There plenty of VPN services all competing for your business. Not all are actively promoting in China. Of those that are, how can you tell which VPN service will perform best in China? There are a few ways you can choose the best VPN in China, but in the end, there are too many variables to say that only one service is better than the others. Unfortunately, trial and error is the only way to know for sure.

Still, there are 2 things to look out for.

1. Presence it Google ads

Though I hate advertising just like everyone else, Google ads can give you insight as to which VPN services are active in China, and are brining in new customers. The thing that many people don't know is that the companies pay for these ads, and the ads can be targeted by location. For example, when you use a computer in China, and you search in Google, the search engine can see that your IP address is Chinese. It can also see that you're searching in the English language. VPN companies that want to target English speakers in China simply set their ads to be displayed in such conditions.

But what does that mean?

Most likely it means that they have customers in China. Hopefully these VPN providers are smart enough to know if their service is available in China. If they get customers there, they'll be more likely to keeps these ads running. Also, some private networks that have a domain blocked in China can create mirror sites that 'fly under the radar' and are not blocked. The best way to get found in this case is through an ad, because the mirror site won't get good rankings in Google.

2. VPN Review Sites

These are privately run websites that review and rank VPN services. They vary is quality, thoroughness, and niche - some targeting privacy advocates, and others targeting Facebook users in China. These sites are almost always affiliated with the services they promote, but that doesn't mean they're all liars out to get your money.

Which styles of reviews you're looking for, and what message will appeal to you varies. Some like a blog style 'this is my opinion' type review, while others want the straight facts, and then to be left alone.

There are plenty out there, and though many tend to rate the same VPN services in their top 5 or top 10, this can give you an indication of which providers generally have the fastest servers, the most features, and the best customer service. Some may even have a best VPN in China list. Though these aren't always accurate because very few site admins are actually in China, there are some VPN reviewers living in China that can give you more insight as to which VPN services are best suited for those behind the Great Firewall.