Are you ready to take control of your online privacy Down Under? In the land of kangaroos and stunning landscapes, ensuring your digital activities remain safe and secure is crucial. That's why we've done the research for you and compiled a list of the five best VPNs for Australia.
Whether you're looking to bypass geolocation restrictions, protect sensitive data from prying eyes, or maximize your streaming experience, these VPNs have your back. So, please relax and dive into the world of the best VPN services we've exclusively tested for Australia.
Note: Prices shown are based on the currency exchange rate at the time of writing (US$1 to A$1.52). Prices may vary slightly over time.
Best VPNs for Australia
We curated this list of the Best VPNs for Australia based on their overall performance as reputable and reliable VPN services. Considerations include their approach to security and privacy, reliability, connection speeds, security, trustworthiness, and more:
1. NordVPN
Website: https://nordvpn.com
| Speed: Excellent | Key Features |
| 5,400+ servers | |
| Blazing speeds | |
| Connect up to 6 devices | |
| Verified no logging policy | |
| Overall Rating: 5/5 | Double VPN encryption |
| Split tunneling | |
| Strong security features | |
| NordLynx protocol | |
| Out of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances | |
| Price (AUD): | $5.31 / month |
Since being in the market in 2012, NordVPN has been one of the biggest consumer VPNs. They reside in the privacy-friendly Panama (not part of the Five Eyes or Fourteen Eyes alliances), so you don’t have to worry about data retention laws. Also, their strict no-logs policy was verified by independent audits carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
What Makes NordVPN Best for Australia?
I would strongly recommend NordVPN for Australians. They have over 5420 ultra-fast servers in 59 countries with over 190 servers in Australia in five locations (Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney). Hence, pick any of these servers nearest you to enjoy speedy connections. You won’t need to worry about buffering and lagging speeds thanks to their revolutionary NordLynx protocol and optimized server network.
The servers employ world-class encryption standards, so connecting to the Australian servers from NordVPN gives peace of mind. NordVPN emphasizes security. They offer other specialty servers such as Double VPN protection, where traffic goes through two servers instead of one, encrypting data and disguising your IP address twice.
They have specialty P2P servers dedicated and optimized for peer-to-peer/torrent traffic. So, if you're a heavy P2P user in Australia, this bodes well for you. Another specialty server worth noting is their Onion over VPN (Tor with VPN tunneling). This feature pushes your traffic through NordVPN's server network, the Onion network, to reach the internet – additional protection layers. These security features come in handy in Australia, where there is surveillance.
NordVPN has introduced a new feature called Meshnet. It allows you to create an encrypted private network for multiple devices regardless of location. Hence, your team can safely transfer and access files remotely through another device globally.
Connections are secured through 256-bit encryption. There's also the automatic kill switch, DNS, and IP leak protection. Committing to NordVPN's 2-year plan saves loads with an additional three months for free.
Although I find the app interface annoying, especially when logging in, this isn't a deal breaker. NordVPN is for great gaming, streaming, torrenting, and other online activities anyone can think of.
2. Surfshark VPN
Website: https://surfshark.com/
| Speed: Excellent | Key Features |
| 3,200+ servers | |
| Unlimited devices connection | |
| CleanWeb suite | |
| Overall Rating: 5/5 | Whitelister |
| Multi-hop connection | |
| Camouflage mode | |
| Excellent speeds | |
| Budget pricing | |
| Price (AUD): | $3.59 / month |
Despite being new to the market, Surfshark is making signature footprints with its impressively priced offerings. Starting in 2018, Surfshark strictly abides by its no-log policy, independently audited by Cure53. However, a recent reorganization within Surfshark has raised eyebrows.
If you were with them before 1st October 2021, you are with Surfshark Ltd in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands. Anything after for new or renewed contracts is with Surfshark B.V. in the Netherlands. The thing is, the Netherlands is part of the Nine Eyes and Fourteen Eyes Alliances. Surfshark claims that the laws of the Netherlands do not establish any obligation to log or retain user data. Hence, they maintain their no-log policy.
What Makes Surfshark VPN Best for Australia?
Surfshark's network of over 3200 servers in 100 countries offers multiple high-connectivity options. You have 20 VPN servers in Australia in five locations (Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Perth). These servers afford constant and stable speeds. You get top-notch speed and performance thanks to the new WireGuard protocol support. Hence, no issues in accessing Netflix Australia.
Also, you enjoy unlimited simultaneous connections, which means you can connect to as many devices as you want through the same account; this is awesome for bargain hunters. Security features such as 256-bit encryption, split tunneling, kill switch, protection against leaks, and the Camouflage Mode (removes any VPN traces to make your connection look like a stable internet connection) ensures your safety.
Also, MultiHop routes your traffic via several servers to enhance your online security. Additionally, the CleanWeb suite blocks ads, trackers, and malware. Whitelister allows you to choose which traffic to hide or reveal. These features help bypass content filtering and make it difficult to monitor your online activities – a perfect combination of what Australians would love to have.
I have been using Surfshark for a while, and it doesn't disappoint. Check out Surfshark's no-frills approach plans if you're on a budget.
3. ExpressVPN
Website: https://www.expressvpn.com
| Speed: Excellent | Key Features |
| 3000+ servers | |
| No restrictions – unlimited bandwidth | |
| Strict zero-logs policy | |
| Overall Rating: 5/5 | Stellar 24/7 live chat support |
| Multiple protocol support | |
| Out of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances | |
| Strong geo-block bypass capability | |
| TrustedServer technology | |
| Strong speeds | |
| Superfast Lightway protocol | |
| Consistently bypasses the Great Firewall of China | |
| Price (AUD): | $9.61 / month |
Established in 2009, ExpressVPN is at the top concerning VPNs. Both Cure53 and PwC verified ExpressVPN's zero logs policy. Also, ExpressVPN is in the British Virgin Islands, which is out of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. Hence, no worries about any data retention laws.
ExpressVPN has over 3000 servers across 94 countries. Their upgraded 10Gbps servers help boost speeds. Coupled with unlimited bandwidth, you can easily access almost anything. Their servers in Australia reside in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. When tested, they performed strongly.
What Makes ExpressVPN Best for Australia?
ExpressVPN is known for constantly refreshing its IP addresses. Hence, enjoy hassle-free access to Netflix US and other popular streaming platforms. Also, watch Australian TV online safely without bandwidth caps or ISP throttling through ExpressVPN.
The TrustedServer technology wipes all data from servers with every reboot. As such, your data is never stored. ExpressVPN is known for its in-house development effort, proven by its new superfast Lightway protocol for a better and more secure VPN experience. The split tunneling feature decides what traffic gets encrypted through the VPN.
You also get 256-bit AES encryption, an automatic kill switch, DNS, and IPv6 leak protection. For those who often frequent China, ExpressVPN is one of the few solid VPNs that consistently bypass the Great Firewall of China.
However, many Australians get turned off by ExpressVPN’s pricier plans. The higher price is justifiable since you enjoy all the quality goodies. Also, you get praiseworthy 24/7 support from actual humans. Many have provided feedback that ExpressVPN resolved their issues within minutes. As such, if you want a hassle-free VPN service and get your money’s worth, ExpressVPN does not disappoint.
4. CyberGhost VPN
Website: https://www.cyberghostvpn.com
| Speed: Excellent | Key Features |
| 9,300+ servers | |
| Connect up to 7 devices | |
| Strict no logging policy | |
| Overall Rating: 4/5 | Data compression |
| Ad blocking | |
| Out of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances | |
| Powerful Windows Client | |
| Beginner-friendly | |
| Highly transparent | |
| Price (AUD): | $2.92 / month |
A decade into being, CyberGhost adheres strictly to its no-logs policy, as confirmed by Deloitte in 2022. Located in Romania, outside the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance, CyberGhost is known for its beginner-friendly solutions. Even under the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) (TOLA Act), CyberGhost assures by not keeping any of your data, so there’s nothing to hand over anyway.
CyberGhost takes pride in its Windows client for being feature-packed and powerful. They may well be the underdog in the VPN industry. CyberGhost is a force to be reckoned with, looking at their rapid and massive expansion in their global server network that surpasses any on this list. With an impressive 9,300 servers in over 91 countries, CyberGhost refuses to back down. You get to choose from their 150 servers in Australia residing in Melbourne and Sydney.
What Makes CyberGhost VPN Best for Australia?
CyberGhost claims to afford unlimited bandwidth and traffic at the highest speeds, thanks to the WireGuard protocol. Geo-blocks are no issue, and you enjoy hassle-free streaming from Netflix, Disney+, and more, thanks to their dedicated streaming servers.
P2P sharing performance was excellent too. With CyberGhost, you get AES 256-bit encryption, an automatic kill switch, and DNS and IP leak protection.
Australia is a surveillance country. If you're particular about transparency, you'd be happy to know that CyberGhost was the first to publish a Transparency Report in 2011 and continues to do so once every three months. They have been slashing their prices without compromising their features, something that causes Australians to be happy.
5. AtlasVPN
Website: https://atlasvpn.com
| Speed: Excellent | Key Features |
| 750+ servers | |
| Limited free VPN option | |
| SafeSwap feature | |
| Overall Rating: 4/5 | Data Breach Monitor |
| SafeBrowse | |
| Part of Nord Security | |
| Unlimited device connection | |
| Price (AUD): | $2.77 / month |
The newest to the VPN scene in this list since 2019, AtlasVPN is a freemium VPN from the US. They became part of Nord Security in 2021. Privacy concerns exist since the US is part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. However, MDSec recently audited them and confirmed no critical issues.
What Makes AtlasVPN Best for Australia?
Although Atlas VPN has the least number of servers on this list, its over 750 servers are global ultra-secure Privacy Pro and streaming servers. Australians can connect to their VPN servers in Sydney. Supporting the new WireGuard protocol boosts speeds.
Hence, enjoy Aussie TV, sports, and documentaries at leisure (KFC Big Bash League Cricket, Australian Football, Foxtel, River Cottage Australia, ABC iView, SBS, wildlife documentaries, Nine's Wide World of Sports, and more).
AtlasVPN focuses on security, as evident in its in-house developed SafeSwap feature that rotates IP addresses through a single VPN server connection; this makes it even tougher to trace back to you. Also, they support AES-256 and ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption and IPSec/IKEv2 to forward your data. Data Breach Monitor is another built-in feature that monitors and tracks any leaks in data breaches.
Atlas VPN’s Network Kill Switch and SafeBrowse prevent you from entering potentially dangerous websites. An enticing offer is that Atlas VPN allows unlimited simultaneous device connection at a low price. They also have a limited free forever VPN.
Why Use a VPN In Australia?
The number of internet users in Australia will reach almost a whopping 23 million this year. That's a massive chunk of personal data floating around on the internet. Australia has always been a rather tightly controlled and surveillance country, as evident in its laws and regulations. Hence, it is not surprising that residents in Australia are feeling edgy about their digital privacy and freedom.
Australia is Part of The Five Eyes Alliance
Countries in the Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes Alliances spy on their citizens online. They share private information in the name of what they claim to be for the greater good. Australia being a member means your data goes beyond borders. The Australian authorities can share your data without your consent if another country requests them. You cannot make any noise about it either.
Your right to online anonymity in Australia is near zero because everything you do online is tracked (the visited websites, online duration, whatever you key into search engines, your data, IP address, and more). We do not know the details and to what extent the depth of their surveillance can get. You could eventually be a government target because of what you did online.
The Australian Government Collects Your Data
ISPs in Australia must collect data under the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 and retain telecommunications data for at least two years. With Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018 (TOLA Act), Australia's law enforcement and security agencies can lawfully access the said data under control.
The justification is to assist criminal and national security investigations. Hence, the Australian Police, Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, and other agencies access your data anytime. The ISPs store your metadata (when, where, how, what, from where, and the recipient). They give insight into the communication itself, which is dangerous.
Australian Government Practices Internet Censorship
The Australian Government is actively censoring the Internet, and reports indicate that Internet freedom in Australia is regressing. Australia's Internet censorship laws are known as the Great Firewall of Australia or the Great Firewall Reef.
The web filter at the ISP monitors the majority of web traffic. In short, Australians have their content filtered. As time passes, more and more websites are filtered and get blocked.
Is Using a VPN Legal In Australia?
Using a VPN in Australia is perfectly legal. That said, using a VPN to do anything illegal is still illegal. For example, if you use a VPN to access geographically blocked content from legitimate providers, accessing content that infringes the copyright is illegal. You’re not immune to the law. Hence, use a VPN carefully and vigilantly.
What Makes A Good VPN For Australia?
As you now know, a VPN is essential to overcome this overbearing ‘looking over the shoulder' behavior. Unless you are OK with the government spying on you and deciding what you can and cannot access, using a stellar VPN service is a top priority online in Australia.
You'll also need to know your daily internet needs. Are you a keen P2P file downloader? Perhaps a big online movie or sports streamer. Maybe even an avid gamer? Whatever it is, ensure the VPN can meet your expectations.
1. Anonymity
The driving factor behind using a VPN is safeguarding your privacy and anonymity. After all, the threat of legal action by the authorities persistently hovers over internet users in Australia. Hence, engage a VPN service provider that is trustworthy and reliable. To do so, look into how they store records of your user activities and the payment options.
You must ensure that the VPN service provider abides by a strict no-log policy and is at a privacy-friendly location. You don’t want to be bound by any data retention laws. Also, offering payment options via cryptocurrency eliminates any possible paper trail back to you.
2. Security Features
The VPN service provider should also emphasize security. You wouldn't want to engage a VPN with loose security features that make it easy for others to access your information, would you?
Two security aspects matter – the connection protocol and encryption method. Each protocol has its pros and cons. Some offer faster speeds but with security loopholes, while others provide security, sacrificing performance. When it comes to encryption, the higher the encryption level, the slower it becomes.
That said, most VPNs utilize AES with 256-bit keys, an encryption standard approved worldwide by cybersecurity experts. Other security features such as ad blockers, the capability to block tracking data, and more are value-added.
3. Speed
No doubt, using a VPN does slow down your connections. After all, there is additional encryption required. However, given Australia's strategic location regarding global communication lines and the many nearby Australian VPN servers, getting a VPN that gives you good speeds is not an issue.
Generally speaking, go for a VPN with good server coverage in Australia that offers satisfactory connection speed that meets your daily online activities needs.
4. Geolocation Spoofing
Since the Australian Government is restricting your access to certain websites, it is understandable that many turn to VPNs to help overcome geo-restrictions. Hence, explore VPNs that offer good coverage in the Asia Pacific region and whether the VPN keeps changing their IPs to help increase geo-spoofing capability.
5. P2P Support
P2P file sharing requires a lot of bandwidth and is heavily frowned upon by the authorities. Countries (Singapore and the US) fine their residents for P2P file sharing. Hence, this explains the popularity of VPNs. It is crucial to look into the VPN’s capability to support and manage P2P traffic well, especially if you are an avid P2P file sharer.
It would be better for the VPN to offer dedicated servers for P2P file-sharing use. Remember to also explore any P2P policies by the VPN before signing up.
What Can I Use A VPN for in Australia?
A VPN circumvents your ISP and sends your internet connection to a VPN server instead. Hence, you can ‘relocate’ and access the content from anywhere via these globally distributed servers. VPNs mask your identity and secure your data. They have many redeeming capabilities:
1. Stream and Access Geo-blocked Content
It is frustrating that many web services restrict access based on location. One popular media streaming service that does so is Netflix. Why should I be penalized for having limited Netflix content access when I pay the same fees as others? Netflix attributes this to distribution rights in different regions. However, I cannot help but feel frustrated.
Thankfully, a VPN bypasses such geo-blocks by spoofing your location. I connect to a Japan server to access the Netflix Japan content. However, I connect to a UK server if I watch a show only available in the UK. It is THAT easy.
Although I have to pay extra for a VPN, the amount is minimal, given that I can have the world’s content in my hands. A VPN is a workaround to content restrictions.
2. Overcome Censorship Issues
Although Australia isn't as bad as China and Russia in curbing digital freedom, they still practice heavy censorship. Yes, Australian ISPs block sites, thus limiting your access.
Since a VPN encrypts your data and routes through its servers, you bypass your ISP. Hence, ISP-implemented blocks usually fail. You can then regain your digital freedom and access the otherwise blocked websites.
3. Stay Private and Avoid Tracking
The Internet is a data goldmine. Data has become a highly wanted source of currency. Yes, everyone wants a piece of you. Hence, they track and monitor your every digital movement; they know who you are and what you do.
When you connect to your home Wi-Fi, your ISP can see when, where, and how you browse on the internet. Google tracks and collects your data and creates a profile of you. Advertisers and marketers chase you.
Also, the Australian Government keeps tabs on you by requiring all telcos to store your metadata for at least two years. Such information, if it falls into the wrong hands, is detrimental.
A VPN can help obscure your IP address, thus safeguarding your privacy so you cannot be watched and tracked.
4. Safely Torrent
Torrenting is file sharing, and many controversies surround torrenting due to copyrights and intellectual property rights issues. As such, most countries impose laws on torrenting. Many gray areas come into play, thus creating variables with loads of question marks when torrenting in Australia.
However, if you need torrenting, a VPN can help you safely torrent since nobody can track you.
5. Access Private Networks Safely
Thanks to the pandemic, many have been working from home. Hence, many companies have established private networks to facilitate this. A VPN establishes a secure connection to such private networks so workers can safely access confidential information with peace of mind.
Investing in a VPN makes sense as information that travels back and forth is encrypted and thus ensuring all sensitive data remains safe off-site.
6. Use Public WiFi Safely
When you commute around Sydney or Melbourne, you notice that free public WiFi is everywhere. After all, they can be handy when you’re on the go. Unfortunately, such public WiFi networks are unsafe, and cyber criminals love to hover at such places hoping to steal information.
Although connecting to public WiFi is convenient, doing so is at the expense of security. As such, always turn on your VPN when connecting to public WiFi; a VPN encrypts your information and secures your data on public WiFi.
So, Which VPN is Best for Australia?
Our top choice as the Best VPN for Australia is NordVPN. It's got an excellent reputation, comes at reasonable prices, and is one of the fastest VPNs we've tested. It also offers several servers in Australia and even more worldwide, making it an ideal choice.
I believe that everyone, including Australians, wants digital freedom. Nobody wants to be dictated to and controlled by the authorities. However, as technologies advance and the authorities control more areas, maintaining digital independence becomes more crucial by the day.
Using tools like a VPN can help ensure your digital autonomy. Everyone has differing digital needs. Whatever your online activities are, don't sit around and let others spy on you. With the increasing measures by the Australian authorities to invade your digital privacy, read between the lines and promptly use a VPN to be online safely in Australia.
