If you’re in the UAE and try accessing content that is prohibited, you’ll come across the following message:

Unfortunately, the UAE is known to have strict internet restrictions imposed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA). VPNs are a popular method of getting around Etisalat internet restrictions and can allow you to unblock Skype as well as connect to Netflix US and other popular streaming services.

If you don’t have time to read the rest of this post, below is our shortlist of the best VPNs for Etisalat.

Best VPNs for Etisalat:

  • NordVPN Our top choice for Etisalat! Provides the fastest speeds around, includes plenty of security features, and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • ExpressVPN A vast network of fast and secure servers that can unblock just about anything from almost everywhere
  • PrivateVPN Lesser known provider managing to keep under the censors radar. Good speeds.

Short for “Virtual Private Network”, a VPN service redirects your internet traffic through a VPN server, encrypting your data and hiding your IP address. A VPN is therefore not only useful for unblocking geo-restricted content but also protecting your online privacy and anonymity. Identity theft is on the rise and a VPN can help to guard your sensitive data, such as online banking access details and credit card numbers. However, Etisalat actually blocks most VPNs, making it even more difficult to access restricted content.

There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn’t right for you and you’ll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.

Not only is a lot of online content restricted by Etisalat in Dubai and the UAE, most VPNs are also blocked. Our research has narrowed down the options to 3 VPN services. At the time of writing, these VPNs all unblock geo-restricted content when using Etisalat in the UAE (though you may need to experiment with a few different servers). In particular, we looked for VPNs that met the following criteria:

  • Able to securely access the internet in the UAE
  • Servers located in countries around the world
  • High speed connections for streaming HD content
  • Strong security with 256-bit AES encryption and a kill switch
  • A no logs policy so that your online activity remains private
  • Customer support (preferably with a 24/7 live chat feature)

We explain fully how we choose the VPNs on this list later in this article.

Best VPNs for Etisalat – at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features for the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for Etisalat.

Best VPNs for Etisalat (that still work)

We usually list a minimum of 5 VPNs but choices are very limited in the UAE. Here is our list of the 3 best VPNs for Etisalat.

1. NordVPN

                    Jan 2023

Works with EtisalatTested Jan 2023

Apps Available:

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Background
  • FireTV

Website: www.NordVPN.com

Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS

This VPN is ideal for families since you can use a single account on up to 6 devices at the same time. Aside from offering very good value, NordVPN has apps which are responsive and easy to use. Aside from a ‘Quick Connect’ option, you can browse servers by country. There’s even the option of specialty servers that include Onion Over VPN and Double VPN. NordVPN ticks all of the boxes when it comes to security with 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, internet kill switch, and no-logs policy.

You can download NordVPN apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux and Android TV. Browser extensions are available for Chrome and Firefox.

NordVPN speed test data

BEST VPN FOR ETISALAT:NordVPN is our top pick. Huge network of very fast servers. Also offers powerful privacy features and a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

  • Huge network of over 5,000 servers
  • The fastest speeds we’ve seen
  • 6 devices can connect via one account
  • Unblocks all manner of services
  • Strong security with a no logs policy

Cons:

  • Desktop apps take slightly longer to connect

Our score:

Read our full NordVPN review.

2. ExpressVPN

Works with EtisalatTested Jan 2023

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Website: www.ExpressVPN.com

ExpressVPN is an ideal VPN service to use around the world. With over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, ExpressVPN has one of the largest networks around. This means you’ll be able to browse safelt not only in the UAE but also the likes of the USA, UK and Japan. We’ve found ExpressVPN connections to be consistently high speed, which makes this an excellent VPN for streaming HD quality videos with no buffering or lag.

Online security is always important, particularly in countries where users worry about legal consequences for mistakenly accessing content deemed inappropriate. ExpressVPN features 256-bit AES encryption (military-grade) – one of the most widely used encryption standards. Also important is the kill switch feature that prevents your data from being exposed should the VPN connection drop. Finally, ExpressVPN has DNS leak protection and doesn’t keep any identifying connection or activity logs of its users.

ExpressVPN speed test data

EXCELLENT SECURITY:ExpressVPN puts your privacy first. It offers fast speeds for downloading and streaming and is excellent at unblocking content in the UAE including Skype. 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Works with lots of popular streaming services

  • Fast and consistent connection speeds

  • Servers in 94 countries

  • User-friendly apps

  • Excellent overall security with encryption

  • Slightly more expensive than most VPNs

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

3. PrivateVPN

Website: www.PrivateVPN.com

We can recommend PrivateVPN for both beginners and more experienced VPN users alike. That’s because this VPN’s apps offer simple and advanced menus. You can simply click and connect to a server or explore the various settings on offer. PrivateVPN can be used on 6 different devices simultaneously, letting you secure everything from your laptop to your mobile. Speaking of security, PrivateVPN is safe to use since it offers a high level of encryption (256-bit AES), an internet kill switch feature and offers DNS leak protection. PrivateVPN also states that it has a zero data logging policy.

PrivateVPN offers apps for the following operating systems: Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.

PrivateVPN speed test data

FAST SPEEDS:PrivateVPN offers fast speeds for HD streaming, works with Netflix and Skype and has a zero data logging policy.

  • Fewer servers than many VPNs
  • Live chat isn’t usually available

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

While we are not legal experts and this shouldn’t be considered legal advice, it is generally considered legal to use a VPN in the UAE, despite the anti-VPN measures implemented by internet service providers such as Etisalat. The UAE actually has laws related to the use of VPNs. Indeed, UAE law says that a VPN is only illegal if it’s used to commit a crime.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) is responsible for internet censorship in the UAE. Content that is prohibited in the UAE is:

Some examples of prohibited content include:

  • VoIP sites such as Skype
  • Pornography and nudity
  • Fraud, impersonation and phishing
  • Drugs and mind affecting substances
  • Gambling and similar activities (bets, lottery, electronic gambling)
  • Discrimination, racism and contempt of religion

You can read more on using a VPN in our guide to the best VPNs for UAE.

Can I use a free VPN with Etisalat?

No, you won’t be able to use a free VPN with Etisalat due to the company’s extensive VPN blocking. There are several reasons why we advise against using free VPNs, particularly in the UAE:

  • The vast majority of free VPNs simply won’t work with Etisalat which blocks VPNs on a regular basis. Indeed, if you’re trying to access VoIP services such as Skype, you’ll need a quality VPN to get past the blocks implemented by the UAE government.
  • Free VPNs have far fewer servers. This makes unblocking content from other countries more difficult. In contrast, the best-paid VPNs have thousands of servers worldwide, often in dozens of countries.
  • With fewer servers and more people trying to use the service, free VPNs often suffer from poor performance. As such, you’ll find streaming videos and making video calls will be difficult due to buffering and lag.
  • A VPN should improve your online security. Free VPNs do not offer as many security features as paid VPNs. At the very least, you should look for a VPN that uses 256-bit AES encryption, has DNS leak protection and an automatic kill switch.
  • Last but certainly not least, free VPNs often keep logs of your data and activity. This is especially risky in countries such as the UAE where accessing content that is deemed inappropriate or illegal may have legal consequences. For this reason, we strongly advise you choose a VPN with a no logs policy.

VPN not working with Etisalat? Try this

We’ve found NordVPN to be by far the most reliable VPN in the UAE. However, even this provider can occasionally struggle to work with Etisalat. If your VPN is not working with Etisalat try this:

  • Leave the protocol on Automatic.
  • Try connecting to any of the UK or USA server locations.
  • It may take longer than usual to connect (up to a minute or more at times), but that’s normal.
  • Try a few other server locations if the above step fails.
  • As a last resort, switch protocol to L2TP and then try connecting again. We don’t advise users to always use L2TP, but it might work in the UAE.

Methodology: How we found the best VPNs for Etisalat

Browsing the web in the UAE can be frustrating due to the strict internet censorship that’s in place. Of course, there are other factors to consider as well such as server speed and security. Below, we detail our methodology for finding the best VPNs for Etisalat:

  • Unblocking: More than anything, you’ll need a VPN with strong unblocking ability in the UAE. That’s because many popular websites and services are restricted. These can only be unblocked by connecting to servers in other countries and changing your IP address.
  • Speed: There are multiple reasons why a VPN might slow your connection. Server proximity and user load as well as encryption are factors at play. However, some VPNs are simply faster than others while the best VPNs for Etisalat even include unlimited bandwidth.
  • Network size: Any high-quality VPN will have servers in dozens of countries. This allows you to unblock most popular websites and services that might be geo-restricted or government-censored. Furthermore, the larger a network, the less server load there’s likely to be.
  • Security: Whether you’re in the UAE or traveling abroad, there are always security risks to be aware of. By using a VPN, you can ensure your data is encrypted and secure from hackers. The VPNs recommended above also include a kill switch and protection from leaks.
  • Privacy: Privacy protection is always important, particularly so in the UAE where your online activity may be monitored by your ISP and even the government. As such, you must use a VPN with a no-logs policy. We’ve assessed VPN logging policies so you can see which are safe (and which to avoid!).
  • Ease of use: All of the above means little if the VPN is too complicated to use. To make your life easier, there should be beginner-friendly apps for a variety of operating systems. We also only choose VPN services that include 24/7 support via live chat and email.
  • Value for money: With so many VPNs challenging for your business, there’s just no need to spend a fortune on one. All of the best VPNs for Etisalat offer affordable subscriptions plus multiple simultaneous connections. In fact, you can save further by taking advantage of our VPN coupons.

Want to know more about our VPN testing methodology? We test VPNs extensively ourselves in order to find all of their pros and cons. In doing so, we hope to make your decision that little bit easier.

Disclaimer: Comparitech does not condone or encourage any violation of copyright restrictions. Please consider the law, victims, and risks of piracy before downloading copyrighted material without permission. If you’re unclear about the legal ramifications then it’s best to speak with a lawyer first.

VPN providers that implement obfuscated servers use a variety of different obfuscation methods. This includes Obfsproxy, Stunnel, Xor, and other proprietary obfuscation technologies developed by individual VPN providers for their users. 

Some VPNs also provide the option to connect using the OpenVPN TCP protocol over port 443, which serves as a rudimentary form of obfuscation (but is not effective enough to get around firewalls such as that used by the Chinese government, for example). 

Obfuscation is extremely useful in countries like the UAE where VPN use is monitored and restricted. It allows internet users to connect to a VPN without causing their ISP or the government to become suspicious about what that consumer may be doing online. This is useful if you are using a VPN to access online services that the government has purposefully censored, such as VoIP apps.

Besides detecting VPN use in this way, the ISP may detect VPN use by monitoring your traffic itself. A VPN thwarts your ISP’s ability to monitor your DNS requests and to keep a list of the URLs you visit. As a result, it is possible that Etisalat will deduce that you are using a VPN for privacy purposes. 

Thankfully, some VPNs provide a feature called obfuscated servers. This allows you to connect to the VPN while also concealing the encrypted VPN connection from your ISP. Obfuscation works by making your web traffic appear to be regular HTTPS traffic bound for a website. This allows you to use the VPN without raising an alarm.

That said, the VPN rules in the UAE are complicated. Although it is illegal to use a VPN to access services and websites that have been censored by the government, it is not actually illegal to have or use a VPN. In fact, many businesses rely on VPNs for privacy and security purposes. Thus, you should be safe to use a VPN without obfuscation as long as you are not doing anything illegal.

It’s also worth noting that not every blocked service is a direct result of governmental decisions. For instance, Freedom House’s 2022 UAE Freedom on the Net report mentions that both Etisalat and Du have previously blocked access to certain sites because of flaws in their automated filtering tools.