Best VPNs for Mac 2025: Affordable VPNs with Exceptional Features, Security, and Performance

If you are concerned about your internet privacy and security, utilizing a VPN may provide some reassurance. Apple provides several security protections in macOS to make Macs safer, but a VPN is required if you want to ensure that the connection between your Mac and the internet is protected rather than the device itself.

Using a VPN effectively renders you invisible on the internet–your data is encrypted, your IP address is concealed, and you can even appear to be surfing from another country. This latter reason is the primary motivation for many VPN users: they wish to access services that are restricted to a specific region, such as US Netflix from the UK or iPlayer from outside the UK.

While accessing gated content is a bit of a gray area due to licensing agreements, we don’t blame anyone who wants to watch the latest season of their favorite show when it airs in the United States instead of waiting for it to arrive in their nation. We provide guidance on how to view BBC iPlayer outside the UK and how to access US Netflix from the UK.

We can assist you if you are seeking a VPN to safeguard your online privacy and security while also allowing you to view information as if you were in another location. There are many VPN services competing for your business, making it tough to identify the ideal one for your needs.

We’ve devoted to rigorous research and testing of VPN services that cater to Mac owners in our guide to the finest VPN services for Mac to help you find the right provider for you.

Best Affordable VPNs for Mac 2025

The Best VPN Services for Mac 2025

1.  Surfshark – Overall Best

Surfshark, a low-cost all-arounder, is our current favorite service. Surfshark is an excellent VPN that provides far more than you’d think for such a low monthly fee.

Its apps are simple to use, and it consistently unblocks streaming services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. However, it lacks the specialty servers offered by competitors such as NordVPN, which shares the same parent corporation.

Connection speeds are quite fast, thanks to the adoption of the WireGuard protocol. Surfshark will not slow down your internet connection as long as you have WireGuard enabled and are not accessing servers on the other side of the world.

Like NordVPN and ExpressVPN, the company has changed all of its servers to run solely in RAM. It is also a member of the VPN Trust Initiative, and few VPN services provide two-factor authentication (2FA). Because it is administered from the Netherlands, it is also a more private choice.

Another reason to select Surfshark is that it is less expensive than almost all of its competitors while not limiting the number of devices you may use at the same time. Unfortunately, once your initial contract expires, it might be costly to renew.

You may install and use it on a variety of platforms, including your Mac, PC, Android, and iOS devices and browsers.

There’s a kill switch, a strict no-logs policy, and a Multi-Hop feature that routes your connection via two VPN servers for an additional layer of protection. However, there’s no GPS spoofing or split tunneling on the Mac.

• 3200+ RAM-based servers
• Multi-Hop connections
• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• 24/7 customer service
• Two-factor authentication

Surfshark Pricing

Surfshark has three pricing structures across its monthly, yearly, and two-year plans.

• Surfshark Starter: This one-month plan costs $15.45/mo, the 12-month plan costs $3.99/mo, and the 24-month plan costs $2.30/mo.
• Surfshark One: This one-month plan costs $17.95/mo, the 12-month plan costs $4.09/mo, and the 24-month plan costs $2.94/mo.
• Surfshark One+: This one-month plan costs $20.65/mo, the 12-month plan costs $6.49/mo, and the 24-month plan costs $4.59/mo.

Pros and Cons

pros

• Easy to utilize for beginners.
• Superfast Surfing speed.
• Great for streaming and torrenting.
• Unblock Netflix and other streaming networks.
• Connect unlimited devices at the same time.
• Available in over 100 countries.

cons

• Tests reveal cracks in the kill switch.
• Prices rise after the first term.

Rating Based on Expert Review

Attributes	Rating	Remark
Design	5/5	Simple and intuitive apps on all gadgets
Unblocking	4.5/5	Unblocks many streaming sites and censored content
Ease of Use	5/5	All features and services are designed with beginners in view
Pricing	4.5/5	It provides amazing value for your money but surges upon renewal
Support	4.5/5	You can count on the support team when you run into technical challenges
Overall Rating	4.7/5	They bring great value with exceptional performance, speed, and security

Read our full Surfshark VPN review

2.  NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the most popular and well-known VPN providers. It held the top spot on this list for years until Surfshark pipped it to the post. NordVPN is more user-friendly than Surfshark and has a more recent independent audit.

It also includes dedicated servers for certain tasks. However, Surfshark is less expensive, provides limitless connections, and has more comprehensive double VPN features.

There are almost 5,000 servers available in 59 countries. You won’t have to guess which one to select owing to the convenient ‘Quick connect’ feature, which selects the server best suited to your needs.

NordVPN’s connections are fast and dependable, and it unblocks major streaming services around the world, such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer. You can connect up to six devices at the same time.

NordLynx now supports the faster WireGuard protocol, making it one of the fastest VPN services available.

However, it is only available on the app’s ‘IKE’ version, which only includes a permanently enabled kill switch. To have more control, download the ‘OpenVPN’ version, which has slightly slower speeds.

• 6 simultaneous connections
• 24/7 tech support
• Kill Switch
• Works with Netflix & other streaming services

If you sign up for the two-year plan, you may save 62% off the regular monthly fee. NordVPN has three subscription tiers: Standard, Plus, and Complete. Nord’s Password Manager and Data Breach Scanner are included in Plus, while Complete includes 1TB of encrypted cloud storage. All prices and plans are available at NordVPN.com.

NordVPN Pricing

• Complete: The monthly plan for this offer is $14.99/mo, the one-year plan costs $6.49/mo plus three extra months, and the two-year plan costs $4.99/mo plus three extra months.
• Plus: The monthly plan for this offer is $13.99/mo, the one-year plan costs $5.49/mo ($82.35 for a year), and the two-year plan costs $3.99/mo ($107.73 for two years).
• Standard: The monthly plan for this offer is $12.99/mo, the one-year plan costs $4.49/mo ($67.35 for a year), and the two-year plan costs $2.99/mo ($80.73 for two years).

Pros and Cons

pros

• Accepts a wide range of devices and platforms.
• Wonderful speed.
• Double data encryption for advanced security and anonymity.
• An all-in-one security packages.
• Connect unlimited devices at the same time.
• Unblocks dozens of streaming websites.
• A 30-day money-back guarantee.

cons

• Free trial exclusive to Android.

Rating Based on Expert Review

Attributes	Rating	Remark
Design	4.5/5	Nice design and simple features
Unblocking	4.5/5	Unblocks a wide range of streaming sites, including Netflix, Prime Video, and many more
Ease of Use	5/5	Ideal for newbies and experienced users
Pricing	4.5/5	Lower starting price
Support	4.5/5	They provide 24/7 live chat support to clients
Overall Rating	4.6/5	NordVPN carries great features, speed, and performance at reasonable pricing

Read our full NordVPN review

3.  Express VPN

ExpressVPN is one of the most capable VPN services available. Everything you’d expect from a modern VPN, including an excellent kill switch and impressive device support, is included.

Split tunneling was available for app-by-app protection, but as with nearly all other VPNs, it hasn’t operated since macOS Big Sur. It is quite simple to set up, with one of the features being quick access via the menu bar.

When it comes to security, ExpressVPN has frequently led the way, but other companies are swiftly catching up. It is no longer the only one with RAM-based servers, and good device and tech support are the norm regardless of service.

The Lightway protocol significantly enhances the speeds that ExpressVPN is capable of, but because it is an open-source technology, many other services will be able to use it as well. However, many of these are substantially less expensive, with ExpressVPN being one of the more expensive options offered.

• 5 simultaneous connections
• 24/7 customer service
• Works with Netflix & other streaming services

Express VPN Pricing

• One-Month Plan: The one-month plan costs $12.95/mo and has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Six-Month Plan: The six-month plan costs $9.99/mo with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• One-Year Plan: You can save a lot when you opt for this plan. It costs $6.67/mo, with an extra 3-month extension, free of charge.

Pros and Cons

pros

• Easy-to-use desktop plan.
• Vat device support.
• Perfect speeds.

cons

• ExpressVPN’s team is majorly anonymous.
• Pricey.

Rating Based on Expert Review

Attributes	Rating	Remark
Design	4.5/5	Features a lovely, attractive, and intuitive design across multiple platforms
Unblocking	4/5	Unblocks many streaming outlets.
Ease of Use	4.5/5	Perfect for beginners and experienced users
Pricing	4.5/5	Cool starting price, but higher renewal rates
Support	4/5	Assorted support tools and well-written guides
Overall Rating	4.4/5	Gives impressive performance and features at an affordable rate.

Read our full review for Expressvpn

4.  CyberGhost

When it comes to low-cost VPN services, CyberGhost stands out as a leading contender, with prices starting at just $2.11 per month.

With over 9,600 servers spread across 91 countries, CyberGhost leads the way in providing a blend of rigorous security measures and feature-rich services to reinforce your online activities and preserve your data.

Despite its low price, CyberGhost is a notable performer in the field of security. It offers a comprehensive set of superior security features for just a little more than $2.

This includes the use of industry-leading AES-256 encryption to provide strong protection for your data.

Furthermore, it adheres to a rigorous no-logs policy, employs specialized servers for enhanced security, and maintains its headquarters in a privacy-friendly country, all of which reinforce your digital privacy and security.

When it comes to speed, CyberGhost does not disappoint. It provides consistent connection speeds, which are aided by the usage of the latest WireGuard tunneling technology, as well as alternatives like IKEv2 and OpenVPN. During our extensive testing, we saw no perceptible lag while streaming or receiving data, and the service continuously maintained roughly 84% of the initial connection speeds.

CyberGhost once again stands itself in terms of extra features. It specializes in overcoming geo-restrictions, allowing access to a variety of streaming providers such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and others. Furthermore, this VPN service provider excels in terms of interoperability, smoothly integrating with a wide range of operating systems and web browsers while providing user-friendly accessibility.

Whether you want uninterrupted streaming or strong security without sacrificing speed, CyberGhost is an affordable VPN option that excels at meeting all of your online needs.

CyberGhost Pricing

• One-Month Plan: The one-plan costs $12.99/mo and is backed by a 14-day money-back guarantee.
• 6-Month Plan: The monthly cost of this plan is $6.99, bringing it to a total of $41.94 for six months.
• Two-Year Plan: The monthly cost of this package is $2.11, so you will be billed $56.97 for the first two years. It also comes with free three months.

Pros and Cons

pros

• Simple, creative, and attractive design.
• 45-day money-back guarantee.
• Great filter system for P2P and streaming.

cons

• Limited simultaneous device connection.
• Doesn’t unblock all streaming outlets.

Rating Based on Expert Review

Attributes	Rating	Remark
Design	4/5	Cool design but could use some improvement, especially on the home page.
Unblocking	4/5	Unblocks many streaming websites, but not all.
Ease of Use	4.5/5	Best for all levels of users
Pricing	5/5	Great starting price, better returns with the long-term plan
Support	4/5	Live chat, email, and ticket support system
Overall Rating	4.7/5	You can use CyberGhost for quality online privacy and security that will not leave a hole in your pocket

Read our full CyberGhost review

5.  Hide.me VPN

Hide.me is another VPN service that has grown in popularity in recent years. In addition to providing a completely free version (something none of its competitors do), it has incorporated WireGuard, which is significantly faster than existing encryption protocols.

Other notable features include a programmable kill switch and split tunneling. Hide.me is the only VPN provider that supports Split Tunneling in macOS. On their website, they declare that “hide.me VPN for macOS supports split tunneling.” It is configurable in the client’s settings.”

Hide.me also provides Stealth Guard, which prevents certain apps from functioning in the absence of a VPN connection.

It can unblock Netflix and give you access to BBC iPlayer even if you are not in the UK. There is also strong device support, with up to ten simultaneous connections allowed.

• 1900+ servers in 47 countries
• Kill switch
• Split tunneling
• 24/7 live chat
• 10 simultaneous connections
• Free version

However, the user interface on Mac is a bit clunky, and we’re still awaiting an update to the 2015 no-logs policy certification.

Hide.me VPN Pricing

• One-Month Plan: The one-month plan costs $9.95/mo and has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Three-Month Plan: The six-month plan costs $5.00/mo with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Seventeen-Month Plan: You can save a lot when you opt for this plan. It costs $2.88/mo, with an extra 5-month extension, free of charge.

Pros and Cons

pros

• Fast WireGuard speeds.
• Dedicated streaming servers.
• Awesome free tier.

cons

• Slightly clunky UI.
• No recent independent auditing.
• Premium plans are costly.

Rating Based on Expert Review

Attributes	Rating	Remark
Design	4.5/5	Features a Unique, attractive, and intuitive design across multiple platforms
Unblocking	4/5	Unblocks a lot of streaming platforms.
Ease of Use	4.5/5	Great for beginners and experienced users
Pricing	4.5/5	Impressive starting price, but higher renewal rates
Support	4/5	Multiple support tools and well-written guides
Overall Rating	4.5/5	Guarantees an impressive performance and features at an affordable rate.

Read our Hide.me VPN review

Tips for Choosing the Best VPNs for Mac

A virtual private network (VPN) is a must-have tool for everyone who uses a Mac and wishes to protect their internet behavior. Choosing the best Mac VPN can be difficult with so many alternatives available. We’ll explain all you need to know.

Key Features

• No logs: The VPN service does not record any details about your online activities due to a rigorous no-logs policy, making it impossible for them to send over your data to any other organizations or government authorities.
• Kill switch: If the VPN connection drops, it’ll disconnect you from the internet completely. This feature hinders accidental exposure of your IP address and other sensitive information.
• API load balancing: API load balancing assists in distributing traffic across multiple servers, ensuring optimal performance and minimizing the chances of server overload or downtime.
• Server availability: The number and geographical distribution of servers impact the VPN’s ability to supply fast and reliable connections. A larger server network enables better access to global content and reduced latency.
• Encryption: To safeguard your data and maintain your privacy, you should use strong encryption, such as AES-256. Search for a VPN provider that employs industry-standard encryption protocols.
• DNS leak protection: This feature stops your DNS requests from being exposed to your ISP, ensuring that your browsing history remains private even if the VPN connection fails.
• IPv6 support: IPv6 support helps future-proof your VPN by providing compatibility with the current internet protocol version, which is gradually replacing the older IPv4 standard.

Speed

When shopping for a VPN, keep in mind that it should not significantly slow down your internet connection. The speed of a VPN connection can be affected by the distance between the VPN server and the quantity of traffic on that server. When you use a VPN, your data must travel a greater distance to reach its destination, resulting in slower loading times for websites or file downloads than if you did not use a VPN at all.

You can use a website like Speedtest.net or Fast.com to test the speed of your VPN connection. These websites will demonstrate the speed of your internet connection with and without the VPN. If the speed difference is too great, try a different VPN provider.

It’s vital to remember that VPN services may not always be honest about their speeds. They may advertise a quicker speed than you actually receive. That is why, before signing up for a VPN, you should test the speed yourself.

When choosing a VPN provider, be sure it provides fast speeds without sacrificing security. You should also ensure that it has servers in close proximity to you and that it has specialized servers for activities like streaming or gaming. Before committing to a VPN provider, test the speed of your connection to ensure it fulfills your requirements.

A trustworthy VPN should securely encrypt your data without sacrificing speed, offering a seamless browsing experience without jeopardizing security.

Cross-platform Use and macOS Compatibility

When looking for a Mac VPN, search for one that supports native macOS. A VPN created exclusively for macOS will integrate seamlessly with your device’s capabilities and settings, resulting in a more pleasant user experience.

Look for a VPN that works on multiple platforms, including Windows, Android, and iOS. With cross-platform support, you can safeguard many devices with a single subscription, providing full security for your whole digital ecosystem. Browser extensions for web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari can also improve your online security and privacy.

Cost

The price of a Mac VPN might vary dramatically between providers, depending on a variety of criteria. A Mac VPN will cost you between $5 and $10 per month. Your pricing is determined by the VPN provider, its features, and the length of your contract. You’ll pay less if you sign a multi-year contract, although paying $10 to $14 per month on a month-to-month basis is common.

When determining the cost of a VPN, consider the following factors:

• Contract length: Many VPN service providers provide discounts for longer subscription contracts. While a monthly membership is more expensive, choosing an annual or multi-year plan can result in significant savings. Test your VPN as soon as you join up. Many provide 30-day money-back guarantees, however, some are as short as seven days, so try it in a variety of scenarios to ensure it fulfills your demands.
• Features: The price of a VPN can be determined by the services it provides, such as server locations, simultaneous connections, and advanced security features such as a kill switch and split tunneling. More feature-rich VPNs may be more expensive, but the increased functionality may be well worth the expenditure.

Free options: While free VPNs may appear enticing, they frequently come with constraints such as limited server access, slower speeds, and worse levels of security. Some free VPN services may be untrustworthy since they collect and sell your data to third parties. To ensure thorough protection and dependable functioning, it is normally advised to invest in a respected paid VPN service.

When selecting a Mac VPN, it’s critical to compare the cost against the features and level of security provided. While saving money is vital, your primary goal should be to prioritize security and privacy. It is preferable to invest in a dependable, feature-rich VPN service at a reasonable price than to risk your online security by using a free or low-quality one.

Customer Support

When selecting a Mac VPN, dependable customer support is critical. Even the best VPN services may have problems or require assistance with setup and setting on occasion. A responsive, educated customer support personnel can make all the difference in promptly and efficiently addressing difficulties.

Keep an eye out for the following:

• Availability: Look for a company that offers customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Contact information: Multiple contact channels, such as live chat, email, and support tickets, provide you with more options for addressing your concerns.
• Database of knowledge: A large collection of data, including FAQs, manuals, and tutorials, can give you the information you need to resolve any issues and become more acquainted with the VPN’s capabilities.
• Response time: Prompt response times are critical for promptly addressing difficulties. Examine user evaluations and testimonials to determine the provider’s responsiveness and helpfulness.

Wrapping Up

There you have it! These are some of the most cost-effective yet powerful VPN services. Their low cost does not jeopardize their quality, security, or performance. They may always be relied on for increased speed, anonymity, and online privacy. These VPNs also provide excellent torrenting and streaming capabilities, giving you excellent value for money. You can look through the list and select the choice that best meets your needs and budget.