From accessing geoblocked content to protecting your privacy against Australia’s new surveillance law, there are many reasons you might want to use a VPN (virtual private network). If you’re on a budget, though, you might be looking for a free Australian VPN.
While free VPNs rarely match the security and performance of premium VPNs, there are a few good options. These free VPN services will effectively protect you against Australia’s surveillance laws, and many will unblock popular streaming services.
Key Takeaways:
- Australia’s internet is mostly free, but the newly introduced surveillance law can put your privacy at risk.
- A VPN helps secure your connection by encrypting it so no one can intercept your internet traffic or snoop on your online activities. Most free VPNs are bare-bones and don’t provide adequate security.
- Windscribe is the best free VPN for Australia, but its Australian server is only available on the paid plan. If you need an Australian IP address, TunnelBear can get you one.
Freedom House rates Australia’s internet as free, so you don’t need to worry about bypassing censorship when using the internet in Australia. However, the Australian government has been expanding its data-collection capabilities.
Evidence (as cited by the Freedom House report) presented before the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) in 2020 suggests the AFP made eight and the New South Wales police made 13 requests to access encrypted user data.
For these reasons, you might want a free Australia VPN, and that’s what we’ll help you with in this guide.
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10/20/2022
Removed Speedify as a free VPN option, as our WireShark tests proved it fails to fully encrypt your data.
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Yes, there are several free VPNs for Australia such as Windscribe and TunnelBear. However, if you need a VPN that can assign an Australian IP address, you should select TunnelBear, since it has Australian servers.
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You can get an Aussie VPN by going to a free VPN service’s website, such as Windscribe, and downloading the app. If needed, register for the VPN and log in using the app. At this point, you should be ready to use the Aussie VPN.
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TunnelBear is the best free VPN with Australian servers. While many other free VPNs may have Australian servers, most free VPN services are insecure and should be avoided.
The Top Free VPNs for Australia
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1
- : PayPal, Credit card
- : Unlimited
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Average speedDownload Speed97 MbpsUpload Speed9 MbpsLatency1 ms -
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- : Credit card
- : 5
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- : PayPal, Credit card, bitcoin
- : 10
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- : PayPal, Credit card, Bitcoin, cash
- : 10
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What Makes the Best Free Australian VPN?
A good, free VPN service is hard to come by. However, we’ve found four free VPN providers that will secure your connection and help you access geoblocked streaming services. Below, we explain what we looked at when selecting these best free VPNs for Australia.
- Windscribe — Best free VPN for Australia overall
- TunnelBear — Free VPN servers in over 40 countries
- hide.me — Access to most paid features on the free plan
- Proton VPN — Unlimited data on the free version
- PrivadoVPN — Secure, but lacks Australian servers on the free plan
Since you’re in Australia, you won’t needa VPN with an Australian server because you can access local content with your actual IP address.
However, you might need an Australian IP in some cases, such as if your bank only allows access to its online banking service to users physically located in Australia. TunnelBear offers free Australian servers in case an Australian IP address is a non-negotiable requirement for you.
Here are other things we considered for selecting the best free Australian VPNs.
Security & Privacy
All VPNs use encryption, which is why a VPN connection helps ensure your online security and privacy. However, VPNs use different encryption protocols and ciphers. The best VPNs offer security protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard and ciphers like AES-256 and ChaCha20.
The problem, though, is that most free VPNs don’t offer a lot of security features. They also log user data, which puts your online privacy at risk. Ideally, you want a VPN that offers security features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection, and a strict, transparent no-logs policy.
Connection Speed
A VPN connection speed is almost always slower than your unprotected connection, except when your internet service provider (ISP) is throttling your speeds.
The reason for the reduced speed is that your internet traffic travels through an intermediary server when you use a VPN. The longer distance translates to slower connection speeds, which can be bad news for your streaming experience.
Free VPNs are generally slow, except for a few. However, most VPNs in this guide offer excellent speeds and provide a great streaming experience.
Ability to Unblock Streaming Services
All VPNs can assign you another country’s IP address, but not all of them can unblock streaming services. Platforms like Netflix ban VPNs, rendering most free services incapable of unblocking them. If you’re a fan of American shows and want access to Netflix U.S., you’ll need a VPN that can effectively unblock georestrictions on streaming platforms.
5 Best Free Australia VPN Choices
We tested the best free VPNs and found four VPNs for Australia based on the criteria discussed in the previous section.
1. Windscribe
More details about Windscribe:
- Pricing: 10GB free plan; Pro for $5.75 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: windscribe.com
Pros:
- Fast connection speeds
- Flexible pricing
- Unblocks all major streaming services
Cons:
- Limited server locations on free plan
Windscribe is the best free VPN for Australia, since it offers an excellent combination of speed and security. Even though Windscribe is free, it beats some of its premium counterparts with its fast connection speeds (see our VPN speed test results).
It also unblocks all the popular streaming services, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, without any issues.
Fortunately, Windscribe doesn’t compromise on security to deliver better speeds. It offers the best VPN protocols and cipher currently available — options include OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard combined with AES-256.
The VPN has a transparent logging policy that commits to zero data logging, so you never need to worry about the Australian government tracking you.
You also get all the essential security features, including a kill switch (called “firewall”) to terminate the connection when the VPN connection drops abruptly.
The only missing element in Windscribe is the lack of a free Australian VPN server. However, this isn’t a big deal, since you might need an Australian IP address only in a handful of scenarios. Learn more about Windscribe in our Windscribe review.
Excellent Free Version
With Windscribe, you get up to 15GB of free data each month (provided you confirm your email and tweet about Windscribe) — one of the highest allowances among the top free VPNs. You get access to servers across 10 countries (Australia isn’t one of them, though) and limited access to Windscribe’s ad blocker called R.O.B.E.R.T.
Windscribe’s best value plan costs $5.75 per month. The paid plan gives you access to unlimited data and full access to all Windscribe servers as well as R.O.B.E.R.T. However, you can tailor a plan that better fits your needs with the build-a-plan option.
The minimum checkout value for the build-a-plan option is $3 per month. You can either add three server locations (for $1 each per month) or combine two server locations with unlimited data and access to R.O.B.E.R.T. (also $1 per month).
- Up to 15 GB free with email confirmation and Tweet
- 15GB
- Unlimited
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
2. TunnelBear
More details about TunnelBear:
- Pricing: 500MB free plan; $3.33 per month (three-year plan)
- Provider website: tunnelbear.com
Pros:
- Servers in 40 countries
- Excellent security features
- Free Mexico IP address
Cons:
- 1GB per month data cap
- Poor streaming experience
TunnelBear is a beginner-friendly VPN provider. The interface is easy to get used to and the server list appears right on the home screen. Just click on a server location and TunnelBear will connect you. TunnelBear isn’t feature-packed like some of the other free VPNs on this list, but it’s not bare-bones either.
You get all the essential features like VigilantBear (a kill switch) and SplitBear (split tunneling). However, SplitBear is only available on Android and iOS devices.
TunnelBear also has some additional features, like GhostBear. With GhostBear, you can more effectively conceal VPN usage — especially useful in censorship-heavy countries like China.
With TunnelBear, you also get excellent security — it uses OpenVPN and AES-256. TunnelBear’s privacy policy ensures that it doesn’t log any user data, so you never need to worry about your ISP or the government tracing any online activity back to you.
The only downside to TunnelBear is the meager data allowance of 500GB per month (1GB per month if you tweet about TunnelBear). That’s too low for streaming content in good quality, though you can use it for surfing the web using another country’s IP address. There’s more about TunnelBear and its features in our TunnelBear review.
Access to Servers in Over 40 Countries, Including Australia
TunnelBear offers one of the largest lists of free VPN servers. One of the server locations is Australia, so this is one of the few free VPNs that can help you acquire an Australian IP address. TunnelBear also has servers in other underrepresented countries like Kenya and Taiwan.
TunnelBear’s best value plan costs $3.33 per month for three years. That’s almost as much as premium VPNs like NordVPN’s two-year plan and even higher than Surfshark’s two-year plan price. Nevertheless, if you want something simple, TunnelBear is overall an excellent VPN service.
- 2GB
- 2GB
- 5
- Unlimited GB, five devices, priority customer service
- Unlimited GB
- 5
- Yes
- Unlimited GB, five devices per user, centralized billing, account manager, price per user per month
- Unlimited GB
- 5
- Yes
3. hide.me
More details about hide.me:
- Pricing: 10GB free plan; $5 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: hide.me
Pros:
- Unlimited free data
- Access to almost all features
- Good connection speeds
Cons:
- Doesn’t get into Netflix
The best part about hide.me is that you get access to almost all the features that paid users can access on the free version, except for restrictions on server locations and a handful of features.
You get unlimited data on the free version, with one caveat — you can choose one of the free server locations for the first 10GB each month. Beyond 10GB, hide.me randomly selects a server for you.
While hide.me can’t unblock Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, it’s an excellent VPN provider if you need a relatively fast, free VPN with unlimited data, perhaps for torrenting.
Speaking of speeds, they aren’t excellent and far from what you get with Windscribe, but they’re better than most free VPNs out there. You might need to connect to a nearby server to get the best speeds when on hide.me.
In addition to unlimited data, the free version offers access to eight server locations, not including Australia. If you plan on traveling abroad and want to be able to stream Netflix Australia, Australia streaming services like Kayo Sports or Australian TV, hide.me isn’t the best choice.
That said, hide.me will still do a good job of securing your connection when you connect to public WiFi when traveling. Learn more about hide.me in our detailed hide.me review.
Fallback Protocol
hide.me offers fallback — or backup — protocol, which automatically activates to ensure your connection is always protected.
If you need a VPN that offers an excellent feature set and decent speeds paired with unlimited data, hide.me is an excellent choice. You might also give the paid version a try — hide.me is one of the cheapest services on the list. If you don’t like it, you can claim a full refund using its 30-day money-back guarantee.
- 5 servers
- 10GB
- 1
- The 3-year plan comes with 3 extra months free.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
4. Proton VPN
More details about Proton VPN:
- Pricing: Unlimited free plan with three servers; $4.99 per month (two-year plan)
- Provider website: protonvpn.com
Pros:
- Unlimited data
- Secure
- Gets into Netflix
Cons:
- Free servers in only 3 countries
Unlike hide.me, Proton VPN can unblock almost all streaming platforms, including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Moreover, it has one of the most extensive feature sets of any VPN, and includes all the essentials like a kill switch and split tunneling.
You get three security protocols — OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard — and the AES-256 cipher. The service has a clean no-logs policy, so you won’t need to worry about any data logging.
While Proton VPN is capable of bypassing geoblocks, there’s one drawback that puts Proton VPN at the bottom of this list. The connection speeds on the free servers can often be slow and might result in occasional buffering when you stream in high quality. If you don’t mind waiting a little for the content to load, though, Proton VPN is a perfectly reliable service that offers unlimited data.
Unlimited Data
Proton VPN is one of the few free VPN services that offers unlimited data on the free version. However, the VPN offers servers only in three countries — the U.S., Japan and Netherlands, and connecting to one of these distant servers might result in slower speeds. (If you want an Australian IP address with Proton VPN, you’ll need to pay.)
Proton VPN costs more than premium VPNs like NordVPN and Surfshark even on its best value plan. However, you get 10 simultaneous connections and a feature-rich, intuitive app. You can also just take Proton VPN for a spin before committing long term using its 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Unlimited GB
- 1
- Yes
5. PrivadoVPN
More details about PrivadoVPN:
- Pricing: Free; $4.99 per month (one-year plan)
- Provider website: privadovpn.com
Pros:
- First 10GB of data with unlimited speeds
- Based in Switzerland
Cons:
- No advanced features
- Limits speeds past the first 10GB
- No Australian servers for free
PrivadoVPN is a secure free VPN, though it lacks Australian servers on the free plan. However, you can use its refund guarantee to use its Aussie servers for free for a month. It comes with unlimited data, though after you pass 10GB, your speeds get slowed down. You can still connect to a server and encrypt your connection, but the speeds might not be enough for more than some light browsing.
Although its paid plans come with 10 simultaneous connections, the free plan has only one. PrivadoVPN comes with the basics, like a kill switch and split tunneling, though it lacks advanced features. However, it does have P2P servers dedicated to torrenting tasks.
Swiss Privacy & Security
PrivadoVPN’s security and privacy are its highlights. It uses only reliable VPN protocols, like OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2. It also follows a strict no-logs policy. To add to this, it’s also based in Switzerland, which has the best privacy laws in the world, guaranteeing absolute privacy for your connection.
Besides the free plan, PrivadoVPN offers monthly and annual plans. The monthly plan costs $7.99, while the yearly subscription will set you back $4.99. Read our full PrivadoVPN review for more details.
- 10GB
- 1
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
How to Get an Australian IP Address Free
You can get an Australia IP address for free using a free VPN like TunnelBear or any other free VPN that also offers free Australian servers. All you need to do is connect to an Australian server and you’ll be assigned an Australian IP address.
However, you shouldn’t just use any free VPN you find on the internet. Most free VPNs are insecure and slow (read our guide on the worst VPNs). Ideally, you should select one of the free VPNs for Australia listed in this guide to ensure you get a trustworthy VPN service.
Free VPNs vs Paid VPNs vs Proxies
VPNs (virtual private networks) and proxies differ in that VPNs encrypt your connection, while proxies don’t.
Sure, proxies might help you access a few geoblocked websites, but your connection won’t be as secure as it will with a VPN. You also don’t get the security features of a VPN like a kill switch or split tunneling.
Ideally, you should use a paid VPN, as they offer better security and performance, but more importantly, because most of them are trustworthy. Selecting one of the best VPNs will ensure you get excellent speeds, top-notch security and a vast range of features.
If you’re on a budget, however, you may consider a free VPN, but buyer beware — most free VPNs are insecure and some are even dangerous. There are a few exceptions, so if you’re looking for the best free VPNs for Australia, use one of the services mentioned in this guide.
Why Do I Need an Australian VPN?
Australia is a great country with a free internet. However, recent government actions indicate that the internet may not be a safe place in the near future. The passing of the surveillance bill in 2021, especially, is a concern for Australian netizens. The law allows the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to monitor online activity suspected to be criminal without needing a warrant.
This is why you need an Australian VPN to keep your connection safe and your identity anonymous when you’re online. A VPN encrypts your connection, ensuring that no one — not even the ISP — can intercept your data.
There are more reasons to use an Australian VPN too. For example, you might want to watch U.S. shows on Netflix (see our guide on how to access Netflix U.S.). For this, you’ll need a VPN that can bypass geoblocks effectively and offers good connection speeds. You might also use a VPN to keep yourself anonymous when torrenting.
What Are the Risks of Using a Free VPN for Australia?
If you’re using an unreliable free VPN, it might not have the right features to keep you safe online. For example, if the VPN doesn’t have a kill switch, an abrupt drop in the VPN’s connection will leave you unprotected, which means the ISP might be able to log your activity.
When using a free VPN, you also risk a DNS leak. When the DNS leaks, your ISP will be able to see which websites you visited. They still can’t see what you did — what data you entered, which files you uploaded, etc. — but it defeats the purpose of using a VPN.
Final Thoughts
While Australia’s internet is mostly free, you might still want to consider using a VPN to protect yourself against the surveillance law over public WiFi or when torrenting. Free VPNs are generally not a great idea because they’re insecure and slow. However, the four VPNs we’ve discussed in this guide are exceptions to the rule.
Windscribe is your best bet, though each service has its own strengths. If access to an Australian server is non-negotiable for you, go with TunnelBear.
Have you used a free VPN for Australia before? How was your experience using it? Let us know in the comments, and as always, thank you for reading.
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