What's blocked in China
Google, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, Telegram, Signal and Discord are all blocked by the Great Firewall.
- WhatsApp: Blocked
- Voice & video calls: Blocked
- Telegram: Blocked
- Signal: Blocked
- Discord: Blocked
- Facebook: Blocked
- Instagram: Blocked
- X (Twitter): Blocked
- TikTok: Blocked
- YouTube: Blocked
- Google: Blocked
- Works
- Age-gated
- Partly blocked
- Slowed down
- Blocked
App by app
| App | Status | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blocked | 2017 | ||
| Voice & video calls | Blocked | WhatsApp, FaceTime, Signal and Telegram calls | |
| Telegram | Blocked | 2015 | |
| Signal | Blocked | ||
| Discord | Blocked | ||
| Messenger | Blocked | 2009 | Follows the Facebook block. |
| Viber | Blocked | 2014 | |
| Blocked | 2009 | ||
| Blocked | 2014 | ||
| X (Twitter) | Blocked | 2009 | |
| TikTok | Blocked | Douyin is the domestic version. | |
| YouTube | Blocked | 2009 | |
| Snapchat | Blocked | ||
| Blocked | |||
| Threads | Blocked | 2014 | Follows the Instagram block. |
| Bluesky | Blocked | ||
| Blocked | 2017 | ||
| Twitch | Blocked | Sep 2018 | |
| Blocked | 2010 | ||
| ChatGPT | Blocked | ||
| Wikipedia | Blocked | 2019 | All language versions. |
| Binance | Blocked | 2021 | Crypto trading banned. |
| Steam | Partly blocked | Community pages blocked; store access is unreliable. |
Not offered in China
These companies don't sell their service here. That's a business or sanctions decision, not government censorship.
Working normally
The 3 VPNs that fit China
Our assessment, plus what visitors in China are reporting this week.
Picked for heavy censorship: each can disguise VPN traffic.
ExpressVPN
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Obfuscation is automatic; keep the protocol on Automatic and update the app before you travel.
NordVPN
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to NordWhisper or obfuscated servers before connecting.
Surfshark
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to NoBorders mode before connecting.
Not sure about these three? See 3 more VPNs Proton VPN, Private Internet Access and CyberGhost
Proton VPN
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to the Stealth protocol before connecting.
Private Internet Access
Doesn't connectNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to the Shadowsocks proxy option before connecting.
CyberGhost
Doesn't connectNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
CyberGhost says its service does not work in China.
We earn a commission if you buy a VPN through our links. It never changes what we report as blocked. How we pick and how we make money
What's going on
Mainland China runs the world's most sophisticated filtering system. Almost every major Western platform is unreachable, and domestic apps like WeChat, Douyin and Baidu fill the gap. Hong Kong and Macau are not covered by these blocks.
Before you connect: Install and test your VPN before you land. App stores in China do not list foreign VPN apps, and provider websites are blocked.
Is a VPN legal in China?
Legal with restrictions
Only government-approved VPNs are legal. Enforcement against individual tourists is rare, but VPN traffic is actively detected and slowed, especially around political anniversaries.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Which apps are blocked in China?
Yes. WhatsApp, Voice & video calls, Telegram, Signal, Discord, Messenger, Viber, Facebook and 14 more are blocked in China.
Can I make WhatsApp calls in China?
Voice and video calls are blocked in China. Text messaging is not affected in the same way.
Which streaming and online services are not available in China?
Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, JioHotstar, Spotify and 3 more are not offered in China. That is the companies' decision, often because of licensing or sanctions.
Is it legal to use a VPN in China?
Legal with restrictions. Only government-approved VPNs are legal. Enforcement against individual tourists is rare, but VPN traffic is actively detected and slowed, especially around political anniversaries.
Which VPN works in China?
Our picks for China are ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark. Connections are unreliable here, so switch on each one's anti-censorship mode: ExpressVPN (use automatic obfuscation (protocol set to Automatic)), NordVPN (use NordWhisper or obfuscated servers) and Surfshark (use NoBorders mode). Check the live votes on this page for this week's results.
Will a VPN work during an internet shutdown in China?
No. A VPN can get around blocks on specific apps and sites, but during a full shutdown there is no connection to the outside world for the VPN to use.
Report a block
Seeing something different in China? An editor reviews every report before the page changes.