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Generally, Apple devices like your Mac include elementary security features and privacy tools, but these are barely enough to keep your online identity safe. Using a good Mac VPN significantly enhances your security against the latest threats the default Mac security may not even know about.
Nevertheless, Apple prefers to keep its iOS and macOS devices as independent from third-party apps as possible. Some of the best Mac VPNs are unavailable on the App Store, but you can still download some from their websites.
We tested dozens of VPNs for Mac to find the best services. We put each of these through a series of intensive trials meant to test their connection speed, robust security, streaming capabilities, torrenting features, ability to bypass censorship, and intuitive macOS app.
We compiled a list of the top 5 VPNs that passed our advanced testing with flying colors. These services work with both newer and older Mac models.
Not all VPNs run well on the Mac operating system. There are many technical reasons behind this, but suffice it to say that Apple likes doing things its own way. Moreover, developers tend to prioritize users of other operating systems, especially Windows and Android, because of their large user bases.
This complicates our quest for the best VPN for Mac. We want full compatibility without forfeiting top performance and features.
Fortunately, I’ve done the work for you. The VPNs below consistently deliver a great experience on Mac, including fast connection speeds, top-notch security, proven privacy policies, optimized servers in high-demand locations, and easy-to-use Mac apps.
Works with: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, routers, smart TVs, and game consoles.
Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and more.
Server locations: 94 countries.
Maximum simultaneous connections: Up to 8 devices on long-term plans.
24/7 customer support: Live chat.
Price: From $6.67 per month.
Money-back guarantee: 30 days.
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Mac because it delivers the complete package for both Mac and iPhone users. The provider has high-speed servers and excellent security features.
We were impressed with ExpressVPN’s privacy-focused approach. During our tests, we did not encounter any data leaks despite actively attempting to throw off the connection, meaning our private data was kept safe while surfing the internet.
Any and all VPNs will reduce your base internet speed due to the time it takes for your traffic to be encrypted and routed via a different server. That said, we barely noticed the difference while connected to ExpressVPN. We didn’t lose more than 10% of our base connection speed during tests, and the difference was even smaller when we used ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol.
The service uses military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, considered the industry standard and practically impossible to break through. If your connection is interrupted, ExpressVPN’s kill switch comes to the rescue—it completely blocks your traffic until a safe tunnel is established again.
And with the MediaStreamer feature, no Apple product is left behind, even those that don’t natively support VPN apps. If you don’t want to mess around with DNS settings for MediaStreamer, you can simply install the app on your router and forget about it. It’s a bit odd that split tunneling was discontinued starting with macOS 11, but it is available on Windows, Android, iOS, and earlier versions of macOS.
ExpressVPN has a stellar reputation for not compromising user privacy. It maintains an audited no-logs policy, which means it does not store user data or track IP addresses, so you can enjoy a secure internet connection without fear of exposing your information. The company is located in the British Virgin Islands, so it’s based outside the 14 Eyes Alliance and cannot legally be mandated to share data with other countries.
ExpressVPN is one of the best Mac VPNs for streaming. Its servers will quickly give you access to your streaming services whenever you’re out of town, want to watch another country’s content, or just want to protect your online identity. We accessed Netflix in seconds and streamed in crisp UHD without buffering. ExpressVPN also lets me access Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Channel 4.
ExpressVPN allows unrestricted torrenting on its entire lightning-fast server network, making it ideal for those who torrent frequently.
Is ExpressVPN the cheapest VPN for Mac? No, but quality has its price, and this price is well worth it. For as little as $6.67 a month, you get to enjoy all of ExpressVPN’s premium features and security. If you find it lacking, you can request a full refund from 24/7 live chat support, thanks to its no-questions 30-day money-back guarantee. We tried it and got a full refund in less than 48 hours.
Here are some of ExpressVPN’s other highlights that make it the best Mac VPN:
Works with: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, smart TVs, and game consoles.
Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video.
Server locations: 84 countries.
Maximum simultaneous connections: Unlimited.
24/7 customer support: Live chat and email.
Price: From $2.03 per month.
Money-back guarantee: 30 days.
With fast servers in 84 countries and all 50 US states, Private Internet Access (PIA) is a close second to ExpressVPN. Despite an extensive network that covers the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia, the service does not let down on speed. We enjoyed consistent speeds on all local servers we tested, which was refreshing. As with any VPN, the farther the server is from your location, the slower the connection will be.
PIA works with streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. While major streaming services worked without a hitch, we couldn’t access the UK’s BBC iPlayer or Channel 4.
PIA has advanced leak protection technology and uses AES 256-bit encryption. You can customize your level of security on Mac with settings like encryption level, port forwarding, multi-hop (routing your traffic through multiple servers), and more. The provider also offers an ad and malware blocker called MACE.
Despite being located in the United States, a region within the 14 Eyes Alliance, PIA keeps a strict no-logs policy. Its privacy policy was last audited on June 30th, 2022, by Deloitte Romania, an independent third-party audit firm that concluded PIA is genuinely a no-logs service. Its policy was also tested in US court—PIA had no user data to share.
We also like PIA’s intuitiveness. When we installed PIA on Mac, the interface automatically switched to dark mode according to our settings, but of course, you can switch manually. Its features are easily customizable, whether you want to switch protocols mid-connection or remember your favorite servers. There is also a snooze setting that can turn off your VPN connections at set times if you want.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective VPN, PIA delivers on all fronts for as little as $2.03 a month. You can take advantage of its no-risk 30-day money-back guarantee. We used it for 22 days before requesting a full refund via 24/7 live chat support. We got the refund in 3 days.
Works with: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, routers, smart DNS for smart TVs and consoles.
Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video.
Server locations: 9,300+ servers in 91 countries.
Maximum simultaneous connections: Up to 7 devices.
24/7 customer support: Live chat.
Price: From $2.19 per month.
Money-back guarantee: 14 days with the monthly plan and 45 days with longer plans.
CyberGhost VPN has unique features that make it ideal for streaming. It offers dedicated servers for streaming, torrenting, and gaming. We tried them all, and we were impressed with how well they performed.
We could quickly access our Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime accounts. It took a while before we could get Disney+ to work through a US server, and when it eventually did, the HD quality wasn’t always consistent.
You can expect incredible speeds from CyberGhost’s nearby servers. Our base speed only fell by 13%, on average, which is more than sufficient to binge your favorite TV shows. There are many P2P-friendly servers, so if you want to torrent for a while, it delivers on both the upload and download sides.
Great connection speeds and smooth streaming are not the only perks, though. CyberGhost VPN has solid security due to AES 256-bit encryption, an effective kill switch, and an ultra-secure network of RAM-only servers. In addition, its ad blocker, which also protects users from malicious websites and trackers, allows you to enjoy an ad-free experience.
The VPN offers three security protocols—WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. Unfortunately, OpenVPN is not available on Mac. To switch protocols on CyberGhost, you only have to click the settings menu at the bottom-left of the main interface.
You can get a dedicated IP address in the UK, the US, Canada, France, or Germany for an extra fee. Dedicated IPs help cloak your VPN usage by giving you a unique address that likely won’t get blacklisted as shared IPs might. You get premium customer service with the dedicated IP as well, so if you’re having issues accessing a site or service, you can reach out to the support team, and they’ll sort it out.
CyberGhost VPN maintains a strict no-logs policy. Deloitte last audited it in 2022 and certified it as a genuinely no-logs VPN service.
Like the other top VPNs, CyberGhost has 24/7 live chat support that you can contact to take advantage of the 14-day (monthly plan) or 45-day (other plans) money-back guarantee.
Works with: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, ChromeOS, routers.
Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+.
Server locations: 2,200+ servers in 75+ locations.
Maximum simultaneous connections: Unlimited.
24/7 customer support: Live chat, email, and phone.
Price: From $3.33 per month.
Money-back guarantee: 30 days.
IPVanish delivers on the major requirements for Mac VPNs. This might be the one for you if you want a versatile VPN service with unlimited device connections on a single account. We tried it out with 6 devices at a time, and it offered surprisingly good speeds through nearby locations. It didn’t do badly on distant connections, although some servers are better than others.
This Mac VPN may not have the largest server list, but the servers are owned by the company, not rented like those of most VPNs.
Bingeing videos on streaming sites with an IPVanish connection was better than expected. We unblocked Netflix and enjoyed uninterrupted streaming for a few hours. We could also access HBO Max and Hulu in a few seconds, but it took multiple tries to reach Amazon Prime. It buffered quite a bit when it finally worked, and the feed pixelated a few times.
We had a good torrenting experience with IPVanish, as it supports unlimited torrenting on all servers. OpenVPN was a bit faster than WireGuard for us while we were torrenting.
Unfortunately, IPVanish does not work in China. ExpressVPN is a better choice for Mac VPNs in China.
IPVanish uses AES 256-bit encryption to secure your traffic. In addition, you can use it with a SOCKS5 proxy, which makes unblocking restricted sites and hiding your VPN usage easier. During our tests, IPVanish’s kill switch feature was super efficient. It also has strong leak protection—no DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks were identified during our tests.
You can use any of the top-tier VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2, and IPSec. Overall, we had the best experience with OpenVPN, as it was faster in our tests and is generally considered extremely secure. As with ExpressVPN, split tunneling is not available for Mac.
IPVanish was previously part of a privacy scandal, as it provided US intelligence agencies with information on a certain IP. However, since then, the company has changed ownership and abides by a no-logs policy despite being located in the US, a 14 Eyes Alliance jurisdiction. The service has been audited multiple times by independent audit firms and has always passed.
The service is overall good value for money, as it delivers a user-friendly Mac VPN and covers unlimited devices for $3.33 per month on its 2-year plan. You can try it for 30 days and use its money-back guarantee if you don’t like it. Just contact IPVanish’s 24/7 live chat, email, or phone support.
Works with: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Oculus Quest, game consoles, and smart TVs.
Streaming services unblocked: Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, BBC iPlayer.
Server locations: 5,800+ servers in 60 countries.
Maximum simultaneous connections: 6.
24/7 customer support: Live chat, email.
Price: From $3.19 per month.
Money back guarantee: 30 days.
NordVPN is a fast and straightforward VPN service. Its Mac client is easy to install, and you can effortlessly customize your experience by clicking the settings menu on the left side of the user interface.
Like all top VPNs, the service uses AES 256-bit encryption and perfect forward secrecy, which changes your encryption keys every new session to reduce the chances of data breaches. Our DNS leak test confirmed the client did not leak any of the secured traffic. As with the other VPNs, the Mac client has a kill switch but doesn’t support split tunneling.
NordVPN does not keep logs, has a strict privacy policy, and is based in Panama, outside the 14 Eyes Alliance.
We had no complaints about the speeds we got with NordVPN. Our base speed was reduced by no more than 20–25% on nearby server locations. Its proprietary protocol, NordLynx, proved to be faster than OpenVPN and gave us the best overall speeds.
With NordVPN, you can unblock many streaming sites. We could easily access Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max. As usual, Amazon Prime wouldn’t budge on the first few tries.
NordVPN did quite well during our torrenting tests. That said, NordVPN doesn’t allow torrenting on all servers. If you’re a heavy torrenter, you’ll prefer Mac VPNs that allow P2P file sharing on all servers, like ExpressVPN.
NordVPN offers affordable long-term plans in three tiers: Basic, Standard, and Advanced. Basic offers the VPN with standard features. Standard adds Threat Protection, an antivirus and anti-malware feature that also filters malicious sites and trackers. The Advanced plan adds a dedicated IP address on top of Threat Protection.
NordVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 live chat support if you encounter any issues.
VPNs are just as essential for Mac as they are for other operating systems. There are several reasons you should use a VPN on your Mac:
Overall, a VPN can provide a layer of protection, privacy, and freedom for your online activities. This is especially important today, where online threats and restrictions are becoming increasingly prevalent on all platforms.
Dozens of VPNs for Mac say they’re the best, but not all of them are worth your attention. We thoroughly tested the top services for the following:
While the two VPNs below didn’t make our shortlist, they’re still good enough to consider in case none of the VPNs above seem to fit your needs.
PrivateVPN has some of the cheapest plans and is a good choice if you’re on a budget. It has over 200 servers in 63+ countries, all of them with uncapped bandwidth.
It offers good security, including military-grade encryption, data leak protection, a kill switch, and a feature they call stealth mode. This mode is supposed to enhance anonymity when you’re in a jurisdiction that closely tracks VPN usage, like China.
However, while PrivateVPN ticks nearly all the boxes for a suitable Mac VPN, its small server network can be problematic. We often had slow speeds on the servers we tested, possibly due to congestion. This affected our streaming experience to the point of being unusable. Browsing was fine, though.
You can try PrivateVPN and claim a full refund if it’s not for you since it has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark is one of the most secure VPN services available. It delivers military-grade encryption and loads of additional features, like IP rotation, camouflage mode, GPS override, 2-factor authentication, unlimited simultaneous connections, and more. We conducted DNS leak tests and confirmed it offers strong data protection. Value-wise, you’d be hard-pressed to find a service that can compete with Surfshark on features and win.
However, its kill switch isn’t customizable, and there’s no split-tunneling on macOS.
Nonetheless, the service has a 3,200+ server base in 100 countries. Most of its nearby servers gave me decent connection speeds, which made streaming on Netflix and other sites smooth.
At $2.39 per month on its 2-year + 1-month plan, Surfshark is quite affordable. It also has a free 7-day trial for iOS and macOS and the standard 30-day money-back policy.
Using a VPN for Mac is essential if you care about your online privacy and security. While Apple offers a lot to its Mac and iOS users, it can’t keep up with cybercriminals constantly developing new malware, trackers, and exploits. For that, you’ll need a high-quality VPN devoted to protecting you. You can also use a VPN to unblock regional streaming libraries, bypass censorship, and torrent without worrying about surveillance.
Our team of experts tested dozens of top services to find the best Mac VPNs. ExpressVPN stands head and shoulders above other VPN services with its strong server network, ultra-fast connection speeds, enhanced privacy and security tools, and convenient Mac app. We recommend trying it risk-free for 30 days.
Our other favorite Mac VPNs include PIA and CyberGhost, which both offer excellent features at good prices.
ExpressVPN is the most well-rounded VPN for Mac. It offers some of the toughest security and privacy while its entire network is optimized for streaming and torrenting.
Quality comes at a cost, so ExpressVPN is slightly more expensive than many other premium VPN services. Thankfully, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out and get a full refund if you're unsatisfied. We used the refund and got our money back in less than 2 days.
Yes. There are fully free VPNs, VPNs with free trials, and VPNs you can use temporarily for free before claiming a refund.
Fully free VPNs have many downsides. Some snoop on your activity and sell your information to third parties, while others are easy for cybercriminals to crack, making them a potential disaster for your privacy and security. Plus, they tend to perform poorly.
Some premium VPNs offer free trials, such as ExpressVPN's 7-day trial on mobile devices or CyberGhost's 1-day trial on any device.
Of course, you can also use money-back periods to try full-featured premium VPNs without committing your money to them. ExpressVPN and PIA give you 30 days to claim a refund for any reason (or no reason), while CyberGhost gives you up to 45 days. All the premium VPNs I recommended have trustworthy and tested refund policies.
An affordable long-term solution is a cheap plan from a reputable service like PIA or CyberGhost, which costs just over $2 per month.
ExpressVPN is the best Mac VPN in China due to its excellent unblocking and censorship-bypassing abilities. Some online reports are claiming it doesn't work as well as it used to in the region. While that may be true, you're still better off trying ExpressVPN first, as its competitors tend to do even worse at bypassing China's firewall. You can always get a refund if it doesn't work for you.
With ExpressVPN, you should be able to access Google, Facebook, and many other sites and services as though you were in a place that doesn't censor online content. The VPN's kill switch, called Network Lock, prevents your data from leaking in any case of connection problems, and its strict no-logs policy ensures nothing you do online is stored.
However, note that using an unapproved VPN service may be considered illegal in strict jurisdictions like China. We do not advise or condone any illegal activities, so please double-check local legislation and act responsibly. To our knowledge, there are very few cases of tourists being penalized for using a VPN in China.
Using a VPN for Netflix lets you access content libraries unavailable in your current location. In other words, you get tons of extra content from your streaming subscriptions by paying a small monthly price for a VPN.
Also, you won't be able to access your country's library on Netflix if you're on a trip abroad. VPNs help you access the content you pay for when you are outside your country, which is great because sometimes you just want a slice of your home.
Furthermore, using a VPN for Netflix can help you avoid throttling from your ISP.
ExpressVPN has especially fast and stable servers and a good app for Mac, making it a perfect choice for you to stream Netflix.
We highly recommend it. VPNs provide an additional layer of security and privacy to the existing security tools on Apple's Mac devices, making it harder for your online activity to be associated with your identity.
Especially if you use public Wi-Fi with your Mac Book, a Mac VPN can protect you by encrypting your connection and shielding your data from malicious third parties.
VPNs also have other benefits, such as granting you access to services and content from other countries.
Yes, you can. Many top-tier VPN providers let you use the same account on several devices to install the VPN on your iPhone, iPad, and most other devices. For things like the Apple Watch and Apple TV, you'll have to either use smart DNS, which is not as private or install the VPN service on your router to protect those devices fully while on your Wi-Fi.
ExpressVPN lets you connect up to 8 devices simultaneously on its longer plans, which is more than enough for most users. If you need more, I suggest PIA for its unlimited connections.
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