Best VPN for Israel in 2024 – Super Fast and Reliable
Searching for the best VPN for Israel can be an exhausting task, but today’s guide aims to make the process dead simple. We’ll show you why you need a VPN in Israel, how to use your provider to unblock websites and prevent third-party snooping and make recommendations for the top Israeli VPNs.
Israel is a highly technologically advanced country, with one of the highest rates of internet access available in the region. The Israeli government is fairly liberal about internet access, allowing citizens to access legal content without too many restrictions.
However, there are some issues with using the internet in Israel. Firstly, there is a concern that some of the internet infrastructure in the country is rather outdated and does not have as good of security as it could. This is an issue you can see reflected in the high number of internet crimes which are committed by hackers or fraudsters in the country. It’s common to find free Wi-Fi networks across the country which are very convenient for users but can be readily hacked by malicious users.
Take control of your digital privacy in Israel with these secure VPNs:
- NordVPN – Best for Israel – NordVPN is the most secure VPN on the market, with its own proprietary NordLynx encryption, myriad specialty servers, a kill switch, and much more.
- Surfshark – A scrappy upstart with a slew of modern privacy provisions. Unlimited simultaneous connections, RAM-only network.
- ExpressVPN – BVI-based VPN with an exceptional logging policy, plus Lightway encryption for enhanced speed and security.
- IPVanish – A popular choice among torrenters, gamers, and streamers. Lightweight, easy to use.
- VyprVPN – The VPN of choice for power users, with customizable settings and the advanced Chameleon protocol.
A second issue with internet use in Israel is the number of neighbouring or nearby countries which operate extensive internet surveillance programs. When you connect to a regular network, your data can be bounced around your region before being sent on to its destination, and if you are using the internet in Israel then it’s possible that your data usage could be observed by a program from another country.
For reasons of both convenience and security, it’s good practice to always use a VPN when you go online. Today we’ll share recommendations for the best VPNs for Israel.
Choosing the Best VPN for Israel
You can see how useful a VPN can be for internet users of all kinds in Israel. But how should you pick a VPN provider, when there are so many to choose from? Here are the most important factors in choosing a VPN:
- Fast connections. Slow internet connections are a nightmare to deal with. All VPNs will inevitably slow down your internet a little bit, but a fast VPN will be so unobtrusive that you don’t even notice that it’s there.
- Servers in many different countries. When you want to get around region locks, you need to connect to a server in another county. Therefore, we look for VPN providers with servers in many different countries for maximum flexibility.
- Easy to use software. The software you use to connect to your VPN should be simple, easy to use, and have all the features that you might need.
- Strong security. To keep your data private, you want a VPN provider with 256-bit encryption and a no-logging policy.
Below is our list of the best VPNs for Israel that won’t compromise on speed or privacy.
1. NordVPN
If your number-one concern is a truly global VPN which you can use while travelling as well as to access regional content from around the world, then we recommend NordVPN. It has a massive server network which gives you access to servers in tones of countries, covering 5,700+ servers in 60 different countries to help you around region locks of all kinds.
This flexibility doesn’t come at the expense of security though, as the service offers strong encryption and no logging. NordVPN even offers a specialized double VPN server, which puts your data through the entire encryption and proxy routing processes a second time. This makes your traffic nigh impenetrable, untrackable, and able to penetrate even the toughest censorship measures like the Great Firewall of China. The software supports the Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, 8, and 10 operating systems as well as Mac OS, Linux, iOS, Chrome OS, Android, and Windows Phone.
Read our full NordVPN review.
- Very affordable plans
- No bandwidth caps
- No IP/DNS leaks found
- Extra-secure Double VPN for data encryption
- Money back guarantee policy.
- Sometimes slow in procesing refunds (but always do).
2. Surfshark
When it comes to your security, Surfshark is uncompromising. It has built quite the feature set since its 2019 launch and already ranks up there with the big dogs of the industry.
Surfshark’s network currently encompasses 3200+ servers in 65 countries, but this number is constantly growing. Each of those nodes punches well above its weight, with automatic access to advanced provisions like obfuscation, smart DNS, and NoBorders anti-censorship–no specialty servers required. On top of this, Surfshark uses only the most advanced tunneling protocols (OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, WireGuard) coupled with 256-AES-GCM encryption to keep hackers, ISPs, and government spies all at bay.
Rounding out the package is a kill switch, IP/DNS/WebRTC leak protection, adblocking and anti-malware, split tunneling, and more still. Israelis will appreciate the no-logging policy, which prevents Surfshark from forking over your personal data should the government come knocking for it.
- Robust servers blast through geoblocks to access your favorite streaming sites
- All 800+ servers are P2P-friendly, with private DNS and obfuscation
- Trial in confidence with a 30-day money back guarantee
- Absolutely no logging of connection data, IP addresses, bandwidth used, or traffic
- Helpful 24/7 live chat with an actual human being.
- Connection speeds won't impress users of other high-end VPNs
- Power users may wish for more settings to fiddle with.
Read our full Surfshark review.
3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the most popular and well-regarded VPN services that are known for its reliability and excellent security. The server network is massive, with access available to more than 3,000 servers in 145 locations in 94 different countries, which is perfect when you want to get around region locks and watch local content from elsewhere such as BBC iPlayer.
The security offers 256-bit AES encryption to keep your data safe and a no-logging policy to protect your privacy. The software is easy to use with useful features like a kill switch and a speed test to help you find the fastest server to connect to, and the software supports many platforms including both newer and older versions of Windows (including Windows RT, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, 8, and 10), Mac OS, Linux, and Android.
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
- SPECIAL OFFER: 3 months free (49% off - link below)
- Superfast servers (minimal speed loss)
- AES-256 encryption
- Strict no-logs policy for personal information
- Great support (24/7 chat).
- Max 3 connections simultaneously
- Slightly pricier than competition.
4. IPVanish
If your primary concern is speed, and you’re looking for a VPN with some of the fastest connections in the business, then we recommend that you look into IPVanish. They have a reputation for speed and reliability, in addition to the security features you would hope for. This includes a strong 256-bit encryption to stop people from hacking into your data, and a strict no-logging policy to make sure that your private records are never shared with others.
You can install the IPVanish software on a variety of platforms, including Windows 7, 8, and 10, plus Mac OS, Linux, and Android. The large network of 1,300 servers in more than 75 locations worldwide will allow you to get around region locks and to access websites from any country of your choice.
You can install the IPVanish software on a variety of platforms, including Windows 7, 8, and 10, plus Mac OS, Linux, and Android. The large network of 1,300 servers in more than 75 locations worldwide will allow you to get around region locks and to access websites from any country of your choice.
Read our full IPVanish review.
5. VyprVPN
VyprVPN goes to great lengths to show they take your privacy as seriously as you do. They have a special feature in the form of their exceptional Chameleon protocol which double encrypts all of your data. As well as encrypting your data as usual, this unique protocol also encrypts the metadata, meaning the information about the origin and destination of the data packets. This is the most secure possible way to use a VPN as not even the information about your data usage can be tracked.
The service gives you access to more than 700 servers in 70 different countries, for easily getting around region locks, and there’s a no-logging policy to protect your privacy too. You can install the VyprVPN software onto many devices including Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android, and your router.
Read our full VyprVPN review.
How Can You Get Around Region Locks?
A common frustration among internet users in Israel is that some websites are inaccessible. Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Spotify, and many more do not have copyright agreements in Israel and so people in Israel cannot use these sites. This restriction is achieved with a method called region locking. If you want to watch BBC iPlayer, then you need to be located within the UK – if you try to access it from Israel then you won’t be able to watch any of the videos.
SEE OUR GUIDE: How to Fool Websites into Thinking You’re in the U.K.
When you visit a big site such as Google or Amazon, you’ll notice that you are redirected to a local version of the site which is tailored to your geographic area. It may be presented in your local language, or have regional news items at the top. This is a kind of region locking too, directing users to a particular version of a site.
Fortunately, you can get around these region locks to access any internet site you want using a VPN.
How to Unblock Websites with a VPN
The way that region locks work is this: when you visit a website, the site selects which content to serve you based on your IP address. Your IP address is a unique string of numbers that corresponds to your device and which is assigned whenever you connect to a network. Every device has a different IP, so when data is sent to a network, it can be routed to the correct device by checking the IP.
Contained within the IP address is information about your current geographic location at the country level. When you are assigned an IP by an Israeli ISP, your IP will be clearly identifiable as particular ranges of numbers are allocated to particular countries. When you visit a website, the site sees that your IP is in Israel and serves you the Israeli version of the website.
If you want to access other content, such as BBC iPlayer from the UK or Netflix from Japan, then you need a different IP address. When you connect to a VPN, you can choose in which country the server you connect to is located in. If you connect to a UK server, you will be assigned a UK IP address, if you connect to a Japanese server you’ll get a Japanese IP, and so on.
This means that even when you’re located within Israel, you can spoof your location so it appears that you are accessing sites from anywhere else in the world. This means that you’ll be able to watch BBC videos or to see any version of Netflix that you want.
Other Reasons to Use a VPN
In addition to getting around region locks, there are several other reasons that you might want to use a VPN. It is beneficial to your privacy and security in a number of ways:
- Keep prying eyes away from your internet history. Whenever you connect to the internet using an unsecured connection, you should assume that your internet use is being observed. Your ISP will monitor your internet use and may check it more closely if they believe you are using their network for anything illegal. If the police or the government have concerns about your internet use, they can force your ISP to hand over their complete records of your internet history. This should be a matter of concern for all internet users, whatever they are doing online, as browsing history ought to be private. With a VPN in place, your data is encrypted so that even if your ISP looks into your internet activity, they will only be able to see how much data you have used, not what the contents of that data are.
- Download in safety. Israel has some pretty strict laws about copyright, so if you’re going to download files illegally then you need to be careful. Whenever you use P2P downloads such as torrents, you’ll surely attract attention from your ISP who may turn your data over to law enforcement. It’s essential to encrypt your data when you download it in order to avoid legal issues.
- Improve your security. Lots of places in Israel have free Wi-Fi, which is really helpful when you’re out and about and you want to check your email on your phone. However, you need to be careful on public networks. Due to the way networks operate, whenever you connect to one it is possible that hackers who are connected to the same network will be able to access your device. This could mean that they get access to your emails, bank account details, or credit card information. Whenever you connect to a public Wi-Fi network, you should always use a VPN to encrypt the data you send over the network. This way, it is impossible for hackers to get access to your data.
Conclusion
Israel is a pretty good place to be an internet user, with fewer restrictions on internet use than are found elsewhere in the region. However, the older internet infrastructure means that there are security risks when going online in Israel, especially when connecting to one of the many free public Wi-Fi networks which can be abused by hackers. In addition to these security concerns, users in Israel may want to be able to get around region locks and to use websites such as BBC iPlayer or Netflix.
Using a VPN can solve both of these issues, and many more. Encrypting your data before sending it over the internet will prevent hackers or government observers from being able to monitor your internet use. And connecting to a server in another country allows you to get around region locks.
Any of the VPNs that we mentioned above will be a great choice for users in Israel. Have you tried out any of these VPNs? And which is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
If you need a VPN for a short while when traveling for example, you can get our top ranked VPN free of charge. NordVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. You will need to pay for the subscription, that’s a fact, but it allows full access for 30 days and then you cancel for a full refund. Their no-questions-asked cancellation policy lives up to its name.
