The Best Pakistan VPN in 2024 & How to Get an IP Address in the Country
Pakistan’s government is tired of citizens using VPNs to get around its rolling social media bans. Recent reports suggest a China-style nationwide firewall may be raised soon, so download a Pakistan VPN before it’s too late.
Written by Samuel Chapman (Writer, Editor)
Reviewed by Brett Day (Writer, Editor)
Facts checked by Igor Kurtz (Fact-checking editor)
Last Updated: 2024-09-30T20:59:00+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: These Are the Best Pakistan VPN Services
- NordVPN — Very fast and affordable Pakistan VPN. You can sign up for NordVPN with a 73% discount and use the 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind.
- Surfshark — Unlimited connection VPN with Pakistan server options. Surfshark’s two-year plan offers 86% off on the first two years with three months free.
- ExpressVPN — The best VPN for Pakistan for beginners. A 49% discount is available for users who choose ExpressVPN’s extended subscription options.
- hide.me — The best free Pakistan VPN.
- CyberGhost — Beginner-friendly Pakistan VPN.
How to Get a Pakistan VPN
- Subscribe to a VPN service that has a server location in Pakistan.
- Download a VPN app and open it on your device.
- Connect to a Pakistani server.
Facts & Expert Analysis: Why You Need a VPN for Pakistan
- Successor to social media bans: Blaming social media for popular dissatisfaction, Pakistan’s government has interfered with Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram. It’s now trying to ban VPNs, which Pakistanis have used to get around social media blocks.
- Internet slowdown in Pakistan: Users across the country experienced crawling web browsers in August, a slowdown the government blamed on VPN usage. Though that charge is nonsense, it could provide justification for a blanket ban.
- Choosing a Pakistan VPN: Search for a service with a proven record of never working with authorities and with server locations in and around Pakistan, good download speeds and the ability to get past geographic blocks.
In August 2024, Pakistan announced plans to ban all VPNs except for government-approved providers, a move that would be even bolder than the already strict VPN law in neighboring India. For now, though, the best VPNs still function in Pakistan — so now may be your last, best chance to download a Pakistan VPN before the government begins blocking provider sites.
Using a virtual private network (VPN), you can connect to a foreign IP address that’s outside the control of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. Since the anti-VPN firewall isn’t in place yet, it’s too soon for us to know which VPNs will still work in Pakistan next year, but we can still show you which providers are the best for beating censorship.
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10/24/2023
Updated the article to reflect ExpressVPN’s recent increase of 5 simultaneous connections to 8.
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07/07/2024
Updated the article to reflect latest information on NordVPN’s allowed number of simultaneous connections.
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09/06/2024
Article rewritten to cover recent news about a VPN ban and focus on helping you avoid the tightening internet censorship in Pakistan.
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10/01/2024 Facts checked
We revised the provider order based on our comprehensive reevaluation of the VPNs’ capabilities and value.
Cloudwards’ Choice: NordVPN
Cloudwards’ Choice: NordVPN
NordVPN is my top choice for a Pakistan VPN. It has plenty of experience with repressive regimes — it took years for China to figure out how to block it, and it still works in India and Turkey. Alongside all that, it’s a top performer at unblocking restricted websites. Test it for yourself with its 30-day money-back guarantee.
The 5 Best Pakistan VPN Services Compared
| VPN: | Price | Pakistan Server | Netflix | Speed | No-Logs Policy | Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | $3.09 per month (two-year plan + three months) | Very fast | NordLynx, OpenVPN | |||
 | $2.19 per month (two-year plan + three months) | The fastest | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | |||
 | $6.66 per month (15-months plan) | Fast | Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | |||
 | $2.22 per month (two-year plan + three months) | Fast | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SSTP, SoftEther | |||
 | $2.19 per month (two-year plan + two months) | Fast | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
1. NordVPN — Best Pakistan VPN
capable of foiling censorship attempts.
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
NordVPN was the fastest of all VPNs for some time in our automated tests. Though Surfshark has since overtaken it (see number three on this list), NordVPN still comes in on top thanks to several neatly integrated features that make it an obvious choice for Pakistan. You can learn more about these features in our full NordVPN review.
First is the NordLynx protocol, a re-implementation of WireGuard that’s fast enough to avoid lags even over long distances. NordLynx is fast enough to maintain good speeds on double VPN connections, which use two servers instead of one — a great fallback in case one server fails to get around government censorship on its own.
Achieve Online Privacy and Security Even as a VPN Novice
- Comprehend the essential role a VPN plays in safeguarding your digital life
- Gain a deep understanding of how VPNs function under the hood
- Develop the ability to distinguish fact from fiction in VPN promotions
NordVPN Hands-On Testing
To test how good NordVPN really is at hiding your internet connection, we decided to use its Onion Over VPN servers. After connecting to a NordVPN server, these servers run your requests through Tor’s anonymous node network, making it nearly impossible to track. Tor is usually clunky, but we were amazed at how smoothly NordVPN got us online.
and NordVPN makes both steps easy.
Notes From the Lab: NordVPN Speed Test Results
Notes From the Lab: NordVPN Security Analysis
network doesn’t appear to leak DNS requests.
| Protocol | Encryption | Devices |
|---|---|---|
| NordLynx | ChaCha20 | All |
| OpenVPN* | AES-256-GCM | All |
One of NordVPN’s minor stumbles is that it doesn’t make as many VPN protocols available as ExpressVPN does. Specifically, there’s no built-in IKEv2 support, though you can set up an IKEv2 connection manually. Despite the limited selection, our tests showed that all of NordVPN’s protocols are secure enough to never leak your IP address or DNS requests.
NordVPN Pricing & Value
NordVPN has three subscription plans, but the Basic plan has everything you need in a Pakistan VPN. One month of Basic costs $12.99, one year costs $59.88 ($4.99 per month) and 27 months cost $83.43 ($3.09 per month). NordVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, which we’ve always found it to honor.
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
2. Surfshark — Unlimited Connection VPN With Pakistan Server Options
Very Fast
Very Fast
Good
Every time we test Surfshark, it seems like it gets even better. It recently pulled ahead of NordVPN in our recurring speed tests, making it the fastest VPN out there right now. Wherever you connect from Pakistan, you can maintain download and upload speeds close to what you’d get without a VPN (though the latency can jump on occasion).
Another great perk of Surfshark is the unlimited simultaneous connections on every plan; you can log in to the same account on as many devices as you want. This means the money you spend on Surfshark goes farther than on almost any other VPN, and one subscription can help your entire family access blocked sites. Learn more in our Surfshark review.
Surfshark Hands-On Testing
Whether on desktop or mobile, every part of Surfshark’s user interface flows smoothly. The only hitch is that connections can sometimes take a few moments, but they never waver once established.
Surfshark’s privacy technology is ludicrously easy to activate. All you have to do is make sure NoBorders mode is active in the settings. This feature scans for network restrictions, like the ones Pakistan is trying to implement, and automatically switches you to the best server for getting around those restrictions.
activated whenever you use the OpenVPN protocol.
Notes From the Lab: Surfshark Speed Test Results
Notes From the Lab: Surfshark Security Analysis
| Protocol | Encryption | Devices |
|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | ChaCha20 | All |
| OpenVPN* | AES-256 | All |
| IKEv2 | AES-256 | |
As with all VPNs on this list, we tested every server a user might access from Pakistan to see if any of them weren’t secure. All of them protected our real IP address and maintained constant encryption.
Surfshark Pricing & Value
Surfshark has three subscription packages, each of which has three duration options. For the full VPN service, you only need Surfshark Starter. This comes at $15.45 for one month, $44.85 for 15 months ($2.99 per month) or $59.13 for 27 months ($2.19 per month). All plans come with a 30-day no-questions-asked refund policy.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $231.75 for one year, $417.15 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
- Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Plans renew: $239.25 for one year, $430.65 for two years.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $269.25 for one year, $404.65 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
3. ExpressVPN — The Best VPN for Pakistan for Beginners
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
There are a number of reasons why ExpressVPN does well on this list. The first is that its commitment to privacy has been proven in the real world. Many VPNs claim to have a strict no-logs policy, and some have backed them up with independent audits. However, police once confiscated ExpressVPN’s servers, and they found no saved activity logs whatsoever.
Privacy and security are not the only reasons to pick ExpressVPN. It’s fast, and its download and upload speeds don’t drop no matter how far away you’re connecting. You’ll also find plenty of servers near Pakistan that can unblock banned social media, including options in Bangladesh, Nepal, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Our ExpressVPN review can tell you more.
ExpressVPN Hands-On Testing
Lots of Pakistanis are dipping their toes in the VPN world for the first time after the government began cracking down on social media in 2024. For those beginners, ExpressVPN is the perfect choice. It’s so well designed that a new user can figure out all its functions without any kind of manual. The apps never lag or get in your way.
Notes From the Lab: ExpressVPN Speed Test Results
Notes From the Lab: ExpressVPN Security Analysis
| Protocol | Encryption | Devices |
|---|---|---|
| Lightway* | TLS 1.3 (TCP) TLS 1.2 (UDP), AES-256 | All |
| OpenVPN* | AES-256-GCM | All except iOS |
| IKEv2 | AES-256, Camellia | |
When you’re using a VPN under government censorship, it’s crucial that it be leak-proof. We checked every VPN server ExpressVPN maintains in South and Central Asia to see whether any of them revealed our real IP address, but not one of them did. For Pakistan — one of the worst countries for information security — this is like water in the desert.
ExpressVPN Pricing & Value
ExpressVPN costs more than most VPNs, though not much more at the monthly level. You’ll pay $12.95 for one month, $59.94 for six months ($9.99 per month) or $99.95 for 15 months ($6.66 per month). ExpressVPN always honors its 30-day refund guarantee with no questions asked, so feel free to use it as a trial to see if it’s worth the investment.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
4. hide.me — The Best Free Pakistan VPN
become the best free VPN for Pakistan.
There are a few free VPNs that we recommend, but hide.me is the best of the bunch for Pakistan. That’s down to a confluence of factors: a free plan that doesn’t cap monthly data usage, reliable speeds over long distances and a history of complying with its own privacy policy.
The free plan also comes with an extensive menu of features, including app-based split tunneling (though not on iOS) and a fairly deep autoconnect system that you can program to take different actions on different types of networks. However, the SmartGuard ad blocker and port forwarding are only available on paid plans. Get the whole story in our hide.me review.
hide.me Hands-On Testing
Whether free or paid, hide.me is a user-friendly app on any platform. All its features are organized into quickly digestible tabs. The server selection page is likewise quite simple, and connections occur quickly. Each of the features makes sense at a glance and mostly involve toggling on-off switches.
a relative rarity among free VPNs.
Notes From the Lab: hide.me Security Analysis
but at least they all passed our leak tests.
| Protocol | Encryption | Devices |
|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | ChaCha20 | All |
| OpenVPN | AES-256 | All |
| IKEv2 | AES-128, AES-256 | All |
| SSTP | AES-256 | |
| SoftEther | RC4-MD5, DES-CBC3-SHA, AES-128, AES-256 | |
hide.me is perfectly secure — its protocols use the latest expert-approved encryption, and all its free servers passed our DNS leak tests. Its TLS-Crypt obfuscation should be able to foil any government attempts to pick out VPN traffic from the noise and censor it. However, we don’t recommend using SSTP — it usually provides the worst speeds.
hide.me Pricing & Value
hide.me’s free plan comes with access to seven servers, all located in Europe. A premium account costs $9.95 for one month, $45 for 12 months ($3.75 per month) and [price id=”24356-LHUQ”] for 24 months ($2.22 per month). Each plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- 5 servers
- 10GB
- 1
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
5. CyberGhost — Beginner-Friendly Pakistan VPN
firewall, but it’s still highly useful in certain situations.
Fast
Very Fast
Fast
CyberGhost is one of our most common recommendations for new VPN users. It’s almost unbelievably well designed; each component of the UI feels like it’s been tested and refined until there’s nothing left to tweak. That goes for its functionality too, as CyberGhost always yields fast download speeds and unblocks every streaming site we test it on.
That unblocking power also applies to social media — we’ve found that CyberGhost is consistently able to access services like Twitter/X, Instagram and WhatsApp when they’ve been blocked in Pakistan. The one issue keeping it in fifth place is the lack of obfuscation. If Pakistan decides to block VPN traffic altogether, your CyberGhost connection may not be safe.
CyberGhost Hands-On Testing
All of CyberGhost’s features are easy to use. You can set “smart rules” to have the app open on its own, scan your network, choose an ideal server and connect — all without you touching anything. Our CyberGhost review has more details.
lot of information in a compact yet uncluttered design.
Notes From the Lab: CyberGhost Speed Test Results
Notes From the Lab: CyberGhost Security Analysis
protocols that withstood all our tests.
| Protocol | Encryption | Devices |
|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | ChaCha20 | All |
| OpenVPN | AES-256 | All |
| IKEv2 | AES-128 | |
One of the small annoyances about CyberGhost is that its VPN protocol availability varies between operating systems. Only Windows users get the full selection. macOS and iOS users can’t use OpenVPN, while Linux and Android subscribers are shut off from IKEv2. Though frustrating, this doesn’t compromise CyberGhost’s online security — all its protocols are solid.
CyberGhost Pricing & Value
CyberGhost costs [price id=”8421-0-0″] for one month, $41.94 for six months ($6.99 per month) or $56.94 for 26 months ($2.19 per month). Be warned that the 26-month deal is only available once; after that, you’ll be billed at the current rate whenever you renew. All plans except the monthly one have an extended 45-day money-back guarantee.
- *The 2-year plan includes 4-months free which breaks down the 56.94 t0 $2.03 per month. *The price under the 2-year plan is billed yearly after the first two years.
- Unlimited GB
- 7
- Yes
Our Methodology: How We Tested the Best VPN for Pakistan
When dealing with encroaching censorship, our VPN priorities shift a little. Speed, price and convenience features are still important, but we’re most concerned with finding providers that demonstrate a commitment to protecting anonymity and preserving user rights. Here’s how we compiled our list.
- Security: Any VPN on our list had to pass encryption and leak tests on all its servers near Pakistan, plus demonstrate a history of responding to security breaches swiftly and effectively.
- Privacy: Paying lip service to a no-logs policy wasn’t enough — qualifying Pakistan VPNs needed to at least have an unbiased privacy audit with published results. Real-world proof like the ExpressVPN seizure was even better.
- Servers near Pakistan: Since close-by server locations give the best performance, we made sure that each VPN we recommended had multiple IP options within 1,000 miles of Pakistan.
- Speed: To be useful for accessing the internet in Pakistan, a VPN ideally shouldn’t reduce your download speeds by more than 20%; we checked all our top picks with repeated automatic speed tests.
- Unblocking ability: We looked for Pakistan VPNs that could unblock websites from other countries — including Pakistani sites from foreign IP addresses — without getting caught by firewalls.
- Pricing: Pakistan’s citizens shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket to access the internet, but sadly, most of the best VPN services do require you to pay.
Can You Use a Free Pakistan VPN?
There are only a few free VPNs we recommend for use in Pakistan or anywhere else. We understand how frustrating it is to have to pay to retain your rights, but the reality is that most free VPNs aren’t worth the risk. Many of the free providers we’ve tested fail our encryption checks, leak tests or deep dives into their privacy policies. To be safe, get a paid plan.
The Best Free VPN for Pakistan: hide.me
hide.me is our choice for the top free VPN service for Pakistan, mainly because it doesn’t cap the amount of data you can use per month. With unlimited bandwidth and data, you can use hide.me for all the streaming and posting you want. It doesn’t have a free server location in Asia, but its long-distance speeds are good enough that this shouldn’t be an obstacle.
Other free VPNs we trust for users in Pakistan include PrivadoVPN, TunnelBear, Proton VPN and Windscribe.
How to Get a Pakistan IP Address With a VPN
The following advice is for people outside Pakistan who want to access content exclusive to the country. If you want more details, check out our article on how to get a Pakistani IP address.
If your objective is to access blocked sites like Facebook and Twitter/X from within Pakistan, don’t get a Pakistan IP address — pick a server in a nearby country instead. However, avoid India, as servers there are likely to be virtual.
- Pick a VPN With a Location in Pakistan
Your first step is to navigate to NordVPN’s site and choose a discounted plan at 73% off. Don’t worry — you’re covered by a 30-day refund policy if needed.
- Download and Open the VPN App
On the device you plan to use to visit Pakistani websites, download the app for the VPN you signed up for in step 1. You can get the VPN client directly from the website on desktop; on mobile, use the Apple app store or Google Play store. Once you’ve got the app, open it and sign in.
- Connect to a Server Location in Pakistan
Open your VPN’s server location menu, which you can almost always do from the main control panel. Search or scroll to find the Pakistan location, click on it and connect. You now have a Pakistan IP address and can use the internet as though you were there.
Are VPNs Legal in Pakistan?
Yes, VPNs are currently legal in Pakistan, but the government is trying to change that. Pakistan is not openly a dictatorship, so despite military leaders wielding a great deal of undemocratic power, they still have to go through normal legislative channels.
Their previous two attempts to ban VPNs, in 2020 and 2022, depended on people voluntarily admitting they were using VPNs, with those who refused to register facing legal action. Since the government attempted the same registration tactic twice in two years and is still trying to figure out how to stop people from using VPNs, it’s safe to say both attempts failed.
The government is now trying to pass legislation that bans VPNs outright, though the bill is still in the early stages. If it manages to become law, we’ll update this article to let you know where the situation stands.
Final Thoughts
The internet is the most efficient technology ever created for exchanging information, and there’s nothing would-be dictators fear more than an informed public. That’s why, no matter where they are or how they came to power, autocrats all clamp down on internet use.
With a Pakistan VPN like NordVPN, you can thumb your nose at their power grabs. If NordVPN seems interesting to you, you can check it out risk-free and claim a refund within 30 days if you’re not satisfied.
Have you been impacted by Pakistan’s internet censorship? Have you used a VPN to get around it? Which one did you choose, and how did it work? Let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading.
FAQ: Best Pakistan VPN
NordVPN, our top VPN, has a server in Pakistan. You’ll also find Pakistan servers on Surfshark and CyberGhost.
hide.me is the best VPN for playing video games in Pakistan, since it doesn’t place any limits on monthly usage.
NordVPN is not currently blocked in Pakistan, but this could change if a VPN ban becomes law.