Best Mac VPN 2024-2025: Reviews and buying advice

• 5,300 servers
• 10 simultaneous connections

NordVPN is without doubt one of the greatest and best-known VPN companies. It’s a totally featured VPN possibility that’s safe, simple to make use of, and unbelievably quick in comparison with its rivals. There are cheaper choices, with limitless connections and extra in-depth VPN options, however NordVPN is our best choice proper now as a result of it stands out in so many areas, from pace and privateness to unblocking and ease of use.

Nord has an up-to-date unbiased audit. It additionally has specialty servers for particular functions.

There are greater than 5,300 servers (none of that are digital) obtainable throughout 60 international locations, which sounds nice. You in all probability solely care concerning the servers the place you wish to unblock content material, however the extra servers the higher because it means you could have a greater probability of discovering one which’s not overloaded. You gained’t have to determine which one to decide on because of the useful ‘Quick join’ characteristic that picks the server finest suited to your wants.

Connections are quick and dependable, and NordVPN unblocks in style streaming companies world wide together with Netflix and BBC iPlayer. You can join as much as six units concurrently together with your Apple TV.

Nord has added assist for the quicker WireGuard protocol in NordLynx, making it one of many quickest VPN companies on the market. However, it’s solely obtainable on the ‘IKE’ model of the app, which solely gives a completely enabled kill swap. To have extra management, you’ll must obtain the ‘OpenVPN’ model, albeit with barely slower speeds.

Nord continuously has offers on supply that get monetary savings on the standard month-to-month value in the event you make the most of the two-year plan. NordVPN gives three tiers: Standard, Plus and Ultimate. You can get Plus options (information breach scanner and password supervisor) or the Ultimate tier provides cloud storage and insurance coverage choices. Prices change on a regular basis, so check out the costs and plans at NordVPN.com.

• 2,000 servers
• 8 simultaneous connections

If you wish to circumnavigate geoblocking to get entry to content material not obtainable the place you reside, defend your information whereas shopping the net from a public community, and hold your net shopping habits personal, ExpressVPN, with its server places throughout 105 international locations, can do nearly all of this with two or three clicks.

ExpressVPN is remarkably simple to make use of, however if in case you have any difficulties the 24-hour stay chat means you might be related to an actual human to debate points inside minutes.

There are native apps on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, Android and Windows. Plus you should use it on eight units directly (the restrict was 5 beforehand).

Like all VPNs there’s some pace loss since you are routing by way of a server overseas, however ExpressVPN does nicely to mitigate this, dropping lower than 13% of obtain pace in our testing. NordVPN stays quicker with a 12% loss in our exams, however ExpressVPN’s 13% continues to be higher than most.

ExpressVPN gives no fewer than six totally different selections for protocol. Lightway, the corporate’s personal possibility, is speedy. For improved compatibility you possibly can swap to a different model of Lightway or OpenVPN – issues slowed down with  24% of pace loss with the latter.

There’s no Malware safety with ExpressVPN, however you possibly can set up a password manager referred to as ExpressVPN Keys.

The firm is headquartered within the British Virgin Islands, so it’s free from the vast majority of intelligence-sharing companies’ jurisdiction. While it additionally operates a no-log coverage, it doesn’t have PureVPN’s “always-on” audit course of, nevertheless it undergoes audits every year.

ExpressVPN’s dearer than lots of its contemporaries and doesn’t permit entry from limitless units (simply eight). But you get a stable, speedy reference to minimal fuss, and you don’t need to tie-in for a two-year deal to get the most effective worth. That latter level is vital as a result of VPN laws can change recurrently.

See ExpressVPN subscription plans here.

• 6,500+ servers in 100+ international locations (entry servers in 5 international locations on free plan, on one gadget)
• 10 simultaneous connections

ProtonVPN‘s free tier of membership helps to set Proton VPN aside from a few of its rivals. It’s naturally restricted, with US, Japan, and Netherlands because the server places and some pace drop – nevertheless it’s nonetheless fairly usable

If you pay for the service it gives a glossy interface, spectacular connection speeds and nearly sufficient options to enhance your day-to-day net expertise with out throwing too many complicated ideas at new customers. 

Proton VPN Plus gives a number of options, together with an advert and tracker blocker and pace of as much as 10 Gbps, in addition to a 10-device restrict. There’s Port Forwarding for downloads and gaming, too, in addition to a Kill Switch for disconnecting ought to the VPN drop out.

Some VPN companies supply options like darkish net information notifications. Proton VPN sticks to the fundamentals – and does so very nicely. The company’s “no-logs” policy confirms it doesn’t observe websites, IP addresses, communications, or session lengths, nor does it observe location-based info. Proton is Swiss-based, and solely Swiss court docket orders can request information from the corporate, however because it doesn’t log information there’s little or no it could possibly supply to legislation enforcement.

For the privacy-minded, Secure Core, routes site visitors by means of one of many firm’s ‘Secure’ servers, minimizing the potential of a knowledge leak. These safe servers are owned by Proton and are situated in additional than 90 international locations.

Proton VPN does improve latency, however solely by about 29% in our testing on a modest 60 Mbps broadband. In truth, it’s solely about 7% slower when downloading and 5.5% slower when importing, making it one of many slicker VPNs we’ve examined.

In phrases of included VPN protocols, Smart will probably be splendid for many customers, routinely setting the best protocol to your present utilization, however WireGuard, WireGuard (TCP), IKEv2 and Stealth are additionally supplied.

Proton VPN is a straightforward suggestion each for brand spanking new and skilled customers.

• 35,000+ servers, 91 international locations
• Unlimited connections

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a strong VPN designed for savvy customers, providing “energy person” instruments and options reminiscent of customized DNS, connection guidelines, break up tunnelling, and extra at a decrease price than many rivals. The PIA Mac app gives just about the whole lot its Microsoft counterpart does. 

The app can be utilized on any gadget and gives servers in 91 international locations. In my testing, the “auto” setting did an excellent job of selecting servers that balanced pace and privateness.

The most important window offers info on efficiency graphs, obtain and add speeds, and fast settings for instruments like Light Mode, Port Forwarding, and LAN connections.

While you should use PIA for getting round geoblocked content material in your streaming companies, PIA is extra privacy-focused than different VPNs, with options just like the Advanced Kill Switch, Split Tunnelling, port forwarding, and Multi-Hop server obfuscation. PIA additionally gives customizable options like automation setup and DNS choices. 

Private Internet Access can’t beat the speeds of NordVPN and Surfshark, and its stablemate CyberGhost VPN gives extra spectacular speeds, however at the price of some energy options. In our testing, we noticed an inexpensive drop of round 8% on Mac whereas utilizing the PIA VPN. Upload speeds dropped significantly– by round 25%, which can be a problem in the event you do a variety of importing. 

Its zero-log coverage has been verified by Deloitte Audit Romania.

Despite inconsistent speeds, Private Internet Access is a superb VPN for all budgets with a wealth of options for privacy-inclined customers.

• 3,200 servers in 100 international locations
• Unlimited simultaneous connections

Surfshark is a great-value VPN that gives quite a bit options past the core VPN service for a low month-to-month value. SurfShark has greater than 3,000 servers unfold throughout 100 international locations, making its community one of many widest and most various of any VPN,

Its apps are simple to make use of and it reliably unblocks streaming companies reminiscent of Netflix and BBC iPlayer. It’s lacking the specialty servers supplied by rivals reminiscent of NordVPN, who shares the identical father or mother firm, although.

Connection speeds are very spectacular, and that’s because of using the WireGuard protocol. You actually gained’t discover any slowdown in your web pace when Surfshark is working, as long as you could have WireGuard chosen and aren’t utilizing servers the opposite facet of the globe.

The firm has upgraded all its servers so that they run completely in RAM, similar to NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Running servers on RAM is healthier for privateness as information isn’t written to a tough drive. It’s additionally a member of the VPN Trust Initiative, whereas two-factor authentication (2FA) is a characteristic few VPN companies supply. Being run from the Netherlands additionally means this can be a privacy-friendly possibility.

The different purpose to contemplate Surfshark is as a result of it undercuts virtually all of its rivals on value, but doesn’t place any restrict on the variety of units you should use concurrently. Unfortunately, it may be pricy to resume as soon as your preliminary contract runs out.

You can set up and use it throughout many units together with your Mac, PC, Android and iOS units, in addition to browsers. It additionally helps a number of protocols (though OpenVPN is slightly slower than we’d like) and glorious encryption, in addition to a privacy-minded no-logs coverage that’s recurrently audited

There’s a kill swap and a Multi-Hop characteristic that routes your connection by way of two VPN servers for an additional layer of safety. However, there’s no GPS spoofing or break up tunneling on the Mac (the latter being very unusual on Macs anyway). 

SurfShark gives three tiers of options at various value factors. The most elementary possibility, aptly named SurfShark Starter, gives VPN performance in addition to an advert blocker and the choice to generate a proxy electronic mail deal with and private particulars for websites you don’t really feel snug about giving your info to. SurfShark One provides electronic mail and fee element breach alerts, in addition to private information safety studies, antivirus and different malware safety, whereas the One+ plan provides information removing from firm databases and individuals search websites. In addition to the VPN there are Alert, Search or Antivirus packages, which might be obtainable for an additional price.

Just like most VPNs SurfShark gives discounted pricing in the event you join two years, with the costs altering on a regular basis. Just beware that on the finish of the interval the value will improve until you cancel.

Sign up to Surfshark here.

• More than 50 servers
• Six gadget restrict

MacPaw’s ClearVPN service is a VPN that lacks many extra superior options supplied by its rivals, however alternatively, it’s one of many best to make use of. With a pleasant UI and easy-to-use options it’s thoughtfully designed for VPN newcomers. It actually is so simple as hitting a button to attach.

In the settings are choices to dam adverts, hold ClearVPN within the dock, and a Kill Switch so as to reduce site visitors out of your gadget if the connection to the VPN is damaged.

It’s all fairly fundamental stuff, nevertheless it’s supplied in such an easy-to-use means that it’s arduous to not respect the simplicity. There are additionally useful keyboard shortcuts to maneuver across the app.

There are greater than 50 servers, which seems like rather a lot, nevertheless it’s dwarfed by many rivals to the tune of hundreds of servers. That means your selections are restricted, however a minimum of ClearVPN allows you to filter between Optimal Location or leaping straight to one thing like Disney Plus US or UK.

One of the extra widespread energy person options for VPNs is break up tunneling, which lets some site visitors undergo the VPN whereas some goes round it. That’s not supported right here.

Sadly, MacPaw’s VPN speeds additionally want some work. We noticed appreciable pace drops throughout a number of servers – even nearer ones. We noticed drops of round 20 to 30 p.c in obtain pace, and round 50 p.c for add pace. It’s nonetheless quick sufficient to make use of Netflix, nevertheless it’s slower than the vast majority of alternate options on the market.

Most VPN corporations use exterior auditors to confirm that they’re not recording person or session information, however ClearVPN hasn’t undergone one on the time of writing. This shouldn’t imply something untoward as the corporate is headquartered in Ukraine, which falls outdoors of varied surveillance alliances, so it could possibly’t be requested to share your information.

ClearVPN is priced affordably, however costs and the offers on supply change on a regular basis with VPNs. Look out for low month-to-month costs that don’t lock you in for too lengthy. There’s a six-device restrict.

If you’re new to utilizing a VPN service, ClearVPN makes a compelling case to be your first alternative, and stress-free entry to Netflix across the globe, it’s an ideal starter possibility. Still, the pace drop and lack of widespread options like break up tunneling doubtless imply energy customers ought to look elsewhere. You can get monetary savings by paying for the primary 12 months up entrance, however you can too pay month-to-month.

See full ClearVPN pricing here.

• 6,500 servers, 78 international locations
• 10 simultaneous connections

If you’re in search of a versatile VPN service that may get round geoblocking and is straightforward to make use of, PureVPN is nicely price a glance.

The fundamental plan consists of the VPN service and nothing extra, however you possibly can add a Password Manager and File Encryption instruments within the Plus plan. The Max plan provides a Digital Privacy Manager that requests your information be scrubbed by information brokers, blocks net trackers, and recommends methods to maximise your privateness.

Whichever plan you go for you’ll be capable of join 10 units directly. PureVPN will run in your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV, and is straightforward to make use of on every to allow you to hook up with over six thousand servers.

As far as getting round geo-blocks, we discovered PureVPN to be as simple as another service to make use of. Select a location, load your streaming service or app of alternative, and you’re off.

PureVPN is registered within the British Virgin Islands, which is extra privacy-friendly than Hong Kong the place it operated beforehand. PureVPN gives one of many extra spectacular no-logging insurance policies, with an ongoing “always-on” audit course of whereby an auditor can request affirmation of that coverage at any time.

PureVPN has been winding down its digital servers, of which it has much less management. There are nonetheless 23 such servers, however PureVPN is clear about which servers are digital and that are bodily – you possibly can see a small ‘v’ subsequent to every digital server on the PureVPN website.

At the time of writing PureVPN is providing greater than a whopping 80% off its plans in the event you join 24 months. Two years is a very long time on the earth of VPNs, however a minimum of means the complete month-to-month pricing gained’t kick in twelve months time. See PureVPN offers here.

• 11,000+ servers in 100 international locations
• 7 simultaneous connections

CyberGhost is a user-friendly app that connects to quite a few servers worldwide, making it splendid for streaming Netflix from totally different international locations and routing site visitors away from untrustworthy open Wi-Fi networks. 

It gives core options like kill swap assist, break up tunnelling, and no bandwidth restrictions. CyberGhost’s no-logging audit historical past is thorough, and there’s a 45-day free trial obtainable.

CyberGhost apps might be downloaded for varied platforms, together with Chrome extension and recreation consoles (we examined on Mac and iPhone). The app gives a easy “click on and go” connection course of, with a listing of server nations and a number of places. Encryption is customary throughout servers, and break up tunnelling prioritizes site visitors the place wanted. An automated kill swap can reduce connections if the VPN drops out, whereas ‘Block content material’ blocks DNS domains for adverts, trackers, and malware.

The app doesn’t supply something like Proton VPN’s Secure Core or further options like a Password Manager, however subscription tiers are based mostly on including a devoted IP deal with. The VPN has over 9,000 servers situated in over 100 international locations, with plans to broaden in South America and Asia in late 2023.

CyberGhost VPN has a formidable no-logs coverage, which means nobody can entry information of your exercise whereas related to the VPN. The app doesn’t supply the Dark Web monitor supplied by NordVPN, nevertheless it does have an automatic kill swap to chop connections if the VPN drops out. The DNS blocking characteristic is straightforward to make use of however doesn’t mean you can select what to dam.

CyberGhost gives a compelling package deal with only one most important plan and a 45-day money-back assure. It’s a wonderful VPN for newcomers, with spectacular audits, an array of servers, first rate speeds, and easy-to-use apps.

Norton has a long time of expertise defending units from cyber threats (learn our assessment of Norton 360), however what or its VPN?

Norton’s VPN plans are, outdoors of the essential tier, tied into its safety software program to assist supply real-time safety from unhealthy actors. It comes with a password supervisor, darkish net monitor, and cloud storage, however the VPN facet of issues is slightly missing.

Perhaps it’s from testing so lots of the finest VPN companies that we’ve grown used to a sure set of non-negotiables. Chief amongst them is browser extension choices to permit for fast switching, however on the time of writing, there’s no such providing from Norton.

Still, in the event you’re in search of real-time safety it stays an excellent security-focused possibility, however with geoblocking being inconsistent in our testing, you would possibly wish to look elsewhere to your worldwide Netflix repair.

Norton’s VPN does embrace loads of accoutrements that different VPNs both don’t have or cost further for. You can set up the app in your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and all three platforms have apps that work nicely and run properly within the background.

Norton gives Browser Protection, which scans websites as you browse. Norton additionally scans recordsdata earlier than they land in your gadget. This labored nicely in testing, with barely added any further time to the size of downloads. There’s a password supervisor, nevertheless it’s tied to the center subscription tier and above.

One factor that was fascinating was the way it screens trackers on emails. As a journalist, I obtain a variety of press releases and pitches, and whereas I’ve all the time assumed lots of them use some form of monitoring to see once they’re opened, Norton supplied to quarantine so many who I used to be fairly shocked.

VPNs naturally lower your web speeds as your sign is fired throughout the globe, and Norton has servers in 32 international locations – a steep drop from the 111 in NordVPN’s portfolio – nevertheless it does supply 4 protocols to select from. IKEv2, OpenVPN and WireGuard are fairly generally discovered throughout the board of rivals, however Norton has its personal Mimic protocol which is meant to be splendid for unblocking worldwide streaming companies. Sadly, testing on a 70 Mbps connection noticed a constant pace drop-off. As for Mimic, Norton’s personal VPN protocol, I used to be disenchanted to search out some worldwide streaming companies merely weren’t in a position to be unblocked with it. Norton clarified that Mimic is particularly designed for patrons with particular use instances who’re unable to make use of WireGuard. We did have extra luck with the extra standardized protocols.

VPNs price their salt ought to all the time deal with privateness as their major concern, and Norton does an excellent job, having undergone an audit from VerSprite, a safety agency.

It’s not a foul VPN, and in the event you’re in search of an possibility that packs an entire host of cyber-security instruments into one easy-to-use package deal, it’s an ideal possibility. It’s disappointing that there’s solely a pay yearly possibility, the place different VPNs have the choice to pay month-to-month. Added to that may be a steep bounce in value for the second 12 months. 

See full Norton Ultra VPN pricing here

• 800+ servers in 49+ international locations
• 10 simultaneous connections

This easy-to-use, enticing, and uncomplicated app is a superb possibility for VPN newbs. In addition to its easy and uncluttered design, FastestVPN additionally gives good speeds and a sufficiently expansive community. It’s icing on the cake that its privateness coverage is straightforward to know and makes all the best guarantees.

In our exams, FastestVPN maintained about 30 p.c of the bottom pace throughout 5 places on a number of check days, though there have been some weak spots in Asia and Australia.

Despite it’s identify it’s not the quickest VPN, however FastestVPN does make the best privateness guarantees in a means that’s simple to know.

• 2,600+ servers in 90 international locations
• 10 simultaneous connections

Hide.me is one other VPN service that has improved significantly in recent times.

As nicely as providing a totally free model (which none of its rivals right here do), it has additionally added WireGuard, which is significantly quicker than different encryption protocols.

Other key options embrace a customizable kill swap and break up tunneling. Hide.me is the one VPN to supply Split Tunnelling in macOS. They state on their web site: “cover.me VPN for macOS helps break up tunneling. You can configure it within the shopper’s settings.”

Hide.me additionally gives Stealth Guard, which stops chosen apps from working with out the safety of a VPN connection.

It can unblock Netflix and means that you can entry BBC iPlayer from outdoors the UK. There’s additionally stable gadget assist, with as much as 10 simultaneous connections permitted.

Malaysia-based, in recent times it has expanded the variety of servers and doubled the variety of international locations it covers. Unfortunately, the third-party audit hasn’t been up to date since 2015

However, the person interface on Mac is a bit clunky, and we’re nonetheless ready for an replace to the 2015 no-logs coverage certification.

• 70 servers
• 5 simultaneous connection

VyprVPN gives the whole lot most individuals are in search of in a VPN, without having to spend a lot cash.

You get quick WireGuard speeds, alongside separate protocols targeted on reliability, anti-censorship and ease of use. It’s additionally glorious at unblocking geo-restricted content material, whether or not that’s native variations of Netflix or BBC iPlayer & ITV Hub from outdoors the UK. Premium options reminiscent of break up tunneling and a kill swap are right here too, even when the latter can’t be customised. 

VyprVPN’s no-logs coverage has been independently audited, and the service adheres to a strict Privacy Policy from father or mother firm Golden Frog. More than 700 servers in over 70 international locations needs to be loads for most individuals, though there’s typically just one per nation. It’s additionally not clear which of those are bodily and digital.

Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless speedy, dependable and reasonably priced.

See full VyprVPN pricing here

• More than 245 servers
• 32 international locations

Malwarebytes, in all probability finest recognized for antivirus software program and advice, additionally gives a standalone VPN service referred to as Malwarebytes Privacy. It’s a straightforward to make use of app with the correct of privateness guarantees – as you’d anticipate from a revered identify in safety based mostly within the U.S.

In our exams Malwarebytes was a mid-tier performer by way of speeds, nevertheless it needs to be adequate for many informal customers.

Malwarebytes Privacy VPN does an excellent job.

See full Maywarebytes pricing here