While the Internet is open and free in Brazil, you will still want to have a VPN running on your devices, if for no other reason, then to be able to access content that is reserved for users in the United States and Europe.
In addition, a VPN will keep you protected while using public Wi-Fi hotspots. It does that by encrypting all data traveling between your devices and the rest of the Internet.
The same capability lets you keep a low profile online, allowing you to anonymously surf the web, download and upload stuff using BitTorrent, and — most importantly — avoid pesky trackers from the likes of Google and Facebook. That freedom NOT to be tracked is worth a ton, yet even the best VPNs cost just a few dollars per month.
That being said, here are the best VPNs for Brazil:
Pros
Cons
- 5,000+ servers in the network
- Easy to use - install it and forget it
- One license is good for up to 6 devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Chrome extension is just a proxy
- You can't pay with PayPal
Summary
Its network includes more than 5,000 servers spread across 60 countries, which directly translates into faster speeds. NordVPN is also very secure, relying on the strong 256-bit encryption combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec). But as a user, you get a seamless experience with all this technology "doing its thing" in the background.
NordVPN is well suited to pretty much every task you throw at it — whether it's accessing a banned site from some country that filters out the internet, torrenting, accessing streaming services, or just wanting to keep a low profile on the web. It also doesn't keep any logs.
We highly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for reliable service.
Pros
Cons
- Feature-rich yet easy to use
- One of the best VPNs around
- Strong no-logging policy
- Reliable support you can reach 24/7
- Limited number of servers in Africa and the Middle East
- Kinda pricey
Summary
ExpressVPN has great desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps and browser extensions. Also, it is well suited for video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and others.
However, what makes it stand out is its ease of use. We can't emphasize this enough. One could tell a lot of time has been spent making sure even the advanced features are easily accessible. And we love it for that. Plus, let's not forget ExpressVPN's speed which tends to leave other services in the dust.
Pros
Cons
- It's super fast!
- Works with Netflix, BBC and others
- Easy to use apps, browser extensions
- You can try it for free!
- Some advanced features are not configurable
- Not the best for high-censorship countries
Summary
Furthermore, thanks to the availability of browser extensions - Hotspot Shield is also one of our top choices for Chrome and Firefox VPNs.
Your privacy is equally well protected, with the software only collecting some anonymized that help continually improve its service.
There is one caveat though - it won't work in high-censorship countries like China. If you don't need that in the first place, we highly recommend Hotspot Shield.
As that's typically the case with most VPN services out there, the longer you commit - the better deal you get. However, what makes Hotspot Shield even better is the fact that it offers a 7-day free trial of its service. A few other top VPN providers do the same. Plus, its money-back guarantee lasts for 45 days, making for a risk-free purchase. Cause, you can always get your money back. Sweet and just the way we like it.
Pros
Cons
- Reliable download and upload speeds
- Works with Netflix and BBC iPlayer
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Lets you use it on unlimited number of devices
- Low number of servers in Africa and Australia
Summary
You can rely on it for streaming and torrenting, with included extra features like CleanWeb and MultiHop, delivering a that much better — and more secure — experience.
Surfshark, the company, is based in the British Virgin Islands and with its zero-logs policy makes for a powerful combo to anyone looking to keep its web whereabouts under the radar.
The service is easy to use and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
Cons
- One the best VPNs for torrenting
- Works well with Netflix
- Simple setup on all popular devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Doesn't work with BBC iPlayer
- Doesn't work in China
Summary
Its desktop apps are not among the prettiest ones, but they get the job done. The important thing is that installation is easy and straightforward, and that no logs are kept by the company.
When it comes to pricing, IPVanish is somewhere in the middle — it's not the most affordable option but also not the most expensive one. As noted, it will be most appreciated by heavy BitTorrent users, and — related — Kodi fans.
Freedom of speech and the press in Brazil
Brazilian law enforces freedom of speech and press, and generally speaking – the authorities respect these rights. The independent media are active and express a wide variety of views with no restriction, but nongovernmental criminal elements continue to subject journalists to violence because of their professional activities.
However, a growing number of cases of judicial censorship of the media poses a serious threat to press freedom. Brazilian law states that “material deemed offensive to a certain party may be removed if said party enters judicial action”. And, unsurprisingly, this is sometimes exploited by companies and government officials, whom the law sometimes favors.
The National Association of Newspapers (ANJ) reported a number of cases of imprisonment, aggression, censorship, and failure to respect freedom of the press.
Internet freedom in Brazil
There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or credible reports that the government monitors e-mail or chat rooms. There is, however, a trend of individuals and official bodies taking legal action against ISPs and social media platforms, holding them accountable for content posted to or provided by users of the platform. Judicial rulings often result in the forced removal of content from the Internet.
Brazil is not individually classified by the OpenNet Initiative (ONI) but is included in the ONI regional overview for Latin America.
Brazilian legislation restricts the freedom of expression (Paim Law), directed especially to publications considered racist (such as neo-nazi sites). The Brazilian Constitution also prohibits the anonymity of journalists.
A somewhat scary thing happened in March 2009. When Chamber President Michel Temer ordered TV Câmara to remove a video of a debate from its website in which CartaCapital journalist Leandro Fortes criticized Gilmar Mendes’ tenure as Court President. Many viewed this as political censorship and the video was soon posted on YouTube. After being denounced for censorship by the country’s main bodies representing journalists, TV Câmara has uploaded the debate back to its website.
Things went even further south in September 2012, when an elections court in Brazil ordered the arrest of Google’s most senior executive in the country — after the company failed to take down YouTube videos attacking a local mayoral candidate. The stringent 1965 Electoral Code bans campaign ads that “offend the dignity or decorum” of a candidate, although critic is, notably, permitted.
That decision was overturned by another judge who wrote that “Google is not the intellectual author of the video, it did not post the file, and for that reason, it cannot be punished for its propagation.”
You need a VPN for Brazil…
And not just to bypass some restrictions that could be imposed on your way to the truly open Internet, but also to be able to access content that could otherwise (without a VPN) be outside of your reach. Overall, you need a VPN that lets you do many things, including:
- Accessing content that could otherwise be restricted in your physical location.
- Preventing tracking and minimizing your digital footprint so that no one can track you online (at least not that easily).
- Avoiding throttling from your ISP – which is known to happen when you’re torrenting or accessing video streaming services.
- Bypassing firewalls in a workplace, university, school and so on.
- Bypassing censorship in places like China, North Korea, countries in the Middle East, and even Turkey and Russia.
- Securely connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots – with a VPN encrypting all the traffic coming to and from your devices.
The bottom line is – get a VPN that fits all your needs. The top contenders include the following:
