Updated on: January 6, 2025
Short on time? Here’s the best VPN for New Zealand in 2025:
- 🥇 ExpressVPN : It has servers in Auckland, New Zealand and can access local streaming services, such as TVNZ and ThreeNow, as well as international platforms like Netflix. It maintains the fastest speeds on the market and encrypts your data, preventing snoopers like governments, ISPs, and hackers from viewing your online habits. Plus, all of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The best VPNs for New Zealand offer excellent streaming support and online privacy. A VPN is especially important to use in New Zealand because it’s a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance, a group of countries that share intelligence information.
My favorite VPN for New Zealand is ExpressVPN due to its large server network (including servers in Auckland), excellent streaming support, and top-notch privacy and security features. However, all of the VPNs I recommend below are worth considering. Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
Quick Summary of the Best VPNs for New Zealand
Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for New Zealand
ExpressVPN is my top VPN for New Zealand — it’s ultra-secure, the best for streaming, provides blazing-fast speeds, and offers a huge server network.
My favorite thing about this VPN is its superior streaming support. It has servers in 105 countries, including Auckland, New Zealand, so it can access content worldwide. And it works seamlessly with 100+ popular streaming platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, as well as local streaming platforms, like TVNZ and ThreeNow.
Its proprietary Lightway protocol is super fast, consistently outpacing the next fastest common VPN protocol, WireGuard. Its industry-leading speeds ensure a smooth browsing and streaming experience, even when connecting to distant servers.
ExpressVPN has a lot to offer to privacy enthusiasts. Its headquarters are located in the British Virgin Islands, which isn’t part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances (unlike New Zealand, which is a member). It has an independently audited no-logs policy that has been verified multiple times to prove it doesn’t store any data about your online activities and can’t share it with anyone.
It’s good for torrenting, too. ExpressVPN allows P2P file sharing on all of its servers, supports port forwarding, which lets you connect to more peers for faster download speeds, and comes with Advanced Protection, a great ad and malware blocker to protect you on shady torrenting sites.
ExpressVPN’s plans start at $4.99 / month, and it backs every subscription with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is the best New Zealand VPN. It has the fastest speeds on the market, provides a vast server network (including servers in New Zealand), and is compatible with 100+ streaming services, from Netflix to TVNZ. It’s also got top-notch privacy and security features and great torrenting support. Plus, all of its plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great for Torrenting in New Zealand
Private Internet Access is one of my favorite VPNs for torrenting in New Zealand. It allows P2P file sharing on all of its servers in 91 countries, including New Zealand. It supports port forwarding, and it’s got SOCKS5 proxy support, which changes your IP address without encrypting your traffic for faster download speeds.
Additionally, PIA has the No. 1 VPN ad blocker, MACE. It successfully stopped me from visiting dangerous torrent sites and phishing pages during my tests. I also never saw a single ad on notoriously ad-heavy news and social media pages either.
Unlike ExpressVPN, PIA is based in the US, which is a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. However, you have nothing to worry about because it has a strict, independently audited no-logs policy that has also been proven true in court.
PIA is a solid choice for streaming in New Zealand as well. It supports streaming in 10+ countries, including New Zealand, the US, the UK, Australia, and Japan — it works with 30+ streaming platforms, including Netflix and TVNZ. That being said, I prefer ExpressVPN for streaming because it supports streaming on servers in all countries and works with 100+ streaming platforms.
Private Internet Access’s plans start at an affordable $2.03 / month, and all of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access is an excellent pick for securely torrenting in New Zealand. It allows P2P traffic on all of its servers, supports port forwarding, and has SOCKS5 proxy servers. It also has an excellent ad blocker, strong privacy and security features, and decent streaming support for New Zealand. All of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
Editors' Note: Private Internet Access and this site are in the same ownership group.
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Automation Tools + Dedicated Streaming Servers
CyberGhost VPN is a great New Zealand VPN that works in the background thanks to its convenient automation tools (Smart Rules) that save you a lot of clicks. You can configure the VPN to connect to a specific server location (like New Zealand) when the VPN app starts, automatically launch a specific app (such as a streaming app) after you connect to a server, or vice versa.
The provider has 100+ dedicated streaming servers that are optimized for 50+ international streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. These servers are tested frequently to ensure that they can access the platform without issues. Still, its regular New Zealand server location can reliably access TVNZ.
CyberGhost is based in Romania, which doesn’t have data-retention laws and isn’t part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. While its no-logs policy has also undergone an independent audit, you can connect to one of its NoSpy servers that are housed inside CyberGhost’s headquarters, where only in-house staff can access them for an added layer of privacy.
CyberGhost VPN’s plans start at just $2.03 / month, and it backs all plans with a money-back guarantee (up to 45 days for long-term plans and 14 days for short-term plans).
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN streamlines the process of using a New Zealand VPN with some nice automation tools. It also has 100+ dedicated streaming servers and is great for keeping your data safe and your online activities private. All of CyberGhost’s plans are backed by a money-back guarantee.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
Editors' Note: CyberGhost and this site are in the same ownership group.
4. NordVPN — Good VPN for Remote Workers
NordVPN is a great VPN for remote workers in New Zealand. This is thanks to a unique feature, called Meshnet, which lets you create your own secure private network. You can use it to remotely access files from other devices on the network — log into your home PC from the nearest café or even a different country and transfer a lot of files quickly and securely.
This provider is headquartered in Panama, which doesn’t have mandatory data retention laws and is outside of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. Its no-logs policy has also undergone multiple independent audits. Another thing I like about it is its app-based kill switch — it lets you shut down only selected apps in the event that your VPN connection drops, minimizing unnecessary disruptions.
It can access 10+ popular streaming platforms from New Zealand, which isn’t as much as some of the other VPNs on this list — for example, ExpressVPN works with 100+ streaming platforms. However, it covers most major platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+.
NordVPN’s plans start at $2.99 / month, and all subscriptions are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
NordVPN’s Meshnet can be really useful for remote workers in New Zealand. It’s also based in a privacy-friendly country, has a thoroughly vetted no-logs policy, and an advanced kill switch. It’s pretty good for streaming from New Zealand, too — it can reliably access the most popular streaming platforms. Every NordVPN subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. Surfshark — Easy to Use + Tons of Extra Features
Surfshark is a great New Zealand VPN for beginners. It recommends the fastest server automatically and pins all your favorite servers at the top of the server list for easy access. The thing I find most convenient is that you can customize the Quick-Connect button to connect to a New Zealand server or any other server location in 100 countries with a single click.
In addition to working with 50+ streaming services, including TVNZ, Netflix, and Disney+, it has other cool features like Alternative ID and Override GPS. The former creates a fake identity for you to use when signing up for various sites and services, and Override GPS Location (on Android) prevents mobile apps that use GPS data from detecting your real location when you’re connected to the VPN.
Surfshark’s plans start at $2.19 / month, and it backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Surfshark is a good VPN for New Zealand with very user-friendly apps that are excellent for VPN beginners. It’s great for streaming and provides a ton of value via all of its extra features, like Alternative ID, which allows you to protect your privacy when signing up for online services. Every Surfshark subscription comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Surfshark review
Quick Comparison Table
Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
To create this list of the best VPNs for New Zealand, I followed our proven VPN testing methodology. I paid particular attention to each provider’s streaming capabilities and whether or not it has servers in New Zealand. I also took other factors into account, such as speeds, security, and ease of use. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of how I ranked and compared the VPN on my list:
- I checked for servers in New Zealand. Every VPN on my list lets you get a New Zealand IP address, so you can stream local content and get the best possible speeds while browsing the web.
- I looked for VPNs with good streaming support. I only picked VPNs that work with local streaming platforms, such as TVNZ and ThreeNow, so you can stream rugby, netball, and cricket more securely. All of the providers I picked also work with popular international streaming platforms, like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.
- I assessed each provider’s privacy and security features. Since New Zealand is a part of the 5 Eyes Alliance, I only chose VPNs with industry-standard security features to shield you from government surveillance in New Zealand. Each provider has bank-grade 256-bit AES encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and a kill switch (disconnects you from the internet if your VPN connection drops).
- I tested each VPN’s speeds. Using a VPN reduces your speeds to some extent due to the time it takes to encrypt your data. However, all of the VPNs I recommend have very fast speeds, so you won’t experience any noticeable slowdowns when browsing or streaming in New Zealand.
- I chose VPNs that provide good overall value. The VPNs on my list all have affordable plans, allow multiple simultaneous connections, and come with useful extra features, like an ad blocker and split-tunneling. Plus, they all back their subscriptions with a money-back guarantee.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- PrivateVPN. It’s a minimalistic VPN that’s good for streaming in New Zealand. But its relatively small server network and lack of extra features prevent me from recommending it.
- TunnelBear. It’s a cute and easy-to-use VPN for New Zealand, but it’s slower than the VPNs on my list. Plus, its server network isn’t as large as any of the VPNs I recommend here.
- Astrill VPN. Astrill VPN is a decent choice for torrenting in New Zealand with good speeds, but it’s fairly expensive compared to the other VPNs on my list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are VPNs legal in New Zealand?
Yes, VPNs are completely legal in New Zealand. I recommend using a top-notch New Zealand VPN to protect your privacy, enhance your online security, and prevent speed throttling. Please note that using a VPN to engage in illegal activities, such as downloading or streaming pirated content is still illegal. It’s best to adhere to all local laws and regulations when using a VPN.
Are there any good free VPNs for New Zealand?
Maybe, but all free VPNs come with some downsides. The good free VPNs typically don’t offer free access to its New Zealand servers. Most of them also limit data, offer slower speeds compared to premium plans, and in the worst case, free VPNs offer their services in exchange for your data — they monitor and log your activities and other information and then sell it to third parties. There are plenty of affordable VPNs for New Zealand that I recommend checking out instead.
Why do I need a VPN in New Zealand?
For one, New Zealand is part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, which is a group of countries that share surveillance data and may collect data on your online activities. With a VPN, your ISP in New Zealand won’t be able to see what you’re doing online, where, and for how long.
Getting a good VPN for New Zealand is also just a great way to enhance your online privacy and security in general. By encrypting your data and masking your IP address, it guards you from both snoops and hackers. Also, some people use a VPN to change their location, so that they can access geo-restricted content.
How do I get a New Zealand IP address?
Here’s the easiest way to get a New Zealand IP address:
- Subscribe to a VPN with servers in New Zealand. I recommend ExpressVPN for its lightning-fast speeds, strong security, and good streaming support.
- Download and install the VPN app. Get the app from the provider’s official website or from your device’s app store and then follow the installation wizard’s instructions.
- Connect to a New Zealand server. That’s it! You now have a New Zealand IP address.
