The Best VPNs for Mac of 2023
Written by: Owen Dubiel, IT Security and VPN Expert
Updated July 18, 2022Our Top Picks
Surfshark
Best for Maximum Connections
- Great long-term pricing
- Strong Global RAM-only server presence
- Unlimited connections
macOS is traditionally known for being more secure than other operating systems. It won’t protect you against online threats from web browsing or email. It's essential to utilize a virtual private network (VPN) solution like Surfshark to ensure your machine is protected. With features like unlimited simultaneous connections and 100% RAM-only servers, you can provide the best combo of speed and security with Surfshark.
Some of the specific features that come with the utilization of Surfshark include being able to hide your internet protocol (IP) address exclusively for Mac. Surfshark also has a built-in feature called CleanWeb, which allows users to surf the internet clean from any ads, trackers, malware, or phishing attempts. Lastly, Surfshark includes a bypass feature that enables users to select specific sites for all struggling with the Surfshark VPN compatibility.
Surfshark's pricing is pretty straightforward, offering three different package plans. The monthly plan is $12.95, the 12-month plan is $2.49 per month, and the 24-month plan is $3.99 per month. It saves money to stick with Surfshark for the long haul. Surfshark offers a 30-day free trial of its solution as well before committing to a long-term deal.
Some of the specific features that come with the utilization of Surfshark include being able to hide your internet protocol (IP) address exclusively for Mac. Surfshark also has a built-in feature called CleanWeb, which allows users to surf the internet clean from any ads, trackers, malware, or phishing attempts. Lastly, Surfshark includes a bypass feature that enables users to select specific sites for all struggling with the Surfshark VPN compatibility.
Surfshark's pricing is pretty straightforward, offering three different package plans. The monthly plan is $12.95, the 12-month plan is $2.49 per month, and the 24-month plan is $3.99 per month. It saves money to stick with Surfshark for the long haul. Surfshark offers a 30-day free trial of its solution as well before committing to a long-term deal.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Great long-term pricing
- Strong Global RAM-only server presence
- Unlimited connections
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
Surfshark
- Starting Price
- One-month: $12.95
- 24-month plan: $2.49/month
- 12-month plan: $3.99/month
- Free Trial/Demo30-Day Free Trial
Yes
Yes
NordVPN
Best for Novice Users
- Large Infrastructure
- Great two-year pricing plan
- Stable speeds
NordVPN is another one of those recognized names in the industry. Most would compare them as a direct competitor to ExpressVPN. NordVPN is a slick-looking VPN that's optimized for macOS. A fast and reliable connection every time is what you can expect from NordVPN.
To start, NordVPN is best known for novice users. It has an easy-to- use interface and is very easy to set up on a Mac machine. Secondly, from a security perspective, NordVPN is taking it to the next level with its custom NordLynx, a next-generation encryption protocol. NordLynx optimizes the best of both worlds between speed and security.
As far as pricing goes, NordVPN is right up there with ExpressVPN. Its monthly plan is around $12 per month. NordVPN has a yearly plan and a two-year plan that cost $6.99 and $3.49 per month, respectively. One major differentiator between ExpressVPN and NordVPN is that Nord offers a 30-day free trial of its product before purchasing.
To start, NordVPN is best known for novice users. It has an easy-to- use interface and is very easy to set up on a Mac machine. Secondly, from a security perspective, NordVPN is taking it to the next level with its custom NordLynx, a next-generation encryption protocol. NordLynx optimizes the best of both worlds between speed and security.
As far as pricing goes, NordVPN is right up there with ExpressVPN. Its monthly plan is around $12 per month. NordVPN has a yearly plan and a two-year plan that cost $6.99 and $3.49 per month, respectively. One major differentiator between ExpressVPN and NordVPN is that Nord offers a 30-day free trial of its product before purchasing.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Large Infrastructure
- Great two-year pricing plan
- Stable speeds
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
NordVPN
- Starting Price
- One-month: $11.95
- 1-year plan: $6.99/month
- 2-year plan: $3.49/month
- Free Trial/Demo30-Day Free Trial
Yes
Yes
ExpressVPN
Best Overall
- Fast speeds and anti-throttling
- Large infrastructure
- Network lock feature
You likely have heard the name before. ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPN solutions on the market. It has an easy interface that allows users to set up and start ExpressVPN quickly with the push of a button. ExpressVPN is the best overall choice for several reasons.
ExpressVPN supports gaming on your macOS by protecting you from online distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks as well as lowering the ping times during gaming to give you the competitive edge. Sometimes, ISPs throttle your bandwidth without you knowing. ExpressVPN has a feature that automatically bypasses these throttling restrictions to ensure you get the bandwidth you're paying for.
Pricing for ExpressVPN isn't cheap as it's one of the more expensive VPN solutions on the market. Its Monthly plan starts at $12.95. Then, the cost goes down depending on how long you're willing to sign on for. $9.99 for a six-month plan and then $8.32 for a 12-month agreement. Unfortunately, ExpressVPN doesn’t offer a free trial or a money-back guarantee.
ExpressVPN supports gaming on your macOS by protecting you from online distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks as well as lowering the ping times during gaming to give you the competitive edge. Sometimes, ISPs throttle your bandwidth without you knowing. ExpressVPN has a feature that automatically bypasses these throttling restrictions to ensure you get the bandwidth you're paying for.
Pricing for ExpressVPN isn't cheap as it's one of the more expensive VPN solutions on the market. Its Monthly plan starts at $12.95. Then, the cost goes down depending on how long you're willing to sign on for. $9.99 for a six-month plan and then $8.32 for a 12-month agreement. Unfortunately, ExpressVPN doesn’t offer a free trial or a money-back guarantee.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fast speeds and anti-throttling
- Large infrastructure
- Network lock feature
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
ExpressVPN
- Starting Price
- One-month: $12.95
- Six months: $9.99
- 12 months: $8.32
- Free Trial/DemoNot Provided
Yes
Yes
Private Internet Access
Best for Power Users
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Excellent long-term plans
- Security-first approach
As a power user on macOS, you may find what Private Internet Access (PIA) offers to be right up your alley. PIA claims it's number one for macOS computers for several reasons, including strict privacy around no usage logs policy. It has full transparency into its applications for macOS, including open-source.
PIA comes prebuilt with MACE, a domain name system (DNS)-based ad blocker to help safeguard its users while online. PIA also only used Secure VPN protocols as well as WireGuard to help keep your data secure. Lastly, PIA includes advanced split tunneling, including a bypass feature, unlimited bandwidth, and up to 10 simultaneous connections.
The best part about PIA is that it's somewhat cheaper than the plans we have covered so far. Its monthly plan starts at $11.99 per month, then the one-year program jumps down to $3.33 per month, and lastly, the two-year plan is 2.69 per month. Its tool does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee as well to ensure its clients are happy.
PIA comes prebuilt with MACE, a domain name system (DNS)-based ad blocker to help safeguard its users while online. PIA also only used Secure VPN protocols as well as WireGuard to help keep your data secure. Lastly, PIA includes advanced split tunneling, including a bypass feature, unlimited bandwidth, and up to 10 simultaneous connections.
The best part about PIA is that it's somewhat cheaper than the plans we have covered so far. Its monthly plan starts at $11.99 per month, then the one-year program jumps down to $3.33 per month, and lastly, the two-year plan is 2.69 per month. Its tool does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee as well to ensure its clients are happy.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Excellent long-term plans
- Security-first approach
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
Private Internet Access
- Starting Price
- One-month: $11.99
- 2 years plan: $2.19/month
- 1 year plan: $3.33/month
- Free Trial/Demo*30 Days Money Back Guarantee Only
Yes
Yes
BitDefender Premium
Best for Simplicity
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Free trial and low pricing
- Easy to use
BitDefender Premium VPN has been around for almost 20 years and is known for its simplicity and speed. BitDefender is also straightforward to use as it uses the backbone of the HotSpot Shield VPN, which is known for being user-friendly. For Mac users, it supports both macOS and iOS seamlessly.
BitDefender Premium VPN includes a very effective killswitch to ensure if your VPN goes down for some reach, the internet will be disconnected to keep your privacy intact. BitDefender also takes a more secure approach to handle how it assigns IP addresses. By utilizing dynamic IPs to its end users, they are guaranteed a new VPN every time they log in to BitDefender Premium VPN.
Just like the platform services are straightforward, so is the pricing. BitDefender comes with two basic plans, a monthly plan that is $6.99 per month and then a yearly plan for $2.49 per month. Compared to most of the competition, even the monthly plan is hard to beat. It also offers a free seven-day trial of its product beforehand as well. Lastly, each program includes 10 simultaneous connections to 10 different devices.
BitDefender Premium VPN includes a very effective killswitch to ensure if your VPN goes down for some reach, the internet will be disconnected to keep your privacy intact. BitDefender also takes a more secure approach to handle how it assigns IP addresses. By utilizing dynamic IPs to its end users, they are guaranteed a new VPN every time they log in to BitDefender Premium VPN.
Just like the platform services are straightforward, so is the pricing. BitDefender comes with two basic plans, a monthly plan that is $6.99 per month and then a yearly plan for $2.49 per month. Compared to most of the competition, even the monthly plan is hard to beat. It also offers a free seven-day trial of its product beforehand as well. Lastly, each program includes 10 simultaneous connections to 10 different devices.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Free trial and low pricing
- Easy to use
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
BitDefender Premium
- Starting Price
- 1 Year plan: $2.49/month
- 1 Month plan: $6.99/month
- Free Trial/DemoFree Trial
Yes
Yes
CyberGhost VPN
Best for Travelers
- Worldwide presence
- Priced for long-term account holders
- Stable speeds
CyberGhost VPN is best known for travelers because of its widespread, global infrastructure. It's also a very common VPN for all devices, not just macOS. CyberGhost claims the ability to stop data-mining practices by third parties and even Apple themselves. It supports all major Apple products and provides seven simultaneous device connections at once.
On top of the apparent features like a one-click connect option and secure file sharing, CyberGhost also includes some of the best speeds globally. It's so confident with its offering that it's one of the only vendors that provide a 45-day money-back guarantee on its services.
CyberGhost’s monthly plan is right up there, with some of the most expensive plans coming in at $12.99. To get a benefit, you'll want to go for its 36-month plan at $2.29, 24-month plan at $3.25 per month or its one-year plan at $4.29 per month. CyberGhost does offer a free trial, but it's a limited one-day-only trial. Then, you have to purchase one of its plans, which is backed by its guarantee.
On top of the apparent features like a one-click connect option and secure file sharing, CyberGhost also includes some of the best speeds globally. It's so confident with its offering that it's one of the only vendors that provide a 45-day money-back guarantee on its services.
CyberGhost’s monthly plan is right up there, with some of the most expensive plans coming in at $12.99. To get a benefit, you'll want to go for its 36-month plan at $2.29, 24-month plan at $3.25 per month or its one-year plan at $4.29 per month. CyberGhost does offer a free trial, but it's a limited one-day-only trial. Then, you have to purchase one of its plans, which is backed by its guarantee.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Worldwide presence
- Priced for long-term account holders
- Stable speeds
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
CyberGhost VPN
- Starting Price
- One-month: $12.99
- 1 year plan: $4.29/month
- 2 year plan: $3.25/month
- 3 year plan: $2.29/month
- Free Trial/Demo1 Day Free Trial
Yes
Yes
IPVanish
Best for Beginners
- Unlimited speed and connections
- Owns its own infrastructure
- Top-notch forced security best practices
IPVanish prides itself on being one of the best for beginners, especially on macOS, with its intuitive interface and easy-to-use VPN client. Suppose you want real-time internet security for your macOS computer. In that case, IPVanish is one to consider as it can prevent Internet service provider (ISP) deep packet inspection and stop unwanted targeted ads.
IPVanish takes end-user privacy very seriously by keeping a strict zero traffic logs policy and utilizing 256-bit encryption for communication tunnels. Regarding performance, IPVanish is also unmatched with its unthrottled speeds and an unmetered number of connections. Lastly, IPVanish has 24/7 customer support to ensure that it can handle any issues that arise with your experience promptly.
IPVanish offers several pricing plans starting with its monthly plan of $10.99 per month. It also offers a yearly and two-year plan, with the two-year plan coming in around $4 per month for the first two years. Compared to the competition, IPVanish is a bit on the pricey side. But one great incentive is that IPVanish offers a 30-day free trial for iOS users only.
IPVanish takes end-user privacy very seriously by keeping a strict zero traffic logs policy and utilizing 256-bit encryption for communication tunnels. Regarding performance, IPVanish is also unmatched with its unthrottled speeds and an unmetered number of connections. Lastly, IPVanish has 24/7 customer support to ensure that it can handle any issues that arise with your experience promptly.
IPVanish offers several pricing plans starting with its monthly plan of $10.99 per month. It also offers a yearly and two-year plan, with the two-year plan coming in around $4 per month for the first two years. Compared to the competition, IPVanish is a bit on the pricey side. But one great incentive is that IPVanish offers a 30-day free trial for iOS users only.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unlimited speed and connections
- Owns its own infrastructure
- Top-notch forced security best practices
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
IPVanish
- Starting Price
- Monthly: $10.99/month
- Quarterly: $5.32/month
- 1 year plan: $3.99/month
- Free Trial/Demo30 Days for iOS Only
Yes
Yes
IVPN
Best for Budget Privacy
- Flexible pricing plans
- Multiple hop support
- Open-source
IVPN is another privacy-related service but this one is best known for its cheaper subscription prices. If you're in the market for a privacy-first VPN solution, comparing IVPN against the more expensive competitors, ProtonVPN will be a great option. IVPN is also an open-source solution, so just like ProtonVPN, it exposes its source code to the public for scrutiny and review.
IVPN has a slew of features that can be enabled easily to enhance your VPN experience. Some of the top features include its support of Wire Guard protocols and privacy controls, its Anti-Tracker solution that acts as an advanced ad blocker, and its ability to multihop VPN routes. Overall, IPVN looks to have more advanced feature options available than its competition.
IVPN offers an attractive weekly feature starting at $2 per month. From there, IVPN has a monthly plan at $6, a yearly plan at $60, and a two-year plan at $100. The two-year plan comes out to around $4 per month. On top of its multitude of plan options, IVPN also offers a limited free trial.
IVPN has a slew of features that can be enabled easily to enhance your VPN experience. Some of the top features include its support of Wire Guard protocols and privacy controls, its Anti-Tracker solution that acts as an advanced ad blocker, and its ability to multihop VPN routes. Overall, IPVN looks to have more advanced feature options available than its competition.
IVPN offers an attractive weekly feature starting at $2 per month. From there, IVPN has a monthly plan at $6, a yearly plan at $60, and a two-year plan at $100. The two-year plan comes out to around $4 per month. On top of its multitude of plan options, IVPN also offers a limited free trial.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Flexible pricing plans
- Multiple hop support
- Open-source
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
IVPN
- Starting Price
- 1 Week: $2
- 1 Month: $6
- 1 Year: $60
- 2 Years: $100
- 3 Years: $140
- Free Trial/DemoFree Trial
Yes
Yes
PrivateVPN
Best Privacy for the Price
- Free trial and 30-day money-back Guarantee
- Excellent pricing options
- Advanced features
PrivateVPN is best known for Mac privacy features offered for an honest price. The PrivateVPN application is easy to use and utilizes 2048 military-grade encryption. PrivateVPN resides in a Swedish jurisdiction, which means no data logs are kept. Lastly, a Private VPN supports six simultaneous connections with unlimited bandwidth speeds.
PrivateVPN offers IPv6 leak protection to ensure that your identity remains protected if you disconnect from the internet. Private VPN also supports all protocols, including OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, IPsec, and even open-source protocols, if desired. Lastly, its support staff is composed of actual developers for the project. This way, you're getting real-time answers from those who contributed to the product.
PrivateVPN offers a one-month package at $7.67, a three-month package at $4.88, and a 12-month deal at $3.82 a month. These price points provide a competitive approach and plan structure to IVPN and ProtonVPN, the other two privacy-first VPNs on this list. It also offers a seven-day free trial of its VPN to test before purchasing. Lastly, PrivateVPN does provide a whole 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not happy with its product.
PrivateVPN offers IPv6 leak protection to ensure that your identity remains protected if you disconnect from the internet. Private VPN also supports all protocols, including OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, IPsec, and even open-source protocols, if desired. Lastly, its support staff is composed of actual developers for the project. This way, you're getting real-time answers from those who contributed to the product.
PrivateVPN offers a one-month package at $7.67, a three-month package at $4.88, and a 12-month deal at $3.82 a month. These price points provide a competitive approach and plan structure to IVPN and ProtonVPN, the other two privacy-first VPNs on this list. It also offers a seven-day free trial of its VPN to test before purchasing. Lastly, PrivateVPN does provide a whole 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not happy with its product.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free trial and 30-day money-back Guarantee
- Excellent pricing options
- Advanced features
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
PrivateVPN
- Starting Price
- One month: $7.67
- 3 months: $4.88/month
- 13 months: $3.82/month
- Free Trial/Demo7-Day Free Trial
Yes
Yes
ProtonVPN
Best for Privacy
- Strong privacy first features
- SecureCore technology
- Varying price models and free version
ProtonVPN is best known for its privacy-first approach. One of its claims is a proper open-source solution that exposes its back-end to trusted third parties for auditing around its services. Another way ProtonVPN is adhering to its privacy-first approach is by upholding a strict no-logs policy for its clients.
ProtonVPN offers a unique service called Secure Core VPN. The objective of Secure Core VPN is to route your connections through multiple servers within data centers located in countries that are backed by strong privacy laws. This process helps to promote security and privacy standards for end-users. ProtonVPN also has a built-in ad blocker called NetShield. NetShield has a feature that speeds up your connection by filtering out images automatically, scripts and refocusing if they revolve from a destination known for malware.
ProtonVPN has several different plans and packages that you can subscribe to for its services. Each plan builds upon the one before it and adds some additional features. The Monthly plan for basic is $4 per month, the Plus plan is $8 per month, and then the Visionary plan is $24 per month. ProtonVPN also offers a free version, but it's severely limited on resources and should be treated as a free trial.
ProtonVPN offers a unique service called Secure Core VPN. The objective of Secure Core VPN is to route your connections through multiple servers within data centers located in countries that are backed by strong privacy laws. This process helps to promote security and privacy standards for end-users. ProtonVPN also has a built-in ad blocker called NetShield. NetShield has a feature that speeds up your connection by filtering out images automatically, scripts and refocusing if they revolve from a destination known for malware.
ProtonVPN has several different plans and packages that you can subscribe to for its services. Each plan builds upon the one before it and adds some additional features. The Monthly plan for basic is $4 per month, the Plus plan is $8 per month, and then the Visionary plan is $24 per month. ProtonVPN also offers a free version, but it's severely limited on resources and should be treated as a free trial.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong privacy first features
- SecureCore technology
- Varying price models and free version
What Customers Are Saying
Summary
ProtonVPN
- Starting Price
- Free version available
- $4/month for Basic
- $8/month for Plus
- $24/month for Visionary
- Free Trial/Demo7 Days Trial
Yes
Yes