How We Test VPNs — Our Methodology

All tests are conducted from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia — giving us a real-world perspective that reflects typical Australian internet conditions.

Connection: 100Mbps NBN (FTTP) via Telstra. We chose a standard plan speed that matches what most Australians actually have, not a cherry-picked gigabit connection.

Devices: Windows 11 desktop (Ryzen 7, 32GB RAM), MacBook Air M2, iPhone 15, Samsung Galaxy S24, and a Raspberry Pi 4 for router-level testing.

Network: Direct ethernet connection for speed tests (no Wi-Fi variability). Mobile devices tested on both Wi-Fi and 5G where applicable.

We use a clean testing environment — no other bandwidth-heavy applications running, no background downloads, fresh VPN app installations for each test cycle.

Speed is tested using multiple methods to ensure accuracy: Ookla Speedtest CLI, fast.com (Netflix), and direct file downloads from known servers.

Server locations tested: Sydney (closest), Melbourne, Perth, Singapore, Los Angeles, London, and Tokyo — covering the most common server destinations for Australian users.

Time-of-day testing: Each VPN is tested at 6am (off-peak), 12pm (midday), 6pm (peak), and 10pm (late evening) across three separate days. Results are averaged.

Protocols tested: WireGuard/NordLynx (primary), OpenVPN UDP, and IKEv2 where available. We report the fastest protocol results but note which protocol achieved them.

Metrics recorded: Download speed (Mbps), upload speed (Mbps), latency/ping (ms), and jitter. We calculate the percentage of base speed retained through the VPN.

Speed results are presented as averages with the testing date clearly noted. We acknowledge that individual results will vary based on ISP, connection type, and location.

We test every VPN against the streaming services Australians actually use — not just Netflix US.

Australian services tested: Netflix AU, Stan, Kayo Sports, Binge, 7plus, 9Now, 10 Play, ABC iview, SBS On Demand, Foxtel Now, and Paramount+.

International services tested: Netflix US, Netflix UK, Netflix Japan, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ US, Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video US, and Peacock.

What we check: Can the VPN access the service? Does it play content without buffering? Does it maintain HD/4K quality? How quickly does it connect?

We test streaming at least twice per quarter because streaming services regularly update their VPN detection. A VPN that worked last month may not work today — our reviews reflect current results.

We use standard consumer accounts for all streaming services. No special configurations, no manual DNS changes — just the VPN app and a browser or streaming app.

Privacy is evaluated across multiple dimensions — not just whether a VPN claims "no logs."

Logging policy analysis: We read the full privacy policy, not just the marketing page. We check what data is collected, how long it's stored, and under what circumstances it could be shared.

Jurisdiction: Where is the company incorporated? Is it within the 5-Eyes, 9-Eyes, or 14-Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances? Does local law compel data retention?

Independent audits: Has the VPN undergone a third-party security audit? By whom? When? We weight audited claims higher than unverified ones.

DNS leak testing: Every VPN is tested for DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks using our own IP Leak Test tool and third-party services.

Kill switch testing: We simulate connection drops to verify the kill switch actually prevents traffic leaks. Both app-level and system-level kill switches are tested.

Ownership & transparency: Who owns the VPN? Have they been involved in any data breaches or controversies? Do they publish transparency reports?

We evaluate value holistically — the cheapest VPN isn't automatically the best value.

Price normalisation: All prices are compared at their effective monthly cost, with the plan length clearly stated. A "$2.49/mo" price that requires a 2-year commitment is different from a "$9.99/mo" monthly plan.

Plan lengths compared: Monthly, annual, and multi-year plans. We note the total upfront cost, not just the per-month equivalent.

Money-back guarantees: Length of guarantee, ease of claiming it, and whether it's truly "no questions asked." We've tested the refund process for every VPN we review.

Feature comparison: Number of simultaneous connections, server count, available protocols, additional features (ad blocking, malware protection, split tunnelling).

Device support: Which platforms are supported? Is the app quality consistent across Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux? Are router configurations available?

We also factor in customer support quality — response time, helpfulness, and whether live chat is available 24/7 or limited to business hours.

VPN performance changes over time. We commit to keeping our reviews current:

Speed tests: Retested monthly. Major speed changes trigger an immediate review update.

Streaming access: Verified monthly. Streaming services frequently update their VPN blocking, so this is our most frequent check.

Pricing: Verified weekly. VPN providers change their pricing and promotions frequently. We update prices within 48 hours of confirmed changes.

Full reviews: Updated quarterly with fresh testing data, or immediately if a significant change occurs (ownership change, security incident, major feature update).

Privacy policies: Re-read quarterly and whenever the provider announces policy changes.

Every review page displays a "Last updated" date so you know exactly how current the information is. If you notice something outdated, let us know.