Best Free VPNs for Australia for Speed and Safety (in 2024)

Best Free VPNs for Australia for Speed and Safety (in 2024)

A VPN for Australia is useful for many reasons. First, if you’re outside Australia, it allows you to access content restricted to Australia. On the other hand, if you’re within Australia, it provides a way to access content not available in Australia. In addition, the internet is fraught with cyberattacks and other threats. A VPN can be used to prevent such attacks and unfortunate incidents. 

A Virtual Private Network works by rerouting your traffic through an encrypted tunnel and changing your IP address. With a VPN, you can be completely private and anonymous on the internet. 

Your VPN service provider can either be paid or free, and each option has its perks. With the numerous VPN services available, it can be tasking to choose the best that meets your needs. Therefore, in this article, we explore the best free VPNs services to consider for Australia. 

Best Risk-Free VPNs for Australia

Before we discuss the completely free providers, here are two risk-free VPNs that are worth considering. Although they are not totally free, they offer a risk-free money-back guarantee. This means that you can use them for a period and then get your money back, that is, you get to use them pretty much for free.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN devices

Features

  • Number of servers: More than 3,000
  • Speeds: Unlimited
  • Server locations: 160 in 105 countries
  • Maximum devices supported: 5
  • 24 live chat: Yes
  • 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

Pros/Cons

  • Fastest VPN out there
  • Strict no logs policy
  • 256-bit AES encryption
  • Few discounts
Visit ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the best risk-free VPNs out there. Although it doesn’t offer free services, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. This allows you to use the VPN within 30 days and request a refund if you want one. During that period, you can enjoy all the features and get a refund later on.

The VPN provider has over 3000 servers spread across 94 countries. This high amount of servers makes it easy and convenient to hide your IP address and change servers between countries. Whether you are within or outside Australia, it will grant you access to geo-restricted content on sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and others. Additionally, it makes it easy to bypass government surveillance in Australia.

In terms of security, ExpressVPN is equipped with all the necessary features. It offers AES 256-bit encryption to protect your data and make your online activities untrackable. Furthermore, the VPN has a kill switch that prevents leaks if your connection fails.

ExpressVPN also has a TrustedServer technology that improves your security when using the internet. In addition to that, it has a strict no-logs policy to improve your privacy. Moreover, the VPN provider has its headquarters in the British Virgin Islands — a place known for great privacy.

You can also use the split tunneling feature when using ExpressVPN and connect only the Australian sites (or others) you need to the VPN. ExpressVPN is compatible with Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux devices. You can also connect up to five (5) devices using one account.

  • Pros: Fastest VPN out there; Strict no logs policy; 256-bit AES encryption;
  • Lowest price: $6.67

NordVPN

NordVPN devices

Features

  • Cryptocurrency accepted? Yes
  • Simultaneous connections: 6
  • Dedicated IP-addresses? Yes
  • Servers: 5342 in 58 countries

Pros/Cons

  • Lots of pricing options
  • Netflix support kept up to date
  • 256-bit AES encryption
  • Slow app
Visit NordVPN

NordVPN is another top-notch risk-free VPN service. It has excellent features that make it one of the best VPNs in the industry. Similar to ExpressVPN, it does not have a free version. However, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee that allows you to use the service within 30 days and get a subscription fee refund with no hassle.

NordVPN has 5000+ servers across 59 countries of the world. It has a Quick Connect feature that connects you with the best servers in your preferred region. You can also manually select the server of your choice. NordVPN also gives you access to geo-restricted content and enables you to bypass VPN blocks on websites and applications. It is reliable and allows you to stream blocked content with ease.

NordVPN uses the AES 256-bit encryption model that keeps your data and online activity secure and safe. Furthermore, it has other top-grade security features to keep you protected at all times. It has a kill-switch, a double VPN feature, Tor over VPN, a malware protector, and other features. These features help prevent cyberattacks and keep you anonymous when using the internet. Additionally, the VPN provider has a strict no-logs policy and a split-tunneling feature.

NordVPN allows you to connect up to six (6) devices at the same time with a single subscription. It is compatible with all devices and will keep your data safe and secure.

  • Pros: Lots of pricing options; Netflix support kept up to date; 256-bit AES encryption;
  • Lowest price: $3.71

Best Completely Free VPNs for Australia 

There are numerous free VPNs, with many providing below-the-bar services. We managed to find five (5) free VPN providers that you would find useful while in Australia. They are:

ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN devices

Features

  • P2P support? Yes
  • 30-day money-back guarantee? Yes
  • Country of origin? Switzerland
  • Servers: 600+ in over 40 countries
  • Simultaneous devices: 5

Pros/Cons

  • Professional support
  • Modern interface and apps
  • AES-256 encryption
  • Lesser known provider
Try ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is one of the best free VPN providers. It has one of the strongest security features for a free provider and has been very helpful in helping Australians hide their IP address.

Proton VPN has both a paid service and a free one. On its paid service, the VPN has over 1,000 servers spread in over 50 countries. It uses AES 256- bit encryption to keep your data safe and secure. Additionally, it has security features like a kill switch and a no-logs policy. It also has split-tunneling features and allows up to ten (10) devices to connect simultaneously. Furthermore, it allows you to stream content on the internet and supports torrenting of files.

Although not all of the above-mentioned features are available on its free version, you will still get a good experience. With the free version, Australian users can connect to seventeen (17) servers located in the United States. Asides these, you can also access servers in Japan and the Netherlands. Your IP address will be changed from Australia to any of these countries, and you can access geo-restricted content in these locations.

You should note, however, that if you’re outside Australia and are looking to access content restricted to Australia, you would have to upgrade from the free version. What you can do is to tap into its money-back guarantee and use it risk-free. You can subscribe for the VPN and request your money back within the given window.

  • Pros: Professional support; Modern interface and apps; AES-256 encryption;
  • Lowest price: €4

Hideme

Hideme devices

Features

  • Number of servers: 2000+
  • Server locations: 75 locations
  • Maximum devices supported: 10
  • 24 live chat: Yes
  • 30 day money back guarantee: Yes

Pros/Cons

  • Has free option
  • No log policy
  • Secure connection
  • Not very cheap
Try Hideme

Hide.me is an exceptional VPN with great offers. It offers different subscription offers with great deals and discounts to fit your pocket. Additionally, it offers a completely free version that allows you to change your IP address and keep you private.

Hide.me has 1900+ servers in 75 locations. Its servers are fast and reliable with no data caps. The VPN uses the AES 256-bit encryption model and has a kill-switch to prevent data leaks when using the internet.

On the free plan, you can connect to servers in up to five (5) locations. These servers are in Canada, Netherlands, Germany, US West, and US East. You can change your location from Australia to any of these servers and stay private. However, if you’re looking to access content specific to Australia, you would need to take advantage of its money-back guarantee.

Additionally, you can use up to 10 GB of data when using the Hide.me free version. Although this isn’t much, especially if you intend on streaming content, you can manage it to meet your privacy needs.

Whereas the paid version allows up to 10 simultaneous connections, the free version only allows one connection to the service. Unlike some free VPN providers, you will not experience disturbance from malware and ads when using Hide.me.

  • Pros: Has free option; No log policy; Secure connection;
  • Lowest price: €4.99

HotspotShield

HotspotShield devices

Features

  • Unlimited data? Yes
  • Simultaneous connections: 5
  • Military grade encryption? Yes
  • Servers: Over 3200 in 80+ countries

Pros/Cons

  • Unlimited HD streaming
  • Blocks malware
  • 256-bit AES encryption
  • Unreliable support
Try HotspotShield

Hotspot Shield is a fair VPN that offers both paid and free versions. It can help keep you private in Australia by hiding your IP addresses and keeping your data safe. It uses a military-grade encryption model on both versions to keep you anonymous when using the internet.

On the paid version, Hotspot Shield has 3200+ servers in 80+ countries in 115+ locations. The number of servers makes the VPN great for changing your IP address, bypassing geo-blocks, and accessing content that is not accessible in Australia.

Before settling for the free plan, you can use Hotspot Shield’s 7-day free trial that allows you to connect up to five (5) devices simultaneously, gives you access to servers in 115+ locations, and has key security features to keep you safe.

On the Hotspot Shield free plan, you can only access one server in one location (the US). It also restricts you to 500MB bandwidth per day, which can be managed effectively to meet your privacy needs. On the downside, the free version comes with ads that can only be removed when you subscribe to its premium version.

Hotspot Shield uses different protocols to improve its security, including Hydra, IPSec, and OpenVPN. It is compatible with nearly every device.

  • Pros: Unlimited HD streaming; Blocks malware; 256-bit AES encryption;
  • Lowest price: $6.99

TrustZone

TrustZone devices

Features

  • Complete anonymity? Yes
  • Unblocking of all websites? Yes
  • Pricing options: 4
  • Servers: 164 in 80+ zones
  • Free trial: Yes

Pros/Cons

  • Military grade encryption
  • Bitcoin accepted
  • App for mobile devices
  • Lesser known provider
Try TrustZone

Trust.Zone is a relatively small VPN provider that can help change your IP address and keep you anonymous when using the internet. The VPN has about 200+ servers in 38 countries. Trust.Zone has key features that help block trackers and protect the user from cyber attacks. Additionally, it has a strict no-logs policy, preventing the company from saving or storing your data, thereby keeping you anonymous.

Although Trust.Zone does not have a totally free plan, it offers a three (3) days free trial. During this period you can use up to 1GB on the VPN. After the 1GB finishes, you’ll have to subscribe to the paid service.

Trust.Zone uses the AES encryption model, and can therefore provide maximum security and help maintain anonymity. The provider allows you to access content from geo-restricted streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu from Australia. Furthermore, it allows you to download content and play online games over the VPN.

During the free trial period, you can use every feature from Trust.Zone. You will have access to the total number of servers, as well as the security features. The VPN is compatible with nearly all devices including Android, Mac, iOs, Windows, and Linux.

  • Pros: Military grade encryption; Bitcoin accepted; App for mobile devices;
  • Lowest price: €3

TunnelBear

TunnelBear devices

Features

  • Cryptocurrency accepted? Yes, bitcoin
  • Dedicated IP-adresses? Yes
  • Simultaneous connections: 5
  • Locations: 28 countries

Pros/Cons

  • Unlimited browsing
  • Account manager
  • Military grade encryption
  • Free version allows only 500MB data
Visit TunnelBear

The last free VPN that is worth mentioning is TunnelBear. The VPN provider has the necessary features to hide your IP address and change your location from Australia to other locations. You can also access content restricted to Australia as the VPN has servers in the country.

TunnelBear is a fast and reliable VPN that has 1,800 servers across 23+ countries. The provider does not slow down your internet service and provides a fast connection. The VPN uses the AES 256- bit encryption model to secure your data and keep you private. It also maintains a strict no-logs policy and will never save your data. Moreover, TunnelBear publishes transparency reports frequently and informs its users about the app’s audits.

TunnelBear also has a kill switch to protect you when the connection fails. Additionally, the VPN allows you to connect up to five (5) devices simultaneously. Tunnelbear has three types of plans; the Free, the Unlimited, and the Teams’ option. The free plan has limited features but can effectively hide your IP address and keep you private. Unlike other VPN services, TunnelBear only allows you to spend a total of 500MB of data. Once it gets exhausted, you will have to subscribe to a paid plan.

With the VPN, you can stream, download and play games online and still maintain your privacy. Before you exhaust the 500MB on Tunnelbear, you can successfully change your location and fully utilize your VPN service.

  • Pros: Unlimited browsing; Account manager; Military grade encryption;
  • Lowest price: $3.33

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need a VPN in Australia?

Using a VPN in Australia will help you reduce the risk of cyberattacks, keep your online activity untraceable, and help you access geo-restricted content from other countries. You can access the geo-restricted content on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer from Australia. VPNs are one of the best methods to keep you anonymous and prevent cyberattacks on your devices. 

Are free VPNs safe for use in Australia? 

Although free VPNs can hide IP addresses from Australia and keep you anonymous to some degree, they are not the best options. A good number of free VPNs cannot effectively improve your security and bypass geo-restrictions. 

Free VPNs may hide your IP addresses but may not give you the high-end security features needed in protecting you from cyber attacks. Additionally, you’ll have to deal with different ads, depending on the particular service. A lot of free VPNs have been known to spread malware. Moreover, you won’t get access to servers in a good number of locations. This gives room to VPN blocks that restrict you from accessing some streaming sites. 

Yes, it is legal to use a VPN in Australia. There is no law against using a VPN to hide your IP address or access geo-blocked contents in Australia. 

How do I choose the best VPN? 

In choosing the best VPN to use in Australia, you need to consider the security, speed, location of servers, and privacy features. Your VPN service should have all the necessary features to help prevent online threats and maintain your privacy. Additionally, your VPN should have good speed when browsing and have servers in good locations. 

Conclusion 

There is a need to protect your data from cyberattacks and maintain your privacy when using the internet in Australia. To make this possible, there are free VPNs that can hide your IP address and change your location. You can also consider using risk-free VPNs to protect your data more efficiently.