A Ukraine VPN is an essential tool if you're based in, or heading to the country, any time soon. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) service encrypts all data leaving your device so no one can see what it is. It even spoofs your IP address to make you appear as if you're browsing from almost anywhere in the world. This lets you access otherwise censored content, while protecting your anonymity.
In fact, one year after Russia invaded the country, all is not quiet on the cyber front. Cyber attacks are on the rise and they increasingly target everyday users, too. Enforced in December last year, a new media law has also been criticized for attempting to widen online censorship.
Besides enjoying a safer open internet, the best Ukraine VPNs are also a means for travelers to stream their favorite TV shows when abroad. Luckily, the best VPN services can be of use here. Keep reading as we review and compare the top Ukraine VPNs right now.
Our top 3 picks for the best Ukraine VPNs:
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
How to choose the best Ukraine VPN
When it comes to picking a VPN, you should bear in mind that some features will differ according to your specific needs (whether that's better streaming, torrenting, gaming or more). On top of this, there are hundreds of VPNs (if not thousands) available on the market, and over the past 15 years, TechRadar has conducted hundreds of reviews for the good, the bad, and the ugly in VPNs. When it comes to choosing the best VPNs we looked at the following criteria:
Boosting privacy and security should be your #1 priority with a VPN. Strong security features and encryption protocols are then the first things to look out for. Reliable tools like a kill switch, leak protection and encryption customization are a must here. Among all the VPN protocols, WireGuard is now the best on the market for both speed and security. OpenVPN is still a valuable alternative, though.
The next step is making sure of being protected by a watertight no-logs privacy policy–independently audited services are always recommended. A no-logs VPN should never retain any identifying information about you. That's advantageous as even if governments request your data, the provider won't be able to share any details about your sessions as these records never existed to begin with.
Another factor to consider is the server coverage of your VPN in Ukraine. As a rule of thumb, more options mean a better chance of getting fast and reliable connections. We suggest looking for a strong network located in and around the country, together with servers in key countries like the US, UK, Germany, Japan, and China.
Last but not least, VPN apps should be straightforward and user-friendly while offering speedy customer service support. Also, be sure to check the number of simultaneous connections supported, as it’s always a bonus to be able to use multiple desktop PCs and mobile devices with your VPN.
The best VPNs for Ukraine in 2024:
ExpressVPN regularly our favorite VPN charts, thanks to its secure easy-to-use apps and great performance. It comes packed with security features like AES-256 encryption, its in-house developed and open-sourced Lightway protocol, a reliable kill switch, IPv6 leak protection, and more. Are you a journalist or activist currently working in Ukraine? You can claim access to its service free of charge.
Its strong network coverage counts more than 3,000 speedy international servers across 94 countries worldwide–Ukraine included. It even offers obfuscation technology that hides your VPN usage for better reliability and security. We also especially praised the provider's commitment to transparency with 12 third-party audits carried out in the past year alone.
Express is also great at unlocking–whether that's some foreign streaming catalogs or any other type of online restrictions. And, despite some issues with Netflix, we actually managed to unlock all the other streaming platforms we tried during our last round of testing.
It's also worth mentioning that its top speeds dropped a little this time as well, from 630Mbps to 560Mbps with Lightway. However, these results should be more than enough for almost all users. Plus, you can always try it out yourself with its 30-day money-back guarantee. There's even a special offer available for TechRadar readers to take advantage of!
NordVPN shows serious commitment towards its users' data, and its wealth of features makes it perhaps the most secure VPN around. We especially love its Double VPN option which reroutes your traffic through two VPN servers for extra security. It also has two kill switches, Onion over VPN and a regularly audited zero-log policy under its belt. Plus, anyone can now use its new Meshnet technology free of charge.
Nord boasts solid network coverage, too. It has over 14 servers in Ukraine alone, for a total of 5,400+ worldwide including some P2P optimized for safely torrenting and obfuscated servers for extra reliability. We aren't huge fans of its network map-interface, though, as it can be a little bit awkward on its mobile apps.
In terms of performance, Nord delivered some brilliant results during our last round of testing. For starters, its WireGuard-based protocol NordLynx recorded improved speeds peaking to 820Mbps. The provider also confirmed itself as the best streaming VPN out there, unlocking countless Netflix libraries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, and even Japan) as well as all the other major platforms.
Despite its browser extensions being quite basic, its speedy live chat is super helpful in case you run into some issues. Again, you can try it out yourself for 30 days completely risk-free.
Surfshark might be the best cheap VPN out there, but it isn't certainly low on quality. For starters, its easy-to-use apps come packed with security features. These include some classics - like DNS leak protection, kill switch, split tunneling and an AES-256 encryption with double-hop - to additional options powered by its Nexus technology. The provider recently aced its first no-logs audit, too.
It boasts over 3,200 servers spread across 100 countries, Ukraine included. Surfshark comes with a few dedicated anti-censorship option as well, like its obfuscation tech (called Camouflage mode) and a No Borders feature which connects you to the servers performing the best under network disruptions by default.
Surfshark offers some pretty impressive unlocking skills, too. We managed to unblock everything we tried last time. Even better, the provider did so with some pretty amazing speeds. It's currently our fastest VPN when connected to the WireGuard protocol with a peak of 950Mbps. However, its speeds were below average with OpenVPN.
Surfshark is also perfect if you want to secure all your family with just one subscription as it allows unlimited simultaneous connections. It is worth noting, though, that we have found its kill switch leaking when tested under extreme situations. However, this only happened on its Windows app, so nothing to worry about if you use Surfshark on mobile or as a reliable Mac VPN.
Whether you're a newbie or an expert, Private Internet Access (PIA) might be just the right service for you thanks to its highly customizable apps across many operating systems and tons of features. Above all, our absolute favorite is its MACE system - a built-in ad, tracker, and malware blocker that would surely come handy to cope with the rising rate of cybercrimes in Ukraine. Plus, it's one of the few Linux VPNs with a dedicated GUI (app).
With a network coverage that none of its competitors can match up - over 10,000 servers located across 84 countries worldwide–Pia offers servers physically located in Ukraine, too. You can also get your very own dedicated IP to get extra VPN usability if you're willing to pay an additional fee.
We saw some improvements in its unblocking capabilities last time we checked, thanks to a recently added Smart DNS feature. This means that PIA does now unlock most streaming platforms, such as Disney Plus, Prime Video and some Netflix catalogs (the US, UK and Canada ones, specifically). And while this time it managed to unblock BBC iPlayer, it failed to do so with 10Play.
PIA's speeds were better this time, too, rising from 320Mbps to 510Mbps with WireGuard and from 320Mbps to 440Mbps with OpenVPN. We are also happy to see that the provider finally carried on an independent audit on its no-logs claims, while a more detailed security audit is underway. Even better, its pricing recently dropped making it now cheaper than Surfshark.
If you're looking for more than a Ukraine VPN, look no further as Proton VPN is part of a full privacy ecosystem also featuring its encrypted ProtonMail, Calendar and Drive. Its VPN apps are all independently audited and open-sourced, too, and we couldn't find any trackers on its website nor Android apps when we checked. It even comes with an unlimited bandwidth free VPN with over 100 servers.
Despite having a slightly smaller network than its previous competitors - around 1,900 servers dotted across Ukraine and 66 more countries worldwide - premium users can connect to its eight servers based in Kyiv as well as Secure Core servers rerouting your traffic via Switzerland, Sweden and Iceland for better privacy and stronger security.
ProtonVPN is powered by many security features like terrific kill switches, powerful encryption, DNS leak protection and built-in Tor support for accessing Onion sites. We found its service to be strong as both a streaming and torrenting VPN, boasting dedicated servers for the best performance. It is worth mentioning that you'll need to upgrade to a premium plan for enjoying these perks.
Unfortunately, its top speeds weren't the best this time as they dropped from 670Mbps to 510Mbps with WireGuard and from 440Mbps to 210Mbps with OpenVPN, but those speeds are still great for streaming content, torrenting, and even gaming. Plus, it recently partnered with Deutsche Welle to create dedicated servers for accessing the popular German media outlet.
Proton still lacks 24/7 live chat support, unlike ExpressVPN, Nord, and Surfshark. Having said that, Proton committed to donating 10% of its revenue from new subscriptions to relief efforts in Ukraine, while pledging support to journalists within the country.
Ukraine VPN FAQ
What is the best Ukraine VPN?
Despite our five entries being all really strong services and your final choice might reflect your specific needs, the top of our list at the moment is ExpressVPN.
We recommend heading to our full ExpressVPN review to check all the reasons why we love it so much, but in short its blazing speed, top-notch security, great unblocking and super helpful 24/7 live chat support make Express a dream to use.
How do I get a Ukrainian IP address?
All the VPNs in our list have servers based in Ukraine, meaning that you will be able to securely browse locally with a Ukrainian IP address no matter what your choice.
All you need to do is simply install the provider that suits you best on your device, and connect to one of its Ukrainian servers. Once you do, you'll have a Ukrainian IP address!
Why get a VPN for Ukraine?
VPNs were designed as security software to secure users' privacy online. It uses encrypted tunnels and faceless servers to ensure that your activities will stay hidden in the digital space.
With the rise in cyber attacks towards Ukrainians lately, connecting to such a service is then really important to boost your online protection when you browse from inside the country's borders.
Beside privacy, extra use cases have also contributed to the massive growth in the VPN industry. The fact that you can use them to make your laptop or mobile think they're in Ukraine or another other country even when they're not, has become a lifeline for travelers and expats looking to stream content as they will be out of their home country.
Likewise, being able to appear in a completely different location also means you'll be able to access censored content as well as bypass blocks that your work or school firewall might enforce.
Is a VPN legal in Ukraine?
Yes, downloading and using a VPN is completely legal in Ukraine.
Having said that, it is worth noting that the privacy awarded by a VPN doesn't automatically exempt you from any illegal activities you may choose to carry out while connected to one.
