What are the best VPNs for India in 2021?

Are you looking for a cheap, fast and secure way to avoid online surveillance? Perhaps you live abroad and want a VPN to connect to India to unblock content from there or other countries? A VPN can do all of this and more! In this guide, we show you the best VPNs to use in India and why.

These are the best VPNs to connect to India

Here are our top VPNs to connect to India and around the world:

1. 
   ExpressVPN
   
   – The best VPN for India. It has fast servers that unblock US Netflix & other major services & 3 local VPN servers to connect to India.
2. 
   NordVPN
   
   – is a robust VPN with a superb network of servers – 21 VPN servers in India
3. 
   CyberGhost VPN
   
   – A value packed VPN for India that is simple to use on iPhone & Android, plus it has a 45-day moneyback guarantee.
4. 
   Private Internet Access
   
   – A secure VPN for India. It has top of the line privacy features, keeps no logs & its apps are all fully customizable.
5. 
   Surfshark
   
   – A cheap VPN for India. For $2.49 a month, you get fast speeds, unblocking capabilities & fantastic customer support.

Try ExpressVPN our #1 VPN pick for India

See full list & analysis

A VPN for India is a cheap way to escape ISP and government surveillance. With a VPN, citizens can bypass website restrictions, access censored content, and unblock geo-restricted services such as Hulu or the US Netflix library. It also happens to be the best way to gain digital privacy when browsing the internet. 

For a VPN to be considered one of the best for India, it should have all the features you need to gain privacy, security, and online freedom. On top of this, the best services have servers located all over the world, so that you can unblock anything you want from wherever you may be. What’s more, it will also provide IP addresses in India so you can access local services while still making use of the VPN’s encryption.

Now that we have covered exactly what we’re looking for, let’s take a look at the best VPNs we recommend using in India.

The best VPN for India to use in 2021

We recommend using one of the VPNs below in India.

ExpressVPN is the best VPN to use in India. This premium service never fails to offer great speeds and privacy features. Perfect for unblocking in India and around the world.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$6.67 –
  ^$12.95

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Speeds

  • 54.77 Mbps

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

ExpressVPN has made a name for itself by offering a high level of privacy and blisteringly fast speeds. The provider currently has three speedy servers based in India, located in Mumbai and Chennai.

The provider makes its home in the British Virgin Islands, taking it far out of the reach of more restrictive jurisdictions like the US and UK. Express also implements strong OpenVPN encryption in addition to a zero-logs policy, to ensure its users’ digital privacy is protected at all times. You’ll be able to install Express on just about any platform, and the software is easy to use, looks great, and comes fully-featured with a kill-switch and DNS leak protection.

It has servers located in over 94 countries, and all those servers provide fantastic speeds for streaming in HD. ExpressVPN also provides access to many of the most popular streaming services like Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, Disney+, and much more! You can try ExpressVPN completely risk-free thanks to its generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN is a fantastic VPN to use anywhere in the world

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$3.71 –
  ^$11.95

• Servers in India

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Speeds

  • 82.18 Mbps

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

NordVPN is based in Panama and it recently won Best Overall VPN at the VPN Awards in Las Vegas. It is a zero-logs VPN that is perfect for the privacy-conscious and has a large choice of VPN features. NordVPN’s apps come with a kill switch, DNS leak protection, VPN into Tor, double-hop encryption, and XOR obfuscated servers.

NordVPN has 24/7 support and has servers in 60 countries, including 13 in India. Nord can also unblock iPlayer, Netflix US, hulu, and anything else you want. A superb VPN that will keep your data private and secure both at home and on public WiFi. You can also take advantage of the NordVPN 30-day money-back guarantee!

CyberGhost is a great value VPN for India. It’s a pleasure to use on Android, iPhone and of course PC and Mac. It also provides decent speeds and can access US Netflix.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$2.81 –
  ^$13.47

• Servers in India

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Speeds

  • 33.51 Mbps

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

If you’re looking for a provider that balances ease of use with an inexpensive price tag, CyberGhost might be the VPN for you! CyberGhost is a Romanian provider that’s available for all platforms and boasts an expansive network with more than 6,800 servers located across 90 countries. This makes it ideal for unblocking all sorts of content from around the world. CyberGhost has no trouble accessing the most sought-after streaming services, either, including Netflix US and BBC iPlayer. What’s more, CyberGhost’s speedy servers can more than handle HD streaming or P2P activity.

CyberGhost implements strong OpenVPN encryption, and it has a zero-logs policy. That means you can trust it to keep your data secure both at home and while on public WiFi. There is really nothing we don’t like about CyberGhost, and, because it is cheap, it might be the perfect VPN for you. You can test it thanks to its generous 45-day money-back guarantee on subscription plans longer than one month.

Private Internet Access in the best India VPN for privacy on our list. It has an extensive history of providing security for customers & has backed up their zero-logs claim in court.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$2.84 –
  ^$11.00

• Servers in India

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Speeds

  • 32.41 Mbps

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Private Internet Access (known as PIA to its friends) is a veteran of the VPN market. Certain prospective customers may be put off to learn that PIA is based in the US, but the service abides by a staunch no-logs policy that has been proven in a court of law on multiple occasions. Users will also benefit from OpenVPN encryption, and PIA’s client software comes with a ton of excellent customization options that more experienced techies will certainly enjoy. In terms of privacy features, PIA employs DNS protection and offers a kill-switch, meaning you’re safe and sound even if your VPN connection drops.

In terms of servers, PIA is experiencing something of a boom at the moment, with more than 20,000 servers dotted across 76 countries. With plenty of servers in India, too. So, if you want an easy-to-use VPN that can unblock most sites and provide excellent value for money, PIA is a superb option.

Surfshark is a cheap VPN pick for India. Surfshark is new to the VPN world, but the provider has made a big splash with blazing speeds & excellent features.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$2.21 –
  ^$12.95

• Servers in India

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Speeds

  • 61.89 Mbps

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Surfshark VPN has only been around for a few years, but in that short amount of time, it has taken the VPN market by storm with blazing fast speed performance and 1700 servers in over 63 countries. As is to be expected from today’s top VPN providers, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and excellent 24/7 live chat support. What is unusual is that it allows you to connect as many devices as you want to the service at the same time!

Throw in split tunneling so you can choose which apps routes through the VPN and which don’t, a full Smart DNS service, and the fact that Surfshark successfully unlocked every streaming service we threw at it, and you can see why it won our coveted Newcomer Award.

Surfshark is registered in the British Virgin Islands and easily meets our requirements for a no-logs VPN. Technical security is also top-notch, and we appreciate the wealth of extra privacy and security features on offer. These include double-hop VPN, and DNS-based ad blocking and malware protection. 

VyprVPN is a great all-round pick for India. It’s a service with good speeds & strong levels of privacy. It even runs its own network of servers.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$1.66 –
  ^$12.95

• Servers in India

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • iPlayer
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Speeds

  • 30.41 Mbps

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

VyprVPN is a provider based in Switzerland that implements a strong zero-logs policy. It is a service that has apps for all platforms that provide strong OpenVPN encryption and useful privacy features such as a kill-switch and advanced obfuscation (stealth mode). This ensures that your ISP and local network administrators are never able to track your web browsing habits. For those who require an IP address in India, VyprVPN has a nice choice of servers.

With servers in more than 70 countries, you’ll be able to unblock virtually any content, site, or streaming service out there! This includes the sought-after Netflix US and BBC iPlayer sites. Additionally, VyprVPN runs on a fast Tier-1 network of proprietary servers that are all owned by its parent company, Golden Frog. This means that VyprVPN can provide lightning-fast connections that make streaming, P2P activity, and conference calls a breeze – no buffering or sluggish loading times in sight. All in all, this provider is a great all-rounder, and well worth testing using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

IPVanish offers great value for money if you want a VPN to use in India. With this service you get a good levels of privacy with strong OpenVPN implementation and some excellent features.

• Pricing

  From 
  
  ^$6.49 –
  ^$10.00

• Servers in India

• Unblocks

  • Netflix
  • Amazon Prime
  • Hulu

• Speeds

  • 47.30 Mbps

• Available for

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux

IPVanish is a US-based VPN service that provides tremendous value for your money – especially considering that it offers unlimited simultaneous connections on a single subscription. It has all the features you would need in a VPN for India including a kill-switch, DNS leak protection, and XOR obfuscated servers. This VPN owns the majority of its server network; which is why it can provide fast connection speeds and excellent security.

Unfortunately, however, this VPN does not provide access to Netflix US. The VPN software is available for all platforms, and this VPN for India has great customer support. Finally, this VPN implements OpenVPN encryption and has a zero-logs policy. You can trial the service risk-free using its 7-day money-back guarantee.

What is the fastest VPN to use in India?

Whether you’re a gamer or an avid streamer, fast VPN servers are going to be one of your primary concerns when picking a VPN. In order to provide a glimpse of the speeds you can expect from our recommended providers, we run tests on them three times a day – and you’ll find an average of the results in the table below.

Check out our speed testing tool for more information about how we test VPN speeds.

Will a VPN improve my speeds?

No, but this is a pretty common misconception. A VPN has to encrypt and decrypt all of your traffic, and as a result, you’ll actually experience a loss of speed when connected to a server. A VPN should only ever have a minor impact on the speeds currently provided by your ISP, however. What’s more, the providers we’ve highlighted in this guide are all quick enough to minimize this impact to the point where you won’t notice it at all!

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Why do I need a VPN in India?

In India, technology and surveillance go hand in hand. India has one of the most invasive biometric databases in the world: the Aadhaar card system. Around 90% of Indian citizens are enrolled in Aadhaar, which forces people to give up their biometric data. The data citizens must hand over to the government includes photographs, fingerprints, and iris scans. Furthermore, it is common for Indian ISPs and the government to snoop on citizens online.

On top of all this, many websites are blocked in India for religious or political reasons, and local network administrators such as schools, workplaces, landlords, and public WiFi hotspots can snoop on internet users.

How does a VPN help?

A VPN encrypts all your internet traffic. This stops your ISP and other entities from tracking your web browsing habits. It also stops your ISP from retaining your web history and metadata on behalf of the government.

By using a VPN for India, your IP address will be concealed from the sites you visit, meaning they won’t be able to track you. In addition, by geo-spoofing your IP address you can pretend to be in a different country – which lets you bypass local censorship or access foreign content like PornHub, BBC iPlayer, or Netflix US.

What can I use a VPN for in India for?

A VPN is a versatile tool that allows you to gain online freedom, secure your data, and unblock thousands of geo-restricted websites. Here is a list of some of the most useful things an India VPN can do for you:

What makes a VPN good to use in India?

There are a number of important factors to consider when choosing a VPN for India. We’ve listed some of the most important ones below:

• Where the VPNs servers are located. The VPN must offer servers in and around India, as well as key locations around the world, such as the US.
• How fast the VPN is. The faster the VPN, the more capable it is for activities like gaming online and streaming content in HD without buffering.
• The Privacy and security features offered. We prefer VPNs that have a no-logging policy and additional features like a kill switch to help keep you secure.
• The standard of encryption used. OpenVPN is the gold standard of VPN encryption, and we make sure all our recommendations offer it.
• The devices supported by the VPN. We make sure that all of your devices can be covered by one VPN subscription, by checking out the service’s mobile apps as well as the desktop clients. A good provider will also offer simultaneous connections.
• The level of customer service offered. A good level of aftercare service can make all the difference, particularly when it comes to unblocking.
• Is the VPN good value for money? We always take price into account with our picks. There are some cheap and more expensive picks on the list, but they all provide value for money.

VPN servers in India

Given the population density of India, it is often one of the key locations that many of the better providers choose to situate their VPN servers. However, the same cannot be said for smaller, less capable, providers. As such, if you want a VPN to connect to India, you will want to stick with our list of recommended VPNs, or do your research to ensure that your chosen provider can offer VPN servers in India.

VPN server locations in India

In India, specific regional content can only be unblocked by connecting to VPN servers in specific regions of India – so server location can be very important! You’ll want a VPN that has servers in the places you need them to be, and, as luck would have it, all of our top picks have servers in India!

Picking a server

Picking the right server is essential for getting the best out of your VPN. If you want to unblock content that is exclusive to a specific region, then your choice of servers can become limited to ones based in that location. However, if you just want a VPN to connect to India, then we recommend you pick a server that isn’t overloaded with other users and is geographically located closest to you.

For example, if you are connecting from Europe, you will want to pick a server in Mumbai or New Delhi, rather than Kolkata on the other site of the country. Fortunately, many VPN clients can make server recommendations for you based on speed, location and server load.

If you would like to learn more about using your VPN to connect to India from abroad, check out our How to get an Indian IP address guide.

Can I get a free VPN for India?

Yes, but be careful!

Free VPNs do exist, but the vast majority of them are dangerous services that you are much better off avoiding completely. Free services will typically make money by collecting and selling their users’ data. Obviously, this is the exact opposite of what a VPN is supposed to do. A VPN should enhance your privacy; if a service is collecting user data and selling it off to the highest bidder, then it’s a terrible service!

A lot of free services use data to serve ads or will sell your data to marketing firms to create a revenue stream. On top of this, some free services have been caught red-handed lying about the encryption they provide, and some are even flat-out scams that are filled with nasty spyware.

The good news is that there are some trustworthy, free VPN services on the market. These VPN providers offer a limited and free service that allows customers to shore up their privacy and freedom during emergencies, or put security features to the test.

The best free VPN for India: HotSpot Shield (free)

If you are set on using a free VPN, we recommend trying HotSpot Shield free
. It features on our best free VPN list and offers free local servers to connect to India and a large network outside of India. Unfortunately, the data cap on the free plan is a bit low at only 500MB per day. So, if you are looking to stream or game online with your VPN, you’re going to have to consider a premium option.

Remember, any reliable free service is going to be pretty limited, even if its privacy measures are robust. The provider wants you to pay for the full subscription, ultimately. These free services are a great way of checking out what a VPN can do, however. To get access to a VPN with all the features and none of the restrictions, we’d advise that you take advantage of a VPNs free trial or money-back guarantee.

VPNs for online gaming in India

In 2021, there was a reported 365 million online gamers recorded in India. Whether you are playing PUBG on your phone, Fortnite on a console, or CSGO on a PC, a VPN can help you broaden your online horizons, play against the best of the best from other countries, or even snag a bargain on Steam or other online gaming storefronts.

Optimise your VPNs online gaming performance

We all know that when gaming online, speed is everything. So, you will need a top of the line VPN that can keep up with the competition. Fortunately, all our VPN recommendations are more than capable of supporting online gameplay, if you set them up correctly.

To get the best performance out of your VPN, we recommend following the advice outlined above in the VPN servers in India section. But, to boil it down to its key points, you should:

• Connect to the closest server to you geographically
• Make sure the server you pick isn’t overloaded with other VPN users
• Privacy isn’t a key concern for gaming online, so play around with encryption settings. Less rigid encryptions can often be slightly faster.
• Trial and error. If one server is slow, connect to another to see if your speeds improve.

For more information about using a VPN for this purpose, check out our VPN for gaming guide.

Bargain hunting with your VPN

That’s right, it is possible to use your VPN to connect to Steam and other online stores around the globe to get cheaper prices on the games you play. The price you pay for a particular title will vary from country to country so you will need to shop around, but we have heard reports that many online gamers use their VPN to connect to Argentina for lower priced games.

For more information on getting the most out of your VPN for online gaming, check out the guides below:

VPNs for safe torrenting in India

Torrenting is an incredibly popular way to get your hands on the latest media releases – whether they’re films, TV shows, music from your favorite band, or even games. It won’t cost you a penny – and so it’s not exactly legal. As a result, in India, more people than ever are turning to VPNs to help protect their identity when torrenting.

Each time you connect to your favorite torrenting site, like ThePirateBay, MovieRulz or Tamilrockers, you run the risk of your IP address being leaked to other users and copyright holders around the world. This can lead to cease and desist letters, expensive fines, or even jail time. 

A VPN can help protect against this by providing you encryption for your connection and masking your IP. This means that your ISP cannot tell what you’re doing, because all your traffic is encrypted until it reaches you. It also means when you connect to a P2P site, your fellow peers and copyright holders will only see the IP address of the VPN server, making it hard to trace what you are doing online back to you.

If you partake in torrenting, we strongly recommend you make the minor investment into a VPN to avoid any legal issues down the line. If you would like to know more about torrenting with a VPN and staying safe, check out the guide below:

Proxy services or VPNs?

It is possible to use Proxy websites and browser extensions to bypass website restrictions and censorship in India. Unfortunately, many popular services now implement proxy blocks – meaning that few proxies actually work.

Another great option for unblocking content is by using Smart DNS. Many popular VPN services such as ExpressVPN
, now throw in a smart DNS service for free, which means that you get both a VPN and Smart DNS as part of your subscription.

No matter whether you use Smart DNS or a proxy extension, it is worth noting that neither of them is as secure as a VPN. This is because a VPN provides strong encryption inside a VPN tunnel, to stop your ISP tracking your browsing habits. In order to unblock content and gain digital privacy, a VPN is always going to be the best option.

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Are VPNs illegal in India?

Simply put, no. Having and using a VPN is perfectly legal, and many businesses, inside and out of India, use them. However, what you get up to while using a VPN can certainly break the law or get you in trouble – accessing restricted content, for example.

The Indian government has taken to blocking certain popular websites, and at one point even the Google Play Store, in an attempt to make it harder for people to gain access to VPNs and circumvent state-imposed content blocks.

The good news is that VPNs in this guide all provide watertight privacy features so that you can do what you want without fear of being monitored.

A change in regulations – 2021

In November 2021, the Indian Government relaxed its tech regulations and allowed businesses to run their own VPN services.

Previously, companies in India were not able to use VPNs that were not expressly provided by Telecos – or make international calls via a VPN. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the government to relent, however, and now the Indian Department of Telecom (DoT) has moved to relax these guidelines, making it much easier for people to work remotely from home. The DoT previously relaxed the guidelines in March and April 2021, but it was a temporary measure – the recent relaxation of regulations is permanent.

Dropping these regulations is expected to take the pressure off of India’s IT enabled Services (ITeS) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Members of Indian Industry associations relayed to the Government that the regulations were harmful to the IT sector, and felt outdated considering the actions being taken by other nations to facilitate safe working during the pandemic.

VPNs to avoid

We’ve been careful to only include the best of the best when picking out our top VPNs for use in India. For this reason, we’d recommend sticking to them – especially if you’re worried about accidentally picking a dodgy provider.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a free VPN, follow the link to check out some secure options. The article also points out which free VPNs you should avoid at all costs – if you value your online privacy!

If you’re in need of a completely unrestricted VPN with no limitations and unlimited downloads, but you’re strapped for cash, we’d recommend that you take a gander at the world’s best cheap VPNs. These lists will be a huge help to anyone deciding on a secure and trustworthy service.

However, to help rule out some of the more malicious options, we’ve listed the VPNs that are known to be dodgy. Don’t give these providers a second glance!

FAQs

Conclusion

Now that we have covered all you need to know, let’s review our top picks:

1. 
   ExpressVPN
   
   – The best VPN for India. It has fast servers that unblock US Netflix & other major services & 3 local VPN servers to connect to India.
2. 
   NordVPN
   
   – is a robust VPN with a superb network of servers – 21 VPN servers in India
3. 
   CyberGhost VPN
   
   – A value packed VPN for India that is simple to use on iPhone & Android, plus it has a 45-day moneyback guarantee.
4. 
   Private Internet Access
   
   – A secure VPN for India. It has top of the line privacy features, keeps no logs & its apps are all fully customizable.
5. 
   Surfshark
   
   – A cheap VPN for India. For $2.49 a month, you get fast speeds, unblocking capabilities & fantastic customer support.