The Best VPN for Australia in 2024

• Server Security – Each time you switch it on, NordVPN creates a secure virtual private network connection using NordLynx, a proprietary technology based on the open-source WireGuard protocol. Its network is comprised of RAM-only servers and all data traffic is hidden using strong ChaCha20 and AES-256 encryption.
• Audited No-Logs Policy – If you prefer a different encryption format, you can select others from a drop-down menu. For confidence and transparency, NordVPN has a no-log policy in place which is independently audited.
• Security Features – Other standard features include a kill switch to instantly shut down your internet access if the VPN connection drops, and Dark Web Monitoring. A built-in tool continuously scans the dark web to see if your details have been leaked and put up for sale by criminals. NordVPN also provides real-time protection against malware and blocks unwanted advertiser tracking.

• Specialized Servers – Depending on the kinds of services you’ll be using and the nature of the traffic moving across the connection, NordVPN offers specialised server types. If you’re torrenting, for example, there are servers optimised for P2P traffic.
• Dedicated IP Addresses – If you need to access a corporate or other restricted network, there are servers with dedicated IP addresses. If you want access to Australian content from another jurisdiction – or simply want to mask the fact you’re using a VPN – server obfuscation is NordVPN’s default connection mode.

• Server Fleet – NordVPN offers a huge fleet of over 6,400+ servers clustered in 111 countries – a very diverse network compared to some other competitors.
• Obfuscated Servers – NordVPN also has obfuscated servers that hide the fact that you’re connection has been re-routed – perfect if you’re trying to access geo-gated Australian streaming or other online services. NordVPN also owns the majority of the servers it operates, giving it greater control for a more secure and stable service.

NordVPN says its proprietary NordLynx connection protocol is lightning-fast, so I put that claim to the test. The average download speed came in at 90.76 Mbps, the average upload speed was 90.63 Mbps, and I recorded an average ping time of 78 milliseconds (ms). Those metrics made NordVPN the fastest Australia VPN on my list.

• Encryption and Auditing – Surfshark uses military-grade AES-256 encryption when connecting to a server via the OpenVPN protocol, and lets users select between IKEv2 or ChaCha20 encryption when connecting via the Wireguard protocol. Its servers are RAM-only and it follow by a no-log policy, confirmed by Deloitte.
• Web Protection and Alternative ID – I appreciated the privacy and security protections designed to complement encryption. These include Surfshark’s CleanWeb tool, which helps keep search engine queries private and advert-free. There’s an alternative ID feature that lets users create an anonymous email and internet persona while switching on the NoBorder mode encrypts the IP address, making it easier to access international content – even in jurisdictions where VPN use is frowned upon.
• IP Rotation – Surfshark also uses a technology called Nexus to automatically change your Australian IP address from time to time, making it harder for outsiders to observe your activities in any given country.

• Kill Switch and Camouflage Mode – Surfshark’s list of extras goes a long way. It has a kill switch that I found to be reliable, stopping my internet connection immediately when the VPN link was suddenly switched off. One surprise add-on is Surfshark’s Camouflage masking tech, which shapes your connection to make it seem like a direct link from a laptop.
• Split Tunneling and Double VPN – Users can also take advantage of split tunnelling to reserve some bandwidth for activities that don’t require a VPN or choose activity-specific servers for streaming or torrenting. There’s also Surfshark MultiHop, which creates a double VPN connection to further confuse potential snoopers. Android users can take advantage of GPS spoofing to keep their location secret.

• Server Fleet – Surfshark runs a big international fleet of 3,200+ servers in over 100 countries. In Australia, there are more than 70 servers, most of them located in major centres like Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
• Geo-Unblocking – I found the network to be consistently high-performing, with no serious latency issues and generally fast, smooth streaming. I tested streaming content on popular platforms like Netflix and Hulu and was able to access geo-gated content from Australia’s iView service.

Surfshark’s Australia VPN connections are reliably fast. I recorded an average download speed of 76.6 Mbps and an average upload speed of 60.4 Mbps. The average ping time was 132 ms.

• Encryption – Every ExpressVPN connection is encrypted with strong AES-256 technology, the global security standard relied on by most mainstream VPN providers. It scrambles data when it’s being transferred between devices and servers, and the U.S. government uses it to stop its communications from being traced or read by outsiders.
• Security and Auditing – Like NordVPN and Surfshark, ExpressVPN uses RAM-only servers (under its own TrustedServer brand) and operates under a ‘no-logs’ policy. It’s audited independently by PwC every year to confirm zero collection of user activity data.

• Kill Switch – In addition to its core security features, ExpressVPN comes with a reliable kill switch called Network Lock that passed my testing. If the VPN connection drops, your internet connection is simultaneously ‘killed’ to stop any VPN-protected data from leaking out into the public sphere.
• Password Manager – ExpressVPN also comes with a pre-installed password manager and threat detection tech to block tracking cookies and stop browser exploits.
• Smart Location Feature – To optimise speed and stability for Gaming, a Smart Location tool automatically connects you to the best available connection based on location, current download speeds, and latency. ExpressVPN also has servers optimised for gaming traffic.
• MediaStreamer – I was especially impressed by the MediaStreamer feature, which lets you stream content to devices that aren’t usually VPN-friendly directly from your router.

• Server Fleet – ExpressVPN has an extensive global server footprint of over 3,000 servers in 160 cities and 105 countries. In Australia, it has servers in the cities where most people live and work: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.
• Geo-Unblocking – That’s vital for delivering stable connections and providing enough options to get around geo-blocks. Outside of Australia, ExpressVPN operates servers in the UK, US and Canada, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Server Fleet – ExpressVPN’s network performance confirms its place in my top three list. I found the average download speed to be a fast 87.49 Mbps, while the average upload speed came in 72.65 MPBS, and the average ping time was 125.5 milliseconds, higher than most on my list.

Ping velocity matters because it indicates how sensitive the VPN connection could be to distance and the number of hops between network nodes. A higher ping time ‘could’ mean a connection is less stable, however, no issues were noted during my test.

• Encryption and VPN Protocols – CyberGhost is another service relying on US Government-grade AES-256 encryption and gives users the option to choose from a list of fast connection protocols including WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN.
• Server Network – The company deploys its own brand of secure servers called NoSpy that are RAM-only and fully managed by CyberGhost. That means they undergo a regular wipe to eliminate any user data. As with ExpressVPN, CyberGhost is owned by Kape Technology. Its no logs policy is vetted by outside auditors to ensure that no user data is collected or stored.

• Security Features – Added extras around privacy and security help set CyberGhost apart. Some are familiar enough to be almost standard, like a reliable kill switch and the option to use a dedicated IP address. CyberGhost comes with an adblocker, and servers optimised for different types of traffic – gaming, torrenting, and streaming in particular.
• Smart Rules Feature – Sadly a built-in password manager was phased out last year due to lack of up-take, but it’s been replaced with something novel. A new Smart Rules feature lets you configure the VPN to make exceptions for sites or apps you can use without a VPN connection (e.g. banking apps that aren’t VPN-friendly). Similar to IPVanish, you can enable an automatic VPN connection whenever you open a particular app or web address.

• Server Fleet – CyberGhost’s geographic footprint is massive and arguably the most extensive VPN server fleet available on the market. There are more than 11,000 CyberGhost servers deployed in 100 countries, most of which are optimised for streaming.
• Geo-Unblocking – I tested that claim for Australian servers and can happily report that I was able to unblock content on Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. Some lagging was noted when HD videos were being streamed.

I selected the WireGuard protocol for comparability with other providers and found it delivered an average download speed of 89.54 Mbps (very fast).

The average upload speed was much lower, at 28.65 Mpbs, and I recorded an average ping time of 115 ms. Low upload speeds can impact the performance of applications like video conferencing via Zoom or Teams, and torrenting. At 28 Mbps+ however, CyberGhost is above the (US) FCC’s recommended 20 Mbps upload speed guideline.

• DNS Protection – All ProtonVPN clients have built-in DNS protection that encrypts DNS requests from your machine and prevents ISPs and other third parties from tracking what you do and where you go online. This feature is vital for getting around content geo-restricted content and staying anonymous online.
• NetShield – Proton’s NetShield tool stops malicious marketing practices including intrusive ads and trackers that harvest personal information. DNS filtering blocks unwanted ads and neuters the tracking cookies data collection companies use to profile you.
• Tor Servers – For a deeper level of anonymity, you can take advantage of ProtonVPN’s Tor servers and connect to .onion websites without having to use a separate Tor client or install a browser extension.

• Usability – Proton’s VPN clients for desktop and mobile are some of the easiest to navigate and configure. No matter which client app you use, the kill switch is always on – a valuable feature if you use unstable public WiFI a lot.
• Free Plan – The free forever VPN plan is one of the most feature-rich offers on the market. There’s no cap on the amount of data you can use and Proton doesn’t force you to suffer through endless adverts.
• Paid Features – That said, there’s a gap between its free and paid services. Free limits you to a single device, access to servers in just five countries, and doesn’t provide optimised connections for streaming or torrenting. Even if you pay, there are other limitations. Proton’s split tunnelling capability is only available for its Windows and Android clients.

• Server Fleet – Proton’s server fleet of 6,500 servers in 110+ countries provides an extensive global network that makes accessing geo-restricted content easy. I was able to access Netflix programming in Australia, Europe, and North America by connecting to a local Proton VPN server.
• Connection Speeds – The free version restricted us to servers in five countries and didn’t offer streaming support, but upgrading to a paid plan opened the door to lag-free content streaming almost anywhere in the world. The company has invested in the latest high-speed servers and has a proprietary VPN Accelerator technology that can enhance VPN connection speeds by over 400%. At that velocity, even 4K video streaming on VPN becomes practical.

I found the connection speeds on ProtonVPN to be reliably peppy. Average download speeds on Australian servers were 86.8 Mbps, and average upload speeds were even faster – 90.6 Mbps. The average ping time was a lightning-fast 78 ms.