Grindr is the world’s leading social networking app for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ) people. If you live in a country where LGBTQ content is restricted for political, religious, or cultural reasons, you can still enjoy access using a VPN for Grindr.
A Grindr VPN allows you to bypass government censorship so you can chat with other LGBTQ people without fear of prejudice or discrimination. A VPN will also allow you to use Grindr more safely in countries where it is already available but could get you in trouble.
A Grindr VPN provides privacy so you can unblock Grindr, download the app, and use it – without being monitored by your internet service provider (ISP). Not every VPN has the features you need, however, which is why we have pinpointed the safest VPNs for Grindr.
What are the best Grindr VPN services?
We have listed the best Grindr VPN services below. To find out more about each service and for information about using a VPN safely, please scroll down.
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for Grindr. It's consistently fast and offers strong privacy features, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN - An excellent value-for-money VPN for Grindr. It's lightning fast, super-secure, and has servers all around the world.
- Surfshark - A great all-around VPN for Grindr. It can be used on unlimited devices and offers strong privacy features, making it ideal for Grindr.
- Private Internet Access - A very private VPN for Grindr. It has proven its no-logs claims in court, so you can enjoy Grindr with peace of mind.
- VyprVPN - A great mid-range Grindr VPN that has slick apps for all platforms. It is super-secure and has been audited by a third party to prove it.
A VPN for Grindr must be a service that has advanced privacy and security features. The potential dangers of using a VPN to access censored LGBTQ content in countries like Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Iran, and Uganda are very serious.
To ensure that you gain the privacy you need, The VPNs in the list above keep zero logs and come with the advanced VPN privacy features to ensure your safety when unblocking the platform.
The Best Grindr VPNs - In-depth analysis
Here is a breakdown of our curated list of the best Grindr VPNs. If you wish to learn more, you can head over to our VPN reviews page.
ExpressVPN is our top Grindr VPN. It comes with fast servers across the globe and all the privacy features you need to keep yourself safe when unblocking Grindr. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN is a provider based in the British Virgin Islands. It is a no-logs VPN provider that has apps for all platforms. Those apps are ideal for unblocking or accessing Grindr in privacy thanks to its kill switch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation. With ExpressVPN you get strong OpenVPN encryption, which means your data will always be secure. We love ExpressVPN because it has super fast servers in 105 countries
worldwide, which allows you to unblock hundreds of geo-restricted or censored services across the world. ExpressVPN will work with Grindr, but it will also work with sought-after services like Netflix US and BBC iPlayer. Plus, this VPN has 24/7 live chat support to help you set up the VPN or use it. Finally, you can test this VPN risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. NordVPN is a great value-for-money Grindr VPN. It's a super-fast service that is strong on privacy and has obfuscation for concealing VPN use from your ISP, government, or anyone else trying to spy on you. Nord Demo NordVPN is a no-logs VPN provider based in Panama that is strong on privacy. It is a reliable service with apps for all popular platforms that will easily let you bypass local censorship, access internationally geo-restricted content, or unblock content restricted by an admin at work, at school, or on public Wi-Fi. This makes it great for accessing and using Grindr anywhere that it is censored or blocked. NordVPN offers a wealth of market-leading security features that make it a good option for just about anybody. It also offers exclusive privacy features such as double-hop connections, VPN over Tor, DNS-based malware protection, Smart DNS, and more, all at a very reasonable price point. Plus, it has obfuscation so that you can bypass VPN firewalls, and conceal VPN use in places where accessing Grindr could get you in trouble. An outstanding and versatile VPN that is well worth trialing on any platform by using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Surfshark is another VPN that provides exceptional value for money. It is one of the cheapest services on the market, but it's still packed with features. Surfshark Demo Surfshark is a VPN provider that is only a few years old. However, it has quickly become a consumer favourite that generates huge amounts of praise. With Surfshark, you get apps for all platforms that come fully featured with OpenVPN encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation. This makes it a secure VPN that is at the top of its game and can be trusted for unblocking Grindr or other LGBTQ services. With Surfshark you get the benefit of a zero logs policy. That means the VPN will never store any records about what its users have done online. We love that this VPN lets people install and use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices. That is highly generous compared to other services, and makes this VPN great for people who own a lot of devices. And, Surfshark is one of the few VPNs that unblocks highly sought after services like Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, hulu, etc. This VPN is truly a superb all-rounder and the cost of a subscription makes it a bargain. It's well worth comparing to our favorite VPN for Grindr using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Private Internet Access is one of the most private services on the market and great for Gridnr. It has proven it doesn't keep logs in court and it's loved by subscribers. PIA Demo Private Internet Access (PIA) is a VPN based in the USA that is often praised by Reddit users in the many VPN recommendation threads that exist on r/vpn. While the USA is never considered the best place for a VPN to be based (because of the NSA, warrants, and gag orders) it is worth noting that PIA has a watertight no logs policy that it has proven in court on more than one occasion. This means that PIA is keeping no logs about what its users do while connected to its servers. In addition, PIA is an advanced VPN that comes fully featured with the settings you need to access Grindr safely. A kill switch, OpenVPN encryption, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation are all available here. Plus, this VPN has split tunneling, which allows you to encrypt some traffic while allowing the rest to behave normally. We enjoy the customizability available with this VPN, which allows techy users to get more granular control over the VPN. Plus, with this VPN you get fantastic speeds and 24/7 live chat support. Servers are located in only 33 countries, but those are excellent locations that are ideal for most people’s needs. And this VPN does unblock Netflix US. Overall, a superb VPN that is worth testing using its 30-day money-back guarantee. VyprVPN is a great mid-range VPN for Grindr users. It has slick apps for all popular platforms and has been fully audited by a third party, so you can be sure it's secure. VYPR Demo VyprVPN is a provider based in Switzerland; a location that is agreed to be one of the best places in the EU for a VPN to be based. The country has no mandatory data retention directives, and this VPN keeps zero logs, which means it has no data to hand over to the authorities. We enjoy using VyprVPN because it has easy-to-use apps for all platforms. Those apps come with a kill switch, DNS leak protection, OpenVPN encryption, and obfuscation. This makes it safe for accessing Grind or any other censored content that interests you. Admittedly, VyprVPN is not as fast as some of our other recommendations. However, it does unblock Netflix US and BBC iPlayer - and it has no problem streaming either. With servers in over 70
locations, this VPN is great for accessing huge amounts of international content. You can install and use it on up to 5 devices simultaneously. It's a strong VPN that many people come back to time and time again, and you can test it yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee. 1. ExpressVPN
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Is it safe to unblock Grindr?
LGBTQ content is blocked in many countries around the world for religious and political reasons. In the Middle East and North Africa, expressing any support for the LGBTQ community can get you in very serious trouble with the law. The same is true in Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and many other countries. Actively engaging in same-sex relationships is even more perilous. Accessing apps such as Grindr can be used as evidence of this.
Even in places around the world where it is not technically illegal to access Grindr or other LGBTQ websites and services, the social stigma could be enough to put users at risk.
Accessing LGBTQ content in some places could result in serious repercussions. For this reason, the decision to access this kind of content should not be taken lightly and should only be done with a complete understanding of the risks involved.
If you live in one of the 72 countries where same-sex activity is illegal, you will need to be very aware of the dangers involved before embarking on the quest to unblock Grindr. Stories about gay men being entrapped by police officers using Grindr show the severity of this issue.
At ProPrivacy, we want to provide useful information about unblocking restricted websites. Censorship is ugly, and it severely impinges on people’s human rights. However, whenever unblocking content could result in prosecution, physical harm, or a loss of life, it is our duty to explain the risks involved. At the end of the day, the risks can be great, and in some places, you may ultimately decide that it is safer not to unblock Grindr at all.
We urge everybody considering the act of unblocking Grindr to read this excellent article about accessing Grindr around the world. This includes five people’s accounts of their experiences using Grindr in countries where it is prohibited. Those personal accounts do a better job than we ever could of explaining the severity of the situation.
If you decide to unblock Grindr, you could face persecution or prosecution. You unblock Grindr at your own risk, and we accept no liability for any harm incurred because of the use of a VPN. This article is for education purposes only, and we do not encourage or recommend the act of unblocking Grindr which could lead to severe personal harm.
How will a VPN keep you safe on Grindr?
A VPN is an online privacy service that allows people to conceal their IP address and encrypt their internet traffic. This allows the VPN user to bypass local censorship by pretending to be in a different country. The encryption that a VPN provides ensures that your ISP is unable to track the websites you visit - which means that you can access restricted services privately.
There are hundreds of consumer-facing VPN services on the market, and not every service was created equally. Due to the risks involved in unblocking Grindr, it is essential that you stick to trusted VPNs that have certain advanced VPN features. Not every VPN has the features you need to access Grindr safely, which is why we have curated this list.
What features must a Grindr VPN have?
Anybody unblocking Grindr requires a VPN that has very specific features. If you use a VPN that is lacking in strong encryption, a kill switch, or obfuscation, you could be putting yourself at very great risk. The same is true if you use a VPN that has an unsafe privacy policy, or has software prone to leaks. The VPNs we have recommended all provide the features you need to unblock Grindr as safely as possible. Below we have detailed the features we looked for in these Grindr VPNs:
- A no-logs policy - Many VPNs create a profit from their users' activities, which means they store records of what their users do online to sell to third parties. These kinds of dodgy VPNs are a massive risk, which is why you must never use them. All the recommended VPNs in this article have a solid no logs policy, which means they will never hold any records about what you did online.
- OpenVPN encryption - A VPN is designed to encrypt your data so that it can never be tracked or monitored by your ISP or the government. For a VPN to offer privacy and data security, the encryption must be robust. In this article, we have recommended VPNs that provide well-implemented OpenVPN encryption; the best VPN protocol on the market.
- DNS leak protection - If a VPN leaks your DNS requests to your ISP, your privacy will be completely destroyed. DNS and WebRTC leaks are common problems that many low-quality VPNs suffer from. We have recommended only VPNs that suffer from no leaks and offer leak protection in their apps.
- A kill switch - A kill switch is designed to cut your device's access to the internet if the VPN connection drops out. This ensures that you never accidentally leak unencrypted data to your ISP. Always engage your kill switch before using your VPN to ensure that you cannot access the internet outside of the secure VPN tunnel.
- Auto-connect - If you forget to switch your VPN on and access Grindr or any other LGBTQ content, you will allow your ISP to track the websites you visit. Anybody who unblocks LGBTQ content must do so in privacy to ensure they are safe. Auto-connect VPNs ensure that your VPN always connects each time you start or wake your computer; so you never use the internet without the encryption provided by your VPN.
- Obfuscation - Obfuscation is an advanced VPN feature that disguises VPN encrypted traffic as regular HTTPS. This ensures that your ISP cannot detect VPN use itself, in addition to preventing your ISP from knowing what you are doing online.
See the table below to see how the best VPN services for Grindr compare based on the features we test them on.
| No Value | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | Surfshark | Private Internet Access | VyprVPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logs traffic | |||||
| Logs aggregated or anonymized data | |||||
| OpenVPN | |||||
| WireGuard | |||||
| IKEv2 | |||||
| IPv4 leak detected? | |||||
| IPv6 leak detected? | |||||
| WebRTC leak detected? | |||||
| Obfuscation (stealth) |
It is important to check your VPN isn't leaking your data
Before using your VPN on Grindr, you should check that it is not leaking your real location. We have created a tool that checks you VPN for leaks, simply follow the instructions when you have purchased a VPN.
How to use a Grindr VPN
Once you have subscribed to a VPN that has the features you need, the act of accessing Grindr is not particularly difficult. In the guide below, we describe the entire process:
- Select a VPN recommendation from this article.
- Navigate to the VPN’s website and subscribe.
- Download the VPN software and install it on your device.
- Ensure that you turn on the VPN kill switch in the VPN app’s settings.
- Ensure that you switch on VPN obfuscation to conceal your VPN use from your ISP.
- Select a server in a country where Grindr is available.
Anybody who uses Grindr with a VPN needs to ensure that they always connect their VPN before accessing any LGBTQ content or the Grindr app. Failing to turn on the VPN will result in your ISP being able to track the services you visit. For this reason, it is also recommended that you turn on the auto-connect feature on your VPN (if it has one).
Where is Grindr blocked?
Grindr app is either partially or completely blocked in the following countries:
- Turkey
- Saudi Arabia
- The United Arab Emirates
- Indonesia
- Lebanon
While Grindr is available in other countries, it is worth noting that using it can get you in trouble with the law. That is why it is so important to use a VPN to ensure you aren't being tracked by your ISP or the government.
Do I need a VPN for Grindr in a country where it isn’t blocked?
This is always going to be a personal decision. In some cultures, such as in Japan, gay members of the community go to great lengths to conceal their sexuality. Those citizens feel their sexuality is highly private, and for this reason, they seek to conceal their use of services like Grindr with a VPN.
At the end of the day, your sexuality is not something that should be added to a database about you. Unfortunately, however, data aggregators are known to use information about people to make secondary inferences about them. This includes figuring out their religious beliefs, political affiliations, and even their sexual preferences.
In the USA, ISPs are permitted to sell data about people’s online habits to third parties. This could see your sexual preferences being used to market or advertise products or services to you. If you do not want adverts for LGBT services appearing on the websites, apps, and services you use, we strongly recommend that you use anti-tracking and ad-blocking extensions and services (as well as a VPN).
To ensure that ISPs are not collecting sensitive personal data about you, we strongly recommend that you use a VPN to encrypt your internet habits to stop deliberate invasive tracking at the hands of ISPs, WiFi hotspot providers, and data-hungry services like Google.
Can I unblock Grindr at work or in school with a VPN?
If Grindr has been blocked on a local network, you cannot use it without a VPN. Workplaces and schools sometimes block websites and apps, YouTube, SoundCloud, and games like Minecraft and Fortnite. Local network administrators block this content to keep employees or students focused on their work.
The good news is that you can easily bypass these restrictions to access Grind on any network where it has been blocked. A VPN will encrypt your data so that the network admin cannot tell you are accessing Grindr. And, by spoofing your IP address to a different location, you can bypass the local firewall to access Grindr or any other restricted website or service.
Let's take another quick look at the best VPNs for the job:
From $6.67/month
The best VPN for Grindr. It's consistently fast and offers strong privacy features, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 10 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 8
- Server locations
- 160
- Free trial
- No
From $3.69/month
An excellent value-for-money VPN for Grindr. It's lightning fast, super-secure, and has servers all around the world.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.9 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 10
- Free trial
- No
- Server locations
- 135
From $2.30/month
A great all-around VPN for Grindr. It can be used on unlimited devices and offers strong privacy features, making it ideal for Grindr.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.8 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- Unlimited
- Server locations
- 140
- Free trial
- Yes
From $2.19/month
A very private VPN for Grindr. It has proven its no-logs claims in court, so you can enjoy Grindr with peace of mind.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.7 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- Unlimited
- Server locations
- 84
- Free trial
- No
From $5.00/month
A great mid-range Grindr VPN that has slick apps for all platforms. It is super-secure and has been audited by a third party to prove it.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.6 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 10
- Server locations
- 70
- Free trial
- No
Is it dangerous to unblock Grindr?
At ProPrivacy we think everyone should have the right to use the internet when and how they wish. This includes the ability to access dating websites for LGBTQ people, or any other resources related to beating LGBTQ.
Despite this, we urge everybody who reads this article to take their personal safety seriously. Unfortunately, there are countries where the LGBTQ community is frowned upon for cultural, moral, and political reasons. In some countries, it is illegal to be LGBTQ, and accessing websites like Grindr could get you in trouble with the authorities.
It is vital that you understand your local laws before you choose to proceed with using a VPN. It is also a good idea to understand all the different ways that you can stay private online, and that you use as many resources as possible in addition to a VPN (private messengers, privacy extensions for your browser, incognito mode, encrypted email, etc).
There is a very real danger that using Grindr could lead to imprisonment and in some cases even capital punishment. That is why we urge you to remember that nothing in this article should be taken as legal advice.
You use VPNs and Grind at your own risk, and we urge you to research local laws and the implications of using Grindr where you live before proceeding.
Can I access other LGBTQ resources with a VPN?
Yes. When you connect to a VPN server abroad you get a valid IP address in that country. As a result, you appear to live in the country you selected. This allows you to bypass any local censorship to access a large number of LGBTQ websites and services from around the world.
Below, we have included a list of interesting and popular LGBTQ websites and resources:
- The Advocate: A leading LGBTQ news source
- Human Rights Campaign: The largest LGBTQ civil rights advocacy group in the US
- GLAAD: Media advocacy organization for LGBTQ representation
- The Trevor Project: Provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth
- It Gets Better Project: LGBTQ stories and videos
- Autostraddle: Online magazine for LGBTQ women and nonbinary people
- Out Magazine: LGBTQ lifestyle and entertainment magazine
- Trans Lifeline: Crisis support for trans and gender-nonconforming people
- National Center for Transgender Equality: Advocate for transgender rights and policy change
- PFLAG: Support and resources for families, friends, and allies of LGBTQ people
The best VPNs for Grindr – FAQs