These are the best VPN providers for Mac on the market today because each of them offers dedicated VPN clients that are optimized for macOS systems. Furthermore, they each provide world-class security and reliability, a large global network of server locations, and excellent speeds for Mac users. The best advice for anyone shopping for a Mac-friendly VPN is to read the fine print to see if it offers Mac serviceability and contact the company’s customer service department if it’s at all unclear.
ExpressVPN is a strong player in the VPN space, with a comprehensive number of servers across the globe, and a privacy policy that ensures users will remain anonymous.
Hotspot Shield is a hugely popular, fast performing VPN, with a strict ‘no logging’ policy, and affordable monthly plans for those that buy for the longer term. Concerns remain due to its poor performance on Netflix, as well as limited support for the less mainstream platforms such as the Chromebook.
CyberGhost’s VPN offering is a good service, with affordable long term plans, and up to 7 connected devices. Misses for the service include the lower number of platforms supported, and the super short 24-hour trial period.
If you're a Mac user then you are likely used to high quality software that just works, thanks to the way Apple operates. So you'll definitely want a VPN that performs in the same way, which is why you'll need the best VPN for your Mac – and for you specifically. So what exactly can a VPN do for you?
You may want to protect your data while on unsecured Wi-Fi networks, such as in cafes, hotels or airports. You may worry that your internet service provider (ISP) is logging your browsing history. Or you may want to evade geographic restrictions on streaming video or online games. A VPN makes it look like you're logged on somewhere that you're not, by bouncing your location around the globe, so a great tool in all of those scenarios.
But, of course, there are lots of VPNs to pick from. That's why we've tested them, narrowed it down to the best for Apple Mac specifically and popped them below. While ExpressVPN has taken the top spot there are other options out there with the best ones listed below in all their glory.
The best all-rounder for Mac speed, unblocking and security
From all our testing, we reckon that ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Mac and, indeed, for pretty much everything else. That’s all thanks to its superb speeds, excellent 24/7 customer service support and wide compatibility across devices. The dedicated Mac app is excellent since it's straightforward to use, looks great and offers more depth if you need.
The 256-bit encryption over OpenVPN UDP with a kill switch and split tunneling are great too as you know everything working in the background to keep you super secure and anonymous.
Customer support is admirable, which makes you feel right at home from a Mac. This is available 24 hours a day, meaning you can login and ask someone directly and get an answer right away.
The only negative we found was a limit of up to three devices using the service at once. But since you are primarily getting this for your Mac, and perhaps your iPhone, that shouldn't be as much of an issue anyway.
Another nice addition to this service is a 30-day money back guarantee. So you can basically try this for free for 30 days and if you don't like it you can cancel without having spent a thing.
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
This is very good VPN for both speed and affordability. So if you're looking to get gaming, video streaming or anything else that's bandwidth intensive for your Mac, this could be a good way to do it without breaking the bank. Thanks to over 2,500 servers across over 25 countries, 24/7 customer service and five simultaneous connections available at any time, this should cover most of your needs.
This comes with the Catapult Hydra protocol, which is the wizardry behind some of the fastest VPN speeds available right now. That should mean you have no lag while still getting that VPN security. Plus there's a 7-day trial and a 45-day money-back guarantee so it's well worth giving a try on your Mac.
Read our full Hotspot Shield review.
CyberGhost says it's created its software specifically for Mac, making it even better at giving the best VPN experience on your machine. Thanks to over 3,000 servers in about 60 countries worldwide you get a lot of power behind that software too.
Thanks to a lack of logging, killswitch, and superb encryption you can rest easy knowing you're anonymous. Plus this is great at automatically finding the best server to suit what you're doing, be it watching Netflix, BBC iPlayer or browsing the web. It'll even block ads for you, stop trackers and avoid malicious websites – keeping your Mac safe.
While this software and the VPN offering is fantastic, there are a few glitches still, like reduced speeds from clogging and awkward VPN navigation. But that should improve with time and software updates so this is still well worth a go on Mac.
Read our full CyberGhost review.
NordVPN is one of favoured VPNs in terms of security and speed thanks to its double encryption. That's a 2048-bit encryption, over 5,000 servers spread across 60 countries. This is combined with strong DNS leak protection, two kill switches and excellent connection speeds. That means your Mac should always going to be secure when using this VPN.
The VPN client itself is a little on the basic side on both Mac and iOS but that's a great thing for beginners. Plus it gives you the clean finish that means a very speedy performance. So unless you want very in depth features this is not such a bad thing.
Zero logging and a 7-day free trial make for a very tempting VPN offering for Mac indeed.
Read our full NordVPN review.
One of Windscribe's top features is a very generous free service that gives you up to 10GB per month making it a great way to try a VPN with your Mac account.
Of course if you want 4K video regularly you'll probably use that data up and need to pay for the full version. This also lets you connect as many devices at once as you like which is ideal for use across lots of gadgets besides your Mac. Most other VPN services permit only five at a time.
There's even a handy 'Windflix' location setup made for the ultimate Netflix experience. Plus, you can pay for a Windscribe subscription using bitcoin, email address free, making it ideal for the security-focused Mac user.
Read our full Windscribe review.