NordVPN vs Proton VPN for Australia — Which One Actually Works?

TL;DR: Both are excellent VPNs, but they win in different areas. NordVPN is faster, better for streaming, and has a larger server network. Proton VPN has stronger privacy credentials (Swiss jurisdiction, fully open source, independent audits). For most Australians bypassing age verification, NordVPN is the better all-rounder. Privacy purists should go Proton.

Why These Two?

Since Australia's age verification laws kicked in on March 9, 2026, VPN signups have gone through the roof. And the two names that keep coming up are NordVPN and Proton VPN.

They're both premium, reputable services with no-log policies. But they approach things differently, and those differences matter depending on what you need. Let's break it down properly.

Speed: NordVPN Wins

For most Australians, speed is the deciding factor. Nobody wants to buffer.

NordVPN consistently delivers faster connections, particularly on servers in the Asia-Pacific region. Connecting to New Zealand — the ideal choice for bypassing Australian blocks — we measured average download speeds of 380-420 Mbps on a 500 Mbps connection. That's barely any speed loss.

Proton VPN is no slouch, but it trails behind. The same NZ connection averaged 280-330 Mbps. Still perfectly usable for HD streaming, but you'll notice the difference on 4K content or if your base connection is slower.

NordVPN's speed advantage comes from their proprietary NordLynx protocol, built on WireGuard. Proton VPN also supports WireGuard, but NordVPN's implementation is more optimised, particularly for the Australia-NZ route.

| Metric | NordVPN | Proton VPN | |---|---|---| | NZ server speed (avg) | 380-420 Mbps | 280-330 Mbps | | Singapore server speed | 350-400 Mbps | 250-300 Mbps | | Latency to NZ | 28-35 ms | 30-40 ms | | Protocol | NordLynx (WireGuard) | WireGuard/OpenVPN |

Winner: NordVPN, clearly.

Privacy: Proton VPN Has the Edge

If privacy is your primary concern — and given that this is about avoiding handing your ID to third parties, it probably should be — Proton VPN has meaningful advantages.

Swiss jurisdiction. Proton VPN is based in Switzerland, which has some of the strongest privacy laws in the world. Switzerland isn't part of the EU and isn't a member of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances. Australia, by contrast, is a founding member of Five Eyes.

NordVPN is based in Panama, which is also outside intelligence-sharing alliances and has no mandatory data retention laws. It's a solid jurisdiction, but Switzerland's privacy framework is more established and battle-tested.

Fully open source. Every Proton VPN app — desktop and mobile — is fully open source. Anyone can inspect the code to verify there are no backdoors or logging. NordVPN's apps are not open source. You're trusting their word.

Independent audits. Both VPNs have undergone independent security audits. Proton VPN publishes full audit reports. NordVPN has also been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, confirming their no-logs policy. Both pass this test, but Proton's transparency is a step ahead.

Winner: Proton VPN, for those who want verifiable privacy.

Price: Very Similar

Both VPNs are competitively priced in AUD, especially on longer plans.

| Plan | NordVPN (AUD) | Proton VPN (AUD) | |---|---|---| | Monthly | ~$18.49/mo | ~$14.99/mo | | 1-year | ~$7.49/mo | ~$7.49/mo | | 2-year | ~$4.59/mo | ~$5.49/mo | | Free tier | No | Yes (limited) |

NordVPN is slightly cheaper on the 2-year plan, which is the one most people should buy. Proton VPN's monthly plan is cheaper if you don't want to commit.

Proton VPN also offers a free tier — the only reputable free VPN we'd recommend. It's limited (fewer servers, no streaming optimisation, lower speeds), but it's genuinely safe and doesn't harvest your data. Handy if you want to try before you buy.

Winner: Draw. NordVPN is marginally cheaper long-term; Proton has a free tier.

Server Network: NordVPN by a Mile

NordVPN operates 6,400+ servers across 111 countries. That includes extensive coverage in the Asia-Pacific region — New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and more.

Proton VPN has around 4,600 servers across 110 countries. Decent, but noticeably smaller, especially in the free tier where you're limited to servers in the US, Netherlands, and Japan.

For Australian users, what matters is the number and quality of servers in nearby countries. NordVPN has more NZ servers, which means less congestion and more consistent speeds during peak times.

Winner: NordVPN.

Ease of Use: Both Good

Both VPNs have polished apps for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux. Neither requires technical knowledge to use.

NordVPN's interface is slightly more intuitive for beginners — the map-based server selection is nice, and the "Quick Connect" button picks the fastest nearby server automatically. Proton VPN's interface is clean but a touch more utilitarian.

Both support split tunnelling (choosing which apps use the VPN), a kill switch (cuts internet if the VPN drops), and auto-connect on startup.

Winner: Draw. Marginal NordVPN advantage for complete beginners.

Streaming and Unblocking

If you're using a VPN primarily to bypass Australia's site blocks, both work. But NordVPN is better at unblocking streaming services generally.

NordVPN reliably unblocks Netflix (multiple regions), Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and most geo-restricted content. It also handles Pornhub and other Aylo-blocked sites without issues from NZ servers.

Proton VPN works for bypassing Australian age verification blocks, but its streaming unblocking is less consistent for services like Netflix that actively fight VPN connections.

Winner: NordVPN, especially if you'll use the VPN for streaming beyond just adult sites.

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose NordVPN if you want:

The fastest speeds (especially to NZ)
Best streaming/unblocking performance
Largest server network
Slightly cheaper long-term pricing
A simple, beginner-friendly app

Choose Proton VPN if you want:

Maximum verifiable privacy (open source, Swiss jurisdiction)
A free tier to try first
Support for a company with strong activist privacy credentials
Slightly cheaper monthly pricing

For most Australians dealing with the age verification situation, NordVPN is the better all-rounder. It's faster, unblocks more reliably, and costs less on a 2-year plan.

For privacy-first users who want open-source code and Swiss legal protection, Proton VPN is the stronger choice. The speed difference won't matter for most browsing — it's only noticeable on 4K streaming.

Both are miles ahead of any free VPN, and both are genuinely good choices for bypassing Australia's age verification laws. You can't go wrong with either.

Get NordVPN — 75% Off →

Get Proton VPN — Free Tier Available →

For a broader comparison including more options, check our best VPN for Australia guide.

FAQ

Can I switch between NordVPN and Proton VPN later?

Yes. Both are subscription-based with no lock-in beyond your billing period. Both also offer 30-day money-back guarantees, so you can try one and switch if you're not happy. There's no technical reason you can't even run both — though you'd only use one at a time.

Does Proton VPN's free tier work for bypassing Australian blocks?

It can, but with limitations. The free tier doesn't include Australian or NZ servers — you'd need to connect to the US, Netherlands, or Japan. This means higher latency and slower speeds. It also doesn't include streaming-optimised servers. For occasional use it's fine, but if you're using it daily, the paid plan is worth the upgrade.

Which VPN is better for torrenting in Australia?

Both allow P2P traffic, but NordVPN has dedicated P2P servers optimised for torrent traffic, which generally means faster download speeds. Proton VPN also supports P2P on most paid servers. If torrenting is a priority, NordVPN has the edge. Both have strict no-log policies, so neither will hand over your download history.