Best VPN for Australia 2022
In recent years, Australia has become one of the most restricted countries in the west. Reports of state surveillance, censorship, content restrictions, and cyber threats grab the headlines these days. For streaming services, game developers and filmmakers, Australia is down the pecking order when it comes to releasing new product meant for an English-speaking audience. This means that an Australian IP gives you fewer options when you want to stream content online, listen to music, or play PC/mobile games.
What’s more, you are taxed higher on your Netflix and Steam subscriptions. Australians are required to pay an additional 10% Online Goods Tax on digital products purchased from foreign vendors. As if this is not enough, ISPs are required to retain metadata and web browsing histories for two years under Australian privacy laws.
As a result, VPN services will play a prominent role in internet surfing for users in Australia. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) service secures user data by encrypting the device’s web traffic, routing it to the user’s preferred location through an intermediary server. This allows internet users in Australia to access geo-locked content without any fuss. It also protects user data against the prying eyes of ISPs, law enforcement agencies, and cyber criminals.
This article discusses the best VPN services for Australia in detail. Whether you’re looking for a VPN that allows you torrent privately, stream Netflix, securely connect to public Wi-Fi or access your favorite TV shows and apps, we’ve got you covered.
Best VPN for Australia 2022
1. CyberGhost
- Fast average VPN speeds
- Great VPN server network covering 90 countries
- Dedicated servers for torrenting and P2P traffic
- Strict no logging policy
- Unlocks streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer
- User-friendly apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV & Firestick, Xbox, PlayStation, and even for routers
- Does not allow torrenting in the US and Australia
- Does not work in countries with high censorship
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Top Speed
54Mbps
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Servers
90 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
CyberGhost manages a strong network of over 6500 servers, with 20 of them in Australia and over 200 in the US alone. The VPN is strongly focused on unblocking Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services. Its dedicated & Torrent Anonymously feature also makes it a popular VPN among torrenters.
CyberGhost uses OpenVPN protocol, a military grade encryption; this, as well as its strong policy makes CyberGhost one of the best VPN services. CyberGhost is also based in Romania, which means it is well out of the reach of data retention laws. The VPN is fully equipped with a kill switch and DNS leak protection, and its fast speeds makes it great for HD streaming.
2. NordVPN
- Stable and fast VPN speeds
- Allows torrenting on many servers
- Works great with Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other streaming services
- User-friendly apps for IOS, Mac, Android and PC
- Strong logging policy and no IP, WebRTC, and DNS leaks
- Massive server networks: over 5,700 servers running in 60 countries
- Alternative VPN protocols require manual configuration
- Obfuscated servers (designed for countries with restricted access) do not always work in China
- There are no obfuscated servers for IOS
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Top Speed
90.51Mbps
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Servers
60 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
When it comes to accessing content on streaming services like Netflix, NordVPN is on par with ExpressVPN. It has over 830 servers spread across 50 countries, and is one of the few VPN services that can bypass Netflix VPN blocks with consistency.The Australian servers in the VPN network are especially helpful when you need to access Australia-only content.
NordVPN gives users protocol options, including OpenVPN, and it manages its own DNS servers to protect against leaks. The VPN service is Panama-based, which means it is not under any data retention laws. NordVPN also has optimized servers dedicated to allows you enjoy privacy, HD video streaming, anti-DDoS, double hop VPN, and VPN into Tor. Other amazing features of NordVPN include kill switch, P2P torrenting, and unlimited bandwidth which allows for safe web surfing.
3. IPVanish
- Very fast VPN speeds
- Great choice for torrenting
- User-friendly apps for MacOS, iOS, PC, and Android
- Compatible with Netflix
- Zero-logs policy and protection against IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks
- Does not work in China
- Based in a privacy-intrusive jurisdiction
- Not compatible with BBC iPlayer
- Refund period is very short
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Top Speed
84.13Mbps
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Servers
77 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
IPVanish has a good server network coverage, With hundreds of servers in its network spread across 60 countries. They also own all the servers in their network, which means lightning-fast speeds for high-quality HD streaming, P2P file sharing and gaming.
IPVanish does not store user logs and allow up to five simultaneous connections. The VPN service also owns its servers, which guarantees that your data will not be managed by any third-parties. On the downside, however, IPVanish is based in the US where data retention laws apply, but they do not store any user logs in the first place.
Other amazing features that come with IPVanish include a 256-bit encryption, SOCKS5 web proxy, and unlimited bandwidth. IPVanish users experience no issues while trying to access Netflix US libraries, BBC iPlayer and Steam. What’s more, all of these features are available at relatively affordable prices. The monthly subscription costs $10 per month while the annual subscription cuts the price down to $6.49 per month.
4. ExpressVPN
- One of the fastest VPNs with same-country speeds
- Strict logging policy and no IP, WebRTC, DNS leaks
- A vast network of servers across 160 cities in 94 countries as well as great privacy features
- User-friendly apps compatible with IOS, Mac, Android, and PC
- Allows file sharing and unrestricted torrenting
- More expensive than other VPN services
- Fires Stick TV can be improved
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Top Speed
85Mbps
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Servers
94 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
ExpressVPN is our top choice for Australia. With a vast network of over 2,000 servers in 94 countries, it is one of the fastest VPNs out there. The VPN is equipped with AES-256 encryption, OpenVPN protocol, and SmartDNS, so users can access Netflix and other streaming service on literally any platform.
ExpressVPN also prioritizes user privacy. The VPN service does not log user data or DNS queries. They are also based in a convenient jurisdiction in the British Virgin Islands, which is not under the 14 Eyes countries. With its consistently fast speeds, ExpressVPN also supports gaming and unlimited P2P torrenting. The apps are user-friendly, and come with a DNS leak protection, kill switch and auto-connect.
5. TorGuard
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Top Speed
97.65Mbps
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Servers
51 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
TorGuard is one of the best VPN services for Australia, As it is designed to protect your web traffic and is equipped with a number of add-ons to make for the perfect package. Its impressive server distribution makes it worth the price, but many VPN users could be turned off by the app’s appearance. If this is not an issue for you. TorGuard will be just great for you.
TorGuard offers a number of VPN protocols including IPsec, IKEv2, L2TP, and OpenVPN. OpenVPN is our favorite protocol as it is known for being fast and reliable. It is also an open-source protocol, so users can rest assured of the security of their web traffic when they subscribe to TorGuard. If you are planning to stream Netflix, TorGuard is your go-to VPN as it as dedicated IP addresses for streaming.
Conclusion
What We Look for in a VPN for Australia
Security
We look out for two key features when testing a VPN’s security level: the protocol through which connection will be established as well as the encryption method used to secure data. Each protocol has its advantages and disadvantages, with some being faster but susceptible or some having a balance between security and performance. For encryption methods, it is expected that a higher encryption level will lead to reduced performance, since there will be more data on the data packets.
Geo-location Spoofing
The server network coverage will determine how well you can access content from different countries. The VPNs above do not only have servers dedicated to Australia, but offers coverage in many other locations, including the US, the UK and Canada.
Privacy
Privacy is priority when dealing with VPN services. Some store user logs and the options they provide for users when they make payment. However, many VPNs now accept cryptocurrency payments, leaving no trail back to the user. This is even more secure than what has been traditionally available.
