Best Mac VPN for 2024: Free & premium options ranked
UnsplashThere are loads of VPN services out there, with both free and paid options. But if you want the best Mac VPN, we’ve sifted through some of the best.
Not all VPN services are good, and most of them aren’t trustworthy either. Some keep logs of your data, offer slow speeds, and limited server options, while others are too expensive and lack extra features. We tested over 30 VPN services for Mac devices, both free and paid, and have listed the seven best VPNs you should be paying attention to, between both premium and free options.
If you’re not willing to spend money, the best free Mac VPNs are the way to go. If you’re looking for premium features and peace of mind, opt for the paid options, instead.
1. NordVPN: The best VPN for Mac overall
NordVPN- Price: $12.99- $15.99 per month
- Servers: 6000
- Third-party audit: Yes
- Streaming capabilities: Yes
NordVPN is one of the biggest names in the VPN industry for all the right reasons. Dexerto’s Joel Loynds gave NordVPN 8 out of 10 stars in their elaborate review, noting, “It’s the industry standard for a reason, offering excellent privacy options and features.”
With over 6,000 servers in a decent 61 countries, NordVPN ensures that you get a speedy server wherever you are. It’s also one of the best VPNs for streaming content. You’ll be able to unblock many Netflix, iPlayer, Disney+, and Amazon Prime locations. The basic plan gets you unlimited VPN and malware protection access. Sign up for the higher tier and you get password manager, data breach scanning, and even encrypted storage.
2. Surfshark: The best cheap VPN for Mac
Surfshark- Price: $10.99 per month
- Servers: 3200+
- Third-party audit: Yes
- Streaming capabilities: Yes
Surfshark costs less than our top pick but offers features that are on par with it. Surfshark comes with a solid app that provides an intuitive user experience and offers all the essential features, such as AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, split tunneling, and more.
The VPN service allows you to connect as many devices as you want to one plan. This means you can have one plan for your Mac, but also use the VPN on your iPhone or the best Android phone.
3. Mullvad: The most secure VPN for Mac
Mullvad- Price: $5.46 per month
- Servers: 637
- Third-party audit: Yes
- Streaming capabilities: Yes
“You don’t need heavy marketing if your product is strong.” Mullvad proves this fact holds true. You won’t hear much noise about Mullvad on the internet. It won’t really pop up on your social media feeds or while watching YouTube videos. But it’s by far the most secure VPN for Mac or any other device.
It goes out of its way to ensure you remain anonymous. For instance, the payment method also involves paying in cash. You will be assigned a random account number. You can write that number on a piece of paper, put it in an envelope with cash, and mail it to the company. So, if you want to remain on the down-low, this might be the best option for you.
4. ExpressVPN: The most accessible Mac VPN
ExpressVPN- Price: $12.95 per month
- Servers: 3000+
- Third-party audit: Yes
- Streaming capabilities: Yes
ExpressVPN is a solid VPN service that gives NordVPN a run for its money. It comes with a wide number of servers and fast speeds. Its apps are easy to use and almost identical across various platforms. You can cover not only your PC, Mac, iPhone, or Android but also your router, Chromebook, Linux PC, Fire TV Stick, and more. It lets you connect up to 8 devices simultaneously.
5. ProtonVPN: The best free VPN for Mac
ProtonVPN- Price: Free
- Servers: 3 on the free plan.
- Third-party audit: Yes
- Streaming capabilities: Yes
ProtonVPN is the best free VPN we have tested. Not just for Mac but any other device that lets you connect to a VPN. It topped our best VPN for iPhone list and also the best VPN for Android list. ProtonVPN offers unlimited bandwidth without capping the speed. There are no ads on the service and it doesn’t require you to add your card details before signing up.
The speed provided by ProtonVPN is satisfactory. While it may not be the top performer, it is sufficient for most tasks. The VPN service offers access to three complimentary servers and guarantees not to retain any of your online data, including browsing history, IP addresses, and geographic location.
6. HotSpot Shield: The fastest free VPN
Hotspot Shield- Price: Free
- Servers: 4
- Third-party audit: No
- Streaming capabilities: No
Free VPNs don’t offer the best speed but HotSpot Shield is an exception. In our testing, it offered a speed comparable to some paid VPNs. Of course, it’s not as fast as NordVPN. But it’s better than any other free VPN app. We were able to play videos without buffering, download files, and do clear video calls.
One thing we didn’t like about HotSpot Shield was the abundance of ads. There are so many of them. Want to connect to a server? Watch an ad. Want to use the VPN for more than 15 minutes? Watch an ad. Need more data? More ads. Ads keep the service afloat and free, so we don’t really blame them.
You get access to four servers with HotSpot Shield and don’t need to enter any personal details to sign up. We weren’t able to unblock Netflix content from other regions, though.
7. Windscribe: The best free Mac VPN with the most servers
WindScribe- Price: Free
- Servers: 11
- Third-party audit: No
- Streaming capabilities: No
Windscribe’s free VPN will grant you access to multiple servers. It’s one of the best Mac VPNs because you receive premium features and a decent speed. You can also connect to servers in 11 countries, including Canada, the USA, Turkey, Hong Kong, and Germany. However, you only get 10GB of free data per month. It provides access to tools to block malware, ads, trackers, adult sites, gambling sites, and even clickbait articles.
What we liked most about Windscribe is its ad-free interface. You’ll find no ads on the app, even if you connect for a long period of time. We weren’t able to unblock streaming content using the service.
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