The Best VPNs for Mac of 2023

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Surfshark

Best for Maximum Connections

Great long-term pricing
Strong Global RAM-only server presence
Unlimited connections

Summary

Starting Price
- One-month: $12.95
- 24-month plan: $2.49/month
- 12-month plan: $3.99/month
Free Trial/Demo
30-Day Free Trial

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Great long-term pricing
Strong Global RAM-only server presence
Unlimited connections

Cons

Customer service can lack or be unresponsive
Expensive monthly plan

What Customers Are Saying

There are mixed reviews about customer support. Some state that the email support can be unresponsive or take a while to get back to you while the live support option is excellent. Also, it was stated in several reviews that some of the locations are unstable and provide unexpected buffering.

NordVPN

Best for Novice Users

Large Infrastructure
Great two-year pricing plan
Stable speeds

Summary

Starting Price
- One-month: $11.95
- 1-year plan: $6.99/month
- 2-year plan: $3.49/month
Free Trial/Demo
30-Day Free Trial

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Large Infrastructure
Great two-year pricing plan
Stable speeds

Cons

OpenVPN configuration isn’t easy to set up

What Customers Are Saying

Some customers are reporting that torrenting speeds are only supported by some servers per location. Also, most reviews were raving about the excellent customer service provided and its live chat support. Lastly, there were some reports of users not being able to stream certain subscriptions in specific locations. Overall, NordVPN ranked pretty high amongst its current end users.

ExpressVPN

Best Overall

Fast speeds and anti-throttling
Large infrastructure
Network lock feature

Summary

Starting Price
- One-month: $12.95
- Six months: $9.99
- 12 months: $8.32
Free Trial/Demo
Not Provided

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Fast speeds and anti-throttling
Large infrastructure
Network lock feature

Cons

Only five simultaneous connections
More expensive than leading competitors

What Customers Are Saying

Customers regularly tout how well ExpressVPN works from all locations ? one of the few that can say that. Everyone seems to love its open chat support feature. Lastly, many customers mentioned how they could remove ISP throttling up to four times faster speeds.

Private Internet Access

Best for Power Users

10 simultaneous connections
Excellent long-term plans
Security-first approach

Summary

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

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

10 simultaneous connections
Excellent long-term plans
Security-first approach

Cons

Streaming services take buffer time
Could be faster

What Customers Are Saying

Customers speak highly about the service that's provided for the money that they are paying. Also, many of the customer’s reviews are from long-term account holders ? some even around 10 years. Lastly, several users complained that the advertised streaming services aren't supported.

BitDefender Premium

Best for Simplicity

10 simultaneous connections
Free trial and low pricing
Easy to use

Summary

Starting Price
- 1 Year plan: $2.49/month
- 1 Month plan: $6.99/month
Free Trial/Demo
Free Trial

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

10 simultaneous connections
Free trial and low pricing
Easy to use

Cons

Nomultihop technology
No advanced options
Weak offline security

What Customers Are Saying

A majority of users that took the time to write a review on BitDefender support its claim of simplicity and speed. It's an essential solution and provides on that level. A handful of reviews expressed concern with its after-hours support systems, which seems to stem from India. Users complained about not receiving their activation code promptly after paying for a subscription and an overall lack of response from the support staff.

CyberGhost VPN

Best for Travelers

Worldwide presence
Priced for long-term account holders
Stable speeds

Summary

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/Demo
1 Day Free Trial

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Worldwide presence
Priced for long-term account holders
Stable speeds

Cons

Doesn’t work out of the box

What Customers Are Saying

A majority of the reviews are positive, expressing how happy they're with speeds and availability — seeing reviews both from a personal perspective and the business side that all share the same message of positivity toward CyberGhost.

IPVanish

Best for Beginners

Unlimited speed and connections
Owns its own infrastructure
Top-notch forced security best practices

Summary

Starting Price
- Monthly: $10.99/month
- Quarterly: $5.32/month
- 1 year plan: $3.99/month
Free Trial/Demo
30 Days for iOS Only

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unlimited speed and connections
Owns its own infrastructure
Top-notch forced security best practices

Cons

Not all servers are fully optimized
Client application needs work

What Customers Are Saying

Some customers state that they have difficulty connecting to servers in certain locations. It also seems that it has several five-star reviews stating how excellent its service is. Lastly, it appears that users complain about how, after your initial plan expires, the price drastically goes up, thus only incentivizing new customers and not retaining loyal ones.

IVPN

Best for Budget Privacy

Flexible pricing plans
Multiple hop support
Open-source

Summary

Starting Price
- 1 Week: $2
- 1 Month: $6
- 1 Year: $60
- 2 Years: $100
- 3 Years: $140
Free Trial/Demo
Free Trial

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Flexible pricing plans
Multiple hop support
Open-source

Cons

Limited server infrastructure
Limited reviews

What Customers Are Saying

We should start by stating that IVPN has very limited user reviews. One popular site that we reference only had five total reviews for this solution. For the most part, even considering the little reviews, IVPN has overall positive outlooks. Users are happy with the service and with the 24/7 live chat feature as well.

PrivateVPN

Best Privacy for the Price

Free trial and 30-day money-back Guarantee
Excellent pricing options
Advanced features

Summary

Starting Price
- One month: $7.67
- 3 months: $4.88/month
- 13 months: $3.82/month
Free Trial/Demo
7-Day Free Trial

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Free trial and 30-day money-back Guarantee
Excellent pricing options
Advanced features

Cons

Live chat is haphazard
No WireGuard support

What Customers Are Saying

PrivateVPN has had a very high success rate with its positive reviews online. Only a tiny percentage of the alerts observed were negative. Among the positive reviews, most touted how great the customer support was and how well Private VPN delivered its advertisement services.

ProtonVPN

Best for Privacy

Strong privacy first features
SecureCore technology
Varying price models and free version

Summary

Starting Price
- Free version available
- $4/month for Basic
- $8/month for Plus
- $24/month for Visionary
Free Trial/Demo
7 Days Trial

Interactive Capabilities

Yes

Virtual Rooms for Discussions

Yes

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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Strong privacy first features
SecureCore technology
Varying price models and free version

Cons

Only email support
Top plan is the most expensive in the industry

What Customers Are Saying

Overall, the reviews seem to be split 50/50 on positive and negative feedback. On the positive side, users are extremely happy with the service provided on the Plus plan, stating it's an ideal mix of what they were looking for. On the negative side, customers expressed that the support is slow to the draw with its email responses and they have billing issues. Billing customers for plans they aren't yet a part of and having to issue refunds.

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How We Chose the Best VPN for Mac

We needed to tailor our criteria to the users of Mac devices and what would work best for this operating system. These criteria are the ones that we felt best addressed Mac users and would ensure a better overall VPN experience if the solutions had at least the following four features. A large infrastructure and solid support team offer a higher number of connections per account, and usually have a strong stance on privacy.

Large Infrastructure

For a VPN solution to be effective, it needs to have a significant server presence around the globe to support it. This is the backbone of what a VPN is made of and determines things like speed, performance, and privacy. Users will be limited to options without a solid infrastructure and constantly suffer slow buffering times or lagging rates. Security shouldn’t be a limitation on performance and speed but live together in harmony.

Support

Support is crucial for Mac users as it seems few solutions want to work natively out of the box on a Mac. We prioritized having a solid support team-high when making this list to ensure that if end-users have technical questions or need help installing the VPN solution, the service is available quickly.

High Number of Connections

Mac users are loyal, so it's safe to say that they would want their VPN solution to be able to not only work on all their Apple devices but also do it simultaneously under one account. Apple has some sharing features built-in that help inter-connect Apple devices together for a seamless experience. All these connected devices need to have a VPN solution that can support them flawlessly.

Privacy

As you have noticed, a lot of the VPNs in this list are privacy-focused. First, this was done intentionally. Mac users tend to be drawn to the fact that overall, Apple is highly concerned with the security and privacy of its users’ data. We needed to consider only looking at solutions that offered solid privacy options and features, supported under the apple umbrella. What would be the point of having a VPN solution on a Mac that doesn’t prompt privacy first?

The Best VPNs for Mac of 2023

Our Top Picks

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What Customers Are Saying

How We Chose the Best VPN for Mac

Large Infrastructure

Support

High Number of Connections

Privacy

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