Best VPN for Mac 2026: Improve Your Privacy for Web Browsing, Streaming and Gaming

Many VPN providers offer a VPN app for Mac computers, but it can be difficult to choose the right provider with so many options available. Based on our extensive research and hands-on testing of VPNs over the years, these are the most important factors to consider when choosing a VPN:

Privacy

The primary consideration for any VPN — including a Mac VPN — should be privacy. If your Mac VPN cannot adequately protect your online privacy, then your VPN is useless. At a minimum, your VPN should use standard AES 256-bit encryption (with OpenVPN or IKEv2 VPN protocol) or ChaCha20 (with WireGuard or IKEv2 VPN protocol), and provide basic privacy protections such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection and a no-logging policy. If you need to use a VPN in situations where they’re not popular — like on school Wi-Fi — you might want a provider that offers obfuscated servers or VPN protocols that focus on obfuscation, like Proton VPN’s Stealth or NordWhisper’s NordVPN. Obfuscation tries to hide the fact that you’re using a VPN, making your connection look like normal web traffic instead.

For serious privacy needs, you’ll also want a VPN provider that’s based on a privacy-friendly environment, that offers obfuscation and has a RAM-only server architecture. Additional privacy features to look out for include Tor over VPN capabilities, ad and tracker blockers and multihop connections. Also, look for a VPN that is regularly tested by third-party security providers, as audits can help strengthen confidence in a VPN’s ability to protect its users’ privacy.

Speed

Mac computers are generally known to be very fast, so you will want a fast VPN that can deliver excellent speeds. The speed of your VPN can have a big impact on activities like streaming, downloading, video conferencing, gaming and general web browsing. All VPNs slow down your connection speed in some way, so to keep things running as smoothly as possible, you’ll want a VPN that will have as little impact on your normal internet speed as possible. In general, the best VPNs only reduce your download speed by an average of 25% or less, with the best performers — NordVPN, Proton VPN and ExpressVPN — staying under 20% speed loss.

Usability

MacOS is designed to be clean and intuitive, so if you are familiar with the operating system, you may want the same experience with the VPN software you use. A good Mac VPN should run smoothly and have a user interface that is easy to use regardless of your technical ability. It should have a large network of servers around the world so you can connect easily and reliably wherever you are, and it should be able to help you access geo-restricted content from different regions. You should also consider advanced features, such as dedicated servers (such as Tor over VPN and obfuscated servers), double hop/multi-hop, dedicated IP address and split tunneling (allowing you to use a VPN connection with some VPN applications but not others).

Costs

VPN prices vary greatly from provider to provider, so if you’re on a budget, you may want to consider the cost and overall price of your MacOS VPN. In general, you can expect to spend around $5 to $15 per month for a monthly VPN subscription plan. If you want to save money, you can choose an annual subscription, where prices can range from about $50 to $150 per year. Be careful with free VPNs, though, because you can end up compromising your privacy instead of protecting it if you go with the free option. Proton VPN is currently the only free VPN recommended by CNET. However, most VPNs offer a money-back guarantee that can be anywhere from a week to 45 days. You can also get a free seven-day trial with most VPNs when you sign up through Apple’s App Store. So you’ll probably have options to try out various safe Mac VPNs before you decide whether to fully invest in one.

Device support

You will want a VPN that works well for your Mac devices, such as your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, Mac Studio or Mac Pro. Additionally, if you’re very focused on the Apple ecosystem, you might want to consider a VPN that works well on your iPhone, iPad and even Apple TV. Thankfully, most VPNs support macOS and iOS/iPadOS, and Apple TV compatibility is becoming more common. With so many VPN providers, you can install a VPN on all your Mac devices, from MacBooks and Mac desktops to iPhones, iPads and Apple TV streaming boxes.

Broadcasting

VPNs can elevate your streaming experience thanks to their ability to hide your IP address, thereby making apps and websites think you’re in a different location. For example, you can use a VPN to access region-restricted content, such as watching HBO Max while traveling outside the US, or watching BBC iPlayer while visiting outside the UK. Alternatively, you can access the Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video libraries. Think about the streaming services you want to use with a VPN, and make sure those apps work with your desired VPN service. If you want to install a VPN on your smart TV, Android TV device, Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV, make sure your VPN provider has a compatible app for that device. Using a VPN for live streaming can help you save money on subscribing to a live streaming service.