This VPN method work to unblock everything including Skype, dating sites (and apps like Tinder and Grindr) and every porn site. It works for all Desktop PCs, Macs, iPhone and Android devices.
You are only three weeks away from your annual vacation and still haven’t planned what tourist destination you will be visiting this year with your wife and children. You begin to browse for top tourist destination spots and see Dubai pop up. Based on what you have read, visiting the observatory deck of Burj Khalifa located on the 124th level of the building seems like the perfect destination. According to the Arabian Post, in 2013, a record of 1.87 million visited the massive Burj Khalifa.
However, just before you pay for a vacation package, you may be surprised to find out that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has censorship on the Internet.
Yes, that essentially means that you will not be allowed to Whatsapp or Skype your loved ones. Neither will you be able to watch your Netflix favourite ‘Breaking Bad’ or even ‘The Game of Thrones’.
However, many users use a VPN to overcome this content blocking, an action that currently resides in an uncertain grey area in the country. Because of this, VPNs are highly popular.
Keep reading to learn about the best VPNs in the United Arab Emirates.
Best 5 VPNs for UAE that are working in 2020
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has made it to the number 1 choice on the list for best VPNs in Dubai and the UAE. Do not worry about any traceability of the content you viewed online as the company does not store information relating to what users are browsing when connected.
This VPN provider utilizes AES-256 encryption, which is known to be most renowned encryption methods and particularly used widely by several governments, for example, the US government and army. ExpressVPN utilizes DNS protection and a kill switch to ensure service doesn’t fail.
ExpressVPN possesses the biggest number of servers, which operate within 94 countries. Furthermore, this VPN uses its own, confidential system to conceal the fact that you’re using a VPN. ExpressVPN allows you to stream videos even from the main geo-restricted services including BBC iPlayer, Netflix, HBO GO and VoIP services such as Skype, IMO and FaceTime. ExpressVPN apps are offered for iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and some WiFi routers.
2. VyprVPN
VyprVPN is a provider based out of Switzerland that owns and runs its global network of servers. VyprVPN is different than other provides in that it essentially rents servers from third-party data centers. This allows VyprVPN with more control over their users’ privacy, which is secured with solid encryption.
In the UAE and China, VyprVPN is experienced at escaping censorship. To provide improved services to its customers, it collaborates with VoIP services including FaceTime and Skype and other streaming services such as US Netflix. In case you encounter any issues, there is live chat support offered 24 hours a day 7 times a week. Apps are available for MacOS, Android and Windows. Using a single account, you are able to connect five devices using VyprVPN.
3. Surfshark
Surfshark is a premium VPN service which provides AES-256 encryption and a stringent no log policy, and has a vast number of servers.
Remarkably, this service provides you with zero-knowledge DNS for each service which essentially means that your information will not be saved on any server you’re connected to. Additionally, this service offers a kill switch, a double VPN chaining plus numerous numbers of servers and server locations.
Surfshark provides the option to utilize one account to connect devices to an unlimited quantity of servers. Apps are offered for Android, Linux, iOS, MacOS, Amazon Fire TV and Windows.
4. PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN is a relatively newer VPN service that offers reliable service similar to its competitors. Other features this service has to offer is 128-bit or 256-bit AES encryption, IPv6 leak and DNS leak protections and a kill switch.
PrivateVPN is an expert with unblocking geo-locked content such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. It’s well ranked in speed tests although it operates on a smaller server network compared to other reputable VPNs.
Using a single account, you are able to connect six devices using PrivateVPN. Apps are offered for MacOS, iOS, Windows and Android.
5. NordVPN
NordVPN is an excellent choice if you are panicky about security. It provides a Tor over VPN option. To surf the internet, Tor is known to be a method that is the safest. By combining its services with Tor, NordVPN is a great option for those seeking a secure and greatly encrypted internet-surfing experience, particularly if they are located within the UAE.
Moreover, NordVPN possesses a DNS leak resolver that prevents DNS leaks and process-specific kill switch in the event service fails, or when any individual application begins to leak data. Although NordVPN does not own its obfuscation method, it supports Obfsproxy. Obfsproxy’s website summarizes the steps to setup this service. The service uses a double VPN feature that increases the encryption twofold, which considerably slows your service. Apps are offered for MacOS, iOS, Windows and Android.
Why is a VPN needed in the UAE?
Using a VPN has many benefits. You will experience more privacy and digital secrecy when you are browsing the internet through your connected devices. Furthermore, with just a mouse click you will be able to change your virtual location. Using a VPN, you are able to access blocked and restricted web content effortlessly.
There are several benefits associated with using a VPN:
- Data Encryption for privacy: Usually information that is transmitted through the Internet is sent in an unformatted format. This information can be seen by anyone, which results in the privacy of the information to be compromised. Using a VPN, all your information is sent randomly and is only readable to you and the VPN that encrypted it.
- Hide your IP address: As soon as you login with a device, your local service provider allocates an IP address to your device. This allows data to be delivered to your computer, but can also be useful in tracking your location. VPNs make it possible to change your local IP address, which makes it difficult to track your computer.
- Prevents monitoring and tracking: One of the issues of using a public IP address to provide information is that tracking user activity is easy. Every click that you make on the Internet is associated with an IP, and this IP can be traced to your location. VPNs come in handy because they provide anonymous IP addresses that are not linked to your location. As a result, large-scale monitoring and tracking becomes a very tedious task due to encryption.
- View videos from other locations: Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, YouTube and other video and TV streaming services frequently regulate content based on where the user is located. If you are located in the US, typically you have greater access to content than other countries. Using a VPN, changing your virtual location is a walk in the park. If you need to view a US Netflix TV show which is blocked, simply login into a new server and enjoy your TV show.
Must-have VPN features in UAE
Attempting to view restricted content and services such as Skype or FaceTime could get you into a whole lot of trouble with the local law enforcement. Therefore, using the right VPN is crucial. It is vital that the VPN you use has certain essential privacy features. These features include the following:
- Strong OpenVPN encryption: Encryption ensures that the content you are accessing is concealed from the ISP and the government.
- Killswitch: Prevents you from disclosing traffic that is unencrypted to your ISP in case your VPN stops functioning. This is critical if you don’t want to mistakenly disclose to your ISP that you are browsing a restricted website.
- Stealth mode: Also referred to as obfuscation. This feature allows you to conceal your encrypted traffic as a normal http website. Obfuscation hides from the ISP that VPN encryption is occurring.
- DNS leak protection: DNS notifies your ISP about what you are up to online, even if VPN encryption is working and you are connected to VPN. It does exactly what the name sounds it – it conceals your browsing history from your ISP.
Free VPN in the UAE
If you are working with a budget you may be relieved to find out that you can get a free VPN to use within the UAE. Not only are these VPNs free but they offer a dependable and trustworthy free plan – however these will come with some stipulations.
Free subscription plans are intended to provide you with limited services of the paid version. Consequently, those free plans are intentionally restricted and may not provide you with the services you require. For instance, free VPNs are not able to support HD video streaming on a consistent basis or video conferences because of data caps and speed limits.
Is it safe to use a free VPN in the UAE?
Definitely not all VPNs are safe to use in the UAE. There exist several free VPNs that store and sell user data, monitor users and even have spyware in their apps. Surprisingly, there are even some free VPNs that are scrutinized by the government and are intended to trace UAE users. So, please be cautious.
Even with the several risks associated with free VPNs, they offer very limited services. Typically, at best they offer basic service. This essentially implies that you will be missing out on key VPN features for UAE that have been listed in this article.
It would be ideal if you subscribed to a premium VPN that offers money back guarantee. This will essentially permit you to try a complete VPN with all the necessary privacy and security features for 30 days approximately.
An alternative would be to subscribe to a premium VPN for an extended period of time which will bring the cost down.
How to get ExpressVPN for free!
Now you can subscribe to ExpressVPN’s free service which has all the required features listed above… for free!
If you are frustrated that free VPNs are not offering all the features that hide the content you browse on the internet, you should definitely try out ExpressVPN’s premium service. Simply click here for the subscription and benefit from the 30 day money back guarantee policy. You will be able to enjoy the service for up to 30 days and if you happen to cancel before then you will get a full refund – no questions asked.
Is using a VPN illegal in the UAE?
In the UAE, only some VPNs have been previously approved by their respective government can be used. However, you should complete adequate research prior to using your VPN.
UAE’s content and VPN laws
As you might already know, there exists Internet censorship that is managed by UAE’s government authorities. Many VoIP services and information sites are blocked, including: (1) WhatsApp; (2) Skype; (3) Many Wikipedia pages; (4) Specific content on Facebook and YouTube. Moreover, UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) shares that any content that is in “conflict with the ethics and moral standards of the United Arab Emirates” is blocked. This includes the following:
- Pornographic content
- Betting Content
- Several Wikipedia pages
- Israeli Websites
- Content specific to the distribution, purchase or production of drugs
- Content relating anti-religious hate speech
Surprisingly, TRA is quite transparent regarding which sites are blocked and why.
Streaming online in Dubai and the UAE
Netflix was launched in the UAE during the first half of 2016 and is not restricted in UAE. There exists close to 300 TV shows and just below 1,000 movies that are available for streaming within the country through Netflix. This is approximately 30% of the content that is available in the US through Netflix. There exists a major population of Netflix users that use VPNs to view restricted Netflix content.
In the same way, many people in the UAE use VPN services in order to view Amazon Instant Videos. All of Amazon’s services are not blocked in the UAE, besides video services. However, these video services are available under a VPN. However, they do not fall into the category of “illegal content” according to the country’s latest revised VPN laws.
The government is not concerned with users who are using a VPN to access Hulu, Amazon Prime Instant Videos, Netflix or BBC iPlayer, but more specifically, when they use it for serious crimes.
Tip: Get a VPN before your arrival in the UAE
Because VPN websites are within the legal gray area as far as law is concerned within the UAE, accessing them in order to get a VPN service can result in you becoming a monitoring target, even though you don’t plan to use it for illegal purposes. Therefore, it would be best if you downloaded VPN services you need before entering the UAE.
Even though downloading a VPN within the UAE might sound like a tedious task, it will surely ensure that you are able to access restricted content and not get tracked and noticed by the UAE government. Surely, you do not want to run the risk of ruining a a perfect family vacation. So don’t double think downloading a VPN service listed above.
