Cheapest VPN Australia 2026: Budget Options Ranked
$1.99 to $5/month. Here's what you actually get.
By Australian VPN
The Price vs Quality Trade-Off
Cheap VPNs exist. But cheap comes with costs: slower speeds, fewer servers, older apps, basic customer support, or sketchy privacy policies.
We've ranked the cheapest VPNs by actual price, then explained what you sacrifice at each level. Sometimes the budget option is worth it. Sometimes it's not.
Note: Prices shown are for long-term subscriptions (24 months). Monthly plans cost more. We've used Australian AUD estimates.
Price Comparison Table
| VPN | Monthly (24m) | Annual Plan | 2-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| PureVPN | $1.99 | ~$27/year | ~$48 |
| Surfshark | $2.49 | ~$35/year | ~$60 |
| CyberGhost | $2.75 | ~$39/year | ~$66 |
| TorGuard | $2.99 | ~$42/year | ~$72 |
| NordVPN | $3.69 | ~$52/year | ~$88 |
| ExpressVPN | $6.67 | ~$95/year | ~$160 |
Prices are approximate and subject to promotions. Converted to AUD where applicable. Monthly recurring plans are typically 2-3x higher.
The Cheapest: PureVPN ($1.99/month)
PureVPN is the lowest price you'll find for a legitimate VPN. At $1.99/month on a 2-year deal, it's $48 total. That's a coffee per month.
What you get:
- 6,000+ servers globally
- Decent speed (100+ Mbps)
- No-log policy
- Supports P2P (torrent-friendly)
What you sacrifice:
- Apps are outdated and slower than premium VPNs
- Streaming unblocking is hit-or-miss
- Customer support isn't 24/7
- Server speeds are moderate, not fast
Bottom line: PureVPN works, but it feels budget. If you just need a VPN for basic privacy, it's fine. For streaming or gaming, you'll be frustrated.
Best Budget Pick: Surfshark ($2.49/month)
Only 50 cents more than PureVPN, but significantly better. Surfshark is our pick for budget-conscious Australians.
What you get:
- 3,200+ servers in 100 countries
- Fast speeds (300-400 Mbps)
- Works with Kayo, Stan, most Australian services
- Modern, easy-to-use apps
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- 24/7 customer support
What you sacrifice:
- Not as fast as premium options (ExpressVPN, NordVPN)
- Netflix unblocking is inconsistent
Bottom line: Surfshark punches above its price. It's legitimately good. If you want the best budget option without sacrificing too much, this is it.
Good Budget Option: CyberGhost ($2.75/month)
CyberGhost is based in Romania and owned by Bitdefender (a security company). It's cheap but slightly more expensive than Surfshark.
Pros: Good streaming support, large server network, decent speeds
Cons: Owned by a larger company (less indie), app can be slow on older devices
Best for: Australians who want strong streaming unblocking on a budget
Budget + Torrenting: TorGuard ($2.99/month)
TorGuard is built for torrenters. It's cheap, allows P2P, and doesn't log your activity.
Pros: Great for torrent safety, no logging, port forwarding support, affordable
Cons: User interface is dated, not great for streaming, speeds can be inconsistent
Best for: Budget-conscious torrenters who prioritise privacy
Is Cheap Worth It?
The answer depends on what you need:
✓ Cheap VPN Is Worth It If:
- You just need basic privacy (public WiFi, ISP snooping)
- You don't care about streaming unblocking
- You value money over speed
- You're testing VPN before committing more money
✗ Cheap VPN Isn't Worth It If:
- You want to unblock Stan, Kayo, Netflix (spend $3-5 instead)
- You need fast speeds for gaming or downloading
- You want reliable 24/7 support
- You're in Australia and want local server support
Our Honest Recommendation
If you have $2-3 to spare each month: Go with Surfshark. It's barely more than the cheapest option, but 10x better quality.
If you absolutely need the lowest price: PureVPN works, but you'll notice the limitations.
If you want streaming unblocking on a budget: Surfshark or CyberGhost. They're both cheap and reliable for Australian streaming services.
If you're torrenting: TorGuard is the best budget choice for privacy + torrent support.
One More Thing: Monthly vs Long-Term
All prices above are for 24-month plans because that's where you find the lowest price per month. But monthly plans cost more:
- PureVPN monthly: $7.99 (vs $1.99 on 24-month)
- Surfshark monthly: $10.99 (vs $2.49 on 24-month)
- ExpressVPN monthly: $12.95 (vs $6.67 on 24-month)
Our advice: All major VPNs offer 30-day money-back guarantees. Sign up for the long-term plan, test it for 30 days, and get a refund if it doesn't work for you. That way, you get the cheapest price with zero risk.