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No matter where you are in the world, we recommend using a trusted virtual private network (VPN) to keep your online activity encrypted, protect your device on public Wi-Fi, access geo-restricted content, and more.
We’ve determined that the best VPNs for Taiwan are ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark. ExpressVPN is great for heavy VPN users, NordVPN provides plenty of additional security features, and Surfshark is best for large households with multiple devices.
Read on to learn more about our top three choices, as well as some honorable mentions.
ExpressVPN: Best for heavy VPN users
NordVPN: Best for add-ons
Surfshark: Best for multiple devices
Honorable mentions
How we test VPNs for Taiwan
How to use a VPN in Taiwan
FAQs
Bottom line: The best VPNs for Taiwan
The best VPNs for Taiwan 2024
- ExpressVPN: Best for heavy VPN users
- NordVPN: Best for add-ons
- Surfshark: Best for multiple devices
Top 3 VPN services for Taiwan compared
VPN | ExpressVPN |
NordVPN |
Surfshark |
Starting price | Starts at $6.25/mo (billed annually) | Starts at $2.99/mo (billed every two years) | Starts at $1.99/mo (billed every two years) |
Streaming support | Yes — Netflix, Hulu, Disney +, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and more | Yes — Netflix (unofficially), Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, and more |
Yes — Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and more |
Learn more | Get ExpressVPN | Get NordVPN | Get Surfshark |
ExpressVPN: Best for heavy VPN users
Who it’s best for
ExpressVPN is a great option if you’re looking for a reliable VPN option for a Taiwanese IP address. Not only does ExpressVPN have a server location in Taiwan, but it has servers in more than 100 countries around the world.
ExpressVPN is a bit of an investment, so we suggest using ExpressVPN if you’re a heavy VPN user looking for ample speed and security. ExpressVPN uses a proprietary VPN protocol called Lightway, which the company says is built for a “smooth and secure experience.”
What we liked
ExpressVPN’s innovation and features are the reasons we like it — and why we think it's worth the price. Along with the Lightway protocol, ExpressVPN offers several features to elevate your VPN experience.
One feature we like is the Threat Manager, which automatically blocks sites or apps from communicating with trackers or malicious sites. ExpressVPN also has its own proprietary VPN protocol called Lightway. It was created for speedy, secure, and reliable connections and is available on ExpressVPN’s apps for your computer, smartphone, and routers.
One handy feature for international VPN use is split tunneling, which allows you to route some internet traffic through the VPN while other internet activity can be unencrypted outside of the VPN. All three of the best VPNs for Taiwan come with split tunneling, which gives you greater flexibility while using your VPN. You may want to have your Netflix traffic routed through a VPN in one country while also needing access to Taiwanese content.
ExpressVPN has VPN apps for numerous devices, including macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android, and it’s easy to connect on any device too.
What we didn’t like
ExpressVPN’s price is a downside. The best deal is a 12-month commitment for $6.25/mo (billed annually). ExpressVPN also limits the number of devices connected at any time, so you can connect only eight devices at any given time. However, it does provide a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out to determine if it’s worth the cost.
ExpressVPN specs
Price range | $4.99–$12.95/mo |
Free version | No |
Number of servers | Unlisted in 105 countries |
Server locations in Taiwan | Unknown cities |
Number of connected devices | 8 |
VPN protocol | Lightway, IKEv2, OpenVPN |
No-logs policy | No logs |
Unblocks Netflix? | Yes |
Torrenting support | Yes |
Learn more | Get ExpressVPN |
NordVPN: Best for add-ons
Who it’s best for
NordVPN is a great solution for encrypting your internet activity, but it also offers a few other products that really set the product apart from others. With NordVPN Plus, you’ll get access to Nord’s password manager and data breach scanner, and with NordVPN Complete, you also get 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage.
Even with NordVPN’s Standard plan, you’ll gain access to malware protection and a threat and ad blocker. Nord also offers over 100 Taiwanese servers, so you can ensure a fast VPN connection.
What we liked
Not only does NordVPN have a password manager and cloud storage, but the VPN also comes with quite a few extra features. One of those is Meshnet, which allows you to create a local, private, encrypted network and easily connect to devices anywhere in the world.
Meshnet is a great tool if you want to leave a computer at home but still need to be able to access files while abroad, whether you’re based in Taiwan or are just visiting. You can set it up before you leave and access those files directly.
NordVPN also provides a kill switch to keep you protected, even if the VPN disconnects. You can add extra security to your browsing by using multi-hop, which means your internet traffic is encrypted two times through two different servers. You can use NordVPN’s split tunneling feature if you want to direct some of your internet traffic through the VPN while leaving other traffic unencrypted.
What we didn’t like
NordVPN is full of features, but the plans are confusing since there are three tiers with three payment options each. To get the best pricing, you have to commit to a two-year contract. If you’re just looking for a solution for a month or two, NordVPN starts at $12.99/mo, which is the most expensive monthly price of our three best VPNs for Taiwan.
NordVPN specs
Price range | $2.99–$17.99/mo |
Free version | No |
Number of servers | 6,800+ servers in 111 countries |
Server locations in Taiwan | Taipei City |
Number of connected devices | 10 |
VPN protocol | OpenVPN, NordLynx, IKEv2/IPsec |
No-logs policy | No logs |
Unblocks Netflix? | Yes |
Torrenting support | Yes |
Learn more | Get NordVPN |
Surfshark: Best for multiple devices
Who it’s best for
If you’re looking for a VPN to use on multiple devices, Surfshark is an excellent solution. Surfshark allows for unlimited simultaneous connections, so everyone and every device in your household can use one VPN account to connect. It also has an extensive server network of 3,200+ servers around the world, along with Taiwanese servers.
What we liked
Surfshark is a great VPN solution, and from our testing, it’s well worth the price. Connecting to Surfshark servers didn’t drastically affect our internet speeds, and it was simple to find server locations and connect. Most importantly, Surfshark is easy to use, simple to connect in 100 countries, and packed with features to ensure you're protected while browsing the internet.
Some of Surfshark’s security features include:
- Kill switch: Blocks your internet connection if your VPN is disconnected
- CleanWeb: Browse the internet with this ad-free browser
- Bypasser: Allows you to choose which internet traffic goes through a VPN
While Surfshark’s Starter plan gives you full access to its VPN, the higher-tier Surfshark One gives you access to other cybersecurity features, including an antivirus solution, identity monitoring, and a private search tool.
What we didn’t like
Surfshark does have one negative — the company’s headquarters is in the Netherlands. While the Netherlands has no policies limiting internet freedoms, the country is part of the Nine Eyes alliance. The Nine Eyes alliance is a group of countries that have pledged to share information on matters of national security, so there's a chance that Surfshark user privacy could be compromised if the Netherlands needed to share information with another member.
Surfshark specs
Price range | $1.99–$17.95/mo |
Free version | No |
Number of servers | 3,200+ servers in 100 countries |
Server locations in Taiwan | Taipei City |
Number of connected devices | Unlimited |
VPN protocol | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
No-logs policy | No logs |
Unblocks Netflix? | Yes |
Torrenting support | Yes |
Learn more | Get Surfshark |
Honorable mentions
While we highlighted a few of our favorite VPNs, there are a few more solutions that we thought may be a good fit for use in Taiwan:
- CyberGhost: CyberGhost has servers in 100 countries, including Taiwan. You can get CyberGhost for $2.03/mo (billed every two years) with a two-year commitment. One CyberGhost feature we liked is its automatic Wi-Fi protection, which activates the VPN anytime you’re connected to an unsecured Wi-Fi network. CyberGhost also has a 45-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.
Get CyberGhost | Read Our CyberGhost Review
- Private Internet Access: Private Internet Access also allows for unlimited simultaneous connections, and its subscription is affordable. If you choose the three-year plan, you can get PIA for Free. It also comes with plenty of features like an advanced kill switch, split tunneling, and multi-hop.
Get Private Internet Access | Read Our Private Internet Access Review
How we test VPNs for Taiwan
When looking for the best VPNs for Taiwan, we looked at a few different factors, including whether the VPN provider had server locations in Taiwan and if they had servers in the U.S. for users in Taiwan looking to access American content.
We also looked at additional features that the VPN offered that would make using the VPN in Taiwan or other countries even easier, such as a kill switch, split tunneling, double VPN, and more.
How to use a VPN in Taiwan
Setting up and using a VPN in Taiwan is fairly simple, but we recommend that you sign up for whichever VPN you pick and download it before you head out of the country. This will make things easier, and you’ll be prepared as soon as you land.
After downloading the VPN, you’ll be able to activate the VPN for whichever server you see fit. Depending on which VPN you select, you can also turn on features like the kill switch through the VPN’s settings.
FAQs
Is a VPN legal in Taiwan?
Yes, VPNs are legal in Taiwan. Freedom House, an organization evaluating internet freedoms in a given country, gave Taiwan a freedom score of 79/100. This means that people using the internet in Taiwan are free to do so and will face limited, if any, censorship.
Which free VPNs can connect to Taiwan?
We didn’t find any free VPNs that connect to a Taiwan server. We’d recommend using a paid VPN if you’re looking to connect to a server in Taiwan. Free VPNs often come with issues like bandwidth limitations, less rigorous security measures, and they may even sell your data.
Will a VPN slow down my internet?
Yes, using a VPN almost always slows down internet speeds. However, reputable providers typically have a negligible slowdown.
Bottom line: The best VPNs for Taiwan
ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark are great solutions for protecting your internet activity while in Taiwan.
ExpressVPN was the most expensive VPN we included, but it’s focused on providing the fastest and most secure connection for its users. We’d recommend ExpressVPN if you’re concerned about your internet activity and want to ensure your VPN is functioning at the highest level.
However, just because ExpressVPN is hyper-focused on security doesn’t mean that NordVPN or Surfshark are doing anything less to keep your information private. If you also need a password manager or you want to use Meshnet to access devices while traveling, we recommend NordVPN.
Surfshark is our third recommended service provider for Taiwan. Surfshark allows for unlimited simultaneous connections, so if you’re traveling with family or friends or just want to cover every device in your household, Surfshark may be the right solution for you.
3 best VPNs for Taiwan 2024
Starting price | Best for | Learn more | |
ExpressVPN |
Starts at $6.25/mo (billed annually) | Best for heavy VPN users | Get ExpressVPN |
NordVPN |
Starts at $2.99/mo (billed every two years) | Best for add-ons | Get NordVPN |
Surfshark |
Starts at $1.99/mo (billed every two years) | Best for multiple devices | Get Surfshark |