US VPN: Get an American IP Address from Australia
The United States is the overseas location Australians connect to most, and the reasons are not mysterious: bigger streaming libraries, American sport, and shops that will not show you the same price twice. A US VPN gives you an American IP address from Australia. Every provider we cover has one, so the useful questions are how fast it is and what it costs.
VPNs with servers in the United States
| VPN | Servers in United States | Lowest price | Our speed test from Melbourne |
|---|---|---|---|
 CyberGhost | Listed | A$3.27 a month Visit CyberGhost → | 95.31 Mbps (August 2021) |
 IPVanish | Listed: 21 cities | US$2.39 (about A$3.43) a month Visit IPVanish → | 44.05 Mbps (August 2021) |
 Surfshark | Listed | A$3.49 a month Visit Surfshark → | 98.52 Mbps (August 2021) |
 ExpressVPN | Listed | US$2.99 (about A$4.29) a month Visit ExpressVPN → | 25.1 Mbps (August 2021) |
 NordVPN | Listed | A$4.79 a month Visit NordVPN → | 85.7 Mbps (August 2021) |
 Proton VPN | Listed: 22 cities, 6015 servers | US$3.49 (about A$5.00) a month Visit Proton VPN → | 88 Mbps (March 2022) |
 Astrill VPN | Listed | US$12.50 (about A$17.92) a month Visit Astrill VPN → | 108.5 Mbps (March 2022) |
 PrivateVPN | Listed | – Visit PrivateVPN → | 41.98 Mbps (August 2021) |
Server locations read from each provider's own server page on 13 Oct 2026; "listed" means the provider names United States as a location, which can be a physical or a virtual server. Speeds are our own download results to a server in United States on a Melbourne connection of about 100 Mbps, on the date shown. Ordered by lowest monthly price in Australian dollars.
How fast is a US VPN from Australia?
The Pacific is wide, and a connection to an American server has to cross it and come back. Some VPNs handle that far better than others.
When we tested from Melbourne in 2021 and 2022, on a line of about 100 Mbps, download speeds to a US server ranged from 25 Mbps to slightly over 100. Astrill, Surfshark and CyberGhost barely slowed down. ExpressVPN, to our surprise, was at the bottom of that range. Each figure is in the table above with the month we measured it. It was the same test on the same line for all of them.
For the current picture, each of our reviews summarises what independent testers measured recently.
Tip: choose a server on the US west coast, such as Los Angeles, Seattle or San Jose. It is the shortest hop from Australia.
What Australians use a US VPN for
- American streaming libraries. In our 2021 and 2022 tests most of the ten VPNs opened American Netflix, some on every US server and some on only one. Streaming services change what they block constantly, and using a VPN may be against their terms, so confirm it within the refund period.
- US-only services. Some need more than an American address. See how to watch Hulu in Australia for a typical example.
- Sport. American leagues sell their own streaming passes, and blackouts and prices differ by country.
- Travel. If you are in the US and want Australian services, you need the reverse: a VPN with Australian servers. See watching AFL and NRL overseas.
What to look for
- West-coast server locations. Shorter distance, lower lag.
- A refund period. Thirty days is plenty to find out whether it works for what you want.
- The renewal price. The headline price covers the first term only.
FAQ
Is using a US VPN legal in Australia?
Yes. See are VPNs legal in Australia?
Is there a free US VPN?
Some free plans include a US location, with limits on data or speed. See best free VPN in Australia.
Which US VPN is cheapest?
The table above is ordered by price. For every provider we cover, see cheapest VPNs in Australia.