How Many People Use VPNs in the UAE?

To name the exact number would be impossible, but a ballpark estimation can be given. According to Forbes, about a quarter of the UAE population have adopted a VPN in the year 2022, making the country the number 1 with most VPN users in the whole world, with Qatar coming right behind it as the second.

But what does this number mean? There are many ways to look at this bit of statistics, but any result from trying to make sense of it can only be achieved by knowing as many facts about the internet situation in the UAE and a tour of the VPNs in general, and VPNs in the MENA region in particular. Here in this article you get an answer to all of the relevant questions and more, so keep reading and see how to choose the right VPN for your needs in UAE and get a VPN that works in UAE.

The UAE, The Internet, and VPNs

The UAE is one of the few countries in the world where free access to internet content is restricted by the government. This restriction includes all major VoIP service providers, popular social media platforms, streaming in UAE, and gaming platforms like Roblox in UAE are blocked as well. This has many reasons, and our guess is as good as yours for it. The UAE government has a complicated relationship with the internet, and it definitely has to do with their  concern for how users use the internet, and what for. So one motive would be to monitor their online activity. Thus, the government has in place telecom companies who work as the only internet providers in the country.

Voice over IP: Reasons Why it’s Blocked in UAE

We mentioned that the UAE government owns most of the telecom companies in the country. This leads us to the most important reason for the UAE government’s filtering of the VoIP services such as Whatsapp and Facetime: Money. Having almost total sway over telecommunication business the UAE government wants people to use its own brands and make calls via services it owns, like BOTIM, an Etisalat VoIP service, and charge users for them, instead of giving up all of this business to Whatsapp and FaceTime, which don’t cost the user a penny. And of course, the demand is great, since the UAE is filled with immigrant workers and expats who wish to make calls to their family and friends. So WhatsApp and FaceTime, Skype and Viber, every major app that has a call feature is blocked in the UAE. But as you well know, there are ways to unblock all of these apps, and using a VPN is the best method. Here’s why.

VPN to the Rescue

A VPN is a Virtual Private Network. If you have acquired a good one, you’d learn how a VPN can protect your online privacy in UAE. Not only it changes your IP so your actual location isn’t visible to unwelcome eyes, but also it encrypts your data end-to-end, so nobody will be able to monitor your online activity, even your ISP (Internet Service Provider). It unblocks every bit of content you wish to access, and can’t. It can help you with geo-restrictions which some platforms themselves such as Netflix impose on users to curb their access to certain things, and it makes your WhatsApp calls crystal clear. If you have acquired tge right VPN for use in UAE, it has a no-logs policy which makes it the most private kind of internet product possible, since it means that the company that provides you with a VPN will not gather any of your data nor share them with third parties, so you’ll remain anonymous even to the company itself.

The Legal Side of VPN use in UAE

So it’s no wonder why so many UAE citizens have installed VPNs, it’s a very essential tool. But some may have a little bit of a concern when it comes to the legality of its use, but as we’ll argue, there’s no need to worry if you’re not acquiring the VPN to commit a crime. We’ve answered similar questions elsewhere, as we’ve listed below:

1. What are the legal implications of using a VPN in the UAE what you need to know
2. Is VPN allowed in UAE
3. Is there a VPN fine in UAE
4. Is it illegal to use VPN in UAE

Now, let’s be clear about one thing: we are not legal experts. Not lawyers, not even paralegals, so what comes next is not legal advice, but our personal takes on the situation in the UAE. If you wish to make sure of the exact legal situation, consult a lawyer.

There are two main ripples of hope against worry in the case of VPNs in the UAE. First, let’s answer the question Can the Police Track VPNs in the UAE, or Can VPNs be Tracked in UAE? The answer is it’s not likely, and if they could, they wouldn’t prosecute someone for calling family or friends, so if you’re not doing anything criminal with a VPN, don’t worry that much, because, here’s the second reason, so many people are using it! This gives us a clue that the use of VPNs may be frowned upon, but it’s not outright illegal.

So now that you know why every UAE resident needs a VPN and to have a VPN in UAE is a must not a nice-to-have, all you need is the ultimate guide to using a VPN in the UAE, and here it comes.

Why Free VPNs are Bad for You

It’s probably not said enough, or perhaps not so emphatically, but it’s true, and every network expert will concur. Free VPNs aren’t exactly free, because for one thing, it’s actually a costly business, and no one has yet heard of a well-known charity organization giving off free VPNs. These VPNs are selling something to somebody anyways. Here’s 5 VPNs to Avoid in the UAE. Those VPNs that claim to be free have at least two major defects. One, they aren’t safe to use, since their servers are probably shared all over the web publicly, or they are defective in their design, or they themselves gather user information or share their data with others.

Two, they don’t work well, since the best free VPNs are used by millions of users, so are their servers, ports and all. This means slower connection, if any at all, and bad quality of the internet.

Of these two defects, the security risks are great. Massive data breaches are being reported every year, having a million user free VPN as their source. So it pays to pay for a good VPN. Now we answer the most important question: which VPN is the best VPN in UAE?

MenaVPN

MenaVPN is the VPN. It has all the qualities to be rated the top VPN for use in UAE, and more. It’s based in the Netherlands, so it follows EU guidelines in respect to user privacy policy, and is equipped with a no-logs policy. It has so many servers in so many locations that users won’t get stuck with a handful of choices, and can change one into another if there was trouble. And last but not least, a support team for when you run into problems, a money-back guarantee, and a 7-day free trial. What’s not to love? Download it now and enjoy!