If you reside in Bulgaria or visit the place for travelling purposes, you can’t access certain websites and streaming services. An error message appears on your screen that “the service is unavailable in your region” every time you try to access the website. In Bulgaria, you can’t wholly access the free internet because of internet censorship. The best way to access the free internet is to use a VPN. This article informs the readers about the best VPN for Bulgaria.
If you’re looking for the best VPNs to use in Bulgaria, then stick with us until the end of this article. Before we get into the best VPN for Bulgaria, let’s first discuss the data protection laws in Bulgaria and why we need a VPN in Bulgaria.
Why Use a VPN in Bulgaria?
Like in Austria, people in Bulgaria don’t enjoy much internet freedom. According to Stats, at present, 4.7 million internet users are present in Bulgaria. By 2025, these numbers will rise to 4.96 million. Being the oldest European country, Bulgaria faces data privacy, freedom, and censorship issues. However, the government is working hard to end the old autocratic regime to the EU standards of internet freedom and privacy protection.
In Bulgaria, it is illegal to download torrent files of any copyrighted material. It means that you can face severe consequences if you are caught torrenting. You can get fined or even end up in jail for involvement in torrenting. It is best to use a VPN for torrenting as it ensures your identity remains hidden and no one can ever catch you. There are plenty of other reasons as well why you should use a reliable VPN in Bulgaria.
Like in Bulgaria, the regional restrictions in East Europe can prevent permanent residents and visitors from accessing the streaming sites. It means that in Bulgaria, you can’t access content on the US Netflix, Disney Plus, or BBC iPlayer. Here again, a VPN comes into play. It helps in overcoming all the barriers that a user faces in accessing the geo-blocked content. With the best VPN for Bulgaria, you can access various streaming content on your TVs, laptop, smartphone, or even on different streaming devices.
We all are aware of the threats and dangers of using an open wi-fi network. In Bulgaria, where you like in a coffee shop, cafe, hotel, or any other tourist place, you find public wi-fi. Using unsecured wi-fi allows hackers to control your network and quickly launch malware or cyber-attacks on your device. If you want to use the internet at any public place, make sure you’re connected with a VPN. Using a VPN on public networks makes you anonymous, and hackers can’t intercept your device and harm your device or your sensitive data.
Moreover, the Bulgarian internet laws, which first seem to be excellent in favour of the users, do not benefit the netizens. The internet laws cover press and speech freedom, and the ruling government body respects them all. For instance, the Bulgarian constitution opposes the government and law enforcers from intervening with users’ privacy. The security services can obtain the judge’s permission to investigate any criminal activity, but it happens quite unusually.
However, many of international organizations consider Bulgaria not as liberal as it depicts. Several international NGOs report that both public and press members face restrictions on their online activities in Bulgaria. The ISPs monitor and track users’ online activities and block them from accessing certain content and websites. Thus, it would help if you used a VPN. Using a VPN in Bulgaria also allows the users in the following ways:
- You can torrent and use the P2P file-sharing services without any hindrance.
- Hide and encrypt your data and online activities from the government, ISPs, and any other snooping eyes.
- You can bypass the geo-blocked restriction and can watch content from any country.
- Defeat the Bulgarian censorship laws.
As a whole, using a VPN in Bulgaria makes your internet usage secure and protected so, do use the best VPN for Bulgaria.
Bulgarian Personal Data Protection Commission
Bulgaria follows the Bulgarian Data Protection Act that underwent amendment in February 2019. The Act was last amended in November 2019. In Bulgaria, the Personal Data Protection Commission is now enforced. The commission is the main power that manages and handles individual information. The commission also consists of the GDPR bodies that audit, issue, and pull back information, stamps, and seals.
The PDPC has various roles like conducting training and workshops for the information security officials (DPOs). All those who have chosen a DPO to inform the commission about the DPO’s contact delicacies and character. The PDPC also keeps a record for:
- Anyone who breaks the GDPR and the Act with the complete measures
- Code of conducts
- Controllers and processors who have named DPOs
- Empower the affirming bodies
- Warnings when a piece of individual information gets broken
Things You Should Look For In a VPN for Bulgaria
Although there aren’t any strict censorship laws in Bulgaria, the ISPs track the users’ online activities and restrict them from accessing several types of content and websites. Thus, before using a VPN in Bulgaria, it is essential to make a wise decision during the selection stage. Below are the crucial factors that you should look at in a VPN for Bulgaria. These include:
- Zero Log Policy: Use a VPN that follows a strict no-log policy. The VPN provider shouldn’t store any of your data logs, IP addresses, or connection timestamp to expose your identity.
- Robust Encryption: A VPN that uses the military-grade encryption standard is the most reliable to use. It should secure VPN protocols and advanced security boosting features that enhance online security and protection.
- Stable Network: Ensure that the VPN provider you are going to use has an automatic kill switch that protects your IP address when there’s a connection drop. Also, it should protect you from IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks.
- Fast Connection Speed: It is an essential factor that you can’t neglect. Always run a speed test to satisfy yourself that the VPN is offering fast connection speed with any connection lags.
- Bypass GeoBlocks: One reason to use a VPN in Bulgaria to access the blocked content. Your VPN should overcome the geoblock and unblocks all more streaming services and channels.
- Compatibility: Make sure the VPN you choose is compatible with all devices and operating systems. It should offer VPN apps that are easy to install and use.
How to Use a VPN in Bulgaria?
Setting up a VPN is not as tricky as choosing the best VPN. It is a simple process, and if you follow the correct steps without having much technical knowledge, you can still set up a VPN within a few minutes. Below are the steps to set up a VPN in Bulgaria:
- Sign up with the best VPN for Bulgaria. We are recommending NordVPN in this case.
- Download and install the VPN software for your device.
- Sign in to your VPN account by entering the relevant details.
- Now, open the VPN app and connect to a server of your choice. Like, if you want to unblock BBC iPlayer so, choose a server in the UK.
- Open your web browser and go to the website or the streaming service you want to access.
- You can now watch or do anything on the web without fearing someone noticing you. If you still face connection issues, you should clear your browser cookies and cache or contact your VPN provider’s customer support service to fix the problem.
Can We Use Free VPNs?
The VPN market is full of free VPNs. Though the free VPNs don’t charge a single penny from the users, they do exploit the users’ privacy in the following ways:
- Free VPNs are famous for slowing down your internet speed. It is because of the frequent ads and pop-up browser messages you receive while you browse the internet.
- The free service providers come with limited data usage. If you exceed the limit so, your VPN would stop working. The monthly data limit is so less that it isn’t enough for streaming or torrenting.
- They contain malware hidden in the pop-up messages. Clicking on such messages will infect your device with malware, and this might harm your sensitive data.
- The free VPN loads your browser with third-party trackers. These trackers collect your data and sell it to marketers.
- They don’t keep your data secure because they track your data and activities to collect relevant information about you.
With all this, using a free VPN in Bulgaria isn’t recommended. Invest in a trustworthy VPN and enjoy a high level of online security and privacy.
Mid-range VPN, consumer-friendly and easy to use
- Mimic protocol offers very fast speeds
- Unblocks Amazon Prime Video & BBC iPlayer
- P2P- optimised servers for torrenting
- Smart Mode split tunneling on macOS
- 24/7 live chat feature
Available on :
Bottom Line
Bulgaria is one of the European countries with strict internet censorship, like in China or the UAE. Still, protecting your online presence is the right of every individual. The best way to do this is to use the best VPN for Bulgaria to avoid online surveillance. Use a premium VPN instead of a free one and boost your online presence.