Best VPN for Mac: Here’s Our Top 5 in 2024

While macOS is inherently more secure than its Windows counterpart, you can never rely on its security measures to keep you safe online. Once you venture onto the internet, though, its security is quickly compromised and you’re left at the mercy of your ISP, hackers, and snoopers.

This is one of the reasons why you should look for the best VPN for Mac. With its ability to encrypt your connection and hide your IP, you can browse the web anonymously. Moreover, a VPN for Mac is a great tool for bypassing online geo-blocks.

Thus, it ensures that you enjoy limitless streaming and get the most out of the internet. Undoubtedly, this all sounds great but not every provider will give you these benefits. For that reason, we decided to give you our top 5 best Mac VPN services in 2024.

The best VPN for Mac in 2024 :

1. ExpressVPN
2. CyberGhost VPN
3. NordVPN
4. Surfshark VPN
5. Proton VPN

See details below.

Best VPN for macOS – The Top 5 Choices in 2024

Before we move on to the list, we must point out that today’s choices will be premium ones. In other words, we are not going to talk about the best free VPN for Mac. Because of their limits, they won’t give you the best experience and we suggest avoiding them.

However, the providers we’ll give you are really affordable. So, for a few bucks a month, you can get the best VPN for Mac in 2024 that includes:

1. ExpressVPN

If you need the best VPN for macOS in 2024, look no further than ExpressVPN. This VPN has the easiest-to-use app for Mac that even the most hardcore beginners will love thanks to its minimalistic design. But what about its capabilities, though?

Well, let’s start with the server list. There are 3,000 of them in 105 countries, which is already impressive. ExpressVPN is known for offering the fastest speeds as well, but not as much as focusing on the security and privacy of its user base.

Therefore, Mac users can enjoy 256-bit AES encryption, a reliable kill switch, and IPv6 leak protection. Moreover, ExpressVPN gives you the option of using split tunneling and its Lightway protocol which promises much faster speeds and rock-solid security.

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, which is the most privacy-friendly jurisdiction. Since the company isn’t obligated to store any logs, it isn’t going to do so and its no-logging policy is audited by PwC/KPMG/Cure53 several times, making it a great option for anonymous browsing.

Apart from its security, macOS users can enjoy countless other benefits. For instance, if you love streaming, this is the best choice on the list. It works with at least 10 Netflix libraries and lets you unblock BBC iPlayer, Prime Video, Disney+, and Hotstar if you want.

Its Mac app also gives you a handy speed test feature. It lets you speed-test each server to get the fastest speeds for maximum performance. Moreover, ExpressVPN supports all major platforms, so you don’t need to use it only on your Mac computer.

While 5 simultaneous connections aren’t anything to write home about, you’ll surely appreciate its round-the-clock 24/7 live chat support.

Love discounts? Take advantage of the latest promotions at ExpressVPN and save money today!

Sure, it’s more expensive than some of its rivals, but ExpressVPN has no noticeable downsides. After all, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans, so you can test it out risk-free and get its cheapest deal through the button below.

Check Out ExpressVPN

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2. CyberGhost

A much more affordable Mac VPN in 2024 is CyberGhost. Unsurprisingly, it’s among the best VPNs for macOS due to its good-looking app that’s relatively easy to use once you get used to it. However, Mac users will quickly get into it, after which, they’ll enjoy multiple benefits.

Despite being among the cheapest providers on this list, it packs a whopping 11,600+ servers in 100 countries. This is already impressive on its own and guarantees that you’ll always find a server with decent performance and speed.

Sure, CyberGhost isn’t faster than ExpressVPN but saying that its performance is bad would be a complete lie. Where I won’t lie to you is when talking about security. This VPN packs bank-grade encryption along with DNS leak protection, an ad-blocker, and a kill switch.

WireGuard support is also here, but if you want, you can use OpenVPN as your main protocol. Since the VPN is based in Romania, privacy is pretty much guaranteed. CyberGhost indeed stores no logs and its privacy-friendly jurisdiction will never force it to do so.

This is proven by its transparency reports published every 3 months as well as a recent audit from Deloitte, which makes CyberGhost a really trustworthy choice. On Windows, the VPN gives you torrenting servers which you don’t get on macOS. However, you still get streaming servers for unblocking various platforms.

CyberGhost, therefore, works with Netflix and BBC iPlayer, letting you unblock other geo-blocked platforms and TV channels in the process. Once you do that, you’ll be able to enjoy smooth Full HD streaming with no excessive buffering. For this reason, it is a very good VPN for travel.

The VPN didn’t skimp on its device support. As a result, you can use it on 7 devices simultaneously and install it on Windows, Android, iOS, Linux… It’s also one of the best VPNs for Apple TV. The only downside is that it doesn’t work in China as ExpressVPN and NordVPN do.

However, it offers pretty much the cheapest prices on the market, along with a 45-day money-back guarantee for all long-term plans. Therefore, if you’re interested, you can test it out for 45 days and claim its cheapest deal below.

Get CyberGhost for macOS

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3. NordVPN

One of our favorite Mac VPNs is NordVPN and there are many reasons for that. First, the VPN is extremely easy to use on macOS, with a beautiful-looking application. Its world map lets you connect to a specific server quickly, all while its server list resides on the left-hand side.

Speaking of which, NordVPN packs 6,100+ servers in 60+ countries, with a substantial amount of dedicated servers. Namely, you get Double VPN servers for doubling your encryption, as well as obfuscated servers which makes it an excellent VPN to bypass Chinese censorship.

I also like Onion over VPN servers that you can combine with Tor and browse the dark web anonymously. Security-wise, NordVPN disappoints no one. I mean, it secures your connection with 256-bit encryption backed up by a kill switch, IP/DNS leak protection, and CyberSec, an ad-blocker.

Users will also like its NordLynx proprietary VPN protocol. It makes NordVPN blazing-fast, offering stronger security and more stable connections. Mac users will like its certified no-logs policy, too. This means that it’s guaranteed that NordVPN stores zero logs of its users!

One more thing Mac users will like is its exceptional streaming capabilities. Even though it doesn’t have streaming servers per se, NordVPN works with Netflix US and Canada but also a few more catalogs. What about other platforms?

Well, it’s safe to say that it works with BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, and dozens more. This makes NordVPN an extremely attractive option for streaming-oriented macOS users. Apart from being my favorite VPN for Mac, NordVPN works with any other platform you can think of.

Plus, it gives you 6 simultaneous connections on one account, along with 24/7 live chat support. This VPN doesn’t have any noticeable downsides, which is great. Apart from value-added taxes in the US and some European countries, and the lack of transparency reports, NordVPN is pretty much con-free.

Oh, and it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans, along with the cheapest prices that you can get by using the button below. By using it, you can get one of the best Mac VPNs and save a LOT of money on a long-term plan of this amazing provider!

Get NordVPN for Mac

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4. Surfshark

macOS users have probably heard of Surfshark as being one of the top-rated VPNs for Mac in 2024. Indeed, that is the case, given its easy-to-use app for Mac that works flawlessly. On top of that, you can switch from a dark and light theme to further customize its look and feel.

Looks and feels aren’t everything that Surfshark offers, though. Should you get it, you’ll be able to enjoy 3,200 servers in 100 countries that offer solid, albeit not the best speeds. Still, the VPN will give you stable connections across the board, which is mandatory for a great experience.

Similar to other providers, it’s based in a privacy-friendly country like the Netherlands. As a result, it comes with an audited no-logs policy which is only the tip of the iceberg. Underneath, Surfshark offers 256-bit encryption, a reliable kill switch, and CleanWeb, which is a great ad blocker.

We especially like its WireGuard support on macOS but also a bonus suite of features that you can buy in a separate Surfshark One subscription plan. If you do it, you’ll even get Surfshark’s antivirus and true incognito mode for 100% anonymous browsing adventures.

MultiHop servers are here, too, routing your traffic through multiple servers for added security. And if security isn’t your primary concern, know that Surfshark is extremely capable of streaming. With it, you can unblock Netflix US and Japan effortlessly.

Despite its affordable price, Surfshark offers carefully crafted apps for all platforms. So, apart from macOS, it’s usable on Smart TVs, routers, Firestick TV, Android, Windows, iOS, and Linux. The highlight of Surfshark is the unlimited number of simultaneous connections.

This means that, with only ONE subscription, you can protect as many devices as you want at the same time! Not to mention its premium 24/7 live chat support that works day and night and fixes any potential issues in no time.

Surfshark is almost as cheap as CyberGhost and it gives you a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans. Hence, you can use the button below to get the cheapest deal on Surfshark and enjoy what the VPN has to offer limitlessly!

Visit Surfshark

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5. ProtonVPN

If safety and security are your priorities, ProtonVPN is one of the top VPNs for Mac in 2024. Sure, it’s a bit more expensive but we must praise its Mac app that looks and functions phenomenally. It’s also feature-rich and offers easy access to its functionalities.

You’ll agree that its server fleet of 3,700+ servers in 80+ countries is impressive as well. However, ProtonVPN’s forte lies in rock-solid encryption that protects your connection from prying eyes. Furthermore, the VPN offers a surprisingly decent kill switch that will prevent your IP and DNS from leaking.

An ad-blocker (NetShield) is here, too, and you can enjoy its WireGuard/OpenVPN support. Much like NordVPN and Surfshark, ProtonVPN offers Secure Core servers for routing your traffic through multiple servers for added encryption.

Being based in Switzerland, ProtonVPN enjoys Swiss stern privacy laws. As a consequence, it has a no-logging policy verified by SEC Consult, proving that ProtonVPN is a true no-logs provider, akin to ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and NordVPN.

Admittedly, ProtonVPN isn’t very fast compared to ExpressVPN, for example. Although, in its paid plans, it works with Netflix, where you’ll still get a decent HD streaming experience. On macOS, torrenting isn’t possible but if you use it on Windows, you can enjoy full P2P support as well.

Now that I mentioned paid plans, ProtonVPN offers a free plan with unlimited bandwidth. It’s very limited, though, so we recommend going for its paid options. In that case, you’ll get 10 simultaneous connections along with somewhat decent device support.

We don’t like that the VPN doesn’t have 24/7 live chat support and its router compatibility is absent. However, if you don’t intend on using it on many devices and you aren’t the most demanding user, this is a very good VPN for Mac.

Despite its expensive prices, you can get its cheapest deal below and claim a 30-day money-back guarantee in the process. The refund policy applies to ALL plans so if you’re dissatisfied, getting your money back is more than simple. Sounds fair? I would say so!

Visit ProtonVPN

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How Did We Choose the Best Mac VPNs?

Our list of the 5 best-rated Mac VPNs wasn’t randomly generated – or God forbid, using AI! 01net’s team of experts tested each carefully, and through the process, we used several criteria that include:

• Mac support. All VPNs work on macOS, no matter the system version you’re on. Their optimization is top-notch and all of them will work on any other system as well.
• Privacy and security. None of the VPNs store logs, ensuring you remain private amidst government and ISP surveillance. Their security features are ubiquitous and Mac VPN users will enjoy a kill switch, Private DNS, IP leak protection, and modern protocols.
• Streaming. We know macOS users love watching Netflix and Hulu – many other platforms too. Well, our VPNs can unblock geo-restricted content in a split second. Connect to a corresponding server and start watching!
• Affordability. Have you noticed how cheap our VPNs are? That’s because they offer special discounts through our site that will lower their prices significantly. CyberGhost, one of the most attractive VPNs, costs just below $2.3 a month.
• Ease of use. We all want easy-to-use VPNs and our team knew that from the get-go. That’s why we included VPNs with one-click connections that’ll provide privacy from the moment you connect. Not to mention their simultaneous connections that go from 6 to unlimited for added convenience.

Why You Should Absolutely Use the Best VPN for Mac?

A Virtual Private Network offers many benefits to a user, regardless of the platform. But if you’re using a Mac computer, how can you utilize the best VPN for Mac in 2024?

Well, here are some of my favorite use cases:

Staying Safe & Secure Online

The first and most important thing about a VPN for macOS is security. As said, this tool will encrypt your connection, change your original IP, and make your online activities invisible to your ISP, authorities, and hackers.

As a result, you can browse the web anonymously and do whatever you want online, with no limits. Remember that your ISP monitors your activities all the time, and with your IP address exposed, it can always see exactly what you’re doing on the internet.

Needless to say, these privacy-intrusive practices are not pleasant once you find out about them. Thankfully, with our VPN services for Mac, you can avoid them altogether simply by connecting to one of many servers.

Enjoying Unlimited Streaming

By connecting to particular servers, you can also enjoy unlimited streaming on your MacBook. Geo-restrictions are pretty common online and they prevent you from accessing certain content based on your geographical location

This is the case with Netflix. It offers different libraries in different countries, so not all users get the same experience. Usually, the best catalogs are Netflix US, Japan, and Canada, which only users in these countries can access.

If you use the best macOS VPN, you can remedy this issue easily. Once you get an IP address from any of these countries, you can access these libraries wherever you’re located legally. This applies to other streaming platforms, too!

Therefore, you can use a VPN to watch BBC outside the UK, Hotstar outside of India, and so on. The same applies to foreign TV channels that are easily accessible through a VPN, despite the annoying geo-restrictions that you would usually encounter. This allows, for example, to watch MotoGP on a free TV channel.

Saving Money on Online Purchases

Online purchases make the process of getting digital and physical goods much easier. Sometimes, you can save a lot of money and sometimes, everything’s so expensive. How can a VPN for Mac help you in this case?

Well, you first need to know that the prices of flight tickets, games, services, and other goods usually depend on your location. If we take flight tickets as an example, they cost more in more developed countries and way less in less developed countries.

In that case, you can get an IP address from a less-developed country and buy the same flight ticket at a significantly cheaper price. We actually tested this out numerous times and managed to save a couple of hundred dollars annually.

Bypassing Censorship

If you live in China, Russia, Iran, or Turkey, you’ll find it hard to access your favorite websites. China is the most notorious censored country where you can’t even access Instagram, Facebook, Google, and many other popular sites.

Due to the Great Firewall of China, some VPN providers also won’t work, making it increasingly difficult to enjoy the internet. While not all providers will work in China, you can use ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark to bypass censorship successfully.

By doing so, you can unblock all blocked websites and enjoy the internet without any limits. This applies not only to Mac users but users on other supported platforms as well, such as Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, and many others.

Protecting Your Privacy on Public WiFi

Finally, if you’re carrying around your MacBook and you’re often visiting cafes, restaurants, and hotels, a VPN for Mac is a welcome addition. Public WiFi hotspots aren’t safe and secure, and with no encryption, hackers can easily intercept your connection and steal your sensitive data.

A VPN and its ability to encrypt your traffic are going to save you. Once your IP is hidden and replaced with a new IP from the VPN, you’re anonymous online. This means hackers can’t track your activities or see what you do online, which boosts your security even more.

Even if a hacker intercepts your connection, all he’ll see is a garbled mess, as the connection is encrypted and unreadable. Next time you’re connecting to a public WiFi hotspot, make sure you enable a VPN – better safe than sorry!

How to Use a Mac VPN Application – Tutorial

Already made up your choice? In that case, you’re probably wondering how to use the best VPN for Mac in 2024. Don’t fret. It’s very easy and the whole setup lasts no more than 5 minutes.

1. Purchasing a Subscription

Once you’ve decided on which VPN you want, you need to use one of the buttons above to get the cheapest deal. For this example, we’ll use NordVPN but the same process applies to all other VPNs on the list.

We recommend going for the longest plan on NordVPN, as this one offers the biggest discount. Once you purchase a subscription, NordVPN will send you an email through which, you need to set up a new password and activate your account.

Get NordVPN’s Subscription

2. Downloading and Installing a VPN

Once you complete this step, you can immediately download the application from NordVPN’s website. Logically, you’ll choose the app for Mac and after a few seconds, the setup file will be downloaded to your computer.

Open the setup file and follow the instructions to install NordVPN. This takes approximately 10 to 20 seconds, so you’ll be done pretty quickly and you don’t have to be tech-savvy. With two or three clicks of a mouse, the setup will start and end before you blink.

After the installation, you can immediately open NordVPN and sign in with the email and password you used when activating your account in Step 1.

3. Using a VPN

And from here, it’s a smooth sail. You can use a Quick Connect feature to connect to the fastest server, for instance. Or perhaps, you can click on the server location you want on the left-hand side and establish a connection to the VPN server.

When the connection is established, you’ll get a notification, with the word Connected on the screen. Now, your connection is encrypted and you can enjoy a safe and secure online browsing experience.

Conclusion

Despite macOS’ security measures in place, venturing online still isn’t safe enough. However, with all the best VPNs for Mac in 2024 we presented, you don’t need to worry. Our choices are here to provide you with much-needed security at a fairly affordable price.

On top of that, our favorite macOS VPN apps will let you bypass geo-restrictions and increase your internet freedom. With thousands of servers and their no-logs policies, these are the absolute best options for Mac.

Thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee that all providers have, you can test them out without losing any money. So what are you waiting for? Get your subscription today and enjoy a whole new world of safe and secure internet!

Try ExpressVPN Today

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Frequently Asked Questions

Finishing this analysis, we need to answer a few important questions related to the best Mac VPN providers:

Does macOS have a built-in VPN?

It’s a very popular discussion on whether or not Mac computers have a built-in VPN. And, to make it crystal clear, the answer is NO.

How come? Well, if you take a look at the Settings menu, you will indeed find the option called VPN. Here, you’ll see that Mac has two protocols – IKEv2 and L2TP/IPsec. You can turn them on or off to get additional protection.

However, this is by no means a full-fledged VPN, as you don’t connect to a VPN server or change your IP address. Also, turning any of these protocols won’t help you bypass geo-restrictions, avoid censorship, or anything else.

For that reason, it’s important to be aware that Mac computers do NOT offer VPN functionality out of the box. And, as a result, you still need a third-party VPN like ExpressVPN or CyberGhost to achieve the results we described.

What is the best free VPN for Mac?

The best free VPN for Mac is ExpressVPN – we talked about it, right? And if you think that ExpressVPN cannot be free, just think about its 30-day money-back guarantee for a second. Should you take advantage of it, you can use ExpressVPN for 30 days straight and get your money back. Find more information on how to test ExpressVPN for free here.

That way, you won’t lose any money, yet, you’ll be able to enjoy its benefits limitlessly in the first 30 days. You can apply this trick to ExpressVPN or CyberGhost if you want a 45-day testing period.

Now, I don’t recommend 100% free Mac VPN services. They’re far worse than you think in the way that they give you limited monthly bandwidth, very slow speeds, and weak security. Providers like Hola VPN and Betternet even store and sell your personal info to third parties, violating your privacy as a result.

So, not only are the free VPNs inferior to paid ones but they’re also dangerous to use. Just think about it – for less than $2.5 a month, you can get some of the best VPNs for Mac and get so much more compared to free providers.

Is it really worth risking your privacy for the price of one Starbucks coffee? You be the judge…

Do I really need a Mac VPN?

Now that you know that Macs don’t have a VPN built-in, you probably need one. My opinion is that all online users need a Virtual Private Network to secure their connection. Given their affordability these days, getting a subscription shouldn’t be a problem for the majority of people.

However, it’s up to you to decide whether or not you really need it. If you care about security, you often watch Netflix, and you’re looking to save money on online purchases, a VPN for Mac will be useful. Remember that you can use it on other devices too.

In that case, you can use it on Windows as well, and enjoy anonymous torrenting, lag-free gaming, and browsing the Dark Web safely.

Is Mac safer than Windows?

Yes, it’s safer than Windows and less prone to viruses and malware thanks to in-built security measures. However, it doesn’t matter much once you go online. When talking about geo-blocks, tracking, DDoS attacks, and other dangers online, there’s virtually no difference.

Both platforms will, in this case, benefit from a VPN, as it’s a great tool for ensuring online privacy and annoyance like hacker attacks, geo-restrictions, ISP throttling, and others. In other words, you need a VPN for macOS as much as you need it for Windows!