Summary: If you’re living in or planning to visit Dubai, you’ll quickly find that some of the best internet content and websites have been restricted and your browsing may be monitored. The UAE, and therefore Dubai, have strict censorship laws that limit access to many websites and online services such as Flickr, as well as most pornographic sites. Even worse, applications such as Skype and IMO, and torrenting programs are also blocked. Even so, you can still open blocked sites in teh UAE by using a VPN like ExpressVPN.
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Why Is My Web Content Access Limited in UAE?
Dubai is a part of the United Arab Emirates and is subject to the nation’s very strict internet censorship laws. A great deal of content in Dubai is blocked, including, but certainly not limited to:
- Pornography
- SIP services, such as Skype and IMO
- Social networking and dating sites, including Match.com
- All Israeli domains
- Anything not fitting with the moral values of the country
- Politically sensitive material
Unfortunately, the list goes on. With the government’s cast-iron grip on internet content, you may have a difficult time to open blocked sites in UAE.
Sign up for a VPN before travelling to Dubai to ensure that none of your access is ever limited, and that your activity is always kept both anonymous and private.
Why do I need a VPN in Dubai?
If you’re not a tech expert, a VPN—also known as a virtual private network—is a tool people use to mask their internet activity. It allows you to use a server in a different country to make authorities and websites see your IP address as coming from a different location.
VPNs let users get around local restrictions and monitoring. With VPNs, you can beat even Dubai’s strict regulations by using a foreign IP address to connect to the web, enabling you to access all the content you need. You can visit any website and online services without worrying about government snooping and harsh restrictions.
It also means that you can view TV, movies, and even unblocked porn sites in UAE. If your concern is privacy, VPNs are designed to keep anyone from peeping at your sensitive data or browsing history. With a VPN, Dubai authorities will not be able to track you or prevent you from accessing any online content.
Best Dubai VPN Services Available in 2017
VPNs are great, but they’re not all equally powerful. We recommend ExpressVPN, but here are the top choices designed to fit your needs:
ExpressVPN – Best VPN for Dubai – Great VPN Speed and Secure Connection
ExpressVPN is easily the best VPN for Dubai. The company offers an impressive number of features, a secure connection, and outstanding customer support.
Top Features: This service offers some of the highest and most consistent speeds when browsing the web and streaming content. ExpressVPN hosts an impressive 1,500 servers in over 90 countries. Even for gaming, the service showed no signs of slowing down and delivered a smooth experience. During stress tests, ExpressVPN did not experience drop-offs in quality.
A single ExpressVPN subscription can be used with up to three devices at a time, including mobile devices. The company delivers 24/7 customer support and some of the highest quality assistance. Overall, ExpressVPN remains the best VPN for UAE.
The pricing options include a 12-month plan for $6.67 with an additional 3 months free. They also offer a 30-day full money-back guarantee with all their plans, so you can benefit from the free vpn service until you decide to enroll.
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Get our expert review on ExpressVPN on our ExpressVPN review.
NordVPN for Dubai – Free VPN 30-Day trial and User-Friendly App
Coming in at second place, NordVPN offers a strong alternative for customers looking for a free trial and robust features.
Top Features: One of NordVPN’s biggest strengths is their easy-to-use interface, which makes finding the right server and browsing the web a breeze. The service’s graphic interface lets you see where servers are located and quickly access any of them. If you’re wondering how to watch porn in Dubai, NordVPN gives you a slightly slower connection than some competitors, but is still a reliable option for variable locations.
NordVPN provides users with 56 countries and 1,000 servers to choose from. This gives users a good range of access for websites and to access geo-restricted content.
The company stands out with a great 30-day free VPN trial. If you want to subscribe for 1 month only, the price is $11.95; for 6 months, $7.00/mo; and for 12 months, the price is $5.75, Their most affordable subscription is currently at $3.29/mo if you subscribe for 2 years (72% off).
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More information on NordVPN features can be found on our expert’s NordVPN review.
CyberGhost VPN for Dubai – Easy VPN Download and Setup
If you’re not a tech expert, CyberGhost offers an easy-to-install and simple VPN client that delivers good privacy protection and a range of server alternatives.
Top Features: CyberGhost is how easy is incredibly to install, even for beginners. The company’s client will install itself after download and arrives preset with an optimal connection configuration. CyberGhost also offers a zero-log policy so they cannot give your information to authorities.
The company offers significantly less server options than top choice ExpressVPN, but at 830 servers across 27 countries, it still provides good value. Additionally, it gives access to some lesser-served locations such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Israel.
CyberGhost offers decent streaming speeds, although they may not handle full HD capability when using international servers. The company does charge more than some competitors, though longer plans can reduce the price per month significantly.
If you want to subscribe for a month only, Cyberghost offers $10.49; for a 6-months subscription, $5.90/mo; currently, their best offer is priced at $2.90/mo for 2 years.
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More information on Cyberghost VPN features can be found on our expert’s Cyberghost review.
PrivateVPN for Dubai – Fast VPN and Zero Logging
If your primary reason for using a VPN is protecting your personal information, PrivateVPN’s zero logs policy and security features may be appealing.
Top Features: PrivateVPN’s major focus is providing a secure browsing experience for their users, which is a vital concern in Dubai. The company has a strict zero-log policy for user activity and a strong uptime rating of 98.8%. PrivateVPN also offers robust encryption for all browsing done through their VPN servers.
Although the number of server alternatives is less than many competitors, with slightly over 80 in over 50 countries, they tend to be very reliable. Speed is also strong even internationally. You can readily stream video and games at high quality with little drop-off.
The company offers an affordable subscription plan that can start as low as $4.50 per month. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can benefit from a free VPN trial.
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PureVPN for Dubai – VPN for iPhone and IMO in UAE
If you have several devices in Dubai that need VPN protection, PureVPN offers excellent access across all platforms.
Top Features: One of the biggest selling points for PureVPN is that it gives you five licenses with a single plan. You can use these on a variety of devices, from computers to mobile devices, both iOS and Android. They also add some malware and anti-virus protection to round out the service. In addition, they provide a range of servers ideal for torrenting and P2P downloads like IMO.
The company hosts 750 servers in a whopping 141 countries, delivering more options than most competitors. They also offer reliable speeds, though this metric can vary greatly between servers.
PureVPN offers a 1 month subscription at $10.95; 6 months at $9.00/mo; 2 years subscription at $3.25/mo. All packages offer a 7-days free trial, money-back guarantee.
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How to Unblock Sites in Dubai with a VPN
While it may seem difficult, you can easily set up a UAE VPN free of charge. Follow these simple steps to get started:
- Choose Your VPN and Pay for Your Subscription: Whether choosing ExpressVPN’s yearly plan or going for a monthly plan with PureVPN, uncover the best option and choose your plan.
- Download the Client on Your Devices: Most VPNs will request that you download a simple client that lets you control all options for your connection.
- Install the Client: Once downloaded, you can simply click the file and it will automatically install on your computer or mobile device. CyberGhost offers the easiest setup, with a preconfigured client already optimized for connection. Others, such as NordVPN or PrivateVPN, may ask that you configure some additional settings.
- Choose Your Server, and Start Browsing: The last step is to select your server. Depending on the content you want to access, choose a server in that location and browse away!
What we Recommend as the Best VPN in Dubai
Conclusion: Use Express VPN for Fast, Unlimited Access to Websites in Dubai
As part of the UAE, Dubai has some of the harshest internet censorship laws. More than just political content, they also block many websites and services customers worldwide can easily access. If you’re wondering how to watch porn in Dubai, or access Netflix, Hulu or a variety of other streaming services, a VPN is the only way to go.
For the widest range of options, we recommend ExpressVPN. In terms of VPN Dubai has few other alternatives as effective at bypassing restrictions and avoiding detection. With an impressive array of servers around the world as well as robust security features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Dubai, giving you unfettered access to the full web.
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For the best VPN in Dubai, get ExpressVPN.
Hello Jen,
Hope you can help me…I have a friend working in Dubai (Suadi). She got the job through an agency. She applied as a nurse and when she arrived there, she had trouble with her VISA, it now turns out that she is there as a teacher (which she is not at all). Now she is blocked on their system and can’t get a VISA. Can you help? What can we do?
Angela you would need to speak with a lawyer about this.
It seems tht every vpn has been restricted in uae and if we use this they might take a particular action towards it. So wat ever vpn u have talked about is safe or not for viber,whatsappcall etc
Hey Savith,
So Dubai is a special situation in that they banned VPNs in the country. We believe these are the Best VPNs for the country at the time being with that in consideration, but each user has to weigh the benefits and costs for themselves.
Hope this helps,
Best,
Lyndon
If I open match.com with hidemyass…How long would I be on the sites. Whenever I use Vpn to sign up on the site, they block me after few day. I will be getting email notifications but I can’t log in to the site. Any help suggestion would be helpful and very much appreciated. Thanks
Hello Anthony,
I’m afraid I’m not certain enough about your problem in order to properly solve it. It could very well be an issue with Match, and it might be prudent to contact their customer service to find your answer. Depending on how the sites logs and tracks IP addresses (they could get suspicious about different logins from different places) a VPN could simply not work for the dating service.
Hope this helps!
Lyndon
Hi lyndon
Can we use VPN fo Facebook calling or IMO calling in UAE? Or this also ban in UAE? Some people are still using VPN in UAE for call quality on facebook and IMO.
Thanks
Hi Rishi,
With vpn you should be able to do those things. I used a VPN when I was in Dubai and I can do FB and Netflix streaming without any issues.
Hello Rishi,
Based on my understanding it should be possible, although as to the legality of a VPN in the UAE depends on how you use it. As I am not a UAE Legal expert of any kind, I would recommend checking with more detailed resources on the subject.
Best,
Lyndon