We scoured the Internet and did our research on dozens of services ultimately determining the best VPN for Mac users is NordVPN based on the price, feature set and overall performance.
Our runner-up choice is CyberGhost, another premium virtual private network for Mac that offers similar features and performance to NordVPN though at a slightly higher price though it offers less devices, servers, and supported countries.
For those on a tight budget or are looking for a free solution, the best option is TunnelBear. While we don't condone entirely free VPNs due to the safety and security risks, this is a premium VPN provider that has a free plan with 500MB of data usage every month at no extra cost.
Editor's Choice
NordVPN
The best overall VPN for Mac with military grade encryption and support for 6 devices.
Among all of the VPN competitors mentioned within this article, NordVPN sticks out as they hit all the marks in terms of features and performance. Their plans offer support for the most devices, best encryption and have the least trouble being blocked by streaming services like Netflix or Hulu.
Runner-Up
CyberGhost
Another great Mac VPN that hits most marks just falling short of NordVPN in a few areas.
CyberGhost has great potential in the virtual private network industry offering a lot of the features and functionality that consumers seek in a VPN. However, it is still more expensive than NordVPN while offering less device support and half the countries.
Best Budget VPN (Free Plan Available)
TunnelBear
An easy to use VPN with 500MB of free access every month & affordable premium plans.
Known for its ease of use and simplicity, TunnelBear is a breeze to use for anyone who is new to the whole VPN concept and also one of the most affordable. Users who want to get a taste of VPN browsing can sign-up for a free account which offers access to their network capped at 500MB each month.
While a premium Mac VPN isn't necessary for all users needs or budgets, investing in one can have a lot of benefits. In some cases, it can even save you money (we'll cover this later). Since every user's priorities are different, the right choice for me might not be the right choice for you and vice-versa.
As you read on, we'll give you a brief overview of the what, how and why of VPN software for Mac so you have a better understanding of the concept. From there we will take a look at seven of the best services currently on the market and comparing them to determine which is the best fit for your needs.
Our staff has worked hard to create helpful content like this for your benefit. In order to keep the lights on and be able to produce this type of value at no cost to you, we have incorporated affiliate links within our content. This means we may earn a commission if you sign-up for a VPN through one of our links, but you'll pay extra cost to do so (the company gives us a small percentage of the sale).
We pride ourselves on producing integrity-driven content that is focused on quality over potential revenue so rest assured no outside influence of bias has played any role in the recommended Mac VPNs mentioned within this article.
RELATED: The Best MacBook & MacBook Pro Accessories To Buy In 2018
If you have any questions, comments or concerns about using a virtual private network with your Apple computer then feel free to let us know in the comments section below this article. We will respond with any helpful advice or answers to your questions as soon as we can.
What Is A VPN?
VPN is a fairly common term in technology (especially networking) standing for Virtual Private Network. The concept at its core is connecting your computer or mobile device to a remote network. This remote network remains private while maintaining data access over public networks.
The actual details of the process are overly technical for someone without any type of networking experience. However, in simpler terms, everyone using the Internet has an IP address. This address tells companies where their visitors are accessing their website or service from. By using a VPN, you can change this address and appear as though you are located in another state or country without actually being there.
Why Should You Use A Mac VPN?
Not everyone needs a VPN, but many can benefit from using one. The most common uses of a VPN include management, security and function.The management use is most common in a corporate environment. Employees who are out of the office from can connect to their private network via a VPN. This allows access sensitive information like email and documents stored on the company server. This role is reserved for business executives and access to a private VPN like this will be offered on a company basis. Due to this, we will not be talking about this type of VPN within this article. From a traditional Internet user's standpoint, the security and function are more necessary. There are many ways that a VPN can become useful and these will vary on the person, but here are some common situations where a user could see potential benefits:
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With more of our lives being involved with Internet usage, a Mac VPN is a great way to protect yourself from the potential harm or tracking by companies third-parties, ISPs or the government.
Why Shouldn't You Use A Free VPN Alternative?
There are several good reasons why this article isn't titled the ‘best free vpn for mac'. Like many things in life, VPNs are the type of thing that fall under the “you get what you pay for” mantra. While you can find free services out there (for both Mac & PC), the experience will differ greatly as does the overall privacy.
Free VPN services always have a “catch” in order to be able to stay free and that should be worrisome to potential users. In the event of saving a couple of bucks, what are you willing to sacrifice?
Here are some reasons why a free Mac VPN isn't the best or safest idea:
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So could you use a free Mac VPN? Of course, but if you value the privacy of your data then it simply isn't a good idea as there are far too many unknown variables that could put your information at risk.
Keep in mind, some popular streaming services like Netflix will automatically block common VPNs affecting the majority of free options and even some premium solutions.
In this event, you'll get an error saying “You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy.” Unfortunately, services who trigger the VPN warning will not be able to successfully stream content from that provider and you'll need to switch to another Mac VPN solution.
How Do The Top Mac VPNs Stack Up?
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Company |
NordVPN |
Tunnelbear |
ExpressVPN |
PureVPN |
VyprVPN |
CyberGhost |
IPVanish |
|
Pricing (Monthly) |
|||||||
|
Free Trial |
3 day |
500MB/month |
30 day (refund) |
7 day (refund) |
3 day |
30 day (refund) |
7 day (refund) |
|
Countries |
61 |
20+ |
94 |
141 |
70+ |
30+ |
60+ |
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Max Devices |
6 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
3-5 |
5 |
5 |
|
Mobile Apps |
iOS/Android |
iOS/Android |
iOS/Android |
iOS/Android |
iOS/Android |
iOS/Android |
iOS/Android |
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Ad-Blocking |
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Streaming |
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Peer-to-Peer* |
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*We do not condone illegal downloading or distribution of copyrighted materials. Use at own risk.
Best VPN For Mac (2018)
1: NordVPN
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Editor's Choice
Server Count: 1189
Server Locations: 61
Dedicated IP: Yes (fee)
Max Simultaneous Devices: 6
Encryption: Military grade (double)
Plan Pricing
Free – (3 day trial)
$3.29/month (2 years)
$5.75/month (1 year)
$11.95/month (1 month)
via NordVPN.com
Pros
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Cons
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We chose NordVPN as our top choice for Mac users for a few good reasons. One of the largest being their dedication and efforts in keeping users of their VPN's data private and safe. They do this through military grade encryption not once, but twice to ensure the highest levels of protection.
From a comparison standpoint, it is one of the most impressive on paper offering a maximum of six devices that can use their VPN simultaneously across just under 1200 servers spanning 61 countries.
Nord supports multimedia streaming such as Netflix or YouTube so those living in countries with censorship against streaming services can now access them. Their mobile support is offered on iOS and Android via dedicated apps located in the respective app stores.
While NordVPN has a lot of advanced features for power users, it also is incredibly easy to setup and use even if you aren't tech savvy. The native clients for each OS are clean and simplified allowing you to turn connect or switch VPNs with just a few clicks of your mouse and no prior networking knowledge needed.
2: CyberGhost
Server Count: 700+
Server Locations: 30+
Dedicated IP: No
Maximum Supported Devices: 5
Encryption: AES 256-bit
Plan Pricing
$3.50/month (2 year)
$5.99/month (1year)
$11.99/month (1 month)
via CyberGhost.com
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Cons
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CyberGhost is another one to highly consider and our runner up to NordVPN as it hits all the marks while remaining cheaper when paying on a month to month basis. Where CyberGhost falls short is their lower number of countries with only 30+ offered which is the second lowest for services mentioned on this list.
The number of concurrent devices that can use CyberGhost is a respectable five with mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. In addition, there is native support for Linux, routers and even Kodi media centers.
Advanced features for this provider include access to multiple protocols such as OpenVPN, L2TP-IPsec and PPTP. There is also native support for ad blocking in addition to the removal of malicious content that may come about through your web browsing experience.
Unfortunately, CyberGhost doesn't offer a truly free trial so you'll need to provide a credit card to sign up for any account. The good news is you have a 30-day refund period if you test the service and determine that it doesn't fit your needs.
3: ExpressVPN
Server Count: 1,500+
Server Locations: 94+
Dedicated IP: No
Maximum Supported Devices: 3
Encryption: AES 256-bit
Plan Pricing
$8.32/month (1 year)
$9.99/month (6 months)
$12.95/month (1 month)
via ExpressVPN.com
Pros
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Cons
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ExpressVPN is a well-known company in the VPN industry offering a service designed for high speeds and security. Their service follows suit of its competitors offering AES-256 encryption along with a variety of protocols that can be switched on the fly or set to automatic for optimal speed and security.
As I stated earlier, ExpressVPN has put a large focus on performance and it knows their users want to experience fast speeds and unobstructed access to online streaming services. They have dedicated their server architecture to offer smooth and efficient media viewing with no bandwidth caps.
There are a few downsides to ExpressVPN, but for some people these won't be enough reason to steer them away. First off, the pricing is higher than every other service in this article with pricing only going as low a $8.32/month for a 12-month commitment and as high as $12.95/month for a month-to-month plan.
For the premium price, I was disappointed to see that it is capped at only three devices for simultaneous usage and there is no included ad-block technology. When you've got someone like NordVPN offering double the device support and excellent ad-block technology, it makes spending the higher price on an ExpressVPN subscription a tougher sell.
Lastly, there is no free trial when signing up with ExpressVPN and you'll need to provide active payment details right when you create your account. However, there is a 30-day money back guarantee which is risk-free so you will be able to get a refund if you deem the server to not fit your needs within the first month.
4: PureVPN
Server Count: 750+
Server Locations: 180
Dedicated IP: Yes (fee)
Maximum Supported Devices: 5
Encryption: AES 256-bit
Plan Pricing
$3.25/month (2 year)
$8.95/month (6 months)
$10.95/month (1 month)
via PureVPN.com
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Cons
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PureVPN has been around since 2006, originally founded by GZ Systems based in Hong Kong. Since then, the company has expanded rapidly over the years and have reached 180 server locations to date (the highest on this list).
The team at PureVPN has worked on providing their customers with great versatility. Part of this is the support for 20+ devices including game consoles, smart TVs, Rokus, Amazon Fire devices, Chromecasts, routers, laptops and desktops.
You can utilize peer to peer services with PureVPN, but due to Global Web Policy, they do not allow P2P or filesharing on their servers based in the UK, US, Canada or Australia. You can still engage in P2P using their servers in other countries, but this could result in slow performance.
In the past, PureVPN has worked with popular video streaming services to allow those in restricted countries with a way to access a site like Hulu or Netflix. However, the support for this is not reliable and there have been instances in the past where these services have blocked PureVPN users such as here or here so there is a risk if you subscribe simply for Netflix or Hulu access.
5: TunnelBear
Server Count: Unknown
Server Locations: 20+
Dedicated IP: No
Max Simultaneous Devices: 5
Encryption: AES 256-bit
Plan Pricing
Free – (500MB free per month)
$4.99/month (1 year)
$9.99/month (1 month)
via TunnelBear.com
Pros
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Cons
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If you are brand new to the concept of VPNs then TunnelBear might be one to look into. Designed for its simplicity, the service touts an overly simple registration and their native applications are a breeze to setup and utilize.
One of the biggest allures to TunnelBear for budget-friendly users is that they offer a free trial plan that doesn't require a credit card for registration (most trials in the VPN industry will) and this plan allows up to 500MB of bandwidth each month. The best part about this no cost plan is that the 500MB quota refills every month.
There is no doubt that this is a great offer by Tunnelbear, but truthfully 500 megabytes won't get you very far in web consumption. I blow through it in less than an hour. Fortunately, their two premium plans are reasonably priced and you could sign up for the equivalent to the cost of just a few days worth of coffee.
However, the real dilemma with TunnelBear comes with their lack of support for peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent as they ports are manually disabled from the company. While this likely isn't a big deal for beginners who don't actively engage in file sharing, it may be an issue for power users.
Additionally, while they do support streaming on their network, there have been many reports in the past with issues connecting to Hulu and Netflix. From my testing, I was able to connect to both without any errors although I would be concerned about long-term reliability with access to media streaming.
6: VpyrVPN
Server Count: 1000+
Server Locations: 70+
Dedicated IP: No
Maximum Supported Devices: 3-5
Encryption: AES 256-bit
Plan Pricing
Free – (3 day trial)
$5/month (Basic – Annual)
$6.67/month (Premium – Annual)
via VyprVPN.com
Pros
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Cons
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Unlike the rest of the services listed here, VyprVPN actually offers two separate service plans that differ in price as well as features and functionality. For example, the basic $60/year plan will only offer support for 3 simultaneous devices and does NOT have the ability to utilize the VpyrVPN Cloud or Chameleon Protocol which limits the effectiveness of the VPN.
If you opt for the higher $80.04/year plan, you'll gain access to both of those advanced features thus getting the full benefits of the VpyrVPN service as well as simultaneous use up to 5 devices. Keep in mind, the yearly pricing is 50% cheaper than the monthly cost which rises to $9.95/month for basic and $12.95/month for premium.
The team at VpyrVPN has put their focus on performance and versatility. This includes access to over 200,000 global IPs as well as advanced features like multiple encryption protocols, NAT firewalls and integrations with existing applications for Mac, Android, iOS, etc.
On the VpyrVPN features page they state that you'll receive “faster, unrestricted Internet speeds on Netflix, YouTube Hulu and more.” However, there are users complaining of Netflix blocking them from access like shown in this thread.
A VpyrVPN representative did comment on this matter and assured me this is no longer the case stating:
“The thread that you are linking to is from January 2016 which was back in the early days of Netflix’s attempts at blocking VPN services. Our methods of getting around the Netflix ban have become a lot more sophisticated since those early days and users of VyprVPN can use the service to successfully to access Netflix USA and other leading streaming services.”
As of right now, VpyrVPN should remain accessible for popular media streaming websites however we are uncertain about the long-term reliability of VpyrVPN for media streaming so keep that in mind if this is your primary focus for choosing a VPN.
7: IPVanish
Server Count: 850+
Server Locations: 60+
Dedicated IP: No
Maximum Supported Devices: 5
Encryption: AES 256-bit
Plan Pricing
$6.49/month (1 year)
$8.99/month (3 months)
$10/month (1 month)
via IPVanish.com
Pros
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Cons
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IPVanish is one of the most popular services listed hear for the peer to peer community. There are two primary reasons why this is the case.
The first one is the fast performance that IPVanish has achieved through their server architecture which allows for unlimited bandwidth. Secondly, is the entirely log less policy which means they don't keep any forms of logs about their users and how they utilize the VPN service.
If you aren't going for the peer to peer route then IPVanish might not be the best VPN choice. Their annual payment cost is higher than other competitions while lacking any form of ad-block technology. Additionally, popular streaming services like Netflix have blocked IPVanish users in the past so we cannot promise reliability for anyone looking to use a VPN for bypassing restricted streaming platforms.
So What Is The Best VPN Client For Mac?
From a general perspective, we did our research and believe NordVPN to be the best overall choice for Mac users based on price, features and performance. However, another service on this list could be better suited for your needs or budget.
If you are still unsure, I recommend clicking through to each service's page and reading through their service information to determine which sounds most suitable. If you have a specific question or concern regarding VPNs for Apple devices, ask it in the comments section below.
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Keep in mind that everyone's needs are different so there is not always a definite answer for the ‘best VPN for Mac‘ debate.
