, but it was fast enough to cope with a weekend of binge-watching series without lags. The connection speed only dropped by about 12% when I connected 4 devices performing high-bandwidth activities to a server in Mumbai simultaneously. IPVanish is one of the few VPNs around that owns its network of servers, including the ones in India. Since none of the servers are outsourced, there is less risk of your data being handled by a third party with ulterior motives. Its no-log policy makes sure none of your browsing history in India is retained in its servers. IPVanish also protects your connection with AES 256-bit encryption. To further secure your online activities in India, it uses robust protocols such as WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. Since IPVanish is compatible with all major operating systems such as Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, you’ll have no issues securing them in India. The apps for the different devices are easy to use, even for complete beginners. I was able to install and get connected to a server in Mumbai in less than 5 minutes. If you get stuck, there’s live chat support available 24/7 to solve your problems speedily. Although this is a very good VPN for India, the fact that it doesn’t accept cryptocurrencies as payment might be a dealbreaker for some, especially if you don’t own a credit card or a PayPal account. But if the payment mode is not a problem, you can give IPVanish a try for $3.99 per month with the 1 year plan. If you’re not happy with the service, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee so there’s no risk involved. I tested this and had my money credited back to me in just a few business days. Get IPVanish for India IPVanish unblocks: Sun TV, Star Maa, Star Plus, Zee TV, Sony Pal, Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix US, TikTok, Kodi, and more
How to Choose the Best VPN for India
With so many VPNs claiming to be the best for India, I tested them personally and came up with this top VPNs list using the following criteria:
Strong security and privacy features — To prevent hackers and spies from tracking your online activity in India, choose a VPN that uses military-grade AES 256-bit encryption with robust protocols such as OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard or Lightway. Global server network — The more servers there are in India, the less crowded and faster they’ll be while accessing local content. The more servers there are internationally, the more content the VPN can access. Fast speeds — All VPNs decrease the connection speed, but a good VPN will allow high-bandwidth activities such as streaming and online gaming to go on without buffering in India. Apps for popular devices — A VPN that supports all major operating systems such as Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android avoids compatibility issues. It should also be able to connect as many devices as you use in India simultaneously. Customer support — Whether you use a VPN in India for work or personal reasons, you’ll need its customer service available 24/7 for quick troubleshooting. It’s also helpful if it has plenty of online tutorials and documentation.
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3 Easy Steps to Get a VPN in India
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Is using a VPN legal in India?
Yes, there are currently no laws directly banning their use in India, though the government does discourage it. Recently, the government subjected all VPN service providers to strict data retention laws which resulted in many VPNs pulling out their physical servers from the country. I have listed only the best VPNs for India here, but I don’t condone accessing banned sites or downloading copyrighted materials. So, be sure to know what you’re legally allowed and not allowed to do online in India before using one.
Can I use a proxy in India instead of a VPN?
Yes, you can, but it’s risky. It’s better to pick a premium VPN like ExpressVPN that can afford to invest in security features to protect your data in India. Proxies are unreliable at accessing Indian channels and have inconsistent speeds because the servers get too crowded. Proxies also have weak encryption or none at all and lack no-log policies, so your data isn’t safe or private while you use them. On the other hand, it’s impossible to know who owns a proxy and what the service providers will do with your data.
How do I check if my VPN works?
Use this free IP address lookup tool to check your location after connecting to your VPN. If the map shows the location of the server you connected to, the VPN is working. If you see your actual location instead of the VPN server city, your VPN is not working and you should contact your VPN’s customer support. It’s usually not an issue with the recommended VPNs for India.
Can I use TunnelBear in India?
No, you can’t. Tunnelbear has been a popular choice for Indian users, but a recent government request to collect and store VPN user data led to the decision to discontinue the service in the country.
Is it safe to use a free VPN in India?
Yes, but I don’t recommend it. Although there are some safe and reliable free VPNs, most of them have a limited number of servers in India, or none at all. If there are servers in India, they are always crowded, have limited bandwidth, and slow connection speeds. The worst free VPNs actually contain malware or secretly log your data to sell them, risking your security and privacy. It’s better to use a paid VPN like CyberGhost that comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
If you no longer need the service after your trip to India, just ask for a refund within the guarantee period. I asked for mine through CyberGhost’s live chat and got my money back in less than a week. Try CyberGhost for India
Get a VPN (That Works) for India Today!
The best VPNs for India will give you the security and privacy you need, whether you’re streaming videos, sending emails, or paying your bills. But many that claim to be the best have unreliable servers, weak privacy, or slow speeds in India. After testing dozens of VPNs, I recommend using ExpressVPN for India as it offers top-notch security, lightning-fast speeds, and access to a variety of streaming channels. It’s the best overall VPN for India so far. Plus, you can subscribe to ExpressVPN confidently since you have 30 days to request your money back if you decide it’s not right for you.
