Best VPNs for Australia in 2022

Australia is a country that has a few issues concerning the cyber world. Apart from the fact that it’s a member of the surveillance alliance, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are also known to keep track of user data.

However, there’s a simple solution – getting an Australian VPN. Making you anonymous and preventing prying eyes from looking at your online activities is not the only thing a VPN is useful for. It can also let you access various streaming services that are geo-restricted in your area.

Choosing the right VPN can be time-consuming. So, to help you out, we made a list of the best VPNs for Australia in 2022. You’ll learn about their privacy, security, features, and more!

Best VPNs for Australia – our shortlist

1. NordVPN – best VPN for Australia overall and suitable for streaming
2. Surfshark – cheapest VPN with Australian servers
3. Atlas VPN – inexpensive VPN for mobile users
4. IPVanish – Australian VPN with all-rounded protection
5. PureVPN – always-on audit VPN for online anonymity

How to choose the best Australia VPN

Seeing all the available options, it might be intimidating at first to choose the best Australian VPN. However, you can make this process a lot easier – just follow a few key rules, and you'll narrow the list right down.

Here's how to choose the best Australian VPN:

• Check how many Australian servers it has. It’s important that your VPN has servers in the country you’re physically located in. That’s because the closer the servers, the better the speeds. Plus, connecting to Australian servers won’t change website language to one that you don’t understand.
• Check what security features it offers. Does it have a no-logging policy? Is there a kill switch to protect your data in case VPN connection drops? Check what other features you might benefit from and choose accordingly.
• Check what streaming platforms it can access. If you’re not interested in streaming, you can skip this step. However, if you’re a movie fanatic, make sure the VPN can unblock your desired streaming services. For this, we’d recommend NordVPN.
• Make sure you’re guaranteed excellent performance. Great speeds are crucial, especially if you’re into watching movies or torrenting. You can choose from the fastest VPNs or test some of them out with a free trial or a money-back guarantee.

The best Australia VPNs – our detailed list

When compiling this list, we put loads of providers to the test to find the best VPNs for Australia. Every VPN that made it onto our list has a healthy fleet of Australian servers, along with strong security measures. Read on to find the best Australian VPNs and their benefits.

1. NordVPN – best VPN for Australia

Visit NordVPN

With around 200 servers in five Australian cities, including Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, and Melbourne, NordVPN is the best VPN for Australia. Not only does it offer advanced security solutions, it’s also a great pick for streaming and torrenting.

Security: NordVPN is the most secure VPN we’ve tested. It uses AES-256 encryption and includes a kill switch for preventing data leak. Even better, NordVPN operates a no-logs policy and is independently audited.

Performance: For the best possible performance, NordVPN uses NordLynx protocol, their own upgraded version of WireGuard. It provides you with super fast speeds and a lagging-free streaming experience.

Features: In terms of features, there’s a lot. First off, this provider blocks annoying ads. There are obfuscated servers that make it look like you’re not using a VPN. Then, there’s also a free SOCKS5 proxy for torrenting. And the best part – you can use the SmartPlay feature on devices that don’t support VPNs. It helps with accessing all major streaming services.

Streaming: With NordVPN, you’ll be able to access all of the most popular streaming services and their global libraries, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Max, and more.

Compatibility: This provider works with all the major operating systems (OS) – Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Plus, you’ll get 6 simultaneous connections to protect all of your devices.

Pricing: NordVPN offers great value for your money, delivering high-quality services for just $3.09/month. And if you end up being dissatisfied, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.

To find out everything you need to know, read our detailed NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – cheapest VPN with Australian servers

Visit Surfshark

If you want a cheap VPN with plenty of Australian servers, Surfshark is an obvious choice. It has approximately 70 Australian servers in five cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.

Security: Surfshark ensures your safety with 256-bit encryption and a reliable kill switch. This means even if your VPN connection accidentally disconnects, your data will be protected from leaking. RAM-only servers guarantee that your data is unrecoverable after each reboot. And since their zero-logs policy is independently-audited, you can be sure that your data is in safe hands.

Performance: The WireGuard offers fast connections and no noticeable speed issues, making Surfshark one of the fastest VPNs out there.

Features: This provider offers a malware blocker to keep you safe from threats online. Plus, there’s traffic obfuscation to hide the fact you’re using a VPN. For extra security, you’ll also benefit from the double VPN feature which creates a VPN-VPN connection.

Streaming: Surfshark is one of the most suitable ones for streaming. Whether it’s Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, or other services – you’ll never run out of things to watch.

Compatibility: The provider has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS systems. And with The Netherlands simultaneous connections, you’ll be able to use it on all of your devices.

Pricing: Surfshark is one of the cheapest VPN providers. The price starts from $2.30/month, and there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee for your safety.

For more information, read our Surfshark VPN review.

3. Atlas VPN – best mobile Australian VPN that is affordable

Visit Atlas VPN

Atlas VPN is an affordable VPN provider for Australia. It has plenty of servers in Sydney, provides great protection, fast speeds, and has some of the best mobile apps out there.

Security: Like other best VPN providers, Atlas VPN ensures your safety with AES-256 encryption, a strict privacy policy, and a reliable kill switch to prevent data leaks.

Performance: When it comes to speed, the provider doesn’t disappoint either, thanks to the WireGuard protocol. It delivers great performance, ensuring a great gaming or streaming experience.

Features: With Atlas VPN, you’ll also get a SafeBrowser feature that will block malicious websites. Additionally, the SafeSwap feature will automatically rotate your IP address. And if you’re concerned about data breaches, the data hack detection feature will monitor and notify you as soon as possible. This way, you can instantly take steps to secure your information.

Streaming: If you’re seeking a VPN for streaming purposes, then Atlas VPN will be a good option for Netflix, YouTube, and BBC iPlayer watchers.

Compatibility: This VPN has apps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. The best developed apps are mobile, but you won’t experience issues with desktop ones either. Not to mention that with Unlimited simultaneous connections, you’ll be able to try out all of Atlas VPN’s apps.

Pricing: There is a limited free Atlas VPN version, but a paid subscription is always better. The starting price is $2.05/month. And if you don’t enjoy this provider, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.

To learn more, check out our detailed Atlas VPN review.

4. IPVanish – Australian VPN for all-rounded protection

Visit IPVanish

With over 50 servers in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, IPVanish is a great Australian VPN option.

Security: IPVanish keeps your data safe with one of the strongest encryptions out there – AES. Plus, there’s the kill switch feature that prevents accidental data leaks by shutting your internet off if your VPN connection drops.

Performance: Thanks to the WireGuard protocol that’s a great combo of security and speed, IPVanish provides you with excellent speeds.

Features: With IPVanish, you get 500GB of encrypted storage. There’s also a free SOCKS5 proxy that hides your IP address. And if you want to hide the fact that you’re using a VPN, traffic obfuscation will help with that. Lastly, there’s the split tunneling feature, letting you choose which apps connect through a VPN and which don’t.

Streaming: IPVanish is one of the better VPNs for streaming. It lets you access streaming services such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and YouTube.

Compatibility: Whether you have Windows, macOS, IPVanish has apps for all. There’s no graphical Linux app, but it works through the terminal. In terms of phones, there are apps for both Android and iOS as well. You’ll be able to protect all of your devices thanks to Unlimited simultaneous connections.

Pricing: The prices of IPVanish start from $3.33/month. You can try it out using the 30-day money-back guarantee.

To find out everything there is to know, check out our IPVanish review.

5. PureVPN – solid VPN for staying private in Australia

Visit PureVPN

PureVPN is a great VPN choice for Australians with 56 servers distributed across the country. This includes Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. And since the service is always-on audit, privacy and online anonymity is a guarantee that comes with this VPN.

Security: Just like other providers on this list, PureVPN secures your data with AES-256 encryption. Since there’s a reliable kill switch available, even if your VPN shuts off for some reason, your data won’t leak.

Performance: PureVPN has the WireGuard protocol implemented, which means that you’re promised impressive speeds that don’t limit your browsing experience.

Features: This provider offers the port forwarding feature that’s really useful for remote device access or setting up gaming servers. Also, Android users get the split tunneling feature which means you can choose specific apps that you want to use a VPN connection with.

Streaming: PureVPN has no issues when used for streaming Netflix, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and DAZN.

Compatibility: No matter if you’re using Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, or Linux, PureVPN has compatible apps for all of them. And it can cover up to 10 devices simultaneously.

Price: This is one of the cheaper VPN providers – the price starts from $1.99/month and you get a 31-day money-back guarantee.

For more information, check out the PureVPN review.

How we selected and tested these VPNs

Choosing the right VPN for Australia depends on your needs. Do you want a VPN for streaming or are you more concerned about security and privacy? To help you figure out which VPN is the best in Australia, we tested dozens of products, focusing on the following criteria:

• Australian servers. When looking for an Australian VPN, you want to make sure you have plenty of servers in that country to choose from. Every VPN we included provides you with loads of servers across the country.
• Security and privacy. Using a high-quality VPN helps you secure your data from prying eyes and lets you remain anonymous online. That’s why encryption, a no-logs policy, and a kill switch are crucial for protection.
• Speed. No one wants to sit behind a constantly buffering screen that gets on their last nerves. That’s why you won’t find slow VPN providers on this list.
• Streaming. Many people are looking for VPNs for streaming purposes. We made sure that the ones we offer let you access at least some streaming platforms, such as Netflix.
• Price. As with any long-term purchase, price matters. The VPNs we included bring the best value for your money. There are options for every budget.

Why do I need a VPN in Australia?

There are several reasons why you really should get a VPN if you’re living in Australia. Here are some of them:

• Australia is a part of the 5-Eyes alliance. This means that the government can participate in spying, collecting your personal data, and sharing it within the members of the alliance.
• The country’s laws allow police to access your device. In September 2021, the Australian government pushed a Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) bill, allowing police to hack your device and access all your private and public data.
• Australian internet data is heavily monitored by the country’s ISPs. In turn, it can restrict you from accessing P2P (peer-to-peer) data or sites.
• There’s always a risk of cyberattacks. Even if you’re not concerned about your ISP logging your data, you should still want protection from cybercriminals and other third parties.

How to use a VPN for Australia?

As in any other location, the process of using a VPN is generally the same and very simple. Just follow this step-by-step guide:

1. Choose a VPN and download it. We recommend NordVPN, which is now 68% OFF!
2. Follow the installation instructions and log in.
3. Find Australia in the country list, click on it, and that’s it. You’re connected!

Free Australian VPNs compared

	NordVPN	Surfshark	AtlasVPN	IPVanish	PureVPN
Brand
Rating	4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆	4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Price starting from	$3.09/month	$2.30/month	$2.05/month	$3.33/month	$1.99/month
Australian servers	Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, and Melbourne	Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide	Sydney	Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide	Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane
Simultaneous connections	6	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	10
Streaming services	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more	Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and more	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, DAZN
Country	Panama	The Netherlands	United States	United States	British Virgin Islands
Review	NordVPN review	Surfshark VPN review	Atlas VPN review	IPVanish review	PureVPN review

Can I use a free VPN for Australia?

Technically, you could use a free VPN for Australia, but we’d strongly advise against it. For one thing, free VPN providers don’t make money from paid services, so they’re known to collect and sell browsing data to advertisers and other third parties.

And if that hasn’t put you off, just know that they also don’t have money for updating software. This results in the free antivirus becoming outdated quickly. Not to mention that it could also be infected with malware.

However, if you definitely don’t want to pay for a VPN, you’d be much better off using a freemium VPN service. Typically, they’re limited as they have fewer features and usually come with a data cap.

But if you want a true and full VPN experience, opting for a free premium VPN, such as NordVPN, trial is the way to go.

Best free VPN alternative

A premium VPN is a risk-free solution that will give you complete security and peace of mind. With top safety guarantees and excellent additional features, NordVPN is the best free VPN alternative.

cybernews® score

4.9 /5

• Premium VPN features
• Excellent server performance
• Try risk-free for 30 days

Try NordVPN for free

Conclusion

Australia isn’t a very privacy-concerned country. That’s because their ISPs are known to monitor data and their laws allow police to access your device. So, if you want to keep your information safe from your ISP and other online snoops, an Australian VPN is vital.

A VPN can protect your online activity from cybercriminals, even if you’re connected to unsecured public wifi hotspots. Plus, it will grant you access to content from anywhere in the world.

Our top pick for the best VPN for Australia is NordVPN. It has the most (over 200) servers in Australia, provides you with some of the fastest speeds, and lets you access all of the most popular streaming services.

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