What's blocked in Eritrea
Internet access is extremely limited and slow; independent sites are blocked and YouTube is intermittently filtered.
- WhatsApp: Works
- Voice & video calls: Works
- Telegram: Works
- Signal: Works
- Discord: Works
- Facebook: Works
- Instagram: Works
- X (Twitter): Works
- TikTok: Works
- YouTube: Slowed down
- Google: Works
- Works
- Age-gated
- Partly blocked
- Slowed down
- Blocked
App by app
| App | Status | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | Slowed down | Intermittently blocked by some ISPs. |
Not offered in Eritrea
These companies don't sell their service here. That's a business or sanctions decision, not government censorship.
Working normally
Social media
Video, TV & music
Games
The 3 VPNs that fit Eritrea
Our assessment, plus what visitors in Eritrea are reporting this week.
Picked for heavy censorship: each can disguise VPN traffic.
ExpressVPN
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to automatic obfuscation (protocol set to Automatic) before connecting.
NordVPN
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to NordWhisper or obfuscated servers before connecting.
Proton VPN
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to the Stealth protocol before connecting.
Not sure about these three? See 3 more VPNs Surfshark, Private Internet Access and CyberGhost
Surfshark
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to NoBorders mode before connecting.
Private Internet Access
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to the Shadowsocks proxy option before connecting.
CyberGhost
UnreliableNot enough votes yet. Tested it here? Tell others below.
Switch to a nearby server (CyberGhost has no stealth mode) before connecting.
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
Eritrea has one of the lowest internet penetration rates in the world. There is no mobile data for most users, and the single state provider filters opposition websites.
Before you connect: Speeds are often too slow for a VPN to be practical.
Is a VPN legal in Eritrea?
Legal with restrictions
No clear VPN law; using internet cafes for opposition content is risky.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Are any apps blocked in Eritrea?
None of the 41 apps we track is fully blocked in Eritrea right now. YouTube has some restrictions. Internet access is extremely limited and slow; independent sites are blocked and YouTube is intermittently filtered.
Which streaming and online services are not available in Eritrea?
Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and JioHotstar are not offered in Eritrea. That is the companies' decision, often because of licensing or sanctions.
Is it legal to use a VPN in Eritrea?
Legal with restrictions. No clear VPN law; using internet cafes for opposition content is risky.
Which VPN works in Eritrea?
Our picks for Eritrea are ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Proton VPN. 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 Proton VPN (use the Stealth protocol). Check the live votes on this page for this week's results.
Will a VPN work during an internet shutdown in Eritrea?
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 Eritrea? An editor reviews every report before the page changes.