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Best VPN for Mac

Searching for the best Mac VPN? Enjoy streaming HD content such as Netflix and want the very best speeds with top level security? Want to protect your personal data with a Mac VPN? Then check out our best VPNs for Mac review below.

Why should you use a VPN on your Mac?

A VPN is essential for safeguarding your personal data and improving your online security on your macOS device. A VPN will encrypt your connection so your ISP cannot monitor what you are doing online giving you full internet freedom. VPN software on your Mac will also enable you to change your geolocation which is perfect if you want to stream geo-restricted content from the likes of Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other popular channels (i.e. Accessing the US Netflix store from within the UK).

Public Wi-Fi can be really convenient when out and about, however without the protection of a Mac VPN, your personal information is very much at risk to hackers and other online threats… so you should always be connecting to a VPN when using the Wi-Fi in Starbucks etc.

There are a whole host of great Mac VPNs available to download and our expert review below will guide you to getting the best one for you and your requirements.

What do you need from a VPN for Mac?

We have reviewed the best VPN providers out there to ensure our users get a superb all-round VPN product based on our strict criteria:

Melvyn's top 5 VPNs for Mac

Numbers(One)(7)

CyberGhost

CyberGhost are an exceptional VPN provider with industry leading levels of privacy, worldwide server locations ideal for torrenting with user friendly applications that flawlessly unblock US Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other popular streaming services. If you want a super-fast, zero logs, easy to use VPN… then look no further! 

Suggested pros and cons
Compatible with
Apple(Logo)(2)
Windows(Logo)(3)
Android(Logo)(2)
Linux(Logo)(2)

Summary

Super-fast, zero logs, easy to use apps and friendly 24/7 customer support… you can see why it’s our number one recommended provider!  

Our score:

5.0

5/5

Price from:

$2.75

per month

Pros
Cons
Numbers(Two)

NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the best and most popular VPN providers out there. It strikes the perfect balance for privacy concerned users and those looking for lightning fast speeds. It’s great for unblocking content such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer and also supports P2P and torrenting. Add to this its no logs policy and impeccable security, Nord sure does tick all the boxes! 

Suggested pros and cons
Compatible with
Apple(Logo)(2)
Windows(Logo)(3)
Android(Logo)(2)
Linux(Logo)(2)

Summary

Outstanding speeds, zero logs, and award winning 24/7 customer support… NordVPN is up there with the very best in the VPN market!

Our score:

4.9

4.9/5

Price from:

$3.71

per month

Pros
Cons
Numbers(Three)

Ivacy

Ivacy are a rock solid, highly secure, no logs VPN provider that has recently reinvented itself to be one of the top, yet cheapest, providers. With super-fast speeds from 1,000+ worldwide servers, you can stream HD content from all the popular providers such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ with ease. Their apps are slick and full of awesome features, so putting all these great points together make Ivacy a great all-round option!

Suggested pros and cons
Compatible with
Apple(Logo)(2)
Windows(Logo)(3)
Android(Logo)(2)
Linux(Logo)(2)

Summary

Well polished user-friendly apps, market leading speeds and an outstanding price… Ivacy are major players in the VPN market!

Our score:

4.7

4.7/5

Price from:

$1.16

per month

Pros
Cons
Numbers(Four)

ZenMate

Newly relaunched and better than ever, ZenMate are aiming to break into the top 5 best VPNs that’s for sure! With upgraded hardware, incredible privacy, zero logs and market leading speeds, plus the ability to torrent and flawlessly unblock US Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other popular streaming services. If you want a super-fast, user-friendly, highly secure VPN… ZenMate may be your answer!

Suggested pros and cons
Compatible with
Apple(Logo)(2)
Windows(Logo)(3)
Android(Logo)(2)
Linux(Logo)(2)

Summary

Super-fast, highly secure and potentially the cheapest premium VPN on the market right now… ZenMate really are trying to compete with the very best!

Our score:

4.7

4.7/5

Price from:

$2.22

per month

Pros
Cons
Numbers(Five)

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is a super-fast VPN provider offering both a free or premium service. Their app is slick, easy to use, comes with a VPN kill switch and is accompanied with plenty of robust security features keeping its users safe online. It’s also perfect for unblocking content such as Netflix and is priced really competitively.

Suggested pros and cons
Compatible with
Apple(Logo)(2)
Windows(Logo)(3)
Android(Logo)(2)
Linux(Logo)(2)

Summary

A slick app, amazing speeds and a 45-day money back guarantee… Hotspot Shield has you fully covered.

Our score:

4.7

4.6/5

Price from:

$2.99

per month

Pros
Cons

Mac VPN FAQs...

A VPN stands for virtual private network and is a piece of software which encrypts your IP address concealing it from your ISP and other agencies. A VPN has a whole host of awesome features such as protecting you from hackers if you use public Wi-Fi ensuring all of your personal data can’t be accessed. A VPN is great for streaming too as it allows you to connect to a whole host of worldwide VPN servers from your Mac unblocking geo-restricted content such as US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu etc.

Yes its perfectly legal to download and use a VPN on your Mac. VPN software is enjoyed by millions of users around the world for both personal and business usage.

All of our top 5 VPNs for the UK have dedicated Mac applications which can be used on a multitude of devices. You can check out our current top 5 VPNs for the UK here.

Using a VPN in China is relatively simple as long as you can download your VPN outside China or use a VPN to change your location if you are already there. Most VPNs are blocked on the App Store so check out our current top 5 VPNs for China here for more information.

All of our top 5 Mac VPNs can successfully unblock US Netflix and other popular channels for entertainment. What’s more, a VPN allows you to stream content in total privacy and prevent your ISP from reducing your bandwidth or speed. Many top VPN providers offer dedicated Netflix servers so you don’t have to worry about finding a suitable Mac VPN server for streaming. If watching Netflix with a VPN is your main requirement, then why not check out our latest best VPNs for Netflix review page here.
Streaming content on your Mac device can be made so much easier with a Mac VPN. A VPN can give you a faster connection as it prevents your ISP from throttling your bandwidth as well as unblocking a whole host of content that is geo-restricted. Using a VPN can unblock live sports streams, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and many popular entertainment channels. For streaming VPNs we look for the best VPN server speeds, dedicated streaming servers and top-level privacy. All of our top 5 Mac VPNs are perfect for streaming and you can find out more information on our favourite streaming VPNs by clicking here.
Torrenting on Mac devices works the same as other operating systems. It’s essential however, you always use a VPN when torrenting to protect your online privacy and remain anonymous online. All 5 our best Mac VPNs are suitable for torrenting as they offer robust privacy features and great upload/download speeds. For a closer look at our top 5 VPNs for torrenting, check our latest picks here.
Our entire top 5 Mac VPN providers will allow users to change certain settings for both privacy and VPN protocols. You can also connect to thousands of servers located globally giving you access to new content. If like many users you just want a hassle free, fast VPN with great security… all of our top 5 VPNs for Mac will give you instant protection with the click of a button.
Yes. You can try out a range of free VPNs which can be downloaded directly onto your Apple Mac device. Some free VPNs should be avoided as they won’t afford you the protection that our best VPNs will. Often they are limited by features such as server locations and small data allowances. Luckily, we have also researched the best 5 free VPNs which you can view here. All of these have free Mac VPN applications which may be an ideal way of testing a VPN on your device. For a fully secure VPN service, we always recommend that our users pay for a premium subscription with many available for under a couple of dollars/pounds per month.

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