Best VPN for Mac

CyberGhost VPN is one of the top VPN services. The Bucharest-based provider designed the software specifically for Mac. One of its most important features is the strict no-logs policy, which means that no data is stored, including your bandwidth usage. Meanwhile, your privacy is further guaranteed with a 256-bit encryption.

It’s widely regarded as the best personal VPN for Mac because of its reliance on OpenVPN protocol – considered to be an optimal option in the industry. CyberGhost VPN has one of the biggest server bases on the market with over 5,900 servers in 90 countries. These include specialized servers for torrents and streaming with excellent connection quality. 

The software unblocks Netflix and other streaming services such as Hulu, HBO GO, and BBC iPlayer. Torrenting also works well and has stable speeds. In other words, speed loss is minimal, making this the best VPN for Mac torrenting.

However, this doesn’t come cheap. The monthly subscription fee is $12.99. If you sign up for the annual plan, the price goes down to $5.99/month, while the two-year package costs $3.69/month. The most affordable option is the three-year plan, which costs just $2.75/month and includes two free months. 

The monthly subscription comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee, while the other options give you up to 45 days to ask for a refund. A single paid plan can be used for up to 7 devices, which is slightly more than what other providers offer.

And although it’s costly, most users still acknowledge the software’s many impressive features and regard it as the best VPN for Mac and iPhone.

Much like a James Bond villain that sets up a secret lair on a remote island, ExpressVPN is safely nestled in the British Virgin Islands. But to those looking for the best VPN for Mac and Android, ExpressVPN is a hero and not a villain.

The software has a network of 3,000 servers across 95 countries. Although other providers, including CyberGhost, have more servers, ExpressVPN’s number is perfectly adequate. The software is fast with speed losses of no more than 5%.

ExpressVPN is perfect if you are searching for the best VPN for Mac and Netflix. It unblocks Netflix content restricted to certain parts of the world, giving you access to regional libraries and videos streamed in HD. The VPN is also ideal for torrenting and is compatible with Tor. It even has its own Tor Onion website – a rare feature for a VPN.

ExpressVPN features prominently on all best VPN for PC and Mac lists partly due to its impeccable track record on privacy. The provider operates outside the scope of Western intelligence-sharing agreements that tend to have implications for internet privacy. This allows it to adhere to a strict no-logs policy. The software also relies on the OpenVPN protocol and employs 256-bit encryption.

An obvious downside is that you can connect to only five devices with one paid plan, which might be limiting for some users. ExpressVPN also ranks as one of the priciest options. While the software is widely regarded as the best VPN for Apple Mac, a monthly subscription will cost you $12.95. However, if you choose the annual plan, the price drops to $8.99/month.

NordVPN is one of the best-known VPN providers, and for many Apple users, it’s the best VPN for Mac . 

It has one of the biggest server networks with 5,500 servers in 62 countries. The software comes with malware protection, making it a perfect choice for those that are looking for the best antivirus and VPN for Mac. Aside from having a strict no-logs policy, NordVPN has undergone several independent security audits that underscore its commitment to user privacy.

NordVPN has exceptional unlocking abilities and allows you to access geo-blocked content on popular streaming services, including Netflix, BBC iPlay, and Hulu. This is also the best VPN for Mac in the USA because it’s based in Panama and doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of American and other Western data collection agencies. Meanwhile, its download and upload speeds are consistent and usable. 

However, NordVPN is more expensive than most of the other products on our list. A monthly subscription fee is $11.95, but a three-year plan costs only $3.49/month. One paid plan allows you to connect up to 6 devices, which is slightly higher than the average among the competition.  The longer subscription plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to switch to other top VPN for Mac options if you’re not satisfied.

Mullvad is a lesser-known VPN provider with fewer servers than other products on our list. It has only 350 servers in 36 countries – most of them located in developed countries. But it can still be characterized as the best OpenVPN client for Mac because of the level of privacy that it offers its users.

You don’t need an email or password to access Mullvad. Instead, the software generates a 16-digit code that serves as your credentials for using the service. This is great news for users who are wary about leaving any kind of personal information online. 

In addition, Mullvad doesn’t collect or store any information about its users apart from the amount of time you have left on your subscription and the number of devices that you are connected to. A number of other features support Mullvad’s claim to being the best VPN for Macs including its use of the OpenVPN protocol and a 256-bit encryption.

The main downside is its inability to unblock Netflix. However, Mullvad works with HBO GO. As far as torrenting goes, all of Mullvad’s servers allow P2P traffic, and just like other best VPN providers, the software performs well on speed tests.

 Mullvad has a few more tricks up its sleeve. It grants you the option to install the Wireguard protocol, an advanced VPN protocol with improved cryptography. The software is also very affordable. The monthly subscription comes in at only $5, which is considerably less than many other VPN providers. Those who are in the market for the best VPN client for macOS and are especially concerned about maintaining their anonymity should definitely consider Mullvad.

SaferVPN is another smaller provider on our list that has a reputation for being easy to use and fast. We put it to the test to see if it belongs on the best VPN for Mac speed leaderboards.

SaferVPN gained popularity between 2014 and 2016. During that time, it provided free accounts to dissidents in Turkey, Iran, and Bangladesh as they grappled with government censorship online. This proved that SaferVPN’s software is effective and gave the company a PR boost.

One of the software’s main features is that it gives users the option to choose different VPN protocols. The protocols include IKEv, PPTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN. We suggest OpenVPN, which is widely regarded as the most secure. But you can also try others like PPTP for streaming or torrenting

SaferVPN might not be the best VPN for torrenting on Mac because only several of its servers are P2P compatible. However, the connection was stable and fast during speed tests on both P2P and regular servers, which is great news for any user planning to torrent.

SaferVPN unblocks Netflix, granting users access to HD streaming content. Many avid gamers consider this product to be the best VPN for Android and Mac and best suited for gaming due to its fast and stable connection quality.

Unfortunately SaferVPN does not have a vast server network, which means you might have to connect to far-away servers that could result in higher latency.

On the privacy side, it adheres to a strict no-logging policy, includes the kill switch feature, public Wi-Fi protection, and a 256-bit encryption. If you wish to add to your anonymity, you can pay for the service using Bitcoin. But SaferVPN is on the expensive side. A one-month subscription fee is $12.95. The monthly rate goes down to $3.29 if you sign up for the two-year plan. And while SaferVPN might not be the  best VPN for Mac users, it certainly has a lot to offer.

SurfShark is another provider based in the British Virgin Islands vying for the title of the best VPN for Mac.

The software has some of the most affordable plans on the market. The monthly subscription fee is the same as that of NordVPN – $11.95. But the truly economical option is the two-year plan, which costs only $1.99/month. If two years is too long for you, there are other offers with various discounts. So what is the best VPN for Mac? Well, affordability is a key aspect to consider when trying to answer that question.

But if you thought that affordability equals lackluster features, you thought wrong. SurfShark successfully unblocks Netflix US, UK, France, India, Japan, and Netherlands. This gives you access to almost all of the content that Netflix regional libraries have to offer. In addition, SurfShark’s servers are P2P-compatible, meaning you won’t have to switch servers every time you want to torrent. 

Any provider hoping to be the best iOS VPN has to perform well on MacOS, and SurfShark does exactly that. Meanwhile, its app runs smoothly and is easy to use. When it comes to the server network, SurfShark’s 1,040+ servers in more than 61 countries are pretty admirable for a smaller-scale VPN in this price range.

SurfShark also has multiple protocols available, including OpenVPN and Shadowsocks, which are based on SOCKS5. Besides the kill-switch option, which shuts down your internet when you lose the connection to your VPN, SurfShark also has the NoBorders mode. NoBorders allows you to connect to the VPN in countries where the technology might be restricted or prohibited and where other top-rated VPN  providers might not be able to help you. 

SurfShark might not be the fastest VPN around, but the speed test results show a reliable and stable connection. If you are on a tight budget, SurfShark is one of the best VPNs for Mac you can find.

Like some of the other entries on our list, HotSpot Shield initially gained global recognition thanks to political activists. During the Arab Spring protests, the VPN was used to circumvent online censorship. 

Today, the US-based provider is especially popular among those looking for the best free VPN software for Mac. But it’s not just its free option. HotSpot Shield is considered one of the best Mac VPNs in general.

The provider prides itself on its speed and for good reason. During speed tests, HotSpot Shield performed admirably without any noticeable loss in connection speeds. Of course, we can’t designate it as the fastest VPN around because some of its reviewed counterparts had similar results. But there’s no doubt that HotSpot Shield surpasses expectations.

Just like any other good VPN for Mac, HotSpot Shield unblocks Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. The high speeds guarantee quality streaming.

HotSpot Shield also has 3,200 servers across 85+ countries. It is powered by Catapult Hydra, a  proprietary protocol that is said to be 2.4 times faster than OpenVPN. 

This safe VPN for Mac comes with a password manager, malware protection, protection against identity theft, and robocalling. The software runs smoothly on Mac, and the company offers customer support via email and live-chat. It also adheres to a no-logs policy and allows P2P sharing.

Although the free plan comes with all the safety features, it limits you to 2mbps in speed and 500mb bandwidth, and you only have access to a single server, which is located in the US. Using the free version also means you will receive targeted ads.

A one-month subscription with this software comes in at $12.99, dropping to $7.99/month if you sign up for the annual plan. Those looking for the best VPN for Macbook will find HotSpot Shield an attractive option.

IPVanish was founded in 2012 by Mudhook Media Inc., a subsidiary of Highwinds Network Group. It’s a reputable commercial VPN used by millions of clients worldwide to protect their privacy and ensure safe Internet browsing. Hundreds of VPN reviews on Trustpilot praise IPVanish for its extensive network of servers, high-security measures, and zero-logs policy.

With an IPVanish account, you’ll be able to use the app for all your Mac devices. The configuration process is quick and simple, and the only thing you need to do is choose the connection you want to secure. Moreover, the app is available on other platforms, including Android, Windows, and Linux. The best thing is that you can connect an unlimited number of devices at the same time.

Although IPVanish provides excellent VPN Mac service, it isn’t available for old Mac OS versions. However, if you have OS X 10.10 or any newer version, you don’t need to worry. With 1,300+ servers in dozens of countries around the world, you can rest assured that you’ll always have a reliable connection.

IPVanish is especially praised for its zero-logs policy, which means the company doesn’t track your internet activity and collect information on how you use the VPN services. In other words, it doesn’t have any of your personal information to share or sell with third parties. This is the best VPN for iPhone if you want to protect your messages, emails, or any other activity. Also, you don’t need to provide detailed information to purchase this VPN. Aside from your name and payment method, IPVanish doesn’t require any other information.

Another special feature is the kill switch, which automatically disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN connection is interrupted for any reason. Once the connection with IPVansih is reestablished, you’ll be able to proceed with your online activity.