Best VPN for New Zealand in 2020

Why Is Web Content Restricted in New Zealand?

Surprisingly, there is a fair amount of internet censorship in New Zealand, meaning that some online content cannot be accessed from within the country.

Although the enforcement of the censorship laws is voluntary and at the discretion of the nation’s internet providers, two providers (which happen to service over 75% of the country) participate in the censorship program.

To work around this, a simple method can be used. Downloading and accessing the internet through a VPN, or a Virtual Private Network, means that any restrictions can be circumvented.

Our pick for Best VPN For New Zealand is ExpressVPN.

Why Use A VPN In New Zealand?

VPNs work by giving you access to a network of remote servers. When connecting to one of those servers, users are given the appearance of having a location elsewhere.

In the case of users of VPNs in New Zealand, they purposefully look for servers outside of the country (ideally somewhere where there aren’t any internet restrictions).

Furthermore, connections are encrypted so that all of a user’s web traffic is kept private. It makes for a very secure way of browsing the internet, as hackers and cyber criminals find infiltrating VPNs very tricky. It also means that regulators and authorities cannot track or trace users either.

Best VPNs To Use In New Zealand

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#1 ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN remains one of the most popular VPNs for good reason and it consistently ranks at number 1 in our reviews.

• It has a fast and reliable connection – customers can pretty much guarantee access when they want it as ExpressVPN’s network is so quick and not easy to overload.
• Encryption is military grade – users can be assured that their identity remains known only to them.
• Good for beginners – the easy to use interface is great for technophobes and computer buffs alike.
• 24/7 support if you do have an issue – the live chat function that ExpressVPN uses is a great source of knowledge if you have any issues accessing content from New Zealand.
• Compatible with almost all operating systems – it is great on Android, Windows, Mac, Linux and iOS.
• Unlimited bandwidth – customers can stream a whole load of content from outside New Zealand without fear that their session will suddenly slow down thanks to throttling.
• Two connections – users can enjoy two connections as part of their subscription plan. Those traveling around New Zealand, for instance, will find this feature useful as a connection can be made through a mobile device.

Price:

• $12.95 a month
• $9.99 a month for a six-month plan
• $6.67 a month for a 15-month plan (including three months free!)
• 30-day money back guarantee

For our full ExpressVPN review click here.

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#2 NordVPN

NordVPN is a much loved VPN provider thanks to it efficient service. It has a wealth of other great features that make it perfect for streaming content that is otherwise restricted in New Zealand.

• One of the most secure on the market – VPNs are a pretty safe way of browsing the internet, but NordVPN’s network is one of the safest out there.
• No logs policy – by not keeping logs of users’ online activities, NordVPN ensure that they can never have their systems compromised and their users’ identities revealed by not keeping information on file in the first instance.
• Double data encryption – a method NordVPN employs to keep their network secure is to use a stringent double data encryption plan.
• Kill switch – should your VPN through NordVPN cut out for any reason, then the application’s kill switch maintains user anonymity by automatically cutting the internet connection entirely – perfect if you’re accessing content from New Zealand that you shouldn’t be.
• It has 1000+ servers – its streaming speeds aren’t materially affected even with heavy duty security in place. Those accessing restricted content from New Zealand can, therefore, do so with ease.
• Easy to use – NordVPN can be set up quickly and used straight away with little how to help.
• 24/7 support – if you have a problem that you can’t solve yourself, the 24/7 chat system will help.
• Cost is competitive on 2 year plan – at just $3.29, NordVPN’s price is hard to beat.

Price:

• $11.95 a month
• $9.00 a month for a six-month plan
• $6.99 a month for a 12-month plan
• Special deal: $3.99 a month for a 24-month plan
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Read our full NordVPN review now.

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#3 CyberGhost

If you want to access all of your favorite content from within New Zealand, Cyberghost is another great option.

• Zero logs kept – This policy is really good if you happen to live in a place with very strict internet laws. They don’t collect your content, so they have nothing to hand over to the authorities, even if they wanted to.
• 5,900+ servers – Cyberghost currently has 5,944 servers, with a lot of them located in many different locations all over the world.
• Military-grade encryption – Their military-strength AES 256-BIT encryption uses a 2048-BIT RSA Key, so you know your internet activity is safe.
• 45-day money back guarantee – Cyberghost offers a 45-day full money back guarantee, just in case you don’t like something about their service.

Price:

• $10.99 per month for one month
• $7.99 per month for 6 months
• $4.99 per month for a year
• $2.90 per month for two years

Read our full Cyberghost review now.

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#4 Surfshark

Surfshark is a fairly new entrant to the market leading group of VPNs, but it made its way comfortably there due to the large array of quality features that set it apart from the crowd. Here’s why its perfect for use in New Zealand:

• Fast connectivity – Customers will never have to suffer from freezing or buffering during browsing sessions due to Surfshark’s quick connections.
• No logs policy – It’s great to see a VPN provider have a strict no logs policy as it means that customers do not have to fear a data breach during or after their subscription
• Straightforward to use – We loved the simple interface that Surfshark has provided its customers that results in making it one of the most straightforward to use VPNs out there.
• Unlimited amount of simultaneous connections – This is a feature that really makes Surfshark stand out. Customers have so many different devices these days but Surfshark allows just one subscription to protect them all.
• No data capping – It’s so frustrating to run out of data mid month with a VPN subscription. However, Surfshark does not set any limits so users can stream as much content as they want.
• Large network of servers – For customers that want to unblock internet content that has a restriction on it due to having a Kiwi IP address, Surfshark’s large and wide network is perfect. It allows users to gain access to any content they want, when they want.

Price:

• Starting from as low as $1.99 month

Read our full Surfshark review now.

 

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#5 TunnelBear

This is another VPN option that will not leave your internet connection vulnerable in New Zealand. There are many standard features that will not leave you overwhelmed with all the extras offered by other VPN companies.

• Completely private connection – This VPN will not log any of your personal information which ensures that no information will be shared with the authorities if they request your logs.
• Freemium plan – Amongst Giant and Grizzly Bear plans there is also a Little Bear plan which will provide you with 500MB of data. This can be topped up with an extra 1GB when you write about them on Twitter.
• Over 1800+ servers – You can be confident that your connection will work anywhere in the world, especially in New Zealand.
• Easy to use – TunnelBear is probably one of the most simple VPNs you can use, with minimalistic design and simple navigation.

Reasons for Caution:

• If you’re heading overseas and have trouble with your VPN, most will want instant answers to get them back on track. Unfortunately, TunnelBear only provides an online ticketing service which can take as long as 48 hours to provide a response. Usually, however, you will get a reply within a few hours.

Price:

• Free (500MB)
• $9.99 a month
• $4.99 for a 12-month plan
• 45-day money-back guarantee

Read our full TunnelBear review now.

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#6 ProtonVPN

This is a perfect choice of VPN for those that are starting out or don’t have a lot of confidence with technology. The simple interface will keep you secure at all times when in New Zealand without overwhelming you.

• Bulletproof security features – having military-grade security is a must when it comes to VPNs, but ProtonVPN also offers you IKEV2/IPSec as well as OpenVPN protocols, a kill switch, ‘always on’ feature as well as Secure Core, a feature that doubles your protection by rerouting your connection to two servers instead of one.
• Freemium option – This VPN plan will come at no cost, but unlike other VPN companies will not limit your bandwidth or speed. You will only be able to secure one device simultaneously and will not be able to torrent. You can choose from three server locations including the US, the Netherlands as well as Japan.
• Different plans offer various possibilities – there are four plans to choose from including Free, Basic, Plus and Visionary. The Plus plan is apparently the most popular and will allow you to some of ProtonVPNs best features as well as the possibility to secure five devices simultaneously.

Reasons for Caution:

• Unlike some of the other above-mentioned services, ProtonVPN doesn’t offer 24-hour chat support to its customers. This is understandable because it has only been around since 2017, and it is likely to change, but if you think you might need an immediate response to your questions this might not be the right choice for you. You can always submit a ticket on the ProtonVPN website and will get an answer within 24 hours.

Price:

• Free
• Basic: $4 a month
• Plus: $8 a month
• Visionary: $24 a month
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Read our full ProtonVPN review here.

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Can I Use Proxies To Access Restricted New Zealand Sites?

Proxies work in a similar way to VPNs by giving users a new IP address – or at least the illusion of one.

They’re not a particularly effective long term solution though. Many internet sites are savvy to the IP addresses that proxies supply so block users anyway.

Additionally, the safety features that using a VPN provides are non existent with a proxy server. The service is slow as well.

VPNs win hands-down when compared to proxies. Especially when the ones that we recommend aren’t more than a few dollars a month either. They’re definitely worth the money.

Free VPNs in New Zealand

In our view, there is no point even trying a free VPN provider when trying to access restricted content in New Zealand.

You will find that the service provided is incredibly slow to the point of it being almost impossible to watch even the shortest video without buffering issues. To make even more revenue, they have to have smaller networks of servers.

Plus it will be a very unsafe way to surf the web. Free VPN providers often make their money by selling customer data and information – user identities are often revealed and exposed to risk signing up to one of these services.

The Bottom Line: ExpressVPN for New Zealand

If you want unrestricted content while living or traveling in New Zealand, a VPN is the only practical way to go. Our VPN provider recommendations will all provide access to the internet and its sites that are otherwise blocked by the Kiwi government.

Our top pick is ExpressVPN. It does everything a VPN needs to and does so efficiently. Browsing and streaming through the internet is a safe activity when using ExpressVPN and easy too.