6 Best Cheap VPNs for Australia April 2022 – Safe & Private!
Buying a cheap VPN for Australia doesn’t always have to be a compromise on speed, security, or usability. You can get plenty of good VPNs on a budget if you know where to look for the right information. This guide covers the six best cheap VPNs for Australia and walks you through their features and main highlights.
Best Cheap Australian VPNs – TL;DR
If you’re strapped for time and looking for recommendations on the go, here’s a quick summary of the top six cheap Australian VPN services in April 2022:
- Surfshark – Cheapest VPN, unlimited simultaneous connections, 3200+ servers, unblocks Netflix in 15 regions, no activity logs, unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee
- NordVPN – Six multi-logins, NordLynx tunneling protocol, 5000+ servers, excellent P2P support, no activity logs, 30-day no questions asked refund policy
- CyberGhost VPN – Seven simultaneous connections, 6700+ servers in 88 countries, user-friendly app, no logs, generous 45-day money-back guarantee
- VyprVPN – Five simultaneous connections, ChameleonTM tunneling protocol, effective at bypassing censorship, 700+ servers, no logs, hassle-free 30-day refund policy
- PureVPN – Dedicated IP addresses in eight countries, ten multi-logins, 6500+ servers, no logs, 31-day no questions asked money-back guarantee
- Private Internet Access – Ten multi-logins, 18000+ servers, WireGuard tunneling protocol (beta version), cheapest monthly plan, no activity logs, unconditional 30-day refund policy
90% percent of consumers expect VPNs to cost less than $10 per month. [Source: au.pcmag.com].
That should hardly come as a surprise.
If you are already paying $80+ per month for your home internet connection, which is what most people pay here in Australia, spending even a budgie on a VPN plan can feel like flexing your pockets too far.
Does that mean you should make do with a low-tier VPN service if you can’t find a high-quality one that fits your wallet?
Absolutely not!
Premium VPNs aren’t always expensive. In fact, in some cases, they can be quite cheap—as cheap as a short latte at Starbucks. The secret to getting them is choosing a long-term subscription plan.
So what are the best cheap VPN services for Australia?
Best Cheap VPNs for Australia Full Analysis [April 2022 Updated]
Below we have listed our six favorite cheap VPN services for Australia. They offer worldwide connectivity and keep your communications private and secure. The best part is they come with a minimum 30-day money-back guarantee. Change your mind, and a full refund is yours. Surfshark and NordVPN also offer a one-week free trial.
1) Surfshark
The best cheap VPN for streaming. Get access to 15 Netflix libraries and other popular OTT video sites for as low as AU$3.89/mo (US$ 2.49/mo) - Save up to 77% with exclusive 2-year plan + 30-day money-back guarantee.
Jurisdiction and server inventory
Surfshark is the best cheap VPN service based in the British Virgin Islands and has over 3200 servers in 62 countries worldwide. It provides coverage in all major regions, including North America, South America, Central America, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Africa.
Security and privacy
The company uses robust tunneling protocols such as OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPsec, and Shadowshocks to securely transmit your data over the internet. For encryption, it provides two options: i) Chacha20Poly1305 standard, and ii) AES-256-GCM standard.
Surfshark does not log any information concerning your online activities and provides complete protection against IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks.
Additional security and privacy features include:
- CleanWeb (in-built ad blocker)
- Whitelister (a split tunneling feature to allow pre-selected apps and websites to bypass the VPN)
- BlindSearch (for performing incognito searches)
- HackLock (helps prevent email and password hacks)
Compatible devices
Surfshark offers clients for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, and other streaming devices and smart TVs. You can even set it up on your Linux computer, PS4, Xbox One, or home router. The best part? It supports unlimited simultaneous connections.
Streaming
Surfshark is arguably the best cheap VPN service for streaming from Australia. It works with all major OTT video platforms, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, YouTube TV, Disney+, HBO, Binge, Stan, Foxtel Now, and even Hotstar.
| Streaming service | Available server locations | Recommended servers |
| US Netflix | 24 | Seattle, Atlanta, LA, and Denver |
| BBC iPlayer | 3 | Manchester and London |
| Hulu | 24 | Seattle, Denver, and New York |
| HBO Now | 24 | Seattle, Latham, and Boston |
| YouTube TV | 2 | Latham and Bend |
| Hotstar | 3 | Mumbai and Chennai |
Torrent support
Surfshark provides decent torrent support and seamlessly connects to uTorrent, BitTorrent, and streaming players such as VLC and PopcornTime. So if you are looking for a good torrent VPN, then Surfshark is one of the top options.
How much it costs
You can get Surfshark for AU$3.89/mo (US$ 2.49/mo) - Save up to 77% with exclusive 2-year plan + 30-day money-back guarantee on a 2-year + 2 months free plan. The plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Concluding pointers
Area(s) of improvement:
Surfshark could do with a revamped Android app
Why we love Surfshark:
The cheapest VPN service that unblocks all leading streaming platforms
2) NordVPN
The best cheap VPN for torrenting. Offers 3800+ P2P servers in 44 countries for just AU$6.23/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) - Save up to 63% with exclusive 2-year plan + 3 months free for a friend.
Jurisdiction and server inventory
NordVPN is a Panama-based VPN service, operating over 5000 servers in more than 60 countries worldwide. It provides coverage in all major regions, including The Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
Security and privacy
The company uses OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPsec, and the robust NordLynx tunneling protocol to secure your web traffic. Additionally, it uses AES-256 ciphers for data encryption.
NordVPN is a 100% no logs VPN and does not record any online activities or information that can be used to trace to your specifics. It also provides a full-proof IP, DNS, and Web RTC leak protection.
Additional security and privacy features offered by NordVPN include:
- In-built malware and ad-blocker
- Obfuscation (for bypassing restrictive network firewalls)
- Automatic kill switch (to prevent accidental IP spills)
- Invisibility on LAN (to make yourself invisible to other users on the same local area network)
Compatible devices
NordVPN supports a great variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers Android TV, and Amazon Fire Sticks. You can connect up to six devices on a single NordVPN account simultaneously.
Streaming
NordVPN offers strong streaming performance and unblocks Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Hotstar, BBC iPlayer, Disney +, Foxtel Now, Foxtel Go and other leading OTT video platforms with ease. However, unlike Surfshark, it does not work with YouTube TV.
| Streaming service | Available server locations | Recommended servers |
| US Netflix | 15 | Buffalo, Salt Lake City, and Miami |
| BBC iPlayer | 1 | Great Dunmow |
| Hulu | 15 | New York, Buffalo, and Manassas |
| HBO Now | 15 | New York, Buffalo, and Charlotte |
| YouTube TV | Does not work | Does not work |
| Hotstar | 2 | Mumbai |
Torrent support
NordVPN offers over 4000 specialized P2P servers, making it the best cheap VPN for torrenting in the market. These servers are fast, secure, and free of bandwidth limits. You can use them to download your favorite torrents and magnets anonymously.
How much it costs
You can get NordVPN for AU$6.23/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) - Save up to 63% with exclusive 2-year plan + 3 months free for a friend on a 2-year plan. The plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Concluding pointers
Area(s) of improvement:
NordVPN often faces streaming issues on Android TV, Nvidia Shield TV, and Amazon Fire Stick
Why we love NordVPN:
Unmatched torrent support at the listed price
3) CyberGhost VPN
The best cheap VPN with smart features. Get connection options in 88 countries around the world for as low as AUD AU$3.17/mo (US$ 2.03/mo) - Save up to 84% with exclusive 2-year plans + 4 months free.
Jurisdiction and server inventory
CyberGhost is based in Romania and operates 6700+ servers worldwide, one of the largest server parks in the VPN industry. It covers all major regions, including North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania.
Security and privacy
The company uses robust tunneling protocols like IKEv2, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPSec to secure your traffic over the internet. WireGuard is available for Linux users. Additionally, a double encryption system renders all potential spoofing attacks ineffective.
CyberGhost maintains a strict no logs operation and does not keep any record of your online activities. It also provides complete protection against DNS, IP, and Web RTC leaks.
Some more security and privacy features offered by the VPN service include:
- Automatic kill switch
- Adblocker
- Malware blocker
- Online tracking blocker (for preventing websites and apps from storing your digital footprint)
Compatible devices
CyberGhost offers applications and manual configurations for a wide variety of platforms. These include Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, selected smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, streaming consoles, routers, gaming consoles, and Kodi. You can connect up to seven devices on a single CyberGhost VPN account simultaneously.
Streaming
The streaming support on CyberGhost VPN is decent but the company can do with the addition of more servers. There is a separate list of streaming-friendly servers, which you can access by clicking the “double side arrow” on the app’s main screen. We really like this feature as it makes the app easy to use.
CyberGhost unblocks the following streaming services and channels:
- Netflix
- Hulu
- YouTube TV
- BBC iPlayer
- Crunchyroll
- HBO Now
- Disney+
- Hotstar
- Comedy Central
- Globo Sportv
- Canal+
- ESPN
- CBC
- NBC
| Streaming service | Available server locations | Recommended servers |
| US Netflix | 3 | Netflix US (streaming servers tab) |
| BBC iPlayer | 1 | BBC iPlayer (streaming servers tab) |
| Hulu | 1 | Hulu (streaming service tab) |
| HBO Now | 1 | HBO Now (streaming service tab) |
| YouTube TV | 1 | YouTube TV (streaming service tab) |
| Hotstar | 1 | Mumbai-S402-i03 and Mumbai-S401-i06 |
Torrent support
CyberGhost VPN maintains sixty-nine P2P servers configured for file sharing and torrent downloads. These servers are marked to help with easier identification. They provide decent speed and stable connections.
How much it costs
You can get CyberGhost for AUD AU$3.17/mo (US$ 2.03/mo) - Save up to 84% with exclusive 2-year plans + 4 months free on a 24-month plan. The plan comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Concluding pointers
Area(s) of improvement:
CyberGhost needs to add more streaming resources if it wants to compete with the very best VPNs
Why we love CyberGhost VPN:
Great server depth at a low price, perfect for beginners thanks to its user-friendly interface
4) VyprVPN
The best cheap VPN service for bypassing censorship. Offers easy access to countries like China and Russia for just $2.50 per month.
Jurisdiction and server inventory
VyprVPN is a Swiss-based VPN service, operating 700+ servers in more than 64 countries worldwide. You can find its server clusters in all major regions, including North America, Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, Central America, Middle East, and Oceania.
Security and privacy
The company uses multiple VPN tunneling protocols to secure your web traffic. These include PPTP, IPsec, IKEv2, OpenVPN, WireGuard, and proprietary ChameleonTM. The latter allows you to easily bypass government censorship in countries where internet traffic is highly regulated. Data encryption is achieved using 256-bit cipher keys.
VyprVPN has majorly overhauled its privacy policy in the last couple of years and shifted to zero-log operations. It also provides a full-proof DNS, IP, and Web RTC leak protection.
Compatible devices
VyprVPN supports a wide range of devices. You can install and run VyprVPN on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, routers, and Android TV. The VPN service allows you to connect up to five devices on a single account simultaneously.
Streaming
VyprVPN does a decent job at streaming, allowing you to watch Netflix, Hulu, BBC UK, Disney+, ITV, Channel 4, and Amazon Prime from Australia. Additionally, it also offers support for Australian streaming services such as Foxtel Now and Binge.
| Streaming service | Available server locations | Recommended servers |
| US Netflix | 8 | New York, Miami, and Austin |
| BBC iPlayer | Does not work | Does not work |
| Hulu | 8 | New York, LA, and Seattle |
| HBO Now | 8 | New York, Miami, and Chicago |
| YouTube TV | Does not work | Does not work |
| Hotstar | Does not work | Does not work |
Torrent support
VyprVPN allows you to share files via BitTorrent or P2P, regardless of the server you are on. This comes as a pleasant surprise as most VPN services limit your torrent support to specific servers.
How much it costs
You can get VyprVPN for $2.50 per month on a 2-year plan. The plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Concluding pointers
Area(s) of improvement:
VyprVPN needs to increase its server count to provide more connection options to users
Why we love VyprVPN:
It is an ideal low-cost VPN if you want to access restricted content in countries like China or Russia
5) PureVPN
The best cheap VPN service for privacy lovers. Get a reserved IP address in a country of your choice for as low as $4.16 per month.
Jurisdiction and server inventory
PureVPN is based in Hong Kong and operates more than 6500+ servers in 140+ countries worldwide. It covers all major regions, including North America, South America, Central America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
PureVPN is the only VPN service that offers dedicated IPs in the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, Malta, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Security and privacy
The company uses robust tunneling protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPsec, SSTP, and PPTP to transmit your data over the internet securely. For encryption, it uses the military-grade AES 256-bit system.
PureVPN does not log your online information and provides complete protection against IP, DNS, and Web RTC leaks. Additional security and privacy features offered by the VPN service include:
- Automatic kill switch
- IPv6 leak protection
- Port forwarding
Compatible devices
PureVPN offers clients for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Sticks, Kodi, and Kindle devices. You can also manually set it up on Roku, selected smart TVs, Apple TV, Nvidia Shield TV, gaming consoles, and routers. The best part? It supports up to ten multi-logins on a single account.
Streaming
PureVPN unblocks almost all leading OTT video platforms. These include American Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube TV, HBO Now, HBO Max, Hotstar, Disney+, Amazon Prime TV, Stan, Foxtel Now, and Binge among others. However, some of the servers work too slow and should be avoided.
| Streaming service | Available server locations | Recommended servers |
| US Netflix | 14 | Chicago, NY, Columbus, and NJ |
| BBC iPlayer | 4 | London and Manchester |
| Hulu | 14 | Chicago, LA, and Miami |
| HBO Now | 14 | Columbus, LA, and Miami |
| YouTube TV | 4 (dedicated IP mode) | streaming-us-udp2.ptoserver.com, streaming-us-tcp2.ptoserver.com |
| Hotstar | 1 | Chennai |
Torrent support
Although PureVPN does support torrenting, we are not big fans of its P2P performance. The VPN service allows torrenting on eighty-two servers, located in different parts of the world.
How much it costs
You can get PureVPN for AU$5.2/mo (US$ 3.33/mo) 2-year plan on a 2-year plan. The plan comes with a 31-day money-back guarantee.
Concluding pointers
Area(s) of improvement:
PureVPN needs to optimize its servers for better torrent support. Additionally, it should work on improving its speed.
Why we love PureVPN:
It is the best cheap VPN for getting a dedicated IP for the US, UK, or Australia
6) Private Internet Access
The best cheap VPN for Australia with the highest number of servers. Offers excellent streaming support.
Jurisdiction and server inventory
Private Internet Access, or PIA, is a US-based VPN service that operates 18000+ live servers in 76 countries worldwide. It provides coverage in all major regions, including The Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania.
Security and privacy
The company uses OpenVPN and WireGuard (beta version) tunneling protocol to secure your web traffic. Available encryption standards include AES-128 (GCM), AES-128 (CBC), AES-256 (GCM), and AES-256 (CBC).
Despite being located in a Five Eyes territory, PIA VPN maintains a 100% no-logs operation. The company explicitly states that no user identifiable information is collected, and every effort is made to ensure online privacy. The VPN service also provides full-proof protection against DNS, IP, and Web RTC leaks.
Compatible devices
Private Internet Access supports a wide range of operating systems. You can install and run PIA VPN on your Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, or iOS devices. You can even set it up on your home router if you want. The service allows up to ten simultaneous connections on a single account.
Streaming
PIA VPN is one of the best Netflix VPNs for Australia. It unblocks three Netflix libraries, including Netflix USA. You get to choose from eleven US-based server locations that allow you to watch your favourite American Netflix shows and movies without a hitch.
Other streaming services supported by PIA VPN include BBC iPlayer (need to connect to a Next Gen UK server), HBO Now, Hulu, HBO Max, Binge, Foxtel Now, Disney+, and Amazon Prime TV.
| Streaming service | Available server locations | Recommended servers |
| US Netflix | 11 | Atlanta, NY, Houston, and NJ |
| BBC iPlayer | 3 | London and Manchester (Next Gen) |
| Hulu | 14 | Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Houston |
| HBO Now | 12 | Atlanta, Dallas, and NY City |
| YouTube TV | Poor performance | Poor Performance |
| Hotstar | Does not work | Does not work |
Torrent support
PIA VPN does allow you to download torrents and magnets, without restricting you to specific servers. That said, it lacks the speed and consistency to be considered a legit option for torrenting.
How much it costs
You can get PIA VPN for AU$3.42/mo (US$ 2.19/mo) on a 3-year + 3 free months plan. It also has one of the cheapest monthly VPN plans on the market, available for just $11.95 per month. Both plans come with a 30-day money guarantee.
Concluding pointers
Area(s) of improvement:
PIA VPN could do with additional privacy tools and improved P2P support
Why we love PIA VPN:
It is the best cheap VPN service with the highest number of servers, perfect for internet raiders
Are Cheap VPNs Fast?
Shopping on a budget doesn’t necessarily mean you need to put up with a sluggish, slow VPN service. There are many cheap VPNs out there that offer fast speed and stable connections. To help you understand what speeds you can expect when subscribing to a low-cost VPN service, we have put together a speed table for the VPNs recommended in this guide below:
| VPN Service | Download Speed tested @85 Mbps connection |
| Surfshark | 67.2 Mbps |
| NordVPN | 71.7 Mbps |
| CyberGhost VPN | 53.5 Mbps |
| VyprVPN | 45.8 Mbps |
| PureVPN | 58.3 Mbps |
| PIA VPN | 44.7 Mbps |
Are cheap VPNs safe?
Security with cheap VPNs varies case by case. Some cheap VPNs are safe while some are not. To be honest, it’s not even about the price tag here. We know many premium VPNs that are quite useless when it comes to securing your online communications. The best practice is to evaluate the VPN service you are interested in and check what protocols and encryption mechanisms it has in place to secure your web traffic.
Cheap VPN vs. Free VPN
It could be tempting to choose a free VPN over a cheap (or paid) VPN service. After all, who doesn’t like free stuff? We all do. But truth be told, most free VPNs lack the sophistication necessary to perform tasks such as downloading torrent files, bypassing government censorship, or even unblocking Netflix. Besides that, free VPNs often have security loopholes and can be unsafe if you are not careful. In contrast, properly vetted cheap VPNs (like the ones we have listed above) can help you surf the web anonymously without compromising on performance, features, or security.
Are VPNs legal in Australia?
VPNs are completely legal in Australia. You can use them to watch your favourite shows and movies, browse the internet, play games, download torrent files, and get discounts while shopping online without any worries. If you are interested in learning more about VPNs in Australia, check out this guide we wrote earlier.
Using a good VPN service should not mean burning a hole in your pocket
VPNs come in all shapes and sizes, and the best ones aren’t always expensive. Now that you know the best cheap VPN providers for Australia, why not give them a try? Remember, if you are unsatisfied with your experience, you can always ask for a refund.
Cheap VPN Comparison Chart (April 2022 Updated)
| Cheap VPNs | Cheapest VPN plan | Standout feature | Refund Policy |
| Surfshark | AU$3.89/mo (US$ 2.49/mo) - Save up to 77% with exclusive 2-year plan + 30-day money-back guarantee for two years | Unlimited connections | 30 days |
| PureVPN | AU$5.2/mo (US$ 3.33/mo) 2-year plan for two years | Dedicated IP VPN servers in 8 countries | 31 days |
| CyberGhost VPN | AU$3.17/mo (US$ 2.03/mo) - Save up to 84% with exclusive 2-year plans + 4 months free for two years | User-friendly interface | 45 days |
| VyprVPN | $2.50/month for two years | Effective at beating censorship | 30 days |
| NordVPN | AU$6.23/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) - Save up to 63% with exclusive 2-year plan + 3 months free for a friend for two years | Strong P2P support | 30 days |
| PIA VPN | AU$3.42/mo (US$ 2.19/mo) for one year | Largest server park | 30 days |