The Sultanate of Oman is an absolute monarchy, meaning that there is no democracy, and the Sultan can change the laws on a whim. The legal climate in Oman, as in the rest of the Arabian Peninsula, does not encourage freedom of expression. As a result, you must be careful about what websites you visit and must self-censor to avoid criticizing the regime and local religious beliefs.
Local laws are vague and broad – giving the authorities free rein to interpret them how they wish. Being a foreigner in the country also offers no protection from arrest or prosecution, so you must be on guard when visiting the country.
Because of this, a VPN for Oman is an essential privacy tool. In this article, we discuss the best VPNs for Oman, and show you how to bypass Oman's strict censorship.
Best VPNs for Oman
We have listed the best VPNs for Oman below. To find out more information about any of these services, scroll below the list to see our in-depth analysis of each VPN.
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for Oman. It's consistently one of the fastest VPNs we test, it's super secure, and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- PrivateVPN - The cheapest VPN for Oman. You get excellent encryption and advanced privacy features. Works with major streaming platforms.
- Surfshark - A beginner-friendly VPN for Oman. It offers an impressive privacy toolkit but it's very easy to use, thanks to its slick apps.
- IPVanish - An all-round VPN for Oman. Offers robust encryption, fast connections, and strong privacy features for all popular platforms.
- VyprVPN - A reliable VPN for Oman. It has been audited by a third-party to prove it's secure, has fast servers, and great security features.
To ensure you get the best VPNs for Oman, we made sure all of our recommendations have the following features:
- Fast servers
- Strong encryption
- A no-logs policy
- Unblocks content
Best Oman VPN – Summaries
All of the VPNs recommended above have been picked because they have what you need to access the internet with high levels of privacy in Oman. However, if you require more details, you can read the summaries below to find out more about each VPN service and its features.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Oman. It's a reliable VPN, one of the fastest on the market, has excellent security features including stealth servers, and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN is a secure VPN with servers in 105 countries
worldwide; including in the Middle East. It is a service that is recommended because of its no-logs policy and advanced privacy features, which include a kill switch, DNS leak protection, strong OpenVPN encryption, obfuscation, and apps for all platforms. This makes it great for unblocking any content that has been blocked by the Omani government, and for ensuring that your ISP is unable to track your online web visits and metadata. With ExpressVPN you can easily access Skype, Whatsapp, or any other VoIP service you need to access. And you can torrent or bypass local censorship without being monitored. Plus, this VPN will protect your data both at home and on public WiFi. With Express you also get 24/7 live chat support – to get help when you need it. You can install this VPN on up to 8
devices at the same time. And this VPN is ideal for accessing international streaming services such as Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, and anything else you can think of. A world-class VPN that is ideal for gaining privacy and security in Oman. Well worth testing using its 30-day money-back guarantee. PrivateVPN is the cheapest Oman VPN. Perfect for those looking to regain their online freedom, thanks to its robust encryption, advanced features, and ability to easily bypass censorship. PrivateVPN Demo PrivateVPN is an established VPN based in Sweden. It is a secure service with a bespoke client that can be used on up to 10
devices simultaneously. PrivateVPN is a no-logs VPN service that has servers in 63 countries
around the world – including servers in the Middle East. Where privacy is concerned it lives up to its name thanks to its reliable apps and no-logs policy. It comes with a kill switch, OpenVPN encryption, a stealth obfuscation feature, and DNS leak protection. Plus, it is highly praised by consumers because of its excellent connection speeds. We enjoy using this VPN on all platforms and it can unblock Netflix US and a whole host of other catalogs and services. Overall, this is a great all-rounder that comes at a surprisingly low price. A solid VPN that will give you the privacy you need in Oman. Definitely worth taking for a spin using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Surfshark is an easy-to-use Oman VPN. It offers unlimited simultaneous connections with one subscription. It's secure, super fast, and unblocks most online services and websites. Surfshark Demo Surfshark is an outstanding VPN for anybody living in Oman who wants a cheap VPN that is reliable and secure. It has a choice of servers in over 100 countries
worldwide, with plenty of servers in and around the Middle East. It is also a fast VPN, which makes it great for VoIP and video conferencing – or for streaming in HD. Surfshark VPN is a no logs provider with reliable apps for all platforms. The VPN comes with vital features such as a kill-switch, OpenVPN encryption, DNS leak protection, and obfuscation. This ensures that you can use it to gain privacy in Oman – no matter what you choose to unblock or do. Plus, this VPN unblocks Netflix US and other hard-to-get international services such as Hulu or YouTube TV. We love that this VPN lets users install and use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices. This makes it ideal for both at home and on public WiFi. And, it permits torrenting throughout its network, if you do happen to want to download content privately. A reliable VPN that has superb 24/7 live chat support. You can test it using its 30-day money-back guarantee. IPVanish is a great all-round Oman VPN. Offers super-fast servers worldwide, a no-logs policy ideal for privacy, strong security features, and it's great at accessing restricted local content. IPVanish Demo IPVanish is another service that can get into Netflix US and any other US service you require. This VPN will get past the deep packet inspection methods of SmartFilter thanks to its XOR obfuscation, and this VPN has a watertight no-logs policy. IPVanish has great speeds compared to most other consumer VPNs, which makes it great for those who want to play online games, watch videos, or use video and voice chat systems. Besides, this VPN is secure enough to let you use VoIP without being tracked. The app installs itself and works on Windows, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS devices. There's also a version of the app for Amazon Fire TV, and you can set up the service on Linux machines and routers. IPVanish owns and runs all of its infrastructure, without having to resort to third-party services. That infrastructure includes servers in over 75
locations worldwide – including servers in and around the Middle East. A secure VPN with strong OpenVPN encryption and a kill-switch. You can compare it to our other recommendations yourself thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. VyprVPN is a reliable VPN for Oman. It has been audited by a third-party and it owns and maintains its entire server network – which is great for your security. VYPR Demo VyprVPN is superb for getting around regional restrictions on streaming services, so it will be a great help to you when you're in Oman and want to watch some lively entertainment. China has the most advanced internet access control systems in the world and VyprVPN beats them every time. This bodes well for the service's ability to keep ahead of the developing controls in Oman. In addition, VyprVPN has obfuscation and a kill-switch which makes it safe enough to bypass censorship imposed by the Omani government. This service has good speeds and gives great protection for torrent downloads. You're allowed to connect to the VPN network with five devices at the same time, which makes it a good choice for families. And you can test it thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee – a great all-rounder. HMA is the best VPN for getting Omani IP addresses. We recommend this VPN to anyone looking to access geo-restricted Omani content reliably and in privacy. HMA Demo HMA is one of the very few VPNs that offer servers in Oman. So, besides getting a worldwide network of servers to access a variety of international content from Oman (which all of our recommended VPNs offer), you also get the ability to access exclusive Omani local content, thanks to the Omani IPs that HMA provides. With servers in 210 countries
across the globe, HMA is a great choice for streaming – you get to access Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and many other streaming services. Besides, HMA regularly scores well on our daily speed test, so you can enjoy your favorite TV programs without buffering. Like the other VPNs here, HMA comes with strong 256-bit AES encryption and offers a choice of industry-leading protocols, including OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec. Privacy-wise, HMA had previously encountered a few bumps on the road, but it underwent a major revamp in 2020, and the company has become a true no-logs service. HMA offers advanced privacy features to protect your sensitive online activities in Oman, including a kill-switch, split tunneling (separates your non-VPN online traffic from your VPN traffic), and IP shuffle (that gives you a new IP address to trick online trackers). HMA is a safe and reliable choice for accessing restricted Omani websites and international services – and you can put it to the test yourself with its 30-day money-back guarantee! HMA comes with excellent cross-platform compatibility and allows up to 5 simultaneous connections (10 on a family plan), so you can try it with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and even routers. Finally, if you have any queries or concerns, its support team is available to provide assistance 24/7 via live chat. 1. ExpressVPN
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5. VyprVPN
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6. HMA
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How to use a VPN in Oman step-by-step
Using a VPN in Oman is not difficult if you pick one of the VPNs in this article. This is because they all have custom apps for all platforms that come with the important security and privacy features you need to stay safe in Oman. To help you out, we will explain the entire process below:
- Subscribe to the VPN that best suits your needs (we recommend ExpressVPNas the best overall VPN for Oman).
- Download and install the VPN and log in using your credentials.
- Open the VPN app's settings and ensure that you have turned on the kill-switch
- Check the encryption settings and ensure you are using a robust protocol like OpenVPN or IKEv2
- Next, find the obfuscation (stealth) feature and ensure it is switched on
- Choose a VPN server location and click 'connect'
As soon as the VPN connects, your data is encrypted by the VPN, and you can use the internet without being tracked by your ISP or the government. You can also bypass any local censorship or circumvent international geo-restrictions.
Why you should consider a VPN in Oman?
The main purpose of all media controls in the Sultanate is to maintain the moral and religious standards of the population. These controls do not just apply to internet access. TV and music are also subject to tight censorship. Furthermore, there's frequent monitoring of phone calls for seditious or blasphemous content.
The second aim of the authorities is to stamp out potential political unrest. All government workers are direct employees of the Sultan. One of their main tasks is to keep him in power without any restrictions on his rights to control the population. Thus, even a favorable comment about democratic procedures abroad can get you into trouble.
VOIP/Internet telephone ban
Oman also bans internet telephony. The state owns and operates the only landline. Mobile services are a lot more deregulated. Omanis can get their 3G service from Omanmobile, a division of Omante, or from Ooredoo. The state operates the former and the Sultan of Qatar runs the latter. He has similar views on freedom of expression to his Omani counterpart. You can access the mobile networks of two other companies in Oman (Renna and Frendi), but neither offers data packages.
Skype is not available in Oman. Neither are Viber, IMO, or Google Hangouts. Chat systems in social media sites are available, but providers disable their voice and video functions. Surprisingly, WhatsApp and Signal work occasionally, although no one can predict when they will work and when they won't.
You can access banned sites if you can circumvent the blocks that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) implement. However, Oman blocks both proxy servers and the Tor network. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are legal and popular in the country. Thus, if you want access to better entertainment, or to visit dating, porn, gay, gambling, or political sites, you had better use a VPN.
Internet controls in Oman
Keeping internet access in the hands of just the state-owned telephone company, and a mobile company that a friend of the Sultan owns makes centralizing internet controls easy. You can only connect to the internet with your computer or phone if you have a contract with an ISP – which means Omantel or Ooredoo.
WiFi hotspots are non-existent in the Sultanate, so you won't gain anonymity by surfing at an internet café. The owners of these establishments have to get a license to operate. In order to get that permit, owners have to submit floor plans of the space, showing that all screens are visible by a centrally-located human invigilator. Internet cafes also have to install network proxies, which block access to banned sites. They also have to log all the activities of their computers.
ISPs in Oman operate blocklists of sites. These restrict access to a long list of addresses. Individual webpages on permitted sites can also be blocked for delivery if they contain images of indecently dressed people, or include any of a list of alert keywords. A piece of software (SmartFilter) by a division of McAfee in the United States carries out these checks. Just about every government in the Middle East enforces its use, including Oman.
Censored entertainment in Oman
There are 13 TV stations in Oman. All of their shows are heavily censored. The same is true of the music that is available in the country. Movies and shows are edited to remove offensive content, in many cases to the point of being unwatchable. Furthermore, many popular TV shows around the world are just not shown in Oman.
Fortunately, you can access entertainment from other countries over the internet. There is even an Omani branch of Netflix. However, you don't get the version they show in the US. The entertainment library that you get access to in Oman is pretty similar to the shows that you would see on TV there.
If you have a Netflix subscription in Oman, you can watch Netflix anywhere in the world. The service is different in each country. The library you get access to depends on your location when you enter the website. As such, if you're in the US when you log in, you get access to all of the great entertainment available to customers in that country.
Therefore, if you have a VPN, once you've connected to a suitable server, you'll be able to change Netflix region and unblock shows not available in your location. However, not all servers and providers support this, so check the current VPNs that work with Netflix.
Are free VPNs safe in Oman?
Most free VPN services available on the market have been revealed to be extremely insecure. Studies have shown that free services have unreliable apps, critical leaks, invasive privacy policies that let them harvest your data, and apps that contain malware. This makes it extremely dangerous to use those VPNs.
The good news is that there are some free VPNs out there that will not put you at risk. Some VPNs provide a limited free plan to advertise their service and to give consumers a chance to trial the VPN. Those free plans are limited in various ways:
- Fewer server locations
- Slower connections
- Monthly usage limits
Despite these drawbacks, those free services are generally safe to use. However, due to the political situation in Oman, we generally recommend against using any free VPN in Oman if it does not come with a kill-switch and obfuscation (features that you are very unlikely to get with a free plan).
For this reason, we must recommend that anybody accessing content that has been blocked by the government of Oman uses a secure paid subscription with the advanced privacy features you need to stay safe. Luckily, all of our recommended VPNs have money-back guarantees, which means you can try the best VPNs without risking your money.
How to access Skype and VoIP services in Oman – step-by-step
Accessing VoIP apps that have been banned in Oman is easy using a VPN. Simply follow the steps below to access and use those services in complete privacy:
- Follow the steps above to activate your VPN.
- Select a VPN server in a country where Skype (or your desired VoIP app) is available and click connect.
- Open the app store and download Skype (you may need to create a new account for the app store and change the region with your VPN connected).
- Remember to connect to your VPN every time that you launch Skype and use it.
Using a VPN with a kill-switch and auto-connect function will help you stay protected when unblocking VoIP apps in Oman.
Conclusion
You may grow impatient with the restrictions and surveillance on what you can see on the internet in Oman and may hope to access banned websites. All of the VPNs in this review work well in Oman and will keep you private and secure.
Not only will they protect your identity, but they will let you access overseas streaming services. Remember to cover your tracks in Oman with a VPN that offers advanced privacy features, such as a kill-switch and obfuscation. If you want to access a free and open internet without putting yourself at risk, here's a reminder of our top picks for VPNs in Oman:
From $6.67/month
The best VPN for Oman. It's consistently one of the fastest VPNs we test, it's super secure, and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 10 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 8
- Server locations
- 160
- Free trial
- No
From $2.00/month
The cheapest VPN for Oman. You get excellent encryption and advanced privacy features. Works with major streaming platforms.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.9 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 10
- Server locations
- 200
- Free trial
- No
From $1.99/month
A beginner-friendly VPN for Oman. It offers an impressive privacy toolkit but it's very easy to use, thanks to its slick apps.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.8 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- Unlimited
- Server locations
- 140
- Free trial
- Yes
From $3.33/month
An all-round VPN for Oman. Offers robust encryption, fast connections, and strong privacy features for all popular platforms.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.7 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- Unlimited
- Server locations
- 75
- Free trial
- No
From $5.00/month
A reliable VPN for Oman. It has been audited by a third-party to prove it's secure, has fast servers, and great security features.
- ProPrivacy TrustScore:
- 9.6 out of 10
- Simultaneous connections
- 10
- Server locations
- 70
- Free trial
- No
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