VPN FOR INSTAGRAM: 5 tested services (2022)
I have tested over 30 VPN services that bypass Instagram blocking and are accessible on mobile platforms. In this article you will find descriptions of those that are guaranteed to hide user activity, are easy to use and have positive reviews on Reddit.
Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms where people can share photos and videos straight from their phones.
This site was launched in 2010 and by 2014 it has amassed over 300 million users. According to statistics, it will have surpassed the 1 billion customer mark by the end of 2020.
Best VPN providers for Instagram in 2022
- NordVPN: The perfect combination of efficiency, speed, choice of locations, platform support, and advanced functionality. It's the undipusted leader among VPNs.
- Surfshark: The best option for those who want to extra security features. Subscriptions starts from $2.21 per month with excellent efficiency for Instagram and any other apps.
- ExpressVPN: A fast and secure VPN with broad device compatibility. You'll be able to access the websites you want from all across the globe.
- CyberGhost: The largest VPN service in the world. It offers more than 8900 servers in 91 countries for a great price.
- PIA: A good choice for advanced users who want to tweak the VPN to the smallest details.
Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology allows you to bypass almost any blocks, including censorship, and restrictions of school, university and corporate networks. Use VPN services with care. Do not advertise your new opportunities, as this can lead to a complication of relations with authorities.
Fast Facts You Haven’t Known About Instagram
- Since 2013 Instagram users can make 15 seconds videos;
- The top ten brand accounts are National Geographic, Victoria’s Secret, The Ellen Show, Nike, Forever 21, Louboutin, 9 GAG, Starbucks, MTV, NBA;
- 60% of the users are not from the US;
- 90% of users are younger than 35;
- The most famous hashtag is #love;
- The app for iPhone is also used for Android and iOS.
There is so much private data, photos in particular, that it seems naive to think your Instagram account won’t be hacked and your data won’t be intercepted. There is one more issue. Some countries impose restrictions on using such social platforms as Instagram, which is another problem for those who want to use it and feel protected.
How to Protect Your Private Data and Unblock Instagram?
It is common knowledge the Internet is no longer safe. In fact, it is now a place where you can lose not only your personal information but also money. In order to prevent it from happening, you need a good VPN for Instagram. A VPN, as it’s referred to by many, stands for Virtual Private Network. It is a platform used to securely send and receive data. Once encrypted, your traffic cannot be accessed by anyone other than the intended recipient and you.
Instagram is very popular around the world, but it’s banned in countries with repressive regimes. This means that it is very hard and sometimes even impossible to access Instagram in some countries. There are even schools and workplaces, which block social media platforms. This is why you need a good VPN to bypass such restrictions and protect your data from being tracked and intercepted.
In order to find the best VPN for Instagram to ensure you get access to the platform, you should choose one that has the best server locations. The provider should offer the latest tunneling protocols such as OpenVPN and WireGuard, which facilitate steady connections and fast speeds. If you are looking for a way to bypass government censorship, then you should also consider the locations of the servers of the VPN.
As stated above, there are countries, organizations, and even schools that block Instagram to limit the influence of social media on their people. All you need today is to look for one of the best VPNs for Instagram.
The best VPN service that will effectively unblock Instagram in 2022
Based on test results, NordVPN became the best VPN service for unblocking Instagram. It showed the best speeds and is able to maintain stable connections. This provider also has some of the best Reddit user ratings on the market, supports 60 countries, and has dedicated applications for all major operating systems.Read on for more details or good alternatives to NordVPN.
Comparison of the main features of VPN services for Instagram
| Service | Ranking (out of 10) | Stealth level (out of 10) | Speed, Mbps | Country selection | Number of servers | Price (monthly) |
| NordVPN | 10 | 10 | >100 | 59 | 5500 | from $3.09 |
| Surfshark | 10 | 10 | >80 | 95 | 3200 | from $2.21 |
| ExpressVPN | 10 | 9 | >80 | 91 | 3000 | from $8.32 |
| Cyberghost | 9 | 9 | 40-70 | 91 | 8900 | from $2.29 |
| PIA | 9 | 10 | >50 | 78 | 30000 | from $2.03 |
1. NordVPN
- 5500+ servers
- No-logs policy audited by independent entities
- Advanced NordLynx protocol
- Bare-metal servers
Overview
NordVPN helps access Instagram and other platforms effectively. However, it has several differences from other providers:
- Extensive server fleet
- Obfuscated servers (effective in censorship-heavy countries such as UAE, China, Iran)
- Fastest speeds in the industry
My testing showed that NordVPN can easily circumvent blocks imposed on many websites and applications, Instagram included. It even works in countries where the internet is heavily censored and many foreign media platforms are banned. What's more, the connection always remains stable and the loading times don't exceed a few seconds because of the in-house NordLynx tunneling protocol.
The best thing about NordVPN is that you can hide the fact that you're using a VPN from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) by connecting to Obfuscated servers. If you're more concerned about keeping your private data, well, private, then the standard servers will suit your needs well as all of them are RAM-only. It means that no information is being stored there or can be retrieved later as it all gets wiped.
Installation is quick and easy, the app boasts 100% efficiency and minimum battery drain.
Price
The table lists NordVPN plans
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Price (monthly) | $11.95 | $4.99 | 3.09 |
| Money-back garantee | 30 | 30 | 30 |
NordVPN offers a 7 day trial, available on Android.
Summary
- In practice, NordVPN is the best VPN provider.
- The service works in countries with internet censorship, according to many Redditor reviews.
- Easy installation process.
- Flexible pricing.
- Doesn’t keep logs.
- The most popular VPN service according to Google Trends
2. Surfshark
- Low price (the lowest one among professional VPNs)
- StealthVPN
- Supports all major platforms
- Static IP, MultiHop
Overview
Surfshark VPN is in my top 3 because of the perfect combination of quality and low price. There are plenty of tools to keep yourself hidden from prying eyes, like MultiHop which routes your traffic through several servers at once, or Camouflage mode that makes your VPN activities invisible. The NoBorders mode is especially helpful for those who reside in countries like China, where the internet is severely restricted.
Speeds haven't been an issue either because Surfshark VPN utilizes the reliable WireGuard tunelling protocol. The recent Nexus upgrade has even stabilized the VPN connection and made it faster in some instances by routing all user traffic through a single global network.
Extensive testing confirms the high level of this service and the protection it provides for its users. There's no device limit so you can connect everything you want to secure to Surfshark. It's made especially easy with dedicated apps, which are available on all major operating systems.
Start using this great Instagram VPN for only $2.21/month
Price
The table lists Surfshark VPN plans
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Price (monthly) | 12.95 | $3.99 | $2.21 |
| Money-back garantee | 30 | 30 | 30 |
Surfshark supports many payment methods, and has a 7-day trial version for Android and iOS devices.
Summary
- Surfshark is the cheapest provider among the best VPNs
- Effective for Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp
- Unlimited number of simultaneous connections with one subscription
3. ExpressVPN
- High speed
- Easy installation
- Excellent connection stability
Overview
ExpressVPN is another premium provider suitable for unblocking social media platforms. It was a far reaching global network and plenty of countries you can connect to for bypassing restrictions. All of their servers are RAM-only, so you can rest assured none of your data is being stored here. Everything has been audited and found to be secure & reliable.
This provider handles bypassing Instagram blocks quite easily. For the test, I blocked the instagram.com domain on the router. The following screenshot shows that the app cannot connect:
To solve this problem, it was enough to install and run the ExpressVPN app on my iPhone. After that, I got access to Insta without unlocking the router:
Moreover, I did not need to somehow additionally configure the app. While it is a neat service, it costs much more than other great Instagram VPNs and doesn't include a large variety of features like Surshark does.
Price
The table lists ExpressVPN plans
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Price (monthly) | $12.95 | $8.32 | - |
| Money-back garantee | 30 | 30 | - |
ExpressVPN supports various types of payments. In addition, it provides a 7-day trial period for Android and iOS users.
Summary
- ExpressVPN effectively helps access Instagram and any other social network.
- Quality support for Android, iOS and other operating systems.
- Suitable for any privacy related tasks.
- Allows up to 5 connections at once.
4. Cyberghost
- 8900+ servers in 91 countries
- Media focus
- Access to any of the servers
Overview
The characteristics of CyberGhost aren’t inferior to its competitors. It boasts a strict zero-logs policy and includes all the necessary tools to make sure none of your data leaks. The provider also offers one of the most extensive server fleets in the market. The WireGuard protocol ensures lightning fast speeds, and watching Instagram's video content was a smooth experience with no lag.
The effectiveness of CyberGhost VPN for Instagram was also confirmed by testing with a blocked www.instagram.com domain. It successfully bypassed the block - the Instagram app was able to connect to the server and all its functions became instantly available.
I note that its effectiveness has been proven by a CoolTechZone employee when used in the UAE to access many instant messengers, including Instagram.
Price
The table lists CyberGhost plans
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Price (monthly) | $12.99 | $4.29 | $2.29 |
| Money-back garantee | 30 | 30 | 30 |
The provider also offers a Dedicated IP connection (additional $5 per month).
Summary
- Suitable for unblocking any messenger.
- It can be used with a personal dedicated IP address.
- It is the largest VPN in the world.
- Up to 7 devices per one subscription.
Private Internet access
- Suitable for beginners and experienced users
- Tech apps
- Manual port assignment
- Port forwarding
Overview
Private Internet Access is widely known as a high-class VPN service. It is a universal tool for a wide range of users, but at the same time it is better than other providers in cases where non-standard network settings are needed. For example, Private Internet Access allows you to manually assign an incoming and outgoing port, supports the WireGuard protocol and Shadowsocks, and has the ability to activate DHCP, and much more.
PIA boasts a zero-logs policy which has been proven true in court. Officials have taken this VPN's hardware, searched it for any user information and found nothing in the end. Plus, if you're extra wary of cyber threats, the provider includes it's own PIA MACE feature that is effective for blocking ads, trackers, and malicious websites.
A disadvantage is its identified poor support for Netflix. Therefore, if you choose a VPN not only for Instagram, but also for streaming content, Private Internet Access may not fulfill all your needs.
Price
The table lists PIA plans
| 1 month | 1 year | 2 years | |
| Price (monthly) | $11.95 | $3.33 | $2.03 |
| Money-back garantee | 30 | 30 | 30 |
I note that, despite the powerful functionality, PIA will be one of the cheapest VPNs if you use a special link, which is published in the review of cheap services.
Summary
- Private Internet Access has at least 3 technologies for bypassing blocks
- Free malware blocker
- Not suitable for unlocking video streaming services
The disadvantages of a free VPN for Instagram
If paid services don't suit you, you can try unblocking Instagram on smartphones or tablets for free. To do this, you can use the free subscriptions of some VPNs.
All free VPNs have significant drawbacks. For Instagram, this is primarily the inability to bypass IP address blocks. Repeated testing has shown that in countries with strict censorship, free VPNs pose more risks than they do good. Let me remind you that the prices of professional services that work successfully in almost any situation start at $2.49 per month.
However, I list the 5 best free VPNs for Instagram with the fewest number of flaws. They have more lenient data caps and at least provide the basic protection tools.
Free ProtonVPN
- Unlimited traffic
- Limited speed (may not be enough for IGTV)
- The trial period of the Pro version
- The paid version is effective for Instagram
ProtonVPN is a far ahead from other free services. It is the only provider who offers a free trial period of the “charged” Pro version, which turns into a free unlimited plan in terms of the amount of consumed traffic.
The apps don’t have StealthVPN, have a significant speed limit and only 4 available countries to connect to.
Free hide.me
- Good traffic limit - 10GB per month
- 3 countries
- No sign up needed
- Failure to connect to free servers
Hide.me VPN service offers free access without sign up, but with a traffic limit of 10GB per month.
Due to the fact that there is no need to create an account, hide.me can be used on different devices without them adding up to the overall consumed traffic.
It does not have technologies for additional user protection in countries with censorship, the domain of the site and the IP addresses of its servers can be blocked.
Free Windscribe
- 10GB per month for free (2GB without sign up)
- “Invisible” protocols support (failed testing in the free version)
- No flaws in the paid version
Windscribe turned out to be less better in reality than hide.me, although at first glance it looks more powerful. The fact is that although the provider offers the same 10GB per month for free, it's available only after you sign up. Also, its protocols, designed to hide the use of VPN from an Internet service provider, work so slowly for free that I could neither connect to Instagram nor open any site. Only ordinary protocols work.
For hidden use, you will need to upgrade to the paid version.
Free TunnelBear
- High speed
- More than 20 countries available
- Limit of 1500Mb per month
- No router support
One more VPN service with a free tariff plan – TunnelBear – is rather ambiguous. On one hand, it has too little traffic, but on the other, it provides high speed and greater reliability than competitors.
TunnelBear is good for those who don’t watch video content on Instagram.
Turbo VPN
- Available only for Android and iOS
- Low speed
- Lots of ads
- Unlimited traffic
TurboVPN is a mobile app with minimal functionality for changing IP addresses, effective only against the most primitive blocks. Intrusive advertising blocks the application with every action. I also note that there is no reliable data on the security of this service.
As soon as you get connected to the internet your system undergoes multiple threats. Sometimes customers think they are of no interest to hackers and continue posting at least a photo a day on such social media websites as Instagram.
Although security experts call people to give up the idea of posting their each step on Instagram, users go on putting confidential information publicly without any fear of being traced or interfered with by malicious actors.
Unfortunately, such attacks as identity theft and computer fraudulence are way easier to execute when your target gives all their private details to the attacker.If you are concerned about your online privacy, you need to utilize the right tools to stay protected online.
One of the best solutions for your network and Instagram account is a reliable VPN service. The best VPN for Instagram should possess several essential characteristics:
- The best VPN for Instagram has a vast variety of server locations.
- The best VPN for Instagram uses strong encryption protocols.
- The best VPN for Instagram offers unlimited bandwidth and speed.
- The best VPN for Instagram offers a trial version or a money-back guarantee.
- The best VPN for Instagram accepts different payment methods.
- The best VPN for Instagram provides 24/7 professional customer support.
The best VPN for Instagram has several fundamental functions:
The best VPN for Instagram hides your true address. If you travel a lot to some countries where the service is blocked or restricted, you will be able to connect to the internet through some other servers located in your country and run your ‘home’ network.
The best VPN for Instagram encrypts all your traffic.
This feature makes all your confidential invisible to hackers as it becomes unreadable and inaccessible while passing through a secure tunneling protected with unbreakable ciphers.
The best VPN for Instagram doesn't collect any user data or metadata, which makes your network protected from information leaks.
So, having subscribed for a reliable VPN service, your Instagram account as well as the entire network will be protected from multiple online threats.
Well, what you have learned can be used for your protection, for your anonymity, privacy, and secure networking.
Let’s Sum Up
Instagram is seen by many people as the perfect platform where they can share their memorable moments with family and friends. But whenever you're uploading your personal information there, you should consider the question of your security.
The Internet is not a safe place for one’s confidential information and there are so many cases proving this. Such social media sites as Instagram are especially vulnerable. Most people use Instagram from their phones, but our phones are probably the most insecure devices of all. Moreover, using free Wi-Fi is putting you even more at riskas public networks are more susceptible to cyber threats.
There are so many cases of hackers commiting their attacks and getting all the personal data they need. It can be your username and password or even your bank account credentials. You can protect yourself from such occurrences by subscribing to a VPN that utilizes the best tunneling protocols. Moreover, for such countries as China, Iran, Pakistan, and many others, a VPN service is very useful for unblocking Instagram. While looking for a good VPN, don’t forget to check all the candidates we’ve mentioned above.
When you sign up for a VPN, you will be able to browse the Internet safely and without any fear of being monitored. All of the data that gets transferred between the server and your real IP address is fully encrypted by the VPN. This makes it really hard for hackers, phishing firms, government spies and even your ISP to know what you are doing online.
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