All facts checked 30 October 2026, with sources

Compare VPNs

Checked 30 October 2026

VPN for UAE

Which VPN apps are worth using in the UAE, which ones give you a UAE IP address from abroad, and what the law actually says. Every fact links to the provider's own page or the UAE's own legislation portal.

See the reviewsIs a VPN legal in the UAE?

VPN4UAE editorsUpdated

Status board30 Oct 2026
VPNUAE serverNo-logs auditFree plan
1NordVPNyes — Dubai and Fujairah, 18 serversyes — Deloitte, 2024 (fifth assessment)no — 7-day trial via the app (1- and 2-year plans)
2Surfsharkyes — Dubai, 12 serversyes — Deloitte, 2023 and 2025no — 7-day trial (12- and 24-month plans)
3Proton VPNyes — Dubai and Fujairah, paid plans onlyyes — Securitum, yearly 2022–2026yes — no data cap, no ads, 1 device
4ExpressVPNyes — city not namedyes — KPMG, 2025no — mobile trial through the app stores
5Private Internet Accessyes — Dubaiyes — Deloitte (as of 30 June 2022)no — 7-day trial for new mobile users
6Windscribeyes — Dubai, paid plans onlyyes — Packetlabs (servers), 2024yes — 10 GB a month with a confirmed email

YesPartlyNo

From each provider's own pages. Speed is not on the board: we did not run speed tests.

Quick answers

  • Is a VPN legal in the UAE?

    Yes, for lawful use

    No UAE law bans VPNs. Article 10 of Decree-Law 34/2021 punishes hiding your IP address to commit or conceal a crime, with fines up to AED 2 million.

    What the law says

  • Do the apps work here?

    All on the UAE App Store

    The 11 VPN apps we review or compare are listed on Apple's UAE App Store today.

    iPhone guide

  • UAE IP from abroad?

    9 of 12 VPNs

    NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, PIA, CyberGhost, Windscribe and others list UAE servers. No free plan includes them.

    VPNs with a UAE server

  • A free VPN worth using?

    Proton VPN Free

    No data cap and no ads, one device. Windscribe gives 10 GB a month.

    Free VPNs compared
Reviews

The VPNs we recommend for the UAE

Ranked on what each provider documents: independent no-logs audits, obfuscation for restrictive networks, UAE and nearby servers, devices and refund terms. Each one has a full review.

  1. NordVPN

    Best all-rounder

    18 servers in Dubai and Fujairah that NordVPN does not flag as virtual, 5 of them obfuscated for restrictive networks, and five independent no-logs assessments, the latest by Deloitte. No free plan.

    UAE server
    YesDubai and Fujairah, 18 servers
    No-logs audit
    YesDeloitte, 2024 (fifth assessment)
    Devices
    10
    Refund
    30 days
    Read the review Official site

  2. Surfshark

    Best for many devices

    Unlimited devices on one plan, 12 Dubai servers that its own server list does not mark as virtual, Camouflage Mode and NoBorders for blocked networks, and Deloitte no-logs reports in 2023 and 2025.

    UAE server
    YesDubai, 12 servers
    No-logs audit
    YesDeloitte, 2023 and 2025
    Devices
    Unlimited
    Refund
    30 days
    Read the review Official site

  3. Proton VPN

    Best free plan

    The best free plan we found: no data cap and no ads. Paid plans add 76 UAE servers in Dubai and Fujairah, some of them Smart Routing servers that sit in Marseille. Securitum audits its no-logs policy every year.

    UAE server
    YesDubai and Fujairah, paid plans only
    No-logs audit
    YesSecuritum, yearly 2022–2026
    Devices
    10 (Plus)
    Refund
    30 days
    Read the review Official site

  4. ExpressVPN

    Simplest apps

    Simple apps for almost every device, a UAE location that ExpressVPN does not list as virtual, automatic obfuscation and KPMG no-logs audits. It also runs a UAE edition of its website.

    UAE server
    Yescity not named
    No-logs audit
    YesKPMG, 2025
    Devices
    10 to 14, by plan
    Refund
    30 days (not app-store purchases)
    Read the review Official site

  5. Private Internet Access

    Unlimited devices, Dubai server

    Unlimited devices, a Dubai location that PIA's own server list does not flag as virtual, Intelligent Obfuscation, and two Deloitte no-logs audits (the first dated June 2022).

    UAE server
    YesDubai
    No-logs audit
    YesDeloitte (as of 30 June 2022)
    Devices
    Unlimited
    Refund
    30 days
    Read the review Official site

  6. Windscribe

    Build your own plan

    10 GB a month free, though the free plan has no UAE server. Paying users get Dubai, and Windscribe says it uses no virtual locations. Its Build-a-Plan option charges per location.

    UAE server
    YesDubai, paid plans only
    No-logs audit
    YesPacketlabs (servers), 2024
    Devices
    Unlimited
    Refund
    7 days, under 10 GB used
    Read the review Official site

Prices change by country, promotion and app store, so we link to the price pages instead of quoting them. Plans bought through the App Store or Google Play follow the store's refund rules.

Comparison

Compare 12 VPNs side by side

All facts from the providers' own pages, checked 30 October 2026. "Virtual" means the UAE IP address is served from a computer in another country.

VPN UAE server Free plan or trial Devices Refund No-logs audit Obfuscation
NordVPN YesDubai and Fujairah, 18 servers No7-day trial via the app (1- and 2-year plans) 10 30 days YesDeloitte, 2024 (fifth assessment) Yesobfuscated servers (NordWhisper)
Surfshark YesDubai, 12 servers No7-day trial (12- and 24-month plans) Unlimited 30 days YesDeloitte, 2023 and 2025 YesCamouflage Mode, NoBorders
Proton VPN YesDubai and Fujairah, paid plans only Yesno data cap, no ads, 1 device 10 (Plus) 30 days YesSecuritum, yearly 2022–2026 YesStealth protocol, Free plan too
ExpressVPN Yescity not named Nomobile trial through the app stores 10 to 14, by plan 30 days (not app-store purchases) YesKPMG, 2025 Yesautomatic obfuscation
Private Internet Access YesDubai No7-day trial for new mobile users Unlimited 30 days YesDeloitte (as of 30 June 2022) YesIntelligent Obfuscation
Windscribe YesDubai, paid plans only Yes10 GB a month with a confirmed email Unlimited 7 days, under 10 GB used YesPacketlabs (servers), 2024 YesStealth and WStunnel
CyberGhost YesDubai, 12 servers No24-hour trial on Windows and Mac 7 45 days (6-month and 2-year plans) YesDeloitte, 2025 Nonone named
TunnelBear No Yes2 GB a month Unlimited 30 days, yearly plans bought direct YesCure53, yearly since 2016 PartlyGhostBear, not on iPhone
Mullvad Nonearest: Israel, Turkey No 5 14 days (not cash) YesCure53, 2024 YesShadowsocks, QUIC, LWO
PrivateVPN YesDubai No 10 30 days Nonone published YesStealth VPN
IPVanish YesDubai No Unlimited 30 days (yearly and 2-year plans) YesSchellman, 2025 not confirmed
VPN Gate Nonone listed today Yesno sign-up — — Nokeeps logs for 3+ months PartlySSL-VPN over port 443

Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will check it again.

Set-up guides

Pick your device

Each guide lists the apps that are worth installing on that system, with the official download link, and what changed since our 2024 list.

  1. iPhone and iPad App Store apps, the VPN & Device Management screen, and the kill switch. NordVPN, Proton VPN, Surfshark Open the guide
  2. Android Google Play apps, Always-on VPN and blocking connections without VPN. NordVPN, Proton VPN, Surfshark Open the guide
  3. Windows Official installers only, the kill switch and split tunnelling. NordVPN, Proton VPN, Surfshark Open the guide
  4. Mac Mac App Store or the provider's own download, and the permissions macOS asks for. NordVPN, Proton VPN, Surfshark Open the guide
The law

VPNs and UAE law, in short

No UAE law bans VPNs or names them. The cybercrime law punishes hiding your IP address to commit or conceal a crime.

"Whoever circumvents an IP Address [...] with the intention of committing or to preventing detection of a crime": temporary imprisonment and/or AED 500,000 to 2,000,000.

Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, Article 10 (English translation)

Generally fine

  • A company VPN to reach your employer's network (TDRA says this is allowed).
  • A VPN on public Wi-Fi to protect your logins, as the UAE Cybersecurity Council advises.
  • A VPN for privacy from trackers and advertisers.

Legal risk or punishable

  • Reaching blocked sites or content that is itself illegal.
  • Calls on apps TDRA has not licensed: its FAQ says this "may be" an offence.
  • Any crime committed or hidden through a VPN (Article 10).

General information about published law and official statements, checked 30 October 2026. Not legal advice.

Read our legal guide

How to choose a VPN in the UAE

A VPN app is only as trustworthy as the company that runs it, because all your traffic passes through its servers. These are the five things we check, in order, before a VPN goes on our list:

  • An independent audit of its no-logs policy, with a date. Promises without one do not count.
  • Obfuscation (often called stealth or camouflage), which helps on networks that block VPN traffic.
  • A UAE or nearby server, and whether the provider says it is real or virtual.
  • Official apps for your devices, available on the UAE App Store or from the provider’s own site.
  • Fair terms: how many devices, how long the refund window is, and what happens when you buy through an app store.
VPN for UAE

Know the law before you connect

Before choosing a provider, understand the legal status of VPNs here. No UAE law bans VPNs or names them. Article 10 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 punishes hiding your IP address in order to commit a crime or to keep one from being discovered, with temporary imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 500,000 to 2,000,000. TDRA, the regulator, says companies may use VPNs for their internal networks, and the UAE Cybersecurity Council has advised using a trusted VPN on public Wi-Fi. Using a VPN to reach blocked content or to make calls on unlicensed apps is a legal risk.

Wikipedia’s article on the UAE legal system gives background on where the UAE’s VPN laws sit among the federal laws and courts; for the text of the law itself, use the official UAE Legislation portal linked in our legal guide.

Pick a guide for your device

Each device guide lists the apps worth installing, with the official download links, and what changed since our 2024 list.

iPhone and iPad

VPN for iPhone

Our iPhone VPN guide covers the App Store apps, the VPN & Device Management screen and the kill switch, which on iOS lives inside each app.

Android

VPN for Android

The Android VPN guide shows Google Play links and Android’s own safety switches: Always-on VPN and Block connections without VPN.

Windows and Mac

VPN for MacOS

For computers, see the guides for Windows and Mac: download only from the provider’s site or the official store, then turn on the kill switch.

What we do not do

  • We do not run speed tests, so we do not rank on speed.
  • We do not quote prices, which change by country and week; we link to the price pages.
  • We are not paid for rankings, and our links to VPN services carry no affiliate codes.

Facts on this page and in the comparison table were checked on 30 October 2026 against each provider’s own pages and the UAE App Store. How we check.

Guides

Tutorials and explainers

Short, sourced and dated.

Learn

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FAQ

Questions people ask about VPNs in the UAE

Is it legal to use a VPN in the UAE?

No UAE law bans VPNs or names them. Article 10 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 punishes using another IP address or any other means to hide your IP address in order to commit a crime or keep it from being discovered: temporary imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 500,000 to 2,000,000. TDRA says companies may use VPNs for their internal networks.

Using a VPN to reach blocked content or to call on unlicensed apps is a legal risk. This is general information, not legal advice; see our legal guide.

Which VPNs have servers in the UAE?

NordVPN (18, in Dubai and Fujairah), Surfshark (12 in Dubai), Proton VPN (paid plans; some are Smart Routing servers in Marseille), ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, Windscribe (paid plans), PrivateVPN and IPVanish list a UAE location. TunnelBear, Mullvad and VPN Gate do not.

Is there a free VPN with a UAE server?

No. Proton VPN Free, Windscribe Free and TunnelBear Free are safe free plans, but none of them includes UAE servers.

Can I use a VPN for WhatsApp calls in the UAE?

WhatsApp and FaceTime calls are not on TDRA's list of allowed calling apps, and TDRA's FAQ says using calling services not provided by a licensed operator may be a criminal offence. We do not recommend using a VPN for this; use an app on TDRA's list, such as BOTIM, Zoom or Teams.

Are VPN apps available on the UAE App Store?

Yes. All eleven commercial VPN apps we compare were listed on Apple's UAE App Store on 30 October 2026.

What if a website is blocked by mistake?

Ask for a review instead of using a VPN: TDRA's Block or Unblock Websites service accepts requests through UAE Pass and is free, and du and e& have their own forms.

Is VPN4UAE a VPN service?

No. VPN4UAE is a guide. We do not sell a VPN, and our links to VPN services carry no affiliate codes.

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Choose a VPN in two minutes

Twelve VPNs on one table: UAE servers, free plans, devices, refunds and audits.

VPN4UAE is a guide, not a VPN provider, and is not paid for its rankings.

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