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Best VPNs for Telegram – unblock from anywhere


Telegram is a messaging app popular among those concerned about privacy and mass surveillance. Its privacy-first approach made Telegram into a safe haven for journalists and political activists but has also become a communication hub for criminals. Governments in China, Iran, Russia, Belarus, Vietnam, and others, have restricted or outright blocked Telegram due to national security concerns or Telegram’s refusal to hand over user data. If you live in or are traveling to a country where Telegram is blocked, you can use a VPN to bypass these restrictions. A VPN hides your real IP address and makes it seem like you’re connecting from anywhere in the world, allowing you to access Telegram as if it wasn’t blocked in the first place.

In this article, we’ll go over the best VPNs for Telegram and teach you how to unblock Telegram with a VPN.

Our top 5 VPNs for Telegram

Our research team has tested every single one of the VPNs below to ensure they can unblock Telegram. So, it really comes down to your personal preference which is the best for you . For more detailed descriptions, read the detailed list.

Here’s a side-by-side look of our top VPN picks for unblocking Telegram.

ProviderRatingUnblocks TelegramServersSpeed retention rate:P2P serversPrice
NordVPN
4.9
✅ Yes795090%✅ YesYes/NoFrom $3.39/month
Surfshark
4.7
✅ Yes3200
86%
✅ YesFrom $1.99/month
ExpressVPN
4.3
✅ Yes3000
77%
❌ NoFrom $4.99/month
IPVanish
4.5
✅ Yes2400
80%
❌ NoFrom $2.19/month
CyberGhost
4.2
✅ Yes11500
86%
✅ YesFrom $2.19/month

Unblock Telegram with VPN from anywhere

Unblock Telegram logo
  1. Choose a reliable VPN. I recommend NordVPN, now 76% OFF
  2. Download and install the VPN app on your device
  3. Connect to a server where Telegram isn’t blocked
  4. Start using Telegram

Why do you need a VPN for Telegram

Telegram is a private and secure messenger that offers end-to-end encryption, self-destructing messages, and secret chats. This means that everything you send/receive over Telegram can’t be accessed by anyone besides you.

Unfortunately, this high level of privacy has led to government censorship of the platform in a number of countries, including Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia. So, if you’re within these countries, you won’t be able to access the platform.

Luckily, you can unblock Telegram with a VPN.It connects you to a remote server and also provides a new IP address to make it seem like you’re outside of the country where Telegram is blocked.

Beyond that, VPNs come in helpful for cybersecurity reasons. For starters, it can encrypt all your traffic – protecting it from hackers, scammers, and even snooping authorities. Plus, it also helps to bypass streaming sites’ geo-restrictions to give access to more content. If you're also looking to unblock TikTok in restricted regions, a TikTok VPN can help you regain access effortlessly.

Countries where Telegram is blocked

Here’s a list of the countries where Telegram is currently blocked or restricted in. Please note that countries that have blocked and lifted the ban are not on this list.

CountryStatusType of blockReason for blockStatus confirmed on
ChinaBlockedPermanent, country-wideGovernment censorship, refusal to share user data, and encryption concernsJuly 2025
PakistanBlockedPermanent, country-wideEncryption concerns and illegal activitiesJuly 2025
IranBlockedPermanent, country-wideIllegal and anti-government activitiesJuly 2025
RussiaBlocked in 2018; unblocked in 2020; blocked in 2025 in Dagestan and Chechnya regionsRegionalAnti-government activities, not handing over user dataJuly 2025
BelarusRestrictedPermanent, country-wideIllegal and anti-government activitiesJuly 2025
VietnamBlockedPermanent, country-wideIllegal and anti-government activitiesJuly 2025

How to choose a VPN for Telegram

Here’s what you should consider when choosing a VPN for Telegram:

  • Privacy. If you’re using a VPN for privacy reasons, it’s crucial to choose a VPN that follows a strict no-logs policy, which has been verified by a third-party audit. This means that even if government agencies compel these companies to hand over user data – there’s nothing for them to hand over.
  • Security. The VPN must follow the latest cybersecurity standards to ensure your data can’t be intercepted. This means advanced encryption like AES-256 or XChaCha20 as well as features like kill DNS leak prevention, kill switch, and P2P servers.
  • Unblocking capabilities. Not all VPNs are good at bypassing geo-restrictions. Make sure to choose a VPN that has been tested and proven to unblock Telegram.
  • Server network. The more servers, the better the chance of unblocking Telegram successfully. A large selection also helps with speed and overall performance of the VPN.
  • Speed and performance. If a VPN unblocks Telegram, but is barely usable because of slow speeds, it’s pretty useless. Have a look at reviews and user reports on your chosen VPN speeds before making a purchase.

VPNs for Telegram – detailed descriptions

A VPN is an essential for those concerned about privacy. Below, you’ll find our list of the best VPNs for Telegram based on our in-house testing.

1. NordVPN – privacy-first VPN for Telegram

NordVPN banner
Based in:
Panama
Servers/countries:
7950+ servers in 126 countries
Unblocks streaming sites:Yes
Coupons:
NordVPN coupon 76% OFF

NordVPN is our top pick for unblocking Telegram. It follows a strict no-logs policy, which has been verified by multiple security audits. This guarantees that your online activities stay private no matter where you are.

Additionally, NordVPN offers excellent protection. Its security features include an automatic kill switch, a no-logs policy, 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and split tunneling.

Plans for NordVPN start from just $3.39/month. The plans are without bandwidth limits and each account can support up to 6 devices. Even though it’s very affordable, you can also check our NordVPN coupons to secure the best deals.

You can find further details in our NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – budget-friendly VPN for Telegram

Surfshark banner
Based in:The Netherlands
Servers/countries:
3200+ servers in 100 countries
Unblocks streaming sites:
Yes
Coupons:
Surfshark coupon 87% OFF

Surfshark is also one of my favorites for unblocking Telegram – it’s the best budget-friendly VPN I have tested. Besides, I was able to reduce the price even more with the Surfshark coupon code: OFFCN. Despite its low price, Surfshark is just as secure and private as NordPass, but it has slightly fewer additional features.

For starters, it runs over 3200 servers in more than 100 countries – making it easy to access Telegram as well as various streaming sites, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.

Besides that, Surfshark has plenty of advanced security features in place. This includes a zero-logging policy, split tunneling, and 256-bit AES encryption.

Its prices start from just $1.99/month for unlimited connections. Make sure to check our available Surfshark coupon codes for even more eye-catching deals.

Check out this Surfshark review to find out more.

3. ExpressVPN – powerful Telegram VPN with port forwarding

ExpressVPN banner
Based in:British Virgin Islands
Servers/countries:3000+ servers in 105 countries
Unblocks streaming sites:Yes
Coupons:Now up to 61% OFF ExpressVPN + 4 months FREE

We like ExpressVPN for Telegram because of its focus on security and excellent port-forwarding feature. While it doesn’t have too many additional features, ExpressVPN enhances security and privacy with add-ons such as a password manager, ad blocker, and tracker blocker.

ExpressVPN implements the industry-standard 256-bit encryption to secure your online traffic. Its kill switch is also great if you accidentally lose connection. In terms of privacy, it follows a no-logs policy and has been independently audited on multiple occasions.

This provider is compatible with all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.

Even though ExpressVPN plans are quite pricey, starting from $4.99/month, there’s a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee to use.

For more details, visit our ExpressVPN review.

4. IPVanish – beginner-friendly VPN for Telegram

IPVanish banner
Based in:
United States
Servers/countries:
2400+ servers in 140 countries
Unblocks streaming sites:
Yes
Coupons:
IPVanish coupon 83% OFF

IPVanish is also a great VPN for unblocking Telegram, and is perfect for those who have never used a VPN before. It’s easy to use and doesn’t have too many additional features which can make the VPN feel overwhelming.

Security is also one of IPVanish’s strong suits, as it offers plenty of features, including end-to-end data encryption and split tunneling.

IPVanish offers plans for just $2.19/month. Even better, we have some attractive IPVanish coupons on our site.

For more details, check out our IPVanish review.

5. CyberGhost VPN – Telegram VPN with a massive server network

CyberGhost VPN banner
Based in:Romania
Servers/countries:11500+ servers in 100 countries
Unblocks streaming sites:Yes
Coupons:Get 83% OFF CyberGhost + 2 months FREE

We recommend CyberGhost because of its massive server network of 11500 servers across 100 countries. CyberGhost can easily unblock Telegram as well as any streaming platform, no matter where you’re located.

CyberGhost’s traffic is secured by the industry-standard AES-256 encryption to hide your online activities, has an independently audited no-logs policy, and is based in a privacy-friendly country – Romania. With the market-leading WireGuard tunneling protocol, CyberGhost manages to retain original connection speeds and results in an overall great performance.

With strong unblocking capabilities, CyberGhost is able to unblock not only Telegram but other geo-restricted messaging apps, streaming services, and other types of content.

With prices starting at $2.19/month, CyberGhost VPN offers good value for money. Plus, you can use a generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

For more details, visit our CyberGhost review.

How Telegram detects your location?

There are a few ways how Telegram can detect your location. The main one is by tracking your IP address.

See, as soon as your device connects to the internet, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will assign a unique IP address to said device. Hence, if Telegram is blocked in your country or region, your IP address will be prevented from accessing the platform.

Your best bet to circumvent the block and censorship is by using a VPN. There’s also an added benefit of minimising various IP address security threats by using Telegram with a VPN.

For starters, your identity is shielded from hackers, scammers, and overzealous authorities. VPN also prevents monitoring as many ISPs track their users’ activities to sell that information to third parties. Governments could also obtain your online activity information from your ISPs.

Change Telegram GPS location on your device

There are several ways to change your GPS location on your phone. Although it differs depending on the type of device you have.

To make things easier for you, we’ll walk you through how to change location on the most popular devices with step-by-step guides.

For more information, check out our extensive guides on using VPNs on different devices:

Android

If you have an Android device like a Samsung or Oppo phone, changing the Telegram GPS location on your device is beyond easy. And, this includes Huawei’s HarmonyOS, which is basically an adapted version of Android. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Get a NordVPN subscription and set up the VPN on your Android device
  2. Launch your VPN and connect to a server in a country where Telegram isn’t blocked
  3. Download Telegram from the Play Store and create an account or log in
  4. Open the Telegram app and chat, call, and send content with an absolute peace of mind

iOS

For iPhone and iOS device owners, it’s equally straightforward to trick Telegram GPS location with a VPN. This is how you do it:

  1. Pick a reliable VPN provider like NordVPN and download the mobile app
  2. Open the VPN app and connect to a server in a Telegram-friendly country
  3. Head to the App Store to download Telegram and either create an account or log in
  4. Start using the Telegram app with utmost privacy

PC or laptop

To change Telegram GPS location on a PC or laptop is a piece of cake with a VPN. Simply follow these easy steps:

  1. Opt for a trustworthy VPN service. NordVPN is our first choice
  2. Install the VPN and set the server for a location where Telegram isn’t blocked
  3. Head over to Telegram Web and create an account
  4. Log in and you can now use Telegram freely without restrictions and fear of privacy breaches

There is no yes or no answer for this question. It all depends on the country you’re in and its laws regarding VPNs.

However, do be warned that a few countries like China, North Korea, and Turkey have banned the usage of VPNs. You can find out more in our VPN legality guide.

Besides using a VPN, you can also change your location with other methods like GPS spoofing apps and proxies. However, we do discourage the use of such apps and proxies as they often pose serious security risks and are highly unreliable.

Cannot unblock Telegram with a VPN?

There could be a variety of reasons why you can’t unblock Telegram even if you are connected to a VPN. Here are some of the most common reasons:

  • Your device isn’t compatible with your chosen VPN
  • Your actual IP address could be leaking
  • Cookies on your device could be showing your actual location
  • Your VPN can’t bypass the blocks and restrictions
  • The country has blocked or blacklisted your VPN provider’s servers

To fix these issues, you can try the following solutions:

  • Connect to a different server
  • Try with a different browser
  • Clear your cache and cookies
  • Ensure that you’ve enabled IP leak protection settings on your VPN
  • Contact your VPN provider’s customer support for assistance

If all else fails, it’s time to upgrade your VPN. Not sure where to start? Check our list of the most capable VPNs – all tested and approved.

Can you use free VPNs for Telegram?

While a free VPN sounds like a good way to save some money, we don’t recommend using it. Most free VPNs pose security and privacy risks.

For instance, tons of free VPNs can’t actually bypass geo-restrictions, censorships, and blocks. Worse, many of them fund their services by selling your data and imposing tracked ads – creating serious security risks for you.

However, if you’re without options and are looking for the best free VPN to access Telegram, check out ProtonVPN. It is without data caps and relatively reliable as far as free VPNs go.

Also, all three of our top-rated VPNs for unblocking Telegram offer free trials or money-back guarantees. That said, be sure to consider NordVPN, Surfshark and IPVanish for this.

Final thoughts

Telegram is a go-to messenger because of its end-to-end encryption and other privacy-enhancing features. Some countries have restricted or blocked Telegram, but users can still access it with a reliable VPN.

Our top recommendation is NordVPN. It easily unblocks Telegram and enhances privacy and security with advanced features like Threat Protection and Dark Web Monitor – perfect for those who want an all-rounded security suite.

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