7 Best VPNs for Australia 2022 – Speed & Features Tested

Do you think that with strict anti-piracy laws, meta-data collection, and heavy fines on freedom of speech (with a hint of misinformation), you can stay secure in Australia without a VPN?

The answer is No!

This is why we’ve rounded up the best VPNs for Australia in this guide. We tested these Australian VPNs on the basis of robust security and fast speeds among the rest, so they work efficiently with all popular Australian and international streaming services.

With Australia being a founding member of the 5 Eyes, snooping on your online activities shouldn’t be a surprise. The country’s laws demand ISPs track and store your data, along with heavy blocking of various websites.

This is why users travelling Down Under or residing there must grab a VPN as soon as possible for their own safety. Apart from that, they can also access various live or video-on-demand streaming services using the best VPN Australia securely and anonymously.

The best VPN services in Australia help you bypass content filtering, protect your personal data and provide incredible connection speed while browsing the internet and that too, at a reasonable price point.

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Just in case you are not fully aware; how does a VPN work, we’d suggest that you take a look at our comprehensive VPN guide.

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Best VPNs in Australia (June 2022 In-Depth Analysis) 

We extensively evaluated a set of over 70 VPN services and assessed their ability to download torrents and unblock popular streaming services from Down Under, whether they maintained privacy over the web, and how many operational servers they had in Australia compared to what they claimed.

Based on the above-mentioned criteria, we compiled our ultimate list of the 7 best VPN services for Australia for June 2022, so you know which VPN is best for Australia:

1) ExpressVPN – Overall Best VPN Australia

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Australia. This VPN is equipped with fast, stable, and reliable servers, robust security features, and great unblocking capabilities to work with online streaming services. When tested, the VPN delivered an average download speed of 89.42 Mbps and upload speed of 84.64 Mbps (Refer to our speed test below).

This VPN hails from the British Virgin Island and operates 3000+ VPN servers in 94 countries, including multiple servers in 5 Australian locations: Sydney, Perth, Sydney – 2, Melbourne, and Brisbane. During the test, we found all five server locations to be working.

It employs OpenVPN, IKEv2, and IPSec tunnelling protocols to protect users and their data from constant surveillance. It also equips Lightway, which offers faster speeds and more security, all while using less battery.

Its no-logging policy confirms that the VPN will not log your data at all. Its kill switch ensures that your online activities are not leaked to your ISP in case your VPN connection becomes unstable. 

ExpressVPN offers dedicated apps for various operating systems, including Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. 

Furthermore, it offers unlimited bandwidth and supports five simultaneous connections on a single account. With these multi-logins, you can enjoy ExpressVPN’s connection on a variety of devices, including Roku, FireStick, Apple TV, PS4, Xbox, and more.

ExpressVPN Test Findings 

ExpressVPN also provided a smooth streaming experience for services like US Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. When streaming, we found the following servers as stand-out performers with a few streaming services:

ExpressVPN had no problems unblocking torrents from Australia. While downloading torrent files, we did not notice any significant drop in speed either. Based on our test, the best performing torrenting servers for the VPN service were Switzerland and Netherlands – Amsterdam. 

ExpressVPN reviews and ratings on Trustpilot Australia

On Trustpilot AU, ExpressVPN has been rated 4.7 and has more than 9,600 reviews. Of these 9600+ reviews, 85% are scored as excellent.   

ExpressVPN negative(s)

ExpressVPN offers only 5 multi-device connections to users. While it isn’t actually a negative, the simultaneous connections are a bit less if compared to other competitors.

Price (AUD)

You can subscribe to its 1-year + 3 free months plan for AU$10.33/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) (AU $9.28/mo). Plus, its 30-day money-back guarantee gives you the comfort of knowing you’ll get your full payment back if you don’t like the service for any reason.  

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2) Surfshark – Best Cheap VPN for Australia

Surfshark is the most affordable VPN in Australia. Starting from just AU$3.86/mo (US$ 2.49/mo) (AU $3.32). It ensures torrenting, streaming, anonymous browsing, and a wide range of other activities in Australia quite effortlessly.

Surfshark is headquartered in the Netherlands. The service operates 3200+ VPN servers in 95 countries, including 91 servers in 5 server Australian locations including Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. We found all five server locations to be live, offering consistent connection speeds.

Surfshark equips multiple tunneling protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPSec, and Shadowshocks to encrypt users’ web traffic in all Aussie regions. 

It also comes with a MultHop feature that passes your traffic through multiple servers before connecting to the site you desire to access. This multi-layer encryption process would make it impossible for ISPs to snoop into your connection.

The VPN further offers RAM-only servers that wipe out all your information as soon as your disconnect from the server.

Surfshark is compatible with multiple operating systems, including Android, macOS, Windows, iOS, and more. It offers unlimited bandwidth and practices an uncompromising no-log policy.

You can connect as many devices as you may want on a single Surfshark account. This means that you can connect Surfshark to Xbox, FireStick, Nvidia Shield TV, Smart TVs, Apple TV, and more easily.

Surfshark Test Findings 

As for unblocking streaming services, some Surfshark servers performed better than the others, while some failed to bypass the respective geo-restrictions altogether.

Below, we’ve highlighted the recommended servers for watching US Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer from Australia on Surfshark.

Surfshark did an overall decent job with torrent requests. We can’t say the download speed was blazing fast, but it wasn’t slow either.  US, Canada, and the Netherlands were the best performing torrenting servers for Surfshark.

Surfshark reviews and ratings on Trustpilot Australia

On Trustpilot AU, Surfshark is rated 4.3 and has more than 13,000 reviews. Of these 13000+ reviews, 66% are scored as excellent.   

Surfshark negative(s)

Surfshark has a few slow-speed servers, especially in the U.S. This is one area where we believe the VPN provider needs to improve its services. 

Price (AUD)

Being the cheapest VPN Australia, its 2-year + 2 months free plan can be purchased at just AU$3.86/mo (US$ 2.49/mo) (AU $3.32). It also offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee for testing out the VPN service.

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3) NordVPN – Best Australian VPN for Torrenting

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for downloading torrents in Australia. This torrent-friendly VPN offers 4400+ P2P-optimized servers (including 164 in Australia), along with OpenVPN protocol for secure torrenting. 

NordVPN is based in Panama. The service operates 5500+ servers in 60 countries across the globe. In Australia, the VPN provides 190+ servers in 5 locations that you can connect to. These include Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Brisbane. We found all five server locations to be working.

NordVPN uses advanced tunneling protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, Nordlynx, and IPSec to keep users’ online privacy intact. It encrypts its entire connection using military-grade AES 256-bit encryption.

Its Double VPN feature routes your traffic twice before connecting you to your desired site. The Onion over VPN uses the Tor browser and VPN connection together for the ultimate security and anonymity while torrenting so you never get in trouble. 

Using NordVPN, you can be secure on multiple devices, including iPhones, Xbox, PS4, FireStick, Smart TVs, and more.

It provides several interesting features, including unlimited bandwidth support, a 100% no-log policy, and ad-blocking. 

You also get support for six simultaneous connections using this VPN. With these connections, you can secure the devices mentioned above, along with various operating systems, including Android, macOS, iOS, Windows, and Linux.

NordVPN Test Findings

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting in AU. In our tests, the VPN handled all torrent requests superbly, without compromising our privacy.

However, we’d still recommend you to turn on the app’s kill switch button when downloading torrent files. This would prevent any IP leaks if the connection breaks down in between for any reason.

You can choose from its list of P2P servers across the globe to download your favourite torrents. In our experience, we found Switzerland and US VPN servers as the most reliable.

In terms of unblocking streaming services, NordVPN didn’t disappoint either. We were able to access US Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube TV, and BBC iPlayer without any major problems. We’ve listed down the recommended servers for each of the tested streaming services in the table below: 

No IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks were detected during the random testing of NordVPN servers. The tested VPN servers were located in the US, Sweden, Spain, and France.

NordVPN Trustpilot rating and reviews

On Trustpilot AU, NordVPN is rated 4.4 and has more than 18,000 reviews. Of these 18000+ reviews, 73% are scored as excellent. 

NordVPN Negative(s)

NordVPN does not always support streaming on Android TV, NVIDIA Shield TV, and Amazon FireStick.

Price (AUD)

NordVPN is available at a price of only AU$5.4/mo (US$ 3.49/mo) (AU $4.88/mo) on its 2-year plan. You also get a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee and a VPN free trial.

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4) CyberGhost – Best User-friendly VPN for Australia

CyberGhost is an easy-to-use VPN for Australia. It boasts an intuitive interface on its apps for devices along with a great user experience. It further offers specially-optimized servers for torrenting, streaming, and gaming.

CyberGhost is a Romania-based VPN service. It operates 8300+ servers in 91 countries. For Australia, CyberGhost VPN offers 150 servers in 2 server locations, Melbourne and Sydney. We found both server locations to be running.

CyberGhost uses robust tunneling protocols like IPSec, IKEv2, WireGuard, and OpenVPN to protect users from the monitoring of your ISPs and authorities.

It also offers a built-in kill switch that disconnects you from the internet if your VPN connection becomes unstable. It also offers a no-logging policy which ensures that the VPN will not collect any user logs.

CyberGhost offers unlimited bandwidth, ad blocking, and in-built WebRTC leak protection. You can get all these amazing features on multiple operating systems, including Android, macOS, FireOS, Windows, and more.

CyberGhost supports up to 7 multi-logins. This means that you can secure your devices like FireStick, Roku, Xbox, iPhones, and PS4 easily with CyberGhost.

CyberGhost Test Findings

In terms of accessing geo-restricted content, CyberGhost did a decent job of unblocking popular streaming services such as US Netflix, Channel 4, BBC iPlayer, and Voot in Australia. We’ve noted down the best performing servers for each tested streaming service in the table below:

When tested CyberGhost for speeds, it seemed to be quite average than all the VPNs above. In our CyberGhost speed test on its AU – Melbourne server, the VPN delivered an average downloading speed of 73.12 Mbps and an uploading speed of 37.48 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection.

There were no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks detected on the four randomly tested CyberGhost VPN servers. These servers were located in the UK and Belgium.

We faced difficulties while connecting to torrent sites through different CyberGhost servers, especially those located in the U.S. However, the problem was resolved as soon as we switched our location to Germany. Still, we did not get fast enough download speeds to recommend the service for torrenting in Australia.

CyberGhost reviews and ratings on Trustpilot Australia

On au.trustpilot.com, CyberGhost is rated 4.7 and has more than 14,000 reviews. Of these 14,000+ reviews, 86% are scored as excellent.

CyberGhost negative(s)

CyberGhost’s torrenting servers lack consistency and need to be optimized.

Price (AUD)

You can get its 3-year + 3-month free plan for AU$3.55/mo (US$ 2.29/mo) (AU $3.06/mo). This VPN also offers an exclusive 45-day money-back guarantee which makes it worth a try.

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5) Private Internet Access – VPN with Extensive Server Network

Private Internet Access is one of the best VPNs Australia with a vast server network. This VPN offers 35000+ servers in 80 countries across the world.

As far as this US-based VPN’s server availability in Australia is concerned, it offers multiple servers in distinct Australian cities such as Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne.

PIA does not store its users’ information, thanks to its no-logging policy, which is a big plus considering the fact that it hails from the US.

If we discuss the performance of Private Internet Access in terms of privacy and security, you can use an internet kill switch, OpenVPN protocol, ad blocker, 256-bit military-grade encryption, and more to stay protected in Australia.

The internet kill switch feature helps you stay safe from hackers and other cybercriminals if the VPN app suddenly stops working for any reason.  You can use a dedicated IP feature to overcome slow download and upload speeds.

Talking about dedicated IPs, the VPN offers dedicated apps for a variety of operating systems, including Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux.

The VPN offers 10 simultaneous connections to users, and also supports multiple devices, including Xbox, PS4, FireStick, Roku, etc. It further supports Kodi if you own the media player.

PIA Test Findings

Like any other good Australian VPN, the service becomes a reliable option when you want to unblock your favourite streaming services like UKTV Play, US Netflix, Paramount Plus, and BBC iPlayer.

Here is the table that includes different servers that helped us unblock US Netflix and other streaming services:

Streaming service	Best performing servers
US Netflix	New York, Chicago, Seattle, Las Vegas, Silicon Valley, Texas, Washington
UKTV Play	Manchester
Paramount Plus	Seattle, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago
BBC iPlayer	London, Southampton

PIA allows you to connect to your required VPN server instantly. As a result, we did not face such a hassle when connecting to our preferred servers.

We conducted a PIA speed test on its AU – Sydney server and got an average downloading speed of 70.02 Mbps and an uploading speed of 34.42 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection.

As expected, PIA did not expose our actual whereabouts when we tested its IP leak, DNS leak, and WebRTC leak protection features in detail.

For torrenting, PIA offers SOCKS5 support that’s a great feature for torrent fans in Australia. It also allows port forwarding on specific servers.

PIA reviews and ratings on Trustpilot Australia

Private Internet Access has received more than 8000+ reviews on Trustpilot Australia, out of which 68% of users have rated the service excellent. The service has earned a reasonable 4.6 rating overall.

Private Internet Access negative (s)

The only thing that was not up to the mark was PIA’s unblocking feature for streaming services. You can unblock geo-restricted streaming platforms with this VPN, but you might sometimes be subject to multiple lags.

Price (AUD)

You can obtain its 2-year + 2 Free Months package at the cost of AU$3.39/mo (US$ 2.19/mo) (AU $2.92/mo). It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test out its service.

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6) PureVPN – Best Streaming-friendly VPN for Australia

PureVPN is the best VPN for accessing blocked streaming sites in Australia. It offers dedicated streaming servers that unblock 30+ OTT streaming platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more.

Based in Hong Kong, PureVPN claims the sixth position in our list of the best VPNs Australia. It operates 6500+ servers in more than 78 countries worldwide, including 56 servers in 4 Australian cities: Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. 

PureVPN employs a number of tunneling protocols to encrypt users’ internet traffic data. These include PPTP, IPSec, SSTP, IKEv2, and OpenVPN.

It equips DNS leak protection which ensures that your actual IP address isn’t leaked to your ISP, streaming services, and hackers. 

It also offers split tunnelling that allows you to use a VPN connection on specific apps and websites while using your normal connection on others.

You can get all of PureVPN’s security features, along with zero-logging and unlimited bandwidth support on various devices, including iPhones, Roku, FireStick, PS4, and more.

The VPN also offers 10 multi-logins on a single account that you can use on the devices above, along with operating systems, like Windows, Android, macOS, and Linux. 

PureVPN Test Findings

Streaming was one of the strongest points of PureVPN. This is why it can be easily called the best VPN Australia for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more.

The VPN service offered a decent number of servers that unblocked US Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max in Australia. It also allowed you to enjoy the best shows on Hotstar in Australia.

Furthermore, it has dedicated streaming servers to allow users to watch shows and movies in HD quality. We’ve listed down the best performing servers for each tested streaming service in the table below: 

There were no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks reported during the random testing of four PureVPN servers, located in the US and the UK. 

PureVPN provided a relatively slow torrent download speed compared to other VPNs on this list. So while you can use the VPN service to download torrents from Australia, if you’re buying it exclusively for torrenting alone, there are better alternatives available in our best torrenting VPN guide.

We found Norway and the Netherlands as the top torrenting servers for PureVPN.

PureVPN Trustpilot ratings and reviews

On au.trustpilot.com, PureVPN is rated 4.6 and has more than 14,000 reviews. Of these 14,000+ reviews, 86% are scored as excellent.

PureVPN negative(s)

PureVPN needs to work on its slow P2P connection speeds so users can have a better torrenting experience in Australia.

Price (AUD)

Its 2-year + 3-month free plan is available for just AU$5.16/mo (US$ 3.33/mo) 2-year plan (AU $2.66/mo). It comes with a generous 31-day money-back guarantee.

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7) IPVanish – Best VPN with Unlimited Multi-logins

IPVanish is the best Australian VPN offering unlimited multi-logins. Using this VPN, you can connect to as many devices as you can, and share your connection with your friends and family.

IPVanish is a US-based VPN service that offers 2000+ VPN servers in 75+ locations worldwide. Out of these, 69 servers in present in 5 different cities in Australia such as Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.

Apart from this, you can use a wide range of security and privacy features depending on your online privacy need.

These privacy and security features are an internet kill switch, OpenVPN protocol, DNS leak protection, WebRTC leak protection, and 256-bit military-grade encryption that, when combined, will definitely keep you safe in Australia.

IPVanish can be set up on multiple devices, including Roku, FireStick, PS4, Xbox, Apple TV, Android TVs, and more.

Since the VPN supports unlimited multi-logins, you can connect all your operating systems with the VPN as well, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.

IPVanish Test Findings

IPVanish is quite efficient in unblocking various streaming services across the world. This VPN could unblock multiple on-demand platforms, including American Netflix, Sling TV, Voot, Comedy Central, Peacock TV, and more in Australia.

Here is the table that consists of servers you can connect to unblock BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and other streaming platforms hassle-free:

Streaming service	Best performing servers
American Netflix	New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, Atlanta
Voot	New Delhi
Sling TV	Miami, Chicago,
Peacock TV	New York, Los Angeles, Washington
BBC iPlayer	London

IPVanish’s speeds are fast when connected to any server in Australia. In this VPN’s speed test on our 100 Mbps connection, we got an average downloading speed of 78.53 Mbps and an uploading speed of 41.55 Mbps on its AU – Perth server.

In addition, you can trust IPVanish when it comes to protecting your actual IP address against various cyberattacks like hacking, phishing, malware, etc. This is because the provider offers much-needed IP leak, DNS leak, and WebRTC leak protection features. Here is the proof:

The above screenshot indicates that IPVanish is safe to use because it does not reveal your original IP address, DNS address, and webRTC location. Fortunately, we did not face any leak issue while connected to its USA server.

What makes IPVanish VPN different from other VPN providers is its impressive SOCKS5 proxy server feature that secures users’ torrenting activities comprehensively.

Through this feature, the service supports famous BitTorrent clients like Vuze, Deluge, and uTorrent. It means you can safely download your favorite torrent files while residing in Australia.

IPVanish reviews and ratings on Trustpilot Australia

Regarded as one of the best Australian VPNs, IPVanish has managed an excellent 4.6 rating on Trustpilot Australia after being reviewed by 7700+ people. According to 82% of users, the US-based service is a reliable online privacy option for Australian netizens overall.

IPVanish negative(s)

IPVanish has to increase its current server network because most VPN services are offering servers in huge numbers to their users. Furthermore, the service does not offer a dedicated IP feature unlike PureVPN, NordVPN, and PIA.

Price (AUD)

On the pricing front, you can subscribe to its yearly pricing plan at the cost of AU$5.81/mo (US$ 3.75/mo) (AU $5.22/mo). Lastly, IPVanish offers an attractive 30-day refund policy that enables new users to examine its different features as per their preferences.

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Best VPN Australia – Quick Comparison Chart (June 2022 Updated)

VPNs	Number of Australian servers	Speeds	Offer
ExpressVPN	Multiple servers in 5 locations	Download speed of 89.42 Mbps and upload speed of 84.64 Mbps on 100 Mbps	AU $9.28/mo
Surfshark	91 servers in 5 locations	Download speed of  85.48 Mbps and upload speed of 48.42 Mbps on 100 Mbps	AU $3.32/mo
NordVPN	190+ servers in 5 locations	Download speed of 86.18 Mbps and upload speed of 42.13 Mbps on 100 Mbps	AU $4.88/mo
CyberGhost	150 servers in 2 locations	Download speed of 73.12 Mbps and upload speed of 37.48 Mbps on 100 Mbps	AU $3.06/mo
Private Internet Access	Multiple servers in 3 locations	Download speed of 70.02 Mbps and upload speed of 34.42 Mbps on 100 Mbps	AU $2.92/mo
PureVPN	Multiple servers in 4 locations	Download speed of 74.12 Mbps and upload speed of 38.48 Mbps on 100 Mbps	AU $2.66/mo
IPVanish	69 servers in 5 locations	Download speed of 78.53 Mbps and an uploading speed of 41.55 Mbps	AU $5.22/mo

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Research Methodology: How We Find the Best VPNs for Australia

As far as our research methodology is concerned, we have tested all these above-mentioned VPN services in terms of security, privacy, torrenting, simultaneous connections, unblocking capability, and money-back guarantee.

1. Speed and Stability:

Speed is a major criterion to look for when you are choosing a VPN. You don’t want to end up paying for a service that offers extremely slow speeds, because it makes it useless.

A good VPN should not reduce your speeds by more than 20-25% and you should be able to get more than 70% of your actual speed at the very minimum.

2. Security:

All the VPN providers described above are secure and do not compromise their users’ anonymity. Moreover, you can use them within Australian territory as and when required without exposing your actual whereabouts.

3. Privacy:

Unfortunately, Australia is one of the major partner countries of the Five Eyes Alliance. Therefore, you should not take your online privacy lightly while residing in Australia.

Luckily, all these VPN services explained in this guide offer their users a great mix of privacy features. Besides, they have cleared all our DNS leak tests hassle-free.

As a result, you can improve your privacy to the next level by choosing your desired VPN service from the list mentioned above.

4. Torrenting:

Torrenting is an area where many VPN services usually do not come up to their users’ expectations. That said, our selected VPN services will not disappoint users who want to secure their privacy while performing their favourite torrenting activities.

Fortunately, you can use any VPN service of your choice from the above list to protect your P2P tasks from the prying eyes of ISPs and other surveillance agencies as they provide P2P-optimized servers.

5. Simultaneous connections:

Multi-logins or simultaneous connections feature helps users protect their digital footprints while surfing the web on a wide range of devices.

All our chosen best VPNs allow users to avail simultaneous connection features ideal for securing multiple devices at a time.

6. Unblocking capability:

All the VPN services described in this guide help you unblock and watch numerous video-on-demand streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video, etc., at impressive connection speeds without any hassle.

7. Money-back guarantee:

We recommend that our users should check every particular security or privacy feature in detail before committing to any VPN service.

Fortunately, all VPNs mentioned above come with lengthy money-back guarantees that enable you to test their various features thoroughly.

All these features enable these top-notch VPN services and answer your query of ‘What is the best VPN to use in Australia.’

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How Does a VPN Work in Australia?

A VPN is an online privacy tool that allows computers or networks to connect securely and anonymously over the internet. It hides your real IP address and encrypts your web traffic, keeping you safe from hackers, spoofers, and other unwanted personnel online.

A VPN encrypts the internet traffic of a device and passes it through an intermediary server present in the location the user chose for itself. This can allow Australians to circumvent geo-restrictions and access locked content in their country.

In every VPN set-up, we have a server (often located remotely) and a client app. You download the client app on your internet device and connect to the remote server. The remote server does two things:

• It replaces your actual IP address with that of its own – thus making your online identity anonymous.
• It creates an end-to-end tunnel between your device and the web, protecting and encrypting any web traffic that passes through it.

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What Makes a Good VPN in Australia?

An ideal VPN should have a blend of security and privacy features that allow you to protect your online activities from the eyes of ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and other surveillance actors.

Hence, we have compiled a list of different factors for the sake of your convenience to let you make a better decision while selecting the best VPN in Australia. These factors are:

Availability of servers in different countries worldwide

Your chosen VPN service should offer a multitude of servers in all the major countries. It should be a VPN with Australian servers too. This feature will help you unblock the number of streaming services on multiple devices accordingly.

By doing so, you can bypass ISP throttling and other related issues that can spoil your streaming activities to a certain extent.

Compatibility

A VPN service should support all the leading operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and devices like Android phones, Apple TV, Smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Gaming Consoles.

Consequently, you can use your single VPN account on unlimited devices to perform different tasks like casual web surfing, web surfing, online shopping, etc. anonymously.

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Why a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is Required in Australia?

A VPN is necessary to use in Australia. Due to the Australian regulations regarding the metadata of users, everyone living in Australia should use a VPN at all costs.

A VPN encrypts your connection and keeps your data private. It further creates a tunnel and offers absolute anonymity to users, making them completely untraceable.

Not convinced? Let’s look at all the reasons why a VPN is required in Australia:

1. Copyright Laws:

Australia has some of the most brutal anti-piracy regulations on Earth. Users caught getting involved in pirated content can face a fine of $99 000 and imprisonment of up to five years.

The Communications Alliance of Australia (an alliance of the government and all major Australian ISPs) has been actively pursuing a crackdown on what seems to them as unlawful file-sharing. 

Over four thousand IP addresses in Australia were detected and sued in 2015 by a Hollywood studio for using BitTorrent to download a copyrighted movie.

Australia’s Federal Court ordered 50 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to ban various sites in 2016 to curb copyright infringement after 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Paramount filed a lawsuit.

In 2021, the Australian New Channel of News Corps took iSentia to court for them to stop offering the content of Sky News Australia to their clients without a license.

2. Online Censorship:

The ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) is allowed to and does block any site it selects using filtration technology.

In simpler words, Australia is guilty of online censorship. There are various restrictions on simple activities such as streaming movies and TV shows that are licensed and sharing posts on Facebook.

ISPs have now blocked all the alternate routes to PirateBay, RARBG, SolarMovie, and Putlocker. This way, there are hundreds of websites that are not accessible in AU.

A VPN hides your IP and connects you to another country’s server so you can bypass geo-blocks and access various restricted websites.

3. ISPs Data Collection and Surveillance:

The Internet Service Providers (ISPs) log all the browsing data of users. This means that there’s an exact record of each site you visit, your online chats, and what you search for.

The Telecommunications Interception and Access Act of 2015 legally obligates them to log your metadata.

Let’s not forget that Australia is a member of the infamous 5 Eyes Alliance, a global alliance that records and shares surveillance data in mass amounts, calling it national security.

Since 2001, the country has adopted way more security laws for national security than any other liberal country in the world.

This is why you need a VPN. A virtual private network encrypts all your internet traffic, making your online traffic inaccessible to your ISP and the authorities. However, you’d require a premium VPN like ExpressVPN for this.

4. Unblocking Geo-Restricted Streaming Sites:

A variety of popular streaming services are either restricted to a single country (Kayo Sports, BBC iPlayer, Hulu) or offer region-based content (Netflix and Amazon Prime).

Using the best VPNs for streaming would let you circumvent these geo-restrictions and allow you to enjoy a wider range of streaming services easily.

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2 VPNs You Should Avoid Using in Australia

There are many things you expect a VPN to do, the most important of them all is keeping your online privacy intact while increasing your security over the web. Unfortunately, the VPNs that we are going to list below fail to do this:

HideMyAss

HideMyAss explicitly states on their website that they log some data as part of their policy. This includes bandwidth usage, time of connecting and disconnect, and total log duration. 

However, what the company claims here is not entirely true.

HideMyAss also keeps your real IP address in their record. This was witnessed when the VPN provider collaborated with law enforcement agencies to get Cody Kretsinger—a LulzSec hacker—arrested by sharing with them the details of his IP address. 

Hola VPN

You have probably heard of Hola VPN. They are based in Israel. This VPN doesn’t work like every traditional VPN where a user connects to a VPN service’s centralized server network. Instead, the users of Hola connect to one another, using the idle bandwidth of other users on the internet as part of a huge peer-to-peer network.

This comes with huge security concerns. A user can use someone else’s internet for performing illegal activities. In 2015, the VPN used its users’ PCs to form a botnet and perform a huge DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attack without the knowledge of the users.

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Best VPN Australia – FAQs