6 Best VPNs for Russia (2024)
Are you in search of the best VPN service for inside or outside Russia? Here are your top options.
VPN use in Russia is not as straightforward as in many other countries. Russia has limitations in place on VPN services and their providers, so you need to be informed.
If you are abroad and need to access Russian streaming content, for instance, then all you need is a VPN with a Russian IP address. However, if you are inside Russia and need to access certain foreign websites, then you may want to consider a foreign VPN provider.
This review of the best VPNs for Russia includes both locally present and foreign VPN service providers with various features to suit your personal needs.
How To Choose The Best VPN For Russia
The best Russian VPN service for you depends on a few conditions, such as where you are using the VPN service from and the type of websites that you are browsing. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help you make the best choice.
- Inside Russia: If you are inside Russia and looking to access restricted or banned websites, you should first know that using non-licensed VPN services to achieve that carries a potential fine of up to 300,000 Rubles if the authorities catch you. Otherwise, every licensed VPN provider in Russia is law abiding.
- Outside Russia: Using a Russian VPN service from outside Russia to watch video streams, for instance, means you are using servers physically hosted in Russia. So, in most cases, there is nothing to worry about.
- Server Locations: Irrespective of their locations, you want a service that offers as many servers as possible, to make it easy to select or switch profiles as your online profile requires.
- No logs Policy: All licensed VPN service providers in Russia are required by law to keep logs of their users’ activities. So, this means that you can only use a no-logs VPN in Russia illegally.
Best VPN Services For Russia
| Rank | Name | Highlights | Pricing | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ProtonVPN | Russian servers, 6,500 servers, 110 countries | Freemium | protonvpn.com |
| 2. | CyberGhost | 50 Russian servers, 7 devices, low prices | $2.19/month | cyberghostvpn.com |
| 3. | VyprVPN | Russian servers, 300k IPs, 10 devices | $5/month | vyprvpn.com |
| 4. | ExpressVPN | Popular service, fast, reliable | $8.33/month | expressvpn.com |
| 5. | NordVPN | Flexible plans, privacy tools, cloud storage | $3.59/month | nordvpn.com |
| 6. | Hotspot Shield | 1,800+ servers, 80+ countries, 10 devices | Freemium | hotspotshield.com |
1. Proton VPN
Highlights: Freemium service, fast 10 Gbps speeds
Also based in Switzerland, Proton VPN offers an equally top-quality service with 6,500 servers scattered around 110 countries. It works on all platforms, including Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and web browsers.
Proton VPN offers unlimited bandwidth for up to 10 devices at a go, with connections as fast as 10 Gbps. Further features include Tor over VPN support and Netshield Ad blocker to protect your systems from malware.
You can try out Proton VPN for free, as it is a Freemium service. The free plan supports just one device with no ads and unlimited bandwidth, while the premium plan costs €4.49 with 2-year billing or €4.99 with yearly billing.
Features:
- Swiss-based VPN service
- Uses open-source technologies
- Supports up to 10 devices
Total Servers: 6,500 in 110 countries
Russian IP servers:16 in St. Petersburg
Pricing: Freemium
2. CyberGhost
Highlights: 50 Russian servers, 100+ countries, 10k servers
Featuring 256-bit AES encryption, 10 Gbps bandwidth, and up to 7 simultaneous connections, CyberGhost is available in over 100 countries with VPN split tunneling, automatic kill switch, and DNS leak protection features.
Cyberghost hosts over 50 Russian servers and can unblock both local and foreign video streams, including Netflix, Disney, HBO Max+, Amazon Prime, Rutube, OK, and more. The system works on all platforms, including iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, FireTV, and more.
Plans start from as low as $2.19 per month when you pay for 2 years, with 24/7 customer support, and a money-back guarantee of up to 45 days.
Features:
- Large choice of servers
- Fast speeds for up to 7 devices
- Supports OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 protocols
- DNS, leak protection, and kill switch
Total Servers:10,000+
Russian IP servers:50+ servers
Pricing: From $2.19 per month
3. Vypr VPN
Highlights:10 devices, 300k IP addresses, Russian servers
Vypr VPN is a Swiss-based service with lots of helpful privacy services. They offer leak protection, split tunneling, and the Chameleon technology that makes it easy to evade Deep Packet Inspection from online censorship authorities.
Chameleon works based on the 256-bit OpenVPN protocol to automatically obfuscate your online connections and avoid throttling or outright censored websites. Other supported protocols include WireGuard and IKEv2.
Vypr allows up to 10 devices on one account, includes 24/7 customer support, and is available in 96 locations worldwide, including servers in Russia and up to 300,000 IP addresses available.
Plans start at $5 per month with yearly billing or you can pay $10 per month with monthly billing.
Features:
- Split tunneling and obfuscation technologies
- Multiple VPN protocols are available
- VyprDNS service for extra privacy
Total Servers: Over 300k IPs in 96+ locations
Russian IP servers: Yes
Pricing: From $5 per month
4. ExpressVPN
Highlights: Popular service, no logs, 105 countries, 8 devices
ExpressVPN is a well-known premium VPN service that is easy to use and reliable. It offers all the features that you can expect from a top-tier service, however, it does not include Russian IP servers.
This lack of Russian servers means you cannot use the service from outside Russia to access Russian streaming content or other similar online services. You can use it, however, to access external websites that have been limited or banned–please see the FAQs section for legality.
ExpressVPN starts at $3.33 per month with yearly billing. An account allows you up to 8 devices, with no activity logs, and top connection speeds. It works on all platforms, from Linux to Windows, routers, Android, and more.
Features:
- Fast and reliable service
- Servers available in 105 countries
- No Russian servers
- Includes password manager and privacy tools
Total Servers: 3,000+
Russian IP servers: N/A
Pricing: From $8.33 per month
5. Nord VPN
Highlights: Flexible plans, 10 devices
Headquartered in Lithuania, NordVPN is another popular VPN service that does not maintain servers in Russia. So, you cannot use it to access restricted Russian content.
However, it offers many other features, such as its ability to secure up to 10 devices at once, threat and malware protection, as well as its availability in 3 plans, so you can choose what best suits you.
The Basic NordVPN plan costs $3.59 per month and supports 10 devices with threat protection. The Plus plan costs $4.49 per month and includes malware protection, a data breach scanner, a password manager, and ad blocking. The Complete plan additionally includes 1 TB of cloud storage for $5.49 per month.
Features:
- Flexible plans with attractive pricing
- works on all popular platforms and devices
- Supports up to 10 simultaneous devices
- Includes privacy and protection features
Total Servers: 6,300+ in 111 countries
Russian IP servers: N/A
Pricing: From $3.49 per month
6. Hotspot Shield
Highlights: Freemium service, Russian servers
Hotspot Shield is another freemium VPN service with a high-quality offering and servers in Russia. You can either use the free version with limitations such as a single device with one location or go premium for up to 10 devices and 125+ locations for €7.99 per month.
Speeds reach up to 1 Gbps with unlimited bandwidth for the paid plan, making it suitable for streaming, gaming, and Tor over VPN, The free plan is limited to 2 Mbps speeds, with a 500 MB bandwidth limit per day.
Hotspot Shield offers 1,800 servers in 70+ countries with military-grade encryption, split tunneling, and an automatic kill switch. It works on all your devices, including Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and more.
Features:
- Over 1,00 servers in 70+ countries
- military-grade encryption
- Split tunneling and kill switch
- Includes 24/7 live tech support
Total Servers: 1,800+
Russian IP servers: Yes
Pricing: Freemium
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding VPN services and Russia.
Q: Can I access banned websites using a VPN?
A: Yes, a VPN service makes it possible for a user to access any otherwise publicly available website that has been banned or censored in another way in any particular country. An example of banned websites in Russia include Facebook, BBC News, Euro News, and hundreds more.
Q: Is VPN use in Russia illegal?
A: No, VPN use in Russia is not illegal, as long as you use services that are licensed by the Russian government. Otherwise, you may have to pay a fine of up to 300,000 Rubles if caught using an unlicensed VPN service.
Q: Do Russian VPN Services Keep user logs
A: Yes, all VPN service providers that are licensed to legally operate in Russia must keep logs of their user’s online activities. Those who refuse to keep these logs do not have active servers in the country.
Q: Can I use a free VPN in Russia?
A: Of course, you can always use a free VPN, but it might come at the cost of your privacy and security. Free VPN services make their money by either selling ads to you or by selling your user information.
Q: Which VPN has the most servers in Russia?
A: CyberGhost currently has one of the largest Russian IP servers on offer.
Conclusion
Rounding off this list of the top VPN services for Russia, you have seen the companies that offer the best servers with Russian IP and those that do not operate with a license from the government. You have also seen the reasons for the two groups of VPN providers for Russia.
Your choice, however, depends on your needs and what you hope to achieve. In other words, there is no single best VPN service provider for Russia.
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