Best VPN for Mac: Reviews and buying advice for Mac users

NordVPN is one of the biggest and best-known VPN services. It’s a fully featured VPN option that’s secure, easy to use, and unbelievably fast compared to its competitors. There are cheaper options, with unlimited connections and more in-depth VPN features, but NordVPN is our top choice right now because it stands out in so many areas, from speed and privacy to unblocking and ease of use.

Nord has an up-to-date independent audit. It also has specialty servers for specific purposes.

There are more than 5,300 servers (none of which are virtual) available across 60 countries, which sounds great. You probably only care about the servers where you want to unblock content, but the more servers the better as it means you have a better chance of finding one that’s not overloaded. You won’t have to figure out which one to choose thanks to the handy ‘Quick connect’ feature that picks the server best suited to your needs.

Connections are fast and reliable, and NordVPN unblocks popular streaming services around the world including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. You can connect up to six devices simultaneously including your Apple TV.

Nord has added support for the faster WireGuard protocol in NordLynx, making it one of the fastest VPN services out there. However, it’s only available on the ‘IKE’ version of the app, which only offers a permanently enabled kill switch. To have more control, you’ll need to download the ‘OpenVPN’ version, albeit with slightly slower speeds.

5,300 servers

6 simultaneous connections

24/7 tech support

Kill Switch

Works with Netflix & other streaming services

Nord frequently has deals on offer that save money on the usual monthly price if you take advantage of the two-year plan. NordVPN offers three tiers: Standard, Plus and Ultimate. Monthly plans start at $12.99/£10.39, and you can get Plus features (data breach scanner and password manager) for $13.99/£11.19. Then the $15.99/£13.39 Ultimate tier adds cloud storage and insurance options. The two-year plan brings the basic price to (around) $3.09/£2.49 a month, while the Ultimate plan is (around) $5.99/£5.19. Prices change all the time though, so take a look at the prices and plans at NordVPN.com.

Surfshark is a great-value VPN that offers quite a lot features beyond the core VPN service for a low monthly price. SurfShark has more than 3,000 servers spread across 100 countries, making its network one of the widest and most varied of any VPN,

Its apps are easy to use and it reliably unblocks streaming services such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer. It’s missing the specialty servers offered by rivals such as NordVPN, who shares the same parent company, though.

Connection speeds are very impressive, and that’s thanks to the use of the WireGuard protocol. You really won’t notice any slowdown in your internet speed when Surfshark is running, so long as you have WireGuard selected and aren’t using servers the other side of the globe.

The company has upgraded all its servers so they run entirely in RAM, just like NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Running servers on RAM is better for privacy as data isn’t written to a hard drive. It’s also a member of the VPN Trust Initiative, while two-factor authentication (2FA) is a feature few VPN services offer. Being run from the Netherlands also means this is a privacy-friendly option.

The other reason to consider Surfshark is because it undercuts almost all of its rivals on price, yet doesn’t place any limit on the number of devices you can use simultaneously. Unfortunately, it can be pricy to renew once your initial contract runs out.

You can install and use it across many devices including your Mac, PC, Android and iOS devices, as well as browsers. It also supports multiple protocols (although OpenVPN is a little slower than we’d like) and excellent encryption, as well as a privacy-minded no-logs policy that’s regularly audited

There’s a kill switch and a Multi-Hop feature which routes your connection via two VPN servers for an extra layer of protection. However, there’s no GPS spoofing or split tunnelling on the Mac (the latter being very uncommon on Macs anyway). 

Servers in 94 countries

Multi-Hop connections

Unlimited simultaneous connections

24/7 customer service

Two-factor authentication

SurfShark offers three tiers of features at varying price points. The most basic option, aptly named SurfShark Starter, offers VPN functionality as well as an ad blocker and the option to generate a proxy email address and personal details for sites you don’t feel comfortable about giving your information to. SurfShark One adds email and payment detail breach alerts, as well as personal data security reports, antivirus and other malware protection, while the One+ plan adds data removal from company databases and people search sites. In addition to the VPN there are Alert, Search or Antivirus packages, that are available for an extra cost.

SurfShark offers discounted pricing if you sign up for two years, starting at around $2.39/£1.79 per month (this price changes all the time). Just beware that at the end of the period the price will increase unless you cancel.

Sign up to Surfshark here.

ExpressVPN is one of the most accomplished VPN services you can buy. Everything you’d expect from a modern VPN is here, including an effective kill switch, and impressive device support. There was split tunneling for app-by-app protection, but, as with most VPNs, that hasn’t worked since macOS Big Sur. It is extremely easy to set up, with quick access via the menu bar one of the highlights.

ExpressVPN has often led the way when it comes to security, but other providers are quickly catching up. It’s no longer the only one with RAM-based servers, while solid device and tech support are the norm whichever service you use. The company carried out almost a dozen audits in 2022, covering its apps and privacy policy

The Lightway protocol brings big increases to the speeds ExpressVPN is capable of, but its open-source technology many similar services will be able to make use of it. Many of these are significantly more affordable though, with ExpressVPN being one of the more expensive options here.

5 simultaneous connections

24/7 customer service

Works with Netflix & other streaming services

See ExpressVPN subscription plans here.

If you’re looking for a flexible VPN service that will get around geoblocking and is easy to use, PureVPN is well worth a look.

The basic plan includes the VPN service and nothing more, but you can add a Password Manager and File Encryption tools in the Plus plan. The Max plan adds a Digital Privacy Manager that requests your records be scrubbed by data brokers, blocks web trackers, and recommends ways to maximize your privacy.

Whichever plan you opt for you’ll be able to connect 10 devices at once. PureVPN will run on your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV, and is easy to use on each to let you connect to over six thousand servers.

As far as getting around geo-blocks, we found PureVPN to be as easy as any other service to use. Select a location, load your streaming service or app of choice, and you’re off.

PureVPN is registered in the British Virgin Islands, which is more privacy-friendly than Hong Kong where it operated previously. PureVPN offers one of the more impressive no-logging policies, with an ongoing “always-on” audit process whereby an auditor can request confirmation of that policy at any time.

PureVPN has been winding down its virtual servers, of which it has less control. There are still 23 such servers, but PureVPN is transparent about which servers are virtual and which are physical – you can see a small ‘v’ next to each virtual server on the PureVPN website.

You can also take advantage of the following:

Kill switch in macOS app

74+ countries covered

5 simultaneous connections

24/7 customer service

Works with Netflix & other streaming services

At the time of writing PureVPN is offering more than a whopping 80% off its plans if you sign up for 24 months. Two years is a long time in the world of VPNs, but at least means the full monthly pricing won’t kick in twelve months time. See PureVPN offers here.

CyberGhost is one of the biggest names in the VPN industry. It’s affordable and user-friendly, so is perfect for anyone using a VPN on their Mac for the first time.

Like certain rivals, it is constantly adding new servers and the current tally of over 7,000 in 90 countries means you should always be able to get a fast connection. And in our tests, we’ve always seen great speeds from CyberGhost, especially following the introduction of the WireGuard protocol.

CyberGhost is based in Romania, which is good for privacy. Deloitte has audited CyberGhost’s privacy claims and found no issues.

It was able to unblock every streaming service we tried including Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and ITV X (another UK-based service). You can use the service on up to seven devices at the same time

It works with phones, tablets, browsers and of course your Mac.

7,000+ servers in 90 countries

7 simultaneous connections

24/7 customer service

Kill switch

There are tempting deals on two- or three-year subscriptions–such as this 3-year deal, which currently gives you three months extra free. It is a capable VPN that represents very good value for money.

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a compelling VPN at a relatively affordable price, making it a decent option for the Mac. Since 2019 it’s been owned by the same people as CyberGhost and Express VPN.

It has an incredible 33,665 servers across 73 countries–that’s far higher than almost any consumer VPN service. Many of the servers are in the U.S. but you’ll find all the most popular locations. There are also virtual servers, so for example you can choose a virtual server in India, while an actual server in India would have to log user data.

Earlier in 2023 PIA removed its 10-device limit on subscriptions, meaning that there’s now no limit on the number of devices you can connect. 

Speeds are excellent, thanks to the WireGuard protocol. PIA also benefits from a kill switch, a feature that is sometimes left out of Mac VPN services.

Split tunneling, a feature that allows you to choose which apps are routed outside the VPN tunnel, is available. This is one of the few VPNS that offers this feature for macOS.

It allows you to access international versions of Netflix, as well as BBC iPlayer while outside the U.K. 

The service doesn’t log any of your details or activity, so even though it is based in the U.S., there’s no data to hand over should the authorities order PIA to do so. It now has had a reassuring Deloitte audit, which should make its U.S. location a non-issue.

33,000+ servers (RAM only)

Unlimited connections

24/7 customer service

Kill switch enabled by default

Split Tunneling

PIA for macOS offers a large number of features that are the same as the Windows version, including a kill switch, advanced split tunneling, an ad- and malware blocker, multi-hop, and support for OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols. It’s so often the case that the macOS version of a VPN has fewer features than the Windows version.

However, it’s not perfect. PIA doesn’t support IPv6 connections, which will be frustrating for some, but not a deal-breaker for the great majority of VPN users.

Nonetheless, PIA is a solid VPN service at an affordable price. A  two-year subscription works out at only $2.91/£2.37 per month. You also currently get two months extra for free.

ProtonVPN is an impressive VPN. It starts with a free tier with very limited features, is easy to understand, offers a collection of interesting features and great speeds.

The free tier has restrictions on the number of servers you can choose, and the speeds on offer though. You just get a choice of three countries (U.S., Netherlands and Japan) and speeds aren’t as good as the paid-for version. The free version may be enough if you just want an extra layer of privacy, for which iCloud Private Relay may be sufficient. If you want more than that, say to unblock Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and others, you will need to pay for it.

Those who pay for ProtonVPN get access to excellent speeds and can also use ‘Secure Core servers’ which route a connection through multiple servers improving privacy. As well as the standard options for connecting to the fastest server and a random server, you can create your own.

ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland, which has favorable privacy laws. Swiss law doesn’t require the saving of any logs, and won’t force ProtonVPN to spy on any specific users. The results of an independent audit by Securitum have been published online. ProtonVPN uses its own DNS servers to increase privacy. Proton’s also offers anonymous email addresses for signing up privately.

Other extras include NetShield with DNS filtering to offer protection from malware-infested websites, ads and trackers.

1900+ servers in 65+ countries

Use 10 devices at the same time

Includes NetShield malware and tracker blocker

Internet kill switch

One of the fastest VPN we’ve tested on macOS

ProtonVPN is an excellent service with fast speeds, the right privacy promises, a good amount of features including support for streaming services, and fair pricing. It’s well worth a look. Alongside the free tier are Plus (just the VPN) and Unlimited (a bundle that adds email, calendar and 500GB of cloud storage.)

If you aren’t a power user requiring a VPN for privacy and security, there are plenty of VPNs that will do what you need for less though. The high price is a big disadvantage here and the free version is too limited to be useful.

This easy-to-use, attractive, and uncomplicated app is a great option for VPN newbs. In addition to its straightforward and uncluttered design, FastestVPN also offers good speeds and a sufficiently expansive network. It’s icing on the cake that its privacy policy is easy to understand and makes all the right promises.

In our tests, FastestVPN maintained about 30 percent of the base speed across five locations on multiple test days, although there were some weak spots in Asia and Australia.

Supports 10 simultaneous connections

32 country connections with more than 250 servers

Internet kill switch blocks all online traffic if VPN connection drops

Despite it’s name it’s not the fastest VPN, but FastestVPN does make the right privacy promises in a way that’s easy to understand.

Hide.me is another VPN service that has improved considerably in recent years.

As well as offering a completely free version (which none of its rivals here do), it has also added WireGuard, which is considerably faster than other encryption protocols.

Other key features include a customizable kill switch and split tunneling. Hide.me is the only VPN to offer Split Tunnelling in macOS. They state on their website: “hide.me VPN for macOS supports split tunneling. You can configure it in the client’s settings.”

Hide.me also offers Stealth Guard, which stops selected apps from running without the security of a VPN connection.

It can unblock Netflix and allows you to access BBC iPlayer from outside the UK. There’s also solid device support, with up to 10 simultaneous connections permitted.

1900+ servers in 47 countries

Kill switch

Split tunneling

24/7 live chat

10 simultaneous connections

Free version

Malaysia-based, in recent years it has expanded the number of servers and doubled the number of countries it covers. Unfortunately the third-party audit hasn’t been updated since 2015

However, the user interface on Mac is a bit clunky, and we’re still waiting for an update to the 2015 no-logs policy certification.

VyprVPN offers everything most people are looking for in a VPN, without needing to spend much money.

You get fast WireGuard speeds, alongside separate protocols focused on reliability, anti-censorship and ease of use. It’s also excellent at unblocking geo-restricted content, whether that’s local versions of Netflix or BBC iPlayer & ITV Hub from outside the UK. Premium features such as split tunneling and a kill switch are here too, even if the latter can’t be customised. 

VyprVPN’s no-logs policy has been independently audited, and the service adheres to a strict Privacy Policy from parent company Golden Frog. More than 700 servers in over 70 countries should be plenty for most people, although there’s often only one per country. It’s also not clear which of these are physical and virtual.

Kill switch and split tunneling

WireGuard protocol means fast speeds

30 simultaneous connections

Works with Netflix & other streaming services

Nonetheless, it’s still speedy, reliable and affordable – especially if you don’t mind subscribing for three years. That 36-month plan will set you back just $1.81/£1.36 per month, representing excellent value for money.

See full VyprVPN pricing here

Malwarebytes, probably best known for antivirus software and advice, also offers a standalone VPN service called Malwarebytes Privacy. It’s an easy to use app with the right kind of privacy promises – as you’d expect from a respected name in security based in the U.S.

Offers 32 country locations

More than 245 servers

In our tests Malwarebytes was a mid-tier performer in terms of speeds, but it should be good enough for most casual users.

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN does a good job and, starting at $3.33/£2.50 a month for one device, the price is right.

Ivacy doesn’t have as many servers as some of the options here, but it is a well-established VPN service which offers apps for macOS, iOS alongside other devices you may own. Its network isn’t the largest, but still offers servers in all the countries you are likely to want to pretend to be located in.

WireGuard support is apparently coming, but for now the best speeds are via OpenVPN. It is headquartered in Singapore and hasn’t had its privacy policy independently audited.

Over 3,500 servers in over 100 countries

5 simultaneous connections

Unblocks local versions of Netflix and BBC iPlayer

Speeds are decent, and support is responsive via 24/7 live chat. And with amazingly low prices, it’s a solid choice. However, the Mac app is a pale imitation of the Windows version, with only one protocol available on Mac, plus you miss out on split tunneling and a kill switch.

Hidden24 is designed from the ground up to offer the ultimate in privacy.

There are seven server locations to choose from: U.S., U.K., Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden. Those servers run custom code, unlike most VPN servers which use open source software on top of Linux. Not even Hidden24’s staff can access those servers. Hidden24 also logs nothing. This is all great for privacy, one drawback is that you’re restricted to using just one device at a time. To get around that you could configure a compatible router with Hidden24 and connect all your devices to that router.

In our tests Hidden24 reliably unblocked Netflix, iPlayer and other streaming services which are available in the seven countries it supports.

7 servers in 7 countries

1 simultaneous connection

Unblocked Netflix, iPlayer and more

It’s a good cheap option if your priority is privacy over other features.