The Best Free VPNs for Australia

Finding a free VPN for Australia is definitely appealing. You want to surf the internet with privacy and security without breaking the bank. I hear you.

But here’s the catch: most free VPNs are terrible to use – and many are downright risky. Free VPNs have been caught selling user data, hosting malware on their networks, exposing user locations and identities, and much more.

The best free VPNs for Australia

Despite the risks, if you’re determined to use a free VPN, we’ve done the hard work and tested countless providers. 

We’ve only found five that are safe to use, don’t impose excessive limitations (such as snail-like speeds or laughably low bandwidth caps), and work in Australia. 

If you’re in a rush, you can skip the in-depth reviews and pick your free Australian VPN from the final list:

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If you’re strapped for cash, these free VPNs are your best bet. But if you can afford $2-3 per month, we highly recommend investing in a low-cost Australia VPN instead – for reasons that will become crystal clear as you read on.

The best cheap VPNs for Australia

While the five free VPNs we’ve recommended stand head and shoulders above their free competitors, they still pale compared to cheap premium VPNs. 

If you can afford to invest a few dollars per month, the three cheap VPNs below work wonders in Australia, providing incredible speed, security, access to content, and zero limitations on your data.

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A closer look at the best free VPNs for Australia

Now let’s dig deeper into each VPN to see what they’re good at – and their many limitations. If you need even more information, you can read our full VPN reviews.

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The best cheap VPNs for Australia

Now you can see the limitations of even the best free VPNs for Australia, let’s compare them to the best low-cost premium VPNs.

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Methodology: How to choose a free VPN for Australia

We use strict criteria to screen every free VPN we recommend. You can use the same criteria when deciding which is best for your needs. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of what to look for:

• Free forever: Look for a VPN that offers a free plan with no time limits or mandatory upgrades. 
• Servers in, or close to, Australia: This will ensure you get reliable, relatively fast connections. 
• Reasonable data limits: We’ve only recommended free VPNs that allow enough encrypted data that you can do basic browsing throughout the month. 
• Airtight security: The best free VPNs offer robust security, including 256-bit AES encryption, DNS/IPv6 leak protection, and automatic kill-switches. 
• Transparent privacy policies: Make sure you understand the VPN’s data policy, so you know it’s not tracking anything you do online. 
• Good customer support: Free VPNs generally only offer chatbots and email support, but they should still be responsive and helpful. 

You can read our VPN review process to learn every metric we use and feature we test before recommending any VPN. 

9 reasons to upgrade to a cheap premium Australian VPN

If you’re still not sure a premium VPN is worth the investment, here’s a quick rundown of the biggest benefits you can expect when you upgrade: 

1. Unlimited data: Paid VPNs have zero caps on your data, so you can stream, torrent, game, chat, and everything else without worrying. 
2. Speed: Premium VPNs are exponentially faster than free providers for many reasons. The result is a smoother, more enjoyable experience. 
3. More servers: You can connect to secure servers located across the globe, providing reliable, fast, secure connections from anywhere and everywhere. 
4. Increased privacy: Premium VPNs constantly invest in state-of-the-art privacy tools to add multiple layers of secrecy and ensure your location, data, and identity are never exposed. 
5. Better access to content: The best premium VPNs work with all your favorite streamers – including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and more. 
6. Industry-best security: Your data will be kept safe behind an impenetrable wall of encryption and leak protections. 
7. Extra features: Premium VPNs also offer impressive add-ons like built-in ad blockers, dark web monitoring, malware detection, and much more. 
8. More devices: We only recommend paid VPNs with at least five simultaneous device connections. Some premium providers even offer unlimited devices on a single plan. 
9. Premium support: Premium VPNs also invest in their customer experience, so you can get 24/7 live support from real humans. 

To learn more, read our in-depth guide to the best premium VPNs for Australia. 

Free VPNs you should avoid in Australia, and everywhere else

As we’ve stated throughout this guide, most free VPNs are unreliable and provide a shoddy experience. 

But some free VPNs stand out for their shady business practices, poor encryption standards, histories of leaks and exposing user data, and much worse. If you’re looking for a free VPN in Australia, avoid these ones altogether:   

• Archie VPN
• Betternet
• CrossVPN
• DotVPN
• EasyVPN
• Fast Secure Payment
• FreeVPN – Unlimited
• HatVPN
• HolaVPN
• OkVPN
• One Click VPN
• sFly Network Booster
• Stealth VPN
• SuperVPN
• Totally free VPN
• TurboVPN

Unfortunately, free VPNs aren’t the only ones that you should avoid. Read our “Hall of Shame” list of the worst paid VPNs so you never risk wasting money on a bad VPN. 

Free VPN for Australia FAQs

Are free VPNs for Australia safe to use? 

The free VPNs that passed our tests are the only safe free VPNs for Australia – and anywhere else. Free VPNs are notorious for finding sneaky, sometimes borderline criminal, ways to profit from users. 

We closely examined every VPN we’ve recommended to ensure they don’t use any shady tricks to make a profit at your expense, including:

• Injecting ads into your browser
• Collecting your data and selling it to advertisers and data brokers
• Allowing malware and other threats on their network for a fee
• If you’re on a tight budget, stick to the free VPNs we’ve recommended here and learn about common VPN scams to avoid. But for the best protection, we encourage you to invest in a cheap VPN for Australia that’s independently audited to guarantee its honesty and trustworthiness.

What Free VPN Has Australian Servers?

TunnelBear is the best free VPN with an Australian server location. However, like most free VPNs, Tunnelbear is incredibly limited. Connecting to its free Australian server, you’ll most likely experience slow connections and limited access to streaming sites like Netflix. Also, your data will be capped at 1.5 GB per month – which is only enough for basic browsing. 

If you need an Australian IP address, check out our guides to the best VPNs for Australia. 

Can Australian police track my VPN?

While VPNs provide increased anonymity and privacy online, in theory, Australian police could still track limited data. 

For example, your internet service provider (which records everything you do online) will see that you’re using a VPN, and can share this information with the police. VPNs are legal in Australia, so you’re not liable for prosecution for using one. 

However, you may not want the police to know you’re using a VPN. In this case, we suggest using a premium VPN with a stealth mode that masks the fact that you’re accessing the internet via a VPN. Surfshark is one provider that includes this feature. 

Also, if your VPN keeps logs of its users’ activities or has a weak privacy policy, the authorities may request access to these records, exposing your online activity.

Reputable VPNs have strict no-log policies and robust security measures to ensure this never happens. We check every VPN we recommend to ensure it’s not recording your data and has no history of sharing records with the police in any country. 

Does NordVPN have Australian servers?

NordVPN has five server locations across Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. 

Its Australia servers work with popular local streaming sites (including Netflix Australia, Foxtel Now, Stan, SBS On Demand, and more), deliver fast, reliable connections, and are packed with industry-best security to ensure you stay safe, secure, and anonymous online. 

Can I watch Australian TV platforms with a free VPN?

The vast majority of VPNs around the world have already been blocked by popular streaming services, including Australian services like Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Binge, Foxtel Now, Kayo Sports, 7plus, 9Now, 10 play, ABC iview, and SBS On Demand.

Streaming providers know that netizens use VPNs to bypass region blocks, which is why they must block VPNS to ensure they comply with licensing contracts. Unfortunately, this means that most VPNs have already been blocked.

A few premium VPNs have found ways to get around those blocks; however, no free VPNs have servers in Australia that work to watch streams. In addition, most free VPNs have very slow servers that are unsuitable for streaming.

This makes free VPNs cause buffering and low video-quality playback, which is frustrating. The good news is that you can still try a VPN for streaming free of charge. Our recommendations have a money-back guarantee, which means you can test the VPN with your streaming provider to make sure it works well on your devices.

Conclusion

The free VPNs for Australia we’ve highlighted provide the best blend of safety, reliability, and performance (amongst free providers). They’re speedy, private, and don’t hold you back with excessive restrictions.

However, they still fall short compared to the best low-cost premium VPNs.

It doesn’t hurt to give these free VPNs a shot – it will only cost you time! But if you’re looking for a hassle-free VPN experience, premium players like Surfshark and CyberGhost offer generous 30-day money-back guarantees, so you can try them out risk-free to witness the difference for yourself.