New Zealand is among the most terrific countries in Oceania. Sprawling with beautiful beaches and breathtaking landscapes, it’s not strange that people fall in love with this country at first sight. However, it’s also typical for its residents to look for the best VPN in NZ.
You see, New Zealand is a member of the 5 Eyes alliance, so privacy-wise, it’s not the best. Countries in the 5 Eyes are notorious for data collection and sharing. On top of that, the internet space is riddled with geo-restrictions, preventing you from accessing many types of content.
Not to mention unsafe public WiFi networks and ISP throttling, typical for pretty much any country. Whether you’re in New Zealand or abroad, the best NZ VPN in 2024 is going to be more than helpful. It’ll safeguard your privacy and let you circumvent any geo-blocks or firewall blocks.
But then, the real question is – what is the best VPN for New Zealand in 2024? Glad you asked. Today, we’re talking about five of our favorite options, plus some free options to consider if you live in this country. Is it going to be a long read? Yes, but absolutely interesting!
The top 5 VPNs for New Zealand in 2024
3000 servers
105 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
8 simultaneous connections
9.4 /10
12000 servers
100 covered countries
45 days money-back guarantee
7 simultaneous connections
9.2 /10
6300 servers
111 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.8 /10
3000 servers
100 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
Unlimited connections
9.1 /10
27000 servers
91 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
Unlimited connections
8.7 /10
Why Should You Use a VPN in New Zealand?
We know that Virtual Private Networks aren’t mandatory and millions are going online with no additional protection. However, we still think that, in New Zealand, you need a VPN. In fact, it’s similar to Australia where we also recommend a VPN.
Let’s see why you should use a VPN in New Zealand.
Gaining Online Privacy
As said, a 5 Eyes alliance member like New Zealand this isn’t going to be the most respectful to your privacy.
ISPs are forced to collect and store your personal data, which is done by constant tracking and monitoring. 5 Eyes countries, aside from NZ, include the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada.
This means your personal data can be shared with these countries, putting your privacy in jeopardy.
Actually, there’s a law that permits the collection of personal data of NZ residents, put in place back in 2013. Luckily, with the best VPN for NZ, you can easily prevent this from happening.
A VPN encrypts your traffic and ensures your ISP can’t trace your online activities. This, as a result, prevents it from collecting and storing your data because, thanks to encryption, it’s an unreadable, garbled mess to anyone who intercepts it.
Public WiFi Protection
Public WiFi protection is vital if you’re a tourist or you frequent hotels or cafes daily. You must protect your identity on these networks, as they’re often without encryption or even password protection. Hackers can, therefore, easily breach the network and start stealing personal info swiftly.
They can intercept your IP, hijack your device, and potentially get a hold of your credit card number and other bits of information. This isn’t science fiction – it actually happened in Starbucks in Argentina, where hackers used connected devices to mine cryptocurrency.
Once again, taking advantage of a VPN’s encryption is key. You’ll conceal your IP address and make your traffic unreadable, which makes even the most skilled hacker unable to harm you. Simply connect to a VPN when you’re on public WiFi and enjoy anonymous browsing.
Torrenting Anonymously
Using a VPN in New Zealand to download torrents is a typical practice. In a country like this, people indeed get into trouble for torrenting, especially when talking about copyrighted content. However, it’s not always black and white, as even those on the right side of the law can suffer the same fate.
On top of that, torrenting is an extremely unsafe activity, which we highlighted in our torrenting VPN guide. Basically, other users who download the same file can see your IP, while torrent sites can see your download history. They will – if asked – gladly hand it out to the authorities!
In this case, fees can be pretty hefty and you’ll end up spending 2 months of hard work at your job to get out of this serious problem. To avoid this issue, it’s safe to use a VPN in New Zealand. Premium services are optimized for P2P, offering fast speeds and advanced security features to keep things private.
This will result in free and anonymous torrenting, with no ISPs or snoopers tracking your downloads.
Streaming Geo-Restricted Content
Streaming is one of the most popular reasons for using a VPN in New Zealand or elsewhere.
Who doesn’t like watching Netflix on a rainy Sunday? Or perhaps, you love streaming sports on BBC iPlayer? Doesn’t matter – using a VPN for NZ is great if you’re into streaming because the country has plenty of geo-restrictions.
Netflix, in particular, has different catalogs in each country, so a VPN can help you unblock them. Foreign TV channels are also accessible with a VPN, as long as you get an IP address from the country in which the channel is allowed to operate.
In fact, we can also reverse the situation and imagine you’re a NZ resident abroad. This time, you can watch New Zealand TV channels in a foreign country by getting an IP from your country! In addition to streaming-related content and sites, you can also unblock online bookies, porn sites, and much more.
Check our guide on how to stream channels from another country – it’s pretty easy!
Best VPN for NZ in 2024 (For Residents & People Abroad)
You now see that using the best VPN for New Zealand is actually quite sensible. And if you’ve made up your mind and you want to secure your online identity, you might be wondering which is the best VPN to use in NZ.
Don’t fret – the answer is below, so read on, as we present our top 5 services for New Zealand in 2024.
1. ExpressVPN
Whether you’re in this country or abroad, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for New Zealand in 2024. We found it to be the fastest as well, which users appreciate when talking about streaming or torrenting. Indeed, ExpressVPN is torrent-friendly and it can unblock a dozen of Netflix libraries.
In addition, this VPN offers many NZ servers as well, so if you want to access local TV channels abroad, it’s entirely possible. One thing to note is that ExpressVPN is user-friendly. It has easy-to-use apps that support one-click connections, which is one of its highlights.
Security-wise, this provider skimps on nothing. AES-256 encryption will keep your traffic secure, while the kill switch and IP leak prevention will stop your personal data from leaking. Even split tunneling is here, letting you choose which apps will use the VPN tunnel.
ExpressVPN’s no-logging policy is impeccable. It has audits by PwC, KPMG, and Cure53, all of which confirmed that the provider stores absolutely no logs. This is backed by TrustedServer technology (RAM-only servers) plus Private DNS for handling your DNS requests according to a no-logs policy.
Needless to say, the service works on all platforms, so it doesn’t matter which one you’re using. Even better, there are 5 simultaneous connections, making it easy to protect multiple devices with one subscription. On iOS/Android, ExpressVPN can block malicious sites, too!
And if you’re wondering about its downsides, there are pretty much none. It’s not the most affordable pick but a 49% discount and 3 free months for the annual plan are surely welcome. With a 30-day refund policy for all plans, you can’t go wrong with the best VPN for NZ like this one.
Pros
- Split tunneling
- Unlimited traffic
- It can unblock Netflix US
- Private DNS
- No-logs policy
- 3,000 servers in 94 countries
Con
- It could be a bit more affordable
2. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is a VPN you can’t be neutral about – you either love it or adore it! It packs 9,500+ servers in 91 countries, with 13 fast servers in New Zealand (Auckland).
Its apps are filled to the brim with features, most notably streaming and torrenting servers that people in New Zealand enjoy.
This VPN for New Zealand supports blazing-fast P2P, all while letting you unblock BBC iPlayer or Hulu in this country. Additionally, the VPN uses WireGuard with AES-256 encryption, which results in impenetrable security and lightning-fast speeds.
CyberGhost also uses an ad blocker to kick out annoying ads, while DNS leak protection ensures your DNS requests aren’t leaking. We love CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers too, as they’re based in Romania and operated directly by CyberGhost for the highest level of privacy.
But what about logging practices? As the VPN takes utmost care of your privacy, no logs are stored, which Deloitte confirmed in a recent audit. On top of that, it even publishes transparency reports every 3 months, where you can clearly see that no personal info is stored or handed out by the provider.
Of course, being a premium VPN for New Zealand, you can expect unlimited monthly traffic and other nitpicks, such as 7 simultaneous connections and 24/7 live chat support. To this, we should add optional dedicated IP addresses and antivirus, both of which make this provider extraordinary.
And you know what? It’s even cheaper than ExpressVPN, with the lowest price of around $2 or so a month. That’s not all, folks! CyberGhost’s 45-day refund policy for long-term plans is as cool as it sounds, so you can use it risk-free for a month and a half without losing money!
Pros
- 13 servers in Auckland
- Optimized for torrenting and streaming
- Security audit from Deloitte
- 24/7 live chat support
- Affordable long-term plans
Con
- Its Windows app can be confusing
3. NordVPN
NordVPN engraved its name into the VPN industry by offering cutting-edge security and privacy, packed with excellent performance and streaming capabilities.
No doubt, this is one of the best VPNs for NZ in 2024, with 5,500+ servers in 60 countries and 20+ servers in Auckland.
If you’re abroad, you can use it to watch TVNZ or 1News, and if you’re in New Zealand, unblocking foreign content is a breeze. NordVPN offers Double VPN servers which will double your encryption and make you even safer online – something you’ll definitely want in a 5 Eyes country.
Furthermore, we found NordVPN’s Threat Protection vastly useful. It contains CyberSec (ad blocker), antivirus, and anti-malware, all of which ensure 360-degree protection. As the icing on the cake, NordVPN’s P2P servers are here, allowing for anonymous and fast torrenting.
In terms of encryption protocols, everything is up to date. NordLynx is the main protocol, with 256-bit encryption and features like IP leak protection, automatic kill switch, split tunneling, and SmartPlay. The latter is SmartDNS which lets you stream geo-restricted content on any device.
NordVPN is equipped with Meshnet, a feature for joining and hosting secure LAN parties for gaming or business. This is even more impressive when you consider the presence of Dark Web Monitor which aims to secure your personal data and inform you of compromised passwords.
We don’t need to mention its audited no-logging policy, beautiful apps, and round-the-clock support – although we just did. But we surely need to give a shoutout to the special discount available below, coupled with a 30-day money-back guarantee for a completely risk-free test of this VPN in New Zealand or abroad.
Pros
- 5,500+ servers
- SmartPlay (SmartDNS)
- P2P servers for torrenting
- 256-bit AES encryption
- NordLynx VPN protocol
Cons
- Seldom connection issues
- GST in New Zealand (15% more expensive)
4. Surfshark
Moving on with the ranking of the best VPNs for NZ, we have Surfshark.
It’s a fairly cheap VPN with 3,200 servers in 100 countries, including New Zealand. This provider isn’t the best around but for this price, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better choice, except for CyberGhost.
Regardless, Surfshark is known for unlimited simultaneous connections and polished apps for all devices. It’s also a VPN from the Netherlands, offering a certified zero-logging policy, along with modern security features that New Zealand VPN users will appreciate.
Surfshark offers 256-bit encryption and users can enjoy WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols. In addition, the service is surprisingly good for streaming, while torrenting is fully allowed on all servers. The downside is that its kill switch has occasional issues, which were remedied with the last few updates.
However, Surfshark isn’t the fastest provider and that might be a problem for long-distance servers. On the brighter side, the provider has MultiHop servers for doubling your encryption and there’s a feature called IP Rotator that rotates your IP periodically.
We also like Surfshark’s addition of an ad blocker called CleanWeb, which seems to work really well. Its apps also offer a GPS Override functionality, letting you spoof your location and pretend you’re really somewhere else. This feature is unique to Surfshark and no other NZ VPN offers it on this list.
Finally, Surfshark’s 2-year plan is dirt-cheap, plus, it’s subject to a 30-day refund policy. For a price similar to CyberGhost, you’re getting a top-of-the-line VPN with 24/7 live chat support, Private DNS, RAM-only servers, and much more. We think it’s a fair deal – what about you?
If you can’t decide, take a look at our Surfshark vs CyberGhost duel.
Pros
- MultiHop servers
- WireGuard
- CleanWeb (ad blocker)
- Cheap subscription plans
Cons
- It’s slower than many of its rivals
- Its kill switch sometimes isn’t working
5. Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access is the best VPN from the 5 Eyes countries. Yes, it’s from the US but that’s not an issue, considering it has one of the best zero-logging policies around. It even offers 30,000 servers with hundreds of them in New Zealand – a mighty impressive feat!
PIA VPN isn’t better than ExpressVPN but that’s reflected in the price already. Still, the VPN has some excellent features, such as port forwarding, the ability to choose encryption, and WireGuard. As said, it stores no logs and even has an audit from Deloitte to back this claim up.
Its apps aren’t the most user-friendly, though, which especially applies to the Windows app. And while it’s not very fast either, it’s at least torrent-friendly, which Kiwi users will find useful. Also, PIA VPN has a feature called MACE, which effectively blocks ads and malicious sites.
Not only that but there’s obfuscation, which lets you get over censorship to an extent. Its SOCKS5 proxy is useful for faster P2P, while a few optimized streaming servers will work with 2-3 Netflix catalogs. Much like Surfshark, PIA comes with unlimited simultaneous connections.
And much like its rival, it’s extremely cheap. We recommend its longest plan for around $2 a month with a 30-day refund policy. If you decide to get it, you’ll enjoy the VPN on all devices, except for Fire TV Stick, where the service doesn’t offer a dedicated client.
On the flip side, users can enjoy 24/7 support along with neat features like a kill switch, Shadowsocks proxy, RAM-only servers, and a proprietary DNS server. If you don’t mind some of the compromises, we think Private Internet Access is among the top choices in this price range.
To find out more about this VPN for New Zealand, click here :
Pros
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- 30,000 servers in almost 90 countries (including New Zealand)
- Obfuscation for bypassing censorship
Cons
- Not the best performance
- It has no dedicated Firestick TV app
- Streaming performance could be improved
What About Free VPNs for New Zealand?
When it comes to free VPNs for NZ, we can’t say we’re fond of them. There are many reasons for that but if you want a short answer, they’re just cut-down versions of their paid counterparts. This means you’ll have limited bandwidth, slower speeds, no streaming/P2P capabilities, and so on.
Many free VPNs are safe, like Atlas VPN or ProtonVPN. However, these two have no servers in New Zealand, so if you’re abroad, you can’t unblock local TV channels. Another issue we’re worried about is that free providers are often unsafe as well.
If names like Hola VPN, Hotspot Shield, Turbo VPN, and Urban VPN sound familiar, you’ve most likely used them. Some of them are free forever while offering unlimited traffic, but in the background, they’re storing your personal information and selling it to third-party companies.
In our Hola VPN review, we explained how this works, so check it out. While we can’t say the best VPNs for New Zealand are free providers, we can recommend a few of them if you’re ready to take on the compromises they come with.
Atlas VPN
Atlas VPN is great if you want to secure your traffic and become anonymous online. It has no New Zealand VPN servers in the free version, so you’re locked to the US and the Netherlands only. The provider is fast for a free service and it’s even streaming-friendly to an extent.
The downside is that you get just 5 GB of monthly bandwidth allowance, which won’t be enough for anything else than browsing. Even in this case, you’ll spend the entire bandwidth cap in an hour or two. Another problem is that Atlas VPN has no simultaneous connections.
This is accompanied by the lack of 24/7 support for free users and limited device compatibility. With all said, Atlas VPN is useful only if you’re in New Zealand. If you’re abroad and you need an NZ IP address, you’re better off with the providers presented above.
ProtonVPN
A free VPN for NZ like ProtonVPN is also a solid choice. Granted, it has no servers in New Zealand but it does offer unlimited traffic. Servers in the US, the Netherlands, and Japan are here but beware of their slow speeds and frequent overcrowding.
Also, ProtonVPN doesn’t allow P2P, and its streaming capabilities are almost non-existent. At least it stores no logs and offers some neat security features, including WireGuard, an automatic kill switch, split tunneling, and VPN Accelerator.
Like Atlas VPN, ProtonVPN has no simultaneous connections, it lacks 24/7 live chat support, and on top of that, it’s expensive as a premium VPN. In short, it’s painfully average when compared to paid VPNs – or better said, it’s atrocious.
TunnelBear: A VPN With Servers in New Zealand
If you need a VPN that’s free and with servers in New Zealand, here’s TunnelBear. It has 47 countries on the list, including this one, so it’s great for obtaining this IP. However, the provider is very slow and offers just 2 GB of bandwidth each month, making it the worst on the list.
Torrenting also isn’t allowed and streaming on Netflix is virtually impossible. This VPN is based in Canada, so it’s in the 5 Eyes but the good thing is a third-party audit that tells us it’s safe and secure. Still, we don’t need to talk too much about it – the 2 GB monthly cap is everything you need to know.
If you’re using the internet for 30 minutes a month, it’s phenomenal. If you’re online all the time, TunnelBear is useless, both in and out of New Zealand.
Verdict: Which VPN to choose in New Zealand?
In today’s article, we presented you with the top 5 VPNs for New Zealand in 2024. Our favorite is ExpressVPN, with the fastest speeds, rock-solid security, and remarkable streaming/torrenting capabilities. That’s not to say other VPNs should be discarded.
CyberGhost and NordVPN are cost-effective options that still keep the performance at the highest level. Another great VPN to use in New Zealand is Surfshark, which, along with PIA, gives you unlimited simultaneous connections with above-average security and privacy.
