Disclosure: VPNFin is reader-supported. If you buy a VPN through links on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never affects our ratings — here’s our full disclosure.
Hong Kong’s internet is still open in a way mainland China’s is not, so a VPN for Hong Kong solves a different set of problems. Most of them come from companies rather than the government. OpenAI cut off Hong Kong in July 2024. It still refuses sign-ups from a Hong Kong IP address or a +852 number, according to Gizmodo’s July 2026 guide. TikTok withdrew years ago and is delisted from local app stores.
The government’s side is narrower but real. The 2020 National Security Law gives police powers to order websites blocked, and a local provider blocked one pro-democracy site in 2021. This guide covers what is unavailable, which VPNs work, and where the legal lines are.
VPN for Hong Kong: The Short Answer
Using a VPN is legal in Hong Kong. No law bans it, and residents and visitors use them openly, Gizmodo notes. Illegal activity remains illegal with or without one.
NordVPN topped Gizmodo’s 21-day Hong Kong test in July 2026, and ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access also worked without issues. Our NordVPN review covers the top pick.
Check the terms of the service you are reaching. A VPN gets you to ChatGPT, but OpenAI chose not to serve Hong Kong, and using a VPN around that can breach its terms.
What Is Unavailable in Hong Kong
AI services are the biggest gap, and it is the companies’ choice. OpenAI geoblocks Hong Kong addresses and +852 accounts, and PTS Consulting reports that Anthropic’s Claude is also unavailable directly. Google’s Gemini, by contrast, has been officially available since March 2026, and Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity work too. Our guide to ChatGPT’s unsupported countries explains the wider picture.
TikTok left Hong Kong and is delisted from local app stores. Gizmodo notes that a VPN connected to a country where it operates, such as the UK, restores it, though it must be installed first.
A small number of sites are blocked by the state. A local provider blocked HKChronicles, which the Associated Press described as a pro-democracy website, in January 2021 under the National Security Law.
The National Security Law and Your VPN
The law does not ban VPNs. VPNpro’s guide confirms VPN use is legal as of July 2026, provided it is not used for illegal activity.
It does reach content. Article 43 lets the police order providers to remove or block information deemed likely to endanger national security, without court approval, according to SunsetBrowser’s April 2026 guide. VPNpro warns that accessing or sharing material the authorities treat as seditious can carry legal risk whatever the connection.
⚠️ A VPN hides your traffic from your provider, not your actions from the law. What you publish, and what you share, remain yours. Our guide to what a VPN hides sets out the limits, and our guide to legal demands on VPNs explains how providers respond.
The Picks
| VPN | In Hong Kong tests | Note |
|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | Gizmodo’s top pick, July 2026 | Six published audits |
| ExpressVPN | Worked without issues (Gizmodo) | Automatic obfuscation |
| Private Internet Access | Worked without issues (Gizmodo) | Reported to have closed its Hong Kong servers |
| Surfshark | A top-three pick for VPNpro | No device limit |
Server locations have shifted. SunsetBrowser reports that IPVanish, PIA and TunnelBear shut their Hong Kong servers, which matters if you want a Hong Kong address from abroad. NordVPN and Surfshark share a parent, Nord Security, while ExpressVPN and PIA belong to Kape Technologies. Our reviews of ExpressVPN, PIA and Surfshark cover each.
For trips to the mainland, Hong Kong’s rules do not travel with you. Our China VPN guide covers the stealth protocols you need there, and our Taiwan guide a nearby alternative exit point.
Setting Up a VPN in Hong Kong
Install from official stores, and install anything delisted, such as TikTok, before you arrive. Our travel guide covers the preparation. Turn on the kill switch, as our kill switch guide explains.
Pick the exit by the job. Use a nearby country such as Taiwan or Japan for speed, and the UK or US for services withdrawn from Hong Kong. Save a local server for when you need a Hong Kong address. Our public Wi-Fi guide covers everyday protection.
How We Research
The service withdrawals and picks come from Gizmodo’s Hong Kong and ChatGPT guides from July 2026 and PTS Consulting’s September 2026 update. The legal detail comes from VPNpro and SunsetBrowser, and the HKChronicles block from Associated Press reporting, each named where used and read on 26 September 2026. We did not test from Hong Kong, and nothing here is legal advice. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
VPN for Hong Kong FAQ
Yes. No law bans VPN use. The National Security Law targets content and conduct, not the tool, and illegal activity remains illegal with or without a VPN.
OpenAI stopped serving Hong Kong in July 2024. It is the company’s decision, not a government block. Google’s Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity are available directly.
NordVPN topped Gizmodo’s July 2026 Hong Kong test, with ExpressVPN and PIA also working. Surfshark is a top-three pick for VPNpro.
TikTok withdrew from Hong Kong and is delisted from local app stores. Testers report it works through a VPN connected to a country where it operates.
Only a small number of sites. A provider blocked HKChronicles in 2021 under the National Security Law, whose Article 43 lets police order blocks without court approval.
The Verdict
A VPN for Hong Kong is legal and mostly about services that left: ChatGPT, TikTok and a few others. NordVPN led the most recent Hong Kong test, and Surfshark suits households.
Remember that a service’s terms still apply through a VPN, and that the National Security Law reaches what you do, not how you connect.