The Best VPNs for the UAE and Dubai

Dubai is dazzling. The United Arab Emirates metropolis has a futuristic skyline, luxurious experiences — and one particular culture shock for many newcomers: widespread internet censorship and monitoring. Without a VPN that works in the UAE, there’s no reliable way to bypass that significant restriction.

It’s either that or enduring the blanket bans or restrictions on loads of websites and online services in the country, from dating sites to VoIP services. And that would be really inconvenient if you want to stay connected to friends and family or enjoy your favorite online entertainment.

We did some digging and have uncovered the best VPN providers to choose from on your trip or move to the United Arab Emirates (and Dubai). But first, an overview.

Why Do You Need a VPN in Dubai and the UAE?

Dubai (and the UAE as a whole) is a playground for luxury and innovation. But when it comes to the internet, things get a bit complicated. You see, the UAE operates with pretty strict regulations around online content — a far cry from the relatively open access you’d enjoy in many other countries.

The government has banned or restricted access to loads of websites and online services, including voice and video call functionality on apps like WhatsApp and Skype, as well as foreign news sites. As you can imagine, expats and tourists accustomed to more online freedom find this frustrating.

But it gets easier with a VPN that works in the UAE. When you connect to a VPN, your traffic is routed through a remote server in another location.

That server has IP addresses assigned to it, and you get one that masks your original IP address. Now, the government’s restrictions are based on location. So, if you connect to a server in a country where the content isn’t blocked, you can access it freely. It’s that easy.

A VPN can come in handy for several other reasons. For instance, the United Arab Emirats is home to really sophisticated surveillance technology that the government uses to monitor civilians. Hackers and other cyber threats are also a real issue, as in other countries. And, like many travelers, you probably want to catch up on content from home.

A reliable VPN service is the solution to all these issues. Notice the qualifier? The thing is, VPNs are not all on the same level. Let’s explore the best options to consider.

The Best VPN for the UAE — Our 5 Picks for 2024

The best Dubai VPNs come with industry-standard and advanced features to bypass government monitoring and censorship. What’s more, they are fast and reliable, have plenty of servers globally, and will help you access geo-restricted content abroad.

We’ve tested dozens of VPN providers to arrive at this list of the five top options for the UAE in 2024. Let’s get down to it.

1. NordVPN

Arguably the best VPN provider on the market, NordVPN is also the most trusted VPN in the UAE (and Dubai). Its Panama jurisdiction doesn’t fall under invasive monitoring alliances like the 5/9/14 Eyes, so you know your online activities aren’t subject to mass surveillance.

Building on that, it uses RAM-only servers, which means it won’t retain logs of your online sessions — enforcing a strict no-logs policy.

NordVPN implements AES 256-bit encryption to protect your data, ensuring neither ISPs, snoops, nor cybercriminals can see what you’re doing online. It also comes with a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and advanced tools to bypass government monitoring and censors like Onion over VPN, obfuscated servers, and Double VPN.

We’re impressed by the service’s massive network comprising 6,300+ servers in 111 countries. It’s one of the few VPN providers with UAE servers, so you can easily get a Dubai IP address when you’re abroad. All five servers are obfuscated, so nobody can detect your VPN use.

Thanks to blazing-fast connection speeds and exceptional unblocking capabilities, it’s an excellent streaming VPN. NordVPN instantly unlocks foreign-based content on platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. It also enables VoIP functionality on WhatsApp and Skype.

On top of that, it’s compatible with a wide range of devices, with one subscription covering up to ten devices simultaneously. Speaking of devices, it’s the best VPN for iPhone that we’ve had the opportunity to test so far.

You can check out what NordVPN has to offer risk-free by taking advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee. And what about the price? The service is available starting at just over $3 per month (and that’s without having to use a NordVPN coupon).

Visit NordVPN

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2. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is another excellent Dubai VPN pick, especially if you want to get around tricky bans on various websites, services, and apps.

The provider has a privacy-friendly jurisdiction to begin with. Its British Virgin Islands headquarters inherently affords you more anonymity than VPNs in the US and Europe. On top of that, it has an independently verified strict no-logs policy, and its TrustedServer technology (validated by KPMG) ensures that no information remains on servers after they’re rebooted.

ExpressVPN employs AES 256-bit encryption to scramble your data. Neither hackers nor the UAE’s sophisticated measures can break through that. A kill switch comes in handy when the VPN connection drops and the provider prevents DNS leaks from exposing your data to prying eyes.

ExpressVPN doesn’t have servers in the UAE. However, its network of 3,000+ servers in 105 countries includes nearby locations like Israel and Egypt.

They are all high-performance 10 Gbps servers, so you can expect lightning-fast connection speeds. During our tests, we were able to binge-watch online videos in 4K with little to no buffering.

The provider effortlessly bypasses the bans on various websites and online services. It’s also pretty effective when it comes to geo-restrictions on foreign libraries, allowing you to stream videos on Netflix US, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and more from the UAE.

ExpressVPN allows up to eight simultaneous device connections on one subscription. A 30-day money-back guarantee is attached to each plan that lets you try this great VPN for the UAE risk-free.

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3. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is a VPN based in the United States. Considering that’s a prominent 5 Eyes jurisdiction, that headquarters certainly raised more than a few eyebrows in the past. However, the provider has since proven its uncompromising no-logs policy in court, no less.

If that’s not solid enough evidence that it’s an excellent privacy-focused UAE VPN, independent audits by Deloitte should do the trick. What’s more, all of the provider’s apps are open-source.

PIA is also quite feature-rich. A military-grade algorithm encrypts your data and masks your location so you can stay under the UAE government’s radar. It lets you reduce the encryption tier to AES 128-bit for faster speeds. Plus, it offers a kill switch, IP/DNS leak protection, obfuscation, Multi-Hop, and a pretty effective malware and ads blocker. We also like that the VPN owns and manages its own systems and server network.

That said, while connection speeds can be fast, they are not consistently so. However, PIA’s vast network (more than 30,000 servers in 91 countries, including the UAE) ensures you can easily find better performance.

When you connect to a server outside the UAE, you get to unlock the range of websites and services banned within the country.

It’s one of the few providers without a device cap. Purchase a plan, and the VPN lets you install its apps on all your compatible devices. Each subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a refund if unsatisfied.

Visit Private Internet Access

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4. Surfshark

Surfshark is a very affordable VPN for the UAE, but don’t let the affordable pricing fool you into thinking it’s inferior. The Dutch-based provider comes with an impressive tool kit to help you get around online pitfalls in the UAE, from government restrictions to cyber threats.

For instance, its NoBorders feature automatically bypasses network restrictions imposed in the UAE as soon as its detected. Camouflage Mode is an obfuscation iteration that disguises your VPN use. Surfshark employs bank-level AES 256-bit encryption and offers a kill switch, DNS leak protection, Multi-Hop, and more.

Moreover, no third party — not even the VPN — knows what you’re viewing or doing online, as it doesn’t track, collect, or share your internet activities.

You can obtain a UAE IP address from elsewhere by connecting to any of the VPN’s servers in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Overall, Surfshark offers a collection comprising over 3,200 servers across 100 countries globally.

While it’s not quite as fast as NordVPN or ExpressVPN, you can expect decent connection speeds, especially when you use WireGuard. NoBorders helps you bypass geo-restrictions on services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and popular banned VoIP apps.

Like PIA, Surfshark is tailor-made for users with lots of tech or large families, as it offers unlimited simultaneous connections. Plus, a 30-day money-back guarantee lets you try the VPN before committing.

Visit Surfshark

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5. CyberGhost

Like the other providers on this list with UAE servers, CyberGhost VPN clearly declares its ability to evade censorship and monitoring in the country. Those claims aren’t unfounded.

The VPN is headquartered in Romania, where mass surveillance isn’t an issue. Plus, as it operates a verified no-logs policy and runs on RAM-based servers, there’s no tracking or storing details of your online sessions. Consequently, there’s nothing to hand over should authorities demand usage or connection logs.

In addition, CyberGhost offers AES 256-bit encryption, as well as other standard features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection. It fully owns and operates a collection of NoSpy servers in-house to shield your online traffic from privacy-hostile governments. And if you’re hyper-paranoid but don’t need a Romanian IP address? The VPN has colocated servers in major cities around the world.

Only PIA’s network contains more than CyberGhost’s 12,000+ servers in 100 countries. Twelve in that collection are in Dubai, and they do a good job maintaining fast connection speeds.

CyberGhost comes with optimized servers for streaming, gaming, and torrenting, bound to prove useful in the UAE with so many websites blocked or restricted. For instance, connecting to its dedicated streaming servers allows you to unblock various Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and more.

One CyberGhost subscription covers up to seven devices simultaneously, the least generous on this list. It makes up for that with an industry-leading 45-day money-back guarantee on long-term plans.

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How we Ranked the Top VPNs for the UAE

By now, you understand that you need a great VPN for unfettered access to the internet when you’re in the UAE. We’ve highlighted the best options, but how did we arrive at that list?

Here are the major factors that formed our evaluation criteria:

• Encryption and Security: Only VPN services with the strongest encryption algorithms made this list. Also, we only considered VPNs with top-notch features like an automatic kill switch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation. The more the advanced features, the better.
• Privacy: The VPNs we listed shield you from government surveillance as well as other monitoring measures. They all have solid privacy policies that ensure you’re not leaving any digital trails that could lead back to you.
• Server Network and Locations: The best UAE VPNs have thousands of servers in scores of countries globally. Apart from ExpressVPN, they all have servers in Dubai for when you need a UAE IP address from abroad.
• Unblocking Network Restrictions: This is non-negotiable for a Dubai VPN. We only considered providers that can unblock the many websites and online services banned or restricted in the UAE. In addition, they can bypass geo-blocks on foreign websites and streaming platforms.
• Speed and Performance: Buffering and lags can be a buzzkill, so we prioritized VPNs that deliver excellent speeds for browsing, streaming, downloading, and other online activities.
• Ease of Use and Support: We found that the best VPNs for the UAE are relatively easy to install and use. And if you run into any issues, they offer robust resource bases and responsive customer support available 24/7.
• Money-Back Guarantee: We also factored in refund policies. Each provider we listed lets you test its apps risk-free for at least 30 days.

Can You Use a Free VPN in the UAE?

You may use free VPNs for the UAE, but we don’t consider them worth your time for various reasons.

For one, while they offer encryption, many have subpar algorithms that cannot adequately secure your online traffic. They are also unlikely to bypass the government’s censorship and monitoring measures. What’s more, they may log your online activities extensively, which undermines the purpose of using a VPN in the first place.

That aside, many free VPNs have very limited networks, and there are minimal chances of obtaining one with servers in the UAE. Consequently, you can expect congestion and frustratingly slow connections. Throw in bandwidth limits and data caps, and you’re unlikely to enjoy the experience.

A quality, paid-for service is always the better choice.

Conclusion

Unrestricted internet access in the UAE can feel like a mirage. Whether you’re an expat, living there, or just touring Dubai, a VPN is your key to unlocking the web and safeguarding your privacy.

A good provider bypasses online restrictions and helps you access your favorite services and browse freely without worrying about government monitoring.

Based on our tests, NordVPN is the best VPN for the UAE in 2024, thanks to its impressive feature toolkit, blazing-fast speeds, server network, and reliability. Each NordVPN plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can check it out risk-free.

Visit NordVPN

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Frequently Asked Questions

If you still have any questions after reading our guide on the best VPNs to use in the United Arab Emirates, read on.

Which VPN works in the UAE?

NordVPN, Private Internet Access, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost are the best VPNs that work in the UAE and Dubai. Each provider has sophisticated features to bypass privacy-hostile measures, protect your data from online threats, and unblock online content.

Are VPNs legal in the UAE?

In short, VPN services are legal in the United Arab Emirates, as in most other countries. However, you must ensure not to break any laws to avoid legal repercussions.

Why VPNs May Not Work in Dubai and the UAE?

VPNs can be blocked in the UAE due to government regulations aimed at controlling internet access and preventing users from accessing prohibited content. These measures are implemented by the internet service providers (ISPs) operating in the country, notably Du and Etisalat.