Looking for a VPN in Rwanda, but you’re overwhelmed by how many there are to choose from? Confused about downloading a free VPN or subscribing to a premium provider like NordVPN?
Since 2018, I’ve been a full-time writer covering VPNs, data privacy, ethical hacking, and similarly sensitive topics. Based in Rwanda, I have 6 VPNs installed on my laptop, and I’ve tested them all! You could almost call me an expert on the topic. And my go-to VPN for Rwanda is always NordVPN. Its the most reliable, easiest to use, and best value.
However, I wrote this guide to help you find the best VPN for Rwanda based on your specific needs. Maybe you’re worried about hacking and government surveillance. Or you just want to stream your favourite TV shows but can’t find a way around those annoying geo-restrictions.
Read on to find out which VPNs I use every day and recommend to my friends. My top 4 picks are the absolute best VPNs for speed, performance, and value for money.
Recommended Reading: check out our guide to the best apps for living in Kigali.
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Quick Guide: The 4 Best VPNs for Rwanda
- Best Overall: NordVPN
- Best Runner Up: Cyberghost
- Best for Speed: ExpressVPN
- Best for Budget: Surfshark
Should You Use a Free VPN in Rwanda?
Short answer: NO.
VPNs are incredibly complicated and expensive technologies to manage. Free VPNs use several tactics to make money from users and remain sustainable. This includes:
- Limiting your bandwidth and data
- Bombarding you with ads
- Plenty of other annoying schemes
But there’s also a much darker, more dangerous side to free VPNs. In my work researching VPNs, I’ve seen shocking examples of free VPNs:
- Secretly recording user activity
- selling this data to advertisers and shady groups
- allowing hackers to infect their networks with malware
Using a free VPN in Rwanda might be tempting, but it can end up costing you a lot more than a subscription to a more honest, transparent, and reliable premium provider like NordVPN.
If you’re still not sure, sign up to NordVPN or any other VPN listed below for 30 days. If you still don’t feel it’s worth the subscription price, you can request a refund. They all offer money-back guarantees.
1. NordVPN –Best All-Round VPN for Rwanda
| Africa Server Locations: | South Africa |
| Total Servers: | 5,400+ in 59 countries |
| Simultaneous Connections: | 6 |
| Built-in Ad Blocker: | Yes |
| Works for Netflix? | Yes |
Many experts consider NordVPN to be the best VPN in the world.
It seamlessly blends military-grade encryption and super-fast speeds with easy-to-use apps, so you’re always protected.
NordVPN has over 5,400 servers worldwide and can get through every restriction on Netflix, Youtube, Spotify, and every other streaming service.
Unfortunately, NordVPN has closed most of its African servers (possibly due to security issues), so users in Rwanda may experience slower speeds than other VPNs. However, it makes up for its slow speeds by providing the best privacy possible. You can set NordVPN to automatically start when you turn on your device – so you’re protected every second you’re online.
If you’re using a VPN for the first time or you’re concerned about privacy, NordVPN is the absolute best choice. If you need high speeds, try CyberGhost or ExpressVPN.
NordVPN offers new users a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free.
2. CyberGhost – Easiest to Use VPN for Rwanda
| Africa Server Locations: | Algeria, Rwanda, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa |
| Total Servers: | 6,600+ in 89 countries |
| Simultaneous Connections: | 7 |
| Built-in Ad Blocker: | Yes |
| Works for Netflix? | Yes |
CyberGhost has servers across every region in Africa – including 10 in Rwanda.
It also offers excellent value: you can protect up to 7 devices on a single subscription. This makes CyberGhost great for sharing amongst friends and family.
I’ve used CyberGhost a lot recently while working in Rwanda, and I can tell you that my connection is always fast – even while using servers in Europe.
CyberGhost isn’t as user-friendly as NordVPN. Switching between servers is more complicated, and I have to manually reconnect to the VPN any time my internet connection is disrupted. As a result, I’m often unprotected without realising.
However, CyberGhost offers Rwandan VPN users the best combination of speed and value on this list.
You can try CyberGhost risk-free, thanks to its incredibly generous 45-day money-back guarantee. That’s longer than any other reliable VPN provider.
3. ExpressVPN – Fastest VPN in Rwanda
| Africa Server Locations: | Algeria, Egypt, Rwanda, South Africa |
| Total Servers: | 3,000+ in 94 countries |
| Simultaneous Connections: | 5 |
| Built-in Ad Blocker: | No |
| Works for Netflix? | Yes |
ExpressVPN is probably the fastest VPN in the world.
While living in Rwanda, I’ve used it to connect to servers as far away as the USA and Asia without any issues. I regularly use ExpressVPN to stream and download restricted content and never experience problems with buffering or blocks.
ExpressVPN is expensive, however. The cheapest package costs $8.32 a month – so it might not be suitable for occasional VPN users. But if you’re using a VPN in Rwanda for professional purposes or need unlimited bandwidth and lightning-fast speeds, ExpressVPN is the perfect solution.
Test it out, and if you’re not happy, ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. Surfshark – Best Budget VPN for Rwanda
| Africa Server Locations: | Libya, Nigeria, South Africa |
| Total Servers: | 1,000 in 63+ |
| Simultaneous Connections: | Unlimited |
| Built-in Ad Blocker: | Yes |
| Works for Netflix? | Sometimes |
If you’re on a budget, Surfshark is the cheapest VPN I’ve used.
However, just because it costs less than every other VPN on the list doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing quality.
Surfshark provides robust speeds in Rwanda (I’ve checked!) and offers easy-to-use tools that keep you safe online and bypass most restrictions. Even better, Surfshark offers unlimited device protection. You can share a single subscription with your entire family and friends.
Surfshark is growing fast and might not always be this cheap. So, try it out risk-free for 30 days and see for yourself. If you’re happy with your experience, sign up and lock in this incredible value.
The Bottom Line
Using a VPN in Rwanda will keep you safe from cybercrime and shady surveillance. It helps you bypass the most frustrating restrictions Rwandan internet users experience every day. And, finally, it makes the internet a nicer, more enjoyable place.
See for yourself. Try out NordVPN or CyberGhost risk-free for a month and decide which one works best for your needs.
FAQs about VPNs in Rwanda
Are VPNs legal in Rwanda?
Yes, using a VPN in Rwanda is legal. In fact, VPNs are legal in most countries. However, if you commit an illegal act while using a VPN, it’s still considered a crime and, if caught, you can be arrested and convicted.
