PureVPN Review Australia
Reviewed by Laurence Deer, founder and reviewer in Melbourne, testing VPNs since 2019
On this page
- What stood out
- Who should buy PureVPN?
- PureVPN tested from Melbourne: October 2026 results
- What other PureVPN reviews found
- PureVPN deal in Australia (checked 24 Oct 2026)
- PureVPN price in Australia
- Is PureVPN safe? The 2017 case and the audits since
- PureVPN apps, devices and Australian servers
- Using PureVPN in Australia
- Alternatives to PureVPN
- PureVPN FAQ
- How we keep this review current
- Sources
BestVPN score 8.0 out of 10
- Speed8.7
- Streaming7.0
- Security7.0
- Value9.3
- Australia10.0
From our own tests and published figures, newest 24 Oct 2026. How we score
Our verdict
Good for a low first-term bill
PureVPN suits Australians who want a low first-term bill and American or British TV: in our October 2026 tests Netflix US, BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 played, and Australian TV worked in Melbourne. The catch came when we changed servers with its kill switch on: our real IP address showed briefly, both times. It also has a 2017 logging case behind it and bills in US dollars.
From US$2.15 (about A$3.06) a month
Standard plan, paying for 27 months. Renewal price not shown on its pricing page. Lowest plan of each VPN we track: A$1.58 to A$17.79.
Price and plan details read from www.purevpn.com.
Choose it if
- You want a low first-term bill on its longest plan
- You want American Netflix, BBC iPlayer or Channel 4 (all played, October 2026)
- You want SBS On Demand, ABC iview and 9Now through an Australian server
- You want to torrent on an Australian server
Skip it if
- You change servers often and rely on the kill switch (our real IP showed, October 2026)
- You want Netflix UK, Netflix Japan or TVer (all blocked, October 2026)
- You want a clean privacy record; the 2017 FBI case still counts
- You want to pay in Australian dollars
PureVPN: key facts
- Money-back
- 31 daysVPNs we track: 7 to 45 days
- Free trial
- 7 daysiPhone app (App Store). Compare VPN free trials
- Devices at once
- 10VPNs we track: 2 to unlimited
- Server countries
- 65+VPNs we track: 30 to 150
- Australian cities
- Not checked
Features
- Features
- Dedicated IP, Kill switch, Port forwarding, Split tunnelling
As PureVPN's own site lists them, read 2 Nov 2026.
PureVPN test results
- Speed, Australian server
- 92% keptOf our download speed with the VPN off. Tested 21 Oct 2026
- DNS leaks
- None foundTested 21 Oct 2026
- Streaming
- 10 of 14 played
SBS On Demand✓ played9Now✓ played
ABC iview✓ played
Prime Video✓ played
Netflix US✓ played
Pluto TV✓ played
Tubi✓ playedPrime Video US✓ played
BBC iPlayer✓ played
Channel 4✓ playedNetflix UK✕ blockedPrime Video UK✕ blockedNetflix Japan✕ blocked
TVer✕ blocked2 more opened but we did not play them. Tested 21 Oct 2026
Speed kept by the VPNs we have tested (2021 to 2026 rounds): 44% to 100% or more.
Tested on an account PureVPN gave us free of charge (21 Oct 2026).
PureVPN: what has changed
- Its site no longer lists features Ad and tracker blocker
- Review text last edited
- Our latest test round: local speed, overseas speed, streaming, leaks, kill switch settings (drop test not run) and torrenting
No price or plan changes seen between 13 Oct 2026 and 24 Oct 2026.
Prices are read from PureVPN's website every morning (last read 24 Oct 2026) and its feature pages weekly; we record every change we see.
Our three picks
NordVPNOne of our picksBestVPN score 8.3/10From A$4.79 a monthBlack Friday deal ends soonVisit NordVPNNordVPN review
SurfsharkMost popular with our readersMost clicks from readers in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore in the last 30 daysBestVPN score 7.2/10From A$3.49 a monthVisit SurfsharkSurfshark review
Proton VPNFastest on Australian servers in our testsKept 99% of our download speed on a Melbourne server, 21 Oct 2026BestVPN score 8.7/10From US$3.49 (about A$4.97) a monthPartner offerVisit Proton VPNProton VPN review
Each pick is chosen for one strength, shown on its card with our evidence. For the full order by our tests, see each VPN's score and how we score.
What stood out
On PureVPN, the leaks came only with the kill switch on. With it off, as the app arrives, a Tokyo-to-London switch never showed our home address. With it on, both switches did, for a few seconds.
Whichever way you set it, pause torrents and close private tabs before you change servers. Proton VPN, put through the same test with its kill switch on that evening, never showed our address.
Pros
- Netflix US, BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 played
- Australian TV and Prime Video played in Melbourne
- No DNS or WebRTC leaks found
- Torrenting allowed on the Melbourne server
- App tags virtual locations clearly
- Low first-term price and a 31-day refund
Cons
- Real IP showed in switches, kill switch on
- Kill switch is off by default
- Three “Unstable Connection” warnings in one evening
- Netflix UK, Netflix Japan and TVer blocked us
- Supplied records to the FBI in 2017
- Billed in US dollars
From our tests in Melbourne, October 2026.
Who should buy PureVPN?
Buy it if you want a low first-term bill and American or British TV. Netflix US, iPlayer and Channel 4 played in our October 2026 tests, and so did the ABC, SBS and Nine on default settings.
Skip it if you change servers often and count on the kill switch, want Netflix UK or Japanese TV, or want a provider with a clean privacy record. The VPNs under alternatives cover those.
PureVPN tested from Melbourne: October 2026 results
With PureVPN’s kill switch on, our real address showed when we changed servers. Moving from London to Tokyo in October 2026, a script checking our public IP about every 1.5 seconds saw our Melbourne address for about 3 seconds.
We ran every test in one evening on our test Mac mini in Melbourne, on PureVPN’s Mac app and default settings. The app chose WireGuard by itself, and we measured the line with the VPN off first.
Kill switch: our real IP showed when switching servers
Both switches with the kill switch on showed our address, in October 2026. London to Tokyo showed it for about 3 seconds; Tokyo to London a minute later for about 2, then 4 seconds with no connection.
With the kill switch off, as the app arrives, a Tokyo-to-London switch did not leak: 2 seconds offline, then London. Three switches are a small sample, but the leaks came only with the kill switch on.
For those seconds, any site or app you had open could see your real home address. PureVPN does warn you: “Your traffic will not be secure until we successfully connect you to another location.”
This was a server switch, not a dropped connection. PureVPN says the kill switch is for drops, and we have not yet forced one with it on.
Turning it on takes some effort. The Internet kill switch sits in Preferences, under Advanced, and is off by default. You can only change it while disconnected, and turning it on installs a helper that needs your Mac’s admin password.
Leaks: DNS and WebRTC stayed private
Apart from the switches, PureVPN kept our address private on every server we tried in October 2026.
Leaks and kill switch
| DNS | ✓ No leak21 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| IPv6 | Could not test21 Oct 2026 |
| WebRTC | ✓ No leak21 Oct 2026 |
| Kill switch | Whole device, off by default; drop test not run21 Oct 2026 |
| Switching servers, kill switch off | ✓ No leak 2 s offline21 Oct 2026 |
| Switching servers, kill switch on | ✕ Leaked Real address showed for about 2–3 s, 2 of 2 switches21 Oct 2026 |
"Could not test" means our line had no IPv6 to leak; it is not a failure.
- DNS: no leak on Melbourne, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Johannesburg, São Paulo or the India location. Lookups stayed on PureVPN’s network, so our internet provider could not see which sites we visited.
- WebRTC: on the Melbourne server, BrowserLeaks’ WebRTC check saw only the VPN address. WebRTC powers video calls in your browser, and a leak there can reveal your address with the VPN on.
- IPv6: our line has no IPv6, so we could not test for an IPv6 leak. If your NBN connection uses IPv6, we cannot yet say whether PureVPN covers it.
Stability: three warnings, and London kept dropping out
PureVPN warned three times in one evening that our connection was unstable: on Los Angeles, Tokyo and the India location, in October 2026.
London showed what that looks like. After a switch from Tokyo, it dropped out three more times inside 35 seconds, for 5 to 9 seconds each. That would freeze a video call to family in the UK.
Netflix and the other US services kept playing through the Los Angeles warning.
Speed: plenty for streaming, measured on one evening
PureVPN leaves plenty of speed for streaming at home. On its Melbourne server in October 2026 it kept 92% of our download speed, the fourth-highest of the seven VPNs in our current round, leaving 32.3 Mbps. NordVPN kept a little less.
That is well over what Netflix recommends for one 4K stream. Our line itself was slow that evening, with and without the VPN, so treat this as one sample.
Speed kept
 Australian server | 92% |
|---|---|
 United States | 100%+ |
 Japan | 100%+ |
 United Kingdom | 94% |
 Brazil | 81% |
 South Africa | 65% |
 India virtual location, server in  Singapore | 39% |
Download, upload and ping in Mbps, and how we measured
From our test bench Melbourne, October 2026
| Connection | Download | Upload | Ping |
|---|---|---|---|
| No VPN | 35.1 Mbps | 17.9 Mbps | 13.7 ms |
| PureVPN, Australian server | 32.3 Mbps −8.0% | 17.4 Mbps −3.3% | 14.8 ms |
| Server in | Download | Upload |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 43.8 Mbps +24.7% | 6.30 Mbps −64.9% |
| United Kingdom | 33 Mbps −6.2% | 3.90 Mbps −78.3% |
| Japan | 43.3 Mbps +23.2% | 3.90 Mbps −78.6% |
| India virtual location, server in Singapore | 13.7 Mbps −61.1% | 8.50 Mbps −52.6% |
| South Africa | 22.9 Mbps −34.9% | 4.30 Mbps −76.3% |
| Brazil | 28.4 Mbps −19.2% | 5 Mbps −72.4% |
A virtual location is a server the app lists under one country that actually sits in another; its speed is the speed to that other place.
Our own measurements on a Melbourne home connection of about 35 Mbps at the time, October 2026. Changes are against the speed of the same line with the VPN off, measured the same day.
Share of our download speed kept with PureVPN on, against the same line with the VPN off, measured the same day. "100%+" means that run was faster than our run with the VPN off minutes earlier (35 Mbps); a home line's speed varies through the evening.
Overseas, Los Angeles kept 100%+, London 94% and Tokyo 100%+. Each left enough for 4K by Netflix’s own guidance.
Johannesburg and São Paulo were real in-country servers, and kept enough for HD streaming. India is a virtual location: the app tags Mumbai with a V, and our IP check placed it in Singapore.
Australian TV and banking
PureVPN works for Australian TV on its defaults. SBS On Demand, ABC iview, 9Now and Prime Video all played through the Melbourne server in October 2026.
Everyday use in Australia
| ABC iview | ✓ Played21 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| SBS On Demand | ✓ Played21 Oct 2026 |
| 9Now | ✓ PlayedIt served the NSW feed: 9Now placed the server in NSW.21 Oct 2026 |
| Prime Video | ✓ Played21 Oct 2026 |
 Stan | Site opened, not playedNo account, so we could not press play.21 Oct 2026 |
| Banking and myGov | ✓ Opened normallyCommBank NetBank, NAB Internet Banking, myGov: log-on pages only; we did not sign in21 Oct 2026 |
| Connection to Sydney (games) | 29 ms with the VPN, 31 ms withouttime to connect to an AWS Sydney server, one sitting; not an in-game ping21 Oct 2026 |
"Site opened, not played" means the service's site loaded through the VPN but we had no account to play anything.
SBS needed no change, because PureVPN’s ad and tracker blocker is off by default. 9Now placed our Melbourne server in New South Wales, so you get Sydney’s local news. Stan’s site opened, but we have no account to press Play.
CommBank NetBank, NAB Internet Banking and myGov opened their log-on pages normally with the VPN on. We did not sign in, so we cannot say whether a bank asks for more after that.
Gaming: fine to Sydney, too far for UK games
PureVPN’s Melbourne server will not add lag to games hosted in Sydney, on one sample. In October 2026 a connection to Amazon’s Sydney data centre took 29 ms through PureVPN, against 31 ms with the VPN off.
London’s ping of 300 ms and Tokyo’s 134 ms rule out fast online games there, and can add a short lag to a video call home. Our VPN for gaming guide compares ping across every VPN we have tested.
Overseas streaming: US and BBC played; Netflix UK and Japan did not
PureVPN is good for American TV and the BBC, on our October 2026 tests, and poor for Netflix UK and Japanese TV.
What played
| Netflix US | ✓ Played21 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Netflix UK | ✕ Blocked21 Oct 2026 |
| Netflix Japan | ✕ Blocked21 Oct 2026 |
| BBC iPlayer | ✓ Played21 Oct 2026 |
| Channel 4 | ✓ Played21 Oct 2026 |
| Prime Video | ✓ Played21 Oct 2026 |
| Pluto TV | ✓ Played21 Oct 2026 |
| Tubi | ✓ Played21 Oct 2026 |
| TVer | ✕ Blocked21 Oct 2026 |
"Site opened, not played" means the service's site loaded through the VPN but we did not play anything.
- United States (Los Angeles): Netflix showed its US library and played Breaking Bad. Pluto TV played a live channel and Tubi played Spider-Man: Homecoming. Hulu’s US site loaded, but we have no Hulu account.
- United Kingdom (London): BBC iPlayer played the BBC News channel and Channel 4 played its live channel. Netflix UK showed “You seem to be using a VPN or proxy”. ITVX stopped at a terms screen we had not accepted.
- Japan (Tokyo): Netflix showed the same VPN or proxy message, and TVer’s player stopped with a communication error. We did not get as far as ABEMA. Netflix Japan has played for us only on Mysterium VPN.
Prime Video played in Melbourne. In Los Angeles it played The Terminal List from the travelling catalogue our Australian account gets abroad, not the US library. In London the same title stopped after about 40 seconds with “Video Unavailable”.
Streaming services block VPN servers and sometimes let them back in, so treat each result as true on the evening we tested it.
Torrenting: allowed, and slower than without the VPN
Torrenting worked on PureVPN’s Melbourne server in October 2026, though slower than the same download with the VPN off. We downloaded the official Debian DVD torrent for 2 minutes, with uploads capped and no seeding.
| VPN | Our torrent speed | P2P policy | Kill switch | Port forwarding | Audited by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 PureVPN | 3.09 MiB/s tested October 2026 | Allowed in our test tested October 2026 | ✓ Listed | ✓ Listed | – |
Torrent speed is the average download rate we measured on an Australian server, with its date. Features and auditors are as each provider lists them; "Not checked" means we have not recorded it yet.
The people sharing a file set much of the pace, so one run is a rough guide. For a big download it means waiting longer, not a failed one.
Setting it up: prompts first, then two settings
Expect the app to ask for things before it gets out of the way. In October 2026 the Mac app showed a feedback sheet with no close button, then an identity-suite upsell.
The defaults connect without fuss. Two settings were off: the ad and tracker blocker, which you should leave off if you watch SBS, and the kill switch, which only changes while you are disconnected.
Still to test
We have tested PureVPN only in the evening; a morning sitting is next. Not tried yet: a forced drop with the kill switch on, PureVPN’s other Australian cities, and playing ITVX or ABEMA. Each result will be added here, dated.
What other PureVPN reviews found
Security.org saw a bigger speed cost than we did: a 26% drop on a Mac and 44% on Windows, in September 2026. A 44% drop is the kind you notice on a big download, though still enough for HD streaming.
It also got American Netflix working, which matches our result. It reported that PureVPN did not allow file sharing on its Australian servers, but our torrent ran on the Melbourne server in October 2026.
Security.org tests from outside Australia, so read its figures as a comparison between providers, not a forecast for your line.
PureVPN deal in Australia (checked 24 Oct 2026)
PureVPN is not running a named offer at our latest check. Its lowest price is US$2.15 (about A$3.06) a month on the Standard plan, for a 27-month term. That is the price PureVPN shows any Australian visitor; you do not need a coupon code for it. We have not recorded the upfront total. We could not find a renewal price on PureVPN's pricing page.
Compare it with every VPN's current deal on VPN deals in Australia.
PureVPN price in Australia
PureVPN bills in US dollars, so your bank’s rate and any foreign transaction fee change what you pay. The Australian-dollar figure below is a conversion.
| Plan | Term | Per month | Paid upfront | Renews at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 27 months 2-year plan, includes 3 extra months | US$2.15 (about A$3.06) | – | – |
| Plus | 27 months 2-year plan, includes 3 extra months | US$2.73 (about A$3.89) | – | – |
| Max | 27 months 2-year plan, includes 3 extra months | US$3.55 (about A$5.05) | – | – |
Checked 24 Oct 2026 Price and plan details read from www.purevpn.com.
The headline price assumes a two-year plan with three extra months, paid upfront.
The table is read from PureVPN’s order page and updates automatically. Named offers, such as a Black Friday deal, go on our VPN deals in Australia page once we have checked them.
| First payment | Not shown | PureVPN's pricing page gives US$2.15 a month for 27 months but not the upfront total; check it at checkout |
|---|
PureVPN's pricing page does not show a renewal price for this plan. Check the renewal terms at checkout.
PureVPN charges in USD.
Of the 19 VPNs we price, 3 have a lower advertised monthly price than PureVPN.
Calculated from the Standard plan as published on 24 Oct 2026. Prices and renewal terms can change.
Is PureVPN safe? The 2017 case and the audits since
PureVPN faces harder privacy questions than most, for a good reason. In 2017, records it supplied helped the FBI identify a man later convicted of cyberstalking, while it advertised that it kept no logs.
It then rewrote its privacy policy and brought in outside auditors. PureVPN says Altius IT audited it in 2019, followed by KPMG under an arrangement that allows unannounced checks.
Its current policy says it does not log browsing activity, DNS queries or IP addresses. It does record the day you connected, your internet provider’s name and the total bandwidth you used.
By its own account, that ties you to the service on a given day but not to the sites you visit. PureVPN says it is operated by GZ Systems, registered in the British Virgin Islands.
PureVPN apps, devices and Australian servers
PureVPN says it runs more than 6,000 servers in over 65 countries and that 10 devices can connect at once. Its pages name Sydney and Perth; the Mac app also listed Melbourne, which we used.
The Mac app does more than the VPN. Identity Theft Protection and a Password Manager sit in its sidebar, and a Residential Network option for the US and UK was a paid add-on.
The location list has four filters, shown as short tags:
- QR marks servers with quantum-resistant encryption. It was off by default.
- P2P marks servers that allow torrenting.
- PF marks servers with port forwarding, which helps torrent clients reach more peers.
- V marks virtual locations, where the server sits in another country from the one listed.
The extras PureVPN lists:
- Kill switch blocks your traffic if the VPN connection drops. It is off by default.
- Split tunnelling lets your banking app or Stan skip the VPN while everything else uses it.
- Ad and tracker blocker stops ads and trackers before they load. It is off by default.
- Port forwarding and a dedicated IP address are paid add-ons.
Using PureVPN in Australia
- Australian servers: see PureVPN's server list for current Australian locations.
- Billing: charged in USD, so the Australian-dollar cost moves with the exchange rate.
- Refund period: 31 days.
Australian law requires internet providers to keep customers' metadata for two years. A VPN encrypts the connection between your device and the VPN server, so your internet provider can see that you are using a VPN but not which sites you visit. It does not make you anonymous to the VPN provider itself, which is why the provider's logging policy and audits matter.
Alternatives to PureVPN
If privacy is the priority, start with Mullvad or Proton VPN. To compare results from our own October 2026 tests in Melbourne, see Surfshark and NordVPN. Each card shows the fact behind its label, with its BestVPN score.
- NordVPNOne of our picksBestVPN score 8.3/10From A$4.79 a monthBlack Friday deal ends soonVisit NordVPNNordVPN review
- SurfsharkMost popular with our readersMost clicks from readers in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore in the last 30 daysBestVPN score 7.2/10From A$3.49 a monthVisit SurfsharkSurfshark review
- Proton VPNFastest on Australian servers in our testsKept 99% of our download speed on a Melbourne server, 21 Oct 2026BestVPN score 8.7/10From US$3.49 (about A$4.97) a monthPartner offerVisit Proton VPNProton VPN review
Guides for PureVPN users
PureVPN FAQ
How much does PureVPN cost in Australia?
PureVPN's lowest advertised price is US$2.15 (about A$3.06) a month on the Standard plan, over 27 months. Prices were last checked on 24 Oct 2026.
Does PureVPN have a free trial?
PureVPN's Australian App Store listing offers the first 7 days free in the iPhone app, after which your Apple ID is charged. Its website 'free trial' is not free: it costs a small fee for 7 days and then charges a 12-month plan unless you cancel. Checked 18 Oct 2026. Compare every VPN free trial.
Can I get a refund from PureVPN?
PureVPN advertises a 31-day money-back guarantee. Purchases made through an app store are usually refunded by Apple or Google under their own rules, so check the provider's refund terms before you buy.
How many devices can I use with PureVPN?
One PureVPN account covers 10 devices at the same time on the plan we track.
Is it legal to use PureVPN in Australia?
Yes. Using a VPN is legal in Australia. What you do while connected is still subject to Australian law and to the terms of the services you use.
Which country owns PureVPN?
PureVPN says it is operated by GZ Systems, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. That is from PureVPN's own pages, read on 13 October 2026; we have not checked company records beyond them.
What is PureVPN good for?
American and British streaming, plus Australian TV, going by our test on 21 October 2026. Netflix US, BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 played overseas, and SBS On Demand, ABC iview, 9Now and Prime Video played on its Melbourne server. Netflix UK and Japanese TV blocked us. It is a poor fit if you switch servers often: with the kill switch on, our real IP showed in both switches.
Is there a better VPN than PureVPN?
For privacy while you change servers, yes. On 21 October 2026 Proton VPN never showed our address in two server switches, one with its kill switch on, while PureVPN showed it in both switches with its kill switch on. Our Best VPN for Australia ranking puts the VPNs we have tested in the last 90 days first, and Surfshark leads it today.
How we keep this review current
Prices and plans are read from PureVPN’s own website, with the date of the last check beside each figure. Each test result carries the date it was measured, and every retest is added here with its own date.
Sources
- PureVPN’s own features, servers and privacy policy pages, read on 13 October 2026, and its order page for prices.
- The 2017 case as reported by The Register.
- Independent tests by Security.org (September 2026), read on 13 and 18 October 2026.
- Our tests of the Mac app in Melbourne: the evening of 21 October 2026, 7.25 to 8.40 pm, on an account PureVPN supplied.