Is YouTube Available in China in 2026? 

YouTube is my go-to site for learning, relaxing, staying informed, connecting with others, and making buying decisions. So before visiting China, I wanted to find out one thing. Is YouTube available in China?

The short answer is no. The Chinese government engages in heavy internet censorship and blocks most social media websites, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and even Google Maps. But don’t worry! There is a way to get past China’s Great Firewall so you can access YouTube and other blocked websites.

A virtual private network (VPN) can connect you to servers in other countries and hide your VPN usage so you can access sites that are banned in China, including YouTube. It also encrypts your data, so your internet traffic is protected from government surveillance. The catch is, China’s firewall is very strong, and only the best VPNs can get past it.

In this article, I’ll show you why you need a VPN for YouTube in China, how to use a VPN to access YouTube and other sites blocked in China, and all you need to know to pick the right VPN for your budget and needs.

Key takeaways

1. Many social media websites, including YouTube, are blocked in China.
2. You can unblock YouTube in China by using a premium VPN service to connect to a remote server outside of China before you try to watch or upload videos on YouTube.
3. Only a handful of VPNs can get past China’s Great Firewall to access blocked websites like YouTube.
4. ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark are the best VPN services for unblocking YouTube.

Is YouTube available in China? 

YouTube has been blocked in China since 2009 by the country’s internet censorship system, known as the Great Firewall of China. This means you can’t access YouTube using a normal Chinese internet connection.

It is possible to access global platforms like YouTube with the help of a premium VPN. Most VPNs are blocked in China, so its imporatnt to get one before you arrive in the country. You also want to be sure the VPN offers strong encryption, a strict no-logs policy, strong leak protection, a kill switch, and obfuscation to hide your VPN usage.

Why do you need a VPN to watch YouTube in China

The Chinese government has blocked YouTube at a network level, which means if you try to access YouTube videos from China, all you’ll see is an error message.

A VPN encrypts your network traffic and routes it through a server outside China. Because your traffic is encrypted, your ISP can’t see that you’re trying to access YouTube, and China’s firewall can’t easily block the connection. It also appears to YouTube that you are connecting from another country where it’s allowed, so you won’t get blocked from their end of things.

3 best VPNs to watch YouTube in China 

Not all VPNs have what it takes to get past China’s Great Firewall to give you free and open access to the internet, including YouTube. I’ve researched dozens of the top providers and narrowed the field down to the 3 best VPNs for getting past China’s Great Firewall.

1. ExpressVPN

My favorite VPN for YouTube in China is ExpressVPN, mostly because it’s so reliable and easy to use. All of its servers are obfuscated, so there’s no special setup required, and the speeds are excellent, so you won’t get any annoying buffering while you’re watching your YouTube clips.

Features: You get a network of 3,000+ obfuscated servers in 105 countries to choose from, as well as extras like ad blocking, malware protection, parental controls, a password manager, and more.

Speed: The speeds on ExpressVPN are excellent, holding on to an average of 90% of better of baseline speeds. For the fastest VPN connection, use their Lightway protocol and choose nearby server locations.

Privacy and security: Keeping your connection secure and private is essential when you’re using your VPN to access blocked sites in China, and ExpressVPN has what it takes to keep you safe. Its strict no-logs policy has been audited more than 20 times, and they use RAM-only servers, so your data is wiped out with every reboot. Plus, it uses military-grade encryption, reliable leak protection, and a kill switch that cuts your internet access if your VPN drops.

Performance: The fast and stable connections you get with Express mean you won’t get any buffering or dropped connections, so you can fully enjoy your YouTube videos. It also works well for streaming, gaming, and torrenting.

Streaming: In addition to unblocking YouTube, you can use ExpressVPN to access other video streaming websites that are blocked in China, like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and more!

Compatibility: Not only are the ExpressVPN apps easy to use, but they are also compatible with all major devices and operating systems, including macOS, iOS, Linux, Windows, and Android. You can connect between 10 and 14 devices at once, depending on which plan you sign up for, making it easy to secure your entire home network.

Pricing: You’ll get the best pricing by signing up for the 2-year plan, which comes out to $3.49/month. You’ve got 30 days to try it out, and if you aren’t totally satisfied, you can cancel and get a full refund.

2. NordVPN

I love the speed and wide range of features you get with NordVPN, and its secure and reliable way to access YouTube in China.

Features: You get a whole host of advanced features with NordVPN, like Threat Protection against ads, malware, and trackers. It also comes with options for obfuscated servers, double VPN, dedicated IPs, dark web monitoring, and more! Plus, it’s got a huge network of 8,400+ servers in 120+ countries around the world.

Speed: You won’t do better when it comes to speed than NordVPN’s proprietary NordLynx protocol, which, in real-world testing, held on to 95% or better of the baseline internet speeds.

Privacy and security: When it comes to safeguarding your privacy and security, Nord checks all the right boxes with its military-grade encryption, kill switch, strong leak protection, RAM-only servers, and independently audited no logs policy.

Performance: I’ve gotten a consistently strong performance for everything from streaming YouTube videos to gaming, torrenting, and just browsing the internet.

Streaming: You can also use Nord to bypass geo-restrictions on video streaming websites like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and more. And with its broad server network, you’ve got access to tons of content from all over the world.

Compatibility: The user-friendly apps can be used with macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux devices. Subscribers are allowed up to 10 simultaneous connections on a single account.

Pricing: Sign up for the 2-year basic plan, and the cost comes out to $3.39/month. You can try it out risk-free, just cancel within the first 30 days, and you’ll get a full refund.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark is my absolute favorite budget VPN on the market, with its safe and reliable service, selection of high-end features, and unlimited simultaneous connections.

Features: Despite its low cost, Surfshark still offers its users high-end features like ad blocking, tracker blocking, obfuscated servers, double VPN, and a No Borders Mode designed for use in restricted networks. It’s also got an impressive network of 4,500+ VPN servers in 100 countries.

Speed: Surfshark’s speeds are very good, holding on to 80% or better of baseline speed, which is a bit slower than Nord and Express, but still so fast that you’re unlikely to notice any difference in performance.

Privacy and security: Surfshark has got you covered when it comes to protecting your privacy and keeping you safe online with its military-grade encrypted connection, an independently audited zero-logs policy, RAM-only servers, reliable leak protection, and an automatic kill switch.

Performance: On top of working well for YouTube in China, Surfshark is generally a strong performer for streaming, gaming, and torrenting. You may get occasional slowdowns, especially during peak hours or high bandwidth activities, but switching VPN servers is usually a quick and easy fix.

Streaming: Surfshark has a proven track record for unblocking YouTube and other video streaming websites like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and more.

Compatibility: The user-friendly apps are available for Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Linux devices, and, best of all, they come with unlimited simultaneous connections.

Pricing: You can get Surfshark for as little as $1.99 per month when you sign up for the 2-year basic plan, which comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Can I use a free VPN to watch YouTube in China?

I don’t recommend using a free VPN for accessing videos on YouTube in China. Most free VPNs just don’t have the software needed to get past the Great Firewall of China. On top of that, the free providers don’t generally invest in the high-level security and privacy features you need to access blocked websites safely in China.

YouTube alternatives in China 

If you’re looking to deliver video content to Chinese users or want options for sites that are similar to YouTube that aren’t banned in China, here are some other websites you can check out.

• Xigua Video. A video-sharing site with a mix of clips, videos, and recommendations for Chinese users.
• Youku. The Chinese site most similar to YouTube.
• Bilibili. A popular community-driven video platform for anime, gaming videos, vlogs, and interactive comments.
• iQIYI. Focused on TV shows, films, and original series, this site also hosts user content and short video clips.

FAQ

Is YouTube blocked in China? 

Yes. YouTube is blocked in China.

Is YouTube legal in China? 

It’s not illegal to visit YouTube itself, but YouTube is blocked in mainland China, and VPN use is highly regulated. Since most VPNs are banned in China, it’s important to download the VPN before you get to China.

What does China use instead of YouTube?

China launched its own video-sharing websites similar to YouTube, including Youku, iQIYI, Xigua Video, and Bilibili.

Conclusion

If you travel to China, you’ll find YouTube blocked due to local regulations. The good news is, you can still access the website with a little help from a premium VPN, like ExpressVPN. Just be sure to download the VPN app before you arrive, as many VPN websites are blocked in China as well!