Best VPN for India: Check Out These 5 Providers!

A few years back, India was a fast-developing tech hub with excessive internet freedom and very little surveillance. However, with the new legislation, the country entered an alarming state in which the ISPs and big corporations are obligated to hand out user-related information to the authorities.

Even worse is the fact that censorship is on the rise. With so many blocked websites that sometimes include popular social media services, India isn’t a country with the best internet experience. Besides, this is a country with a very high percentage of security breaches, making things much more serious.

However, the good news is that these issues can be fixed with the best VPN for India in 2024. A VPN will encrypt your connection and make it untraceable by your ISP or big corporations, which results in privacy and security that’s much-needed in the country.

In addition, a VPN for India will change your IP address, which makes it easy to bypass censorship or circumvent geo-restrictions on sites like Netflix, Hulu, or BBC iPlayer. Finding a good VPN for India isn’t easy, though, but we made everything a lot simpler for you – please keep reading.

Best VPN for India: Our Top 5 Favorite Services

In 2024, Indian authorities passed on a new law where ALL providers are required to collect user information for at least 5 years. This worried many providers who decided to eliminate their servers from the country in a bid to preserve their users’ privacy.

However, the goal of this article is to give you providers that will be useful for people living in AND out of the country. In other words, I want to give you the providers that can still give you an Indian IP address among all other IPs from different countries.

That said, the list will give you exactly that, as most providers will have Indian VPN servers.

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for India in 2024. Although it removed its servers from this country recently, it came back with virtual servers in the UK and Singapore. Virtual servers aren’t located in India physically, as you learned, but they’re still capable of giving you an Indian IP.

Even better is that ExpressVPN offers servers in 160 locations worldwide, allowing you to use its VPN both in and out of the country. This provider built its reputation on strong security which many people have in mind when thinking about it.

ExpressVPN packs 256-bit AES encryption coupled with an automatic kill switch, Lightway VPN protocol, and IP/DNS leak protection. We found no leaks while using this provider indeed, as it’s pretty consistent in keeping things safe and secure.

Adding to that is a no-logging policy, which means that it’ll never store any user information. Additionally, ExpressVPN is the fastest provider for streaming, torrenting, and general browsing. It can unblock Hotstar and Voot abroad thanks to super-fast Indian servers.

While in India, you can use servers in Western countries to watch BBC iPlayer, Netflix US, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, and many other platforms. This is quite easy thanks to ExpressVPN’s intuitive apps for all platforms, including Firestick TV, Windows, and even gaming consoles.

The VPN provider comes with 5 simultaneous connections and 24/7 live chat support that’s the best in the business. This provider might not be the most affordable at first, but believe me – it has no downsides in terms of performance, security, and streaming capabilities.

On top of that, you can make it affordable by getting its 49% discount for the annual plan, where ExpressVPN gives you 3 FREE months. And if you count in its 30-day money-back guarantee with no conditions, you can see that it’s actually a hell of a deal.

Now go ahead, click on the button below, and get the cheapest deal currently available on the best VPN service for India.

Get ExpressVPN Now

Pros

• 2 virtual server locations in India
• AES-256 encryption
• Stores no logs of your browsing activities
• Works with Hotstar and Netflix
• Offers 3 free months on top of the annual plan
• Lightway VPN protocol grants the fastest speeds

Con

• Prices could be more affordable

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2. CyberGhost

People who live in India will most likely prefer CyberGhost due to its cheap prices and insane value for the money. This provider has 29 virtual servers in Mumbai, along with 9,100+ servers in 91 countries around the globe, making it far more versatile.

CyberGhost is known for its dedicated streaming and torrenting servers, too. Torrenting servers are here for safe P2P activities while streaming servers let you unblock a myriad of streaming services. Some of them include Hotstar, Disney+, Netflix India, Prime Video, and a bunch of other platforms.

Despite being an affordable provider, don’t expect it to lack security or privacy. It does have a no-logging policy and transparency reports that further add to the overall level of trustworthiness. The security features are awesome as well!

CyberGhost comes with bank-grade encryption and a kill switch that works flawlessly. I also like its IPv6 leak protection and an ad-blocker that will eliminate ads and pop-ups and make the browsing experience faster and smoother.

While slower than ExpressVPN, CyberGhost is still plenty fast for downloading or streaming. Plus, it offers NoSpy servers managed by the company itself, which is great for enhancing your privacy in India. Compared to ExpressVPN, it also gives you 7 simultaneous connections.

Of course, its device compatibility is impressive, as CyberGhost works on Windows, iOS, macOS, Linux, and Android among many other platforms. However, we found its desktop app a bit cluttered and not the most intuitive when tweaking various settings.

On the good side, the provider offers 24/7 support in 3 languages and the ability to purchase a cheap dedicated IP. Speaking of the word “cheap”, I should mention its 2-year plan that breaks the limits of affordability and makes CyberGhost extremely inexpensive.

Its 45-day money-back guarantee is also impressive and combined with cheap prices, it makes CyberGhost stand out as the best affordable VPN provider.

Use CyberGhost VPN in India

Pros

• Dozens of virtual Indian servers
• No-logs policy with transparency reports
• Includes an automatic kill switch
• Ad-blocker works well
• Extremely cheap 3-year plan with a 45-day money-back guarantee

Con

• Cluttered Windows app

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3. NordVPN

NordVPN is the best VPN for India that doesn’t actually have servers in this country. This is the only provider on the list with no Indian VPN servers, so it’s great only for people living on Indian soil. However, don’t underestimate it because it has a LOT to offer.

One thing you can expect from it is an unrelenting focus on privacy. NordVPN has 3 security audits on its no-logging policy, which makes it great for the data-hungry Indian government. In addition, NordVPN uses 256-bit encryption and its NordLynx VPN protocol to protect you online.

Even an automatic kill switch is here, backed up by split tunneling, OpenVPN support, and IP/DNS leak protection, making sure your personal data never leaks to the public eye. NordVPN recently added Threat Protection, a security suite that includes malware protection and antivirus.

This will be useful for excessive data breaches in the country that many people and companies suffered from. NordVPN offers useful P2P servers, as well as Double VPN servers that will route your traffic through two servers and double your encryption as a result.

Obfuscated servers are great for bypassing censorship, while Onion over VPN servers are here for those lingering on the dark web. Don’t forget that the provider is great for streaming, too. It has servers in 60+ countries and they work with many popular streaming services.

Its speeds are similar to those of ExpressVPN, so it will perform pretty much the same. The provider has modern-looking apps for all systems, with the Windows app being not the most intuitive and sometimes having problems with stability.

This happens rarely, though, as NordVPN is very reliable and provides stable connections. The only bigger gripe is its value-added taxes that impact the price in some countries. India isn’t affected, though, so you’ll pay only the price of the plan and nothing else.

I recommend its 2-year plan with the biggest discount that also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in addition.

Enjoy Security in India With NordVPN

Pros

• Double VPN servers are great for security in India
• NordLynx VPN protocol
• It works with Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+
• Two security audits on a no-logging policy

Cons

• It has no servers in India
• Occasional stability issues on Windows

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4. Surfshark

I found Surfshark to be one of the best VPNs for India, as well. It’s cheap, which Indians will love, but it also has a few virtual servers in the country. They are a part of its large server network of 3,200 servers in 95 countries, making Surfshark among the largest affordable providers.

Based in the Netherlands, this provider is all about security and anonymity. Needless to say, it stores absolutely no logs of your IP address or browsing history, so if the Indian authorities request this data from it, it’ll come out with empty hands.

Surfshark’s security is on the top level, as well. Apart from AES-256 encryption, it comes with a kill switch and WireGuard support, which adds to overall stability. Surfshark also offers an ad-blocker called CleanWeb and Bypasser, which is a fancy name for split tunneling.

In India, you’ll find its NoBorders mode useful, as it’s great for bypassing censorship even in China. For just $1.5 a month on top of your subscription, you can get Surfshark One. It’s a bundle consisting of true incognito mode, Alerts, and antivirus, giving you a new dimension of security.

Compared to the previous providers, Surfshark won’t be as fast. This isn’t a big issue, as I still found it useful for torrenting and streaming in 4K where that’s possible. After all, Surfshark works with Netflix, too, and it’s great for watching Hotstar or Indian TV abroad.

The highlight of this provider is device compatibility. Not only does it support every platform under the sun but it also gives you UNLIMITED simultaneous connections! No other VPN for India will give you that, especially for a price THIS cheap.

If you’re interested, I recommend its 2-year plan at well under $3 a month, with a 30-day money-back guarantee with no conditions. This deal, of course, you can claim by using the button below.

Get Surfshark’s Cheapest Deal

 

Pros

• No limits on simultaneous connections
• NoBorders mode for bypassing censorship
• Based in the British Virgin Islands (no logs)
• Affordable 2-year plan

Cons

• Very rare kill switch issues
• Not the fastest speeds
• Antivirus is paid additionally

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5. ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is the last provider on our list of the top 5 VPNs for India in 2024. Interestingly, it has 10 servers across New Delhi (15+) but it doesn’t clarify if these are virtual servers or if they’re physically located in the country. In the latter case, it could be concerning for your privacy.

However, knowing ProtonVPN for years, I can say that it’s one of the best providers for privacy. It has an audited no-logging policy and stores only minimal logs to keep the service “afloat.” ProtonVPN also packs quite a punch in terms of security and the sheer number of features.

For one, it offers WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols but also a dependable kill switch and Secure Core servers for tripling your encryption. Its NetShield, ad-blocker, works like a charm, and it comes with safe P2P servers for anonymous torrenting.

ProtonVPN offers useful features like VPN Accelerator and streaming servers in India. With 2,900+ servers in 65+ countries, ProtonVPN isn’t the largest provider. However, it does work with Netflix IN, Netflix US, JP, CA, and many other libraries.

Additionally, I found it to be quite intuitive on every platform, which makes the job of getting used to it quite fast. If you want, you can also use its Alternative Routing for bypassing censorship or even go for custom DNS servers and connect to a private DNS.

ProtonVPN has some downsides, though, and they’re related to its average performance, the lack of 24/7 live chat support, and expensive pricing. Its 2-year plan, for example, is much more expensive than Surfshark’s 2-year plan, yet, the latter offers much more.

At least you get a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans, so if you’re not impressed, you can always request and get a full refund in the first 30 days.

Try ProtonVPN Now

Pros

• WireGuard support
• 15+ servers in New Delhi
• Uncompromising security and privacy

Cons

• No 24/7 live chat support
• Average speeds
• Expensive pricing

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Best VPN for India: Criteria for Our Selection

Before giving you our top 5 lists like this one, we go through an extensive testing period with all of the VPNs. India is quite a specific country, so it requires the best providers around if you’re looking to ensure safety and security online.

Here are the criteria we used when creating this list:

• Privacy. Since India has data retention and surveillance laws, we made sure to include the top 5 VPNs with no-logs policies. In fact, all VPNs on our list have certified no-logs policies, meaning they’ll store no information about your browsing history, IP address, or DNS requests.
• Security. To be able to stay safe and enjoy encryption, all VPNs here offer a full suite of security features. This includes AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, IP leak protection, multiple protocols, and many other bonus features.
• Lots of servers. We also picked providers with plenty of servers. Each service on this list gives you at least 3,000 or so servers, with some offering 9,000+ of them – CyberGhost. Moreover, almost every VPN on this list has virtual servers in this country. This is great for Indians abroad who still want access to Indian content anywhere.
• Fast speeds. None of the VPNs on this list are considered slow, even though some are faster than others. ExpressVPN is the fastest service but we also recommend using CyberGhost or NordVPN to get the fastest possible speeds.
• Ease of use. All providers from the list are extremely easy to use and set up. This way, we ensure even beginners can enjoy the VPN apps we presented on all devices without prior knowledge.
• Simultaneous connections. We know all of you have multiple devices, so we selected the best VPNs for India in 2024 according to that. Each provider allows you to protect a minimum of 5 devices at the same time, with Surfshark giving you unlimited connections per account!
• Pricing. India isn’t a country with the highest living standards. Hence, we decided to include providers that are in the realm of affordability. ExpressVPN is a bit more expensive but providers like CyberGhost and Surfshark will cost you as little as $2.5 a month, and lower!

Is a Free VPN for India Good for Security & Privacy?

If you’ve been reading carefully, you noticed that all providers I mentioned are not free. There’s a good reason for that and, as you can guess, it has to do with free VPNs’ inferiority. Simply put, there’s no such thing as the best free VPN for India.

Free providers are notorious for being a lot less secure, offering fewer features, weaker encryption, and slower protocols that make everything sluggish. With a poor server infrastructure and no servers in India, these providers are hardly good even for the least demanding users.

But what about staying secure in India with a free VPN? As said, this solution is very dangerous having in mind their tendency to store logs and sell them to third parties for revenue. This means that the Indian authorities can still get their hands on your data despite you using a VPN.

Providers like Betternet, Hotspot Shield, and Hola VPN are especially dangerous. They openly tell you that they store logs of your IP address, DNS requests, and browsing activities, which won’t get you far in a censored and surveillance-ridden country like this.

Free providers like ProtonVPN (it has a free plan) and Hide.me are secure and they don’t store logs. However, they both offer slow speeds, while Hide.me limits your bandwidth to a measly 10 GB a month, which is far from enough for browsing or streaming.

Either way, if you opt for a free provider, you better be ready for some compromises. And in a country like India, I will never recommend using a free VPN provider – instead, you can try the solution below.

Using a Premium VPN for Free

You can try using any of the best VPNs for India I talked about for free through their money-back guarantee. All providers offer at least a 30-day refund period, with CyberGhost bumping it up to 45 days.

This means that you can get a subscription, enjoy the provider you want limitlessly, and get a refund right before the first 30 or 45 days expire. That way, you lose no money, but you still enjoy the uncompromising privacy and security that these providers give you.

How to Use a VPN in India

If you’re not very tech-savvy and you’ve never used a VPN, let me explain to you how to use a VPN in India – or outside of this country.

1. Subscribe to one of the providers above. ExpressVPN is my #1 recommendation, as it offers a 49% discount + 3 months free for the 1-year plan.
2. Download and install ExpressVPN on your device.
3. Open ExpressVPN and sign in by using the credentials you used when purchasing a subscription.
4. Connect to a VPN server of your choice. If you’re abroad, you can use an Indian server to get an Indian IP address. And if you live in this country, use any server abroad to unblock geo-restricted platforms.
5. Once the connection is established, you’ll secure your connection and become anonymous online, which will prevent your ISP or the authorities from spying on your online activities. You’ll also be able to unblock blocked sites, and so, for example, access TikTok from India.

Conclusion

India is one of those countries where we strongly recommend using a VPN. It’s increasingly less secure, and with the new law that allows ISPs and corporations to spy on you and collect your personal information, getting additional security is imperative.

While many providers removed their servers from the country, a good portion of them started using virtual servers to give you an Indian IP. I recommend ExpressVPN for the best possible experience due to its fastest speeds, rock-solid security, and clear no-logging business model.

Try ExpressVPN

People looking for budget solutions can try CyberGhost or Surfshark, as they both offer Indian VPN servers, along with the security and privacy you need. NordVPN has no servers in this country, so it’s great for people living there.

And if you want, you can try ProtonVPN as well if you don’t mind its slightly higher prices. Now go ahead, get one of the best VPNs for India, and start browsing anonymously – it’s never too late!

FAQ

Let me give you more useful information by answering a few frequently asked questions.

⚖️ Is using a VPN in India legal?

As opposed to what many people think, using a VPN in India is completely legal and people can safely download their apps from official sites. However, it’s the new law in the country that forces providers to store logs, and in doing so, violates users’ privacy.

For this very reason, many providers removed their servers from the country willingly – not because the Indian authorities forced them to do so. As such, you can use any of the providers I listed in the country with no issues or worries about legal problems, because there won’t be any!

? Can I watch porn in India by using a VPN?

Among many blocked websites are porn sites as well. ISPs in the country blocked nearly 1,000 such sites or any sites that deem themselves “adult” websites. Interestingly, PornHub, one of the most popular adult portals, has the majority of traffic exactly from this country.

The good news is that a VPN for India can help you fix this issue. Once you connect to a server outside of this country, PornHub or any similar website will see that you’re located somewhere else and give you access with no problems. Generally speaking, using a VPN is the best way to access an inaccessible site.

If you are interested in this topic, we recommend you read our article presenting the best VPNs for porn.

?️‍♂️ Why do VPN providers use virtual servers in India?

By removing physical servers from Indian cities, VPNs can’t provide an IP address from this country. The only logical solution was to go for virtual servers that don’t need to be located in a particular country to give you that country’s IP address.

Virtual servers are run on physical data centers owned by a VPN. They’re located somewhere safe and they host virtual servers that can give you a new IP address in another country without actually being located there.

This makes the solution perfect for countries like India where the provider can’t have physical servers. Simply put, a virtual server will emulate an Indian server, and as such, give you an Indian IP address, even though it’s run on a physical data center in Hong Kong, Panama, or somewhere else.