Best VPN for Mac 2025: Trustworthy Mac VPNs tested by experts

• 5,300 servers
• 10 simultaneous connections

NordVPN is one of the biggest and best-known VPN services. It’s a fully featured VPN option that’s secure, easy to use, and unbelievably fast compared to its competitors. There are cheaper options, with unlimited connections and more in-depth VPN features, but NordVPN is our top choice right now because it stands out in so many areas, from speed and privacy to unblocking and ease of use.

There are more than 5,300 servers (none of which are virtual) available across 60 countries, which sounds great. You probably only care about the servers where you want to unblock content, but the more servers the better as it means you have a better chance of finding one that’s not overloaded. You won’t have to figure out which one to choose thanks to the handy ‘Quick connect’ feature that picks the server best suited to your needs.

Connections are fast and reliable, and NordVPN unblocks popular streaming services around the world including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. You can connect up to six devices simultaneously including your Apple TV.

Nord has added support for the fasterWireGuard protocolin NordLynx, making it one of the fastest VPN services out there. However, it’s only available on the ‘IKE’ version of the app, which only offers a permanently enabled kill switch. To have more control, you’ll need to download the ‘OpenVPN’ version, albeit with slightly slower speeds.

Nord has an up-to-date independent audit. It also has specialty servers for specific purposes.

Nord frequently has deals on offer that save money on the usual monthly price if you take advantage of thetwo-year plan. NordVPN offers three tiers: Standard, Plus and Ultimate. You can get Plus features (data breach scanner and password manager) or the Ultimate tier adds cloud storage and insurance options.

Prices change all the time, so take a look at the prices and plans atNordVPN.com.

• 3,200 servers in 100 countries
• Unlimited simultaneous connections

Surfshark is a reliable, affordable option with more than 3000 servers spread across 100 countries. Surfshark’s network is one of the widest and most varied of any VPN.

Its apps, which work with Macs, iPhones, and even Apple TV, as well as other devices, are easy to use. The macOS app offers light and dark modes, and you can opt to have it shown in the dock or the menu bar. The iOS version of SurfShark offers features like MultiHop and Dedicated IP – it’s not a watered-down versions of their desktop VPN.

SurfShark offers three tiers of features at varying price points. SurfShark Starter offers VPN functionality as well as an ad blocker and the option to generate a proxy email address and personal details. SurfShark One adds email and payment detail breach alerts, as well as personal data security reports, antivirus and other malware protection. And the One+ plan adds data removal from company databases and people search sites.

When we reviewed Surfshark previously we had some performance issues, but this time around things were a lot better. With WireGuard, SurfShark is the slickest VPN around, removing very little speed from my connection. OpenVPN, where we had problems previously, was much swifter this time around. Whichever protocol we used, we were able to flick between streaming libraries with ease.

Those protocols also offer varying degrees of encryption to keep your data secure. The Kill Switch feature is billed as a “safety net”, It’ll shut down your connection if your VPN connection falters, preventing personal data from sneaking out to bad actors.

Surfshark is is headquartered in the Netherlands and has a privacy-minded no-logs policy that’s regularly audited. Surfshark’s process means it logs a small amount of data that’s then scrubbed from its servers with 15 minutes of closing the connection. Surfshark confirmed to us in June 2025 that they had theirno-logs policy independently verified againand Deloitte confirmed that they don’t monitor what our users do online and do not keep logs of their activities.

For even more security, the Antivirus Scan feature (available with Surfshark One and One+) can run scheduled background scans if you leave the app open. Ransomware Shield and Webcam Protection can stop your personal folders and hardware camera from falling into the wrong hands respectively, and the app will constantly look to update its database of viruses to cross-reference files.

Sign up to Surfshark here.

• 2,000 servers
• 8 simultaneous connections

If you want to circumnavigate geoblocking to get access to content not available where you live, protect your data while browsing the web from a public network, and keep your web browsing habits private, ExpressVPN, with its server locations across 105 countries, can do just about all of this with two or three clicks.

ExpressVPN is remarkably easy to use, but if you have any difficulties the 24-hour live chat means you can be connected to a real human to discuss issues within minutes.

There are native apps on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, Android and Windows. Plus you can use it on eight devices at once (the limit was five previously).

Like all VPNs there is some speed loss because you are routing via a server in another country, but ExpressVPN does well to mitigate this, dropping less than 13% of download speed in our testing. NordVPN remains faster with a 12% loss in our tests, but ExpressVPN’s 13% is still better than most.

ExpressVPN offers no fewer than six different choices for protocol. Lightway, the company’s own option, is rapid. For improved compatibility you can switch to another version of Lightway or OpenVPN – things slowed down with  24% of speed loss with the latter.

There’s no Malware protection with ExpressVPN, but you can install apassword managercalled ExpressVPN Keys.

The company is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, so it’s free from the majority of intelligence-sharing agencies’ jurisdiction. While it also operates a no-log policy, it doesn’t have PureVPN’s “always-on” audit process, but it undergoes audits each year.

ExpressVPN’s more expensive than many of its contemporaries and doesn’t allow access from unlimited devices (just eight). But you get a solid, speedy connection with minimal fuss, and you don’t have to tie-in for a two-year deal to get the best value. That latter point is important because VPN legislation can change regularly.

SeeExpressVPN subscription plans here.

• 6,500+ servers in 100+ countries (access servers in 5 countries on free plan, on one device)
• 10 simultaneous connections

ProtonVPN’s free tier of membership helps to set Proton VPN apart from some of its rivals. It’s naturally limited, with US, Japan, and Netherlands as the server locations and some speed drop – but it’s still pretty usable

If you pay for the service it offers a sleek interface, impressive connection speeds and just about enough features to improve your day-to-day web experience without throwing too many complex concepts at new users. 

Proton VPN Plus offers a host of features, including an ad and tracker blocker and speed of up to 10 Gbps, as well as a 10-device limit. There’s Port Forwarding for downloads and gaming, too, as well as a Kill Switch for disconnecting should the VPN drop out.

Some VPN services offer features like dark web data notifications. Proton VPN sticks to the basics – and does so very well. Thecompany’s “no-logs” policyconfirms it doesn’t track sites, IP addresses, communications, or session lengths, nor does it track location-based information. Proton is Swiss-based, and only Swiss court orders can request data from the company, but since it doesn’t log data there’s very little it can offer to law enforcement.

For the privacy-minded, Secure Core, routes traffic through one of the company’s ‘Secure’ servers, minimizing the potential of a data leak. These secure servers are owned by Proton and are located in more than 90 countries.

Proton VPN does increase latency, but only by about 29% in our testing on a modest 60 Mbps broadband. In fact, it’s only about 7% slower when downloading and 5.5% slower when uploading, making it one of the slicker VPNs we’ve tested.

In terms of included VPN protocols, Smart will be ideal for most users, automatically setting the right protocol for your current usage, but WireGuard, WireGuard (TCP), IKEv2 and Stealth are also offered.

Proton VPN is an easy recommendation both for new and experienced users.

Sign up forProton’s subscription plans here.

• 800+ servers in 49+ countries
• 10 simultaneous connections

FastestVPN packs impressive VPN performance, but that’s only one facet of what makes it worth a look. It’s also relatively cheap compared to many rivals, and has seen a bunch of improvements since we took a look in 2021.

The app is sleek and easy to use and offers 10 simultaneous connections.

FastestVPN is headquartered in the Cayman islands and has undergone a third-party audit from Altius to confirm its no-logs policy.

Since the last time we looked at it it’s gained a number power user features like multi-hop connections. It also now features an Internet Kill Switch to shut down all traffic if your VPN drops for any reason. You can also use Smart Tunneling to ensure certain apps go via a VPN while others don’t.

Will FastestVPN help you get around geoblocks? Yes, in fact, FastestVPN highlights certain streaming-focused servers to help get around geoblocking.

You’ll find a variety of VPN protocols to choose from, with Wireguard, OpenVPN (TCP and UDP options) and IKEv2 available, and Servers have recently been updated to 10 Gbps options, but despite the name, it’s not the fastest around. However, it’s so affordable that it’s hard not to recommend, with a lifetime price of $40 (normally $600), which we’ve even seen reduced to just $30!

FastestVPN does a great job and for a lot less than others. FastestVPN has more than 800 servers, which is a lot – but in context, that’s dramatically less than NordVPN or ExpressVPN. Rivals do offer a larger server count, but the ease of use, and low barrier of entry, make FastestVPN one of our best VPN picks in 2025.

FastestVPN is available on Mac as well as Windows, iOS, iPadOS, Android, and plenty more apps.

SeeFastestVPNs plans here.

• 700+ servers
• 5 connections

Mullvad doesn’t offer recurring plans, you pay €5 a month whether you sign up for a month, a year or longer. The only price change will be dependent on the exchange rate from euros at that time. This way you aren’t caught up in a recurring subscription and Mullvad doesn’t store your personal information – a great example of its privacy-first mindset. You can even buy prepaid cards if you don’t want to log payment information, which makes Mullvad the ideal VPN service for anyone looking to leave a minimal digital footprint.

Split Tunnelling, multihop connections and even an AI-focused defence mechanism called DAITA are included.

Performance is excellent and there are plenty of features that would be paid additions elsewhere. For example, the Kill Switch to cut traffic if the VPN drops, and a Lockdown Mode that forces the user to reconnect via Mullvad if the connection drops. Multihop will bounce your connection via multiple servers, and split tunnelling is available so you can send some traffic via the VPN and ignore it for others. There is also an ad blocker.

It’s available on Mac, Windows, iOS, iPadOS, and Android. It’s accessed exclusively from the menu bar on Mac. The iPhone and iPad apps pack plenty of power user features that in some services are limited to desktop, like multihop connections and the DAITA protection. DAITA (Defence against AI-guided Traffic Analysis) will add ‘network noise’ so data packets are all the same size.

The main disadvantages are the five device limit, which is lower than many VPNs, and. a lower server count. It has 700, but this is still lower than the likes of NordVPN with over 7,000. Mullvad’s servers are all real, not virtual, servers though. Connection speeds are impressive.

Mullvad is a fantastic VPN service that’s about as privacy-minded as can be. It might not have the most servers, but that’s a small price to pay for the service on offer.

Sign up to Mullvad here.

• 2,600+ servers in 90 countries
• 10 simultaneous connections

Hide Me is a versatile VPN with a free plan (though limited). It unblocks Netflix libraries globally and keeps data secure.

Hide Me is available on various devices, with native apps for Windows, Mac, iPad, Android, and iOS. The Mac app has a main window and a Menu bar icon for quick access. The initial setup is straightforward, focusing on quick app usage.

Want to quickly connect to a server? Open it and click the Enable VPN button. It’s great to see 10 simultaneous connections available, so one plan can cover a family’s devices. You can choose where you’re connecting from a list of locations or a list of streaming-friendly options.

While it offers advanced features like Split Tunnelling and multi-hop servers, these are easily accessible. Split-tunnelling lets you send traffic via the VPN on a per-app basis, while a Kill Switch can stop all traffic when your VPN connection wavers.

Multi-Hop connectivity is included in the price, which means your data bounces between servers, further hiding it and making it harder to trace, though it does slow down connectivity.

OpenVPN is supported, as expected, but IKEv2, SoftEther, and SSTP are also available, so you can easily switch to an alternative protocol if needed.

We found sub-10% download speed drops across multiple servers, making it one of the slicker VPNs we’ve tested.

Geo-unblocking is great, as Hide Me switches your location to various streaming-friendly servers.

Privacy-wise, Hide Me is an ‘Offshore VPN’ with its headquarters in Labuan, Malaysia, giving it anonymity from the Five Eyes intelligence coalition and other countries.

The company has a strict no-logs policy, preventing it from keeping any data from users and their sessions. 

There’s a free plan with basic features, but it lacks multihop functionality and streaming support.

Easy to use, Hide Me is a great service with many features, such as split tunnelling and multihop connections, a device limit of 10 (double some rivals), and excellent streaming support. The only downside is the limited server count. 

See full Hide.me pricing here

• 35,000+ servers, 91 countries
• Unlimited connections

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a powerful VPN designed for savvy users, offering “power user” tools and features such as custom DNS, connection rules, split tunnelling, and more at a lower cost than many competitors. The PIA Mac app offers pretty much everything its Microsoft counterpart does. 

The app can be used on any device and offers servers in 91 countries. In my testing, the “auto” setting did a good job of picking servers that balanced speed and privacy.

The main window provides information on performance graphs, download and upload speeds, and quick settings for tools like Light Mode, Port Forwarding, and LAN connections.

While you can use PIA for getting around geoblocked content on your streaming services, PIA is more privacy-focused than other VPNs, with features like the Advanced Kill Switch, Split Tunnelling, port forwarding, and Multi-Hop server obfuscation. PIA also offers customizable features like automation setup and DNS options. 

Private Internet Access can’t beat the speeds of NordVPN and Surfshark, and its stablemate CyberGhost VPN offers more impressive speeds, but at the cost of some power features. In our testing, we saw a reasonable drop of around 8% on Mac while using the PIA VPN. Upload speeds dropped considerably– by around 25%, which may be an issue if you do a lot of uploading. 

Its zero-log policy has been verified by Deloitte Audit Romania.

Despite inconsistent speeds, Private Internet Access is a great VPN for all budgets with a wealth of features for privacy-inclined users.

Subscribe toPrivate Internet Access here.