VPNs in Venezuela

restricted Freedom on the Net: 30/100

VPN use is not criminalized, but since the disputed 28 July 2024 election the Maduro government has directly targeted circumvention: X was blocked from 8 August 2024 on Maduro's order and remains blocked per monitoring groups; Signal was blocked the same day on CANTV, Digitel, Inter, NetUno and Supercable; Telegram was blocked for roughly 19 hours on 2 September 2024; 62 media outlets were blocked around the election (55 still blocked); and VPN websites were deliberately blocked - TunnelBear and Psiphon since 2020, with Proton VPN and Windscribe added in July 2024 after they offered free service to Venezuelans, and 26 more circumvention tools including Tor project resources and 30 public DNS resolvers from 6 January 2025.

What works there

VPN mobile apps installed via app stores before arrival (site blocks mainly hit VPN download websites) · Proton VPN free tier (apps still distributed via app stores and GitHub despite site blocks)

Honest advice: Install your VPN and its mobile app before travel because provider websites are among the blocked targets, and expect DNS-level blocking of X, Signal and many news sites on all major ISPs. Connectivity depends heavily on the ISP and the VPN; do not rely on any single tool working continuously.

VPN providers with servers in Venezuela

From each provider's own public server list, 2026-10-31. A local exit IP matters for expats who want "home" catalogues, and for lower latency.

ProviderCitiesServersVisit
Private Internet Access virtual IP 1 15 Visit
NordVPN 1 2 Visit
Surfshark 1 1 Visit
ExpressVPN virtual IP n/a n/a Visit

Where a provider's list is not machine-readable (Proton, CyberGhost, PureVPN and others), it is missing here on purpose - we do not guess.

Obfuscation-capable providers

Providers that document obfuscation or stealth protocols - the feature class that matters where VPN protocols themselves are blocked. Directly relevant in Venezuela.

hide.me

A rare genuinely usable free plan (no card, P2P allowed on the 10 GB free tier) plus audited no-logs claims twice over - DefenseCode 2015 and Securitum 2024…

7
audited crypto accepted
intro €2.69/mo (about $3.04/mo)
Malaysia commercial vpn 11 d ago

Mullvad VPN

The most honest VPN on the internet, and in 2026 still the one this industry is measured against: numbered accounts, cash or Monero accepted, open-source…

6.6
court-proven no-logs audit open source crypto accepted
intro €5/mo (about $5.65/mo)
Sweden commercial vpn 45 h ago

CactusVPN Smart DNS

CactusVPN is the bundle case in the Smart DNS vertical: a 2011 Moldovan three-friends shop that once sold Smart DNS as its own product line and has now folded…

6.3
audited
intro $3.96 /mo
Moldova - the about page says 'CactusVPN started as a small company in Moldova' (late 2011, three friends with ecommerce backgrounds); the Securitum audit names the contracting entity only as 'Cactus VPN LLC' with no registration country; the live site carries no postal imprint anywhere; one third-party review reports a later headquarters move to Canada, which conflicts with the Moldova story smart dns service 23 h ago

Amnezia VPN (self-hosted with obfuscation)

The most credible self-hosting on-ramp in the VPN space, built by and for people inside the censorship: the app is free and open source, you connect it to your…

6.2
audited open source
intro $5 /mo
Cyprus (EUPHORIATECH LIMITED, Nicosia, reg HE 484287 per site footer, verified 2026-11-02; IP rights in Portugal with Amnezia LDA, ops in Estonia) - for self-hosted users the operative jurisdiction is wherever their own VPS is hosted self-hosted vpn 47 h ago

IVPN

The anti-affiliate champion candidate holds up: no affiliate program (stated out loud on the homepage), flat honest pricing, quarterly warrant canary, annual…

6.1
audit canary open source crypto accepted
intro $5/mo
Gibraltar commercial vpn 34 d ago

Proton VPN

The most honest mainstream deal in 2026: open-source apps, real audits, a genuinely usable free tier with no data cap, and a transparent renewal model - and in…

6.1
audit open source crypto accepted
intro $3.49/mo renews $83.88 / 12 mo ($6.99/mo)
Switzerland commercial vpn 34 d ago

Tips & tricks for Venezuela

  • Install your VPN and its mobile app before arriving in Venezuela. Most provider websites—including Proton VPN, Windscribe, and TunnelBear—are blocked, making downloads from within the country unreliable. App stores and GitHub still distribute some apps, but don’t count on access once you’re on the ground.
  • The Proton VPN free tier remains accessible via mobile apps and GitHub, even though its main site is blocked. Keep it as one of at least two tools ready to use. Tor and public DNS resolvers (like Cloudflare or Google) are also targeted—some DNS blocks are enforced nationwide, so standard workarounds may fail.
  • Internet censorship intensified after the July 2024 election, with blocks on X, Signal, Telegram (intermittently), and over 50 news sites. These restrictions apply across major ISPs: CANTV, Digitel, Inter, NetUno, and Supercable. The government has shown willingness to expand blocks quickly during political moments.
  • Expect high latency and inconsistent connections, especially when routing traffic abroad. Mobile roaming may behave differently than local broadband, but performance varies by provider and region. Avoid relying on a single server or protocol—switch between UDP and TCP, or try obfuscated servers if available.
  • Use your VPN primarily for accessing essential communication tools and news. Streaming foreign catalogs (like Netflix US) is possible but inconsistent and may draw unwanted attention during peak usage or political tension.
  • Have two circumvention tools ready. Conditions change fast—especially around elections or unrest—and what works today may not work tomorrow. If one VPN fails, switch immediately. Consider offline backups of critical information.
  • Do not rely on a VPN during active crackdowns or major protests. Authorities have shown capacity to throttle or block encrypted traffic broadly. In those moments, connectivity may be more restricted than usual, even with tools in place.

FAQ

Is using a VPN legal in Venezuela?

VPN use is not criminalized, but since the disputed 28 July 2024 election the Maduro government has directly targeted circumvention: X was blocked from 8 August 2024 on Maduro's order and remains blocked per monitoring groups; Signal was blocked the same day on CANTV, Digitel, Inter, NetUno and Supercable; Telegram was blocked for roughly 19 hours on 2 September 2024; 62 media outlets were blocked around the election (55 still blocked); and VPN websites were deliberately blocked - TunnelBear and Psiphon since 2020, with Proton VPN and Windscribe added in July 2024 after they offered free service to Venezuelans, and 26 more circumvention tools including Tor project resources and 30 public DNS resolvers from 6 January 2025.

What actually works in Venezuela?

Per current research: VPN mobile apps installed via app stores before arrival (site blocks mainly hit VPN download websites), Proton VPN free tier (apps still distributed via app stores and GitHub despite site blocks). During crackdowns or sensitive periods, even working methods can be disrupted - have at least two options configured.

Which providers ship the needed obfuscation?

hide.me, Mullvad VPN, CactusVPN Smart DNS, Amnezia VPN, IVPN, Proton VPN document obfuscation features. Self-hosted AmneziaWG or VLESS/Reality on your own server is the strongest option.

last checked 2026-11-04 · information, not legal advice