{
  "observed_at": "2026-09-12",
  "guide_path": "/guides/free-vs-paid-vpn-australia",
  "formula": "product_class = free if available == yes; no_free if available == no; unknown if limits.free_tier key missing; a trial is not a free tier; money-back is not a free tier; dual public copy is unresolved not a ranking; missing free_tier is unknown not unsupported; AU advertised exit is not data residency and not a documented free-server country; business free is not a consumer public-internet exit; same class is not a ranking; caps are integers not billed totals",
  "count_formula": "personal_free + personal_no_free = personal_classified; 5+7=12; business_free + business_no_free = business_classified; 3+1=4; 2+8=10 Windscribe GB with email; 7≠8 hide.me API Free hosts vs pricing locations",
  "au_on_free_formula": "au_on_free_pass = personal_vpn AND available == yes AND documented_australian_free_exit; unknown cannot satisfy; dual public is not a resolved AU exit; country selection paid-only is not an AU free exit; a business free plan is not a consumer public-internet exit",
  "hand_arithmetic": [
    {
      "product": "personal",
      "free_count": 5,
      "no_free_count": 7,
      "classified_sum": 12,
      "note": "5+7=12. Proton, Windscribe, TunnelBear, hide.me, PrivadoVPN are documented free. The other seven personal products are no_free."
    },
    {
      "product": "business",
      "free_count": 3,
      "no_free_count": 1,
      "classified_sum": 4,
      "note": "3+1=4. Tailscale Personal, Twingate Starter, Cloudflare One Free. NordLayer has no free plan. Not a consumer public-internet exit."
    },
    {
      "product": "windscribe",
      "gb_without_email": 2,
      "gb_with_email": 10,
      "gb_sum": 10,
      "note": "2+8=10. Confirmed email raises the cap from 2 GB to 10 GB. Australia is Pro-only."
    },
    {
      "product": "hide-me",
      "api_free_hosts": 7,
      "pricing_locations": 8,
      "note": "7≠8. Dual public Free host/location counts. Data cap is also dual public (unlimited vs 10 GB/month). Unresolved, not a ranking."
    },
    {
      "product": "proton-vpn",
      "devices": 1,
      "free_countries": 10,
      "note": "1 device. 10 random countries; Australia is not in the stored list."
    },
    {
      "product": "tunnelbear",
      "gb_monthly": 2,
      "note": "2 GB/month on the ordinary Free card. Country selection became Paid-only (Dec 2025)."
    }
  ],
  "assumptions": [
    "A trial is not a free tier.",
    "Money-back is not a free tier.",
    "Dual public copy is unresolved, not a ranking.",
    "Missing limits.free_tier is unknown, not unsupported.",
    "Caps are integers, not billed totals.",
    "Same class on two products is not a ranking.",
    "An advertised AU exit is not data residency and not a documented free-server country.",
    "A business free plan is not a consumer public-internet exit.",
    "ACSC Using VPNs (October 2021) is organisational, not a consumer free-tier list."
  ]
}