Our Pick Of The Best Business VPNs For Australians

• NordVPN
• TunnelBear
• TorGuard VPN
• ProtonVPN
• hide.me
• Surfshark
• CyberGhost VPN
• Mullvad VPN
• IPVanish
• IVPN

The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content to guide you in making the best decisions for your  business journey.

For this article, Forbes Advisor writers in the US tried out some of the best and most popular VPNs on the market, testing their key features such as split tunnelling as well as upload and download speeds.

Key factors we considered when compiling this list were price, server location spread, number of simultaneous connections and the presence of certain features such as multi-factor authentication (MFA). We also took into account whether the VPN provider had a subscription plan specifically for businesses. Additionally, we considered business reviews, VPN reputation, the provider’s location because of privacy laws, ease of use and customer service availability.

The Australian-based team also applied an additional layer of research and oversight to ensure relevance to local readers, but be aware that because these VPNs were tested overseas, local performance may vary.

Note: The below list represents a selection of our top category picks, as chosen by Forbes Advisor Australia’s editors and journalists. The information provided is purely factual and is not intended to imply any recommendation, opinion, or advice about a financial product. Not every product or provider in the marketplace has been reviewed, and the list below is not intended to be exhaustive nor replace your own research or independent financial advice. For more information on how Forbes Advisor ranks and reviews products, including how we identified our top category picks, read the methodology selection below.

Forbes Advisor reviewed 16 of the best VPNs on the market and scored them on eight main primary factors and 29 subfactors and used those scores to rate them on a scale of one to five. Primary factors we tested included download/upload speeds, pricing and general features. Our Forbes Advisor experts’ hands-on experience with these VPNs was also factored into the final scores.

General features (25%)

These are the bare minimum features any VPN should have to be worth buying. This includes split tunnelling, anonymous browsing, DNS protection measures, dedicated IP addresses and kill switches.

Multi-factor authentication was also considered as a general feature. However, in some cases, a VPN’s account system can be set up so that MFA is unnecessary. Mullvad VPN is a primary example of this since the provider doesn’t retain any customer data to begin with. This was most recently demonstrated in April 2023, when Swedish Police attempted to seize computers believed to contain Mullvad VPN’s customer data, only to learn that this data did not exist.

Speeds (20%)

One of the drawbacks of a VPN is how it can affect your device’s performance. Due to routing your connection to another IP address, upload and download speeds will often be slower than if you were browsing with your IP address.

To help you understand the impact each VPN can have on your device, we conducted rigorous speed tests of each VPN and determined their average upload and download speeds as part of our overall score. Our VPN speed tests were run on a Windows 11 Pro machine using Ookla’s publicly available speed test. VPN services are connected to the nearest possible server.

Pricing & fees (15%)

Pricing is an important part of any product, and VPNs are no exception. While the price of VPN plans can vary, you’re generally looking at $5 AUD to $50 AUD per month for an annual subscription from most providers. Business VPN plans can be much different but often will charge per user per month like TunnelBear.

In scoring this section, we considered the lowest price tier, the highest price tier, whether or not the service had a free version or a free trial, and whether or not the provider made their prices publicly available on their website.

Additional features (10%)

While “general features” cover all the qualities a VPN should have, we also looked at qualities that isn’t necessarily required but are good to have nonetheless. Helpful features include browser extensions, simultaneous device connections, and whether or not the provider has a no-logs policy.

Expert score (10%)

Our experts researched and tested each VPN and graded them based on their hands-on experience with the software. Stand-out features, overall value for your money compared to other VPNs, the VPN’s popularity and ease of use are some of the factors we evaluated as part of this score.

Ratings and reviews (10%)

Of course, our experts’ experience with these VPNs aren’t necessarily indicative of the average user experience. As a result, we also factored in aggregate ratings from websites like G2, Trustpilot and Capterra as part of our scoring.

Service & support (7%)

A provider’s customer service and support options can be a deciding factor for whether or not we recommend trying a VPN. Factors we considered when scoring this section include whether  the provider has 24/7 customer support, a live chat feature, phone support, and a knowledge base to answer questions without needing to contact someone directly.

Mobile app (3%)

Whether or not a VPN has a mobile app is particularly important when trying to access the Internet while traveling. Thankfully, all 16 VPNs we tested had mobile apps. The apps’ ratings on the Apple Store and the Google Play Store were factored into our score for this section.

Featured Partner Offers

1

NordVPN

Learn More

On NordVPN’s Secure Website

Plan costs

$7.33 AUD per month or $87.95 for the first year

Number of Servers

5,500

Encryption

AES-256

2

Surfshark

Learn More

On Surfshark’s Secure Website

Price

Starting From $3.07 AUD Per Month

Number of Servers

3000+

Encryption

AES with 256 -bit keys

3

Private Internet Access (PIA)

Learn More

On Private Internet Access’s Secure Website

Dedicated IP address

Yes

Number of devices

Unlimited

Starting price

$19.79 AUD

About Star Rankings

You will note that we have included a star rating next to each product or provider. This rating was determined by the editorial team once all of the data points above were considered, and the pros and cons of each product attribute was reviewed. The star rating is solely the view of Forbes Advisor editorial staff. Commercial partners or advertisers have no bearing on the star rating or their inclusion on this list. Star ratings are only one factor to be considered, and Forbes Advisor encourages you to seek independent advice from an authorised financial adviser in relation to your own financial circumstances and investments before you decide to choose a particular financial product or service.

In the simplest terms, a virtual private network, or VPN, is software that allows users to connect their computer or other devices to a different computer, also known as a “server,” and access the internet through that server.

This means that if the server is in another country, your connection looks like it’s coming from that country instead of the country you’re in. This can let you access web content you might not otherwise be able to see. You’ll usually see people use VPNs this way to access streaming content not accessible in the user’s home country.

A business VPN performs essentially the same functions as a normal VPN but with more of an eye to its business use cases. For example, employees who regularly travel to different countries could use a business VPN to access their company’s network and resources, even if that access would normally be blocked in that country. Many business VPNs also offer features such as a dedicated IP address and a team management dashboard or console.

Generally speaking, there are two types of VPN connections that a business uses: remote access VPNs and site-to-site VPNs. Remote access VPNs are what they sound like: VPNs that provide users with temporary remote access to company resources and data from outside the company offices.

You might see an Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) network connection setup for remote access VPNs, but Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPN connections are also common. Site-to-site VPNs offer a more permanent encrypted connection between two company offices or sites. You’ll usually see this type set up as an IPsec network connection.

To choose the best VPN for your organisation, it’s important to understand the potential benefits a business VPN can provide and any potential drawbacks. Generally, the pros of a business VPN far outweigh the cons. However, each business’s needs and priorities are different, and it’s important to go into any potential purchase for your company with an informed understanding of the product market.

Pro: Improved Network and Data Security

On the modern internet, everyone from social media websites to cybercriminals is trying to track and record your internet activity, and in cybercriminals’ case, use that information to infiltrate your network. A VPN allows your employees to operate anonymously when necessary, avoiding data collection and staying one step ahead of trackers.

Pro: Remote Work Safety

Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve seen a rise in remote workers across most industries, and with remote work comes increased risk of a data breach, as companies can’t vet every network connection their remote employees use. VPNs were one of the primary solutions used to secure this new crop of remote workers, and they’re still an effective method of network connection protection.

Pro: Access Geo-Locked Content

VPNs allow your network connection to appear as if it’s coming from another country, which can allow you to circumvent internet restrictions in countries such as Turkey or China.

Pro: Reduced Operational and Maintenance Costs

VPNs are often worth it as an affordable cybersecurity solution, typically costing anywhere from $5 AUD to $51 AUD per month depending on the plan and provider. This makes them ideal for companies looking to secure their network without significant costs.

Con: Slower Internet Speeds

Unfortunately, the encryption process a VPN uses to keep your data private takes time and slows your connection and sometimes even drops your connection entirely. In our experience, how much your internet speeds slow down will depend on the VPN you use, but there is usually at least a bit of slowdown across all providers.

Con: Lack of Device Flexibility

While most popular VPNs will have compatibility with most, if not all, mainstream devices, older or more niche operating systems can run into problems configuring a VPN to work with their system. This can include older versions of macOS, iOS, Linux, Android and Windows.

Con: No Guarantee of Full Anonymity

Even though a primary purpose of VPNs is to keep your internet activity anonymous, there are certain cases where you might still end up exposed, such as if the DNS leaks or your VPN disconnects while browsing. VPN providers have developed features such as DNS leak protection and a kill switch to prevent this but, even then, there is still the possibility of a provider providing your data to a government entity, such as a 2016 case involving IPVanish.

Con: Scalability Concerns

While VPNs can be a great tool that can scale up with your company under the right circumstances, there are cases where they can hinder your business operations. Many VPNs aren’t built for the continuous, heavy network traffic many businesses rely on to succeed. They can create a potential bottleneck problem, where simultaneous or parallel traffic gets jammed up at the same point. Getting around this might require a significant investment that isn’t feasible for everyone.

There’s a lot to consider when buying any new software or service for your business, but there are usually green flags to look for and red flags to avoid. In the case of business VPNs, essential features such as split tunnelling, dedicated IP addresses and a large number of server locations are signs that a VPN might be right for you. Other factors such as ease of use, security and the VPN provider’s location are also worth considering when selecting a VPN.

Essential features

• Split tunnelling: While it can sometimes be beneficial to route all user traffic through a VPN, this isn’t always feasible for businesses. Split tunnelling allows you to route some traffic through a VPN while giving other traffic direct internet access. This flexibility allows businesses to better adapt to the myriad situations that they might encounter during day-to-day operations while still maintaining some level of security through a VPN
• Multi-factor authentication: Multi-factor authentication is more or less a staple of modern cybersecurity measures, and not having it can cause issues with any cybersecurity insurance you might have. As of 2021, many cyber insurance providers have required that customers adopt multi-factor authentication as a protective measure to remain insured at the same rate
• Dedicated IP: When using a VPN, you normally share an IP address with other VPN users. This can lead to issues such as said IP address showing up on a blocklist, needing to go through extra verification processes when accessing websites and slower email traffic. Luckily, many VPNs offer the option to purchase a dedicated IP add-on, which gives you an IP address specific to you while still masking your personal IP address. This feature also makes it easier to secure connections for your remote workers, as you can restrict access to specific IP addresses instead of your workers accessing company resources from different, shared IP addresses with each new internet connection
• Kill switch: One of the primary use cases of VPNs is to protect your anonymity and your company’s data while using the internet. That protection dissipates if your VPN connection drops mid-session and you’re still using the internet. That’s why a kill switch is so important. A kill switch prevents your device from sending any data while not connected to a VPN, meaning you’re less likely to send any unprotected data out into the world
• Number of connected devices: Unless you’re a freelancer or solo entrepreneur, your business probably employs multiple users with multiple devices that all need VPN access. As such, it’s important to check how many simultaneous connections a VPN allows per subscription. The fewer subscriptions needed to cover your entire network of employees, contractors and third parties, the more you save on costs
• Server locations: The ideal business VPN should have a variety of server locations across multiple countries and continents. This not only enhances your ability to stay anonymous while browsing but also helps address any performance or connection issues a VPN might cause by distributing users across a number of different servers.

Location and Privacy

Privacy is the name of the game for VPNs, and it’s important to choose a VPN with a strong commitment to privacy. Ideally, you should be able to choose a VPN provider that has a strict “no-logs” policy; however, it’s difficult to verify if a provider operates under a no-logs policy, except in instances such as a data breach where you can see what data they were collecting from customers.

Another privacy positive is if the provider publishes regular transparency reports, outlining data requests they have received from a government and whether or not they complied with those requests.

Where the VPN is headquartered can also play a role in how private your data is. In general, it’s wise to avoid VPNs hailing from the so-called ‘Five Eyes’ countries: the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These countries are part of an intelligence-sharing alliance dating back to the Cold War that allows these countries to share any data they have gathered on their citizens or other countries’ citizens with one another.

In 2018, these five nations issued a statement essentially threatening tech companies to give them access to encrypted data (such as data encrypted by a VPN) on request. Other intelligence-sharing agreements have led to the term “Nine Eyes” countries being used to describe the Five Eyes plus France, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway, and “Fourteen Eyes” for the Nine Eyes plus Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden.

In all cases, however, thoroughly read a VPN provider’s terms of service and privacy policy to best understand what the provider is allowed to do with your data.

Security

Building off that commitment to privacy, a VPN’s ability to secure your connection and data is incredibly important. In general, you want to look for a VPN that uses military-grade encryption when safeguarding your connection.

“Military-grade encryption,” in this case, usually refers to AES-256 encryption. “AES” stands for Advanced Encryption Standard, an encryption specification developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It has been approved for US government use since May 26, 2002, and is still in use today. AES comes in three key lengths: 128, 192 and 256 bits, with 256 being the most secure but requiring the most processing power.

All VPNs reviewed here have a version of AES-256 encryption as part of their standard security features.

Ease Of Use and Compatibility

When looking for a VPN that’s right for your business, ease of use is an extremely important decision factor. Most businesses will employ a large number of people with wildly varying levels of technical expertise and competence. For a VPN to properly secure your network, all users must be able to set up and operate the service.

In our experience, ease of use isn’t much of an issue, as most VPN set-ups only take a few minutes and a couple of button clicks to use, but certain VPNs might require a bit more configuration and time spent emailing customer support, which might be more of a headache than some users want to manage. Be sure to check business and product reviews online to see how often these sorts of headaches pop up for any VPNs you’re considering for your organisation.

On top of that, it needs to be compatible with all devices in your network, from laptops to tablets to phones. For example, if many employees in your company use their phones to access company resources and channels, you’ll need to make sure that your VPN has mobile app integrations to better secure the network. Try to survey your company’s workforce and see what devices they typically use when accessing your network; so you can make sure any VPNs you select are compatible with those devices.

As with other subscription-based services, the cost of a business VPN can vary wildly between companies. Some, including TunnelBear, offer a free version with limited features.

Almost all providers offer a monthly subscription at a higher price than their yearly subscriptions, such as NordVPN going from $US12.99 ($20.15 AUD) per month for its monthly plan to $US4.99 ($7.73 AUD) per month for its yearly plan. If you’re buying a year’s subscription for the service though, we’ve found that it will generally run you somewhere from $5 AUD to $50 AUD per month.

There are ways to save, of course. Many companies will offer free trials or money-back guarantees to entice users to give their service a try with a lower commitment to paying. You’ll also see discounts and deals throughout the year from some providers. Buying yearlong or biennial plans will also usually be cheaper in the long run than buying a monthly subscription.

As a general rule, VPNs are designed to be pretty easy to set up. Oftentimes, all you need to do is download and run the installer, open the app, choose your server location and connect. There are some factors to consider before setting up a VPN, though. Chiefly, VPNs do not play well with one another, meaning that trying to set up a new VPN while you still have an old VPN installed can cause problems.

So, make sure you’ve uninstalled any VPNs you’re no longer using before setting up the new VPN. Additionally, your network’s firewall can also sometimes block your connection. If you’re trying to connect your VPN with your router, make sure your VPN supports router connections and that your router is either open source or has built-in VPN support or both.