NordVPN is my top choice for Mac due to its premium features, including high-speed servers and tight security measures. You can only use NordVPN for free for 30 days, so it’s a great option if you need a VPN for just a few weeks. NordVPN has one of the biggest server networks with 5,200+ servers in 59 countries. Jan 04, 2021 Windscribe’s Mac app comes with a ‘Stealth’ connection protocol which obfuscates VPN traffic to bypass censorship. Testing Windscribe through our strict China VPN testing methodology and using our remote server located in Shanghai, we found that the VPN is a reliable option for connecting out from China and accessing blocked websites and apps, like YouTube and Instagram.

Finding a VPN for Mac ins’t as simple as it sound.

First off, many VPNs don’t have a standalone app for Mac devices. That means need to install a third-party software (like the separate OpenVPN client) and manually set it up. So instead of downloading a simple Mac app and getting connected instantly, you’ll have to fumble around with this complicated workaround to manually connect to the VPN.

A dedicated Mac app is just the beginning, though.

You don’t want to sacrifice speed for the security or the opposite. Many VPNs can be slow performing or simply leak your IP or DNS address. Mac VPN should use the latest protocol and encryption options, like OpenVPN and AES-256 bit encryption. Strict “no-logging” policies are acceptable. Otherwise, the VPN could track your activity and sell it off to the highest advertiser.

Finally, you won’t really be able to stream anything on Netflix or use torrenting unless your server speeds remain fast.

However, we’ve done the leg work and tested and reviewed over 78 VPNs. Below is a list of 7 best VPNs for Mac users in 2020:

1. NordVPN – Best VPN for Mac ($3.49/mo)

NordVPN is the best pick for regular MacBook users based on our tests.

The Mac app features a drag-and-drop map to select a new server location.

All 5,200 servers in 62 countries are also featured on the left-side menu. And it comes with a built-in kill switch that will automatically cut your connection if your WiFi drops (so your true location isn’t accidentally exposed).

NordVPN is available across Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux. Plus, about 40 other operating systems and routers. You can use up to six simultaneous connections at any time.

The industry standard, OpenVPN, is the default protocol on the Mac app. But they also allow you to switch over to IKEv2/IPSec if needed.

NordVPN is also the only VPN provider on this list that features both a double VPN and obfuscated servers. The Double Data Encryption wraps your connection in two VPN layers for additional security. While the obfuscated servers can help you bypass network firewalls, so it’s perfect for people with restricted access in your home country.

Their connection speeds are solid, too. We started off with a speed of around 98 Mbps (without a VPN), and after connecting to NordVPN, we averaged 74 Mbps. That’s still plenty of speed to get lag-free streaming on Netflix (no restrictions) or torrenting (on their specially-designed P2P servers).

But the best part about NordVPN?

They’re currently running a special where you can get NordVPN for just $3.49 per month with a three-year commitment. That’s massive cost savings from the $11.95/month normal price, so locking in that low deal makes sense if you’re serious about privacy and security.

Visit NordVPN.com to get the Mac app
Read more in our full NordVPN Review

2. ExpressVPN – Fastest Speed Performance on Mac ($6.67/mo)

The ExpressVPN Mac app features one-click connection that automatically joins the closest Smart Location.

These VPN servers are optimized to deliver the best performance out of the box. Just open the app, hit the “Connect” button, and you’re logged on in seconds.

If you’re trying to bypass local restrictions, you can manually select any international server directly from the main screen (without having to dig through countless menu options).

ExpressVPN’s Mac app isn’t just pretty to look at, though. It’s also blazing fast. We started with a 100 Mbps connection before logging in, and the secure connection only dropped the download speed to 83.15 Mbps. Barely noticeable!

ExpressVPN doesn’t skimp on security to deliver these speeds, either. They have a kill switch and anonymous IP address available for all of their 3,000+ servers in 93 countries. Netflix, torrenting, and P2P servers all worked like a dream as well.

We’re happy to report that their Mac app is 100% leak-free. And it defaults to OpenVPN, the best protocol in the world with rock-solid AES 256-bit encryption, while still offering access to SSTP, L2Tp/IPsec, and PPTP protocols.

As good as all of that sounds (and it is good), the major drawback with ExpressVPN is its price.

It’s more expensive at $6.67/month (for annual plans with our deal). All plans do come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. But this isn’t a wallet-friendly service for people on a strict budget.

Visit ExpressVPN.com to get the Mac app
Read more in our full ExpressVPN Review

3. Surfshark – Cheapest Quality VPN for MacBook ($2.49/mo)

The Surfshark Mac app has a “Quick Connect” button that will instantly get you on one of their servers within seconds.

From there, you can switch to any of the other 800+ servers in 50 countries or change protocols from OpenVPN to IKEv2/IPsec within about two clicks each.

Beyond Mac devices, Surfshark has prebuilt apps for iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, and routers (through OpenVPN).

Most of these apps have a kill switch, except for the Android version (currently in development).

Surfshark has a legitimate no-logging policy. We even ran their connection through five different leak tests and found that all of them came back negative.

I was able to easily stream Netflix on six different servers (from LA to South Korea). Torrenting and TOR are also 100% allowed.

The only slight hiccup was some speed inconsistencies. For example, our initial download speed was 98.71 Mbps. A Netherlands server was 25% slower (71.06 Mbps), while a U.S. server was 50% slower (48.99 Mbps) and the Hong Kong one was nearly 75% slower (25.74 Mbps).

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The sliver lining is that the pricing is the lowest we’ve seen from over 70+ different VPN companies. The two-year plan is only $2.49 a month!

You can sign up for the free 30-day trial to try them out. Then, if everything looks good, use everything from major credit cards to PayPal, cryptocurrencies, Dragonpay, Tenpay, and Alipay to pay.

Surfshark even throws in a 30-day money-back guarantee if anything happens during the first few weeks.

Visit Surfshark.com to get the Mac app
Read more in our full Surfshark VPN Review

4. ProtonVPN ($4.00/mo)

ProtonVPN’s Mac app features a giant map with tiny pins that highlight all 345 servers in 32 countries.

Thats not the largest number of servers, but it does make it easy to flip through them all on the map or menu on the left-hand side.

If you’re looking for an automatic connection, the “Quick Connect” button will log you on to a smart server ASAP.

ProtonVPN has a ready-made apps for Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux, in addition to DD-WRT, AsusWRT, and Tomato routers.

Even though the total server count might be on the low side, they allow you to connect up to ten devices at once.

The ProtonVPN Mac app defaults to OpenVPN (UDP/TCP) with best-in-class AES-256 encryption. Except, this is also the only protocol that they offer. So that might not work if you’re using older (or limited) devices like Chromebooks.

Fortunately, we didn’t find any leaks on this connection and Proton has a strict no-logging policy in place.

However, their speed tests left a lot to be desired. We started with the same benchmark connection speed as the others. Then, we connected to their servers in the US, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and the UK. Almost all of them were slow, killing our Internet speed anywhere from ~40% to ~80%.

We were able to stream Netflix on one of ProtonVPN’s Netherland servers, but the other four failed. They also don’t allow restriction-free torrenting, limiting you to certain P2P servers and reiterating that you should only be using them for personal (not commercial) use.

ProtonVPN’s main paid option (“Basic”) starts at $4/month for the year (with upgrade plans that get even more expensive).

All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, with a catch that your refund balance will be prorated based on use.

Visit ProtonVPN.com to get the Mac app
Read more in our full ProtonVPN Review

5. IPVanish ($6.99/mo)

IPVanish offers a fully-featured Mac app.

You can customize nearly anything on it. However, that also means there are more settings and options to filter through initially.

IPVanish provides access to over 60 countries and 1,200 different servers. And you can connect up to ten devices to these servers. The Mac and Windows apps do now come with kill switches, too.

You’ll be happy to know that IPVanish gives you access to OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP protocols. (Stick with OpenVPN and its bank-grade AES-256 encryption if you’re unsure.) They also have a SOCKS proxy server that gives you privacy without needing to download any app at all.

Our leak tests all came out clean. However, IPVanish’s history with logging gave us a slight pause. On paper, it’s a legit “no logs” policy. But in 2016 there was some news about their user data ending up in the hands of Homeland Security.

Only one of the four servers we tested with Netflix worked (Chicago). Though, they do highly encourage both torrenting and TOR.

IPVanish also delivered inconsistent speed tests. The EU (Amsterdam) server only dropped a little from ~100 Mbps to 82.67, but the US (New York) one fell all the way to 34.71 Mbps.

The best deal I was able to find was the $77.99 annual plan ($6.49 per month), which is still pretty high when you compare it to the top three cheaper (and better) options on this list.

If you’re interested, you can give them a go using credit, PayPal, or Bitcoin, and enjoy a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Visit IPVanish.com to get the Mac app
Read more in our full IPVanish Review

6. TunnelBear ($4.99/mo)

TunnelBear might have the most enjoyable Mac app out of all 70+ VPNs we’ve reviewed.

The visual interface shows you a little bear next to your location. When you click on a server location that’s close by, the bear literally tunnels to the new destination.

They’ve managed to make something as dry and boring as picking a server location entertaining. You could probably spend an entire afternoon clicking through each of their 350 servers in 22 countries and not completely hate it.

Besides the Mac app, this same fun plays out on iOS, Windows, Android, Chrome, and Opera. These come with kill switches, an anonymous IP, “Ghostbear” that will hide mask your VPN connection, and up to five device connections.

The Mac, Windows, and Android apps default to OpenVPN, while iOS apps get IPSec/IKEv2.

TunnelBear did not leak any data in our five tests, and they do not log any of your personal information, either.

But even though TunnelBear’s support claimed that their servers worked with Netflix, we weren’t able to successfully stream anything. Thankfully, torrenting and TOR are allowed.

The other downside was the speed decrease. Our 100 Mbps connection was quickly slashed in half to 52.26 Mbps on their EU servers, and it continued to get worse — a London server only managed a 7.54 Mbps (!) download speed.

TunnelBear’s lowest pricing is $59.99 for the year (~$4.99/month). However, instead of a money-back guarantee (there is none), they provide access to a limited free version for you to try out.

Visit TunnelBear.com to get the Mac app
Read more in our full TunnelBear Review

7. Windscribe ($4.08/mo)

Windscribe’s Mac client has zero frills.

Click on the icon at the top, and it drops down a few different server options.

That’s about it. No as much fun as TunnelBear, but it does exactly what it’s supposed to: connect you within seconds.

You can access over 480 servers in 50 countries on pretty much any device in your home, including iOS, Window, Mac, Linux, Chrome, Opera, Firefox, select routers, Amazon, Nvidia Shield, and even Kodi!

We did spot an issue with that server number claim, though. Their website listed New Zealand as a location. However, when we tried looking for it inside the app, it didn’t exist! So you might not actually get up to the 480 they’re claiming.

On the other hand, Windscribe did not have any leaks or logging in our tests.

Major protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and SOCKS5, are all offered. But you might want to switch the default IKEv2 back over to OpenVPN in most cases to get the strongest encryption.

Windscribe’s speeds let us down, getting anywhere from 56% slower in some cases (EU server) to 82% in others (UK).

You’ll have to use their special “Windflix” servers to stream Netflix (‘normal’ ones didn’t work). And you will also need to use special servers to torrent, too.

Windscribe’s cheapest plan comes down to $4.08/month for a year. They also have a “Build a Plan” plan that only costs a dollar per location. You can pay with credit, PayPal, or Bitcoin.

But if you think you might want to get a refund, you’ll need to do it within three days of purchasing the product and you can’t go over 10GB of bandwidth during that time.

Visit Windscribe.com to get the Mac app
Read more in our full Windscribe Review

Which VPN Mac App Should You Choose?

Unfortunately, not all Mac VPN apps are secure or fast.

Some “Mac” ones don’t even actually work on Macs without jumping through a ton of confusing, time-consuming hoops.

That’s why we picked out the top 7 VPNs for Mac devices based on our actual experience testing each one.

NordVPN comes out at the top of the list with a winning combination of strong security, tons of features, the most available servers, and affordable pricing.

ExpressVPN and Surfshark are a close second and third respectively. The first one will get you better speeds, but the second one is significantly cheaper.

ProtonVPN, IPVanish, and TunnelBear all have a few positives… with a few glaring negatives as well. They’re OK overall, but not anywhere near the top three.

And Windscribe had issue after issue, so we can’t recommend it at all.

Privacy is major concern and with increasing heinous cybercrimes, one has to be very careful while browsing Internet. To keep your online privacy intact and access websites blocked in your country, you can use VPN. With VPN installed on your Mac, you can hide your IP address and access blocked content easily.

VPN expands the horizon and expose you to wide variety of content, which you couldn’t access in your area. Moreover, it is an excellent tool which you help you to maintain privacy and anonymity when surfing the web. Most VPN are available at a minimal cost but if you are looking for a VPN app, we will help you with that. Before that, you need to know what a VPN does and how to choose best free VPN for Mac?

What A VPN Does & How To Choose Best Free VPN For Mac?

VPN acts much like a firewall and it enables users to safely access private network and make it easy to share data remotely via public networks. Mostly VPN services takes help of a desktop application that runs in background encrypting your data when browsing web. However, this is not the ultimate solution to protect your privacy, but just a part of it. Before choosing a free VPN for Mac, you need to consider a few things. Some of them are free bandwidth, major locations, P2P, ad blocking and more. We have listed some of the best VPN services for Mac, have a look!

1. CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN a complete VPN solution that allows you to access blocked site, stream sport events, play region locked games and more. Let’s look at the features of CyberGhost VPN:

• Connects you with everything keeping privacy intact
• It hides your Wi-Fi address, to make online browsing secure.
• Protects your online identity guards and secures your banking transaction.
• One tap protection to encrypt data transfer.
• Automatically connects you with the best matched server based on the location.
• Lets you enjoy your Internet without any restriction.
• CyberGhost VPN provides 24/7 customer support via live chat.

2. Surfshark

Surfshark is a secure VPN that provides private access to open Internet. This VPN encrypts all Internet traffic shared between devices. Plus, users IP address is also hidden so that nobody can track your online activity. Let’s look at the features of the Surfshark in detail:

• It gives a clean browsing experience by blocking ads, malware and more.
• It allows specific apps and websites to bypass the VPN.
• It comes with AES 256-GCM encryption to safeguard personal information from hackers and third parties.
• It offers camouflage mode so that no one including your Internet provider can’t identify that you are using a VPN.

3. Nord VPN

Nord VPN is one of the best free VPN for Mac as it provides secure and private network. Let’s look at the features of Nord VPN:

• It protects you while on public Wifi networks, annoying ads, secure your online activity from malware and other cybercrimes.
• It enables you to secure up to 6 devices with single Nord VPN account.
• It lets you enjoy your Internet with no boundaries, no matter where you travel.
• It secures your IP address so that nobody can track which websites you surfed and what files you downloaded.

Nord VPN comes with excellent customer service which are always ready to support every hour of the day

4. HotSpot Shield

HotSpot Shield is a secure VPN which comes with ultra-fast VPN servers which comes with military grade encryption. Let’s look at the features of Hotspot Shield:

• It supports all platforms, so you can download Hotspot Shield and access on whichever device you want.
• You can get secure access to Internet without being hacked or tracked.
• It hides your IP address, physical location of VPN server.
• Hotspot Shield VPN doesn’t log your browsing activity, so your ISP can’t keep a track of websites or apps that you use.

HotSpot Shield comes with Kill Switch protection which protects your identity if the connection is lost for some time so that you are not vulnerable even for a second.

5. TunnelBear

TunnelBear is a secure VPN that works well and provides private connection to less restricted Internet. With this free VPN, you can hide your IP address and location from websites, ads and hackers. Let’s look at the features of the TunnelBear in detail:

• It comes with AES 256-bit encryption which safeguards your personal information from third parties and hackers while using public Wi-Fi.
• It makes accessing emails, domestic news, favorite sites whilst travelling abroad.
• It limits advertisers from tracking your online activities.
• You get to stream faster with TunnelBear VPN and also you can avoid getting tracked by ISP.

TunnelBear is one of the best VPN software for Mac as it doesn’t log any activity of its customers and keep the privacy intact. You can also use TunnelBear against VPN blocking with Ghostbear feature as it makes your VPN data less prone to detection to ISPs, governments or others.

6. Express VPN

Express VPN is a high speed, easy to use and setup which makes best vpn for MacOS. It is secure & anonymous which makes it easier to keep you off the radar of hackers and privacy intruders. Let’s look at the features of Express VPN:

• It helps you to unblock the websites and apps across 94 countries.
• It has a huge network of more than 2000 global VPN servers with faster connections, unlimited bandwidth.
• You can use Express VPN service for Mac, iOS, Windows, Linux and Android.
• It lets you stream or download anything from anywhere in the world without revealing IP address to intruders.

Express VPN comes with 256-bit AES encryption, kill switch, DNS/IPv6 leak protection, and split tunneling. It comes with 148 VPN server locations in 94 countries with unlimited server switches.

7. VYPR VPN

VYPR VPN is one of the best VPN services for Mac which gives you Internet privacy and freedom to browse any site without any intrusion. Let’s have a look at the features VYPR VPN:

• It offers OpenVPN, Chameleon, PPTP and L2TP/IPsec, so you can choose your preferred level of speed, encryption and protection.
• It lets you connect to any VyprVPN server without any limitations, server switching apps, and download caps.
• Vypr VPN offers more than 70 server locations across six continents.
• When you connect to VyprVPN, your ISP can only see encrypted traffic.

Vypr VPN has NAT firewall to provide an extra layer of security. It has a support team which works 24*7*365 to help you via email or live chat.

8. Hide me

Hide me is one of the best VPN software for Mac if you want to maintain your anonymity and encrypts your connection. Let’s take a look at the features of Hide.me:

• It has more than 150 dedicated gigabit servers through Europe, The United States and Asia so that you can access websites securely.
• me manage and create without logging user data or activities. So, your information never goes to third party.
• It has various VPN protocols such as PPTP, SoftEther, SSTP, L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN and IKEv2
• It comes with AES 256-bit encryption with 8192-bit keys.

Hideme works on MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Routers, Linux, Smart TVs, and Consoles. It provides you complete protection against IPv6, IP leaks and DNS leaks.

9. Private Tunnel

Private Tunnel is one of the best free VPNs for Mac which comes with more than 50 VPN servers over 23 regions in 12 countries. Let’s take a look at the features of Private Tunnel:

• It masks your public IP address and encrypt connections to protect your privacy.
• It protects your network from online threats, reducing cyber-attacks, spoofing & DDoS attacks.
• It connects your devices to unrestricted access to websites and information.
• It provides 24*7 customer support online via ticketing system and chat support.

Private Tunnel comes with AES encryption, AES block size makes it less prone to attacks than others. It encrypts traffic, secure connections on Wifi HotSpots as well.

10. Windscribe

Windscribe is a secure VPN which unlocks all locations and comes with config generator. It secures your identity by hiding your IP and timestamp. Let’s look at the features of Windscribe:

• It has larger network which comes with server in over 55 countries and 100 cities.
• It has strongest encryption which has AES-256 cipher with SHA512 auth and a 4096-bit RSA key.
• It helps you generate OpenVPN, SOCKS, and IKEv2 config for all your devices.
• It blocks all connectivity outside the tunnel to avert all types of hacks and leaks.

With this VPN, your computer becomes a secure Wi-Fi router. You can change your time zone and access the websites blocked for your location. Windscribe blocks ads and trackers to ditch the hackers.

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11. Speedify

Speedify is yet another best free VPN for Mac which comes with bonding technology, which enables you to use multiple Internet connections concurrently to get maximum speed. Let’s take a look at the features of Speedify:

• You get better streaming, live broadcast without throttled Internet connection.
• You can set preferences rules for all the Internet connections individually to monitor usage.
• The server network covers 28 countries so that you get better connection on the basis of availability and latency.
• This VPN also improves latency, reduce lag for faster gameplay and trustable performance.

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It uses a ChaCha- or AES-based encryption algorithm, depending on device support to provide security. Speedify has no log VPN policy so nothing is traced or tracked back.

Is a Free VPN the Right Solution for Your Mac?

There are plenty of free VPNs in the market however, not every one of them work well on your Mac. You have to be very careful with free VPNs as they come with restrictions such as limited data transfer, pop-up ads, slow speeds and more. Although, there are other harms of using it such as planting trackers, intruding your security and privacy.

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Therefore, we have listed some of the safest and free unlimited VPN for Mac to help you maintain your anonymity and surf online without any restrictions and worries.