The Best VPNs for Australia in 2023

1. NordVPN - Best VPN for Streaming in Australia

Editors Rating:

9.7 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	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.

Australian Servers

NordVPN has a pretty large server fleet — almost 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. 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

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 them 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.

>> See Also: Best VPN for 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

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.

2. Surfshark - Best VPN in Australia for Security Features

Editors Rating:

9.5 /10

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How We Review

Product 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.

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 5,500, 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

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

3. Private Internet Access VPN - Best VPN for iOS in Australia

Editors Rating:

9.4 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	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.

Australian Servers: So you know how NordVPN’s 5,500 servers seemed like a lot at the top of the article? What if I told you PIA has more than six times that amount? That’s right, PIA has a whopping 35,000 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

Download Speeds on Windows

Upload Speeds on Mac

Upload Speeds on Windows

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

4. CyberGhost - Best VPN for Mac in Australia

Editors Rating:

8.9 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	No
Camouflage Mode	No
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	No
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.

Australian Servers

Apart from PIA, CyberGhost has the most servers of any provider on our list — approximately 9,000 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

Download Speeds on Windows

Upload Speeds on Mac

Upload Speeds on Windows

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

5. Proton VPN - Best VPN for Privacy in Australia

Editors Rating:

8.8 /10

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How We Review

Product 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

Australian Servers

Proton VPN doesn’t have the biggest fleet of servers, clocking in at a little under 3,000 — 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

Download Speeds on Windows

Upload Speeds on Mac

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

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