5 Best VPNs for 4chan (Tested & Verified)

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NordVPN is the best VPN for 4chan, offering reliable servers that unblock the imageboard website anywhere. NordVPN also protects your IP address from hackers and ensures anonymity while posting to your preferred imageboards.

I tested 20+ other VPNs for 4chan, besides NordVPN. Only Surfshark, ExpressVPN, PureVPN, and AtlasVPN come close to the reliable unblocking, privacy, and advanced security features you need.

In the rest of this guide, I’ll discuss why you should use these VPNs for 4chan, how to set them up properly, and how they compare.

So, let’s get to it!

4chan has a reputation for attracting some of the best and worst people.

But you never want to be at the mercy of hackers, scammers, creeps, and stalkers on the platform.

Thus, you need a reliable VPN to protect your IP address, which might be the first stage in uncovering your identity.

4chan is also known to have a herd mentality. So, suppose you don’t protect yourself. In that case, a group of other users may launch a doxing or DDoS attack on you for airing different opinions.

On top of that, some ISPs, network admins, schools, and employers restrict access to 4chan’s website over their networks. This has happened in the USA (via AT&T and Verizon), Australia (via Telstra), and New Zealand, among others.

In these cases, you need VPNs with numerous servers in supported locations and a reliable unblocking ability to get past the ban.

I also selected some VPNs with fast obfuscation. That way, you can bypass the most advanced internet service provider (ISP) firewall blocks to 4chan without suffering an internet speed drop.

So, if you’re ready for 4chan protection and unblocking access to the site, read the summaries of my top VPNs below.

Top 5 Best 4chan VPNs

4chan homepage

I didn’t just choose the first few VPNs I used. After extensive testing, here are some reasons these VPNs made the list:

  • NordVPN – Offers reliable unblocking on 5500+ servers and fast speeds to view the imageboard website from anywhere, on any network, and on any device.
  • Surfshark – Provides 3200+ servers to gain access to 4chan on unlimited devices from anywhere. Best for students, a large family, and other group buyers.
  • ExpressVPNFast obfuscation on 3000+ servers ensure you’ll always have access to 4chan without losing speed. Even when blocked by firewalls or other advanced techniques!
  • PureVPN – Reliably fast obfuscation over quantum-resistant servers that protect your IP address and ensure anonymity on 4chan.
  • AtlasVPN – A great free VPN for 4chan users looking for protection right now without whipping out their credit cards… yet!

These summaries are one thing, but how do these VPNs compare against one another? What features make them spectacular for 4chan? What exclusives do they offer to bolster your security, privacy, anonymity, and content unblocking on 4chan?

Fortunately, I tested all these. The results of my tests and comparisons are detailed in the mini-reviews below. So, how about we get to it?

Mini-Reviews and Comparisons of My Top VPNs for 4chan

Over a month, I tested 20+ Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers using 4chan from a few regions. I discuss why my top five made this list, what to look out for and how they compare against one another.

NordVPN – Top-Shelf Security and Privacy on 4CHAN Over 5500+ Servers

accessing 4chan with nordvpn using us server

NordVPN offers the second largest server count on this list (5500+) and is spread across 59 countries. These servers ensure

  • You can unblock 4chan from a lot of countries where it’s available.
  • You don’t have to suffer VPN server congestion since there are lots to choose from.
  • You can get a new IP address (tens of thousands even) to tighten your anonymity on 4chan.

I tested NordVPN’s unblocking activity over these servers too.

Fortunately, the provider accessed 4chan from the Americas, Oceania, Europe, and Asia.

available server locations on nordvpn

Furthermore, NordVPN uses AES 256-bit encryption on these servers across all security protocols. With this, you can rest assured that

  • No one on 4chan will see your actual IP address to dox you, find out where you’re from, etc.
  • 4chan can’t ban your actual IP address since it’ll only see a VPN-assigned IP address.

On top of that, you get the kill switch setting in the NordVPN app to prevent accidental IP/DNS leakages if the VPN connection randomly drops.

locating nordvpn kill switch features

You’ll only get the toggle-able kill switch setting option in the PC and Android apps, though. For iOS users, it’s built into the system and automatically enabled whenever you connect to any server.

NordVPN is also a fast VPN provider optimized for speed to cause negligible connection drops. Since 4chan doesn’t allow video uploads, it’s fast enough to load all threads, comments, image uploads, and webms without delay.

However, when your ISP is blocking access to 4chan behind a firewall, you might need to enable NordVPN’s obfuscation.

This feature massively reduces your internet connection speed due to the extra security and military-grade encryption.

nordvpn obfuscation servers

Fortunately, 4chan isn’t a data-demanding platform, so you’ll be fine anyway. Even so, it’s best to choose ExpressVPN if you don’t want to lose speeds to obfuscation protocols.

Moving on, I appreciate the audited no-logs policy on NordVPN.

This ensures no data is written to its servers. Thus, even the most brilliant 4chan hackers and attackers won’t know your actual IP address, what VPN client you’re connecting from, or other sensitive connection details.

highlighting device compatibility on nordvpn profile settings

As a bonus, NordVPN allows you to protect six devices simultaneously on one account. So, you can share a single subscription with other 4chan users you know, family members, or other privacy enthusiasts seeking online anonymity.

No matter how you choose to share, you’ll still be paying the same affordable rate.

NordVPN pricing
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Don’t forget to grab these NordVPN discounts for an even better deal.

Pros

Cons

Surfshark – Budget VPN With 3200+ Servers to Safely Unblock 4CHAN

accessing 4chan with surfshark using morocco server

Surfshark doesn’t provide as many servers to unblock 4chan as NordVPN. 

However, its 3200+ servers are in 99 countries. Such extended reach makes it possible to

  • Find a server in your country to unblock 4chan for less ping and higher speed.
  • Explore more country options to bounce your IP address around, making it infinitely impossible to be deanonymized.
  • Avoid a 4chan IP ban by connecting to thousands of IP addresses in these countries.

I’m also impressed by Surfshark’s addition of Rotating IPs for an even more exciting way to throw 4chan stalkers and creeps off your trail.

This feature randomly changes your IP address while connected to the exact server location.

surfshark rotating ip

Thus, you don’t suffer a connection drop during the IP change or when manually switching servers to change your IP address.

Even if the connection drops, there’s a reliable automatic kill switch to terminate the internet connection till you have the VPN tunnel back up.

surfshark kill switch feature enabled

So far, Surfshark is the ONLY provider with this rotating IP feature.

It’s also the only one, besides AtlasVPN, to include the kill switch setting in its iOS app.

During other tests, I found that Surfshark is fast enough to load all the images and webms on /vg/, /vrpg/, /wg/, and other imageboards with slightly higher quality images. This isn’t surprising, considering that all Surfshark’s servers are optimized for 1-10Gbps speeds.

However, there was a noticeable connection drop once I enabled Surfshark’s obfuscation to test 4chan’s unblocking over restrictive networks.

openvpn protocols options on surfshark
Surfshark uses its OpenVPN protocols for obfuscation

The good news is that Surfshark’s obfuscation (dubbed Camouflage Mode) is faster than NordVPN’s. Even so, it’s nowhere near the speeds I got with ExpressVPN.

If that isn’t a dealbreaker, you should be happy to know that Surfshark uses the same AES 256-bit encryption as NordVPN. Besides keeping your IP address safe, this encryption also prevents hackers or your ISP from seeing what you’re doing online.

This may come in handy when viewing NSFW imageboards like /hc/, /hm/, and/aco/ to pass some free time at work or school without looking to get judged (or worse) by your network admins.

On top of that is Surfshark’s audited no logs policy.

You’ll appreciate that more when

  • Someone tries to hack Surfshark’s server to see your actual IP address, the websites you’re visiting, your connection logs, etc.
  • Your network admin/government/ISP reaches out to Surfshark to collect information about what you’ve been doing online.

In either case, Surfshark won’t have any data to give or leak.

After all, it doesn’t collect or write any such data to its servers/hard drives.

But that’s not all the interesting bits of Surfshark.

compatible systems on surfshark
Surfshark supports all devices you may use 4chan on

This VPN service provider’s most significant selling point is the promise of unlimited simultaneous connections. That allows a large user group to buy a single Surfshark subscription to unblock 4chan, surf the imageboard website privately, and enjoy free internet on other platforms.

Still, it’s an affordable VPN provider.

Screenshot MS 1 1
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Get these Surfshark discounts while they last to get better value on your purchase.

Pros

Cons

ExpressVPN – Fast Obfuscation on 3000+ Servers to Unblock 4CHAN Under Censorship

accessing 4chan with expressvpn using india server

ExpressVPN uses automatic obfuscation on all 3000+ servers in 94 countries, and it’s wicked fast!

I like this because I don’t have to enable obfuscation specially (as with the other VPNs) if my ISP or network admin was blocking 4chan using advanced methods.

Obfuscation disguises your VPN traffic as regular internet traffic.

Thus, VPN blocks set up by your network admins and ISPs won’t restrict the software.

expressvpn vpn protocols while connected to norway server
ExpressVPN's protocols, all obfuscation-ready

Besides, ExpressVPN has this mode enabled on all servers and protocols.

This is unlike

  • NordVPN which only has a few obfuscated servers and is only enabled on its OpenVPN (TCP) protocol.
  • Surfshark and PureVPN which allow obfuscation mode on their OpenVPN (UDP & TCP) protocols.
  • Atlas VPN which doesn’t even have an obfuscation feature.

Knowing that obfuscation uses extra encryption technology, it’s not uncommon that it gives a more considerable speed drop.

Despite that, ExpressVPN is still consistently faster than, or on par with, other providers I tested.

Furthermore, ExpressVPN uses the same AES 256-bit encryption to keep your 4chan activity private. There’s also a Network Lock kill switch to prevent accidental IP leaks if the VPN connection drops.

expressvpn network lock settings

Otherwise, 4chan may realize it has banned your IP in the past and restrict your account again. Or, other 4chan users who have been on your IP trail may finally unravel your identity.

The downside is you won’t find the kill switch setting in the ExpressVPN iOS app. On the upside, it’s automatically enabled when you connect to any server under any protocol.

headline about 4chan and 8chan isp block in australia and nz
ExpressVPN is reliable enough to bypass ISP blocks to 4chan, thanks to its fast obfuscation

A look at the torrent boards (/t/) on 4chan shows a lot of users requesting others to seed torrents for them. There are also other users requesting torrent files for downloads. ExpressVPN is the best bet for torrent downloads and seeding if you’re in any of those shoes.

torrenting with expressvpn using spain server

While the other listed VPN providers are also great for safe torrent downloads, they don’t allow seeding. Besides PureVPN, that is.

That said, ExpressVPN has twice been audited for its strict no-logs policy. So, it doesn’t store connection data either.

However, you should know that ExpressVPN is the most expensive provider to pass my tests. Also, it offers the least simultaneous connections (only five) of the tested providers.

ExpressVPN plans
Image for illustration only. Design, deals, and details may differ. Click on the image for current info.

Considering the fast obfuscation, reliable 4chan unblocking, high-level encryption, and ease of use, the VPN provider is also worth it.

Luckily, you can save more with these ExpressVPN discounts while they last.

Pros

Cons

PureVPN – Reliable 4CHAN Unblocking, Anonymity, and Security on 6500+ Servers

purevpn 4chan us server

PureVPN shares similarities with ExpressVPN and beats NordVPN in a series of relevant areas for 4chan users.

For starters, it offers the largest server count (6500+) to unblock 4chan access from abroad. In fact, you can connect to a server in your country (if 4chan isn’t blocked there) to ensure lesser ping while encrypting your activity from your network admins.

servers ping values on purevpn

These servers are also more than enough to bypass IP bans, no matter how long, by 4chan’s janitors. However, you may have to create a new account under the IPs or simply post under an Anonymous account instead.

While PureVPN doesn’t provide automatic obfuscation on all servers, it offers some quantum-resistant servers. You’ll likely not need this level of protection. Still, it’s good to have if anyone tries to deanonymize you using quantum processing technology.

available location servers on purevpn

That’s layered on the basic AES 256-bit encryption that all my other listed VPN providers offer. So, something extra.

When a VPN connection drop happens, PureVPN kicks in with its standby kill switch. Like the rest of the pack (besides Surfshark and Atlas VPN), there’s no kill switch setting in the iOS app. But rest assured that it’s activated anytime you connect to a PureVPN server on iOS.

enable iks under general settings on purevpn

During further tests, I saw that PureVPN uses its OpenVPN (UDP & TCP) protocols rather than supporting universal obfuscation like ExpressVPN.

Still, I’m impressed by the stellar speeds it maintains over obfuscation.

purevpn protocols

In fact, I loaded high-quality images on the High Resolution (/hr/ – NSFW) and travel boards, which are known to be slow and use better quality images.

Still, I wasn’t going to sacrifice speed for privacy and security.

So, I’m happy that PureVPN is also twice audited for its no-logs policies like ExpressVPN. It even has a surprise audit setup (by KPMG), so it can be audited without prior notice.

Unlike ExpressVPN, PureVPN doesn’t charge too much for this relatively fast obfuscation. And you can use the VPN on 10 devices simultaneously, presenting even better value for money.

purevpn pricing
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Enjoy these PureVPN discounts to save more on your preferred plan purchase.

Pros

Cons

AtlasVPN – Best Free VPN Provider for 4CHAN Users

accessing 4chan with atlasvpn using netherlands server

If you don’t want to spend money on a VPN right now, AtlasVPN offers a reliable free version you can use. However, you won’t get many of the features you need for 4chan, which is enabled over its premium plan.

But that doesn’t make the free version useless.

For starters, you get 3 servers in the Netherlands and the USA, both of which are locations where 4chan is available.

us servers on atlasvpn

However, recall that AT&T and Verizon (both major US carriers) have blocked access to 4chan. So, I’m not confident you’ll always have access to 4chan over Atlas VPN’s servers.

Also, the Netherlands and the USA are a part of the 14 Eyes countries.

So, they’ll do anything to control your data – including blocking access to sites like 4chan, where you may post anonymously.

To AtlasVPN’s credit, it employs the same AES 256-bit encryption as the other VPN providers I tested. This is rare on free VPN providers, with most of them only leaving you out to dry. Also, it doesn’t pepper you with ads that ruin your 4chan experience.

headline about at&t blocking 4chan
AtlasVPN will conveniently bypass ISP blocks to 4chan

However, you may have to stay off high-resolution images and active threads when using Atlas VPN. Given the 5GB bandwidth limit on the free plan, you can only browse the imageboard website so long before Atlas VPN stops protecting you.

highlighting atlasvpn bandwidth

Fortunately, Atlas VPN is fast. But you won’t get the high connection speeds you need over these free servers. This is understandable, considering that tens of thousands of other VPN users are sharing the same 3 servers with you.

This is opposed to the lesser overcrowding on the thousands of servers you get with my other providers.

It’s also sad that Atlas VPN doesn’t offer obfuscation.

So, suppose your employer, school, or network admin sets up firewall blocks to 4chan. In that case, you won’t have any luck unblocking access with Atlas VPN.

Alternatively, it provides a SafeSwap feature, but that’s not available on the free plan either.

safeswap servers feature on atlasvpn

A silver lining in all these is the iOS kill switch. This doesn’t mean that other VPNs without one don’t protect your iOS traffic.

But being able to toggle it yourself may give you an extra sense of security over trusting the VPN to automatically enable something that sensitive.

But there’s a severe downside.

Atlas VPN is based in the USA – the convener of the 14 Eyes countries – and doesn’t have an audited no-logs policy. So, it expects us to believe it’s not storing user data without getting an audit while based in one of the most user data-invading countries.

audit results of atlasvpn
Only the AtlasVPN iOS app is audited, and not specifically for no logs

It makes up for that with unlimited simultaneous connections, which also extends to the free plan. But with a 5GB bandwidth per account, I’m not sure how many devices would benefit.

Personally, I think you can try the free plan to see if this is the better VPN for you. Fortunately, it’s not expensive if you later commit to a paid plan.

Atlas VPN black friday prices

Also, I’ve got these AtlasVPN discounts to ensure you don’t spend more than necessary.

Pros

Cons

How to Use a VPN for 4CHAN?

The ideal setup for a 4chan VPN is to enable the kill switch for IP/DNS leak protection, select a suitable protocol, and choose the correct server.

I’ve detailed how to get the setup correctly below:

  1. Buy a preferred VPN. I use NordVPN for 4chan.
  2. Download the VPN app for your preferred device to access 4chan.
  3. Enable the VPN kill switch. Go to Settings > Kill Switch > toggle Internet Kill Switch.”
locating nordvpn kill switch features
  1. Choose a suitable protocol. NordLynx is preferred if there aren’t firewall blocks to 4chan. Otherwise, enable OpenVPN (TCP) to use obfuscation.
nordvpn nordlynx protocol
  1. Search and connect to a suitable server.
  2. Test for leaks after connection confirmation.
  3. Start surfing 4chan anonymously.

Is a Free VPN Good for 4CHAN?

Free VPNs are usually not good enough for 4chan. These free VPN services often lack reliable encryption and servers to protect you on the imageboard website.

Some free VPNs may even collect your internet data and sell it to third-party agents, ruin your 4chan experience with ads, and not give you any security for all that intrusion.

4chan block free unreliable vpn
4chan has blocked almost all free and unreliable VPNs

It’s, thus, best to choose an affordable yet reliable VPN like NordVPN to enjoy 4chan from anywhere without risking deanonymization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing a secure and reliable VPN provider like NordVPN is the best way to bypass the 4chan VPN IP ban. Since trustworthy VPNs offer thousands of IP addresses in different countries, you can unblock the platform over these IP addresses, access the entire account function, and simply connect to another VPN server for a new IP address if 4chan bans that one too.

NordVPN isn’t banned on 4chan. The online imageboard doesn’t have the technology to monitor and block the thousands of IP addresses that NordVPN provides on its 5500+ servers.

However, some commonly used NordVPN IP addresses may have been banned on the platform. In this case, NordVPN constantly refreshes the IP addresses on its servers, and you can always connect to another server to unblock 4chan.

4chan sometimes restricts user activity by blocking the user’s IP address from posting content or opening a new account, even though they can still view the platform.

In this case, it’s best to get a reliable VPN provider like NordVPN, which assigns you a new IP address that’s unbanned by 4chan.

Also, remember to enable the VPN kill switch to prevent leaks that could inform 4chan’s servers that you’re the same user that was previously banned.

4chan isn’t against VPN usage and doesn’t prevent users from using them on the platform. However, you should never hide behind a VPN to post crimes, support crimes, or commit cybercrime on 4chan.

Post & Interact Freely on 4chan

Escape the scope of internet stalkers and creeps on 4chan with extra protection from these VPNs. Also, you can access 4chan from school, the office, or anywhere else without letting your network admin see the threads you’re interacting with.

That, and you can avoid IP bans on 4chan with reliable VPNs like NordVPN.

Here are some NordVPN discounts to help you save more and get a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the provider risk-free.

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