How to Access Upwork While Visiting Russia

  • Written by Kate Hawkins Former Editor

Internet censorship is on the rise in Russia. In a stunning series of bans, new laws, and battles between technology and government, the blocklist for the world’s ninth-largest country has mushroomed.

One of the biggest blows of late has been the on-and-off blocking of global freelancing platform Upwork . Based in the US, Upwork allows freelancers in a number of different disciplines including editing/writing, code writing, personal assistants, data entry, etc., to create profiles and apply for jobs listed by clients.

Note! My team and I don’t condone illegal behavior of any sort and the protection of a VPN doesn’t give you license to commit illegal acts. Please exercise a basic level of caution when using a VPN in Russia .

Editor’s Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. That said, our detailed reviews follow a strict methodology that examines all relevant performance factors to help you arrive at your own informed conclusion.

Russians Using Upwork

According to the company’s website, it has 12 million registered freelancers, 5 million registered clients, and 3 million jobs listed per year. The ability to work remotely, particularly for clients in other countries, is fantastic for a nation like Russia, where the population is spread out over the largest country by landmass in the world.

Russia’s population density is just 22 people per square mile, one of the lowest rates in the world among industrialized countries.

At present, Upwork and similar freelancer platforms have seen a significant surge, with numerous individuals worldwide now relying on them as their primary source of income. For those who have embraced freelancing on Upwork, any occurrence of censorship blocking access to the platform is comparable to a regular 9-to-5 employee witnessing their workplace go up in flames or experiencing a sudden car breakdown. In essence, the inability to access Upwork directly hampers their ability to earn a livelihood.

Unstable Censorship

The censorship began in earnest in March 2017 when Russia began shutting down sites that were planning anti-government protests in Red Square. Analysts say Russia is looking to copy the so-called “Great Firewall of China.” That firewall allows the Chinese government to control every computer in the country, censor any sort of website it deems not worthy to be viewed, and has even been used to launch attacks on other websites in an attempt to shut them down.

The Virtual Private Network (VPN) solution

The biggest problem with censorship is geolocation. That means when your computer is hardwired to an IP address showing where you are located – down to the zip code in some cases, but at least the city, region, and country. If you are attempting to access websites from an IP address that is being blocked, you will get an error message and your connection will be severed. In order to bypass censorship in a country like Russia and ensure you can access Upwork whenever you need to, you can employ a VPN. A virtual private network is so named because no one can see what you are using it for and because your connection is being routed through a third party – thus becoming virtual.

VPN companies allow you to connect to remote computers outside of the country you are currently in and send and receive Internet traffic that way. Most VPNs, like IPVanish , have a robust list of countries and servers through which to route your traffic. This is an added bonus because VPNs are often targeted by countries practicing censorship. When a country’s Internet oversight committee realizes a group of IP addresses are being used by a VPN to avoid censorship, they will often block those addresses. VPNs can bounce back by offering many IP addresses in many countries.

Once you’ve signed up and downloaded the VPN software, you can select a country to choose from to establish your network. For a country like Russia practicing censorship, make sure and select a VPN company such as NordVPN that has a strong reputation for security. NordVPN offers AES 256-bit encryptions and Double VPN tunneling, along with a killswitch which will automatically sever your Internet connection should the VPN falter or fail. This ensures that your ISP server or any prying eyes cannot see what you are browsing on the Internet. It’s also important to pick a VPN provider that has a no-logs policy. This means they do not keep track of where you go on the Internet while using their services. Therefore you are not leaving a “trail” behind of where you’ve been on the Internet while using a VPN, unless you download files and keep them on your hard drive.

A provider like ExpressVPN is ideal for accessing Upwork because it is committed to the best speeds and security in the business. It has a higher price than a lot of other VPN providers, but has servers in a whopping 94 countries as well as unlimited bandwidth and server switches. The high price can be mitigated by a 30*-day, risk-free offer.

1. ExpressVPN — Automatic Obfuscation to Access Upwork in Russia

Key Features:

  • Offers a network of 3,000 servers in 105 countries, including several locations near Russia like Latvia, Romania, and others
  • Has AES 256-bit encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and other tools to keep you safe online
  • Uses advanced obfuscation to bypass detection mechanisms and ensure unrestricted internet access
  • Provides 24/7 live chat and other support options
  • Comes with a 30*-day money-back guarantee

ExpressVPN’s reliable obfuscation makes it the best VPN for accessing Upwork in Russia. It effectively masks your VPN traffic as regular traffic, ensuring you can freely surf the web. Plus, it has a strict no-logs policy to ensure your activity is never stored, and it includes the following features for enhanced protection:

  • AES 256-bit encryption — makes it impossible for anyone to see what you’re doing online.
  • Threat Manager — blocks malicious websites and trackers while surfing the web.
  • TrustedServer Technology — RAM-based servers that are wiped with every reboot and never store any browsing data.
  • Network Lock kill switch — stops your internet if the VPN is unstable to ensure you remain anonymous.
  • Leak protection — keeps you from leaking your IP address and other sensitive information online.

I was impressed with ExpressVPN’s variety of security features , and they all performed well. When I tested its leak protection, ExpressVPN never revealed my actual IP address online, keeping me completely anonymous while surfing the web.

If you ever need assistance, ExpressVPN provides top-quality customer support . It has 24/7 live chat, a detailed knowledge base, and other useful support channels that let you get help whenever you need it.

Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. That said, our detailed reviews follow a strict methodology that examines all relevant performance factors to help you arrive at your own informed conclusion.

2. CyberGhost — Has a Virtual Russian Server Location for Accessing Upwork

Key Features:

  • Has a virtual location within Russia that provides a local IP address
  • Offers AES 256-bit encryption, leak protection, and other tools to enhance security
  • Provides servers across 100 countries, including many options near Russia such as Moldova and Romania
  • Secures up to 7 devices simultaneously
  • Includes a 45-day money-back guarantee

CyberGhost is the only VPN on this list that lets you get a Russian IP address. It doesn’t have a physical server in the country, but it provides a virtual location you can connect to for a local IP address. This ensures you can access Upwork without issues while keeping yourself protected.

Of course, CyberGhost also guarantees online security . It provides the following to ensure you stay safe and anonymous while in Russia:

  • AES 256-bit encryption — secures your connection against prying eyes trying to spy on your activity.
  • No-logs policy — ensures no logs of your browsing activity are stored on CyberGhost servers.
  • NoSpy servers — privately owned servers in Romania with a much lower risk of tampering.
  • Leak protection — keeps you from leaking sensitive information like your IP address online.
  • Kill switch — stops your internet if the VPN is unstable, keeping you anonymous.

The only downside to CyberGhost is that it doesn’t have obfuscation, meaning it’s harder for the app to bypass VPN blocks. However, trying different servers and protocols could fix the issue if you’re unable to access the web with CyberGhost.

You can use CyberGhost on up to 7 devices at once. Plus, the app works on all major platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, meaning it’s easy to secure all your devices at once with it.

Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as CyberGhost VPN. That said, our detailed reviews follow a strict methodology that examines all relevant performance factors to help you arrive at your own informed conclusion.

3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Offers a Massive Server Network With Options in Many Countries Near Russia

Key Features:

  • Has one of the largest server networks available, with 29,650+ options in 91 countries, including Romania and Latvia, which are near Russia
  • Uses AES 256-bit encryption, leak protection, a no-logs policy, and more for safety and privacy
  • Allows up unlimited simultaneous connections
  • Provides 24/7 live chat and other useful support channels
  • Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee

PIA’s enormous network of 29,650+ servers in 91 countries makes it a solid option for Russia. This extensive network ensures you can easily find an uncrowded server near Russia that’ll provide fast connection speeds to access Upwork.

You’ll get good security with PIA. The app lets you choose between AES 128-bit and 256-bit encryption, with 128-bit being faster and 256-bit being safer. Plus, it has other helpful features to help you stay protected in Russia, like the following:

  • No-logs policy — never keeps logs of any browsing activity on its servers.
  • Kill switch — disconnects your internet if the VPN connection drops to ensure you stay anonymous.
  • Obfuscation — masks VPN traffic as regular traffic to avoid VPN blockers.
  • MACE — blocks ads, trackers, and malware for smoother and safer web browsing.

One issue with PIA is that it’s headquartered in the US, putting it in the 5 Eyes Alliance’s jurisdiction. However, PIA has a strict no-logs policy that’s been independently audited by Deloitte, ensuring none of your browsing data is stored on PIA servers.

Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as Private Internet Access. That said, our detailed reviews follow a strict methodology that examines all relevant performance factors to help you arrive at your own informed conclusion.

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*Please note that ExpressVPN’s generous money-back guarantee applies to first-time customers only.