Even though Russia doesn’t have significant content limitations like China, the country engages in selective Internet filtering in the political and social areas. On top of that, Russia blacklists some of the websites. So if you want to have full access to the websites you use, make sure to install a top-performing VPN prior to your trip to Russia. Some users are also concerned with the controversial Sovereign law that gives the Russian government broader rights to track users’ online activity. If you’re looking for a VPN provider that can unblock streaming services, ensure your privacy – pick one of the options from our list, and you should be good to go. These providers also offer Russian servers. This can come in handy for Russian citizens who need a Russian IP address when they’re outside of the country.
Why Do You Need a VPN in Russia?
It may sound cliche, but primarily for the protection of personal data on the Internet. This applies to the data of the sites you visit, your IP address, banking data, etc. Also, VPN is a reliable helper for people who are visiting Russia for a business trip. You can easily connect to your business network, without any fear of data leaks.
Russia has a blacklist of websites and constantly monitors torrenting websites as they are known for sharing copyright content without the proper rights. Surprisingly, one of the websites you’ll find on this list is Linkedin. Besides, popular streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, etc., might have limited content or not work on Russian territory at all. Keep in mind, though, that your VPN needs to deliver high speed so that you can watch content from unblocked services without interruptions.
Top VPNs for Russia in 2021
There are so many VPNs out there, and the information about them can be extremely confusing. It’s especially true for Russia because some decent providers have recently left the country. So to pick the perfect VPN, you need to take into account a lot of details. Fortunately, we’ve done it for you! Here is the list of our VPNs of choice for the total Internet security in Russia:
NordVPN is the best overall choice for Russia. It provides rocket-fast speed, more than 5000 servers, no logs policy, and best-in-class security. It also has a 30-day free trial.
Surfshark is an excellent option for those looking for an inexpensive VPN option with servers in Russia. Surfshark offers perfect security and privacy features with an unlimited number of connections.
Express VPN is known for its excellent capabilities to unblock streaming services like Netflix. It offers great speed and privacy protection. A free trial is also available. We also recommend ExpressVPN if you frequently use public Wi-Fi that can be unprotected because of its best-in-class encryption.
CyberGhost has more than 6,000 servers in 88 countries around the world. Its speed has a good rating. CyberGhost is equipped with a kill switch. It means that if your connection with a VPN server is interrupted, your data won’t be leaked.
Are there any free VPNs that work in Russia?
First off, we recommend sticking with paid providers for your convenience at the very least. Free VPNs are often overflown with annoying ads. Free VPN providers are also notorious for selling their users’ data, so much for privacy. However, if a free trial period isn’t enough for you, we recommend sticking with one of these providers:
Windscribe offers servers in Russia. Its unblocking capabilities may be spotty at times, meaning you might need to play around with various servers to find the one that works. Decent speed. You get up to an impressive 10GB of data per month with a free option.
TunnelBear gives you 500 MB of data per month, provides 20 server locations. Even though it doesn’t unblock Netflix, you can be sure that your data is safe with them. Obviously, with the data limitations, it only works for simple tasks like checking your Linkedin account.
Is It Legal to Use VPN in Russia?
Partly. Since 2017, Russia has passed a law banning the use of proxy servers (including VPNs). It means that if you are up to some illegal actions on the internet or would like to access websites that are banned in the country, you may deal with the authorities. Therefore, we advise you to install a VPN service before your trip to Russia. Until now, most actions were aimed at the VPN providers, not at their users.