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The best VPNs in Australia encrypt your internet traffic, mask your IP address, and unblock foreign streaming content from Australia.
We test for speed, security, and the ability to unblock international video libraries like American Netflix.
And with numerous file-sharing websites blocked by Australian ISPs, we also run extensive VPN tests unblocking torrent websites and measuring torrent speeds.
The best free and premium VPNs in Australia are:
These VPNs performed exceptionally well in our extensive tests in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
Moreover, they worked reliably on all our test devices: PC, Mac, iPhone, Android smartphone, Firestick, Apple TV, PlayStation and Xbox.
Later in this guide, we also detail why you need a VPN in Australia and how to unblock streaming services from Australia.
Why Trust Top10VPN.com?
We’ve spent thousands of hours testing and reviewing VPNs in Australia using our impartial VPN review process to recommend the most suitable VPN software.
Here are key VPN testing statistics at a glance:
The chart below compares the best-performing VPNs in Australia in terms of average local (Sydney) speed, server coverage in Australia, torrenting policy, and access to US Netflix.
The table below shows how each VPN provider performed in our testing categories:
Fast download speeds, no logs and great streaming capabilities.
NordVPN is the outright best VPN we recommend to Australians. It’s cheaper than ExpressVPN, and comes with 200 servers located in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Melbourne.
The VPN provider is our top-rated choice especially for its fast speeds, robust security and streaming capabilities from Australia. The company also operates a zero-logs policy.
Overall, NordVPN is great for overseas streaming, torrenting, and private web browsing in Australia.
| Cheapest Price | $3.29/mo over 2 years See all plans |
|---|---|
| US Netflix | Yes |
| Torrenting | Permitted |
| SpeedSpeedBased on 100Mbps local test connection | 93Mbps |
| Countries | 60 |
| Servers | 5,372 |
| Australia Servers | 200 |
| Data Leaks | No |
| Logging Policy | No Logs |
| Jurisdiction | Panama (Privacy Haven) |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat |
NordVPN is the fastest VPN in Australia – it even beats ExpressVPN, which used to be the fastest.
We ran hundreds of tests on a server in Sydney, and the VPN consistently recorded average speeds of up to 90Mbps on a 100Mbps test connection.
In other words, NordVPN only suffered a speed loss of 10%.
These fast local download speeds within Australia are ideal for secure browsing and private torrenting.
NordVPN is also extremely fast on long-distance connections, which works well for streaming international video libraries.
Connecting from Sydney to New York, we recorded excellent speeds of 74Mbps. That’s only 20% slower than using NordVPN on a nearby Australian server.
What’s more, the VPN’s SmartPlay feature unblocks US streaming content automatically, regardless of which server you choose.
We particularly recommend this VPN for unblocking BBC iPlayer in Australia. It consistently streamed the BBC’s streaming service in our tests.
You can use NordVPN to connect to global VPN servers from Australia.
NordVPN also works with US video platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max.
Globally, NordVPN operates 4,457 high-speed P2P servers, of which 164 are in Australia.
NordVPN’s Australia server list
These 164 P2P servers give you anonymous IP addresses in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth or Sydney.
Given the VPN’s no-logs policy, NordVPN is therefore a strong choice for secure file-sharing in a country that has experienced tough crackdowns on torrenting.
NordVPN is also highly-secure. It uses the WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, and AES-256 encryption.
The software also comes with additional security features including Double VPN, a VPN kill switch and Onion over VPN.
In summary, NordVPN is the very best choice for Australian VPN users. It’s also very affordable, and costs only $3.29 (AUD$4.63) per month on its best deal.
Over 274 secure VPN servers in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN has more servers in Australia than any other VPN provider. All its Australian servers deliver fast speeds, both within Australia and connecting internationally.
PIA is affordable and extremely safe, too. With a no-logs policy, and advanced security protocols, it will please privacy-conscious Australians.
Our testing found PIA did not leak any IP or DNS data. It’s not quite as fast as NordVPN, but PIA is a safe and cheap alternative.
| Cheapest Price | $2.19/mo over 26 months See all plans |
|---|---|
| US Netflix | Yes |
| Torrenting | Unlimited |
| SpeedSpeedBased on 100Mbps local test connection | 98Mbps |
| Countries | 84 |
| Servers | 17,193 |
| Australia Servers | 274 |
| Data Leaks | No |
| Logging Policy | No Logs |
| Jurisdiction | US (Five Eyes Member) |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat |
PIA VPN has the most VPN servers in Australia. It counts 274 servers spread across the country, exceeding the number on offer from CyberGhost, IPVanish, Windscribe, and NordVPN.
These servers are limited to three cities: Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
PIA’s Australia servers
Globally, PIA offers the most servers from any VPN provider: 17,193 servers in 84 countries.
Such a large server park helps keep network congestion low. Unsurprisingly, PIA VPN is extremely fast on most VPN connections.
In fact, the VPN provider is one of the fastest we’ve tested. It doesn’t beat NordVPN or ExpressVPN for speeds in Australia, but it comes close with download speeds of 84Mbps.
Private Internet Access has earned a reputation for strong security practices. The VPN keeps absolutely no activity or connection logs and it releases regular transparency reports.
All apps mask your IP address and safeguard your data transfers with bank-grade encryption. The VPN uses the OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 connection protocols, along with the AES-256 encryption cipher.
PIA offers strong security with advanced configuration options.
Additionally, PIA VPN protects against IPv4, IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks, and it comes with an effective kill switch.
One of PIA’s biggest strengths is how well it caters to torrenting. Our most-recent tests found it’s the best VPN for torrenting.
The VPN permits P2P file-sharing activity on every single server, and it’s compatible with torrent clients like BitTorrent, Deluge, and uTorrent.
Features like port-forwarding (for seeding) and a SOCKS5 proxy will appeal to keen file-sharers in Australia.
Private Internet Access is also a good choice for streaming international video content from Australia.
While the VPN only unblocks 2 Netflix regions, it does stream US Netflix.
PIA is also extremely effective at unblocking BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and Hulu.
But, when it comes to streaming overseas video content, we highly recommend using ExpressVPN due to its superior unblocking capabilities.
A very fast and secure VPN built for unblocking Netflix.
If you don’t think NordVPN or Private Internet Access are the right options for you, ExpressVPN is also a great choice for Australia.
The VPN has servers spread evenly across the country, it streams US Netflix, and it delivers very fast download speeds.
Not to mention the service’s user-friendly apps and exceptional customer support.
It’s more expensive than NordVPN and Private Internet Access, but ExpressVPN’s strong performance across the board justifies the higher price.
| Cheapest Price | $6.67/mo over 15 Months See all plans |
|---|---|
| US Netflix | Yes |
| Torrenting | Unlimited |
| SpeedSpeedBased on 100Mbps local test connection | 88Mbps |
| Countries | 94 |
| Servers | 3,000 |
| Australia Servers | Undisclosed |
| Data Leaks | No |
| Logging Policy | Anonymous Server Usage Data |
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands (Privacy Haven) |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat |
ExpressVPN is our overall favorite VPN for streaming.
Thanks to very fast international speeds, the VPN works well with US Netflix, DAZN, HBO Max and many other US content platforms.
It also works with UK streaming services like BBC iPlayer, although the experience isn’t as smooth as with NordVPN.
Streaming fans will enjoy ExpressVPN’s user-friendly apps, including its Fire TV Stick app.
The service’s Smart DNS tool (MediaStreamer) makes it easy to unblock video platforms on games consoles, Apple TV and Roku.
ExpressVPN is extremely fast on connections within Australia.
ExpressVPN’s Australia servers
Servers are located in four Australian cities: Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
Testing connections from Sydney to Sydney, we recorded an average download speed of 86Mbps. This is only 9% less than our internet speed without a VPN running.
ExpressVPN includes a speed test tool to ensure you connect to the fastest AU server.
We recommend using the ‘Smart Location’ feature in the app to maximize speed. It automatically selects the best server for speed and low ping.
ExpressVPN is also ideal to connect from Australia to a different country. We’ve seen exceptional speeds connecting from Sydney to New York, San Francisco and London.
ExpressVPN is a top choice for torrenting. Similarly to PIA VPN, it allows P2P traffic on all its 3,000 servers.
In addition to fast torrent speeds, the VPN has an effective kill switch to protect your true IP address, it enforces a no-logs policy, and it uses AES-256 encryption.
Furthermore, ExpressVPN uses diskless servers (TrustedServer), which never write data to the servers’ hard drives.
The top free VPN for secure web browsing in Australia.
Windscribe is a highly-secure VPN that comes in both a paid and free version: Windscribe Pro and Windscribe Free.
Both versions of Windscribe record fast short-distance speeds, and the free version works to unblock most streaming services and 6 Netflix libraries.
Although it only has 11 servers in Australia, the VPN service serves more Australian cities than any other VPN.
Altogether, this makes Windscribe the best free VPN for Australia.
| Cheapest Price | $4.08/mo over 12 Months See all plans |
|---|---|
| US Netflix | Yes |
| Torrenting | Permitted |
| SpeedSpeedBased on 100Mbps local test connection | 95Mbps |
| Countries | 68 |
| Servers | 110 |
| Australia Servers | 11 |
| Data Leaks | No |
| Logging Policy | Anonymous Server Usage Data |
| Jurisdiction | Canada (Five Eyes Member) |
| Support | Email & Online Resources Only |
Windscribe has servers in six Australian cities: Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
There are only 11 servers in the entire country, though, which works out to just under two servers per city.
Windscribe’s Australia servers
Despite the small server count, Windscribe performs well on nearby connections. We recorded download speeds of 85Mbps within Sydeny, which is faster than PIA VPN.
However, the free VPN’s long-distance speeds aren’t as impressive, which can lead to buffering when streaming overseas videos.
Windscribe Free no longer works to unblock US Netflix. However, it’s still good at getting around blocks for Hulu, HBO Max, DAZN, and more. It can also still access 6
international Netflix libraries.
The VPN’s free Chrome browser extension also streams BBC iPlayer from Australia, although the full VPN isn’t quite as reliable.
The free version of Windscribe (like the paid version) comes with all the security features you expect from a top VPN.
These include AES-256 encryption, leak protection, and a VPN kill switch. There’s also a malware and ad-blocker integrated into its VPN apps (R.O.B.E.R.T).
Overall, Windscribe is highly-secure free VPN. It hides your IP address, and keeps your internet traffic hidden from your ISP and any snoopers on public WiFi.
Be aware of its 10GB monthly data cap, though, which will limit your usage.
The top choice for Firestick, Kodi and Android users in Australia.
IPVanish is our top-rated VPN for Fire TV Stick. The VPN’s fast speeds, no-logs policy and P2P-friendly servers are ideal for anonymous use of Kodi and IPTV streams.
There are also 89 Australian servers in five cities: Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
IPVanish is not a good choice for unblocking foreign streaming platforms, though. It doesn’t work with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or Disney Plus.
| Cheapest Price | $3.33/mo over 12 months See all plans |
|---|---|
| US Netflix | Yes |
| Torrenting | Unlimited |
| SpeedSpeedBased on 100Mbps local test connection | 84Mbps |
| Countries | 50 |
| Servers | 2,000 |
| Australia Servers | 89 |
| Data Leaks | No |
| Logging Policy | No Logs |
| Jurisdiction | US (Five Eyes Member) |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat |
If you’re looking for a VPN to access Kodi and IPTV streams on your Fire TV or Android device, IPVanish is the VPN we recommend the most.
Globally, you can access over 40,000 global IP addresses in 77 locations and 50 countries.
Every server is no-logs and allows P2P streams, plus we detected zero IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks. There’s also an effective kill switch on every app, except iOS.
IPVanish also offers an APK file, to sideload the VPN onto Android-based devices that don’t support native VPN applications.
From a security standpoint, IPVanish does very well. It secures its connections with AES-256 encryption, and uses secure protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2.
The VPN also includes IPv6 leak protection, and split tunneling (if you want certain programs to use your standard internet connection).
We measured average download speeds of 88Mbps connecting to an IPVanish server in Sydney.
These speeds are more than fast enough for HD streaming and torrenting. IPVanish’s connections speeds are always reliable and stable.
IPVanish’s application when connected to an Australian VPN server.
Sadly, you shouldn’t use IPVanish to stream foreign video content.
International speeds are on the slow side, and the VPN can’t stream many streaming platforms including Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Disney+.
To stream overseas streaming platforms, we recommend using either ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
Australia has some of the most aggressive online surveillance, censorship, and copyright laws of any liberal democracy in the world.
These laws and restrictions present a clear threat to users’ internet privacy, security, and freedom.
Reasons for using a VPN in Australia:
As a result of these anti-privacy laws, VPN subscriptions in Australia have increased by 69% since 2017.
VPN software encrypts your internet traffic and hides your public IP address. This prevents ISPs from viewing your online activity, and lets you bypass web content filters.
Read our guide on what VPNs are used for to learn more.
Australian ISPs (Internet Service Providers) record and log all your browsing data. This means there is a record of every website you visit, everything you search for, and every conversation you have online.
ISPs are not only allowed to log your internet data, they’re legally obligated to by the Telecommunications Interception and Access Act of 2015.
Australia is also a member of the Five Eyes Alliance, an international political agreement that records and trades mass surveillance data in the name of national security.
Since 2001, it has also adopted more new national security laws than any other liberal democracy in the world.
These laws allow authorities to access your personal data without a judicial warrant, and even share it with tax authorities and the local council.
A high-quality VPN encrypts all your web traffic, making your browsing activity unintelligible to your ISP and anyone else collecting your data.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) can and does block any website it chooses using filtration technology.
In other words, Australia is guilty of internet censorship. Reporters Without Borders has even listed the country as an “internet enemy” that is “under surveillance.”
There are even restrictions on simple activities like sharing certain posts on Facebook or streaming licensed films and TV shows.
ISPs now block sites such as Putlocker, RARBG, SolarMovie, and alternate routes to PirateBay. As a result, there are now hundreds of web domains that are inaccessible within Aussie borders.
VPN software hides your IP address and connects your device to a server in a different country, allowing you to bypass these blocks and access restricted websites.
Australia also has some of the harshest anti-piracy laws on the planet. Individuals caught sharing pirated material can face a fine of up to AUD$117,000, or even a prison sentence.
The Australian Communications Alliance (an organisation made up of major ISPs and the government) has been actively seeking to crackdown on what it sees as illegitimate file sharing.
In 2015, 4,726 unique Australian IP addresses were identified and sued by a Hollywood studio for torrenting a copyrighted movie via BitTorrent.
Website blocks are enforced by Australian courts.
In 2016, the Federal Court of Australia ordered 50 ISPs to ban certain websites after movie studios like Disney, Paramount, and 20th Century Fox filed a lawsuit concerning copyright infringement.
VPNs are therefore absolutely essential for torrenting – especially in a country with such strong copyright laws.
Many streaming platforms are either accessible from one country (e.g. BBC iPlayer) or show different content based on where you are (e.g. Netflix).
The best VPNs for streaming let you bypass these geo-restrictions to open up a greater range of videos you can stream.
We discuss how to stream overseas content in more detail later in the article.
If you’re in Australia, you can use a VPN to watch movies, documentaries and TV shows only available in other countries.
Not every VPN is good enough to beat these geographical restrictions, though.
For instance, Netflix and the BBC are very proactive at detecting and blocking VPN traffic. Only the best VPN services can beat these VPN blocks.
To stream international streaming content from Australia, we recommend using ExpressVPN.
To watch movies and TV shows available in other countries:
The video below shows how we easily unblocked the American Netflix catalog from outside the United States using ExpressVPN:
There are lots of popular VPNs that simply aren’t good for Australians.
Similarly, there are plenty of insecure VPN providers you must avoid, regardless of what country you’re in.
A good rule of thumb is to avoid free VPNs unless they come from reputable brands that also run a premium service.
Dangerous VPNs that Australians must avoid include:
Among the safe and trusted VPNs on the market, there are some that still don’t cater well to Australians.
There are many services that choose to focus more on Europe and North America at the expense of Oceania and South Asia.
Reputable VPNs not optimized for use in Australia:
We look out for a number of key decision-making factors when testing and recommending the top Australian VPNs.
We rate every VPN based on its performance in four subcategories, then combine these numbers to calculate an overall Australia rating for each VPN.
For Australia specifically, we measure:
Here’s a full list of the factors we assess when looking for the best Australia VPN, along with how much of our rating they make up:
Minimum Requirement: Average local download speeds above 70Mbps.
We Recommend: Average local download speeds of 80Mbps or faster.
VPN speeds are especially important in Australia, where VPN services usually pay less attention to their infrastructure than other countries.
We regularly test every VPN’s average local download speed when connected to servers in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, and more.
We also test for international download speeds when connecting from Australia to distant countries like the US and UK.
We then compare these speeds against our normal speeds without a VPN, and use these figures to calculate a percentage speed loss figure.
In both cases, we recommend the VPNs with the lowest percentage speed loss, ensuring you can browse, stream, and torrent with as little slowdown as possible.
Minimum Requirement: A choice of VPN server locations in Australia.
We Recommend: Coast-to-coast, city-level Australian server coverage.
The fewer VPN servers a VPN has, the more congested the network will be – resulting in slower speeds.
Most VPN services typically have much fewer servers in Australia than they do in Europe and North America.
For each VPN, we count the number of servers on offer in Australia, and in how many locations. VPNs with a large number of Australian servers are rewarded.
All of Australia’s major cities are on the coast, so we also reward coast-to-coast server coverage that ensures no user has to put up with slow VPN speeds.
Minimum Requirement: A clear policy with only anonymised connection logs.
We Recommend: A strict no-logs privacy policy.
We read every VPN privacy policy in detail to check whether the service stores your usage data.
The top-rated VPNs have a strictly no-logs policy. This means they collect and keep none of your activity or connection data, including your IP address.
Our experts also use packet-inspection tests to check for AES-256 encryption, data leaks, and OpenVPN functionality to keep your data secure when using public WiFi.
This also ensures that Australian ISPs cannot monitor or log your browsing activity.
Minimum Requirement: The VPN works with some streaming services and has a clear P2P policy.
We Recommend: The VPN works multiple international streaming libraries and allows torrenting on all servers.
Many users want a VPN to stream geo-blocked content or share P2P files safely. This is especially true in Australia, where services like Netflix have less content than their international equivalents.
We test for VPNs that can effectively access the largest number of streaming libraries – both in Australia and overseas.
That means the top-rated Australia VPNs work with both US and AU Netflix libraries, as well as Australia-specific platforms like Binge, Stan, Kayo Sports, and Foxtel Now.
We also test to see which VPNs can effectively access other global streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+.
A good VPN also provides P2P-optimized servers and online protections for those interested in torrenting, which is particularly important in Australia due to its strict copyright laws.
We expect basic levels of security, customer support, and value for money from all VPN services, not just Australia VPNs.
To make sure our recommendations are safe, we test for basic security features including a VPN kill switch and leak protection.
We examine every app on macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android to see if it has a simple, user-friendly interface, and reward the VPNs that are easy to understand and use.
Additional features are also rewarded – this could include split tunneling, browser extensions, ad blockers, malware blockers, and other bespoke tools like Smart DNS.
We examine the quality of customer support available by sending technical questions through both email and live chat assistance.
High-quality services have 24/7 live chat support, an online knowledge-base, and an email address to ask technical questions.
Finally, we take value for money into account and highlight the VPNs that are particularly affordable or good value.
Despite the government’s dedication to limiting internet privacy, VPNs are absolutely legal in Australia.
There are no legal repercussions to using a VPN in the country. However, doing illegal things while using a VPN is still illegal.
The only countries to make VPNs illegal are Belarus, Iraq, Turkmenistan, and North Korea.
Based on our latest testing, NordVPN is the fastest VPN connecting within and out of Australia, followed closely by ExpressVPN.
The speed graph below shows how fast the top five VPNs for Australia are when connected to a server in Sydney.
The cheapest VPN for Australia is FastestVPN (read our review).
It has two servers in Sydney and only costs US$1.11 (AUD$1.56) per month on a three year subscription.
Private Internet Access is also very cheap, costing only US$2.19 (AUD$2.85) per month.
