Best VPN for Ethiopia (October 2026): 3 scored picks

Why you'd use a VPN in Ethiopia

Before you connect

Keep a VPN installed for sudden platform blocks during unrest.

Is a VPN legal in Ethiopia? Legal. There is no specific VPN ban.

The top 3 for Ethiopia

#1

ExpressVPN 98/100

Connects

Uses automatic obfuscation (with the protocol on Automatic) to disguise VPN traffic.

Try ExpressVPN

#2

NordVPN 92/100

Connects

Uses NordWhisper or obfuscated servers to disguise VPN traffic.

Try NordVPN

#3

Proton VPN 89/100

Connects

Uses the Stealth protocol to disguise VPN traffic.

Try Proton VPN

Full ranking of the 6 VPNs we track

#	VPN	Score	Connects here	Visitor reports	Website (OONI)	Link
1	ExpressVPN	98/100	Connects	Not enough yet	Too few tests	Try ExpressVPN
2	NordVPN	92/100	Connects	Not enough yet	Website loads 39 tests	Try NordVPN
3	Proton VPN	89/100	Connects	Not enough yet	Website loads 36 tests	Try Proton VPN
4	Surfshark	86/100	Connects	Not enough yet	Website loads 33 tests	Try Surfshark
5	Private Internet Access	71/100	Connects	Not enough yet	Too few tests	Try Private Internet Access
6	CyberGhost	64/100	Connects	Not enough yet	Too few tests	Try CyberGhost

"Connects here" comes from our Ethiopia status page. Visitor reports count the last 14 days. Website checks come from OONI measurements over 30 days, refreshed 19 Oct 2026; a blocked website doesn't mean the app is blocked, but you'll need to install the app another way.

Tell us what works for you in Ethiopia

How we scored

Nobody pays for a position here. Each VPN gets a score out of 100 from these weights, chosen because the main reason to use a VPN in Ethiopia is getting through censorship:

Stealth / obfuscation: 45%
Connects in this country: 30%
Privacy & audits: 10%
Visitor reports: 15%

Feature ratings are our editorial scores. If a VPN has too few visitor reports, that weight is shared among the other factors. A VPN that doesn't connect here is capped at 35. How we track

Questions people ask

What is the best VPN for Ethiopia?

On our current scores, ExpressVPN (98/100), followed by NordVPN (92) and Proton VPN (89). Scores weigh getting through censorship most heavily for Ethiopia and update as visitors there report what works.

Is using a VPN legal in Ethiopia?

Legal. There is no specific VPN ban.

Do all VPNs work in Ethiopia?

All six VPNs we track connect normally in Ethiopia. The differences are in streaming, privacy and speed.

Why does this ranking change?

Part of each score comes from visitor reports in the last 14 days and from whether each VPN currently connects in the country. When those change, the order changes. The formula is shown on the page.

Sources

Freedom House: Freedom on the Net 2025, Ethiopia