Aussies, don't use a dodgy free VPN – this one only costs AU$43 for two years

Australia has followed its groundbreaking social media ban for under-16s with a full age-verification law. Similar to the UK and some US states, people in Australia who want to access adult websites, games, and even AI chatbots will now have to verify their age via a third-party age-assurance company.

The privacy risks of such measures have already been noticed by Australians, driving many to download VPN apps. However, research shows that both legitimate VPN apps and dodgy free VPNs are being downloaded. And make no mistake – an unknown VPN app collecting your data is almost certainly more dangerous than the age-verification software they're being used to avoid.

Regardless of your reason for using a VPN, I highly recommend downloading a high-quality, cheap VPN rather than settling for the first free version you find in the App Store.

PrivadoVPN is the cheapest VPN I've tested and verified as safe to use, and it's just US$30 all-in for a two-year subscription – which works out at about AU$43.

It's not the most powerful VPN, but it will keep your browsing private, unblock tons of streaming sites, and have it switched on 24/7 thanks to its unlimited data policy. More details on PrivadoVPN below.

PrivadoVPN | 2 years + 3 months free
AU$1.57 per month at PrivadoVPN
PrivadoVPN isn't the most advanced VPN around, but in my hands-on review, I found it was super easy to use, is based around very solid encryption, and is particularly good for unblocking streaming sites – even gaining access to 9Now and 10 Play.

What you get:

📺 Great streaming unblocking
📱 Simple and effective apps for most devices
📈 Install on 10 devices
❌ Fairly few additional features

At AU$1.57 per month (shown as US$1.11 per month), PrivadoVPN is the cheapest VPN worth considering – every VPN I've tested that's cheaper has had some serious issues. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you'll even get 3 months free when you sign up as a new user.

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Is PrivadoVPN the best choice?

If you're looking for reliable VPN protection at the lowest price, PrivadoVPN is my top recommendation. It's fast, unblocks plenty of streaming sites, and is super simple to use – even if this is the first time you've downloaded a VPN. It doesn't have regional pricing, but at US$1.11 per month, paid upfront at US$30, expect it to cost about AU$43 all-in.

However, PrivadoVPN is very basic, offering fewer extras than other top VPNs. What's more, while I have no reason to suspect it's up to no good, its no-logging policy hasn't been independently audited.

If you're on a budget but want a truly premium experience, Surfshark is a much better choice. It costs AU$2.79 / US$1.99 per month (about AU$75 / US$50 all-in).

It offers faster speeds, more server locations, and extra features like Alternative ID, which is great for making a fake email address to claim discounts while avoiding spam.

What's more, it even offers a 7-day free trial. Overall, it's a much more polished product, which only costs a little more, and it has been audited.

If you're new to VPNs and want the simplest option available, ExpressVPN is the right choice. Again, it has been audited, and the apps are second-to-none, designed to make connecting as easy as possible. It's also excellent on mobile, and I rate it as the best iPhone VPN overall. It's a little more expensive at US$2.44 per month (approximately AU$3.47 per month), which is paid upfront as US$68 (approximately AU$97).

But if you just need a quick, effective, and cheap VPN, it's very hard to go wrong with PrivadoVPN.