5 Best VPNs for Mac: Secure & Tested (2026)

NordVPN - Best Overall Mac VPN With a Native Apple Silicon App

NordVPN is the app I leave running on my MacBook Air, and it’s the one I’d hand to any Mac user who asked. It runs natively on Apple silicon rather than through Rosetta, and it covers the three things a Mac VPN has to get right: speed, security, and staying out of your way.

Start with speed. NordVPN averaged 27 Mbps on my 30 Mbps line over the NordLynx protocol, its WireGuard-based option, the same as PureVPN and 1–2 Mbps behind Surfshark and ExpressVPN. On a 4K stream, I couldn’t tell those numbers apart.

As for user privacy, NordVPN offers AES 256-bit encryption and a kill switch. However, while the Windows app has two kill switches, Mac only has one.

NordVPN also offers obfuscated servers and double VPN servers that encrypt your internet traffic twice for double the security. That’s more than ExpressVPN or CyberGhost give you, and it’s why I keep the app installed even when I’m not streaming.

The only drawback with these two server types is that your speeds can decrease significantly. I got 7 Mbps with a US obfuscated server.

As for protocols, NordVPN for macOS offers NordLynx (the fastest) alongside OpenVPN (TCP & UDP) or IKEv2, depending on which of its two builds you install.

The one thing you won’t find is split tunneling. NordVPN offers it on Windows and Android, but there’s no such button in the macOS app, so if you need to keep a single app outside the tunnel, ExpressVPN and Surfshark are the ones to look at on this list.

As for ads and malware, you can choose between Threat Protection Pro and the standard Threat Protection. The standard version blocks ads, trackers, and malicious sites while the VPN is active; Pro (on the Plus plan and up) also scans your downloads for malware and keeps working even when you’re not connected to a server. It’s the only blocker on this list that inspects files rather than just domains.

This VPN app is also the only one across all platforms offering a Presets option for quick access to apps and websites you normally use with a VPN connection.

Additionally, NordVPN has two macOS versions. The first can be downloaded from the official website and comes with extra preferences like DNS configuration and a kill switch that only terminates designated app connections instead of the entire internet. The second comes from the App Store.

The current release of either needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later, and NordVPN keeps older builds available for macOS 11 through 13. My NordVPN macOS guide walks through both installs.

Its long-term plans cost noticeably less than ExpressVPN’s, and every one of them comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Love what you see? Then take advantage of these fantastic deals before they run out.

Try NordVPN Now

Surfshark - Unlimited Simultaneous Connections for Multiple macOS Devices

Surfshark is the best budget VPN for the macOS platform, and not just for its affordable price plans. It’s the only VPN on this list that allows unlimited simultaneous connections, so one plan covers the MacBook, the iMac, and every iPhone in the house.

With 4,500+ servers in 100 countries, I didn’t experience a drop in performance when bypassing geo-blocks on platforms like Pandora Radio or Peacock.

In addition, Surfshark offers an obfuscation feature called Camouflage Mode on macOS. It slows speeds, though – I got 15 Mbps with Camouflage Mode activated, still twice what NordVPN’s obfuscated server managed.

Furthermore, Surfshark has AES 256-bit encryption that I tested on Wireshark and got the usual unreadable text, proving it works.

In addition, you also get a kill switch to keep your real IP address from leaking. To test it, I disconnected from the VPN. My internet cut off immediately.

Like NordVPN, Surfshark VPN also offers double protection through its MultiHop servers but with better speeds (depending on the server combination you get).

There’s also an ad and tracker blocker feature called CleanWeb.

It scored higher than NordVPN’s standard Threat Protection in my ad-blocking test, though it doesn’t scan downloads the way Threat Protection Pro does.

And unlike NordVPN, the macOS app includes Surfshark’s Bypasser split tunneling, so you can leave, say, your banking app outside the VPN.

Moreover, Surfshark is a speedy VPN, coming only second to ExpressVPN with an average speed of 28 Mbps when I tested it with the WireGuard protocol. The macOS app also offers IKEv2 and OpenVPN.

But there’s no inbuilt speed test feature like the one found in Windows.

Side by side with NordVPN, the network is about half the size and CleanWeb filters domains rather than files. For most Mac households, the unlimited connections more than make up for it.

Surfshark supports macOS 12 Monterey and later.

Additionally, the price plans are among the lowest you’ll come across.

Make the deal sweeter with our unbeatable discount deal, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Try Surfshark Now

ExpressVPN - Fastest VPN for macOS With Automatic Obfuscation

ExpressVPN was the fastest VPN in my tests, averaging 29 Mbps, and it provides robust security when I use my Mac to visit risky sites like Pirate Bay or join public networks.

The bill drags it down to third. It’s the most expensive option here, it runs the smallest server network, and NordVPN and Surfshark got within 1–2 Mbps of it for less money.

First, there’s the standard 256-bit encryption that I tested on Wireshark.

All I got were symbols and text, which is what your ISP and hackers see when they try to intercept your traffic.

ExpressVPN for macOS also bundles Threat Manager and an ad blocker under its Advanced Protection settings for dealing with tracking and malware. And unlike NordVPN, its Mac app supports split tunneling.

Moving on to connection speeds and stability, that 29 Mbps average is perfect for gaming on macOS.

ExpressVPN’s fastest protocol on Mac is Lightway UDP. Other protocols include Lightway TCP, IKEv2, and OpenVPN (TCP & UDP).

That said, ExpressVPN has the smallest server network. Luckily, it’s still adept at bypassing restrictions. I successfully unblocked HBO Max, Hulu, Qobuz, and BBC iPlayer.

Furthermore, the convenient automatic obfuscation runs across all servers and protocols without affecting speeds, something none of the other four manage.

ExpressVPN’s Mac app supports macOS 11 Big Sur and later, and its Basic plan covers ten simultaneous connections.

You can grab your ExpressVPN subscription with these fantastic discounts.

Try ExpressVPN Now

PureVPN - Best for Live Streaming With Affordable Prices

PureVPN registered average speeds of 27 Mbps, enough for uninterrupted and buffer-free streaming of live premier league games on my MacBook Air. Like CyberGhost, PureVPN has streaming dedicated servers optimized for speeds.

Furthermore, PureVPN offers military-grade encryption. A quick test on Wireshark returned a series of gibberish texts which proves the encryption works.

Mac users also get full IP and DNS leak protection through a reliable kill switch that disconnects your internet when your VPN connection drops.

I tested the kill switch by forcibly dropping the VPN connection.

I couldn’t access the internet afterward.

PureVPN doesn’t offer an ad blocker on macOS, but you get four protocols: IPSec, UDP, WireGuard, and IKEv2. PureVPN for macOS is the only one that offers the IPSec protocol. However, there isn’t a split tunneling option on this app like on Windows and Android.

And on unblocking capabilities, PureVPN has the third-largest server network after CyberGhost and NordVPN, with 6500+. There’s nothing I couldn’t access on my MacBook. For example, I used a US server to catch NBA highlights on DirecTV.

Furthermore, the VPN offers faster obfuscation than NordVPN, meaning you can safely navigate VPN censorship even in the strictest regions like China or Russia. It’s still a little slow, though.

PureVPN works on macOS 10.12.0 and up. It’s also the cheapest VPN on this list, alongside Surfshark. Check our fantastic discounts and enjoy secured connections on up to 10 Mac devices simultaneously.

Try PureVPN Now

CyberGhost - Largest Server Network to Bypass Restricted Content

Wrapping up our mini reviews is CyberGhost, with the largest server network of 9000+. However, CyberGhost is the only option on this list without obfuscation, which can be a significant handicap if you’re trying to beat heavy censorship.

Outside of that, CyberGhost is a fast VPN with an average speed of 26 Mbps. This was possible through its streaming and torrenting servers geared towards fast speeds. On top of this, CyberGhost for macOS offers two protocols: IKEv2 and WireGuard.

As for user privacy, CyberGhost passed the encryption test on Wireshark, hiding all the important traffic information.

The automatic kill switch was also active, blocking my internet connection when I forcefully interfered with the VPN connection to test it.

However, CyberGhost for Mac doesn’t have a kill switch button that you can toggle on and off.

Finally, CyberGhost’s Block Content feature was the best ad blocker on this list.

You can also run CyberGhost on the following macOS apps versions:

• Ventura (13)
• Monterey (12)
• Big Sur (11)
• Catalina (10.15)
• Mojave (10.14)
• High Sierra (10.13)
• Sierra (10.12)

CyberGhost is affordable, though not nearly as affordable as PureVPN and Surfshark. Check these sweet deals to save more.

Try CyberGhost Now