Best VPN for Australia (October 2026)
The best VPNs for Australians, compared on our latest prices in Australian dollars, refund periods, servers and devices. Prices are read from each provider’s own website every day, and our own speed tests from Melbourne are further down the page.
Who tests these VPNs
Laurence DeerFounder and reviewer, Melbourne. Testing VPNs since 2019.
When we test a VPN, we install the provider's own app on a home NBN connection in Melbourne, measure our download speed with the VPN off and then on Australian and overseas servers, and check for DNS leaks and which streaming services open. Every result shows the date we ran it.
We have our own results for 11 of the 15 VPNs here; the latest test was on 21 Oct 2026. Prices are read from each provider's website every morning.
At a glance
From our data checked 15–22 Oct 2026
- Most Australian server citiesSurfshark, NordVPN, IPVanish, ExpressVPNAdelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
Best VPN Australia: the top 10
Each entry has its current price, with the date we checked it, the key facts, who it suits best, and what independent testers and our own dated tests found. Follow the link for the full review.
- 1
SurfsharkHouseholds with lots of devices, on a budgetA$3.49/mo - 2
NordVPNMost people who want one VPN that does everything wellA$4.79/mo - 3
Proton VPNTrying a VPN for free first, and privacy-minded usersabout A$4.96/mo - 4
IPVanishUnlimited devices with servers right across Australiaabout A$3.11/mo - 5
CyberGhostStreaming on a tight budget, with a long refund windowA$3.27/mo - 6
ExpressVPNStreaming, if a long first term suits youabout A$4.25/mo - 7
PureVPNA low price and US streaming, if you accept a mixed recordabout A$3.06/mo - 8
PrivateVPNOverseas streaming on a small budget, if speed matters lessabout A$2.84/mo - 9
WindscribeFlexible plans and a free tierabout A$8.17/mo - 10
hide.meA no-strings free plan, or a paid plan that does not jump at renewalabout A$3.82/mo
- 1
Surfshark
From A$3.49 a month
on the Starter plan (27 months), A$94.23 upfront.- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 4,500+ servers
- 100 countries
- Unlimited devices
Best for: Households with lots of devices, on a budget
Surfshark is one of the lowest-priced big names in Australian dollars, covers unlimited devices at once and lists servers in 5 Australian cities. It says Deloitte has twice verified its no-logs claim. Testers rate it fast, a little behind NordVPN, and its pricing page does not show the renewal price upfront.
Black Friday dealVisit SurfsharkFrom A$3.49/mo · checked 22 Oct (Lowest monthly price, on the Starter plan paid upfront for 27 months; read from surfshark.com on 22 October 2026) Read our full Surfshark review
Full write-up and test notes for Surfshark
One Surfshark account covers unlimited devices at once, so a family's phones, laptops, tablets and smart TV can share it. It lists servers in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, and in 100 countries. It is based in the Netherlands and says Deloitte has twice verified its no-logs claim, with Cure53 auditing its infrastructure.
Independent testers rate it fast, a little behind NordVPN: Security.org saw a torrent finish about 5% slower than without the VPN, and Top10VPN recorded a 13% loss. When we tested it from Melbourne in October 2026, it kept 96% of our download speed on a local server. Two things to check before you buy: its pricing page does not show the renewal price upfront, and Security.org notes that Surfshark may record IP addresses, which it calls poor practice for a no-logs service.
- 2
NordVPN
From A$4.79 a month
on the Basic plan (27 months), A$129.33 upfront, renews at A$187.08 every year.- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 7,115 servers
- 150 countries
- 10 devices at once
Best for: Most people who want one VPN that does everything well
NordVPN prices its plans in Australian dollars, lists servers in 5 Australian cities and runs one of the largest networks we track. Independent testers consistently put it among the fastest, and PCWorld names it the best VPN overall for 2026. The main trade-off is a renewal price well above the introductory rate, and one account covers 10 devices at once.
Visit NordVPNFrom A$4.79/mo · checked 17 Oct (Lowest monthly price, on the Basic plan paid upfront for 27 months; checked on 17 October 2026) Read our full NordVPN review
Full write-up and test notes for NordVPN
NordVPN runs one of the largest networks we track, with servers in 150 countries and in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, so most Australians can use a server in or near their own city. The apps cover phones, computers, Apple TV, Android TV and routers. They include a kill switch, split tunnelling, an ad and tracker blocker and double-hop servers, though on 14 October 2026 the Mac app offered only an app kill switch, off by default. Security.org says third-party auditors have verified its no-logs policy (review updated October 2026).
We retested it from Melbourne on 14 and 17 October 2026. On a Melbourne server on 14 October it kept 97% of our home connection's download speed. Overseas it kept 75% in the US, 62% in the UK and 81% in Japan, with no DNS leaks on the servers we checked (14 October 2026).
BBC iPlayer blocked us on five UK servers on 14 October and played on a London server on 17 October, and Japan's ABEMA was blocked on 14 October, so do not buy it for those alone. On 17 October a torrent on a standard Melbourne server ran as fast as with the VPN off. The main catch is cost after the first term: the renewal price is well above the introductory rate.
- 3
Proton VPN
From US$3.49 (about A$4.96) a month
on the VPN Plus plan (2 years), US$83.76 upfront, renews at US$83.88 every year.- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 18,264 servers
- 149 countries
- 10 devices at once
- Free plan available
Best for: Trying a VPN for free first, and privacy-minded users
Proton VPN is the pick if you want to start free: it has a free plan, open-source apps, a Swiss base and a no-logs audit by Securitum. It charges in US dollars. In our 21 October 2026 tests Netflix US, Netflix UK and iPlayer played, but SBS On Demand needed its ad blocker turned off, and its full refund covers only your first purchase.
Visit Proton VPNFrom US$3.49/mo · checked 22 Oct (Lowest monthly price (about A$4.96), on the VPN Plus plan paid upfront for 2 years; read from protonvpn.com on 22 October 2026) Read our full Proton VPN review
Full write-up and test notes for Proton VPN
Proton VPN has a free plan, so you can try it in Australia before paying anything. It comes from the Swiss company behind Proton Mail, its apps are open source, and Securitum has audited its no-logs policy. Paid plans cover 10 devices at once and add servers in 149 countries, Secure Core routing through privacy-friendly countries, and an ad and tracker blocker.
Independent speed results vary: Top10VPN recorded a 24% loss on connections to Australia, while CNET measured 48% in its March 2025 tests. When we tested it from Melbourne in October 2026, it kept 99% of our download speed on a local server. Netflix US, Netflix UK and BBC iPlayer played on 21 October 2026, but SBS On Demand needed Proton's ad blocker switched off. It charges in US dollars, so your bank may add a fee, and its full refund within 30 days covers only your first purchase.
- 4
IPVanish
From US$2.19 (about A$3.11) a month
on the Essential plan (2 years), US$52.56 upfront.- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Unlimited devices
Best for: Unlimited devices with servers right across Australia
IPVanish does not publish a country count (we checked its site on 21 Oct 2026), so it scores as the lowest in this list on that measure.
IPVanish covers unlimited devices at once and lists servers in 5 Australian cities, and testers rate it among the fastest on the WireGuard protocol. It charges in US dollars and is reported to be US-based. Its pricing page does not show what the plan renews at.
Visit IPVanishFrom US$2.19/mo · checked 22 Oct (Lowest monthly price (about A$3.11), on the Essential plan paid upfront for 2 years; read from ipvanish.com on 22 October 2026) Read our full IPVanish review
Full write-up and test notes for IPVanish
IPVanish covers unlimited devices at once and lists servers in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Its apps include a kill switch, split tunnelling, multi-hop and RAM-only servers. It says a third party has audited its no-logs policy, though its server page does not name the auditor.
Testers rate it fast on the WireGuard protocol: Top10VPN recorded a 10% average loss, and Security.org streamed 4K video through an Australian server from the US. OpenVPN connections to Australia were much slower in Top10VPN's tests, and it says IPVanish struggles with foreign-language streaming services. When we tested it from Melbourne in August 2021, it kept 77% of our download speed on a local server. It is US-based, owned by Ziff Davis, charges in US dollars and does not show the renewal price on its pricing page.
- 5
CyberGhost
From A$3.27 a month
on the 2-year plan (26 months), A$85.02 upfront, renews at A$85.02 every year.- 45-day money-back guarantee
- 100 countries
- 7 devices at once
Best for: Streaming on a tight budget, with a long refund window
CyberGhost has one of the lowest Australian-dollar prices we track and gives you 45 days to ask for a refund. It lists servers in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Testers rate it well for streaming but found it slower over long distances, and one account covers 7 devices at once.
Read our full CyberGhost review
Full write-up and test notes for CyberGhost
CyberGhost has one of the lowest Australian-dollar prices in our comparison on its longest plan, and it gives you 45 days to ask for your money back, time to try it on your own streaming services. It lists servers in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, and one account covers 7 devices at once. Its apps label servers by streaming service, and Security.org found the ones for Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and Prime Video worked first time.
The weak spot is long-distance speed: Security.org measured losses of more than 55% on connections from the US to Australia, and Top10VPN calls its long-distance speeds inconsistent. When we tested it from Melbourne in August 2021, it kept 93% of our download speed on a local server. CyberGhost is based in Romania and owned by Kape Technologies, which also owns ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access. It says Deloitte has checked its servers against its no-logs policy.
Price and plan details read from www.cyberghostvpn.com.
- 6
ExpressVPN
From US$2.99 (about A$4.25) a month
on the Basic plan (28 months), US$83.72 upfront, renews at US$99.95 every year.- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 113 countries
- 10–14 devices at once, by plan
Best for: Streaming, if a long first term suits you
Top10VPN found ExpressVPN lost 2% of speed on nearby servers and worked with 115 of the 120 streaming services it tried. It lists servers in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. It charges in US dollars, and it covers 10–14 devices at once, set by the plan you buy.
Read our full ExpressVPN review
Full write-up and test notes for ExpressVPN
Top10VPN found ExpressVPN worked with 115 out of 120 streaming services it tried and lost just 2% of speed on nearby servers. It lists servers in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. It says KPMG, PwC and Cure53 have audited it, and that its servers run from RAM only.
When we tested it from Melbourne in August 2021, it kept 86% of our download speed on a local server. On a US server, tested in August 2021, it kept 25%. CNET reported in September 2025 that its speeds improved during 2025 after several years of decline. It charges in US dollars, is based in the British Virgin Islands and is owned by Kape Technologies, according to CNET (December 2024), and it covers 10–14 devices at once, set by the plan you buy.
Price and plan details read from www.expressvpn.com.
- 7
PureVPN
From US$2.15 (about A$3.06) a month
on the Standard plan (27 months).- 31-day money-back guarantee
- 65+ countries
- 10 devices at once
Best for: A low price and US streaming, if you accept a mixed record
PureVPN has one of the lowest prices in our table, charged in US dollars, and gives you 31 days to ask for a refund. In our 21 October 2026 tests Netflix US, BBC iPlayer and Australian TV played, but our real IP showed during server switches with the kill switch on. It has rebuilt its privacy record with outside audits since a 2017 logging case.
Visit PureVPNFrom US$2.15/mo · checked 22 Oct (Lowest monthly price (about A$3.06), on the Standard plan paid upfront for 27 months; read from purevpn.com on 22 October 2026) Read our full PureVPN review
Full write-up and test notes for PureVPN
PureVPN competes on price: it regularly has one of the lowest monthly rates in our comparison, charged in US dollars. PureVPN says one account covers ten devices, and it gives you 31 days to ask for a refund. When we tested it from Melbourne on 21 October 2026, Netflix US, BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 played, SBS On Demand, ABC iview and 9Now worked on a Melbourne server, and no DNS lookups leaked.
The catches are real. In our 21 October 2026 test, with the kill switch on, our real IP showed for about 2 to 3 seconds during two server switches, so pause downloads before you change country. Netflix UK, Netflix Japan and TVer blocked us that evening. In 2017, while advertising no logs, PureVPN supplied records that helped the FBI identify a man later convicted of cyberstalking; it says it has since brought in auditors, first Altius IT and then KPMG.
- 8
PrivateVPN
From US$2.00 (about A$2.84) a month
on the 12 months + extra plan (3 years), US$72.00 upfront, renews at US$72.00 every year.- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 63 countries
- 10 devices at once
Best for: Overseas streaming on a small budget, if speed matters less
PrivateVPN has one of the lowest prices in our table on its longest plan, charged in US dollars, and lists servers in 4 Australian cities. US Netflix and BBC iPlayer played for us in August 2021, and an Australian server kept 66% of our download speed (August 2021). Top10VPN says its no-logs claim has not been independently audited.
Read our full PrivateVPN review
Full write-up and test notes for PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN has one of the lowest monthly prices in our comparison on its longest plan, charged in US dollars, so your bank may add a foreign transaction fee. It lists servers in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and Linux, and setup on routers. The extras are simple but useful: a kill switch, and port forwarding to help torrent clients reach more peers.
Our own results are old. In August 2021 we watched US Netflix and BBC iPlayer through it from Melbourne, and when we tested it in August 2021, an Australian server kept 66% of our download speed. Top10VPN's newer tests found it close to dearer VPNs on short connections and say it reached 10 Netflix regions. The catch is trust: Top10VPN says it has not commissioned an independent audit of its no-logs claim.
Price and plan details read from privatevpn.com.
- 9
Windscribe
From US$5.75 (about A$8.17) a month
on the Pro yearly plan, US$69.00 upfront, renews at US$69.00 every year.- 7-day money-back guarantee
- 69+ countries
- Unlimited devices
- Free plan available
Best for: Flexible plans and a free tier
Windscribe suits anyone who would rather not commit to two years: it has a free tier and a yearly plan that renews at the same price, charged in US dollars. Top10VPN's June 2026 review found it fast on nearby servers. It does not claim an independent no-logs audit.
Read our full Windscribe review
Full write-up and test notes for Windscribe
Windscribe suits anyone who would rather not commit for two years. It has a free tier, and its yearly plan renews at the same price, charged in US dollars. It is based in Canada and publishes its source code and a live transparency report. It says its servers and apps have been audited for security, though it does not claim an independent no-logs audit.
In its June 2026 review Top10VPN saw a 16% drop on a connection to Australia and says Windscribe unblocks more Netflix libraries than any other VPN it has tested. When we tested it from Melbourne in late 2021, it kept 94% of our download speed on a local server.
Price and plan details read from windscribe.com.
- 10
hide.me
From US$2.69 (about A$3.82) a month
on the Premium 26 months plan, US$69.99 upfront, renews at US$69.99 every 26 months.- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 57+ countries
- 10 devices at once
- Free plan available
Best for: A no-strings free plan, or a paid plan that does not jump at renewal
hide.me offers a free plan with no data cap and a paid plan that renews at the same price you first paid, which is unusual. Its no-logs policy was audited in 2024 and Top10VPN measured very little speed loss. It charges in US dollars.
Visit hide.meFrom US$2.69/mo · checked 22 Oct (Lowest monthly price (about A$3.82), on the Premium 26 months plan paid upfront for 26 months; read from hide.me on 22 October 2026) Read our full hide.me review
Full write-up and test notes for hide.me
hide.me does two unusual things. Its free plan has no data cap and needs no account, and its paid plan renews at the price you first paid instead of jumping after the first term. The company says the paid plan covers ten devices, it gives you 30 days to ask for a refund, and there are apps for Windows, Mac, phones, Apple TV, Android TV and Fire TV.
It is run from Malaysia, which has no mandatory data retention for VPNs, and Securitum audited its no-logs policy in 2024. Top10VPN measured very little speed loss, though results differ widely between reviewers. The free plan is slow and does not open streaming services, and hide.me says its kill switch has to be turned on in settings. It charges in US dollars. We have not tested hide.me ourselves.
VPN comparison for Australia
The same list side by side, including the Australian cities each provider lists servers in.
| VPN | Lowest monthly price | Renewal price | Money-back | Countries | Devices | Australian cities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Surfshark | A$3.49 27 months, A$94.23 upfront | – | 30 days | 100 | Unlimited | 5 Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | Black Friday dealVisit Surfshark |
| 2NordVPN | A$4.79 27 months, A$129.33 upfront | A$187.08 per year | 30 days | 150 | 10 | 5 Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | Visit NordVPN |
| 3Proton VPN | US$3.49 (about A$4.96) 2 years, US$83.76 upfront | US$83.88 per year | 30 days | 149 | 10 | 5 (cities not named on its site) | Visit Proton VPN |
| 4IPVanish | US$2.19 (about A$3.11) 2 years, US$52.56 upfront | – | 30 days | – | Unlimited | 5 Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | Visit IPVanish |
| 5CyberGhost | A$3.27 26 months, A$85.02 upfront | A$85.02 per year | 45 days | 100 | 7 | 3 Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney | Read review |
| 6ExpressVPN | US$2.99 (about A$4.25) 28 months, US$83.72 upfront | US$99.95 per year | 30 days | 113 | 10–14 | 5 Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | Read review |
| 7PureVPN | US$2.15 (about A$3.06) 27 months | – | 31 days | 65+ | 10 | – | Visit PureVPN |
| 8PrivateVPN | US$2.00 (about A$2.84) 3 years, US$72.00 upfront | US$72.00 per year | 30 days | 63 | 10 | 4 Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | Read review |
| 9Windscribe | US$5.75 (about A$8.17) 1 year, US$69.00 upfront | US$69.00 per year | 7 days | 69+ | Unlimited | – | Read review |
| 10hide.me | US$2.69 (about A$3.82) 26 months, US$69.99 upfront | US$69.99 per 26 months | 30 days | 57+ | 10 | – | Visit hide.me |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
– means we do not have that detail yet. Prices shown in US$ are published in that currency; the Australian-dollar figure is approximate, converted at the European Central Bank euro reference rates for 21 Oct 2026 (US$1 = A$1.422).
How this list is ordered
The order is calculated from the figures in the table, weighted as follows. The full method
- Lowest monthly price (AUD, longest plan): 40%
- Money-back period (scored in proportion to the longest): 15%
- Countries with servers: 25%
- Devices per account: 20%
Not ranked, as their pricing is not tracked daily: Private Internet Access.
Ranking calculated 22 Oct 2026.
VPN speed in Australia: our own tests
The table covers the VPNs in our list that we have tested ourselves, each with its latest local-server result and the month we ran it. We measure from a Melbourne home connection against the same line with the VPN off. We have not yet tested hide.me, IVPN, Mozilla VPN and Mullvad VPN, so they are not in it.
Our first round ran from August 2021 to March 2022. The current round started in October 2026 and so far has retested Surfshark, NordVPN, Proton VPN and PureVPN; the other providers are due next. Each figure is a single test session, so treat the table as a rough, dated guide rather than today’s speed.
| VPN | Download, Australian server | Speed kept | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | 49.6 Mbps | 99% | October 2026 |
| NordVPN | 47.3 Mbps | 97% | October 2026 |
| Surfshark | 51.1 Mbps | 96% | October 2026 |
| Windscribe | 102 Mbps | 94% | late 2021 |
| CyberGhost | 99.6 Mbps | 93% | August 2021 |
| PureVPN | 32.3 Mbps | 92% | October 2026 |
| ExpressVPN | 88.2 Mbps | 86% | August 2021 |
| IPVanish | 83.2 Mbps | 77% | August 2021 |
| PrivateVPN | 71.9 Mbps | 66% | August 2021 |
Our own measurements on a Melbourne home connection. "Speed kept" is the download speed with the VPN on, as a share of the same line's speed with it off, measured the same day; download figures depend on the line at the time, so compare that column. Proton VPN, NordVPN, Surfshark and PureVPN are from our October 2026 retest; the others are from our original 2021–22 reviews and have not been retested yet. Not part of the ranking above. Tested on an account Proton VPN gave us free of charge (17–21 Oct 2026). Tested on an account NordVPN gave us free of charge (14–17 Oct 2026). Tested on an account Surfshark gave us free of charge (16–17 Oct 2026). Tested on an account PureVPN gave us free of charge (21 Oct 2026).
Why Australians use a VPN
Australian law requires internet providers to keep customers’ metadata for two years. A VPN encrypts the connection between your device and a VPN server, so your internet provider can see that you are using a VPN but not which sites you visit. People also use one to stay secure on public Wi-Fi and to reach their usual Australian services while travelling. Using a VPN is legal in Australia.
How to choose
- On a budget: compare the cheapest VPNs in Australia and check the renewal price, not just the first term.
- Lots of devices: look for “Unlimited” in the devices column.
- Want to try first: see which have free trials and free plans.
- Looking for a discount: current offers are on the VPN deals page.
- Do not want to pay: see the best free VPNs in Australia.
- Not sure you need one: read do I need a VPN?
- Torn between the big two: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN, NordVPN vs Surfshark and Surfshark vs ExpressVPN.
Questions Australians ask
Which VPN is best for Australia?
On our latest prices, refund periods, server countries and device limits, Surfshark comes top of our comparison. The cheapest is PrivateVPN, from about A$2.84 a month on its longest plan. The order is recalculated every day from each provider's own website.
Are VPNs legal in Australia?
Yes. Using a VPN is legal in Australia. What you do while connected is still covered by Australian law and by the terms of the services you use.
Do I need a VPN in Australia?
Australian internet providers must keep customers' metadata for two years. A VPN stops your provider seeing which sites you visit, protects you on public Wi-Fi and lets you reach Australian services while travelling. Whether you need one depends on how much those matter to you.
Is a free VPN good enough?
Free VPNs usually limit data, speed or server choice, and some are paid for by collecting your data. A free plan from a provider that also sells paid plans is the safer choice. Our guide to the best free VPNs in Australia compares them.
What is the fastest VPN in Australia?
There is no single answer: speed depends on your own connection, the server you pick and the protocol. The speed table on this page shows how much of our download speed each VPN kept on a local server in our own tests from Melbourne, with the date of each test. They span 2021–26 and different home lines, so a gap of a few points between two VPNs means little.
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