People all over Europe are turning to VPNs to encrypt their online browsing sessions – and Austria is no different. Your digital footprint is incredibly valuable, and with governments snooping on their own people (and foreign nationals), it's no wonder so many folks are interested in VPNs.
In this article, we discuss the best VPNs for Austria, and explain how you can benefit from using one.
What are the best VPNs for Austria?
We list the best Austria VPN services below. For more information, scroll on down to our in-depth summaries.
- ExpressVPN - The best Austria VPN. Offers blazing fast servers in 94+ countries, it's secure, and unblocks plenty; a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN - The best budget VPN for Austria. A great network of fast servers optimized for streaming and top-notch features, at an affordable price.
- Private Internet Access - The most secure Austrian VPN. It is a stellar choice for private streaming and gaming online β with a proven zero-logs policy.
- CyberGhost VPN - A beginner-friendly Austria VPN. It easily unblocks major streaming services, has excellent apps for all devices, and it's secure.
- PrivateVPN - The cheapest VPN for Austria. Unblocks Netflix, great for torrenting, offers a 1-click-setup and other great features for easy use.
To ensure you get the most out of your new VPN, we have ensured that all of the Austrian VPNs in the list above have the following features:
- Fast servers
- Strong encryption
- Unblocks content from around the world
The best 5 VPNs for Austria – an in-depth summary
Below, you'll find a deeper look into our top recommendations for an Austrian VPN. These providers offer robust security measures, an expansive network of quick servers, and fantastic unblocking capabilities.
Be sure to check out our detailed VPN reviews for a full analysis of each provider.
Why do I need a VPN in Austria?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an ideal tool for staying safe when using the internet. And whether you'll use your VPN at home or on public WiFi, you can rest assured that your connection will remain private. A VPN, however, doesn't just secure your information. It also bypasses government and ISP censorship so you can unblock websites that are currently unavailable. As a result, you'll have access to all of the internet's websites and services!
There's a lot to consider before picking a VPN for Austria, though. Most VPNs are pretty useless when it comes to protection – having outdated encryption or poor VPN provider procedures. And with hundreds of VPNs to choose from, it can be a daunting task to whittle down potential candidates.
Why are these the best VPNs for Austria?
Simply put, the providers we've listed above give you the represent excellent value, extraordinary unblocking capability, and absolute security. There are a number of things to consider when picking a provider that's best for Austria, however, so let's take a look at the factors that influenced our decision:
Secure encryption
A VPN is primarily a privacy tool, and your security and anonymity should be a top consideration. In this day and age, governments everywhere are snooping on their citizens (and so are hackers and corporations). Your digital footprint is a valuable commodity. In fact, some VPNs will even sell user data on to third parties to take advantage of this!
Use the right encryption!
Our recommended encryption protocol is OpenVPN. This trusted and highly secure encryption ensures that you stay safe, private, and as anonymous as possible. Your ISP won't know the details of your browsing sessions, and thus be unable to pass that information along to your government.
Austrian servers
A straightforward consideration – but an important one. If you want an Austrian IP address, you're going to need a VPN that has at least one server in Austria. When you connect to an Austrian server, you'll be able to surf the web as though you were in Austria yourself, which is vital for anyone looking to access online banking accounts. As a bonus, your browsing sessions will be encrypted.
Unblocking content
VPNs are frequently used by people wanting to unblock international streaming services. A lot of these sites are geo-blocked outside of the region they're intended for, so you'll need a VPN to spoof your location in order to check out content libraries from overseas. Unfortunately, the days where any VPN could unblock US Netflix are over – Netflix has become incredibly adept at blocking VPN IPs.
Our VPN picks have no trouble accessing the site, however. You'll be able to tune into your favorite shows and movies in a few clicks, regardless of where you are in the world. If there's something more specific you'd like to unblock, it's well worth taking a look at a provider's server list to ensure it has servers in the locations you require.
Unblocking sports streams
Similar to streaming sites, sports competitions can also be geo-restricted and inaccessible to anyone living outside of the host country. With a VPN, however, you can easily spoof your location to Australia to check out the Australian Open, or to the US to watch the PGA Masters. The world is truly your oyster with a VPN, and you'll even be able to check out sporting events you might not have come across before.
It's also rather common to use a VPN to access BeIN Sports – the Middle Eastern sports package that many consider to be the most comprehensive sports offering in the world. You'll simply need to connect to a VPN server in the Middle East and buy a subscription to this astoundingly low-cost package to see for yourself!
Getting an Austrian IP – a step-by-step guide
A VPN is by far the best way to get your hands on an Austrian IP address – and you'll benefit from tons of security measures included in the subscription, too!
You'll be assigned a new IP address when you connect to a VPN server in Austria, and the VPN will also encrypt your traffic. Websites and streaming services will check out your IP address and be convinced that your device is in Austria, giving you full access to content that might not be available in your current location.
So, in order to get an Austrian IP address and unlock local sites, simply follow along with the instructions below:
- Pick a VPN provider – earlier in this article we listed five of the best VPNs for getting an Austrian IP address.
- Pick a plan and subscribe, make a note of your login information, and then download the corresponding software for your device. This is typically straightforward and only takes a minute or two.
- When your shiny new VPN is set up, you'll need to select a server – and you'll obviously want one in Austria! Use the world map or server list to find the server that suits your needs best.
- Hit connect, wait a moment, and you're all done! You'll now be able to browse the web as though you were in Austria yourself – and your ISP will be none the wiser!
Should I use a free VPN in Austria?
You could use a free VPN, but should you? Probably not. There's a huge amount of these free services available – you only need to open the Play Store to see – but just because they're there, doesn't mean that they're reliable, or trustworthy for that matter.
Try an appetizer
Typically, a "free" VPN service is the offshoot of a larger, premium provider. You'll be able to try some of the VPN's features without paying a penny. Some, but not all – and the provider will hope that you upgrade to a paid plan to get the full experience. You can expect to come across bandwidth caps, a reduced number of servers, and a measly monthly data limit of around 500Mb.
Obviously, this makes free plans less than ideal for anybody wanting to game online, join VoIP calls, or stream. In fact, most free VPNs struggle to access streaming services, to begin with. And if you do manage to unblock a streaming site, you could get halfway through a TV series when you hit your bandwidth cap – talk about a cliffhanger!
Avoid a scam
Whilst some free VPNs exist as a means to give you a taste of what a VPN can do, others are far more malicious – and unfortunately, these crooked providers make up the majority. You'll need to be on the lookout for any VPN offering a "free unlimited service" and avoid them like the plague. We've never come across a free VPN that actually backs up this unlimited claim!
The worst free services actually provide very little, if any, protection, and have incredibly concerning privacy policies. Critical leaks are common, and some providers can even install spyware and nasty ads on your device! You might wonder why – isn't a VPN supposed to prevent these things? Well, yes, but running a VPN service is expensive. Most providers use a subscription plan to cover their overhead costs, but these malicious providers will instead log your data to sell to third parties.
If you're after a free VPN service that can help you get an Austrian IP address, we'd recommend making use of the money-back guarantee provided by one of our handpicked providers. You'll find our top five picks above, and be able to use all of their features, with no limitations, or security concerns, and without risking your cash.
Are VPNs legal in Austria?
Yes, VPNs are legal in Austria, and you'll be able to use one without fear of reprisal. In fact, plenty of people around the world use VPNs – either for their own personal use, or to access company infrastructures at work. The right to free speech and free press is actually protected in Austria's constitution, too.
But there are still consequences to be had – even if they're not of the legal sort. If you're using a VPN at work or school, your superiors might not be all that happy if they catch you checking out a "time-wasting" site. So, be careful if you're planning a discreet midweek Netflix binge!
You'll need to be even more cautious if you plan to torrent in Austria. Piracy is illegal, and torrenting sites have been banned since 2018, and are now monitored carefully to prevent copyright infringement. Online forums might be under the impression that Austrian law enforcement "doesn't care" whether you download a file or two, but that's a risk we'd advise you not to take. Check out our "are VPNs legal guide" for more information about the legalities of using a VPN service.
What else can I unblock in Austria with a VPN?
When you install a VPN and connect to a server in Austria, the sites you visit will assume that you're physically there, too. You'll be able to browse the net as though you were in Vienna or Salzburg. With an Austrian IP address, it's possible to check out local services that might otherwise have been inaccessible.
These include, but certainly aren't limited to:
- The Austrian Netflix library.
- Access sport streaming services, such as unblocking DAZN.
- Local Austrian television – tune in to ATV, Prosieben Austria, ORF1, Puls 4, and more!
- Austrian banking sites – online banking sites adhere to strict rules of compliance, meaning that access requests from overseas could very well be flagged as suspicious. Trying to log in to your Austrian banking account from another country is risky, and you could be locked out of your account if you're not using a VPN to modify your IP address.
- German content – with most folks in Austria being bilingual, all it takes is a few clicks to switch to a German VPN server, and you'll unlock German sites and services, too.
- So much more!
Best VPN for Austria Conclusion
In this article, we have pinpointed the 5 best Austria VPNs of 2020! We tested and found the fastest, most secure VPNs with servers where you need them to unblock content around the world. Furthermore, we only included VPNs that are tried and tested among users around the world, to be sure that they comply with the highest standards of privacy and security.
For this reason, we are convinced that there is a VPN here for everybody's needs. So take a careful look to make sure you select the VPN that most suits you, safe in the knowledge that they are all world-class VPNs.
- ExpressVPN - The best Austria VPN. Offers blazing fast servers in 94+ countries, it's secure, and unblocks plenty; a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN - The best budget VPN for Austria. A great network of fast servers optimized for streaming and top-notch features, at an affordable price.
- Private Internet Access - The most secure Austrian VPN. It is a stellar choice for private streaming and gaming online β with a proven zero-logs policy.
- CyberGhost VPN - A beginner-friendly Austria VPN. It easily unblocks major streaming services, has excellent apps for all devices, and it's secure.
- PrivateVPN - The cheapest VPN for Austria. Unblocks Netflix, great for torrenting, offers a 1-click-setup and other great features for easy use.