How to use WhatsApp in Dubai | Best VPNs for enabling WhatsApp calls in the UAE

ExpressVPN Demo

ExpressVPN is our top pick whenever it comes to choosing a reliable, safety-driven VPN service. It's an industry veteran that not only follows but also sets industry trends, while remaining consistently fast and staying true to what it says on the tin. It offers great coverage across the Middle East and worldwide and it provides stealth servers to keep your online activities under the radar. On top of that, it eliminates all risks of data loss by never writing your information to the hard drive.

Exceptional coverage

ExpressVPN has thousands of servers in 105 countries across the globe, which is quite impressive. Over 20 server locations in the US and many Asian and Middle Eastern servers ensure you get a high-speed, low-latency connection from nearly anywhere. 

Besides, this VPN has excellent geo-spoofing capabilities, so not only will you be able to bypass your local ISP restrictions and make WhatsApp calls in Dubai, but you'll also get to unlock the full potential of other popular social media platforms and online services. ExpressVPN works like a charm with Netflix US, HBO Max, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video. I personally use it every time I need to have the smoothest video calls or I want secure and uninterrupted streaming.

Security leader

ExpressVPN is one of the most secure and private VPNs on the market. It offers military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, with WebRTC, IPv6, and DNS leak protection. A variety of advanced features are available if you wish to further customize your VPN experience. These include DNS leak protection, split tunneling for segregating your VPN traffic (WhatsApp, streaming, and gaming) from your non-VPN activities (online banking), and a kill switch that protects you from data leaks in case you lose your VPN connection.

You also get to choose between industry-leading protocols. OpenVPN protocol is perfect for people who like to play it safe and stick with battle-tested software. For those whose chief priority is speed, ExpressVPN's very own protocol, Lightway, could be an even better choice. It's based on WireGuard, one of the most innovative protocol solutions, and it's even more lightweight than OpenVPN (although not as tested).

Finally, ExpressVPN doesn’t log any of your identifiable data. It's known for its strict zero-logs policy, and you can pay in Bitcoin for even more anonymity. Admittedly, it's more expensive than the rest of the VPNs on this list, but you get a premium VPN, which works with WhatsApp calls in the UAE each time.

Consistently fast service on all your devices

ExpressVPN comes with fully functional, elegant apps for all your devices – iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and even Linux devices. Custom router firmware is also available, and the service is compatible with many Smart TVs and consoles, which means you can easily protect all your devices – up to five of them simultaneously.

We speed-test all the major VPN services (while keeping a close eye on less established providers as well), and ExpressVPN consistently remains one of the fastest VPN providers out there. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test its speed, features, and ease of use, without risking cash.

Nord Demo

NordVPN is another reputable VPN that’s very popular in the UAE – thanks to its cutting-edge features, chart-topping speeds, and affordable subscription plans. It's based in Panama, and its strict zero-logs policy has been independently audited, which is all great for your privacy. NordVPN unblocks all VoIP calling in Dubai, including WhatsApp, and it's super fast and affordable.

Amazing suite of features

NordVPN offers an impressive suite of privacy features at an affordable price. You get obfuscation (VPN cloaking) – which is a must in countries like the UAE. This feature masks your VPN traffic to make it look more like regular online traffic. In that way, it helps you stay unnoticeable so that you can circumvent even the strongest censorship. Other features that increase your online security in Dubai are:

• Kill-switch – stops all your data traffic if your VPN connection inadvertently drops to protect your sensitive data from exposure.


• DoubleVPN – changes your IP address twice in a row before you start your WhatsApp call in the UAE, making it even more difficult for your ISP to track you.


• DNS leak protection – protects you from Domain Name System leakages by directing all your internet traffic through a secure encrypted tunnel.


• Onion Over VPN – combines the privacy of NordVPN and Tor browser for more layered protection.


• Threat Protection – blocks annoying ads and potential malware threats. It's advisable to use this feature whenever you're trying to make a WhatsApp call via

Chart-topping speeds

To be able to enjoy seamless WhatsApp calling in the UAE, you'll need a VPN that's very fast. Speed-wise, NordVPN is a superb choice too. It's one of the fastest VPNs on all our speed tests, regularly topping all our charts.

If you wish to further speed things up, you can always opt for NordVPN's very own protocol, NordLynx. This advanced and lightweight VPN protocol ensures an even faster service and it does so without affecting your security. This protocol is ideal for achieving faster download speeds for your data-intensive tasks like streaming and torrenting. Speaking of which, NordVPN has servers optimized for these activities, which makes the overall service even better and speedier.

NordVPN can even decrease frustrating bandwidth throttling, which can interfere with your favorite hobbies online, making them impossible to enjoy. Same with most other unfair ISP limitations, NordVPN can easily bypass bandwidth throttling by masking your IP address. This makes it much harder for ISP to follow and restrain you. So, in places where bandwidth throttling is very prominent, using NordVPN can even increase your speeds online.

Best buy VPN

NordVPN comes with a great server network, dotted across 111 countries worldwide, so you'll never run out of server options in Dubai, nor on your travels. Besides, this VPN gives you safe access to all popular streaming platforms – Netflix US, Disney+, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and others.

All the advanced NordVPN features come with no extra charge (except for DedicatedIPs) and you get to use it on up to six devices simultaneously. Its apps are very intuitive and even fun to use, which you can try yourself using the 30-day money-back grace period this VPN offers.

PIA Demo

Private Internet Access (PIA) is the most reputable VPN company from the US that has been around for over 10 years. During that time, the company grew tremendously, but it kept delivering a service of the highest quality at a more than affordable price. This all-around VPN can unblock WhatsApp calls in Dubai in a blink of an eye and bypass the most oppressive internet restrictions, while keeping all your devices safe and protecting your sensitive data.

Secure and transparent

The fact that PIA is based in the US can sometimes discourage the most uncompromising privacy purists out there. But before you draw any hasty conclusions, keep in mind that this is one of the very few VPN companies in the world that has proven it keeps zero users' logs in front of a court of law – at least twice now. And, you know you can trust a service when in the past they had nothing to hand over to the authorities, even when facing a warrant.

PIA is also one of a handful of truly open-source VPNs. This means anyone can comb through its source code and see for themselves if everything works as it should. This kind of transparency is exactly what we like to see in a VPN –  it simply makes it even more trustworthy. PIA also uses military-grade AES-256 encryption in combination with cutting-edge VPN protocols. This includes lightweight WireGuard protocol, which ensures a super fast and secure online experience even with data-intensive tasks like VoIP calls.

Personalized service

Among many other useful features, PIA lets you create your personalized lists of favorite servers. This neat little hack can be a real time saver, especially if you're a passionate streamer who often likes to switch between different streaming platforms. So whether it's preferred Netflix servers, or the server you found working best with your WhatsApp calls in the UAE, PIA allows you to pick and save them all the time.

PIA offers a lot of advanced features that could feel slightly intimidating to people who are completely new to VPNs. It allows you to set up port forwarding that's super convenient for torrenting, obfuscation (stealth servers), and split tunneling which segregates your VPN traffic from your local traffic.

However, if you are a total newbie you don't have to worry about these just yet. PIA comes with OpenVPN by default, which will provide you with enough protection from the start. And, later on, when you're more comfortable with the service, you can dive into more advanced options. Inbuilt guides and 24/7 live chat customer support are available on PIA's official website if you need any help along the way.

An all-around VPN experience

PIA has tens of thousands of servers in over 84 countries worldwide, making it a leader in this category. Besides, with most of these servers located in the US, you never have to worry about running out of an optimal connection for your social networks and communication platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The same goes for removing geo-blocks from exclusive US catalogs on Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, and similar streaming platforms.

This means you can travel to Dubai and still enjoy the same apps as back home in the US, including Pandora, and HBO Now. Even if you're traveling with your family, PIA has got you covered. You get up to 10 simultaneous connections for all your devices, so all of your family members can relax and enjoy their favorite entertainment at the same time. Not sure if PIA is the best choice for you? Test it with its 30-day money-back guarantee.

PrivateVPN Demo

PrivateVPN is a Sweden-based VPN that's perfect for privacy-conscious users on a budget. This incredibly cheap service comes with a full set of privacy tools and user-friendly apps for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android devices. Its servers are strategically placed across 200 different locations worldwide, which means you can unblock WhatsApp calls from nearly any place in the world, including Dubai.

Level up your privacy

PrivateVPN allows you to upgrade your privacy by choosing among industry-leading protocols – including OpenVPN, which offers great speeds with tried-and-true security. You'll get a kill-switch to protect you from leaks in case your VPN connection drops, and the auto-connect functionality to get you back on track once the issue has cleared up.

It's one of the very few providers on the market which offer advanced SmartDNS functionality on every server it has! So you get even greater geo-spoofing possibilities and get to enjoy your favorite shows on a bigger TV screen, from the comfort of your chair.

Unblock WhatsApp calling and much more

With all these advanced privacy features, you'll be able to bypass even the strictest online censorships, and unblocking WhatsApp for video calls in the UAE becomes a piece of cake. Besides, PrivateVPN lets you access 100% of Netflix US movies and TV shows, which is great news for all US Netflix subscribers traveling to the UAE.

It means that using this VPN, you can enjoy the same quality of streaming from anywhere – a mind-blowing offer, especially when you consider the price of this VPN. At the same time, PrivateVPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting on this list, offering both dedicated P2P servers and port forwarding, for more secure and convenient file-sharing.

Excellent value for money

PrivateVPN is among the most beginner-friendly services on the market. All its apps come with a smooth and intuitive interface, so you won't have any difficulty setting up this VPN, even if you're new to the technology. Apps are available for all popular platforms – Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android and you get up to 10 simultaneous connections, which is quite generous.

Speaking of generosity, not only is this VPN super cheap, but it also comes with (occasional) promotional offers like 12 months subscription plus 12 months for free. You can also compare it to other services on this list risk-free, with its 30-day money-back guarantee, and then decide which service suits you the best.

Surfshark Demo

Surfshark is a hustle-free VPN that's very secure and incredibly fast, especially considering that it's a relatively new service on the market. It's based in the British Virgin Islands, which is great for your privacy and it provides a strict no-logs service for added security. You also get a bunch of handy features to further customize your WhatsApp experience in Dubai, including a vast number of static IPs. They ensure your favorite apps and online platforms always register the same IP address whenever you log in to them.

Stress-free experience

Thanks to thousands of Surfshark's VPN servers in over 100 countries across the globe, you'll be able to hop geo-restricted services like WhatsApp in a blink of an eye from nearly anywhere. Although it comes with a bunch of advanced features, setting up this VPN is very easy and it only takes a couple of moments.

Besides, its very own SmartDNS service is available free of additional charge, so you can relax and stream your favorite TV program directly from your smart TV. Surfshark is more than capable of keeping up with HD streams, VoIP calls, online gaming, and similar demanding online tasks, you name it! Split tunneling is also there to make the service even more efficient by directing certain apps and websites through a VPN server while sending the remaining traffic directly.

Features to match

When you live in a country like the UAE, even the simplest online tasks may feel stressful. Slow connections due to your ISP bandwidth throttling or inability to access certain sites due to strict censorship are quite common. Surfshark can bypass these and provide you with peace of mind, thanks to its impressive suite of security tools. You get robust encryption, with the latest and greatest VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard), plus DNS leak protection, and a kill-switch to protect you from inadvertent data leakages even if your VPN connection drops.

But, Surfshark offers more than just VPN services. It also shields you from annoying ads and dangerous malware that are nearly impossible to avoid nowadays. All you need to do is to enable CleanWeb and most of the online disturbances will automatically cease. You also get free IPTV protection (included in the basic plan), so you can watch your favorite online program on a big TV screen, bypassing your ISP limitations.

All the support you need, whenever you need it

Surfshark's customer support team is available 24/7 via live chat. So whether you're in a rush and you need quick advice on which server is the best for WhatsApp calling in Dubai, or you have some more technical queries, feel free to ping them anytime. In my experience, they always answer immediately and have plenty of useful information to share.

With Surfshark's unlimited simultaneous connections and apps for all your devices, including Linux, you really get your money's worth! You can test its superb features with a 30-day money-back guarantee available for all devices, or with the seven-day free trial available for Android, iOS, and Mac devices. Either way, you won't be disappointed.