Best Mac VPN in 2026: Top 5 Picks for Speed & Security

Bought a shiny new Macbook or Mac desktop and need a VPN? You’re in luck, because we’ve just put together our latest list of the best macOS VPNs for your consideration.

Based off our testing, NordVPN takes our top spot, closely followed by Surfshark. While Surfshark’s app has total feature parity with the Windows version, NordVPN just edges it out for offering truly exclusive features you won’t find anywhere else. ProtonVPN heads up the rest of the list as it’s a VPN with incredible privacy credentials, even if the app itself is a little outdated. Next up, we have ExpressVPN with stellar speeds and a Mac app that’s just as good as, if not better than the Windows app. Finally, we have IPVanish, which offers unlimited simultaneous device connections for a reasonable price. Read on and we’ll get into exactly why each VPN deserves your attention when you’re looking for the best Mac VPN.

Why You Need a VPN on Your Mac

When you buy a Mac, you’re buying into Apple’s stellar security ecosystem. For the most part, you’re protected against a wide range of threats that Windows machines suffer from. However, there’s one major part of your online experience that Apple doesn’t protect by default: the privacy of your internet traffic.

Any time you connect to public Wi-Fi internet, there’s a risk that some of your traffic could be monitored by another user connected to that router. Browsing from your Macbook on coffee shop Wi-Fi? Doing a last-minute check of your itinerary from airport Wi-Fi? Your Mac won’t protect you against traffic monitoring.

That’s where a VPN comes into play. It adds an extra layer of security to your Mac by encrypting all the traffic that leaves your device, making it nigh-impossible for someone else to read what you’re up to on the internet. Connecting to a VPN server also hides your real IP address too, replacing it with server IP you’re connected to. That can make it seem like you’re connecting from a different country altogether, which is seriously useful if you’re trying to unblock streaming sites.

For example, Netflix shows different movies depending on where you are in the world. If you’re travelling away from home, you might not be able to tune into the TV series you’re halfway through from your hotel room. A VPN lets you connect through servers in other countries to access their content libraries.

Keeping your ISP from snooping on your traffic has other benefits, too. Some internet providers deliberately slow down streaming or torrenting traffic. Since a VPN hides what you’re doing, they can’t pick and choose what to throttle.

The only issue is that not every VPN plays nice with macOS. Plenty of providers slap together a basic Mac app and call it a day. The good ones build native apps that actually work with Apple’s ecosystem instead of cobbling together a basic app that pales in comparison to their Windows offering. So, we tested our top VPN providers to find which ones have the absolute best macOS apps.

Best VPNs for Mac Compared – in-depth reviews

1. NordVPN

NordVPN takes the top spot because it nails all of the fundamentals you’d expect from a VPN client: excellent app design, consistently fast speeds, and rock-solid security.  While the Mac app is slightly underpowered compared to our second spot (more on this in a second), NordVPN exclusively offers the NordLynx protocol which delivers impressive performance without draining your MacBook’s battery.

NordVPN maintains 9,000 servers across 181 countries, which is ranks it among the best VPNs out there for global coverage. We also found that streaming reliability hit a 100% success rate on our tests across Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+, and other streaming services.

We’re very impressed with NordVPN’s onboarding process for macOS. You do need to jump through a few hoops to get all of NordVPN’s extensive security features working, but Nord makes it seamless with a full tutorial that gets you into the options you need to enable on macOS in seconds.

The apps do differ slightly between Windows and macOS. It’s not as immediately obvious how to access settings on macOS, as they’re hidden behind the “User” panel instead of sitting with the rest of NordVPN’s features on the sidebar as in the Windows version. The kill switch layout is slightly different as well. Instead of offering a full kill switch on macOS (something VPN providers have traditionally struggled with), NordVPN offers the option of shutting down specific apps when your VPN connection drops. It’s slightly worse than a full system-wide kill switch, but it works.

NordVPN also doesn’t offer split tunneling. Other than that, most of the features you’d want are there, including NordVPN’s Meshnet which allows you to set up your own VPN and share files between your devices securely. NordLynx, NordVPN’s proprietary VPN protocol, is available on macOS as well as NordWhisper for obfuscation. They offer OpenVPN, too, but no IKEv2. Threat Protection is available too, which is NordVPN’s best-in-class anti-virus protection engine.

Overall, if you’re looking for a VPN with unique features and rock solid performance, check out NordVPN. However, if you’re looking for a VPN with absolute feature parity between Windows and macOS, read on.

Visit NordVPN.com

For more information, refer to our full NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark

At $1.99/month, Surfshark is hard to beat if you own multiple Apple devices. You get unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning your MacBook, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV can all stay protected (similar to our best VPN Android recommendations) without paying for another subscription.

Surfshark has almost total feature parity between Windows and macOS. In fact, we noticed that you have access to the Multi-IP feature (which splits up your browsing traffic between multiple IPs) exclusively on macOS. The only place where this isn’t the case is in the set of protocols you can use. On Windows, it’s either OpenVPN or WireGuard. On macOS, it’s either WireGuard or IKEv2. This isn’t a particularly big deal, as most of the time you’ll want to use WireGuard anyway.

Otherwise, Surfshark has the same responsive and lightweight app interface on both platforms. It’s a high-speed VPN that consistently unblocks streams and offers 100 locations to choose from, so you’ll be able to access low latency connections from almost anywhere in the world. It also offers great onboarding specifically for macOS so you won’t get lost in the weeds while trying to set your VPN up, but if you do there’s some excellent support documentation available to you.

Visit Surfshark.com

For more information, refer to our full Surfshark review.

3. Proton VPN

If privacy matters more than anything else, Proton VPN is your pick. Based in Switzerland with strong data protection laws, Proton operates 20,000 servers with a proven no-logs policy that’s been independently audited by Securitum.

The Mac app includes some of the unique privacy features like Secure Core routing, which bounces your traffic through privacy-friendly countries before reaching its final destination. Proton VPN on macOS also comes with NetShield, which dynamically filters ads and trackers out of your browsing experience. It’s all wrapped up in a stylish purple and black dashboard that shows you exactly where you’re connected to.

The reason Proton VPN isn’t higher is that it’s still missing a few essential features that the Windows app offers. Don’t get us wrong, all the privacy essentials are there, including a fully working kill switch. What you won’t get is port forwarding or split tunelling. At the very least, the macOS version offers most of the protocols you’d get on Windows, including Proton VPN’s Stealth protocol for obfuscation against network blocks. Except, instead of OpenVPN, you get IKEv2. Not a huge difference, but worth noting.

The Mac app code is open source and publicly auditable for security verification, too.

Visit ProtonVPN.com

For more information, refer to our full Proton VPN review.

4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a premium product. Take one look at the Mac app and it’s hard to disagree. In fact, the macOS client is arguably better and than the Windows one. Take, for example, VPN protocols. On Windows, ExpressVPN supports Lightway over UDP and TCP. On macOS, you get the choice between Lightway, WireGuard, and OpenVPN.

Lightway works fantastically on Mac devices. It’s been built from the ground up specifically for speed and battery efficiency on mobile devices, including MacBooks. Part of the reason Lightway works so well is that it handles transitioning between Wi-Fi and mobile networks seamlessly, so it’s also a great protocol if you need a VPN for your iPhone too (or if you’re tethering from one on your MacBook).

The macOS app itself also looks much better than the Windows version. All of its features are integrated into a single dashboard where you can easily change your settings, whereas the Windows version opens separate windows when you need to change settings.

As for all of the VPN basics, ExpressVPN is fantastic here too. We’ve found from our speed tests that ExpressVPN maintains consistent performance across its server network, even if you’re bouncing between servers to unblock streaming services. For the price of 80%/month, you also get 24/7 support that includes live chat with Mac-specific troubleshooting.

Visit ExpressVPN.com

For more information, refer to our full ExpressVPN review.

5. IPVanish

IPVanish isn’t quite as capable as the rest of the VPNs we recommend, but it’s still a very functional VPN with some extensive support documentation for setting up a Mac VPN.

At 77%/month when you buy a two year plan, IPVanish offers unlimited simultaneous device connections on a fairly high-speed VPN network.

The Mac app is straightforward and functional when it’s working, though it lacks some of the polish of our higher-ranked picks. To make up for it, IPVanish also offers a kill switch and split tunneling on the macOS app, which is a rarity among VPN providers.

One issue we did find with the Mac app is that telemetry is enabled by default. Most of the apps we’ve seen on Mac explicitly ask for your permission first. That said, the data is anonymized and IPVanish has passed several third-party audits confirming its no-log policy.

We also found that IPVanish doesn’t play well with other VPNs on macOS. This won’t be an issue if you’re just using IPVanish, but it could be a problem if you’re moving from another VPN provider.

Visit IPVanish.com

For more information, refer to our full IPVanish review.

How We Tested and Chose the Best Mac VPNs

We’ve reviewed our top VPN providers to find the ones that work well on Mac devices. We already know these VPNs are the best in the industry from extensive testing, so we don’t have any concerns about speed or stream unblocking. If you’re interested in how each of these providers perform generally, you can refer to our in-depth reviews on each one. We bought each VPN with our own money, so we’re confident that our speed results aren’t being preferentially buffed. It also means we’re free to say exactly what we like about each provider: what they do well, and what they need to improve.

What we’re interested in is how each of these providers works on Mac specifically.

Our Mac testing focused on how the app performs compared to Windows versions, which usually has more features. We expect to see native app quality, menu bar integration, compatibility across Intel and Apple Silicon and extensive macOS version support. If we see that the macOS version is underperforming, we call it out. Essentially, what we want is total feature parity and easy integration with macOS.

How to Set Up a VPN on Your Mac

Long-gone are the days where the macOS version of a VPN is an afterthought compared to the Windows version. Setting up a VPN on macOS is now pretty simple. Most providers give you a native Mac installer that does all the work for you.

1. Sign up for a VPN service: Pick any one of our recommended providers. They all come with outstanding macOS apps which runs perfectly on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
2. Download the Mac app: Either grab your provider’s VPN client from their website, or head to the Apple App store and download it from there. Most major VPN providers typically support macOS 10.15 and up, so you’re generally covered on Monterey, Ventura, and Sonoma.
3. Install and log in: Run the installer file from your browser’s download history. Some apps will handle the entire install process on your behalf, others will require you to drag and drop the application from the installer to the “Applications” folder. All you need to do after that is open the app up and log in with the same details you’ve set up
4. Pick a server: Hitting “Quick Connect” should suffice if you just need private browsing, but if you’re trying to unblock a specific streaming service you should go to the location selection dropdown and pick a server in the country you’re trying to connect to.
5. Double-check: Just to make sure you’re covered, go to whatismyipaddress.com to make sure your IP address changed.

While you can also manually set up your VPN by going to System Settings > Network and adding a new VPN configuration from the “VPN & Filters” menu, we recommend that you stick with the native apps. Not only is it easier, but you also get all of the extra features built into each app.

What to Look for When Choosing a Mac VPN

Not all VPNs are worth using. Out of the ones that are, not all of them work well with macOS. Some providers offer lackluster native apps, others skimp on features you’d expect to find in other versions of the app. Here’s a quick list of what you should look out for when choosing between Mac VPNs:

• Native macOS app: If your provider’s answer to macOS is manual setup through System Preferences, you need to look elsewhere. Native apps handle protocol switching automatically, offer better leak protection, and integrate cleanly with macOS notifications and menu bar controls. All five VPNs in our lineup have polished native apps that feel at home on Mac.
• Protocol flexibility: NordVPN and Surfshark both use WireGuard by default for speed, but automatically fall back to OpenVPN when they detect restrictive networks. This matters if you work from coffee shops or corporate offices that block newer protocols.
• Battery efficiency: All VPNs will use at least slightly more battery when you’re working on a MacBook, but the best ones will have negligible impact. Look for VPNs that offer WireGuard, as it’s built to use less CPU than OpenVPN. IKEv2 is a good inbetween if you can’t get WireGuard.
• Security auditing: This is true for all VPNs, not just macOS ones. If a provider has a recent third-party security audit, you can be reasonably sure that their no-logs policy is legit. Proton VPN underwent a no-logs audit by Securitum in 2025, while both NordVPN and Surfshark were audited by Deloitte the same year. All confirmed their privacy claims.
• Kill switch reliability: macOS has aggressive network switching that can briefly expose your real IP when moving between WiFi and cellular. We test kill switches by forcing network changes and monitoring for IP leaks.
• Simultaneous device connections: Most VPN providers have an upper cap on how many devices you can connect simultaneously, which can be a pain if you’re trying to cover all of your Apple devices alongside Windows machines, Smart TVs, and so on. NordVPN and Proton VPN limit you to 10 devices, while ExpressVPN allows up to 14 depending on the subscription you buy. Surfshark and IPVanish offer unlimited connections for comparable prices.

Frequently Asked Questions