VPNs · Checked 20 Oct 2026
How to pay less for a VPN in Australia
Disclosure: This page contains one affiliate link, to NordVPN, labelled where it appears. If you buy through it, SavySaver may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The other providers are not affiliate links. Nothing here is paid placement, and the commission did not change the prices or facts below. See our disclosures.
Short-term deal · Checked 20 Oct 2026
ExpressVPN: 100% cashback on ShopBack until 24 Oct 2026. ShopBack has upsized its ExpressVPN Cashback to 100% for new ExpressVPN customers only. Start from ShopBack's ExpressVPN page each time, accept cookies, and buy on expressvpn.com, not in the app. Cashback takes about 105 days to confirm, and a refund or cancellation voids it. Plans auto-renew at the standard price, so note the renewal date. SavySaver earns nothing from this ExpressVPN deal; the ShopBack link here is a plain link. Offers change, so check the terms on ShopBack before you buy.
A VPN is one of those subscriptions that quietly gets dearer. The headline price is almost always an intro price, paid upfront for a long term, and it renews higher. Here's how to keep the cost down, plus what four popular providers actually showed on their own pricing pages.
- Check for cashback before you pay. Cashback sites sometimes run big boosts on VPNs, like the ShopBack ExpressVPN offer above (ends 24 Oct 2026).
- Use the money-back window as your trial. All four providers below advertise 30 days.
- Only go multi-year once you know it works for you. That's where the low monthly figure comes from.
- Diarise the renewal date. Every plan we checked auto-renews at a higher price.
1. Cashback routes
Cashback sites such as ShopBack pay you back part of the purchase if you start from their page and finish on the provider's website. Rules that commonly trip people up, using ShopBack's ExpressVPN terms as the example: new customers only, buy on the website not in the app, accept cookies, don't run an ad blocker during checkout, and a refund or cancellation cancels the cashback. ShopBack says ExpressVPN cashback is tracked in about 2 days and confirmed in about 105 days. See how ShopBack works and Cashrewards alternatives for more on cashback sites.
The trade-off: cashback and the money-back guarantee don't mix. If you might want a refund, don't count on the cashback.
2. Money-back guarantees
- ExpressVPN: 30-day money-back guarantee "for new users" (first-time users ask Support for a refund).
- NordVPN: refund if you ask within 30 days of the initial purchase. Purchases via the Amazon Store, App Store or Google Play must be refunded by those stores.
- Surfshark: refund if you ask within 30 days of signing up.
- Proton VPN: 30-day money-back guarantee shown on its paid plans. It also has a free plan.
Buying on the provider's own website keeps the refund in their hands and is also what cashback sites usually require.
3. Auto-renewal traps
All four pricing pages show a lower price for the first term and a higher renewal price after it. NordVPN states that annual renewals can be charged up to 14 days before the renewal date and that it emails you before charging subscriptions longer than a month. Set a reminder a few weeks before the end of your first term, then cancel auto-renewal or look for a new-customer deal elsewhere.
4. Multi-year pricing: the comparison
Cheapest VPN-only tier on each site's 2-year option, as shown to us on 20 October 2026. These prices were displayed in US dollars; Australian checkout may show AUD and different amounts, so treat them as a guide to how the pricing is structured, not a quote.
| Provider (plan) | First term, paid upfront | Then renews at | Devices | Refund window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN (Basic) | US$83.72 for 28 months | US$99.95 a year | 10 | 30 days, new users |
| NordVPN (Basic) (affiliate link) | US$94.23 for 27 months | US$139.08 a year | 10 | 30 days |
| Surfshark (Starter) | US$67.23 for 27 months | Renewal price not stated on the pricing page; billed annually after the first term | Unlimited | 30 days |
| Proton VPN (VPN Plus) | US$83.76 for 24 months | US$83.88 every 12 months | 10 | 30 days |
The NordVPN link above is an affiliate link. SavySaver may earn a commission. Prices are set by NordVPN and can change.
What stood out: Proton's renewal price was closest to its intro price. NordVPN's renewal was the biggest jump of the four. Surfshark had the lowest upfront cost and unlimited devices, but its pricing page didn't state the renewal amount, so check it at checkout. Proton VPN Free (1 device, servers in 10 randomly selected countries) costs nothing if your needs are light.
Other details from the official pages: ExpressVPN lists servers in 113 countries, NordVPN 225+ locations, Surfshark 100 countries and Proton VPN 140+ countries. We haven't tested speeds, so we make no speed claims.
Good questions
What's the cheapest way to get a VPN in Australia?
Proton VPN has a free plan (1 device, servers in 10 randomly selected countries). For paid plans, the lowest monthly figures on all four sites we checked come from 2-year intro terms, paid upfront. Check the renewal price before you commit.
Do VPN money-back guarantees really work?
All four providers advertise a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN limits it to new users, and NordVPN says purchases made through the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon must be refunded by those stores. If you claim cashback, a refund voids it.
Why does the price jump after the first term?
The low prices are introductory. Each site states the plan renews automatically at a higher price unless you cancel. NordVPN says it may charge annual renewals up to 14 days early and emails you first.
Can I get cashback on a VPN?
Sometimes. When we checked, ShopBack Australia had 100% cashback on ExpressVPN for new customers, ending 24 Oct 2026, on purchases made at expressvpn.com, not in the app. Confirmation takes about 105 days.
Related guides
- Gaming lag from Australia: test ExitLag free first (ExitLag says it isn't a VPN)
- How ShopBack works
- Cashrewards alternatives
- All shopping guides
General information only, not financial advice. Prices, devices and refund terms were checked on each provider's official pricing page on 20 October 2026 and were displayed in US dollars. Offers change, so check the current price before you buy. SavySaver is not operated or endorsed by any provider named here.