Is SoundCloud blocked in Russia? How to listen and upload with a VPN in 2026
SoundCloud has been blocked by Roskomnadzor since 1 October 2022. How to open SoundCloud from Russia in 2026 on phone and PC, why the app "won't load", what works for uploads and the Go+ subscription.
SoundCloud, the platform for independent music and podcasts, is blocked in Russia: since 1 October 2022 Roskomnadzor has restricted access to the site at the Prosecutor General's request. As of 14 October 2026 the site doesn't open from a Russian address, the connection is reset, and the API the app uses refuses requests. Here's how to listen and upload through a VPN, and what works and what doesn't.
Quick fix. Turn on Surok and SoundCloud works in the app and the browser, while Russian sites and messengers go direct. Three days free, then from 220 ₽ a month.
What exactly is blocked
The 2022 block covered soundcloud.com and the servers that stream tracks to the app. The app can still be downloaded from Google Play and, with caveats, from the App Store, but without a VPN it shows an empty feed, says "no connection" or loads a track forever. Uploading new tracks from a Russian address fails too.
SoundCloud itself didn't leave Russia and didn't block accounts, but paying for Go and Go+ with Russian cards hasn't worked since 2022.
How to listen to SoundCloud with a VPN
- Turn on a VPN with a foreign exit. In Surok, "Europe · auto" works; for minimal latency pick Germany.
- Launch the SoundCloud app or open the site. If the feed stays empty, fully close the app and reopen it: it caches the "no connection" state.
- For background listening keep the VPN on: if it drops, the track cuts off at the next chunk.
On Android the Surok app keeps the VPN in the background and SoundCloud plays without gaps. On iPhone SoundCloud works through Happ with system-wide VPN mode. On a PC it's convenient to listen in a browser with the Surok extension.
How to upload tracks
Uploads go through the same blocked servers, so a VPN is mandatory for creators too. Turn it on before starting and keep it on until the end: an interrupted upload starts over. Russian musicians' accounts aren't restricted; stats and monetisation via SoundCloud for Artists require foreign banking details.
The Go+ subscription
Go+ removes ads and unlocks the full label catalogue. From Russia it can be paid with a foreign card or through intermediaries who take roubles. Free SoundCloud through a VPN works without limits, just with ads.
Is it legal?
Using a VPN isn't banned and there are no fines for citizens, see is VPN banned in Russia. Listening to music through a VPN breaks no rules.
If it doesn't work even with a VPN
- Check on the IP page that the address is foreign.
- Turn off any second VPN or proxy; they conflict.
- Clear the SoundCloud app cache: it remembers failed requests.
- On Android allow the Surok app to run in the background without battery restrictions, or the VPN drops when the screen locks. More in VPN keeps disconnecting.
FAQ
Is SoundCloud blocked in Russia? Yes, since 1 October 2022.
Can I download the app? Yes, but without a VPN it doesn't work.
Can I upload tracks from Russia? Through a VPN, yes. Accounts aren't restricted.
What's the alternative? For listeners, Yandex Music and VK Music; for independent creators there's no full replacement, most stay on SoundCloud through a VPN.
In short
SoundCloud has been blocked in Russia since 2022; neither the site nor the app works without a VPN. Turn on Surok, restart SoundCloud, and the tracks play. Three days free.