From the MacBook Pro (2023) to the Mac Studio (2023), Apple's latest Macs are some of the most powerful consumer computers on the market. If you recently invested in one of these beasts, then one of the essential applications you may want to consider installing is a VPN app. A Virtual Private Network makes it more challenging for apps, websites, and services to profile you based on your online activity. That's not to mention that you also get to access geo-restricted content. To help you find a suitable VPN app, we've highlighted some of the best options below.
Our favorite VPN apps for the Mac
ProtonVPN
Up to 10 devices at a time
ProtonVPN offers four plans, including a free one, that match different budgets and needs. It's based in Switzerland and offers advanced security and privacy features to help protect your online identity.
- Paid plan includes ad-blocker
- No-log policy
- Free plan servers are only located in three countries
ProtonVPN is a Switzerland-based service and has a lot to offer, including a strict no-logs policy for your peace of mind. There are two main plans to choose from. The Free plan offers over 100 servers in three countries, medium speeds, and access to blocked content. Meanwhile, the Plus plan offers around two thousand servers in over 65 countries, higher speeds reaching 10Gbps, an ad-blocking service, and more for $9.99 per month.
This VPN service offers secure core services, a kill switch that protects your IP address, DNS leak prevention, a VPN accelerator that can boost the connection's speed by up to 400%, and it doesn't leave any traces behind. It's a great app to have on your Mac, even if you don't plan on paying for it. The app is also supported on other platforms, so you can access your subscription from all your devices.
Hotspot Shield
Pay, or don't
Hotspot Shield offers a free, easy-to-use VPN service that can be toggled with a click of one button. It also has a paid plan that provides a variety of features and extras.
- Easy to use
- Wide variety of server locations
- Free plan doesn't require a registration
- Free users are limited to 2Mbps speeds
Hotspot Shield is the go-to VPN Mac app for many users. It offers basic protection and functionality for free. You can optionally subscribe to a premium plan to unlock all features, but the app works fine without an account. The subscription includes access to 1Password, server region selection, digital identity guard, and other perks.
The free plan, which doesn't require a registration, has a 2Mbps speed limit. So you can depend on it for basic browsing and small downloads, but if you plan on using the internet extensively, it might become a nuisance. I used to depend on it to occasionally access regionally blocked websites in the past, which was great. Otherwise, I's turn the VPN off.
Others prefer having VPN turned on at all times. If that's the case, either subscribe to its paid plan or consider using another free VPN app that doesn't have a speed limit — but those are hard to come by. Another perk of paying for the service is getting dedicated streaming servers that are faster than regular ones when streaming from certain sources.
NordVPN
Over 5,000 servers to connect to
NordVPN is a subscription-only VPN service that offers over 5,000 different servers in 60 countries. It's available across all major platforms, and you can connect up to 6 devices under one account.
- Has servers in 60 different countries
- A single account supports up to six devices
- No free plan
NordVPN is another great VPN option for your Mac. Unlike Hotspot Shield and ProtonVPN, this service requires a paid subscription to work, and it can get expensive. It costs $83.99 if you sign up for annual billing or $11.99 per month. However, the service offers over 5,000 servers in 60 countries, so you have plenty of virtual regions to teleport to for that price.Enabling this app is as simple as can be — you just click a single button. Your traffic is encrypted using IKEv2/IPsec protocols, no logs or traces are left behind, and there's no bandwidth limit.
While this service offers solid features and protections, it's not the best because its features are relatively limited when compared to similarly-priced services.
Hide.me
Fast and free
hide.me VPN is a free VPN service with an optional paid subscription. It uses multiple virtual locations and the same IP address with different users to ensure that profiling you is as tough as it gets.
- Has a free plan
- Automatically assigns you the fastest server
- Cross-platform
- Users sometimes face speed issues
If you're not sure how the whole VPN thing works, this app is for you. It is easy to set up and requires no advanced knowledge in tech to get it up and running. First, it offers a free plan to protect your digital identity without paying a cent. Then, while many VPN apps have simple UIs, this application is particularly simple. The main section has one button, and that's it. It also automatically selects the fastest and best-performing server for you, too.Plus,
This service tunnels your connection over multiple virtual locations, so your digital identity is even more private and secure. The new IP address is used by multiple people as well, so your online activity won't be linked back to you. It claims to be the fastest VPN out there, but we haven't confirmed that ourselves.
hide.me VPN is available across most popular platforms, including macOS, iPadOS, and iOS. So you can use it on your Mac and other devices as well.
Betternet VPN
You just can't beat the annual discount
Betternet VPN is a free VPN service with an optional paid subscription. Its monthly subscription allows you to use it ad-free, remove speed limitations, and get priority customer support.
- Has an affordable yearly plan
- Offers a free plan
- Cross-platform support
- Sometimes slows down and disconnects
Betternet VPN is another free service with an optional paid subscription. The app doesn't require you to register, so you can install and get started. If ads bother you, you want to unlock more virtual locations, or you want no speed limits, you can pay $11.99 per month or a discounted $35.99 per year in the U.S. to make the most out of it. This makes it one of the best annual plans to subscribe to, since it offers around nine months of free use when compared to the individual monthly price. Once subscribed, you can link up to five devices.
This app is available on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, Chrome (as an extension), and Windows. So no matter what devices you use, you can access this same app from all of them. So whether you want to protect your web surfacing activity on public networks, access regionally blocked websites, or just make it harder for pages and trackers to profile you, Betternet provides a reliable service.
Best Mac VPN apps: The bottom line
ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN offers four plans, including a free one, that match different budgets and needs. It's based in Switzerland and offers advanced security and privacy features to help protect your online identity.
It's important to use a VPN app, especially if you often work from public places, such as internet cafés, or want to access region-blocked content. So make sure to keep your data and digital identity private and secure. Proton VPN is the best overall pick because it offers a bit of everything. It's simple to use, yet it has enough rich features that should completely cater to your VPN needs. And whether you're looking to pay or use a service for free, Proton VPN can bend both ways. Thanks to its simple user interface, you can access all of its goods without confusion.
Personally, I'm subscribed to ProtonVPN's paid plan, as I rely on the service almost daily. This way not only do I get to depend on faster servers, but I also get to access digital content locked to a wider variety of countries and regions. That's not to mention that this way I support the development of the service and contribute to its growth on a small scale.