Hello everyone, I have been living China since 2012, never thought of getting a paid vpn service, I use a free version, so far so good. Recently I was in the midsts of important data transfer, and decided to get a paid subscription, did my research and went for the ones rated best; it turns out it's a big scam, they all promise you best speed, reliable connection up to 99% up the time, servers all over the world, and more.
Long story short, NO! Do not fall for it, out of three companies rated the best overall, none delivered their promises, not even the most expensive ones. It is amazing that a free stand alone software is beating the best companies out there, hands down. For those already in China that are planning on getting one, or new comers who will be tempted to pay for a subscription before hand, be adviced that lately, the Chinese government is becoming very efficient in blocking those companies and preventing their software from getting a steady connection, if at all.