5 Best VPNs for Australia in 2025: Fast Streaming, Privacy, Pricing & More Compared
The Australian government recently passed a surveillance bill that gives the government powers to snoop on its citizens. You need to get the best VPN for Australia to bypass this and simultaneously gain access to geo-restricted websites across the globe.
Written by Arthur Sabayi (Writer)
Reviewed by Samuel Chapman (Writer, Editor)
Facts checked by Igor Kurtz (Fact-checking editor)
Last Updated:
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: Best VPNs for Australia
- NordVPN — Highest number of Australian servers. A 72% discount is available for users who choose NordVPN’s extended subscription options.
- Surfshark — Affordable with unlimited simultaneous device connections. New Surfshark subscribers get up to 66% (plus 3 months free) reduced rates on long-term commitments.
- ExpressVPN — Easy to use and fast speeds. Explore ExpressVPN’s features with a 30-day return policy, and grab extended plans at a 25% discount.
- PrivadoVPN — Best free Australian VPN.
- hide.me VPN — Specialty Australian streaming servers.
Australia scores highly on the freedom index, and there aren’t major internet restrictions. However, you can’t access some streaming platforms, like Peacock TV, due to geo-restrictions — unless you have the best VPN for Australia.
Additionally, it’s not uncommon for Australian ISPs like Telstra to occasionally throttle speeds. You can use a VPN to hide your online traffic from ISPs so they can’t slow down your internet. However, not all VPNs are built the same; some are better suited for Australia than others.
We tested several VPNs, and NordVPN came out on top, mainly for its ability to unblock geo-restricted content and reliable connection speeds. It even topped our 10 best VPN services list.
-
11/17/2021 Facts checked
Since our last article, Australia has passed a surveillance bill which makes using a VPN service more important than ever, ExpressVPN takes the top spot over NordVPN, and Surfshark is a new addition to the list.
-
09/07/2022
Updated Windscribe pricing: the paid plan increased to $5.75 per month from $4.08. The Build-a-Plan minimum purchase also increased to $3 from $2. Also updated Windscribe’s free data cap to 15GB due to it offering 5GB extra permanently when you tweet about the service.
-
10/26/2023
Updated the article to reflect ExpressVPN’s recent increase of 5 simultaneous connections to 8, as well as its expansion of server presence to 105 countries, previously 94.
-
11/25/2023 Facts checked
We’ve reevaluated the best VPNs for Australia and re-written the article with better options.
-
06/25/2024 Facts checked
Updated the article, replacing Proton VPN with PrivadoVPN as the best free option because of changes to Proton VPN’s free plan.
-
07/22/2024
Updated the article to reflect latest information on NordVPN’s allowed number of simultaneous connections.
-
10/01/2024 Facts checked
We updated these rankings to reflect current VPN performance, features and pricing.
Cloudwards Editor’s Choice: NordVPN
NordVPN offers enough Australian servers in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane to minimize overcrowding and boost speeds. For Australians who want to watch global content, there are over 6,000 servers that can access geo-restricted sites like fuboTV. They all stream without buffering with NordVPN’s fast connection speeds. Grab an exclusive 72% discount on your first two years of NordVPN.
Protect Your Privacy. Get Our Free VPN Guide Now!
- Comprehend the essential role a VPN plays in safeguarding your digital life
- Gain a deep understanding of how VPNs function under the hood
- Develop the ability to distinguish fact from fiction in VPN promotions
How to Choose the Best Australia VPN
We focused on four main factors when narrowing down our list of the best VPNs for Australia.
- Streaming: The ability to unblock geo-restricted content from abroad and access Australian content from anywhere using Aussie IPs.
- Security: The ideal VPN should counter surveillance with secure encryption to hide your online activities. It should also have a reliable kill switch to prevent your IP address from leaking.
- Speed: The VPN should be fast. This is important if you want to stream, torrent or play video games without lags. Having specialized protocols optimized for speed is a big bonus.
- Platform Support: The VPN should be compatible with mobile devices and PCs running on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux.
Australia recently passed the Identify and Disrupt bill, giving the government new surveillance powers. The aim of the bill was to deal with criminals who use the dark web to buy and sell stolen identities. Other targeted activities include dealing in child abuse material and child trafficking, so the law has a very wide surveillance scope.
While it was drafted to deal with criminals, there’s no telling how much the Australian government will monitor regular citizens.
The 5 Best Australian VPN Services
Out of the many VPNs we tested, these five excelled in unblocking geo-restricted content in Australia. They offer excellent streaming speeds, are secure and provide good value for money.
1. NordVPN — Best VPN for Australia
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
NordVPN has over 190 servers in Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Melbourne, making accessing Australian content smooth. Additionally, NordVPN offers over 6,000 global servers in locations like the U.S. and the U.K. for unblocking platforms like DirecTV, BBC iPlayer and many more. You can read more on NordVPN’s great unblocking features in our detailed NordVPN review.
NordVPN Hands-On Testing
NordVPN has apps for Android, iOS, Windows and macOS. They’re all easy to use, with a search function for locating the servers you need. Plus, you can connect up to 10 simultaneous devices using the same account.
Notes From the Lab: NordVPN Speed Test Results
| Location | Ping ms | Download Mbps | Upload Mbps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unprotected | 23 | 27.24 | 5.67 |
| North America | 26 | 25.35 | 5.58 |
| United Kingdom | 319 | 26.71 | 4.19 |
| Brazil | 396 | 26.33 | 5.47 |
| Singapore | 412 | 23.78 | 5.56 |
| South Africa | 635 | 24.32 | 3.25 |
| Australia | 500 | 21.20 | 5.61 |
| Average | 381 | 24.62 | 4.94 |
As is customary, we ran speed tests using NordLynx, the fastest but slightly less secure NordVPN protocol. We got average speeds of 92.05 Mbps on our unprotected speeds of 100 Mbps, a 7.5% speed drop. This was the fastest VPN, ideal for streaming 4K content without any buffering.
Notes From the Lab: NordVPN Security Analysis
If you’re concerned about your privacy in Australia, NordVPN’s Double VPN servers should put your mind at ease. They encrypt your traffic twice, effectively shutting down any remote chance of surveillance being successful. You can read our double VPN breakdown for more information.
The kill switch offers DNS leak protection by cutting off your internet whenever your VPN connection drops. NordVPN’s protocols include NordLynx, OpenVPN and IKEv2. Additionally, you can activate NordVPN’s Threat Protection to block trackers, malware and ads on torrenting sites.
| Protocol: | Encryption | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| NordLynx | ChaCha20 | Windows macOS iOS Android |
| OpenVPN | AES-256 | Windows macOS iOS Android |
| IKEv2 | AES-256 | Windows macOS iOS Android |
NordVPN Pricing & Value
NordVPN is reasonably priced and comes with three price plans. For all your VPN needs, the Standard two-year plan is the cheapest at $3.09 per month, including the 3 extra months.
- **VAT may apply
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
2. Surfshark — Best Budget VPN for Australia
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
Surfshark has over 40 Australian servers in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. These can unblock Australia-only shows and websites. On top of this, Surfshark has over 3,200 servers in 100 countries. No matter where you may be in Australia, you can watch U.S. platforms like Peacock by connecting to multiple U.S. servers.
Additionally, Surfshark servers are also 100% RAM-only, which means no data is ever stored. Therefore, even if Australian authorities get a warrant for your browsing history, there won’t be anything to be retrieved. Our Surfshark review explains the no-log policy in more detail.
Surfshark Hands-On Testing
The Surfshark VPN app is very easy to use. It’s available for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows, complete with a VPN server search button. Surfshark is the only VPN on this list that allows unlimited simultaneous device connections, perfect if you have a large family.
Notes From the Lab: Surfshark Speed Test Results
| Location | Ping ms | Download Mbps | Upload Mbps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unprotected | 32.2 | 5.23 | |
| North Macedonia (closest server) | 10 | 31.9 | 4.56 |
| United States | 142 | 28.3 | 5.26 |
| Brazil | 239 | 29.2 | 4.46 |
| Nigeria | 156 | 31.8 | 5.02 |
| Ireland | 58 | 29.3 | 4.76 |
| Australia | 297 | 30.5 | 5.15 |
| India | 195 | 31.9 | 5.08 |
| Average | 157 | 30.41 | 4.9 |
Surfshark was the second fastest VPN, averaging 93.38 Mbps, a 6.62% speed drop on our unprotected speeds of 100 Mbps. This makes Surfshark one of the best VPNs for streaming that can handle 4K content without buffering.
Notes From the Lab: Surfshark Security Analysis
You can use MultiHop servers, Surfshark’s version of double VPN, for an extra layer of encryption if you don’t mind slower speeds. Available protocols include OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard.
The VPN also offers Camouflage Mode for bypassing VPN blocks in restricted school and work networks in Australia. Additionally, there’s an ad and malware blocker called CleanWeb that stops ads and malware from loading when you visit compromised websites.
| Protocol: | Encryption | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | AES-256-GCM | Windows macOS iOS Android |
| OpenVPN | AES-256-GCM | Windows macOS iOS Android |
| IKEv2 | AES-256-GCM | Windows macOS iOS Android |
Surfshark Pricing & Value
Surfshark offers the best value for money on the two-year plan. The unlimited simultaneous device connection is particularly handy for large groups. All you need to get things rolling is the Surfshark Starter plan, which is the best deal at $2.19 per month. You also get an extra two free months to boot.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
3. ExpressVPN — Beginner-Friendly VPN for Australia
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
ExpressVPN has over 3,000 servers you can use to unblock content that’s not available in Australia. This includes U.S. servers that can unblock U.S.-only content, like American Netflix, Sling TV and DirecTV. Plus, the VPN offers servers in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide. You can use these to access Australian TV and radio from anywhere.
ExpressVPN Hands-On Testing
Using ExpressVPN is easy. The server list is accessible across Android, iOS, macOS and Windows apps with a maximum of eight simultaneous device connections. You can also use the search button to find an Australian VPN server quickly.
Notes From the Lab: ExpressVPN Speed Test Results
| Location | Ping ms | Download Mbps | Upload Mbps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unprotected | 5 | 100 | 10 |
| United States | 6 | 91 | 9 |
| United Kingdom | 74 | 91 | 9 |
| Australia | 197 | 66 | 9 |
| Brazil | 134 | 86 | 9 |
| South Africa | 238 | 58 | 9 |
| Singapore | 225 | 62 | 9 |
| Average | 146 | 75.67 | 9 |
ExpressVPN scored average speeds of 69.95 Mbps, a 30% drop on our unprotected speeds of 100 Mbps. The VPN is usually faster, and you can read all about that in our ExpressVPN review.
However, in this case, connecting to physically far servers increases latencies since your encrypted traffic covers greater distances. Always choose the Australian server closest to your physical location for better speeds. Ensure you use the Lightway UDP protocol.
Notes From the Lab: ExpressVPN Security Analysis
Through encryption, ExpressVPN secures your internet traffic and prevents accidental IP address leaks with a Network Lock kill switch. Additionally, you can choose from three protocols: Lightway (UDP & TCP), OpenVPN (UDP & TCP) and IKEv2.
| Protocol: | Encryption | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Lightway | AES-256 | Windows macOS iOS Android |
| OpenVPN | AES-256 | Windows macOS iOS Android |
| IKEv2 | AES-256 | Windows macOS iOS Android |
ExpressVPN offers split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Android and some routers. This lets you route specific traffic you want protected through the VPN while excluding everything else.
ExpressVPN Pricing & Value
ExpressVPN is one of the most expensive VPNs and doesn’t come with a free plan. However, you can use its 30-day money-back guarantee to try it out before committing. Of the price options ExpressVPN offers, the two-year plan is the best deal at $4.99 per month when counting the free four months.
- Pricing for the annual and biennial plans applies only on the first year.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
4. PrivadoVPN — Best Free VPN for Australia
PrivadoVPN is a good free VPN pick for Australia. Although it doesn’t have free servers in Australia, it offers free servers in 10 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
PrivadoVPN is great for many use cases. Its free servers can unblock many streaming services, including Netflix U.S. It’s also fast enough to ensure you don’t experience slow-loading pages and lags while browsing or streaming. PrivadoVPN is also great for privacy-focused users, thanks to its strict no-logs policy. Learn more in our PrivadoVPN review.
PrivadoVPN Hands-On Testing
PrivadoVPN has easy-to-use apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. You can find Australian servers on the paid plans by using the search function or scrolling through the extensive VPN server list.
Notes From the Lab: PrivadoVPN Speed Test Results
| Location | Ping ms | Download Mbps | Upload Mbps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unprotected | 14 | 57.91 | 5.94 |
| USA | 64 | 45.35 | 5.48 |
| UK | 357 | 25.27 | 5.70 |
| Australia | 408 | 24.75 | 5.41 |
| Brazil | 206 | 37.29 | 5.74 |
| Singapore | 407 | 22.41 | 5.62 |
| Average | 288 | 31.01 | 5.59 |
Our speed tests revealed that PrivadoVPN is a decent VPN in terms of speed. It clocked up to 80% of our initial download speeds and never dropped below 40%. It was more consistent in terms of upload speeds, maintaining an average of 90% across the board. However, its latency went up rather quickly.
Notes From the Lab: PrivadoVPN Security Analysis
As for protocols, PrivadoVPN has IKEv2, OpenVPN and WireGuard. These are three of the safest protocols and if you’re not sure what to choose, you can select “automatic” and allow PrivadoVPN to select the best protocol for you.
| Protocol: | Encryption | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | ChaCha20 | Windows macOS iOS Android |
| OpenVPN | AES-256-GCM | Windows Android Linux |
| IKEv2 | Deffie-Hellman | macOS |
PrivadoVPN Pricing & Value
PrivadoVPN is not as expensive as ExpressVPN, but the monthly plan is still very costly. That said, the two-year plan offers the best deal at $1.11 per month (two-year plan + three months) per month. Additionally, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- 10GB
- 1
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
5. hide.me VPN — Decent Free VPN for Australia
If you’re traveling outside Australia and feel homesick, hide.me VPN allows you to access any Australian show, movie or website from anywhere. The VPN has servers in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Auckland.
hide.me VPN offers multiple servers in 85 locations worldwide, including the U.S., the U.K., and other major European locations. Unblocking geo-restricted platforms like Hulu, which has amazing channels, shouldn’t be a problem.
You even get streaming-optimized servers for multiple countries, including Australia. They are easier to connect to and give you better streaming speeds. hide.me has a free plan with seven free locations, excluding Australia. Read our hide.me VPN review to know what this virtual private network service is capable of.
Hide.me VPN Hands-On Testing
hide.me VPN is compatible with Android, iOS, macOS and Windows, among others, and you can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously. The overall user interface is easy to use, and all the features are right there for you to pick and tweak to your liking.
Notes From the Lab: Hide.me Speed Test Results
| Location | Ping ms | Download Mbps | Upload Mbps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unprotected | 5 | 37.77 | 18.52 |
| Fastest server (Slovenia) | 43 | 31.25 | 17.6 |
| United Kingdom | 73 | 31.52 | 8.72 |
| United States | 189 | 25.95 | 4.38 |
| Australia | 287 | 29.3 | 3.16 |
| Brazil | 254 | 26.36 | 0.34 |
| South Africa | 751 | 3.04 | 2.19 |
| Singapore | 283 | 32.93 | 3.17 |
| Average | 269 | 25.76 | 5.65 |
A quick speed test using the WireGuard protocol and a Perth server averaged 16 Mbps, a whopping 73% speed drop on unprotected speeds of 60 Mbps. This makes hide.me VPN the slowest on this list. Streaming 4K content was an uphill task, and our downloads took a little while. You may have to limit yourself to HD and SD movies and shows.
Notes From the Lab: Hide.me VPN Security Analysis
Outside of that, hide.me VPN does a stellar job of keeping Australian authorities out of your online business by encrypting your traffic. You don’t have to worry about your anonymity getting exposed through IP address leaks either; a kill switch disconnects your internet when your VPN connection drops.
This VPN provider also has multi-hop servers that route you through two servers for double the protection. hide.me offers multiple protocols, including WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN.
| Protocol: | Encryption | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | ChaCha20 | Windows macOS iOS Android Linux |
| OpenVPN | AES-256 | Windows macOS iOS Android |
| IKEv2 | AES-256 AES-128 | Windows macOS iOS Android |
| SoftEther | SSL | Windows macOS Linux |
| SSTP | SSL | Windows macOS Linux |
Hide.me VPN Pricing & Value
hide.me VPN‘s best deal is the two-year plan that costs $2.69 per month. This plan comes with an extra three free months. Every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- 5 servers
- 10GB
- 1
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
Can You Use a Free VPN for Australia?
You can use a free VPN for Australia, but we don’t recommend them because of how many free VPNs aren’t safe. Plenty of free VPN services sell user data because that’s the only way they make money, which puts you at great risk. They also have limited features that make them useless when dealing with government surveillance. There are good free VPN services, but most should be avoided.
The Best Free Australia VPN: PrivadoVPN
PrivadoVPN is the best free VPN for Australia because it offers free servers in 10 countries. While it doesn’t provide Australian IP addresses, Aussies can still get full protection against surveillance. There are no speed limits or ads on the free version. Read our breakdown of free vs premium VPNs to learn more.
How to Use a VPN for Australia
You can set up a VPN for Australia with the following quick steps. In the screenshots, NordVPN serves as an example.
- Subscribe to a VPN
Start by visiting NordVPN’s website and selecting a plan with a 72% discount, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee for peace of mind.
- Download and Install the VPN
Download a compatible version of the VPN for the device you’re using.
- Launch the VPN and Connect to an Australian Server
Open the VPN server list, locate the Australia servers and connect.
Why You Need a VPN in Australia
An Australian VPN keeps you safe from government surveillance. The Identify and Disrupt bill gives the government broad powers to access your online data if they have probable cause. A VPN prevents that by hiding your online activities.
Using a VPN in Australia is the best way to access some of the top streaming services that are geo-restricted, like Peacock, Sling TV or BBC iPlayer. For example, Modern Family is now available on Peacock after being removed from the global Netflix library.
If you want to maintain access to geo-restricted content and keep the government’s nose out of your business, a VPN is the best route.
Final Thoughts
NordVPN is the best Australia VPN, whether you’re living abroad or a resident of the Land Down Under. It offers Australian servers, it’s fast, it secures your online traffic against surveillance and censorship and it can unblock almost any content worldwide.
Take NordVPN for a test drive with peace of mind, knowing you can request a full refund within 30 days if it doesn’t meet your expectations. Surfshark is budget-friendly alternative, if NordVPN seems a bit too pricey for you.
Has any of these five VPN services caught your eye? What feature stands out the most for you when choosing an Australian VPN? Have you run into servers that don’t work? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below, and keep reading our content!
FAQ: Best VPN For Australia
NordVPN is the best Australia VPN, providing servers in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Woolloomooloo. It has over 6,000 servers worldwide that can unblock any geo-restricted content, and it keeps your online traffic private by hiding your IP address.
PrivadoVPN is the best free VPN for Australia because it offers many free servers in 10 countries, including the Netherland, the U.S., and the U.K. It can unblock many streaming services and offers excellent security and privacy.
NordVPN has a large server network in Australia, with over 190. These servers are distributed across five Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne locations.
You can get an Australian VPN by finding one that offers Australian IP addresses, subscribing to it, installing it on your device and connecting to an Australian location.