The Best VPNs in Australia in 2024
After extensive testing on performance, security features, and price, we determined NordVPN is the best option for Aussies.
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Last Updated on Sep 26, 2024
- Almost 200 servers available in Australia
- Strict privacy policy means Australian authorities can’t track your online movements
- Allows you to access U.S. Netflix when you’re traveling in Australia
- Camouflage conceals from Australian law enforcement that you’re using a VPN
- Servers in five different Australian cities
- Private DNS available from several Australian servers
- Choose an IP address from another country and access streaming content outside Australia
- Kill switch ensures Australian government can’t see where go online, even if you lose your VPN signal
- Servers available in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth
I’m going to try to get through this without making a Men at Work joke, so please bear with me.
Anyway … we’re talking about Australia. The land Down Under. Kangaroos and koalas. Beautiful beaches, lush rainforests, and the wild outback. The wine country, the food, the people, and the Sydney Opera House. Wow. It truly is one of the most magnificent places on earth to visit.
No matter where you’re traveling, I always recommend using a virtual private network — or VPN for short. These clever softwares help you maintain your anonymity online, essentially making it so you’re invisible in digital spaces. No one can see what you’re doing, no one can track your IP address, and — most importantly — no one can leverage that information to do anything nefarious, like hack into your bank account or steal your identity.
Now you might be thinking to yourself, “OK, fine, I’ll get a VPN before I go to Australia. They’re all the same anyway.” But that couldn’t be further from the truth. You’re correct in assuming that all VPNs perform the same basic functions, but when you look at them up close, there are a lot of differentiating features among the top-shelf providers.
And if you’re a traveler, that decision only gets more complicated. You not only need to choose a great VPN for traveling, but you also need one that works well in Australia too. Whether it’s a provider that tries to lock you into a specific country when you want to choose one for all of your traveling needs or a VPN that otherwise seems great for traveling but doesn’t work in Australia for some reason, we’re here to help you whether you live there or plan to jump from Australia to New Zealand, Indonesia, and then Malaysia (or any other country for that matter).
I’ve spent a ton of time working with VPNs and have seen the good, the bad, and the outright ugly. Using this knowledge and these experiences, I’ve compiled a list of the five best VPNs for Australia — for visitors and residents alike. Before we get into the detailed list, though, let’s take a quick look at the criteria I use to pick the best of the best.
What to Look for in a VPN for Australia
| Australian servers |
There’s a long list of factors that influence your VPN’s speeds, and somewhere near the top is your proximity to the server site. If you’re looking for a VPN to help keep you safe while you’re in Australia, you’re going to want to pick one that has a large in-country footprint. |
|---|---|
| Performance |
Similar to my first point, you’ll want to pick a VPN that performs well given the devices you’re using. Some VPNs work better on Macs than they do PCs, and some have more sophisticated server networks than others. Ultimately, using a VPN will slow you down a little, but you want to find one that won’t slow you down so much you don’t want to use it. |
| Security features |
One of the primary reasons most people use a VPN is to increase their security online. As such, you want to find a provider that adheres to rigid security protocols and offers 256-bit encryption. All of the providers on this list pass muster in this regard. |
| Supplemental features |
VPNs aren’t just for security, though. There are a lot of benefits to using one that have nothing to do with safety. For instance, did you know you can use a VPN to stream Netflix from Australia? Or use them to access the Tor network? How about using torrenting-optimized servers to share P2P files faster? Consider how you’ll use your VPN, and think about what features you’ll need. |
| RAM-only servers |
So this one is a personal preference, but I prefer my VPNs to have networks made up of RAM-only servers. Why? Because RAM requires power to store information, meaning that when the servers are cycled down for maintenance, your data is gone without a trace. It’s not a deal-breaker, but you might consider this option when you’re picking out which VPN is right for you. |
| Price |
If you’ve never shopped around for a VPN before, you might be surprised to find out how affordable they are. Most of the time you can expect to pay between $5 and $15 dollars per month, depending on the provider you select and the length of your subscription term. Generally speaking, the longer you sign up for, the less your month-to-month cost will be. |
So now that you have a good idea of the criteria I’m using to judge VPNs, let’s jump right into it, shall we? Over the course of this article, I’ll help you pick out the best VPN for your specific needs while you’re in the land Down Under.
Comparison of the Best VPNs in Australia
| System |
NordVPN
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Surfshark
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Private Internet Access VPN
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CyberGhost
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Proton VPN
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Ratings | 9.7/10 | 9.5/10 | 9.4/10 | 8.9/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Servers in Australia | Over 190 in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney | Exact number is unknown, but has servers in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and Brisbane | 137 in Sydney, 138 in Melbourne, and 38 in Perth | 134 | 44 |
| Servers Worldwide | 6,282 | Over 3,200 | 64,971 | Over 11,700 | 4,166 |
| Member of Five Eyes, Nine Eyes and Fourteen Eyes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Logs Traffic/Web Activity | No | No | No | IP address, when and where VPN was used | Collects timestamps |
| Kill Switch | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Torrenting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Sometimes |
| Split Tunneling | No | Yes | No | Yes, but with exceptions | Yes |
| Monthly Plans | $3.39 - $12.99 | $2.49 - $17.95 | $2.19 - $11.95 | $2.19 - $12.99 | $0 - $9.99 |
| Customer Support | Live chat support 24/7 | Live chat, email | Online form, live chat | Live chat, tickets, phone number | Email, social media |
| Contract Lengths | Monthly, yearly or 2 years | Monthly, 6 months, or 2 years | Monthly, yearly or every 3 years | Monthly, yearly, and 2 years 2 months | Yearly |
| Location of Headquarters | Panama | Netherlands | Greenwood Village, Colo., USA | Bucharest, Romania | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Read Review | NordVPN Review | Surfshark Review | Private Internet Access VPN Review | CyberGhost Review | Proton VPN Review |
Summary of the Best VPNs for Australia
- NordVPN - Best VPN for Streaming in Australia
- Surfshark - Best VPN in Australia for Security Features
- Private Internet Access VPN - Best Customizable VPN in Australia
- CyberGhost - Best VPN for Mac in Australia
- Proton VPN - Best VPN for Privacy in Australia
Detailed List of the Best VPNs for Australia
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1. NordVPN - Best VPN for Streaming in Australia
View Plans Links to NordVPNProduct Specs
Multihop Yes Camouflage Mode Yes Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes
Whenever I’m recommending VPNs to folks, NordVPN usually shows up pretty high on the list. It’s just a strong, well-rounded service. They offer great protections, a sizable server fleet, excellent speeds regardless of device, and they’re pretty affordable to boot. If you’ve never used a VPN before or if you could write the code for one yourself, Nord is probably going to check most — if not all — of your boxes.
NordVPN iOS app connected to Australia What We Like
- 203 servers in Oceania
- Kill switch
- Strong torrenting capability
- Ability to connect to servers specific to Australian cities
What We Don’t Like
- No free trial
- Kill switch doesn’t shut off all connections on iOS mobile app
- Static IP addresses
- No customer service phone support
Australian Servers
NordVPN has a pretty large server fleet — over 6,000 servers, with 203 of them in the Ocean region. That’s 176 in Australia proper and 27 in New Zealand. Now this isn’t the largest server fleet I’ve seen — that award goes to number three on the list, Private Internet Access (PIA) — but it’s definitely a respectable amount, and more than enough to handle their customers’ traffic.
Performance
Like I said above, NordVPN has a sizable server fleet that you won’t notice significant slowdowns with. And that makes them one of my favorite VPNs for streaming. Nord’s sophisticated server network combined with their proprietary NordLynx protocol makes them zippy enough to prevent most annoying buffering issues which makes it one of the best VPNs for Netflix. The last time I was traveling abroad with my partner, we used NordVPN to watch her reality television without any slowdowns or loading wheels. Hey, even when you’re on vacation you need to keep up with the Kardashians, right?
>> Learn More: Understanding VPN protocols
If you want to get a better understanding of NordVPN’s speeds, have a look at the table below. This is the data from my most recent NordVPN speed test, and while your results might be a little different, I’d say this is pretty representative of my overall experience using NordVPN off and on through the years.
NordVPN Speed Test
Testing computer MacBook Pro Acer Aspire 5 Ping without VPN (in ms) 42 5 Ping with VPN (in ms) 46 160 Ping difference 10% 3100% MacBook download speed without VPN (in Mbps) 54.86 23.49 Download speed with VPN (in Mbps) 41.37 21.7 Download speed difference 24% 8% Upload speed without VPN (in Mbps) 33.86 24 Upload speed with VPN (in Mbps) 27.21 7.91 Upload speed difference 20% 67% The two main numbers you need to be concerned with are the upload and download speeds — those are the two primary drivers of what your overall browsing experience is going to be. As you can see, NordVPN performs pretty well on both PC and Mac, making it a good universal choice. PIA performs a little bit better on the Mac, but we’ll get to that in just a bit.
Before we move on to price, though, we need to talk about another feature that makes Nord such a good streaming VPN: server obfuscation. So Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and other streaming platforms are bound by licensing agreements to only show certain content in certain regions, and they’ve lately deployed software to detect and block someone accessing the platform through a VPN. Not good news if you want to keep up with the New Jersey Devils while you’re abroad like I do. Luckily, NordVPN offers a feature that masks your traffic, making it look exactly like a traditional connection. ESPN is none the wiser, and I get to watch Dougie Hamilton blast slap shots from the blue line from my hotel room in Perth.
NordVPN Chrome App connected to Australia while browsing Netflix Price
Another appealing aspect of this service is NordVPN’s pricing. They aren’t the cheapest VPN out there, but their costs are certainly reasonable, given the service you’re receiving. Surfshark is a little bit cheaper, as is PIA, but when you’re talking about one and two-year subscription terms, the difference is pretty negligible. Here’s the breakdown:
NordVPN Prices
NordVPN plan Monthly costs 1-year plan 2-year plan Standard $12.99 $4.99 per month $3.79 per month Plus $13.79 $5.79 per month $4.59 per month Complete $14.99 $6.99 per month $5.79 per month I do recommend going with a longer-term plan, though. Even though you have to pay more upfront, you’ll be saving a significant amount of money in the long run. I also recommend just going with the standard package here. Unless you’re looking for features like a password manager or cloud storage, the other two tiers are a little unnecessary.
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2. Surfshark - Best VPN in Australia for Security Features
View Plans Links to SurfsharkProduct Specs
Multi-hop Yes Camouflage Mode Yes Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes
Surfshark is another great option for folks looking to travel to Australia, or who just want to be protected at their local coffee shop. They offer serious protections and a decent list of features like multi-hop, which routes your traffic through multiple VPN servers, and clean web, which prevents trackers, malware, and phishing attempts. Their month-to-month prices are a little steep, which we’ll get into in a minute, but when you sign up for a longer-term plan, that price drops dramatically.
Surfshark Dynamic Multihop What We Like
- Camouflage Mode
- Has servers in Australia that use Private DNS
- Has servers in five major Australian cities
- Allows simultaneous connections for unlimited devices
What We Don’t Like
- Somewhat pricey monthly plans
- No phone support (in Australia and anywhere else)
- Lacks static IP addresses in Australia
- No multi-hop servers in Australia
Australian Servers
It’s a little difficult to parse out exactly how many servers Surfshark has in Australia, which is a bit of a bummer, but they do have six server sites in total. They are located in:
- Adelaide
- Brisbane
- Melbourne
- Perth
- Sydney
In total, Surfshark has 3,200 servers across the globe and a big enough footprint in Oceana that you’re not going to be interrupted by slowdowns and buffering. Not as many as NordVPN’s 6,282, but still — plenty big enough to get the job done.
Performance
As you can see from the chart below, Surfshark does a little better on Windows than it does on Mac, and its performance is about on par with NordVPN. I’ve used Surfshark on a handful of devices for a while now, and can say with confidence that for the most part it always works well.
>> Learn More: Best VPN for Windows
Surfshark Speed Test
Testing computer MacBook Pro 2011 Acer Aspire 5 (Windows 10) Ping without VPN 54 ms 7 ms Ping with VPN 53 ms 199 ms Ping difference 2% 2742% MacBook download speed without VPN 16.21 Mbps 23.69 Mbps Download speed with VPN 11.87 Mbps 19.61 Mbps Download speed difference 31% 17% Upload speed without VPN 22.01 Mbps 24.09 Mbps Upload speed with VPN 24 Mbps 10.58 Mbps Upload speed difference 9% 56% I particularly like using Surfshark on my iPhone to protect myself while I’m on public Wi-Fi, like in a hotel lobby or in a cafe. The kill switch also works really well — I’ve had it kick in while on unstable internet connections while I was backpacking in South America. Basically, the kill switch will terminate your device’s internet connectivity if the VPN service is interrupted. It’s a little annoying in the moment, but overall I’m happy that Surfshark is protecting my data at all costs.
Price
Similar to NordVPN, Surfshark’s costs are arranged in a three-tiered subscription, with the starter pack being the least expensive. And again, similar to NordVPN, I recommend buying the most basic package if you’re only looking for VPN service. There are bells and whistles thrown into the “One” and “One+” subscriptions, but they’re not super necessary in my experience.
Surfshark Prices
Surfshark plan Monthly costs 1-year plan 2-year plan Surfshark Starter $15.45 $3.49 per month $2.49 per month Surfshark One $15.95 $4.09 per month $3.19 per month Surfshark One+ $17.95 $6.49 per month $4.97 per month -
3. Private Internet Access VPN - Best VPN for iOS in Australia
View Plans Links to Private Internet Access VPNProduct Specs
Multihop Yes Camouflage Mode No Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes
Private Internet Access, or PIA for short, is another one of my favorite VPNs that’s sure to serve you well in the land Down Under. They offer a lot of great features, they’re highly customizable, they’re inexpensive, and they have an absolutely massive fleet of servers.
Private Internet Access connected to Perth, Australia What We Like
- Supports up to 10 simultaneous devices
- Anonymous payment options
- 313 servers in Australia
- Unlimited bandwidth
What We Don’t Like
- U.S.-based
- No split tunneling
- No third-party security audit
- Slow customer service response times
Australian Servers: So you know how NordVPN’s 6,200 servers seemed like a lot at the top of the article? What if I told you PIA has almost ten times that amount? That’s right, PIA has a whopping 65,000 servers in its fleet, making it easily one of the largest VPN networks in the world.
Similar to Surfshark, PIA makes it a little difficult to tell exactly how many servers are at each server site, but their footprint in Australia is significant. They have sites across the country, more specifically in:
- Brisbane
- Melbourne
- Perth
- Sydney
I’ve used PIA abroad many times, and I can say that no matter where I was roaming — Europe, Southeast Asia, or South America — PIA has always been a solid VPN due to their huge network and powerful protections. Australia would be no different.
Performance
One of the best things about PIA is how customizable it is. A lot of VPN providers want to idiot-proof their services, and don’t give you a whole lot of flexibility when it comes to turning the knobs and flipping the switches. PIA doesn’t really take this approach, though. I especially appreciate this while I’m gaming. If you play games on a PC, you know that lag can be a killer, so I appreciate the ability PIA gives me to fine-tune things. I usually cycle through protocols and servers if I find myself lagging out too much.
>> Learn More: Best VPN for Gaming
In terms of raw power, PIA packs a pretty decent punch. Unfortunately it’s not as speedy as NordVPN, but it definitely gets the job done where it counts. Here’s a quick look at the results of my most recent speed test with PIA:
Download Speeds on Mac
With VPN 12.93 Mbps Without VPN 37.05 Mbps Download Speeds on Windows
With VPN 61.67 Mbps Without VPN 72.48 Mbps Upload Speeds on Mac
With VPN 18.12 Mbps Without VPN 25.9 Mbps Upload Speeds on Windows
With VPN 39.13 Mbps Without VPN 41.37 Mbps So as you can see, at the time of this test it was working a little better on my PC than it was on my Mac, but that isn’t to suggest it’s unusable on the latter. You might just notice a few more slowdowns.
Price
PIA is also one of the most affordable VPNs on the market today, which is good news if you’re saving up for that ticket to Australia (it was over a grand last time I looked!). For context, PIA is cheaper month-to-month than NordVPN and Surfshark, and it’s one of the few out there that offers a three-year subscription term. I have more on this in my guide to PIA’s pricing, but I’d definitely recommend going with that, since the month-to-month cost is a little less than $2. Honestly, You probably have that sitting in your car’s cup holder. Here’s the breakdown:
>> Learn More: Most affordable VPNs
PIA Prices
PIA subscription term 1 month 1 year 3 years Monthly cost $11.95 $3.33 per month $2.19 per month Total cost $11.95 $39.95 $79.00 -
4. CyberGhost - Best VPN for Mac in Australia
View Plans Links to CyberGhostProduct Specs
Multihop Yes Camouflage Mode No Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes 
With blazing-fast speeds, a sophisticated array of RAM-only servers, and affordable prices to boot, CyberGhost is a great VPN option for Australian travelers and residents alike. I like using it on my iPhone and MacBook Pro in particular, because the speeds are just outstanding. If CyberGhost offered split-tunneling or a longer free-trial, it would surely be higher on this list.
CyberGhost on MacOS. Photo provided by CyberGhost. What We Like
- Live chat support
- Strong VPN protocols and encryption
- 213 servers in Australia
- Private IP address available for $5
What We Don’t Like
- Logs IP address, time and country of use, and other sensitive information
- Only a 24-hour free trial
- No split tunneling
- High-security servers come at higher costs
Australian Servers
Apart from PIA, CyberGhost has the most servers of any provider on our list — approximately 11,700 across 91 countries. Speaking specifically about Australia, though, CyberGhost has 213 servers in three different sites — Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. Not as widely distributed as Surfshark is, but given the volume of actual servers, it’s forgivable.
Performance
First of all, CyberGhost sings on a Mac. It’s not half bad on a PC, either, but as you can see from my most recent speed test, the slowdowns on a Mac are almost imperceptible. Keep in mind this is a snapshot of how Cyberghost was performing at one moment in time, but I can say that this is definitely representative of my overall experience using Cyberghost.
CyberGhost Speed Test
Download Speeds on Mac
With VPN 37.05 Mbps Without VPN 35.97 Mbps Download Speeds on Windows
With VPN 69.86 Mbps Without VPN 55.4 Mbps Upload Speeds on Mac
With VPN 25.9 Mbps Without VPN 23.93 Mbps Upload Speeds on Windows
With VPN 41.21 Mbps Without VPN 21.93 Mbps Actually, funny story: I was at a Halloween party and we wanted to stream some scary movies. I was able to hook my MacBook up to my friend’s TV and used Cyberghost to show everyone some Japanese horror films. Way better, in my opinion, than their American counterparts. Have you ever seen the original Japanese version of “The Ring?” It’s terrifying.
>> Check Out: Best VPNs for Japan
Price
Aside from PIA, CyberGhost is the most affordable VPN on our list. When you sign up for a two-year subscription, you’re only going to be paying a hair over $2 per month. That’s about as cheap as high-quality VPNs go, but CyberGhost goes one step further — it’s actually one of the few VPN providers that offer a free trial. You can try out the service for 24 hours on Mac and PC, three days on Android devices, or seven on iOS devices. Here is a breakdown of CyberGhost’s prices:
CyberGhost Prices
Subscription term 1 month 6 months 2 years Cost per month $12.99 $6.99 $2.19 -
5. Proton VPN - Best VPN for Privacy in Australia
View Plans Links to Proton VPNProduct Specs
Multi-hop Yes Camouflage Mode Yes Kill switch Yes Split Tunneling Yes Netflix Yes Torrenting Yes 
When it comes to security, ProtonVPN is one of the biggest names in the game. They have a strong reputation for being one of the most powerful VPNs in the industry, trusted by activists and journalists working in some of the most restrictive regimes on the planet. If you’re looking for security on your trip to Australia, Proton might be the right choice for you.
> Further Reading: Best VPNs for China
ProtonVPN app on iPhone What We Like
- Swiss-based, outside of privacy jurisdictions
- 88 Australian servers
- Free option
- Double VPN function
What We Don’t Like
- Customer support only accessible by email
- Traditional servers as opposed to RAM-only servers
- Higher security levels have to be purchased
- Limited device compatibility
Australian Servers
Proton VPN doesn’t have the biggest fleet of servers, clocking in at a little over 4,000 — pretty similar to Surfshark. In terms of servers in Australia, we’re looking at 88 distributed across Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. Definitely a sizable footprint in-country.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is that unlike the other VPN providers on this list, Proton still uses traditional hard-disk servers as opposed to RAM-only servers. That’s not the greatest news in terms of privacy, but one of their security features, Secure Core, makes up for it. Proton’s Secure Core architecture allows them to protect users from man-in-the-middle attacks. If an attacker can get control of the VPN server, or monitor the network of the server, they’ll be able to match VPN clients with their traffic, which defeats the whole purpose of using one in the first place. With Secure Core turned on, users are able to access servers that are connected using Proton’s dedicated network with IP addresses that are owned and operated by the company’s local internet registry. This is James Bond-level protection.
>> Read About: What Can Someone Do With Your IP Address?
Performance
Despite the smaller server network, Proton VPN is surprisingly fast. I tested Proton VPN on a MacBook Pro and a ThinkPad T430 and used the Quick Connect option in the app to connect to the optimal servers in Brooklyn, New York.
It performed significantly better on the Windows computer, but my download speeds stayed above 60 Mbps no matter where I was testing it, so the slowdowns were pretty much negligible. Here’s a quick breakdown of my latest Proton test:
Download Speeds on Mac
With VPN 463.85 Mbps Without VPN 61.47 Mbps Download Speeds on Windows
With VPN 157.52 Mbps Without VPN 91.47 Mbps Upload Speeds on Mac
With VPN 28.66 Mbps Without VPN 25.6 Mbps Price
Month-to-month, Proton VPN is the cheapest on the list, but you don’t really see significant savings when you sign up for a two-year subscription term like you do with Surfshark. This means you’re likely going to spend more on Proton if you use it long-term, so keep that in mind. Here’s a quick breakdown of Proton VPN’s costs:
ProtonVPN’s Costs
Subscription term 1 month 1 year 2 years Monthly cost $9.99 $5.99 $4.99 Another thing to keep in mind is that Proton is one of the few VPN providers out there that offers a free version of their service. No joke, free to use, and the subscription never times out like it does with CyberGhost. It is a significantly stripped-down version of the service, though, so that’s something to keep in mind. The paid version offers a lot more.
>> Learn More: Best Free VPNs
Do I Need a VPN in Australia?
This is a bit like asking “Do I need to lock my doors at night?” Technically speaking, no, you don’t have to, but you’ll be a whole lot safer if you do.
Whenever you’re traveling, you’re going to likely be connecting to unsecured wireless networks. You never know who you’re going to be sharing that network with, or what they can do with your IP address, or other bits of personal information they can glean.
No matter where you’re going — Australia or just down the street to the coffee shop — I always recommend using a high-quality VPN.
FYI: VPNs boost your security, but they don’t guarantee it. For example, do VPNs stop DDoS attacks? Sometimes, yes! But not if the attacker already knows your IP address.
Can I Get Into Trouble for Using a VPN in Australia?
VPNs are perfectly legal to use in Australia, but don’t think that means you can get away with anything just because you’re using one. For instance, if you use a VPN to torrent illegally, you can — and likely will — be fined. And these penalties are pretty stiff. In Australia you can be fined up to $60,000 per piece of copyrighted material downloaded and serve up to five years in jail.
» Do You Know: The Best VPNs for Torrenting
So no, the use of a VPN alone won’t get you into trouble in Australia, but what you do with the VPN could.
Do Australian VPNs Work in New Zealand?
Yes! Most VPN providers classify their “Australian” server footprint as “Oceania,” which definitely includes New Zealand. NordVPN, Surfshark, and PIA all have footprints in the actual country, while others stick to Australia, specifically. That said, even connecting through a Sydney server from Auckland will still give you decent speeds with low latency on a robust VPN network.
How We Test VPNs: Methodology
Testing the VPNs is a painstaking but rewarding process. In a nutshell, we don’t take what the VPN providers’ websites say at face value. We believe in testing each VPN service ourselves across iOS, Android, MacOS and Windows devices to ensure that they deliver on all of their promises. Don’t worry, our research goes beyond user-friendliness and levels of privacy. We look at where the company is based to determine if it will be under the jurisdiction of Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or 14 Eyes.
>> Check Out: Best VPNs for iPhone
As a refresher, those are intelligence agencies that have the power to force VPN providers to share their customers’ personal and browsing information with the government upon request. Of course, the number of servers they had in Australia was also a huge factor, and with 1,012 VPN servers in Australia available from the five providers on this list, we put all the VPNs through a series of trials to test their strengths.
Speed
We test all of the VPNs from our Brooklyn office on our private Optimum network. We go device by device to set a baseline for our internet speed without a VPN and then compare speeds with VPNs against our initial numbers. The devices we test include a MacBook Air and a Windows Vivobook to ensure that we’re not favoring one manufacturer or operating system over the other.
>> Read More: Top VPNs for Mac
Our testing process is relatively easy. We test download and upload speed along with ping (latency) with and without a VPN. While download and upload speed are measured in megabits per second, latency is measured in milliseconds. We then calculate the difference between the two measurements as a percentage and take into account how the operating systems affect speed. We prefer VPNs that have no more than a 40 percent difference in any of the categories. While we stand by our results, we understand that there are differences (such as distance to the server, operating system, and device used) that could impact others’ speed test results, so we encourage all readers to conduct speed tests of their own.
>> Learn About: VPN Speed Tests
Security
The main purpose of using a VPN is to protect browsing data and web traffic, which is made up of websites visited and the IP address of the device that visited them. We want to verify the information and make sure users’ private IP addresses are not leaked due to WebRTC, which enables default browsers, like Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera, to communicate directly with each other and share information. We test for WebRTC leaks on ExpressVPN’s website so we can look at the local and Public IPv4 IP addresses to determine if there were any WebRTC leaks.
We then focus our attention on each VPN provider’s privacy jurisdiction and data-logging policy. We try to avoid companies that are based in areas that fall under Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes jurisdiction. However, not all VPN providers are based in countries outside privacy jurisdictions. Don’t worry, though: we’ll always let you know the location of the provider we’re reviewing.
In terms of data logging, we only recommend companies that don’t hold any overly sensitive information. Keep in mind that almost all VPNs log a user’s basic account information, such as their name, email, and payment information. However, we draw the line at VPNs that keep any information about when customers use their VPNs, for how long, or their web activity and IP addresses.
We examine the VPN’s encryption methods and internet protocols to see if they conform to industry standards, which include AES-256 and OpenVPN, two of the most secure methods. Additionally, we search for dynamic IP addresses, which are difficult to track. Then, we make sure all recommended VPNs include a kill switch.
Performance
Torrenting and streaming access are important to us, as we understand that media libraries differ from country to country and that some countries have stricter laws in place than others. VPNs allow us to mask our location so it appears as if we’re accessing the content from somewhere else. We also look for VPNs with split tunneling, which allows private and public network access simultaneously. We prefer double or multi-hop VPNs, as they encrypt data multiple times through multiple servers for additional layers of protection.
>> Check Out: Best VPNs for Hulu
Subscriptions
We provide our readers with comparative pricing between VPNs and supply unbiased information about subscription options. The price range of VPNs varies, but they’re typically around $5 to $10 per month. However, on the extreme ends, there are free VPN options and those that go up to $15 per month.
Monthly plans offer greater flexibility, while annual plans typically come at better prices. Furthermore, we include information about trial periods and money-back guarantees, along with contract lengths. We cut through marketing language and put each subscription’s offerings into layman’s terms so our readers know exactly what they’re getting in terms of server switches, simultaneous connections, and how many devices are allowed overall. On average, VPNs allow unlimited server switches and devices.
Customer Support
Most VPN companies provide a free live chat feature, an email address, phone number or online ticket submissions. Since VPN companies aren’t known for their customer service, we’ve found some VPN providers that provide 24/7 live chat, and we award extra points if the company provides a phone number.
App
We test the company’s VPN app on both iOS and Android devices and examine their ratings on each platform. If any apps have below three stars, we don’t recommend it to our readers with that type of device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some questions about VPN use in Australia? Don’t worry! I’ve got the answers.
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How expensive are VPNs?
Most VPNs cost between $3 and $15 dollars per month, depending on the provider, the package, and the duration of the subscription. Generally speaking, the longer you sign up for, the less your month-to-month costs will be.
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What can I do with a VPN in Australia?
With a VPN in Australia, you can mask your IP address, unblock access to streaming websites and other countries’ libraries, protect your browsing history and personal information, and securely stream and download content.
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Will a VPN slow down my internet connection?
A VPN might slow down your internet connection. It’s dependent on many factors, including the amount of servers a provider offers and how many people are on the servers, but it’s generally unnoticeable.
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Do streaming platforms block VPNs?
Most streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu use technology to block users trying to access media through a VPN. However, there are several VPNs on the market, like NordVPN and Surfshark, that can mask traffic and bypass these blockers.
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How does a VPN work?
VPNs work by routing your internet traffic through a secure server, and encrypting the data as it travels. This hides your real IP address and location while protecting your online activities.