Best VPN for Mac of 2024

Many VPN providers offer a VPN app for Mac computers, but it can be difficult to choose the right PROVIDER with so many options available. Based on our extensive research and VPN testing over the years, here are some things to consider when choosing a VPN:

Privacy

The most important thing about any VPN – including a Mac VPN – should be privacy. If your Mac VPN fails to protect your privacy online, then your VPN is useless. At a minimum, your VPN must use an AES 256-bit encryption scheme (either OpenVPN or IKEv2 VPN protocols) or ChaCha20 (with WireGuard or IKEv2 VPN protocol), as well as providing privacy protections such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection and a no-log policy. For privacy needs, you’ll also want a VPN provider that’s in a privacy-friendly environment, offers encryption and has a RAM-only server architecture. Additional privacy features to look for include Tor over VPN capabilities, ad and ad blocking and multihop. Also, look for a VPN that is regularly reviewed by third parties, as reviews can help build confidence in the VPN’s ability to protect users’ privacy.

Speed

Many Mac computers are known to be pretty fast, so you probably want a Fast VPN which can provide the best speed. The speed of your VPN can have a big impact on things like streamingdownloading, video streaming, gaming and web browsing. All VPNs slow down your connection speed in one way or another. To get the best performance possible, you’ll want to look for a VPN that will have as much impact on your internet speed as possible. In general, the best VPNs only slow down your internet speed by about 25% or less, with the best performers — NordVPN, Mullvad and Surfshark — under 20% of download speeds.

Application

MacOS is designed to be clean and sleek, so if you’re used to the operating system, you might want the same with the VPN software you use. A good Mac VPN should run smoothly and have a seamless interface that is easy to use regardless of your level of expertise. It should have many servers around the world so you can connect easily and reliably from wherever you are, and it should help you get around geo-restrictions from different locations. You should also consider advanced features, such as dedicated servers (eg Open the VPN and anonymous servers), double hop/multi-hopa dedicated IP address and a split tunnel (which allows you to use the VPN connection for some VPN applications but not others).

Price

VPN prices vary greatly from provider to provider, so if you’re on a budget, you may want to consider the cost and overall cost of your MacOS VPN. In general, you can expect to spend around $5 to $13 per month for a monthly VPN subscription. If you want to save money, you can opt for an annual subscription, where prices can range from about $30 to $100 per year. Be careful with free VPNs, however, because you could be putting your privacy at risk rather than protecting it if you go with a free option. Proton VPN is the only one here Free VPN which CNET recommends. However, most VPNs offer a money-back guarantee that can last anywhere from a week to 45 days. You can also get a free seven-day trial with most VPNs if you sign up through the Apple App Store. So you can have the option of trying different VPNs risk-free before you decide to invest in one.

Device support

You’ll want a VPN that works well with your Mac device, such as a MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, Mac Studio or Mac Pro. Additionally, if you are deeply rooted in the Apple ecosystem, you may want to consider a VPN that works best for your environment. iPhoneiPad is even Apple TV. Fortunately, many VPNs support MacOS and iOS/iPadOS, and Apple TV compatibility is increasing. With many VPN providers, you can set up a VPN on all your Mac devices, from MacBooks and Mac desktops to iPhones, iPads and Apple TV streaming boxes.

Streaming

VPNs can improve your content by hiding your IP address, allowing apps and websites to think you’re in a different location. For example, you can use a VPN to unblock content that is region-restricted, such as watching Max (formerly HBO Max) while traveling outside the US, or watching BBC iPlayer while on holiday outside the UK. Alternatively, you can access the external libraries of Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video. Think about the ad services you want to use with the VPN, and make sure these apps work with the VPN you want. If you want to install a VPN on your smart TVandroid tv device, Amazon Fire TV or Apple TVmake sure your VPN provider has a compatible app for the device.