ProtonVPN Review Australia: Best Free VPN in 2025?

ProtonVPN Overview

ProtonVPN is operated by Proton AG, the Swiss company behind ProtonMail. Founded by CERN scientists in 2017, ProtonVPN focuses on privacy over features.

Key facts:

• Based in Switzerland (strong privacy laws, outside Five Eyes)
• Open source code (fully auditable)
• No-logs policy independently audited
• Free tier with unlimited data (unique among legitimate VPNs)
• Paid plans from $5/month

Free Plan vs Paid Plans

Free Plan

What you get:

• Unlimited data (no bandwidth caps)
• 3 country options: US, Netherlands, Japan
• 1 VPN connection at a time
• Medium speeds (45 Mbps in our testing)
• Basic security features

What you don't get:

• Australian servers
• Streaming support (blocked by Netflix, Stan)
• P2P/torrenting support
• Advanced security features (Secure Core, NetShield)
• Priority support

Verdict on free plan: Best free VPN available, but only suitable for basic browsing. Not for streaming or accessing Australian services from overseas.

Plus Plan ($5/month)

What you get:

• All 67 countries including Australia (Sydney, Melbourne servers)
• 10 simultaneous connections
• High speeds (90 Mbps in our testing)
• Streaming support (works with most services)
• P2P/torrenting allowed
• Secure Core routing
• NetShield ad blocker
• Priority support

Verdict on paid plan: Good value at $5/month for privacy-focused users. Competitive with budget options but not as feature-rich as NordVPN or Surfshark.

Speed Test Results from Sydney

We tested ProtonVPN Plus plan from Sydney on 100 Mbps NBN connection:

Australian servers (Plus plan only):

• Download: 90 Mbps (10% reduction)
• Upload: 36 Mbps (10% reduction)
• Latency: 15ms

Free plan (closest server - Japan):

• Download: 45 Mbps (55% reduction)
• Upload: 28 Mbps (30% reduction)
• Latency: 95ms

Verdict: Plus plan speeds are competitive. Free plan speeds adequate for browsing but not ideal for 4K streaming or large downloads.

Privacy & Security

Jurisdiction: Switzerland

ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland, which offers:

• No data retention laws
• Strong privacy protections
• Not part of Five Eyes intelligence alliance
• GDPR compliance (EU privacy standards)

No-Logs Policy

ProtonVPN doesn't log:

• IP addresses
• Browsing history
• Connection timestamps
• Bandwidth usage
• DNS queries

Audit verification: Independently audited by SEC Consult with no issues found.

Open Source

ProtonVPN's code is completely open source:

• Anyone can audit for security issues
• Community reviews code regularly
• Transparent about operations
• No hidden backdoors possible

Secure Core

Unique ProtonVPN feature routes traffic through multiple servers:

1. Connect to Secure Core server in privacy-friendly country (Switzerland, Iceland, Sweden)
2. Exit through server in your chosen location
3. Even if exit server compromised, your real IP remains hidden

Use case: Extra protection for journalists, activists, or users in surveillance-heavy countries.

Streaming Performance

Free Plan

Doesn't work with:

• Netflix (blocked)
• Stan (blocked)
• Kayo Sports (no AU servers)
• Most streaming platforms

Verdict: Free plan unsuitable for streaming.

Plus Plan

Works with:

• Netflix (most regions including Australia)
• YouTube
• General browsing

Doesn't work reliably with:

• Stan (hit or miss)
• Kayo Sports (often blocked)
• Some Australian streaming services

Verdict: ProtonVPN isn't optimized for streaming. If streaming is priority, choose NordVPN or Surfshark instead.

Australian Server Network

Plus plan only:

• Sydney: 20 servers
• Melbourne: 15 servers

Total: 35 Australian servers (vs NordVPN's 190+)

Performance: Servers rarely crowded, speeds consistently good. Smaller network hasn't been an issue in testing.

Features

NetShield Ad Blocker

Blocks ads, trackers, and malware at DNS level. Works across all apps, not just browsers.

Effectiveness in testing: Blocked 85% of ads. Not as comprehensive as dedicated ad blockers but useful bonus.

Kill Switch

Blocks internet if VPN disconnects. Prevents accidental IP leak.

Platforms: Available on all apps (Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android)

Split Tunneling

Choose which apps use VPN and which use regular connection.

Use case: VPN for browsing, direct connection for banking apps that block VPNs.

Tor over VPN

Route traffic through Tor network for maximum anonymity.

Use case: Accessing .onion sites, extreme privacy needs. Very slow (expect 5-10 Mbps).

Apps & Compatibility

Platforms:

• Windows, Mac, Linux (full-featured)
• iOS, Android (mobile apps)
• Browser extensions (limited features)
• No router app

Device limit:

• Free: 1 device
• Plus: 10 devices

Customer Support

Free plan:

• Email support (24-48 hour response)
• Knowledge base
• Community forum

Plus plan:

• Priority email support (4-6 hour response)
• Same knowledge base and forum

No live chat (unlike NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN)

Verdict: Support is adequate but not industry-leading. Knowledge base is comprehensive.

Pricing

Free: $0/month

• Unlimited data
• 3 countries
• 1 device
• Medium speeds

Plus: $5/month (24-month plan) or $10/month

• 67 countries including Australia
• 10 devices
• High speeds
• All features

Proton Unlimited: $10/month (24-month plan)

• ProtonVPN Plus
• ProtonMail Plus (encrypted email)
• ProtonDrive (encrypted cloud storage)
• ProtonCalendar

30-day money-back guarantee: Prorated refunds only (not full refund like NordVPN)

ProtonVPN vs Competitors

vs NordVPN:

• NordVPN: More servers (5000 vs 1800), faster speeds (95 vs 90 Mbps), better streaming
• ProtonVPN: Better free plan, more privacy-focused, open source

vs Surfshark:

• Surfshark: Cheaper ($3.50 vs $5/month), unlimited devices, better streaming
• ProtonVPN: Better free plan, Swiss jurisdiction, open source

vs Mullvad:

• Mullvad: More anonymous (no accounts), accepts cash
• ProtonVPN: Better free plan, easier to use, more features

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ProtonVPN really free?

Can I use ProtonVPN free plan in Australia?

Does ProtonVPN work with Netflix Australia?

Is ProtonVPN better than NordVPN?

Can I torrent with ProtonVPN free plan?

What's Secure Core and do I need it?

Is ProtonVPN slower than other VPNs?

Can I upgrade from free to paid plan?

Does ProtonVPN sell my data?

Should I get ProtonVPN or Bitwarden?

Who Should Choose ProtonVPN?

Choose ProtonVPN if:

• Need free VPN with unlimited data
• Privacy is top priority over features/speed
• Want Swiss jurisdiction and open source code
• Already use ProtonMail/ProtonDrive (get bundle discount)
• Don't need streaming or Australian servers

Choose NordVPN instead if:

• Need Australian servers and streaming
• Want fastest speeds and most features
• Prefer larger server network
• Need 24/7 live chat support

Choose Surfshark instead if:

• Want unlimited devices
• Need best value ($3.50/month)
• Streaming is important
• Want faster speeds than ProtonVPN

Conclusion

ProtonVPN is the only free VPN we recommend for Australians. The free plan provides unlimited data for basic browsing and privacy, though you can't access Australian servers or stream content.

The Plus plan ($5/month) is solid value for privacy-conscious users who prioritize Swiss jurisdiction and open source code over raw speed and features. It's faster than free plan (90 Mbps), includes Australian servers, and works with most streaming services.

However, for $0.50 less, Surfshark ($3.50/month) offers faster speeds, unlimited devices, and better streaming support. For $0.50 more, NordVPN ($4.50/month) provides nearly double the Australian servers and the best overall performance.

Our verdict: Use ProtonVPN free for basic privacy needs, or upgrade to Plus if Swiss privacy laws and open source matter to you. For most Australians prioritizing streaming and speed, NordVPN or Surfshark offer better value.

---

Try ProtonVPN free - no credit card required. Upgrade to Plus only if you need Australian servers or streaming support.