The best VPNs for your MacBook

Take care of your most precious property.

by Karissa Bell, Joseph Green

Sept. 11, 2024

Credit: Pexels

NordVPN

Best For Security

NordVPN is a powerful service that protects your data with a wide range of advanced security features.

Pros & Cons

CyberGhost VPN

Best For Beginners

This intuitive VPN offers a large server network, easy-to-use interface, and some of the latest tech.

Pros & Cons

Private Internet Access

Best For Server Network

Hunting around for a secure server is never fun, so Private Internet Access's massive network really simplifies things.

Pros & Cons

PureVPN

Best For Customer Support

Impressive download and upload speeds mean you can stream without interruptions.

Pros & Cons

TunnelBear

Best For Free

TunnelBear's slick and simple interface is ideal for beginners.

Pros & Cons

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

There are a number of reasons why you might want to start using a VPN. These security tools offer many benefits, including bypassing geographic restrictions for unlocking shows and films on popular streaming sites.

VPNs can also help to protect your privacy and make your browsing more secure (although it's always a good idea to vet your VPN provider's claims carefully — some do a better a job than others). VPNs can encrypt your traffic and provide protection against things like hackers, viruses, and malware. All of this is essential if you own a MacBook, because you don't want online threats attacking your most precious device.

What is a VPN?

Without getting too deep in the weeds — we've already done so in our review — a virtual private network, or VPN, is an encrypted connection between your Mac and a private, remote server.

In the most basic sense, it's a service that keeps you totally incognito on the web by masking your online activities and making it seem like your connection's coming from somewhere you aren't. All of your activity is untraceable and secure because everything passes through an encrypted tunnel. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside is protected against online threats.

Do you need a VPN with a Mac?

All Macs and MacBooks come with built-in antivirus software that blocks and removes malware, and any apps you download from the internet are swabbed for malicious code by Apple's Gatekeeper tool. Furthermore, all of the data that lives on your macOS device's hard drive is secured with FileVault 2, a full-disk program featuring?XTS-AES-128 encryption and a 256-bit key.

It's when any of your precious data ventures outside the localised protection of your Mac that things start to get dicey —?and that happens every single time you connect to the web. Your Internet Service Provider, or ISP, tracks your every click to compile browsing logs they (sometimes) sell to marketers, who are champing at the bit to use your data for targeted ads. That information can also wind up in the hands of certain government agencies if your ISP is served with a subpoena.

Connecting to a public WiFi network is especially risky since you don't know who set it up or who else is using it; wannabe hackers can easily hop on to intercept your internet traffic in some sort of "man-in-the-middle" attack when you're browsing the web at a café, library, or airport.

A VPN takes care of those privacy issues and then some: With your IRL location hidden, you can skirt geo-restrictions that streaming services like Netflix have put in place and bypass government censorship in places like China. Online anonymity also means you're free to dabble in torrenting/peer-to-peer file-sharing —?not that we condone the illegal kind.

What should you consider before subscribing to a VPN?

There are a lot of VPNs out there offering similar packages. This makes it difficult to select a service that works for you. To make your life a little easier, we have highlighted a selection of the most important things to consider before subscribing:

Connection speed: Whether you're looking to use a VPN for online security or streaming, this is massively important. Using a VPN is likely to result in a drop in your connection speed, but you shouldn't accept anything significant.
Encryption: VPNs are primarily designed to provide protection for your data, so encryption is important. The best VPNs will make sure all your data is unreadable and untraceable.
Number of connections: The best VPNs offer multiple simultaneous connections, so you can stay protected on all your devices at the same time.
Privacy policy: Your VPN of choice should be very clear about how they handle, store, and use your data. These practices should be laid out in a privacy policy, and if anything isn't obvious, you should look elsewhere.
Server network: The very best VPNs provide access to literally thousands of servers located all around the world. If you're looking for a stable and speedy connection for streaming, shopping, or browsing, you need options.

You should also keep in mind things like bandwidth limits, apps for certain operating systems, and customer support, but this is a good place to start.

Should you use free VPNs?

Yes, there are plenty of free versions and trials of popular VPNs out there. It may be possible to get full access to everything you get with a premium plan, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for with VPNs.

There is almost always a catch with free versions, and it's usually in the form of limited data usage. These plans will work fine if you're just an occasional user, but if you're going to be streaming or downloading, this isn't going to work. Free trials tend to come with everything you get in a paid plan, but this isn't a long-term solution.

We're sorry to say, but to gain access to advanced security and streaming features without limitations on usage, you need to pay up. Fortunately, there are plenty of cheap plans on offer from the most popular providers.

What is the best VPN for your Mac?

There's no specialised VPN for Macs, but almost all major VPN providers maintain support for macOS apps. So, with lots of options, you'll want to think carefully about which features matter most to you: Do you want a VPN with a huge server network and split tunneling for streaming and gaming? Will you feel more confident browsing with a kill switch or multihop (double VPN)? Do you need support for a bunch of connections based on the size of your household? Do you have the budget for add-ons like a dedicated IP?

Choosing the right VPN for your MacBook can be a daunting task. Fortunately for you, we have highlighted a selection of your best options. This list includes popular names like PureVPN, NordVPN, and TunnelBear.

These are the best VPNs for your Mac in 2024.

NordVPN

Best For Security

The good

Numerous privacy features App is easy to use Strong network of servers Supports payment from multiple cryptocurrencies

The Bad

Malware blocking isn't effective

The Bottomline

Keep your data safe when streaming porn with a VPN that prioritises online security.

Specs

Monthly: ?10.39/month
One-year plan: ?3.99/month
Two-year plan: ?3.19/month

Online security is something to take seriously if you're regularly using porn sites. NordVPN is a service that prioritises security, with a large and diverse network of servers and specialised features that safeguard your data when you're navigating the online world. If you value security above everything else, you should probably pick NordVPN.

Subscribers get access to over 5,500 servers located all over the world, with the option of connecting six devices at the same time. NordVPN is one of the few VPNs that lets you route your traffic between its own secure VPN servers and the Tor network, which creates another layer of security when you're visiting adult sites.

NordVPN doesn't offer the connection speeds of ExpressVPN or the server network of Private Internet Access, but you can rest assured that your data is protected with this secure service.

CyberGhost VPN

Best For Beginners

The good

Massive network of servers Unblocks most streaming services Supports cryptocurrency payments

The Bad

Lacking some of the most advanced privacy features

The Bottomline

A beginner-friendly service that's easy to use and versatile.

Specs

Monthly: ?10.89/month
Six-month plan: ?6.19/month
Two-year plan: ?1.92/month

CyberGhost VPN is a strong choice for beginners due to its attractive and easy-to-use interface. VPNs can be overwhelming, but CyberGhost VPN keeps things nice and simple.

Some of the most advanced privacy features are lacking, but CyberGhost VPN does not store information on your IP address, DNS queries, browsing history, or session duration, which is particularly reassuring when you're navigating porn sites. Users also get access to a massive network of servers, split tunnelling, multiple simultaneous connections, and so much more. Connection speeds can be inconsistent, but you can't have absolutely everything.

Private Internet Access

Best For Server Network

The good

Large and geographically diverse server network 10 simultaneous connections Improved interface

The Bad

No free version

The Bottomline

A robust VPN with advanced network and privacy tools for porn.

Specs

Monthly: ?10.99/month
Six-month plan: ?5.39/month
Two-year plan: ?1.69/month

Private Internet Access is an impressive service that offers powerful levels of encryption and a massive server network. Both of these things are pretty crucial when navigating popular porn sites.

Users can connect 10 devices simultaneous with the same account, meaning it's a great option for large households or anyone who streams porn on multiple devices. Users also get a dedicated IP address feature and plenty of customisation options, making Private Internet Access one of the most versatile options for secure streaming of porn.

All of the above is packaged in an easy-to-use and intuitive interface, which will be appealing to complete VPN beginners.

PureVPN

Best For Customer Support

The good

Fast connection speeds Split-tunnelling Apps for streaming Customer support

The Bad

Logging problems Doesn't support torrenting

The Bottomline

One of the best services for streaming due to fast download speeds and app support.

Specs

Monthly: ?8.37/month
One-year plan: ?2.86/month
Two-year plan: ?1.75/month

PureVPN is one of the best services for streaming, because it offers fast download and upload speeds. It's also a good option for working from home, but it shines when it comes to entertainment.?

PureVPN lets you stream content, unblock geo-restricted websites, and share files with safety-focused features like split-tunnelling making sure that your data and identity is not compromised. It works with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chrome, and Firefox, and it even has apps for media streaming boxes like Android TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Kodi.

PureVPN has come under fire for disclosing user information in the past, and potential users should consider this carefully.

TunnelBear

Best For Free

The good

Cheap Attractive interface Free service Easy for beginners

The Bad

Lacking some advanced features

The Bottomline

Straightforward and attractive interface is great for beginners, but may be lacking some of the more advanced features.

Specs

Monthly: ?7.78/month
One-year plan: ?3.89/month
Three-year plan: ?2.59/month

We don't know why, but a lot of VPNs have a really dated interface, but not TunnelBear. The app consists of a world map that shows you where your server is connected, and to connect to a server in another country, you click on a tunnel. It's simple, attractive, and contains bears.

It's not all good though, because TunnelBear has a fairly low server count, and lacks some of the more advanced features that you'll find with the likes of NordVPN and ExpressVPN. It's still a great option for beginners

TunnelBear even has a free option that gives you access to all of its features, but with a limit on your browsing of 500MB of data per month. That enough to give you an idea of whether or not TunnelBear is for you.