Every year, each of our VPN experts spends around 3,000 hours testing VPN apps and services. That includes over 28,000 speed tests, 2,200 streaming tests, and hundreds of VPN reviews.
Your Mac is constantly at risk. Whether it's from hackers, dodgy ads, or malware – the list of digital threats keeps growing. So, with that in mind, it's well worth investing in one of the best VPNs to shore up your digital security.
The TechRadar team has years of experience with today's top providers. We're constantly evaluating the services, their security tools, unblocking power, and speeds to provide you with cutting-edge recommendations based on our in-house findings. In this guide, you'll see our top recommendations for Mac that come from hands-on experience, as well as an in-depth analysis and the most recent test results of each of our picks.
Keep scrolling to find out why NordVPN is our top pick for Mac users – as well as the competitors currently challenging it for the throne.
3 best Mac VPNs: quick overview
If you need a quick answer to finding the best Mac VPN for you, here's an overview of our top three choices.
Recent updates
Our latest VPN testing continues to demonstrate a similar trend to those we've seen throughout this year. NordVPN remains our top pick as the best VPN for Mac, while Surfshark and ExpressVPN continue to be the best budget and beginner services respectively.
The five best VPNs for Mac in 2024
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The best VPN for Mac overall
1. NordVPN
Packed with features, amazing speeds, and competitive prices
Dedicated Mac client: Yes |external/www.privateinternetaccess.com/download/mac-vpn" target="_blank" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" rel="sponsored noopener" data-hl-processed="hawklinks" data-placeholder-url="https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/download/mac-vpn?aff_click_id=hawk-custom-tracking&aff_sub2=hawk-article-url" data-google-interstitial="false" data-merchant-name="Private Internet Access" data-merchant-id="19957" data-merchant-url="privateinternetaccess.com" data-merchant-network="Generic">Private Internet Access (PIA)
A proven industry veteran with an enormous network
Dedicated Mac client: Yes | iOS app rating: 4.6 |external/windscribe.com/upgrade?promo=WS50OFF&afftag=trd-us-3542745873408626920&affid=fghzq9e1" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank" data-url="https://windscribe.com/upgrade?promo=WS50OFF&afftag=trdpro-us-1459985948046767600&affid=fghzq9e1" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" data-hl-processed="hawklinks" data-placeholder-url="https://windscribe.com/upgrade?promo=WS50OFF&afftag=hawk-custom-tracking&affid=fghzq9e1" data-google-interstitial="false">
A service that keeps improving, Windscribe has addressed some of the issues that kept holding it back. Unlike some competitors, I'm glad it held onto the same interface and functionality for both its Mac and Windows VPN apps. It also introduced more advanced features like static IPs, port forwarding, split tunneling, kill switch, MAC spoofing, proxy support, and more.
Plus, Windscribe offers a stellar free VPN that'll come in handy in a pinch or if you want to try its Mac apps without committing to a lengthy subscription.
Features
Windscribe offers an excellent MAC spoofing feature that makes you appear as a brand-new user every time you connect to a public WiFi network. Public WiFi operators usually store your MAC address in their databases, which allows them to track your activities across different networks operated by the same company. MAC spoofing prevents that by allowing you to generate a new MAC address every time you connect.
In terms of encryption protocols, Windscribe offers WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN, supporting strong AES-256 encryption and stealth technologies. Your privacy is secured by a strict no-logs policy, too. I've even tested its tracker and malware-blocking system and confirmed it works as intended, making Windscribe a good option for users who want to enjoy a clutter-free browsing experience.
Read more about Windscribe's app support, streaming, security and speed ▼
App support
Windscribe's Mac offering is feature-rich and easy to use. The apps aren't quite as sleek as those offered by ExpressVPN or Surfshark, but new users shouldn't have a problem checking out features or hopping from server to server.
I'm glad to see that Windscribe offers unlimited simultaneous connections, too, making it a fantastic choice for anyone with a large collection of gadgets they'd like to protect. Windscribe is also compatible with routers – meaning you can secure an entire network in one fell swoop (without having to manually install the apps on all your devices).
Streaming, unblocking and speed
When it comes to streaming, Windscribe achieved a near-perfect score – which is pretty impressive. I was able to unblock various Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and other popular platforms without a hitch. However, Windscribe did struggle to unblock Amazon Prime's US library of content.
Windscribe is a wickedly quick service, too, reaching WireGaurd speeds of over 950+ Mbps. This puts it on par with the likes of Surfshark and NordVPN, and means that you'll enjoy smooth, interuption-free streaming, gaming, and torrenting.
Windscribe offers one of the best free plans available, but the premium package can't quite keep up with industry titans. Still, if you're in a pinch or working with a budget, Windscribe has enough tools to cover the basics and bypass all sorts of blocks.
★★★★
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A service that keeps improving, Windscribe has addressed some of the issues that kept holding it back. Unlike some competitors, I'm glad it held onto the same interface and functionality for both its Mac and Windows VPN apps. It also introduced more advanced features like static IPs, port forwarding, split tunneling, kill switch, MAC spoofing, proxy support, and more.
Plus, Windscribe offers a stellar free VPN that'll come in handy in a pinch or if you want to try its Mac apps without committing to a lengthy subscription.
Features
Windscribe offers an excellent MAC spoofing feature that makes you appear as a brand-new user every time you connect to a public WiFi network. Public WiFi operators usually store your MAC address in their databases, which allows them to track your activities across different networks operated by the same company. MAC spoofing prevents that by allowing you to generate a new MAC address every time you connect.
In terms of encryption protocols, Windscribe offers WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN, supporting strong AES-256 encryption and stealth technologies. Your privacy is secured by a strict no-logs policy, too. I've even tested its tracker and malware-blocking system and confirmed it works as intended, making Windscribe a good option for users who want to enjoy a clutter-free browsing experience.
Read more about Windscribe's app support, streaming, security and speed ▼
App support
Windscribe's Mac offering is feature-rich and easy to use. The apps aren't quite as sleek as those offered by ExpressVPN or Surfshark, but new users shouldn't have a problem checking out features or hopping from server to server.
I'm glad to see that Windscribe offers unlimited simultaneous connections, too, making it a fantastic choice for anyone with a large collection of gadgets they'd like to protect. Windscribe is also compatible with routers – meaning you can secure an entire network in one fell swoop (without having to manually install the apps on all your devices).
Streaming, unblocking and speed
When it comes to streaming, Windscribe achieved a near-perfect score – which is pretty impressive. I was able to unblock various Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and other popular platforms without a hitch. However, Windscribe did struggle to unblock Amazon Prime's US library of content.
Windscribe is a wickedly quick service, too, reaching WireGaurd speeds of over 950+ Mbps. This puts it on par with the likes of Surfshark and NordVPN, and means that you'll enjoy smooth, interuption-free streaming, gaming, and torrenting.