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<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head><meta charSet="utf-8" data-next-head=""/><title data-next-head="">What Is VPN Obfuscation & Why Do You Need It?</title><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no" data-next-head=""/><meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge" data-next-head=""/><link href="https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net" rel="preconnect" data-next-head=""/><link href="https://www.googletagmanager.com" rel="preconnect" data-next-head=""/><link href="https://www.google-analytics.com" rel="preconnect" data-next-head=""/><link href="https://stats.g.doubleclick.net" rel="preconnect" crossorigin="anonymous" data-next-head=""/><link href="https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net" rel="preconnect" data-next-head=""/><link href="https://www.google.com" rel="preconnect" data-next-head=""/><link href="https://cdn.speedcurve.com" rel="preconnect" crossorigin="anonymous" data-next-head=""/><link href="https://lux.speedcurve.com" rel="preconnect" data-next-head=""/><link rel="preload" href="/static/fonts/lineto-circular-pro-bold.woff2" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorigin="anonymous" data-next-head=""/><link rel="preload" href="/static/fonts/lineto-circular-pro-book.woff2" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorigin="anonymous" data-next-head=""/><link rel="preload" href="/static/fonts/calibre-medium-full.woff2" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorigin="anonymous" data-next-head=""/><link rel="preload" href="/static/fonts/calibre-regular-full.woff2" as="font" type="font/woff2" crossorigin="anonymous" data-next-head=""/><link rel="alternate" hrefLang="en" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-obfuscation/" data-next-head=""/><link rel="alternate" hrefLang="x-default" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-obfuscation/" data-next-head=""/><link rel="alternate" hrefLang="es" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/es/guias/ofuscacion-vpn/" data-next-head=""/><meta name="description" content="VPN obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic as normal internet traffic so you can bypass VPN blocks and deep packet inspection. Our tests show the best and most reliable obfuscated VPN is Astrill." data-next-head=""/><meta property="og:description" content="VPN obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic as normal internet traffic so you can bypass VPN blocks and deep packet inspection. Our tests show the best and most reliable obfuscated VPN is Astrill." data-next-head=""/><meta property="og:image" content="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/07/VPN-Obfuscation.jpg" data-next-head=""/><meta property="og:title" content="What Is VPN Obfuscation & Why Do You Need It?" data-next-head=""/><meta property="og:type" content="website" data-next-head=""/><meta property="og:url" content="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-obfuscation/" data-next-head=""/><meta name="robots" content="index,follow" data-next-head=""/><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" data-next-head=""/><meta name="twitter:site" content="@top10vpn" data-next-head=""/><meta name="twitter:title" content="What Is VPN Obfuscation & Why Do You Need It?" data-next-head=""/><meta name="twitter:description" content="VPN obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic as normal internet traffic so you can bypass VPN blocks and deep packet inspection. 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class="jsx-1557524140 ut-header orange"><div class="jsx-1557524140 container-row"><p data-swiftype-index="false" class="jsx-1557524140 disclosure">Top10VPN is editorially independent. We may <a href="/about/how-we-make-money/">earn commissions</a> if you buy a VPN via our links.</p></div><div class="jsx-1557524140 container-row"><h1 class="jsx-1557524140 heading-1">What Is VPN Obfuscation?</h1><div class="jsx-3130565390 author-header"><div class="jsx-3130565390 date-wtu-container"><time dateTime="2024-08-21T14:46:00.000Z" class="jsx-3130565390 author-updated"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="jsx-3130565390 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-3130565390"></use></svg><span class="jsx-3130565390">Updated Aug 21, 2024</span></time></div><div class="jsx-3130565390 authors-grid"><div class="jsx-3130565390 main-author"><div class="jsx-3130565390 author-photo"><img alt="JP Jone's profile image" data-slug="jpjones" width="32" height="32" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F12%2Fexpertbio-JP-small-opt.jpeg&w=32&q=75 1x, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F12%2Fexpertbio-JP-small-opt.jpeg&w=64&q=75 2x" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F12%2Fexpertbio-JP-small-opt.jpeg&w=64&q=75"/></div><div class="jsx-3130565390 author-name"><strong class="jsx-3130565390">JP Jones</strong></div><button aria-label="About authors" class="jsx-3130565390 author-toggle"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" class="jsx-3130565390 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3130565390"></use></svg></button></div><div class="jsx-3130565390 author-bio"><p class="jsx-3130565390 bio-authors">JP Jones is our CTO. He has over 25 years of software engineering and networking experience, and oversees all technical aspects of our VPN testing process. <a href="/about/vpn-experts/jpjones/">Read full bio</a></p></div><p class="jsx-3130565390 supporting-authors"><span class="jsx-3130565390">Fact-checked by <a href="/about/vpn-experts/simonmigliano/">Simon Migliano</a></span><span class="jsx-3130565390">Additional Research by <a href="/about/vpn-experts/#vpn-research-testing-team">Alyx Morley</a></span></p></div></div></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row"><div class="jsx-912259115 breadcrumbs"><ol itemscope="" itemType="https://schema.org/BreadcrumbList" class="jsx-912259115 "><li itemProp="itemListElement" itemscope="" itemType="https://schema.org/ListItem" class="jsx-912259115"><meta itemProp="position" content="1" class="jsx-912259115"/><a itemProp="item" class="bc-logo" href="https://www.top10vpn.com/"><meta itemProp="name" content="Home" class="jsx-912259115"/><img src="/static/images/logo-simplified-dark-1x1_ratio.svg" width="16" height="16" alt="Top10VPN" class="jsx-912259115"/></a></li><li itemProp="itemListElement" itemscope="" itemType="https://schema.org/ListItem" class="jsx-912259115 inner-slice"><meta itemProp="position" content="2" class="jsx-912259115"/><a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/" itemProp="item" class="jsx-912259115"><span itemProp="name" class="jsx-912259115">Guides</span></a></li><li itemProp="itemListElement" itemscope="" itemType="https://schema.org/ListItem" class="jsx-912259115"><a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-obfuscation/" itemProp="item" class="jsx-912259115"><span itemProp="name" class="jsx-912259115">What Is VPN Obfuscation?</span></a><meta itemProp="position" content="3" class="jsx-912259115"/></li></ol></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-content-jumplink-wrapper"><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-tldr ut-row"><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-tldr-header"><h2 class="heading-4">Overview</h2><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 136 10" width="130" preserveAspectRatio="none" fill="none" class="jsx-2532098028"><path fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M25.2 7.9c-1 .9-1.7-.3-2.6.1h-1c-1-.3-1.4 0-4.4.4l-.7-.1-6.7.2c-.8.4-1.1 0-3 .4-.8.1-1.6.4-2.4.2-.3-.1-2.3.3-2.9.7C.2 10.8.6 7.3.1 5c-.3-1.1.2-2 1-1.8 1.4.3 33.2-1.8 65.5-2.5C82.7.4 99 .2 111.4.2 124 .2 132.7.2 134 0c.3 0 1.2 0 1.7.8 1 2-.2 3.6-.2 4.1-.2 1.3-1 1-4.2.9-.4 0-1 .3-1.2-.2-.3-.6-12.4-.2-13-.2-1.6.1-2-.3-4.3-.2-2.6.3-.8.5-2.2.2-1.4-.2-.3-.3-1.7-.2l-7 .5c-7 .4-3.9.4-7 .3-3 0-3.2.2-8 0-.3 0-.2-.5-1-.2-.6.3-1.3.2-2.5.2-3 .1-2.8-.6-3.5 0h-.6c-3.2 0-3.4 0-3.8-.4-.6-.7-.6.8-2 .5h-.2c-1.8.8-7.4-.2-11.2.4-.3 0-.5.1-.8 0-1-.1-1.9.1-2.8.2-1.2 0-1-.6-2-.2-1.1.4-.8-.1-1.5 0-1.6.4-.8 0-1.7.2a7 7 0 0 1-3 0l-1.9.3c-1.9-.1-1.2-.5-2.4 0h-.5l-1.5.2h-1l-.4.1c-.8.3-1.4.1-1.7.2-1.2.3-2-.6-3-.2-1 .5-1 0-3.4.3-2.2.3-1.3-.2-3.3-.1-1 0-1.8-.1-2.7.2-1.2.5-1.6.1-2 .3-.7.2-.7.2-1.2-.1Z" fill="var(--orange-50)" class="jsx-2532098028"></path></svg></div><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text"><div><p>VPN obfuscation is a tool that disguises VPN traffic as normal internet traffic, allowing users to bypass VPN blocks. The best VPN with obfuscated servers is <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?lang=en&&type=prc&name=astrill&ref=628e2c47c6f63&clicktype=ClickOut&pagetype=Guide&linktype=text&ga_category=GuidePageOut&ga_action=astrill&ga_label=Contextual" rel="noindex nofollow noopener noreferrer sponsored" target="_blank"><b>Astrill</b></a> as it’s 100% reliable at bypassing restrictions in countries like China and on restricted networks, such as workplaces.</p> </div></div></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-jumplink"><aside class="jsx-2362454086"><div class="jsx-2362454086 jumplinks"><div class="jsx-2362454086 toc-mobile"><button class="jsx-2362454086"><span class="jsx-2362454086">Table of Contents</span><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" class="jsx-2362454086 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-2362454086"></use></svg></button></div><ol class="jsx-2362454086 main-list"><li class="jsx-2362454086 "><a href="#what-is-vpn-obfuscation-&-how-does-it-work" class="jsx-2362454086 ">What Is VPN Obfuscation?</a></li><li class="jsx-2362454086 "><a href="#the-best-vpns-for-obfuscation" class="jsx-2362454086 has-list"><span class="jsx-2362454086">The Best VPNs for Obfuscation</span><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" class="jsx-2362454086 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-2362454086"></use></svg></a><div class="jsx-2362454086 inner-list-wrapper"><ol class="jsx-2362454086"><li class="jsx-2362454086"><a href="#the-best-vpns-for-obfuscation" class="jsx-2362454086 ">VPN Comparison Table</a></li><li class="jsx-2362454086"><a href="#astrill" class="jsx-2362454086 ">Astrill VPN</a></li><li class="jsx-2362454086"><a href="#expressvpn" class="jsx-2362454086 ">ExpressVPN</a></li><li class="jsx-2362454086"><a href="#windscribe" class="jsx-2362454086 ">Windscribe Free</a></li></ol></div></li><li class="jsx-2362454086 "><a href="#vpn-obfuscation-&-stealth-techniques" class="jsx-2362454086 ">VPN Obfuscation & Stealth Techniques</a></li><li class="jsx-2362454086 "><a href="#when-to-use-vpn-obfuscation" class="jsx-2362454086 ">When to Use VPN Obfuscation</a></li><li class="jsx-2362454086 "><a href="#when-not-to-use-vpn-obfuscation" class="jsx-2362454086 ">When Not to Use VPN Obfuscation</a></li><li class="jsx-2362454086 "><a href="#how-to-connect-to-an-obfuscated-vpn-server" class="jsx-2362454086 ">How to Connect to an Obfuscated VPN Server</a></li></ol></div></aside></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><div class="jsx-2532098028 ut-row"><picture class="jsx-2532098028"><source srcSet="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/07/VPN-Obfuscation.jpg" media="(min-width: 834px)" width="1180" height="800" class="jsx-2532098028"/><source srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F07%2FVPN-Obfuscation.jpg&w=1024&q=60 1x" media="(max-width: 833px)" width="833" height="471" class="jsx-2532098028"/><img src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/07/VPN-Obfuscation.jpg" alt="VPN Obfuscation Header Image" loading="eager" class="jsx-2532098028 main-image"/></picture></div><section class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><div><p>VPN obfuscation is an advanced security feature that <b>hides the fact that you are using a VPN</b> to reroute your traffic. It can help to bypass firewalls to <a href="/guides/how-to-unblock-websites-anywhere/">access restricted websites</a>, avoid blocks by governments or ISPs, and evade detection by deep packet inspection (DPI). </p> <p>Internet restrictions are often <a href="/research/cost-of-internet-shutdowns/">imposed by governments</a> during important political events, or to censor the internet of political, religious, or sexual content. Some schools and workplaces also implement firewalls to keep students safe or protect their networks from malicious attacks.</p> <p>Unfortunately, VPN obfuscation is not a standard feature in all VPNs, with only a select few services offering the feature.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--light"> <p><span class="heading-5">Summary: The Best Obfuscated VPNs</span></p> <p>After testing 61 services, we’ve determined the best VPNs with obfuscated servers are: </p> <ol> <li><a href="#astrill">Astrill</a>: Best Overall Obfuscated VPN</li> <li><a href="#expressvpn">ExpressVPN</a>: Most User-Friendly VPN for Obfuscation</li> <li><a href="#windscribe">Windscribe</a>: Free VPN That Works in Restrictive Regions</li> </ol> </div> </div><div id="why-trust-us" class="jsx-1962843399 why-trust-us"><svg class="handshake" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 49 62"><defs><clipPath id="handshakeclippath"><path fill="#fff" d="M.1 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1.6a1 1 0 0 1-.4 0c-.6 0-.8-.5-1-1v-.2c-.5-.7-6.5-13.2-6.6-13.3-.1-.5 0-1 .5-1.2L40 30h.4l.5.1c.2.1.4.4.9 1.6v.1l6.3 12.8v.5Z"></path><path stroke="#096962" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-miterlimit="10" stroke-width="1.6" d="m10.9 3 3.3 5.4M37.6 3l-3.4 5.4M24 .8v6.1"></path></g></svg><div class="jsx-1962843399 text"><h3 class="heading-5">Why Trust Us?</h3><div class="jsx-1962843399"><p>We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our advice is based on our own testing results and is unaffected by financial incentives. Learn <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/about/">who we are</a> and <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/about/how-we-review-vpns/">how we test VPNs</a>.</p> </div></div></div><div></div></section></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 "><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section id="what-is-vpn-obfuscation-&-how-does-it-work" class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><h2 class="heading-2">What Is VPN Obfuscation & How Does it Work?</h2><div><p>VPN obfuscation hides that you’re using a VPN by making VPN traffic look like regular traffic, allowing you to bypass VPN blockers, such those used in countries with restricted internet. This feature is <b>only offered by some VPN services</b> due to its complexity.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-156422 size-full" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2020/12/using-obfuscation-technology.png" alt="Image of an obfuscated VPN evading detection and beating the censors" width="1180" height="463"></p> <p>There are several methods to bypass VPN blocks, including Shadowsocks proxies, OpenVPN over TLS, SSTP, and OpenVPN Scramble. Each method varies in effectiveness.</p> <p>While a normal VPN connection <a href="/what-is-a-vpn/how-does-a-vpn-work/">encrypts your data</a>, your ISP can still detect VPN usage due to identifiable patterns. Obfuscated servers or protocols alter your data packets, eliminating these patterns and making it impossible for your ISP to recognize VPN use, thus bypassing strict VPN blocks.</p> </div><div id="collcon-what-is-vpn-obfuscation-&-how-does-it-work" class="jsx-3376757649 collapsible-content-group"><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="unobfuscated-vs-obfuscated-vpn-traffic" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">Unobfuscated vs Obfuscated VPN Traffic</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><p>To illustrate the difference between unobfuscated and obfuscated VPN traffic, we used Wireshark, a powerful deep packet inspection software.</p> <p><b>Here’s what VPN traffic looks like without obfuscation:</b></p> <div id="attachment_301698" style="width: 1642px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-301698" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-301698 size-full" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/ivpn-wireshark-openvpn-macos-annotated.png" alt="Screenshot of Wireshark app picking up on an OpenVPN protocol connection." width="1632" height="1072"><p id="caption-attachment-301698" class="wp-caption-text">Wireshark detected an OpenVPN connection without obfuscation.</p></div> <p><b>Here’s what VPN traffic looks like with obfuscation:</b></p> <div id="attachment_303231" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-303231" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-303231 size-full" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/vpnarea-wireshark-tcptlsdnshttp-annotated.png" alt="Screenshot of Wireshark app picking up on a TLSv1.3, TCP, DNS, and HTTP connection." width="1200" height="827"><p id="caption-attachment-303231" class="wp-caption-text">With obfsproxy enabled, Wireshark couldn’t detect the VPN connection.</p></div> <p>As you can see, without obfuscation, Wireshark detected both <a href="/guides/wireguard-vs-openvpn/">WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols</a>. With obfsproxy enabled, it <b>only detected a TCP connection</b>, effectively hiding the VPN usage.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="what-are-obfuscated-servers" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">What Are Obfuscated Servers?</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><p><b>Obfuscated servers are specialized VPN servers that employ obfuscation techniques</b>, to camouflage your VPN connection.</p> <p>The main advantage of using an obfuscated VPN server is its simplicity. Unlike other obfuscation methods that may require complex configurations, connecting to an obfuscated server typically requires no special settings in your VPN app. Just connect, and your VPN traffic is automatically hidden.</p> <p>Examples of VPN services offering obfuscated servers include ExpressVPN, which provides obfuscation across its entire network.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="are-obfuscated-servers-slower" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">Are Obfuscated Servers Slower?</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><p>Obfuscated servers apply extra layers of encryption and code, <b>which can slow down your internet connection</b>.</p> <p>Our tests show that VPNs are affected differently by obfuscation technology. </p> <p>Generally, VPNs best at bypassing firewalls (Astrill VPN, ExpressVPN, and Windscribe VPN) maintain fast to average speeds with obfuscation enabled.</p> <p><picture><source media="(max-width: 768px)" srcset="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/02/m-horizontal-bar-obfuscation-guide.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1405577 size-full" src="/assets/2024/02/d-horizontal-bar-obfuscation-guide.png" alt="Bar graph comparing local download speeds of VPNs with and without obfuscation. Surfshark, PrivateVPN, ExpressVPN, Windscribe, StrongVPN, PIA VPN, Astrill, and VyprVPN are listed, showing higher speeds without obfuscation. The lowest with obfuscation is VyprVPN at 39 Mbps; the highest with is ExpressVPN at 97 Mbps." width="1480" height="1386"></picture></p> <p>Connecting to obfuscated servers <b>reduced speeds for all tested VPNs</b>, but to varying degrees.</p> <p>Surfshark and ExpressVPN experienced minimal speed loss when connecting to short and long distance servers with obfuscation enabled. In contrast, PIA’s speeds dropped from 88Mbps on a local US connection to a disappointing 15Mbps on a long-distance UK connection.</p> <p>Surfshark demonstrated the most impressive download speeds, with only a <b>1%</b> drop using NoBorders mode on a local server. </p> <p>However, this comes with a trade-off: <b>Surfshark struggles to bypass the Great Firewall of China</b>, succeeding only 35% of the time in the past year. This suggests its speed might be due to less effective obfuscation.</p> <p>Every VPN has its own obfuscation technology that works in different ways. If speed is your main concern, we recommend using <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?lang=en&&type=prc&name=surfshark&ref=628e38ff7bdd5&clicktype=ClickOut&pagetype=Guide&linktype=text&ga_category=GuidePageOut&ga_action=surfshark&ga_label=Contextual" rel="noindex nofollow noopener noreferrer sponsored" target="_blank"><b>Surfshark</b></a>, <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?lang=en&&type=prc&name=astrill&ref=628e2c47c6f63&clicktype=ClickOut&pagetype=Guide&linktype=text&ga_category=GuidePageOut&ga_action=astrill&ga_label=Contextual" rel="noindex nofollow noopener noreferrer sponsored" target="_blank"><b>Astrill VPN</b></a>, or <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?lang=en&&type=prc&name=expressvpn&ref=628e3c033d835&clicktype=ClickOut&pagetype=Guide&linktype=text&ga_category=GuidePageOut&ga_action=expressvpn&ga_label=Contextual" rel="noindex nofollow noopener noreferrer sponsored" target="_blank"><b>ExpressVPN</b></a>.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="is-obfuscation-100--reliable" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">Is Obfuscation 100% Reliable?</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><p><b>VPN obfuscation technology is not always reliable</b>. Over the years, we’ve observed that some VPNs periodically succeed and then fail to obfuscate your connection and bypass firewalls.</p> <p>However, as long as the VPN has a <b>strong no-logs policy</b> and is based outside the <a href="/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-jurisdictions/">14 Eyes Alliance</a>, your IP address and online activity will be safe from prying eyes. </p> <p>To further mitigate risks associated with your VPN traffic leaking, <b>we recommend using a <a href="/guides/vpn-kill-switch/">VPN with a working kill switch</a></b>, too.</p> </div></div></details></div></section></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section id="video-summary" class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><h3 class="heading-3">Video Summary</h3><div><p>Watch the video below to find out what VPN obfuscation is, how it works, and when it’s best to use or avoid it.</p> </div><div class="jsx-1808564872 video-wrapper yt-widescreen"><div class="jsx-1808564872 aspect-ratio-wrapper"><button class="jsx-1808564872 play">Play</button><div class="jsx-1808564872 img"><img alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 90vw, 60vw" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F08%2FWhat-Is-Obfuscation.webp&w=256&q=90 256w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F08%2FWhat-Is-Obfuscation.webp&w=320&q=90 320w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F08%2FWhat-Is-Obfuscation.webp&w=375&q=90 375w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F08%2FWhat-Is-Obfuscation.webp&w=384&q=90 384w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F08%2FWhat-Is-Obfuscation.webp&w=768&q=90 768w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F08%2FWhat-Is-Obfuscation.webp&w=1024&q=90 1024w" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2024%2F08%2FWhat-Is-Obfuscation.webp&w=1024&q=90"/></div></div><script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"What Is VPN Obfuscation (and Why You Probably Don't Need It)","description":"Unsure what obfuscation actually is? We wouldn't blame you - but don't let the big fancy words put you off. It's actually a pretty simple topic, and getting to know it better will help you understand how your VPN works on a much deeper level.Join Top10VPN's Site Editor Callum as he explains the basics of VPN obfuscation, and explain just when you should (and shouldn't) use it.","thumbnailUrl":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/08/What-Is-Obfuscation.webp","uploadDate":"2024-08-20T00:00:00.000Z","duration":"T463S","embedUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0pQk3Xw0RA"}</script></div><div></div></section></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section id="the-best-vpns-for-obfuscation" class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><h2 class="heading-2">The Best VPNs for Obfuscation</h2><div><p>Many VPN services claim to provide obfuscation technology, but only a select few truly conceal your VPN usage from restrictive governments, schools, and workplaces.</p> <p><b>Here’s a table comparing our VPN recommendations with the best obfuscation features and technology:</b></p> </div><div data-sheet-id="1qeSHTan0M85_0ShsYEB759bLLX7rP_A4eyYMBXmOxY8|1410068555"><div style="height:467px" class="jsx-216598542 skel"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-head"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-row"><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div><div class="jsx-216598542 skel-cell waveyBG"></div></div></div></div><div></div></section><ol class="jsx-2532098028 ut-row editorial-cards"><li id="astrill" class="jsx-2532098028"><h3 class="heading-3 card-header">1<!-- -->. <!-- -->Astrill: Best VPN for Obfuscation</h3><p class="jsx-911095854 subhead"></p><div class="jsx-911095854 provider-image"><span class="jsx-911095854 card-badge">Ranked #1 out of 61 VPN services for Obfuscation</span><picture class="jsx-911095854"><source media="(min-width: 834px)" srcSet="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/08/astrill-windows-chinabdm-HERO-updated.webp" width="1520" height="800" class="jsx-911095854"/><img src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/05/astrill-windows-chinabdm-HERO-m.webp" style="width:100%;height:auto" alt="" width="780" height="740" loading="lazy" class="jsx-911095854"/></picture></div><div class="jsx-911095854 card-cta-ratings"><div class="jsx-911095854 card-cta"><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/03/Astrill-V3.svg" alt="Astrill Logo in Our VPN Review" height="112" width="112" class="jsx-911095854 logo"/><h3 class="heading-5 provider-name">Astrill VPN</h3><div class="jsx-3372596398 comparison-cta"><input id="cta-astrill" type="checkbox" class="jsx-3372596398"/><label for="cta-astrill" class="jsx-3372596398">Add to compare</label></div><a href="/goto/?&type=ed&pg=vpn-obfuscation&name=astrill&clicktype=cta&pagetype=Guide&linktype=button&tpos=1&ut=guide" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored noindex noreferrer" target="_blank" class="button-primary mod--slim" data-swiftype-index="false" data-outlink-cta="true">Get Astrill</a></div></div><div class="jsx-2443623001 pros-cons"><button class="jsx-2443623001 btn-pros active">Pros</button><ul class="jsx-1623820870 custom-tick-list green-icons active"><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">100% reliability in China, Russia, the UAE & Turkey</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Always bypasses VPN blocks in schools and workplaces</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Based in privacy-friendly Liechtenstein</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Works with US Netflix</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Specialized servers for torrenting</span></li></ul><button class="jsx-2443623001 btn-cons">Cons</button><ul class="jsx-1623820870 custom-tick-list red-icons"><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Expensive subscription</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Doesn’t unblock BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, or Disney+</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">No mobile kill switch</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">No refund policy</span></li></ul></div><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text intro-card"><div><p>Astrill VPN is the <b>best obfuscated VPN for circumventing government censorship</b> <b>and avoiding DPI by your ISP</b>. Its proprietary protocol StealthVPN has a 100% success rate in bypassing the Great Firewall of China in our <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/china/">weekly China VPN tests</a>.</p> <p>Astrill unblocks <b>YouTube</b>, <b>US Netflix,</b> <b>Hulu</b>, and <b>Viki</b>. Its fast long-distance speeds make it a great option for streaming and watching videos online. However, it <b>doesn’t have any streaming-specialized servers</b> or Smart DNS tools. </p> <div id="attachment_1469125" style="width: 2260px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1469125" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-1469125 size-full" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/04/Astrill-Unblocking-YouTube-in-China.webp" alt="Astrill Unblocking YouTube in China" width="2250" height="1498"><p id="caption-attachment-1469125" class="wp-caption-text">We used Astrill VPN to unblock YouTube in China.</p></div> <p>Astrill has three major faults. Firstly, it’s <b>very expensive compared to other VPNs</b>. Though, we believe it’s great value for money because it’s extremely rare to find a VPN that works to bypass online restrictions so consistently. </p> <p>Secondly, it <b>doesn’t unblock some popular streaming services</b> such as BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. On the plus side, it does work to unblock US Netflix and Hulu.</p> <p>Third, if you’re visiting or living in a country with online restrictions, we wouldn’t recommend using Astrill VPN on mobile. This is because it <b>doesn’t have a kill switch on mobile</b>, which means if your connection drops your IP address could be leaked to your ISP.</p> <p>Overall, <b>Astrill VPN’s speciality is circumventing online restrictions, bypassing firewalls, and avoiding DPI inspection</b>. Its StealthVPN protocol is unrivaled in its ability to bypass the Great Firewall. It’s even the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/turkey/">best VPN for highly censored countries like Turkey</a> and the <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/singapore-vpn/">best VPN for Singapore’s moderate online censorship</a>. </p> <p>However, if you’re still hung up about the price we recommend checking out <a href="#windscribe-free">Windscribe</a>. It has a <b>free subscription option</b> that’s had a <b>90%</b> success rate in bypassing the Great Firewall in the past year.</p> </div></div><div class="jsx-911095854 final-cta"><a href="/goto/?&type=ed&pg=vpn-obfuscation&name=astrill&clicktype=cta&pagetype=Roundup&linktype=button&tpos=1" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored noindex noreferrer" target="_blank" class="button-primary" data-swiftype-index="false" data-outlink-cta="true">Get Astrill</a></div></li><li id="expressvpn" class="jsx-2532098028"><h3 class="heading-3 card-header">2<!-- -->. <!-- -->ExpressVPN: Most User-Friendly VPN for Obfuscation</h3><p class="jsx-911095854 subhead"></p><div class="jsx-911095854 provider-image"><picture class="jsx-911095854"><source media="(min-width: 834px)" srcSet="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/09/ExpressVPN-ios-en-hero2024.webp" width="1520" height="800" class="jsx-911095854"/><img src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/09/ExpressVPN-ios-m-en-hero.webp" style="width:100%;height:auto" alt="" width="780" height="740" loading="lazy" class="jsx-911095854"/></picture></div><div class="jsx-911095854 card-cta-ratings"><div class="jsx-911095854 card-cta"><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/01/210119-ExpressVPN.svg" alt="ExpressVPN's new square logo" height="112" width="112" class="jsx-911095854 logo"/><h3 class="heading-5 provider-name">ExpressVPN</h3><div class="jsx-3372596398 comparison-cta"><input id="cta-expressvpn" type="checkbox" class="jsx-3372596398"/><label for="cta-expressvpn" class="jsx-3372596398">Add to compare</label></div><a href="/goto/?&type=ed&pg=vpn-obfuscation&name=expressvpn&clicktype=cta&pagetype=Guide&linktype=button&tpos=2&ut=guide" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored noindex noreferrer" target="_blank" class="button-primary mod--slim" data-swiftype-index="false" data-outlink-cta="true">Get ExpressVPN</a></div></div><div class="jsx-2443623001 pros-cons"><button class="jsx-2443623001 btn-pros active">Pros</button><ul class="jsx-1623820870 custom-tick-list green-icons active"><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Inbuilt obfuscation for ease of use</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Based in the British Virgin Islands, a privacy haven</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Unblock US Netflix</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Torrenting allowed on all servers</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Doesn't collect identifying data</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Cheaper than Astrill</span></li></ul><button class="jsx-2443623001 btn-cons">Cons</button><ul class="jsx-1623820870 custom-tick-list red-icons"><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Not as effective in China as Astrill</span></li></ul></div><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text intro-card"><div><p>ExpressVPN consistently <b>performs well for streaming</b>, <b>bypassing censorship</b>, and <b>torrenting</b>. It also has a watertight logging policy, making it a solid <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/uae/">VPN for the UAE</a> and other highly censored countries. </p> <p><b>Obfuscation technology is inbuilt in all 3,000 ExpressVPN servers</b>. This means it automatically turns on when you connect to a server. You don’t need to manually enable any specific protocols or servers to circumvent online restrictions.</p> <p>This ease of use sets ExpressVPN apart from other VPNs with obfuscated servers. We didn’t need to worry about selecting the right protocol, checking the right boxes, or perfecting the configuration — ExpressVPN handled everything seamlessly.</p> <p>As you can see in the video below, <b>ExpressVPN works to circumvent the Great Firewall</b>, the world’s most sophisticated online censorship system. </p> </div><div class="jsx-1808564872 video-wrapper yt-widescreen"><div class="jsx-1808564872 aspect-ratio-wrapper"><button class="jsx-1808564872 play">Play</button><div class="jsx-1808564872 img"><img alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 90vw, 60vw" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-expressvpn-videothumbnail.png&w=256&q=90 256w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-expressvpn-videothumbnail.png&w=320&q=90 320w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-expressvpn-videothumbnail.png&w=375&q=90 375w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-expressvpn-videothumbnail.png&w=384&q=90 384w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-expressvpn-videothumbnail.png&w=768&q=90 768w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-expressvpn-videothumbnail.png&w=1024&q=90 1024w" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-expressvpn-videothumbnail.png&w=1024&q=90"/></div></div><script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"How to Access Free Internet in China with ExpressVPN","description":"Our testing found that ExpressVPN works to get around internet blocks in China. Here we demonstrate how we were able to access websites like Instagram and YouTube while in Shanghai by using ExpressVPN.","thumbnailUrl":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/vpnobfuscation-expressvpn-videothumbnail.png","uploadDate":"2022-02-21T00:00:00.000Z","duration":"T109S","embedUrl":"https://youtu.be/iobtP66xNH8"}</script></div><div><p>If you torrent frequently, check out Astrill VPN instead. It offers manual <a href="https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-port-forwarding/">configuration for VPN port forwarding</a> and effective obfuscation.</p> </div></div><div class="jsx-911095854 final-cta"><a href="/goto/?&type=ed&pg=vpn-obfuscation&name=expressvpn&clicktype=cta&pagetype=Roundup&linktype=button&tpos=2" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored noindex noreferrer" target="_blank" class="button-primary" data-swiftype-index="false" data-outlink-cta="true">Get ExpressVPN</a></div></li><li id="windscribe" class="jsx-2532098028"><h3 class="heading-3 card-header">3<!-- -->. <!-- -->Windscribe: Best Free VPN for Obfuscation</h3><p class="jsx-911095854 subhead"></p><div class="jsx-911095854 provider-image"><picture class="jsx-911095854"><source media="(min-width: 834px)" srcSet="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/05/windscribefree-windows-chinabdm-HERO.webp" width="1520" height="800" class="jsx-911095854"/><img src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/05/windscribefree-windows-chinabdm-HERO-m.webp" style="width:100%;height:auto" alt="" width="780" height="740" loading="lazy" class="jsx-911095854"/></picture></div><div class="jsx-911095854 card-cta-ratings"><div class="jsx-911095854 card-cta"><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/03/171218_windscribe.svg" alt="Windscribe logo in our Windscribe VPN review" height="100" width="100" class="jsx-911095854 logo"/><h3 class="heading-5 provider-name">Windscribe Free</h3><div class="jsx-3372596398 comparison-cta"><input id="cta-windscribe" type="checkbox" class="jsx-3372596398"/><label for="cta-windscribe" class="jsx-3372596398">Add to compare</label></div><a href="/goto/?&type=ed&pg=vpn-obfuscation&name=windscribe&clicktype=cta&pagetype=Guide&linktype=button&tpos=3&ut=guide" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored noindex noreferrer" target="_blank" class="button-primary mod--slim" data-swiftype-index="false" data-outlink-cta="true">Get Windscribe</a></div></div><div class="jsx-2443623001 pros-cons"><button class="jsx-2443623001 btn-pros active">Pros</button><ul class="jsx-1623820870 custom-tick-list green-icons active"><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Stealth and WStunnel protocols</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Consistently bypasses the Great Firewall of China</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Inbuilt VPN kill switch</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-tick"><use xlink:href="#svg-tick" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Unblocks UK Netflix and BBC iPlayer</span></li></ul><button class="jsx-2443623001 btn-cons">Cons</button><ul class="jsx-1623820870 custom-tick-list red-icons"><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">10GB monthly data cap</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Servers in only 10 countries</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">Slower long-distance speeds</span></li><li class="jsx-1623820870"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="32" height="32" class="jsx-1623820870 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-1623820870"></use></svg><span class="jsx-1623820870">No live chat customer support</span></li></ul></div><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text intro-card"><div><p>Windscribe Free StealthVPN uses <b>Stunnel</b>, an open-source algorithm, to <b>wrap your regular OpenVPN connection within a layer of strong TLS encryption</b>. Its WStunnel wraps your OpenVPN connection in a layer of WebSocket. Windscribe’s stealth protocols can be found in <b>Connection</b> > <b>Connection Mode</b> > <b>Manual</b>.</p> <div id="attachment_301740" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-301740" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-301740" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/windscribe-stealthvpnobfuscation-macos-annotated.png" alt="Screenshot of Windscribe's Connection settings, showing Connection Mode in Manual, and protocol options, including Stealth and WStunnel." width="300" height="456"><p id="caption-attachment-301740" class="wp-caption-text">Windscribe Free has a modern and user-friendly interface.</p></div> <p>Windscribe Free is <b>the best free VPN for bypassing censorship</b>, with a <b>85%</b> success rate in the past year for circumventing the Great Firewall. </p> <p>It has its faults, though. <b>Windscribe Free doesn’t have a kill switch on its iOS or Android apps</b>. This means if your internet connection drops, your real IP address could be leaked to your ISP or third-party web servers of the sites you are using at the time. </p> <p>Its powerful obfuscation capabilities can be slightly hindered by its average, <b>slightly slower long-distance speeds</b>. It doesn’t have any troubles with streaming, but gaming or torrenting might suffer if you don’t have a server location in your country or region. </p> <p>Overall, Windscribe Free is a terrific service with extremely powerful obfuscation capabilities. If you want to trial VPN obfuscation first before committing to a subscription, it’s a great place to start.</p> </div></div><div class="jsx-911095854 final-cta"><a href="/goto/?&type=ed&pg=vpn-obfuscation&name=windscribe&clicktype=cta&pagetype=Roundup&linktype=button&tpos=3" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored noindex noreferrer" target="_blank" class="button-primary" data-swiftype-index="false" data-outlink-cta="true">Get Windscribe</a></div></li></ol></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 "><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section id="vpn-obfuscation-&-stealth-techniques" class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><h2 class="heading-2">VPN Obfuscation & Stealth Techniques</h2><div><p>VPNs use different obfuscation and stealth techniques to disguise their traffic, including different <a href="/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-protocols/">VPN connection protocols</a> and proxies. The most common obfuscation methods are listed below.</p> </div><div id="collcon-vpn-obfuscation-&-stealth-techniques" class="jsx-3376757649 collapsible-content-group"><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="shadowsocks" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">Shadowsocks</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><table class="table-default"> <thead> <tr> <th><span style="color: var(--green-70);"><b>Pros</b></span></th> <th><span style="color: var(--orange-70);"><b>Cons</b></span></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Open-source</td> <td data-header="Cons">No official audit</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Fast speeds</td> <td data-header="Cons">No port forwarding</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Uses less RAM</td> <td data-header="Cons"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="spacer"> </p><p><b>Shadowsocks is a free, open-source obfuscation proxy protocol</b>. It’s widely used in China to bypass government censorship undetected.</p> <p>Based on the SOCKS5 protocol, Shadowsocks <b>reroutes internet connections through a third server</b>, masking your location and disguising VPN traffic as HTTPS.</p> <div id="attachment_301716" style="width: 1954px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-301716" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-301716 size-full" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/privateinternetaccess-shadowsocks-macos-annotated.jpg" alt=""Screenshot" width="1944" height="1174"><p id="caption-attachment-301716" class="wp-caption-text">We tested Private Internet Access’ Shadowsocks proxy and found it worked well at bypassing VPN blocks</p></div> <p>Unlike <b>regular proxies, which don’t encrypt traffic</b>, Shadowsocks employs AEAD cipher encryption, similar to SSH tunneling. This prevents ISPs from reading your web traffic.</p> <p>AEAD (Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data) allows recipients to verify data authenticity and integrity. It’s part of the industry-standard AES encryption cipher suites.</p> <p>Unfortunately, <b>Shadowsocks is uncommon among VPN services</b> due to its complex setup process for both providers and users.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="softether" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">SoftEther</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><table class="table-default"> <thead> <tr> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--green-70);"><b>Pros</b></span></th> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--orange-70);"><b>Cons</b></span></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Open-source</td> <td data-header="Cons">Rarely used in VPN services</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Great for bypassing online censorship and restrictions</td> <td data-header="Cons">Requires manual configuration to be safe</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Incredibly fast speeds</td> <td data-header="Cons">Vulnerable to man-in-the-middle-attacks</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="spacer"> </p><p><b>SoftEther VPN is an open-source, multi-protocol VPN software</b>. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris, providing fast, low-latency connections capable of bypassing sophisticated firewalls.</p> <p>SoftEther uses <b>Ethernet over HTTPS</b> to establish VPN tunnels, making it difficult for ISPs and governments to detect. The software supports its own VPN protocol as well as <b>OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, L2TPv3, and EtherIP</b>.</p> <div id="attachment_301680" style="width: 605px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-301680" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-301680 size-full" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/hide.me-softether-windows-annotated.png" alt="Screenshot of Hide.me's Windows client, which shows its VPN Protocol page in Settings." width="595" height="572"><p id="caption-attachment-301680" class="wp-caption-text">Hide.me offers the SoftEther protocol in its Windows client.</p></div> <p>The protocol divides TCP connections into uplink and downlink groups, <b>mimicking typical HTTPS connections</b> to evade firewalls and DPI. It also sets time limits on TCP connections to avoid detection of unusually long connections.</p> <p>Despite its advantages, SoftEther is only available on <a href="/reviews/hide-me/">Hide.me</a> due to its complex setup process for both providers and users. </p> <p>In 2019, researchers identified <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.04669.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">two vulnerabilities in Hide.me’s SoftEther implementation</a>: <b>lack of server certificate verification</b> and <b>insufficient authentication for the back-end management interface</b>. Both issues exposed users to potential man-in-the-middle attacks.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="openvpn-over-ssl/tls" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">OpenVPN over SSL/TLS</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><table class="table-default"> <thead> <tr> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--green-70);"><b>Pros</b></span></th> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--orange-70);"><b>Cons</b></span></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Open-source software</td> <td data-header="Cons">SSL is more common but outdated</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">TLS 1.3 was updated in 2018</td> <td data-header="Cons">Difficult to configure manually</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Commonly used by VPNs</td> <td data-header="Cons"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="spacer"> </p><p>OpenVPN over SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) <b>combines OpenVPN with a layer of SSL or TLS encryption</b> to hide VPN usage from your ISP.</p> <p>OpenVPN over SSL/TLS obfuscation requires a VPN service to use the open-source <a href="https://www.stunnel.org/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Stunnel</a> software. The complexity of the setup process has discouraged widespread adoption.</p> <p>While OpenVPN over SSL/TLS offers robust encryption, it is not user-friendly for individual users. It’s rare to find VPNs with SSH or SSL enabled, and none of the <a href="/best-vpn/">top-rated VPNs</a> have it configured.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="sstp" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">SSTP</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><table class="table-default"> <thead> <tr> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--green-70);"><b>Pros</b></span></th> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--orange-70);"><b>Cons</b></span></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Effective at bypassing firewalls</td> <td data-header="Cons">Closed-source</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Secure AES-256 encryption</td> <td data-header="Cons">Dubious links with the NSA</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Fast speeds</td> <td data-header="Cons"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="spacer"> </p><p>Secure Socket Tunnel Protocol (SSTP) is a <b>secure VPN protocol</b> developed by Microsoft in 2007 to replace the vulnerable PPTP. It supports Windows, Linux, Android, and various routers. </p> <p>Initially vulnerable to <a href="/guides/public-wifi-security-tips/">Man-in-the-Middle (Poodle) attacks</a>, <b>SSTP is now secure</b> thanks to TLS 1.2 and 1.3 implementation. </p> <p>However, <b>SSTP is available with only a few VPNs</b> out of the 61 tested. Hide.me remains the sole top 10 VPN offering SSTP after IPVanish discontinued it in 2022.</p> <p>Many effective anti-censorship VPNs have moved to more sophisticated systems, abandoning SSTP.</p> <p>The protocol is now commonly used in Windows 10/11 for secure corporate network connections from remote locations.</p> <p>Concerns persist due to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/11/microsoft-nsa-collaboration-user-data" rel="noopener" target="_blank">alleged links between Microsoft and the NSA</a>, revealed by Edward Snowden in 2013. One example is Microsoft’s reported assistance to the NSA in circumventing encryption for Outlook.com web chats.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="obfsproxy" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">Obfsproxy</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><table class="table-default"> <thead> <tr> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--green-70);"><b>Pros</b></span></th> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--orange-70);"><b>Cons</b></span></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Random handshake patterns</td> <td data-header="Cons">Obfsproxy traffic stands out in comparison to other protocols</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Requires less bandwidth</td> <td data-header="Cons">Complex setup for VPN services and servers</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="spacer"> </p><p>Obfsproxy, or Obfuscation Proxy, <a href="https://2019.www.torproject.org/docs/pluggable-transports" rel="noopener" target="_blank">originated in the Tor community</a> to mask Tor traffic from ISPs.</p> <p>It uses obfs2, obfs3, scramblesuit, obfs4, or meek to create an obfuscated tunnel for VPN traffic, adding extra encryption.</p> <p>While lightweight and bandwidth-efficient, Obfsproxy is less secure. Scramblesuit, obfs4, and meek are currently the only protocols with obfsproxy that we would recommend using to bypass censorship, as the others are outdated and easily detected by DPI.</p> <p>While some VPNs have adopted obfsproxy, the complexity of its setup means it remains relatively rare.</p> <div id="attachment_301692" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-301692" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-301692" src="/assets/2022/05/ivpn-obfsproxysocks-macOS-annotated.png" alt="Screenshot of IVPN and their obfsproxy option in Settings > Connection > Additional settings." width="500" height="385"><p id="caption-attachment-301692" class="wp-caption-text">IVPN offers Obfsproxy with an OpenVPN connection.</p></div> <p>Obfsproxy can disguise your Tor or OpenVPN traffic as any traffic type, but it’s not foolproof against firewalls and DPI. <b>Its traffic stands out due to its random appearance</b>, making it potentially identifiable through entropy tests.</p> <p>Developed for users in countries with strict online censorship, we’ve observed a decent level of success using it in countries like China or Russia to bypass online firewalls.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="openvpn/xor-scramble" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">OpenVPN/XOR Scramble</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><table class="table-default"> <thead> <tr> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--green-70);"><b>Pros</b></span></th> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--orange-70);"><b>Cons</b></span></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Open-source</td> <td data-header="Cons">Weak encryption keys</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros"></td> <td data-header="Cons">Inconsistent against sophisticated firewalls</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros"></td> <td data-header="Cons">Hackers use XOR to hide malware</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="spacer"> </p><p>OpenVPN Scramble, or XOR obfuscation, is a third-party OpenVPN patch adding extra obfuscation.</p> <p>It applies a bitwise XOR cipher to disguise your OpenVPN traffic as UDP traffic.</p> <div id="attachment_301722" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-301722" loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="/assets/2022/05/strongvpn-scramble-macos-annotated.png" alt="Screenshot of StrongVPN's macOS client. Preferences is open and shows a Scramble tick box next to OpenVPN." width="1350" height="835" class="size-full wp-image-301722"><p id="caption-attachment-301722" class="wp-caption-text">StrongVPN offers XOR Scramble on UDP or TCP with multiple ports.</p></div> <p>This method has two major drawbacks: it’s <b>easily decipherable</b> and <b>unreliable for bypassing online firewalls and censors</b>. Our <a href="/reviews/ipvanish/">IPVanish tests</a> show its scramble features consistently fail to circumvent the China firewall.</p> <p>However, <b>StrongVPN’s implementation proves effective</b> against the Great Firewall of China. </p> <p>Overall, OpenVPN Scramble <b>offers low security and basic obfuscation</b> compared to other tools, providing a rudimentary solution for VPN traffic concealment.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="v2ray/vmess" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">V2Ray/VMess</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><table class="table-default"> <thead> <tr> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--green-70);"><b>Pros</b></span></th> <th style="min-width: 350px;"><span style="color: var(--orange-70);"><b>Cons</b></span></th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td data-header="Pros">Highly customizable</td> <td data-header="Cons">Extremely rare in VPNs</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros"></td> <td data-header="Cons">Complex setup for VPN providers</td> </tr> <tr> <td data-header="Pros"></td> <td data-header="Cons">Vulnerable to fingerprinting attacks</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="spacer"> </p><p><a href="https://www.v2ray.com/en/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">V2Ray is an open-source platform</a> developed under Project V, providing developers with the VMess protocol to create new proxy software.</p> <p>Designed to circumvent the Great Firewall of China, V<b>2Ray is more complex to configure compared to Shadowsocks</b>, which prioritizes simplicity.</p> <p>In July 2024, the <a href="https://7asecurity.com/blog/2024/07/7asecurity-completes-v2ray-security-audit/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">first independent security audit of V2Ray</a> concluded that it is “well-protected against a broad range of attack vectors” but can be distinguished from normal traffic.</p> <p>Auditors discovered three medium-severity vulnerabilities related to fingerprinting attacks, along with several minor issues. While some of these vulnerabilities have been addressed, others are still pending.</p> <p>VPN.AC is the only VPN service we’ve reviewed that offers V2Ray tunneling. This feature is available exclusively in the Windows app, located in the advanced settings.</p> <p>Our tests revealed that enabling V2Ray on VPN.AC frequently <b>caused our VPN connection to drop</b> and <b>occasionally blocked us</b> from connecting to the VPN server altogether.</p> <div id="attachment_301734" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-301734" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-301734" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/vpn.ac-v2rayobfuscation-windows1-annotated.jpg" alt="Screenshot of VPN.ac's Advanced Settings on Windows. The OpenVPN TCP proxy / obfuscation options is highlighted." width="300" height="481"><p id="caption-attachment-301734" class="wp-caption-text">VPN.AC has renamed its V2Ray feature ‘OpenVPN TCP proxy / obfuscation’.</p></div> <p>Users can choose between a direct connection through VPN.ac’s obfuscation proxy servers or a connection via Cloudflare.</p> </div></div></details></div></section></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 "><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section id="when-to-use-vpn-obfuscation" class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><h2 class="heading-2">When to Use VPN Obfuscation</h2><div><p>Obfuscated servers and protocols aren’t necessary for everyone. They can be inconvenient to enable every time you access the internet, and they can also be complicated to configure. </p> <p>However, there are some specific cases where VPN obfuscation technology is needed or very useful. Most importantly, you should use obfuscated servers if you’re a regular <b>torrenter</b>, <b>journalist</b>, or <b>a person living in a country with internet restrictions</b>. </p> <p>Here’s a brief summary of when you should use VPN obfuscation:</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-729421 size-full" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/08/when-to-use-obfuscation-explainer.png" alt="" width="1180" height="420"></p> </div><div id="collcon-when-to-use-vpn-obfuscation" class="jsx-3376757649 collapsible-content-group"><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="1.-for-increased-privacy-and-security" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">1. For Increased Privacy and Security</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><p>Journalists and political activists often need unrestricted access to the internet. This way they can freely research, share information, and securely communicate with contacts. </p> <p>If you deal with <b>sensitive information on a regular basis</b> and you’re based in a country with online firewalls, having a reliable VPN with obfuscation is essential. </p> <p>Otherwise, regulators using deep packet inspection could identify your web activity or VPN use and flag you as a target for surveillance.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="2.-to-bypass-online-censorship" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">2. To Bypass Online Censorship</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><p><a href="/guides/internet-censorship/">Internet censorship is the control or suppression of information</a> and media published on the internet, often authorized by governments regulators. Network companies may also engage in self-censorship for business or moral reasons. </p> <p>Online censorship can occur through site blocking, content filtering, and <a href="/research/cost-of-internet-shutdowns/">complete internet shutdowns</a>. It occurs more often in anticipation of political events such as elections, protests, and riots. </p> <p>For example, <a href="/research/websites-blocked-in-russia/">Russia has banned Instagram, Twitter, Google News, BBC News</a>, and many more websites in 2022. As a result, demand for <a href="/best-vpn/russia/">VPNs that work in Russia</a> rose by <a href="/research/vpn-demand-statistics/">more than 2,500%</a> between the months of February and March.</p> <p>VPNs are excellent at encrypting your data, unblocking websites, and hiding your activity from your ISP, <b>but they are also easy to detect</b>. If you live in a country that bans or punishes the use of VPN services, VPN obfuscation is necessary to bypass these website blocks and firewalls without being detected.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--orange"> <p><span style="color:#5E2314;"><strong>EXPERT ADVICE:</strong></span> If you’re trying to circumvent online restrictions, try using a VPN like <a href="#astrillvpn">Astrill</a> with a combination of OpenVPN, TCP, and Port 443, before enabling obfuscation features.</p> </div> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="3.-for-torrenting-&-p2p-activity" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">3. For Torrenting & P2P Activity</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><p>Some <a href="/best-vpn/torrenting-vpn/">torrenting VPNs</a> offer both P2P servers and obfuscated servers separately. Choosing between a P2P or obfuscated server for torrenting <b>will depend on your location</b>.</p> <p>If you’re based in a country where <a href="/guides/is-torrenting-illegal/">torrenting is legal</a> or allowed for personal use, we recommend using a VPN with a no logs policy and P2P-optimized servers.</p> <p>However, if you’re based in a country with strict online firewalls and restrictions, we recommend using a <a href="#expressvpn">VPN with inbuilt obfuscation</a>, or a VPN with an <a href="#astrillvpn">obfuscation protocol and P2P-optimized servers</a>.</p> <p>In some cases, it’s best to use a combination of an obfuscated protocol and a P2P-optimized server:</p> <div id="attachment_696234" style="width: 560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-696234" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-696234" src="/assets/2022/05/astrill-customersupport-torrentinginchina-cropped-dropshadow.png" alt="Screenshot of a conversation with Astrill's customer support. It shows them saying " we="" recommend="" using="" starred="" servers="" with="" stealthvpn="" for="" optimal="" performance="" on="" torrenting."="" width="550" height="264"><p id="caption-attachment-696234" class="wp-caption-text">Astrill VPN’s customer support recommends a combination of Stealth VPN and P2P servers.</p></div> </div></div></details></div></section></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 "><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section id="when-not-to-use-vpn-obfuscation" class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><h2 class="heading-2">When Not to Use VPN Obfuscation</h2><div><p>Here’s a brief summary of when you should not use VPN obfuscation:</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-729448 size-full" src="https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/08/when-not-to-use-obfuscation-explainer.png" alt="Illustration of when not to use VPN obfuscation" width="1180" height="420"></p> </div><div id="collcon-when-not-to-use-vpn-obfuscation" class="jsx-3376757649 collapsible-content-group"><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="1.-if-your-internet-speeds-are-slow" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">1. If Your Internet Speeds Are Slow</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><p><b>VPN obfuscation will slow down your internet connection speed</b>. Obfuscating your VPN connection involves additional algorithms, codes, and layers of encryption, which means the data packets themselves become larger and take more time to travel between servers. </p> <p>If you don’t have a high-speed internet connection, <b>obfuscation can crash your online activities or cause lag</b>.</p> </div></div></details><details class="jsx-3376757649"><summary class="jsx-3376757649 "><h3 id="2.-to-bypass-geo-restrictions-on-streaming-services" class="heading-5 collapsible-content-group-heading">2. To Bypass Geo-Restrictions on Streaming Services</h3><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" class="jsx-3376757649 icon-chevron-down"><use xlink:href="#svg-chevron" class="jsx-3376757649"></use></svg></summary><div class="jsx-2580530280 block-text collapsible-content-group-body"><div><p>Streaming services like Netflix actively scan for VPN traffic. If they identify a VPN or proxy user, they may block that user from the platform or restrict them to certain titles.</p> <p>In theory, a tool that hides the fact you are using a VPN should be beneficial for unblocking streaming services. </p> <p>In reality, we found in our <a href="/best-vpn/streaming/">VPN streaming tests</a> that obfuscation protocols and servers <b>didn’t increase the likelihood of bypassing geo-blocks on streaming services</b>. </p> <p>We also discovered that <b>VPN obfuscation can actually hinder your streaming experience</b> as it can slow down your internet connection, causing your video to buffer or lag.</p> </div></div></details></div></section></div></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section id="how-to-connect-to-an-obfuscated-vpn-server" class="jsx-2580530280 block-text ut-row"><h2 class="heading-2">How to Connect to an Obfuscated VPN Server</h2><div><p>Every VPN has a different process for enabling obfuscation technology. This is because some VPNs have <b>obfuscated servers</b>, while others have <b>obfuscated protocols</b>, and a few have <b>proprietary obfuscation technology</b>.</p> <div class="block-highlighted block-highlighted--light"> <p><b>Here are some examples of how to enable different obfuscation technologies:</b></p> <ul> <li><b>Astrill VPN</b>: Switch to <b>StealthVPN protocol</b>.</li> <li><b>ExpressVPN</b>: Obfuscation is inbuilt, so it’s automatically enabled whenever you choose to connect to a server.</li> <li><b>PIA</b>: Switch to the <b>OpenVPN protocol</b>. In settings, enable <b>Multi-Hop and Obfuscation</b>, and toggle on <b>Shadowsocks</b>.</li> <li><b>Windscribe</b>: Open settings, click <b>Connection</b> and then <b>Manual</b>. Then <b>Protocol</b> and switch to either <b>Stealth</b> or <b>WStunnel</b>.</li> </ul></div> <p>Here’s a <b>video showing you how to enable obfuscated servers</b>. We’ve used VPNArea as an example: </p> </div><div class="jsx-1808564872 video-wrapper yt-widescreen"><div class="jsx-1808564872 aspect-ratio-wrapper"><button class="jsx-1808564872 play">Play</button><div class="jsx-1808564872 img"><img alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 90vw, 60vw" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-howtovideo-thumbnail.png&w=256&q=90 256w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-howtovideo-thumbnail.png&w=320&q=90 320w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-howtovideo-thumbnail.png&w=375&q=90 375w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-howtovideo-thumbnail.png&w=384&q=90 384w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-howtovideo-thumbnail.png&w=768&q=90 768w, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-howtovideo-thumbnail.png&w=1024&q=90 1024w" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F05%2Fvpnobfuscation-howtovideo-thumbnail.png&w=1024&q=90"/></div></div><script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"How to Beat Web Blocks in China with VPN Ofuscation","description":"Internet censorship in China is so strict that even high-quality VPNs can struggle to bypass it. What's often needed is an obfuscated VPN connection.Here we demonstrate how we were able to access Instagram (a website normally blocked) while in Shanghai by connected to an obfuscated server on VPNArea.","thumbnailUrl":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/vpnobfuscation-howtovideo-thumbnail.png","uploadDate":"2022-05-25T00:00:00.000Z","duration":"T109S","embedUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuRKLLTTWTQ"}</script></div><div></div></section></div><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><div class="feedback-wrapper ut-row"><div style="height:27.5px;margin:0 auto calc(var(--base-unit) * 30)"></div></div></div></div><hr class="jsx-2532098028"/><div class="jsx-2532098028 container-row ut-wrapper"><section class="jsx-2580530280 block-text"></section><div data-swiftype-index="false" class="jsx-2532098028 related-articles"><h2 class="heading-4">Related guides</h2><ul class="jsx-2532098028"><li class="jsx-2532098028"><img alt="vpn split tunneling illustration" loading="lazy" width="279" height="189" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2021%2F09%2FWhat-Is-VPN-Split-Tunneling-768x521.jpg&w=320&q=75 1x, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2021%2F09%2FWhat-Is-VPN-Split-Tunneling-768x521.jpg&w=768&q=75 2x" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2021%2F09%2FWhat-Is-VPN-Split-Tunneling-768x521.jpg&w=768&q=75"/><p class="jsx-2532098028 heading-5"><a href="/guides/vpn-split-tunneling/" class="jsx-2532098028">What Is VPN Split Tunneling?</a></p></li><li class="jsx-2532098028"><img alt="Double VPN" loading="lazy" width="279" height="189" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" srcSet="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F02%2FDouble-VPN-header-image-768x521.jpg&w=320&q=75 1x, /_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F02%2FDouble-VPN-header-image-768x521.jpg&w=768&q=75 2x" src="/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.top10vpn.com%2Fimages%2F2022%2F02%2FDouble-VPN-header-image-768x521.jpg&w=768&q=75"/><p class="jsx-2532098028 heading-5"><a href="/guides/what-is-double-vpn/" class="jsx-2532098028">What Is Double VPN (Multi-hop)?</a></p></li></ul></div></div><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 tooltip-toast-group"><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 tooltip-toast large"><i class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 arrow"></i><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 tooltip-toast-wrapper"><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 flex no-header"><span class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 tooltip-toast-content"></span><button aria-label="Close" class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 button-text"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859 icon-cross"><use xlink:href="#svg-cross" class="jsx-2378246354 jsx-3313091859"></use></svg></button></span></span></span></span><script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-obfuscation/"},"headline":"What Is VPN Obfuscation?","image":["https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/07/VPN-Obfuscation.jpg"],"datePublished":"2022-06-09T09:55:34.000Z","dateModified":"2024-08-21T14:46:00.000Z","author":[{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"JP Jones","url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/vpn-experts/jpjones/","sameAs":[],"image":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/12/expertbio-JP-small-opt.jpeg"},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"Simon Migliano","url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/vpn-experts/simonmigliano/","sameAs":[]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"Alyx Morley","url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/vpn-experts/alyxmorley/","sameAs":[]}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Top10VPN","publishingPrinciples":"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/how-we-review-vpns/","logo":"https://www.top10vpn.com/static/images/logo-raster.png"},"description":"VPN obfuscation is an advanced security feature that hides the fact that you are using a VPN to reroute your traffic. It can help to bypass firewalls to access restricted websites, avoid blocks by governments or ISPs, and evade detection by deep packet inspection (DPI). \nInternet restrictions are often imposed by governments during important political events, or to censor the internet of political, religious, or sexual content. Some schools and workplaces also implement firewalls to keep students safe or protect their networks from malicious attacks.\nUnfortunately, VPN obfuscation is not a standard feature in all VPNs, with only a select few services offering the feature.\n\nSummary: The Best Obfuscated VPNs\nAfter testing 61 services, we’ve determined the best VPNs with obfuscated servers are: \n\nAstrill: Best Overall Obfuscated VPN\nExpressVPN: Most User-Friendly VPN for Obfuscation\nWindscribe: Free VPN That Works in Restrictive Regions\n\n\n\n","inLanguage":"en","hasPart":[]}</script><script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","name":"What Is VPN Obfuscation?","reviewedBy":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","name":"Simon Migliano","url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/vpn-experts/simonmigliano/","sameAs":[]}}</script></main><footer id="footer" data-swiftype-index="false" class="jsx-4062602538 footer"><div class="jsx-4062602538 container-row footer-trio"><div class="jsx-4062602538 footer-company"><div class="jsx-4062602538 logo"><img alt="Top10VPN" loading="lazy" width="184" height="26" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" src="/static/images/logo.svg"/></div><p class="jsx-4062602538">We've been testing and reviewing VPN services since 2016. 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Our tests show the best and most reliable obfuscated VPN is Astrill.","canonical":"","twitter":{"title":"What Is VPN Obfuscation \u0026 Why Do You Need It?","image":null,"description":"VPN obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic as normal internet traffic so you can bypass VPN blocks and deep packet inspection. Our tests show the best and most reliable obfuscated VPN is Astrill."},"opengraph":{"title":"What Is VPN Obfuscation \u0026 Why Do You Need It?","image":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/07/VPN-Obfuscation.jpg","description":"VPN obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic as normal internet traffic so you can bypass VPN blocks and deep packet inspection. Our tests show the best and most reliable obfuscated VPN is Astrill."},"robots":{"noindex":false,"nofollow":false},"hreflang":[{"lang":"en","href":"/guides/vpn-obfuscation/"},{"lang":"x-default","href":"/guides/vpn-obfuscation/"},{"lang":"es","href":"/es/guias/ofuscacion-vpn/"}]},"xr_data":{"config":{"primary":"USD","additional":["GBP","AUD","CAD","EUR","SGD"]},"content":{"body":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/currency-conversions/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"\u003eConverted price\u003c/a\u003e in other popular currencies:\u003c/p\u003e\n"},"rates":[{"currency":"AUD","rate":1.56913},{"currency":"CAD","rate":1.415686},{"currency":"EUR","rate":0.952607},{"currency":"GBP","rate":0.784147},{"currency":"SGD","rate":1.344545},{"currency":"USD","rate":1}]},"authors":{"main_author":{"first_name":"JP","last_name":"Jones","display_format":"{{fe_forename}} {{fe_surname}}","photo":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/12/expertbio-JP-small-opt.jpeg","alt":"JP Jone's profile image"},"slug":"jpjones","expert":{"is_expert":true,"snippet_clean":"JP Jones is our CTO. He has over 25 years of software engineering and networking experience, and oversees all technical aspects of our VPN testing process."}},"additional_authors":[],"supporting_authors":[{"author":{"first_name":"Simon","last_name":"Migliano","display_format":"{{fe_forename}} {{fe_surname}}","slug":"simonmigliano","expert":{"is_expert":true,"snippet_clean":"Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more."}},"type":"fact"},{"author":{"first_name":"Alyx","last_name":"Morley","display_format":"{{fe_forename}} {{fe_surname}}","slug":"alyxmorley","expert":{"is_expert":false,"snippet_clean":"Limit to 160 chars for EN"}},"type":"research"}]},"chapters":[{"__typename":"UT_Chapters_Type_CollapsibleContent","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"What Is VPN Obfuscation?","show_jumplink":true},"content":"\u003cp\u003eVPN obfuscation hides that you\u0026#8217;re using a VPN by making VPN traffic look like regular traffic, allowing you to bypass VPN blockers, such those used in countries with restricted internet. This feature is \u003cb\u003eonly offered by some VPN services\u003c/b\u003e due to its complexity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-156422 size-full\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2020/12/using-obfuscation-technology.png\" alt=\"Image of an obfuscated VPN evading detection and beating the censors\" width=\"1180\" height=\"463\" /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are several methods to bypass VPN blocks, including Shadowsocks proxies, OpenVPN over TLS, SSTP, and OpenVPN Scramble. Each method varies in effectiveness.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile a normal VPN connection \u003ca href=\"/what-is-a-vpn/how-does-a-vpn-work/\"\u003eencrypts your data\u003c/a\u003e, your ISP can still detect VPN usage due to identifiable patterns. Obfuscated servers or protocols alter your data packets, eliminating these patterns and making it impossible for your ISP to recognize VPN use, thus bypassing strict VPN blocks.\u003c/p\u003e\n","heading_settings":{"content":"What Is VPN Obfuscation \u0026 How Does it Work?","level":2,"looks_like":2,"custom_id":""},"highlight_chapter":false,"type":"chapter_w_collapsible","subchapters":[{"subheading":"Unobfuscated vs Obfuscated VPN Traffic","heading_settings":{"content":"Unobfuscated vs Obfuscated VPN Traffic","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003cp\u003eTo illustrate the difference between unobfuscated and obfuscated VPN traffic, we used Wireshark, a powerful deep packet inspection software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHere\u0026#8217;s what VPN traffic looks like without obfuscation:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_301698\" style=\"width: 1642px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-301698\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-301698 size-full\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/ivpn-wireshark-openvpn-macos-annotated.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Wireshark app picking up on an OpenVPN protocol connection.\" width=\"1632\" height=\"1072\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-301698\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eWireshark detected an OpenVPN connection without obfuscation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHere\u0026#8217;s what VPN traffic looks like with obfuscation:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_303231\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-303231\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-303231 size-full\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/vpnarea-wireshark-tcptlsdnshttp-annotated.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Wireshark app picking up on a TLSv1.3, TCP, DNS, and HTTP connection.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"827\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-303231\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eWith obfsproxy enabled, Wireshark couldn\u0026#8217;t detect the VPN connection.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs you can see, without obfuscation, Wireshark detected both \u003ca href=\"/guides/wireguard-vs-openvpn/\"\u003eWireGuard and OpenVPN protocols\u003c/a\u003e. With obfsproxy enabled, it \u003cb\u003eonly detected a TCP connection\u003c/b\u003e, effectively hiding the VPN usage.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"What Are Obfuscated Servers?","heading_settings":{"content":"What Are Obfuscated Servers?","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eObfuscated servers are specialized VPN servers that employ obfuscation techniques\u003c/b\u003e, to camouflage your VPN connection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main advantage of using an obfuscated VPN server is its simplicity. Unlike other obfuscation methods that may require complex configurations, connecting to an obfuscated server typically requires no special settings in your VPN app. Just connect, and your VPN traffic is automatically hidden.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExamples of VPN services offering obfuscated servers include ExpressVPN, which provides obfuscation across its entire network.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"Are Obfuscated Servers Slower?","heading_settings":{"content":"Are Obfuscated Servers Slower?","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003cp\u003eObfuscated servers apply extra layers of encryption and code, \u003cb\u003ewhich can slow down your internet connection\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur tests show that VPNs are affected differently by obfuscation technology. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGenerally, VPNs best at bypassing firewalls (Astrill VPN, ExpressVPN, and Windscribe VPN) maintain fast to average speeds with obfuscation enabled.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cpicture\u003e\u003csource media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/02/m-horizontal-bar-obfuscation-guide.png\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1405577 size-full\" src=\"/assets/2024/02/d-horizontal-bar-obfuscation-guide.png\" alt=\"Bar graph comparing local download speeds of VPNs with and without obfuscation. Surfshark, PrivateVPN, ExpressVPN, Windscribe, StrongVPN, PIA VPN, Astrill, and VyprVPN are listed, showing higher speeds without obfuscation. The lowest with obfuscation is VyprVPN at 39 Mbps; the highest with is ExpressVPN at 97 Mbps.\" width=\"1480\" height=\"1386\" /\u003e\u003c/picture\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConnecting to obfuscated servers \u003cb\u003ereduced speeds for all tested VPNs\u003c/b\u003e, but to varying degrees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurfshark and ExpressVPN experienced minimal speed loss when connecting to short and long distance servers with obfuscation enabled. In contrast, PIA’s speeds dropped from 88Mbps on a local US connection to a disappointing 15Mbps on a long-distance UK connection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurfshark demonstrated the most impressive download speeds, with only a \u003cb\u003e1%\u003c/b\u003e drop using NoBorders mode on a local server. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, this comes with a trade-off: \u003cb\u003eSurfshark struggles to bypass the Great Firewall of China\u003c/b\u003e, succeeding only 35% of the time in the past year. This suggests its speed might be due to less effective obfuscation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery VPN has its own obfuscation technology that works in different ways. If speed is your main concern, we recommend using \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?lang=en\u0026\u0026type=prc\u0026#038;name=surfshark\u0026#038;ref=628e38ff7bdd5\u0026#038;clicktype=ClickOut\u0026#038;pagetype=Guide\u0026#038;linktype=text\u0026#038;ga_category=GuidePageOut\u0026#038;ga_action=surfshark\u0026#038;ga_label=Contextual\" rel=\"noindex nofollow noopener noreferrer sponsored\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSurfshark\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?lang=en\u0026\u0026type=prc\u0026#038;name=astrill\u0026#038;ref=628e2c47c6f63\u0026#038;clicktype=ClickOut\u0026#038;pagetype=Guide\u0026#038;linktype=text\u0026#038;ga_category=GuidePageOut\u0026#038;ga_action=astrill\u0026#038;ga_label=Contextual\" rel=\"noindex nofollow noopener noreferrer sponsored\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAstrill VPN\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?lang=en\u0026\u0026type=prc\u0026#038;name=expressvpn\u0026#038;ref=628e3c033d835\u0026#038;clicktype=ClickOut\u0026#038;pagetype=Guide\u0026#038;linktype=text\u0026#038;ga_category=GuidePageOut\u0026#038;ga_action=expressvpn\u0026#038;ga_label=Contextual\" rel=\"noindex nofollow noopener noreferrer sponsored\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eExpressVPN\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"Is Obfuscation 100% Reliable?","heading_settings":{"content":"Is Obfuscation 100% Reliable?","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVPN obfuscation technology is not always reliable\u003c/b\u003e. Over the years, we\u0026#8217;ve observed that some VPNs periodically succeed and then fail to obfuscate your connection and bypass firewalls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, as long as the VPN has a \u003cb\u003estrong no-logs policy\u003c/b\u003e and is based outside the \u003ca href=\"/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-jurisdictions/\"\u003e14 Eyes Alliance\u003c/a\u003e, your IP address and online activity will be safe from prying eyes. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo further mitigate risks associated with your VPN traffic leaking, \u003cb\u003ewe recommend using a \u003ca href=\"/guides/vpn-kill-switch/\"\u003eVPN with a working kill switch\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/b\u003e, too.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"}]},{"__typename":"UT_Chapters_Type_DefaultChapter","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"Video Summary","show_jumplink":false},"content":"\u003cp\u003eWatch the video below to find out what VPN obfuscation is, how it works, and when it\u0026#8217;s best to use or avoid it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: none;\" data-videoph=\"6203226f95880c\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n","heading_settings":{"content":"Video Summary","level":3,"looks_like":3,"custom_id":""},"highlight_chapter":false,"type":"chapter"},{"__typename":"UT_Chapters_Type_Editorial_Cards","card_badge_placeholder":"Ranked #1 out of 61 VPN services for Obfuscation","cards":[{"affiliate_url":"https://www.astrill.com/a/1jn2b85yrdvs","use_direct_url":false,"link_noreferrer":true,"pricing_affiliate_url":"https://www.astrill.com/a/1jn2b85yrdvs?data1=%bsid%\u0026data2=review_organic","special_deal_url":"https://www.astrill.com/a/1jn2b85yrdvs?data1=%bsid%\u0026data2=review_organic","cta_button_text":"Get Astrill","cta_text_link":"","cons":["Expensive subscription","Doesn’t unblock BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, or Disney+","No mobile kill switch","No refund policy"],"pros":["100% reliability in China, Russia, the UAE \u0026 Turkey","Always bypasses VPN blocks in schools and workplaces","Based in privacy-friendly Liechtenstein","Works with US Netflix","Specialized servers for torrenting"],"heading":"Astrill: Best VPN for Obfuscation","subheading":"","jumplink_override":"","ratings_summary":{"show_ratings_box":false,"overall_score":0,"subcategory_ratings":[],"title":"Overall Rating : 0.0/10"},"intro":"\u003cp\u003eAstrill VPN is the \u003cb\u003ebest obfuscated VPN for circumventing government censorship\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eand avoiding DPI by your ISP\u003c/b\u003e. Its proprietary protocol StealthVPN has a 100% success rate in bypassing the Great Firewall of China in our \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/china/\"\u003eweekly China VPN tests\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAstrill unblocks \u003cb\u003eYouTube\u003c/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003eUS Netflix,\u003c/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eHulu\u003c/b\u003e, and \u003cb\u003eViki\u003c/b\u003e. Its fast long-distance speeds make it a great option for streaming and watching videos online. However, it \u003cb\u003edoesn’t have any streaming-specialized servers\u003c/b\u003e or Smart DNS tools. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_1469125\" style=\"width: 2260px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1469125\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1469125 size-full\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/04/Astrill-Unblocking-YouTube-in-China.webp\" alt=\"Astrill Unblocking YouTube in China\" width=\"2250\" height=\"1498\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-1469125\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eWe used Astrill VPN to unblock YouTube in China.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAstrill has three major faults. Firstly, it’s \u003cb\u003every expensive compared to other VPNs\u003c/b\u003e. Though, we believe it’s great value for money because it’s extremely rare to find a VPN that works to bypass online restrictions so consistently. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondly, it \u003cb\u003edoesn’t unblock some popular streaming services\u003c/b\u003e such as BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. On the plus side, it does work to unblock US Netflix and Hulu.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThird, if you’re visiting or living in a country with online restrictions, we wouldn’t recommend using Astrill VPN on mobile. This is because it \u003cb\u003edoesn’t have a kill switch on mobile\u003c/b\u003e, which means if your connection drops your IP address could be leaked to your ISP.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, \u003cb\u003eAstrill VPN’s speciality is circumventing online restrictions, bypassing firewalls, and avoiding DPI inspection\u003c/b\u003e. Its StealthVPN protocol is unrivaled in its ability to bypass the Great Firewall. It’s even the \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/turkey/\"\u003ebest VPN for highly censored countries like Turkey\u003c/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/singapore-vpn/\"\u003ebest VPN for Singapore\u0026#8217;s moderate online censorship\u003c/a\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, if you’re still hung up about the price we recommend checking out \u003ca href=\"#windscribe-free\"\u003eWindscribe\u003c/a\u003e. It has a \u003cb\u003efree subscription option\u003c/b\u003e that’s had a \u003cb\u003e90%\u003c/b\u003e success rate in bypassing the Great Firewall in the past year.\u003c/p\u003e\n","chapters":[],"slug":"astrill","provider_name":"Astrill VPN","provider_logo":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/03/Astrill-V3.svg","alt":"Astrill Logo in Our VPN Review","width":112,"height":112},"image_desktop":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/08/astrill-windows-chinabdm-HERO-updated.webp"},"image_mobile":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/05/astrill-windows-chinabdm-HERO-m.webp","alt":""},"key_data_table":[],"compatible_with":[]},{"affiliate_url":"https://go.expressvpn.com/c/310344/1608823/16063?subId1=%bsid%\u0026subId2=%variant%","use_direct_url":false,"link_noreferrer":true,"pricing_affiliate_url":"https://go.expressvpn.com/c/310344/1645830/16063?subId1=%bsid%\u0026subId2=review_organic","special_deal_url":"https://go.expressvpn.com/c/310344/1463858/16063?subId1=%bsid%\u0026subId2=review_organic","cta_button_text":"Get ExpressVPN","cta_text_link":"","cons":["Not as effective in China as Astrill"],"pros":["Inbuilt obfuscation for ease of use","Based in the British Virgin Islands, a privacy haven","Unblock US Netflix","Torrenting allowed on all servers","Doesn't collect identifying data","Cheaper than Astrill"],"heading":"ExpressVPN: Most User-Friendly VPN for Obfuscation","subheading":"","jumplink_override":"","ratings_summary":{"show_ratings_box":false,"overall_score":0,"subcategory_ratings":[],"title":"Overall Rating : 0.0/10"},"intro":"\u003cp\u003eExpressVPN consistently \u003cb\u003eperforms well for streaming\u003c/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ebypassing censorship\u003c/b\u003e, and \u003cb\u003etorrenting\u003c/b\u003e. It also has a watertight logging policy, making it a solid \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/best-vpn/uae/\"\u003eVPN for the UAE\u003c/a\u003e and other highly censored countries. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eObfuscation technology is inbuilt in all 3,000 ExpressVPN servers\u003c/b\u003e. This means it automatically turns on when you connect to a server. You don’t need to manually enable any specific protocols or servers to circumvent online restrictions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis ease of use sets ExpressVPN apart from other VPNs with obfuscated servers. We didn’t need to worry about selecting the right protocol, checking the right boxes, or perfecting the configuration — ExpressVPN handled everything seamlessly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs you can see in the video below, \u003cb\u003eExpressVPN works to circumvent the Great Firewall\u003c/b\u003e, the world’s most sophisticated online censorship system. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: none;\" data-videoph=\"628e5bc6e7006\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you torrent frequently, check out Astrill VPN instead. It offers manual \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/vpn-port-forwarding/\"\u003econfiguration for VPN port forwarding\u003c/a\u003e and effective obfuscation.\u003c/p\u003e\n","chapters":[],"slug":"expressvpn","provider_name":"ExpressVPN","provider_logo":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/01/210119-ExpressVPN.svg","alt":"ExpressVPN's new square logo","width":112,"height":112},"image_desktop":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/09/ExpressVPN-ios-en-hero2024.webp"},"image_mobile":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/09/ExpressVPN-ios-m-en-hero.webp","alt":""},"key_data_table":[],"compatible_with":[]},{"affiliate_url":"https://windscribe.com/","use_direct_url":false,"link_noreferrer":true,"pricing_affiliate_url":"https://windscribe.com/","special_deal_url":"https://windscribe.com/","cta_button_text":"Get Windscribe","cta_text_link":"","cons":["10GB monthly data cap","Servers in only 10 countries","Slower long-distance speeds","No live chat customer support"],"pros":["Stealth and WStunnel protocols","Consistently bypasses the Great Firewall of China","Inbuilt VPN kill switch","Unblocks UK Netflix and BBC iPlayer"],"heading":"Windscribe: Best Free VPN for Obfuscation","subheading":"","jumplink_override":"Windscribe Free","ratings_summary":{"show_ratings_box":false,"overall_score":0,"subcategory_ratings":[],"title":"Overall Rating : 0.0/10"},"intro":"\u003cp\u003eWindscribe Free StealthVPN uses \u003cb\u003eStunnel\u003c/b\u003e, an open-source algorithm, to \u003cb\u003ewrap your regular OpenVPN connection within a layer of strong TLS encryption\u003c/b\u003e. Its WStunnel wraps your OpenVPN connection in a layer of WebSocket. Windscribe’s stealth protocols can be found in \u003cb\u003eConnection\u003c/b\u003e \u003e \u003cb\u003eConnection Mode\u003c/b\u003e \u003e \u003cb\u003eManual\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_301740\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-301740\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-301740\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/windscribe-stealthvpnobfuscation-macos-annotated.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Windscribe's Connection settings, showing Connection Mode in Manual, and protocol options, including Stealth and WStunnel.\" width=\"300\" height=\"456\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-301740\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eWindscribe Free has a modern and user-friendly interface.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWindscribe Free is \u003cb\u003ethe best free VPN for bypassing censorship\u003c/b\u003e, with a \u003cb\u003e85%\u003c/b\u003e success rate in the past year for circumventing the Great Firewall. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt has its faults, though. \u003cb\u003eWindscribe Free doesn’t have a kill switch on its iOS or Android apps\u003c/b\u003e. This means if your internet connection drops, your real IP address could be leaked to your ISP or third-party web servers of the sites you are using at the time. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts powerful obfuscation capabilities can be slightly hindered by its average, \u003cb\u003eslightly slower long-distance speeds\u003c/b\u003e. It doesn’t have any troubles with streaming, but gaming or torrenting might suffer if you don’t have a server location in your country or region. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, Windscribe Free is a terrific service with extremely powerful obfuscation capabilities. If you want to trial VPN obfuscation first before committing to a subscription, it\u0026#8217;s a great place to start.\u003c/p\u003e\n","chapters":[],"slug":"windscribe","provider_name":"Windscribe Free","provider_logo":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/03/171218_windscribe.svg","alt":"Windscribe logo in our Windscribe VPN review","width":100,"height":100},"image_desktop":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/05/windscribefree-windows-chinabdm-HERO.webp"},"image_mobile":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/05/windscribefree-windows-chinabdm-HERO-m.webp","alt":""},"key_data_table":[],"compatible_with":[]}],"chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"The Best VPNs for Obfuscation","show_jumplink":true},"heading":"The Best VPNs for Obfuscation","intro_block":{"content":"\u003cp\u003eMany VPN services claim to provide obfuscation technology, but only a select few truly conceal your VPN usage from restrictive governments, schools, and workplaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHere\u0026#8217;s a table comparing our VPN recommendations with the best obfuscation features and technology:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: none;\" data-table=\"1qeSHTan0M85_0ShsYEB759bLLX7rP_A4eyYMBXmOxY8|1410068555\" data-table-height=\"467\" data-jeffrey=\"comparison\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n","jumplinks":{"label":"VPN Comparison Table","show_jumplink":true},"show_intro":true},"overall_rating_description":"To learn more, read our \u003ca href=\"#how-we-test-vpn-services\"\u003eVPN testing methodology\u003c/a\u003e.","type":"card_section"},{"__typename":"UT_Chapters_Type_CollapsibleContent","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"VPN Obfuscation \u0026 Stealth Techniques","show_jumplink":true},"content":"\u003cp\u003eVPNs use different obfuscation and stealth techniques to disguise their traffic, including different \u003ca href=\"/what-is-a-vpn/vpn-protocols/\"\u003eVPN connection protocols\u003c/a\u003e and proxies. The most common obfuscation methods are listed below.\u003c/p\u003e\n","heading_settings":{"content":"VPN Obfuscation \u0026 Stealth Techniques","level":2,"looks_like":2,"custom_id":""},"highlight_chapter":false,"type":"chapter_w_collapsible","subchapters":[{"subheading":"Shadowsocks","heading_settings":{"content":"Shadowsocks","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003ctable class=\"table-default\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--green-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--orange-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eOpen-source\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eNo official audit\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eFast speeds\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eNo port forwarding\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eUses less RAM\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"spacer\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eShadowsocks is a free, open-source obfuscation proxy protocol\u003c/b\u003e. It\u0026#8217;s widely used in China to bypass government censorship undetected.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on the SOCKS5 protocol, Shadowsocks \u003cb\u003ereroutes internet connections through a third server\u003c/b\u003e, masking your location and disguising VPN traffic as HTTPS.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_301716\" style=\"width: 1954px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-301716\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-301716 size-full\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/privateinternetaccess-shadowsocks-macos-annotated.jpg\" alt=\"\u0026quot;Screenshot\" width=\"1944\" height=\"1174\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-301716\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eWe tested Private Internet Access’ Shadowsocks proxy and found it worked well at bypassing VPN blocks\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike \u003cb\u003eregular proxies, which don\u0026#8217;t encrypt traffic\u003c/b\u003e, Shadowsocks employs AEAD cipher encryption, similar to SSH tunneling. This prevents ISPs from reading your web traffic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAEAD (Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data) allows recipients to verify data authenticity and integrity. It\u0026#8217;s part of the industry-standard AES encryption cipher suites.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, \u003cb\u003eShadowsocks is uncommon among VPN services\u003c/b\u003e due to its complex setup process for both providers and users.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"SoftEther","heading_settings":{"content":"SoftEther","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003ctable class=\"table-default\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--green-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--orange-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eOpen-source\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eRarely used in VPN services\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eGreat for bypassing online censorship and restrictions\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eRequires manual configuration to be safe\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eIncredibly fast speeds\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eVulnerable to man-in-the-middle-attacks\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"spacer\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSoftEther VPN is an open-source, multi-protocol VPN software\u003c/b\u003e. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris, providing fast, low-latency connections capable of bypassing sophisticated firewalls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoftEther uses \u003cb\u003eEthernet over HTTPS\u003c/b\u003e to establish VPN tunnels, making it difficult for ISPs and governments to detect. The software supports its own VPN protocol as well as \u003cb\u003eOpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, L2TPv3, and EtherIP\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_301680\" style=\"width: 605px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-301680\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-301680 size-full\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/hide.me-softether-windows-annotated.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Hide.me's Windows client, which shows its VPN Protocol page in Settings.\" width=\"595\" height=\"572\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-301680\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eHide.me offers the SoftEther protocol in its Windows client.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe protocol divides TCP connections into uplink and downlink groups, \u003cb\u003emimicking typical HTTPS connections\u003c/b\u003e to evade firewalls and DPI. It also sets time limits on TCP connections to avoid detection of unusually long connections.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite its advantages, SoftEther is only available on \u003ca href=\"/reviews/hide-me/\"\u003eHide.me\u003c/a\u003e due to its complex setup process for both providers and users. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2019, researchers identified \u003ca href=\"https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.04669.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003etwo vulnerabilities in Hide.me\u0026#8217;s SoftEther implementation\u003c/a\u003e: \u003cb\u003elack of server certificate verification\u003c/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003einsufficient authentication for the back-end management interface\u003c/b\u003e. Both issues exposed users to potential man-in-the-middle attacks.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"OpenVPN over SSL/TLS","heading_settings":{"content":"OpenVPN over SSL/TLS","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003ctable class=\"table-default\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--green-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--orange-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eOpen-source software\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eSSL is more common but outdated\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eTLS 1.3 was updated in 2018\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eDifficult to configure manually\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eCommonly used by VPNs\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"spacer\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpenVPN over SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) \u003cb\u003ecombines OpenVPN with a layer of SSL or TLS encryption\u003c/b\u003e to hide VPN usage from your ISP.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpenVPN over SSL/TLS obfuscation requires a VPN service to use the open-source \u003ca href=\"https://www.stunnel.org/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eStunnel\u003c/a\u003e software. The complexity of the setup process has discouraged widespread adoption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile OpenVPN over SSL/TLS offers robust encryption, it is not user-friendly for individual users. It\u0026#8217;s rare to find VPNs with SSH or SSL enabled, and none of the \u003ca href=\"/best-vpn/\"\u003etop-rated VPNs\u003c/a\u003e have it configured.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"SSTP","heading_settings":{"content":"SSTP","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003ctable class=\"table-default\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--green-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--orange-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eEffective at bypassing firewalls\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eClosed-source\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eSecure AES-256 encryption\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eDubious links with the NSA\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eFast speeds\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"spacer\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecure Socket Tunnel Protocol (SSTP) is a \u003cb\u003esecure VPN protocol\u003c/b\u003e developed by Microsoft in 2007 to replace the vulnerable PPTP. It supports Windows, Linux, Android, and various routers. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInitially vulnerable to \u003ca href=\"/guides/public-wifi-security-tips/\"\u003eMan-in-the-Middle (Poodle) attacks\u003c/a\u003e, \u003cb\u003eSSTP is now secure\u003c/b\u003e thanks to TLS 1.2 and 1.3 implementation. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, \u003cb\u003eSSTP is available with only a few VPNs\u003c/b\u003e out of the 61 tested. Hide.me remains the sole top 10 VPN offering SSTP after IPVanish discontinued it in 2022.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany effective anti-censorship VPNs have moved to more sophisticated systems, abandoning SSTP.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe protocol is now commonly used in Windows 10/11 for secure corporate network connections from remote locations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConcerns persist due to \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/11/microsoft-nsa-collaboration-user-data\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ealleged links between Microsoft and the NSA\u003c/a\u003e, revealed by Edward Snowden in 2013. One example is Microsoft\u0026#8217;s reported assistance to the NSA in circumventing encryption for Outlook.com web chats.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"Obfsproxy","heading_settings":{"content":"Obfsproxy","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003ctable class=\"table-default\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--green-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--orange-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eRandom handshake patterns\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eObfsproxy traffic stands out in comparison to other protocols\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eRequires less bandwidth\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eComplex setup for VPN services and servers\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"spacer\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eObfsproxy, or Obfuscation Proxy, \u003ca href=\"https://2019.www.torproject.org/docs/pluggable-transports\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eoriginated in the Tor community\u003c/a\u003e to mask Tor traffic from ISPs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt uses obfs2, obfs3, scramblesuit, obfs4, or meek to create an obfuscated tunnel for VPN traffic, adding extra encryption.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile lightweight and bandwidth-efficient, Obfsproxy is less secure. Scramblesuit, obfs4, and meek are currently the only protocols with obfsproxy that we would recommend using to bypass censorship, as the others are outdated and easily detected by DPI.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile some VPNs have adopted obfsproxy, the complexity of its setup means it remains relatively rare.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_301692\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-301692\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-301692\" src=\"/assets/2022/05/ivpn-obfsproxysocks-macOS-annotated.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of IVPN and their obfsproxy option in Settings \u0026gt; Connection \u0026gt; Additional settings.\" width=\"500\" height=\"385\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-301692\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eIVPN offers Obfsproxy with an OpenVPN connection.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eObfsproxy can disguise your Tor or OpenVPN traffic as any traffic type, but it\u0026#8217;s not foolproof against firewalls and DPI. \u003cb\u003eIts traffic stands out due to its random appearance\u003c/b\u003e, making it potentially identifiable through entropy tests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeveloped for users in countries with strict online censorship, we\u0026#8217;ve observed a decent level of success using it in countries like China or Russia to bypass online firewalls.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"OpenVPN/XOR Scramble","heading_settings":{"content":"OpenVPN/XOR Scramble","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003ctable class=\"table-default\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--green-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--orange-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eOpen-source\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eWeak encryption keys\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eInconsistent against sophisticated firewalls\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eHackers use XOR to hide malware\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"spacer\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpenVPN Scramble, or XOR obfuscation, is a third-party OpenVPN patch adding extra obfuscation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt applies a bitwise XOR cipher to disguise your OpenVPN traffic as UDP traffic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_301722\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-301722\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"/assets/2022/05/strongvpn-scramble-macos-annotated.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of StrongVPN's macOS client. Preferences is open and shows a Scramble tick box next to OpenVPN.\" width=\"1350\" height=\"835\" class=\"size-full wp-image-301722\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-301722\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eStrongVPN offers XOR Scramble on UDP or TCP with multiple ports.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis method has two major drawbacks: it\u0026#8217;s \u003cb\u003eeasily decipherable\u003c/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eunreliable for bypassing online firewalls and censors\u003c/b\u003e. Our \u003ca href=\"/reviews/ipvanish/\"\u003eIPVanish tests\u003c/a\u003e show its scramble features consistently fail to circumvent the China firewall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, \u003cb\u003eStrongVPN\u0026#8217;s implementation proves effective\u003c/b\u003e against the Great Firewall of China. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall, OpenVPN Scramble \u003cb\u003eoffers low security and basic obfuscation\u003c/b\u003e compared to other tools, providing a rudimentary solution for VPN traffic concealment.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"V2Ray/VMess","heading_settings":{"content":"V2Ray/VMess","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003ctable class=\"table-default\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--green-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"min-width: 350px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: var(--orange-70);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003eHighly customizable\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eExtremely rare in VPNs\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eComplex setup for VPN providers\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Pros\"\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-header=\"Cons\"\u003eVulnerable to fingerprinting attacks\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"spacer\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.v2ray.com/en/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eV2Ray is an open-source platform\u003c/a\u003e developed under Project V, providing developers with the VMess protocol to create new proxy software.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned to circumvent the Great Firewall of China, V\u003cb\u003e2Ray is more complex to configure compared to Shadowsocks\u003c/b\u003e, which prioritizes simplicity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn July 2024, the \u003ca href=\"https://7asecurity.com/blog/2024/07/7asecurity-completes-v2ray-security-audit/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003efirst independent security audit of V2Ray\u003c/a\u003e concluded that it is \u0026#8220;well-protected against a broad range of attack vectors\u0026#8221; but can be distinguished from normal traffic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuditors discovered three medium-severity vulnerabilities related to fingerprinting attacks, along with several minor issues. While some of these vulnerabilities have been addressed, others are still pending.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVPN.AC is the only VPN service we’ve reviewed that offers V2Ray tunneling. This feature is available exclusively in the Windows app, located in the advanced settings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur tests revealed that enabling V2Ray on VPN.AC frequently \u003cb\u003ecaused our VPN connection to drop\u003c/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eoccasionally blocked us\u003c/b\u003e from connecting to the VPN server altogether.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_301734\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-301734\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-301734\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/vpn.ac-v2rayobfuscation-windows1-annotated.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of VPN.ac's Advanced Settings on Windows. The OpenVPN TCP proxy / obfuscation options is highlighted.\" width=\"300\" height=\"481\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-301734\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eVPN.AC has renamed its V2Ray feature ‘OpenVPN TCP proxy / obfuscation’.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsers can choose between a direct connection through VPN.ac\u0026#8217;s obfuscation proxy servers or a connection via Cloudflare.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"}]},{"__typename":"UT_Chapters_Type_CollapsibleContent","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"When to Use VPN Obfuscation","show_jumplink":true},"content":"\u003cp\u003eObfuscated servers and protocols aren’t necessary for everyone. They can be inconvenient to enable every time you access the internet, and they can also be complicated to configure. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, there are some specific cases where VPN obfuscation technology is needed or very useful. Most importantly, you should use obfuscated servers if you’re a regular \u003cb\u003etorrenter\u003c/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ejournalist\u003c/b\u003e, or \u003cb\u003ea person living in a country with internet restrictions\u003c/b\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere\u0026#8217;s a brief summary of when you should use VPN obfuscation:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-729421 size-full\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/08/when-to-use-obfuscation-explainer.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1180\" height=\"420\" /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","heading_settings":{"content":"When to Use VPN Obfuscation","level":2,"looks_like":2,"custom_id":""},"highlight_chapter":false,"type":"chapter_w_collapsible","subchapters":[{"subheading":"1. For Increased Privacy and Security","heading_settings":{"content":"1. For Increased Privacy and Security","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003cp\u003eJournalists and political activists often need unrestricted access to the internet. This way they can freely research, share information, and securely communicate with contacts. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you deal with \u003cb\u003esensitive information on a regular basis\u003c/b\u003e and you’re based in a country with online firewalls, having a reliable VPN with obfuscation is essential. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOtherwise, regulators using deep packet inspection could identify your web activity or VPN use and flag you as a target for surveillance.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"2. To Bypass Online Censorship","heading_settings":{"content":"2. To Bypass Online Censorship","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"/guides/internet-censorship/\"\u003eInternet censorship is the control or suppression of information\u003c/a\u003e and media published on the internet, often authorized by governments regulators. Network companies may also engage in self-censorship for business or moral reasons. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnline censorship can occur through site blocking, content filtering, and \u003ca href=\"/research/cost-of-internet-shutdowns/\"\u003ecomplete internet shutdowns\u003c/a\u003e. It occurs more often in anticipation of political events such as elections, protests, and riots. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, \u003ca href=\"/research/websites-blocked-in-russia/\"\u003eRussia has banned Instagram, Twitter, Google News, BBC News\u003c/a\u003e, and many more websites in 2022. As a result, demand for \u003ca href=\"/best-vpn/russia/\"\u003eVPNs that work in Russia\u003c/a\u003e rose by \u003ca href=\"/research/vpn-demand-statistics/\"\u003emore than 2,500%\u003c/a\u003e between the months of February and March.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVPNs are excellent at encrypting your data, unblocking websites, and hiding your activity from your ISP, \u003cb\u003ebut they are also easy to detect\u003c/b\u003e. If you live in a country that bans or punishes the use of VPN services, VPN obfuscation is necessary to bypass these website blocks and firewalls without being detected.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--orange\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color:#5E2314;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEXPERT ADVICE:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/span\u003e If you’re trying to circumvent online restrictions, try using a VPN like \u003ca href=\"#astrillvpn\"\u003eAstrill\u003c/a\u003e with a combination of OpenVPN, TCP, and Port 443, before enabling obfuscation features.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"3. For Torrenting \u0026 P2P Activity","heading_settings":{"content":"3. For Torrenting \u0026 P2P Activity","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003cp\u003eSome \u003ca href=\"/best-vpn/torrenting-vpn/\"\u003etorrenting VPNs\u003c/a\u003e offer both P2P servers and obfuscated servers separately. Choosing between a P2P or obfuscated server for torrenting \u003cb\u003ewill depend on your location\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re based in a country where \u003ca href=\"/guides/is-torrenting-illegal/\"\u003etorrenting is legal\u003c/a\u003e or allowed for personal use, we recommend using a VPN with a no logs policy and P2P-optimized servers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, if you’re based in a country with strict online firewalls and restrictions, we recommend using a \u003ca href=\"#expressvpn\"\u003eVPN with inbuilt obfuscation\u003c/a\u003e, or a VPN with an \u003ca href=\"#astrillvpn\"\u003eobfuscation protocol and P2P-optimized servers\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn some cases, it’s best to use a combination of an obfuscated protocol and a P2P-optimized server:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"attachment_696234\" style=\"width: 560px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"\u003e\u003cimg aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-696234\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-696234\" src=\"/assets/2022/05/astrill-customersupport-torrentinginchina-cropped-dropshadow.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a conversation with Astrill's customer support. It shows them saying \"We recommend using starred servers with StealthVPN for optimal performance on torrenting.\" width=\"550\" height=\"264\" /\u003e\u003cp id=\"caption-attachment-696234\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"\u003eAstrill VPN’s customer support recommends a combination of Stealth VPN and P2P servers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"}]},{"__typename":"UT_Chapters_Type_CollapsibleContent","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"When Not to Use VPN Obfuscation","show_jumplink":true},"content":"\u003cp\u003eHere’s a brief summary of when you should not use VPN obfuscation:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-729448 size-full\" src=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/08/when-not-to-use-obfuscation-explainer.png\" alt=\"Illustration of when not to use VPN obfuscation\" width=\"1180\" height=\"420\" /\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","heading_settings":{"content":"When Not to Use VPN Obfuscation","level":2,"looks_like":2,"custom_id":""},"highlight_chapter":false,"type":"chapter_w_collapsible","subchapters":[{"subheading":"1. If Your Internet Speeds Are Slow","heading_settings":{"content":"1. If Your Internet Speeds Are Slow","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVPN obfuscation will slow down your internet connection speed\u003c/b\u003e. Obfuscating your VPN connection involves additional algorithms, codes, and layers of encryption, which means the data packets themselves become larger and take more time to travel between servers. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you don’t have a high-speed internet connection, \u003cb\u003eobfuscation can crash your online activities or cause lag\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"},{"subheading":"2. To Bypass Geo-Restrictions on Streaming Services","heading_settings":{"content":"2. To Bypass Geo-Restrictions on Streaming Services","level":3,"looks_like":5,"custom_id":""},"content":"\u003cp\u003eStreaming services like Netflix actively scan for VPN traffic. If they identify a VPN or proxy user, they may block that user from the platform or restrict them to certain titles.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn theory, a tool that hides the fact you are using a VPN should be beneficial for unblocking streaming services. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn reality, we found in our \u003ca href=\"/best-vpn/streaming/\"\u003eVPN streaming tests\u003c/a\u003e that obfuscation protocols and servers \u003cb\u003edidn’t increase the likelihood of bypassing geo-blocks on streaming services\u003c/b\u003e. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe also discovered that \u003cb\u003eVPN obfuscation can actually hinder your streaming experience\u003c/b\u003e as it can slow down your internet connection, causing your video to buffer or lag.\u003c/p\u003e\n","add_to_jl":false,"jumplink_text_override":"","type":"collapsible"}]},{"__typename":"UT_Chapters_Type_DefaultChapter","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"How to Connect to an Obfuscated VPN Server","show_jumplink":true},"content":"\u003cp\u003eEvery VPN has a different process for enabling obfuscation technology. This is because some VPNs have \u003cb\u003eobfuscated servers\u003c/b\u003e, while others have \u003cb\u003eobfuscated protocols\u003c/b\u003e, and a few have \u003cb\u003eproprietary obfuscation technology\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--light\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHere are some examples of how to enable different obfuscation technologies:\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eAstrill VPN\u003c/b\u003e: Switch to \u003cb\u003eStealthVPN protocol\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eExpressVPN\u003c/b\u003e: Obfuscation is inbuilt, so it’s automatically enabled whenever you choose to connect to a server.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003ePIA\u003c/b\u003e: Switch to the \u003cb\u003eOpenVPN protocol\u003c/b\u003e. In settings, enable \u003cb\u003eMulti-Hop and Obfuscation\u003c/b\u003e, and toggle on \u003cb\u003eShadowsocks\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cb\u003eWindscribe\u003c/b\u003e: Open settings, click \u003cb\u003eConnection\u003c/b\u003e and then \u003cb\u003eManual\u003c/b\u003e. Then \u003cb\u003eProtocol\u003c/b\u003e and switch to either \u003cb\u003eStealth\u003c/b\u003e or \u003cb\u003eWStunnel\u003c/b\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere’s a \u003cb\u003evideo showing you how to enable obfuscated servers\u003c/b\u003e. We’ve used VPNArea as an example: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: none;\" data-videoph=\"628e472e02428\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n","heading_settings":{"content":"How to Connect to an Obfuscated VPN Server","level":2,"looks_like":2,"custom_id":""},"highlight_chapter":false,"type":"chapter"}],"colour_scheme":"FBB8A7","components_data":{"box_cta":[],"video":[{"type":"youtube","caption":"","id":"628e472e02428","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuRKLLTTWTQ","poster_image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/vpnobfuscation-howtovideo-thumbnail.png"},"mobile_poster_image":{"url":null},"mobile_url":"","show_schema":true,"description":"Internet censorship in China is so strict that even high-quality VPNs can struggle to bypass it. What's often needed is an obfuscated VPN connection.\r\n\r\nHere we demonstrate how we were able to access Instagram (a website normally blocked) while in Shanghai by connected to an obfuscated server on VPNArea.","title":"How to Beat Web Blocks in China with VPN Ofuscation","duration":109,"publish_date":"2022-05-25T00:00:00.000Z"},{"type":"youtube","caption":"","id":"628e5bc6e7006","url":"https://youtu.be/iobtP66xNH8","poster_image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/05/vpnobfuscation-expressvpn-videothumbnail.png"},"mobile_poster_image":{"url":null},"mobile_url":"","show_schema":true,"description":"Our testing found that ExpressVPN works to get around internet blocks in China. Here we demonstrate how we were able to access websites like Instagram and YouTube while in Shanghai by using ExpressVPN.","title":"How to Access Free Internet in China with ExpressVPN","duration":109,"publish_date":"2022-02-21T00:00:00.000Z"},{"type":"youtube","caption":"","id":"6203226f95880c","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0pQk3Xw0RA","poster_image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2024/08/What-Is-Obfuscation.webp"},"mobile_poster_image":{"url":null},"mobile_url":"","show_schema":true,"description":"Unsure what obfuscation actually is? We wouldn't blame you - but don't let the big fancy words put you off. It's actually a pretty simple topic, and getting to know it better will help you understand how your VPN works on a much deeper level.\r\n\r\nJoin Top10VPN's Site Editor Callum as he explains the basics of VPN obfuscation, and explain just when you should (and shouldn't) use it.","title":"What Is VPN Obfuscation (and Why You Probably Don't Need It)","duration":463,"publish_date":"2024-08-20T00:00:00.000Z"}],"guide_links":[],"hub_cards":[],"tableSheets":[{"id":"1qeSHTan0M85_0ShsYEB759bLLX7rP_A4eyYMBXmOxY8|900802614","dataset":{"name":null,"description":null,"keywords":null,"spacial_coverage":null,"temporal_coverage":null}},{"id":"1qeSHTan0M85_0ShsYEB759bLLX7rP_A4eyYMBXmOxY8|1410068555","dataset":{"name":null,"description":null,"keywords":null,"spacial_coverage":null,"temporal_coverage":null}}],"collapsible_content":[],"why_trust_us":{"title":"Why Trust Us?","content":"\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026#8217;re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our advice is based on our own testing results and is unaffected by financial incentives. Learn \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/\"\u003ewho we are\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/about/how-we-review-vpns/\"\u003ehow we test VPNs\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n","show_stats":false,"stats":[{"name":"REMOVE","value":""},{"name":"REMOVE","value":""},{"name":"REMOVE","value":""}]}},"external_utils":{"load_hotjar":false,"load_oim":false,"oim_campaign":"","oim_campaign_mobile":""},"intro_chapter":{"heading":"","content":"\u003cp\u003eVPN obfuscation is an advanced security feature that \u003cb\u003ehides the fact that you are using a VPN\u003c/b\u003e to reroute your traffic. It can help to bypass firewalls to \u003ca href=\"/guides/how-to-unblock-websites-anywhere/\"\u003eaccess restricted websites\u003c/a\u003e, avoid blocks by governments or ISPs, and evade detection by deep packet inspection (DPI). \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInternet restrictions are often \u003ca href=\"/research/cost-of-internet-shutdowns/\"\u003eimposed by governments\u003c/a\u003e during important political events, or to censor the internet of political, religious, or sexual content. Some schools and workplaces also implement firewalls to keep students safe or protect their networks from malicious attacks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, VPN obfuscation is not a standard feature in all VPNs, with only a select few services offering the feature.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block-highlighted block-highlighted--light\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"heading-5\"\u003eSummary: The Best Obfuscated VPNs\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter testing 61 services, we\u0026#8217;ve determined the best VPNs with obfuscated servers are: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#astrill\"\u003eAstrill\u003c/a\u003e: Best Overall Obfuscated VPN\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#expressvpn\"\u003eExpressVPN\u003c/a\u003e: Most User-Friendly VPN for Obfuscation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#windscribe\"\u003eWindscribe\u003c/a\u003e: Free VPN That Works in Restrictive Regions\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-why-trust-us-stats=\"\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n","chapter_jumplinks":{"label":"","show_jumplink":false}},"main_image":{"show_image":true,"image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/07/VPN-Obfuscation.jpg","alt":"VPN Obfuscation Header Image","width":1180,"height":800}},"references":"","related_articles":[{"title":"What Is VPN Split Tunneling?","url":"/guides/vpn-split-tunneling/","image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2021/09/What-Is-VPN-Split-Tunneling-768x521.jpg","alt":"vpn split tunneling illustration","width":768,"height":521}},{"title":"What Is Double VPN (Multi-hop)?","url":"/guides/what-is-double-vpn/","image":{"url":"https://www.top10vpn.com/images/2022/02/Double-VPN-header-image-768x521.jpg","alt":"Double VPN","width":768,"height":521}}],"title":"What Is VPN Obfuscation?","tldr":{"heading":"Overview","content":"\u003cp\u003eVPN obfuscation is a tool that disguises VPN traffic as normal internet traffic, allowing users to bypass VPN blocks. The best VPN with obfuscated servers is \u003ca href=\"https://www.top10vpn.com/goto/?lang=en\u0026\u0026type=prc\u0026#038;name=astrill\u0026#038;ref=628e2c47c6f63\u0026#038;clicktype=ClickOut\u0026#038;pagetype=Guide\u0026#038;linktype=text\u0026#038;ga_category=GuidePageOut\u0026#038;ga_action=astrill\u0026#038;ga_label=Contextual\" rel=\"noindex nofollow noopener noreferrer sponsored\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAstrill\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/a\u003e as it\u0026#8217;s 100% reliable at bypassing restrictions in countries like China and on restricted networks, such as workplaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n"},"updated_date":"2024-08-21T14:46:00.000Z","published_date":"2022-06-09T09:55:34.000Z","view_password":"","recaptchaSiteKeyV3":"6Ld6xwAVAAAAAJFsy3_JH2x9-p2xrLHhrVsepqTW","slug":"vpn-obfuscation","embed":null}},"url":{"route":"/guides/[slug]","pathname":"/guides/[slug]","query":{"slug":"vpn-obfuscation"},"asPath":"/guides/vpn-obfuscation/","isFallback":false,"basePath":"","locale":"en","locales":["en","es","it","pl","pt","sv","fr","nl","de","ko"],"defaultLocale":"en","isReady":true,"isPreview":false,"isLocaleDomain":false},"showBanner":false,"vFlag":false,"variant":false,"GA4":"G-4F248Z2SQ6","fpTestsPercentage":"0","__N_SSP":true},"page":"/guides/[slug]","query":{"slug":"vpn-obfuscation"},"buildId":"2d666bd47cbb840f5dcdb84e0dc244983dcde74e","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"gssp":true,"appGip":true,"locale":"en","locales":["en","es","it","pl","pt","sv","fr","nl","de","ko"],"defaultLocale":"en","scriptLoader":[]}</script><script defer="" src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-4F248Z2SQ6"></script><script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('set', 'url_passthrough', true); gtag('consent', 'default', { 'ad_storage': 'granted', 'ad_user_data': 'granted', 'ad_personalization': 'granted', 'analytics_storage': 'granted', 'security_storage': 'granted', }); gtag('config','AW-951368176'); gtag('config','G-J4RT6V6VSW'); gtag('config','G-4F248Z2SQ6'); // TEMP: Collecting data on dark mode preference if (window.matchMedia && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches) { window.gtag("event", "dark_mode_preference", { value: "dark", send_to: "G-4F248Z2SQ6", }); } else if (window.matchMedia && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: light)').matches) { window.gtag("event", "dark_mode_preference", { value: "light", send_to: "G-4F248Z2SQ6", }); } else { window.gtag("event", "dark_mode_preference", { value: "no-preference", send_to: "G-4F248Z2SQ6", }); } // End TEMP </script><noscript><div style="display:inline"><img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" alt="" src="//googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/951368176/?guid=ON&script=0"/></div></noscript></body></html>