What is the best VPN for Mac in 2023?

Using a VPN on PC is recommended, but what about the Mac? The situation is similar and most major VPNs offer applications for Mac, a platform that is equally important to secure.

The Mac is often seen as a platform that is safe from threats such as malware and data theft. However, this is not the case: although the Mac is relatively well secured today, just like Windows, it is not invulnerable and you may well need a VPN to secure your Internet connection. And the same is obviously true for other uses of a VPN like anonymity or bypassing the media chronology.

VPN editors are not mistaken: all of them offer an application for macOS with the same features as for Windows.

Our selection of the best VPNs for a Mac?

The best VPNs for Mac are pretty much the same as on PC, and we find NordVPN in our selection.

NordVPN

NordVPN offers a network of over 5,600 servers in 59 countries around the world and most of them benefit from the NordLynx protocol, an adaptation of the Wireguard protocol that offers optimal speeds and stability. NordVPN diversifies its features by going for security with Threat Protection, which protects any computer against viruses, fraudulent sites, intrusive ads and trackers.

With its Mesh Network, NordVPN also allows you to create your own virtual private networks between different users. MacOS is obviously among the platforms that have a French client, but also Linux, Android, iOS or Windows. NordVPN is a widely used service that we can recommend as a safe bet.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the most renowned VPNs for the speed of its servers. A VPN allows you to gain a lot of privacy when connecting to the Internet. Nevertheless, this protection comes at a cost in terms of connection quality: introducing an intermediary reduces performance and that’s why it’s very important to choose a VPN that you know will offer the best speeds, especially when it comes to streaming which involves a lot of bandwidth, especially in 4K. ExpressVPN is one of the best choices you can make in this area.

ExpressVPN also allows you to connect from a very large number of destinations with servers present in 94 countries, so you can determine your geolocation with precision and have good VPN servers wherever you connect abroad. With applications for Windows, MacOS, Android, Linux or even Apple TV and iOS, you can use ExpressVPN on all your devices.

Surfshark

If you are worried about reaching the limit of simultaneous devices in your home, Surfshark can be an interesting option. This VPN has indeed a strong argument: you can connect an unlimited number of devices at the same time, without worrying about any blocking, and this is regardless of your preferred OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS or Apple TV or Fire TV side are all managed.

SurfShark also offers additional options in the Surfshark One package if you want more security with an antivirus capable of blocking malware as well as Zero Day attacks, a 100% organic and guaranteed trackless search engine, as well as a login theft monitoring service.

These options make Surfshark an interesting service despite a more limited number of servers, especially since it is edited by the same company as NordVPN, which is therefore a guarantee of reliability and quality.

ProtonVPN

Finally, if protecting your privacy is your priority, ProtonVPN is an interesting service because it is the work of the publisher of ProtonMail. This Swiss-based company guarantees a level of anonymity and security designed especially for journalists and activists.

ProtonVPN can be one of the best options if you are looking for a free VPN, as it offers a free package guaranteed without limitations and without ads or data reselling. The differences are in the number of additional features available and the maximum speed of the servers. ProtonVPN offers applications on most major platforms including macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, Android TV, iOS/iPadOS or even Chromebook.

If you’re looking for a VPN for anonymous browsing use first and foremost, ProtonVPN may be the right VPN for your Mac and for all your devices, mobile or not.

Why use a VPN for Mac?

The first reason to use a VPN on Mac is to protect your Internet connection. Contrary to popular belief, the Mac is not invulnerable, and while Apple touts its privacy advantages, your IP address or geolocation will be just as visible to everyone with a Mac or a PC.

Using a VPN allows you to create a virtual private tunnel. By connecting to a VPN server, the sites you join, but also your Internet service provider, can only see this server and therefore can not track you.

A VPN also allows you to bypass restrictions imposed by video streaming services or TV channels’ catch-up services. It often happens that a content is blocked in a country because of rights or media chronology. With a VPN, no problem: you choose your country of connection, and you can therefore access the entire catalog of international services, or watch the “replays” of French channels abroad.

Finally, a VPN allows you to lower the price of your reservations. How can you do this? Simply by connecting from a foreign server! Flight or hotel booking websites tend to vary prices according to the country, and it can be very interesting to connect to different VPN servers to make your choice!

VPN: what are the differences between a free and a paid VPN for Mac?

On Mac as well as on PC, one can be tempted to use a free VPN. It’s true, after all: why pay another subscription on top of Netflix, Disney+ or your antivirus? Free VPNs exist and not all of them are scams.

That said, even the most virtuous ones still offer a necessarily limited experience with slower servers, fewer servers available, or worse: weekly or daily data quota limitations. Moreover, it is even more important to check the privacy policy of a free VPN, because free often means that you are the product, and that your data can be returned!

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