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Best VPNs for Mac 2022

There are hundreds of VPN services out there to choose from, but how do you know which ones are reliable and safe to use?

It can be especially challenging to find a good VPN to use on a mac. Most of the VPNs I tried on my MacBook were very slow, logged all of my activity and history, and even leaked my IP address everywhere I went.

The macOS is already pretty good as it offers built-in security features that protect your device, as well as making it easy to use. Meaning if you’re going to install a VPN it must offer more than just basic protection, it should provide helpful features that enhance protection while being super reliable and safe.

After completing my analysis on numerous VPN services I have found 5 secure and reliable VPN services that work well on mac. Each VPN on this list was tested thoroughly and fairly. All of the VPNs on this list strictly fit into this criteria:

Absolutely No-Logs (doesn’t collect your VPN activity and history)
No DNS Leaks (doesn’t leak IP address, and doesn’t leak DNS)
Privacy Jurisdiction (privacy-friendly jurisdiction that is not apart of the five eyes)
Overall Good History (honest, and reputable)

Since now we established the ranking criteria we can finally get into the best VPNs for mac in 2021!

1. ExpressVPN - fast speeds & secure

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Pros

Superfast VPN speeds
No log policy
No IP address leaks
Works with Neflix, and other streaming services
Easy to use apps
VPN browser extensions
Over 3,000 VPN servers in 94 countries
Torrenting

Cons

ExpressVPN is the best overall VPN service not only for mac but for all the other devices as well. It offers consistent fast speeds all around the world. ExpressVPN’s server network alone is insane as they have more than 3,000+ servers located in 94 countries across the globe. This means streaming and just browsing the interest will be smooth and super secure. (want to read the full review?)

ExpressVPN is also a great VPN for beginners who want to dip their foot into VPNs and online privacy. It’s especially easy to use, and the app interface looks clean while being sophisticated and straightforward. ExpressVPN also offers its app in the AppStore meaning you can secure your Apple devices.

The app for macOS uses the industry-standard 256-bit encryption while using the OpenVPN protocol to protect your online data and anonymity. The app also offers tons of protection against DNS leaks and offers a kill switch feature (blocks traffic if the VPN connection suddenly drops).

ExpressVPN has lots of useful and reliable features, they range from providing more security to providing an easy application that’s easy to use:

Works with Netflix – 24/7 streaming available in many different Netflix regions across the world. They also offer a high-performance network that is made for HD streaming.
Easy to use – ExpressVPN’s user-friendly applications are available for all major operating systems and platforms (they even support routers).
Torrenting allowed – Torrenting is permitted on all of the ExpressVPNs servers, there aren’t any restrictions or bandwidth limits, most importantly it’s fast.
Quick speeds – The speeds are consistent and fast all around the globe, the reason behind the good speeds is the number of servers they have in their network.
24/7 Customer service – ExpressVPN offers multiple different ways to reach out for support (live chat, email), all of them being 24/7 and having quick response times.

In the end, I recommend ExpressVPN for those who want a fast and reliable VPN service that has lots of useful features. ExpressVPN is the best VPN for macOS and is available on the AppStore for your iPhone. If you’re interested you can get three months for free on ExpressVPN here.

2. NordVPN - streaming & gaming

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Pros

Superfast same-country speeds
No logs & no IP, DNS leaks
Works with Netflix, Disney+, etc
Large server network (5,300+ servers in 58 countries)
Apps for many devices such as Windows, Mac, iOS, Andriod, etc
Torrenting P2P allowed

Cons

NordVPN is one of the most popular VPNs in the VPN market, and all for some good reasons. NordVPN is a VPN service that is located in Panama (meaning it’s outside of the five eyes countries) that offers tons of useful features while being affordable. The VPNs server network is running in a mode called RAM-disk mode meaning it cannot store any logs. NordVPN has also recently had a third-party verify the no-logs policy is valid. (full NordVPN review here)

NordVPN offers macOS users the option of two clients. One of the clients (compatible with Yosemite 10.10 or newer) uses the OpenVPN protocol, and the second client (compatible with Sierra 10.12 or newer) offers users the IPSec / IKEv2 protocol. If you’re wondering what is a VPN protocol and what it does, you can read here to learn more.

NordVPN takes security and trustworthiness seriously, this is why all of their apps only use 256-AES encryption to protect your traffic. They also offer a feature called double VPN which routes your traffic through two different VPN servers and encrypts it twice, this feature is extra secure but makes your connection slower.

Each of the apps have similar features such as automatic the kill switch (blocks traffic if VPN connection suddenly drops), IPv6 and DNS leak protection, and a feature called CyberSec which is essentially an adblocker / anti-malware.

NordVPN offers users tons of useful and reliable features:

Large network – NordVPN’s server network is pretty impressive as they have over 5,000+ servers in over 60+ countries. There are also servers that specialize in different tasks such as P2P servers and streaming (high performance) servers.
No Logs – Their service has been verified by a third-party called PWC AG located in Zurich Switzerland, this was done to make sure that NordVPN doesn’t collect your data.
Applications – They offer their VPN client on most devices and platforms while being easy to use and efficient.
Netflix & more – One of the few VPNs that will actually allow you to access different Netflix regions across the world. They also support streaming on other services such as Disney+, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and more!

If you have any questions NordVPN offers 24/7 live chat support. I think NordVPN is a great VPN service for macOS users, especially considering the service is only $3.49 per month (70% off discount NordVPN)

3. Surfshark - affordable VPN

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Pros

No logs policy
Unlimited connections
Torrenting allowed
Works with Netflix
Safe and secure
Multi-hop
Adblocker

Cons

Surfshark is another great VPN for mac users since it performs well in every category. This VPN is a feature-rich VPN service that offers popular features such as the automatic kill switch and its own unique features such as NoBorders. Surfshark also offers unlimited simultaneous connections which only a handful of VPN services do. With this, you can protect all of your devices all under a single account.

Surfsharks’ macOS app (macOS 10.12 or later) uses the IKEv2 protocol to protect your data, unfortunately, they do not offer the OpenVPN protocol directly in their app so you have to use a third-party app in order for it to work. The encryption used to protect your data is the strong 256-bit AES encryption, which is also the industry standard. Surfshark also protects you from IP leaks and DNS leaks ensuring your connection is secure. (full Surfshark review here)

The VPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, meaning it is outside the 5 eyes alliance and doesn’t have to share information between other countries. This ensures that no third-party will get their hands on your personal data. Surfshark also has a strict no-logs policy meaning they will not collect data while you’re using the VPN.

Surfshark offers tons of features, here they are:

Torrenting allowed – Surfshark is a torrenting positive VPN service. They claim on their website to be the “torrenting-friendly VPN that has everything you need“.
Netflix works – Surfshark is only part of a handful of VPN services that can unlock different 15 Netflix regions, this is including US Netflix.
Multihop – They offer a double VPN feature that routes your traffic through two different VPN servers and encrypting your data twice (every time it goes through a VPN server). This ensures your connection is very secure, but your speeds can be slower.
Ad / Malware Blocker – A feature called CleanWeb protects you from malware, ads & popups, sketchy links, and phishing attempts all from the VPN server side.

Surfshark also offers 24/7 live chat support so if you ever get an issue they can help. Overall, I really like Surfshark as a VPN service as they are fairly honest and offer a good service. I do believe that Surfshark is great for macOS. If you’re interested you can get 83% off Surfshark here.

4. Perfect Privacy - unique features

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Pros

Unlimited connections
Secure applications
Ad blocker
No logs policy
Secure servers
Multi-hop VPN servers
Strong encryption
Safe jurisdiction

Cons

Similar to Surfshark, Perfect Privacy offers users the ability to have unlimited simultaneous connections on their network. Perfect Privacy also has created its own unique features that should help you browse online with ease. Perfect Privacy has a multi-hop feature that most VPNs on this list already have, but Perfect Privacy allows users to do up to four hops directly in the client, as of now Perfect Privacy is the only VPN to offer four hops. (full Perfect Privacy review here)

Perfect Privacy uses 256-bit AES encryption, to make sure your data is secure while connected to the VPN. The VPN also protects users from any possible IP leaks or DNS leaks, making sure all of their users are safe. Perfect Privacy also offers multiple different VPN protocols that users can use, some of them being; OpenVPN, PPTP, SOCK25, Squid Proxies, SSH2 tunnel.

Perfect Privacy is based in Switzerland meaning it has a privacy-friendly jurisdiction and isn’t apart of any of the international surveillance agreements (5/9/14 Eyes). This adds an additional layer of protection to the already privacy driven service.

Perfect Privacy additional features:

Secure servers – Perfect Privacy has the most secure servers a VPN service could possibly get. Their servers are running a mode called RAM-disk meaning they have no hard drives and cannot store anything on them.
Applications – Perfect Privacy offers custom applications for most major platforms and devices. Although the apps look a little dated the service is still very secure and privacy driven.
Server Network – They currently offer premium servers in 26 different countries. It may not seem like much compared to other VPN servers Perfect Privacy uses dedicated servers meaning they’re more expensive yet more reliable and safe.

Perfect Privacy is a great VPN for mac especially if you’re an expert in tech. There are tons of unique features that make your connection so much more secure. If you’re interested in Perfect Privacy you can get 31% off here.

5. Private Internet Access - ethical service

Pros

Cons

Private Internet Access has a great reputation online and was recommended by many macOS users on Reddit. PIA is also an affordable VPN service that offers tons of great features and more! They offer great P2P traffic features that are much better than their competitors (if you torrent consider using PIA).

The type of encryption PIA uses is 128-bit AES encryption. This encryption method isn’t as good as 256-bit AES encryption but it should still do the job and keep your data safe. Don’t worry you can change the encryption quality, you just have to change some things around.

PIA offers over 3,300+ servers located in 32 countries across the world, these servers support the fast speeds needed for P2P traffic and torrenting. Your data is safe with PIA since it has a strict no-logs policy, unlimited traffic/bandwidth, and offers P2P support. They also do a great job of protecting you from IP leaks and DNS leaks, so you don’t have to worry about your data being seen by others.

Here are some additional features that PIA has to offer:

Fast Speeds – PIA offers users fast speeds and unlimited bandwidth so they can browse the internet freely and securely.
Works with Netflix – PIA works with Netflix meaning you can access different Netflix regions across the world and watch different content.
Platform Compatibility – PIA supports most of the popular platforms and devices. These include; Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and Firefox. It also works on routers, smart TVs, and phones.

PIA is an old VPN service (since 2010) that has earned its reputation over time. It’s great for macOS and specifically torrenting. If you’re interested in PIA you can get it here.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is where I will be answering some common questions regarding VPNs and macOS or Apple products in general. (see our guide for “what is a VPN“)

Do you need a VPN on a Mac?

While it’s known that Macs are much more secure than Windows it doesn’t hurt to add additional layers of protection and stay more anonymous while browsing online.

Using a VPN will protect your data from third-parties trying to access it. VPNs also hide your real IP address with the IP address of the VPN server, this makes it easy to avoid DDoS attacks, tracking, and more. They also help you get around geo-restricted content.

What is the best VPN for iOS devices?

All of the VPN services listed above are great for macOS but some of them don’t have applications made for iOS devices yet. If you want a VPN for your iOS devices I would recommend the top 3 VPNs (ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark) listed above since they all have apps on the AppleStore.

What devices are VPNs available on?

VPNs are available on every device you can think of. Here are some:

Windows
macOS
Linux
Browser Extensions
iOS
Android
Blackberry
Gaming console (PS4, Xbox)
Smart TVs
Even Routers

VPN providers are trying to make sure their service is compatible with every device out there.

VPNs work with routers meaning you can install the VPN on one device (the router) and have your whole internet network secure and safe. This means you won’t have to install an app on every single device.

What's the best free VPN for Mac?

If you want a VPN service but don’t want to pay the monthly costs, then we would recommend looking into ProtonVPN. It offers unlimited data, secure servers, honest history and more. Its #1 in our “best free VPNs” list.

Just make sure you’re being cautious while looking for a free mac VPN since there are many poorly done VPNs out there just looking for a quick pay-day. Some free VPN services sell your data to third-parties, some leak your IP and DNS, and some even install malware on your computer. If you truly want to be safe I would recommend investing in a premium VPN.

Summary

After testing multiple different VPNs and analyzing them I have found some of the best VPNs for Mac. I made sure each VPN listed above had good speeds, high security, and were easy to use.

I also read different reviews on the VPNs listed above on TrustPilot and I also read some reviews on Reddit. My test results plus customer reviews showed the ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, Perfect Privacy, and PIA were the best VPNs for Mac. If you’re interested you can get three months free with ExpressVPN here.