Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology used to make voice calls online. Unfortunately, some governments have a vested interest in state-owned telecom services – resulting in VoIP services being blocked. With a VPN for VoIP, you can take the power back! VPNs change your IP address and encrypt your internet traffic, which lets you unblock VoIP apps without being tracked.
In this article, we list the best VoIP VPN services and give you some top tips on how to unblock Skype, WhatsApp, or any other censored VoIP service from where you live.
What are the best VPNs for VoIP apps?
You can take a quick look at the best VoIP VPN services below. For more information about each provider, simply scroll down to see our in-depth summaries.
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for VoIP. It offers excellent security and privacy features, super-fast servers, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN - An excellent VPN service for unblocking VoIP apps. It has stealth servers, a no logs policy and fast servers.
- Surfshark - The cheapest VPN for VoIP apps. It's loved by users because it has loads of features, is secure, and fast.
- Private Internet Access - The most secure VoIP VPN. It has a proven no logs policy, stealth servers, and well implemented encryption.
- CyberGhost VPN - A great value VoIP VPN service. It has fantastic apps for all platforms making it great for beginners and it's secure.
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To make sure that you get the most out of a VoIP VPN and you can unblock apps from anywhere, we have chosen services with the following features:
- Fast servers
- Strong encryption
- Great apps for popular platforms
TEST WINNER ExpressVPN | NordVPN | Surfshark | Private Internet Access | CyberGhost VPN | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Website | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | Surfshark | Private Internet Access | CyberGhost VPN |
Ranking for VoIP | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Performance | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Reliability | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
Free trial | |||||
Total servers | 3000 | 5300 | 3200 | 3386 | 9723 |
Payment | PayPal Visa/MasterCard Amex Cryptocurrency | PayPal Visa/MasterCard Amex Cryptocurrency | PayPal Visa/MasterCard Amex Cryptocurrency | PayPal Visa/MasterCard Amex Cryptocurrency | PayPal Visa/MasterCard Amex Cryptocurrency |
Unblocks: | Netflix iPlayer Disney+ Amazon Prime Hulu | Netflix iPlayer Disney+ Amazon Prime Hulu | Netflix iPlayer Disney+ Amazon Prime Hulu | Netflix iPlayer Disney+ Amazon Prime Hulu | Netflix iPlayer Disney+ Amazon Prime Hulu |
Supported platforms | Windows macOS iOS Android | Windows macOS iOS Android | Windows macOS iOS Android | Windows macOS iOS Android | Windows macOS iOS Android |
Best VPN for VoIP: In-depth analysis
We recommend our readers use one of the VPNs listed below if they want to unblock VoIP apps that are blocked in their location.
ExpressVPN is the best VoIP VPN service. It has super-fast servers in 94+ countries, excellent privacy and security features, great apps for all platforms, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN is known around the world as one of the best providers available on the market. Based in the British Virgin Islands, Express is lightning-fast with servers in 94 countries, all of which are ideal for unblocking game servers and VoIP. You'll be able to play securely, too, as Express is a stanch no-logs provider. With ExpressVPN, you get apps for all platforms that come with advanced features such as a kill-switch, OpenVPN encryption, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation. This is ideal for gaining high levels of privacy and security – so you can use VoIP in countries where it is restricted by the government. In addition, this is a versatile VPN that provides excellent value for money. It can unblock BBC iPlayer, Netflix US, Hulu, YouTube, and anything else you can think of. And you can use it to bypass censorship – or internet restrictions is school or at work. So, whilst Express costs a bit more than the other names on our list, you receive a premium service for a premium price. Express is a VPN a cut above the rest, thanks to its infallible reliability and super-fast speeds. Add to this a five-star customer support team that is available 24/7, and ExpressVPN ticks all the right boxes. It's well worth testing using its risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. NordVPN is an excellent VPN service for anyone looking to unblock VoIP. It has obfuscation which is essential for anyone looking to access VoIP apps in locations were they are banned and fast servers where you need them. Nord Demo NordVPN is a no-logs VPN provider based in Panama that is strong on privacy. It is a reliable service with apps for all popular platforms that will easily let you bypass local censorship, access internationally geo-restricted content, or unblock content restricted by an admin in work, at school, or on public WiFi. NordVPN offers a wealth of market-leading security features that make it a good option for just about anybody. It also has rare privacy features such as double-hop connections, VPN over Tor, DNS-based malware protection, Smart DNS, and more, all at a very reasonable price point. Surfshark is the cheapest VPN for VoIP apps. It's loved by users because it offers lots of extra features, can be used on an unlimited number of devices, and unblocks everything. Surfshark Demo Surfshark is a fast VPN service that continues to impress users all around the globe. Thanks to its split-tunneling function, users can unblock VoIP technology while accessing local services at the same time. Surfshark also has both obfuscation (stealth) and a kill-switch to ensure you can make VoIP calls without ever being tracked. Plus, this VPN is a zero-logs service, which means it will never store a record of what you choose to do online. Perhaps the best feature of Surfshark's VPN is its offer of unlimited simultaneous connections. This is absolutely brilliant considering the low price of the VPN and is great for tech enthusiasts and households with lots of internet-connected devices. We also love that this VPN has 24/7 live chat to help you when you most need it. An incredibly cheap VPN that is perfect if you are short on cash but need something that works excellently. Test it yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Private Internet Access is the most secure VoIP VPN. It has a proven no logs policy, stealth servers, well implemented encryption, and low cost plans. PIA Demo Private Internet Access (PIA) is a US-based provider that keeps absolutely zero-logs (a claim it has proven in court). Its heavy focus on security has made it a popular choice among the privacy community. With obfuscation (stealth) and kill-switch technology readily available, it's great for accessing VoIP services in countries with mass censorship and surveillance (such as China and Saudi Arabia). PIA's easy-to-use app gives users great control and customization over their VPN, letting them switch between UDP and TCP for better speed or better data integrity. With their split-tunneling feature, users can simultaneously access services both from abroad and locally without risking their privacy. Try PIA today with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, this VPN works with Netflix US and provides outstanding speeds. A truly outstanding VoIP VPN that is better suited to techy users. CyberGhost is a low-cost VoIP VPN service. It offers users fantastic apps for all platforms making it great for beginners and it unblocks almost everything. CyberGhost Demo CyberGhost offers a fully-featured VPN service with a global network of fast servers. Its simple and easy-to-use app is great for beginners looking to take that first step in ensuring their privacy. Alongside this, CyberGhost is a no-logs policy that only collects minimal aggregated metadata that is anonymized for trend analysis. We would like to see obfuscation (stealth) technology available from CyberGhost in the future, as this would make it safer for users wanting to access VoIP technology in countries such as Saudi Arabia and China. However, being based in Romania, it is also outside of the jurisdiction of the fourteen eyes spying alliance (so no government spying). Try CyberGhost today with their amazing 45-day money-back guarantee! 1. ExpressVPN
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What makes a VPN good for VoIP services?
There are dozens of consumer-facing VPNs on the market, and not every VPN is suitable for making VoIP calls. The providers in this article were selected because they provide fast connections for making voice or video calls. They also have a wide choice of servers that are ideal for unblocking and using VoIP apps. For transparency, we have included a list of all the features our experts looked for when curating this list of the best VPNs for VoIP:
- Reliable apps for all popular platforms – including for mobile devices
- A no-logs VPN policy to ensure what you do online remains completely private
- A fast VPN Tier-1 server network that is capable of handling VoIP calls
- A large choice of servers worldwide
- Strong encryption to conceal VoIP use from your ISP and the government
- A kill-switch to cut your net if the VPN connection drops out
- Obfuscation – to conceal VPN use in a country where VoIP is banned
Why do I need a VPN for VoIP apps?
Some countries block VoIP services to ensure that people must make costly telephone calls. This is usually because the government owns the local telecoms company. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman are examples of countries that block VoIP to ensure they make revenue from traditional calls.
If you live in a country that restricts VoIP apps and services, you will require a VPN to spoof your location abroad. A VPN allows you to pretend to be in a different country, which results in unobstructed VoIP access. However, you will need to be careful when using a VPN in the UAE, Oman, and any other places where VPN use is frowned upon.
You might also want to use a VPN if you are sharing work-related information during a VoIP call. When using internet services like VoIP, there is a threat that hackers may intercept your data. A VPN will encrypt your VoIP calls, making it much more difficult for someone to listen in and potentially steal your info.
A VPN for VoIP also prevents your ISP and the government from snooping on your metadata and calls, giving you the freedom to use VoIP without concerns about being tracked.
Can a VPN be used to unblock VoIP services like Skype?
Yes. A VPN will let you unblock any VoIP service that interests you, no matter where you happen to live. All over the world, people use VPNs to unblock VoIP services like Skype, WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger, Facetime, Snapchat, etc.
The great thing about a VPN is that in addition to letting you download and install VoIP apps that are unavailable on your local app store, they also let you use those services without your ISP or the government finding out!
Where are VoIP services blocked?
Below we have included a list of location where we know that VoIP services are banned.
- Saudi Arabia – Skype, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Discord, and Facetime are all banned. See our Saudi Arabi VPN page for more details.
- China – Skype users are sent to a Chinese version of Skype that is monitored by the government. Check out our best China VPN page for more details about using a VPN in the country.
- Egypt – Skype and WhatsApp are regularly blocked by the Egyptian government. See our Egypt VPN guide for more information about using a VPN in the country.
- Kuwait – All VoIP services are subject to a nationwide ban. Check out our best VPN for Kuwait guide for a list of VPNs that are able to bypass blocks in the country.
- Brazil – Brazil's main ISP has blocked Skype since 2014. See our Brazil VPN page for a list of the best services.
Should I keep using the VPN when making a VoIP call?
Yes. If VoIP services are blocked in your country, you need to use a VPN not only to download and install the VoIP app – but also to make calls. ISPs block the servers of popular VoIP services to prevent you from making calls.
With the VPN connected, you can easily connect to those servers to make calls, because the ISP's blocks are no longer effective. This is due to the fact that you appear to be in a different country, meaning that you can enjoy VoIP as if you were actually overseas.
Using a VPN while making VoIP calls is also important for privacy reasons. If your local government has blocked VoIP, this means they do not want you to use it and you could face fines if you are discovered breaking the rules. A reliable VPN encrypts your data, which means that nobody can tell you are making a VoIP call.
Using a VPN to make a Free Call
Many people are interested in making free VoIP calls online, and a VoIP VPN can definitely help you to do this. However, you must bear in mind that even services like Skype charge their users to make calls to physical landline and mobile telephone numbers. Thus, even with a VPN, you will not necessarily be able to make free calls to these kinds of numbers.
That being said, getting significantly cheaper calling rates with a VPN can be done. Skype calling rates from the US are much more affordable, and all that is required is a US IP address to enjoy these cheaper rates. Simply connect to a US VPN server and log in to Skype, and your new calling rates should be shown!
Can I use a free VPN with VoIP services?
Although there are many free VPN services on the market, few of those services are suitable for making VoIP calls. Studies have revealed that free services have invasive privacy policies that allow them to harvest your data and sell it on.
They also have unreliable apps with weak encryption, a lack of vital security features, slow servers unsuitable for making calls, and even apps that contain spyware. These kinds of VPNs could put you at risk, particularly if you are unblocking VoIP in a country where it has been purposefully censored.
Admittedly, there are some free VPN services that we can recommend. Those services provide a limited free subscription plan to let consumers trial their VPN. While these free plans are not a risk, they do have restrictions that make it very hard to use the VPN for making VoIP calls. This includes:
- Purposefully restricted speeds (this will make the VPN slow, and cause issues during calls).
- Fewer server locations to choose from (causing congestion and further slowing your connection speeds).
- Data limits (which will result in you only being able to make a few calls each month and even cutting you off mid-call).
If you want to be able to make VoIP calls on a regular basis, we strongly recommend a premium VPN from this list. Our options let you use the VPN (and therefore VoIP) on an unlimited basis, without any speed restrictions. Our recommendations have a free trial so that you can experience them without actually risking your cash.
Using a VPN to unblock online gaming voice chat
Many online games rely on voice chat: Battlefield, Counter-Strike, and League of Legends would all be impossible without constant communication. Even games that don't have built in chat are often much better if you talk to other players using a separate service like TeamSpeak.
If you live in a country that is blocking VoIP, you may be frustrated that you are unable to chat with fellow gamers. The good news is that you can use a VPN to regain access to in-game chat features that use VoIP.
To do so, simply subscribe to one of the VPNs recommended in this article and connect to a VPN server outside of your country. Now, when you play the game, the voice chat will be available – as if you actually lived abroad.
You can see an example of this in action in our article about unblocking Overwatch voice chat.
VPN and VoIP: The truth about connection speeds
Using a VPN when playing games (to be able to use voice chat) does have one potential drawback: speeds. Many VPNs are much too slow to handle advanced multiplayer online games. That is why it is essential that you only stick to our recommended fast VPNs.
All VPNs will slow your internet down a little because they have to encrypt your data and route your internet via the VPN server. However, the very best VPNs for VoIP have super-fast VPN servers that make that drop in speeds practically imperceptible. With that said, if you are paying for very slow internet in the first place, even a fast VPN may reduce your internet speeds enough to cause issues.
To get the very best speeds, always try to connect to a VPN server that is as close to you as possible. This should allow you to play the game with live chat, with the best speeds available to you. Of course, your VPN has upwards of 60 servers, so testing a few different server locations is a good idea!
Conclusion
If you want to get the most out of VoIP apps, or you need to unblock them where you live, a VPN is the best way to do so while also gaining heightened levels of privacy and security. Here's a reminder of our top picks for VPNs for VoIP apps:
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