8 Best (Cheap and 100% Free) VPNs for Asia in 2024

5 Best (Cheap and 100% Free) VPNs for Asia in 2024

There are different reasons why people need a VPN for Asia. Besides the increasing prevalent internet censorship in the region, people outside Asia don’t have access to some local content due to websites using geo-restriction technology to restrict access. There are also gamers looking to access games unavailable in other continents or early game releases in the continent. 

All the reasons above point to a need for VPN services. For users in Asia who want access to unrestricted internet, a VPN gives them access to servers outside the region that will help circumvent censorship. For users outside Asia who want access to Asian streaming platforms or game servers, a VPN provides servers in Asia with the ability to unblock them.

Furthermore, a VPN makes your network connection more secure and provides features that will enhance your privacy. In this article, we focus in detail on the best VPNs for Asia. 

Below, we dive into the best VPNs for Asia. These VPNs have robust features and are capable of meeting your needs.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN devices

Features

  • Number of servers: More than 3,000
  • Speeds: Unlimited
  • Server locations: 160 in 94 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
Visit ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN’s presence in 25 Asian countries is one reason it’s the best choice for Asia. This VPN has servers in 94 countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, and South Korea. With this VPN, you have remote access to more than 3000 servers. These servers will help you bypass geo-restrictions in Asian countries that prevent you from accessing local content.

Apart from providing quantity, ExpressVPN also provides quality. Its investment in high-grade infrastructure allows its users to enjoy browsing, streaming, torrenting, and downloading with ease. Hence, you can watch Asian shows of the highest video quality and play data-intensive games because of ExpressVPN’s speed.

ExpressVPN offers ultimate protection to your data, especially as your data moves through the VPN tunnel. The encryption protocol it uses has no vulnerability that bad actors can exploit. As a result, security will not be a cause of worry to users. In addition, it uses protocols that offer high security and performance, including Lightway, OpenVPN, and IKEv2.

A Kill Switch and built-in leak protection are significant features that work to prevent data exposure. Furthermore, ExpressVPN placed its headquarters in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands. Thus, it has the leeway to operate an airtight No-Log Policy and keep its servers running without persistent storage.

ExpressVPN offers a monthly subscription plan at $12.95. It also has a 6-month and yearly plan that is significantly cheaper. Its applications are easy to use and cross-platform compatible. Finally, it permits five simultaneous connections and has a 30-day refund policy in place.

  • Pros: Fastest VPN out there; Strict no logs policy; 256-bit AES encryption;
  • Lowest price: $6.67

NordVPN

NordVPN devices

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
Visit NordVPN

NordVPN is another respected VPN service provider with a large following. It is present in 13 Asian countries as it has more than 500 servers spread across them. India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia are some countries in Asia it is present in. Globally, its server count surpasses that of ExpressVPN as it has more than 5400 servers.

It has specialty servers optimised for activities such as streaming and P2P file-sharing. As a result, it supports downloading torrent files or any activity that utilises P2P technology. Users in Asia who seek obfuscation will be happy to know that it has servers optimised for that purpose. Presently, NordVPN is the king of performance as its NordLynx protocol surpasses others.

Apart from NordLynx, its users can use either OpenVPN or IKEv2/IPSec. These protocols are a brilliant combination of performance and security. At the same time, NordVPN uses an encryption cipher with no known vulnerability—AES-256. Also included in its security perimeter is a Kill Switch, Double VPN servers, Tor over VPN, CyberSec (ad and malware blocker), and Split Tunneling.

Unlike VPNs that claim to keep logs and do not, NordVPN invited PwC twice to confirm that its No-Log Policy is not a ruse. Furthermore, its headquarters is in Panama, where there is no risk of the government making it mandatory to keep users’ connection logs.

NordVPN is available on various operating systems and has browser extensions for Firefox and Chrome. In addition, it has huge discounts on its lengthy subscription plans and allows only six concurrent connections.

  • Pros: Lots of pricing options; Netflix support kept up to date; 256-bit AES encryption;
  • Lowest price: $3.71

Surfshark

Surfshark devices

Features

  • Free trial? Yes
  • Simultaneous connections: Unlimited
  • Ad blocking? Yes
  • Servers: 1000+ in 61 countries

Pros/Cons

  • No footprints
  • Allows torrenting
  • 256-bit AES encryption
  • Not the fastest
Try Surfshark

Surfshark’s server network comprises over 3000 servers. This VPN service provider has spent less than four years in the VPN industry and has already grown to be respected by the VPN community. Its presence in 65 countries is important for people that want a variety of options. Plus, it is present in about 15 Asian countries, with servers that can unblock geo-blocked content in the region.

While Surfshark does not have P2P optimised servers, all its servers support torrenting, except those in countries that have banned it. In addition, you can stream your favorite Asian shows without lags or buffering as it offers high-speed connections. However, what matters is your connection rate before using the VPN.

Like most premium VPNs, Surfshark utilises only protocols with little or no security issues, including OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2. Also, it combines them with the standard AES-256 encryption cipher. Furthermore, it includes Double VPN, a Kill Switch, Camouflage Mode, and Clean Web as part of its security.

Surfshark understands that being in a privacy-friendly country is a necessity to avoid infractions with the government. As a result, it has its headquarters in the British Virgin Islands, which has no affiliation with surveillance-sharing governments. It also has a warrant canary and keeps no connection logs.

Its two-year plan is one of the cheapest subscription packages available. You are also guaranteed a refund if you request it within 30 days of subscription. Plus, Surfshark is available on various operating systems and allows unlimited simultaneous connections.

  • Pros: No footprints; Allows torrenting; 256-bit AES encryption;
  • Lowest Price: $2.49

PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN devices

Features

  • Killswitch Yes
  • iOS App Yes
  • Data logging No

Pros/Cons

  • Servers in 63 countries
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 2048-bit Encryption With AES-256
  • App can seem complicated
Visit PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN is a VPN service with a small reliable server network. Its server fleet comprises more than a hundred servers resident in 60 countries. About 10 Asian countries represent the Asian region as it has dedicated servers in those countries. Despite its small network, PrivateVPN supports streaming. As a result, it has servers that work exceptionally well unblocking geo-blocked Asian websites.

This VPN delivers when it comes to speed and reliability. However, because of its small network, don’t be surprised if you experience network bottlenecks. Also, distance is another important factor that can influence speed. Therefore, you will more likely have a better experience with servers closer to you.

PrivateVPN uses built-in leak protection and a kill switch to ensure no mishaps lead to data leaks. It also uses AES-256 encryption combined with secure protocols (OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec) to deliver data to its destination safely. With these security features in place, malicious entities will stay away.

This VPN service provider is Sweden-based and operates under a watertight No-Log Policy. Presently, Sweden is part of the 14 Eyes Alliance, which means the Swedish government requesting users’ data is not out of place. However, since PrivateVPN only stores user login details (in an encrypted format), there is no cause for concern.

You can use PrivateVPN on many operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, and macOS. In addition, you cannot have more than six simultaneous connections per user account. PrivateVPN has heavy discounts on its longer plans and a 30-day refund policy on all plans.

  • Pros: Servers in 63 countries; 30-day money-back guarantee; 2048-bit Encryption With AES-256;
  • Lowest price: €2.04

CyberGhost

CyberGhost devices

Features

  • Connected devices at once: 7
  • Automatic kill switch? Yes
  • One click connect: Yes
  • Servers: 5900 worldwide

Pros/Cons

  • No logs policy
  • 24/7 live chat
  • Apps for mobile devices and routers
  • No free option
Try CyberGhost

CyberGhost is present in 26 Asian countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, Iran, Indonesia, South Korea, and Taiwan. It has a collection of over 500 servers spread across Asia. Its global server collection amounts to over 6800 servers resident in 89 countries.

This VPN assures its users of secure torrenting, as it has P2P-optimized servers that make your torrenting experience less stressful. You can also stream without hassle as its servers are solid enough to unblock geo-blocked Asian content. They are also fast enough to give you access to quality streams with little or no interruptions.

As has been the case with top VPNs, CyberGhost uses only VPN protocols that offer a balance between security and performance, which is why it uses OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2. In addition, it provides Wi-Fi protection, built-in leak protection, Tor over VPN, 256-bit encryption, ad protection, and random port connections.

CyberGhost is Romania-based, which means it can legally maintain a No-Log Policy without government interference. Romania is not a member of any surveillance-sharing treaties and does not share data with countries in such treaties. In addition, it has a cryptocurrency payment option for customers that need to stay anonymous.

You can take advantage of its three-year plan if you want to use CyberGhost for an extended period, as it has discounts that make it a bargain. In addition, CyberGhost is cross-platform compatible and allows seven concurrent connections. Its applications are easy to use, and its support team is always available.

  • Pros: No logs policy; 24/7 live chat; Apps for mobile devices and routers;
  • Lowest price: €2

Can I Use a Free VPN for Asia?

There are some reputable free VPN services that you can use, but they have their limitations. The main issue with free VPNs is that the disadvantages of using them outweigh the advantages. While they will cost you nothing in terms of money, they might cost you your privacy and security. 

Firstly, most free VPNs give you access to a small server network. For example, ProtonVPN’s free subscription plan only gives you access to servers in 3 out of 55 countries. Secondly, most free VPNs have data, bandwidth, and speed limits. It might not be a problem if you just want to surf the internet. On the other hand, you will discover that data, bandwidth, and speed caps can be a significant problem if you constantly do data-intensive tasks online. 

Finally, running a VPN service costs money, and free VPNs do not make revenue because users are not paying for their service. The only other way to make revenue is by allowing companies to advertise on their applications. In addition, they can track you online and sell your data to the highest bidder. Furthermore, they might not offer robust security features, unlike paid VPNs, and can leave you vulnerable to attacks. In conclusion, we do not encourage using free VPNs. 

Conclusion

It doesn’t matter why you need a VPN for Asia; as long as you’re using any VPN in this article, you’re less likely to have any issues. ExpressVPN is the best VPN service provider at the moment, but if you cannot afford it, there are other excellent budget-friendly VPN services you can use.