What A VPN Does & How To Choose Best Free VPN For Mac? VPN acts much like a firewall and it enables users to safely access private network and make it easy to share data remotely via public networks. Mostly VPN services takes help of a desktop application that runs in background encrypting your data when browsing web. ExpressVPN is our top recommendation for a Mac VPN. This is the premium option for those that want nothing but the very best VPN for safety, reliability, app quality and customer support.
You Need a Mac VPN
There's a dangerous belief out there that macOS is somehow immune to attacks, that Apple's computers need no antivirus, and that Macs are intrinsically protected against spies and hackers. While it's true that Windows machines see more attacks, perpetrators of mass surveillance and online data thieves aren't discerning. That's why virtual private networks, or VPNs, are so important, even for Mac users.
The problem isn't your Mac, per se. It's the fundamental structure of the internet. The first bricks of the web were laid by government and university academics who were interested in making information sharing faster and easier. Privacy and security were secondary concerns. Fast-forward a few decades into the future, and things are quite different.
Today, we use the web for far more than just trading academic papers. https://browngrey495.weebly.com/blog/find-normaldotm-in-word-for-mac-2018. We transmit important documents filled with personal information; we file our taxes; we send money to our friends and request money from our enemies; we even exchange incriminating emails and compromising photos. And we do it all over a system that makes finding your location and intercepting your information very easy.
Editors' Note: IPVanish is owned by j2 Global, the parent company of PCMag's publisher, Ziff Davis.
The Best VPN Deals This Week*
- IPVanish — 77 percent off three-year plan ($99; Original Price $431.64)
- NordVPN — 75 percent off three-year plan ($107.55)
- Private Internet Access — 67 percent off one-year plan ($39.95; Original Price $119.40)
- TunnelBear — 58 percent off two-year plan ($99.99; Original Price $239.76)
- TorGuard — 50 percent off one-year plan ($29.99 after coupon PCMAG)
*Deals are selected by our partner, TechBargains
Who Wants Your Data?
In short, just about everyone wants your data. Your personal information is valuable to hackers because it can be sold and resold on Dark Web marketplaces. Scammers and other criminals can then buy that information in order to commit fraud, which is not something people usually enjoy having done in their name.
In a similar vein, advertisers are keen to get your information so that they can better target you with online advertisements. Special trackers note information about you when you visit a website. When you navigate to a website that hosts another tracker from the same ad company, your movements are correlated across the web.
Picasa for mac 2018. Even internet service providers (ISPs) are starting to get in on the act, now that Congress has given them the go-ahead to sell anonymized metadata about user activity. The ISPs argue that if advertisers can get a cut of the sweet>
Stay Safe and Private on Your Mac
Apple has polished macOS to a shine, and the company has always paid careful attention to stability and security. But out on the web, anything goes. That's why you need a VPN to provide a critical layer of security and privacy. It's a simple but powerful tool, and you'll be grateful for taking better control of your online experience.
While you're thinking about privacy for your Mac, you should also consider security. If you're not protected yet, you ought to read our roundup of Mac antivirus software.
Best Mac VPN Services Featured in This Roundup:
NordVPN (for Mac) Review
MSRP: $11.95Pros: Largest collection of servers. Specialized servers. Six simultaneous connections. Well designed, consistent user interface. Ad blocking and web protection.Cons: Expensive. Lackluster speed test scores.Bottom Line: NordVPN provides Mac users excellent network security, impressive features, specialized servers, and the largest network of VPN servers on the market, making it one of the best VPNs for macOS.Read ReviewPrivate Internet Access VPN (for Mac) Review
MSRP: $6.95Pros: Thousands of servers across dozens of locations. Good speed test scores. Excellent, advanced tools. No logging. Works with Netflix.Cons: Minimal interface. No free version.Bottom Line: The perfect choice for a security wonk, Private Internet Access is a no-frills macOS VPN with the most robust network we've yet seen, at a very reasonable price. Don't expect much hand-holding from the interface, however.Read ReviewTunnelBear VPN (for Mac) Review
MSRP: $9.99Pros: The best overall speed test scores for macOS. Friendly, charming interface. Blocks ads. Excellent privacy policies. Unique features specifically for macOS. Plays nice with Netflix. Bears.Cons: Few server locations. No P2P or BitTorrent allowed.Bottom Line: TunnelBear has always offered a great experience and excellent protection with its VPN software, and it shines on macOS. With a robust network of servers, a killer interface, strong speed test scores, and unique features for macOS, it's an Editor's Choice.Read ReviewPureVPN (for Mac) Review
MSRP: $10.95Pros: Excellent geographic diversity of servers. Specialized servers. Allows P2P and BitTorrent. Excellent privacy policy. Works with Netflix.Cons: Few servers. IKEv2 and OpenVPN not supported in client. Unfriendly interface.Bottom Line: PureVPN offers robust protection for your web data with an excellent collection of servers and strong privacy protections, but it isn't the fastest Mac VPN we've tested.Read ReviewGolden Frog VyprVPN (for Mac) Review
MSRP: $12.95Pros: Robust features, including split tunneling. Supports multiple protocols. Allows P2P and Bittorrent. Direct control of servers. Geographically diverse server options. Some stand-out speed test scores.Cons: Lacks ad-blocking. Small number of servers.Bottom Line: Golden Frog VyprVPN not only provides the secure encryption of a virtual private network, but it also packs a host of advanced features into a slick macOS app.Read ReviewTorGuard VPN (for Mac) Review
MSRP: $9.99Pros: Numerous advanced settings. Very robust network of some 3,000 servers. Five simultaneous connections.Cons: Unfriendly interface. Does not automatically select best server. Fewer options than Windows version.Bottom Line: TorGuard is meant to be the VPN for BitTorrent acolytes, and it delivers a raft of advanced features confident users will appreciate, but it's not for networking newbies.Read ReviewKeepSolid VPN Unlimited (for Mac) Review
MSRP: $9.99Pros: Affordable, flexible pricing structure. Nifty Touch Bar integration. P2P and BitTorrent allowed. Supports OpenVPN. Specialized servers. Information-dense client.Cons: Lackluster overall speed performance. App Store and downloadable versions offer different features. Small number of servers.Bottom Line: KeepSolid VPN Unlimited is a solid service with unparalleled flexible pricing, and robust security technology, but its interface feels clunky for a Mac app, and its speed tests results were only fair.Read Review
Let’s be blunt: you don’t want people seeing what you’re doing on the Internet. Whether it be looking at adult websites, trying to get around government firewalls to get to censored information, or want to use torrents and don’t want nasty letters from your Internet Service provider when you do.
Or you’re at a public WiFi and don’t want that guy sitting in the corner with the packet sniffer to see all of your banking information and start buying jewelry for his girlfriend with your credit card.
This is why using a trusted Virtual Private Network (VPN) provider is a good idea. Nobody can tell what you’re looking at or downloading, because your connection through VPN is encrypted. All the Internet provider, whether it be your cable company or where you work, knows is you’ve connected to a VPN, and that’s it. What you do from there is private, and only for you to know.
Just remember – there’s a difference between having a VPN, and a VPN provider or tunnel. Anyone can set up a VPN between any two or more computers. This way they can all communicate with each other without anyone snooping in. A VPN provider lets you make an encrypted connection to a network that then connects you to the rest of the Internet. Depending on the speed and quality of the VPN connection, it’s just like connecting directly through your local WiFi or Internet connection.
The following is a list of the best free VPNs for Mac. A really good VPN connection can cost anywhere from $10 to $30 a month, but these are just as good for getting started.
The List: The Best Free VPNs for Mac
So with that, let’s go over the list of the best free VPNs for Mac users.
1. NordVPN
NordVPN employs military-grade, 256-bit key AES encryption to keep your online data safe. If you are serious about protecting your online identity and anonymity, you will be better served by purchasing a full-featured VPN. We believe that NordVPN is your best choice. Photoshop for book covers.
Note: Get one of the best VPNs out there with 75% OFF. For a limited time only, you can get NordVPN for only $2.99 a month
Some of the features that bring NordVPN on top of the list:
- The ability to hide your IP to keep your Internet activity anonymous.
- Support for six simultaneous connections that can be used on your Mac as well as Windows, iOS, and Android devices.
- Automatic kill-switch that shuts down your connection if your VPN connectivity is interrupted.
- Onion over VPN routes traffic through Nord’s VPN and then sends it to the Onion Router for added protection, such as when accessing the dark web.
- SmartPlay technology that ensures access to over 400 geo-restricted streaming services such as Netflix, Pandora, and Amazon Prime.
- Double data protection sends your data through two VPN servers before reaching its destination, effectively encrypting your data twice.
How to use Nord VPN for Free:
- Start your risk-free NordVPN trial, you can cancel your subscription at any time. There are no costs.
- NordVPN offers 30-day money-back guarantee. Flexible pricing plans make it easy to try this valuable privacy tool.
2. Windscribe
Windscribe comes with a free version. For those who want a little bit more, the price is affordable starting at $9 a month and going down with a longer commitment.
Every list is going to have Windscribe on it. It meets all of our target points:
- Secure with AES-256 encryption.
- Private by not keeping logs. Which means even if someone requests they identify what a customer accesses, they can’t because they don’t store the information.
- Robust with servers in 55 countries and 110 cities, so you know wherever you go there’s a way to connect reliably.
- 10 GB per month of bandwidth traffic.
Windscribe provides a VPN client for Mac, but also has Windows and Linux clients for users of other operating systems. Smilebox for mac 2018. Even better, it can be integrated into browsers like Chrome or Firefox with an extension, so you can just connect the browser through their VPN, and off you go.
3. ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN provides their security with what they call the “Secure Core”. Rather than just have their users connect and then route them to the Internet through one location, they protect users by forwarding the traffic through multiple servers. This means that people won’t be able to find out where the original computer connected from, increasing your privacy.
2018 Vpn Review
Along with these features, it includes:
- Security with AES-256 encryption
- Forward Secrecy where each connection receives new encryption key, so even if someone traced your transmissions before, they can’t use that information to decrypt new ones.
- Legal protection being based in Switzerland, where privacy laws are the strongest in the world.
ProtonVPN also features no logs so users don’t have to worry that their information will be betrayed later. They include clients for Windows and Mac VPN connections. As an added plus, ProtonVPN has physical security from the use of an old fallout shelter. War never changes, but with strong physical and encryption security, ProtonVPN can keep your connection secure.
Fastest Vpn Service 2018
4. TunnelBear
We didn’t pick TunnelBear just because it’s an adorable name with a mascot that looks like what would happen if Mario was turned into a bear and came out of a warp pipe.
TunnelBear, like the other services, features protections like AES 256-bit encryption and no logging.
What TunnelBear adds is a strong push for protection with:
- 500 MB of available data, plus another 1 GB if you tweet about them.
- VPN blocking protection: Some websites and Internet services will block users if they detect that the connection is coming in from a VPN. TunnelBear has systems that make these connection less detectable, so your communication can still go through while protected.
- Vigilant Mode: This is a very cool feature. If a security issue is detected at any point, then TunnelBear will cut off all unsecured traffic until connections are properly restored. So when something tries to breach the connection, you can be assured that people can’t try to get around and see what’s happening through unsecured channels.
TunnelBear has services in 20 countries, and it’s expanding all the time.
5. Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield is one of the most popular choices out there.
It has a free VPN option that includes both 128 and 256-bit AES encryption, and features like:
- Connection for up to 5 different devices. Most of the free VPN offerings only allow one connection at a time, while HotSpot Shield allows 5 different devices to connect through the same account.
- Kill Switch: When a connection issue through the VPN occurs, the computer can start trying to use the regular insecure connection rather than the secure encrypted VPN connection. The Kill Switch stops all communication from the computer to the Internet until the VPN connection is restored, so the traffic that needs to stay private is “always” private.
- 2500 servers across the globe. This means wherever you go, there’s going to be a local connection that keeps up the speed and security.
Honorable Mention: VPN Gate
VPN Gate is interesting because it’s the outgrowth of an academic project. It’s made up of public VPN relay servers, so it’s a community of people working together to provide secure communications for others. It allows protection for people trying to get through government firewalls or just wanting to secure their connection over public WiFi connections.
Being a university project, it has clients for any number of operations systems, including a Mac VPN client.
Because of this, it has some features the others don’t:
- No registration. Every other service listed requires people to register in the hopes that eventually they’ll move to the paid version. VPN Gate doesn’t have a paid version, so it doesn’t need registration – just install the client and go.
- Additional users: Users can register to host VPN servers to add to the project, so it’s always growing as the community pitches in.
VPN Gate is a fascinating experiment, and for those just looking to do some secure browsing without a ton of extra features, it’s a great fit.
The Qualifications for Best VPN Service
Picking the best VPN for Mac OS X comes down to three things:
Reliability ✅
A VPN is no good if you can’t connect to it. The biggest issue with free VPN providers is they usually provide fewer servers or slower access speed, and reserve the better systems for paying customers. Kind of a “try it out and upgrade later” system.
Security ?
People use a VPN provider to keep their browsing and download habits private. So the connection has to use current encryption algorithms to keep hackers and other undesirables out.
Speed ?
There’s not much of a reason to connect to a VPN provider that makes you feel like you’re using an old dial-up modem. A good VPN provider provides fast access so you aren’t spending all day waiting for something to happen.
It’s Your Privacy
Your information, your browsing habits, your connections with the world are your business, and not anyone else’s. Don’t give up your privacy to use a public connection, or even within the privacy of your own home. A good VPN for Mac can let you explore the world without fear. Hopefully, this list has helped make your life easier, and more secure.