7 Best Free VPNs for Australia [Updated September 2023]

Residing in the Aussie region and wondering ‘Is there any free VPN for Australia?’ Yes! In this guide, we’ll tell you all about the best free VPN for Australia.

A reliable VPN keeps you secure, lets you enjoy all your favorite global streaming platforms, and allows you to access local Australian content whenever you’re abroad. But, finding the best Australian VPNs is a tad bit difficult, especially if it’s a free VPN service.

This is why we took our time and tested 100+ VPNs thoroughly for you. Among them, we found out that many of them are quite risky to use. Some lack security features, while others collect and sell your personal data. A few didn’t even unblock streaming platforms for us.

However, we did end up finding a list of free VPNs that were safe to use. But, they did come with certain limitations. So, if you want to avoid all these annoying issues, then you can opt for an unlimited premium VPN instead.

ExpressVPN is the best free VPN Australia out of all the VPNs we tested. Even though it isn’t 100% free, it’s still our top pick due to robust security, fast speeds, multiple Australian servers, and unlimited data. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free.

The 7 Best Free VPN Services in Australia (In-Depth Analysis)

Are there any completely free VPNs? You might think this so many times, and the answer is YES! You can choose free Australian VPN services, but they have their own drawbacks and constraints. They often offer low data caps, are slow, fail to unblock geo-restricted sites, and may even log your data. Therefore, it’s better to go with the free trials of the premium VPNs.

We looked at factors like data caps, the number of servers, the location of those servers, security protocols, ad-blocking features, streaming support, and speed before finally coming up with a list of the seven best free VPNs to use in Australia in 2023:

1) ExpressVPN – Provides 5 Australian Servers & 3000+ Servers Worldwide

ExpressVPN also provides highly optimized Australian servers!

ExpressVPN primarily works from the BVI (British Virgin Islands). Furthermore, the service offers 3000+ servers in 94+ countries. It offers five 5 highly optimized Australian server locations in Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane and two additional ones in Sydney.

According to our ExpressVPN review, it provides an excellent 30-day money-back guarantee that allows you to explore its numerous premium features as per your preferences.

ExpressVPN is compatible with a wide range of devices, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Smart TVs, etc.

In terms of security and privacy, ExpressVPN offers numerous features like an internet kill switch (network lock), split tunneling, IP leak protection, DNS leak protection, five multi-logins, OpenVPN protocol, 256-bit military-grade encryption, etc.

ExpressVPN does not expose your actual whereabouts as we checked its performance in terms of IP leak, DNS leak, and WebRTC leak. Here are the results:

ExpressVPN performed amazingly well in the DNS Leak Test!

When it comes to security and encryption, ExpressVPN never disappoints you! That is why we always recommend ExpressVPN as our #1 choice.

As expected, ExpressVPN passed the WebRTC Leak test as well!

On the streaming front, ExpressVPN is a superb choice. This is because you can use this VPN service to access Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and other services in Australia securely. This makes it the best free VPN in Australia.

ExpressVPN successfully unblocked American Netflix in Australia.

Likewise, you can access different Australian streaming services like Binge, Stan, Kayo Sports, Prime Video Australia, Disney Plus Australia, etc., from overseas using an Australian IP address if you are an Australian viewer.

As far as ExpressVPN connection speed is concerned, the service offers an excellent speed that lets you stream your favorite media content without any glitches.

This is why ExpressVPN is perceived as the best Android VPN that offers a free trial in Australia. When we tested ExpressVPN, it gave us blazing fast speeds, to be precise, 89.38 Mbps download speed, and 84.66 Mbps upload speed.

Pros and Cons of ExpressVPN

2) Surfshark– 91 Australian Servers (Unblocks US Netflix and BBC iPlayer)

Surfshark is the most pocket-friendly VPN available in the market!

Surfshark is the British Virgins Islands (BVI) based VPN service that provides 3200+ servers in 65+ countries worldwide. 20+ Australian servers of Surfshark are located in the cities of Syndey, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Perth.

The service offers an attractive 30-day risk-free trial that allows you to thoroughly test its various security and privacy features. In addition, Surfshark is compatible with all the leading platforms and devices like Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Since it offers a free trial for mobile devices, it’s a great free VPN Australia for iPhones.

As far as its privacy and security features are concerned, users can avail internet kill switch, ad-blocker, unlimited simultaneous connections, 256-bit encryption, OpenVPN protocol, etc., on their preferred devices.

According to our Surfshark review, it does not store its users’ information, which is a good thing from a user’s privacy perspective. Furthermore, it does not expose your original IP address, DNS, and WebRTC data online.

Surfshark successfully passed the DNS Leak Test!

Using Surfshark VPN, you will block all DNS requests from your device and route them through a secure, encrypted tunnel.

When we tested Surfshark, no WebRTC Leak was detected!

If you are a streaming fan like us, you can use Surfshark to accomplish your media streaming cravings appropriately.

Fortunately, you can watch Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ Hotstar, and YouTube TV in Australia on multiple devices, making it one of the best free Australian VPNs.

We successfully unblocked YouTube TV in Australia via the US server of Surfshark!

Speed is another area where this VPN service usually performs well. When tested on a 100 Mbps connection, it gave us a download speed of 85.48 Mbps and an upload speed of 48.42 Mbps.

Pros and Cons of Surfshark

3) NordVPN – Provides 190+ Australian Servers & 5000+ Servers Worldwide

It’s better to opt for NordVPN’s free trial and keep yourself safe!

According to our NordVPN review, it mainly operates from Panama and provides 5500+ servers in 60+ countries globally. The service offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee that helps you to discover its various salient features in detail.

NordVPN supports different operating systems and devices like Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Smart TVs, etc.

Suppose we discuss its performance, privacy, and security-wise. In that case, you can use a wide range of features like OpenVPN protocol, 256-bit encryption, no logging policy, six multi-logins, IP leak protection, Dedicated IP address, double VPN, split tunneling, etc. As expected, NordVPN did not reveal our digital footprints online. Here is the proof:

NordVPN performed exceptionally well in the DNS Leak Test, ensuring users’ privacy!

Because the private DNS servers are virtually resistant to external DNS queries, you may surf the web freely with NordVPN. You’re safe against DNS hijacking and other internet threats.

NordVPN passed the WebRTC Leak test as well!

NordVPN will not disappoint its users in terms of streaming since you can unblock HBO, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and BBC iPlayer in Australia anonymously.

Similarly, suppose you are an Aussie who resides abroad and wants to access your favorite Australian streaming services like Prime Video, Kayo Sports, Stan, Hayu, and Australian Disney Plus. In that case, you can easily do that using NordVPN.

We successfully unblocked Amazon Prime Video in Australia via NordVPN’s US server.

We tested NordVPN on our 100 Mbps connections, and the results were terrific. It provided us with a download speed of 86.51 Mbps and an upload speed of 51.86 Mbps.

Apart from this, this Panama-based VPN service offers appreciable connection speeds that help you to stream videos and other media content without facing any buffering or freezing issues.

Pros and Cons of NordVPN

4) ProtonVPN – Unlimited Bandwidth (Offers Australian Servers on its Paid Plan)

This Swiss VPN has three servers in the Netherlands, the United States, and Japan.

ProtonVPN is a Swiss VPN service. It has no data caps for free subscribers (this is no false sales pitch!) and is available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. You can even set it up on a Linux machine if you want, making it the best free VPN for Linux in Australia.

Proton VPN has 1,831 servers in 64 countries, including Australia. The free version offers three server locations for connection, including the Netherlands, US, and Japan. Each server location has three servers you can connect to.

In terms of security, ProtonVPN uses the robust OpenVPN UDP/TCP tunneling protocol for its Windows app and provides the additional option of IKEv2 on all other platforms. Moreover, it employs AES-256-CBS encryption to secure your in-transit web traffic.

ProtonVPN does not log any user activity, thus keeping your online privacy intact. That said, it does store your log-in timestamp to protect its servers from brute-force password attacks.

We tested the app for potential IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks and found no loopholes. You can view the test reports below:

ProtonVPN also passed our DNS Leak Test!

All DNS requests made while connected to ProtonVPN are encrypted, routed over their VPN tunnel, and resolved by the DNS servers. Therefore, your DNS requests are neither accessible to anybody else nor logged by ProtonVPN.

ProtonVPN performed well in our WebRTC Leak Test!

Another great feature of ProtonVPN is that it does not run ads. This is important if you like your browsing experience to be free of pop-ups and other types of disruptive advertising content.

Unfortunately, the free version of ProtonVPN does not unblock Netflix, Hulu, HBO, BBC iPlayer, and other popular streaming services from Australia. However, you can watch YouTube TV and Kodi on it. If you’re looking for an affordable VPN that works with Netflix, check out our best Netflix VPN guide.

ProtonVPN cannot access Australia’s HBO, Netflix, and other geo-blocked streaming services.

Speed has always been a limiting factor for free VPN apps; unsurprisingly, this holds true for ProtonVPN. We ran six-speed tests; three control tests without being connected to the VPN, and three tests while connected to the service’s free US server.

There was a significant increase in ping and a noticeable drop in upload and download speeds when connected to the VPN. However, when tested on a 100 Mbps connection, it gave us a download speed of 71.96 Mbps and an upload speed of 34.79 Mbps.

Pros and Cons of ProtonVPN

5) CyberGhost — Specialty Servers to Easily Access Your Favorite Sites From Australia

CyberGhost VPN offers dedicated servers for particular tasks!

CyberGhost is among the best VPNs. It is an easy-to-use VPN, ideal for beginners, with the above 6800+ servers in 85+ countries, making it one of the largest and most diverse services.

Most servers are in the UK and US, but it’s a good global mix with above-average performance on 150 Australian servers. These servers are located in Melbourne and Sydney.

Its applications are simple to use and provide the majority of the features of its desktop applications, which is a big plus. Regarding VPN protocols, CyberGhost supports excellent and open-source OpenVPN on all its apps except for Mac.

Like Surfshark, CyberGhost also operates WireGuard technology across all its platforms, including Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, Android TV, Amazon FireStick, and various routers.

CyberGhost does not store any critical or personal information about your browsing activities. However, it uses your IP address to connect you to the best service possible.

This information is encrypted and deleted once your session ends. Additionally, the company also records the amount of data you use each month to enforce its bandwidth limit.

We found CyberGhost to be IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak-proof. Note that we only tested its free server.

When we tested CyberGhost, No DNS Leak was detected.

When making DNS requests, CyberGhost does not leak. DNS leaks are avoided since DNS request is encrypted. However, some websites that detect DNS leaks suggest that the VPN may leak data.

No WebRTC leaks detected for CyberGhost VPN.

The VPN encryption defaults to AES-256 and supports Perfect Forward Secrecy. This means that encryption keys are changed frequently to avoid security breaches. In addition, the company offers a convenient kill switch feature that prevents network data from leaking outside the secure VPN tunnel if the VPN connection fails.

Though the provider doesn’t offer a multi-hop option, it does provide split tunneling on its Windows client, so you can choose which computer connections you want to encrypt.

CyberGhost has servers dedicated to streaming, so finding a server that unblocks a particular media platform is very easy. During testing, we unblocked Netflix, Hulu, Hotstar in Australia, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer on CyberGhost servers. In fact, which is famous as the most challenging streaming service to unblock, CyberGhost unblocked as well.

It was easy for us to stream all our favorite content on Hotstar.

When tested on a 100 Mbps connection, it gave us a download speed of 73.12 Mbps and an upload speed of 37.48 Mbps.

Pros and Cons of CyberGhost

6) Windscribe – Allows 10 GB Data per Month (Offers 11 Australian Servers)

Windscribe is a reasonably fast, free VPN in Australia

Windscribe is a Canada-based VPN service that offers 10 GB of data per month to free subscribers. Worried you may exceed this data cap? Good news; you can add an extra 5 GB to your bundle by simply tweeting the company. As mentioned earlier, its free version offers 20+ servers in thirteen server locations. Overall, it works with 480+ servers in 63+ countries.

You can use this free VPN for Windows pretty easily.

Windscribe is available on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and Blackberry, as well as on Amazon FireTV and Nvidia Shield TV. Its free version offers thirteen locations and 20+ live servers for connection. The included locations and servers are as follows:

Windscribe utilizes OpenVPN, IKEv2, Wstunnel, and Stealth protocols to protect your data from hackers. Furthermore, it employs AES 256-bit ciphers for traffic encryption.

Like ProtonVPN, Windscribe does not keep a record of the details of your online activity. However, it does monitor the amount of data you use in a month to avoid data cap violations. Additionally, it also stores the time stamp of your last session. It is one of the best free VPNs with an Australian server.

In terms of keeping your real location hidden, Windscribe does an excellent job, carrying no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks. Of course, you’ll find no ads running on the app either.

No DNS Leak was detected when we tested Windscribe!

All DNS queries are made through the tunnel, completely removing the risk of an IP leak and encrypting your connection.

Windscribe performed well in WebRTC Leak Test!

Windscribe does not support Netflix (or other popular streaming services), which can be a bummer if you like spending your weekends binge-eating with your favorite shows and movies.

The free version of Windscribe VPN can’t unblock US Netflix from Australia

We tested Windscribe for speed by connecting to one of its US West servers, and, to be honest, we weren’t overly impressed with the results.

The ping speed increased by more than a factor of 15, while the upload and download speeds decreased by 59% and 45%, respectively. Still, these are decent numbers if you match them up with other free VPNs on the market.

It provided us with a download speed of 70.02 Mbps and an upload speed of 34.42 Mbps.

Pros and Cons of Windscribe

7) Hide.me – Offers 2 GB Data/Month (Provides Australian Server on its Paid Plan)

Hide.me provide an average speed!

Next on our list is Hide.me, which is a Malaysia-based free VPN service for Australia. It allows 2 GB of data transfer per month on its free plan. Unfortunately, the free version does not offer servers in Australia. However, you access its Australia VPN server addresses in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, and Adelaide after paying for a subscription.

Hide.me VPN offers apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, and Amazon OS devices. Its free version lets you connect to four locations, including Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and the US. All four locations have dedicated servers, which is excellent from a data transparency perspective.

The VPN supports various tunneling protocols that you can choose from. These include OpenVPN, IKEv2, SSTP, and the novel SoftEther VPN protocol. Hide.me is the first VPN service we know of using this particular technology. In addition, AES-256 encryption further secures incoming and outgoing web traffic.

The company has a privacy-friendly log policy. It does not monitor your online activities or record your last session’s timestamp details. However, it does track the amount of data you use per month to keep tabs on your remaining monthly data limit. You can also get free VPN extensions with this.

We ran Hide.me through some online anonymity tests and detected no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks on any of its free servers.

Hide.me also showed no DNS leak when we tested it!

All DNS queries are sent through the tunnel, eliminating the chance of an IP leak while also encrypting your connection.

There was no WebRTC leak detected!

The free version of Hide.me currently has no ad-blocking feature, and it doesn’t offer much in terms of streaming options either – except for YouTube TV and Kodi.

In terms of speed, you can expect Hide.me to offer decent output compared to other free VPNs on the market; however, it’s not fast in any practical sense. We experienced reduced upload and download speeds after connecting to one of its Australian servers.

It provided us with a download speed of 49.24 Mbps and an upload speed of 7.66 Mbps.

Pros and Cons of Hide.me

Our Criteria to Choose the Best Free VPN for Australia

Here is the criteria that we used to choose the top VPNs. You can also use this list of factors while choosing a free VPN Australia for yourself:

The Best Free VPNs Australia [Quick Comparison]

Here’s a table for your to compare all options and choose a free VPN Australia:

VPNs
Website	www.expressvpn.com	surfshark.com	nordvpn.com	protonvpn.com	windscribe.com	cyberghostvpn.com	hide.me
No. of Servers	3000+ servers	3200+ servers	5500+ servers	1,831 servers	480+ servers	6800+	2000+ servers
Simultaneous Connection	Five Devices	Unlimited	Six Devices	One Device	Unlimited Device	Seven Devices	Ten Devices
Best Deal	AU$ 10.58/mo (US$ 6.67/mo)	AU$ 3.95/mo (US$ 2.49/mo)	AU$ 5.54/mo (US$ 3.49/mo)	–	–	AU$ 3.63/mo (US$ 2.29/mo)	–
Money Back Guarantee	30 Days	30 Days	30 Days	30 Days	3 Days	45 Days	30 Days
Average Speed (Base: 100 Mbps)	86+ Mbps	85+ Mbps	85+ Mbps	70+ Mbps	70 Mbps	75+ Mbps	40+ Mbps
Video Streaming Quality	4K Ultra HD	HD and ultra 4k HD	4K UHD	HD	HD	UHD	HD
Encryption Type	AES 256-bit encryption	AES 256-bit encryption	AES 256-bit encryption	AES 256-bit encryption	AES 256-bit encryption	AES 256-bit encryption	AES 256-bit encryption
P2P Torrenting	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Customer Support	24/7 Live Chat and Email	24/7 Live Chat and Email	24/7 Live Chat and Email	24/7 Live Chat and Email	24/7 Live Chat and Email	24/7 Live Chat and Email	24/7 Live Chat and Email

Which is the Best Free VPN for Torrenting in Australia?

Unfortunately, to be honest, we don’t know of any free best VPN for torrenting in Australia. However, you can try NordVPN since it offers an incredible 30-day money-back guarantee feature alongside P2P-supported servers in countries that allow you to perform torrenting tasks securely and anonymously.

CyberGhost VPN is another best option for torrenting in Australia. Its torrenting-optimized servers work with P2P clients like uTorrent and are based in countries where torrents are not heavily sanctioned.

In case you do not want to continue using NordVPN and CyberGhost for any reason, you can claim the said feature within the first 30 days and 45 days after the subscription. This way, you can get a full refund without any hassle.

Which is the Fastest Free VPN in Australia?

You can go for Windscribe’s free service. But, even if you use this fast free VPN for Australia, it will hardly provide you with the performance you’re looking for.

Besides, you can try ExpressVPN. You can use this VPN Australia free through its 30-day risk-free money-back guarantee. The service is considered one of the leading VPN services in terms of speed, privacy, and security overall.

3 Risks Of Using 100% Free VPNs

A free VPN can be highly unsafe and unreliable, so you must be wary when choosing one. Luckily, we have already weeded out these evil types from our list. However, it’s vital that you know what makes a free Australia VPN online unsafe.

i) Free VPNs may keep a detailed record of your online activities

When you’re connected to a VPN, all your online movements are registered through servers owned by your VPN company. A good, reliable VPN service will delete the record of your online activities after your session ends.

However, those that provide free services may keep your data and sell it to third-party companies, agencies, or non-state actors to keep their business afloat. Therefore, it’s always recommended to read a VPN’s privacy policy before subscribing to their service.

Now, do you realize why we covered only those free VPNs that maintained a zero-log policy?

ii) Free VPNs often have security loopholes

Researchers from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CISRO), the University of California, and the University of New South Wales analyzed 283 Android VPN apps (most available for free) for security and privacy.

Of the investigated apps, more than a hundred showed signs of malware infection. Yet, surprisingly, only a handful of app users knew about the problem and had publicly raised any concerns in their reviews.

iii) Free VPNs usually eat up your resources

Some free VPN providers utilize the resources on their customers’ networks to power their service. Unfortunately, this can both be inconvenient and dangerous for you.

You’ll have to deal with throttling issues as other free users are re-routed through your network. And secondly, anyone having foul intentions can use your IP address to perform an illegal activity on the internet without you knowing anything about it.

In short, free VPNs cannot be trusted with your privacy or security, so you should try to avoid using them wherever possible. Instead, if you want to save money on your VPN purchase, go for the best Australian VPN free that offers a free trial or a money-back guarantee.

How Much Does a VPN Cost in Australia?

Most Australian VPNs come with three subscription plans – monthly, bi-annual, and annual. Some also offer a two-year plan. Here are the different premium plans and the cost of each of the mentioned VPNs before you choose the top free VPN Australia:

FAQs – Best Free VPN Australia