Key Takeaways: VPN for Egypt
- Egypt has invasive laws and blocks the content and websites of many organizations. A VPN can help circumvent these restrictions and ensure online privacy.
- We recommend ExpressVPN as the best VPN for Egypt. However, if you’re on a budget, you might consider other services like NordVPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost.
- Proton VPN is a good free option if you’re OK with limited server locations.
The best Egypt VPN is one that helps you bypass Egypt’s internet censorship and keeps you secure when surfing the web. Egypt blocks many news websites and websites of human rights organizations.
The country has introduced invasive laws, like the one parliament passed in 2018 allowing the state to regulate social media users by deeming any user with over 5,000 followers as a media outlet, making the media law applicable to them. The country has also banned VoIP services because telecommunication operators lose money when you make free VoIP calls.
You can bypass these restrictions and ensure security when surfing online in Egypt by using a VPN (virtual private network). A VPN service can hide your Egyptian IP address and encrypt your connection. IP address masking and encryption help you access geoblocked websites securely.
If you’re looking for a service to use, we help you pick one below. If you’re short on time — we recommend using ExpressVPN.
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07/16/2023 Facts checked
We rewrote this article to ensure our information is up to date and make changes to our VPN recommendations.
Key Features to Look For in the Best Egypt VPN
The key features to look for in the best VPN for Egypt include the ability to unblock geoblocked websites, security and speed. An Egyptian VPN server can be helpful, but not having one isn’t a dealbreaker. Here are the top VPN services for Egypt according to our tests.
Summary: Top 5 VPNs for Egypt
- ExpressVPN — Excellent combination of security and speed
- NordVPN — Fastest VPN on the market
- Surfshark — Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Proton VPN — Free VPN for Egypt
- CyberGhost — Excellent desktop app
The ability to bypass geoblocks is critical because the Egyptian government blocks many websites and services. A good VPN will help you access the news sites blocked in Egypt as well as geoblocked content on streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer.
The best VPN software solutions offer encryption protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard to secure your connection. They also include features like a kill switch, split tunneling and DNS leak protection. The best VPNs have a strict no-logs policy. This means they don’t store any user data, eliminating the possibility of any government compelling them to share data.
Speeds are a critical factor when selecting a VPN app. Encryption can slow down speeds, but the best VPNs ensure this reduction is minimal. You can also optimize for best speeds by connecting to a nearby server. Egyptian servers aren’t always available, but you won’t need them unless you want to use geoblocked Egyptian services when you’re outside of Egypt, such as online banking.
The 5 Best VPNs for Egypt
Below, we discuss the best Egyptian VPNs, their features and performance. If you don’t want to read the entire guide — we recommend ExpressVPN.
1. ExpressVPN
More details about ExpressVPN:
- Pricing: $6.66 per month (15-months plan)
- Provider website: expressvpn.com
Pros:
- Fast
- Secure
- Egyptian servers
Cons:
- Expensive
ExpressVPN is the best VPN provider for Egypt because it’s fast, secure and has Egyptian servers. This means you can use ExpressVPN to acquire an Egyptian IP address when you need to access Egyptian websites, or services that are only accessible in Egypt, securely.
The VPN app offers all the security features you’d expect from a premium VPN service, including a kill switch, app-based split tunneling (available on Windows, Android and macOS 11 and earlier) and DNS leak protection. ExpressVPN offers its proprietary Lightway protocol and OpenVPN, along with AES-256 encryption.
Obfuscation is built into all VPN servers. Obfuscated servers help conceal VPN usage, keeping your identity safe when you’re accessing geoblocked websites and VoIP services. ExpressVPN’s server network is spread across over 90 countries — more than most other premium services. Learn more about ExpressVPN in our comprehensive ExpressVPN review.
Best VPN for Streaming
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for streaming, thanks to its fast connection speeds and ability to unblock all major streaming websites, like Netflix, HBO Max and BBC iPlayer.
Moreover, ExpressVPN has a smart DNS feature called MediaStreamer. When you use MediaStreamer, the app unblocks geoblocked websites, but doesn’t encrypt your connection. This improves streaming performance. However, MediaStreamer doesn’t secure your connection, so it’s best to not use any data-sensitive services like online banking.
ExpressVPN is a premium service and is priced as such. The best value deal (the annual plan) costs $6.66 per month. If you want a shorter-term plan, the six-month plan costs $9.99 per month, and the monthly plan costs $12.95 per month. The VPN also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free.
- Unlimited GB
- 5
- Yes
2. NordVPN
More details about NordVPN:
- Pricing: $3.49 per month (two-year plan)
- Provider website: nordvpn.com
Pros:
- Fastest streaming VPN
- Top-notch security
- Unlocking streaming apps
Cons:
- No Egyptian servers
Our speed tests confirm that NordVPN is the fastest VPN on the market. It’s a great service for users in Egypt looking to secure their connection and bypass blocks. However, it doesn’t have servers in Egypt, so you can’t use it to acquire an Egyptian IP.
NordVPN has more than 5,000 servers spread across 60 countries. It’s great at bypassing geoblocks, too. In fact, NordVPN unblocks all major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.
More importantly, NordVPN offers excellent security. The app has two protocols you can choose from: OpenVPN (UDP and TCP) and NordLynx — NordVPN’s proprietary protocol based on WireGuard. It also has security basics like a kill switch, split tunneling and DNS leak protection. Learn more about NordVPN’s offerings in our NordVPN review.
Specialty Servers
NordVPN offers four types of specialty servers: obfuscated, double VPN, Onion Over VPN and P2P. Double VPN helps increase your connection’s security by routing your traffic via more than one VPN server. While NordVPN is already a secure service, using one of these server types adds another layer of security to your connection.
NordVPN is a low-cost VPN service that closely matches ExpressVPN’s capabilities for half the price. The best value plan (the two-year plan) costs $3.49 per month. The annual plan costs $4.99 per month, while the monthly plan costs $12.99 per month.
- Unlimited GB
- 6
- Yes
3. Surfshark
More details about Surfshark:
- Pricing: $2.49 per month (two-year plan)
- Provider website: surfshark.com
Pros:
- Unlimited device connections
- Extensive feature set
- Decently fast servers
Cons:
- High latency
Surfshark has become one of the best VPNs on the market rather quickly after its launch in 2018. It offers excellent performance, top-notch security and an extensive feature set. The service also has Egyptian servers, so you can use it to acquire Egyptian IP addresses.
The Surfshark app lets you choose between three security protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard. It has a kill switch, split tunneling and transparent privacy policy that commits to zero logging with your VPN connection.
Surfshark can unblock most VoIP services and geoblocked websites, including streaming services like Netflix. You can access geoblocked local services when traveling outside Egypt, or access blocked websites when you’re in Egypt.
Extensive Feature Set
Surfshark offers an extensive feature set. Many of Surfshark’s features aren’t available on other premium services. For example, Surfshark’s malware and ad blocker, CleanWeb, blocks ads across all apps, instead of just the browser.
The app also offers MultiHop servers (Surfshark’s name for double VPN), which helps improve your connection’s security. The IP rotation feature in Surfshark changes your IP address every few minutes without changing your virtual location. We discuss more such features in our Surfshark review.
you commonly don’t see on other VPN services.
Surfshark is a low-cost service. The best deal (the two-year plan) costs $2.49 per month. Shorter-term plans include the annual plan costing $3.99 per month and the monthly plan costing $12.95 per month.
Like other services, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can claim a full refund if you’re not fully satisfied with the service. For a full breakdown of the service, check out our Surfshark review.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
4. Proton VPN
More details about Proton VPN:
- Pricing: Free, $4.99 per month (two-year plan)
- Provider website: protonvpn.com
Pros:
- Free unlimited data
- Fast & secure
- Has Egyptian servers
Cons:
- Only 3 free servers locations
Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs on the market. We generally don’t recommend free VPNs because they can be slow and unreliable. Some free VPNs can infect your device with malware — this is especially true of the services on our worst VPNs list. However, Proton VPN is one exception. It’s fast, secure and has an excellent free plan.
The free plan allows you to access Proton VPN servers in three countries: the U.S., the Netherlands and Japan. The service has Egyptian servers, but they’re only available on the paid plan. Even as a free user, you get unlimited bandwidth and top-notch security.
Proton VPN offers three security protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard. The app also offers security features like DNS leak protection, a kill switch and split tunneling. It has a transparent privacy policy that commits to zero logging, meaning you never have to worry about security and privacy when surfing the Egyptian web using Proton VPN.
Unlimited Data
Most reliable free VPNs limit data use. This is done to encourage users to switch to the paid plan. However, Proton VPN chooses to limit the number of server locations you can use instead.
With Proton VPN’s unlimited free data, you can access Netflix U.S. (or the Dutch or Japanese libraries) for unlimited streaming, or make unlimited video calls using VoIP services. Learn more about Proton VPN in our Proton VPN review.
Proton VPN also offers paid plans. The best value plan (the two-year plan) costs $4.99 per month. The shorter-term annual plan costs $5.99 per month, while the monthly plan costs $9.99 per month. All plans offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try Proton VPN risk-free.
- Unlimited GB
- 1
- Yes
5. CyberGhost
More details about CyberGhost:
- Pricing: $2.37 per month (two-year plan)
- Provider website: cyberghostvpn.com
Pros:
- Intuitive desktop UI
- Automation features
- Egyptian servers
Cons:
- Slow
CyberGhost offers the cheapest paid plans on this list, but the price doesn’t accurately reflect CyberGhost’s excellent security and interface. The VPN has one of the largest server networks of any VPN, with over 9,000 servers across 91 countries, including Egypt. This means you can use CyberGhost to acquire an Egyptian IP address.
The app offers three security protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2 (on Windows, macOS and iOS) and WireGuard. The app has a kill switch and split tunneling. Windows and macOS get URL-based split tunneling, while the Android app offers app-based split tunneling. Split tunneling can help when you’re trying to access online banking while simultaneously accessing geoblocked websites in Egypt.
CyberGhost isn’t one of the fastest VPNs, but it offers enough speed for standard-quality streaming. The VPN provider unblocks HBO Max and Hulu without a hitch. However, it took us a few attempts to unblock BBC iPlayer, and we couldn’t get into Disney Plus. Learn more about CyberGhost’s strengths and weaknesses in our CyberGhost review.
Automation Feature
CyberGhost offers an automation feature called “smart rules.” You can create smart rules to trigger an action whenever a specific event occurs. For example, you can configure CyberGhost to connect to an Egyptian server whenever you launch a certain app, such as a banking app.
CyberGhost is cheap. The best deal (the two-year plan) costs $2.37 per month. The six-month plan costs $6.99 per month, while the monthly plan goes for $12.99 per month. CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee on all plans except the monthly plan (which offers a 14-day money-back guarantee).
Why You Need a VPN in Egypt
You need a VPN in Egypt to protect yourself against invasive laws. For example, the government has passed a law that considers social media users and websites with over 5,000 followers as media outlets, bringing them under the ambit of media law and allowing the government more control over them.
Currently, the government is drafting a law under which social media platforms will need a license to access mobile users in Egypt.
The Egyptian government blocks access to VoIP services and various websites, including media outlets like Al Jazeera and The Huffington Post. If you want to access these websites or make calls using a VoIP service while keeping yourself safe, you’ll need a VPN for VoIP.
VPNs can also help you access another country’s content library on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Since a VPN encrypts your connection, it protects you when you’re using public WiFi or banking online.
The Legality and Safety of VPNs in Egypt
Using VPNs is critical for online security in Egypt. In this section, we address common concerns you may have about using Egypt VPN services before you actually pay for a service.
Are VPNs Legal in Egypt?
VPNs are legal in Egypt. If you use a VPN, the government won’t penalize you or put you in jail. However, illegal activities, like distributing copyrighted material, are still illegal when using a VPN.
Is It Safe to Use a VPN in Egypt?
It’s safe to use a VPN in Egypt. The police won’t come knocking at your door if you use a VPN. In fact, you’re safer in Egypt when using a VPN than otherwise. VPNs encrypt your connection, which prevents anyone — including internet service providers and the government — from reading your data.
What About Free VPNs for Egypt?
Most free VPNs are slow, unreliable and can sometimes infect your device with malware. However, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, using the free plans of a service like Proton VPN and Windscribe in Egypt can help you secure your connection for free.
Proton VPN offers unlimited data, unlimited bandwidth and best-in-class security protocols — great for streaming and security.
Final Thoughts: Best VPNs for Egypt
Using a VPN in Egypt keeps you safe against the country’s invasive laws and helps you access blocked websites. VPNs ensure online privacy and security, so you never have to worry about losing your data to government surveillance or man-in-the-middle attacks. ExpressVPN is our top suggestion for Egypt, but the other five VPNs will protect you as well.
Have you used a VPN in Egypt before? Which service did you use, and were you able to access blocked websites? Let us know in the comments below, and as always, thank you for reading.
FAQ: Best Egyptian VPN
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ExpressVPN is the best Egypt VPN because it’s fast, has a large server network, protects against IP and DNS leaks, and helps you circumvent Egypt’s online censorship. If ExpressVPN is a little over budget, consider NordVPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost. All offer user-friendly apps and excellent security at a lower price.
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Yes, you can use a VPN to unblock VoIP apps, like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Skype, in Egypt. Download and install the VPN on your device, launch the app, connect to a server in a country where VoIP apps aren’t banned and that’s it — you should be able to use VoIP apps.
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You can get an Egypt IP address using a VPN that has servers in Egypt. All VPNs in this guide have servers in Egypt except for NordVPN. Download and install one of these VPNs to your device, launch the app and connect to an Egyptian server to get an Egyptian IP address. Once you’re connected, you’ll be able to access local content that’s geoblocked, no matter where you are.
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Egypt has banned the websites of many human rights organizations. The country also blocks VoIP services. The Egyptian government has made multiple attempts to curb internet freedom, such as through laws that aim to regulate social media usage. A VPN can help you stay anonymous and secure your connection. Since VPN connections are encrypted, nobody can read your data.
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