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By country · HK · May 2026

Best VPN for Hong Kong

Streaming, privacy, and torrenting recommendations specific to Hong Kong — based on local laws, surveillance regime, and available streaming services.

Disclosure · We earn commissions from some VPN providers. This doesn't affect our rankings or recommendations.

The case

Do you need a VPN in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong's digital landscape changed sharply after 2020. ISP-level blocks now exist (the first wave hit in 2021), and authorities have broader powers under the National Security Law to compel telecom cooperation. The territory's role as a regional finance hub means many residents and businesses use VPNs by default — to keep traffic outside mainland-Chinese reach, to bypass site blocks, and to access services that increasingly geo-block Hong Kong (some Western news sites have done this, though the pattern is irregular). VPN demand surged sharply post-2020.

Country dossier

Country context

EU member
No
Five Eyes / 14 Eyes
Outside surveillance alliances
Internet freedom
Partly Free
VPN legal
Yes
Data retention
Following the 2020 National Security Law, Hong Kong telecoms are subject to data requests from mainland Chinese authorities. The OFCA can compel cooperation. ISPs began blocking specific sites in 2021 (HKChronicles being the first widely-reported case).
Torrenting status
Civil enforcement exists; criminal prosecution is rare for individual users.

Recommended

Best VPN picks for Hong Kong

01
ExpressVPN logo

ExpressVPN

British Virgin Islands

from
$4.99/mo
8.0 / 10Strong

Fastest VPN, but you pay a premium and Kape owns it.

  • 3,000+ servers · 105 countries
  • Court-tested no-logs
  • Streaming: Netflix + BBC iPlayer
  • Court-tested · 2017
  • RAM-only servers
  • Outside surveillance alliances
  • Unblocks Netflix · BBC iPlayer
  • Verified · 2026-05-04
Get ExpressVPN

We may earn a commission from this link

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02
Proton VPN logo

Proton VPN

Switzerland

from
4.49/mo
8.5 / 10Excellent

Best privacy-first commercial VPN — Swiss jurisdiction, open source, free tier.

  • 8,500+ servers · 110 countries
  • Open-source clients
  • Streaming: Netflix + BBC iPlayer
  • Audited no-logs
  • Open source
  • RAM-only servers
  • Outside surveillance alliances
  • Unblocks Netflix · BBC iPlayer
  • Verified · 2026-05-04
Get Proton VPN

We may earn a commission from this link

Read full review
03
Mullvad logo

Mullvad

Sweden

from
5.00/mo
9.0 / 10Gold standard

Privacy gold standard. Flat €5/month, no accounts, no fluff. We have no affiliate relationship with them.

  • 700+ servers · 49 countries
  • Court-tested no-logs
  • 5 simultaneous devices
  • Court-tested · 2023
  • Open source
  • RAM-only servers
  • Verified · 2026-05-04
Go to Mullvad

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Local services

Local streaming services

  • Now E
  • myTV SUPER
  • ViuTV
  • TVB Anywhere

These services typically geo-block users outside Hong Kong. Most major VPNs (NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark) maintain IPs that keep them accessible when you travel. Mullvad and free VPNs are not optimized for streaming and won’t reliably work.

Frequently asked

Frequently asked questions

Is using a VPN legal in Hong Kong?

Yes. VPNs are fully legal in Hong Kong. The territory's legal status is currently distinct from mainland China for most internet regulations.

Should I be worried about surveillance in Hong Kong?

Compared to pre-2020, yes — the National Security Law gives authorities broad powers to compel telecom cooperation. For sensitive use (journalism, activism), assume your ISP traffic is observable. A VPN based in Switzerland or Sweden moves visibility outside Hong Kong jurisdiction.

Answers

VPN questions, answered.

VPN Questions Answered

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