Ranked for privacy Facts checked 17 Oct 2026 Scores recalculated live
Best VPN for New Zealand
New Zealand blocks almost nothing, but a government-run filter offered to ISPs screens child-abuse sites, and online harassment of journalists is rising.
Top pick right now
Proton VPN 94/100
No-logs claims checked by Securitum (Aug 2025).
Why you'd use a VPN in New Zealand
A voluntary state filter
The Department of Internal Affairs runs the Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System, which is available voluntarily to all NZ internet providers. [1]
Open, with pressure on media
RSF ranks New Zealand 22nd of 180 in 2026 and notes increasing online harassment, especially of women journalists. [2]
Is a VPN legal in New Zealand? Legal. VPNs are legal.
The top 3 for New Zealand
Full ranking of the 6 VPNs we track
| # | VPN | Score | Connects here | Visitor reports | Website (OONI) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proton VPN | 94/100 | Connects | Not enough yet | Website loads 105 tests | Try Proton VPN |
| 2 | ExpressVPN | 86/100 | Connects | Not enough yet | Too few tests | Try ExpressVPN |
| 3 | NordVPN | 86/100 | Connects | Not enough yet | Website loads 108 tests | Try NordVPN |
| 4 | Private Internet Access | 79/100 | Connects | Not enough yet | Too few tests | Try Private Internet Access |
| 5 | Surfshark | 77/100 | Connects | Not enough yet | Website loads 102 tests | Try Surfshark |
| 6 | CyberGhost | 66/100 | Connects | Not enough yet | Too few tests | Try CyberGhost |
"Connects here" comes from our New Zealand status page. Visitor reports count the last 14 days. Website checks come from OONI measurements over 30 days, refreshed 19 Oct 2026; a blocked website doesn't mean the app is blocked, but you'll need to install the app another way.
How we scored
Nobody pays for a position here. Each VPN gets a score out of 100 from these weights, chosen because the main reason to use a VPN in New Zealand is privacy:
- Privacy & audits
- 55%
- Stealth / obfuscation
- 10%
- Streaming
- 10%
- Connects in this country
- 10%
- Visitor reports
- 15%
Feature ratings are our editorial scores. If a VPN has too few visitor reports, that weight is shared among the other factors. A VPN that doesn't connect here is capped at 35. How we track
Questions people ask
What is the best VPN for New Zealand?
On our current scores, Proton VPN (94/100), followed by ExpressVPN (86) and NordVPN (86). Scores weigh privacy most heavily for New Zealand and update as visitors there report what works.
Is using a VPN legal in New Zealand?
Legal. VPNs are legal.
Do all VPNs work in New Zealand?
All six VPNs we track connect normally in New Zealand. The differences are in streaming, privacy and speed.
Why does this ranking change?
Part of each score comes from visitor reports in the last 14 days and from whether each VPN currently connects in the country. When those change, the order changes. The formula is shown on the page.
Sources
We earn a commission if you buy a VPN through our links. It never changes what we report as blocked. How we pick