Best Free VPN for Mac in 2023
VPNs have exploded in popularity during the last few years. But which VPNs are available to you, a mac user, who is looking to boost your protection? This article will discuss the different VPN services available for your Macs. It will explain what services they offer you, and how much you could improve your security with each. Let’s explore them one by one, and then answer some common questions you might have.
In case you don't want to read the entire article, here’s a quick summary of the best VPN services according to our independent tests and research:
- ProtonVPN (Free Version) Proton is often referred to as the single most trustworthy company in the VPN business. They focus on security over anything else and offer the best free VPN available. This is the company behind ProtonMail.
- NordVPN Best VPN for general work and entertainment purposes. I found it to be reliable, high-speed, and easy to set up, and it's one that I use daily for work.
- CyberGhost VPN was voted as the best gaming VPN for 2023 and is one of the cheapest VPN services among the whole top 10.
Best Mac OS VPN 2023
RANK
BRAND
DEVICES
STATS
DOWNLOAD
1
6
6 simultaneous devices.
- ● Fastest VPN 2023
- ● Servers: 5300+
- ● Countries: 60+
WHY I LIKE NORDVPN NordVPN has long been regarded as one of the strongest brands in cybersecurity. With one of the largest server offerings on my list and support for most, if not all operating systems, making NordVPN an obvious choice for many. They have 24/7 customer support if you need help getting started. Their app is one of the most well-designed apps I have ever used. NordVPN even accepts cryptocurrencies as payment for extra anonymity.
2
10
10 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Free VPN 2023
- ● Servers: 1713+
- ● Countries: 63+
WHY I LIKE PROTONVPN: ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland and is most known for their e-mail service ProtonMail. They currently offer the safest free VPN services on the market. There is also support for TOR usage and P2P file sharing. I highly recommend ProtonVPN if you are intending to do some extensive online sharing. It goes without saying that Proton does not collect logs of any kind and is completely safe to use.
3
7
7 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Torrent VPN
- ● Servers: 7400+
- ● Countries: 91+
WHY I LIKE CYBERGHOST CyberGhost VPN is the first choice of many other cybersecurity experts, and the reason is clear; they have the most complete VPN service. An incredible number of extra features that are best suited for the more advanced users but also work flawlessly for every-day purposes like P2P-filesharing. Cyberghost VPN also has the longest stretching money-back guarantee at a full 45 days.
4
∞
Unlimited simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Cheap VPN 2023
- ● Servers: 3200+
- ● Countries: 65+
WHY I LIKE SURFSHARK: Surfshark VPN is perfect for those who want a cheap and reliable VPN that also has many extra features. "Camouflage Mode" hides your usage from your ISP, "Kill Switch" suspends your connection and protects your information if you temporarily lose Internet access, "MultiHop" to connect from multiple countries at the same time just to name a few. My favorite feature of Surfshark is "Whitelists" which allow the user to exclude specific apps and programs from the VPN connection.
5
∞
Unlimited simultaneous devices.
- ● Robust/Security focused
- ● Servers: 750+
- ● Countries: 43+
WHY I LIKE ATLAS VPN: Atlas VPN is one of the best new free VPN services. With the free version, you get unlimited data, no ads and zero logging. During my speed tests, Atlas VPN performed very well and could compete with mainstream services. Kill Switch, Ad-blocker, and P2P support all included with a regular subscription, which is incredibly cheap for such a robust service.
6
10
10 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best Netflix/Streaming VPN
- ● Servers: 35500+
- ● Countries: 84+
WHY I LIKE PIA VPN: PrivateInternetAccess is at the top of my streaming tests, which is a great combination with their easy-to-use UI, Open-Source software and built in adblocker. PIA is also perfect for those who want to be able to pay with PayPal which for some reason, many other VPN services do not support. 30-day money-back guarantee, multiple Netflix libraries, and extremely affordable are the three main selling points for this VPN service.
7
10
10 simultaneous devices.
- ● Best VPN for Gaming and Streaming
- ● Servers: 200+
- ● Countries: 63+
WHY I LIKE PRIVATEVPN: PrivateVPN is the strong underdog in the world of VPNs. With a shy number of servers, it is evident that they are focusing on quality over quantity. Overall, PrivateVPN is a very decent choice of VPN, especially if you had enough of the excessive advertising by some of the other more known brands in this list. Setting up the VPN requires extremely little intervention, and you can even pay with Bitcoin.
8
49%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Best Mobile VPN app
- ● Servers: 3000+
- ● Countries: 94+
10
77%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
45 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Fastest free VPN
- ● Servers: 3200+
- ● Countries: 80+
11
85%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
7 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Great free VPN
- ● Servers: 1000+
- ● Countries: 26+
12
68%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
10 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Best reputation
- ● Servers: 91+
- ● Countries: 17+
14
79%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
15 day money-back guarantee.
- ★ Great adblocker included
- ★ Servers: 1800+
- ★ Countries: 20+
15
66%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 5 devices simultaneously
- ● Unlimited usage
- ● 50+ locations
16
70%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Unlimited traffic
- ● Up to 1 Gbps
- ● Free trial
17
85%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 10 devices
- ● Unlimited bandwidth
- ● Countries: 60+
19
$5.00 /user
14 day free trial/money-back guarantee.
- ● Simple Cloud VPN Setup
- ● Site-to-site VPN Tunneling
- ● Easy Server & User Management
21
67%
DISCOUNT
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7 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 5 devices
- ● Locations: 65+
- ● 24/7 live support
22
80%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● 10 devices
- ● Countries: 20+
- ● P2P Optimization
23
66%
DISCOUNT
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Basic, advanced, and pro plans.
- ● Countries: 22+
- ● Locations: 36+
- ● 24/7 live support
24
79%
DISCOUNT
DISCOUNT
30 day money-back guarantee.
- ● Best multi-device VPN
- ● Servers: 1000+
- ● Countries: 200+
NordVPN
One of the leading advertisers for VPNs, Nord is undeniably an incredibly useful VPN for Mac users. NordVPN has one of the best overall ratings for a Mac VPN, as well as a lot of really powerful features. Most importantly, you can use an unlimited amount of data! Furthermore, the Mac app gives you access to servers in 60 countries.
NordVPN also offers incredible security. They suffered a significant data breach in 2018 but protected all users’ data completely. Now, NordVPN ensures you 256-bit encryption to go with a no-logs data policy. This means you can feel safe using Nord while you access servers around the world.
PrivateInternetAccess VPN
This VPN offers an incredible amount of cost-effectiveness, allowing you to use up to 10 devices with the service. Additionally, PrivateInternetAccess offers you a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it before committing. On top of all that you can also utilize their built-in MACE ad-blocker to surf the web free of ads.
Another great feature of this VPN is its customizable security. You don’t need to completely understand how it protects you to use it. It’s a simple but effective interface.
CyberGhost VPN
This VPN is one of the fastest VPNs available to Mac Users. Try it out on a 45-day money-back guarantee to experience incredible upload and download speeds. Additionally, they offer a really simple and reliable app in the app store. Their security is top of the line with a no-logs policy, and a no-leaks approach.
The number of servers available is limited. However, for Mac users looking for great speeds and security, Cyberghost is a great option. An additional kill switch feature protects your data while you use the app. Furthermore, they allow you to access your account with up to 7 separate devices. For someone searching for security and speed rather than multi-national access, this is an obvious choice.
ProtonVPN
The prominent security and cost-effective VPN, ProtonVPN was first developed for journalists and activists to operate in areas under restrictive regimes. That means they have some of the best security you can find with a Mac VPN. They also offer a fantastic free service without harvesting your data it to pay for it.
ProtonVPN offers unlimited data on its free service, as well as great security features. A kill-switch and no-logs policy ensure your data does not get into any dangerous or nefarious hands. Based in Switzerland, Proton is definitely the cost-effective VPN of choice for the security-obsessed Mac user.
Surfshark
One of the other commonly advertised VPNs across the web, Surfshark is undeniably powerful for the Mac user. Surfshark is available from the App Store, so you can access it quickly. Furthermore, you can use Surfshark on Mac TV through their Smart DNS service. You can also use Surfshark with as many different devices as you like as there is an unlimited number allowed on an account. Moreover, with 90 countries available through their servers, you feel like a global traveler without leaving home.
Surfshark may not have the most reliable speeds, but they do have some great security features. A Kill-Switch will ensure your data will never be harvested or stolen in a breach. Additionally, their MultiHop feature runs your data over multiple VPN servers, slowing down your connection a bit, but massively protecting your privacy. Overall we think the compromise on speed is worth it for the fantastic versatility and security.
FAQ
Does Mac offer a built-in VPN?
Mac does have a built-in VPN service, but you can only access it using configuration files from an actual VPN provider. That means you while you can increase your available national services, it doesn’t give you simple free VPN access.
How do I change my IP Address on a Mac?
Most VPN providers have an intuitive interface, so you simply choose which country you want to appear to be accessing the internet from. This will change your IP address by spoofing. Then you will be able to access all the services available to people who really are surfing from that country.
How do I set up a VPN on my Mac?
All our listed VPNs have a built-in app on offer. This means that each will need you to download the app from the App store. Then after installing it you just need to sign up or log in with your new VPN account details.
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