The Best VPN for UAE

Stuart Andrews March 31, 2023

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What is the best VPN for UAE? While the United Arab Emirates has embraced cutting-edge technology, it’s one of the most restrictive countries regarding Internet usage; a wide range of sites are blocked or filtered, while prosecutions and detention for online activities are far from unknown. A VPN can help on both accounts, giving users the means to access blocked sites and services or see unfiltered search results, plus a means of concealing their location and identity for purposes of free speech.

At a Glance – Best VPNs for UAE

This article will list the top 5 VPNs for the UAE, but if you want a quick overview, here’s a summary of our top picks.

Best VPNs for the UAE

Choosing the Best VPN for UAE

The desire for Internet freedom is a major motivation for users in the UAE to use a VPN. By connecting to the global Internet through a private VPN link to a server outside the UAE, they can access websites that are normally blocked and see search results, free from censorship. By switching your location and anonymising your activity, using a VPN can also conceal online activities, though this shouldn’t be considered a watertight disguise. While Facebook, Twitter and other social media services are available from within the UAE, users tend to heavily self-censor. What’s more, VoIP services like Skype and WhatsApp are blocked.

The key factors when choosing a VPN for the UAE start with finding one that leaves no indication of your true location, one that’s effective at overcoming content blocks and that provides robust protection of your anonymity and privacy. As the effects of losing either through a dropped VPN connection can be severe, a killswitch, which cuts all connections if the VPN stops, is a must, while features that prevent DNS leaks giving the game away are well worth looking out for. What’s more, an anonymous payment method can help users cover their tracks and hide the association between their online and offline identity. Users in the UAE may also want to stream content from UK or US video streaming services, making good connectivity to those countries and the ability to overcome local blocks there a real plus.

Best VPN for UAE: Top 5

1. ExpressVPN: The best VPN for the UAE overall

Price: $12.95 per month, or $6.67 per month with an annual plan

If you’ll ask us what the best VPN for the UAE is, ExpressVPN would be our answer. It provides fast connection speeds on servers throughout the globe, and is known to evade VPN-blocking technology employed by some UAE network providers. ExpressVPN provides excellent privacy with AES-256 encryption and a kill switch.

Aside from privacy, ExpressVPN is also great at unblocking geo-restricted streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and live sporting events. All you have to do is choose a server in the country of your choice, and you will be able to stream as if you were there in that location.

When it comes to customer support, you can talk to a real person 24/7 and ask them any questions you may have about the service.

What sets ExpressVPN apart is how it combines premium features and presents it in an easy to use package. The apps are plug and play, and even newbies can learn how to use it no time. Best of all, ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning you can test the service to make sure it really works.

PROS

Unblocks all major streaming services including Netflix
Strong privacy and security features
Obfuscated servers
Excellent 24/7 customer support
30-day money-back guarantee

CONS

Maximum of 5 devices can connect at the same time

Get ExpressVPN now!

2. CyberGhost – user-friendly VPN for UAE

Price: $12.99 per month, $2.11 per month with a 2-year plan (plus 3 months free)

CyberGhost is considered the most user-friendly VPN for the United Arab Emirates. It has apps for all major devices and platforms, including Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, and routers. This VPN provider has more than 9,000 servers in 90 countries (including the UAE). It has dedicated servers for streaming, gaming, and torrenting.

Users can connect to its servers in UAE to access local channels like Sama Dubai, Noor Dubai, Al Dafrah TV, Dubai Sports, and others. Meanwhile, through its international servers, you can access content from Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Fox Sports, Yupp TV, and BBC IPlayer. You can also use it on VoIP applications such as Skype, Zoom, Facetime, and WhatsApp on your devices in the UAE.

CyberGhost doesn’t store any logs. Plus, it offers unlimited bandwidth and solid security with 256-bit encryption, IP and DNS leak protection, and a kill switch.

If you choose CyberGhost, you’ll enjoy all these features, plus the longest money-back guarantee in the VPN industry (45 days).

PROS

Has more than 7,000 servers in 90 countries (including UAE)
AES-256-bit military-grade encryption
Wi-Fi protection, Streaming-dedicated IPs
Up to 7 simultaneous connections
45-day money-back guarantee

CONS

Limited payment options

Get CyberGhost now!

3. Private Internet Access – the best VPN service for torrenting

Price: $11.99 per month, $2.11 per month with a 2-year plan (plus 3 months free)

Private Internet Access (PIA) is the best VPN for torrenting in the UAE. It has 30,000 servers in 80 countries (35 servers in the UAE). All of these servers are optimized for P2P file sharing, with SOCKS5 proxy. In addition, PIA offers good connection speeds essential for downloading large files.

Through its international servers, you can access streaming platforms such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, bEIN Sports, and more in the UAE. Having 35 servers in UAE, there is not one local content or website which you can’t unblock from abroad. Some examples of popular local content that users can access with this VPN include Quest Arabiya, Zee Aflam, CNBC Arabiya, Dubai Media City, Sharjah TV Bengal Digital, and many more.

With PIA, you can connect a maximum of 10 devices simultaneously. It supports all the main operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Firestick, iOS, and Android.

This VPN uses AES-256 encryption. It is also equipped with security-boosting features which include DNS and IP leak protection and a kill switch that ensures your privacy will remain intact if the connection suddenly drops.

PROS

30,000+ servers in 80 countries (including the UAE)
AES-256-bit military-grade encryption
WireGuard protocol
10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee

CONS

Average WireGuard speeds

Get Private Internet Access now!

4. NordVPN: The best VPN for privacy and anonymity

Price: $11.99 per month, or $4.99 per month with an annual plan

Despite having over 1400 servers in 61 countries, Nord VPN doesn’t have a presence in the UAE, yet it’s worth using anyway because it’s anti-blocking and anti-surveillance features are so strong. These include optional double encryption and a dual-hop VPN, which disguises your IP address not just once but twice to throw snoopers off your track. You can also route traffic via the TOR network using an Onion over VPN server, while the Obfuscated Server option is designed for use in restrictive countries, making it easier to circumvent content filters and website blocks. NordVPN also has an effective configurable killswitch, which can be set to close specific apps immediately if your VPN disconnects.

Nord VPN is based in Panama, which isn’t part of the fourteen eyes network and has no mandatory data retention laws, and Nord VPN claims a strict no logging policy as well. It’s not the fastest service, but performance is solid; even with a UK to Singapore VPN connection speeds only dropped 67.9%, while UK to US connection speeds were well above average. It’s a good, anonymity-friendly VPN.

PROS

Fast speeds
Strong encryption
Keeps no logs
Works with Skype
30-day money-back guarantee

CONS

Desktop app can be sluggish

Get NordVPN now!

5. VyprVPN: The best value VPN for the UAE

Price: $10 per month, $5 per month with an annual plan

Not every VPN has any kind of presence in the UAE, but VyprVPN has a server in the territory. The company owns its own servers, networks and hardware, plus a built-in DNS service that kicks in automatically when you connect through the VPN, defeating DNS-based censoring and filtering. With over 700 servers handling 70 locations, it’s not hard to reach any region in the world, and the service uses dynamic server switching to prevent servers getting overloaded and becoming unavailable.

VyperVPN does log some basic information, retaining the user’s source IP address and the VyperVPN address used, but it doesn’t log traffic or your activities while online. VyprVPN also has a killswitch, instantly shutting off all connections should your DNS connection fail, while its built-in Chameleon security protocol, bundled in with the premium version, is designed specifically to bypass VPN blocking. On the downside, VyprVPN takes more personal information than most when you sign up, and doesn’t allow payment via Bitcoin or any other anonymous form. Still, speeds are consistently above the average, particularly over shorter hops, making VyprVPN a solid option if anonymity isn’t your prime concern.

PROS

Apps for most platforms
Great privacy
Verified zero-logs policy
Chameleon protocol is good for VPN-unfriendly locations
30-day money-back guarantee

CONS

Few servers

Get VyprVPN now!

Best VPN for the UAE FAQs

Are VPNs legal in the UAE?

In the UAE, it is legal to use a VPN for legitimate purposes. However, it is forbidden and thus unlawful to use a VPN to conceal your real IP address for purposes that do not adhere to UAE laws. Those who utilize a third-party address to commit a crime or keep law enforcement from catching one will face consequences. Such punishments include up to one month in jail or fines between 500,000 and 2,000,000 AED.

What are UAE’s content and VPN laws?

Some Internet regulations must be followed in the UAE. These regulations prohibit the use of a VPN in the UAE for the following activities:

Gambling
Pornography
Dating sites
Infringement of intellectual property rights
Discrimination, racism and contempt of religion
Spreading viruses and malicious programs
Impersonation, fraud, and phishing

Can your online activity in the UAE be tracked if you use a VPN?

Your online actions can’t be tracked if you use a VPN with a strong no-logs policy and invests in the technology needed to prevent data breaches. VPN users in the UAE should avoid free VPNs, which often lack the resources to invest extensively in upgrading and maintaining infrastructure and technology, as well as VPNs without a track record of preventing data leaks.