Unless you use a VPN in Australia, you will be subject to intrusive government surveillance and unwanted data collection by your ISP. The difference in quality from one VPN provider to the next can be huge, and there are even privacy risks with lower-quality services, making it incredibly difficult to know if you’re making the right decision. We try and make the process as quick and simple as possible by doing all the hard work for you, and writing up our findings in plain English in our comprehensive, unbiased VPN reviews.
The best VPN services for Australia allow you to access all of your favorite sites and apps (including Netflix and BBC iPlayer) through a secure, encrypted connection, meaning you don’t need to worry about any third parties getting their hands on your precious personal data. Our high-tech proprietary speed-testing tool means we can accurately test VPN performance connecting out from Australia to several different countries worldwide, so you can rely on our top picks for HD streaming and speedy file downloads.
- Best price
- $6.67 per month
- Special deal
- 49% off 15-month plan
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 Days
- Customer Support
- 24/7 Live chat support
- No. of Server Locations
- 94 Countries
- Simultaneous Connections
- 3
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ExpressVPN is our top pick for Australia as not only is it the best all-round VPN but it also has the best international speeds. Performance is incredibly reliable across its huge network, including uninterrupted access to Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other big streaming services.
Local connections top a zippy 113Mbps, which is about standard for the very best services. Connections to Singapore (66Mbps) are best-in-class and can easily cope with high bandwidth activities. Connecting out to east coast USA you can expect speeds of around 28Mbps – not lightning fast but quick enough for streaming. Servers in Sydney, Mebourne, Brisbane and Perth mean best performance isn’t limited to NSW.
The apps are reliably user-friendly and easy-to-use, whatever the device (there is a dedicated app for the Amazon Fire TV Stick). The three connection limit is on the low side, but will be enough for most.
ExpressVPN is just as strong on privacy. The VPN kill switch is a must-have while its logging policy is very minimal (no IP addresses or timestamps) and transparent. Customer care is 24/7 and high quality. ExpressVPN also still works well in China. It’s not the cheapest option but you can bring the monthly fee right down to $6.67 on a 15-month plan, which is great value.
- Best price
- $2.99 per month
- Special deal
- 75% off with 3-year plan
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 Days
- Customer Support
- 24/7 Live chat support
- No. of Server Locations
- 62 Countries
- Simultaneous Connections
- 6
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NordVPN is a smart pick for Australia if your budget doesn’t stretch to ExpressVPN but you still want a sleek VPN that’s good for torrenting and streaming. Access to Netflix and other streaming services is fast and reliable.
It’s not as fast as our top pick on local connections but still comes in at a respectable 91Mbps down, and you can choose between five server locations spread across the country to access the best possible performance. International connections are best into Singapore (36Mbps) and San Francisco (38Mbps) but merely adequate elsewhere. East coast USA speeds are less than those offered by ExpressVPN at 21Mbps: it’s enough for streaming but not multi-tasking.
Local upload speeds are a little below average at 31Mbps, but combined with a strict zero logs policy, VPN kill switch and other privacy features make NordVPN great for P2P.
Changing the VPN protocol requires manual configuration, and customer support is good but can be slow – fortunately the apps are slick and easy to use.
On a three-year subscription, it works out at incredible $2.99 per month, which makes it easy to overlook some gripes.
- Best price
- $6.49 per month
- Special deal
- 46% off with 12-month plan
- Money-back guarantee
- 7 Days
- Customer Support
- 24/7 Live chat support
- No. of Server Locations
- 61 Countries
- Simultaneous Connections
- 10
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IPVanish is our pick for torrenting in Australia thanks to its raw speed on local connections and strong privacy features.
It’s currently the fastest VPN in Australia with a hugely impressive 153Mbps down and 124Mbps up. Servers are Melbourne and Sydney only so speeds will be lower elsewhere. International connections are much slower and lag behind our other picks with the only adequate speeds into Singapore and west coast US servers.
The desktop apps could be more user-friendly but it makes up for it with powerful privacy features, including IPv6 leak protection and a kill switch combined with a strict zero-logs policy. The Amazon Fire TV native app is also a big plus and many of the US servers are currently working with Netflix.
Customer support is improving now there’s live chat. IPVanish isn’t cheap but you can slash the monthly price by 46% to a reasonable $6.49 by committing to the 12-month plan. If P2P or local performance is your priority then IPVanish really is a good choice.
Fast zero-logs VPN with great privacy features. Good choice for streaming fans.
- Best price
- $2.75 per month
- Special deal
- 79% off with 3-year plan
- Money-back guarantee
- 45 Days
- Customer Support
- 24/7 Live chat support
- No. of Server Locations
- 60 Countries
- Simultaneous Connections
- 7
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Cyberghost is a smart budget pick for Australia, particularly for streaming fans. It has very fast Australian servers, and dedicated servers for popular streaming sites like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. P2P users beware that torrenting isn’t permitted on any of CyberGhost’s Australian servers.
You can expect 141Mbps down and 92Mbps up locally, but it does lag behind ExpressVPN on international connections however with London at 17Mbps. Speeds into the US East Coast have recently massively improved, coming in at an impressive 30Mbps. Speeds like that are good enough for streaming on multiple devices simultaneously. You can also drill down to city level in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney for even better performance.
A strict zero logs policy and first-party DNS servers make CyberGhost a top privacy pick, along with the automatic kill switch and other useful extras.
The apps are very user-friendly and at just $2.75 per month on the three-year plan, it’s incredible value.
- Best price
- $3.60 per month
- Special deal
- 67% off with 17-month plan
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 Days
- Customer Support
- Live chat Support
- No. of Server Locations
- 58 Countries
- Simultaneous Connections
- 6
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PrivateVPN is a great VPN for Australia if you are on a budget but need strong privacy, decent speeds into the US and reliable access to Netflix and other services.
Local speeds are incredibly quick at 146Mbps down. Connections into east coast USA (19Mbps) are more than good enough for HD streaming and London connections are distinctly average at 16Mbps. With uploads at 63Mbps, there are faster options for P2P in Australia.
A strict zero logs policy and first-party DNS servers means no data exists to identify you even despite a base in privacy-unfriendly Sweden. Desktop apps are great but lack options on mobile.
There are servers in both Sydney and Melbourne, and it’s incredible value at just $3.60 on the 17-month plan.
How We Picked the Best VPN for Australia
Our top picks for Australia are the best performing in our speed tests both on local and international server connections. They also have the most reliable access to major streaming services, such as Netflix. We also looked for privacy-friendly and transparent logging and privacy policies along with advanced privacy features such as DNS and IPv6 leak blocking to make sure you’re protected no matter what you’re doing online. We manually evaluate the apps so we can share what they are really like to use and even put customer service to the test.
We are always testing all the VPNs on our site to make sure our reviews and recommendations for Australia are always updated. We run regular speed tests using Australian servers connecting to our global network to monitor VPN performance in that country. We try out the apps on a range of devices and even make sure the customer service is top notch.
Do I Need a VPN in Australia?
If you want to prevent your personal information being logged by your ISP then using a VPN in Australia is absolutely essential. Data privacy laws in Australia actually forces your ISP to record and store metadata about all your internet activity and electronic communication for two years.
A VPN will allow you to keep your activity private from your ISP by creating an encrypted tunnel to the internet via a VPN server. Your ISP will log your visit to the VPN server but won’t be able to see your onwards destinations. As part of this process, you assume the IP address of the VPN server, which means advertisers won’t be able to use your browsing history for marketing.
Australian ISPs also aggressively block certain websites, including torrenting sites. By using a VPN, you will be able to beat that government censorship and browse the web freely.
Are VPNs Legal in Australia?
Using a VPN in Australia in order to protect your personal data and mask your true IP address is completely legal. In fact, a lot of major companies use VPN technology to allow their employees to securely access sensitive data when they’re working remotely.
However you need to remember that using a VPN doesn’t mean you can ignore state or national laws, including those regarding copyright. In other words, we wouldn’t recommend doing anything whilst using a VPN that you wouldn’t do without one. The main purpose of a VPN is to keep your online activity private.
How to Choose a VPN for Australia: 8 Tips
- What’s the server coverage like in Australia?
Physical proximity to a server makes a big difference to speed and latency even more so. With a country as huge as Australia, it’s well worth checking that there are servers in suitable locations, especially if you don’t live in a state capital metro area.
- Does it offer good performance on its Australian servers?
More servers tends to mean less congestion and therefore improved speeds, however this isn’t always the case. Check out our independent speed test results to get the best idea of what performance is like in specific locations. We test connections from Australia to the most popular global destinations so you can actually see which VPN is fastest for your needs.
- What is their logging policy?
Nearly all VPN providers will claim to be ‘zero logs’, however unfortunately this is rarely the case. In order to maintain a high level of performance across a global server network, most providers will need to collect at least some basic connection metadata from their customers, such as the amount of bandwidth used. We look through all the privacy policies so you don’t have to, and summarize them in plain English in the logging policy section of our VPN reviews.
Ideally you want a VPN provider that collects a minimal amount of logs, and nothing that could be used to personally identify you. Better still, a provider that doesn’t collect or store any logs is the best option, however these are few and far between.
- Will it work with your favorite websites and apps?
Enjoy watching Netflix? Not every provider will work with these apps, especially since the recent VPN crackdowns. We’re constantly testing whether each provider is working with Netflix and other popular sites, and we share these results with you in our VPN reviews.
- Does it work on your preferred devices?
Almost all VPN software will work on Windows, Mac and Linux machines, along with iOS and Android mobile devices. However, some VPN services are also compatible with other internet-connected items, such as routers, games consoles and streaming devices, such as the Amazon Fire Stick.
- Check the number of simultaneous connections
Do you want to protect your family’s devices as well as your own? Look for as many connections as you are likely to use at the same time (most providers will allow around 3-5 simultaneously).
- Are their client apps and software easy to use?
No-one likes a clunky, confusing app. Look for a VPN with software that’s well-designed, simple and powerful and you will be much more likely to use it all the time. We share the results of our hands-on testing of each VPN app in the the Ease of Use part of its review. We spend all day testing VPN apps, so hopefully we know a thing or two!
- Finally, check the price and money-back guarantee
Even the most expensive VPN plans can be made affordable by taking out a longer subscription. Don’t bother with a one-month plan – 12-month plans typically offer the best value and you can reduce the risk of buyer’s remorse by choosing one with a long refund period. We’d advise a 30-day no-questions-asked guarantee – they essentially act as a free trial period. Make the right choice, though, and you hopefully won’t be thinking about a refund at all.
