For all its breathtaking architecture, Russia is highly repressive in terms of internet freedom. You’ll need the best VPN in Russia to have any chance of unblocking certain websites and escape surveillance from the authoritarian government.
Not only that, but you’ll also need to install the VPN before you land in Russia. Apparently the Russian government has demanded access to VPN providers’ servers and those that do not comply are blocked.
Do you need a VPN in Russia?
It’s a no-brainer that everyone who cherishes privacy and internet freedom should use a VPN in Russia. The country is notorious for blocking off sites that are deemed disruptive to its political influence.
In 2017, the popular DailyMotion was no longer accessible in Russia. You’ll also find that access to LinkedIn is also denied as the professional networking platform was banned in 2016. The Russian government removed Telegram from public access in 2019, and the latest casualty was ProtonMail.
You can never be sure when you’ll be robbed of access to the websites or apps that you’re using in the country. Getting a VPN ensures that access is always available.
Personal privacy is non-existent in the country. Its data localization laws require service providers to retain and decrypt communications from apps and websites. It makes communication on the Internet risky, particularly if you’re a journalist with differing views from the government.
Russia is also notorious for its homebred hackers, which are known to carry out cyberattacks on unsuspecting users.
You’ll need the stealth and security offered by a VPN if you hope to reclaim online privacy in the country and to keep data safe.
The Best VPNs for Russia
These VPNs are proven to be reliable in safeguarding your privacy and fending off cyberattacks.
NordVPN
NordVPN has a solid record of offering foolproof security for its users. It’s equipped with AES-256 encryption which fends off any attempt to decipher the transmission. NordVPN’s DoubleVPN allows the data to be double-encrypted for additional security.
Based in Panama, NordVPN is under no obligation to submit any data to foreign authorities. Your privacy is also assured with its strict no-logs policy. NordVPN features Onion-over-VPN, which allows you to connect to the deep web for better secrecy.
NordVPN starts at $11.95/month for the 1-month plan and it’s covered by a 30-days money-back guarantee.
Highlights
- Based in Panama (Safe jurisdiction)
- DoubleVPN and killswitch
- Onion over VPN
- Secured with AES-256 encryption
- Strict no-logs policy
ClearVPN
This innovative VPN app has shown early promises with its “shortcut” personalization. Instead of the usual route of manually connecting to a VPN server, ClearVPN allows users to choose from a list of activities and automatically connect to an optimized server.
ClearVPN has a strict no-logs policy and data is encrypted with AES-256. It has earned rave reviews from iOS users and has introduced its apps on other platforms.
Subscription for the 1-month plan costs $7.99 and it’s backed by a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Highlights
- Uses AES-256 encryption
- Strict no-logs policy
- Personalized shortcuts for preferred activities
- Supports iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows
- Servers in 20 countries
CyberGhost
CyberGhost promises a fast secure and anonymous VPN and it has delivered. It’s headquartered in Romania, which doesn't have retention laws or intelligence-sharing pact with the 5 Eyes alliance. It also doesn’t keep information that may link VPN sessions to the users.
Subscribers are protected with the unbreakable AES-256 and an automatic kill switch that disconnects the Internet in case of connection drops. It’s also a P2P-friendly VPN, which will be handy against Russia’s clampdown on torrenting sites.
CyberGhost’s 1-month subscription is priced at $12.99 and you’ve got a 45-days of a risk-free trial period.
Highlights
- Based in Romania (safe jurisdiction)
- Features AES-256 encryption
- Doesn’t keep logs
- Automatic killswitch
- P2P-friendly servers
ExpressVPN
The fact that ExpressVPN is operated on RAM-only servers is reassuring, particularly for subscribers in Russia. It means there’s no chance of data being handed over to authorities as they are wiped off in the case of a reboot. Furthermore, ExpressVPN’s registration in the British Virgin Islands and no-logs policy are a guarantee for total privacy.
Users are protected with the military-grade AES-256 and the option of activating the killswitch in the VPN app. ExpressVPN’s ultra-fast connections are also worth mentioning.
Signing up to ExpressVPN’s 1-month plan costs $12.95 and you’ll be protected with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Highlights
- Based in the British Virgin Islands (safe jurisdiction)
- Secured with AES-256 encryption
- Killswitch
- Ultra-fast VPN servers
- TrustedServer – RAM-only VPN servers
Surfshark
Surfshark is as secure as you’ll get for a VPN in Russia. Its NoBorders mode is specifically designed to ensure non-restrictive surfing in countries like Russia. If you’re still worried about being spied on, use the multihop-supported servers to add additional layers of encryption.
The security of Surfshark is independently audited. No flaws that could compromise the privacy of users were detected. Also, it is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is a safe jurisdiction as far as VPN is concerned.
Surfshark’s 1-month plan costs $12.95 and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Highlights
- No device limits
- Based in the British Virgin Islands
- Independent audited with AES-256
- NoBorders mode for restrictive regions
- Multihop for additional layers of encryption
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Private Internet Access is worthy of a mention despite being a US-based VPN. It implements a strict no-logs policy that protects the privacy of its users. PIA demonstrates a consistently high speed with its 12,000+ servers across 74 countries.
Subscribers are assured of a pleasant torrenting experience with its P2P-friendly servers. It guarantees protection from surveillance with the highly-secured AES-256 encryption.
For a $9.99/month subscription (1-month plan), PIA is one of the more affordable VPNs around. You can try it risk-free for 30-days.
Highlights
- Strict no-logs policy
- Supports up to 10 devices
- Secured with AES-256
- P2P-friendly servers
- Bypass ISP throttling
FEATURES | NordVPN | ClearVPN | CyberGhost | ExpressVPN | Surfshark | PIA |
| Kill Switch | ✅ | No (Future plan) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Fast Speed | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| AES-256 encryption | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Server counts | 5567+ | Undisclosed | 5300+ | 3,000+ | 1,700+ | 12,280+ |
| Number of countries | 59+ | 20 | 90+ | 94 | 63 | 74 |
| No-logs policy | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 24/7 Customer support | ✅ email or LiveChat | ✅ email or LiveChat | ✅ email or LiveChat | ✅ email or LiveChat | ✅ email or LiveChat | ✅email or LiveChat |
| No of devices | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | Unlimited | 10 |
| Supports chain VPN connections | Yes (Double VPN) | Yes (Double VPN) | Yes (Multihop) | No | Yes (Multihop) | No |
