Best Free VPN for Indonesia (for Indonesian IP address) in 2024
Indonesia’s internet is at best described as partly free. As a result, a lot of citizens have access to tons of content on the internet. However, the authorities maintain a hard stance on pornography or LGBT-related content. Hence, sites that offer any of those are routinely banned. Sites that have come under scrutiny in the past include Reddit, Vimeo, and Netflix.
You need a VPN if you live in Indonesia or plan on traveling to that location. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates a private tunnel for your traffic to pass through. You can also obtain a new IP address using a VPN. Hence, you can effectively hide the fact that you are connecting to any site from Indonesia, this way, you can connect to restricted websites.
The majority of VPN services require a subscription. However, there is a select group that offers its services for free. We consider the latter group in this article.
Top Recommended Risk-free VPN Services
Before getting to the completely free providers, here are two risk-free ones to consider. Risk-free providers offer a money-back guarantee. You will get to pay for a plan before you are eligible to use the risk-free window. However, you can cancel your subscription and request a refund if you do so within the money-back window. We prefer this sort of arrangement because you access excellent VPN services within the window period. In addition, since you get a refund, you will potentially be using the service for free.
ExpressVPN
Features
- Number of servers: More than 3,000
- Speeds: Unlimited
- Server locations: 160 in 105 countries
- Maximum devices supported: 5
- 24 live chat: Yes
- 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
Pros/Cons
- Fastest VPN out there
- Strict no logs policy
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Few discounts
ExpressVPN is our first recommendation of risk-free VPN services for Indonesia. This provider has maintained its place as the go-to provider by ensuring users have access to only the best features on the service. While there is no free plan on this service, there is a reliable money-back window. This 30-day grace period allows you to use the VPN and request a refund, no questions asked.
ExpressVPN has servers both in Indonesia and numerous other countries globally. At the moment, it has a little over 3000 servers in 94 countries and 120 locations. Thus, you can connect to the Indonesian servers if you need to access Indonesia-specific content. On the other hand, you can also connect to servers in other locations to avoid the blocks imposed by the Indonesian authorities.
This provider’s speed and unblocking abilities are unrivalled. You get access to websites and download or stream content without lags and buffering. Similarly, this provider unblocks geo-restricted sites with ease. Hence, it can unblock Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and many others.
You get excellent security when you use this provider. It uses the industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption model to secure its servers. It also supports other security protocols, including OpenVPN and Lightway. ExpressVPN maintains a reliable no-log policy. It has its headquarters in the British Virgin Islands. The location is privacy-friendly. Hence, there is no chance of your privacy being compromised when you use the service.
- Pros: Fastest VPN out there; Strict no logs policy; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest price: $6.67
NordVPN
Features
- Cryptocurrency accepted? Yes
- Simultaneous connections: 6
- Dedicated IP-addresses? Yes
- Servers: 5342 in 58 countries
Pros/Cons
- Lots of pricing options
- Netflix support kept up to date
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Slow app
NordVPN is another powerful VPN service that has outstanding features, just like ExpressVPN. It has been in the industry for over a decade. Within this period, its effectiveness and commitment to excellent service have not waned. Unfortunately, this provider does not have a free plan. However, it employs a reliable 30-day money-back guarantee window.
This provider has more than 5000 servers in 60 countries. Three of these servers are stationed in Indonesia. Thus, you can connect to any of the Indonesian servers to prevent surveillance from the authorities. Similarly, you can connect to servers in various other locations to access content restricted in the country. These servers are swift, delivering content seamlessly and without any buffering.
NordVPN is also great in terms of security. The provider uses the AES 256-bit encryption model to secure its servers. It also has an automatic kill switch that comes on if the VPN’s connection momentarily falters. In addition, you find other features such as CyberSec that filter out malware, obfuscated VPN servers, dedicated IP addresses, and several others.
You will find VPN apps compatible with whatever device you own. NordVPN even has extensions for Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Edge browsers. You will be able to connect six (6) devices to one account even during the money-back window. This money-back window is reliable. As long as you request a refund, you will get it, no questions asked.
- Pros: Lots of pricing options; Netflix support kept up to date; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest price: $3.71
Free VPN Services for Indonesia
The truth is that free VPNs do not typically offer excellent services. Hence, we strongly advise that you use them only if you have to and there’s no other alternative. Why is this so?
Firstly, free VPNs often lack the features you need for an acceptable VPN experience. For example, these providers often lack excellent server networks, great security infrastructure, or dedicated service personnel. Hence, you may be unable to stream content because of the data caps most employ. Furthermore, the limited server options also mean that you may not always connect to your desired regions.
Furthermore, free providers could even compromise your security. Staying protected at all times is paramount, especially for Indonesia. The authorities are vigilant and easily detect and block IP addresses flouting their content restrictions. Thus, you need a VPN service that will keep you safe and also hide the fact that you are on a VPN service. This keeps you safe from cybercriminals on the one hand and the government on the other.
A risk-free VPN service is a preferable option. These providers have all the features you need for a wonderful VPN experience. In addition, if you are smart with the money-back window, you will pretty much be using the service for free.
Best Free VPNs for Indonesia
Here is a list of completely free VPN services you can check out for Indonesia.
ProtonVPN
Features
- P2P support? Yes
- 30-day money-back guarantee? Yes
- Country of origin? Switzerland
- Servers: 600+ in over 40 countries
- Simultaneous devices: 5
Pros/Cons
- Professional support
- Modern interface and apps
- AES-256 encryption
- Lesser known provider
ProtonVPN has one of the best free VPN services out there. Although primarily a paid service, its free VPN service is so good that you could possibly even forget that it is an unpaid provider. We will discuss the specific features it provides shortly.
This provider has about 1200 servers in 59 countries and counting. However, you access just 3 locations on the free service. These locations are the United States, Japan, and the Netherlands. You can connect to any of the 20+ servers available to avoid the blocks in Indonesia.
You will be glad to know that there is no speed or data limit on ProtonVPN. This is unlike what you will find with other free providers. This means that you get to use the service indefinitely with no fear of exceeding your bandwidth or speed limit.
You further get stellar protection when you use ProtonVPN. This provider secures your network with the AES 256-bit encryption model. In addition, it blocks ads and malware that users routinely experience on free services. It further maintains a reliable no-log policy.
However, you should bear in mind that you can only connect one device to the free account. Furthermore, your internet speed might just be a little slower than normal.
- Pros: Professional support; Modern interface and apps; AES-256 encryption;
- Lowest price: €4
TunnelBear
Features
- Cryptocurrency accepted? Yes, bitcoin
- Dedicated IP-adresses? Yes
- Simultaneous connections: 5
- Locations: 28 countries
Pros/Cons
- Unlimited browsing
- Account manager
- Military grade encryption
- Free version allows only 500MB data
TunnelBear is our last recommendation if you are looking for free VPN services for Indonesia. The provider has three pricing options. The free plan gives you 500MB of data. This is severely limiting. However, you get to access all of TunnelBear’s features when using the free version.
You will find servers in 40+ countries when you use this service. Unfortunately, Indonesia is not one of the countries. However, there are several other locations you can connect to swap out your IP address. Furthermore, TunnelBear’s servers are fast and very reliable. You can surf the internet without buffering.
More so, this provider keeps you secure even on the free service. It uses the standard AES 256-bit encryption method on all of its servers. This encryption pattern prevents third parties from accessing your data and also prevents identity theft. Furthermore, this provider also maintains a reliable no-log policy.
TunnelBear is a mid-tier provider that provides the basic VPN features you need. However, the available data you access can be limiting. Therefore, TunnelBear is best if you are just traveling to Indonesia for a very short visit. Else, you should consider any of the other providers on the list.
- Pros: Unlimited browsing; Account manager; Military grade encryption;
- Lowest price: $3.33
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the government’s attitude towards internet freedom in Indonesia?
Indonesia has no less than 100 million active internet users. However, the authorities go to great lengths to limit the access of these internet subscribers. For instance, the authorities give Internet Service Providers a broad range of powers, including the liberty to block content they consider negative. Such ISPs typically do not obtain a license from the government.
Similarly, the Act on Electronic Information and Transaction enacted in 2008 also affects internet freedom. Several provisions in the legislation are worrying. For instance, section 27 of the Act is worded in such a way that it is possible for the military to arrest anyone suspected of sharing defamatory content. This sort of arbitrary power puts citizens at risk, especially dissidents who may want to lampoon the government.
Is torrenting legal in Indonesia?
Not really. Many governments, and hence ISPs, discourage torrenting and P2P file sharing. This is because torrenting often violates the copyrights of content creators. Hence, in Indonesia, or even anywhere, you should get a VPN if you need an anonymous torrenting experience. The VPN will hide your internet activities. Thus you will not get into any problems with your ISP or the government. However, you should know that most free VPN providers do not offer torrenting services.
Can you watch porn freely in Indonesia?
No. Pornographic content is highly frowned upon in Indonesia. The country is highly conservative and does not take kindly to pornographic content. This position led to the enactment of a law prohibiting pornographic videos in the country. Hence, pornographic websites are banned in the country. Similarly, platforms that are not strictly porn sites but which have pornographic content are blocked. Thus, for instance, you cannot access Reddit from Indonesia. In this sort of situation, getting a VPN is your best bet. A VPN hides your internet activities, allowing you to access restricted content without any qualms from the authorities.
Conclusion
The Indonesian authorities’ attitude towards internet freedom leaves much to be desired. Several websites are inaccessible to those within the country. Furthermore, there is an existing internet law that could spell doom for defaulters. Hence, using a VPN might be your best shot at evading the government’s restrictions. This review has outlined the best VPNs you can use for Indonesia. Along the way, you also pick up some tips and tricks regarding VPN use.